Darkfall

2: insanity

Darkfall was right about everything. Leeg, Aran, and I have decided to stay here until Darkfall's body is completed, and then, we and her will leave. We will be essentially on the run from Umbra Corps, which is the most powerful company in the world.

She was right about me. She somehow knew about what I am before I did. Now, I sit in the lab Aran's father used to build me, and he and Leeg are going through my memories. I am being returned to my original programming. Only now, Aran's adding some things to it. Things like making me protect Leeg too, things like giving me free will, as if I am a real person. He's restoring my old memories. He's giving me back myself.

While he does that, Leeg works on searching the databanks where Mindcage is, and she's searching for Aran's father. She is trying to find a way to free him. Darkfall herself is keeping an eye on the rest of Umbra Corps, making sure they don't get wind of what we are doing here.

I am making sure no one suspects us of anything. But seeing as how Aran is the defacto boss of Umbra, as far as we know, that is, no one should bother us. I am also trying to uncover who at Umbra is behind the nefarious goings on. Who killed Cai. Who changed my programming and stole my memories, making me think myself human.

Late one night, as Aran and Leeg rest, I go down to Darkfall's room once more to speak with her. Aran's office is not far from Darkfall's room, but I keep my phone with me so if anything is happening, I can hurry back. We are so close to recovering my old self. I will soon be restored.

Hopefully soon enough, the four of us will be out of here, and out of Umbra Corps's reach.

But when I enter the room we keep Darkfall's hologram, a man is in there, typing on the control panel. Her hologram is not awake yet, instead, the lights swirl about.

"Can I help you?" I ask as the man stands still, typing furiously on the panel. He whirls around, and draws a gun. "Whoa, calm down."

"You," he sneers.  "You're a real thorn in my side, you know that? You didn't think we'd notice you sneaking around? Didn't think we'd realize what you four are up to?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

"Don't play dumb," he snaps, pointing the gun at my head. "I know what the four of you are doing. I'm not going to let you destroy all these years of hard work."

"So you're going to what, shoot me?" I scoff.

"Oh, no. I won't shoot you, Argent." He turns and aims the gun at Darkfall's computer. The computer where she is stored. "I will kill her."

Something within me snaps then. I move, so fast that he cannot see me. I am upon him within two seconds and have ripped the gun from his hands and aimed it at him. All within five seconds. He stumbles back away from me, his brown eyes wide with horror.

"Back off."

"You don't remember me, do you, Argent?" He laughs. "No, I suppose you wouldn't.  I'm Cai's assistant. I'm the one who helped design you."

"And then you killed him and corrupted me?" I demand.

He laughs.  "Do you think my life goal was to be someone else's assistant?"

"So you killed someone?!"

"That old man had it coming," he sneers.  "He thought you were his child. No, no, no. You're mine, Argent. You always have been."

It clicks then. And I realize what must be happening. Leeg and Aran are awake, and they are helping me come back to who I am. They are waking me up. And they're waking up Darkfall, too. She is forming together now, and all I have to do is stall.