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The Dream Machine Chapter 13: Plots Revealed “How are you doing?” X was dreaming again, inside the machine that he built according to Dr. Light’s directions. It was modeled exactly after Dr. Sky’s machine. Light told him that this would give them a better way to communicate. X did not argue. A lot of things have stopped mattering since that day at Dr. Sky’s lab. The only thing he should be worried about now is finishing his job. Yet…he felt something was wrong. He considered this for many years, and have finally decided correcting Light’s mistake is the solution… “I’m fine Dr. Light.” X turned and addressed the hologram of his creator. “It’s going well. The Virus detector you fitted me with works great.” At the end of the plan, after getting rid of all the other Reploids, I would have to deactivate myself. This nagging feeling…am I afraid to die? “How come you didn’t fight Zero?” Light asked, his tone heavier than before. “He didn’t try to stop me.” X replied. “I’m getting rid of the Mavericks first.” “Eventually he’ll try to stop you. How many more times do you think you can get away from the scene before he shows up?” Light turned and crossed his hands behind him. “You will have to fight him.” “I know.” X said, slightly regrettably. ---------------------- A Reploid entered a small makeshift laboratory. She noted X was resting inside a recharge pod, and a small computer sitting on the desk by the side. The screen flickered to life and an image of Dr. Light came on the screen. “Who are you?” Light demanded. The Reploid stepped into the light. “I’m Aya, a Maverick Hunter. You must be the famous scientist from many years ago.” Aya sat down in the chair and faced the monitor. “Can X hear us?” “No…” Light studied Aya suspiciously, the ladder giving little hints on why she was here and how she found this place. “Good,” said Aya, “So you can stop this charade…” Aya crossed her arms. “Dr. Wily.” A strange smile crossed Light’s face, then the screen flickered and Dr. Wily’s face graced the monitor. Wily was obviously impressed by the Hunter, but he was even more curious as to what she was here to do. “Indeed, I am Dr. Wily. Now, how did you find this place and how did you know who I was?” Aya raised an index finger in the air and shook it slightly. “The answer to the first question is a trade secret.” Aya winked. “Let’s just say I make it a habit to know about everyone’s whereabouts. The answer to the second question is simply that I do much more than read between the lines of history books. Light would never have said those things to X that you did during the session. If it’s not Light, it had to be you.” “Very good.” The scientist half cackled. “Very good.” “X would have figured it out, too, if he wasn’t blinded by the pain of losing his friend over and over again…” She leaned on the desk, closer to the monitor. “A weakness you used to your advantage. It is a most worthy scheme on your part.” “You still haven’t told me why you are here, Ms. Aya.” Wily raised one eyebrow. “You’re not here to catch me, or bring X back to the hunters, or you would have brought others.” “How do you know they’re not outside right now?” Aya toyed with the old scientist. “Of course, they are not. In any case, you’re right; I’m here to do neither.” Aya gave Wily a toothy grin, a strange glint in her eyes. “I have nothing of worth to gain from doing those things. Instead I came here to ask you about the Zero Virus.” “Oh? And what does a nice young lady like you want to do with the Zero Virus?” “The increased power output levels of infected Reploids.” Aya’s declaration was met with a moment of silence, while Wily rubbed his chin in thought. “So…you were the one spreading the Zero Virus all over the coves, just so you could study the power output levels.” Aya tiled her head back and let out a sharp laugh. “No, I’m not the fool who risked an outbreak just for a few numbers. I certainly wouldn’t have gotten myself infected in the meantime, either.” “And who might this ‘fool’ be?” Wily pulled at his mustache, slightly curious. “Trade secret.” Aya smiled. “If you have something to trade me for this piece of info, then maybe I’ll consider telling you.” “Well, this ‘fool’ is not important to my plan right now, but you seem like a promising young lady, why don’t you join my team. If I am successful with this plan, then I can tell you all you want to know about the Zero Virus.” Aya stood up and moved to the recharge pod. “Your plan is just to get Zero back to your side so he can finish off this cutie, right?” The hunter drew a weapon and pointed it at X. “Why don’t you just finish it right now?” “Heh,” Wily wasn’t alarmed by Aya’s move. “It’s not that simple. If I just kill X, Zero would never return to me. No, X would the martyr that makes him want to stay with the Hunters even more.” “Okay.” Aya put the weapon back in its holster. “But I always go the direct route when possible.” She started for the door. “I’ll keep your offer in mind, but I prefer instant gratification.” She sent a wink back to Wily. “So unless you’re ready to give me the information I want, you might want to consider me an enemy.” Casually she walked passed the doorway and left Wily alone with X. “A new variable?” Wily’s eyes narrowed, but a grin remained on his face. “This will only make it more fun.” His laugh echoed menacingly down the deserted hallways. ----------------- “Owww…” Dr. Sky gripped her stomach as she woke up. “What did I have for dinner last night?...” Suddenly realizing what happened to her, she bolted up into a sitting position. She was in a cell, a dark one at that. The only light source was from the small barred window on the back wall. Okay, let’s narrow down the suspects. Dr. Sky thought to herself. iWho would want to catch you alive, and lock you up in a cell? She closed her eyes. Someone affiliated with Mavericks. Who would know me? “Hey… it’s you!” Dr. Sky recalled the Maverick saying to her. “I’ll get a promotion for sure.” No one had seen me in awhile, except for X, Zero, Alia, Dr. Cain and Aya, and they wouldn’t do this to me. Her eyes grew wide. It must be her. But that doesn’t make sense. How would she know I was alive in the first place? She thinks I’m dead, so why would she tell her subordinates to keep an eye out for me? The heavy metal door started to slide open, and a figure stood at the doorway. The light was coming from behind the figure, so Dr. Sky couldn’t make out who the person was. She squinted, her eye sensitive to the sudden increase in light level. “Hello Azria. I never thought we’d meet again.” The feminine voice was gentile, but had a menacing edge to it. “I knew it.” Dr. Sky replied, making no effort to contain her disgust. “How did you know I was alive?” “You mean after you were supposed to have died by my hands that time we met?” The figure laughed. “I only found out recently. Coming back out from hiding was a bad idea, especially when you know yours, and your parents’ killer is still at large. It didn’t take long before news of your hanging out at Hunter HQ to reach me. Especially since I work there.” “Work…there…” Her mind suddenly filled with thoughts of the other hunters. If this manic was working there, they would all be in danger. “What are you doing with the Hunters?!” “I’m just learning more about the Sigma Virus. You know me, Azria, always looking for new sources of power. The Sigma Virus seemed very promising. Naturally I joined up with the Hunters to find out more…. After all, I thought you took your parents’ legacy to the grave with you. A girl’s gotta make a living. “And what fun it was when a new strain, the Zero Virus appeared! It was superior to the Sigma Virus in every way: infection rate, energy output, everything! I had to find out more. It’s a marvelous virus! I refined a new strain from the data I collected.” “Data? You couldn’t have collected enough data…unless you knew where the attacks were going to be beforehand and set up… YOU were the one spreading the virus?!” The figure made no attempt to deny the charge, and Dr. Sky’s stomach turned upside down. “You got all those people killed just for DATA?!” She didn’t think she could regard her parents’ killer with any more distain than she felt all these years, but she was wrong. “I would love to go back and look at the nanites side project of yours, but right now I’ve got bigger fish to fry, so you can stay here and wait until I’m ready to deal with you.” The figure turned to go, and it was then that Dr. Sky caught the figure’s profile. “Wait a minute.” Dr. Sky called out. “You’re not Allison!” The figure turned back and drew a weapon, lighting the room as it came to life. It was a double headed laser baton. Dr. Sky’s jaw dropped when she saw the figure’s face. “You’re not Allison…” She shook her head. “Wrong.” The figure said in a female voice, which was eerie since the voice belonged to a male Reploid. “I am Allison.” He continued to speak in the female voice. “I just…got a make over.” He grinned, enjoying every moment of Dr. Sky’s horror. “I had to change my look, since the police and Hunters were all looking for Allison Sky, Maverick. So I became” his voice changed back to a male voice “Commander Doyle, Maverick Hunters, 13th Unit.” Fan Fiction - Top |
