Chapter 13
"You aren't a monster Toni." the words are haunting her,
He's the only one who hasn't been freaked by her arm and leg. The only one, besides Ashe and two others, who has said she wasn't a monster, wasn't some freak, she smiles, he...defended her, made her feel like she's more than a sketchy cyborg."
"Toni?"
"Hm?"
She snaps out of her trance and looks at him, "Is it innapropriate to ask if you can feel? With your robotic limbs I mean."
She shakes her head, "It's not innapropriate. I have sensors, so I can determine rough from soft and warm and cold, but I can't feel pain."
"Really? That's pretty cool."
The tone of his voice gives it away, she can tell he's actually impressed and is even smiling under his mask.
She smiles, "Thank you Atlas."
"Hold up!"
The two stop in their place and look at a man in front of them, walking over, carrying a machine gun.
Toni sticks her hand out and pushes Atlas behind her. "Easy, he's with me."
"Since when do you recruit?"
"I got to talk to Neo and Thomas."
The man narrows his eyes, "Who is he?"
"...Until I have permission, info is classified."
"Classified? Nothings classified, who is he?!"
The man's face turns evil as he clocks the gun, "What are you gonna do Whatt? Blow a hole in Toni?"
"Maybe." he growls
The second man joins Whatt's side. "Back of Rex." Toni says again,
Rex Whatt's scoffs and walks away, the other man smiles, "I'm Darwin, nice to meet you, Neo is in her usual space, Thomas is, somewhere in there."
"Thanks Darwin."
Toni and Atlas walk past him and through thick, big metal doors. Atlas's jaw drops.
"Whoooa."
Sure they were walking down hill for a while, hours even, but he didn't think they walked this far down, the earth ceiling stands maybe 300 feet in the air, many many metal columns to support the weight. The other side of this thing has to be a thousand, maybe a thousand eight, hundred feet across. All around him and this underground city, stings, lined with dangling lightbulbs, shine and illuminate the different houses and buildings. This is an actual civilization.
Toni looks at him, "Pretty impressive right?"
He smiles and chuckles, "No kidding! Wow...its beautiful actually. The-"
"The lights I think-"
"The lights yeah-"
"are what do it for me."
"Yeah yeah, they add that touch, this is pretty awesome."
Toni smiles, "You might want to keep your identity a secret, but yiu don't have to, not here, I-if you want of course."
He smiles at her and deactivates his suit. "I trust you."
She smiles, heat rises to her face and cheeks. "Come on, Neo will want to talk to you."
She leads him down a dirt road and to the column in the center of it all, a giant tower that is about 80, maybe ninety feet thick.
Atlas follows her in and into an elevator.
"I'm surprised none of them asked about May. No one thought it was suspicious?"
Toni shrugs, "I'm sure they did, but I'm with you."
Atlas frowns at her, Toni looks down st her feet, "People will make quite the effort to avoid me. Even here."
The words cut deep into Atlas, he feels so bad for her. What's to be so scared of? Or rather why avoid her? She's kind, strong, smart. She's awesome!
The elevator rises to the 7th floor and dings and the elevator doors slide open.
"I don't understand, why are you calling me kitty all of a sudden?"
"That's for me to know and you to never find out."
Atlas rounds the corner, his eyes widen as the two women look at him and Toni.
"Whos that?" the ginger asks concern rising in her voice,
The other, dark hair with red, highlighted ends, big blue eyes. Ashe.
They both look at the body that Atlas carries with worried looks.
"Guys, before you freak out, let me explain. This is Atlas Grey."
The two women's eyes widen, Ashe's jaw drops. "Toni what the-" Ashe begins shouting,
Toni throws her hands out, "Wait wait! Let us explain first! "
"You got five seconds."
"Atlas saved me. He's been undercover, trying to research the Agency. He never said anything cause he didn't want to blow his cover-"
"Bull." the ginger spits,
She pulls a pistol from behind her and points it at Atlas, who jumps back. Toni jumps in front of him.
"If it wasn't for him I'd be dead!"
Neo slowly lowers the gun, but only slightly. Toni sighs, "I wrote a message for Atlas to meet me. May found out, showed up and tried to kill me, Atlas came and revealed himself. He's proven himself to me. I'm sure he's not with them. Positive."
The two women narrow their eyes, "How sure Toni?"
"100%...no question."
Neo groans and tucks the pistol away again. "I swear man, if I find out you've tricked her, I'm going to fricken end you!"
"So....what about May? What do we do with her?" Ashe asks,
The four all look at her. "I'll give her a seditive, make sure she stays under, Kitty get security to take her."
Ashe groans, "It's not Kitty! Who's Kitty?!" Ashe shouts as she turns to walk over to a land-line.
Neo walks over to a cooler for the lab they are in and pulls out a loaded syringe and squirts out a tiny bit.
"I use this sometimes to sleep." she says as she walks over to Atlas.
Him and Toni look at each other with wide eyes and back at Neo, she shrugs. "What? It helps me sleep, I get bad nightmares sometimes."
Atlas shakes his head in disbelief. Neo carefully injects the seditive into May.
"Just uh...set her down. Security will take her."
Atlas sits her down against the side of a desk. "So Atlas...you got a looooot of explaining to do."
"I know, I'm sorry for being in the dark for so long, I had my reasons."
"I'm sure, let's have a talk with Thomas."
"Where is he?" Ashe asks,
"Upstairs. He should be finished with his meeting." Neo says,
Neo raises an eyebrow as they all follow her into the elevator. "Just me, Atlas and Thomas guys."
"With all due respect. I, might be overstepping my pounds here, because I'm in your territory and you don't trust me, but I trust Toni. I'd like her there."
"I'm not missing out on this. I met the guy first!"
Neo rolls her eyes, "Alright fine, just, this stays between us okay?"
"Yes teacher." Ashe says,
Neo smirks and shakes her head as she pushes the button marked 11.
"Keep talking...Kitty."
Ashe smirks.