Sweet Nightmare

05

I ran as fast as I could but every time I get away, he just keeps getting closer. Why are they chasing me?! I reached our camp the same time his foot reached it. Ever so slowly, Delta walked inside. Then the moment I turned to get to the centre, the place blasted into pieces.

Sweet Nightmare*

“How Many? Captain yelled. “I’m asking you, how many are killed?!”

“About t-two hundred, sire.” The team leader almost whispered.

“What did I say? Had I mentioned anything about suicide bombing? Had I!” He shakes his head. “Pardon my mistake mister, it’s not supposed to be called ‘suicide bombing’ ‘cause you’re still alive, right? Why on the freaking boiling flaming hell would you bomb your team? Are you stupid? You get so cocky about your two years of service but all you do is bomb Delta who’s a droid that for all I know doesn’t even die! And you even involved your colleagues! If you think other departments would praise such a horrible thing, well our department is different. We are Special Forces and as of ‘special’, we are few. And you’re in the mood to kill those damned innocent people?! Soldier, we’re not at war with humans, androids are our enemy! Androids! We’re not supposed to kill humans! Are you deaf? I’ve repeated that multiple times haven’t I? We. Only. Kill. Robots. Or androids if that’s what your brain wanted to register.” He pulled his hair out of frustration. “Argh! Get out of my sight! I might kill you!” the soldier left. I hugged myself as the cold breeze blow my hair.

“Captain, why are you so strict when it comes to killing humans? They could be bad guys too you know?” My hands are crossed down my breast. I looked at Captain.

“That’s the big mistake of Dystopia. I believe that humans can create mistakes sometimes. Especially when they’re mad, scared or stressed. We’re not gods, we’re not perfect. Most people can do things out of love, even bad things. And I do believe that those people have families to feed, to comfort, and to protect.” He paused and looked at the injured people behind us then looked at the star-filled night. “Do you know the saying that if you don’t want it done to you, don’t do it to others? I’m a strong believer of the saying. I don’t want to lose any member of my family – my wife, my daughter, my son – so I don’t want any family losing a family member. Sadly, we live in a world whose only game is: survive if you’re the fittest, also made worse by Dystopia.” He looked at me as if he’s looking at his daughter. “Cannibalism is legal at the animal kingdom you know? And we don’t differ with animals.”

I sighed. I looked around the rebels’ base. I guess he’s right.

“Xyrie! Let’s have a drink!” shouted Voltron, team leader of team two. He held up one glass. I laughed and shakes my head. We’re about to leave, I can’t afford to be tipsy by then. “Oh c’mon! Don’t be such a killjoy!”

Captain nudges me from behind. I looked at him. “Go on and have fun. It’s not like you could have all the time on earth to have fun. Things like that don’t usually last.” He smiled. I was shocked for a second… or maybe a couple of seconds. But what can I do? I had never seen him smile. Most of the time, I see his tern face, serious face, or angry face. I smiled back then after. His stern and serious face went back after a while. “Just be sombre enough to fight. I don’t want to babysit careless people.” I giggled after he left me and went to the shot tables.

“What are you playing? Who’s it?” I sat down.

I stepped out of the jeepney and faced Captain.

“Miss Xyrie, here at Dratha, you don’t need to pretend as anyone but Xyrie Laxon. This is a different town so what you will do is also different. You won’t be an Intel here yet but you can tell where and when droids will come and go. You will be working at…” Voltron came and touched Captain. Captain faced him.

“Sire, team three…” I didn’t make out the others for he whispered it.

“Miss, I’ll be back. Hang on a second.” Captain left me and went on with Voltron. I impatiently tapped my foot. What’s taking them so long? From behind, a handkerchief covered my mouth and nose. 

Sweet Nightmare*

 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Sweet Nightmare*

A guy wearing a black hoodie and a party mascara came into view.

“Come closer and you’re dead,” I said but he just smiled.

“I’m Echo. I’m not here to be considered as an enemy so I’m not here to hurt you.” He raised both of his bare hands. “If you help and not make anything stupid, our negotiation will go smooth…unless.” He played with the sharp tip of his knife that came from his…pocket. “You want it the hard way.”

“I’ll negotiate to no one.” Echo smiled.

“Fine then.” He turned to leave. I attacked but he didn’t even budge. He laughed. “You could do that all you want. Just remember, Charlie and Delta cannot be killed, they could go to your sister right here, right now without interruption. And… who knows what they’d do with that vulnerable kid.” I relaxed my hands and put down my weapons. “At least we’re clear. Get down and sit beside the driver’s seat. The road goes bumpy from here.” He turned to leave and as if he had forgotten something, he stopped. “And oh, if ever you try to run, I could contact Charlie and Delta anytime. They have eyes watching that little girl with the blue hair.” I jumped down and sat beside the driver’s seat after concealing my baton. Echo turned on the engine and the truck started moving. I began feeling drowsy, I guess due to the sedative I inhaled earlier. I tried to fight it but failed. Soon, I’m asleep.

The truck halts to a stop that woke me up and it’s already dark. “Where are we?” I asked.

“Somewhere safe.” He answered. Safe? As far as I can remember, I’m not safe as long as I am with him. We both jumped down. “There’s no telecommunication signal here so if ever you have a phone, tracking device, or comms, they’re useless. You can’t call for help from anyone in a two hundred mile radius especially in this place.” I took my baton and put them ready for a fight. I tip my head sidewards to take my hair off my shoulder. I smiled.

“That’s an advantage for me don’t you think? You can’t call your allies. I could do anything to you, off the record.”

“Sure, do that. Like hell, you could kill me.”

“No, ‘will just put you to sleep.”

“After two hundred miles a tracking device will automatically turn on to tell Charlie and Delta where you were and will know what to do.”

“Who told you that’s what I’m gonna do?” I beat his head using my baton and aimed the other at the place that I think was their system. He automatically shut himself down due to his damage. I pulled him inside the safe house and began looking for anything that will tell me Infos about this place. After a lot of looking, I found nothing suspicious nor interesting. I began surveying Echo. He’s an android, I’m sure Infos can be somewhere him. I accidentally tipped a button of his watch that revealed something that I wish Aqua does not know about.

Sweet Nightmare*