The Metal Monster!

A truck, bristling with turrets atop and machine guns mounted on the sides, rolled up to the Authority commander.

She approached the window and swiftly flashed a small square object at the driver, then began tapping away at the device while also asking the driver a series of questions.

Axel was humming along to the old songs, lost in his own thoughts, when something caught his attention.

His gaze flickered towards the watchtower, where he noticed the sniper gesturing frantically while peering through the scope of his gun.

Axel couldn't hear the words, but the sniper's body language spoke volumes—he could sense that something was amiss.

"Byte, what do you think his eyes are saying?"

Axel whispered to his feline companion as he leaned closer to the steering wheel, trying to get a better view of the man at the top of the tower.

Byte shifted on her seat and directed her gaze towards the watchtower, focusing on the soldier. He was grateful that the soldier was Synthetic; reading a robot's eyes would have been impossible.

"Anger?" he guessed, and Byte shook her head in response.

"Alert?" he tried again, and this time Byte nodded in agreement.

Axel furrowed his brow and turned his head to follow the direction the synthetic soldier was staring.

The night desert stretched before them, vast and seemingly endless.

Despite his cyberware enhancements, he couldn't discern anything out of the ordinary in the darkness.

When he looked back at the soldier, a new scene unfolded before him. All the soldiers at the gate, including the commander, were now on high alert.

"Let us in!" shouted the man driving the truck, his voice carrying over the distance.

But the commander responded with words that Axel couldn't discern, likely speaking into a communication device.

Suddenly, the gates that had been opened began to close, sealing off the entrance to the settlement.

The truck driver honked hard, desperation evident in his voice.

"Let us in before that thing starts to eat us. I have a family with--"

But before he could finish, the commander swiftly jabbed him, silencing his pleas.

She exchanged a few words with the synthetic soldier beside her, and together they marched towards the closing gates, leaving the truck driver behind in his vehicle.

"Oh shit," Axel whispered under his breath, feeling a twinge of fear creeping in.

Beside him, Byte let out a meow of fear.

"Don't worry. It'll be over soon. You've seen how easily we disposed of them, right? And we're talking about the Authority here. No worries at all."

But even as he spoke, he couldn't shake off the nagging doubts and fears that lingered in the back of his mind. He had seen the bodies of soldiers here, and whatever had caused that carnage was no ordinary Necro-bot.

He looked back once more, his heart pounding in his chest, but there was nothing to be seen.

Suddenly, the sharp crack of a sniper rifle echoed from the watchtower.

Silence followed. Then, the air was filled with screams of panic and confusion.

"All passengers, please be advised. Close your windows and do not come out, I repeat, do not come out until I say so."

The commander's voice boomed, devoid of any amplification equipment yet carrying like a megaphone.

With a sense of urgency, he quickly locked all the windows of the vehicle, ensuring that no openings remained.

As he did so, Byte leaped into his arms, seeking refuge from the chaos outside. She buried her face into his chest, trembling with fear.

Axel wrapped his arms around Byte, holding her close, and began to pet her head soothingly, trying his best to calm the frightened cat.

"It's okay, Byte. We'll be fine."

A deafening roar reverberated through the settlement, shaking the entire area as if an earthquake had struck.

Byte let out a loud meow of distress, her fear mirroring that of the panicked people in the queue, who screamed in terror at the unexpected upheaval.

He stole another glance backward, and what he saw was astounding—a colossal, shiny monstrosity thundering across the desert terrain like a mechanical rhinoceros.

Its sheer size and imposing presence resembled that of a wild beast.

Clad in metallic armor that glinted under the moonlight, it appeared like a massive steel rhino, evoking a sense of awe and dread in all who witnessed its approach.

His heart sank as Byte's meows grew louder, her trembling intensifying in his arms.

"What the fuck is that!"

Axel cursed vehemently as Boss began to shake beneath him, the ground trembling with the approaching menace.

The Necro-bot charged straight at the queue of vehicles, causing panic among the waiting passengers.

Meanwhile, the commander shouted orders in a desperate attempt to control the chaos.

Synthetics sprang into action, their machine guns aimed and firing relentlessly at the oncoming creature.

Turrets atop the settlement walls swiveled to face the threat, unleashing a volley of non-stop bullets.

Snipers stationed strategically took aim, their shots echoing across the desert as they did their utmost to neutralize the monstrous intruder.

Bullets rained down on the creature, but it remained undeterred, pressing forward with an eerie speed.

Despite the barrage of gunfire, it showed no signs of slowing down or veering from its path.

If these were the Necro-bots advancing, Axel had no desire to continue whatsoever.

With every heavy stride, the colossal metal beast reverberated through the ground, shaking everything in its wake.

Bullets pelted its armored surface, only to bounce off harmlessly, like pebbles against a fortress wall.

Even ammunition specifically crafted to pierce metal proved futile against its impenetrable exterior.

"How many layers of metal does that thing even have!"

Axel exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief as he watched the futile barrage of bullets bouncing off the creature's armored form.

Realizing the dire situation, Axel quickly glanced around. A car was parked behind him, blocking any chance of retreat, while in front, the truck remained immobile, forming an impassable barrier. 

"Fuck!"