The world blurred, everything sounding distant, as if underwater. Jonathan's head throbbed with pain, feeling hot blood ooze down his face. His back felt as if it was burning, feeling almost overwhelming.
Trying to stay awake as his vision darkened, he pressed his forehead against the cracked screen of the Vanoss-III, as if the touch would fix the device as well as his own wounds.
"Jon!" A voice yelled, not nearly as loud as the ringing in his ears. "Jonathan! Oh God, Jon!" Hands gripped his shoulders, rolling him onto his back. His hands weakly curled around the Vanoss-III, trying to focus on the figure that seemed to hover over him. "Jonathan! We have to move! The planes are coming back!" The figure cried, sounding desperate and scared.
Jonathan couldn't answer, couldn't bring himself to move, only stare up at Luke who slowly came into focus as he shook his shoulders. "Jon!" Luke pulled Jonathan to his feet as gently as he could though Jonathan still cried out in pain. He leaned heavily against Luke, struggling to keep his grip on the Vanoss-III.
"Evan...He's broken…" Jonathan stammered through gritted teeth, his back stinging with pain. "B-Broken…I fell on it...It's my fault...He's gone."
"It's okay, Jon! Evan isn't broken! We can fix it!" Luke said, trying to get Jonathan to move. Up ahead, Lui saw that Luke was struggling with Jonathan, running back through the smoking rubble towards them to help.
Jonathan pulled away from Luke, the Vanoss-III slipping from his shaking hands to the muddy snow at his feet. He fell to his knees, grabbing onto the device as he glanced up at the wreckage.
The buildings had crumbled under the force of the bomb, the bridges that people had been running across in their attempt to get to covet were destroyed with the supporting buildings. In some places, the snow had turned red under the brick and wood from the buildings.
As hard as it was to hear and focus, Jonathan could still make out people frantically trying to help loved ones who were dazed and wounded. Others screamed the names of people who were buried under the rubble as if they could hear them and come running.
The thought occurred to Jonathan that this happened because of him. That these people were dead because of New Town who didn't care about them at all. What if they thought that he and Luke had been kidnapped by Old Towners and now these people were paying the price for their stupidity? Evan, the Vanoss-III, wouldn't be broken if it wasn't for him. He felt tears fall from his eyes, trailing down his cheek before falling to the snow.
"I'm sorry…" Jonathan breathed as Luke and Lui pulled him to his feet. Luke picked up the the Vanoss-III, putting it back in Jonathan's bag where it would be safe. The two supported Jonathan as they hurried past the burning rubble and the screaming people.
"It's all okay. We'll go back home and it'll all be okay." Lui whispered. Jonathan wanted to tell him that the apartment wasn't his home but all that came out was a gasping breath full of pain. Jonathan could do nothing but let them carry him away from the wreckage and pray that it would all be okay, that the damage wasn't beyond repair though he wasn't sure what he was more worried about; Old Town or Evan.
Jonathan was dimly aware of Luke and Lui pulling him back to the apartment. All around them it seemed that there was damage. It all sounded so far away to Jonathan, so distant. The screams and the constant siren of alarm, both sounding the same. The only thing that he could really focus on was that he had to fix the Vanoss-III.
Warmth surrounded him as they got him inside, heading up the winding stairs to the apartment. They were expecting to be greeted with more warmth and comfort but were only greeted with anger and a raised voice.
"Where the hell were you? That machine is gone, Lui!" Tyler yelled. He had been pacing the living room when they entered the room, Brock sitting at the table behind him, too tired to try to calm Tyler down who wouldn't listen. Lui didn't answer, pushing past him to lay Jonathan down on his cot.
"Get some warm water and the first aid kit! Now!" Lui ordered, glancing up at Tyler who didn't move, only glared darkly.
"You want me to help this New Town scum? They are bombing Old Town again and you want me to help? People are dead because of him and those New Towners!" Tyler spat.
"I'll get it." Brock said quietly, getting up from the table.
"Tyler please. It was my idea to go out. Don't be mad at them! They didn't do anything." Lui tried to reason with Tyler.
"I told you to watch them! That machine that they claim is Evan is gone! You heard me this morning right, Brock?" Tyler snapped when Brock came back into the room, setting the bowl of warm water down by the cot with the kit. "You heard me say that they couldn't leave! That they couldn't touch the machine!"
"Just hear them out, Tyler." Brock said, catching Tyler off guard. He had been expecting Brock to be on his side. Tyler sighed, his angry gaze turning to Lui, waiting for him to explain what had happened.
"We decided that going to the factory where Evan had worked before he disappeared would be a good place to go looking for any answers so we went there. Luke and Jonathan, being from New Town, have more knowledge about technology than any of us. They got into the offices, and onto the computers there. We found an email that said that Evan had been chosen to be a part of this thing called the 'Vanoss project.' We weren't able to find anything else because they started bombing. Jonathan got hurt in the blast, breaking the Vanoss-III. Luke said that he and Jonathan can fix it." Lui explained, pressing the damp wet cloth to the wound on Jonathan's forehead.
"You had already tried checking there and you said there was nothing! All we know is that he got picked to be a part of this project and that's it! This was for nothing! We don't need these two!" Tyler yelled. "There is talk of stormin the checkpoint cause of these bombs! We get into New Town and we can have all the answers we want!"
"That isn't going to help you find out what happened to Evan!" Lui yelled, louder than Tyler. He threw the cloth down into the bowl, the blood turning the warm water a light shade of red as he stood up to face the taller man. Luke looked up at Lui, glancing nervously between him and Tyler.
"Yes it will! We know that New Town took Evan and they possibly turned him into that fucking machine! That should be more than enough to want to destroy New Town! You've seen the damage, Lui! You've seen them kill your friends and family! For all you know, they've killed Evan now too!" Tyler spat.
"Don't say that! Don't fucking say that! Evan is alive! That machine is him!" Lui snapped. Tyler shook his head. "Evan is still alive! What could make you think otherwise?"
"That's not living. There is nothing about that machine that is alive." Tyler hissed. "Evan may as well be dead."
"Throwing molotovs at the checkpoint thinking that you are doing somethin' good for Old Town ain't gonna bring him back. It's gonna get you killed! Do you not remember the last time people tried stormin the checkpoint? They got slaughtered! I won't let that happen to you!" Lui yelled. Tyler stared at Lui, opening his mouth to speak but Lui wasn't done. "I know you were close to Evan."
"Lui." Tyler warned, not wanting to hear this.
"We were too! I've known Evan for years. I want him back too but attacking police machines ain't gonna do that. Luke and Jonathan are our only chance at figuring this out. If you can't accept that, you may as well give up now. You'll die before you find out if you keep this bullshit up!" Lui said, his tone still sharp. Tyler stared at him, his gaze slowly moving to Jonathan and Luke. Jonathan could faintly hear them, his ears still ringing from the could make out a few words, hearing the anger in them and wondered if they were about him. Tyler turned away when he met Jonathan's pained gaze, slouching down into a chair by the table.
The room was silent for a long time, at least that was what it felt like though it could have only been a few moments. Tyler's eyes were on the window and the snow falling outside, covering the mud and splotches of blood. Luke turned back to Jonathan, cleaning the wound on his head of the blood that had dried there before reaching the bandages.
"Where is the Vanoss-III now?" Tyler finally asked, breaking the silence. Luke glanced up at him, then to the bag on the floor beside Jonathan's bed. He picked it up, handing it to Tyler who gently took the device out of the bag. He traced his fingers across the spider web of cracks on the screen, seeming nervous to be touching it. He still believed, like many Old Towners, that any device from New Town could kill him. He shook his head, trying to tell himself that it was Evan. Evan would never hurt him. "Can you fix it?"
"Yeah. I can fix the basic stuff like the cracked screen and whatever damage might have occurred on the inside. Jonathan might want to take a look at it too. He'll know what to do with the more advanced stuff." Luke said, giving Tyler a reassuring smile. Tyler nodded, trying to return the smile before looking back down at the device.
"Tyler, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"
"No." Tyler said, cutting him off. "Don't say sorry. You're right."
Jonathan woke with a start, his dream of toy soldiers running through the smoking ruins of Old Town still flashing through his mind. He stared around the room with wide eyes, for a moment not remembering where he was. It all came back to him quickly, remembering the explosion and the pain. He winced as he forced himself to sit up, his back feeling bruised. His skin on his back had gone a dark, angry purple colour, the bandages wrapped around his head red in places.
His eyes landed on the Vanoss-III across the room on the table where Tyler had left it. He managed to push himself out of the bed, wrapping the scratchy blanket around himself as he made his way across the room slowly. The room faintly smelled of smoke though he wasn't sure if it was from the dying fire in the fireplace or if it was coming in through the drafts in the windows from outside.
With a strike of the match, he lit the candle on the table by the Vanoss-III, the warm light filling the room with it's glow. As he sat down, he wondered how long he had been out for, the world outside dark. Luke was asleep in the cot beside Jonathan's, the others probably asleep in their rooms.
The crack on the screen was gone, only the smallest outline left which meant that Luke must have already done some repairs on it. Hesitantly, he flipped it over, using a screwdriver to take the back off. Jonathan's hands shook with nervousness, not even sure if he wanted to even try to fix it. He had dealt with machines similar to this one before but none of them had a consciousness. If he cut the wrong wire or didn't screw in the right screw, it could be the end for Evan.
The inside of the Vanoss-III was the normal computer parts that Jonathan was familiar with. They had been fixed by Luke, but one part hadn't been touched. The square chip in the center of the device glowed blue, a dim light that illuminated Jonathan's face. The wires connecting it to the other computer parts seemed bent, needing to reattached to the chip. He wasn't even sure how to approach it, not knowing which wires were the most important ones. He didn't have the best tools either.
"Jonathan?" The voice snapped of his thoughts, making him jump. He turned around in his chair to see Tyler standing by the hall. "Shouldn't you be resting?"
"Can't sleep." Jonathan said, turning back to the Vanoss-III. "Shouldn't you be sleeping? I'm sure that you need it."
"Can't sleep." Tyler smiled, sitting down beside him at the table. Jonathan looked up at him, surprised to see him actually smiling at him before looking back down at the glowing blue chip. "I haven't really been able to sleep well since Evan disappeared. All I can think about is what might have happened to him. He knocked the head off that machine and New Town probably wanted him dead because of it. He knew how to destroy them."
"Knows how to destroy them." Jonathan corrected him. "He's still alive, Tyler." Tyler nodded, his eyes landing on the glowing blue chip.
"What's that?" He asked, pointing to the chip.
"I think…" Jonathan paused, thinking of what to say. "I think it's Evan. That's where his consciousness is. The other parts are computer parts. I've never seen anything like it before."
"That's it? A computer chip?" Tyler laughed. "Evan would be so pissed. Someone as great as him reduced to nothing more than a computer chip. That's sad, isn't it?"
"It is...But you can't just think of him as just a machine. It's still Evan. He still thinks and talks the same. There just isn't any physical attributes to him anymore." Jonathan explained, trying to stay positive. "That's all. He's still human."
"Is that right though? Is it really right to be putting someone's mind in a machine? Is it still really them? I mean...what if this is a copy of Evan? Can you do that? Copy someone's mind and put it in something else?" Tyler wondered. Jonathan shook his head, refusing to believe that Evan was a copy.
"No. That's not possible. Trust me, I would know if that was possible. Of all the technological advances we have in New Town, that isn't one. Besides, why would anyone want to do that?" Jonathan asked, looking more closely at the device.
"Maybe they want to get rid of human contact in New Town. Or maybe they want to live forever. Nothing like being rich and immortal." Tyler spat.
"We're not all bad, Tyler. I know that New Towners are privileged, that our machines might have fucked things up for Old Town but we have good intentions. Machines are supposed to make lives better!" Jonathan tried to explain. He hated every word that came out of his mouth, trying to ignore the fact that someone's life had been taken and put into the machine in front of him. He was saying what he had been taught to think in New Town, the opposite of what Old Towners were taught. Tyler didn't say anything, his expression hardening with anger."Sorry. That was stupid of me to say."
"You aren't entirely wrong. I'm sure that your intentions were good to start with but there ain't nothing good about the Vanoss project." Tyler said. "Can you fix it though?"
"I think so...I'm just nervous to try. I don't want to do something wrong that could...that could…" Jonathan trailed off, staring at the glowing chip.
"It's better for you to have tried than not at all. Luke said you have the skills to do it." Tyler smiled. Jonathan nodded, but he still couldn't bring himself to pick up the tool. "Evan...He does this thing when he gets annoyed. He'll do this stupid little sigh and shake his head a little. If he could see you so scared right now, he would be doing that." Tyler laughed. Jonathan smiled, knowing that he was probably right. "I'm sorry I've been so angry, Jonathan. It's just...shocking to have someone show up from New Town and say they found your friend but your friend isn't...Well isn't really them anymore. I'm sorry I yelled at you." Tyler added, his smile gone.
"It's okay, Tyler. Don't worry about it." Jonathan said. It was his turn to give Tyler a reassuring smile. "You have every right to be angry. I would be too if what happened to Evan happened to Luke. I just want to help." He said as he picked up the tool. He worked cautiously, putting the wires back into place. Tyler stayed with him, asking questions every so often. He would ask what some of the things in the device did, listening intently as Jonathan explained their functions. Jonathan wondered if given the same opportunities, Tyler would be as skilled as himself in the technological fields.
The sun was rising by the time that Jonathan felt that he had done all he could to try to fix the Vanoss-III. He put the back on, screwing the screws back into place. The candle had burned down to a small lump of wax, no longer needed as sunlight started to come in through the window. Tyler had fallen asleep, his head resting against his arms on the table. He wanted to wake up Tyler but he was nervous of being yelled at again so he decided against it.
Taking a deep breath, he pressed the power button, waiting for the familiar owl to light up red. The screen flashed, glitching red before going dark again. Jonathan felt tears well up in his eyes, a heavy lump forming in his throat as a sob shook his shoulders. He set the device back down on the table, putting his face in his hands. He couldn't stop the sobs. He had never felt so angry and so hopeless before.
Evan had changed his life, had shown him beauty in all the little things and because of one mistake, he was gone. Evan wouldn't even know that he was gone. Jonathan remembered how Evan had explained that when the machine was turned off, time seemed to stop. As if he had fallen asleep and wasn't even aware of it. Jonathan had just wanted to talk to him again, not even about anything that happening around him. He just wanted to hear his voice. Now he never would.
"Hmm? Jonathan?" Tyler yawned, sitting up as he rubbed his eyes. "Hey...What's wrong?" He asked gently, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I couldn't do it. I couldn't!" Jonathan sobbed. "He's gone." Tyler glanced down at the Vanoss-III and it's dark screen. He picked it up gently as it was alive though he was still nervous of it. He pressed the power button, the screen glitching, flashing red before it went dark. "I fucked it up even more! He's gone!"
"No you didn't! Why don't we take the back off and see what's wrong?" Tyler suggested, trying to not get upset himself. Jonathan wiped his tears away with his sleeve, nodding as he reached for the tool to take the back off. "Maybe this is the problem?" Tyler pointed to a wire that was partially connected to the glowing blue chip, but some of it was still disconnected. Jonathan mentally kicked himself for missing it. "Hey it's okay. It's fixable, right?"
"Y-Yeah." Jonathan nodded, tears still falling from his eyes.
"Why don't you tell me what to do and I'll do it for you?" Tyler asked. Jonathan, feeling stubborn, opened his mouth to say no but he stopped himself. He nodded, agreeing to the idea. Tyler took the tool, listening intently to Jonathan who quietly told him what to do. Once the wire was reattached properly, Tyler turned the device back over. "We'll try it one more time, okay? Third time's a charm." He pressed the power button, the screen glitching again as it flashed red.
"Jonathan?" Evan's voice stammered, glitching and sounding strange for a moment. Tyler and Jonathan sighed in relief, tears falling from Jonathan's eyes.
"Hey Evan." Jonathan smiled, wiping his tears away.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Evan asked, the red owl glitching as he spoke.
"Nothing. You're fine, Evan." Tyler said as he turned the Vanoss-III over to back the back on.
"Am I?" Evan wondered. Tyler glanced at Jonathan with confusion before looking back at the Vanoss-III.
"Yeah. Why wouldn't you be?" Tyler asked. Evan didn't answer, making Jonathan think that the machine had stopped working.
"They took me. I don't know who...They were wearing masks...I remember that they threw me into the back of a car...They weren't machines, they were people. They had guns. I couldn't fight them." Evan's voice sounded scared. If Tyler wasn't there, Jonathan would have held the Vanoss-III close as if hugging him. Tyler glanced up at Jonathan, neither of them sure of what to say. "I don't know where they took me...It all goes dark after that. What happened to me, Jonathan?"
"I don't know, Evan. We'll figure it out, don't worry. You're here and you're safe." Jonathan said, trying to reassure him.
"Tyler...You would miss me if I disappeared...right?" Evan suddenly asked. Tyler seemed confused by the question. It seemed so out of the blue which made Jonathan wonder if the break had jolted more of Evan's memory.
"Of course I would! Why would you ask that, Evan?" Tyler laughed as if Evan wasn't serious. He sounded serious to Jonathan.
"Just...Just wondering." Evan said quietly. As he spoke, the screen continued to glitch, the outline of the crack on the screen looking like a bloody scar.
"Evan do you remember where it was that you were...taken?" Jonathan asked, quickly changing the subject. "Where were you when it happened?"
"I was walking home from work. It was dark...No wait. There were street lights. It wasn't very far from the factory. I remember seeing the black car with it's blue headlights...A government car. I had turned down a smaller street, trying to get away from the car. I remember seeing...four bridges above me...There wasn't much else." Evan tried to explain. "Sorry it isn't much."
"It's okay." Jonathan smiled though he knew that Evan couldn't see it. "We need to find that spot, Tyler. Maybe there is still something there. A clue or something."
"It's been a year." Tyler said quietly, not wanting Evan to hear. "I doubt there would be anything there."
"It's better to have tried than having done nothing." Jonathan said, remembering what Tyler had said earlier. Tyler sighed, glancing at the window, the dark bridge with it's jagged icicles seeming to glimmer in the early morning light. "Please, Tyler."
"Fine. But you have to promise that you are gonna help us, the Replaced. That once we figure out what happened to Evan, you are gonna help us take down New Town." Tyler demanded.
"You want me to help you bring down New Town? You do realise that that is my home, right? My family is there!" Jonathan cried. "My life is there!"
"It's here now too! I know you care about Evan! I know you want revenge for him!" Tyler shot back. Jonathan sighed, not wanting to meet Tyler's gaze. He was right and he knew it. "You know what New Town does, you've seen the damage done to Old Town." Jonathan wanted him to shut up and let him think.
If he agreed to this, he'd be able to find out what happened to Evan but he would never be able to go home, never be able to be certain of his safety again. If he didn't agree, he'd never find out what happened to Evan and Tyler would want to throw him and Luke out to the streets of Old Town to fend for themselves. Jonathan sighed, the choice obvious to him though he knew he could end up regretting it.
"Fine. I'll help you."