VOCOM

Chapter XXVI

With the doubled power of two Trans Shooters firing simultaneously at the same point, Benlark had no defense against the pulsating, destructive, powerful light. We heard the final wire break before we saw it: the crackling and imploding of the mainframe before it burst into flame, showering the entire room with sparks and inflamed ashes. He was being destroyed from the inside out, and was ultimately past his breaking point.

“Quintley!” VOCOM yelled out over the loud destruction. “Move!”

He did, nimbly despite his stature, finishing his job with the Shooter. I did the same. I didn’t need to be told to get my ass out of that room; it was shattering from the walls down. Benlark’s antagonized, piercing screams vibrated the room accordingly, causing even more of the crumbling wall to fall and give way. He was causing the entire room to collapse, which meant that everything else would go down with it.

I followed the AI and Quintley out of the room, our job done. His mainframe was beginning to explode; I could tell with the faint rumbles that increased with magnitude, even with the more distance we put between him and us. We only had so long to get out before we went down with him, and that was something I wasn’t going to allow. Now that I had finally got the horrid job done, I wasn’t going to let my life fall so easily into plummeting depths of death.

I took the lead once I caught up with then, already firing out a light bridge to make our escape on. I glanced behind me to see Quintley following suit, with VOCOM in tow. I turned back to focusing on leading them out and up of the shambled corridor. Only when we were somewhat safely back into the main, vast emptiness of what used to be Kortan did I actually put my legs—and theirs—into strain by guiding the light bridge upwards at a slope. I didn’t have time to waste and we needed to get out.

We fled upwards as fast as we could at such a steep angle, flinching at the loud and consecutive rumbles chasing after us swiftly. An immense heat soon followed, pushing me forwards faster with a determined strain. I nearly cried out when the faint, glowing light from the entrance hole at the very top finally came into my view.

I checked behind me to see they were following closely, glad no one was lagging because of the steepness of the light, and urged my burning, hurting legs to go just a bit faster. Just a bit more, I chanted to myself. Almost there!

Running out of the hole and into the real world brought a new sense of relief upon me. As soon as fresh air hit my nose, I inhaled greatly, nearly choking myself by breathing through my mouth and nose simultaneously. I dropped the light, it dissipating into nothing. My feet hit the ground and I wanted to fall and just lay on the solidness for awhile. I couldn’t do that then- especially not amongst rubble, ruins and radiation. I couldn't- but I did, falling to my knees and grasping at the grass with my hands. I breathed deeply, over and over.

Quintley and VOCOM stood near me, each with their own expression of exhaustion, shock and wear. The explosions had quieted, and we were safe. We were outside. It was over! Elation washed over me, making me cry with the realization that there was no possible way this would ever happen again; the finalization definite.

I smiled; I couldn’t help but let my lips stretch and crack over the blood and dirt that no doubt covered me. The sun’s afternoon light hit my cheek, chilling the cold, dank freeze out of me. I welcomed it with a warm heart and open gratitude.

I sat back on my haunches and turned to look at the other two. They were here with me, unscathed. We were finally, ultimately safe! We were free once more, to do as we wished with no arm to bear down upon us. We had no machine to answer to, no set life to live by rules and protocol. It was an absolutely wondrous feeling, and it seemed only Quintley shared it with me. VOCOM, on the other hand, looked meek and depressed where we were smiling gaily.