A/N: Next chapter is finally here! Thank you so much everyone for your incredible patience. And I want to give a HUGE thank you to those loyal readers who are still following this story after all this time. You guys are awesome!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
Unknowndiva: Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Dirtkid123: Okay, I really need to hire you as my plot consultant because that would have made a MUCH better story. Unfortunately, too late to change things now. But I'd love to explore something along those lines in a future story if you're okay with that. Or, you should write something like that because I think you'd do an awesome job with depicting the emotions and everything. Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving!
PurpleNicole531: Yeah, poor Chase just can't catch a break here. ;) Creepy, huh? Well, that's what I was going for with that character, so yay! As for your guess about the girl, I don't want to say anything just yet or I might accidentally mislead you. More on her next chapter. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for being such an awesome and loyal reader/reviewer!
Stardust16: Yeah, Andy isn't the most inconspicuous guy in the world. Of course, technically neither is Chase (based off what we've seen of him in the tv show). I won't give away whether or not you're correct about the girl. I will say that you are right in guessing that's a code name. Fun fact: that code name is from the Bourne trilogy that this is based off of. Anyway, thank you and have a Happy Thanksgiving! (I know your Thanksgiving was last month, but I'm going to wish you a happy thanksgiving anyway!)
Fannnnn (Guest reviewer): Aww, thanks so much! Unfortunately, the rest of the family won't be making an appearance quite yet. Later though, I promise.
Sarcasmisinmyblood: Thanks! Yeah, more about Blackbriar squad and Blackbriar 1 next chapter. Until then, here's a little more about the Leader in this chapter. Thanks again and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
CrazyChristianCowgirl: Aww, thank you so much! :D Not sure if Chase (or anyone else) would agree with you about Andy being a "cool" kid, though. ;) Happy Thanksgiving!
Asori: Yay, you caught up! Thank you so much for all the reviews on the last several chapters. Believe me, I completely understand how busy life can get sometimes. Thank you so much for all the help and encouragement in each of my stories. Take care and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
"When you have been through the storm and come out on the other side, look around you. The people still standing beside you are your true friends."
Chapter 8: Bus Rides and Barns
Androids don't feel emotions. But if they could, Andy decided that he would be feeling pleasure right now. One thing he'd discovered during this trip was that a bus provided an excellent opportunity to observe humans in a closed environment. For a while, he was content to simply watch the seat across the aisle from him. Apparently it was a popular enough seat that the people had to take turns in it, because he noticed that it kept switching ownership every so many minutes. Some of the people even stared back at him and Andy was quick to put into practice the "wave" gesture he'd observed other humans making so often. He must not be doing it correctly, however, because no one returned the gesture.
After a brief stop in Jefferson City, enough people emptied the bus that there were now several empty seats - and, oddly, both of the seats across the aisle now remained vacant. Andy decided to instead focus on the scenery outside the window. They were now passing through some beautiful mountainous areas with huge forests that glowed red, yellow, orange, and gold. He suddenly realized why so many humans find nature so pleasing to look at; he decided that, if he had emotions, he might be tempted to think the view was beautiful. He also noticed that the scenery seemed to have a calming effect on most of the people in the bus.
He turned to look at Chase, who was staring quietly out the window. For some reason, the scenery didn't seem to help calm him. Andy wondered why he was so different from other humans. Was it because he was bionic?
Leaning back in his seat, Andy thought once more about this trip they were taking. He hoped they would reach California safely, although every time he calculated the odds in his head, it came out against their favor. He didn't bother pointing this out because he knew it would make no difference to Chase. He wondered why humans never seem to be discouraged by logic when they want something badly enough. Oh, well. He was going to help Chase find his family. That was his new mission. It was definitely better than his original mission...
No, he wouldn't think about that. He no longer served that purpose. He had a new leader now. And this leader was much better; this leader didn't think of him as a mistake. True, that was most likely because Chase didn't even know. And, if Andy could help it, he would never know.
They emerged from the forests and cliffs to cross a wide river. Once on the other side, they were now driving through an endless expanse of flat nothingness. Corn and soybean fields stretched out to the horizons on each side. It was late enough in the year that the plants had already been harvested, leaving behind the dead yellow stalks as far as the eye could see. Storm clouds gathered ominously above and a violent wind whipped through the barren landscape. There was something oddly beautiful about the empty world in which they now traveled. It was strange how this place could be both lonely and breathtaking at the same time.
Andy decided to scan everyone on the bus. He was curious how this sudden change of scenery affected each person's mood. After all, humans seem easily influenced by what they see. Several people were asleep and some were too busy being annoyed at the loss of cell service to notice what was outside the window. A few of the passengers were taking pictures of the view. His scanner ran over one tall man near the back of the bus and Andy immediately turned away in surprise.
"You okay?" Chase asked, having noticed the way the android had jumped.
Andy paused to consider his answer. Logically, he should tell Chase; after all, Chase was his new leader. But something inside didn't want to take the logical route this time. A small part of him was... scared? No, that was impossible. Androids do not feel emotions. Still... "Yes, I am fine. I was merely observing the landscape. This part of the country fascinates me."
Chase shrugged and turned back towards the window. Andy didn't feel much like watching the scenery anymore.
Nova Base Facility
Underground prison block #127
Randall hurried along his way, being careful to avoid the laser beams that acted as bars for the cells. He tried his best to ignore the sights and sounds of the prison. So many people...
He reached one particular cell and stopped. The laser bars on this cell were deactivated and a small group of people were standing inside. Hovering immediately outside the doorway, he focused on not looking at the interrogation going on inside. He cleared his throat loudly to gain the attention of the room's occupants. Cowan noticed and stepped into the corridor. He pretended not to notice Randall's obvious distate for what was happening.
"What is your report?" Cowan asked, his voice sounding weary.
Randall stood at attention as he said, "Sir, our agents report that the targets left the bus in Kansas City, transferred to another, and took that one into Topeka, Kansas. They hitchhiked the next 120 miles to Salina, Kansas and stopped there to resupply. They departed Salina on foot approximately three hours ago. Naturally, we could not follow them at that point without drawing attention to our agents. However, our monitoring crew here at the base is keeping an eye on them via satellite surveillance."
"What is the nearest city to them?"
Randall looked at him in surprise. "Sir, they are in Western Kansas. There are no cities. They will not even pass any noteworthy towns for several more hours at the least. There aren't any more significant locations in their path until they reach Denver, Colorado."
Cowan frowned. That meant they wouldn't be able to put an agent back on their tail until the next morning at the earliest. He didn't like the idea of only having to rely on satellite monitoring; there was too much room for error. Especially since the primary target had apparently switched off his GPS locator. Turning back to Randall, he said, "Tell Shadow Squad to wait for them in Denver. And send Agent Ward in as well. Let me know the instant they arrive."
With a curt nod, Randall hurried off to do as he was told. Cowan returned to the cell where the interrogation didn't appear to be getting anywhere useful. A metal chair was bolted to the floor in the middle of the concrete room. Seated there, with his wrists and ankles strapped to the chair, was a young boy; he was tiny in size but his brown eyes were shining brightly with anger and determination. Standing on either side were two guards and hovering menacingly nearby was the Leader himself. Cowan couldn't remember the name of the boy - there were so many of them - but he remembered seeing him before. This boy was a natural troublemaker and seemed to have no end to his stubbornness. He wasn't surprised that the questioning was leading nowhere.
"I will ask one more time and that will be your last chance," the Leader stated, his voice remaining even and detached. "Did they hide it in the Bionic Academy?"
The boy looked up at him defiantly. "Do you think I'd tell you even if I did know?"
"Then you are of no use to me." It wasn't a threat. It was a cold, simple statement. "You will be terminated with the other subjects who no longer serve a purpose here."
"If I wasn't wearing this wrist inhibitor, I'd spin you right off this map," the boy shouted angrily. "You act all tough, but you keep us locked up because you're afraid of us. Afraid of what we can do to you."
The Leader looked down at him with an expressionless face. "You do not understand, do you? You bionic creatures are no longer a threat to me. I will soon have the last one in my possession, and then there will be no one to oppose me. Your small attempts to insight rebellion within the prisoners cannot change that. You have not been an inconvenience, merely an irritation. And that will end shortly."
Cowan followed the Leader out of the cell and waited while the command was given to the guards to prepare the boy for termination. As soon as they were on their way back down the corridor, Cowan gave the latest update. "It is a minor setback, but one which we can deal with," he concluded.
The Leader nodded. "I want the target and his accomplice brought here as soon as possible." With a stern glance at Cowan, he added, "And I want them alive. That is an order. I have special plans for those two."
Cowan silently nodded his head as they approached the end of the corridor. They stopped in front of an elevator and the Leader turned back to ask, "Have we received an update from Washington?"
"Yes, the vice-president has taken over since the president's death. They have declared a state of emergency for the D.C. area and have issued a nationwide manhunt for the assassin. Our agents in D.C. report that the situation is practically in a state of panic."
The Leader stepped into the elevator. Before pressing the button, he turned back to say, "Panic is good. It puts the government on the defensive. We may be able to seize an advantage from all of this. Is the FBI after our target?"
"Yes. We are monitoring their progress as well. If they catch sight of the target, we will know."
"Do not let the target fall into their hands. Understood?"
Cowan nodded and the Leader pressed the button for one of the upper floors. As soon as the elevator doors slid shut, Cowan let out a relieved sigh and headed off towards the command center. He hoped all of this would soon be over. If they could succeed in capturing the targets, they could finally put this entire incident behind them.
A sudden gust of wind kicked up a cloud of dust and Chase fought to keep his super-senses from glitching. They hadn't been in Kansas long, but he'd already discovered one thing he hated about this state: the incessant wind. It never seemed to stop and it had such a dry, harsh feel to it. At least one nice thing was that they no longer had to worry about being seen by anyone. It'd been well over an hour since the last house they passed. The only thing around was the highway they were walking beside. Even cars were few and far between. At first they had kept to the empty fields but it soon became obvious that there was no danger of being bothered here. Besides, with not even a rock to hide behind, they would be easily noticed no matter how far from the highway they walked.
"I believe it is going to storm soon," Andy commented. "The air temperature is changing and the humidity appears to be rising."
"Yeah, I noticed. We'll have to keep an eye out for shelter."
"There does not seem to be a large quantity of shelters in this vicinity."
"We'll find something," Chase told him.
Sure enough, a half hour later, they came across an old barn sitting abandoned near a seemingly ancient grain silo. Both buildings looked like they were ready to cave in, but the boys opted for the barn because at least there was less of it to fall on them if it suddenly gave way during the night. They dared not light a fire anywhere near the decrepit structure, so they laid out their blankets and sat quietly while the darkness rolled in around them.
It wasn't long before the wind picked up in ferocity and several bright flashes of lightning signaled the beginning of a wild night. Chase was surprised at how quickly the storm rose in intensity. He'd never been in the middle of a midwestern thunderstorm and the experience was unlike anything he'd ever been through. It was no wonder people living in this part of the country often built tornado shelters in their backyards. He hoped that they wouldn't encounter a tornado tonight.
A flash of lightning lit up the entire barn as brightly as if someone had turned on the lights. The second it was gone, a clap of thunder boomed through the air and shook the building to its foundation. Chase had a hard time with loud noises even under the best of circumstances; having his bionic senses overly touchy right now made it far worse, though. At least he'd had years of practice in adjusting his ears to sudden sounds. After the first hour passed, he was no longer as bothered by it as he had been before.
He noticed that Andy seemed a bit thrown off by the storm as well. The little android was sitting on his blanket with his knees drawn up to his chin and his arms wrapped tightly around his legs.
"Hey, are you okay?" Chase asked.
"I am fine." His voice said otherwise.
"Are you afraid of storms?"
Andy looked at him slightly offended. "I am an android and programmed to think logically. Fear is not logical."
"No, but if you had any phobias, lightning would probably make the most sense," Chase pointed out. "I mean, after all, you're practically a walking lightning rod."
Another blast of thunder rocked the barn and vibrated through the ground. Andy jumped involuntarily at the noise and wrapped his arms tighter around his legs. Chase suddenly felt sorry for the little guy. Because of his robotic personality and high intelligence level, it was easy to forget that Andy was still extremely young.
"Hey, if you want to slide your blanket closer you can," Chase told him. He remembered when he was younger and Adam used to let him sleep in his capsule during thunderstorms. Even though the lab was pretty far underground, Chase's bionic hearing always picked up the sounds of the storm and it made him nervous enough to seek the protection of his big brother.
"I am fine over here," Andy stated.
Chase shrugged. "Okay, I'm going to sleep then. I'll see you in the morning." He settled down in his blanket and pulled the backpack over to use as a pillow. He noticed that Andy also curled up in his own blanket. Even though he didn't need to sleep, the android could go into a similar state of rest to help conserve power. This way, he wouldn't have to shut completely down to recharge as often. Chase yawned and let his suddenly heavy eyelids fall shut. "Goodnight, Andy."
Despite the loud sounds of the storm, exhaustion quickly overtook him and he was soon floating off towards sleep. Just as he was about to fall completely under, Chase felt something small and warm curl up beside him. He didn't open his eyes so the younger boy would think he was still asleep, but he couldn't help a slight smile. He drifted off to the pleasant memories of long ago thunderstorms and sibling sleepovers.
The storm continued to rage outside, but the noise ceased to bother the two resting figures in the barn.
A/N: This chapter was super-fun for me to write because we've finally reached my (current) home state. Yeah, I live in the Midwest right now. Just to clarify, though, the area Chase and Andy were walking through at the end of this chapter is western Kansas. The entire state isn't as desolate (well, not quite as desolate...) as described here. Most of the cities/towns are located in the north-east area of the state and that's a much nicer place to visit. Had to put a storm in here because that's one thing that Kansas has over any other state I've lived in. Midwest storms are EPIC!
IMPORTANT: So, not quite sure when the next chapter will be up, but I'm really hoping next Wednesday. I'm going to try to start a real update schedule now with a new chapter every Wednesday.
NEXT CHAPTER: "The Ugly Truth" - Chase learns something that he probably didn't want to know about his visit to D.C. while the enemy closes in...