Reverence Read online

  “I’m sorry, Luis. I know I’ve been an ass. Ever since I met you, I was afraid. Fear is something I’ve always tried to avoid.”

  “No need to apologize. You’ve made me the luckiest man in the world and that’s enough.”

  With that, they gave in fully. Both had gone into conflict hundreds of times and yet rarely had their senses been so aroused as now. Luis had never felt such pleasure, such ecstasy. He hardly thought at all, his body simply acted. For Bia, it was the same. Bare skin brushed against synthetic skin, but for both of them, the lines had been blurred.

  ***

  William Marconi, The Grim Reaper, The Wolf, this unstoppable titan, and behemoth of a man, felt…ill. He sat up in his bed, shirtless and panting.

  The cyborg placed a hand on his right shoulder, feeling around for a bullet wound that wasn’t there. He needed to touch and feel those charred legs of his, but under the blanket, he found himself unharmed. How? I…died. Didn’t I? Will felt himself sinking deeper and deeper into uncertainty. His hands, always steady and sure, now trembled with a fear he couldn’t understand. He placed his hand on the scar on his cheek. It was still there. It was the only one still there.

  He had dreamed of a burning city, pools of blood, and cries of agony. Will knew no sleep would be had tonight. There was no escaping his torture. And I don’t deserve to escape.

  ***

  Luis’ eyes snapped open and he sat up in a flash. What the hell? He felt a sick feeling in his stomach, but it quickly dissipated as he began to breathe normally. In the darkness his retinas adjusted, the dark room becoming nearly as bright as day. He eyed the room and found his clothes, along with Bia's, scattered on the floor around his bed. Then he looked over at Bia, who was only half covered by his blanket.

  Her exposed back was to him, and she was sound asleep. Admiring the gentle curves of her body, he ran his hand down her thigh. She felt so soft, her skin still wet with perspiration caused his fingers to almost slide along her body. He grasped her black hair, now a mess, and a small triumphant smile on his face. Luis gave her hair a gentle tug, just enough to wake her. She turned, looking up at him. Bia indeed appeared exhausted, and he could tell her eyes were taking some time to adjust in the darkness.

  “What, what is it?” she asked groggily.

  Luis said nothing in response, only kissed her. She was still playful, biting his lip tenderly. They broke the kiss, and Luis saw that smile on her face, like the one she gave him when she first entered his room. He smiled in return and then let her be. She lay her head down on the pillow, immediately drifting back to sleep. Bia looked so peaceful in her slumber, so untroubled, and carefree. Luis envied that, his smile fading. Tonight they had turned sorrow into an experience he would remember all his life. Perhaps it was just the beginning of a better relationship between them. More so than ever, he wanted to hold her tight, and he did.

  As he held her, Luis’ mind drifted back to the images he'd seen earlier during the blackness of sleep. These images were in such contrast to the experience he just shared with Bia. A different experience altogether, of complete, cold darkness.

  Chapter 11 - Weapon of Choice

  January 11, 2044 – Jerusalem, “City of Peace”

  “And he will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning, nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things had passed away.”

  Fuckin’ Andy, not now with that crap, thought Will. He did his best not to let his frustration overrun him. Let him be, man, just let him be.

  Two missiles hit the tank, covering it in an inferno of heat and power. The soldiers inside felt the weapon shudder, but it held steady. The tank fired back with its cannon and instantly a huge explosion appeared where a group of troops had just been. They were on their own now. They fired again, wiping out a quarter of their enemies in a single shot. All of a sudden, it felt like an invisible force of immense velocity slammed into them from beneath their feet. Everyone and everything in the tank were tossed around as if the massive weapon was a mere toy.

  Outside the enemy soldiers cheered as the beast fell. Will luckily managed not to hit his head on anything, unlike Thompson, whose face was smashed into the controls. Blood was everywhere, wasting onto the floor. Bryan and Andy avoided this and began to gather supplies. It became apparent the tank was on its side and could tip over any minute. There was also the danger of getting hit again. Either way, they needed to get out, now.

  Opening the hatch, first out was Bryan. Then a few bags, followed by Andy and then more luggage. Last was Will himself. All he held was his weapon. The three ran for cover against a building as another missile hit the tank, setting it ablaze. Andy was drastically slowed down by the bags containing the precious food and water. The trigger-happy soldiers at their backs took aim and bullets tore into the man like a rag doll. He fell as the bags flew apart in a mess.

  The two remaining troops ducked behind a partially blown down brick wall. From there they surveyed the area. Dead soldiers from both sides laid everywhere and black smoke rose, seemingly miles high into the air. Fire ate away at the fallen ones. Will watched the tank burn, their greatest aid now gone. He could see a small crater gouged into the earth next to the fallen giant. A goddamned mine, those fucking shitheads!

  Bryan looked away from it all, looking rather lost.

  “Listen, we’re not done yet. We can still make it,” Will assured him.

  Bryan’s silence was nerve wracking in itself. He dug into his pocket, pulling out a small black box.

  Will stared in disbelief.

  “What the hell is that, Bryan?”

  “You know exactly what it is, and I want you to take it for me.”

  “What? Why?!”

  “We’re outnumbered. There’s no gettin’ around it.”

  They could already hear the yells of approaching enemy soldiers. Their position was compromised. The situation was grimmer than Will wanted to admit, but Bryan could see that for himself.

  “If we both try to leave I’m sure as hell they’ll be right on us within a heartbeat. I can give a good enough of a fight for your to get a decent head start. You head down that alley, and don’t turn back! Just promise me you’ll give this to Val.”

  “You don’t have to do this. We can take ‘em together!”

  “No, you already have a family waiting for you at home, Will! I will not be the one to tell them you died in this place. Do you seriously think I’m gonna let that happen? You have a kid, and a second one on the way!”

  Will’s heart skipped a beat as he took the box. Now he felt the fear Bryan must have been feeling. Blinded with the rage over his fallen friends, he’d nearly forgotten his wife and their beautiful children. He wiped his eyes.

  “I’ll give it to her. You have my word, no matter what happens.”

  “God bless, Will.”

  Bryan crawled away from their hiding spot as a dozen soldiers came in from the front. They were forty feet away at this point, cautious yet closing in quickly. To make matters worse they were spread out. He estimated he’d be able to take out three of them before being spotted. Death no doubt still terrified him, but if now was the time he would not cower.

  He kissed his cross, briefly holding it tightly before returning the free hand to his weapon. The soldier lay among the rubble and bodies without so much as a flinch, his gun pointed at his targets. They were still unaware of his presence but that wouldn’t last once the shooting started. He heard some rubble shuffle and fall behind him. Will’s exit wasn’t as silent as he’d hoped, and Bryan’s muscles tightened. The enemy soldiers turned in the direction of the sound.

  Gunfire rang out and Bryan paid no mind to which one was unloading first. He took aim at the closest one and pulled the trigger. To his utter shock, the soldiers did not immediately fire in his direction. Instead, they were firing to their left, and as his adrenaline pumped, he could see why. The men on that flank were being ripped apart rapidly, including those in the rear.
Whoever it was, someone on their side was helping him. Between the two of them, the men were soon reduced to a dozen bodies.

  Bryan stood up slowly, his weapon still aimed as if the corpses might reach for a gun. He saw Will standing beside him, weapon also raised.

  “I told you to get the hell out of here.”

  “And I was dumb enough to come back.”

  Will had been fully dedicated to getting the hell out of there, but the second he fouled up and gave away their position he knew he couldn’t leave. With the additional firepower of their rescuers, he convinced himself there was no need to leave, now. He would finish this.

  The duo finally saw four U.S. soldiers emerge from an alley. Bryan felt his heart race in joy. She’d made it after all. They embraced each other warmly, sharing a brief kiss.

  “Thanks, babe,” he said, holding onto her tightly.

  “You knew I was coming back for you,” Valerie said, kissing him again. She then looked at Will, hugging him as well.

  “Ready?” asked Will with some renewed confidence.

  The remaining forces looked at him with determined faces. They still had to fight their way out, despite their luck. Valerie may have had only three troops with her but she’d saved their asses, nonetheless. The gang’s all here, Will mused, and this is strangely all I could ever ask for.

  Bryan only nodded in response to his question. They all did. Everybody cocked their guns, and took positions in the rubble, each with some semblance of a brick wall to defend them. More hostiles were closing in, lots more. Still, they waited for the proper signal, and Will gave it as he opened fire.

  They fired with precision and the enemy once again struggled to realize what was going on. They scattered about for hiding spots of their own and many were shot before they could reach one. The walls of the Old City had turned this road into a perfect shooting gallery. Will saw a soldier armed with a bazooka fleeing, and emptied a good ten bullets into him. Part of him told him this was for his crew, of which only one other member remained, but he knew he was feeling a certain high from the battle. All thoughts centered on one thing. He fired with fastidiousness and without even thinking about it a great deal of the time.

  The enemies were mostly clear of the road now, and the losses were unmistakable. The roar of an incoming jeep alerted Will and the others to their enemy’s persistence. They could see it rolling down the road, full of fresh, heavily armored enemy troops. Without a word, all six of them hurled presents right in its path.

  As the vehicle passed by, the grenades exploded one after the other just like the Fourth of July. The screams were like music to Will’s ears. Death was undeniably king here. One was either killed or doing the killing. Will looked up at the soldiers high above on the holy shrine. Most were busy reloading fresh clips, the perfect opportunity to strike. All he needed was the bazooka from the dead soldier across the way. With Val and her men keeping the soldiers busy, it was all on him to get it done. He ran for the weapon, but right then and there God seemed to have a change of heart. Joining the troops on the roof was another bazooka-armed son of a bitch.

  “HEADS UP!! TAKE COVER!!” Will warned at the top of his lungs.

  A missile shrieked down out of the gloom, hitting close to where Val and her regiment were located. The explosion overwhelmed the area in a thick haze. Bits of brick and hot flesh rocketed into the air, and then came crashing back down in a split-second rain. Will felt disoriented, but fortunately unharmed. He looked behind him and sure enough, Bryan was already on his feet sprinting to Valerie’s position.

  Will now saw a swarm of troops approaching them. Only one thing left to do… He stood up to chase after Bryan, but right at that moment asphalt and sparks flew into the air in a straight line. Will took cover behind a rusty immobile car. FUCK YOU! All the anger in the world, however, would not get them out of this plight. Will could see the situation clearly now. His friend checked on the fallen soldiers, leaving only him at the frontline to hold off dozens of men.

  His options raced through his head as his senses heightened. It was no illusion, he could hear it: Air fucking Cav. Can’t let these assholes box us in. Will raised his gun, only to hear a distorted yell from behind him. He turned his head. What he saw sent his stomach into his throat and tears now ran madly down his face.

  Out of the haze far down the street, was Valerie, struggling toward them. To their horror, they could clearly see her left arm up to the elbow was completely gone. Even so, she trudged onward. With her now clearly in sight, Bryan put every last fiber of his being into sprinting toward her. But she could take no more. She fell to her knees, pain in her emerald green eyes, and then collapsed completely to the ground.

  Will turned back to the enemies before him. He let out a ferocious yell that continued even as he felt a bullet strike his shoulder. Nothing would stop him from pressing down on the trigger. Nothing.

  ***

  April 9, 2065 - UNR Headquarters: Locker Room No. 6

  Will slid on his armor, the dark gray, form-fitting material tightening and adjusting to his body shape instantly. The shoulder straps moved on their own, magnetically, and clipped to the back of his armor. He felt home in it, having been out of armor a solid week. Luis sat next to him on the bench, fixing his gloves, completely unaware of how badly Will was shaking at the moment. Facing away from his partner, he briefly shut his eyes and concentrated. It’s been hours since you woke up, STOP IT! Will managed to win this round, bringing the trembling to a halt.

  “Luis,” he said.

  “Yeah?”

  Will was on the verge of asking him if he also had these wild dreams, but he bit his tongue, searching for something else to get his mind off the issue. Further down from the two of them, he found his scapegoat.

  About twenty lockers down was a group of about two dozen UNR soldiers. The locker room was bustling with their activities, their chatter endless. He doubted the majority of them had worked with super soldiers prior to this mission. Will could tell from their occasional glances in their direction, never directly at their eyes.

  “Well, go on,” said Luis, “you’re fucking with my tempo.”

  “What do you think of the backup crew?”

  “If you want to go greet them yourself, be my guest,” Luis said with a grin.

  “No, it’s fine like this,” Will said, “an air of intimidation is sometimes the best first impression.”

  “Now that sounds like William Marconi.”

  Luis stood up, sliding his blue overcoat on as Cisco approached them. Dressed in the standard defense armor, they hardly recognized him.

  “What’s up, kid?” Luis said.

  “Sir,” he said, saluting, “Commander Kane has directed us to meet in the Conference Chamber in fifteen minutes.”

  “Yeah? Oh, goody,” Luis said as he looked over at Will, who was putting on his boots, “looks like we have some extra time to get our toys.”

  ***

  The arms room was huge; its walls lined with hundreds of firearms, explosives, and edged weapons. And this was only Weapons Department I. There were two other magnificent rooms just like this one throughout the UNR HQ. Mitch grabbed himself a combat knife, sheathing it next to his boot, as Hans picked up a thermal sniper. The standard was assault rifles, and many individuals, including the cyborgs, were keen users of M240 machine guns and M-16s. Luis, for this assignment, had selected a Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver.

  “You’re bringing out Bacalov?” Will asked as he passed by.

  “Damn right. I think it’s time for ‘The Grand Duel.’”

  The two shared a laugh before Will went down a different aisle. He found just what he was looking for, an M-16 with a M203 grenade launcher. This will do nicely. He glanced down the aisle to see Aguilar staring at an enormous gun placed high above the others. In his hands was a laser-guided fifty-caliber sniper. Will walked over to his side to gaze at the weapon.

  “What is that?” he asked, still looking up at it.


  “That's the AH-AW 67, the Cyborg Heavy-Automatic Weapon. More powerful than a mini-gun, soldier. It can fire 15,000 rounds per minute.”

  “I’d like to man that sweet piece of ass someday,” Cisco said in awe.

  “The AH-AW must not be in the academy files. This weapon is far too heavy for normal soldiers without the use of a turret. Let alone that, the recoil is unbelievable. A single shot would shatter your shoulder.”

  “Oh,” remarked Cisco, looking down at his sniper. His own weapon suddenly seemed so puny in comparison, “Have you used it recently?”

  Will had a proud smile on his face.

  “No need. There hasn’t been a conflict worthy of its use in quite some time. Not even today do I think this mission calls for it. Only when you’re knee deep in shit does the AH-AW come out to play. Normal weapons aside, with that baby in my hands I was called The Grim Reaper. Luis knows.”

  His fellow cyborg was conversing with Val down the same aisle. He turned around and both peered up at the weapon.

  “The gore days, right?” Luis replied, “But I seem to recount being the better shot with it.”

  Will shook his head in a laugh.

  “Not likely, asshole.”

  “It was never quite my style,” Val said.

  Both Will and Luis gawked at Valerie.

  “A true kill-joy,” Luis said. Will nodded in agreement.

  “True that.”

  “This trip down memory lane has been fun and all, but we have four minutes. You guys can continue to bullshit around if you like.” Valerie replied.

  “No, far be it for us to be late to a meeting,” Luis said.

  Everyone began to file out with their weapons. As Valerie left the two alone, Will spotted a few hira-shuriken stars that were awfully tempting. They were small ornament-looking weapons but still very lethal. The stars were made of neoartium and were more than sharp enough to amputate a hand when tossed with enough strength. Or go cleanly through a poor bastard. Will’s fond memories of using the weapons finalized his decision.