N And The Roster (Murder Drones)

18. The Strange Drone

We open up with Jill, Shen and N on the couch, relaxing and just watching the blind drone playing platformers.

Jill looks at astonishment as Blindy perfects the jump like he never seen before. "I've seen blind speed runs but... This is incredible."

Shen adds on to the conversation. "That backwards long jump... Was incredible." As Blindy clips through a door. "Also, got any news about Qwertz?" She said suddenly.

"He's probably creating peace or something... I swear he tries his best to help out when he has to kill." Jill said with spite. "Always... Extremely wacky."

Shen shook her head. "Qwertz only has the best intentions for everyone. Also isn't Qwertz a teenager?" She said as she watches Blindy now fighting a boss.

"Teenager?" Then all of a sudden he looks towards you. "How does that make sense. We've worked with him for 20 years."

Shen then shakes her head. "No no, mentality of a teenager." Shen continues.

An shadow slowly casts behind them, only N notices this however and looks back as the two others discuss.

Jill interrupts. "Mental age??" Jill asks curiously.

Shen thinks for a moment. "Pill babies mentalities change over time like an actual human. I can go check the records right after Blindy... Oh. She definitely finished much quicker then we thought." Shen said eyes widened a bit.

N then pointed out something everyone seemed to be ignoring. "Sorry to ruin your retcon but there is a mysterious thing behind the couch." He said.

They look back to see a black silhouette wearing what seemed to be a tactical gas mask. "Hey uhm... I am a ambassador for the Western drones and I formally apologize that your colleague has gone missing."

"Wait how did you find this place?" Jill asks cautiously.

"Uuuuh... The person I spoke to gave me every bit of information about the this place." The person said as he grabs out a piece of paper.

Jill sighs and squeezes his visor, while uttering under his breath. "Goddamnit S-22..." He then assures himself. "Well what has happened?" Jill asked, turning towards the drone now.

"Well we don't quite know. We've got a major distress signal from the Freebird reporting that the engine has been blown up and that a rouge AI is on the loose. When they arrived at the scene to escort him out no one-"

Jill interrupts him. "He died?" Jill asked.

A few moments later...

They all stood in front of a empty coffin. Standing in the middle was Shen. "Qwertz... You died doing what you loved." Shen said sadly. "And that sucks as you've clearly stated that what he loved doesn't make him feel free." Shen then pauses. "And if you want to be happy on death or free on death, I guess we never know."

Jill walks fourth "Today, we mourn another loss... For the amount of valour he gave to the mercenary squad, you were always unpredictable and weird. Sad to see you go but also glad you can roam free."

The group then slowly disbanded, only person that stayed by was Shen.

N stayed with Shen as she stood near the empty coffin. "Qwertz was fun and I don't believe he truly didn't get to prosper. Sure, it's been like... 20 years since this mercenary group was created but something with his mental age didn't sit right." Shen then stopped and went into deep thought.

"Something is wrong... Qwertz isn't the type to die in a random mission. He's been on more chaotic ones then this." Shen says.

N tries to comfort Shen. "Maybe Qwertz has bad luck?" N said as he shrugged his shoulders.

Shen than quickly ran out of the room and back with a laptop. "No... Qwertz isn't like that... I know him like no one else..."

She began to search up Qwertz's documents. "There...
Nando F. Qwertz...
Engineer...
Jcjenson Premade Adult..."

She then Pauses again. "Weird. I swore he was a pill baby." Shen then refreshes the page. "Weird, now it says he was a pill baby called "Aron L. Qwertz..." Shen then refreshes the screen again. As she expected, it's another different name.

Shen was taken aback for a second. "Oh. Qwertz encrypted his documents." She said as she continued to refresh the screen. "All private information has been randomized."

N looks at the screen in confusion as Shen continues to refresh the screen, every time a new name comes up with new names and new drone models. "Why would he do that?"

Shen stops to refresh the screen. "Qwertz is definitely hiding something. But who has time to change the code this kind of rediculous encryption method?"

N looks at the data that Shen keeps refreshing through. "I don't know him. But the way you say it he must not ha e died. " N says optimistically

"That's the spirit!" Shen said as she shut of the computer. "Jill! I am taking thosr vacation days!" She. Said as she begins to rush back into the dorms.

Jill asks as he is now drinking beer. "Kay." He said as he opens another can.

Shen then runs back with a bag full of stuff and a satchel by her side. "N. Come with me to find Qwertz?" She asks as she grabs onto his shoulders.

N was reluctantnfor a moment. "Uhm... I dunno Shen... I was planning to go try and find..." N was quickly interrupted.

"Wacky shenanigans!" Shen says.

N silently shakes his head.

A few more minutes later they are off. Shen driving the van as N follows by flying.

A new goal has suddenly arose. Find Qwertz.