The Disparate One

The current continued to grow stronger the more they got closer to their exit. The water had finally reached their waist. Both clung on to the railings, water rushed through the door with ease. The door was bent out of its hinges.

Ray grabbed either side of the doorframe and slingshotted himself through the force. Oxford followed suit, arriving at the lowest floor of the Manufacturing Area. Half of each of the machines on their floor was already underwater, some of them were smoking and steaming. They avoided those when they searched for the nearest ladder to the catwalks above.

As they climbed up, thick, black smoke from machines set on fire clouded the ceiling where heavy ocean rain came, as if thunderstorms formed. The red and orange hues from every blaze on machines and rebel’s torches managed to light up the entire section, revealing more of the destruction they have caused. Some had powerful flashlights, beaming around the place.

Reminds me of the Entertainment Section again, Ray thought, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

Parts of catwalks above fell, weighing and destroying other catwalks below as their steel cables slowly melted. A few machines also started to fall, producing massive craters on the waterline. Nite was looking down when he greeted Oxford and Ray a few layers of catwalks later. It reminded him of the time when they carpet-bombed an enemy base.

“Lucky for you to wake up at the right time!” Nite shouted through the outcries.

Ray didn’t say anything, though he was glad to see him again, to see everyone he knew still alive, finally ending their curse in this facility. Finally getting what they desired.

“...he will finally get what he desires,” Soothsayer’s voice echoed in his mind.

Ray’s eyes widened when he was staring at the sea of flames and pillars of smoke. He remembered Soothsayer’s prophecies. The first few bits about their prophecies didn’t catch their interest, it was the part where Soothsayer mentioned treachery. Ray turned where Oxford discussed something with his colleagues c-shaped in front of him.

All of them were holding different types of weapons and all of them looked like they returned from war. Nite somehow was blending into his surroundings. Ray was eager to tell Oxford about his encounter with Soothsayer and their prophecies. But, doing so would make Oxford ask about his family and Fier.

Ray caught them nodding simultaneously before spreading out. A few seconds later, a few flares shot up and sparkled in front of everyone. All flares were flashing green. What did that mean? Oxford returned to Ray, placing his hand on his shoulders.

“It’s time to leave this place behind,” said Oxford.

Ray huffed when suddenly, they heard someone yelling nearby. Both of their eyes darted at the man who was pointing his finger out in the distance. Everyone nearby shut their mouths and looked in the direction.

Kilometers away was a wall of shimmering lights. It wasn’t fire nor flares. The lights were bright white. When the lights got closer, they noticed that the pillars of smoke were blown away, that was when they knew what it was. Everyone prepared their weapons. At first, Ray thought those were just fairies or other mythical flying creatures trapped in the facility that managed to escape the flood. He was wrong. But he wished he was right.

Those lights revealed to be large aircrafts and drones, all heavily armed and looked very unfamiliar. Oxford stomped over to Ony whose jaws were on the floor.

“I haven’t seen those before,” said Oxford.

“Neither have I,” replied Ony, studying their design as he pressed the binoculars into his eye sockets.

“I doubt any of us have.”

Without giving any order, the rebellions turned their weapons and opened fire at the aircrafts. Drones quickly moved out of formation and dashed around, some got hit and spiraled down, others managed to dodge. The aircrafts were heavily armored, the bullets dinged. Ray watched them reveal their firepower. The aircrafts and drones used their gatling guns to spray bullets. Long glowing streaks dashed everywhere. Bodies fell over the catwalks like flies.

Most of everyone hurried for cover. Nite ran and tackled Ray to the floor, using his body as a shield. His only ear popped off when a bullet hit it. As their gatling guns spun, they launched several missiles to take out large concentrations of rebels in their sight. All could tell they were fighting against robots, otherwise blood wouldn’t be mixing with water.

“We need to leave, now!” Nite demanded, dinging a few bullets away. Ray remained flat underneath, catching his breath.

Oxford nodded before getting on all fours, carefully crawling away. Nite lifted himself for Ray to slide away, to follow Oxford. Nite stayed behind him. Some of the rebels were already making their way to the terminals, overpowering the guards stationed there.

Ray looked back when he caught one of the aircrafts approaching a catwalk with rebels on it. At first glance, nothing happened, they weren’t firing their guns or missiles. Until a bright jet of fire was sprayed on them, turning everyone on it into walking magma.

Ray’s eyes were filled with death as they headed to their escape. He wished nothing could be worse than this! Unfortunately, there was!

In the far distance, another sparkling white light appeared in the middle of the smoke. Everyone thought it was another aircraft or drone until the catwalks began to bounce and sway. The entire section began to shake and groan. The light finally revealed itself when it moved through the wall of smoke.

Everyone’s mind stopped when they looked in awe at the goliath robot stomping its way to them. Its large legs waved through the rising seawater and its arms swayed on its side. The robot was holding a glass cube in his left hand. Its head scratched the top portion of the Manufacturing Section. The catwalks and other hanging debris on its path were no match. All crashed into the water. Painted across its chest and arms were giant bold letters that spelled “Alpha 1”.

Despite the traumatizing scenery, the two sides didn’t stop exchanging fires. A few of the rebels began bringing out their rocket launchers to deal with the aircrafts and drones. Their numbers began to decrease finally. A few of them shifted their fire to the approaching mammoth. Their bullets zipped through the air, however, meters before hitting, they exploded. Something invisible was blocking them.

A forcefield.

Oxford glared at Ony again.

“I would have told you guys about it otherwise!” stated Ony.

“This facility really changed a lot since the last time I remembered it,” Nite whispered, keeping the bullets away.

Alpha 1 stopped nearby, in the middle of the side of aircrafts. Its giant head whirred to its left shoulder then to its right. It didn’t care about the wave of destruction firing at him, but it turned the moment into a surprise when the aircrafts and drones stopped firing. Then, the rebels did the same. Both sides became eerily quiet.

“So the previous management was right,” Cal’s voice boomed through the air from Alpha 1.

Ray stopped on his crawl when he heard that voice. He turned to his back and stared at Alpha 1. A robot controlling a robot. How much power did this particular robot want?

“They knew this day would come. Unfortunately, the facility isn’t prepared for it…thankfully I am,” Alpha 1 raised its right forearm, showing it to everyone as it began deconstructing its hand, replacing it with a giant weapon.

Deep hums sounded from it when the barrel was pointed at the side, where a few layers of catwalks with rebellions on it. The super-low-pitched noise started to get higher as the barrel glowed. Then, as the noise turned to an ear-shattering one, a powerful shock wave exploded when a giant bright beam emitted from the barrel. Everyone in sight was sent back to the floor, dumbstruck. Seconds later, the beam disappeared and what used to be catwalks was replaced with a giant hole, its side glowed red-hot, melting.

“Open fire!” one of the rebellions shouted and they resumed firing despite fully aware it would do nothing.

Alpha 1 kneeled, dipping the glowing canon under the water that instantly sizzled. Everyone thought it was its only weapon until they saw a set of tiny missiles appearing on its shoulders. They all launched and struck a few catwalks nearby, sending people down to their deaths.

Oxford, Ray, and others went back to their feet, running along with everyone while their escape was still viable. Cal, located inside the head of the robot, well protected from any danger, stood with pride as he watched those tiny ants flee. Then, something caught his eyes.

On his HUD, he zoomed in to a particular area then he smiled. He raised the glass cube on its left hand where in it were three frightened people.

“Oxford,” Cal’s teasing voice echoed.

Oxford stopped and turned, he stood in the middle of the rushing people. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he looked up and saw Alpha 1 holding a glass cage in its palm. Those three people stopped his heart. Ray stopped as well just a few feet behind Oxford. He held his breath.

“Dad!” Azalea banged on the glass wall as her mother kept her in her arms. Both had tears flowing down their faces. Fier was near them, protecting them as long as he could.

Ray was frozen in place, finding out that it was Cal who started the fire in the penthouse, the cause of Fier’s disappearance. Though, he questioned how he found Oxford’s family. He was brought back to reality when he received Oxford’s fist on his head.

Nite quickly jumped in between them, separating the two.

“You son of a bitch!” Oxford shouted at the top of his lungs at Ray.

Oxford finally realized something. His eyes remained wide.

“...you’ll finally get what you desired in exchange for betrayal…” Soothsayer’s voice echoed in his mind.

Oxford gritted his teeth as he tried to get a grip on Ray, luckily Nite was between them. He was reminded about his family when he heard their screams again, he caught Cal shaking the cage like a snowglobe. Cal chuckled at the sight of them being tossed about.

Oxford shoved Nite’s hand off from his shoulder before running against the tide, heading towards Cal. He refused to lose them, he refused to go home without his loved ones.

Ray didn’t know what to say, yet he knew he badly deserved that hit. He broke Oxford’s promise. If only there was a way for him to regain his trust, with that, he knew what he had to do.

“Ray!”Nite shouted when Ray suddenly ran away, following Oxford.

Instead of spending effort to get Ray, he shook his head with disappointment and anger before flowing with the evacuating crowd. He slid his rifle to his back when he realized his pistol was missing. Someone must have stolen it from him.

It only had one bullet anyway, he thought.

“Over here!” Oxford shouted, waving his hands and jumping in front of Alpha 1. “Take me instead! Leave them alone! It’s me who you want! I started this rebellion!” Oxford dropped his weapon to the water.

Cal snickered when he got a notification in his HUD that the rail gun was ready to fire. The first thing that came to his mind was erasing Oxford from his existence, then his family, but something greater caught his attention.

“No,” replied Cal nonchalantly, he raised his arm and pointed at the man standing behind Oxford, Ray.

Oxford and Ray exchanged gazes for a moment. Water trickled down their faces.

What does Cal want with him? Oxford thought, keeping his glare when Ray walked up to him.

“Give me to him. I know you’re angry at me,” Ray glanced at the cube, “They’re your family.”

Oxford didn’t know what to feel anymore towards Ray. The fact that he trusted him and broke his promise made him furious. But the fact that he saved him and everyone and was willing to exchange his life for his family made him feel otherwise. He moved his head down, weighed by his debate. His hands turned to fists. It was now up to him to decide how this would end.

Seeing straight into his white eyes, he could tell Ray was hiding something. He didn’t know what it would be, but he was somehow afraid to find out. Oxford glanced at his wristwatch, seeing how little time they still had before the facility could collapse on itself.

“I trusted you,” Oxford whispered.

Cal waited for the two to finish their drama. His patience was slowly being filled as the facility was with water. Finally, when he watched them nod at each other and Ray stepped away, Cal smiled grimly.

“Wise choice,” said Cal, taking a step closer to Oxford, placing the cage at the edge of the nearby platform, next to the aircraft for Ray.

The cage opened, the three stepped out, arms wrapped around themselves as they walked. Ray gulped when guards marched towards him and escorted him to the aircraft. Ray and Fier exchanged gazes when they passed one another.

Oxford ran towards the three, hugging his family as tightly as he could, whispering to them that he was sorry for what had happened to them, missed them. He moved to Fier, which was painted with charcoal and other burnt marks.

Their moment paused for a second when they watched the aircraft take off with Ray in it. The aircraft landed on the small landing pad on Alpha’s left shoulder. Oxford told his family and Fier to head to the terminal while they still could. He trusted Fier to lead the way.

Ray was escorted out of the aircraft and inside the Alpha’s head where Cal awaited his prize. Ray remained calm when the guards left them alone. His eyes stared at Cal’s.

“You really think sacrificing yourself to these people will help them escape? Tch! You are as dumb as any typical human being!” Cal further explained that he was aware of the ticking time bomb on the reactor. With pride, he even told him that he placed explosives on the tunnels to trap everyone in their graves.

Cal swung his first at Ray’s stomach, making him curl on the floor. He lifted Ray by his neck and wrapped his arm around it, pulling him close, forcing him to look at Oxford in the distance.

“Any last words?” he said when he brought out a blade, shimmering with Ray’s name on it.

“Y-yeah… I’ve got something,” Ray grinned, coughing while staring at Cal, “You should teach your guards to check your prisoner for weapons!”

Something slid out of Ray’s left sleeve and landed on his grasp. It was Nite’s pistol. Its barrel pointed directly at Cal’s surprised eyes.

A giant explosion erupted from the Alpha’s head. Flinging sharp and large debris throughout the air like a frag grenade. The shrapnels pierced all aircrafts with ease, some exploded like fireworks in an instant. Drones began spiraling down, exploding like fireworks. The ceiling collapsed from the explosion, sending tons of water crashing down on Alpha’s decapitated body.

Oxford ducked for cover as soon as he saw the flash of light. He covered his ears when he got back up, watching Alpha’s stone body slowly pummel to the water.

Oxford checked his watch, seeing the time allocated for the escape was already gone. He was about to run away when his eyes caught something in the distance. He couldn’t believe it. He blinked numerous times to make sure. He found Ray lying on the distant catwalk.

There was no other way for him to get there, but Ray had. Ray’s ears were ringing and his head was spinning all over the place. Like Oxford, he couldn’t believe he survived the blast. He stood up and nearly stumbled, he clung on to the railings as he made his approach to Oxford. As his mind slowly recovered from the blast, he got to the end of the last catwalk and found the path to Oxford was destroyed.

They heard a long bang above, Ray looked up and saw a giant machine falling towards him. He ran across the remaining catwalk and kicked himself up to the air. He extended his arms as he could, luckily grabbing the bottom frame of another catwalk. However, he couldn’t lift himself due to his slippery hands. He was gradually losing grip every second.

He found Oxford standing in the distance, not too far away from him. Oxford calmly walked over to him and looked down, seeing those white eyes again.

And for the last time.

Ray was glad to see Oxford coming to help him. His feet dangled in the air as he watched Oxford kneeled in front of him.

“I trusted you.”

Ray’s heart and breathing stopped when Oxford stomped on the catwalk breaking the piece where Ray held on to. He stared at his Guardian as he fell to the water. His mind wasn’t bothered by how freezing or deep the water was. His mind only focused on one thing. Soothsayer’s prophecy.

“...you will be betrayed.”