Chapter 8
Sigma sat back in the chair, watching the computer screen, the scene before him unfold. He was right to watch Skullman. Something was amiss with the robot, he knew. Looks like his reprograming will have to be sped up. As for the spy...perhaps he could be turned, and become a spy on the Hunters? Yes, that would be great. Poetic Justice. Sigma grinned at himself, and fliped the com switch open, and spoke to his Aid waiting.
" In one hour, I want you to go get Skullman. He is to be reprogramed sooner than we expected. Also I want you to get Merrick, and bring him here to me."
"Yes sir." The voice over the com reponded.
Sigma smiled once more. Yes..today would be very fruitful, if not entertaining.
*********
Skullman waited in his room. Merrick and himself decided that in an hour, they would make their escape, after a slight...destraction, which Merrick said he would take care of. He check his internal clock. Five more minutes, and then...showtime. Him and Merrick would escape in the false alarm that was being set up. Skullman walked to the door and pressed the side of his head against the door, trying to listen for the alarm. He checked the time...it was time, but nothing. Something wasn't right. Maybe Merrick got caught..no...that couldn't have happened. They planned it near perfect. Then suddenly then alarm did go off, and Skullman opened the door, and went down the path, dodging any Mavericks that passed him, going to the sector that the alarm was originating from. Skullman stopped at the end of the elevator that led up to the warehouse that served as the cover for the Maverick base. If things went according to plan, Merrick would arive soon.
Skullman picked up sounds coming from around the corner, changing his left arm to his buster incase it was someone he didn't really wish explaining things to. Fortunately there was no need for his buster, as the sounds were footsteps belonging to Merrick.
"Skullman! It worked! Most of the Mavericks are in the sector, and giving us time to escape once they find out that nothing is there. But we better hurry."
Skullman nodded, not noticing the smirk on Merricks face, as the both stepped into the elevator. The door shut, and the small elevator started up with a jerk, and began moving up, a low hum of motors sounding out. After a few minutes the elevator stoped, and the doors open. Skullman stepped out cautiously, buster arm ready. He looked around the gloom, the moonlight shining through the broken windows, casting many shadows int he old warehouse. Skullman surveyed the large interior...and found several signatures within the room. He doubted very highly that it was the Hunters. He raised his buster arm, locking on to the nearest signature, only to behold an entire army within the shadows. Many of the Mavericks stepped out, weapons pointed at them. Skullman looked around, surprised in his thoughts, lowering his buster arm. At the door, a large figure stepped from the shadows, revelaing himself to be the leader of the Mavericks.
"Skullman...you really didn't think you would escape me that easily, did you?" Sigma said with a wicked grin.
"The though crossed my mind."
Skullman glared at Sigma with his red eyes, wondeirng how he knew..how he was able to plan this ambush. No..Merrick couldn't have told on him...but that was the only way. And suddenly his suspicons were confirmed as a buster end was pointed at his back, Merrick behind him, the same wicked grin worn by Sigma on his face.
"That's how...Merrick was your spy.."
Sigma looked as if he was ready to laugh.
"No no, my dear Skullman. He really was what he said. But you see..A wise leader always keeps his eyes on his most important investments. I had the room..bugged, so to speak. Merrick there I simply..conviced him to join me, by way of infection. Which is the same I shall do with you."
At that Merrick pushed Skullman forward, both stepping closer to the triumphant looking Sigma. Skullman looked at the large grinning reploid, once again facing destruction...worse in his mind. He will not be infected..he will not be destroyed. Sigma placed his hand over the head of Skullman, this time with the intent of infection...Skullman at that point decided that termination was better. He lifted his arms, grabbing Sigma's and pushed his hand back, twisting it, and threw Sigma back. Each Maverick readied their weapon, ready to defend their leader. Sigma surprised them all, encluding Skullman, when he raised both hands, and cried "Stop!"
Each Maverick had an uneasy look on their faces, but did as they were told. Sigma, smiled, and stood up.
"it has been awhile since I had a challenge..not since...him..but that doesn't matter..you are not him..and you will face destruction by my hands."
"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Skullman nodded, and cried, raising his buster to point at the Maverick leader.
Sigma lifted his own hand, as a purplish energy formed at his finger tips, which quickly formed a large energy ball. Skullman saw the ball, and prepared to dodge it, only something he didn't expect happen. The ball disapeared from Sigma's hand, and appeared behind Skullman, striking him right in the back. Skullman fell with a thud, feeling the energy in his drain from the attack. Regardless, he wouldn't go down without a fight. He raised his buster, and fired off three bursts of energy....only to bounce off of Sigma's advanced armor. Horror strickedn, Skullman started get up, and back away, wanting to get away. Sigma simply advanced towards Skullman, malacious intent on his features. Skullman reached a wall, backing up against it. Sigma reached out, once again grabbing Skullman by the head, and smashed the back of his head against the wall, making it crack shards of metal, and concret spreading out. Skullman also felt someting else crack..the outer shell of his head..His damage report stated that it was only a fracture..but more was to come, he knew. Sigma was ready to prove him right. He began to smash his head against the wall repeatedly. Each hit made the fracture larger. But before Sigma made a blow that would surely crack his metal skull open, Sigma stopped. Skullman wondered why he stopped...and it suddenly came clear, as a surge of horrible energy filled his entire being. His systems were blinking off and on, the surge sending him between consiousness and darkness.
The surge continued, then stopped. Skullman tried to focus his vison, but the energy surge made it blurry, but from what he could tell, Sigma didn't stop willingly. He saw several shappes enter the room, via the windows on top, crashing through them. He could hear faint sounds of shattering windows, voices being raised, and shots being fired. A battle. The Hunters have come. Skullman tried to focus he sight and audio receptors, but Sigma's shock made everything work subpar. Skullman tried to rise, but it seemed that his ability to move was also effected. He simply slumped to the floor, trying to make out the blurry figures. All he could tell was that someone was fleeing into several secret passage ways. Apparently the Hunters were winning. He began to wonder were Sigma went, but knowing slime like him, he probably ran for his life. He looked around at the fleeing Mavercks, then at the advancing Hunters. Suddenly a crown was around him. He looked at each one, each face impossible to make out. Then out of the crowd came a blue reploid, which knelt down next to him. He shouted something, but his audio system was so far gone, it came out as gibberish. Then the next thing he knew, he was in a void, darkness covering him...
Sigma sat back in the chair, watching the computer screen, the scene before him unfold. He was right to watch Skullman. Something was amiss with the robot, he knew. Looks like his reprograming will have to be sped up. As for the spy...perhaps he could be turned, and become a spy on the Hunters? Yes, that would be great. Poetic Justice. Sigma grinned at himself, and fliped the com switch open, and spoke to his Aid waiting.
" In one hour, I want you to go get Skullman. He is to be reprogramed sooner than we expected. Also I want you to get Merrick, and bring him here to me."
"Yes sir." The voice over the com reponded.
Sigma smiled once more. Yes..today would be very fruitful, if not entertaining.
*********
Skullman waited in his room. Merrick and himself decided that in an hour, they would make their escape, after a slight...destraction, which Merrick said he would take care of. He check his internal clock. Five more minutes, and then...showtime. Him and Merrick would escape in the false alarm that was being set up. Skullman walked to the door and pressed the side of his head against the door, trying to listen for the alarm. He checked the time...it was time, but nothing. Something wasn't right. Maybe Merrick got caught..no...that couldn't have happened. They planned it near perfect. Then suddenly then alarm did go off, and Skullman opened the door, and went down the path, dodging any Mavericks that passed him, going to the sector that the alarm was originating from. Skullman stopped at the end of the elevator that led up to the warehouse that served as the cover for the Maverick base. If things went according to plan, Merrick would arive soon.
Skullman picked up sounds coming from around the corner, changing his left arm to his buster incase it was someone he didn't really wish explaining things to. Fortunately there was no need for his buster, as the sounds were footsteps belonging to Merrick.
"Skullman! It worked! Most of the Mavericks are in the sector, and giving us time to escape once they find out that nothing is there. But we better hurry."
Skullman nodded, not noticing the smirk on Merricks face, as the both stepped into the elevator. The door shut, and the small elevator started up with a jerk, and began moving up, a low hum of motors sounding out. After a few minutes the elevator stoped, and the doors open. Skullman stepped out cautiously, buster arm ready. He looked around the gloom, the moonlight shining through the broken windows, casting many shadows int he old warehouse. Skullman surveyed the large interior...and found several signatures within the room. He doubted very highly that it was the Hunters. He raised his buster arm, locking on to the nearest signature, only to behold an entire army within the shadows. Many of the Mavericks stepped out, weapons pointed at them. Skullman looked around, surprised in his thoughts, lowering his buster arm. At the door, a large figure stepped from the shadows, revelaing himself to be the leader of the Mavericks.
"Skullman...you really didn't think you would escape me that easily, did you?" Sigma said with a wicked grin.
"The though crossed my mind."
Skullman glared at Sigma with his red eyes, wondeirng how he knew..how he was able to plan this ambush. No..Merrick couldn't have told on him...but that was the only way. And suddenly his suspicons were confirmed as a buster end was pointed at his back, Merrick behind him, the same wicked grin worn by Sigma on his face.
"That's how...Merrick was your spy.."
Sigma looked as if he was ready to laugh.
"No no, my dear Skullman. He really was what he said. But you see..A wise leader always keeps his eyes on his most important investments. I had the room..bugged, so to speak. Merrick there I simply..conviced him to join me, by way of infection. Which is the same I shall do with you."
At that Merrick pushed Skullman forward, both stepping closer to the triumphant looking Sigma. Skullman looked at the large grinning reploid, once again facing destruction...worse in his mind. He will not be infected..he will not be destroyed. Sigma placed his hand over the head of Skullman, this time with the intent of infection...Skullman at that point decided that termination was better. He lifted his arms, grabbing Sigma's and pushed his hand back, twisting it, and threw Sigma back. Each Maverick readied their weapon, ready to defend their leader. Sigma surprised them all, encluding Skullman, when he raised both hands, and cried "Stop!"
Each Maverick had an uneasy look on their faces, but did as they were told. Sigma, smiled, and stood up.
"it has been awhile since I had a challenge..not since...him..but that doesn't matter..you are not him..and you will face destruction by my hands."
"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Skullman nodded, and cried, raising his buster to point at the Maverick leader.
Sigma lifted his own hand, as a purplish energy formed at his finger tips, which quickly formed a large energy ball. Skullman saw the ball, and prepared to dodge it, only something he didn't expect happen. The ball disapeared from Sigma's hand, and appeared behind Skullman, striking him right in the back. Skullman fell with a thud, feeling the energy in his drain from the attack. Regardless, he wouldn't go down without a fight. He raised his buster, and fired off three bursts of energy....only to bounce off of Sigma's advanced armor. Horror strickedn, Skullman started get up, and back away, wanting to get away. Sigma simply advanced towards Skullman, malacious intent on his features. Skullman reached a wall, backing up against it. Sigma reached out, once again grabbing Skullman by the head, and smashed the back of his head against the wall, making it crack shards of metal, and concret spreading out. Skullman also felt someting else crack..the outer shell of his head..His damage report stated that it was only a fracture..but more was to come, he knew. Sigma was ready to prove him right. He began to smash his head against the wall repeatedly. Each hit made the fracture larger. But before Sigma made a blow that would surely crack his metal skull open, Sigma stopped. Skullman wondered why he stopped...and it suddenly came clear, as a surge of horrible energy filled his entire being. His systems were blinking off and on, the surge sending him between consiousness and darkness.
The surge continued, then stopped. Skullman tried to focus his vison, but the energy surge made it blurry, but from what he could tell, Sigma didn't stop willingly. He saw several shappes enter the room, via the windows on top, crashing through them. He could hear faint sounds of shattering windows, voices being raised, and shots being fired. A battle. The Hunters have come. Skullman tried to focus he sight and audio receptors, but Sigma's shock made everything work subpar. Skullman tried to rise, but it seemed that his ability to move was also effected. He simply slumped to the floor, trying to make out the blurry figures. All he could tell was that someone was fleeing into several secret passage ways. Apparently the Hunters were winning. He began to wonder were Sigma went, but knowing slime like him, he probably ran for his life. He looked around at the fleeing Mavercks, then at the advancing Hunters. Suddenly a crown was around him. He looked at each one, each face impossible to make out. Then out of the crowd came a blue reploid, which knelt down next to him. He shouted something, but his audio system was so far gone, it came out as gibberish. Then the next thing he knew, he was in a void, darkness covering him...
