“No time. Can you locate the brains?” asked Jake.
Gottlieb zoomed in on the mega-Kaiju’s head. It bristled with bony spikes and crests that protected the skull. “Hostile’s central brain mass is heavily armored. Your weapons won’t be able to penetrate.”
Nate realized where Jake was going with this. “What about a secondary brain?” he asked.
Gottlieb worked the holo screen. Three areas lit up in the mega-Kaiju’s hindquarters near the monster’s tails.
“Hostile has three secondary brains. One for each component Kaiju,” said Gottlieb.
Gipsy Avenger flexed her arms and dashed through the city. FHOOM! Twin forearm plasma chain saws whipped out, courtesy of Obsidian Fury.
Gipsy kicked off from a building and soared into the air. She slashed the mega-Kaiju across the back!
The mega-Kaiju turned to attack Gipsy. But Saber Athena flipped over the behemoth and slashed it with her sword.
The mega-Kaiju raised a giant claw to smash Saber Athena, but then Bracer Phoenix attacked it from behind with missiles. Bracer threw his morning star hand. The spikes on the giant weapon rotated quickly and then smashed the mega-Kaiju in the face. The blow broke off one of its mandible tusks.
Amara and Jinhai retracted the morning star and leapt into the air to attack the mega-Kaiju’s secondary brains, which were inside the monster’s back. The mega-Kaiju spun around and swatted Bracer in midair, which sent the Jaeger flying.
The entire group strained in their conn-pods as they battled the mega-Kaiju.
Then it suddenly lashed out at Saber Athena, ripping both the Jaeger’s legs off. Saber tried to crawl away, but mega-Kaiju shot its double tail out like a scorpion and pinned the crippled Jaeger to the ground. Then, it tossed her aside.
Renata and Ryoichi grimaced in agony as the biofeedback of the Jaeger death surged through them.
But the distraction gave Gipsy an opening to strike deep into the beast with both plasma chain saws. Gipsy took out one of the secondary brains! The war room erupted in cheers.
The mega-Kaiju screeched as a section of its flank went dead. The strain from the deadweight tore apart the ripper sutures. The mechanical monsters tumbled to the ground—most were destroyed in the process. Jake’s plan was working!
“One down, two to go,” said Jake over the comms.
Suddenly, Gipsy Avenger was slammed backward as the mega-Kaiju snapped off one of her plasma chain saws. Gipsy flew across the city and went down hard.
Bracer Phoenix circled the mega-Kaiju. Amara and Jinhai pressed forward to attack while Vik viciously worked her rail gun.
“I can’t punch through!” said Vik.
On the display, Jinhai spotted a spire atop a neighboring building.
“Target that spire! I’m gonna try something!” said Jinhai.
Vik’s rail gun sheared the spire off the building. Bracer Phoenix ran, leapt, and caught the spire as it fell. Then it slammed the spire deep into the mega-Kaiju’s flesh.
Amara completed the move with a holographic spire. Another secondary brain faded out.
The mega-Kaiju bellowed. It whipped around and snatched Bracer Phoenix up in its jaws. The conn-pods started to break apart!
“All pilots, eject! Eject!” said Jinhai.
Amara, Jinhai, and Vik’s escape pods blasted free just as Bracer Phoenix was crushed between the mega-Kaiju’s jaws.
Amara’s escape pod smoked as it landed roughly on the ground. She managed to scramble out just before the mega-Kaiju thundered past and crushed the pod.
She turned to see Jinhai rushing up to her with a bloodied Vik.
The mega-Kaiju thundered toward Mount Fuji. Then out of nowhere, Gipsy Avenger appeared. The Jaeger jumped on the mega-Kaiju’s back.
The two wrestled. Then the mega-Kaiju got the upper hand. It rose, grabbed Gipsy, and dragged her across the pavement.
Gipsy fired her plasma cannon and blasted it at the beast. The mega-Kaiju roared in pain and anger and lashed out with its tail.
The tail slammed through Gipsy’s conn-pod. It tore up the back wall. Nate grunted in pain as the tail punctured his side.
“Nate! C’mon, stay with me, brother—” said Jake.
Nate tried to maintain control, but he lost consciousness.
Jules’s heart leapt into her throat as she viewed Nate’s fluctuating vital signs on her holo screen. “Warning. Neural handshake lost,” said the computer.
Jake grimaced as he suddenly absorbed the double neural load of piloting Gipsy solo.
The mega-Kaiju slammed Gipsy Avenger aside. Then, it roared in triumph.
“Yes! Oh! Get up from that, you pile of junk,” said Newt, watching.
Newt stiffened as the mega-Kaiju noticed him. The giant beast came face-to-face with the tiny human. Sniffed. Then turned away, lumbering toward Mount Fuji. Newt chuckled in relief.
“Bye!” he said.
“Shao? Is there anything you can do to help?” asked Gottlieb desperately.
“I need more time!” she replied.
“We don’t have any. If the hostile reaches Mount Fuji—” Gottlieb’s voice weakened.
Then Jake’s voice came over the comms! “Gipsy to Command,” he said. “I’m not going to let that happen.”
Jake strained to get Gipsy to her feet. His nose started to bleed from the neural strain of piloting the Jaeger alone. He was going to stop Raijin or die trying!
“Jake, you can’t operate Gipsy without a copilot,” said Gottlieb.
“Gipsy Avenger. This is Amara Namani. Stand by for assist!” said Amara over the comms.
Amara sprinted across the roof of a partially destroyed building. Gipsy Avenger staggered to one knee right beside the building, giving Jake a clear view of what Amara was about to attempt.
“Amara, don’t! You won’t make it!” he screamed.
“I’m gonna.” Amara sprinted to the edge.
“Don’t!” yelled Jake.
“Gonna!” said Amara.
She leapt off the roof, aiming for Gipsy Avenger’s head, but fell painfully short and plummeted toward the ground.
Gipsy Avenger whirled and just barely caught her in the palm of its massive hand. Gipsy Avenger raised Amara up to her ripped-open faceplate.
Amara scrambled into the conn-pod. Jake shot her a look that was half rebuke and half admiration.
“Told you,” said Jake.
“Since when do I listen?” asked Amara.
Nate grimaced. He was barely clinging to consciousness. “Amara . . . you’re up,” he said, smiling. Then, he winced in pain. Amara rushed to his side and initialized the ejection sequence.
“What are you doing?” Jake asked Nate.
“Getting out of the way,” Nate grimaced. “Glad it’s you.
