Mech

Chapter 7: Fear the Moxi

*AUTHOR'S NOTE* THIS IS WHERE THE REALLY GORY STUFF STARTS!!! It's only gonna get worse from here, so IF YOU DO NOT LIKE GORE, TURN BACK NOW! THANK YOU AND ENJOY!
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I breathed in so much dust while I was stuck in that bunker I thought I might suffocate. Maybe that's how the mystery man whose's bones were scattered across the floor just across the room met his end. Shifting back and forth trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in did nothing, the bed I slept upon was no better than the floor. There weren't blankets on every bunk, and even if there was one to use I wouldn't dare. I hate borrowing things that might have belonged to someone dead. Not weapons or things like that, but clothes and things. I just get really uneasy knowing the blanket around my shoulders could have been the one someone died in. Instead, I used my own jacket to cover myself. It wasn't like I really needed a blanket anyway, the air was so hot I thought I'd melt.

Right as I finally slipped into an unconscious state of perfect sleeping, someone shook me awake.

"We're leaving, hurry!" Ian said with a certain degree of panic in his voice.

Everyone was already beginning the accent up the ladder back to the surface. I barely had time to grab my belongings before hurriedly following them. Esclave climbed the ladder after me and shut the secret entrance as we headed out of the tunnel. The sun had already risen, apparently we had overslept or something. No one had explained why we were in such a rush, but when in such a situation you really don't have to know the why, you just have to run.

"Max!" I called, "What's got into all yall? What's the rush?"

"Ask Esclave.." He replied, picking up the pace to keep up with the one Jason set for the group.

I didn't want to talk to Esclave, but my curiosity overpowered my social anxiety.

"Esclave, why did we leave so abruptly..I thought you said the Moxi only come out at night..."

She glanced at me but didn't keep eye contact, "Things change kiddo, nothing ever goes according to plan." That was all she said, leaving me still having a billion questions.

We came to a stop and slipped into another ally. Peering out, we could see our destination: the sewer we came from, but something was wrong. There were people surrounding it, they looked heavily armed and were dressed in uniforms.

"Damn, not fast enough.." Esclave muttered.

"The hell? Who are they?!" Mitzi complained.

The group turned towards Esclave.

"Don't look at me like that, you had it coming! Setting off all those machines got the Guard on your tail." She said.

"Who?" Ian asked.

"Utopian Guard, you know? Or maybe you don't..right, you're from level one...They're the army that contains the human race, they monitor the entire second and third levels to keep people from getting into places they shouldn't be snooping in. They control everything, they have eyes everywhere, and by the looks of it they're waiting for you."

"So.. they know we're here? They've known the whole time?!" Max gasped.

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Jason asked angrily.

Esclave fell silent as she peered around the corner, "Wait..what are they up to? Everyone shhh!"

We joined her in looking out at the soldiers beyond. One of them was speaking into some kind of walkie-talkie.

"No sign of her, sir. The Asset is missing, she's just..vanished...no sir, we know that can't be possible but..well there's not a trace I can't explain..yes..yes sir. Alright everyone, we're moving out, back to base."