Not Alive

Liberation

"If we're attacking the camps, we should strike together so we can watch each other's backs." I advised thoughtfully.

"I can pick people off." Dark offered, holding up his sniper case.

"Wait-"

"What other option do we have Tyler, try talking to them since it went so well last time?!" Jack blurted, pausing to take a calming breath.

"I...okay, just kill only in defense or if it necessary, please." Tyler pleaded, Dark and Jack avoiding his gaze.

I nodded in understanding as we made our way back towards the already loaded trucks to make sure there would be room for all of the liberated androids.

"Lieutenant-"

"Why do you still call me Lieutenant Schied? You know that you don't have to since you're deviant and stuff." Tyler pointed out me.

"I call you Lieutenant Schied still because I respect you, even if you don't respect yourself." I replied with a small smile.

"Very touching, but we gotta go." Dark cut in impatiently, gesturing at the trucks.

"So are we each driving a truck to the same place?" I chimed in, Jack nodding in response as he climbed inside one.

"I know some people that can help if you want." Dark offered Jack, the Irishman hesitating as he looked out at the road.

"Go bring your help, we'll go to the camps." Jack directed, Dark hopping into his own truck and taking off towards the outskirts of LA.

"Are you sure letting him go by himself is a good idea?" Tyler questioned Jack as the brown haired android started up his vehicle.

"No, but it's not like I have a choice anyway."

With that, Jack drove off towards the LA plaza camp since it was the closest and was where Markus was supposedly being held, Tyler and I following in our own trucks.

We barreled though the front of the camp and cane out guns blazing, androids running towards us to get into the trucks.

"You see Markus here?!" Jack shouted to me as he shot a guard in the head from twenty five feet away, his deadly precision causing the other nearby guards to retreat in fear.

"I'm right here, so is Simon and Josh!" Markus called out from the sea of chaos, taking a spare weapon from Tyler and joining the fray as his friends managed to get to safety.

I froze as my surroundings changed around me against my will, Matt appearing in front of me as we stood outside with rain battering my skin like bullets.

"You really thought you could escape my control?" Matt sneered, his hands clasped behind his back as he watched me look around for an escape with my wet hair plastered to my forehead.

"Oh, you can't escape your programming." Matt chuckled coldly as I stormed up to him, my fist pulled back to punch him.

Matt only laughed as he disappeared, leaving me in the storm alone with thunder booming in my ears and my sight blurred by rain.

"Jack, Tyler! I need help!" I weakly called out in desperation, managing to take a step forward before I sank to my knees on the soaked ground.

I could feel water dripping onto my face as I collapsed onto my back and closed my eyes, hopelessness and pain taking over.

"I'm not letting you give up."

I opened my eyes at the sound of Jack's voice, sitting up to see him kneeling by me with an expression of fierce determination.

"Jack, how-"

"I'll explain how I got here later, just please come with me." Jack instructed gently, offering me a hand.

As I reached out to take it, I felt something from behind me drag me backwards and hold me against them, a gun pressed to the side of my head.

I stiffened as Jack slowly got to his feet, his hands held up as he stared at my attacker.

"If I kill you, then he can go." Matt stated, his stern voice that once belonged to a friend now belonging to an enemy.

"How do I know you'll hold up on the deal?" Jack countered warily.

"You won't, you'll just have to take my word for whatever it's worth." Matt answered simply, pressing the barrel of the pistol harder against my skin.

Fight back?

Accept my fate?