Chapter 11: Fluorescent Adolescent
With Rook's body dug up and placed back on the sand, Maxwell quickly removed the ECHO from the corpse's belt and activated it. The screen flashed with a bluish light before displaying the stored items. Meanwhile, Benjamin, still breathing heavily from the effort, approached to observe.
"Let's see what we've got here," Maxwell muttered, his fingers working deftly to navigate the files. Meanwhile, Benjamin put Rook's body back in his tomb.
(Welcome back Alexander, wait a moment until your items are categorized.)
(...)
(1: Scorpion Turret x1
2: AR490 Glorious Havoc x1
3: 7.62x39mm 20-round box x10
4: 9x19mm 50-round box x3
5: MRE x5
…)
"Hmm... Glorious Havoc." Maxwell's eyes slowly drifted down, checking each item on the list before returning to the beginning, fixating on the icon of a gun with a fire symbol. Meanwhile, Benjamin seemed lost in memories of the man using the gun.
"This is Rook's favorite weapon, a fire element Atlas HMG. A capacity of 72 shots, you'll need a lot of strength to hold that gun." Benjamin comments, his eyes going unfocused.
"Fire?" Now that Maxwell thought about it, the Geneva Convention was a joke in Borderlands since almost every corporation creates and sells incendiary and toxic weapons, not to mention the countless heinous acts that are and will be committed by corporations.
It's no secret how Dahl treated his prisoners of war, forcing them to engage in dangerous mining operations on Pandora and leaving them to rot on the planet after failing to receive generous returns. Not to mention Heitor...
Hyperion would be following behind as he continues his excavations for Iridium and the Vault, and not stopping there, Hyperion carries out countless tests on the inhabitants of Pandora using Iridium. All this with the intention of awakening an ancient Eridian weapon to commit a huge genocide on Pandora.
Then there was Jakobs, Zombie Island was just the beginning of the countless biological experiments carried out by Jakobs. Even though the company was focused on making weapons with wooden finishes, that didn't stop Jakobs from trying to enter other fields. Jakobs' next victim would be Gehenna, and Maxwell was looking forward to visiting the planet soon.
"Max?" Benjamin shook Maxwell's shoulder as he saw the man lost in thought while looking at Havoc.
"It's nothing, just thinking about war crimes."
"What did you say?"
"I said we need to go and find a man called Dr. Ned. To get information about a claptrap unit, this man was responsible for the island's medical care."
"Right, but we'd better take a look at the Scorpion. There's not much 10mm ammo left, and I have to be honest it's a bad idea to rely on a gun that uses a caliber that's not as common as 10mm."
"The P2016 is just a stand-in, I was going to swap it for a revolver and an SMG, but I ran out of money at the time." Maxwell had plans to buy a B3 or Elite Wingman, both of which would destroy anything meaty in one shot, and a CAR as his primary, second favorite Titanfall weapon.
Removing the Scorpion Turret from its ECHO, the machine raises a cloud of sand as it falls to the ground after being fully digistructed.
*Bam*
The design was quite simple: a thick iron rod supported the entire unit, which consisted of a machine gun with a laser sight. It could operate in automatic or manual mode. It could receive attachments such as shields, ammunition replenishment, and a first aid station.
The Scorpion came with an SD that stored all the resources needed to make ammunition, as well as bandages and some metabolism syringes for emergencies.
Maxwell just wanted to use the Scorpion's forging functions, and with Benjamin's help, he made the machine produce more ammunition for his P2016 and rifles. The machine produced a little noise during manufacture, but there were no zombies in the vicinity.
Having obtained a decent amount of ammunition, Benjamin filled the magazines of his rifle and handed the P2016 over to Maxwell.
"Are you really going to use Rook's gun? No disrespect to you Max, but Rook was a mountain of muscle and you're skinny in comparison." Asks Benjamin when Maxwell doesn't pick up his rifle.
"It's my best choice, a fire gun will be a great help against the zombies." Maxwell knew that a weapon with a fire element caused more damage against the flesh, the effectiveness would be worth the effort. Turning his attention to checking the coordinates given by the claptrap on his ECHO, he would be paying a visit to Dr. Ned before leaving the island.
After a tiring walk along the sands of the beach to the east, they finally reached the docks. The sight was desolate —abandoned boats and house structures submerged in the seawater.
The infirmary was unmistakable, marked by the holographic badge in the shape of a cross that floated above the roof. Built of gray bricks adorned with green moss, the structure rested on the surface of the sea, supported by thick wooden logs. A rustic wooden bridge connected the cliffs of the beach to its welcoming entrance. The windows gave off an inviting orange glow and the chimney exhaled clouds of black smoke, signaling the presence of residents.
"Dr.Ned's bleeding heart infirmary. Better off red than… undead." Benjamin read the large sign, which was resting on a thick log that was lost in the depths of the sea. The last part caught Benjamin's attention.
Had the infection been spreading for so long on the island? It seemed that Jakobs kept things well under wraps, hoping to sweep things under the carpet afterward. After all, an incident like this could jeopardize the value of his shares. Experiments using humans were commonplace, but that didn't mean that investors liked them, as they could be the next guinea pigs, a not-at-all-pleasant thought.
"Ben, do you see that?" Maxwell asked in a whisper, pointing to the sky.
Benjamin looked up, his expression hardening.
"Rakks," he said, recognizing the creatures. "They're fast and attack in swarms. We need to be careful. Better to cross the area without attracting too much attention."
"We have no cover, I'm surprised we haven't been noticed yet. Besides, we've already made a mess back there, it's wrong, but we're going to do it anyway because I love a bit of trouble." Maxwell says as he pulls Havoc out of Rook's ECHO and starts filling the gun's magazine.
"You're getting too confident, Max, it seems that the Pandora air is finally driving you crazy. And it was you who messed things up back there, we could have followed the forest path, but you want to insist on acting like a teenager."
"But I am a teenager." Maxwell wasn't lying, he was twenty before he was reincarnated.
"You're not, I've seen your ID, Max."
"My soul is... *pfff* hahaha." Maxwell can't resist and ends up laughing, Benjamin would never understand what he was saying.
Benjamin just rolls his eyes, not expecting his companion to have a Peter Pan syndrome.
'If I'm attacked by one of these, does the secondary mission of not getting bitten count as a failure?' Maxwell thinks, watching the zombified Rakks with his magnified vision. The creatures, once inhabitants of Pandora's skies, were now transformed into grotesque monsters, with chunks of rotting flesh dangling from their wings.
There were three at the entrance to the infirmary, busy devouring a rotting corpse. Most were busy flying above the building.
Finishing the tedious task of putting 72 bullets into the magazine, Maxwell cocked the gun and aimed. His level in Trigger Discipline couldn't help much with the weight of the gun, which made his aim wobble a bit, but that only meant missing a few shots.
Maxwell holds his breath, Benjamin does the same as he notices his companion's preparation and raises his Atlas rifle, praying inwardly that all the Rakks are dead before they empty their magazines.
*BRRRRRRRRT*
"OH SHIT! HOT! HOT! HOT!" Maxwell's cry of surprise was completely drowned out. He had expected such a vicious recoil from the gun, but what he certainly hadn't expected was the intense heat when he fired.
*Trrrra* *trrrra* *trrrra*
*KYYYYA*
Benjamin didn't let up and fired controlled bursts at the Rakks on the ground, easily dispatching them and turning his attention to the Rakks that began flying towards them.
*Trrrra* *tic* *tic* *tic*
*BRRRRRRRRT*
Benjamin calmly made the change of runners, taking advantage of the suppression fire created by Maxwell's incessant bursts. He was inwardly impressed by Maxwell's strength to keep firing for so long.
In a matter of seconds, the Rakks were decimated without being able to cause any damage, a complete massacre.
After firing several bursts, the barrel of the Glorious Havoc glowed an intense crimson red, signaling the extreme heat generated by a fire element weapon. A snake of white smoke rose languidly from the end of the barrel.
"*Sigh* I'm starting to like the smell of gunpowder in the air after a gunfight." Maxwell inhales deeply with a tired smile. "But that smell of burnt flesh is new to me."
"You're starting to go mad. You're going to have to go through some psychiatric swabs when we get out of here." Benjamin comments, following Maxwell towards the infirmary, his shoulders slumped.
"Yeah, and it's not even a year since I entered this soldiering life. I should retire, how about starting a career as a singer?" Maxwell turns, casting a questioning glance at Benjamin. "What do you think?"
As they walk side by side, Benjamin replies with a resigned tone. "Whatever, if singing makes you feel better, then I recommend it."
"Right, *Ahem*, doooooo the bad thing, take off your wedding rin—"
"Shut up, what kind of fucking song are you singing Max?"
"Jealous of my fucking tuneful voice? Dude, I sing like an angel."
"You really... never mind, let's focus here."
Silence falls for a moment before Benjamin adds. "And as a doctor, I strongly advise against a singing career."
"Ooof." Maxwell replies with a feigned expression of pain.
Stopping in front of the door, Benjamin notices a piece of paper pinned up with the message: "Back in, never, minutes."
"What luck, the doctor isn't here."
"Let's check, on three, you and I will kick the door in."
"One! Two!"
"Or we could just knock on the door and see if anyone answers. Let's not scare the civilians."
*Knock* *knock*
"I don't think there's anyone."
*Knock*
*BOOOOM*
Maxwell didn't know what happened the next moment. One moment he was banging on the door and the next his body had been thrown through the air onto the beach, his body rolling in the sand until it lost speed.
A trail of blood had been left all along the way. A feeling of sleep came over Maxwell, his eyes beginning to close.
'Not this time bitch!!!' Biting his tongue, Maxwell felt his consciousness return. His trembling body began to rise, a strong tingling sensation.
Chapter 12: The Abominable Creature
(Warning! Shields down)
(Warning! Shields down)
(Warning! Shields down)
Ignoring the warning messages from his ECHO, Maxwell felt his head throbbing as he clutched the wound, a warm stream of blood snaking down his face. It drew a bright red line across his forehead, covering his left eye, making depth perception difficult. With a tremendous effort, he stood up, his limbs protesting with a dull ache that echoed through his weakened body.
He turned his gaze to the entrance of the infirmary, or rather what was left of it. The structure lay in ruins, its once grey walls now covered in red—splattered with blood and viscera in a grotesque mural of the aftermath of the explosion.
Maxwell's breath failed him as he watched the scene, an icy fear seeping into his heart.
"Ben..." he muttered, the name stuck in his throat as he imagined his mate caught in the explosion.
With each heavy step toward the infirmary, his eyes traveled wildly over every inch of the scene. The sea in front of him was a chaotic tangle of debris and gentle waves caused by the explosion.
And then he saw Benjamin, floating among the wreckage, he seemed conscious as he was clinging to a board.
Maxwell's advance came to an abrupt halt as an imposing shadow emerged from the twisted wreckage of the infirmary entrance. His blood ran cold at the sight of the colossal figure, a monster he knew all too well.
"Tankenstein." he cursed softly, recognition shining in his eyes. This was one of the opponents he had hoped never to confront.
Standing over two meters tall, Tankenstein was a terrifying sight. His grey body was poorly stitched together in several places. Even its mouth was sealed by crude stitches, silencing any attempt at human speech. Instead, it emitted low, guttural grunts. Its eyes, devoid of iris or pupil, were milky spheres that regarded the world with inhuman coldness.
A massive bolt ran through his head from one side to the other. He wore only the torn remains of trousers that had seen better days, and a solitary boot adorned one foot while the other remained grotesquely exposed. His naked torso was marked by wounds caused by the thick iron chains that adorned it. The chains creaked and twitched with the monster's every move as if even they struggled to contain the brute strength Tankenstein possessed.
The monstrosity seemed to have heard his whisper, and with supernatural force, it ripped a yellow barrel from his back. The monster's veins pulsed and leaped fiercely, standing out against his grey skin as he pulled his arm back, preparing to throw the projectile.
Maxwell's hair stood on end, remembering the explosion that had happened a few moments ago. His shield had absorbed most of the impact and was now exhausted; if he took a direct hit it would be the end of him.
*Vhoooosh*
The sound of the barrel tearing through the air was the only noise in the room, and it flew straight at Maxwell, his eyes widening as the smell of death flooded his senses. But instead of retreating, he advanced as he realized the trajectory.
With an agile leap, he launched himself upwards, spinning his body in the air. Time seemed to drag on, each second stretching into eternity as he watched the barrel whizz by beneath him, so close he could touch it.
As he landed, Maxwell rolled along the ground, dissipating the force of his fall. But he took advantage of it to get to his feet, and his movements were well-executed thanks to his high level of dexterity.
*BOOOM*
The barrel's resounding explosion echoed across the beach, a violent shockwave that threw stone and sand in all directions. Maxwell felt the impact reverberate in his bones as a gale of debris whipped his hair and obscured his vision.
Tankenstein, realizing that his attack had failed, let out a menacing grunt. With heavy footsteps that made the earth tremble, the monster advanced toward Maxwell, determined to finish what he had started.
In a moment of rising panic, Maxwell's hands frantically searched his body for his trusty weapon, Glorious Havoc. His heart sank as the reality hit him like a punch in the gut; the previous explosion had knocked the weapon out of his grasp.
Abandoning his search for Glorious Havoc, his hands instinctively moved to the trusty P2016 at his waist. With the weapon in hand, he quickly positioned himself, aiming with lethal precision.
*Bang* *bang* *bang* *bang* *bang* *bang*
Maxwell focussed on Tankenstein's head. The shots cut through the air, sinking in and getting stuck in the monster's face. The sound of the shots was a rhythmic counterpoint to the monster's heavy march.
*Bang* *bang* *click* *click*
The sound of gunfire ceased abruptly, replaced by the telltale click of an empty magazine. Without wasting a second, Maxwell ejected the magazine, not bothering to put it away as he dropped it in the sand. With practiced movements, he inserted a new one, his finger a blur as he squeezed the trigger.
The Tankenstein, furious at the shots that were like irritating stings in his face, accelerated his advance. With a guttural roar, he raised his gigantic fist and launched it towards Maxwell with crushing force.
Maxwell, anticipating the telegraphed attack, rolled to the side at the last moment. Tankenstein's fist hit the ground where Maxwell had been standing seconds ago, the force of the impact creating a crater and throwing sand and debris into the air.
Taking advantage of the opening, Maxwell, still kneeling from the roll, resumed firing without hesitation. The bullets penetrated Tankenstein's back, each one sinking into the monster's grey, stitched flesh.
*ROOAR!!!*
"Damn it, I'm only provoking more anger in him!" Maxwell realized, as the P2016 in his hand shook. The projectiles barely penetrated Tankenstein's thick skin, seeming more to irritate him than to hurt him.
*Vhooosh*
With a sudden movement, Tankenstein spun around, his massive arm slicing through the air behind Maxwell. Anticipating the blow, Maxwell crouched down, feeling the wind of the arm pass over his head. He tried to back away, but a gigantic hand grabbed his foot.
"Oh shit!"
As if he were a toy in the hands of a child, Tankenstein spun Maxwell round in the air and flung him away.
*Bam*
Maxwell collided with the log supporting the infirmary sign with such force that the wood cracked and broke under the impact. His body didn't stop there; it continued flying until it hit the infirmary's brick wall with a sickening thud, where it finally came to a halt.
"AH AAHH ARGH! *Cof* *cof* *cof*" The air was expelled from Maxwell's lungs in a violent cough. A metallic taste filled his mouth as he spat out blood and a piece of something, he fervently hoped it wasn't anything vital.
Maxwell's conscience heaved, fighting against the darkness that threatened to engulf him. His eyes blinked stubbornly; he knew he wouldn't wake up again if he closed them. An intense itch invaded his body - the nanites were working desperately to repair it, but it would take time.
When he felt a cold twinge, Maxwell's sleepy eyes widened. Lowering his head, he saw a syringe piercing his chest. Focusing on his gaze, he recognized Benjamin beside him.
"Was I long?" Benjamin emerged, panting, his uniform stained with the bright red of blood.
"Look what I found at the bottom of the water."
Benjamin places Glorious Havoc next to Maxwell, who immediately recognizes it. His body acts instinctively when he sees his only hope of getting out of the confrontation alive and he grabs it firmly, cocking it and aiming, where Tankenstein was already diving.
"HA AHAHAH HAHAH!." Throwing away all discipline, Maxwell pulls the trigger and holds it tight, his maniacal laughter quickly being silenced by the roar of gunfire.
*BBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT*
Glorious Havoc spat out bullet casings in a frenzy, which fell to the ground like rain. The powerful projectiles tore Tankenstein apart, quickly dismantling the abomination into an unrecognizable mass of burnt flesh.
*TIK* *TIK* *TIK*
The gun emptied, but Maxwell's finger remained frozen on the trigger. Benjamin intervened, removing the gun from Maxwell's trembling hands.
"You know, that thing died in the first few shots," Benjamin sighed, standing up with an effort and limping towards the infirmary in search of medical supplies.
Maxwell leaned his head against the cold, damp wall, indifferent to the moss that clung to his hair. He closed his eyes briefly, feeling the nanites working efficiently in his body.
"I just wanted to make sure," muttered Maxwell, more to himself than to anyone else.
…
"Hey, Max, I found an ECHO recorder." Benjamin announced as he returned, some bandages covering his body. In his hand was a device that resembled an ECHO.
ECHO recorders are portable audio recording devices with various controls visible on the unit, they have a more compact design than an ECHO. In the game, they served lore and mission delivery purposes.
"Should b— ughhh ahh." Maxwell stood up quickly but froze as his spine ached like a bitch. Breathing deeply, Maxwell speaks between painful breaths, a suspicion forming in his mind about Ned's whereabouts. "It must be some recording that Dr Ned left. Come on, what are you waiting for? Switch it on!"
Pressing the button to start the recording, they both fall silent when Dr Ned's supposedly static-laden voice sounds from the device.
("I think someone must have arrived on the island; yesterday I could have sworn I saw some figures on the beach and today I woke up startled by the sounds of gunfire. It's not the first time I've heard these sounds; I remember the turrets left in the workers' apartment complex to defend the place. I'll be heading back to my house at Hallow's End, as I'm afraid these new visitors won't be prudent and could disrupt my plans.")
The recording stopped abruptly, leaving the serene sound of the sea waves.
"Let's go to Hallow's End."
"Why do you want to go after this Dr Ned, Max, we almost died here and we don't even know if this Ned knows how to get out of here, maybe he's in the same situation as us."
"We already have a way out. Claptrap said there was a Fast Travel on the island, I sent him to check it was working."
"Fast Travel, what are you talking about? The Fast Travel Network on Pandora was disabled by the bandit Mad Mel, Atlas was going to send soldiers to re-establish the connections later." Benjamin's eyebrows jumped, and his friend was hiding information. "If you knew there was a way out, why do you still want to go after Ned?"
"..." Maxwell's face wrinkled, he had forgotten that point.
"*Sigh*" Maxwell gives up wanting to keep secrets and speaks his mind. "I'll be honest with you, Ben. I want samples of the virus, I have plans to sell them to some company."
"Are you mad? Can you imagine a virus like that loose in the Metroplex?" Benjamin's incredulity quickly turned to fury and he punched Maxwell in the face.
[END: 42>43]
Maxwell remained motionless, accepting the blow as a deserved judgment. Deep down he knew he was being selfish and greedy. He could still destroy the samples and complete the second mission, but he wouldn't make any money from it.
"If it's money you need, I can lend it to you. You don't have to risk your life for it." He shook his hand with a grimace; punching Maxwell was like hitting concrete.
"No need, I'll have to stick to my original plan. " Maxwell tried not to laugh at Benjamin, his status was finally reaching the limit, but it would be foolish to increase his G in such a hostile environment. "It'll be more work, but it'll earn me a quick buck, maybe even a hot girlfriend..."
"Now, let's go to Hallow's End."
"MAX!"
"Wow wow don't hit me!" Maxwell raised his hands in surrender. "Let's destroy the samples and talk to Ned. We need to make sure no one uses the virus and find another way out of here."
Benjamin's eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Come on, Ben. Do you REALLY think I'd do something so insane?"
"Yes," Benjamin replied dryly. "Changing your mind that quickly is suspicious."
"Ooof!" Maxwell dramatically clutches his heart. "Betrayal! I thought we were brothers, I was already including you in my plan for galactic domination."
"Galactic domination?!?!"
"Nah, my bad, I meant galactic karaoke supremacy."
"Let's go after Ned, you're starting to get delirious."
"Good idea."
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
164 Power
stone 
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