Amber Deen Leska
Amber Deen’s mind whirled from the barrage of visions and voices. For the first time during this mission, Gabe alerted her to danger.
[Don’t fight or you’ll get injured.]
For the past few seconds, Gabe had been trying to convince Deen not to fight when a three-armed man wearing a suit would come to capture Kelsey. This man was a BID agent, from the make of his suit, the style of his augments, and, especially, the design of his mask. Seeing that Dario and the others were fighting together with the BID agent to contain Kelsey, supercharged by Pino, the BID agent must have been sent by the Professor. If not, the agent would either arrest them all or try to save them, assuming that a wandering Adumbrae was attacking them.
Myra would try to rescue her sister and flee. Deen would help them both, blocking the agent’s path. This was how she’d get injured, and it was an acceptable outcome. She would go against Gabe’s instruction when this future became present.
This is Dario’s contingency plan! Despite Deen’s many qualms with her ability, she acknowledged that it was very powerful.
But before she could tell Erind what she had learned, her visions changed. Gabe could see further into the future, and it wasn’t a good future. It was a blur of violence.
Two points of gold appeared at the end of the tunnel. Then four balls of blue light lit up the darkness.
A hulking metallic creature with four arms quickly killed their group inside the tunnel, firing lasers that burned off their heads or punching holes into their bodies. They barely had time to react. Everett jumped in front of Deen and turned into a mist of blood. The red sprayed on Deen’s face in her vision, but it was as if she felt it on her skin.
Deen was too stunned to think. This was the first time she had seen the death of her friends in her visions. It felt too real. Dread choked her.
Kelsey shifted beside Deen, but continued pretending to be unconscious. She must’ve noticed Deen tensing up.
Who is this metal man? A new enemy? Someone sent by the PCM to finish them off?
Deen noted the burned strips of clothes hanging from the robot’s frame. There were also clumps of gelatin falling off his metal skin, especially his face, but she couldn’t tell what the substance was. The flashlights weren’t pointing at him. He was illuminated only each time he fired his lasers.
Everyone was fleeing everywhere. Deen carried Erind’s body. Where was the BID agent? Dario was also gone. Were they dead or did they escape? The BID agent must have rescued only Dario, leaving the rest of them to die to the robot.
(Gabe, what’s happening? Tell me more! How do we survive this?)
Gabe recalibrated its predictions. The next vision, their group put up a better fight. But as with the previous version, Everett immediately died. Once Deen got her arm blown off, Gabe reset the vision. The events sped up into flashes. Their group lasted longer each time as Gabe adjusted their actions. But some would die nonetheless, and the murderous robot would eventually get to Deen.
Deen’s heart pounded as she watched everything unfold. Her skin started to feel clammy with every death shocking her.
Why was Gabe silent again? Why did he keep showing her deaths? She should be receiving instructions on what to do!
A sudden vision made Deen gasp—Erind woke up and pushed her towards danger. The metal man reached down and punched Deen, his golden eyes blazing with murderous intent.
The vision ended.
(Are you telling me not to trust Erind?) Deen wondered if the boosted version of Gabe could lie. Gabe knew that she wouldn’t leave Erind behind, even if it’d cost her life.
Did Gabe decide to make false scenes to convince Deen to follow him? Was he preempting her sacrificial decisions later, deciding to show her this scene instead of immediately telling her to escape? Or would this actually happen in the future? Would the Adumbrae inside Erind control her to sacrifice Deen and escape?
Deen didn’t want to believe it, but this was very possible.
Gabe didn’t give any explanation. Instead, he said, [Tell the others. It’s time to leave before he comes.]
Deen didn’t need to ask who he was. Leaving Erind’s body and Kelsey behind, she almost drove through the circular door of the lab. “We should escape!”
She expected to see everyone busy examining the base. But all of them were standing in a circle; it sounded like they were in the middle of an argument.
“What?” Dario asked, snapping his head towards Deen.
“Great danger!” Deen exclaimed. She couldn’t construct a better sentence because she was reeling from her visions. “Something is coming that’ll kill us all,” she managed to say. Sensing puzzled feelings from Pino, Deen was quick to explain, (Erind, I’m not faking this. We all have to leave!)
Dario rushed to the rectangular machine behind Pino and plugged something into it. “Deen, are you sure that all of us will die?”
“Yes!” What kind of question was that? He wouldn’t be bothered if only some would die?
“Who will attack us?” Dario asked. The fear in her voice drove home the danger. He no longer cared that Pino, an Adumbrae and a possible enemy, might glean Deen’s precious ability.
“A large metal man with four arms. We can’t stop it!”
“It’s not one of my guys,” said Pino. “And how do you know—?”
“Everyone, pack up every important thing you see!” Dario ordered. “We’ll move in a few seconds, right after I—Damnit!” He took out a tiny beeping object from inside his pocket. It turned out to be a phone. “Is everything alright?” he asked the unknown person on the other side. This probably wasn’t Johann.
(Deen, what’s going on?) Erind mentally asked. (Is Dario’s backup coming?)
(His reinforcement is a BID agent supposed to fight with us against you. This might be the person he’s talking to.)
(So, that’s why he’s delaying me. I’m the main target.)
(But this metal man comes and—)
(Metal man?)
(I don’t know who he is!) Deen sent memories of her vision to Erind.
“Dario,” Deen said. “We need to escape now, or our path is blocked.”
Dario was focused on his call. “Cancel the plan! No, don’t come here. Delay him, but don’t get caught. Find your own escape.” It was surreal to see Dario shout and break his composure. He didn’t expect this metal man, but it seemed as if he knew who it was.
“Did something happen to Johann?” Myra asked.
Dario shook his head at Myra but didn’t elaborate. His hands tapped across a keyboard, accessing the PCM computers. “The BID is coming.”
“The fuck?” Reo shrilly shouted.
“How did they know we’re here?” Everett wondered, looking at Pino. Dario was controlling the narrative, hiding the fact that a BID agent was coming to assist him.
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” said Dario. “All of you leave before the BID agent, this metal man, arrives. I’m going to stay and see what I can squeeze from the PCM servers.”
“Come with us, man,” said Everett while zipping a full duffel bag. “You’re going to get caught if you stay. It’s a dead-end here.”
“He wants us to leave so danger will follow us,” said Pino. “We’ll be the bait while he does his little thing here. Selling out your fellows is such a human move. I’m proud of you.”
“Don’t try to drive a wedge between us, Adumbrae.” Dario looked up from the glowing green screen and pointed at Pino. “This metal man will be after you, I can assure you of it. You and Merge’s sister because you’re both Adumbrae. Go now if you value your unnatural existence on this plane. We’ll meet another time. I’m sure you’ll contact me because we still have unfinished business.”
“My sister—” Myra started to say.
“We don’t need Pino’s help,” said Dario. “We’ll find a way to wake her up. It’s better that she’s knocked out while you escape.”
(Change of plans.) Erind broadcast in Deen’s head as Dario talked. (This message is for all the Bs. I, Pino, will go on my own. But I’ll be nearby. Kelsey, go with Myra and the others. You’re still knocked out, okay? Once everyone is away from Dario, Myra and Kelsey will have to separate. Think of an excuse, Myra. Deen, back her up if need be.)
(Got it.) Though certain death was coming, Deen couldn’t help but be amazed at how fast Erind analyzed the situation and adjusted their plan.
“I’m going ahead, everyone!” Pino cheerily waved as she left the PCM base. “Stay alive for next time!”
“Let’s freaking go, too!” Reo rushed past Deen, abruptly stopping when he reached Kelsey and Erind. He picked up Erind’s body that was wobbling on its feet, and draped it over his shoulder.
“I’ll carry her!” Deen shouted.
“Help Merge with her sister,” said Reo. “Give me a flashlight. I’ll lead the way.”
“Here, man.” Everett tossed the flashlight he held to Reo, and Reo went off running after Pino.
Myra locked eyes with Deen while picking up Kelsey. Erind continued to speak to their minds.
(You’re going to use the alternative exit Dario has planned,) said Erind. (Yeah, I know, Myra. Say that you don’t want Kelsey to endanger the others so that you can separate. We’ve talked about that other exit. Head to that one. Yes, the right path later.) Myra was communicating with Erind, and Erind sent her replies to all the 4Bs so they’d be on the same page.
(It’ll be dangerous,) Deen said. (I’ll go with Myra. Everett and Reo can handle themselves.)
(Good thinking. Bring my body with you.) Erind told Myra about the plan. (It’s fine, Myra. I don’t want my body with Reo and Everett. And I can switch to Blanchette if needed. We 4Bs should move as one. Yes, Kelsey. We’ll have to think of a story about how you’ll get separated from Myra.)
(We can say that we ran into Pino again,) Deen suggested. Pino was a few feet ahead of Reo, illuminated by his flashlight. (Pino managed to get Kelsey from us.)
(Let’s go with that. I won’t go far. I actually can’t go that far. Stupid slow legs. Deen, can you see what’ll happen once we split up? Will this robot go after the girls or the guys?)
Deen was already watching the future. Hot blue lasers lanced through the tunnel. They survived because of Gabe’s instructions, but she couldn’t see how long they’d last. (It’ll go after us.)
(Okay, I’ll use Pino to slow down the robot. I can probably have a chat. Ask who sent it.)
Deen sent her vehement rejection to Erind. (What if the metal man can kill you? We don’t know for sure if you’re indestructible.)
(Relax. My soul would probably just return to my body.)
“Heads up, Adumbrae!” Reo caught up to Pino and ran past her. “You’ll have to run faster than that to escape the BID.”
(Reo’s carrying my body!) Disgust pulsed from Erind. (Deen, get it back!)
Deen frowned. Erind was worried about this? Deen knew that her best friend didn’t like physical contact with others, but that shouldn’t be an immediate worry. They were in a dire situation.
But Deen still obliged. “Oberon, I’ll carry my best friend.”
“What? I told you that I’m fine. She’s practically weightless.”
(Deen, take my body from him! I’m going to shoot—) “Whoa!” Pino exclaimed as Deen picked her up.
“You take Pino,” said Deen.
“The fuck are you on? I’m not gonna—”
“You have to.” Deen overtook Reo and blocked his path. They had already reached the first intersection. “If the BID catches Pino, they’ll know about all of us.”
“Yeah, I’ll tell them about your identities,” Pino chimed in. “You'd better take me with you. I won’t stick around for long, don’t worry. Just get me far enough from here.”
“I don’t care if you die!” Reo shouted.
The grumble of the earth responded. It was distant and muffled, but they all knew it came from the direction of the house. The tunnels vibrated slightly.
“We have to move! Now!” Deen took Erind’s body from Reo and almost shoved Pino into his arms.
“Hi, Reo,” said Pino. “You’re saving me, that means I owe you. Tell me your wishes.”
“Don’t tempt me with that shit.” Reo ran in the opposite direction from the house. To his credit, he didn’t throw away Pino. Reo had once told them that Adumbrae killed some of his relatives, so he had the right to be angry at Pino. But he also came to the same conclusion that none of them should be caught by the BID.
(With the 4Bs here,) Erind said, a misplaced glee lacing her thoughts, (we can defeat this robot.)
(I already told you that we will die.)
(If the robot shoots us from the other end of the tunnel, then yeah. We’ll find a corner somewhere. I’ll juice up Kelsey. You’ve seen what you can do when I gave you power. Kelsey would blast the robot into a pile of junk. Kelsey is up to try it.)
Did Kelsey make this suggestion or did Erind say it first? Deen knew that the Erind she knew wouldn’t want to risk fighting.
(With your Guardian Angel,) continued Erind, (I’m sure we can win. We just need to choose the battlefield. If not the Pino-Kelsey combo, I can transform into Blanchette. Can you see if it’ll work?)
(I can’t control my visions.) A moment after Deen told Erind that, a new wave of visions arrived. Her head spun as the visions split. It was like there were multiple screens, and her eyes were pulled to each of them. Gabe presented the what-ifs of fighting the metal man.
In several instance, they could win once they reached a certain spot in the tunnels to neutralize the range of the lasers. However, even if Kelsey or Blanchette could tear into the metal skin of their enemy, revealing red human blood and bits of flesh, all futures end in a bright light.
Deen couldn’t understand what was happening. She didn’t need to. One thing was certain.
[You’ll all die if you fight.]
(Author’s Notes: Kind of confusing to have conversations layered in this chapter. Anyway, Gabe is already OP. Boosted Gabe is even more OP, as we can see here. I’ve thought before whether it would break the story to have a power like this. But then, Erind wouldn’t survive a lot of things if Deen weren’t around. Also, most of the things that Deen would counteract are due to Erind’s shenanigans. And there’s tension with Gabe saving only Deen, but Deen wants to save Erind as well. Thanks for your support!)