NOVEL NEXT Chapter 102: TItan Armor
Without hesitation, he turned the suit downward, beginning his rapid descent toward the planet below. In under ten minutes, Zack was soaring above NYC once more. "Apex's performance is solid," Zack noted as he landed. "But to transport space-based weapon modules, we'll need to bring in some professionals."
Back at his Mansion, Zack removed the Apex armor and poured himself a glass of chlorophyll juice, drinking it in one gulp. "Ego, locate the nearest rocket launch site with a functional launch vehicle," he ordered.
Moments later, Ego responded, "Sir, I've found a suitable base with a ready-to-launch vehicle."
"Kennedy Rocket Complex, huh?" Zack raised an eyebrow as the holographic display projected an image of the launch vehicle. The sleek design bore the marks of an old but functional private aerospace initiative. He chuckled. "Who'd have thought an abandoned launch facility just outside NYC would still have rockets ready to go? Too bad the virus outbreak left this gem gathering dust." His expression turned serious. "Let's fix that mistake for them."
Zack donned his Apex armor and walked out of the Mansion. Along the way, he found Ava and gave her instructions. "Bring a few of the mechanical bugs. We've got work to do."
Two Days Later, At the coastal Kennedy Rocket Complex, Zack's team was hard at work. Outside the perimeter, mechanical dogs and spider drones systematically cleared away the lingering zombies, ensuring the area was secure.
Meanwhile, dozens of mechanical fabrication bugs, each varying in size, made their final adjustments to the rocket stationed on the launch pad. The space-based weapon module and four specially modified space-work drones had already been loaded. The rocket was almost ready. Just one more round of testing remained before it could take off.
In the observation room, Annie leaned against the window, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at the massive rocket in the distance. "Big brother, is that the launch vehicle?" she asked excitedly. Her voice carried the wonder of seeing such a thing for the first time outside of a screen.
"Yeah," Zack replied with a nod. "You'll get to see it launch soon." Annie wasn't alone in the observation room. Sophia, Erza, and even Mia, who had only arrived at the Mansion a few days ago, were there, watching the preparations unfold. Zack had given them permission to witness the launch.
Dressed in his Apex armor, Zack stood quietly, waiting for Ego's final report. "Sir, testing is complete. All systems are green. Fueling is finished," Ego's voice confirmed. "We're ready to light it up!"
Zack gave a short nod. "Proceed with ignition."
In the distance, the rocket's launch platform began to shift, its structure opening like a hand releasing its grip. Fuel lines and cables detached, retracting into their housings as the countdown began. "Ten… nine… eight…"
The voices of the base systems echoed through the room, matching the tension in the air. "Three… two… one…"
"Ignition!" A fiery roar erupted from the rocket's engines as flames surged from its tail, propelling it upward. The ground trembled with the force of the launch as the vehicle ascended steadily, gaining speed with each passing second.
Soon, it disappeared from sight, leaving only a long trail of smoke stretching toward the heavens. "Booster separation confirmed," Ego reported. "First-stage rocket detached."
"Fairing separation complete. The designated orbit has been reached. Second-stage engine shutdown confirmed. Approaching the LSI satellite. Payload separation initiated. Beginning docking procedure…" A pause, then Ego's voice sounded again, calm and clear. "Docking successful. The module has been connected to the LSI satellite."
Zack grinned as he prepared to take his turn. "Alright, my turn," he muttered, stepping out of the observation room.
The thruster on his propulsion backpack roared to life, and in an instant, Zack shot into the sky like an arrow released from a bow. His speed was incredible, almost rivaling that of a rocket at launch, though his propulsion system's tail-end thrust couldn't quite match a full-fledged launch vehicle.
Minutes later, Zack spotted the LSI satellite, now bearing a dramatically altered appearance. The once-symmetrical structure had been upgraded with a massive, space-based module that dwarfed its previous design. "Deploy the space bugs!" Zack commanded.
Four puppy-sized mechanical space bugs emerged from the oversized module. Unlike standard mechanical units, these bugs were made from advanced high-temperature-resistant and radiation-proof materials. Equipped with multi-directional low-power thrusters, they could maneuver effortlessly in the weightless void of space. "I'll handle the module connections. You take care of the rest," Zack instructed the bugs.
He positioned himself beneath the space-based module, unscrewing the hatch to divide the unit into its four main components. One by one, Zack docked the modules onto the LSI satellite. It sounded simple, but for Zack, who was performing space operations for the first time, the task was far from easy. Even with the assistance of the bugs, it took nearly four grueling hours to complete the process.
When the final module was secured, Zack exhaled deeply and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Phew... More exhausting than fighting zombies," he muttered.
"Alright, little guys, it's all up to you now. Do your best," he quipped, activating his propulsion pack. Without a backward glance, Zack descended toward Earth, leaving the smaller parts and final adjustments to the capable space bugs.
By the time Zack returned to the rocket launch base, Annie and the others had already left. Following Zack's earlier instructions, they had taken the Avalon back to NYC, accompanied by the mechanical bugs. The base was now eerily quiet, occupied only by a dozen spider drones, a few mechanical dogs, and a single Avalon. "Let the Avalon take off," Zack instructed. "The Ant and Spiders can stay here—this base might come in handy later."
"Understood, Sir," replied Ego, his AI assistant. Soon, the Avalon lifted off, ascending smoothly into the sky and heading toward NYC. Zack, however, didn't wait. He quickly overtook the Avalon with his propulsion pack, reaching the city ahead of it.
Back at his villa, Zack removed the Apex suit and immediately immersed himself in work on his latest project: the Titan Armor. It had been six days since he first outlined the design, and now the armor was no longer just a concept on paper. Several large modules sat on his workbench, showcasing significant progress.
"No, I need to modify the Avalon before finishing the other modules," Zack muttered, frowning as he reviewed his designs. Unlike traditional heavy deployment systems that rely on external logistics, Zack's Titan Armor would use a modified System. This approach ensured the armor could be deployed independently, eliminating the need for costly external maintenance or retrieval missions.
While Zack worked, the streets of NYC were undergoing a transformation. Hundreds of Ant and Spiders patrolled the city, systematically clearing out zombies building by building, street by street. More than thirty workers from the steel mill followed behind, loading zombie corpses onto ten massive trailer trucks. These trucks would then transport the remains outside the city for destruction.