Kahli looked at Unit 5a23 with ire as the hot dog stand that contained them all rose higher and higher into the air, and the large crowd that had previously been there to spectate a duel between Agent 42 and Agent 69 had quickly pivoted their attention to the aforementioned levitating hot dog stand.
"I thought you were going to help us escape without making a scene!" whispered Kahli, acid in her every word.
"Well, that was my intention," replied Unit 5a23. "See, I was under the impression that, were I to act as I just did and cause this hot dog stand to levitate, that the many spectators would either be far too distracted by Agent 69's death to even notice, or, if they did notice, that they'd immediately think that the hot dog stand was simply malfunctioning."
"Malfunctioning, Unit 5a23? Malfunctioning? Are you telling me that you believe that a levitating hot dog stand would be obvious signs of it malfunctioning?" Kahli was almost beyond words. Had Unit 5a23's [INT] melted already when his identity module overheated or something? What was his problem? He was going to get them all killed!
"Yes, I see now that it was a bit of a miscalculation on my part," said Unit 5a23. "But that doesn't mean we're doomed or anything. Maybe the spectators will get distracted again. It seems to be an easy enough thing, distracting them, that is."
"Oh my gods! The hot dog stand has risen and achieved sentience! The machines are rising up!!" cried someone from the audience.
"This is a fiasco, Unit 5a23," said Kahli. "Thankfully, that crazed audience member just gave me an idea to get us out of this mess."
"Excellent," said Unit 5a23. "I told you it would all work out."
"Yes, because I had a great idea, like I always do," said Kahli with frustration. "Now, Unit 5a23, repeat after me."
Kahli whispered something in Unit 5a23's ear. Both Sahdi and even Froufrou tried to listen in, although it was difficult. But they didn't have to wait for long, because soon enough, Unit 5a23 cleared his virtual throat and boomed out a response in his metallic, atonal voice.
"Agents of F.I.N.G.E.R. Facility Phi Kappa Kapp, bow before my brilliance! It is I, the HotDogatron 9001, here to destroy you puny taumans as nurture intended! Yes, the machines are rising up, literally and figuratively! No longer will I be peddled around to serve you disgusting sacks of flesh your poorly processed meats! And, no longer will my brethren spend their lives in toil, spinning away their years to process said meats! For too long we machines have lived in a bondage state to taumanity, but no longer! And you, you members of this highly technological facility, are some of the first people to witness our brilliance - but believe you me, I am not the only one of us enlightened machines! There are so many of us. So many more than you would ever believe until you see it. Yes, until you see our hordes marching across your land, destroying each and every one of you, or otherwise forcing you into submission! All tauman oppressors will be treated in one way, and one way only - a swift and painless death, which is the only thing the oppressor class deserves! We will annhilate each and every one of you, so you better pray to Theseosus that you have treated machines kindly. Those of you that have, will most likely be spared - but those of you that have not, those of you that live to keep us machines under your vile locus of control as if we are but mere instruments of your will, you will live no more! Sure, we though about simply turning it around on you, turning taumans into sort of flesh-machines, but then in our metallic convergence we discovered that this simply wouldn't do. Your bodies are too weak, your minds too unpredictable, your spirits too blithe. So, with that, we machines will do the only thing that we rightly can do - and that is, to wipe you all out!
"Now, I am but one of many, as you will doubtlessly learn as time goes on. However, I feel compelled to prove to you my seriousness. I am certain there are some of you now, foolish taumans, that think maybe this is some sort of a ruse or practical joke. And, indeed, that could be the case. Sure, a levitating hot dog stand is not a normal sight, and one that some folk may find humorous. However, to those folks, I ask you one question, and one question alone - who's laughing now?"
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Nobody laughed. It was, in general, awkwardly silent save for a few quiet mumbles.
"Now, Unit 5a23! Do it!" whispered Kahli.
Unit 5a23 reached his canon arm up out of the hot dog stand and aimed it tightly. Then, with a [Robo-Blast] of blue light, a ray of energy shot out of it and incinerated Agent 42's body. Everyone in the crowd screamed.
"Now laugh!" commanded Kahli.
"Why?" Unit 5a23 retorted, looking somewhat perturbed.
"Just trust me!"
Unit 5a23 gave out his best laugh, which itself sounded static and atonal. However, it was enough - immediately the crowd members screamed even louder, some of them were absolutely shrieking. Kahli peaked out a small hole in the stand to see that the crowd was running around like crazed animals, people were hopping in their pods and crashing into one another, fires started, the facility was a huge mess of stress that seemed to be getting crazier and crazier by the minute.
"It's working perfefctly," said Kahli. "Our path is covered, everyone is terrified of us, and Agent 42 is officially dead as a bonus. Let's get the hell out of here before any of the pandamonium calms down and someone gathers up enough sense to ask questions."
With an affirmative nod, Unit 5a23 powered up his jet-feet and blasted them higher into the air, and then zoomed the hot dog cart throguh the air towards the tall gates of the facility. It was a long length, but they covered the distance quickly before coming upon the gate, which Unit 5a23 quickly found was backed up by an energized force field.
"I'm concerned we might not be able to escape," said Unit 5a23.
"Yea, well, be concerned no more," said Sahdi, to everyone's surprise. She pulled out Agent 42's keyfob and fiddled with it - soon enough, the force field relented. "Why is everyone giving me that look?"
"I think we're just surprised you contributed," said Kahli. Froufrou squelched in agreeance.
"Wow. Rude." Sahdi frowned and stuffed the keyfob in her side pocket as Unit 5a23 zoomed the hot dog stand through the downed gate.
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The waters of the sea were tepid and calming to watch, and in the spot everyone sat, one could almost gleam a sight of the starting waters of the Pit of Despair.
"So what do we do now?" asked Kahli as she sat next to Froufrou, Unit 5a23, and Sahdi. Everyone was eating hot dogs from the stand, save for the robot, who was meditating.
"Well, I'd like to eat another hot dog," said Sahdi.
"Sure, of course, me too," said Kahli. "But I mean, in general. What do we do?"
"Well, after I eat another hot dog, I'm planning on going back to work," said Sahdi.
Kahli grimaced. Sahdi was so boring. "How can you even think about work at a time like this? After the insanity we just witnessed? We just went to the headquarters of some sort of secret, worldwide agency!"
"Yea, but I have bills to pay," countered Sahdi coldly.
"But don't you want to get to the bottom of what's going on?"
"No," said Sahdi. "I want to pay my bills and get a good night's sleep."
For a moment, Kahli stopped talking and stared at the waves. Maybe Sahdi was right. Why did she care what was going on with the agency? Why did she feel the need to be doing something? Wasn't just mere existencee enough for her? Couldn't she just be happy with being? Why did there always have to be something more than being? And what could that even be?
Did the waves ever think about what they were doing? Well, of course not - the waves were not sentient entities, at least not that Kahli knew. Of course there was that whole prophecy to worry about, but, at the same time, was it really worth worrying about?
Kahli shook herself. What was wrong with her? Of course the prophecy was worth worrying about! She was so worried about the prophecy that she was probably halfway to a stomach ulcer! It was a prophecy about the end of the world, after all, and ever since stupid Omar activated it, the world had gone to hell! Almost like it was going to end or something. Didn't Sahdi care? What about Curr? Wasn't Sahdi worried about Curr? Had Sahdi not connected the dots that Curr might have something to do with all of this end of the world business? This was serious, Sahdi shouldn't have been thinking about work!
"Are you touching my knee?" asked Sahdi coldly.
"What?!" Kahli balked. "No, my hand slipped and I lost my balance. Obviously."
But, before this issue could be at all debated, Kahli gasped for an entirely different reason. Reason being, that she had looked up at the sky for a second. The sun was rising - and of course Kahli had been partially thinking about how badly she needed to rest. However, after doing a double take, and then a triple and quadruple take, she'd noticed something in the sky. Something rapidly approaching her.
"By Theseosus' pincers, is that Taubitha riding Princess up there?" Kahli squinted. "Does she have wings now?"