HOME BUT NOT HOME

Chapter 42 - Planning it Out.

Chapter 42 – Planning it Out.

Ace's home, Vertigo Town
Arlington County, VA
Wednesday, May 6, 2076
13:20 EST GMT-5

It seems people started getting serious about taking on the Gunsmith Battalion, mutants, marauders, and hostile machines. Because everyone was grabbing weapons, spare parts, computer equipment and communication devices, to get ready to fight. Of course, me, Aurora, Ranger, and others in our vicinity started collecting items to aid us too. As it turns out, I.V.A.N.A, was also enlisting the aid of other artificial intelligence and machine learning software out there, to attack against the evil robots and AI.

"Okay, so one thing we already know is that the Gunsmith Battalion has cracked down hard on everyone and forcing citizens to live as prisoners." I began to speak. "But this can't go on forever. We don't live in Nazi Germany in the 1940s."

"Agreed! I'm with you, Austin!" said Aurora. "Me and Ranger got your back!"

"I'm happy, I wish I could have your backs instead!" I exclaimed. "But thank you! I appreciate all of you!"

"So, now what?" asked Ranger. "We all go into the meat grinder?"

"You make it sound as if we've not been through worse!" I told my commanding officer. "We hid from a Goddamn asteroid and were in limbo for forty-two years."

"Well, let's just work together and take down this corrupt government entity. Liberty and justice for all, isn't dead!" said Ranger.

"Hoo-ah!" I said and gave my commanding officer a salute. "All for one, one for all!"

"We need to hack their network and weaken some of their defenses!" said I.V.A.N.A. "If you can send me into their server, I should be able to cripple their defenses and their firewall algorithms, to buy enough time to have the corrupt Gunsmith Battalion weakened, and hopefully dismantled."

"After this is over, I promise you Julia, I'm never leaving your side. And if we have kids, they won't need to live through this dystopia." I told my girlfriend.

"Very lovely, Austin." Aurora said. "I do want kids with you, but not in such volatile conditions."

"Ranger?" I then looked at my commanding officer.

"You both deserve my blessings, since I'm the only one you both have." Ranger declared. "Don't worry, I'm with you both till the end of time. We all must die one day, if not today, maybe one day. I hope however, you'll promise me your firstborn!"

"We promise!" I exclaimed.

We then shared a group hug.