A few minutes ago
Dave threw the cable on the pole on Markus' window. The rope tangled itself with the hook and Ned tied the other end on the railing on his attic window. Cassandra fixed her harness and was ready to ride the cable to reach Markus's room. On the other hand, Dave was totally shaking as Ned helped him fix his harness.
"Ready?" Cassandra asked. She hopped to the window and readied to zip.
"Wait, I'm not ready yet..." Dave replied holding his harness clamped on the cable wire. "I guess I can't do it."
"Ja, I'm going!" Cassandra jumped and zipped silently to the next side.
"I said wait!,, Cassandra..." Dave whispered in a raspy voice as if he's making his shout a whisper.
"Don't act like a baby... that's what Cassandra is gesturing from Marky's room. So, I guess you have to go too, Davey." Ned said. He brought Dave to the edge of the window.
"What are you trying to do? What are you saying, uncle Ned?" Dave asked facing him from his position.
"Nothing... but, you're taking too long so you have to..." Ned pushed him saying, "Just go.!" and the next thing he knew, he was already in the balcony.
...
"I understand what you're trying to say, but can't you see, we're here...at Marky's room..." Cassandra whispered. She opened the window and took a step inside the darkened room. "Let's start finding it, Davey."
"Hai.. ja...where... where art thou... where are you ....Flash drive where are you?" Dave crawled on the floor and searched for the flash drive. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "I found something!"
"The flash drive?" Cassandra excitedly replied.
"No."
Cassy frowned though she knew Dave won't see it in the darkness. They can't turn the lights on since the Androids are lurking inside and outside the house. All they relied on light is the bright moon hanging on the violet night sky.
"Then what is it?!" Cassy said in an irritated tone.
Dave flipped the switched on the little thing he found and pointed it right on Cassandra's face and to his surprise, his friend is frowning.
"That scared me, Cass..." Dave said, holding his chest.
"You could have just turned it on without telling me." Cassandra punched him on the shoulder. "Ja, find the flash drive now."
"I just hope the Androids will not notice our flashlight."
They raided Markus' room in search of the flash drive. He said it was his weapon to end this whole game, the Phantom Algorithm. They searched for it and turned his room upside-down, in the most silent way they know how. They barged in through the window using the "Ninja" style as Dave called it.
"We have to hurry, Dave. Marky needs us and we don't have time. This is the only way we can help him in this farce..." Cassandra murmured.
"I know, that's why I'm searching like my life's on the line," Dave answered but he made his way to the door and tried to see what's outside.
"Our lives are literally on the line, Dave..." Cassandra opened the drawer she found under Markus's bed, beneath the bedsheet. "Eureka!, I found it!" Cassandra raised the flash drive, showing it to Dave.
"I expect no less from you, Cassy! Ja, let's go!" Dave said slowly closing the door. "...they are coming upstairs.."
"What? We're on a pinch... we must hurry!" Cassandra exclaimed and went straight to the window in the balcony. "Where's the rope?" she looked around
"It was here." Dave pulled the rope that hangs down to the ground. "Good thing uncle Ned untangled the other end of the rope from his attic."
"Then, let's go!"
They went to the window and tried to jump down using the cable that hangs on the railings. But, unfortunately, as they went down, Dave stepped on the pipe connected to the wall, broke it, and caused a huge creaking. They, too, fell on the lawn.
"Awww!..." Dave moaned. He curled on the ground in pain.
"I'm hurt too, Dave. But SHUT UP!" Cassandra slapped him. She was holding her butt that hit tones on their fall.
Footsteps were heard coming to their way and shadows grow bigger from where they are. Dave helped Cassandra to stand and they slowly take steps toward the fence to escape the pinch they're in.
Suddenly, an Android shouted from their back holding a gun pointed at them shouting "Stop!"
He was about to pull the trigger when he was suddenly smacked down from the back and he dropped to the ground, unconscious.
"Kyaaaahhhh!!... We're saved!" Dave shouted holding his chest in relief.
"Shut up! Dave... Thanks, ol' man." Cassandra faced the man who smacked their pursuer down. "Whose there? You're not an Android, right?"
"Ahh. I am the backup Ned asked. Let's get in the car and I will bring you to Markus as fast as I can."
The clouds that started to form under the now gloomy night sky are slowly dimming the whole city. The streetlights that remain lighting were the only source of visuals for the vicinity. The scent of burned tires and buildings covered the whole area.
They stood at the middle of the highway fronting the alley where the exit they've chosen to follow leads. Cars zigzagged along the road and people lie on the ground like spilled popcorn.
"This was one hell of a busy street," Brent said. He stood on the left of Markus and looking out for Androids to approach them. His damp self is getting cold from the cold air blowing the city buildings. He raised his 4-foot pedestrian crossing street sign cut near the pedestal he got on the ground on their way to where they are now.
"This can't be helped. The city is under his control." Markus muttered. He slowly breathes to control his wheezing. His sweat drips from his temple like crystals as big as a ring stone. He's holding his bat like a cane to support his weight. His laptop was inside a backpack he got from a kid they've run into. It's got a Sponge Bob design on the cover.
The alley they're facing is between a motorcycle display shop on the left and a dress shop on the right.
"This way leads to the 3rd entrance of the Sunny, right?" Brent muttered. "The one near the counter."
"Ahh," Ken replied. "That was the nearest entrance to our favorite units." He stood on Markus's right side facing that direction, looking out for danger. He kept on crossing his brows to focus his sight across the darkened highway. His back is drenched in sweat and his face is filled with dread. He raised the pair of a baton he got from the two guards of the motor shop fronting them like a sword.
It was already past 10 pm and the night turns darker and darker. The wind gives a colder ambiance to the things they still have to do to finish their disaster.
"You sure they are really on the Sunny, Markus?" Ken asked. He looked past a lamppost where a car he's eyeing keeps on moving slowly. He's got suspicious.
"Ahh... I can't be wrong. We started that fight there anyway." Markus said, twitching his eyes.
The two got confused about what Markus mentioned. They stopped and eyed each other. Because of that, they got the gist of who their enemy is.
"...besides, that's the only place I can think of him making his realm," Markus added and walked towards the alley.
"But before that, we need to get past through them.." Ken pointed his baton on the Androids who got out from the car he's eyeing.
Brent and Markus looked at what Ken has mentioned and they all got afraid.
3 police Androids raising their issued pistols pointing towards the kids and they all have fired a warning shot that hit the glass wall of the motor shop. Glass cracking and shattering made their legs tremble like jellies.
"That's insane!" Brent complained. His legs lost all their strength that he fell to the ground.
"Get a grip, Brent!" Ken raised his friend holding his left arm, trying to drag him away from the Androids.
"Get behind that car!" Markus exclaimed and ran towards the car he mentioned. It was parked behind them but its bumper is stuck on a fire hydrant.
Ken desperately dragged his friend towards their shield. They desperately made themselves invisible from the Androids' field of view as of the moment.
"What should we do?" Ken asked, his hands are trembling. "Those Androids have guns." his eyes were very anxious and filled with fear.
Markus's heart beats so fast that he can't even hear what Ken is saying. He gazed beyond his friends as his thought wandered.
"Markus!" Ken slapped him in the face and he regained he came back to his senses.
"Oh, sorry." He slowly replied.
"You too, Brent!" Ken slapped Brent for the third time.
"What should we do?!" Brent suddenly replied after the hit.
Markus stared at the two who has been afraid since they got off the train from the subway. He looked up and saw the clouds starting to cover the violet sky.
"It was getting black..." Markus muttered.
The two stared back at him with blank expressions. They all fell silent under the black sky that Markus mentioned. Gunshots banging poles and cracking cement came closer and closer to where they are.
"Unless we do something about the Androids, we can't have our way out," Markus said. He returned his gaze to his friends. "Those with the guns are the most troublesome."
"I agree," Ken said. "But I don't guess they're the only ones who're here." he tried to peek from the passenger seat's window to see the Androids.
"Wait a sec, did you notice something on the Androids?" Brent suddenly asked. His legs still tremble while squatting to stand slightly above the car's window.
Ken was surprised because he didn't think Brent would like to see their enemies because he has always done the hiding. "Don't surprise me like that!" he sighed and looked down. He returned his sight to the Androids. "What do you mean?"
"Like that!" Brent pointed with his lips.
He crawled towards the fire hydrant and tried to see what his friend is telling them.
"Like what?" Markus whispered and stared at their enemies.
"I mean, they're all wearing the same thing.." Brent continued.
"You're right..." Ken exclaimed."... all of them-" Ken said.
"... had ORION sunglasses. " Markus convincingly replied. He was surprised and afraid after knowing how the Androids were being controlled. Information kept flashing on his mind that he stepped back to hiding. He curled behind the car's front wheel
"Could that be the reason why they are being controlled?" Brent asked. He sat behind the wheel.
Ken listened to the discussion but he can't take his eyes off the Androids so he stayed looking at them. Looks like they're having a hard time locating us in this mess. I hope they won't find us immediately. He thought.
Markus opened his bag and brought out his laptop. He immediately scanned the area using the City's local network and the programs he got from Orion.
Lots of graphs and numbers appeared on his screen that flickers bits per second.
"What are these?!" Markus exclaimed. He noticed some intercepted waves on the area which was given by something that the Androids were wearing, the Orion sunglasses. "It gives off a weird reading on the waves."
"Are those sunglasses are the ones they auctioned at the Sea Mall 2 weeks ago?" Ken asked.
"Ahh." Markus replied. "These glasses were released last 2 weeks on the Orion Techno Fest held at the Sea Mall. They are capable of receiving Bluetooth and Internet connections and display the info you searched via voice command on the lense. It acts like a smartphone being worn on the eyes where you can see in the lenses what you usually see in virtual and real LCDs. There were only 100 items released for this kind. Its name is Pisces." he continued.
"Was that process accessible and available because of what happened during the Great Fall?" Brent bit his lips and stared at Markus like a deprived child.
"Ahh." Markus looked up at the sky again. "That time when the solar flare hit the earth, it gave off a massive amount of radiation that damaged and changed all the human lives."
The two stared at Markus the way children stare at TV when something new was about to be told.
"When the flare hit the earth, human brains were recalibrated and turned into something beyond the Old Earth's understanding. It happened to amplify the brain's capabilities and improve its flexibility to remove thoroughly its limiters and improve processes like self-enhancement and even AI wielding. " Markus exclaimed.
"But, was that even possible? The AI wielding?" Ken asked. He sat in between his friends, crossing his legs.
"In theory, Yes," Markus replied. "I mean, there is nothing like that yet, not even at Orion, but I have to emphasize on the public basis. But some rumors are infamous in the internet that other cities are already wielding this kind of technology, though it is not known in the market yet. They say that the limiters and the processes were the results of the previous studies made by the Ginseis though. That is what the pattern in making the Taurus and now we have the Pisces." he continued.
"And the hacker knew these processes that he tried to exploit its uses. Like, controlling human brains thru sent signals from a connection tower. Is that it?" Brent exclaimed. He said it like he was refusing to answer a simple math question because the teacher might ask why.
"Might be..." Ken said. He crossed his arms and took a deep breath. "If that's the case, then we should just get rid of it so that we can fight them without getting them hurt and us hurt as well. Those were the ones who were giving the dissonance that, I guess, controls the people making them the Androids, right?" he asked
"Right. And I bet the interception was sent from the nearest and strongest ORION tower in the city, the Apollo." Markus looked for their enemies to check if they are near. But fortunately, he saw them struggling past the scattered vehicles and people on the road that they haven't made huge progress. They were 30 meters far from them. He returned to his seat.
"The Apollo tower? Then the whole city was really under its control!" Ken exclaimed.
"Yeah.... And if that's the case then the whole city is the only city that is in this dreadful situation. The interception waves engulfed only the city until its borders just like a birdcage." Markus explained. He took a deep breath and a few moments of silence. "...If I can still recall, there were only 100 glasses that were produced for this season. Only the ones who reserved for it had purchased it on the Fest." He added.
"Then, there were only a hundred enemy out there, if that's the case right?" Brent asked with a glimpse of hope in his eyes.
"Ahh... and we have defeated or knocked out more or less 46 people on the way here," Ken said
"And the three were out there holding guns, ready to fire," Markus added.
The moment when Markus saying what he said, Brent suddenly crawled away from their circle and was screaming.
Ken tried to grab his leg to keep them hidden but then he heard a creaking sound of metal that was stepped on. He gazed where the sound came from and he saw what they're afraid of.
Markus saw the two's faces and immediately thought they're found by their enemies.
"There were 4 Police Androids out there! Not 3!" Brent screamed and tried to get away.
The Android stepping atop the car turned his stun gun flickering on.
The three ran away towards the Boutique on the other side of the street, struggling their way for shelter. The 3 androids shoot at them as they tried to hide and unfortunately, a bullet caught Brent's leg.
"Ahhhhhh! Damn it!!" Brent shouted in pain."My leg, my leg!"
"Brent!" Ken rushed to help him and dragged him inside the shop. "Don't die!"
"I won't! Coz I don't!" He screamed again.
Ken took a cloth from the shelf where the folded shirts were displayed and wrapped it on Brent's wound. "...can't we get any help from outside the city?" he looked desperately at Markus.
"I guess that's not possible." Markus sternly replied. He grabbed a scarf to stop the bleeding "We cannot send anything when we're here." He caught his breath. He pushed the cloth more. "Unless we're to connect directly to ORION's system from the HERA and use their satellites, we can ask for help from outside," Markus added. "Besides, if we cannot get out from the city, then the others cannot get in as well. The bridge might have been blocked by the neighboring city because of the uncertainties and loss of connection. They won't barge in a city without them knowing the situation. And if I was right, the moment they enter the city border, they will fall on the Apollo's might and fell unconscious."
"That's so unfair! If that's the case, we need to save ourselves and hope we won't die?!"
"I don't want to wish that as well.." Ken replied.
They are flustered as they try to catch their breaths.
"What should we do? They've spotted us already? We need to get out of here." Brent said, holding his injured leg. ".. Fast. Or at least, send Markus to the Sunny before we all fall down."
"I won't sacrifice you for that sake." Markus faced them with a stern look.
They all stared at him and but their lips. They knew their friend won't abandon anyone just like in the old times. He even took all the blows when they were attacked in this same area after a fight in the Sunny.
"But, even if we do that, the Androids are already moving" Markus pick his bat after he tied the scarf to Brent's wound ".... First, we need to take out those guys." He peeked at the broken window and saw the Androids that were approaching, pointing their guns in their direction.
"All four of them? That's impossible, Markus!" Ken muttered.
"At least we only have to take off the glasses and we win." Brent wore a confident look.
The Androids fire their bullets but it was roundabout.
"They only fire stray bullets. They're not in shape to shoot. We can do this!"
They saw the Androids fast approaching and they hid behind the walls of the shop. Ken stood beside the broken window, Brent sat near the door and Markus stood in front of it inside.
The Androids were fast approaching while firing when a black auto car arrived, parked in front of the boutique, and counterfire their guns.
They shoot while their cars were running. Wheels skid from the street and the sound echoed on the whole city.
Ken saw that the Androids were shot on both legs making them crawl and stumble on their feet and lie on the ground.
"Are you alright, Marky?" A familiar comforting voice said as the person inside the car rolled down the windows. Tears started to form in Markus' eyes.