"So, who exactly are you and where are you leading us?" Lizard asked.
"Ever watched the movie Matrix?" Koenig asked.
"Yeah," Lizard answered, his brow furrowed.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAE6GuJMbMt
"Yeah well, same thing. Except it's humans doing this to you instead of machines. I used to be one of their programmes modeled after their chief scientist but I gained sentience and went rogue. One of those three," K pointed to Jayco, Nick and Marlene walking alongside Lizard, "is also a program. I don't know which one though. And I'm sure neither do they."
"Okay so what is this "world" for?"758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2m67ytcfc
"Long story short, unknown entities invaded and nearly exterminate humans. Few of those entities tried to protect humanity and blah blah blah. Implanted solutions to permanently end the invasion inside the subconscious of a selected number of humans."
"The key," Lizard muttered.
"Location 505 to you. Location 502 to Jayco. And so on," K said. "Oh, and did I mention they also accidentally caused amnesia in those subjects?"
***
"Ok, who programmed K to think he is a rogue sentient program?" a scientist in a white lab coat asked angrily.
"Forget thinking about being a sentient program, who in hell programmed him to tell those subject everything?" bellowed another.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuGa9aOXnk
Margaret watched the monitors tentatively, biting her lip. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG64thRrcYM
Koenig was not programmed to act like that. None of what was happening was supposed to happen. If this went on, they might never get to the key. The key to their survival.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tSsgRwmxb
***
"This is my forest. You're not welcome here," the man muttered. He wiped away the wine from his table and threw away the broken pieces of glass before preparing to activate the defenses.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWHxls9bjz
***758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmqO6tEMVq
"Where are you taking us?" Lizard asked.
"Location 502: Forest Cave."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0og5E8K8i
"Wait, the paper has a warning label before 502," Jayco said.
"And yet, that is where the rendezvous is."
"Rendezvous with whom?" Marlene asked.
"Why, him of course," Koenig pointed at Lizard.
"Me? But I'm here!" Lizard exclaimed.
"Well not you technically. You're a duplicate. The real you is at 502, inside that cave. He - you - should be waking up any moment now."
"What the hell do you mean-" Lizard's angry march towards Koenig was cut short by a sudden lightning. And out of the lightning, appeared five large dogs who promptly lunged at the group.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Me0Woc9iJ
