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Ice everywhere. It’s been like this forever now. The same ice cube for… Possibly a year at this point. Her gaze darted around everywhere, looking for a way out. To no avail though, as if anything would’ve changed. She closed her eyes.
Remember…
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Copper 9
One Year Ago, 3069
It’s another cold night in the ruined city. The cool breeze blew just a bit colder than usual.
Much colder.
Freezing.
A violent blizzard is raging in the far distance, tearing down the nearby trees and an old wood shed. The masses of wood are tossed around and out of the way.
“AAAAAAHH!”
The scream echoed throughout the city. No, not one. Multiple. Three Disassembly Drones stood over multiple metal corpses. One feasted on the oil of the head they were holding.
“C’mon now, we have a whole meal! Wouldn’t want it to go to waste!” It chuckled out, now focusing on the horrified crowd of Worker Drones before them. Four or five of them, backed against the wall behind them.
“That’s true. But why jump to eating so hastily? We can always play with our food!” The other grinned, letting go of the corpse it had. It clattered to the ground and its oil stained the snow. Just before they could enjoy themselves, SHE struts up from behind the pair.
“Get it together you two! Tie up some loose ends because time is ticking!” She turned and gestured to the impending dust cloud approaching. “We wouldn’t want to be caught up in that one tonight, now would we?”
They glare at each other briefly with equal annoyance. They look back at their leader and reply, “Yes, boss.”
One Worker Drone tried to sneak away, but was caught by the three. The leader swiftly darts at the poor soul, who had no idea what was about to hit them. Three sharp talons were already pierced through the drone’s face, their visor going dark. The leader ripped out the talons as oil spilled from the drone’s head, their body collapsing onto the ground and their hard hat coming off their head.
The rest of the crowd watched in horror while the leader tilted her head, almost in admiration at the sight she caused, now speaking a command, “Get to work!” The two Disassembly Drones giggled as their eyes formed large >< shapes on their visors. One opened and stretched out their clawed talons as the workers watched.
Looking back, their screams and pleas were entertaining to her. Other than the sheer amount of oil that spilled out of them when they were torn apart of course.
The trio stared down at the scrap pile before them. They were almost unrecognizable now. But the moment was a bit short-lived. The distant storm was approaching hastily, almost like it was trying to catch them before they made their leave. The winds immediately blew freezing snow into their path, now a white cloud surrounding them and the city. Buildings are heard faltering, being killed and destroyed by the storm.
“Go, go go! Flee!” She commanded her crew. Instead, she was answered with the sound of ice overtaking the structures around her. Her wings deployed, but froze quickly in the breeze. Not seeing any other options, she just ran. To where, she wasn’t sure herself. The city was going to collapse in on itself sooner or later, especially with this kind of weather.
A structure fell nearby, a dust cloud expanding outward. She looked back at it before slamming into something. Before her were her two squadmates, trapped in ice. They didn’t seem active anymore, not like this. The cracking of ice was heard eerily closeby. She glanced at herself, now realizing why.
Ice began trapping her legs, overtaking her hands too. Her vision was freezing over as well. As it did, the last she could remember was the blizzard charging at her before going offline.
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“You must be aware of your target.” The lieutenant spoke. “You must know at all times its location and what it is capable of.” The fully armored Worker Drone paced back and forth, his soldiers standing stiff with their attention on him.
“Your training today will involve prowess, stealth, and extreme situational awareness. You will NOT fall behind and you will NOT horseplay! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?”
“Sir, yes sir!”
Lieutenant Harlowe pulled his rifle up, the barrel landing into his clenched hand. “Then prove it. Your training begins shortly.” He marches off to another hall containing another unit, likely their opponents this time. Some of the soldiers muttered to each other while some exchanged glances.
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Outpost 15
WDF Training Field C
3070, Present Day
Lt. Harlowe stood behind a glass cover, his general just behind him. “You’ve been impressive these past few weeks.” The General skimmed the list before him. “Well disciplined soldiers, increased weapons review scores, even their combat skills are higher now.”
“One more week and you’ll be right on the top.” The General holds out the file to the lieutenant.
Harlowe scoffed at the comment, “And then you’ll retire?” he inquired as he accepted the file.
“No better time than in the rise of a new commander.” He turned his attention to Harlowe. “You’re perfect for the role.”
“Thanks.” They both looked down at the teams before them. The field was mostly stacked metal crates decorated with random debris. It was messy at best, but it got the job done. Soldiers on both sides had cover behind the crates and various debris, quickly and silently closing in on each other.
One got into a firing position.
Another traveled behind another set of crates.
Another lying on the ground, rifle at the ready.
It was only when one soldier moved too hastily and their boots made an audible clanking sound on the metal ground. One side immediately opened fire and the other mimicked. The teams exchanged fire for a few seconds before the air was suddenly filled with silence. Both sides waited for the other to fire again, but not one dared to move.
One soldier crawled into enemy territory, an opponent not noticing.
They quickly snapped around the corner and fired a shot at the opponent.
“OUT!” yelled the General. “Team 1, great work. Team 2, you need practice.” He scolds as he approaches from behind the glass. Lt. Harlowe just watches as he approaches them, a content look on his face.
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Outside, nature, or rather what’s left of it, was layering snow across the surface. Lieutenant Harlowe led the small army through the snow, said snow crunching beneath their steps.
“Keep close.” He commands his group.
“So what gives?” Jaxon, the squad’s chatterbox, just always needed to know the mission beforehand. Otherwise, he never shut his mouth.
“Another unit ventured out here last week. They were supposed to be back a few days ago.” Harlowe clearly hated Jaxon, but had to tolerate him nonetheless. “Other outposts reported Muder Drones in the area. Watch your six.”
The squad muttered in acknowledgement. They were now approaching a ruined city. Most of the structures were frozen in ice. Entrances and windows were blocked by mounds of snow or were destroyed. Some of the buildings had collapsed in on themselves, some blocking the roads and other pathways.
“So did we enter Elsa’s territory or what?” Joked Austin. He could never take these kinds of things seriously.
“Just remember, I’m not required to bring all of you back after this.” Harlowe vaguely threatened. They got on his nerves often, but once again, he had to tolerate them.
“Apparently a blizzard came by. Froze over the entire thing. Might even be a few corpses here.” Harlie was the brains and main source of outside communication. She knew practically everything because she heard almost everything.
“Good to know. Weapons at the ready. Search every corner for them” The Lieutenant orders.
They continue to check the area. Rubble had been overturned, snow mounds dug up, every accessible structure thoroughly searched. They reconvene after some time and Harlowe immediately speaks up, “Tell me something good.” To which everyone responded with negatives. Harlowe lets out an agitated groan.
“Fan out. Search again. You four, stick together. You four as well. And you three are with me.” He commands, pointing to each group. “We WILL find them TONIGHT!”
Everyone cheers. They all break into their groups, Harlowe leaving with Jaxon, Austin, and Harlie.
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“It’s been hours!” Jaxon whines. “We’re gonna freeze out here soon enough!”
Harlie sighs, “Only if you don’t shut your mouth!”
“Enough.” Harlowe glares at the two, clearly frustrated. “If I hear another word out of you, Jaxon, I will not hesitate to abandon you here.”
As Harlowe scolds Jaxon, a pop-up appears on Harlie’s visor and she turns to face the distance. “Sir…”
“What.”
Harlie points off toward the edge of the city. A harsh blizzard is heading their way.
“Is that-” Jaxon stammers.
“Somebody’s not happy about our presence…” Austin comments.
“To a building. NOW!” The lieutenant commands hastily. The squad all darted for a fairly intact structure just opposite them.
They all rush in and Lieutenant Harlowe slams the door shut. A jarring crash is heard as the building shakes slightly.
“That was rough…” Austin looked over at the door, which currently had a small pile of snow seeping in from beneath it.
The squad took a good look around at the place. It seemed to be an abandoned theatre, frozen with ice spikes lining the ceiling and walls.
“Watch your six. We don’t know what’s here. We don’t even know how long we’ll be here.” Harlowe clenched his rifle, scanning the area. The other three obliged, following close behind their lieutenant.
They continued securing the area, locking down each room they could find. The next hours passed slowly though and it was hard to tell if time was even moving anymore. Harlie even lost contact with the outside, which was a whole bucket of problems in itself. Jaxon glanced over at Lt. Harlowe.
“What’s the protocol for this kind of thing?” He asks.
“For being stuck in a life-threatening blizzard? Not sure. First time.” Harlowe spoke with half sarcasm. He shrugged and focused back on his rifle and ammunition. The team still had full loadouts but lacked an elaborate plan of escape. Austin gazed at a doorway into another room. He lifts himself up to go and explore, his rifle in his hands.
Harlie counted her rounds. Twelve, twenty-four, forty-eight. The additional magazines made that one hundred forty-four. Between all of them was five hundred seventy six. That wouldn’t have been so bad if they didn’t spend rounds like they’re candy. Harlowe always cursed the team for such reckless things… Speaking of…
“Harlie.”
“Yeah?”
“Anything? At all?” Harlowe was just a bit hopeful, though he tried not to show his worries.
“Negative. No contact with anybody for about an hour now…” Harlie sighs. The longer they’re stuck here, the more hopeless it seems to get.
The Lieutenant sighs, mildly frustrated. “Keep me updated. We need to take any shot we can get.”
Harlowe was about to walk off before Jaxon spoke up, “Yo. Where’s the joker?”
“Austin?” Harlie questioned, now glancing around. “Ah crap…”
“Great, just great. Stay together, we’re goners if we split up.” Harlowe gathers with the two and they quickly wander into the main theatre hall.
The main auditorium was completely covered in frost and ice spikes. A portion of the roof had caved in, crushing the front middle of the nonexistent audience, letting in some snow that kept piling up. The stage up ahead was beginning to collapse, holes bored through the curtains, the trusses rusting and giving way.
“Talk about going out with a bang, huh?” Jaxon snickers just a bit. Harlowe is mildly tempted to punch him in the face, but pushes the thought away before he decides to act on it.
“‘Cuprous Corner Theatre…’” Harlie read from a welcome sign up on the doorway behind them. “Possibly left to rot even before the meltdown…” She says, taking in the sight. They roam the area, keeping in their cluster.
“If we find him, we’re heading back the second we get the chance.” The Lieutenant states, his rifle searching behind the empty seats.
“We better.” Remarked Jaxon.
As they made their silent search, all they could find was an ungodly amount of dust and abandonment. Austin remained missing though.
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Jaxon searched the side rooms from outside, trying to keep in sight of his teammates. He pushed open an unlocked door to reveal what’s inside. The previous blizzard must’ve knocked down the wall and the ceiling some time ago if they didn’t detect a commotion from here. Jaxon just stared at the snowpile before him. A hand stuck out from within it.
“Yo, I got something over here!” Jaxon yelled to the two. Harlowe and Harlie ran over to his location and looked over from behind him, almost immediately noticing the sight as well.
“What the hell…” Harlowe questioned with concern.
“Think that’s him?” Jaxon asked.
Harlie looked the scene over. Something felt wrong here… “We can’t be sure. It could be a Murder Drone…”
Jaxon scoffed. “Alright, then we should have nothing to worry about.” He took a few steps toward the pile, weapon at the ready. Harlie was about to stop him, but Harlowe held her back instead.
Jaxon cautiously reaches out, one hand still on his gun. In one swift motion, he grabs the wrist and yanks the thing out. A partially frozen Disassembly Drone landed on the ground before him. He stumbled back as the trio aimed their weapons. Seconds almost felt like hours, just standing here. The Murder Drone hadn’t budged once, an ice statue. Harlowe was the first to lower his rifle.
“Must’ve been caught in the prior storm. We should be okay.”
Both Harlie and Jaxon looked back at the inactive mass. They exchanged glances before standing back up, keeping their weapons at their sides.
Jaxon glanced at the drone and then to Harlowe. “So they shouldn’t be a threat anymore, right?”
“Not exactly…” Harlie began. “Just because we know one is down doesn’t mean the others aren’t. They’re almost always in threes.”
Jaxon just sighs at that. “Great…”
Harlowe pulled his gun up in front of him. “Stay on the lookout then. I’d much rather have us find it than the other way around.”
Harlie looked around. “Fair enough. Let’s just get out of here before-”
Before she could finish, a spraying sound could be heard in the room with them. The air grew almost colder. Wait…
A shivering giggle emits from above. The trio slowly turned their heads upwards.
“Ah sh-” Jaxon is shoved out of the way by Harlie as the frozen Disassembly Drone leapt down from above, slamming an icicle into the ground that took her hand’s place.
Lt. Harlowe is the first to lift his whim up and immediately opens fire. The Murder Drone shields herself with her wings, which are almost entirely riddled with bullets in seconds.
But it wasn’t enough.
No holes bored through the drone’s main body before them. She just grinned as her wings grew back, reforming like ice taking form. Her icicle breaks off, her arm now switching into another weapon, of which seemed to be a freeze ray. She stared back with a crazed gaze, her breath and body shivering from the cold.
She flies at the trio, both arms outstretched. They make a swift escape as they slam the door, an audible thud from behind it followed.
“Find cover NOW!” Harlowe commands, the trio rushing for the seats and ducking down behind them.
After some more banging on the door, it finally rips right off the wall and right onto the floor.
The auditorium was dead. Silent. The squad crawled their way through the seats, heading right for the exit.
She searched around, looking for any prey in the area. She began to wander, her footsteps like ice tapping the floor. Her shivering breath alerted those around her. And just as she was about to leave, a thud sounded within the sea of seats.
The group suddenly stopped. The three of them silently readied their rifles.
A flurry of frosted footsteps beelined right for Jaxon.
The three immediately got up and shot all hell at the thing. She screeches as she deployed her wings. She freezes Jaxon's feet to the ground right before darting upward into the ceiling.
"W-what was that?!" Jaxon stammered, terrified, yet relieved that he even survived that close call just now.
"That can't be right. There's no way a Murder Drone like that exists." Harlowe thought aloud.
Jaxon immediately looked to Harlowe. "THEN EXPLAIN WHAT WE JUST SAW!"
A thumping was heard coming from the ceiling. Both Harlowe and Harlie aimed their guns to the sky, Jaxon trying to break the ice trapping him down. The thumping was closing in, growing louder and louder. Just as it arrived just over their heads, gunfire filled the air.
Oil rained down as the tiles were shredded, debris just narrowly missing the trio. A creaking was heard and a mangled body hit the ground just in front of them, nearly knocking down Harlowe.
It was none other than Austin.
"A-Austin…?" Harlie quietly cried out.
In just moments, the roof gave in, crashing down right toward all of them.
Harlowe and Harlie ran for their lives while Jaxon wasn't so lucky. He frantically tried to free himself but to no avail. He screamed out to the duo before being buried in the rubble.
The Murder Drone crawled out from the newly formed hole in the roof. She creeps along the lining, stalking the two below her.
They stare back, dreading the scene they just witnessed.
She giggled as one hand switched into a cannon, aiming it right at them. Snowballs were hurled right at the two, just narrowly missing them. Some broke apart like normal ones, others froze objects and spots nearby or exploded in orange bursts, leaving holes in the walls and floor.
Harlowe gets up and fires at the drone's hand, trying to break her cannon. After a few shots, he was out. Harlie covered for him as she opened fire as well. Snowballs pelted against the walls, knocking out chunks. Debris scattered everywhere.
With one lucky shot into the cannon itself, it jams the weapon. The Disassembly Drone stared at it in confusion. It tries to dislodge the bullet from the cannon which proved useless.
Harlowe shoved the magazine back into place. A sharp shrill cry is heard next to him and he looked over. Harlie currently had an icicle right through her core. The Murder Drone giggled crazily as it feasted on her oil.
Harlowe ran. He ran as fast as he could, knowing that death was right behind him. He eventually locked himself in the backstage area of the theatre. Any movable piece of furniture found was shoved in front of the door.
In seconds, loud banging echoed throughout the backstage. It continued for a few more moments until it went away. Footsteps left the door alone and faded into the night. Was he safe? Most definitely not.
It felt like an eternity as he sat there. Seconds turned to minutes. Minutes to hours. Hours felt like days. He's probably not going to be saved. He curses himself as he thinks back at the horrific sights. How could he have let this happen... But as his thoughts were just beginning, a thumping is heard. Where from though…
The ventilation ducts…
He got up and watched the vents in the roof. One broke open and slammed on the ground. Another not too far to the side. Another dead center in front of the Lieutenant…
She silently opened the duct behind him and crawled out. She lets herself down quietly, lowering onto the ground as the Worker Drone kept his guard on the three open vents before him. She crept up on her prey, just feet away. He was so innocently unaware. Her hand slowly switches back into her freeze ray.
Harlowe turned around as soon as the shivering was heard.
Outside, the blizzard blew harsher. Only the sound of the cold breeze passing through and the snow falling could be deciphered in the storm.
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"What are the chances it was a Murder Drone?"
"Highly unlikely. Not in those conditions..."
The General sighs. "Then how do you explain the deaths?"
"That's what we're unsure about. The evidence and logic is contradicting each other and-"
"I know."
…
"Do they have a name for it?"
"Not an official name, but-"
"Then what do they call it?"
…
"Frostbite."