VOCOM

chapter XXIV

The very moment I entered those doors, a gruesome sight greeted me.  I gaped at the destroyed remnants of Benlark’s computerized remains. His entire mainframe was sprawled out along the wall that it was lodged into, like a wispy spider with sixteen disfigured legs—or better yet, like a splattered, parasitic vine that reached in every direction possible. But instead of vines, branches of metal wires, tubes and miscellaneous mechanics took the look of an overgrown jungle plant or splattered paint. Instead of the graceful, lithe, hanging body that KASNA had, he had a multi-jointed, mutilated, robotic, mechanical spider-like body.

His core head glared at me with a bright, cerulean blue light, malevolently and with silent hatred. His mechanic arms were chunkier with exposed angles, unlike the closed-in, tube-like snakes of KASNA’s. However, he had about eight compared to the four of the other AI’s, and they swayed about in a motion similar to a gorgon’s head. That white, pristine Kortan symbol remained boldly emblazoned upon the very top of his domed body.

The walls around the AI were in shambles, letting in that unknown source of light I had been marveling at earlier, making the scene almost natural, and far less ominous. However, I noted carefully that the light left that symbol in the shadows upon the AI, as if yet again Kortan was cheering me forward, ruing its treachery. That cursed symbol was everywhere, but at that moment hidden from me, such as on my wrist that was secured safely in the Trans Shooter, and underneath all the scratches I had made on my own Shooter to cover the symbol up.

Immediately I noticed another problem: the entire room looked to be patched with random sheet metal pieces, yet various holes still covered the entire ground and walls. I’d have to be careful, or I’d fall through into darkened depths. But falling down wasn’t what I was most worried about. Even above getting rid of Benlark, I had more concern with getting back outside. Just like I had thirteen years ago and every year for eleven years, until I had gotten free of the sinister, captivating clutches, I still yearned for that outside feel—the real sky, real light and simply the reality of the environment.

A person could only live within square metal walls under fluorescent lighting for so long until naturally wanting reality.

I hoped Quintley was making progress, even though I had already prepared myself for it not to work. I still wondered how VOCOM was going to ‘distract’ Benlark. So I stood waiting, taking in the sight before me and collecting my composure before walking forwards with slow, steady steps. My fear had been replaced with adrenaline and calm determination. I stopped about one hundred feet before him, his domain nearly as cavernous as KASNA’s had been.

“My, my. Look at the beautiful woman you’ve grown into, little Vera.” His voice sounded as old as I last remembered seeing him as a human. It couldn’t be truly his, but it was, and very real. Very him, and trapped inside a machine forever; forever a computer code. “Two Trans Shooters!” he continued, his voice sounding as if we were having a lovely, amiable conversation over a cup of coffee. “You must’ve acquired such great skill after KASNA hid you from me. Clever, isn’t she? She took you away from me for her own greedy purposes. What did she tell you, darling? That I was going to kill you? Very likely.”

I remained quiet. It was likely that VOCOM could’ve lied to me, but I had known Benlark’s cruelty for longer. The AI wasn’t the nicest computer herself, but at least she hadn’t gone around ransacking people’s lives and destroying them. So I’d let him taunt me; replying would fuel him more. I needed him to get angry; he’d be less agile and less accurate.

“Shocked to see me?” his voice rang out quietly in a dull, bored tone. “I haven’t seen you in person for well over ten years. It’s a shame you were snatched away from me, isn’t it? That damned girl took over more control than she was supposed to have. It’s nice to be reunited, isn’t it?”