/// Running full diagnostics...
/ Neural Link check... 22% of data under quarantine...
// Data ■■■■ corrupted
// Missing multiple data tables...
/ Frame function check...
// Visual module damaged | ■■■■ = Yes...
// Hydrolic multiple damaged components | ■■■■ = Yes...
// Hearing module damaged | ■■■■ = Yes...
// Power core damaged | ■■■■ = Error...
/ Power is [WARNING Overcharge detected] = 107% | ■■■■ = Yes...
/// Self-diagnostic complete... Forced system reboot
/// Authentificating... Permission check... Successful
/ Affiliation: None
/ Frame model: Prototype HSSF
/ Imprint model: Nitro Express Rifle
/ Mission ID: N/A
/ Time: N/A
/ Status: N/A
Dark-Red clouds were flowing through the sky. Strikes of lightning, sometimes roared through the sky. Wind howling through rubble and trees. All signs of collapse storm going through.
Nita turned from laying on her back, and tried to stand up. Few errors suggested that she needs some time before hydrolic would calibrate after it's config file were corrupted.
Underneath her body, were her favorite and loyal gun. Nitro express rifle, covered in dirt and rust, it looked like was out of action for a long time. Never the less... it was still a gun after all. After all "Better than nothing" someone from the camp would say.
Nita - The camp... The group!
Sudden realization hit Nita. Her eyes started wandering all around, but saw nothing of interest. She was left among the ruins, and pushed to some-sort of a hill. Just where the hell did she end up?
Just down the hill, she saw a city... or better to say, what left of it. And a river that were making through the city itself, filled with parts of rubbles. And on all other notes, this city were looking... Overgrown? Streets were filled with small plants that looked kind of toxic for their own nature. And besides... whole place looked way to different!
/// Hydrolic configuration succsessful. Restarting hydrolic module
For a few moments, Whole body went numb, and then everything went back to normal. Nita finaly managed to get up. Now she was getting somewhere! And first of all, she moved up the hill.
Many thoughts and questions were pushing through neural data. What happened to the group? Where is the client that were with Varyag's? And what does she must do now?
All of theese questions were forced to be paused. When Nita got to the top of the hill, she found few cars that belonged to Magni corp. Different robots were lying around in broken state, and a few human corpses mutilated and started to rot. ELID did this? There deffinetly were some sort of a fight. Did they come back to finish off the rest of a group?
Too many questions, so Nita just opened one of the car and started looking around. Driver seat were ocupied by a dead body. "Somebody were having a rough day?" slight smirk appeared on Nita's face, and then quickly dissapeared. Moving a body outside the car, Nita took a seat and started rifling through the car.
Paper, pens, someones ID, journal with discription of different Dolls models... Someone even writen doodles on it. And then the comunicator... It was lying under front passenger seat and was mostly intact... Most information were usless for her. There were discription on a mission, find an doll within a city. Some of a city were covered in red and makred "already searched area". But what was disturbing... Time. The comunicator were saying that it is an december of 2073...
Nita - Did i... Spent a whole month...
It was all gone... The group that she cared for, people... maybe they are not dead, but they either far away, or even already in the green zone, like Sergei once tried to get them...
So first things first! She need to get out of here. This car should do the trick, collapse storm were still raging in the air. So for now there should be no one to stop her, apart from ELIDs.
With that thought in mind, Nita grabed key from panel, tried to started engine few times. But it didn't work. As expected...
Nita - Ok... If i have to walk, i'l walk!
But walk where? That question were beging for an answer. But Nita just walked. For some reason, her only thought were that she has to get away from this place as far as she even can.
=== Somewhere ===
A small camp was set among the ruins. And even calling it a camp would be exaggeration, just a pit fire, surrounded by three dolls, five backpacks, injured man covered in bandages and two man, in battle equipment. Heated conversation didn't made their situation any better.
Andre - ... and you just runned off! Who even does that?
Blonde young man, untied dirty bandage and were puting new ones on a injuder man's arm.
Kilmure - That dosn't matter right now. Once the storm is over, we have to go back! Let's just hope the rest of a group is fine and the target didn't made it too far for us to lose track of it. Otherwise, we are not geting any money this month!
Middle aged man with dark hair, had an annoyed expression. His gaze were fixed on a single window in the room. This window still had some shards of glass in it, whitch were covered in dust and dirt. A few wooden planks were nailed on a window, as an attempt to stop someone or anything from getting inside.
The fact that this place were dirty, but still cleaner than most of others ruins they were, probobly were a signal that this little building and this room in partiqular were having a few visitors in past few monts. And now they made a pit fire here. This room was upgraded to a new comfort level!
Andre - If you kept shooting, i could'v taken that sniper out! And Martin woulde'v been fine... Ok... that should be fine for now...
Finaly, Andre tied a knot and took a look at Martin. He seemed fine... for now.
Andre - Beda! What is the status of our target?
With a sigh of relief, Andre looked at the doll with radio in her hands. That was Beda. Dark short hair, rugged leather clothes and a sniper rifle behind her back. An OC-129 if you will. She looked like a typical Goth-Punk. Just a little more wild than usual.
Beda - Target is not moving, they went to south-west, and seems like waiting there for collapse storm to end! There are ruins of a city way too closes to red zone.
Andre - They could be trying to distract us on ELID, while making a run for them selfes. But if i remember correctly, they don't have any transport. And we have a truck! Looks like an advantage for me!
Kilmure - I will take a truck, Beda and Nomomo, and try to chase them down. You will stay here with Blaze, watch out for Martin and wait for me to return. Or you have a better plan?
Andre - No, knowing you, it will end with you destroying a case or worse! You and I will take Nomomo, I think Blaze and Beda will be fine!
Blaze - I would advise to take me with you! We are geting close to red zone, and Elid tend to be more tough and powerfull, the closer it gets to red zone.
With a slight, twisted grin, Blaze said. Neck-lenght bright blonde hair, white tactical jumsuit with a knee and elbow pads, dark eyes and Grenade launcher on her back. Possesing an Imprint of MGL M32, she always tried to get any reazon to fire her own weapon.
Beda - Have to support this advise! I have primary first aid instruction in case of emergency, so i can perform some med-aid. And i have all means to protect myself. Besides, Blaze can take care of any Danger there can be.
Kilmure - No! Blaze just loves to shoot someone! We can deal with ELID problem as usual!
Blaze - Well... I tried!
Andre - Yeah... You tried to get a reason to blow up everything! *sigh* I swear, sometime you are going to shoot just for the sake of shooting.
Blaze - Does that...
Andre - NO!
Everyone went silent for a moment. Only sounds of raging collapse storm and fire from pit fire were loud enough to be heard. Blaze shaked her head in disapointment. Kilmure chuckled a little.
Kilmure - I did told you to buy a different doll back at a market!
Andre - Not you too Kilmure! Back then we needed a firepower... And she got some firepower...
Blaze - Well, at least i tried!
Kilmure - So... I Guess we will go with idea of going out with Nomomo! I mean... We wrecked these guys so hard, they left almost everything behind! Weapons, cargo, the camp and even car! My man! They are an easy prey out there! We will destroy them, and then we will go back with our VIP, get the money and little spoils of war!
Andre - Here is our problem! VIP is with them!
Uneasy silence once again took place in a room. Kilmure wanted to say something, but dicided not to say anything. Just nod understandably few times, and take attention of the only window in the room. Twisted smile on Blaze face faded off, as she turned her attention to pit fire.
As usualy, silent Nomomo kept her gaze at injured Martin with indifferent face. Doll with unusual weapon in hands, Foster Origin 12. Short, dark-blue hair, were in contrast with dark two-piece suit and heavy boots. Dispite uneasy attire, it was kept neat and tidy.
Only Beda were keeping her attention on comunicator, where a red dot kept glowing not far away from blue dot, with a text on top reading as "Radar".
=== At the red dot ===
Varjager A - Collapse storm is calming down! As i said! We should move out a little early!
A group of six Varjagers started gathering things. They took a cover from collapse storm in a ruins. On a ground, near the supply bag, were lying tied up young man. Captured person durning an ambush that almost came to be awfull. They lost so much there... One of Varjagers untied the hand of the unfortunate hostage.
Varjager B - Come on! Get UP! And don't make any dumb moves!
Once he said that, He grabed the man by hand, pulling up, and pushed him to the exit.
Varjager C - Wait! I see someone outside!
Varjager A - Is that out guys?
Varjager C - No! I don't know who is that!
Varjager A - Then just shoot! Ask questions latter!
The one who were taking a watch, took aim from his rifle and pulled a trigger. Bullet conected with Nita's head. For a few moments, Nita were disoriented. Fortunatly, bullet force were not enough to deal any serious damage to her heavy frame.
Then three more shots were made from somewhere the direction. One hit her in a chest, and the other two missed. Finaly, Nita came to her sences and crouched down behind a wrecked car.
Series of few more shots, sound of bullets hiting metal frame of a car. Whoever was there, their intention definitely were far from friendly...
Nita - ... either that or they have a really sick definition of being friendly!
Muttered Nita to herself and tried to navigate among the wrecked cars and concrete debries to come closer. There were no plan to what to do afterwards, or why is she doing all this.
Varjages started running out of building. Three of them run out, wielding firearms, and started closing in on Nita. And things went brutal in a few mometns.
The first were who came dangerously close, were holding a shotgun in his hands. In attempt to flank, he almost succeeded, any other doll, human or bot would be destroyed from point blank to the chest. But not Nita, it did damaged her overall, but didn't stoped.
Grabing the shotguner by collar, and headbutting him hard enough to the face, was enough to force a shotgun out of his hands. Shotgun, that Nita then used to shot that Varjager in a face. A colorfull fountain of gore errupted... just to sattisfaction of Nita's visual module. A light smile appeared on pale doll's face.
His friends weren't really happy, as they started shooting and trying to retreat to the alley. Three more varjagers appeared, and two of them were holding a tied up man, who were struggling to break free, but his attempts were futile. That sight alone, made a smile dissapear.
Unfortunaly, her favorite Nitro Rifle was in a bad state of service. Who knows if it can even perform a single shot and hold out without braking? But she loves her gun...
And so Nita decided to do the best thing she knew... Rush in and get uncomfortably intimate with weapons langueage. A mess of bullets, metal and blood went wild. First two were easy to deal with, but they also did too much of a bullet holes in Nita's frame. Then another two, were doing their best to keep distance and shoot back. Unfortunatly, shotgun did run out of ammo. So they were abled to put few more bullets in Nita. But ultimately, one were beaten to death with a shotgun as if it was a basball bat, and the other were beaten face first into a wall... ten or fifeteen times.
By the time it Nita catched up with the last Varjager, she was heavely damaged. And both Varjager and hostage were trapped against a caged fence.
Varjager - Not a step closer! Or he is a dead man!
A pistol were pointing to a Hostage head, as his back were hold against the fence. And the young man? He was in state of cold panic. His eyes were runnign wild, he somehow were managing to stay still and not make any unnacecary moves, but his mouth were...
Hostage - I did told you and your friends that you are dead man walking! My father knows how to deal with a scum like you!
As was asked, Nita stood still. Even if she rushes to him, due to her state, she will naver make in time to save the hostage. Even with a biggest distraction like being stuned whith a head butt to the face by hostage, would be probably not enough.
Varjager - Shut up! It is percicly why you should be teached lesson!
Hostage - Teached lesson? You are just common rober! And your gang tried to went a little too high with a kidnaping! You think i don't know anything about Velimudr? I know it is him who hired you!
Varjager - I said Shut up!
In attempt to subdue the hostage, Varjager raised his hand, only for an unexpecter shot to interrupt his anger. A bullet pierced through his head. Out of reflex, Varjager's hand pulled a triger, shooting in to the air above.
Nita - Who...
Turning around to face a direction from where sound came from, Nita sees two man and a doll.
Doll then proceed to take three shots at Nita. Automatic shotgun deals enough damage to Nita's frame, so she is forced to shutdown!
Hostage - Guys! I am glad to see you... But wasn't this doll with you?
Andre - No... Why?