Chapter four- A Different Lead
It was dark when Isabella arrived in the city. The sun had disappeared below the ocean's horizon, and the tacky glow of glittery neon brightened the streets with a gaudy light. She could hear the sounds of music blending together in an inconsistent whirl of noise that caused her ears to pull back against her head. She'd never been to the city before. There was never any need. However, she was quite impressed at how extensive the metropolitan behemoth had become. She wagered the lights could be seen from N. Sanity Island if one strained their eyes. For her part, she cared little for technological advancement. She was partial to the rough untamed wilderness that made up the terrain of the other two islands. However, she had a job to do.
Isabella's curly blond hair bordered her face, keeping her features shadowed and her eyes free to scan her surroundings without suspicion. She wore the casual attire of a laborer, beige army slacks that tucked into her high black laced boots and a black shirt that fit every rounded curve of her upper body. In the belt that cradled her hips she carried items necessary for a stealthy break-in. Her gun was concealed in a triangular compartment that served as a holster. It was not easily accessible, but she doubted she would have need of it merely walking through the streets.
Isabella lifted her head, and gazed across the road. Beings mulled about here and there, and although they would appear relatively threatening for a normal civilian, Isabella was not intimidated. As she gazed past the buildings, she could just make out the outline of a medieval castle in the distance. That was her target. With her direction acquired, she strode into the street and sauntered across the sidewalk toward her destination. As she walked, she allowed the distractions of the nightlife momentarily invade her focus. Countless bars were buzzing with activity. Through many of the open doors Isabella could see the snakelike shapes of dancers coiling around poles on stages. The sight made her shake her head with a condescending sneer.
She continued her stroll through the foreboding streets with a brisk pace, running her mission over in her head. Although Isabella's memory was incomplete, she knew with a high degree of certainty that Cortex had something to do with her present predicament. She didn't know what, but her suspicions were rarely wrong. The sickness was steadily worsening, and Isabella was quite sure that if she could not discover some type of cure for herself, she would not reside in this world long. She needed only to sneak into Cortex's castle, gain access to his supercomputer, and scour the files for anything associated with her illness.
Her mind occupied, Isabella failed to notice the proximity of an aggressor before the creature got hold of her arm and pulled her into the darkness of an alley. Momentarily stunned, Isabella did not react as the bulbous rodent pressed her against the rough stone wall. The rat grinned, displaying two unsightly rows of crooked decaying teeth. He snickered.
"Well now, aren't you a sweet sight. What say you and ol' Roscoe go have a little fun tonight?"
Isabella grinned contemptuously. "As much fun as that sounds, I'm afraid I'll have to decline. Now, get your fat hands off me and scurry back to your gutter."
The rat's crooked smile disappeared. He'd not been expecting much resistance then. Isabella was unsure why. After all, she was not dressed like a street side skank. Instead of releasing her, the rat only started moving closer, his confidence rekindled.
"Come on, baby. Give us a little love."
Isabella's eyes frosted over, and her countenance grew as impassive as stone. She placed her hands against the rat's chest, slowing his advancement. She lowered her voice.
"I want you to think hard about your next move, fella. Get your hands off me."
The rat, unsurprisingly, did not heed her advice. He leaned forward, his slimy tongue darting over his thin lips as he came closer.
"Just give me a little taster, lovey."
Isabella sighed with exasperation. Of course, cooperation was easier, but she admitted the alternative was so much more rewarding. Without another word, Isabella brought up the heel of her hand to crush her admirer's thick jaw. Before he could cry out in pain, she swung her elbow to the side of his head. It took only one more move, a hard knee to the groin, to bring the rat down. As he wriggled on the ground, moaning in pain, Isabella easily stepped over him and returned to the street. She would have to keep her eyes open for more sideshow freaks; she didn't have the patience for any more interruptions.
She continued her determined march through the shady streets, but thankfully she was not stopped again. The filthy creatures that resided in the wide-ranging cesspit of whorehouses and pubs seemed perfectly keen to remain to their own devices. There was no particular purpose to harass a woman like her when there were so many others who were willing to give them exactly what they wanted. As Isabella continued on, a light drizzle was beginning to dampen the short ginger fur that coated her bare arms. She gazed upward, smiling gently as the refreshing rainwater tickled her eyelashes. During this soothing moment of conscious isolation, Isabella felt a stabbing sensation within the pit of her stomach that forced her to gasp in pain.
The pain caused her to double over, clutching her stomach, and she forced herself to breathe in steady increments. Her shoulders trembled as her abdomen continued to burn and thrash as though it were physically being torn apart. Isabella stumbled toward the wall of a building, desperately groping for some external source of stability. She fell against the cold metal, sweat blending into the humidity that matted the fur on her forehead. As the sickness festered, Isabella took her bottom lip between her sharp teeth and bit down hard. She willed the infection to submit. She would not allow herself to be defeated.
Still the pain persisted. Desperate to remove herself from the activity of the nightlife, she staggered into an alcove and fought the urge to vomit. She pressed her forehead against the flat surface, each breath labored and trembling. She was focused so intently upon her own condition that she hadn't even perceived a drunken rodent come near to her.
"Hey girl, are you-?"
As soon as his hand touched her arm, Isabella grasped her gun into her hand and straightened her posture. She aimed the barrel of her pistol between the widened eyes of the stranger. She glared at him, composed and deadly.
"Back off." She growled through clenched teeth.
The inebriated rat stepped back with his hands out in front of him to ward off impending danger. He stammered something unintelligible, but scampered off with impressive swiftness for a drunken creature. The abrupt movement took its toll, and Isabella grasped her stomach with a sharp wince. The pain was still throbbing, but it was gradually beginning to disappear. Struck with an overwhelming exhaustion, Isabella pressed her back against the slick wall of the alley and slid down to the ground. She folded her legs up to her chest, and crossed her arms over her knees. Her gun was held loosely by her fingers in one hand. She dropped her chin, allowing her body to recover as much as possible from the attack.
Isabella was still unsure what mystical force was keeping her alive over these long years. She had lived with the infection as long as she could aptly recall, and although the symptoms were serious she had not yet faded into death. It was occurring now, however. She could feel it. Just the other night she had nearly gotten herself killed because she'd experienced an attack while attempting to escape the jaws of a hungry crocodile. She had escaped basically unscathed, but such weakness was something she could not afford to experience if she wanted to stay alive in the jungle. She'd also begun to suffer chest rattling coughs that caused blood to pass through her mouth and feather her lips. This discovery terrified her, and at once made her realize that she needed to do something to battle this sickness and rid herself of it forever.
With a slow, calming breath, Isabella returned to her feet and returned her weapon to its holster. She brushed her fingers through her thick hair and heaved a heavy sigh. She returned to the street, striding on as though nothing at fazed her at all.
It didn't take long to reach Cortex's castle. It was situated on the very end of the main street, but because the city was still under constructions the lights didn't reach that far. The lack of pulsing white glow above her made her feel more comfortable. She felt the safest concealed in darkness. The rain had intensified during her jaunt, and was now coming down with moderate heaviness. After a few minutes of brisk walking, Isabella finally reached the fence that surrounded the castle. From the signs of heavy metal beams and sheets of thick iron, Isabella supposed Cortex was preparing to upgrade his current parameter with something stronger than intertwined cords. Although the new metal wall might keep out the average scavenger, nothing would be strong enough to hold back Isabella.
She combed her fingers through her hair, allowing the rainwater to slick the golden curls back and away from her face. Her bright blue eyes darted across the expansive area, taking in anything that might be a potential threat. Since Cortex was still in the process of refurbishing his fortress, Isabella supposed breaking in would be relevantly easy. What a disappointment.
When she finally decided to act, there was no trace of hesitation in her movements. She leapt high off the ground and grasped the fence with her fingers and the toes of her boots. She crawled up the metal with the grace of a feline, and didn't pause even as she reached the bushels of coiled barbed wire that rested at the peak. She squeezed her stomach and used her strong arms to swing her body sidelong and propel her over the top of the fence. Midair, she twirled, grasping one leg and using her momentum to flip once and then land lightly onto her feet. She remained motionless for a moment, her eyes scoping her surroundings. When nothing warranted attention, she darted into the shadows, making her way now to the castle itself.
Despite the shoddy level of technical surveillance, Isabella did spy a few state of the art security cameras tucked into some corners of the facility. It would be simple to evade them from outside, but Isabella feared that new surprises might be in store for her just inside the doors. She decided to keep the difficulty minimal, and scale the wall. Although the rain made the rock slick and slippery, Isabella used each groove in the wall to her advantage, progressing up the wall at a rapid rate. Unfortunately, the rain was growing even stronger. The water trickled down her face and into her eyes, but she paid it no heed. In such darkness her vision was of limited use anyway. Her hair, wetted by the weather, was causing a slight strain on her neck. She didn't know why she kept her hair long. It only served as a distraction. Perhaps after this mission she would finally see sense and cut it.
She slipped only once, but she recovered so quickly that any who may have been watching would not have noticed it. Hopefully no one was. It would be troublesome to have to alter her plan. Isabella reached one of the lower windows. She slipped into the shelter of the small enclosure, thankful to be out of the rain. Crouched and dripping wet, Isabella turned and noticed with some amusement that this window was constructed out of low cost stained glass. Obviously Cortex had not bothered to upgrade the stability of his windows to a more practical material. Nevertheless it only made her job easier.
Although she might have used her gun to shatter the glass, a strong kick with the heel of her boot felt far more satisfying. The window crumbled at once, creating an easy opening for Isabella to enter. She swung into the dark room, ignoring the glass as it crunched beneath her boots. She didn't know which room she was in, but it looked rather unimportant. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness quickly, but there was really no need for that. As soon as she opened the door to the hall a dull, pallid light flowed into her irises. She leaned out of the door, scanning the long hallway. It was clear.
Isabella quickly entered the hall and began to jog with purposeful strides. Although she had never before been in Cortex's castle to her recollection, she seemed to know precisely where to go. It was bizarre, as though the place possessed the familiarity of some distant dream. Regardless, it proved useful in Isabella's search for the supercomputer.
She reached a long hallway, and paused before traveling any farther. When she'd first considered this plan, she'd expected the infiltration to be far more difficult than it was. She expected an ambush at any moment, but even as she remained still and silent for a few long moments, she could perceive nothing worth her attention. Although Isabella was not unthankful for the ease of entry in Cortex's lair, she was quite disappointed by the lack of a challenge. Despite her dissatisfaction with the conditions of her mission, Isabella had no intention of dropping her guard. Her eyes remained open and alert, and her ears were perked forward to catch any stray sounds that might warrant attention.
She crept through the hallway, keeping close to the wall as she picked up her pace to a steady run. She followed her instincts, her awareness stretched out before her and sensing the most evident route to her destination. She rounded a corner, and then another. Before she dashed around the third she felt the hairs on her arms stiffen in reflex. She stopped, pressing her back against the wall as she quieted her breathing. She curled her face around the corner, pressing her cheek against the wall as her eyes scanned the final hall.
It was the first sign of security Isabella had yet seen. Two guards were posed on either side of a great iron door. As Isabella passed her gaze across the obstacle, she noticed that there was a small outlet that served as an activation port, most likely to open the door. Although Isabella could not see the key on either of the guards at once, she was quite certain one of them was holding the cardkey somewhere on their person. She returned to a standard position, facing forward, and her thoughts arranged themselves quickly to form a plan. She supposed it would be simplest to take them all out at once. That way, there was no threat of one of them realizing the danger and scurrying away to warn Cortex. Despite her effort to keep her anticipation in check, she could not withhold a small smile from creeping its way along the corner of her mouth.
This was what she lived for.
With a few deep breaths, Isabella steadied herself. She placed the entirety of her weight upon her heels, closing her eyes and grounding herself in the moment. She remained in that state for a few seconds, lifting herself upon her toes and gently opening her eyes. Her targets were in sight, and her plan of action was mapped out clearly before her. Now, it was only a matter of executing it.
When it came to the evaluation of an animal's senses contrasted with human senses, there were many avenues that warranted concern for the latter. Ferocity and speed were two such traits that a human could not match. So Isabella abandoned her stealthy approach and went straight for her objective. When she considered it, she guessed it wasn't fair to call upon the full range of her feral reflexes. However, there were more of them so she decided it was an even fight.
Isabella tore around the corner, dropping down onto her hands and knees into a crouch before springing forward and tackling the first guard to the ground. He fell with a hard thump beneath her. She drove her elbow into his jaw before lifting off his inert body to continue to her next target. This one was close enough for her to catch with her foot. She planted her hands upon the ground and thrust up one leg, striking the baffled guard against the face and causing him to propel backward. She lifted herself to her feet, casting her gaze into all directions before she allowed her guard to fall. Both men lay quiet and unconscious at her feet.
She shook her head and offered a small sigh. Humans were painfully easy to defeat, she almost felt sorry for them. She stepped toward the guard to her left and dropped down to her haunches. Her fingers patted across his chest, searching his uniform for the key. It didn't take long. When she found the useful piece of plastic she lifted it into her hands and strode toward the heavy metal door.
The computer was quite extensive in size, but not particularly impressive. Truthfully, Isabella had been expecting a console of a much larger scale. After all, this computer singularly stored all the information of Cortex's past and future endeavors. At least, that's what she'd been led to believe. Without hesitation, Isabella strode toward the computer and lowered herself into the seat. Her fingers moved across the keyboard quickly, hacking her way into the mainframe where she would begin her search.
A multitude of windows blinked open across the screen, but many of them contained nothing but useless information. Isabella continued typing, the luminescent glow of the screen casting variations of her shadow across the floor. Her eyes were completely focused upon each new filter of information. Her mind worked rapidly, sorting out the impossible array of different files and sequences. Most of the files sported no dates, and so it was difficult for Isabella to keep track of her progress. She did locate some information about Cortex's scheme to claim the planet decimation device, as well as blueprints that led to the construction of the cyborg assassin Megumi. She also found documentation of cash deposits to some guy named Pinstripe Potaroo.
These files didn't interest Isabella. She continued back even farther. She scanned the screen, locating some information that made her furrow her brow in confusion. An entire section of the computer was devoted to a creation called Crunch, and Isabella knew at once that this was Crunch Bandicoot, the muscular introvert from the competition. So he'd been a failed weapon of Cortex's as well. How intriguing. However, although the information was rather interesting, Isabella continued on.
She located many more bits and pieces of somewhat illuminating facts, she could locate nothing that linked itself to her own problem. As she proceeded farther and farther into the past, she noticed that the data was growing sparser and sparser. Many files were missing out of their numerical order, and Isabella's frustration blossomed with every new hole she discovered. All the early years of information were gone completely, including any documentation about Crash Bandicoot's creation. As far as Isabella knew, he was Cortex's very first creation. Any information on herself must lay after that. However, no matter where she searched, she could find nothing.
She leaned her cheek upon her hand, allowing her shoulders to sag in utmost dejection. That was it. Searching the mainframe was the last thing she could think of. That is, short of confronting Cortex himself. However, she believed the situation had come to that. If she could not locate it secretly on his computer, she would need to force it out of him. There were no limits to what a creature could do when their survival was threatened. Isabella continued to scan through the endless lists of schemes and designs, hoping to find something to satisfy her own problem.
She was about to abandon the search when her eye caught something quite fascinating. She'd been scrolling through the lists of past and present minions, and although she'd located nothing at first glance, she decided to select a file that outlined deceased minions. Upon clicking the file, an array of pictures appeared on the screen along with a small outline about each. She glanced through it, not seeing anything especially worthwhile. Then her eyes fell upon it. Beneath a red asterisk marked "pending", Isabella found herself looking into her own eyes.
The woman in the picture was foreign to her. She may as well have been a stranger. Her hair was loose and flowing in a style Isabella normally wore, however the eyes and expression of this woman were utterly devoid of emotion. The angle of the shot captured Isabella glancing over the open shoulder of a tight black shirt that ended just above the bottom of her rib cage, exposing her torso. Five gloved fingers held the hilt of a pistol with the barrel just grazing her cheek. She could sense nothing but arrogance and callousness from the creature in the photo. She read the caption beneath with a wary eye.
M#006- Isabella Bandicoot
Physical description- Species: Bandicoot, Type: Golden, Height: 5'9", Weight: 128lbs, Eyes: Blue, Hair: Blond
After her insolent betrayal, M#006 Isabella Bandicoot fled to the forests where the implanted toxin inside her system that will eventually destroy her. Her mission was a failure, and Tina Tiger has taken control of her former tasks, as well as ensuring proof of Isabella Bandicoot's certain demise.
Isabella scanned over the remaining information upon the screen with a furious desperation. There needed to be more, somewhere there needed to be more data concerning her former existence. However, she searched through the file as well as those surrounding it but located nothing more. She clenched her jaw, restraining herself from barking out profanities. She took a deep breath, calming the raging infuriation within her. Her frustration was rising beyond her control. After a moment, she glanced back up to the screen. She decided to follow the next logical step. Investigate the creature that had attacked her.
The woman's name was Tina Tiger, and when Isabella accessed her file she knew that this was the same crazed psychopath that had attempted to kill her. Her demonic orange irises seemed to glow from the screen, bordered by wispy topaz hair and strands of braids that dangled past her shoulders. She was grinning, baring a set of sharp teeth. What Isabella couldn't understand was why Cortex set this creature on her. Obviously, Isabella had been one of Cortex's minions. That much she had already deducted for herself. However, if he suspected the toxin to destroy her anyway, why bother hunting her down? She decided she must somehow be a threat to him, though she'd be damned if she could figure out how. She raked her fingers through her hair angrily, heaving a frustrated exhale. It was safe to say her mission accomplished nothing but reiterate what she already knew, and give her the name of the mysterious would-be murderess she'd trounced. However, before Isabella counted her effort as a complete waste, she decided to delve a little farther into Tina Tiger's profile.
She pressed a key with her index finger, opening a recent file concerning current missions and objectives. Her eyes scanned the new screen, and lingered upon the title "Extermination Project". She furrowed her brow, and opened the file. A flurry of scattered images greeted her motion, and she felt a wave of shock wash over her. She glanced at each fragment of information in turn, her lips parted in disbelief. The file recounted the entirety of Cortex's latest plan. He intended to abolish every mutated creature throughout the islands.
She continued to search through the material, gathering every useful portion of information to store in her mind. He had located a special drug in a laboratory in human-occupied Australia capable of honing in on a specialized genetic structure. Judging from the layouts of x-rays and sample DNA strands, Cortex was planning to modify the gas to target creatures that had been altered by genetic mutation. He had deployed his tiger assassin as the leader of a task force that would travel to the laboratory and claim the solution. That was the limit of information available on file. Isabella sat back in the chair and tilted her head to one side.
"What are you up to this time, doctor?"
A smile played around her mouth. Well, if she could not confront Cortex at once, there was no reason she should allow him his victory. She slipped her fingers into the pocket of her utility belt and pulled out a small USB chip. She inserted the chip into the computer and quickly typed out a sequence, downloading all the information she required onto it. A separate window jumped onto the screen, a loading bar slowly filling with neon green colour. She sat back and watched the screen load. As she waited, she wondered why the desire to thwart Cortex was so powerful. She knew it wasn't simply the act of irking Cortex's plan that motivated her. Despite her best efforts to close off such unhelpful thoughts, she couldn't help picturing the extensive population of evolved creatures living on those islands. Her thoughts drifted to one particular face, and she felt a little part of her soften for a moment. She was able to convince herself how thoroughly she despised Crash Bandicoot, and the reaction was quickly set aside.
The loading bar was near completion when Isabella heard footsteps outside of the chamber. She stood up out of her chair and glanced toward the open door. She placed her hand upon the chip, feeling each second draw out as the files downloaded. Finally the process was complete. Isabella yanked the chip from the console and tucked it away in her belt. Needless to say the escape surpassed the ease of the entry. It was too bad. For a creature born for espionage and sabotage, she was short on instances that tested the range of her true talents.
Author's Note-
Hello everyone, apologies for taking so long to update. I've been pretty busy with other projects, but I'm determined to post as many chapters as I can. As always, a big big big thanks to my reveiwers (you have no idea how much your comments motivate me!) and I hope everyone is enjoying the plot so far:)
~Bandi-Cute~