Ch. 23: Archives

A.N.:

Here it is…the overdue update. I'm so sorry that it took this long to update. I meant to post it last night but then I passed out. This week was basically catch up week at my college so I was swamped with work.

I hope I have not lost anyone because it took so long.

As always, reviews are welcomed and so are questions.

The lemon is confirmed to happen in the next chapter. I have also confirmed that it will involve Alma, Stokes, and Becket so stay tuned.

Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Having had deactivating the hermetic seal, we proceeded back through the air vent. As we navigated the maze of vents, I pondered over how to find Stokes and get her to follow us the Hydroponics Deck. As I did, a memory flashed in my mind.

I was sitting down at a workstation inside one of the many tents that we had set up into a forward observation base. We had been sent to that lonely patch of godforsaken desert to be the "first responders" should the terrorist organization operating in the region decide to try to raid the United Nations Relief Convoys that were using the dry lake bed in the valley below us as their highway.

Fighting boredom was the actually the hardest thing that we had to overcome. Most days, we occupied our time by having death matches with the abundant wild scorpions that invaded our boots on a regular basis. My mentor had the uncanny ability to be able to predict the winner before the match even started. I, on the other hand, spent most of my time with physical training or target shooting.

I was casually cleaning my assault rifle. Even the rugged Patten PK470 was having difficulty coping with the sand. The tiny pieces of grit would find a crack between the metal and rub the protective finish off like sandpaper unless the rifle was regularly cleaned. My mentor, wearing his skull ski mask, walked into the room. I looked up from my weapon as he asked, "Have you ever seen an anglerfish hunt kid?"

Confused, I replied, "No…sir."

Crossing his arms, He explained, "It uses a growth on its head as a lure to trick predatory fish into getting close. Then, the predators become the prey. It seems nature has a sense of humor, huh boy?"

I smiled slightly before I answered, "Yes, sir."

He said, "Nature also teaches the clever soldier how to outwit his opponent. Mimicry is perhaps the most dangerous tactic in warfare. During World War 2, Japanese soldiers would pretend to be among the piles of dead so the American G.I.s would pass them by. Later, when American reinforcements would pass, the Japanese soldiers would detonate a grenade. In Vietnam, the Cong would cover pits of bamboo spikes with foliage from the surrounding landscape to trick the American soldier into thinking that what he was stepping on was just another pile of vegetation."

He sighed before he continued, "Sometimes, the hunter must mimic being prey in order to be a hunter." He looked back down at me and asked, "Get me?"

I replied, "Give your target what it wants, and it will come to you."

He nodded before he said, "Very good kid. Remember that Becket…give your target what it wants, and it will come to you."

The memory ended and by that time, we had returned to the hallway in the medical research center. I looked down at Morales's and Holiday's still unconscious forms. I sighed before I ordered Foxtrot 813 and Alpha 1, "Immobilize them. I need to think."

They both replied, "Yes, sir."

While they were securing the two unconscious men with cable ties and duct tape, I paced back and forth as I tried to think of a way to lure Stokes. Alma leaned against the wall opposite of me and, with an amused grin, watched me as I paced.

The Queen seemed to be sincere about her desire for peace. Which, made sense considering that her kind had a hive mind. Hive minds seek to spread their influence as far as they can and do normally offer their victims a utopian type society. I had my prey. Now, I just needed to give her what she wanted. What did she want?

Alma interrupted my train of thought when she said, "It sounds like you are just trying to find an excuse to flirt with her."

I looked at her with betrayed eyes as I replied, "Alma, how can you say such a thing? I thought you trusted me. I don't desire anyone other than you and you're the mother of my child. I hate you beyond description for what you did to me…but I would never betray you."

The woman of both my nightmares and dreams frowned slightly before she said apologetically, "I'm sorry Michael. I was trying to be funny. I didn't mean to upset you. I do trust you."

I replied, "I'm not upset. I'm just a little on edge right now because most of my friends are trying to kill us."

She nodded before she said, "I understand."

Alpha 1 informed me, "Morales and Hol…I mean, the prisoners have been secured, sir."

I looked at him before I said, "Copy that. Don't worry soldier, we will get them back."

He fidgeted with his shotgun as he replied, "Yes, sir." Before I could say anything else, my com link activated but I did not hear anything coming from the other end of the line. I heard heavy breathing in the background before I heard the distinct sound of tapping.

Instantly, I realized that the individual was using Morse Code to communicate. I listened and heard one quick tap, two drags, and then a quick tap. That must have meant "P". The sounds continued. I heard two drags sounds and then silence. That must have meant "M". Shocked, I realized the identity of the individual. I whispered, "Point Man, what is your status?"

Alma immediately perked up at the name of her first son and listened in as best she could. I heard a quick tap, two drag sounds, and then a quick tap. The second series was three drag sounds. Finally, the third series was a quick tap, and then two drag sounds. I translated the letters before I said, "POW…prisoner of war. Understood Point Man. Where?"

Alma's eyes lit up with fury as she heard that her son was captured and I worried that I would have to restrain her from turning the facility into a slaughterhouse. I listened and heard three taps followed by two drags. The next series was a drag and then two taps. I said aloud, "3D. Third deck. Hang tight Point Man, we are on our way." My com link deactivated and I looked back at Alma, Alpha 1, and Foxtrot 813.

I informed them, "Point Man is being held prisoner on the third deck. We could definitely use his help. Let's go rescue him." Noticing the look on my covetor's face, I quickly added, "Also because we all love him so much."

Alma remarked, "That's better."

I laughed sheepishly before I looked at two Replicas. They nodded and we proceeded towards the exit. As we passed through the room that we had been fighting for our lives in, Alpha 1 questioned, "Why isn't he controlled by the hive mind, sir?"

I replied, "He was gestated inside Alma…he is more of a monster than a man."

Alma said defensively, "Hey!"

As we neared the decontamination chamber, Alma transported us to the other side. This time, I was not affected by being ripped through time and space. I simply kept running when my body had finished re-materializing. I said to the goddess of death running next to me, "Oh please, the guy is barely human. Even you can't possess him or influence him. Some little organism sure as shit isn't going to be able to. I just thought that he was unconscious…which he probably was."

Alma replied with a childish tone, "You're barely human."

I mockingly clutched my chest with my left hand as I replied with a sarcastic voice, "Oww…that hurt."

Behind me, I heard Foxtrot 813 say to Alpha 1, "I think that they are getting better at this."

Alpha 1 replied, "I hear that their make-up sex is furniture breaking."

We had arrived at the lobby and began to head towards the staircase. I called back to Alpha 1, "Hey, that only happened once."

With a day dreaming tone in her voice, Alma said, "Yes…once…multiple times."

Hiding my embarrassment, I said, "Focus, we've got a job to do." By that time, we had reached the staircase. The battle between Alma's Apparitions and the Queen's Slaves was tearing the facility apart. The already weakened facility was not able to handle the added stress of a small war inside its walls. With each passing moment, the sound of strained steel grew louder.

As I ascended the stairs, I felt like I watching an imitation of the old chase scenes in the cartoon with the teenagers and their talking dog that solved mysteries. As we would arrive at the hatch entrance for one of the decks, we would see apparitions and slaves randomly running past the hatch entrance. I do not know why, but it reminded me of the scenes in said cartoon with the series of doors that the teenagers would run into while being chased by the monster of the episode. Despite the situation, I laughed slightly as I envisioned Alma making an appearance in one of the episodes. That episode would not last long.

Alma sighed before she commented, "Michael, I keep telling you that cartoon sucks. Why don't you ever want to watch what I think is funny?"

I snorted before I replied, "Because the last time that I agreed to watch something that you thought was funny, you made me watch the video with the two girls and the cup."

By that time, we had passed the Hydroponics Deck and stopped briefly to catch our breath. I looked at her and said, "I have seen some nasty shit in my life but that video was fucking disgusting."

Alma gazed at me with an amused grin before she replied with a flat tone, "Chocolate ice-cream."

Dry heaving, I clutched my abdomen with my left hand and dropped down onto my right knee. After forcing the bile back down my throat and after the burning sensation in my stomach ceased, I shook my head as I muttered, "You bitch."

She giggled in her dark, mischievous manner. As I stood, she commented, "Really my love? You have seen and experienced far worse than what those two lesbians were doing with the cup. Is Mr. Death disgusted by a little kink?"

I retorted, "The weird stuff that you want to do…that is kink. What they are doing in that video is just…shit."

Alma giggled before she asked, "Oh, was that a pun?"

Irritated, I replied, "No. I meant it as an insult. There are just some things that people should not do with their bodies."

Alma smirked before she said, "I want to try a Cleveland Steamer."

Proceeding towards the third deck, I laughed sarcastically before I replied, "Not no, but Hell no."

She whined, "But I wanna try it."

I replied, "I am exercising my right to say no. No means no."

She groaned in frustration before she complained, "Why are you such a prude? Why aren't you a filthy, nasty little boy? You have the desires but you are too uptight and guarded. I'm a dirty little girl…you can do whatever you want to me. When will you come out of your shell?"

I sighed in defeat before I answered, "Someday, but not today. I will admit though, I did like the time that you let me strap you into the amplifier chair and have my way with you."

She giggled mischievously before she replied, "Eh, it was only fair that you got to do it to me. Besides, it was a nice change of pace for you to lead instead of your usual submission."

I said, "Oh, fuck you. It is hard to be dominant when your partner can warp reality and kill people with her mind."

She laughed with her true older voice before she replied, "Don't get feisty; the bottom is just as important as the top. It is good that you know your place my love. I am the all-powerful immortal goddess and you are the cute little human boy that I love dearly. Michael, I love you as much as a being like myself is capable of loving someone…but…I am…superior…to you."

Putting up a strong front, I replied, "Kiss my ass you fucking psycho bitch."

She sighed before she said, "I know…you love me too. It's okay. That doesn't make you a bad person."

By that time, we had reached the landing for the third deck, which as I recalled from the floor plans was the deck that housed the server farms. I said to Alma, "Like I give a shit what people think." Looking back at the two Replicas, I informed them, "This deck has the server farms. Perhaps, we can kill two birds with one stone. We will find Point Man, rescue him, get to the server farms, download the files before the fighting damages them, and then get to Hydroponics."

They nodded in agreement and, crouching down, I turned back to the open hatch and proceeded through it. As I proceeded with caution down the pearl white colored corridor, I noted the cleanness of this deck compared to the others that I had seen. I recalled that Jin had mentioned that the farm had been locked down. Perhaps, the entire deck had been locked down as well. That would mean that the Queen's slaves had not been able to gain access to the deck because in a facility like this one, when a lock down was enacted, even the vents were sealed off.

At the end of the long narrow corridor, I entered what looked like the main lobby for the deck. I scoffed, "Never underestimate the laziness of ATC. I bet they reused the blueprints for each deck except for the Entrance and Engineering Deck."

The automated woman's voice said over the intercom, "Welcome to the Archive Deck. Please surrender all metallic objects at the security desk and have proof of authorized access ready. Under orders of…Director Carson Salyers…only those with security clearance levels of five and above are to be allowed access to the archives. Access to the classified sections of the archives has been restricted to level 9 and 10 level employees. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. Thank you and gave a great day."

I muttered, "Carson…that bastard must have known that we were coming."

Alpha 1 asked, "So why not just destroy the facility?"

I thought for a moment before I replied, "The information stored here must be extremely valuable to Armacham. Too valuable to destroy." He nodded and we proceeded towards the door that allowed access to the central section of the deck. There were very few rooms located on the deck that would suit the needs for housing Point Man. The Security Office located in the central section was one of the few that fit the requirements. As I neared the door, a small hatch above the door opened and a scanner was lowered through the opening. I stood as a blue light emitted from it and crossed over my body a few times as if it was scanning me.

The automated woman's voice said over the intercom, "Results: Match found. Clinical Trial Subject. Classification: Paragon Test Subject/ Harbinger Test Candidate. Designation: Becket, Michael. Security Access Level: 2. Error…update detected…please standby."

Alma questioned, "What is going on?"

I explained, "When we restored the power, the archives must have reconnected to Armacham's private wireless network. All the files must not be updated yet."

Foxtrot 813 said, "But I thought that we knocked off their networks when we demolished their facility in South America."

I explained, "They must have auxiliary networks that have limited ranges. We must be in the range of one of the back up local networks. We will look into that after we are done here."

The automated woman's voice returned and said, "Update. Clinical Trial Subject. Classification: Harbinger Psychic Commander. Designation: Becket, Michael. Security Access Level: 0. Under orders of…Director Carson Salyers…Subject: Becket, Michael…is to be terminated on sight. All Security Teams, respond immediately. Lock out of archives commencing." I saw the doors around us seal and then I heard their mechanisms lock. The woman announced, "Lock out complete."

My com link activated and Jin informed me, "Becket, we know that you are out there. We know that you are coming to rescue your friend. Admirable but futile. Give up Sergeant."

My com link deactivated and I groaned before I commented, "This shit is getting old." I walked up to the door before me and placed my left hand on its surface. When my left hand became enveloped by a red aura, I forced my will into the door's mechanisms.

I stepped back as the security door opened by sliding along a track to the left. With my rifle at the ready, I proceeded down the corridor. Halfway down the white walled hallway just before a "T", I came upon a security gate that had been welded through. On the ground to the right of the cut entrance, I saw a G2A2 Assault Rifle that appeared to have been carefully placed there by its wielder. I bent down and retrieved the rifle with my gloved left hand. After examining it, I could not detect any sign of foul play and when I ejected the double-lobed drum magazine, I found that the magazine was full.

After placing the magazine back into place, I shouldered the G2A2 and stood. Alpha 1 called out, "Sir, over here." I turned to look back and watched as he pulled a VK-12 Combat Shotgun out from a crack between two floor panels. He examined it for a moment before he informed me, "Empty, sir."

He shouldered the weapon as I said aloud, "Whatever happened, it went down here. Holiday must have been welding through the security gate while Point Man and Passalaqua stood guard. Apparently, Holiday had just managed to get through the gate when they were ambushed. Still, that doesn't explain why Holiday and Passalaqua never fired a shot while Point Man emptied his shotgun's entire twelve-round magazine."

Alma suggested, "Maybe my son saw something that Holiday and Passalaqua could not."

I nodded before I commented, "It wouldn't have been the first time." I turned and carefully made my way through the opening in the gate. Before I could stand, I saw movement to my right in my peripheral vision. I activated my reflexes just in time to dodge the melee attack of Juggernaut as he tried to hit me in the head with his Hammerhead. After rolling off to my left to dodge the attack, I stood and aimed down the scope of my assault rifle.

I fired a burst at his Hammerhead to disarm him but the brute maintained a vice like grip on his weapon. Just as I was about to unleash another burst, I was racked by G2A2 Assault Rifle fire from behind me. As I turned, I saw Passalaqua firing his assault rifle halfway down the hallway by a door that I quickly surmised must have been the one to the room in which they were holding Point Man.

Beside Passalaqua, I saw Bravo 2 taking aim at me with his .50 cal. Barrett. The big fifty caliber cannon with a scope attached to it took first priority. I quickly aimed and fired a burst at Bravo 2. My rounds hit home in the housing for his rifle's scope. With his rifle's optics destroyed, Bravo 2 abandoned his primary and retrieved his sidearm. My reflexes deactivated as my meter ran out.

My armor meter indicated that I was down a forth of armor remaining as I aimed my rifle at Passalaqua. However, I was distracted when burning sensations erupted along my back as Juggernaut fired his Hammerhead. I spun back around to face the deadlier threat. The spent uranium rods easily penetrated my armor and imbedded themselves into my ribs. My health bar indicated that I had lost a forth of my health. Luckily, before any further damage could be done, Alpha 1 tackled the armored behemoth and slammed him up against the wall.

Seeing a rod imbedded into my right arm, I gripped it with my left hand and ripped it out. After throwing the object onto the floor, I turned back to face the other two threats. Passalaqua attempted to reload his assault rifle but instead threw it aside and started to charge me. However, Foxtrot 813 intercepted him by striking him across his face with the butt of the stock of his assault rifle. As the Delta Force Operative collapsed onto the ground, I raised my left hand at Bravo 2. As my hand was enveloped by a red aura, I levitated the Replica sniper into the air before I slammed him into the wall. A slight groan escaped the sniper as he collapsed, unconscious, onto the floor.

I ordered Foxtrot 813, "Immobilize them."

He replied, "Yes, sir."

I turned back to assist Alpha 1. Juggernaut had used his strength to force Alpha 1 off him and was attempting to club the shorter Replica with his Hammerhead. However, Alpha 1 dodged it and, after shouldering my assault rifle, I ran up behind Juggernaut. I lunged and impacted his back. As I used my arms to pin Juggernaut's arms to his side, I yelled, "Alpha 1, do it!"

With a grunt, Alpha 1 rushed forward and clubbed the brute in the central light of his armored head with his automatic shotgun. The brute silently went limp in my arms. Alpha 1 and I slowly and gently lowered him to the floor. As I stood, I asked, "Any ideas on how to secure him until we can defeat the Queen?"

Alpha 1 assured me, "Don't bother, he is going to be out for a while. Any harder, and I would have killed him."

Alpha 1 then looked at me and asked, "You alright sir?" My armor bar was completely empty and my health bar was down to half. I noted the irony in that of all my adversaries, my own allies had been the ones to come close to killing me.

After using a medkit, I replied with a tough voice, "I'm fine."

I could tell that my best friend was unconvinced but before he could question me further, Foxtrot 813 called out, "Prisoners have been secured, sir."

I turned back to see that Passalaqua and Bravo 2 had been restrained and placed against the wall. As I walked towards him, I said, "Excellent work, soldier."

He replied, "Thank you, sir."

As we regrouped at the door to the security center, I informed them, "Watch your targets." They nodded and I proceeded into the room with my reflexes activated.

As I entered the room, I saw Jin and two men clad in ATC Security Guard attire. Behind them, I saw Point Man on his knees with his hands behind his back. I quickly dropped the two guards with headshots before they could fire their RPL Submachine Guns. As their corpses dropped to the ground, I yelled at Jin, "Stand down Miss Kwon. I don't want to hurt you!" With the same distant look in her eyes that Stokes had, she raised her AT-14 pistol at me.

Before I could do anything, I saw Point Man activate his reflexes. As I watched, he quickly relocated his handcuffed hands out in front of him and stood. He raised his hands above Jin and brought them down so that the chain link between the two cuffs was around her neck. Pulling back, he closed off her windpipe. I deactivated my reflexes as I continued to observe the spectacle.

In her panic, she dropped the pistol. Though she struggled against him, he held her firmly. I noted that he seemed to be holding back. In fact, as her thin body's strength faltered and her movements became lethargic, he seemed to have her in a kind of hug-like hold. Eventually, her movements ceased as the lack of air took its toll. Finally, she whimpered slightly as her eyes closed and her body became limp.

He slowly and gently lowered her unconscious form to the ground and deactivated his reflexes. Though he maintained his unusual silence, I saw the barest signs of guilt and remorse in his posture as he looked at her unconscious body. I tried to comfort him by saying, "It is not her. It is the red liquid controlling her. Once we defeat the Queen, you will get the real Jin Sun-Kwon back." He looked away from the F.E.A.R. Operative and up at me. He studied me for a moment before he nodded slightly.

He stood and walked over to one of the corpses of the ATC Security Guards. As I watched, confused, he bent down and removed one of their sunglasses. Using his hands, he broke off one of the temples (the long piece that goes from the hinge at the side of the eyepiece to back behind the ear) and dropped the rest of the frame onto the floor.

Using the temple as a pick, he unlocked the two handcuffs. After freeing his wrists from the handcuffs, he stood and looked at us. I remarked, "Not bad for a specialist." I handed him the G2A2 Assault Rifle from my back. After he took it, I extended my left hand as I said with a serious tone, "Glad to still have you on our side." He extended his own left hand and we shook hands for a moment before we retracted and returned our respective hand to our rifle.

Alma materialized between us with a happy smile on her childish face. Point Man looked down at his mother for a moment as she stared at him with an expression of happiness. At one point, I would have claimed that I had merely rescued Point Man because his skills made him a valuable ally. This time, I had to admit that I had rescued him because he was as close to a son-in-law as I would ever have.

I broke up the reunion as I said, "We need to move." Alma looked back up at me and nodded sadly. I looked at Point Man and motioned towards the door with my head. I turned and left the room. As he exited the room, Alpha 1 silently handed Point Man his VK-12 Combat Shotgun. Point Man took it with equal silence after he shouldered his assault rifle. I turned away from them as I tried to orient myself.

Behind me, I heard Point Man reloading his shotgun as I tried to recall the floor plans. The server farm was located behind a large security door at the end of the central section of the Archive Deck. We would have to pass through one more security checkpoint and then a decontamination chamber before we could reach the door. Beyond the door, there was one more decontamination chamber.

The archive farm itself was comprised of two sections. The first and largest section was filled with seven servers that held general information about ATC. The second section was filled with four servers that held classified information. The information that I was after would be located in the classified section.

I said to the men behind me, "On me. Move out." We proceeded down the hallway past the unconscious form of Juggernaut. We came to a turn and continued down the hallway. As we came upon the security checkpoint, another scanner appeared and scanned me.

The automated woman said over the intercom, "Security alert! Subject: Becket, Michael…has reached Security Checkpoint number: zero, zero, three, one. All teams are to intercept target before he reaches the archives."

The massive security door of the checkpoint closed in front of me and I heard the distinct sound of sentry turrets being deployed on the other side. Smirking, I raised my left hand as my body was enveloped by a red aura. The air in front of my gloved left hand shimmered as I massed a huge amount of energy. Just as my hand began to shake, I sent the massive collection of energy into the door in a burst.

The shearing of metal filled the air as the door succumbed to my psychic assault. As it crashed to the ground on the opposite side of the doorway, the sentry turrets opened fire. I activated my reflexes as I returned my left hand to the fore grip of my rifle. There were two ceiling mounted turrets beside each other about halfway down the hallway. I aimed through my rifle's scope and opened fire on the one on the left.

The armored sentry took my entire magazine before it exploded in a shower of sparks, fire, and metal shrapnel. As I reloaded my rifle, Alpha 1 fired his missile launcher at the second turret. The warhead hit home and the turret exploded in a similar manner as the other one had. After I deactivated my reflexes, I said to Alpha 1, "Nice shot. Too bad you didn't get an airliner this time."

After he had returned his launcher and retrieved his shotgun, Alpha 1 replied, "That was an accident." I laughed in response.

We proceeded down the hallway and came upon the decontamination chamber. Alma transported us to the other side so that we would not risk being ambushed inside of it. After a short trip down the hallway, we finally came upon the massive steel alloy security door that guarded the archives. Beside the door, I saw a console. I walked up to the console and tried to interact with it.

However, a robotic man's voice said, "Password and bio-scan required for access to archive room."

I rhetorically asked aloud, "Oh, is it now?"

I activated the hacking program in my HUD glasses and forced my way through the console's security program. After bypassing the security program, I unlocked the security door. I looked up from the console as the security door slowly swung open. After deactivating the hacking program, I led the way into the hallway connected to the archive room. As we came upon the last decontamination chamber, Alma once again transported us to the other side of it.

Just beyond the chamber, we came upon the glass walled archive room. Upon entering the glass walled room, the woman's voice said, "Welcome to Armacham Technology Corporation Facility Titan's Archives…Armacham Technology Corporation President Genevieve Aristide. Please, let us know if you require any assistance."

Alma asked, "Aristide?"

I laughed briefly before I explained, "I tricked the security system into thinking that I was Aristide. It was the least that bitch could do after everything that she did."

Alma giggled in response and we proceed past the first seven servers and into the back room. The four servers were stacked in the center of the pristine, polished room. I smirked at the servers before I said, "Fucking goldmine. Alpha 1, do you have the…"

Alpha 1 interrupted me as he said, "Right here, sir."

He shouldered his shotgun before he withdrew the DSM Device. He placed the device, that vaguely resembled an old HM radio module, on top of the servers. After a moment, he retracted and informed me, "Good to go sir. It will take five minutes for the device to download the data."

I nodded before I ordered everyone, "Take defensive positions. We have to defend the device and servers for five minutes."

With the exception of Point Man, they all replied, "Yes, sir." We took position in the room with the seven servers as we waited for the DSM to finish downloading the information. At first, everything was quiet. However, about a minute into the wait, we heard the sound of scraping in the vents outside the decontamination chamber.

With our weapons at the ready, we waited for the onslaught. The decontamination chamber once again proved to be an obstacle but I heard them pounding away at the massive door that allowed entrance into the chamber. It took them a minute to get through the first door, but eventually we heard the ear shattering crash as the massive door gave way.

It took them about the same amount of time to get through the second door. As it fell to the polished floor, the creatures, wearing mixed bloodstained attire, charged at us with mixed variations of melee weapons. Not bothering with my reflexes, I aimed at the first one and opened fire. My shots dropped the individual and I switched to the second target. With the combined strength of our firepower, we held the creatures at bay with ease.

After two minutes, the creatures seemed to realize that their mass attack was futile and the surviving individuals retreated back through the decontamination chamber and into the vents beyond it. I lowered my weapon and proceeded back into the room with the DSM. The device indicted that it had downloaded all of the information.

As I deactivated the device, Alpha 1 asked, "Does it bother anyone else that we haven't been attacked by any of the creatures this entire time but when we activated the device, they came running?"

As I handed him the device, I replied, "I don't follow."

After he shouldered his shotgun, he took the DSM from me and safely stowed it in one of his carrying compartments. As he retrieved his shotgun, he explained, "It just seems a little…staged for something like that to happen. You know, like a video game level or something."

I laughed before I replied, "I think that you are getting tired bro. Come on, video game? What, you mean that you think that we are characters in a video game and in the grand picture we are simply the imagination of some creator and have no real ability to make choices or decisions?"

Alpha 1 laughed with his repeated grunts before he said, "You're right sir. I am just tired."

Alma said nervously, "Actually, uhh…Michael." I looked at her expectantly. She started to say something that seemed to be important but then said, "Never mind…forget it."

I nodded and said, "Alright, now then, let's go get Stokes."