Cap. 4

Back to the number car

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The boss was in his office. Then a special forces agent entered.

–Sir –said the agent. He looks at the boss's desk dented by a blow –We checked every car near the area where they fled and we haven't found any trace of them.

–Tell the agents to return to base –said the boss –and that only two on each side continue checking the cars.

–Yes, Sir –the agent replied. He pulls out his radio and calls the agents —all the units in the cars. Return to the base. That only two stay checking on each side.

The boss was looking at Peak's file. Which also had the name of his deceased person Simon Laurent. Then he looked at the photos of Tea. At that moment he got an idea.

– ¡I got it! –exclamed the boss

– ¿Uhh… Excuse me sir? –asked the agent.

–The runaway from years ago –said the boss.

– ¿The first one who tried to escape from the train? Sir –asked the agent.

–Yes –replied the boss. He pulled a case file from his desk –After the incident, those who investigated the area said the carriage displayed the memories of the train passengers.

–Why are you thinking? Sir? –asked the agent again.

–I thought the rookie was the only one who would know how to find the fugitive.

–Come with me, agent –said the boss –we will go to the car.

–Yes sir –said the agent.

Both left the base in their vehicle and drove for a while. They finally stopped at a place in the mirror world.

–Here. Let's go down –said the boss. They got out of the vehicle. The boss opened the compartment on the side of the vehicle and prepared his tools. He took out some masks and white gloves. He tossed the agent hers. The boss puts on the mask that fitted to his head, showing the mark he had on his forehead.

–Let's move on –said the boss.

They come out of the reflection of a bridge bar inside the car. The car was big and dark. Below was fog. And a green light at the end of the car.

–Follow me. And quiet –said the boss. They walked to the wall of the car, which looked black. Upon arrival they saw that it was a gigantic pile of black disk. They all had names.

–What are you looking for sir –said the agent

The boss noted that they were in alphabetical order.

–Over here. Walk –said the boss.

They headed to the side of the wall and continued walking. They went down some stairs, until they reached the bottom of the car where there was the control room and a giant monitor. Then they met a robot. It was huge. Its head was white and oval. It had two legs mechanical legs.

The Flec went on the defensive, but the robot paid them no mind and kept moving forward. The boss finally reached take a keyboard, and the screen showed him searching for the HDD (Hard Drives Disk) of the passengers that are or have been. He wrote Laurent, Simon and the monitor discarded the users until he found Simon.

He ordered the computer to bring the disk. Upstairs the echo of some machines was heard. The disk then came down on a small platform which opened to reveal the disk with Simon Laurent's name on it. The boss take it.

–With this we can know where they went now –said the boss.

–Umm… Sir… –said the agent.

The boss put the disk in a slot. Then the screen projected a static and put them into the projection.

The Flec appeared in the Mall car. There were two children in a camp playing with marshmallows.

– ¿Who are they? asked the agent.

– ¡Yeah! ¡I did it! –exclaimed Simon as a child.

–I think he's Simon. ¡Hey! ¡You! –said the boss to Simon, but he did not answer.

–I don't think he'll answer, sir –said the agent –I think we are in a memory. ¡We are inside the disk!

The boss got upset.

–I don't think the gorilla was here. I think that this is an earlier moment. We must move further –said the boss.

Then everything around they became static and then another memory appeared.

Is the Mall car again. It was dark. They appeared next to Simon, who was 18 years old. He was painting a little soldier.

–We continue in the Mall. We have to go further –Said the boss

"Simon!" The agent listened. He turned around and saw MT Lake going to talk to Simon. The agent was surprised. But the memory was cut off before she could speak.

They appeared in a large cave. They were in the Hey Ho Woah car. But the place was empty and there were parts covered by static. Simon had just turned on the projector that showed Grace's memory coming from her tape.

"He won't. We just won't tell Simon ok?"

The Flec watched Simon looking at the screen crying.

– ¿What does he do? –asked the agent.

–He's doing the same as us. He entered a memory –the boss replied –the researchers said that such technology is unknown to us. Having a person go into memory could cause memory problems in reflexes. But not that serious. Looks like he already killed the gorilla like the file said. We need to back up a bit.

The memory changes and they finally appear in the jungle car.

In front of them Tuba appeared with a loud roar that made Simon fall in the leaf nest, and the Flecs recoil. Tuba picked up a stone but was stopped by Hazel.

– ¡No! You told me we don't hit! –said Hazel who looked in turtle form.

–Sorry, it can get a little excited –said Grace –my name is grace. Simon is no one for me. What's your friend's name?

The flec were a bit confused.

–This is Tuba. She 's kinda shy –Hazel whispered

–I'm really shy too. ¡Hey Tuba! –told her.

–Hello –Tuba answered.

– This is the person of the fugive –said the boss –so this is the place where they lived. Now we know where they are going. We must leave now.

Then the place disappeared and a light appeared from the back and then pushes them in a tunnel out. They are back in the number car. The disk it rewound.

–We're done –said the boss –take the disk and let's get out of here.

The boss goes to the reflection of a pole. The agent sees that the boss doesn't see him and turns the machine on again. He enters the memories and appears back in the Mall car. The memory had not been so altered.

Simon was painting a little soldier on his desk, when it is interrupted by Lake.

– ¡Simon! ¿Do you know what happens in this car? –Lake asked.

– ¿Uh? ¿You still here? –answered Simon.

–Your little monsters wanted to play with Alan Dracula. He is scared –said Lake.

– ¡She's the first runaway! –exclaimed the agent.

– ¡Hey look at me when I talk to you! –said Lake, but Simon interrupted her.

–Now I speak –said Simon –I have a number and you don't. You are of no use to us. I thought the deer might be useful to us, but it's more trouble than anything else. Get out of here before Jesse gets back. You can't help like us.

Lake gets angry. The memory comes forward. Simon, Grace and the rest of the Apex were there. Lake and Jesse were running from the Flec. But then Jesse's number hit zero and his hand glowed a dazzling green. A door opened and he ran to it followed by Lake. But she couldn't get through, and the door closed. She was on knees. Behind her were two Flec.

–I can't believe he took the exit –said Grace.

–He was weak –said Simon.

–He wasn't weak. He was misled –replied Grace.

–But he... –Simon said to, to which Grace interrupted.

–We just lost another human, Simon. Is just safer –said her.

Then Lake runs out of the car with Alan Dracula. Followed by the Flec.

"¿Was she friends with a human?" the agent wondered.

He left the screening and the disk rewound.

– ¡Agent! ¡Hurry up! –exclaimed the boss. The agent take the disk.

–I saw her sir –said the agent –I saw the first runaway. Humans repel her. But even that, she helped one to escape. She did not stay to fight with no one. Unless they kept chasing her until they reached these limits. And the same goes for the other fugitive ¿I am right? And you know it.

–Agent –said the boss –let's go.

–You knew it. And you lied to all of us –said the agent.

–Give me the disk, agent –said the boss.

–Eres un traidor –said the agent.

The boss was silent. Then the boss hit the agent, knocking him down. He tries to take the disk, but the agent takes it first from the slot and jumps on the computer screen. But the boss quickly grabbed his leg and yanked him back, throwing him outside. The agent ran to the disk zone. The boss appears in a bar on the shore and corners the agent. He tries to hit him but the boss dodges. Then the boss grabs him, and throws him into the cliff, taking the disk from him. The agent falls, disappearing into the mist.

The boss gets back to the vehicule from the reflection of the computer.

He saw that the reflection of a robot appeared next to him. But this one was not alive. The boss thought one it could serve him on the mission. So he looks for how to turn it on. It moved the robot's head, and then its mouth snapped open. At the bottom of its mouth was a slot for a disk. He thought it wouldn't turn on because it was missing a power source. She then placed Simon's disk in the slot, and it began to spark.

"Data transfer error" sounds in the robot. The robot shuddered and fell to the ground. His eye lit green. He writhes and starts making noises until he lets out a mechanical scream in the air as if it came to life. Finally he stops. He gets up and looks around. He saw the boss.

– You are Simon ¿Right? –asked the boss. The robot reacted to what he said.

–So you understand me –said the boss –Good. You are going to help me

He got aggressive and attack him. But the boss stops him and throws him to the ground. He took a necklace from his belt and attached it to the robot. The robot stands up and growls at him, but the boss pulls out a control with a button on it and presses it, shocking the machine for some seconds.

–Do what I tell you and I won't hurt you –said the boss –there is someone you can help me catch. It is the reflection of Tuba. The one you threw off the train years ago.

The robot gets surprised.

–If you do, you can join us. You will be part of the special forces. And everyone will admire you.

The robot knew that he was lying. But he had no choice and calmed down.

–Good kid –said the boss –get in the truck.

He entered the compartment. The door closed leaving the green light of the robot visible.

/To_be_continued_