The atmosphere became thicker than it should have been. The laughter I had let out a few moments ago quickly died down as my thoughts returned to what Nemo had said. Something in his words, despite the ridiculousness of the moment, had struck a nerve.
"Hey, Nemo," I finally said, in a more serious tone, without the usual joking around in my voice. "Seriously now, do I have any chance of winning? You know… against 'that'."
Doll, who was still curled up next to me, stopped playing with the mini console. N, though sleepy, raised his head, and J put the book down on his lap, looking at me with a mix of curiosity and discomfort. Neither of them quite understood what I was getting at, but the change in tone didn't go unnoticed.
Nemo was silent for a few seconds, probably processing the question. Then, his metallic voice kicked in again, more neutral than before, but with a hint of what could only be described as cold, calculated analysis.
"The chances of success are… very low," he finally said. "Almost zero, in fact. Based on the available data, your current capabilities, and the nature of your opponent, the odds of winning are approximately 0000000000000000.02%."
The air in the room seemed to stand still. Despite the robotic way of saying it, Nemo's words fell like a stone. I stared at the ceiling, as if the answer might somehow be there, floating in the void. Neither Doll, nor J, nor N understood who I was referring to, but the weight of the answer affected them somehow. I could feel the tension in the air.
"So… basically nothing," I muttered, still staring at the ceiling, trying to take it in. I didn't feel surprised, but I did feel somewhat… discouraged. The odds weren't a factor I worried about much on a day-to-day basis, but hearing them so clearly was another thing.
Doll looked at me, obviously worried, though she didn't say anything. N frowned, clearly confused, and J narrowed his eyes, probably trying to understand what Nemo had just said.
Just when the heaviness of the moment seemed too thick, Nemo added, "But... you always manage to get your way, don't you? Maybe you'll find a way to beat him or annoy him. In some... unexpected way."
That last part sounded almost... optimistic? Or the most encouraging thing Nemo could say in good faith. I couldn't help but smile slightly, though it wasn't enough to completely relieve the weight I felt in my chest.
"There's always something, huh?" I replied, more to myself than to Nemo.
J let out a huff, crossing his arms. "I don't understand what's going on but if there's one thing I know it's that you never give up... Well you almost always give up... so it's not like those odds matter that much to whatever they're referring to," he said in his usual carefree tone, but there was something in his voice that sounded... almost encouraging. As if, in his own way, he was trying to lift my spirits.
Doll, on the other hand, remained silent, but his grip on my arm tightened slightly. I didn't know if he was doing it out of concern or to give me support.
N simply rested his head on my lap again, lying down again without much further reaction.
With the tension still in the air, I looked at N, who had already settled back into my lap, as if nothing that had happened concerned him. A slight smile appeared on my face, more because of the contrast between his carefree attitude and the previous conversation. Without saying anything, I reached out and gave his cheek a light pinch, right where a small dent I'd left earlier was still visible.
"Hey, kid," I said, his body giving a slight jolt of surprise. "You can use those disassembly skills, right? You know, all that stuff drones like you do."
N blinked a few times, clearly still a bit sleepy, but at the word 'skills', he sat up straighter with more energy than I'd expected. He nodded enthusiastically, as if an internal switch had just been flipped on him.
"Yeah, right! I'm a disassembly drone! I can take anything apart with ease. I even made some modifications to the base. And well…" he lowered his voice a bit, "Doll doesn't always let me touch her tools because she says I'm a mess, but… I can do it!"
Her nosy energy was almost contagious, but before she could launch into one of her endless monologues, I held up a hand, gesturing for her to calm down.
"Well, that sounds useful to me," I said, glancing sideways at J, who still had her arms crossed, watching the interaction with curiosity. "What I want is for you to teach J everything. Those skills can be useful, and it wouldn't hurt if she could use them too. What do you say, J? You could learn how to take things apart and put them back together."
J arched an eyebrow, clearly dubious. "Taking things apart? Me? I don't know if I'm that interested, but…" she shrugged, "if it's useful and helps me do my job better, I guess it wouldn't be bad."
N, with the same childish enthusiasm that characterized him, was already moving back and forth, as if he were excited to have the opportunity to teach. "I promise it's easy! You just have to learn where the key points for efficiency are. I'll show you! You'll see, with enough practice,You could even upgrade the weapons you already have, or repair them if they get damaged."
J looked at him, somewhat incredulous, but let out a sigh and nodded. "Okay, but if you do anything stupid, I'll make sure you're sorry."
N's reaction was a mix of fear and excitement. "No, no! It'll be all safe! I promise I'll make it right!"
I watched the scene as they talked, a slight smile forming on my face. Maybe the situation wasn't so bad after all. Between N's chaotic energy and J's calm resilience, there was a dynamic that kept everything in balance, even when it seemed like things might fall apart.
I watched N move around excitedly, with that almost childlike energy radiating from him. I listened to him talk about disassembly, upgrades, and abilities with an enthusiasm that almost made me want to laugh. But at the end of the day, what he was saying was still the same: drones built for war, with abilities that no human could even come close to matching.
"Hey, N… why don't you say it properly?" I interrupted. "They're basically arsenals on legs. They even have weapons on their tails. There's not much to assemble or disassemble, they're war machines."
N, with that expression that showed he didn't always fully understand sarcasm, looked at me confused for a second before nodding, as if it was completely logical. "Well, yes… technically we are. But we have other uses too, not just combat. We can repair, upgrade, and be useful in other things!"
J let out a low, almost mocking laugh as she sat across from me, her book in her hands. "Arsenal on legs, huh? Well, I guess you're right. Though the thing about the weapons on the tail is only useful when someone isn't tied to them." She tugged on her tail a little more, reminding me that it was still wrapped around my ankle like a rope.
As they spoke, I felt a slight pang of envy. There they were, two drones with abilities that not only allowed them to be imposing in combat, but also gave them an advantage in any situation. I, on the other hand, was just a simple human, stuck in the middle of all this with nothing special. Only my wits, if you could even call them that anymore, and the ability to get myself into more trouble than I solved.
I let out a sigh as I stared at the ceiling for a moment, letting the weight of that reality settle in. Sure, J and N were machines. War machines, designed to adapt, improve, and fight. I... I was just someone trying to survive in the middle of it all.
"What's wrong, boss?" N asked, noticing my expression.
I shook my head, clearing those thoughts from my mind. "Nothing, I was just thinking about how useful you are. That's all."
As the others went about their business, I noticed something familiar on my wrist. The bracelet, that damn accessory I'd had since I came to this place, was glowing dimly. My gaze alternated between it and N's tail, watching as he absentmindedly moved it. That tail… always so sharp, so… useful. And if I could harness those corrosive nanobots to get rid of the bracelet…
Nemo, ever vigilant, beat me to the punch. "Don't even think about it," his metallic voice said from the base's systems, as if he'd read my mind.
I flashed a mischievous grin. "I already thought about it," I replied in a mocking tone. I didn't wait another second before making my move. I grabbed N's tail tightly, making him let out a high-pitched squeal. His face went from surprise to pure nervousness, staring at me as if he didn't know if I was playing or if he actually planned to do something dangerous.
"W-what are you doing?" N stammered, clearly uncomfortable as I manipulated his tail to try and use those corrosive nanobots I had seen in action.
"Come on, kid, I just want to try something," I said in a nonchalant tone, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
As I tried to bring my tail closer to the bracelet, Nemo reacted instantly. "Don't you dare!" His voice sounded much more serious than usual, and suddenly, the bracelet glowed brightly. An energy field activated around my wrist, blocking any attempt at corrosion. N's tail stayed millimeters away from the protective field.
N, more nervous than ever, stepped back with a sigh of relief when he felt me let go. He put his hand to his head, scratching himself uncomfortably and looking at me with a mix of worry and embarrassment. "P-please don't do it again, boss…"
I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, unable to help but laugh. "Damn Nemo, you ruined my plan."
"It was a lousy plan anyway," Nemo replied sharply. "And now you owe me a favor for saving you from yourself."
I swore at him under my breath, still frustrated by my failed idea. Though, truth be told, I had perhaps been too optimistic to think that something as simple as N's nanobots could get rid of that bracelet that seemed to be tied to my fate.
N, still a little embarrassed, stepped further to the side, trying not to meet my gaze. Meanwhile, J was still reading her boring book, though I could notice the slight smile on her face. I knew she had enjoyed the little scene.
"Well, it was fun while it lasted," I muttered, flopping back down onto the couch, resigned to the fact that the bracelet was going to stay with me for a while longer.
As I laid back down on the couch, with Doll curled up next to me and playing with her mini console
...
Some time later
..
I heard the sound of soft bangs and explosions in the training room. Apparently, N and J were in one of their "training sessions." I moved my head slightly to look at the security screen that was right in front of us. It projected the training room, where J and N were facing off.
J was practicing her physical and weapon skills with N as her "sparring partner," though she clearly wasn't making much of an effort to avoid it. She moved quickly, throwing punches and dodging N's attacks with an ease that was almost pitiful. It's not like N is weak when it comes to potential, but he is mentally soft.
Doll looked up from her console for a second, watching the fight with mild interest. "Они снова тренируются," (They're training again) she muttered, before focusing back on her game.
N, for her part, was doing her best to keep up with J. She darted forward with agility, using her own drone abilities to try and gain the upper hand, but J was relentless. Every time he tried to attack her, she countered with brutal precision. It seemed like J was focused on refining her control, especially when it came to her weapons. Every time she used her weaponry, she unleashed a controlled and precise shot, something she had learned to temper over time.
At one point, N managed to land a direct hit on J's torso, causing her to back off a bit. N was obviously trying hard, though his face showed clear signs of nervousness. I saw him cast a quick glance towards the camera, as if looking for some sign of approval. Perhaps he was expecting Doll or me to say something, but I didn't bother to react.
J, unsurprisingly, was quick to counterattack. A quick spin, followed by a perfectly timed kick, sent N straight to the ground. I could see from J's expression that he was trying to control his strength so as not to actually hurt her, but N's fall was hard enough that a groan could be heard over the sound system.
"That must have hurt," I muttered without much interest as I grabbed a nearby bottle of water.
"Ты действительно должен дать им время для этого?" (Should you really give them time for this?) Doll asked softly, still not taking her eyes off her console.
"It's part of her training," I replied with a smile. "Besides, N needs to learn not to let her guard down. Though I'm surprised she hasn't given up yet."
J helped N up, but not before making a small sarcastic comment that I couldn't quite hear, but it must have had something to do with his lack of agility. N, for his part, looked exhausted, but not ready to give up yet.
"Come on, kid," I whispered to myself, "I wanna see if you can last a little longer."
The training continued, and even though N was clearly at a disadvantage, it seemed like the situation was helping him gain some confidence. In the meantime, I just watched, letting Nemo keep watch and analyze every move while I enjoyed the show from the comfort of the couch.
I knew that J would, sooner or later, get his skills down to a tee. And who knows, maybe N would learn a few new things in the process, too.
I watched J and N's "training" on the screen for a while longer. N kept trying to stay afloat, throwing clumsy, predictable punches, while J barely made an effort to dodge them, playing with him like he was a doll. Every time I knocked him down, N got back up, sweaty and shaken, but not giving up. Where did he get such a desire to try again and again? There might be a lesson there, but I decided to ignore it.
I sighed, pretending not to care about the scene before me. Not that I was jealous or anything… yeah, right. It had nothing to do with the fact that while I had spent who knows how many days outside fighting to survive, J had been training, improving his skills in just a few hours. And now here he was, throwing N to the ground like he was nothing more than a nuisance.
But no, it wasn't jealousy. Absolutely not. Though a part of me—the one I tried to ignore—gnawed at the sight of the two of them improving, while I could barely stand up without Doll giving me a hand or tripping over a damn box.
"Ты выглядишь задумчивым," Doll muttered, not taking her eyes off her console.
"It's nothing," I replied quickly, too quickly perhaps. "They're just practicing. It's not like… well, it's not like I care."
I settled back onto the couch, ignoring the thumping sounds coming from the training room. It wasn't because I felt like being there practicing, throwing N around like he was a punching bag… Of course not.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, letting the melody of the noises from every hit and explosion they made play out, it was nice to have such assets now. Peace of mind…
I smiled to myself, entertained by a thought that crossed my mind. I knew I shouldn't, but… so what? It was my way of having some fun in all of this.
I leaned slightly to the side and whispered quietly, almost inaudibly, "Nemo, turn off the lights in the training area."
There was a brief pause before Nemo's voice echoed softly in my ear. "Are you sure? This could cause… some accidents."
"Exactly," I replied, holding back a giggle."Do it."
A second later, the training area went completely dark. The thumping and sounds of practice abruptly stopped.
"What the hell?" I heard J exclaim, and almost immediately, N's inevitable groan as he tripped over something since he failed to activate his night vision in time. "Ow! I can't see anything!"
J, not too happy with the situation, let out a growl, probably already suspicious of me. "What are you doing, you stupid old man?!"
I let out a low laugh as I quickly stood up from the couch. "Time to go," I muttered to myself, and almost soundlessly, I slipped out of the living room, running full speed to my bedroom before J could connect the dots.
I shut the door behind me with a thud and made sure to lock it, leaning my back against it as I struggled to hold back my laughter. It was perfect.
I dropped onto the bed, feeling like for once, the day had gone my way. Sometimes, controlled chaos was just what I needed to feel more alive. "Nothing like a little harmless revenge," I whispered, stretching out across the mattress.
After slamming the door shut, I flopped onto the bed, still giggling, but the echo of fun quickly died away. I stared at the ceiling, feeling the adrenaline that had propelled me moments before fade away. The room, now silent, enveloped me in a kind of emptiness, as if everything I had just done wasn't enough to fill what was missing.
I missed social media. I missed that constant bombardment of stimuli, the noise of what others were doing, what they were sharing, what they were pretending to be. The virtual hubbub was a perfect distraction, and now, without it, I felt alone. Everything was too quiet.
"Damn…" I muttered, rolling over in bed. My thoughts were beginning to swirl in downward spirals. The mood I'd had just a few minutes ago was disintegrating, leaving me with a hollow, uneasy feeling.
I brought my hands to my face, covering my eyes as a sigh escaped my lips. It wasn't the first time I'd felt this way, but that didn't make it any easier. Sometimes, I wondered if all this effort, these little distractions I created for myself, were worth it.
I didn't realize it, but as I lay there, Nemo was monitoring my heart rate. "It seems your heart rate has dropped drastically," he said, his voice calm and neutral, as if it were just a casual observation.
"Oh, yeah?" I replied without much emotion, not opening my eyes. "So what? Are you going to diagnose me with something now? A bit of tech blues?"
"I was just reporting," Nemo replied, "though I might suggest you get out of bed."Staying active could improve your mood."
"Thank you, doctor," I replied sarcastically, not wanting to move.
"Just doing my job," Nemo replied, remaining unwavering.
I stayed silent, staring at the ceiling, wondering how much longer I could keep up this façade of fluctuating mood. How much longer could I ignore what I was really feeling?
After tossing and turning a few times in bed, I realized that what I was feeling wasn't depression or sadness. No. It was a specific craving. I wanted to eat junk food, those crunchy, greasy things that used to be my refuge on the darkest days. But in this nearly destroyed world, that option was a luxury I didn't have.
"Damn it, Nemo!" I exclaimed, lifting my head off the mattress. "Isn't there any junk food on this base? Some fries, some pizza… Anything but this bland food!"
Nemo stayed silent for a moment, processing my plea. "Unfortunately, resources are limited, and junk food isn't readily available in this environment. Plus, overconsumption of unhealthy foods could impair your recovery."
"Yeah, sure, like I'm worried about that right now," I replied, letting my head fall back against the pillow.
To change the subject, I asked, "Could you please take the bracelet off me, Nemo?"
"Negative," he replied instantly, his voice maintaining that robotic, unforgiving tone. "It's for your own good."
"For my own good? Do you really think that's what's best for me?" I replied, somewhat frustrated. "If that was the case, then I wouldn't have lost a finger or been lost for months. Maybe I could have avoided all of that if I hadn't been kept tied up like a prisoner."
Nemo, with his unyielding logic, replied, "The bracelet is designed to monitor your health and protect you from potential danger. Taking it off wouldn't be wise."
I ran a hand over my face, feeling the pressure on my temples. "It's a bit ironic, don't you think? You feel me more like an experiment than someone who needs help."
"My intention is to ensure your well-being," Nemo clarified, though I knew his cold logic couldn't assuage my frustration. "I understand that you don't agree, but there are protocols to follow."
"Sure, protocols," I muttered dismissively. "Life is so exciting with protocols. Couldn't you give me a little freedom? After everything I've been through, I deserve a little respite."
"I understand your point of view, but freedom comes with responsibilities," Nemo replied, and at that moment, I decided it wasn't worth arguing any further.
I closed my eyes, trying to accept the situation. In the end, maybe I just needed a change of scenery,a little movement. "Okay, okay... that's enough. Maybe I should do something instead of just sitting here moaning about the food I don't have."
"That sounds like a plan," Nemo said, though his tone remained neutral, almost as if it didn't affect him. "Remember that there are other ways to distract yourself. Music, games, or even going out to see what everyone else is up to."
"Yeah, I know," I replied, letting out a sigh. "I guess I can try that."
I got out of bed, and though the craving for junk food lingered in my mind, I knew I couldn't stay stuck in sadness over what I couldn't have. As I searched for something to do, I felt like I needed some company and maybe a new perspective. Maybe a little social interaction could help clear my mind, if only for a little while.
I got up, feeling the weight of frustration still hanging over me. There wasn't much I could do in this situation, but I could at least try something to cheer myself up. As I headed for the door, an idea crossed my mind, something that somehow seemed like a brilliant, if absurd, solution.
"Nemo, activate the Almond Protocol," I ordered in a determined tone, as if I had just uttered the keywords that would save the day.
The atmosphere fell into a deep silence, as if everything around me was waiting for something incredible to happen. The pause lasted long enough that I could almost feel the anticipation, until finally, Nemo broke the moment with his usual robotic, neutral tone.
"There is no such thing as the Almond Protocol," he replied, his voice completely serious. "I suggest you stop making up stupid names."
I couldn't help but laugh. "Really? And here I thought it sounded sophisticated enough to be real."
"Your criteria for names leaves a lot to be desired," Nemo replied. "If you need a specific protocol or function, I recommend using the proper names."
"Sure, sure…" I muttered, still laughing a little. "I guess there isn't a Duck Protocol either, is there?"
"Negative."
I sighed somewhat disappointedly. "Well, I had to try."