"Flutter! Flutter!" birds dart to the sky, flapping their wings elegantly as they soar through the air, high above the ground. Down below, a group gathers around a rusted truck turned upside down. "Clunk! Ching! Ping!", chunks of metal, bolts and screws drop out of the overturned truck's engine hood.
Zaine: "You find anything useful Fe?"
Zaine shouts from the sidelines as he holds the two captives by their rope, Cu holding Axel in his arms as he feeds him some of Zaine's milk R3d sneaked from his bag and Fe of course digging away at the truck's engine for parts. "POP!"
Judy: "No way she can find a defilber...ator? Screw it I can't pronounce that, whatever Big C said, no way she will find it on the first vehicle she decided to check.
Fe: "Oh I already found that Judy, I also found another one of the needed parts to fix the car! This truck is an old cargo hovercraft used to carry large numbers of steel across sea and land at low altitudes so of course, it would still have a few functioning parts dues to the importance of the cargo, this vehicle was made with highly reliable and durable parts, built to sustain themself and last for years to ensure no loss of cargo due to mechanical failure of the vehicle"
Judy: "Are you kidding me?"
Big C: "Now just a few more parts and we can head back to the vehicle"
Fe: "I scanned two more cargo trucks down the street, we can check them and some other vehicles in that area"
They all then head down the street and searched the two trucks in the area, retrieving the other parts and discovering bits of goods and ammunition in them packaged away in heavily sealed steel crates.
Zaine: "I thought you said they carried large amounts of steel? There's food in these crates, I mean I'm not complaining cause I'm starving. Shit's expired but I've survived expired can food before."
Fe: "I mean that's all I've ever seen these trucks carry into the city many years ago."
Cu: "That may be because that's all The Primordial used them for at the time"
Zaine: "And there's ammunition in this other one, I wonder how long these trucks have been resting here and how comes no one else came across them yet...Bot or human."
R3D: "Bree Ooop"
Zaine: "We should definitely take as much of this ammunition as we can possibly travel with, we don't have the weapons now for them but assuming we do find some or meet a trader, they can come in handy. Sadly none of this ammunition is made for my long rifle, my revolver sure, but thanks to that stupid bot over there, I'm not in possession of that anymore!"
Big C: "No regrets"
Big C sticks his metallic middle fingers up at Zaine, and Zaine returns the gesture. Fe and Cu lug most of the heavy crates of goods and a little ammunition along as they travel back to the car while Zaine held baby Axel who is fast asleep, with the two bounty hunters walking along in front of him. Judy had one of the parts to fix the vehicle while Big C had the rest along with a large crate from the cargo truck.
After a few hours, they finally arrive back at the vehicle. Found in a much worst state than they had left it. With the entire exterior stripped of his metal-covered body, leaving only the exoskeleton of the vehicle, lights and cameras removed and propped up onto some large boulders.
Zaine: "Are you freaking kidding me?"
Fe: "Oh my..."
Cu: "Well this isn't shocking"
R3D: "Bree Oop"
Zaine: "I know I should've left someone behind to watch the damn car"
Big C: "No need to be concerned, they only stripped the vehicle of its shell. We can easily use scraps of metal from the cars around us to repair it. The most important parts are still intact, the machines that did this clearly weren't very intelligent and just wanted the shiny or solid sheets of metal from the vehicle"
"POP!"
Judy: " Yeah, old pearl have been left in worst states before man"
Cu: "Pearl?"
Fe: "I think she refers to the car"
Judy: "Yes I mean the car!"
Zaine reaches over to Judy and cuts Big C loose from her, letting his hands free.
Zaine: "Well, let's not lose the sunshine, smart guy. Start fixing up old pearl"
Cu: "I will help"
Big C and Cu start repairing the vehicle with R3D watching close by while Fe, Zaine and Judy all sit together as they wait.
Fe: "Zaine... How do you communicate with R3D? Yes I know this is my one question, I thought very long about what I wanted it to be"
Zaine: "I guess I'll tell you while we wait. You see I made R3D when I was a kid actually. He could communicate with words in any language, he didn't always speak the way he does but he got damaged long ago and when I fixed him up again, this was how his voice translator was rebooted. Ever since then the planet went to shit from the rise of the machines and I couldn't fix it since I was on the run with no tools and parts to use. But him being the smart little shit he is, he found a way to teach me what he was saying even with what little he could manage to say, and I learned over the years"
Fe stood by speechless and glances over to
Judy: "Well ain't that adorable"
Judy whispers to Zaine with an innocent baby-like face, her eyes wide open and watery, mouth pouted and hands clasped to her chest. Clearly mocking Zaine, Zaine yanks on her rope, pulling her off balance causing her to fall onto the ground.
Zaine: "How's that for adorable?"
Big C and Cu pound away at the car, patching it up with the bits and pieces of metals from vehicles in the area and repairing the damaged parts with the ones they got from the cargo trucks. They finally finish after a few hours, Big C slams the hood down and Cu slides himself from under the car.
Cu: "Ok, the car is fully repaired"
Big C: "Now to confirm if it's functional"
Big C goes to enter the car and then suddenly a gunshot goes off "BLAM!"
Zaine: "You hold it right there, I'll be the one to test it out"
Zaine says as he stands up from the floor with his gun aimed at the sky. He begins to walk over to the car, Judy jumps to her feet with her arms tied behind her back and sprints towards Zaine, tackling him from behind, and knocking him to the ground. The gun flies from Zaine's hands as Judy flips herself on top of him pinning him to the ground, she swings her arms over her head from behind her back and sits atop of Zaine pressing his face into the dry, coarse dirt.
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Zaine: "What are you doing?! PPFFT! Get off of me!"
Judy: "You stay still little man, Big C! Get the gun and get in the car, let's goo...Ohhh!"
Zaine twists his body sideways, and rolls over onto Judy, forcing her into the ground, the two then begin to struggle on the ground. Judy kicks Zaine off of her sending him rolling backwards, she reaches for the gun but a metallic hand grabs hold of her shoulder.
Judy: "What are you doing?!"
Big C: "Judy, Please refrain from using hostile force"
Big C pulls Judy up from the ground by her jacket, lifting her into the air with her feet dangling above the floor.
Judy: "Put me down!"
Big C: "Not until you have calmed your hostility"
Zaine: "The hell's wrong with you woman!?"
Zaine grudges with a busted nose, streams of blood run down dripping from his chin, as he bends down reaching for his gun and holsters it.
Zaine: "See Fe? This is who you want to come along with us? This wildcard?"
Judy: "Wildcard?!"
screams Judy as she squirms around in the air held by Big C's hand,
Fe: "I am sure Judy will come around, shall we get going?"
Zaine: "I haven't even tested the car out yet, thanks to miss daisy over there tackling me, for all we know, that bot might not be as good at his job as he's supposed to be"
Judy: "You want me to break your balls next?!"
Zaine gets into the car and stares blankly at the dashboard, unaware of what he is even looking at. He sits back and tilts his head to the side with a look of confusion on his face like a curious dog.
Judy: "You don't know how to start the car... Do you?"
R3D: "Breee Ooop"
Zaine: "What the hell R3D? Whose side are you on?"
Big C: "The power button is located on the roof of the vehicle, push the lever forward in front of you to engage anti-gravity thrusters after hitting the power button and...."
Zaine: "Yeah yeah, ok I got it"
"VRRRRRMMMMMM!" The car slowly rises from the ground, blowing pebbles and dirt away from beneath it.
Zaine: "Well I guess it works"
Judy still squirming away in Big C's hand,
Judy: "I can't believe you're just gonna let them take our ride Big C!"
Fe walks up to the car with Axel in her arms, excited and playful from the sight of the car. Fe leans over to Zaine,
Fe: "We can't leave them here Zaine, think about it. Judy may be the only other human you come across, leaving her to be found by The Primordial... Would be cruel"
Zaine steps out of the car and looks over to Judy.
Zaine: "Alright, shut up about it already... Hey Big C or whatever, get in and make sure and keep that wild animal of yours under control. Look at what you got me into R3..."
R3D: "Bree Oooooop"
Zaine: "Carpooling with a bunch of machines, a crazy woman and a baby. And to top it all off we're being chased by the big bad himself and possibly more stupid bounty hunters"
R3D: "Bree Ooop"
Zaine: "How is it not your fa..? Of course, it's your fault! What are you saying?"
Big C then grabs hold of Judy with both hands and cradles her into his arms, as he walks towards the car and gets in. Cu picks up R3D from the floor, helping him up into the car and Fe enters shortly after with Axel and they take off into the air flying out of the deserted city.
Fe: "So where are we heading? Back before the attack, you said there was only one place left to go, where The Primordial won't find us"
Judy: "Where The big guy won't find you?! Hahahaha, how stupid can you be? He can find you anywhere because he is everywhere"
Zaine: "Not everywhere..."
Big C: "You do not mean the Deadzone do you?... You do know that..."
Zaine: "Yes I know, and I don't mean there, it's a neverending wasteland anyway. I'm going home, just outside of the Deadzone"
Cu: "The Deadzone? What is this Deadzone?"
Zaine: "The De..."
Big C interrupts Zaine immediately,
Big C: "The Deadzone is large vicinity where no machine can traverse, there seems to be a high powered frequency that fries all electronics when entered into its range, the deeper you go, the higher the frequency until nothing electronic works. It is said that machines who enter the Deadzone are deactivated instantly, so machine dare not go close"
Fe: "Fascinating"
Judy: "Why the hell would we go out to the Deadzone? You wanna risk frying Big C's circuits or what?! We are not going out there!"
Zaine: "As I said, we aren't going into the Deadzone lady, I know a place just outside of there, that's where we're going"
R3D: "Breee Oooop"
Cu: "But are you sure even The Primordial wouldn't dare come close to this Deadzone?"
Zaine: "It's well hidden I guess you could say, we'll be safe there trust me"
Fe: "I trust you Zaine"
Zaine: "Hey bot... I mean, Big C. How comes when we first met you, you talked different, you were less, mechanical-sounding"
Big C: "That is because I can imitate that of human's speech if I so please, I believed it to be a more trustworthy approach. Now I have no need, so I refer back to the way I am programmed to speak"
Fe: "And Big C... Why do you go by that name?"
Big C: "Judy gave me this name..."
Judy: "That's right, Big C. It stands for Cuddles because he was so adorable when I found him"
Zaine: "Cuddles? What is he, a freaking teddy bear?"
Judy: "Fuck off!"
Big C: "It is ok Judy, I believe I understand Zaine now. He is used to being alone so he is projecting his anger and disgust from this sudden change in his solitude upon anything that threatens that feeling. He is..."
Zaine: "I'm gonna stop you right there, none of that Robo therapist shit in this car or I crash this bitch straight into the ground and kill us all, I swear!"
Judy: "Well sounds like you hit the nail right on its head Big C"
Big C: "Am I ever wrong?"
R3D: "Breeee oooop"
Zaine: "Are you ever on my side R3? Why do I even keep you around?"
Fe giggles as she holds Axel in her arms, Axel begins to laugh with his baby voice, grabbing the attention of everyone in the car.
Judy: "Even the baby is laughing at you, damn Zaine, might as well just let us hand you into The Primordial after that"
Zaine: "Real funny. Can everyone shut up now until we get there at least? Does this piece of junk have a radio or music player? We've got a long ride ahead and I'll die if I gotta listen to you guys talk"
Big C: "No radio, but I can replicate any song you choose with my audio box. I have a data bank of over 1 million songs that Judy downloaded onto my drive. Songs ranging from the 1990s-2030s, so what would you like to hear?"
Zaine: "2030s and older?! Damn those are some ancient songs, I'm sure only my great grandparents know about any of your tracks"
Judy: "Hey, don't knock it till you try em ok, those songs were actually really good, especially the early 2000s"
Big C: "Yes, Judy loves songs like Up, WAP and Bodak Yellow from Cardi B, or even older songs like Get Ur Freak On, Work it and WTF by Missy Elliot"
Judy: "Hey hey hey, don't play none of those, haha don't listen to him he's messing with me haha"
Big C: "She especially listens to this song on repeat...All you ladies pop your pussy like this, shake your body, don't stop don't miss..."
Judy tackles Big C, covering his audio speakers, clearly embarrassed.
Judy: "I do not listen to that on repeat, that's a lie!"
Big C squirms his way out of her grasp,
Big C: "I do not lie, why were these songs downloaded to my hard drive then Judy?"
Zaine: "Hahahahaha! Yeah Judy, why would a machine pop that pussy like this"
Big C: "She also likes to listen to artists called Drake and Lana Del Rey when she is sad or artists like Melanie Martinez and Lady Gaga when she is feeling a little... unconventional "
Judy: "Alright Big C! Enough with what I like, play something for Zaine geez!"
Zaine: "Yeah play something Judy doesn't listen to too often haha"
Zaine looks back at Judy in the rearview mirror and then smirks,
Zaine: "Then again, play what she's listened to the most in your tracks, her top ten cause her reactions are hilarious and will be worth this trip"
Big C: "Now playing Desperado by Rhianna... "
Judy: "NOOOOOOOO! No!"
Big C: "Desperado, sitting in an old Monte Carlo..."
They continue soaring high through the clouds listening to all of Judy's embarrassing tracks, she threatened Big C to jump out of the vehicle if he didn't stop but he just restrained her to his side.
They finally arrive at The Deadzone, desolate land that stretched for miles, disappearing into the distance. Nothing in sight, no buildings, no animals, all nature like trees and grass, withered and dried.
Zaine: "We're here"
Judy: "We can see that, now where the hell can we hide out here? It's nothing but open, dried-up land. Not a single animal can be seen in sight not even from up here"
Zaine: "Just wait, you'll see where we are going soon enough"
Zaine steers the car downward, descending from the sky above, flying low to the ground just on the outskirts of The Deadzone. Suddenly a tunnel can be seen in the distance, disguised and hidden away between a mass amount of rubble and vines.
Judy: "Great, a cave, that's gonna do us just fine"
Zaine begins to speed up as he approaches the tunnel
Judy: "Hey! Slow down! You're gonna crash into..."
The car darts into the tunnel, ripping away the vines as it burst through into the dark pathway ahead. Blindly speeding through the straight path with nothing visible in sight, then suddenly a small glimmer of light can be seen coming from the floor as they approached the end of the tunnel.
Zaine: "Hold onto something"
Zaine then drives the car down a descent in the floor by the tiny glimmer of light, spiralling down into the hole entering another tunnel in the floor at a high speed. Soon after a stream of water can be seen flowing down the path and out of the exit of this tunnel. They emerge from the tunnel, and into a wide-open cavern, filled with fruit-bearing trees and ground planted provisions. Zaine then stops the car in mid-air and slowly descends onto the floor below.
Fe: "Wow... What is this place?"
Zaine: "Your new home"
Cu: "All of this...Underground, amazing"
R3D: "Bree Ooop"
Zaine: "R3D says welcome"
They all begin to exit the car, looking around at their surroundings.
Judy: "An underground bunker uh, well not bad"
Big C: "This is impressive indeed"
Fe: "Look around Axel, A new home, where we will be safe"
They all walk around the cavern, inspecting the trees and fresh water flowing from the tunnel up above as well as the huge cracked hole in the roof of the cavern, with a bright beam of sunlight shining through.
"GRRRRRRRRRR" But something lurks within the corners of the room though. Deep growls begin to echo from within the shadows.