The V.I.C.I. Diaries: Valley of the Damned (Part 21)

[DukeNukem 2417]

While the front steps of the ALPA HQ building were usually busy during the days, with staff members, Field Agents and couriers rushing in and out of the building on their daily routines, this particular moment in time found the steps almost clogged with people---android/gynoid and human alike. The vast majority of them were calling friends and relatives to give carefully-thought out cover stories as to why they'd be late coming back from work; others were fact-checking and going over what they'd heard about the invasion of the building, to ensure that blatant rumors weren't spreading and causing mass panic. A select few were even attempting to establish contact with the Field Agents deployed to Aaberg's compound---without luck.

One gynoid sitting on the lowest level of the steps, however, was only concerned about one specific Agent....

"You might as well say it," Julia Irvine advised, striding over to sit down by her fellow House gynoid. "Ever since you had that conversation with him at San Jose State University, you've had that look in your eyes---and you know what look I mean.....just say it, Kimiko, and---" She stopped as Kimiko Mori stared up at her, tears streaming down her face. "You're....not thinking about the Major, then?"

"I've been thinking about my family," the Asian gynoid quietly replied. "The one Celeste promised me before she left the House." She wiped her eyes with her sleeve; "How many promises did she make, Julia?" she asked. "How many promises did she make that she'll never keep, now that she's running around with..." A choked sob cut her off before she could finish the sentence. "He was supposed to help us," she whispered, "but now...." She shook her head. "What if Celeste feels for him the same way she did for Oberon? What if she tries to relive those days with him?"

"Good questions," a sonorous voice called out, "but I have a better one: Why let the House wither and die?"

The two gynoids turned to see a man who looked every inch a British-born diplomat, with 45 years or so of age not doing anything to diminish what had to be movie-star good looks. He tipped his hat to the two, introducing himself as Richard Patrick Baker---one of the most prominent House representatives from the United Kingdom. "I was briefed on the plane regarding the situation," he explained, "and given the...lack of central leadership within the American branch of the House, I was advised to step forward as soon as possible." He gestured for his attendant---who looked remarkably similar to the discontinued Peyton series---and retrieved a pair of Manilla envelopes from her. "I believe you'll find the paperwork in order..."

Julia opened the envelope and read the enclosed files; "Everything checks out," she agreed. "Though I'm a bit concerned as to why you showed up here in the middle of this, ah....crisis..." Her thoughts briefly flashed back to Alicia VI recounting Oberon's outburst an hour or so ago.

"Mr. Baker has been sent by the Council to take command of the House as Patriarch during the duration of this crisis," the Peyton lookalike calmly stated, her voice tinged with a British English Received Pronounciation accent. "He has also been given authority to provide any necessary assistance and counsel to the Artificial Lifeform Protection Agency." She glanced at Richard, one corner of her mouth turning up in the barest hint of a smile. "Couldn't have said it better myself," he mused, grinning broadly.

Whatever reply Julia intended to give was cut off by a faint sob from Kimiko. "But...Celeste's orders---"

Richard gestured to help the Asian gynoid up to a standing position. "I was told of your situation mid-flight, Ms. Mori," he informed her, "and I promise you that I will do everything in my power to allow you to live with the family you were meant to stay with before Celeste...lost sight of her mission."

"As much as I value that sort of thing," Julia interjected, "we have something else we need to tend to---"

"Indeed. I was told Miss Lehane is waiting inside..." Richard allowed his secretary to ascend the steps before him, giving him enough time to finish his talk with Kimiko. "We'll go over the specifics once I take care of the business inside," he promised, smiling warmly.

Kimiko nodded, bowing politely. "Domo arrigato, Baker-san."

Once in the lobby of the ALPA HQ, Richard's smile faded as he saw Alicia VI sitting on a bench, a blank look on her face. "The Council authorized my command as soon as they heard," he informed her. "You must tell me, Alicia---"

"It's true," she droned, her voice a shade above Vicki's own robotic monotone. "Everything I told them...it's all true." She never looked up, never even acknowledge'd Richard's presence; "Someone has The List, Richard," she added. "They entered the building disguised as one of the fembots, waited for a split-second window of opportunity when the crowd was in the right spot, and then made their move...." After a few seconds filled with tense silence, she turned to look at Richard---and the newly-appointed Patriarch nearly recoiled when he saw the thousand-yard stare in her eyes and the dual trails of running eyeshadow on her face. "They won."

"We don't even know who they are," Richard countered. "We can't exactly go pointing fingers at this point---"

"Who the hell CARES about pointing fingers?!" Alicia snapped, flipping the bench over as she stood. "If The List gets out, into anyone's hands, everything we've worked for is utterly screwed. They could be leaking it right now, for all we know---" Richard grabbed her by the shoulders, steadying her. "They're not," he intoned, staring into her eyes. "The failsafe code would've triggered if anyone had tried to upload it anywhere without the proper authorization. We've got at least a week to catch them, delete their copy of The List and help the ALPA cover any evidence of this..." His voice softened. "They haven't won, Miss Lehane," he assured the blonde gynoid. "They've only put themselves one step closer to prison, or the grave."

Alicia couldn't bring herself to look at him. "How can you be sure? How can you even guess that they'll be caught?"

"Call it intuition," Richard replied with a smile. "And besides, even if they tried to leak The List---"

"They took more than just The List," Alicia VI muttered. "They took a lot more."
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Yet another stream of bullets sailed past the column of metal crates Vicki had ducked behind, prompting a muttered curse from the brunette gynoid. So much for the old "peek and sneak" tactic, then.... Even with the light fixtures shot out, her advantage against Aaberg had turned slim with his decision to use blind fire---as in pointing the gun around every available corner, then firing whether or not anyone or anything was even visible, then running to another part of the room and shooting. I've let him drag this out long enough....I have to end this quickly, otherwise Leah might get hit again! Her thoughts briefly turned back to her colleague, hoping that Aaberg would run out of either patience or ammo within three hours.

As Aaberg opened fire on yet another empty area of the room, Vicki crouch-walked her way to a position that would allow her the easiest opportunity to trail him without being seen. If her plan worked---which, considering the arms dealer's near-constantly rattled state of mind and the rapid depletion of his ammo due to the blind fire tactics, it more than likely would---she'd have almost no difficulty following his every step, then distracting him with a tap on the shoulder or some other pithy gesture, then stealing his gun right out from under his nose.

Of course, there was always the second option.....

Vicki closed her eyes, focused, and expanded her internal WiFi connections until she could almost feel herself linking to the building's infranet. Since the property had belonged to Silicon Dynamics before Aaberg had taken it over for himself, the chamber they were currently in would've been fitted with secondary lights, as well as the primary light fixtures---the ones Aaberg had been shooting out. Sure enough, the control programs for the emergency lights had been locked behind laughably-simplistic firewalls with "encrypted passwords"---one of many terms the ALPA had appropriated to use for "nonexistant security", since the so-called encryption was so stupidly simple to crack. Ten bucks says he put his mom's maiden name in....oh, come on! Did he have to be that predictable?! With a smile, the brunette gynoid mentally shut down every firewall meant to "lock her out" from the emergency light controls.....

....and three seconds later, as Aaberg stalked down another aisle, the lights blazed on once again.

"Surprised, Björney?"

Aaberg turned, stunned beyond all belief to see the Lawson girl standing at the far end of the aisle, shaking her head. "I expected more from you," she chided. "I thought you would've at least grazed me---"

"ENOUGH!" The gunrunner/hitman stumbled forward, his fingers squeezing the triggers of the Benelli M-95es as he let loose with a wordless, gutteral roar---just as the lights flickered, temporarily plunging the room back into darkness. Oddly enough, in the brief flashes of light from the pistol barrels, it seemed like the Lawson girl was still moving towards him....and when the lights snapped back on, he saw that she was completely unharmed.

His thoughts of "How did she not get hit" evaporated when he heard the brunette giggle. "Is that all?"

Legions of potential replies flooded his thoughts as he squeezed the triggers again---and again, the lights cut out, making it impossible for him to see what he was aiming at. When they kicked on again, however, he saw that Vicki was not only unharmed, she was ten feet away from him.

"You.....how can you......there is no way....."

"Care to repeat that in actual English?" the gynoid Field Agent asked politely.

By this point, Aaberg was completely and utterly fed up. The girl was mocking him, the lights were acting on their own (apparently) and his best guns were doing nothing to tip the scales in his favor. With a snarl that would've sent a chill down a lesser man's spine, Aaberg threw down the pistols and pullled his backup gun---a chrome-plated Smith & Wesson Model 29 Magnum---from his waistband. "YOU WILL DIE FOR THIS!" His finger hovered over the trigger, as he prepared to empty the Magnum's chamber into the girl's heart and watch her die---

----and just as the tip of his finger touched the trigger, the lights cut out for the third time.

He counted off the shots as he fired them, imagining the girl stumbling under the impact of each. Had he known that his aim was so wildly off that none of the bullets ever came anywhere near Vicki, he might've been somewhat less horrified (and more embarassed) when the lights kicked on again.

Instead, the arms dealer screamed loud enough to almost match the roar of the Magnum as it fired six times.

For a brief instant, he smiled, believing he'd finally taken down the stupid Lawson girl....

...only to stare, dumbstruck and frightened beyond all rational thought, as the lights came up to reveal her standing three inches away from him, smiling serenely. "First of all,", she politely informed him, "you shouldn't point a gun at someone unless you're willing to kill them. Secondly....."

She grabbed his free hand with her left hand, raised it...and dumped six spent rounds into it.

"I think those are yours," she finished, still smiling.

In a manner of seconds, Aaberg felt as if every neuron in his brain had stopped firing at the same time. He stumbled backwards, trying to get away from the girl who apparently couldn't be killed---but she never moved from where she stood. "I'd give some long lecture about how you had this coming, and 'this is for everyone you've hurt', and all," she remarked, "but to be honest....I don't really think you're worth it." She turned on her heel just as the lights went out again....

....then from behind Aaberg, her voice whispered: "But I do think you've earned this."

A jolt shot through Björn Aaberg's body, followed soon after by blackness and stillness.
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[LongTimeLurker]

What do you mean, 'a lot more?' Dammit Duke, I want answers!

[Uhoh]

Just mentioning "The List... and more" seems to give people chills, perhaps it has to do with the sleepers?
and Aaberg's day is about to get a lot worse, maybe a little amusing for Vicki though

[DollSpace]

Liking this! Off to read Part 22 now...