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Chapter 23 - Broken Paradise

At Archly Gate, Bowers and Beatrix are in the command center, waiting on a report. Margaret and Maya are present.

Com Man: Sir, we've just got conformation from the U.S. Wolf that Desipich has managed to shut down the maelstrom. Troops are available to dispatch.

Bowers: Copy that, son. Beatrix!

Beatrix: Lyle....

Bowers: Start sending reinforcements to that island! We need to buy Desipich some time!

Com Man: Sir. We-we've getting incoming from a nearby settlement!

Bowers: Survivors?

Com Man: No, sir...Condemned and a whole shitstorm of them.

Beatrix: Why are they attacking us too?

Bowers: They must want to make sure that all humanities wiped out. Like hell that'll happen. 

Bowers turns to Margaret.

Bowers: Howlett!

Margaret: Sir.

Bowers: Make sure that the men are prepared and bandaged. We got a whole lotta hell comin our way! You're with Beatrix as far as taking out those catapults with grenades.

Margret: Got it!

Maya: I can fight too!

Bowers: No, girl. I need you to keep low with the civilians.

Maya: But I have experience-

Bowers: I know you do, but right now I need to keep the civilian's calm. Can you do that for me, Maya?

A short pause.

Maya: Yeah....

Bowers stands next to Beatrix as he gives out a speech to Margaret and the rest of the A.O.W fighters.

Bowers: All right! Listen up! We've got hell knocking down our door! We ain't gonna be afraid of none of it!

A.O.W Soldier: But, sir, we're short on weapons and ammo from the last attack. We won't be able to hold them off this time.

Bowers approaches the young A.O.W Soldier and grabs him by the collar.

Bowers: Get yourself together, boy! Them fucking monsters are going to think you're weak, goddamn it! If they find that weakness, they will eat you and shit you out! You got that?!

A.O.W Soldier: Ye-yes, sir.

Bowers releases collar.

Bowers: We just gotta but Desipich some time for his Daddys' machine....this is it, people! You know me; so I'm not going to sugar coat it for you. If it's finally time to die, we die fighting!

A.O.W Soldiers: Yeah! Yeah!

Bowers: We ain't gonna bow down to this bitch that they servin! No way! No fuckin how! We gonna die fighting to the last breath and to the bullet! A.O.W Forever!

The A.O.W Soldiers shout out war cries. On Perseus, Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah make their way to the tower with Mr. Jax in tow.

Kyle: I see you've got Mr. Jax working again...good, we're going to need him.

James: Yeah and he's got a few new tricks to show you too.

Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah make their way towards the upper island as a helicopter approaches their position.

B.E-Pilot: Bald Eagle Seven-Zero on task, Desipich. We'll give you guys some cover.

Kyle: Thanks, Seven-Zero.

Shawn: Oh, how sweet. We got some goddamned air support for a change of scenery.

As the four survivors enter the upper courtyard, a small army of Condemned enter, engaging the four survivors in a gun fight. Mr. Jax deploys a mini-gun from his lower side, before gunning down a few Condemned.

James: Go on, Jax! Go get em, boy!

Kyle laughs.

Kyle: Damn!

Sarah: James, did you give Jax a gun turret?

James: Yeah, he can do more than just open doors and locks for you!

Shawn: Oh, yeah! My bros' bot is back and badder than ever!

B.E-Pilot: Desipich, we have guards and drones approaching your position from your north east! We are engaging!

Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah, along with Mr. Jax and B.E Seven Zero, fight through the Condemned, before entering the entrance where a catapult Condemned machine is positioned.

B.E-Pilot: Desipich, we have eyes on anti-air-craft on the ground.

The Condemned Catapult machine launches a missile at the chopper.

B.E-Pilot: Oh, shit! Brace for im-

The helicopter is destroyed by the launch.

Kyle: Shit! Take that thing out!

Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah kill the Condemned in the catapult, before suddenly, floating barges enter the battle, intending on dropping off more Condemned Guards.

Kyle: Damn! Sarah, with me on how we use this thing! Shawn! James! Give us some time!

Shawn and James suppress Condemned forces while Kyle uses the Condemned Catapult to destroy one of the barges.

Kyle: One down!

Sarah: We still got one more!

Kyle uses the catapult machine again, destroying the final barge, causing it to crash into and crush the rest of the Condemned forces. Shawn laughs.

Shawn: Looks like your time ran out, assholes! Tell your queen that we've got some scores to settle.

Kyle: Okay, move out! C'mon!

Shawn shoots an explosive arrow into the catapult shortly after Kyle leaves the machine. The arrow explodes, destroying the Catapult machine with it. Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah run to the entrance of the building as Sarah radios the commander of the U.S. Wolf.

Sarah: Commander, you can start landing your men. We've taken care of the catapults and Condemned barges.

U.S. Wolf Commander: That's a negative, ma'am. Pilots are reading at least two more anti-air artillery near your position further inland. We have only few aircraft left, and we cannot risk anymore casualties until you take care of those catapults.

Kyle: We'll take care of them. Stand by til we're done. All right. Let's move in and take care of those assholes.

Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah enter the building through the hotel lobby.

Shawn: Dude, will you check out this fancy ass shit. It's like a fucking five-star hotel.

James: Yeah, but you see what happens when you don't give room service the right tip.

Shawn: Which tip?

Sarah: Ew.

The Perseus recording is heard over the intercoms again.

James: What type of bullshit was this bitch selling?

Kyle: Perseus was a bunker for the world's smartest and valuable scientist. So they could wait out the horrors of the apocalypse.

At Archly Gate, Bowers, Beatrix, Margaret, and the few A.O.W Soldiers are on top of the gate preparing for the battle.

Margaret: You scared, Beatrix?

Beatrix: I've fought for my life for many years since the bombs fell...but this, fuck yeah I'm scared.

Margaret: So am I...this might be the last day of humanity.

Beatrix: then like the old man said; we go down with a fight.

A.O.W Scout: We've got incoming!

In the woods ahead of them, the Condemned army marches toward the gate with catapults as the Condemned Sergeant yells out.

Condemned Sergeant: Catapult!

The Catapults launch missiles at Archly Gate, causing critical damage and causing few casualties.

Bowers: Open fire now!

Bowers, Beatrix, Margaret, and the A.O.W Soldiers open fire on the Condemned army, prompting an all-out war with casualties mounting on both sides. On Perseus, Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah come across the day room, where they find many of the scientists and staff hung by the neck.

Sarah: oh, my god.....are-are those the researchers and the science staff?

James: I can't tell....their coats have too much blood on them to tell.

Kyle: This is the last Kronos base the Condemned would find. Makes some sense to evacuate scientists that mattered here.

Sarah: Like Pierce "evacuated" your Dad?

Kyle: Yeah. 

Kyle talks into his radio.

Kyle: Dad, it looks like they've killed everyone else.....all the other researchers.

Andrew: I think I was the only one they needed alive....Look, I can explain about Mina.

Kyle: Dad, that part can wait. Where are we?

Andrew: You're near a hydroelectric dam. You've still got a very long way to reach the tower.

Kyle: Okay, Dad, just hang on. We're coming.

Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah enter the hydroelectric dam area, where another Catapult machine is located.

Kyle: Careful.

Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah attempt to sneak their way to the Catapult machine. However, they are quickly noticed as the rest of the Condemned forces are alerted.

Shawn: Fuck me!

Kyle: They've seen us! Open fire!

Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah fight through many attacking Condemned forces, before finally reaching the Catapult Machine and killing the Catapult crew.

Kyle: Okay! That catapult's ours for the taking!

Sarah talks into her radio.

Sarah: Sarah to Wolf Commander. We've managing to take one of the anti-air-craft artillery, but be aware, there are Manticores in the area. Careful!

U.S Wolf Commander: Roger that.

Shawn: Look out! Incoming! Reinforcements!

Condemned reinforcements on floating barges enter the battle, before Kyle takes control of the catapult and launches at the incoming floating barges, managing to take down two of them. Suddenly, Manticores enter the battle and position near the dam with Kyle taking out two with catapult.

Sarah: This is taking too long!

Shawn: It's more targets than we can handle with that catapult. By the time we get another launch, we're screwed.

James: Hey, Kyle! I have an idea!

Kyle: Shoot!

James: That's the thing though. You're not going to like it.

Shawn: Why?

James: They're in front of the dam.

Shawn: You want to breach the dam and drown us?! Are you crazy?!

Kyle: No, that's a good idea! That'll work!

Shawn: Whoa! Whoa! Guys!

Kyle launches the catapult at the dam and opens fire, causing critical damage.

James: Hit it again!

Sarah: it's starting to crack!

Shawn: then we better start looking for an escape route!

James: There! The door across from us!

Kyle: One more out to do it!

Kyle launches again as the hydroelectric dam bursts, causing the water to flood over the Condemned and Manticores forces in the area, before Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah narrowly escape. Meanwhile at the battle of Archly Gate, Condemned forces and Catapult machines begin to close in.

Condemned Drone: Kill the humans!

Catapult machines launch as Archly Gates' wall structure is critically damaged. Margaret and Beatrix use grenade launchers to attempt to take out the Condemned Catapult launchers, but are causing minor damage.

Beatrix: Shit.

Bowers and two other A.O.W Soldiers are fighting off Condemned forces, before Manticores enter the battlefield with Maya keeping the young children calm along with many of the other civilians.

Bowers: Hold em off! Hold the line, goddamn it!

The Young A.O.W Soldier from before is impaled by a grappling hook, before being dragged down and ripped apart by other Condemned.

A.O.W Soldier: Colonel! They're breaching the gates!

Bowers: Stand your ground, goddamn it! That's an order!

Margaret and Beatrix get into a position and load up a grenade launcher, before Beatrix manages to destroy a Catapult machine.

Beatrix: Yes!

A Manticore notices the explosion and spots Margret and Jordan.

Margaret: Oh, shit! Beatrix! We gotta move!

The Manticore attacks, before Margaret and Jordan escape via tunnel. Suddenly, Goliath's march into the battle and launch rockets at Archly Gate, killing a few A.O.W Soldiers and knocking down Bowers as his hat falls off his head.

Bowers: Goddamn it!

At Perseus, Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah enter another lobby, before the recording of Perseus welcome is broadcasted again.

Kyle: Enough with the fucking recordings.....Jesus Christ. 

Kyle talks into his radio.

 Kyle: Dad, once we get you out-what do we need to do to get your machine active?

Andrew: I have the primary command key with me, boy. That should be all we need to trigger it.

James talks into his radio.

James: Professor, my name is James Burton. I'm a friend of your son.

Andrew: "Burton"? As in William Burtons' youngest son, James?

James: Yes, sir.

Andrew: I heard about your father, son. He was a good man and a great friend of mine. My condolences.

Shawn nods in understanding listening to the conversation.

James: Thanks. How does this machine work?

Andrew: Think of it as nuclear energy bomb without the blast that kills and destroys Krens infected cells in every being on the planet.

James gulps.

James: Good to know. Thanks.

Shawn: You look worried.

James: Dude....that machine could kill all of us. Every remaining human on the planet. How do we know if-

Kyle: James, we don't have time for this. We have to get to that last artillery position.

Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah enter a lobby, just as Condemned forces drop in from the roof.

Shawn: Yo! Up high! We got company!

Kyle: Watch it! Condemned on the roof!

Shawn: Bring it on, motherfuckers!

Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah fight their way outside the patio, where they locate the final catapult machine near the edge.

Kyle: C'mon! Take that thing out! We got reinforcements counting on us!

Sarah: Barge!

An incoming floating barge drops into the battle as more Condemned drones and sergeants enter the battle, but are overpowered and killed by Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah in a gunfight.

James: Got em!

Kyle: Time to play, assholes!

Kyle jumps onto the catapult machine and takes control, before taking out one of the floating barges.

Sarah: That's one!

Shawn: Two more to go, Kyle! You got this!

Kyle destroys the second barge.

Kyle: Yeah!

Shawn: That's my boy! One more to go!

Before Kyle can shoot down the final floating barge, a Condemned opens fire and disables the catapult machine.

Kyle: Damn it! It's not working!

Sarah: We need a plan on how to take out that last barge!

James: I got one! I'll construct an explosive arrow! Sarah! Kyle! Give me cover!

Kyle: Got it!

Kyle and Sarah open fire on the barge while James constructs an explosive arrow and hands it to Shawn, who shoots the explosive arrow at the barge, before it explodes.

Kyle: Nice job, James. 

Kyle talks into his radio.

Kyle: Kyle to U.S. Wolf, you're clear to land troops. 

Kyle turns to Shawn, James and Sarah.

Kyle: Let's dump this thing.

Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah push the last catapult machine into the ocean.

Shawn: That is a long way down.

Sarah: And the last one.

On the U.S Wolf, where Caleb, Cassandra, Jenny and Woody are present, the sonar reader is detecting incoming.

Sonar Detector: Sir, we have incoming.

Across Apollo, giant Krens stalks begin emerging from the sea.

James: Oh, fuck me! Krens!

Kyle: Kyle to Wolf. The Krens have shown up. You have an eye on us?

U.S. Wolf Commander: They're showing up everywhere, Desipich! Stand by.....we are going to send a Eagle to your position. Just deploy your fathers' weapon and end this nightmare!

Kyle: Everyone run! Get to the building now!

Kyle, Shawn, James and Sarah sprint to the entrance of the building just as more Krens stalks appear.

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