Forgive Me (Echo x Medic Reader)

Part 27

A/N - Warning: Angst-heavy chapter has a few "surprises." Sorry to say we're almost at the end of the journey now. May the force be with you x

"Was that the rest of your squad?" asked Emerie, watching as the black-clad troopers took the remaining three members of Clone Force 99 away. Although she was concerned for them, it didn't override her need to protect the children wandering the warzone the facility had become. Echo could only nod to the question; despite the dread building up further, he was at least glad they had gotten into the facility. Although now he made the mental note to rescue them after helping to get the kids to safety and finding (Y/N) at some point.

"Where are they being taken?" asked Echo, trying to remain in his role as a TK Trooper, even if all he wanted to do was tear the armor off and go after Hunter, Crosshair, and Wrecker. To go after Snap and finally be the man he'd all but promised her he'd be so long ago. Give her the life she deserves.

"I don't know," honestly responded Emerie, as it slowly dawned on her how little she truly knew about the goings on within the facility. Within the last few hours, she learned about the Zilo Beast, a near-indestructible creature kept in the sub-levels of the facility. From Hemlock's concerned rants, she knew about the Dark Trooper project now, too, and only parts of what Project Necromancer truly included.

Elsewhere in the facility, Hemlock pridefully walked into the circular room, an almost wicked grin on his features at finally capturing the remaining members of the original Clone Force 99. For a few short seconds, his eyes found (Y/N), still trapped within the reconditioning device, passed out now, although she still muttered "Tech" every now and again. Almost as if she was calling for someone to rescue her from the hell she'd been put through.

"If you survive, you'll all be great assets to the empire," worded Hemlock, turning his attention to Hunter after taunting him about the possibility of losing another brother. In truth, he'd hoped all of them survived, including (Y/N). He'd hoped to reunite Clone Force 99 again; after all, they were a force to be reckoned with during the war, and there was no reason to think it could be any different now. (Y/N) as both their creator and commander, the unit would be unmatched.

"We'll survive ... but you won't," breathlessly replied Hunter, determination alight in his smokey voice. One way or another, Hemlock would pay; he would fall and be the message to the empire. After receiving the news the databanks had been destroyed, Hemlock once again turned on Hunter's machine, almost smiling sadistically as he left the circular room to the sound of Hunter screaming out in pain, his heightened senses being overwhelmed to a torturous degree.

"Tech," mumbled Snap, this time as if she was calling out to another, her eyes barely open as she tried to move her restrained arm, as if she was going to point at someone. The CX Trooper present seemed to take notice of her mumbled words, at least enough, where he'd chosen to turn off Hunter's machine and end the misery the enhanced soldier was going through. "Cody," added (Y/N), the name seemingly making the topper stop altogether, as if he recognized the name and, by extension, the Civvi medic calling it.

"That name," spoke the black-clade trooper, standing between (Y/N) reconditioning device and Crosshair's. "Who is ... Cody?" he asked, a sense of both recognition and curiosity breaking through, confusion too.

"You," whispered Snap, "You're Cody."

"No,"

"I ... I did ... this to you ... Forgive me, Cody."

"I'm not Cody."

"The others ... Comet, Dogma ... Tech ... M'sorry."

"That's not me, I'm CX-3. I'm a soldier of the Empire," argued the black-clad trooper, stepping back enough to notice Omega trying to release Wrecker. To which he turned his attention to her.