the hotel than most of the employees. He taught me how to fix all the major systems, and set traps to eradicate the vermin that plagued our hotel. He was the last human I spoke to until these losers showed up.
“How many are left?” I asked.
“Ten, including one on the roof by the light combat helicopter. My sensors detected an additional signature, but it seems to have been an anomaly,” Dvarium reported.
“What model is that?”
“Unknown. It appears to be a variant of the AH-64 Apache helicopter.”
“Can you access its systems?”
“Only the navigational systems. The weapons systems are encrypted.”
“How long until you crack the code?”
“Seven days, unless we get lucky.”
I tapped my fingers on the keyboard, staring at the guard circling the sleek, black helicopter. “Why so long?”
“Someone compromised it first.”
“What?”
“Relax. Its weapons system aren’t useful unless the helicopter is an appreciable distance from the target.”
“What about the weapons themselves? Can any of the bombs be detonated while the helicopter is stationary?”
The computer did not immediately respond.
“Dvarium?” I raised my voice.
“One moment, please…yes, the system has a self-destruct function that detonates the entire payload.”
Unbelievable. A ticking time bomb parked right overhead. “Lose the guard,” I commanded.
“Affirmative.”
A burst of light streaked across the screen, puncturing the guard’s chest and snapping him in two.
“Couldn’t you have used a smaller gun?” I asked.
“It was more humane this way,” the computer replied.
“You could have hit the helicopter.”
“Worry about your own aim, Valis.”
I’d forgotten how much of a prick Dvarium could be. With an IQ more than a hundred times my own, I was more like a heckler at a comedy club, and the guy with the microphone always wins. “Initialize systems and take off. Get away from the hotel. Once you’re out of range, shut the bird down. Can you do this?”
“Affirmative,” said Dvarium.
Suddenly the blades of the helicopter began to turn. The chopper lifted off, and veered away.
“Dispatching drones,” Dvarium said a few moments later.
“What are you doing?” I watched three silver orbs trail after it and scatter.
“Left rail, center missile. Engaged. Firing.”
“Jam its guidance system!” I screamed.
“I can’t. Incoming.”
The hellfire missile streaked towards the screen. At the last moment it collided with one of the drones, fell into the street and exploded, flaying legions of unsuspecting zombies. The helicopter continued firing at will, tearing up the city with its twin Gatling guns and blowing up a grocery store in the process.
“The subject is now out of range. Shutting down all systems,” said the computer.
“Good work, Dvarium. Hide her well.”
“I have a special place for her downtown.”
“Aaaaaah!!!” A man screamed. I cycled through the cameras, but couldn’t locate him.
“Dvarium, indentify the source.” A smile crept on my face.
“It’s your boyfriend, General Vax. Hotel lobby,” the computer replied.
“Is he intact?”
“Same asshole, one less testicle.”
“Infected?”
“Isn’t everyone?”
The general stumbled around, firing into the front desk. “Come out, you bitch!”
“Band 3812.6 active. Acquiring radio transmission. Decrypting,” said Dvarium.
“Everything all right? I heard gunfire, sir,” the soldier’s nervous voice came over the speaker system.
“Get everyone down here, now!” Leon ripped out his earpiece and tossed it across the lobby. He staggered into the lounge and continued firing.
“Dvarium, do something before he tears the place apart.”
“Just talk to him.”
“What?”
“Talk to him,” the computer repeated.
I leaned forward, marveling at the fury of the wild beast before me. “Manners, general. You’ll be fucked soon enough. How hard depends on you.” My voice echoed through every room in
“How many are left?” I asked.
“Ten, including one on the roof by the light combat helicopter. My sensors detected an additional signature, but it seems to have been an anomaly,” Dvarium reported.
“What model is that?”
“Unknown. It appears to be a variant of the AH-64 Apache helicopter.”
“Can you access its systems?”
“Only the navigational systems. The weapons systems are encrypted.”
“How long until you crack the code?”
“Seven days, unless we get lucky.”
I tapped my fingers on the keyboard, staring at the guard circling the sleek, black helicopter. “Why so long?”
“Someone compromised it first.”
“What?”
“Relax. Its weapons system aren’t useful unless the helicopter is an appreciable distance from the target.”
“What about the weapons themselves? Can any of the bombs be detonated while the helicopter is stationary?”
The computer did not immediately respond.
“Dvarium?” I raised my voice.
“One moment, please…yes, the system has a self-destruct function that detonates the entire payload.”
Unbelievable. A ticking time bomb parked right overhead. “Lose the guard,” I commanded.
“Affirmative.”
A burst of light streaked across the screen, puncturing the guard’s chest and snapping him in two.
“Couldn’t you have used a smaller gun?” I asked.
“It was more humane this way,” the computer replied.
“You could have hit the helicopter.”
“Worry about your own aim, Valis.”
I’d forgotten how much of a prick Dvarium could be. With an IQ more than a hundred times my own, I was more like a heckler at a comedy club, and the guy with the microphone always wins. “Initialize systems and take off. Get away from the hotel. Once you’re out of range, shut the bird down. Can you do this?”
“Affirmative,” said Dvarium.
Suddenly the blades of the helicopter began to turn. The chopper lifted off, and veered away.
“Dispatching drones,” Dvarium said a few moments later.
“What are you doing?” I watched three silver orbs trail after it and scatter.
“Left rail, center missile. Engaged. Firing.”
“Jam its guidance system!” I screamed.
“I can’t. Incoming.”
The hellfire missile streaked towards the screen. At the last moment it collided with one of the drones, fell into the street and exploded, flaying legions of unsuspecting zombies. The helicopter continued firing at will, tearing up the city with its twin Gatling guns and blowing up a grocery store in the process.
“The subject is now out of range. Shutting down all systems,” said the computer.
“Good work, Dvarium. Hide her well.”
“I have a special place for her downtown.”
“Aaaaaah!!!” A man screamed. I cycled through the cameras, but couldn’t locate him.
“Dvarium, indentify the source.” A smile crept on my face.
“It’s your boyfriend, General Vax. Hotel lobby,” the computer replied.
“Is he intact?”
“Same asshole, one less testicle.”
“Infected?”
“Isn’t everyone?”
The general stumbled around, firing into the front desk. “Come out, you bitch!”
“Band 3812.6 active. Acquiring radio transmission. Decrypting,” said Dvarium.
“Everything all right? I heard gunfire, sir,” the soldier’s nervous voice came over the speaker system.
“Get everyone down here, now!” Leon ripped out his earpiece and tossed it across the lobby. He staggered into the lounge and continued firing.
“Dvarium, do something before he tears the place apart.”
“Just talk to him.”
“What?”
“Talk to him,” the computer repeated.
I leaned forward, marveling at the fury of the wild beast before me. “Manners, general. You’ll be fucked soon enough. How hard depends on you.” My voice echoed through every room in
Similar Books
