HROT 2: Brink of Annihilation

Chapter 10: The Siege

Sparks flew at Kyle's face as he watched the mechanics weld the Glass-LT's wing back on. One of the sparks landed on his arm, but he felt no pain; his body was immune to fire. He simply stared into the glow of the flame and contemplated the burning rage welling up inside of him. He felt restless. He felt angry. He felt like the world had betrayed him. All he had ever loved was gone, and now he was here, merely existing.

Governor Bean smiled proudly at the ship's progress. "She'll be a champion by the time we're finished," he stated. "I'm going to fit her with the most advanced weaponry we can spare, and give her a faster hyperdrive."

"I'm grateful for all you're doing for us," Kyle said halfheartedly. "We'll earn our keep."

Bean clicked his tongue. "Let's hope those bastards don't try to come back soon. With you guys by my side, they'll be running into a bloodbath."

"It may be a bloodbath, but it won't just be their blood," Kyle replied grimly.

Kyle could see Bean fidgeting nervously. As brave of a face as the governor was putting on, he wasn't fooling Kyle. The boy was afraid. He was still just a kid, and a vicious and merciless force was coming for his city. "You look like you're about to piss yourself," one of the mechanics remarked.

Bean's face turned red with embarrassment and fury. He gestured to his soldiers, and the mechanic was dragged out of the hangar and impaled on a pike. "I need my subjects to be loyal to me," Bean remarked. "If they don't believe in me, they won't follow me."

Kyle grunted. "Show them you'll be the first to fight against these monsters. Show them you'll brave any terror if it means protecting them. If you can do that, then they'll follow you anywhere."

Bean nodded. He appreciated Kyle's wisdom, though he'd never admit it. "Where are your friends?"

Kyle shrugged. "I'm not their keeper. They do as they please."

Bean snickered. "Actually, they do as I please."

Chris clutched a handful of pills tightly behind his back as he led the patrol across the hilly expanse before them. Hovermind floated alongside him. "I don't see any signs of disturbance," Hovermind stated.

"Keep your eyes peeled," Chris replied. "Who knows how many Hammerheads have entered through the breaches in this wilderness."

"Even if they have, they're of no threat to Scoliosis," one of Bean's soldiers spoke up. "It's not like they can all locate each other and amass a united front against us."

"You don't know what they're capable of, and neither do I," Chris shot back. "I'm not going to let us be taken off guard because of unfounded assumptions."

"We don't know what to look for," another soldier stated. "We don't even know where to look."

"These creatures are a disease and need to be eradicated," Chris said. "Your people will never be safe until these things are defeated once and for all."

"And neither will we," Hovermind muttered.

Chris sighed. He was uneasy about this whole thing. He didn't like Bean, he didn't like Kyle's mental state, and he had no idea what to expect from the Hammerheads. No one controlled when a breach would occur; the Hammerheads had to be waiting to strike the instant one of them opened, and there was no telling whether the breach would be out in the middle of nowhere or right over Scoliosis.

"Let's turn back," the first soldier advised. "We've wandered too far out." Scoliosis's metropolis could be seen in the distance, but they were at least twenty miles away. They had been scouring the area for hours, but there was no trace of invaders.