Sorry for the month wait. I keep a writing schedule for my stories and I was having computer trouble during the week I was supposed to write this last time and by the time I finally got things fixed I missed by deadline and decided to just skip it that week in order not to delay the releases of my other stories. Sorry for the delay but I hope this chapter is worth the wait.
The next day Scarlett showed off the weapon features of the Falcona Mach I to Satin and Chenille. With the suit being able to to fly the two twins set up a outdoor testing ground with dummies and lined up in inside a small fence. Pressing a button on the wrist gauntlets the Falcona mach I flew high in the air, Satin and Chenille could barely see Scarlett due to how high in the sky she was. Despite her altitude though Scarlett could see everything easily. The helmet in the suit had specialized goggles that allowed her to zoom in on her targets. Zooming in on the first dummy she fired, blowing the dummy up into flames. She did the same thing again and again to each dummy. Each one getting blown to bits as Scarlett fired rocket after rocket at her helpless targets.
As soon as the rocket launcher emptied Scarlett fired a smaller rocket out of her wrist that knocked one dummy into a group of a dozen others. Finally Scarlett showed off the final part of her creations. Slots in her shoulder pads opening up Scarlett fired multiple rockets at once at the remaining dummies. The dummies laid in a pile of flames on the ground, creating a small bonfire where they stood.
Returning to land Scarlett walked up to her bosses, both who shared a very impressed look on their faces.
"Not bad," Chenille replied "Me like what I see so far. But I need to see what it could do against a target that could actually fight back before I approve it to be sent to the market place. Go ahead and break for lunch and I will have the next testing session ready for you when you get back."
"If you don't mind me asking," Scarlett replied. She couldn't get the images she saw yesterday out of her mind. She didn't want to believe that her boss was dealing to the Raptor's but there was no denying what she saw on the screen yesterday. "Who buys all the weapons that I make?"
"Why is this so important?" Chenille asked firmly, not liking Scarlett's sudden interest in where her products go.
"I saw on the news yesterday of a Raptor's attack, and I specifically noticed they were using my products. The sentry turret, my photon projector as well as my photon barrier were all being used to lay waste to a city. I want to believe they were just stolen and that you didn't sell my weapons to those terrorist, but I have to make sure. So don't fire me for asking this. Did you intentionally sell my products to the Raptors?"
"No!" Both Satin and Chenille sternly denied.
"Then how did they get their hands on it?"
"I don't know? You think I am the one that decides who the products are sold to? I have people who rank over me. All I do is show the finished projects and footage to my superior, they go hold a big action and the highest bidder shows up here to pay for the product after we make hundreds of copies after them. I am never told the name of the company who buys them."
"Who is your superior? I would like to speak to him or her?"
"I can't give you that." Satin replied.
"These are my products ending up in the hands of terrorist!"
"I am forbidden to tell you or I lose my job. He is sworn to secrecy. I cannot even give you a name or else I will get fired. I'm sorry."
Scarlett knew they where hiding something. It was the tone of their voice that gave it away. It wasn't anger, more like fear. Satin and Chenille was scared of whoever it was that sold the products.
All through lunch she couldn't get the feeling out of her head. Who is it that makes the sell calls? Who is Satin and Chenille afraid of, and what did that person do to them to make them afraid? Not even the delicious taste of Scarlett's favorite lunch, a barley salad with feta, scallions, pistachios, raisins, and pomegranate seeds with pomegranate dressing could calm her nerves. This new suit of hers was the most powerful thing she ever created. If it got in the hands of the Raptor, then god help them all.
Scarlett was lucky that she spent the rest of the day testing out her suit, because the helmet as well as being several hundred feet in the air was thankfully enough to mask the uneasy feeling she was going through.
"Okay Scarlett, this time we are going to have these automated machine guns fire live rounds at you." Satin spoke "They aren't going to be powerful enough to kill you but they are going to sting like hell so do not get hit with them. This is to see how good the suit holds up when under attack.
"Bring it," Scarlett flew high into the air as Satin and Chenille activated the nearly twenty automated machine guns. Scarlett definitely had to move around more in order to avoid getting hit with the bullets, but thankfully the Falcona Mach I was able to fly at more than sixty miles an hour, more than enough to avoid the machine guns firing at her. Just like before with the dummies Scarlett was able to blast the machine guns to pieces easily with a single rocket. She had to take time after each hit this time though because with live ammo being fired at her she couldn't stay in one place for very long. Thankfully though after about thirty minutes Scarlett blasted the final gun and landed without a single bullet hole in the suit.
"Not bad," Chenille replied "I would love for the suit to be a little faster though. Can you increase the maximum speed from sixty to eighty degrees?"
"I made it a maximum of sixty for safety reasons. The faster the top speed the harder it is to maneuver in difficult situations."
"I know but the faster the suit the easier it is to escape in case the pilot is in a life or death situation. I believe at eighty the pilot can still be able to safely maneuver the suit without endangering him or her self. But we can work on the tweaking another time, right now I want to see how much damage this suit can handle. Meet me in the danger room ASAP.
The danger room was were they tested the toughness of any weaponized suit. The Falcona Mach I was placed on a mannequin that was sitting on a Conveyor belt in between a big thick sheet of see through glass then rolled out to a big pile of explosives. Satin and Chenille as well as Scarlett watched from a safe distance as the Falcona Mach I was blasted with over thirty pounds of dynamite but the suit remained in tact. Next they tried sixty pounds of dynamite, again the suit remained intact. Finally after ninety pounds of explosives the suit finally shown signs of damage and was completely destroyed only after a hundred and twenty pounds of dynamite.
"Damn." The twins said together at how much impact the suit could take. "You have really outdone yourself this time Scarlett."
"I know," Scarlett replied to herself. That was the problem though. She did outdo herself, so well that if this got in the hands of the Raptors, then the Watchdogs, and the world was doomed.
Scarlett didn't take the tram home. She had to much on her mind, and she wouldn't get it all figured out by the time the tram got her home. She loved the Falcona Mach I more then any thing she had ever created, she loved it to much to let those scoundrels Raptors get their evil hands on it. But was it just a mistake that the Raptors had them? Was her creations actually handed out to honest people but apprehended by the Raptors by force? If that was the case though and her job was innocent of any wrong doing then why was Satin and Chenille so nervous when she asked them questions? That was the part that was bugging her the most. The two of them sounded uneasy with Scarlett's questioning. Did they know something but was to fearful for their lives to tell her?
She was so lost in thought that she didn't realize until she heard the sound of metal beating on metal that she had approached the house of the girl she saw yesterday working on a robot. The robot was even bigger up close, at least three times the size of both of them. Curious Scarlett approached the girl, wondering just why a young preteen girl would risk getting into trouble with the law to build a robot.
"You know robots have been outlawed right?" Scarlett asked walking into the girls workshop. The girl's back was turned when Scarlett spoke which in turn caused her to jump in horror and turn around and instantly get very defensive.
"Wait, please, I can explain everything. I'm just a kid, don't arrest me."
"Oh please, I'm not a cop." Scarlett replied with a chuckle. "But I will say you might want to keep your workshop door closed. A robot this big is bound to be spotted by someone actually in the law enforcement eventually."
"Sorry," the young girl replied "It's just I don't have any electricity in this workshop so I have been forced to leave the door open just to have any light to see. The name's Harper by the way."
"Scarlett," Scarlett shook Harper's hand. "So you have built this whole thing, by yourself with no electricity?"
"Just with a hammer, screwdriver and a whole bunch of other hand held tools. Painted the whole thing myself too." Harper pointed to her clothes and body which was covered in paint. "As you might tell."
"Does look like you did have a little bit of trouble," Scarlett laughed "So I got to ask the obvious question. Why are you building something that you know is illegal?"
"Ever since I was little my parents told me stories of the Watchdogs, how they were the greatest heroes to ever be formed."
"My mother told me stories about them as well."
"My parents told me that even after they were disbanded their were heroes like Branch that never gave up pursuing justice. They would do what was right no matter what the consequences might be."
"Is that why you are building this robot?" Scarlett looked at the big four legged robot
"Yes," Harper replied "I believe that the robots aren't the threat that the world think they are. They are being controlled, forced to do things against their will. My parents told me that robots and humans used to live together in harmony. I believe they can be that way again. That's why I have built Cooper here. If he can show the world that robot's aren't what they think they are then maybe there can be at least a chance that the two can finally make peace and live together as one again."
"I have a question though," The Raptors hacked into the robot's and took control of their mind. What would keep the Raptors from hacking into Cooper?"
"Egypt is one of the most technologically advanced country in the world. Vishkar made a computer chip that is one hundred percent hack proof."
"I know," Scarlett replied "I work for Vishkar I am familiar with that chip."
"Cooper mind is ran through that chip. The Raptors will have no way to hack into him."
"You have everything planned out do you?"
"I do," Harper gloated "Now, you want to meet Cooper?"
"I would love too."
Harper pressed a button and suddenly Cooper's eyes lit up, he looked down and nearly jumped back as he screamed.
"Threat detected, home intruder, home intruder."
"Cooper relax," Harper got in between Cooper and Scarlett, putting her hands out to defend her knew friend. "She's a friend. Cooper I would like you to meet Scarlett."
Cooper calmed down and suddenly his face lit up. "Pleased to meet you Scarlett." Suddenly Cooper's eyes lit up as his eyes scanned Scarlett's entire body. "Wait a second, my scanners indicate your DNA and facial features are a ninety percent match between that of Strike Commander Branch and Caption Poppy of the Watchdogs."
"Retired Captain Poppy," Scarlett corrected "And you would be correct. I am their daughter."
Both Harper and Cooper gasped before letting out a scream "Your Branch's and Poppy's daughter? Oh my God this is the best thing ever!"
"Yes I know, pretty surprising."
"I am their biggest fans. I mean the way they just rushed into action during the robot and human war was something out of this world. You should see my room, it is decked out in tons of Watchdog merchandise. And I have every episode of the old Watchdogs cartoon."
"There was a Watchdog's cartoon?"
Cooper and Harper gasped again. "You are Branch and Poppy's daughter and you never knew?"
"They never spoke of it."
Harper dropped her tools and grabbed Scarlett by the arm. "Come with me, I am going to get you educated."
Scarlett was educated all right, she was educated about how unrealistic and unfaithful the cartoon was to the actual Watchdogs. Scarlett spent the next several hours with her jaw to the floor as she watched the fictionalized version of her parents and comrades embark in some of the most campiest adventures she has ever seen.
"I can see why they never told me about this," Scarlett replied "They must have been so offended."
"Okay so it's not the most realistic but the studio wanted to keep it for the kids so they decided to make their adventures more silly and fun."
"I understand but did they have to make it so cheesy? I mean my parents would never break out in a song and dance number in order to escape a group of man eating giants. And I'm pretty sure Mr. Peabody never time traveled to the days of ancient Egypt. I mean, is time trial even will? Did they even once battle robots in this show?"
"The studio didn't want to offend the robot viewers so they kept the war with the robots out."
"But's that's the sole reason why the Watchdogs was formed!"
"Hey it might not be accurate but it's fun. And isn't that what counts at the end."
"I guess," Suddenly an idea popped in Scarlett's head.
"Hey how would you and Cooper like to go on your own Watchdog adventure?"
"Keep talking."
"I mean, I know I'm not officially a Watchdog but being the daughter of the two highest ranked members it counts right?"
"Right."
"Okay so here's the thing. I think the head of Vishkar might be working for the Raptors, can Cooper hack into a computer system and find out for sure."
"Well considering all robots are part computer sure, but may I ask why first?"
"Some of my weapons have ended up in the Raptor's hands. I need to find out why, and how to stop it."
"You are asking me and Cooper to break into a highly secured, highly respected business and look up classified information? What we will be doing is highly illegal."
"You said yourself that Watchdogs weren't afraid of doing what was right no matter the risks. Isn't that why you built Cooper?"
"Well yes."
"Well then, I need you to risk everything to do what is right again."
"What if you are wrong? If you are wrong and we get caught they will destroy Cooper."
"I will not let that happen." Scarlett put her hands on Harper's shoulders, and lowered herself to her level. "Do you trust me?"
"You are the daughter of my heroes. I will always trust you."
"Then there is no need to be afraid."
Harper was still nervous but this type of mission was exactly why she built Cooper in the first place. "I'll do it."
On the other side of the city Satin and Chenille stood in the middle of a dark alley, the two of them looked scared and uneasy as a big muscular man with long dreads approached her.
"I assume you have my next weapon ready?"
"It will be up for sell soon, it just needs a few tweaks and it will be ready."
"I want it within forty eight hours and not a hour later, you understand?"
"Please, I am trying my best."
"I know," The man pulled out a brief case and pulled out a syringe and handed it to Chenille. "And since I am in a good mood I will still give you a small shipment of the cure. But if you want a bigger shipment, you must give me what I want."
Chenille fumbled the syringe before injecting herself and Satin with it. "Why are you making us do this Drago? People are dying because of what you do."
"You came to me for help with your disease." Drago grabbed Chenille and ripped off her prosthetic arm with so much force that both the twins fell to the floor. "It was eating you away, you would be dead if it wasn't for me."
"I wouldn't have the disease if you didn't inject me with it either." Satin snapped.
Drago growled and placed his foot on Satin's hand and pressed down, forcing her to scream. "I am the sole reason you are alive right now. If you want me to keep it that way you will talk to me with respect and do what I want, otherwise I will let the disease eat you away until you are nothing but a pile of bones on the floor. You got me?"
The two twins laid on the ground and sobbed as they nodded in understanding.
"Good. Have my next weapon for me in two days. Otherwise, there will be a new management position opened at Vishkar due to the previous one's unfortunate death."
Drago disappeared in the shadows leaving the twins laying on the ground sobbing, unable to find their way out of this situation.
And now Harper and Cooper have finally entered the picture. And for those unfamiliar with the source material this is based off of Cooper and Harper are based off the characters Orisa and Efi. Efi was a young preteen girl that built a giant robot to protect her city when Talon attacked her home. There was a book that just came out called "The Hero of Numbani" that focused on them two that I really took a lot from when building their character (no pun intended).
Till next time.