Ep 17 Chipping the Wall

Samael pulled the vehicle out of its spot and onto the road and started to drive back. He had adjusted the suspension so the ride would be smoother. Samael was also keeping the speed down so he did not toss Stella around the cab.

"So, 231 how am I going to talk to Stella?" Angel asked as she leaned forward so Samael could see her out of the corner of his eye.

"We can always give her an earpiece to hear you if you are that worried about it." Samael thought as he made a turn with the vehicle.

"I mean that is the best option we have." Angel said as she looked over at Stella.

"It is also not mission critical that you be able to talk with Stella." Samael thought as he passed a vehicle.

"Now that is not fair. I want to have more friends. Plus I have not had a talk with another girl for a long time, don't be mean 231." Angel said changed seats so she was behind Stella.

"Fine I will give her an earpiece so you and her can talk after she wakes up." Samael thought as Stella began to open her eyes. Samael downshifted so the vehicle started to slow down. As the vehicle slowed Stella looked over at Samael.

"Samael?" Stella said softly.

"Don't worry I am here Stella." Samael said not taking his eyes off the road.

"What happened?" Stella said as she put her hand on her head.

"You were taken from out front of your school. I do not know that amount of involvement, but Aries is involved." Samael said as he turned onto the freeway.

"Thank you for coming to get me Samael." Stella said, looking down at the ground.

"I am sorry for not being able to stop this from happening." Samael said as he began to accelerate on the freeway.

"No this is not your fault Samael." Stella said, trying to look at him but she was stopped by the seat belt.

"This was an oversight on my part. If I had been on time and did not wait for the driver, this whole incident would have been avoided. From now on I will be driving you to and from all locations." Samael said as he passed a vehicle.

"I mean I don't mind having you drive you everywhere." Stella said, looking back at the ground.

"There is also someone that helped me find you." Samael said as he reached into the center consoled.

"You got help from someone?" Stella asked.

"Yes, she has helped me a lot. Here." Samael said as he pulled out an earpiece and handed it to Stella.

"She?" Stella asked as she put the earpiece in.

"Yes I am a she. But it is nice to talk to you Stella, I am Angel." Angel said through the earpiece.

"It is nice to meet you. So where are you Angel?" Stella asked, very confused.

"She is in my head." Samael said before Angel could say anything.

"What?" Stella said as she looked at Samael.

"Well 231 is not wrong. I am an artificial intelligence and I am installed onto 231's Central Processing Implants." Angel said.

"Ok I had my suspicions that Samael had implants but did not know how to ask." Stella said.

"Well 231 has a lot of implants." Angel said.

"So is that why you call Samael 231?" Stella asked.

"Well I have always known him as 231 so it is a force of habit. I mean I could call him Ward but 231 is easier for me." Angel said as she thought about it.

"So you also know him as Ward?" Stella said.

"Well yes. Ward is his current identification." Angel said as she leaned forward so Samael could see her.

"Whiskey, Alfa, Romeo, Delta. I was number twenty-three of class one and I received the retrofitting and dedicated upgrades. It can all be shortened to Ward." Samael said as he passed another vehicle.

"I think I get it, the twenty-third letter is a W and the first letter is an A. Your whole last name is from your military service." Stella said as she looked closer at Samael. It was only now that Stella had seen the battle damaged armor he had on and the streaks of blood in between some of the plates.

"You are correct." Samael said as he switched lains.

"Are you OK?" Stella said as she reached over and touched some of the blood. It was thicker and more viscous than any blood she had ever seen before.

"I am fine." Samael responded.

"But you have blood on your armor?" Stella said, still looking over at him.

"Don't worry Stella, it will take a lot more than that to hurt 231." Angel said as she leaned back and opened a display.

"I mean, I know he is stronger and more resilient but you have still been shot multiple times." Stella said as she put her hand onto Samael's forearm.

"I will only need about five hours of rest before I will be fully healed. Most rounds only caused scratches very little fully penetrated." Samael said as he turned off the highway.

"So you are hurt. When we get back you are going to rest." Stella said.

"Stella, I am fine." Samael started but was cut off.

"No, you are going to rest, I don't care if you think you are fine. You have saved me so many times now. Please just rest when we get back." Stella said, still grabbing onto Samael's forearm.

"Just listen to her 231. Plus you and I both know you are going to cave to her order." Angel said with a giggle.

"Ok. You two win." Samael said as he approached the gate to the Heights.

"Good. Also how are you driving this vehicle when there are no displays?" Stella asked as she looked at the blank panels in front of Samael.

"I can see them. Due to an implant within my eyes I am able to see them and interface with the vehicle." Samael said as he passed the guards.

"He is also able to see me due to the same implants." Angel said.

"Interesting. So where did you get the vehicle from?" Stella asked, looking around the cab.

"It was stored with the rest of the equipment that the shock troopers used." Samael said as he drove near up the front of the Godwin property. The guards were looking at the vehicle. The tinted glass stopped them from seeing who was inside. The guards approach both sides of the vehicle trying to look inside.

"What business do you have at this property?" The guard asked, as Samael slid the window down.

"Hello Mike." Stella said, waving at the guard.

"Miss Stella, sorry for not realizing it was you." Mike said as he looked over at Stella.

"It is ok Mike this is not the normal vehicle I am in. But I think this will be the normal vehicle from now on." Stella said, looking at Samael.

"If that is what you want." Samael said as Mike pushed the button to open the gate.

"Pushover." Angel said, leaning back in her seat.

"Not a problem Miss Stella, I will let the guards know." Mike said as the gate opened all the way.

"Thanks Mike." Stella said as Samael moved the vehicle onto the driveway.

"I will pull the vehicle around the back." Samael said as the gate closed behind the vehicle.

"Can't you just use the underground storage?" Stella asked as they passed the storage parking point.

"No, this vehicle is way too heavy." Samael said as he pulled the vehicle around the side of the house and parked.

"I did not think about how heavy the vehicle was." Stella said as she unblocked her seat belt.

"It is often overlooked but has to be considered." Samael said as he opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle.

"No, you just think of everything when it comes to combat or fighting." Angel said as she followed behind Samael, slipping up before he closed the door.

"You are right about that Angel." Stella said as she started to laugh a little.

"I am so glad that I have someone to agree with me. Now if only you could see me like 231 can. Then everything would be perfect." Angel said as she pocked Samael's side.

"Wait, would you be able to have remote access to my phone?" Stella asked as she thought about where her phone was.

"Easy work for me. But I will warn you, if you want that you will have to deal with me being your assistant on your phone." Angel said as she started to laugh.

"Why is that?" Stella asked as they opened the front door and walked inside.

"I hate the stupid AI they are used everywhere. I mean come on I can't even have a conversation with them. Programmed for one simple task and unable to do anything. Pointless if you ask me." Angel said as she crossed her arms.

"You really don't like other AI's?" Stella asked as they started to make their way up the stairs.

"Can't stand them." Angel said as Stella saw her mother in the hallway. When her mother saw her she rushed over and hugged her before Stella could even say anything. Her mother looked like she had been crying.

"Stella. I am so glad you're alright." Ms. Godwin said as she hugged Stella.

"Don't worry mom, I am fine." Stella said, trying to get her mother to let go.

"I am just glad you are home safe and sound. I was so worried when you did not come home and your driver was found dead." Ms. Godwin said as she let go of Stella.

"Wait, my driver was found dead?" Stella asked as she looked at Samael.

"He had proven to be a liability and a traitor." Samael said, looking at both Stella and her Mother.

"I mean, it is a bit extreme for you to just kill him." Stella said as her mother looked over at Samael.

"Possible. But if something had happened. You would not feel that way." Samael said as he started to walk back down the hallway.

"He may be extreme but he means well. Go get some rest." Ms. Godwin said as she hugged Stella again. Stella did not say anything, she just nodded and made her way to her room.

"Don't feel bad. 231 has been that way for as long as I have known him." Angel said through the ear piece.

"I mean he is right. What if something did happen, how many times am I going to keep dodging the unthinkable." Stella said as she laid onto her bed.

"For that to happen they would have to go through 231. That alone is now an easy task. I will make fun of 231 for a lot of things, but he is good at what he does." Angel said, trying to comfort Stella.

"You are right. Speaking of him, I need to make sure he is resting." Stella said as she got up and started to walk over to the door.

"I would not." Angel said as Stella opened the door. When she opened the door Samael was standing in the room with half the under-suit and armor removed. He had already removed the armor from his upper body and taken the top of the under-suit off.

"Did you need something Stella?" Samael asked as he set a peace of armor on the ground.

"I, um, you," Stella said as she turned around and her face turned red.

"You are so innocent. I tried to warn you." Angel said giggling.

"I am fine. Angel, you could have warned me sooner." Stella said still embraced the situation.

"Sorry. But, even I get drawn in by 231 body" Angel said as she hugged Samael from behind and put her hands on his core.

"No, I don't want to hear anything else. Samael you get changed and rest. That's an order." Stella said as she walked out and closed the door behind her. Her face was bright red and she felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest.

The rest of the day she could not bring herself to open the door that linked their two rooms.