In a week since, Decimal's side has stopped hurting. It wasn't Hacker who tended to her, it was Buzz and Delete. Decimal was so conflicted. If Hacker was so good, why did he simply toss her aside? It didn't make sense. One day while talking to Buzz and Delete over a box of donut, Decimal finally made her conclusion. "Guys... You've both done so much for me, but I think it's time I need a small break from this war." Decimal told them.
"You're leaving us?" Buzz asked.
"Decimal, you can't, you'll miss you." Delete said as he wrapped his arms around her neck.
"I'll miss you guys, too." Decimal nuzzled Delete before she pulled away from him with a brief silence. "The next cybersite we land at, I'm sneaking off. Whatever you do, don't tell the boss. That'll make things worse than they already are." Decimal explained to them. Both Buzz and Delete nodded fighting back tears. "If he asks where I am, tell him that you don't know. Tell him that I just ran off and you couldn't keep up. That'll keep you two out of trouble for losing me." Decimal told her friends. "I just need some time to reflect. There's a possibility that I'll come back." Decimal smiled. Both Buzz and Delete were holding back tears when they came around her in a hug. Tears started forming in Decimal's eyes. "We better stop this sorrow party before the boss comes in." Decimal said as she pulled out of the hug and wiped up her tears with a paw. A few minutes of silence later, Hacker come into the room. "Get ready crew, we're going to Sensible Flats." Hacker told the three of them. "I think it's about time we took control of that cybersite once and for all."
"Right away, Boss." Buzz and Delete chimed together.
"Yes, sir!" Decimal stated. She looked to Buzz and Delete with a look of sadness. This was it. All the times that they've had together would be some of her favorites. She knew that if Hacker had ever found out that they had planned this, she wouldn't just have her searched endlessly for, he'd also give Buzz and Delete the scolding of a lifetime. Ass soon as Hacker left to direct the Grim Wreaker for Sensible flat, Decimal turned back to face Buzz and Delete with a sad look. "I just hope this plan works." Decimal told the two.
Soon, the Grim Wreaker came to a stop. The trio of friends have made their way to the front of the ship. Outside was your classic western film setting. The big door to the Wreaker opened with a ramp that extended down to the ground. Hacker was the first to the bottom of the ramp. He was ten yards in front of Buzz, Delete and Decimal. As soon as the three reached the bottom, Decimal looked to them. "This is where we say goodbye for now." Decimal said.
"Bye Decimal." Buzz told her.
"We'll miss you." Delete added. Decimal nodded at them before dashing off as far away from the Grim Wreaker and Hacker as possible. She ran for what seemed like forever. She finally stopped to catch her breath. She looked back towards where she came from. She ran so far that she couldn't even see the Grim Wreaker anymore. She walked effortlessly. She had so many possibilities open to her now. She's never been to this cybersite. Decimal was free to explore outside of the boundaries of the Wreaker. Dirt was something she never felt underneath her paws. She plopped down of the ground and rolled around in the sweet freedom that was dusty earth. It was warm from the sun. It was a paradise to the pup.
Suddenly, Decimal felt a big rumble in her stomach. She just realized that she hadn't ate anything but a donut since that morning. She looked around her. No civilizations were around for miles. Did she really run for that long from the Grim Wreaker? There's only one place she you that there was food, the Wreaker. There was a town near where Hacker parked the Grim Wreaker, maybe they had some food. She thought through her choices. She could either go back to the Wreaker and take some food there, but that would risk going back with Hacker. Decimal could try to sneak around the town, but she would risk being caught by Hacker. The third choice would be to search for animals and eat them for food. Decimal thought some more. If Hacker was coming, those kids would be around that town too. Waiting out here seemed like a better choice to her.
Decimal lowered her snout to the ground. There was a hiss, then a rattle. She turned around and coiled about no more than two feet away was a rattlesnake. It was not a normal rattlesnake like what Earth would have. It was a cyber-snake. Decimal turned on her front right legs as the snake struck at her hind legs and missed. She quickly batted a paw at it with metallic claws and drew back. The snake tried to aim for the other front paw that supported the majority of her weight. Decimal lifted it up and tried to land it down on the snake's head. The snake drew back and struck. It was a constant back and forth fight. Decimal was finally able to push a paw down on the snake's head. Her other paw pushed down on the wriggling tail. She bit the snake until she felt it grow limp. She looked around then at the snake. She didn't see anything else to eat.
Fueled by snake meat, Decimal made half of the trip back towards the direction in which she came. The Grim Wreaker was barely in view. The sky was colored pink and purple from the setting sun. The Wreaker was beginning to take off. However, it wasn't leaving, it flown low to the ground. Hacker was looking for her! she quickly looked around. She had seen a rock with a big of an overhang. Decimal looked back up. The Wreaker was coming her direction. Decimal dashed towards the rock and slid underneath the overhang. Pressing herself against the rocks, she hoped the Wreaker would just fly over head and leave. A big swoosh was heard as the Wreaker flew barely ten feet above the ground. Decimal watched the giant ship scout around a bit more before taking off out of the cyber site. The tan and brown cyborg dog stayed under the rock. The sun had fully set and she needed rest if she was going to make it back to that town by midday. Decimal had shut her eyes. It was uneasy, but soon, Decimal fell asleep.
"She just ran off?" Hacker asked Buzz and Delete.
"Yes, Boss. That's exactly what happened." Buzz told Hacker.
"Y-Yeah. We tried to stop her, but she was too fast to catch." Delete responded. Hacker looked between the two. If cyborgs could sweet, the two henchmen would've been drenched in salty sweat. "We'll find her. When we do, she's going to pay for running away from me." Hacker hissed. The two smaller cyborgs exchanged glances as there were worried about Decimal.
The next morning, Decimal awoke. She got up and immediately hit her head on something hard. "Where am I?" Decimal asked crawling out. She remembered the previous day all in a flash. "Right... Sensible Flats was this place called?" Decimal asked herself. She recalled which way she had needed to go and started walking.
After about should have been an hour and a half, a town was coming clearer and clearer into view. Soon enough, Decimal found herself on the outskirts of the small town ducking behind buildings. She snuck around to the front of a building a slithered underneath the barrier blocking the door. 'That's not very effective if you ask me'. Decimal thought. Turns out the place that Decimal snuck into was some sort of eating place. The server brought out food from a back section. Decimal snuck through the dining room and slunk into the food. She followed her nose to a food storage room. Her tongue hung out of her mouth. Boxes labeled "Hamburger," "Bacon," "Sausage," "Buns," and "Fries" lined a wall.
Decimal knocked a "Sausage" labeled box off of the shelf. The box landed on the ground with a thud and burst open. Long ropes of pink links laid inside. Decimal picked one up with her stomach growling. "What was that?" Decimal heard a voice asked as footsteps were heard approaching. Decimal quickly wrapped a rope around her neck and took off running. "What the?" A guy asked as Decimal nearly wiped him off of his feet. "Hey get back here!" He called.
No one must've made the chase after her, because she ducked behind another building with her prize. She began eating the sausage. She had never tasted anything so delicious. Being a rouge wasn't so bad after all.