Bob beeped and began rolling down the hall, maneuvering itself around the bodies.
“That was only one team. More will be coming.”
Fuse and Torque nodded. We cleared one hall, then the next, poised and ready for the next strike.
Then it was like the world exploded. I watched in horror as large cracks snaked up the walls before they split, tumbling inward, large chunks of concrete raining down from above.
My gun was knocked out of my hands, and I frantically covered my head, curling my frame into a ball as I tried to protect myself the best I could. There was no time to think. No time to warn Fuse and Torque.
Something large struck the back of my head, and my visual systems dimmed. My systems started to fail as I felt my frame being crushed beneath the heavy weight of headquarters tumbling down on top of me.
Nara. Her name was the last thing my processors managed to whisper before they flickered and everything went dark.
* * *
My processors came back on to the frantic sound of digging. The weight pressing down on top of my back suddenly loosened as someone I couldn’t see worked to dig me out from the crushing chunks of rubble.
I had been pinned face first into the ground, my frame sunk a few inches into the hard and unforgiving concrete. All the air had been pressed out of my lungs, and while I knew I didn't need it to breath, panic reared up. The realization of being trapped slammed through me and my barely functioning visual systems started to dim as I began to struggle.
“Stop moving,” a growl above me ordered.
“Fuse?” My voice was rough, my circuits sluggish.
There was a grunt in reply. That had to be Fuse. He was a Military Model of few words.
I felt hands dig into my frame, and he said, “This is going to hurt.”
With a hard yank, he lifted me from the floor causing processor melting pain to slice through me.
I gritted my teeth, black spots swimming in my vision, and ordered myself to stay conscious. My frame twisted as Fuse rolled me onto my back, running his hands over my chest searching for injuries.
His hands felt foreign on my body. Us cyborgs weren’t the touchy feely type. My eyes landed on his face and a surge of gratitude welled up. He could have left me. Instead, he was inspecting every inch for damage.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
His eyes met mine, the lights behind his eyes flickering like he was struggling to remain online. “Your frame took a beating. Plus, there is a good size dent on the back of your head. You’re lucky you are a big son of bitch built to take a beating.”
“What about you?”
“Not so lucky. But I’ll live.” I scanned his frame, seeing that parts of it had been crushed inward. All the synthetic skin on his hands had been skinned down to the metal underneath due to his digging. His right eye gave one last flicker before the blue light inside faded into nothingness.
Fuck.We were screwed. The impacts to Fuse’s frame must be putting extreme pressure on his internal systems. His visual system was now down to one eye as well.
My skull was pounding, my processors warning of damage. I lifted my left arm to inspect it. It dangled uselessly, some of my fingers were bent while others were crushed.
I scanned the surroundings searching for Torque. I figured Fuse must have dug him out first. My frame was bigger and the two of them were more susceptible to major damage.Maybe he was too badly damaged to stand.
I pushed myself to my feet, ignoring the warning alarms going off in my head. I had to get us out of here. Thankfully, the explosions had stopped. I prayed the Alliance thought they had gotten us. That or they were taking a moment to regroup. Either way, we needed to leave; now. “Help me grab Torque so we can get the hell out of here.”
Fuse shook his head, sorrow passing over his features. “He’s gone, Brone.”
No. It wasn’t true.“You’re wrong. We will get him to Dr. Shaw and Dax.” If anyone could save him, it would be those two. They had brought back Reaper. Had saved Oz and Marley. Salvaged Acer’s mind after his unfinished programming made him begin to fail.
“It’s too late. He’s dead. We need to leave before we end up dead, too.”
Fury raced along my spine. “So that’s it? Save ourselves instead of trying to help our brother? You selfish piece of cyborg shit! You truly don’t care about anyone else but yourself. Fuck you, Fuse. I am not leaving him!”
Fuse’s one good eye narrowed. “What do you want me to say? That I fucking failed? That I dug until my hands were stripped of skin to free him, but it wasn’t enough?” His voice broke as he swallowed hard, a dark bit of fluid leaking from his working eye. “I did everything I could. I might be an asshole, but I would never abandon a brother! Not while he was hurt and needed me. But they crushed his fucking skull, Brone!” His fingers curled into his palms, his throat tipping back as he released a roar of pure grief.