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Chapter 2

She never wanted this for me. I can't say I blame her. It was the life he took, the life he led when they first met. I think maybe she wanted more for me. An education, a chance to be something more, to put my head down and make something of myself. But, I don't know. It just wasn't for me. Sitting down and taking it all in just to have the slightest of chance to become something as long as you repeat those lessons and say their good. It never really appealed for to me. It just, it never got me. Suppose this job hasn't got me ether really. But it was honest enough if you think about it. Stable and somewhat low risk. That's the part she didn't like for both our sakes. I guess I see why, think she wanted to make sure I'd come home in one piece. The life of security was far from glamorous. And ya' saw things, some of em' strange. Odd glances from those who you were watchin' or those little snippets of text you'd see scrolling across a screen. Odd to say the least I couldn't always tell what it meant, but sometimes I got the gist of it. Programing, organising, serialising. All things that lead to another. It was a like a web of data that collaborated together into a bundle. Everything was connected, one thing leading to another. But what do I know? Not much really. I just stand there and pretend not to listen.

That was my life really, watching and waiting for something to happen. Nothin' happenes really. Not here, too smaller place. A little, safe lab where white coats would tinker and chatter about advancements commenting on how 'fascinating' things were. In all honesty if I could understand everything I think I'd be bored senseless with all the tech jargon. Young and bored weren't a good combo.

Live with the hand you're dealt with. My old man would say. Well I think he would. Not seen him for a while now. Ma' don't like to talk about him. Says maybe he's better left forgotten and we should get on with our lives since he didn't wanna' be part of em'. But sitting here day after day I do wonder. Why seems to be the question I ask most of all. Why'd he go off on some job and not come home? Why'd he leave us without saying where he was going? Why didn't he come home like he said he'd always do? I wonder if he found someone else to occupy himself. Or was the job just too enjoyable? Was he even alive? I had no idea. All I got was a note that gave me a hint was a letter sayin' he was sorry and that he'd come home. Liar.

But, he never did say where he was goin', who was employing him and why he did it. Left those details out. He never did tell me much about the details. Some things, they were better left not said. When I was young I didn't know why. I didn't understand back then, but now. Now I get it. I understand what he meant. Those unsaid words they meant bad things, bad things he'd partaken in. I knew now. Suppose I knew then but played ignorant.

Like I said though, this job wasn't bad. Stable, secure, boring. All in all it was ok. Like I said though ya' saw stuff. Stuff like the Exos. Machines that would over look the more 'selectable' associates of my employer. Or would be sent to keep an eye on stuff humans might object to. What was it? Human brains in metal bodies. Honestly, I had no idea how they did it. For all I know they didn't and it was a program. Not my job, not my problem. Can't say I'd fancy it. Been locked in a metal body. Be distant wouldn't it. Hollow, empty even. You'd have to watch everyone you cared for well dye. Age up and move on while you're left behind. Not my Idea of the good life really. But suppose some wanted to live forever. Maybe some were dying beforehand and wanted to 'heal' themselves? Or perhaps Bray had something in mind for them. The public didn't now but here and across other facilities it was no secret the engineering marvel was shady to say the least. But like I said, not my problem.

It's not that Exos were here all the time, this facility was far too small to warrant them been here 24/7. But you'd get the odd few escorting someone important or keeping their peepers on something classified. I mean if their hardware classified stuff can be taken away. Along with anything else Bray doesn't want them to know I suppose.

Today, was one of those days it seemed. We had two metallic visitors. They'd come in early in the day with a suited woman. Heard one of the eggheads say she was one of Bray's brightest. A young bright spot for the company. Was she? No idea if I'm honest. But whoever she was she had left her companions in the cafeteria while away on business. I guessed it was something they couldn't even know. They were sat a table away from me, one a dark grey, what seems to be a code scrolled the top of its metallic head and its eyes yellow and glowing intimately focused on the woman before me. Clad in a dark uniform with the words CB. It leaned back in its chair looking at the ceiling, probably as board as me, although truth be told. It was kind of hard to tell.

The other, seemed a little more occupied just a little, a blue face with a white mound on its head, mounted upon that is a horn. That appearance is actually unsettling, it looks built for conflict rather than anything else. Yet, at this moment in time it seemed more occupied with sitting and shuffling what looked like cards. Looks like it could care less really. Maybe it's just used to this line or work. Maybe. It's not even shuffling the deck for any purpose, just looks like an idle action its accustomed to.

"So Kid? You gonna stare all day?" A modulated voice said.

My gaze shifted upward to see it. Blue eyes scanning me again. It had stopped its persistant shuffeling and turned its full attention to me, I could even swear I saw the white mound rise as if to give me a questioning glance. Maybe that was the function of that plate. To show some kind of emotion. I guess if they were once people.

"Wa-" Was all I managed to get out.

It let out a slight chuckle. "You just gonna stair at us all day?" I could practically see it grin at that. It was odd his voice, it was I don't know. Human and yet robotic but there was clearly a human accent there. Not like the drones or bots that did stuff to keep the place in order. I mean real humanism to it. Like it was once a real voice and a mind reminding itself what it sounded like. Maybe that's how it worked. Not idea. But that voice. To say it was familiar was an understatement. It was like I'd heard it nearly every day of my life. But that was dumb. I make up a lot of dumb shit day in and day out. This is just another dumb thought.

"Sorry." I shrugged. No idea how to react to this.

Click.

My gaze looked up to see the grey one snapping a gun and examining the interior and the ammo count. Its eyes low and focused on the task at hand. The other, the blue leaned back in its seat clearly more relaxed.

"Ah don't look like that kid. We get it all the time. Not seen an Exo before?" One of them said. I think it was the grey. Its eyes didn't move still focused on the task at hand.

"What?"

"An exo….Human in a robot. Ghost in the machine. Eternal life whatever you wanna' call it." The blue said as his gaze flickered over to me as it took over from its partner. Its fingers fiddling with a set of cards.

I suppose, if what they said was true. Cards seemed like an ample activity to spend a limitless amount of time. "Yeah I've seen your lot before. Not really had one speak to me." That was all I managed to squeeze out. I mean how am I meant to respond to that?

The machine just shrugs. Should I call it a machine? It's a person in there? Honestly, processing that doesn't seem natural. And if I do say it's a person. Male? Female? Do they have genders….Am I thinking too much into this? I lean back and try to concentrate on my food rather than the statements just posted to me.

"Well glad to have been the first." He said. I'm guessing it was a He. He sounded male and well-acted as such a voice like that was too much of his own to belong to a simple bot. If I'm wrong I'm wrong. Ah well. But for now it seemed better to say He than it. I mean if their people its only fair. "You keeping a good idea on the brain boxes?"

"What?"

"The lab coats, eggheads, brain boxes. You keeping a good eye on em'?" He asked. He asked a lot of questions. Maybe he was just happy to talk to someone? Seemed to enjoy even questions like that. His companion was very quiet and well none of the 'lab coats' had cared to chatter to them. Sometimes I guess just the simple act of conversations to another being is enough to make ya' day.

Thinking about it, nobody really talks to me here. Not unless they need something or a bit of muscle to move a few things. I let out a smirk. Despite the unanswered questions I was enjoying some attention. "Yeah, just gotta' be careful they don't blow themselves up."

"Thought this place was all about terraforming and plants." The grey one said. First time he had spoken now.

"They deal with very flammable plants."

A chuckle. It came from Blue. It was nice actually. To have someone aside from Ma' humour me. Kind of nice change or pace, but also familiar. "I like this kid. Has a sense of humour."

The grey was less impressed. "Oh great, someone who you'll get along with well. And I hoped there was only one clown around here."

"Least he doesn't have a barcode on his head." I quipped. Then regretted as I remembered they were both armed.

Blue laughed again evenly enjoying the torment his companion was receiving from our presence. I couldn't help but chuckle too after the tired 'Huff' came from Grey, although truth be told it sounded super strange with the modulator.

The cards were shuffled once again and Blue suddenly kicked the spare seat back slightly with a Creak as it slid slightly towards me as if to holler me other. "You know how to play?" His eyes shifted to the cards and then back to me.

I nodded hesitantly. I did know how to play. But I was rusty, hadn't played in a long, long time. Not since he left. Maybe that's why I didn't play. It was our special thing. Our time pass. After he left that seemed to go away. I sighed. I should stop waiting for him or holding on to stuff he clearly doesn't care about. "A little, bit rusty." I was already standing up. Hand clasped onto the metal back of the seat. My body lowering slightly to sit down.

"Eh, don't worry. I'll go easy on you. Won't lose too much." He shuffled his cards one more time.

Wait There is real money involved in this?

A hearted queen, a two of diamonds, a seven of clubs and an Ace of Clubs. I chuckled in my mind, an Ace. That was a name I hadn't heard in a long time. No not the time to be sentimental. My gaze shifted upwards to see my new opponents. This was going to be hard. How was I meant to figure them out? Their robots! They don't move….They don't do anything to show their hand. My hand was really crap too…This isn't fair.

Blue was leaning back against his chair. His cards in one hand and the other leaning against the chair. He looked relaxed. If robots could look relaxed, this day was just full of questions. And, playing with them wasn't helping. Blue seemed content with this, maybe it was a normal time-pass for him or something he did before. Might have been a habit or hobby he had always held even before. I wasn't really about to ask that stuff. It was too personal a thing to ask, and I doubt he'd tell me.

Grey looked less interested in the game and more bored with the entire situation, cards lay idly in his hands he didn't even seem to care when I saw the edge of a Jack card before he tucked it away. He didn't care really. Didn't seem to care about much if I'm honest. Not that I knew him but, he just seemed done with it all.

"You in?" A voice said. It was Blue's that voice.

"Nah' you gave me shit." Grey said as he leaned back. Bored as before sliding the cards into the middle of the table beside the little pile of cash we had pooled together along with an I-O-U that Blue had written down. Were we ever going to see that? Doubtful.

Blue let out what resembled a light smirk. "Your just bad is all. What about you kid? All in?"

I looked at him for a moment, the way he said that. All in. It was. Never mind. I sat up slightly my elbows now resting against the table my hands primed with the cards ready for hopefully not failure. You never know and it had been a long, long time.

"Yeah. All in." I said. I sounded more confident than my hand, but that was the name of the game. Lying.

Blue he didn't flinch, didn't move in the slightest. Just remained leaned back in the chair and let out a nod. "Let's see what you got." He said in a very deadpan way and he slid his hand over.

To say he had a bad hand was an understatement. His hand was dreadful. A diamond of 2, a club of 4, a club of 7 and a diamond of 5. My hand let's just say it was miles ahead because of my Ace. The Ace was what had saved me. Given me this game. I get the saying Ace up my sleeve. It's the best card of the deck. Maybe, maybe that's why he gave me that name. The card he always had to call home, his way back. That way had run out a long time ago.

"Kid?"

A voice. That voice it was.

"Kid?" I jumped in my sear. "Ey, Ey. You ok? Going all spaced out on me." I looked and I saw Blue, he actually seemed somewhat concerned. I mean as concerned as his features would let him.

I sighed. "Yeah. Sorry." I laid my cards down.

"Well lookie here. Someone who bet your lying ass." Grey said as he turned to Blue and smirked, seemingly less bored with his predicament now.

Blue just let out a little sigh. Not a sigh of loss or annoyance. Actually the sigh seemed genuine like he was happy to be beat. Maybe it unlocked something inside him. A contentment? Ok now your over thinking it way too much Acker.

"Guess I owe you next time we play?" I heard him chime in as he looked at me.

"My old man showed me to play. Gave me a good load of tips." I replied. Play again. Yeah that sounded nice.

Blue let out a chuckle. "You tell your old man he taught you well." He leaned back.

"If I see him. I will." I replied, not really thinking hard into the reply. Probably not the best thing to say. Now I think about it, I was dumb. Dumb to say that and dumb to bring it up. Tend to do that a lot. Say dumb things I shouldn't say. I sighed, well you said it.

"Hmm one of those types huh? Well kid he missed out. Wouldn't worry about him." I think Blue said that. Seemed like there was a lot more remorse in his tone, almost regret. Like something I'd said had set something inside him off. Like it had reminded him of something. I wasn't going to ask.

I looked back. That voice it was so… Not like it mattered. It was nice to get some attention for a change. Nice to have someone you know actually to chat with, to share and enjoy something together. This facility didn't do much for me in that department. Playing again with these two. Wasn't a bad thing. I actually would enjoy it. Blue seemed like someone I could get alone with. He was familiar I can't lie.

I heard a throat clearing. It wasn't the Exos. It was someone new. A woman, young with sun kissed skin, dark hair in a messy bun and glasses. She stood there at near the table her arms behind her back and a scientist looking like he could grovel at her feed until the end of time. She looked all business but I won't lie she was pretty. Real pretty. She stood there looking over to our table waiting for a response.

"Time to make a move." Grey said as he stood up without hesitation and walked over to her.

Blue seemed more resistant. Like he was happy here, more contempt with reaming in the game. He looked at her and then at the table as he slowly stood up and tucked the chair under the table. "Well no rest of the wicked." He mumbled and looked back. "See you around…?"

I looked up. He was waiting for a name. "Uh Acker."

"Acker. See ya' around then. Don't go spending that all in one place." He shifted his weight slightly, and headed over to her.

Just like that, I was alone again. I stared at the bile of cash. There wasn't much about 50 we all used what was in our pockets. Most of it mine. I caught eye of the I-O-U. Would I ever play with them again? Doubtful. I let out a slight chuckle and, flipped the folded paper showing the hastily scribbled text.

'I-O-U,

30

-Cayde-6'

Wait! Cayde?!

I hope you liked this chapter. Take care.