BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

1161  Planning the Assault (2)

"The battle against them will not be easy," Erik said. "These guys are powerful, and we are not sure about how many of them are at the Law Gate. There are some things to take into account, though."

"What?"

"Your warping ability lets you appear anywhere you can see," Erik said to Amber. "Combined with your corrosive gas..." He showed with the hologram how the gas clouds could be strategically placed. "You can cut off their escape routes and force them into killing zones."

"And I can warp to higher positions for better gas dispersal," Amber said. "Yes. But that's beside the point. In a battle, you can simply fight them and push them into positions where they can't avoid the corrosive gas. You spread it, kill them, and jump to the next Vindicator."

"But I'll need cover."

"That's my part," Emily said. "With Time Freeze, I can create windows of opportunity. When you warp into position, I can make sure you have the seconds you need to deploy the gas."

Erik smiled. "That somehow was what I had in mind. But Amber can actually escape whenever she needs to by warping. So, I would like for you to focus on killing the other Vindicators. I doubt they might be able to escape you while using Time Freeze. If even Monica had problems with you, there is no way a Vindicator can escape your bullets." "It makes sense. We will be able to take down their stronger fighters and avoid they end up on the Chimeric Demons."

"So, let me get this straight," Mira said. "Me, you, and Amber will have to fight them melee if we see them and use Amber's powers to kill them."

"Yes," Erik said. "I might be there, so I might be able to kill them without too much of your help, but if you ever find yourself alone, this should be the way to deal with them safely."

He paused.

"Avoid fighting melee against them, because they are likely stronger than you and for sure have more experience."

Then Erik expanded the display to show the entire battlefield. "The Chimaeric Demons have also prepared this..."

Erik continued, manipulating the hologram to show specific points throughout the underground network. "They've been placing charges at structural weak points, creating ammunition caches, and most importantly, storing bodies."

12:42

"Bodies?" Emily raised an eyebrow.

"From every battle we've fought. The clones have been transporting fallen soldiers here for months. When we attack, each clone will raise not just any undead but soldiers they've specifically chosen." The hologram displayed markers showing cached remains throughout the tunnel system.

"That's why you had them recover so many bodies after each battle," Amber realized. "You're building an army that's already in position."

"Precisely. But we will first attack with the weaker thaids and use the bodies later. Aside from that, the coordination between us needs to be perfect." Erik zoomed in on the central sectors. "The initial strike will come from outside, but that's just to occupy their regular forces and give us a chance inside. The real battle will be against their elite units, as I said. That will be when the Chimaeric Demons will join the real fight."

He turned to Emily. "You'll set up here." What Erik pointed at was a building at the edge of the Law Gate, but far enough from the walls to prevent them from seeing her. "Who chose that place?" Emily asked. It wasn't the best place in the surroundings. Emily could actually get much closer to the city center to have a better chance of killing her targets. However, that was undeniably the safest spot around.

"I did, why?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"It's not good," the woman said. "It's too far from the battle."

There was silence. "Erik, I know you are worried about me. In a melee, I'm not the strongest around here, but I have to remind you I trained all my life, like Amber did. I might be a sniper, that's true, but that doesn't mean I'm useless melee. Besides, I have the Time Freeze Brain crystal power now, so, if I'm in a pinch, I will just slow time down and run."

"She is right," Mira said. "Besides, you failed to address an important point. What about their barrier? Monica's forces had dozens of barrier masters and many barrier generator machines."

"Yes. Until now, I talked about what to do to deal with the Vindicators and where we might be able to find the Division commander, but that was just to address the most dangerous points of the entire ordeal."

"The plan goes like this: We use the tunnels to get into the middle of the city. Then Amber warps us inside so that we are able to get past the barrier. Once there, we must destroy the barrier, which means destroying the generators and killing the barrier masters. That way, the Chimaeric Demons will be able to flood the city. Once that is done, we will go search for the Vindicators and the Division Commander."

"If things are like this, I want to stay as close to you as possible; provide cover. You know… It will make our plan easier to carry."

"We'll do as you want, Emily. Where were you thinking of going?"

Emily then takes command of the holographic display. "These buildings will do." She pointed at some of them. "They are the highest around and are close to each other. I will be able to change positions often, and being in the middle of the fortress-like city, I will be able to get to something else if those places get destroyed."

"All right," Erik said, "I will let the Chimaeric Demons know."

"About the barrier masters," Mira said. "How were you thinking of taking them down?"

"Well, there are many ways, but I will let you decide on how to move. The only important thing is that you don't get spotted. The best thing would be for Amber to warp alone and use her corrosive gases. Barriers don't block oxygen, so there is no reason to think they block her brain crystal power. If this does not work, the best thing to do would be for Emily to kill a few of them, and then you and Amber kill the rest under Emily's cover. "

"So, let me get this right. We attack with the undead thaids, distract their forces, then we five, the fifth, I guess, being June, sneak in using Amber's powers, take the barrier masters out of the picture, destroy the generators, and let the army invade, and then we head to the Vindicators."

"Indeed," Erik said. "But I want to make this clear. It is unlikely I will be with you while you deal with the Vindicators. Someone has to ensure the planes are not destroyed and that the division commander doesn't kill everyone."

"It's a little bold," Mira said. "I don't know if I can do this... Besides, what use can June give us there? He is not strong enough for such a battlefield."