{The streets of the city}
{After the battle}

The battle was over, for now. Emily smiles behind Spencer's back as she wonders what will happen next.
"Mr Spencer, can we leave here? I...I don't like this place."

As she loosens her grip around Spencer's neck, Emily begun to wonder what year it was.
"Oh, Mr Spencer, what year is it?"

Spencer turned his head looking at Emily and smiled.

"Sure, I know where we can go. Hopefully it will be better than this place." Spencer started to walk torwards the Cardinal not too far from him an Emily. "As for the year, I don't care and you don't need to know. That stuff won't matter for quite a while...." He stepped onto the helicopter setting down Emily and his bag.

-ADAM, this city of mine-

As the chopper took off, ADAM had much more to focus on, in fact he already had his plan in effect, unlike Zack ADAM controlled every single unit himself (only minor things were left to the robots themselves, while he could relinquish control, much like Zack, the scare with EVE had never fully worn off of him. But with two facilities to control (He had double the capacity) he could do a lot and still have some left over.

"I hope you don't mind the commotion" ADAM said threw the Cardinal's internal speakers. As they flew they got a clean view on the city which was abuzz with movement. To normal humans in the city, it would of appeared as if a sizable army had appeared out of no where. squads of HOWARD walked the city, picking off the odd zombie population (which was fast dwindling) as they walked the streets, the large IFIS's behind them all blared the same message in the same sultry voice of ADAM's.

"DO NOT BE ALARMED, PLEASE SEEK SHELTER."

The message left much to though, ADAM didn't want to tell them who or what was happening, just that something was happening. squads of AURA's flew the sky, looking like birds in the distance, only much much faster birds. LARMA's walked the out marimeter of 'the city, flanked by small squads of HOWARDs armed with AA equipment as well as one or two M8's. Some of the LRMA's had been deposited on the sky-scrapers of the city, increasing AA coverage. The engineer HOWARDs on the ground were busy setting up AA emplacements with-in the city. The city kind of looked like life had returned to it, only this life was cold hard steel.

a message appeared on the com-net notifying ADAM of a certain completed "project" with-in the city.

--++/UNITS REPORT: PROJECT LAPELAGOS READY FOR LAUNCH\++--

--++/ORDERS. . .?\++--

"Ahh it seems it's done..." If one would of noticed, the set-up for the order would of been different from ADAM's normal one. In truth ADAM was using another instillation to launch things into orbit. He had discovered another facility after the incident. It seemed the old A.I. that had inhabited it, had died, perhaps the zombies had done it, ADAM did not know, all he did know was that he now had an underground aeronautical space facility (and resulting satellite network) with-in the city. The good thing about it was that it was not under ADAM's name, so if the network were to be detected it would appear as part of another. ADAM did not like to use it often, but now was a best time to do anything. What ADAM had done when he left, was initiate the constructional of a project the Army had drawn plans for, but never started, after a few tweaks he sent it in to be made. there were quite a few things "special" about this rocket, but he would let Zack know about them when they were ready to be used.

--LAUNCH--

The loud roar of a rocket filled the city, over-shadowing all other noise for a few seconds. The night sky was briefly filled with it's glare as it lifted off, fast becoming a small speck in the space above the city.


Back at the base, the large garage door opened up revealing the new members of ADAM's army.
Scopedog's...well not really.

ADAM had liked the units, of course not the creator. The thousands of the robot corpses strewn across the city had helped their new "upgrade" and re-service exponentially. These newer Dog's had been re-armed from the ground up, using some of the designs of the scopedog's. But ADAM had only applied some aspects of them to the HOWARD so they were really still HOWARD. ADAM had also used the knowledge that his HOWARDS were horrid at close quarter fights, so he had designed something that could handle the problem, even if what he had made looked a little frightening really.
They were named VINCENT.

VINCNT's looked almost exactly like the normal zombie, covered in disheveled cloths and patches of flesh, they could pass for zombies at a distance, but up close the 3 ft blades of the hands of the "zombies" could clearly be seen (And they were actually robots covered in flesh and cloths, kind of like a familiar robotic unit from a certain RTS series). When they walked they drug their feet and blades across the ground arching their backs over, resembling corpses, little would one know the explosive speed they have. Using the gravity mechanics (and rockets) of the scope they can literally "skate" across the ground at a frighteningly fast speed of 80 miles an hour. Not to mention their agileness. on each's hands is a large, set of hydraxion-blades, further making these monsters grotesque, the blades are only activated at moment of impact, they can slice through up to 3 feet of steel (the size of the blade itself)
ADAM would see how these units would fair against the scope's in due time. The robots all shoot off into the city, to blend in. They would wander around on their own, in the decidedly matched shuffle of a zombie. Due to their very low production cost, they would soon be replacing the zombies themselves.



-Battler-

Battler raised an eyebrow at Ann's comment, he was about to say soemthing when she introduced herself, so he dropped the idea.

"Nice to meet you too."

He paused for a second, sticking his head outside to see how the outside was doing. He furrowed his brow at the city, then his eyes shot wide open. The city, was alive, or he thought it was. The lights were on, he could see planes and helicopters. He could also barely make out some human looking figures in the distance, putting something together. A bright light suddenly rose out of the city, it looked like a rocket. The whole place seemed surreal, Battler couldn't help but stare in awe. As he did, a large crowd of zombies flew past the house. Battler wasn't even sure what to make of what he had just seen, they appeared to be skating, but they had been going too fast, and almost looked like they were floating as they shot away. Non-the-less it was enough for Battler to snap out of it. He slammed the door, and locked it his hands slightly shaking as he did so.

Once done he turned around, leaning on the door, his eyes still wide-open.

"Uhh, there's something strange going on in the city..."

"What? The Zombies?" she asked sarcastically, "They've been out there since before Morissa and I-" she stopped mid-sentence, "Since I was born," she finished.

Zack busied himself with various projects as he went through each folder, making changes and making notes. However, with the test flight in effect, Zack has devoted much of his time monitoring the results and data. Numerous tweaks and adjustments were being made and the last batch of data came through. Zack sifted through them fast and made the necessary modifications which the instruction were relayed to the production line.

ALERT. ORBITAL LAUNCH VEHICLE DETECTED. CONFIRMATION OF LAUNCH FACILITY WITHIN CITY LIMITS.

Zack stopped and looked at the data. This was an unusual development. While he too was going about preparing the launch of his own rockets, he had expected ADAM to take longer. Nerveless he must step up the manufacturing process. Identification of the launch site was confirmed and Zack made a note to bomb it to kingdom come when he had the chance.

Still…other things and projects were of more pressing concerns.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“Dears…if zombies had roller skates…I’d be worried too“ Findle said. This was a troubling development. Skating zombies? More like necrotic flesh draped on robotic chassis. Findle has this information relayed to Zack.

“On a more pressing note, shall we continue to locate the source of the signal?”

{Above the city}
{Inside the second helicopter}

When Emily takes a quick peek outside the helicopter's left window, she was thrilled by the height as she has never been inside a helicopter before.
"Wow! So high!"

When she turns her head towards Spencer, she suddenly remembers that she never got the chance to introduce herself.
"Oh! I almost forgot. I never got a chance to tell you my name. *Ahem* My name is Emily Townshend. Nice to meet you!"

Emily quickly reaches out to Spencer with her right hand. Hoping for a hand shake as she cheerfully smiles.

"Okay let's look for that signal... Can you do that Fin?" She starts wandering around the house, trying to find the signal. "Oh shit!" Annalynn looked almost about to cry, "Look at this kitchen! They have a wreck here! And look at all the ruined knife racks." She opens the fridge, "The fridge is melted scrap metal. What a waste of what must have been an amazing kitchen."

Spencer sat down as they reached higher into the air, couphing into his left hand hardly from all the running and carrying of people on his back.

"It's nice to meet you Emily. It seems you have gotten your smile back" Spencer reached out his right hand and shook Emily's hand. "It's very nice to see such a smile after such a long time. I was beggining to think I was the only person left alive that still had the ability to smile." Spencer was laughing stupidly, while coughing between breaths.

{Above the city}
{Inside the second helicopter}

Emily begun to blush when Spencer commented about her warm smile.
"Y-you think so?"

When Spencer begun to cough, Emily quickly takes off her backpack and reaches into it. When she pulls her arm out, she slowly gives Spencer a bottle of water.
"You can have it. I...I don't really need it."

Emily quicky turns her head to the left while her cheeks blush with a bright red colour.

"Thank you Emily, I really appretiate it." Spencer took the water bottle from Emily's hand, unscrewing the cap and taking small sips, coughing every now and again.

"Oh damn... I knew I was forgeting something..." He looked on the ground floor looking at the missing trumpet he had left in the mall. "Haha... oh well. I guess i'll just wait for us to get to the base now." Spencer took off his trench coat, he was getting very warm underneath all the clothing.

"May I ask something Emily?..." He was looking at the front and back of his left hand, covered up with a large black arm glove coveing his whole left arm. Something was irritating him, something confusing him.

{Above the city}
{Inside the second helicopter}

"Eh?!"
Emily face suddenly became even more red than before. She wasn't sure what Spencer wanted to ask her. She just simply panicked.
Why am I panicking?! Is Spencer going to ask me out? Ooohhh, my heart is racing!

Emily tightly grabs onto her skirt with both hands. She wasn't sure what to say and all she could think of was...
"Y-yes?"

{Above the city} {Inside second helicopter}

"You have powers to lift objects with telekinetic powers. How is that possible for you to do that?" Spencer looked at his left arm and hand front and back thinking of when he had gotten his arm burned.

"And with that, how do you not know anything about the infection or your past? And then...." Spencer had too many qwustions to ask at one time. He thought he mine as well just stick with those first 3 qeustions.

“Hmm…does not look like the kitchen was used for cooking. Maybe whatever food that was supposed to be here was stored someplace else. Not saying anyone had much food to eat since the initial zombie outbreak. I would expect a smattering of canned food and dried goods. How odd that such nice house has such sparingly furnishings…but lots of knives instead.” Findle intoned. House was unusually in good shape inside barring the recent damage.

“Mr. Battler…would you mind poking around the house? It might give us a clue to his mysterious signal source…”

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The three fighters flew at high speed and at high altitudes. As they neared the city, they turned westward and headed along a ruined highway leading to the suburban areas of the city. Although largely untouched by any strife, the place was crawling with zombies and a few pictures did not hurt. At that same time they detected vehicles belonging to ADAM which were in full force. Numerous AA threats popped up on their radars as they neared.

The VF-25s increased their altitude and continued heading westward.

"Oh man! The stove looks like melted plastic! What the heck happened in here? I could cry!" She shook her head, "Okay, stop sweetheart," she said to herself, "focus and leave the kitchen. There's time for bemoaning the waste later." She walked out of the kitchen. That kitchen was pure hell. She started wandering the house again, looking for the signal.

--Battler @ John's house--

"O-Ok.." Battler paused for a second, realizing that the second voice he'd been hearing certainly didn't belong to the girl.

"Hey...who's voice is that?" he said, turning to Ann, who had walked in the kitchen behind him. While Battler seemed paranoid, he had every right to be, certain things didn't seem at all what they used to be, especially on how Battler's trip to this city had turned out thus far.



--ADAM Helicopters- Harlin--

The two helicopter flew back to the base, well one actually changed directions. The one with Harlin, started off in the direction of the mall.

"You wanted to get into contact with your zombies, correct Mr. Harlin? Well you see, my robots have killed all zombies with-in the mall, I can however give you "better" zombies, if you don't mind one's that don't need food. They are waiting for us right now..."

The Cardinal landed in the parking lot of the mall a few minutes later. surrounding the LZ was a large crowd of what had appeared to be zombies. But the door of the Cardinal opened, and the things standing there looked even more dangerous then your average zombies.

a crowd of VINCENTS, their long sharp blades gleaming in the moonlight, the ghostly red of their eyes could be seen, as well as the flesh and ripped cloths they wore.

"You see Mr. Harlin, I've done my own research on zombies. the more intelligent ones emit a sort of brainwave that attract and also enable them to "give" orders. These "zombies" are the most efficient killing machines you've ever seen. My "reward" for our agreement to kill that quack scientist. Do you like it? Once were done here we can go back to the base to discuss a plan...or I can leave you here, your choice."

The copter blared. In the background the other movements of ADAM's troops could be seen. The VINCENT'S meanwhile sat starring at Harlin, presumably waiting for orders.


--ADAM helicopters- Spence and Emily--

"Yes, I was just about to ask that same thing" came the voice of ADAM through a HOWARD that was sitting across the interior of the copter from Emily and Spencer.

"I've been here quite a while, and I have seen strange things, but I have never seem a human use telepathy of such strength."

A HOWARD city next to Spencer tilted his head towards him. "Oh and Mr. Harlin may either be late or may not come. He need to do something, so I obliged him.." it whispered
--ADAM's robot (Near John's House)--

A lone VINCENT slowed down as it skated past a house in the suburbs. It tilted it's head at the unfamiliar signal it had just picked up.

It looked at the house, one that had one of it's masters air-craft's in its front lawn. in a short burst it was over to the remains of the cardinal, which it examined for a few minutes, before looking back up at the house. It tilted it's head again. This time it walked towards the house, it's blades making a light dry scrapping sound as it walked...

"Oh, that's Findle. He's an artificial notebook attached to my arm like a braclet," she smiled blithely, "He's a good friend." She then ran down the stairs and walked off. She subsequently slipped and cut open the side of her hand. "Owie"

{Above the city}
{Inside the second helicopter}

Emily didn't expect any of them to question about her abilities. And now shes worried about what would happen if she told them.
"Well...I was born with psychic abilities. That's nothing special."

Emily suddenly begun to look down to the metal floor. Wondering if she should tell them about the "other thing".
"But sometimes...I can't use them. It's like I wasn't suppose to be born with powers, but at the same time...I'm suppose to."

Emily slowly turns her head towards her bracelet. Staring while thinking back.
"As for the whole infection thing, I...was asleep when it happened."

She quickly lifts her head up and smiles again, deciding not to tell them about the "other thing".
"But that doesn't matter."

Harlin

Harlin shook his head, and smiled.

"Luckly, my pack was not in the mall. We live on the out skerts of town. They are my family. I don't need any other zombies but them...although they are welcome into my pack, as long as my family is still part of it."

Harlin closed his eyes, and sighed.

"I will come to your base, but I want my family to be with me."

"Dear...try to be careful. You want to keep living not try to be an unliving." Findle replied. "A cut increases the chance of becoming part of the undead."

"Mr. Battler...I am Findle. Despite what Annalynn had said...I am much more than a bracelet device. I am an program designed with personality and engineered for helpfulness inside a Pip-Boy 3000 Model A."

John walked out of the room and down the hall. Thinking of what he should use. He probably wasn't in for a large scale fight, or a hard one. But to go out into a environment without Intel, and only a little protection?

"Ahh, fuck it," said John to himself. He'll wear the standard version of the armor and not worry about putting on the heavier plates. He wasn't expecting to fight heavy, or perform a Alamo. Just a quick check, and back down to base. Although it is night... those damn vampires could be walking around again.

He arrived before a large door, looking similar to that of a safe. With great care he entered the access code, and the door opened out. It was his safe room. If the base ever got breached this far, this is the last stand room, as well as a room where a majority of the supplies could be loaded up, and an escape could be successfully launched. Inside was a wide variety of weapons, and several different sizes of crates. He walked inside and turned on the lights to an area that kinda looked like a gym room locker, but smaller. More compressed. Their were four extremely large lockers, situated around a bench. Each of them had a brass name plate on them, but had tarnished and were hard to read. He walked up to the third one, and glanced at the name above.

J. Raynor.

With a sigh, he opened the door. He starred at the neatly arranged plates of armor armor plates. Even though it was to dark in the locker to see them, he knew that the plates were battle scarred, and pitted with fights long past. However they still retained their black and grey color. There were some other colors present, but they were highlights. His gaze drifted from this helmet with a T-shaped visor, to the other lockers. Memories soon came flooding to his mind without warning.

"Shore up those supports. I don't care what command is saying, keep shooting... John! hit it from the side!"

There were weapons firing. He could feel it, but not hear them. His own heart beat was loud in his ears... His gun hammered into his shoulder...

The zombies and infected where every were... They did all they could to stop them, to slow them down... To give the people a chance to escape... but it wasn't enough.

Another flashback soon hit him harder.

There she was... It was their wedding day, and she looked so beautiful... Unlike other weddings, she and him were both dressed in their battle armor, but no helmets... God she looked so great. The armor fitting her form remarkable well... damn.

He felt a tear run down his face

She was on him now... Or what was left... she tried to bit him, but he held her back by the wrists. He was only gone for a while, he promised her... He would protect her...

Bring his will to bear he banished the thoughts. With a deep breath, he knelt down and began to dress in the armor. First he got the black body suit on, then the armored boots, and began to work on the leg plates.

--Battler, John's house--

Battler scratched his head of Findles response, "Hmm, seems pretty high-tech.." "And here I was thinking humanity has taken a step back on the technological timeline..." But his thoughts were interrupted by a sound coming from the door, or he had thought it was a sound. He was about to go investigate, when he heard Ann fall down the stairs.

"Yeah, might want to do as Mr. Findle says..." He said forgetting the sound, and following her down the stairs.


"Here let me see it..." He said, he then took a hold of Ann's hand, examining the wound.

"Fu, fu, fu. You shouldn't run around willy-nilly like that, if it's not the zombies that gets'ya it's disease. Looks like we'll need to close it up, but lucky for you, I carry a first-aid kit with that same purpose in mind." Battler said, a chiding smile upon his face. He reached around for the first aid-kit he carried on his back. Opening it up, he began to search for the suture kit.

"Now if I kind only find it..."

"It just needs a band-aid. I'll be fine." She grinned, giggling sheepishly. "Besides, it's not the running that got me... It's when I started walking that I slipped." She pulled out a band-aid. "Okay, the cut may be a little bigger than I thought."

"First aid is the utmost importance in these times. Zombies love fresh humans so I heard. Luckily I come equipped with a motion tracking device. Range up to 200 meters in heavy terrain, foliage and debris. Dead useful when all alone. Unfortunately I cannot see what is below us. Either this place has some kind of scrambler or some seriously solid walls, I can't detect anything besides...wait...wait...uh...there is something outside. It is slow moving and slightly tall. Zombie it seems like." Findle sounded off to the two.

Spencer coughed one more time, bending over and putting his elbows on his knees.

"Well, if any of that made sense to me I would probably ask another question or two. But this day has made no sense, so i'll let it go." Spencer stupidly laughed, looking at his left arm front and back still, and putting his trenchcoat back on.

Bunker: Safe Room.

Once John finished the lower section of the armor, he picked up the heavy top section. Basically the chest, abs, shoulders, and back plate were all connected together to form one big movable piece. Making it easier to put it on... well, more efficient.

"Shit never gets easier," he muttered as he swung the section on to him. He grunted as it landed on him, throwing off his balance a little bit as it landed. Makeing him wobble back slightly. As soon as he had the top section secured to the bottom, he began work on the forearms, and finally the gauntlets. He found it interesting that such a heavy suit was able to spread its weigh so evenly. The forearms had attachment slots for a few "fun" weapons. Such as a Predator class arm blade, a collapsible riot shield, a grenade launcher, a communications package, a flame thrower, and a few other odd toys, but could only have one on each arm at a time. It was once rumored that there was a stealh feild upgrade that bent the light around the user hiding them. But he never could find anything but those rumors.

He decided on not taking any of these attachments, not seeing why they would be need, all he was doing was going to scout. However he did attach the square shaped neck guard that prevented vampires from biting him. No way in hell was he going to go through that again.

He reached out for his black and gray, helmet, and failed to notice the small photograph that fell to the floor...

At first he could see nothing once the helmet was attached. But then the power system turned on and the helmet depolarized just enough for him to see, but still hide his face.

Systems operational.
Battery at full power.
Security systems running. Green.
CDS is operational.

Welcome back.