/ Ana
Once I was in Medbay, watching everyone sleep, I approached Sujin and woke her up. Sluggish as she was, I took her off to the floor where the damn computers are. One where David once was.
"So what do you think?" - Sujin tiredly asked, as she sat down next to one of the desks.
"I'm sending the androids out first, to clean up the people that crowd our outside. Anyone hostile will be taken out." - I replied.
"And then? Huh? Wait…" - Sujin raised her finger at me, giving it a thought for a moment. - "You mean we take over the outpost?"
I nod in reply. She looks at me, then slowly starts to smile.
"So the takeover mission. Ah! How I have missed those." - She stretches out in the chair.
"I have a thought." - I begin. - "There might be some shit going on in there, sure, but I have a feeling that it's to deal with Feng. Or rather, is it to deal with whomever is against him? Hmm."
"And now we're getting involved in internal politics." - Sujin held her hands behind her head. - "You want to figure it out in a…" - She grimaces at me.
"In a very unrefined manner." - I replied. - "The age old thing with 'you're either with us or against us' thing."
"That really IS unrefined. So let me guess, I gotta get Jane, myself and what, how many androids? To take over the outpost of multiple hundred people. Hm." - She wipes her face with the palms of her hands. - "Fine. Get me more androids at least."
"Round one begins in 30 minutes?" - I check on her, as she looks up at me - judging.
"Ugh.." - She lets out, as she gets up. - "I'll go get Jane."
"Get Michael too. And whilst you're at it - ask Isabel for the tonic. She'll know what I mean." - I tell her, as I head back into my office.
Mia, Niko and Verin were looking at the monitors. More like - Mia was, Niko and Verin plates sourpuss kitties with sudden things that were thrown at them. Guess they're still not that good with subordination.
"Progress?" - I ask, as I walk into the office.
"They're making camp, from what I see. Once the so-called vent was sealed off - they moved to the door which you came from." - Mia assessed the situation.
"Evie!" - I called out.
"Ah, she ain't back yet." - Mia adds.
The other two are still with sour expressions.
"Fine. Then let's get this party going." - I say, as I walk over to the computer. On the monitors there's enough people to overpower us. If 'us' were only the humans, but androids is a whole another thing.
"I got them sorted." - Evie finally makes an appearance with the other two androids.
"Good. Stand by." - I let out, as I checked the systems. Seems that all is working out pretty well. I guess TaeYeon started with the remodeling already. He's damn fast. After a few minutes Jane, Sujin and Michael walk in.
"Takeover? Really?" - Jane already looks like he's fed up with these antics, though he is tired enough to play along.
"Here's the tonic." - Michael comes over to put that on the table. A box with roughly 12 bottles, all 200 millilitre capacity with yellowish liquid. That is the tonic that I requested Isabel a bit back, to help out the body's natural adaptation into being human again. Without all the possible nanobots inside and other bits. I had to have them for myself, if I were to keep going. As a side thing - that added energy as well. Not sure if it was caffeine or something else, but it was not too volatile.
"Aha. The Androids shall go and clean off what does not work out right outside out door. Then we'll head out to the outpost and do a thorough clean-out." - I say, as I put in the command sets into the system.
"And what the heck do you want with us, huh?" - Verin decided to speak out.
"You three will be here to monitor the events. If anything fucks up - Evie will take you out, deal?" - I look at Verin with a smile.
"You're a monster." - Niko glares at me. Like a pup that bares fangs at the wrong type of thing.
"Takes one to know one." - I reply, as I put in the last of the details into the system set. - "Alrighty. Evie, look after this sour trio." - I command Evie, then look at the other androids. - " Elis, Grant, follow me." - Then I get up and turn to the others. - "Take that tonic. Come on."
I walk towards the elevator. There were a whole lot of people behind me. Sujin, Jane, Michael and two Androids. We head off to the level with the vehicles and whatnot, one that leads to the outside.
"Sujin, get two cars checked, so we have two bits of transport…" - Then I turn to head back into the elevator, halt, and turn back to Sujin. - "Actually make it four."
After leaving Michael, Jane and Sujin on that floor, I take the Androids and head to the level where the rest of the Androids were. We promptly take them all out, Elis and Grant are updating the others on the go. All 7 of them are now in full ready mode, as we get to the level back to the others.
Sujin looks at me, then behind and around me - checking out all the androids.
"Whoah. That's some, ehm, bulky material." - Sujin points at a few of them who look like heavy wrestlers.
"Ah, yeah, that's the defensive class 8, they're a-a-a… ahm…" - I look back at them, pressing my lips. - "Yeah, they're all uhm, proficient."
"So that's the private army, huh?" - Jane smiles, as he checks out the androids.
"Not sure if this is impressive or scary." - Michael stands, leaning against the car.
"Both?" - I look at him, as he genuinely starts to pique my interest.
"Elis, Grant, Haley - team leaders. Others group into teams with them. There'll be one for attack, one defence and one.." - I was explaining.
"One infiltration and information." - Haley says. - "I'll take that."
I nod.
"Anything seen here can be used. Go fetch." - I tell them, as they go checking things out, picking out bits of tech for themselves.
"She's awfully sentient by the looks of it." - Jane seems concerned.
"Haley?" - I ask.
"Aha." - Jane nods.
"Ah, she's GEN F. That's their thing. Assasination, infiltration and information gathering." - I let out, as a matter of factly.
"I am still impressed that you were the one behind making all these robotics." - Jane Gets in the car.
"Was not." - I retorted. - "I just made ideas happen."
We all got into the car. Whilst androids walked about and gathered the needed materials back and forth, putting the boxes and bags into the vehicles, even putting boxes of things into our car.
"What are they doing?" - Sujin eyes them, as she relaxes in the driver's seat, whilst all the cars are still off, standing there.
"Awaiting whilst the prep is done." - I lean back, watching the androids buzz about. - "Food, weapons, tech, communications, the outfits for us… If they can function solely off the damn sun and UV light charge on the outside, we shall need some actual sustenance."
After around 10 minutes - Haley stood in front of our car.
"Ready." - She said.
"Let's get to the gate then." - I let out. Haley nods and walks off to her car. Others are already inside their own vehicles.
We drive up to the gate, being the last car behind this convoy. In the front of the gate - there's about 20 defence type robots, with guns, as well as about 15 shield type robots, so that if they do anything first - it'll be warded off.
Before I got out of the car - I asked everyone inside to put on the gas masks, put one over my face as well. After all - those bastards use damn toxins that mess with people. Though, as much as that does the trick - androids are not affected. I walk over and put my hand on a scanner, so the door will open.
The heavy door began to open. The people outside were standing there, awaiting our outing. Funny how things turn about, huh.
After their trying to storm in, as well as affect us through the use of the toxins - nothing got in. Though the androids got out. The unit with Elis stormed in and took out anyone who tried to fight. Grant seized any and all things which could come of harm to humans. Haley took over the comms and the information. The whole thing took less than 30 minutes. With Grant seizing up all who were in vicinity. First prisoners, huh…
Haley was questioning the ones who were alive. Due to built-in language adaptation as well as connected networks they all share - information gathering and sharing is simultaneous. Pretty damn effective and helpful in dire times.
After a bit Haley comes over to us, as we check out what these guys decided to put on our turf.
"So there seems to be inconsistency." - Haley reports. - "Some of them came over to negotiate, some decided to take with brute force would work best. Most of group two was wiped out, so we're with group one mostly."
"Gather intel on the Outpost. We'll head there in a bit." - I let out.
"What do we do with these people?" - Sujin thought out loud.
"My guess is to find the ones who DO want to cooperate." - Jane poked the tech he found fascinating.
"The rest we'll decide after the chat with those who do want to talk." - Michael lets out, as he eyes the detainees.
It took a bit. It really did. About an hour later - the ones who were not really there to cooperate with us - all were buried in the dirt. Not much else to do with them in this partial desert area. Might as well make them a possible fertiliser. Maybe grass will grow.
The others conveyed their will to work with us. Expressed that the whole outpost was under a certain ironclad way of the three persons - Lethabo Nkosi, Violin Dmitri and Wen Zhang. All three are from military families. Others, soldiers, by the looks of it - they shared that since the whole idea came to be, with Santos family representatives spearing it, the others, some others - followed. Though once the tree aforementioned ones came out here to help the construction of the Outpost, the helping of the people… Well, leading them to a new start - that turned sour after a few months.
Those three had the power, one which they have not felt before - the kind where people have selected them to lead out of their own volition, out of belief and trust. But how that turned - yeah. That showed that these three are indeed swayed by power and abuse that freely, once the new kind of sweetness of such freedom hit.
"A new found dictatorship I assume." - Sujin lets out. - "The heads are still in the Outpost."
"So we take them out then. And whoever is on their side." - I spoke tiredly. - "We have time, I suppose. Let's get this sorted first."
I walked over to Haley and asked that she go in and get some more supplies. A ready-to-eat option which can feed the 23 remaining people from the outpost. They, just like us - shall need some strength. Fighting hunger is not the best idea.
"Maybe we let them in then? For the night. Then tomorrow we can go full force out there." - Sujin checked in with me.
"You may be right. Where are we hosting them?" - I asked.
Funny enough, we got them into the floor of the vehicles, set up a small camp in the corner, sort of. Androids were out to clean up the outside area, the robots were serving inside as the 'protection' to them from us and vice versa.
Then towards the later hours - the Androids were staying with them. Haley is overseeing them, as we don't want them to wander around yet. Nor do I want them to engage with the people on the inside of the bunker yet.
So I headed up, along with Sujin, Jane and Michael.
Shower, change of clothes, many questions about why I listened to Sujin to let them in and stay the night. But it seemed like we slept well. In Medbay, because the floor with the rooms is under TaeYeon's reconstruction.
Early in the morning we headed down, then with the people from the outpost - we headed to the outpost itself.
On the way Haley already explained the plan of how, when and where the assassinations will take place. The names and details were all given freely by the surviving lot, so we had that covered I assumed… Right, assumed.
Once we got into the Outpost - the cars stopped, the Androids went out, taking out people. One after the other. The people who came back with us - the 'outgoing ones' - suddenly were divided into two camps - those who fought and those who tried to sly-away in the commotion. Though - that was not a far escape - Haley took them all out fast.
"They were double agents, I assume." - Sujin says, as she checks their bodies.
"Then we should be more careful with the names given. We might be slaughtering innocent people here." - I replied.
But for some reason - I felt that Haley caught on to the events and was already working around that all. She was made for the warfare in shadows purpose - so she does know all the possible twists and manipulations. Ah, the extensive data that was poured in there.
"Come on." - Sujin nudged me. I followed her towards the same building we were before - where we got a nice 'greeting' from the people who acted as bratted 'elders'.
Before the whole thing began - we wore masks, so that any possible toxins would not interfere with us. Here we were now - 'storming the outpost', walking into that reception armed and ready.
The room was filled with people. Just like before - Lethabo sat at the table, with two more. Two others looked like the ones who did mock us before. Funny how they're at the table now. There's around a dozen of them in this room altogether.
I stood there, as there were around 10 people from our side, really locked and loaded, ready to shoot at any moment.
"So how did you think your plan would work?" - I pulled out the chair and sat opposite Lethabo. - "Does not seem like good decision making."
"Heh," - Man sitting there, mocked us by his way of being, - "Bunch of kids. What do you know? Fucking bugs."
"Is that so?" - I replied. - "Shoot him."
One of the Androids shot the man in the head. Blood splattering behind him onto people who stood there. Not one of them flinched.
"So, I guess you won't have a change of heart." - I tilted my head, as I eyed them all.
They looked like people from my working past - the different types of shades and build, but the attitude… Like the whole lot of the toxicity that we had - never stopped. Amplified, grew bigger, became a humongous horror that permeates to the bones of those who were corrupted by it.
"You might have fit well in the Iron City." - Lethabo spoke up.
"Final words?" - I ask her.
She shook her head.
"Shoot everyone except her." - I let out. The androids shoot up the place, making sure that the room looks like the painting covered in red. Then it was silent for a moment.
The sounds of the people from the outside cheering, the bits of yelling and screaming, the wailing and crying. Ah, the great sounds of the war.
"So, what is it you want to say?" - I ask Lethabo, as I take off my mask, putting it on the table next to me.
She kept looking at me, quietly. Contemplating or maybe gathering the ideas? Who knows what's in her head.
"I was too rushed. I admit to that." - Lethabo began. - "But I regret nothing. I had to do what I had to do. It felt right." - She paused for a moment, then gestured at the side of the room with the door at the end of it. - "There's the communication system that goes directly to Iron City."
"Does it connect to someone like you?" - I asked.
"The person's name is Sheng. You can kill me now." - Lethabo concluded.
I gave a nod. She was shot like the others.
Now it's a room with a bunch of limp bodies covered in blood. I sat there. Thinking. What now, huh?
Sujin went to check the communication device, along with Jane and one other person from the Outpost. Androids started to pick the bodies and take them out.
Michael sat next to me. He took off his mask as well, placing it, just like me - onto the table. He let out a deep sigh, as he watched me. It felt like he was concerned.
"We'll figure it out." - He said, his hand placed atop of mine. - "I guess a bit more of a mess, before we clean it all up. But, Ana… Are you sure you're alright?"
I looked at him. His concerned eyes, seeming too humane there. Well, he is a human. But… Why would he be this worried? I felt like it was confusing me - his reaction.
"We figured out how it works." - Jane came in. - "It connects to a guy who works for Feng. Now we have direct contact with them."
I felt the coldness in me, the kind that's just logic and decision making. Empathy is… Not a thing for me right now, maybe.
"Get Feng on the line." - I replied, as I stood up, walking towards the comm room.
"You sure that's the way about Michael?" - Jane whispered to me.
I just glanced at Jane in return.
"No time for this. Yet." - I breathed out.
The room was rather small, but the device was the size of the large box. Above - projection of the face of some man, with all happening being heard through speakers.
"Ana." - The man said, as he saw me.
"I assume Sheng." - I walk closer, to see what's going on.
"I'm glad you sorted out Outpost." - He said.
"You sure are a bag of wonders. Making us do the dirty work, whilst you're up there like a damn bunch of princesses waiting on a rescue mission." - I said tiredly. - "So what's the plan?"
On screen Feng showed up, smiling proudly.
"Ana-a-a." - Feng smiled.
"Feng, seriously, what's the plan?" - I asked rather coldly.
"Just like we negotiated prior - we'll send people from the City to you, you send some of your people to us. About right?" - Feng seemed too playful for some reason.
"Let me guess, you made us clean this place, whilst you cleaned up your end of things." - I think out loud, as I observe him.
"Oop! You sure are rather perceptive." - Feng was a bit too joyful.
"I apologise, he is currently drunk." - Sheng bowed to us, then took up Feng by the shoulders and moved him out somewhere out of the frame.
"A drunk boss, huh… You sure have your hands full." - Sujin said, observing it all.
Sheng came up on screen.
"So, we did take out some of the rats on our end, but we do have an issue." - Sheng pulled up some tablet in his hands checking something. - "We'll be able to send some more people to the outpost, but then there is going to be the whole 'main act' in here, well, in about a few weeks. Could you take care of helping out the Outpost? We won't really…"
"So you mean we'll be sending our people in whilst you commence the heavy-duty change in the place." - I looked at Sheng.
"That.." - He smacked his lips. - "We need your people to help us set up the whole change in a manner that would be different to now. We've not had a chance to know more about your time. It was rather erased for most part here. We did get some information, but that… That is not enough to know the whole picture. So we need someone who knows how it was before."
"Your structure is an absolute disaster." - Jane cut in. - "The whole thing is a… I ain't got words for how fucked up it is. But it is not something even.."
"Come on, we had shit that was more savage than that." - Sujin looked at Jane, as if someone was full of shit.
"Ahh… Yeah." - Jane gave a nod.
"So you want some pros on your end to help the revolution. We'll set that up." - Sujin summarised. Then turned to me. - "I'll take care of it."
I gave her a nod.
"I'll get this place sorted." - I said to Sheng.
"Then I'll be in contact here. This thing allows for a direct line to our place." - Sheng added. - "I have to go now, if anything comes to mind - feel free to connect again." - He cut the call himself.
"And that's where we're at." - Michael's voice came from behind us.
"I'll stay to keep things rolling in here." - Sujin volunteered.
"I'll be on the 'back and forth'." - Jane added.
"Gopher." - Sujin remarked with a sarcastic tone, smiling like it was a joke.
"Rude." - Jane rolled his eyes.
"Fine. So you two can stay. Have the androids help you out here." - I got up and took a look at things in the room. - "First we make a check of all that's here. Then we set up what's needed and what needs to be done. I think we've got a shit ton of work to do out here."
The check lasted a day, thank lord for that. The whole amount of what was needed, what was and what would be expected… With all of that, Michael and I returned to the bunker.
Haley was driving. This android was the one to help with restorations in the Outpost. The needed tech and robotics were taken out from the bunker, then moved to the Outpost to sort it all out.
I was in my office. The quiet was deafening. Michael sat on the couch. All the others were preoccupied with the work that was set to them. After return - Verin, Niko and Mia were sent with Haley back to Outpost as helpers. Even Isabel asked to head there to check out the place.
Within a span of two days - the damn full set of people from the bunker went to check out Outpost one way or another. Some get their own ideas to do research, some that want to make the living of people easier. Some are just out there to learn about the people, some on the other side of the spectrum - teaching them something new.
The three who remained here - Ary, TaeYeon and Evie - were here all the time. And then Michael came over to tell me that he saw Hikaru within levels of the bunker, not really willing to go out. I found that odd. Everyone was eager to leave since the moment they discovered such an option. But not this guy. And his obsession with going through the bunker and even disappearing at times…
I stood up from the seat, as it dawned on me.
"Michael…" - I mumbled under my breath.
My shaking hands went over the keyboard trying to find the one missing piece - the damn CEO details he was moaning about through the AI he installed. Has he found a way to reach someone here even in his state? Shit! That would be devastating!
"You called?" - Michael came over, checking my hectic reaction.
"No, not you… I… Fuuuuuck…" - I felt harder to breathe, as I was trying to figure out where, what and how…
"What are you looking for?" - Michael asked, his tone worried.
"For me." - A man's voice sounded from the hall. The one that would make me sweat bullets, as cold shivers would go down my spine. - "You were looking for me, were you not?"
I turned around, slowly, as I was feeling like a cornered rat. There he was… He… Fuck…
Right beside him was Hikaru. But he…
"Missed me?" - His grin, the kind that would always bring trouble.
"Michael?" - I let out, as I felt that the whole floor was being swallowed below me.
The Michael next to me, placed his hand on my shoulder.
"Oh come on!" - The man who was just now next to the hall was walking towards me. - "You missed me, right? Calling my name so sweetly, oh how I missed it!"
"Back off." - Michael stood in between me and the CEO.
"Ooop! Look at this boy being all that shit, aww." - CEO let out, as he eyed him. - "Pretty well trained muppet. Will you also sit on command?"
Michael's fingers on my shoulder grabbed me tighter, digging into my skin. That pain made me remember what's where.
This Michael next to me - was the one who had David as brother, one who would never do anything to harm me. The Michael who stood two steps away from us was the CEO of BITTech that did a lot to ruin many-many lives in the most notorious way possible.
"System command" - I say out loud. - "Gridlock Thanatos."
The screens on the computer shut down, whilst the system changes the approach to things internally. A special command I have put in to secure the whole thing to myself. So that in case this fucker ever comes to - he won't have his hands on the information.
The CEO's face, even with a smile - looked cold.
"Ah, what a worrywart, this one. Still having trouble trusting me. Don't worry, I'll make sure that you do." - CEO said.
"This will be your prison." - I said, as I got up, taking Michael's hand off of my shoulder, but holding onto it. - "You, bloody maniac - shall be a prisoner for the rest of your measly life."
Michael took me by the waist and pulled along with him, out of the bunker. To the outside.
"So what now?" - He asked gently.
"The CEO won't be able to leave the premises. He's locked in that office now. Along with Hikaru." - I say.
We get out to look at the sands… Moonlight shining over the place.
"How fucked are we?" - Michael asks.
"Royally." - I let out. - "I still need to clean up, rather find and clean up what he did in the system. But with him out… I ugh… I don't know." - I feel my body tremble. Is that from the cold? The air on the skin? That feels like I'm panicking, really.
Michael comes over and hugs me tightly. Warmth. A heartbeat. How odd.