Chapter 14:
Markus was unsure how much time had passed. He just knew one minute he was stuck in some kind of nightmare where he was stuck in some bloody prison with both of his legs cut off and the next moment someone had come in from the left side of his vision.
"About time you showed up," a raspy voice said from his left.
"I see they took away your limbs."
"That's nothing compared to what they did to Markus."
Was he hallucinating? As the figure in front of him drew closer, Markus could make out soft features. A woman with red hair and soft brown eyes glanced down at him. She was wearing a green capris, a black shirt and a gunholster vest that looked like it contained a lot of guns.
The way her clothing hugged her body was something straight out of a wet dream. She was a curvy woman with a decent rack. Was she trying to seduce him?
He wouldn't mind even if she was the last thing he saw before he died.
The woman looked at him, her left brow raised in concern.
"Hey old timer, is he still alive?"
"He's been out of it for a while. I don't think he'll last another day if he remains here."
Another man walked up to him. Unlike the sultry nature of the woman, the man in front of him made his heart beat quickly. It wasn't infatuation like with the woman, Markus felt uncomfortable like something was piercing his heart as blue eyes looked at him with grave concern and a sullen smile.
A feeling of reality washed over him as the man gazed at him softly and compassionately.
"Markus?"
The voice sounded like it was being spoken underwater.
"Markus, you got to stay awake."
The man turned towards the woman.
"North, we got to get him out of here."
"On it. Y'know I think I might have found the android's legs."
"Good, with another pair of hands we might just get out of here one piece."
He glanced back down at Markus.
Markus noticed he once again avoided his eyes.
"Looks like they cut it at the joint. That's good at least."
"Oh my they even got you rigged with equipment?" North asked with amusement.
"Don't act so surprised," a raspy voice replied from the left of Markus.
"I knew they programmed them in domestic models but I didn't think Cyberlife would program it in old models. What are you going to do, hitch it up with an old lady or something?"
"Don't just stand there, hand me some pants."
Minutes passed and an old man was seen at the corner of his vision.
The man in front of him turned towards him.
"He's stable for the most part so we should be able to haul him out of here. We can't afford to jostle him to much though."
"That shouldn't be a problem."
"North, hand him one of your guns."
The woman from before handed Carl one of the guns she took from her vest.
"You do know how to use a gun right?" North asked.
"I was programmed with every function from the previous models. Of course I know how to use a gun," Carl snapped.
"North, help me out here," the man said.
Markus felt him grab his arm and sling it over his shoulder at around the same time the woman proceeded to do the same thing.
It was then he was beginning to hear sounds coming from the first floor.
The three reached a window on the left side and the man gestured to Carl to take his place.
"I got to get the rope."
He crawled out the window and minutes later returned with it. Markus saw him tie it to the bed post inside before throwing the rest out of the window.
He scooted the bed closer to the window.
"That should be enough slack to get us out of here."
The man replaced Carl at his side.
"Carl you go on ahead of us and wait and we'll hand you Markus."
Carl stepped outside the window grabbing the rope and carefully turning around. He tied some of the rope around his waist to keep him steady.
Carl reached out and Markus released his hold on the other man's shoulder to grab it.
The old man pulled him in around the waist keeping a hold on him effortlessly.
North and Simon joined him on the roof.
"North should climb down first in case we run into trouble," Simon supplied.
With that North climbed down the rope. The slack was a little off the ground but North jumped it.
"North, can you toss me the other end of the rope."
North tossed the rope on the ground towards the roof and Carl stopped it with his feet. Simon managed to grab it reeling it in until he was holding the part just where Carl was tied.
He went back inside and loosened the rope on the bedpost grabbing the ends of it before tossing it outside.
"I'm going to ease you two down carefully," Simon said.
Slowly Simon eased them down the roof. When they reached near the ground, North untied the slack around Carl's waist.
"We're good, Simon."
After closing the window, Simon inched to the end of the roof replacing where the rope had been tied. He joined up with the three minutes later.
It was short lived however as Markus saw a blurry couple walk towards them slowly becoming clearer as they ran closer to them.
They fired a gun.
'Sh-t," North muttered under her breath. "I knew this was not a good idea. We're like sitting ducks here."
Suddenly gunfire rang out from the right and the couple seemed to fumble with something before they charged forward.
Josh ran towards them from the right.
"You four looked like you were in a pickle. Lucky you gave me that gun."
"Don't make me regret it," North hissed.
Suddenly a guy ran up to Carl and Markus before Simon stepped in punching him across the face and kicking him in the chest.
The woman who was accompanying him lunged at North with a knife.
North grabbed her wrist pulling her in as she punched her in the stomach before doing a roundhouse kick with her left leg sending the woman tumbling to the right.
"Holy sh-t."
She got her gun from her vest pointing it at the woman.
"Name one reason why we shouldn't put a bullet in your heads?"
"Look we were only following the orders of our owner," the guy said.
"Please don't kill us. We don't want to die," the woman pleaded.
"What did he have you do?" Simon asked.
"We were trying to gather food for him. He barely gets by on food as it is. So we hunt for him."
"Hunt for humans you mean?" North inquired angrily.
"It's not like we could just buy food from the city. The moment they realize we're registered to a criminal they wouldn't sell us anything."
"So you hunt humans?"
"Yeah, under the orders of our owner."
"Your androids?" Simon asked.
The two nodded.
"You have a free will. You didn't have to listen to your owner," North said. "You chose to."
She gazed at them angrily cocking her gun.
"Please..."
"How many did you kill?" she asked.
"Alot. The first time, the person was in a lot of pain and we didn't know how to make it last but we got better in time."
"Lucky for us. I suppose you are the one who took care of my friend while he was out for the count?"
"We didn't want him dead. We don't kill anyone unless it's a last resort," the guy supplied.
Simon smiled pensively.
"Good. If we let you go will you leave us be?"
"Yeah, yeah."
"You promise?"
"Yes."
"North, let them go."
She hesitated, glaring at the woman.
"North..."
"Fine," she hissed.
With that the two hurried off and ran off.
"You're too soft, Simon," North said.
"You're too harsh, North."
"Do you really think they're going to stop at him?" she asked. "You know as well as I do that those deviants don't regret a thing. If it means protecting the one they love, they'll kill again."
"They are trying to survive like everyone here," Simon said. "You kill them what point would you be trying to prove? The good outlaws evil?"
"I want justice."
Simon sighed.
"In a way this is justice. I wouldn't want to live in a world where I'd have to resort to killing humans for food."
"What are you going to do about those two?" North asked glancing at Carl and Markus.
"We can't afford to take them to the hospital to care for them."
"Why?"
"Cyberlife already has them in their sights. That old man used to work with Kamski himself."
"Sh-t."
Just then Markus heard loud barks coming from the left.
"Tiny, calm down."
He heard Simon unbinding something just as Markus heard gunshots. The sound of fast footsteps came from behind him.
"What the-" Simon stammered. "Kara what are you doing here?"
A young blonde short haired woman alongside a brown skinned man with blond hair and a small blonde haired child ran up to them.
"We don't have time for that. Someone just shot at us. We gotta get out of here."
"Okay then follow me."
Everyone ran until they were out of the range of the house before they slowed down.
"So how do you know me?" Kara asked.
"I was a nurse working at the Detroit Hospital," Simon said.
"So you're Simon then?"
"Yeah, so why are you three out here?"
"Um..."
"You're also running from Cyberlife aren't you?" he asked.
"How did you-?" The blonde asked.
"You wouldn't be here otherwise. Is that your child?"
"No, her father gave her up to me to protect her."
Simon glanced at Kara with confusion.
"Why were they after the little girl?"
"It's a long story."
"What's her name?"
"Her name's Alice."
Alice reached down and pet the pitbull beside him.
Simon glanced at the tall brown skinned guy next to her.
"And who's this guy?"
Kara glanced at him. He was scowling, glaring at Simon.
"Oh that's Luther."
Simon caught his murderous gaze and smiled smugly.
"Pleased to meet you," he said.
Eventually the eight made it to Jericho. Simon took some keys from his pocket and opened the doors of the front entrance.
"I didn't know there was two entrances," Josh said.
"Well we don't really let anyone in through this entrance," Simon said.
The eight walked down a long narrow hall until they reached a winding door.
He knocked.
"It's me, Simon."
"Password."
"Hot horny sex."
"Codeword."
"There is no codeword."
"Who's with you?"
"Me, North and Tiny. I also brought company."
Just then the door opened revealing another blond haired man from inside. He was pointing a gun at them but he held it down when he realized it was Simon.
"Come quickly," Simon told everyone behind him. "Kara, you three can find a seat anywhere. Carl, you and Josh come with me."
Kara, Luther and Alice broke off finding somewhere to sit. Carl and Josh diligently followed Simon who motioned them towards an empty bed set on the floor.
"Set him down here," Simon said.
Carl carefully set him down on the bed.
A brown skinned woman walked over to where Simon was.
"Good you're here."
"What happened while I was gone?"
"Paul passed away and I barely managed to stabilize Kimberly."
"It's a shame about Paul but you did good while I was gone. "
She glanced Markus.
"What happened to him?" she asked with concern.
"Got his legs cut off," Simon said.
"Looks like his eye is infected too."
"You think we could do something about his legs?" Simon asked.
"We'll have to wait at least a week before we give him any prosthetics," she said.
Simon smiled.
"See I knew i could count on you, Lucy."
A day had passed before Markus awoke.
Simon was glancing at him with a relieved smile.
"Looks like you made it through the night."
"Simon?"
He tried to get up but something held him down.
"You shouldn't move. You're still recovering from your injuries."
Markus glanced up and saw that the building had a high ceiling. Wherever he was, this definitely wasn't Carl's house.
He turned and saw Carl at his right side.
"Where are we?"
"This is Jericho."
"Why are we here?"
"You were captured by a cannibal and his two pet androids."
"I thought that was a dream."
"It'd probably be better if you thought of it that way."
Markus hissed.
"My legs really hurt."
"That's to be expected with phantom limb pain. Just relax," Simon said.
"P-phantom limb pain? Why didn't you call the hospital?" Markus asked.
"You lost both of your legs. You think I'd do that when Cyberlife is after you?"
He groaned reaching for the covers. Simon's hand stopped him.
"Don't."
"Oh, I forgot. I just wanted to see."
"Look just take it easy alright. You're in good hands," Simon said.
Later that day, somebody moved in the bed next to his.
"So why are you here for?" a soft voice inquired from next to him.
"Lost both of my legs," Markus supplied.
"You poor thing."
Markus was struck with curiosity.
"Why are you here for?" he inquired in return.
"I've been in here for a while. When they sent me here, it was for burglary. I've never regretted stealing a wallet in my life. Was getting around for a couple of days until some guys assaulted me and beat me until I was black and blue. I think afterwards they had intended to burn me along with the building. One of the leaders, North I think rescued me."
"What's your name?"
"Solomon, yours?"
"Markus."
"Well it was nice to meet you, Markus."
"You too."
"So what did you do before coming here?"
"Not much. Just did a little artwork in my spare time."
"You were an artist?"
"Yeah, before we got into big trouble."
"How much trouble are we talking?"
"My brother shot me in the eye after getting into a bit of a beef with my dad."
"Sounds like your brother should be the one here."
"Anyone to put a long story short, some men wanted me and my father kidnapped and Simon rescued us."
"That's nice of him."
"What did you like to do before you were sent here?"
"Didn't really do much. I wanted to be a rap artist but I never really got the money to move to LA so I dealt with drugs to get by."
"I'll love to hear it sometime."
A woman chuckled.
"I see Sleeping Beauty loves to make small talk."
Markus turned to the right and saw a familiar woman hovering over him.
"Who are you?"
"I'm North."
"Like the north star."
"No, just North. No need to overcomplicate it. I don't overcomplicate your name do I?"
"You can't do much with a name like Markus."
"You'd be surprised."
"Did Simon ask you to check up on me?"
"No, that was on my own free will. Did you not want to talk with a sexy girl at your bedside? I heard men would give anything for that kind of fantasy."
"I'll admit the idea has crossed my mind but this fantasy is missing a key component."
"Oh?" North asked. "What might that be?"
"You're not wearing the complimentary nurse's outfit so it totally ruined the fantasy."
North glanced at him as though he were crazy and then she snickered before bursting out in laughter.
"I don't see what's so funny."
"You just don't seem the type to admit to something like that. I mean men still have those kind of fantasies. Don't you think it's kind of cliche?"
"You're sexy so why does it matter?"
North felt her cheeks heat up as she chuckled.
"I could say the same thing about you, Marco Polo."
"So what kind of establishment are you running here? Doesn't look like an anti-cyberlife settlement to me. It looks like you all are running some kind of hospital or outreach here."
"Simon thought it might be something productive to do with the empty building. When he isn't tending to the people here, he's gathering information from outside sources on Cyberlife."
"What kind of sources?"
"He had some people that work in journalism, some drug dealers from this part of the city, and now he knows you. We now have a direct connection with Cyberlife."
"I don't see how useful that can be. Carl isn't apart of Cyberlife anymore."
"The fact that he was though makes you useful all the same. Cyberlife has deemed you important to their interests making you a likely target. Through that connection we could gain more information on the very backbone of that corporation."
"Makes sense. Do you got a criminal backstory too?"
"Would you view me differently if I was?"
"Nah, if anything it makes you look hotter."
"Sometimes I wish I was and then I wouldn't have to be holding onto hope."
North looked troubled so Markus changed the subject.
"How long have you been here?"
"For three years approximately. I was living with a friend before I got here. What did you do before you got here?"
"I'm unemployed."
"You look the type."
"Can't really get far as an artist in this kind of world."
"I know the feeling. I always wanted to be actress myself."
"You look like you could be a successful actress."
North's left brow raised a fraction.
"Have you seen me act?"
Markus chuckled.
"No, I guess not but you do look gorgeous."
North smiled.