10 Minute Tales

Mar 19

They were surprisingly close to the Geoco building, one simple spire away.

"Good hiding spot, I guess. Right under their noses."

"They never think to look for this particular arsenal." he grinned. "It is not my primary one, but it is enough for purpose."

"So what's the plan? I doubt we're going to just raid them as is, two guys and one android."

"You are quite correct, doing so would be folly at best. Thankfully, we are not the only ones ready to bring the head of corruption down a peg since the need arises."

"What are you-?" Queenson started to ask, but the ground beneath his feet shuddered as a dull explosion rocked through the air. "... you didn't..."

"Their position was not unassailable. Do not worry, your request for non-lethality has been recognised. I will take care of anybody who does not comply with this tactic."

"Would it be my way or yours?"

"Do not ask questions you do not want the answer to." They moved faster up the stairs. Citizens were already scattering, their voices ringing through the air as he barged past them, pistol coming out of his holster.

"I'm so getting fired for this." he grumbled, heading into the open air again. A camera swivelled to stare at him; he had already raised his air filtration mask, and it couldn't recognise him.

"Less getting fired, more doing the firing." Aurora grinned, swinging her rifle around and landing a shot clean in the lens. Queenson nodded, rushing towards the hole he now saw. Fragments of crystal were scattered around the explosion site, dust slowly gliding down. Abe's thugs were marching in, various guns flashing as energy shot in and out. Queenson looked for cover, finding some in a synthetic plant pot. He had always hated fake plants, but he was grateful to see this one as he slid into cover. Behind him, a trio of goons fell to the ground with cries of pain, their chests smoking slightly. Queenson frowned.

"Fuck, these guys are shooting to kill." he muttered into a microphone. Only Abe and Aurora could hear him through it; ear plugs helped mute the sounds of energy shooting every which way, but he couldn't hear anything else.

"Hang on, these guys aren't human." Aurora frowned. "I'm getting electrical signals, way more than normal." Queenson dared a peek, glancing through some broad leaves. Sure enough, the assailants were metallic, arm augmentations showing all-too-keen marksmanship.

"Damnit, they're Augs. They're probably directly under the President's payroll. Focus on disabling their augs, use shock rounds!"

"Gotcha." Aurora grinned, standing out of cover and taking aim. One of the assailants noticed this, and quickly landed an incendiary round between her eyes. Aurora yelled and fell down.

"Aurora!" Queenson yelled, nearly breaking cover there and then. Aurora twitched, but suddenly sprung to her feet with a cocky grin.

"What, thought that'd kill me?" she yelled to the shooter, quickly aiming with her sniper rifle and landing a shot in the shocked guard's arm. Electricity coursed through it, making him cry out in pain and drop behind cover. A small plume of smoke rose up; he was down for the count.

"Aurora, don't fucking scare me like that!" he growled, shuffling to the other side of the pot and taking aim at a distracted guard. "And don't do that again, odds are the president now knows you're weak to shock rounds."

"Worth it." she laughed, ducking behind cover again. Queenson growled as he shot at another guard.