Molly - Part 1

Chapter 34

Skaab pulled back. "Shit."

The sheep man had not died pleasantly. Most of his brain was now on the ground.

"Skaab, get over here!"

Torn was running haggard--because of the chase or the smoke, Skaab didn't know.

"We gotta keep going man," Torn wailed. "The air is horrible."

"It's their weird...mound," Skaab said, walking up to it now. He counted at least three bodies freshly added to the pile.

"Don't want to know how old it is," Torn gagged.

Skaab agreed. "I don't get it. The world's literally falling apart and they waste their time doing meaningless bullshit."

Torn shouted at a dog, sifting through some of the mound with his machine gun.

"What?"

A hand. It was pale, and worms were digging into it.

"God-damn."

"These people," Torn said, waving his gun around, "are crazy--I swear to god."

The night grew meaner and they were forced to book it back to HQ, the wind biting into them.

"Skaab--"

The monsieur crumpled to the floor. Molly shifted to her right ever so slightly, then killed the other one.

"Jesus," Teddy said, shaking his head, holding a pair of binoculars. "You have very good aim, Molly Smith."

"Thank you."

She tossed the rifle to the side then began to survey the city skyline, beautiful this time of night despite the storm. Out ahead a violet streak cut through the gray. While it was only temporary, Molly appreciated it.

"You okay?" Teddy asked

"Yeah. Why?"

"I don't know, you just look..."

Molly smiled. "Happy?"

"Something like it." Teddy shouldered his rifle and shook his head. "Thought that sort of thing was behind us now."

"Not if we have any say in it."

They came up to an apartment's rooftop and decided to stay there for the night. The wind was not so bad and Molly doubted anyone would sneak up on them here.

"What?" Teddy asked.

Molly sighed inwardly. "I'm not going to be able to hide things away from you, am I?"

He stared back at her blankly.

"Don't ask me how I know, but someone is watching us," Molly said. "I...have a lot of memories, I guess is one way to say it. Memories that I can use at a moment's notice."

"Do you have cybernetics?" Teddy asked.

Molly hesitated.

"I do."

Teddy nodded and said, "Who's watching us?"

"I only have a vague idea," Molly admitted, crossing her legs and breathing in warm air. "Sometimes the memories don't go far enough. I will make mistakes--I'm human."

She almost lost herself, in the midst of her speech, turning before Teddy could see that she was upset.

"I just needed you to know that," Molly said, staring at the black gloss below.

She heard him clear his throat.

"All right. I mean...I guess I already knew that."

"Good," she smiled. "If the monsieurs and the sheep men are here, then that means people will be hurt by them. We have to help as many we can."