Rehash

Twenty-three

"Are you ready for this? Once you enter, there's no way back," agent Denn told me over the com device, like I needed any more fucking added pressure.

I was standing in front of an impressive military vault inside Copperspine's headquarters. It was the largest military base in the country, and Lenora's vault and its security looked like child's play compared to it.

The only way to ensure Zed and Ava would run into me, if I was directly stationed in front of their prize: military grade android memory cores. 

I'd argued that I wanted to be nearer to the entrance, so that nobody would have to be in danger while Zed tried to break in, but that idea had been rejected. Agent Denn wanted to make absolutely sure Zed would see me. He also assured me the android wasn't going to attack me, but the bulletproof vest 'as a mere precaution' they'd hauled me into and the laser pistol in my belt holster said otherwise. 

I'd always been interested in learning how to shoot, and war tech in general, but now, I prayed I wouldn't have to. Not only because I didn't have the slightest chance when fighting against Zed and Ava. 

"I'm ready to go in," I told agent Denn, even if it was a lie.

A whole platoon of guards reacted swiftly, cranking the huge, solid metal doors open, allowing me to enter. 

"There's no com signal in there, kid," one of the older guards with cracked skin around his eyes and mouth said. "Once we close this, you're cut off from everything."

"I know," I said. Mr. Shea and agent Denn had told me. I'd be on my own, like I'd requested. No support, no lifeline. 

I suddenly wondered if the bullet proof vest was meant for when the soldiers opened fire on Zed and Ava, and I was inevitably caught in the crossfire. 

"Good luck," agent Denn said through the com, before it went dead.

The vault doors closed behind me, falling shut with a loud clang. All the noise from outside; aeroplanes, choppers, and soldiers, were gone. It was suddenly dead quiet, aside from my own footsteps as I walked further into the vault. 

It was set up the same way as Lenora's vault, with long hallways and separate areas with more big metal doors top open. I'd received a detailed map from Mr. Shea where I needed to be, and access to the particular area I needed to be.  

After an iris scan allowed me entrance through the vault number Mr. Shea had indicated, I was faced with the cores and bodies Mr. Shea had described would be stored there. 

The wait that followed was worse than anything I'd been through the past few weeks, including getting my chest blasted open by a laser pistol. I was half-glued and stitched shut on the front side like a patchwork, and it'd take only a small punch to open the wound. I doubted the hospital would've released me this soon, if agent Denn hadn't pulled his badge and insisted. 

I didn't have a watch, so I had no idea how much time had passed with only the lifeless android bodies and my own drumming heartbeat as my company. Then, there was noise down the hallway. Sounds of gunfire and battle. Screams of agony that made my blood curl. I imagined the cracked skin soldier from outside getting hit in the chest like I had, and I pressed myself against the backside of the android storage. 

I breathed hard, sweat dripping down my forehead as footsteps drew nearer. My hand trembled on the holster with the laser pistol, even if I didn't come to fight. 

These could be the last seconds I was alive. This was Zed. Zed was going to shoot me. A hand curled around the vault door, which I'd left open a crack.