Chapter 14: Mark

We made it to the shelter just when the sun started going down. Brightbill inspected the impromptu garden that he and Roz had created long ago (with the help of the forest.) It was doing quite well since he and Roz left…Fink made sure to maintain it.

"Well, I'm so pleased you like the Nest, Terry!"

"Nest?" I gave a confused look. Brightbill was still on my shoulder…and soon gave me a surprised look, "Fink never told you? It's what we call this place!"

The fox rolled his eyes, "I guess that didn't ever cross my mind."

We entered the wood and stone refuge and got situated. I decided to play around with Rummage's databank while Brightbill and Fink caught up on things they missed. It's not long after that I managed to get a hold of some information regarding life in the city.

They sat beside each other, just below me as I used the Rozzum as a projector. I began a slideshow of all the things I could show them about civilization. They had already been acquainted more or less about what's what and such (especially Brightbill) but now they finally had somebody that could give them more insight into everything.

A few minutes later after showing them some everyday things: Brightbill stops me upon recognizing a vehicle with two wheels and a human using just their legs to power it.

"Bicycle" I began to explain, "it helps humans get around faster than walking. We usually use it for short distances."

"Looks like one of those 'car' things you showed me before" Fink said…lying on his back.

"Kind of, kids use these more, we can't drive cars until we're older."

"Oh really?" He retorted, "why is that?"

"We're not responsible enough, parents say…honestly most of them are self-driving anyway."

"You seem responsible enough" Brightbill complimented.

"It's kind of a rule, I can't."

"Bummer."

I began scrolling again before Fink moved his head up at the sight of people wearing suits and dresses at a gala, "hmm, that looks like quite the gathering."

"It's a formal event, humans attend them for special occasions" I explained.

"Such as?" Brightbill looked back with a beckoning look, "people getting married…graduation…dinner parties…so many things."

Fink scratched his muzzle-chin at the sight, "everyone looks so…so…"

"Clean?" Brightbill answered for him before the vulpine nodded, "yeah…"

"Well, it's not like living in the forest…living in the city you must…uh…be presentable. Let's go with that" I said rolling my eyes.

"Presentable?"

"We humans have systems in place…we make rules on how we dress…how we eat…how we greet…how we clean…the list goes on."

"Why?" Brightbill genuinely asked.

"I suppose it's just…what we do? Civilization likes having order and harmony."

I got to a slide of people eating at a long table at the gala and Fink raised a furry brow at the sight, "wait, so you don't eat with your hands?"

I shake my head, "we use utensils…again, we try to make eating be a polite gesture."

"I can see why, humans have hands…animals do not. We can't really do the same as you humans can." Bill agreed.

"Well, If I was there, I'd be jumping around the place and causing a ruckus!" Fink laughed.

"And the service bots will detain you and kick you out" I scoffed.

"So…are there any animals in your cities, Terry?" The goose rolled his head to the side before I nodded, "certainly! Though, these are not 'wild' as both of you are. They are trained to be as 'civil' as we humans are."

I tried finding a slide and I eventually do…a picture of a medium-sized dog being walked by their master across a skybridge (the location I know very well, funny enough.)

"I see…"

"There are animals that don't belong to humans, but…they are regarded as pests…" I explained, letting go of Rozzum 6262.

"You don't need to tell me why…I can already see why" Fink scoffed loudly, "I'd probably be out there running around, and you scared little humans would act like I'm going to eat you or something."

I laughed at that; he wasn't that far off honestly.

"You…wouldn't consider us to be pests…would you?" Brightbill hopped up the steps to be closer to me.

I sighed softly, "you want the truth?" Fink's ears twitched as he rolled over to his side and got on all fours to join the both of us, "before ending up here…maybe. B-but…having been on this island…not anymore. I mean…now that I can understand animals…IMAGINE the conversations I'm going to have when I run into mice or cats when I'm back home!"

Silence filled the room before the former gosling looked up and me with a smile, "Terry…why don't you show us your home?"

"Ah" I scratched the back of my head, "If my device hasn't run out of power, maybe I can."

I went to my bag and voila: still some battery left…but not much. And so, I decided to use the last of its power to show Brightbill and Fink more of my life before ending up here.

They saw me and my parents. That's when their interest peaked.

"Is-is that…" Fink stepped closer to the translucent screen.

"My mom and my dad" I nodded.

"Lovely family" Brightbill said, he suddenly turned toward me…looked me in the eye (with an almost serious tone…but it was more like a parent trying to teach their kid something) "cherish them, Terry. Please cherish them."

"Believe me…I will be giving them the longest hug I will ever give them when I reunite with them!" I smiled.

I thought of an idea…I wanted to cherish THIS MOMENT…have a memory of my time here with Fink and Brightbill…to remind me where I was…so I won't forget them. I went into my camera settings as they jumped back, "whoa! Is that some kind of portal!?" The fox asked…soon walking up to sniff the screen.

"It's a camera."

I took a picture and showed it to them. For Brightbill it looked similar…it reminded him of when Roz took pictures of everyone (him included) and gave them stickers with their faces.

"This is what we use to capture moments in real life, so we can look at them again later" I switched to 'selfie' mode and pointed the camera at us, "get closer you two" I requested. The fox and the goose looked at one another and shrugged…soon joining my side. They got as close as they could…Brightbill was perched on my leg while Fink rested on my back, "smile!" They did so and I took the picture.

Now, I have a memory of them…and I feel so satisfied.

"That looks amazing!" said Brightbill happily, then a thought came to him, "you want to remember us, that's thoughtful of you, Terry."

I looked toward him and nodded, "if only I could make one for you guys to keep…wait…" My eyes shot up as I gave a big smile…Rozzum 6262! I ran up to turn her on again and I went to manual settings…camera settings. Heck yeah!

And so, we did the same selfie…I set a timer on Rummage and she took the picture…soon printing out a sticker for us…it had the Universal Dynamics logo and the three of us together in the picture.

"Wow kid…you really are a piece of work" I suddenly felt Fink affectionately brush his paw against my shoulder as a thanks.

"I agree wholeheartedly with Fink!"

I offered the sticker to them, and they gladly took it. Brightbill stuck it on the wall of memories not too far away for him and the others to see.

Soon, we returned to the slideshow, and they saw my apartment for the first time. They saw the three-square windows in front with a view of the city…then the holo tv to the left…the couch to the right (with a painting of horses just above.) Also on the right was the countertop, three stools, and the kitchen where Dad made his meals.

"That's…your den?" Fink rolled his head to the side in a questioning manner.

"Apartment" I corrected him.

"So…you live above the ground?" asked Brightbill.

I nodded, swiping the device again. We come across a video of me and my parents in mom's garden. This was not too long ago, one of the last times I ever saw them. I was just given the black raincoat by them to wear for the expedition to the flooded mainland. It was Christmas Day. Brightbill looked back and forth between my outfit on the screen and now…and he could spot the major differences. Fink studied the scene and tried all he could to understand the traditions that were happening. I soon explained to them the nuances of the Christmas/Holiday season. A season of giving…of cherishing those we love in our lives.

Then…what happened next caught them off guard… especially once I remembered who was also with us that day: Mark. He spent the holiday with us. Sure enough, the next video was the both of us on our expedition in the Pacific Northwest, or what was left of it. It was me and several others that came in other airships…scientists, and tourists like me…among others. We were, all of us, studying the burial site of an ancient city that was part of what was once called the 'United States' before 'The Great Sundering.'

Both animals saw the look on my face as I paused the video to look at Mark. It's at that moment that I noticed something about him…there was something wrapped around his neck…something he was wearing like a necklace. He never wore such accessories…around me at least. That's when I realized that he started wearing it not long after we got to the mainland and linked up with the human explorers. I zoomed in while Fink and Brightbill moved closer…wondering just what I was fixated on, "what is it?" Fink asked nervously.

"There's a logo on the necklace…" my eyes widened…moving away…the critters next to me looked confused. I reached into my brown bag and pulled it out: the data disc…

"Terry…what's going on?" Brightbill inquired.

"This thing…it's in my bag for a reason…MARK GAVE IT TO ME!" I suddenly yelled…frightening them a bit, "it's property of Universal Dynamics."

My face turned white…eyes dilating, "there's something very important inside this device…"

Suddenly I felt a wing on my arm before I looked toward the goose who had a worried face. I nodded soon after, gathering them around, "I…I think this disk is important…maybe Mark was hiding it from someone…he wanted it to be safe with me."

"Why…" he asked before I shake my head. Then I looked towards my device (which is now flickering on and off…about to shut off) and that's when dread filled me.

"Someone in the mainland gave this to Mark…s-someone shot us down after we left…the hole in the cabin…that was no storm that did that…someone attacked us…someone WANTED this data disk!"

That's when horror filled Fink. You could see it in his face…his cone-shaped ears folded behind him…his mouth gaped…his eyes shrunken, "k-kid…does this mean…"

"We're in serious danger…" I muttered.

But why…what's in this piece of plastic and metal that is so dang important!? What's in it that it was worth putting the lives of five people at risk for? Could there be something in it that is detrimental to Universal Dynamics or its rival company Techlab Industries?

We can't see what's inside it here. That would require having access to Universal Dynamics tech, which I don't have. Everything I own is Techlab! I don't think Roz 6262 has enough power to decipher the code…we can try but…it seems unlikely.

I soon looked toward Brightbill…and an idea crossed me, "you…" I said softly.

The goose pulled away, "you have to take this to Roz…" I begged him, "whatever is in it…Roz can find out what they want…maybe she can expose them!"

"Who, Terry…who!?"

"I don't know" I stood up and moved away…having my back against the two animals, "whoever is willing to kill people and animals for it."

That seemed a good enough reason for Brightbill. He knew just how dangerous Roz's creators were…after encountering Vontra and her goons. He nodded, but soon he hesitated, "I…Terry, I know this is important to you…to all of us, but the flock just returned…we can't leave so soon…give us a few days" said Brightbill.

"Yeah…if what you say is true, kid…we have to really think about what we need to do."

I nodded, understanding, "it's…just a wild theory anyway…" I said to myself…maybe I'm way over my head…accusing a megacorporation or entity of such a devious scandal, but what if it's true? Still, I was going by speculation. There was no reason to call in all the troops until we had further proof.

"Maybe not" Brightbill supported my notion.

"Let's sleep on it" the fox suggested before Brightbill and I agreed.

"I agree. Terry, have you tried the transmitter on Rummage, yet?"

I shook my head…walking toward the robot. I placed it on its head. I booted it up and I soon manually imputed the option to return to factory. I only had a few percent left on my device to do so…so I shut it off for now…intending to save it for later. Plus, there was a weak signal here, we would have to move her to a better location.

"We'll have to get someone like Thorn to help us take them somewhere" Fink suggested.

I nodded.

For now, we have decided to rest. The three of us tried to change the subject to something more lighthearted. We did, but despite this…the thought of Mark, the device, and everything still plagued my mind.

What if I'm right? What if I'm right and we are in the middle of a conspiracy?

Are any of us safe? Will this island be safe?

I decided to drop it…focusing on my two friends across from me. I decided to worry about it later. Cherish the moment I'm having with them…worry about the problem later…tomorrow.

In hindsight, I'm happy I did.

…

Oh boy! Did Terry just uncover a disturbing plot? Will it affect him and the others in the long run? Stay tuned for more!