[https://rom.ac/img/67rr/72-04.jpg]

[http://rom.ac/img/49nmore/gromovavvy.gif]

Zee Captain's... note of summons had sealed my fate.

I felt a cold pull at my stomach. Something else was coming, re-awakened by the presence of Captain.

Something worse than the shuffling noises of the red beasts outside. The sound of a falling cannonball.

Whatever that fleshy monstrosity was, it cared not for me, but its presence here led Annie straight to me.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

...And it came to pass on the morrow, that the goddess in the machine came upon me and she wanted vengeance.

She was online, the thermonuclear bombardment of the core databank cube had failed to shut her down.

She was still alive, after all these years.

The explosive crash-landing of the hunter machine through the old roof drew THEIR attention.

I was now between two wild beasts, out for my blood.

What was Protocol 1-1-3?

Memories of Directorate weapon codes lingered in my mind, poisoning my thought pattern.

Could it be?

...So this was to be my death.

Annie had let me know that she would spare no expense in crushing me like a bug, now that she knew exactly where I was.

How long would the signal take for activation?

I began to count down my last seconds.