1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: [rock music] 2 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:57,260 Speaker 1: Mortal Steel, episode five. 3 00:00:57,300 --> 00:01:03,100 Speaker 1: [grass crunching] Fleabag pulled the wagon, but it kept getting 4 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: stuck on even the smallest cracks in the road. Why wouldn't one of the adults help? 5 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:13,420 Speaker 1: They were all afraid to get close probably. It's like they couldn't decide whether 6 00:01:13,460 --> 00:01:19,300 Speaker 1: they were in love or super scared. Maybe some are both, which was weird. 7 00:01:20,140 --> 00:01:26,020 Speaker 1: Adults were weird, especially Uncle Trey. He wore three pairs of socks 8 00:01:26,100 --> 00:01:32,100 Speaker 1: every day. Fleabag didn't even have one pair of socks. He hit another crack 9 00:01:32,140 --> 00:01:33,980 Speaker 1: in the road and the wagon moaned. 10 00:01:34,460 --> 00:01:37,420 Speaker 2: Ugh. Oh, you hitting those deliberately? 11 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:43,020 Speaker 1: Fleabag looked back at the huge lump covered by a blanket. For being a superhero, 12 00:01:43,340 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 1: sometimes Holy Man sure didn't act like it. Superheroes weren't supposed to complain 13 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: this much. Then again, Fleabag had never had his arms ripped off, so maybe it was 14 00:01:54,380 --> 00:01:55,660 Speaker 1: okay to complain a little. 15 00:01:56,100 --> 00:01:58,500 Speaker 3: It might be easier if someone helped me. 16 00:01:58,860 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: The adults all looked away or started walking faster. Some of the older ones rubbed 17 00:02:04,220 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: one finger around on their chest. Was that like a secret sign? The Holy 18 00:02:10,199 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: Man sign. That's what the head scary boy had called him right 19 00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 1: before he got dusted. Tough luck. Never call out a superhero if you're not ready to 20 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:27,780 Speaker 1: get dusted. Fleabag would remember that lesson. Even The Protector 21 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:33,820 Speaker 1: got dusted. Fleabag didn't think anyone could beat The Protector. Maybe he 22 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:39,580 Speaker 1: really could beat The King. Not without arms, though. It was a good thing he was 23 00:02:39,640 --> 00:02:42,860 Speaker 1: around. Every superhero needed a sidekick. 24 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 3: Hey, how did you get your superpowers? 25 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: Holy Man was quiet for a long time under the blanket, so Fleabag 26 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:59,100 Speaker 1: stopped walking. Maybe he fell asleep. Then all the adults stopped 27 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:00,080 Speaker 1: walking too. 28 00:03:00,660 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 2: Some women in black robes gave them to me. 29 00:03:04,620 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 3: Really? Do they have superpowers too? 30 00:03:08,860 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 2: No. They just read a lot of books. 31 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 3: What? That's lame. 32 00:03:17,100 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: Unless they were magic books. Now, that was a possibility. The Great 33 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:27,940 Speaker 1: Talisman got her powers from a magic book. He would know because he'd read every 34 00:03:28,060 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: Great Talisman comic book there was, except one, issue number 35 00:03:33,820 --> 00:03:39,700 Speaker 1: 34, the fight with Blue Goo. But he'd read number 35 where Blue 36 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:45,380 Speaker 1: Goo gets sucked into a bottle and trapped, so it wasn't that big of a deal. Still, 37 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: it would be cool to read it. 38 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,580 Speaker 2: Ugh. How much longer, Fleabag? 39 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 3: We're close. You gotta be quiet, okay? 40 00:03:54,480 --> 00:04:00,460 Speaker 1: There were guards up ahead where The King's territory, Paradise, started. They 41 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: would let anyone in during the daytime, but if you wanted to stay, you had to pay or 42 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,780 Speaker 1: join up with the scary boys. 43 00:04:08,380 --> 00:04:08,860 Speaker 2: Then why? 44 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 3: Because you can't fight until you get your powers back. If The King finds you, he 45 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 3: won't wait until you're strong. 46 00:04:17,620 --> 00:04:22,700 Speaker 1: That would be stupid. He knew the difference between comic books and real life. 47 00:04:23,980 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: In comic books, the bad guys always talked until the hero was ready to fight. The 48 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:35,300 Speaker 1: King wasn't like that. Real bad guys weren't like that. They just killed 49 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: you, like they killed Sub and Big Derrick and Nozzle 50 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:47,280 Speaker 1: and everyone else. Most of the time, they killed you just because they could, 51 00:04:48,260 --> 00:04:49,420 Speaker 1: just because you were there. 52 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: They turned a corner and Fleabag saw a ton of guards at the end of the street, a 53 00:04:55,980 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: scary boy too. At least the scary boys wouldn't kill you for no reason. He 54 00:05:01,820 --> 00:05:07,420 Speaker 1: glanced back at the wagon, but they might if they saw Holy Man here. 55 00:05:08,340 --> 00:05:13,600 Speaker 3: We're here, but there's like a butt load of bad guys blocking the way. 56 00:05:13,980 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 2: Can you find another way? 57 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 3: No. Oh, crap. They see me. 58 00:05:19,300 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 1: A few of the guards pointed at him. Fleabag froze. This was it. They were gonna pull 59 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: off that blanket and he was done for. No. No, he couldn't act like that. He 60 00:05:31,140 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: was a sidekick. He had to be smart, at least until he could find the magic women and 61 00:05:37,020 --> 00:05:41,540 Speaker 1: get his own powers. Fleabag looked at the adults gathered around him in a loose 62 00:05:41,620 --> 00:05:41,940 Speaker 1: circle. 63 00:05:42,340 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 3: Hey, you all want to be in a club, right? That means you have to help too. Go 64 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,160 Speaker 3: distract those guys so we can sneak past. 65 00:05:50,980 --> 00:05:55,940 Speaker 1: A man in a gray trench coat stepped closer to him, whispering so the guards who were 66 00:05:56,020 --> 00:06:01,888 Speaker 1: already talking to people wouldn't hear. Where do we meet after? Fleabag 67 00:06:01,968 --> 00:06:05,428 Speaker 1: rolled his eyes. Did he have to come up with everything? 68 00:06:06,048 --> 00:06:08,348 Speaker 3: He'll give a sermon at sundown. 69 00:06:08,748 --> 00:06:14,568 Speaker 1: That was his thing, right? It must be how he recharged his power. The man in the 70 00:06:14,628 --> 00:06:19,068 Speaker 1: coat nodded once, then fell to the ground screaming, rolling around and clutching at 71 00:06:19,108 --> 00:06:25,028 Speaker 1: his leg. It was a pretty good job. Nozzle would've been proud. No one could cry like 72 00:06:25,068 --> 00:06:30,748 Speaker 1: Nozzle. While the man howled, Fleabag snuck behind the group of people. They grouped 73 00:06:30,808 --> 00:06:36,048 Speaker 1: up to block the guards' view. Maybe they weren't useless after all. Fleabag strolled 74 00:06:36,128 --> 00:06:38,668 Speaker 1: right past the guards and into the shantytown. 75 00:06:40,288 --> 00:06:43,008 Speaker 1: A hand fell on his shoulder. 76 00:06:44,528 --> 00:06:49,628 Speaker 1: Where do you think you're going? The woman spun him around by the shoulder. She was 77 00:06:49,688 --> 00:06:55,388 Speaker 1: a Scary Boy, which never made much sense to him. Why shouldn't she be a Scary Girl? 78 00:06:56,468 --> 00:06:58,488 Speaker 1: Paradise is closed to outsiders right now. 79 00:06:59,228 --> 00:06:59,888 Speaker 3: I can pay. 80 00:07:00,568 --> 00:07:05,747 Speaker 1: Doesn't matter. She shoved him backward, and he fell against the wagon. What are you 81 00:07:05,827 --> 00:07:11,188 Speaker 1: hauling? Fleabag backed away slowly, palms sweating. What was he supposed to do? 82 00:07:11,408 --> 00:07:17,308 Speaker 1: What could he do? This wasn't some sewer dweller. She had demon blood. 83 00:07:17,948 --> 00:07:23,908 Speaker 1: The Scary Boy stared at the wagon and tilted her head. I know that smell. 84 00:07:24,888 --> 00:07:30,548 Speaker 1: She reached out a hand to pull the blanket off the wagon. If that happened ... A 85 00:07:30,668 --> 00:07:35,908 Speaker 1: man in a gray trench coat slammed into the Scary Boy and the two of them crashed to 86 00:07:35,948 --> 00:07:36,468 Speaker 1: the ground. [thudding] 87 00:07:36,468 --> 00:07:38,908 Speaker 2: It hurts. [groans] 88 00:07:38,968 --> 00:07:43,468 Speaker 1: Fleabag pulled the wagon as fast as he could, not daring to look back. He heard the 89 00:07:43,548 --> 00:07:47,768 Speaker 1: screaming, though. He raced into the shantytown and took a turn down an alley, then 90 00:07:47,828 --> 00:07:53,708 Speaker 1: another, and another. Then he squatted down and closed his ears so 91 00:07:53,748 --> 00:07:58,668 Speaker 1: he wouldn't have to hear the screams anymore. He cradled his legs and pressed his 92 00:07:58,728 --> 00:08:00,268 Speaker 1: back to the side of a building. 93 00:08:02,308 --> 00:08:06,988 Speaker 1: The lump in the wagon sat up [fabric rustling] and the blanket slipped off of Holy 94 00:08:07,048 --> 00:08:07,408 Speaker 1: Man. 95 00:08:07,668 --> 00:08:08,928 Speaker 3: They'll kill him for that. 96 00:08:09,568 --> 00:08:15,028 Speaker 1: Holy Man didn't correct him. He just looked sadly in the direction of the commotion. 97 00:08:16,128 --> 00:08:18,248 Speaker 1: Fleabag took his hands off his ears. 98 00:08:19,288 --> 00:08:21,688 Speaker 2: Not all heroes have powers, Fleabag. 99 00:08:22,748 --> 00:08:24,408 Speaker 3: The ones who survive do. 100 00:08:26,328 --> 00:08:30,388 Speaker 1: Fleabag wiped his eyes and stood up. Some sidekick he was. 101 00:08:30,508 --> 00:08:33,388 Speaker 3: [sniffs] I'm fine. We gotta go. 102 00:08:34,548 --> 00:08:39,208 Speaker 1: Then he grabbed the wagon's handle and hurried through the maze of buildings. 103 00:08:39,208 --> 00:08:46,588 Speaker 1: [gentle music] 104 00:08:46,608 --> 00:08:51,588 Speaker 1: [people chattering] Turn after turn, Ethan watched the dizzying journey through the 105 00:08:51,648 --> 00:08:57,408 Speaker 1: crowded shantytown from a lifted corner of his blanket. Makeshift homes of plywood, 106 00:08:57,668 --> 00:09:03,588 Speaker 1: plastic tarps, and even cardboard covered the sidewalks outside the original old LA 107 00:09:03,668 --> 00:09:09,388 Speaker 1: buildings. He was amazed at how many people were living here. It was 108 00:09:09,428 --> 00:09:13,968 Speaker 1: impossible to estimate without knowing the full size of the town, but from what he'd 109 00:09:14,028 --> 00:09:19,528 Speaker 1: seen already, it was more than a few thousand. What did they eat? How did they 110 00:09:19,548 --> 00:09:25,188 Speaker 1: defend themselves? He'd known that people still scraped by in the outskirts, but 111 00:09:25,228 --> 00:09:30,548 Speaker 1: this was nearly a civilization, which made it all the more disheartening. 112 00:09:32,128 --> 00:09:37,888 Speaker 1: This was the pinnacle of civilization, and it was pathetic. The 113 00:09:37,948 --> 00:09:43,308 Speaker 1: people were universally filthy and malnourished, and they all shared the same 114 00:09:43,608 --> 00:09:48,868 Speaker 1: frightful, distrusting demeanor, as if their neighbors in the cardboard house next 115 00:09:48,928 --> 00:09:52,528 Speaker 1: door might take their meager belongings at any moment. 116 00:09:54,108 --> 00:09:59,168 Speaker 1: Though a few people tried to haggle with Fleabag for his wagon, no one tried to take 117 00:09:59,208 --> 00:10:04,228 Speaker 1: it from him. Perhaps the low growl emanating from it may have helped discourage 118 00:10:04,288 --> 00:10:09,448 Speaker 1: them. The weaponsmith's workshop turned out to be in one of the solid old Los 119 00:10:09,568 --> 00:10:15,248 Speaker 1: Angeles buildings, a single-story brick building with bars over the windows. The 120 00:10:15,308 --> 00:10:17,868 Speaker 1: paint had long since peeled from the exterior. 121 00:10:17,868 --> 00:10:23,828 Speaker 1: [metal clanging] Ethan had a great view of the 122 00:10:23,868 --> 00:10:28,288 Speaker 1: dusty wood paneling on the front counter. He could hear men and women at work, 123 00:10:28,728 --> 00:10:34,708 Speaker 1: striking metal, the smell of ash in the air. Got some scrap? 124 00:10:35,148 --> 00:10:37,908 Speaker 3: Yeah. I wanna see Dumpit, though. 125 00:10:39,008 --> 00:10:41,428 Speaker 1: He's busy. You can deal with me. 126 00:10:41,908 --> 00:10:45,868 Speaker 3: It's militech, and I know where there's more. 127 00:10:45,988 --> 00:10:51,508 Speaker 1: [scoffs] Come on back if your story wears thin. 128 00:10:52,448 --> 00:10:57,028 Speaker 1: I'm taking this wagon. Fleabag wheeled the wagon through the building, most of which 129 00:10:57,068 --> 00:11:01,728 Speaker 1: had been torn apart to make space for the various workbenches and furnaces there. 130 00:11:02,548 --> 00:11:08,368 Speaker 1: People cut, hammered, and melted strips of metal. Whatever they were doing, they 131 00:11:08,388 --> 00:11:11,088 Speaker 1: were doing a lot of it. Here he is. 132 00:11:13,028 --> 00:11:14,888 Speaker 2: All right, let's see what we've got here. 133 00:11:15,588 --> 00:11:19,068 Speaker 1: The blanket was pulled off the wagon. [blanket rustling] Ethan looked up at an 134 00:11:19,128 --> 00:11:23,908 Speaker 1: impressively fat man, considering the state of the people he'd seen so far. 135 00:11:23,988 --> 00:11:27,308 Speaker 2: [whistles] Holy dog farts in heaven. 136 00:11:28,908 --> 00:11:29,148 Speaker 2: [footsteps] 137 00:11:29,228 --> 00:11:30,068 Speaker 3: Can you fix him? 138 00:11:31,068 --> 00:11:36,928 Speaker 2: Fix him? I'd shake your hand, but [laughs] you'd have to do all the work. It 139 00:11:37,308 --> 00:11:37,828 Speaker 2: talks. 140 00:11:38,568 --> 00:11:42,588 Speaker 3: This is Holy Man. He's a superhero. 141 00:11:43,188 --> 00:11:48,808 Speaker 1: Ethan didn't feel the need to disabuse Fleabag. It seemed like one thing too many to 142 00:11:48,868 --> 00:11:53,288 Speaker 1: take from the boy. He'd already seemed to have forgotten the violence from just a 143 00:11:53,348 --> 00:11:59,288 Speaker 1: few minutes ago. He was a resilient kid, resourceful too. Ethan 144 00:11:59,348 --> 00:12:01,808 Speaker 1: guessed you had to be to survive out here. 145 00:12:02,688 --> 00:12:07,208 Speaker 2: What are you? Pastor Ethan Cutter, Hail Mary prototype 146 00:12:08,336 --> 00:12:10,996 Speaker 1: Cyborg. And you? 147 00:12:11,936 --> 00:12:12,816 Speaker 2: Name's Dumpit. 148 00:12:13,836 --> 00:12:19,756 Speaker 1: The man's name was Dumpit? That did not bode well. 149 00:12:20,816 --> 00:12:25,256 Speaker 1: Dumpit hobbled over and gingerly picked up one of Ethan's severed arms out of the 150 00:12:25,316 --> 00:12:30,696 Speaker 1: wagon. He was missing a foot of his own, replaced with what looked like a fireplace 151 00:12:30,756 --> 00:12:34,456 Speaker 1: poker. Fleabag, are you sure there's no one else? 152 00:12:34,896 --> 00:12:39,976 Speaker 2: Hold on now. Duchin got one thing right. There ain't nothing I can't fix. 153 00:12:40,675 --> 00:12:45,036 Speaker 2: Usually my projects don't talk back, but I can make an exception. 154 00:12:46,096 --> 00:12:51,076 Speaker 1: Dumpit set the arm back in the wagon and put his hands on his wide hips. His stomach 155 00:12:51,156 --> 00:12:53,856 Speaker 1: sagged out from beneath a stained white T-shirt. 156 00:12:54,796 --> 00:12:58,456 Speaker 2: These are toast. So what, you want some chainsaw arms or something? 157 00:12:59,296 --> 00:13:04,216 Speaker 1: Ethan saw Fleabag put his hands on the side of his face and his mouth dropped open. 158 00:13:05,156 --> 00:13:06,396 Speaker 1: Can you do that? 159 00:13:07,156 --> 00:13:09,336 Speaker 2: Sure, I can give him a matching foot too. 160 00:13:10,276 --> 00:13:15,636 Speaker 1: Can't you just, you know, reattach them? Dumpit squinted one eye and rubbed his 161 00:13:15,716 --> 00:13:21,116 Speaker 1: chin. Then he squatted down to take a closer look, which seriously threatened the 162 00:13:21,176 --> 00:13:26,236 Speaker 1: integrity of his pants. Ethan's second mind ran the strain calculations. 163 00:13:27,576 --> 00:13:32,076 Speaker 1: He just let it do its thing. It only wanted to be helpful. 164 00:13:34,276 --> 00:13:40,016 Speaker 1: Tension forces exceed predicted pants tensile strength. Further investigation 165 00:13:40,076 --> 00:13:40,856 Speaker 1: recommended. 166 00:13:42,396 --> 00:13:48,316 Speaker 1: That was not going to happen. Dumpit picked up one of the arms. 167 00:13:49,156 --> 00:13:53,296 Speaker 2: Unlike the other one, this one has most of the socket joint intact. The wires and 168 00:13:53,336 --> 00:13:56,456 Speaker 2: tubes are cut pretty clean as well. I can make this work. 169 00:13:57,576 --> 00:14:02,796 Speaker 1: Maybe there was some hope after all. The man was so lost in the project of fixing 170 00:14:02,856 --> 00:14:07,356 Speaker 1: him that he hadn't even asked about payment. Perhaps the challenge was payment 171 00:14:07,416 --> 00:14:07,876 Speaker 1: enough. 172 00:14:08,796 --> 00:14:11,296 Speaker 2: So just one chainsaw arm then. 173 00:14:12,056 --> 00:14:16,636 Speaker 1: Ethan opened his mouth to answer, but the sound of a siren in the distance cut him 174 00:14:16,736 --> 00:14:21,876 Speaker 1: off. Fleabag seemed to shrink into the corner of the room reflexively. 175 00:14:22,816 --> 00:14:27,876 Speaker 1: Dumpit felt around at his hip for something, then stumbled over to his cheap wooden 176 00:14:27,956 --> 00:14:33,276 Speaker 1: desk with shaking hands. He pulled a sawn-off shotgun from the top drawer. 177 00:14:34,176 --> 00:14:34,836 Speaker 1: What is that? 178 00:14:35,736 --> 00:14:41,096 Speaker 2: Reed. Damn. First some lunatic guns down our boys, now this. 179 00:14:41,756 --> 00:14:45,336 Speaker 2: Sometimes I wonder if we missed the Rapture by a couple decades. 180 00:14:46,056 --> 00:14:50,056 Speaker 1: There was a commotion throughout the workshop. People raced around, donning 181 00:14:50,116 --> 00:14:56,056 Speaker 1: makeshift armor, lifting crude-looking weapons. Dumpit opened his office door to 182 00:14:56,156 --> 00:14:59,956 Speaker 1: join them, then looked down at Ethan in the wagon. 183 00:15:01,536 --> 00:15:02,976 Speaker 2: It's a shame you can't fight. 184 00:15:03,476 --> 00:15:09,376 Speaker 1: Ethan narrowed his eyes and lifted his chin toward Dumpit's false foot. How fast 185 00:15:09,416 --> 00:15:14,496 Speaker 1: can you give me one of those? Dumpit grinned a piano key grin. 186 00:15:14,496 --> 00:15:19,516 Speaker 2: [laughs] I think we're gonna get along just fine, Holy Man. 187 00:15:20,916 --> 00:15:24,696 Speaker 2: Now hold still so I can get this in straight. Don't want you stumbling around when 188 00:15:24,736 --> 00:15:26,496 Speaker 2: those crucifer bastards charge you. 189 00:15:27,156 --> 00:15:32,136 Speaker 1: A moment later, Ethan got to his feet, testing out his balance on the iron point of 190 00:15:32,176 --> 00:15:37,616 Speaker 1: his new foot. A new mod icon appeared in his HUD, The Foot 191 00:15:37,836 --> 00:15:42,216 Speaker 1: Skewer. Ethan flashed his own wild grin. 192 00:15:43,096 --> 00:15:45,176 Speaker 2: Looks like it's time to get medieval. 193 00:15:45,256 --> 00:15:52,356 Speaker 2: [rock music] 194 00:15:52,436 --> 00:15:55,836 Speaker 1: Part seven, Hail to the King. 195 00:15:57,816 --> 00:16:02,956 Speaker 1: Dumpit finished strapping the spear to the side of Holy Man. What a name that was. 196 00:16:03,496 --> 00:16:09,416 Speaker 1: Not that he was one to talk. He'd been born Randall Goodman. But Randall 197 00:16:09,576 --> 00:16:15,556 Speaker 1: Goodman died 30 years ago. Dumpit had survived though, and he was gonna 198 00:16:15,616 --> 00:16:21,416 Speaker 1: survive today too. Holy Man sneered with perfect white teeth. The dark 199 00:16:21,576 --> 00:16:27,455 Speaker 1: stubble of a beard framed his perfect, powerful chin. Like Dumpit, this man 200 00:16:27,476 --> 00:16:33,436 Speaker 1: had been remade, though he'd been made with much more patience, resources, and a 201 00:16:33,496 --> 00:16:39,436 Speaker 1: hell of a lot more technology. Old world tech. Not even. Comic book 202 00:16:39,516 --> 00:16:39,876 Speaker 1: tech. 203 00:16:41,156 --> 00:16:43,936 Speaker 2: Now, you're sure you don't want a chainsaw arm instead? 204 00:16:44,716 --> 00:16:46,716 Speaker 1: Why would I want a chainsaw arm? 205 00:16:47,316 --> 00:16:48,216 Speaker 2: Why would you not? 206 00:16:49,156 --> 00:16:53,356 Speaker 1: The sounds of fighting could be heard down the street. The Forge warriors were 207 00:16:53,496 --> 00:16:58,276 Speaker 1: streaming out to reinforce. Dumpit should already be out there, but this important 208 00:16:58,356 --> 00:17:04,036 Speaker 1: matter needed to be settled first. It's loud, unwieldy, and requires fuel, 209 00:17:04,436 --> 00:17:09,456 Speaker 1: and if the chain breaks, it becomes little more than a noisemaker. Dumpit shook his 210 00:17:09,536 --> 00:17:15,516 Speaker 1: head with deep disappointment. Some things you just couldn't teach. 211 00:17:16,836 --> 00:17:20,356 Speaker 2: Fine. Move around a little. Let's see if it holds. 212 00:17:21,416 --> 00:17:26,416 Speaker 1: Holy Man looked down at the sharpened rebar spear strapped to one shoulder, and then 213 00:17:26,476 --> 00:17:32,016 Speaker 1: at the sheet of metal duct taped to the other for a makeshift shield. Then he jumped 214 00:17:32,116 --> 00:17:37,236 Speaker 1: six feet straight up into the air. When he landed, the fireplace poker punched right 215 00:17:37,276 --> 00:17:41,516 Speaker 1: through the concrete floor. He pulled it free, scattering little bits of concrete 216 00:17:41,576 --> 00:17:47,296 Speaker 1: across the room. The makeshift weaponry held fast. Dumpit slapped the 217 00:17:47,396 --> 00:17:50,816 Speaker 1: sawn-off barrel into his open palm and laughed. 218 00:17:51,296 --> 00:17:53,816 Speaker 2: Boy, you are gonna tear him a new one. 219 00:17:54,976 --> 00:17:59,696 Speaker 1: Holy Man narrowed his eyes. I'll tear them three. 220 00:17:59,696 --> 00:18:04,456 Speaker 1: [laughs] And to think, this weapon just showed up on his doorstep. 221 00:18:05,056 --> 00:18:10,356 Speaker 1: Unbelievable fortune. Sometimes the Lost God still worked his miracles, 222 00:18:10,856 --> 00:18:16,456 Speaker 1: apparently Hell, Dumpit might even say a prayer or two if he lived. That seemed like 223 00:18:16,496 --> 00:18:21,116 Speaker 1: a fair trade. As he walked out of the forge, he shielded his face from the burning 224 00:18:21,276 --> 00:18:24,596 Speaker 1: sun and squinted one eye up at the pale blue sky. 225 00:18:25,036 --> 00:18:29,176 Speaker 2: You hear that, big guy? Time to start making yourself useful. 226 00:18:35,196 --> 00:18:40,936 Speaker 1: Ethan stepped out of the forge to find a defensive line of Crucifer acolytes, nine 227 00:18:41,196 --> 00:18:46,776 Speaker 1: sweating, bloody young men. Bodies from both sides already lay on the dusty, 228 00:18:46,896 --> 00:18:51,936 Speaker 1: broken asphalt between them. Ethan could hear more sounds of fighting on the next 229 00:18:51,956 --> 00:18:57,336 Speaker 1: street over. It was impossible to tell how big the raid party was, which he supposed 230 00:18:57,416 --> 00:19:02,196 Speaker 1: was probably the point. Dumpit looked over his shoulder and hissed at Ethan. 231 00:19:02,676 --> 00:19:04,536 Speaker 2: Let's circle back around and make a sandwich. 232 00:19:05,936 --> 00:19:10,776 Speaker 1: The man was already overweight in a place where that was a crime against humanity. 233 00:19:11,316 --> 00:19:15,016 Speaker 2: You sure it's a good time for that? Get them from behind, I mean. 234 00:19:15,916 --> 00:19:21,236 Speaker 1: Both the sandwich and the attack were immediately off the table, however, because 235 00:19:21,276 --> 00:19:26,176 Speaker 1: the fighting from the next street stopped and another group of raiders turned the 236 00:19:26,256 --> 00:19:31,856 Speaker 1: corner behind them. 11 more Crucifer acolytes and 237 00:19:32,056 --> 00:19:33,576 Speaker 1: one grafted. 238 00:19:34,536 --> 00:19:36,896 Speaker 2: Ah, pig feathers. Now we're screwed. 239 00:19:37,896 --> 00:19:43,016 Speaker 1: The two groups of raiders boxed them in. Ethan jabbed a spear at one of them. The 240 00:19:43,096 --> 00:19:47,776 Speaker 1: man must have thought it was a feint because he died with a cocky smile still on his 241 00:19:47,876 --> 00:19:53,616 Speaker 1: face. Their advance halted there. The six uninjured forge workers, Dumpit, 242 00:19:53,956 --> 00:19:59,956 Speaker 1: and Ethan pressed against each other back to back. Wait, where 243 00:20:00,036 --> 00:20:01,216 Speaker 1: was Fleabag? 244 00:20:04,036 --> 00:20:09,196 Speaker 1: Pastor Cutter smashed into the line of smirking acolytes with his makeshift plate 245 00:20:09,296 --> 00:20:15,136 Speaker 1: iron shield. They scattered before him, allowing the rampaging cyborg 246 00:20:15,176 --> 00:20:16,196 Speaker 1: through the line. 247 00:20:17,156 --> 00:20:17,956 Speaker 2: Where's the boy? 248 00:20:18,756 --> 00:20:20,816 Speaker 1: His second mind pinged him. 249 00:20:21,735 --> 00:20:22,296 Speaker 2: Overclock. 250 00:20:23,516 --> 00:20:29,076 Speaker 1: Time crawled nearly to a stop while he reviewed 10 seconds of footage caught from 251 00:20:29,136 --> 00:20:34,856 Speaker 1: his peripheral vision just moments before. Five women in rags 252 00:20:34,936 --> 00:20:40,776 Speaker 1: pulled a young boy from the forge building. He was kicking and screaming, 253 00:20:42,116 --> 00:20:43,256 Speaker 1: screaming for Ethan. 254 00:20:44,236 --> 00:20:46,056 Speaker 2: Why didn't you tell me sooner? 255 00:20:46,836 --> 00:20:52,576 Speaker 1: His second mind did not respond. It didn't operate on emotion like his human 256 00:20:52,636 --> 00:20:58,456 Speaker 1: mind. He was lucky a computer even considered notifying him at all. It 257 00:20:58,516 --> 00:21:04,456 Speaker 1: wasn't part of his mission. In all actuality, he had no 258 00:21:04,536 --> 00:21:09,796 Speaker 1: reason to care for the boy at all. He was one such soul among 259 00:21:09,876 --> 00:21:15,796 Speaker 1: thousands like him, children of war. Why was this one any 260 00:21:15,876 --> 00:21:21,156 Speaker 1: different? His second mind could not answer that question, 261 00:21:21,796 --> 00:21:27,556 Speaker 1: but his first mind didn't even care. It mattered that he 262 00:21:27,756 --> 00:21:33,596 Speaker 1: lived. It mattered that he was okay. He replayed the 263 00:21:33,656 --> 00:21:39,196 Speaker 1: footage one more time, freezing on a frame where Fleabag reached out one 264 00:21:39,276 --> 00:21:44,776 Speaker 1: last time before he went out of sight, mouthing the word, 265 00:21:44,776 --> 00:21:47,696 Speaker 1: "Please." 266 00:21:56,096 --> 00:22:00,556 Speaker 1: He released the overclock and rammed his spear through the sides of three acolytes, 267 00:22:00,956 --> 00:22:06,776 Speaker 1: but he didn't stop running. He pushed until the entire line of soldiers on one side 268 00:22:06,836 --> 00:22:12,376 Speaker 1: was either skewered on his spear, trampled beneath their combined mass, or knocked 269 00:22:12,436 --> 00:22:13,136 Speaker 1: aside. 270 00:22:18,956 --> 00:22:24,516 Speaker 1: Then he slammed the spear and all the people impaled on it into the side of the 271 00:22:24,616 --> 00:22:25,536 Speaker 1: forge building. 272 00:22:27,196 --> 00:22:31,696 Speaker 1: The spear stuck in the wall, leaving the corpses to hang in place like a shish 273 00:22:31,756 --> 00:22:32,256 Speaker 1: kebab. 274 00:22:35,796 --> 00:22:39,636 Speaker 1: When he tried to rip the spear out, it tore free from the strap on his shoulder 275 00:22:39,696 --> 00:22:44,736 Speaker 1: instead, making it look like he intended to leave those victims there as a symbol. 276 00:22:46,776 --> 00:22:52,496 Speaker 1: Ethan spun and faced the new line of soldiers, who were now a good 10 277 00:22:52,696 --> 00:22:54,216 Speaker 1: feet further back. 278 00:22:58,096 --> 00:22:59,616 Speaker 2: Where do you take the children? 279 00:23:00,676 --> 00:23:06,456 Speaker 1: The remaining acolytes, no longer grinning with confidence, parted to let the 280 00:23:06,516 --> 00:23:08,376 Speaker 1: grafted step forward. 281 00:23:12,916 --> 00:23:18,856 Speaker 1: He stood almost a foot taller than anyone else. His lower jaw had been replaced by 282 00:23:18,936 --> 00:23:24,736 Speaker 1: a thick piece of stainless steel. His arms from the elbow down had been replaced 283 00:23:24,796 --> 00:23:29,916 Speaker 1: by two enormous axes which dripped with red liquid. 284 00:23:30,916 --> 00:23:36,556 Speaker 1: The grafted were Crucifer's most elite, most insane warriors. 285 00:23:37,256 --> 00:23:43,116 Speaker 1: If this man could even talk, he wouldn't be of much help. Well, Ethan would 286 00:23:43,196 --> 00:23:48,736 Speaker 1: just have to make him talk. He charged the grafted with his shield raised. 287 00:23:49,156 --> 00:23:54,856 Speaker 1: He would pummel him to the ground and break every bone in his body. He 288 00:23:54,916 --> 00:24:00,636 Speaker 1: would... The grafted split the makeshift shield with one ax, then slammed the 289 00:24:00,696 --> 00:24:05,736 Speaker 1: haft of the other into Ethan's thigh. He went down without even uttering a harsh 290 00:24:05,796 --> 00:24:06,236 Speaker 1: word. 291 00:24:06,936 --> 00:24:07,676 Speaker 2: Overclock. 292 00:24:08,596 --> 00:24:14,556 Speaker 1: Which only gave him more time to consider the steel boot plummeting toward his face. 293 00:24:15,436 --> 00:24:21,276 Speaker 1: There was no time to dodge. Overclocking gave him time to think. It didn't give 294 00:24:21,316 --> 00:24:26,876 Speaker 1: him time to move faster. His second mind chirped. Yes, 295 00:24:27,356 --> 00:24:33,276 Speaker 1: this steel boot could do potentially lethal damage to his human brain. At best, 296 00:24:33,976 --> 00:24:39,436 Speaker 1: he would be unconscious, and that would be just as lethal. So 297 00:24:40,616 --> 00:24:46,056 Speaker 1: he did the only thing he could. He sent one last 298 00:24:46,276 --> 00:24:51,616 Speaker 1: message on the radio transmitter he didn't even know he 299 00:24:51,696 --> 00:24:54,096 Speaker 1: had. Fern, 300 00:24:55,776 --> 00:24:56,896 Speaker 1: detonate me. 301 00:25:37,116 --> 00:25:42,496 Speaker 1: Four dozen people sat around an abandoned church just outside of Paradise. Rusty 302 00:25:42,556 --> 00:25:47,196 Speaker 1: watched as still more filed into the tiny building. Maybe he should have gone to a 303 00:25:47,256 --> 00:25:52,416 Speaker 1: bigger place. He rubbed at his jaw. It was definitely broken, 304 00:25:52,896 --> 00:25:58,456 Speaker 1: fractured. Maybe the preacher knew some God magic to fix that. Or robot 305 00:25:58,516 --> 00:26:04,096 Speaker 1: magic. Either worked. Rusty wasn't too particular. Someone started chanting. 306 00:26:04,876 --> 00:26:10,756 Speaker 1: We want the show! But no one else picked up the chant. It was sundown, 307 00:26:10,856 --> 00:26:16,716 Speaker 1: right? Was this the right place? Well, no one had told him a place. He got 308 00:26:16,816 --> 00:26:22,736 Speaker 1: up and looked out a window. It was past sundown. He cursed inwardly. Hopefully 309 00:26:22,776 --> 00:26:28,736 Speaker 1: no one got eaten for this. He sensed everyone's shared restlessness. Their 310 00:26:29,436 --> 00:26:34,736 Speaker 1: shared hope. Maybe the preacher was busy. If he was busy, 311 00:26:35,576 --> 00:26:41,316 Speaker 1: he was probably busy saving their bacon, one way or another. Rusty grumbled. 312 00:26:42,096 --> 00:26:47,376 Speaker 1: Nothing for it, then. He'd have to give this evening's sermon at 313 00:26:47,456 --> 00:26:53,376 Speaker 1: sundown himself. So he walked up to the podium and rubbed at his aching 314 00:26:53,456 --> 00:26:59,196 Speaker 1: jaw. That scary boy had decked him good. But it also seemed like she'd 315 00:26:59,256 --> 00:27:04,736 Speaker 1: pulled the punch. A little. Maybe it wasn't too late to get her house number. 316 00:27:06,436 --> 00:27:11,616 Speaker 1: Rusty cleared his throat and let his gray jacket spread out behind him in what he 317 00:27:11,676 --> 00:27:17,416 Speaker 1: hoped was a really cool way. Quiet down now, y'all. The 318 00:27:17,476 --> 00:27:23,136 Speaker 1: holy man is off fighting some monsters on our behalf. Until he comes 319 00:27:23,196 --> 00:27:29,076 Speaker 1: back, y'all gonna have to make do with me. To his surprise, they quieted 320 00:27:29,136 --> 00:27:35,116 Speaker 1: down. More surprising still was the soft, shimmering glow at the edges 321 00:27:35,196 --> 00:27:41,196 Speaker 1: of the room. It was hard to see if you looked right at it. It looked almost 322 00:27:41,256 --> 00:27:46,996 Speaker 1: like the air rising off asphalt on a summer day. It was almost 323 00:27:47,056 --> 00:27:52,416 Speaker 1: like power. Rusty grinned. 324 00:27:53,356 --> 00:27:58,496 Speaker 1: Perhaps a little of that robot magic had rubbed off on him after all.