Zeff has seen the most unbelievable things the world has to offer. He saw apocalypse, monsters both human and inhuman, the dark side of society, and his whole existence as a parasite in another man's body. Yet, what was unfolding in front of him would take the cake if there ever were to be a contest of weirdness.
**[User identified.
Status: online
Integration: successful.
Synchronized Yielding Lethal Photon High-energy Interface
Functions:
Zenith's Eye: ???]**
It was a blue screen hovering in front of him.
"What the…" he was flabbergasted. Yet he had no time to rummage over his mind to check how sane he was. He knew it was beyond help.
"If this is how the old man expected this thing to work, consider me impressed. The AI these days are sure advanced. But there is a problem…"
The whole point of Kai coming here seemed to be successful. He was searching for his family, and he needed the data in Zenith's Eye, which contained all the DNA information about the then-registered Americans. It was a secret government project that Kai accidentally came to know. An AI interface that could contain data about his family, he at least needed to know how they looked now.
Weeks before, when Kai learned about its existence in MB 35, he rushed a plan to steal it. Before recovering from his previous fight with monsters, Zeff was forced to follow Kai.
However, what he did not expect was that the AI would integrate into his body. They had no idea how it worked or how to use it. All Kai expected was a chip he might use in some computer, and Zeff never concerned himself with technology. When Zeff escaped the armory, Kai thought it was a lost cause, but things had changed.
Unlike Zeff, Kai could not talk to Zeff inside his mind unless he was in control. He did not know what was happening or everything his partner did until he switched back.
Zeff let the issue aside for now. He wouldn't switch unless he was outside and under a safer environment, which was rare and, if possible, never.
"So how did you end up here, Salmon?" Zeff asked the engineer.
Salmon was someone he knew from the time he worked for the Spades in the past before he was locked up. He was a lowly assistant back then, and him being here did not make sense. In three years, he couldn't have possibly been promoted to a spy working outside, much less placed in a military base. Unless, of course, he wasn't working for the organization anymore.
"After you left, they kicked me out," Salmon said. "For, you know, being associated with you and all."
'That's unexpected,' Zeff thought. 'They don't usually keep people alive after firing them. They told me they had killed all my associates.'
"And not just me," Salmon continued, "everyone from our team disappeared. You're the only one I knew alive somewhere, but not more than that. I had connections in the military. So when I knew I was about to be 'transferred' like others, I quit and joined the military where my uncle protected me."
Listening to the story, Zeff realized how unfairly his team members were treated after his actions. Yet, he did not feel guilt. If he were given a second choice, he knew he would do it again.
"Why were you hiding when you knew I was coming?" Zeff asked.
"I was hiding exactly because you were coming," Salmon replied.
Silence hung over. "I was done with you," he continued. "I don't want to fight the mess you make again. I had enough of your troubles for a lifetime."
Zeff scowled. "Well, too bad then. Because you will help me escape here." His eyes, turning blue, focused on Salmon. "You have no choice."
Salmon remembered another reason he hated his ex-captain. He would listen to nobody. Always a free spirit, arrogant, he would get what he wanted even at the cost of others. Even now, nothing changed. Denying him would only make Zeff force his ideas harder.
Better then to be careful in the future and surrender in the present than to fight today and die tomorrow.
"Fine," Salmon agreed reluctantly. "What do you want me for?"
By now, Zeff had a clear picture of how he would get out. "I'm glad you asked."
***
In Area Four, the chaos subsided gradually. People had to choose between running outside or staying in their quarters. They all knew what was waiting on the surface. Monsters. Instead of facing the demons they were sure to lose, they chose to stay inside their home.
Minutes later, the streets were getting empty. Everyone clutching to their loved ones locked themselves inside the only place where, while only another person was authorized to enter were the officials, they thought was sturdy and safe. It was the quickest answer they could find.
Crimson cloaked his presence along with his teammates. One of them had the ability to turn invisible and, by extension, everyone she allowed her powers to seep into for some time. Crimson decided it was time to wait until figuring out the 'danger' Kala had told them about. Being as far as they came, they couldn't turn back now.
'Turn back and tell them what? We failed and are ready for punishment?' Crimson thought.
His sudden change in orders led many of his team dissatisfied who, like Koul, wanted some action done. Crimson justified it by saying it was from Kala. Knowing that, everyone silently obeyed.
Meanwhile, William rushed to his home as fast as possible. However, he found a girl waiting outside. She was barehanded and staring at the door, her eyes covered by her short hair.
Sensing William's presence, she turned sideways, one of her emotionless eyes fixated on him.
"Hey, what are you doing here, standing outside?" he asked.
"Waiting for you," she replied. "You need to come with me."
"What?" William was in a hurry, so he replied quickly. "I'm not going anywhere, and you should too. Where are your parents?"
"…" The girl did not reply. She just stared at him.
Ordinarily, it would come off as weird, but William was not concerned about the girl, who was old enough to be his daughter. "You can stay with us until this all blows over," he offered help.
People don't usually share quarters in bases unless they're family. The main reason for it is that sharing a home meant sharing resources which, on present Earth, were rare.
"Very well," she said.
William did not know the trouble he was getting into.
***
Aboveground. Ruins of New York City, fifty meters away from the Military Base-35.
The setting sun, bathed in red sky, left an uncanny view to the drought river at the edge of the Statue of Liberty. The cracked ground, resembling a million spiderwebs, among the dystopian landscape of destroyed buildings, trembled slightly for unknown reasons.
In the distance, something black could be seen dragging its feet on the sturdy ground. Its three limbs supported the broken fourth one. Like a wounded animal, it was walking towards the base where, staggering through its path, it smelled some humans from far away.
They were Crimson's teammates he left out for watch. They were near the entrance, waiting outside the hatch.
***
As time passed, Robert grew calmer. Around him, he saw the surviving soldiers in the medical section. The people in white uniforms, along with whatever healing equipment they could find, rushed to one side to treat them.
"Where are the others?" he asked. "I can only see assistant researchers here."
"In the hall," Hilda replied, walking alongside Robert. "Arguing about the next plan of action since the commander is missing. They're also calling for you since you were in the fight and survived."
"Okay." It meant Robert had to go there and explain the situation.
"Where are the remaining troops?" he asked.
"In the specialized training area. Just like you asked them to."
"Good."
Without saying another word, Robert reached the armory, where the dead trainees stained the metallic floor red. Holes of various sizes could be seen all around the metallic walls, like an asymmetric decoration, they followed Robert's eyes all over the ceiling and floor.
The fresh memory made his skin crawl. They were all gunshots.
"Why are you here?" Hilda asked. Robert still hadn't told her what his 'plan' was. She had no idea how he would bring the situation under control or make contact with their superiors.
Since he asked her to gather soldiers and researchers in separate places, she thought he would visit either one and display his plan of action. But he came back to the place he ran from.
"Why come back to the armory?"
"I have something to check before going back to the hall," he replied in a serious tone.
There was something pivotal he needed to gain if he wanted to move forward. The whole reason he joined the army was for this. He was waiting for a chance like this. 'This place might have what I was looking for,' he thought.
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