Rebirth {Book One}

Chapter 13

"Pod, do you have the onboard fabricator installment?"

A hatch opened in the Pod's walls, revealing a cupboard-like space fitted with a mechanism reminiscent of a 3D printer. "Yep."

I opened the cupboard where I kept the brick of Element and noticed that I still had the chunk from Thomas' arm and a sample of the weird liquid I took from Mumei's face.

"Oh right, I have those." The day Emily invited me and Mumei to lunch, I'd meant to run scans on the chunk and the liquid using the Pod's scanner. (Duh)

I sliced a two-inch long cube from the Element then handed it to the fabricator along with a needle and a few magnets then I addressed the Pod,

"Can you make a compass that resonates with Element?"

"On it." The Pod slid the materials into the walls through a hatch then turned on the fabricator, beams of light fabricating a compass with the materials. I remember when one of my colleagues had achieved the breakthrough that led to the invention, and I still don't fully understand how it worked. Within minutes, there was a full compass in the 3D printer's tray, the shimmering needle spinning for a few moments before focusing northeast.

I took the compass and slid it into my pocket, then grabbed my rifle from the cabinet and a sling bag I bought from the village a few days back.

"Last thing, can you run scans on these while I'm out?" I stuck the chunk and the sample into a tray that stuck out of the wall and it retracted once I placed them onto it.

"Where are you heading?" Mumei narrowed her eyes at me.

I quickly stuck the compass into my jean pockets. "Going for a walk."

To my surprise, she seemed satisfied. "Bring me back berries."

"I'll eat them all before I get back." I halfheartedly joked with her, then ran off into the woods.

Once I was sure I was out of seeing distance from the Pod, I whipped out the compass and held it out in front of me. After realigning myself to the compass' direction, I continued walking. Behind me, something crunched against the branches of the forest floor. I wheeled around, gun at the ready, when I noticed a rock at my feet, a note duct-taped to it.

"What the hell?" I bent over to pick it up, tore off the note, and read it;

Last chance to turn back, Leo
I don't think you'll very much like what happens next,
Wether the outcome is good or bad

The writing was chicken-scratch written in red ink, leading me to the only conclusion that Bae must have written it.

"I'll be in then out, though some of that help you mentioned at the Council meeting would be appreciated." I said, certain that she's watching me with her weird hologram tablet, then carried on.

The journey was pretty uneventful. I just shambled along the forest and readjusted my course when needed. Nothing popped out at me, which just made me more uneasy. After two or three more hours, I noticed that the compass was pointing backward.

"Must've passed it." I told myself. I turned around and scanned my surroundings, but all of it looked like ordinary forest to me. There was no evidence of any kind of cave entrance anywhere. After walking around the area to look for underground tunnels, it just led me back to the spot I was standing in earlier.

Under my feet?. I unslung my rifle from my shoulders. Taking a few steps back, I hit the ground with the butt of the gun, and a hollow thump sounded.