DWN-49 had a few moments left before the strangers arrived. He was looking out the window. It had become almost dark outside since he woke up. Although it was a cloudless day, he could not see the ground of the city at all. Like a gigantic beehive, the house in which he was standing meandered up into the night sky. The infinite vacancy of the sky reflected his state of mind.
"Do you have any idea who these guys are?" DWN-49 asked to be more prepared for any future fight. "Certainly they're not only another mob of robots since I can read their heat signatures."
"It's probably the Moonfall Legion. But how could they find us here? That's completely impossible."
"The Moonfall … what?"
"Terrorists conspiring against us and the Council. They control everything in Haven below District Minus 26. In simple terms, the lowest scum."
"They're only two floors below us. What are they up to now? Looks like they're not coming over for some tea and biscuits."
"DWN-49 they're coming after YOU! Call your Fusion Pistols. They'll be here any minute!"
"Huh? Call my guns? How am I gonna do that?"
"Literally call them and then catch them!"
"All right, I guess I have to try then. Fusion pistols to my position!" he raised his hands and waited.
WHOOSH!
From different directions, two identical loaded double-barreled pistols landed in his hands, and he immediately grasped them.
***Flying guns, this day is getting better again!***
" - - - - - - - - - New weapon received - - - - - - - "
> Arsenal
> SARRMAN-FUSIONCRAFT Dual Pistol 6.0
> Category: Dual Barrel Pistol (Physical, Energetic)
> Magazine size: 25 PH | 10 EN
> Caliber: 9mm Parabellum Fusion Cores | Volt Projectiles 7000
> Muzzle Velocity: 450m/s
> Description [show more]
"Remember to use your Automatic Targetting, but don't squander it, it won't last more than ten seconds before it takes an hour for your tracking system to cool down. My spring guns in the hallway can't give you firing support as long as they cut our power. I'm trying to get through to the building's emergency generators now" said Shen Hualing as she hurriedly typed on her holo display.
"You can do that while I keep them busy," DWN-49 encouraged her.
"You are not protected against all sorts of weapons, so be careful. The HMD pumped billions of Blanks into your development, and you cost me three months of my life."
"Relax, I'll be fine. You didn't see how overpowered I was earlier" DWN-49 calmed her.
"Listen, all you did was wipe out a group of droids. That doesn't mean you're invincible."
When DWN-49 saw the heat signatures of the strangers arriving on his floor, he unlocked his Fusion Pistols and aimed at the steel door.
His HUD showed him the results of scanning the door.
" - - - - - - - - - Penetration insufficient - - - - - - - "
***They can't see me right now. That's my edge over them. But my bullets would not get through and I would only give away my position. I should save my ammunition for now. The only way to get in here is by blowing the door open with explosives. That means I still have some time to work out a proper plan.***
The strangers turned out to be five people, talking to each other in a harsh tone.
"There's absolutely no chance they could have survived the explosion."
"We'll grab what's left of 'em and then we light a shuck!"
"Put your backs into it, this mission is important to the boss."
Their statures looked muscular and fearsome.
***Huh, they only send a common goon squad? Manageable, if I can find the right time to start my attack.***
DWN-49's Case switched to night mode, by turning off the indicator lights on his guns and blades. In the dark room, he was just a shadow.
***No, I can't just waltz out of here, but I shouldn't just wait for them to enter either. There needs to be a way to fight them outside... Maybe with the strength of my Case, I should be able to unhinge the door and use it as a shield. Let's do this!***
Silently DWN-49 crept to the door and touched the doorframe. He noticed how the thought of breaking it open triggered the thrusters on his arms. He tore it out and rushed forward, at the same time he could now hear the sound of the detonator beeping faster and faster. The attackers threw a stun grenade which temporarily disoriented and overloaded DWN-49's sensors. His HUD went off for a few milliseconds. That was why it also could not display information about the armament of DWN-49's opponents. The sound of rapid suppression fire at him made DWN-49 guess on fully-automatic submachine guns.
The commands of the enemy echoed through the stairway.
"I'm out."
"I got your back."
Like a coordinated orchestra, they continued to play the melody of battle.
When the flash grenade cleared, DWN-49 realized that he was flanked on the right side. Retreat was not an option, to prevent Shen Hualing from getting caught in the crossfire.
He made a frontal run at two attackers directly in front of him, which he rammed away with full force.
They fell over the staircase railing and with them the explosive device that went up a few floors lower, tearing them apart in an eruption of blood and guts.
The remaining attackers entrenched themselves behind their shields when they saw DWN-49's power and agility.
DWN-49 used his Fusion Pistols. First the physical ammunition, so-called Fusion Cores. He couldn't get through the cover, caused a few scratches at most, but he was not in a position to stop the fire without being dismantled by a counterattack. When he had almost no Fusion Cores left, he switched to the Volt Projectiles. The cover absorbed the energy instead of dissipating it, charging a turbine in the middle of the shield. When it was fully charged, it emitted a massive shock wave that sent DWN-49 flying backwards.
He quickly straightened up and resumed fire. Slowly his Volt Projectile supply in his forearm compartment was running low as well. There was no help, no way through.
" - - - - - - - - - Ammunition running low - - - - - - - -"
" - - - - - Fusion Cores: 3 | Volt Projectiles: 4 - - - - - "
***Whew, this is not as easy as I thought. Three of them are left. I need a new idea now. In close combat, I am too reliant on my protocol. What if they overload my system again. I shouldn't push my luck. ***
This time he reloaded both barrels of the weapon simultaneously and activated his Auto Targeting Mode.
***All eggs in one basket...***
This time the bullets didn't bounce off, but went straight through the cover and hit his attacker straight on with two accurate headshots. DWN-49 saw their heat signatures collapsing on the ground.
***Hit and sunk!***
Suddenly, DWN-49 noticed a blow from the dark on the back of his head and automatically launched his blades, turned around and lunged out to attack. But he just stabbed into the void. He heard footsteps, but he could not see anyone on his Thermal Scanner. He switched to normal vision and saw that the light in Shen's lab was just about to go on.
***In a moment her spring guns will finish him off, I just must avoid being shot myself.***
DWN-49 slipped over the blood of his attackers behind the cover, where he found their corpses, disfigured and burst open, beside him.
At the same time, the spring gun went on and sifted the last of his enemies with bullets. Blood splattered behind DWN-49's cover. and he listened to the cries of agony for a moment until they soon became silent. Carefully he came out from behind the shield and saw Shen Hualing grinning at him cheekily.
"Well done. Guess we're even now."
"Why couldn't I see him? What have I done wrong?"
"The last one was apparently their leader, he was wearing a Thermo Neutralization Armor. Oh, even a fairly modern one. It appears to be a normal combat suit, but it contains a liquid that adapts to the environmental temperature, since it adjusts thermal energy very quickly. It's called thermal hydride."
"Didn't know such a thing even existed..."
"I'm gonna get my stuff packed up and then we're finally leaving this place."
DWN-49 stood in the half-open hallway, which now resembled more a battlefield than a residential building. He looked at the Thermo Neutralization Armor.
***Pretty handy that thing, could I wear it too? Best I just take it with me before…***
Suddenly he heard steps coming from above.
***Well, I guess they just can't get enough.***
DWN-49 took out his Fusion Pistols and aimed up the stairs. A group of heavily armored mercenaries came down to him without any signs of alarm.
"Who are you? What do you want?" DWN-49 shouted to them when he saw that they did not pull out their weapons.
One of them wore a black armor with the engraving Baker and a skull-shaped helmet. He replied "We wanted to see you. And then we'll take you with us." They approached DWN-49, still completely passive.
Hectically, DWN-49 pulled out his guns and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. He pulled the trigger a second time. Again, nothing. Also the third and fourth time no shot was fired. DWN-49 thought he could see their scornful grin right through their helmets.
"Looks like your programming's a little off, kiddo."
***You don't stand a chance against my protocol in hand-to-hand combat.***
He took a running jump in the air and tried to punch Baker with his fist. But his blades didn't activate themselves, and neither did his protocol. When he wanted to hit straight on the helmet and his hand was already swinging forward, he got stuck in the air like against an invisible wall. Just a hair's breadth from the stranger. Floating in the air, DWN-49 could not move an inch.
***What is this again?***
Baker tilted his head slightly to one side "Nice try. But I think I've seen enough for today." Now he was in line, reached out and gave DWN-49 a powerful left hook with his chrome-plated fist.
CRASH!
It was getting dark before DWN-49 sensor lenses and he only heard Shen screaming in shock "Erik, that wasn't nec…"