Death gleamed brighter than anything in a watery abyss in the form of nothing more than a single red button, "See those powerlines outside? One carries hundreds of thousands of volts. Now imagine the countless running under your feet," Shayu elaborated his warnings. His finger flickered the switch's rim. "I'll let you decide what happens."
The silence that followed was unbearable. Shayu's eyes determined any motion one made; from chests filling with air to the buckling of their knees. Lucki and the police knew well not to make a scene judging how docile the daimon became to the contractor's presence alone. Although their motions ceased, Shayu ensured another failsafe with the snap of his finger. The seawater on the other end of the window was relatively murky for the depths, though few figures emerged. Eight struck the glass. Small relatively speaking to what thinks you'd expect in these depths...and far more artificial at first glance.
Sharkmen machines with a dangerous resemblance to the contractor, "What do you think?" Shayu quizzed while his torso moved to meet his creations, "Used my prototype blueprints as a base and engineered a more efficient design," the father sang praises of his children. Each was smaller than Shayu with the ocean's hue painting their body. Their proportions were quite similar to machines of olden days as well as bipedal predators; larger upper body and thinner lower frame. Bigger shoulders and segmented arms thick like a body builder's to sport their fins that merged with fingers. "I call them the Pavettes."
Their tails pounded the glass. Two legs fused together to form a longer component with a blunt end and the rims of hydraulics along its structure to their torsos. Their batteries were clandestine with chinks in their blue and black striped armors. All the Pavettes bore their streamlined heads against the glass showing the whites of their eyes and vibrating silver teeth, bubbles exuding their nostrils and tails alike. "Not the brightest bunch, but they're mine."
"Yeah, could tell," Dynamo rolled his eyes, "Really bringing amateur hour, huh?" his posture straightened to judge and scan these new fiends, "They look scary alright. Opening under the arms to suck in and vent water- saves power I guess but why not paint a red target on them too?" he found flaws in every aspect he dared judge. Fins more aesthetic than efficient containing foolish holes and ridges in the main dorsal. He could hardly imagine how messy their systems were under the hood. "If you wanted to scare me. Congratulations."
Dynamo clapped only adding to the criticism. Shayu's nose bubbled with his eyes shut, "I don't understand why I even entertain this…" with another snap the Pavettes came to their lord's command. A red light blared warning behind them and a seam where the glass panel met grew ever wider. It was a door. Shayu's DDD prevented anything more than his servants to hobble through before being sealed once more. They flailed like fishes on their stomachs, darting through the pool until their legs came undone. "Each is outfitted with enough firepower to wipe out a small city, that should give you some motivation."
The Pavettes' fingers cranked to the sides revealing gun barrels. Their jaws unhinged to sprout canons of a similar nature smoking for action, "Well good-" Dynamo stepped forward. The Pavettes fired a stream of seawater thinner than a needle. It slashed through the pool and left a notch the side of his leg. Dynamo winced. Shayu chuckled.
"Now I need to ask you lot again, what do you want with my abode?" Shayu commanded, "Are you wondering who constructed the additions to these ruins? What are we doing here?" all hypothetical situations left his mouth once his body stood and flaunted arrogance. It swayed to the sides like his hands rising in curiosity, "And you can see my chambers are a mess because I expected no guests, but this has been quite late welcoming," his fingers continued to play with the remote. Waters around his feet cleared creating a dry spot, "Maybe I should repay the sentiment you-you….what are you doing?"
Out of almost thirty soldiers, the contractor watched the one who petted one of the sea's apex predators just inches away from her. Lucki wasn't aiming for the locking mechanism, "Sorry, who could give up a chance like this?" she pointed out, "Anybody's wanna pet something so dangerous when they're docile," she felt glee at the rough sensation under her suit. Shayu could hardly blame her nor his Pavettes for firing.
"Moving on-"
"No she does have a point actually," Dynamo spoke over him. Before the Pavettes could turn back, Dynamo was comfortably seated on the top of a larger crate using his legs as bait for the ones within; their fire was prevented by Shayu's hand. "Hehe, what were you saying again?"
The shark kept his eyes on Legbuster in specific. With the wave of his hand the Pavettes motioned to the crowd still holding steady aim while their master narrowed both eyes, "Sometimes I forget how insufferable you could be," he insulted.
"And sometimes I forget that we used to be teammates," Dynamo leaped off the cage. The Pavettes turned to shoot with wavering fingers as Dynamo continued to make a fool out of himself, spinning his arms and body to regain balance, "Whoops!" he grabbed unto the bars behind him, "So, you gonna deep-fry us all now or something?" of everyone who took the ultimatum seriously one fool continued to shimmy through the cages of predators with aim following. "Come on, what's the point in explaining your big plan if you're gonna kill us anyway? Or is this a cartoon I'm not following?"
"I- Who was going to explain anything to you?" Shayu stammered, "I simply gave a chance for you to live, but if you truly wish to have so much blood on your hands then be my guest!"
"Oh no," Dynamo whispered, "Be mine."
Their bickering continued where the eyes of all followed. Carnel caught on to this, so did the one who tapped her shoulder, "Commander," the droid representing the others spoke hushed, "Should we take advantage of this situation? Subjigate the rogue ones?" they questioned Carnel's leadership, looking to Lucki for some form of reassurance. In times like this, he who served as an effective distraction would become a sacrifice for the best outcome possible. Small motions needed to be made and lips held steady through soft-spoken messages.
"Hold for my call and keep note of what Legbuster said," Carnel guided, "The underarms…" the room's disruptors prevented an extensive review of the Pavette's base frame nor if filters protected their inner linings or not. Lucki also spotted the same in her comforting of predatory fish; her eyes moved to Carnel who's body insisted on shielding the Dyson. Lucki's ears flared once the arguing pair rose volume. Shayu's flailing of the remote caused her to flinch. One could already sense the electricity in the water when he caressed the end.
Anything to reaffirm in this time would be desired; a foolish thought of fleeting hope. Under the ocean in the enemy's territory sitting within their palm awaiting twisted and biased judgment. Lucki's feet trembled with the thought alone. Her eyes focused on Carnel moving ever so slowly in front of her. Every so often her eyes darted back for the entrance. Her knees trembled. She was the only one who faltered. She took a deep breath. Cold fingers from her protector slid on her shoulders. The blue maiden remained standing. "You'll be okay."
Her knight assured, "I know, you're here after all," the blue maiden refused cowardice. "Though I am concerned about what those two are doing."
"For the love of- just shut up already!" Shayu's rage torrented throughout the chambers. His mandibles snapped into place and extended to their full length. Both him and Dynamo stomped closer to each other. Feet stretched to meet fins.
"If you want me to shut up pull the trigger," in close proximity Dynamo whispered, "Because I know you can't," he snorted. He backstepped to the caged and kicked outwards staggering Shayu to the water, "Pull it and you'll lose millions," his knuckles tapped the caged. "I know you don't need that amount of money….but what about the higher-ups?"
"Kosmik doesn't come cheap. Wonder how Zenith's bank accounts are looking?" he poked fun at the unit. Shayu refused to stand when Dynamo began laughing. His nose tilted up when the remote slipped out of his grip for his fingers to come together in another applause. To laugh in the face of danger meant the sign of either confidence or idiocy….so what did it mean when danger shared the sentiment?
"Good on you Dynamo…" Shayu complimented, "Sometimes I forget what kept you alive for so long- not the power or in the moment ideas no, you saw a bigger picture when there was none," the contractor congratulated his superior. Years nor alliances to current organizations meant nothing in that moment. Nobody else in the room nor any of their situations. To the two of them, only master and student were present. The student didn't stand, but rejoiced in his claps. Claps that switched on the lights also turned them off. Legbuster held advantage in his feet, but their reach failed in comparison to a tail that could sweep them off balance.
In Shayu's domain, he wrapped around the fumbling machine where blades met. "Pavettes! Fire!"