~ chapter two ~ part two ~
Priest looks through the sniper scope along the rooftops, the Guardsman eyeing the rifle. Demons move rooftop to rooftop, street unseen.
Guardsman - "They moving ?"
Priest - "Yes they are ... and we've got a slow one."
Priest - Slaps the rifle to the Guardsman's chest. "Enjoy." He pulls out a phone and taps, "Naamah. Hunting."
Naamah - On comm, "Understood. Watching."
Priest - Pulls a sword, "The guns will hurt them, drive them away. But then they just go somewhere else. It's the _sword_ that kills."
Guardsman - "Why ? How ?"
Priest - Sharpening, "Contact. You absorb them. But you don't become them. It's all just information. We find the base."
He pops smoke, the Guardsman barely catches him disappearing into, past and to the alley.
________
Dealer Mike plays Game-Brick on the couch ~
On-screen - "Update 1.0 Required."
Mike - "Bullshit." He pushes the button, sighs, looks around the room ...
________
The guardsman follows on the scope after looking the rifle over. Priest stops in the distance, motioning up. The Guardsman looks, seeing nothing. Then a wisp of dust curled on the corner ...
He fires silently, the wisp passes ... a flash ? A few more shots.
Priest gives thumbs up, disappears into an alley.
________
Game-Brick screen at 25%
________
Priest - From the smoke, "They're moving to the center. Attacking our Alpha and Delta. Sounds like some Army too with a supply line from the beach head. They don't see a map like we do but it sounds like the civilians are east side."
He sits as a breeze passes, carrying the smoke.
Guardsman - Stares a moment, "What happened ?"
Priest stares at him.
____
The beast on the rooftop corner takes the sniper shot as a hard blast against it's side, Priest watching from below.
It turns to the Guardsman in the distance before the repeated shots drive it to disappear.
Priest thumbs up and turns for the alley underneath, crouched, looking at the prey as two smaller drop from the roofs to follow, Priest charges before they get footing.
He slices one to the left then the right along the way, they fall then depart the world alive. He pins the third as it turns roaring into it's face, then reaching into it's chest as it roars back the agony.
He tears a black worm-like thing squiggling out and grins at the beast, crushes it and watches it die.
A rush passes over him while he dissects the knowledge and separates it from the soul.
____
Priest - "I made that kill."
('Reunited' by Wu-Tang Clan)
They
wander the streets an alleys, cars chasing down, creating barricades
against charges, hydraulic crushes, etcetera while the Nautilus crew
move through.
Guardsmen and warriors check houses, apartment buildings, no civilians, all cleared out, occasional nazi clowns jumping out, flame throwers.
________
The Game-Brick screen says 50%, the phone rings. He sighs, looks at the screen, looks at the phone, answers.
Mike - "Whatchu need ?"
Mapkeeper - "I need my god damn game to play ! And also whatchu got ?"
________
Priest - "I'm not too worried about the Sanctuary squads ahead, they've got the high end gear on them. Prototype. You don't want it."
Guardsman - "I think I might. What's it do ?"
Priest - "Neural interface. Boosts everything, treats you a bio-electric machine ... situational response ... adrenal control ... predictive targeting overlays ... the works."
Guardsman - "So ... why don't I want that ?"
Priest - "It maps your brain. Creates an ideal process and overlays it on the existent neural framework."
The guards man stares ... then smiles.
Priest - "Think of it this way. You don't know me. And I will have access to your brain and can put whatever I want in there. If you wear ... this hat."
Hands him his hat.
Guardsman - "Okay ... fine ... I don't wanna wear the hat ..."
Priest - "Until ... ?"
Guardsman - "... until I know the hatter ..."
Priest - "That's right. Wisdom."
Priest's view shows a map overlay, leading to a rough layout of the demon's intended path, motion arcs and fog mapping as a gust passes through.
Guardsman - "What about the gun ?"
Priest - "No bullets. You did that with your own brain." He loads it. "This is for nazi clowns."
____
The scene goes back to the alley shoot, the Gurdsman's eye focuses through the scope, the shoulder cannon follows and fires, hitting the demon hard and following it's flight until gone.
Priest - "Like a flight helmet."
Guardsmen and warriors check houses, apartment buildings, no civilians, all cleared out, occasional nazi clowns jumping out, flame throwers.
________
The Game-Brick screen says 50%, the phone rings. He sighs, looks at the screen, looks at the phone, answers.
Mike - "Whatchu need ?"
Mapkeeper - "I need my god damn game to play ! And also whatchu got ?"
________
Priest - "I'm not too worried about the Sanctuary squads ahead, they've got the high end gear on them. Prototype. You don't want it."
Guardsman - "I think I might. What's it do ?"
Priest - "Neural interface. Boosts everything, treats you a bio-electric machine ... situational response ... adrenal control ... predictive targeting overlays ... the works."
Guardsman - "So ... why don't I want that ?"
Priest - "It maps your brain. Creates an ideal process and overlays it on the existent neural framework."
The guards man stares ... then smiles.
Priest - "Think of it this way. You don't know me. And I will have access to your brain and can put whatever I want in there. If you wear ... this hat."
Hands him his hat.
Guardsman - "Okay ... fine ... I don't wanna wear the hat ..."
Priest - "Until ... ?"
Guardsman - "... until I know the hatter ..."
Priest - "That's right. Wisdom."
Priest's view shows a map overlay, leading to a rough layout of the demon's intended path, motion arcs and fog mapping as a gust passes through.
Guardsman - "What about the gun ?"
Priest - "No bullets. You did that with your own brain." He loads it. "This is for nazi clowns."
____
The scene goes back to the alley shoot, the Gurdsman's eye focuses through the scope, the shoulder cannon follows and fires, hitting the demon hard and following it's flight until gone.
Priest - "Like a flight helmet."
('Mind Over Matter' by Ice-T)
____
75% ...
____
Guard and warriors, more clearing ...
____
Nocturne's eyeball stares at a Game-Brick cartridge, the distant sound of a thousand Nocturne giggles within. She blows on it and shoves it into the Game-Brick on her hip, lowers her goggles.
Nocturne - Looking over the game battles below, "Nocturnes ... Nocturnes will make them sleep ..."
____
In the gamer's basement, all on couches, Dealer Mike handing over, their Game-bricks all make a toaster ding. "Hell yes."
________
In a final area clear, Priest throws up a hook to pull down a fire escape and holds it down for the Guard. As the climb to the roof, the view ~
In the town center, a circular park, distant fire, marines returning from an accomplished. Army sets up a field command, Alpha and Delta watch, Alpha inside at the entrances, Delta patrolling, some standing staring at the sky or into the streets.
An alpha patrol looks from the far and waves when they reach top.
Priest - Fist up. "Okay. Teacher time." He pulls out a scope and displays it. "Made for the sim. This will show you what you don't see. Battle looks won ?"
He lights a blunt and offers, the view up as the Nautilus looms over in open fire moving for the field still clearing of beasts.
Alpha patrols each sending virtual hunters into the field, using their blades on the beasts, while Delta guns fliers overhead.
Guardsman - "Fuck I saw the program ... but fuck ... this ... shit ..."
The guns flush one from over, bladed down by a hunter, on to the next. The controller armor takes the shocks of the kill.
Priest - "You see that kill ? So that guy now has a map interpreted from that thing's memory, telling him a closer location on those civilians. Uploads everything it learns to the grid, including all its connections around the world. Our map."
He moves the scope over.
Priest - "Now check that guy."
Another Alpha spinning his own blades through a final nazi clown push from hiding, then sheathing with a static roar.
Priest - "No training. Prototype gear. Intuitive. Artificial muscle memory. Adrenal control. Auto-bypass on wounded systems. System access. Electrical."
Guardsman - "Super soldier shit."
Priest - "Yep. But it's all run by our systems. And that's where we're at. No other way to generate it. And it absolutely requires neural integration. Otherwise it's pretty much a backpack. Non integrated can't make the kill. Just flush."
Guardsman - "Damn."
Priest - "Yep."
Guardsman - (all seen) Zooming on an out patrolling Soldier, auto cannons locking and firing from the shoulders. "Still cool though."
Priest - "Looks good on you. Here." He hands him his phone, the guardsman looks, it's dead. "I was just using that to make you feel better."
He looks up, "Gijo, I need the map off that last kill to my armor please."
He looks at the Guardsman, waiting.
Priest - "I didn't need to say that out loud by the way."
____
Before the alley run, Priest pops the smoke, leans back and lights another while the Guardsman tracks the motion ahead, cannons fire.
The distant roar of the kill, Priest inhales and holds it with gritted teeth, exhales.
____
Waiting in present for the data ...
Priest - "East side, twenty north, sixteen from center. Head your main over there, hold back at ten south. Be ready to run. Storm's coming."
____
Nocturne - Giggles maniacally while pushing the button on the Game-Brick, "Yessss ..."
Doe - Still in the bedroll, eating an apple, "How's it goin' ?"
Nocturne - Smiles, "How's you goin' ?"
She lowers her goggles and pushes a button on her wrist piece.
Lightning crackles out, Nocturnes appearing and disappearing in chain lightning through the field below.
Doe - "I'm good." He tosses the core.
____
A heavy wind gusts over, view over the city to the beach head, violent waves growing, to the Admiral and Captain over the map with bridge crew, to Gijo's view from her chair watching the nearly formed hurricane approach.
75% ...
____
Guard and warriors, more clearing ...
____
Nocturne's eyeball stares at a Game-Brick cartridge, the distant sound of a thousand Nocturne giggles within. She blows on it and shoves it into the Game-Brick on her hip, lowers her goggles.
Nocturne - Looking over the game battles below, "Nocturnes ... Nocturnes will make them sleep ..."
____
In the gamer's basement, all on couches, Dealer Mike handing over, their Game-bricks all make a toaster ding. "Hell yes."
________
In a final area clear, Priest throws up a hook to pull down a fire escape and holds it down for the Guard. As the climb to the roof, the view ~
In the town center, a circular park, distant fire, marines returning from an accomplished. Army sets up a field command, Alpha and Delta watch, Alpha inside at the entrances, Delta patrolling, some standing staring at the sky or into the streets.
An alpha patrol looks from the far and waves when they reach top.
Priest - Fist up. "Okay. Teacher time." He pulls out a scope and displays it. "Made for the sim. This will show you what you don't see. Battle looks won ?"
He lights a blunt and offers, the view up as the Nautilus looms over in open fire moving for the field still clearing of beasts.
Alpha patrols each sending virtual hunters into the field, using their blades on the beasts, while Delta guns fliers overhead.
Guardsman - "Fuck I saw the program ... but fuck ... this ... shit ..."
The guns flush one from over, bladed down by a hunter, on to the next. The controller armor takes the shocks of the kill.
Priest - "You see that kill ? So that guy now has a map interpreted from that thing's memory, telling him a closer location on those civilians. Uploads everything it learns to the grid, including all its connections around the world. Our map."
He moves the scope over.
Priest - "Now check that guy."
Another Alpha spinning his own blades through a final nazi clown push from hiding, then sheathing with a static roar.
Priest - "No training. Prototype gear. Intuitive. Artificial muscle memory. Adrenal control. Auto-bypass on wounded systems. System access. Electrical."
Guardsman - "Super soldier shit."
Priest - "Yep. But it's all run by our systems. And that's where we're at. No other way to generate it. And it absolutely requires neural integration. Otherwise it's pretty much a backpack. Non integrated can't make the kill. Just flush."
Guardsman - "Damn."
Priest - "Yep."
Guardsman - (all seen) Zooming on an out patrolling Soldier, auto cannons locking and firing from the shoulders. "Still cool though."
Priest - "Looks good on you. Here." He hands him his phone, the guardsman looks, it's dead. "I was just using that to make you feel better."
He looks up, "Gijo, I need the map off that last kill to my armor please."
He looks at the Guardsman, waiting.
Priest - "I didn't need to say that out loud by the way."
____
Before the alley run, Priest pops the smoke, leans back and lights another while the Guardsman tracks the motion ahead, cannons fire.
The distant roar of the kill, Priest inhales and holds it with gritted teeth, exhales.
____
Waiting in present for the data ...
Priest - "East side, twenty north, sixteen from center. Head your main over there, hold back at ten south. Be ready to run. Storm's coming."
____
Nocturne - Giggles maniacally while pushing the button on the Game-Brick, "Yessss ..."
Doe - Still in the bedroll, eating an apple, "How's it goin' ?"
Nocturne - Smiles, "How's you goin' ?"
She lowers her goggles and pushes a button on her wrist piece.
Lightning crackles out, Nocturnes appearing and disappearing in chain lightning through the field below.
Doe - "I'm good." He tosses the core.
____
A heavy wind gusts over, view over the city to the beach head, violent waves growing, to the Admiral and Captain over the map with bridge crew, to Gijo's view from her chair watching the nearly formed hurricane approach.