I swear I have no how that got there! If I were to rob a toaster company, I'd steal one of those fancy toasters with touchscreens. I tried to buy one a few months ago, but my financial advisor wouldn't let me. He was like, "You can't keep making impulsive purchases like this. You don't even like toast."
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I was like, "Shut up, Old man! You can't tell me what to do!" I felt bad about it later, and I never ended up buying the toaster. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah, the map! I didn't even know Bionic Corp sold maps, so I couldn't have stolen it. Right? I don't think I stole it, but I was pretty drunk at Jaxon Wan's party. I had to ask myself the question, Did I do that?
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I looked at Atlas to see his reaction to this new information, but his attention was zeroed in on the map. I leaned in to get a better view of the map that ruined my life. It looked like a black blob with a big red line going through it. "What is this supposed to be a map of?"
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"I'm not sure." Atlas signed.
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It's pretty weird having his signs translated aloud in my brain. It's like having a second voice in your that isn't yours. It's freaky.
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Marisa squinted her eyes in an attempt to decipher the image. "It looks like some sort of landmass if you look at it the right way."
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I slow clapped. "Excellent detective work, Marisa. That really narrows it down. It's not like most maps have landmasses in them."
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"Don't be a smart-ass." Atlas signed. "If you're so smart, why don't you tell us what this is a map of?"
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Dammit. I wasn't prepared for a geography pop quiz. I cheated my way through high school geography, along with all my other classes. "I don't know. Ireland?"
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Atlas shot me a judgmental look. Apparently, Ireland wasn't the correct answer.
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"This thing ruined my life." I pointed towards the map. "I'd like to know what's so freaking special about it."
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"Whatever this map leads to must be valuable to Bionic Corp." Atlas signed.
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"Do you think it could be valuable to other people?"
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"How so?"
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"I was thinking if this map is so special, maybe I could auction it off on the black market and become as rich as Jaxon Wan."
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"Are you kidding me? You can't just sell it on the black market! We don't even know what it is!"
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"Well, how can I learn what it is?"
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Atlas tapped his finger on his chin in deep thought. Then signed, "I might know someone."
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Atlas guided me out of the apartment building and into the crowded street. Vendors with carts full of various goods parked on every corner. Flags in hundreds of different patterns and colors hung from the balconies above. The people in the streets spoke in so many different languages I could hardly keep track. My cybernetics attempted to translate them all at once.
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"Fresh Fish Tacos! Buy one, get one free today only!"
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"It's so hard to find good workers these days. Bionic Corp keeps poaching my staff."
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"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
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"I told Li Na it was her turn to do the laundry, but she must have forgotten."
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"Mama, where are you?"
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"If it's a fight you want, I'll give you a fight!"
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"Did you see the Cybrawl last night? Vindicator kicked the other guy's ass!"
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"Hurry up, I don't have all day!"
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"I was born in the wrong generation, I wish I was born in the 2020s, everything was so much better then."
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The sound of the multitude of voices being translated in my brain was so overwhelming I crashed to the ground and covered my ears.
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Atlas crouched beside me. He had a look of genuine sympathy in his deep brown eyes. "What's wrong?"
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"The noise." I whimpered.
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Atlas gave me a puzzled look.
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I pointed towards my brain. "You know, the voices."
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His eyes lit up with understanding. I felt him connect to my cybernetics, and then the voices stopped. I could still hear them speaking in their own languages with my human ears, but it wasn't being projected into my brain anymore. "Thank you."
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He gave a modest shrug and offered me his hand. I tried to stand without his help, but between my inexperience walking with a cybernetic leg and the movement of the island beneath us, I fell face-first on the ground. I reluctantly took his hand and he helped me to my feet.
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"I hate floating islands!" I kicked an empty soda can as my cybernetic leg. I wasn't aware I had cyborg super strength, and the can flew a lot farther than I intended and hit a small child in the face. "Sorry!"
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Atlas laughed silently.
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Laugh it up, buddy. I was about to scold him for laughing at my misfortune when the floor beneath us made a loud screeching sound. I let out an undignified shriek. "What the hell was that?"
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"The foundations sometimes creak." Atlas tapped the ground with the tip of his boot. "You get used to it."
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"How can you live here?" I shouted. "Do you know why this place is called Ikigai II? It's called Ikigai II because the first one sank!
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Atlas shrugged. "I know."
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"And you're still okay with living here?" I gawked at him in disbelief.
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"The rent is cheap."
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Atlas guided me through the winding streets of the floating city. The whole time, I felt like I was being watched. It must be one of my adoring fans.
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Atlas led me through several alleyways until we reached the edge of the metal island. I could hear the faint sound of waves in the distance. He brought me to the backdoor of a run-down establishment. "Act natural." He signed.
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"Great! I'm an expert at acting natural."
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"Really? Because you've looked like a deer in headlights the entire time you've been here."
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I placed my hands on my hips. "Well, I've been under a lot of stress lately!"
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A towering cyborg opened the door. "Who's out there?" He bellowed.
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Atlas projected a digital membership card from his Holowatch.
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The bouncer's expression softened. "Oh, Atlas, it's you. It's nice to see you, buddy."
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Atlas smiled and waved.
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The bouncer's gaze shifted to me. "Where's your membership card?"
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"Umm, I don't have one. Can you let me in any way? I don't want to brag, but I'm pretty famous."
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He folded his arms. "Sorry, kid. We don't let anyone in without a card."
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Rage coursed through my veins. Does he have any who I am? People Magazine ranked me as the 37th sexiest man alive last year. So, as you can see, I'm a pretty big deal. "You have to let me in! If you don't, my father will hear about this! I want to speak to your ma–"
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Atlas slapped a hand over my mouth to shut me up. "Please forgive him. He is a very enthusiastic Volcanic Kittens fan."
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"I am?" I have no idea what a volcanic kitten is.
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Atlas shot me a look that said, roll with it.
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I nodded vigorously. "Yes, I love volcanic kittens so much. Volcanic kittens are like my favorite thing ever." Part of an article popped up on my cybernetics, it said, The Volcanic Kittens are a Canadian all-female punk band from New Toronto. Consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Katrina Madden...That's useful! Maybe being a cyborg doesn't suck 100% percent of the time.
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"He's visiting the island for the first time, and he would be heartbroken if he couldn't see them perform live." Atlas signed.
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I nodded again. "I will be inconsolable." I will literally die of sadness if you don't let me in."
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The bouncer raised an eyebrow. "What's your favorite Volcanic Kittens song?"
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"Umm, there's too many to choose from. I love them all so much."
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The bouncer sighed. "Their set is almost over. I'll let you come in and hear the end of it." He pointed a finger at us. "Just this once."
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"Thank you," Atlas signed.
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The bouncer moved to the side and allowed us to enter.
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Flashing neon lights blinded me as I stepped inside. It took several moments for my vision to adjust to my surroundings. We were in a large room that resembled a warehouse. The scent of fried food drifted through the air. Tables were arranged in a semicircle surrounding a stage. On the stage, an all-female band played a punk rock song I didn't recognize. They must be the Volcanic Kittens.
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Atlas guided me to a two-person table near the front, where we sat down.
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My gaze wandered over to the band's leading lady. She had a cute face that was framed by a mass of bouncy brown curls, and she had startling eyes that were a shade between blue and green. She looked to be about the same age as Atlas and me.
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As she shredded on her electric guitar, I noticed she had a cybernetic arm and leg. Just like me. Except her cybernetic arm was on her right side.
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A stab of grief clenched my heart. I keep hoping all this will turn out to be nothing but a bad dream. I haven't looked at my reflection since the first time I saw the scarring. I turned around the bathroom mirror, so it faced the wall, and everyone was kind enough to leave it that way. I tried to pretend the crash never happened and everything was the same, but now my skin feels rough to the touch. Sometimes I can feel my lost limbs, if I close my eyes it's almost like I'm the same as I was before, but when I open my eyes I'm nothing but metal and wires.
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Atlas tapped on my human arm to get my attention. "Are you okay?"
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"Totally!" I forced myself to perk up. "This song always makes me emotional," I lied.
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He shot me a disbelieving look, but didn't press further.
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I surveyed the rest of the band, and sure enough, they were all cyborgs as well. I glanced around the room and realized everyone here was a cyborg. "Why aren't there any humans here?" I asked Atlas.
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"Because they don't want to be near us. Most of them won't say it out loud, but cyborgs make them uncomfortable."
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I put on a mask of shock and horror, knowing full well I was one of the humans who was creeped out by cyborgs. "Why would they do such a thing?"
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"They see us as expendable soldiers to fight in their wars, it makes them feel guilty when they remember we're people too."
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I threw up my arms in protest. "I never thought that! I just think cyborg eyes look freaky, that's all."
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"Sure." Atlas signed. His facial expression was beyond cynical.
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I flipped open the menu to escape the heat of his glare. "Oooh, Margaritas!"
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Atlas snatched the menu from my grasp. "No drinks for you."
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I crossed my arms sulkily. "Killjoy," I muttered.
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After the band finished their set, the lead introduced herself. "My name's Katrina and we're The Volcanic Kittens! Good Night, Ikigai!"
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The crowd cheered and applauded, and I clapped along politely.
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Katrina did a back handspring off the stage and stuck a perfect landing. She rushed over to our table. She spoke a mile a minute, "Oh my God! Atlas! I didn't know you were coming! I would've given you V.I.P. passes and–" That was when I couldn't keep up with her anymore, so I stopped trying.
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"Coming here was a spur-of-the-moment decision." Atlas signed.
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She squealed and bounced up and down in place. Where the hell does this girl get all her energy? "I'm so happy you guys came! Are you going to introduce me to your friend or what?" She turned to me and gasped. "Oh my God! You're Chase Huxley, aren't you?"
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"Maybe..." I hid my face behind the menu, suddenly feeling bashful. This is the first time someone has recognized me since the crash, and I don't know how to feel.
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She giggled. "It is you! I haven't seen you in forever!"
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I tilted my head to the side. "Have we met before?" I don't recognize her, but she seems to know me.
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"We met at Jaxon Wan's Holiday Bash two years ago! That was the year you chugged an entire bottle of cologne because you thought it was whiskey."
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That would explain why I don't remember her. I don't remember much about that night.
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She glanced me up and down. "I had no idea you were a cyborg."
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I crossed my arms defensively. I'm not going to be a cyborg for long. As soon as I get the chance, I'm going to get this," I gestured towards all my scarred cyborg parts. "Covered up."
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Katrina frowned. "You can never stop being a cyborg, Chase. Even if you choose to get your cybernetics covered, you'll always be a cyborg underneath."
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I stared down at the menu, refusing to make eye contact. "I guess, technically."
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"Have you tried the fish and chips here? It tastes like a fireworks show of savoriness is going off in your mouth!"
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I raised an eyebrow. "Is that a good thing?"
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"It's the best thing." She yelled to one of the waitresses. "Hey, get my friend an order of fish and chips on my tab!" She stole an empty chair from another table and plopped down next to me. "You're gonna love it."
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I didn't protest. I usually avoided eating fried food. I had to maintain my model physique, but I've had one hell of a month and I deserved junk food.
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Atlas sat in silence, doodling something on a coaster.
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"So, how do you two know each other? You seem like complete opposites."
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"You're not wrong," Katrina chuckled. "But Atlas is an outstanding artist and an even better friend." She rolled up her sleeve, revealing a painting of an electric guitar surrounded by skulls on her cybernetic arm. "My band has been on tour all over the world, but I've never met someone who can paint like Atlas."
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The compliment made his cheeks blush pink. He smiled down at the intricate black roses on his arms.
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That was when I remembered the painting in my own arm. I was so distracted I hadn't even looked at it yet! I gazed down at my arm to see what Atlas decided to paint. It was, "A seagull wearing sunglasses? Why?"
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Atlas shrugged and let out a silent chuckle. "I don't know, but it suits you."
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"I agree, it totally matches your vibe," Katrina said.
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I threw up my hands in annoyance. "What the hell is that supposed to mean!"
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"Relax, it'll wash off." Atlas signed.
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I let out a relieved sigh. That made me feel a lot better. I narrowed my eyes at the painting. The seagull looked vain and rude with his shades on. I'm neither of those things! It doesn't suit me at all.
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"This has been fun, but there's a serious reason we came here." Atlas signed.
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Katrina signaled for him to continue.
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"We found a map, but we're not sure what it's a map of. We were hoping you could help us."
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She bounced excitedly in her seat. "I love maps!"
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"You love maps? Why?" I asked.
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Katrina let out a reminiscing sigh. "They remind me of all the places I've traveled and all the places I haven't been yet. I want to see every corner of the earth someday, but for now, maps help me experience places I haven't seen before."
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I guess that makes sense.
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Atlas pulled up the map on my shattered Holowatch.
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Katrina stroked her chin as she studied the map. After inspecting the map for a few minutes, she said, "It's Ikigai II."
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Atlas furrowed his brow. "It doesn't look like Ikigai II."
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"That's because it's not a completed map, this is only a fraction of one."
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I curled my hands into fists. "A fraction? Approximately what percent of the map do we have?" I asked, trying to remain calm.
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"Roughly twenty-five percent, if I had to guess." She said.
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My blood boiled. Someone ruined my life over twenty-five percent of a map? It took all of my willpower to stop myself from screaming.
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"What do you think the red lines are?" Atlas asked.
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"I think lines are there to lead the way to the destination." She said.
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"Like a pirate map?" I suggested.
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Katrina nodded. "Yes, exactly."
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"But what does lead to?" Atlas implored.
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"I can't say for sure," Katrina glanced at the Bionic Corp logo in the corner of the map. "But I have a hypothesis."
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Atlas's hands shook as he signed. "You don't think..."
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"I do," Katrina replied. "You're playing a dangerous game, Atlas."
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I glanced back and forth between the two of them. "Is someone gonna bring me up to speed?"
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Katrina's expression went solemn, any trace of the bubbly attitude she had when they arrived was gone. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I suspect this map leads to the Annihilation Code."
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I'm so confused. "What? I thought the Annihilation Code was like something you said out loud now you're telling me it's an object?"
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"It is something said aloud," Atlas confirmed. "But Bionic Corp keeps a printed copy of the words locked up somewhere, just in case."
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"Wow, Bionic Corp still uses printers? I thought everyone stopped using paper in 2039." I said.
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"It's the easiest way to keep the code secure. You'd have to break in to steal it." Atlas signed. He turned to Katrina with a look of determination in his eyes. "How do we find the rest of it?"
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Katrina stared down at her toes, refusing to make eye contact with either of them. "Listen, I want you to know I don't like the idea of you going against Bionic Corp, if they catch you, they'll kill you." She let out a troubled sigh. "But, I know when Atlas makes up his mind about something, no one can change it. Someone came here the other day and showed me another piece of the map, that's why I was able to identify it so quickly."
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Atlas perked up. "Who was it?"
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"Gabriel St. Martin."
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Atlas's mood immediately deflated.
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Great! Another person I've never heard of. An article popped up on my cybernetics. Gabriel St. Martin is a former Cybrawl champion. He competed in the Cybrawl for five years, where he tied with Adrien Kumar for the most wins in history. He is currently working as one of the broadcasters for the Ikigai II Cybrawl.
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Katrina folded her arms. "If you're serious about completing the map, you'll need to talk to him."
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Atlas let out a reluctant sigh. "Fine, I'll talk to him."
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I fidgeted in my seat. I've needed to use the bathroom for like ten minutes now, I didn't want to leave because the conversation seemed important. "I need to go..."
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I didn't need to finish my sentence because Atlas signed "Go. I'll fill you in if anything interesting happens while you're gone."
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I stood up. "Don't you dare leave without me!" I pointed an accusatory finger at him.
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"I wouldn't dream of it." He responded.
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I walked to the back of the restaurant, I realized I didn't know where the bathroom was. I didn't want to look stupid in front of Atlas, so I waltzed out of the first door I could find. The door let out in the alley behind the restaurant. Wrong door. Wait. Do other cyborgs use the bathroom? Maybe they have magical robot kidneys or something.
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I turn around to let myself back inside, but the door was locked.
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"Hello, Chase Huxley." Said someone with a shrill scratchy voice, it resembled the voice of a witch from a scary Holofilm that traumatized me as a child.
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I let out an undignified scream. I spun around to see a cyborg dressed in black leather, they wore a dark cowl and an ebony mask that covered their entire face. They looked like the Grim Reaper. I screamed louder and frantically pulled at the door handle, begging it to open.
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The cyborg unsheathed a set of steel claws on their right arm. "Give me the map, Chase, or unless you'd like both sides of your face mangled. The Annihilation Code is not yours to find."
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"Here take it!" I said, extending my wrist to give the cyborg my Holowatch, but then I remembered I didn't have it. It was still at the table with Atlas. I laughed anxiously. "Umm, funny story, I don't have it with me at the moment but–"
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The cyborg pounced towards me, with claws extended. They took a swipe at my face, I barely managed to dodge it. "Who are you?" I asked. "Are the person who blew up my car?"
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They slashed at my throat. "Call me, Oblivion because I am your doom." We were only inches apart now. I noticed the Bionic Corp logo on Oblivion's shoulder. Interesting.
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Oblivionviewedeach of my wrists, checking for a Holowatch. "If you don't have the map, then you are useless to me." They hissed.
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"Sorry," I said, my voice quavering.
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Then Oblivion starting singing, their raspy voice."Sleep my darling tiny one tucked within your bed so tight,"
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I glanced around the alleyway. Why is the killer cyborg singing?
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They continued the melody. "Else the old grey wolf will come and grab you by your side
He'll snatch you up between his teeth
If on the bed's edge you sleep and drag you to the forest deep,"
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I tugged at the door handle again to no avail.
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Oblivion sang the final part of the song. "Beneath the quaking tree so close your eyes and fall asleep count the little wooly sheep tucked so tightly you must keep or he will come for you."
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I clapped apprehensively. "Umm, that was a very lovely song."
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"Why didn't it work?" Oblivion hissed. "It's never failed before."
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"I'm sorry." I whimpered, even though I had no idea what I was apologizing for.
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"This will not be the last time we meet, Chase Huxley!" Oblivion threw a smoke bomb and disappeared into the night.
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"Okay, bye," I said to no one. Didn't their parents ever tell them it was rude to leave without saying goodbye?
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The door in front of me flung open, and Atlas was standing there. "Your food's here." He signed.
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"I don't think I'm hungry anymore." A said, staring off into the night.
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