You Think You See

"Come on, Lid," said Jeremy. "You've been at this for hours."

"I'm fine, really I…" She trailed off to yawn. "Completely fine. It's only… oh crap, is that the time?"

"Yeah, it is," he said. "Give yourself a few minutes at least."

She shifted in her seat. "But this is important. I need to… need to get this finished. Just a few more lines of code…"

"That's what they all say." Bonnie surprised Lidiya by literally pulling her up from her seat. "Not that it wouldn't be hilarious to see you pass out in your chair, it's just it probably wouldn't be helpful."

"Okay, okay." She stretched after Bonnie let her go. "Just a few minutes though, I was really making some headway there."

"Yes you were and making at least a dozen mistakes along the way towards the end," came Goldie's voice. "Fortunately, you have someone here who not only knows what they're doing, but also doesn't need rest."

Lidiya practically wilted in the wake of that.

"Yeah, she just needs to keep her snarkiness down," said Bonnie.

"You're hardly one to talk, Bonnie since you-"

"Attention!" The voice of Handy made them jump. "Security protocol activated. Laboratory lockdown initiated. AI dampening measures now active. Please remain calm, as it is likely nothing immediately life threatening. Soothing music will now be played to help lower anxiety levels."

As the kind of music that might play in an elevator started, there was a loud pneumatic hiss from down corridor. A heavy security door slammed into place.

"Security doors in place. Elevator offline. If the emergency should last long enough for starvation or thirst to set in, do not panic and please find a quiet corner so that your discomfort does not distress other participants. Thank you for your attention!"

"What the hell?!" Bonnie kicked the door, barely making a dent. "Why is this happening now? Goldie, get this thing open!"

"I can't! My signal is being suppressed by the lockdown, I can't get inside the system wirelessly!"

Jeremy looked at her in shock. "You're not telling me we're trapped in here!"

"For the moment, yes. All access points have been sealed." Goldie's voice went cold. "Something you'd like to tell us about, Miss Holland?"

"I-I don't know, I'm not familiar with the systems down here," she said. "Maybe there was a subroutine in the system, something that we tripped or-"

"There's that phrase again, it really is a useful one for you, isn't it?"

"Leave me alone! This isn't my fault! How do you know you didn't trip something and start this?!"

"Okay enough!" shouted Jeremy. "It doesn't matter who did or didn't do it. We need to work out a way of lifting this lockdown."

"Can we start by turning that stupid music off?!" Bonnie yelled from the hall.

Clyde ambled around the glade of trees that surrounded the house. The sun was starting to lower in the sky, brushing against the edge of the horizon. They'd really been at it down there for some time. How much longer did they need? Well, they didn't need him for anything so it wasn't like it mattered.

Funny how things worked out. One moment, that Holland lady only saw them behind tinted glass and what she read in her notes. The next, she was all gung-ho for helping bring down what she'd helped build. He'd be lying if he said he liked it, but if they needed her to get Vevina and Billy back, he could deal with it.

The thought of his friends brought a pang in his chest. Yeah, that was another thing. Holland was part of the reason they weren't here. Sure, Jeremy and Mike would have been in danger if they stayed but it also just happened to involve saving her own skin too. Okay, so he'd done something similar not too long ago but that had been his chance to make things right. And she'd taken it away…

He was brought out of his reverie when he tripped over something. He only just stopped himself falling.

"Watch where you're going, you bloody nitwit!"

"Huh? Oh great." He groaned at the sight leaning against one of the trees. "Of all the people I run into while I'm out here, it had to be you."

"Believe me, the feeling is mutual," muttered Theodore. "Now if you're quite finished disturbing what little peace I've been able to find?"

"Hey, I'm already going. See you around."

"Wait." Theodore's call made Clyde stop in place. "I… apologise, Clyde. That was… rather rude of me."

"Wow. Okay." Clyde hesitated. "You know, still getting used to this whole 'you apologising' thing."

"You're not the only one." He cleared his throat. "You… may join me if you wish."

Clyde laughed awkwardly. "Okay, okay, you don't have to lay it on that thick. You said sorry, now stop before you do yourself an injury."

"Yes, thank you for ruining the sincerity of my offer."

"That was sincere?"

The two stared at each other for a moment, then chuckled a bit. Surprisingly, Clyde found himself lying down next to him on the grass.

"Still got those files?"

"No, I left them back at the house. I wanted to try and take my mind off things for a moment, thought I'd come out here. I had a rather nice walk this morning, you know. It's a very pleasant environment out here."

"Yeah, it is pretty nice I guess."

"Hmm. That and it was difficult not to feel superfluous back there. Everybody else seemed occupied with one thing or another, I felt rather like a spare part."

"Hey, at least you did something useful," murmured Clyde.

Theodore looked around at him. "How do you mean?"

"Nothing. Doesn't matter."

He fell back onto the grass, staring up at the sky through the trees. Theodore was right. It was pretty peaceful. But even with this, he couldn't stop thinking about…

"Clyde? Are… are you alright?"

Clyde had to take a moment to process the question. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with Theodore?"

"It's a simple enough question!"

"Yeah, but coming from you..." He stared up at a passing cloud. "Do you think we have a shot at saving them? I mean, we're not exactly the A-material of our two groups. Especially not…"

Especially not himself. He couldn't finish that sentence. He knew Theodore would only be too quick to agree with him and he didn't want to hear it right now. But he was once again surprised.

"You don't need to be so hard on yourself, Clyde."

He glanced at Theodore. "Why, because that's your job?"

"No, that isn't…!" He sighed and pinched his brow. "Bloody hell, try to be nice and this is what I get."

"Alright, sorry." Clyde raised himself up to look properly at Theodore. "You're being serious?"

"Completely. Look, I won't be the first to deny that you're something of a… well, you know well enough," he muttered. "But I would be remiss if I didn't admit that I wasn't something of a uh… a pompous oaf."

For once, Clyde found himself speechless. But Theodore wasn't finished.

"It was a difficult situation that we found ourselves in, when the Puppet was… still in charge. We all tried coping in the best ways we could and perhaps, some of those coping mechanisms were rather… damaging. In addition to what all went through at the Puppet's hands, there is the… the issue of what we put… one another through." If it wasn't for Clyde's hearing, he didn't think he'd actually heard the next words. "I'm… I'm sorry for what I've put you through, Clyde. For what Vevina had to suffer… because of me."

Theodore shifted on his spot by the tree, resolutely staring straight ahead. He couldn't see his face from where he lay on the grass, but Clyde felt like he didn't need to.

"Yeah," he said after a while. "I… I guess I'm sorry too. What brought this on?"

Theodore barked a laugh. "What else? This utter insanity we've found ourselves in. Given some perspective, old grudges seem rather small in comparison."

Clyde laughed as well. "All it took was a crazy AI out to kill the world. I mean, besides the other crazy AI who called us his Toys, without any irony."

"Yes, rather." He chuckled again. "Good lord, I wasn't expecting to talk about this tonight."

"Like you said, feeling's mutual." Clyde came over and patted Theodore's shoulder. "Come on. It's getting dark, so we'd better…" He paused. "Hey, do you hear something?"

The dark was truly creeping in now. It brought with it the sounds of the wind blowing through the trees, the leaves rustling in the breeze. But there was another sound. Regular. Soft, yet heavy. Footsteps.

"What is it?" asked Theodore.

"Something's out there," he answered in a low voice.

"A-Another person perhaps?"

"I don't think so. Get up. Slowly."

Theodore did what he said. Clyde strained his ears to listen. Even with his hearing, it was hard to determine exactly where it was. With no streetlights and the stars obscured overhead, the only light came from the house. Even for a synthetic, the darkness was oppressive.

Then he heard it. It was faint, but it was there. Growling. Guttural and feral. A glance at Theodore told Clyde he'd heard it too.

"Clyde?" whispered Theodore. "I think we had best be getting back to the-"

A piercing roar echoed in the dark as something lunged from the shadows, right at Theodore.

"So, you and my sis are datin', right?" Hermana asked Mike from the couch she lay on.

"Huh?" Mike looked up from his armchair. "Uh yeah. Why?"

"Okay, I gotta know…" She leaned in like she was going to tell a secret. "How'd you do it? Like, how'd you to wind up together?"

"Um…" Mike took a moment to think of how to word this. "Uh… well, it was really up and down for a lot of it. But really, most of it was just talking to each other and spending time together."

"Really? You didn't need to lay on the moves or anythin' like that?"

"Hermy, I don't have any moves to lay on. It just kind of happened in the end. Look, I'm sure if you just talk to Foxy, he'll-"

"Foxy? Nah, I'm over him. I know somebody else that's got their eye on him and I'm not steppin' on their toes."

"What? Who-?"

"Uh-uh, I ain't tellin', that's their business." She tapped the side of her nose. "Actually, I was just startin' to think… Bon's actually really nice and she's pretty cute."

Mike blinked in surprise. "Wow. Uh… Bonnie. Really?"

"Yeah, why not? You think I've gotta shot?"

"Well…" Mike once again had to think about it. "Okay, so Bonnie's pretty cagey when it comes to how she feels about, well, anything really. No offence but you can be uh… well…"

"Much?" Hermana giggled. "It's okay, I know all that and I get that she's a little wound-up. But under all that, she cares, y'know?"

Mike nodded. "Yeah, I do know. Well, all I can say is don't come at her all at once. Bring it up in passing, put the idea in her head and let her come around. I mean, she usually doesn't like the idea of romance but there's a first time for everything."

"That sounds great! Okay, I'll do all that. Thanks Mike, you're a real sweetheart." She smiled slyly. "I can see why Chica likes ya."

Mike felt a blush come to his own cheeks. He was about to add something else when Clyde suddenly burst through the front door.

"There's something out there!" he cried.

"What?" Mike stood up to meet him. "What's out there?"

"I… I didn't see. Whatever it was, it was big. I-It got Ted. We were out in the glades when…" He whipped his head to the side. "I can hear it. It's moving out there!"

Hermana glanced at Mike. He could see his growing fear reflected back in her eyes, but she crept to the door. He stood behind her, peering over her shoulder. The lights from the house were the single bright beacon in the encroaching darkness all around them. Even with that, he could only just make out the silhouettes of the trees.

The night air was still. A chill crept in through the door, sending a shiver down Mike's spine. He strained his ears and eyes to listen for something, anything. But the darkness remained impenetrable.

"I can't see anythin'," whispered Hermana. "Geeze it's dark out."

"I'll go grab a flashlight," he told them.

He hurried into the kitchen and rooted around in the drawers, finding one amongst some other tools. Big and bright, plus it worked. He had just turned it on to test it when the lights in the house suddenly turned off. He flicked the nearest switch. Nothing. Completely dead.

"What's happenin'?" Hermana's voice was trembling. "I can barely see!"

"It's him. H-He's found us." Clyde's eyes were darting fearfully around the room.

"Who? Hawthorne?"

But the moment the words left Mike's mouth, he realised that didn't make sense. With all the bots at his beck and call, why would Sid resort to something like this? Same with Spring, he'd come in with fanfare. Which could only mean…

"The Puppet." Just the word sent another shiver down his back. "Okay, we can't go out there. We need to stay inside."

"But what about Ted?! We can't just leave him out there!"

"It's too late, it already got him. Mike's right, w-we need to stay here."

"Why did ya just leave him, Clyde? Why did ya just leave him?!"

"There was nothing I could do! He was already-!"

"Clyde! Hermana! Are you there?" Theodore's voice came from the dark outside. "I'm afraid I can't see anything. Where are you?"

"Ted. Ted!" Hermana shouted. "We're just here, Ted! Come on, we're-!"

Clyde clamped his hand over her mouth. "What are you doing?! He's probably under the Puppet's control again!"

While Hermana's yelling was muffled by Clyde's hand, Mike turned the flashlight beam outside. He moved it slowly across the front drive. He tried to control his breathing, feeling his heart beating against his chest. Still no sign of anything.

Wait, a shadow. He centred the flashlight on it. It was only one of the trees. The wind blew a little harder, causing its branches and leaves to rustle like a rattlesnake. The sound was amplified across all of them. He swallowed hard and started looking again. He moved the beam towards the roots…

There! A shoe! A well-polished black shoe. Theodore was partially concealed by the tree he stood behind. His head was lowered. Mike couldn't see his eyes.

"Ah, Michael. You've found me." He stepped out, making his way towards them. "My thanks to you, my good man. I was terribly frightened."

Mike didn't think he sounded like it. In fact, his voice sounded almost devoid of any emotion. The way he was walking was also very heavy, very deliberate. Eyes adjusting to the dark, he could just make out Hermana and Clyde's faces. Both of them looked terrified.

Clyde made eye contact with him. "Mike, get inside and shut the door. Now."

"Wait, don't go," Theodore called out. "I hope you don't mind, but I've brought along some friends. They'd very much like to see us."

That was when Mike something else behind Theodore, floating above his head. Two, red pinpricks in the dark. Just like eyes. Instinctively, Mike moved the torch beam to the red dots. He had to hold back a scream.

Eyes. Red eyes. Red eyes and teeth. Rows and rows of pointed, massive teeth in a jaw that could swallow him whole. A jaw that was opening to do just that!

Clyde slammed the door shut on the horror and locked it.

"Okay, no way that's going to hold it," he said. "W-We need to put some stuff against it, move the couches, anything!"

"Oh gawd, oh gawd!" Hermana screamed. "What was that thing?!"

"I don't know, it's what got Ted and it's going to get us if it gets in here!" Clyde had already moved an armchair to barricade the door. "We need to get downstairs and fast!"

They hurried into the garage. There was a loud crack of splintering wood behind them. Mike shut the door and tried to activate the lift. No power to that either. He went to use the service ladder, but a metal hatch had closed over it. It wouldn't budge.

"Guys! Guys, can you hear us?!" Mike banged on the hatch. "Let us in! It's the Puppet, it's here!"

A metallic thud echoed in the garage. The shutter door had dented. A second later, metal fingers sharp like daggers pierced through the centre. They grasped the edges of the tear, ripping it open like it was nothing but paper.

"It's gettin' in!" Hermana moved Mike aside, trying to lift open the hatch. "I can't move it! Come on, open!"

Clyde went to help, but before they could try a combined effort, the metal tearing stopped. A low, guttural growl came from the door. Dreading what they would see, all eyes turned.

It looked like Bonnie. Rather, it looked like Bonnie's animatronic suit. But this was much larger, towering over them, its ears nearly scraping the ceiling. The suit it wore was frayed, like the material had rotted and been eaten away. It flexed its claws on the end its giant hands, large enough to crush Mike's head between them like a grape. The growl became a snarl from the depths of its teeth-filled jaw, eyes burning with feral anger.

"Back through the house!" Clyde yelled.

Hermana looked alarmed. "B-But Ted's in there!"

"I'd rather fight him than this thing, now go!"

Clyde had already wrenched open the door and hurried back inside. Mike followed, just in time to see him punch Theodore and send him sprawling. His eyes were only tiny white pinpricks, his expression blank.

A scream made Mike turn his head. The nightmarish visage of Bonnie had grabbed Hermana by her hair. She tried to pull herself free, her fists hammering on its hands but it was already dragging her away. Mike reached out uselessly, held in place with fear.

He looked around. Clyde and Theodore were caught up in their brawl. That thing was right behind him. Hermana was gone and everyone else probably didn't know what was happening. He needed to get out. Maybe he could slip out the front door, hide in the glade outside or even climb a tree. What else could he do?

He ran around the fighting synths, making a break for the door. He froze. The Puppet stood in the doorway. Its tiny white eyes scanned the piercing darkness, finding Mike. It laughed that recorded, mocking laughter it did. His mind racing, Mike backed away and up the stairs. He immediately cursed his decision, but what else could he do?

He dashed down the end of the corridor. He could hear Theodore and Clyde fighting, Hermana's faint cries and the Puppet's laughter. He ran into Fred's bedroom, pushing the window up and open. He cursed when he leaned his head out and saw the drop below. From this height, it was an even chance of landing safely or spraining his leg or foot. Worse, possibly breaking them.

He ran back into the corridor and stopped. Were those footsteps? They were heavy, the floor trembling slightly with each one. Even in the dark, he could see its massive form. Terror gripped Mike's throat. He had to hide.

His hand fumbling, he opened the closest door. The kid's room. Great, hiding from a monster in a children's bedroom, could this get any better? But he'd left the door to the other room ajar and the window open. Maybe it would see that, give him a chance to get back downstairs. Then…

The footsteps were getting closer. Breathing heavily, he saw the bed and the closet. Either of them would be a good hiding place. But which one? Growling came from the corridor, he held in a whimper. Making a snap decision, he crawled under the bed, making sure he could see the door from where he lay.

Pressed low to the ground, Mike paused to listen. The footsteps had stopped. The low growling hadn't. He could faintly hear it, just beyond the door. Please go in the other room, he begged silently. Please, please go in there.

The door to the kid's room opened. Mike could only watch as the monster's feet stepped over the threshold.

Theodore caught Clyde's kick and sent him spinning into the coffee table. It broke on impact and Clyde scrambled away before getting back to his feet.

"You left me," said Theodore in his blank voice. "You ran away again. Just like you always do."

Clyde tried to feint a kick to Theodore's side, but he messed up the timing. He yelped when Theodore grabbed his leg and punched him in the gut, doubling him over.

"You left the others as well. You left her alone again." Theodore grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt, hoisting him up. "Did you even try before you fled for your life?"

"I… I did!" Clyde pushed against Theodore's stomach, kicking him across the jaw and backing away. "It wasn't my fault!"

"Is that what you tell yourself?" Theodore wiped the stray blue fluid from his jaw. "The justifications of a coward."

Clyde backed away. He couldn't fight him in here, it was too confined. If he could just get outside. He started to back out towards the garage exit. His ears detected movement behind him. He turned but Hermana was already tackling him. He was forced back, restrained by Theodore's powerful arms a moment later.

"You left me as well." Hermana had lost her accent, her eyes the same as Theodore's. "Left me to this. Delaying the inevitable."

"No, no!" He tried to break free, but it was no use. "Guys, I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean-!"

"It doesn't matter what you meant," they said in unison. "It has happened. And now, it is your turn."

Theodore forced him to turn. Clyde felt himself go limp. Long fingers crept around the side of his head. Something ice cold pressed against it, a feeling he was all too familiar and afraid of.

That mask filled his vision and it wouldn't be long before it filled his mind as well. Clyde could feel it already. It wouldn't be long now…

Fate-Be Changed: Well okay then XD

Arc of Carona: Have fun XD

Yellowscar1: Hopefully he will.