----- Chapter 7 : Conspiracy Theory ------
Sue paced furiously through the park. She had gone for a walk, hoping that more leafy surrounds might allow her to clear her head, but with every passing Beat she felt her anger rising. She had just returned from what should have been a routine mission but turned out as anything but.
She and Alex had left Ash's apartment and had headed for the main transporter, after their minor altercation he had become strangely silent, but he was not the type to hold a grudge normally. The fire-teams sent to recapture the mines were finding progress slow, resistance was very heavy, but a few communication nodes had been reached, thus allowing transporter access to some of the lower levels.
Once there they were forced to move quickly and quietly. The robots were less numerous but far more deadly, one wrong move and there would be no hope of rescue. Furthermore, their movements were constantly restricted by the seemingly random selection of locked doors. With only the vaguest set of directions and no idea of the layout they were made to backtrack far too regularly.
It was only after about sixty Beats of exploring that they came up against a tricky combination of doors and patrolling robots. Alex had formulated a plan. He would lead the robots away from their destination and then send a BEE message once the way ahead was clear. She would work her electronic magic and then they would meet up again once he lost them.
They located a suitable room for her to hide in and so she had waited. And waited. And waited. She was loath to admit it to anyone, even her eventual rescuer, but she had become quite afraid at the prospect of being stuck there for any length of time. Alex failed to reply to the BEE messages she sent to him and whenever she had ventured out her retreat was prompt, the rooms beyond packed with walking gun batteries.
She had begun to despair, when suddenly help arrived in the form of a mysterious Hunter. The two of them joined forces after it transpired that they were undertaking the same mission, secretly of course she would have said almost anything not to get left behind, but played the whole incident cool.
She had maintained her calm until they had come across Alex much deeper into the facility. He acted like he was waiting for something, he did not reply when she berated him for leaving her alone and even refused to make eye contact. It was now her turn to leave him, the mysterious Hunter and her retrieved the data and returned to the ship.
Sue unclenched her fists and pumped her hands to get some feeling into them. Taking some deep breaths she let her anger flow out. What was Alex up to? What was so important that he would abandon her in the middle of a mission? Why did he not explain himself when she had found him again? WHY?
"GRRRR!" She shouted out aloud, her outburst startling a few young children playing nearby.
She covered her mouth with her hand. "Oops!" She said apologetically.
This was all Ash's fault probably. Ever since that incident in the underground channel he had been acting strangely. What was wrong with him anyway? There was only one way to find out. Sue made an about face and walked off in the direction of the Hunters Guild.
Sue paced furiously through the park. She had gone for a walk, hoping that more leafy surrounds might allow her to clear her head, but with every passing Beat she felt her anger rising. She had just returned from what should have been a routine mission but turned out as anything but.
She and Alex had left Ash's apartment and had headed for the main transporter, after their minor altercation he had become strangely silent, but he was not the type to hold a grudge normally. The fire-teams sent to recapture the mines were finding progress slow, resistance was very heavy, but a few communication nodes had been reached, thus allowing transporter access to some of the lower levels.
Once there they were forced to move quickly and quietly. The robots were less numerous but far more deadly, one wrong move and there would be no hope of rescue. Furthermore, their movements were constantly restricted by the seemingly random selection of locked doors. With only the vaguest set of directions and no idea of the layout they were made to backtrack far too regularly.
It was only after about sixty Beats of exploring that they came up against a tricky combination of doors and patrolling robots. Alex had formulated a plan. He would lead the robots away from their destination and then send a BEE message once the way ahead was clear. She would work her electronic magic and then they would meet up again once he lost them.
They located a suitable room for her to hide in and so she had waited. And waited. And waited. She was loath to admit it to anyone, even her eventual rescuer, but she had become quite afraid at the prospect of being stuck there for any length of time. Alex failed to reply to the BEE messages she sent to him and whenever she had ventured out her retreat was prompt, the rooms beyond packed with walking gun batteries.
She had begun to despair, when suddenly help arrived in the form of a mysterious Hunter. The two of them joined forces after it transpired that they were undertaking the same mission, secretly of course she would have said almost anything not to get left behind, but played the whole incident cool.
She had maintained her calm until they had come across Alex much deeper into the facility. He acted like he was waiting for something, he did not reply when she berated him for leaving her alone and even refused to make eye contact. It was now her turn to leave him, the mysterious Hunter and her retrieved the data and returned to the ship.
Sue unclenched her fists and pumped her hands to get some feeling into them. Taking some deep breaths she let her anger flow out. What was Alex up to? What was so important that he would abandon her in the middle of a mission? Why did he not explain himself when she had found him again? WHY?
"GRRRR!" She shouted out aloud, her outburst startling a few young children playing nearby.
She covered her mouth with her hand. "Oops!" She said apologetically.
This was all Ash's fault probably. Ever since that incident in the underground channel he had been acting strangely. What was wrong with him anyway? There was only one way to find out. Sue made an about face and walked off in the direction of the Hunters Guild.