The Collapse

Chapter 28: Brother Versus Brother

Alder barely dodged the crackling axe-head, his chainblade roaring into life while his ECR spat flames from the muzzle. Talon's electric-axe dug into the ground, and the mutated warrior ripped it up with a bellow, throwing irradiated dirt and grass into the air. But even as he rotated to face his brother, Alder was already driving the spinning teeth into a weak joint on Talon's armor, sparks flying. Before any serious damage was caused, however, a clawed fist hit Alder's chest, sending him through the air.

The green-clad fighter traveled a good fifteen feet before hitting the ground, sliding another five until he stopped completely. His hearts pumping, Alder lifted himself off the ground and looked at his chainsword. Several teeth were missing, and the engine sputtered as a translucent orange fluid leaked out of it. Useless, he thought somberly as he tossed the blade to the ground. He needed another melee weapon, and fast, as Talon was already closing the distance. His eyes darted around the area, finally landing on an old stop sign that had been ripped out of the ground at his feet, its concrete base still attached. Alder smiled grimly. Perfect.

He hefted the pole like a massive sledgehammer, positioning to a batter's stance like he were playing pre-Collapse baseball. The distance between the brothers closed to ten feet. Alder could see murder written in Talon's twisted, subhuman eyes. The mutant raised his axe for a blow that would have split Alder like a slab of wood, only to be staggered by a mighty hit to the stomach.

Alder pressed his advantage, using the sign like a ramrod to strike his brother once, then twice, in the chest. Preparing to attack a third time, he drew back, then thrust forward again. Talon was ready this time, however, and caught the shaft with a single hand. He yanked it out of Alder's grasp, then tossed the improvised weapon to the side, beginning his advance once again.

Alder fired his ECR, a hit guaranteed at this distance. Explosive shells struck the armor, sending shards of shrapnel into the air. This did little to slow Talon's march, however, and the brute hit his brother fully in the chest with the crimson axe.

Alder howled in pain as the armor gave way, biting into his chest and puncturing his primary heart. He tripped backwards and fell upon his back, blood spilling from his chest despite his cells speeding to heal him. He could see the blade of Talon's axe raising up before him, the crackling weapon preparing to end him. But before the killing blow was struck, a vicious cry distracted both warriors. Alder recognized the voice straightaway. Vanessa. 

Why hadn't she gone with the rest of Tornado 1-3?

Red spears of light bounced off of Talon's power armor, causing him to turn his full attention to the pesky mortal who dared to attack him. A raspy laugh worked its way out of the mutant's throat as he faced the newcomer. She placed herself between Alder and Talon, though she barely came up to Talon's waist. "You'll have to kill me before you touch him again," Vanessa said, no trace of fear upon her face.

 Alder wanted to scream at her, to get her out of the way. But his lungs wouldn't -- couldn't -- conjure up the breath to do so. She had no idea what Talon was capable of. Hell, he had no idea, and this man-beast was his brother.

The canine face twisted with a hideous smile. "That can be arranged." Before Vanessa could move, Talon struck her with a backhand, throwing her across the park. The snapping of bones resounded within Alder's head, and with it, the rage began to build. He cocked his ECR and aimed it at his brother's head while struggling to his feet.

Talon rolled his shoulders. "Now that's taken care of. . ." He turned back to Alder, who was back on his feet. A look of surprise crossed his bestial face, before it erupted in blood. Talon reeled back with a yowl of pain, clutching his face in a moment of blindness. Alder took his only chance to win this fight. Charging despite the agony seeping through the red veil of seething fury over his eyes, Alder knocked Talon to the ground with a powerful right hook, throwing the axe from his opponent's grasp. Without wasting a breath,  Alder wrapped one arm around Talon's leg and grasped one of the bone spike protruding from the breastplate. 

Using every bit of his formidable strength, he hefted Talon high above his head. A victorious bellow wresting itself from his mouth, Alder drove his brother's back upon his armored knee, shattering it like a twig. Talon gasped, then shrieked as he realized the damage wrought upon his perfect, godlike form. Then shock overtook him, and the monster that was once Talon Ward ceased to exist, breathing one last word upon this scarred, twisted world: "Alder. . ."

The surviving brother lifted himself up, allowing the corpse of the other to fall and tumble to the ground.  Alder stumbled to where Vanessa lay, bruised and battered. He scooped her up in his arms, cradling her to the shattered chestplate like a newborn. Vanessa's breathing was shallow and labored, and within two minutes, she breathed her last, mirroring that of her killer.

The supersoldier laid her gently upon the ground, crying silently, though no one was around to hear him weep. He grabbed the broken shards of the breastplate and ripped them from his chest, not caring how it exposed him. Alder picked his ECR from where it had fallen to the ground and staggered away from the scene, barely making it a meter before falling to the ground in mental agony. The stress clicked his mind off like a safety, sending him tumbling through darkness.