Episode Fourteen
*with help from Clearsky* SuperComputer - P.O. Corridors
Mouse walked through the hall quietly, dragging Ray behind her. She could hear the fight outside, and quickly wished she was there helping Bob and the others. But she was given a job, and she would do it!
She heard a sound behind her, and turned around to see Hexadecimal smiling triumphantly. "My brother is resting peacefully..." she commented.
For some reason, her words sent a shiver down Mouse's spine, "Uh.. that's great, sugah..." she said hesitantly.
"What do you mean resting...?" Ray began, but Mouse put a hand to his mouth and shook her head. He took that as a sign, and decided he didn't really want to know what had happened to Megabyte.
*** Battle outside the P.O.
Matrix's accurate shots had made him a big target for the Guardians and they were mobbing him, trying to keep him too busy to shoot any one of them. AndrAIa was going her best, as were the other fighters, but there were too many of the Guardians. Just as Matrix thought he was about to be deleted, he heard a burst of modem speech and looked up. A WebRider was above them, along with ten others. Matrix grinned and pulled the other rebels behind a ruined wall as the WebRiders opened fire. Many of the Guardians were hurt, but the few who had been at the back of the room provided cover fire for those caught out in the open. Matrix and the rebels started shooting again, driving the Guardians back. Matrix deleted another Guardian and looked around for Bob. He couldn't see him, but he could just see McAfee down the road a bit with Turbo behind her. Matrix snarled as he saw Turbo simply standing there, neither attacking or defending, apparently McAfee was defending him as well as herself.
Bob fought off another Guardian. He looked towards McAfee. She seemed to be doing well. However, he was concerned she was using too much energy in this fight. If she continued stressing herself this way, she wouldn't have anything left for Daemon.
Bob looked around, seeing if he could find her help, but the small army was sadly outnumbered. It seemed everyone would have to fend for themselves. "Come on, Mouse!! Hurry up!!" he begged. "Or else it'll be too late!"
*** Inside the P.O.
"Ah think we've found it!" Mouse said happily. She hacked into the controls on the door, and it slid open a bit. She snuck though, with Ray and Hex right behind her. Ten guardians looked towards the door at the interruption. Without warning, the Guardians converged on the intruders.
Hexadecimal looked at them and raised an eyebrow. She raised her hands and let bright red balls of energy form, and smiled. The Guardians seemed a bit uncertain, then Hex released the fireballs. Even as the first two screamed towards her targets she formed two more and sent them flying as well. Each fireball turned its target into a flaming pillar before a slow deletion "Oh dear... it seems infection has made them rather slow..."
Mouse drew her sword and darted between two Guardians. They both raised their guns, then paused as they realised they would be firing at each other. Then it was too late as Mouse brought her katana blade slashing around. One Guardian fell, then a moment later, another. A third Guardian tried to grab hold of Mouse while she was occupied with the second, but Mouse brought up one boot and slammed it down on the Guardian's foot. She felt something crack, heard a screech of pain, and whirled around, her blade connecting solidly. "These Guardians aren't fighters," Mouse explained, "They're the tech boys. All the fighters are outside!"
Ray smiled, "Well... this makes things easier for US then, doesn't it?!" He held out his hands and a wash of green energy flashed out, surrounding the infected Guardians. Ray managed to contract the energy field, cutting off the air. As he concentrated on subduing the first Guardian, the other leaped at him. Ray managed to dodge, but lost his tight grip on his first attacker. The second opponent raised his gun and fired. Ray automatically created a small energy shield and the bolt bounced back, deleting the third Guardian. Ray ducked a punch and delivered a perfect roundhouse to the first Guardian's jaw even as he contracted his energy field around the other's neck. The infected sprite grabbed at his throat, forgetting he held his gun and ended up firing off random laser blasts. Most hit the walls, but one flashed out and caught Mouse on the side of the leg. She cried out and staggered as the edge of the blast caught her, opening a long slash down her leg. Ray gritted his teeth and clamped down harder on the Guardian. A moment later, it was all over.
Mouse quickly crawled to the control panel, and hacked in.
*** Battle outside the P.O.
Matrix and AndrAIa had fought their way back to Bob's side, and Bob felt oddly proud that it was taking so much to fight the Guardians. "Normally, they're the best fighters in the Net, but I guess being infected has turned them from the best into second-best..." Bob ducked a blast that would have deleted him and fired off one in reply. McAfee caught his eye and grinned as if she knew what he was thinking. "Then again, she probably does..."
The Guardians stopped fighting for a moment. The reason for their hesitation was clear. The shields to the PO were DOWN. And the Guardians firing the PO's guns found themselves weaponless.
"ALL RIGHT MOUSE!!" Bob shouted happily. He quickly motioned for Matrix, AndrAIa, and McAfee.
The Guardians realized the small army was taking advantage of their momentary lapse, and the fight continued.
Matrix grabbed Turbo, and the group quickly snuck into the PO.
*** Inside the P.O.
"Ok, guys.. we've gotta get to the meeting room. That's where all the head Guardians are. And where DAEMON will be.." Bob started.
Matrix looked around the PO, "Geez.. this place looks worse than outside!!" he muttered as he noticed the vines on the walls.
Bob nodded, "I know. It's bad.."
"Very bad.." AndrAIa added as she looked at the wall. Bob looked at her, brow furrowed. She looked back at him and raised an eyebrow, "What?!" she asked innocently.
"You've been hanging around us too long.." Matrix said.
"Come now... we must get moving.." McAfee commented. She motioned for Bob to lead the way, and followed him as he headed down the hall.
*** Guardian's Meeting Room
"They're heading this way, Daemon..." Paige began.
"Let them. I will be waiting..." Daemon replied. She backed into the shadows.
"Taarna, you and I will attack Matrix and AndrAIa. Tower, you take care of Bob," Paige commanded. She grabbed two laser rifles off the ammo wall, and handed one to Taarna. Then she motioned to the guardians she had not assigned an opponent to, "You guys get to the control room and see what in the 'net is happening there!!"
"WAIT!" Tower began as he grabbed an energy gun, "If they go to the control room, doesn't that leave us outnumbered?!"
Paige smiled, "They have TURBO with them Tower. It will be a fair fight," she explained.
"I wouldn't count on Turbo.." Tower muttered under his breath. Paige didn't hear him.
*** Outside the Meeting Room
"This is it, everyone. Ready?" Bob asked.
Matrix, AndrAIa, and McAfee nodded. Turbo simply smiled, as if he knew something they didn't.
They headed to the door and it opened without hesitation. The group froze, "I don't like this.." Matrix muttered. "They're leading us right to them,"
Bob nodded, "Keep on guard. They've obviously been waiting for us."
They slowly walked into the room. The lights were dim. Everything seemed shadowed. The yellow vines glowed brightly around the walls. Brighter then anywhere else.
"Daemon is here..." McAfee said. "She will be waiting for me.."
"Turbo..." A voice said. Tower came out of the shadows, "Welcome back.."
Turbo smiled, and nodded, "Glad to be back,"
"Your voice is hiding your true feelings..." McAfee said as she looked at Tower, "You did not come back for Turbo when we imprisioned him. You wished him gone, did you not?"
Tower looked towards McAfee, red eyes narrowed angrily. "You annoyed me in Mainframe... and now you are annoying me once again!"
Paige came out of the shadows as well, and stared at McAfee, "You...!" she gasped breathlessly. "You... exist...!" She was in awe.
Turbo glared at Paige, "Ah TOLD you she existed!!" he snapped angrily.
Taarna also came out of hiding. AndrAIa looked at her, and gasped. "You're... ALIVE?!!"
"No thanks to you.. yes!" Taarna replied. "Your darts cannot kill virals, little sprite. It only paralyzed me! I am very annoyed with you!" her voice became louder, "Your ANIMAL deleted my SOLDIERS!"
"Aww.. what a shame.." AndrAIa said sarcastically, eyes narrowed.
Taarna quickly leapt at AndrAIa. The fight began.
Tower went after Bob, and Paige headed off McAfee before she could get to Daemon. Turbo quickly turned on Matrix.
Tower raised his gun and fired at Bob, only to see Bob raise his empty hands and blast a beam of energy at him. Tower kept firing and cranked the power levels up to their maximum; he was now firing enough energy at Bob to destroy a large sized building. Bob frowned in concentration and kept his energy beam on, then took a step towards Tower.
Paige turned her own gun on McAfee and fired, not really believing it would work against the legendary anti-virus. Paige might as well have been squirting an energy shake at McAfee for all the harm it did; the anti-virus had put up a shield that caught the laser blast and contained it. The power built up, glowing so bright Paige couldn't look at it, and that was when McAfee let the energy dissipate, stepped forward and carefully struck Paige on the side of the head, knocking her out instantly.
Taarna snarled at Andraia and raised her laser rifle, growling "This time it's no standoff." Taarna fired repeatedly, shifting her aim to cover AndrAIa's whole body. AndrAIa snapped out her fins and once again used them to reflect the shots away from her, but had her hands full as Taarna kept shooting. AndrAIa suddenly dropped and rolled forward, coming to a rest three feet from where she had been. With her trident open and ready to throw, AndrAIa used her right arm to fling it at Taarna, knocking the gun out of the Guardian's grasp. She then flicked out the spines on her left hand and shot them, sending the paralyzing talons straight at Taarna's unprotected (and still sore) throat. The infected Guardian stared at AndrAIa as she fell, managing to gasp, "Not.. again..."
Meanwhile, Turbo had slipped from Matrix's grasp and punched him in the gut, only to find that the younger man's armour was harder then it looked. Matrix snarled at Turbo and lashed out, hitting Turbo's shoulder and the older Guardian dodged. The two of them went at each other, Matrix with the strength and power, Turbo with the knowledge and speed.
When Matrix did manage to hit Turbo, he connected solidly, but not always in the most damaging place. However, when Turbo landed a hit, it did damage, but not as much as it would have against another sprite. Turbo swallowed as Matrix shrugged off what should have been a crippling blow, and realized that because of the his time in the Games, he could take a more hits before going down.
Matrix backed away from Turbo, breathing hard, wincing as he felt that last hit to his side, "It must have cracked a rib or two." Turbo wiped a trickle of energy from his split lip using the back of his hand and welcomed the chance to rest a moment. At least he'd managed to stop the boy from attacking Daemon, that was what counted... then he realized he didn't hear Bob's energy blast anymore.
Tower knocked Bob down on the floor and stood over him, glaring, "Well, Guardian.. it seems you're low on energy. I suppose that fight outside took quite a bit out of you.. and with no way to recharge.." he shrugged, "It looks like I have you!" Tower put a foot on Bob's chest and raised his laser rifle.
***
Turbo saw Tower out of the corner of his eye. He watched as the infected Guardian raised the gun to Bob.
He didn't know what it was, and perhaps he would never know.. but something compelled Turbo to STOP Tower. He had to help Bob... and he didn't know WHY. One phrase entered his mind, "To Mend and Defend..."
***
Tower aimed the energy gun at Bob point blank. The Guardian grinned coldly as the yellow vains pulsed by his temples. Without another word, he quickly pulled the trigger.
But all Bob saw was a blur. A blur of green-grey skin, and yellow hair. He heard the shot fired. He heard the cry of pain.
Disclaimer: All ReBoot (tm) characters are property of Mainframe Entertainment.
The character of Paige is property of Joey Cruz
All other new characters are property of ME.. ^_^
The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.