by Kory Shen
That had been before I had two bloodthirsty Beastmasters on my tail. What's the plan, then?
We'll eventually need to sabotage the main power source, find a communication room, or pursue another plan. All of which are more likely to be in the safer core of the airbase.
A mass of gray came barreling down a side tunnel, interrupting us. I leaped over Cody's cannonball. They had to be tracking us, or getting directions from the Mekanics.
Go straight!
Straight? What about Cody? I heard snarling noises behind me.
If the pattern holds…Phase Shift into the floor, now!
I knew better than to question Zoe. I Phase Shifted, letting my body sink into the floor. I was vaguely aware of something zooming past me overhead. There was darkness for a brief second before I emerged in another lit tunnel. As soon as my Phase Shift ended, I grabbed the ceiling, clinging with my claws before I fell further. I ran forward in a spiral until I was back on the floor, right side up.
A figure was standing in the tunnel ahead of me. I skidded to a stop, ready to change direction, before recognizing it as Garvek.
"We want to see you evolve," Garvek said. "While evading attacks is admirable, you've hardly made any progress towards your next evolution."
NEXT EVOLUTION: 73%
Garvek was right. I was only a couple percent closer.
"But they're insane," I said. "They're trying to kill me."
"Don't be silly. There won't be any killing." Garvek sighed. "I personally guarantee it."
Staccato appeared behind Garvek. "Funny, I was going to say the opposite," Staccato said in a raspy tone. Staccato skittered along the side of the tunnel past Garvek, then somersaulted straight at me.
I Claw Whirled to knock him away, but Staccato recovered instantly and swiped at me again with a forearm before my original Claw Whirl had finished, aiming low past my claws.
A searing pain ripped through my midsection, then another.
ENERGY: 265/700
"Garvek!" I screamed. "Stop him!" I tried to run away, but Staccato moved to block my path. I turned the other way, but Staccato was there again, using his speed ability.
"Hunter! You're mine!" Staccato screamed.
"Leave me the fuck alone!" I yelled. "We're on the same side now!"
Staccato paused, his arms raised for an attack. "Same side?"
Four seconds of Phase Shifting to the right should place us in another tunnel.
I started to move but hesitated. I needed answers. I needed Staccato to talk.
"The Second Strain. The Mekanics. You and Cody. Your side."
Staccato lowered his arms. "I gave you a chance once already. You made your choice."
"I changed my mind. Didn't you?"
I ducked as Staccato swiped at my head. "You don't know anything about me! No one does!" he screamed.
Uh, Zoe, I'm not good at talking to psychotic traitors. Any advice?
Focus on them, not him.
"What did they do?" I shouted as I scrambled away from his outburst. "The Second Strain?"
Staccato stopped attacking. "You don't know anything, do you?"
Make them the enemy. Make yourself the victim.
"Why would I? I'm a nobody. They tell me jack shit. So tell me, what'd they do?"
He shook his insect-like head. "You've got some balls, kid, I'll give you that. Coming here like this."
That's it. Talk about Preston.
"Dr. Preston tried to take me by force. To drain my life force. Why the hell would I want to stick around for that?"
"Preston?" Staccato didn't move for a while. Then, his arms lit up with a furious blue glow.
Shit, did we screw up? I got ready to Phase Shift to the right.
Staccato smashed his blades into the side of the tunnel, burying the entire length of his six-foot-long forearms. He withdrew his arms, then turned, unmelded, and walked away without another word.
Garvek had been watching silently the entire time. He shuffled forward, bending over to peer at me.
"How exciting! Just a little more!" he said in loud, rushed tones.
NEXT EVOLUTION: 91%
We didn't fight that much, though.
Many things contribute to an evolution. Convincing an enemy to back down is a victory.
My Beastform's sensitive hearing picked up a low growling sound behind me. It grew louder and louder.
"Fight!" Garvek shouted.
Cody! How do I deal with him? Talk him down?
It's worth a try, but I wouldn't count on it. He doesn't have the history of someone like Staccato. Staccato was a hero, once.
In other words, Cody's nothing but an asshole.
I turned to meet the approaching bulldog. He charged, lunging with his powerful jaws.
I slashed as his jaws defensively as I backed away, knocking aside his bites without taking any damage back. I was faster than him in a direct match up. We danced, claws against teeth, for several rounds, before Cody stopped.
"What're you doing here anyway, little-D? You trying to take my place here?"
His body dissolved into a gray mist that threatened to engulf me. I hit back with a Claw Whirl, and the mist retreated, reforming into a bulldog back in his original position.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said. "They said they wanted to meet. That's all I know."
"I had a good thing going once. I was top dog at the Academy. Until you arrived and messed things up." Cody lunged at me with open jaws. "Then, I come here. Get treated like a king. And you show up again."
He cannonballed at me, but I was ready and Phase Shifted through it easily. I knocked away the weaker rebound off the wall with my rear legs.
The low light of the tunnels glinted off metal on Cody's back. He had some kind of large vest or plate across his back. "I saw what they were doing to you," I said. "The torture. Is that from them?" I motioned to his back with my nose.
Cody growled. "Mind your own business, little-D!" He lunged at me with his powerful jaws once more, but this time something emerged from his open mouth. I wasn't ready for the new attack.
A metal disk, lined with sharp teeth, clamped onto my front leg, then folded in half. It was a trap of some kind.
I tried to Phase Shift, but I couldn't. I jumped away in alarm as Cody cannonballed at me.
I can't get rid of it! I can't Phase Shift!
ENERGY: 243/700
ENERGY: 241/700
My energy was dropping slowly, but steadily.
See if you can destroy it.
I couldn't Phase Shift through the wall to escape, so I had to dodge cannonball after cannonball from Cody while trying to rip the contraption off my arm. I tore at it with my teeth and claws, and the trap finally shattered into metal shards.
ENERGY: 118/700
I had lost half my energy to Cody's trap.
What was that? A new ability? Something from the Mekanics? Garvek had mentioned integrating Mekanic technology.
Possibly. The fight's not over, though. Look out!
I swiped at Cody's lunging jaws again, retracting my paw as quickly as I could to avoid any further traps. I couldn't do as much damage with my tentative strike, but it must have been enough.
The now familiar sensation of pleasure rippled through my body.
ENERGY: 800/800
I had evolved once more. Cody reared up to attack again, but Garvek appeared out of nowhere, stepping between us.
"Good work!" Garvek held out his blocky hand. Was I supposed to shake it?
I didn't move, keeping a wary eye on Cody, who growled at me from the other side of Garvek.
"Oh, don't mind him. Off you go, boy!" Garvek waved Cody away. To my amazement, Cody instantly stopped growling and trotted away like an obedient puppy.
The fuck? I had never seen Cody so well-behaved.
Garvek still held his other hand out. I rolled my eyes while jumping lightly to smack Garvek's hand with my front paw.
"Excellent!" Garvek boom
ed. "I simply can't wait to enter you."
Enter me? "Uh, what do you mean?"
"It'll be wonderful," Garvek said. "I'm going to bond with you."
"Hold on. Wasn't Vikki going to do that?" Not that I was interested in having either robot in my head, or whatever it involved.
"I changed my mind. I want you for myself." Garvek's voice had a dreamy tone. "It's been two years since my last taste."
Two years was when Staccato went crazy. I had a bad feeling about this.
Me too. We need to find out more.
"Did you…bond with Staccato?" I asked.
Garvek nodded his head eagerly like a little boy. Fuck, it was creepy. "Absolutely delicious!" He put a blocky finger on his chin. "It didn't take, though. I have my theories as to why, but that's irrelevant. I must try it again."
This was bad. Very bad. Uh, Zoe? What if Garvek's the reason he had a meltdown and lost his Avatar? What if he does the same to me?
If the bonding failed somehow, that could very well be why.
I took several steps away from Garvek. "Maybe we should talk this over more, before rushing into a decision…"
Garvek closed the distance between us. He looked me in the eyes, his ten-foot frame matching my Beastform's height.
"I can sense your reluctance, but you will do exactly as you are told."
I was tempted to give the crazy metal robot a piece of my mind. Slash him in half. I held myself in check.
"Garvek, aren't we in this together? I'm here to work with you, but you—"
"Silence!" Garvek shouted. "I know you're lying. Enough talk. Look!"
Gary's gigantic metal torso suddenly split open, revealing a human-sized cavity inside.
A naked girl was shackled inside with her arms and legs stretched wide like a starfish. I couldn't tell right away who it was, as long black hair hid her face. Then, I spotted something round and green at the bottom of the chamber in Garvek's torso.
A turtle.
"Mia!" I shouted.
Mia raised her head weakly. Her eyes widened when she saw me, and she opened her mouth, but Garvek's torso slammed shut with a metallic finality.
My body was tense, ready to strike. I bared my fangs at Garvek one last time, snarling. Then, I slowly retracted my claws.
Garvek patted my head. I forced myself to stay still.
"Good kitty. Now you understand."
Garvek kept talking, but all I could hear were the muffled screams inside his chest.
CHAPTER 19
I was huddled on the sofa, a cold pizza lying uneaten next to me. Zoe paced back and forth in front of me.
We have to save Mia. How did they even get her?
Zoe stopped pacing for a moment. They may have caught her after we left.
My plan had been to go deeper into the Mekanics in the hopes that I would find something, anything, that would help us in our War against them.
But the situation had changed. I had to free Mia. Garvek had gone full villain and was threatening to bond me against my will.
Why doesn't he just do it, then?
I don't know. He mentioned preparing you. Integrating Mekanic technology.
Cody had shot some kind of metal trap. He also had a metal casing across his back. It had to be Mekanic tech.
It didn't matter. I had to get out of here before I turned into anything resembling Cody. The question was, how?
The door to my chambers slid open. Vikki was standing there.
I waited for her to enter, but she didn't move.
"Can…can I come in?" Vikki asked.
"Fine," I said. "But don't do anything weird."
Vikki walked inside slowly, as if unsure of herself. As she came into the light, I saw that she wasn't naked this time. She was wearing a combat uniform.
There was only one place she could have gotten that. Mia.
I stood up in a rage and stomped over to her. "Take that off! Now!" I screamed.
Vikki looked at me for a second, then started crying. She turned to leave, but I caught her arm.
"Wait," I said, trying to calm myself down. "I'm sorry, but that doesn't belong to you."
"I…I thought you might like it if I wore it."
The confident tease from before was gone. Was she trying to manipulate me, like Zoe had warned? Or did she really understand so little about us? Vikki wasn't an obvious threat at this point, and I needed any help I could get.
I was still holding Vikki's arm. I let go, sighing. "No, it's okay.
Vikki swiftly removed the combat uniform, folded it neatly, and placed it in my hands. "I'll go now."
I tried not to stare at the smooth metal breasts so close to my face. "Hey, uh, can we talk a bit? About Mekanics?"
Vikki beamed at me. "Sure!"
We headed back over to the sofa, sitting on opposite ends. I avoided looking at her. Zoe continued pacing back and forth.
I'll make sure you don't do anything I wouldn't.
Oh right, like that leaves out a lot.
I took a deep breath. "I think Garvek's going to try to bond with me."
Vikki gasped. "No! He said…he said…it was supposed to be me."
I shook my head. "He wants me for himself."
"And you agreed?" Vikki sounded hurt. I glanced over at her pouting expression.
"Of course not! But I don't think he cares. He'll force himself."
Vikki's eyes grew wide, wider than humanly possible, into two perfect circles. "That's…that's wrong!"
"Yeah, that's one way to put it." I leaned back on the sofa with another sigh.
Vikki moved closer to me, reaching out to touch my arm. "No, you don't understand us. Free will is the most sacred law among Mekanics. Forcing you to bond…that would be unthinkable."
I sat up straight, pulling my arm back from Vikki. "Free will? What about attacking us? Killing people? Where's the free will in that?"
Vikki shrank away from me. She looked like she might cry again.
"Sorry," I said quickly. "It's just…you're right. I don't understand Mekanics, and you don't understand us. Maybe we can help each other understand?"
Vikki nodded. "Yes! I'd like that."
"So free will. Why's it bad in Garvek's case, but not for the War?"
Vikki tilted her head as if thinking. "Oh, I see. You think all organisms are equal."
"What?"
"Free will is only important for organisms of equal value. Mekanics are superior to humans." Vikki glanced at Zoe. "And Chimerics. Their free will is irrelevant."
Zoe rolled her eyes. Mekanics.
Vikki pointed to me. "But you have the potential to bond with a Mekanic. That means you're equal to a Mekanic. We would never bond with an inferior organism."
"But Garvek doesn't seem to think that."
"No…Father's wrong. I'll speak to him about it." Vikki turned to me, excited now. "Don't worry. I'll make things right."
Before I could reply, she dashed out of my quarters.
Uh, that went better than I hoped. I think.
I still don't trust her.
Did you know about the free will thing?
Vaguely. They have a minimal government, letting each other do as they please. It's probably chaotic.
An anarchy?
Somewhat. I believe they vote on issues of conflict. She could tell you more.
I tried to get up but an invisible force around my waist pushed me back onto the sofa.
"Dustin, act natural."
Something tickled my right hand. It was a black spider. I clenched my jaw, fighting the urge to flick it away. I knew that spider.
A light whisper tickled my ear. "Don't say anything. They must be watching everything you do."
Zoe? You getting this?
I don't see anything, but I'm hearing it through you.
The voice continued. "In case you haven't figured it out yet, it's me. Julie." The spider on my hand vanished. "I got this ability recently. Works when I'm melded or not. Now, listen. After you
pulled your stunt, the rest of us went after you. By the time we arrived, it was too late. They had you. Drake got hurt. Mia used a booster and zeroed protecting the rest of us while we escaped."
Julie paused. "Staccato and Cody boarded some kind of ship, taking Mia. I used my Stealth Crawl to slip aboard. It took me forever to find you once I got here. I'm…a bit out of my element. Naked metal girl? Fucking hell. It's a Mekanic base, isn't it? No, don't answer that. I'll see what I can learn, but I don't have much time. I can't keep up my Stealth Crawl for more than another day. I'll be waiting for your lead."
A light touch tapped my shoulder. "Did you get all that?" Julie asked. "Nod if you did."
I moved my head slightly up and down.
"Can you open the door? I need to check our surroundings."
I risked a response. "Mia," I said, a bare whisper of a word.
"I know. We'll get her back."
I got up and walked towards the door. As I approached, the door opened on its own. I peeked outside, then turned around like I had changed my mind, returning to my sofa. I had to assume Julie was out by now.
Shit. Now Mia and Julie were both depending on me. Not to me mention possibly the entire human race.
We need a plan, Zoe. One more day, and Julie's going to end up like Mia.
Even with Julie's help, we won't be able to get off the airbase on our own. We need to contact someone outside.
Mia. You think she still has her phone somewhere. Would it work up here? I knew it wasn't an ordinary phone. Some kind of fancy military-grade communicator.
That's our best bet.
Vikki had somehow gotten Mia's combat uniform. It lay crumpled now on a table where I had left it. Vikki was the key. If Mia's phone had made it up here, Vikki might be able to access it.
The question was, how would I get Vikki's cooperation? I shared a glance with Zoe.
There's no other way. I have to.
Zoe shook her head.
Come on, Zoe, it's not like I have a choice.
Zoe made a disgusted sound and spat a hairball at my feet.
***
An hour later, the door to my quarters opened again. I was half-expecting Vikki, but a large shape bounded inside instead.