Harem Hero

The Quick and the Cloned - Part 4

Motoko laid out how things were going to go down. It was tough cramming so much information into your brain on such short notice, but you managed. Many people's lives depended on you pulling this off.

You relocated to the roof of the building where a large glass roof looks down into the lobby. You can hear them talking to each other through the glass. Sundar is there with two dozen hostages, surrounded on all sides by gun-toting robots. Sundar is relishing the moment to torment his hostages, "If that detestable superhero you're all so in love with doesn't rescue you, well, it just goes to show how pathetic he really is."

He laughs at his own joke. This guy sucks.

You also notice that Sundar is wielding a new weapon on his left arm, which is being powered by a large backpack. You do not want to get hit by anything this guy comes up with. He has his head screwed on correctly, unlike his compatriot.

Mitsuru didn't have time to make all of the adjustments that Motoko asked for, so you can't do the cool thing and rappel through the window, shooting the whole way down. You stand away from the edge to prevent a shadow being cast into the building and mark every enemy you can see. The targeting computer inside your suit begins to work overtime. In fact, it's working so hard that you can feel it heating up at the base of your spine.

"On your mark, Major."

"Copy. Going in three."

You prepare yourself for the fight.

"Two, one. Go!"

You kick the glass pane in front of you and shatter it into pieces. You drop down through the hole and land on the balcony that runs around the second floor. As you roll to a stop, you draw your weapon and blow two of the robots to hell with accurate hip fire. There's no time to think about what Sundar is doing. You swing back and aim over the stone bannister, the robots surrounding the hostages don't move to harm them – Sundar points his finger firmly at you.

Now you get it, he captured them to lure you here!

Before they can return fire, you blast three more of them by stabilising your aim on the railing. You duck back down as a hail of bullets tear the stone to shreds. You roll out of the way before any of them can hit you. Gunfire breaks out in another part of the building as Motoko begins running interference on the others.

"Hostages don't seem like your style!" you taunt.

"I don't care much for them really – I just needed an excuse to draw you and your big mouth out of hiding!"

The robots have destroyed the closest piece of cover already. You move to the right and blow another away with some quick gunslinging. Then you find your face meeting the floor as a strong impact knocks you over from behind, you roll over and find another leering down at you from your blind spot.

"Asshole!" You fire three shots through his chest and watch him explode from inside-out. You stand back up and feel your back protest in pain, that's going to leave a mark. Finding a safe angle, you see that Sundar hasn't moved an inch since the firefight started.

"You think these small fries are the only thing I brought?" Sundar titters, "Say hello to Billy the Gundroid." He points to his left, where a strange looking robot with a ten-gallon hat and revolver style arm stands menacingly.

"It's a cowboy."

"I know it's a freaking cowboy!" Sundar scowls, "There's no way you can outshoot this thing. It has a targeting computer from a fighter craft."

"Oh yeah? This targeting computer was coded by Mitsuru," you reply. You severely doubt the efficacy of the retrofitted robot. Popping out of cover, you find yourself proven wrong as the cowboy's arm snaps into position and blasts you in the chest from long range. You slide across the floor and slam into the wall behind you.