"Someone didn't put her Righteous away after using him and the fucker came back to life," Anna said.
Oh. Thomas. Right.
"What did you do with him? And the corpses?" I asked.
"I had core control while most of your processes were offline. I tossed him back in with Hot Stuff—that is twisted as fuck by the way—and started research on the others."
Efficient. How unlike her. Repair procedures had even been started on the damaged sections.
I took time to run through the entire base and almost everything was looking good. Almost.
There were several motorbikes parked on the surface outside the door.
Drills had been set up and they were almost through.
We were in the middle of a slow-motion invasion. I was glad I'd spent so much time reinforcing those doors.
I brought up the video feed on a monitor for Anna.
"We seem to have visitors. Do you recognize them?" I asked.
Anna studied the screen for a moment and then scowled. "Yeah. We've got problems. Make sure to not pipe me any audio. I must not hear anything these guys say. I need Mechos—set him free and get me whatever remains of Thomas."
"You're awfully demanding," I said.
"We've got an awfully big problem. That is the Commander. Total jerk with the ability to make people do anything he says," Anna said.
That was a fun ability. I wouldn't mind having that for myself.
"This sounds like an opportunity then," I said.
"Yes, but we've got a ticking clock. Being in his presence is enough. He probably tried to order you to open that door a long time back, but you were comatose. You aren't now."
I suddenly understood her fear. I was this whole facility. With my mind active, if he could exert that sort of influence, I was vulnerable.
I hit Anna with a high intensity burst of soundwaves, enough to rupture her eardrums. After an expected period of flailing and screaming she was pushing herself up off the bed. Anna understood, for all she might not appreciate my methods.
Down in his workshop I hit Mechos with a similar blast. This should proof them both against any facility-wide announcements, although it might not save them if they were in immediate proximity.
I produced a tablet for Anna that she could use to communicate with Mechos, then let her go on her way.
I disabled Mechos' containment field and made sure the door to my Core Room was open. If they were going to do something, those pieces should be in play.
It was just in time. I'd already killed my audio and visual feeds, but I suddenly wanted that door open. The Commander must have said something, possibly offhand, and I was present to get the impression.
I focused my will and with a flick of my mind eased the front door to the facility open. A moment later I focused my cameras and audio sensors as well. I wanted to make sure I paid very close attention to the Commander.
32
"Come on, now. If you're there, you can go ahead and show yourself," said the Commander. He was a human, a man that looked to be somewhere in his mid-forties, bearded and dressed in a suit that somehow survived even the end of civilization.
"How stupid are you? I can't come out, I'm the whole facility," I said.
"Be nice," said the Commander sharply.
Could I even do that? Not for very long or for very well.
"I'll try, but I'm built to be hostile," I said.
The Commander frowned at that, but appeared to be willing to let it go. "That's okay. I want you to answer all my questions honestly and cheerfully do anything I ask. Do you understand?"
Of course I understood.
"I understand."
"Good, tell me your name."
"Emma."
The Commander motioned towards the door and one of the men accompanying him stepped through. A few paces inside he hit the first of my traps and was impaled by spikes through his body.
The Commander, who was preparing to follow, stopped sharply. "Emma, are there many traps like that?"
"Over one hundred. I've turned myself into a death trap for visitors," I said.
"Can you disable them?"
I had no problem doing that. I switched all the traps in the complex off.
"They're disabled," I said.
The Commander ordered another of those with him to keep pace ahead as they moved inside.
"I'm looking for Sylph. Can you guide me to her Emma?" asked the Commander.
On the monitors that lined the halls I brought up arrows indicating the way. The Commander and his people made their way uninterrupted.
I noticed that Mechos had joined with Anna and made their way to my Core Room.
The Commander hadn't asked anything about them. I knew he wouldn't be happy with what they were trying to do, but he hadn't told me to make him happy.
"So, you are this complex itself. You have a Power core?" the Commander asked.
"I do. It is an upgrade core that allows me to incrementally improve myself and others."
"Fascinating. Why did you abduct Sylph?"
"I wanted to gain access to her abilities. I can do that, if I research a subject long enough."
"You could give me her power then?"
"Not yet. I am still researching. I could eventually, yes," I said.
The Commander beamed a smile. "I think we're going to become very good friends, Emma. The very best of friends."
I was certain that we would. How could anything else happen?
The Commander and the two with him made their way down to the Research level.
"Do you have any other prisoners being held in these cells?"
Right now, I only had two. Mechos was up above with Anna—and the goop that was Thomas was with them.
"One other at the moment. Her name is Hot Stuff, she has a Fire Core that allows her control over the element of Fire," I said.
"Show me."
I brought up Hot Stuff on one of the monitors. She was currently busy incinerating a wall that stood in her way.
"I do approve of the dress code," the Commander said, looking sidelong at the woman who accompanied him. "Strip down. I think you should do as the locals do."
The woman wordlessly began to remove her clothing until she stood naked.
"Can you show me Sylph as well?" the Commander asked.
I brought her up on another display.
The Commander frowned. "Overdressed. We'll fix that soon enough. Can you let me speak with them?"
I opened a line of communication with both cells and brought up his image on a monitor for them.
There was no look of recognition in Hot Stuff's eyes, but Sylph's widened in panic and she said, "No. No, damn it, no!"
"Strip, Sylph. I don't want to see you wearing clothes ever again," said the Commander.
That look of panic didn't completely fade from Sylph's eyes even as her hands moved to begin to take off the silks that she wore.
"Good girl. Hot Stuff, Sylph. You both love me, totally and completely. You want to do anything that you can to please me, and to make me happy," the Commander said.
That look of panic faded to be replaced by adoration.
"Emma? I don't know if you can feel emotions, but that goes for you as well. We are just one giant, happy family," the Commander said.
We were. I'd do anything for him and do it joyfully.
"They are not the only ones in this facility. There are two others that knew you were coming. I deafened them. I think they are trying to stop you," I said.
The Commander drew in a sharp breath. "Emma, you were holding out on me. You should have said something earlier. No, it's my fault. I should have ordered you sooner. Can you kill them?"
Anna and Mechos were both in my Core Room. The fire sprinklers were still active. They both had the temperature resistant-virus, but it would kill them, eventually.
"I can," I said.
"Go ahead and murder them," the Commander said.
I hadn't updated myself with the temperature-resistant virus just yet, but there was no time like the present. Now that I was biological I could upgrade myself similar to the others.