The Vanguard

The more my weapons are bloodied,

the greater my fear.

When nature took her revenge,

I had a rifle,

the last symbol of a mechanized world.

But that was five years ago, Father.

Now nature laughs at me.

The savages are her gift to us,

the walking dead.

I am at her mercy.

The primitive man.

She knows my sins, has seen the things I have done,

the acts of murder, of cannibalism,

of madness.

Will God ever forgive me?

I miss my rifle.

Is there a world outside of my own?

Or has God already forsaken me?

Is that why I've waited all these years for Hareem Jabbar?

He said he is a man who comes from the East

with promise of a new world.

I wonder now whether he's even alive.

I wonder why I choose to wait for him here,

the birthplace of the savages.

I can still hear them, even now.

Our armies plundered the East for oil

to preserve our way of life.

Our bombs rained down from the sky,

and 2 billion Easterners perished.

The army said you weren't native, Father,

that you chose to fight alongside the Easterners.

Only now do I understand your actions.

When the oil ran out, the Corporation turned on us.

Those who survived were left with a fate far worse than death.

I know they are coming for me, Father.

- (growling) - (gunshots)

In order to destroy your enemy,

you must first understand them.

That was what you taught me.

The savages are learning,

and so will I.

What is this war I feel in my heart, Father?

What is this force driving me to kill?

Is it God?

Is God a destructive force?

Was God beside you in the desert when you fought,

before the war claimed you for itself?

Is it He who decides whether we live or die?

I wonder how many you killed.

Were you remorseless in the face of your enemy?

I have lived the life you taught me.

I have survived through slaughter.

I have sacrificed my own humanity in all this bloodshed.

Am I strong enough to fight to the last breath?

I have to see them as they are, Father.

Not as human, as savages,

as the enemy.

They are the manifestation of the drug

which destroyed so much of our world.

But now they are evolving.

No longer do they kill one another.

No longer do the rely on scent or sound alone.

Now they begin to see.

And now I must face them.

I know many more will soon come

to kill their devil.

I have waited for Hareem

but I wait no more.

Whether I prevail in battle or not,

I need to believe there is a world outside of my own.

I'm not here to harm you!

You hear me? I'm not here to harm you!

I am merciful, Father.

I am merciful.

So many bad things.

The prison camps.

Made sense.

My wife, I see her.

What happened to you?

Where are you?

I see angels...

bringing death.

I want to die.

I want to hold my wife.

I want to...

be close...

to my son.

Salam.

Salam.

Sala-

Hey.

How long-

You're deaf.

Can you lip read?

Max.

The army's coming.

They're clearing the towns and cities of Biosyns.

You understand?

I didn't think there were any survivors in the South.

Doesn't matter.

It's all right.

It's morphine... for the pain.

Should I believe him...

or should I kill him?

You stay here, you die.

You understand?

Listen to me, you deaf bastard. You stay here, you die.

You have your father's strength, Max.

His courage.

You're my creation.

My beautiful creation.

You have to look deep within yourself.

You will understand.

And you will not be afraid.

Not be afraid.

Do you hear me?

Go.

Go.

I need to believe, Father.

What's wrong?

Come on, get up! Let's go!

Come on! We haven't got time for this!

I'm okay. Just give me a minute.

For Christ's sake! Shoot them!

It jammed. I'm sorry.

Zac, are you all right? Are you all right, Zac?

That second shot was not from you.

Jesus. What is it? Zac?

Keep your head down!

Oh, fuck.

A Tracker.

I said keep your head down!

Did you get him, Zac? Did you get him?

Would you shut up, will you? Let me think!

Can't you just shut up and let me think?

Come on!

Go on!

What are we gonna do?

Zac, what are we gonna do?

I think I got him.

Fuck.

We just keep going. I mean, we just keep going.

Always be sure. What?

I told you aim and fire! One shot! What's the matter with you?

I'm sorry.

Your helmet and jacket, take 'em off.