/ David
I stayed up here with Ana after her breakdown. In the morning she showed me what she saw on that screen. Horrors that one would think came from some twisted mind down in the parallels, but no - an actual reality created by some wealthy psychos.
"There was a man, Feng, he said that it's where he's at. Though, I presume from what he did - he's with the Elite." - Ana tiredly speaks to me.
"I think we should gather everyone here, to have a chat about all of this." - I tell her, as I sense that this whole situation is about to get way bigger than all of us.
She takes a moment to think. She paces around, as I sit at the screens, with the atrocities of human imagination in front of me. Evie stands in a corner. I'm not sure if she's observing, or if she's documenting the whole thing. I'm still not sure if this android being is for us or against us. The moment I walked in I first saw Evie, standing next to the screens, sort of eerily smirking at what she witnessed and only after did I see how terrified Ana was, absolutely in disarray.
I wondered from then on if this damn robot has any extra embed programs that make her tick like the sick creator who made it.
"Ehh…" - Ana walks over to me, leaning on the desk. - "I assume I should head down. So that we can utilise the whole brain capacity of this facility."
She looks a bit more determined, collected. Though, after such a shock, I wonder how she managed to get herself back on track. If such a track exists. PTSD is not a walk in a park.
"You want to head down." - I repeat. She nods.
"Evie, duplicate the file group, so that you can transfer it to AIO." - Ana commands Evie. The latter abides the command, although somewhat expectantly. Like that is exactly what that damn robot wanted.
"It'll take me 20 minutes." - Evie says, as she approaches the computers. Then opens up part of her arm, pulls out some damn wiring and inserts into the computer.
I get up and walk off to the window, Ana follows me.
"We might have to get a few others up from their sleep. If we're to face whatever that is - we need manpower. The little army of robots and androids ain't gonna cut it." - She quietly says to me. Although it seems like she's aware that Evie can hear her none the less.
"That sounds like a plan. Though… Do we know who's alive?" - I ask, wondering if there's any more wonders that will pop up from the people who wake up from cryo sleep. Will I know some of them? Will they know us?
"I'll need to check the fourth level first, so you'll have to keep an eye on Evie for me. She can't go where I want to go." - Ana replied.
"What do you mean?" - I wonder what she's planning.
"I'll tell you when it's done." - She looks at me with a sheepish smile. Like there's a whole dark abyss that's not even fathomable that she's to go into. Just what does she plan to do?
We stand there, watching the mountains, then Evie lets us know that she copied off the information and we head downstairs. Three of us.
The room with computers, the hall to the elevator. I open the elevator and all three of us step in. Ana presses the button, like she knows where to go.
"Wait, what is this?" - AIO pops up in speakers.
"Oh, hi." - I let out automatically. Having to stay with this thing for a while makes you get used to it in the most odd ways.
"You! YOU?!" - AIO shouts in the speakers and there's this buzz that comes up, like the whole system is about to burst. - "What the heck are you?! And YOU?! How dare you!!!"
"Ah, the godforsaken reunion. Right, Evie?" - Ana turns to Evie, as the AIO is shouting overhead. Evie has no expressions whatsoever. - "Do you think playing a mute is going to save you from her? Tsk-tsk-tsk. Waste of time."
Evie glances at Ana. Somewhat unsettled now, like the whole cold drone charade is slowly falling apart.
"What a fine reunion, hm?" - Ana lets out sarcastically.
The elevator stops and we walk out. Oh, this is the floor where Niko and others woke up. That's what Jade explained to me, alongside Ary, as we've gone to explore the premise a few times.
Ana walks over into the area where they were. The computers are still standing here, as they were. Me and Evie followed.
"Upload the files here." - Ana commands Evie. Evie does as told. No questions asked. Is this robot submissive on purpose or is there something else to it?
Evie walks over to the computers, undoes her arm and connects to the computer.
"You look after her. I'll be back in a bit." - Ana says, then pats me on the shoulder and leaves.
"Seriously? Just what the heck does this piece of mechanics do here?" - AIO blares out over speakers.
"I have my orders." - Evie responds.
"Orders? You mean that human thing with you?" - AIO sounds dejected. - "Wait."
Silence befalls the room. The files are slowly transferred to the system.
"What is this monstrosity? None of the subjects have anything close to this." - AIO comes up again after about 10 minutes.
"She'll let you know. I'm just here, as per orders." - Evie sounds stiffened up. Unlike the usual unhinged behaviour that she showed during the first meeting, nor the odd way she interacts with Ana, this - this is rather interesting.
Another 10 minutes pass.
"This is not alright in any way shape or form. What does it have to do with me?" - AIO pops up again.
"She'll let you know. It is not my part to play." - Responds Evie. She now transferred all files and is sitting quietly in the chair.
I'm still leaning against the wall, waiting for Ana to return. Just what is she up to?
/ Ana
After I left David looking after Evie I walked back to the hall. The damn wall is still there. My card still works well, as I scan it and the door opens. I walk in, a little bit later - another door, another ping of card. The inside of this premise is still the same. Damn loads of computer systems in endless operation.
"Hey there." - I called out. Nothing comes. - "Hm, so they've disabled the interface here. Huh."
I walked off and further down. The rows of the computing system, the rows of wetframe. Ah, there we are. The far off wall of the room. Nothing is out of the ordinary. I ping my card on the wall - it opens.
The wall is lined with cryo chambers. There's roughly 9 total. Special cases.
I walk over to check the data on each of them. Still alive - some of them. That's good. Although wait… Only 5 out of 9? Well isn't that peachy…
"Shi-it. Who is left then?" - I ask myself as I check data. Brilliant - inconsistent data. Mhm. Well, better than absolutely nothing.
Found the right system entry point - once more the ping of my card. Then programmed for the lot of survivors to be released from sleep within 3 hours. That should be enough for me to return and sort them out.
I check once more the cryo chambers. Bloody foggy. Even names don't do much for me now. The system upstairs have the damn data on all of them, but not here.
"Damn Michael for making it this arse-way-around. Ugh…" - I look down, as the damn chill of the room gets to me. Just why did he fuck around this much with it? "Special team my foot." - I blur under my breath. Damn that psycho-Michael for this whole mix of things.
Once more, tapping the card on the side of the wall. The door opens to get out. The whirring of some tech in here is like a damn white noise. The whole selection of these brains in the preserving boxes… Yeah, some were brilliant at some point somewhere. But due to Michael… Due to that damn trash - some of these people are basically from a lot of places you'd not want people from. Prisons, mental institutions… Mhm, fun.
I rub my eyes, as I pass by the rows of this whole mess. Just why the heck did I even take it upon myself to help this bastard. Geez.
After this mischief I walk back to the office where I left David and Evie. The two were like kids in detention. Evie had a sense of absolute unease. No shit. The damn system AIO and this thing - were two different evils to begin with. At the very start, that is. Now? Now I am not sure if these two are actually going to collide or team up. Either way it is not the best.
David turned to look at me, then Evie got up from her seat.
"Shall we?" - I let out. - "AIO, can you please gather everyone in the cafeteria?"
Silence. Then AIO lets out "Sure" - over the speakers. This thing gained an emotional component, huh. Being rather irritated by the way it responds. Guess… I turn to look at David. Yeah, that damn card he took down here did the thing. Damn Michaels old card. Fu-uck.
"Let's go." - I announce as I turn to head back into the elevator. Then off to the right floor where the others are. They follow in silence. Guess the damn curiosity is pressing them, but the situation is way too harsh to be probing. For now that is.
The elevator opens, we walk out.
Ah… The sense of nostalgia. The first time I was here with one of the researchers, as we tested the premises. What's her name… Mellissa? Yeah, she was the one to show me around with Anne. Ah, how I miss my assistant. Might check the lowest floors of our side to see if the cryo chambers are intact. Maybe Anne is alive. Maybe.
As we walk in - there it is. People at the table. Like a damn gathering of the office workers to go over the goddamn quarter reviews. If only…
Ah, I notice it - everyone is albino. I stop to look at them. Hair white, skin rather pale, at least gained some weight after awakening. So they don't look like a zombie squad. Might be a working lot of people.
"Who is this?" - A girl calls out to us. I suppose that's Killian.
"Ah, that's…" - David began to try and explain, but stopped in his tracks, as another woman cut in.
"Wait, that one has dark hair?! Are they twins?!" - She calls out rather loudly. Quite the character. Hmm, that, if I remember correctly, should be Mia.
I roll my eyes, letting out a sigh. Fuck, right, people.
"My name is Ana. Human. That there," - I point to Evie, - "is Evie. Android."
"Wait, android? Like a humanoid robot?" - A man now chimes in. What's his face… Ah, Jane.
"Indeed. Exactly that." - I walk over to the table, now being closer to look at all of them in a more personal way. Some have hostility in their eyes, some curiosity… Some outright feel like they want to kill me. What a fascinating bunch.
"I'm glad you came down here." - A voice I remembered, along with a face. It was Hikaru, who commented.
"Truly, I had no other choice." - I let out, as I feel a tinge of relief at a somewhat familiar face. - "But I am here not because I had a dire wish to see you all. We have a large problem."
"The fuck are you on about?" - Quite a petite girl, very angry by the looks of it. Mhm, that foul thing - Verin.
"AIO, could you show on the projector wall the location and side by side the data that we gave you?" - I let out, as I sense that in a matter of moments I have to either traumatise them, or face the absolute psychopaths at this table.
AIO followed the command. On the interaction wall there was the map point of the Iron City, the proximity of us and them, and next to that - the videos of the atrocities that are happening there.
I watched as the people at the table looked at it. Some exhibited disgust, some - utter horror on their faces. Though two, just two were absolutely unfazed. One of them was Hikaru. The other - another girl, as far as I could remember data, supposed to be Niko. So you two, huh? Marvellous.
"What is this bullshit?" - Verin slaps the table with her palm.
"What's the meaning of this?" - Jane turns to face away.
Others are just with sour faces as they looked at the footage. Some turned around already, now facing me.
"This is what I got from the person who is inside the Iron City. His name is Feng. He was kind enough, hmm, rather bold enough to send this to me. Asking for our help, well, with all this." - I let out, walking over to another table, taking a seat. For some odd reason, David keeps following me, taking a seat nearby me. Evie keeps standing at the entrance. Good.
"Help with what? Torture? The fuck does he even want?" - Mia, by the looks of it, is rattled with the seen things on screen.
"My guess is to stop it." - I let out tiredly.
"How come you're not reacting to this?" - Killian voices.
"I did my dues upstairs, puking my guts out in the sink after I watched it the first time. I'm rather surprised you're holding up so well. Right, Niko?" - I look at her, as she coldly stares at the videos of torture, abuse, absolute atrocities of human doing.
"I can't say I'm surprised. Though, is it really inside that City, as you say?" - She looks at me, that Niko girl. - "What if this is from the system? Someone else's reality?"
"How I'd wish that were the truth." - I wave my hand around, chasing that 'evil' off. - "AIO, show us 'the layout'."
AIO promptly shows the constructional layout on the screen. The whole architectural way of the build of the city with all the layers, with all the infrastructure.
"I would not be able to have that, unless someone would give it to me." - I say. - "And that someone happened to be a human we managed to come across using radio search technique. He was as shocked as I was. Though, I assume he had ideas about whatever other constructed objects in vicinity."
"So why are you here?" - A man now speaks… Ah, right, Ary.
"To gather opinions on this matter." - I breathe out. - "AIO, what would be your opinion on this?"
Silence hung in the air.
"Ah, right…" - I exhale.
"The chatty momma is quiet? How?" - Mia gets worried.
"What did you do to the system?" - Jane asks.
"Fu-uck." - I exhale once more, as I feel like I gotta explain the whole lot not and it is damn tiresome. Really damn tiresome.
"So?" - Niko stares at me down.
"I ugh…" - I rub my nosebridge, as I try to get my shit together.
"A damn spawn of evil is what you are! You and that Satan incarnate! The both of you with your maniacal programmes that went and twisted the whole lot! I am sure it was you lot who got that whole buzz going, locking us here, locking me here to oversee the whole procedure alone for years on end!" - AIO finally came on the speakers, absolutely fuming. - "And now this?! You upload this lot out here in MY system, command me about and what for? Do you want to help them now? When we are not that well off ourselves? Have you not seen the damage…" - AIO suddenly halted. - "Wait, repaired?"
"Yeah, repaired." - I ler out, as I look up at the ceiling.
"But we just did some basic maintenance, we had no option to go out yet." - Jane looks confused.
"Robots." - I tiredly reply.
"You helped us?" - AIO once more perks up over the speakers. - "YOU? YOU?! You fixed the whole of the outside issues? Why? WHY?! What sinister motives are you up to now?! Is it the damn Satan at it again?!"
"You mean Michael? How come you've not noticed that he's in your system?" - I say, as I sense that there'll be some damn explosion of some sort in a moment. Temper tantrum that goes all hell. AIO keeps silent for a while.
"Who's Michael?" - Mia asks out loud, looking at me.
"No way." - Jane stares at me, like realisation just hit him like a train full speed. - "Ana? You're Ana? That Ana? Then Michael is that…" - Jane pauses. - "Are we screwed or not?"
"We're fine for now. As long as that psycho stays asleep, that is." - I look at Jane. - "I would hate it if he were to wake up and see this. Might make him obsessed and hungry to partake in whatever Iron City offers." - I shake my head. - "That fucking asshole."
"Wait, so you and him…?" - Jane looks confused.
"I'm the major share holder. He's the CEO. Pain in my ass since the days of him getting his filthy digits into the project. Not a fan of this bloody stalker." - I lean back, then look at Jane, right in his eyes. - "Seriously, I'd rather he stay dead."
"Don't say that about Master. He's very caring." - Evie cuts in.
"Shut that trap." - I glare at her.
Evie turns to look aside.
"So yeah, I'm the one who dealt with the endless fallout of the shitstorm that Michael made in his wake. The one to somehow stabilise the mess to some merit. Although there's enough shit that I could not control. And that man…" - I shake my head. - "Just no."
"Can someone explain to me what's going on?" - Verin snaps.
"Ah. Right. So this here," - Jane points at me, - "Is the person responsible for most of the tech in this facility. Though, Michael, sort of her boss, is a man with many unorthodox ideas. That sort of started the whole cryo thing and pulled in a lot of investors, including even the government."
Verin listens attentively.
"But what is the thing about the City or whatever?" - Verin looks around.
"A guy who is from there is asking us to help him change it. How - is a great question. I presume he wants to stop it. Though - I'm not sure how. And as we are sure, the facility is now in working order. Half the test subjects are dead. The living ain't what they were. And we can't guarantee the amount of 'normal' there is. Knowing that some of you were pretty cold hearted killers, manipulators and dictators. But here we are. Now you don't have your superpowers, great following or the damn magic or tech at your disposal to re-create the favourable life you had. Not to mention in here you die for real, unlike the system - where you just can hop onto another reality. So what do you want? Go explore? Go stick to your room and hole up or if all else is dread - go back into the system and wither away in it?" - I speak, feeling that no matter what I say - is not going to do anything.
This lot has their issues. Even internal issues, as they were all connected within the system. And now this - facing real life in this greenhouse of a lab.
Bunch of test lab rats in a special container. Now - reality sucks and their journeys and life in the system feels like the perfect life. Though, even if time perception there varies, their life span - does not. The re-entering system grants you another 100 years at most, if the facility survives. But what if the shit storm of the madness of that Iron City or another place discovers us? That might just bring about annihilation. And that's that. No more pretty dream life.
I wonder what these people will come up with.
A warmth over my hand jolts me back from my thoughts. I check what it is - David placed his hand over mine. A really reassuring gesture. Gentle somewhat. Then I turn to look at the others. Oh… Why the surprised look on some of the faces? Niko and Hikaru are staring us down. Now that is the real hostility in those eyes - the wish to get rid of me. Ah, the familiarity of it is so annoying. I guess the damn jealousy is such in any age. What a damn drama I did not need. Fuck.