Return to Mech City by Brian Bakos

Author:Brian Bakos
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: action adventure, fantasy adventure, science fiction adventure, science fiction fantasy, post apocalyptic adventure, post apocalyptic fantasy, road adventure, robot adventure

35: Inglorious Retreat

The carefree race to the crossroads reversed itself into a wild dash back to the mall. Star surged ahead while Winston dropped behind to cover her retreat. He glanced over his shoulder at the menacing cloud. It was much nearer now, and he could hear its gibbering voice.

Mech bugs!

“Come on, Winston,” Star yelled, “quit the macho routine!”

With a series of powerful kicks, Winston caught up with her. They raced side by side propelled by extreme fear. They were at the halfway point now –

But the cloud was almost directly overhead. It started to lower upon them. An infernal, high-pitched buzz accompanied its gyrating mass.

“Hurry!” Winston shouted.

They gained the mall parking lot – they were half way across it. The doors of Cycho World gaped open for them, offering refuge.

Then the chaos descended. A dark swirl of dragonfly type creatures engulfed them, blotting out the world.

“Ahhhhh!”

They tumbled off their scooters. Winston’s pack fell away, and pressure sensors all over his body registered multiple sharp imprints. The insectine horrors tangled in Star’s hair and clothes.

“The rain sheet!” Winston cried.

Star yanked off her pack and withdrew the heavy black plastic. They covered themselves with it, screening out the nightmare swirl as much as possible. Attackers still covered their bodies, though. In the reduced light, the eyes of the little creatures glowed hot and feverish.

Winston and Star batted at each other frantically, crushing dozens of assailants. All the while they stumbled toward the open doorway of Cycho World.

“We’re almost there, Star, hang on!”

Vicious little pincers jabbed through the plastic, searching eagerly for prey. Winston and Star flung the rain sheet away and dashed the last few meters into Cycho World. They pulled the doors shut behind them, but not before a mass of the buzzing creatures had already entered.

“Here!”

Star thrust a tennis racquet into Winston’s hands. He swung hard at the enemy.

Bzzzrrrt!

A squadron of broken creatures ricocheted off the strings. Others flew straight at Winston, pincers snapping, making no attempt at evasion. He cut through them with a brutal swat. Star joined in the massacre with her own racquet. Soon, hundreds of attackers lay stricken on the floor.

Winston and Star stood back to back, weapons raised – but the battle was over. Outside, a legion of dragonflies beat themselves against the glass doors with impotent fury.

“I think we got all the ones in here,” Winston said.

“Good riddance!” Star said.

She picked up one of the creatures. The dying bug trembled in her fingers, but Its jaws continued to snap. She tossed it down and stomped it.

“What are these horrible things?” she said.

“I’ve encountered them before,” Winston said. “On my trip to Mech City.”

He examined a dead specimen.

“They are robotic insect hunters,” he said. “They were used to control agricultural pests like potato beetles and such. They were touted as the ‘environmentally responsible’ alternative to chemical insecticides.”

“Well, I’m no potato beetle,” Star said. “Why did they come after us.”

“They must have gone mad,” Winston said, “ordinarily they pose a danger only to the insect life forms they are programmed to exterminate.

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