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The Dream Machine Chapter 25: Games Zero entered the Dr. Sky’s quarters, and found the assistant bots sitting solemnly around the monitor, watching the news. “The Maverick Hunters have advised the police department that 25 year old Dr. Azria Sky has escaped from their custody.” The news anchor read from the notes in front of him. A photo of Dr. Sky, from the ID badge here at HQ is shown at the corner of the screen. “She orchestrated an escape from the medical wing of Hunter Headquarters yesterday evening, and is considered armed and dangerous. She is probably armed with a class-4 light pistol, reported missing from the medical wing. There are no leads as to how she escaped the heavily guarded Hunter Headquarters. Should you see Dr. Sky, do not approach her yourself; you should contact area police immediately. Onto other news…” Emma got up and turned off the monitor, while the rest of the assistant bots stared at the ground, clearly upset by what is happening. Emma looked up expectantly at Zero, hoping he would have something reassuring to say to them. Zero shook his head, unsure if anything he could say would help at this point. He looked down and found Clara, one of the assistant bots at his side, looking up at him, teary eyed. “I’m not sure what happened either.” Zero said softly. “But they do have a tape of her running down one of the hallways, and she did have a light gun on her...” All of the bots were upset. Just yesterday they found out from Zero that Aya went missing during their covert operation, and today their mom has been branded a fugitive from the law. Clara began to cry, and Emma started to console her fellow assistant bot, patting her on the head. “It’ll be okay.” Zero announced. Will it? He asked himself before he even finished his sentence. “We’ll find both of them.” The bots did not look any better. The red Hunter kneeled down on the ground and opened his arms. In seconds, all twenty of the assistant bots surrounded him in an embrace. “It’ll be okay.” He repeated. --------------- Zero left the quarters after watching over Emma tucking the rest of the assistant bots to bed. While he didn’t actually do anything, they seem to feel better with him around. Emma was another comforting presence, kissing each of the assistant bots good-night before seeing Zero off. In Aya and Dr. Sky’s absence, Emma has taken over the role of surrogate mother, calming the group down when the get too upset, organizing their team activities. Although the bots don’t need any physical nurturing, since they are Reploids, they have been spoiled by Sky’s excessive mothering, and psychologically needs the support. It is because of this that Zero felt the need to convinced Signas to let the bots stay at Maverick Hunter HQ. He pointed out that Dr. Sky would very likely try to contact them, so having them around could be useful in locating her. Can’t explain it, but I feel better having them around, too. His next stop was Aya’s quarters. Maybe something there will help us locate her. As he turned the corner, he saw X stepping out of Aya’s room. The blue hunter headed in the opposite direction, unaware that Zero had spotted him. Zero waited around the corner until X was gone, then approached the door. Stealthily, he waved a device over the code pad to the door. The door unlocked and slid open, allowing Zero admittance. What was X up to in here? Zero scanned the room, comparing its contents and their placement to the photographic image of the place in his memory. Methodically, he checked everything that had been moved, trying to find something significant. He finished going through the living room without success, and moved onto her bedroom. Having never actually been inside Aya’s bedroom before, he had no idea what was out of place, so he checked every promising looking notebook, and reviewed the data on her computer. “Nothing.” He shook his head. His search of the quarters complete, his mind turned back to the question of what X was doing here. After putting things back to their respective place, Zero left for X’s quarters. ------------------------- “It seems I have utterly underestimated your abilities as a Hunter, Aya.” Doyle slowly circled around the lab table where Aya was strapped down. Several other technicians were with them in the Maverick base’s lab. “To think, all this time you’ve managed to make me think you were just an average Hunter.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Commander Doyle.” Aya said evenly. If he thinks I actually have a worthwhile skill, he might decide to infect me with his Zero Virus. “You managed to infiltrate one of the Maverick Compounds by yourself… or did you have help?” Doyle started at Aya, waiting for a response, but got none. “That doesn’t matter. I think it’s time to bring you into the fold.” Doyle waved his hand in the air, summoning a technician to hook up a data cable to her temple port. Zero Virus? Damn! “It’s the good stuff, refined by me.” Doyle lifted his head proudly. “Soon you’ll tell me everything I want to know.” The data transfer started! I’ve got to do something! Anything! Aya concentrated, transferring the necessary power to her attack systems. I’ve got to try the Giga Attack, even though it’s going to damage most of my systems… better dead than infected with that nut’s virus. “Giga Attack!” She shouted. Streams of light burst through the ground, shooting up to the ceiling. Doyle staggered back, the attack took him by surprise. The other technicians hesitated for a moment before rushing for the exits. “Everyone get out of here!” Doyle shouted to the technicians as parts of the ceiling caved in from above, sending sharp debris flying across the room. “Go, go, GO!” He looked back to the lab table, which was now empty, with frayed straps swinging from the sides. “Arugh!” Doyle dove out of the room, right before the remaining ceiling collapsed. -------------------------- “Zero, you’re here.” X stepped back from the doorway and headed for the mess of papers spread out on the dinning table. “Have a look at some of the tactical schemes I’ve come up with, I need your input on them.” As X sifted through the papers again, Zero’s eyes trailed after the Blue Hunter. Zero started to read some of the paperwork in silence, his mind still very much on the question of what X was doing inside Aya’s quarters. Why didn’t he tell me he was there… maybe I need to give him a chance to say something. Over the next hour, they traded strategies and comments. X carried on a normal conversation, while Zero tensed up with every passing opportunity for X to mention his visit to Aya’s quarters. Finally, the Red Hunter decided to just come out and ask. “X, did you go to Aya’s quarters today?” “Hm?” X turned to Zero, a piece of paper hanging from his lips since both his hands were full with other papers. Zero reached over the table and pulled the paper from X’s lips so he could speak. “How did you know I went to Aya’s quarters?” “I saw you go inside before I came here.” Zero set the piece of paper back on the table. “So? What were you doing there?” X raised an index finger, indicating Zero should wait a second. He walked to the coffee table and retrieved a blue notebook. “I got this.” Zero accepted the book and opened it. “I asked Aya to look up some other possible locations a couple days ago.” “But these are locations we already ruled out.” Zero turned the pages, reading the locations marked at the top of each one. “Why would you want to look at this?” “It is because of her information that we ruled out these locations… but I thought maybe there was an angle I haven’t considered…” X sat back down, leaning an elbow on the table. “We’re running out of time, and have made very little progress.” “We are running out of time…” Zero nodded. This makes sense, how could I doubt X’s intentions? “If there’s a way out of this, we’ll figure it out!” Zero started to look through the papers again. “Let’s keep at it.” X turned back to the plans before him, holding a smug grin inside. Zero is sharp, no, X? The bitter side taunted his other half. He almost got me. If I hadn’t thought of this back up plan, he would have me cornered without an explanation. Anyone else, and I think he might still suspect something, X. Of course, now he doesn’t think that I went inside to destroy evidence... -------------------------------- Aya landed in a messy heap outside of the compound. That was a nasty ten story jump from the lab, and probably ruined the shock absorbers in her legs. The Giga Attack already wreaked havoc in her systems, and it was only to distract Doyle. In a head to head fight, I don’t stand a chance. “Let’s hope he’s pompous enough not to put a shield against teleport.” She staggered away, accessing her own teleporting satellite, musing a bit on how she won it in a poker game. It got her out of more than one pinch before. Like in her other unofficial coming and goings, she couldn’t use the Hunter’s network to get home, or else she would have to explain what she was doing here in the first place. The familiar sensation of being teleported crawled over her skin, and she arrived just outside of Cove-01. Next she used the Hunter’s teleporting network to get directly back to her room. Time was of the essence; Doyle would surely be hot on her trail. She made a beeline to the computer, unlocked the Zero Virus files Wily sent her, and started to download them onto a disc. Next she searched for the notebook containing her notes on poisons. What? She pushed the books around her book case, searching for a red notebook. It’s gone! No, I left it here for sure! My locations notebook is gone, too! She narrowed her eyes, turning away from the bookcase and headed for the safe underneath her bed. Let’s hope no one found the combination to this. She punched in the 200 digit alpha-numeric code--random enough to keep safe from Reploids--and heard the door open with a hiss. From it, she retrieved a small metallic box containing the key code and closed the safe. “Download completed,” Blinked on the computer screen. In one swift motion, she popped the disc out of the computer and put it inside the box. As she stepped outside of her quarters, she lost her footing, and fell forwards. Her head suddenly felt very heavy. The Virus, it’s partially downloaded… and it’s corrupting the rest of my systems... “Computer, site to site teleport, send me to Azria Sky’s quarters, pass code 559324.” Immediately she was teleported to her destination, where she was greeted with shocked beeps from the assistant bots sitting in the living room. “There’s no time to explain.” She grabbed the nearest assistant bot, which happened to be James, and handed him the box. “Get this to Dr. Sky as soon as you can. If you look at section 11.04.80, you can get her released on a technicality.” Her hand started to tremble as she felt the virus overwhelming more and more of her systems. “As soon as she gets out, give her this…and tell her she can’t trust me anymore, but I need her help…” Several of the assistant bots came over and helped her stay standing. Emma approached and quickly explained about what happened to Dr. Sky. Aya stared at her, disbelief written all over her face. “You’re kidding me… she escaped? Well… give it to her when you next see her. Right now, she’s the only one I can trust… Stay away from X, he’s dangerous… I don’t know about Zero…” Forming words itself was getting difficult, the room started to spin. “Don’t trust anyone with that box. Don’t give it to X, Zero, or anyone else. Only give it to Dr. Sky… and no matter how much I ask… don’t give it… to me…” She pushed away from the assistant bots. “Don’t trust anyone… but… Dr. Sky. Computer, site to site transport, back to my quarters…” Her legs gave out as soon as she teleported back to her own quarters, but she only started to shake with fear when she heard Doyle’s voice in front of her. “Running errands, are we?” Doyle knelt in front of her, studying her frightened reaction with amusement. “You ordered a site to site transport to Dr. Sky’s room… did you have something to tell the little assistant bots?” “Leave them out of this, Doyle.” She said as bravely as she could manage. In truth, it’s been quite some time since she’s been so frightened. Her systems were not obeying her commands, having been half rewritten by the incomplete virus, and now Doyle was threatening to go after the assistant bots. “Tell me what you told them,” he picked her up off the ground by her right arm, twisting it at an awkward angle as he did, “and I will think about not paying them a visit tonight.” “I didn’t tell them anything.” She lied, which Doyle picked up immediately. Violently, he shoved her backwards to the wall. “Come on.” He said playfully as he boxed her against the wall. “Tell me what you told them.” She looked away. Usually she was very good about keeping up a poker face, but right now, she was busy trying to keep up with the effects of the virus. “Or did you give them something instead…” She flinched slightly, giving him the answer he needed to see. “Ahh.. yes, you gave them the key code. No matter, I’ll get that eventually. Right now… let’s get that virus transfer completed, shall we?” ---------------------------- Brilliant white wings glowed before her. An angel? Dr. Sky thought to herself. Am I dead? The “angel” turned halfway around, studying the blood soaking through his white gloves, his green eyes hazed by indifference. A trail of red rolled down his cheeks, mimicking tears. “X?!” She whispered. The green eyes turned to hers, pulling her out of her dream-state and back into cold reality. There were no wings, and he was certainly not an angel… unless angels of death existed. “So you’re finally awake.” X removed his gloves and wiped his hands clean on them. “Those nanites are more resilient than I thought. Took them long enough to reanimate you, though.” The memory of being hit with the gun returned, and she checked her wound. Clean bandages were wrapped around her chest, but spots of crimson were already starting to appear. Her lab coat had been removed, and was now draped over her shoulder. Now is not exactly the time to get modest. She told herself. I can’t give him another angle to get at me. Act calm, act clam. “What exactly are you up to?” While waiting for his response, she glanced quickly around the small room. It looked like a run down hospital... probably one above-ground that had been abandoned. She was sitting up in the only bed in the room, partially covered by the dingy sheets. The light above flickered. How is this place being powered? Maybe it’s one of those places they overlooked shutting down completely... or X hooked things back up. I’m not sure if I should be impressed... “Do you really have to ask?” X got up and walked to the sink, rinsing the blood out of his gloves. “I’m going to destroy Zero.” “Why?” It was hard to contain her anger, especially with the casual tone the Hunter used. X splashed some water to his face, and grabbed a nearby towel to wipe his face dry. “Because I hate him.” He said matter-of-factly, knowing full well this would annoy the scientist even more. “He’s a fake. Hero façade, but you can never trust him in the end.” He tossed the towel down and leaned against the rim of the sink. “Do you have any idea the hells that he has put me through? Constantly worried about him, hoping a lucky shot doesn’t take him out in the next mission, and yet wondering if he’ll be the one to shoot me in the back when the chance comes up…” X turned around, breathing heavily. “Do you have any idea at all?” “I am speaking to the bitter side, right?” Dr. Sky tried to sit up further, but only made the wound bleed more freely. The nanites can’t work as fast as they should… I need food and water... “You sound like this is of your own free will.” “It is of my free will.” His eyes narrowed, showing bitterness unnatural to his boyish continence. “I hate him, and I’m going to destroy him.” “You know Wily is the reason your personality split.” She smiled, gaining more confidence in their argument. “How do you know he’s still not controlling you?” If it’s a psychological game we’re playing, this could turn ugly. Then again...this is the only weapon I’ve got at this point. If I can get him upset...drop his defenses against X...then just maybe... X started to say something, but smiled as he realized what she was doing. “You’re playing a mind game with me, aren’t you?” He approached and sat down at the edge of the bed, leaning in closer than Dr. Sky’s would like. “You’ve lost every single one of those since we’ve met, child. All I have to do is to give you a look and cry and you drop all of your defenses.” He pushed her chin up slightly. “If you want to get out alive, I suggest you stop feeling so sorry for X and start worrying about your own life.” “On the contrary, X.” She batted his hand away. “Now that I know the real X is still inside somewhere, I’m more determined than ever to get him back!” The two stared at each other intensely, then X broke out a fit of laughter. “You are stupid. The X you hope to get back can’t do a thing right now.” The one of the over-head lights flickered again, as if struggling to stay alive, but finally died. In the dimmed lighting, X’s eyes glowed an eerie green. “I have him locked in a dark corner of our mind. I did that when he was busy feeling sorry for everyone he killed. When he tries to escape, I simply refresh his memory with the face of another one of his victims…” He raised his palm and pressed down at the bandages on Dr. Sky’s chest. She squirmed; the pain was intense even though the pressure was not heavy. “Perhaps the next face I show him is yours…” The pressure increased. She tried to push him away, but the feeling left her arms as the pain increased. “Your X is inside, watching right now, but he can’t… or should I say won’t help you. Are you still so confidant you can bring him back?” “Shut…up….” She grunted. X replied by pressing harder. Something snapped, and Dr. Sky felt the jagged edge of a bone slicing through her insides. “AHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Fan Fiction - Top |
