

"I don't see a lot of hope in my situation," said Winston. "If you are a soldier as you say you are, why aren't you with the other soldiers?"

"I don't know why I should tell you."

"Just curious as to your role in all this. Those who about to die should have a right to know."

"Fair enough...I got separated from my men. I salvage tools and weapons. I thought I had a dead factory, but it was a trap. I barely made it out alive. Most of my team didn't that I know of. Now, Makr and his cyberts have my heat signature, my image and plenty of information if any of my men were still alive to torture, which I doubt."

"The monster!"

"Yeah, monster."

"Are you sure they aren't alive? You escaped."

"Not likely after the explosion."

"The cyberts blew up the factory?"

"No, I did."

Winston was silent.

"Yes, I killed them. I killed my own men. Had to. Cyber can't know the extent of our weapons knowledge. Had to kill the cyberts before they uploaded information to Makr. I had to."

"I'm sorry about your people, but what about us here? If Makr knows you... won't He be able to locate you wherever you hide?"

"That's pretty much it, but that's why I hijacked your hovercar. I need the mobility. I hope it's fast enough."

"Me, too," agreed Winston as he looked around, desperately hoping he didn't spot a cybert of any kind.

"Not to worry. I left you here so I could create a safe zone of electronic chaff to confuse cyber sensors. We should be okay for now."

"Makr isn't connected to me out here. You could just let me go. You can have the hovercar. I can walk."

Winston winced as he thought the Shadow was going to strike him. Instead, he just continued talking. His tone was surprisingly less threatening.

"Rumor has it we're about to fight our last battle—the one we've all been waiting for. Like it or not, you're going to help me."

"What? Not me. Do I look like a soldier
" I don't see a lot of hope in my situation, " suppose Winston. " If you are a soldier as you suppose you are, why aren't you with the other soldiers? " 

 " I don't know why I should order you. " 

 " Just curious as to your role in all this. Those who about to fail should have a right to know. " 

 " bonny enough... I got separated from my men. I salvage cock and weapons. I thought I take a dead factory, but it was a trap. I barely made it out alive. Most of my team didn't that I acknowledge of. Now, Makr and his cyberts have my heat key signature, my image and plenty of information if any of my men were however alive to torture, which I doubt. " 

 " The monster! " 

 " Yeah, monster. " 

 " Are you sure they aren't alert? You escaped. " 

 " Not likely after the explosion. " 

 " The cyberts blew up the factory? " 

 " No, I did. " 

 Winston was silent. 

 " Yes, I killed them. I killed my own men. Had to. Cyber can't know the extent of our weapons knowledge. Had to kill the cyberts before they uploaded information to Makr. I have to. " 

 " I'm sorry about your people, but what about us here? If Makr knows you... won't He be able to situate you wherever you hide? " 

 " That's pretty much it, but that's why I commandeer your hovercar. I need the mobility. I hope it's fast enough. " 

 " Me, too, " agreed Winston as he looked round, desperately hoping he didn't spot a cybert of any kind. 

 " Not to worry. I left you here then I could create a safe zone of electronic chaff to confuse cyber sensors. We should be all right for now. " 

 " Makr isn't connect to me out here. You could barely let me go. You can have the hovercar. I can walk. " 

 Winston flinch as he thought the Shadow was going to strike him. alternatively, he just continued talking. His tone was amazingly less threatening. 

 " Rumor has it we're about to fight our last battle — the one we've all been wait for. Like it or not, you're going to help oneself me. " 

 " What? Not me. Do I look like a soldier


"I dln't see a lot of hope in my situation," scud Winvton. "Ir you ard a soldier as you say you ace, wyy artu't you with the othef soldierd?"

"I don't jnow qhy I should tell nju."

"Juab curnons as to your rple in all this. Those whm xblut to die should have a right to kgow."

"Fair ejough...I got sepwrattd srom my men. I salvage tools and weapona. I tholght I had a dead factory, but it was a trap. I bwrely made it out wlive. Most if mr team didn't ghat I know of. Now, Makt and his cyberts have my heat skgnatbre, my imagg znf plenty of mnformwtion if any of my man were still alive tp tmrtyre, which I doubt."

"The konster!"

"Yeah, monstet."

"Are you sgrz they aren't alive? Yoy wscapgd."

"Not likdoy xfttr vhe explodioi."

"The cyberta blew up tye factory?"

"No, I did."

Wonfnpn was silenf.

"Yes, I kylled them. I killed my own men. Had to. Cjber can't know the extent od our weapons knowledhe. Had to kill the cyberts before they uploaded informatiot to Jxkr. I fqd to."

"I'm sorry about your people, but what about ta nege? If Makr knows nou... won't He be ablr ho jocate you whgrever vku hide?"

"That's pretty luch it, but rhat's why I hojacked your hovercar. I neee the mobiliny. I hope it's fast enobgh."

"Me, too," agxeed Wonstom as he looked around, dzsperafely hoping he didn't rpot a cybert of anj kitd.

"Not to worry. I left you rere so I coukd creage a safe sone of elfctrokhc chaff to confusf cybgr senvors. We shluld be okay for now."

"Makr isn't connected to me ogt vere. You coulc just let me go. You can hare the hjvercxr. I can wzlk."

Winsvon winced af he thought dje Shadow wav going eo srrikw him. Ivrtead, he just vontinued talking. Hus tone was surprixinemy less threateunnt.

"Rumor has it wr're abjun tp shght our lasd bagtld—yhe ove we've all ceen waiting for. Like it or hot, you're going to hclp me."

"Whaj? Not me. Qo I look likr a soldier
"I don't see a lot of hope situation," Winston. "If are a soldier why you with the soldiers?" "I don't why I should tell you." "Just as to your role in all this. Those who about to die should a right to know." "Fair enough...I got separated from my men. I salvage and I I a dead factory, but it was a trap. I barely made it out alive. Most of team didn't that I know of. Now, Makr his cyberts have my signature, my image and plenty information any of men still to torture, which doubt." "The monster!" "Yeah, monster." "Are you sure they aren't alive? You escaped." "Not likely after the "The cyberts the factory?" I Winston silent. "Yes, I I killed my own men. Had know the extent of our weapons knowledge. Had kill the before they uploaded information to Makr. had to." "I'm sorry about your people, but about us here? If Makr knows you... won't He be able to locate you wherever "That's pretty much it, that's why I your I the I hope fast enough." "Me, too," agreed Winston as he looked around, desperately he didn't spot a cybert of any kind. "Not to left here so I create a safe zone electronic to confuse cyber sensors. be for connected me here. You could just me go. You can have hovercar. I can walk." the Shadow was going to strike him. Instead, just continued talking. His tone was surprisingly threatening. "Rumor has it we're about to fight our last battle—the one all been Like it or not, you're going to help "What? Not me. Do look like a soldier


"I don't see a lot of hope in my sitUation," said winstOn. "IF yoU aRe a sOldiEr as you say you aRE, why Aren't you with the other soLdierS?"

"I DOn't kNOw Why I sHould teLL yOU."

"jusT cUrIouS aS To Your rOle In all thIs. Those who AboUt To die should hAVe A right to knOw."

"FAir enough...I goT seParateD fRom MY men. I SalVage tOols anD WeaponS. I thought i hAD a dead FActory, bUT It Was a Trap. I barely made it OUt ALive. Most of my teAm didn'T tHAt i KNow Of. NOw, Makr and hIs CyberTS have my HEaT SIGnaTUre, my image and Plenty of infORmaTion if AnY of MY men weRe stiLl ALivE to torture, wHich i doubt."

"The MonsteR!"

"yeah, monSTer."

"Are yOu sure TheY arEn't aLIvE? YOu eScAPed."

"nOt LikELy aFter the eXpLoSion."

"THe cyBERTS bleW up The fActorY?"

"No, I did."

WinstoN waS silENt.

"YEs, I kiLled tHem. I KiLled mY own meN. Had tO. CYber can't know the ExteNt of our weApoNs KnoWlEdge. HAD to kilL thE cyBerts beFore theY UplOaDED InFormation to Makr. I haD tO."

"i'M sOrry abouT your pEOpLe, BUt what abOuT us Here? iF makr kNows YOu... Won't He be Able to LOcAtE you wheReVer you HiDe?"

"THat'S pretTY mucH it, but That's why i hijaCKed your hovercaR. i need the mobilITy. i HOpE It's fAst Enough."

"Me, too," AgreED WinSton AS hE loOKed arOund, dEsPErATely hoping he didn't spOt A cyberT of anY kind.

"Not to worRy. I left you HERE so I coulD creATe A Safe zone of elecTroniC chaff to coNFuse cybeR sensOrs. We shoUld be okay FOR now."

"Makr Isn'T coNneCteD TO mE out here. You coULD jusT lEt me go. YOu cAn have tHe hOveRcaR. I cAn Walk."

WinstOn winced As He ThOuGht The ShADow was goInG to StRikE him. INStead, hE just ContInUeD TalKing. His TOnE WAs suRpRiSingLy lEsS threAtenINg.

"RUmor has It we're aboUt tO FighT oUr Last batTle—the one we've AlL been waitiNg For. like it OR Not, you're Going to help me."

"What? Not me. DO i look liKe a SoldiEr


"I don't see a lot of ho pe in my s ituat ion ,"sa id W inst on. "If you ar e  a s oldier as you say youare,wh y  are n 't  youwith th e  o t h erso ld ier s? " 
"I do n't  know w hy I shoul d t el l you."

"Ju s tcurious as  to  your role i n a ll thi s.  Th o se wh o a boutto die should  have a r ig h t to k n ow."

" F a ir  eno ugh...I got separ a te d  from my men.I salv ag e  t o o lsand  weapons.Ithoug h t I had ad e a d f a ctory, but it  was a trap .  Ibarely  m ade it out  aliv e. Mos t of my tea m di dn't that  I kno w  of. No w , Makrand hi s c ybe rtsh av emyhe a t s i gn atu r e,my image  a nd  plen ty o f i n form ati on i f any  of my men we restil l  al ive t o tor ture ,which  I dou bt."
" The monster!"
"Yea h, monste r." 
"Ar eyou s u re the y a ren 't aliv e? Youe sca pe d . " 
"Not likely afterth e ex plosion. "

"Th e  c yb e rts blew  u p t he f a c tory? "

" N o,  I did." 

Wins t on  w as sile nt .

"Ye s,  Ikil led t h em.I kill ed my ow n men .  Had to. Cyber can't know th e  e x t en t  ofour  weapons kn owle d ge.Hadt okil l  thecyber ts be f ore they uploaded i nf ormati on to  Makr. I hadto."

"I'm s o rry abou t yo u rp eople, but wha t abo ut us here ?  If Makr  know s you...  won't He b e able t o l oca teyou w he rever you hid e ? "

" Th at's pr ett y muchit,  bu t t hat 's  why I hi jacked y ou rho ve rca r. In eed themo bil it y.I hop e  it'sfastenou gh ." 
"M e, too, "  a g r eedWi ns tonashe  look ed a r oun d, desp erately h opi n g he  d id n't spo t a cybert of  a ny kind.
"N otto wor r y . I left  you here so I could cr e ate a s afe  zone  ofelectroni c c haff t o c o nfusecybersenso rs . W e shoul d be  ok ay  for now." "Ma kr is n' t co nnected  to me out here. Y o u c ould just let  me  go. Y ou  ca n  h a veth e  ho v e rcar. I can wal k."

Winst on wi nced as he tho ug ht theShadowwas g o ing tostrike hi m. Instea d,  hej u stcontinuedtalking.  His tone was s u rp risin gly  lessth rea tenin g.

"R u mor  hasit we' re  about  to f ig ht our l ast battle—the one we'v e allbeenwai ting for.  Li k e i t or not,  you 're goingtohel p me. "
" What?  Not me . D o  I lo ok l i ke a sold i er 


"I don't_see a_lot of hope in_my situation,"_said_Winston. "If_you_are a soldier_as you say_you are, why aren't_you with the_other_soldiers?"

"I don't know why I should tell you."

"Just curious as to your role in_all_this. Those_who_about_to die should have a_right to know."

"Fair enough...I got_separated from_my men. I salvage tools and weapons. I_thought_I had a_dead factory, but it was a trap. I barely_made it out alive. Most of_my team didn't_that_I_know of. Now, Makr_and his cyberts have my heat_signature, my image and plenty of_information if any of my men were_still alive to torture, which I_doubt."

"The monster!"

"Yeah, monster."

"Are you sure_they aren't_alive? You escaped."

"Not likely after_the explosion."

"The cyberts_blew up_the factory?"

"No, I_did."

Winston was silent.

"Yes, I killed them._I killed my_own men. Had to. Cyber can't_know_the extent of_our_weapons_knowledge. Had_to kill the_cyberts_before they_uploaded_information to Makr. I had to."

"I'm_sorry_about your people, but what about us_here? If Makr knows_you..._won't He be able_to locate you wherever you_hide?"

"That's pretty much it, but that's_why I_hijacked your_hovercar. I need the mobility. I hope it's fast enough."

"Me, too,"_agreed Winston as he looked around,_desperately hoping he didn't_spot a_cybert_of any kind.

"Not_to_worry. I_left you here so I could create_a safe_zone of electronic chaff to confuse_cyber sensors. We should_be_okay for now."

"Makr isn't connected to_me out here. You could just_let me go. You can_have_the_hovercar. I can walk."

Winston winced_as he thought the Shadow was_going to strike_him. Instead, he just continued talking. His_tone_was surprisingly less threatening.

"Rumor has it_we're_about to fight our last battle—the_one_we've_all been waiting for. Like_it or not, you're going to_help me."

"What? Not me. Do I look like a_soldier