Adventures of a Drunkard Pilot

Chapter 20: End Of The Road

"Vox!?" Arthur and I both exclaimed into our radios.

"Like i said," Mitch said as he hurdled a car into an approaching armored personnel carrier, "it's a long story." The APC burst into flames.

"Lets go!" Vox cut into my radio.

"Move," I told Arthur and Mitch. I scanned the horizon with my shotgun, but nothing was coming. It was almost as if they had pulled back.

"Duncan!" Arthur called out. I spun around, but was rocked as a frame landed on me. I was forced to the ground on my back and embedded into the concrete. I tried using my shotgun to brace the frame off of mine, but the impact snapped it in half. I grabbed the frame by the shoulders, planted my foot in it's midsection, and flipped it over my head.

"Load up, now!" I shouted as i got to my feet and squared up with the frame, who had gotten to his feet. It was human tech, sleek and lightweight like the ones we had shot down in the gunships, but this one was different. It had gold war paint on the head, and was sporting a ceremonious sword on its back. 

"Who dares defy Master Rojas?" A voice challenged from inside the Frame.

"Just a couple of assholes," I replied as I reached back out of reflex and grabbed onto a section of BRUTUS's spinal column that had popped up. As i grabbed it, i could feel the armor sections on my left shoulder slide back and latch onto the spinal column with a jolt. I pulled on the spinal column section and it, as well as the armor, slid off my back, and just like that i had remembered how to draw my ax. 

"You will be punished," the voice threatened as it drew its sword. 

"Well then," I sneered as i got ready to charge, "lets dance." 

I charged the Frame, who charged back at me, but as soon as i stepped off the other Frame exploded in a violent explosion. I skidded to a stop, then looked at the drop ship.

"Quit fucking around!" Mitch shouted from where the drop ship had strapped his Frame in, his hands holding an M332 revolving grenade launcher. 

I laughed as i ran to the drop ship, the anchors on the side of the ship latching on as i leaned back into the bird. No sooner had the I strapped in did the ship take off, violently shooting up and into the sky. I could feel the G-forces pushing on me, but i could also feel my Frame being turned 180 degrees, so I wasn't surprised when the front of BRUTUS opened up and i was able to crawl out and into the open bay of the V37 Osprey drop ship. As our climb became less forceful, i was able to walk a few steps into the open bay, where i caught sight of Mitch and Arthur climbing out of their Frames. 

"Hey" I heard a voice call to us from the direction of the cockpit. I turned and say Cameron Vox, standing there in a MARPAT jumpsuit with a flak jacket and an M4.

"Well shit," I laughed as i walked up to her. "I thought you died in the crash."

"Likewise," she answered, giving me a smile. 

"You 2 can get caught up at a later time, Ms. Vox," A familiar voice chimed in, "But we have very important work to get started on."

"Delta?" I asked, looking at a figure that appeared on a holo-viewer in the middle of the bay. Delta's signature green figure appeared. 

"That would be correct, Staff Sergeant Maxwell," He replied, "It is very good to see you again."

"You have no idea buddy, i thought you went down with the ship," I told him. I turned to the rest of the crew. "Same with you guys."

"Well, we didn't," Mitch piped up, then added excitedly, "and boy do we have a plan."

"Well, I'm all ears," said Arthur, who I had just noticed had regained some of his color. 

Mitch grinned at him, then at me, then said to the both of us, "We're gonna hijack the Legion super carrier." 

                                                                      END OF BOOK 1