9: IF

The Rescue

It had taken the sound of a weak alert for Cera to acknowledge she had fallen into a dreamless rest. She yawns as she mindfully sits up to change her orientation.

"You heard that clamor as well?"

Cera languidly glances around and discovers 2 close to her, sitting on a heap of books. The brunette rubs her eyes and fishes for her glasses.

"Definitely, any thought on where it's coming from?"

"Outside, maybe?"

"Only one way to find out...."

Utilizing the book heaps, Cera is extra mindful to stand up this time.

"How are you feeling?" 2 inquired.

Cera snorts, "Sore, a smidgen of stinging, yet much better." I don't have the foggiest idea what 2 did, however, he sure worked admirably on me.

The old doll grins, "Amazing! That is extraordinary to hear." The human grins back and expands her hand at 2's feet.

"Prepared to take off?"

The starless night didn't seem to change, Cera had noticed. The courtyard is still dimmed by the dark blue glow of the sky, like a blanket of dull clouds. Even the silence continued to fill the air.

Wait.....silence?

It finally dawns on Cera. The noise is gone. The faint sound is nowhere to be heard, not even when Cera exits the courtyard. She groans internally in frustration.

Are you kidding me? Did I really just woke up and walk out here for nothing?!

2 picks up on the absence as well, "How odd. I don't hear it anymore."

His human companion sighs in defeat, knowing full well they've hit a dead end.

"Well, 2, whatever it was, it's gone now."

She glances at the faraway view of the factory, the tiny red dot on the front still glowing with a menacing presence.

Cera felt a light tap on her arm but doesn't remove her gaze.

"Yes, 2?"

"Should we head back inside?" She rubs the back of her head with her free hand,

"Might as well. There's nothing out here for us-huh?"

2 watches the journey of her face go from confusion to shock, to finally.....horror.

He follows her line of vision to see-

The factory is exploding.

Fiery blasts spit from the sides, clouds of smoke coat the entire building as it crumbles down with a thundering groan.

They didn't know the how, they didn't know the why, all they know is the sight of the destruction has dug its way through their eyes and buried into their minds.

2 stares with dread, his metal hands gripping on Cera's arm. No, no, no, no, no, NO! The mantra replays in his head over and over again. He didn't care if he volunteered to stay behind, he had to do something!

"C-Cera...." 2 barely croaks out, "T-the others, we have to go after them! They could be in danger!"

"Say no more."

Her tone was clear yet determined. A subtle agreement.

After ripping out a broken piece of the metal fence to use as a walking cane, Cera places 2 on her shoulder.

"Hang on tight. This walk will be a tough one."

*********

Much earlier......

The Neos were guarding the outside, a strange single blimp machine scanning for intruders with its single light. Despite the added security, 9 felt incredibly lucky he and 5 were able to lead the others to the secret passageway.

After making sure none of the guards are watching, 9 carries out his next move.

"I'm going in." He alerts 5.

The healer stopped him before he could take another step. "I'm coming with you." 5 offers, grabbing his friend's shoulder.

9 shakes his head, "No, I need you here." He takes 5's hand off his shoulder and squeezes it in a comforting grip.

5 blinks, but otherwise nods in understanding. 9 briefly laces his fingers through 5's.

"If I don't make it back.....destroy it."

5's optic eye widens, taken aback by such a request. 9 doesn't say anything more other than a warm, affectionate smile. One that said, I believe in you.

Letting go of his hand, 9 races to the passageway.

"Wait! How?" 5 yelled. But it was too late, 9 was already halfway there.

The medic couldn't believe the request that was handed to him. Did 9 really have that much faith in him? Enough to come up with a plan of his own, let alone lead? He almost felt flattered at how much his friend cared for him.

5 scans his surroundings.

The oil, the smoke, the highly flammable sign.

Multiple sparks ran through his head like clockwork.

"So then, let's hear it." He hears 1 demand, "What's your brilliant scheme?"

5 turns to face the group, taking out a match from his quiver. A sly, almost cocky smile emerged on his face.

"We'll need a full barrel."

*********

The dark red air and the plans of many gatekeepers made within the production line almost unrecognizable for 9. The sheer size, all things considered, was overpowering.

Regardless of this, dodging capture was simple enough for 9.

In any case, even with the nearby experiences and the looks at the Neo watchmen, it gradually unfolded on 9 exactly how inert they all were.

The entire industrial facility is energetic with people, but every one of them acted more like machines than people. He shivers at the idea.

The zippered doll looks out of his present concealing spot. By and by, no indication of the unusual monster, nor the caught 7 and 8. The solitary thing that grabs his attention is a little gathering of people clustered together. One set is by all accounts on their knees, and the other pair is overshadowing them.

9 moves in for a closer look. The humans on their knees soon turn out some very familiar faces. It was Odette and Malaika, much to 9's relief. The duo is very much alive, very awake, very hurt, and very, very angry.

Still, no sign of 7 or 8. 9 analyzed, So for now, I will focus on Odette and Malaika.

The doll picks up the pace, inching closer and closer to his human friends.

Close enough to make out more of their faces.

Close enough to see-

B-bruises?

9 comes to a halt.

The girls have bruises and cuts all over their bodies.

Malaika's left eye is blackened and sealed shut. Her hijab is ruffled but otherwise still intact.

Odette's nose is broken and dripping blood. Her curly hair, once tied in a neat and tight bun, is now messy and loose. And that was just the faces!

9 shut his eyes for a moment and hid, overwhelmed by the thought of how worse the rest of the bodies would look. No. He thought to himself, shaking his head, I don't have time to think about that! I've GOT to get my friends out of here!

He continues his pace, only stopping to hide from the watchful eyes.

As 9 inches closer to Odette's tied hands behind her back, the voices of the other human pair grow louder and clearer.

"-ask you again." The impatient voice belonged to a tall and lanky man. He showed signs of balding and wore glasses like Cera. And from the look of it, his attempts to interrogate the girls were not working.

"And I will ask in a more simple way for your stupid brains, Who is your Head Commander?"

"Your mother." Malaika spat out, "Oh wait, I'm sorry, it was your sister. You know, I can't tell them apart these days."

The man's eyes twitch.

"I don't blame her, really." Odette chimes in, "After all, it's hard to remember anyone when their only memorable trait is being good in bed." Her comment earned her a slap on the face from the pissed-off man, his olive skin red from anger.

He raises his hand for another hit but is halted by the other human: A shorter and much paler woman. "Don't get too worked up over them, Vice-Captain." The woman warned, her blue eyes piercing at the hostages through her greying red bangs, "We need them alive and awake for now."

Odette could do nothing but growl at her captives, her cheek stinging like needles. There is no way these Neos will let us live even if we told them what they want....huh?

The rope that held her hands shut was now coming loose, Odette noticed.

Someone....or something was trying to free her.

Whatever it was, Odette couldn't let the Neo Captains know its presence, even if it meant distracting them long enough.

"Sooooo......" Odette grabs their attention in the most innocent way she can. "Since you guys made it clear that you won't let us live, why don't you go ahead and tells us how you brought these machines to life?"

The other captain stares at the girl with a sly smirk.

"I suppose we can...indulge your last request." She points towards the Fabrication Machine, still covered with the red flag. "Through trial and error, we were able to discover that by connecting the machines to that with a special cord, it creates a unique AI for them. Thus, our miniature army!"

Odette's binds were almost loose and cut, but the Neos still don't seem to notice. "Of course, it wasn't easy, since we couldn't wake the Great Machine to do it for us." The Vice-Captain continued, "Not that we'd want to. Committing such an act would be suicidal and idiotic."

9 nearly cuts himself from freeing the last rope, he really did not like to be reminded of his close mistake.

Snap!

Finally, the last rope breaks off, and Odette rubs her hands together the minute those Captains turn their heads.

9 quickly switches over to Malaika.

She too feels the weird sensation of someone cutting the rope. Odette looks over to see who set her loose and seeing her little ragdoll friend warmed her heart a little.

She attempts to whisper his number to get his attention, but he shushes back at her. Odette understandably nods and mouths to Malaika to keep quiet for now. After all, she doesn't doubt that 9 didn't sneak in here with a plan.

As 9 finally cuts the last piece of rope from Malaika, a new voice approaches.

"Captain!"

A Neo wearing a dirty lab coat captures the duo's attention and salutes, "The Seamstress has returned!"

The two captains step away from the hostages, rotten smiles crept up to their faces.

"Good..."

"Now we can proceed with the plans..."

The Neo's announcement is what catches Malaika's attention. Seamstress? Why would they need a-?

Ggggrrrrraaaaahhhh...

Oh. That thing. Great.

Malaika didn't need to turn her head to see how frightened Odette looked.

"Now then..." The greying redhead bends down to the snake-like machine's level. "Show me what you've brought for us." The Seamstress obeys. It fishes out its prey with a sickly, gurgling sound. Odette had to fight the urge to throw up herself. 9 watches carefully from his hiding spot as the machine spits the still-tied 7 and 8.

The human captives nearly gasp in horror, not wanting to draw attention.

But it was too late.

The Vice-Captain noticed.

He stares at the captives. Then at the dolls. Then back to the girls.

The Vice-Captain smiles a very wicked and sadistic smile.

The young ladies sat idle yet miserably gaze back appallingly. 7 and 8 burned through no time in attempting to escape their ties. Even when the man got down on his knees they didn't stop fighting. "Now, now." He stated, "There's no compelling reason to wriggle out of your snare. You will just wind up with your appendages ripped off." 7 snarls accordingly. 8 couldn't react with his mouth actually sewn shut, not that it prevented him from snarling as well.

"You have something of significant worth to us," Said the red-headed Neo. "And we want whatever information you've got."

7 gazed blades at the adversary lady, her reaction trickling with a virus rage, "I would prefer to bite the dust than reveal to you beasts anything!"

8 grunts and nods in agreement. The tall vice-captain frowns. "So you refuse to talk, eh?" He says as he stands back up. "It would seem so, I'm afraid." His partner replies, her stoic expression unmoving. "Luckily, that shouldn't be a problem for very long."

The heroes were baffled yet regardless peered toward their captors with alert.

"You don't wanna talk?" The bespectacled man asked once more, presently hovering behind Malaika. When he gets no reaction, he lifts his leg and kicks the young lady in the back, sending her to the ground and landing with a painful grunt.

7 bites her lip to keep herself from screaming, the smallest sign of weakest could spell disaster for her, and 8. But the worse was yet to come, that vile woman makes her way over to Odette and looms right beside her. "In that case..." she said as she grasps hold of Odette's hair and lifts her, ignoring the yell of pain from Odette.

"We'll MAKE you talk!"

As soon as those sadistic words left her mouth, the Captain takes her knee and strikes it straight into Odette's jaw. The force was enough to send her to the ground with a hard thud. It took 7 every ounce of her strength to not shriek or beg, not even as the captains toss an uppercut at Malaika's face or kick at Odette's head.

The girls could feel the sting of her cut lip or the blood dripping from her now-broken nose.

9 forced himself to look away, despite the sounds of the tormenting ringing across the factory. The increasing urgency leaves 9 more determined and frantic, his optic eyes skimming and browsing around for something, anything that can help him. Then his hand touches a piece of brown fabric. He grabs the torn sheet and looks it over: It's filthy, ridden with small holes, and spotted in soot.

9 glances at his light staff.

Then at the fabric.

And back to the staff.

He's got an idea. But it has to be done quickly.

8 didn't like being weak. He was the tough muscle, the guard, he shouldn't even feel this way! And despite his futile attempts to break free of his binds, he wasn't going to give up any time soon. He didn't care if his more aggressive struggling could rip apart his mouth!

And yet......why does he feel this sudden wave of helplessness?

8 didn't know why he felt this way, but all it did was make him livid. And being forced to watch Odette and Malaika getting beaten to the ground did not help any favors.

The anger only made 8 fight against the binds harder, and there was no way these stupid enemies were going to get away with torturing his-!

8 stopped himself for a moment.

Was I....really about to call these humans my friends? Humans that I've barely known for a day?

8's line of thought is suddenly interrupted when a new voice rings across the factory.

"Hey! Over here!"

The two captains stop the interrogation once they notice the Seamstress putting both 7 and 8 back inside itself and heading off somewhere.

"Hey! Heyheyheyheyhey!" The red-haired captain follows it a little but failed to grab its attention. "Where are they going?" The Vice-Captain demanded to the still-standing Neo.

The Neo perks up at the question, "Well, you see sir, I programmed the Seamstress to always take her victims with her whenever she finds new prey to hunt-ack!"

"You i***t!" The enraged man grabs a fistful of the Neo's shirt, "Doing so will endanger ALL the victims should it get lured into a trap!"

"My Seamstress will be fine, sir." The Neo said, almost unfazed by his furious superior, "She's smart enough to not fall for anything."

The Captain scoffs, "They better not! We didn't come all this way to be outsmarted by some tiny creatures!"

She turns back to the girls....and finds something....odd about them.

"Say....aren't you two supposed to be tied up?"

She got her answer via two fists to the face.

Little did they realize, 9 was doing exactly that.

After tricking the machine into sewing up his lightbulb staff covered in the burlap rag, 9 grabs her attention and starts running. The very heated Seamstress gives chase, yet her charge was sufficient to trigger the moving gears that were tied up to the staff. And because the staff is still attached to the machine's strings, it pulls it closer to the gears. All according to plan for 9, who utilizes his blade to rush up to the Seamstress and cuts her stomach open, freeing 8 and 7.

9 is quick to catch 7 in her arms, 8 lands behind him with a grunt. They witness the Seamstress jerk and squirm in the trap, her shrieks of help fell to deaf ears as the cogwheels slowly crush her and the lightbulb staff, leaving nothing but her fabric remains.

*********

"The exit's this way! Quick!" Once the warriors were untied and ungagged, 9 had no problem guiding them to the rope leading to the escape route. "What about those human girls?" 8 asked. "They will be fine." 9 replied, calmly. "But they're completely outnumbered!" 7 protested, "Odette and Malaika won't be able to make it out of here alive without-"

CRASH!

".....weapons?"

The three stitchpunks stopped just below the escape pipe when something distracted them.

"Are they...?"

"Woah!"

"N-no way...!"

There, fighting against the Neos like women possessed, was none other than Malaika and Odette.

The brutal beatings they took should have slowed them down, yet here they are, taking down dozens of guards and drunk on adrenaline.

9, 8, and 7 watch in awe as the two girls fight their way out using a fighting style that they've never seen before. These were not just mere punching and kicking, the girls were jumping in the air and kicking two guys in the head, spinning and jumping their kicks when surrounded, even the way they hook punch or uppercut looked powerful!

Odette's body sped through the Neos and taking them down as if on autorun. She couldn't think straight for her other senses are overloaded with the throbbing bruises, the taste of copper in her mouth, and on the brink of passing out from both pain and exhaustion. Yet her adrenaline is screaming at her to keep going, her brain signaling one command: Don't die, keep running, fight. Don't die, keep running, fight!

That train of thought is nearly interrupted as the Captain somehow ran up ahead of Odette and blocked her path. "I have no intention of letting you leave." She sneered, her nose and mouth coated with blood. "Weak women like you should have stayed home and act like a good, obedient lady!"

Odette refuses to slow down, those words only serving to heightened her fury. One Neo tries to attack her from behind with a metal bat, but Odette is too quick for him. She disables the guard with a spin jump kick to the head and grabs his bat once he's down and out, leaving the girl to charge straight towards the Captain with rage.

"How about you shut the heck for once in your pathetic life!" Odette roars as she swings the bat and slams it onto the Captain's head with a sickening c***k. With the head lady now knocked down, the young leader continues her escape.

Malaika followed her companion as fast as she can.

Even if it meant ignoring everything else about her body, but that was easier said than done. Her legs are about to collapse, her heart LOUD and nearly leaping out off her chest, she could barely see out of her one good eye, and the hurting of the soon-to-be-bruises is NOT going to disappear for a while. Despite this, Malaika knew that as long as those Neos kept chasing her, then she must keep running.

And seeing Odette getting her path blocked by that head captain only served to make Malaika more determined to catch up and help her friend. Unfortunately, Malaika failed to notice the vice-captain running up to her and snatching the Muslim's arms tight in his grasp. "You really thought the two of you could escape?!" He yelled. Malaika kept struggling against his grip, refusing to dignify him with a response.

She halted for a moment, however, once the balding man gestures to an approaching Neo with a powerful taser in her hand. "One hit with this will either knock you down cold or stop your heart like that." He explains in an all-too-happy tone, "A shame you didn't want to accept our dictatorship, though people like you deserve to suffer in Hell anyway!"

It was as if Allah himself granted Malaika the extra boost of strength needed to swing the vice Neo around and take the shock of the taser. His agonizing screams might as well be like sweet music, and his shaking hands allowed for Malaika to get out of his grip and runoff. But not before she delivers a crescent kick to his face and a steel-like punch to his chest, sending the man crashing down on top of the other Neo. "If I deserve...to be in Hell...." Malaika retorts, panting hard, "Then...May Allah curse you Neos....to be Satan's plaything..." Without waiting for a reply, Malaika hurries to the exit.

9, 8, and 7 break out of their awed trance as soon as the two girls finally make it out of the room, wasting no time to climb the escape route.

*********

Meanwhile.....

Back outside, the remaining stitchpunks roll the oil-filled barrel to the edge of the tunnel, waiting for 5's command. The one-eyed healer peers at the tunnel, hoping for 9's plan to work. "Where are they?" He asked himself nervously. "It's been too long!" 1 argues impatiently, "We have to do it now!" He reaches for the match, but 5 grabs his arms before he could. "No! They need more time!"

Flash!

Suddenly, a blinding light flashes down on the stitchpunks.

It was the snail blimp.

They have been spotted!

5 immediately takes out his crossbow and shoots the needle rope at the blimp. Due to the sudden intrusion, the flying machine cries out a warning alarm, one loud enough for everyone to hear. "Help me pull it down!" 5 yells, not wanting this thing to give away their location. 6 and the twins rush in to help, 1 frozen in place.

Then at that moment, another strange yet familiar sound cries out.

Bzzt! Bzzt!

It was the walkie-talkies from the belts of the Neos.

Bzzt! Bzzt! "ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS! I NEED EVERY SINGLE MEMBER TO PROCEED INSIDE AT ONCE! THE HOSTAGES HAVE ESCAPE IMPRISONMENT AND WE CAN NOT LET THEM GET OUT! I REPEAT, HOSTAGES HAVE BROKEN OUT AND WE CAN NOT LET THEM ESCAPE!"  Bzzt! Bzzt!

A murmur arose from the Neos.

"Hey, you think that's why the alarm's on?"

"Why else would it?"

"Come on, you guys! What are we waiting for? They need everyone!"

"Let's go!"

Soon, every Neo that was guarding outside left their posts and entered the building, leaving the snail blimp at the mercy of the stitchpunks.

So those girls are alive, huh? 1 thought, That's a relief. He grabs the end of the rope and ties it on a nearby metal pipe. This instantly stops the blimp from flying away, and the sudden jerk causes all the stitchpunks to fling off the rope and land on the ground in a pile.

*********

Odette and Malaika halt in their tracks the second they see the shadows of the guards approaching the hallway. "Shoot! What do we do now?" Odette whispered. Without thinking, her teammate grabs her arm and pulls her to the side of a broken wall. They hide behind a large chunk of debris as a large number of Neos march past them without a second glance.

"Where'd they go?"

"I don't see them!"

"They must be still in the center of the building."

"Let's get to it then!"

Malaika rolls her eye. Idiots.

Once the enemies were completely out of sight, the two girls resume their escape and make it outside.

*********

1 peer into the tunnel, appearing out are the three distinct shapes of 9 and the warriors. A clear sign of the successful rescue. "They're coming....! They're coming!" He yells.

5 lets out a groan while struggling to dig his way out of the pile. He sees 1 reaching out with his hand, but instead of grabbing his arm, 1 snatches the match away.

"NO!" 5 scrambles back up in an urgent manner as 1 light up the match. He grabs a hold of the lit match but is unable to fight it out of 1's grasp. "Not yet!" The young stitchpunk protests.

"Let go, you fool!" 1 command. All 5 do is growl at him in response, his sole eye glaring at the stubborn elder. Then...

A voice rang out from the tunnel. "5!"

5 turns his attention to the voice. His soul brightens at who that voice belonged to: It was 9! He's running halfway out with 7 and 8 alongside him. He actually did it! "We're coming!" 9 shouts, waving his hand.

With an act of newfound courage growing inside him, 5 rips the match away from 1 and ignites the oil leading to the barrel. The last part of 5's plan is finally set in motion, and the team of five hurry to push the flaming barrel down the tunnel....while also getting out of the way as the still-connected snail blimp falls into the tunnel.

8 and 7 swiftly dodge the flaming object with ease by jumping over it and climbing the wall, the latter having to manhandle 9 around to keep him safe and even using his arm that's carrying the blade to stab through the blimp machine and out of the factory.

With all three stitchpunks outside, they join the rest of the group and make a run for it.

*********

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T FIND THEM!?"

The bleeding captain barked at the recently-arrived crowd. "I-it's like we said, Ma'am," One Neo said in a nervous tone, "There was no sign of either hostage when we entered."

"IDIOTS! ALL OF YOU!" Bellowed the vice-captain, struggling to stay on his feet, "Those two could have escaped by now!"

Just as they are about to lecture and rave to the members, they hear the sudden loud sounds of banging and clanging.

"Huh...?"

"Wha...?"

BANG!

The giant barrel leaps off the broken pipe and into the oil-covered floor, setting it aflame. The Neos gasp in horror.

"Oh, God!"

"NO!"

Were the last words the captains shrieked before an explosion swallows the entire area, engulfing every single Neo member into a slow, screaming, agonizing, and fiery death.

*********

"We....we made it! We're finally outside!"

"Oh, thank God!"

"But we can't afford to rest now, Odette. We're still not out of the woods."

"Ugh...I know, I know...!"

The duo doesn't stop running until they are sure that no one is chasing them. "You...you think....9 made it out...with 8 and 7 okay?" Odette asks, panting heavily. Malaika takes a few seconds to catch her breath before answering back. "Insha'Allah, they will survive, Odette. We should keep an eye out for them too."

"Right....but still, I hope our little friends came with something really big if they have any chance of getting out of there alive."

At that very instant, a colossal explosion blinds their vision.

Followed by a deafening loud BOOM!

"AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"

"WHAT THE FU-!!!"