Page 2653

~~((National Do Something Nice Day Special -- Page 23 of 24))~~
The machines zoomed after Miles, who in turn flew away, no doubt wanting to put more distance between him and them. A flurry of visible bursts of air surged out from Miles' hands, and the machines zigged and zagged between them.

Asad could hardly believe his eyes. Their mobility was absolutely absurd. The way they could react and dodge so quickly in midair--he'd never seen any machine do that, much less ones that seemed to be operating autonomously. Perhaps they had pilots flying them remotely. Asad found himself hoping that was the case, because the alternative meant that the Mad Demon was even further ahead technologically than he'd imagined.

The captain general was at least managing to stay ahead of the flying death machines, but he was clearly struggling. Finally, one of his air bursts connected, knocking a machine off course and sending it into the side of a dune, kicking up a giant cloud of sand.

Morgunov was still chuckling, though, and threw a glance Asad's way. "Glad he's not making it too easy on 'em! They'll never improve, otherwise!"

Miles seemed to be turning the tables on the remaining machine, zipping around it and launching an even more furious surge of blasts at it, battering it around. Even if he wasn't quite landing a solid hit yet, it seemed like only a matter of time now.

But Asad could see the sand dune being disturbed again, and the machine that had been knocked down came blasting out of it, this time boasting a new adjustment.

A red flash cut through the night sky in an instant. A laser. Followed by several more, rapid fire. They nearly hit Miles, getting closer each time, until he noticed and began evading, which unfortunately meant that he had to stop attacking the one that he'd had on the ropes.