The Enemy of My Enemy? Pt. 2/Chapter 07
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Despite the large amount of supplies, Barris and Lori couldn’t resist taking a few other items, including a few seeker missiles. They replaced them with caulk tubes from a maintenance closet that were about the same size. The “confused” computer never knew.
Kye was just happy that they got away with it especially after hearing about the encounter with the unexpected visitor. “Have I ever told you that you ROCK, Lori!” Kye was quite impressed.
Lori bowed graciously. “Not nearly as often as you should,” she said, “Now will someone pleeease bring me my boots!” The rest of the scouts turned their teasing to Barris.
“I guess we weren’t the only ones who ‘Got Lucky’,” he retorted smugly and tried to ignore them. They were not going to let him off that easily and heckled him all the way back to The Lounge.
Although this made the return journey feel quicker, the huge load they were carrying did not. As they neared The Lounge, Kye decided it was safe enough to call Aura for some assistance. “Congratulations!” her voice chimed through the communicator; “You’re making progress. Admitting you have a problem is the first step and asking for help is the next.”
“Damn it, Aura,” Kye cringed when some of the guys overheard the wry remark and found another target to poke fun at. “Weren’t we dumping on Barris?” Kye grumbled bitterly as they continued to make their way back. A few moments later Aura arrived with seven of the Girls. They were the only active androids dressed for manual labor.
Instead of having bruised egos, Lori and the boys were happy for the help since they were only able to bring back less than half of the haul in one trip. It only took a single droid to lift one of the twenty-gallon drums of raw synthetic Golden Orb spider fluid or the large crates of different lubrications. Aside from obscure electronic components, of the more unusual items were very large, dense and heavy spools of a soft elastic open-mesh material.
As they approached the first hidden entrance to The Lounge something else was unusual; two more Girls were guarding the door carrying heavy-duty electromagnetic pulse rifles. “Where the heck did the Girls get THOSE mothers!” commented one of the scouts when he saw the massive military-issue artillery.
“The Vault,” Kye said in a distressed tone. “Frank and Portia raided Replico a long time ago and they also hijacked a truck. Replico got its start doing prosthetics for the military so those cannons became standard equipment in their factories and on their trucks. Replico never took any chances. Especially against their own creations.” As an afterthought Kylan added, “Portia got hurt pretty bad during that raid.”
“Hitting Replico… that’s insane,” the other scout said in disbelief, “But I can’t imagine ANYTHING being able to hurt Portia. I wish she could have been with us on this run,” he consented. Though he only witnessed a fraction of her strength and abilities once, he knew how powerful she was.
Just then a jet dark figure appeared in the tunnel they were in. It was dragging a limp body roughly across the ground. “Damn humans,” its electronic voice crackled quietly as faint blue current momentarily coursed visibly across its side -- illuminating only an imposing silhouette.
In perfect synchronicity the two armed Girls turned and fired with deadly accuracy. But the intruder was faster and the ball-lightning energy blasts dispersed with a thud against the far wall where it was standing a second earlier. With blinding speed it flung the lifeless body at one of the weapons, knocking its wielder off balance.
When it threw the limp body, it didn’t hesitate. In that same motion it jumped and tumbled before it sprung indirectly at the other Girl. It grabbed the Girl’s arm and flipped, disarmed and pinned her down in one move before the first Girl could recover her balance.
“Hold your fire!” Kylan yelled almost hysterically. But not that Portia needed any help since she turned out to be the intruder. Everyone dropped what they were doing and rushed to her aid anyway. She was covered in black sludge and sewage; her hair was matted and caked with mud and her clothes were in tatters. What was most alarming, though, was that her right arm was torn open horrifically and hung loosely at her side. And her right side was also showing some visible damage. But even in her present state she was able to defend herself, though her own safety wasn’t her primary concern at the moment.
“Portia!” Kye knelt protectively beside her, “What happened!?!”
“They got him, Kye! They got Frances!” her voice distorted slightly and sounded electronic. She twitched hard as an open current popped from her exposed circuits, but what truly hurt Kylan the most was to see her utilize an expression she had never used before. Pain. The pain of heartbreak.
“Who? How?” Kye struggled desperately to absorb what was happening.
“I can’t tell you everything here; there’s something I have to show you, Kylan,” Portia was able to compose herself instantly, “It has to do with Little Phillip.”
“More secrets!” spat the eldest scout from the meeting earlier that day, “Why don’t you just tell us all what your bastard husband was up to!”
Portia arose and grabbed him by his chest armor with her good arm and stared him down while holding him high off the ground. “Because this is none of your fucking business. It’s personal,” she rarely cursed, but the others already knew she was dead serious and would stand behind her actions. “Frank’s not here. I… have… NOTHING… to lose. REMEMBER that.”
Lori hurried up to Portia, “Whoa. Relax, girlfriend. The old geezer’s just scared and I’m getting a little freaked out myself. Is that thing what I think it is?” She tried to change the subject by pointing to the broken body of a killer robot lying on the ground.
Portia set the trembling man down gently, but did not apologize as she glared at him one last time. “That’s ‘Sparky’,” she said in disgust; “At least that’s what Phillip called it. You may as well know that I didn’t create it.” She looked apologetically at Kylan, “I’m so sorry I had to lie to you.”
“Do you mind if I ask who Phillip is?” Lori asked politely.
“Frances thought he was a friend. I don’t know; maybe he still is. I honestly don’t know,” Portia answered. “All I can tell you is that he is the son of Phillip Gaines and he’s more nuts than his father was. The rest is private and between Kylan and me.” She turned to address the whole group, “Frances and I tried to keep it from coming to this, but it may not be safe here for very much longer. You should all begin preparation to fall back to our secondary positions.” She then spoke to Kye, “Can you and the Girls take the supplies to the garage where you met my Frances?”
“Of course,” Kylan gave her a smile of reassurance, “It’s just been so long that I hope that I can remember the way!”
“You had better! You’re the only one who knows!” It was good to see Portia’s mood improving. She called to the nearest Girl whom only a moment earlier was shooting at her, “Erin, please call Anja and tell her to prepare the lab. Let her know that I need repairs for my upper right arm and thorax. Tell her that my relays are damaged. I will also be needing to be thoroughly cleaned.” Erin instantly transmitted the message.
“Well, your damaged relays explain why you had such a welcome reception,” Aura had been silent far too long for her personality program to accept.
Portia laughed, “Please take care of Kye,” she said as she picked up Sparky by its long neck. Before she entered the secret doorway she spoke once again to the scouts, “Please spread the word. We don’t have much time. I’m really sorry.”
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