Elites Chapter I: Rise of Endgame

Chapter V: The Man in the Machine

Bayville, New Jersey

April 23rd, 1:30am

It was nightfall when the Elites arrived in the sleepy ocean town. After a while they made their way to the base. Shrubbery had grown all over the fencing, and the base had been abandoned for nearly 60 years. They all climbed over the fence and towards the empty building at the center. As soon as they walked in, Zach felt the floor, and was able to see everything in there. "There's an elevator behind that wall, and an air current beneath us. Stone then pressed his hands against the wall, and the bricks and rock slid from their bases and floated in mid-air, revealing the elevator. Inside the elevator, the lights worked just fine, as if they were new. "Odd." Nicole said. "There's actually a handprint scanner." Zach then pressed his hand against it, and the screen lit up. The computer's voice then said "Approved IATO DNA Verified: Access Granted" The elevator doors then closed, and went down into the bunker.

"How were you able to do that if you're an android? Robots don't have DNA do they?" Nat asked. Zach then replied "I wasn't always a machine. When IATO built me, they used a donor brain and heart. One belonging to a Sapphire class spy from the Cataclyst. They also infused my entire body with his DNA." Nic then interrupted and said "But the Cataclyst was thousands of years ago. How is it even possible for someone's remains to survive for that long?" Nat then asked "What was the Cataclyst?" Stone replied with "It was a war for Earth between our ancestors and our own creators." Zach then interrupted and said "If you guys don't mind me finishing my story. The Sapphire didn't die during the Cataclyst, but only about ten years ago. IATO then built me to be the perfect soldier. And you guys already know the rest." Seconds later the elevator stopped. The doors then opened up into a large room. Inside the room were a series of giant computer towers, and multiple monitors in the very center.

The five of them walked closer, and upon crossing the threshold the monitors all sprang to life, and the combined images showed a face covered in shadow. Jay then asked "What is this?" When he said that, the towers began to come back, lights were flashing and strobing in each one. The face on the screens began to move, and became more visible. The face had a strong resemblance to somebody that Zach had seen before. Suddenly, the computers spoke in a monotone and robotic voice. "Greetings children. I have been expecting you." The voice had a very strong German accent. Nicole then ignited fired around her hands. "Who are you? And what the hell is this?" The voice then replied "My name is Arnim Kaiser." Zach then said "That's Impossible, Kaiser died over ten years ago in a car accident." The computer then replied "Incorrect! While my body was totaled, my mind was still needed to run IATO. So they used the best technology at the time to take my knowledge and mind, and convert it to data. This entire system is my brain. The rest of the world thinks I'm dead, but I have never felt so alive." Rob then asked "So did you know we were coming?" Kaiser replied "I know everything about you. IATO's now Terminated Elites. Natalie Amber Gonzalez, Nicole Gonzalez, Robert Hilton, Jayson Thomas, and Zachary O'Neil. I founded IATO, so it makes sense that I have a database of all your information. You're all very skilled, but brash and sometimes reckless. But what can I do for you children?" Jay then stepped forward with the drive. A camera then rose out of the monitor to look at it. "Did you encrypt this drive and add tracking software? What is it you're hiding from us and the world?" Jay then inserted the drive. Kaiser then replied "We're hiding the answer to the world's problems. Our sworn duty is to protect those who cannot defend themselves. But we have now entered an age where there is truly no point in doing so. The weak will never be satisfied, and they will continue to be a plague on this world And now the Strong threaten to turn on us. Why else do you think agent Sapphire was given direct orders to kill the North Korean President and topple his entire defense program." Rob then turned to Zach and asked "Is this true? You told us he turned a gun on himself. He didn't did he? You did." Zach responded "I did what I had to do. He was gonna strike first. He was too dangerous to be kept alive." Jay then asked "What is Endgame? We need to know! IATO is about to push us into another World War and we can't stop it unless we know what it is!!" Kaiser replied " Endgame is the Beginning, and the End. I have decrypted the drive. But I am afraid that none of you will get far enough to find out what's in it. I'm afraid I have been stalling for IATO. And you children played along perfectly. You really are nothing more than a bunch of kids trying to play hero." Nicole then yelled "What did you do!!!" Her arms were completely engulfed in fire as she shot a fireball directly through the center screen. Jay unplugged the drive from the system. Kaiser's face then reappeared on a different screen. "You're stuck here too!" Natalie yelled. "You'll die too!!!" Kaiser then responded "On the contrary. I'm not really here. I'm already on the outside. It is you who is trapped." The Elevator doors then slammed shut. Robert ran over and began to pry the doors open. "Everybody into the shaft now!" As everybody got into the elevator, All of Kaiser's monitors and lights shut off, and the room went silent for a few seconds as the doors were being forced closed. Seconds later, there was a huge blast that incinerated the entire room. Just before the blast could reach them, Rob slammed the doors. The Elites were sealed into their own tomb.