"Tell me again why we're doing this?" Fidget asked as Big Sky landed on the Helipad.
"Because Lee Industries is one of the biggest companies on the planet right now and them offering an opportunity to work with them could set us for life." Rikki told her.
"A boring life." Fidget said, looking annoyed.
"After what happened, a boring life sounds just about right." Brandon interrupted. Fidget just groaned.
"Let's at least hear him out." Alex said. "Maybe we can work out something." With that, the group exited the helipad, to be greeted by a blonde man.
"So glad you could come in such a timely fashion." The man said, holding out a hand to Alex. "Janus Lee. CEO of Lee Industries." He said.
"Alex Mann. And this here is my crew." He said. "Fidget, Grinder and Rikki." Janus politely shook everyone's hand. "The surly one's Brandon, he's both old and new."
"Rikky Singh-Banes, right? We've spoken on the phone." Lee said, after having shaken Brandon's hand.
"It is an honor to meet someone of your status, Mister Lee." Rikki said with a wide smile. "Thank you so much for having us here."
"Careful there, you might just start crawling up his…"
"Fidget, play nice." Grinder whispered back. "I don't think he'll appreciate it if you cost him this deal." They didn't notice Mister Lee's flickering to them, his gentle expression fading for a split second before it was there again.
"We have much to discuss, but please, follow me inside for a drink." Janus Lee said.
As they walked inside, they were being watched by two other people, from a window of an opposing skyscraper.
"How does this thing work again?" One of them asked.
"Urgh, you don't even know how a pair of binoculars work? You're such a dunce, Albert."
"Hey, I can't help it if you make yours so damn complicated, Roger." Albert said, looking again. "Who did you say I should look at?"
"The tall one in purple. Shouldn't be too hard. If my parameters are correct, he should be glowing red."
"Well he ain't."
"What do you mean 'He ain't'?"
"Like I said, he ain't."
"Give me that!" Roger said, taking the goggles and having a closer look. Nothing. He groaned in frustration. "That was my best bet! How else am I going to get my hands on…!" He started, before Albert took the goggles back and scanned again.
"I'm telling you there's a reading." Albert insisted. "Just not from him. And it's all weird. Is this thing broken?" He smacked it a couple of times, making Roger swipe it again.
"Stop that! It's not broken, you just…" He stopped as he looked through it again. "Oh… Oh!" He said, a smile creeping on his lips. "Now that's interesting. This is just what I need." With that he laughed darkly, binoculars focussing on Rikki now.
"... And that's why I think our Team is the ideal candidate for this program." Rikki finished his speech at the table. Mister Lee looked them all over from behind his tinted glasses, expression somewhat unreadable.
"Dude, the guy invited US. Why did he give a sales pitch?" Fidget mentioned.
"Just let him do his thing." Brandon replied.
"Thanks! Glad to finally have someone around who understands my work."
"Hey, I get what you're doing." Fidget said. "You do the boring stuff so we can do our cool thing."
"Well, the 'Boring stuff' is my cool thing." Rikki said. "And while you don't have to like it, some respect for it would be nice."
"Maybe I should leave you all to talk this out." Janus Lee said, looking more than a bit awkward.
"Nah, we're good, right?" Fidget said.
"Right. We're good." Rikki said.
"Alright, so…" Mister Lee coughed. "I do appreciate that you want to help me test my products before they're being launched."
"No problem. If Rikki's to be believed, your products should be right up our alley." Alex said, turning to Rikki, who gave him a slight smile.
"How about instead of talking about them, I'll show you?" Mister Lee said, getting up.
"Now we're talking!" Brandon said, as the group followed him. Rikki, however, stayed put in his chair. Alex noticed.
"You guys go on ahead." He said, before sitting down next to Rikki. "Hey…"
"Hey…"
"You've been acting kinda strange ever since we got here. What's going on?" Alex asked, as Rikki just sighed.
"I don't know, it's just…" He ran his hands through his hair. "I keep trying to do my work as normal but every time I do, my head fills with these scenarios of how everything will go wrong for us, how we'll end up hurt, or worse…" Rikki looked down at his hands, which were starting to shake. "Oh, great, this again." He muttered. Alex carefully placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Rikki…" He tried, not quite knowing what to say.
"I-I mean that's weird, right? By now I'd figure I was used to it, but no. It just keeps getting worse." He looked at Alex. "And, I mean… everyone's afraid sometimes, right? It shouldn't feel like such a big deal, right?" He looked Alex in the eyes, almost begging.
"Yeah, everyone's afraid sometimes. But that doesn't mean you should feel ashamed for how you feel." Rikki looked away again. Alex coughed. "Is this connected to the reason you're so adamant about this offer?"
"They're offering lodging, and Lee Industries is known for their security. Hell, this entire city is like a fortress. We'd be safe here…"
"Well, that's a fair point, but everyone needs to agree with that. And if not… what was your plan, then?" Rikki kept silent. "Are you thinking about… leaving…?" Alex asked, trying his best not to sound judgemental. Rikki laughed sadly.
"The fact I can't give you a solid 'No'..." He said, before he started to hold his head again. Alex was quiet for a bit, before sighing and getting up.
"Listen I…" He started, before stopping himself. "How 'bout you take the rest of the day off? Think things over. And if you eventually still want to quit… None of us are going to judge you for it, alright?"
"Sure." Rikki softly said, not looking at Alex, who carefully left.
"Yo! Alex! Check these out!" Fidget said, popping up in front of him as he entered what looked like a hangar, filled with all kinds of vehicles. From cars and motorbikes to what looked like souped up skateboards and even jetpacks. "Pretty rad, right?"
"I'm more impressed with what's under the hood." Grinder said, checking out one of the car's engines. "You're telling me this car has a mode where it can fly?"
"Indeed. And there's an amphibious vehicle as well, should that strike your fancy." Mister Lee answered.
"Rikki sure knows how to pick sponsors!" Fidget said. "Don't… tell him I said that." She quickly added.
"Don't worry, I won't." Alex said, looking over the vehicles, before looking at what looked like a skateboard with off road tires. "I like this." He said, stepping on it, grabbing onto what looked like the controls.
"Race ya." Brandon said, getting onto a blue motorcycle.
"Yo, Lee, open up those doors!" Fidget shouted at Mister Lee, who was looking on quite bemusedly, before pressing a button on a remote to open the hangar's massive doors into the city.
"First one to reach that tower wins." Brandon said, pointing at one of the skyscrapers of the skyline that opened up.
"I don't think that's the best…" Alex tried…
"Can't hear you, winning!" Brandon said, revving his engine and speeding off.
"H-hey, no fair!" Alex said, using the controls on the board as he went after them.
"Should we…?" Grinder started, as Fidget turned on her camera.
"I'll warn the proper authorities so they can close the roads…" Mister Lee said, grabbing a phone. "You go on ahead."
"Come on! They're getting away!" Fidget said, as the car took off. "Ugh, there's no way we'll reach them…"
"Don't worry, I know just the thing. Let's see what this baby can do…" Grinder said, as he pushed a button on the dashboard and suddenly, wings expanded from underneath and the tires collapsed inward and they gained height. "Please fasten your seatbelt, please keep your limbs indoors at all times."
"Woooh!" Fidget cheered, as the car flew through the air and they soon caught up with the two men racing. Alex was gaining on Brandon, fast.
"Yo, smile for the camera!" Fidget said, as Alex looked at her, startling. "Wait…!" She only had time to react before the board crashed against a rail and sent Alex flying. Almost immediately, everyone turned around and approached where he landed.
"You alright?" Brandon said, getting off his bike and helping him up.
"Yeah… yeah…" Alex said, taking off his helmet. "Stop, drop and roll to the rescue."
"That was a massive wipe." Fidget said, looking down at her camera as the car landed. "Something up?"
"No.. no… I just…"
"You don't usually get distracted by Fidget like that." Grinder said from the driver's seat. Everyone looked at him, as he sighed.
"It's Rikki." He confessed. "He's not doing too great. Even thinks about quitting."
"What? No way!" Fidget said. "He wants to bail?"
"Why does he want to quit?" Grinder asked, looking more worried than anything else.
"He's scared that something bad might happen."
"Oh come on, something bad always happens. Hasn't stopped him before." Fidget said.
"It's… I don't know. But he looked really bad when I talked to him in private. Like he can hardly keep it together." Alex tried to explain. "I've never seen him like this…"
"Everyone has their limit. Maybe he just reached his…" Brandon softly said. "So… what'd you tell him?"
"I gave him some time to think. Told him we wouldn't judge if he were to quit. I just… I didn't want to see him like that, y'know?"
"Where's he now?"
"I told him to take the rest of the day off. Give him some time to relax, maybe think things over…"
"Probably for the best. How 'bout we head back and get some shut-eye? And tomorrow, we're gonna have a talk with him. Maybe we can work things out." Grinder suggested.
"Yeah, I need time to let that sink in and not just want to yell at him." Fidget said, as everyone nodded and headed back to the Hangar.
"Your Chai, Sir." The waitress said, as Rikki nodded in thanks. He managed to find a small little coffee shop to hopefully get his mind off things. It wasn't working.
"What am I even doing…?" He muttered to himself, leaning his head back. "I can't just quit. Why would I? It's not a bad job. Barring the instances I nearly got killed…" He dropped his head into his arms on the table where he was sitting. "That shouldn't be a 'thing'... I studied finances. Was top of my class. Not that that will give me any respect…" He sighed, before finishing his Chai, leaving some money and heading out. "That didn't help, if anything, I feel even…"
"Hey, you." Someone called out to him as he noticed a rather small, skinny man approach him.
"Excuse me?" Rikki asked. "Do I know you?"
"Roger Achnid. I'm with Lee Industries. Boss wants to see you." The man said, rather quickly flashing his ID, before taking Rikki's wrist and dragging him along.
"Now, hold on!" Rikki said, wrenching himself loose. "First off, the Lee Industries building is the other way."
"You really think we got just that building?"
"Second; it's past your working hours."
"Yeah, like Mister Lee cares about those."
"Also pretty sure that ID you showed me was out of date."
"How did you even…? Ugh, ALBERT!"
"What?!" Rikki only had time to explain, before a baseball bat connected with his skull and he crumpled to the pavement.
"Told you this was easier." Albert said, picking up the body.
"Whatever, let's just go before anyone sees us…"
"Morning, Fidget." Grinder said to a half asleep Fidget, as everyone was waking up and getting ready to start breakfast.
Well, almost everyone.
"Rikki's still not up?" Brandon asked. "He's usually the first, isn't he?"
"Did anyone see him get back, for that matter?" Alex asked, as everyone shook their heads. "Well that's not great…" He got up. "I'm going to ask Mister Lee if he saw him…"
His head hurt… What… happened?
Someone dragged him away, claiming to be part of Lee Industries and then…
He wanted to rub his head, but found he couldn't. He could barely move, limbs and neck pinned down.
That caused him to snap fully awake, panicking.
"He's up." Someone said, He recognized the voice as the last one he heard before he passed out. Was it called Albert…?
"Tell him I'm almost ready." Someone else said… Roger. Or not. That ID could be…
Why was he focusing on that?
"W-what's going on?!" Rikki asked fearfully. "Where did you take me? Who… who are you?"
"Hey, one question at a time, I'm working here." Roger said, as Rikki turned his head to see him working at some lab equipment. "Long story short, you got something I want."
"If you want money, I-I'm sure we can work something out without anyone getting hurt…' Rikki tried.
"Fool, I'm not in it for the money."
"I am."
"Shut up, Albert." Roger said. "Now, I've always had a fascination with Professor X's Nano Trilobites. Fascinating stuff, but him being the blowhard that he was, he NEVER shared his documents. Now that's just not the scientific spirit."
"What's that got to do with me?" Rikki asked.
"You're filled with these things!" Roger said, turning around with more enthusiasm than the situation really called for. If anything, it filled Rikki with dread.
"Filled…?" He stammered. "But how…?" Then it hit him.
Most won't survive the transformation…
"No…. Nononono…. They got them out. They fixed it…" Rikki started muttering, closing his eyes, going back to… that time.
"Well, more like they tranqued them. They're inert." Roger corrected him. "They might need a little jump start." Roger said, heading back to the console.
"Last time they almost killed me!" Rikki said fearfully. Roger approached him with what looked like a… taser. Sparks flying from its long prongs.
"Just stay alive long enough that I can get a sample, alright?" With that, he placed the prongs against Rikki's chest.
For a moment there was pain.
Then everything cut to black.
"Not here, either." Grindr said, having checked Big Air just in case.
"Something the matter?" Mister Lee asked, approaching the fretting group. "Where is Mister Singh-Banes?"
"That's the matter; we don't know." Alex told him. "Have you seen him?"
"No, but I will ask my employees." Lee said, taking out a phone. "Hello, Mary? Do you have any record of our guest Rikki Singh-Banes leaving the building?" A silence. "Alright, thanks." Lee hung up. "Mary, our receptionist, saw him leave last night, but hasn't seen him come back."
"Well, that's reassuring." Fidget said. "Where'd he go?"
"What places does he usually go to in his free time?" Mister Lee asked. This was met with an awkward silence. "You don't know?"
"We usually do everything together…" Alex said. "I mean, I can't recall the last time we weren't all together at breakfasts."
"That might complicate matters…" Lee said.
"Doesn't he like his tea?" Fidget tried. "Maybe there's, like a good… tea place around…"
"Most places serve tea." Brandon said.
"I think I have a solution." Mister Lee said, beckoning the group as they followed him to his office. He sat down and opened several screens that hovered around his desk. "Lee Industries has access to most security cameras in the city."
"That's not creepy at all." Grinder couldn't help but comment. Lee ignored him as he started to bring up footage.
"These are from nearby cameras last night…" He said, looking them over.
"There!" Fidget, who'd also been looking, said, pointing at one of the screens. It showed a bird's eye view of Rikki exiting a coffee shop, before being confronted and dragged away by a small, somewhat weedy man.
"It can't be…" Lee muttered, leaning into the screen. "Roger…?"
"You know that guy?" Brandon asked.
"Roger Achnid. An ex-employee from the Research Department. We had to let him go since his experiments with integrating machinery with the human body became too dangerous."
"What does he want with Rikki?" Brandon asked.
"Nothing good, I'd wager." Alex said. "Where do you think he might have gone?"
"I'll check some of the laboratories no longer in use…" Lee said.
"If you can give us the locations, we can make a sweep ourselves." Brandon suggested.
"I don't think that's the best…"
"I'm not going to wait until the cops get involved." Brandon somewhat fiercely said. "We can't wait." With that he headed for the door. "Just tell me where the damn lab is."
"Alright, Brandon, calm down. Let's not do anything rash, alright?" Alex said, approaching the other man and placing a hand on his shoulder. "We all want to get him back." He turned to Mister Lee. "Can you give us the address? We'll take it from there." Lee nodded.
"I will try and send law enforcement to aid you. If this is what I think it is, I will NOT tolerate it in MY city." He slammed his hands on the table while getting up. This was met with an awkward silence. "U-uhm, sorry. I can get a bit heated when I'm worried." He quickly said. "I hope your friend is alright."
"One way to find out." Alex said, as they headed out.
It wasn't long before the team managed to be at one of the Lee Industries abandoned labs.
"That's not creepy at all." Grinder said, looking up at the dark, rather dilapidated building. "And he said he had more than one? Why'd they have to be abandoned?"
"That's really none of our business." Brandon said, getting inside. Alex just looked at Grinder and Fidget, shrugging.
"I'll keep in touch from the outside." Grinder said.
"My cam has night vision, just in case it stays that dark." Fidget said, following Alex and Brandon inside. It was indeed, very dark. It was night at this time and none of the lights in the building appeared to be on. "Spooky." Fidget said, looking around through her camera's lens.
"You can always bail if it gets too much."
"Psht, you kidding me? This is kiddy stuff." Fidget said. "I'm not scared of a dark, dank building."
"Let's split up, and each search…"
"Oh no. That's how every horror movie starts."
"Didn't you just say you weren't scared?"
"That doesn't mean I'm going to do something stupid."
"Could you two please focus on the task at hand?" Alex interrupted. "We need to find Rikki. And take this 'Roger' guy to task."
"Roger? Doesn't sound right anymore, does it?" Came from the dark, everyone whipped their head to the sound, which seemed to be coming from… the ceiling? Large, arachnid legs spread themselves over it, before the figure jumped down, making the trio scatter. "Call me… Spydah."
"Yeah… whatever. Where's Rikki?" Brandon said. This seemed to annoy 'Spydah' as his legs started to droop.
"Hey, I'm trying to make a dramatic entrance here. Can you at least give me some respect?" He said, crossing his arms, as his mechanical limbs did the same. "I didn't go to all that work of making these, then harvesting some Nano Trilobites from your precious friends, to just be treated like some stupid roadblock."
"Well, you said it yourself, not me." Fidget said.
"Why the hell do you need Rikki for Nano Trilobites!?" Brandon shouted. There was a silence before Alex' eyes widened.
"Oh no… they were still in there?"
"Still… what are you talking about?!" Brandon's voice was even louder as he looked more and more upset.
"I'll explain later, we need to get to Rikki NOW."
"Excuse me?!" Spydah said, before angrily slamming his mechanical limbs down, fortunately both Brandon and Alex managed to dodge.
"You two go on ahead, I'll keep this creep busy." Alex said.
"Sure you can handle it?" Fidget asked.
"After Doctor X? This is small fry." Alex answered with a sly grin, as Spydah just groaned in annoyance.
Brandon nodded as he and Fidget went deeper into the building.
"Rikki?!" Fidget started yelling out. "Rikki! Come on, just shout from where you're at, you're good at that."
"Can you please drop that? Now's not the time." Brandon said, a bit more fiercely than normal. He sighed after he saw Fidget's face droop. "How did… Why does Rikki have those things in him, anyway?"
"Right… you weren't there. Well, you kinda were, but…" Fidget fell quiet.
"Just keep on track." Brandon told her. "What's done is done, alright?"
"Right. So… When professor X took over your body, his first plan was to use his Nano Trilobites to do that with, like, a lot of people, but… if you weren't strong enough, you'd die."
"And Rikki…?"
"We nearly lost him." Fidget looked down while hugging her left arm with her right. "And not, like, fast or anything. He was just laying there, barely moving."
"How did he survive?"
"Alex got into the network, used his AMP, and severed the connection. We really figured that fixed it."
"Well, I guess it didn't…" Brandon said, before shaking his head. "Let's just find him and get him out of here. We can talk about how we fix that later."
"Right." Fidget said as they continued searching.
Soon enough, they found what looked like an operating room, filled with mechanical equipment, but more important…
"Rikki!" Fidget exclaimed, approaching what looked like an operation table. Rikki was strapped down, weakly struggling his bonds, hardly noticing the other two hovering over him. "Just… hang on… we're getting you out of here." She turned to Brandon, who managed to break the restraints. Almost instantly Rikki curled up in himself and Brandon could see raised veins rising from his collar. Turning a dark gray.
"I-It hurts…" Rikki softly managed.
"I know it does, buddy…" Brandon almost whispered, before gingerly picking Rikki up. "Let's get you out of here."
"Grinder?" Fidget said through her comlink.
'Already called an ambulance.' Grinder answered.
'That won't be necessary.' Another voice said. Mister Lee.
'How did you get on this line?'
'We have specialized medical equipment at Lee Tower.' Lee said while ignoring Grinder's question. 'I also called the police for the two criminals.'
"I don't care, I'm taking Rikki out. That specialized equipment better be amazing." Brandon said, walking out of the room.
"Wait a minute, TWO?!" Fidget realized, as a dark shadow loomed behind her, and she had second to dodge before a rather large I-Beam almost hit her. "What's the big idea?!" Fidget shouted as a rather tall, muscular man holding the I-Beam pulled it back.
"Roger needed some muscle for his big plans. And I don't say no to a good paycheck. Eventually."
"Dude, you didn't even get something up front? I ain't Rikki but I know that's stupid." Fidget said.
"Whatever, let's just GO." Brandon said, as he started running, occasionally looking down at Rikki, who by now looked almost ashen.
"Alex? How're you holding up against that eight-legged freak?" Fidget called through her headset.
"Things are going great!" Alex directly answered as they entered the room he was fighting Spydah in. By now Spydah was back on the ceiling, throwing random debris at Alex. "How's Rikki?" Alex asked.
"Terrible. We need to get him out of here NOW." Brandon urged.
"And so something about that brute that's chasing us, too."
"Hey, don't call me that!" The big man said, entering the room as well.
"Why not? They're right!" Roger shouted from the ceiling.
"Hey, not fair!"
"Should we…?" Alex softly said, before Fidget put her finger on her lips, and pointed at the door to the outside.
"Wait until he hears that you aren't going to pay him." Fidget said to Spydah.
"Hey, how'd you even know that?" Spydah exclaimed.
"You what?!" The other man called. "It's always the same with you, Roger! Never paying me for my input!" With that, he threw the I-Beam he was holding at Spydah.
"That's our cue to leave." Fidget said, getting out of the way of what looked like an all out brawl.
'Just stay away from any windows.' Grinder told them, and almost as on cue, many of the windows broke, as black-clad police officers swarmed the room and surrounded Spydah and his accomplice.
"This is all your fault!" They simultaneously called out, though raising their hands as it was clear they were outnumbered.
'There's an ambulance outside. Leave these two to the authorities and focus on what we're here for.' Grinder said, as the trio nodded, looking down at their unmoving friend.
Back in Lee's Tower, at one of the infirmary wings, Rikki's condition wasn't much better.
"This is… way worse than back then." Fidget said, unusually soft. "If that heart monitor wasn't beeping, I'd swear he was dead." Alex sighed, turning to Grinder and Mister Lee, who were looking at a monitor with a lot of data.
"So these are Doctor X's NTBs… I've heard about them, of course, but I've never seen their effects up close."
"I thought Lee Industries was about vehicles." Grinder asked.
"I actually have a doctorate in genetics, but… let's just say that doesn't really have a wide profit margin." Lee admitted. Grinder frowned, before focussing back on the screen. "I'm just wondering why they're behaving differently from last time, now that they're activated again."
"Back then it had a signal that gave them instructions on what to do. This time, there's no signal. They're running wild." Grinder said.
"But…" Mister Lee said, pointing at the screen. "They're also not destroying him from the inside. Their survival instincts must've kicked in and they do realize that they would very likely die without their host."
"So we don't have to worry about him dying, at least…" Grinder said. "Silver lining."
"You guys done talking shop so we can figure out what to do about it?" Brandon, who had been pacing around the room, said. "I don't know about you, but he doesn't exactly look healthy to me."
"Easy there mate. We shouldn't rush things." Grinder said.
"I'm inclined to agree. While the situation is dire, we should be careful as to not make mistakes that could cost your friend his life." Mister Lee added. "How about you all take a rest tonight? Maybe we can look at it tomorrow with fresh eyes."
"Yeah, I'm not gonna get any sleep tonight."
"If it makes you feel any better, I'll keep watch, okay?" Grinder offered, as Brandon sighed. "Not like he's going anywhere. And you'll help him more when you're not completely tweaked out."
"Fine." Brandon said, as he left.
"You sure you can handle it?" Alex asked. "I mean, he's your friend, too."
"Don't worry about it, I'll keep you guys posted." Grinder said, as the others also left. Lee was the last one.
"I know you don't trust me…" Lee said once the others were out of earshot. "But I do hope you see that I'm trying my best to help save your friend."
"Don't mind me. Just telling what I'm seeing." Grinder said, head turning to the monitors. Mister Lee frowned, but kept silent as he left. Grinder sighed, as he took down in a chair.
A couple of hours passed, no changes, better or worse.
"So… you wanted to leave, huh?" Grinder asked, looking at Rikki, though he knew his friend couldn't answer. "I'd ask 'Why' but… well, considering what's happening, that's kind of obvious." He leaned back in the chair he sat in. "To be honest, I'm surprised you held out that long. When you first arrived, we figured you'd be gone in a week." He smirked. "Fidget even bet good money on it. Still need to thank you for that extra fifty." His smile faded. "Things will be quiet without you. But hey, no shade. It's probably hurting you just as bad as…" He stopped as he noticed Rikki was moving. Grinder's eyes flicked to the monitors, but they didn't show much of a difference. Yet, Rikki was moving, and soon, he was trying to sit up.
"Guys, I think he's waking up." He quickly said through his headset, before immediately being at Rikki's bedside. "Easy there, Mate. Your body's going through a lot, just stay down for now." Still, Rikki kept trying to get up. He eventually managed, his back arching unnaturally before he slumped forward. "Rikki… Can you hear me, mate?" Grinder tried again, as Rikki opened his eyes.
They were pure silver.
That couldn't be good.
"Rikki…?" Grinder tried again as Rikki tried to get out of bed. Grinder pushed him down again. "Sorry mate, I don't think that's a good…" He was interrupted as he was thrown away by a force that was way too powerful to come from a sick man, as Rikki just got up and exited the room. His movements were jittery, stuttering. Almost as if he didn't know how to use his own body. It dawned on Grinder what was going on, and he didn't like it.
"Guys, there's something wrong here, could you…" It was then when he was lifted by his collar by Rikki, who he knew was not that strong. Those silver eyes looked at him fiercely. "Alright…" Grinder slowly started. "Let's just… calm down…" No reaction. "I'm not going to hurt you, alright?" This seemed to work, as Rikki seemed to relax. "Good. Good… Now let's get you back to…"
"Grinder!" Brandon yelled, slamming open the door. This seemed to be the wrong thing to do, as Rikki startled, and threw Grinder at Brandon with enough ease to make both of them topple over.
"What the…?" Brandon managed, before he saw Rikki leap over them, before… skittering away? On all fours? "That's not…"
"Entirely human?" Grinder said, as the two of them got up. "That's what I'm suspecting. Where are the others?"
"They're coming." Brandon said, before tapping his earpiece. "Alex? Fidget? We got a situation here."
'What do you mean? What's going on?'
"It's Rikki, he's… escaped…?" Brandon tried, still not quite believing what just happened.
'Why are you saying it like that?'
'Guys! I found him!' Fidget interrupted.
"Just what are you doing, scaring us like that?" Fidget said, approaching Rikki, who sat huddled in a dark corner, arms covering his head and shaking. "Go back to bed."
"Maybe not the best time for that." Alex tried from behind her. "Rikki, you okay?" He tried softly, no reaction, as Rikki just kept himself pressed in that corner.
'Alex, be careful, we're coming.' Grinder said in his ear. Alex just carefully tried to place his hand on Rikki's shoulder for comfort.
He lashed out with one of his arms, the screech that escaped his throat not sounding human in the slightest.
"Hey!" He said, looking at the gash on his arm, before looking back at Rikki, mouth opening in horror at what he saw.
Silver claws left gashes in the tiled floor.
Silver plating on his back tore through the fabric of his clothes.
Sharp edges appeared from within his body all around as Rikki, or whatever this was now, turned to them. Silver eyes looked at them fiercely.
"R-rikki…?" Fidget softly tried, only getting another inhuman screech in return, before Rikki crawled up the wall and away from them. "H-hey, come back here!" She tried to follow, but Rikki was fast, and soon enough, she lost him. "We want to help you, you stupid… whatever you are now!" With that, she turned to Alex, who was still nursing his arm. Next to him stood a rather haggard Mister Lee.
"I'll get a medic for that immediately."
"We really should get a hold of Rikki, first."
"He won't get out of the building. Security is top of the line." Lee said, before guiding the group to an infirmary.
"Well, this went from bad to worse." Grinder said, once Alex' wound was bandaged. "Just because he left the building, doesn't mean we know where he is. This place is massive."
"The architect had a vision he didn't want to compromise on…" Mister Lee said, almost apologetically. "Nothing to dwell on." He coughed. "I wasn't expecting him to outright transform. Is that a… common trait of these Nanomachines?"
Everyone fell silent, before looking at Brandon, who sighed.
"I don't get it. Why did he transform like that? You have to get really mad. Rikki doesn't get mad, he gets scared." Brandon spoke up, though more to himself.
"This works with adrenaline, correct?" Mister Lee asked, as Brandon nodded. "It's a response from the body to try and get out of stressful situations, simply speaking. So it's not just anger that can trigger it. Is Rikki someone who is easily stressed?"
"Like you wouldn't believe." Fidget said. "So… that's what caused him to transform? Stress?"
"Fear, more like." Alex corrected. "It starts making sense. He didn't want to harm anyone, he just wanted to get out of here. But he panicked, probably because of what that Spydah creep did to him."
"And now he's in the vents and doesn't want to come out." Fidget said. "Did any of your cameras find him yet?" She asked Mister Lee.
"Well, I could check the security cameras, but I've neglected to install any in the vents themselves."
"Well, it's the best we've got. Let's see what you've got." Fidget said. They went to another room, filled with screens showing various rooms in the building from a bird's eye view. Though none of them showed Rikki. Fidget took a closer look.
"Why's that one tearing like that?" She asked, pointing at one of them. It just showed an empty storage room. "Is that normal?"
"No, it's not." Mister Lee said, focussing. "Wait, that's not a tear, that's…" Everyone looked closer.
It was text.
"What does that say? Can you zoom in?" Fidget asked.
"Doesn't even look like it's properly part of the footage… what's going on?" Mister Lee wondered out loud.
"Rather small, isn't it?" Grinder said, leaning in. "Hold on, I think I can read it…" He paused.
"Well, don't leave us in suspense." Alex said.
"Help me."
"Well, if you didn't hog the screen…" Brandon started.
"No. That's what it says. 'Help me.'"
"That's… not just a glitch, is it?" Alex said. "But how…?"
"Is… Rikki interfacing with the tech?"
"Well, those bugs have done it before…" Grinder said. Whatever he wanted to add was interrupted, as Brandon slammed his hands on the console. "You alright, mate?" Grinder asked him.
Brandon didn't answer. He looked… scared.
"I…" He started, before just dashing out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Alex raised his hand.
"Let me handle this." He said, going after Brandon.
He found him a few hallways later, leaning against the wall, arms crossed and overall looking tense.
"Hey… You okay?" Alex carefully said, leaning next to him. "You know, if this is becoming too much…"
"Was it… like this? When I…?" Brandon interrupted, looking away, retreating within himself. "Did it hurt like this?"
"Can't deny that it did. There were some things different, but in the end… yeah, it did hurt to see you like that. And it does to see him like that." Alex said, before placing a hand on Brandon's shoulder. "But we got you back, and we'll get Rikki back."
"Well, not quite 'Me'." Brandon said with a sad smile. "And I don't think Lee has a clone handy for Rikki."
"We'll figure it out. We always do."
"So… got any bright ideas?" Brandon asked. Alex shrugged.
"Let's go back and discuss with the others." With that, the two headed back.
"Anything new?" Alex asked once they entered the security room again.
"Nope." Grinder said, eyes glued to the screens. "I wouldn't be surprised if it took a lot to just send that message.
"Can't we just do what we did last time?" Fidget tried. "I mean, if he can connect to tech, maybe he can infect humans, as well?"
"But that didn't solve it, did it?" Brandon said. "The Nanotrilobites were still in his system, that's how we got here in the first place." Mister Lee pondered deeply.
"I'm afraid that cleaning his entire system of this… let's call it an infection, is on the verge of impossible." He solemnly said. "But… we know that they can lay dormant with little to no effect on his body. If we could just manage to place them in that state again…"
"We're going to need some samples, that's going to be difficult."
"It's the best chance we've got, though." Alex said. "So how do we get him back?"
"Well, first we need to get inside those vents, but you gotta be really small too…" Fidget started, before she realized… 'Oh…"
'Seeing anything?' Alex asked through the Commlink, as Fidget found herself in the nearest duct.
"No, and if there's rats in here I'm gonna be so mad."
'Don't worry, this building has one of the most robust cleaning mechanisms around, there shouldn't be anything in the vents besides your friend and you.'
"Considering what he's right now, that's not really a comfort."
'You want to help the guy or not?'
"Fine, fine." Fidget said, slowly making her way through. "Rikki…? Where are you…? Just yell once if you can hear me."
There was a rattling nearby.
Fidget instantly turned her head.
"Rikki…?" She tried. This was rewarded with loud skittering away from where she was. "Wait…! Hold up!" She crawled towards him. "I'm not as fast as you, so how 'bout you…?" With that, she managed to fall down into a room. "Ow."
'Fidget?'
"I'm fine. Just in a closet somewhere." Fidget said, getting up. She held up her camera, noticing the silver stains on the walls and the floor. "You guys seeing this?"
'Try to take a sample. Maybe we can find some nano trilobites to investigate.' Mister Lee insisted. 'Just… don't get it in your eyes or mouth.'
"Already got that far." Fidget said, as she approached a wall and carefully scraped some of the silver off it. "Gross."
'Alright, that should do it, now head back.'
"Fine, but I'm not crawling through the vent again."
'I managed to find this room on our security cameras, I can unlock the door remotely.'
'You sure that's a good idea? Rikki might be in there, too'
"You want to keep me locked in with him? Come on, even before all this, that's not cool!"
A skittering could be heard.
"Open the door already!"
A click could be heard, as Fidget hurried through and slammed it shut, another click indicating it was locked again.
'Alright, now just get back to us so we can research.'
"Coming. Here's to hoping you can find something, genius."
Mister Lee looked at the sample under a microscope, seeing the nanotrilobites.
"Not much changed from before…" He said. "If anything, they're more stagnant." Mister Lee said. "If we could return all of them to this state… that might at least stop the mutation." He rubbed his chin. "They're mechanical in nature, perhaps an EMP…" He started pacing. "No. No. That would be too sudden. The stress could prove fatal, especially since it's pretty clear they're reached the brain… Might just turn him vegetative…"
"Uhm, Mister Lee….?" Grinder tried.
"There has to be a way to shut down the mechanical parts, without damaging the biological parts. Maybe… maybe some sort of serum that… yes… and I have the materials to…"
"Care to share with the rest of the class?" Alex tried, as Mister Lee looked up.
"Apologies. I get like that sometimes if I'm thinking." He said, smiling sheepishly. "I… think I have something. I've been working on some things that can shut down specific functions of something on the genetic level. I think I can make something that should target these nanotrilobites, at least temporarily, on fairly short notice."
"How long is this 'Fairly short notice'?" Brandon asked.
"Half a day?" Mister Lee said, before walking off. "That is, if I start working immediately. I'll tell everyone in the tower to take the day off and I'll lock it down. I hate to sound cruel, but we're farther away from home if Rikki gets out on the streets in this state."
"Something we can do?" Alex asked.
"Sorry, but the best I can give you is trying to keep an eye on your friend." Mister Lee said, at the door, pointing at the cameras.
"Brandon, you go with Lee, alright? Just in case." Alex said, Brandon nodded.
"Something happens, I want to know." He said, before the two men were off.
Mister Lee was several hours into his work, as Brandon stood by, watching.
Feet bouncing.
"Sir, I understand you're nervous but I really need to concentrate." Mister Lee eventually said.
"Can't you go a little faster?"
"I really need you to be patient, I'm working as fast as I can. You don't want me to make something that can harm your friend, now, do you?" He said, and Brandon swore he could hear menace in that statement. Though in an instant, it was gone. "Why don't you contact your friends? Maybe that will help calm your nerves." Brandon sighed, before taking his distance and opening his comlink.
"How are things on your end?" He asked.
'No change. Rikki's probably still up on the vents.' Grinder answered.
"Any… messages?"
'Nothing new. Just more calls for help.' Grinder said. 'We don't like it either.'
"I just hope Lee's… stuff works." Brandon said, before heading back.
"You're back, good." Lee said, before taking a syringe gun from the place he was working at. "It's finished… Normally this would need some extensive testing, but I understand we are in a crunch." He said, handing it over to Brandon. "You just need to get close enough to inject it. That should hopefully revert the Nanotrilobites to their inert state." Brandon nodded.
"Alright, I got the stuff, you know where Rikki might be hiding."
'That storage closet seemed to be something. Fifth floor.'
"I'm on it." With that he left for the fifth floor.
He reached the closet, which was empty for now. The traces of silver brought him… memories. Not many of them good ones.
He almost gingerly traced the silver, frowning, mind going to dark places.
He failed to notice what came out of the vent until it jumped at him.
He managed to dodge, only to see Rikki behind him, whose sight alone stopped him in his tracks.
"Alright, let's just… calm down…" Brandon said, raising his hands. "You recognize me, right? There's no one in there controlling you, so you should…" Rikki let out an unnatural screech, swiping at Brandon, who could barely dodge it. "Will you just listen to me?!" Brandon now yelled.
This caused Rikki to look at Brandon, arm raised in front of him protectively.
The look in those eyes broke something in Brandon.
"I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He started. "You're scared. I know you're scared. We all do. A-and you're always scared, we also know that. But I guess we never told you that was okay. You've been kidnapped, thrown out of buildings. Shot at. And now… your own body has turned into something out of a nightmare. I'd be more worried if you weren't scared at this point…. And that's fine! It's more than fine. You're… you're our friend, Rikki. Please just… let us help you come back…" He knelt down, carefully reaching out with an open hand. "I won't hurt you…"
Rikki slowly, but surely, reached back, taking the hand. Brandon smiled at him gently.
"Good… Good…." He said, before he grimaced. "I'm sorry." He said, before quickly jabbing the injector gun in Rikki's neck, who almost immediately backed away, a large screech escaping him.
However, soon, it faded into a normal, human yell, as the silver faded and Rikki returned to his former self. For a while he stared at Brandon, before his eyes rolled back and he slumped forward, Brandon quickly catching him.
"It's okay… I got you…"
"He's not been answering, you think they're…?" Fidget softly started, before the door opened, and Brandon entered, carrying Rikki. "You got him? Did it work?!" Fidget tried. Brandon just hushed her, before laying Rikki down. He groaned, before opening his eyes. They were his usual brown again.
"H-hey…" He managed, slowly getting up.
"Careful, you've been through a lot." Alex said, placing a hand on Rikki's shoulder, whose eyes glanced at the bandage around his arm.
"I-I'm sorry…" He managed, looking near tears. "I didn't… I wasn't…"
"Hey. We've been here before. That wasn't you."
"But it was!" Rikki said loudly. "Even if I was drowning in other voices… so many other voices… It was… me…"
"You were scared. It happens. No skin off our backs, mate." Grinder said, as Rikki managed a small smile.
The door opened, as Mister Lee entered.
"I'd hate to interrupt the relief but… this is only a temporary measure." He said, face dour. "I've managed to come with a more permanent solution, but since it's pretty invasive, I wanted to ask explicit consent to…"
"Do it." Rikki said, surprisingly fierce.
"A-are you…?"
"Just do it! Whatever it is. I don't care. Just… make it so I don't turn into… that… ever again!" He was sounding desperate now.
"I'll… prepare the procedure." Lee said, leaving the room. There was a bit of an awkward silence, as Rikki just bowed his head.
Fidget didn't say anything. Just sat down next to him and slowly wrapped her arms around in a hug.
Rikki looked in a mirror, touching behind his ear.
What looked like a headphone jack was behind it, thin metallic tendrils creeping up his hairline before disappearing into his skin.
"Do you experience any discomfort?" Mister Lee asked. "This is the first time we gave someone one of these injection ports…" Rikki shook his head.
"No… it just feels… cold." He said. Mister Lee approached him and gave him what looked like a watch. Rikki put it on as it displayed a green number.
"The port also has a way to scan your blood cells. This will display the percentage of Nanotrilobites active inside of you. If it's in the green, there's no danger. Once it turns red…"
"I think I can guess." Rikki said with a wry smile. "So… I'm stuck with the injections."
"Once every week is my estimate at this point. Barring some factors like anger and stress. That's what the scanner is for." Mister Lee explained. "While the tranquilizer itself is fairly cheap, the process of making it is rather involved, but I'll try to keep you supplied to the best of my ability."
"I can only imagine the cost of that."
"Don't worry. I'll gladly do it for free. Consider it an apology for this visit turning out the way it did." Mister Lee said. Rikki nodded.
"I'd like to see my friends now." He said rather softly.
"Of course." Mister Lee said, leading him outside of the room they were in.
"How'd it go?" Fidget immediately asked, before looking at the port. "Wicked!"
"Well, I'm glad you like it." Rikki said, trying not to roll his eyes.
"Hey, if it means we can finally get back on the road." Grinder said, as Rikki looked away, hugging himself. "Unless there's…" He started, rubbing the back of his head.
"Alex told you, huh?" He said, before taking a deep breath and facing his friends. "I-I can't do this any more… Even before. And now I just… I can't. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He closed his eyes, almost flinching, scared of what the answer would be.
"So…" Fidget started. "Can I have your bunk?"
"Fidget!" Alex called out.
"What? He's got a top spot. I want one."
"Hey, as long as I don't have to sleep on the couch any more." Brandon added, as Alex groaned.
"I think they're good." Grinder said, as Rikki looked dumbfounded, before he started laughing. However, soon the laughter turned into sobs, as he raised his hands to dry tears.
"Hey…" Fidget said, unusually soft as she leaned in for a hug. "We'll miss you, too."
"We'll keep in touch, alright?" Alex said.
"And you can still do your job. Just… not on Big Air." Grinder added.
"Thanks, everyone. I think I'll do that. Someone needs to keep everything in the green." Rikki tried.
Mister Lee, who had kept his distance, stepped forward.
"If there's anything I can do to help…" He started.
"I think I know something." Fidget said with a grin.
"A-are you sure?" Mister Lee asked. "This camera is more complicated than I'm used to."
"Just press the button, smarty-pants." Fidget said, as she came out of Big Air, where everyone gathered, carrying Vinnie. "Here." She said, handing him over to Rikki. "Give him one last hug, will ya?"
"You behave while I'm not around, alright, handbag?" Rikki told Vinnie, who just licked him, as the others gathered around him. "Sorry it didn't work out, Mister Lee."
"That's alright, plan Alpha has already been put in motion." Mister Lee answered. "Alright, everyone, say Extreme." He said, raising the camera.
"EXTREME!" The little group called out, as the flash captured the moment.
A few weeks later, Rikki managed to settle in the new apartment Mister Lee offered him. A bit small, but he actually kind of liked it. It reminded him of Big Air.
"Just far quieter…" He mused, sitting down at his new office, cup of Chai in hand as he opened his laptop. Before he got to work, he glanced at the picture on his desk, and felt good, knowing the exact same was hanging over the Big Air cockpit.