Bridge 004 - breakout
Listen, 004, The Doctor says. It's very important that you understand this. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you left here and died before you knew this….
Knew what? I really don't have the time for this, old man. We're all about to leave, heading straight into the face of danger. What could be so important? The doctor is coming close to shaking. Is he that worried about my reaction? Before I can make any comment he simply blurts it out.
When you arrived at this facility you were on the point of death. Unfortunately we couldn't get you to the operating table in time and, well… The thing is, you were dead for over an hour before your artificial heart began to take effect…
He flinches, involuntarily; I've really made an impression on him. But, the news hits me like a blow in the stomach and within moments everything is out of perspective. I never believed in fate before, but, is it fate that I'm here? No, why should I start believing in fate now, just before facing death again.
I'm cut off from my thoughts by his voice again.
There's a little more, He says. The, the wall, in Berlin, they, they knocked it down in 1989 and since then Germany has been one country again… And, I, we… never mind…
He could be telling me the whole history of the world and I wouldn't notice. I would never have believed it. I should be overjoyed, but yet, the thought of Hilda comes back to my head. I can imagine her face, overjoyed at the news. We should have been there to see it together. But, the Black Ghost… No, I was the one that panicked at the wrong moment. They didn't have a hand there, as far as I know… But still, I'm here because of them. Here, against my will with others who had no hand in their fate. That is cause enough to fight.
The old man flinches as I walk past him; he's probably afraid I'll attack him. 003 puts her hand on my arm and offers some condolence. How could I forget she would hear? It isn't worth the time fearing the past. I'm going to leave this place for good now and no force on earth is going to stop me. I look to 008 and tell him I'm ready to do anything to get out.
004, 003 says, slightly sharply. I don't know what happened before but I can see that news meant a lot to you. Just remember, whatever happened before, you're alive now and… Just remember that before you put yourself at risk.
I know, I say back. I'm just seeing things a little differently now. Let's go.
Right, here's the plan for if we come under fire. 008 says. 005, you go first and try and take the worst of the fire, 004 and 006, you both attack once the soldiers have stopped firing. 002, I want you to try and get behind our enemies in combat, move as fast as you need to and attack from behind. 007, you and I will take charge of rear guard. 003, I want you to take 001 and try, between you, to give us as much warning as you can. But, stay in the middle of the group, it's safer there.
With that there is nothing more to say. Gilmore wishes us luck and promises everything he can from diversions to an all-out strike in the scientists. I hope for his sake he's trusted the right people. 005 knocks the door out and within moments we're all under fire. Bullets fly from every direction. I fire back. Within five minutes my arm is aching from the recoil and we haven't even gone out of sight of where we started. Men rush from behind and 008 has already run into their midst. Mein gott, that man knows how to fight. 008 joins him, slightly nervously and between them twenty men lie unconscious on the floor.
Before I can even catch my breath another squad of soldiers rush in, this time right into the path of 005. He moves to the left and rips a metal canister right form its hinges on the wall. He yells out to 006 and me and then I understand. It's a gas canister for the kitchens. 006 sends a spout of flame and it ignites. I send a hail of bullets behind it (my arm aching more and more) and it explodes over the heads of the soldiers. For a brief moment there is silence. 002 walks to the centre of the group.
Save some for us guys, He says. I've been owing these bastards a kicking for too long!
But which way are we going? 006 asks through our com-link. 003? What can you see?
If we keep going down this corridor there should be an entrance to a hangar about six hundred metres along. She says, her hand on her forehead. Once we get into the hangar there should be a small passage to the docks. About halfway through the passage there's a concealed entrance to a network of caves. They're normally reserved for dire emergencies like nuclear war. They'll be the safest place to hide until we can meet with the doctor. Also, by the look of it they lead to just about every single section of this facility.
Then that's our best bet, 008 says. Which hangar?
Hangar B-6, she says back. I'll give directions as we go.
All of a sudden the entire place seems deathly quiet, it's rather unnerving. 003 begins to shake and she falls to her knees.
On the wall! 001 yells in our heads. The resonators! They're broadcasting a signal to try and block out our radios and muffle the sound of their attacks! Destroy it!
Before any of us can even move 002 whips out his gun and destroys the small machines. If all they can manage so far is electrical toys and soldiers we might just make it out alive.
Don't get over confident, I hear in my head. They know the limits of our abilities; they're just saving the best for if it's really needed. That is why I suggest we wait for the new cyborg 009. I'm convinced he'll see our point. We wouldn't want him as an enemy.
Why? 007 asks. I mean, of course, a friend when you need one is better than any weapon in a time of war, but, he can't be that special.
Frankly, 001 says. He is the special weapon they've been saving until now. They've really outdone themselves on him. Trust me when I say this.
003 looks up suddenly and moments later a man shows himself in front of us holding what look like a sub machine gun.
Don't even move cyborgs, hesays. If you all surrender now you might even be spared your…
A shot is fired and he is cut off. He falls to the ground screaming and clutching his legs. I turn to see who fired and nearly fall down dead when I see 003, gun in one hand, 001 in the other and an impatient scowl on her face. She walks onwards and we all follow. 002 jogs over to her.
I thought you hated killing. He says, slightly satirically.
I do, she says. But kneecaps, on the other hand, are another story. I'm not about to let some soldier get the better of me.
Time passes, we move forwards at a crawl and more and more soldiers attack, only to get beaten back down. If I wasn't so determined to get out of here I would start worrying about the fact that my arm is starting to emit heat. The pain's getting worse too. At least the damned hangar is in sight now. I'm starting to become reckless too. I just want to rid of this place for good. We pause next to the hangar door.
There's an ambush waiting for us on the other side of the door, 003 says. There are about sixty men, heavily armed.
I'll give you all thirty seconds to get in there, the child explains. They will be temporarily disoriented, use the time wisely.
The child's eyes glow white and from the other side of the wall I can hear someone screaming. The scream is followed by a shrill laugh. We take it as our cue and the door flies from its hinges after an attack from 005.
All of a sudden I feel something lifting me from behind. I'm floating above the heads of the soldiers. In less than a moment I turn to see who is responsible. 002? Sheise, he gave me a fright.
Heads up! He says. Here's a chance to attack from up here! But, get ready to land, you dig?
What a plan. With a click my leg separates and two of the rockets fly out. It isn't too painful when I'm not leaning my weight on the leg either. The rockets hit the men dead centre and I land (slightly clumsily) in the middle of them to finish them off. The others finish off the stragglers and I take two seconds to realise just how much pain I'm in.
Once all the men are all defeated and we are all together again 003 walks over to a blank wall and runs her hand down it. After about fifty seconds of searching she smiles to herself and presses the wall inward. A small panel opens a few feet away with a keyboard. She walks over to the keyboard and types a few words.
001? she says.
Kosmetas. The child replies.
She inserts the word into the keyboard and a door opens in front of her. 002 raises his eyebrows.
Password, she explains. Come on, we're nearly there.
We file in, wary of the fact that we may be locking ourselves into a dead end. 003 is just ahead and as soon as we are all inside the door slams shut, filling the tunnel with darkness. From somewhere ahead I can hear 003's voice.
Put your hand on the wall to the left, that way you'll know when to take the turning. She says. We're nearly there. 001? How long would you reckon before our 009 is awake?
About five or six hours, I can speed it up to two hours with my telepathy but I'll also have to draw him over to us. He explains. I hope I can count on each of you to help protect him until he's ready to fight for himself.
We all silently agree. For what feels like days we move silently through a pitch black labyrinth of damp caves. I can only hope it was worth all the effort to get 009. Only time will tell now…
TO BE CONTINUED
Mein Gott - my god, in german