Synthetic Intuition

Chapter 9 1/2 - Dioxins | Lazlo

"suit power at 20 percent... Charge advised" A voice with a strong cockney accent rang inside my head as the barrel of the rifle slowly slid from my grip, revealing the blood splashed across my gloved palm.

Pulling the rifle to her chest her surprised gaze rose from my hands to my face. I was in shock. Oh. Screw me! I just killed someone I thought to myself. I never conceived I would ever be forced into a kill-or-be-killed scenario let alone be the one inside the armor. It happened so fast. One moment a gun was pointed at Trezz, the next I had a wrist blade lodged in someone's skull.

"Com on more are on their way," Trezz said moving past me. I went over to loot the other cop's rifle.

"Yeah hold on. Just..." I wanted to lean against the wall and wake up from a bad dream. It was too real tho. It was my past life that seemed like a dream. I could not even comprehend or view my last memory before I "woke up" to whatever this crap was.

I briefly glanced down at the gauges displayed on my HUD. My suit was, as said, low on power. If it ran out I would begin to feel its weight on my shoulders and without the mobility, it automatically gives me I would be a sitting duck since I would rather not go through the pain of death to find out if I was dreaming I thought it best we get moving.

"Listen. my suit can't take much more action. So unless you have a plan that can carry either 200 pounds of titanium or another helpless person to safety I suggest we find an accessible power supply" I said, pulling the rifle from the cop's lifeless grip. My anxiety was presented as frustration. I could see Trezz was just about to lash out at my attitude until Katie spoke up.

"Pounds? Wow, you really are ancient" Katie joked. As much as I was serious I could not help but be surprised and smirked at Katie. I was even more surprised to look up and see Trezz smiling. It was hard to see from behind her mask but I could recognize signs of happiness in her beautiful violet eyes.

"Good one Katie. Alright, Let's go..." Trezz smirked before her pleasant smile faded. That was the first time I ever saw Trezz smile. It felt like I got a glimpse of a part of her she didn't want me to see. The three of us started to move toward a bridge Trezz pointed out, leading to the walkway on the other side of the canal. We fast to move across the canal as fast as we could so as not to become easy targets out in the open.

We shuffled into a smaller tunnel that branched off of the canal. The sound of rushing sewage water was drowned out by the echoing of what I could only guess was factory machinery. Trezz had stopped halfway down the tunnel to listen.

"Is that something we should be avoiding?" I asked, pulling the rifle from behind my back before tossing a glance over my shoulder.

"Factory complex. That is where we are headed. Move quietly" She whispered, gripping the sword hilt behind her shoulder. Her voice was barely audible over the industrial ambiance. From there I was sure to move lightly on my heels, through the cramped tunnels until they widened to an intersection.

"Shhh!" Trezz through herself and Katie against the wall as long shadows accompanied by the sound of footsteps, appeared to the right of the intersection. I held my breath and watched two ragged men in gray jumpers walk by oblivious to our presence. They were both carrying large, heavy-looking bags over their shoulders and were being escorted by a single guard. One started to slow down and the guard was quick to give him a shove causing him to topple over, dropping the bag.

"KEEP IT MOVING!" he said in a thundering voice. The man in the jumper hastily picked up the bag and rushed forward to avoid getting scolded by the guard any more than what was needed. Once they were out of sight I let out a sigh of relief.

"Suit power at 10 percent. Charge advised"

"Shut up! I know!" I angrily whispered back at the suit's pestering.