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October 25th

7:36 PM

Diana (Lilian Rose)

Of course, I had to take over driving again! Dryder lounged in the side seat, pulling it further back and unknowingly squishing Topaz, whose presence was further hidden to Dryder's carelessness with the drink flowing inside him right now. His voice slurred out. "Sooo Dready, ya work with the devil himself, eh? Gotta say, damn shame you got that copycat of mine."

Ripley didn't have his mask on right now, and so I could see an amused expression form on his face. "Copycat?"

"Yeah, yeah. Diamante'll never say it, but he learned from the best… just tell him to get his own identity one day or the other. Always copyin' my style." Dryder sucked his flask dry. "Also… got me a questionin' for ya. How come yours Arachne doesn't tear through yer clothes? Do ya' rip holes in all of yer shirts?"

"I used to." Ripley chuckled. "Then I just made a cloth that does the tearing and the sewing for me."

"Shit… does it make good underwear?"

"I don't know… I haven't tried."

"Just sayin' if it tears easily… would be one hell of a surprise if you get yer cock excited." He barked out, laughing to himself. "Jus' messin' with ya'!"

Ripley nodded, but there was a strange look on his face that made it seem like he was considering the idea. Then he shook his head. "Nah, wouldn't work. You'd need your penis to be Shardware… I'm not doing that."

"Really?" Dryder pulled a second flask. How many did he have? "Jus' sayin'… don't even need to get it replaced all that much, just a small oscillator does wonders for a night. Ya' got a girl?"

"Four, actually." He responded mysteriously, but some pride flashed on his face.

"Ooooh! Lucky you! Yeah, oscilatin' dick. Trust me." He gulped the second flask in seconds as Topaz said from his seat-muffled chest.

"He has a point, my prostate's never felt quite the same since."

"Alright!" I raised my voice, speeding up the car as I did. "No more talking about cybernetic dicks! Founders, is this what I get for being in a car with four guys?!"

"Hey," Ripley protested, "Starlight's in my head, but I muted that conversation for her, and Midnight's about to join us as soon as she's done scouting out the place."

"Doesn't change the fact that I can't talk to either of them." I muttered, then a piercing pain squeezed through the back of my neck as a pink haze covered my sight and a tiny child sat on my steering wheel. Pink-gold hair and wide inquisitive eyes staring up at me.

"Oh, but you can!" Starlight waved at me.

"What the- how did you get into my Frame? How come you… can fit in it?"

"It's actually pretty good work, I can run at 12%! Still a lot of spaghetti, though. As for how, there was an open channel here from-"

"From the time you guys played games with each other in your car!" Ripley interjected, his voice a little hoarse and rushed. "Starlight, back in my head. Now."

Dismayed, the little fairy waved me goodbye as a tangle of golden wires wrapped over her. "Alright, alright… jeez, he's so protective of me."

She popped out of my sight, as though squeezing into herself by the wires, Ripley's eyes then glazed pink as he no doubt had a conversation with her about the consent of diving into other's frames. Which was a good thing, I had a lot of sensitive information on mine.

———

We arrived at the Meat Lab shortly after, it was a fairly tall building located on the outskirts of SynTec's controlled Third Precinct. The surrounding buildings were relatively poor in comparison, short and stocky and overcrowded with people who were, no doubt, labor for SynTec's industries here. The more central into this Precinct you went, the taller the buildings get.

I remembered coming here once with Brian Ulrich on a trip where he lounged in a building scraping the clouds, introducing me to all sorts of business magnates and moguls. I could smell the cologne on them from here.

Ripley's eyes gazed into the far off star-sprinkled silhouettes with a frown. "My dad used to work around here, hated the journey because of how far it was… but late at night, he always came home with a smile."

"That's nice." I responded, unsure how to relate… my dad was always at home for me. "I bet you missed him."

"I did… I- I do." He took a deep breath, before tapping his Frame and the Dreadwire mask slid on. His voice shifted, the tone radiating with steel-like resolve. "But that's enough for now. We have a job to do, kill the Nexus and stop Soul Killer's distribution of mutagen through meat. Starlight… establish communications between us."

I felt a weaker intrusion into my senses, as Ripley plugged wires into everyone else's Frames and a tight web of information strung up to communicate our thoughts.

"Refrain from using Synchronize with Dryder, I don't want to meld my mind with someone who's clearly inebriated." His steel voice was firm.

{Yeah, I agree with that.} Starlight nervously spoke through a Neuralink, her voice clear and present.

"Hey… I'm functional." Dryder argued. "Besides, mean's I feel less pain when I get shot at, and I'm a better shot actually, too."

Ripley didn't speak back, his orders were clear enough to Starlight as he got out of his side of the car while Topaz and Quartz did the same from theirs. Dryder stumbled out, reaching for the back of the van where he pulled out two rifles that shrunk to fit into his barebone legs, which now seemed full of steel flesh, and haphazardly tossing some grenades into his trench coat.

Ripley took two for himself without asking, Dryder only laughing at it. "Greedy one, aint'cha?"

"Practical is the right term." Ripley responded, before diving into the Neuralink, even in digital communication, his voice took on the Dreadwire tone. [Midnight-t. You should be connected, get into my Frame when you're ready.]

A slithering voice snuck in. {Me and Daylight have been chipping at this place for hours, it's tough, the kind of tough you only see when a place is hiding something. I got access to the first few floors, sending a layout now.}

A map appeared in my view, along with suggested entrances. Ripley walked on ahead, not turning to me as he spoke. I was surprised to see how naturally he took to leading this operation… but I didn't mind it. He had confidence. "Lilian, when you feel Soul Killer, tell me."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

I eyed him, hearing that name attributed to me was unnatural. For now, I would embrace it, act as Lilian Rose. "Oh you'll know. Because I won't stop until I burn it. Dreadwire."

Dreadwire cracked his neck, and blended into an alley as we snuck closer to the entrance.

———

Dreadwire

Nine Modules sat within my Mimicset, each partially upgraded from their previous forms to be my tools for this operation. They would be critical.

Mimicset Modules [9/10]:

Databreak [2B] [Dataweaving/Jailbreaking]: Allows instant access and usage of a Datacleaver to seize foreign technology.

Insight [2B] [Analyze/Network]: Allows quick understanding of body language and Warp Energy usage of others.

Hammer [2B] [Overclock/Accommodation]: Increases Shardware Output at the cost of a lowered Capacity.

Wield [2B] [Integration/Dataweaving]: Improves usage of External Shardware and its efficiency.

Burn [2B] [Overclock/Energized]: Improves Shardware efficiency at the cost of higher Energy usage.

Stabilize [2B] [Sustain/Energized]: Improves Energy recovery rate and monitoring of body functions.

Overcome [2B] [Sustain/Database]: Allows recall of enemy combat patterns to provide adaptation to the Adapter.

Hypermind Beta [2B] [Psyche/Overclock]: Improves perception of time and response of Shardware immensely. [Note: This Module can destabilize, and does sustain organic systems.]

Droneforge [3S] [Technician/Analyze/Network]: Allows synchronicity with drones to be used for Shardware Operating.

I felt the powerful thrum of Databreak run through my Claw tips, Midnight's presence in my head itching as she felt my powers grow compatible with hers. "Great… I can't wait to finally show you what I can do!"

"Ooh, I want to see too!" Starlight whistled, and I could feel Midnight's distrust from within me.

Put your emotions aside, both of you.

"Ah, sure… shake on it?" Starlight appeared in my view, raising her hand up as Midnight's shadowy visage crackled to life. Midnight growled with her teeth at the action.

{Shake. On. It.} I mentally commanded them both, and Midnight begrudgingly yanked Starlight's hand and shook her tiny form so vigorously she was flung up and down the arc of Midnight's arm. As Midnight pulled her hand back, she wiped it against her shadowy dress.

Sighing, Midnight spoke in our Neuralink. {Alright, so here's the strange thing you'll notice when you enter. Complete quarantine, explains why the streets are so quiet too, SynTec's put this block on lockdown, but aren't sending any more guards in. They're being quiet… too quiet.}

"Quarantine, that's not good." Lilian stated the obvious. {Where are they holed up?}

{Somewhere underground we couldn't reach. Deep down. You'll find minimal security up here, they've all moved.} Midnight's voice sank deep into our minds, and as I placed my claw against the door promising our entrance, it's inner Warpcode melted under the Midnight Protocol.

Pushing it open, we were greeted by a dim and abandoned series of hallways leading to administrative desks and offices. No staff to greet our paltry group. Here, there was a direct elevator down to the lower levels of the building. Opening it, we fit in tightly, and Midnight commanded the elevator to go down… but it didn't.

{The fuck? Entrance beyond sub-level 2: Insect farms, isn't permitted right now? It's not even a Datashield against me, the code's overwritten itself to ensure that it only treats it as though there's two floors beneath us.}

Lilian sighed. {We'll walk down then. How many floors?}

{There's a total of six. Fungal. Insects. Mammals. Birds. Aquarium. Luxury.}

I clicked the floor for the insect farms, the elevator descending quickly as… sounds emerged. Gunfire. Lots of it, and coupled along were screams and discordant yelling. Lilian got on edge, Topaz gripped his brother tightly while I stood in front. As the doors opened, there was a red light pulsing through the walls that blended in with the sights around us.

Blood. It pooled around the floors and rubbed the walls like paint brushed upon steel, Dryder gritted as he marched forward and stared confused at the mess. "My eyes aren't blinded by the lights right, that's-"

"Yes. It's blood." I pushed past him, my Arachnodyne spiking out as I sent a drone forward and manipulated Droneforge with Starlight's Synchronization…

An alert went out, a woman's voice speaking calmly but firmly. "Attention to all personnel, there has been a contamination breach within the facility, please enter the quarantine zones located between each floor. Failure to comply will result in termination."

"Shit… I think I know why we were supposed to do this on a specific day now." Dryder guffawed, drinking after doing so. "Is Soul Killer breaking out of here? Right now? Were they… prisoner?"

"I don't know." Lilian snarled, fangs sharpening. "But it means they'll be coming to us. I can feel it… they're near, deep underground… but there's something infected by them on this floor."

My drone flew towards one of the quarantine zones in between the first and second sub-level, we found a group of pacing guards there. Their voices panicked and unsure.

"Look, I know we were doing research on animals here… but what can fuckin' virus makes a rabbit eat a human?!"

"I dunno', rabies?"

"Rabies was cured decades ago."

"Maybe it's… rabbit rabies? Like… specific to them?"

"Whatever it is… they think we can get it too."

"Hah! I know a few things, like… shouldn't infections only be affecting one type of animal?"

"Who knows what they are doing here, just let them deal with it. I don't know why it's taking so long."

I turned to them. "Soul Killer's infected the animals."

Lilian blinked. "What?"

Topaz stilled too. "Yeah, what?"

"The rabbits are attacking people." I said matter-of-factly, striding forward. Looking at the bloodstains painted across the hallways, I solidified my stance. "And they're winning, these weren't lethal wounds…. Likely, they tried to get to the elevator, but I suspect it only allows travel down to this level for quarantine. It won't let anyone go back up."

As we walked forward, a sudden pile of broken limbs in armor appeared around a corner. From out of it's body spilled out flowers, red spider lilies… and they were growing, a pollen filling in the air. I gave an order. "Gas masks, now."

Topaz, Quartz and Dryder all pulled on masks, while Lilian breathed it in deep, her eyes burning with something dreadful. "This… they're making these here? But they don't feel like Titanium. It's Silver Grade Soul-Forfeit."

I leaned in, poking the dead corpse and finding a large break by their rib-cage, prying the skeletal confinement open… everyone took a step back. Where there should have been hearts and lungs was instead a mound of flesh with bones peeking out, writhing tentacles — roots — dug and pried into the meat… and it pulsed like an organ with blood flowing through it.

I stabbed it with my claw, the tendrils lashing and gripping my arm before they fell dead. The flowers began to wither and die in seconds. I yanked out the bones within the flesh, tiny but not as brittle as they should be. "It's a rabbit's skeleton. It likely burrowed into his chest, acted as a seed and used his body as nutrition to support these… mutagenic flora."

I scooped a few of the dried flowers into a vial, they crumpled in as dust.

As I moved on, I turned to a hallway where windows showcased large rooms with bright lights beaming down on a soil-bed of plants and compost, the smell blocked as receptors in my nose switched off. Lilian pinched hers. Looking deeper in, there was an automated machine scooping hundreds of worms inside, this section labeled 'mealworms'. Deeper in, they would be processed into paste, emulsified and used to make substitute meat like the ones at the diner me and Hoaqin ate at.

Realbeef. That was what they called it once they stuffed enough chemicals to mask the flavor and texture. It was a poor imitation, I had eaten genuine beef more than a decade ago.

On the other side was 'silkworms', and directions on the wall pointed to 'beetles', 'crickets', 'grasshoppers' and 'snails'. Snails were considered luxury for their crunch.

Gunshots tore our attention away, shots yelling down the hall and past a corner where we saw muzzle flashes illuminating a silhouette. It was small and grimy, but it pounced high and fast as shadow-formed appendages struck and caused a scream to break loose. "Pull back! Pull back! Shit- we can't let them get outside the quarantine!"

I had moved upon a word, Lilian quicker than that. I sensed her holding back the lightning in her body, channeling it subdermally within her musculature as she was empowered and screamed at what was beyond the corner. My feet slid upon the floor, an unnatural feeling as friction lessened, but a quick grab of my hand on the wall curved me to a man bleeding from blunt trauma to his chest as Lilian wrestled a… a rabbit.

Though a rabbit was a gross understatement. It was multiple rabbits, glued to each other by a mass of tendrils that stitched flesh together and formed irregular bone structure so that tentacles with spiky white ends struck and poked at the armor covering Lilian. With a single punch from the Shatterclaw, blood and meat froze before bursting apart as silver pellets broke it down.

And exposed what lay within. A MAL's core.

A quick shot from my SMG shattered it, and the amalgamation of flesh dripped loosely into piles and chunks. Lilian flung her hand before lifting the guard up, his hand gripping his side tightly as he looked at her. "O-oh shit, you must be the help our boss said we were getting! You're here to help us, right?!"

"We… are?" Lilian said, a puzzled expression on her face. "Tell us what's going on?"

"I-I dunno, suddenly we were swarmed by these… things. They overwhelmed us with numbers. All lower quarantine units have been breached. You have to stop them!" He groaned in pain.

Lilian muffled a tight breath before pulling out a med-spray. I blocked her hand. Instead, my claw opened up to spray a tight cone of black mist. My nanites reprogrammed to dig into his wound and seal it, while likewise getting me access to his systems.

"Ah, the same trick you used on Diana?!" Starlight unhelpfully added. She wasn't a fan when I told her why she couldn't draw suspicion by entering Diana's Frame.

Blame Ripley for that. I lifted the guard's tired head up, his eyes widening once he saw me. "Oh- oh fuck! You're Dreadwire?! Why were you sent here?!"

The six streaks on my mask deepened as my steel voice radiated inches from his face. "For extermination."

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