Chapter 11: Conductivity

Handsome was a soldier. They grieved in silence and moved on immediately. Their focus on their mission, as they were trained, tends to distract them from a grieving emotional state.

Mission first. Lance heard the stories about the age when humanity battled against the Abominants. Almost all deployed soldiers died during the battle.

Until the governments and the surviving cities decided to construct the walls, the attacks ceased. There was no hope of defeating the monsters using current traditional weapons.

Hence, the Government relied on science for humanity's survival and the hope of the total elimination of the mutated monsters.

However, it seemed progress was halted too. No news about the development of creating a weapon effective for the Abominants emerged. Lance had wondered why these Scientists were studying the creatures. Almost covertly, if not to eradicate them, what could be the reason for these studies?

It was so sinister to even imagine the possibilities.

Handsome was a soldier. Snappy as he moved. Moreover, the way he handled his rifle and the way he react under pressure had immense efficiency, calmness, and nonchalance.

He must be grieving, Lance thought again. Observing the soldier suppressed his depressed emotions.

The peak line was at the topmost parts of the Trench Hill where the roads converged to one and had become narrower, between a valley of slippery rocks that composed a cliff. The road was only wide enough that it would fit two vehicles side by side.

'Perfect for the size of the Obsidian,' Lance assessed.

And there was no way for the Abominant to climb the cliff over them and prevent the Peak Line passageway. As its weakness, Obsidian scorpions could not climb slippery rocks. However, they could leverage their strong pointy legs to burry them against the surfaces to leverage a climb.

Fortunately, the steep valley in Trench Hill was hardened by decades of contaminated air, freezing cold atmosphere, and radiation exposure. Thus, impossible for the creature to climb over them.

Damian, George, and Joe planted electric stunning grenades at the sides of the road that Handsome had provided. Lance and Handsome barricaded the road with modified anti-ramming barriers made of steel.

The Outsiders augmented the barrier with steel thorns, long enough to skew six people. There were four of them, discouraging enough to restrict entry, even for Abominants. The barriers were heavy and large but they were moved by only the two of them, to the kid's surprise. 

The wheels were efficiently placed and designed to support movement by exerting minimal force.

"Lock them, lad," Handsome showed Lance how to lock the wheeled barricades in place and the latter followed. The latter pulled the levers from the side and something clicked, heavy metal clamps restricting the wheels' movement.

On the wall's side where the barricades were stationed, Handsome and Lance climbed up using a man-made track. They perched on a hiding place on top and behind the over-cropping rock to conceal themselves. 

'Vantage point,' The kid had managed to suppress his fear. 

"What about them?" Lance asked.

"Damian knows what to do. We will trap the creature in this passageway and Damian will attack behind it and he on its front."

"Here take this," Handsome gave a bottle of expensive men's perfume. "Spray a lot all over your clothes."

"Is it because the Obsidian is attracted to smell?" Lance asked.

"Righty, lad!" Handsome sprayed some of the perfume onto his garments too. "Let's kill this mother fecker."

"So, you are saying that we are bait?" Lance asked. His voice sharpened.

"Yeah. A necessity, kid. Worry not. I have done this a hundred times." Handsome winked. "And of course, Damian had witnessed killing these beasts many times, so he knows the drill. Although, the two of your comrades seemed to be neophytes in all of this. So, hopefully, they won't chicken out."

"For many years, I was one of the Hunting team that killed all hostile Abominants within the area so that the Outsiders could live peacefully," Handsome continued as he loaded a chain of bullets into the long-barreled machine gun. He mounted the forward stand in place for stability.

Nonchalance was still evident on the way he spoke, simultaneously, his hands were deftly handling the weapon, punching ammos in a manner of efficiency.

"Jasper, scan 500 meters for a moving Abominant from this location." Lance pressed at the back of his ear. Luckily, Jasper was still functional despite the harsh weather environment. Probably, the altitude made the AI's signal possible.

"No movement within range, Master," Jasper responded. "I will alert you if something comes up."

"I guess we wait," Lance said. It was a relief for him to have at least rest his unceasing cold bones during this journey. Every dull moment was significant to subside his raging emotion.

"That technology that you carry with you, is it Jasper?" What is it?" Handsome asked.

"Oh. This? This is nothing," Lance replied hesitantly. He could not just disclose a secret invention to anyone. Jasper is a 2nd Tier AI that can only be installed in the dimensions indoors or in the comfort of homes. But creating an AI, like Jasper, and installing on the person's body was only available to upper-level Scientists and upper-class citizens. Never had one in the middle class, especially in low-class citizens.

"I heard stories about AI that can be mobile; it is only available for the deep-pocket Fat Cats in the upper echelon of society." Handsome said. "It only means that you are one of them."

"You are mistaken," Lance retorted. "I invented Jasper to be mobile on my own with the scrap components I gathered for years. I haven't shared this with the Corporation yet. With my design, they can mass produce this invention."

"Why keep it to yourself?"

"Gut feel. Something tells me that this is not the right time to mass-produce. I believe the market is shifting and there is a right time for everything to maximize profitability."

"You really are something, kid. Jefferson has high regard for you. No offense but I can't see much potential in you. Well, he told Fatso that you may be the key to everything. To the fall of the Corporation." He scoffed at the thought.

"It will come, Handsome. Of course, with everybody's help."

"Master, detecting fast movement incoming to our location," Jasper interjected.

"The bombs are planted two hundred meters from us. Tell me if its in range. I will signal Damian to detonate them."

"Master, 400 meters. It's coming fast." Jasper reported.

Lance's heart thumped fast, hammering hard nearing implosion. This may be the feeling of encountering such a high level of risk, he thought.

"Jasper?" Lance asked for another scan again.

"300 meters, Master."

Almost every four seconds the creature could cover a 100-meter ground.

"Now, Damian!" Handsome screamed. 

A perfect timing for the creature's location and to where they planted electric stunning bombs.

A ball of lightning appeared from afar, emerging through the thick swarm of mountain dust. Without the heaving gust, the lightning could blind a person at close range. Lance did not see the incoming Obsidian Scorpion, however, as the electric stunning grenades detonated, a tall upright silhouette of the beast was discernible. Its screeches and screams reverberated against the steep mountain valley walls.

Despite the strong stunning force, the Obsidian managed to move for an escape. Unfortunately for the creature, the stone walls prevented its movement. Its legs scraped against the wall, desperately.

These stunning grenades were not designed to explode. Perfect though, to preserve the Peak Line's integrity. The said grenades only released high-voltage static electricity that covered a five-meter radial electric web that would catch any conductive material – steel, water, human skins, and of course Abominants.

The blast lasted ten seconds until the grenade battery exhausted its charge. Now the bullets came immediately after the detonation. Lance saw three legs decapitated, ooze spraying, as the attacks came from the rear. Shooting the stunned creature was facile, moreover, easily exposing its joints uncovered by its Obsidian Armor.

Handsome took the precious opportunity to squeeze the trigger of the impractically large, mounted machine gun. The loudness pushed Lance to cover his ears and receded farther away from the high-caliber weapon.

The creature's stinger and forelegs were decimated but had not successfully hit the head as its instincts dictated, its tail automatically covered its weakest point.

Black miasma evaporated into the air like there was a pyre underneath the black smoke. Black ooze bathed the place and splashed heavily onto the sides of the valley's wall.

"Sneaky little creature, aren't you!" Handsome screamed, frustrated to have not solidly hit the median eye at the creature's forehead.

The weapon was astonishing. It took five seconds for Handsome to squeeze the trigger and consume an arms-length chain of bullets.

"This is for Fatso and Lanky!" Handsome screamed, his arms shaken by the bursting recoil.

Damian, Joe, and George were still firing their rifles, too. Aiming for the joints, they took another leg out after a few rounds. The Obsidian shell though stood unscathed with all the firepower it absorbed.

The Scorpion was defenseless. The creature cried sharply, echoing to the vastness of the mountain beyond the peak of the valley. Gooseflesh loomed at Lance's back as if a ghost caressed him. Loudly, the sharp shrieks pierced through his suit.

Lance observed the electricity crawling at the soft tissues of the creature, however, ignoring the Obsidian shell. The majority of the charge concentrated at the creature's core.

'Conductivity in the spine and pure insulation along the Obsidian shell?' Lance deduced.

The Scorpion, with all its strength, it was motionless. Instantly, it emaciated like millipedes do when sensing danger. The Obsidian Scorpion had survival instincts beyond the intelligence of the low-level Abominants. Just like the Wolf, it almost tasted intelligence or training.

The ten seconds of stunning agony had exhausted, eventually had charred the scorpion's flesh and innards. The breeze was immersed with an aromatic scent of barbecued chicken or crocodile flesh. It penetrated through the sediment filters of their mask.

Lance gagged to vomit knowing that the smell came from an appalling-looking scorpion, churning his stomach to immense disgust.

The ruckus had ceased and the Scorpion surrendered its instinct to kill.

"Jasper, scan for vitals," Lance said while they started to climb down from where they perched.

"Alive. At 20% heart rate. It is almost dead, Master." Jasper scanned.

"It is alive," Lance reminded Handsome, however, the latter did not stop walking toward the curled creature. Lance saw his three comrades nearing the creature too.

A few meters from the defeated level 3 monster, Lance heard a respite of agonizing breathing. Despite a pitiful site, a great relief filled the atmosphere now that they conquered their pursuing predator.

"You do the honors, kid," Lance heard Damian say. Handsome nodded in approval.

Lance took out his Double-Barrel handgun from his utility bag and pointed it at the curled creature; its head though was exposed to Lance's aim.

"C'mon kid, squeeze the trigger," Joe said frantically. Lance's aim still hung while his mind raced for remorse.

The gun was heavy. The creature was defeated. The smell of the air was revolting though. Black blood had painted the walls. All Lance needed at the moment was to throw up.

"Let me do it instead, kid," Handsome suggested. But as the soldier reached out for Lance's gun, Lance squeezed the trigger.