What feels like an eternity later, I finally awaken to a blinding bright white light flashing directly in my face as a distant male speaks, the speech drowned out by my muffled, ringing ears. I groan as I slowly open my eyes, covering them with my hand as my face reacting to the bright light.
"-Chelsea? Ms Lockheart? Can you hear me..?" The man's questions fade in as I come back to weak consciousness, my body still lingering with pain.
"Y-yeah… wh-what happened..? Where..?" I begin to question, beginning to sit up as I feel a person gently push my shoulder back down onto the chair.
"Hey hey- Don't stress yourself. You're in no condition to be getting up." The man states simultaneous to me finally fully regaining my sight, seeing the Ripperdoc just to my side and the man who rescued me on a chair near the ripper's desk.
"My name is Oliver Adams. I'm a ripperdoctor. The person who brought you here is Atlas Briggs. I'm not sure how much you remember but… It seems you tried to kill a group of Maelstromers but you ended up overclocking your Cyberdeck so much that it completely fried itself. After you administered the last quick hack, your cyberdeck overheated and quickly gave in because of the pressure you were putting on it and unfortunately for you, it released a 750 volt shock through your body; essentially the Cyberdeck melted, electrocuted and EMP'd both your OS and your Optics alongside the Cyberdeck too." He explains, holding up a melted piece of mangled metal in his hand; The Cyberdeck I was using.
"You're lucky you didn't flatline you know. Any later and… it was likely your heart woulda just… gave up. You were going at 180BPM, higher than any human as fit and athletic as you SHOULD have survived at. You're lucky your heart didn't stop beating as soon as the shock went out." Atlas adds as he stands, walking towards me, crossing his arms.
"Shit… That's… How'd ya find me..?" I ask weakly, my voice croaking, hearing a loud sigh leave Atlas' lips.
"Well I heard a scream near the warehouse you were at, most likely when the shock went out, and I rushed towards you. I brought you to my car and drove to Oliver here as fast as I could." He answers, rubbing his temples as he looks over my form, looking sympathetic for my current state.
"Right… 'course… well, thank you… I don't see why you'd help me but thanks anyways." I reply before going to sit up again but Oliver pushes me back to the chair again.
"You can't leave Chelsea, You're in no fit condition to-" He repeats whilst I incessantly and arrogantly resist against him, trying to get up.
"I don't care, let me go. I'm fine now." I state as Atlas keeps me down and looks to me with a serious frown.
"Don't you understand that you literally almost just died? Just because we took the Cyberdeck out doesn't mean your good to go; your body is extremely sensitive and-" he backs up with the ripper doc as I push him off me weakly, climbing out of the chair.
"I'll live." I groan as I stand, holding my heart again tears leaving my eyes once again as significantly weaker but still seething pain sprawls around my body., limping towards the door
"No. You won't. You'll get killed or taken by a scav as soon as you leave this office, sit back down." He commands more demandingly, walking back to me and forcing me back in the chair through a harsh drag.
"So what, you expect me to sit here all day? I got shit to do! I didn't finish that job I was on you know." I retort with an angry and annoyed expression as he forces me in the seat with his superior strength.
"Yes. I do. I didn't save you so you can keep being an arrogant, prideful bitch that thinks she knows it all and is unable to admit when you're in clear need of help. Please just… rest." He responds heartfeltedly, keeping me in the chair with a caring expression.
I harden at his insult before quickly softening again and widen my eyes to his caring expression. I try looking to the side coldly to dismiss him but something inside knows he's right. I'm not strong enough to go back out there, it's been what, 6 hours? I can barely stand as is let alone make my way back home from a place I don't even know. So my more sensitive side shows a rare hint of vulnerability and finally agree to sit; nodding gently.
"Okay…" I answer quietly and softly, continuing to look away in defeat, both ny pride and confidence dismantled.