Skip's POV
Is it me or am I beginning to suspect that my old teacher is not telling us everything? I have been doing some research during the firefights and cracking the code on the top-secret files, but I learned they rig it with a neuro-bomb linked with those files. If I try to tamper with it, it can destroy all the data in there, and not even the best Data recovery software will bring it back.
"Ms. St- I mean Millie, I have a question?" I asked to my surprise she smiled.
"I know you've been through the files you can't access normally," she said what I was getting at. "Top-secret files that had a neuro-bomb attached, I assume?"
"Then why didn't you tell me more about it? You realize I could have accidentally deleted the data?!" I accused.
"I thought you would have been able to crack it," she stated. "That is a sensitive lock on those files. It would require the password. Good thing you didn't tamper with it further."
"I assume you have the password in the big brain of yours?" I said.
"If I did, I would have unlocked it by now. But sadly, I don't know the password or the person who has it." she stated, "But keep it with you, you may unlock it if you can find the password around here." she stated.
"Alright, but we need a plan to take the fight to the AI." I urged.
"Let's gather everyone, providing they haven't run out of breath and need a break," she said
Cooperation
After gathering everyone, Jenny shared the Cherry pop with everyone to vitalize our bodies after being exhausted from the prolonged firefight. It's decided we need to take the fight directly to A.D.P.E.N since it won't stop until we are dead. Jenny also realizes that her reality warping powers are being limited, she suspects the A.I. may use safeguards to prevent the use of her full power. After that one attack where she has flooded the 1st and 2nd floors, the A.I. will put in a measure to prevent her from becoming a tremendous asset in and out of battle. Thankfully, she can still use Magic & PSI and warp reality if needed. She, however, can only do every 1 hour since it will attempt to reinforce it.
"Jenny, can we just teleport out of the station? All of us?" I asked, noticing her concerns.
"I can't," she said. "I had tried to teleport us out of this place, but I learn can only use my reality-warping once every hour," she said as she felt useless.
"Can you use Magic or PSI still?" I asked.
"Hell yeah, I can still use my magic and PSI powers! Have you suddenly lost your abilities of Electrokinesis already? Apparently, you got sliced in the ribs and nearly had your intestines coming out." she said.
My face turned red at the thought... Bass, I don't want him to worry about me getting killed; I know that big guy would chew me out if I die. Plus, I was lucky that my father could patch me up otherwise, I would have died long ago if my father didn't have a med-gel on him.
"You have no... FUCKING RIGHT TO FIND THIS FUNNY!" I suddenly snapped to everyone's notice.
"Hey man, look, I'm sorry." she apologizes, "If it is a joke..."
It is not the joke, it just-
"It's NOT a joking matter, alight?!" I snapped at her. "We just need to get through with none of us dropping like flies. So I appreciate that you make no more of my 'Dying ' jokes." I urged.
"What is the matter, son?" my father asked me.
I walked off as I was in no mood to answer, despite my father's attempt to start a discussion.
"Then it's clear..." I said finally. "The only course to us is to shut down that AI before it can kill us all." I've pulled out the plan for dealing with the AI.
The war against A.D.P.E.N., The Robo overlord of the station
To stop A.D.P.E.N. we must shut down its AI core on the 3rd floor, knowing the AI will expect such an attempt and its strongest force will guard its central GPU.
We can destroy its droid factory here in the station, but it is likely to have another outside of the station. We have only 20 mins to stop it before its reinforcement arrives. If that happens, we are fucked. Fucked ...as in Sakura's space manipulation or Jenny's Reality Warping will be useless against them and we would have no hope of fighting them with our current weapons.
After reaching the AI core, then I need to head inside within the confounds of Cyberspace, where I can engage with the A.I. directly there. I'm the only one that can fight A.D.P.E.N within the system. If I fail, we would have no chance to survive... No, it won't let it end here, not with us.
The question is, where is a good place to hack into cyberspace within the station?
Victor's POV
"The better idea is to go to AI Core while under the guise of distraction," I said, seeing my friend's doubts. "We must, as you say..." I pondered it for a moment. "Attack the drone factory to buy you time while you get into Cyberspace." I declared.
Victor Wu, Age 27, Male, has a PSI-Level of 4. His skills are Expert-level hand to hand combat, Swordsmanship, Telekinesis. His weapon Specialty is Swords, Katana, Unarmed combat. His PSI Power is Cryokinesis. His role on the team is Fighter.
Before we can say anything, the sound of the drill is penetrating the door as water pours into the room. I quickly use Cryokinesis to freeze the water temporarily for now, but I noticed the lights are fading from the safe zone.
"Greetings, Intruders. I have located your safe zones." the A.I. speaks to us again. "I commend you for surviving this far... I didn't predict or understand the logic of your powers," it speaks.
"How did you find us?" Millie asked. "We have cut off any electronic devices or access in these areas."
"When one intruder used a flood out of nowhere, I could not pinpoint the direct location," it said. "It was one door that remained untouched, I pinpointed that 90% probability that you were hiding in there."
"So..." Jenny said, realizing her ability has given away from their safe zone location. "By me, calling in the flood via my ability. You could figure out our location... Then I assume you changed and adapted to the flood ability. Thus my power to warp reality."
"That is correct, had you not done so, I would have been 95% certain that I could not locate you," it said
"Damn it!" Jenny said in her anger which her fists blazed.
"You are still marked for termination. Doctor..." it turned back to Millie. "You can still reconsider your decision, you wonder why the drones did not attack you?" it stated."It is because, by my logic, that you do not deserve termination. Will you reconsider? If you continue this course, I will mark you for death."
"I haven't changed my mind, ADPEN. You should've told me long ago instead of letting me shoot them!" she stated, firm in the decision.
"So be it, Doctor. You have made the incorrect choice & chose termination," it says as it phases out of view. "Deploy A.R.M.B.E.E unit."
A.R.M.B.E.E?
As soon as I saw it, a spider-like robot jumped down and launched missiles at us. I quickly moved forward toward it, drawing my blade to swipe at it. With Cryokinesis, I could infuse it to freeze objects from afar and slow it down.
"We need to draw it away from here!" I said, aware that it will not stay frozen forever. "Jenny, come with me. Are you ready to send it back to the Junk-pile?" I asked.
"Oh yeah! Let's go!" she charged at the unit surrounded with flames.
We ran as fast as we could to give the team time to split up. It won't be able to chase us both. This robot is fast; able to go up onto the ceiling and corner us, moving seamlessly, and will even fire lasers in front of us. I quickly learned that like human beings, it could grow & adapt. Using my cryokinesis is barely slowing it down and we cannot avoid it forever, eventually it will catch up to us. Which gave me an idea...
"Jenny? Suggestions?" I said while we are still running. "Think you can send it in to a spike trap or make a wormhole?!".
"I can only bend reality once each hour. I already used it to remove the flood earlier," she said between shots from her rifle and the robot blasting us with its lasers. "But lure it to that barrier, keep it busy until I give you the go-ahead." she teleported out.
Now I am left alone with the bot, trying to keep it busy while she gets set up. The bot is faster, but I used my Cryokinesis to make ice skates to move like a skater on ice. However, the robot adapted by following my method of speed up as it just glides on the ground. At the last moment, it got ready to fire its energy beam. I dropped myself to the floor and attached myself to its underbelly to make it think it disintegrated me.
"Jenny, how are things on your end?" I asked, speaking in telepathy.
"All set! Now lure it to the main entrance!" she said. "I got a surprise for it, ready and waiting!"
"Should anything go wrong... Do you remember what I said about Sakura?" I said. "Sakura is my -"
"Sister, right?" she said, understanding my predicament. "You can tell her yourself when we come out alive from this."
"I tried to tell her but the words wouldn't come out, I learned this truth from my mother, years ago," I said as I waited for it to head toward the staircase. "I know every time she looks at me, she has a crush on me and even dreams of being in a relationship with me," I said. "I cannot tell her, I don't wish to break her heart and I do not want her to learn that I am her brother, she has been through enough."
"Sakura can know if you're hiding secrets from her, she is a big girl. You gotta tell her yourself, now get down there!" she said before we cut contact.
By the time it reached the staircase, I kicked it toward the steps and followed it down. Running fast for my life, I swore to myself that I will stay alive for my sister's sake and I could tell her myself once this is over. Upon arriving at the main entrance, Jenny rammed it toward the barrier and used her telekinetics to lob a group of ... C4! She quickly set a barrier to shield us from the explosion which damaged the unit. However, upon taking critical damage, I hear it howling for something... before it left the area.
"You alright? I told you we got through this!" she said.
I said nothing because I noticed a spider bot was getting ready to attack her. I drew my sword and sheathed it back when we noticed more is coming in our direction. Without safe zones or the advantage of reality-warping, we are at a major disadvantage! A.D.P.E.N now has the ball in its court. It will be harder to deal with, especially if it can adapt to our tactics and our plan to fight it.