Metal and Ash (Apex Trilogy) (47 page)

The Pope stood to the far side of the crowd and smiled. Capreze noticed him and nodded.

“That isn’t to say that I will let brutality and cruelty rule,” Capreze said. “I have no intention of just sitting by while the insane terrorize this land. While my duty has always been to protect the people of the wasteland against the undead, and let the humans be, the world has changed. In fact, we now know there actually is a world.”

A couple people laughed and Capreze took a hold of that and pressed forward.

“So this is my promise to you and everyone in the wasteland,” Capreze announced. “When we kick the ever loving shit out of the Three I have no intention of taking any type of leadership role, other than what I’m doing right now. I’ll keep the Stronghold in place in order to maintain the new ranks of mechs and pilots that will come forward. I will swear to protect the freedoms of all that live in the wasteland.” He swallowed hard and gave the Pope a stern look. “Even the deaders. When this is all said and done, it will be up to you, all of you, to decide how the wasteland shall be governed. And while I cannot take away all the danger the wasteland and the world present, I can assure you that I will do everything in my power to protect your rights to build something new from the rubble of society we struggle with. No more UDC, no more Three, no more Councils or Control or whatever the fuck else wants absolute power. This wasteland will be yours and you will be safe, secure and protected so that from the ashes can rise up a place to live that we can all agree with.”

The silence was thick, but Capreze knew it wasn’t empty.

“And that is all that I can tell you. Today will be hard. Many will die. But for all of you that fight today you can know that you are fighting for something. Not just survival. Not just for your slice of Hell. You are fighting for the future of us all and for generations to come. Because as fucking insane as this wasteland is, it’s our home, all of ours, and we won’t give it up for nothing.”

The hangar erupted in cheers and applause while Capreze just stood there and nodded.

“Now, I need key people to meet with me right now,” Capreze said as the hangar finally calmed down. “We have a war to win.”

***

The sea of deaders was beyond intimidating, but Dog had been assured that he could get through them unmolested. As soon as the cyces had appeared a whistle blew and a wide path was created for the riders of Eden. Slowly, cautiously, Dog and the others rode up to the Stronghold just as everyone was breaking up and heading to their duties.

“Damn,” Dog said as he got of his cyce and walked into the hangar. “What’d I miss?”

“There you are!” Jenny shouted as she sprinted at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “What took so long?”

“Had to make sure we didn’t lose anyone,” Dog replied. “Had a few riders nod off back there and had to get them up and going. It’s not easy riding all night long. My ass hurts and I could use about ten hours of sleep.”

“I can’t help you on either of those,” Capreze said as he walked up and offered his hand. “Good to see you…Dog, is it?”

Dog shrugged. “That’s the name I was born with. Sucks ass, but it’s mine all mine.”

“Well, glad you could make it back,” Capreze grinned. “Come on, we were about to meet and get this ball rolling.”

“Sure thing, Commander,” Dog replied. “Let me get the riders squared away with Immy and Agnatha and I’ll be right there. Give me ten minutes?”

Capreze smiled at Dog’s tone of authority and nodded. “Ten will be fine. But don’t be longer.”

“Not planning on it,” Dig said. “Thank you, sir.”

Capreze nodded and walked off.

“Huh,” Dog said as he looked around the hangar at all of the different people that were hustling about. “This is different.”

“Isn’t it?” Jenny replied. “Ranchers, Railers, whatever the Eden people are, mechheads, the Styleses, even freaking thinking mechs. All together.”

“Not what we were expecting when we left on that train to go back to my village, huh?”

“Not at all,” Jenny replied as she squeezed Dog’s hand. “When this is all over are you still going back to Eden?”

“That depends,” Dog said.

“With what?”

“Well, with whether I’m alive or not,” Dog replied. “I get past that part and then I’ll know for sure.”

“You? Die?” Jenny laughed. “I don’t know if you can.”

“Don’t fucking jinx me!” Dog exclaimed. “Jeezus!”

“Oh, calm down,” she said as she kissed him. “You’ll live through this or I’ll kick your ass.”

“I bet you will.”

“Hey! Rookie!” Jay shouted as he walked over, not giving a shit whether he was interrupting or not.

“It’s Dog now,” Dog replied.

“Fuck you, kid,” Jay smirked. “I’ll call you Rookie for the rest of your miserable life. Fucking get used to it.”

“I guess I’ll just have to,” Dog grinned.

“Damn fucking right you will,” Jay said. “So what’s this I hear about you riding some fucking tricycle to war? You’re a goddamn mech pilot, kid! You telling me one of my mechs isn’t good enough for you anymore?”

“I would never say that,” Dog replied. “At least not to your face.”

“Ha ha, asshole.”

“But, yeah, I’m gonna be on a cyce when we move out,” Dog continued. “I have about three hundred crazy motherfuckers that will be looking to me to take the lead.”

Jay eyed him for a minute the shrugged. “Then I guess you better show me these cyces. I’m not gonna have you going out there with some piece of crap between your legs. You already got one of those!”

“You’re wrong there,” Jenny laughed.

“Ah, shit,” Jay frowned. “I don’t need to hear that. Come on, kid. Let’s make sure those two-wheeled freak shows have enough boom in them to make a difference in this fight.”

“Oh, they do, don’t worry,” Dog said as he followed Jay out of the hangar.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll decide that,” Jay replied.

***

“Clear me for duty,” Mathew snapped at June. “I’m not fucking around here!”

“And neither am I, Matty,” June said. “You nearly got your ass blasted apart out in Monterey. My job is to make sure you don’t get in a mech and do more harm than good. It’s not about you, it’s about the safety of everyone else around you.”

“Themopolous wouldn’t think of benching me,” Mathew argued. “We need every capable mech out there on that battlefield. You don’t clear me and how many people will die because I’m not there to back them up or protect them? Huh?”

“Problem?” Capreze asked as he stepped into the infirmary.

“Yeah,” Mathew growled. “June’s being a total cunt and won’t clear me for duty.”

“Hey!” June shouted as she slapped Mathew across the face.

Capreze raised his eyebrows as Mathew and June looked at each other, stunned.

“We done here?” Capreze asked. “Got that shit out of your system?” The two barely glanced at him. “Good. I know you are hurting, trust me, I know, but you two need to put whatever it is that’s going on behind you and get your heads straight. June? Clear him. Mathew? Apologize for being an asshole and go get prepped.”

“Fine,” June said as she checked off the clearance on her tablet. “He’s set to pilot.”

Mathew looked at her sheepishly. “Sorry for giving you a hard time.”

“It is what it is,” June said. “Now get the fuck out of here and go get yourself killed.”

“Gee, thanks,” Mathew said as he got off the exam table and started out of the infirmary.

Capreze grabbed him by the arm. “You’re being cleared because I need you. But if you don’t feel up to the challenge at any point then you hustle back here and work support. Got me?”

“Yes, sir,” Mathew nodded. “I got you.”

Capreze nodded back and let him go. Mathew hurried out of the infirmary to the hangar.

“What was that about?” Capreze asked. “You know we can’t spare a single pilot.”

“You can spare me,” June said.

“Is that what this is?” Capreze asked. “Are you pissed because you can’t get out there and fight?”

“No…yes,” June replied. “Maybe. I don’t know. It’s all just so fucked up.”

“You have a job to do here,” Capreze said. “And with Themopolous gone I need you more than ever.”

“I’m not a doctor!” June yelled. “What can I do? I know a little more than basic first aid, for fuck’s sake!”

“True,” Capreze grinned. “There are Railers that have way more medical knowledge and skills than you. But I don’t trust a damn one of them to be in charge when the shit hits the fan. I need you to make sure that those with the right skills are in the right place at the right time. Understand?”

“So I’m administration? Great,” June frowned.

“You’re leadership!” Capreze barked. “And wipe that sulky look off your face! This is hard on everyone, got that? Suck it up!”

June took a deep breath, held it then nodded. “Okay. Fine.” She watched Capreze look about the infirmary. “She’s in iso room 3, sir. The American girl is in there with her.”

Capreze turned his attention on isolation room 3 and slowly walked forward.

***

“I…can do it…Papa Bear,” Beth mumbled just as Capreze walked into the isolation room.

“What did she just say?” Capreze asked, rushing to Beth’s bed.

Melissa jumped up from her chair and blocked Capreze. “She’s not your daughter! Back off!”

Capreze saw the dangerous look in Melissa’s eyes and took a step back. “I know that. I just wanted to know what she said.”

“I don’t know,” Melissa said. “She’s been mumbling ever since the shield generator. I don’t know half of what she’s saying.”

Capreze watched Beth for a moment, but the girl didn’t speak again.

“She doesn’t have the scars,” Capreze mentioned.

“What?” Melissa asked.

“She doesn’t have the scars that Rachel had,” Capreze explained. “Otherwise she looks just like my daughter did at her age.”

“But she’s not your daughter,” Melissa insisted.

Capreze turned his focus back to Melissa. “Yes, Ms. Bretton, I am painfully aware of that. Thank you for pushing the point. My daughter is dead and that is not her. Couldn’t be more clearer.”

Melissa plopped into her chair. “Sorry. It’s been a bad few days.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Do you?” Melissa asked. “No offense, but you’ve been here in this Stronghold while I’ve been on a ship for months. I’ve watched my friends and fellow Americans die by the scores as we’ve been chased halfway across the globe.” Melissa choked back tears. “There’s a man I love that I have no idea if he’s alive or dead.” She pointed at Beth. “She’s all I have left. She’s it. She isn’t blood, but she is family. And she won’t wake up. So I’m sorry for your loss, but don’t even pretend to know what I’ve been through.”

“You’re young and hurt,” Capreze responded. “So I’m not going to argue with you. But do know I understand what you are felling 100%. You need to talk with someone just come find me.”

Capreze stood there and watched Melissa for a minute.

“What?” Melissa snapped. “Is there more?”

“Yes,” Capreze said. “I’ve had some time to talk with Mr. Styles, the First. He says you have skills with that biochrome that could be useful. I need to ask for your help.”

“Yeah, I’m good with BC,” Melissa said. “Fabrics, outfits, uniforms, stuff like that. You need body armor? I’m your girl.” She laughed and the new look in her eye worried Capreze. “But that takes BC! You see any in this wasteland of yours? I fucking don’t! All you have is fucking rust. Tons and tons of rust.” Melissa shivered. “Fucking disgusting.”

“Nice speech,” Capreze said. “You like to hear yourself talk, don’t you? Makes you feel tough and important.” Capreze held up a hand before Melissa could respond. “Shut up. Just shut your spoiled fucking mouth. Yeah, lot’s of rust. Tons of it everywhere. That’s life in the wasteland. And guess what? We’ve gotten by without your fucking precious biochrome.” He moved in close, towering over Melissa. “But now we could use that biochrome and any help it can give. More importantly we need you. Because from what I know it sounds like a whole hell of a lot of biochrome is coming at us. I need you in the fight so you can use your skills to take some of the BC down.”

“Whatever,” Melissa said as she turned away and put her feet up on Beth’s bed.

Capreze slapped her feet down. “Not whatever, you little bitch!” He grabbed her by her uniform and yanked her to her feet. “You are going to help. Got it? Styles says he’ll sacrifice a couple of the BTTs for scrap. You get to make some of the body suits he told me you can make. I have three hundred riders from Eden that will be exposed out there. They could use a little assistance.”

He tossed her back into her chair. They stared at each other, neither of them blinking.

“Fine,” Melissa said. “But you won’t get three hundred suits out of two BTTs. Not the kind that those riders will need. We’ll need more BC.”

“Then we make it,” Capreze said. “There are parts of this Stronghold that can handle the production. In fact, I almost have a feeling the UDC was about to get into the biochrome business. It would explain a lot.”

“Good for you and your manufacturing facility,” Melissa clapped. “But I have no idea how to make biochrome.”

“True,” Capreze said. “But Beth does.”

“Maybe,” Melissa smirked. “But she’s unconscious. Un-con-scious. Not much help there.”

“Actually that won’t matter,” Jethro said over the room’s speaker. “I just need her hooked up to the cerebral integration unit. I can find the data from there. Because of who she is she’s wired for that kind of interface. If the info is in there I’ll find it.”

“You want to hook her up to a machine and suck out her brain?” Melissa laughed. “Over my dead body.”

“Don’t tempt me, Ms. Bretton,” Capreze said coldly. “I’ll do what needs to be done.”

“Seriously?” Melissa asked. “Jesus Christ. You people are fucking crazy.”

“There is zero risk to her,” Jethro insisted. “Trust me.”

“I can’t trust someone I can’t see,” Melissa said. “Come talk to me face to face and then we’ll see.”

“That’s actually a great idea,” Capreze smiled. “I have a war to coordinate, but I’ll have June take you to Jethro. This should be enlightening.”