Backstitch

Chapter 13

"You have some nerve coming back," the copy growled. His eyes watched the robotic claws slither back, allowing Lou to continue toward him.

"And you have some nerve harming my dolls." Lou shot back.

Nolan's plan seemed to be working splendidly so far. The scan couldn't tell the difference between the two prototypes now that their appearances were identical. Lou just prayed that the rest of the brunette's plan would be executed just as smoothly. Both prototypes stood their ground, Lou stopping a reasonable distance from his copy. "Being the...weak and pathetic leader that I am, I'll still give you a chance to open those cages and walk away from all this mess."

The copy scoffed, "You say that as if I'm afraid of you."

"Maybe your programming hasn't learned that it should be afraid of me."

Blue eyes glitched red dangerously. "You don't stand a chance against me. Assuming, of course, you have either the guts or the stupidity to even try and fight me." He walked up closer to Lou, getting almost nose-to-nose, "Don't try to be a hero. That's not what our kind was made to be. We're obedient to the orders given to us by our superiors. Now—" the copy looked Lou up and down condescendingly, "—be a good boy and go back to the trash where you belong."

Lou hooded his eyes, "I would...." In a split second, he clenched his fist and nailed the copy right in the jaw, "but you're not my superior." The dolls gaped, watching the prototype doubled over from the hit. Lou had never been directly violent before. His fight with Ox had to be the closest it had ever gotten, and even then, he never laid hands on the bunny.

The other slowly straightened, massaging his jaw as a chuckle escaped him, "So you do have the guts...and you're stupid." He swung a fist out to hit Lou in the chest, but it was dodged. Lou pulled the arm over his shoulder and swung the prototype flat to the ground on his back. Just as Lou was about to pin him down with his knee, feet kicked him in the stomach, and he was pushed back. "Did the factory train you to fight?" The copy swung a kick into Lou's side and wrapped an arm around his neck to choke him.

"Self-taught, actually," Lou hissed. He leaned forward and flipped the copy over his back onto the ground using the leverage. "You get bored after so many years."

"Nolan," Ox urged, "a little faster, please!" He anxiously watched the two prototypes going at it relentlessly.

"I'm panicking right now, okay? Give me a second!" Nolan shakily tried picking the cage lock with a paper clip he'd grabbed from his house. Had he ever picked a lock before? No. But the movies made it look easy.

Fun fact: it wasn't.

The point of the clip kept hitting against something, and every time Nolan went to turn it, the clip with slip out of place. He growled in frustration, tempted to slam the paper clip into the lock and break the blasted thing. "Oh my doll! Just open!" He rammed his elbow down onto the lock, yelping when it broke and clattered onto the ground.

"Atta boy!" Ox beamed up at Nolan, "I didn't know you could do that!"

"U-Uh, y-yeah!" Nolan cleared his throat and gave a nonchalant shrug, "All...part of the plan." The door swung open, and the dolls inside hurried out. "Alright, next cage."

Unfortunately, the clatter had made its way to the ears of the copy, and he looked up while fighting to see the misfits working on opening the next cage. "No!" He shoved Lou off and prepared to snap his fingers. Lou quickly barreled into and pinned him against a cage, arms held high above him with Lou interlocking their hands.

"Mandy! Check his pockets!" Lou ordered quickly, trying to pin his leg against the others so he wouldn't get kicked.

"For what? What am I looking for?" She couldn't find anything.