"Ugh, why does this keep happening to me?" Rocke said, blurry-eyed as he pulled himself from the car's wreckage. The vehicle sat on its side, forcing Rocke to shimmy himself free. The incoming police car had done a number on their escape vehicle, leaving it a smoldering husk. One wheel had gotten knocked off, rolling into a nearby parking lot.
"Is everyone okay?" Rocke asked.
"I'll live," Nitao said, his expression struggling to hide his pain.
"I think so." Maple added as pulled her out. Of everyone, she seemed the most intact. Rocke touched his scalp and found a light trail of blood.
"What a mess." Rocke glanced around the road for potential threats. He tensed as each car on the street approached. Thankfully, the automatic driving programs avoided him as he stood almost in the middle of the road.
"Yeah, stinks, huh?" Phú2's mocking voice came from the wrecked police car. "So much for your easy escape."
"Yeah, thanks." What utter insanity. For whatever reason, the AI demanded their blood. Not for the first time, Rocke wondered if a total madman had designed Phú.
"We're still escaping. And you can't stop us," Rocke refused to be intimidated by this mechanical lunatic.
"Hmm. I suppose you could just steal a car," Phú2 said, musing. "There are still too many escape routes. That's why I'll do this!"
"What are you—" Rocke trailed off as darkness suddenly swallowed him. It happened so quickly that Rocke thought he'd gone blind. But no—he soon realized he was seeing something he'd never imagined. The entire city of Vladus had gone dark, not even the streetlights working. The only illumination remaining came from vehicles zipping by, and even amongst them many were silenced as chaos broke loose.
Car systems that should have made crashes impossible failed and vehicles careened wildly. One almost struck Rocke, only luck keeping his wits sharp enough to jump away in time,
The sound of countless collisions echoed through the dark city as vehicles slammed into one another. It stunned Rocke into silence, horrified by the carnage. Somehow, Phú2 had disabled the vehicle control center, blinding the AIs that guided traffic. Their inbuilt systems might have adjusted without it—but not while already traveling at high speeds. Fires broke out across the city as exploding cars set everything ablaze.
"Sovereign!" Maple said, making a symbol Rocke didn't recognize in the air across her chest. They watched as an out-of-control car smashed into a light pole, blood pooling where the driver had struck the wheel.
It was utter havoc, and Rocke felt useless as cars piled up like carelessly tossed pillows. "Is this the Sovereign's judgment?"
"No," Maple said, her voice grim. "Not even close. When He finally enacts His justice, we'll know."
"Oh," Rocke replied, speechless. Something worse than this? "But what can we do now? Crashed cars are jamming the streets!" While someone could drive without the AI control net, the mess clogging the streets would likely be impossible to pass. Without the map system, it was impossible to tell which streets were impassable until they reached them.
"That AI isn't making it easy for us." Maple wore a grim smile. "But I'm not quitting yet. We only have 85 minutes until midnight. What do you think, Nitao? Any ideas?"
Their Konquellian friend said nothing, his expression thoughtful. Even with the language barrier, their dilemma was obvious. Above them, a police helicopter hovered, surveying the scene like a silent sentinel. She was watching them.
"There," Nitao pointed at a parked motorcycle.
"You can't be serious." It'd be a tight fit with three people.
"Best chance," Nitao replied simply, already walking toward the motorcycle.
"Can you drive it?" Rocke asked, watching as his Konquellian friend opened a panel and fiddled with the internal controls. It seemed Nitao was hot-wiring it.
Nitao only gave Rocke a look before returning to his work. Rocke gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Okay, dumb question."
"Seems we have transportation." Maple shot him a smile. If the uncomfortable ride bothered her, she didn't show it. The big woman would manage somehow.
"There." The machine rumbled to life, its engine emitting a gentle purr.
"Good work!" Rocke said, beaming.
When Nitao took the driver's seat, Rocke climbed on behind him. Maple took the last spot, pressing hard against Rocke. The seat barely held all three riders. The engine roared as Nitao revved it, and they sped past the wreckage of smashed cars. Most of the occupants were out surveying the damage and bemoaning their situation. Some, however, remained trapped in their vehicles, struggling to force their broken doors open.
It was eerie driving through the blackened city. The only sounds were distant cries of pain and blaring car alarms. Without the motorcycle's map system, Nitao guessed which direction led to the city limits. Still, he made decent progress, weaving past wreckage and pedestrians. With luck, they would be out of Vladus soon.
Still, Rocke worried about his friends and Jafia. If he was having trouble, they likely had it worse. Inside, Rocke berated himself for abandoning them. But he had little choice. He would have to leave their safety to the Sovereign.
Rocke's body tightened with tension as he heard a helicopter. It followed at a distance, content to hound them like a dog. Nitao increased his speed, but it was still rough going with the streets so clogged. That Phú2 hadn't acted yet worried Rocke. She seemed to be waiting for something. What? Rocke couldn't tell. Whatever it was, he doubted it was good.
///
"Don't do this, Phú2," Halkken pointed his gun at the killer robots surrounding them. Their attackers' blank faces seemed to gleam with eager anticipation for the upcoming violence.
Jafia continued to struggle under the collapsed roof, a useless effort. It'd take three men to lift. For now, she was useless. It was a pity. They might actually need the canny spy to escape this situation.
"I liked you, Chief, but it was foolish of me. Once a rat, always a rat. You betrayed me and the UOP for traitors and foreign spies. It's what you deserve, ex-chief. Ex as in you'll be dead soon!"
"It's not like that," Halkken crowded in closer to the soldiers with him to better protect their exposed backs. "You're not well, Phú2. Your predecessor hurt people, taking the law into her own digital hands. This isn't how we do things. You have to trust me. I promise you, Jafia Bronfreld will face judgment for her many crimes, but it will be through the courts, not vigilantism." Or whatever you called this.
"Likely story, traitor." Phú2's digitized voice sneered at him from a guard robot. "No more excuses. Just die already!"
"So much for diplomacy," Halkken thought grimly as the robots closed in. Nearby soldiers readied their weapons, one calling their comrades for much-needed backup. From the soldiers' expressions, they weren't optimistic about surviving until then.
The only illumination came from the glowing lights on the robot's chest plates, which cast weak light on the soldier's terrified faces. They fought hard, but the numbers and the lack of light worked against them. Many died within moments of the assault.
Still, they were the UDF. They refused to die quietly. One soldier jumped onto a guard robot's back and blasted a hole through its neck point-blank. Another used a hatchet to cleave a robot's head clear off. Even Halkken fought. While his sidearm was pathetically useless against these metal monstrosities, he acted as a distraction or called out any attacks from behind. Still, it wasn't enough. Their enemy's numbers were too great.
"Gah!" A metal limb struck Halkken's side, the sound of cracking bone deafening in the pitch-black night. He crumbled to the ground, his body useless. Jafia cried out in alarm, but she was utterly helpless to help anyone.
"And that's the last one." A guard robot tossed aside a limp soldier, focusing its attention on the only survivor.
Fear threatened to unman him, but Halkken refused to show any weakness. Instead, he held his chin high. "Just get it over with, Phú2."
"You're not making this fun." The AI's digitized voice pouted. "I think I'll hurt you some more before killing you. Or should I kill the spy first? That might create a fun reaction."
"Just try it," Jafia said, a growl escaping her throat. "You won't get anything from me."
Despite their dire situation, Halkken found he admired the Vanderfall spy. She had guts to spare for them both. His body protested, but Halkken pushed himself to his feet. He would do his duty as an officer of the law. "Leave her alone. It's me you want." He smirked as he caught Jafia's stunned expression. She hadn't expected him to stand up for her.
"Think about it," Halkken said, his voice level and reasonable. "You have her caught. She's a spy. Why kill her? She has information that the higher-ups will want. I'm a traitor, sure. So I'm fair game, but at least spare her."
It was a long shot. Phú2's programming and logic algorithms were likely mangled beyond repair, but this basic logic might break through. Behind the blank faces of the guard robots, Halkken thought he saw gears turning.
"You're right," Phú2 said. Halkken kept his pained face steady to hide his relief. "It'll make me a hero! With you, the traitorous ex-chief dead and the spy caught, I'll be the talk of the UOP. Free her."
Four of the remaining guard robots grabbed the beam pinning Jafia and lifted. While roughed up from their fight with the UDF, one even missing an arm, they managed the load easily. The fifth and last pulled Jafia free, the beam landing with a deafening thud as it crashed back down. The spy eyed Halkken, clearly lost for words. He winked only at her. The beam had only landed over her, not directly on her. She'd been lucky.
"All better. I've got you caught, Miss Bronfreld." A guard robot gestured to the fallen soldiers. "You'll know what happens if you resist."
"Yeah, yeah," Jafia replied, her tone sour. She hesitated before throwing Halkken a shaky smile. "Thanks for saving me, for whatever it's worth."
"It's my duty," Halkken said simply. It went some way towards redeeming him. The late chief would approve.
"And now you." The guard robots surrounded Halkken, their shock prods sparking to life. "I'd say about five minutes of being electrocuted should be enough."
Despite death quickly approaching, Halkken found he wasn't afraid. Was this how Chief Rolf faced his death, too? "Do your worst."
"I will, ex-chief. Die knowing you'll go down in history as the worst police chief in Vladus history!" Phú2 said.
Huh? Halkken only stared in bewilderment. Those were her last words for him? Did she need to rob him of his dignity in his last moments? Just his luck. But he didn't flinch as a metal prod stabbed at him.
"Oh no, you don't!" a lovely voice said. Then she appeared like an avenging angel, radiating a glow that blinded him.
"What?" Phú2 turned, and a barrage of burning bolts blasted the guard robot's metal skull. Its head melted, collapsing into a scrap heap.
"Get to cover!" a deep baritone said, and a burly Ottomon jumped from the broken roof and landed with a resounding thud. He roared and struck the nearest guard robot with a fire axe.
While the robot's carapace should have been too thick for the weapon to inflict any damage, the big Ottomon's tremendous strength and precise blow struck the guard robot's vulnerable neck and cleaved the head clear off. Jafia wasn't idle either, diving for a soldier's gun and shooting as soon as her finger touched the trigger. It blasted a hole in a robot trying to attack the avenging, shining angel from behind. Much to his embarrassment, Halkken realized her radiance had only been a flashlight.
"Hey, no fair. Where'd you come from?" Phú2 said in protest. Weakened by their fight with the UDF, the Ottomon's surprise attack easily decimated her forces. Halkken could only watch with a glad heart and appreciation for their timely rescue.
"How did you find us?" Jafia asked after burning a hole in the final guard robot.
"You weren't exactly quiet," Kallene said, amused. "You guys were practically screaming at the top of your lungs."
"That was a little too easy," the big Ottomon said, throwing his axe over his shoulder. "Hardly a challenge at all."
"Don't say that," Kallene admonished, but she was smiling. "We'll get one if we hang around here. There are still UDF dogs and guard robots everywhere."
Jafia nodded. "Any idea what happened to Rocke?"
"Mom has him and Nitao," Kallene replied.
"Really?" Jafia tapped her ear. "My comm's busted. Still, that's good to hear. Let's go." But she paused, turning toward the police chief slumped against the wall. "And let's take him."
"What?" Kallene said, all indignation. "Why? He'll only slow us down!"
"Hm." The big Ottomon only snorted, burly arms crossed. He didn't argue, only waited for his friend's logic.
"Hello again, angel," Halkken said with a weak laugh. His breathing was a rasp as he struggled to draw breath.
"You?" Kallene said after recognizing him. She groaned. "Really?"
"We have to take him. The AI is trying to kill him. If we leave him, it will probably finish the job," Jafia said with simple logic. "And he saved my life. It's the least I can do."
Kallene scowled but nodded. "Fine. Dallas."
"Got it." With his gentle but firm arms, the big Ottomon tossed Halkken over his shoulder. Despite being in rough shape, he took the weight easily. Halkken threw the man a weak smile.
"We'd better hurry." Jafia checked a timepiece. "An hour and ten minutes until midnight."
"Blackjack has a car ready for us. Thankfully, we prepared for the worst," Kallene said. "Though getting out of the city in a blackout won't be easy."
"Getting out of this building won't be easy," Jafia said, resigned. "Let's go."
It seemed he'd survived once again through the skin of his teeth. Now, however, he'd fallen into the enemy's hands. While grateful they were helping him, it was still a mixed blessing. This might get him killed, caught in the UDF's crossfire as they fought the rebels. Or slaughtered by Phú2 in her misplaced desire for revenge. Neither option sounded appetizing. Still, he'd seen his angel again. How could a man complain about that? He just hoped he'd live long enough to appreciate it.