The Other Side
Chapter 6

       Cybersix woke early a few weeks after arriving at Meridianna to the annoying sound of her alarm clock. For a
moment it eluded her why she had set it to go off so early. Then she remembered she wanted to have time to talk to Jose before heading over to the high school. Jose had a job to do and she would be greatly displeased if he couldn’t get going today. This would be her absolute last chance.

       This wasn’t the first job she had had Jose pull but this was the first big one. He had robbed the bank a couple of
times. Well, TRIED to rob it. Usually, all he did was just let his Fixed Ideas roam around Meridianna. 

       Cybersix turned a blind eye to most of his antics. She frowned as she recalled some of his “plans”: Once, he had thought it would be a good idea to try to take over the underground of Meridianna. "Tried" being the key word here, since she doubted that she would have needed to stop him in case he had succeeded. Even with the Fixed Ideas his attempt was pathetic.

       The phone was picked up after a couple of rings. In the background she heard what sounded like a lot of heavy objects getting moved around. What the hell was he doing?
       “Hello?” said the somewhat groggy voice on the other end.
       “Put Jose on” she barked. Jose came on a few seconds later sounding out of sorts as usual.
       “So will it be ready for today?”
       “Yes” was the confident reply. THAT made Cybersix worry.
       “You’re SURE?”
       “Yes.”
       “Good. You know what to do?”
       “Of course, the school, lunch time.”
       “Right.”
       “Why don’t we just take over Meridianna this way?” Jose asked.
       “Of what use would they be to me as mindless slaves?” she asked, answering the question with a question.
       “They would make good examples.” was the wise response.
       “I think my plan will make an even better example.” she could almost see Jose smile in her mind. For some reason none of this was bringing her much joy.
       Cybersix hung up the phone actually feeling a little nervous herself. This project had in fact been started by Von R and she was a little doubtful about using it. Though after having a look at it herself, she had to admit that it was a good plan. She also commended Jose for coming up with it, well part of it anyway. Sighing and shivering slightly she pulled on Adrian’s clothes and started toward the school for another day as the public educator. 


       At around lunch time Adrian began to get tense. She could feel her muscles tightening up with excitement and apprehension despite her efforts to remain calm. She had more to worry about then a few things going wrong.

       Sticking close to Lucas, Cybersix walked down the hall when she noticed a shadow beginning to creep across the ground toward them. She discreetly fell in behind Lucas as the thing got closer. The hall had a nice contrast between shadows and light she noticed, actually allowing herself to appreciate its beauty, however odd a time it was.
       “LUCAS! GET DOWN! DO'NT LOOK!” she heard herself scream as planned. She pushed him to the ground, making sure his head was covered above all else. They landed rather hard. Cybersix squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could.
       She sensed the eye pass over her through her eyelids yet she still kept her eyes closed until she was sure it was gone.
       Lucas was beginning to stir under her and the whole situation suddenly felt very strange and slightly awkward. Calling upon her best acting skills she stared off into space, completely limp. It was harder then she had imagined it would be, she couldn’t blink and she could barely breathe. Lucas got up and she kind of rolled off him, her back to him, taking advantage of the situation to blink.  She suppressed the temptation to shake her head.
       “Adrian?” she heard him say. The felt a hand gently turn her over, she risked one more blink before he turned her all the way over.
       “Adrian!?” he asked again a little more frantically. She didn’t move a muscle. When his friend didn’t respond, Lucas stood up and looked around, apparently unsure of what to do. All of the students were as out as she appeared to be. Her eyes began to water and she really wanted to blink and take a deep breath but she remained still. After what seemed an eternity he began to travel away from her and more toward the doors. When he was at last gone, she took a deep breath, got up, and rapped softly on a nearby door. Out stumbled a techno that was thinly, in Cybersix’s opinion, disguised as Adrian. She showed him were to lie and told him not to move. He knew he had better not.

  

   Cybersix made a brief stop at her apartment and changed into her outfit. Now she had to find Lucas and anyone else who had survived the eye on its first sweep of Meridianna. As she swooped high above the residents of Meridianna, she saw that many of them had fallen under the eye’s spell: her mind began to wirl. At least she had an idea on how and where to find Lucas.  And Jose.
       Lucas hadn’t gotten far from the school, which was to be expected. The sun was setting and long shadows were being thrown across the ground. Cybersix caught sight of Lori and almost smiled: at least that was one thing that was not going to be missed.
       “Twilight!” Lucas exclaimed, surprised.
       “Lucas” she said, somehow lacking the same initial surprise. She started to run off. Lucas followed, not needing any persuasion.       
       “Where are we going?” he panted, following her.
       “We have to find out where it went!  I bet Jose’s behind it!” she bit out savagely. Lucas ran with her but was soon out of breath. Cybersix mercifully waited for him at the corner. He gave her apologetic grin.


       RING! The alarm hurt cybersix’s ears but at least they had “found” Jose. After telling Lucas to stay out of sight she jumped up onto a near by roof top, this part of the set up hadn’t been rehearsed so a lot of improvising would have to be done. She had just thought when it came to stopping a huge eye that stole one’s brains; well you just couldn’t plan it.
       “Let me guess, it was payday at the lab and you’re cashing in your check” Jose looked up at her startled.
       “It’s Twilight! Get her!” he shouted at the nearest Fixed Ideas. The Fixed Ideas, even though being considerably slow, didn’t move since Cybersix was their master. To keep Lucas from getting suspicious she didn’t wait from them to make the first move. She leapt into the air and kicked the one nearest to her. Jose shouted his command and again and the other fixed Ideas began to respond. Sort of.

       A gentle whispering sound informed her that the eye had arrived on the scene. Cybersix kept her head turned and ran to finish off the Fixed ideas. She needn’t have bothered they were already gazing at the thing with blank expressions on their dumb faces.
       “Don’t look at it!” she called to Lucas. Desperately hoping he would heed her warning.
       “Get her! Get Twilight!” Jose screamed at the eye. Cybersix began to run once again keeping her head forward. The thing had gotten MUCH bigger then when it had started out. The eye stopped for a few seconds just floating in the air. Cybersix slowed, a bit confused. Suddenly a blue laser beam shot from the eyes sides and landed dangerously close to Cybersix. She was surprised and just barely managed to run ahead of it. In the testing this hadn’t come up. She hypnotized that it had gotten stronger from the human’s minds it had managed to acquire.

     Cybersix began to head toward the bank now in an actual attempt to get away. If she could get into the bank she would have a small advantage plus Lucas wouldn’t be able to see them. The eye blew apart the doors before she reached them forcing her to make a quick turn. Glass fell all around her, as quick as a rattlesnake she snapped her head to the side, eyes shut.

 When she opened them for a moment she was greeted with the sight of her own face staring back at her. Carelessly she grabbed it and glanced over the ground looking for the eye’s shadow. Spotting it she lifted the glass that was now acting as a mirror in front of it. She heard Jose yelling something in the background. The eye turned and Jose got a taste of its fire power. He and Cybersix shared a discreet look before running toward their respective companions.

       “I have to stop it before it leaves Meridianna…”
       “And you’re going to help me…” she thought as Lucas came into view, his mind, remarkably, still intact.

End of chapter 6

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