“Ah, it seems that it's coming back to you... And don't think that the survival time I'm giving you changes anything: your fate is sealed. Everything is calculated and played out: as soon as you even try to think about acting, you'll be dead!”
“I remember, yes... It was assumed that Neru-teque was producing programs to increase control over the Vermilions, but we discovered something much worse: you!”
“Thank you, she replied, seeming to be having a lot of fun, always do your best, even in the worst. That could be my motto.”
“You added a self-destruct protocol to the SECURA-02 programs! And you want to sell the activation code to Root's terrorists! Why? Do you realize that they won't hesitate to murder billions of people with that?”
“Just losers! That's not what's going to bring down the Administration. But it will be enough to permanently eliminate Neru-teque and the fashion for neural chips from the landscape. For that, I'm willing to partner with people like Root. And the price they promised me is not the least. Too bad you don’t have the skills to fully appreciate the interest of m…”
Without letting up, she watched with concern as a drop of sweat fell from her nose onto her hands…
“You… don’t you think it’s getting hotter and hotter?”
The temperature was indeed rising. She looked away to observe the room’s camera. Her surveillance of her captive did not stop, as evidenced by a floating camera that detached itself from her belt to circle around the cyborg.
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“Pad Normal?” she shouted. “What’s going on?”
“Ah,” crackled a communicator on her belt, “you finally noticed. A little too late, I’m afraid. I’ve put the station’s generators into overdrive. You should die soon. It’s a little slower than I’d hoped. Well, it’s not like your death is absolutely necessary, but I prefer not to try to confront a Vermilion in my state: I’m only a small spy after all.”
Panicked, the Xerinean rushed towards the door, trying in vain to open it: the total lockdown of the installation had been forcibly caused by a quarantine protocol.
“But, but, but! We had an agreement! I gave you the activation key! You were supposed to teach me the secrets of the Hogloo master geneticists!”
“Ah! Ah! Ah! For the self-proclaimed most intelligent species in the universe, you are woefully naive!”
“I thought the Hogloos had honor!”
“I am not one of those wretches: I belong to Root and we are much more! We are not stupid protectors of useless civilians: we are gods! And by the same token we do not need to respect a word given to less than nothing! Ah, ah, ah! When you are in nothingness, do not wait for me: I will be immortal!”
The Xerinean was shaking with rage. She fell to her knees in front of the door that she was hammering in vain, her brain having temporarily taken a break. The betrayed traitor wept, her tears evaporating in the growing heat.
Not having lost sight of the previous situation, Parraligne grabbed the weapon she had dropped. Stopping her futile drumming, the small creature turned a fearful look in his direction. Without consideration, he pushed her aside and violently struck the door with his reinforced legs. The obstacle was literally torn away, opening the passage.
Looking mercilessly with strangely red eyes at Xini, the Vermilion questioned her:
“I suppose you can repair the reactor before everything blows up?”
Regaining a bit of her former arrogance, she nodded yes. Before she could add that the heat would kill her before the repairs were finished, the cyborg threw her over his shoulder, deploying a heat shield to regulate the local heat.