The door let out a loud creak as I pulled it open.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RcKt55yfB
"Are you here to beat me some more? The first three times weren't enough? Can't you give me a break, Jordan? Listen, I'm really sorry about your friends, but I never told them to rebel against Bionic Corp, they did that all by themselves. You can't really hold me responsible for their decisions."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvTCbHcKqV
I'd know that voice anywhere. That was the voice that raised me. That was the voice that used to complain about work while he made me grilled cheese sandwiches. That was the voice that would whisper comforting words in my ear after having a nightmare. I peeked through the crack in the door. My voice quavered as I spoke. "Patch?
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiwIbuiw7A
He glanced up to meet my gaze. "Marisa?" He shook his head. "I must be seeing things."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMMSD3WlnD
I entered the room and knelt beside him. He was fastened to a cold metal chair. Bionic Corp had stripped him of all his cybernetic parts, leaving him unable to move or fight back. They'd removed his eye patch leaving nothing but an exposed empty socket. His skin was bloodied and bruised from the brutal interrogations he endured. I threw my arms around him, not caring about getting his blood smeared on my clothes. I cupped his face in my hands. "I'm not a mirage. I'm really here. I came to rescue you."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rM9SOt3Ee
Tears well up in his one remaining eye, "Marisa, you should've stayed away. You shouldn't have risked yourself to save me. I'm not worth it. You need to get out before anyone finds out you're here!"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbiPn93Cug
"Too late, a security bot spotted us on the way in. They already know she's here. There's no point in being noble now. You might as well let us save you while we're here," Katrina said.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEFN3QpMS0
"Can't believe you did this! Don't you know how dangerous this is? Now you're at risk."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl859dBDzow
"I've always been at risk, this isn't anything new." I tried to wipe the blood off his face, but he pulled away. "Please, let me take care of you."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡww6keDFymD
He tried to pull away from my touch. "I don't deserve your affection. How could you possibly forgive me after I left you?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxUrPW3K1h
"Because I love you. I can't just leave you like this."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTGSMWOynC
"You're not mad at me?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxnHBhpXcL
"No, I'm furious. You tried to abandon your family, and it's going to take me a long time to forgive you, but that doesn't mean I want you to die." I wrapped a comforting arm around him. "We're going to get you out of here, okay?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVo2t816Tf
Patch nodded, then he made eye contact with Katrina and scowled at her. What the hell are you doing here, Oblivion?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOVOsg35Mj
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm breaking your deadbeat ass out of containment, so you're welcome."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9X8LWz2WSj
Patch shot her an incredulous look. "Yeah, but why are you doing it? I know you never do anything out of the kindness of your heart, Katrina."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcahkkDWlSa
I shot them both a puzzled look. "Wait. He knows your secret identity?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4FJYnQDow
Patch nodded. "She removed her helmet in front of me several times."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxJd28kmO4
I scanned her appraising. "Why would you do that? What do you gain from revealing yourself?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUZe2jeexI
"Nothing. It's just really sweaty under the helmet. You should try wearing it for a day, then you see how moist and confining it is in there."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPXreqsQu6
I didn't know if I believed her explanation, but I dropped the topic.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JFhOlhoYS
Katrina shouted at one of the cleaning bots zipping through the hallway behind us. "Hey, you!"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI11Jrgei1y
The robot came to an abrupt halt and stared up at her. "How may I be of assistance, Cyborg 11120189141?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVo1z0CREd
"I need some cybernetic parts for a medium-sized adult man. Preferably two arms and two legs, but we can make do with whatever you can find."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdSFV6svtz
"Would you like me to fetch anything else for you?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7y9fYOcPa
Katrina glanced back at us. "Yeah, bring us something to cover up that disgusting eye socket. I can't bear to look at it any longer."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5INImJNYau
The cleaning bot gave a curt nod and zoomed away as fast as its tiny wheels could carry it.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwhmG8yNlp
"Sorry, my missing eye is repulsing you. It's such a shame you're forced to look at it," Patch said sardonically.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdicg3WSZcl
"It's okay. I forgive you for being ugly," she replied.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ037aFQFezN
I jumped to Patch's defense. "It's not his fault he's missing an eye!"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHecRm3pd1E
A frown spread across her lips. "You should be nicer to me, Marisa. You never would've found him if it wasn't for me!"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcE6dgxKa7
I scoffed. "Yeah, you've been so helpful."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhCbiPILF1
"What is that supposed to mean?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1377nifHbt
"Face it Katrina. You're helpless. That's why you need me. Because you're not smart enough to find the Annihilation Code by yourself."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL35Z5x5zLu
"Let it go, Marisa. Don't waste your breath arguing with her," Patch advised.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwp9vf0Td8
"Stay out of this Pedro, this is none of your damn business," Katrina snapped.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAXPSK1o0T
I ignored Patch's advice and continued scolding Katrina. "The only thing you've done today is waste my time and shoot my brother."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmYF4B7ztH
"She did what?" Patch seethed. He clenched his teeth and an inferno of rage glistened in his eye. I had no doubt he would've strangled Katrina right then and there if he were able.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLKtKXHF3I
Katrina waved her hand dismissively. "Don't look at me like that. I wasn't trying to hit any vital organs."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7whO0bZvT
"Did you hit any vital organs?" Patch asked.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrGhDS7pr9
She shrugged. "I don't know. I was too busy falling out of a window to notice."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FwoWK181v
"Then you threw him off the edge of Ikigai II," I added.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0dUVXlqeK
"He can swim."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEvjnqrRgu
"Not with a gaping bullet wound, he can't."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEC4snkWxf7
"Gaping is a strong word, it was merely a flesh wound. Chase went barreling after him into the icy depths. Together their chances of survival are really high, like almost 30%. I'm sure they'll be fine."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUFLEqhSym
"If anything happens to my boy, I'll hunt you down and kill you! You hear me?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmrA0paUjx
Katrina folded her arms across her chest. "Oh gee, I'm so scared of you. I'm trembling. I don't know how I'll beat an old man without arms or legs."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPu3JnJQ5Zv
I stood in front of him using my body as a shield in case Katrina tried anything.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6PATz8sC7
Just then the cleaning bot returned to the cell holding three items.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfn3cqZJNIF
Katrina shot the cleaning bot a disgusted look. "What's going on here? This is only half of the stuff I asked for!"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2uFUA4myY
"You see, the problem is these are very heavy, and I am very small. I am just a cleaning bot, I am not meant for these kinds of tasks. I am only meant for cleaning."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzBgwqzIvc
Katrina rolled her eyes and took the items from the robot's grasp. "It's impossible to find good help around here." She held up one of the items, which was a tie-dye t-shirt with a graphic of a cat wearing sunglasses and doing a thumbs up printed onto it. "What the hell is this?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43KiWN9TWN
"I offer you my sincerest apologies if my findings are not to your liking. I did the best I could with the information you gave me. Are you interested in filling out a survey to help me improve my programming?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflGdmOvzNk
"No! Get out of here." Katrina waved the bot away.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKNvEniKpT
"I don't see why you couldn't have gotten the parts yourself," Patch said.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZuPenaJJX
"I never do something if someone else could do it for me. That's why I bamboozled your nephew into stealing the map for me. Why should I waste my time stealing from some of the most dangerous people in the world if Atlas could do it instead?"
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xTRqPsZDx
"So, you're lazy," Patch said.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wK2s5328r
"It's called working smarter, not harder. You should try it sometime."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRWEDZjBox
I rolled my eyes and yanked the items out of Katrina's grip and knelt beside Patch. I slid the cybernetic leg onto his residual limb, applying pressure until it was secure. I did the same thing with the cybernetic arm. I ripped up the cat t-shirt and fastened the strips of fabric around his head to cover his vacant eye socket. I hoisted him up and helped him stand on the rickety leg. The bionic leg was designed for a much smaller person, so Patch had a hard time gaining his footing. He trembled as he rose from the chair. He faltered, nearly toppling over. He grasped onto me for support. He threw his arm around me in a tight embrace.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8asmDBH4F
I just stood there dumbstruck. I didn't know how to react to this show of affection after his betrayal.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2ATaDXMvq
"I love you, kid," he whispered into my ear. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWiOIa0ctXa
I set my anger aside and returned his embrace. I clung to the feeling of him, savoring every moment. There was a part of me that feared I'd never see him again. Getting to hold him again was a comfort I didn't know I needed. "I love you, too, old man."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrlCNCjs0N
He'd usually object and scold me for calling him an old man, but today he just held me tighter, and I never wanted to let go.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dKJ72BR6q
Katrina picked at her claws jadedly. "Hooray happy reunion. Now, let's get the hell out of here before someone catches us."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilPOisTiNO
I caught a flash of jealousy in her eyes that I know I wasn't meant to see. For a moment, I wondered if she had anyone in her life who cared for her. She mentioned growing up alone. Did she ever find someone to support her? All these thoughts swirled around in my head until I remembered that I don't care. Her woes aren't any of my concern.
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtQOYB5JA2
"Seriously? I was expecting to try to make a run for it as soon as you got what you wanted."
168Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEejR7qaJXe
"It's like I said earlier, I'm not like you."
ns 172.71.223.161da2
