Rei, Saya, Saeko, Yuriko, Lois, and Jasmine stood on the third-floor garage level. They looked around at the enormous space surrounding them. The sheer scale of the building was overwhelming. There were concrete pillars stretched towards the ceiling, which loomed high above like a vast sky of steel and fluorescent lights. The concrete floor was sturdy. They could hear the distant hum of air vents.
"The other girls said they are down at the lower floor ready to strike," Lois remarked as she held her M4W.
"Probably for the best anyway, they don't have experience in combat," Rei added as she held her M4W as well.
"Neither do we but we adapted," Saeko said as she held the tilt of her sword.
Yuriko whistled. She folded her arms as she turned in a slow circle. "This place is massive. You realize four A380s could fit in here," she said. She had never seen a building this big.
Saya adjusted her glasses. "Four? I wouldn't be surprised if it could fit an entire fleet," she responded.
Jasmine craned her neck upward, her eyes tracing the steel beams that crisscrossed overhead. "This place is huge," Jasmine said. She thought as James entered her life, it has been filled with new experiences. She smiled.
"It does feel like a giant aircraft hangar," Lois remarked.
Saeko ran her hand along one of the pillars. "The beams are sturdy," she remarked. She looked ahead and saw the massive steel doors.
Lois smirked, kicking at the ground lightly. "And here I thought parking garages were meant to feel cramped," she said.
"Parking spaces?" Jasmine asked. She had not heard of that phrase before.
"They are spaces to park vehicles," Rei responded. "Like those ones," she added.
The group looked to see two vehicles standing in the open garage space. The Humvee and pink motorcycle.
Yuriko stepped closer to the bike, her fingers brushing the handlebar. "This is a different bike for sure," she murmured with admiration.
Lois nodded, tilting her head toward the motorcycle. "It belongs to James," she stated simply. "I think he said it was found outside the school," she added.
"Outside your school Saya, Rei Saeko?" Yuriko asked. "Do you know who owns it?" she asked.
"No mum," Saya responded. She did wonder where this bike came from. It happened to be in the perfect place for James.
"It was the first time we had even seen it," Rei added.
Yuriko tapped a finger against the Humvee's metal surface and grinned. "Shizuka`s friend does have a few secrets," she remarked.
"James will unwrap those as well," Lois added.
The girls all giggled. "Pervert," Saya muttered.
Lois looked at the vehicles. "Speaking of vehicles… where is Carptie?" she asked.
"Carptie?" Saya asked.
With a powerful sweep Carptie burst through the massive hangar doors. The carpet swooped in like a force of nature, its streamlined form a blur of motion. In an instant, Saya and Rei found themselves lifted off their feet, caught in Carptie's as it spiraled upward.
Jasmine smiled. "Carptie's been exploring this place non-stop," she said. "Guess it loves flying around here," she added.
Yuriko tilted her head. She looked outside. "Seriously, how big is this place?" she murmured.
"This is a magic flying carpet?" Saya asked.
"It is," Lois responded. She smiled.
"Incredible," Rei added. She thought she was on a flying carpet. She smiled.
Saeko smiled as well, looking at the magic carpet. Then she heard several footsteps coming. "We have company," Saeko said as she held Slasher.
Rei, Saya, Yuriko, Lois, and Jasmine looked at the entrance. They saw several figures emerging from the shifting shadows, their black skin glistened, their red claws twitched, and their faces reduced to nothing but bone-white skulls.
"Those are not zombies," Rei quickly said.
"Neither those undead we fought before," Saya added.
"There are 10 of them," Saeko said as she ran forward. Her face became twisted.
Rei jumped of Carptie. She saw the creature coming towards her. She raised her M4W. She lined up the shot and squeezed the trigger. The rifle bucked against her shoulder. The bullet struck the Dead Water squarely in the forehead, its head snapping back with a sickening crack. However it kept moving forward. Its skull had a crack. Its hollow eyes looked at Rei.
Rei fired a second shot. The bullet went through the air and hit its eye. The creature took a step back. It regained his footing and went towards Rei. Rei fired a third bullet. It hit his chest. Then she fired a fourth bullet. It struck the skull once more and it finally dropped to the ground and collapsed. "That took a lot more," she remarked.
At the same time, Lois aimed her M4W. She lined the shot up with the creature's head and fired. The bullet went through the air and hit the creature in the eye. Its head rocked back and there was a hole in his face. However the creature charged towards Lois. Lois then pressed the trigger once more. The bullet went through the air and struck the creature`s cheek. She pressed the trigger once more again. The M4W fired the bullet and it struck the skull of the creature once again. The creature collapsed. "You are right they are stronger," Lois added.
Saya stood on Carptie. She raised her Ray Gun, its glowing barrel humming with energy. She pressed the trigger multiple times, sending waves of red energy slicing through the air.
The beam tore forward, streaking toward five Dead Water, the force slamming into them. The creatures were flung backward, their bodies hitting the stone floor with brutal force.
However, their skeletal forms twitching, their glowing red claws helped them up.
Saya fired again. A red wave shot from the weapon. The blast struck one directly, the sheer force ripping through its skull, shattering it instantly.
At that moment Rei and Lois turned around and looked at the 4 Dead Water in front of them.
Their M4Ws lifted in unison, barrels lining up perfectly. Then they pulled the trigger. The chamber ignited, sending a storm of bullets through the air. The projectiles struck the remaining four Dead Water, their dark bodies jerking under the relentless assault. Flesh ripped, limbs detached, and body parts scattered, the creatures collapsing, their forms riddled with jagged holes.
Yuriko aimed her Jackal. She closed her one eye and aimed down at the sight. She saw a Dead Water approaching her. She pressed the trigger and fired. The bullet left the chamber. There was smoke from the barrel. The bullet struck the Dead Water in the skull. The skull instantly was destroyed and shattered into pieces. The Dead Water collapsed and died. She thought the gun was different for sure. She thought it was meant to be used to kill monsters.
Saeko gripped her Slasher. She closed the distance towards the Dead Water.
She swung her sword. However the Dead Water intercepted, its clawed arm lashing out to block her blade.
Saeko didn't hesitate. She shifted her weight, using her momentum to force the creature back, throwing it off balance for a brief second. She swung again, this time her blade slicing clean through its arm, severing the limb in one swift motion.
The Dead Water hissed, its glowing red claws twitching as it raised its remaining arm to strike her.
Saeko ducked, dodging the vicious swipe. She twisted her blade, delivering a sharp cut to the creature's chest. The impact sent the Dead Water staggering backward.
Saeko took advantage of the opening. She stepped forward, her eyes locked onto her target and with a swing, she severed its neck, the creature's head tumbling to the ground.
The Dead Water collapsed, its lifeless form crumbling under its own weight. Then a green mist swirled and rose from the ground twisting into the air like dissipating smoke. It was all over the collapsed Dead Water.
Jasmine got her Lasso of Submission up. She twirled it around, like a cowboy and threw on the remaining Dead Water. It dropped to its knees.
"I got one," Jasmine said.
"Good job Jasmine," Lois responded.
"That Lasso is useful," Rei remarked as she walked towards him.
"You should have seen James and Saya integrate the Governor," Lois added.
"My little girl," Yuriko said as she smiled at Saya. "She is growing so big," she added.
"Mum," Saya said as she looked at the Dead Water.
"He looks ugly and creepy," Rei said as she felt shivers
Lois walked over and used the butt of her gun and smacked the creature's face. "Who are you?" Lois asked.
The creature roared back quietly. "Do you think it can communicate with us?" Yuriko asked.
"Answer her question," Saeko said as she had a murderous look on her face.
The Dead Water started to sweat. "I don't think it can communicate with us," Saya responded as she looked at the creature.
Saeko walked towards the Dead Water and sliced its head off cleanly. It's head rolled on the ground. "We know if you let it go it would have attacked us," Saeko said.
"I know and it has attacked us," Jasmine responded.
Yuriko looked around and they were not phased.
At that moment, the roar of an engine split the air, its deep, rumbling growl reverberating through the space. It raced towards the girls. The vehicle's metallic body gleamed.
Then it began to transform. The car's chassis shifted, panels of reinforced metal unfolded. The hood split apart, sliding backward as gears and pistons whirred to life, adjusting the form piece by piece.
The wheels rotated, locking into position along its powerful, articulated legs. Hydraulic systems hissed, vents releasing bursts of pressure as its doors twisted, reshaping into armored forearms. A pulse of blue energy flickered across its core. Its torso extended, plating snapping into place. The front grille folded inward, revealing a central blue power core, humming with controlled force. Finally, its head emerged, sharp and angular, its glowing blue optics flashing to life. With a final shift, the towering mechanical form locked into place.
"You all shall perish," the large robot said.