Don Socrates: I think you'll like Sin, dude. And Gen's connection will be explained at some point.
Guest: I can say with absolute honesty that I have no idea whatsoever what you are talking about.
De4thL0rd: Coffee Gen is always fun. And don't worry, I have further plans for him. Oh yes…
Sinfulskate: Nice to hear.
lucasgbnz: Thank you for your compliments. And yes, my writing has improved vastly since I started.
Mr Moglin: Yes, I have considered it and it is actually going to happen fairly soon in fact.
Disclaimer: Unwelcome…
Chapter 19- The Friend in Need
Gen grinned as he casually sidestepped a Bandit Technical, latching onto the cage that surrounded the driver as the vehicle went past. Most people would have lost their arm to such a manoeuvre but Gen simply ran to get to the same speed and hopped up to hang on the cage. The Splicer reached over and tapped the driver's shoulder and waved cheerily as the bandit stared at him in shock.
"Hiya." Gen greeted cheerfully before he whipped out a revolver and shot the bandit in the chest, chucking in a grenade and jumping off a second later. Moments later, as Gen dusted himself off, the whole vehicle went careening off the nearby cliff face and promptly exploded in an impressive fireball.
"Nice." Gaige complimented, pulling up in a Machine Gun Runner.
"I try, you know." Gen replied cheerfully, giving his girlfriend a wide grin before he clambered into the turret seat. "So what's next?"
"One more truck and we hit payday."
"Sweet! Let's get goin'! I can practically smell the pizza I'm gonna order!"
Suddenly Lilith popped up on the Splicer's ECHO. "Gen, where are you?"
"Uh, the Dust. Why?" He asked, put out by the sudden interruption to his train of thought.
"We need you back here now."
Gen frowned and shared a look with Gaige. "Any particular reason? Me and Gaige are sort of finishing up a job. Could we maybe get that done first?"
There was a long silence before Lilith said, "Fine, but hurry it up."
"Got it." Gen frowned, wondering what could have Lilith so on edge.
"Let's get this done quickly." Gaige suggested, already revving the engine.
"Yeah." Gen said distractedly.
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Gen and Gaige both exited the Fast Travel to find Axton waiting for them.
"Glad you could make it. The party's already started up at HQ." Axton informed them, already walking to the aforementioned building.
"What's going on, Ax? What's got Lilith's knickers in such a knot?" Gen asked curiously.
"Some people showed up looking for ya. Said they already knew that you were here so there was no point denying it." He looked at the Splicer over his shoulder. "One of 'em's a Siren."
Gen suddenly started laughing. "No fucking way… They found me? Ha! Guess I should've seen that one coming."
"Who exactly are 'they'?" Gaige asked curiously.
"Just some old… acquaintances. Not sure if we're still friendly but might as well find out. Should be fun. War Room, right?" Gen was smiling as he took the lead.
"Yeah." Axton said slowly. The Commando threw Gaige a look before they both made to catch up with their green-skinned teammate.
"I knew I recognised that voice. Sneaky little bastard." Gen seemed to be talking more to himself than either of his companions as he walked up the stairs. He got to the closed door of the War Room and raised his hand to knock but stopped, his smile widening. Before anyone could say anything he took a step back and kicked the door open. "Hi everybody!"
Gaige facepalmed. "You are such an idiot."
"And yet, you date me. So who's the bigger idiot?" He retorted cheerfully.
"Yep, that's him. Nobody else could be that naturally obnoxious." A female voice commented, obviously amused.
"I love you too, Sin." Gen replied, smiling at the Siren. (A/N A design of Sin is available via a link on my profile because it is fucking hard to describe. Go look.) The blonde Siren smiled widely at the green-skinned teen as the man next to her cleared his throat meaningfully. "Don't worry, Duke, I didn't forget ya."
The man, dressed in a simple brown leather jacket, jeans and a black button up shirt with a crimson scarf around his neck, sighed and said, "Though you clearly still have trouble recalling my name."
"Oh I can remember it; I just choose to not give a shit."
"…Remind me again why we came looking for him. He seems as insufferable as ever." This was directed at Sin.
"Yeah, what are you guys doin' here? No offense, but Pandora isn't usually your type of turf." Gen commented.
Sin held her hands up to forestall any further comments and said, "Before we get into that, somebody wants to say hello."
"…Who?"
Sin just smiled warmly. And then Gen was hit at waist height, from behind, with a tackle hug.
"Akri-Gen!" A decidedly female voice with an odd sing-song accent cried out.
"Agh! Simi! What the… How the…" Gen seemed genuinely speechless for once.
The girl still currently on top of him giggled. She had pale ivory skin with jet black hair streaked with red and dark purple and done up in two pigtails. A black lacy top and a modest dark red corset combined with a frilly black skirt edged in maroon to hide a lithe but still curvy figure. She wore black Doc Martin boots with a red rose and skulls pattern along with stripy dark and light gray leggings. Fingerless lace gloves with bright red skulls embroidered on the backs adorned her hands. She had bright red eyes ringed with orange and cherry red lipstick. But nobody really noticed this because they were all too busy staring at either the pair of small, almost adorable, dark horns emerging from her hair of the dark pair of wings on her back. Except for Gaige. She was currently trying to decide whether or not to smack the girl for not getting off her boyfriend.
Gen felt a sense cold foreboding wash over him and glanced around, catching the look on Gaige's face. Icy terror made a beeline down his spine.
"Uh… Simi? Please get off me." He said in a voice filled with fear.
The girl tilted her head curiously. "Why?"
"Because I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Gaige." Now Gen's tone had switched yo one of manic cheerfulness. He pointed the Mechromancer out to the girl currently on top of him.
Simi gasped. "Oh, Akri-Gen! You finally got a girly-friend! Simi is so proud!" She shot up and abruptly lifted Gaige in a tight hug. "You is so nice for being with Akri-Gen. Akra-Gaige. Simi like you." Her volume abruptly lowered so that only Gaige could hear her. "If you hurt Akri-Gen, the Simi will eat you alive." The scariest part was that she still sounded so cheerful.
"Uh, yeah, you're creepy." Gaige replied, smiling uneasily in return.
Simi giggled. "Simi knows. I just don't want Akri-Gen hurt. He's been through so much bad things."
"Don't mind her. She… probably won't eat you." Gen said, shrugging.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that. I've seen her… eating habits. I wish I hadn't, but I have." Duke said, grimacing at the memory.
"Ha! Finally, someone who can understand the appeal in eating other people." Salvador said, grinning and approaching Simi. "Senorita, you enjoy the taste of others?"
Simi smiled at him. "Oh yes! Simi just loves the human flesh, especially with barbeque sauce." She licked her lips. Then she pouted. "But Akri-Gen say I shouldn't eat other people."
Salvador gave Gen an unimpressed look and the Splicer raised his hands defensively. "Woah, I only wanted her to stop trying to eat random people on the street, like in the middle of a city. Far as I'm concerned, she can go hog wild on Pandora."
"Really?" Simi seemed like she could hardly believe it.
"Sure, why not? We're lowering the bandit population anyway." Simi abruptly picked him up in a crushingly tight hug.
"Thank you, Akri-Gen!"
"Yeah. No problem. Can't breathe." Gen gasped.
Simi giggled and dropped him.
"As amusing as this little reunion is, we do have things to discuss." Sin's smile had faded by the end of the sentence.
Gen sobered up too, when he saw her face. "How bad?"
"…Bad, really bad. We were targeted by Hyperion, kill or capture. Preferably the former if the sheer amount of gunfire was any indication."
"Any particular reason? Or is it as bad as I think it is?"
"…We were targeted for our association with you, Gen."
Gen gritted his teeth and swore. "Motherfucker. You're sure?"
"Positive. They wouldn't shut up about it." Duke said, his voice matter-of-fact.
"Fantastic. Any other good news? I'm pretty sure my mood couldn't sink too much further." Duke and Sin shared a look. Gen noticed. He slumped. "…Fuck. What?"
"They're not just targeting us." Sin began.
"We heard them talking about their next jobs and some concurrent operations. They're going after everyone you know."
Gen shook his head. "As much as my ego demands to be acknowledged as so important, I don't buy it. No way am I the only one getting this treatment. Which means Jackhole has upped the ante." He was pacing now. "Can't seem to kill us off so he starts thinking of the people we're connected to. Can't get the people who are already here, obviously, so he goes for the people left behind. So that means it's all about connections." He abruptly swung to face everyone. "Who is connected to who? Roland: anyone on the outside?"
"No, me and the other original Vault Hunters pretty much cut all ties after we opened the Vault." Roland explained, getting nods of agreement from the other original Vault Hunters.
"Right, right. Zer0, I doubt you have anyone to use against you out there." Zer0 displayed a tick mark. "Maya?"
"I was raised by people who can go burn for all I care."
"Fun. Axton?"
"Only an ex-wife who never wants to see me again. And the feeling is mutual before anyone asks." Axton's look dared someone to make a comment.
Gen winced. "Noted. Moving on. Sal, you were born here, do we need to worry?"
Salvador laughed. "My grandmamma Rosita but they would have to be magnificently stupid to go after her. She even scares me!"
"She sounds like a real fun one." Gen grinned at the midget. It faded quickly. "That leaves… Gaige." He turned towards his girlfriend. "Who have we got…?"
Gaige had a look of wide-eyed horror on her face. "…My family…"
Gen froze for a second. Then his brain kicked into high gear. "FUCK!" He brought up his ECHO, frantically flipping through multiple screens as he searched for something only he knew about. The whole time he kept up a steady stream of curses. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! There!" He paused on one screen and began typing. "Come on you miserable bastard. You owe me."
Minutes passed and Gen visibly slumped. "Son of a bitch." He gave Gaige a helpless look, and suddenly his eyes ignited with anger. "Son of a bitch!" He yelled, glaring at his ECHO screen now.
"That's hardly polite." A heavily distorted voice responded.
Gen actually took a step back, stunned, before he recovered and looked around. Every screen in the War Room now displayed the same image; that of neon green string of binary code. The Splicer knew from experience that the code, when translated into English, said the chosen title of the person causing this.
"…Hello, Hacker. It's been a while."
"Indeed. What do you want, Genesis?"
"I'm calling in my favour. I want to learn everything about the current status and whereabouts of some specific people."
"I see. They are?"
Gen looked to Gaige. The Mechromancer drew in a deep breath and said, "Alex and Sandra Sciuto. They're my parents. And my brother, Phase, too."
Gen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that. "You have a brother?"
Gaige shook her head. "Some other time, okay?"
He nodded. "Do what you do, Hack."
"Of course." There was a pause. "Security is a joke. As far as I can tell they pretty much want them found."
"Where are they?" Gaige asked frantically, "Are they okay?"
"Alex and Sandra Sciuto are unharmed but are being held on charges of aiding and abetting a fugitive, two counts in the case of Mr Sciuto, as well as destruction of private property. Oh, and treason. I doubt that one is legitimate though."
"Two counts? But that doesn't make any… Phase. Where's Phase?"
"Phase Sciuto evaded capture with the help of his parents. He booked a shuttle ticket and left Eden-5. He took a roundabout route to his final destination, booking random tickets but eventually moving in for his goal."
"And that would be?" Gen asked curiously.
"Pandora. Where else could a young fugitive like him go?"
"When?"
"He purchased his ticket on Nostra Prime five days ago. Approximate travel time between there and Pandora is three days."
"So he's been here two days already? Damn it. We'll have to head out and look for him."
"That's your problem. I assume you want my help with Mr and Mrs Sciuto's predicament as well."
"Yeah, get them out of there. Get them somewhere safe.I don't care if you have to tear every system on the planet down to do it and I don't care what it costs. Get it done."
"…Understood. I'll be in touch." With that the screens all returned to normal.
"…You have connections with the Hacker?" Duke sounded both impressed and incredulous.
"Long story, Dukey. I'll tell it another time."
"I'll hold you to that."
The Splicer ignored him and turned to Gaige. "You okay?"
She shook her head, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Not really."
Gen pulled her into a gentle hug.
"…Will he be able to get them out?"
"Hacker's the best in the business. If it's electronic, it's his bitch. Hell, a popular legend is that he figured out how to hack an organic brain. And I wouldn't even put it past him. He'll get them out, safe and sound." Sin answered in a reassuring tone.
Gaige nodded and pulled herself together before gently pushing away from Gen. "…So… who's going to help me track down my brother?" She asked, looking over the people in the room.
"Count me in, obviously." Gen said grinning at her.
"If Jack wants them, it sounds good to rescue them. We're in." Sin said, also smiling.
The rest of the Crimson Raiders also voiced their agreement.
"Oh yeah, Gen. We've got some good news for you too." Sin said happily.
"Yeah? What?"
"When we found out we weren't the only ones being targeted we put out something of a… call to arms."
"…Huh?"
"We basically sent out a message over multiple star systems warning anyone associated with you that they were being targeted. We told them who was responsible and where he was." Duke explained, smirking.
"…You basically told everyone to head to Pandora." Gen said slowly, a vicious smile spreading over his face.
"Yep! And now there will be all the friends of Akri-Gen here and we can all go kill nasty Argle-Jack together. And then Simi can eat him." Simi piped up happily.
"Nice. Very nice."
"We could use some more allies in this fight. If you're anything to go by, Gen's friends could give us a serious edge."
"Oh yes they can." Gen said, "Can't wait to see 'em all again, but right now I think we should start the search for those who are already here. Ready, Gaige?"
"Of course."
"Then what are we standing around for? Let's go!" Gen scooped her up and blurred out.
"…Well, at least some things never change." Duke said, deadpan.
Ugh, I don't know why this took me so long but I sort of blame writer's block and a nagging feeling that it's missing something. Oh well. I don't think this was my best work so yeah, tell me what you think. You can expect a few new faces next chapter.
Part of my motivation for releasing this was that Don Socrates basically blackmailed me by saying he wouldn't release his next chapter until I released mine. Happy now, Don?!
Anyway, I'm out.
Until next time,
Elemental Hybrid.