Guardian Bravo, Saber Athena, and Bracer Phoenix rocketed down, backing Gipsy up.
Jake spoke into the comms: “Bracer Phoenix, on me. We’ll take Raijin. Saber Athena, Guardian Bravo, you take the other two.”
“Copy that,” said Suresh. “We were born to save the world.”
“On my mark. Three, two, one—mark!” said Nate.
Amara tightened with determination as they hurled into battle. The four Jaegers stormed down the empty streets toward the three Kaiju.
Saber was the fastest in the fleet and surged ahead. She whipped out plasma swords from her back and attacked Hakuja. Hakuja tried to counter, but Saber spin-kicked the Kaiju in the face, sending it crashing back!
Gipsy streaked past the fallen monster. She reared back her truck-sized fist and launched it at Raijin. Armored plates suddenly snapped closed around the Kaiju’s head, protecting it. Gipsy’s fist connected with the plates and WHOOM! The kinetic force from the hit was absorbed and transferred in a flash of energy to Raijin’s claws.
Raijin roared! Its superpowered claws raked across Gipsy and sent her flying back. Bracer ducked just as Gipsy sailed back overhead.
Gipsy crashed against the side of a building. Bracer continued on, firing missiles as she barreled toward Raijin. Raijin roared and backhanded Bracer, sending her sailing through a building.
In Guardian Bravo, Suresh and Ilya ran full tilt toward Shrikethorn, firing missiles. But Bracer Phoenix landed right in Guardian Bravo’s path. Guardian tumbled to the ground and skidded to a stop, his giant metal fist just bumping an abandoned car. Its alarm went off.
Gipsy started to rise, finally recovered from Raijin’s superpowered blow.
Gottlieb eyed Raijin’s data streaming across a holo display. “Gipsy! Raijin’s faceplates are absorbing your hits and throwing the energy back at you!” he said over the comms.
Jake and Nate regained their senses. “Let’s see it absorb this,” said Jake. He activated the gravity sling. The sling latched onto a building, and he yanked it down on top of Raijin. Raijin shook it off and kept coming!
Gipsy pulled another building down on Raijin. And another. And another. But the Kaiju was unstoppable! Jake and Nate strained with all their might to pull another building down on the unstoppable Raijin.
One street over, Hakuja recovered. The Kaiju tensed to pounce on Gipsy Avenger but WHAM! Saber Athena hit Hakuja with a flying knee, driving the Kaiju’s head into a building! Hakuja surged up and Saber attacked again, pummeling the beast.
Gipsy gravity-slung another building down on Raijin. The beast staggered, but it kept coming.
Guardian started to rise as Shrikethorn rounded the corner two streets away from Saber. Shrikethorn launched armored quills from its tail at Saber. The quills smashed into Saber, ripping at the Jaeger’s metal body.
Renata and Ryoichi grunted in pain as holographic quills smashed into them. Hakuja seized the distraction and leapt onto Saber, driving her back into a Kaiju museum. Renata and Ryoichi struggled to keep Hakuja’s snapping jaws from ripping them apart. Ryoichi spotted Shrikethorn on its way to help Hakuja.
“Shrikethorn inbound!” said Ryoichi.
“Hey guys! We could use a little help over here!” said Renata.
“Copy that!” said Amara.
Amara, Jinhai, and Vik rose inside Bracer. They had only just recovered from the hit they took from Raijin.
“Vik! Take out Shrikethorn!” said Amara.
“On it!” said Vik. The floor under her drift cradle opened and she dropped down into position behind mounted rail guns that swiveled 360 degrees around the Jaeger’s midsection. She opened fire on Shrikethorn!
Bracer’s rail guns tore into Shrikethorn. The Kaiju bellowed in pain and turned away from Saber and Hakuja to face Bracer.
Suresh and Ilya ran as fast as they could to help Saber.
“Saber Athena! Guardian Bravo coming to assist!” said Suresh.
“Activating arc whip!” said Ilya.
Power surged inside their conn-pod. Guardian Bravo unleashed an unbreakable graphene arc whip that crackled with energy! She leapt into the air.
Ilya and Suresh snapped the holographic whip in midair, and it slashed Hakuja across the back! Hakuja roared and let go of Saber.
Guardian landed, spun, and unleashed a devastating blow with the arc whip. Hakuja smashed through a building! The Kaiju bellowed angrily. Then, it burrowed into the ground.
“Yeah, that’s right! You better run!” said Suresh. Then looking at Ilya, “These things ain’t that tough!”
Gipsy, who was still pulling buildings down on Raijin, was knocked off-balance when Hakuja passed underground beneath her.
On the next street over, Bracer managed to drive Shrikethorn back with her rail guns.
Jake tensed as he spotted Hakuja’s designator on Gipsy’s screen. The Kaiju was moving underground toward Bracer Phoenix.
“Bracer, check your six! Hostile inbound!” said Jake into the comms.
“Copy that!” said Vik. She punched her holo screen, and her turret suddenly rotated and swiveled around to Bracer’s back just as Hakuja burst out of the ground behind them. Vik opened up with the rail gun, blasting Hakuja point-blank in the face. Vik hooted with adrenaline-pumping joy.
“Yeah! Get some!” she said gleefully.
Gipsy toppled another building onto Raijin with her gravity sling. Raijin shrieked this time, momentarily trapped. Gipsy took advantage and unleashed a barrage of plasma missiles at the Kaiju.
Saber stormed past and attacked Shrikethorn. Bracer continued blasting Hakuja with her rail guns. The Kaiju were on the ropes!
Drenched in sweat, with grease all over her, Shao eyed a holo screen. “They’re winning,” she said, in disbelief.
“That’s what we do,” said Gottlieb. “Most of the time.”
The holo screen flickered in the war room. The data from the battle was replaced by Newt speaking into his data pad’s camera from the Tokyo rooftop.
“Hey buddy. Moshi moshi,” said Newt.
“Newton,” exclaimed Gottlieb.
“So you finally figured out your little rockets. Good for you, Hermann,” said Newt.
“That’s not all we’ve figured out,” said Gottlieb.
“We know what you’re trying to do,” said Jules.
“It’s not him. It’s those things in his head,” said Gottlieb.
“Everybody has things in their head. Mine are just a lot more fun,” said Newt.
“I’ve been in your mind, too, Newton. You’re stronger than they know,” said Gottlieb.
Newt twitched, his real self trying to break through. “I couldn’t stop drifting with the Kaiju brain. I tried
