The dispatch bay's entrance slid open, inviting us inside the mothership. I parked the motorcycle and helped Sam hop off. Russ emerged from the compartment, all set and ready for action. Sandra parked her old motorcycle with a sense of accomplishment.
Noticing my interest, Sandra said, "I built this beauty from scratch," giving the seat a friendly pat.
But Gustav, ever to the point, interjected, "Enough chitchat. Sandra Buttlock, head to the control room," as he led the way with Russ.
"Hey! That wasn't nice, especially to a lady," Sandra complained, her voice indignant.
I calmly placed a hand on her shoulder, guiding her forward. "No complaints. Sam, you can return your gear to the armory and head back to your room."
Sam's brow furrowed with worry. "What are you going to do to Sandra?"
"We're not going to hurt her. We'll just be asking her some questions," I reassured Sam, while Sandra fidgeted uncomfortably under my grip.
Sandra mockingly groaned, "It kinda hurts, you know."
Russ, in his robotic voice, barked impatiently.
"Come on now," I commanded, urging Sandra to move along.
Meanwhile, Sam headed towards the armory, and I half-dragged Sandra by her shoulders to the control room.
The door slid open, revealing Gustav, who was already glaring at Sandra. "And it seems Miss Buttlock here has a lot of explaining to do."
I released my grip on Sandra, who visibly bristled at Gustav's name-calling. Her eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Holograms?!"
With excitement shining in her eyes, Sandra sprinted towards the holographic screens behind Gustav. However, before she could reach them, Gustav swiftly stepped in her path, blocking her way with a stern expression. "Not gonna happen, young Shelda."
Undeterred, Sandra persisted, "But they look so cool! Way better than anything my mother ever told me or the books I've read."
"Of course, they're cool. I made them from scratch, just like the rover you stole," Gustav sneered, crossing his arms defiantly.
Her enthusiasm deflated, Sandra's shoulders slumped as she admitted, "Fine, I'm sorry. But I did it because I had to try to save my sister!" Desperation resonated in her voice, hinting at the dire situation she was facing.
Sandra's mention of her sister indicated that her sibling had been kidnapped, prompting her to take the rover to scout the surroundings and find her missing family member.
"I understand your motive," Gustav exclaimed, his annoyance evident in the furrowed lines on his forehead, "but you could have revealed yourself to the rover. It would have given you instructions on how to communicate with us!" He paced back and forth, clearly frustrated. "But what did your dumbass do? You stole it and tried to reverse engineer it!"
"Hey, Gustav, she's still a kid," I interjected, trying to ease the tension.
"I'm sorry! I had no other options," Sandra sobbed, her voice choked with emotion, tears welling up in her eyes.
Gustav's stern expression softened, realizing the weight of the situation. "I apologize if I said something cruel, but it's true. Now, go away for a moment so I can think."
Sandra nodded, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand, and left the control room, her footsteps echoing down the corridor.
Gustav turned to me with a contemplative look. "I think she and Sam can share a room. I highly doubt she'll do anything sketchy."
The idea seemed reasonable, given the circumstances. "Alright, I'll talk to Sam about it," I said. As I walk towards Sandra.
I placed a reassuring hand on Sandra's shoulder, feeling the tremble beneath my touch. She looked at me with puffy eyes, remorse evident in her expression. "I'm really sorry," she said in a shaken voice.
I pulled her into a gentle hug, hoping to provide some comfort amidst the turmoil. "It's alright. Come on," I whispered, guiding her towards Sam's room.
As I embraced her, I realized it was my instinctual way of comforting people. Surprisingly, Sandra didn't protest and hugged me back, finding solace in the gesture. "Lead the way," she whispered, her voice still tinged with guilt.
Our walk toward Sam's room was quiet, each step carrying a mix of emotions. Occasionally, Sandra would let out a snort, attempting to hold back her tears, but the warm, well-lit corridors of the mothership provided a comforting contrast to the scorching heat outside.
Finally, we arrived at Sam's room. Just as we stood in front of the door, Sam opened it, surprising both of us. "Woah, big bro," Sam chuckled, her eyes glancing between me and the sulking Sandra behind me.
Sam's gaze shifted to Sandra, concern evident in her eyes. "What did you do to her?" she asked, worry lacing her voice.
"Nothing. Sandra just got scolded by Gustav, and she'll be staying with you," I explained, turning around to head back to the control room.
Inside the control room, Gustav was engrossed in examining a series of maps depicting the area near Marawi. "What's happening in Marawi can't be ignored, it seems," he remarked in a monotonous voice, his eyes fixed on the holographic display.
As I approached the hologram, I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a large, bright red pentagram in a clearing. It was surrounded by dismembered bodies, giving off an unsettling freshness that sent shivers down my spine. The sight was disturbing, and I couldn't help but wonder what sinister forces were at play.
"Take a look at this too," Gustav said, swiping through various pictures with a sense of urgency in his movements.
The hologram paused on an image of a camp—a stronghold of damnation. The camp spanned the size of two city blocks, with walls constructed from flesh, a grotesque and horrifying sight. There were four towers in each corner, ominously watching over the grim structure. In the center, there seemed to be a holding area for captured creatures, with dozens of humans visible, appearing to suffer in captivity.
"The drone captured this just moments before it had to switch to super-sonic mode," Gustav explained, his eyes fixated on the holographic display. He seemed deep in thought, weighing his next words carefully. "They've developed anti-aircraft SAM sites, making any aerial approach too risky."
I nodded, taking in the gravity of the situation. The presence of anti-aircraft systems meant that a direct assault would be extremely perilous, even for someone like me. But as always, I couldn't resist making a lighthearted remark. "I guess I should pay them a visit and throw an explosive party, huh?" I grinned playfully at Gustav, trying to ease the tension.
He chuckled, appreciating the humor. "I would have sent you there in an instant if I didn't value your well-being. But I don't want to overwhelm you with too much work at once."
Gustav turned his head towards me, a serious expression on his face. "Tomorrow morning, we'll head out. I want you and Russ to scout the area discreetly, assess the situation, and report back to me. I'll decide the best course of action from there."
"I've improved significantly since five years ago," I retorted with a hint of pride. "Back then, Dementours might have scared the shit out of me, but not anymore. I can handle it."
Gustav chuckled, reminiscing. "Ah, I remember when you were just a pussycat. Perhaps I still treated you like a kid back then. But times have changed. Bring Samantha with you."
Curiosity piqued, I asked, "Why Sam?"
"She's a quick learner, and Russ has made great upgrades in his abilities since the last time," Gustav replied, his demeanor serious.
"Alright then, I'll take them along," I acknowledged, sensing the importance of this mission.
"Now, spend time with the three of them. Learn from each other, especially Sandra. She's well-versed in electronics," Gustav instructed, his attention returning to the holograms.
"Roger that," I confirmed, appreciating the chance to grow and improve together with my companions.