The Ghost Room
"Zero, look!" X cried. The pile of junk had been knocked aside to reveal an electric door and grid scanner.
"Come on lets open it Z, !!" X cried lunging forward.
"Woah !!!" Zero cried grabbing X by his shoulders and hauling him back. "Slow down X !"
"But Zero, behind this door !! It could be behind this door !!" X screamed, close to hysteria
"X !!" Zero bellowed causing the smaller reploid to jump. "Get your head on straight kid" he snapped stepping in front of him. "You gotta go about this with a cool head, and have your wits about you understand..?"
"Zero I just .."
"UNDERSTAND !!" Zero raised his voice.
"Yes.." X sighed, casting his eyes to the floor and letting his shoulders slump.
"Good cause if you can't handle the assignment X, I'm sending you back topside. Got it ..?"
X gasped looking Zero in the eye.
He wouldn't would he..?
X grimaced , there was no humor in Zero's eye. The crimson repliod meant what he said. One screw up and his ass would be seeing sunshine so fast....
"Yes Zero, I got it" X replied sullenly. He looked up when a large hand rested upon his shoulder. Zero gave him a small smile. "X, I don't wanna be tough on ya...but ....ya know.."
"Ya.. I know Z, it's just this means so much, ...it could be so much..a chance to learn about my family"
Zero squinted, his eyes, taking on a vaguely sad distant look to them. X had seen it before in Zero's eyes, it was a look that spoke of too many disappointments in a life too long.
After a moment Zero started back to reality, clearing his throat, he gave X's shoulder a squeeze of reassurance. "Just don't get your hopes set too high eh kid.."
X nodded.
Zero, walked up to the door pulling out his saber and igniting it. Standing a few feet back from the large twisted steel of the door.
"Zero..?"
"Stand back X, I'm gonna cut through this sucker." he swung the blade down in a powerful arc, at the door way. "DAMN !!"
X looked on warily, "what..?"
"Look, ...I don't believe it " Zero muttered. His blade had barley scratched the surface of the door. "My saber has cleaved titanium in two like is was butter...just what the hell is this thing made of...?
X gave him a searching looking but could offer no response.
"Never mind, this baby wants to play hard ball so be it. We're gonna need some of HQ's bigger toys to blow this puppy."
"You mean we have to leave !!" X cried "But.."
X, it's a delay, deal with it..." Zero said turning for the door.
"Zero, ... I can't leave not now I just can't... I'm soo close... I have to know!!" X cried banging the door viciously, until a strong arm yank him back.
"X, ..you're losing it buddy. Calm down now!! Zero growled striding once more for the door way.
X clamped his mouth shut, clenching his fist at his sides
so close ...we're so close..
he felt a desperate fury well up inside him. All that stood between him and his history was a door, that door..that stupid, fucking ..goddamned door that won't open X sighed trailing his fingers over the hinges until they came to rest on the grid scanner.
X blinked, "place hand here" he read. He frowned knowing that it wouldn't work , but strangely compelled to do so anyway. Removing his glove he placed his hand on the grid.
"Zero !!" Iris cried running into the room.
"What is it..?" Zero asked as the brunette almost lost her footing. He looked up as Signas and Douglas joined her.
"What's wrong.!.?" Zero's tone took on a note of seriousness. "Did you find something..?" He swung his saber in a graceful arc, bringing it into a defensive position.
"Zero, Quick, you and X have to get out of here now !!" Douglas exclaimed.
"Alia, detected several energy signals throughout the base.." Signas began.
"Mavericks..?" Zero asked glancing up at his captain.
"No," Signas shook his head. "Ghosts..."
Zero's eyes widened ever so slightly at the remark. "What..?"
"You were right Zero....there is an evil lurking in these walls..."
Zero stood silent, his mouth slightly open, "How did...?"
"Alia reported the signal....but when we attacked......"
"Nothing.." Douglas flinched, "Just an unnatural chill that pasts through you...and the flickering of the lights in the hall..."
Zero cocked his head. "This base has no power.....the lights in the hall.."
"Spiritual surges.." Douglas offered.
Zero frowned, "Where were they..?"
"That's what we came to tell you about " Iris said.
"They all seemed to be heading to this room" Signas said gravely.
"To the room that doesn't exist.." Zero muttered
'It makes sense now.." Douglas mumbled almost to himself. He rubbed his chin in thought.
"Care to fill us in..?" Zero asked.
"The spirits seem to give off an electrical force, that's how Alia was able to sense them. Since they seem to occupy this "ghost room" in abundance...that explains why this room has power, while the rest of the base is offline." Douglas explained
Zero's eyes went wide. ".. has power..!?" he hissed, turning on his heel he shouted.
"X !! Don't !!!!!"
"AARRRRGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" X screamed out in agony as a million voices seemed to occupy his mind all at once. The current from the grid surged through the small reploids body, blasting the grid and door to pieces before flinging him across the room to hit the wall.
X crumpled to the floor jittering from the electrically induced seizure.
"X!" Zero cried, running to where his comrade had fallen. He grabbed his friends limp form and turned to the others.
"Let's get the hell out of here now, now, now !!!"
He was stunned by their lack of action and the looks of disbelief on their faces.
"What the hell are you waiting for, we have a soldier down.. move !!!" he yelled.
"Um...Zero,.."Iris said hesitantly pointing to the now open door behind him.
He turned to see what she was pointing to, his eyes widening.
"Oh ...my ....god ..." he gasped, as the room went dead.
To be continued.........................
