/ Ana
The so-called call with Feng just finished. The damn data he sent me… Huh…
"It shows some sort of outpost around an hour away from us." - Sujin remarked, as we are looking through the data, now plastered across the whole lot of the screens in front of me.
"Seems like it." - I mull over the information.
"How about we go there and explore, actually?" - Sujin says.
"I mean, that is a good idea, at the same time, who should go?" - I think aloud.
The information shows that it is where the settlement is, as well as a mid-way-point to get to Iron City. There's even a note… By the looks of it - might not be something Feng added, maybe his subordinate. But this: "check the area" does sound pretty intriguing.
"How about we go out there and check? I'm way too restless now." - Sujin taps the table with her finger, as she eyes me.
I look at her, with apparent questions plastered on my face.
"We can get Jane, along with us." - Sujin wiggles her eyebrows.
"You want me to go." - I let it out as part question, part statement. Sujin nods, as she presses her lips.
"A good outing is a good outing. If anything goes south - we have firepower." - She shrugs at me, as she makes me consider the proposal.
"I want to get either David or Michael with us." - I say.
"We do need someone who speaks… Ah wait, the automatic translation thingy…" - Sujin looks around the room. - "Where's that at?"
"Evie, bring me the translation package." - I call out to the hall.
"Ah, Evie? What about me?" - Michael comes out, walking over to us.
"Aha, you. Did you get Jane?" - Sujin asks.
"He got me good. So did you." - Jane comes out a second later. - "I'm still rather at odds of seeing you here."
"Ah, the sourpuss act of a soldier." - Sujin remarks.
"We've got a location to scout out." - I say, as I point to the screens. Both Michael and Jane come over to check the data.
"An outpost?" - Jane looks at Sujin, then at me. - "What's this about?"
"Something interesting." - Sujin adds.
"I want you to tell me the truth, Ana. What the fuck have you pulled off?" - Jane looks me in the eyes, damn serious.
"I did show that thing with Iron City, did I not?" - I replied.
"You did. What's that I have to…" - Jane looks at the monitors again. - "So these are the rebel settlers. Ehhh." - He lets out a sigh, then a grunt. Walk off to the window. - "Ana, are you serious then, about helping those maniacs?"
"Well, we do need information about the outside world." - I shrug.
"That's the most closed off thing from the outside world that we found." - Jane turns to look my way. - "But getting involved…"
"That guy already had an idea about the bunkers. Funny enough, I guess too many info bits about bunkers. We were not the only ones, so he might have tried the others. Though, I wonder how far he got." - I lean back in my chair.
"Other survivors?" - Michael asks.
"That. Or tech. Or information. Or just met the closed doors and wondered how to crack that open." - I replied.
"It's close to impossible to pry open the bunker doors. You need either a special pass, or code at least to get in." - Sujin adds.
"Well, you're part right." - I look at them all. - "You need the company 'authority'."
"What? Authority?" - Sujin got puzzled.
"Yeah…" - I let out, tiredly. - "You see, when they were making this bunker, we were like a damn prototype. To enter here, as well as get out - there has to be at least one person from BITTech present, hopefully alive, to control the entry/exit point. Without that person - the whole idea of getting out is not feasible. That is the damn trick Michael installed." - I explained.
"I did no such thing." - Michael pouts.
"I meant the psycho CEO, hun." - I smile.
"So, Feng might have discovered other places." - Jane crossed his hands on his chest, as he thought aloud. - "But the access was not really… So he might know something."
"He Might Know. He might not. At the same time - I have not accessed the information about the other bunkers. That asshole made sure to keep that information pretty far away from here. Rather from me personally." - I shrug.
"For such a freak not to trust you with that - seems somewhat offensive." - Sujin adds.
"He knew I would be against that. That's why I got to know about the sheer idea of other bunkers through the collab company rep. As the plan was around 50 to a 100 of such places. Though, at different levels of advancement." - Now I'm the one tapping the table.
"Meaning there's more of 'us'." - Jane adds.
"Rather there's more of 'whatever the fuck they deemed right' to be. As I can only guess, but even then - I'm not sure I can do it." - I say out loud, realising I am not even sure about that whole other bunker thing in general sense.
"How about you ask that psycho ai thing on your system?" - Suujin asks.
I let out a sigh, my finger pointing at the screens:
"Babe, I spent a bit of time turning it off. And you ask me to resurrect it now? How about 'no'." - I raise my eyebrow at her.
"I mean…" - Sujin shrugs.
"Having it back up might be compromising to us." - Jane adds.
"The damn thing he pestered me on is to get him out of whatever place he got himself in here. And I don't want that." - I lean back in my chair, eyes looking at the ceiling.
"He might screw us over. Even in this AI tech way, so I would rather not really get him back, unless there's some sort of event where we absolutely need him." - Jane continues.
"Like a human sacrifice for a ritual or something." - I let out, my inside thoughts leaking out.
"Or that. Though that might be a bit far fetching." - Jane smirks at me.
"Alright, leaving that aside - are we going to check the location?" - Sujin really seems restless.
"We shall need a car then, or something." - Jane lets out.
"Here's the translation devices." - Evie came out with a box in her hands.
"Still unsettling." - Jane remarks.
"You're telling ME that?" - I sarcastically joke back.
"Am I the butt of the joke?" - Evie comes over placing the box on the table.
"Just like I was that butt end of things for years. Yeah." - I replied.
"No wonder you're jaded to things now." - Evie comes up with sassy remarks.
"Don't worry, you'll get there as well. If you live as long as I do." - I open the box to check on the items.
"That'd be quite too much. I rather prefer getting out of the commission at some point, if I have to deal with you lot the whole time I'm alive." - Evie adds coldly.
"If you decide on that, let me know. I'll shut you off for free." - Jane smiles at Evie.
"I hope you know where the plug is." - Evie eyes him.
"Salty much, are we?" - Michael smiles.
Evie walks over to Michael and gets in his face.
"I still wonder what you found in her to be this lenient." - Evie eyes Michael.
"It's a human thing. You've yet to grasp it." - Michael smiles at her, unshaken.
"You think I don't know human emotions?" - Evie gets rather annoyed.
"Evie, if you want to pick a fight with him, I'd suggest you against it." - I look at her android build, as I observe her moves. She turns to me, observing me.
"You…" - Evie lets out.
"You can hate me all you want, sure. You can love 'him' all you want, sure. But if we become dead, your rusty ass ain't getting to him either way." - I say as a matter of factly.
"So you know." - Evie hisses.
"I'm aware you're pining for Michael. The maker of you. Though, he ain't what you make him to be. Once we sort this whole ordeal out, I'll let you have him. All to yourself. As long as he's there to be your sincere pet - I have nothing against your obsession." - I let out tiredly, as I pick out the ear pieces. - "You want him. Sure. Have him all to yourself." - I look up at Evie. - "Just don't blame ME if he turns out to be something other than what you think of him."
Evie seems surprised at my words, so are others. Guess the sheer realisation that this Android DOES indeed have feelings is a whole new jar of bugs nobody wanted to open. But here goes.
I get up, handing out the ear pieces to Jane, Sujin and Michael.
"Off we go then." - I exhale.
"But what…?" - Evie retorts.
"Keep watch on the data, I've taken a portable with me. Make sure the others are not getting up here, while we're gone." - I turn to Evie.
"Updates in real time sequence?" - Evie asks.
I nod.
"Make sure to check that it is all recorded." - I replied. - "Now, Evie?"
She looks at me, intently.
"Wish me luck." - I smile at her.
"Pfft…" - Evie shakes her head. - "You don't change, do you?" - She looks at me with a smile. - "Good luck, Chairwoman. Bring us victory."
"As I always do." - I nod and walk off towards the elevator. Others follow me. Evie stayed on the floor with a computer system.
The button on the elevator was pressed with the marking "H", then the one with letter "Y" and letter "C".
Others have not used it, many don't think it's even a good idea to go there. Typically there's the four letters that are used to go through these floors with offices - "J", "S", "O" and "Q". That's the floors that either lead to my office, to where the others are staying, or maybe to the other office floors which lead to bunker bits.
Many of the buttons are with letters, instead of numbers. This is the pre-requisite trait of BITTech. For exactly our side of things, available to be used and known only to the higher up personnel. Make the right combination - you get to floors which are allowed only for special use. Even Evie is unable to use the elevator for the access of those floors. Why? Fingerprint scan on the buttons. Even if she's like me, her make-up hands are still different, with prints that are not mine. A trick that Michael added for god knows what reason.
The elevator whirred downwards, for a bit of time. Then doors opened and we got out on the level that is filled with endless machinery, robots, androids, tech-bots, cars, tractors, drones, helicopters, all sorts of transportation bits along with just tech bits. The place is like a huge hangar, or maybe some would say that it's a half-maze the level of a football field. Well, BITTech IS about tech. So having this here is my idea. I did have two floors here, made by my request, not Michaels, when construction was in full blast. And one is filled with robots and transportation. Because - maintenance is a great need to any place, even heavy set bunkers. Another one… That's the floor with things I had to keep secret from Michael. From everyone, really. Even had to, well… Keep the builders of that floor locked on that floor.
"What?" - Jane looked stunned. Michael was looking at the whole lot, internally accessing the whole thing. Sujin smiled.
"So, guess we take the military grade vehicle." - Sujin smiles at me.
"That's a bit further down the line." - I lead them to where that whole lot is. Sure enough, there's multiple military grade jeeps standing, even a few tanks.
"Um, Ana?" - Michael asks, as he stands next to me. - "What is this floor exactly?"
"My toy floor." - I look at him. - "A floor made upon my request to have all sorts of toys to use. Most are made by BITTech, some are whatever we imported. Whatever I deemed interesting in using for whatever reasons. So yeah. I do have a lot of things." - I let out.
"Sometimes I forget that you are the actual top dog behind BITTech… But this sure reminds me not to mess with you." - Sujin says, as she checks the vehicles, picking out what she wants. - "But how come it's all in such mint condition?"
"It took a bit to have a special set of chemicals and things installed to preserve the tech here. Hence some are in special containers. But yeah - this floor was made so that it'd have anything stored here - last for eons. And whilst we descended here - the chemicals were aired out, so that we would not suffocate dying a slow dumb death." - I shrugged.
"I wonder who the genius of BITTech is, to be honest…" - Jane looks surprised.
"It was Michael. My ambitions were a bit different. And he loved the spotlight. So he was… For those who need him to be. I had to manage whatever he could not. I did well nonetheless." - I went over to the car which Sujin picked out, as she now ravaged the interior. - "This one?" - I looked at Sujin.
"This one!" - Sujin cheerily said.
"Let's get in then." - I let out, as I got inside. Sujin in the driver's seat. The boys sat in the back.
"Where's the exit, though?" - Sujin looks at me.
I smirk and direct her to where the drive-out exit is. Gently and slowly. The phone in my hand has the navigation and location market for the place we've set off to.
The heavy bunker door was now in front of us, I had to get out to scan my prints for the door to unlock, then got back into the car. The door opened.
"Oh we're about to be the new explorers!" - Sujin sounded excited.
"Well, that's one thing. Another is how the hell the exit on the outer side is all cleaned up…" - Jane was looking at the cleaned exit free of debris, plants and other possible things that could have accumulated.
"Do you really think that all those robots are just for the show?" - I look back at him. - "I had to do my prep work to get all the systems running well, by utilising all that tech to clean the outside premises."
"I'm not sure if I'm to be surprised with you at this point." - Michael smiled at me.
"Pretty cool, huh?" - I smile back.
The road was pretty much as one would expect - offroad type of territory, the bumps and the rocks. This side of things - pretty deserted, with only some of the bushes and trees standing there, burned out by the sun. Pretty hot outside, as it is. Even though it's closer to evening time. The sun was still pretty high.
"Would it be safe to assume that the angle of earth got shifted, seeing how nature is pretty different.." - Jane lets out, as he looks around. Same as all of us.
"That and a few possible issues on the whole planetary level." - Sujin says.
"There's still a lot we're missing, just a few scans of the globe, with the damn sea level elevation, then the whole lot of rest either changing from deserts to forests and vice versa… There sure is a whole lot we're missing." - Michael lets out.
In an hour we get closer to the point that was given to us by Feng.
We passed the mountain range, the plains of deserted sands and empty rocks slowly shifted into the forested lands. The humidity also amplified, as we went through these lands. As we kept going, we noticed that there's a town. An old thing, though there's something going on. Some parts of town have smoke coming from the houses, some others have lights.
"Can I guess that we've reached the point?" - Sujin asks.
"I guess so." - I let out, feeling a creeping worry come up.
We drove towards it, getting to a simple check point, with a few people on guard, with interesting getup, things that could be used as weapons… Pretty interesting indeed.
We stopped. Assuming they'd be puzzled, on-guard, wary of us… But somehow it was not what we expected.
One of the guards came to the car.
"Feng sent you?" - The bulky man asked Sujin. She nodded in reply. He then gestured for us to follow him.
We parked the car near one of the houses, not too far from the check-point. Then followed the man.
Here, in the middle of nowhere - it seemed to have a decent amount of people. There were kids, men, women, even elderly. I was looking around, trying to understand if that's what came to be as is, but from the area we came from - there were not that many agriculture-related lands. For some reason. Some little developed patches of land, sure. But nothing in bulk. Like the whole thing came to be just recently. Many houses still seem rather decrepit. Slanted, the structures with vines through them, some have trees that tore through the entire house. Interesting sight.
The man led us to the house that looked more put-together. Faintly seeming either like a school or an old municipality building.
We came to the double door, the man knocked, then gestured for us to wait, as he got in to have a conversation with another person. By the sounds of it - there are few.
"Do they plan to kick us out or kill us I wonder." - Michael non-chalantly threw it out there.
"Knock on wood, you silly goose. I rather not die." - Sujin replied.
Michael knocked on Jane's back. Jane turned to him with a pretty annoyed expression.
"Are you serious?" - Jane asked, looking like he got fed up with unruly kids.
"You're the closest to tree thing in this part-concrete setup." - Michael shrugged.
"Don't fight." - I say, as I obviously see that Jane understood the joke, but would joke back with tenfold in strength applied.
Sujin rolled eyes.
In a few moments - the door opened and the same man gestured for us to come in. There were about 10 people inside. Men, women, anywhere from age 20 to 50, likely. All shades of skin, all kinds of height and weight. For a moment it felt like I was back in the world I left behind - diversity was the norm. This familiar feeling made me a little fuzzy inside.
"Sit." - A dark skinned lady, her voice was rather strong, beautiful, maybe in her late 30's. But she looked like she'd gone through a lot.
We sat at the table, as the whole lot of them were scattered around the room. Only five sat at the table, right in front of us. Then I checked, again the count, as I felt like it was not all… There were 15 of them altogether. Well shit…
Well, good that we're using the translation devices, with in-ear buds helping out. I noticed the in-ear bits that the five in front of us had. Maybe similar tech.
"So you are the ones who Feng sent." - The lady continued. - "My name is Lethabo. Military family of the Iron City."
"My name is Ana. I am from the bunker. Like the rest of my team." - I let out.
"They look like their parents forgot toner." - A man near the door commented. Blond, tall, bulked up, looking like trouble.
Sujin glared at him coldly. I let out a deep sigh.
"Feng said that he requires some help. I'm still not sure what exactly he means by that." - I say tiredly.
"You're not going to introduce the rest of your team to us? Rude brat." - Another man near the window cut in. Dark, tall, looks like he's in his 40's. Also the audacious type.
"Don't mistake my politeness for weakness." - I look at one, then the other one, as I lean back in the chair. - "You might have the absolute shit in that hellhole of the City, where you take yourself by the balls and push and pull to get out of it. But what you're missing is that we're the damn unhinged relics from 280 years back. If you don't want to talk business, we can leave. We ain't obliged, nor obligated to help you. As simply as we proposed collaboration, we can simply erase it altogether. And you can be on your merry way to deal with your own shit, as we deal with ours. So what will it be?" - I say, as I look Lethabo in the eyes.
Lethabo seemed to be assessing us. Like we're under surveillance. Something about her demeanor, as well as the way the others in the room were - was reminiscent of 'peer pressure', some military hazing and thug authority mix. Observing us as something lesser. I checked for a second how Jane, Michael and Sujin were - cold faces, relying on my lead. I do feel thankful for that. At the same time - both Sujin and Jane had weapons. So if all went south - they'd be sure to go blasting the ammo. So I was reassured by just having them with me.
"So what can you give us?" - Lethabo eyed me, calculatingly.
I let out a sigh, then got up.
"Nothing." - I turned to my people. - "Let's go."
Sujin, Jane and Michael got up. The other people in the room pulled out some sort of weapons, directing them at us. Very far fetched resemblance to either a shock stick or a weird gun.
"Do you really want to proceed with this?" - I felt like I was about to snap some necks. The audacity they have in here and lack of respect - were slowly getting to me.
I made a step towards the door we walked through. Then I heard the buzzing sound behind me, from what I assume is the weapon they had. Less than a second later - there were multiple gunshots. Loud, deafening, cold.
"Five left." - Sujin coldly stated. I was not even turning around to see the extent of this mess.
"So, Lethabo, do you still wish to proceed?" - I ask, as I stare at the guy that is right at the door, he seemed worried, maybe it was the first time he witnessed actual guns and the effect those have. - "Or are you willing to wipe out all of this damn place due to your negligence?"
Silence hung in the air for a moment. The guy at the door was eyeing Lethabo. I walked over to him.
"Move." - I remarked coldly. He moved, as I assume that either Sujin or Jane have their guns pointed at him.
"I'll let Feng know that his plan crashed due to the audacity of stupid people he had." - I let out seriously, coldly, as I opened the door and walked out, going back to our car.
A few steps later in the hall - I heard the door close behind me. I assume the others walked out with me.
I walked back to the car. Only then I turned to see the others. All with me - Sujin, Michael and Jane. Swiftly getting into the car and driving off towards our bunker.
"Their weapons seemed like some twisted type of tasers. Guess the age of firearms went somewhere sideways." - Sujin remarked.
"I think there's more to it." - I open the glove box, pull out the med kit and get the four shots of a special mix that was developed by the lab of the BITTech. Basically the mix is antitoxin to anything possible out there. Killing off any and all types of poison, toxins, drugs - what the fuck ever that could be. I turn around and inject one of these into Sujin's shoulder.
"Ouch!" - She winced.
"Jane, Michael, now." - I gave Jane the shots, which he promptly got himself dosed with and injected one into Michael. I injected one in my tight.
"You really think that it could be something other than a taser?" - Sujin asks.
"During my time going through the documents - there were about five to ten different concoctions they used in that City, which was basically killing off consciousness, so they could do atrocities. Three of those would only work with shock. Even though the electrical discharge was in the air, the room was the premise. Was there any smell that was odd, I wonder." - I let out.
"There was. A sweet kind of smell." - Michael replied.
"Fuckers." - Jane hissed, then leaned towards me from the back seat. - "So let me guess, they had a plan to use us."
"I guess so. If it's what I think it is, then there could be two options. One - where we get to pass out mid way to the bunker and they use us for whatever they want. Two - they follow us to the bunker and upon us reaching the place, the shit kicks in - we're out cold and we let them get inside freely. These bastards sure like to play dirty. Sujin, I suggest we step on it. The sooner we get to the bunker - the more sure I'll be in our safety." - I say, as I sense that something seems really odd.
"Do you have that phone thing to reach Evie?" - Michael lets out.
"Good idea." - I pull out the phone and dial up Evie, notifying her of putting up the security level at level 7, so that we're aware at what shit might fly within 50 kilometre radius from us. She obediently does as told.
"We're 15 kilometres away." - Sujin says.
"Good, might be rushed, but speed the fuck up." - I let out.
With the speed of the vehicle over the damn terrain, even though it took us a while to get to that outpost - we returned to top speed back. Way faster. Thanks to Sujin's superb driving skills. We got into the bunker from the door that was left open by me. As we got inside - I got out of the car and once more scanned my prints, so that the heavy outer door would shut again. As it did, I asked Sujin to drive to the Elevator. I might be too rushed, but I sure feel like something does not add up.
The moment we got into the elevator, pressed the right buttons for my office floor, Sujin and Jane started to feel funky.
"My head is spinning." - Sujin held onto the wall.
"I sort of feel sick." - Jane replies.
Michael just sat down onto the floor, breathing heavily.
In a second, the doors open and I see Evie.
"Get the med bay assistants!" - I call her, as I feel like the whole world-view is getting hazy. - "We need a full check and detox. Them Iron City fucks did something."
Evie held the door open, I saw David run to us, he was saying something, but it became really hazy. That's when I fell down.