Chapter 17: The Crush — Part 9

Kamau cowered behind his mother, while Ren kept his eyes plastered on the door. Only Joanie’s daughter was armed, Toni seemed intent on going down fighting. Around them were some of the most freakish biodroids Chen had ever seen. Their bodies were almost fully hume, but they were encased in armor that at places punctured their flesh so it could be locked into the bone underneath. Chen doubted that the bone was organic, was in fact certain that their entire framework was a hyper dense alloy of iron, or titanium. Their hume eyes were an anomaly, being that they were solid black. Those eyes, whose pupils were indecipherable, stared out blankly from underneath metal-coated skin. None of them moved at the moment, though they seemed to be assessing the people they had trapped. Bamboo argued with their captors.

“Just let us leave, Amber, and we’ll not bother you again.” Bamboo said.

Hovering near Bamboo’s ear, Spunky powered up his weapons. Glyph moved in closer, putting itself between Bamboo and Spunky, and Spunky moved away, targeting one of the biodroids. Joanie noted the behavior, keeping cautious and quiet. Unlike the others around her, she had not kept her swords drawn, though her hands did lay on the hilts of two daggers set just behind the swords, much as Jun’s had been when she had served Chen. Joanie was proficient in Jun’s style of fighting, but nobody would know how dangerous she could be until it was time to fight. Her bender suit, sensing the upcoming battle, was rapidly listening to her mind, trying to produce the necessary defensive and offensive armor modifications needed for her to act quickly against her enemy. Like Bamboo’s spear, Joanie’s swords would be all but useless in such close quarters. Her bender suit, however, was rapidly growing spines and edges that would enhance the killing power of every one of her blows.

“Ambria, please don’t make a fight out of this.” Chen said quietly.

“Master Chen, how good to see you.” Ambria answered, raising a hand and disrupting the energy he had been building around him. “I see confusion on your face. You’re quite the pugilist. You’ve been beaten down so many times that you can’t even remember the prize worth fighting for, but you still return to battle.”

“When did you change your name?” Bamboo asked, confused.

“She’s not your mother.” Ren said angrily.

“She’ll kill all of us, if given even a fractional opportunity.” Chen added.

“I am not your mother, and I have no intention of killing all of you. I am the reason your mother sent you away. She delayed many of my efforts by hiding the key resources needed by me. She has always been such a stubborn clone. But she had to get old eventually, had to die, I’m afraid.” Ambria paused, nodding to Spunky, who rapidly turned and fired on Bamboo.

Bamboo’s bender suit hissed and sizzled as he flew off his feet. Spunky fired three more times, each a little less powerful than the last, Bamboo instinctively covered his face with his arms. Glyph reacted violently, attacking Spunky and shielding its owner. Spunky dodged and darted, ignoring Glyph’s strikes and guards, trying to get to Bamboo before the bender suit could restore its shielding. Bamboo, meanwhile, took advantage of Glyph’s attack to force himself back to standing and go on the offensive. He backhanded Spunky, who flew back and slammed into a wall. The brick wall had its metal supports shattered with the force of the blow, while Spunky’s exterior armor upgrades — unable to hold against Bamboo’s focused rage — suffered stress fractures during the impact. Bamboo’s hand tingled from the blow, but he kept a cautious eye on Spunky, who hovered weakly and with a distinct wobble to a position above Ambria’s shoulder. Ren stood behind Bamboo, Blue guarding the boy from the left.

“I see now that Glyph has sided against us. Such disloyalty should be rewarded.” Ambria let her tongue touch the point between her upper lip and teeth momentarily as she considered exactly what move to make next.

“We will have our day in battle, Spunky, and you will fall to pieces against my rage.” Glyph said, its voice quiet and angry.

Bamboo looked sidewise at Glyph, surprised again at Glyph’s determined emotional outburst.

“You have some major cajones.” Pablo said to Yoshi, his face pale with a mix of fear and anger.