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.
145Please respect copyright.PENANAVyzVOYarm7
A cybernetic fist pummeled into my face. "God, you're so pathetic. I expected so much more from you." The cyborg soldier taunted me.
145Please respect copyright.PENANAhWY28vbv7Z
"How could you know what to expect? You don't know anything about me." I said, through labored breaths.
145Please respect copyright.PENANAhq3AWV6R54
"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."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAnXgVGZ7IOu
I glanced up in surprise. "They did? What happened to them?"
145Please respect copyright.PENANA0vaFkowUqb
He punched the other side of my face. "They're all dead because you put stupid ideas in their heads!
145Please respect copyright.PENANAps5ZzYdq9x
"Don't blame me, blame Bionic Corp. They're the ones who killed your friends, not me."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAbdtMdHHPaS
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."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAQVos5MOu8B
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.
145Please respect copyright.PENANAbqMJW5jI4K
He spat on me. "Turns out, there's nothing special about you. You just had dumb luck on your side."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAVz0xRj3w8n
"Not just dumb luck, I had good friends watching my back."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAMDE7LAzFtU
"Where are your good friends now, huh? It looks like they left you to rot here."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAhhXtcMw01l
"We had a little falling out. We're not on speaking terms right now."
145Please respect copyright.PENANA0ZZ0f3aEhK
"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!"
145Please respect copyright.PENANAYHmflVJ70n
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.
145Please respect copyright.PENANA2ltdGUCqsx
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Oblivion sauntered out of the shadows.
145Please respect copyright.PENANAYgPxWHKU7d
"Where the hell have you been? I've been stuck covering for you for days!" My tormentor said to Oblivion.
145Please respect copyright.PENANAkdG1w10yvf
"I was stuck in line at the DMV." Oblivion drawled.
145Please respect copyright.PENANAxLgj3hLVad
"This isn't funny! Marjorie is furious with you!"
145Please respect copyright.PENANA0sUSaImSue
"I'm not scared of her."
145Please respect copyright.PENANACgoJatFOk4
"You should be. She's vicious, and she'll kill any of us if we get too far out of line."
145Please respect copyright.PENANA3MzlRPtPTe
Oblivion lowered their voice to a whisper. "Not me, I'm about to become irreplaceable."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAtGu0NNrByV
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."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAEaVN690sF8
"Fine." He muttered curses under his breath as he stomped out of the room and slammed the door behind him.
145Please respect copyright.PENANAw6An1RVf8q
"Hello, Pedro. Are you feeling comfortable? "No? Good!" Oblivion chuckled to themself as if they'd just said something hilarious."
145Please respect copyright.PENANACy6IvbFN7k
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?"
145Please respect copyright.PENANAxg17WDv0wZ
"I'm just here to boast." They confirmed.
145Please respect copyright.PENANAS7nfT1Wd5c
I rolled my eye. Great. "Do you want to tell me your evil plan too, while I'm a captive audience?"
145Please respect copyright.PENANAakN19iC0Yr
Oblivion let out an amused sigh and shook their head. "Nice try, but I'm not that dumb."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAx7UskhAgAU
I shrugged with what remained of my shoulders. "Eh, it was worth a shot."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAPErT0a1UlW
I could sense Oblivion's smile under the mask. "You're not scared of me, are you."
145Please respect copyright.PENANA31EwapCW1v
"You haven't really given me a reason to."I glanced them up and down. You look like you weigh, roughly a hundred pounds."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAak5cptfXWU
Oblivion glanced down at themself self-consciously."I have a fast metabolism."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAtuSnTb3JFl
"Bionic Corp has gone downhill. Back in my day cyborg soldiers were terrifying. You're nothing but a scrawny goth teen."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAQkrj7nayKe
"I have my own methods of intimidation." Oblivion bared their cybernetic claws and jabbed them into my one remaining eye.
145Please respect copyright.PENANALW5XBRltZh
To my surprise, the claws fazed right through me. "You're a Hologram!" I spluttered.
145Please respect copyright.PENANAi89HS7TbWj
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."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAqXQcHbopcK
I shot Oblivion a menacing glare. "Why the hell did you come here? What do you have to gain from talking to me?
145Please respect copyright.PENANAcpImrzsQhh
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."
145Please respect copyright.PENANA0O3zOHS596
I shook my head. "It's the worst feeling in the world," I said honestly.
145Please respect copyright.PENANAWkmU57FREd
"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."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAQv6m3m0sC7
"He made the right choice."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAdBSNr2RrOr
"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."
145Please respect copyright.PENANANGYRtC3YzI
"You're right, I left my family and I deserve whatever happens to me now."
145Please respect copyright.PENANAYiArgaspyv
I could sense Oblivion's frown. "It's no fun when you don't fight back."
145Please respect copyright.PENANA2fI6rMQcAZ
"Sorry to disappoint." I stared down at the ground in shame.
145Please respect copyright.PENANA6ASapW3qMt
"I have to go." Oblivion slid open the cell doors and waved. "Enjoy your last twenty-four hours alive, Pedro."
ns 172.70.126.180da2