Order of Business Part 5 by Mark Anthony

The construction robot had just finished opening the last of the three vaults and had begun drilling through the basement floor of the vault chamber. What felt and sounded like a nuclear bomb exploding made Shiva uneasy as she turned looking back up the stairs hearing screams.

“Something’s wrong, those two fools are killing more hostages. Finish up Helix and get us out of here, “Shiva demanded.

“We’ll abandon them, they’re not worthy to behold the Dawn. If we’re lucky they’ll distract MetaCore long enough for us...”

“You won’t be that lucky.” Caliber said, leaning against a wall some distance away from the Helix robot. “You probably already know your rights, but I’ll inform you of them anyway. You have the right...”

Spinning without warning the construction robot let loose streams of plasma fire in Calibers direction. Kicking off the wall and leaping high into the air with agility that defy words, Caliber performed a somersault twisting in midair while taking aim at the armored construct. Emerald green veins appeared on his gauntlets that looked strangely like glowing circuitry. Then with a flash of green radiance he held a weapon mentally requested from an unseen arsenal. With two blinding burst of black energy from the weapon the robot’s arms disintegrated into nothingness as the plasma streams came to an abrupt end.

“Aaauugh,” the small mutant inside the suit screamed as it burst into flames around him.

With what felt like a large invisible fist ramming into his chest Caliber rushed backward toward the far wall of the room as he attempted to land. Once again he rotated in midair absorbing the impact of what would have broken his back with his legs, redirecting himself out of harms way.

“Global authorities frown upon the attempted murder of government agents,” Caliber explained landing on the ground as the antimatter weapon faded into thin air.

“You want be the first or the last t’die fool. Our kind will no longer be oppressed by your masters, lap dog!”

Shiva telekinetic abilities manifested once more as she moved to assist the short man crawling out of the burning armor. Caliber saw two large cobalt canisters moving toward him out of the corner of his eye as Shiva made a slight gesture with her hand. He made no real effort to evade them as the large canisters fell harmlessly at his side with a loud metallic clank.

“How did you know I was standing behind her Caliber,” Nuance asked, becoming visible while standing over Shiva’s’ unconscious body.

“I’ll tell you someday when you’re...”

Probe looking back over her shoulder could sense overwhelming alarm from inside the bank as she herded the last group of hostages toward Chief Galliard’s men. The deafening sound of splintering wood, cracking concert and bending steel filled the air as a brilliant flash of light consumed the bank. Quickly erecting a telekinetic force field over as many onlookers as possible, she watched large burning debris fall away harmlessly into the street.

(Monica! Jonathan! Odessa can you hear me?) Probe thought, calling out to them with her mind.

“We can hear you; stop screaming,” Nuance whispered, supporting Caliber as they materialized behind Probe. “Where’s Oblivion?”

“I...I don’t sense him telepathically. Ion give me a visual from your location?”

“I have nothing from here Patricia,” Ion said, hovering in the air slightly out of blast range. “ I’m moving in for a closer...wait. I have movement directly below me.”

With a thud the remains of the chard armor construct hit against the street in front of what was the Frostburg bank, being flung from the crater of the explosion. Shortly after, the silhouette of the MetaCore leader was unmistakable as he emerged from the crater amidst a large cloud of dust and rubble carrying the lifeless body of Mammoth over his shoulder.

“Anyone care to tell me what just happened,” Oblivion barked, kicking and tossing debris out of his way.

“Seems our friends committed suicide rather than be taken alive. That Helix armor was rigged to explode, which it obviously did. Didn’t notice until the last second...almost cost Monica and me our lives,” Caliber coughed, dusting himself off.

“I want a full report filed back at the Citadel Jonathan. Ion, prep for dust off and inform the morgue that we have a body in route. The local emergency teams should be able to handle things from here.”

Epilogue

“Five minutes and twenty-five seconds. I thought it would’ve lasted longer,” Artemis said, sipping his wine.

“They were mere armatures, milord. The robbery was designed to be unsuccessful. Even with the equipment you supplied them, they were never a match for a MetaCore unit.”

“I’m aware of that, but I’d planed to at least kill one MetaCore agent in this scenario. One would think terrorist would be able to produce a reasonable degree of terror,” Artemis pouted tossing his wineglass on the floor.

“The data assembled from their conflict will be very useful, Lord Artemis. The next test should yield more favorable results I think.”

“For your sake I hope it does. My clients pay me for results not excuses.” Artemis snarled glaring at the video monitors now showing the MetaCore transport lifting off.