CHAPTER FOUR (PART THREE) - BREEDEN AZALAZAR The robot was trying to get its bulky form back up as Howie came around. He reached down and the robot fell back down. )))Eek!((( It squealed. “I’m not going to hit you!” Howie said exasperated. )))Your not?((( “No! If you get back over there I’ll reprogram you to follow what I say!” Howie said. )))Oh!((( It clicked its fingers nervously, )))Thank you?((( Rolling his eyes, Howie grabbed its arm and began pulling it up. Nick dropped the blanket over Brian whose hand flew up to cover his mouth as he felt bile rise up in his throat. A.J. hit a button and looked at the monitors, but snow only showed on them. He turned around furiously. “Damn it!” He said angrily hitting the computer. “What is it?” Kevin asked standing. “Azalazar put a virus in the camera system on this deck, and I think he’ll put more on the decks he’ll be going to. If he dose that then the entire system will be eaten away.” He said as he began typing again. “Oh this just tops this day!” Kevin groaned, as Nick helped Brian sit up a little. “Hate ta break it to ya, but its gonna get worse.” A.J. replied. “How?” Kevin asked sounding annoyed. “I’m checking the power units now, Azalazar put a damn time lock on them!” A.J. eyes widened. “Oh shit!” He said in a stunned voice, his eyebrows rising. “What now?” Kevin snapped storming over. “And what the hell is a time lock?” “A time lock is like a locking program, only instead of need a key program this one automatically releases after a certain amount of time.” Howie answered. “Yeah, but this one Azalazar designed for the power unit, we can’t access it and he’s programmed it not to relapse until a report he’s time set goes out to The Corporation!” “What!?” Nick said horrified. “That son of a bitch probably put in it that they need to come and help him and save that thing!” Kevin realized. “If we can’t access the power unit and stop that report then were screwed!” Howie said wide, eyed. “Can’t you get past it!?” Kevin asked not believing how quickly everything had gone down hill in such a short time span. A.J. was silent for a second as he looked off into space, he held up his hand, a look of hope on his face. “Maybe.” He said deep in thought, his eyes trailed down to the computer consol, he instantly began typing. “Just maybe.” He muttered typing. Kevin stared at him eagerly. “Well?” A.J. didn’t answer right away, suddenly his eye lit up. “Yes!” he said grinning as Howie and the robot stepped up onto the stairs, Howie was holding a cord coming from the robots back, he opened up the panel and plugged the cord in, he began pushing buttons. A.J. held typed and suddenly another grid of the station appeared, he touched a place on it and the room where they had found A.J. blinked and enlargened. “See this place?” he asked, “Azalazar put the locking programs on, but stored the report in here, he didn’t put a locking program on the report, if we can get here again and get that report we can chance it. We can’t stop it from going out, but we can alter it to tell The Corporation that everything here is running as normal.” Kevin straightened up, “How long do we have?” He asked. “Three hours.” A.J. answered. Kevin thought for a moment, he looked back up at A.J. “We can make it in three hours.” He said firmly. A.J. suddenly let out a little embarrassed laugh. “Well you see, that’s the problem.” He said trailing off. “One of you has to go down. I kinda have to stay here.” “Why?” Kevin asked. “I can be a hell of lot useful here, I can direct you and tell you if the creature is coming towards you, besides, when the locking program releases the power unit, I can get probably get the A.I. on and it will be able to get power on around the station.” He quickly explained. “I can go with you.” Howie piped up as he slowly closed the panel, the reprogramming program automatically running, the robot clicked its fingers. Kevin nodded as Brian sat up fully. “Wait!” He said, everyone looked at him. “What about Azalazar? Someone has to go get him!” He said. “Why? He left, he’s gonna get eaten, I don’t see the problem.” A.J. said shrugging. “But he is a problem, if he’s still running around he’s gonna try and stop us by doing as much damage as he can to keep us here.” Brian said. Shit. He was right, Kevin sighed in annoyance. Why, just why couldn’t anything go as it was supposed to? Just for once!? “Well what are we supposed to do?” Kevin asked helplessly. “We need to get to the report.” But we need to get Azalazar, Kevin thought, god knows what he’ll do next. “I can look for him!” Nick volunteered. Kevin wasn’t thrilled with that. “Me too!” Brian suddenly volunteered as well. Kevin really wasn’t thrilled with that, he looked at the two with an expression that came across the lines of, “not a chance in hell!” “I don’t think so.” He said slowly and carefully. “Why not?” Nick asked. “For one, Brian is sick, and for two………..” Kevin thought to himself for a second. “Well okay, I can’t think of a good reason why Nick can’t go, but you just can’t!” “I’m not sick!” Brian insisted. “Like hell your not!” Kevin said irritated. “I’m not! I’m feeling better now! The energy sort of help my body this time.” Brian said, which was true, he felt a lot better then he had in a while. Kevin stared at the two, the slow realization was dawning that they didn’t have a choice. “Shit!” He moaned hanging his head in his hands. Brian and Nick took that as a “go ahead”. Nick began helping Brian to his feet as Kevin turned to A.J. “Give me the gun.” He said to A.J., who reached for his belt and pulled the spare gun off, he tossed it to Kevin, who checked the clip and then tossed it to Nick who caught it. “If anything moves, and I mean anything, this is one of those rare situations where you can shoot first, ask questions latter.” He instructed, he paused for a moment. “You do know how to fire that don’t you?” “What do you think I am? Stupid!” Nick asked insulted. “Just checking.” Kevin turned back to A.J., “You keep in contact with both teams alright?” He asked. “Will do Major!” A.J. said and gave a mock salute, Kevin rolled his eyes as Howie came down the steps, he walked toward the Latino man and gestured for him to give him the gun, Howie handed it to him and he checked it. “Give them some extra ammo.” He said jerking his head towards Brian and Nick as they walked towards the door, Howie handed them some extra clips, which Brian took. A.J. held out his hand and the tube slide into the consol, he straightened up and blinked as his eyes lit up green. His mind went into the system and he searched around for the COM links and working cameras on the deck Kevin and Howie were going to. “Search for two hours,” Kevin said to Brian and Nick. “And only on this deck, if A.J. finds another camera system that doesn’t work then go to that deck, but he can’t get power to it, forget it!” Yes mother! Nick thought but chose not to say, he and Brian nodded like two little boys. “Ooooooooooookay.” Brian drawled as Kevin turned to the door, which was opening. He looked out and down both ways before hesitantly stepping out, his hands wrapped around the gun tightly, Howie followed suite. )))Good luck!((( The robot called out pleasantly as if biding them good by on a cruise as Brian and Nick walked out and the door began sliding closed. “Gee, thanks.” Nick muttered as silence ensued, Kevin looked to his right then back at his friends, he nodded at them before turning and walking away, Howie following behind keeping a close eye out. As they walked down the hall, getting smaller and smaller, they suddenly turned down a corner and fully disappeared completely. The sound of their footsteps fading away. Nick and Brian stood there for a moment before Nick looked at his comrade who was looking around. “You do realize that we can, and most probably will die doing this.” He said already regretting this as memories of the last time he had willingly gone out and how disastrous that had turned out, and Kevin was going to be on a completely different deck, so they were basically screwed on the help aspect. “Hey, I’ve done that about six times, maybe this time it will take.” Brian said shrugging. Morbid joke, but Nick still laughed regardless, Brian looked around. “Where so you think we should start?” He asked feeling the emptiness of the deck and whole station beginning to return. Nick’s eyes suddenly went past him; a look of delight came to his face. ”Well lets just follow the yellow brick road, or in this case,” Nick pointed and Brian turned to see. “The blood covered one.” Azalazar had accidentally smeared the wall with his blood from his hand; blood had also been dripped on the floor, leaving a convenient trail. Brian raised his eyebrows and then looked at Nick grinning. ```( )``` A.J. was going through the system, he could tell that Kevin and Howie were heading toward the deck; so far, from the working camera’s he couldn’t find The Eater. In another part of his mind, he headed for the COM links on both decks, splitting up to all so far, twenty links. As he worked, the robot stood behind him clicking its fingers and humming “Camp Town Races.” Silence except for the sounds of the computer, A.J. couldn’t stand it anymore and decided to make small talk, he could still work the system and talk. “So!” He called over to the robot who stopped humming. )))Hum?((( It asked, its fingers clicking. “Is your name really TWU4?” He asked. )))What?((( “Your name, or designation or whatever.” )))Yes! It stands for Tactical Working Unit Four!((( The robot said, a little happy A.J. wasn’t going to kill it now. “Kind of a weird name.” A.J. commented, “I say, stick with R2, its simpler.” )))Why R2?((( It asked puzzled. “R2-D2! It’s the name of a droid from that old movie, “Star Wars.”” A.J. explained. )))Technically I’m a robot, and is that a good thing?((( “Uh huh.” A.J. assured. “R2 was a cool little bot. Plus the reprogramming program can change your name to that.” )))Oh…………….okay.((( It said still not quite getting the concept, but willing to go along with it. A.J. fully connected to the COM links and cameras, he stopped talking as his vision broke up again and the other part of his mind activated the COM links on both decks. From the cameras A.J. could see that Kevin and Howie hadn’t arrived at the deck yet. So he took a wild guess and talked through one of the COM links on the deck they were on. The robot watched with interest clicking its fingers. “Hello………..anybody there?………….Hello!” A.J. called out, he waited for a minute before trying again. “Hello?………..Kev, Howie, Brian, Nick?…………anybody?” He asked hopefully but still no one answered. He frowned. “Oooooooooooooookay.” He said slowly thinking, if that damn virus wasn’t in the camera system in this deck, he would know what COM link they were closest to. As the robot started humming and clicking its fingers again, A.J. perked up. Oh well! When life tosses you lemons, make lemonade! Whatever the hell that meant, A.J. turned as little to where the robot was. “Hey!” He called, the robot stopped. )))Hum?((( “You calculate stuff, so calculate this, if each team split up in different directions, factoring in the rate of speed they are going at and the random directions there going in, what com link would they be by?” He asked. The robot suddenly started beeping and clicking as it ran the problem through its head, it clicked its fingers. )))Um……….what team would you want to contact?((( It asked. A.J. thought for a moment, in a while, he would un-doubly see Kevin and Howie, best see what Frick and Frack were doing. “Brian and Nick.” He answered and waited as the robot calculated that. It clicked its fingers, )))Calculating in the speed, and stops they would make, the random direction they would go in, the number of com links in the direction they would be heading in-((( “Little faster here R2!” A.J. urged snapping his fingers. )))Try units 114, 269, and 84.((( It said quickly. “Gotcha.” ```( )``` Brian and Nick were still following the splattered blood trail. Silence dominated the deck, except for the constant hum from the lights that was starting to drive Nick crazy. He looked around every few seconds, he felt like that thing would come up from behind them or something. Brian couldn’t believe how empty this place was, the emptiness screamed from every direction, it felt like this place had been abandoned for years and years, instead of days. He was starting to feel nervous as they continued walking farther and farther away from the safe house. “So!” Brian suddenly said, trying to hide his nervousness. He kept his eyes on the blood, searching everything in the halls for red substance that would tell them that Azalazar had turned abruptly. “How long have you been here?” Brian asked for lack of anything better, “Looking forward to leaving?” “For as long as I remember and hell yes!” Nick said looking forward. “How old do you think you were when you were brought here?” Brian continued. “Um…………eight? No, ten.” He quickly amended. “Long time.” “No kidding. How long have you been here?” Nick asked. “Six years!” Brian said nodding. “Ever lose hope that you would never get out?” “Everyday of my life.” Brian said nodding. “Thought I was going to die here.” “No offense, you still might.” Nick said looking at him. “Well, after everything I’ve been through, I’m not all that terrified of dying anymore.” Brian said stopping and looking down, he slowly turned around in a circle looking for more blood. “I am.” Nick muttered and Brian looked at him grinning then looked back down and turned in a circle again. “Can you really not remember anything about your past?” Brian asked still scrutinizing the floor. Nick shook his head depressed. “No. I can remember what Earth was like, but other then that only little stuff.” “Like what?” Brian looked up and around at the walls. Nick thought, “I remember a party.” He confessed. “A party?” Nick nodded, “Uh huh. I think I was like…..seven or something. I don’t know why I remember that particular event, but I remember almost everything about it. The presents, the decorations, the cake. I even remember some people, just vaguely though, I don’t know if anyone of those people were my parent. I know they were there, I just can’t remember their faces.” “Bummer, sorry.” Brian said as he looked around more. “But parties are nice, cake and all, nice people, nice memories and stuff.” Brian muttered more to himself then Nick as he continued to look around. Nick watched him amused. “What the hell are you doing?” he asked laughing. “I’m listening! Really! But I don’t see any more blood! Do you?” He asked looking at Nick confused. Nick looked around and realized that there really was no more blood. His eyebrow furrowed as he looked around. “Maybe we went past it.” Nick suggested. “Maybe.” Brian said looking around, he shrugged. “Well, mine as well go back and see.” He said, Nick agreed and both men started to walk down the hall again, it stretched on for eternity. “So what did you get?” Brian asked as they walked. Nick looked at him. “What?” “For your birthday, what did you get? Anything cool?” He asked. “Oh! Uh……... I got a couple of Virtual Reality games.” He said. “Those are cool.” “Very.” Nick agreed and they laughed. Nick suddenly skidded to a stop and grabbed Brian’s arm. “Look!” He said pointing, smeared on the wall was a bloody handprint, they hadn’t noticed before that the fingers had clutched the wall, heading into the hall, at the end of the hall, it was completely dark, as if it had been stuck there. Brian stared at it, not quite sure he wanted to go in. He looked at Nick. “Should we?” He asked uncertainly. Nick opened his mouth to answer when suddenly a voice whispered in his mind. <<Oh Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick!>> Nick jumped with a little gasp and looked down the hall. Brian caught the movement. “What?” he asked quickly, Nick didn’t answer he continued looking down the hall, it continued on endlessly. <<Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick! Who’s your friend?>> The amused and completely psychotic voice whispered in the back of his mind. Nick felt fear instantly course through him. <<I’m heeeeeeeeeeeere! Who should I eat first?>> Nick instantly grabbed Brian and shoved him forward. “Hey!” he protested surprised. “We should!” Nick said shoving him into the hall. “What’s with you?” Brian asked, stumbling into the hall part way and stopping, he could see Nick was terrified. “What’s wrong?” Nick was about to answer when suddenly something beeped scaring both men. “Aaaaahhhhhh!” Nick yelped instantly jumping away from Brian who jumped a little himself. Brian looked around puzzled, feeling fright beginning settle in. “What was that?” He asked, from the side, something crackled and he jumped again, from the wall, he could see something had lit up just at the lip of the blackness. He and Nick exchanged looks before A.J.’s voice suddenly rang out. “Treating………one two three…….four five and going on………” A.J. said in a board voice, he had tried the other COM links with utter failure. Brian and Nick instantly ran over, Brian hit the response button. “A.J.!” He yelled, instantly A.J.’s face appeared on the screen. “Brian! Nick! There you are!” A.J. said surprised. Nick looked down the hall anxiously, he gripped the gun so hard his knuckles turned white as he looked at the blood trail on the floor that lead into the darkness. <<Where are you?>> Nick jumped again and looked down the hall wildly, Brian looked at him. “What is it? What’s wrong?” he demanded knowing that something was up. Nick’s eyes narrowed, “I think its here.” He said quietly. “What’s here?” Brian asked confused. “What!?” A.J. asked lost as well. “The Eater!” Nick whispered. <<I’m still hungry. Come out and feed me.>> ”Yeah, that’ll happen this century!” Nick said to no one in particular, what the hell did this thing think he was? Stupid? Or just dumb enough to listen to it? Brian looked at him even more confused. “What are you talking about?” Brian asked looking at Nick as if he were insane. Nick looked at him, and pointed to the floor. “Its. Here!” he said slowly and carefully. It dawned on Brian what he was talking about, his eyes widened. “Are you sure?” he whispered frightened. Nick nodded, “Pretty damn sure.” “What the hell is going on!?” A.J. asked loudly. Brian didn’t answer, he looked at the hallway they had been walking down, and gulped. He really had a bad feeling; you didn’t need to be psychic to feel that. Nick suddenly shuddered, shaking he hugged himself. “I-I-I-I-its s-s-so cold!” he moaned. “What!?” Brian cried having no idea what was going on, or what to do. Suddenly from the hall came the sound of something metal dropping on the floor, Brian jumped as the sound echoed through out. From where they were, in the darkness the sound came again, Brian’s heart almost stopped as he froze listening. A.J. was looking at both of them with an anxious look. Brian made a fast decision; he turned to the COM quickly and hit the response button. “A.J.!” he hissed. “Get the lights on in the hall where we are in! Now!” With out giving A.J. a chance to respond Brian whirled around and grabbed Nick’s arm, he pulled him into the darkened hallway. “Lets go!” He said to his friend dragging him into the darkness, he felt a little safer as the darkness enveloped them, they could at least hide here. In the safe house, A.J.’s mind went through the computer; he found that there was a gap in the power in the lights. “Shit!” he said knowing something was going on but didn’t know what exactly, he had a feeling he didn’t want to know. Quickly, he began breeching the power gaps, filling them. Brian dragged Nick through the darkness, Nick had snapped out of it by then and had began walking himself. Brian only hoped whatever that thing was that called itself The Eater wasn’t on the deck they were on, he hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting it and frankly didn’t want to. “Great! How the hell did Azalazar make it through this?” Brian asked as they walked blindly. “Maybe he did this himself,” Nick suggested edgy, the guys had know idea what this thing was truly like, they didn’t know the extent of its madness. And having it invade his mind and talk to him was almost more then he could stand. Feeling the wall with his hand as they walked, Brian’s hand suddenly fell away as a corner abruptly appeared. “I think we should turn.” Brian said, then realized that they would have to anyway, if they continued forward, they would probably hit a wall! “Okay.” Came Nick’s somber reply. Brian was absolutely terrified of the dark, made him feel like there was something going to leap out at any minute. But he went forward anyway and kept his hand on the wall still. God, get us out of this, Brian silently prayed as they walked, and I swear, I’ll do whatever it takes to repay the favor, I’d like to think you were with me in the Labyrinth, and like to think your still sticking around, would really appreciate it at this point! Suddenly as if hearing his silent words, the lights turned on surprising Brian and Nick. Hey! Thanks! He thought raising his eyebrows surprised, as Nick looked around equally relieved. Both let out huge sighs of relief. Brian slid his hand away from the wall and it brushed through something, pulling it back he looked at the blood that was smeared on it. His eyes widened. “I think were on the right track.” Brian said in a shocked voice still looking at his hand. “I’d think so.” Nick said in awe though not looking at Brian, he stared down the hall, his heart beating faster. A ways ahead was a blood puddle where the doctor had probably fallen before scrambling to his feet and continuing, hand and footsteps in blood continued down the hall. Nick walked forward a little to see better, as Brian slowly started to follow still looking at his hand. Shaking his head, he stopped and started to lower his hand when suddenly something dripped on it. Something very red, Brian froze and his eyes widened in horror as blood dripped onto his already red hand, fright paralyzed him and he was afraid to look up. Starting to breath hard he lowered his hand ever so slowly, shaking he looked up feeling the fear subside enough for him to move. Nick was still walking forward a little. Brian tried to call out but couldn’t force his voice out, his throat tightened, as he tired to speak again. Suddenly something fell from the ceiling and Brian let out a small squeak of surprise as if fell right at his feet with a disgusting squishing sound. He looked at it and opened his mouth; he instantly covered it to suppress the scream that was building up and the bile rising in his throat. The shocking green eye stared up lifelessly, and seemed to be looking right at and through Brian. The missing eye from Azalazar. Shaking, Brian, lowered his hand as a icy feeling creped through his veins, slowly he looked up and almost died at what he saw hanging right above him. He had never seen The Eater, let alone up close, and what he saw, terrified to his very soul, taking a step back, Brian froze as he continued to look at it. Kevin had been right, Azalazar had no business messing with something like this, it should have been destroyed long ago. The human faces in its skin were forever frozen their, never being able to break free, the yellow sack could be seen in the hole in its side, humans brushed against the skin, making dark swirls every few seconds. Brian felt a scream built up in his throat and quickly covered his mouth again, whatever that thing was, to him, it looked like it was sleeping. Holy shit! His mind screamed at him, move! Move! But Brian was to scared to, fear locked his bones. Slowly, he began to look forward, his eyes widened. “N-N-Nick!” He whispered urgently, then realized that he spoke so softly that he probably hadn’t heard him, licking his lips, he took a deep breath and forced his voice to come out again. “Nick!” He said in a normal frightened tone, but softly. This time he heard him, stopping, Nick turned around. “What?” He asked then instantly gasped and jumped seeing The Eater hanging right above Brain, Brian stood there rigidly. He looked like he was on the verge of hysteria. BACK NEXT |
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