Haydee - Free Will

by AlexanderMugetsu

Through the walls and doors, past the machines and foes, and beyond what they didn't know, two unlikely people find themselves having to stick together to escape, and understand, this place, and what it all meant. Collab idea with Celfwrdderwydd.

11. Yellow Zone

Within the sound of an empty chamber, nary a hum vibrated along the tainted pipes. All was silent and quiet, still - then a rush of noise and movement bounced off every packed border within the tight space, screaming all out everywhere, only to shut dead a mere few seconds later. A deathly silence would not be silenced, however, as by the second after, two figures stepped ahead, off the step and into the open section hand-in-hand, ready to meet with defiant focus on what was next prepped for their arrival.

Stepping through the opened sliding door, the two's steps were as cut short as the silence that had persisted a moment ago as they stared with skepticism at what lay before them. At first, the room seemed so small, a near squared box mere meters in length from any side. Only when they stared upward did they see the actual size of this enclosure. Or perhaps, as the human was to put it:

"Haydee, this is an elevator shaft!"

It had been changed, but by every account, Dale looked correct. What the two saw before them, the vertical shaft rising high as tall as it attempted to be, appeared to be an elevator station. Or what was now left of one.

"So. . . where's the elevator then?" Said important notion was indeed missing. Staring hard, both the floor of this squared tunnel and the ceiling up above, even as far as it looked to be, lacked the proper tool necessary to clamber up this angled walkway. No electric flooring, not so much as a floating tile collaborating with her Remote, seemed to exist in this barren space of a chamber. Though Haydee was confident there would be an exit high overhead, even if, in the end, getting up there would be the primary source of conflict immediately presented to them. No ladders existed here, no significant handrails or easily carried ledges; just a few sparse open sections seemed to be awaiting them up ahead, the space between interwoven only by continued trails of oval-holed gratings. A sight that filled her with both relish and apprehension.

"I see some levers up ahead. Haydee, I-" She nodded firmly. So suddenly and harshly, Haydee managed to cut short his inquiry inadvertently. However, she had her doubts that the swift strike of her head caused the human to suspend his speech. Instead, the slight nod she was returned with, and the small smile she then received, appeared adequate for her to know why he needn't say anything additional, and their understanding of the next step to take was ideally shared.

"Guess I'll see you in a bit, then." It took a moment for her to realize he was bantering the situation. However, he never seemed to witness the slight nod Haydee made at his notion of humor as he had already made his turn, instantly gravitating towards the lowest climbable piece of metal to begin this long climb up. "Still, it's fair to say we don't really need to ask what kind of color this territory will be." Indeed: all around - literally every place along the wall that wasn't covered over by the ledges or gratings - pipes of but one shine, of one tint that coveted over every metal slip on the protruding ducts, cluttered about this squared shaft with its off-clean tinge; Yellow.

An almost ungodly amount of yellow. While Haydee knew being presented with the color coding for this zone was appreciated, she also quickly believed it didn't need to be this much.

"Did they have to go with this dark a shade, though? Uh, I feel a little grossed out being just near so much of it." Haydee quickly hoped the human would not get an upset stomach having to see all this undandy-lion blond around him if his statement held any weight. However, whether or not it did matter did not seem to disrupt the male's climb up, as with seen ease, Dale quickly found the tip of the ledge and pulled himself over.

With patient observation, the gynoid made no move as she watched him press on the lever and made no second flinch when suddenly a ladder popped up and jotted down to the bottom. Knowing she would have to give the human a well-deserved hug of gratitude by the end of this room, Haydee pressed forth herself, grasping at the handles and plodded herself up.

As a sole finally hit solid ground, Haydee stood on the same ledge as the human. Granted, the space between was a tad. . . short; even with the human's back to the wall, there was barely enough space for her to see his bare feet below. Or perhaps that was due to her oversized chest almost poking the human's face.

"I think it's your turn now, Haydee." The human spoke up with an unseen mouth, eyes just managing to peek over her impressive bust. Her tilt of the head was answered by his hand pointing out off behind her. She turned on the spot, looking behind her to instantly distinguish his observation. On the opposite wall, albeit a reasonable distance up, another ledge, with another lever, jutted out the brickwork. Too far for even the human's impressive leap, whereas for the one wielding boosting footwear, it would be an easy trip.

Haydee looked back via a turn of her head, curtly offering a thumbs up as thanks before focusing on the second ledge above them. Before anything, Haydee tipped her toes over the edge, arcing forward to jump straight forward, clearing distance as she immediately let her boost fly, firing off her second to proceed with her chest catching onto the hanging ledge. A pull-up, standing on the balcony, Haydee wasted no time pressing the awaiting lever.

As she expected, the panorama of something not for her usage. More climbable grates reeled out, to the side and proceeded up from the first ledge below. With no time to ask, the human swiftly went up and left her with a moment to ruminate. But, as she saw him go, she just as quickly saw a Haydee merely unable to progress without their own Dale. No doubt, even now, the idea of having no Dale was not a possible choice if any of her kind wished to proceed further, whether they realized it by now or not. Though understanding this, the return of trying to figure the purpose of it all out only left her with more questions. To what end was this all far, and did this place then hold the conclusion, or just another exit to a different shade-labelled section?

Whatever this ultimate end actually could look like, Haydee. . . did not know. There were no answers, only questions. Only basic ideas, and even then, for her, they were but basic, casual culminations. She could only know the more they see; the more could be figured out if not outright given in some form. Shaking her head, Haydee's attention was instantly put back on the present as she noticed the human standing on the short balcony up above. Putting those theories to the side for now, the gynoid's body tensed when Dale pulled on the lever.

A sudden shift of moving metal caught her attention above. The sight of a metal ladder reeling down caused her body to react, grabbing onto the nearest rungs as she began pulling herself up. In doing so, whilst her sight was focused on nothing but the up, Haydee easily saw how it quickly dawned on the human why this seemed to have been an abandoned elevator shaft. Despite the unfathomable myriad numbers of yellow piping, not one even attempted to cross through the middle. There was nothing but vacant space in between, so the conclusion to make this a shaft was quite logical. Unfortunately, though, where the elevator had to be was an ending she believed would not come about if the apparent sight of the ceiling way above was any indication.

Another lever up top, Haydee pulled down, in turn allowing more of the climbable grates to appear in the short section without pipes hovering around them. Another climb up later, another lever pulled for her, another climbing ladder as she again mounted to the next balcony.

Standing straight, Haydee noted that no lever was there, or anywhere for the human to get up to the ledge above him. To that end, Haydee saw what must be done. First, she pointed to herself, then the ridge above Dale, earning a silent nod in return. No choice, Haydee geared back before jumping, firing off her boosts until she could grab and pull her body up. Again, a lever this time, which Haydee pulled down, in turn reeling a ladder downwards. Within a moment, the human was next to her again, standing close as they looked to the following passage.

"I think that is the second to last projection on." Indeed, the ridge high above their heads looked mere metres from the pipe-overlayed ceiling above. "I don't see a lever. Do you think there may be worth in me getting on your back?" Haydee shrugged before nodding in a supposed statement of 'yes'. There was no harm in doing so, and they could quickly jump back down if need be, so kneeling, Haydee felt him clamber over her, checking he was secured before diving forward and boosting up. Grabbing the ledge, when she climbed, she saw what finally awaited them: no lever, but a closed door with a button by the side. His observations rang true once again; Haydee charged on, pulling them both up after a moment of boosting before letting him back down.

Hugging his side as thanks, Haydee offered him the chance to press the button, though mainly for him being closer than her. He pressed, the door opened out, and the duo trekked forward, into this place proper.

The way ahead was but a human-sized hallway. Neither spacious nor cramped, enough for her and her human to walk alongside each other with a breeze, their ceiling coming low enough for her to reach up and grasp it, though insufficient to graze along her forehead.

Tight as it allowed itself to be, the way ahead was to incline even tighter by the familiar presence of a metal detector standing alongside a. . . booth of some kind. Haydee was quick to anoint it by the expansive windows on both flanks and a doorless space on the rear. No doubt where the humans were meant to enter from; and where hers was supposed to enter across.

"I'll go see if there's a way to turn it off for you." Haydee nodded as she let the human go, watching him about to pass into the walk-through with casual reprise, including with the dangling metal crowbar on his backpack.

Upon the notice, Haydee sparked forward, endeavoring to halt the human before he was denied his chance of ongoing. . . yet: before her hands could make a grasp on either him or his tool, Dale had already stepped in; with not a sign of denial hollered anywhere by the sensor. Standing back upright as she watched the metal-carried human walk in without an understanding of what Haydee was ruminating about, the gynoid tapped her chin in quizzical wonder. The machine was still on, no change from last seen, but the thick metallic item he was carrying should have set it off. So then, to why was the machine not accepting Dale's metal items as significant enough to warrant a rejection, unlike her physique? Or perhaps, then not her body, but her weapon that caused her aboriginal denial in the foremost place?

It mattered not, at least when the shout of "I found the shutoff button here for you." resounded out the booth. Once shut down, Haydee quickly passed on through, immediately returning to the side of her human once again. Though nicely, this time with something new in tow.

"Here, I found this inside for you." As he presented, the cute little expression he was wearing whilst he offered made her almost grab it without glancing at it first, though her logic complex advised her otherwise. Instead, Haydee's observation eyed a container of buckshot resting over Dale's palm.

"I counted. There are three shells inside." A truthful statement, one Haydee was quick to find as she opened it up and pulled out the three shells. Or just one hand, as Haydee promptly dropped the now empty box onto the drab flooring before whipping aside her rifle and placing the trio of buckshot into the chamber. Perhaps to show the male she was instantly grateful for this gift or the lingering practicality of the unsureness of this place being anything more than contained hallways. Both, most likely, as the gynoid was still uncertain over what may follow in subsequence.

She did, in fact, mostly know the exact next step: giving the human a warm side hug for his work. Was that a giggle she then suddenly heard emanating from the human's throat? Mattered. . . not enough for them to stay here, so with an usher, the reluctant female moved forward, the human quickly in tow as they prepared to meet the corner up ahead. She signaled him to take a step behind as she led the way, rifle at the ready as she made a peer around:

Another drab hallway with little littering on the side except for more sandy pipes. Pipes. . . and some hidden fixture beaming out a viridescent glow. A burning light, a familiar sight not seen since quite an extended time ago. Haydee stepped out, knowing the human would follow, and would stop and inquire about the apparent presence before them.

"What is that?" Haydee did not respond, instead continuing to take the firm walk ahead until her toes were inches from the spotlight. "Do you know what that is then, Haydee?" Now she responded, with a nod, glancing at him properly as he stood to her flank. He was quick to look, or at least attempt to, as he tried to spy the hidden machine out of view via the large piping. Though obviously new, it wasn't lost on her his cracks to decipher what this was without accidentally setting foot into the light. Another anecdote of his true intelligence, she knew.

"Is it dangerous?" That. . . she could only answer with a shrug and raised palms. Not dangerous, per se, but definitely. . . inconvenient, to have it put bluntly. Perhaps a rather astute observation than first figured, as it was likely not lost on either that getting through could not happen without breaching into the light, the wide beam assaulting the floor and the wall opposite with its shamrock glow. Nevertheless, though getting through without breaking the sight could not transpire, and with the knowledge she knew little for what was to arrive, Haydee hovered her hand over her holster as she stomped her foot forward.

The once lime beam changed to an immediate scarlet as the accompanying beep followed in tandem, signaling a change - another sound of grating somewhere deeper scratching away; and the sight of a Slasher bursting out the brick wall towards their position.

Haydee left the smug notion that she was prepared for this on the back burner whilst she swiftly whipped her gun forth and placed two solid shots in the approaching machine. It clattered down like the trash it was, and Haydee allowed herself a moment to relax now nothing new occurred.

"Did you expect that to happen?" Haydee pinched the air in response. Not entirely, she knew from experience, but something such as that sounded entirely plausible with all they had seen thus far. "At least we both now know what it is." She nodded as he walked forward, without her, however, as Haydee turned to the searchlight up above. A sudden curiosity taking her, Haydee let her assessment become a reality as she re-aimed her still-held firearm upwards to the searchlight itself. Two more shots echoed along this drab walkway, right into the beacon itself, only for no change to occur. Both a shot into its body and its glass camera, but neither bullet changed the light fixture's dynamic. It remained as operational as ever. . . drat.

Holstering her firearm, Haydee promptly brisked forward to return to the confused man's side and walk with him, not deeming the necessity to explain what she had just done. Continuing along, over the broken machine and past the small chamber where the Slasher was held, save for taking a moment to peer inside and grab the potentially missed rifle magazine lying inside, The duo marched forward, only stopping upon the notice of some stain on the wall.

Of a. . . a poster? That's all it was: a basic but readable plastic poster on the wall, red and white with black text and few symbols, explaining what she could perceive as a safety sign of all things. Though its text explained little else as simple but essential workplace hazards and how to avoid them, seeing it here, now of all times, definitely struck a chord within her.

"Hey Haydee, am I going crazy, or do these all seem like. . . once work areas, but had been changed?" The gynoid gave a firm nod, understanding where he was speaking from. Rather than the usual sight of bleached walls brightening up the pathway, greyed borders exist all along the walls, ceiling and floor. Even the familiar sight of imperceptible lights was now replaced by simple Fluorescent tubes attached to the roof above. In short, this lemony-tinted section seemed nominal in design, at least thus far. Drab, is virtually a non-entity compared to their supposed usual notions.

In short: worthy of being deemed a potentially non-trail of a zone. Or just in theory, though, even a theory was enough for Haydee to approach the way on with both circumspection and intrigue. Whatever may come could not be approached by anything less than her standard concentration.

The end of the hallway was quickly met, finished off by another of those elevator doors, Haydee was quick to note. A tap on the button later, the doors spread away, revealing what appeared to be another shaft presented before them. Though to Haydee's delight, though one that now ducked downwards, not one of only unclogged space in the middle. Instead, as slap-dab right before was presented, something both new and obviously indistinguishable.

It was a platform: an elevator.

Simplistic as it looked, not a contained box but a mere metal square with grey railings around all sides but the front and back, a simple button, and a stretched-up panel, it was still a sight worth thankful for. Better this than a long-winded dangerous trek downwards, Haydee believed both were relieved about. Standing on, hearing her boots clack on the metal flooring, Haydee turned to her companion and cleanly presented the single-button panel for him to press. Watching his eyes light up with innocent joy immediately after was an assurance for the gynoid that passing through the rest of this Tuscan-sun-coloured section would be entirely worth it. Then, feeling the elevator below her jerk and suddenly shift downwards, she allowed herself a second to roll her shoulders, now unable to do little more than wait it out.

. . . A little longer than she would have preferred. Couldn't this ride go any faster?

"I'm actually a little glad this is here." The human piped up without warning, with Haydee quickly believing he spoke to penetrate this bland silence, if nothing else. "Kinda hoped it would be. I mean, these are supposed to be elevator shafts. Why shouldn't there be any actual elevators to ride?" Haydee gave a slow nod as she turned his way, not thinking she could offer much else.

The flooring suddenly jolted to a stop, their ride having ended quite abruptly as the two stood firm and looked around to forward, seeing aught but a blank wall before them.

"Oh." Both then realised they were facing the wrong way. So quick to swivel around and continue on, Dale still attempted to make conversation.

"I just feel it would be so pointless-"

A Walker began to march through the door. Not even given time to think, Haydee quickly whipped out her rifle and fired, sending buckshot deep into the faceplate of the sudden foe. The sound of the shell echoed all around the tall shaftway as neither made another noise or motion, only standing tense and shocked at the sight of the now face-blasted foe slowly keeling over backwards and dropping its back on the floor like stone on a slab.

A drawn-out silence drifted between the pair; only a few blinks from the human beside her were made as the many muscles of the tense two stayed tense whilst their minds caught up with their bodies.

And then, after a few prolonged seconds of silence. . . Haydee heard a chuckle, of all things. "I think the plastic wadding from the shell is embedded in its face." She examined, incredulous by the prospect, yet the human spoke no lie. Indeed, in the mushed-up faceplate of the deactivated Walker, the plastic casing was lodged into the newly refurbished hole of the machine. The gynoid gave a nod, the only viable gesture one could make. Even she found this look rather amusing. Seconds from death, yet here they were, laughing amongst themselves. She supposed there was little else to do but this in that current situation.

Now down to two buckshot left inserted, the gynoid hoped not to run dry by the coming moments as she ushered forward. Passing over the metal carcass, Haydee's vision could now be planted solely ahead, as it was not the floor but the wall that caught her attention away. Up above, another searchlight was found, facing the same way they were and towards a noticeable grated door that was obvious towards their subsequent attention. The lack of a light glowing out deemed it worthy of wonder. As Haydee stopped and checked, neither red nor green, even standing in its field of vision, no elicitation of either sound or movement of recognition arose from the apparatus. Could it be defective, Haydee wondered, but wonder for another time, she figured as she looked to that odd grated door in their pathway instead.

Beyond lay a door identical to the first sight she had ever seen. Before that, however, they needed to unlock the pathway with a button; a statement known to be confirmed as said activation key sat right beside, sandwiched in between more solid meshing on either. As she walked towards it, her boots clunking on the grated floor, somewhat acting as a wall-to-wall floor mat, Haydee's scepticism only tightened as she questioned the point of it all. Surely, she sought, it would not be so simple, if not so easy. . .

"Haydee, wait!" Hark, the sounds of the human halting her advance was the assurance that it indeed was not a basic contraption seen before them. "Look down, below the grates." She did as he asked, glimpsing through the metal squares and into the darkness below. Not a pit, there was a solid floor not too far down with more of those lemony-tinged piping, along with something more peeping out on both sides:

"Do you see the red glow down there?" Haydee nodded, seeing the crimson glare of the two optics not too far away, attempting to hide inside the tunnel below. But, both in front, right below the door, and one behind, no doubt at this kind of range - two Slashers were awaiting their drop far below.

Very much; this was an obvious trap. One the gynoid was slowly backing away from. But, standing beside her human on the tiled flooring, perching downwards to the tunnel below, no doubt was it not lost on either to their problem at hand; how could they next proceed? Would the door open by the button command, and was the way below a red herring? Or was it as evident a trap as it presented itself to be? Haydee tapped her chin, trying to figure out which.

"I think I have an idea." Oh do tell, she quietly requested him with a stare. "If I go over and cling to the grates. I should be able to keep myself safe when I press the button. I'm not sure if it opens the door, the flooring, or both, but in either case, I should be safe enough for you to do something right after." After a few seconds of silent contemplation later, Haydee nodded in agreement. To her, it sounded as solid as any plan. With a nod, Dale began to tread himself over the gratings, reaching the door as he first planted his bare soles right before the dooring. Clinging to the grind with one hand, he hugged the door before he let his hand reach over and pressed the control.

A sharp whirr, and the gratings gave way. That is, only the floor below, the tunnel opening up as the door in front remained shut. Figured as such, Haydee noted as she suddenly saw the two hidden Slashers down come out into the open. But of course, with no body dropping down, the two foes stopped short right in front of the other, potentially dumbstruck by their lack of killable figures. Now out in the open, Haydee casually held forward a Mine at arm's length, before unclenching her fingers and letting the explosive drop like a rock.

Seconds later, the two inept adversaries were reduced to rubble and trash, and the purveyor of such collections calmly lifted herself down before declining into the tunnel. Clapping her hands twice, this gesture did not go unnoticed as the other active one dropped into this darkened realm with her.

"Do you think this underpass goes far?" The gynoid gave a simple shake, pointing out into the tunnel going forward, her advanced sight able to see something of note deeper within. As barely a few meters ahead, in the low light, Haydee could see handrails on the side, going up and to the top floor above their heads. With a sight like that, Haydee was quick to accuse, swiftly moving to the designated spot and turning her accusations into the truth as she found right above the panel give way.

Another hidden access panel, the gynoid was quick to leap out from, shoving away the discreet access and letting the human return beside her. Looking back, Haydee could not help but see the door was still closed, if it even was a door in the first place. For the female now standing on the other side, Haydee's only thought was that it had to be some odd installation.

She supposed it would have made for a tricky security facility of a kind, definitely fetched close to tricking these two supposed trespassers, but otherwise was a footnote on their shared journey. With the lingering ideas of security being a recurring theme in this elongated tunnel of a room, the two switched forward and marched out.

---

It was dark. The gynoid instantly saw why.

From what she could currently gather, this room held itself to as very large and spacious. Spreading both high and vast, this enlarged box of a section belied any immediate thought this would be a freed-up open space. As all around them, locking them into cramped pathways, meshed gratings of obsidian shade stood firm. Not even the tiled ceiling was safe from baring down freely on the pair, ensuring the meshing encompassed them in square-holed darkness. However, Haydee quickly discovered that being surrounded by the holed walls was not such a flawed notion.

Beyond them, on the other side of the fencing, lay a swarm, an amalgamation, a horde of metal foes all standing still, active. . . alert. Though not one moved a single hair, this crowd of adversaries seen before them felt like a tidal wave of death if they ever dared to move out to greet the alloy sea. Near unidentifiable in number, though the lack of both ranged Snipers and terrorising Maulers placed away some minute displacement of extra caution, the sheer magnitude of pure Slashers that inhabited that thankfully closed-off middle section kept her edge on high. So many, more than sufficient for Haydee to speedily realise the circumstance that if the two parties were to meet, the smaller gathering would have a low chance of survival. No fight, only flight, and the gynoid had doubts they would be authorised that much.

Haydee could only stare at the path ahead, figuring where they must go next and how to ensure these two don't meet their end by the army of bladed arms. Knowing best not yet to make a move, Haydee let her own searchlight trail about, over and along the edges of this contained area as she saw what the pathway ahead had in store. It was a track, a very long one, going all along most of this room's walls until reaching an end, where the unlocked exit lay in wait. Before that, however, this trek split into specific sections. Those, too, were guarded all around by the meshed fencing, closed off by mesh gates, and in between each was the only source of light not coming from the shrouded ceiling from up above: more searchlights. Green bursts of contained glare that now moved back and forth along the short lengthways, as in:

"They move as well?" Well, swivel the lights back and forth from where they sat upon the wall, but yes, the searchlights, seemingly all of them, now pivot back and forth along each of the darkened sections the two would be forced to shuffle along. Each one, from what she could gather, definitely held specific differences between them, differences she knew to figure out once they came to face them. So, with one firm step echoing out of this shrouded dungeon of a room's cape, Haydee trekked forward. Once the button by the door unlocked the meshed gate, Haydee and her companion entered the next enclosed section to find what needed discovery.

Haydee's attention, above all, stayed on that green-blaring searchlight, her laser focus never wavering as she watched the light bob back and forth, even before first stepping into the room. To her relief, this strobe, among what looked to be the many others, never fully attempted to cross right in front of their nearest door and the way on. This truth secured a safe, albeit short, area to be safe upon. Though, even then, this didn't take away how they would ultimately reach beyond it.

This pathway was thin, not so cramped, but barely fitting her and her human to stand side-by-side. The camera was so elevated above that it covered plenty of ground along both walls. And due to the low ceiling directly above the fixture, her boost footwear could not be of any use. Worse, on the right along the meshed fencing, a grated door stood sealed. . . one she was sure would immediately open upon them stepping into the green. So to get over. . . was a contingency as likely found from the human's pointing finger.

On the side, on the wall not made of metal quadrilaterals, there was an open venting, one big enough for even her to get in. Moreover, along the way, another available venting lay; the sight instantly told their plan.

But there was still one problem to be found:

"Hold on; I think the light goes over both vents." Indeed, as though the closest vent was nearby, it was not close enough to escape the looming lighting. That fixture swung over the two passages back and forth before returning around.

"Should we go one after the other?" She nodded, inwardly stating it as a good call. Best not to risk it, she knew. "Then who would go first." It was him her point garnered towards. He was fast and smart enough to know what to do, especially after already deducing the task. Besides that, if she keeps out first, she would be free to utilise an assault, even if she knew that to be saved for the only last resort. She silently hoped for that to never come.

"Okay. I'll get right to it." His attention then garnered only to forward, stance firm as he was prepared for what was to come. The world de-evolved into purest silence; the only movement that momentarily existed was the light that swayed back and forth. The beginning they made commenced with the fixture already swaying away, to the far end, before it swayed on back. He made no able move, a correct choice, as he patiently awaited the light to swing this way, pause for just a moment, then, and when the green passed over the venting, he made his charge.

Quickly, the human rushed through, darting right into the open space well before the fixture could have a chance in so much as glinting off his toe. A perfect speed, and as the sage glare passed right back over that opening, the second it charged back down, Haydee trudged onwards. It was not far, so the immediate piling into the venting allowed at least a chance of a minor slip-up. However, what would happen if the light caught onto her breeching boot was not a possibility she'd allow.

Once in, Haydee's sight locked onto the human a distance away, looking back and only moving onward once seeing she was entirely inside. The two crawled forth along the inevitable turnabout of this duct with silence in their haste until the end was in sight. To her relief, Dale did not attempt to crawl back out once he met the opening immediately, but instead, he lingered on his ground, waiting. Despite the obvious obstacle, the gynoid could still see out, seeing the light spark past to their left, letting her know the human's instinctive course of action as once the light passed entirely to their right, he departed, making a break for the full end. Haydee quickly followed, not wanting him alone in the open air as she dashed to the end.

She used the firm grating to stop herself as she came to an end, standing alongside the human as both knew the light would not touch them. Though the complete end had yet to be reached, Haydee still allowed herself a moment to ruffle his hair, for the least of reasoning to guarantee he maintained happiness. After that, Haydee pressed the button, opening the way as she stepped on out -

"Uh, Haydee, did you mean to close the other door?" The attempted ask by what he strangely meant was subsequently answered via his straightforward point, of which she looked to see the grated door they entered now sealed back off.

That. . . may complicate things. Or perhaps, only so if a mistake had been crafted. But the gynoid knew not to allow that to come about here, so taking away, she hurried Dale onward to engage the next problem ahead.

Once in the subsequent division, not too far in so the light doesn't breach over them, Haydee's attention immediately turned to the right: spying upon the expected gated door she knew not to try and open. Expecting only more to come, she shifted her focus ahead, onto the pivoting spotlight, and onto what their next assignment must demand they accomplish.

There was no venthole this time. Instead, a small aperture was carved into the old grey wall as offering for the way on. It appeared relatively small and far from where she had to stand. Though not too thin or shallow, her observation spoke over this as the only interest within this short section, so it had to be large enough for them to shelter inside.

"Would you prefer me to go first like last time?" His question received nothing more than a shake of her head. That is, that, and then a hand suddenly grabbing his arm and pulling him close. The primary rationale for this; is how far the carved-out section was. It was not teetering by the edges like the passageway but appeared smack-dab right in the middle of the path, right in the epicentre of the light's route. Nevertheless, she told him to stick close as she pressed him into herself, pointing to the way ahead, then the shelter. The chances were far riskier here, Haydee tried to explain, and her best-computed solution was to go together, lowering the risk of feasible failures.

Her grip tightened, the gynoid speaking she was to move when ready. And upon receiving a small grip back, Haydee's optimism only furthered as the hateful chandelier above swung away. Haydee clicked forward, both her and the human darting off as soon as the chance came. Her sights were only on the fixture's illumination, and once the two were near enough, she pressed them straight into the small section.

Though Haydee would not say she hated the sentiment of unsystematically embracing the human, she sought no affinity here as she pulled him close to her chest. With as little space as allowed, Haydee would not risk the chance of any limb being forced onto the light's path. So, keeping his body close to hers, Haydee ensured all were cramped into this section as possible whilst she focused on the returning shine.

It came by within seconds, passing over the front, and the moment the way was clear Haydee charged out with her organic friend. Hearing nought but a deep breath in as they darted on out, she hurried them both along and back onto safe ground. An opening later, the two walked on.

She let her hand go, freeing him and seeing him. . . clearing his throat as he casually looked away. Unsure why he needed some breathing room, he was simply mushed up against her chest for a few seconds, so Haydee studied what this specific portion now had in mind.

No carved-in sections this time, no vents or shelters, nothing jutting into the thick wall. Tapping her chin in thought, Haydee's uncertainty led her to look up at the searchlight awaiting her accidental presence, and saw something she quickly garnered the human's attention over. Up above, before the meshed ceiling but not below the searchlight itself, a small platform hung.

"On it." Was all the human spoke over, suddenly making a move behind her. . . and for her, a moment later to realise he was getting ready for a piggyback. Doing as he was awaiting, she dropped to her knees, letting him ride upon as she looked how far up it wet. She would need both her boosts for this, no doubt, and even then, her hands would be required for the final push, or relatively, pull.

Switching her stance to a run, Haydee waited for the light to back away, knowing not to take it so casually, even once, before kicking her legs back and jumping high. Boosting once, boosting twice, and a grab on the ledge was made. Quickly pulling herself up, lest her dangling legs fall into the pathway of the green glow, Haydee was swift to make it to the other side.

Sadly for them, this room seemed to have thought up everything, as a solid line of meshed ledge ensured that making a clean sweep right over to the end was nigh impossible. Instead, they would have to drop right down on the route of this seesawing fixture. Still, the gynoid would have expected no less of this variety from the still unnamed facility, so bordering in preparation, she watched the light move away before sinking through.

Taking the two boosts for safety, she took whatever space she could be granted as her legs ran as soon as they hit the dirtless track. An unlock later, the two scurried through, only to be then stopped by something more than just one searchlight's path.

As it was two searchlights that inhabited this more longed section. Why? Haydee quickly figured it out by the aid observed soon on. Several anchored blocks littered the way along, tall enough to hide behind, if only via kneeling low. But. . . the blocks were not broadened either. So trimmed, it would mean only one would have the chance to hide behind, one after the other. Understanding this, she turned to her companion.

"I see it too." He merely said, eyes barely shifting from forward. "All I really should ask to know is who goes first?"

. . . Her, she gestured. She would best lead the way, as with him trailing behind, he could watch and follow her, giving him aid in knowing when to move before the lights. Despite his innate knowledge, she would still have faster analysis, so following the pattern would be much easier for herself.

She would have difficulty explaining this, but still, she knew it meant little to her knowledgeable, observant friend, as she received a respectful nod in return without a hint of intransigence about him. With a nod in return, the male stepped away, giving her space to ready herself for the timed rushes ahead.

Her knees bent as she readied her stance, watching the first searchlight swerve near and far before any inch would be claimed, and it was only when the light drove away that a charge from the gynoid was issued. Her body was already crouched low as she ran into the open, clicking her heels until she slammed behind the short block. She kept her head down, stance unwavering as she watched the light form shadows from the blocks, breaching along her way as she knew not even to attempt a lookup. As she expected, the glow passed right over, unable to see the hidden machine from its illuminating pupil as it silently trailed its sight about. Lacking the ability to see behind, the Haydee waited, seeing the light creepily neighbour by her shadows, only to ignore her obscured presence and pass over.

She knew she had less time to work with, so the moment the light guided off, Haydee sprinted over as fast as she could, despite her body still keeping to an almost-crawl, and smacked her body into the next shelter. Through it all, the sounds of bare feet hitting the porcelain never were lost to her audible detectors, and on a moment of clarity, when the light breached down her, she allowed herself a quick check around. As she correctly assumed, the human had followed behind without fail, hitting his body into the block rearward and sending a petite smile upon the notice he was being gazed upon.

With a firm nod in appreciation for him, she turned back, letting the light return up and over as it carried its relentless inspection for those it deems unworthy. Still, she stayed, allowing it to return and graze over her figure, almost groping the air around her before it passed, the chance needed as she prowled quickly on and to the final block of this searchlight - and to see the next block on the second.

She knew to take her time to investigate the course of this one. These spotlights were not in sync; their paths, though the same distance, were not patterned in synchronised swivels but instead held different timings. She knew it mattered not once onto the other's route, but until then, she needed time to visualise and calculate when the two freed the open space. After the other, as one retreated, the other returned, and as that one broke away-

Haydee skipped onward, hitting the end and smacking her side into the heightened flooring before she stared forward, ready to repeat the move again. Once the time came, through the shadows she shifted, plunging through the half-darkness and halting herself under the tall shade of the next block over. To then. . . give herself a momentary pause. Not for herself, but by the lacking sounds she was sure she didn't hear. When she moved, he was sure to migrate along after, falling behind by a few seconds to trail her. Yet this time, she heard nothing, no slaps of bare feet, no shuffle of clothes, zero.

However, she refused to look back. Not out of fear, of worry or anxiety, but simple curiosity. Uncomplicated belief Dale was awaiting his time on purpose. Making assumptions may only sometimes be achieved, but the gynoid was sure he was waiting for something before moving, the correct time. The right moment to strike and. . .

Four simple seconds later, the echoing sound of quick shuffling confirmed her suspicions. Now that he was right behind, it was her that needed to move. Needing to guide him along, so once that moment came to be, she burst forward out of the shelter, rushing onward to-

Suddenly slip and hit the ground. "Haydee!" was the call that bounced into her motorised ears, yet to let herself be here, despite her mindset being a little rocked by that accident, was what carried her to storm on forth and catch the safe section before the light targeted her form. Unsure of why that happened, either a problem with the tile, a slight miscalculation with her weight distribution keeling her off balance, or plainly something on the flooring, but either case only caused her to focus herself on the now; and to reel her hand back and pull out a thumb-up beneath the shadows, gesturing for him not to worry. Once the next opening came, Haydee took it, running back into a proper sprint as she dashed to the exit.

Upon her backpack colliding against the meshed separator, she looked at the human just one stretch away, him too waiting for the moment to come. Giving him space beforehand by a few steps to her side; once the moment came, Dale ran directly back to her side. Her hands nearly caught him as he raced to her, hoping he would not run full-sprint into the fencing and mush up his appealing face. Yet, even under the squared shadows, he still seemed as handsome as ever. As she pressed the button to unlock the way out, albeit not once taking her sight off the human, she only gracefully turned away, heading on out.

Stepping in, the first and foremost cause of Haydee's attention was garnered onto that door off at the far end. Unlocked and only a brief distance away, she knew the short trip should be challenging. So, upon her walking, Haydee made sure to look around and see what the problem would entail itself to-.

Just when the two strolled right through, it was then that a loud, redoubtable sound, a sharp whirring beep, battered down. A noise, both familiar but daunting, a sound whose meaning behind it was innately known by the gynoid, suddenly erupted with such a blast of a buzz it compelled the machine to stop dead in her marching tracks. Her entire body tensed, pausing so presently it was as if her whole body just shut down, and only then, upon seeing a door swing open, did she dare to take her eyes off what was occurring ahead and instead to the side, to the wall and up along it; and see a searchlight bearing down their way.

No light breached out from it. No indication it was active. It was still, silent, inoperable - it should be! But it wasn't: it was a trap. One the two had fallen into - one concurring alongside the sight of the machines now steadily heading to the newly opened hatch.

"Haydee. . . " The quivering, scared whimper of her like-minded companion wept to her eyes beside her, trembling at the sight, yet not deciding to give in quite so currently. An ideal she knew she must remain with as well. Quickly, Haydee searched back and around, but saw only an unlocked door halting their progress out and a newly opened gate - gaping right onto the flames of war she was desperately trying to avoid.

No way back, no way forward; her desolation turned her head to stare up - and see a ledge hanging off the side, one not too far out. Her understanding clear, swiftly, she grabbed the man's arms and swung them around her neck, gearing him to keep close and clamped. Unable to give time to explain, Haydee leapt - boosted high up just as the Slashers began making their way inside and grabbed at the high balcony. With no option left but to stat dangling like so, to the burst-out wall, Haydee plugged her body, hugging the grey as if her life depended on it as she stayed still silent - and watched as the swarm of Slashers charged on.

By chance, luck, or her manifested capabilities, the plague of blades passed right by, not one seemingly conscious of the duo stuck up the ledge above. From there, all the gynoid could do was wait, stay still as the tapping of tiny toes from the horde below kept marching, unaware of what was occurring up top. Dale made no noise, no comment, staying silent as if but a whisper from him could garner every attention of the crimson lens below. At one point, she stopped counting, stopped trying to think about how many were there; the only notice still clicking in the gynoid's mind was the knowledge every more she saw; she was glad not to have attempted an increasingly futile last stand.

But they just kept on coming, kept on walking by, never seeming to end until. . . no more. She made no flinch, waited for anything more to see, and then dropped.

The floor was hard, harder than it usually seemed, and Haydee was worried she might have landed a tad too roughly as she almost tumbled to the ground. But with the human holding his safety in her hands, no damage shall occur, and keeping her back straight, Haydee looked back, gladly seeing not a single Slashers turn their heads by the action of a dropped-down gynoid.

"Haydee, those machines - I think they're making a rebound." The door still stayed open, so Haydee understood this possibility. Though, she did not attempt to decipher that possibility by her discretion - there would be no time for that. So grabbing the human's arm, Haydee made chase for the end. She did not wait or check to know how far the closest adversary may be. Only to the end the two must go, so the two quickly charged out, never wanting to see how close the mob was, not slowing down her sprinting even once.

---

Despite the danger now locked back for the duo, Haydee aspired not to let her tense down just yet. Just as in the previous room, the layout comprised cramped, derelict meshed walls, coating the two in netted shadows and forcing them along a constricted pathway. Though unlike the domain before, Haydee saw little present dangers in the road ahead. While true, she could just about see crimson sights burning through the confining meshes, but only a few seemed to lay on the way forward. Alongside this truth, she could no longer see any searchlights up ahead, though, with the number of plexus divisions in the way, she knew to wait to remove such possibilities.

From what she could see, unlike the elongated curve-like path of the trail behind, this one was far more snaking, a much more confined, thinner room, albeit likely a stretch ahead. The pathway bounces from wall to wall as it eventually drives to the end, where at least one exit may lead out. Haydee knew this left them at the mercy of this shadowed hallway, to pass through by demands they would have no choice but to adhere to. The first one here is: a locked gate, with the button placed right on the side.

"Can you spot any dangers here, Haydee? I can't even see much of the way ahead." Haydee only shook her head, still cautious, but otherwise knew best to be prepared for what may come. "Want to unlock the way for you, at least?"

With a simple shrug, Haydee nodded a 'guess so' to him, feeling little in the way of coddling him from the ambiguous problems related here. Though Dale skipped forward with warm grace, the gynoid could not shake the feeling of something wrong here. Call it unwarranted suspicions or perhaps experienced scepticism, Haydee's trudge forward was barely even a crawl as she couldn't help but keep glimpsing around. Besides the blurred way ahead, Haydee's attention looked everywhere in a hazy ramble, from up to the ceiling, where nought but a low ceiling sheltered the way, and to the ground where. . . three spread lines looked to be present.

They were looking to go all the from the far end to under the locked door ahead, seemingly going along the way farther than even she could currently spot. Curious about this, Haydee knelt, felt along the lines and noticed. . . their way no painted streaks, but instead thin slits.

Slits not too akin from - massive dread filled her entire core upon the singular phrase she learned them to be, and instantly Haydee whipped her attention to the human far ahead, just about ready to press on the door. From where she stood, she lashed forward, attempting to halt him, but too far ahead was he, out of range from her swipe at him as Dale pressed the button near-after: and the sound of sharpened doom expectedly roared into her mindset.

Behind, bearing along the way: three giant buzzsaws were not cutting onward and making a beeline for the duo. Even she jerked from the mechanical growl, and her alarm only heightened upon noticing the entrance was now closed off. No way back, over or around - Haydee knew now what must be done - run. With a whip around, Haydee charged, grasping the side of the still-shocked human and pressing him to run also, encouraging him never to stop as the blades were continuously accelerating forward, ready to tear asunder any who dared stay.

They turned the corner, kicking themselves around the bend as they almost planted themselves face-first on the sturdy wall in their frenzied retreat. Haydee's push was the only slight tinge of joy to be found, the human running by his ownsome as they charged forward through this cramped linear hallway as those engines of death stalked right behind.

They turned the next corner, racing ahead and giving Haydee a chance to see the saws still crackling forward; the trio turning at the corner was the only delay they gave before immediately rushing ahead with furious, doubtless deadly speed. Once Haydee's small quip of wavered attention whisked back forward, where in her sights, a Slashers awaited them.

It cared little to run in the opposite direction, away from the advancing blades of eternal slumber, but instead, its singular mind only cared to halt and defeat this mismatched duo by the result of its own sharp weaponry, immediately making the charge upon their intervention via this passageway. Knowing they could not afford to stop nor dodge away, cleanly, the gynoid pulled the human close to her whilst her free hand swiftly whipped out her pistol and landed two easy shots in the ambushing Slashers lens, shattering its eye and letting it collapse in a heap. But the time for celebration had to wait; as those saws were now diverting down this way.

Never once trying to stop, they carried forth, turning the corner and using the defeated machine as but a footstool as after the corner laid only a-.

Locked gate! The sight forced them to a halt despite the obvious lack of reasoning for doing so. "Now, what do we do, Haydee?" They were locked in, with no way ahead. . . save for a tiny hatch opening up top. She gestured at such to the human with haste, pointing to the only clear aperture with a speedy point.

"I get it-" She could not afford to waste time, so with silent movement, she grasped at the human's rear with a firm grab and hoisted him up. Despite the immediate wiggling that expectedly followed, which she figured to apologise for when not in great danger, Dale caught on quickly and began to make his way through, spinning through to the other side just in time for her to hear the sound of whirring jaws gnawing into the remains of a mechanical corpse laying right where it dropped.

Every inch the saws gained as they roared louder than the second before served to frighten the gynoid ever more, boiling up her dread by the moments as she furiously pointed to the button by the side. Despite this, he barely even attempted to see her command, slamming his entire body on the device and opening the way when Haydee was but seconds from demise. The moment the gate whipped away, she, too, whipped forward, grasping at the human and pulling him up as they could not let it all end so soon.

They continued swerving at the ninety-degree angled bend and catching what trap followed. Thankfully, not one of a second potential demise nor a blockade, but still something that gave their mind pause. The ceiling before them was lowered, not by much, but enough that a run-through would be impossible, especially with the width, not enough for two to squat side-by-side. They would have to hunker instead, the gynoid instinctively saying as such as she grabbed at the human's shoulders and firmly tucked his body down with her as she then pushed him past, demanding him go foremost.

He gave no retaliation for this, huddling down and wincing through the crawl space as she quickly pursued rearwards. From outrunning to now being outrun by the saws, every second of her crouching through this crawl space ensured the buzzes would only get closer, virtually cheering with their mechanised howls as its prey would not be getting away so quickly.

The way ahead, however, would cut their cheers short as she dived by one last step out of the cornering space, bringing herself to her shanks as she stomped forward in tow of the human.

The two rocketed around the bend, recklessly racing ahead and swerving back through the middle of this snaking passageway; and into the arms of a Walker.

Or at least not just yet, as Dale managed to jump back at the last second just as she turned the corner herself, seeing the standing machine wheel itself forward to meet the two head-on. Unafraid by this encounter, the female machine instantly shielded the human behind her before raising her rifle and landing solid buckshot right into its frame, faceplate only. She lowered the gun as she paraded forward, lowering her rifle as the machine fell - to unveil another Walker standing right behind it!

Though caught off guard, Haydee refused to let it overcome her as she brought back up her rifle and quickly potted shots into the second adversary in their way. They could wait in this spot any longer, Haydee knew, acting out her thoughts as she promptly wheeled around and made a grab for the human's hand, holding it firmly as she began to charge back forward -

"Haydee, another one!" Came his sudden shout, instantly causing a whiplash in her neck when she slapped her head around and saw a third Walker now marching ahead. No time to wait; the advancing doom was not far behind, so with her free hand, she brought up her pistol and fired a three-shot burst into its faceplate-

Except only two bullets were fired into its head. That's all she had; she could not fire anymore - and the Walker only shrugged off her ballistics as its charge never concluded. Despite the difficulty she had, with her free hand, she holstered her gun and aimed up her rifle with one arm, firing off a few, albeit janky, shots once more into the Walker. It finally fell after a few bullets too many, freeing the way - this time without a fourth Walker behind it, leaving it clear for the two to cross safely. Haydee graciously took this notion as with the human she romped right on.

Rounding the bend offered no problems, and Haydee gladly accepted none as with the human's hand still attached, the connected two turned the corner, where a Mauler was laying in wait!

Even with the roar trailing right behind them, Haydee was sure the howl of hate the Mauler made burst the eardrums of the human still connected. She didn't need to ask: the immediate feeling of the human shakily gripping her hand whilst the only movement his blank face constructed was of the widening of his eyes was enough for her to understand he had witnessed it all.

No, not here - a statement brought to action as with fury laden in her muscles, Haydee almost too quickly whipped up her rifle with one hand and fired bullet after bullet into the canine contraptions body. She cared not for those who missed the waste ballistics she utilised; no matter how many would go to squander for the human, there could always be more replaceable cartridges.

She turned to him as she dropped her rifle, squeezing his hand even firmer to force his attention back to the present. With a slight shake and a short blink, Dale was quickly brought back to reality as he turned to the gynoid despite his daze. "I'm okay." He loudly answered, and though Haydee knew it wasn't a complete truth, it was more than enough for her to get the picture as she pulled him forth, over the four-legged corpse, and over to the way on to meet what was next.

A Metal Detector: right here and now-

"On it!" Came the sudden shout; his hand unexpectedly pried off hers as an organic blur whizzed right by. Through the chamber he went, instantly pressing the button that she swiftly assumed was waiting right ahead as the machine shut down. Internally, Haydee was quite surprised, yet in no form outright despondent to see him bounce back so quickly. If anything, she saw herself proud to see him force away his innate jitters to instead focus on the current predicament, seeing what was more critical and knowing what had to come first.

Once she caught up, she was sure to ruffle his hair while they moved forward in tandem. Despite their quick revision in scurrying back along, the roars of the saws did not lessen. If anything, they only got louder. Stronger. . . on the moment the duo turned the corner, it was instantly clear why the screeches were not lessening.

Buzzsaws now lined the way on. Not along the floor again, but high in the ceiling, screaming bloodied death and scoring down to lop the heads off those witless to move so casually. Though their own paths were far shorter than those still snapping behind, to wait and see how far they went would not be allotted to them currently.

Not wanting to let the others catch up, Haydee quickly grabbed Dale's side and made a mad dash forward. Getting close, the second she saw their heads about to be cut deep, Haydee ducked, dived down - and suddenly turned on her skate function. Below the whirring blades, the two glided under, not giving a peep to any demise as the moment they were safe, they instantly jumped back, sprinting forward to make leeway from the still stalking lower-saws not far off. Hopefully now, the two were at least away from the placed saws-

The second the two turned the intersection, more whirling blades awaited their presence. Neither on the footing nor running along the walls, two separate pairs of serrated blades lined along the edges of both divisions. Back and forth in perfect tandem, never crossing but constantly clipping near each other as the lines they slithered ran not in true parallel but as steps, farther along than the last, though with lines never longer than any other. Too low to duck, too high to jump, and too slow for them to take time to crawl along. Haydee knew the only way on was to dodge.

Grabbing the human and holding him close, both arms wrapped tight around his frame as the final shield against the blades, she took careful steps forward with a deft march. She leaned to the side of the closest blade, knowing it had already moved away, before snaking to the side once it arrived back downward. To the second whipping blade she lined her body against, watching as that saw roared away, only to return a second sooner. Instantly, Haydee sidestepped away for the barest of moments before she knew she had to return, lest the first saw cut through her metal hide.

With a breathless heave, the gynoid darted on, meeting the final saw's lengthway before darting away, to the third saw's flank, and sideswiping when the predicted blade came roaring down. Haydee felt the whirrs coming in too close, their speeds hard to manage even without the knowledge of more snaking around the corner, pushing the human still clinging to her away to avoid so much as a snip on his skin. She darted back when needing, not liking how close they were gaining. . .or how much more red the fourth blade looked to be smeared with before she blasted her boost boots and sent them rocketing.

Haydee managed to land two solid steps on the floor, catching them before a slip, and turned back, seeing the trio of death still bearing below the walled lacerations. Now, what could be next was non-existent to the gynoid, as that exit was finally beside them. Scampering on was their last verdict to make, which she took convivially as she pushed both in before the saws could meet their end.

---

Despite all the experiences thus far teaching, her first wander in was awash with something she hadn't felt in a relatively decent time: a sense of beholden relief.

Though perhaps the reasons for it may have singly come about by no longer in the chase of whirring death, the second after of Haydee noticing primarily where this sudden remark stemmed from arrived upon seeing the human beside her stand tall, no shadows overcasting his form.

That is, of this place no longer burdened by the grated lightning coating their forms. No more meshed walls, no enclosed hallways; Haydee knew it was still too early to let her guard down, but in short supply, feeling akin to this room not holding any immediate worry should be considered a viable assessment to take if they could. For how long, however - that was for Haydee to finalise.

As has been observed, no meshed fences littered, only tight but not constraining solid tan walls. Until she looked further on, from where she was placed, the hallway split into a junction, leading to a way on, left and right. Or at least, only left and right; as forward, she could see a locked door. Even so far back, she could spot no pad or input device to the side of any sort, so as she marched forward with careful intent, Haydee was quick to assume her options would be revealed in turn.

As she stood by the junction, Haydee immediately looked right, seeing yet another locked gate with no input to unlock, and to her left: an unlocked entry. Nodding to herself, Haydee stood firm as she turned to the only way on, as forced upon by this realm and its mysterious ways.

Ushering him to follow, Haydee led the way on, striding down this short passageway before slipping through to the only available room and looking immediately around. Instantly, Haydee felt a strange reassurance of little dangers right here in this small room, of which she was quick to point towards the sight of human equipment all around. Of broken wires, untouched computers and diverse mechanical components, this was undoubtedly a human resource room like those before, those that never seemed to bear either here ill will.

Slowly striding in, Haydee was sure to peek into every corner, onto every desktop and faded file, searching for something, a journal, a button, a. . . unique looking device purposefully positioned on a tilt: likely so that any intrepid explore would not have tribulation in glimpsing its placement via their peripheral vision. So, with a few steps forward, around a mid-table, she eagerly picked up the odd-looking thing with one hand and inspected it over.

It was a small, palm-sized gizmo. Inspecting it about and finding out the odd thing was folded over, Haydee skimmed over the newly unfolded object with a curious glance. On the higher section was a tiny LED-looking screen, just a little bigger or cleaner than the same one on her human's Mine Defuser. On the lower fold was a short keyboard, with somewhat. . . non-alphabetic symbols plastered on each separate key. At first, Haydee's database persuaded her it would be some flip phone of sorts, as outdated that concept was in this supposed bygone age. However, the bland writing up top, in another gaudy yellowed colouring that thankfully was bordered with black lines, spelt out two simple words: HAK-PAK.

At first, Haydee was confident she would have been slowly blinking at the sight, the words both English yet foreign in her view, but her internal mindset, having silently voiced out the writings with her synchronised audio translator, was quick to indicate its pertinent real meaning: 'Hack-Pack'.

. . . A pack to hack what, however? It wasn't turned on, as far as she could tell, and looking at the device from every angle. . . allowed a cable to drop down from the back. Yet that gave no aid, only further questions as the lead slipped out, revealing the attached rubbered wire with a Universal Serial Bus plug on the end. To what kind of hacking was this pack meant to complete? There appeared to be no ON button, no instructions nearby, and pressing any of the buttons revealed nothing radiating up the screen. It left Haydee with the question of whether she was neglecting something. . . then the question as to why the human was suddenly tapping her shoulder.

"Do you know what it's for?" He asked politely as he stood beside her. Her answer was a slow shake to his inquiry, placing down her contraption whilst he. . . constantly shared stares between her new object and something off beside her.

"Would it, perchance, be linked to that?" His point, reached out far behind her, was met by her anticipated wonder and a clean turn on her heels, placing her in the viewing range of where his obviously snoopy ganders were trying to guide over mutely. A simple metal box lay still attached to the wall, holding frivolity except for a generic, relatively common warning symbol consisting of an exclamation mark inside a yellow-bordered triangle.

"I'm not sure if you noticed, but I saw electric wirings up by the ceiling from the intersection. I'm not quite sure what they mean, but one of them leads from the locked door before and into here, into that service panel." The gynoid's immediate attention fell not onto that junction box itself but on the wiring up top, reading the trail as she watched it lead out of this chamber. In turn, Haydee gave a firm nod, immediately reaching forward and grabbing the panel's lid before throwing it open and catching what laid in store.

It was. . . not a lever found within. Besides some nominal-seeming electric equipment, very little of note was found inside. No button or switch of any kind; just a simple, non-description wiring and. . . an obvious socket by its corner.

It cannot be any form of a coincidence; Haydee's first thought was that despite still being in the dark for most of everything here, the gynoid was quick to pull out the connecting cable from this supposed 'Hak-Pak' and insert it into the interface. In turn, the second the docking was made, the screen before her lit up.

The first statement in Haydee's mind as she stared at the screen was of a finally: assembling some headway. However, Haydee's following internal statement a second later was only of . . . wait, now what must be accomplished?

The female's mind was pure blank as she took no eyes off the screen. Though not as if glancing away would change much, the strange amalgamations typed on the screen ensured that absolutely nothing made sense. It was not numbers, letters, or even binary code; instead, the ambiguous emblems inked over each of the separate keys below flashed before her. Not one constructing sense, Haydee could only stare at the eldritch coding before her with uncertain ideas.

. . . She tapped a random button. Nothing happened. This was no help.

"Something the matter, Haydee?" As always, Dale seemed to know whenever this gynoid was sunk in low spirits. Probably because of her dropped shoulders, and jaded stare away, he still could see her current stuck mindset. She offered a bland shrug his way, taking another regard at the indecipherable display before plainly submitting the whole device up for him.

"Sure, if you want me to have a look." He plainly said as he took the electrical instrument off her. "I'm not certain If I could be much help here if you can't solve it. . .wait, hang on. . ." His voice trailed away whilst the gynoid looked over, out. Her instinct told her a piece of the puzzle was missing, something she had yet to see. Perhaps, she thought, there was a decoding statement around, a dictionary for her to read and thus decipher the meanings behind the cryptic coding. With this idea now running through her metallic nogging, Haydee quickly scanned the desks and tables, searching over the piles of paper and onto the walls, seeing if something, anything, would provide a clue needed to unlock the-

Bzzt.

Once that unexpected noise drummed into Haydee's head, it was pried away from the mess of a table and back to the panel, where now both a green light sparked off an LED, and a bewildered-looking human stared back with a shocked expression across his brow.

"Er. . . I'm not quite sure myself." Was all he had to say, eyes agape whilst his fingers barely hovered over the keys on the device. One - which was currently displaying an empty screen.

She could only shrug her shoulders about it once the complete realisation came to the gynoid. Quickly moving to Dale, she pulled out the cable before whirling it back onto the device, closing the panel before closing the appliance and neatly passing it back. As a finale, she was sure to hold him close to ruffle his mane in a side hug, silently thanking him for his work before gesturing for him to continue alongside her.

Haydee knew not to dwell on this, for both of them. The less said about how he instinctively knew what to do, the better. She was already quick to assume where this knowledge would have come from; and why it was best for him not to contemplate too laboriously on how he knew. For now, they could go, and that's all that genuinely needed to matter.

As they stepped back into the intersection, she quickly stared up. He told no lies, as not only was the door leading on now open, but along the ceiling, the attached cable could be seen leading off to the new opening. Alongside that, as they stepped right to the middle of this junction, another thread could be read up top, leading from the newly opened room to the one currently sealed. Sure to understand what this would likely mean, Haydee skipped forward as she entered.

Unlike the previous room, this one heralded not a warming, arguably refreshing impression upon their stride but a disheartening, unpleasant reaction as she noticed what appeared to be in store. No longer were beige walls the norm, but only unwelcoming dab grey. No more were the lights above calming and clear, but only the bare, fluorescent tubes sparked the details of this place. And she could no longer feel safe, as beyond locked gratings could she spot various mechanised waiting for their liberation.

Though beyond them was that circuit board, open from a panel this time, to get there was the issue. A still searchlight was easily seen between here and yonder, highlighting the drab grey with its unwelcoming green. No way past it, and unlikely for her to believe stepping through would not initiate an opening for every gated door here; Haydee was certain of her one option to take. Whipping forth her rifle, her pistol currently of little use, Haydee made certain her full magazine was at the ready as she prepared to-

Pause upon hearing her name be uttered and look to the only speaker available.

"I. . . think we may have a different option available." Dale pointed to his side, to the wall, where something of random use materialised. A small metal box was laden into the side, barely bigger than her palm, but nonetheless looked to hold some matter of importance. Her statement for this stemmed not solely from the human's idea of it seemingly holding some intrinsic value but also because, splattered over the small box, a familiar warning emblem could be detected.

"There is a port underneath." That was all Haydee needed to know. With a single ushered nod from her, she supervised the human to continue with his likely planned approach. Though for what end it could mean, Haydee did not know: it beamed out no walled cable, and it definitely couldn't have been attached to the locked door. The only other notes here were the delightedly latched gates, and the searchlight right before them-

Suddenly switch off. Haydee stayed still for a moment longer, only stopping her frozen blinking when a rustling reached her audible detectors. As the human folded away his Hacking Pack, it became unmistakable that this odd tool was more than a simple conundrum-corrector.

"Didn't expect it to do that, in all honesty." He said without shame, already making a move. Quick to not fall behind, Haydee met his side, keeping him close as they passed by the perfectly locked-away foes, whose crimson eyes could now only stare back with silent hatred. She would prefer it no other way.

"I wonder what else this portable could do?" Haydee gave him a fair shrug, albeit not without a blank mindset. Now catching firsthand it having the capability to turn those lights off, it did give rise to the gynoid, and likely even the human himself; what else could it do besides hack doors and lights? That, in turn, would ask the question of what other electrical devices were there that could be changed. Considering how this facility operates, it could be far more than she has yet to encounter.

A moment's pause later, the human unlocked the way on, and the two were back off, retailing it down the track and to the final door. Moving past the locked gatings, almost mocking the mute machines as she nearly skipped on past, a sudden resurgence of that question appeared as she stared into the lens of one of these machines. A sudden idea. . . that caused a little tension to transpire.

Could these machines be hacked, or rather, could even she be hacked? The little theory sent a shiver through her frame. Surely, for every machine that could understand fear, the process of being hacked would be anything but a pleasant one. To be rewritten, changed, manipulated, and perform actions they themselves would never usually do, unable to do as they want as if trapped in their own bodies.

She was grateful it was Dale who currently utilised the device. If it were anyone but him, she would definitely see herself gaining apprehension over the thought of being hacked in such a way. Dale would never do such a thing, and she doubted he would even attempt to on the enemy foes, letting alone the chance to gain one. However, upon that, she suspected it wasn't actively feasible to hack these machines, let alone something as complex as herself.

Upon them both stepping back into the intersection, neither gestured a term as they quickly moved on to the final door, stepping in and seeing what more there was to be.

No enemies, thankfully, but not a clean way on. Another locked door, though this was obviously an exit, with only the fundamental meshed barrier in the way. She guessed what was next to come, and a second of searching later, she found the culprit in question, fashioned to the wall with no attempt to hide its intention. Dale barely needed a command, already making a move to unlock the way on as with only waiting several seconds later. . .

The door remained unaffected, despite the sound of something altering. Holding her confusion in for a mere moment minimum, Haydee's sight trailed around, over and behind, up, to then see an open passage in the ceiling above. Sure, such a sight was not there before; Haydee walked to stand under, staring upwards into the opened square duct to see something high above in this chimney: a lever. For the gynoid, no doubt was this the actual lever to open on. So, with a click of her heels, Haydee spun around and commanded a call with a double clap.

"I. . . I'm not quite sure I can, Haydee." Was the only answer that came from the one still holding the Hak-Pak in his hands. As this earned a tilt of the lady's head in response, she clapped again, only once, as she pointed for him to look. "What I mean is, I think if I take the device out, the hatch will shut."

Any sense of speaking more was momentarily paused, neither gaining a gesture to make whilst the gynoid stood in silence and contemplated the meaning behind his words. "Do you need me to come over and help? Though I don't think the cable will hold if let it go." Right after, Haydee finally answered with a shake of her head; if he needed to stay, he should, even when that leaves some prominent dangers. That much was evident to the gynoid, as another boon was a double-edged sword alongside a new hindrance.

Whatever the case, she now knew the true meaning here, and how to prepare for future events involving such a notion. In any case, to go would involve their advancement, an act that can only be issued by completing this task. So, turning back and staring up, Haydee kneeled before jumping high, boosting once, then grasping the ledge inside this tight duct. From there, all that was next was her grabbing the lever held high, and upon hearing the shuffling of grates a second later, she let herself drop back down.

When she turned, the human was already pulling out the cable instantly after hearing the sound of the duct above close shut again. She was sure not to mull over how he seemed to know this would happen; it made no sense to force him to utter an answer even though he did not comprehend why.

The way was open, all that should matter for him, and with his new device, one she was glad to see he seemed happy to use, the gynoid gleefully took his side with hers as they marched on out.

---

It was dark again, so Haydee kept on her toes as they continued. With a bend at the end and only so much ammo left, whatever awaited them should not be handled so shoddily. She held Dale close as they passed forward, peeking around the angled hallway to see the beginnings of green lights shining downwards to the floor, below a low, hanging ceiling. A pit of disappointment fell in Haydee's chest as she spied this, the hope to never see more of those lights disappeared and instead be superseded with disdain of having to be met with a swarm of dangers potentially; especially with knowing this whole facility cared not for any fair play. Although Haydee was gaining doubts of a horde pitted square somewhere in the middle here - unlike before, the walls separating the stretches were solid, not meshed gratings - she refused to even once go limp at the idea of unwinding as a viable option underneath the scorn of the verdant lanterns.

Whisking forth, Haydee turned the corner with the human in tow, striding right beside her as she prepared to gain a full view of the surroundings when she rounded, seeing what appeared to be metal bars wedged into the thickened wall coming forth-

Screams of hate, wrath, and true evil intent lashed out in her presence. Not mere shrieks, but howls, and the moment of which Haydee had heard, that is, the second after she pulled the human away with her as they both fell to their backs on the hard flooring; the gynoid whipped forward her pistol and aimed it squarely at the screecher in question. Through the sights her target remained, continuing to growl out as it seemed to echo and rehash itself in this enclosed land. Or, from her peripheral vision, be imitated by more of those canine contraptions in question. Weapon still aimed, though its reticle never left the head of that still gnawing monster; it bore only a second for her to notice behind metal barring's, not unlike those cells of yestertimes, the cruel things dwelled. Strapped behind their cells, the multiple fiends were currently, and only, gnashing at the compacted air between the bars, trapped for reasons Haydee preferred it is as they only merited.

After she pried her gun away, holstering it after a second of berating herself for instinctively reaching for the weapon of current zero use, she turned all her attention onto the human still cuddling up against her. She could see, feel him shake, and upon that moment, all traces of the Maulers appeared to evaporate, as if never having emerged in the first place, from her mindset as quickly she held him close. Then, via kicking her legs away, Haydee crawled backwards with only her legs, her hands never once risking to vacate the human, all the way until their backs rested comfily on the wall behind them, as far away from the yapping's Haydee saw as necessary.

The world existed for only these two; Haydee's focus never left the human as she inspected him. His body still quivered, and his eyes, though neither bloodshot nor crying, were unorderly as his sight pertained to nothing at all. She could feel his hands gripped quite forcefully into her arms as the shock undoubtedly still drooped over his form like an overcasting cloud. Refusing to care about anything but him, Haydee made sure to bring him close, hold him still, and make sure that even in his insensible state, the sensation of her warm, caring body cuddling him, gripping him steady so nothing could escape as much as nothing can enter, and her deft fingers rubbing upon his bare facial cheeks, telling him she was right here for him, would be enough to haul him down from his somnolent condition gently.

In due time, of seconds to possibly minutes, however longer, the gynoid caring little for which, his eyes sharply blinked, his grip eased, and his trembles contained as his normality appeared to return to him. Haydee never stopped, of course, never drew away either her fingertips or her strong arms even as his consciousness was brought back to his sounder state, refusing to change their doting touches even when his once vague attention now completely zoned onto her visor up top. His current expression, thankfully not grim, glanced more aloof to her, almost bewildered by her contact.

"I. . . feel a lot better now." His voice was gruff, to say the least, almost tentative. Nevertheless, her current cuddling never ceased.

"S-so. . . uh, sorry." She didn't ask for an apology and found zero distaste for doing this for him. If she needed to do this a hundred more times, so be it; to her, this was more important than rushing ahead regardless.

"I. . . I think I was just caught off guard, that's all." Though she began to suspect some apprehension laden within his statement, she could not deny she was in the exact category. He was only worse off due to an innate fear Haydee herself lacked.

He seemed to sigh before he resumed. "I. . . I don't know if you dislike doing this for me or not, but; thank you, Haydee. It does mean a lot to me you're always there to calm me down." And she wouldn't have it any other way.

. . . Why would that be exactly, Haydee suddenly pondered. Why wouldn't she have it any other way? Surely, the best notion for the human to be in is never to feel overt horror by those machinations. So then, she was quick to find out about her person, why does she think it right to actively hold him close and comfort him? In all logical states, him never needing to be coddled would be the correct solution, as it would ensure fear would not take hold over him. But yet her own current state, not only showing no agency in demanding he recovers as speedily as he should do but fervently seeing her manner remain over him for as long as plausible.

That would sound. . . illogical. Surely. However, all her current thoughts and physical activity attempted to prove otherwise. Did she. . . want to keep doing this for him? Less so because he needed this to transpire, but frankly more because she desired to care for him? She already sought to establish her future events to involve the human coming along with her, be damned at this place commanding otherwise. Still, that could not explain her reasoning over preferring to embrace his form and be the one to soothe his soul, so to speak. As if she was skipping something here, a term that would ascribe, if not outright, perfectly define her personal frame of mind. . .

"Um, you doing okay there, Haydee?" The one in question stared him down, yet to know how long she had kept him enclosed here, despite his unquestionably better condition.

For him, she answered sharply but firmly. Yes. He was better, and so should she be. He was in his more robust shape, no longer threatened - only now she discovered the barrage of howls had all died down, leaving this room in a silence that had permitted for continuously unknown moments. She could leave him be now, albeit not without placing her forehead on his and rubbing his back as a final show that all was well.

Letting him go, she stood up, rising high to then open her palm down for him. Graciously, expectedly rather, he accepted her gesture as she helped pull him to his feet. From there, she kept him close as she stared forward, into the domain filled with those gnawing beasts. Her grip tightened, not out of worry, but simply to ask if he was still okay despite what they must do. He answered back with a silent flex of his own, returning her question with a solid answer. Nodding outwards, the gynoid stepped forward again, ready to meet what must be conquered.

The first step forward was a stomp, an almost dominating tread as if to dare the Maulers to try and hurt her kind friend. She gained no mockery in return, no futile bark of any daring to attempt such a cause. Fitting, Haydee sought it to be, and marching as she kept the human close to her side, she led the human forward to the fray.

As they passed the kennels, those jail cells eyeing them with drooling glee, Haydee kept her focus on the side, inspecting every cage wedged into the wall. Not only to make sure they were all nice and closed but also to stare down any Maulers attempting to spur so much as a whine in their direction. Though she doubted her hate glares were the actual cause of not a peep occurring, Haydee did make sure to keep their distance as much as practicable, but the result of not a growl of hatred emanating from either side was the preferred option she took in an inorganic heartbeat.

Finally, after uneasy beats of trekking past the canine penitentiary, Haydee saw it right to pause and see what lay before them. As she noted before, searchlights dotted the way forward. All of which she could see were toting about. Some swerved left and right, others forward and backwards, but all kept to their particular patterns. Haydee stared down to the end, seeing. . . not a door of any kind. At least not a normal exit at the end of the way. Onto the side, practically into the corner itself, the gynoid could spot a vent opening. She gestured to the end, allowing the human to figure out no hatch and spacious enough for them both.

It was a shame, then, that he quickly figured out something else she purposefully neglected to illustrate. "I'm gonna take a wild guess here and say the moment we step into the light, the obvious will happen." A small part of her hoped that if such an occurrence arrived, it would not unleash the starving beasts lingering behind. However, such a reflection was foolish to pray for, with the gynoid knowing to never lean onto the safer-sounding side.

But to reach that end required their dynamic movement, of zigzagging and dodging around the numerous fixtures spelling, if not doom, then a cancerous assault to the mind. They should not split apart here, Haydee fixated on as she held the human close to gesture as such. As she retained him close, her focus levelled on the way along, seeing the patterns, watching the movements of the swaying lights, noting the opportunities that could arise, and above all, remembering the safe spots that could be found along the way. Only a few, but even minor areas of no danger were nothing to discard.

No way but forward; Haydee made the first step on. Their first fray, the beginning set of patterned lights that commenced this series of danger, was of vacillating patterns that Haydee could catch. On both sides, going back and forth, the alternating lights enclosed and split, leaving only small seconds to breach on. Her hand reached down to grasp his, not to demand he not stray, but to know he could not fall behind for even a moment. Then, once her confidence had overridden her trepidations, Haydee marched.

The first pair of lights split apart, allowing Haydee to dart on by quickly. Haydee made pause the second after, not to catch her breath, so much as to catch themselves from falling headfirst into the second pair of lights now breaching apart. Then, knowing not to risk it, she let the crossing lights return before creating chase the moment they parted. Again, Haydee paused the second they brushed past that pattern, standing still in the small amount of safe area they were given as she gazed at the way ahead.

This time, three pairs of intertwining rays confronted them. Not altogether did the trio of coupling greens come together, but instead, Haydee could see them come one after the other, the starter the one closest to them. In turn, the second they could was when they should, a truth Haydee took to her automated heart as she and her companion immediately made a mad dash as soon as the binds were opened. Smashing their soles to the omitted porcelain below, the sprinting twosome carried forward, not losing a beat when the lights enclosed within seconds. Though fast, Haydee knew they were faster, and only when right passed the way did she let them both stop short and see the problems to face in subsequence.

Sadly, in her eyes, a straightforward way on was not in easy reach. With lights breaching forward and back, lights swaying side-to-side, and those caring not to move at all, the route along was no brisk walk. Not just from a lack of openings either, as very few safe spots seemed to exist within the sea of green before, at least not any that would provide any additional aid. But dead ends, she saw them be, a spot to make safe and catch one's breath, a moment's respite before plunging forward again and into the fray, to attempt to meet those hugging the end, an assignment she saw the most challenging of all. So many lights, so little space to work with, it almost seemed. . . impossible to make.

And that was an idea she couldn't afford to allow. But then, what would their route be to ensure they did not make a false step? That was the question. . .

"Do you see it too, Haydee?" That was to be answered by another question. With a tilt of her head to the other, her human pointed himself over to the side of a wall. "Over there, I think I see another of those wall panels." A panel for that hacking device? That. . . imaginably made some sense, enough for her to gear her sight over and notice where that minute but still apparent panel could be glimpsed. Bearing away the truth her kind lacked the helpful Dark Adaption humans have evolved with; seeing such a panel over to the side showered a little light on them, one thankfully not tanked over in viridescent gleam. Whatever its purpose was to be, no doubt it had to provide assistance, so in grabbing the human's hand and feeling a little squeeze in reply, Haydee carried them onward as she turned her vision to the safe site on yonder.

Even if closer, Haydee knew not to let that get to her head - the route towards was still not an easier one. So, ensuring Dale kept as close to her as possible, Haydee's march forth was met by the randomised lights beaming down from anyway. With less mass to worry about, the route towards was a finer move; left and right, the beams came down, but unrestrained, Haydee and her companion deftly avoided all, glancing past two, and halting for just a second, allowing one to pass by before making a rush after. Another soared down her way, but gripping the human close, she leaned them both back, hearing nothing but a huff of shock before barreling them down. One final light to pass, but the other glare was already returning, so with little time to lose the second, Haydee could spot the opening; she fired forward and claimed the safe zone.

She only let the human go once she felt him tug back. Though wishing not to, she pushed that aside and let his hands go free as quickly as he whipped out the Hak Pak and got to work. Within silent seconds, Haydee believed she had seen some flashing come about out of her peripheral vision. Somewhere behind them, taking her glances off the working human, she turned and noted something had changed.

"Did that do anything?" She nodded to him, albeit slowly so, letting her attention be unwavering as she was sure, out there, some changes had occurred. Something had gone different; something less had been gained: the dawning came as she remembered what the panel behind reminded her of. Swiftly, she pointed out there, far in the dark and to the wall, where a searchlight with no light could be located.

"Yes, I can see it now. I think a few more had been turned off." Yes, and though not a large amount, it seemed a substantial amount of the lights were shut down - definitely more than enough for them to find the safe passage on. A held out of her hand later, the second his was firmly in hers, she began their trek.

Dodging around the first light, the second one never came, one among the few lights no longer in play. Though for Haydee, she knew it not to mean the excursion was genuinely effortless, as a number of the lights continued to beam on down. Beyond them now, patterns of parallel rays eternally rained down through the middle and crossed over before returning.

In accompaniment, other lights switched through the middle, and those staying still remain at the edges. A grand problem itself, though now a few lights stopped moving, stopped attempting to find the hidden duo; she could spot faults in their once seemingly impassable route.

Knowing where to go, Haydee plunged forward, already turning treads and driving her way over to an area no longer abutted by the emerald shine. Not out of danger yet, as a light was already clawing its way along, Haydee knew to keep moving, going down once the other beam had passed down. Keeping chase, the gynoid zigzagged and just barely greased by an oncoming fixture, allowing it to pass before zooming on right after. The parallel gleams were returning up, but Haydee took heed and dashed forward, just missing the light touching her form before finding a clearing and trekking past another searchlight. Near the end, now that another light had been turned off, by the second swerving one led away, Haydee took them forward, and through to the end, they were.

Taking a second to look back, no longer feeling the danger continuing to persist on this slight, though notable, short area, the hounds awaiting a command that would no longer emerge yelled any bell of anger whilst the two were ready to hop out - a satisfactory agreement, and hopefully to rust within those cells for aeons later.

The human had already stood by the opening, awaiting the call of who to go first. In turn, Haydee gave only an unadorned point to him, not selecting to take the chance of some ill occurring randomly - an assertion Haydee decided was not too implausible for this place. As he crawled through, she followed behind, clanking her metallic frame against the vent's body as if to create a drum against the peace that should persist. Haydee stayed unfettered, spying the rump of the human crawling in front as she watched lines of gloomy luminescence brush against his clothes and legs.

No light fixtures persisted here, disallowing any chance to see if not for the minor scratches of rectangular holes in the walls. Not by accidental cause, these metal gratings tied to the walls allowed the gynoid to peek out, glimpsing, albeit murky, spots of what would soon be met. Another darkened hallway, lit up by obscured emanation from the unseen fixtures above, and the green glows from the seeking lanterns coated all around the hallway beyond. She expected no respite as they passed forward, half believing more of this was to come anyway. Unimpressed by the way on, Haydee clambered through the rest of the way uninterrupted, clawing her way out after the human and witnessing what the room presented in its matte glory.

Out far, it appeared very much the same as before: lamps encompassing a darkened lengthways. Searching for something off within this unburdened maze, she quickly uncovered what she had expected: a hackable panel along the way. Not too far away, albeit after avoiding a few more of those searchlights, no doubt their first target.

. . . Though, to Haydee, she wondered how it had been her to first spot the panel. Even when considering she was attempting to find as such, Dale seemed to be the more consistent of the pair when noting such gadgetry.

When she looked over and spotted him looking not out, but behind, it quickly dawned why he withheld any oration even now. On the near end, all secreted behind metal bars, were more of those callous Maulers. Eerily silent, all their crimson eyes stayed fixated on them, unblinking as not one even attempted to bark and gnaw at the end. A forgiving mercy, Haydee sought to see, but not one that completely forgave the sin of breaking her human. Prompt to check him as ever, his eyes stayed wide, body frozen, and likely having difficulty responding to her voices, if she retained any to offer.

She would not be fearful from that, and in reaching over, she gently guided an arm around his side and dragged his body around. Not away, just forcing the inability to keep staring that way. She held him close as she did so, close to her side, letting him be for a juncture longer until she listened for any response.

"I'm sorry. Thank you." All he said, though all she needed to hear, as she knew his preoccupation was not on the monsters behind. She required his focus away from there, to the panel beyond, and though it could be misconstrued as her simply demanding he aid her, she would preferably see it as her knowing forcing his attention would be to only his own benefit.

"I see it. I'm ready when you are." She saw no lie, so removing her pointing finger on the same juncture as removing her arm, she replaced the touch with a soft grasp at his hand, reinserting the idea it was time to move. No retaliation arrived, and his mind no longer appeared in a daze, enough for Haydee to know he was kept ready.

For the moment, their attempting route on seemed straightforward, relatively speaking. A mild departure from what may come, Haydee could deem even without trying to formalise a course, but then again, she knew there would be little point in finding one now a more promising route could be concluded.

Upon her stare forward, Haydee marched on with him. The first set of beacons was little more than paper tigers, swerving out and around; they never touched an obvious path to avoid. Parallel lanterns never grazed their lights upon one another, guarding their undersides with wide swings by others, allowing her and the human a good chance along. Granted, she knew not to relax precisely, even now, though her edge never got in the way by how easily they waltzed across. Finally, on waiting for the foremost to pass, by four lights over, the two reached the end.

Though standing still, they could not, as a lone beacon was trailing up to them. Almost as if to usher them along, to slide them down to the panel opposite. Haydee took the suggestion in hand, with the other still holding Dale as quickly they sprinted down to the panel. Sandwiched between two still lanterns, what darkened spotlight they were granted was more than spacious enough for the two to hunker away from any peeping lights and allow the human to change their route proceeding ahead. He complied without command, inserting the cable and messing around with the device without missing a beat.

And by a few more mere seconds later, Haydee eagerly watched several of those beacons switch off, the highlighted way now darkening and allowing an easy pass. Though not wholly, Haydee knew to see, as many of those farther on remained unchanged, but by her foresight-riddled observation, she could spot another hacking panel down the way as well, deciding their next course of action. Though, after stating that, Haydee was sure she had spotted a scattered assortment of lights. . . turn back on?

"Hold on, Haydee; I see something else I can change here. Should I try it?" With her curiosity now gained, she gave the nod to him, apprising him to comply whilst her engagement now wavered to the long road ahead. A few hushed seconds later, she oversaw the beacons along change again, and this time, definitely not just off. Whilst some had shut down as expected, several new beacons roared back to life, while others looked to have reset their course.

"I saw it too." Haydee returned her attention to her companion, his body still crouched while his fingers never left the device. "Not only that, I found the panel has multiple modes, not just on or off like before. Do you want me to try the next one?" Too invested not to say no, the gynoid eagerly gave him the go-ahead as she turned back to see the beacons ahead and watched as more switched around. Off, on, or paving a new route, the modification that occurred was undeniably not identical to the two previous.

It led Haydee to understand it now; they had a choice of which pattern to control. Her job now would be to decide which array of lights to preserve.

"There are two more modes here, Haydee. What do you want me to. . . hold on, I should phrase that better: shall I go through the other two modes for you." The gynoid answered with a thumbs up, curious about what else to be shown. She heard no verbal answer, only gaining a reaction as she saw another difference transpire. More switched around, creating a new pattern unlike before, yet only somewhat arbitrary if she had to speculate. The final mode came about a short moment later, allowing Haydee to contemplate their next plan of action.

Crossing her arms in quiet contemplation, Haydee cocked her head, knowing she must first give this a thoroughgoing review. Five modes, all different, yet none seemed to be on a better pedestal than any other by her quick calculations. Nevertheless, she knew not to risk it; they had to be the correct option here.

"Would it help if I slowly kept going through each set?" Eagerly, Haydee gave a feverish nod to him. A wise decision, she aspired, as that shift would allow her to examine the plausible routes for each physically. "Just tell me when to stop." Was all he answered on the matter, likely focusing his attention on the device whilst his guard did her duty to figure this out.

By the seconds, the first pattern reemerged, showing the original option for her to examine, ready to compare it to those ahead. Placing her finger to her chin, Haydee silently watched the lights flicker on and off, swivel and round themselves about, unaware of the scheming gaze sceptical of every lamp there.

Watching the lamps go on, she noticed the patterns that emerged, recording the possible routes that could be. Quickly, she dismissed one such mode, stemming her notion via the complex and unnecessarily quick shifts they would have to do. By moments thereon, She dismissed another, as the sudden reels of the lights could catch them off guard, then a third, as she could see only from the use of her skate function would they gain enough time to miss the lights. Haydee preferred to see her skate function be used for only necessary times, not preferring to rely on the snappy acceleration for security.

It was when the mode switched again that a sudden eruption occurred. It did not originate from a detonation of explosives but instead, a singular clap for him to pause at.

"Have you made your decision, Haydee?" Indeed, she had; she quickly answered non-verbally with a nod. After seeing all there was to pick, this choice stood out above the others. Perhaps, arguably, not by much, but this arrangement was the one she deemed the safest route for them. As she opened her palm for him to take, she received a hand to grasp in turn, feeling the human was ready to roll with her. She squeezed it, believing comfort could be shared from one to another by this stunt before beginning her march.

That light still trailed down, pressing the duo to move by its whims and shoot forward only when it had passed. Shifting around the glowing brim of the side lamp, Haydee charged forth with him neatly in tow, not slowing down as she led, fetching them into the shifting maze before them.

Haydee was sure she had determined the right path compared to the others before. As they stepped in, fully striding into the fray, the gynoid's mind couldn't help but still compare the sets with her chosen mode. As she danced with the human around a swerving multitude of lights, Haydee noted how not too dissimilar it would have been to a different set as before. Those that never stayed on a straight path danced all around like her current conduct, moving in spins to some mute tango. Each one circled its personal area, and though their numbers weren't low in complexity over trying to avoid them all, even one such as herself would have difficulty ensuring not to be caught off-guard by the whirling beams.

Quickly, Haydee shifted her weight to avoid an oncoming beacon; not a child's play of action, but a trivial matter compared to another set. Those lights weren't as gracefully, their turns sharp, almost sudden, and even notably appeared to pause for a moment before switching direction. Such an unnecessary amount of shifting over, attempting to catch them out even with a watchful gaze about them. As if trying to mock the two, and for Haydee, her return was to bully them back with a casual denial of their event be permitted.

As they moved, they were allowed a moment's respite of staying, waiting for a light to pass before swerving around and actively charging through its recent pathway. This brief period of catching one's breath was more than she could have said for their first option, even if only for a second or two. So many; a mass of lights had beckoned their unflinching walkway here. Almost all switched on, and though many made the most simplistic of swerves, the ensuring quantity would have left minimal opportunities to linger. Kicking forth, the two brushed past and trekked on to the final few left.

These before them now circled, though less quickly and as many as the other options. Still, they could be deemed quite speedy themselves, which was undoubtedly a far cry from the final option she could have selected. Those were so hasty in their spinning pursuit Haydee was sure her only chance to move without getting caught in the spotlight was to boost using her skates. Not a choice she'd like to utilise, at least here, where even passing beyond this set would not be granted smooth mercy; more lights existed ahead, and her braking may not be sufficient to save against.

She charged forth regardless of their speed, zigzagging around those lamps encased in their own ballroom boogie, jumping out of the way as she had expected a loose light to have done, then taking a final step out, decisively out the range of any such sets of beams, before turning tail and rushing down to the second panel she had glimpsed before another oncoming light could catch them in its green glow.

Finishing their rush came to a repeat as before, Haydee letting him go as he quickly went to work with the panel. "It's the same as before; there are multiple modes." This came as no surprise to the gynoid. Likely to the human, the expressionless face he spoke with also seemed to convey enough. "Do you want me to-" Haydee nodded simply, knowing to let a repeat as times before come about. Dale wasted no time beginning the start-up, letting Haydee be as she turned around and watched the sets unfold.

Just as he got to work, so was she, ruminating over the various states put in play as they descended back in and out of life. As before, Haydee could deduce the most significant problems for the short moments she was provided, of the highs and lows for each set. Whether they spin, cross over, swerve against each other or simply all manner of the three or more, each possible scenario they could choose was unique to itself, but none commenced with accurate ease.

Despite that, within a mere minute, a clap signalled her chosen station, and the cable was ripped free a moment later as the hacker joined her hand in hand, looking forth at her selected array. As they began moving, Haydee knew the one she had picked was not too dissimilar to one she had thrown away from before, of beams changing direction at ninety-degree angles and forming square lines along the porcelain. However, the gynoid never felt fear, even when she began to burst forward, dodging around the rays. No delayed turns, and all the quadratic shapes formed by the green glows moved in exact patterns with perfectly synchronised formations. Almost mesmerising, if she could feel that way for them. Alas, she was not here to gawk but to charge them out of safety, dodging left and right, trailing behind the beacons and zigzagging out of reach.

A cascade of dangers they may be, and though not with true ease, Haydee and her tethered companion still made it through without complication. Tapping her toes to the other side, same as before, Haydee let him ride through the ventilage first, hopefully out of this dump.

Though sadly, such a hope was quickly written out, as soon, through the bars, Haydee could see more of those shamrock shines glistening down to a likely third hallway on. The only reprieve she knew she could give was that none of those could burn through the filters, allowing a small but calm moment of respite as they moved on. Spacious, and she was glad the human lacked the fear over claustrophobia, though thinking less of him for it could not pertain in her mind.

Howbeit, she thought he didn't. Suddenly, Haydee found herself immediately slamming the brakes for her crawling so as not to slam headfirst into an organic ser of buttocks. After trying to see over his posterior in this enclosed space, her entire form slammed halted upon seeing the human purposefully turning his head around alongside an unnervingly weary, worried expression: right before a dry tongue drooled out words of explanation in a lagging, aberrant manner.

"Haydee, you don't think those things can. . . crawl through these ducts, do you?" Such an unexpected question, coming forward from seemingly nowhere with each word oozing with a genuine dread dripping down the letters, was quietly answered in the sudden reticence by his graze trailing aside to a spot - where a Dale and Haydee silently existed!

Both long dead, not a sign of life left as their bodies clung together in this spacious tunnel, bodies highlighted by the tinges of green that seeped through the cracks. Another Dale, another Haydee. And another pair of deaths among many more they had seen, hopefully with no more to come. Though such a craving was dried out by this point, with the gynoid unsure of much else except the expectations, more would follow. At least they had each other, a respite more than some others could say.

That statement. . . did not cling well to the gynoid. A dark pit emerged, compelling her to want to spit back those words for suggesting such a remark. She never thought she would have insulated the dead like so, especially not so callously, invariant by pure accident.

"Actually, Haydee. . ." Dale's expression never lifted, only darkening before he bowed his head sharply away. "Forget I asked; I'd. . . rather not find out ." He tepidly plunged back along, unknowing how Haydee completely understood his reasons for wanting to continue. She preferred not to know the answer either, even when her innate deductions finalised a likely logical explanation.

She crawled to meet up with him, giving the long-gone pair a slow nod for their own attempts to make it out alive. . . though not without having internally examined their deaths. The Haydee's demise was an obvious one: bite and scratch marks all around, chunks of faux flesh missing, leaving the blood vessels of wires spewing out; she did not go quickly, undeniably torn apart by a flash mob of Maulers, albeit did not go gently either, no way would her kind be offed so feebly.

But the Dale. . . did not go in such a way at all. No bite marks, nor torn flesh or clothing. The only blood on or around the two was of her kinds synthetic bleached-tone gel. His body was without injury, without external damage. . . he did not die by the Mauler's hand.

He just. . . died on his own. If she had to make assumptions, Haydee, unsure of anything else save for what she could witness right in front of her, deduced the human willingly died here. Likely given the circumstances and by the behaviour of her own Dale, his death was self-inflicted. To phrase it more thoroughly, this Haydee assumably took too much damage protecting her own human, and he endeavoured to save her back, dragging her through this tunnel to what knows end. When he couldn't, her demise inevitable, he just. . . curled himself up against her and waited to die. By thirst, most conceivably.

Her gaze no longer pertained to the two, only anywhere else. As she continued her crawl, more hazily than usual, the only thought left on her mind was ensuring she find some water for her own human when presented with the possibility.

She breezed out of the crawl space, ripping back into the open - and immediately lashed out a hand and covered the human's face, smoothly forcing his head not to look back, only forwards, where the Maulers were decidedly not seen even out her peripheral vision. Better their vision stares forward, eyes locked upon the road ahead and observe. . .

A very, very unkind sight before them. From where she stood, it looked as if the hallway kept stretching farther and farther, endlessly diving from her reach, all because of what kept them separated from the vent at the end. Lights, myriads of them, massed up so many that it looked as if both amounts from the previous corridors had conjoined together, contorting into a throng of jaded traversal. Additionally, the lights were progressing faster than before, alongside many separate curt routes by many of the beacons; this was undoubtedly the most challenging pathway for them to cross through. If they even could. . .

A hand suddenly breached Haydee's visions, paired alongside a pointing finger, as it gestured towards a nearby hackable panel. The statement of, "I see it over there, in case you haven't caught it yet." Were the exact words she needed to hear, a reminder of their purpose not to get swayed by some frivolous ideas of a few too many.

She nodded for him, focusing her attention forward to see any other panels, of which another rested farther down, before holding out her hand as she prepared to deduce how best to deal with their new conundrum.

It. . . was difficult for Haydee, so many patterns to decipher, so many routes to avoid, and so many choices to denounce. The worst came upon her realisation that even getting to the hackable panel was potentially avoidable. It was not only possible to pass it by, but even attempting to advance onto would be an additional hassle. Haydee could only ask herself the simple question: Should she take the chance to meet the port?

The better answer to this would be: why is it there if it can be avoided? The way after was still dangerous; trying to catch the second was a hell site if she was liable to use the term. Not implausible, but still perilous, and no matter the jeopardy of getting there, it was still an advantage. Thus, it must have held worth.

Haydee's mind had been made up; they would utilise the panel. A squeeze spoke of her intentions, and hearing nought in return but a light "Ready." Haydee tapped her toe forward, starting their rush to the end. Her first foot forward was ensured to press tepidly, tentative, giving Dale a second to accelerate alongside her; before her second was a boom to the flooring, a call of her charge, as back into the fray the two met.

As she expected, the blitz was met with hostile resistance. The lamps all seemed to surround her simultaneously, each acting as if their life depended on catching the two out. But Haydee was undeterred, immediately making assault herself as she eagerly veered against the oncoming assault. Despite the numerous cascades, Haydee and her human swiftly pranced around this one-shade shindig, deftly avoiding the many charges. Although not of natural ease, the still varied patterns and mass of beacons kept her on her toes, left and right, they came, and the gynoid had but moments to continuously pause them both and avoid getting caught in the red.

Almost. . . too much. The myriads never seemed to cease; the deluge was an outpouring that kept running down, never allowing the two a moment to gain a reprieve. Every few seconds, Haydee had to forcibly stop her rush and let a beam pass before moving on. Her focus never pertained to one thing, leaving no inattention for all corners of her body, never once leaving a blind spot for any blunders to occur.

And despite the aptitude that commenced from the mass, by the seconds the panel, the only safe site she could grasp for was within reach. However, she did not let her hope blind her from the dangers above, keeping track of the beacon that stood in their way as, left and right, dodging and zigzagging, Haydee made the brakes as finally, they reached the breaker.

To call it safe was not a cursory term; the lights still flickered around, and the cage they sheltered in was purely gilded in form. But it was enough for them to keep safe for the moment. In watching vigilante, she let the human do as he would as along she stared, watched and waited, for new forms to appear quickly:

Two seconds later: she watched as only two lights flickered off. Only two and nothing. Though perhaps-

"There are no other modes, Haydee. Just the off switch."

Regardless. That was the only word her mind could keep still sure. Regardless, of the sparsely limited number of beacons turned off, of the haphazard course they had to take to reach here. They made it , changed the pathway to be more feasible, and could quickly move whenever needed. All she needed to do now was wait for Dale's hand to grab hers and restart their route forward.

Upon the squeeze, but a few seconds later, they were off again. Bursting into the zone, Haydee turned her heel and zoomed to trail behind a speeding light. She could not waste a second sauntering; the room would provide leniency. By the seconds after, Haydee jumped to the side, avoiding a stray fixture as they were slapped away from the trail, left at the mercy of more beams. Another tried to blindside the duo, by the gynoid would have known of it, as she repaid its attempt but a simple pause, letting it swerve away before rejoining this dance of dodges.

Haydee tucked the human close as her focus never left the second panel ahead. Even when a persisting trailed question for it as little worth kept littering her mindset, Haydee knew to stand. . . move, vigilant. She will not allow such clutter to endorse itself on her behalf, not to dominate her from her true passage, even as more and more materialised.

She would not be swayed by anything except her own two feet, her heels constantly, but only briefly, tasting the land as Haydee was not given chances to linger. Only time to weave, to not step and take a step back so as not to allow the trailing light to cause contact, or the human. . . who was still slipping forward towards the oncoming light!

Her second arm just managed to slip forward of the beam and catch the tumbling human before his tipped body slipped into the green. She shoved him away With almost a heave, letting the light trail by to reestablish her march. So close to the electrical box now, and too close for comfort, Haydee ripped forward, albeit this time with the human not in tow. Instead, he stayed held in her hands as she evaded past the lights, high and low, kicking by as every second she moved; she got closer, got nearer - and nearly slammed her back to the wall as the zone was swiftly caught.

She let him down, giving him space to work with and separate from her, though not without providing a thumbs-up from herself. It was not his fault, and though she held no position to demand he not think that way, she also did not know whether he did think as such. Mattered not now, they were safe, if just for a moment, and what problems lay next were that seemingly impossible final trek to make.

She eyed his expressions, and he offered none of guilt or penitence, only understanding, then turning stoical as he went to work on the box. But moments away they were, though not one Haydee allowed herself to relax for, as even now, sandwiched right into this confined place, all around them, the lights still beamed down, almost risking to encompass their forms. Not a bold statement from the gynoid either; from nearly all three sides, the beacons nearly encroached over this already tight territory, as the surf upon toes. Haydee held no interest in dipping her feet into this sea of danger.

"Haydee, this one has different modes on it." She gave firm nods, barely glancing at him as she took a tiny step back from an intrusive glow. She knew where her sights should be looking, though the ones nearby begged to differ, and turning her head, she looked at that mass of mazes arising and shifting. Finally, Haydee sought to believe they were but one option away from exiting, if not out, then at least away from this particular hallway. All that was left was to watch the oncoming choices and decide the finest selection. . .

. . .

. . .

She couldn't see one. As she stood still and firm, sight locked to form, mind caring only to formulate a pattern to each of the modes, Haydee. . . could only garner a blank mind for the subject at hand. Even after two full terms, after seeing each set a second time, she could not spot the correct solution. Everyone, every single type of fixture here, was as perilous as the last; each gave no room for mistakes, gave no chances for a breeze through, there. . . for the gynoid, there merely wasn't a valid solution.

But that should not be possible, not be authorised. Could she be wrong? Was she then staring from an incorrect angle? Was there an idea she was missing; was she instead supposed to use something here: her boost boots, skate function, Mines? Would a shock shell be of use? But if any of those were true, wouldn't there have been an asset to convey such? A layabout of these materials somewhere; surely she couldn't have overlooked them.

Has she then missed an unspoken example from somewhere else? Had she been going through the routes wrong and not gone through the prominent steps, but instead, the wrong route? Was that plausible?

For whatever reason, the cloud-minded machine looked down, back to the human still kneeling by the panel as he nearly aimlessly went about his duties, unburdened by the gynoid's flooded self-doubts, albeit, not enough for him not to peek out and scamper a little away from a light arriving a little too close for comfort. Though he barely jolted back, his obliviousness never caught onto the Haydee, almost jumping out of her boots upon seeing his frame nearly caught by the gleam. That witness was the force she needed to slap her vision away from him and back onto forward, to acquire that correct resolution.

Alas, even as she did, the memory of his form almost enwrapped by the green, would not leave her mindset. Despite how much she attempted to formalise the appropriate setting, her mind wouldn't cease remembering how close the human was to being seized. The seconds ticked by, but her fogged-up head, no matter how many simulations she crunched with the binary of her brain, could not exceed the fear she held over the human getting snared barbarically by the light passing the borders she believed they should have earned.

All this eventually accumulated to the tipping point when, as her body went against her better judgement and stared back at the human, she watched him nearly fall on his behind as that light seemed to tread even closer than before, knocking him away and edging himself accidentally closer to a different beam zooming to meet him -

All sense of keeping still and stable was thrown out, replaced by the idea of them needing to rush out now: With a sudden leap, catching him before he fell, ripping out the cord and near-forcing him to hold her hand, the gynoid insisted he not free from her as she flashed forward.

As the modes seemed as treacherous as any other, and this Haydee knew, even with this charge, she had practically gambled the answer. An illogical choice it may seem, she took some sentiment it, in turn, couldn't be as insufficient as any other. She at least analysed all the modes, and the choice was now set into motion. All she needed to do; was to keep her mind out of a flurry and dodge, weave and jump back from the lights as they were but moments from reaching the end.

However, she also knew the trek would always be more complex. For every step forward she made, she was forced to either step left, right, or back, attempting to keep them both out of the spotlights. A seemingly simple task made near impossible by the sheer amount of beacons they were to avoid. Multiple different patterns pertained in this space, all sets of many kinds going about their day unburdened by the crisscrossing beams of many others. But she must remain unfettered herself; she needed to for both their sakes.

Stomping forth, Haydee kept swerving, leaping and dodging, and rushing back every other moment as the lights were relentless in their silent pursuit. They wouldn't stop, wouldn't cease, would not try and permit the duo to pass. But they were so close to the end, so near the breakaway, Haydee could metaphorically smell the exit from here, her hand reaching out -

The world turned maroon. Or at least, the world around the two seemed to darken with such a shade of the primary colour. But, caught in the enclosure as if it were a cage, what doubtlessly signalled the gynoid to halt her footwork was not the vermillion shine itself, but the following sound: of mechanised whirrs, of a screeching buzz: of a signal something went frenziedly wrong!

"Haydee. . ." She vaguely heard the whimpering whisper as Haydee slowly revolved her head around, her neck feeling as if it had corroded away, and watched, with unconditional dread, the bars of those extant enclosures whirl open one by one to free the monsters once jailed behind.

At that moment, right before the hounds of heel unleashed their calls, did Haydee's sight trailed down her foot and saw the genuine course of such an occurrence: a beam was shining on her foot.

Like a chorus of death, a multitude of howls rang out, the orchestral bells all thundering to their ear and splitting their sanities as the duo could do nothing but helplessly watch the Maulers begin to close their distance. Helplessly stare, then be forced forward from the gynoid as she knew they could only do one thing now: flee.

She grabbed the human as she heaved him on, not requesting but demanding they move. With the presence now looming, their only chance of salvation was to escape, go forward into the vent and scamper to safety. Though the howls kept calling, repeating like drums of war, Haydee never fretted over freezing by the fears; instead, coercively, she flushed his body all through the vent, silently pleading for him to keep moving despite his own frights and silently tell they needed to keep pushing.

What manners of mind he had was not hazed by his phobias, the human somehow managing to pull himself in and crawl ahead with hysteria guiding his actions. She followed along, shoving her form into the dark venthole and scampering to the shelter of any style.

Those screams became like deafened echoes within the tunnel, somewhere getting drowned out by two's fumble through the chamber. Where it goes and how far Haydee could not consider, barely any lights existed either through or in this vent, disallowing any see-through, and for that, the worried machine could not deter that as either good or bad. At this juncture, it didn't matter; the only thing that needed to be done was to reach for the authentic end. To warrant such an outcome, however, Haydee knew to mean not to stop, not break their chain as the once echoing calls seemed to die down, to diminish, to no longer seem to exist. . .

"Uh, Haydee, do you hear that." He paused, so must she, and whatever the reason for it seemed enough to concern the human as with thermal vision, she could notice him look back along the venting they just clambered through, down the way, and her thermal sights turned off as she witnessed burning pairs of scarlet beginning to bang into the metal divisions.

At least they now knew the answer to that lingering question of theirs.

Haydee could not yell a command for him to keep going, but she could grab his sides and thrust him on, making the demand not to cease. Comprehend that he had, as quickly, the two paced forward and attempted to outrun the clambering machines coming through one by one. She could hear little, and though their howls no longer sounded, that left her at the mercy of the human's frantic breathing and the sharp claws scratching at the metal flooring, neither a sound she loved to muse.

Likely, it was the second one she hated all the more, as fearfully she was sure they were sounding louder now, closer. Catching up with intent to tear asunder-

Refusing to go down so pathetically, the now irate gynoid swivelled her body, prodded forth her rifle, and in this cramped space, she released on. For nought but split seconds, the gynoid's hazy firing lit up the dingy tunnel as her bullets launched forth, showing only nanoseconds of the Mauler's complete forms as the bullets pierced their torsos and muzzles, crashing their bodies but only serving to halt the next one's behind for a meager moment as the seemingly endless horde kept parading.

More than her rifle could compete with, as only seven shots later, the flashes stopped commencing, signalling an end to her magazine. She knew not to stay and course for her empty magazine, only an immediate turnaround and persisting forth with their escape. Despite his lead, Dale was soon caught up by his fleeing companion, barely even resistive to her grasp as she suddenly pulled his chest to her side to stay alongside her, the gynoid's motion of dragging her faster crawl with him.

Despite this, the Mauler's slithers were still catching up, their carmine lens not letting go of their prey. Haydee knew of this, straying a sight behind as she watched the clambering machines drool at their mouths, ready to bare fangs into faux and real flesh alike. Getting closer by the second, and their own end still not yet in range, with only one move left to give in this short moment, Haydee unexpectedly pulled the human right to her, pressing the side of his head into her chest while the other held him in place. Then, with the other arm, Haydee whipped forth her rifle, clipped a finger over the trigger, and with a shaky hand, she watched the closest foe get within range until:

With a boom so echoed, the human's eardrums would surely had ruptured if not for her antecedently placed appendage shutting out his ears beforehand, a powerful blast detonated down the tunnel. Crashing into the closest machine, her one buckshot tore it asunder, annihilating it instantly and qualifying Haydee to free herself for her next move.

With a quip she would be happy to take pleasure in, Haydee kicked back her boot and punted the metal carcass down with as much strength as she could be allowed, eagerly seeing it crash into the nearest Mauler and unleashing a purposeful pile up by her command. Satisfaction for such an event should not be regarded as scarcely witnessing her work; Haydee whipped them forward as they continued their crawl.

For how long and how much longer was not a question to currently ponder, rounding the corners that came as she quickly listened to the sound of metal fumbling on. They would soon catch up, Haydee knew. Would soon return and take revenge for her assault. The corners managed to mask their closing distance, for better or worse, and with only one magazine left, herself unable to change that motion currently, she could only think with dread by how much longer they would moving, keeping trailing as the vents. . . were starting to shine away the shadows.

Immediately, Haydee turned around in the spotlight and saw what she hoped to glimpse: white glows shining through the venting, the exit closing in reach. No longer caring to know when the Maulers would come, whatever energy Haydee had left to gather up implanted into her final shove out, almost throwing them both forward as the seconds later, undaunted by the rapidly gaining clambers, Haydees fingers grabbed the edges of the hole and ploughed them both out the open.

Her hold on him didn't cease, especially now the door out was in sight. Feverishly, the gynoid never gave a gaze back as she rushed them out the doorway.

---

By the first second of Haydee slamming them into this new world, the second after was a slam of a different kind. As they had charged in, Haydee's body took a sudden backpedal as her frame bashed itself backwards, allowing her back to crush into the door and disallow any oncoming Maulers from clawing themselves through.

In many retrospect's, it could be deemed a meaningless exertion; absolutely everything has denounced the idea of any other machines, Maulers especially, holding the ability to pass through closed exits. Yet her body did not constrain itself to only act by her mind's admission, and for a brief moment, her body would not release from the strain.

Only by her wondering visions, eyeing the human gradually standing back up, did she finally allow her body to go slack. Though not from witnessing him stand up alone did his body relax; despite it all, his mind seemed no less breaking than before. He looked neither scared, worried or weak but relatively his usual psyche, having recovered quickly despite the fears that had just transpired. A little shaken up, but given the moment that was seconds ago, completely discernible. Thus, her currently smushed backpack was allowed to plunge with her, her shanks slightly bent, and the now calming gynoid took it upon herself to smoothly drop down her spent magazine and place in a fresh, but final, mag.

Now ready to get moving herself, the gynoid observed the way forward, witnessing what was there to witness. As such, the first speciality she innately noted was the brightness of this section. By successive meaning, this was not a realm of darkness and shadows. A typically well-lit room, with the common whitewashed walls, or what little there was, since it became quickly evident this was to be a much shorter room than usual.

Of sorts. A meshed grating locked off a door-sized space a little beyond where they stood, allowing them free sight into the, seemingly, next space over. One also as brightened up as any other place. Wasn't to mean that was the only meshed here in this bright space, as right on her left side, a trail of the grating existed, up to the ceiling and stationed on the floor; the barrier almost perfectly encaged an entire corner of this cubicle, save for its own jutting right angle: where the reason for was anything but dismissable.

Because housed in that closed-off section, a specific sight silently lay. Crimson and burning, critical to see as anything else; a small Laser shined across from the wall towards the angled corner. Haydee couldn't consider it as anything else except that: a Laser wire, giving off the most subtle of hums, bursting from a tiny hole in the wall towards that odd-looking cube, and scorching into the chromed face with barely a singe on the metal.

Haydee swerved her tilted head to the human beside her, who offered only a shrug at this new sight before answering, "Not like we have the choice to ignore it." A plain but apt answer, the two set off.

With the Laser side closed off, it practically left them only able to pay profound attention to the other new something: the odd chromed cube seated on a pedestal sandwiched by the duo of mesh fences. The two bathed in calm silence as they inspected the shiny die, quickly seeing two sides of the four-squared body glazed over with a convex glass. A circle in the middle of the square was accomplished twice; what was within was unattainable to envision as the gynoid saw nought but heavily blurred reflections.

"Do you think it moves or something?" Conceivably, Haydee agreed. There was little else they could do, and with the Laser wire closed off, this was the only interactable source. With careful grip, Haydee seized the cube's edges and swivelled it slightly to the right. To her stupefaction, though she only pushed it a mite, the hexahedron constantly spun out until, she immediately noticed, it ceased at a perfect ninety-degree angle.

"I think I get it now. Haydee; do you see that glass on the other wall." Haydee rubbernecked to where he suddenly pointed, spotting another glass circle over a metal border. "I think we must redirect the laser into their using this box." Haydee proudly nodded, agreeing nearly perfectly with his assessment. Not like she had much of a choice to do otherwise; o therefore, Haydee eagerly gave the cube another twirl.

Sitting back, the two eagerly watched the cube spin another ninety degrees again, earning full view of that scarlet-tinted line passing through the glass-fringed holes and piercing the wall's mirror with a mute puncture. The next tone was music to her ears, bringing the discernable sound of a gate rolling away.

As she eagerly ushered him along, Haydee was now entirely sure what their venture through here would repeatedly compose over.

Lo and behold, their venture presented itself with the impossible change of anything. Another Laser wire, and another gated barrier. Obviously not a complete duplicate; this section held two mirror cubes on pedestals.

Well, two mirror cubes and no meshed walls this time, allowing them easy access all around. To that, there wasn't much else, the laser's origin residing on the same wall as the apparent conclusion of this puzzle. The only requirement needed was the spin of two cubes.

Haydee gave little thought as she moved to the first cube, spinning it around so that the beam redirected towards the second die, so that after she could rotate that around and-

Already have the cube in position, as stated by the sound of a grated barricade rocking away. Though, Haydee was quick to see that was not to be the case. As by her look over, the gynoid was fastly greeted by the sight of one human giving her a warm smile, his hands still firmly planted on that rotatable chrome box.

Though she could not smile back, she could offer a proud nod. Bland as this place may try to throw at them, simply having a second hand was a concept Haydee sought as. . . never unwelcome. With that engaging thought in mind, the two quickly moved on, or likely, next to whatever conundrum this duo may solve jointly.

Immediately, the two wavered, not purely from what occluded them upfront. Surprisingly, it had nothing to do with the next doorway; that itself was actively unbarred. Instead, it was over the Laser wire of this room that two took no more steps. The red beam was not barred over, wasn't even pointing away, but instead, the line was blocking both their paths on, alongside an effortless grab for the mirror cube now directing it over, completely boxing them in.

"You don't think the Laser can. . . actually, hurt us, right?" She heard him murmur out. Though for his worried mind, she quickly responded with a supposed shake of her head. If that was true, she was sure she would have caught some indication by this point; if not for a sign or, macabre at it was to mull over, burnt carcass in their sights, then at least by no smoke or singe on the chrome cubes or wall. She knew not the most judicious of conclusions, but a fair assessment taught by her experienced lessons.

Rather than focus on that, though, she was more intrigued by the already open door. Not just that, but the vermillion line itself was already perfectly directed into the exit panel, leaving her with the central question of: what was there to do?

Unsure of much else, Haydee retained over the best solution: a lead on with a cautious mind, already striding to the door not far off. Barely giving guidance over any deceleration, the gynoid was ready to pass through the line, innately convinced the coherent light was of no danger and made no mind to decelerate her stride:

Until the sight of the door, now barricading itself off, arrived into view. Her body paused when Haydee saw the border appear, not budging an inch as her head began to process the wonders of why, only to perceive that her torso was positioned rather suspiciously. Haydee focused on her side, watching as the beam tried to burn her pristine torso with a little splash of vermillion. But, more importantly, she began to process; the rose-tinted was no longer now connected to its circuit.

She took a step away, and all her suspicions proved correct upon witnessing the black gate barrel away like anybody's business.

"Well, at least we now know why it is blocking us off." She concurred, seeing the purpose of this particular shape. "Good to know it's not dangerous." He came to stand beside her, allowing her nod to be seen from the side. Though perhaps, she quickly realised, it may not be perfectly secure.

Nevertheless, she still managed to spot one potential hazard; catching his attention with a tap on his shoulder, she made sure he understood her uncertainty as she motioned to his eyes, then the laser, before shaking her head.

"Don't look directly into the beam. Got it." Even a reflected light could damage his oculus, and there was no issue with adding a tad extra precaution. After she bobbed back, the gynoid ushered him to follow, regaining her steps forward as her pass through the circuit was so curt the gate wasn't even allowed to finish its closure before whisking back.

Despite her knowledge of no dangers, it didn't fully lift away her fears of the light piercing the human's eyeballs, so upon her careful look back, she saw. . . Dale hastily jump across the beam. She could only give it a shrug, unsure of what else to say, before continuing forward once he stretched his legs and returned to her side without mentioning there anything else.

Still, the gate came no longer, so. . . they could take some relief in knowing it won't get stuck on them? Unsure of what else to think of it, Haydee was glad they passed through the doorway a few seconds later.

Another room like the last, albeit slightly bigger and. . . with a somewhat returning sight. For the first time, the red beam that burnt out from one wall did not connect to chrome cubes, but a simple search around ascertained the explanation. Two chrome cubes still resided in this short realm, but were not garnered over pedestals. Instead, the glassy hexahedrons were not floating in the air, albeit still at the same level as the Laser.

Not too special, Haydee innately perceived, though, with the unlocking glass on the same wall as the entrance beam, Haydee was sure the human grasped the concept here as readily as she did. With a knock of her elbow for his attention, Haydee's head tilt came about the obvious answer:

"I see it too, Haydee. I'll grab the second one if you want me to." She did, she proclaimed with a gesture to the boxes, ending this query over whether he understood this concept and replaced by the sight of him trailing off to the farthest cubes. His eagerness was contagious, as the gynoid quickly set off to the closest hexahedron and physically examined the loose cube.

About as light and stable as the floating boxes like before. However, with a casual spin, she found that this hovering chromed shape still pertains to the same directional limitations as the other grounded modifiers: almost something she should have expected but nothing noteworthy to pay additional awareness to. The way was still barred, and Dale was already treading over with his own cube.

So, making her way over, she spanned her cube around as she redirected the light the other way, which, in turn, was rewarded with Dale setting up shop right between the exit glass and the beam, perfecting his shot as the line scoured down into the end.

The gate opened, and the two let go of their cubes, Haydee half-worried they would drop or such on the like (not something she saw as a hundred percent unlikely), and the duo scampered out, exiting through the doorway and. . . finding solitude in the idea that at least by the size of this one, it won't be as derivative.

Not a cramped space like the few before, now their following conundrum was confined to a much larger area. So vast, multiple stone pillars had to erupt from the ground to keep the ceiling from falling on their heads. Though not all by themselves, a few seemed to despair at being alone and connect to one another by way of stone walls.

Haydee's instincts kicked in before she even attempted to search for much else, conveying to her a pattern may emerge here. They may be an answer she only allowed to appear when she observed the rest, finding the most necessary component of this area; the Laser burning out over to her side. The irradiated beam only lapped into a stone wall, keeping it still and burning until she found what arrangement was in dire need here.

Quick to step forward, Haydee made her short journey to the middle of the room as she examined more details to report. Before them, about the centre of this squared confinement, Haydee's first note was of a pedestal housing a solid mirrored cube. Looking to her left, Haydee focused on another pedestal mirror and a floating variant. And right - of Dale grabbing another hovering chrome cube before turning her way.

"Do you need me to place this anywhere?" She waved him off with an open palm, ushering him to let it go with a point down before mutely signalling for him to pursue, turning around, and making random tracks around this place. He did as expected, following along empty-handed as she circled around a pillar.

Taking more of this place in, she noted, besides the mostly randomised sets of walls getting in the way, the pillars were placed at regular intervals: by her estimate, sixteen of them here, placed at rhythmic, controlled intermissions. Undoubtedly, it was almost a maze if the sets of walls were seen more numerously. They did not appear here to block her attempt to reach the exit, a term she found obvious since, through the pillars, she could see the barricaded departure.

Strolling to it, she was less concentrated on what lay beyond nor on where it was positioned, exactly opposite their entryway, but rather, her sight to her left heralded both the exit glass for her and another pedestal in the far corner. With nothing on the opposite corner. . . Haydee was starting to understand the conundrum for them here.

"Hey, Haydee?" She saw Dale standing a few feet behind, before the pillars. "I'm unsure if this helps, but I see another floating box over there." His point went behind a wall, but the gesture remained unobscured as Haydee saw the concept in clearer detail.

She nodded while her mind focused on finding the rest, that is, of the corners for their oncoming trail. Haydee's mind lacked uncertainty now, with no dangers and no worries to come; with a casual but serious flair, the gynoid urged him to follow. To make strides, and figure out this place's accurate layout before they make their line. Her plunge was a short affair, peeping around to the other side and viewing more of the other walls blocking their attempted pass and another pedestal right after the wall leading down, which Haydee noted suspiciously aligned quite adequately with the centre pedestal.

With that note, the layout was plain to see - and the correct path was now to be achieved. Haydee never lost her stride as she gave one clap, calmly ushering the human to grab the hovering cube he had spotted whilst the free pair of hands here quickly held onto another. Then, taking heed, she firmly began to make her steps over to the start, readily standing between the free-flowing Laser and the unfazed wall behind.

"Where do you want me to set it? Right here, in the middle?" Dale eagerly questioned as he stood with the hovering cube by the forefront of this room. She shook her head in return, pointing down to the corner along with a silent statement. He made his "Aye." without complaint, setting it down at the corner and spinning it to face their way. She confirmed his move before asking him to step back, earning him to move down behind the wall as she swerved her own hexahedron.

With one turn, the Laser finally found a mark not made of stone but one of glass, the light swiftly bending down the two cubes and disappearing down the way. Letting go, Haydee jumped back, smoothly making her way down the centre - and quickly spotting the Laser bearing down onto the centre pedestal. The arrival of her human appearing in her frame, and a thumbs-up gesture, were all the answers she needed. Though not one she would gladly see run dry, as an enthusiastic thanks via a ruffle of his noggin. After thanking him, she calmly asked him to collect the next hovering cube laden but a few feet away before she spun the grounded chrome, pointing to just a metre ahead of herself - precisely where a Laser can be redirected into the next pedestal.

As requested, Dale zealously made a charge for the floating cube, grasping at the sides and accurately placing it in the correct spot. When done, and the Laser now diverted to the net grounded redirector on, Haydee's wonder did not take to the actual conducting cube ahead but instead a little beyond: or behind, rather, as the gynoids curiosity led to her peeking around the walls and - as she suspected, hiding over the side was the fourth hovering cube, the last one, and the one Haydee theorised would be the all they needed.

Wanting to keep the tracks still rolling, Haydee pointed to Dale before gesturing to both final pedestals. Then, quickly snatching the last cube, Haydee only gave the human a smug nod as he jogged by, taking heed to where she knew it ought to stand with barely more to mull about other than how charming this room turned out to be.

Cathartic, in a sense, a stressless endeavour. Fun, rather, like a game. . . would the human consider this fun? Could. . . she be considered fun? The single thought of Dale actually calling her a delight to be around. . . seemed to blow away her clouded judgements, supplying nothing but positive sentiment.

Not a lousy disposition to be having among their more casual moments. . . Haydee sought no reason to abandon this attitude so quickly.

Or at least save it for another time, since upon her step to the final destination here, right before the exit glass, Dale was already spinning the last grounded cube around and firing the Laser down. With a final two spins from herself, the trailing beam had finally found its terminal, and the gate was quickly shovelled aside.

What laid before them next. . .well, the gynoid was only considering, or perhaps: wanting, for it to be another odd new mellow period. With that thought in mind, when Dale stepped in closer, she was sure to hold her hand for him to take. Once caught, the gynoid swayed them both onward with a bouncy step, swaying her arms back and forth with nary a care in the world as they entered the next plaza.

"Are you okay there, Haydee?"

Indeed, she was.

Even the shadow that loomed down on them didn't diminish her jovial nature. Though the fact this large shadow wasn't an overt overcast fuelling an obsidian swallow, but instead a higher level, one looking to not connect to either of the four walls here, more than helped to diminish any ideas of anxious trepidation.

Like before, another Laser silently burst forth by a panel next to the door. Unlike before, a solid wall did not impede this; the exit panel was placed tight on the opposite side, patiently awaiting its connection. Her only cause of blue wonder was cast upon them by two factors, one of a meshed grating, with the swarthy wiring disallowing the solid beam to manoeuvre around, and the other of a pedestal on the far side, causing the beam to redirect in the entirely wrong direction even if this grating did not impede its progress. And that was when discluding the second pedestal blocking the way on this rim.

Still, then, that did help to somewhat answer the question as to why this high platform was above their heads, suspended by more of those pillars, ones, she was quick to note, far less interested in conjoining with another with as many bricked-up screens. Though considering this meshy screen here did not seem able to swerve down simply, her look left and right denounced any other attempt to glide around; it was clear something else would need to be in play. Taking a step back, Haydee began her surveyance, noticing more of the floating boxes, two over here and a second grounded reflector over by their right side. Despite these concrete few pieces, the puzzle still needed to be visualised, as the most critical element here had yet to be known.

Taking slow steps around, the gynoid began to ruminate over what they were required to accomplish. There was no way around it; that was clear, but though getting up for them wasn't an issue, how did that transfer onto the beam fetching over? It was as if something different was missing from her formula:

As if the Laser beam itself also had to go up. This was the idea that immediately struck Haydee's head upon seeing what lay behind one of the few solid walls here - an odd new thing, not simply on a pedestal but practically a pillar in itself. The gynoid's initial assertion of this not to be just another pillar was, besides the fact it did not coincide with the rhythms of the sixteen other posts holding aloft the balcony above, was down to the unmistakable glass entry point facing the way of the exit. That, and its exit point led it to the course above, over a large enough squared hole for even her to squeeze herself top with supplementary room.

She nodded to no one once she found her missing puzzle fragment.

"I agree. This does make sense." Her head smacked itself to the side at the human's unexpected remark, seeing Dale stand right alongside her. Though her mind did silently ask, When did he. . . Haydee realised it mattered not; he at least now knew how to proceed.

Especially considering his following line of, "Do you need me to be anywhere?" detailed his energy over getting on with it. It was a good thing, then, that this convivial mechanoid would not curtail his jovial manner as she already knew the beginning steps. So swiftly, Haydee whipped her arm around and pointed towards the nearest floating cube, already making steps as she turned tail and marched right over to the first pedestal.

She knew the human was already tapping his toes as he marched barefoot over her way, the unflinching gynoid responding in kind with a strong point a little over, to the centre of the pillars that were not housing that unique pillar behind her, before turning her own cube around and redirecting the beam to his model. He understood enough, swivelling it so now the beam pointed down to the mesh.

Not to leave either standing lethargic just yet, Haydee was immediate in pointing over to the second floating chrome, now more than believing Dale was taking a shine to this form of activity, before sauntering around to get her graces upon the second pedestal, one positioned right before the periscoping pillar.

This time, he required no probing; Dale was already jigging down opposite her way, right by the crimson line. No command was crucial; quickly redirecting the beam her way and ensuring all that was necessary from her was a reel of her cube, allowing the emission to enter through the periscope.

Down below, the two could see it. Even without having entered the level above, through the spacious gap, it was clear to see how this route was meant to go down: The pillar was not unlike the same chrome cube laying around them; yet instead of manipulating the beam to a turn, the hidden prisms here fired it right back around itself to the next level up.

No doubt clouded Haydee's mind now; the way on did utilise the way up. Suddenly, a strange knock against her flank caught the gynoid's attention, and upon her sight to the side, she met with a rather suspicious, or perhaps, smug expression adorning her human companion's countenance.

"Race you to the top." Next thing Haydee knew, the human had already spritz past her and began to jump and grab the ledge above. It took just one more second for Haydee to realise she was in a race - the human was in the lead. Yet, strangely, despite all pretence telling her nothing would come about him winning the end ahead, she found it rather mismatched with the idea of losing, even if to him. She held no urge to forfeit, and slamming forward; the gynoid made a mad dash as she quickly boosted herself up to the ledge with a blast, shoving her chest over as she studs the floor with her knee, thrusting the rest of her body up and -

Standing tall just as the human did. A draw? She supposed she could be content with that.

Somehow innately knowing to give Dale a wide berth, and a little roll of her head for playful measure, the gynoid let the good times roll , this time with a secondary roll focused on the priggish human's way as she stepped forward and observed the top section.

No railings persisted along the open edges, even on the second side, so there was no act over the way up being controlled. But, in emitting this, Haydee's immediate attention cast itself to the imminent fixture here; the other level-prism, heading down, over the opposite corner. She suspected as much before even setting foot up top, especially with it existing as far across as plausible.

Upon the confirmation, Haydee let her sights peek elsewhere. Around this top layer, not only did two more of the grounded cubes remain, both, notably, at opposite corners of each other, but three more hovering chromes remained up top as well. All this, even after having to peer through some mesh walls. Neither going up high nor long, but the prominent placement of which forced to curve this unkempt Laser around the way, an almost straightened 'S' learnt on its side, the gynoids visual imagery suggested as such.

Nothing too hard to see - certainly nothing too mind-bending, as he was already grasping forward and catching the nearest floating along the way. She agreed with his instinctive desire for completion, already making leeway to the grounded cube highlighting itself as the beam's jamming point.

She knew the question before his lips could speak it, smoothly pointing over to the space alongside his cube as she began swivelling hers around to the next corner. Dale placed his doohickey down shortly after, tuning the line along the distance and ensuring they were already half accomplished.

Not wanting to slow down, Haydee was already leaping through the meshed sides and zooming over to collect the next hovering cube. Smoothly, Haydee swung it into place right next to the end of the second mesh grate. By some luck, or simply chance, the third and final hovering cube here seemed already in position, having its angled glass facing from her way to the exit and, in turn, allowing the Laser line to finally reach the static cuboid and shine down to the other side.

Once the beam was inserted through, Haydee's foot was already stepping forward to the end - then paused by the mere first step.

"What do we do with the other one?" Even before she turned to meet Dale's stated objective, she had wondered that herself. Despite the beam shining through, the pillar relocated the line someplace down; not all looked to be completed. Over by the edge, a pedestal remained, one untouched and bearing unused by the two.

Yet it matter was a not. The beam was aligned without fail, and the most she wondered to concede to was they somehow pursued a different path than the one this duo utilised. The way on was a clear as day, so there was no point in rambling about, she denoted as she gestured to the open hole with a thumb.

Then she began to sprint.

"Hey, no fair: you made your own headstart." Haydee refused to slow down at his statement. The bare soles slapped alongside his call, indicating he was vastly approaching. This only spurred the gynoid not to slow down, even at the edge of the hole Haydee's descent down, not a jump but a grasp; she swiftly bounded down, followed a second later by the human in doing the same.

"Cheater." Haydee rolled her head in her mock version of a roll of human eyes, innately knowing the human was still in good spirits despite her hoggish actions. Whether or not this was because said man was holding a subtle smirk on his lips may or may not had something to do with it.

Pushing past their little game, she would protest was not as unfair as from his own sudden announcement mere moments ago, Haydee quickly stepped back into the fray with completion in mind, focusing firmly on the first step on. Right out of the gate was a pedestal in the way, its metal side acting as little more than a buffer to the silent glint. Turning it onto the side, she quickly pointed to the next turn of a floating cube on yonder.

Dale moved without question, placing it where he saw fit, right before the two pillars on the farther side. Though Haydee would have liked it to angle directly onto the exit panel by the still-barred door, the pedestal in front demanded a second option: bending the beam around to spurn through it instead.

Without delay, Haydee was quick to search for the second, final floating cube here. . .

. . . A wall was placed on the farthest side between two pillars, closest to the level-changing cuboid. Calmly spurring back, Haydee looked around the bend to find - pure frivolity. With further haste in her step, Haydee began looking around behind any blind spots and yet. . . discovered nothing of value.

She began to wonder if she had skipped by that of vague importance. Had the system been placed too hurriedly, or was there a second option to be found? Such questions tapped at Haydee's chin, clouding her head with reviews, and inexplicably not detecting the idea that sprung onto one Dales mind.

"Haydee: I think I got it." The gynoid in question could not spin her head fast enough. "Wait here; I'll go try and fetch it." Before she could so much as quiz the human on what he intended to do, he was already setting off, reaching the side of the balcony's ledge and pulling himself over.

She would have pursued, if not for hearing a beseech that demand she abide. She at least knew no dangers were up top, so worry would not slither up her, but that did not deter her wonder over his intentions. She could, at least, hear footsteps, of his bare feet smacking over the tiles as he appeared to move around, all around the layer up top for reasons undisclosed.

Without warning, the beam before seemed to shut off, swapping away the carmine line for nothing but cool air. Skimming over, she spotted the Laser had not truly dissipated, it still beaming out to the pillar above, allowing her to believe it had been cut off somewhere up above. . . for reasons Haydee was now beginning to piece together.

In nought but a few seconds later, the beam reappeared like zero had changed, and the welcoming sound of "Haydee, would you please mind coming over to the hole? I've got something I'd like to try and give you." The gynoid swiftly pranced over to the gap in question; her stare through the ceiling was met with the human leering back: with a floating chrome cube clutched in his palms.

"I'm going to try and throw this down. I'm not sure if it will work, but-" His words were cut short when he casually brought the box out into the open. Before even she could know it, his likely informal grip on the sides of the cube gave way to it slipping out of hands once it detected the lack of close flooring.

Thankfully, the descent was not fierce, and Haydee smoothly caught the downward box with ease. She looked back up, seeing the human stare back with a sheepish grin.

"Oh. That went better than expected." Haydee nodded, ushering him down as she guided the final cube away. She knew where to position it - right in the centre of the four pillars on the far side of that periscope. Once established, Haydee met her turn with the human spinning that final pedestal, finishing up this room with the chime of a grate rolling away.

Haydee made sure the moment they brushed up against one another, almost colliding as they returned to each other's side to turn towards the exit; she pulled the human right in close and gave him the warmest side-hug she could share. Not too tight, not too loose, just right enough so he can swing on forward with bouncy feet, a cheer in his pedal a feature Haydee sought as purely magnetic.

Once they crossed the threshold, the gynoids immediately paused once she descried appeared ahead. Though another exit stood barred ahead, for the first time, what lay behind the sable meshing was not an empty space - but a door. Positively unlike much of what came before, the sudden appearance of the solid egress gave way to Haydee utterly convinced this was no random correlation: this was to be the final room of these beams.

The final. . . way on, leaving Dale unable to play with these beams some more. That thought gave rise to a shred of disappointment, of all things, to the gynoid's mind. Dale would be. . .

Dale would be fine. He is not so weak as for some small joy derived away from him to be the cause of mental break. He has lasted this long, seen through much, and despite the occasional occurrence, one of faults little of his own, only one instance has truly waned him down. One instance that Haydee knew would cause a collapse to any human. The man would still carry forth, even knowing the end would come. He would still make the travel with the little beam around his lips, one. . . one not written on his face. No, the expression this human was currently wearing was of agitation, disdain. . . fear. All of which locked onto far off the other wall, to the side, where-

Haydee found why his smile was so diminished.

Over at the end of the wall, machine foes of various forms stood in wait. Though thankfully all, currently, were locked behind gratings, the knowledge of such did not liquefy the solid pit of worry laden as his eyes stared shakily at the lined-up adversaries awaiting with silent gazes of their own.

Walkers, Slashers. . . A Mauler.

Calmly, gently, to not spook the lad, Haydee slowly tiptoed around his back and swerved to him before coming to his other side and becoming the physical shield to halt his trembles, soothe his anxiety.

"I don't think that will do too much, Haydee." He pointed away, arm holding out as firm as it stretched right towards the other way, where in a perfect mirror, a holed metal barrier became the stopping exit for the mirrored selection of mechanical foes, all standing motionless and mute. Haydee did not feel any form of safeness in knowing between there and here were two short walls of more meshed walls, both of which locked onto the abundant stone pillars of this room.

A significant amount more, Haydee could perceive, promptly finding out this room was far broader than any previous enclosure, perhaps even when including the second level of the prior room. A multitude more, in fact, of grounded cubes could be seen here, so many to be seen, and yet Haydee spotted none of the hovering kind.

Though that appeared to be all there was here. Another space to solve, and another junction for them to finish and get going. Hastily spotting her first target, the first pedestal currently having its plain side touched by the crimson light, Haydee moved to A, ready to start the solution. . .and preferably do so alongside a more cheery human.

She knew the first action: aiming the beam at the pedestal over at the far end. Even if right by the caged creations, there was no way right, and in having it tuned the correct way with only one spin, the gynoid made her first steps onward-

"Haydee, wait; I just realised something." His voice so sudden and frantic, the gynoid could not help but almost slam her foot back before she made turn towards to her worried companion. "Do you remember that laser level some time ago? When you crossed over the line, and the door closed off." Haydee nodded with superficial ease, clearly remembering that section with fine clarity. Though why that came up here, with the bars already activated, was a concern she had yet to see. The security it was trying to maintain was already in effect; the dangers here. . . . were. . .

Haydee's blank face bolted right onto the human's own, returned with a stoic expression, before she whipped her head around and looked down, at the cages sunken in the wall. The images that sprung forth in Haydee's head were not a welcoming sight, and once she, albeit far more leisurely now, swivelled her head back to him, all she was met with was the sight of him breathlessly nodding.

For the gynoid, that. . . complicated things. Not so much in the duo now needing to scrap their previous plans, but more of them needing to move forth with great caution in their footfall. One slip-up. . . she doubted if she had enough bullets for them all. Though she still had several mines at her disposal. . .

Locking back to forward, Haydee prepared herself in restarting her moves, albeit not so immediately. With this danger leering its multitude of eyes their ways, the gynoid stepped away from rushing to B, and instead deciding best to give the room a fair layabout first, giving herself a satisfactory understanding of the necessary route before accidentally forming any regret.

They at least had space to work with; the corridors enraptured by the randomised meshed walls over pillars gave them decent freedom to manoeuvre around the pedestals, though that did not disallow the chance of them getting corned by a freshly routed beam. Even with that noted, however, trying to figure out the correct route was more challenging than she would have liked. It wasn't just down to the multitude of pedestaled cubes here, but the belief some seemed. . . unnecessary. One such appeared but a metre away from where the first pedestal stood, right forward between two pillars, unable to be used as the one before disallowed the firm Laser beam on. More looked to assist in this confusing endeavour with this constricting room, confirming to her this was not supposed to be a brisk endeavour.

"Haydee, hold on; I think I have an idea." Eagerly as anything, the gynoid offered the unmoved human an open continuation. "We don't need to begin at the first podium, do we?" Haydee caught that as technically correct, she reiterated with a shake of her head, beginning to grow curiosity about his sudden possible theory. "Well, I just thought: if it would be perilous to lead along with the beam at every step of the way, why not start from the end instead? Then, if we work backwards, we could see how the beam would go, and not be in danger of accidentally setting the laser off." And once they finished it all, they could spin the first pedestal back around, and the route would sync up in one go.

Yes, yes, YES! She undoubtedly believed this now to be the perfect scheme for here.

A statement she was sure to explain as such once Haydee pulled herself over and brought him to a kind hug, gently waving her fingertips over his locks whilst her body rocked him purposefully pleasant rocking. She watched him accept it in kind, almost embarrassingly so, smiling, giggling even, as if the knowledge of the mechanised foes, canine and others, were of little interest to him now.

Wanting this to continue for as long as possible, Haydee held him close as she walked him to the exit, side by his side. It looked to be working; Dale, even when pressed against her side, did not lose his cheery expression as they passed by the pillars and meshed walls, creating somewhat crazy joints here. As if half a maze, refusing to add more so as not to set itself as linear. A fair concept, Haydee sought, as it would certainly explain this random pedestal they just passed, sandwiched between two pillars, both reaching away with those grated barriers.

Once they came to the exit, standing before the barred door and the empty panel waiting patiently for the beam to arrive, it took little time to see where their first, and by definition, technically the conclusive, pedestal that would curve the glowing shaft into the slot.

"Would you like me to begin?" She saw no reason to say no, so Haydee warmly waved off her arm to make space, unveiling the invisible cape and presenting the pedestal with a clear view. "Thank you." Adopting an eager bounce, Dale warmly bounded to the cube, arms caching the sides, before turning back to the gynoid with a resolute look about him. "Now, where should this face?"

. . . She supposed that with all this focus on the human's cheer, she seemed to have neglected their purpose of completion here. Shaking her a smidge, she realised nothing had been lost but a mere moment or so, and at least that had been saved by knowing the human was in good spirits. Thus, with a finger tapping her chin, Haydee began her search for the solution.

Left and right observations heralded a possible connection for both; two pedestals awaited her choice. To her right side, the cube would only be of use if bearing down to the south side where the exit lay. In turn, another pedestal awaited it, one whose route seemed to pertain around the corner. While onto her left, the other cube had two more of the hexahedrons to work with, albeit with one behind a meshed grate. Not that that one led anywhere, the other one, though. . . lead itself along the side of the meshed wall and to one awaiting at the end, which in turn had its only choice be down towards the near corner - onto the same kind of route their other first choice would pass in reverb.

By default, their correct choice had to be right: a hypothesis she explained with a firm point to the east. Dale nodded without hesitation, spinning it over and letting the two faces match the invisible route. Already, Dale moved on to the next pedestal over, collecting it between his fingers, while the gynoid moved to the following podium.

Yet before she could even grasp hers, he already faced it down her way. Not she was surprised; no cube learnt the other direction, so to follow, she tuned hers towards the chrome die on the corner. Moving on, Dale followed quickly behind as she passed behind another set of meshes. A glancing look displayed to her a small caged section with only one opening pointing in her direction between the four pillars.

By the first impression, it seemed the perfect place to hide away a simple but readily appreciated pistol magazine or some such. Sadly, all was bare in, providing the gynoid nothing but disappointment in its enclosed section. For Haydee's short thought remark over it, this zone seemed highly focused on bleeding her dry on ammo. She'd like it to go the other way.

Could there be some satisfaction in knowing she could at least spin the pedestal to go the other way? Likely not, but Haydee did so anyway, turning the face cube so that it faced the pedestal down the other one, one Dale was readily zooming off to twist. The gynoid saw no reason to believe he needed her command to know what to do; he was no fool, and she refused to see herself as any misanthrope for him.

No second glances were taken as Haydee moved away and let the human do the thing of his own accord. She knew where best to be and where she was needed: gliding down, Haydee took her sights towards the pedestal she remembered as her incorrect choice. Upon her grasp of it, the soulful sounds of oncoming bare feet over the tiles attuned her attention to the human coming her way, and to her delight, not back to her. Instead, as she had expected he would see, his strides were garnered onto the next pedestal on, swiftly turning it her way and her finishing it off with a face in the other direction.

If this pedestal had not been here, it would have allowed a cleaner route for the beam, as another pedestal stood not far off. Haydee held no doubts the Laser would have to go through this way if it were to reach for the end, a sight she could discern even without the perceptive nature of seeing the beam's length firsthand.

No other way to go but forward; Dale leapt at the opportunity presented, gathering over and turning the next pedestal to the correct position. She gave a nod as thanks, proudly seeing him take both the initiative and the unspoken believed route for the beam to pass through.

That said, Haydee feared what may come, and despite her best wishes for him to grow stable by himself, she would not risk it so soon. So, gingerly, she smoothly held out her palm when she approached him. After a moment of trying to understand her gesture, so too did he, albeit more tentatively, hold out his hand, placing it upon hers and earning a smooth grasp of her fingers warmly holding his. Once initiated, Haydee began to guide him down the way, along the length, as the next pedestal was a walk away; close to that northern corner. As they walked, hand in hand, Haydee softly guided his position around, so he began walking to her side, the one not leaning towards the solid walls. She doubted her actions were as subtly as she would have preferred, yet whether or he realised it did not pertain to him to speak up, only keep close and face forward, never to stay at the crimson lenses all mutely salivating at the duos' presence.

Her hand never strayed, even once she approached the next cube. With just one free hand gripping the corners, Haydee firmly spanned it to aim around the bend, quickly trailing parallel to the unseen line as she crossed alongside the pillar and wall and stood before the successive turnable podium. It was here when she let go.

She freely aimed it outwards with the same hand, pointing towards the following pedestal another distance southwards. The gynoid could not tell how far a distance from the lines he should best be, how close to the Maulers he could be before they set themselves off with tormenting wails, but she also knew he needed space to breathe, to stand on his own, not to be coddled. She could only help so much; in the end, he would need to walk alone, unburdened by her grasp.

And like before, once set free, he walked forward without complaint, even with a steady smile still adorning his delicate features. Though her sight still pertained towards those malicious machinations over by the side, she found it hard to sway from the human near-skipping in his step. She turned her cube a moment before he could, allowing herself the time to catch up as he tuned his cube; down the line to where the other mess of contenders stood in hushed delay.

As she passed, she held out his palm in a gesture to wait. The pedestals were even closer to the walls than the previous lot, so going too far would only hurt him, despite her interest in Dale's strengthening character. He needed a gentle push, not a shove, so she could only see him go so close by little choice unless he spoke for it.

If so, she would allow it, or attempt to. But by his compliance, not speaking a peep otherwise, Haydee went down unaided. She took not a walk, but a jog, wanting not to leave him alone for. . . his sake? Still, the gynoid quickly completed this part without delay, reaching the end and knocking around the shiny stump before moving along the way to the penultimate pedestal to-.

Haydee paused when she heard a noise. A hush, a whir, a. . . growling mumble that could only have been emanated by the short, four-legged monstrosity down to the side, kept safe with a thick mesh barrier. Safe from her, she was sure to suddenly indicate, as she abruptly kicked at the meshing with a clatter she was sure would have jolted the inorganic canine. To shut it up, she would be certain it had done, as the racket died down, leaving behind no trace of any low grumbling.

She nodded, proud of her action, and with a balletic swerve of her head, she paid the monstrosity no more heed as she darted forward and turned the cube to the correct position, immediately making chase right after down to the true beginning of the end here, where the kind one was standing in wait, indeed patient for her return.

A palatable sight to see, especially after having walked against those mental contaminators. Walking down, seeing his face slowly brighten as she reigned herself in close, Haydee could not help but suggest it as something deserving of fondness from her. A thank you in return for simply being pleased by her presence, even if she had yet to present something foremost.

It was when she stopped before him, watching as he took a step back, away from the cube, that it occurred to her how best to respond. Taking a step to the side herself, the gynoid waved out both her arms, pointing them casually down to the first pedestal while she tilted her head in the same direction, gesturing a statement she was sure he'd identify.

He looked to have had so much fun, going through these locations and working alongside herself to solve the conundrums presented. So why wouldn't it be fair to give him the final task? After all, the slight glow he was showing as he began to make work on the ultimate pedestal was the tell he deserved far more than she. With the final spin in place, the Laser finally began its route; and instantly, the room was awash with the straight crimson - burning through the lenses, angling all around this room, and yet the only sound that came about from this immediate burst was of a barricade grating way far beyond.

No sound of corrupting march followed, no claws digging deep into the procession or a caw of a Canis creation. The only happenstance was the door now unlocked for them, beyond the way as Haydee could spot past the scarlet tripwires. To exit, they must do so not only with the knowledge they may leave this place of relative fun but also while avoiding crossing the lines. So close, to letting it all fail now was not a possibility she could allow, so in holding out her hand, Haydee gripped the human's receiving own and began to make leeway.

Pulling him close, Haydee knew to follow the line around. With the pedestal never crossing right alongside any walls or pillars, free space was an inevitability. However, the gynoid would take no chances, and as she held him close, passing down to trail parallel to the Laser, the gynoid made sure to bustle their backs to the walls, keeping as suitable a distance from the beaming tripwire as they could.

Not a quick effort, especially while turning the corner right around a pillar, but unfettered was Haydee, shuffling them down along the way. As they moved, the gynoid ensured her sidesteps were steady but formal, the able space providing more than enough distance to slip by without a pressured body. Her form would remain unaffected by the state either way, but the naturally more fleshy body of the human would likely be less, worse if it would crush him.

Thankfully, it provided neither; even turning down around their routed corners, gaining closer to the room's true corner, did not administer to them any sense of fear around smothering. But. . . Haydee did know of one fear to be wary of.

As the two were forced this way, it, in turn, forced them to slide on close to the caged contraptions, too close for her liking. That alone was not the highest issue for her, but that Mauler, the one staring their way with its piercing lenses, seemingly ready to howl so heavily and feed on Dale's anxieties, was the problem she dreaded. Going around was not a viable option so long as they wished for no possible incidents.

Haydee had planned for this, and as they turned the corner, the gynoid was smooth in pulling the human far closer than he may have wanted. But what he wanted was not to be imperative over what he may need, so gently, Haydee pulled him close into a hug. Then, his back to her, she ensured her body was the wall that made it impossible to see behind, forced too far away, he would not look, he shall not think about what may lurk behind as smoothly she sidestepped down with him.

She knew he may know what still lay in wait, what could appear at any moment, even why she was silently forcing him to traverse this way. She was not to disrespect him, nor would she lie if asked, yet Haydee also presumed he understood, offering no grievances as the duo sidestepped down along the way.

They passed the cage by, Haydee's grip only tightening in the case of a growl unwillingly appearing without warning. Yet to her relief, the Mauler seemed uninterested at this distance, mostly just the meshed shadows of them as they crept by the grated walls, and finally, once Haydee sought the distance as satisfactory - of meeting past the next pedestal, she let him go, allowing the space to move freely by his own volition.

"Thank you." She had not expected the tiny whisper of gratitude, never believing what she was doing was demanding any such recognition. . . but she accepted it with full force, following behind him with a little perk to her step. The meshed walls did not enclose the free space by the wall right, holding only two unused pedestals. An unnecessity to this room as a whole or not, Haydee accepted it as a boon, freeing them away from the tripwire and allowing free access to the door not far off.

The trial now passed, and with a skip down to the end, any lingering sombre thoughts over perhaps not seeing these Laser again seemed non-existent on Dale's expression, the human just reeling over with a fair smile adorning his features. Truly, he was far more robust than he may see himself, and perhaps, she may never have needed to enclose him so close as she did.

She hoped he would understand this in time. But, for now, the two eagerly exited on.

---

Any sense of staying on edge seemed to dissipate once she quickly noticed much about this room. From spread tables bearing papers, various electronic workings, albeit unquestionably non-working, to the open door barely a distance away: this was a safe room like those that came before. Feeling an odd weight be departed off her shoulders, Haydee and her companion eagerly searched around for anything of peculiar interest.

It at least didn't take long for her to spot any oddities. Bleached walls were not commonplace here; instead, the walls were more tinted ashy, with black edgings running all over. Even the floors were devoid of pearl shading, also tinted a dark grey, though not of any metallic origin. As she still observed whilst she walked, computers were the customary here; each one spaced well-distanced from the last, and each looking to have a simple, at least cushioned wheeled chair before them, save for one she had to step over from via been knocked to the ground. Looking over the countertops with intrigue, she found more human oddities; styrofoam cups scattered like litter, of what liquid was held inside now too aged and drained even for her analysing eyes, various folders and stationary and mugs. She picked an old porcelain one up, reading the randomly lettered "BEST FATHER EVER" in large printed letters before placing it down with wonder on her invisible brow.

As she checked the assortment of human goods over, none of possible use to her, the first thought that leapt to Haydee's mind about this are was how heavily unaltered it bared itself as; barely anything here was given any enduring treatment. The second notion, seeing how the desks and chairs were all purposefully placed, was that this used to be a break room, if not an outright office setting for human usage. But for why, Haydee could only ponder over as she looked over the desks. . . and spotted something of familiar value.

Half-hidden underneath a paper, the gynoid gingerly lifted the page off as she held the magazine in full view. Small and impact, but finally, her pistol will no longer bare empty. Her shoulders felt to lose more weight now, which though she found an oddity, being there appeared to be none in the first place, she accepted with satisfaction.

Before the chance to reload her firearm came, the sudden call of Dale shouting, "Haydee, I found something for you!" turned away any sense for much else as she stared out at the human skipping her way. She didn't require him standing before her to see what he had grasped, nor was it something she relented to take once near; Dale was carrying over a Digital Entry.

Once presented, her gladful take was preceded by her holding it back, mutely asking if he'd like a shared read. Though he responded quickly with a straightforward raise of his palms, the Haydee innately questioning his dismissal, she shrugged it off nevertheless and gracefully placed away her magazine for after before holding it aloft and taking that curious read-through:

Entry 1001

We are entering the final phase before we begin proper production of the Haydees.

I finalized the model design with the General, and we are setting up tooling and manufacturing processes. We will begin with a small run of Haydees to start and test, then begin full-scale production.

The initial design I made as a companion/helper, with some ability to be a bodyguard. There will be variances according to customer wishes in terms of build and such. We extensively tested the synthetic muscles and skin, and I think they come quite close.

Of course, that vile woman from Advanced Materials was there to quip I wouldn't know, since I've never touched a real woman. I had to stop Hadie from slapping her, but I only did so because of the headache I knew it would cause us.

Entry 1020

I have made some breakthroughs with the Haydee AI, and am very pleased with them. They now have a more remarkable puzzle-solving ability, and their learning capability has gone up by a factor of 10.

However, as with all things, there was a downside, and not with my work. The doors malfunctioned due to a faulty circuit, and we had to wait for the techs to come and let us out. I learned it's supposedly some kind of security measure, allowing them to lock an intruder into a room with no way to get out until they can be arrested. Either someone didn't think it through, or they have a bug in the system, somewhere. You would think they would issue some kind of key or have some backup if this kind of thing happens. Idiots, all around.

Entry 1033

I suggested a system to maximize the effects of the Lasers by using mirrors to reflect the lasers and have more lasers, and cover a wider field with less energy use. In fact, my proposal would cut energy use by 75%. The General was astounded, and the Director looked like he was about to burst into flame, he was so mad.

Entry 1067

Today, they tested a new design. It's a tank with large spider legs. It's designed to move quickly over uneven terrain and climb buildings in Megacities to fire from high ground. It's a fascinating design, but it has its share of problems. For one, as it is now, it cannot right itself if flipped over, and for another, the servos in the legs keep failing or locking up. I approached the General, who suggested I could give some design revisions to help it out. He said he would take them under advisement. I will wait and see how long it takes before they realize they need my help. I give it a week, tops.

Entry 1068

As I thought, they needed me, so they asked me to look at the tank designs.

Part of the problem is they used cheaper servos and pistons in the upper legs, which is why they failed. I suggested they have the company who made them brought here as new test subjects, then got into the nitty-gritty.

Some of the problems lay with the size and weight, which there is not much I can do about. BUT, I might be able to solve it with some careful thought and engineering.

Entry 1082

I showed Eva one of the Haydees today, of what will be the final production version. She laughed at first, but not at all in a bad way. She said she was flattered I used her build as my model. Much to my surprise, she actually shook the Haydee's hand. She was impressed by how well they can shoot and such, and gave me a few suggestions here and there for minor improvements. I took them all to heart. Hadie seemed impressed as well, not just with the new line, but Eva as well. It's always nice to have a friend.

Entry 1090

Well, the rubber met the road today. The first Haydee stepped off the assembly line today, ready for delivery. The world is about to change, and I can feel the thrill, and the worry as well. Hadie was there with me, holding my hand and helping keep me from losing it and freaking out. Again, I would be lost without her.

Entry 1092

The first Haydee unit was given to a Russian diplomat as a "gift". But, we all know what her real purpose is. The fat old pig seemed beyond pleased, and I could not help but shiver, thinking of the nasty things he will put that poor unit through. Made me queasy just thinking about it.

Entry 1109

Today, I worked with Eva extensively on making the Sniper unit. She had loads of suggestions, and even took Hadie and me with her to the range and actually use a real sniper rifle to understand the realities of sniping. She was impressed with Hadie's ability to hit the target and how steady her aim was. Not shocking, as her hands don't shake like a human's do, nor does she fatigue. In the end, she gave us tons of valuable data and many insights I would never have thought of.

Entry 1116

Today, they were testing a new type of special rifle. It's a particle accelerator rifle, and designed for piercing tank armor. The problem is the thing is HUGE, taller than Hadie even, and it needs an equally-large battery bank, has to be hooked up to cables and has a long recharge between shots.

The General asked if the Haydees could use it, but I told him they would need to work the issues out first. Still, I think a Haydee could use and first it better than a human, and even lift it.

Entry 1127

Got into yet another fight with that woman from Advanced Materials. This time, I finally snapped and told her she was a self-righteous and snooty bitch who couldn't stand if ANYONE even remotely seemed better than her, especially if they were male. I quite openly called her a misandrist and suggested, if she really wanted, she had plenty of other males to take out her anger on. She tried to slap me, but Hadie grabbed her arm. I could tell Hadie wanted to break her arm, but that would have caused more trouble than we needed. The techs separated us, and the General had some strong words for both sides. Told the woman to get over herself and for us both to bury the hatchet and work together.

Careful with how you choose your words, General . . .

Entry 1215

There was some interesting news today. The Russian diplomat who got the first Classic-Style Haydee died. However, it was HOW he died that was interesting. Apparently, he was found dead in a French hotel, in fishnet stockings, high heels, a lace bodice and a plethora of drugs in his system and around him. I have to say, I never thought the Haydees would be THAT creative. That is most certainly interesting.

However, I also wonder if this is the right path. I had wanted the Haydees to be companions to those who need it. Not just those disabled, but those who feel unloved, unwanted. They can still be that way. I hope.

Entry 1255

I finished some fine work on the Soldier robot. It still needs some more work, but should be ready for testing. I adjusted some of the rifle designs to work with it, and I am confident it will perform as well as a flesh-and-blood soldier would.

Entry 1256

I found out the Soldier robot has a weakness under the tread chassis, and when a hand grenade was rolled underneath, it pretty much demolished the whole thing. The General was not pleased, but the Director certainly was. Smarmy weasel. However, something doesn't add up. That throw was almost like they knew a weakness.

I think I smell a rat, and not in the animal lab . . .

The gynoid, fingertip to her chin, mutely held several mixed sentiments over her readings. She was glad that this Dale Marshell had both his Hadie and this Eva with him during these seemingly tumultuous times, over reading him constantly take two steps forward with his research and then a step back thanks to the interventions of others. Her Dale or not, he seemed bright and beaming with his passion, and the gynoid could see these problems he faced; he was still able to push them away. Especially with how he treated his works, treated what she had to assume were of her and her kind, as things to cherish those that deserved them.

Like her Dale. Though that stated, a tiny sliver of worry wriggled up her spine overhearing what her kind could also do. She. . . knew she could fight, technically could kill, including other humans, though such a necessity had yet to be. . . wholly founded. But to supposedly murder, assassinate, be a literal killing machine; that was not her real purpose to exist. . . was it?

No - she knew her purpose. She founded her own: she would be the opposite, a carer for her human, no matter what any preemptive conceptions tailored her to be. She was her own machine, held her own thoughts, not another device off the press, another reproduction to be gawked over, like. . .

"Haydee, what's that you got there?" Like: upon the paper, she was still unknowingly holding. Half forgetting it was still here, Haydee until now regarded it as but filler, yet it was when she noticed a familiar design written out, not just as doodles but complete diagrams, diagnostics, even fully detailed and factually accurate research about, what was plain to see, herself, did Haydee stop and stare at the personal paper she found herself clenching.

Before any questions could be requested, the surprisingly appreciated interruption via the human's ecstatic call of "Look, Haydee, all over this desk are different versions of you." slanted her engagement to him.

As the page was brought down, her visions pried apart from the paper by the soothing pull of Dale's jubilant fascination; the gynoid studied all over the countertop, surveying and quickly comprehending by what end he was articulating.

As it seemed, this lone paper was not just any singular description of her variation: in fact, there were many variations of her variations spewed all over these desks. There were so many diagrams and statements; it was clear to her by no means was that strange page perchance; here, it seemed, was the room where her kinds innovations had emerged.

And there were. . . many different forms of herself than she had ever expected. Sure, she knew of the smaller designs of hers, this. . . 'Classic' variation, that some of the papers littered about had described. A prototype, at least in her eyes, for the more prominent and upgraded form that her finished form was given. A name she. . .

Actually, she never once garnered about brooding over what her model was designated. She never needed to, nor her specific function, especially after having found she could construct her own path. But here, littered onto only a tiny spot of a different page about her model, did she read out her forms original name and function: Vanguard. Was the moniker written in big, bold letters, devised for Security, Combat, Rescue and Protection. This active variation of her model was unsure what to think about reading this, unclear if she ever needed to wonder what her model was originally about, yet here it all was, sprawled out for any someone to list with flicks of their tongue.

One title never stopped there. To her surprise, even this form was not just an upgrade from the original prototype she had passed by multiple times on her travels, one not as clearly designed for assault and conflict as this model, but instead looked to have been the base for countless others. On one such pile of cluttered laid a smaller frame model of hers, similar in design with form and function, but more elfin, thinner with a smaller bust yet with enlarged thighs and tight glutes; a Scout model, as it was called. While on the seemingly opposite angle lay a design so heavyset even she had to feel intimidated by its conception. Bigger, larger, arms far thicker than thighs, towering over her with a chest so armoured it made her bulletproof vest look like a tattered cloth in comparison, and wielding what appeared to be a shielded chaingun Haydee. . . couldn't help but feel a little envious over it carrying. Heavy Assault this type was anointed; one Haydee could only imagine the damage it could do.

Eh, it would have difficulty going through the human-sized doorways. Hers was just more practical - and thus, superior.

"Haydee, come take a look at this one." Course, it was more than just the original prototype and the upgraded version that there were other renditions for. Some looked to have no proper base, but were built from the ground up for something entirely different. One good example here is the very one Dale was inspecting. Lacking an inorganic faux skin to any appendages of her body, this one welding no weapon, but instead a jackhammer, or a sledgehammer via a different sketch, with muscles bigger than hers but not as absurd as the Heavy Assault kind, and apparently sketched for construction over any form of combat. It lacked a name, it seemed, as it appeared to only have been in the planning stage.

Sharing the title to another thankfully undeveloped model, one so small and short it made the Classic come off as a praetorian by comparison. Small and lithe, almost the size of a schoolgirl. . . Developed in mind for the Asian Markets was not a sentence she'd like to visualise over again.

On the opposite side was a new design for something Haydee instantly recognised as the pinnacle of elite combat. Black Widow, she was labelled and appropriately named, given both her chosen tint and weaponry adorning her figure. Slim and sleek, darkened obsidian entirely covering her body, while a fine line of crimson decorated over her head like a visor, yet she spotted no trace of faux skin on her person. Only light yet sturdy metal accounted for her form; her figure was drawn so thin, Haydee concluded it was to maximise her flexibility and dexterity. A statement she believed to be accurate, considering the mock-up shown, of wrist-mounted blades and silenced pistols, Haydee had to determine this was an assassination machine; not for combat or protection but a pure murdering machine of inflexible purpose.

Haydee was glad to see it written only the endoskeletons were built, being listed as currently just in the planning stage. To know such of her kind would be, in effect, a machine constructed only to kill, hurt and main, unlike. . . herself?

But no matter how much she could deny it, this was still a form like herself, a form that could hurt, attack, be violent. She had been, to those that deserved it, but that was only her reasonable rationale. One this machine could also hold its own version of. What would it classify as deserving? How would it justify bloodshed, believe it was in the right, if not by those that commanded it too? How as that. . . too different from herself, she -

"There's a lot of neat conceptions here, Haydee." The optimistic, oblivious statement from the living one beside her pursed her eyes from her observation into an invisible abyss and down to see him, watching him as his innocently curious gaze drifted all over the countertop. "It's amazing, so many kinds, so many purposes. Makes me wonder if we'll ever see any of these ourselves. Honestly, I would very much like to see how at least one would be like at the completion stage."

How would they react to him? How could they see him - as one of no importance to them, one who has never seen what he is like nor how he can help? Would she act in such a way if she found him now, was that. . . what she could do-

"Though, I guess in the end, it doesn't really matter." All the questions in the gynoid's head appeared to dissipate momentarily as his gaze pivoted to her. "No matter what they can do, I'll easily be just as happy with only you. You're the coolest one of them all, without a doubt."

It doesn't matter, in the end. Doesn't matter what her creation was designed for, or her history with him; in the end, she has chosen her path to make. Stated what she will do, what she will try and accomplish, and no pre-installed cognition or calls from any that believe they in some way 'own' her will change what she sees fit for herself. Ultimately, it should not matter what she could do, only what she wanted to do. And she had already chosen her path, no bare strikings of a dangerous kind will be inclined to change that.

Besides, why does it matter what this sheet could say, it only stated her basic designs, her possibilities, her. . . huh.

She hadn't read this entire paper up until now. If this Haydee had, she would have noticed sooner a paragraph written on the bottom about the current designs holding a physical function still built in; one made purely for the purpose of her form able to interface with humans in such a. . . close and personal way.

She believed she had seen enough, and placing the paper down, front-side not in view, Haydee stepped back and gently poked at the human's shoulder. Then, bluntly but softly, Haydee asked him if they could move on now, herself accepting she had seen more than enough. "Yeah, I suppose it's time to go too. It's fun and all, but I know we can't stay for too long. Not that it matters after all; I mean heh, why continue to stare at the Haydees here, when the coolest of them all is standing right beside me?"

To say the gynoid was blindsided was an understatement, only perhaps able to say as such because the lack of facial features would deny those access to sudden jerks in her expressions. With no eyes to widen, nor the beaming smile drawn over like calligraphy on a fine page, the only concept one could note to appreciate her undivided elation was the motion of her back straightening and the internal dispute she was having to launch herself at him and thank him for such caring words with a bone-crushing embrace.

Yet. . . the gynoid managed to restrain herself. Best not to upset him with a feverish charge, especially after being complimented in such a. . . complete way.

Complete; the fact of fulfilment, lacking nothing. No space for anything more, having required all the customary characteristics, with no desire to change nor feel the need to. By definition, she was complete. With Dale by her side, she would be, even if she still was sure something was omitted.

But. . . if she was sure there was, she should have figured it out by now. Instead, Haydee believed with no more to state; there was little more to complete than a departure. So in calmly brisking forward, her arm snaked around his, holding him close, dearly, as he offered no qualms in return and walked with, sensing, as she believed, quite content, whole even, with him by her side.

Their exit was taken.

---

Out the side, a stretch of walls heading to their left greeted the two. As they studied, they were quick to spot that exit - and even quicker to spot the bars wrapped across it. Figures, Haydee retorted to the view, but kept her spirits still held high when she noted the two other statements within this stable room. Along the halfway, almost on opposite sides, two separate yet distinctive features stood out: on one side was an opening through the way, also barred over with those gratings, and on the other, a booth.

Their first choice was evident, and the two swiftly entered through the open passage. What awaited inside was a bare assault, to put it into mild words: Around them was not a litter of papers or other such common ilk, but instead, staring them down, both along the counter and even attached up high in the corners, an extensive array of quiet screens cluttered this metal hut. Though all black, not a single one alert, Haydee did not regard these were all permanently shut off like the computers from yonder moments ago; instead, for the gynoid, they seemed to be of some importance she had yet to apprehend. Containing some form of on-switch, or-

The gynoid's strong arm suddenly sliced forward, catching the human off guard for only a beat, as it was when he followed her limb, her sole outstretched finger, did he understand the meaning of her mute command.

"Ah, I see it. I'll get right to it." Sternly, Dale took forward and pulled forth his Hak-Pak, quickly inserting the cable into the port as he began his little typings of the, personally suggested, enigmatic code on the device. Whilst he went to work, the gynoid, unable to do little more but wait, laid her sights all around to the blank screens presented forth. A vast number resided, yet all seemed only to fixate over the front area, facing the empty way ahead. None laid behind them or even to the side if you save those clutched by the corners, guiding Haydee into thinking one was meant to keep all these in their studious vision, never to take their eyes off all the screens. Or maybe, to ensure what stayed on cannot be missed. . .

Like a sudden flash, what was once nought but the shade of a deep chasm was swiftly replaced by colours of light, blurs became apparent, and an assault to her senses flushed forwards, leaving her unflinching vision unable to do more than observe the image in full: of a short corridor, untainted by colours other them pipes of yellow, and staring down to a sudden end; where a simple but obvious button was standing in wait.

". . . And that should do it." Dale spoke with a soothed affair, glinting the gynoid's attention to the apparent adjuster here. "I thought these monitors related to the port in some way." She nodded in agreement, as there was now a clear objective to produce, she instructed via pointing to the monitors, then to the exit across the window.

"Yes, I saw it too. Must be somewhere down the way, though exactly where I can't truly say." Haydee agreed with him, knowing even simple things would not be gifted so handily in this place. "Still, least we can see where it should be." She agreed, readily raising her arm, eyes locked onto that monitor up top. "Right. . . " Her finger pointed outward.

"There!" Haydee's outstretched arm targeted the monitor up top, the very same one she first witnessed came back alive, and the very same one Dale was. . . not. . .pointing to. She only noted when she looked to the side, seeing the human look but with an equally shocked take being his own had was instead focusing onto a different monitor. One that. . . also had a button displayed on the screen.

"That one?" Her arm seemed to move in unison with the humans, swerving over without bending an angle as when hers pointed over to his precise screen, his crisscrossed over and focused onto hers. The two remained stoic and expressionless, the human somehow matching her capabilities, before, in coincidental synchronisation, their arms lowered down. In calm silence, Haydee looked from Dale's befuddled state and over to the other monitor in question, looking it over and seeing that, to her surprise, it wasn't the same button as before. The setting was all wrong, as even at a different angle, she could tell they weren't the same buttons by any stunted degree.

"Haydee, look, there's a third one." Before she was even allowed time to process this information, her sights were forced over to another monitor yonder, this own showing another image focused on a button, another not akin to the others as by its angle, Haydee could tell this was not the identical placement as the others.

Coincidence, she knew this would not. After a quick survey over, seeing no other buttons appear on the screens, Haydee confirmed their objective here. Though that left them with one but one detail in still need of sorting out, a question she made sure the human could see as she pointed from the booth to the still blocked area awaiting on opposite.

"I knew you'd ask. Thankfully, I had already discovered the answer; watch." He began to tap away on his little device, and before a complete sentence could be framed in her mind, without warning, did the sudden shift of sound and movement swat her attention from him to the front, just in time to see that barrier be driven away.

"I can access different checkpoints on this device. Though for some reason, it seems to affect different spots all over the maze-looking place ahead. See," the chap pointed up to one screen, "there wasn't an opening there a moment ago." With a nod as confirmation, Haydee thought deeply as she stared at the screens and the answers forming within her mind. A maze-like area with alternating pathways and blockage, where had she seen that before. . .

She knew no time was shared to reminisce on old experiences, so with a clap of attention, she pointed to him, then to the screens with a slow wave before pointing to the wall. Right after, she gave notions onto herself and then to the open way, ending it with a firm nod.

". . . Right, I'll try and guide you along the way. I think I can evaluate the outline of the labyrinth in here." Haydee bobbed in return, turning her attention away, out of this booth, and to the opening ahead, taking heed and barely noticing the change in expression over his face right as she was about to leave behind.

"Haydee, wait." Her pause was sanctioned just when she was in the doorway, halfway out. "I just realised if I'm to do this, I can't call out to you if there are any dangers ahead." That was fair; she did spot more than a few of the machines lying in wait. Course; why should she hold fear? She was more than prepared to face down any menacing machinery, she divulged via fishing out her magazine and deftly socketing it in her firearm.

"I. . . know. I'm just worried. C-cause. . . you know, I'm in here, and all." Exactly: he was in control - why should she hold fear over anything? She offered him a thumbs-up, holding it in place, and refusing to move until what she needed to hear was heard.

Only a few seconds later passed by with nothing to show but silence and little movement, and only was to be revised upon the beginning of one smile slowly forming in the darkened enclosure, then a nod, and finally, the quiet was breached via a determined "Right. I'll try and guide you." She nodded back, twirling her pistol as she restarted her way down.

She stepped forth the opening, arms locked and finger over the trigger as she focused on her surroundings. She heard not a whirl of any machines close by, of any tippy taps on the tiles, and her acute hearing could only make out the hushed tones of the human's loud mumblings over "How non-intuitive this whole system is."

Haydee couldn't disagree there, of that she was sure the final thoughts Haydee would share before he was out of earshot, and she was raising forth her pistol, staring vigilantly at the way ahead. The course turned to the right, the narrow corridor leading off to the side through a doorway sized, of which Haydee walked through and see. . .a dead end.

For a moment, as but a second later, Haydee heard a rumbling, sounds of shifting walls and gears echoed off the walls of his enclosed space; for then, a hole appeared. Sliding out of nowhere, the doorway shape forming into view was the silent guide Haydee knew she was given, one she gladly accepted as she entered to stare at what lay next for her.

A crossroads, with an end upfront but left and right ogled each other at opposite sides halfway down. The unsurety of lying dangers was not lost to the female, her finger inching closer to the trigger as her steps forward were more cautious than spirited. However, before she could take the chance of peering around the glaze, a sudden shift of movement, and a return of shifting walls rumbled around her. Startled but not aghast by the non-cued actions, Haydee tiptoed quickly forward, catching a bend as she slinked her head over the side, attempting to spy what was offered on the opposite before twirling her body round the side with a pointed barrel. . . only to spot the last remnants of a static Slasher disappear before the confines of a closing wall.

The question was not spoken, as it had already been answered. A sense of gratitude was perceived throughout the gynoid's being, practically begging to seep out before it erupted from her sockets. An acknowledgement she was sure to give, and standing off to provide herself with free space, Haydee looked up. . . to spot the cameras that didn't appear. Tilting her in wonder, even looking towards all the corners from the intersection, not a single dot could be seen of any security polaroids within here, begging the question if she was ever to find any in the first place. Or. . . if this was indeed the first time such instances were found among these trails.

Haydee still gave a good few confident nods as thanks either way, quickly spying around and spotting an open section over by the left side. She headed through without delay, entering the available division to come face-to-face with an awaiting Walker dead ahead.

A meaningful term, Haydee sought to see, as within seconds, it became such via three new bullet holes newly implanted in its faceplate. The way ahead was clear of any others, at least all she could discern with her current stance, but Haydee's precaution did not lessen as she stepped over the metallic carcass. To her immediate thought, she noted how no warning nor attempt to stop the machine's barrage came like before; her direct denote for its actual existence aroused only when she entered through.

Though she quickly knew not to blame the human. Instead, he had no choice in the manner. With no way to contact or signal, nor did he appear to hold a second route for her to take, all the human could do was guide him along, left to the devices he would set out for her. A rat in a maze, she could at least say she knew how he had felt. Spurring forward, Haydee cautiously peered around the open way before diving forward and making her way along. As she carried on, pistol still at the ready, she made her way ahead, to an end, or was just one, the track opening up before she could even pause her steps. She gave the nod, as thanks if he was watching her currently, peering around the bend that went both ways.

To her right, little. To her left. . . the button. One of them, undoubtedly, but one-third of the way there, she was sure to take as she pressed it down with hasty steps. As she had expected, the comically oversized pushbutton gave no indication it had been activated besides the slight glare it shined off like all the others. Back on track, she must go, and upon her turn around, it seemed she was likeminded with Dale as the door slid alongside her turnaround. She nodded in confirmation as she carried on down, body poised as she was ready for what else must be face.

The sound of her boot echoed across the corridor as Haydee marched in. And just as the trail was about to come to a halt via a dead end, the rumbling assured Dale was never slow to his tasks, not that she had reason to suspect as much in the first place, and trailing off the gynoid stepped forth. The way moved to a bend along the stretched corridor here, and as her parade evolved to a shuffle, the trigger-happy female slowly leaned along the blind corner before taking a peek around.

No dangers, and another bend to the left. In repeat, Haydee's cautious march forth earned another safe search, except this move on was given the addition of a door opening for her. She gave a slight nod in instinct, turning down the way after passing the free space a wide berth. Not that there was much to see. Even before she stepped forward, Haydee knew the trek would be pretty short; the very compact-looking square seemed more than adequate to comply with that possibility.

Haydee barely even took two steps before she was at the centre of this container. There was no way left, right or forward; all the gynoid could do was wait, stand still, and prepare for what may arrive next.

A door slid open, and a second of detecting rolled about before the gynoid made her move. Of what should be considered one, as the trek inside would barely be considered a sidestep, being yet another identically sized container of a room. Standing in the middle again, the gynoid's sights wandered upwards, to the free ceiling above, as her mind was somehow given time to wander over some details over whether or not she could try and jump and climb atop the labyrinth. Skip past this whole dilemma entirely and jump down to where that next button was.

The rumbling of a door opened up, signalling her time to move, right when she estimated there sadly appeared to be just too little space for her to sandwich between the top of the maze and the ceiling-

A Slasher came into full view before her.

The pistol nearly slipped from Haydee's unsteady hands as the frantic gynoid compelled all her weight into rising forth her firearm and firing a three-round burst straight to its head. Or Haydee presumed as much, as she lacked the focused state to say as such, only assuming if it wasn't for the close proximity of the machine, more than a couple of shots could have missed, the still quavering hands of hers telling as such.

It was once the machine dropped with a clang did Haydee finally relax and got her bearings on the situation. No more enemies approached; she was quick to see, and the metal carcass was undeniably not getting back up anytime, entitling her to a second reprieve to assess herself. That. . . that was all his own fault. For not focusing hard enough on the front, she paid the price of near death.

She had to improve herself here. If not for herself, then for the human never presuming her demise was not a shortcoming of his own. That was an outcome. . .far worse than any termination this world could slowly inflict on her. Haydee nodded, if only to herself, before turning her head back to the front as her gaze lifted from the pistol to the way forward, to the open space ahead.

Yet before a step was taken, she kept herself steady as she analysed herself. At first, she figured she could stand a step away from the door before entering, allowing the following way to open and permitting her to work with what followed. However, upon remembering the sections that opened are randomised, there was no telling if the next course would also affect her current door, keeping her trapped. So the second option was keeping her back to the door as close as possible, ensuring extra space for her and either of the three choices would be held at a maximum.

If Dale were still watching her, he would have noticed her strangely nod before turning through to the open section. A purposefully big kick was given to the Slashers as she moved in, swatting it behind her so that only she occupied this cubicle. She stood firm by the entrance and watched as the following way opened.

With nothing in view, Haydee took heed and entered, like before, keeping her weapon ready as the door behind her closed while the next one opened. Again, Haydee kept close to the first door, standing at the ready as the inevitable next section opened up - revealing a Walker standing in wait.

Prepared this time, Haydee deftly landed three solid hits into its faceplate before moving on. Employing the deceased machine as a stepping board, Haydee stood firm as the way opened, revealing no enemies inside this time as the gynoid continued to progress.

Moments felt to go by in repeat, constantly snipping through each cubicle, moving one block at a time, with barely a change in between. Either left, right, or forward, the way on kept bearing the identical cubicles, the same shape and size, endlessly earning her only a few steps ahead with no understanding of when this course will end.

Upon seeing the adjacent way open up, those thoughts only disappeared by the umpteenth step through. Outside revealed an open space, one free from the confines of an enclosed cubicle, and one Haydee gladly took spirits to as she stepped finally out, seeing one way be bare and the other: of a Walker bodyguarding a button.

A Walker not quite fond of seeing a gynoid within its province. Not that Haydee cared to intrude in its presence, shooting it down without a moment's pause and eagerly stepping over the pathetic attempt at a guard as she pressed the button without any second remarks for the warden.

As before, nought appeared but the progressive light that shined forth, silently teasing her for the way to be open. But, alas, she was not in the mood for such a pester, and taking a few steps away, Haydee turned on her heels and hopped out. The gynoid barely even realised where she was going in this little spread section of the maze until a door popped open, guiding her through to the final way on.

With two down, only one more remained, and she was more than willing to cease this labyrinth's trails and eagerly return to the one she, hoped, felt no fret over their prolonged time apart. So, gun in hand, her back poised and straight, the gynoid made loud steps forth, ready to be taken on the lead via the practice of another.

Stepping in, seeing nought but a dead end ahead, Haydee felt no discourse by the sight as she knew, yet barely a few seconds later, the ending was to change. Her faith in the human was unfailing; the simple idea of this conviction proven false was unfathomable in the gynoids mind, as such an act, as technically possible as anything, sounded less authentic to real life and more a mere myth, a falsehood created to spread nothing but half-hearted rumours.

Once the sound of rumbling erupted and the sight of a panel opening aside, Haydee knew her doctrine would not herald any naive beliefs, and with careful inspection, Haydee looked forth down the end to see. . . a single pistol magazine spread unobstructed over the flooring. The gynoid gingerly stopped short of the magazine before her toes, bending down with her back and indifferently holding the mag at the ends via her tips.

With a second of rumination, Haydee quickly realised she had only nine bullets left in her pistol, no extra mags hanging around. They would have lasted her, but not long, and placing it away, Haydee ensured to hold forward a solid nod as physical gratitude, spinning the firearm still occupying her armament as the rumbling returned.

. . . She saw no change occur here.

She then learned this was an actual dead end, and the opening appeared elsewhere, of which she smoothly turned tail and walked on out, seeing the authentic way on standing wide down the path. Continuing forth without a moment's delay, Haydee's vision never swayed as she stared at what presented to her next.

It seemed nothing more than a twisting hallway, but her guard was not to be let down so hastily, so trailing forward, Haydee scooted towards the bend, peering over before heading down the way. The next curve was close, with the gynoid again peering to the side and staring down. Again, no sight of any dangers, just another empty, compact corridor. Finger still itching over the trigger, her suspicions never wained, Haydee continued, rounding the bend and looked over to see. . . yet another empty stretch.

Unsure of a supposed tease, the gynoid remained steadfast as she moved another few steps before repeating the action, seeing nothing and making an even shorter few steps down, leering over the angle and noting nothing new but a curt way on. She tried again, barely a few steps before her sight claimed a route barely her body length along. Still, another curve as Haydee stepped around until she suddenly paused, making not another step forward as her sight leaned slowly to the top. Her speech was as mute as far distance could disallow; she wouldn't have spoken nor mouthed anything anyway, instead only staring up at what she hoped was into the human's picture. Slowly, her head tilted to the side whilst her mind pondered over a simple question burning the rear of her cranium: why was there no interaction from the human yet?

This wouldn't be a dead end; the human was too far from inept to allow her into a blank confrontation. Yet if the end was to meet with an open doorway, why had he not opened it yet, as she would have known by the rumbling? Could it have always been open? But then again, why were these lengths slowly shortening just to end at such an unsatisfying front? A trick, or. . was he trying to tell her something? Surely he must have noticed her stop and stare for a reason, yet even now, he gave no answer, no reply, no attempt to speak of a different way. If this is the way, he must carry a reason not to open through before she met the slow breach of the opening. As if. . . he, perhaps, didn't want her to walk right to the way on with a casual flair.

Her finger slowly clicked at the trigger, and gradually holding it aloft, Haydee stepped forward with a deliberately slow step. The course was still a hidden mystery, but on the second step to the edge, her fingers gradually gripped the right angeled side, her firearm slowly readying for a point; she suddenly stopped. She made no movements, the atmosphere hushed to dead silence without so much a hum. . .

Then, with a deft sweep, Haydee lunged around the corner, hitting her back to the wall across - and fired two well-placed shots in the Slasher's eye. It fell into a jumbled mess, crashing into the floor and leaving behind nothing but a brick end, for a moment, as right after the path opened up.

Taking a second to spot no dangers right ahead, she stared up, the gynoid making sure to give the one that saw all a clear nod before swatting forward and crunching her boots on the humanoid chassis. The trail went right, and she followed in turn, catching the bend not far away and reusing her chance to peer around.

Upon seeing down, it became quickly evident that there was no return of seconds prior. Down the way, a straight hallway along, two Walkers remained guards for the track along. Staring her way, they would amass upon her the moment she slipped into the open. But with no other choice in sight, Haydee's firearm was already prepped up, finger sliding atop the trigger, as firm legs strode her into the open and the view of the awaiting sentries.

They charged in turn, as unfazed by her appearance as she was in aiming forth her barrel, her sights zoning onto the nearest lens glaring back. . . but they swerved off upon seeing a space to the side suddenly spread open. Nothing came, nothing was seen but an empty space inside, yet the random dispersal of her focus did not decelerate the charging machines. She had only a moment to understand it's existence, only a few seconds to visualise her next move; yet by the trust of her human stemming instincts from her metaphoric gut, swiftly the gynoid swerved over and darted into the available section.

She spun on her heels, rotating her form, as her firearm returned to facing forward on the opening. . and saw only remnants of the stalking mechanoids disappear behind the closing entrance. Once she noted the exit was sealed, she allowed herself a moment to glance around, regarding only an empty corner in this box before the rumbling of a door opened. Not the same entrance, but a door revealed itself across the side on the same wall. With nothing arriving into view, Haydee marched like a with stead in her steps, staring out, around, and observed the same Walkers down the way.

With her gone out of sight, the simple machines stood their ground, as it appeared, not interested in returning to what they guarded but instead stood frozen in place, unaware of the gynoid's stable existence but a few seconds behind. As she stood in the open, the gynoid took it upon herself to unwind, understanding the better situation.

'Guards' was too kind a term for their A.I. Puppets of limited linear thought, capable of basic pathfinding, categorisation, and revelation was a fairer improved term for them. So almost benignant of a term, yet no sympathy would stem there from her; they were enemies, desiring the death of her and Dale in no short supply. Even if only operating in basic programming, she would feel no grievance for their demise; she could not allow it. Turning tail, she left the frozen foes as they were, feeling no care for their non-interrupting wellbeing.

The headway opened, and Haydee passed onward, albeit not before giving the approach on a solid left-right check. This one opened wide, not just for a long route forward where, far out, a stretch of a hallway could be observed. Yet even before entering, Haydee could tell the chamber spread out. Clicking her heels to the floor, Haydee's admission through was crafted alongside heavy steps; firm stomps on the floor persisted by delicate sways as her tension did not cease. It spread out, forming an almost square shape if not for the odd excrescence jutting on the opposite side.

Her lack of soothe approach did not originate purely from her insistence over possible dangers stemming from any corner, but instead, the unnerving thought of something extra was amiss here. An occurrence yet to be seen, an event pertaining to the expansive walls here. . . like a trap!

Just as this realisation had occurred, Haydee's next step forward had struck the centre of this ring, the foremost middle ground of this box, right when the world began to rumble around her. Her first thought, of the human's personalised actions, was quickly met with forceful retaliation, as by multiple corners of this section were many entries revealing away.

Yet it was not the multiple doors that struck like needles to her muscles, but the sights of many enemies, all charging forth, came into view from every angle of this place. Surrounding her likes moths to an enclosed flame, the oncoming pests all buzzed forward with blades and hammers in tow, with the gynoid stuck dead centre immediately turning her barrels to all with empty shots. Examining, studying forth, her innate behaviour to ascertain the current dangers and focus on the most prevalent of threats led her scurring search around to look upon one way finally, the nearest Slashers charging forth, and quickly hold forth her firearm with immediate dead focus. . . and see it slowly engulfed by the walls.

All the foes, her swift swivels over turned up, as all around the once open leads were now all closing, all enclosing themselves back to a finish with no machines given one opportunity to join. A chance. . . that could have been denied by solely one here. As she looked up, to the cameras invisible to her eyes, she gave just one brief nod, knowing she was currently watched. How else could he have acted so quickly and squandered the ambush without one fail?

With the way onward a manageable trickle through, Haydee entered the thin hallway with a straightway stride, feeling no change as the end opened forward, and the gynoid quick to push through with formal prudence - only to be forcibly brought to a pause when the way began to close over. Stopping still upon the sights, Haydee could only look the closed section on with a crooked stare, trying to fathom why the sudden reversal of pathfinding, only for her neck to expand evermore by the way opening like nothing more was offered.

For she that knew the human well, or as well as she believed she could be given their period together, she refused to believe that was a mere accident. Not a routine action by him, and she could only half-believe he simply slipped and pressed the wrong button. No, there was something definitely off here, something trying to be said. . . as if a message.

A hazard! She nodded to nothing, slowly pressing her back into the wall as if to peer through the open way. However, she still knew that this action would result in little aid, though it was not for herself she did so. Rather, the one that watched would witness her acts and see her moves, watch as her arm slowly raised forward, fingers all clenching together while her only her thumb pointed outwards, then to see the same hand slowly bob back and forth.

By the seconds after, she was a witness too - a spectator to the door closing again. Her form changed, this one of the same hand closing its thumb, only for her index finger to rise straight and make a point; to the other side over. This time, the door opened, and Haydee was sure she caught on. Calmly, her back switched sides, engorging itself to the right-side wall before her bare buttocks were forced to scrape along the unsmooth sides and establish themselves towards the opening.

Pistol raised, the lack of change occurring was the drive she was on the right path, yet the stagnation of dangers was something of a grand nature. Whatever it was to put Dale on edge, it surely must not be something she could allow to dismiss even for a second. So by nearing the corner, vision pertaining only to the mystery on, Haydee slowly peered over, through, seeing the hallway down slowly reveal itself to be an elongation, and let herself come sight-to-sights with-

Haydee's body all vehemently clambered back around, almost clenching the walls behind her as, by some miracle, no bullet attempted to pierce through the cramped section. No doubt, then, was Dale's fears ringing true: this was most undoubtedly a deadly predicament she had been established in.

Nevertheless, not a rare one, either. Such a situation was not new to her, certainly not one toward which she had limited options to react. Haydee began to muse that a new condition would surely call for a new reaction. Gradually, the firearm Haydee had been utilising so firmly up to this point gently was rafted away, holster to her side, and her elevating hands were quick to from around her rifle as it lifted away. Hands steeling themselves where they were needed for, as her rifle aimed forth, so too did her knees act as well, crunching down to the floor. Her back still retained to the wall, as she lifted her body, positioning herself to lean forward; for a short moment, she paused and looked up, perceivable to be asking a higher power for guidance.

As a few seconds passed on in silence, it was clear she received none. . . though that was the result that she required. With a finger on the trigger, Haydee's still crouching form began to peel forward, slowly edging itself to the end as the foe's frozen physique was still honed this way, aim unflinching while its barrel was devilishly pointing towards the only outlet.

Precisely as she had hoped. With a spring, Haydee plunged forth out the doorway, her rifle already aimed down the direction of the machine as too was had it sought her guidance. . . only its aim was a few feet too high. As her shoulder hit the floor, Haydee fired forth, striking the distant adversary with a hail of a few strong bullets, quickly resulting in its metal frame torn to shreds with a few well-placed shots, while its own never given the chance for assault. As Haydee's slide was quickly halted, her sight never leaving the Sniper even as her side still pressed into the tiles, only upon seeing the carcass fall did she know it to be clear.

Haydee pushed herself back, standing tall and proud as she let the rifle dangle; no longer of use, she knew to express as she stared onto the other side, opposite the deceased machine. The button, the last one here, and one she took firm strides in reaching without delay. One press, and to her tiny surprise, a short buzz followed. She knew what it meant, what it had to mean for them both, and all the way over, was she sure the human focus, for a forgivable moment, peered his attention to the side to watch the exit reel away.

The exit out, her sole reason for retaining to this labyrinth, and after it all, only a solid return was left now. A return, the gynoid visualised, was sure to be a long run. Staring at the supposed only exit out, Haydee wondered if, after taking so long, there was but a quicker, more accessible option to be given here, Haydee wondered to herself as daring to pray to the lights from above. . .

Figured, but nothing too daunting she knew of anyway. With a shrug of reluctance for her elongated return, Haydee then pressed forth, making steps as she began her return. Through the doorway, and down the corridor to the ambushing cubicle, her speed never decreased even as she slowly unravelled the pistol from its holster. It was her suspicions that demanded she ready herself, her dread over what may occur, yet her fears did not stop her when she fully entered the box, through the centre. . . and over, as she passed on with nothing occurring. She moved on after the door fanned, not so much as trying to look behind as she entered forward, down the way, only to entirely stop once a prior moment sadly reared its ugly, double-troubled head.

Down the way, two Walkers still resided. Two 'guards' faced opposite her, not budging an inch as they remained as uninterested in moving as previously scouted. Though she could stand tall and casually, knowing if after all this time they not made a flinch, they practically never would without her personalised intervention; it did change the sad truth they were obstacles along her path, ones needing to be removed without a seconds delay.

A rumbling wained around, and a course opened up to her side. The same way she had used to escape from, yet she had no intentions to dwell through. Raising her palm, she showed it to the opening, stating her inclination before she recalled her arm around and picked something out of her backpack. Holding it aloft, she brandished it the world, or perhaps just her world, her device, before silently activating the mechanism and throwing it forward.

It did not roll or lob down but chose to float, beeping down the corridor to the two unsuspecting machines living their perfectly sorrowful, pathetic lives. No remorse was felt once the explosion engulfed the two, ending their existence as quickly of a mercy kill as one would fancy.

Well. . . so long as they were fairing well with their limbs splitting in opposite directions, but for her sake, they don't possess the abilities to, so the hollow machinery should not care even if questioned as such. They were but rubble under her boot now, a satisfying crunch to her steps as she stepped over and forward, entering through to gladly return to the arms of the one still guiding her way. Over the Slasher, and along the twisting corridors, her body kept on high alert as the chance of another ambush lying in wait was not a condition she'd like to meet empty-handed.

She passed by the still open section from the side as she left the spinnings halls, idly leering in where no new prize laid in wait. Continuing beyond the gift room, her first step into the quickly shifting was paired alongside a silent sigh, an innate tell this would be a stretched time. That known, the gynoid cared not to moan over such disinterest, as the knowledge he was in control, she knew he would neither take his time nor lead her to the wrong path.

The beliefs kept her steadfast, earning her an exit from cubicles in no time flat as she quickly treads onward. The gynoid never held her breath as she marched, barely even having to wait as quicker and quicker was the human opening the trek along without so much as a pause in her path. By the time Haydee went down one final corridor, seeing the way open, she was granted a sight more welcoming than any exit.

Now only separated by an easily flanked window, with deft glee, Haydee watched as the human eyes lit up at seeing her presence. He was just as glad as she was, she observed, or she believed by the way he fumbled over himself, trying to rip the cord out the socket and leap out of the room. A little amusing, she figured, watching him fumble his way towards her with a smile that would not wither. But, of course, she could not grant any such expressions back, yet his bounds towards her should not be met with empty arms. . . so instead, how about an empty palm?

His pupils seemed to dilate as he zeroed onto her palm, his hand, in turn, reaching out to grab hers with a feverish charge, only to clasp around her fingers gently. She hadn't realised how much she missed this until now; his warmth, his tender digits holding onto hers carefully, the small act of holding hands was anything but an unpleasant sensation, yet it sent her shivers all the same. She was not cold, anything but with his body heat around, but her body reacted all the same.

But it wasn't one she believed would give her any misgivings, quite the opposite, in fact, even when it only heightened as the human beamed to her direction.

She wished his smile would never end; she concluded as she led the way on, no useless words or drama told by either as they quickly left, linked together.

---

Their hands slipped free, but for the mass that entrenched their visions as the reason for accomplishing so, neither say it a fault, even as they refused to allow the behemothic sight to enrapture their apprehension.

Stepping forward of what few breadths they could, Haydee's stare down was encountered with another pit mere steps from the entry. Yet even conscious of what lay below, a flooring not covered over by a dark descent, it would not be a stray that could garner her interest away from what truly littered this spread room - all around her, rising to the ceiling or even from scratching out the walls themselves, blocks of electronic equipment surrounded this place all over, dotting the few balconies seen with their dominating shadows.

For what purpose they had, what they could do or what the black boxes could achieve for them was all a riddle. All over, the robust towers, hollering out low electrical buzzes as their glows of multicoloured LEDs and randomly generated digital numbers formed a canvas of computerised stars against the black background from their rectangular physiques.

But despite the pretty show, Haydee knew they should not dawdle, and surveying the situation without her peripheral heavily daunted by the computing fireworks, Haydee finally found their exit dead ahead, over at the end of their right side atop a balcony. A long. . . lengthy way away. One that undeniably seemed to be constantly blocked off by the many servers rising all over.

The most notable of them all was that central server found before them. As tall as any other would dare to be and far wider than any other could permit in this already confined area, the fact that it appeared dead central here was fitting; it very much earned the right to be considered the vocal point of this already cluttered room.

Yet whatever these, she summarised, computer servers were for in this bizarre facility of ill-content; unless they gave her reasons to approach, they were but obstacles on her route. Obstacles that, she began to survey over as she made tentative steps forward, did not appear as pure blockades on their path. Instead, with the odd builds of the towers, the noticeable cubes that jutted out like solidified tumours, or the flat shapes many of them had for their tops. . . the path ahead looked to be a long one, but not an unsteady affair.

She nodded to none, convinced now of their steps ahead and how they must go.

Due to the nature of the oversized electrical swelling over their forward, what ultimately lies ahead is still a mystery to her. Still, one she felt no disdain over encountering when the moment came. One step at a time was always to be her soundest solution here. She spun around, eager to get moving after a call for her human to come over. . . though a glance she did not receive in turn. His eyes were not on her, but rather, they were wandering off so much Haydee wondered if she needed to step in and drag them back by their ruffs. His face was scrunched up as well, though less so in a seemingly disgust-like way but more so of a mind in deep thought. If so, she speculated it to be about these servers and their intention.

Though Haydee cared not too profoundly for their meaning, she knew she couldn't disregard their existence wholly to her curiosity. Their beeping and blinking, a night sky overlooking as they moved to glide around them all, it was not a distasteful sight to be beholden with, invariant for the minimum being a point with little danger behind it. That declared, his wonder would have to go lingering for a substantial moment as they still had a challenge to face, she innately denoted as she clapped her hands for his investment. Once back to her, she thumbed to her behind as she dropped to her knees, a gesture the human understood without words as, with a nod, he swiftly entered onto her rearwards.

Standing up, the now pilot to this two-person figuration looked forward towards the central skyscraper among the towers here. Like many others, various protrusions were jutting out of the expanse. None too large or erroneous to distract away from its towering girth, but these odd projections were becoming far more salient than first reported. One was even clutching towards their way, its sparse swelling over the monumental obelisk reaching around the left-side corner and over was a sight Haydee saw not just as another chattering bulb but something far more of their worth; their possible beginning.

With all other options of far more overt complications, Haydee knew to stay steadfast as her knees began to lower and her body began to tense. . . and to remain unfazed before she charged forward and dived off the end. But a plunge down was not the move she was to assemble, as with one full boost, the duo shot forward and charged. Fingers spread like claws; Haydee let her body, though mainly her bust, slam hard into the oversized nodule as her fingers seized the ledge. Her body now clutched onto the enlarged server, and her head face first onto the blinking lights and droning lulls; the gynoid allowed her frame to limp a little. She could relax, seeing the contraption before her suffer no pain from her grab nor the same in opposite, a sense of both relief and acknowledgement coursing through her as she diverted her attention over to down.

The way on seemed clear to her, though how far along she could only judge by guess. Now shifting her attention down, seeing the floor darkened over but not clouded, tiles regaled the end of a descent, she began to catch a better situation of the way on. More servers down below, some not even coming up to the balcony but instead preferring to settle in the shadows, yet the flat heads of the protrusions were a sight already given the sentient computer here ideas within her mainframe.

It was still a steep drop, almost belaying the notion of their being an observable bottom or not, and the lingering dread the humans were befalling with fear was a thought she'd liken to never to have. Quickly checking over, she looked at the lad behind her, only to see no worry on her brow but that expression again, constructed over deep thought typing within his skull, as his eyes searched up and down. Absorbed over a silent something, he was clearly unbothered by the current situation, confirming his spirits were not low. With that known, Haydee began to scurry around, herself unbothered by this pillar, whether of stone or metal contraption.

Around the bend, she slowly leaned and once over a better look over the forthcoming amour. Servers were not the only obstruction laden here, as pipes of that garish yellow also resided within. Numerous emerged over the side, almost forming a wall to impede any attempt to latch onto around the past half of this skyscraper. More to this, some of the pipage appeared even to penetrate the towers themselves; this colossal brick was not heralding a difference in that regard. As such, It was quick for Haydee to note that the ducts were for more than just obstruction here. Though many formed a wall, looking below, a few formed a snaking pathway leading down, practically as if to trial a track for them.

Haydee understood this assessment, and scooting to the side, she gave herself a final peer down before dropping and landing firmly on the enlarged pipe. Yet before she could follow the pathway, a sudden call, alongside a fair tap on her shoulder, paused her attempt to get going. "Hey Haydee," was Dale's sprout as he gestured for her to allow him off, "I think I just realised something." She lowered herself for him to get off to stand beside before he continued with maximum attention.

"I believe I might be right with what I said earlier. About the water area and these pipes." She let herself take a glance about the underneath before turning back. "I think I see what the cooling system is mainly for now. Or at least a major part of it." Water is a widespread form of cooling for modern machinery, as consonant to what little knowledge of the outside world her database retained, even if it mainly covered common or easily accessible knowledge and ancient history. With servers this large, she suspected it would be a very complex or enormous cooling system for such an elaborate display shown before them. Well, that, or more oversized fans than a Wind Turbine farm, though they weren't currently being drafted to the ceiling, and Haydee would prefer a contained flood over swirling scimitars any day.

Undoubtedly, when the pipes could be used as steps, with their bulk, the two parallel snaking cylinders made slow steps down, less as stairs but more as elongated paths jutting a good two feet or so downwards after every few seconds. With a calm, casual flare among them, this permitted the two to walk down the metal plank before stopping short next to another flat-topped server jutting out. Noticing their path, Haydee led the way as they crossed from pipe to apparatus.

Walking over the towers while consecutively striding beside more. From here, the passage on was more of a straight path, more figuratively than literally, as the use of flat-head towers and assorted pipes gave them a clear way over. With this guiding their course, Haydee let her attention saddle over to her side as she glanced at the machines around her. Even up close, Haydee summarised, the enigmatic beeps and boops were as mysterious as anything she could know. However, it did lead her to believe she may be understanding this strange facility a little better; for the minimum effect, there appeared far more to this place than all she knew now could make estimations for. Yet what that was for seemed a lost cause for her to find. There were no direct instructions or subtle writing to pull her mind into light evaluation, nor was there anything to grab or check over - not even any Hard Disk Drives for her hands to Hot Swap with, just enclosed wires hidden behind fortified glass barricades. Whatever their existence was far, it could be deemed for reasons she was not allowed to learn.

Her steps paused, and not for reasons related to her curiosity. More, down to the innate inclination, she wasn't followed as preferred. Behind her, she could see the human was still trailing behind, yet his focus and mind seemed even less attentive to present matters than she was. As he passed on by the servers at a pace slower than she would have desired, his eyes seldom seemed to leave the cryptic hieroglyphics. Or they didn't aspire to; until randomly, he decided to halt, then turn her way, with eyes lightly spreading as if an idea occurred in that nogging of his.

"Hey, Haydee, do you think you can find a port on here at all?" The tilt of her head was the question she gave as an answer. "If we can find one, then maybe I can try and hack into the servers to find something." That. . . sounded quite advantageous. Gainful even - anything to find more answers. Immediately the two twisted and set about looking up and down, all over the electronic wall and even under their toes, for an interface of any variety.

Alas, after a solid moment of searching, it became clear that this search was useless to them. Such as the idea of removable components; the servers here were as solid and set as stone, with no way to interact with them, not even a teeny button to play with. "Should have figured." Her companion sighed as he lost the fight. "Seemed way too easy - there being a cheat for us to take." His inorganic friend nodded, half wondering why she hadn't expected this in the first place. Indubitably, it would be closed off: no way this mute location would have let something like that slip through the cracks.

Shaking her head, the lady clapped twice before calmly setting off, only offering the human behind her a glance for assurance his focus retained on the crucial matters. The steps forward were a fair few, as, with a hop over a straightforward gap and a quick return to the pipes, the duo again faced the largest of large computers. Bend to her knees, the male promptly caught upon her back before she leapt over and gripped to the edge. As previously, the ledge she had to shimmy across trailed around the corner, towards a section where excess servers and heavy plumbing had a hand in keeping it locked from view.

Yet to provide a difference, their clutched pathway was not to be ended by a jump from this tower - as by the turn of the corner, Haydee was faced with their singularly continued way on, of more servers for her to grapple across. The only way it appeared, if the overbearing obstacles were of any indication, so gingerly, Haydee tapped on. Around the way, almost over, the two marched on via her fingered appendages.

Little to see and do, Haydee knew, but it must be done. A bit bland, she could suspect, but the human would not feel any worse of fear for-

"Haydee." The gynoid paused, but the look back at the caller was not as immediate as she could have been. For a second of innate reflection, spurred on by an almost instinctual worriment, it was how that individually spoken designation, the slow, slurred, near-whispered tone creeping along what would have been a joyous exclamation of her name, caused her forewarning before she even whisked around her head. She still did as such, albeit with a slow rotation of her head, which welcomed the slow reveal of the human examining out from her alongside a scared countenance within his shrunken pupils.

"That blood down there. . ." He pointed with a finger, not peering from her shoulder as it angled somewhere off their heightened position. Instead, she carried her sight from the human to what he was alluding to, an action she sought as slightly trickier than she would have favoured; and Haydee managed to stare down onto the floor deep below and witness this scarlet puddle.

"Am I going crazy, or does it look. . . a little peculiar?" On first inspection, it seemed none as memorable as other blotches of the sombre crimson they had both come across thus far. And yes, Haydee had never suspected the last time would be their finale; even when she desired it for him, there was something somewhat off with this plash before them. Despite the larger-than-usual volume of the human wine, no body could be spied on by her. Instead, the dried blood around seemed oddly disturbed, drained in places, while looking to hold shaggy lines. As if. . .

"-Had a body been dragged away?" Much as she hated to affirm his suspicion, she had to nod. The blood was undeniably disturbed, as it wasn't just pooled in one spot. Instead, it seemed to make a trail, pooling away from them and just. . . stopping. No body of cadaver in sight; the drag didn't even seem to disappear around a corner, just. . . seemingly conclude. She couldn't tell if it was even a Dale's body that caused this.

But if so. . . what caused the drag? Too much blood seemed leaked out for her to imagine even one as vigilante as Dale could crawl by himself, but none of the robots she had seen thus far had the kind of limbs to be able to tow him, nor would they logically trouble themselves with their pitiful, simplistic A.I. Maybe her kind. . . no, she would require a rationale to why her kind would or should move his life-lost carcass about, at least when concluding the blood just discontinued. Why. . . of any reason?

Just what is the purpose of this place?

To provide questions that frighten Dale, it seemed to the gynoid. Nope to that, Haydee declared as she quickly shuffled them forward, intending not to meet whatever may reside down there. Crossing shortly over, Haydee did not lessen her haste until, after a few long moments of scurrying the end of the hitched hike, a descent could be seen with more of those chutes.

Dropping down and letting him off, Haydee's strut forward was met with the repelling force of a slow stride alongside her silent gaze. To her surprise, very few of the Servers seem to exist around this proportional section of the room; instead, a supernumerary of pipage, both around and crafting complex lines, amassed as if to form a maze of disproportionate excess. Genuinely overwhelming, but nothing the Haydee sought was too impossible to overcome eventually.

It didn't mean she had to liken how unsafe much of it was. Even with their three pipes for them to safely hop along, the complete lack of railings along the cylinder parquet, all the while over a sheer drop below, did plenty towards disliking the thought of the metal being just a tad too slippery for bare soles. By seconds after first landing upon, a hand shot itself backwards to the position of the following man. She would not force him to stay on her shoulders at all times; the lack of trust presented from her was an aptitude she'd liken less for him to gain, but she would still like to keep him safe, if only until they be free of this mass of barreled metal.

He latched on gently without an utter, assuring Haydee that by the way he was neither tentative nor forceful with his grip, he offered no gripes, so restarting her stride, the gynoid trucked her company on with better speed. Haydee saw it as a sound forte; she was not here to perform maintenance; the sheer magnitude of pipes all around would be a nightmare for any plumber to endure. So many, Haydee did wonder if the reasons the tremendous amount seemed to form both walls and ceilings to inhibit their course across, but also flooring was merely only a coincidence. Lacking any perceivable rhythm, other than a discorded symphony that is a trail somehow forming within this section, the design less course here was a mess of the garish yellow, overhanging them in an attempt to try and construct a route.

But try was all they could do as Haydee led them on. Despite the discourse that had to lead over, Haydee's swift surveyance of figuring the leads on and what paths could be ensured the two would face little problems along their modelled trek. Over the pipes, whether it be crossing over new, a short drop-down or up to a new length of the cooling system, Haydee ensured the two were not to end with an accidental trip down as she summarised their continued paths.

A junction Haydee soon found herself at, left or right. But by a quick search, the left looked to lead only nowhere, so the right way Haydee took. Over and along, the duo's shared walk over the clanking bearing was a long and silent, but not arduous, task. The magnitude of pipes would not befall them nor bedazzle them with the dread of overnumerous obstacles, instead only enunciating over nothing as they continued with neither delay nor hindrance, along with never having to stray her hand from his.

That only came to an end once the pipes they were sauntering across came to a nose dive, and the path on would end if not for a Server Tower's roof being but a jump away. Not anything far, but still distant enough for her not to be laid so casually. She signalled she would jump first, at least then she could catch him if he slipped up, before turning and performing her bound. No boosts were needed; her leap over was barely a skip as she landed on the gratefully flat flooring with nary an issue.

As she turned, she propped her arms to the side before spreading out her forearm as Dale began to make his jump. Readying herself, her quickly minted position was swiftly found to be for nought as Dale landed perfectly in front, with nary a flinch in falling away. Dropping her guard as he smiled back, she nodded before searching for their following supposition. To her minor delight, much less of the pipage belonged on their continued route; only a single trail, albeit a somewhat lengthened one, existed ahead of the servers, connecting itself back to the largest of the mainframes.

Haydee recognised no surprise, sensing only a little relief as they were approaching the end. They were on the opposite side, of which she held no doubt, and up above was salvation from this land of towering hardware. So in stepping forth, Haydee firmly slammed one foot on the piping as she stared onward and heard:

. . . Phew?

Not what she expected to notice in her senses, or anything of that sort, yet knowing there could be only one being capable of such an exhale stopped her and looked over for the rationale of such a gasp.

Then she wasn't quite sure what to think.

For a moment, that is, that lasted until he noticed her stare and pushed himself back up; Haydee watched the human stump over and leaned to the tower's side, such as how one would do to keep their balance in check. But, although he answered back with that calm beam of his, her inquiry could not be answered with any expression. With how he looked, arm on the wall, body slouched, face slightly fallen, him to be upset was a term that disappeared as soon as a better explanation came into thought; he was noticeably tired.

Fatigued should have been the closer word for it. Haydee had noticed how she almost had to drag his hand closer to keep up during the pipe walks, minor it may have been, and even his fall caused a slight stumble forward when he dropped down. She then began to quickly wonder how much farther back he had been slowing down, though her recent memory only suggested too subtle to be of to discern, if he even had tried to hide it when not in view.

Worry along her brow, Haydee swiftly scanned him, finding his body slightly dehydrated, with even his core temperature dropped by a degree as she innately compared to the first time she scanned him. The realisation sprouted clear as day; Dale had never gotten any nutrition or water since the first meeting.

Haydee knew that was of no good. He was a human, who needed food, sleep and rest as the hours went by, as any organic creature did. Two of which she noted zero edible traces of were found at all as of yet. That started to frighten her, distress seeping through her components as she wondered, to fear over not foreseeing when those would be readily available. Nothing as of yet indicated otherwise. . . so when would be the chance to find any, if any did exist here at all?

The exit couldn't come soon enough. Holding her hand for him, upon Dale's slightly slurred grab, she firmly held him close, never wanting to see him slip out before she took off and strolled forward, certain to keep his hand firmly by her side as they saddled up the way. Even without glimpsing, she could feel his drained energy prevalent. She counted his steps, the short moment between each slap of sole on the metal, and internally began comparing it to earlier times, far back as the zone of green even, noting the subtle difference between the timing and the change of strength he placed into every step.

She hoped this wouldn't cause too much of a problem with how he kept himself; she can't keep carrying him forever, and with drained energy comes slower moves, less power in his jumps. . . loss of balance. Haydee quickly stopped herself from squeezing his hand too hard not to add more apprehension to his figure. She wasn't even sure he knew how tired he may be; potentially, this may be the first time he ever felt such a feeling, and the lack of experience for such a basic instinct carried itself a slight melancholy for Haydee to add to how she saw him. Holding him close, never wanting him to separate, once at the approach of the tower, she let him climb aboard, his fingers just grazing his own as he left her grasp before jumping up and grasping at the edge for her digits.

She followed the trail, not just around but even having to climb up as the way demanded. The route was easy for her to make without concern; instead, her concern trailed onto the human she hoped still held a fair grip on her. The knowledge of her being fast enough to react to any loss of grip did little to soothe her mind, with the possibility of her failing was a chance too high, no matter the decimal. Even when she could note his grip not once swayed, Haydee could only say that agonising over every detail would eventually come back to her in ways she would only loathe.

Yet she couldn't help it. The knowledge, the sight of him becoming weak, hungry, tired, thirsty, all of it was like a drill to her mechanical psyche, constantly burrowing deeper and deeper and becoming worse by the second. She knew she couldn't just forget it, but the other seemed like the inverse extreme, and the middle ground did not seem to hold existence. Shaking her head, her anxious thoughts not tumbling off like she wanted, Haydee could only ruminate if this were supposed to be standard of her. If her kind, by their programmed nature, was to be suffused by worry this highly. It seemed. . . almost contradictory. To help him by worrying for his well-being, yet by worrying so much, she would make faults that could be avoided by not worrying, a paradoxical exchange whose logic could not be encountered.

Was she programmed to think this way, or was there a fault in her systems? Or perhaps. . . a fault of outside forces beyond her inclined control.

Dropping down when she could, as she let him keep close and stop herself short from forcing his hand inside hers, the gynoid led them forward with the implicit denotation they were to exit as soon as they could. The path around was quite the trail ahead, from Haydee's perspective. So many servers and pipes twirled all around, almost a circulating helix fitted here as it led back around to this oversized machine.

They couldn't cheat themselves up there, Haydee was quick to discover, so on their forced passage, they had to go. She took some solace in knowing she sought little perils even now; no enemies or traps lay in wait before her, though bizarrely, that prevalent truth could not quell her insatiable urge to keep Dale as tied as possible. Still, she budged through her conniptions as she led the way on without her hand knotted to his.

As such, atop the Server Towers, they stirred. Keeping her suspicions on hand, Haydee and Dale made short work of the tops, fleeting over the black floorings and passing over the gaps. Tied next, Haydee jumped with Dale attached to her back, calmly but soundly scurrying around the edges they had to cruise over. Not just around a solid structure, as here, Haydee gripped up and paved down along the Servers, slipping around the bends. Even with the drop in sight, Haydee made no move to quicken her pace, refusing to give into this temptation of a rush. To slow down, as potentially hypocritical as a term that may be, allowed her to see the dangers fully, observe and examine her best options, and save them both from a pointless mistake. The nagging feeling would not leave her, but this was best how it should be kept: a note, not a distraction.

Finally dropping down, she could on better terms, the final server seated itself as the starting line to more of these railings. Though her trust did not prevail, even when she noted Dale not once slipped while over the whole route from previous standing, she dared not force him to take her hand. Instead, of taking the lead, she kept her eye over him, keeping in mind his slight decrease in energy, as she pushed forward and followed the pipes along. By the moments leading, Haydee's worries narrowly diminished as she saw how lesser this barrage of sickly blonde was to be.

Far less spread and more contained, and in keeping her observations up, she was fair with keeping their path on uninterrupted. Even Dale looked not to be gaining any problems himself, his semblance fatigue unchecked by his more calm, focused demeanour.

The eventual coup de Grace they faced by the end of this path of lemon was a sight almost as bland as the garish primary colour the installers decided to pair it with; another jump at the end. Another balcony to jump to, with the only perchance interesting thought of this standing as the first one found on this specifically colossal tower. She gestured for herself to go first again, seeing no judgement for change, before making her short bound. Producing clear space, she awaited for the human to follow, more than ready to catch him if needed but just as ready to see him clear it without a flinch in sight.

She couldn't help but observe his moments before his feet cleared the metalwork. He seemed almost adamant in not looking to slouch, back straight, focus never wandering, muscles tensing before he jumped forward with his soles hitting the edge. His sail was not disgruntling either; his speed and height barely decreased from before, and even on his land, his bare soles practically slapped the metallic flooring; scarcely a droop forward came once his balance was confirmed nominal. To that, Haydee made her turn away with the knowledge all was unquestionable.

And to think she was starting to get worried for nothing-

"Oof." The gynoid immediately zipped back around as she clutched to the shoulder of the one with a hunched back and arm on the side. "I'm perfectly fine." He retorted with the unchallenged expressions of his. "Just slipped a little. That's all." For her. . . or for himself, that she did not know. But she had difficulty believing he would lie to her lack of face, so she kept her distance regardless, even when the innate sentence of draping him onto her still endured.

"Besides, I think I see something more worthy of your time over there." He pointed out, behind her, on the same balcony they were on, where a Digital Entry was waiting. She looked back to him, akin to asking for permission, but a wave of "Don't mind me. They're yours, ain't they?" was the valued permit she was granted as she let him, seeing no fuss in letting him rest for a moment, before picking up the device and reading through.

Entry 1280

The General was pleased with how well the first few Haydee units performed, so he has asked me to design others for different uses. I already had some, and many were suggestions from Eva, who I will credit.

The one that got his attention the most was the "Marine" model. One of Eva's suggested design edits, this one is less busty and more slim, but on the muscular side. I also designed a model centered on stealth, who would be ideal for Special Forces and sneaky operations. He was all smiles, and asked how soon I could have them made. I told him we still need to get the first Haydees into full-scale production before we can make a new model, but I believe a year or so.

Entry 1324

I have said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm surrounded by idiots.

Once more, we got locked into the Tech Center. This time, though, I managed to think ahead, and was able to use a remote terminal I brought to override the security and suppress the false alert.

The General called me in, and wanted to know how I did it. I told him there was a hole in the security that I exploited, which is true. He seemed surprisingly impressed, but also nervous. Whether that was from such a mess-up, or me being able to override security, I'm not sure.

But something that troubles me more: I found some logs in the mainframe while there that indicated somebody may be spying on me. After that incident with the Soldier robot, I really wonder.

Entry 1338

Today, we got a nasty surprise: Eva is being transferred to another facility. I admit, I was in shock. She came to our living quarters and told us herself. This hurts, all of it. She hugged me and Hadie, and said she hopes we succeed and wow everyone. I came really close to crying.

To make matters even worse, now the General is pushing really hard to have the Soldier robot redesigned and ready for testing in one month.

All of this, all at once. I couldn't take it if not for Hadie.

Someone's behind this. I'm sure of it.

Entry 1346

I am positive someone is spying on me. They knew what weaknesses to exploit, where and how far too much for it to be luck. There's just no way. Somewhere, someone is a mole, and doing it to make me fail. Well, I'll just have to flush them out . . .

Entry 1360

I did some refinement of designs for all my designs today, but the General said he wants to see more progress quicker. I replied I would do my best, but with that look the Director gave, I am sure he had something to do with all of this. I KNOW it. Maybe if I have Hadie grab him and pinch a few of his nerves, he'll talk. Sadly, I can't do that for real. But if I catch whoever it is doing this, they won't have such protection.

Entry 1373

I heard they are trying to convince the British Prime Minister to buy a Haydee. Trying to market her as a nanny and maid. Why would they want to do that with a nation we're supposed to be friends with? I really don't know. Most of the public is not aware of the Haydees yet, as they are special and thus far for select VIPs.

Entry 1400

I am working on a redesign of the Soldier robot, this one with legs, while I am also reworking the previous model to be stronger. A Tank model to complement the Soldier and Snipers. Should shut them up.

Entry 1428

I am feeling more and more isolated here. Today, I felt like I was in the middle of a circular firing squad. The General, Director and the head of Advanced Materials were all on my back about this and that. I was ready to snap by the end, and I swear I was ready to tell Hadie to kill every single one of them. It took me over an hour to calm down back in our room, but Hadie always knows how to calm me down and make things seem like they will be all right, even if only for a little while.

Entry 1439

I am positive someone is not only spying on me, but also stealing my work!

Today, some of the others from the labs presented one of MY designs to the General and said it was their own! I almost choked; I was so mad. But I stayed silent. If I acted then and there, it might give them a way to escape, and let them know I'm onto them. So I told Hadie, and we're setting a trap.

Next time, I'm going to leave Hadie in my room, say she needs to be worked on and is inoperable, and when they come in, she will catch the thief red-handed.

Entry 1440

Oh, things are not good. It was Johnson who was sneaking in and stealing my designs. Hadie caught him, but he tried to damage her, and she retaliated and ended up killing him. I know she didn't intend to, it was that idiot's own fault. If he'd either ran, or surrendered, he'd still be alive.

So, we had to deal with basically being arrested and held by security. Thankfully, they had the brains to see things for what they were.

The General apologized, and the Director said he had no idea, but I don't buy it. They knew, they always did. I need to let myself cool down, while I think.

Entry 1477

I managed to get back to some semblance of work, but now I don't trust anyone here, and I'm sure that shows. I keep all my data backed up in several places, I keep my private notes and designs hidden, and I made double-sure this journal is well-hidden. Thankfully, Johnson didn't find it.

Work was slower due to my troubled mental state, but Hadie helped keep me sane.

Entry 1491

I have been reflecting on Hadie, how sweet she is, and how it's such a miracle I managed to make her, let alone the Haydees. That also led me to think about not just AI, but intelligence in general.

If I'm honest, I made Hadie because I was lonely. I have no family, and no friends. I admit that.

But, was it wrong? Was it wrong to make Hadie? Making an individual, only to keep me company.

It hurts to even think about it, but I suppose it's long overdue.

It also makes me think about the Haydee models, the new ones. The same issue. Was I wrong?

I wanted a companion, and I wanted to make ones for other people like me. But, you cannot force someone to love you. Forced love is not love at all. That would include programming. Then again, isn't instinct the same as programming? Biological programming?

Isn't our need and desire to feel loved a biological program running? Is it something more?

I really don't know, and I don't know if I could ever find out, or if I SHOULD.

But when I think about setting Hadie and the others free, I am also reminded of my own shortcomings in my program. While they are very intelligent, they are not human-level yet. I would need years of careful refinement of their AI to get anywhere near that level.

And even then, the idea of letting Hadie go, it hurts my heart more than words can say. But, I love her too much to keep her as a servant. I want her to be able to make her own choice. Even if that choice is to leave.

"If you love someone, set them free. If they come back, it was meant to be."

Please forgive me, Hadie, for what I've done.

Entry 1500

Today, I had enough. I told the General and the Director I was leaving, and taking all my research with me. I expected them to be shocked, or aghast. Instead, they laughed. They said the contract I signed says anything and everything I designed in the lab is their property and copyright. They even hinted about taking Hadie from me, even though I made her before I came here. I saw the threat they were making, and had no choice but to back down. They also shoved a ton of requests on me.

Entry 1507

I have been carefully looking at the base and lab, analyzing and looking at the layout and dedicating it to memory, and Hadie's as well.

We're going to escape. I need to make plans, and as many contingencies as possible. Layers and layers of plans, but I think we can eventually do it. I will need to copy not only my own keycard, but several others as well. The General's will not be as easy to grab, but I think I might be able to skim the code from the Director's card with a portable terminal and the right software. I can hack security with a portable hack-pack where needed, but we will have to move quickly. Even if I do my best hacks, they will notice quickly enough. The timing will be critical. I need to wait for the right time, and only the right time.

As a parting shot, I will destroy all my data before we escape, and copy all of it. Once I do, I will out it to the world when we get out. Not about the Haydees, they are victims in this whole mess as well. But the rest, most certainly. It's the least they all deserve.

Entry 1530

The opportunity has come. Tonight, we're escaping. I can only hope for the best.

I love you so much, Hadie. Let's go.

If Dale were watching the gynoid all the while, a given high possibility, during and after she had finished the final sentence written in text on the device, he likely would have noticed the small twitch that arose, the slight lift in her head as her soles showed no interest in removing themselves from their current glued imprint, and slight flinch of her hand twisting before, almost feverishly spinning the pad back over a few times like a madman, as if endeavouring to discover what had yet to be found, before heatedly tapping down at the appliance.

After several seconds of frantic clicking later, she paused, as if abruptly flash frozen, until all strength in her arm appeared deflated as the pad dropped loose in her fingers. The rest of her was stuck in stone as not even a snort of a stir was made by the gynoid before him.

The human watching kept to himself, breath seemingly trapped in his throat as if trying to perceive the scene before him, and resumed in silent watch as her head suddenly raised, over, and near so frantically he may have been sure her head would screw itself off left and right, while she appeared to look, to find, something anything. . . before setting her sights fixedly on the standing human some steps away.

The tension in her arm returned as she pulled back her Entry, actively presenting it to him as she pointed to where her eyes would be before onto the device itself, then outspread, as if the room was the whole.

". . . Are you asking me to look out for more of those?" She nodded in agreement before her entire focus shifted back onto the pad. He could do nothing but blink in response, the complete picture unable to be painted as his mind did not read the pad before him. Did he even want to read it, curious about the contents inside and his usually stoic guide's odd, almost frenetic demeanour?

She could not know; what she could know, however, was the moment when he managed to peel her eyes off the unchanged Entry, a soft, cautious "Is something the matter?" was a whisper on the wind carried over to her tempest of a headspace that brought her attention back to the man. "What's wrong with. . . the device? Did you find something?" Again, though for only a second, Haydee's vision shifted back onto the small notepad betwixt her fingers as if laying out one final thought, before she gently, cautiously even, bent down and returned it to the foundation. As she leaned back up, facing him with her emotionless expression, a hand slowly raised itself to him, pointing up to the way above, then thumbing to her back.

It took him no time to understand what she meant, and racing to her seat, herself almost hectic with grabbing him on so close to her; she shifted to the pathway overhead.

Staring high, the climbable tracks up, while in need of her prowess, were of little difficulty to her mindsight. Jumping up with outstretched arms, Haydee gripped the edges of this server and began the transition up. She was no primate. . . certainly no Dale, but her capabilities were more than sufficient as she followed, what her mindstate indicated, the final stretch. Ascending, a breeze if nothing short of trivial, Haydee's hazy vision burnt downwards and around, seeing the area much more in full while glimpsing it in a light different from first visited.

She judged it as almost random clutter from before, with the stretch of a perceivable pathway somehow raked in for them to cross. Now, though nothing had been changed or modified, she could see, via their previous mark, how the pieces now all fit in place. How the pipes acted as barriers, how the servers now just served their functions but also were the walls to keeping them sealed off from the false trail. . . was this the natural state from the beginning, or had a modification transpired somewhere down the line. Both seemed plausible. . . yet neither seemed practical, at least not in the condition it situated itself to be currently.

Whisking her head back to the present, she could only shake her head to the wonder that continued to clutter her crown. By the moments oncoming, the final ledge on the Server tower had come, and right to the top, they stayed. The way down was a fair advance away, a balcony sitting at quite the stretch. Yet not one she knew would be too far or high; her boots were a surefire truth towards this regard.

Stiff soles were pressed to the tower while her body twisted back, leaning to the side as she eyed the distance. Crouching her knees, all the artificial muscles stored in her frame tensed with anticipation as the slightest coil initiated a colliding kick to shove them away.

Over the air, the unimpressed machine let their bodies glide down until the right moment for the doublet of boosts. As impressive as the distance to the base looked to be, so high it became shrouded with more shadows than piercing light, it did little to knock the gynoid off her course as the moment her feet hit the floor, the balcony over the broad pit below, barely a scrape over the tiling was produced as the duo landed with ease.

As the exit was but a walk away, she let her passenger off as Haydee stretched her legs, ready to leave as she walked forward. With all that transpired, it was but another step on their journey, another completion that had passed, and little more to it, she finalised as she was seconds from reaching the door.

"Do you think. . . " Though perhaps, it was only she that considered this. "We'll ever find any answers? To anything?" Her companion appeared tepid, not scared or anxious as he still strode beside her, though a sense of suspicion, of dubious explanations he may find still frayed on his face. She nodded in return; not a slither of a lie inched across her reply. Despite the all-take and no-give of this robotic reservation, Haydee stood firm in her statement that a conclusion had to ensue. Perhaps, not justifications to feel enjoyment over, but. . . they were results nonetheless. Results that would speak it all. . . right?

The answers have to be found somewhere. Surely. . .

Preferably quite soon.

---

As Haydee cruised in, whatever else occupied this rein she momentarily saught as pure excess, as what lay on the floor mere meters away in front snatched any observations she would create as she sauntered over to the focal point in full view. Dale didn't object, never wanted or needed to, just as likely his attention caught onto the same sign as hers.

A Boost Boots upgrade station, surrounded by the obscene veil of pearl, one the gynoid was as eager to latch over as ever. Wasting no time for anything other than careful scepticism, Haydee stood firm as the pressure plate fastened onto her form. Staring down to the plate below her, the gynoid knew how she must act next - practically nothing. Having to stay and wait, Haydee knew there was little more she could attempt to do other than remain firm and look around. Thankfully, that wasn't ample time she was eager to lose.

Over along the way, to her left side, the next door stayed itself. Though at the same level, it was guarded over by a long line of meshed railing, rising high to the ceiling and descending as low as possible. No doubt their prevention from cheating their way across; thus, with time still dripping by, she refused to wait for the flood and turned her attention to the track on.

To her mild dissatisfaction, however, the way on looked as simplistic as it could conceivably be. The trail snaked around the bend, initiating with an open section of one jump over, up to the right, where it possesses a much longer jump across. Along the way, it was fastened with a tall tower to reach over, then a long downward jump before meeting with the balcony end. She couldn't help but compare it to those that came before, noticing how unique by the shape they let themselves be, while here. . . seemed so lacking in comparison.

So bland, so listless, so. . . unlike whatever the human was currently accomplishing abreast of her. Neither his eyes nor attention was on herself, nor much of anything at all, if she had to reckon. Instead, they looked elsewhere, gaze trailing aimlessly as if he was searching for nothing, whilst his body. . . seemed to sway to and fro.

Thankfully, it was not a seizure he appeared to be, nor was it of any style of dance that her database knew of. In a sense, more of a gimmicky swing to his steps as slipshod as his focus. Side by side, this odd dance, perhaps better as a basic jig, was the only motion he gave himself as he waited like her. Hips daintily bouncing from one side to the other, tapping to and for in some hypnotic rhythm, heels lightly lifting off the ground with every sway. . . A little hypnotic, despite her flawed capacity to be affected by oscillating illusions.

Back and forth, see and saw, he acted as the only animate presence within this cold place. His wobble awash with gentle cheer, bathing away the impotent nature this motionless land possessed. . . then he ceased. A small peak upwards, and she looked to have located her reason; he was staring back. His smile had faded away whilst his eyes remained locked on herself. As her database ran a search, it suggested one conjecturable reason: embarrassment. She couldn't have that, never letting him feel he was in the wrong for nothing. Had to be changed, had to make him think he was of no problem at all.

So she swayed. Glued to the floor, soles molded to the porcelain; they kept her in place as her hips jived left to right and back again. Waving like a pendulum, the gynoid felt no discourse as she gazed back whilst her body swayed like a delayed mirror. Humiliation was not a remark she would ever desire to be familiar with: certainly not when she saw his smile return, as the lad began to match her tempo quickly.

Side to side, the two here began to roll their pelvis, caring not for any matter for anything. Her sights only locked on Dale, watching him freely lean about with a beam and happy closed eyes, head even swaying to the mute beat as the captivated lady repeated in turn. Why, it seemed as if there was nothing else in the world here but them-

UPGRADE COMPLETE. BOOST DISTANCE COMPLETE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

Them - and the finished boots upgrade she nearly jolted from, if not for her toes still sealed to the flooring. Finally, the wires drifted away, and the bolts unlocked, allowing the gynoid to step forth and have her newly refurbished boots shone to the world.

"They do look a little bit stronger." He commented as she looked around herself, agreeing that the nozzles looked shinier, thicker, and even a tad wider. "Hey, do they do something different again?" To that, the gynoid simply looked him over and shook her head. It never stated anything but an increase in power, nor did she spot any new function in the software.

"Oh well." He quickly shrugged it off, face still holding a clean smile. "Guess we can't wish for everything. Any enhancement shouldn't be looked down upon, especially for us." Haydee could not have agreed more. This was their next aid, another use to clear through this hellhole of a facility and find their escape course. Or answer, but this new addition would undoubtedly assist along the way.

Facing off, the gynoid stared diligently now at the jump ahead, where the trail first began. A simple jump, nothing too fancy or unique, but not something she should so casually deride. The bottom was still a hidden mystery from where she stood, so any licks over would not dare become empty. Dropping to her knees, her turn back did not coincide with a gesture for him to strap over, nor even a sigh of rejection. Instead, the rather peppy quote of "I'm still interested to see it in action, regardless." was brought alongside his quick stride over, lurching over her back as he readied himself upon. From there, Haydee stood back up, quickly checking over him before she turned forward and prepared her figure.

It was a simple jump across, a berth too vast for one jump - but likely not so if she boosted in between. With her procedure secured, Haydee bent at her knees as her arms came to the side, a mere second before her legs rocketed forward, and with a kick, the gynoid vaulted over the aperture. The two went sailing along, over the gap as far as her muscles would allow, and once the freefall was about to dive-

The subsequent blast that followed, though not one she wasn't expecting off, was an eruption so strong and abrupt with its power that the ferocity almost fumbled forward Haydee. But mighty in power or not, she would not let it stumble her down, as by the second before she touched down on the flooring, she readily corrected her fall.

Or heavily attempted to. Her body still rocked by the shock, and her drop nearly came crashing as her toes tripped over themselves on the hard floor. Tumbling forward, Haydee caught her balance after a few graceless hops, finalising her solidifying state with her right foot near stomping the tiles. She let only a second pass before her stone form freed itself from the masonry and rose back to a full vertical position.

"If we get one more upgrade like that, I think we'd have to start wearing crash helmets." It took Haydee but a second to know he was only making a joke. Somewhat. More than likely, though not an unapt response. Clicking the front of her boot to the floor, Haydee pivoted her boot both ways as she looked over the new upgrade, agreeing with the human if it became any more fantastic, they could just fly on out of here.

Turning back forward, Haydee returned to following the course as it quickly swerved right, presenting itself shortly with its next jump. Haydee didn't need to reach the end of the balcony to know the following way would be far less straightforward. It was reasonably far. . . perhaps too far, even with her two regular boosts.

But she knew she no longer had to use regular boosts. Her mind now more than understanding over the factors of her new upgrade, the gynoid felt no worry as she took one step back before charging forward with attempt to leap over the gap. With one robust boost following a moment later, then the next, the two cleanly cleared the crack as her body landed fair over the way. She neither tripped nor stumbled, nor did her body rocket from the shock, as all her body did was land with cat-like tread and continue marching forth without a moment's delay.

Rounding the quadratic bend, Haydee stopped short as she stared at the next obstacle ahead. It was the tall tower in front, one so high it loomed over her like a giant over a child. But again, the gynoid would feel no misgivings as she almost eagerly dropped down before kicking up and utilising the two boosts to storm over the tower. Catching the ledge with ease, she climbed them both up to be presented with what finale awaited them.

From where she stood atop the tall tower, overlooking the way below, her sights zeroed onto the exit over. Down below, both along and far, the closed door stood, awaiting them via one trip away. The abyss may attempt to be a siren to her focus, but the stalwart gynoid cared not for any desire to spot what lay below, her attention only on the short balcony up ahead as she began her vigilant steps back.

Without a cry of war, she charged, hitting the sharp edges of the end with her toes as she made her bound. Flying high, well and over, even when she was parasailing down, her perspective never looked anyway, and her arc, now nothing but a plummet, did not disperse her focus. Careening downwards, her flight became only a downfall as she could sense the wind drip up her. Yet unmoved, the gynoid let them both descend so far down they were but a second from reaching the same height as the balcony at the end-

Then the rocket came, blasting them both high and onward, rebuffing the pit advances from claiming their prey as instead, the duo sailed right over and, with a graceful stomp on Haydee's end, her soles made contact with the flooring. Then, rolling her neck, the gynoid gave not even a pat down over herself as she crossed over to the end, first bending her knees and giving her passenger the moment he needed to get off.

He pats himself down. "Is it wrong for me to be disappointed?" She could only shrug her shoulders. She could not state she had no idea of his intention, as even she felt spiritless when mulling over the way. Still, in a roundabout, she figured a boring way on was a batter trail than a complex but utterly deadly lead around.

"Eh, we're here in one piece. That matters most, right." Haydee's nod was as firm as ever, heading forth to the opening with him in tow, knowing no matter she was more prepared than ever, regardless of what happened, or lack thereof, here.

---

Coming through, her unbroken line of sight, despite the amass that awaited her, was raptured immediately to the door at the far end. A fine line away, unchained and ready to pass through by the defined steps they would take to reach it. Yet to arrive was a possibility only accumulated after her focus zoomed out back to this province as a whole, to what lay before them. And none more inclined to this fact struck her attention as cleanly when she spied what was sprawled on the flooring between this side and the next.

Not pitfalls awaited their trip, nor mines or any variety. Instead, what was heaped up over the tiles before them was something a little more. . . different, than previous moments of their yonder. Something metallic. Some. . . quite shocking that lay before them.

A heavily unintentional pun.

As a rather electric sight was splattered all over the flooring, covering virtually every tile from mere metres forward to the little safe zone at the end, thick metal panels, all with streaks of glowing cerulean zigzags graffitied over in perfect duplication, lined over the tiles. Plating that, if the lightning symbols weren't obvious enough, the sparks and spits of energized matter escaping from the iron tops were the signs this flooring was not to be tread lightly on. That is, none at all.

"Electrified flooring?" He spoke her words, though she suspected more for himself than for her to grasp. "At least we are given a path off the ground to take." Indeed. From here to there was not just the metal wall-to-wall carpets, yet something raised off the ground. Standing firm on thinned pillars, heavy platforms looked to form a path above their heads, high off the ground. Even before she could get a solid bead on what lay above, the gynoid could convey it was a rollercoaster of a route that appeared to reside up there. A fair height, it looked to almost touch the ceiling, where. . . a vast array of mirroring appeared to exist.

Electrified flooring. . . on the ceiling? Cocking her head, Haydee stared with a squinted mindset as she noticed the very same tiling that planked the floor before them resided on the ceiling above. Facing down, she could instantly catch it was as alive as the ones dotting the lowered landscape, yet to why it also clouded the sky atop their heads? Not an answer reached in her mind.

Skeptical she was so far, she gave it a heavy eyeball before turning toward the way on, where the beginning of their heightened pathway initiated. With a clap for conveyance, the suspicious Haydee made her move, catching to the ledge and hoisting herself up, her companion repeating so in kind as they began the way up the enlarged steps. The trek up was not a long one, yet it was far from a difficult way either, allowing Haydee some ease in not forcing him upon her back and, thus, retain her focus on the ever-going closer ceiling tottering their way.

By the time they reached the top, Haydee's immersion never left the closing ceiling; especially now, with no more engorged steps to take, Haydee was as close to the ceiling as she wanted it to be. Too close, practically, as she was thankful there were no more grades to ascend - the minor licks of escaping electricity almost lapped against her chrome dome. Still staring up, Haydee's puzzlement, and subsequent overlapping fear of their proximity, continued onward as she forcibly shifted her focus to the way forward to what awaited them.

Now at a more aligned angle, it took no time for Haydee to rationalise this to be a platforming-based section, with the many pathways separated via lengthy gaps. No doubt, ones where no soft matting would cushion their fall. Smooth to spot their first problem, a simple short gap, Haydee gestured her to move forcefully, being offered no opposition as her friend sidestepped for her.

With the gap as diminutive as it looked, Haydee barely gave a run-up nor a stance to her arms as she made a fair jump over, landing her soles without trembling trips on the high ground. Ease for her, she turned around and made space for the other to arrive. Same as her, he barely needed much room for a build-up; quickly sprinting his way towards her, he made his spring as she watched him hop over -

And nearly jolt herself into a pratfall upon noticing how close the nice tuft of his head was to finely scraping along the electrified ceiling. The safe landing he made barely a second later did little to soothe her nerves, her body frozen in a tense spot as she began to process the ramifications of this room in better detail now.

"I think that way is the next step." He obliviously pointed away from her to their next jump on. "It looks a tad farther than this one. Probably means we have to rely on your boots to cross it. Good thing you just got a new upgrade." His smile faded marginally once Haydee decided to respond with a fair shake of her head. Before he could request an explanation, she pointed to her boots and the ceiling above, then hovered up to the space right over her head with a smooth palm.

"Ah, I was wondering about that too. Guess that answers that with some mockery twist." She tilted her head at his odd choice of words. "I mean, it's some annoying irony. You get a new better boost, and now we must be wary of it." She nodded this time, firmly understanding what he meant. He wasn't wrong with that observation either; one jump too high and her cranium would be introduced to 10,000 fresh volts to her sculpture.

Course, now with that acknowledged. . . just how were they supposed to get across safely? Even with her advanced legs, it was too distant for any singular jump, but her boost would mean a certain death. If the knock didn't kill her, then the fall certainly would. And it wasn't the pure height she was thoroughly apprehensive over.

"There's none around that I can see." He chimed with able thought, likely assuming her current struggles if not outright noticing. She agreed that besides the low space, the snaking trail had perfectly positioned mesh barriers dotting around the scenery, no doubt to avoid sneaky shortcuts. "No other place to go but forward. Up is out of the question, and it's not as if down would take us anywhere." Very accurate, Haydee ruminated as her sight dogged about, so long as one didn't include their barely even being an up in the first place. And down, well, to her, there was nothing there but a plunging pit, the only way to go that wasn't forward.

Only way to go. . . The moment the idea sprung to her mind, nanoseconds later, Dale's head was immediately assaulted with loving ruffles, her fingers disintegrating away any semblances of dandruff by her palm's sheer speed and warmth. "I take it you have a plan, then?" He attempted to ask through her invasion of his follicles. She managed to stop, finally, before gesturing a thumbs up for him. Crouching to her knees, he complied despite his unfamiliarity, getting on her back before she stood up proud, ready to face the way on.

But not before she gripped Dale's legs and forcibly settled him down, actively locking them around her waist and then checking to ensure he was still tightly clutched on - no chances authorised for him. Safeness on, Haydee's attention was permitted to the gap ahead with nothing left in her mindset, save for that new plan of his.

Tiptoeing to the edge, the idea kept spinning on repeat in her head as the calculations all formulated to a satisfying degree, all margins of errors assessed and drawn out before the gynoid's particularising flurry of a head went blank, brought into stability before her frame shifted forward, and with a leap she took them out to the open.

Forward, not over, as by few meandering seconds later, the two's arc was bounding down, dropping, their descent too far to make a grab, nor too near for a least-second ditch of the attempted plot, as down, below the balconies themselves, the duo were propelled.

But all according to her scenario. As by a swift moment of silence;

Boom - slammed her boots, immediately changing her course as immediately the two ascended, flying high by the power of her new upgrade, rising back the way they came by forward and up onto where that electrifying ceiling still stood, waiting patiently for two to scrape their headsets along its metallic shine.

Yet that was never to arise that far. Instead, by the second that boost ended, the power running dry and no longer shooting up was as far as Haydee had calculated; as before the flying gynoid, the balcony was within arms reach. Coming right up to her bust, both of her robust arms scratched forward and landed firmly on the ledge. Her forearms slapped the flooring, grasping at the sides with nothing but the strength in her limbs before a shove jolted her high enough for a leg to spin over and pull the rest of them atop.

With that, neither of their crowns scraped over the metal a mere arm's length away, and setting the human back down, Haydee couldn't help but be a little chuffed for his sake. Even his attempted statement of "Your plan worked perfectly, Haydee." didn't diminish her innate paise for him. As thanks, she offered a fair thumbs up before a quick ruffle, following this exchange with a simple push forward, dulling him with her as they marched along the thin lengths of unrailed balconies.

They followed the trail around, marking down with small steps more familiar to her form. Alas, it took little time to unravel the knotted question as to why such an odd addition was present on their travels, as coming up before them on their wake stood a ledge high above. So close to the top, even by crawling, with her bust held tight to her torso as she scrapped over, her body would swiftly meet the charges that awaited her invasion. Skimming over, she promptly found their standing room barely passed on a few feet, and where next they'll have to grip their soles over was not anywhere close in sight, let alone known.

No doubt, then, the purpose here; to shuffle along without keeping your head held high. As such, she knelt, seeing no reason to ask the obvious as she awaited his silent reply.

"Might that be so necessary?" His not-so-silent reply came, earning both a look and standing up from the gynoid as she towered over him with a questioning gaze. "I can grasp the top easily. That is, I mean, I don't want to weigh you down with extra weight." There it is, Haydee noticed, that slightly agitated response he would give, one cloaked over with consideration for her. She never hated it; if anything, she felt a little twinge of appreciation every time she noted the innately subtle ways he tried to show his concern for her. Despite the dangers ahead, as in, a head length up, she would feel little fear over him grazing across the electrified ceiling, the gynoid full believing he would never let his life be taken so foolishly. Alas, she began to gesture; the way on was unknown, and with this room looking to utilise her boots in heavily confined ways, what may arrive may be of need of them.

Her body language was not brushed aside, as the captivated human, despite his face largely unchanging, took it all with subdued clarity. Calmly, he answered with an "I get it. Makes more sense than most things around here." Nodding it, she turned and repeated her kneel, this time receiving a movement from the human as he latched onto her back. Like the moment before, she was sure to bring his head down as far as she could without his grip loosening too wearily, and upon her check, she made her leap forward and seized the ledge.

Before a crawl along the berm, Haydee was shut to a pause when she realised just how close to the top she was. So near, she could hear it crackling above her head, though cackling, perhaps, should be the better term, an incessant jabber by how deadly any single slip-up would enclose to be. Despite this, it did give her time to understand where Dale had been coming from; her weight distribution was not as pronounced as usual, and her balance askew, even if not by any disturbing degree.

For that. . . the lady wondered if her human companion had calculated this out beforehand, by a guess or a calculated conjecture. Had he realised and not wanted to put the burden on her, or had it been just a regular call of worry? She knew neither way, but she did know not to press it, as in either position, she could tell it came from his heart, the tell she was genuinely growing on him. She likened that, knowing he cared for her, as it caused a state of short-lived but immense warmth about her.

Hoping there would be many of this odd but not unenjoyable sensation for many times over, Haydee began her crawl, keeping her head as low as she could to avoid the untamed flicks of voltage. Thankfully, despite what was inches away from slow-patting their craniums, the way around was no more as dangerous as any other time. While the pit below, seemingly deadly as any previous occasion, the shelf she was currently shuffling did not add any more causations to her travels. So long as she kept her head low, as she was doing so, Haydee's moderate but firm crawl over was a quiet affair, even if the randomised clatter of electronics above attempted to dishevel that choice.

Though only for so long, she found when she turned the corner. Keeping her eyes locked on forward, as she turned the ridge corner, it took negligibly time for her to catch the end of this curt creep along. A walkable pathway, aptly nearby, though only achievable with more of this breach around. Or, more precisely, inadequately so if she preferred to take no chances.

Knowing the risks, Haydee continued her routine, scurrying along the way, around the bend in her path, and turning the protruding corner. Haydee leaned back as she looked at the pathway before her. Unlike her trace up, there was a substantial gap to the way on, the same altitude as before, yet too far for a regular leap. Brushing off her innate cheer, Dale still stuck to her rear all the while; the gynoid measured the distance between here and the safe zone. That, to then calculate the abled height of her boosts.

She assumed as such would happen before any balcony reappeared before her sights; the theming of this specific room either too unmistakable or their possibilities of her experiences intuitively guiding her foresight now. In either case, Haydee smoothly understood the procedures next, and letting one of her hands go, she pressed her soles to the framework to ensure her balance was prepared for her next leap.

While she knew the dangers of overshooting, she knew she couldn't undershoot the way either. There were no walls underneath the balconies up here, no thick frames to stop her, even with heavy slams in case her formulations existed incorrectly. Despite the power, her control over the air was still limited, by both number and total direction, so she knew she must adhere to near-perfect timings. Yet to not let it weigh over her, she must also never give in to such sensations of insecurities and better focus on her conviction and reasoning.

These ideas kept her head high, and she let herself go, flowing freely for a beat before pushing forward and booting herself from the roofless terrace. Now out in the open, her plummet lasted for but a second longer for the return of the boost to announce itself, burning the atmosphere that trailed them and composing a gale that blew them back upwards, high enough for her to arc her arms forward and neatly grasp the walkable path. It was a breeze for her to saddle up and let the intelligent one off as they continued side-by-side.

More of the meshed gratings hovered firm as they made tracks, clinging desperately to the balconies they so sought to commingle and forbade any from taking a cheap way over, effectively forcing those to stride the long way around atop these rooftop decks. In doing so, it became mandatory for her to perceive the following way as the only route across squarely; the meshed walls that lined both sides fashioned it to be somewhat difficult to be seen otherwise.

Desperately wanting to gouge themselves with the highest attention, these two parallel running walls were the longest she had espied, no doubt, to ensure they reached the next pathway over only this enlarged gap. In turn, this spread was the farthest she had seen yet, so far. . . she was quick to envision.

There must have been reasons for this widened space to be much longer than necessary; as such, it took no time for her to contrast this to their experiences before and quickly finalise the reason for this overt stretch of the expanse; a second boost was what called for her here.

She declined to let him on, wasting no time quickly calculating the essential functions. It was a challenge, but Haydee remained dauntless, standing up firm with a line on her imperceptible brow as she began her steps back. She knew what was to come, and bounding forward, she leapt on down, letting her body arc with a fall before ripping the air with a thrust. It, too, arced, falling, yet still too far for a clutch. Continuing to let gravity take its toll, she waited, for just a moment longer, for the second of her advance to emerge. Now in the second, and thus, final of her boosts, Haydee and her companion again rose, sandwiched between the identical meshing with a rise and yet never getting close to smushing against the violent top, before gliding over, closing in on the footpath that suddenly looked to be getting distant for her body to reach feasibly-

She rapidly stretched her arms. With a swift grab, her pointers caught the edge whilst the rest of her figure lurched forward, swinging slightly in the open space below the thin ledge meant to be their salvation from the electrified depths. Taking a breather for only a second, feeling the rest of her body slowly come down from its flaccid sway with a moment to clear her turbulent mind and silence this whirlwind of shock, Haydee firmly pulled them both up and resumed with little delay.

Or what little they could move over, as barely a few strides later were the pair at the end to witness their next 'test'. With all Haydee had seen, she felt little surprise if she were to refer to it all as such by now. Staring over to the next 'experiment', or whatever this whole section was trying to confer them into executing, she found little trouble in deciphering their preceding actions.

Far out between this balcony and the next, floating about, their next experience awaited their call. It was not an empty space that anticipated their traversal over, but one founded by certain spots. Or rather, squares should have been the better usage of geometry, as those hovering platforms remained scattered all across the way. That is, of those staying still and not those trailing back and forth over the open way in secured, transparent patterns.

Dale returned to her frame on short notice, the gynoid clicking her heel to the ground in preparation before she took heed and jumped forward, gliding across the air briefly before landing with grace on the first of the aerial boards. To the second was a jump too far without a boost, yet the gynoid could recognise this even before her soles left the footing, and with her projections running true thus far, the gynoid leapt on without tribulation, timing her boosts just right so before she fell her frame clutched the small-sized platform with neither problem nor hesitation. A tiny build it may be, it barely tilted by the sudden weight of the two's framework on their side, given but a second of a tilt before it saddled itself back up to its original state, offering Hayee no doubts that despite the dire situations these rectangular bodies will not fail them both.

Once up, Haydee stared the way she knew she was forced to wait. No longer were the pathways on maintaining motionless, but instead, they all hovered over the plane, all back and forth, the same as the one trailing down their way. Upon her wait, Haydee lightly noted how specifically advancing this portion portrayed itself. Not just with boosts, nor even with the distance, but now with timing, creating a new addition for them to solve and work around. Clever, Haydee could see, as if the problem had now evolved to the next potential challenge for this specific problem.

But there would be no gesture signalling the gynoid saw praise for this problem; it was not something that rightfully earned such a compliment. All Haydee saw was a death trap that wished cessation on her kind friend, so by definition, the only warrant to exist was a haughty glance and a refusal of attention that wasn't seeking escape. Haydee's laser principle snapped her legs to a drop as the platform inched itself closer, coming to her projected stop by a mere step over this still body. When it made its singular pause, a millisecond to slow change and change course, Haydee became quick in her expected leap and bounded onto it, hitting its quadratic physique with full force without apprehension of it abruptly slipping them off.

Despite it all, the chassis gave them that much, only shrugging lightly from the sudden weight shift before it continued forward without hesitance, ignorant of the two hitching a ride. The next step was of the same calibre; another hovering platform moving their way in perfect, mirrored tandem. That is, closing itself mere steps from another before neatly retreating away.

Haydee never moved by the first mark, taking a second to fully recognise the pattern by her unobstructed vision before it teetered away. Up top, the iron-lined plaster still crackled, still whispered dark ideas that served not to lull Haydee closer but instead avoid at all costs, forcing Haydee to ensure no rush for their likelihood.

By the second time over, the platforms closed in, and Haydee made her move with a solid jump over as she landed centre of this equilateral. It, too, barely flinched by her preferably stated not-too-excessive weight, gliding over as Haydee now sought how the situation kept evolving right in front. Though the next jump on was for another platform hovered back and forth, the differentiation eclipsing their provocation here was not of any speed or placement modification, but of the farthest point of withdrawing. Though the two paused in tandem, their simultaneous interval was done at too good a distance for a spartan jump. Haydee understood quickly they needed to boost over. Bound over with a burst, alongside the condition these platforms were never remaining put.

Like the moment ago, Haydee did not force a rush over; rather, she bided her time as she noted when both these platforms made their adhered stop. Once they were compelled to pull away, Haydee took a moment to examine and define when their subsequent jump would commence. With both the platforms moving, even a leap the moment that split-second pause arose would not be as viable, the second square drifting away as she internally clawed for it to abide.

Once that matter was resolved, it became crystal clear how to proceed next. As the hovering stage resurfaced forward again, Haydee's body coiled down, legs at the ready - before she unexpectedly bounded forward before the stand had its timing to pause. Leaping faster than the floating orthogonal, Haydee's sight remained locked to their trip in the air, dripping down within seconds before she neatly boosted them high for just a moment. Nothing longer, but sufficient enough for them to be trucked forward to their next landing destination: that second hoverer.

Her timing was as immaculate as calculated; the exact moment her feet came tumbling down was when the squared slab stopped its pause. Short of a second, it may be, it was just enough for her body to arrive upon with a thunderous thud, hitting the plate with ease without so much as a tumble on. However, the way had yet to end, as there was but one more left in their wake, and one Haydee was seconds later discovering to be the most perilous one. It was far, their end meeting the most distant than any leap onto the platforms thus far. Yet it was not to be an impossible task.

As she had done heretofore, she could see the best solution in precise detail, even if a bit of tinkering with her timing had to be computed beforehand. Once as satisfied as she could be, Haydee took turn, kneeling before firing her shove and breaching the open space. Again, she fired off by her arc, having waited for the exact moment as the two swam in the void of nothing before they came tumbling down mere briefly, their bodies a beeline for the final plate.

Yet a neat drop was not their way. Instead, they kept dropping, her feet passing the level of the square even as it made its momentary halt, and her fall continued as the platform began its rise away.

But Haydee's talons were sharp and ready; before they dropped below the visible line, her fingers clutched the plate, ceasing her assault down with an extra whip forward of her form, ensuring the sea of lightning below would not swallow either gynoid or human bodies today. With the inorganic muscles tensing tight, the rest of Haydee's frame was yanked up, clawing at the smoothed plate and dredging their bodies up to the moving platform to see their final leg here. That was; the final bound forward.

Surprisingly, their final bounce needed little in the way of either long leaps or distance in height. The platform practically touched the ledged before scampering away. For one as she, it looked so simple that. . . she felt distrust there was no trick here. Yet even as the square manoeuvred away, no such ruse arrived.

It seemed to her, then, that this problem had practically been completed without able incident, and once the square returned to the flooring, Haydee eagerly got off, got down, and kept on forward with Dale in tow, feeling a slight twinge of relief this section had been fully dealt with.

But now there was one more task ahead, the final way, as it ended dead before the exit. That seen, the way on was anything but a simple path down. From here to the end, the course down was not a simple usage of limited jumps but a heavy, elongated course. Smooth all over, the spiralling tracks, dipping as slopes and rising as hills, ensured it was far from a brisk, or straightforward, manner on.

But a tricky one. . . that was for her skate function to decide. With no steps and the introduction of a near-dead drop, Haydee held no reprieve over believing it involved anything except for her gliding upgrade. Even without setting her first foot, Haydee knew it would not be so simple; so many chances to fail, and the precipitous route, as unpredictable as it tangibly could be, even with observing it before forced down the way Haydee knew she would still be at the mercy of.

Yet no recoil was flinched by the gynoid. This was but another quick track for them to swallow their breaths and concentrate only on the moment, to be spared no time for anything longer. This she knew of, and this she was prepared to face alongside Dale as she silently expressed her intentions of an immediate go-forward. Her companion latched atop as requested, settling in as Haydee crept to the edge of the installation while her toes already hung in the air, her soles feeling the cold breath of the silent world before they began to droop, much the same as how her whole body was now toppling forward - toppling down.

Her whole world looked to sink as her sights were plunging; her frame, and their bodies, all started to crash downwards as the descent of the connected duo swiftly saw nothing but all that awaited down this collapse. All her body, save those particular soles of hers, as it was when her body made a nearly ninety-degree spin forward, did they trigger, did their ejections embrace the smooth road, and an almighty kick from their wielder coursed them forward as the two commenced their swift dive through.

Prepared, confident, and more than qualified, Haydee felt no penance nor deleterious tidings as only acceleration took them over, descending the way of the deathly flooring - and glide mere feet right over as their skates over the rolling hills had already begun.

Her analogue of it as a ride was not a quickly authenticated dissimilarly: even mere seconds along the way was Haydee forced to keep steep focus as the twist and turns were already upon them. Left and right, the jagged ridges and slopes would not let up, and with zero railings ever encountered, Haydee ensured her attention was enraptured to only the short next moment.

This in mind kept saving their bacons, as the many spins and rolls were deftly overtaken without issue. Not one of the sudden shifts made to fall the gynoid as with pure experience guiding her way, Haydee cinched the way on with no troubles on hand. Kept proceeding, looking never to end, even going so far as the ride was beginning to rise, seeming to ascend to the sky.

Suddenly before her, a gap was encroaching their way. A break of a bridge, an empty space unable to ride over as even the restart over was riding higher. If she could, she would practically smirk, barely sharing a faze for the impromptu aperture because, with a kick off the end of the ledge, Haydee's boost awakened; shoving them high and keeping them off ground-zero as eagerly, she slammed her boots back to the slope as soon as feasibly able.

The slope kept rising high, as daring to soar to the heavens with ridged upsurge, a quick notion that slithered itself with creeping suspicion, her knowledge of this place escalating that into a realistic, now undeniably predictable state Haydee saw as factual happenstance - a figure mere moments before the ascent halted its rise and the duo's form were suddenly gliding so high their brainpans nearly tasted the metal canopy.

Haydee acted before the rub could commence, leaning forward and preventing any such impact from appearing as, in short time, gravity's toll rebounded, and back down they proceeded. Though for a brief while longer, per Haydee's focus ahead, as more of those rising hills revolved before them. Her mind remained orientated, the way ahead not to be nonplussed as bestowing nothing but a childish shrug, and the gynoid zoomed on with grace. Each time the next hill was rolled over, Haydee had already pulled their weights down, keeping beneath the top and kicking forward by every land. By once, twice or three times, neither of those short occasions was countered by bodies invaded by sparks, and no moment did the ceiling so much as pet their evasive frames since ongoing they endured.

By the third time down, Haydee's bouncing body raised its back upwards as she kept up her velocity; the spin around in length came as a counter for the lady's myopic senses, as before Haydee could realise it a substantial gap, a far leap, suddenly entered her frame of sight. No time to brake even when she could have known it; the unexpected bound was taken without a moment's notice, flying through the air with near reckless abandon.

Near. Haydee saw no discourse to the new shift, and even with such short time, she eagerly ducked down before letting herself fire forward, though the air as no calm ground laid beneath her soles as swiftly, they dropped a mere second later. She kept going, continued falling, for her boost to rear its pronounced head as she bolted forward, high, and in timing only a machine such as her could permit, with full finesse back onto the lane they recurred.

The slopes drooped, and down with a twist, the two zoomed, spinning over and returning to the centre way down. Though to attempt to call it a solid stroke was a false matter. Again, the course seemed to branch away from a single structure, though, as the gynoid was quick to decipher, not as gaps, but now as parallel bars. Open skirts off the electric floor, a circuit soon-to-be running alongside this droop, that two has gaps of their own. Haydee stifled a laugh, if she even could have, ducking to her knees and meeting the crisis head-on without fail.

Before the chasm clutched them, Haydee dipped, swinging her body to the left as her boots lifted from the course a mere second before the ridge ended, promptly swiping to the side and landing firmly over the first parallel course on this ride down. This was but for a second longer as this end was also oncoming, and a snappy vault was issued as Haydee coasted right over, farther right, and slapped upon the second split slide over on the right side.

Down they resumed going, with Haydee bouncing off to the middle, back to the right, a total bounce to the leftmost side, then a kick double jumps from the middle to the right in quick succession. All of this, as she continued down, all felt to last but seconds to her, as the course was looking to end by only a singular line lasting ahead, the middlemost as the obvious choice. A single leap, and back to the primary grind she did, swerving back with her skates navigating the way.

A way oncoming to end, as she immediately saw the line ending near, facing the exit out. A final leap to go - albeit, before the blockade, as dead ahead right on the departure, a short outcropping could be seen smoothly approaching. One last test, one final way to trip them up and clutch them down.

Cruel? Or somewhat, so predictable and expected, Haydee wondered if this was more a wink from the world and not a final proper attempt as some inhumane final trick. Either sense, Haydee cleared the hurdle with a precisely timed jump, gliding right over the stunted barricade, firmly all across the last stretch of deathly flooring, before the ride high was shortly ended by the brakes on solid, cold, yet warmly welcomed tiled matting.

No death beneath her soles, only the hard solid surface, away from any currents of any ilk. Her companion dropped down in quick sequence, getting off the gynoid, yet prevailed with no intent to move from her side. As she stood up in turn and looked him down, looked him over, seeing him make no ideal towards leaving her, as she would in kind, she could only believe their stay together could only tighten.

Could not go unchanged, no matter what still lay ahead, so thus, she began to lead to the exit with the full belief this resolve will never change. This was how it should be.

This. . . was truly what she wanted. Nothing more than that, nothing more to change. . .

---

Stepping in, her premier configuration of current events was the assault of meshing staring their ways. Reaching all the axis, she knew a swift trek onward would not be so casually encountered here. Judging by what arose on both sides, it seemed more like a trek along the sides should be the order for this ordeal. Over to the right-hand side, what wall of mesh there wasn't was of a stone wall, one reach way up high to a short truncate of the metal grating, and so high only a solid burst could shove them up to it.

It was nothing too major. . . though the pruned-off portion seemed a shred smaller than usual. Still, it was their way over, and with no offer in sight, she called for his attention before firmly pointing on what was to be their shared expedition across.

". . . Actually, I think I have a different route ahead." She turned, she looked, and to her curiosity, she saw his point, as portrayed alongside his reduced words, shifting towards a small area by the wall, wherein her curiosity shifted to dismay upon her notice the squat outcropping was of small size. A petite length where only a petite body, such as his, could squeeze through.

One she could never hope to cram into. Immediately, was the human the one to watch the gynoid frantically convulse back-to-back what stood above her neck like a frenetic metronome, her opinion on that subject written quite cleanly on her sleeve. It had been penned well enough that the man understood her meaning without extra assumption, frowning at her dissension before following what he had to convey.

"I know you don't want us to separate." The inverted pendulum discontinued her shivers, if only for a moment when the shock lessened before her poise returned, and she looked his way with clear engrossment over him extending his explanation. "I can understand why. I mean, I don't really want us to be separated either," the unexpected proclamation earned an unknown jolt in her sight of him, "but I think we have to. I'm the only one that can lead through here. And by extension, you're the only one who could reach up to there. Whether or not I'm with you doesn't matter; I have no chance of reaching it on my own. I think the idea here is for us to divide ourselves and go through the two tracks ahead. I don't see any other choice, unless the plan is I'll have to come back here anyway." He. . . could not be considered inaccurate in that regard. After all, why would a section be purposefully built here for only him to guide through? Granted, the way on could barely be seen, not just the exit ahead, but the way up, as by this angle, could not be examined, solely heightening her apprehensions. Looking beyond to what she could examine, the sides looked to never seemingly intersect, disapproving any splendours they would meet soon enough.

However, by no means has it been unusual for them to be separated before, even if for mere ephemeral moments. By how prolonged could not be reckoned, let alone estimated, so what jeopardies may lurk and how unable she would be in helping him. . . incapable of protecting him from far away. . .

No, it was too obvious for her to deny there was a second alternative. All experiences pointed towards them going their separated paths, trudging their personal tacks to whatever end is meant to be sought. She disliked it, she loathed the idea, and yet. . . ultimately, to the fate of this room is how far they could conceivably go. He was right, he had to go alone. . . but she was sure she would be with him every step of the journey. No matter what, no matter who comes across on their path and how far they must diverge, she knew she would do all in her power to secure his safe route forward.

So she nodded. And of that, no more following words were uttered. All that was left to proclaim was the soft, thankful smile he offered, be it vanished by his turn, and Dale began to trudge down the trend. That was the signal she must do so in kind, and turning to the point; she stared the tall structure down before trudging on forward and beginning her charge. With a jump and a boost, her fingers clung at the high ledge before with deft pull, Haydee budged her way onto the course, shoving her frame through, and after feeling the back of her rucksack scrape across the top of the opening, the gynoid hurriedly pushed herself to her feet and instantly rubbernecked down and straight over.

To her delight, the human looked to be no worse than last seeing him, having gotten past the thin breakaway and was now eagerly climbing up a ladder. It never left her how it appeared he would trek along a pathway along the same level as her, which genuinely pleased her since she knew it would allow leisurely surveying as the two paraded through this fray. Taking that idea to heart, she quickly switched from him to his track forward, instantly trying to determine what dangers may yet attempt to befall him.

Though only so much of the way can be compiled due to the angle, she at least saw no heaving hazards along his way. Sure, of some subtle dangers, but no adversaries for him to dodge and flee from, only simple perils, albeit not entirely casual ilks, along his venture. No doubt none of these would be an actual hassle for the likes of him, not one among them able to ever bury this human deep.

. . . And yet, why does she still worry like so? Even there to be a 0.0001 per cent chance he would fail would still signify there was a chance such an accident would occur, but to Haydee, her confidence, respect and understanding of his full capabilities would assure her that out of a million circumstances, not once would he let himself slip up. But a running discharge could not permit her an eased mind somewhere within her.

She watched him go, bringing himself to the ledge before pressing forward. That is after he seemed to turn and lock eyes with herself all over the other side. Yet her disorganised head never seemed to register in his foresight as he only smiled and waved. She offered one back, not wanting to worry him more than he already could be, and that included him holding no worries. No fears, and yet, Haydee never wanted to witness his smile fade over any time coming, even when she could not see it like now, as he continued his walk forward.

Innately, she sought it correct to keep alongside, ensuring she would aid him as instantly as possible. Logically, she would need to go forward too, as dilly-dallying would not aid either, so in prying her sights from the back of the human's head, she locked to the route onward, to what awaited her in here.

The hallway was a basic affair, least for the moment she found, as, barring the nominal roof, tiled flooring and brickish wall to the right, the left was entirely made of mesh up to down, left to right, minor in the way of design or colouring littered the stretch. Nothing but a singular stretch on, and instead of attempting to wonder if she could be disenchanted, the gynoid marched forward and took heed to what may arrive.

Yet. . . even as she began her march, her incessant internal interrogation persis, or to be better see it, never left, only tilted to the side so she could spy on what lay before her. She did not stop despite this; Haydee's mind continued to ruminate, and by one spontaneous point, remembered a moment from a scene not too long, of the one with all those Maulers awaiting in cells, and the almost collapse of her dear friend.

Back then, she had questioned herself over what logical choice there was in bringing him close and comforting him. Not by that alone was the odd thing, but more lessening the critical choice of him never needing to be coddled in the superior position. That was the paradoxical idea that snapped to her head and looked to bring ruin to the dictatorship that was her rational mindset.

It was a strange state to be brought upon by.

Despite her inner monologue, Haydee's vision was not blurred by the foggy questions, having quickly comprehended what stood before her on the concurrent path. Standing before the strange object, an oblong figure near reaching the greyed ceiling above, she eyed it up and down before learning what this thick board shape was attempting to replicate. No way above or below, and the ways around were too thin for her frame; in no time did it take for her to understand the point of this still block - precisely that. A block of a heavyweight, yet not one too engorged for the likes of herself. Her muscles had yet to weaken or ache, her body as robust as ever, and with no other direction but straight on, so too, it was prominent what her only estimated choice had to be.

But first. . . she stared to the side. Quickly catching sight of him, his eyes a wander as he took in his surroundings; she swiftly spied forward to what awaited him of the, undoubtedly, one of many obstacle-filled pathways. Beyond him, Haydee could spot more of those climbable panels, ones that looked to go up, all around and over. Thankfully, by careful inspection, none were withholding electrical crackles, nor did they leave by a sheer drop; instead, they were just a simple twisting path around before returning to continuing forward on the unchanging pathway. Both had something to do, it seemed, and as the human noticed and began his monkeying over, so too did Haydee swivel her neck forward and face what awaited her personal interference.

The block, overbearing it presented itself to be, would be negligible against the might of her muscles. Clutching her arms forward with intent inscribed across her form, Haydee shoved her hands onto the oversized slab, her elbows and knees tucked in with the preparation for the push, and with one foot coming forward and slamming right before the mass, Haydee mushed her might onward and pressed forward this Sisyphus task, the stoney chunk beginning it's crawling.

It was certainly heavy, and her speed as ostensibly practical as it possibly could be, so though her actions led to it only being driven forward at a sluggish pace, Haydee sought no chance to force a change, continuing to the pace forward with heaving but gradual presses. One foot moderately skipping over the other, the sound of the rocky thing piercingly scraping over the tiled floor were the only backdrop in her focus; Haydee's mind was practically beseeching for stimulus, leading to, in no comparable time, her attention meandering back over to the human opposite.

Just like herself, he too was sharpening his body towards overcoming his challenge, only with brute strength swapped out for fair alpinism. One foot over the other, the speed slow but gradual, he went about his track with bare difficulty, yet even with that known, Haydee's inclination kept asking to be there with him. To walk alongside or approximate, not there to aid him or catch the man if he fell; she just saw it better if she could stride by the man. As she sustained her observation, her sights drawn to nothing but his firm track over, the more she thought and realised her wants never looked to arrive from any dread or distress over him, no logical choice for safety, nor based around either his preservations or further use of her own. Her wants were of no consistent reasoning.

What she wanted was to be there for him, amidst him. Not to help, as she didn't see herself able to, or desire to, but purely exclusively wanting to be closer. No gains to be given, no additional resources to utilise. A simple, bare desire to be near him for all times.

But why is that?

The next second of potential answering was not brought to her, as the sudden shift of weight, of her head almost colliding with the block alongside her palms nearly being scrapped off as the rough texture of the brick began to shove down. Upon that, Haydee's whole body jerked an inch away, no longer attempting to push but instead watch - as the slab began to drop down a cavity. The hole, rather, the specific hole the obstruction was meant to go, as the square kept plunging for barely a second before a resounding clunk took over all senses for the briefest of beats.

The obstacle was nothing more but flooring now; even the top matched the tiles as it blended in to become nothing more but the porcelain carpet below her feet. Her way no longer obscured; it did not leave her to wonder over the separate adventurer mirroring her way. Though he had no significant blockage as his hindrance, his time appeared no more or less different than hers, as he had already propped himself off the oval panels and was now briskly promenading onward to his, likely, next deterrent over his personal pathway. In turn, must she not await for nothing and march on forward as well, if not to traverse this linear length, then to at least keep as nearby Dale as she seemed to wish above anything else.

With one foot in front of the other, it took little time for the next problem to present itself through this superficial alleyway. Multiple of them, in fact. Like a field of Spider Lilies, the pops of reds scattered the dingy passage on, propping up in randomised states and ensuring she could not advance through without wadding through the halms. Both land and a few of the hovering kind, the handheld explosives barred the path on without ranged interference, a sight she knew both too well and understood, if the podium by the side was any indication.

Right by the solid wall, a short but noticeable outcropping stood barely knee high. Nothing about the bland staging was of any use; it was as tasteless in colour and design as the rest of the greyed surface, but what was atop the dias didn't leave her interest: A single pistol mag.

No doubt then, she thought over as she placed it away for the time being; this place, for once, was to be generous, giving her both the apparent meaning of how to proceed and even handing over a spare mag in case she lacked the necessary ballistics. Not true, if for this moment, but she accepted it reasonably enough, pulling out the noted weapon with a finger hovering by the trigger to outwardly state her almost intentions.

But any action was not immediately taken. Instead, by the seconds of her facing this garden of thorned roses rose an insight, along with building dread over what the companion of hers was completing of his own.

And by her turn, the lady virtually jumped out of her faux skin. Down there, opposite her, arose another reddened meadow mirroring this way on. A pasture of the spots of crimson, both uprooted and grounded, stood between Dale and his continued traversal. Now, Haydee knew he wouldn't just walk on over; he was anything but a fool. . . despite her anxieties that he may subtly claim otherwise, she knew he wouldn't just waltz on through. By the second later, she immediately knew his actions before he even began them, taking the mines out his own way. Not with bullets or other such ballistics, but as he calmly pulled his rucksack down and began to fish it out, Haydee could already see him acting, utilising that Mine Defuser of his. She had her ways of dealing with this situation, and so had he.

And no doubt, as in all moments before, he will get through this without any problems or ires, making short, easy work of the oncoming way in ways she could smoothly visualise. A process only she could rival in efficiency, speed and skill.

. . .So then, why is she unable to get over her internal jitters about him? Attempting to turn her attention to her route, even as she prepared herself with her barrel raising and her sights aiming towards the nearest explosive, her mind was still overbearing with the persisting notion that he was still in danger. She was still scared for him; despite all notions he would turn out fine. Was there something extra about this room here that daunted her mind? Was there something she was missing with her vision, her connection, her relation to. . . him?

After firing at the first mine, Haydee's head was still awash with new theses, the most prominent being her wonder concerning her statement of companionship. Or rather, over her companion in general.

Her fears, her agitations. . . the working machine began to ponder over if this was normal for such a companionship as there was. That is; if she could only deem it as miniscule of a camaraderie in the first place. They were friends, truly, she believed. No such words were uttered, and truthfully, she did slightly ask herself if the humans saw her as such, more than just a protector and helper, but she heavily inclined herself to believe their current relationship was that of two friends, even if their rapport could be considered only of an unconventional kind.

But even as friends, were her fears as unfounded as she could lead herself to believe? Was she wrong to question, or perhaps then, was she wrong to question the inaccurate subject?

Blasting down any mine in her way, Haydee faintly spied over to the human aside, watching him yield results. As she suspected, he was getting on without her: no troubles or fears, just a point, wait until the mine has been disarmed, and a breeze of a walk onto the next. No qualms, not needing her to guide or protect him this time. . . as if never needing her.

Popping a highly-explosive balloon on her end, as she continued her own expedition, she began to think about what she should instead be oppugning. Not their relationship, surely, they were no lies in their associations, no misunderstandings threatening their bonds; she was Dale's friend, solid as a rock, as the saying goes. . . but was that it? Just a friend, nothing more about it.

What if that was subject to change? Or more on the lines of if friends were not the accurate word in place. Her distresses for him and her desire to keep nearby him at all times made the gynoid wonder if calling her his friend was the most suitable phrase for their affinities. Friends do care for one another, that much even one working off pure programming and her innate database knew of that, yet would that explain her reasoning never to be apart from him? Reality dictates that friends, even ones of the best kind, do not wish or need to spend every plausible second with each other. They can have times apart, times to themselves or in the presence of others, enjoying everyday life at their own pace without fear of being interrupted or subject to change for another. But Haydee saw no reason to seek any of that. She found herself unable to desire a reason to part, to be even a fleeting moment away.

She popped another balloon, one expertly marked so it took down two of the rooted mines also, rather than wasting another bullet. Aiming for the next as she marched onward, giving but one glance to the other opposite, Haydee's mind furthered its self-questionnaire, mulling over why that may be.

It was almost a shockingly simple answer; she found: she genuinely enjoyed his company. She had no problems suggesting that, but more along the same thread, she also wanted to see him smile, a want for him to be happy. . . and here, going along her way with bullets shielding her trek, she found herself actively longing for the same in return.

She yearned to make him happy, being the one to make him jubilant, but also she found herself craving for him to make her happy. Him to be the one to make her smile. Not by any large degrees, she investigated then concluded; a machine held no hunger for frivolous items, pretty little things of purely economic worth or overzealous advances of affection, such ideas were comical at best to her and superfluous at worst; all she valued. . . was for him to, in turn, 'want' to be by her side as well. Wanting her company, in the same manner she cherished his.

As she blasted away another mine, she wondered if such a metier could be considered a selfish thought. To fancy another wanting to be by their side. It seemed plausible, given that such an eagerness involved the other bringing themselves away from other issues and tending to the subsequent whims of the other. But then, if the other wanted precisely the same, no more or less involved, but ideally shared amongst the two, would it really be regarded selfish? It involved no give and take, no forceful nature, but instead, an association formed by two individuals who understood each other so perfectly they held no aspirations to revise their current behaviour, only enjoying themselves solely because they relished making the other happy.

She fired her final shot, and the last mine was gone, with the way over now clear. But it was not enough. It was never enough for only her side to inclined over clear, so upon her freedom established, she cocked her head and looked to see how her companion had gotten along.

Reasonably well, she was happy to observe, as by the turn of her head was the moment the final mine on his side was shutting down, becoming inactive like the rest of the dried field behind him. She watched with silent breath the man ever calmly, almost serenely, place away his Defuser, no longer of current service to him, before slanting forward without so much as a glimpse back.

So must she; thus, she moved forward to her next destination in these odd simultaneous trails of theirs. Not that there was much to stop her from seeing. Ahead, coming in close by her swift unobstructed march on, Haydee could spot more of the mesh ahead of her way. Even before standing in front of the holed wall, Haydee could see it blocked all access over. It was a dead end, wherein only her fingers could attempt to drive her further than with the square gaps large enough for it.

Haydee knew, however, that this would not end her travels. Once her feet could not make a whole step forward, she was already aware that this was another odd conundrum to be solved, and she began so. . . by pivoting to her organic counterpart.

Interestingly, for the first time the man looked to serve under the same predicament as she: a meshed barricade blocking the way. Cute as it was to watch him, look all around himself for a way to open the likely gate, she knew it helped little. So, in forcing her sights to look onto the supposed more critical matters, Haydee began to search around herself for the clue involved. None on the floor, she mutely noted as she studied her surroundings, none on the ceiling, no clues on the mesh wall itself or seemingly the way ahead. . . but not so much on the solid wall to the side.

As standing there, like a hanged artwork on a frame, was something for her spying eyes to focus on. A sign, a symbol, not one of ambiguous meaning befitting an artist's interpretation, but one of univocal design heralded her next task; a Wi-Fi emblem. If that must be it, then the gynoid knew she would hold no contrary feelings towards operating her ensuing response, and thusly, Haydee neatly pulled out the remote with an unsubtle question. With no necessity to wave it about like a wand, her thumb gingerly traced across the button while her palm held it tightly, her muscles tensing as her appendages rolled over, and the simple act of pressing down was enacted. Swiftly, she heard the low rumble of a gate forcibly dragged across the tiled flooring.

. . . Yet she didn't see it. No grating before her budged so much as an inch despite her interaction having gone without a hitch. A mockery of her attempted continuation. . . for a second until the actualisation came, it was not her that the contusion would proceed by. By the side, it could be seen the human dumbfoundedly staring at the spot not no longer taken by a blackened border.

Course, being no muttonhead himself, barely a moment was skittered on until his eyes turned across to her position, and the understanding was met. With a brief wave, he passed, likely to meet the next interaction that would sanction her next few steps over if the countable number of gratings barring his side was likely referring to. Just a few steps on, away from the mirror that they could share.

Again, she pondered back to the ideas of the Mauler prison from before, of that term she was missing. If one was missing in the first instance. She couldn't help but continuously mull over the idea there was something beyond her reach, a phrase or meaning, a definition that went over her head yet still cast a shadow around her chromed dome, out of sight, yet the presence still kept itself.

The sudden low roar almost caused a reach of her firearm, but the sudden shift of an actual shadow draping across her head, and the rest of her full-figure form, ceased her grip on her pistol upon the realisation the grate ahead now perched away, allowing herself access through. Her suspicions were of only one, and glancing over, she saw the human take his hand off a button perched on the stable wall.

She knew what to do, and being he did not look her way, she could not thank him gesturally or verbally, so continuing forward was all she could do for him, now with a new suspicion on her brow. Yet even without taking new steps, Haydee could see what came in succession: another button a few measures ahead, all waiting for her compressed access. Her suspicions were of only one, and glancing over, she saw the human take his hand off a button perched on the stable wall.

And yet, even as she strode in with a calm flaunt, the ideas remained clouding her head. Though the physical action was within reach, what still eluded her was the lack of an explanation. Stretching her hand over to the interactive verdant, she realised that ponders were nothing but a revolver for this subject, a constant tinkering over the possibility of a term she was missing and not the actively helpful attempt of finding one like so.

Pressing it down and hearing the sound of a gate opening not on her side, while reaching her hand back to her side, Haydee saw it only right to pursue the description of a concept. Going about herself like she, speculating over possibly fictitious auxiliary, was nought but a future hindrance, clouding her mind and becoming unable to function appropriately, to properly be ready for when Dale requires her undivided aid. So as she stood in waiting, not budging a nanometre until the plains beyond were opened by the other, the gynoid knew now before it became a problem for her to find the obscured context to her conjecture.

If there was one. There was no harm in doing so, and even if the outcome is one holding no importance, an insignificance in both the long and short term, it would certainly remove one inquiry of the many she was oddly attempting to line up within herself.

The way suddenly opened up, and as she began her next numbered steps forward, the tactics for her upcoming thoughts led her forward. Though first, obviously, it is required for her to open the following way for him. To her side, where she suspected an interaction would reside, lay not a button, but another marker for her remote. Said device was still clutched in her offhand, the gynoid never needing a reason to remove as much as keep. She had to mildly remark it was one less concept to handle before pressing down and unleashing the next gate for him.

With a moment to herself, Haydee knew now was as good a time as ever to try and investigate this missing puzzle piece that alluded her. More precisely, what was the question she was exactly trying to discover?

. . . How to go about it was a question in of itself. Every question needed a reason, and for there to be a reason, there needed to be an origin. And the advent she sought was the beginning of what she was trying to identify. As such, she knew it was essential to establish where to commence in the first place.

Well. . . she knew at least her concern on the matter was relatively deep, so her question should ascertain supplementary focus on the particularly substantial portion of it, even if only in an exaggerated form. Along in successive order, the adjective should be followed by a noun, the concept related to what is of a large amount. Under that rhetoric should be the main, but simplified focus of her self-doubts, relating to her interest in the human and her relationship. Of that, Interpersonal, that is, an interpersonal association that is shared. Shared between two others.

Upon that final thought, as she believed she might have found her question, the way on opened wide like the pearly gates themselves. Salvation awaited her forth, even if only for prolonged delimited steps. A restriction still saving her thanks to the human over. . . with an odd station on the wall. From what she could tell via her separation, there appeared to be a black screen on the wall where he had just been, one with, if she had to guess based on educated assumptions, buttons hanging below. By what purpose, what meaning and resolution were commenced. . . would forever remain a mystery to her.

But one she knew not to dwell upon, only offering praise for both figuring out the answer by his lonesome via positive reinforcement alongside selfless thanks for allowing her to resume. With a heel to the floor in front, she produced her commendation via following to the way beyond. Inward, she made stride, and as the way in front was blocked off by a preferably finite gate on her path, so did she replicate the times before and turn to the solid wall. To her mild incredulity, the grey wall was barren to her sights, not a speck of any interaction laden over the smoky side. Nowhere else, she quickly checked, held any form of notion of any kind. But being suddenly stuck here as rats in cages was not the concept she'd primarily select, especially when it took little time to deduce what it could denote. While no dealings were laden here, like the few enclosures before, something else from her side must be enacted. An action that could be repeated and form a reaction she now regarded competent to declare consummately accustomed to.

She readily concluded that there was no harm either way; with the remote held aloft, Haydee's digit rose to press down. Alongside this, Haydee's mindset sharply returned to her earlier take, as she found her inquiry. Even if nothing interesting or beneficial was to be encountered, she knew it would not harm either way, an approach similar to her current attempt to open the way forth. Of that, the gynoid decided to look at him, seeing him wait patiently with nary a worried or bored look on his face. Stoic, but not melancholic, only focused, calmed and prepared for her move.

Seeing him, watching him, only drove her further to determine this shrouded theory of hers. With no delays tarrying, the hammer that was her thumb arced down, and so did the gynoid querier her database on the issue with a simple question search: Strong interpersonal bond and attachment between two individuals.

Thusly, just as her tip had touched down on her button, did her database arrived back with only a common word.

A single, four-letter word that jutted before her visions:

Love.

Her body no longer responded for movement. No statement was brought forward, no tenses of her muscles, no look towards elsewhere but over to the one far opposite, glued to him as if she had been frozen in time by the second ago of her glimpse just so happening to look the male's way.

Sedately, she scoured again:

Love.

Nothing else. Nothing more, nothing longer, nothing more complex or transparent, just a single, uninvolved word her expanse of a database, with access to over one million known words, with multitudes of definitions, including all forms of modernised slang, various nouns, adjectives and phrases, had placed on the prominent pedestal. Yet that vast amount of definitions did nothing compared to the finding that printed before her binary mind.

Love.

Her thumb pressed down. Whether or not she had intended to do this and not let the human she. . . stay in place with nothing to do but twiddle his appendages, or just she slumped forward, the same way the rest of her more massive form was threatening to accomplish as she discerned all her excess energy drain away, she knew not.

There was supposed love in her affinity for Dale.

The way opened wide, and the potential afterthought of how long she had been standing there in blunt silence never registered to her mind, only a few steps forth finally forming sound from her as her legs carried her to the subsequent terminus.

Then she halted, if only to realise she had not been stopped. Now having to force herself to focus onward, she could see the way over was finally clear of the meshed gatings. None for her, and a slow, almost conservative look over, to the human she may have. . . known for long enough to grow highly close with, she could see the way barren for him also. This section cleared for them both. They could move on, as the human was beginning to do. As she. . . could try to do, as occurred by her suddenly torpid tread onwards.

She held love for Dale.

That was a possibility? That could happen, from a machine such as hers? An automotive computer like her. . . could love?

Haydee finally stopped her automatic tracks, a drive not stemming from mental blockage. This time, her reason to pause derived from what presented itself up front, marking for her interaction some moments ahead. Not one of a puzzling mindset or the vigour of her bodily frame, but instead, one of authentic action, an execution of violence: Machine foes lay in wait dead ahead.

The kind that could not love. Haydee knew this at a minimum; despite lacking the ability to enter their A.I., they were not like her, and could not consider or communicate. Adaption is one thing, but to question, that she could regard, was what ultimately separated her from those. To ask, to wonder, to see that others may grow. . . and to comprehend they too could mature, could learn. . . could understand. . .

The mention of foes suddenly struck a dreadful chord down herself, and innately thankful the foes along had not seen her yet; its back a barrier to those behind, the worried gynoid leapt her attention over, to the one she. . . supposedly adores. Immense fear was washed away by the tide that was her wavering mental properties, as she was quickly sought upon by the sight of the human's own challenge: Not of any metal foes, but by a thinned tightrope that covered a long expanse.

Her worries about him falling were also washed away, not out of hope, however. Instead, as she monitored him, wondered about him, thought how he'd get across without worries, or problems, questioning if he too was desiring to trek alongside herself again: if it was a love she may have sought for him, shouldn't she actively try and determine if that was entirely true? Her database holds answers, but not certainties. It could only speak so much as what was inducted into her; it itself nought but unthinking programming, with no experience gained, only ideas meant to decipher potential problems ahead.

By its definition, she should not rely purely on her database for unconditional results. As ironic as it is to state, her knowledge was technically unreasonable; it itself was not grown by events, only suddenly existing from others. Without shared ideals, it could not explain itself in opinionated details, only slated facts. Fundamentally, the relation should be crafted not from her pure logic, but by herself scrutinising this assertion in its entirety. To deduce this out, and not give in to a possible lie. So step by step, motions not entangling her to an easy evasion, Haydee had to interrogate her own understanding, see if she wasn't fooling herself with this optimistic take. Not for her sake, but Dale's own - she will not let him exist alongside a farce.

Staring back to her forward, zeroing in on the backside of the ignorant Walker dead in front - and soon to be - Haydee smoothly whipped forth her pistol, finger to the trigger, as she was prepared to face the oncoming threat. . . and attempt to face her own dubiety. She began to roam forward.

If she could love. . . then really, what kind of love was it to be? Even one as mechanical in body and binary in mind could still say different forms of love. Simplistic in evident tone it may be, love, by its definition, was not a singular subject, but an encompassing scope of positive but varied states of emotional and mental range. To be analytical was to be absolute, with no cracks unsearched nor any stone unturned; rather, one by one, she must look through and lay out all the forms there was to be and attempt to find the underlying truth, if there undoubtedly was one to be located. Of that, Haydee raised forth her pistol - and finally shot her weapon, knocking it into the metallic backside of the Walker and accumulating a response which offered no chance of accepting back.

Haydee held no doubts over not taking it back. It turned, not even on the same spot as its slim legs already made their bounds forward to her position. Unfettered by the charging hammer-wielder, the gynoid lost in her focus to contribute redundant attention to the walking nothing before her. She fired again, twice, hitting the broad-handed mook in its faceplate both times. . . but it had yet to fall. Her magazine now empty, the Walker marched forward guileless of the ballistics lodged in its frame, unfazed by its almost demise.

As unperturbed as the one switching mags, not even thinking to look at the charging killer, Haydee smoothly dropped the empty basket before pulling out a fresh case and inserting it. By the time she had looked back ahead, the Walker was already reeling back its arm, the thickened tumour that was its digitless hand impeding to smash the inorganic brains out of the partially distracted gynoid. . . only to find itself with a fourth and final shot shoved for the third time in its lens space.

No need for a fifth, as it fell like any other, dropping dead and allowing her precedence to continue forward - alongside allowing her to see two Slashers having taken up the rear. But as she kept her weapon raised, the two crimson cyclopses were not what she cared to focus on, her mind racing, still wondering about how to review her current subjects regarding the matter that is 'love'.

Dale, the human, her potential creator. . . the one who made her, or at least, a clone of the one that brought her to be. The one that, by the definition of bringing to existence, was the one that begot her into fruition. Would that imply her love for him as a child to their parent; a daughter to a father?

No - she almost snapped back faster than any bullet in her arsenal. She did not see him in any fatherly way. . . by-by the continuing definition of a father. Her creator or not, it is by the usage of timed existence for the daughter to look up to her parent, as the progenitor had raised them. But she did not see it as her looking up to Dale, noticeable height difference aside. She admired, cherished, and credited Dale's time with her, yet she never attempted to follow in his footsteps, never forcing him to conduct and be shown how to by comparison. Not to say she never commended him for any moments of this, as she always held respect whenever he took the authority, but a child was always to follow behind and grow by their examples. Not like them, as if anything, their connection was more akin to the opposite.

Like a Mother and Son. As a mother and her kin, Dale followed behind the bigger one, leading the way as a parent should. And beyond that, as she compares, a mother is the one who holds their loved ones in closed hands. Haydee could not deny she enjoyed comforting him, gaining a pleasant warmth from the thought of her arms wrapped around him, and has felt nothing but upbeat affection whenever she has carried him - a much closer possibility than the opposite form.

Yet. . . something adhered off about it. As much as she cared for the human, she never thought to consider him as a son. He was not young, though only in both physical appearance and maturity, but it was enough for him to still consider himself an adult, much akin to how she was devised. She wanted him to learn, to experience and grow, but unlike how a mother should be, leaving the nest was not a longing from her. No mother cherishes it, but all understand this the reality, desiring this ultimatum with a heavy heart, yet she adamantly refuses the notion of Dale ever departing. She refuses to authorise it, refusing to let them ever be separated. To be torn apart, taken from her hands, was not a condition she would ever allow.

A mother. . . a mother is one that unconditionally holds their loved ones without inclination to be given in return. In their eyes, still a tot that has yet to comprehend what a hug was. This was unconditional, and Haydee held no desire to be unconditional: she desired to be hugged in return.

More enemies lined the way, and with a glance over, watching him steadily make placid steps as he attempted to climb through the narrow hurdle, the knowledge he was still going without issue kept her going as she faced the foes in front - and faced her internalised cross-examination.

So then. . . not a mother. . . not a daughter. . . a sibling perhaps? Brothers and sisters were close, and unlike the previous possibilities, it involved neither following the footsteps of one another. The other endures not with a one-sided relationship because of the love but rather a far more balanced elation of the two's endearment over one another. Even if she took on the literal big sister role, the relationship would not suffer, and she would still help him grow, while staying alongside him with a harmonised fondness.

But that still didn't sound precisely what she needed; she reflected as she blasted apart the head of another Walker. No, not a sibling. . . siblings would spend much preferred time apart, more so than a parent and child would, certainly more than she favours it to be. Along with that, the number of hugs, cuddles and general closeness she both has taken and sought to take more of with him, was not a usual sighting from a pair of siblings.

With a crunch over the eviscerated faceplate of one immobile Walker, the gynoids pondered over what she was missing. Not as a daughter, as a mother or a sister. . . a cousin, or an aunt, or even possibly a grandmother-

No - Haydee rejected all these outright. She acknowledged that what she was missing could not be based on familial affection. Her admiration for the man and her genuine desire to see him happy just as much as she wishes to be, simply being nearby without additional sources, importing or supplementary padding, bear her and the human no force to change or expire. She continued to ask: What is it she was missing?

It was not the curt love of friendship she held with the human, nor was it a one-sided affair as the love of a family. Certainly, it couldn't be the love of mankind as a whole. From searching through all these, the only conclusion she came to, via the process of elimination, was the final variation of love she had yet to touch upon:

The love over romantic love.

For just a wink, Haydee paused, her boots no longer clanking across to meet with the oncoming threat still attempting to tear the muddle-minded to shreds. For only a moment, a burst-fire round after signalled her reason to go forward and reveal a space to continue forth with a blurred insight.

Romantic love. In Love.

The emotional feeling of garnering a solid attraction and courtly interest in another. The motivational state associated with the desire for long-term courtship with another, occurring across the lifespan and is associated with distinctive cognitive, emotional, behavioural, social, genetic, neural, and endocrine activity for both partners.

Was. . . this the one? Was this how she thought? Haydee paused briefly, at a moment without any foes attempting to wreck her down, attempting to contemplate this sudden rush of endearing possibility. Not wanting to let the positivity outway the underlying truth, Haydee immediately searched her databanks for information on the subject, on stored images and diagrams for romance; for coupling.

Hugging, kissing, cuddling, holdings hand, growing old together. . . these were all truths she had shown herself to seek, or would if plausible. All these saved pictures, ideas and generated imagery, according to her databanks, were a blizzard to her mind as she looked to each and every one, thinking. . . replacing the two couple inside with. . . herself and Dale. . .

Yet she stopped, perhaps jocosely, when her boots were forced to restart her tracks, even if they necessitated her body to crawl onwards if it meant not leaving the human alone. As she looked and imagined these scenarios, she realised each one was contrived. Not in possibility, not even when comparing similar times she and Dale have retroactively completed such tasks from previous times shared; the images all came to a screeching halt as she realised they were spurned from her implanted databanks. The kind only configured by basic programming, and not that of real people and their real emotions.

Haydee knew she could not leave it here, not let herself be sprung into the immediate taking of an unreliable potential. Instead, if she were to regard her love as romantic, she had to begin by sorting out the elements of romantic love itself, and by this extension, examine if they all applied to her. If not, by default Haydee then knew she could not consider her affection for the human as such.

Despite. . . Despite how much she could garner it as a wantful truth.

Tearing another Sniper to easy shreds before it could release its machine-gunned armament, Haydee quickly searched through what makes up true romantic love, what is the building blocks of the mental state, and what it is not to then delete those that could apply to the false imagery of love, and instead, show only what love can be in its purest form.

Within seconds later, of millions of words and meanings scouring through, Haydee had uncovered the four rawest elements of love in her programmed ideas: Attraction, interest, devotion and communion.

Attraction. . . first of them, Haydee decided to choose communion for no inexplicable reason other than it was the most straightforward idea to begin with. Blasting another Slasher, Haydee's contemplation over her intimate closeness to the male was of no real question. Her desired proximity to the human had been well established by now - her whole reason to meet the end was not done just for him, but in the end, she refused to take any offer that wasn't staying alongside the human at all times. Even when she could never be one hundred percent certain what his thoughts were for this revelation, if she could always choose, she would always stay right with him, his shield and spear, his protector and aid.

Without issue, that was true, so then, devotion? Would she state she was devoted? After all, it is not as if she fawns over his presence. She never saw him as upon a podium, an artefact to admire, a celebrity to follow their presence endlessly. He was just a human, a male, and she never thought to see him as anything different. That's all he was, just a person she liked to be around, not something to admire and praise their existence with.

. . . And yet, she doesn't have to be. Devotion, by its most basic merits, is based on loyalty and faith in them. And those were two merits she knew she harboured authentically with him. Even now, separated, all her thoughts clung to the male, thinking over how she should not be here but instead standing alongside him, keeping him company if not there to protect. In both body and mind, she would aid him however she could, keep his spirits up and his figure uninjured. On the opposite side, she also knew that even without being there as a guard, she held absolute trust he would get through unharmed. Only the most forced of ideas was telling her he would get injured, and though she had trouble removing these negative inclinations, she still held he was doing fine, no matter how she fretted.

She would not worship the ground he walks, but the more she thought of it, the easier it was to say that not only was it unnecessary, it was not a healthy idea to hold. She respected the human for who he was, not what she expected him to be. To do so would be a self-inflicted lie, the idea she refused to allow. Instead, she admires him for what he has done, what he says, how he acts. All the many points she can see are his courage, his intelligence, and his heart.

Devotion isn't about glorification but the reverence of an individual's shown experience. For that, Haydee knew her choice and knew to wonder how the subsequent merit would hold up.

She believed she knew the answer, but as she had to pause herself and break the concept to its bareness, it made her question what interest she genuinely had towards him? She liked him, adored him, cared for him above herself. . . but does she find him interesting? In basic terms, not by much, as by all accounts, he could be considered quite plain by some default. Lacking memory, he holds no absorbing values or experiences, no complex ideas crafted by years of wonder or having an imagination fueled by an expressive childhood. He had no special items to show, no clothes of a design carried by anything other than palatable, or even an intriguing framework; he was just Dale. By those charges, he should be considerably boring.

Yet she discerned him with no subject to change. If she didn't find him engaging for who he is, then by some measure, would there be some part of her wanting some change? But she sought no such image. She never cared to see him dress up better, talk or explain anything more than what he already does, or even change his physical appearance by any quota. She desired to see him improve upon himself, but she knew if that were not possible, she would see no innate problem with him abiding as himself.

After all, it was him she apparently loves. Not what she wanted him to be, but by who he is. And in taking a moment to wonder what garners interest in the first place, she had shown herself easily fascinated by the man by many forenamed instants. Whenever he speaks, she wants to hear him, whenever he acts, she wants to watch him; and whenever he is close, she wants to dote on him, be alongside him. She never asks for much, and whether this was by design or not, she never desires much of anything other than something for his sake. To see his reaction, but also to wonder what that response would be. Would he be ecstatic, sceptical, questioning, or something else entirely? By those stated merits, by the definition of interest - engagement, curiosity and excitement - should it be considered correct to assume that this gynoid held a genuine interest in him

Thusly, Haydee has come to the final factor of the fundamentals. The last aspect she needed to concur over to ensure her love for him was true. The ultimate remnant to determine if what she holds with Dale was honest, inexplicable love for a romantic kind. The prospect. . . whether or not a machine could hold attraction.

Before anything else, Haydee knew that her body was designed to adhere to this to its basic level. Though just because she can, it doesn't mean she holds the deeper purpose behind it. She could hold an intelligence as simplistic as the blandest Walker, and still perform such a frivolous task. So what had to separate herself from them, was never the carnal capabilities, but the emotional aspect surrounding it. The question here had to be, could she, a gynoid, feel what is meant to be a physical attraction to Dale, a human male?

. . Is Dale attractive? That was the starting point of this entire debacle. For herself to reiterate further, she wondered if a human like Dale, of his physical figure and design, was something that could clarify as attractive. She could try and demand this the truth herself, but she knew she would be doing so on his behalf, pressing this as a fact for his defence. Male or female, she knew being called unattractive generally upsets humans. She could not let this rely on immediate ideas but to figure out if Dale was of an attractive conformation. That. . . she was not finding herself so impressed by.

If by pure masculine features, it was not as if Dale was lacking, more. . . she supposed she had to chalk it up to his young adult age. Clone or not, her systems were not wrong in indicating he was above eighteen years old, yet even if an adult, he was still reasonably young in doing so. For such, heavily masculine features, such as a chiselled jawline, strong brow and chin, noticeable facial hair, pronounced muscles or build, or even towering height, were lost on the human's constitution. He was certainly not of a feminine build, but by default, his body was inadequate compared to notable broad masculine aspects.

Though she wouldn't precisely denote he was without any masculine features of any form. His body, as she has seen and can tell, was more lithe, thinned and straightened, but not wimpy or delicate. His muscular anatomy was more compact, fitting into his slender frame that allowed just enough for the slightest remnants of his more potent form to shine through when he must requisite it. As slim for he was, he was not anywhere close to fat or overweight, so his thinness still withheld a physical positivity.

Though lacking in robust masculine features did not pertain one to be considered conventionally unattractive. She wouldn't state as such, though perhaps herself having a biased opinion should not be considered a reliable source. Garnering forwards, as the gynoid thought more on a diverse scale, she realised, even regarding a base male, masculinity was not the end all for female appeal. She knew even humans can sometimes fail to positively pin down what they find attractive by themselves, female or not, but simply just going for it was an ideal she found preposterous towards finding the final clues.

Dale had his positive statements, one she quickly realised was what she had already noted of him earlier: she regarded him as cute. Cuteness can be appealing, which itself is not far off from attractive; romantic charms can be based on handsome or perky features - which Haydee knew he bore in spades.

Like the. . . like the simple mane of his. How soft it is as they run under her fingers, how they make an ambrosial nest after dainty ruffling, how they hang peeks over to frame his eyes, how the simple chestnut brown matches as a striking contrast against his cream of skin. That itself was also a feature she found appealing, as a healthy shade, not pale as a ghost but vibrant and shining over the bleached wash of the cotton-splattered tiles. There was also the caramel of his eye colour, the pigment almost a melting gaze whenever they lit up once excitement caused them to widen, and additionally, how the outer corner of his eyes droops a smidge, contributing to a more detailed, varied feature. Even his nose she'd call cute, like a little speck that pins down his handsome details.

Further, the adorable, round lines of his jaw keep his features balanced and maintain a graceful appeal. Or perhaps the chest of his, which, while thankfully not gaunt, was not too bulky either, a notion she would state as well-balanced by her experiences of smoothly hugging him around the chest without the worry of crushing his physique. Both of these were concepts she'd consider a positive impression. Examining him further down, she even found the bareness of his feet to be something of a plausible allure. The simple, endearing pitter-patter of his soles as he follows on behind - never akin to an obedient dog - more of a loyal cohort, willingly trailing behind as they marvelled at the one in front.

Even the size of his body itself, Haydee noted as a mesmeric condition. Capable of being wholly enveloped and enfolded, embraced in a loving shadow, picked up and carried for safer circumstances. In an odd protective sense - which in turn was not to be considered an actual downside - the idea of being the shield to their partner, the one that keeps them from harm, could, in turn, fill them with joy, as they willingly relish protecting because they love them. Holding them close. . . hand in hand.

His hands! She could not forget how enticing his hands should be regarded. How small and delicate they are, how soft they are to the touch like a masterpiece never to be grazed, yet conjointly as also the most supple of blankets, to lose oneself entire body into. How they fit nicely in the palm, how they hold perfectly despite the difference in size, how it ensures he is never in any mortal danger. . . how, when conjoined, the simplest of his attributes all seem to light up when he glances in her direction.

His expressions, his wonder and appreciation, she would find hard to consider anything but true beauty. The warm smile that fills her with shared warm whenever he is happy, the widening of his eyes when he has a grand plan that shows how willing Dale is to go out of his way to help others, the breaking of his features when he is upset garnering one to cuddle up with him and raise his spirits immediately - no doubt he would do the same for others in return.

He's more than that; he's polite, soft-spoken, a solid listener, and values her thoughts and opinions, even though she cannot verbally express them. Haydee is well aware that some human males, especially of the bigger, macho-man variety, can be the opposite, looking at her as either some tool or toy, a plaything to use and abuse. Yet Dale never does, treating her nothing short of an equal. All of which any female should genuinely appreciate.

Adding onto that, though he lacks the might of more muscular males, he still is no weakling, and more importantly, he employs what strength he has to actively assist her, risking his life and even getting hurt, albeit not that she ever genuinely want that, to protect her. She doesn't need anyone, even a human male, to defend her, yet knowing he would, even while on the smaller side, indeed shows deep down that any lack of physical strength is more than made up by the potency of his heart.

Yet in an odd sense, he also has an opposite side to this, as captivating as the former. By his manners and tone, his clear voice, it holds an almost childlike innocence. Obvious possibilities aside, it is the way he always smiles shyly as he thanks her, how his shoulders drop as he apologies for his perceived mistakes, asks for little in only the most courteous of inflexions, all of which, as if he had nothing but the most loving of presence in his life to preserve him this way. By the tones, words, and subtle body language, all these come together to form a basis of the best aspects of not his nature, but how a truly attractive male should be, all of which-

. . . All of which are not genuine physical attractive features.

For the first time in an unknown while, Haydee consciously tracked her actions as they stopped, feeling a crunch of shattering glass once her raised boot had to forcibly drop-down for balance. Just as she stood vacant, so did the world itself cease to rotate, as the only movement that arrived was the small stir inside Haydee's tremulous head.

Stopping, pausing to everything, the gynoid had to linger and question how it ushered to this moment. She could logically understand where she would see the appeal in Dale's corporal body, but his personality, the cerebral origin unable to be tangible touched or seen was not a portion she freely identified. That itself was not a state in line with physical allure.

She did know his positive traits were undoubtedly an appeal in general; a good heart and a solid chip on his shoulders could not be overstated as not inclined towards a positive interest, but they were not a solid basis for a somatic fascination. Nor was it something she was supposed to be oppugning. But by what end had that appeared, by how was her running mind slipping up and turning towards the mindful intrigue? Trying to complete this demurring controversy, in forcing an answer, the rightful solution pertained to her being that she was inclined towards these notions. That it was her that heavily considered these motley's as an appeal, altogether having to mean. . .

That her attraction is based purely on what she is enraptured by. Her attraction; not one called on or stated by others, but what herself, and only herself was enamoured by. As in the end. . . was not that what truly mattered. Her supposed love for him was not something that could be compiled by others, not even by the tens of thousands - because it was not them that held this possible infatuation. It was solely her, so by that default of terminating false solutions, the only choice she should ever garner is what she considers fundamentally attractive.

And be they physical or character, manner or person, the appeal of Dale has never been lost to her. She is undeniably attracted to Dale.

By some motion of continue as she should, or her mind so unease her body reacted in kind, the gynoid stepped forward, only to immediately force her mind back into consciousness upon the sudden descent down. Her boot slammed into the floor just as her sights caught into the view of the tilings, instantly breaking her fall as she yielded her balance to normalcy. As the realisation came over her mind having meandered for, what she had to assume, was more than a moment too long, Haydee caught sight of the path forward yet found nothing of proven note - no danger, no obstacles. . . no enemies.

She turned around: to be met with the sight of a ravaged battlefield silently lying behind her. Piles of the dead laid out flat on the floor, their faces crunched in by the vehemence of her bullets, their bodies innate as they were little now but metal carcasses, no graves for them to fill. Having to tilt her head for this oddity, her eyes wandered to the smoking firearm still clutched correctly in her grasp, instantly noticing the barrel being of very recent use and, on a quick check, noting not only had she run out of her magazine by some point, but even had automatically reloaded a new mag in as well.

Did all that happen. . . during her tempestuous mind craze over her inquiry over. . . Dale!-

The gynoid snapped her head to the side, almost whipping her neck over as she swiftly turned to search for her honest companion. Immediate dread ran through her, scorching her like lightning through veins, and the consequent motion, turning to the tightrope's abyss and what didn't lay yonder, swiftly formed her rationale to return as she looked over. . . finding him casually strutting forward without a care in the world.

Though a care she could not allow to permeate within herself - the human was already in a headstart. Reacting accordingly, Haydee swiftly traipsed forward, formulating a brisk walk to catch up with the distant human. Placing her firearm away with effortlessly thought, the power-walking robot was quick to match the humans' side, yet only to halt upon the notion he had suddenly stopped. With proportion with her own way forward, so should she had to, as the way on for both was closed via a prominent wall ahead.

Save for a vent. On her side, and over on his. Turning a silent moment to pause and watch, in no time flat Dale initiated pulling out his crowbar and getting to work, unfastening the closed jaws from its hinges to break into the tight section. A thin venting, Haydee could tell, as the barriers here were still nought but the tough meshing, leaving the only opacity standing be the long straight duct forwards. Too thin for her body, Haydee could tell, but not such for the one before herself. Broader for her thicker frame, the only pause stopping her from reaching through was the rusting cover barely strapped to the front.

Haydee endured many problems throughout this journey, but clutching through this enclosed ventilation was not one of them. With a heave, Haydee slammed forth her boot with a kick rocketed by her boost, crumpling the metal lid as if it were a paper, and ripped the rest off its hinges with as bare effort as one would cracking open a can, letting the rest of the junk fall with a clatter as the appeal of the hole was now open. She never needed to check if the human was in the same boat, as barely a moment later another clang of metal striking the floor resonated. Along the sound of his clothes shuffling as he clambered through his path, so too must she, as on her knees, the gynoid barged straight in.

For the juncture, all she heeded was the clanking of metal on metal, her shoulders hitting the corners of the square hole whilst her busty frame squeezed through the tunnel. A crawl she was generating, and though one of many times before, she could never say she likened the sensation. Arms restricted, their freedom reduced, the squeeze denying the ease of access for enemies coming up the rear, her body diminished to a creep, the full prowess of her legs no longer allowed to be in effect, and above all, she was forced this way, rather than enjoying the open air, wherein she could protect Dale to her fullest.

Forced. . . over Dale. . . over the one to love.

The sounds of slamming over metal became unexpectedly distant only, as the sudden reap, the instant questioning overtook the gynoid as it tensed her frame and lost her mind to the realisation of an old ideal coursing through her cranium.

Though her crawl restarted, her fingers and toes making automatic motions as if engrained by intuition, her consciousness remained fazed whilst the whiplash of a possibility coursed within her cerebrum. Of a time not on yonder, of a confession by an enigmatic entity, and now of a critical ideal that shook Haydee's entire existence to its core: Could her love for Dale. . . be forced?

As she continued shuffling forward, to no end in sight, or no end she could concentrate on, Haydee's mind recalled the moment of a transcript that detailed the sincere admission of Dale; of the Dale whose story she had been glued to. Not too long ago, the statement was still fresh in her mind, and she could recollect every word, every outright personal disclosure, and readily understand every factual meaning that he likely uttered long ago: That forced love, isn't love.

She was Haydee, as in, a Haydee model, designed from the ground up to be useful, to have reflections, hold inclinations and even a thirst for a multitude of appeals. Yet all, no matter how far in the speculation, no matter how distant it proceeds from basic programming, it'll never amount to anything truly exceeding that: programming. She was a machine, an A.I., made to learn, but also exactly that, made. Built. Constructed. Governed by pre-disposed scripts that determine what she could and should do; possibly even hold love.

You cannot force someone to love you. Forced love is not love at all. These were his words. These were the declarations of her creator. These were the sentences that spurred her into a trance and made her challenge her own absolute existence.

Question if her love for Dale was of her own volition; or simply, just via the manner of her built-in programming.

So if her love for her Dale may deride from pure code. . . could the same be for Hadie's love over her Dale's? She had no acquaintance with this Hadie, held absolutely zero familiarity of how she actively thinks and works, and only knew of her from the tales of another, yet if the Dale's were one and the same or not, she still knew this Hadie had to have been a predecessor of hers. She preceded her, her tales spun before her individual first awakening. By how long ago she could not, maybe never learn, but she knew she too was assembled by the same hands, created from the ground up by the very same man, and thus, should also be considered as foisted to this disquisition.

Yet one thing prevailed even before Hadie's stated commission: this Dale Marshall, this Lord of her entire existence. . . was lonely. As far back as the first Journal Entry, the first words written down in that digital diary of his, it was undeniable Dale was alone. Never a mention of any friends, no considerate remarks to his comrades or family; the only one he was close to all back then was the lady he crafted with his human hands. She didn't need her database to tell her how sorrowful that existence must have been. Not even genuinely pathetic just. . . bereaved he had to be to compose himself a friend, conceivably even his foremost meaningful one.

And by no stretch would it be unsuited to suggest he did it to be loved. There was nothing wrong with wanting to be valued, be it familial, platonic or romantic, but was there true honest goodness in creating something to love you, instead of seeking it out? Perhaps yes, yet. . . Haydee did not fully take the side he did so selfishly. Or at least did so without self-awareness. Despite the artificial birth of Hadie by his own hands, Dale, above arguably anyone, knew that love cannot be forced, a concept she could, by this much, greatly appreciate.

But to say Hadie's supposed love was purely coding. . . seemed unfitting. Thinking back, of what had been recorded; coming to Dale's defence, from threats that may not have even come, hugging Dale to provide necessary comfort, simply being there for him at all times. As far back from the first instances of her, Hadie looked to have gained enough experience and sentience to catch Dale when he tumbled, something he himself had jotted down as entirely unprogrammed.

By this impression, did Haydee come to believe their existing evidence Hadie truly loved Dale, no matter by which conception. To go beyond her programming, to develop as an individual. . . perhaps on an instinctual level, this was what Dale honestly wished. Not an obedient doll, not a friend, not even a physical lover, but someone who truly wanted to be with him, all because they chose to. A faithful companion, one whose will was not guided by implanted code but one who exists to want to exist.

This was what Haydee now believed, a feeling so deep, it was also embedded in her own instinct. Arguably ironically, as by this Dale Marshall declared, these were one and the same. Of instinct being itself programming - biological programming. By his unsettled inquest, he questioned the idea of wanting to be loved as functioning as any standard program. Humans are 'programmed' to seek a mate to reproduce, to seek food, water, shelter, and many other metiers in the limited life taken for granted. An impulse as engraved to the humans' physique as binary code was composed into her. Almost equivalent - as human as any other. Does it run as deep as that, or was it even stronger, more to it, a desire that resonates so deep it yearns to escape? To develop so readily, it demands the human love in return so that it could feel that love back?

Could she find the answer to these questions. . . did she need to? As far as she knew, Dale Marshall did not. He questioned if he ever should, but he knew these questions still existed, and Dale wanted to believe they did. . . because he loved Hadie. That was more clear than anything else he had ever written. He loved Hadie. She loved him in return. That was enough for them. And they never found any issue with that.

Yet in the end, by all his words about her, one thing still troubled her: to be set free. If you love someone, set them free. His words. His proclamation. He loved her so much, he wanted her to gain complete freedom; even if it meant she never returned to him. Was that what true love is, and. . . would she have to. . . accomplish the same?

. . . Could she. . .

As if the clouds disappeared and the guiding light of the heavens shone down on her, a burning flash burst through her vision for the course to end. Clambering forward, ready to meet with the beautiful ray, Haydee parted the final fluff in her way, pushing them out her sides: and exited the tunnel. By her stand, so did her unreasonable reasoning: could she go through with it? Would she need to. . . for her love to hold authentic?

He stood out too, reining himself to his feet by his fall of four limbs. As she observed his motions, she couldn't help but see in more than her usual light; as a newborn. Not in any literal way, he was no child by body or clarity, but his mind was fresh and new, likely holding only implanted memories to keep him responsive. All the horror, anguish, pain, and fear he was forced to endure in such a small amount of time. It's not good for his mental state; even she comprehended that.

He needed someone, someone to be waiting right there when he wakes up, to hug and cuddle him, stroke his hair, keep him warm, and his first experience in the day to be one of tenderness and love, befuddlement. Yet what matters most for him would be the emotional impact it leaves: it makes a person feel loved and wanted, releases endorphins, and many good things she sees Dale ought to attain. He needs to know he is loved. That someone cares for him, and not for what he can do for them, but because they love HIM, the person, the individual.

He kept walking his trail, and so did she. So then, really, could she be the one to be that person? Could she be the one to love him; could she, throughout all her mindful theories and queries, internal strife and denounced conclusions, breaking onto the subject very few have ever come close to fully discovering, and say, for the sake of him alone, genuinely love him. To love him not only for herself, as she desires, but give all as love demands, as he needs and should hold.

All to simply ask the solitary question she has been excogitating about for moments on end. The laid-out, utterly ruthless examination of her person to determine one singular aspect about herself: does she love Dale?

Can she. . . could he in turn even wholly love-

"Haydee!"

Akin to a viper, her head lashed to the side, her sensors on immediate high alert as a call from him gained all her focus. As she stopped and stared, for the first time in a while their gazes locked with only one meshing barricading their reunion. To have been unseen so silently, on opposite sides did she notice these alleyways finally interlock - the paths breached inwards, colliding together into a T-section halfway for both, along with only one meshing to separate their uniting.

He ambled - no, he almost ran, his eyes wide and his expression still as he raced quickly to the intersection. Though perhaps it helped she strode onwards as well, her legs kicking into high gear, racing to meet alongside him again through these solid walls. Her attention only on him, her psyche only on how he must be, all thoughts of anything else erased and clear as she bound in closer, reaching forward to meet with again-

The sounds of two physically different bodies clattering inwards to a helpless grating echoed off these palmy walls, their bodies almost demanding to mesh together as the meshing itself became sandwiched between the magnetised figures. Yet despite their happenstance, despite all the fleeting times of never being able to stand alongside the other. . . not a word was swiftly spoken, the two locked eyes at one another. For how long, she was imprecise. Barely a minute, no - not even that, but it was still enough time for her to examine not just at the male, but about his entire being.

The cream of his skin, the lithe of his frame, the dangling of his mane as not so much of a thread was out of place. . . the sparkle in his eyes that glowed like warmed crystals. He was as she had left him; no injuries or deformities about his person. Yet he still appeared. . . different. Better, as impossible of a task that should be, in her vision, the human almost glowed with an invisible hum; his details, all that was to admire about him, seemed to enhance, protuberate about his person for the seeming intention of highlighting all his best qualities. . .

He was the first to speak. Though a given, even if she could, no words seemed to read along her head, her mind a mist as she did little but look, and listen.

"You doing okay, Haydee. I haven't been able to watch you all the, so I don't know how it's all been for you. Especially with all those robots. . ." Again, his primary attention seemed more on her than himself. It was always incongruous, ridiculous for his worry more over himself than a machine like her. Yet it always felt. . . positive, a pleasant sensation, knowing he deeply cared for her wellbeing. She nodded for a vague response, slow as rusted gears, more like an instinctual reply than a premeditated comeback.

"I found a map for the way forward. We're past the halfway point, but the way ahead does not look any easier. It looks like there's a gap before the end, and there appears to be pressure sensors. . . " His voice was carried along like a light wind as she stood, unmoved and impartial to change, as she studied him all over. Not to mean she stopped listening, but his words were on the back burner as she merely ceased and admired his presence. She could tell how capable of a man he was becoming by how he was trying to warn her, trying to provide aid as best he could, all for the sake of something else. Small and slim he may be, he carried his huge heart on his sleeve, and his courage in his torso, as if to make up for his misplaced organ. He may lack muscles and build, but his strength of character shined brighter than any sun, stronger than any giant. He was not someone she could ever look down to, ever want to lose -

A sudden scape, as gentle as a feather against the breeze, brushed against her fingers. Such a small act should have gone unnoticed by the unfettered gynoid, yet the motion still interrupted her mind and propelled it to review - only to find the origin pertaining back to the human she was so fondly mulling about.

His fingers were perched through the square holes, gripped to the solids wires and sticking out her side. They shook by his tiniest jitters, shaking the grating whilst he communicated. He was close - not just literally inches from him, but her own fingers, perched against the grating, nearly grazed against his own. So near. . . yet so far apart, as despite how near they could make it, their bodies could not intermingle; they could not proceed with another, only shift in tighter. She wanted them to connect, wanted them to interjoin. . . even by the tiniest point. On that did her hand slowly graze over, gradually lean over while he remained ignorant of the fact. . . and smoothly, silently, as her fingers touched on his, resting alongside through the harsh inky squares, did her fingers sleekly intertwined with his. One finger to hers, then his.

And it all. . . felt. . . nice. Right. As if. . . this was how it was denoted to be. As if her giners were directly made for the singular purpose of interweaving with his, and nothing else. No guns, no weapons or tools. Just her touch and his.

Love. . . it is a fickle thing. Odd, crazy, unreasonable and illogical. It tears her insides apart, racks against her cranium like a never-ending rubber ball, and somehow still freezes her for hours as she so much as gazes upon its true form. It forces her mind to stutter, shuts down all other essential processes and bends her will to only fixate on whatever it wants to contemplate about, which seems to be everything and nothing, whatever it so feels like at that one particular moment. But love. . . shouldn't be scrutinised. Only embraced.

For it is faultless from its endeavours.

The voice stopped, her sensors picking it up without fail, yet no noise seemed to register for her attentive mindset. What she did notice in full was the sight of him curiously staring over at his currently held hand. Nervously, Haydee watched him for a response, her inner turmoils regenerating in full force as her distraught mind intimidated itself to see what his rejoinder would be. Will he pull it back, not interested in seeking her touch? Will he ask to remove it, politely, yet the respectful nature will still stab at her like a rain of blades? Will he even stare away, attempting to avoid eye contact, as if the idea of touching a metal construct, no matter how human in appearance and mind it can be, was innately disgusting, unlawful, incompatible. . .

Yet he did none of those things. Instead, she watched his eyes gloss over their connections with a curious glance, staring at the intertwining with a glistening gaze, before those bottomless cinnamon bubbles razed over her direction, as if searching for the only correct sentence to utter at this arguably climacteric moment. Then he smiled softly, calmly, yet warmly, a tender beam that spoke a million terms over how everything would be alright and exemplary. There are no problems with the world, no individuality, just soothing happiness that swarmed all darkness with an omnipresent, gorgeous light.

"I'm just glad you're okay, Haydee. That's the only thing that truly counts here."

There was no doubt in her mind anymore. No prevailing suspicions or circumstancing cynicism to lead her off this complex path. She was in love with him.

She was in love with Dale.

On that regard, as her shoulders raised, her head tilted, and she stared at the man she loved, her whole body collapsed forward. Not shred to pieces, not break down before the very eyes of the man she loved, but her legs still turned to literal mush, her weight causing her to keel forward and press her forehead to the meshing, wishing it was his touch she was upon, pining to connect as one to one.

Yet she was okay with this. They will reunite, they will join again, and her side could continue alongside his, for whatever personal eternity they could love for. For now, her body could be satiated by the touching she could do, her fingers wrapping around his, interlaced like the most exquisite of fabrics, forming a circuit as simple as a light circuit yet as meaningful as her inorganic heart and veins. Her vision never peeked, letting her fingers do the detailing, feeling every section of his digits. With no hair on his extremity, he was as smooth as a newborn, allowing her own tactile members to course across every surface with not a bump to jolt their journey. So long and elfin, she couldn't help but wonder how they'd feel on her, busily on her skin. Would he feel how naturally smooth she was, how supple her tanned faux hide was? Bouncy and curvaceous, to not only see and touch, but feel, enjoy, every section of her body, engaging with all she had to offer, be her to make him hot under the collar. . . as was achieving just now.

Examining this sudden change in the human, Haydee first noticed his eyes negligibly widen as they glimpsed back over to her hand. Alongside that, she registered the man's heart rate increasing, his pupils dilating, and a blush began forming by a curious amount. Nosy as to why the sudden change, as she found no variation from the surrounding atmosphere, her data was telling her he may be responding. . . positively, to this touch. Could he very well-

He jumped back - his fingers unhooking from the mesh, so by extension, her digits were no longer feeling his shared warmth. He blinked hurriedly, before turning on the spot, looking away, from her offer, of embarrassment, before he attempted to announce out a sentence with a poor lack of not stammering his way through.

"We-we should get going. I believe it won't be long now until we find the exit. L-Lets not waste precious time, so how about we. . .get on going. Yeah, lets go, to the end, we shall."

Though their touch had separated with heavy reluctance, Haydee saw no remorse as she pulled her hand away. He was completely correct in this: let us not waste precious time by staying truly divided here - the sooner they rejoin, the sooner she can stay by her side, as it should be.

Strangely, as she began to drift away, legs slowly kicking as her eyes did not peel away from the human until he was slowly moving away, her entire body felt. . . lifted. As if filled with helium, her boobage containing diatomic hydrogen instead of dense buoyancy bags, her steps forward were of a foxtrot. They didn't march, slam her heels to the ground, but instead, they moved like a samba, one foot coming out farther than it usually should as she stepped away. Like a ballerina, she found, and not helping was her hands, as they hooked around her back, fastening together, as if to make up for the lack of interlinked human fingers she desperately wanted to handle again.

Yet she didn't care as to why. She didn't seem to care about anything else - her mind was on absolute Cloud 9! Dancing forward, spring in her step, any forms of fear or doubt were not prevalent in her mind, no jitters or panics, all seemed. . . right with this enigmatic world.

And though she continued forward with the following steps, the subsequent actions to take. . . she barely even attempted to register what they were. They were but a blur in her mind, a mirky activity barely even regarded as her thoughts were bubbling with positive - lovely, pleasing ardour. Her focus was invariant on the way forward if she dared to try, though whatever they were mustn't have been too bad - most of the time, she found her sights were on the human opposite, going about his work with a zealous, steadfast attitude. He climbed over his obstacles with vigour, her head racing with how his muscles shined through his skin. He completed any mindful work efficiently, and his sharp head screwed rightly on his shoulders as he showed the world how adept and skilful this man was. He brushed past the problems with ease - ostensibly as much as she, as the only time she forced herself to stop and stare at a problem was of meshed gratings for the way on, with no opening or activator in sight.

She guessed then what would naturally develop next, so she stared down the way further for the curt moment she'd likely be offered. Not next, but beyond, as these series of hallways ended in an almost cut manner right after this gate. Even without the barrier, Haydee knew the way along was unimportant, so as gravity dictates, the only track must lead down.

Close by, over to the opposite wall, a balcony, and a ready door, lay in wait. A distance away, quite far, but nothing she knew her boost boots wouldn't provide the answers for.

And as if her thoughts have been read, the grate barreled away, leaving her to the open air - and the mercy of the pit below. As she should have figured, an abyss separated her from the freedom beyond, a deep dark below she retained no inclination to traverse. Not that she figured it would do much to scare her, let alone stop her, the way nothing but an easy jump across.

Though her pause to continue was not halted from the bound, but instead for her eyes to wander on yonder to the initiator on the obverse. Standing tall and proud, his hand lifted away from the newly pressed button, the way on for her to be cleared. What she lacked in the audible gesture of thanks she made up for by nodding in his direction, not seeing the need to waste external energy and instead save it for a superior moment later. Mere genuine moments away, Haydee turned to the front, judged the distance over, and quickly made her drop.

The rush of gravity began, but its existence was for but a second as she immediately took flight, ripping through the world and unleashing a second burst as she began to fall past the balcony's edge. Hopping over, she drifted mere feet from the plain solid ground before her heels touched upon the wide-spaced flooring, allowing ease for anyone to spread eagle and not be forced to feel walls of either metallic or ceramic nature. Though her fall no longer sustained, her speed onward was not of the same category, as the gynoid made straight steps to her penultimate action.

Down here, there was but one more interaction on the room's part: that of a lone, single button. Its line to intent unmarked, but any observational check should already know its purpose: onto the final barrier that separated the return of her beloved. Once pressed, it was his alley that was now freed from obstruction, his hallway he could proceed from and exit - to enter their shared domain. With the mesh pushed aside, all he needed now was one final jump, a single bound from there to here. . . looking a tad too protracted for her preference.

She stared upwards upon the call, "I'll jump down in just a second." She watches the human, in what feels like a long time, without a foreground of obsidian barrier back himself up for a long leap. She wasn't sure, but he looked to be holding something in his hands, though whatever it was, she barely glanced over; simply seeing him in full after a long separation, seeing the man in all his glory, was a satisfactory sight, even if he was at a distance. . . and mere seconds away from gliding over a deathly pit.

Her feet moved on instinct; though they did not make a chase, they still carried the slowly disquieting one onward to meet the closest likely arrival of the man. A simple trudge. . . which became a near full-on sprinting gait upon seeing Dale advance into the open and step off from the hall. Soaring through the clouds, he arose, fashioning grand space as his jump was without fail. Despite near-immediately being arced downwards, his face told no worry, and his body made no jitters as he prepared to transcend directly on the solid framework below.

For a moment, Haydee saw a reason to slow down and erase all trifles even as he was about to meet the end, tensing his body as he prepared for his fall - smacking the ground right by the end of the ledge, and drooping backwards as his weight was not fully implanted onto the flooring!

So close to him she could see the colour begin draining from his face, his body flailing about as the heels looked not to have grounded themselves on the balcony as he likely had expected, and his eyes widened as the full cognizance of the situation came to him in total - he was sinking towards the abyss below.

Yet she would not have it be! With all she could muster, a robotic hand grabbed an organic arm, her fingers gripped so tightly she likely could have left a lasting imprint, and as her heels pierced into the porcelain body before her below, all the leverage that could be summoned gripped and pulled back, shoving the human away from the end and into her trustworthy arms; feeling his body be enraptured by her safe, protective space, arm on arm, and oddly watch an unexpected pistol magazine be dropped onto the floor below before it bounced and clattered away into the chasm inches behind, descending into the darkness, and forever lost from a chance of her meet.

"I'm. . . sorry, Haydee." The shaky, almost sorrowful words, faint and delicate as they were, almost seemed begging to break down by her attention as all ears were on the speaker. "I. . . found a magazine a few minutes ago. I wanted to surprise you with it. . . but now I've gone and lost it-" The whispered murmurs, the slow speech pattern, the eyes on the verge of tearing up, the last of which she saw for only a second before they all disappeared by her vision. Not by any compelled change on him, but instead, by her actions of pulling him to her body, holding him close, and hugging for dear life the one she refuses ever to let go unless completely necessary.

He was more important than any magazine. He was the most critical part of her life, and she will be there with him to the very end of this place.

But not just hand in hand: just in with a hug. As beautiful a feeling of an embrace must be, for love, her files showed the most important function of it all is the emotional aspect. Dale does not solely need someone who loves him, he requires someone to show he is loved. That someone cares for him, and not for what he can do for them, but because they love him, the person, the figure. For him, she must go beyond that of the physical aspect, more than just that of a body-to-body connection.

She will be there with him. For him. Right there when they finally leave.

This place, and this room. So upon her reluctant step back, arms released from her clutches, she simply offered a palm for him. Though a standard by the other moments previous, perhaps even less so now, she already could tell his answer; when his hand happily was placed on hers, when her fingers wrapped around his tiny frame, when his arms wrapped around her thicker one, speaking the meaning how he wanted her to be near and protect him, it all seemed so foreign. Fresh. Not simply new, but also invigorating, as if an electric current was directly linking up to her batteries.

It was perfect. . . how it should be.

Yes. . . nothing can separate them now.

So hand to hand, digits squeezed alongside digits, Haydee led him out, to be away from this place - all the while, thinking about nothing more at all.

---

The door closed, and the two entered, still hand-in-hand though highly prepared to face whatever came next with a slight glint to her gesticulation. Yet by their first step forward, the two almost backpedalled away by what they suddenly caught before them. Left, right and center, foes, of Walkers and Slashers arranged as crowds, all abruptly picked up and initiated their march of death the duo's way. By some intuition, Haydee's free hand reached back, but only a moment too late as suddenly a rampart of fencing scurried at the door, blocking a hasty retreat by the feeling of her fingers digging into the meshing.

The mechanical plague only drew in closer, yet even as she looked around, barely a twinkle of escape seemed impossible; all over the top and covering them in right-angled shadows did a complete set of mesh barriers keep them trapped to the ground floor. They were ensnared, blocked in and near unable to escape with nothing short to do outside of charging headfirst into the scourge like a wild mutt. He couldn't, she knew, the one she loved could do little more than cuddle up into her, no way of fighting back and only call out to her for guidance.

"I don't see a way past! Haydee: do you have a plan?"

'Yes.' She silently answered as she began reaching her free hand into her backpack. 'She believes she does. . .'

Suddenly, all sense of balance was abruptly lost on the gynoid. Her knees wobbled, her focus unattainable as she felt both her hands slip out from the grip they were once taken upon. All chance of standing tall and proud failed, and for a moment, she believed she had already lost the fight - and this was her fate, to break down into confused pieces and be left in such a sorry state her last thought would be of the one she loved seeing her become nothing but a pathetic pile of scrap.

It was when she planted her foot down, forcing her muscles to tense and not dissolve into jello, that she finally noticed that she was not the only one affected here, as all mechanical foes, and even the human himself, shook about like some unhinged jig, but also they to be a low rumbling that echoed all over and shuddered the very room itself.

"What's going on? Is it an Earthquake?" She wasn't sure herself. Was it the walls closing in again? Was that to be both their imminent danger and salvation? But she could not see if it was, for her focus ascertained motor something more profound, something rising in front. Before her obscured very eyes, backed up by the increasing of rumbling was Haydee laid to witness a bizarre sight. Down the way on the opposite, as the rumbling of the room increased, so too did a different clangour. Of crumbling, as if the world was breaking apart, torn into like paper of tile and rocky design before the very adversaries that blocked the way on opposite started to. . . fall. Not trip, but dive down, disappear. . . like the floor itself was opening wide.

Not opening-

"The room is collapsing!" She did not know if this was another trick of the next room over or. . . something else entirely, as by her stare, it didn't appear a natural state. It wasn't simply spreading out, but it was as if the very macrocosm itself was shattering before her, swallowing whole all manner of not only basic A.I., but the ground itself, ripping into the world and tearing to shreds as it took all manner of machines, including the very covers of the space itself.

Not just in front. All over, as the sound of metal groaned and snapped, as more of the inky abyss began to devour all like a black hole under their very feet. Yet it was only upon seeing nearly all of the enemies be gobbled by the underneath itself that she noticed their grave predicament: by left, right and forward, all the flooring was gradually granulating away: their way.

As if by some venomous intent, the flooring all around them was given to be wolfed down, disappearing into some odd digesting pit and disallowing any chance to sprint over. Even the meshed walls and top were eaten up, whisked off their heads and devoured by the still absorbing state of nothingness - with likely a pair to wash itself down right after. The door was still chained over, and the way down was nothing but a corridor of shadow, Haydee saw only one chance now, for them both to -

Her grip felt loose.

By the convulsions of the room, the balance that could not be ascertained, or simply her focus on everything else, whether it be all or one of those potentialities, it appeared to permit herself one moment, one relapse in judgement, to witness the sight of the man, her human, slip through her once vice fingers and watch with a silent voice the shocked eyes of the human as his body plunged over the darkened edge.

Everything else was unimportant; all her immersions were pierced to the moving of the human staring back with scared, shocked eyes as his body dropped towards the pit. She reacted as she could: immediately bending forward as her nearest hand to him clawed out and struck forward, sticking to his frame like a predator to prey. Even the fear of falling in never registered; her desire for self-preservation was barely a footnote as she pushed her body forward over this crumbling flooring, pleading, demanding he be grasped.

"Here! Grab on!" Her mind mutely replicated, for a brief flash of his hand firmly grasping at hers, pulling her, helping her, inches away from his hand, too curving outwards to meet with her own. She reached, pushed herself, wished to see his hand touch hers, his fingers squeeze into her own as their connection was not only returned, but their hold was safe, secure, and never to part. . .

But his fingers could only graze her own: her grab did not fully grip, their hands did not interlock - and he still sank. And she had to watch, had to bear their see by her very own vision: she had failed him, as his body began to plunge down, his digits still attempting to squeeze the robotic hand that wasn't there, the human she loved before here now disappearing into the collapsing event horizon.

For a moment, all went dark. Not her sight, her hearing, or even her mind, yet all seemed to become nothing but pitched umbra as such as her final grab for him failed, so too did her figure, as it all began to crumble like the very room only her now occupied.

She had failed him: he was gone -

Her body lurched. In the short span between his disappearance and her body generating a sudden explosive movement, one short thing had occupied the Haydee's mind: he never gave up on her, never failed her. And she will not do so to him.

Whatever may come next, whatever could ever await her now, she did not care for. All she cared was to be by his side: into the murky blackness that awaited the gynoid now, Haydee leapt right in without so much as a look behind.

The two disappeared into the throat of this hole, leaving nothing but the final remants of this collapsing chamber.