The copy of Zero in the last chapter was a reference to Omega Zero from Megaman Zero 3.
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Chapter 11: Locomotion
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Vick paced back and forth, trying to fully comprehend all of the information he had been forced to absorb over the past few hours.
Lloyd was a traitor, Slate had found a possible source of the viruses, and Dash had had some sort of attack, and was, once again, being scanned. This time he was being scanned inside one of those machines that showed a holograph of the navi within a glass tube, as this method was more refined.
As before, Terry walked in. '' How's Dash doing?'' he asked.
'' The scan's about halfway done.'' Vick answered. Terry sat against the tube and sighed. '' Rough day today huh?''
'' Oh yeah.'' Vick said, nodding in agreement. '' What do you think Slate is going to do about Lloyd?''
'' I don't know, and to tell the truth I really don't care at the moment.'' Terry said, closing his eyes. '' I'm just worried about Dash. This time, even he admitted that something was wrong.''
A minute or so later, a ping informed them that the scan was complete. Vick leaned over to check the results, then sighed. '' It still reads as normal.''
'' Well, maybe whatever it is can't be detected by the equipment we have here.'' Terry suggested. '' After all, we have to make due with what we scavenge, build, or steal.''
'' I'm gonna try vaccinating him.'' Vick announced. '' It's worth a try.''
His PET beeped, and he fished it out of the satchel he always carried with him. '' Yes?''
'' I'm calling a meeting.'' Slate's voice said. '' Meet me in the conference room.''
'' Sorry, but I'm a little tied up at the moment.'' Vick apologized. '' But I'll keep in touch via PET.''
'' Well, I guess I'll see you.'' Terry told Vick as he stepped out of the door. '' Take care of Dash.''
Everyone else, sans Vick and Lloyd, were waiting for him at the conference room when he arrived.
'' Where's Lloyd?'' he asked as he took his seat at the table.
Butch smirked. '' I put him to work cleaning up the warehouse. Bet he hated that.''
Slate spoke up. '' There are two reasons that I have called this meeting.'' he said. '' The first is, obviously, Lloyd, but I'll bet to him in a second. '' The other reason is that Zero has pinpointed the source of the signals. It's out west, along the railroad. I did a little research, and near the location is a supply depot, similar to the one here. Next to it is a small town, presumably where the workers live. The whole place is overseen by Lieutenant Dullaq, who is from T-Corp, obviously.''
'' Are you sure about the source?'' Karla asked.
'' Well, technically, the source is somewhere on a nearby mountain, and Zero has carefully studied the readings, and there were multiple signals sent to and from the two points, so many, in fact, that this has to be the source.'' Slate explained.
'' So let me get this straight.'' Vick said from Slate's PET. '' The viruses are being transmitted from the source, to the satellite transceivers at the docks, to the TV satellite, then to various locations around the country?''
'' Correct.'' Slate confirmed, nodding. '' We need to end this, before the person gets confident and begins to transmit the viruses worldwide.''
'' It'll be like the Outbreak all over again, only worse…'' Terry muttered. While the actual Outbreak only lasted around a decade, the last two years being the worst, the ultimate impact had thrown the world into chaos. While T-Corp's rule was harsh at times, it was better than complete anarchy.
'' How we're going to get there is simple.'' Slate continued. '' We will either hijack or stow away onboard an outbound train.''
'' What about Lloyd?'' Karla asked.
'' We need to be wary around him.'' Slate answered. '' I wish we could simply throw him out, but we can't. I don't know what his motive is, but it could be for a monetary reward. Yen, dollars, or something else.''
'' Did he tell you anything suspicious when you were interviewing him?'' Butch asked.
'' No.'' Slate said, shaking his head. '' He said he was raised in San Diego, and his parents were lawyers, but his mother died during the birth of his sister, and his father died of age a few years back.''
'' Oh, uh, sorry to interrupt,'' Vick's voice said. '' But the vaccine isn't working.''
'' What!'' Terry cried. '' What do you mean?''
'' I keep getting an error screen.'' Vick told him. '' It's like he's… rejecting the command…''
'' Shit…'' Terry muttered, burying his head in his hands. '' Shit…''
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Slate and Butch arrived at the train depot about an hour later. They were scouting the area to see if security had been tightened since they had robbed the cargo train. The answer? Not really. There were almost no guards in sight, even though there were far more trains at the depot this time. There was, however, much more civilian activity. Workers were operating machinery to load the trains, while engineers and mechanics hovered around. The air was filled with the sounds of the operating machinery, conversations, and cuss words.
Butch squatted down behind some crates to watch the activity. '' Sure is busy.'' he told Slate. '' Yesterday it was completely dead.''
'' Hey! Who are you!''
A man dressed as an engineer had spotted them and was running, jogging rather, over to them. Apart from his blue uniform and cap, he had the beginnings of a beard and he looked to be about 50.
He stopped when he reached Slate and Butch. '' You're from that rebel group around here, aren't you?'' he said. '' Yeah, I recognize you two from old wanted posters!''
Butch nervously glanced at Slate, who was trying to plan an escape.
The man smiled. '' Don't worry, I won't turn you in. I'm Kurogane Kunio.''
'' Wh-why?'' Butch stammered, taken aback.
'' Simple.'' Kurogane said. '' I just drive these trains for a living, I don't follow T-Corp's way of thinking.''
Slate came up with an idea. '' Kurogane-san, could you help us with something?''
Kurogane raised an eyebrow. '' With what?''
'' Well, we're trying to get to the next town, Ironsould, where the next depot is. Can you help us?''
'' Why are you asking me?''
'' Because,'' Slate began. '' You're a decent person, I can tell by looking at you. If you would 'let' us on to one of your trains, we would greatly appreciate it. It's for a good cause.''
'' Well…'' Kurogane scratched his chin. '' If it's for a good cause, I don't see why not.''
'' Are you sure that would be a good idea Kurogane-san?''
Kurogane took out a PET. '' It'll be alright Chargeman. They're good people.'' He held out his PET to Slate and Butch. '' This is my navi by the way.''
Chargeman.exe looked like an old fashioned, red steam locomotive with green eyes and extremities that resembled arms and hands.
'' Hey! Kurogane-san!'' someone shouted. '' What are you doing?''
'' I have to go.'' Kurogane said, pocketing his PET. '' Meet me here at 10am, in three days.''
'' 10am, three days, got it.'' Slate repeated.
He and Butch began to head back to HQ as Kurogane departed. '' Are you sure about this?'' Butch asked.
'' It is risky, I'll admit that.'' Slate said. '' But it's the safest option available to us at the moment.
Butch remained silent, thinking it over.
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