BOOK III OF THE HUNTER TRILOGY
CHAPTER IV
BEGINNING OF THE END
After trying to piece together the concept of the regeneration ability that the mavericks now possessed, Rock asked, “Okay. We have an army of Mavericks under the command of two or three remaining generals and they all seem to have the ability to self-repair. Does anyone else see a slight problem to the concept of just running down the main street, guns blazing?” Axel smiled and chirped, “Nope.” Sighing, the leader muttered, “How about someone with a properly functioning Logic Core.” The teen's expression turned sour from the blatant insult.
Zero said, “Actually, Axel's right on this.” The youth Beamed, and said, “Really?”
"Because,” the swordsman continued, “No one would expect us to do such a stupid and suicidal tactic.” Once again, the look of dismay. Ciel sat down and sighed. “You might want to illiterate on that, Z.” Zero shrugged. “For as long as we've been doing this, we carefully plan our assaults. We find a poorly guarded entryway in the least likely area of the city and launch our assault before they can regroup.”
Rock sighed. “I'm familiar with Hunter Tactics. Now get to the part where a suicide run is a good idea.” Nodding, the warrior stated, “Bass was one of our Lieutenants, so he knows how we operate and the manner of the procedure. He'd expect us to stick to our most effective plan. That means he set up his fortress in a manner that would make that plan useless. If we stray from our usual routine, he would be caught off guard and his forces would be to badly scattered to effectively resist.”
Rock stood there for a moment, letting the logic sink in. Finally, he said, “We're going to need insurance, just in case.” Ciel looked at him and asked, “Like what?” Axel smiled and yelled “We run into the enemy cluster, guns blazing!!!” Zero swatted him and said, “You had better common sense before your logic core reset!” Rock smiled and said, “Actually, he's right. We split up. Two of us take a heavily fortified area. When the massed forces resist, the last one of us goes down the main streets with little resistance and infiltrates the base.”
Ciel nodded and said, “I agree, that is a good plan, but the three of you are going to need to stick together, otherwise it's a suicide run no matter how you look at it.” Zero shook his head. “I'm sorry, Ciel. I'm with Rock on this one. Axel and I are as good as terminated anyway, so we should try and divert the enemy's attention while Rock makes a break for the Palace. There's no other way.” The scientist smiled and said, “What if I can promise that you won't have to worry about distracting the enemy?”
The trio looked with an expression of interest. She picked up a two-way radio and said, “Resistance command to all units. Status check.” For several long minutes, multiple resistance factions came in reporting their status. The sheer number of replies was unprecedented. Lode Runner, CRIT, GADF, even resistance factions that they didn't know existed replied to the call. By the time the status checks were done, it seemed as though the entire world had been lying in wait to make this one final stand against the Maverick forces. There were even status checks from the refugees and the human defects, who secretly turned traitor with the sole intent to cause chaos in the enemy numbers.
Ciel smiled and said in a voice of confidence, “As you can see, I have the situation completely under control. So,” turning to the Hunters, she concluded, “Who wants to raise some hell?” The three Reploids looked at each other with broad smiles. “Looks like we might stand a chance of surviving this war after all. Let's get moving.” Ciel picked up the the two Buster Rifles and primed them. “Let's...” The trio looked at her with an expression that begged her not to finish the sentence. “What?”
Bass looked out the window of his palace and smiled. “I wonder if those Hunter fools have any idea that I know their plan of attack. Since they always attack from poorly unguarded side streets, I'll need to focus my units there. But I'm no fool. Rock would use my knowledge of this tactic and expect me to guard that area and he comes through the main road. He'd most likely know I'd plan something like that as well. But my true plan is far more than his simple mind could grasp. I have concentrated my units throughout the city, all in equal strength. He would never expect such a plan.”
Wiley cackled beside him, his ethereal form hovering just within the peripheral of his vision. “No, he certainly wouldn't. He's a Reploid after all. Completely devoid of any imagination. Such a cursed, wretched existence. But soon, that will not matter. The Reploids will will be destroyed, and the humans will bow to their new rulers, the Mavericks.” Bass let out a maniacal laugh, adding, “And they will be under my rule. Such power should only belong to the ultimate life form! ME!!! HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!”
Wiley smiled. 'Yes,' thought the enigma. 'Such power will belong to the ultimate being. Such a shame, my pitiful tool, that the ultimate being is not you, but rather myself, Dr. Albert w. Wiley.”
As the four warriors made their way along the barren, war torn streets to the city that Bass had built his empire, Rock said, “Does anyone besides me think that it's a little too quiet?” The group stopped. “Huh,” muttered the youngest member. “You worry too much. They're probably all too busy attacking the straggling resistance units. They can't be everywhere at once.” Zero looked troubled. “I have to agree with both of you. They can't be everywhere, but they wouldn't leave the city poorly guarded, either.”
"A trap?” Ciel asked. “Looks like we're going to have to be careful. He might have planned that we would go either way with our attack. We might need a new plan of attack.” After a moment of thought, Rock snapped his fingers with an idea. “What if we do this the one way they wouldn't expect. They're waiting for us in the streets, so we go in another way.” Confused, the others muttered a brief, “Huh?” Smiling, the Reploid answered, “We do what Jake would have done. We go in Lode Runner style!”
The other two Reploids nodded in agreement, while Ciel whimpered, “I hate sewers. They have rats.” The group, after a ridiculously long debate to get the reluctant Ciel to agree, made their way to the runoff pipes where thee city's sewers met with the sea. Nodding towards the scientist, she gave the order for all the waiting resistance units to engage what would be the final assault of this war and entered the city's waste system. This was it. The beginning of the end. One final, suicidal assault... and only one side was going to walk away when it was done. Rock hoped with every fiber of his being that it would be the humans.
