Archiver Manhunt

Reaching Conrad

From within an underground facility, three men operate media equipment, of which provide limited amount of light, compared to the rest of the room, which is blanketed in darkness.

The jolly sized Conrad sitting at a computer desk, operates video and sound editing software, where another plump individual holds a camera recording the lanky man, dressed in woodland themed fatigues and ski mask before them.

The thin man stands behind a workbench, containing a computer tower and other gadgets.

"Today I will be teaching you on how to create a un-traceable set up with your everyday personal computer.", the man speaks with a soft yet masculine voice.

Above them they could hear a faint sound, resembling that of a stampede of heavy vehicles.

Though they could hear the sound, Conrad toggles the sound recording apparatus on the camera from his station to cancel out the noise, thus preserving the audio quality of the video.

"There's nothing special about the equipment here. You can find the necessary parts around any typical hardware and or electronic store. What is special is knowing how to use the.", the militant dressed man continues.

A large bearded man, dressed in rural clothing opens the door, to the side of them three men.

"Conrad.", he calls in a raspy whisper.

The former Psycorp supervisor, raises his hand calling, "Cut!", before following the visiting man outside the room.

The two begin to walk through the underground corridors, lit with few scattered ceiling lamps, giving just enough light to give the floor to give the minimal ability to traverse.

"There's some sort of robot asking for you up on the surface.", the bearded man continues.

"Robot? Aint anyone try killing it?", Conrad questions.

"We had a few boys that tried. The thing just kept walking up, snatched the rifles out of their hands and crushed em."

"Crush the boys or the rifles?"

"Rifles, so far this thing hasn't harmed anyone... Aside from nearly breaking their hands when he ripped their weapons off em."

Taking in a deep breath, he states, "Alright, I'll get up there and see what this is about."

He knocks on the door of the media room he had just left. First with a closed fist, and twice with an open palm. Such was the militia's incognito communications for shutting down their current project and prepare for the worst, a potential raid.

The two men make their way past the underground halls, eventually coming to the staircase leading to the hidden door that bridges their facility with the woodlands.

Pulling aside a trio of large rods that held the door shut from the outside, Conrad embraces himself for what lies on the surface.

Opening the door, the light of midday prevails into the stairway area, nearly blinding him and his associate.

Treading on the leaf and fallen tree branch flooded field, Conrad finds a number of pickup trucks and men approaching a tree clustered area before him.

He follows them into the heavily wooded area.

The sight of the pickup trucks with men in the bed of the vehicle manning a mounted machine gun, answers his curiosity of the vehicular movement he heard earlier from the depths of the underground facility.

Along his paced walk he finds the militants forming a circle, taking partial cover behind any tree or rock formation, facing a singular street dressed individual.

He squints, taking the best observation of the individual to uncover his facial attributes, yet the hoodie of the being conceals this from his view.

He approaches the unknown person greeting, "You wanted to speak with me?"

The hooded being approaches Conrad, as the jolly man approaches him.

Both come to a stop roughly two meters apart.

"Conrad.", the hooded figure addresses the obese man before him, in a robotic voice.

"Yeah I'm Conrad. What brings you around these parts?"

"I'm looking for your employee, Adiel."

Conrad lays a hand onto his hip mounted holster, ready to draw his weapon.

"I'm not going to comply with you federal scum. If you have a good mind, you best get going.", he warns.

The robotic being explains, "I am not from the Colonial Authorities. I am from the same place you used to work... Security Supervisor"

Taking a step back in reaction of being called by his last occupation's title, Conrad challenges him, "Prove it."

He replies, "Operation Prodigy. I am the product of a higher intelligence, headed by Directors Simon and Matthew."

Still under the belief that this being could be with the colonial enforcement, in addition to the classified project he had just mentioned enables concern to concentrate throughout Conrad's mind.

"Go on.", the former security supervisor urges him to continue.

The hooded individual stretches out his hand, projecting a hologram showing footage from his woodland escape from Colonial military responders.

"Shortly after my activation, a group of armed humans tried to apprehend me, with hostile intent."

The footage plays video recording of two teams of four men each in dark fatigued military uniform and gear with weapons aimed towards the direction of the camera perspective.

One team still, with the other closing in.

The footage continues as the prodigy states, "With the help of nearby locals, I was able to avoid these pursuers."

The footage showcased highlights of the firefight between the fox hybrid drug runners and soldiers, taking place in a narrow water way.

"The associates you see here, are of opportunity. My primary allegiance and duty belongs to Psycorp."

Though the footage displays his associates engaged in a firefight with Colonial enforcers, this does not suffice for Conrad, as he knows the Colonial Hierarchy would from time to time kill their own to fulfill some sort of agenda.

The fact that a sentient robotic being stood before him, was sufficient evidence that he may be from the Prodigy Program, or some Colonial Copy Program.

Conrad questions, if you are from the Prodigy Program, a being of higher intelligence... What makes you stay with Psycorp? Couldn't you turn on us for your own benefit?"

The hologram projections cease. The Prodigy answers, "Just as the son is loyal to his father, I am loyal to my creators."

At this moment, Conrad feels a string pulling at his conscious. If there was one thing he knew in difference between Psycorp and the Colonial Enforcers, it was that the Colonial Enforcers had no time for poetic metaphors, not even from their informants or infiltrators would emit such a phrase.

Psycorp on the other hand, would embed such language as part of their culture.

At this moment Conrad finds himself assured that the being before him is from his prior occupation.

"Psycorp you are indeed." Conrad states his conclusion to the robotic being.

He uses an arm gesture to direct him over to a motor pool.

Conrad, the prodigy and a handful of militants mount in a trio of utility vans, before departing in their search for the missing security worker, Adiel.