You slowly wake up. When you open your eyes, you're met with Alpha's face just inches away.
A few strands of white hair fall from behind her ear and partly cover her eyes. The hair brushes your cheek, causing a slight tickle.
She seems distracted and doesn't notice right away that you're awake.
...
Alpha stands up, turns her face away, and starts to leave.
Nothing. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.
Hmm... Looks like you slept well.
Alpha stands up, ready to leave.
You push yourself up and realize you're lying on the sofa with a blanket over you.
Not long. Three hours. It's the middle of the night outside.
Roland's got food ready.
She steps out and closes the door, giving you a moment alone.
You straighten your clothes and open the door.
Alpha is in the corner, back against the wall. Roland sits on the sofa, arranging food on the table. Lamia crouches nearby, looking gloomy, and sneaks a forkful of beef into her mouth when Roland isn't watching.
Steak, mashed potatoes, foie gras, popcorn, noodles, nuts... An eclectic feast of mismatched dishes. Judging by Roland's face, gathering it took some effort.
My nuts... nooo...
Looks like her hidden snack stash got commandeered too.
You sit down, eat a bite of sliced beef, and bring the conversation back to the deal you made.
Alpha comes over and sits beside you.
Most of them, at minimum.
There's a weapons factory in the west. Xun turned it into a nonstop production line for mechanoids.
Roland taps his terminal and projects a city map above the table.
Roland does. Two areas light up, one outside the city and one in the west.
You eat a spoonful of mashed potatoes while studying the map.
With what we've got, why not just push through head-on?
You point to an abandoned square on the east edge. The map zooms in. The name appears—Curo Square.
Oh? Creative. Once we pack this place with enough mechanoids... boom.
Xun and his whole mechanoid army go down together.
I have to help too...?
No slacking.
Sounds good. I'll need time to get the EMPs and the explosives.
I'm finishing Xun myself. Roland, I'll borrow your weapon when it's time.
Roland nods and throws up an OK sign.
Roland smiles like he's been waiting for that line.
He rises from the sofa and strides to the wall, one hand behind his back and the other raised high, his gestures as exaggerated as his tone.
Roland's limited-time armory is now open. May our customers leave fully stocked!
A seam opens in the wall. Gears click. The wall splits, revealing a hidden room behind it.
A dim blue light pours down from ceiling panels, washing the whole room in a cold tone. Metal weapon racks stand in neat rows. The clean, hard look of it feels like the complete opposite of the run-down office outside.
Long blades, short swords, daggers, pistols, rifles... Everything is sorted by type and mounted on the racks.
In the center of the room, a set of power armor hangs carefully on a stand. It's been maintained with care. The Gray Raven emblem on it doesn't have a single scratch.
Seeing it, you can't help letting out a gasp.
A fine purchase from the black market, lovingly maintained by myself.
Don't get stuck on the details. What matters is it's exactly what you need right now.
Alpha's attention is caught by something covered with a tarp. She walks over and pulls it off.
A heavy motorcycle comes into view, half disassembled. She steps closer and checks the frame, the engine, and the tires.
This... I can fix it.
Tools and spare parts are all here. Use whatever you need, Alpha.
Alright. Everyone, get ready on your end. I'll go grab the explosives and EMPs.
Roland turns and leaves the room, but not before switching on the radio to play some music.
Alpha walks straight to the motorcycle, digs through the pile of tools, finds the right ones, and gets to work.
You set a can of soda on the workbench, grab another for yourself, and pop the tab. The crisp click echoes in the empty room.
Alpha doesn't pause. She tightens a bolt with a wrench.
She naturally understands the meaning behind your words. At the very least, in that memory from F.O.S. College, she was indeed not particularly skilled at repairing motorcycles.
Taught myself. Take enough things apart, and you figure it out.
There's a lot of useful stuff buried out there. If you're willing to put in the time, you can learn almost anything.
Alpha glances at the drink in your hand.
...
You open the can on the workbench and hand it to her.
The radio starts playing a gloomy post-punk track.
"I believe I will... it's not all for nothing..."
Alpha leans against the workbench, wipes her hands, and takes a sip of soda.
A brief look of remembrance passes through her eyes, then it's gone.
He's just an obstacle.
Don't worry about me.
There are things neither of you can say out loud. Right now, it feels like silence is enough.
Prep time passes quickly. You check your gear over and over, making sure the weapons won't fail and your body is ready.
Alpha wipes the oil off the bike with a rag, steps back, and looks it over. The motorcycle looks completely different now.
She gives a smile, tosses the rag into a nearby tool bucket, and looks over to Roland sitting on the sofa next door.
Prepare to move out.
Eastern City Outskirts
The rebuilt heavy motorcycle tears across the wasteland, kicking up a long trail of dust as it races east.
Alpha leans forward as she rides. You sit behind her in the power armor.
In the distance, countless black dots move in a slow mass. It's Xun's mechanoid army, building a crude but massive defensive line around the rift.
We're here.
The motorcycle accelerates again. The tachometer needle climbs close to the red line.
It doesn't take long before the patrol mechanoids spot you.
High-threat targets detected! Matching database... match confirmed! Wanted level: maximum!
High-threat targets detected! Cease all movement immediately and await judgment!
Shut up.
VRRRMM—BOOM—
A beam blasts from your weapon and punches straight through the mechanoid ahead.
Too many of them. Give me heavier firepower.
You load grenades into the launcher.
THOOM—THOOM—THOOM—
The grenades fly in a low arc and drop into the center of the mechanoid mass.
BOOM—
Orange-red fireballs erupt among them.
Shockwaves spread out from the blast. More than a dozen mechanoids are thrown into the air, tumbling, breaking apart, and exploding mid-flight.
Burning wreckage crashes down, knocking nearby mechanoids off balance.
Hold on tight.
Alpha slams the brakes, leaving a long skid mark as the motorcycle spins 180 degrees and stops.
She jumps off and draws her long blade. The edge shines with a hungry crimson glow.
At the same time, the first wave reaches you. Over a dozen mechanoids rush in together, moving in perfect unison.
Alpha charges forward and sweeps her blade.
Her blade hits the lead mechanoid head-on. Sparks burst. Metal screams.
The mechanoid is split in two instantly.
Alpha flicks her blade and looks toward the rift.
Xun! Get out here and die!
Like he's answering her, a nasty, many-legged mechanical shape starts hopping forward through the mechanoid crowd.
Ha... Hahaha!
Let's... %&... settle... this!
He leaps high. His limbs spread out midair like a metal flower, then he slams down toward you and Alpha.
You and Alpha jump back at the same time.
Xun crashes into the spot you just left. His limbs stab deep into the ground, and the ground cracks and caves in around him.
Come on!
Alpha charges forward with her blade aimed at his face.
You open fire too, sending energy shots into his outstretched limbs.
BOOM—
Xun stumbles back a few steps, eyes burning with rage.
I'll kill you both!!
As he shouts, more mechanoids swarm in from every direction.
Alpha keeps stepping forward. Each swing cuts like a scythe, sending broken parts flying with every turn.
The fight drags on for ten minutes. By the end, mechanoid wreckage is piled up like a small hill.
Alpha "struggles" to block one of Xun's wide swings and steps back twice.
Phew...
There's too many.
You breathe hard, pull a short blade off a nearby mechanoid, and let a little "panic" slip into your voice.
Alpha's voice carries just enough "frustration" to sound convincing.
...Let's go.
Alpha swings her blade to drive back the mechanoids beside her, and the two of you reach the motorcycle.
Get on.
The engine roars and the motorcycle takes off, carrying you toward the outskirts.
Xun waves his limbs excitedly, directing the mechanoids like a conductor.
After them!!
A flood of mechanoids surges after you, pouring down the route you took.
Curo Square
East Side of the City
Roland stands up high, looking down at the motorcycle heading into the square, and the dense swarm of mechanoids chasing behind it.
Looks like the plan's going smoothly.
The motorcycle rolls into the square and stops. A wave of mechanoids floods in after it.
Overhead, hundreds of armed drones gather like a swarm of locusts.
Xun jumps high over his front line and slams down in the center of the square. His red eyes lock onto you and Alpha.
Nowhere to run... %&... you're finished!!
BANG—
Your shot cuts him off mid-sentence, and it only makes him angrier.
Alpha lowers her stance, raises her dagger, and charges toward Xun.
The ground gives a deep rumble, centered on Curo Square. Then an invisible pulse wave spreads out fast, and every electronic system it touches shuts down instantly.
Every mechanoid, whether charging, aiming, or firing, freezes at the exact same time.
Like puppets with their strings cut, they collapse in piles. The drones drop from the sky all at once.
What?!
You talk too much!
With a bright flash of her crimson long blade, Alpha strikes several times in an instant and cuts off all of Xun's limbs.
Hah...
Alpha steadies her breathing and sheaths her blade at her waist.
In a dark factory on the west side of the city, assembly lines run in a steady rhythm, constantly turning out new killing machines.
Eek...
Lamia carefully sneaks out of the factory.
All the bombs are planted. Next is detonation.
Once she's far enough away, Lamia looks back at the quiet factory.
Uh... this button, right?
Xun lies on the ground, glaring as the three of you walk toward him.
Not bad, huh.
The gun.
Roland loads a special explosive round, then hands his gun to Alpha.
You bastards!
Alpha catches it, aims at Xun without hesitation, and pulls the trigger.
BANG—
At the same moment, a huge explosion booms from the armory factory on the other side of the city.
In the smoke, a burst of fireworks goes off too, clearly planted on purpose.
The fireworks form a rough outline of a chibi Lamia's smiley face in the sky.
It's over, Xun.
The motorcycle carries you and Alpha out of the city, heading toward the massive structure in the distance.
Looks like we're getting closer to Shadow.
A car drives alongside the motorcycle. Roland is behind the wheel, saying he'll see you off for the last stretch.
Lamia will get back to her idol career.
Me... I'll probably reopen my agency downtown.
Maybe I'll look for Boss Luna too. Either way, I'm just looking for a calm life.
...
Up ahead, the rift comes into clear view. Around it, more than a dozen mechanoids are waiting.
As you get close, all three of you get out of your vehicles.
Well, look at that. The final extras have arrived.
Your tactics worked even better than I expected.
Leave it to me. This is the last thing I can do for you.
His usual smile fades, and his tone turns serious.
Alpha...
What I'm about to say might sound strange coming from me.
But after this... try to be a little more honest with yourself.
Even if it all disappears in the end...
What are you getting at?
When you're on stage, why obsess over what's real?
With that, he smiles and charges at the mechanoids.
...Okay.
You and Alpha get on the motorcycle. Alpha twists the throttle. The bike kicks up dust and shoots straight into the rift.
