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Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warning:
Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Category:
Gen
Fandom:
Parahumans Series - Wildbow
Relationship:
Alexander/City Building
Characters:
Rebecca Costa-Brown | AlexandriaDragon (Parahumans)Director James TaggEmily PiggotColin Wallis | Armsmaster | DefiantBastion (Parahumans)
Additional Tags:
Self-InsertCYOAEndbringerA man finds his hobbyThe rest of the world is terrifiedCausing major wars by accidentTeehee~Misunderstandings
Language:
English
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Published:2025-02-16Updated:2026-02-21Words:227,115Chapters:82/?Comments:544Kudos:1,443Bookmarks:361Hits:85,561
(End)Bringing You A New Home! (Endbringer SI)
10moorem
Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Chaos In The Streets
Summary:
Contessa is Contessa. Armsmaster hates on Bastion. New secrets are found
Chapter Text
Chapter 5: Chaos in the streets
-Contessa POV-
Contessa sat in her armchair, her hands folded in her laps and a gun at the table in front of her. She sat here, because this is where she was supposed to be.
Step 146: Grab the gun at the table.
Step 147: Say: "Door me, New Fukuoka, Aoyama Street, forty feet up"
Step 148: Aim downwards at an angle of -47 degrees and an inch to the left.
Step 149: Fire.
The pistol kicked in her hands, but her grip was perfect and her aim even more so. The bullet smashed through a window and splattered the brains of a PRT technician just as he was about to alert the base to the incoming rush of enemy parahumans.
The portal closed swiftly after.
Step 150: Wait for one minute and twenty seven seconds.
She sat back in her chair and tilted her head towards the TV. The screen showed a basket full of kittens pawing at each other and snuggling in to their mother as a human pets each of their tiny heads.
Adorable.
She idly mused about acquiring a kitten assuming she survived the final battle, but quickly dismissed it. She could consider the thought after that long awaited day.
Step 151: Grab the gun at the table.
Step 152: Say: "Door me, New Fukuoka, Akari Street, five feet up"
Step 153: Aim downwards at an angle of -4 degrees exactly straight.
Step 154: Fire.
A PRT transport went up in flames as her bullet ricocheted into the fuel system. The detonation sent piece of metal and glass flying towards any caught within the vicinity. A shard of metal shot through the eye of a particularly troublesome brute and killed twenty more gang members who were about to break through the hasty cordon set up by a combined PRT, Guild and Japanese group of parahumans.
She saw one of them quickly turning their head towards her location in shock, but the portal closed before they could see her.
Step 155: Wait for fifty seven seconds.
Ultimately, as much as some in Cauldron might wish otherwise, Kyushu was not going to remain in the hands of the PRT or America. The resources and time it would require from her were unfeasible and better spent elsewhere.
The path had determined that the most efficient way forwards was to entrust the island to a group that could more easily defend it, and would be amenable to working alongside Cauldron. Whether that was with promises, bribery, threats or anything else didn't matter.
The Japanese government was unsuitable for a variety of reasons, they were already overstretched trying to keep the territory they already had and Kyushu was simply too close to two major warlord factions.
Of those two factions the Hyakki Yagyō were more likely to burn down New Fukuoka and grill meat atop the burning embers than do anything productive.
Mount Ooe was the only reliable choice. Yes, it was a group of xenophobic ultra-nationalists but puppeting those sort of people was old-hat to Contessa. Their leader wouldn't pass up any deal that could enrich her people at the expense of another, and when you had access to an almost infinite amount of Earths then no amount of resources would ever be a problem.
And so she had lured the Hyakki Yagyō here to help weaken both sides before Mount Ooe rolled in to clean up and claim Kyushu.
Yes it was unfortunate that so many PRT soldiers would lose their lives, but even that was calculated. The brunt of the blame would fall upon Nurahiyon and his gang of psychopaths, so when Mount Ooe eliminated them the citizens and politicians of America would be more amenable to working with a known warlord.
Step 156: Say: "Door me, New Fukuoka, Toriyama Street"
Step 157: Bring out the tinkertech countermeasure and activate it to cancel the jamming field momentarily.
Oh so that's why she had to grab that from Armsmaster's lab.
Step 158: Grab the discarded radio from beyond the portal.
Step 159: Switch it on and speak in an altered pitch and tone these words: "Corporal Hernandez! Do you copy? Over!"
"Lieutenant? Lieutenant is that you?" a young voice shakily asked over the radio, their protocol forgotten in place of their fear and hysteria.
Step 160: Grunt in an affectation of pain before speaking again.
Step 161: Say: "God you always were shit at proper radio procedure" before hissing and breathing hoarsely into the radio.
"Lieutenant, are you alright?! What's your position?!" The young man began hesitantly before belting the words out, seemingly hysterical in the face of whatever might be happening to this 'Lieutenant' of his. Contessa briefly pondered on what their relationship might be, was it simply a bond of friendship forged in military service or did it go deeper? She shook that thought off.
Unfortunately for Hernandez he wouldn't be living for too much longer.
Step 162: Say "I'm at Akiko Street, near where we ate those god-awful spring rolls last week. Listen, I've been hit badly and the rest of my squad are down, I need a medic and an evac quickly. Are you in position to do that?"
Step 163: Cough loudly and wetly into your hand.
"Fuck! Fuck! Lieutenant, we'll be with you shortly just hang on!" he screamed into the radio before it shut off and the portal closed.
Step 164: Wait for two minutes and three seconds.
Corporal Hernandez wouldn't make it to Akiko Street, but he would intercept a group of marauding Case-53's and slow them down long enough that they would miss a group of fleeing scientists heading for the northern evacuation point.
Because while the soldiers were expendable the scientists were not. Their knowledge and samples would be invaluable in the years to come.
She stared down at the radio for a moment more before nodding and setting it down on the table.
It was necessary.
-Armsmaster POV-
Colin drove through the streets of New Fukuoka, swerving only occasionally as the ivory towers of the city blurred around him. His motorcycle was fast, fast in the sense that no mundane ground vehicle could come close to.
His visor alerted him of an enemy ahead. An insectoid Case 53 with acid drooling from it's open mouth preparing to pounce upon a squad of soldiers, whose bullets were bouncing harmlessly off the chitin of the cape.
He grunted softly as he hefted his halberd and sped up.
The cape barely had a moment to react to the thundering roar of his approach before it was unceremoniously impaled upon his weapon. The impact jostled his shoulder painfully but his armour had done its job.
He could do without the flailing of the impaled parahuman though. It was shifting his motorcycle to the left by a couple of inches.
He spotted an intersection up ahead and with only a few slight twists his halberd detached into two separate parts and he flung the cape off of his weapon.
It promptly rammed into a building with all the force of a railgun round.
He mechanically adjusted the drift of his motorcycle and reattached the two parts of his halberd back together. He could only hope the people he saved would be able to make it to their rendezvous point, because he could not afford to slow down.
As one of the few capes capable of rapid movement, if only with his motorcycle, he had been picked out as part of a rapid response unit. He had already been present in numerous skirmishes across the city since the attack began, the aches and pains flaring up across his body were proof enough of that.
An unpleasant tension filled him. It wasn't enough! He had been complacent, he had thought the battles and challenges of Brockton Bay were an ideal whetstone with which he could forge a proper legacy!
That had been arrogant.
The whine and creaks of the servos only caused his frown stretch further down his face. This fast paced continuous battle was one he had no preparation for. Most battles back in the bay only lasted for minutes at a time.
Now, as his tinkertech was slowly failing him, he could only bemoan his foolishness. His halberd, once his pride and joy, now looked unspeakably ugly in his eyes. The dozens of functions he had fit in the slender frame only added complexity and fragility.
How ironic that his pursuit of efficiency had only lead to inefficiency.
He turned sharply down a back alley, the ivory walls screeching against his metallic armour as he scraped by. Up ahead was his objective, a group of parahumans desperately holding the line against a wave of ghostly figures.
Projections, likely made by the Hyakki Yagyō cape Onryō.
He slid to a stop, pelting the projections with gravel and loose soil, before quickly dismounting and jabbing his halberd through one of the wraiths. Thankfully, he noted with relief, these projections could be dispersed with weaponry, unlike the projections of a certain neo-Nazi cape back home.
One of the ghosts lunged at him, crossing the distance in only a second. He sidestepped, countering with another swing of his halberd. The blade bit deeply into the pale white flesh of the projection as it gave a wail before disappearing.
He would have continued to hack away at the projections if not for a deep sibilant hiss echoing across the alley. He looked back to find another monstrous cape standing at the entrance to the alley he had come down, likely having followed him.
It was a massive silhouette of blades claws and scales, like some demented child had been asked to draw the unholy fusion of a snake and a blender. It towered over Armsmaster and the others, the massive bulk blocking out the sun. It leered at them before turning its eyes towards the cowering forms of a pair of engineers.
The bulging of its neck was the only warning it gave as it spat a ball of foul smelling liquid at the pair. He whirled around a desperate warning dying on his lips as he beheld a forcefield holding the smoking liquid at bay.
"Get fucked you dumb piece of shit!"
The mocking form of Bastion crowed at the creature, his forcefields still weaving behind him blocking and knocking away most of the charging projections attempting to storm their chokehold.
Armsmaster was just glad Bastion hadn't said anything racist yet.
Still, it wouldn't be great if Bastion got too distracted and allowed them all to get pincered. That would suck.
So Armsmaster stepped forwards and raised his halberd.
It didn't move, didn't even seem to register the movement. The snake-like Case 53 still kept his eyes on Bastion, ignoring him as it once more prepared to spit another concoction of malady.
That was strange, the PR department back home said he was very noticeable. Was Bastion just that aggravating?
Regardless he took another step before shifting into a jog as he thrust his weapon into the parahuman, the blade screeching against the metal blades dotting the serpentine form. Sparks flew as the blade was deflected and Armsmaster quickly stepped to the side his eyes darting across the many scythe like blades of the creature, expecting a brutal counterattack.
Except no attack came and the creature was now warily glancing around, the many weapons of the Case 53 were spread out as if it was expecting an attack to come from anywhere. Armsmaster felt his brows furrow. Could it not see him?
The question seemed absurd, but Armsmaster had served as a hero for a very long time. He had been around during the very first days that the Case 53's started popping up around the globe. All of them had forms that were annoying at best and debilitating in the worst cases. Blindness was far from the worst issue he had seen.
No wait, it definitely saw those engineers. So it wasn't blind.
If that was the case why couldn't it see him?
He shook that thought off and sent a few more probing strikes of his weapon at the creatures back before hastily sidestepping a blind flail of a dagger-like claw as the parahuman tried to skewer whatever had been attacking him.
Well this clearly wasn't working. If he wanted to harm this enemy he would need something more. A quick flicker of his eyes activated the execute program in his helmet, which in turn sent a ping towards his halberd. The stink of ozone filtered across the alley as his blade was surrounded by crackling plasma.
He hefted his weapon, preparing for another blow.
The beasts head snapping towards him was his first clue something had gone terribly wrong. The next was the lunging strike he had to hastily backstep away from. A claw from his left side hurtled towards him and he ducked, striking out with his halberd shortly after.
The satisfying hiss of melted metal and the screech of the creature brought a grim smile to his face as he finished backing away.
Heat. It could see using heat. It was the only thing that made sense. His armour ran cool thanks to the many tiny coolant pumps crisscrossing the inside of his suit like tiny veins. A necessity if a squishy tinker wished to fight Lung.
It had only seen him after he had activated the plasma blade.
He briefly contemplated turning it off but decided against it. The heat would take minutes to properly leave his halberd and he needed the plasma if he wanted to be able to hurt this thing.
He twirled his halberd, the act masking the firing of a dart into the wound of the Case 53 as he charged once more. The serpentine form of the cape hissed as it spat another glob of foul smelling liquid before charging as well.
Armsmaster hefted his halberd and thrust at the orb, detonating it into an explosion of rank smelling steam. Using the steam as cover he darted to the side as the parahuman barrelled passed him. He turned, and the next swing of his halberd caught the side of the creature. The cape screamed as an even larger part of its body sublimated.
The momentum of its charge carried it to the end of the alley where it briefly ragdolled on the ground before convulsing in agony. It's shudders swiftly stopped as it fell unconscious just before Armsmaster reached the prone form.
A quick check confirmed the cape was still breathing. He turned to help aid the others, but he could already see the distant form of bastion and a pale lithe woman seemingly made of ceramics that was trapped within a dome of forcefields. A quick hole was briefly made as a member of the PRT quickly threw a containment foam grenade inside.
It seems he was done here.
He activated his comms, the tinkertech of its design unhindered by the jamming effect which was yet another reason why he had been assigned as a first responder, and spoke.
"Alpha Base, this is Armsmaster, Bastion's group is now free to head to the evacuation point. We have captured two unknown parahumans. One pale puppet-like Case 53 capable of manifesting a small army of ghost-like projections and a reptilian Case 53 with acid breath, a brute rating and a large amount of bladed weapons."
There was a brief pause before a weary voice replied back.
"Good job Armsmaster your next task is to-"
He frowned as the voice cut itself off. There were faint whispers in the background and the crisp sound of paper being moved across a desk. A voice harshly whispered something inaudible but the tone of it was unmistakeable: something big had just happed, something urgent.
"Ah-I-I see" The voice whispered to themselves before speaking again, this time far more alertly. "Armsmaster, how much weight can your motorcycle carry?"
"A ton" He answered immediately, knowing his tinkertech backwards and forwards.
"Ah, good! The next location is being sent to you. You are to retrieve information uncovered by a team of scientists as quickly as possible and bring it to Alpha Base"
"Understood" he replied, moving towards his purring motorcycle.
"Armsmaster" The voice whispered harshly in his ear "This information takes priority over everything else. You are permitted to do whatever it takes. Do you understand?"
He slowed for a second, thrown off by the seriousness of the demand.
"…I understand. I will prioritise the information" He finally responded. As he revved his motorcycle and began driving towards the designated area.
What exactly had they found?
-Acting Director Brunsworth-
The quiet whispers of the operator next to him echoed loudly in the now quieter room. Conversations and orders had been drowned out when he had frantically raced into the room. All eyes were watching him, curious as to why he was present.
He didn't bother to give them an explanation.
His eyes were still drawn to the photo he had been given not ten minutes ago.
It had been sent out shortly before the jamming field had gone up, but went unnoticed and ignored because of the battles now raging across the city. Only an eagle eyed intern had spotted it and understood the significance.
They were definitely getting a promotion later.
His mouth felt dry and there was still a shake in his legs at the sight.
The paper was innocuous enough. A photo taken of a book opened to a page of technical schematics. The book was clean, new. No discolorations or markings had had the time to set in just yet.
Except these schematics clearly showed the internals of the enormous filter which had been discovered in the ocean. In the background of the photo was yet more books stacked messily upon a wooden table.
Somewhere in the city there was a library, and in that library was all the answers they were looking for. Technology, secrets, knowledge. If even 1% of this cities workings were stored in this repository then they needed to secure it quickly. Before anyone else did first.
AN: Things are heating up!
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Archive of Our Own betaArchive of Our OwnLog In
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tip: "uchiha sasuke/uzumaki naruto" angst kudos>10
Actions
Entire Work ← Previous Chapter Next Chapter → Chapter Index Comments Share Download
Work Header
Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warning:
Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Category:
Gen
Fandom:
Parahumans Series - Wildbow
Relationship:
Alexander/City Building
Characters:
Rebecca Costa-Brown | AlexandriaDragon (Parahumans)Director James TaggEmily PiggotColin Wallis | Armsmaster | DefiantBastion (Parahumans)
Additional Tags:
Self-InsertCYOAEndbringerA man finds his hobbyThe rest of the world is terrifiedCausing major wars by accidentTeehee~Misunderstandings
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:2025-02-16Updated:2026-02-21Words:227,115Chapters:82/?Comments:544Kudos:1,443Bookmarks:361Hits:85,561
(End)Bringing You A New Home! (Endbringer SI)
10moorem
Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Stepping Back
Summary:
Alexander creates a friend and the PRT sorts through the most poorly sorted collection of books they've ever seen.
Chapter Text
Chapter 6: Stepping Back
-Alexander POV-
Lights projected by nanoparticles dance across my eyes, feeding me visual information as I scroll through Earth Bet's extensive internet.
Yeah, there was only so long I could build buildings along my tunnel before my creativity ran out and I started getting sick of it. I needed more room to properly express myself, but there was no point making more room down here because I was the only one who was ever going to be here.
Probably.
Which is why I was now lazily reclining in a giant beanbag and catching up on this planet's forums.
They were shit by the way.
There was no anime thanks to that lizard fuck, and most of Earth Bet's entertainment revolved around capes. Sure some of it was good, but when you're watching a movie about Alexandria saving orphaned children while knowing the real Alexandria would probably grind them down to mulch if it furthered Cauldron's plans it created some dissonance.
Fuck, I had even gotten so bored I had started actually writing fanfiction instead of simply consuming it like the consummate lurker I am.
Fuck, I was going stir crazy and according to my GPS I was still quite a way away from my next target. Could I get there faster? Sure, with my matter manipulation I could convert air into rocket fuel and use that to propel me there in mere minutes.
But that would probably get me mistaken for a rocket, and I really don't feel like answering questions from pissed off border controls.
Yes I'm an Endbringer but I still find the thought of talking to officials scary.
That being said talking to someone would probably be a smart idea. You don't want the person who can transmute the surrounding environment into Fluoroantimonic acid to go crazy, it definitely wouldn't end well.
Thankfully this wouldn't require that I go out and talk to actual human beings!
Nope!
SilkPunk Level 2- A mesh of magic and technology with an aesthetic that mirrors East Asia. It is a mesh of both technology and poetry where art has meaning beyond simply beauty. Now includes magical rituals and spells related to the tales and myths surrounding East Asia.
My toiling through endless bedrock had paid off with a shiny upgrade!
I had already used this to give my dismal tunnel a swanky miniature sun by invoking the likeness and story of Ama-no-Iwato, the cave where Amaterasu hid herself and now I was planning to use it to craft someone to talk to!
What's that? This choice doesn't sound healthy? What do you know imaginary voice in my head?
Wooden shoes sprout from the ground, tendrils reaching upwards to complete the internals working before wood and a skin-like polymer cover the insides. Ink was woven in dizzying patterns, the kanji imbuing sentience into the wooden doll. Nanites crawled over the construct, their metallic sheen slowly changing to a rosy pink. Finally ceramic armour engulfed the figure, the design was what you might find on a typical samurai if not for the hum and whir of electric motors betraying its more advanced nature.
I stepped back and regarded my creation with distant pride. The stocky figure coddled in advanced armour made for quite the sight. Almost like a character straight out of a space opera had burst through the screen and into the real world. A twist of my will popped the figures helmet off, revealing short red locks of hair framing a dour and serious face.
The rush of stale air made the figure sputter slightly and they opened their eyes for the first time. The blue orbs darted from place to place, first looking at the shining fake sun above us before looking around the sleek houses melded into rock and stone. Then, at last, his eyes settled on me.
I was briefly confused when his eyes widened and he dropped to the floor in some weird crouch
Oh wait, he's bowing.
My eyes widened.
Oh fuck, he's bowing.
"My lady! A thousand apologies for the disrespect! I have no excuse for my lapse in judgement!"
Uwwwwaaaaahhhhhh!
Please stop bowing my guy, I made you so I could Netflix and chill with someone. Not this!
Also did he just call me 'Lady'
Ugh, I hate this! Modelling him after the platonic ideal of a samurai was a horrible idea!
-The Nameless Samurai POV-
Oh what shame and disgust fills me!
I knelt on the floor, a piece of me desperately wishing to sink into it's welcoming embrace and disappear into the stygian depths.
Just a minute ago rapture had filled me, the absence of being sundered by divine will acting upon this base reality. Light and awareness had filled my empty vessel while my purpose became clear: obey and carry out the will of my divine progenitor, woe be to any blasphemers who stand in my way!
Knowledge had filled my soul, of a wise and graceful entity. A god who had lifted a doomed and desecrated island from the abyssal grasp of the sea! A titan who had remade that island in her own image, who had tilled the soil and made life flourish once more! A lady who had built a city for the world to marvel over!
I am, of course, speaking of my very own blessed progenitor!
But alas the bright glare of light and the glorious vistas robbed me of my first sight being of her. It stole that moment from me, and revealed how unworthy and crass I was in front of my very own creator!
The short sight of her had been enough to rob me of my wits, and I failed to show my creator her proper respects. The long delicate arms that seemed to encompass the world itself in her grasp, the soft supple features gazing at me expectantly.
And I had failed! Fool! Moron! Incompetent of the highest degree, now she will-
"Rise"
My body obeyed automatically, rising to a picture perfect stand, back straight and shoulders squared. All except my face, still turned downwards in shame.
"Look upon me my creation"
I raised my head slowly, my eyes meeting the brilliant sapphire eyes of my creator.
"I find little reason for you to debase yourself like this. For what reason do you beg for forgiveness?"
The question brings my mind to a screeching halt. Surely she should know? A perfect being should doubtlessly know of my impertinence, of the breach of personal conduct!
Gazing into those confused eyes I was forced to consider that she may genuinely not understand.
How could-
Ah, no, this makes sense. Why would a god deign to understand mortal customs, such a thing would be infinitely beneath them.
"Ah, my lady" I began, only to stop as a frown flickered across her face. "My liege, I was apologising for not showing my honoured creator the respect they deserve. Such a resplendent being deserves the utmost respect and worship from a lowly being such as I."
My liege continued to stare at me, their thoughts an enigma. Hidden from the unworthy such as he.
-Alexander POV-
…Wordy little bastard isn't he.
Yeah, I definitely cranked up the loyal retainer aspect of a samurai way too high.
Fuck.
-The Nameless Samurai POV-
"I see no reason to condemn you for this" his creator finally responded.
Relief flooded my body, untensing every fraught muscle in my body. I hadn't failed, I wouldn't be abandoned! The feeling was almost intoxicating to me as I bowed before my too forgiving creator.
"I offer my deepest gratitude for your beneficence!"
The god waved my earnest thanks off and turned to regard a nearby dwelling, no doubt contemplating ways to elevate it far beyond my understanding.
Yes. My creator was too forgiving, too perfect for this base world. As their loyal retainer it would fall to me to ensure proper reverence and respect was given by the plebian masses.
"Soooo…wanna netflix and chill?"
The words were incomprehensible to me, which was understandable. The concepts and ideas of a god would always be as such to me. But I understood that my liege wished for me to complete some arcane task for them.
I was ready!
I was prepared!
I would not fail!
"This nameless samurai is ready to serve, my liege"
The silent stare I received did little to daunt me this time. For I knew that I would 'netflix and chill' like no one ever had before!
-Alexander POV-
Oh fuck I forgot to give him a name!
Shit! Quick, think up a name, any name!
Red hair. Samurai. Loyal. Put that together and you get-
"From henceforth, you shall be known as Renji" I announced, cringing inwardly.
Fuck, why did I decide this was a good idea?
-Emily Adams, PRT Researcher POV-
Emily tiredly reclined on the sinfully comfortable seat, some type of smart foam probably, watching the distant trails of smoke rise in the distance. The crack of gunfire echoed through the city, frightening at first but when it goes on for several hours you gradually become used to it.
She shook her head ruefully. That was an insane thought.
The occasional thump of a heavy book landing on a table and the flip of pages as her fellow researchers worked was a far more preferable sound.
"How much memory do we have left on that device?" asked Brian, one of her colleagues.
"Only a few Megabytes" she responded, idly massaging her eyes. The leaden weight of her eyelids and the fuzzy headache making her want to curl up and fall asleep on the spot. Only rigorous experience and far too much caffeine preventing exactly that from happening.
"So only a few more pictures then" he cursed "Can we still not get any messages through?"
Her raised phone showing the multiple failed calls was the only answer he needed.
"If we can't send an email we might need to send a runner to inform them" Another member quietly said.
Brian scoffed at that "Ah yes, let's send one of us out there" He gestured out the window where the sounds of battle still raged in the distance "what a great idea!"
"Stop being a prick Brian" she groaned, sick of this conversation that had probably come up ten times by now.
"What? You know I'm right!" Brian retorted.
She huffed, resigned to being drawn into this argument again.
"Maybe you are, maybe you aren't. It doesn't really matter. We still need to do our jobs, and that means finding the most important parts of this library and photographing them to add to that" she finished, gesturing at the thumb drive.
She was still cursing herself for not bringing anything more, but how was she supposed to know she would find a treasure trove while on break?!
Or that the situation would go to hell when she did find it?!
"Emily, that's not going to take us too much longer and we're going to have to start talking about what to do after."
Goddammit Brian she knows!
"Sure. But that's not now, so stop arguing and start searching!"
Brian grumbled a bit but began flipping through the book in front of him again.
They were all strung out, running on stimulants and panic for twelve hours straight would do that to anyone. Whoever thought it was a bright idea to add everything important regarding the city in a single library was doing the tempers of the team no favours.
Seriously! Every book was crammed with knowledge to a neurotic degree, even to an engineer like her this shit was as dry as the Sahara!
Grammophones, tires, wallpaper, toy robots, artificial leather, a new type of bullet proof windows.
All of that was in the one book she was looking through, by the way. Whoever sorted all of this sucked ass! It was almost like someone gave up halfway and started chucking in every topic they could into each book!
She rubbed her temples, vainly trying to calm her sudden migraine.
"I've got some sort of automatic medical system here!" One called out
"I've got the schematics of one of those electric cars we found in that garage a few days ago." Another added.
"Add the automatic medical system to the drive but not the car, the others have probably already got data on it from pulling a few apart" Brian snapped out before returning to frantically flipping through the pages of his book.
She sighed to herself. Just a few more and they could go. Just bear with it for a few more minutes.
Her head snapped up and she quickly stood up from her table. There were a few mutters and stares from her colleagues but she ignored them. Was she mistaking that sound, was she just imagining it.
No, it was getting louder by the second. Even the others had gone quiet, recognising what she had a few seconds ago. The echoing growl of an overworked motor was slowly but steadily coming towards them!
Her head turned to Brian "hide the thumb drive" before turning to the rest "we should get upstairs, quickly and quietly."
The energy of the room was kicked up into a quiet storm as men and women did their best to quietly move across the chairs and tables of the library towards the lone door leading upstairs.
They weren't always successful though. Each creak of a bumped chair and quiet whisper making her cringe.
The room was a mess. Stacks of books, half empty shelves and empty coffee cups. It was obvious people had been here, but they didn't have time. They could only hope that whoever was approaching either didn't enter or was friendly.
Because otherwise they were all going to die.
AN: Alexander decides he's lonely and wants a friend, he gets a worshipper/follower instead. LOL. Also PRT researchers suffer from Alexanders laziness and poor sorting.
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