I was with Swordjuice and Victor at the lab. LED had asked me to gather some pills for everyone. So, we had spent a good part of the afternoon watching Swordjuice extract juice from knifes, guns, and grenades, and put them all in vials. Victor and I then put them into the gel capsules. Creating some pills that could be taken in a moment.
We did them one type at a time, as they were color coded. The same colors I had taken the other night. But with the addition of blue for sharpness, or Slash, as Swordjuice called it now.
We put them in what were basically batman utility belts. Little containers that opened easily, each with five of the pills. This same belt would Holst a gun, that I wouldn't get. It was for the best, as I had no training at all, so it might do more harm than good.
When all the belts were finished, I went alone to the mess hall, seeing the table LED and Payback were discussing things immediately. Approaching it and putting the five belts full of newly charged drugs on the table.
“Here they are. One for each.”
“Thanks Matrix” Payback said. LED nodding as well. “You should go try on your uniform.”
“Hmm, I’ll do it. But didn’t you say that you were sure you got the size right?” I asked with a tilt of my head.
“It doesn’t hurt to be sure.” Payback said, giving me a shrug.
I asked him where they were kept, and he told me that it was in room 174. On the top floor.
The first floor on the UnderBarn was the storage part. There, the Dawnbreakers kept supplies for the members. As well as stockpiling some other resources that a revolution might need. Such as the occasional gun, uniform, or explosives.
I went up the one floor, not having been here since the time I was hurt. Nothing had changed, still the bare concrete corridors with little to now light. I went along the gray entrails, on both sides of the corridor at short intervals there were doors, numbered 99 and 100 on one side and 101 and 102 on the other, I went for the one with the higher numbers, my quick pace soon taking me to room 174.
Inside I saw a bunch of shelves with plastic bags, seemingly containing a lot more uniforms, did we have so much members or was this because we destroyed them often? No matter.
The room also had a table in between the shelves that occupied both walls. On top of it, clearly separated was a uniform in a transparent plastic bag. Written on a tape on it was ‘Matrix’. Yeah, that’s the one.
I took it and went for the bathroom, putting it on. The bottom part was a heavy-duty pants made from a material I didn’t know. It felt stronger and more flexible than jeans. Together with it was a shirt, simple and it fitted pretty nicely. Going over it was a jacket that was of equally high quality as the pants. Both of them full of pockets.
I looked myself in the mirror, appearing like I was part of a real organization for once. The clothes made me look professional. It reminded me of military combat uniform, but not using any of their colors.
I made my way down to show off the outfit to LED and Payback. Getting there I saw that Swordjuice was there as well.
“That’s so cool I can't wait to get one for myself” Swordjuice let out immediately as I got into view.
“It is very professional; I like it too” I told her with a smile.
“It does fits then.” Payback said nodding approvingly
“Yeah, just one more thing.” I said getting to the table and clasping one of the belts around my waist. “There, all set.”
“I feel like I can overthrow the government on my own now” I joked, making a pose. Everyone laughing.
We spent the rest of the day organizing other details. During dinner everyone was together as always, and we spent it joking and playing around till later than usual.
Going to sleep was a challenge, as the nervous energy inside of me didn’t seem to want to go down. Lately I had been having so many new experiences that it made me feel younger and more alive. Although that might just be my powers making me actually younger.
I eventually was able to fall asleep. The alarm seemed to wake me up almost immediately.
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We had woken before the sun rose as LED told us to. Everyone gathered at the lobby in front of the elevator, and out of the UnderBarn we went. In the actual barn, it was still dark. Only the soft light of dawn making the sky a bit clearer, as I saw as we walked through the plantations.
The crisp cold air of the morning made me glad for the thick uniform. It was cold enough that I had to constantly rub my hands on one another. There was even a slight fog but Payback commented that it would go away soon, when the sun came out.
I found it very fitting; The Dawnbreakers going on a mission at the break of dawn. We arrived at old Dan’s house. He was waiting outside, likely having been informed of the mission. He seemed to know his stuff.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
We greeted him, he made some jokes about us looking like a team of power rangers and bought us to the garage. The car we used to arrive here was there waiting for us. We all entered the vehicle. LED and Spyglass took the front. Payback Spotlight and me in the back, Payback got the middle sit beside me. With everyone settled down LED smoothly took the car out of the farm. The sun rising as we drove though the empty country side.
I wouldn't know which way we had come from. For one it had been way too long ago, and for two I wasn’t even fully awake when we arrived. LED seemed to know the way though, and Spyglass constantly had a sheen to her eyes as she checked for things.
“It's going to be about three hours of travel.” LED told us. Made sense that we were going so early then. Oh well, as least the travel this time wouldn't be nearly as awkward as the last one.
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We finally had arrived at the city, after much talking and lot of naps. After all the time I had spent away from civilization, it felt weird somehow. Being again in a city.
It seemed to put into perspective how much I had changed. My body felt more fit, stronger. Unnaturally so for the time that had passed. I had a group of friends now, allies with a common goal. Even though I was more along for the ride than anything.
I belonged somewhere, and I had powers now. We were going to rescue another person with powers. We were going to go directly against the big families and the government. Would the name Matrix be entrenched into their minds for the first time? A smile made its way onto my face.
Would I get any powers? This city shouldn’t have a lot of stationed personnel. Cascavel was a mid-sized city, big for these rural parts. It had wide roads, almost empty so early in the morning. And we progressed smoothly passing by the curated public squares. The police should be almost all unenhanced, but the Sulphals had the biggest hold on the south. Wouldn’t they have sent someone already? we did get the tip, so they should have gotten it as well. What kind of power would they have?
I shook my head, better to concentrate on the mission instead of my delusions of power.
“We’re here” LED said, parking the car in front of the city's power testing facility.
All painted mostly in green, but with bits of blue and yellow. The thing was a giant eyesore. Like a toppled rectangle with a ceiling that was longer than the rest of the structure. The name of the place was written in a long string of relief raised letters above the two centermost columns. It also had the three flags of country, state, and city. All prominently featured at the square in front of the facility.
We all went out of the car. Moving toward the front door, I raised my head to look at the name and to get a good look at how high it was. The place looked like a gigantic gymnasium. The front was composed of big columns sustaining the long overhang. Creating a shadowed area that we entered under, shielding us from the now risen morning sun.
Passing through the open doors, we entered a reception hall. The only feature besides some chairs was a sleepy looking man manning the desk. He cut short a yawn as we entered, straightening his back and putting on a work smile.
“What can I help you all with today?” He asked mechanically like most receptionists do.
LED stepped forward, taking the initiative for our group “We’re looking for a Paul, I was informed he works here.”
“Aah, Paul’s shift is only at the afternoon”
“Can you get me his address then?”
He seemed weirded out then, looking us over. His sleepy brain finally finding the situation strange.
Five well-dressed people. There were no identifying tags or colors on us, and our clothes differed slightly. Even so the overall composition made it look like we were going for some heavy hiking, or some other kind of intense activity.
The eyes of the receptionist narrowed briefly. “I would need to call him, what is it you need with him.”
“Ah nothing much, he should know us.” LED said smoothly, a small smile on his face. “We’re friends visiting from the countryside, if you could tell him for us, please?”
The guy nodded thought it over and then shrugged. “Okay, sure. Not like I have something better to do.” He pulled his cellphone from a drawer and started typing.
“There, I sent him a message.” he said, sounding less formal now. “Oh, he already responded.” He said taking the vibrating phone from the table. “That’s unusual... He said He’s on his way.”
“Wow he really must miss you guys!" The attendant exclaimed, raising his eyebrows.
“I'm sure he does.” LED confirming easily laughing.
Looking around the lobby there were some chairs, probably for busy days. So, we all sited down to wait.
Thankfully, we didn’t need to wait much. As, not ten minutes later. A messed looking blonde entered the place, running.
“Hey Paul.” the receptionist greeted. “These are the guys looking for you.”
“Yes, thanks mark come on then, friends.” Paul quickly urged us on.” We followed him outside, and then to his car. He walking quickly towards it, not stopping to wait for us.
We all quickened our pace, catching up to him as he arrived besides his blue car.
“Hey, wait!” Payback called. Paul stopped in front of his car, breathing a little heavily. Sweating.
“What’s going on? Are they expecting us?” LED asked the man.
“No, but they got wind of the new trigger, the guy disappeared yesterday.” he said, looking around himself. It seemed to me he knew more than he was letting on.
“What? Did the Suphal get him already?”
“No, I heard they are searching even more fiercely. I think it's his powers. He found out himself and, like anyone discovering that the families are after you, ran away immediately.”
“Fuck, he’s not safe though. The Neodyms are after him as well and what they’ll try anything to not let information gatherers escape their grasp.” Spyglass said, nervously looking around as well.
“How do we find him?” I asked, speaking for the first time to the guy.
“Don’t you have a photo of him or something?” Spyglass asked.
“I could get you one.” he said bit did nothing at all.
“But he doesn’t need to.” LED completed, eyeing the guy with narrowed eyes.
Payback caught up quickly, saying: “Just bring us to him already, you know we came to help.”
Paul took a deep breath. “Yeah, it pays off to be cautious though.”
“You know the longer you take, the sooner their tracking dogs are getting here. Right?” Spotlight said, poking Paul in the ribs who let out an ‘eep’.
“Tracking dogs?” I asked.
“They have people who can track the triggered they are interest in, if they try to escape.”
“That means they’re probably sending a team already. Let's quicken our pace.” LED said using his commanding voice.
“Just follow me then.” Paul said, entering his car.
I watched as he wiped some more sweat out of his forehead and nodded to all of us. We quickly entered our car as well.
Paul’s blue car took off, us with our white one behind, leaving the giant green eyesore that was the facility in the distance.
By what I understood Paul was one of the revolutionary sympathizers. The one who informed us of the trigger so our guy should be hiding with them. It would be quick to get him and get out of the city before any of the militaries even got here. A clean mission although I felt it was a shame I wouldn’t get into any fights.