Chapter 1: Aiden Pearce
Aiden trudged to the broken, withered park bench and fell onto the hard oak wood. "Augh… Sonnova bitch," he uttered. He clutched his red, scorched hip. He smeared the dripping blood from his mouth off with his other hand. "Jacks..," he whispered weakly. "Nicky took him to that CTOS control point. God, hope that kid is okay." Aiden stumbled up and continued limping along the sidewalk.
A loud buzzing noise rung in his ear. Crap, Protectors. "Warning, threat detected. Initiating CTOS scan," it said clearly in a cold, lifeless voice. Aiden rushed to a planter box and pulled out a nine millimeter. He didn't want to use the little ammo he had in it, it was supposed to be for Nicky. She needed it much more if she was going to escort Jackson around. He was going to have to use stealth for this one. Aiden stuck his pistol in his coat again and pulled out his retractable baton, scratched and wobbly. He used this thing for too long. Nine years. He planned on getting another one, but it looks like it's too fucking late now, doesn't it? The baton made a loud squeaky creaking sound as he snapped it out. "Threat detected. Closing in on possible suspect." The robot stepped forward to Aiden. Think fast, act fast. Aiden leaped out of cover and hammered his baton into the android's head and smashed it into the planter box. The robot rose and stared at Aiden. Shit. The Protector's fist crashed into Aiden's stomach. The laser implemented in his skull went off. Aiden shot off. He knew it wouldn't help, him running. That laser was crazy accurate and could kill a spider fifty miles away. Aiden was a full-grown adult two feet away. Aiden felt a burning sting in his leg. "Augh!" he yelled before stumbling to the ground. "Threat disabled." It continued forward to Aiden. He pulled himself up but slipped to the ground again. "Threat is resisting surrender. Terminating threat." Aiden hopped up and limped slowly. In front of him lay a CTOS control point. He looked behind him. The Protector slowly followed his steps. He released his grip on his leg and weakly jogged forward. He ran into the control point and slid the door shut. "Fuck..," he grunted. "Aiden!" a voice behind him yelled. "Nicky?" Aiden replied. He turned around but fell on his stomach. "Oh my god…" she whispered. Nicky ran to Aiden and held him up on her shoulder. "Whe-Where is Jackson?" Nicky pointed to a garage. "Aiden, we have to get you patched up, you're hurt badly."
"No time," Aiden said. Aiden pulled out his pistol and handed it to Nicky.
"Take this, run out the back, I led the Protectors here."
"But you're hurt! You need this to hold them off."
"You have Jacks. Take the gun..,"
"But-."
"I said go!" he was yelling now. Nicky started walking towards the garage. Nicky glanced back at Aiden's tearing eyes.