Virgil rewatched the tape several times. Wheatley had a full on breakdown because he burnt his hands? That didn't seem right. What had made him so upset?
Virgil leaned on his hand, sitting at a desk within the relaxation center. A sort of control room with many screens playing a live feed of the chambers. He was supposed to watch him. He had to, knowing Wheatley just couldn't be alone without being supervised.
That idiot had managed to burn his hands within 10 minutes of waking up. He was a menace to himself. Virgil felt bad for him, the poor guy never seemed to get a break.
Virgil sighed. He needed to check on the OTHER core. He pressed a button, switching the feed to another room. In the darkest corner of the room, the yellow orange pinwheel optic of the space core glared. Unblinking. Unmoving. Unwavering. Unforgiving.
Ever since he'd been transferred he had been like that. No words. Just a cold, unbreaking, hateful stare.
Virgil wished that space core didn't know where the camera was, it was unnerving to see him staring like that. Space core's optic was narrowed in a way that said 'I'm going to beat the ever living shit out of you when I get my hands on your fat, disgusting, greasy neck.'
Virgil gulped.
Virgil hesitantly turned on the inter-comm to Neil's chamber. "You are free to leave, you know. We aren't punishing you." He offered.
Neil's optic slid narrower.
"Look, I don't know what your problem is, your programming allows you to bypass any corruption, and you aren't in any pain, what is wrong with you?" Virgil asked.
Neil internally decided to humour Virgil. "Took me from space. Space." He said, feigning his former stupidity.
"Oh! Well, I'm very sorry about that, but the space program needed you down here." Virgil said.
Neil was amused by that little display, he smiled. Sentiment from a bastard like him. Neil had seen what they did to Wheatley. The pointless cruelty. They had nodded at Neil nonchalantly, as they had carried an unconscious and badly beaten Wheatley to his chamber.
"Now, would you like to come out? We've been anxious to assign you a function." Virgil's kindness was not taken seriously. Niel was going to help his friend. One way or another.
He nodded enthusiastically. "Space job?"
Virgil laughed. "Yeah, a space job. I'll send Rick over to let you out."
Neil made a show of looking excited. The intercom shut off, with a staticky click. Neil relaxed when the red light on the camera turned off, but remained wary.
He knew it would be best if nobody knew his current mental state. If they saw him as a harmless space-obsessed corrupt core, they'd never geuss he was trying to help the moron escape. Hopefully.
Neil heard a yawn, as a very tired looking Rick unlocked his cell. Rick's optic was half-lidded as he fumbled with the keys.
"Evenin'." Rick said with a sleepy smile. "I'll bring ya to Virgil, but I gotta hit the sack." He pulled open the solid part of the cell door, taking care not to burn himself on the hard light bars. He motioned for Neil to exit.
Neil smiled and nodded, walking out. "I'm getting a space job!"
Rick smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. "That's great, kid. It's good to see you again. Now come on, let's go."
Neil followed the muscular android, thoughts running madly.
He wanted to beat the daylights out of the bastard and escape with Wheatley. But how could he if he didn't know where the moron was?
Yes, he knew that he had to stay and wait until he had the proper chance. This was going to be hard but he knew that he was up to the task, because Professor Wheatley had taught him, not robot Wheatley. There was still hope yet.