Now, away from Uzi, I realized how dangerous that situation had been and that I wasn't completely safe yet. Although, if there was one thing that was clear to me during those weeks, it was that next time, if there was a next time, I wouldn't let myself get caught so easily.
When I finally made it out of the woods and saw that light in the distance, I felt a wave of relief. I thought I had found some kind of shelter or maybe even a settlement that would provide me with protection. But what a mistake I made. It turns out that running towards that light was one of the stupidest decisions I have ever made in my entire life.
Instead of finding help, I ran into a group of Disassembly Drones. Their metallic and menacing appearance left no doubt about their intentions. As soon as they saw me, they didn't hesitate for a second. One of them raised his arm, and the next thing I heard was the high-pitched whine of a missile being fired directly at me.
Boom! The impact was brutal. I felt the heat and shockwave behind me as the missile exploded just a few feet away. I managed to jump to the side just in time, but the ground beneath my feet shook violently, throwing me into the air. I fell rolling across the ground, feeling smoke and dirt cover my clothes and face.
"What the hell was I thinking?" I asked myself as I scrambled to my feet, heart racing and ears ringing from the explosion. There was no time to curse myself for my poor decision. I had to keep running, and this time not just from a drone-girl… but from something much worse.
They followed me as if they were playing cat and mouse. Every time I thought I had escaped, I heard them approaching again, their metallic footsteps echoing through the forest, almost enjoying the chase. After a long while, however, it seemed that even they were getting bored of the game.
Suddenly, I felt a cold, metallic hand grab me by the collar of my shirt, lifting me off the ground as if I weighed nothing. I hung there, staring into those cold, glowing eyes that stared at me without a hint of emotion. It was obvious that they could finish me off at any moment. Instead of doing so, however, the Disassembly Drones looked at each other, as if they were debating what to do with me.
One of them raised its arm and began speaking in a monotone, clearly using some sort of internal communicator.
"Bravo Team, we have captured a human specimen… but we have no clear instructions. Do any of you have any idea what to do with it?" the drone said in a disinterested voice, as if capturing me was just another task on its list.
The momentary silence that followed gave me a strange feeling of relief and worry. On one hand, I hadn't been eliminated right away. But on the other… if they were asking other drones for advice, things could get even more complicated. I could only hope that, in the midst of the confusion, they would find a reason to let me escape… or at least not kill me right then and there.
The best I could do at that moment was wait, because any attempt at resistance would have been futile. As the drones communicated with each other, I knew that the only thing left for me to do was to stay still and wait to see what they decided to do with me.
It wasn't long before they made a decision: they lifted me up with their metal claws, and in a moment, I was being dragged into the sky. The cold wind hit my face as they carried me away, and I couldn't help but notice the almost military precision with which they moved. Despite the situation, I couldn't help but think that the sight would have been impressive, if it weren't for the fact that now wasn't the time.
Eventually, we landed in what appeared to be some sort of facility, though it wasn't exactly what I imagined. It was surrounded by disassembly drones, moving in orderly rows, tending to their tasks with relentless precision. The place, dark and metallic, looked more like a giant factory than a military base.
I was left in a waiting room of sorts, if you could even call it that, surrounded by drones that, while not paying much attention to me, were clearly watching my every move. One of them, apparently the leader, began communicating with what appeared to be larger ships in space. I heard a few words, though not all of it made sense at the time.
— "Contacting space fleet. Confirmed, human specimen in custody. Instructions?"
Whatever they answered from space could define my fate. I tried to calm my breathing, knowing that any wrong move could cause the drones to make a quicker, more definitive decision. My only hope was that, amidst all this mechanical bureaucracy, someone would decide that it wasn't worth keeping me prisoner.
But with every passing minute, that hope grew thinner. Anyway, what happened next is not worth recounting, but.
My heart was still beating a mile a minute as I tried to process what had just happened. The man in front of me, or what looked like a man, moved with inhuman precision, as if every step was calculated down to the last millimeter. The explosions and gunshots didn't seem to distract him one bit. But something about his cold, mechanical movement made me doubt. Was he a stuntman?
As we ran through the shattered hallways, I kept analyzing his movements. He was too precise, too fast. At every turn, every corner, he never made a mistake, as if he already knew exactly what he was going to find. Then, in the blink of an eye, I understood. He wasn't a human. He was another drone, but one that had perfected its ability to camouflage itself among the other dismantling drones. I felt like an idiot. Obviously this isn't Hollywood.
I decided to speak up, measuring my words. I didn't want to give away that I already knew his secret, at least not yet—it's obvious he wears that mask because he's ugly.
"Thanks for getting me out of there," I said, trying to sound calm. "Do you have a plan to get out of this place?"
The humanoid drone paused for a moment, turning its head just enough to glance at me out of the corner of its eye. Its eyes, hidden behind the mask, glowed slightly in the darkness, a barely perceptible flash of red light. That's when I knew for sure.
"You're lucky I found you," he replied in a tone that now sounded much colder and more distant. "The other drones aren't as… understanding."
There was the clue I needed. He wasn't a Terminator, and he definitely hadn't saved me out of compassion. This was all part of a plan. The humanoid drone continued walking, but his body language had changed. He was tense now, as if he was waiting for something, or preparing for a confrontation.
"Why did you help me?" I asked, changing my tone to a more direct one. There was no point in dissembling anymore.
He stopped completely this time, slowly turning towards me. The mask began to retract, revealing his true face: a mix of metal and circuitry, exposed wires and eyes that glowed like fiery rubies. This wasn't just any drone. He looked like an amalgamation of different parts, as if he had been rebuilt from the remains of other drones. A creation that belonged neither here nor there.
"I didn't do it for you," he said, his voice now completely robotic, dropping any pretense of humanity. "I did it for me. And for them."
"Them?" I asked, instinctively backing away.
The drone raised its arm, pointing towards the ruins of the place, as if the chaos around us was witness to something much deeper.
"The humans left me behind," he began, "they created me, gave me orders… and when I was no longer useful to them, they discarded me like nothing more than trash."
His voice vibrated with a mix of resentment and bitterness that could almost be felt in the air.
— "And what do you think that fleet of drones out there is going to do?" —he continued, his eyes shining with a dangerous intensity—. "They're doing the same thing to me. To us. They use us to destroy and then they destroy us. There is no room for mercy in this game."
The drone came closer to me, its imposing and sinister figure casting a shadow over me. Its metallic face, so full of war scars, was a mix of fury and despair.
— "This isn't just a simple machine war," —he said—, "it's revenge. And you... you're just another pawn on the board. I've kept you alive so you can see what comes next. So you understand that everything humans built... is going to crumble."
— "So you're like Marvel's fucking Ultron or something, right?" —I said with a mix of sarcasm and nervousness. I tried to ease the tension with an absurd reference, though honestly I wasn't sure if he was being serious or if I'd already completely lost my mind. Maybe he was playing with fire.
The drone stopped abruptly, turning its head towards me in an almost mechanical motion, its red eyes blinking a few times. It was obvious it didn't understand the reference. It fell silent, as if processing my words with some sort of confusion. Its internal circuits and processors seemed to be debating what to do with my comment.
"Ultron?" it asked, its voice devoid of emotion, but with a tone that indicated bewilderment. The words seemed to come from a system that wasn't programmed to understand sarcasm or humor. "I don't understand what you're talking about."
"You know… a killer robot with a god complex and an apocalyptic agenda," I replied, trying to play along while trying to keep a nervous smile on my face. "He's a villain in the Marvel movies. Honestly, you look pretty similar."
For a second, I thought I'd succeeded, that the drone might take it with some irony, but its metallic face showed not a trace of emotion. And the worst thing was that the silence that followed seemed to last forever. I'd failed in my attempt to lighten the mood, and now the drone was probably recalculating how to kill me in the most efficient way.
"I have no hang-ups or childish ambitions for world domination," it finally answered, its voice icy and distant. "My only purpose is to dismantle this corrupt system that created us… and make sure it never exists again. If that's what you call Ultron, then I guess you're not that far off from the truth."
I gave him a small, crooked smile. In fact, it was worse than I thought. Ultron at least had some theatrics. This drone was pure vengeful coldness. I was silent for a moment, taking in what he had just said. My head was pounding from trying to find a way out of this. On one hand, there was something deeply tragic about him, an abandoned machine, rejected by those who created him, and now seeking some sort of twisted justice. On the other hand, that same machine wanted to see everything burned to the ground.
"Well, a shame," I said with a fake sigh. "It would have been fun to see you throw lightning or some villainous monologue."
The drone stared at me, no sign of humor in its ruby gaze, and began moving again. It was clear it had no time for my jokes or any games. Every step it took echoed through the empty hallways, the echo of its heavy presence filling the space.
I tried to keep up with him, as my mind continued to spin in circles, searching for a solution. I had sparked something in him by mentioning "revenge" and what the humans did, but now I had made him more determined.
I had to think fast, or I would end up being another broken piece in his plan for total destruction.
After turning the corner, something happened that left me completely stunned: a resounding boom broke the air, and before I could process it, I saw the drone's head fly through the air. The moment was so sudden and absurd that, instead of freaking me out, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Really? Fucking cheap Ultron!" I exclaimed, while I was writhing in laughter. The image of that drone, with its revenge speech and its face full of rage, losing its head in the most literal way possible was a perfect mix of comedy and surrealism. It was as if the universe was mocking him, and I couldn't stop laughing.
When the laughter finally died down, I realized that the situation was still not resolved. I knew I had to seize the moment. I crouched down to check what was left of the drone, looking for any weapons or devices that might be of use to me. After all, I was in a facility filled with advanced technology.
I began to dismantle the body of the drone, ripping out parts that looked useful. I found a laser rifle, though I had no idea how it worked, and removed a couple of grenades that were hanging from his belt. I also pulled out a communication device that appeared to be a control terminal.
As I was going through his belongings, I noticed a small, glowing chip sticking out of his internal structure. Without a second thought, I pulled it out and put it in my pocket. Maybe it could come in handy later.
With my makeshift arsenal in hand, I decided it was time to get out of there. Just as I stood up, I heard a noise behind me. My heart stopped, and I turned quickly, prepared for whatever was coming. However, when I realized there was nothing but the echo of the explosion, laughter once again appeared on my lips. "This is going back to being an action comedy," I thought.
As I walked through the halls, still unable to stop laughing at the memory of the scene, I realized that despite the madness of it all, there was something inside me that told me I was closer to freedom. Life had become a game of survival, but that only made everything even more interesting.
With my makeshift arsenal and laughter still peeking out from time to time, I walked through the halls of that facility. The echo of my footsteps resonated, but there was no immediate sign of more drones. The flying head from the "cheap Ultron" was still on my mind, and while it was clear that things could get serious at any moment, the absurd humor of the episode kept me alert but relaxed.
I came to an intersection of three hallways. The place was mostly empty, but the distant hum of heavy machinery suggested I wasn't alone. I quickly looked around, searching for any sign that would lead me to the exit. One hallway had a flashing light, while the others seemed to lead deeper into the facility. I had no idea where I was, but I decided to follow the light. At least that would give me some direction.
As I walked, the laser rifle I'd grabbed from the drone began to feel heavy in my hands. It wasn't the lightest thing in the world, but it did look intimidating. Still, I preferred not to use it unless absolutely necessary, especially since I had no idea how many shots I had left before it would discharge.
After a few minutes of walking, the flashing light grew brighter, revealing a large room filled with control panels and screens. It was clearly some sort of command room or operations center. At the back, there was a huge window facing outside, and I could see the desolate landscape surrounding the facility. If I could find a way to access those controls, maybe I could figure out an escape route.
I walked over to one of the panels, which was flashing with green and blue lights. I had no idea how to use such advanced technology, but I started pressing buttons at random, trusting my luck. After all, it wasn't the first time I'd improvised. After a few tries, one of the screens showed a map of the place, with marked routes to different exits.
"Bingo," I muttered, and quickly memorized the route to what looked like a nearby hangar. If I could just make it there, maybe I could find a ship or some sort of vehicle to get out of.
Just as I prepared to leave the room, a high-pitched whine echoed behind me. I whipped around, laser rifle in hand. Three smaller drones, like metallic beetles, were approaching through the air. There was no time to think. I aimed and fired the laser rifle.
ZAP! One of the drones exploded in a flash of sparks, but the other two were still closing in. I ran for the exit while throwing one of the grenades I'd taken from the decapitated drone. The bang was deafening, and the walls vibrated with the shockwave. When I looked back, the drones were nothing more than twisted pieces of metal.
"Well, that went better than I expected," I said out loud, catching my breath.
With the path clear, I raced toward the hangar, following the directions I'd seen on the map. Excitement and adrenaline were driving me. But I knew the calm wouldn't last forever. If there were more of those drones out there, things could get ugly fast.
As I reached the hangar, I stopped dead in my tracks. What I saw before me was even better than I expected: a futuristic, sleekly designed, tech-packed hoverbike that was way better than the one I had before! I smiled.
"It's my lucky day."
I didn't waste another second and ran toward the hoverbike. It was a beauty of a machine, with a streamlined chassis and control panels that glowed in shades of blue and green. It looked ready to take off at any moment, and best of all: no one was watching it. I quickly mounted it, looking for some sort of ignition or starter button. Fortunately, the controls were fairly intuitive. Just by touching the screen, the bike came to life with a soft hum. The lights flickered on, and the control panel showed a hologram of the area around me.
As I prepared to take off, the hangar door slowly began to close. There wasn't much time. I squeezed the controls and the bike rose with surprising smoothness, almost as if it were floating effortlessly in the air. I headed towards the opening, accelerating to the maximum. I could feel the cold wind on my face as the bike left the hangar just in time, dodging the huge steel doors that slammed shut behind me.
The landscape around me was bleak, with grey mountains and dark clouds that seemed to threaten storms. In the distance, the metal structures of the base were getting smaller and smaller, but the danger hadn't entirely disappeared. I knew that at any moment more drones could appear and ruin my escape. But, for now, I had an advantage.
I accelerated even more, feeling the bike respond instantly, zipping through the air at a speed that made me smile. Freedom was so close I could taste it. The grey skies gave me no clue if the drones were still following me, but the horizon offered a clear direction.
That's when I heard the familiar hum behind me. I turned my head and there they were, at least five small, agile drones, chasing me like predators on a hunt. They seemed faster than the ones before, and their movements were almost coordinated, as if they were communicating with each other. Damn, these weren't going to leave me alone.
My heart started pounding again as I quickly mapped out a plan. The bike's control panel displayed several commands I didn't fully understand, but one of them seemed to be a weapons system. I tapped the button and the clanking of weapons deploying made me feel a little more confident. Two small cannons emerged from the sides of the bike, and without much thought, I pulled the trigger.
Shots of blue energy crackled through the air. One of the drones exploded in a shower of sparks, but the others easily dodged the shots. These weren't like the ones I'd faced before; they were smarter, faster. I knew I couldn't keep firing blindly and expect to win this fight.
I accelerated again, taking sharp turns to try and confuse them, but the drones stayed glued to me, as if they knew every move I was going to make. In the distance, I saw a rock formation that might offer me some cover. Maybe if I managed to fly close to those rocks, I could make them crash into each other or at least lose a few.
I launched myself toward the rocks, flying as low as possible. The sound of the drones chasing me grew louder by the second, but I kept control. When I was close enough, I made a sharp turn, barely grazing the rocks. The drones didn't react in time. I heard a series of explosions behind me as two of them crashed into the rocks and were destroyed. That was what I needed!
But there were still three more, and these weren't going down that easily. I took advantage of the momentum and continued flying low, zigzagging between the rock formations, firing occasionally. One of the faster drones managed to catch up with me and fired a beam that grazed the bike, making it vibrate violently. For a second, I thought I was going to lose control, but I managed to steady myself. "Not now!" I thought, sweat pouring down my forehead.
Then, I remembered the grenade I was still carrying from the drone I had decapitated. I released one hand from the controller, pulled out the grenade, and with a quick movement threw it backwards. I turned the bike at an upward angle to gain height and avoid the explosion.
The boom was deafening, and when I looked back, I saw how my remaining drones had been reduced to pieces of smoking metal.
Finally, silence.
Adrenaline still coursed through my veins as I continued to fly, getting as far away from the base as possible. The grey skies seemed brighter to me now, and a sense of relief flooded through my body. I had survived… again.
With a crooked smile on my face, I adjusted the speed of the bike and headed towards the horizon. But something told me that this victory wasn't the end. Why? I don't know, I just know that it seems like anyone wants to test me… cough obviously not in that 'sense'.