Nomomo - When does it really end? Are they really that mad?
Andre - I got no idea, but they are after us! Watch out!
Another storm of bullets hit the car. In a middle of a night, in a middle of a unknown plains. Two armored cars chased after another. Flashes of gunfire appeared in bursts and in groups. Andre noticed a sharp turn, but in frot of the car. Thankfully, Nomomo managed to take a sharp turn and take a narrow path downhill, while pusuing cars were forced to slowdown. Taking a perfect apportunity, Blaze made another shot from her grenade launcher. An explosion followed, covering the narrow road with rocks.
Blaze - Just so you know. I am kinda low on ammo! I have two shots to spare.
Nomomo - Thanks for the heads up. Hold tight!
With a twist of a wheel, Nomomo took a sharp turn once again. This time to get back on a trusty road. Maybe they are expected to appear here, but at least the car were more or less manageble to controll.
Nomomo - Who even tried to use this piece of rusty scrap as a car?
Blaze - Carefull there Nomomo. I barely got this thing running. Take it hard on the engine, and we will be stranded in a middle of a red zone with URNC on our tail.
Nomomo - I know, I know! But damn this thing is bad.
Andre - Are they still after us? Beda, what's the status?
Nomomo - Yep! They are still chasing after us. And it seems like they have called in for a helicopter!
Andre - They WHAT?
Hearing the news, Andre peeked out from his seat. A battle ready helicopter were approaching through a sky. A single word appeared in Andre's mind "Overkill". They are sending WAY too much resources on them. Something was wrong with all this situation. Meanwhile Blaze tried to take a shot at helicopter, unfortunatly, helicopter managed to withstand the direct hit from grenade launcher.
Blaze - Not much I can do like that. And I have only one shot left!
Andre - You gotta be bloody kidding me! Nomomo, get us out of here!
Nomomo - I'm trying, I'm trying! This piece of scrap is... HOLD ON!
Suddenly, a URNC car came flying and landed in front of Nomomo. She barely had any time to hit the breaks, but she didn't. Instead she pushed gas pedal and rammed right into a car. Due to sudden crash, both cars were somewhat stuck together, while keeping moving forward. Seeing the perfect opportunity, Nomomo grabbed pistol from Andre's holster and kicked the door open, or more like, sent the door flying in a wind.
Nomomo - Andre! Hold the wheel!Andre - What the hell? NOMOMO! What are you doing?
Instead of answering, Nomomo unfastened her belt and climbed out of the car. Beda were trying to shoot off the helicopter, but sudden appearence of a car took her by surprise. However, Beda were having easy time shoting things, so the attaker from another car, were subdued the moment they tried to open fire. And Nomomo took that moment to jump from one car to another.
Nomomo - Pardon my intrusion gentlemans!
It didn't took much for Nomomo to get inside the URNC car. Everyone were caught by surprise. Nomomo took that moment to shot and kill everyone inside with a series of quick shots to the head, and then pushed driver body away.
Andre - Nomomo, you crazy doll! Get back here! | Nomomo - Sorry! But that's a negative!
Beda - Nomomo! We still have a helicopter to deal with!
Blaze - I've got an idea for that! Andre! Keep driving! | Andre - What?Blaze - Just drive!
And another doll jumped from a car to another car. Blaze almost fell off and was caught by Nomomo. At this moment, even Nomomo was surprised. But Blaze only took moments to act. She kicked the car at the place where they caught eachother, and finaly cars were sepparated.
Nomomo - Blaze, what the hell are you...Blaze - Just trust me! Nomomo, drive up the hill!
At first Nomomo was confused... But then she realised what is about to happen.
Nomomo - Blaze! That's...Blaze - Just do it!
Despite initial hesitation, Nomomo took another turn to the hill, while Andre kept driving the same road. Beda kept trying to shot at helicopter with little to no success. Despite the split, helicopter kept chasing the car with Andre and Beda in it.
That was a moment where Nomomo pushed the pedal to the metal. URNC car accelerated driving up through a hill. URNC car went flying once again. It wen't flying so high, that at the peak it was just a few meters away from helicopter. At that moment, Blaze took her final shot at helicopet.
Helicopter took a sharp turn to the side and up. It was so sharp turn that Blaze's shot were flying just a few meters above pilot cabin, but it didn't hit the helicoter it self. Nomomo jumped to life. She pulled out Andre's pistol and shot Blaze's grenade mid air. It exploded right in fromn of a cabin. This kind of explosion was enought to break both armored glass on helicopter and to bent propellers. As result, whole thing became unstable, and started spinning.
Both the helicoper and car started falling down on a ground. First a the car fell sideways and started rolling down hill, and helicopter crashed into a line of rocks and trees. An explosion followed after fallen helicopter.
Blaze - Damn... Remind me to never do that again. | Nomomo - You did good... Very good!
From the wreaks of a car, an two doll were crawling out of what's left of the car. Nomomo took a second to look around, and noticed that Blaze were missing an entire left leg, so she hurried to help Blaze out.
Blaze - Oh... Look at that... I sustained heavy damage... Again...
While Nomomo were helping Blaze to sit down on a rock. Blaze smiling through a whole event. After making sure that Blaze is fine, Nomomo looked through a wreckage and found what's left of Blaze's leg. Synthetic skin were almost fine. Same coudn't be said about the anything else. Whole thing were deformed. Nomomo however, decided to take the leg for the future.
At that moment. Beda and Andre managed to come running to a crash site.
Andre - Blaze! Nomomo! How are you two?
Blaze - Oh, I am almost fine... Just missing an intire led that is... How is it on your end?
Andre - What the hell was that? Did you just...
Blaze - That helicopter withstood a direct hit from grenade launcher into it's bottom. I figured that a hit at the insides would be more effective. But they pulled back at the last moment, so I the shot landed on front glass instead.
Beda - No, Nomomo managed to shot your grenade. Otherwise it would have missed.
Andre - The what now?Nomomo - As much as I like our reunion, where is the car?
Just in moment, Nomomo appeared and handed over to Blaze her lost leg.
Andre - It broke down again...
Blaze - Oh well... Seems like we are going to walk the rest of our way through a red zone! Great! And who is going to carry me the rest of a way? Because I am not in position to walk the rest of a way.
Andre - Uhm... Nomomo, what's your status?
Nomomo - Sustained twelve point seven percent damage. Mostly from a car crash. I can carry Blaze while we are on a track. As far as I can see, we don't have anyone going after us... for now.
Everyone looked around. Crashed helicopter, crashed car and broken old car were stranded in a middle of a plains, in a middle of a night. Andre silently noded, and started walking. Slightly after, Beda followed... And then Nomomo with Blaze in hands.
=== Devil's Delight ===
Loud music were stopped. Just a half an hour ago, there was a crowd of people dancing. But right now halls are mostly empty. Few guard bots and guards were still around, two cleaning bots were wiping floors and Nita were sitting on a couch, waiting for anything to happen.
Zed - Here. I didn't knew what you like, so I just got this.
With a can of cold coffee, Zed approached to Nita. After a brief moment of hesitation, Nita took a can and inspected it. A simple can of cold coffee labeled as "Cold Latte"
Nita - I am a doll... We are dolls. Does that have anything to do for us?
Zed - Do you have any taste or eating module instaled in you?
Nita - No. Don't feel like getting anything like that...
Despite a claims, Nita opened the can and tried to drink it... and unexpectedly to herself, felt the taste of a cold coffee. For a moment she was surprised, but then managed to keep her cool.
Zed - Why don't you ask to install it then?
Nita - Too bothersome... Did they said anything?
Zed - Oh, yeah. A lot of things.
Two dolls were sitting on a couch and drinking cold coffee. Zed were looking at Nita from time to time, noticing that she kept drinking, despite not having a taste for it. Nita on the other hand, looked at Zed's face. There were still few cracks here and there. A bit of makeup helped to hide damaged skin, but if you look close enought, it would be noticable.
Nita - Sorry for the face.
Zed - Not the first time, so don't worry. But have to admit though... I DON'T wanna have another fight with you. Do you even go down, like... Ever?
Nita - In my records... Few times. And it took me being shred to pieces by ELIDs. And then there were Varjagers... But yeah. I do have a hard time being beaten down.
Zed - And you are saying that you are not a gen three doll? What are you then?
Nita - Prototype... Nothing more than a unwanted prototype that can't even install a new modules, because they are Incompatible with my systems. Can't be used anywhere else.
Zed - Yeah... But on the other hand. You can keep going like the undead doll.
Nita - Undead doll? You know, that's sounds just like me!
Zed - *Hmpf* Whatever you say... Whatever you say.
Both dolls took a sip of cold coffee. Moment of awkward silence followed. Mop-bots finished cleaning floors. Now everything looked shiny enough.
Nita - You assumed that I am a third gen doll. Why?
Zed - As said before. I was stuck in a fight with third gen doll once. I have gone all out and barely managed to do anything to her. Thankfully, she was there to offer me a job, so nothing came out of it. At least for me. Just some minor cosmetic damage and that's it. And she was holding back.
Nita - Oh... And i thought we had to figth to death. At least for a few moments.
Zed - Then why you didn't crushed me?
Nita - I am not blind. I saw each and every guard around here waiting. That guy, Richard. He holds high regards for you? Is he your owner?
Zed - Nobody is my owner! And we are just partners. He looks out for me, and I look out for him.
Nita - Oh... At least we have that.
Once again. Both dolls took a sip of cold coffee. At this moment, the cans were almost empty.
Zed - Oh, well. I could use another can of coffee. I'l be right back.
Drinking the last bits of coffee, Zed stood up from the couch.
Nita - Get one more for me please.
Zed - What? I thought you said that your modules are not working?
Nita - I didn't knew that I even had one to begin with... But seems like I do!
Zed - ..... You are a weird doll!
Nita - I know... I know. Been like this ever since my first memory.
Zed - Ok, I will get you one.
As Zed turned around the corner. Nita drank the last bits of cold coffee and threw the can into a trash bin. Then she pulled out her journal and a pen. Few more lines appeared on a page.
"Today I found out that I have a TASTE module. Tried drinking a cold coffee 'Latte'. I like it!"
=== Duval Hunter Group Camp ===
Two cars drive through a opened gates. As they drive deep enough into a camp, group of people started getting down, walking off and out of the cars. Despite the night, whole camp was bright and lighted up. Medic crew hurried to help injured to go.
Duval - What's the meaning of this? Kilmure! What happened out there?
As everyone were going by, Duval appeared and came closer to a Kilmure.
Kilmure - What happened, is that somebody ratted out on us! My team managed to catch a URNC transmission and had an ambush for an ambush on an ambush. Both Suzev guys and ours were stuck in a fight against entire platoon. There were everything! Helicopter, ATV, heavy fire and they even were equipped to find and track our transmissions, so all this rescue had to be done with no communication!
Duval - I got it, I got it. How many people did we lost out there?
Harry - I lost two guys from my team. Most of my robots are damaged or destroyed.
In a middle of a speach, Harry approached the duo from the side.
Duval - What about you?
Conserned, Duval asked Kilmure.
Kilmure - Andre, Blaze, Nomomo and Beda are on hard track. Throwing anyone who were pursuing us off the trail and leading them through a red zone. I think they should be fine. If everything would be fine, they will return in four or five days. We didn't saw Sam, so...
Duval - Don't worry about Sam, he got back here few hours before you.
Kilmure - Got to give a credit to that bastard. He Is good at fleeing and being coward.
Duval - He is good over all, but we have other things to worry about. At least for now. Both of you, get some rest. In the morning, I will take a visit to a Odesa, since everything is in bad shape here. For now, Kilmure, you will stay in charge while I am gone of doing business. Just try to stay low and tell everyone to NOT go out of the camp.
Harry - Then what about everyone else who is out there?
Duval - Oh yeah... Simon's group is still out there somewhere... Make a call on him. Tell him to NOT return at the camp untill I say otherwise! And Kilmure, can i borrow one of your dolls... Oh yeah, they are on their way to the camp. Damn it!
Kilmure - Martin and Nita are somewhere out there, I can give them a call and meet you where you want. Just tell the time and place and they will meet you there.
Harry - I would have come with you. But my profile is kinda hot right now. So for now I will take my time off. Have a nice night gentlemans!
With a gesture of a farewell, Harry walked away in a direction of a barracks. Duval and Kilmure simply noded to him.
Duval - Ok, I could use any help right now. Call Martin and tell him to get his head in Odesa.
Kilmure - Will do! Be safe out there.
Duval - Thank you Kilmure. Thank you for believing in me!
Slight smirk appeared on Kilmure's face. He simply noded to Duval, and Duval noded in return.