RIFT Anthology: Book 4: ZoiTech

Fight Thorns With Thorns

Kerys and Rift are in his hideout and she looks around, taking it all in. She sees the main table in the middle along with all the weapons and gadgets hung up on the walls.

"Oh, wow. Nifty place you got here."

"Ehh, thanks."

"Could use a little decor to spruce up the vibe but nevertheless, it's decent."

Rift goes to check up on the security systems while he was away and they seem fine. Kerys continues to ramble.

"So, have you got any snacks up in here, cuz I forgot to eat earlier."

Rift sighs and replies, "Check the cupboards." He points without looking.

Kerys goes over to the cupboards to hoke through, when she catches a glimpse of the city from through the living room.

"Yeo, what?"

She runs over to the windows and gazes out.

"This is crazy. Where's the sky?"

"We're underground. The whole city is subterranean."

"Why? How's a girl gonna get a tan?"

"It'll take too long to explain. Now, c'mere. I need to catch you up."

Kerys returns to the mission room, grabbing a packet of crisps. Rift explains what they are going up against in detail.

"Now, Kerys, this thing is strong. It's got optics and a cybernetic arm. I don't know who sent it but we're gonna find out."

"Right, so how do we find it?"

"Not sure. We could go back to where I was first attacked and see if we can dig up anything. It left a thorn jammed in a bin. We can reclaim it if it's still there and do some scans. Maybe we can get a DNA sig' on it."

"Sounds good to me. Lead the way, man."

Just as Rift is about to open a portal, the hideout is breached. Red lights start to flash and the alarm blares. Rift is spooked, lifting his rifle. Kerys covers her hands in thorns, ready for anything. Loud bangs can be heard from the roof. Suddenly, a metal clawed hand rips through the ceiling. Rift panics and shoots at the hand. The hand retreats leaving a jagged hole. Another tearing sound can be heard at the other side of the hideout. Rift runs to the noise, finding Reincarnate climbing down through the hole. He opens fire on it and it generates a metal shield from its robotic arm.

She then flips the sofa, hurling it at Rift. He falls to the floor and Kerys runs into the room, nearly being hit by the sofa as well. Reincarnate lays her cybernetic eyes on Kerys and scans her within seconds. Kerys fires thorns at her and she uses her shield again. Reincarnate then retaliates with an energy blast from her palm. Kerys ducks, as it burns a hole through shelving.

"Shit! You didn't mention she could do that!"

Rift taking cover behind the other sofa replies, "I didn't know she could do that!"

Reincarnate turns her organic arm into vines, destroying the other sofa Rift is hiding behind. She then grabs him, dragging him towards her. Kerys acts fast, shooting thorns at her. She severs her vines, dropping Rift to the floor. He throws a small node device onto her arm and it deactivates it. She growls in anger, reaching for him. Kerys tackles her to the side, smashing into more shelves at the other end of the hideout. They gash and cut each other before Kerys is tossed out the window to the balcony. She breaks through the railing and disappears.

"Kerys!" shouts Rift.

Reincarnate throws debris out of the way, making her move on him again. He shoots her in the face with his rifle and her cybernetic side blasts off. She stumbles back holding her face. He gets another shot in on her abdomen and she drops to the floor. He stands there for a second making sure she doesn't get up again. He then hears Kerys grunting from outside. He runs to the balcony and looks down to see her hanging by her hands from a pipe. He lies down, reaching his arm out to her.