Drew of the Stars

Chapter 11 and 12


CHAPTER 11: THE LAST BUILDING ON THE LEFT IS THE ARMORY

Freeing Danny from the clutches of the monster turns out to be easy. Leslie, who carried a flame thrower on his back, simply threw flames down the hallway. The monster shrinked over from the tremendous head. Danny was singed, but that can't be helped. Adam made sure that Danny would no longer have access to any weapon.

Their progress was slow, but steady. Drew led them to several detours. Their goal is no longer monster extermination, but survival. Their final goal was to get to the Security Building as soon as possible, with as few skirmishes as possible.

Although Drew was unsure as what to do next, she resigned to the fact that this is a motley group without any de facto leader. She decided to just wait for the inevitable. No telling as to what will happen once the group reached the security building.

The security building was easy to find. It's the one with bunker-like structure, and adorned with dozens of security cameras. The problem isn't in finding the building. The problem is in trying to get in.

"That has got to be the most heavily defended building in the whole complex," said Drew.

"So, how we get in?" asked Adam.

"Good question. I don't know," admitted Drew.

They stared at it for a little while longer.

"There's no guarantee that the building is abandoned," cautioned Adam. "We may end up being shot by the occupants, mistaking us for the monsters,"

"I don't think so,” said Drew, "If there are any occupants, they'd have contacted us by now."

"Makes sense." said Bob. Bob is a humongous soldier, bigger, taller, and stronger than many other. His presence is towering among others. If anybody would claim leadership for the group, he would have been an obvious candidate as no one would be able to withstand him. Yet, he kept quiet most of the time.

Kevin was fiddling with his equipment. "No radio scans that I can find. That building is abandoned, all right."

"So, it's safe to go in?" asked Adam.

"Not necessarily,” said Drew. "It may have automatic sentry weapon system, programmed to shoot at anything that moves."

"Oh, right. They may have that," admitted Adam.

They stared at the building some more.

"Doesn't look like it," concluded Drew. "The question is: how do we know for sure?"

They are at impasse. Finally, someone suggested that Danny be volunteered for the duty.

Danny, who wised up and kept quiet so far, began to protest in earnest. Drew sat down to think for a while. Finally, she decided.

She started to strip her gear. Adam looked in alarm. "What are you doing?" asked Adam.
"I'm going in there." said Drew.

"You could get shot." said Adam.

"I want you to identify all possible pop-up turret locations and aim your weapons there. Shoot it before it shoots me." said Drew.

Adam looked uncomfortable, nevertheless, he proceeded to identify such places and assigning the spots to various crews. "No guarantee I got them all," said Adam.

"Bob," said Drew, "get the grenade launcher. You'll be my back up shooter. Shoot any pop-up turret that they miss."

"Yes, ma'am." Bob said. He was surprisingly well-mannered for such a big guy. He could've taken the rest of the crew single-handedly. Drew was intrigued, but decided to worry about it later. There won't be any need to do so if she got shredded by pop-up turret while doing recon.

With trepidation, Drew walked in deliberately. Step by step, she carefully treaded the path. A sound of whirring noise can be heard. A whooshing sound can be heard, indicating a grenade being launched. Drew dropped to the ground, tucked in. She hope her armor will protect her. Explosion, then silence.

Drew looked up. It was a surveillance camera, not a gun turret. She drew her breath. The crew wasn't taking any chances. It pleased her.

Finally, she got into the front door. She breathed a sigh of relief. Then she found out that the door was locked. She motioned the rest to join her.

"The door's locked." said Drew.

Bob responded by kicking the door down. He smiled. "Ladies first," he motioned Drew to come in.

Drew nodded and motioned the others to come in. "Recon by fire." Drew donned her gear once more before coming in, following others' lead.

Adam hollered with delight. "There's the head comm. I bet we'll find surveillance monitors there." He was right. The bank of monitors showed the whole compound.

Kevin dove right in, patching in the terminal. He was at it with glee. Drew noticed the same radio link interface that she had for the shuttle. Finally, Kevin held his sensor with joy. "I can now see anything that these cameras can see."

"That's good, Kevin," said Drew. "Why don't you find out where the armory is, so that we can get some weapons?"

"No need for him to do that," said Adam. "The armory building is by the command center. It's that last building right there!"

Everybody was getting excited. Now they're getting somewhere.

"Well, let's get a move on then." said Drew.

CHAPTER 12: BEWARE THE POWER OF BOB!

The armory building is actually storage housing for various equipment. Fuel, radios, armor, and other gears can be found there. Although it was mostly stripped, there was enough left over for the guys to start equipping themselves with all manners of gear. The one section everybody is itching to get into, though, is at the back end of the building: The weapon section.

Kevin was fiddling with the electronic lock. He ran his scanners to the interface. Numbers can be seen flashing through the display. At length, he shouts in triumph, "Aha! I got it now!"

"No, you don't, Kev." said Adam, "the door is still closed."

"Oh, no. I wasn't talking about opening the door," said Kevin.

"Isn't that why we're here?" asked Drew.

"I was talking about _unlocking_ the door." said Kevin.

"So, it's unlocked, now?"

"Not yet. Give me a couple minutes. I just managed to crack the code," said Kevin. Drew watched Kevin work with interest. What can she say? She is an engineer, after all.

Adam just rolled up his eyes, looking at the pair of nerds who excitedly look at a bunch of meaningless numbers. He had other interest in mind. Oh, yes. He knew that there is a high likelihood that a mini Gatling gun will be on the other side of the door, and he made up his mind that he's the one who's going to get it. He rubbed his hands in anticipation.

Unknown to Adam, though, Bob had seen his expression, and a strange smile crept up Bob's expression. Then Bob did what Bob usually do: blend into the background.

"Got it!" Kevin was very excited. Drew connected the cables to the keypad. Kevin punched a button. More numbers are displayed on screen. Certain numbers began to lock. Two seconds later, all the numbers are frozen. Drew pushed a button, and the door opens.

"Yee haa! Let's get to it!" Before Drew can say anything, the guys stampede down the room. Kevin just laughed. Drew just stood there bewildered. Finally, she ran after the guys. Kevin merely put out his gear. With all his electronic toys, he has no need for additional weapons, other than what he already carries.

The guys just ransacked the room. Various weapons were grabbed and discarded as new, better weapons are found. Adam was on a mission. He scanned various storage lockers for that elusive Gatling gun. At length, he found it. It was under some kind of desk. He grabbed it just as Bob got to it. They put the box on the desk. Bob opened the box. A beautiful, brand-spanking new mini Gatling gun with shoulder harness presented itself to the room. Everybody went quiet, admiring it.

"That is my gun," said Adam, smiling.

"That is _my_ gun," said Bob, smiling.

"No, Bob. That is MY gun," said Adam.

"Finders keepers, and I found it first," said Bob, still smiling.

"I found it first." said Adam.

"I found it first." said Bob.

Adam stared angrily at Bob. "I found it first, and it is MY gun!"

"I found it first, and it is my gun," Bob kept calm.

"Don't make me hurt you, Bob. I found it first, and it is my gun!" said Adam.

"You want to fight for it?" asked Bob, still smiling.

"Don't you dare! You're asking for it." said Adam.

"It's up to you," said smiling Bob.

"I warn you! Where I come from, I'm the best there is!" said Adam.

"I'm the best there is, right here and now," said smiling Bob.

"Alright, mister, you're asking for it!" Adam started to roll his sleeve up. Bob did likewise.

"Hey, are you guys fighting?" asked somebody.

Bob and Adam bumped their fists together. "Hey, everybody! It's a fiiiiiiiiiiiiight!"

Everybody got excited and started to surround both combatants. Bob and Adam bumped their fist a second time.

"What? What? A fight?" Drew was at the back of the room, surveying various rifles. "No fight! Hey guys, don't fight!" Her pleas were drowned by excited whoopers by the guys. Bob and Adam bumped their fists a third and final time. The fight is on! Drew tried to get through to break up the fight, but somebody roughly shoved her down to the floor. She was splayed over helplessly down on the floor while the fight started.

Bob and Adam both slide their palm to each other, curled up, and engaged. One good yank, and they're ready. Adam's thumb stood proud, and so is Bob's. Then Adam started venturing out. Bob tried to pin Adam's thumb with his, but was frustrated. Adam's thumb kept slipping away. Bob's smile faded rather quickly as he now understood how he had under estimated his opponent. Adam was joyful.

Adam kept toying with Bob, and become more and more confident. He laid a trap for Bob. Bob took it. Adam gleefully trapped Bob's thumb under his. Bob was shocked, both by the fact that he was tricked by Adam, and the surprising force of this thumb. Adam was very excited.

"Ha1 I got you, Bob. Didn't I say I was the best?" said Adam.

Bob tried to move his thumb out. He couldn't do it. Adam was too strong. Bob grunted, but it was no used. Finally, in desperation, Bob shouted at the top of his lungs, a kiai of some sort, and channeled all his energy to his thumb. Bob's thumb slipped out of Adam's. Bob sighed in relief. Adam looked surprised and disappointed.

Both fighters began anew. This time, Bob got the upper hand. He kept bumping and hitting Adam's thumb, instead of trying to pin it down. Adam grew frustrated and started to tire. His thumb was sore. Bob managed to pin Adam's thumb. Adam. He struggle mightily, but his effort was cut short as Bob crushed Adam's thumb.

"Ow! Ow! Oooooow! Adam cried, "I give up! Bob! Stop it! I give up!"

Bob smiled. The fight was over. He reached over to the Gatling gun and shoulder it. The guys dispersed, revealing Drew, who just stood there eyeing the fighters. Adam looked disappointed. Bob was ecstatic.

"Never underestimate the power of Bob," he said.

"Bob? Bob?" Drew was dumbfounded. "The power of ... Bob?"

Time: 62 minutes
Words: 1922.

Author’s Note: “Haha, ‘Never underestimate the power of Bob’. How do I come up with this stuff?”