Chapter 50:

"Haven't we, uh, been here before?"

"Yes, we have"

"It's near the facility Avenir asked us to work at before. I thought they'd release a robot if we walked around suspiciously"

The very next day, after last night's discussion on how to finally bring down Avenir, Iffy lead us to the same forest that we had our very first encounter with Fridge, I mean Singe.

"There are way more bad guys than before. Hopefully we won't get bonked before we can get what we're looking for" what Neptune said is true. We haven't really encountered any monsters around. But we have been seeing them for a while, and I think they've been working out at gold's gym.

"I didn't think about that, really. Well, whatever. I'm sure we'll be fine" don't just come into conclusion like that Iffy.

"*sigh*…Compa, do you have anything to eat in there? I never really had anything to eat this morning" probably because I was told to cook for them and the moment they finished they drag me away to this place.

"Hmm…." Compa rummages through the bag. She offered me pizza bread. Well ain't that fancy.

"Thanks…*munch**munch*" this is bread taste good.

The lush of green moss on the trunks, the high trees high enough to cover most of the heat from the sun and a dry wind that blows at us, it's a relatively peaceful here. There is absolutely nothing to see here actually.

"Hey…"

"Hm?" Iffy just stop. We all responded accordingly

"What is it?...*bite**chew**chew*" and oh yeah, Compa is giving me more bread. Thanks by the way.

"I see something…" she pointed towards it.

I look over. It's a box. It's not an ordinary box. It's a rusted box that has two tank tracks with its wheel shaped into a triangle. What the hell? It looks like one of those kinds where kids assemble different kinds of parts in a junk yard and think that it's cool.

"Wh-what do you think that is?" Neptune asks.

"Hmm… Let's check it out" Iffy suggested. I stop her.

"Stop woman. We don't know what that is. If you think about it, it's just sitting there, very suspicious…*bite**chew**chew*"

"That's why we're checking it out. And why are you eating?"

"*chew**chew**gulp*…I haven't eaten breakfast yet...*bite*"

"He looked so hopeless so I gave him some of my bread. Here" Compa gave me another one. I pat her as thanks.

"Anyway, what are we going to do…Hm?"

"What's wrong?"

"It seems it just moved"

"Haa?"

"I said, I think it just moved" seeing that it's pointless to argue about Newton's first law of motion about here, I decided to back off from the argument.

"So, what are we going to do?"

"That's what we've been asking 6 lines ago"

"I'll go" Compa raised her hand. We all looked dumb founded.

"Oooh, Compa is here to save the day!" exclaimed by Neptune.

"No way… The gentle quiet Compa… Who cares for everybody's safety and concern...has decided to take on this epic quest! SALUTE!" I saluted.

"Yay!" and Neptune does it as well.

"Are you gonna be fine Compa?" Iffy asks with concern.

"It's alright, I think I can handle something like this" she says so confidently.

"Just remember Compa…" I put a hand on her shoulder.

"…do it for the breads…*bite*"

"Right!" she the walks to the mysterious object. We then hide at a nearby tree and see what happens.

"Hey, don't push Iffy. My bread will be all squeezed and stuff"

"I'm more concerned about her than your bread"

"Hey look, I think she's talking. I wonder what they're talking about" Neptune pointed.

"C'mon woman, th—oh your right. And she's smiling too…Damn, why does she have to position herself were we can't the thing" she has her back turned towards us.

"Oh she's waving. Haa? Is she saying goodbye or something?" Iffy said. Compa came back in a chipper mood and she's humming as well. Okay, just what the hell happened?

"What happened?" Iffy asks.

"Ehehe… he's such a fun robot! He said that he wants to dance like in a movie that he always watches"

"Okay…Did you learn anything about Avenir's bio-weapon?" I ask.

"Ge…!"

"It seems I don't need an answer" I concluded. Oh well, it is Compa after all.

"Hey, I did it for the bread, you know!" damn and I thought I might get to tease her. I guess not.

So moving on we decided to walk more to find new info.

"We didn't find it… Do we have to, like, backtrack to all the previous dungeons on this fetch quest? Say it ain't so, Iffy!" Neptune says so desperately.

"Say it!" I also say it desperately. I do NOT want to go back to caves or whatnot.

"Uh, it ain't so. Let's go back for today. I'm…tired"

"Oh yeah! Nice decision!" Neptune and I high-fived. We turn around when…

"Wait! I see someone over there!" Compa pointed. We turn back and look at where she is pointing.

"Greetings, little ladies and big gentleman. Fancy meeting you here"

"…This is no coincidence. Avenir's solicitor and a robotic sidekick" as what Iffy said, it's Ganache.

Personally, I want to tie him up in a chair. And squeeze every ounce of info that is circulating around his head, but I can't right now. If I made a move before we get our proof, the trail will be on their favor.

"You know, it's probably difficult to have completely automated robots throughout Lastation" indeed Iffy, indeed.

"You're keen, as usual. All of our larger-scaled machines are controlled remotely"

"Then, you've been controlling the robots? All this time and forever and ever? Is it… a motion controller?" I feel disturbed when Neptune said forever.

"Yes. Also, yes, all this time. But from now on? Hmm. That's up to you"

"Remembering what you did to us last time is pissing me off. We're taking you to the Basilicom to confess your wrong doings"

"Stop Iffy. We need him"

"Huh? Why?"

"Because we haven't found that hardware yet! We should interrogate him about it" Compa continued my thought.

"I'll chat more this time around. It's why I'm here. I've started to question the motives of this company"

"I've come to help you take Avenir down"

"have you gone senile?" I can't believe his words.

"This is too good to be true. If you're trying to help, why did you attack with your robots?" oh yeah, did I mention to you that the factory where the others got trapped. Apparently it has been inhabitant by robot like terminators.

To see you without seeming suspicious, I'm still an Avenir employee. Great benefits. Great benefits, I had to look like I was following orders.

"And why did you do that to me?" I ask.

"…It was business. And I believe you took it among yourself Mr. Jared"

"Well whatever, said the blind to his deaf dog. You're gonna bring Avenir down, and that's that, right" sigh…How can Neptune just trust people like that.

"We can't forget what he did to us. Why did you try to get rid of us?" Iffy aks. I can feel a little hostility from her voice.

"That was the company's order. I was told to keep you girls and Jared busy separated while they raided the Passe factory"

"Your story makes sense, but that doesn't mean I'm convinced" Iffy said. I am too.

"I'll give you the hardware you're looking for as proof. You want it, right? I'll even testify against Avenir"

"Awesomesauce! That'll give us a fightin' chance against Avenir, still not convinced, Iffy?" Neptune said.

"You know what happened before. This is just an odd turn of event. Can we really trust him?"

"There's no reason to assume otherwise for now"

"That's true Compa, but…" I look back at Ganache.

"…hey, Ganache"

"Hm? What is it?"

"If ever… these girls get hurt because of you… I'll put a bullet in your brain"

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a warning. So try to break a leg. Anyway, let's this guy to the Sanctuary" I suggested.

"Sanctuary… Those people are at the old Basilicom, right? Please take me there. I'll tell you everything then"

We left the forest with a guest in tow. I hope this guy behaves himself or I might really do it.