Ch.5
Old Wounds Pt.1
"You think such an attitude is admirable. Manly, heroic even. 'Lived harmlessly.' 'Kept to himself.' Hide away somewhere and your past will cease to exist. You won't have to account for it. You'll feel no obligation to explain your actions or justify them because you've gone away and you expect your victims to go away too. It's like leaving the scene of an accident . . . Or a marriage. Even a field of battle."
― Ward Just, Forgetfulness
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ANDERSEN AFB / GUAM / 13MAR50 0145 LOCAL
"Staff Sergeant Wall?"
Wall jolted up in his chair, the short nap he had been taking finally interrupted.
"What's up?" He asked, rubbing his eyes as the sound of nearby gunfire started to kick off again.
"I'm Captain Farin, Major Focus told…."
He was immediately cut off by Wall jumping out of his chair, attempting to salute him. "Sorry si-"
"Don't man, your good." Farin grabbed Wall's hand before it reached his head. Only now did Wall realize the hulk of a human that stood in front of him. The Marine officer was garbed in a faded flight suit, his gear barely fitting to his massive body, while his helmet hung loosely in his right hand. He took note of the zebra print gripped .357 in Farin's chest rig.
"As I was saying," The Captain let go of Walls's hand and patted him on the shoulder, "Major Focus told me you survived the French Nukes when the EU turned face."
"I uh.." Wall swallowed; he didn't like remembering the last three days of his time in the UK. "I did sir, wasn't a fun time, doc said I'll probably get cancer soon."
"Told me the same," He rolled up his right sleeve and exposed unhealed radiation burns. "I was in Manchester too, moving some MARSOC guys out when they went up. Hard landing, saved the guys, wasn't fun." He pulled his sleeve back down. "Call me Chuck, or Farin, either or man, don't need rank when the island is getting overran soon."
The air raid siren went off again, followed by the distinct sound of a patriot firing its payload to intercept yet another incoming cruise missile.
"What's left of Seventh fleet is still giving those Chinese fucks hell. Fifth fleet moved in from the south to assist but eh, let's just say I don't have a home to go back to anymore, my birds staying here for the time being," Farin said, looking out of a nearby window.
The fact that American forces still held Guam was amazing. The Chinese had broken through a picket two days ago and hit most of the island with hypersonic missiles. Special forces raided the island followed by several attempted airborne assaults. But enough of them had made it in for everything between Ague Cove and Pati Point to be under their control. Most of Andersen had been hit hard, the flight line was virtually destroyed.
"Gotta give it to them," Wall spoke up, causing Farin to look at him. "Definitely gonna make us redeploy assets from Beijing, I was just up there a week ago but my rotation got called back."
"You were in Beijing?" Farin asked back, the ground rumbling from what they assumed was another missile hit. Wall and ten others were holding back near the base golf course in some of the privatized housing. His last two Aegis were in a nearby garage getting a quick maintenance job done after fighting off a platoon of Chinese sappers.
Wall shrugged, "Yeah, was there for the initial push. They wanted me to forward deploy up and test out a team of those uh, the fuck are they called…" he looked out the window, the glowing red of the now burning base lit up the night sky. "Dolls, yeah dolls, you seen them? Human-esk-looking things?" Farin nodded, so Wall continued. "Well yeah, they wanted me to test some out, turned it down, and went in with the thirty-third and eight of my Aegis."
"Aint the thirty-third all brand new kids?" Farin pressed, "Thought the OG had been wiped in Poland."
"They did, and they were, but now they're some hitters, well the ones that are still up anyways…"
"Aint any better in Europe still," Farin interjected, he must have noted the depressed tone in Wall's last statement. "We just abandoned Sicily. Reds are pushing Rome, and what's left of EUCOM moved who we had left back to Spain. Good thing they dipped out of the EU and kept with us, could've been worse." Farin turned back to Wall and looked down at him, "Anyways bubba, you and I got a date."
Wall raised an eyebrow, "We do?"
Farin smiled and reached into his flight suit, pulling out a thick set of folded papers. He handed them over to Wall, "New orders for you, we are going down south to the tank farm. Word is the Chinese got another wave of para coming in and we just ain't got the assets to take them all out of the air when they get here. You and I will be a QRF team with my gunner, and your two Aegis strapped to the bottom of the bird."
Wall took the orders and unfolded them, listening to Farin talk on as he skimmed over them. "Well wouldn't be the dumbest thing I've done, we out the door now?"
"Sooners better than later little man.."
"You think just cause you're bigger than me you can call me little man?" Wall shot back, obviously joking.
"Why yes, I do," Farin stated matter of factly.
The two men held a gaze for just a moment, then shared a laugh.
"Oh, I can tell we are gonna be friends' boss," Wall said as he turned and grabbed his stuff resting against his chair. He heaved his gear bag over his shoulder and slung his weapon. "Well, big man, I'm ready when you are."
Farin smiled and turned around, "Let's make like tom and cruise…."
"Who?" Wall asked back.
He never got his answer.
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G&K HQ / S01 / 30JUL62 1210 LOCAL
"Mister Wall?"
Wall looked up from his small tablet, he had been going over the interrogation report from the captured SF pilot. A doll with white and red hair tied into twin-tails looked down at him. She wore short shorts and a white shirt that exposed most of her stomach.
"Can I help you?" He asked back, his voice sounding worse than its normal gruffness from his lack of hydration. He took notice of this and grabbed the water bottle he had bought three hours ago and took his first sip of it.
"Yes," the doll waited till he had finished drinking, "I'm LWMMG, Miss Helian has asked me to escort you to her office."
Wall stared up at the doll for a brief moment, causing her to shift nervously in the silence. "Your LWMMG?" He asked, finally breaking the growing stiffness.
"Yes." She answered back, slightly confused.
"So, you're telling me, someone saw my favorite machine gun in history, and designed YOU as its base?"
The doll's face lit up, "I was your favorite?"
"What? No, the actual gun…you know what?
He paused in a moment of reflection; he couldn't remember the gun's actual designation. Something…something…
"Maybe the cancer is setting in." He said aloud, though no more than a whisper.
LWMMG cocked her head, she more than likely heard the statement, as she was about to speak when he stopped her.
"Sure, you were my favorite, congratulations."
Any further interaction between the two was cut off. A familiar face joined in on the conversation by placing a hand on LWMMG's shoulder. "Mister Wall, forgive my attendant."
Wall squinted at the young clean-shaven man for a moment, then forced a smile. "Jack Donnie, it's been a little bit, you a full fledge commander yet?" He stood up and tossed his water bottle on the bench, then presented his hand.
LWMMG was obviously annoyed by the sudden interruption but seemingly held back any form of comment. Instead opting to let out an annoyed "Hmphf," followed by shrugging off Jack's hand.
Ignoring the Doll's apparent disgruntlement, Jack grabbed Wall's hand and shook it. "It's been a minute, hasn't it? Heard you had brought back some juicy material from the field." He let go of his hand, "Commander Donnie is still two months away, I'll send you an invitation if you'd like to show up for the ceremony."
Wall smiled that oh-so typical fake smile he had given nearly everyone these past few months. "I'd love to come if you'd let me. When you get your own post, hit me up, always down for some training."
"You'd devote yourself to this rookie?" Jack let out a quick laugh, then tilted his head in a 'follow me' gesture. Stepping off, he continued, "I'm making my crew right now, one of your old units came up…"
Moving with him in tandem, Wall raised an eyebrow at the parting comment. "Old unit?"
"Ak47, serial 2011192….she was in the pool for recruitment and I tagged her. Did something happen on your end? Her record was satisfactory."
"First time I'm hearing of serial numbers for them…anyways…" he shrugged, "nothing bad, she was a great asset but got clingy."
"How clingy?" Jack asked, excusing himself as he passed a close by co-worker.
"The emotional modules on these dolls are weird man, way too human-esk while remaining wholly inhuman." It registered in his brain that LWMMG was following right behind the two. He took a glance at her, and then continued anyways. "She had been through some stuff in the past I guess, and I reminded her of something, and she caught feelings."
"Oddly enough that's not uncommon in the company. It's frowned upon but not wholly illegal to form relationships with them."
"Frankly that's disgusting." Wall said flatly. "You can treat them like people, because fuck I've done it with my old Aegis and other models. But falling in love? Trying to fuck it?"
LWMMG let out a curt cough. As if trying to remind the men either that she was there, or that this was a public place. Regardless of which Wall ignored.
"Shits unsat man. It may just be the ravings of an old asshole that's been screwed too much but…eh…" his thoughts trailed off. This was the future of the world, and no amount of raving and hollering would cease the wheel. "Doesn't matter I guess, I'll send you a full report for her, goods and bads. She's damn good at her job for what it's worth. Hope you like old-school hip-hop."
Jack patted him on the back for a second. "It's ok old timer, we all have our moments." He laughed as Wall pressed his arm away and shook his head.
"Any information to be more relevant and effective in the fight would be appreciated friend. By old school hip-hop, do you mean like Billie Ellish?"
Wall stopped immediately, dead in his tracks. LWMMG crashed into him, he didn't move an inch.
Within earshot, another man spoke up.
"The fuck did you just say trainee!?"
Jack's already pale skin went just a touch-up on the spectrum, becoming almost translucent.
Wall looked at the newcomer, and quickly registered his devices and name. Ruiz, Lt Commander, Intelligence division. The stout 6'5 Hispanic man looked at least sixty, so probably around forty years old.
Ruiz took another step, "Repeat the absolute horse shit garbage you just said." He stepped in closer and closer with every world, stopping just a mere inch away from Jack's face. "Say. It. Again."
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G&K HQ / S01 / 30JUL62 1245 LOCAL
"What took you so long?" Helian asked, seemingly annoyed by Walls 'late' entrance.
He didn't dignify her with an answer, at least not immediately. He opted to close the door to her office, one of the few manual ones inside the G&K headquarters. Turning around, he looked at her and flashed a smile, then made his way to the leather chair facing her desk. Standing next to Helian was a taller blonde woman, in what looked like the same outfit.
"SRS can you step out for a minute?" She asked the woman, whom Wall registered as yet another doll.
The doll walked past Wall as he sat down in the chair, she gave him a passing glance and mouthed an almost inaudible "lazy…"
Despite how deaf he regularly felt, he heard that one. Rather it be selective hearing or something else was anyone's guess.
"The chair? No, I don't think it's a lazy boy…" he said as he rubbed the armrest, now looking directly at SRS.
SRS ignored the quip and proceeded out of the office.
Wall turned back around and faced Helian. "What's her problem?" He asked, gesturing towards the door.
"She's a stickler for records and grading systems. She didn't like yours, said something didn't make sense within your past."
I'll fucking kill her right now if I've been had
"She said." Helian paused and pushed a folder of paper toward him, Wall didn't reach for it. "The fact you're alive didn't make sense, it was almost an impossibility. If you were alive currently, you surely won't have long to live due to cancer or something."
Well, that fire is a lot easier to put out.
Wall spoke before she could continue. "Well, theoretically, my chances for it are a lot higher than a normal person, like you."
She shot him a glance, he couldn't read the emotion though, he'd give her that, she was good at hiding feelings.
"Last checkup didn't expose anything, granted I was in the Legion then, but not like it was long ago. I can get another eval if you're worried."
She shook her head, "Not so much as worried as I am curious, about some of the…" she stopped and pulled on her collar. "Anyways…."
"Anyways? You just said a full fledge sentence that acted like it was leading on-"
"That Soviet pilot." She interrupted him. "Juan lied to me, your initial report doesn't corroborate with his, and PzB has footage of the whole situation."
He raised an eyebrow, "Ok?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Why would a six-year security guard turned commander lie to me about an interaction? Why would a man I personally hired to fill a PSD and instructor slot have a memory gap? Why did I have to see the evidence pulled from a doll." She said flatly.
"What's the issue, ma'am?" He leaned in and interlaced his fingers. "My report was factual for the time. The update is what I remembered. Assuming this all has to do with the commie pilot that survived."
She was about to interject, but Wall raised his voice for the next words.
"As for what Juan did," he leaned back into his chair, lessening the commanding presence he just inadvertently exuded. "Was, is, a typical thing for vets from the war. Sometimes POWs weren't a viable thing, sometimes you recognized them as war criminals or dudes that killed your friends." He smiled and shrugged. "Don't blame the horrible past, he wouldn't have kept it dark for long."
"He didn't," she said without missing a beat. "Right before you came in, he sent me the real report and apologized for the situation. Told me pretty much the exact same thing you just did."
"Then it sounds like the issues resolved" he huffed.
"No, it's not." She shot back, a tinge of venom in her voice. "But pressing matters exist, so I'll put this little issue on the back burner."
She lifted a tablet off her desk and began scrolling through it. "You did some PSD work right?"
"Uhh," he let out, "I've dabbled, enough to get a job and not die."
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Records say that you did a detail for Generals Riley and General Takanaka in the three-month cease-fire accords?" She looked over the tablet and into his eyes.
He didn't lie about getting trained for personal security details. But he never did a job that was assigned to those two individuals. That wasn't the issue though, the real problem was that the Big Six had made that record, and those names in tandem meant to 'just agree' with whatever someone said.
If someone dug enough, surely, they could find out he never did that detail.
"Yeah, 2047, or 2048, right when I moved to be a unit op…ahh doll operator." He nodded back, trying his damnedest to formulate a plausible lie.
She looked back down at the tablet. "Was in Berlin both times, military balls during the negotiations, says you know how to dance too…" she didn't look up this time.
The functioning parts of his heart sank. The last time he had done that was with his wife, dancing that is, before she got killed. Even then he wasn't good at it.
"Yes ma'am, waltz, swing, salsa oddly enough, pretty good with a tango if I practice again." His voice squeaked for the first time in years. She looked up at him, her eyes wide.
Fucking idiot keep it cool.
"You know how to tango?"
fuck
He didn't
"Rose and all. I'd have to practice again to make sure, but uh…" he rubbed the back of his head. "Why does any of this matter?"
She sighed and put her tablet down. Using her now free hand to rub her temple. "I'm going to ask you to do something." She looked down towards her desk. "This isn't a sensual request by any means. This isn't me flirting. It's a professional request." She looked up at him. Either the sun coming down on her back was warming her up a bit, or whatever she was about to ask made her nervous.
This is already incredibly awkward
He didn't say anything back yet, he waited for her to finish.
"I'd like for you to act as my date. Key word being act."
"I don't know if I'm taking all of this as an insult or compliment at this point." Wall let out.
"Shut up." She shot back before continuing. "I'm due in Germany next week, a three-day affair, all business of course, but the second day incorporates a ball of sorts. I need a partner and someone that can make sure I'm not killed immediately."
The pause after seemed to him like the end of the question. "I mean, there's like fifty things I want to ask."
"Please do, you can always tell me to piss off too, though it wouldn't be nice, I am still your boss."
"Ok uh, for starters." He shifted positions in his chair, leaning slightly to the right. "Whhyyy do you need, rather, why are you seemingly opting for a one-person security detachment."
"I have a team of dolls assigned to me, and an entourage of security personnel. Dolls aren't allowed in certain areas, and my security force is only a point a to b option. I could have them go in with me to places, but it would be generally uncouth for the environment."
"So, one person while you're doing the work, and this ball thing?"
"Fifty-fifty, you're also going to be of help in keeping away some pesky questions, and annoying individuals."
That was a question he wouldn't have to dig deep on. Helian was attractive enough, she hit all the marks in what would be most men's books. As he understood it, she was at or near her early thirties and still single.
He smiled, "Mostly understandable. I'm pretty sure my brain knows the second question, but I'll have to ask anyways." He gave a brief pause, looking away from Helian for just a moment before returning his gaze. "Why me? I mean for this whole thing."
"You work directly for me." She said without missing a beat, " I've read more about you than I have most of the people working in G&K. It's less awkward and unprofessional than having another Commander come with me. Most importantly, I don't think you're going to cop a move on me during the event."
He let out a laugh, his raspy voice distorted it to a degree. "You don't go to a lot of parties do you." A genuine smile grew on his face, which when he thought back on it, concerned him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, a tinge of legitimate curiosity showing.
"Disregard." He shook his head, "Yeah I think it would be pretty unprofessional of me to hit on you during a job."
" It's alright you know…"
"What?" He asked back, he was looking at her the whole time, and her mouth had never moved. Wall looked behind him to see if someone else was in the room.
"I'm sorry?" She said as he was turned around. "What's wrong?"
He turned back to face her, "You didn't…"
The pills…
He reached down to a pocket near his foot and unzipped it, pulling out a small baggy of unmarked white medication. "My bad, allergies must be acting up…" he opened the baggy and pulled out a pill, pressing it into his mouth and swallowing.
"Are you ok? I read the file Perscia sent up, you worked to hard, and whatever allergies you had made you drop."
It wasn't allergies. In fact, as far as he could remember, he never had an issue with them. It was the plethora of things eating away at his brain, more than likely the cancer. The medicine he had was unbranded, he didn't even know what it was. A later meeting with PNC informed him "not to worry," and that the pills would help with any hallucinations, disorientation, headaches, and other issues. This wonder pill sounded fake, or illegal, and he was certain that he was acting as a test subject unknowingly.
He gave a single nod response, "Yeah, ears popped for a second, thought you clicked your tongue or something…" with a shrug, he moved the conversation away from him. "Anyways, I'm good. But yeah, despite the way you went about asking it, I'm fine with the assignment, what's the attire?"
He could tell that didn't work completely. There was a hint of either concern or discomfort on her face, as if she knew he was lying, as if she had seen it before. Whatever it was didn't last long, "Well, let's go over the details, shall we?"
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G&K HQ / S01 / 30JUL62 1621 LOCAL
The next six days of Walls's schedule were going to be mostly full. Suit fitting, weapon and gear issue, and a refresher on PSD procedures. Information regarding safe houses and assets within Germany and France. Even managed to set up a quick dance lesson. A couple of other things had to get done too. He had to check on what was left of IDW, and make sure M200s core transfer was complete.
IDW had in fact not died, or at least died in the sense of that specific frame. Python, who had been on Juan's team, had the materials on hand to help her. A note had been made in Walls's mind at that point to always have a kit for them in the future. The unfortunate part was, IDWs frame was in ruin, and would take a week and a half to repair. But it was going to take a bit longer than that. He had made the requisition for new parts and experimental features. Persica worked directly with IOP and another entity to provide them with a form of payment for getting M4 back. IDW would be down for a month as the parts moved in.
M200 wasn't so lucky. It took them three hours to find her body. She was hard dead, again the frame at least was. God had blessed him that day though, her core was still mostly intact. Enough to pull all the data back with only a sliver of corrupt information. From a human perspective, only bits and pieces of the last 48 hours would be missing, everything else was good. Wall had made the same request for her new frame too, and her new body would be ready around the same time IDWs was.
Wall reflection of the past day's events ended. He had arrived at the maintenance section of the G&K headquarters. He showed his ID to one of the two armed door guards at the location. The man grabbed it gently and held a scanner to it, a chip-tune 'beep' signified he was allowed into the area.
"Have a good day sir." The guard said as he let go of Walls ID, the badge thumping back into his chest. The other guard pressed a button and the door slid open with a hiss, and Wall made his way inside.
The interior was as vast as one could imagine for a multi-national PMC. It was easily the largest maintenance facility he had ever laid eyes on. What seemed like a two-mile long by one-mile wide building was filled with equipment and personnel, many of which were various forms of dolls. Which made sense considering the absolute diminished stance of humanity.
It wasn't his first time here, but even still he was amazed at the sheer scope of operation the company was engaged in. Thankfully the journey to his specific bay wasn't too far off. He started making his way to where IDW was, and where M200s core was being kept. His hands stayed in his pockets as he walked, giving passive acknowledgment to those that passed him by or greeted him. Only one conversation caught his attention, one of the personnel had been discussing, rather loudly, the benefits of Rossartrism.
To him, the concept of Rossartrism was just a wet dream for a wannabe survivalist. Everything sounds great in theory but once in place it generally falters and corrupts quickly. But that so-called wet dream was growing daily. Acceptance was through the roof after the events of '61 that throttled SF into existence.
He simply shook his head and pressed on, not wanting to interject in a quasi-private conversation. He was with the Big Six, and knew what they had planned for the future. It may not be the brightest, it may not be the most hopeful, but it was the best outcome, for his people at least.
For us atleast he told himself as he glanced at a figure staring him down out the corner of his eye. He looked up and saw PzB, or rather another Model of the doll. It probably wasn't her, she was assigned to Juan. He continued to walk on.
"Did you just ignore me?" PzB asked.
Wall stopped and quickly turned around, squinting hard at the doll. As if it would help in his confirmation. "Pezz?" He asked.
She looked around, "I don't see anyone else."
"I mean." He took his hands out of his pockets and walked over to her. "It's not like you're the only PzB model, at least I think." Once face to face, he extended his hand out.
PzB ignored it for a moment, crossing her arms and looking him up and down. "That's rude you know."
Wall kept his hand out, he didn't respond.
She let out a sigh and uncrossed her arms, reaching out to his hand and shaking it quickly before starting to walk past him. "Let's go, I assume you're here to see your dolls."
Wall tilted his head at the word 'dolls.' He then turned around and started to walk with PzB. "If you mean my team." He prefaced the word team. "IDW and M200, then yes."
"Wow look at that growth, impossibly brooding old man finally learning to accept the future and those around him."
He shook his head, part of him wanted to believe this was a tumor-induced dream. "I'm sorry, why the fuck are you here.?" There was a bit of hate in the statement.
Despite their prior relationship, he had never said anything in a tone like that towards her. As far as PzB was concerned, Wall liked her to a degree and enjoyed the general convention. Which was why his last words caught her off guard, enough to make her stop walking for a moment.
"I-I" the doll stuttered her words. Wall's typical cold gaze didn't do him any favors. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that Wall." She continued walking, "Juan pressed with Miss Helian, and until your team is back up, I'm assigned to you. I will be your attaché during most of the trip to Germany too."
Did I just get fucking assigned a babysitter?
"Stop," he said, holding out his hand in front of the doll, she pressed against it for a moment then stopped, looking him in the eyes. "My bad, that was rude of me just a second ago, you didn't deserve that hate, trust me if I have an issue with you, it won't be in a passing comment like that." He let down his hand, putting them both back in his pockets. "The joke was funny, and yes mister stone cold killer Matt Wall now feels a connection to his teammates despite the fact they are dolls."
That was mostly a lie.
"I hope you had a say in your own fate, it will be nice to have someone with good conversation abilities and a sense of fashion working with me for the time being."
Oddly, that was more truth than a lie. He did enjoy talking to her, though to him the everlasting thought of a man asking an AI questions was what it felt like.
She smiled and turned around, starting to walk again, "Sounds like I just won a match, Matt…"
"That's still weird. Don't call me that."
He was met by a presumptuous "Mhmm."
The two continued the rest of the walk-in relative silence. Only sharing a look when outside the door to his team's maintenance room. It sounded like IDW was laughing inside.
The door slid open as it registered Wall's face. The two walked in and saw a man in the typical black uniform of a G&K member sitting down next to IDW. Whatever he was talking about, he stopped.
IDW saw the two and would have lept from her table if not for the fact she was strapped in. "Wall!" She opted to yell out, a smile growing on her face.
He didn't hear her. His eyes were glued on the man next to her. His uniform's name tape read 'Grayson,' but that wasn't his name, he only knew the man by his callsign, Pine. He was an information agent, working for the same group. Missions had been passed to him by this same man before.
"Mister Wall!" He called out, standing up and walking over to him, presenting his hand when able. "I was keeping IDW company, old war stories and whatnot, she likes them."
"His are funnier than yours…" IDW said, not processing the fact that Wall never answered her. She opted instead to reach out and hug PzB, who had walked over.
Wall shook 'Grayson's' hand, and immediately a tingle of electricity zapped him. A datalink was established, and information was pressed into his Neruolink. His next mission, a blip appeared in his left eye, "READ WHEN FREE."
It wasn't time sensitive; he would go over it tonight.
"I take it you're on your way-out Mister Grayson?" Wall asked, releasing the informant's hand.
The man smiled, "Indeed," he turned around and motioned to IDW. "I'll see you around! Try not to lose your legs anymore!"
She stuck her tongue out and waved at him, "Cya!"
The man then looked back at Wall and nodded, moving past him as he left.
Wall let out a long breath, catching the attention of the two dolls in the room.
"You ok Grandpa?" IDW asked.
He brushed the comment aside. "I should be asking you that cat," he walked over to her and sat down. "How you holding up? Sorry I didn't come in earlier," he leaned in. "I just learned I have a date.." he spoke in a whisper, a smile on his face.
PzBs eyes went wide, and IDW grabbed Walls's collar. "YOU HAVE WHAT?!" She yelled out as she began to shake him.
He started to laugh and grabbed her arms. "I'm kidding I'm kidding!" He said, forcing the doll to release its grip, "Found out I'm due in Berlin in a week, doing security stuff, Helian requested me as, well, a guard of sorts."
"You mean she likes you! Haha!" IDW dropped her arms. "Grandpa and Grandma sitting in a tree k-i-s-s." PzB slapped a hand over her mouth, ceasing the childish taunt.
"I'm sure the second in command of all Griffin forces isn't trying to come on to Wall." PzB insisted, looking up and over to the man in question.
"I wouldn't be too sure Pezz." He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head. It was obvious he was enjoying the rouse. "I mean I'm pretty attractive you know? Got ladies lining UP to have dinner with me." He flexed his pecs and made them bump up and down for a bit, causing IDW to burst out laughing. PzB let out a disgusted noise.
"Please for all that you deem good, stop that Matt."
"Is it wrong to be strong?" He asked, forming a vacuum pose. While his prosthetic arm did a good job of forming muscle, matching his right arm, it didn't have the vascularity of his normal one.
"Oh, please stop." PzB asked, hiding her face in her hands. IDW on the other hand couldn't get enough of it.
"When I get my new parts they better make me look super strong!" She poised her arms, trying to flex what went as her biceps. "Grrr! You can take my legs! But not my freedom!"
"You've corrupted her…" PzB let out in a sigh.
"I'll see if I can add it to the list, why not just walk around with too small meat titans." Wall patted IDWs stub of a leg, "Anyways, you ready to knock out some checks?"
She reached down and grabbed his hand, silence followed for a minute. PzB looked up and over to Wall, and he met her gaze.
"Thanks for coming, it's kinda lonely in here…" her grip tightened.
He used his free hand to rub her head. "I talked a lot of shit when I started working here, thought a certain way." She kept her eyes on his hand as he continued. "You helped me break out of my own echo chamber. You and M200 are family at this point alright? Doll or Human, doesn't matter. I have my longest living Aegis's breastplate still, he's family too." Wall stopped rubbing her head. "You'll have mock parts on tomorrow afternoon, and will be able to fuck around after that. But no missions till everything is set up."
IDW let go of his hand and smiled, what went for tears started to stream down her face. "Thank you.." she said weakly.
PzB watched the whole thing in genuine surprise. "You really have changed" she said softly.
Maybe he had, maybe it was still fake. He wasn't too sure anymore. But it didn't matter, he'd still do his jobs.
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G&K HQ / S01 / 30JUL62 2312 LOCAL
The day had gone by increasingly slowly. Wall checked his old Seiko watch for the time, and read it aloud as the door to his personal quarters swished open. "Eleven twelve… fuck me…"
He took three steps in, turned to his right, pulled out a wooden chair, and sat down in it. His quarters were fairly large, it held a living room, a small kitchen and dining area, and a separate bed and bathroom.
After he sat down, the automatic lights took notice and kicked on. Thankfully the dimmed setting he left it on still remained, and nothing more than a faint glow lit the rooms. Just enough to adapt and move around, just enough to let him think in peace and relax.
He rubbed his face for several seconds, increasing the pressure over the duration. "Gyahhhh!" He let out as he stopped, it wasn't done in pain or depression, just a normal response to being tired.
"Fucking God it never ends." He pressed his head back into his hands, only moving them away to lay flat down on his back. The floor was real wood and heated, expensive and nice. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and dropped his arms to his sides.
He tweaked his left eye. The mission file popped up. A series of encryptions ran against eachother, proving the message was valid, and the intended recipient was the right person. He could see the coded conversations between the two programs. Green text, red text, green text, red text. He would never be able to understand it, that was obviously the point, but watching it happen felt like the two programs were actually conversing with eachother.
The thought of his neurolink having a working brain scared part of him. Thankfully the CPU was so base, so docile, and so under his control, nothing could happen if he didn't will it. Then he remembered his left arm. He brought it up into view, eclipsing the only light above him. It rotated it gently, watching the mechanism inside mimic human ligaments. It didn't make noise anymore, and his nervous system was compatible with it. He felt the cool air of his room whisk against it, he felt his breath on it. Something deep in his stomach started to churn.
He pressed the arm down and closed his eyes, attempting to cease the newly forming nausea. The world was a dystopian freak show. Collapse fluid, ELID, War, Dolls, Cybernetic prosthetics. The last one was what always worried him the most. The last ten years had seen a boom in the 'cyberwear' industry as some called it. Now the middle and lower-class civilian markets were flooded with the items. People had eyes, lungs, hearts, arms, and legs removed for these so-called upgrades.
The thoughts of the modern world grew inside him, and so did the nausea. He forced himself up and ran to the bathroom, barely making it in time. He vomited up today's lunch, a mixture of half-digested food lay in the toilet. He remained hunched for another minute, spitting out the remnants. He reached up to grab a cup of water that had been left from this morning, he took a mouth full and swished it around, spitting it out shortly after.
As he stood back up, a green check mark populated in his eye. The message was decrypted.
Open
"Red. Assignment 351. Authorization Daisy Plum. Priority 2. - - / / / - - Good day Red, missions is as follows. Second in Command of Griffin, Helianthus, has reportedly established connections with a member of the Pan-European Union. The individual is known as Riley Kraft. Twenty-Six, Female, pictures and references are attached. Miss Kraft seems to have been a lover of late Liam Jacobson, a prior target of yours. Miss Kraft has been on a witch-hunt since, and was able to track down a single safe house asset. The rest is need to know on her. Helianthus plans to meet miss Kraft at an upcoming event in Berlin. Do what you need to do, and kill the target before more information is leaked. Additional details are provided in this file."
It never ends
Again the will of the world itself had aligned perfectly for him. Another fruit had fallen right into his lap.
Or did it?
Wall squinted, and the message disappeared. The thought sprung on him, was this a trap? The authentication was correct, and the mission number checked. But did G&K know what he was doing? There's no way that Helian would've asked him to do this, then hours later get a mission related to the subject. Was it all just a circumstantial chance? Was it a trap? Was the Big Six compromised?
Nausea came back in full force. He dry heaved for a moment, then released some stomach bile, it was all that was left in him. This wasn't an onset of a disease or nervousness, this part at aleast. It was a common thing for the neurolink, atleast from what he had found. Anytime a datalink was established, and Information transferred, sooner or later that same day, he would get sick.
He took in the remains of his cup, swished them around in his mouth, and spat it out into the toilet before flushing. He watched the contents swirl and disappear, contemplating on the near future.
Once done, he made his way over to his bed. Undressing slowly as he did so, tossing his blouse off into a corner, and his shirt onto the ground near his nightstand. He sat down and untied his boots, slipping out his feet and removing his socks, leavening them on top of the footwear unceremoniously. Then he loosened his belt and removed his pants, dropping them right next to his boots.
He laid down and half pulled a cover over his body. He was tired, a gnawing deep sort of tired. Maybe the fact that his lifespan finally had a number bothered him. Maybe the fact he would eventually possibly use those around him to kill their friends ate away at him. Or, possibly, it could have been the fact that the voice he had been hearing in recent months sounded so much so like his dead wife.
"Lights." He said aloud, and the already dimmed lights turned off completely.
He forced his mind into a state of mild tranquility, as he always did before going to sleep. Just enough to where the ever-present darkness wouldn't keep him awake. Just as he was about to drift off, a blip popped up.
"YOU AWAKE?" - AK47
He hadn't canceled her link, not like he would have given the code he uploaded into her.
"NOT FOR LONG" - Wall
"HEARD YOU WERE AT HQ. CAN WE MEET SOMETIME?" - AK47
"SURE THING." - Wall
He didn't think about his response. He was pretty tied up, but could make time. What was the worst that could happen? Some inhuman would cry at him for its inability to process forced emotions? There was almost no reason to stave off a conversation, it helped burned time, and he didn't do much in his downtime anyways.
"THANKS. REALLY." - AK47
He never sent a message back, atleast not that night. He finally let his body uncoil from the stressors of the day and past, and drifted off to sleep.
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Ok, no more fake deadlines. The X amount of parts for this arc will be released sometime, sorry for keeping hopes up. This was gonna be like 12-20k word ch, but it wouldve read weird and been way to boring to not brick up.
Moving foward, if you are a "long time" reader, in a couple days. if you'd like, give the series a re-read. I plan on editing the mistakes and general flow of the story to look and read better. No massive lore changes, so no worries.
As always, thanks for reading, and please talk shit in the comments about fuck ups and stuff thats bad, I can only get better right?