The program who was subjected to experimental repurpose is now a prototype soldier.
He is also about to die.
We are mid-combat, and I am unarmed. Still, he stumbles, reels, tumbles backwards as my foot impacts his chest. His back hits the wall.
I approach.
I can see my reflection in his blackened visor . . . death's imminent deliverance written into every line of my body. He doesn't stand a chance.
Still, he tries again. He charges at me, head on, staff held at the ready. He plunges it towards my chest.
I don't even have to think. So simple. So inferior.
I wrench the weapon from his hand.
I turn the staff around in my palm, and plunge it into his chest. His body spasms violently as the shock equipped weapon impales him.
I like this. He dies slowly.
The prototype falls to his knees, still jiggling and snapping on the end of the weapon. I let him fall. As he descends, the staff slices its way through his chest, up to his neck, through his chin . . .
A jerk of my arm is all it takes, then. The staff's edge transects his neck, and the prototype bursts into a shower of dripping pixels as his head begins to separate from his body.
I let the weapon fall into the glowing pile of his remains, and turn to look through the observation window above me.
Look at me, Clu.
He's so perfectly dismissive, standing up there, shrugging away this event as an understandable risk of alpha testing this new breed of soldier.
Look at what I've done.
Rinzler. Broken Rinzler. The walking dead. The accident.
He can prototype as many soldiers as he likes, it won't change the truth. He can't make one better than me.
Look how perfect you've made me. Look at the potential I have.
He has no idea. No idea of the complexity of his creation, what I'm capable of doing. Not yet. But he will, and so will I. I can feel it.
Look, Clu.
Something is changing.
Look at what you've done.
End of part II
Author's note: FINALLY! I've been consciously working towards this point in Rinzler's development for the last 17 chapters, and now, at last, we're here.
BUT, here's the bad news: I'm heading out for spring break, and the soonest I can guarantee I'll have time to update again is (if I can remember without looking at my calendar, that is...) the 25th. . . so you guys won't get to see why I'm so excited about this for awhile. :(
I'm hoping, however, that this chapter was teaser enough to keep you all interested while I'm on hiatus, and that you all enjoyed it despite its shortness. (As always, feel free to let me know via review, as I can still check those on my phone as I travel. ^^)
Aaaand: that's all. XD Thank you so much (again) to all of you for reading and for your fantastic reviews! You guys keep this fun for me, and help me to improve my writing to boot!
Oh, and for those to whom it applies: Have a great spring break! XD
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