Paranoia

Their best option was the laser. It was a giant box with a sphere embedded within that allowed the laser to rotate freely. It had a camera screen on the side and a remote that lay on a worktable not more than four feet from Marvin and Ben. Once they got ahold of that remote, they would cut off Marvin's hands, freeing him from the chair and the paralyzing grenade. It wasn't ideal, but they couldn't think of a better option.

Now they just had to reach the remote.

"Could you hack it?" Ben asked.

"The laser?" Marvin asked.

"Yeah."

"How?"

"Could you sync with it or something?"

Marvin rolled his eyes. "It doesn't work that way."

Their next course of action was slowly scooting the chair towards the worktable. The room was empty fortunately, so no one could judge how stupid they looked. Still, as they neared the table, they realized they had no idea how to actually retrieve the remote.

"We shouldn't do this," Ben said suddenly.

Marvin tried to spin his head around. "Why?"

"There are no guards! Isn't that suspicious?"

Marvin supposed that was true. He glanced at the remote control three feet from him. They'd gotten this far already without being disturbed. Maybe the Manhunters were just busy with the infighting between their factions.

Be realistic. Jacques said this was a crime that couldn't go unanswered.

"Can we get the remote at least?" Marvin said. "Just as a backup?"

"Alright," Ben said.

But they realized once they'd scooted next to the table that there was no way of grabbing the remote. Their hands were tied. Ben tried to crane his neck to pick up the device with his mouth, but couldn't get anywhere close. He asked Marvin to tilt the chair backwards, but Marvin could only tilt his own chair; they weren't bound tight enough.

Soon, they gave up. Ben insisted it was for the better. Marvin suspected they were doomed. Regardless, they both could do nothing but wait.

"Ben, can I ask you about Centium?" Marvin said at length. He figured it had been long enough.

The other boy didn't reply for a moment. "I'll tell you about it later."

"There might not be a later," Marvin said.

Another pause. "Me telling you won't magically make us escape." 

"I know," Marvin said. Surprisingly, he found he was no longer annoyed at Ben dodging the topic. He was right—if they were about to die soon, what did it matter?

"I'd just like to know," Marvin continued. "If you're comfortable sharing."

Ben paused. "We could be spending this time thinking of ways to escape."

"You think we'll get anywhere?"

Marvin heard a long sigh behind him. One that seemed to concede, to say, might as well. Might as well pass the time until they figured out what to do with this laser.

"Two years ago, Centium owned a lot of land in Nagatown," Ben began. "They owned the orphanage where Renee and I lived. They cared for us under the condition that every year, some of us get recruited into the gang."

Marvin knew where this was going. It wasn't Ben and Renee's parents who'd been a part of Centium. It was the kids themselves.

-----

Two years ago

Ben slipped out the emergency exit, submerging into the shadow of the alleyway. Up ahead, the neon red sign of Sibao Pot cast an ominous glow onto the concrete. Ben went the other way, walking until he reached a flight of fire exit stairs. A boy in a gray jacket sat on the bottom steps.

"Good haul?" Cam asked.

"It was okay," Ben said.

Sibao Pot was always flooded with currency this time of year. It was the week after Mecha Realm, and all the richest teams in the Sector came here to wind down. Centium's job for Ben, Cam, and Renee was to scoop up the residues from all the transactions. Go around with the cyberwand, swipe it close to the customers' tablets, and walk away like you were going to your table.

Truth be told, Ben hated it. It made him feel like he was throwing his life away. Before, life in Centium was chilling in a cramped apartment room with Renee and hanging out with Cam. Occasionally they did chores for the older gang members—cleaning houses and running errands—but those were few and far between.

And then, a year ago, Centium had decided he'd be good at pickpocketing. He didn't get it. For such a powerful organization, why did they need to resort to such petty crimes?

"Shouldn't have gotten out so early then," Cam said.

"Says you," Ben retorted, getting a laugh from the older boy.

"You could learn some things from Renee," Cam said. "She's still hard at work."

"She actually likes this shit," Ben said. Renee had always been a little strange. Extremely expressive and animated, yet refused to talk even with a voice box. 

Cam shrugged and he pulled out his tablet. "Speaking of Renee, though." He unfolded the device and its glow illuminated an uncharacteristic expression of distraught on his face. "Did you see them?"

He showed Ben a picture of a man and a woman. They looked to be in their forties with black hair and round eyes.

"No," Ben said. "What about them?"

"They look familiar to you?"

Ben took a closer look and shook his head.

"Hindaro, Ben. When I swiped them, it said Bianca and Nathan Hindaro."

Hindaro… Renee Hindaro… Ben widened his eyes. "What?!"

"Her parents might be alive," Cam said.

The word parents swirled around in Ben's head. A foreign, dangerous word. An antithesis to why they stayed in Centium.

"We… we…" Ben found his thoughts jumbled. Sure, he'd often wondered about his own parents, but Renee was a different matter. Her having a mother and father was something he'd never fathomed. They were orphans; they never had anything but each other.

"Shouldn't we tell them?" Ben said at length.

"Tell them what?" Cam asked.

"That their daughter is alive!"

"And then what?"

"They're rich, right? They gotta be rich if they're here. Renee won't have to do any more of this." Ben waved to the restaurant behind him.

Cam's expression darkened. "She's happy as she is, is she not? How do you know she'll be better off with them?"

"They're her parents!"

Cam ignored him. "Even so, Centium won't allow it."

Ben blinked. "What's the big deal? It's just one less lackey for them."

"That is a big deal."

Ben crossed his arms. "Why'd you tell me then? What am I supposed to do with this information?"

"Hold onto it till the time is right. You said it yourself—they're rich."

Ben didn't understand. They were using this as blackmail? Renee was fifteen years old for crying out loud! Aside from Diana Kane, the heads of Centium didn't even know her name!

"Trust me, this is for the best," Cam said.

Ben glowered at him. "What if I tell her parents anyway? What if they pay to get her out?"

Cam pursed his lips and shook his head in disappointment. "I thought you'd know better."

-----

"Why'd Renee's parents leave her in the first place?" Marvin asked, the first of many questions that had accumulated in his CPU.

Ben replied, "They weren't actually-"

Just then, the workshop lights flared on. Marvin's cameras frantically adjusted as the door slammed open and two people walked through: Ishaan in front, hands clasped behind his back, and Gerard following close behind him. Ishaan's eyes went wide upon seeing Marvin and Ben.

"What have you done?" Ishaan demanded, turning angrily to Gerard.

Marvin blinked several times, barely able to comprehend what was going on.

"Nothing much yet," the Manhunter said, shoving Ishaan forwards. That was when Marvin realized that Ishaan's hands weren't clasped; they were tied behind his back. The pilot had been made a prisoner as well.

Oh god, Marvin thought. This is all my fault.

"Here's what's gonna happen," Gerard began.

"I'll tell you what's gonna happen," Ishaan snapped. "You're gonna untie me, then you're gonna untie them and let them go because they are innocent."

Gerard scoffed. "Don't think you have a say just 'cause you pilot Gammagrade."

Marvin winced. Those two had certainly fallen a long way from Get Gammagrade ready, we're gonna pay Jacques a visit.

Gerard unfolded his claw arm and held it against Ishaan's shoulder. He pointed the other hand at Marvin. "You and him go way back, don't you? You were at the prayer grounds. And I'm guessing you're also the bot that gave my guys a beating a few weeks ago. Steve."

Marvin's gears rattled uncomfortably. What was this leading to?

"What do you do?" Gerard asked.

"I… I'm a pilot apprentice."

"And how do you know Ishaan?"

"Um, from scrimmages." There was no need to specify the social events—that would risk bringing up Bob's disappearance.

"And how do you know this Sangeet?"

"We buy mech parts from him."

"Uh huh," Gerard said. He lowered his claw for a moment, then suddenly swung it upwards. A sharp whistle cut through the air, and Marvin instinctively squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them, Gerard was holding Ishaan's right arm outwards, claw hovering just above his hand.

"Now it's time to tell the truth," Gerard said, grinning. "Look. Ishaan here, we only need his brain to pilot, so I'll make this simple. From now on, for every lie, I'm gonna cut off one of his fingers. Fair?"

Marvin's own eyes widened.

"You won't do it," Ishaan said. "You're bluffing."

Gerard's grin grew more manic. "Wanna find out?"

"Steve is telling the truth!"

"You know he tried to follow you to the prayer grounds the first time?" Gerard said. "Why would a piloting acquaintance do that?"

"I-I was worried," Marvin stammered.

"Just tell me who you are," Gerard said.

Marvin's joints tightened and he felt the paranade crack ever so slightly in his hands. That claw was dangerously close to Ishaan's index finger; it just had to move an inch and the digit would be severed.

"You know exactly who he is," Ishaan said. 

"Can you shut up?" Gerard said.

I have to say something, Marvin's mind screamed. But what could he say? What lie would satisfy Gerard without straight up revealing his identity?

"You can't make him admit a lie," Ishaan said.

"You're being awfully defensive," Gerard taunted.

Marvin took a deep breath and primed his voice box.

"Steve, he's paranoid!" Ishaan shouted. He gestured at Gerard with his free hand. "He wants to hear that you and I are plotting against him. He thinks we'll rat him out to Jacques."

"You are," Gerard growled.

Marvin tried to wrap his head around it all. Jacques was in conflict with another Manhunter faction, and Gerard hated his approach. Thought the leader was weak. However, Jacques had no idea Gerard despised him.

"No, I am not." Ishaan pointed to Marvin. "And even if I was, he has nothing to do with it. Just because I don't want to kill your leader doesn't mean—"

Gerard thrust his claw upwards. A flash of red stained Marvin's vision. Something dropped to the floor, making a tiny splash. Then again, and again. Blood.

Marvin stared ahead, mouth agape. What did he just see? Why was Ishaan screaming in pain?

As his vision cleared, he noted that Ishaan's fingers were still attached. But a sharp metal spike now protruded from his hand, allowing a puddle of red to pool around it.

Gerard stabbed his hand. Holy shit. I have to say something.

Ishaan grit his teeth and tried to clasp his bloodied hand, but Gerard swatted his free hand away.

"You piece of shit!" Ishaan yelled. "You won't get anything out of this!"

"Speak up, Steve," Gerard said.

Marvin's vision began to swim and he felt imaginary bile building up in his throat. He couldn't focus. He knew he had to say something. No, not just something—he had to tell the truth. It was the only way. It was—

Then he caught the look in Ishaan's eyes. One of cold determination, willing him to stay silent.

Why? What do you gain out of this?

Marvin swallowed. The truth was, if someone like Gerard found out who he was, his life would be forfeit. All hopes of returning to normalcy would be lost.

He's gonna keep hurting Ishaan.

Marvin looked at Gammagrade's pilot again. His pupils were extremely dilated, but he maintained that stern expression.

He can't be doing all this for me. There's some greater purpose.

A greater purpose that might very well save them in the end.

Marvin steeled himself. You can do this, he thought. You're a robot. Banish your emotions.

He turned to face Gerard. Fear swirled inside him; he pushed it down. Anxiety came next, and he pushed it down, too. Like a computer, he recognized every single emotion and forced it to disappear.

"I can't admit to a lie," he said.

Gerard blinked. Glanced between Ishaan, Marvin, and Ben. His face curled into a sneer and he reared his claw, folding it into one long blade. Despite his previous efforts, Marvin immediately felt a spike of terror and nearly cried out.

But then Gerard transformed his arm back into a hand and let go of Ishaan. "Jeez," he muttered. "Take it to the grave then. I don't care."

Ishaan sucked in a labored breath as the Manhunter walked away. He clamped his left hand around his right wrist and scanned the room.

"I'm so sorry," Marvin whispered. "I'm so—"

"Well done, man," Ishaan said. "That was…" He grimaced. "I better go before this gets infected."

"You need to tell Jacques," Marvin said. "He'll punish Gerard, right?"

Ishaan scoffed. "If it was my finger, maybe, but this'll heal. Jacques won't care. He's got the faction war to deal with."

There's an all out war?

Before Marvin could ask, Ishaan continued, "Gerard controls the operations here anyways. I doubt the cameras were transmitting—I got no evidence."

"Your hand—"

"Workshop accident."

Marvin shook his head in disbelief. "Why did you help me?"

"What are you talking about?" Ishaan said.

Marvin frowned. "I could've just told—"

Ishaan leaned in and lowered his voice. "It's not that deep. I'm not compromising myself for a psychopath like Gerard."

So you did that for your ego? Strangely enough, Marvin kind of believed it, knowing how much the guy trained. Even him helping to solve Marvin's death was to clear his own image.

"I'm leaving now," Ishaan said, drawing back. "I'll talk to you soon."

"Wait!" Ben said. Marvin was a little startled; he'd forgotten Ben was right behind him. "Can you help us get out?"

Ishaan paused and pursed his lips. "You realize this isn't our main workshop, right? This place might seem empty, but everywhere else is swarming with guards. Gerard probably wants you to escape so he has an excuse to kill you."

Marvin looked at his surroundings. All this luxury was just their backup workshop?

"You're telling the truth?" Ben asked.

"Ben, is it?" Ishaan stalked over to him. "Look at this." Ben gasped quietly. "You think I like these people? You think I support them keeping you here?"

"You seem to like Jacques."

Marvin cringed. You're pushing it, Ben.

"I don't like either of them but I'd take Jacques over Gerard any day," Ishaan said. He walked around to Marvin's side again. "I'll do what I can. No promises, though."

And then Marvin and Ben were left alone again.