DreamWorld (Memory)
Blayde pulls up in his vehicle as he puts a mask on, Blayde checking his pistol as some of his men are doing the same as Esmeray looks at him as she watched from afar as she could see her brother getting out of the car as the others surrounded him as he faced them with a calm.
Esmeray: He was always good for a smile...a comfort he only afforded the people he trusted.
Tobias watches as Blayde points at the Control Hub.
Blayde: We've been at this for years haven't we. (Group murmurs) But tonight...the Ghost has promised us that this is the one...the one that'll open the eyes of the sheep whom Orion keeps down and murders in our name. We may be terrorists...that's fine. I can sleep at night knowing I've never taken a single innocent life. So if we wanna show the world what we're really about....what we've really done...then tonight is the night...
Esmeray: Who was the Ghost?
Charles: Me.
Esmeray: You shut this up...?
Charles looks away as he seems ashamed.
Charles: The information was right. But I didn't realize it was meant to be leaked till much much later...
Esmeray balls her fist as Blayde continues talking.
Blayde (continued)...For to free the minds of the repressed we must do all we can to show the world exactly what the Awakened is all about! Are you with me!?
The group cheers as Blayde nods.
Blayde: Mask up. Let's go to war.
Blayde turns and heads towards the gates as the others pull their masks on and follow behind in a flanking line as Charles fast forwards using his phone.
Esmeray: Whoa hey I wanna see this!
Charles: This feed is all there is of what happened...I have to move to a different feed for you to continue to see what happens.
Vade: Pause it, Charles.
Charles does so as Vade comes over to Esmeray as Tobias watches them.
Vade: This is what we've planned so long for. Do not lose perspective on what really matters right now.
Esmeray: Do not lecture me right now...
Vade: I am and I will. I need you to remember that we know how this ends. We need to be able to confirm that Orion Industrial is who we know they are...
Esmeray: Charles... play it...
Charles sighs as he presses play as Vade turns as gunfire is erupting all about as Blayde runs and hides behind some metal crates as he watches some of his men being headshot by unseen assailants as D.R.C agents are trading cover fire while the unknown snipers take out those the Agents can't.
Blayde: Charges! We need to set them now...
An Awakened member slides the bag to Blayde who takes it as he rubs towards the hub, firing about as others cover him but his cover are quickly shot down with machine gun fire and sniper shots as Blayde gets to the hub but is shot in the back of his right shoulder, Esmeray shaking as a tear falls from her eyes as Tobias comes to her and takes her hand as Vade and Charles watch the other awakened members being gunned down mercilessly.
Vade: A goddamn massacre.
Charles: unfortunately.
Blayde tries to stand as he sets the bomb but he's shot in the back of his legs and he drops as he screams in agony as Esmeray squeezes Tobias's hands tightly as she wasn't crying but the tears fell no matter what as the D.R.C. moved in and surrounded him as they quickly pulled the bomb bag away as Blayde leans against the side of the gate as a spotlight shines over him, blinding him as he looks away as a pair of figures approach him, Esmeray breaking away from Tobias as Vade and Charles zoom it in as we see Winston smirking with a cigar in his mouth as two snipers wearing completely face shields flank him as Esmeray watches another man appear behind them, Esmeray shaking as Vade looks away as she sees a young Vade standing near Winston as Ash and Mario remove their sniper helmets as Blayde spits out blood.
Winston: The Awakened.
Winston looks about smuggly.
Winston: You aren't very awake to me right now.
Blayde: Fuck you...I know what you're doing...
Winston: My dear boy...have you not been reading the news lately the last few years? All that's happening...that's your doing.
Blayde: You've killed thousands of innocents and blamed it on us!
Winston: Why of course. You gave us every incentive too.
Blayde: Why...why...?
Winston: It's quite simple, boy. In order to establish order, to amass more you must give the people someone to fight against. Too many of you decided that we were the bad guys and so we took your little freedom club and turned you into the poor and downtrodden's Boogeyman. Making them reliant on us. Making them need us. Making them subservient. You've given us all we've needed and now we've nonuse for you. We could've stopped you anytime we wanted. And now for your final act you will become erased and forgotten as nothing more than an ant biting at the heel of a god.
Blayde: You will never silence me...even now you have those within your halls who know what you're doing is wrong... they'll stop you... they'll make the world see.
Mario hands Winston a pistol as Esmeray shakes as she looks at Vade who is looking at his younger self with shame as Winston spits the cigar out.
Winston: When I tell your wife what happened tonight. She'll probably need someone to comfort her... don't worry... I'll be gentle.
Blayde sneers as Winston
Winston: Maybe that little sister if yours will need some company...I've got some men who like em young...
Younger Vade: That's enough, sir.
Winston turns and glares at Vade as Vade stiffens up.
Winston: You've got something to say?
Vade: She's 13. I won't let you talk about a child that way...
Winston: I see.
Winston aims his gun at Vade head as Vade looks stoic as Winston grins.
Winston: Always the stoic one. Fine, fine. I admit I went too far. But you...
He throws the pistol to Vade.
Winston: You finish him off then, since you're all about being humane all of a sudden.
Vade nods as he steps forth and aims at Blayde who closes his eyes as Vade fires two shots into Blayde's skull.
Charles hits pause as Esmeray charges Vade, tackling Vade to the ground as Vade doesn't fight her back as she begins slamming her fists repeatedly into his face as Tobias rubs over towards them.
Tobias: Ray! Ray!
Esmeray: This whole time! this whole time!
Vade let's her get her vicious hits in as Charles goes to Tobias.
Charles: There's more she needs to see...
Tobias: Ray! Stop!
Tobias goes and pulls her off as she tries to fight him off but he keeps as Charles touches Vade's beaten face and heals it as Vade sits up as Esmeray screams at him.
Esmeray: You fucking asshole you killed my brother!
Vade: I know...
Esmeray: You...
She stops fighting and just collapses as she begins basking as Tobias stands by her as Vade looks ashamed as Charles takes a deep breath.
Charles: I think you'll all want to see how this ends. Even you Vade...
Vade looks at him as Charles nods and starts the memory back up.
Young Vade stands over Blayde and as he does he grips the pistol as he hears Winston say to one of his cronies
Winston: Leak this to the media... Awakened bomb Control Hub killing hundreds but are gunned down by D.R.C responding agents. That'll really rile everyone up.
Young Vade: You still plan on killing hundreds of people in this area....for what...they're already all dead...
Winston: Because why not?
Young Vade turns and fires hitting Winston in the arm as Winston screams as Young Vade lines up a headshot but is shot in the gut by Ash ad Mario runs and disarms him much like how he had earlier, Young Vade being violently kicked and punched by Mario as Winston holds his arm and screams for Mario to stop
Winston: Stop! stop it! I want this fuck put in ice...
Vade stands as Esmeray watches as Winston stands over Vade as Young Vade was in a bloodied pulp. Take him to Charles. Recreate this entire event in a neural link...and then cut this out. I don't want this fucker having any idea what actually happened...he's too good...
Vade and Esmeray look at Charles as Charles.
Charles: This. This is the implanted memory that Winston gave to Van. Only Winston and myself have the actual data link of those final moments. Whatever you think of Vade, Esmeray, I will show you the man he truly is. And who you truly are Vade.
Charles switches files and the entire area if the memory glitches and rewinds as Tobias watches a flash of light as Charles edits through.
Charles: Had to show you the altered memory to allow me to bypass the rip code. This...is what happened that night.b
Esmeray watches as Blayde and Vade are now standing side by side, both fending off as many D.R.C agents as they could as Vade looks confused as Charles can see on his face.
Charles: You were never Orion Industrial's best Untether...not at first anyways. You were just Vade...a man who fought...
Vade covers for Blayde as Blayde is shot down like before, Vade running to him as Vade as shot in the shoulder as Mario and Ash appear and Vade begins to fight them both, dispatching them with a calm and cool ease but the injury prevents him from being able to take them down and soon Mario is able to shoot Vade in the gut and drop him as Vade watches immobilized as Winston and Blayde have their convo before Winston shoots him in the head twice. Winston came over to Vade as Vade had passed out. Mario checking his vitals.
Mario: He's still alive. Shall I finish him...
Winston: No. Did you see the way this guy fought? we could use him. Get him some medical, take him to Charles and get him neural networked and wiped...give him some decent memories something he can believe...and then we'll get him working for us...
Esmeray: Sons of bitches...
Vade: They altered my mind...?
Charles: Even the best of us can be tricked into thinking dreams and reality are seperate construct. But that's not the case. Winston seemed to control what he could and those he couldn't he destroyed...until he realized that the power of his source code within A.N.N could alter people forever...
Vade seems awestruck and terrified as Tobias looks about the memory.
Tobias: It's why he fears Dreamers...we can't be manipulated the same...
Charles: Exactly. Because you don't connect to the A.N.N. Your minds are completely liberated from Orion's control. Again he seemed to control what he could not destroy and when it became to dangerous...Xander...yourself...he did what he does best. He tried to take care of the problem.
Esmeray: This is is it...this is what we need...this is what we can show to take Orion down...
Vade: It won't work.
Esmeray looks at Vade as Vade balls his hand up.
Vade: It won't work...
Esmeray: It can...
Vade: Look at this control! There's no way we can make people believe the truth when they have the means to alter the very perception of one's own memories! Face it, Ray. We can send this everywhere and they can alter it to fit whatever they want...can't they, Charles?
Tobias looks at Charles who looks saddened.
Charles: Yes. But there could be a way to stop that. If we have the master source code...
Esmeray: The same ones that Xander is going for?
Charles: Exactly.
Esmeray: Then that's what we'll do.
Charles: That was the plan.
Vade: What do you know, Charles?
Charles: A few of us were highly disturbed by what occurred with Vade. So we made a pact. A pact that one day when all the events converge we will do everything in our power to stop them Xander, Winston, Orion Industrial. All of them. Kami...
Esmeray: My Kami!?
Charles: Yes. She spearheaded it the night she learned of Blayde's death. I showed her what I just showed you and we formulated the basis of our group. I can't say much else until Kami comes for us. But we'll be waiting. And we'll be ready. Won't we?
Charles looks about at the three as Esmeray looks at Vade.
Esmeray: I can't do this without you...I'm sorry for blowing my cool and...
Vade: I understand. We can do this. We have too.
Esmeray: Yeah. Yeah we do.
The three look at Tobias as Tobias looks at the memory as continues to okay showing Orion Industrial still blowing up the hub and despising if all of the Awakened members in the firery Carnage, Blayde included.
Tobias: Orion has to be stopped...but we can't let Xander get his way either. I don't know how we'll stop either one...but we're going fucking try.
Tobias faces them.
Tobias: Like your brother said, Ray. Let's go to war.
End of chapter.