YEAR 2030 - LONDON COMPOUND
Only when Jake and the others had arrived at the rendezvous point with Isaac and the others in Basingstoke had the quartet thought to check the cargo. The discovery of the armoured jeep, fully equipped with rocket propelling grenade launcher, had been an unexpected bonus. Jake had volunteered to hide out in the back with it, and given that it was only ever going to be used in the case of a precautionary backup measure, Phoenix had reluctantly agreed to join him. She imagined being in the back of a solid steel shipment with an armoured vehicle was about as safe as this particular mission was going to get. It was only when they were charging towards the towers of the fortified bridge that Jake had confessed his inability to drive, that she realised worst case scenario she would have to drive the thing. Never in her worst nightmares had she conceived the horror that such a scenario was about to play out here today.
She was sunk down in the driver's seat, her deep brown eyes flinching and wincing with each explosion that erupted outside. To take her mind off of the mayhem unravelling outside she began talking to herself and running a series of checks on the car whispering each stage to herself as she ran through them over and over in a bid to quell the panic welling up inside.
The approach had worked right up until the front of the truck began to take fire, the explosive impact of the foot soldiers' pulse rifles annihilating the engine and forcing the transporter to jack knife and catapulting the rear container that housed them to lurch forward. In that instant, the jeep began to roll forward and they were hurtling along the road with loud bangs thumping out a quick fire drumming sound on the rear door, having become the central target of their enemy's attack.
'Start the engine' Jake bellowed above the roaring onslaught and Phoenix's high pitched shrieks.
Phoenix was beside herself, all those routines to prepare had vacated from her brain leaving an emptiness that rendered her paralysed from the throat down.
'Phoe, kick it into gear, we've got to get the hell out of here' he said again. 'The door is going to come open at any second' he continued pointing to the hole that was giving way to the daylight of the outside having decimated the container's rear door.
Her eyes bulged with surprise, like a rabbit in the headlights, the colour flushing from her normally bronzed features. It was as if she had seen a ghost and had turned into one during the haunting process.
The cargo container continued to career uncontrollably towards the wall of soldiers and military vehicles. The sparks of the metal scratching the surface of the road crackled and banged inside, jolting Phoenix back into the present where Jake was shouting at her.
'Are you going to drive or do I need to take a crash course using your body as a test dummy?' Jake was saying as she recovered from the initial fright of the ordeal.
The colour now returned to her cheeks and her dark eyes sharpened into a look of intense concentration and determination.
'Get on the gun and shut up you freak' she said finally to Jake's stunned silence.
She turned the key, the jeep now coming to life and began to rev the angry motor with intent. Phoenix maintained her focus on the gap of light that was bursting through and began to mutter the checklist under her breath.
'It's actually a missile launcher' Jake said assuming control of the weapon, still not entirely over the whole 'freak' comment.
She shot him a look that suggested he should remain silent. This new girl who had taken possession of the normally mousy computer geek didn't look the type to be trifled with.
‘It shoots stuff doesn’t it?!’ she exclaimed.
'Just saying' Jake muttered meekly. 'Technically it's not a gun'.
The door before them ripped open, the bright light evaporating the darkness within their metal tomb and opening up on a vista of wild warfare and carnage. The foot soldiers had breached the rear and were firing upon them. Phoenix roared the jeep into life, catapulting them into the heart of the battle outside, her inaudible warcry swallowed by the chaotic scene.
Jake began to let rip with the cannon, knocking one of the black and green shiny guards to the ground. He zoomed in on another that was about to let loose with the furious power of his rifle, the foot soldier exploded into a ball of flames, dismembered parts showering all around the battle zone of the city's streets.
With each shot that he fired, Phoenix swerved the jeep behind it and navigated a fiery trail through the voids that began to appear in the wall of machines. A rocket exploded behind them, a foot soldier in an exact replica jeep having missed them by a minuscule margin. Jake swung the rocket launching cannon ninety degrees, eradicating the threat with a burning hot blast that reduced the vehicle to a smouldering wreck.
The path ahead was now clear and Phoenix navigated the jeep into the heart of the city centre. The sound of gunfire from the rebel cavalry behind them and Wolfy's colourful tirade was quickly drowned out by the security alarms and sirens that had burst into life, announcing the security breach to the dazed inhabitants.
Jake pointed out the road ahead that led to their next hurdle, breaking into the United Crime Control Authority headquarters. As they roared along the deserted streets, the big screens that communicated to the brainwashed population announced breaking news of a terrorist incident taking place and urged people to stay indoors. Jake caught sight of the vacant and bewildered glances emanating from workers who now swarmed to the windows within their workplace. The situation a surreal dream for them all.
The headquarters was up ahead, foot soldiers and surveillance operatives were fleeing the building and grounds in a disorderly fashion. The chaotic scenes bringing a smile to Jake's face. It would not be long until the scare stories being broadcast into the city were replaced with the harrowing truth. This, Jake hoped, might spark some life into the zombie nation who resided here otherwise their campaign to restore freedom would be in vain.
The operatives now spilled into the car park, streaming out in ever greater numbers like a water main that had burst under intense pressure. They swamped the outnumbered foot soldiers, sweeping past them like a tsunami being sucked back out to sea. The sheer number brought the jeep to a halt and the crowd buffeted past Jake and Phoenix towards the war that was raging in the streets behind, the alarms and media announcements becoming overwhelmed with the screams of the rattled inhabitants.
Jake now jumped down from the rocket launcher and began to fight through the oncoming masses like a salmon leaping upstream. Phoenix grabbed her backpack and waded in behind him, her anxious demeanour having given way to a steely resolve. They were very near to the building's entrance now and once inside her natural technical skills would come to the fore.
Jake continued to fight against the current of escaping surveillance staff who continue to haemorrhage from the once secure entrance to the head offices of security and surveillance. The sheer weight and magnitude of the chaotic evacuation had seen the security door take a battering. Many of the huge robot soldiers had been knocked down by the marauding melee making Jake's attempts to get inside far more straightforward than he might have anticipated. He had managed to gather up one of the fallen soldier's rifle whilst continuing to battle his way through the opposing crowd. His and Phoenix's presence had not gone unnoticed, however, and two of the foot soldiers who remained standing had fixed on their positions. One began to plough through the crowd, knocking unsuspecting men and women to the ground as he went, the other set his sights on chasing Phoenix who was a few paces behind Jake.
The smashed opening to the building was just in sight, Jake darted and shuffled past the masses who continued to spill through the opening and into the expanse of the car park. His progress was stymied by the ball of fire that erupted right in front of him instantly incinerating a few of the screaming operatives that had just burst through the door whose charred, dusty remains now covered the escapees who were behind them. The disorientation that this caused was momentary, they barely had figured out what the dust on their hands and faces was before they too evaporated from the face of the Earth from the foot soldier's follow up shot.
Jake screamed at the remaining group who were charging into the car park like a herd of wild animals to stop, but they continued to pour out into the light. The third explosion sent Jake sprawling and he hit the wall of the building and slid to the ground. He was now out of the thick current of charging people desperate to escape the chaos, but who were being picked off in large fiery groups by the foot soldier intent on taking Jake out. The large guard had now punctured a hole in the endless stream of people, having eviscerated many of the innocent people at the tail end. Blood spattered and charred remains caked the ground like a child's messy painting, the thick smoky smog choking Jake and camouflaging the soldier's advance on his position. He now sat up and searched for his gun, which had been knocked out of his hands from the blast. Jake soon saw the rifle loitering in the mouth of the doorway well out of his reach, the heavy crushing steps of his attacker looming large upon on him. The metallic figure cut through the flames and smoke, its beaming visor locked upon him and the rifle that had killed so many people was now set upon claiming its next victim.
Jake reached for the rifle, but he was not even close to its fallen position. He was about to give up the ghost and accept his fate when the alert set of eyes of a young woman stared back at him from behind the entrance. She was shaking and had been drenched in the charred dust of those who had charged out of the door moments before her. As Jake came to focus upon her, more sets of eyes emerged behind her, this time two men, one had a metal pole in his hands ready to protect himself and the other had managed to find a gun. It was clear from their dusty attire that they were workers here rather than rebels from another camp. Jake looked away from them so as not to draw the robot's attention and he now sat upright ready for his execution. He looked back towards the crowd, hoping that Phoenix had not fallen to the same fate that had befallen him.
The noisy crowd had now stopped running headlong into the heart of the city as they had when he had arrived, they had now begun to huddle and group together in a more alert and intent state of mind. Panic and disorder had given way to anger and rebellion with groups joining forces and overpowering the giant machines. The clank of metal rang out as they hit the foot soldiers with whatever came to hand, be it rocks or metal debris from smashed cars. They swamped them in huge hoards even throwing themselves on top of the foot soldiers in scrums just to bring them to the ground and overpowering their former controllers.
Jake now faced his own aggressor, knowing that even if he was about to die, nothing would stop the revolution. He stared down the barrel of the gun and closed his eyes and thought of Max. He hoped his faithful friend would come through this safely and would be well looked after by Isaac. The moment lasted no longer than a breath and he heard the weapon discharge, the bright explosion of the blast sending a pulse of glowing energy through the darkness behind Jake's eyes. He waited for the bright light of legend to beckon him into the afterlife and for the burning pain of the gunshot to consume him in fire. He waited and it did not come, his eyes opening upon the scene at the sound of a dog barking profanity over the violent discord.
The foot soldier before him now wobbled under the train of fire that was being unleashed on him from all directions. Jake could make out the thick set image of his buddy bounding and darting around the foot soldier, whilst Lexi, Phoenix and the young woman from the doorway now fired upon the machine from all sides. After a few moments, the giant foot soldier rocked and stumbled, Max's endless circling of it having resulted in the soldier's legs being secured together with wire. He tumbled heavily to the ground whilst the three gun-toting women let rip into his fallen carcass and the men charged into the car park to finish him off.
The young woman from the doorway now flashed a smile at Jake, the look in her eyes was no longer consumed by fear but had sparked into one of determination and unfettered excitement. She then charged into the heart of the action taking place in the car park to join her rioting comrades.
Jake looked down at the fallen, disembowelled body of the foot soldier he had been certain just moments ago was going to end his life. He barely had a moment to count his blessings before Max pounced on him, pinning him down and licking the remnants of battle from his face.
Thank god you are okay, Max's voice echoed in Jake's mind. I don't think I could face being here alone without you. He barked and continued to slather all over his fallen master, whilst Jake tried to wrestle him off.
I feel the same way buddy, but do you want to get your stinking breath out of my face because I'm dying here! Jake responded telepathically.
Max reared back and began to bark in what appeared to Lexi and Phoenix as an affectionate exchange between the dog and his master. It was probably a good thing that neither understood 'dog' given the vile retort the American Staffordshire Terrier had just uttered.
'Well aren't the two of you a sight for sore eyes' he said to the two women hovering over him.
They pulled him up from the ground, the full extent of the violent battle unravelling behind them. Jake's eyes flickered from Lexi to Phoenix, both of them pumped up from the events that had unfolded so far and he found himself utterly lost for words. He owed them both his life and he pulled them both in close in an awkward three-way embrace.
'Err Jake' Phoenix interrupted. 'Shouldn't we be taking advantage of this opportunity to take down the mainframe?'
'I think that would be the best way forward' Lexi agreed.
He now let them both go and the three of them hovered in place in a cringing moment of heightened tension and unease. It was as if none of them knew how to burst this horrible silence that had engulfed them. Phoenix was the first to break the weird atmosphere that had derailed their progress.
'Right, Jake and I will get to the mainframe and begin the shutdown sequence' she asserted pushing Jake towards the now vacant entrance and forcing her gun into his hands.
Phoenix then turned back to Lexi. 'You go and get Isaac and the others and get ready to crank this up a notch' she said with authority. 'Take Max with you'.
Max began to bark in protest, rearing up and getting quite het up.
'He can come with us' Jake said having collected his thoughts finally. 'Let's go'.
Jake, Phoenix, and Max entered into the belly of the building, leaving Lexi to plough back into the battle taking place outside. Small factions of the population had awoken from their suppressed slumber and were joining the battle, but huge swathes of dazzled and dazed folk were spilling onto the embattled streets certain that what they were witnessing was all just a very strange dream. The rebel troops who had followed up the rear began to invite the dream walkers to take up arms and fight their oppressors.
Drones hovered overhead, their controllers now either dead or unleashing years of pent-up fury upon the agents of control who had suppressed them for so long. Rebel vehicles flowed freely now into the compound, receiving an expressionless and cold welcome from the startled dream walkers still trying to understand exactly whether they were under attack as was being announced overhead or whether they were being emancipated from years of brainwashing and abuse.
From the heart of the city, squadrons of foot soldiers could be heard marching menacingly yet measured towards the disturbance. The rumbles of their charge could be felt underfoot like a growing earthquake, it was as if thunder was closing in. Many of the rebel vehicles came to a halt, the swarms of mindless masses now looking back into the city from where the loud drumming was radiating. Soon everything was at a standstill and everyone's gaze was fixed upon the rumble from within the centre of the city that was now rolling towards them.
Mike and Sam having somehow miraculously vacated the truck before it was entirely decimated had been gathered up by Isaac and they had come up alongside Wolfy's jeep. They were all now looking up ahead trying to make sense of the pounding drum coming towards them.
'What the hell is that?' Sam enquired, showing bloody wounds on his face and body from the collision.
Wolfy turned to his three compatriots and pointed at the giant screen just down the road where the breaking news was being announced. Wolfy was not one to be lost for words, but his normally jovial manner had been suppressed by the images flashing up on the screen whilst the rumble of thunder in the distance began to swarm in.
It was a breath-taking sight, enough to break the spirit of the rebellion that was underway. Foot soldiers in rows of twenty and ten deep now marched towards Tower Bridge from up ahead of them with platoons of similar numbers flanking them from both the west and east. The screens now showed aerial footage of at least three or four other groups behind the three that were closing in on them, army ants ready to wipe out the threat of another colony.
'There are absolutely hundreds of them' Mike said consumed by the images unravelling on the screen.
The marching packs of metallic green and black giants crunched along the roads ahead of them, the sound of their simultaneous march thundering out the Empire's tune. The images from the large screens could now be made out just off in the distance, the soldiers coming into view, marching headlong into the battle zone from all sides of the city. The Empire forces outnumbered the rebels ten to one and if the revolution was to have any chance of success then the brainwashed masses were going to have to play a role.
To make matters that much worse, Isaac and his troop's attention was momentarily drawn to the skies above where five black apache helicopters sauntered in overhead, the whirring blades swooping by the wreckage of the bridge and mouth of the compound and in towards the UCCA headquarters.
Mike followed the path of the helicopters as they flew overhead. 'And what exactly is that?'
Isaac and Sam followed the trail of the five Apaches as they began to descend into the compound.
'That is trouble' said Isaac now kicking his vintage car into action.
Mike and Sam clambered into the small vehicle and soon they were off screeching into the distance towards where the helicopters were headed.
They had barely gotten a few hundred yards down the road until they came across Lexi who was now flagging them down. Isaac screeched the car to a halt and allowed her to jump in behind.
'Numen and Chimera' she said breathlessly pointing to the choppers. 'They're headed for Jake and Phoe' she babbled trying to get her words out quickly.
With a screech of burning rubber, they were soaring towards the devastation of UCCA headquarters. The platoon of foot soldiers from the east emerging in the distance ahead of them. Isaac had known that the uprising was not going to be easy, but the challenge they now faced made him doubt whether they really could overthrow the regime. He was not about to announce this fear publicly, but they were going to need something miraculous to happen to pull this off. They had all taken a huge leap of faith here and Isaac feared they had just leapt into an abyss, or even worse a lion's den.