After the End - Chapter 7
Cybersix's alarm clock goes off, unnecessarily. Data 7 feels her sit up and swing her legs over the edge of the bed. He growls at her.
"I have to go work, Brother."
He growls at her louder.
She ignores him and slowly gets up. He jumps down off the bed and plants his two front paws firmly on one of her feet. When you can't talk, sometimes you have to get physical to get your point across. He has spent the night keeping her awake - on purpose - because she most definitely has a concussion. And now she wants to go to work!
Cybersix frees her foot and sighs, then probes tentatively at the bump on her head. "Don't be ridiculous, Data 7, I'm a cyber; I can take this." She then ruins her case by wincing as her fingers touch a sore spot.
Data 7 shakes his head, more in disgust and then to indicate he doesn't agree. For about the millionth time he wishes he could speak: Then he'd give his big sister an earful, and not just about this either.
She starts to walk to the kitchen, and he growls at her again. "Relax, I'm just going to put the ice pack back in the freezer." She stops at the bathroom and turns on the light, looking at herself in the mirror. Maybe Data 7's right; if she doesn't rest today, she will need even more sustenance soon. She already drank her second-last vial last night, knowing it would help her heal faster. Whoever knocked her out did a good job.
She turns off the light and proceeds to the kitchen. And that is yet another problem she has to deal with; she still has no idea who rescued her. Or where the fixed ideas disappeared to. Everything about last night was too close for comfort; how much longer can she go on cheating death?
She steps back into the hall to find Data 7 sitting there, scowling at her. She opens her mouth to tell him she's decided to stay home, then stops. If she doesn't go to school today, Lucas would be sure to get on her case about where she'd been. And what would Lori think, after what she'd told her yesterday?
But no, she realizes, she doesn't have a choice. "Don't worry, I'm going to call in sick."
As soon as the bell rings, Lori heads to the girl's washroom so she can think for a minute. Adrian hadn't been in class today. The substitute said he'd called in sick - which means that he -no, she - was still alive. Or it could just mean that the school didn't know where she was and didn't want to tell them
Lori scowls at her reflection in the mirror. This bothers her a lot more than she likes to admit. She knows who's after Adrian - it's that obnoxious kid Jose and his gang of oafs - but could they really kill her? And why did they want to - what had she done? And just where did this Cybersix woman come from anyway? There were a lot of rumors about her, but most people just thought she was an urban myth.
Lori frowns again. She knows that Cybersix does have super powers; she's seen them for herself. How did she get them? Lori would so love to know exactly what's going on.
She takes out her lipstick and is about to start applying it when it dawns on her: She knows where Adrian / Cybersix lives. She could go and find out exactly what's going on. Yeah, I could go on a stake out! She smiles at the idea. A little spying will be fun. Now, I'll just have to ditch the guys... Her mind made up, she puts the lipstick away unused and rushes out of the bathroom.
The phone rings at exactly the time Cybersix thought it would. She picks up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Cybersix, how come you weren't at work today? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Lucas, just, uh, a little sick."
"I've never seen you sick as long as I've known you."
"Okay, so I had all little run in with some fixed ideas last night, but-"
"Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine by tomorrow."
"But are you okay?"
"0h, you know sometimes you just don't listen to me."
"I'm just concerned about you."
"I know, but I'd rather you leave me alone. I'll see you at work tomorrow, okay? Right now I need to rest."
"All right... but you just call me if you need anything."
"Fine. Bye, Lucas."
"Uh, okay, bye."
Cybersix hangs up the phone.
It is just past 2:00 a.m. when Sylvester and Techno 21 return to VonReichter with their prize.
"Here is that test subject you wanted, Master." Sylvester says as he lowers the human to the floor.
VonReichter examines the girl critically. She is blindfolded and tied in the fetal position, her wrists bound to her ankles. She is also shaking in fear. "She'll do." He says.
He walks over to the bench and returns with a needle filled with a bluish liquid. "Hold her still." He kneels down and injects the drug into the girl's arm. "Sylvester, lock her in the other room for now."
As Sylvester carries the girl off, VonReichter goes and sits down in his chair, then looks up at Techno 21. "Well, do you have anything to report?"
"Yes Master, I do." The techno removes a printout from his breast pocket and hands it over. "I discovered this when I was checking up on that Lucas Amato guy."
VonReichter quickly scans the paper; a bio of one Adrian Siedelman. "Who is this?" His tone is slightly annoyed.
"Cybersix in disguise, sir." Techno 21 replies excitedly.
"Are you certain?"
"Quite certain, sir. She works at the same high school as Amato - apparently they're close friends."
He looks at the page again. The features in the picture are indeed Cybersix's, only disguised in a man's attire. His eyes move down to the text below: A false birth date to go with the false name, a university degree, a job as a teacher, and an apartment in a half decent part of town. VonReichter suppresses an involuntary surge of pride: He always assumed that Cybersix would be living as a vagrant, or, at the very most, be working at some menial job. But she had managed to accomplished all this after escaping with nothing but the clothes on her back. Somehow, she never ceases to amaze me. Well, all the more reason for him to get her back under his control. "This is good." He declares. "It will make things easier when it comes time to capture Amato."
"But now that we know where she lives, why not just attack her in her home?" Techno 21 asks. "If we got enough types together, we could take her."
VonReichter looks crossly up at the techno. "Don't be in idiot. Do you know how many types that would take? And provided you did manage to overwhelm her, how would you get her out of the building without anyone noticing? Besides, I told you I want her as undamaged as possible; I have plans for her. No, if I capture her lover, she will come to me voluntarily, and I can deal with her on my own ground."
Sylvester, who has wandered back into the room, unobtrusively looks over his master's shoulder at the address listed on the printout. He gazes hatefully at 21. He was hoping the techno had made a mistake, but that was indeed the address he found last night.
VonReichter continues. "Techno, I want you to put a watch on Cybersix's apartment. I want to know if Data 7 is still alive."
"Oh, come on, he can't possibly be." Techno 21 scoffs. "Not after that explosion-"
In one smooth motion, VonReichter gets up from his chair and slaps the techno hard across the face. "How dare you question my judgment! Have you forgotten that you live or die by my will? I suggest you watch your mouth, techno!"
"I - I'm sorry, Master. Forgive me." Techno 21 replies meekly.
VonReichter sits back down. "This was a warning. Make another comment like that and you will be punished. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Master."
"Better. Now go and do as you have been commanded."
The techno bows and hurries from the lab.
VonReichter shakes his head disgustedly. "Technos with attitude. What's next?" He turns around and sees Sylvester standing quietly in the corner. His manner softens as he walks over and puts a hand on his servant's shoulder. "Now you, Sylvester," he says silkily. "I know I can always depend on you."
Sylvester smiles broadly in response. "Yes, Master."
The next night, Cybersix is out on the rooftops again. She is feeling much better, and besides, a cyber couldn't stay down for long even if they wanted to. Still, she doesn't intend to look for any trouble tonight. She's just... out for some air.
She looks at Data 7 standing beside her. His skin is almost healed, though he is nearly completely bald. But she understands why he wanted to come out tonight; he couldn't be still for long without going crazy either.
From her high perch on the tower, Cybersix gazes out over the city. Her eyes narrow as she looks a few streets over; a bulky shadow is emerging from one of the sewers. "Do you see that, Data 7?" Together they jump a few buildings closer to get a better look.
Crouching on a ledge, Cybersix scowls as she recognizes the shadowy figure. It is Sylvester... and he's carrying a human body slung over one shoulder. She sighs theatrically and turns to Data 7. "A cyber's work is never done, eh? Let's go."
They drop to the ground and start following a safe distance behind Sylvester. He turns down an alley, and Cybersix creeps up to peak around the corner at him. She watches as he drops the person - a young woman by the looks of it - not very gently onto the ground. He pulls out a knife and cuts some ropes that have presumably been keeping the girl tied. Then he simply walks away, jumps the fence at the back of the alley, and disappears.
Motioning to Data 7 to stay behind, Cybersix runs to the girl and kneels down beside her. She is still breathing, though her eyes are closed.
She gently picks the girl up, cradling her head. "Hey, are you okay?"
The girl groans in response and groggily opens her eyes. They are very glassy.
"Jennifer! Where are you?" A voice calls from the street.
Suddenly light shines into the alley and a man approaches. "Jennifer!" He cries when he sees the girl. He starts running toward them, then stops as he notices Cybersix for the first time. He blinks at her. "Hey, you're Cybersix."
"Yes, I am. " she replies. No point in trying to deny it.
"What are you doing with my sister?" He asks accusingly.
"I found her like this-"
"Get away from her, you witch!" The man runs over and scoops the girl up, eyeing Cybersix as if she's some wild animal who might attack at any moment.
Cybersix backs off. "I was just trying to help-"
"What did you do to her?" The man starts to back out of the alley. "The police are gonna hear about this!"