Rapture

Chapter 3

I opened the door to the control room, greeted by a multitude of screens displaying the sprawling expanse surrounding the mothership. Gustav's fleet of drones and rovers diligently patrolled the skies and lands, ensuring no army of damnation could amass unnoticed. Gustav himself was engrossed in studying a digital map of a nearby town when he caught sight of me.

He swiveled his head around, a tinge of frustration evident in his voice. "Ah, just in time. I'm furious at that audacious thief."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his remark. "Well, we know how dearly you cherish your drones..."

Gustav nodded, his fingers deftly pressing buttons on the various screens. "It's not just the drones; it's the resources invested in constructing their intricate chips. That miscreant managed to pilfer one."

"Alright, so I'll head out now? Anything else I need to know?" I inquired, readying myself for the mission ahead.

"Take Russ along with you. And if possible, apprehend the thief alive. It seems they possess a rare understanding of my AI algorithm, catching it off guard," Gustav instructed, his focus fixed on his work. "Here, take this map. Retrieve my precious drone."

With a wave of his hand, Gustav gestured for me to leave, engrossed once again in his technological realm. I exited the control room and made my way to Sam's quarters to inform her of my impending departure. As I swung open the door, I was met with an unexpected gasp.

"Wait! I'm... I'm naked," Sam blurted out, clearly taken aback

I quickly backed away from the door, realizing I caught Sam off guard. "Oops, my bad, Sam. Didn't mean to startle you," I said, leaning against the wall and letting out a sigh.

After a few awkward seconds, Sam emerged from her room, dressed in a mini-military getup. Her hair was a total mess, and I couldn't help but comment, "Sam, do you even know what's goin' on with your hair?"

She shook her head, a sheepish grin on her face. "Nah, I have no clue."

I squatted down, trying to be helpful. "Alright, hold still. Let me fix it for you."

I spent a few minutes trying to wrangle her long, beautiful blonde hair into a ponytail. Meanwhile, Sam plopped herself on the bed and turned on the TV, which had a massive collection of cartoons. I couldn't help but chuckle at her choice of entertainment.

"All done," I announced, running my fingers through her hair.

Sam hopped off the bed, grateful for the help. "Thanks! Can I call you big brother?"

I grinned and ruffled her hair playfully. "Sure thing, kiddo. I gotta head out for a bit, but I'll be back before you know it."

Her eyes lit up with excitement. "Can I come with you? Pleeease?"

"I can't promise it'll be totally safe, but as long as you stick close to Russ, you'll be good," I said as I stood up from her bed. Sam followed me to the dispatch bay.

The dispatch bay was packed with all kinds of vehicles for different missions. I chose the sickest motorcycle in there, the one that bikers rave about. It's decked out with custom features, built like a tank but nimble as hell. There's a compartment at the back where Russ can hop in and unleash his turret skills.

I swung by the armory and snagged a helmet and some Kevlar gear. They fit Sam perfectly, making her look like a mini badass soldier. Not sure how Gustav will react, but this mission will toughen her up and boost her chances of survival.

Sam glanced at herself and blushed, "Do I really look like a legit soldier?"

I grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. "Almost the real deal, kiddo."

For my own getup, I slipped into a black outfit I swiped from a special forces stash. Kevlar and extra head protection included. Gustav's working on a special helmet that'll give us crazy vision, showing nearby folks, monsters, and even invisible entities

Back at the dispatch area, the gateway swung open. I lifted Sam and plopped her in the middle of the motorcycle. Russ was already locked and loaded in his compartment, ready to unleash his silenced turret. I hopped on the bike, and Gustav's voice crackled over the radio, "Stay safe, and I get it, you want to keep Sam protected. Humans are a rare breed these days."

"Copy that, Gus," I replied through the radio, revving the engine as we hit the road.

The weather today was surprisingly pleasant, neither sunny nor cloudy, just the perfect temperature. Of course, things could change at any moment with the abnormal weather patterns caused by the Rapture. I still remember the shock I felt five years ago when it snowed in Zamboanga, a tropical part of the Philippines.

Our destination led us deep into a dense forest, where the trees grew thicker with every passing mile. Eventually, the road came to an end, revealing a small village nestled amidst the trees. Surprisingly, there were signs of recent activity in the village.

I parked the motorcycle and put it on its stands. Helping Sam down, Russ emerged from his compartment. Something felt off about the place, but there was a flickering light in one of the buildings at the center of the village.

Leaning down, I whispered to Sam, "Stay quiet and stay alert."

Sam nodded and gripped her Glock, ready for anything.

We proceeded stealthily, moving from building to building. Russ's radar indicated only one blip, a single human presence. I kept my AUG rifle at the ready. The building we approached resembled an ordinary hospital, and it seemed to be operational. We entered cautiously, finding the interior clean and seemingly devoid of anything out of the ordinary, except for scattered electronics. The radar pinpointed the person in the radiology room. I motioned to Sam, whispering, "Stay here."

Sam nodded, and Russ maintained his position. I slowly approached the door, unable to see inside due to the lack of windows. I couldn't be certain if the person inside was waiting for me to open the door, ready to open fire.

Taking a deep breath, I kicked the door open, sending it shattering into pieces. I swiftly pointed my gun into the room, my eyes locking with those of a teenage girl. Her expression showed surprise, but there was a hint of fierceness and playfulness in her voice as she spoke, "Hey, mister! Who the heck are you?"

"Get on the ground now!" I commanded, keeping my gun trained on her.

She wore gray sweatpants and a t-shirt that boldly proclaimed "Bad Girl" in white letters. Adjusting her fiery red hair, she crossed her arms defiantly. "Hey! That's rude. We can talk about this—" Before she could finish her sentence, I fired a warning shot, causing her to drop to the ground in fear. "Please! Don't hurt me. I took the rover, not my sister. Please bring her back," she pleaded, her voice trembling with desperation.

I gestured for Sam and Russ to join me, a serious expression on my face. "Hey, you two, come over here," I called out.

Russ entered the room first, immediately going for the table where he spotted a 9mm Glock and the remnants of the stolen rover.

Glancing back at the teenager, I realized the awkward position I unintentionally put her in. "Oops, my bad. Sorry about that," I said, lifting myself off her.

Gustav's voice crackled through Russ. "Alexander, is that your way of making new friends?"

"Gustav?" I replied, standing up but keeping a watchful eye on the teen.

"Yeah, I added a camera and voice feature to Russ. No need for the radio anymore," Gustav explained, trying to stifle his laughter. "So, you accidentally pinned her down with your little buddy there?"

I let out an exasperated sigh. "It was a complete accident, okay? I'm not that kind of guy."

Gustav chuckled. "Sure, sure. Let's focus on getting this girl back with us. We've got some questions to ask."

"I've got a name, you know. It's Sandra Gutierrez," the teen interjected, seeming unfazed by the situation.

Gustav snorted. "Alright, Sandra the Thief. Thanks to you, I almost missed a whole army of skinwalkers. Good thing I have my trusty drones. Now spill the beans. Why are you so thrilled about being pinned down by a guy who could have taken advantage?"

Sandra blushed and stumbled over her words. "I-I've never been touched by a guy before, especially not in, um, sensitive areas."

Gustav burst into laughter again. "Ah, I've heard Alexander has a reputation for his 'touching' skills."

My face turned beet red, a mix of embarrassment and irritation flooding through me. "Cut it out, Gustav. We've got more important things to deal with."

"Alright, alright," Gustav chuckled, finally managing to compose himself. "Let's figure out how to transport Sandra here back to the mothership."

Sandra spoke up, still a bit flustered. "I could drive there myself without causing any trouble. I promise."

Just then, a bone-chilling howl echoed through the forest, and I quickly checked Russ's radar. It displayed 50 red dots approaching from the north. I turned serious again. "We're running out of time. Sandra, follow us on the road."

She nodded, a determined look in her eyes, and dashed out of the room. I scooped up Sam, who gave me an admiring smile. "You're one tough big brother."

"Thanks, Sam. But we need to move quickly," I replied, picking up the pace.

As we made our way out of the hospital, the thunderous stomps of approaching creatures grew louder. "Alright, Russ, switch to battle mode," I commanded.

Russ unleashed his holy silver tentacles, ready for action. "I'll arrange for a jet fighter to bomb the village," he declared.

"You're out of your mind, Gustav!" I exclaimed, reaching the motorcycle.

Gustav chimed in, his tone more serious. "This village is beyond saving, even after we clear it out. It's like a magnet for monsters."

I let out a frustrated sigh, realizing the grim reality. "Fine, but keep the bombing to a minimum.?"

Russ reached the motorcycle first and settled into the compartment. With the sound of the approaching jet growing louder, I swiftly lifted Sam onto the motorcycle, then jumped on myself as the engine roared to life. Gripping the handle tightly, I revved the engine and prepared for a swift getaway.

Sam, clinging onto me, exclaimed, "This thing is so fast!"

Sandra's voice called out from behind, struggling to keep up, "I overheard you talking about bombing the place!"

I glanced back briefly, maintaining my focus on the road ahead. "Yeah, it wasn't our first choice, but that village seems to be a magnet for monsters lately. We had to take action."

Just then, the jet fighter soared overhead, and my eyes followed as three bombs were released, streaking through the sky above us.