1.14 Slaughter Part 7

Aquiline dodges to the side and Gears’ handgun automatically ejects the empty magazine. Most of the Renders miss, but three hit Aquiline despite his abnormally quick reflexes.

Aquiline’s words about his suit being both bullet and explosion proof are proven correct as the Renders fail to hurt him with neither its kinetic force nor its explosive power. Aquiline laughs loudly as he twirls both of his blades again.

Where is Necromantress?

Yes, where indeed?

Probably off to create more undead.

Then we need to finish off Aquiline and Murderiser and hunt her down.

Along with the rest of the Seven and Sinister Man.

If Sinister Man isn’t a member of their group.

Oh he is.

“Well, this has been fun, but I have to go,” says Aquiline with a mock bow, “Personally, I don’t want to get involved in this anymore than I have to. It is my teammates that want to tangle with you guys to be honest. So I figured why not let them find out first-hand how dangerous the Guardsmen are? If they survived, they’ll come out more educated for it. If they don’t, then we’re better off without them.”

Meanwhile Gears has reloaded his handgun with another type of bullets, Blasters, as he listens to Aquiline talk. Blasters contained high explosives with a lot of power. Designed purely to blow apart their targets.

As Aquiline dashes down the alley, Gears opens fire with his handgun. Five of the six shots hit Aquiline and while they don’t penetrate his clothing, they do stagger him. As the Aquiline stumbles, Gears fires off his KEPs and slams into the monster in human form.

Shouldn’t there be more people about?

Yes, there should be.

With the Seven about, the implications of such a thing are disturbing.

Indeed, we should eliminate Aquiline as quickly as we can so we can evaluated the situation.

Both Gears and Aquiline go tumbling into the road, Gears losing hold of his weapons in the process. As Gears get to his feet, he spots one of Aquiline’s silver swords lying within reach. He looks up to see Aquiline preparing to strike him with the other sword, where it is has currently lodged itself into the road.

With a snarl, Gears rolls out the way and grabs the other sword. Aquiline yanks his own sword out of the road and swings it at the vigilante. Gears whips his stolen sword around, meeting Aquiline’s in a clang and burst of sparks.

Gears is rewarded with a momentarily stunned look on the Aquiline’s face, just there for a spilt-second to the one point somebody would need inhumanly quick reaction time to even notice it.

And I think that was a bit of fear in that look as well.

Growling at Aquiline, Gears’ fist slams into Aquiline’s gut, already in mid swing when the swords made contact. Winded, Aquiline stumbles backwards and Gears presses his attack. He swipes his sword at Aquiline and the serial killer raises his own.

As the flat side of Gears’ sword hits the sharp side of Aquiline’s, Gears watches as his sword snaps into two.

Dammit it!

We still have two of our own molecular daggers.

Plus Aquiline’s blade must be losing its sharpness as well.

Indeed. Aquiline might be more skilled, but we have more options and gadgets available to us even if we are equally skilled physically.

I just wish we knew his power set.

As Gears hops back and prepares for Aquiline’s next attack, both he and his foe turn to look at Murderiser as the mass murder crawls rapidly along the side of the wall. Protector quickly follows him out of the alley at ground level.

Gears and Protector make eye contact.

“Don’t let Murderiser get away,” says Gears, using the comms in their armour, before turning his attention back to Aquiline, “I got this one.”

“As you say,” replies Protector as he activates his KEPs and flies off after Murderiser.

It appears wall crawling is one of Murderiser’s powers.

And did you notice that his arm was healed from the damage we inflicted earlier?

Yeah, I did.

It is not good news.

Indeed, Murderiser must have some form of powerful healing or regeneration.

That is definitely not good news.

Aquiline charges forward, swing his sword at Gears. Gears fires up his KEPs and takes off into the air, out of Aquiline’s reach.

“So where is the rest of the Slaughter Seven?” inquires Gears in an angry voice.

“Dealing with the local heroes,” replies Aquiline in what is supposed to be a causal tone, but is too tight for that, “Friend and some of our lackeys are dealing with the local heroes while Demonica, Hackjob and Murder Wolf are taking care of those ridiculously powerful Fowlers. Necromantress is doing her thing.”

Joan.

We must deal with this monster and go to her aid.

We can’t just let Aquiline go and he shows no signs going down anytime soon.

Then we send Jaylyn to aid Joan.

“Sentinel,” says Gears as he switches to a private channel and turns off his external speakers, “Go and help your mother. Demonica, Hackjob and Murder Wolf are going after her and the rest of her family.”

“Understood Father,” replies Jaylyn in less than a split-second, “I will use your spare suits of armour.”

“Good girl,” mutters Gears under his breath as he turns his external speakers back on, “Let us finish this Aquiline.”

“Then come down and fight,” sneers Aquiline as he points his remaining sword at Gears.

“Actually,” says a deep, distorted feminine voice, “Why don’t you go and help some others in need of aid Boh. I will deal with this Tokkik.”

I know that voice…

This is wondrous news!

Indeed!

Excellent!

Brilliant!

Praise be God!

“Guardian,” says both Gears and Aquiline at the same time, but in two very different voices.

1.14 Slaughter Part 6

“Well Gears,” says a haughty male voice, “Despite what my compatriots thought of you, you have fulfilled all my expectations.”

“Aquiline,” hisses Gears as he recognises the voice of the sociopath.

Glancing at Protector as his fellow Guardsman fights the bloodied and beaten zombies, Gears turns to see Aquiline at the other end of the alley.

The black haired man smirks at Gears as he twirls a silver sword in each hand. A stunning, lithe woman in a black dress with a low V-neck is standing on Aquiline’s right. On his left, Gears can spot the heat signature of a fit, lean and bald human.

Aquiline, Necromantress and Murderiser.

We can take Aquiline and Necromantress. Murderiser might be more troublesome if he does have extra powers like some witnesses claim.

Especially if the rumours of his ability to charge objects with explosive power are correct.

Aquiline is an extremely skilled Bellator as well and we don’t know the full extent of his powers.

Necromantress is the weakest unless there human corpses about. Beyond her power to create undead, she is only an Aphrodite.

At A Class mind you.

We should never underestimate this group. Between them, they have killed almost a half million people in under four months.

And they weren’t even trying their hardest. They treat what they do as a game.

Perhaps that is what it is to them.

These are some of the few people I am just going to do my best to kill.

Agreed.

So what do we do?

Protector is still busy with those two undead.

We should buy time until he is done, then engage these three as a group.

Jaylyn should also be receiving data from our armour and passing it onto the authorities.

They’ll probably be having their hands full dealing with the other four members of the Slaughter Seven.

Do think Sinister Man is a member?

As a replacement for one of the Seven or as a lackey?

The latter.

I wouldn’t put it past for Sinister Man to be a replacement member. With their body count, the Slaughter Seven have a turnover rate as high as one would expect.

“Do really think your swords and armour can hold up against my gadgets?” inquires Gears as he cocks his head at Aquiline, “We all know your fear of technology, but how can you hope to beat me without it or any powers?”

“Don’t you remember that little gadgeteer girl down in Georgia?” replies Aquiline in a surprisingly calm and polite voice, “Called herself Armoury? Local hero to her precious town? Figured she could actually take us on singlehanded?”

“Let me guess, you killed her and everybody else in the town before stealing her gadgets?” replies Gears, his voice hardening in anger.

“Oh, dear little Armoury wishes she was dead I’m sure,” replies Aquiline with a sneer, “But while Necromantress’ undead can still use their powers, it doesn’t include non-physical mental powers such as thinkers, tinkers and gadgeteers. So I let Hackjob deal with Armour instead.”

Good Lord…

What is Armoury going through?

Let’s hope we can save her.

Or at the very least, end her suffering.

“You’re a monster,” snarls Gears as he receives a message from Jaylyn.

All local authorities notified as well as all state authorities in Michigan and the neighbouring states. All national authorities are also notified.

“So I’m told,” laughs Aquiline, “But what do I care? Anyway, I got some nano-sharp swords that can hurt even somebody with A Class invulnerability while this bodysuit is pretty much immune to bullets, explosions, energy blasts, fire and other elements.”

With that new knowledge, Gears takes another look at Aquiline’s full bodysuit. He thought it was some kind of black leather, but if what Aquiline says is true…

Here comes Protector.

Time to get this party started.

About time.

Gears throws one of his molecular daggers at Necromantress before moving his hand to draw one of the custom handguns that he brought with him from his belt. As Aquiline moves strike the dagger out of the air with one his swords, Murderiser strikes forward at inhuman speeds with a jagged knife in each hand.

Gears twists to the side as Murderiser stabs at his shoulder. An explosive force ripples off of his armour as Gears aims his semi-automatic pistol at Murderiser. While he doesn’t have time to aim it, Gears has a very strong and steady aim with the assistance of his power armour and he is firing at near point blank range.

The bullets that come out of Gears’ handgun are also customised made by him. An explosive core with a delayed charge while the Gardium outer shell pierces the target’s defences before exploding.

Gears calls them Renders, one of the severals sets of bullets that he has designed.

Of the four shots that Gears fired, the first two hit Murderiser in the shoulder, tearing into the flesh before detonating. The last two Renders explode in the wall as blood and gore splatters Gears.

As Protector swings a fist into Murderiser’s face, Gears turns his attention back to Aquiline and Necromantress.

Duck!

Glimpsing one of the silver swords coming at him from the corner of his vision, Gears follows Lion’s advice and ducks. As the first sword slashes through the air of his head, Gears spots the second stabbing at his side.

He positions his molecular dagger upwards in a position that it blocks the silver blade from his body. 

There are several sparks as the two molecular blades connect with each other. Gears fires the rest of bullets in his twelve-bullet magazine at the sociopathic serial killer.