BOOK III OF THE HUNTER TRILOGY
CHAPTER VI
CAME, SAWED, CONQUERED
Axel stayed behind the rubble as Matalman continued to bombard the area with his bladed disks. “Geez!” The teen yelled. “Where the Hell do you keep all of those things without pockets?” The machine stopped attacking and said, “Well, how about you come out and well just settle this like civilized machines. Does that sound like a good idea?” Axel peeked over the debris and quickly ducked as a blade flew just over his head. “HEY!!!” he roared. “THAT'S JUST PLAIN OLD CHEAP!!!”
The Maverick laughed and said, “And you fell for it, you idiot!”
“Yeah, yeah! Eighty points! I know!” The Machine let out a sound of confusion. Noticing the opportunity, he jumped out of his hiding place and opened fire on the enemy. Each round that hit it sent it staggering back. Unfortunately, his weapon didn't seem to be doing much in the way of actually damaging the machine.
Metalman looked at the Reploid, who had once again taken cover, and said, “I'm sorry. Was that actually supposed to hurt me?” Axel shrugged and replied as he reloaded his pistols, “Worth a shot... or twenty.” Metalman took the disk off his head and yelled, “You should take your opponent more seriously!” He threw the disc and cut through the hiding place, severing the target in two. Smiling, he went to inspect his prized kill.
When he got there, he saw that what he had destroyed was not the young warrior, but instead a fellow Maverick who Axel had transformed with his copy-shot ability. Roaring in blind fury, he shouted, “You dare to desecrate one of my fellow machines? I will see you destroyed for this outrage!!!” A pistol came to rest against Metalman's head, and the youth replied, “You know what? You talk WAY too much.” Without another word, he pulled the trigger.
The maverick fell to the ground with a loud thud. Spinning the firearm in his hand and heading towards the others, Axel chirped, “Some general. I could...” He stopped with an overwhelming sense of dread. He turned and saw Metalman back on his feet, holding one of his bladed disks. “Oh... S...” he never finished the sentence as the blade hit him in the chest, knocking him off his feet. The teen fell to the ground, motionless.
Not wanting to take a chance, the machine inspected his kill. There was no doubt about it. The target was indeed terminated. Grabbing his prey by the ankle, he started dragging Axel towards the palace. “Though you didn't put up much of a fight,” Metalman said, “You will make a fine trophy for my master, All I need to do is deliver you and lay your functionless body at his feet.”
After several minutes of dragging his prize, a whiny voice came from behind him, saying, “Are we there yet?” In shock, Metalman released his trophy and turned to face him as he slowly got to his feet. Axel rubbed the back of his head and grumbled, “You should really watch those big rocks. They hurt.” The Maverick stepped back and yelled, “How do you still function?!? I destroyed your core!!!”
Axel shrugged. “Uh... yeah, he muttered. “About that. This self-repair ability is cool and all, but it sure as hell takes long enough to kick in...” In shock, the Maverick yelled, “The Self-Repair protocol? How did you get it?” Axle flipped one of his pistols in his hand and smiled. Taking aim, he said, “Like this! and pulled the trigger. The shot had absolutely no effect to the machine. Metalman laughed. “Was that supposed to do something?”
Axel raised his hand and said, “You can bet your output on it.” A metal disk identical to his opponent's appeared and he threw it. The attack hit his enemy and did significant damage. Smiling, the youth stood there blankly. “I don't think I like the idea of attacking with a buzz saw.” Metalman got to his feet and stood there angrily. “You will suffer for that!” he started throwing a large number of bladed disks at the young Reploid, who immediately ran for cover.
“SLAG!!!” he yelled. “Don't you ever get tired of MISSING?!?” The Maverick snorted and replied, “Then let's make a deal. You come out of hiding, and I'll make this as quick as possible!” Axel paused for a moment, then shouted, “Now how can I refuse an offer like that?” Smiling he added, “Oh! Now I remember!!!” The sense of bravado only helped to anger the machine even more. It launched a massive barrage of blades at the area where the warrior hid. Smiling through the bombardment, he said, “Keep it up, bolt-brain. You're falling right into my little plan.”
Metalman moved closer, deciding that if the Reploid wouldn't come out of hiding, he'd finish him off where he cowered. Sensing the enemy getting too close, he jumped out from behind his cover, shooting at his foe. The Maverick threw disks at him, only to have them shot out of the air. With the enemy getting more enraged by the minute, Axel knew that the time to act was almost at hand. He kept up his game of cat and mouse, making the machine throw as many blades as possible at him.
All he had to do was keep functioning long enough to actually pull it off. Easier said than done. The angrier that Metalman got, the more accurate his throws. He just barely managed to dodge one that flew at his head. Angrily, Axel yelled , “Hey! I already HAVE a scar on my face! I don't need another!!!” The Maverick yelled, “I'm going to DESTROY you!!!” Axel laughed behind a heap of debris. “Where have I heard THAT before?” Popping his head up slightly, he added, “Normally, I'd say you have an attitude problem, but I think it's Supposed to be like that!”
The youth jumped from his hiding place and walked towards the enemy. Metalman prepared to throw the blade that would end this mockery of a battle. That was when he discovered why the youth had gone through all the trouble to blind him with rage. He readied his arm, took careful aim and finally let his arm throw the blade... except, there was no blade to throw. Filled with horror, he now knew the strategy. While he was so blinded by anger, he didn't pay attention to the fact that he had exhausted his weapon, and his opponent, who only used it once, was armed with the only thing that could slice through his armor in one strike.
Axel extended his arm, readying the blade that would end this fight once and for all. In a panic, Metalman yelled, “No! Don't! I'll do anything you ask! Spare me!!!” Axel smiled and said, “Anything I ask? Fine then.” The maverick looked relieved until the warrior said, “For all those humans that you and your kind killed in cold blood...” He threw the blade shouting, “YOU CAN GO TO HELL!!!” The blade cleaved the machine's head from it's body and the youth sighed. “Well, now that that's done, I might as well catch up to the others.”