Chapter six: Deadly encounters...
(Abe tumbled down the trash chutes and many ventilation shafts until he finally felt his feet land on a hard surface...)
Abe just stood there for a moment in a daze, his mind still trying to understand the events that happened mere moments ago, the boardroom meeting, the guard and the scrabs all seemed a like a blur.
Rubbing his temples for a moment, he glanced around surveying his surroundings, this seemed to be one of lower floors with an abandoned wash bucket in the middle of the floor with a few sponges next to it, he could still faintly hear the security alarms going off above him.
"I've got to get the rest of the slaves out of here." He thought out loud to himself, Abe couldn't bear the thought of the other modokons becoming killed and butchered for industrial profit.
Cautiously tip-toeing forward, he was hoping to come across some of the slaves who worked the night shifts on this floor, "Maybe, just maybe, I can lead them outta here." He whispered to himself as he walked around a corner.
Sure enough there where two muds scrubbing the floors with a sleeping slig nearby, he grimaced, "I'm in way over my head..." He mumbled quietly to himself as he face-palmed, Abe knew he would have to take care of the guard without getting spotted and preferably not shot either.
Summoning the courage needed, he forced himself to tip-toe past the slig, looking downwards he noticed the satchel tied to the sligs waist, shuddering he reached towards the bag, "Please don't wake up..." He pleaded quietly as he opened it, trying to ignore the sligs loud snoring, it sounded like something crossed between a slog with a cold and a freight train coming into a FeeCo station.
He was close enough the slig to feel its hot breath, trying not to gag. Abe finally found what he was looking for, a small hand grenade, not big enough to blow the gangway, but effective enough to blow this slig to smithereens.
Pulling out the pin and gently placing it next to the floor, he jumped to his feet and sprinted a short distance to the workers, "Freeze!" The guard shouted as he got up, "Take cover!" Abe yelled as he crouched covering his head with his paws, not really having any idea what was going on the slaves did the same as the bomb went off.
After the ringing left his ears Abe got up and looked around, "Yuck..." He mumbled there was slig blood spattered on a nearby wall and the floor. The slaves got to their feet as well, "Are you nuts?!" One muttered taking a step towards him, "Yeah, you nearly got us killed." He other cussed, "We're all eventually gonna get killed..." Abe argued back.
The mud with a brown head feather shook his head, "Well duh, this is Rupture Farms stupid..." He mumbled again, Abe gripped his head with paws and shook his head in frustration, "Molluck has put modokons on the menu!" He spat out the words like his life depended on it, the two muds gasped and exchanged worried glances.
After a few moments passed Abe broke the silence, "Follow me to freedom." He said simply as he started walking away, "Ok" The two muds answered in unison and Abe could soon hear their footsteps trailing behind his own.
They continued walking down the corridors for some minutes until they came to a dead end, nothing but a door with board nailed over it with the words "condemned" on it, and a few birds pecking at the floor near it, Abe took a moment to glance back at the two muds behind him who gave Abe questionable looks.
"Great now what?" Abe thought to himself, he rubbed his temples trying to think. Then suddenly the answer hit him like a sudden realisation, he remembered the strange dreams he had, of modokons chanting around a fire with birds fluttering everywhere. He shrugged at the thought, it was long a shot, but it wasn't like he had any other options at the moment.
He gripped both paws together and moved them in small circular motions, mumbling the chants he heard in his dreams as best he could, concentrating hard. He could soon feel his body glowing as some unknown power seeped through his body.
"Hey look!" One of the muds pointed at the birds as them began to fly around in a perfect circle, suddenly the circle was like a round door, an old temple could be viewed as if they were looking through a glass window, "Lets go!" The other mud shouted excitedly as he sprinted towards the portal, "Wait for me!" The other called out close behind, they both jumped though the mystic portal and out of sight, and Abe ceased his chanting, catching his breath
Abe groaned from the pounding headache, "What just happened?" He mumbled glancing around and then focusing his attention on the birds flying away in the distance...
(...Meanwhile in another zulag, we find Imp and Sid helping a modokon called Alf attend to his bar, known as the "Drunken Slig Guard"...Well Sid was helping Alf, Imp was just on one of the higher platforms, making trouble as usual.)
It was late at night around ten pm, the bar was nearly empty, only one slig guard remained, drunken and passed out over a stool with its face resting on the bars bench in a pool of its own drool. Sid glanced over at the young mud working the bar, he was about a year younger than Abe, and was known to be a little naive. Alf apparently had a natural talent for mixing drinks, and had been doing so from a young age.
Sid shook his head and resumed wiping the bench with an old rag, "Did you hear about Luna?" He asked casually not glancing up from his work, Alf nodded, "The poor muds got guards on heels all day." He answered casually, Sid and Alf didn't often get to talk, they slept in different rooms and worked different zulags normally, so they were just casual acquaintances.
Sid was about to say something else when he heard snickering above him, then a small pebble fell down from above him and landed on the guards head, making the slig grumble in his sleep. Sid resisted the urge to yell at Imp, but didn't in case he woke the guard.
"Kid, have you got a death wish or something?!" He whispered harshly above him, Alf shook his head annoyed as Imp jumped down from one of the metal walkways just above the bar, "Ah, loosen up old timer." Imp teased with a mischievous smirk through his stitched lips, "How the guards haven't just shot you yet Imp, I'll never know..." Alf grumbled going to a nearby sink to wash some glassware.
"Got to do something to kill the boredom..." Imp shrugged, but his cocky demeanour was soon diminished as a dish-rag was thrown at his face, his muffled grunts could he heard as he took the object off his face. "How about doing some work you lazy schmuck!" Sid grumbled resuming his work as the guard mumbled in his sleep some more.
Imp grumbled something indistinct and started polishing glasses, just as the door was slammed open and an angry looking slig guard stomped into the room, slapping the drunken sleeping slig over the back of the head.
Sid recognised this guard as Cal, easily recognisable from the scar running across his left eye, a little of the scar could be seen seeping from under the sligs mask. "Bud wake up!" Cal shouted hitting him again, Bud groggily lifted his head and glanced around.
"Wha..What? I wasn't sleeping..." He grumbled getting up from the stool and he used a hand to wipe some of the drool off his face, Cal shook his head disappointed at Bud, "Molluck has ordered all guards to find that slave fugitive." Bud just looked at him confused, Cal face-palmed, "Come on, I'll explain on the way." Cal said as he motioned to the door and led the other slig out of the bar, the modokons watched with curious looks on their faces as the sligs left.
(Mere moments earlier, we find Abe hiding in the shadows just outside the bar door...)
Abe smiled to himself as he stopped chanting just as the slaves jumped through a nearby bird portal, he had just helped another several modokons escape Rupture farms and was feeling rather proud of himself, Abe knew Sid and Imp would be working at the bar tonight and he had used the elevator shaft to quickly make his way up to the upper floors to find them.
He stopped and gasped when he heard heavy footsteps, thinking quickly he stepped into the shadows and held his breath as a slig marched into the bar, momentarily passing him in the darkness, its glowing red eyes passed him in darkness, it was a little too close for comfort.
Abe breathed a sigh of relief as it walked into the bar, he waited a few minutes patiently as the slig came matching out with another guard. Abe held his breath again as they passed him in the shadows and down the hallway, Cal even turned around at the elevator, Abe grimaced as its eyes darted back and forth suspiciously, before stepping into the elevator shaft, and it lowered out of sight.
When the coast was clear, Abe then made his way to bar door, stopping for a moment to look at the wanted poster with his picture and name on it, "Well that was fast..." He grumbled, it was official he was a terrorist in the eyes of the industrials, if the guards saw him, he'd now be shot on sight.
(Meanwhile in Molluck's office...)
-Molluck's POV
Molluck growled to himself angrily as he watched a modokon on the monitors free some of his slaves, blow up slig guards, and destroy general work property. He got so angry he started to turn a little red, he bit the cigar in two, and let it fall out of his mouth and onto the floor.
He hastily turned to the slig beside him, who timidly offered him another cigar and a light. He shook his head, "Catch that blue bastard!" He shouted and the slig jumped, stumbled to gain its footing and saluted before sprinting out the doorway.
Molluck let out a deep and annoyed sigh as he turned and directed his attention back to the computer monitors...
(Back at the Drunken Slig Guard bar...)
-Nobodies POV
The three muds looked shocked as a familiar face entered the room, "Abe!" Alf exclaimed excitedly from behind the bar, "Where have you been stitch-lips, the guards are looking for ya." Sid added getting up and turning to face him, Imp just stood there looking at him a little dumbstruck.
"Unbelievable, I've been making trouble for years...And then you make one mistake, and suddenly your the wanted criminal." Imp mumbled looking slightly insulted, his arms crossed over his chest. Abe wasn't sure why Imp was always seeking attention, and what puzzled him most is that Imp seemed to want to get into trouble with the guards.
"The slaves are now on the menu, you guys have got to help me get as much of them as we can outta here." Abe wasted no time in explaining the situation, the others exchanged confused glances for a moment until Imp spoke up breaking the silence, "Oh, so that's what new 'n' tasty is..." Imp said with a raised paw, Abe grumbled and face-palmed as the Sid and Alf shot him a questionable look.
"They're called modokon pops, a sick new industrial treat. We gotta get everyone outta here before we all end up on the menu." Abe motioned for the others to follow as they headed for the doorway, he stopped and turned around as the three muds stayed were they were, "What?" Abe shrugged at the doorway as the others looked at him sceptically.
Sid shook his head, "Do you even have a plan?" He asked this leaning against the back wall with his arms crossed, "Well uh..." Abe stuttered scratching the top of his head, they stopped their brief exchange when Alf spoke up, "If you can get past security, the stockyards are your best bet...But I highly doubt you could get all the slaves through the stockyards safely." Alf walked towards Abe as he said this and placed a paw on his shoulder, "Its impossible Abe, get outta here while you still can." Abe shook his head and brushed his paw off him, "I'm not leaving without you guys." Abe said stubbornly taking a step away from the door.
Imp shrugged, "I guess suicide beats a life of slavery, I'm with ya on this one Abe." The said modokon smiled as Imp walked over and stood beside Abe in an effort to support him, "We won't have to die, I've found portals to get the slaves to safety." Abe added looking at Sid who tilted his head in confusion.
"The portals are an urban myth Abe, have you been breathing in toxic gas or something?" Abe furrowed his brow at Sid's words, but bit back the urge to growl in annoyance. "Its the birds, when you chant near them, they open portals." Abe stated trying to get the stubborn old mud to listen.
He watched as Alf put a paw to his chin, "I heard from an old modokon once about the birds being sacred, or something..." Alf finished his comment with a shrug, Sid sighed, "Ugh fine, its not like I'm gonna live much longer anyway." Abe smirked proudly as Sid gave in, "Good you guys gather up as many slaves as you can and head to the ground floor, I'm gonna find Luna." They all nodded and headed for the door, well except Alf.
Abe stopped at the door when he noticed this, "You coming Alf?" Abe smiled and motioned for him to follow with a paw, trying to encourage him to come with them. Alf shook his head, "Someone has got to stay back and spread the word, I'll come after you when I can." Alf then resumed washing the dishes in the sink.
Abe looked disappointed but nodded in understanding, "Well alright then..." And our hero reluctantly walked slowly out the door.
(About an hour later, up in the confines of zulag three, Luna sat between two guards standing watch as she rested sitting on an old wooden crate.)
The blaring alarms in her ears had finally stopped, Luna was finally able to rest, she was not permitted to sleep in the slaves quarters any-more, instead she had to sleep outside being watched by the guards.
She stopped and smiled as something fuzzy nuzzled her side, Nova purred in content as she gave the fuzzle an affectionate scratch on the head. They'd grown rather close over the past few days, relying on each other for companionship and comfort.
Luna watched the guards march back and forth with limited interest, she glanced around confused as the guards suddenly looked startled hastily looking around, "What was that?" One asked glancing around after hearing a quiet thud, "Pay attention!" The other guard ordered as they resumed their marching back and forth.
-Abe's POV
He mentally kicked himself as he stood there in the shadows, he had managed to walk right into the wall and fall over, nearly alerting the guards. "I hope this works." Abe whispered as he gathered himself and began to chant, hoping that if chanting could open bird portals, it would at least do something to distract the sligs.
He began to feel the power flow through his veins like before, but this time it was different, like an out of body experience. Abe suddenly didn't feel like was in his own body any-more. He could feel another mind struggling against his won subconscious.
-Nobodies POV
"What's going on?!" The guard shouted confused raising his gun to his partner as he stumbled around gripping his face, "Get out of my head! Get out of my head!" The other slig shouted stumbling around like he was in a lot of pain, Luna gasped as the slig slumped forward as the slig stopped shouting, and started breathing heavily.
The other guard moved cautiously forward, "You ok?" He asked, he flinched back as the slig suddenly righted himself in one swift and quick motion, (Bang, bang) Two swift gunshots and the other slig was left lying on the ground with a few bullet holes in the chest area.
Luna just stood there eyes widened with her paws cupped over her mouth so she wouldn't cry out, she watched disturbed as the slig began to tremble, and shake wildly. Then suddenly in an instant she heard the slig cry out, as he blew up from the inside.
She was too shocked to scream, Luna was struck for words when a familiar modokon stumbled out of the shadows rubbing his forehead, "You okay?'" He said quietly, Abe apparently had a pounding headache from the experience. She stuttered for a moment, trying to find the right words, "H..How did yo...You do that?" Luna managed to choke out.
"I don't know...You got a little something there..." Abe stopped in mid sentence to point at a piece of flesh on her shoulder, Luna gagged and flicked the sligs broken mandible off her shoulder. "That was the grossest thing I've ever seen...And I'm a slave in a meat factory." She grumbled wiping herself off, Abe smiled and then sighed, Luna was back to her old self again already.
"Follow me." Abe said as he gestured back to a nearby elevator, "Imp and Sid are waiting at the stockyards with other muds." He added leading Luna to the platform and pressing the button, Luna shook her head for a moment before asking, "Why do you always say that?" She mumbled and Abe merely chuckled as a response.
(Just to clear a few things up, I know Alf didn't officially appear until the start of Abe's exodus. The fact that he was working a bar in Rupture Farms is based on the New 'n' Tasty DLC called "Alf's Escape" anyway I liked it and thought it would be a good way to put Alf in this story earlier.
Just so I don't receive too much criticism on this, it took me awhile to write from Abe's perspective while possessing a slig and still making it sound legit. So I'm sorry if that part sounds a little dodgy when your reading it.
Alright if your enjoying this, then that's great, next chapter is coming soon :)