The projection in front of me went black, cutting off my connection to Atlas. I lowered my head and silently grieved. How could I have left my kids behind? I know why I was a coward. I was so afraid of what Bionic Corp would do to me that I didn't stop to think about what Bionic Corp would do to them.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNF5tJU0tS
A cybernetic fist pummeled into my face. "God, you're so pathetic. I expected so much more from you." The cyborg soldier taunted me.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mIM7Dex0J
"How could you know what to expect? You don't know anything about me." I said, through labored breaths.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxCCjlXaNy
"No, I've heard plenty of stories about you. You're the infamous cyborg army deserter, Pedro Carrasco, or do you prefer the alias Patch Contreras? Either way, I've heard hushed whispers about you, the first cyborg to ever escape. Bionic Corp forbade us from ever speaking about it, but I heard plenty of gossip. You inspired plenty of comrades to try the same stunt you did."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7EX4tQXbz
I glanced up in surprise. "They did? What happened to them?"
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjVayJRbQR
He punched the other side of my face. "They're all dead because you put stupid ideas in their heads!
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KhL2L8uXa
"Don't blame me, blame Bionic Corp. They're the ones who killed your friends, not me."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxp1gp6O7Z9
He kneed me in the stomach. "Shut up! They never would've had the gall to attempt something like that if it weren't for the legends of the unstoppable Pedro Carrasco. After everything, I knew I needed to meet you, that's why I volunteered to torture you, I needed to know what made you so damn special."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6OzuHblXg
I tried to stare him down, but my vision was so disoriented I couldn't tell exactly where he was, so I glared in his general direction.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FOc201FLL
He spat on me. "Turns out, there's nothing special about you. You just had dumb luck on your side."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClM55zCt2o
"Not just dumb luck, I had good friends watching my back."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Q0SK2Eai7
"Where are your good friends now, huh? It looks like they left you to rot here."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5tmDXdbPu
"We had a little falling out. We're not on speaking terms right now."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDF7fyXiGH
"I understand completely, I haven't spoken with my friends in years. It's probably because they're decomposing in shallow graves right now, because of you!"
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqXfbK0EG1
I gave up and turned my head away from him. This conversation wasn't going anywhere. There's nothing I could say to change his mind right now. There's so much anger inside him, but it's not his fault, he's only a boy. A boy who was damaged by the same corporation that damaged me. We're not that different deep down.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvTm4jIZgu
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Oblivion sauntered out of the shadows.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0yYesEu1J
"Where the hell have you been? I've been stuck covering for you for days!" My tormentor said to Oblivion.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsc8vN57NTf
"I was stuck in line at the DMV." Oblivion drawled.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2apZS8nZS
"This isn't funny! Marjorie is furious with you!"
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YpzUnt2y3
"I'm not scared of her."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jhX21TS7c
"You should be. She's vicious, and she'll kill any of us if we get too far out of line."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYmykgH3BJ
Oblivion lowered their voice to a whisper. "Not me, I'm about to become irreplaceable."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01WxBN4h27
Before anyone could ask them what they were talking about, Oblivion waved their dismissive hand. "You can leave now, Jordan. I'd like some alone time with the prisoner."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mdNx7ii9o
"Fine." He muttered curses under his breath as he stomped out of the room and slammed the door behind him.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ogFR5ury3
"Hello, Pedro. Are you feeling comfortable? "No? Good!" Oblivion chuckled to themself as if they'd just said something hilarious."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ftgb2vyeI
I would've given Oblivion the middle finger if I still had a middle finger. My fingers were confiscated, along with my arms and my legs. They probably would've taken my organs too if I could live without them. "Do you need something, or are you just here to boast?"
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbYCWK0AIz
"I'm just here to boast." They confirmed.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IyU5qUKs1
I rolled my eye. Great. "Do you want to tell me your evil plan too, while I'm a captive audience?"
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzR1OGhxXb
Oblivion let out an amused sigh and shook their head. "Nice try, but I'm not that dumb."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0seNcKS83G
I shrugged with what remained of my shoulders. "Eh, it was worth a shot."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvQBZ9ss4i
I could sense Oblivion's smile under the mask. "You're not scared of me, are you."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQTQWiFCwo
"You haven't really given me a reason to."I glanced them up and down. You look like you weigh, roughly a hundred pounds."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqSoKiEETv
Oblivion glanced down at themself self-consciously."I have a fast metabolism."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXT7vYY0wwV
"Bionic Corp has gone downhill. Back in my day cyborg soldiers were terrifying. You're nothing but a scrawny goth teen."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNrjoowqwt
"I have my own methods of intimidation." Oblivion bared their cybernetic claws and jabbed them into my one remaining eye.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgc3ix9nbEa
To my surprise, the claws fazed right through me. "You're a Hologram!" I spluttered.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9amsHvnLe
Oblivion laughed. "Of course I am. Do you think I'd waste my precious time slumming it with you? I'm on an important mission, right now." They lowered their voice to a whisper. "Just don't tell my boss, she thinks I'm here."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3qXOdYlFh
I shot Oblivion a menacing glare. "Why the hell did you come here? What do you have to gain from talking to me?
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SfBsI6hmF
On a screen in the darkest corner of the room, Oblivion pulled up a video of Atlas and Chase fleeing Marjorie Spoketon's mansion. "I want to know how it feels to abandon the people who depend on you most."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjGkBs3Gmp
I shook my head. "It's the worst feeling in the world," I said honestly.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPbzg6Qmgc
"You know, Atlas truly surprised me today, I was convinced he was going to surrender the map for you. I'm surprised, I thought he loved you more." Oblivion shrugged. "That was a slight miscalculation on my part."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoq1fOMRcT2
"He made the right choice."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zSVzax2QM
"He did," Oblivion agreed. "You're nothing but a useless shell of a man who deserted his family, I wouldn't trade a pile of refuse for you."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPFToU0yPn
"You're right, I left my family and I deserve whatever happens to me now."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3n334H1Lq
I could sense Oblivion's frown. "It's no fun when you don't fight back."
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgg8hfOTHy
"Sorry to disappoint." I stared down at the ground in shame.
386Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43VsvmzWg1
"I have to go." Oblivion slid open the cell doors and waved. "Enjoy your last twenty-four hours alive, Pedro."
ns216.73.216.94da2
