After the End - Chapter 2
Arriving back at the secret lab, Sylvester eagerly walks over to the cryostasis chamber and checks its operating lights. After three days, it is finally ready. He breathes a sigh of relief and enters the final code. The chamber hisses as it opens to reveal the body inside.
For a moment nothing happens. Then VonReichter's single eye opens and looks around, examining the surrounding chamber thoroughly. It finally lands on Sylvester, who is smiling beatifically, happy to have his master back again.
Slowly, VonReichter stretches like a cat, then rises to a sitting position. "Ah. Sylvester."
"Master!" Sylvester sinks to his knees in supplication.
VonReichter's blank expression does not change. "So. Tell me, my servant, how did I die?"
Lucas walks down King St. West, his gaze inevitably falling on the huge heaps of rubble lining the other side of the street. A host of dump trucks and cranes are trying doggedly to clean the huge mess up. The entire harbor district has been destroyed by that thing that Dr. VonReichter sent. Lucas suppresses an involuntary shiver. To think that Cybersix was created by someone who could - and would - do a thing like this. What must it have been like, growing up with him? It was a good thing that monster was dead.
But then, no, Lucas realizes as he keeps walking, it wasn't a good thing he was dead because it meant Cybersix would probably die too. That thought reminds him of what he's doing, and he unconsciously pats his breast pocket where the vial of sustenance is hidden.
Finally he stops in front of a tall building and looks up at it. Cyco Research. Here he was, and he still hadn't come up with a decent cover story. His brow furrows as he tries to think.
"Lucas! Glad to see you're all right."
Lucas turns to see who is speaking. "Kevin," he says, recognizing his old friend.
"What are you doing here?" Kevin is the archetypal scientist; slight build, thick ugly glasses, and curly hair that always looks like it's just gotten out of bed.
"I came to see you, actually." Lucas hesitates. "Can we talk somewhere private?"
"Sure. Come inside - I'll sign you in."
A few minutes later they arrive in Dr. Kevin Landon's office. "I've got a really exciting project on the go right now," Kevin is saying "I can't tell you what it is, of course, but it's really interesting."
"I'm sure it is," Lucas says distractedly. "Listen, Kevin, I came to ask for your help. I need you to run some tests for me."
"On what?"
Lucas pulls out the vial of sustenance. "This."
Kevin looks at it suspiciously. "What is it?"
"I'm really not sure." Lucas hesitates again. "A friend of mine found it up in the mountains." He finally blurts out.
Kevin peers closely at the vial, then backs away. "Lucas, are you sure that's not nuclear waste?"
"Um... Oh, come on, Kevin, it can't be. Not where we found it."
Kevin goes to the other room to get a gigercounter, then aims it at the vial. "Hmm. No, it's not radioactive. But what else could it be?"
"I don't know. I'm stumped; that's why I came to you."
Kevin puts the vial on a shelf. "I'll check it out as soon as I can."
Lucas nods eagerly. "Yes, please. I really need to know as soon as possible. It's important."
"What's the rush?"
"Oh, just... Intellectual curiosity, I guess. It's got me obsessed. You know how it is when you stumble onto something unknown."
Kevin smiles. "Yes, I suppose I do, at that. I'll call you as soon as I find anything."
"So Jose is alive. And a traitor." VonReichter steeples his fingers in thought. He is sitting on the room's only chair. Sylvester is kneeling on the floor; his knees hurt, but he doesn't care.
VonReichter looks back at Sylvester. "All right, here is what you are to do. Return to Jose and keep an eye on him. I want reports every three days as to what he's doing. Contact all the Technos. Let them know their master is still alive and their mission status has not changed. And do not let them go to Jose for their sustenance; they are to come here to me."
"Yes, Master," Sylvester replies but makes no move to get up.
VonReichter looks slightly annoyed. "Well?"
"There is something else, Master." Sylvester says reluctantly. "Cybersix is still alive as well."
For a split second a complex emotion flits across the scientist's face; then it is gone, leaving him as impassive as before. "You're sure?"
"Yes Master. She came to the mansion looking for sustenance. Along with that big blond dope."
"Big blond dope?"
"Yes, Master. Her human friend. The big blond male."
VonReichter's face darkens. He leans forward ever so slightly in his chair. "She has a human male friend?" His voice has risen a notch .
"Y- yes, Master. We've seen them together before." Sylvester knows this is a mistake as soon as the words leave his mouth.
VonReichter brings his fist down on the arm of his chair. "Then why wasn't I told about this before?" He leans menacingly toward Sylvester.
"Uh.. Um. Forgive me, Master, I... uh-"
Suddenly the scientist's face turns bland again and he leans back in his chair. "No, never mind. There is no time for that. Do you know this man's name - even his first name?"
Sylvester shakes his head sadly.
VonReichter becomes lost in thought again. "Obviously we have to find him. I need time to think about this. Go and do what I told you."
"Yes, Master." Sylvester says yet again, then gets up and half-runs from the lab.
On his way back from Cyco, Lucas is nearing his apartment when he sees a familiar form leaving a store. "Adrian!" He runs to catch up with his friend.
"Lucas. Hi.".
"What are you up to?"
"I was just getting some stuff for... my cat." She replies.
"Oh. And how is he?"
Cybersix looks away. "Not so good."
"Can I do something to help?" Lucas asks.
"Sure, if you want. Why don't you come and visit?"
When they arrive at her apartment, Cybersix puts down her things and goes right to Data 7, whose eyes are closed. "Brother?" she asks quietly.
Data 7 opens his eyes. His tail gives a little flick.
"I brought some food for you. Try and eat a little, please?" She goes to her kitchen cupboard and gets a knife and fork. Then she pulls a small roast beef out of her bag and begins to cut it up.
"You're feeding him that?" Lucas asks.
She gives him a look. "This is what panthers eat, Lucas."
"Oh. Yeah, right"
When the meat is in somewhat smaller chunks, she begins feeding it to him. There is blood on her hands, and she doesn't seem at all bothered by handling the raw meat.
After Cybersix is done, she goes quickly to wash her hands, then walks back into the room, still rubbing her hands on a towel. "I changed all his dressings earlier." She says, inspecting Data 7's bandages. "I'm not really sure how to treat burns. But he seems a bit better than he was earlier."
Leaning against the windowsill, Lucas has spent this entire time simply watching her. She is still dressed as Adrian, but is using her real voice. Lucas takes a breath. "How come you never told me?" He asks quietly.
She doesn't turn to him, but continues what she's doing. "I don't know, Lucas. I was happy with things the way they were. I didn't want things to change."
"So why did you show Lori who you were?"
She shrugs. "I thought for sure I was going to die. Nothing else mattered at the time."
Lucas considers this. "But you thought that when you came to visit me too. Why tell Lori and not me?"
Now she does look at him. "I wasn't planning to tell Lori. I just ran into her."
"But you left her your glasses. Why would you do that for her and not even tell me?"
Cybersix sighs in exasperation. "It happened on the spur of the moment, Lucas. It didn't mean anything."
Lucas is getting annoyed. "I just thought I meant more to you than Lori did, that's all."
Cybersix frowns. "Of course you do! You're blowing this way out of proportion, Lucas. You're my best friend."
"Then why didn't you tell me?" He persists.
Cybersix folds her arms across her chest. Lucas has successfully invoked her stubborn streak. "Why don't you believe me when I say it was just coincidence?"
Lucas turns away from her. He can't help but feel slighted; after all they'd been through together, and all the time she'd been his friend as Adrian, she still wasn't being completely straight with him. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was friends who kept secrets. I thought I was going to die. Nothing else mattered at the time. Was that the only reason why she'd let him kiss her too?
Cybersix walks over to him. "Look, Lucas, I didn't know you'd feel this way about it. Maybe if I had to do it again I would tell you. But it's done now. Drop it"
Lucas sighs. "All right. I'm sorry."
They talk for a few minutes more, but there is an uncomfortable tension in the room. She asks him if he's found out anything about the sustenance; he tells her no, that he's still working on it.
Soon Lucas makes some excuse and leaves. He just can't shake the feeling of betrayal that fills him. What else is she keeping from me? He wonders as he walks home.