CHAPTER 8

"I have a question," 2 said after a moment of silence. The scientist looked at him curiously. "How did you intend to transfer 1's soul into the new design?"

The man had no answer for that. 2 didn't think he would. Maybe the idea had just be done on a whim. 2 shook his head. "Nevermind."

Then he returned his gaze to the blue prints for the fabrication machine. It didn't look as terrifying on paper, in fact it looked rather innocent. It was hard to believe such a thing had caused such destruction.

He shook his head. "Are these the only blue prints?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Just a feeling I have."

The scientist frowned then went back to his file cabinet. He returned with another file and set it down. "This is what first set I drew. What exactly are you looking for, 2?"

2 looked at the prints intently. "Something that shouldn't be there."

1 had fallen asleep waiting for the sky to grow dark. As he lay, his back leaning lightly against a tree trunk he began to dream.

A machine rested before him. He recognized it as the fabrication machine. He'd seen pictures of it during the course of his existance and knew it almost as well as he knew himself. He stared at the sleeping giant, his squinted optics studying it intently. It wasn't online at the moment but he could feel a kind longing from inside. It wanted to come alive. It wanted to end all life.

Suddenly he felt the ground begin to vibrate under him. He stared down at his feet, startled. A scraping sound alerted him and he looked up at the machine. It had awakened. The giant red eye blinking open.

1 stepped back, his eyes widening in fear. The machine moved and locked eyes with him. It blinked once then reached out to grab him. He tried to run but his feet wouldn't move. He was trapped!

Just as the machine grabbed him a voice called him. "1! 1, it's time to get up."

The stitchpunk lurched forward, breathing heavily. He found himself staring into 7's pale while face. "Oh, 7!" he exclaimed, sounding surprised.

"Yes, it's me," she said, frowning. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he winced. "As fine as I can be, given I'm a torn mess. It was just a nightmare."

"Oh." she shot him a sympathetic look.

"Why did you wake me?" he asked.

"It's time to head back," she pointed at the sky. The sun had set over the horizon and it was beginning to get dark. "I said we'd go in when it got dark."

He stared at the sky a moment then slowly got to his feet. "Let us be going."

She nodded and looked at 5. "Come on." he came over and the three headed back toward the bunker.

As the drew near 1 began to shake. He took some deep breaths, trying to calm himself and stop the trembling but it seemed to be growing worse. He didn't really want to do this even though he knew he didn't have a choice. He needed to get that part back. I just hope they haven't hidden it, he thought.

The stitchpunk hadn't thought of that before. He tried to fight the panic beginning to rise inside him. If they'd hidden it-

Suddenly 7 grabbed his arm suddenly and yanked him behind a tree.

"7, what are you-" she covered his mouth with her hand. "SHHHHH!" she hissed. "Just be quiet or they'll hear you!"

He fell silent and she pulled her hand away. 'They who?" he asked.

She pointed. He turned his head and spotted four figures walking around the building. Two of them had red stripes and wore hoods and two others were black and orange with short thread hair. Every once in awhile they'd flash their optics at one another.

"Guards," 5 whispered, nervously. "They weren't there before."

1 sighed. Things had just gotten ten times more complicated. If there were guards out, then that meant someone found out what had happened. If they tried to get in they would most likely be seen.

"How are we going to get inside?" 5 asked.

7 watched the guards. She remembered them as the quartet that had attacked her and 8 back at the church. She studied their pattern, trying to memorize when they did things so she could think of an easy way to slip past them. They had a pattern she soon realized. Every few seconds they would stop and flash to each other. When they did they left an opening. She looked at 5 and 1. "Okay, when I say go we will all run at the same time, okay?"

The males nodded.

"Okay, she said, looking at the guard. 'They stop to speak with each other every thirty seconds. Their conversations usually last about as long. The next time they flash their eyes at each other we'll move, understood?" another nod. "Okay... NOW!" she took off.

5 and 1 followed closely behind, sticking to the same path she'd taken. When the twins turned their way the three ducked down and waited for them to go back to their conversation. Thiis took awhile but eventually the trio reached the basement window.

7 climbed in first and then 1 climbed in, declining help from either 7 or 5. He still didn't feel comfortable being touched and by then the other two were learning to accept this and stopped offering. Once all three were in the basement 7 looked at 1. "Wheereshould we start?"

"We will have to return to my cell," he replied.

"Why?"

"I'll explain when we get there."

She didn't argue. The female merely nodded and they started down the hall and back toward the elevator that had served as his prison cell. The going was slow because they had to move quietly to avoid being spotted. On the way 1 caught sight of 16 and shuddered, remembering what she'd done to him. Luckily 5 and 7 were ahead of him and didn't notice, they might have asked him about it if they had.

Half hour later they had reached the cell. When 7 opened the door she saw that 12 was gone. "So they really did find out," she commented. "That explains the guards." she looked at 1. "Okay, now would you kindly explain to us why you wanted to come here?"

"I know where to go from here to find the part." he said.

"How?" she asked him. "You said you were blind folded."

He nodded. "But I could see the floor," he replied. "The second time. I could see the floor even though I was carried. They don't know that." he pointed in another direction. "We have to go this way."

1 began to head down the hall. 5 and 7 looked at each other then followed.

2 poured over the blueprints, looking from the first to the second drafts comparing and making circles with a pencil. The scientist stood back, watching. 2 had always been a marvel, him and his unending curiosity. The man couldn't help smiling as he worked, reminded of how he used to be back before the world's crisis had begun.

Finally 2 looked away from the prints and focused on the scientist. "What was the actual reason for making the mahchne anyway?"

The scientist sighed. "It was to help make the world better," he told him. "But as you can see it didn't end the way it was supposed to. I was used and lied to."

2 shot him a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," the man said. "It wasn't your fault." he rubbed his eyes. "It was just a mistake."

2 nodded. "I know but still." he collected the prints. "Mind if I take these with me? I promise to bring them back."

The scientist shrugged. "Go right ahead. Just be careful you don't mess them up. I need them..."

2 nodded. "All right." he then jumped off the desk and ran out the door, carrying the blueprints under his arm.

Finding the right room was more complicated than it sounded. Yes, 1 did remember the way, but he had to stop and think every few moments as they went. Mostly because he'd only been able to see the floor. Remembering how a floor looked wasn't all that easy, especially in a metal bunker. The one thing he did remember well was the flight of stairs he'd fallen down the first time he'd been taken to be questioned. That was very clear in his memory.

"1, are you sure you know the way?" 7 asked after a moment.

"Yes," he replied, not even looking at her. "You might not believe this but I do have a good memory."

7 didn't question that. Out of all of them he had the most knowledge about the war and what happened. He also always seemed to remember every bad thing she did since they made their home in the church. It was annoying but proved his point. She stayed silent, though she doubted he'd actually know the entire way by being carried and only seeing the floor. If he did his memory was a whole lot better than she had first thought.

A half hour later they reached their destination, or what 1 thought was their destination. 7 wasn't so sure but she didn't say anything right away. 5 on the other hand seemed to have complete faith in 1's memery and hadn't asked him at all about it. That was the difference between her and 5. While she questioned everything he just went along with whatever the leader did.

Of course that's just how it went and she wasn't angry with 5. He wasn't the bravest stitchpunk around either but at least he could fight, unlike 1.

1 placed his hand on the door and sighed. Even though he'd never seen this place or the way in he knew right away they'd found the right one. "This is it," he said, looking back at them. "We're here."

"How are you so sure?" she asked him

"I just know," he responded, clenching a fist. Evil seemed to be oozing out from the cracks of the door. "I can sense it."

He could sense it? Since when had he developed that sort of ability? She was beginning to think he was losing his sanity. "Okay..." she said, looking unsure.

1 looked back at the door and pressed the button to open it. Metal scraped against metal and the portal split in half, revealing a room covered in shelves. On the floor there was a chair, most likely the one 1 had been tied to, and a table off to the side with a piece of paper resting on it.

The three stepped into the room. 5 went over to the desk to look at the paper while 7 started looking on the shelves. 1's gaze was fully focused on that chair. It looked like the ones used in doll houses and seemed harmless but he hated that chair. He knew it was the one he'd been forced to endure all that agony on. He was tempted to kick it and maybe even break it apart but he held himself back and turend his optics on the sheleves, searching them. The item had to have been placed on one, unless 16 still had it inside herself.

He hoped not. there was no way he was going to search inside that wenches body for it. He didn't want to be anywhere near that female for the rest of his life.

"1?" 7's voice brought him out of his thoughts. He looked over at her. "What exactly does this part look like?"

1 didn't respond, his optics scanned the shelf before him for the part. It wasn't there so he turned away and looked at another one. It had to be there, he thought. If it wasn't he would go crazy.

Where? Where? Where? AH HAH!

He spotted something familiar and grabbed it off the shelf. He looked at the piece, a wave of relief washing over him. he'd found it that hadn't taken or hidden it after all! He resisted the urge to hug the part, knowing full well 7 was watching him. Instead he merely closed his fist around it and sighed.

Meanwhile 5 was busy studying the paper on the desk. His one optics widened in surprise at what he saw. He turned to summon 7 over to take a look but changed his mind, deciding instead to roll up the paper and stick it in his pack. When they got back to the church he'd show it to 2 and then they could decide on what to do about it.

7 was looking at 1. "Did you find it?" she asked him,

"Yes,'" he replied, looking back at her. "I found it. We can go now." there was relief in his voice.

"Good." 7 started for the door. 1 and 5 began to follow but all three froze when they heard the sound of foosteps in the hall.

5 gasped and 7 noticed 1's optics had opened wide in fear. He started to shake and she thought she heard him muttering. "Oh no! this can't be happening! I don't want to go back!"

7 looked around the room, there were no hiding places should they need to do so. If the people in the hall came into that room the three would be forced to fight their way out, or more like two of them. It was obvious 1 would be useless, given his current state of mind and outward condition. She stepped protectively in front of him, grasping her spear tightly in her left hand. Just let them try anything-

The door started to open. 5 gasped and made a whimpering noise as he redied his bow. 7 tensed and 1 stepped back.

When the door was fully opened two females, both poised to walk inside froze, their optics widening in shot. For a moment the five stood staring at each other. 7 studied the two females. One was brown colored with ornage thread hair and the other was blue and green and wore a hood. They spotted the numbers 13 and 14 on opposite arms. Neither held a weapon and looked harmless.

The first one to speak was the female with the hood. Her optics rested on 1 and she explained. "Hey! You're the prototype!"

7 grabbed both females by the arms and yanked them into the room. The door closed behind them.

"Hey, watch it," 13 grunted, wincing at 7's tight hold. "You're going to rip my arm off."

"I should rip your arm off after what you and your band of thugs did to 1," 7 hissed angrily.

"Hey, I didn't do anything to the relic," 13 insisted. "Me and 14 refused to get involved in that."

"It's true," 14 insisted, her voice soft. "My sister and I have not harmed him. I've been near him but the only thing I tried to do was help him."

"By allowing him to be beaten, burned and who knows what else?" 7 snapped.

13 and 14 looked at each other then looked down.

"Just as I thought."

"What could we do?" 14 asked, looking at her hands. "10 was intent on getting the prototype to tell him where the blueprints were. Nothing we could have said or done would have changed his mind."

13 nodded. 'That is true. We tried to make him lay off. When he was considering letting 16 have at him we did our best to stop him but he let her anyway."

7 frowned. "Is 10 your boss?"

The girls nodded.

"and who is 16?"

The girls looked at each other. "She's uh... a bit of a.." neither girl wanted to explain to 7 what 16 was supposed to be.

Their evasiveness told her enough. Rage filled her. "He let someone like that be alone with him?" she shouted.

The girls nodded, miserable.

7 looked at 1. No wonder he'd been acting so strangely.

Suddenly they all heard more footsteps in the hallway. The five all tensed. "That's probably 10," 13 stated. "This is his room."

7 growled and let the girls go. "We have to get out of here," she said to 5 and 1.

"But how?" 5 asked. "if we take the door he'll see us."

'I know," she said. "We'll have to fight our way out."

"No, you won't," 13 spoke up.

They all looked at her.

"I know a different way out."

"You do?" 5 asked. "How?"

13 walked over to the hall and pressed something. Part of the wall slid open. "The secret way."