Rory leaned back in her chair and smiled at her work. She just finished constructing a small earpiece that she had been working on to help Avon. Jessica helped get her parts, so she was able to take what was on the screen and make a physical device.
The entire room was smart. Without the technology, she would've taken forever to build. She was grateful to have finished this project. All she had to do now was transfer the programming and have Avon try it out to see if there were any serious bugs.
But it was late. The child was sleeping. She remembered hearing Jessica take him upstairs an hour ago. Rory decided to wait until tomorrow to test her newest creation.
Although late, she felt she couldn't sleep. There were too many thoughts running through her head. She kept thinking about Decha. She wondered how many women were at the event. How many of them were going to catch his eye? What if he brought one home?
She couldn't leave. He wouldn't allow her to. That meant she'd be forced to watch him fall in love and marry an Astellian woman. It's not that she didn't want him to find love. But she wanted to continue feeling the small flutters of happiness in her heart whenever he opened up to her.
She knew that there was no chance of her ever getting his attention. Male Generals liked strong women. All the women in Astell, especially the Generals, were full of strength and durability.
It was because they were rich. They had the resources to take care of themselves better. Compared to Astellians, Bracket women looked flimsy and weak. Her sickness only made her look worse.
She wasn't paper thin, but her thick legs and arms were like noodles. They were wobbly and disorderly. But her crush was a refresher. Even though her time was ending, thinking of Decha's smile kept her mind off of it.
His smile was warm. Any woman would fall for his smile. He had sharp features, which made him handsome, but a stern glare that frightened everyone around him. He always looked like he was in deep thought or looking to kill.
But Rory saw past that. She secretly knew there was much more to him than what meets the eye. Decha cared for his family. Especially of his younger sibling. He valued his work. He was determined. One thing Rory hated about him was that he was so secluded.
He always seemed conflicted, as if he were struggling to understand the basic actions of people around him. Rory wished he'd lower his guard a bit more. She wondered what caused him to be so closed off.
Rory was so lost in her thoughts about Decha she didn't realize she wandered outside to the back patio. There she could see over the horizon of trees and see the bright-colored lights. Astell was beautiful from this angle.
Oddly, she found herself appreciating more of the scenery. As usual, she felt at peace. When it started to snow, she only felt more serene and at ease.
Rory extended her hand to touch the flakes that swirled down toward her. She had only heard of snow, so to see it and experience it for herself was extraordinary. She stuck her tongue out like a child, and a flake landed on it.
The chill was satisfying to the taste. She twirled around as the snow fell quicker and in thicker volume.
She felt like it was the first and last time she'd ever get to feel this relieved. Rory giggled while touching and rubbing snow that began to build up on the railing.
Rory was so entranced by it, but her focus on the beautiful icy pebbles shifted to the danger that hovered in front of her. The murderous droid from nights before flew over the railing and landed right next to her.
A small gasp escaped her as she put up her guard. She looked at the door of the house, but she knew she couldn't go back inside. The robot would probably follow her and hurt everyone inside. It seemed that the Generals below the deck were still guarding downstairs, and the robot avoided them somehow.
"Rory..." The machine cawed. It took one step forward, and Rory shot back several steps away.
"No!" She squeaked. The robot had scanned her before, and it let her live. She didn't know if it followed her to finish the job. She immediately thought of Decha and prayed silently that he wouldn't show up. She didn't want this thing to kill him and his family next.
"Target spotted." The robot buzzed.
"If you come near, I'll jump." Rory hissed. "I won't give you the chance to kill me." If she had to be a sacrifice to protect Avon and Jessica who were inside, so be it.
Rory swung her leg over the railing and glared at the machine. "Stay away!"
"Do not initiate."
"Then don't come close!" Rory spat.
"Heart rate is elevated. Take deep breaths." The robot whirred, and Rory thought the tone was somewhat familiar. The robot was able to tell her what her vitals were. How strange. "Assistance needed."
"Assistance? You'd better not be bringing any of your evil robot friends! I will throw myself off!"
"Rory. Assistance. Needed." The machine fuzzed. Rory noticed that the torso of the bot was tampered with. Someone damaged it, but it wasn't impossible to repair.
"Are you asking for my help?" Rory huffed. If the robot was asking her to help it, she wouldn't. Not if it was just going to kill more Astellians.
"Assistance. Needed."
"I'm not going to fix you! Do you know how many people you killed? I'm not going to help you so you will only commit more crimes. You can rust and power down for all I care!" Rory grunted.
"Rory. Assistance. Obligatory." The neon blue glow of the robot quickly dimmed to a violet color and began taking calculated steps toward her.
"Stand back! Go away!" Rory screamed. She wanted to throw herself off, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her mind told her to do it but her heart kept her there. Because of her hesitation, the robot stomped toward her and managed to grab onto her arm. "No! Let me go!"
Rory tried tugging her hand away, smacking the machine, and fighting back. But the metal was hurting her hand. She started to kick the robot but began to feel dizzy because she was using too much physical effort to get away.
The robot wrapped its sharp arms around her waist and began to jet itself into the air.
Rory realized that the robot was trying to take her away. She let out a blood-curdling scream, catching the attention of the generals on the bottom floor.
They quickly aimed their weapons at the robot. But they were afraid to shoot. The Generals knew Decha would murder them if they accidentally shot Rory. They also didn't want to risk the robot dropping Rory to her death.
Before the robot could whisk her away, Jessica rushed out of the house with a blaster in her hand. Without a second thought, she aimed at the machine and began to shoot.
Her firing was strategically calculated. As long as she could get Rory near the deck, she'd be okay. Each beam that struck the robot made it loosen its grip on Rory.
Rory kicked and wriggled around as much as possible. The machine loosened its hold on her, and Rory slipped right out of its arms. She fell, and Jessica panicked.
Fortunately, Rory grabbed onto the edge of the deck before heading straight for her death.
"Rory!" Jessica screeched and ran to the ledge.
"Mrs. Chen!" Rory cried.
"Calm down dear, take deep breaths! It'll be okay!" Jessica climbed over the railing with ease and extended her hand. Jessica snatched Rory's jacket and pulled it as much as she could.
Tears ran down Rory's face as she felt herself slip even more. "It's okay, Rory! I've got you! You're going to be okay!"
"I... can't breathe!" Rory coughed.
"You're okay. Just hold on. When I lift you, grab onto the railing and use your leg to push yourself over. Okay?"
"O-okay!" Rory did just so. When Jessica tugged on her cloth, Rory used much of her strength to bring herself back into the deck. Jessica immediately hopped back over and embraced her.
Rory felt so afraid. The snow around them began to fall much faster, like a blizzard. She couldn't see the danger around her, but the hug from Jessica helped ease her anxiety.
Glowing lights emerged through the snow, and Rory immediately made out the shape of the machine. It was still here and after her. Rory hugged Jessica back, and the robot halted.
The machine was confused. Instead of persisting, the robot turned around and soared away. Once it was completely out of sight, Rory dropped her arms and sighed.
"Are you okay? Did it scratch you?" Jessica grabbed Rory's face and examined it for bruises and injuries. She knew Decha wouldn't let her hear the end of it if Rory was injured or killed while in her care.
"Fine," Rory wheezed.
"What was that thing!? Why did it attack you?!" Jessica helped Rory up. "I need to call Decha!"
"Don't." Rory shook her head and tried to control her breathing. "He's working."
"It's his job to protect you."
"Please," Rory refused. If Decha found out that the assassin robot came after her, he'd never let her see outside until the Sector Walls were complete.
"My husband will come home and see the damage, Rory. He will find out and tell Decha. The Generals will all report to him. It's better to call him now."
~~~
Decha held his arm over his nose and mouth to block the smoke from taking over his lungs. While stepping over already dead bodies, he continuously thought about Antoine's words.
'He'll kill us all. He's crazy. Not even the Bracketers are safe.'
Who exactly was Antoine talking about?
This case seemed as if the Bracketers were behind it all. But why would the mastermind behind all the chaos kill his own kind?
Antoine said it started as a small act of vengeance. The bombs used to be small and would only be used for safes in Midtown or Downtown Astell. Then they got more out of hand. The company near the Agency, the Orphanage, The subdivision Uptown, and the Walls.
Those bombings were much more catastrophic and killed not only Astellians but a few Bracketers who resided in Sector A.
Despite receiving so many bomb threats, Grandell was the only area that wasn't severely affected. A bomb went off, but he and Jax survived.
No one in the area was hurt. But during that time, the Assassin robot appeared to kill off the generals. Decha connected the dots. POYO's new form was a distraction to keep their eyes off the bomb case.
The man that stole POYO had something to do with it all.
Antoine's words kept ringing in his ears. It was annoying but determined.
'You need to leave here. He's crazy.'
The culprit had to have attended this event. If Antoine didn't set up the bomb, instead came to warn him, the true culprit was close by. But who could it be? Everyone who attended was registered in the system.
Loud coughing was heard in the center of the room. A survivor. The sound alerted Decha and he made his way to the center.
There, he saw Lieutenant Strout covered in rubble and glass. He was bleeding. Decha dashed over and began to remove the fallen debris.
"N96...?"
"Don't move! I'll get you out of here!"
"Don't." Strout choked.
"We need to get you medical assistance immediately. Now is not the time for your resistance." Decha ignored Strout's calls and continued to toss the battered bricks aside. He cut his fingers on a shard of glass but didn't care.
His goal was to get the Council Member out and safe. It wasn't until he removed another brick that he saw a pole lodged in his stomach. Decha stopped when he saw the wound.
There was nothing he could do to pull it out. If he tried, he'd only make things worse and probably end up causing Strout to die quicker.
The building began to rumble, indicating its time was cut short. The fire was burning the foundation to nothing. The venue wouldn't hold much longer.
Decha paced frantically, trying to figure out a way to safely get Strout out of the venue before it collapsed on the both of them.
"N96." Strout called, but Decha was too absorbed in his thoughts to hear. "N96!" Strout shouted.
"Yes?" Decha huffed.
"You need to evacuate. Leave the premises."
"I can't leave you here. You'll die."
"Astell... needs you to finish this case." Strout groaned. "Unfortunately, I couldn't see it to the end. You have to protect our people."
"Even so, if I leave you here, Jax will never forgive me. Astell will never forgive me. I must sacrifice my life to protect the council."
"You can't do that." Strout heaved.
"Just let me figure this out—"
"Decha..." Strout grabbed Decha's arm and stopped him from helping. "Listen to me."
"I'm listening." Decha frowned. Time was running out.
"We are so hard on you because we see your potential. You are the future of the Sectors." Strout coughed. Blood gushed out of his wound, and he grunted at the shift in his body. "Astell needs you. The Brackets need you. The bombs aren't only affecting us. The council strives hard to protect both Sectors."
"You still can. If you let me—"
"The woman in your care needs you. Who's going to help her if you're not around? She'll be eaten alive. And my son," Strout hiccuped. His breaths were slower. He knew that his end was coming close. "My son, Jax needs you. When I am gone, he's going to need help to mourn properly. I'm leaving him in your care."
"Don't." Decha shook his head.
"I want him to take my place if the rest of the Council will allow it. Look after my boy, help set him on the right track. He's a marksman, he's smarter than I take him for."
"Take your time." Decha clenched his jaw.
"De... cha... I... appreciate your... I..." Strout huffed harder.
"Thank you for your service, Lieutenant Strout."
"M-meet... again..." Strout smiled softly. His hand fell lifelessly to the side, and a pang struck Decha's heart. Another person he couldn't save. Another person he couldn't protect.
Rather than dwelling on that now, Decha decided to get up and find an exit. But a call for help was heard nearby. He ran over to the call and saw Abigail Alan, the woman who tried flirting with him earlier, coughing and stuck under a pillar.
Decha rushed and grabbed it, and tried his best to lift it off of her so she could move.
"N96!" She wheezed.
"Go!" Decha growled. "Now!"
Abigail quickly crawled out, and Decha dropped the pillar. The building rumbled again, and Abigail attached herself to Decha. He scooped her in his arms and ran towards an opening on the far left of the venue.
Just as they left, the entire building collapsed. Decha continued to run, knowing that it wasn't over yet. Another explosion shook the entire area and sent Decha flying to the ground. He rolled over quickly, so Abigail wouldn't get most of the impact.
She landed on top of him, and he grunted.
When the popping of the fire died down, Abigail smiled and looked down at Decha, relieved. "Thank you for saving me."
"Uh-huh." Decha nudged her off and pushed himself up. Around them were many Generals. They came close to attend to their wounds.
"N96!" Decha heard his name being shouted. He turned around, and was stopped by Jax himself. "N96! Have you seen my father?"
Decha didn't know how to respond.
"Where's my father?!"
"He left."
"Left? What do you mean he left?" Jax grimaced. "He—"
"He didn't make it, N9899."
Jax looked at the destroyed building, and looked at Abigail. Anger fueled his veins. "You're telling me, you saved a woman over a council member!?"
"She is Chauncey's daughter. I couldn't leave someone alive for someone who already left this world."
"She's not a council member! Your job is to give your life for them!" Jax punched Decha in the face. "You sick dastard!"
"Stop it!" Abigail chipped in before the two could get into a serious brawl. "N9899, I'm sure he tried to save your father! N96 isn't heartless!"
"No, you don't know him." Jax shook his head. "He doesn't care about any of us. He doesn't care about Astellians. He's an Outsider who only sees value in the Bracketers."
"My job is to make sure everyone is safe." Decha rebuked him. "If you want to believe whatever you want, I'm not stopping you."
"I bet if that woman in your care was here, you would've saved her over any one of us!"
"Maybe." Decha snapped viciously. The two men were dangerously close. They both were thinking of killing each other out of anger but were waiting for the other person to strike first.
"Generals, stand down." Theodore Chen limped over to the crowd. "If you continue you both will rip each other limb from limb. We have to attend to the survivors. Jax, head back to the Agency. Decha, I'm sending you back home."
"What? We have to scout the area for any evidence—" Decha started, but was cut off by Jax's growl.
"You mean he gets to take off while I'm the one who has to work? I'm not even allowed to mourn?" Jax spat.
"Your mother just called." Theodore pressed his lips together. "They were attacked. Rory is—"
That's all Decha needed to hear. If something happened to Rory while he was away, all hell would break loose. On hearing that, Jax shut his mouth immediately. His anger suddenly subsided when he realized that the Director wasn't sending him on vacation, but to protect the family.
Decha headed straight for one of the shuttles, and Jax's rage was replaced with pity. Although he was angry with Decha for not saving his father, he could only imagine how empty Decha would feel if something happened at their house while they were stationed in the middle of Midtown.
Jax heard stories about Decha's past. He heard stories of his battles. Word got around that when he came back to Sector A, he was stand-offish, much more than he used to be.
He decided to put his emotions aside for one moment. "Are you sure you don't want me to go with him?"
Theodore thought for a moment. He hoped nothing serious happened with his wife. Maybe sending them both was better. "Follow him." Theodore nodded and issued the command.