Chapter 2

I took my place with the team. We had been waiting out front the pizzaplex for about an hour and a half. We were waiting for someone to answer the door. I glanced at the doorway. A silhouette of a person walked over and opened it. My eyes widened. It was the security guard that had called me. Her blonde hair was pulled into a messy ponytail. Her tired eyes scanned our group.

I hid my face a little with my baseball cap. Maybe she won't recognize me.

"My name is Vanessa and I will be helping you in the pizzaplex. If you'll just follow me, I'll take you to the problems." She held the door open for us as we walked in. I opened my mouth in awe. It was colorful and huge on the inside. Vanessa walked from the front of the group, guiding us through the place. I looked around, making sure to catch something.. out of place.

Vanessa led us up the stairs and past a giant stage. Behind the stage was a hallway full of pictures. One caught my eye. In the picture stood the founders and their families. My chest tightened. I forced myself to look away, instead to find myself staring into one of the rooms.

I fell backward at the sight of the animatronic. It looked ripped up and was some how missing half it's body.

"Ah, I see you've met Monty." Vanessa said. She walked toward the mangled body, face shadowed. I slowly got up, staring at the body then back at her.

"Is this the problem?" One of my coworkers asked with his Brooklyn accent. I glanced at him. He had a strong build and dark skin. I knew him. His name was Jonathan. He and I have worked together for as long as I have lived here. He caught me staring at him and I glanced back at the animatronic. I swear it moved.

"Well, he's one of the problems. All of the robots have problems." Vanessa explained.

"Wait, I count three. There are four rooms. Where's the fourth one?" A young woman, whom I have never met, asked.

"Ah, you mean Freddy. His code has been destroyed the most. We actually have to wait for a special technician for him."

My eyes widened.

Was I the "special" technician?

Was that why my boss asked if I was an Afton?

I raised up my hand, slowly, keeping my face hidden by my cap.

"Is this 'special technician' by chance, an Afton?" I asked. Vanessa's green eyes stared at me, cold. I shuddered.

"I don't know for sure." She nearly spat. "The Afton line is said to have ended long ago."

"Don't be to sure." I muttered to myself.

"I was told by your boss that the technician would be coming with your group." She skimmed her eyes along our group. "Though he didn't tell which one."

Of course he didn't.

"Then that," I sighed, "would be me."

Vanessa stared at me, her expression unchanged. Her neutral face changed to a small smile. "Follow me then."

She lead the group and through a series of doors. No wonder Gregory was lost, I would have gotten lost as well. This place was a maze. Finally, Vanessa opened a door to a basement corridor. It was cold and only thing in the corridor were machines. One giant room stood in the middle of the room. It was surrounded by glass walls and a computer by the door. Inside the machine-like room, laid a giant, destroyed, orange bear. He was ripped up and missing a few parts. His robotic eyes, closed.

"What happened?" I asked, not able to take my eyes off the animatronic.

"No one really knows." Vanessa replied, also looking at the bot. "But some say the S.T.A.F.F bots went crazy and ripped him apart. We also found a ripped up, bloody, bunny costume near him."

I glanced at her at the mentioning of a bunny, but I only found her staring at me with her cold expression. I looked away from her, quickly.

"Also where I found your son." She nearly whispered.

I spun my head at her. A grin on her face.

"You didn't think I would recognize you?" She asked. I stayed silent. "So, you're an Afton." She quietly said, looking back at Freddy.

"Not anymore." I gritted my teeth.

"Once an Afton, always an Afton."

"That's not how it works. Look, can we please get on with the job?" And me closer to finding a mainframe that would work.

Vanessa shrugged then pressed a button, opening the door to the machine. She walked inside and typing some more on the other computer inside. I glance back at the group. They already were setting up stuff for the other robots, some already working on S.T.A.F.F bots. I look back as Vanessa walked out.

"Ready." She said, standing to the side. I walked in and sat on the stool next to the bot.

Suddenly, a crash came from outside. I looked through the windows and saw Vanessa chasing a robot carrying maps. Two S.T.A.F.F bots were spinning around, my coworkers trying to catch them.

I rolled my eyes and nearly stood when I heard somthing click next to me. I look at Freddy, only to find him staring at me. His glowing eyes stared at me, one was cracked.

"Gregory..?" He spoke weakly. I shook my head. My brown hair, that I had in a ponytail, fell past my shoulders.

"No, I'm his mother." I said, quietly. He let out what sounded like a sigh. His giant hand grasped mine. I felt something fall into my hand. Whatever it was, I shoved it into my pockets.

"Is he... safe?" He asked. I tried to nod but he shut off. I looked back out the windows. My coworkers were still chasing the robots and I saw Vanessa still the bot with maps, yelling at it. I look toward the computer and nearly fell out of my seat.

There, by the computer, was another Vanessa. But there was something different about her. She had purplish eyes. She grinned a dark grin and held a finger up to her mouth. Suddenly, I couldn't speak.

"I can't have you telling people you saw me.." a dark, raspy voice echoed through my mind.

No. It wasn't. It couldn't.

I struggled to get a word out or a scream but nothing happened. I gasped for air. It felt like I was being choked. The other Vanessa just grinned at me.

"I knew you would be back, Riley." The sickly voice echoed once more. "And this time, I'm not letting you go."

Almost like a glitch in a system, the other Vanessa was gone. I could speak again. I gasped for a breath of air, sweat pouring from my face.

He was back.

I heard the door open and Vanessa walked in, Jonathan following behind her.

"Are you all right? Did he hurt you?" Vanessa asked, staring at Freddy then back at me. I shook my head.

"There was-" my voice cut off again. "I saw-" Nothing. I couldn't say I saw this other Vanessa.

"Never mind." I whispered. I noticed I was on the floor and my legs were numb. How long had I been on the floor?

"When I finally caught that trouble some map-bot, I saw you fall.." she said. "But I'm glad your not hurt." Her eyes shadowed a little. I knew she was thinking of the past pizzerias. Oh the stories of those horrid places. She shook her head and looked at me.

"Can you walk?"

I nodded my head and stood up, only to find myself falling again. Jonathan caught me and held me up. I shook my head at Vanessa.

"You should go home." She turned toward my coworkers. "All of you. We can try again tomorrow." She turned and walked out, closing the door behind us. She lead everyone up and out of the pizzaplex. I had gotten a ride here in the technician van, but Jonathan insisted that I rode with him. I couldn't argue. I was exhausted. I decided to check the time.

4:45.

I groaned. Gregory was probably worried. I rested my head on the head rest and drifted off to sleep.