The Catalyst
The motorcycles were designed with two things in mind: speed, and precision. When you rode on one, you became a part of your bike. You were it's chrome, it's engine, it's fuel and it's balance. That's what Valkyrie always believed and always taught any recruit brave enough to saddle one of their beasts. Running to and fro, or running into the middle of a battle, it wasn't you riding, it was you running. When you were fused to your bike, when it became a part of you, then you were a Highwayman. Valkyrie loved nothing more than this sensation of being one with the Raven, her bike, a vital piece of her. Her engine's sound was loud, but the helmets muffled the roar thankfully. A beep to her comm broke Valkyrie's attention from the wide, dying infrastructure they were crossing long enough to answer.
-I read you, go ahead!-
-You feel a little uneasy about this Val? This package needs urgent delivery close to the Gate.-
-You wanna cancel?-
-No. Just, feelin' uneasy, that's all sug.-
-Haw! You're always uneasy Bitty!- Whyr's voice cut into the feed as they zigged and zagged across the crumbling asphalt.
-For good reason! Someone's gotta be the cool head with your hot ones!-
A dip, a bounce, and they were offroading. The dust kicked up, the rising clouds of it were Val's only indicators of the positions of her group. They kept a wide berth around White Rabbit, and the cargo she was packing. Eyes peeled for any signs of Bots, Hounds, or Interceptors looking for a loot snag. Too many of the latter recently, too many for Val's liking. And if whatever package this was was that valuable, she felt better if she helped with Defence for once. The East Gate wasn't as well covered as she liked, a little too open. Easy enough for any opportunistic gangs like the Kingsmen or the Amazons to come in and try for an easy loot.
-Looking good so far.-
-Don't jinx it idiot!- Gears snapped, on Val's far right. -The last time you said that Whyr we were being tailed by two scavengers! You know how long it took for Getaway to make us more sticky bombs?-
-Hah, it was fun though wasn't it?-
-Focus.- Val chided as they passed by the last bit of cover, making it into the East Gate area. -We're going in.-
-Yes ma'am.-
Valkyrie smiled beneath her mask. Whyr just absolutely loved to tease her when they were in more precarious situations, didn't they? Now out in the open, Val couldn't ease the tension growing in her stomach. Moving targets for anything bigger to come along, that's what it felt like. They made it to the designated area, surrounded by nothing save for some old road signs and smaller chunks of building rubble. The gate, two kilometers north of their current position, hummed faintly in the dimness. They slowed when they saw nobody was out there; no transports, no Dealers, nothing. Something felt highly off.
-Maybe they're late?- Ever optimistic, that was White Rabbit.
-... I don't like this.- Gears said as he stopped. -Something's up.-
-Whatcha thinkin' Val?-
- I-- -
Shots suddenly ignited the tense landscape! -DRONES!-
Val's heart sank. -Everyone move!-
Engines revved, they split up, Val cursing under her breath. It was a fucking set up! Kane got wise to their movements! -Helter Skelter!- She barked the order.
-We're too far apart!-
-Fall in!-
Val turned on a dime and headed towards Whyr, but a line of fire forced her to skid and bend out of the way! Shit, she'd have to take care of the drones first. Finding the nearest ramp-like piece of rubble, she veered towards it, revving her engine as she made a wide U around it, lining up. The Drones followed, slower but they were relentless and there were more than usual. Kane's trying to up the numbers huh? Too bad, so sad. Time to show him how bad at his job he is! She gunned it, bee lining for the jump and got ready. Her front tire lifted off, and she pulled out her laser pistol. When the bottom tire lifted, she raised her gun to the optic of the closest one. Bye bye fucker! She shot, it went straight for the optic and-
It bounced off.
What the-?!
She steadied herself as she hit the ground, still rolling and weaving to avoid shots that were grazing her legs. Holy fuck, how was that possible? -Everyone on guard! These are new ones! Try dive bombs!-
Val veered again, going from the left this time, wincing as a shot hit a little too close to her ankle. Dammit, these things were good! They had to have some kind of weak spot though, they had to. There was no way Kane developed something like this in the few weeks since his last attempt at a raid! She went for the jump, this time grabbing one of the cherry bombs that were attached to Raven, hitting the detonator. It beeped, she threw it right for the undercarriage of the drone and hit the ground as it exploded. She drove a few meters, turned and- holy shit no, why didn't that work?
-Fuck! Turrets aren't working on these things!-
-Sticky bombs aren't either! What are these fuckers made o- -
There was a bang and Valkyrie turned her gaze away to see Gears hit the ground! -Hold on!- She went for him as he sat up, thankfully unharmed but surrounded. Another bang, White Rabbit had wiped out about twenty yards. -Fuck! Talia!-
-I'm okay! I- oh fuck!-
-Whyr help fend Talia!-
-Right! Hold on Bitty, papa's comin' for ya!- The blue bike shot by, Jaybird heading in to help the Courier. That left Val to help Gears long enough for him to get back on Shawshank so they could GTFO.
He was about a hundred yards away, open ground, no cover to duck under. She'd have to try though. Revving her engine, Valkyrie went for Gears, who was firing at the drones surrounding him in a futile effort. Then the cables emerged. Long ones, wrapping around his neck and wrists, lifting him up-! "NO!" Val yelled, pulling out her gun again, firing rapidly in hopes that one shot would make a dent, please make a dent, do something dammit, please! The swarm of drones was big, really big and they were only getting bigger! Fuck, where were they all coming from?! A scream from Rabbit's direction, Val couldn't look, she had to prioritize, focus, focus-
She didn't see the Drone on her right side, in her blind spot, make a shot that hit the ground in front of her. Her wheel hit it and she took a spill, hard. Val rolled on the ground, her helmet and padding protecting her from the fall but still knocking her about like a kicked ball. She skidded to a halt, skinned raw from road rash and partially dazed from the impact. She groaned, her visor cracked and the comm link shorting out.
-*kkssss* Val, babe hold*kkkssss*-
Raven. Valkyrie had to get back to Raven, her bike, she had to ride or she'd die! She tried. She began to army crawl, gritting her teeth as her knee throbbed in agony. She was not dying here, not today goddammit. She was saving her friends. They were getting out, getting away from this close shave. They had to! Who else was going to protect Motorcity? Who-?
A cable snagged her wrist and tightly. Val screamed in fear and anger, trying to tug it free but it held firm. Another went around her waist, her other wrist and she was jerked from the ground, hung like a carcass in a slaughter house on a chain as she was lifted high above! No, no this couldn't be happening nonononono! She heard Whyr screaming her name down below as they flew away, headed for the East Gate- no the vents above it. That's how they got in! Terror filled her. This was planned. Kane set this up. He knew. He fucking knew!! Below, she heard revving and dropped her head to see Whyr gunning it after them on Jaybird. They were going after them, still being pursued and shot at by the Drones. There was skidding, then a flash of red and a loud *BOOM* as a shot hit one of the bombs strapped to Jaybird!
Whyr crashed, and Whyr crashed and burned. Valkyrie knew she was screaming, but she couldn't recognize her own words, only that she was mouthing Whyr's name over, and over, and over as she was hoisted through the open vent and into the black. That was the last she saw of the partner, the love of her life: ablaze, not moving on the ground, arm going through the laser beam of the East Gate.
"Somebody give me a fucking answer!" Cyclone barked as he pushed through the crowd of Highwaymen outside of their base. "The Hell happened! Where's Valkyrie, where's Whyr and where the hell is my wife?"
"S- sir. We- we found-" Axe gulped, the man looking absolutely terrified despite the sunglasses blocking his eyes.
"What? What did you find? Spit it out dammit!"
Axe didn't. Instead, he motioned to the four totalled bikes sitting in the parking lot of the Skylark Motel: Raven, Jaybird, Shawshank and Alice. All of them were banged up, Jaybird was absolutely wrecked and burnt. Worst of all, there were no sign of the drivers.
"They found Whyr, they're- they're not doing good. Getting treated now but they're not gonna make it. That's what it looks like."
"And Val? Gears? Talia?"
"... I'm sorry sir. They- we couldn't find them. Just their bikes. Whyr said they were taken and that's all we-!"
Cyclone roared angrily and punched the wall. He didn't even feel his knuckles break.