We turned the corner on the stairwell, our steps echoing, and came across the bodies. Hers were easy to tell from mine. Mine didn’t move, but they stared as we stepped over them, some caught mid-frown or mid-smile. Hers were pale and breathing slowly as they lay there in their black uniforms, bulging where armor protected them.
It wasn’t hard to keep up with her. The biggest issue was remembering to keep my head down so that I didn’t hit the ceiling. It’d be a shame to trash one of the paintings above the landings. Destroying a window was one thing. Glass could be replaced, but the paintings couldn’t.
“What’s with the extra-large suit?” Amy asked over the comm.
I wondered if I should smash the window. It seemed a little bit overboard to smash it just because it was so covered by construction dust that I couldn’t see through it, but while the V4 had many abilities, I hadn’t thought to include tools for window washing.
As I ran, I glanced over at the train station. A bus was parked under the pavilion and a small crowd stood near it, all of them looking in my direction.
I pointed back at the two shattered sets of powered armor and the vampire on the ground. “She’s a vampire. Whatever you do, don’t pull out the stake!”
If they replied, I didn’t hear them. I didn’t know that she’d revive if they pulled out the stake, but better safe than sorry. The sheer variety of vampires in this mess argued that caution was a good trait. Continue reading Motor City Intern: Part 40→
Ignoring the scream, I checked the vampire I’d staked. She’d slumped and stopped moving. For lack of any reason to think otherwise, I decided to assume she was down and turned to face her partner.
That turned out to either be a bad move or one that saved my life.
As I turned, I saw the other mech’s right arm move and even though I knew I’d damaged that arm, I used the implant to fire off the directional rockets and send me sideways into the air, giving me a second or two of movement to the left before sending me to the right. Continue reading Motor City Intern: Part 39→
“How are you doing?” Mateo’s voice sounded in my head. “We’re a few floors in. We haven’t run into anyone, but there are definitely vampires.”
“Busy,” I said. “Two people in powered armor so far. Might be more.”
“Got it,” Mateo said. “Don’t be afraid to retreat or call for more help. We’ll keep you informed of what we’re doing. Do the same.” Continue reading Motor City Intern: Part 37→
It didn’t take long before we reached the front of the People Mover station and elevated railway in front of the skyscraper. Well lit, with a pavilion of steel beams and a white roof, the station looked like the perfect place to get off a bus and wait for a train.
There were a few people standing under it, most of them staring at their phones—which was good because it meant their phones still worked. Continue reading Motor City Intern: Part 36→
“Yeah. The top floors seem too weird to waste. Did you know that this place was supposed to be redeveloped, but then something happened and the company that bought it sold it to someone else.”
We pulled off to the side of the road to look up at it, ignoring the concrete People Mover station and platform that crossed over the street. I didn’t see any trains coming, but if that meant that no one would be coming by during the fight, it would be a good thing.
Vincent leaned to my right, staring up at the tower. “I don’t think I ever looked at the Book Tower’s top floors before this. They look like they were made for vampires.” Continue reading Motor City Intern: Part 35→
Mateo nodded, “At least he escaped. That’s what I was hoping.”
The hooded figure said, “As long as he didn’t get caught inside the Book Tower, I’d say he escaped but he did disappear. I think he’s been moving from roof to roof, but I can’t be sure. There are fewer rats up there.”
