Chapter 10: Getting Some Air

Sometime later I woke up to find Nos's coffin opened and empty. I guess he must of went out to eat a few robots again.

"AaAaAAaAaAH!"

And sure enough I was correct. From the top of the entrance I unfortunately heard the painful cry of another robot obviously having his energy drained by Nos-4-A2 himself. The sound made my heart both beat loudly in my chest and sink into my stomach at the idea that some innocent soul was being killed just above where I was. "Well, at least he didn't bring it in here where I could see it. It's bad enough to hear it's cries, but to be an eye witness would probably end up scarring and plaguing me with nightmares for life." I thought with semi relief. Soon the cries stopped and Nos once again came flying through the same entrance he always used. Once he made it to the ground he looked over to where I was and saw I was now fully awake with a nervous look in my eyes. His optics widened slightly and he turned around away from my gaze. This of course made me a bit confused and oddly concerned. Why wasn't he looking me in the eyes? Did I do something or was he maybe feeling bad for what he did to me yesterday? Without looking at me he soon began to speak to me.

"So, I see you're finally awake. I trust that you feel somewhat functional as well yes?"

Wait, did he just literally ask me if I was feeling better? Like he actually cared about my well being? This was so not like him.

"Uuum, yeah, I'm fine now I guess."

"You're confused aren't you?"

"W-what?"

"You're not understanding why I went through all the trouble to fix you when I was the one that damaged you in the first place. Is this true or not?"

Wow, this guy was either really good at reading minds or reading faces cause he was 100% correct with that statement. I really didn't know why he helped me. Didn't he hate me? Wasn't I just a bargaining chip in al of this? I thought that he was just supposed to keep me alive. Since when did he start to care if I was hurt or not?

"M-maybe a little bit yeah. I don't get it really. Why did you help me after you hurt me like that? You said that I was only a means to gain your freedom from the Rangers. Ya could of just left me like that and not gave it a second thought but you didn't. Also why did you fricking fly away after you did it? Weren't you angry with me for bitch slapping you?"

Ok, maybe I was overdoing it with the endlessly stream of questions but this whole thing just didn't make any sense to me. If he was so evil and bad to the bionics (See what I did there? LOL), why did he go to great lengths to make up for it? He turned to me with a look of both weariness and unamusement.

"Indeed I was. I was furious at the fact that a meer organic being like yourself would be so bold as to strike a dark and cruel creature that could very well rip your heart and throat out, gouge out both of your eyes, and maybe even play Nine Pins with your bloody bones after stripping them of your flesh and muscles. And I would of probably done it if you hadn't of looked up at me once I had struck you down as well."

Say what now? What did my gaze do to stop it? This didn't make any sense at all.

"Just as I was about to lay more harm to you, you looked up at me with those damned, innocent hazel eyes of yours. As I stared into them, I began to have a strange and uncomfortable feeling wash over me. The feeling caused me to come to my senses and realize I could of ended up going way too far with punishing you. I still need you alive for my plan to work. Without you there is no chance of me winning against my enemies. Also if I'm correct organics tend to get rather ill and possibly dying if whatever damage they end up getting isn't properly treated. Something about their wounds getting infected I believe. So I ended up having to fix you so that you wouldn't get sick and die on me before my plan was complete. And you better thank whatever higher power you worship or praise that those eyes of yours managed to stop my rage. And I swear that if you ever strike me like that again I guarantee that your innocence won't be able to save you next time. Do we understand each other, girl?"

As he spoke he floated over to the side my bed slowly until he was towering over me. He looked down at me with his glowing red eyes while still maintaining the same tired and displeased look that made me a bit nervous and a little bit compliant. "Creepiest honesty talk I ever had with anybody for sure." I thought as a chill went down my spine for the umpteenth time.

"Y-yes, I get the concept clearly."

"Good. Now that we've gotten passed all of that, I have some news that you may find...interesting." He said with his chilling signature grin.

I raised a curious brow at what news Nos-4-A2 would possibly want me to know about. I just hoped it was good.

"Since you organics require proper oxygen consumption, and since you're probably bored here when I leave you alone here each night, I have decided to allow you to come with me tonight into TradeWorld. Consider this as my way of properly apologizing to you if you must."

My face brightened up at the idea of at least getting out of this horrible place for a while. Anywhere was probably better than here.

"Also from how long you've gone without a proper cleansing you must be wishing to find a place to properly freshen up. And before you ask yes, I have taken notice of your odor. I may not have a nose but that doesn't mean Zurg didn't install a fragrance senser into my motherboard."

At that last comment I sniffed my right armpit and realized he was right. I smelled like if a dead skunk and a city landfill on a hot day had a really nasty baby! I really needed a shower. And maybe some new clothes too. Fortunately I was smart enough to have brought along a credit card with about 400 units on it that Mira gave me incase I ever needed it. Looks like now would be the best time to use it. "Or maybe I could try to finally get away from him and get some help instead." I thought with sneaky glee.

"Well I guess I could use a shower and some new clothes. I happen to have a credit card one of the Rangers gave me tuck away in my uniform for emergencies. I could rent a hotel room and buy some new threads at a clothes store while you're out, um, doing whatever ya do. So yeah, that doesn't sound too bad really."

"Excellent. Oh, and more thing before I forget my dear..."

And like a flash of lightning I gasped slightly as I was suddenly pulled by my right wrist from my bed to my feed and quickly had some sort of wristband placed on my left wrist. After I had recovered from the sudden action, I looked at it to find that it was some sort of tracking device that I couldn't remove no matter how hard I tried to pull it off. I looked up at Nos bitterly while he just stared by with sadistic glee in his optics.

"Aw, what's wrong? Do you not like the new accessory I got you? I thought females like you loved to wear and receive gifts of jewelry." He said as his grin widened even more.

"Well, some much for the escape idea. Although on the bright side, at least he didn't decide to collar me like I was some sort of animal, right?"

"Did you really think I was just going to let you roam around on your own free will? Cause if that's the case then you're sadly mistaken my dear. I know for a fact that if I was to be foolish enough to just let you go without being able to track you, you would of went straight to the nearest Ranger you come find and escape from TradeWorld before I even knew it. Don't forget, I'm a robot that can think and do things better than you organics could ever do. What would be hard for you or what would take you years to master would easily be child's play for bot's like me. So whatever plans you may of had won't be able to save you at all. Because I will always be one step ahead of it."

Jeez, a smartass much? Ok, sure he may of had a point, but rubbing it in like that was just too much even by my standards.

"Ok fine, so ya knew what I was thinking. So Bravo Detective Nutbolts, you are truely a magnificent genius indeed!" I said sarcastically with absolutely no chill at all.

He in turn just laughed at my sarcastic remark.

"Well, if you're going to give me that kind of attitude, I could simple just leave you here an-AUGH!"

I suddenly grabbed him by his cape and pulled him towards me with a scared and desperate expression in my eyes.

"NO! PLEASE! I really want this! I'll wear the bracelet! Just please let me get out of here for a bit!"

I may have over reacted a bit, but there was no way I was gonna stay in that sewer another night. I really needed to get out. And if it meant making the hopeless and pathetic decision to surrender to this creep's demands, then so be it. Besides, what other choses did I have? I soon realized I was holding the metallic beast by his cape tightly in my fists while he just stared at me with a look of pure surprise. "Opps. Looks like I got a bit carried away didn't I?" I thought with embarrassment as I bashfully let Nos go. He of course just skeptically and cautiously looked at me before clearing his throat to speak once more.

"Ahem, yes well, if that is what you desperately desire, then I suppose I could forgive you just this once. But anymore attitude from you and I might not be so forgiving next time. Are we clear?"

"Yes, transparently clear."

"Very good. Now then, let us take off before something else unpleasant transpires between us."

And with that Nos-4-A2 suddenly scooped me up and was now holding me bridal style in his deadly claws. I blushed uncontrollably at both the position and at how uncharacteristicly gently he was with me. "Why do I feel so weird all of a sudden?" I thought as I started to feel slightly warm and embarrassed.

"Something wrong Miss Kate?"

I looked up to unfortunately find that Nos had taken notice of my embarrassed expression and my blushing cheeks as he stared down at me with an amused smirk. My cheeks only got darker with a new wave of embarrassment once I figured out the reason for his smirking.

"N-no. No, I'm fine. Can we please just go now?"

"Very well then. Hold on tight mind you."

Nos-4-A2 then fanned out his glowing wings and flew up and out of his lair through the high entrance within moments. I of course held onto him with a semi-relaxed hold with my arms as he in turn held me securely in his own. I had to admit, flying had always been something I found to be fun. Sure I had flown before meeting Nos-4-A2 in the past, but that was nothing compared to flying around with him despite how terrifying and evil he was. And the experience only got better once we made it to the sewer's exit. As soon as we flew out and into the city, I looked around with wide and bright eyes full of amazement. Seeing the sites of Trade World from the ground was one, but flying was something entirely more glorious than I thought it would be. With the colorful neon lights of different buildings and businesses reflexing their magnificent glow onto the shiny metallic structures, it made it look like me and Nos were flying through a whole bunch of rainbows! Deep down I was kind of hoping the sight would never end to be honest. But I still needed to continue my current goal of getting new clothes and getting properly cleaned up. Pretty soon after what felt like about 35 minutes to me, Nos-4-A2 finally began to slowly descend down towards the planet's surface towards a nearby alleyway. Once we had made it to the ground he gently set me down on my feet.

"Now listen closely my dear. I'm going to be leaving you alone to your own devices for two hours, perhaps thirty minutes tops, while I go about TradeWorld for my nightly feed. You are to stay away and out of sight of any Rangers that may be present in the area. The tracking device on your wrist will alert my motherboard if you either disobey me or if you leave the planet's surface. As long as you stay out of sight and on the planet will you have nothing to fear of what so ever. But if you so much as dare to try and break any one of the rules will I immediately start to track and bring you back to the lair to punish you severely."

Ok, I got the whole keeping a tab on me thing, but that last part made me shudder a bit. He then pulled something small, metal and round out of his cape and handed it to me.

"Here is an electronic pocket watch to help you keep track of the hours if you need it. Once the hours are up I expect you to be here and waiting for me to retrieve you. Do we understand eachother?"

"Yeah yeah, I get the rules and what not ok? Can I please go now?"

"Very well, I will leave you to do what you must. Until later my dear Kate."

And with that the energy sucker took off into the night air like a bottle rocket, leaving me alone as I stared up after him."

"Kay then. See ya later." I said quietly to myself.

And now that I was finally I alone I began to make my way south towards one of the alleyway's exits with high hopes of finding both a cheap clothes and hotel store nearby. Shower and clean clothes here I come!