The Exalted Guard

The Show Begins

Mike slammed the round animatronic into the metal desk. The sound echoed throughout the empty room making Jeremy put his fingers in his ears. The older night guard placed the grey tablet that controlled the cameras near Balloon Boy's face. He kept a firm grip on the animatronic's neck while speaking, "This is what you wanted isn't it?"

When the bot didn't reply, he slammed it against the table again. This time he yelled his question, "Isn't it!?" BB nodded as much as his robotic frame could with his neck held in a vice grip. The nightguard chuckled darkly, "So you can understand me, eh? Good to know. Now then, why don't you show me where your friends are?

Mike tapped the tablet with his left index finger. The device powered on with a staticky noise, revealing a slightly, static-filled picture. The room being observed was the Toy Room, where the box with the Puppet still lay smashed and broken. In the bottom left corner lay a simplified map of the restaurant with the names of the different main rooms in small boxes. The box with the office in it was symbolized by a blinking green light that never went out.

"Just tap on where your little buddies are, and I'll let you go. Won't even rip a limb off. Ok?" Mike stood there and waited for the animatronic to reveal his comrades' whereabouts.

However, five minutes passed, and BB hadn't moved an inch. Mike adjusted his hat with his left hand, then tapped on the tablet again, "Come on, now. We haven't got all night."

He was met with more silence. The only sound in the room was the monotone droning of the fan. Jeremy scratched the back of his neck as the tension in the room rose ever higher. His gaze kept flicking between his friend and one of the robots that had attacked them every night going on two months now. He kept fingering the flashlight at his side, wondering if he would even need to use it tonight.

As the silence dragged on for another five minutes, Jeremy spoke up, "Um, Mike? I don't think he's going to—"

He is cut off as BB is lifted from the table and crashes into the back wall. He starts to fall, before Mike slams into him with an elbow to the throat. The little bot struggles a bit, before Mike slams him into the wall again, this time cracking both it and some of the suit covering up BB's gears. As the crack makes it way across BB's eye, Mike growls in a feral voice, "This is your last chance you demented, balloon peddling, bastard. Tell me where they are, or I start ripping your circuitry out one by one."

Once his initial shock wears off, Jeremy realizes what his friend is doing and rushes towards him. He starts to pull at Mike's arm while yelling, "M-Mike! Calm down, calm down! You're going too far! There's no need to torture him!"

Mike sees his friend pulling at his arm and his features soften a bit. He shakes his head and sneers at the robot he has against the wall. He holds BB there for a few more moments, before sighing and throwing the robot back onto the desk.

The older Nightguard looks at the ground to avoid eye contact with his friend, "Sorry about that. But, what do you mean 'too far'?" He looks over at his comrade, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

Jeremy, suddenly feeling very small underneath the scrutiny of his friend, starts to stammer out an answer, "W-w-well it's just that, uh, I-I know they've done some.... bad things to us. B-but do you really have to be so...... aggressive?"

Mike sighs while placing an arm around Jeremy's shoulders, "Jere, we've been—"

Before Mike could continue, the sound of a camera changing its viewpoint hit their ears. Quickly, they glanced at the desk, only to find it empty save for the tablet and fan on it. Mike dashed towards the left vent while Jeremy went to check on the tablet. The older Nightguard stared down the empty vent, cursing as he heard BB getting farther and farther away. He stood up and turned to look at his friend. His face turned from frustration to concern at the awestruck look on Jeremy's face.