Chapter 38: Chapter 38 - War Machine

The power armor’s new upgrades brought its weight up to an impressive 1.3 tons. To offset the added bulk, Zack installed auxiliary thrusters on the back and legs, ensuring the suit could still fly despite the increase in weight. After running the final tests, he stepped back, admiring his handiwork.

“This isn’t just the MV-02 anymore,” he said with a smirk. “From now on, it’s the MV-02W.”

With the help of his mechanical assistant, Zack climbed into the armor and moved toward the garage exit. As the thrusters roared to life, he launched into the sky, the sound echoing around him. Once airborne, he decided to test the suit’s top speed. Even with the extra weight and bulkier frame, the armor managed to hit Mach 1.1—not quite the original MV-02’s Mach 1.3, but the trade-off for better durability and firepower seemed worth it.

Hovering high above the ground, Zack spotted a group of zombies shambling below. “Let’s see what this thing can really do,” he muttered before diving toward them. Ten minutes later, he returned to the mansion, the scent of gunpowder clinging to the armor. As the robotic arm helped him out of the suit, a satisfied grin spread across his face.

“Not bad,” he said to himself. “But it could really use armor-piercing rounds.”

After downing a glass of chlorophyll juice offered by the robotic arm, Zack headed back to his workbench. Next up were upgrades for his mechanical dog and spider. Both had performed well in initial tests, but Zack wasn’t satisfied until everything was perfect. He decided to start with the spider.

“Wait… where’s the spider bot?” he asked, scanning the room.

“Sir, the spider bot prototype is currently in Annie’s lab,” Ego, his AI assistant, replied.

“Annie took it?” he said, raising an eyebrow.

Zack walked over to the room Annie had claimed as her lab. As he approached, he heard her muttering nervously to herself. “Okay… just breathe… you can do this. It’s just like building a little robot. If I get it right, Zack will be so proud…”

He couldn’t help but smile as he quietly pushed the door open. Annie jumped, letting out a startled squeak, and quickly threw a cloth over the disassembled spider bot on her workbench. She kept her head down, avoiding his gaze.

“Annie,” Zack said teasingly, “you wouldn’t happen to know where my spider bot is, would you? It’s just a prototype, but if it’s missing, that could be a real pain…”

Her hands trembled, and she looked up with wide, tear-filled eyes. “I’m so sorry, Zack…” she whispered. “I didn’t realize it was so important. I just… I just wanted to make it better.”

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Zack’s teasing smirk softened as he noticed the black cloth draped over the workbench. Gently, he lifted it, revealing the spider bot in pieces and a stack of hand-drawn sketches. His expression shifted to surprise as he examined the detailed designs.

“Did you draw these?” he asked, holding one up.

The sketches showed a bold vision for the spider bot. Annie had reimagined it as a wearable, spider-shaped exoskeleton. She’d kept the hydrogen fuel cell, likely because a full reactor’s power demand would have been too much. The design was creative, unique, and promising.

“This is amazing!” Zack said, genuinely impressed.

Annie blinked, staring at him in disbelief. “You’re… not mad?”

Realizing his earlier tone had scared her, Zack felt a pang of guilt. He reached out, ruffling her hair gently. “Mad? Why would I be mad? It’s just a prototype. You can mess with it as much as you want.”

“Really?” Annie’s face lit up with relief, her lips curving into a bright smile. “I promise I won’t mess it up this time!”

“I know you won’t,” Zack said with a nod. “If you need help, just let me know.”

“Okay!” she replied, her earlier nervousness replaced by determination.

With a final pat on her shoulder, Zack left her lab and returned to his workshop.

Once alone, Zack let out a deep breath and glanced at the mechanical arms surrounding his workbench. “Ego, you know the drill, right?”

“Of course,” Ego replied.

The robotic arms sprang into action, grabbing materials from nearby shelves and assembling parts with precise movements under Ego’s guidance. Zack joined in, working tirelessly on producing more mechanical dogs and spiders to prepare for the battles ahead.

Two days flew by as Zack buried himself in work. Most of his time was spent crafting hydrogen fuel cells, pushing both his skills and his dwindling resources to their limits. The materials he’d salvaged from the nuclear plant were nearly gone, but by the end of the second day, he stood back to admire the fruits of his labor.

Before him were seven mechanical dogs and fourteen spiders, each meticulously crafted for maximum efficiency. One of the dogs had already been sent to the steel plant to maintain order, leaving him with a small but formidable mechanical army.

“Looks like the spiders are easier to mass-produce,” Zack muttered. Their simpler design and lower material requirements made them perfect for quick assembly.

Turning to Ego, he asked, “How’s the steel plant holding up? Any issues?”

“The workers are cooperating so far. No problems to report,” Ego replied smoothly.

Zack nodded, relieved. To maintain order, he’d stationed a mechanical dog equipped with advanced weapons at the plant. These new models were far more powerful than the old ones.

The mechanical dogs now featured 7.62mm heavy machine guns mounted on their backs, grenade launchers on their rear legs, and mini missile launchers on their shoulders. Their optics were fine-tuned for precise targeting, making them highly effective walking turrets.

The spiders, though simpler, were equally lethal. Each was armed with four 5.56mm light machine guns mounted on their optical lenses, allowing them to attack in multiple directions. As a last resort, they had a self-destruct function: if critically damaged or commanded, the hydrogen fuel cell would detonate, clearing a 500-meter radius.

“Ego, power them up,” Zack commanded.

One by one, the machines came to life, their low hum filling the room as they synchronized. Zack watched with a surge of pride. “Perfect,” he murmured. “A real mechanical army—loyal, fearless, and unstoppable.”

He turned to a nearby monitor. “Ego, show me the zombie situation.”

The satellite feed flickered on, revealing endless swarms of zombies moving across the land. Zack’s jaw tightened as he studied the screen, already bracing himself for what was coming.