Chronicles of the Apocalypse: Condemnation

In the Chrysler Tower, Kyle, Jake, Shawn, James, Sarah, Caleb, Mitchell and Cassandra are talking with Pierce and Bowers.

Pierce: Let me just say; it's an honor to meet the hero of the west wasteland. Former Zeus Corps Soldier. Bringing together gangs like the Blood Hogs and Raiders to take down Kronos....amazing! Absolutely amazing!...but now, there's an even greater threat out there...a threat that attacks from underneath...Colonel Bowers informed me that he had encountered you in the Shallows while engaging these creatures.

James: And what exactly are they?

Pierce: We don't know yet, son.

James: Your science analyst hasn't come up with anything yet?

Pierce: We don't exactly know where these things come from... or what their motivations are, except they attack from underneath us....

Pierce turns to Kyle.

Pierce: Mr. Desipich, did you happen to see anything unusual while you were down in the Shallows?

Kyle: Every fuckin thing was unusual....including the temple structures....the damn priests like creatures....

Jake: Those flying giant wasp creatures...

Shawn talks with cigarette in his mouth.

Shawn: They were capturing people and torturing them.....did the same fucking thing to our friend, Walter.....

Shawn takes the cigarette out of his mouth.

Shawn: There was someone who did survive the torture, but that's only because he was injected with some kind of super human serum created by Kronos.

Pierce: Do you happen to know where that man is?

Kyle: Here in the city being held under our prison...

Bowers: he could know a way to counterattack these things.

Shawn: We were considering that until you guys showed up....you boys got the fire power and we know where to hit them....Ashdown....that's where those creatures are.....bet my old Zeus Corps two thousand dollar paycheck on it....

Jake laughs.

Jake: Then it's settled...we could use the extra military-

Kyle: Hold up, Jake 

Kyle turns to Pierce.

Kyle: say we do let you help us; what would you want out of it?

Pierce: We'd like to use your city as a main base....nothing more.

Sarah: You want to turn our city into a fort? There's women and children here. Families.

Pierce: I understand that, young lady, but we have no other options as of now....from the looks of it, neither do you.

Mitchell: And what about the men and women fighting against these things? Are they capable?

Bowers laughs.

Bowers: Jake, I've still got your old crew with us....you and me can go see the men and women are ready for war....get them motivated.

Caleb: Kyle, we need to talk.

Afterwards, Kyle, Shawn, James, Sarah, Ashley, Cassandra, Mitchell and Caleb are talking in the prisons' brig with Barnes present in his cell, having a cigarette.

Kyle: No. We're not leaving Midtown Manhattan.

Caleb: They want to turn our home into a fucking warzone. We have to leave, man.

Cassandra: There's too much at stake....our bullets won't even penetrate those things' armor.

Ashley: We can't even go outside for runs anymore.

Mitchell: Not in the daylight.

James: no, Kyle's right. We can't just run away from this. This is our fight too.

Barnes: No....better to run from the devil to face him up-close.

Kyle: You got a better idea, Barnes?

Barnes: Yeah...I'm with blonde boy when I say we should leave. Should've done that the moment you figured out what happened here. I'm sure they're sending more em to take y'all out.

Shawn: We're not scared of those assholes.

Barnes: You should be....You think stopping that big city eaten monster saved us? It didn't. We may have some strong walls and strong people behind these walls, but hell even with these soldiers....not even Zeus Corps can handle these things.

Sarah: Let's put a goddamned muzzle on him.

Shawn: No, he's got a point.

Sarah: I'd rather see this piece of shit die slowly than-

Ashley: Hey, that doesn't matter now. What are we going to do?

Caleb: Goddamn it. I said we need to leave. Alexandria is dead. We can't just sit here, man.

Kyle: We're not.

In the city, Bowers and Jake are with the men and women in Bowers Squad standing attention. Another A.O.W Sergeant, a middle aged African-American man is present.

Jake: So, who are your men?

Bowers: Yes.....you remember Sergeant Keegan?

Keegan: Lieutenant Desipich...

Keegan shakes Jake's hand.

Jake: Sergeant Keegan.

Keegan: Glad to see you're alive after your disappearance. 

Bowers: Sound off, men and women.

Reginald: Private Reginald Sionis.....technicians expert, sir.

Payton: Private Maxwell Payton. Demolitions expert, sir!

Jake: Served with your brother...he was a good man.

Marcus: Sergeant Marcus Howlett Artillery experts, sir!

Margret: Corporal Margaret Howlett. Sniper....can shoot from any distance. Medical officer.

Keegan: One of the best snipers on my team.

Jake: These two are related?

Bowers: Yes....

Jake: Ah...

Harper: Harper Jackson. Communications.

Nicole: Nicole Willis. Shotgunner.

Jake stares at the young woman in the corner.

Jake: and you?

Luane: Luane Hoffman, sir....I-uh....I'm a rookie, sir.

Jake: You're new?

Luane: Yes, sir.

Keegan: Youngest on the team. Luane's straight outta boot camp....

Bowers: But don't worry, her skills are another reason why she's on the team...she's nervous, but the team will have her back. 

Bowers turns to Kilo Squad.

Bowers: All right, Kilo! Listen up! And 06:00 tomorrow. We will take the fight to the enemy and we will show these bastards no mercy! You hear me?!

Kilo Squad: Hoo-rah!

Bowers: We will not sleep until they are dead in the ground!

Kilo Squad: Hoo-rah!

Bowers: We will not rest until they are off the face of this motherfucking Earth that God has kept us alive on after twenty-four years of fighting. Are you with me?!

Kilo Squad: Hoo-rah!

Later that night, in Kyle's home, Kyle and Sarah are making out, before Kyle stops and gives a look.

Sarah: what? What is it?

Kyle: I can't stop thinking about Walter.....what those monsters did to those people....it's not something I wished for my worst enemy....the look in his eyes....so blank...so lost....and then there's Cameron....I was tough on the kid....I didn't appreciate him until later on...I lied to him saying I'd get him home, but part of me knew he wouldn't make it...if I had tried harder to keep them alive, maybe Alexandria would still be-

Sarah: Kyle....there was nothing you could do for any of them...what happened was not your fault...but....I don't like the fact that you're keeping Barnes here.

Kyle: Jesus....are we going to go through this again, Sarah? Look, Barnes is staying here until I figure out what to do with him.

Sarah: What are you going to do with him, Kyle? Huh? You going to let him stay with us? Let him be a part of the family we built? He'll never be one of us.

Kyle: If you remember four years ago, you didn't know shit about me. I was just a goddamned soldier. I was in Barnes' position.

Sarah: You or Shawn didn't try to kill me or any of us. Barnes did.

A short pause.

Sarah: Billy was like a father to us....and Nathan....if he were still alive, he'd would want to fight them.

Kyle: I know he would've.

In the bar, Mitchell, Caleb, Jake, James and Shawn along with Kilo Squad are having drinks.

Mitchell: Well, boys. What do you think? You think this is it?

Caleb: Dude, it should've been "it" twenty-four fuckin years ago.

Mitchell: No, I mean hypothetically speaking...do you think this is really "it"? I mean; hell, we've survived nuclear explosions, cannibalistic people and monsters and radiation, but maybe, these "Condemned" are a sign that humanity's finally over.

Jake: You start talkin like that and this war's already over.

Caleb: Jake, don't you have a wife still out there?

Jake: Yep....and I'm hoping to God that she's still in one piece.

Mitchell: You know; part of me is kind of jealous over Kyle. I mean before he and his group got here back when Nathan, Billy and Walter were around, I never thought that we would be the one's kicking Kronos' ass. I always thought we'd be ruled by them, but then he gets the Blood Hogs together to fight with us and we win...not to mention, the kid's got a gorgeous wife....

Mitchell turns to James.

Mitchell: Same with you, James. I always thought you were one of those handy mechanic nerds, who just sat on his laptop watching porn, but then you somehow managed to reel in the President's first daughter.

James: Mitchell...if there's a point, can you get to it?

Mitchell: I'm just trying to wonder....if this is our last time in Midtown Manhattan, how would you want to spend it?

A short pause.

Jake: If Keera's still alive, holding her.

James: Lying down next to Cassandra. Looking into her beautiful blue eyes and telling her; "this isn't goodbye".

Shawn: Fighting....

Caleb: Giving people hope.

Mitchell: Hmm....you bunch of pussies. I'd spend my last moments drinking, fucking and drinking and fucking...or maybe that's the beer talking.

Shawn, James, Jake and Caleb laugh, before Mitchell stands up

Mitchell: With that saying; to Walter! To Alexandria! and everyone else we lost.

Shawn, Jake, James and Mitchell stand up and raise a toast to the fallen. Meanwhile, the Kilo Squad is socializing.

Harper: So what do we think, boys and gals? Think we're bound to get plenty of kills.

Max: I know one thing, brother, I need some couche before I get onto the battlefield in the mornin.

Nicole: Ew, Max. Show some fuckin respect.

Max: Honey, you know me; I am not a man of respect. Ask Marcus over there, because I will literally strip buck ass nude and get on top of this table. Struttin my shit.

The Kilo Squad laughs hysterically.

Max: And then I'll compromise all over this fuckin table right in front of everybody.

Marcus: Oh, c'mon, man! What the fuck? I'm trying to eat.

Max: I'm sorry. Did I give you a image of this dick in your hand?

Marcus: Yeah, you wish, motherfucker....

Margaret: Hey, Max, if you could stop being a downsided pervert for a moment and think that we actually are going into the pit of hell?

Luane: That's what we're here for, right, Sergeant? To dispose the evil that threatens the world.

Margret: I know what we're here for, new fish.

Nicole: Margaret, what's up with you, honey?

Margaret: Nothing...nothing...

Marcus: Okay, time for the sibling talk...again. 

Marcus whispers to Margaret quietly.

Marcus: You want to tell your big brother what's wrong?

Margaret: Just a little scared.

Marcus: Why?

Margaret: Marcus, did you see the look on Pierces' face? He's scared too. Everyone is.....these Condemned things....they're not like Raiders...they're not like Blood Hogs...if those things really sunk all those cities-

Marcus: Hey, hey....remember what Mom always told us when we were scared?

Margaret: You mean whenever I got scared...

Marcus: No, I used to get scared too.....she always said "to kill the monsters, you aim your light and focus until the monster dies".....

Margaret laughs.

Margaret: I hated when she said that....Marcus, in case this does go south, I just want to say thank you.

Marcus: for what?

Margaret: For pushing me to join the A.O.W.....if it weren't for you, I would be scared shitless.

Marcus: Well, that's what big brothers are for....to make sure you're not scared shitless...

The two siblings laugh.

The next morning, in the Chrysler Tower, Cassandra and Maya walk into the Brown office to find it has been remodeled as a command center.

Maya: Oh, my god....

Cassandra: Wha-what the fuck? What is this?

Pierce arrives.

Pierce: This, young lady, is our command center. We hear and see everything.

Cassandra: This is my mom's office, man! you can't just remodel it! Half our personal shit's in here.

Keegan: Which reminds me. Who's is this?

Keegan presents a guitar to the Brown sisters.

Maya: Mine.

Cassandra: Look, I get you guys are a military and I know the situation, but you can't just fly in here and expect us to be okay with you guys redesigning my parent's house. Whose idea was this anyway?

James walks in, clearing his throat, insinuating he was the one who made up the plan.

Cassandra: James? What the hell?

James: Babe, look.....we had to put all the computer shit somewhere. Kyle's house isn't big enough and also.....there's another thing too.

Cassandra: Like?

James: Kyle considers that everyone should move here.

Cassandra: Who's everyone?

James: Everyone who's apart of the Midtown Manhattan council....Kyle, Shawn....and I guess, Jake...Sarah, Ashley...Caleb, Mitchell....me....

James takes Cassandra's hand.

James: I wanted to be closer to you....because I feel like if this is our last time together, I want to spend it....holding you.

Cassandra, touched, laughs.

Cassandra: You are such a dork, James Burton....and I love that.

Cassandra and James kiss.

Maya: I don't see how a dork and a bad ass mix together so well.

James and Cassandra laugh. Later on, the A.O.W army stands in formation along with Kilo Squad and Bowers, before Pierce prepares to give a motivational speech.

Pierce: Blood....Honor...and Sacrifice....that's the one thing my father taught me...to the few ignorant people, it means nothing...to the brave and committed, those three words mean a code of brotherhood. A soldier knows that the life of someone who commits sin against an innocent doesn't mean a thing to him or her. What matters is the wasteland...for what innocence remains...if he or she is willing to fight for the innocent...to die for the innocent.

Kyle, Jake, Shawn, James, Sarah, Ashley, Caleb, Mitchell, Cassandra and Maya are watching the speech.

Caleb: I still don't like this.

Mitchell: What?

Caleb: This; it's like sending pigs to a goddamn slaughterhouse.

Mitchell: What?

Shawn: he said it's like sending pigs to a damn slaughterhouse.

Pierce: At 07:00 hours, we've received word that the Condemned army has mobilized in Phoenix. They've been kidnapping people and taking them into their underground tunnels. We have no other option, but to launch a preemptive strike against these creatures, before they attack again. This needs to be done for our remaining humanity. Each and every one of you standing here before me has had the best training, the best gear, the best weapons and the best motivation. I know and trust you will do your duty. I am proud to send each and every one of you into battle.

Margaret: God help us all.

Pierce: Good luck, soldiers. Dismissed. 

Pierce turns to Bowers and Keegan.

Pierce: Colonel. Sergeant.

Bowers: Left face! 

The A.O.W Soldiers turn left.

Keegan: Forward march!

The A.O.W Soldiers march out of Midtown Manhattan towards Phoenix as A.O.W Phoenix Aircrafts and Tanks are among the marching parade.

Marcus: Remember, lil sis...no matter what...we stick together.

In the Brown Tower, Pierce enters the command center, before he calls to Kyle.

Pierce: Mr. Desipich, you care to watch the show? It's going to be amazing.

Kyle: Let's hope.

Kyle, Shawn, Jake, James, Sarah, Ashley, Caleb, Mitchell and Maya step into the command center to watch as the surveillance camera activates.

Ashley: So how does this work? We watch these things take out whoever?

Pierce: It won't be like that, young lady. My men. They know what they're doing.

In the ruins of Phoenix, the A.O.W army and Kilo Squad are hiding in the bunkers, before Margaret is writing in her book. Marcus is praying to his necklace as Harper is using his binoculars to scan the area. Keegan is smoking a cigarette.

Bowers: Command, if you can hear me, we're in position. I've sent a tank scout to scan the area.

Harper: I see something coming from the north! Ten miles!

Bowers: Get ready!

Harper: Wait!

The scouting tank is driving down the hill.

Harper: It's one of our tanks, sir!

Bowers: Hold! Let's check it!

The tank slowly stops as Bowers yells out to Marcus.

Bowers: Sergeant Howlett. You and Sionis investigate.

Marcus: Yes, sir....Sionis, you heard him. With me.

Marcus and Sionis cautiously approach the tank and open it to find the passengers dead.

Marcus: Fuck....Bowers, it's our scout party. Looks like they didn't make it.

Sionis: Why would they send us tank full of dead guys?

Marcus: Who the fuck knows, ma-

Marcus notices a grenade strapped to the corpses.

Marcus: Sionis, wait! They're rigged!

Too late, Sionis accidently triggers the grenades on the corpses, detonating them. The explosion kills Sionis and knocks down Marcus.

Margret: Marcus!

The Condemned Sergeant pops out and shouts.

Condemned Sergeant: Attack!

Bowers: Men! Fight with honor! Die for honor! Kilo squad! Stay behind the bunker and lay down cover fire!

The A.O.W army and the Condemned army charge at each other and engage in battle, resulting in many casualties. Suddenly, a Goliath enters the battle, before Bowers yells out to Marcus.

Bowers: Howlett! The Gods' Fist!

Marcus: Right!

Marcus arms the Gods' Fist weapon while in Midtown Manhattan, the Vegas survivors and Pierce are watching the live feed of the battle.

Sarah: Jesus...

James: You guys have the Gods' Fist weapon?

Pierce: We kept some of the weapons left from Kronos to help us out in the fight.

In Phoenix, Marcus aims the Gods Fist at the Goliath and pulls the trigger, bringing down a reign of nuclear energy that destroys the Goliath. The A.O.W Army finishes off the Condemned army, seemingly winning the battle as they celebrate in victory. In Midtown Manhattan, Pierce and the A.O.W army applaud in their apparent victory.

Pierce: See? I told you, Mr. Desipich. You and your people have nothing to fear.

Jake: Outstanding, Pierce. Now, we will win this war.

Jake walks over to Pierce and shakes Pierces' hand as Kyle gives a concerning look.

Sarah: Kyle, what's wrong?

Kyle: The way they just came out like they wanted to die....it can't be that easy....

Shawn: Yeah, I noticed that too. It's like...the first wave was a diversion.

Kyle: Shit! 

Kyle turns to Pierce.

Kyle: Pierce, you gotta tell them to fall back!

Pierce: What? We've won the battle!

Kyle: No, no, no! In chess, the pawns go first! You've just gotten rid of the pawns! The knights are about to attack from behind!

In Phoenix, the A.O.W continue to celebrate, before Harper picks up movement on his tracker.

Harper: Bowers, sir! I'm getting movement. Lots and lots of movement....

Bowers: Men! We've got incoming! Reform! Reform!

Keegan: You heard the Colonel! Form up! Form up now!

The A.O.W army prepare for another attack.

Max: Something's not right.

Margaret breathes heavily. 

Marcus: don't be scared....

Suddenly, a Condemned Brute sneaks up behind a A.O.W Soldier and crushes his head, before many Condemned Drones attack the A.O.W army from behind.

Bowers: Attack!

The A.O.W Army engages the Condemned with the A.O.W army sustaining heavy casualties. In Midtown Manhattan, Pierce and the Midtown Manhattan survivors are watching the live feed of the slaughter.

Pierce: My god!

Kyle: Get em out of there!

Pierce: We have to engage the threat!

Kyle: They're getting fuckin slaughtered! Get em out of there!

Pierce: You are not in command here, son!

Jake: Hey, both of you knock it off!

Kyle: We can't just sit here while these men and women get slaughtered!

The A.O.W Camera man is fatally shot in the battle as he crawls and speaks into the camera.

A.O.W Camera man: Please...help us...we can't....we-

Suddenly, the A.O.W cameraman is curb stomped by a Condemned, splattering blood onto the camera, before the live feed cuts off.

Pierce: Goddamn it....

In Phoenix, Bowers shouts to Keegan.

Bowers: Keegan! Move up the rear! 

Keegan: Yes, sir!

Before Keegan can move up ahead, an A.O.W helicopter tail is shot, before it spins out of control. The blades hitting a wooden shack and splintering shards into several A.O.W soldiers, including Keegan, who is impaled in the abdomen. A fatally wounded Keegan kneels on the ground as the A.O.W helicopter comes crashing down.

Bowers: KEEGAN!

The A.O.W crashes and slices Keegan apart, splattering blood on Margaret, who hides behind cover and watches a A.O.W Soldier being gunned down, before a Condemned sneaks up behind her, preparing to strike with his blade. Marcus suddenly rams into the Condemned and stabs the Condemned in the head before he turns to his sister.

Marcus: You okay?

Margaret: Marcus! Behind you!

A Goliath enters the battle and opens fire onto the siblings, causing them to flee. The Goliath is killed by a barrage of rockets, causing its lifeless corpse to fall and trap Marcus and Margaret. In a bleak moment, Bowers is opening fire onto the Condemned drones before the Condemned Queen is heard giving a speech.

Condemned Queen: As always, humanity seeks to destroy its enemies, not knowing that it is destroying itself.

Bowers is seemingly killed after shot in the abdomen by a Condemned Templar. Max is overpowered and grappled by his hands and feet with two Condemned who rip him in half. Luane is fatally shot in the battle, before a Condemned sniper uses his rifle to beat Luane to death with.

Condemned Queen: But eventually, they are forced to unite against a dark enemy that will not be defeated so easily. I admit; twenty-four years of surviving after such nuclear devastation, I am impressed that they've managed to stay alive that long, but not so long anymore....as humans continue to travel to their impeccable doom.

Harper is using a flamethrower to fight off the Condemned drones but is flanked by two Condemned. He manages to dodge an attack by a Condemned drone, but the other one severs his arm. Harper screams in pain but pulls out his sidearm and guns down the Condemned drone, before another Condemned drone with custom machete sneaks up behind Harper and decapitates him.

Condemned Queen: Their weapons of mass destruction have lead your closer to your extinction. Now, they face impossible odds...in some way, I do pity humanity.

Nicole is the last A.O.W Soldier standing as she makes a valiant last stand against the Condemned drone with her shotgun, before being fatally impaled by three Condemned drones.

Condemned Queen: Because as always, they bring devastation, madness and death upon themselves.

In Midtown Manhattan, Jake vents, turning over a chair with Kyle, James, Shawn and Sarah present.

Jake: Fuck! Goddamn it! Fuck!

James: They slaughtered them...every last one of them....they're dead.

Shawn: Now, what? What are we going to do?

Kyle: If Pierce had listen to me, half those soldiers would still be alive and if some aren't, they're going to wish they were. I knew the fucking A.O.W couldn't take them!

Jake: Kyle....this isn't on Pierce. He's a good leader.

Kyle: He underestimated the Condemned and got every single one of his men killed.

Jake: Like Zeus Corps could've done any better.

Kyle: What? Are you pissed because your boys couldn't take them down?! Huh? They weren't much help for Keera either.

Jake grabs Kyle by the collar.

Kyle: Jake, you better let go of me.

Kyle and Jake have a tense moment, before Sarah and Shawn defuse.

Shawn: Whoa, guys...take a step back.

Sarah: Kyle...Kyle...

Shawn: Guys...you two are brothers for fuck's sakes! We need to band together, not fight against each other.

Jake releases Kyle.

Kyle: Sorry, man.

Jake: Me too....but we do need a solution.

Suddenly, Mitchell is heard yelling outside.

Mitchell: Hey! Hey! We got A.O.W incoming.

As the Midtown Manhattan gates open, Marcus and Margaret are carrying the still alive Bowers to the city. In the command center, Pierce is guilty with the loss of his soldiers, before a A.O.W soldier walks in.

A.O.W Soldier: Chairman Pierce.

Pierce: What is it, son?

A.O.W Soldier: We've got some good news. Colonel Bowers is still alive along with Sergeant Howlett and his sister.

Pierce: What? Bowers is still alive?