Chapter Forty-Five – Gear On

Chapter Forty-Five – Gear On

“Deus Ex: And then they said that I couldn’t just talk the talk.”

Hyper Cutie Zoom Ranger Sparkle Girl Bubble-chan: … Oh, Deus, sweetie, no.”

-R/GapMoeSamukawaii, Top post of 2053

***

Myalis had landed me above the wreck of the building that toppled over. Which meant that I had appeared atop what was essentially a huge barrier blocking off an entire street. The horde couldn’t pass here, not unless they were willing to climb up the wreckage.

I groped for a gun, then slid my arm into my thigh holster and pulled out my Claw. I took a calming breath, then carefully planted a round in the middle of the chest of a model five which was busy scrambling over the ruined building.

The wave had likely split off to run around the wreckage, but I had been busy before redirecting them this way. Now there were a lot of the fuckers waiting below to attempt their own climb over the wreckage.

I spun then started to climb up the wreckage as well.

The aliens didn’t fail to notice me, of course. I was crawling right past a bunch of them and more had already made it to the other side and were resuming their charge towards New Montreal.

I flicked up my back-mounted rails, but only one of them responded. It was enough for the moment, the railgun fired, poking a hole through the nearest model three.

“Myalis, need to get out of here,” I said.

We could replace the back section of your jetpack. You could fly out of danger.

I glanced back down. The wave was shifting, more aliens heading my way as if they intended to gobble me up on the way over. “Sounds good,” I said.

Something clunked on my back and the broken jetpack module fell. A box appeared on a flattish piece of concrete nearby and I tore it open while my railgun worked hard to keep the area around me clear.

I slapped the jetpack on, then picked my Claw up again to fire a few rounds into the biggest aliens trying to catch up.

The jets on my legs spurted, and the one on my back whined. “Ready?”

Indeed. Where to?

I glanced up. “Got to be a spot around here that’s safeish,” I said.

Checking… some security systems are still online. Here.

The jets fired, nearly silent, and I was flung up and into the air. From above I could see the rubble of the fallen building, and some wreckage from other buildings too. The shelling hadn’t been kind, and having one building ram into another created a huge fucking mess.

The jets flew me sideways and then across the blockage created by the rubble.

This location is somewhat safe for the moment. Firing your railgun.

The gun over my shoulder swivelled around and fired three times in quick succession into the side of what looked like an office. A window burst apart at the impact, then I folded my legs up and ducked my head as Myalis tossed me through the hole that had left.

I had to jog a bit to keep from falling over. A glance around revealed… a spa? Fancy place, lots of wooden panelling. Big windows overlooking the city and little semi-open rooms to the sides with massage tables.

This is a luxury relaxation location for what seems to be a criminal syndicate. The location is currently abandoned.

“Okay,” I said. I could deal with that weirdness later. “ETA for the next alien hungry for me?”

I would estimate at least three hours. Likely more. The antithesis seem to be focused on reaching New Montreal first. They will push forwards before they start to scour the entire area for food and threats. Though the opening in the wall might let some flying models slip in.

I nodded. “Turrets, please.”

Myalis gladly complied, and I casually tossed a couple of turrets down facing the window.

“Right, I need new armour, and an arm. Let’s buy everything then I’ll start changing, in case some fuckwit shells this place too.”

The mortar companies have been warned not to hit the immediate location.

“Fat load of good that did me last time,” I muttered. I looked around, then noticed a sign that read ‘sauna’ hanging from the ceiling. I followed that into a large room with a domed ceiling and a ring of wooden seats. There was a big fire pit in the centre, with jugs filled with water next to it that had ladles hanging from the side.

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Big fancy sauna. Perfect for what I needed.