The Good Life: Atom Bomb Baby (ch. 50) (Patreon)

“That stupid, vicious whore,” Cinder snarled, clenching her jaw as she looked out at the battlefield where a small, localized, mushroom cloud was blossoming above the shattered skyline. A mini-nuke, Cinder knew. She recognized the smaller atomic explosions -- both because she had seen plenty of them in the two weeks since they started pushing into Boston and because she had witnessed first hand what a true nuclear explosion looked like.

It wasn't the explosion that drew her ire. It was where the explosion was. And what immediately followed as one of the remaining few skyscrapers began to collapse into itself as the mini-nuke rocked its already shaky foundations. “She was supposed to protect that site!” Cinder growled, her hands clenched into fists as her people were denied a vantage point and a staging ground. A massive plume of smoke and dust washed away the mushroom cloud, and it settled upon the broken city.

Cinder gazed out from her much lesser vantage, hearing more than seeing the constant combat that had gone on without pause for weeks now. Occasionally, she would see a blood red laser fly up through the air, or a plume of plasma. Thick black smoke rose up from the battlefield in dozens of places where the rotten wood acted as tinder, just waiting for an excuse to go up in flames.

The advance was far slower than Cinder cared for. The Minutemen, and these ‘Gunners’, were resisting street by street, building by building. And the resistance only increased the closer that they got to Diamond City. Desperation, Cinder knew. Like an animal backed into a corner, they were putting up fierce opposition for the sake of survival. Another might find that impressive. Admirable, even, that they were standing together to rebuff their advance.

Cinder simply found it extremely annoying. Especially when she was being sabotaged by Taylor.

“What do you want to do, Madam?” Starlight asked her and Cinder forced herself to take a breath. Her frustration was getting to her, Cinder knew. She had been denied in the Old World -- all of her efforts rendered pointless, first when she was exposed as a traitor and then when the world ended itself. And now her attempts at establishing herself with Heartless were being sabotaged by a skinny whelp of a girl.

Cinder considered the question, her gaze turning towards the stadium that was less than a mile away. She had a very good grasp on Heartless’ personality by this point. He appreciated those with ambition, yet who also submitted to him. He appreciated winners, and the bigger the risk they took, the more he admired their audacity. “I believe it is time for a personal touch,” Cinder decided.

She would take Diamond City. She would take Goodneighbor, the Hill, and all of Boston. She would continue on to this ‘Castle’ where the Minutemen were rumored to be based out of and slaughter and enslave all that she found there. She would completely overshadow that flat slut with her achievements, and when it came time for Law to decide who would take the reins of this world once he left it behind, he would choose her.

This was a desolate world where might made right. It could become anything that she wished it to be. Heartless would move on, while she remained, building a foundation.

Building an empire.

But, for Heartless to trust her enough to leave her with this world so that she could shape it in her image, she needed achievements. The ugly slut had seduced her way into the running when she had been merely a plaything for Heartless to toy with, dangle in front of Cinder as if she were true competition.

“Send out a message -- we're reaching Diamond City, today,” Cinder swore as she strode towards the balcony as the carbon in her suit shifted with the use of her Semblance to form a pair of twin swords. Standing up on the railing, she got a better view where the fighting was happening on her side of the battle. Without another thought, she leapt down to a lower rooftop, landed lightly, before breaking into a dead sprint towards the battle.

This was how she could overshadow that scrawny slut. Her power worked best when she was far out of danger, sending in her insects to do the fighting for her. And, as Cinder leapt over a street, she saw lines of soldier ants marching their way up to the new front. Taylor, frustratingly, was managing to breed insects as fast as she lost them. Cinder had her scouts looking for this ant queen to kill it, but Taylor seemed well aware of that possibility.

It was tempting to kill a few herself, but that would be too overt of an action. Cinder was uncertain how much feedback Taylor got from her insects, but given that she could mobilize them in an organized fashion miles away, it was safe to assume that Taylor would notice. Instead, she continued onto the front, and based on the sounds of screaming, she was close.

Urban combat wasn’t something that Cinder had any experience in. Her training didn’t cover it as Huntsmen and Huntresses had no need to hide behind cover. The fighting took place in the spaces between buildings, bullets, lasers, and plasma flying across the streets. The occasional explosion rang out when someone threw a grenade into a room to clear it, but their supply of rockets had dwindled away.

Logistics was posing a problem. The satellite settlements that were forming behind their advance were being raided on occasion. Ammo, weapons, food and medicine that should have been going to her soldiers were instead being used by the enemy. To make matters worse, the Minutemen and Gunners didn’t have to go far to resupply. In all, the slow grinding combat was infuriating. Progress was measured in feet, and there were times that the Minutemen managed to even push their forces back a street.

Enough, Cinder decided, calling upon her Semblance. She didn't slow as she reached the battlefield, simply leaping off the side of the building and diving directly into an open window above a man that was crouching to shoot through it. With a sharp spin, she took his head off, rolling into the center of the room before superheating the concrete underneath the feet of the squad that just barely had enough time to register her presence.

The ground exploded, sending superheated shrapnel into their legs and torsos with the force of a grenade going off underneath their feet. Shrapnel and bone shards ricochet harmlessly off of her Aura, and she didn't waste a moment to press on.

Killing humans was easy. They didn't have the benefit of Aura, and even if they did, Cinder was trained to kill Huntsmen and Huntresses. Scrappy untrained humans with guns that barely registered as hits against her Aura had no hope of stopping her, much less killing her. So, she carved a path through the building. Cinder entered through a side door, where another squad was exchanging fire with her forces, with only a few seemingly realizing what happened next door.

Her blades carved through flesh and bone with ease, butchering them like meat. Within a minute, Cinder had resolved a conflict that had been going on for the better part of an hour.

It was an intoxicating feeling, Cinder thought to herself as her soldiers got their orders and advanced. The feeling of being so much greater than another that they might as well be dirt underneath her feet. She wondered if Salem had ever felt this way, unleashing hordes of Grimm upon the world. Holding the knowledge that the moment she decided to destroy the world, truly destroy it, was the moment the world officially ended. All the time after came from the world struggling against a forgone conclusion.

This was the power she wanted. That she craved. Only when you had the power to destroy something could you claim to truly own it, and Cinder would own the world.

A smile tugged at her lips as she pressed on, carving a deep line into the defenders and rapidly closing the gap between her and Diamond City. The Minutemen reacted to her rapid advance, and Cinder found herself dealing with stiffer resistance. Explosions rang out in the air, punctuating a constant chorus of gunfire. Cinder hardly noticed it, her Aura was up, but her soldiers felt the resistance more keenly.

Replaceable. The only ones of any value were the ones that could operate the power armor. It didn't matter if they all were killed, Cinder could replace their numbers with ease from a near endless well of hopefuls from the Old World. Or she could simply strap bomb collars onto the necks of the defeated and have them fight for her. So, Cinder paid little mind to the injuries or deaths as she pressed on.

At least until Cinder saw a swarm of insects approach her, “You're moving too far ahead. They're moving to surround you,” Taylor spoke through the swarm of insects and Cinder could admit it was a chilling sound. The fluttering of wings and chittering of insects all echoing out to make a pitch and tone.

Cinder was aware. However, it didn't matter. Once she reached Diamond City, the Minutemen would break. They would break because she would have their families in her hands. Cinder imagined they would be far less motivated to fight when she put bomb collars on the necks of their parents, spouses, and children. They didn't need to kill everyone. They just needed to kill everyone in her way.

“Then cover my back,” Cinder replied, flashing a smile. A victorious smile. Because she had won. If Taylor covered her back, then she wouldn't take Diamond City. If she pressed the attack, then she would be forced to use her insects as bullet sponges and her swarm would be diminished. At that point, Taylor would be exposed and vulnerable. Or, if she did nothing, then the prestige would be Cinders and Cinder's alone.

So, she smiled at the swarm and made a silent promise.

A promise that the humiliation and degradation that Starlight suffered at her hands would look like a kindness in comparison to what Cinder would inflict upon Taylor. All it would take is an innocent request -- that Taylor, with her reputation and abilities, remain behind to help rule the Wasteland as an underboss. Once they were both away from the watchful eye of Heartless, Cinder was going to rape her into submission. Just as she did Starlight, only a thousand times worse. It would serve Starlight well as a reminder of what her ire truly looked like.

Taylor didn't respond, her swarm of insects simply dispersing without another word. However, her actions revealed her decision when Taylor's insects began to swarm forward. Revealing that not only had Taylor kept a reserve, but a large reserve as well. Cinder saw as ants began to crawl over the decrepit buildings as if a child had kicked an anthill and they came spilling forth. For every one that the Minutemen killed, two more took its place. And, almost instantly Cinder felt the pressure on her forces vanish like smoke in the wind.

The all out assault was as effective as it was costly, and Cinder was all too happy to let Taylor take that cost. Cinder sprinted towards Diamond City, the stadium now towering over them as they approached the final defensive line that they had left.

And it was then that Cinder sensed something was amiss. The area was heavily fortified, as Cinder expected it to be. A veritable wall of sandbags, gun turrets, and more. However, what Cinder hadn't anticipated was the lack of people. It didn't take but a moment for the answer to reveal itself.

“You have done well reaching this far, sidekick. I expected your master, the AntAgonizer, to arrive here first!” A masculine voice exclaimed from an eyebot that began to descend from the edge of the stadium. “However, you shall not take one step more!”

Cinder skidded to a halt, and only partly because of the message. It was mostly due to the heavy doors that marked the entrance to Diamond City rising up and machines spilling forth like water. Leading the way were three Sentry Bots, followed by a score of Assaultrons. More were following and Cinder’s grip tightened on her weapons.

“Did you just imply… that I'm working for this… AntAgonizer?” Cinder questioned with a barely concealed snarl. Talking gave her a moment to consider her position. She was pressing up through the main road, Taylor's ants were close behind, but Cinder heard a distinct lack of gunfire. It was hardly silent of course, but the constant sound of warfare was gone and now the city sounded oddly silent. It was unwelcome news for several reasons because Cinder saw ants crawling over nearby buildings.

No. More than that. Cinder saw Taylor approaching from one of the back alleys. Her presence was more confusing than anything -- it wasn't like Taylor needed to be nearby. So, Cinder wondered what she was doing here as she waited for a response from-

“Ah. At long last. My arch nemesis, “ the Eyebot announced, ignoring Cinder entirely. Slowly, Cinder looked to Taylor, who approached with an army of insects at her back. Taylor's expression betrayed nothing and, if nothing else, Cinder would concede that the girl had learned how to hide her emotions. “Fate has once again brought us together and once more, I, the Mechinator, must defeat you and your allies of Evil!”

“... What?” Taylor replied and Cinder was mollified to see that she was as clueless as she was. “I don't know you.”

“Oh, but you do, AntAgonizer. Both of us have taken up a mantle. I, as the Mechinator, and you, the AntAgonizer.” This do called Mechinator intoned, his machines fanning out to support the fortified positions. Diamond City, by her own opinion, just became more difficult to take. Machines were harder to kill than humans. They didn't panic or hesitate. She'd have to use her Semblance to greater effect.

Taylor distracted the Mechinator, “But- I'm… I'm not the AntAgonizer,” she argued and Cinder had to fight a smile at the exasperation in her voice.

“Do you not fight with a horde of ants? Do you not ally yourself with the evils of the Wasteland -- raiders and slavers and fiends?” The Mechinator questioned, his tone suggesting that the answer was rather obvious. And, to that end, Taylor's gaze slid her way. Her brown eyes were dark and sharp.

“When I have to,” Taylor replied, her tone cold. “We aren't… we aren't doing this because we want to. Millions of people are depending on us to find places for them to live. Against the thousands that are already here. If you surrender, you have my word that you will be treated fairly.” Taylor tried and Cinder couldn't have that. She would be damned before she let that flat assed whore show her up once more.

“You don't have mine,” Cinder swore with a smile. “I'll take your unconditional surrender, however.”

The Eyebot seemed to glance at her, “I see.” The Mechinator replied, his tone even. “It matters little. The forces of justice shall not yield to tyranny and evil. Here we shall fight, and here you shall be defeated! To arms, my creations!” The Mechinator exclaimed a split second before Cinder fused her blades together into a bow and fired an arrow straight into the machine. It exploded with a puff of fire, hitting the ground before all hell broke loose.

A veritable wall of lasers fired out at once directly at her and Taylor. Taylor built herself cover out of the bodies of insects while Cinder disrupted the lasers by sending up an explosion of superheated asphalt at them. The battle started without any further hesitation and now they were at the gates. They just had to get over one final hurdle, then she could receive the admiration that she was due.

With that thought in mind, Cinder threw herself forward. Her Semblance sang as she used it, superheating the sandbags. Shards of glass exploded outward, doing little actual damage, but it denied the machine's cover. Through the dust and smoke, Cinder saw one of the Sentry Bots rolling forward, its gatling laser firing rapidly as it did so. Picking her target, Cinder attacked it -- her blades and arrows would be of limited use against solid steel, so she chose to superheat it.

It was too much to superheat all at once with her Semblance, so she focused her efforts. An arrow sized hole directly in the diaphragm where the fusion core was located. The metal glowed red, then orange before it began to drip out, opening itself up. Despite the chaos all around her, Cinder’s aim was nothing less than perfect, the arrow jumping from her bow to target the fusion core.

At first, when Cinder felt the nuclear explosion before her -- the force, the heat, both washing over her -- she thought that that was why the ground started to quake. However, it was coming from the wrong direction. The dust cleared from the shock wave, and Cinder used the defeated Sentry Bot as cover. Then her stomach clenched when she saw the true source of the rumbling.

Mushroom clouds. They blossomed over the skyline behind her, where her army was. Was. She saw a lazy trail left behind another mini-nuke as it was fired down from above the stadium rim, striking a building and reducing it to atoms. She saw a dozen mushroom clouds rising into the sky, and every other second, another one joined them. A trap, Cinder realized.

They had drawn them in, pinned them with machines, then rained hellfire upon their heads. Cinder had no idea how much of her army was left, but she wasn’t betting a lot.

“How annoying,” Cinder remarked, sparing a thought that hopefully Starlight was okay. The thought of having to train another right hand was more irritating than the loss of her army. That, and she was rather proud of her work with Starlight. It wasn’t easy to break someone down like she had managed with the former hero.

What was more annoying was that Cinder saw Taylor’s ants surging forward, marching on through the smoke and rubble, to clash with the Mechinator’s machines. The insects clashed with the robots, their pincers breaking upon thick armor, only to be killed so that the next insect could build upon the damage.

It was neat. Orderly. Systematic. The machines were slowly overcome by the endless wave of insects. Even as Taylor began to overcame them on the ground, she had more marching up the sides of the stadium and it was then that Cinder’s heart began to seize in her chest.

Taylor was going to beat her.

She was going to beat her to Diamond City.

Fury flowed through her veins like fire and her expression twisted into one of maddened hate. “No. I won’t let you,” Cinder snarled underneath her breath before stepping out of her cover. The insects didn’t matter. The machines didn’t matter. She needed to extract the surrender of the city. It had to fall to her.

Scalding Caress, her Semblance, hummed with life as she poured her power into it. Not every Semblance had an emotional facet. Some were dependent on outside sources -- getting punched, getting shocked by lightning, and so on -- and one's skill with their Semblance was in how they refined the intake and powered whatever their Semblance was. Cinder was one of the rare few whose Semblance’s power was determined by how strong her feelings were.

Passion. In a different life, with a very different childhood, perhaps she could have used positive feelings to channel her Semblance. She could have used the power of love. Friendship. Protective instincts. But, she hadn’t lived that life and Cinder found a far more plentiful source of fuel for her Semblance.

Hate. Rage. Fury. The intensity of Scalding Caress was fueled by how much she wanted to burn something away until not even ash remained. How she wanted everything in her path destroyed and how she would destroy it with her own hands.

The heavy bulkhead door made of about a foot of steel began to swelter before rolling down in fat drops of molten steel. Cinder strode forward, refusing to let anything get in her way. She had endured enough setbacks. Her ascension had been delayed time and time and time again -- first, becoming a Maiden was stolen from her. Then her future as the world’s leading hero with near infinite political power. Not this.

Diamond City would fall to her. She would earn favor with Heartless. He would recognize her abilities, and talents, and he would give her a foundation of power which she could build her future upon. She would accept nothing less.

The toll of fueling her Semblance was already making itself known as she strode through the molten door. Two mini-turrets made themselves known and with a wave of her hand, she reduced them to molten slag. Her Aura was draining fast, faster than it would have if she stood to take the hail of bullets and lasers these savages had thrown at her. All the same, she wouldn’t be denied a moment longer.

Once more, she melted the barricade that the Minutemen had set up, letting her take her first step into Diamond City.

And then she screamed.

The stadium was empty.

…

“You sure about this General?” Preston questioned, looking over the flow of refugees that were making their way into the Castle. The walls were restored, the mortars were once again manned, and the refugees were welcomed with open arms. It was a strange thing, Preston thought. The last time he had made a trip like this, escorting survivors across the wasteland… it had almost spelled the end of the Minutemen entirely. But that was before. Things were different now. And the reason why they were different was standing next to him on the walls.

“Holding Diamond City was never going to happen. It was too exposed. Maybe we would have had a chance if we could have held them at the river, but once they were over it, it was only a matter of time,” General Nora said, looking through a pair of binoculars. “So, we made them bleed for it, stalled their advance, and now they have to commit resources to holding it. Logistics is always how smaller forces beat larger ones.”

Preston had to laugh at that, “I’ll keep that in mind, General.” Hopefully, he wouldn’t have any need to use that particular lesson, but still, it was good to know. “So, what now?”

To that, General Nora smiled as passed him the binoculars before pointing in the direction she wanted him to look in. He did so… “Umm… is that… a boat on top of a skyscraper?” He muttered, reading what was inscribed on the side.

The USS Constitution.

“They hit us,” General Nora said with a smile in her voice that sounded dangerous to his ears. “Now, it’s our turn to hit them back.”