Chapter 40 - Flight Mechanics
Day 30
Mid-Morning
Erin landed with Private Johnson just inside town limits, an erected barrier providing cover from the east. Anderson and his team were huddled inside a pop-up gazebo with a table in the middle.
Before Erin even let go of the Private, she heard Johnson yell, "Britney!?" He came running over to them with a big grin on his face.
"Xavier!" Britney pronounced the X like a Z, "I hear you're getting into a lot of shit without me around to keep your nose clean." Her own grin spread ear-to-ear.
"Like hell, girl. You got into way more trouble when we were kids." Johnson, towering over Britney's five foot, five inch frame with his own six foot, one inch body, ignored the equipment load hanging from her as he pulled the woman up into a big bear hug.
"Johnson!" The cousins both turned to see Cohen giving them a disapproving look, "Get your ass back under cover."
As Xavier started walking back, Britney looked at Erin. Gesturing at her cousin, the woman said, "See! Always gettin' himself in shit."
Erin laughed good and hard as she walked. The joke wasn't that funny, but she desperately needed more levity in her life right now.
"Erin." Anderson nodded at her, an air of relief coming from him, then he nodded at Britney, "Private Johnson."
The light tone Britney had a moment ago disappeared as her decorum kicked in. Britney came to attention and saluted, "General Anderson, Sir."
"At ease, Private," Anderson waved her down, "I…may have technically resigned my commission."
Relaxing, Britney shook her head firm, and just once, "With all due respect sir, it sounds like your commission holds more legitimacy than Hawthorne's."
Chuckling, Anderson said, "Well, that's not for me to decide, but that's a matter for later." Turning to Erin, he said, "What's our situation?"
"Captain Schofield appears to be the man in charge," She watched Anderson give a nod of approval to that, and she took it to be a sign of respect, "He called a retreat to their lines, and he's recognized that we have the superior umm…firepower."
Some of the soldiers chuckled. They knew what that meant, Captain Schofield recognized Erin as the apex predator.
Continuing, Erin said, "We need to have a meeting with him, but first we need to help this town."
Anderson smiled at her last comment, "I have some good news on that front."
"Oh?" Erin asked.
"Noah, that little genius, has already started deploying his bots to affected areas, fighting the fires."
At the mention of Noah, Erin winced, which was precisely when Sydney walked into their makeshift command tent asking, "What did I miss?"
"Erin looked at Sydney with a grateful, but sad smile, "I was just about to update Anderson on Noah's status."
It was Sydney's turn to wince, but she quickly moved to Erin's side, intertwining the fingers of Erin's left hand with her own.
Erin felt her resolve build, but the words still came out in a rush, "Hawthorne kidnapped Noah."
Everyone's face at the table dropped except Sydney, Erin, and Britney. Anderson leaned heavily on the table, and seemed to age a decade in seconds. It was Cohen who spoke up first, though.
"What would he want with a teenage nerd?" Cohen asked.
"Genius." Anderson corrected.
"What?"
Clarifying, Anderson said, "What would he want with a teenage genius, you mean."
That little bit of perspective flipped on the lightbulb in several sets of eyes. Not having the context though, Britney asked, "How genius are we talking?"
"He was a mere boy genius before the System," Sydney said, "Since then he's been dumping half of his attribute points from every level into intelligence. Hell, two days after assessment week, he had a super intelligent AI up and running."
Britney's eyes widened and she nodded, muttering, "Genius, indeed."
Erin looked around the table, "That begs the question though. Who is controlling his bots?"
"I suspect they're either on an automated protocol," Anderson said, "Or Sky has procedures to follow."
Britney mouthed the word Sky as a question to her cousin.
He responded, "Sky is his super intelligent AI. He named her SkyNOT."
Britney let out a loud, short, barking laugh that had no right coming from someone her size, "I think I like this kid already."
Changing topics, Erin asked, "So the bots or Sky or whatever are handling fires, what about casualties?"
Brown fielded this question, "Deputy Alvarez has been assessing the situation and reporting back. No casualties yet, thankfully, but it's too soon to count our chickens."
Nodding, Erin took a moment to consider her options. While she wanted to get things rolling with Schofield, maybe get some extra intel, no casualties yet didn't mean there wouldn't be as damage was assessed. Cursing the entire situation, Erin made her choice.
"Anderson, can you guys load up in the Not-Rod and head for impact points. Help assess, report to me or Sydney." Erin said, a surprising amount of authority coming out.
Anderson nodded, "Sure. What will you guys be doing?"
"The military has those…what do you call them? Combat Engineers?"
"Yeah, Combat Engineers." Anderson agreed, "They might have some with Schofield's command to support the mechanized units. Good thinking."
"Sydney and I will go see if he does, and if so, borrow them. I want them on hand if we need to dig people out."
"Alright men, you heard the lady. Kowalski, take Johnson and Brown, bring the vehicle back here. Private Johnson, are you coming with us?"
"Yes, Sir." Britney replied.
"Erin," Sydney pulled her aside, "I don't know about you, but I got a shit ton of experience from defeating that Zara chick. I broke level 100. We should deal with that before we exit town."
"Yeah, probably a good idea. I keep letting that slide and getting caught off guard because of it." Erin agreed.
"Good, 'cause I already applied my attributes while everyone was talking." Sydney snickered, "I jacked my speed up really high. Might even be as fast as you without your boosts and extra powers."
"Hah!" Erin let out the sharp syllable a bit harsher than she intended, "We'll see about that." Temporarily unequipping the new bracelet, Erin checked her speed stat, "21,601 without all my crazy boosts."
Sydney's grin was radiant as she said, "29,250."
"Nope," Erin said with a bit of mirth, "My girlfriend can't be faster than me."
"Gasps in Spanish!" Lopez blurted out, "I win the bet. Erin used the G word first."
Some cursing from the soldiers present ensued, while Sydney and Erin tried not to laugh at the ridiculousness.
Erin didn't dawdle with her stats. 378 points and she had hit level 130. She dumped 100 points each into Strength, Endurance, and Agility, the primary stats that impacted speed. The remaining 78 points got split between Intelligence, Wisdom, and Willpower evenly at 26 each.
Smiling at Sydney, Erin said, "47,483."
"Dammit!" Sydney cursed, "I think you're cheating."
Erin laughed that off, "Ready to go?"
"No," Sydney said, "You need to look at that special achievement screen for level 100."
Erin scrunched her face up in confusion, then looked at her HUD. The Quest menu had an item called Achieved Level 100 - Special Ability. Focusing on it, a list appeared.
Congratulations! You've achieved Level 100!
Pick a new ability from the list below.
Flight (Active)
Type: Movement
Description: Allows the user to fly. Drains primary resource. Speed and acceleration based on the user's stats.
Hide Status (Passive, Toggleable)
Type: Buff
Description: Allows the user to hide their personal status, preventing others from getting information with the Status command.
Adaptive Resilience (Passive)
Type: Buff
Description: For each point of HP damage taken by a specific damage type, the user gains 0.01% resistance. Resistance degrades at 1%/s once that damage type has not been taken for more than 30 seconds. Can only hold three resistance types at one time.
Alter Mass (Active)
Type: Buff
Description: Allows the user to adjust their mass up and down. WARNING: The user can increase their mass beyond the capabilities of their physical body.
Blink Step (Active)
Type: Movement
Description: Allows the user to perform a teleport step up to 30 meters away. Must be in motion to activate. Must be able to see their target destination. Anything or anyone you are touching travels with you, excludes the ground. 10 second cooldown.
Ethereal Weapon (Active)
Type: Weapon
Description: Allows the user to create an ethereal weapon. Weapons cannot have moving parts. Weapon can last indefinitely while in the user's hands, however disappears if they let go of it. 30 second cooldown.
Mirage Step (Active)
Type: Illusion
Description: Allows the user to leave behind an illusion of themselves. Can be used with movement-type abilities. 30 second cooldown.
Glide (Passive, Toggleable)
Type: Movement
Description: Allows the user to slow their descent while moving parallel to the ground.
Predatory Instincts (Passive)
Type: Buff
Description: Increases the user's senses when tracking prey. Must have a specific target in mind.
Blood Pact (Active)
Type: Buff
Description: For each point of HP damage taken, the user gains 0.01% boost to Physical attributes. Boost degrades at 1%/s if no damage is taken for more than 30 seconds. Any healing effect resets the boost to zero.
"Holy shit!" Erin blurted out.
"Right?" Sydney agreed, once you pick something I'll tell you what I chose."
Erin grinned widely for the second time in as many minutes, "The options are incredible, but I don't need to think about what I want." Erin made her decision, ignored the warning about not being allowed to select other movement-type abilities, then said, "Any other surprises?"
"Not from me."
"Good, then come here." Erin pulled Sydney a few meters away from the command tent, pulling her close, "I got to experience this a few nights ago, and I promised myself if I ever got access to it, you would be the first person I shared it with."
Sydney blushed at that admission, then gasped as they started to float off the ground. "What…?"
Erin just grinned at her as they kept lifting higher off the ground, until they were a couple hundred meters in the air. "Hold on tight."
Sydney snuggled up a bit tighter to Erin, then they flipped parallel to the ground and shot off like a bullet. It was a short trip at that speed, but exhilarating for both women, and not just because of the high speed or altitude. When they reached Schofield's encampment, Erin set them down to a crowd of rapt onlookers
Their feet were not even flat on the ground when Captain Schofield approached, "Erin, you're back sooner than I expected. Any issues?"
"Not yet, Captain," Erin said, 'But we have a favour to ask."
"Please, I think we're past titles. Just call me Clint." Reaching a hand out to Sydney, he said, "And you are?"
"Sydney Cade." She met his firm handshake with her own.
"Deputy Sydney cade?"
Sydney waffled her hand, "My employment is…up for review."
Chuckling, Clint said, "Well, I guess we have that in common." Turning and waving them on with a hand, he added, "Come on, let's talk in my command tent."
Erin and Sydney walked side-by-side, following Clint into the tent.
"So, you can fly as well?"
"Yeah, that's a new development." Erin said.
"New since you were last here?" Clint sounded incredulous.
"Yup." Erin had the courtesy to look chagrined.
Clint shook his head and chuckled, "You really do move fast. Incredible." Sitting on the edge of his desk, the Captain asked, "What can I do for you, Erin?"
"Do you have any Combat Engineers in your unit?" Erin asked.
Nodding, he said, "Yeah, a dozen of them. Why?"
"The mortars did some damage, but we haven't received reports of casualties yet." Erin sighed heavily, "I'm hoping we got lucky, but…"
"Hope in one hand, shit in the other." Clint interrupted.
Sydney finished the adage, "See which fills up first."
Clint nodded at her, then said, "Fucking Hawthorne and his fucking mortar teams."
"They weren't your men?" Sydney asked.
"Mortar's are a piss poor negotiating tool. I didn't come here to kill civilians, but that bastard had them shadowing us." Clint shook his head in frustration.
"What about the unit at the cemetery?"
Looking at Sydney strangely, Clint asked, "What unit at what cemetery?"
"When Erin launched herself and Zara away from the cemetery, a couple dozen soldiers made themselves known. They had the ability to disguise their clothing and equipment."
"Fuck me, they're real?" Clint stood, his mind clearly running through something, "There have been rumors of a unit like that. People have been calling them Wraith Company. But there's always rumors floating around military bases. I thought it was just that."
"Well, they exist, but they're shit soldiers." Sydney said matter of factly, "Their unit commander was an arrogant dumbass, and took a bullet in the head for it."
Clint chuckled but it had no humor, "Hawthorne tends to raise up people with his own personality traits." Looking at Sydney, he asked, "Did you get them all?"
"No, the bastards hit me with a Carl Gustav. Knocked me clean on my ass."
Erin tensed at the news, and Sydney could sense it. Looking over at her, Sydney said, "Carl may not care, but neither does my armour. I'm perfectly healthy, as you can see."
Relaxing, Erin smiled affectionately, "Good. I Would hate to be forced to murder another two hundred people."
Clint cleared his throat, not wanting to be rude, but clearly a bit uncomfortable with the last detail in that exchange, "Back to your request for a favour, I can spare them, but I'll need your guarantee they'll be safe. I don't want to send them into a town of angry townspeople with pitchforks."
"You have my word, Clint. I'll personally guarantee their safety." Erin said without hesitation.
"That should do the trick." Clint nodded, "They'll need a safe route into town."
Erin smiled, "Gather them in a vehicle, I can give them safe transport."
"Give…?" Clint asked.
She didn't clarify, just smiling, then she spun on a heel and exited the tent..
A few minutes later, Erin and Sydney were joined in a small clearing by a boxy-looking armoured personnel carrier. A hatch on top popped open to reveal a woman with a tank crew helmet Erin recognized as the same style Anderson's tank crew wore.
"Ma'am, I was told you would lead us into town?"
Sydney chuckled, but Erin smiled and said, "Well, lead isn't the right word, but I'll get you guys in safely. Can you open up the back and let Sydney in?"
The woman hammered on the armour of the vehicle a couple times and a rear ramp dropped at the back.
Erin gestured towards the ramp, "Your chariot awaits, m'lady."
"You spoil me." Sydney said, pressing a hand to her chest.
Once she was inside, Erin told the tank crewmember, "Make sure everyone holds on tight."
"Hold on..what?" She dropped down in, pulling the hatch closed with a scared look on her face.
Erin hovered parallel with the ground, sliding under the APC, then positioned her hands to get a balanced grip, and started raising her altitude. As the weight released from the treads, Erin shifted her grip slightly to keep an even balance. Her focus was tested when she realized that she had an audience.
"Holy shit!" One soldier blurted out.
"She's not even straining." Another said.
"Hey Darren, you gonna challenge her to a competition on the bench press?"
"Hell no, but I might ask her out."
Erin smirked, though she was turned away from the soldiers so they couldn't see, then said, "Sorry boys, I'm taken." With that, she took off at a sedate pace towards town.