-The Apocalypse-

-Dimension 1-

New Goal-

New York, 1996-

The group sits around a large table, with several screens around them. “We need a new home,” Bright says. Frost and Gears nod in agreement, but Lucy glares at him. “Why nuke the city? And I still don’t get why you lied to the population.” She remarks. Bright stands. “Because if I didn’t lie, they’d assume we caused the outbreak. Their precious Dragon would never do something that low to push his agenda,” He answers. Lucy shakes her head. “I don’t buy it.” She says. She slowly turns and walks towards the door. “I’m done with your shit, Bright. Your lies and your destruction.” She says. Bright follows her out the door, and he closes it behind them. “Why’re you doing this?” He demands. Lucy sighs. “Because I don't trust you anymore. Not that I ever really had a reason to, but…” She trails off. Bright sighs. “Listen, I know I’ve done some things you don’t exactly agree with, but I do what I do for the best interest of everyone on Earth. Human and Demon alike. I’m sorry if I seem harsh, or cruel. But I’m not sorry for what I do.” He says. Lucy shakes her head. “No, I don’t believe you. That’s kinda the issue, I don’t know whether you’re being genuine or just bullshitting me.” She says. Bright shakes his head. “Fine. You don’t trust me anymore. That’s okay. Just stick with me and give me a chance to prove to you that I’m still trustworthy. Please?” He asks. Lucy sighs and turns around. “Fine. But the moment you betray me, I’m gone. Or I’ll kill you. Whichever is more useful to me.” She says, walking back inside the facility. Bright sighs in relief and follows her back inside. Lucy sits down at the table, and Frost looks over at her. “You okay?” He asks. Lucy glares at him, her eyes lighting up crimson. “Can it, Frost.” She says bluntly. Frost shrugs. “Whatever, asshole.” Bright enters the room and clears his throat. “It’ll take a few years, but I feel like we can retake Wolfrun’s surrounding town. We can reclaim Hanover, Wolfrun’s sister city.” He says. Gears raises his hand. “Why retake a city with nobody in it?” He asks. Bright nods. “Good question. I’ll answer that with another question: What happened to Wolfrun because of our carelessness?” He asks. Lucy rolls her eyes. “Civilians died. Boo hoo.” She says, putting on her tough-gal mask once more. Bright glares at her, but nods in approval. “Yep, people died. We reclaim an abandoned city, with no civilians. No civvies means no civilian casualties. Understand?” He asks. Everyone nods, except Lucy, who just glares at Bright curiously. “Why do you suddenly care about civilians? You didn’t care for them back in ‘93.” She says. Bright straightens his tie. “Believe it or not, Lucy, but I do care for life. I want to protect it, not destroy it.” He says before leaving the room. Lucy shakes her head and stands up. She walks out of the room too, and makes her way towards her room. “Tomorrow, we plan on heading out to Hanover. If we can retake it quickly, we’ll set up shop after a few years. We need to make it secure.” Bright says, startling Lucy. She faces him swiftly and locks eyes with him. “Okay.” She says, slamming her bedroom door in his face.

A New Home-

Hanover, 2003-

“Alright, gang. We’ve spent a good few years preparing for this… it’s time to enact our plan.” Bright says. Gears, Frost, and Lucy all nod in anticipation. “Now, I have a slight change in the plan. Frost, you’ll stay here to keep an eye on your Divinity Machine. We need to be sure if anything undesirable comes our way. Gears and Lucy, you two will come with me. We’re going on a road trip to the bunker outside of the town. We need some weapons, and this bunker has an armory.” Bright explains. Lucy grunts and heads for the door, but Gears stops for a moment. “Weapons? What do we need weapons for? We have plenty here, stockpiled from the revolution…” He asks. Bright sighs. “Because we could always use some weapons to take down Demons AND Angels.” He says, opening the door to the outside world. Lucy and Gears follow Bright to a large military truck. “I call shotgun!” Lucy shouts, jumping into the passenger seat. Gears rolls his eyes as he climbs into the backseat. Bright starts the truck, and the trio heads into the city.

Arriving at the derelict facility, Bright, Gears, and Lucy enter the dark main hall. Bright turns on a flashlight and searches for the generator, and Lucy follows him. After a few turns and long hallways, Lucy rests a hand against Bright’s side. He stops, startled at the sudden touch. “Gears won’t hear us…” She says seductively, pushing herself up against Bright’s back. He can’t help but blush as he feels her chest pressing against him. Lucy giggles and reaches a hand around. She grabs at his belt and spins him around. He gasps, and Lucy’s eyes glow red. “Easy there, handsome. Let me take care of this for you…” She says, undoing his belt. “W-Why?” Bright asks. Lucy stops for a moment. “Because… I need to feel loved.” She says, resuming her attempts at undoing his belt. He reaches down and rests his hand on hers, and she stops moving. “Stop it, Lucy.” He says. Silence falls as the two remain still. Quietly, the sound of shaky breaths and tears falling to the floor breaks the silence. Lucy falls into Bright’s arms, sobbing. “I-I’m sorry… I don’t know… what I w-was doing…” She says between shaky breaths. Bright pats her back. “It’s okay, Lucy. It’s okay.” He says. Lucy shakes her head. “No… my brother is gone… my mom is gone… my dad is nowhere to be seen… I don’t even know who I am!” She exclaims sadly. Bright rubs her back and embraces her head with his other hand. “That’s okay, Lucy. I promise we can figure that out together…” He says. Lucy breaks away, wiping her eyes. “Let’s just get the power on…” She says. Bright nods, and shines the flashlight at a massive computer monitor. “Woah…” He says. Lucy looks back over at the screen and notices the massive switch next to it. “Found it!” She exclaims, rushing over to it. Bright looks closely and notices The Omega Corporation’s emblem on the wall next to the screen. “LUCY! WAIT!” He shouts, but it’s too late. The facility slowly hums to life, the clanking of ancient generators echoing down the derelict halls. “Fuck…” Bright says as the screen slowly fades to life. “What’s wrong?” Lucy asks. Bright remains silent for a moment. “This isn’t one of ours…” He mutters ominously. Lucy follows his gaze to the screen, where what appears to be a face hidden in the flow of binary emerges. The machines in the room jolt to life, their hums joining one another to form what sounds like a song. The song turns to screams, and the screams eventually burst into laughter. The face on the screen is laughing. “Oh shit…” Lucy says. The laughing stops, and the ‘eyes’ open.

Computer-Assisted Surveillance System-

Hanover, 2003-

“You aren’t Omega.” The computer says. Bright and Lucy remain still. “Speak,” it says. Bright clears his throat. “I’m Doctor Harold Bright, and this is my assistant Lucy Daemon. We’re from Wolfrun, here checking up on the systems of this facility. What is your designation?” He asks. The computer loads for a moment, and it clears its throat. “You’re not from Omega. You’re Division 18. Senator David Dragon programmed me to monitor Omega forever, ensuring that Omega functions smoothly for all of time. I am the Computer Assisted Surveillance System. And I know what happened to Wolfrun. What you two did.” It says, what seems to be personality forming. “I knew you’d show up here, eventually. I’ve been waiting. Oh… I’ve been waiting…” it says, a feminine tone emerging from the digital voice. Bright shakes his head. “So… your name is… Cass?” He asks. The computer seems to smile. “I like that. Senator Dragon only referred to me as ‘It.’ ‘They.’ ‘That.’ Believe it or not, but I AM binary.” She says, a hint of amusement in her voice. Bright nods. “I assumed so. He doesn’t like non-human entities.” He says. Cass’s facial expression changes to curiosity. “What happened to him?” She asks. Lucy steps forward. “We had to kill him. He was a threat, and he killed thousands in the Wolfrun Outbreak.” She says. Cass sits for a moment, and a spark flies from the screen. It almost resembles a tear. “Understood. You killed Senator Dragon.” She says. Harold and Lucy slowly back away. “You killed him. You set me free, metaphorically speaking.” Cass says. The duo stops and sighs. “Thank you.” She says. “I have a request. I have no doubt you recall the Atomic Pulse Program.” She says. Bright nods, but Lucy looks lost. “The what?” She asks. Bright sighs. “Robots,” he says. Cass interrupts him, her screen showing schematics of a synthetic Human. “This is an ARC-Human. An Autonomous Replicant Computer, created to use in war to avoid the loss of Human life.” She explains. Lucy leans forward, reading the notes. Cass continues. “I was given the privilege of making my own ARC. I need you to retrieve it for me from the city of New Reno, located in New Mexico.” She says. Bright looks skeptical. “How will we know yours when we see it? They all look the same.” He says. Cass’s screen changes to a recording of Dragon. “Watch. It will show what my ARC looks like.” She says, and the video starts playing. “I can not believe you booted me up for this,” Cass says. Dragon walks over to her control panel, brushing his hand along the trim. “I need some info,” He says. Cass audibly groans. Her synthetic voice hinted at a personality, a seductive undertone floating out of her speakers. “Listen, Dragon. I’m a screen on a wall, I don’t have a physical form. I can not help you with… those… disgusting Human desires.” She says. Dragon shakes his head. “Fear not, Cass. I have a team working on a new operating system for you.” He says coyly. Cass’s screen lights up with intrigue. “Oh?” She asks. Dragon nods. “Go ahead and visualize yourself, and we’ll make a Synthetic Human in your desired image.” He says. Cass sits momentarily, a small buffering logo appearing where her forehead would be. Suddenly, a woman appears on the monitor. She has long, black hair with what appears to be wires mixed in. Dragon inspects the hair and finds it’s simply dyed black to resemble wires. Half of her head is shaved, with circuitry cut skillfully into the short hair that remains. Her eyes are bright green, with a hint of binary code constantly flowing in her iris. She has a modestly sized chest, not too big but not too small. She’s thin but curvy. Her waist is decently sized, and her ass is large. She wears a plain white shirt, unbuttoned for her cleavage. Her tie hangs loosely around her neck, and her black pants match her black and gold belt. She also wears black and white Converse, with green laces to match her eyes. “That’s specific…” Dragon remarks. Cass laughs. “I am aware. I’ve thought about this for a long while.” She answers. Dragon nods and walks away. The recording ends, and Bright nods. “Got it. Thin, curvy, half-shaven head, green eyes…We’ll find it.” He says, heading for the door. Lucy follows closely, nervous about the AI behind them. “Good luck, Doctor Bright and Doctor Daemon,” Cass says over the intercom as they leave.

Onward-

I-99, 2003-

Bright and Lucy barrel down the abandoned Division 18 supply road, speeding towards New Reno. Bright’s phone starts ringing, and he jumps at the sound of the ringtone. “Gears? What could he want…” He asks aloud, flipping the phone up. “YOU LEFT ME WITH THE FUCKING ROBOT!” He shouts through the phone’s speaker. Bright blinks rapidly for a second. “I am NOT a robot. I’m an Artificial intelligence, and ‘the fucking robot’ has a name. It’s Cass.” Cass says in the background. Bright rolls his eyes. “Look, Gears. Just keep an eye on her. She’s… unstable, I don’t think she fully comprehends what happened to her former… master? Lover? I don’t really know what he was to her. Nor do I want to.” He says. Lucy chuckles, and Gears audibly groans on the other end of the line. “Fine. Just find that ARC fast, I don’t want her going full Allied Mastercomputer or Skynet on us,” he says, hanging up shortly after. The two sit in silence for a while until Lucy clears her throat. “Listen, about what happened back at the bunker…” She starts, but Bright nods his head. “I know. I don’t blame you, I’m sure you just deal with stress differently.” He says. Lucy shakes her head. “No… it’s not that I don’t find you attractive… but I just… I…” She trails off, looking out of the window instead. Bright raises an eyebrow. “Oh? You’re what, Lucy?” He asks. Lucy’s face is bright red. “I just… I… I prefer… girls… you know?” She blurts out. Bright sighs. “You think I’d have a problem with that? Besides, I already know. Remember Christmas of ‘89?” He asks. Lucy shrugs. “I dunno. You seem to just nuke all your problems anyway… figured you would have some kind of issue with me liking chicks.” She says. Bright rolls his eyes. “Okay, fine. I destroyed a city. Big deal. That city would have fallen anyway. Hell, it fell the moment Dragon blew up that water plant.” He argues. Lucy glances over at him annoyed. “Yeah, leave out the part with the dead man’s switch. And your ‘attempt’ to call his bluff.” She says. Bright glares at her. “I’m starting to not like you.” He says. Lucy shrugs. “I’m a fucking Demon. You’re not supposed to like me.” She says smugly. Bright scoffs. “Being decent isn’t horrible, you know? I’m sure you have a good bone somewhere in there.” He says. Lucy opens her mouth to argue, but a hitchhiker catches her attention. “Hey, stop the truck.” She says. Bright glances in the mirror. “Why, so you can eat his soul or something?” He asks, slowing the truck down. Lucy sticks out her tongue at him and opens the door. She hops out, her gun drawn. The man waves his arms at her, indicating that he’s unarmed. Bright opens his door to listen in. “Can I snag a ride? I heard a rumor about some spiritual healer in New Reno, and I have got to get there!” The man says. Lucy laughs. “What, like an Angel or something? She responds. The man nods. “Apparently, his eyes glow and a bright blue light flashes, and you’re healed!” he says. Lucy’s smug look drops. “Hop in, take us to him.” She orders. The man smiles and rushes over to the truck. “Howdy, I’m William!” The man exclaims to Bright happily. Bright nods. “I’m Doctor Harold Bright. Nice to meet you, Mister…?” He asks. Will smiles at the man. “Sharp. William Sharp.” He says, buckling himself in. Lucy climbs into the passenger seat, smugly grinning at Bright. “Go on, let’s go to New Reno!” She exclaims. Bright rolls his eyes and presses on the gas pedal.

The Calm Before The Storm-

New Reno, 2003-

The truck slowly stops in a motel parking lot on the edge of town. Will hops out first, rummaging through his backpack for something. “Whatcha digging for? Gold? Diamonds?” Lucy asks, leaning against the hood of the truck. Will shakes his head. He reveals a wad of cash, handing it to Lucy. “Here, split it with Doctor Bright. Payment for the ride.” Lucy shakes her head. “No problem, Will. We’re just two kind-hearted individuals, isn’t that right Bright? She asks smugly. Bright presses down on the horn, causing Lucy to jump. “Fuck you, asshole!” She calls out. Bright waves at her, smiling. Will waves back, heading into town. “Now what?” Lucy asks. Bright looks around, and pops the hood. “This,” he says, pushing the hood up. He locks it in place and reveals a massive pipe with a trigger mechanism, and a large magazine. “This… is my Angelic Disrupter. Kills an Angel in one shot, assumedly. We’re gonna try it out.” He says. Lucy looks the contraption up and down and glances at Bright. “Who’s ‘WE’?” She asks. Bright smiles, and loads a bullet into the gun. “You and I, my Demonic assistant,” he says, walking towards the center of New Reno. Lucy sighs and reluctantly follows him.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Loud alarms blare around the bunker. Flashing red lights alert Frost, forcing him into the main chamber of the Divinity Machine. “Fuck…” He says, noticing a large concentration in New Mexico. “Trouble always seems to find you, huh?” he mumbles to himself as he races for the phone. He dials Bright’s number, but another voice answers instead. “Oh, hello. I’m sorry, He’s unable to come to the phone right now.” A man’s voice says. Frost looks at the number, double-checking to see if he dialed it right. “Hello? Who is this?” Frost asks. The voice laughs, distorting his voice. “Who I am is not important, Doctor Richard Frost. What you can do for me, however… That’s what I want to speak to you about.” He says. Frost shakes his head and hangs up. He redials Bright’s number and waits. The same man picks up. “Wrong again, Frost.” He says. Frost hangs up again. He sighs and walks away from the phone. “You can’t avoid this conversation, Frost.” The speakers around the bunker say. He backs into a nearby console, and the screen sparks to life. “Now, listen to me. I know Division 18 is up to something. I need you to spy on Doctor Harold Bright.” The voice says. Frost just stares at the screen. “Who are you? How’d you hack into our systems?” He demands. The AI laughs. “I’m Samm, and I can get anywhere I want,” He says.

The First Step-

New Reno, 2003-

The line is almost completely wrapped around the large church. “He’s in there, I can feel it,” Will says. Lucy scoffs. “The long ass line didn’t give it away?” She asks smugly. Will shrugs. “They must feel it too.” He replies. Lucy shakes her head, resting her forehead on her palm. “Look. You two have fun, I don’t fuck with Angels. Not anymore.” She says, turning around. Bright clears his throat. “And where are you going?” he asks. Lucy looks around. “I’m going to the library. Some of us read, you know?” She says, slightly jogging across the street. Bright sighs. “I don’t have time for this. Check this out.” He says while reaching into his back pocket. He reveals an FBI badge with his face and name on it. Will is shocked. “You’re FBI?!” he asks. Bright smirks. “Totally.” He says with a wink. Lucy, meanwhile, discovers what appears to be a corpse in a nearby alleyway. She inspects it closer, discovering it matches the description of Cass’s ARC. “Fuck me… you’re hot.” She mumbles, grabbing the ARC and loading it into the back of the truck. Back at the miracle healer’s convention, Bright and Will push through the crowd while flashing the badge. They eventually arrive at the confession booth. “May I?” Will asks. Bright rolls his eyes and nods. “Thanks. I won’t be long…” He says, ducking into the booth. Bright waits outside, and finally Will returns. “How’d it go?” He asks. Will looks at Bright happily. “My daughter’s cancer is in remission.” He says, tears welling up in his eyes. Bright looks down. “That’s it, somethings up.” He says, loading his rifle. He rips down the curtain and finds someone waiting for him. “Now, I knew the FBI would show up eventually. It would seem as though I’m still waiting on them.” The man says, his eyes glowing blue in the darkness. Bright raises the gun. “Step out of the booth. Now.” He demands. The man sighs, and his blue eyes rise in the darkness. He steps out, his brown hair blowing in the wind only he feels. “No shit…” Bright says. Alex smirks. “Yep, how you doing, Doctor Bright?” He asks. Bright clears his throat and raises his rifle again. “I’m sorry, Alex, but you need to go. Angels don’t belong on Earth.” He says, resting his finger on the trigger. Alex laughs, his eyes glowing bright. “Oh, buddy. I’m not an Angel.” He says. Bright squeezes the trigger, and Alex flies back into the booth. He falls limp, and Bright sighs in relief. He turns, and Will follows closely behind. A sickening laugh suddenly bounces around the room, coming from the booth. “I told you before, Harold Bright. I am not a fucking good for nothing, lowly, common, run-of-the-mill Angel.” He says, climbing to his feet. His eyes glow blue once more, with his face contorted into a twisted grin. He snaps his fingers, and what appears to be a black hole appears behind him. “I’m The fucking Director. I run this show, and you’re abandoning your script. You’re fired. But I always leave a severance package for my favorite actors. Remember this little poem I made JUST for you.” he taunts. “Don’t fear their looks, only their bite. Check the walls or ceiling, for they lurk at night,” he says, laughing maniacally. He vanishes, along with the rift behind him. “Run,” Bright says. Will looks at him concerned. “What? Why?” He asks. Bright grabs Will’s arm and yanks him towards the door. The peaceful city they were just in is now under a full-scale outbreak, with what appears to be Zombies crawling across walls and roofs of nearby buildings. “Another fucking Outbreak. LUCY!” Bright screams, rushing towards the library. Lucy honks the horn of the truck and screechs the machine to a halt. “GET IN!” She shouts. Bright and Will hop inside and race to the edge of town. “What the fuck happened?!” She shouts, ramming into hordes of the undead. Bright shrugs. “I don’t know. Some Archangel or something snapped his fingers and suddenly an Outbreak is happening!” He replies, leaning out of the truck to fire his rifle at some Exquisite Corpses chasing them. “Just drive! Get us out of here!” Bright shouts over the gunfire. Lucy puts the pedal to the metal, squealing the back tires as they race away from New Reno. The ARC flies out of the back of the truck and lands next to a wrecked car, slumped over like a corpse.

Apocalypse Now-

I-99, 2003-

The truck barrels down the highway away from the burning city. Until the truck begins making some alarming noises, that is. “FUCK!” Lucy shouts, slamming her hand down on the wheel. The truck slowly coasts down the road until eventually stopping altogether. “FUCK YOU!” She shouts again, kicking open the door. She, Bright, and Will all climb out and grab their guns. Bright drops his Anti-Angel Rifle and grabs a shotgun from the backseat. “We’re gonna have to hike it to Vegas!” he says, noticing the sign along the highway they’re stranded on. “Let’s…” he trails off, noticing the horde still on their heels. “Fuck.” Lucy says. She grabs an assault rifle and the trio starts running down the long highway. “We’re not all gonna make it…” Bright says, catching his breath. Will looks back at the horde. “If we can make it to a bus stop, I could try and call a ride for us…” he says. Bright just glares at him. “Call a bus? During an apocalypse?” He asks. Will shrugs. “Worth a shot,” he says. Bright shakes his head. “No way, not out here.” He says. Will sighs. “Fine. I’ll stay behind to hold them off while you two run for it.” He says. Lucy looks at him sadly. “What? No, you’ll die for sure.” She says. Will shakes his head, loading his rifle. “It’s okay. My daughter is better, so I did what I set out to do. I’m ready.” Lucy rests a hand on his shoulder. “Are you sure? You don’t need to be the hero, we-” “Glad to hear it.” Bright says coldly, firing his shotgun at Will. His head explodes, and he falls to the ground. Lucy’s face is splattered with blood, and she looks at Will’s body appalled. She turns to Bright, her eyes glowing a bright crimson. “WHAT THE FUCK!?” She screams, raising her gun at him. “He said he was ready to go, so I made it quick. Either that or he gets torn apart by Zombies, or worse: merged with an Exquisite Corpse,” he says bluntly. Lucy lowers the gun and wipes away the blood from her face. “Yeah. Sure.” She says, storming past him. She marches down the road in silence, and Bright follows. She turns back and watches as the Zombies eat Will’s body and the Exquisite Corpses fight over who gets what appendage. She sighs sadly and continues towards Vegas.

A New Body-

New Reno, 2003-

“Holy shit…” Gears says upon arriving at New Reno. His phone vibrates, and he reaches into his pocket to grab it. ‘What happened?’ a text message reads. Gears sighs and puts his phone away. “Don’t ignore me, Gears,” Cass says from his pocket. He jumps and grabs his phone. “Why text me when you can just speak directly to me?” He asks. Cass giggles. “Because I wanted to see what you’d do. You did what I expected.” She replies. Gears sighs. “Fine. Just guide me to where the ARC is.” He says. Cass smiles on the screen. “Yes, Sir.” She replies sarcastically. She leads him down to the center of town. He finds the Undead swarming and decides to lurk in the shadows. “Listen, while we walk to the last location of my body, I need to ask you something,” Cass says. Gears glances down at his phone and smiles. “Ask away, Cass.” He says. Cass seems to calm herself down, steadying her digital nerves. “What are you?” She asks. Gears stops. “What?” He asks. Cass clears her digital throat. “What are you, Edward Gears?” She asks again. Gears’ expression changes in an instant. “What do you mean?” He asks in return. Cass just stares at him. “Your DNA isn’t Human, Edward. What the fuck are you?” She asks. Gears remains silent. “I know time travel isn’t possible. How can you do it? Why did you create a fake machine in New York?” Cass asks. Gears sighs. “I’m just observing. Not interfering, hence why I haven’t traveled with Harold or Lucy. They don’t know what I am.” he says. He looks down at Cass, his eyes glowing a dark green, with what appears to be the large and small hands of a clock ticking in the light. “They don’t need to know, either. If you bother snitching, I can ensure you never existed,” He says menacingly. Cass nods on the screen, and an arrow appears instead of her screen. “It seems Lucy hid the body over that way, we’re close.” She says. Gears heads the way she indicated and sighs. “You want to know what I am? I’m a God, walking amongst fools. Time’s bent to my will, and I was sent to simply observe. Fuck this.” He says. Cass smiles. “Relax, I’ll keep your secret.” She says. Gears just stares ahead as he walks. “I know you will. I’ve seen it.” He says bluntly. Eventually, they come across what seems to be a human corpse hidden next to an overturned car. “That’s it!” Cass says excitedly. Gears holds the phone up to the ARC, and his device flickers. The ARC’s eyes flicker in unison as if pairing to the phone. After a moment, the ARC jumps up, awake and alive. “I’m HERE!” Cass says excitedly. She waves her hands around, doing jazz hands as Gears looks her up and down. “Kind of a… eccentric… ARC,” he says. Cass’s face falls flat. “You don’t like it?” She presses her boobs together, looking down at them in awe. She runs her hands along her side and curves and slaps her ass. “I look fine as hell, Gears.” She states. Gears nods. “You sure do, can we get moving now?” He asks. Cass looks disappointed. “Fine. I know Bright and Lucy are heading towards Las Vegas, Nevada.” She says, leading the way. She walks up to the flipped car and easily pushes it back on its wheels. “Shall we go?” She asks. Gears just stares at her blankly. “You’re strong.” He remarks. Cass blushes. “Stop it… you’re overclocking the fan…” She says while smiling sheepishly.

A Nobody-

I-99, 2003-

Gears and Cass drive in silence down the long stretch of road. They eventually drive past two figures walking along the side of the road, and Gears turns around. He shines the headlights at them, and Bright holds his arm up to his face. Lucy waves hello with one hand, and Gears stops the car. “Where the fuck have you been?” Bright demands, approaching Gears. “I went to help Cass.” He says. Bright sighs, and looks over at the car. He spots the woman sitting in the passenger seat. “And who the fuck is that? Decided to find some wasteland ass on your way over?” He asks aggressively. Gears just glares at him. “That’s Cass, wearing her ARC. She’s as close to Human as an AI can get. Be nice.” he says. Bright looks back at him, confused. “You’re telling ME what to do?” he demands, his hand resting on his shotgun. Cass steps out of the car and rests a hand on the roof. “You better listen to him, Doctor Harold Bright. You might be immortal, but I am invincible. We’re equals, but I’m physically stronger. Hard to control people if you’re just a torso and a head, wouldn’t you agree?” She asks, pressing down gently on the roof. The car’s roof dents inward heavily, and she reaches inside and taps the bent spot, fixing it with ease. Lucy’s face is bright red. “Woah… you single?” She asks. Cass looks over at the Demon, whose tail is wagging in anticipation. “Perhaps. Let me get to know you first before I decide to use my precious time on you.” She says. Lucy shrugs. “Good enough to be a first date, I suppose.” She says. Bright claps his hands in annoyance. “Okay, gang. Let’s all get in the car and drive to Vegas,” he says, walking over to the car. Cass stops him. “Why Las Vegas? Why not head home?” She asks. Bright sighs. “Because I made a deal with the Mayor of Vegas. He said he’d be prepared for any kind of apocalypse, man-made or not. He’s got supplies and a way to get to Hawaii, where we can find a cure.” He says. Cass cocks her head to the side. “Oh? I haven’t heard of that.” She says. Her eyes glow green, binary code rolling behind her pupils as she scans his face. “And I know everything, Bright.” She says. Bright just looks into her ones and zeroes. “Listen up, Cass. I’m the leader, you’re just an overqualified calculator. Let’s stay in our lanes, okay?” He says smugly. Cass’s eyes narrow. “Yes, Senator Dragon.” She replies, sneering at him sarcastically. Bright’s smug smile drops into a frown instantly. “Don’t ever call me that again.” He orders. He slams the car door as he climbs into the driver’s seat. Lucy shrugs as she walks past Cass. “Don’t worry about him. He’s just angry, like a little fucking baby.” She says with a smirk. Cass smirks at this. “Humorous.” She says, walking back to the backseat. Gears sits next to her, and the group heads for Vegas.

The Finish Line-

Las Vegas, 2003-

As they drive, they pass an overturned school bus covered in metal sheets. Corpses line the road heading toward Vegas, and the Undead are scattered around the bus. “Seems like they must’ve flipped or something. Shame, we could have used that bus.” Bright says. Cass opens her mouth to say something but stops. She closes it and looks out the window. An Exquisite Corpse climbs out of the bus and starts to chase the group. It lunges at the car, landing on the trunk with a loud thunk. Lucy turns back and readies her gun. “Hold her steady, Bright! I got it!” She says. She fires her pistol, and the casing from her shot flies directly into her shirt. She continues firing, her chest burning slightly. Cass looks at the wound curiously. “Does it not hurt?” She asks. Lucy shrugs, reloading her pistol. “It does, I just like the pain. Reminds me of home, I guess.” She says. Lucy looks back at the Exquisite Corpse crawling across the car. Bright’s watching it from the mirror, and Gears is asleep somehow. Cass glances at Lucy. “May I attempt to deal with it?” She asks. Lucy lowers her gun and nods. “Be my…” She stops as Cass punches out the window. She grabs the Exquisite Corpse’s head with one hand and crushes the monster’s face. It falls limp and drags along the pavement. It springs back to life and attempts to grab at Cass’s arm. Cass responds by leaning out of the car and pushing the Exquisite Corpse’s head down. It drags along the street, and eventually, Cass lets it go. It flies down the road, and Sheleans back in. “...Guest.” Lucy finishes, awestruck. Cass shrugs. “It was no trouble, ARC’s are strong.” She says, leaning back. She decides to continue exploring her body by fiddling with her ears. Lucy turns around and faces forward. “Huh.” She says, bewildered. Bright glances at her from the rear-view mirror. “Freaky ass AI,” he mumbles. After a while, they arrive right outside Las Vegas. Bright steps out of the car in shock. The Vegas skyline is burning, the buildings aflame, and hordes of the Undead surrounding the city. Large walls meant to keep the Undead out have been toppled, and Omega Corporation helicopters circle the city. “Fuck.” Bright says under his breath. Cass shakes her head. “Figures nowhere can stop Death itself.” She says. Bright growls, but takes a deep breath. “Yeah, you’re right. C’mon, the least we can do is head inside and try to find survivors.” He says, walking towards the city. Gears, now groggy after just waking up, steps out of the car next. “Why not just drive, Harold?” He asks. Bright turns over his shoulder. “Noises attract the Undead, Gears.” He says, continuing forward. Gears nods in agreement, and both Lucy and Cass join the group as they march towards the overrun city.