Chapter 18
The heat signatures on Meta's map rushed towards their location.
In the next second, Meta and Mad Hat Camile caught sight of what is rushing towards their location.
"Robots?" Mad Hat Camile said out loud stunned. However, that is not what she had in mind.
'Meta's cousins? There are three on the map.'
Indeed, three robots are rushing towards their location, the same number as the heat signatures on Meta's map.
Although robots are made up of cold metal, they still have heat signatures.
Well, the reaction of their power supplies and batteries gives off heat that would then be seen as heat signatures.
Of course, there are also robots who could partially conceal their heat signature with the help of their chassis. One of such robots is Meta.
However, there is a limit to which they could conceal their heat signatures.
When their power supplies and their weapons are roused, they would naturally heat up. This would then cause their chassis to reach their limits and unable to contain the heat signature of the robots.
Meanwhile, two of the three robots reached Meta and Mad Hat Camile in no time while the other one went for their ship.
Each of the three robots looked damaged. There are cracks on their chassis. That means that they are not in top condition. However, Mad Hat Camile did not have time to rejoice. Instead, her expression turned sour.
'Three heat signatures, three damaged robots. Are there more?'
Just as mentioned above, some robots could hide their heat signature with their chassis. However, Mad Hat Camile did not have time to overthink.
Bam!
Meta has already taken the enemy robot that is heading towards them.
He used his burst speed to overcome the robot.
Then, in the next second, all Mad Hat Camile could see is the pile of metal on the ground.
'Meta is powerful. Glad I managed to convince Smith.' Mad Hat Camile heaved a sigh of relief before turning on to the next robot to handle it.
"Meta, take on the other robot."
What Mad Hat Camile feared is that the third robot will damage their D-Link plane.
If that happens, she would not be able to take it. One must know that she spent too much just to buy the plane from Smith.
However, Meta did not need Mad Hat Camile to say anything.
Even before she said it, Meta already disappeared leaving only his afterimage as he used his insane burst speed to reach the third robot.
Boom!
An explosion sounded, which made Mad Hat Camile pale. 'That can't be the plane, right?'
With that, she could not stop herself to look at their D-Link plane.
However, her worries are unfounded. It was Meta who caused the explosion. He shoots a beam from his new weapon, the Armageddon.
Well, Meta did not have a choice. If he did not do it, the third robot would have already destroyed the D-Link plane.
Even before Meta could reach the third robot and land an attack with his metallic fist, the third robot is already about to launch an attack on the D-Link plane.
Bam!
Meanwhile, in the split second that Mad Hat Camile diverted her attention to their D-Link plane, the second robot, the robot that she is fighting landed a hit on her silver suit.
'What?' Mad Hat Camile was stunned. Not because she did not expect the hit. But rather because... 'so weak?'
Indeed, the second robot did not manage to deliver true damage. The impact of the robot's attack is absorbed by Mad Hat Camile's silver armor.
'Did I miscalculate? How could this robot damage the D-Link plane with such strength?'
Slash!
Mad Hat Camile brandished her sword toward the weak robot which splits it in half. Then, the light on its eyes disappeared which only meant one thing- the robot is dead.
"Ha! I did not expect them to be weak," Mad Hat Camile said while dusting her suit.
"They are not weak." Beyond her expectations, Meta retorted her. "Only the robot that you fought is weak."
Mad Hat Camile is about to say something, but Smith's voice sounded which silenced her.
"The robot that attempted to destroy the D-Link plane is a peak C-grade with a B-grade saw installed on his right arm."
The robot itself is only graded C which means that it could not pose a threat to the D-Link plane.
However, it is a different story when it comes to the B-grade saw.
Even just a crack would be fatal just like what Meta did back then.
Well, it's not like the D-Link plane is fragile. It's because of the natural weakness of machineries.
They may be tough outside, but they are fragile inside. Just an energy seeping towards their circuitries would make them... BOOM!
One problem that could be accredited with that is because the D-Link plane did not have an energy shield. It only relied on its rather thick armor.
Meanwhile, Mad Hat Camile was enlightened. 'No wonder the first and the second robot did not pose a threat to me and Meta.'
"Let's continue to scout," Mad Hat Camile said. However, this time, she is no longer complacent that the D-Link plane would be waiting on the ground.
"Parker, fly the plane. We can't let the plane stay there like a duck waiting to be slaughtered."
The D-Link plane is useless on the ground. Although it could operate its weapons, it is limited. However, when it is flying, the range would be wider.
Meanwhile, the place that Meta and Mad Hat Camile are scouting has several craters from the explosion recently.
"Meta, search the craters. Take some samples."
Two hours later, Meta and Mad Hat Camile are back inside the D-Link plane.
Meta handed the samples while Mad Hat Camile placed them into a special container.
'If we know the composition of the bomb, we can deduce where it was from.' That is the reason why she and Meta took samples to study.
Well, their plan is not foolproof.
You see, the explosions from the bombs are due to the reaction of the chemicals on them. But that is not the case for all bombs. There are bombs whose explosion came from their compressed energy.
Meanwhile, Mad Hat Camile and the others flew towards the other marks on the map.
However, they discovered nothing. They did not find any clues.
And due to that, Mad Hat Camile even repeated their search three times. Still, they found nothing. This made Mad Hat Camile defeated and could only return to the base.
Whoosh!
With that, their D-Link plane coursed through the air towards the Sky City.
However, before they could reach the Sky City, an action seemed to be waiting for them.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Beeps are heard from one of the monitors of the D-Link plane.
"Shit! Incoming!"
Parker panicked as he looked at the monitor. Two dots are heading towards their ship.
"Missiles?" that's the only thing that they could think of.
Judging from their speed, what else could it be if it is not a missile?
One must know that missiles are a lot faster than planes.
Parker and the others are sweating beads of sweat. Evading a missile is not easy.
Each of the missiles in this era is installed with a target-seeking mechanism. The moment that it locked on its target, it will pursue its target to the end of the world.
Of course, evading is not the only option. They could also hit the missiles with a missile or anything with their weapons.
"Assuming Command!"
At this moment, the ever silent Meta spoke. Then, the next thing that Parker knew is that he is no longer the main pilot and became the copilot instead.
He was about to complain but the ship tilted. Then, the two missiles are already in front of them.
Not only that, but the weapons of the D-Link plane are also armed and ready to fire.
Things happened too fast. But the only thing that they knew is that Meta evaded the missiles gracefully.
Boom! Boom!
The two missiles, when Meta piloted the D-Link, lost their target and became ducks waiting to be slaughtered.
That may look easy, but the tension is earth-shaking.
However, that is not the end.
"Three D-Link planes are tailing you. They are carrying drone missiles."
Smith's hologramic figure appeared and spoke.
"How did you know?" Mad Hat Camile is rather doubtful.
"Don't you know? I'm all-knowing." Smith wore an expression of smugness, which made the three speechless. They could not retort it.
...
Meanwhile, somewhere, Federant the number one A.I. of the World Federation is seated on a Sky City above the capital of the World Federation.
However, there seemed to be no one in the capital of the World Federation except for the moving fireflies. But this is not s surprise since this is not the real world.
If Smith is here, he would be flabbergasted since this is a virtual room. The domain of the A.I.s just like his mansion.
Unlike Smith's or Artemis' domain, this seemed to be the reflection of the real world.
Meanwhile, Federant who was seated on the Sky City above the Capital city was scribbling with his papers.
He was solving some formulas.
He had been doing this for a long time now, since the explosion made by Smith against Dickinson. He is looking for the 'hidden variable'.
"Hmm, there is another hidden variable. But the previous one is about to come out."
The old man, Federant, mumbled.
The previous one that he is talking about is Smith while the other one is Xerxes.