Chapter 3
There was fire everywhere. Capsules exploded all around, causing the flames to spread with unabated passion as it caressed all that she knew. All around her were dead bodies, all of which she could call her family, both human and reploid. She stood up and ran to the nearest door only to be stopped by a wall of flame. She whirled around, frantically searching for any exit. The wall a flame behind her began forming into the shape of a humanoid, she couldn't tell what it was, all she knew was that it stood upright. The fiery being began to slowly advance upon her
...up...
Her mind was playing cruel jokes, the heat making her thoughts muddled, she could have swore she heard a voice. The being, sensing something, began to retreat, but the flames only grew more powerful in it's wake. Rhet fell to the ground, gasping for air as the oxygen was absorbed by the flames.
"Help me! Get me out!"
...ke...eady!
"Please, just let me out!"
"Wake up already!"
Rhet sat up with a start, her eyes struggling for clarity. Her head throbbed in protest, begging for her to lay back down. She felt so hot, like she was still in the dream. It was a dream, right? Her mind couldn't think straight enough to make heads or tails out of anything that was being said.
"For the last time, get up! I am sick of carrying you, so you'll have to walk the rest of the way! You've slept enough. Get up!"
Rhet's eyes finally focused enough to see Jet standing above her, leaning over and shaking her roughly. Despite her body's protests, she sat up and forced herself awake. Her head was still spinning, and her equilibrium was non-existent, but she somehow remained upright.
"Finally, now lets go. We don't want to wait any longer, else the hunters catch up."
"Where are we?"
"Just inside the slums, quite a nice place really, no hunters to be seen."
"What happened?"
"You don't remember? Damn. And I was hoping for some answers. Like, how it was that you disabled the enforcer so easily?"
"Enforcer?" That name sounded so familiar, but she just couldn't place it. Looking upon Jet's shoulder, something in her memory clicked and her memories flooded back. "Wait! How did I get out?"
"How do you think? I had to go and lift the thing to get you out!"
"You did?" She asked incredulously.
"Don't get the wrong idea, It wasn't for your sake. I only did it for my own gain, I could care less whether you died, but I needed answers from you, and..." He went quiet and mumbled, "...and I don't want to own a human anything."
"What?"
"I said I don't want to indebted to you!" He quickly avoided the subject and asked, "How did you know the workings of that enforcer so well? I will get an answer."
"Well, that's an easy question! I was taught!"
"DUH! I meant who taught you in the first place!"
"If you wanted a specific answer you should've asked a specific question!"
"Shut up! Just answer the question!"
"Why do you care?"
"It's none of your business why! Just tell me already!"
"Well, since it's about me, it is my business."
"Oh, shut up and start talking."
"Do you want me to shut up or start talking. It's kinda hard to do both at once."
"You know what I meant! Now TELL ME!"
"I don't wanna. All this yelling is hurting my head." She cradled her head in her hands, covering her ears. She lay down again, hoping to keep her head from spinning any faster.
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Jet sighed. "Fine, we'll talk about this later, but you need to get up, we gotta keep going."
Rhet nodded and struggled to her feet. Jet walked past her towards a gap in their shelter, checking for any signs that they were still being followed. Satisfied that there were none, he made his way outside, ignoring Rhet completely. Rhet followed silently, clutching her...clothes?
"Jet...?"
"What now?"
"Where is my dress?"
"That rag you were wearing? I disposed of it, why?"
"You 'disposed of it'? You stripped me while I was asleep! Pervert!"
"Listen you little brat! It's not like you have anything to hide! Besides, I only did it to save your sorry life! I gave you my cloak, didn't I? You should be thanking me instead of complaining. Unless, you'd rather give it back to me."
Rhet bowed her head to avoid his gaze and clutched the cloak tighter about her. "...thank you, Jet."
Jet stopped dead in his tracks. Again strange feelings began to surface, disturbing him greatly. For some reason, as much as he wanted to he couldn't stay angry with her. Almost as though a sleeping memory was holding his emotions in check.
"Alright, fine, you can keep it. Enough with the bowed head, your making this a bigger deal than it is."
She rose her head, and gave him a small smile. Jet's emotions were starting to throw him into turmoil. Forcibly, he pushed the troublesome things away, burying them beneath a rock hard shell.
"Now, if you don't have any more complaints, let's go, already!" Together they left their small shelter and ventured towards the rising sun, Rhet having to avert her gaze as the sun was causing her head to pound mercilessly.
They reached a sheer surface and Rhet got her first view of a true slum. All around her buildings were crumbling from negligence and wear. Reploid and human alike trudged through mountains of trash and scrap, looking for anything worth selling or merely wandering without purpose. Rhet flinched.
"Just what about this is 'nice', Jet?"
"I already said, 'No hunters!' Well, that and this is the only place where no one cares who you are or where you're from. It's the perfect hideout!"
"I'm guessing that you know that we have a huge disadvantage going down there as we are. You're out an arm and I'm not a fighter by any means."
"True enough, but unless you have a better idea, this is the only way to go."
Rhet fell silent and started to lean out over the slope.
"Don't get so close, you idiot! Most of those ledges aren't stable! Just follow me okay?" Jet's toned was filled with impatience. Just how stupid is she?!
As if to prove his point, the outcropping that Rhet stood on gave way. She was sent flying out into open space, but fortunately Jet's cloak snagged a piece of rebar and abruptly stopped her fall. She just hung there, her heart fluttering weakly as the view below her robbed her of breath. If she hadn't been snagged by the piece of steel she would have been...
She gulped loudly and fought back her nausea.
Behind her she could hear the sliding of debris and winced as several sharp pieces of plasteel tore through the cloak. She felt an arm wrap around her waist and start to gingerly tug at her. Eventually her cloak came loose and she felt herself pulled back roughly. She was tossed back onto the ledge, and rolled over to see what had happened. Unless she had witnessed this with her own eyes she would never had believed it.
Jet had risked his own life for her.
He stood there, steel cable in his mouth, struggling to climb up the steep incline with his one arm. His actions surprised her, he could explain away his earlier rescue as not wanting to be in debt and to get information, but for him to willingly save her when he would gain nothing...
"A 'ittle hel', du-ass!"
Rhet was launched back into reality with that curt statement. "Oh, sorry!"
"'Sorry? Sorry?! Is 'at all 'ou 'an say?!"
"Well, what can I do?" She crawled over to the edge, careful not to fall.
" 'ell, 'ou 'an 'ull de cabo, bight?" (Well, you can pull the cable, right?)
She grabbed hold of the cable and began to pull. Jet slowly began his climb back. His face clearly betrayed his emotions: Anger, frustration and fear. Quite a mixture of emotions were boiling on his face, that she couldn't help but laugh. Jet growled in frustration.
"Oh, um on! 'Iv me a 'eak!"
Rhat pulled as hard as she could, but she could tell that it wasn't much help. After all she was a small child, what could he expect? Regardless, she pulled as hard as her tiny arms could muster. Eventually, he made it to the top, both of them panting from the strain. Jet spit out the cable and turned his back on the girl. Eventually Rhet spoke up.
"Why did you do it? You know, save me?"
"I don't know! Trust me, that same thought was going through my mind the entire time that I was dangling out there!" He rose and walked off. "If you fall again, I won't help you. So, next time," He turned, annoyance on his features. "Listen to me!"
Rhet hung her head and followed him.
Jet stopped himself from berating her more, and came to a halt. He turned his head briefly and said, "What did I tell you about your head?"
After several hours of silent trekking, they came upon the first settlement. Calling it a 'settlement' through was stretching the term. If you could call a couple bombed out buildings and rickety lean-to's a settlement, then you'd might, might, consider this as one as well. As they walked through the town, several people stopped and stared, after a while though they gave up and went back to their lives, not casting a second glance. After an hour more of searching, they came upon a small parts vendor. The only place in the entire slum that actually looked like the owner kept somewhat clean. A fat man with a bionic eye, an unkempt beard and a jovial look on his face greeted them.
"Well, howdy do, strangers? Welcome to my lil' piece of heaven. We ain't go nothin' fancy, but I got what ya need. What'll it be?"
Jet unstrapped his arm and threw it to the man. "I need this reattached, I don't suppose you could do that?"
The man caught the arm cleanly and began to scrutinize it."Hmm, yes, yes. Quite a remarkable piece of hardware you got here! Light and maneuverable, yet incredibly strong at the same time! Hmm hmm! Yes, yes, quite!"
"Listen, doc, I know that my arm is probably very interesting but would you mind telling me if you can put it back?" Jet somehow managed to talk civilly to the man even though he felt his short patience being sorely tested.
"Hmm hmm, yes, I do believe that I can. But, it'll cost ya a pretty penny! You'll have to pay upfront, hmm hmm, I think that 30,000 is a fair price!"
"30,000?! You call that 'fair'? That's a complete and total-"
"Deal." Rhet stepped forward, "If you will fix his arm then I will gladly pay." She reached into her cloak and removed her crystal from the leather strap around her wrist. "How much will this get us?"
"Ohh, let me see that little lady!" He gently took it and examined it. He went quiet and his face became emotionless. After a few minutes, he spoke. "If you don't mind, I want to analyze this in further detail, in the back. May I?" His abrupt change in demeanor took Jet by surprise.
"Yes, you may."
"My dear, I know that this is precious to you, and I swear that no harm will become of it. Would you like to come with me?"
"No, go ahead, take it before I change my mind back." Tears began to well in her eyes, and she turned away.
"Alright then. I'll be right back."
The old man went back into his 'shop' and left the two customers alone. Rhet sat down hard and began to weep silently on the ground. Jet just stood there, completely at a loss for words, not from the significance of what the crystal meant to her, but because he was yet again indebted to the human brat! Just when he thought he was free from any commitments, she had to go and pull that stunt! As much as it hurt his pride, however, he would say anything against her. He desperately needed his arm back if he was going to survive, so, for his own selfish reasons, he kept quiet. But, as much as he told himself these things, a nagging sense of sympathy for her couldn't repress arose within him. The old man returned.
"My dear?"
Rhet refused to look up.
"I cannot accept this."
Rhet spun around, and ran up to the shopkeeper. "Why not? It's probably not worth that much but can you at least give us something?" Her red eyes once again began to tear. "If you have to, you can," Rhet bit her lip and cringed even as she said it. "You can buy me as a servant or slave if you wish."
Jet's mind immediately told him to stop her, but he again forced such thoughts into submission. This was the perfect solution, he gets repaired and Rhet is forced to stay behind. But even as those thoughts entered his head, he strangely felt sick. I really need to get examined...
"Oh, you sweet child, you are indeed a rarity. Not many people would willingly trade their lives for another. He must mean a great deal to you." He reached over and patted her on the head, leaning her head back so he could look straight at her. "But, you misunderstand me. If I accepted this, I'd owe you too much."
"Huh?" Rhet's eyes caught his, her mind not quite sure if she had heard him right.
"I couldn't possibly ask for payment when I owe Silvia so much."
Rhet's eyes went wide. "How do you know Mom?"
At this, Jet's curiosity peaked and he made his way closer to hear better.
"It's a long tale, but if you would follow me, I'll take us somewhere more comfortable."
She turned back to Jet and her eyes begged him to let her go, but as her gaze fell upon his severed arm she quickly turned back. "I'm sorry, sir, but I'll have to talk later. Is there any way that we can fix his arm? We have no money, so if I have to I'll work it-"
"I'll hear of no such thing! I'll do this on the house, and even get you in for a medical examination. It's the only way that I can pay her back. But, surely you both are tired? We can begin the operation tomorrow. So will you come?"
Jet spoke up. "We'll do that. Let's go." This is probably the best way to find out about Rhet, and her knowledge of reploids. Maybe even a little bit of my past.
"Well then it's settled," The old man stretched and yawned. "The name's Anteram, and it'll be my pleasure to have you in my humble home."
"We are most grateful, Mr. Anteram. I'm Rhet, and the reploid behind me is Jet."
"Hey, only until I find out who I really am! And I still don't get why you feel that you can just give me a name like I'm a pet!"
"Well, Rhet, Jet," nodding at both of them. "Shall we be going?"
"You're just going to ignore me, aren't you?"
"I still can't believe that you're her daughter, so much time had passed since I had last saw her. You'll have to tel me about yourself as well."
"Of course, Mr. Anteram!" Rhet was positively beaming by now. She ran over and clung to his arm.
Jet was left behind as the two of the humans made their way inside. They didn't just...
"TARGET HAS BEEN CONFIRMED. HAS TAKEN UP RESIDENCE WITH HUMAN LOCAL. ORDERS?"
"Do nothing for the time being. If we destroy them to quickly, then the game will be boring. The cat only enjoys it's prey when it struggles."