Lost
Empire: Part Two.
By
Brad
Marsh
The
mist slowly evaporated as the jump chamber cycled down, depositing Kane and his
three companions inside the gateway in North Carolina. Kane and Grant came awake
at roughly the same time. Each of them automatically checking that there Sin
Eaters and Copperheads had made the jump with them. They both harbored an
unspoken fear that one day they would complete a jump and their weapons and gear
would not be there with them. It was a small nagging fear that lingered with
them each time they climbed into a jump chamber. Kane took stock of his body,
noting that for once he felt relatively good after a jump.
He
got his feet with little trouble, his head only spinning for a brief few
seconds, to which he placed his hand against the armaglass wall. He tensed his
wrist tendons, and his Sin Eater slid into his waiting hand. Grant slowly heaved
his broad shouldered form up from the chamber floor, his Sin Eater sliding into
his hand, as he moved to stand by Kane. They both tried to detect any movement
beyond the gateway out in the control room, but they could see nothing. Grants
motion detector showed nothing moving in the immediate area either. But that
didn’t mean that there wasn’t anyone laying in wait to ambush them, or that
the complex they had jump to was empty. The motion detector Grant wore on his
wrist had a limited range. Anything outside that range was invisible. Brigid and
Domi slowly got to their feet, leaving their own blasters holstered. With Kane
and Grant walking point and drag, there would be ample warning if there was
shooting.
Kane
cautiously eased opened the gateway door, slipping out into the room beyond when
the door was open just a few inches. When no blaster fire erupted Grant led
Domi, and Brigid after Kane. They stepped directly into the gateway control
room, where Kane stood looking at a plain wooden door, with a brass doorknob,
that led out of the room. It struck them as strange because almost all of the
redoubts they had arrived in had a door made of sec steel with a lever that
controlled the opening and closing of the door. The other thing that didn’t
quite fit the standard they had come to expect was this door was equipped with a
simple push button lock set in the doorknob. Where most redoubts had comp
controlled locks that required a three-digit code to engage or disengage.
Despite those abnormalities Kane approached the door, and pulled it open on
squeaky un-oiled hinges, his Sin Eater leading the way out into the dimly lit
area beyond.
Kane
could tell they were in square room that had a short and narrow hallway that led
off it to an intersection were another hall bisected it. Scanning the floor Kane
spotted a few tatters of clothing and the remains of several ceiling tiles.
Looking upward he spotted a large gapping hole in the ceiling where the tiles
had hung once upon a time. Grant glided up next him, silently pointing to
something Kane had notice as well, fresh footprints in the layer of dust that
covered the floor. Leading from the gateway to through the control room and
towards the stairs. That simple fact put Kane on edge, because it meant that
someone had beaten them to North Carolina and whoever had gotten there first
could still be in the area. That complicated things, and those complications
were going to slow them down, but there was nothing that could be done about it.
Without
a word he led them towards the intersection, they had made it a little more than
half way to the intersection when the strip lighting along the ceiling flared
into life. Kane cursed as he swung around in a circle his Sin Eater tasting the
air like a hunting snake, seeking a target. All he found was Brigid standing by
a bank of light switches a strained smile of her face. Shaking his head, Kane
turned back towards the intersection, choosing not to say anything about the
sudden flood of light. Kane could have counted the number of times he had been
caught unaware on both hands and he'd have had fingers left over. When he turned
back to the intersection and the figure dressed in a business suit stepped out
from around the blind corner, Kane was caught totally unaware. His Sin Eater was
instantly up and centered on the figure. But he held his fire fighting his
instinct to blast the figure straight to hell, the conversation he had listened
to between Baron Cobalt and Baron Sharpe still fresh in his mind. Was the person
at the end of the hall human or some resurrected genetic nightmare from the
pass.
“
Who are you? “ Kane demanded
“
We are the Rulers. “
“
The Rulers of what? “
“
We should have ruled the New Empire that was to be. But now it has become the
Lost Empire. We are the rightful rulers of Empire. “ The figure replied
“
What is this Empire you speak of? “
“
Home. “ The figure replied simply “ It has always been so. “
“
This home, where is it? “
“
We do not know that is why it is called the Lost Empire. Built and hidden with
dead hands, it sits patiently waiting for our return. We seek to return to our
rightful place.”
“
Why are you here? “
“
Because you and those like you threaten our chances of finding the Empire our
makers built for us. The Leader can deliver us to our home. He is the only one
left with the power and knowledge to do so. He has deemed you a threat so you
must die so others can be brought into the fold, and give us all strength to go
forward. “
“
We are no threat to you. We have come seeking to speak with your leader the FBI
man. We have many questions for him. “ Brigid told the strange figure in the
business suit. “ We have met him before and he has told us of his hate for the
Barons and their tyranny. We are just as much there enemies as he is. We have a
saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. “
“
That may be the case but our leader the FBI man as you call him is the one that
sent me here to kill you. I do not think he wishes to speak with you. “
With that a dull black Smith and Wesson handgun appeared from beneath the
figures suit jacket. The figure fired three spaced shots that sent Kane and his
companions scattering for cover, as then he was out of sight back behind the
corner. Kane found himself on the floor, up against the base of the hallway
wall. Grant was on the opposite on the floor in the center of the hall with Domi
at his side, a few yards behind Kane. Brigid who had been standing next to Kane
when the shooting started, was lying prone on the floor on the other side of the
hall even with Kane. All of them had drawn their Blasters.
The
figure that had fired on them had disappeared back around the corner, after the
initial round of firing. From the sound of the shots Kane suspected the Figure
was firing .40 caliber rounds, which were almost non-existent in the outlands
and rare even in the villes, they had a small supply of them in the armory in
Cerberus. Those facts meant that FBI freezie had a ready supply of ammo. It
wasn’t lost on Kane that the figure had pulled a pristine factory new Smith
and Wesson either. If this mysterious FBI agent from the past had those kinds of
weapons at his disposal then god only knew what else he had to throw at them.
When several minuets went by and the figure didn’t appear again from around
the corner, Kane slowly got to his feet, motioning for Grant to stand and cover
him. Domi and Brigid stayed prone on the floor their blasters pointed down the
narrow hallway towards the intersection.
Kane
approached the intersection slowly, his body turned sideways to present a
smaller target, as he stepped foot over foot. His Sin Eater led the way, rock
steady in his hands. He rolled on his left shoulder out across the intersection,
coming to his feet in a flash, back against the opposite wall. No blaster fire
erupted as he came to his feet, he instinctively swung around scanning the
corridors, his Sin Eater seeking a target. But the halls that ran right and left
where empty, the mysterious ruler had vanished. Kane snarled in rage, as he
singled the all clear to his companions. Grant strode up first his Copperhead
braced on his hip, a grim scowl on his face.
“
An empty hallway means the bastards still running around somewhere in here. “
Grant stated
“
What really worries me is that he could have friends with him. He didn’t seem
too afraid of us or of our firepower. Which makes me think our blasters may have
the same effect on him and those like him, as the Mags blasters did in Boston.
“
“
Now there’s a cheery thought. “ Grant rumbled “ We should get going if
where going to get to this hospital Brigid mentioned and get back before dark.
“
Kane
nodded as he motioned Domi and Brigid forward. They fell into a loose skirmish
line, with Kane walking point, Brigid ten paces behind him, and Domi another ten
paces behind and Grant walking drag. As they moved down the corridor towards a
second set of stairs, they passed a large room that was labeled Cryo lab. The
door long missing, along with whatever lab equipment there may have been. It
hardly got a second look from the heavily armed quintet. As they reached the
stairway they realized that a thin plaster wall had once hidden the area with
the gateway from those that used the stairway. It had been blown in by a large
explosion sometime in the last hundred years, leaving a ragged black edged hole
leading into the stairwell. Kane held up his left hand, cause his companions to
stop their forward motion.
Letting
his Sin Eater hang down next to his leg, Kane slipped through the ragged hole in
the plaster. It was dark, inside the stairwell, the lights having been knocked
out sometime since Skydark. The only light come from the overhead strip lights
in the hallway he had just exited. Pausing for a few seconds, Kane blinked his
eyes several times, trying to get his eyes to adjust to the gloom just that
little bit faster. It was during that pause that his attacker chose to make his
move.
Kane’s
Sin Eater was ripped from his hand; the servos and wiring snapping with an
audible twang and screeching of twisted and tortured metal. Kane instinctively
kicked out with his steel tipped combat boot, feeling his foot connect with the
pit of his attackers stomach. But instead of the soft cushion of flesh, his foot
came to a painful stop as it hit a rubbery surface that was as unforgiving as
Armaglass. The shock ran up Kane’s leg straight to his head, rattling his
teeth and causing him to snarl in rage. His attack reacted with lightening
speed, delivering a crushing round house punch to Kane’s back, driving the air
from his lungs. Kane absently realized that the only thing that had saved him
from a snapped spine was his long black Mag issue Kevlar coat. His knees began
to buckle, as rough hands grasped his coat, and then was he tossed out of the
stairwell, back into the light. His Sin Eater followed but his attacker did not.
Grant rushed through the hole, with Domi on his heels, as Brigid knelt down next
to Kane. They re-appeared seconds later, empty handed, Domi holding several
severed wires from Kane’s Sin Eater. Kane
groaned as Brigid helped him sit up. She looked up at Grant who only shrugged.
“
What the hell happened in there? “ Grant demanded
“
Someone didn’t like my cologne. “ Kane replied through gritted teeth. “
How did my Sin Eater hold up? I felt it rip off my wrist. “
Grant
bent and retrieved the stubby auto blaster. He quickly checked the action and
the firing mechanism. With a slight nod to himself he handed it back to Kane.
“ It looks like it’s in good shape. It should fire when you pull the
trigger. Most of the damage was to the casing and the servos that hold it
holstered to you wrist. “ Grant told him as he handed the loaded blaster back
to Kane.
“
Thanks. “ Kane replied as he got
to his feet, slipping the returned blaster into the waistband of his denim
jeans. He swung his copperhead up into his waiting hands as he moved towards the
hole and the stairwell once more. “ Any sign of whoever jumped me? “
“
No. Whoever jumped you was long gone by the time Domi and I rushed through the
hole. “
Kane
nodded as he pulled his penlight from an inside pocket of his coat and flicked
it on. He pointed the thin beam of light into the darkened opening, and scanned
the immediate area. Finding no one lurking in the shadows, Kane slipped through
the hole his Copperhead leading the way, with Grant at his shoulder. Playing the
penlight’s beam around the landing they had emerged onto, Kane discovered the
stairway lead upward into the darkness as well as down into what he assumed
would be a parking garage or basement area. Kane moved upward into the darkness,
his boots ringing on the corroded metal steps, the sound echoing off tiled walls
of the stairwell.
The
reached the doorway after going ascending two flights of stairs. The steel door
had been removed from its hinges and used to re-enforce a spot just inside the
doorway where the floor had rotted through. Kane gave it little move than a
quick sweep of his penlight to ensure his attacker was not laying in wait for
them, before continuing upward. The next doorway opened onto a long tunnel that
had once been made of glass, but was now little more than a steel catwalk and a
network of metal framing that once held sheets of glass in place. As soon as
they had stepped onto the landing they all caught sight of the watery sunlight
that filtered into the alcove that housed the landing. Kane cautiously stepped
out on the catwalk, feeling it shutter slightly with the addition of his weight,
but it held as he strode across towards another doorway and landing. He was half
way across when he felt Grant step onto the catwalk and begin following him,
ready to back him up if the need arose. When he reached the other side, he
flicked on his penlight once more and scanned the alcove he had just entered.
There was nothing in the alcove beyond a closed metal door labeled parking
access.
“
Anything? “ Grant rumbled from behind him.
“
Just but a closed fire door labeled parking access. Whatever that means? “
They both turned as Domi came sprinting across the catwalk, with Brigid no where
in sight. “ Where’s Brigid? “ Kane demanded
“
We heard footsteps and voices above us. She told me go get both of you, while
she went to investigate. “ Domi replied, her head snapping around as two sharp
blaster reports rolled over them. Without a word Domi was sprinting across the
catwalk with Kane and Grant at her heels, her .45 caliber Combat master
appearing magically in her hand from what appeared to be thin air. She was the
first to reach the alcove again, and she melted into the darkness without
waiting for Kane and Grant to arrive. Grant came to a stop just inside the
alcove. “ You go. “ He panted “ One of us has to stay here and cover our
retreat. “
Kane
nodded, snapping off a one-fingered salute that he and Grant had developed
during there Mag days to signify a mission with odds of one percent or less,
that they would survive. Then he was gone Sin Eater in one hand and his
Copperhead in the other, melting in the shadows, the penlight forgotten in the
adrenaline rush that came with impending battle. But so far the only blaster
fire there had been had been the first two shots from Brigid’s blaster. Then
silence, no return fire and no other shots from Brigid. Then Domi came gliding
out of the darkness with Brigids unconscious form draped over her shoulder, in a
fireman’s carry. There was no visible blood that Kane could, Domi pushed past
him, hissing “ Two of them, one is guy from outside the gateway. I knifed him
but my blade was turned, bastards aren’t human. “
Then
she was gone, moving back down the stairs, leaving Kane in the stairway his
weapons pointed into shadows above him. Then Kane caught movement above, and
sent a stream of auto-fire into the darkness where the movement had come from.
He was rewarded only with sparks as bullets whined off into the darkness. The
figure pulled back out of sight, as Kane tried to line up his copperhead for
another shot. But his target was gone. With a curse Kane turned and trotted back
down the stairs, taking two steps at a time.
When
he reached the alcove again, Grant was pacing like agitated cougar, his
Copperhead tight in his grip. Brigid had awakened, and sitting with her back
against the wall. Kane let out a long low whistle before materializing out of
the darkness, having no desire to be shot at by Grant.
He
nodded to Grant, letting him know that the enemy was still lurking somewhere
above them. Then he turned to Domi, “ What the hell happened up there just
know? “
“
That Ruler guy from earlier had Brigid by the throat, choking her as I came into
hallway on the next floor up. I ran at him, tried to knife him, but his skin was
like rubber, my knife wouldn’t penetrate it just sort of slide along the
surface. “
Kane
nodded “ I had the same feeling of rubber skin when I kicked him in the
stomach. You’re right about them not being human, or at least not completely
human. But the question is how do we kill something that has impenetrable
skin.“
“
Its impenetrable to bullets and knives. They may still have a weakness.“
“
Could nuke them. But that’s like killing flee with bowling ball. Solution
worse than problem.”
“
We’ll find away, we always do. “ Kane replied as he turned to Brigid “ You
ok to travel? “
“
Yes. The sooner we get away from here the better I’ll feel. I have a feeling
we’re going to get another visit from our pals again before this little field
trip is over. “
“
Shit. I hope not. “ Grant replied “ Just once I’d like one of these field
trips to go smoothly, in and out without a shot fired. “
“
Keep dreaming. “ Kane muttered as he led the way across the cat walk once
more, Brigid at his elbow, with Grant and Domi bringing up the rear. Several
minuets later they emerged onto a cracked, weed covered parking lot that had
once serviced the hospital’s staff. From there they made their way two blocks
south along Medical row to the Human Neurological and Mechanical Prosthetic’s
Modification Research Facility. The once bright red brick that comprised the
front face of the building had faded over time to a chalky white that crumbled
at the slightest touch. The glass door that had marked the entrance to the
building had long ago been remove, leaving the front of the building looking
like a gap toothed smile. Kane drew his Sin Eater, slinging his Copperhead back
onto his shoulder as they entered.
The
front lobby was strewn with dried leaves and other assorted pieces of trash. The
receptionist’s desk was in pieces, most of which having been left behind
because it would not burn and rusted metal was no good to anyone. A single door
behind the piled debris led deeper into the two-story building. Kane silently
led his companions through that doorway, and into the lab beyond.
The
lab was almost identical to every other lab Kane had ever visited. With its
whited washed walls and stainless steel tables and cabinets. The only difference
being the size of this particular lab, it was about twice the size of any Kane
had ever seen, and it had a single stainless steel chair bolted to the floor
next to the stainless steel operating table. A single comp terminal sat dark and
silent on a stainless steel counter top, to the left of the chair. Brigid moved
towards it as Kane began looking for a light switch. He found a bank of four
switches on the wall to his right. He flipped the first switch, but nothing
happened. He flipped the second switch in line and bright light flooded the room
from the strip lighting on the ceiling, chasing away the shadows. When he
flicked the third and fourth switches at the same time the Comp Brigid was
fiddling with came to instant life. Grant and Domi stood guard as Kane moved
further into the Lab. He began opening cabinets at random, finding them all
empty and dust filled. As far as Kane could tell the Lab had been stripped clean
when it’s occupants had fled sometime after Skydark. Brigid’s voice ringing
out cut off Kane’s train of thought.
“I’ve
got it, and it doesn’t look good. “
“
Yeah? “ Kane prompted
“
Well according to these files we’re dealing with a sub division of Excaliber
called the Aurora Project, not Genesis. But Aurora did split from Genesis.
Aurora deals with the transplanting of human Nerva system’s into a superior
mechanical body. The skin is made of a compound not unlike Kevlar. Which would
explain why knives and bullets don’t penetrate it. From what I can gather the
bodies as Man made. Once a donor, as they call those whose spinal cord and brain
they use, is found there head is dipped in a substance that forms a membrane
bonds with the skin on there head and there head is now bullet and knife proof.
It doesn’t say how to stop them or where they were made. “
You
mean this isn’t where they put them together? “
“
No this Lab was used for maintenance and repairs. All the assembly took place
somewhere else. But the location isn’t listed in these files.”
“
That must be what the ruler guy called the Lost Empire. The place this FBI
freezie is looking for. “
“
If that’s true, ” Grant replied “ then where did the two in Boston come
from? “
“
They must have been dormant in the FBI building. Which means this Freezie who
ever he is wants to build an army of these rulers. “ Kane replied “ But for
what purpose. We know he wants to over throw the Barons, but what happens after
that. “
“
I have feeling whatever is waiting in the wings is not going to be good news.
“ Brigid replied
“
Then we should get back to Cerberus and prep for a jump to Boston. “ Kane
replied as he headed for the door, his Copperhead braced on his hip once more.
Grant, Domi, and Brigid followed. They reached the hospital where the Gateway
was hidden without incident.
When
they reached the catwalk that lead to alcove where the hole in the wall waited
for them, Kane stopped. He drew his Sin Eater as did Grant, and then they both
began walking side by side across the catwalk towards the alcove were they last
saw the rulers. They made it three quarters of the way across the catwalk before
the ruler from the hall outside the Gateway decided to show himself. Kane and
Grant came to a stop their blasters centered on the ruler even though they were
fairly certain that their firepower could not harm the ruler much less kill him.
But old habits died hard.
“We
are the future. You can never hope to defeat us.“
“
We are not looking to defeat you, only to understand you motives. We are not a
threat to you as long as you and you leader do not threat us or our
existence.“
“
I have orders. You are to die at all costs.“
“
This thing sounds like a fucking robot. “ Grant grumbled
“
That’s because he technically is a fucking robot. “ Kane growled. He
addressed the Ruler once more “ There has been enough death. As we have told
you before we only wish to talk to the FBI freezie. “
“
You only wish to talk because you fear us. Your guns are useless against the
rulers. You only wish to talk because you can not kill us and you yourself do
not wish to perish. “
“
We have learned much since about you from a database in a hospital not far from
here. “
“
You know nothing. “ The Ruler snapped, doubt riding high in his voice.
“
We know enough that if you kill us then others will come and they will not be as
friendly as the four of us have been. “
“
You have not been friendly at all. The white haired female attacked us, as did
the female with the red hair. You Kane shot at myself in hall and again in the
stairwell. You are a hostile subject by you own actions. “
“
We will speak with your leader, it is up to you whether you are dead or alive
when this happens. It is your choice. "
“
You can’t kill me. “
“
Are you willing to stake your own existence on that belief? “
A
single moment of hesitation. Kane smiled as the Ruler stood in the middle of the
catwalk contemplating Kane’s question. He had found a chink in the Ruler’s
armor. The human-side of the Ruler’s make-up still harbored the human fear of
death. Kane’s mind raced as he struggled to think of a way to exploit that
weakness and use it against the Ruler. Before
he had a chance to press his advantage, Brigid’s voice rang out from behind
him.
“
If we die then others will come looking for us. They will not bring guys; they
will bring EMP grenades that I guarantee these grenades will kill you. “ She
told the ruler.
“
EMP grenades. I have never heard of such a thing. “
“
These grenades admit a small contained Electro Magnetic Pulse that will fry any
and all computer components with in the grenades blast radius. Since you are
made mostly of comp components you will be killed. “
“
How can that be? “
“
Once your comp components shut down then the flow of fluid to your nerva system
and your brain will be cut off. After little more than three minuets your brain
will cease to function, followed by your nerva system. Once your human
components die then they can’t be transplanted or restored. In short you cease
to be. “
“
You do not have these EMP grenades with you now. Otherwise you would have used
them by now. You will be dead, even if your friends come looking for you. It is
a fair trade for my own life. I will have completed my mission. “
Kane
had been struggling to control his tempter since the moment the Ruler had
appeared on the catwalk blocking their progress home. As the conversation he was
having slowly turned in on its self and began rehashing things that had already
been said. Kane began slowly fanning the flames of rage inside of him. He had
been about draw his Sin Eater and shot his way through the robot freak. Then
Brigid had begun talking to the freak and things had seemed to be going
somewhere for the first thirty seconds. Then it had begun to go around to
previous lines of conversation. That was when Kane decided he’d had enough,
and he suddenly found himself in motion.
He
was rushing towards the stationary form that was the Ruler, his head down
shoulders hunched like a NFL linebacker rushing in to sack the Quarter back. The
one exception was the execution of impact and the resulting events. Instead of
tackling the Ruler around the waist, Kane drove his shoulder into the pit of the
Rulers stomach staggering the rulers form back several steps towards the edge of
the catwalk and the fifty foot fall to the cracked asphalt below. As soon as
Kane felt his should connect with the Rulers Stomach he snapped his shoulder up
connecting with the underside of the Rulers jaw. Teeth splintered and blood
erupted from the Rulers mouth as he teetered on the edge of the catwalk before
tumbling over the side with a long low shriek of anger and pain. As soon as the
Rulers form slipped from view Kane snapped around his Sin Eater sliding into his
waiting palm, as the sights fell on the remaining Ruler.
“
Die or get the fuck out of the way! “ Kane roared to the unmoving figure of
the Ruler. Before Kane could act the remaining Ruler turned and disappeared back
inside the crumbling form of the hospital. A quick glance over the edge of the
catwalk showed Kane that he had not killed the other Ruler, whose body was no
where in sight below. With a muttered curse Kane turned and began leading them
into the depths of the hospital once more.
When
they had reached the Gateway once more and stood with in the control room once
more Kane turned to Brigid. “ How much of that EMP speech was true and how
much was bullshit? “
“
It was all a theory. Most of it was fact. Up until the part about the Brain and
the transplanting. That was all a theory of mine. If it proves to correct it
will give us away of beat these Rulers and getting to the FBI freezie. I need to
do some research and talk to Lakesh when we get home. “
“
Lets hope your right, because a fifty foot drop didn’t take out one of these
guys, and a squad of Mags couldn’t take out two. Where screwed if these guys
have friends with them in Boston when we get there. “
Brigid
didn’t reply, there was no need to, each of them knew Kane was right, and they
all knew what was a stake. Kane followed her into the jump chamber, where Grant
and Domi where already waiting, Kane pulling the door closed behind him with a
soft metallic click. They were for the moment headed home.
Several
seconds after their departure two figures strode through the wood lined doorway.
One battered and covered with blood. The other in pristine condition as if he
was about to go out on the town for the evening. The battered one entered a jump
code into the gateway’s comps and the duo entered the chamber. They two were
headed home. They both silently hoped that they would get another chance at Kane
and his companions. Each knowing it was only a matter of time.
November 2000.