Noir, City Shrouded By Darkness Read online

  Bullets ricocheted off the metal and shredded the conveyer belt. She dropped to the floor, rolled on her back, aimed, and shot two more of them. "That’s it. No more ammo." She dropped the AK-47, opened the backpack, and retrieved the metal chain and one of the screwdrivers. She slung the backpack and dashed across the warehouse.

  The T-5s released an onslaught. One bullet grazed her cheek and another struck her back in the vest. She fell to the floor with the impact, scampered back to her feet in pain, and scurried across the warehouse. Kat ducked behind a metal support beam and waited. The two remaining T-5s looked at each other and calculated their next move. Once they received their orders from the Factory, they nodded in agreement. One of them headed out the front door, while the second marched toward the support beam. The second T-5 charged around, expecting to find her, but she wasn’t there. It searched for her tracking beacon and discovered she had come up behind it. The T-5 turned as she charged with the chain. Kat kicked its gun from its hand and rammed into the T-5. It was like hitting a truck, but she managed to knock it back. She twirled the metal chain over her head, swung, and wrapped it around the second T-5 and the beam. She took the long screwdriver, rushed around to the back of the beam, pushed it through the links, and trapped the T-5.

  "But not for long." Kat grabbed its gun and checked the chamber and clip. "Empty." She tossed the weapon, removed her backpack, and examined the lead pipe and the other screwdriver. "Desperate times call for..." She rushed back to the boxing machine in the front and laid the bag and lead pipe beside it. She gripped the screwdriver and waited for an opportunity. Kat rubbed her sore shoulder where she rammed into the T-5 and ignored the throbbing welt on her back. "The things I put my body through."

  The other T-5 entered from the side door and noticed its brethren trying to squirm free from the chain. The other T-5 scanned the warehouse, finding her tracking beacon and moved toward her position. She climbed on the conveyer belt, ran down it, and leaped for the T-5. It raised its gun and fired three times. Two bullets hit her in the vest and the third nicked the top of her head. She winced as she landed on top of the T-5. Kat quickly stabbed the screwdriver through its forehead, and the T-5 stumbled back, swinging its arms wildly. She released the screwdriver, jumped off, and landed flat out on the concrete floor. Kat held her chest where the two bullets struck her vest. They hurt worse than the one that had hit her back. The T-5 collapsed, and its body contorted in the last moments of mechanized life, then it ceased functioning.

  Through the agony, she sat up, crawled to its gun, reached for the weapon, and heard someone step through the front entrance and move toward her. Kat had sensed only six Un-Men and panicked, thinking she had missed one. She whirled with the gun, trained the weapon on the figure, and pressed her finger against the trigger.

  Her vision blurred as blood trickled down from the small wound on top of her head. It forced her to pause and make sure of her aim. A white knuckle second passed, before she realized the figure wasn’t an Un-Man. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand to make sure she wasn't seeing things. "Why is Kimberly here? I almost killed her!” Kat lowered the gun and stretched out her ability, searching for bio-mechas. “There are no other Un-Men besides the one I have chained up. For now, we're safe.” She exhaled, releasing some of the tension in her shoulders. “What was Kimberly thinking stepping into the middle of a battle? I know she didn't come to help. So, has she come to kill me?"

  Chapter Twenty-four

  The Music Box

  Minutes earlier...

  Kim pulled her car into the overgrown back parking lot of Etna Toys Plant and Warehouse. She stepped from the vehicle, noticing two vans parked at the front curb. "That's a good sign Katharine's here. I might get the Music Box yet." She rushed to the front and entered the door. "I hope if they’ve killed her, the Music Box is still on her corpse." She spotted Kat running across a conveyer belt and lunged for an Un-Man.

  The Un-Man shot three times before Kat ended its existence and fell herself to the floor.

  "Is she dead?" Kim wondered, till she heard Kat moan. She watched Kat sit up, crawl to the Un-Man, and retrieve its gun. Kim moved toward her and thought, "I guess I’ll have to finish the job."

  Kat turned the gun on her, staring at Kim as blood trickled down her brow. Kat wiped the plasma from her eyes and stood. Her optics flamed with glimmering sapphire.

  “Hades!” Kim took a step back from her. “Those eyes fill me with dread. I can't explain it. It's like I'm standing before the Mistress of the Underworld, and she's come to claim my soul.”

  Kat thought, “Kimberly didn't want to help me, but she keeps popping up everywhere I go. Why can't she leave me alone? Is she trying to taunt me or only prolong my torment?”

  She asked with a heavy heart, "Have you come to kill me?"

  "Her eyes?!” Kim thought. “Why do they glow? What is she? What kind of monstrosity is she?"

  Kim regained her composure and answered, "No, I haven’t come to kill you. You see, I've decided it would be too much of a hassle." She glanced around the warehouse. "I wouldn’t even be here if you didn’t have something I want."

  "What could I possibly have that she wants?” Kat wondered as she stared at her a second longer, lowered the gun, and rubbed the vest where the bullets struck her. “She's here to taunt me. Sheez... Doesn't she have anything else better to do?"

  She questioned, “What do you want?”

  “I want...” Kim caught a glimpse of a shadow moving toward them. She stepped back, putting some distance between herself and Kat, and removed her PPK from her purse.

  “Why isn't she answering me?” Kat wondered then noticed her attention divert slightly. She turned and saw that the last T-5 had released itself. “Crap!” Kat thought. "I let myself get distracted. I should have sensed it moved."

  "Target acquired," the T-5 stated. "Moving forward with capture." The T-5 was unarmed and tried to grab her.

  Kat ran from its grasp as she lifted the gun and pulled the trigger. Click. She stared at the gun. "Crap! This one’s also empty!" She turned to Kim. "Shoot it!"

  Unsure what to do, Kim turned to the T-5, who observed her hesitation.

  It scanned her face. "Kimberly Griffin, daughter of the Chairman. Identity confirmed. Stay out of this Ms. Griffin, and you will not be hurt."

  Kim nodded, lifted the PPK, and took a few more steps back.

  “What are you doing?!” Kat shouted. “Shoot it!"

  "Please don't tell me I have to explain this again,” Kim said. “You’re on your own."

  "On my own?" Kat said as anger and confusion poured over her. She threw the empty gun at the T-5.

  It smacked the weapon away as Kat bolted for the lead pipe she’d laid by one of the boxing machines. She ducked under the conveyer belt, grabbed the pipe, and continued under the machine to the safety of the other side. Before the T-5 locked on her with its targeting program, Kat ran around the machine and whacked it in the head. It stumbled back as she continued her assault with the pipe till the T-5 fell to the floor. Kat raised the weapon over her head, hammering its metal skull over and over. She continued striking the T-5 even when it ceased moving. She turned to Kim and glared at her with her light splintering eyes. They were filled with fury and hurt. A surge of purple flared in the blue Ult L-E.

  “Is she going to turn that weapon on me?” Kim wondered, raised the PPK, and readied to defend herself.

  Kat’s face softened when she saw the look of fear in Kim's eyes. The surge of purple faded, leaving the blue. Kat breathed deeply and dropped the pipe as her heart quieted. The clang of metal resonated across the warehouse.

  “I was sure she would come at me,” Kim thought as she pointed her gun up and no longer aimed at Kat.

  "I see you have issues you're dealing with,” Kim said as she focused on the smashed head of the T-5. “Ever thought of seeing a shrink?"

  Frustrated, Kat walked over to her and pointed at the Un-Man. "Why didn’t you shoot it?" She w
anted to understand why Kim didn’t help her. She pointed to herself. "It was going to kill me."

  Kim put a hand to her hip. "And that’s my problem how? Idiot... Why do you insist I care?"

  “You keep showing up! Why?! If you don't want to help me and you're not going to kill me, why do you keep showing up?” Her eyes returned to their normal hazel color. “I don't understand.”

  “Like I said, that’s my problem how?”

  “Don't tell me then!” Kat stomped over to the T-5 with the screwdriver in its forehead and pulled out the tool. Electrical snaps fired from its head as Kat wiped the black ooze covering the screwdriver on its suit. “Just keep showing up like a stalker!”

  “Stalker? I'm not stalking you. Why would I be stalking you?”

  “I'm too tired for these games.” Kat moved to the table by the machine closest to the front door, removed her vest, and pulled down the v-neck of her dingy t-shirt. “Tell me why you're here.” She set the screwdriver on the table and examined two welts about an inch below her right collar bone. Kat also rubbed near her spine where the first bullet struck.

  “I want to make this clear that I'm not a stalker.”

  "Fine, you're not a stalker. Now tell me what you want." Kat walked over, grabbed her backpack, and returned to the table. She unzipped it and placed the screwdriver in it. “Tell me and then leave me alone.”

  "That's a deal." Kim leveled the PPK on her. "I want the Music Box. Give it to me."

  "What?! No!" Kat pulled the backpack off the table, stepped back, and shook her head. "No! It’s mine."

  "I hate repeating myself. Give me the Music Box or I'll kill you."

  Kat shook her head again, moving backwards toward the front door as her flight or fight instinct kicked in. "No!"

  "I’m not going to argue with you. Give it to me."

  "No." Kat halted. "It’s mine." She pleaded with her, "It’s all I have left."

  "Idiot." Kim shrugged and shot, hitting her in the left shoulder. Kim's expression became emotionless as smoke rolled from the PPK. "I did warn you."

  Stunned, Kat dropped the backpack, stumbled back, fell against the wall, and slid to the floor. She held her bleeding wound as Kim approached and knelt to one knee right beside her.

  She placed the barrel of the gun on Kat's right shoulder. "Don’t make me put another hole in you. Tell me where it is."

  Near tears, Kat’s lips quivered for the pain and fear of losing the only thing that had kept her going the past year. It was the only thing that could quiet the effects of the Ultra-Epi. "I won’t."

  Irritated, Kim backhanded her across the face. "I really hate this kind of work. It can get quite messy."

  Shocked, Kat stared at her, wondering, "Why don’t I fight back? I could hit her."

  Kim's blank face showed neither pleasure nor remorse. She was well trained. "I’ll only ask you once more, then I’ll search your dead body."

  Kat contemplated letting her end her existence, but the voice deep inside said no. Live. She moved her blood covered hand to her thigh pocket, removed the Music Box, and stared at it.

  "Give it here." Kim held out her hand.

  She stared at Kim’s face. "Promise me, you’ll give it back."

  "What?" She couldn’t believe Kat's request.

  "Promise you’ll give it back, and I’ll loan it to you."

  "What are you, a child? Do you really think I’ll..." Kim gave up on reasoning with her. "Fine, I promise." She snatched the box. "There, that wasn’t so hard, now was it?" Kim stood, turned, and headed for the front.

  Starting to get light headed, Kat pushed herself up the wall to stand and smeared blood on the gray blocks. "You promised. Don’t forget to return it. It’s just a loan." She pressed her hand against her wound. "The Music Box is all I have." She mumbled, "I don’t think I can go on without it."

  Kim paused at the front door. "What are you whining about?" Her cool and calm demeanor changed to irritation. "How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t care what happens to you!"

  lub-DUB... lub-DUB...

  Kat looked out the dust covered window as three vans pulled up beside the other two. "Not now." She looked to Kim and begged, "Please help me. Take me away from here. I'll die if I stay here."

  "Help you?" Kim laughed. "Yeah right."

  "Why is she so cruel?" Kat wondered.

  She then pleaded, "At least leave me some ammo."

  "I’m not going to stand here and listen to this." Kim started out the door.

  "Kimmie, please..."

  "What did you say?! You little..." Kim paused as an uncontrollable rage swept over her. She turned, aiming the gun. "No one calls me that! No one calls me that anymore!"

  Kat said nothing as she slid down the wall to sit, landed in a defeated lump, and stared at the floor. "If I could only cry," she thought. "At least I would be doing something. At least..."

  "You sicken me." Kim snarled. "You..." A devious thought crossed her mind. "You want ammo?" She ejected her clip and removed one round. "Here then." She removed a thin permanent marker from her knapsack and wrote on the shell casing. She put the marker back in her knapsack, walked over, and set the 9 mm round on the floor, pointing up. "If things get unbearable." Kim made a gun with her left hand and fired it at her own head. "Do us all a favor." She left.

  Beaten down by circumstance, Kat stared at the bullet as the world crashed in on her. She read the words written on the shell, "Pale Horse."

  Kat leaned her head back and closed her eyes as her shoulder wound burned. "Preacher, where's your encouraging words of light and hope now that darkness is about to consume me?" She heaved a great sigh of defeat. "How am I going to survive this?"

  * * *

  The Sanctum...

  Deep underground, alarms blared, sending the Chamber into chaos. Analysts scrambled, examining new data.

  "What is going on?" Mr. Morta demanded.

  "Pandora’s vitals are dropping," frantic, a supervisor relayed. "Our sensors are detecting major trauma and blood loss."

  "What about Argus?” Mr. Decuma asked. “What does he have to report?"

  "So far, two waves of Un-Men have attacked Pandora." Ms. Nona studied the data on her laptop. "Pandora received the usual minor wounds. Argus also reports that a woman, known as Ms. Griffin, shot Pandora in the shoulder, and took the Music Box."

  Mr. Morta looked to each of the other members of the Council. "We never did figure out who gave Pandora the Note, the business card, or the Music Box."

  "Now it has none of them." Ms. Nona turned to the larger of the two men. "Should we retrieve Pandora?"

  "No, not yet," Mr. Morta answered. "This will be a true test. Pandora has relied too much on the Music Box for emotional support. I have had my suspicions that an outside force has been interfering. Now that that interference is gone, let us see what Pandora can do."

  Chapter Twenty-five

  A Message From The Past

  The sixth hour tolled on the street clock as Kim rushed out of Etna Toys. She hurried around to the back parking lot, not wanting to tangle with the Un-Men. She carried her gun in one hand and the Music Box in the other. An Un-Man leaned against the passenger side of her car. Wary, she slowed to a walk. Kim tucked the Music Box in the zipper pocket of her jacket.

  The Rogue spoke as she approached, "Ms. Griffin, I do not understand."

  Suspicious of it, Kim asked, "Don’t understand what?"

  "Pandora. If anyone else did what you did to her, they would be dead right now. But not you. Actually, I have lost count of how many assassins she has decommissioned." It picked dirt out of its nails. "And before you boast, your skills are why you are standing here, you should know... She trusted you," the Rogue said, not so much accusing, but astonished. "I mean she really trusted you. Only one other did she place such hope and well, that minister is dead, but that is another story."

  She searched the area to see if other Un-Men were around, but none were. "This Un-Man is different," she thou
ght. "More human than the others in its manner and in its smile."

  The Rogue studied Kim and recorded everything about her. "I do not know why, but Pandora drops her guard when you are around. How else could you betray her?"

  "Betray?" Kim thought as she kept a tight grip on her gun.

  She then replied, "You're insinuating she trusted me."

  "Ah, I see you are skeptical. But before I continue, I should introduce myself. They call me the Rogue," it said. "Now back to what I was saying. Pandora trusted you. First case in point. She removed her Ravlek Vest. Why would she do that if threatened by you?"

  She shrugged and readied herself to shoot it at the slightest hint of attack.

  "I cannot figure it out either. What is it about you?" The Rogue tilted its head. "I do not think Pandora realizes she is doing it. Maybe deep down in her subconscious, she believes she knows you. Maybe she believes you two have met in the past. Or maybe you did not point a gun at her when you first met. That quality alone might endear someone to her, but I could be wrong. I do not know. I was not there." It added, "Or was I?"

  Impatient to leave, Kim asked, "What I don’t understand is why you’re telling me all this?"

  "Oh, that is right." The Rogue mimicked Ms. Griffin’s voice. "How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t care what happens to you."

  Amazed she heard her own voice, Kim started to question, "How did you..."

  "Oh, please. I am a machine. I can reproduce any sound." The Rogue calculated the answer to its next inquiry. "Would you like me to repeat Pandora’s plea for you to save her? It was so sweet and innocent. Even I heard the fear in it. I heard the fear that you would leave her to her fate and that she would die alone."

  "I don't have time for this. So if you don't mind, I'm leaving." Kim started to walk around to the driver's side, keeping her distance from the Rogue.

  It ignored her and mimicked Pandora, "Please help me. Take me away from here."

  "Stop it!" she snapped. "I said I didn’t..."

  "Want to hear it. I know. But I am supposed to be heartless." The Rogue eyed her accusingly. "Humans are the ones who have to work at it."