Chapter 23: Winter Cleanup

* The shuttle carrying Liore landed about 5km from the center still in the middle of a blizzard. The team had armed themselves as best they could see how Liore was forcing their hand. They were 9 McMannus included. The shuttle took off again on Chen's orders and the team circled around their VIP *.

-Ankler bring you back. * Chen said *.

* One of his men approached with a much heavier bag than the others. Chen motioned to him and he set explosives around a floor area *.

-Are you sure this is the right place? * Chen asked *.

-I grew up in this place. I know every nook and cranny. * He explained as he checked his cell phone *.

-And your Smartphone told you. * Arklight scoffed *.

* Ankler set up an explosive device that blew up the ground in a controlled explosion without any sound. The device emitted a sound wave covering any noise preventing at the same time the Krawls from detecting them. The ground collapsed in the place and a tunnel revealed itself. Arklight gave him a surprised look as Liore gave him a clever smile before going downstairs with the other guys on the team *.

-He has the most powerful brain in the universe. Avoid doubting his word. * tell Crimson *.

-he freaks out that's all. When things heat up there will be nobody left.

* The team descended into the complex and positioned themselves as they advanced towards the complex. Elsewhere in another solar system, Olga had traveled to the mountains to take pictures of nature. She was with colleagues. After taking a few pictures of the plain opposite she smiled and transferred the image to her Husband. Only the transfer had failed *.

- Keep it weird, he who has the network all the time.

-Sierra bring you back, we'll start the barbecue.

-Ah yes I will be there right away. * She said putting her phone away *. Ah and boss it's McMannus now.

-Oops sorry. Don't freak out too much.

* Back at the complex the team had reached the infested area. They were all following McMannus' radar. On the way they had met a lot of corpses of scientists, guards and others *.

-Good you have led us so far it is good, but what is the objective? * Chen asked *.

- Look for the survivors, bring them to safety and eliminate all the Krawls. * Says Crimson *. Am I good?

-Not exactly in that order, but yes. Ideally you separate and you take turns skinning them.

-You say that like it's so easy. We are not equipped for ....

-Don't make me laugh you are professional Krawl killers I can count on you.

* Chen said nothing and turned to the rest of his team *.

-Tombstone and Garnett take east. Reacher, Ankler You take the North, Moon with me for the South zone. We finish and we meet at the command post.

-And us ? * Asked Arklight *.

-You are babysitting. * Chen said *.

* And so the team broke up. As they were walking away from each other they suddenly received the location on their radar *.

-What is that ? * Moon asked *.

-The position of targets. * Chen replied *. Stay focused, kid.

-Yes boss.

* Meanwhile Liore and his "friends" offered a tourist visit in this gloomy and bloody setting. The Krawls never leave anything to chance. Killing humans is as natural for them as breathing *.

-How do you do that? * Ark asked *.

-What ?

-Bah that. You always know where you are going and what you are doing. You knew we could get in through this hole you know where all the Krawls are. It's me or you have superpowers.

* Liore laughed, trying to hide it, but he couldn't help it *.

-Hey did I say something funny?

-No no nothing. * He said, calming down *. Just this is the first time I've been asked this kind of question. I was so used to it that I found it normal.

-Yes bah what you do is scary.

-Bah I hacked the closest satellite to Umino and I launched a full scanner of the station. Then I got in touch with the computer in the center and I got hold of all the scans. I was able to launch an echographic, geological and ...

-Hoho, calm down, I'm getting half of your gibberish. To put it simply, did you hack a satelite? But with what?

-With That ... * He said pointing his head *.

-Oh shiiiit.

-I heard that the Jaeger brain is 3 times more powerful than that of humans which allows them to establish the Ark Cortex connection. * Says Crimson *. But Liore's is 8 times more than the standard and his 1/3 machine side allows him to hack anything and everything.

-If we follow your reasoning, any Jaeger can do that. * Said Ark *.

-Yeah ... But no one could stand that connection. It takes the powerful brain to go with it.

-We are limited to one connection per person. * Liore explained but it could be anything *.

* As they walked around the corners he found a room full of test tubes. Memories came back to him. He could still see himself as a small child undergoing tests to see how bad his brain could handle *.

-This kid is amazing. * Said one of the scientist *. The McMannus are amazing but this one is the modt amazing.

-It's a shame that the army takes it from us. He would do so much for Humanity if he was a simple scientist.

-His brain acts like both an organic and a computer virus. It can connect to any machine at a glance. This is the first Jaeger to have a 100% synchronization success rate.

* Liore also recalled how he and Berthold were treated differently from other high school kids. Jaeger's main bloodlines would send their children here to this center to be turned into a killing machine ready to serve on the front lines *.

-Hey VIP. * Said Arklight *. Are you doing well ? You grew up here it must not be happiness.

-I had good times there as well as bad times. Actually when "Grand Genesis" and "Eden Sphere" were still open I lived a pretty Normal human life.

* Crimson walked over to a photo which he picked up and observed. There were Liore and other Jaegers in army cadet uniforms *.

-Just like a normal school eh?

* At that moment gunshots rang out through the walls *.

-Ah it started.

* Class 1 Krawls are not that hard to kill. With the standard equipment of the army it is quickly dispatched. Grenade shells can overcome it. But when it comes to fighting with simple guns the chances of survival drop sharply to 10%. Even with the right bullet you have to aim precisely at the place under the shell. But for the special forces guys was another matter *.

-Your friends will be okay? * Asked Liore *.

-Ha it's up to me to laugh, it seems. * say Arklight *. You don't care ...

* The Krawls were predominantly Ukron, insect types with their hearts often in places like the usual the procedure is to have them beheaded or their spinal column destroyed. That's what Chen did, he pounced on their backs and destroyed their backs with explosive bullets and Moon pierced their hearts with her combat knife. She dodged acid blasts and tugged at the beast's eyes before Chen pulverized it by pulling through her throat. Ankler had laid freezing charges that froze the krawls that fell into his traps while Reacher detonated them with a shotgun. Tombstone had deployed an anti-tank customed rifle to exterminate the krawls. He shot through walls straight into the spine beheading the Krawls while Garnett chose his targets with binoculars *.

-Be careful you almost opened a cell with this shot.

-He am totally blind you know. Shooting through concrete walls is new to me.

-We have McMannus's radar. * argue Garnet *.

-Yeah it does not detect .... WATCH OUT.

* Tombstone threw himself on his friend whom he pinned to the ground. The Ukron swallowed the sniper rifle. Garnett stood up and fired several high explosive bullets in his head before he died *.

-And damn it. * Said the sniper *.

- Your mother will buy you another one. By the way why we can not scan the center we can see nothing in it.

-Even with McMannus' radar?

-Even with that. Either there is nothing in there ...

- Either McMannus is hiding something from us.

* Tombstone took an assault rifle and loaded it *.

-We are done with this sector. We're going to pay a little visit.

* For his part Liore had just witnessed a show of force on the part of his bodyguards. Crimson still had his knife in the guts of the Ukron *.

-You Special Forces guys are no joke.

-It gives you a corner eh. Your friends in the 82nd wouldn't do the same.

- The guys from the 82nd Undead, we do a lot more with fewer men and less well equipped than you. * Said Liore who was starting to get irritated *.

-He's alright I was just kidding you. You are a tough guy. I...

* A krawl smashed through the wall just behind him and half engulfed him. It was so fast and violent that Liore and Crimson were speechless. The Krawl was supposed to be an insect-type Ukron but it only affected his upper body. He had arms sticking out from his sides, a horned head, a tail and legs *.

-Fucking hell ... What is this .... Thing? * Yelled Crimson *.

* The soldier opened fire but his bullets were stopped by a sort of barrier he had on his body *.

-A magnetic field? Damn that stuff is a ...

-Ark ... Aaark ...

* The soldier struggled but the monster crunched him at the hips and ended up swallowing him whole. Seeing this Crimson got angry but instead of losing his temper he kept his cool and lifted Liore like a bag of potato *.

-Activation of Overdrive mode. It will shake a bit.

-Do it ....

* The Overdrive mode of the tactical suit makes it possible to exceed the physical capacities of the wearer. The nanomachines in the soldiers' muscles are then stimulated so that he can withstand such pressure. It is the same concept as the liquid that allows Typhoon pilots to withstand G. The army's speed record in Overdrive is 386 km / H. Suffice to say that Crimson was going fast, to the point that he momentarily managed to sow the chimera and landed at the central post where the whole team had gathered. They were amazed to see Crimson in Overdrive and especially also breathless *.

-What is going on ? Where is Arklight?

* Crimson shook his head in response and they understood. Liore was trying to pull himself together when the Krawl landed breaking the wall. Automatically all the cannons were aimed at him. Alas the bullets crashed on his shield as if nothing had happened *.

-Oh shit.

* The monster threw Ankler down with his arm which hit a wall, then he pierced Tombstone in liver with his tail. To help his friend Moon wanted to cut the tail with a machete but it ricocheted and slipped out of her hands. The tail stiffened and curled around her throat, trying to crush her throat *.

-NO. * Shouted GARNETT *.

* Liore appears out of nowhere with the machete and manages to cut off his tail, much to everyone's surprise. He picked up the soldier and pushed her aside *.

-Are you doing well ? * He asked Moon *.

-Thank you. * She said, coughing *. How did you do that?

-No time to explain.

* The chimera rushed at them horns forward but Chen grabbed its horn and counterbalanced it before sending it into the wall. He then activated the C-4 he had left on his body and the explosion blew a good part of the room. When he stood up Reacher chained him with several 12-gauge shots while Crimson and Garnett riddled him with armored bullets. But nothing to do. Not only did the shield block bullets, but the skin was also very strong *.

- Damn if only we had the anti-krawl rifle. * yelled Garnett *.

-It's no use yelling and anyway Tombstone is down. * Explained Crimson *.

* Chen stepped forward and drew two combat knives with a murderous look *.

-Tch move away you guys ... I'll take care of it.

* As the fight was about to begin the Krawl began to twist in pain. He was screaming incessantly as he bumped into the corner walls. It was then that we saw the glow of a combat knife which tore his chest. His stomach suddenly opened and all even Liore were surprised to see Arklight standing *.

-ARK. Are you alive? * yell Crimson *.

-ANKLER explosives.

* Ankler being on the ground it was Crimson who threw a load of some kind at him. Arklight put the load directly on the heart and ran out. He was covered in Krawl's blood and his suit was half dissolved. The Krawl having regenerated, he leaps on him *.

-Vade Retro Titanicus.

* He detonated the monster which burst into a gigantic ball of blood. One of its horns brushed against Liore's cheek, leaving a trail of blood. Crimson then rushed on his mate who collapsed to the ground covered in his blood and that of the Krawl *.

-Hey ... Hey buddy don't fall asleep.

-It's okay, I have reservations. * He said, forcing himself to get up *.

* He took off his tactical vest remaining in T-shirt then he staggered to Liore by placing his hand on his shoulder *.

-Thank you for the help. * He said *.

-He can explain it to me. * Said Crimson confused *.

-And Tombstone?

-He won't survive if he didn't gets healed * say Reacher *.

-And Ankler has some fracture in his back.

-We can treat them once we have regained control of the center. * Said Liore *.

-Garnett. You stick to it. * Said Chen *.

* Garnett, who had one of the explosives, blew up the door to the central control post. The resulting vision of Horror was horrible. There was only blood and bodies. But not only human corpses but also those of the Krawls. Some had bullet holes but that wasn't what killed them. The commando moved slowly as they heard chewing noises. They walked up to the control console where they saw the corpse of a Krawl Ukron spread out on the ground and sat down next to him a humanoid form but with light blue hair *.

-Contact with a Golon Type Krawl. Prepare to eliminate the target. * Says Garnett *.

-Golon ?? * Liore wondered *. LOGAAN?

* The humanoid form strongly resembled a young man in his twenties but he had sharp teeth and dark eyes, no irises just black. He jumped onto one of the ledges and uttered a shrill cry that frightened the soldiers *.

- Stop it.

-NO. * Cried Liore *.

* McMannus rushed forward, interposing himself, but all sights were on him *.

-Don't shoot it's a human.

-What are you talking about is a Krawl. * Cried Arklight *. Didn't you see what they did to me?

-No the one ...

-Keep away McMannus ...

-Colonel McMannus step aside. * Chen said *. I won't repeat it.

- I won't let you kill him.

-At the risk of being indiscreet, why are you protecting this monster so much? * Crimson asked *.

* Liore's gaze changed but rather than being angry he was sad *.

-This monster as you say ... It's my little brother .... * He said in a tone that implored pity *.

* The others remained dumb with amazement *.

-And he saved my life.

* They turned around and saw in the distance a woman who had just entered with drinks in her hands. This woman was ... *.

- Let me introduce myself. I am doctor Léticia Azul. Please don't point your guns at this guy.

* End of chapter *.