Chapter 3 - Trust
"Where have you been?" asked Agent Rush and West climbed back into the vehicle.
"Out to dinner," he replied innocently. "I scheduled a leave on my calendar. Did you check?" For once, Agent Rush didn't know what to say. West smiled and took his seat. As he did he could feel Bennet's presence looming over him.
"Mr. West," began Bennet, "You are not to take a leave of absence from this project without my permission. Each agent is given a set break time. If you aren't happy you can deal with it."
"Yes sir," muttered West. He was used to being the whipping boy. If anyone felt bad, they would take it out on him. But this time he had the upper hand.
"Two months after a reward went out for my arrest, Krick came." Theta was continuing her story. "He cornered me in an abandoned factory."
"That seems to be his favorite," remarked Ro dryly.
"He was just going to tie me up and take me in, but I fought back. As we were fighting, a large blade from one of the machines came down on us. It narrowly missed us, but it shook up the old building and the ceiling fell on me. Krick tried to pull me out to collect his reward, but the building was too unstable. He was almost caught in the ruble as well. He turned and ran, and when I never appeared the NSA decided I was dead. When I finally escaped from the debris, all I could remember was fighting with Krick and the ceiling caving in on me. I found the electronic diary, and it opened when I scanned my retina, so it must be mine. I've been hiding out ever since. Last month, Krick found me again. I don't know how. He still wants to bring me in."
"And you want Zeta to protect you?" asked Ro.
"Yes. He's the only one who's ever defeated Krick. I need your help. I can pay you."
"Sorry," said Ro, "but we don't need any creds."
Theta smiled. "I know, but you can have my electronic diary. It's broken, so there's not much I can read, but I bet Zeta could fix it and find tons of information. Maybe even more about Dr.Selig."
"I know you're in there somewhere little girl." He smiled a wicked smile and flexed his robotic arm. She had survived. Somehow. He didn't know how. She should have died from the ceiling caving in on her, but not only that, she had lost a lot of blood. He had seen it. He had seen the blood running across the floor of the factory. She should be dead. Yet somehow she was still alive. That meant she was still worth the millions of credits he wanted. The sun was almost set. It hovered on the horizon, casting its final rays along the sidewalk. He pulled himself deeper into the shadows. Soon it would be dark and he would have her.
"It's a deal," said Ro, extending her hand. Theta took it gingerly, then shook. Ro drew her hand back, puzzled. Something wasn't right, but she couldn't place her finger on it. Theta leaned back in her chair. She would be able to sleep well for the first time in months.
"Here," she said, reaching into her pocked. She pulled a battered electronic diary from her pocked and lay it in Zeta's outstretched hand. "It's been fried pretty bad, but with a little work you could decode the entire thing."
Zeta immediately plugged into the diary and began the restoration process. Ro threw herself on the bed and slept. Theta remained in the chair, but she began to drift off into slumber as well. A great blast woke Ro and Theta. The wall of the room was now a gaping, smouldering hole. A man stepped forth from the shadows.
Theta leapt to her feet. "Krick!" she exclaimed. He lifted his arm and shot at her. She leapt aside. The chair she had occupied only moments ago was a smouldering pile of ash.
"Zee!" cried Ro in a panic. Zeta had unplugged himself from Theta's diary and he now leapt on Krick. With a powerful twist, Krick threw Zeta off his body, but Zeta was up in a second. Coming in low, Zeta turned on his saw and with one thrust, he severed the laser gun from Krick's arm. Krick pulled his hand back and punched Zeta, sending the robot wheeling. Ro and Theta stared in horror as Krick turned on them. Theta pushed Ro out of the way and prepared to fight, but she never got the chance.
"Where have you been?" asked Agent Rush and West climbed back into the vehicle.
"Out to dinner," he replied innocently. "I scheduled a leave on my calendar. Did you check?" For once, Agent Rush didn't know what to say. West smiled and took his seat. As he did he could feel Bennet's presence looming over him.
"Mr. West," began Bennet, "You are not to take a leave of absence from this project without my permission. Each agent is given a set break time. If you aren't happy you can deal with it."
"Yes sir," muttered West. He was used to being the whipping boy. If anyone felt bad, they would take it out on him. But this time he had the upper hand.
"Two months after a reward went out for my arrest, Krick came." Theta was continuing her story. "He cornered me in an abandoned factory."
"That seems to be his favorite," remarked Ro dryly.
"He was just going to tie me up and take me in, but I fought back. As we were fighting, a large blade from one of the machines came down on us. It narrowly missed us, but it shook up the old building and the ceiling fell on me. Krick tried to pull me out to collect his reward, but the building was too unstable. He was almost caught in the ruble as well. He turned and ran, and when I never appeared the NSA decided I was dead. When I finally escaped from the debris, all I could remember was fighting with Krick and the ceiling caving in on me. I found the electronic diary, and it opened when I scanned my retina, so it must be mine. I've been hiding out ever since. Last month, Krick found me again. I don't know how. He still wants to bring me in."
"And you want Zeta to protect you?" asked Ro.
"Yes. He's the only one who's ever defeated Krick. I need your help. I can pay you."
"Sorry," said Ro, "but we don't need any creds."
Theta smiled. "I know, but you can have my electronic diary. It's broken, so there's not much I can read, but I bet Zeta could fix it and find tons of information. Maybe even more about Dr.Selig."
"I know you're in there somewhere little girl." He smiled a wicked smile and flexed his robotic arm. She had survived. Somehow. He didn't know how. She should have died from the ceiling caving in on her, but not only that, she had lost a lot of blood. He had seen it. He had seen the blood running across the floor of the factory. She should be dead. Yet somehow she was still alive. That meant she was still worth the millions of credits he wanted. The sun was almost set. It hovered on the horizon, casting its final rays along the sidewalk. He pulled himself deeper into the shadows. Soon it would be dark and he would have her.
"It's a deal," said Ro, extending her hand. Theta took it gingerly, then shook. Ro drew her hand back, puzzled. Something wasn't right, but she couldn't place her finger on it. Theta leaned back in her chair. She would be able to sleep well for the first time in months.
"Here," she said, reaching into her pocked. She pulled a battered electronic diary from her pocked and lay it in Zeta's outstretched hand. "It's been fried pretty bad, but with a little work you could decode the entire thing."
Zeta immediately plugged into the diary and began the restoration process. Ro threw herself on the bed and slept. Theta remained in the chair, but she began to drift off into slumber as well. A great blast woke Ro and Theta. The wall of the room was now a gaping, smouldering hole. A man stepped forth from the shadows.
Theta leapt to her feet. "Krick!" she exclaimed. He lifted his arm and shot at her. She leapt aside. The chair she had occupied only moments ago was a smouldering pile of ash.
"Zee!" cried Ro in a panic. Zeta had unplugged himself from Theta's diary and he now leapt on Krick. With a powerful twist, Krick threw Zeta off his body, but Zeta was up in a second. Coming in low, Zeta turned on his saw and with one thrust, he severed the laser gun from Krick's arm. Krick pulled his hand back and punched Zeta, sending the robot wheeling. Ro and Theta stared in horror as Krick turned on them. Theta pushed Ro out of the way and prepared to fight, but she never got the chance.
