Killjoy group
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Ruslan (short blonde hair, 6’7”) – Leader
Serafima (dark red head) – support/medical
Karina (blonde Hair) – Sharpshooter sniper
Timur (Dark hair 5’2”} – computer/hacker expert
Egor- Electronics expert – killed in fire fight
Stas – Explosives expert – killed in fire fight
Pibald group
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Evelyn (Auburn hair) – Leader former wife of General Gance/sniper
Christine/Chris (blonde) – personal combat expert- Evelyn’s daughter
Trina (red head) – Tall muscular, armed combat, Chris’s lover – Injured shot in both arms
Betty (Dark brown hair) – Recon/explosives expert, sister of Cathy
Cathy (Light brown hair} computer/Electronics/hacker expert
Diane (Dark brown Hair) short, mistress of deception/assassinations – Severely injured internal injuries
Synthetic, Humanoid, Enlightened, Inquisitive, Living, Android – Sheila
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Well, it appeared that my feet were indeed able to handle the extreme heat and speed. In three hours, we’d traveled almost nine hundred miles. I could see that we had less than thirty minutes, ’til we reached the city’s outer limits.
{Alright Sheila, we’re close, time to start altering our appearance again. Then, we’ll have to keep a close eye on the location that we have. With any luck, this will be over in a few days.} My thoughts told Sheila.
{Yes Roger, I’ve already started that operation. I should have it finished within an hour.} Returned Sheila’s thoughts.
Good I thought, as I was revising the plan the entire time that we were traveling. I already had several alarms set in case my father had any other cyber surprises out there for us.
_____________________________________________________________________________
On the other side of the city where the two teams were, the General was pacing. The nerve of that bastard son of his, lose? No, it would be Roger that would lose.
“Are they in position yet?” General Gance asked.
“Yes sir,” the younger man answered with a snap to salute. “They report that he should be dead within the hour. They wanted to know if you still wish for whatever pieces of the machine that are left.”
The General turned toward the younger officer, “Yes, damnit! Every little scrap there, if they have to vacuum the ground do it!”
The younger man repeated the General’s words, then held the headphones away from his ears. One could barely make out the loud cursing that was spewing forth from them.
Snatching the headphones, the General growled several instructions. The other end was immediately silent. Then just before they disconnected, a quiet yes sir, was heard.
The General grunted as he handed the headset back to his assistant. Lighting a fresh cigar, the man again started to pace.
“This third group isn’t as efficient as the first two. Hell, they might make a damn scene, they will kill that bastard and the rest of the others. It will be so relaxing to have all of them erased.” The General said with a slight sigh.
“They are on the outskirts of the city, sir. They have been setting up for hours now. I have already taken the liberty of activating the cleanup crew for the bodies.” The young assistant stated.
The General nodded his head, he’d already advised all the senators that were breathing down his neck.
“You are the best assistant, I’ve ever had, so efficient. Damn, if only that piece of shit of a son of mine was. We need to prepare for our removal. I have several crisis that we need to take care of, as soon as possible.”
The young man nodded his head as he rushed out to get things ready.
_______________________________________________________________________________
For the last three hours, both Timur and Cathy had been tracking the machine, they had started to call Sheila. Both teams were shocked that it was heading in their general direction. They were all thinking, that I had lost my mind.
They had already started to scan the area, to make sure that nothing unexpected and nasty was trying to sneak up on them. Neither team trusted many, for now they pretty much only had each other.
Still, they all thought, why was it that I and the machine were walking into an obvious trap?
I knew mother was certain I had a plan, though I hadn’t clued her into it yet. The other leader could only shake his head at my apparent loss of sanity.
We were rapidly approaching the outskirts of the city when, a warning display appeared in front of my eyes. I stopped amazed that, I could clearly see several targets not far in front of us.
My eyes narrowed as I could see that they were heavily armed. “Sheila…” I started.
“Yes, I am detecting them also. Might I advise a different route?” Sheila replied to me.
I thought about it for a moment, then shook my head. I looked closer at what was displayed, shit these people weren’t fooling around. They had combat assault rifles, what appeared to be grenade launchers. Then my eyes went wider when I swore I could see, a few rocket launchers.
I looked over to Sheila with a grim look on my face. “Unfortunately, even as fast as we are, a delay might mess everything up. No, this is the only way we can go, though.” I then launched into a plan.
Sheila immediately drew back, “NO! I will not let you endanger yourself like that!”
“I am at level four now; I am far faster than I was. Besides, I have you as back up.” I told her which didn’t seem to alleviate her concern.
“I am not calculating a high rate of success with this plan. Might I suggest that you let me take your place.” Sheila suggested.
I was then bombarded with the probabilities, plus the scenarios that she’d run. Sighing, I could see the merit of her suggestion.
“Alright, though I don’t want you taking unnecessary risks either. I can’t rebuild you as quickly as you think. Plus, there’s no guarantee that you would develop the same. Though, having two of you would throw them off greatly.” I replied offhandedly which caused Sheila to pause momentarily.
A small smile lit up her face, then she almost seemed to vanish.
I kept track of her as she hurried toward the group of armed assailants. A moment later I took a track slightly to the side of the group.
I was worried when I heard the first explosion, then the next two. Approaching from the rear, I reached my first target. Grabbing all the rifles I could, I was in and out in moments. I stopped, searching for Sheila, to no avail, now I was really worried. I wasn’t feeling her anywhere.
I rushed back through another section of the group as fast as I could. It was almost comical when the assailants were suddenly without a weapon, especially when they were clearly fixated on the front. Well, they were, ’til the first set lost their weapons.
Suddenly there was a rain of live fire in my direction. I started to step toward them, then, found that I was being propelled backward away from them. Looking down, I saw Sheila’s arm around me.
{I thought that they had destroyed you. When I couldn’t detect you, I grew afraid that you were no more.} I thought to her.
{I am far faster than you think Roger, the upgrades you made, made sure of that. I also shut down that section of my positronic brain, I thought that they might have a means to tap into it. Though there aren’t as many, I feel that they are still a threat. I managed to have one of them fire an explosive charge on several others. Suggestions Roger?} Sheila’s thoughts returned.
{Apparently, this group has no reservations about killing whomever they can to get to us. Do what you can Sheila.} I told her.
{Please, do not endanger yourself Roger. You’ve just reached level four, you are, by no means, fast enough yet.} Sheila told me then seemed to vanish again.
There were several explosions again, along with a few screams, then it was quiet. Then, what Sheila had thought to me hit. I wasn’t fast enough yet? I could run at a speed of almost three hundred miles per hour, still I wasn’t fast enough? I shook my head then sat with a thud, what the hell?
Less than thirty seconds later, Sheila appeared next to me. She could see the look of confusion on my face. Concerned, she knelt beside me.
“Roger? Are you well? You seemed to be confused.” She asked quietly.
I at first, could only shake my head causing more concern from her. “Here I thought I was helping you, I only put myself in more danger. This in turn, put you in more danger. I could never forgive myself if, I was the cause of your destruction.”
A small sigh escaped Sheila’s lips as she nodded, “You can help by staying safe. As I stated before, the upgrades you have made to me and my systems, have made me stronger, faster by more than a factor of three. I am far more than I was when we started.”
I could only stare at Sheila a moment, then I nodded. I should know this, I had after all been inside her systems.
I was about to suggest that we get away before the authorities or some military group arrived, when I heard him.
“I need a sit-rep, Jackal team, I repeat I need a sit-rep.” Came my father’s voice from a nearby body. I shook my head; ass hole was still trying to be in control. I had half a mind to… I stopped as I looked at Sheila.
“Trace it, I want to know where he is. It’s about time we went after him.” I told her as a small smile came to her lips.
“On it now Roger, I should have a location soon. The signal is on a scramble, shouldn’t take too long.” Sheila replied to me.
“Also, contact my mother, both groups, this should be a gift for them.” I told Sheila a small smile now on, my lips.
___________________________________________________________________________
Outside an obscure, small warehouse building, a tall, thin, young male was walking toward a nearby tent structure. He’d just rounded a corner when, an arm wrapped around him yanking him into the darkness. A hand was quickly clamped over his mouth, he was then dragged further into the darkness.
The hot breath of his capturer whispered across his ear, “I think not my malen’kaya suka (little bitch). You are done doing his dirty work, as are we.”
The young man’s eyes grew wide, a chill running through him as he recognized Ruslan’s voice. A moment later, the young man was unceremoniously shoved into the back of a Humvee.
“You’ll never get away with this!” The young man started to yell. “There are armed guards all over the place!”
“Da, we know, you forget who and what we are. There is someone who wishes to speak to you. She I fear, will kill you long before I do.” Ruslan said letting his threat sink in.
“She? What can she do? She is as much a tool of the great man, as you are. Please, don’t make me laugh. I…” The young man was saying.
Serafima was starting to curse when she slammed on the brakes. “Chert, eto snova ta mashina! (Damn it is that machine again!)
Ruslan looked out to see Sheila standing in front of the Humvee. Serafima was reaching for her rifle, when Ruslan, placed a hand on her shoulder shaking his head no.
Opening the door, Ruslan sat back as one moment the young man was there, then gone the next. Serafima looked at the leader her mouth open,
“Der’mo, (shit) it has gotten faster!”
Ruslan, could only nod his head, it had indeed grown far faster than he thought possible. “Back to our base. Comrade Evelyn needs to know.” Serafima nodded as she accelerated away.
_______________________________________________________________________________
A minute later, Sheila stopped before the small building that we were in.
“You have no right…” The young man started to yell, then his eyes went wide when Sheila, pinched a spot on the side of his neck. This effectively shut the male’s vocal cords off.
She then walked in, I turned to see Sheila with the bundle over her shoulder. “Good, I see they got him. Were they upset when you relieved them of him?” I asked.
“The female controlling the vehicle, started to reach for a high powered weapon. The male in the back stopped her, then opened the door. I then proceeded to bring him here. I cannot accurately assess the emotions that they were acting upon nor feeling.” Sheila reported to me.
I sighed, I needed to remember that though she might be more human she still wasn’t quite there yet. “I’m sorry Sheila, I forgot that you aren’t completely human, though you seem to be more to me than most I have met.”
Sheila nodded her head, then summarily dumped the young man on the floor. The man grabbed his throat as he tried again to speak. Looking around his eyes settled on me causing him to tremble uncontrollably.
I nodded as I sat before him. “I take it from the look of absolute terror on your face that, you recognize me. That simplifies things, a few things you need to know. One, for now you have not much to fear. Two, Sheila and I are far faster than you think, so… no grand ideas of escaping. Since he doesn’t know that you have been captured, there is no alarm being sounded.”
I sat back for a moment to let that sink in. I could see the terror in his eyes climbing higher.
“Good, now to continue on. I am not a violent person, well, not really. The incident in the northern territories, I was basically forced into. So, know that if you die I will not be the one that ends your life. Therefore, I suggest you make nice here at the onset. Of course, I could just turn you over to the group that took you. Then again, I am also sure that, my mother’s group would like to get their hands on you.”
This last comment though spoken low, had the desired effect, causing the male to almost pass out as he trembled even more. Good, I thought as I stared at him, he is obviously taking this more serious than I thought.
___________________________________________________________________________
Back in the small command center, the General was waiting for the young man to return. Strange he thought, he must have run into a snag. With a smile the General turned back to his reports, the male was quite capable. If there was indeed a snag, the young male would handle it as he always did, if not the General would step in.
Yeah the General thought, if there was trouble the young man would let him know. Besides they were secure here with as many elite soldiers around the area.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Ruslan and Serafima pulled into the front of the building both groups were staying in. Ruslan sighed as he stepped out, immediately he heard several weapons, then saw several laser-sight beams. He wasn’t exactly sure how comrade Evelyn was going to take the news.
A few minutes later all could hear her shout, “he WHAT!?” This was followed by Ruslan quickly explaining exactly what happened. Evelyn was quiet a moment then nodded her head. “He obviously has some type of plan that we are only now, starting to glean. I know that this has to be the first part of him taking out that bastard.”
“I hope that is true comrade Evelyn. The general’s compound is far heavily guarded than we at first thought. Even I had a hard time getting in and out of there.” Ruslan explained.
“You both saw how fast the Sheila bot was.” Evelyn stated drawing a few surprised looks then agreement from those there. “The last time I saw him, he was a hell of a lot faster than I have ever seen a human. He has to have been enhanced in some way.”
“I…” Ruslan started when both Timur and Cathy broke in.
“Leaders, we are picking up a lot of radio chatter. Apparently there is another team out there. The general is raging that he is unable to contact them.” Both stated.
“Another group? Have you heard their designation?” Ruslan asked.
“From what little we’ve been able to decode; it was a team called Jackal.” Cathy advise
When Ruslan only shrugged, Evelyn nodded. “Another group with skills below ours, I’ve only briefly heard of them. Any mention of casualties? Any action at all?”
“No ma’am, though the General sounds mad as hell. Should we investigate?” Cathy asked.
Evelyn looked over to Ruslan, then shook her head as did he. “No, if they are still there, we could walk into an ambush. Keep monitoring to see what is going on.” Both computer experts nodded as they went back to their listening.
____________________________________________________________________________
I hated keeping mother and the teams in the dark, I knew that bastard of my father was listening to every word that was broadcast.
Looking over to the young man, I could see that he was still shaking, though not as bad as before. That was probably about to change here in a few moments.
“So,” I stated continuing on from where I had stopped. “You know you can’t run, that as of yet there is no one missing you. You can’t speak, though I will fix that as long as you keep quiet. Answer my questions and there won’t be much pain, hell, you might even live through this.”
I nodded to Sheila as she again pinched a spot on the male’s neck. A few moments, plus several coughs later the young man spoke.
“I know how brilliant you are, though I doubt you are as smart as your father. There is no finer military mind.” The male said proudly.
I just shook my head, “perhaps before, not now. I am a hell of a lot smarter than he is, especially after I downloaded all the knowledge I have. You might say I am a partly living computer. I mean, I don’t have all knowledge, though I have a hell of a lot more than I did.”
The young man smirked, then snidely stated, “If you are so damn smart, what the hell do you need me for? I doubt anything I know or have: can help you do whatever the hell you are trying to do. I have to ask, just what you think you can accomplish with the entire U.S. military after you?”
“Well”, I started, knowing that this next part was going to shock him. “I am just going to kill him, then I am going to have us listed as dead, all of us. I think that way we can all start over. As I said, you might even live through this.”
“You’re,” the young man started, then the sound of his laughter filled the room. Suddenly, the male stopped looking at me with a heated look. “You will never get close enough, IF, you know where he is. Go ahead torture me I will never help you hurt such a great man.”
I sighed, for some reason I thought this was the way things were going to go. “Well, I gave you a chance.” I looked at Sheila as a narrow needle came out her finger, then inserted in the male’s arm. “I guess we have to go the painful way. Shouldn’t take long for the nanomites to connect, perhaps an hour. Then we might not even need you any longer. Who knows I might feel generous and give you to her after all.”
This of course made the male laugh more. “I guess you should get used to failure then. Nanomites won’t…”
“Oh, you obviously forgot who I am, what she is. Believe me HER nanomites won’t fail. Hers aren’t constrained by the conventions that their human made counter parts are.” I told the now struggling male.
“You wouldn’t dare! It goes against all the rules of human experimentation. You would be branded a rogue, a..” The young man stated.
“I don’t know if you know it, I kind of already am. All courtesy of my beloved bastard of a father. Now shut up, let them work, not too long from now I should have all the answers I need, to finally end this. Plus, as an added bonus I get to see him die.”
At fifteen minutes, I received a message that the nanomites were starting to integrate in his mind. At thirty minutes, I was advised that all aggressive threats had been removed.
At forty five minutes, I finally ‘heard’ the nanomites with in the male. {Primary control, all neural pathways are being opened. Specifically, all areas containing information referring to General Gance.}
{All units within subject, advise when all pathways are open to begin extraction.} I thought to the nanomites within the young man.
{Compliance control, all pathways should be open in an estimated forty five minutes, thirty seconds.} The nanomites replied.
Nodding I guess we had to wait.