The decision was a quick one, and Jones banged his cup on the table again to get their attention.
"We have agreed that there will be no clemency given for information," he said, and his voice carried easily through the quiet courtyard. "Robert7, for the crimes you have committed against the city and people of Auburn, you will hang by the neck until dead."
The crowd cheered. Jessica13 wondered if it was as loudly as they could have had she not tried to fight for Robert7's life, but it didn't matter. The end result would be the same.
Chapter Sixty
"Go, go, go!"
Hammerhand gestured for the last group to enter the elevator. It was one of the older models, the kind that most bunkers had already upgraded from. The knowledge told him that these tunnels to the City hadn't been used for a generation, maybe longer.
He stepped into it once everyone else was inside. There was barely enough room for the Excalibur. It wasn't the most practical of mechs to use in the close confines of the tunnels if there was any need to fight in them. The size of the mech would be a disadvantage, and he hoped that the only combat they would see was when they were already in the town.
Still, the shield would be there to block any shooting from ahead of them, which would allow them to push forward and deliver significant damage every time he needed to drop it to cool off.
It wasn't the worst position to be in, especially since they would catch the FEMA forces on the back foot.
The elevator thudded to a halt and Hammerhand was the first to step out. He hefted his weapon in one hand and raised the other down the fork of the tunnel they would not move down.
The Prophet wouldn't be able to see his gesture, but it was more for his own peace of mind.
"Good luck, my friend," his ally said over the comms. "I wanted to say before we go out of range in these damn tunnels that I trust you. I may not feel the same about our new allies, but my trust in you will never waver."
"You have earned my respect and my trust as well, Prophet. Now, let's finish this fight once and for all. I'll meet you on the other side."
"On the other side, my friend."
He pulled away from the fork without wasting another moment and his link with the Prophet soon garbled into static. The interference meant he wouldn't be able to stay in contact with the man who would coordinate the second prong of their assault, as Hammerhand would lead his Knights and the Auburnite rebels from the Gene Bank. The Prophet and his desert warriors would advance from the tunnels that started at the Hall of Ecologists.
Hopefully, he reminded himself but without anxiety. As anyone involved in any kind of combat could express, all plans went through the shitter when the battle started.
All he could hope for was that they could get out into the open where the Knights and the Desert Warriors would be able to fight in a position that was most beneficial to them.
Once again, the adrenaline pumped through his veins as he marched through the passages to where the rest of the Knights awaited him. It wasn't only his group, however.
"We were naive to think that peace could be sued for." Gustav15 connected through a private comm line.
"I never really believed they would go for something like that, but it was the hope that they would understand that their time of controlling this area is finished. This way, we can drive the point home and keep the bloodshed to a minimum."
"The fact that your aim is to keep the fighting to a minimum is the only reason that Nina2 is willing to work with you."
Hammerhand couldn't help a smile as the man in a blue, silver, and yellow-painted mech fell into step beside him. The other Gene Guards were waiting, already in formation and ready to march, and the Knights greeted them courteously.
His people weren't waiting for a speech. They had been in the fight with him for long enough to know what the stakes were and reminding them of it would only seem like him lording something over them. There was no point in it anymore.
He rested his weapon against his shoulder and motioned for them to move. They complied with no cheers, no excited shouts, and no war chants. They were already on the battlefield.
As they began the march, a familiar pit formed in his stomach like his body was preparing to be in combat once more. He steadied himself and made sure there were no jitters in his fingers or muscles, nothing twitching, and nothing unsettled.
He was ready for the fight.
They continued to move through the labyrinth and the temperature dropped steadily with every step. His flight suit would protect him from the cold that seeped in through the mech, and it meant that there would be no need to vent the coolant systems until they arrived somewhere warmer.
"I guess this is where they keep everything cold?" Hammerhand asked aloud and not to anyone in particular.
"The Gene Bank extends for kilometers beyond the bunker itself," Gustav15 explained. He was a little surprised that the commlink had been kept open but chose not to question the lord captain. "The amount of energy needed to keep it all cool was impossible based on the tech of the time, and we couldn't have put it all through once the battles in the skies were finished. But they found a way to pull power in from the hot water lakes hundreds of kilometers deep and generated enough energy to keep the City and the bunkers powered without needing to use nuclear reactors, although they used those too. It was considered folly back in the day, but
