System Overworld: The Analog Interface

Chapter 14: Deviant

It's been three days since Wellington's death, his funeral was still two days away. A part of me does feel remorse, however a greater threat is ahead of me and I must confront it. Oberon is waiting for me at the department of Communications and Networking, I've delayed enough. Tonight will be our final meeting.

I was at the university but I decided I was done for today and was already in the hall making an exit, when a familiar voice called out to me.

"Keagan wait up!"

It was Devina calling out to me, seems like she followed me out of class.

"Um hi Devina, is everything okay?"

"Ya sure! Of course everything is okay, why wouldn't it be?" She rashly replied.

"TARGET_STRESS_LEVEL_INCREASING...22%=>36%"

Devina began playing with hair as she avoided staring at me. I then moved in front of her to which she turned away. I then readjusted to her line of sight to which she moved again.

"Devina?"

"Ya..." She replied shyly as she avoided my gaze.

"The fuck are you doing,"

She then turned towards me, finally meeting my gaze and whispered something softly.

"What?!" I questioned.

She then whispered again whilst looking towards her feet.

"Command prompt, magnify sound,"
"AMPLIFYING_SOUND... 50%=>67%"

"What did you just say?" Devina questioned me with a confused expression.

And at that exact moment I almost went deaf.

"Command prompt, return to default..." I whispered while I held my head as I rendered a pained expression.
"I got to go, see you later Devina,"

I then proceeded to leave to which she grabbed my arm. I then stopped and glanced over my shoulder.

"Can we go on a date!" She blurted out as drops of spit came flying at me.

"Uh..." I replied, most likely dumbfounded from the spit rather than the question.

"Well not anytime soon seeing as that you have stuff to deal with ya know. Am I talking to much? I'm talking to much aren't I?" She rambled.

"TARGET_STRESS_LEVEL_INCREASING... 67%=>73%"

"Yes I'll go out with you maybe tomorrow, we can spend the whole day," I replied as I gave a hearty smile.

"Really! Awesome! Great I'll message you later then!" She replied with a voice full of excitement as she then proceeded back to class.

"So much saliva..." I whispered to myself as I swabbed my face using a handkerchief.

After I left the university I made my way to my mech which was actually hidden in the court yard of the Wellington manor. The trip from here to the department of Communications and Networking would prove to be a long one, I would most likely reach there at sunset.

I had a lot to think about as I travelled there. I had lost my memories and instead of trying to find out who I was, I threw myself towards System Oberon, making it my biggest priority, to shut it down. I am a cyborg, that probably would've sounded relatively ridiculous to the person I once was or maybe it wouldn't. My name was apparently Keagan Price, but is that really my name? I was just told so by Julian Reed, a terrorist. But what if he was good? After all I only ran away from his ship because System Overworld saw him as a threat. What if I was wrong about him? What if he could've helped me be Keagan Price and not the Analog Interface? What if Overworld is using me? Just like System Oberon used Wellington. What if I had died that day instead of my alleged older brother Samuel? What if I became like System Oberon?
What if?

These were the questions that swarmed my mind, like tidal waves clashing and crashing with each other, creating violent disruptions in my trail of thought.

Finally I had arrived to the department of Communications and Networking, it was located near the harbour and just like the harbour it geographically served as a bored separating the land and sea. I exited my mech and proceeded through the entrance on foot.

"Greetings Analog Interface!"

A voice boomed of the departments PA system.

"Come out and fight me Oberon!" I roared loudly.

System Oberon released an evil and twisted laugh.
"If it's a fight you want then that is exactly what you shall get!"

From different sections of the department people began to exit, however them seemed rather unusual. They walked slowly with an empty expression as though their souls were removed from their bodies.

"AREA_STRESS_LEVEL...0%

One of them made eye contact with me what was once an expressionless vessel became a red in the face, enraged bull who came head on to me.

" TARGET_STRESS_LEVEL_INCREASING... 0%=>60%=>100%
MULTIPLE_HOSTILES_INBOUND
CREATING_HOSTILES_MAP... ...SUCCESSFUL
COMMAND_PROMPT_ASSIST_ENABLED
HOLOGRAM... ...DISABLED
PULSE_CANNON... ...ENABLED"

The hologram cloaking my cyborg parts were disabled and a map at the top left of optics revealed a map filled with hostile elements. An all out battle began between me and the people working in the department.

My opponents fought me using any attack they could muster. There aim was to stop me at all costs even if it meant that they would damage themselves.

A deviant charged straight at me. I bent low evading his fist and then grabbed and charged into a nearby wall, breaking his spine at several places. I spun around to defend myself against on coming foes. I then heard a violent cracking sound behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see the previous deviant rise up from his once slumped position. To my amazement he began recoiling his upper body, back into his lower half, mimicking the ability of a spring. Violent snapping sounds were heard from his spine as his body shaped itself into this position and with one loud and final snap he shot towards me at an extreme speed with great force as he roared loudly. I swung my heavy mechanical fist face first, into his rocket fired body, loud sounds of breaking bone tore through the air as blood raced through the air from my fist, bursting through his body from one end to the other.

Another deviant approached but this one was different, she raced forward trembling violently to which blood began to flow from her ear she then collapsed to the ground, as she bled out from her ear.

"ACCESSING_EVOLUTIONARY_CODE...
ANALYZING_TARGET... 11%...23%...55%...69%...70%...88%...96%...100%
ANALYSIS_COMPLETE"