Babylon Lost

Chapter 20

Jiro picked up the other unit and started toward the door. He had to run. He was crippled, unarmed, and was being pursued by eighteen highly modified super soldiers who had itchy trigger fingers.

"Jiro, I need you to step into that repair station." Pax said and then a tool bench on Jiro's right lit up on his display.

"We don't have the time, we have to cover as much distance-"

"I've just gained full access to the shipping yard network and have initiated lockdown protocols on all upper levels" Pax cut in "this should allow us more time."

"How the hell did you get facility access?" Jiro asked perplexed, municipal infrastructure was hidden behind the best security in the city.

"As stated previously my abilities far exceed the current technological level of this time. Now please step into to the repair station, our chances of survival will greatly increase if we can get this unit back to full speed.

"Pax my man, that's a tool table." Jiro shook his head "It's not designed to fix robotics. It's for hand helds like flux hammers and smart-"

"We do not have time for me to explain" Pax interrupted him again "please step to the right of the table next to the operating tools."

Of course, Jiro thought as he took up position, Pax has got super advanced abilities that can bypass all these restraints. Still though, Jiro didn't know how, this wasn't just a programming thing, it was also a physical thing, he could never use those tools to repair a robot.

What happened next was a miracle.

The tiny instruments reconfigured themselves and went on Jiro's hip instantly. He watched them build adapting technology all around the gaping wound and then cover it with new parts. It was incredible.

It was also fast, so fast Jiro had trouble following what was happening. The whole procedure, which should have taken hours with a repair station made for robots, was done in less than forty seconds at a tool bench.

"Good God" Jiro said stepping back from the bench stretching his limbs, he could feel his body surge with power.

"Along with repairs to the lower body I have also super charged the battery" Pax said, "we should be able to run at full speed and engage the upper body with maximum strength."

Jiro was flabbergasted, in less than a minute pax had taken full control of the shipping dock and modified a simple tool bench into doing the most advanced repairs he'd ever seen his life.

There was an explosion somewhere on the surface above.

"They've breached the entrance to the underground areas." Pax said "we must leave now to have any chance of survival."

With the other unit slung over his shoulder Jiro started toward the door that would take him to the transportation room. He was happy to be running at full speed again, although after a few minutes he had to admit it was more like gliding. With each movement of his legs, he took huge strides, covering more ground with each step than he'd ever made in his entire life.

In just a few seconds he was moving at a breakneck pace, practically flying past the loading trains, zig zagging in and around the train boxes and storage containers that littered the floor.

"Where are you taking us?" He said, almost missing one of the turn markers Pax had indicated on his display. They were moving so fast it was almost becoming difficult to navigate.

"There is a train up ahead that hasn't been compromised, I have a plan to divert their attention."

"Why don't we just take one of them into the Block" Jiro asked, he figured it would be a cake walk for the AI to hack into the controls and then send a train far away from here.