CHAPTER 3

            She just sat and absorbed it all. "So, you, Killed Terry?"

            "Not me, him..." he said, indicating the bulge on his arm.

            "Him?" she asked.

            "MetalliX," he expected a thunderclap, but the music was too loud, "The Artificial Intelligence I created. It had a bug. Terry. He wanted to sabotage the project, because he couldn't stand being an assistant to an important project like this. He wanted to be team leader, so he fucked with some crucial code in the AI. I'll bet he just meant for it to not work, but it did so much more..."

            The music outside seemed to die down as the band on stage finished their set, and the other band set up.

            She noticed Tyler didn't look well, "Are you okay?"

            He doubled over, he groaned, "No, agh, get, erg! get out, leave now!"

            "No, Im not leaving..."

            "Go, my, agh, duffel bag, get the, AGH!" He never got to finish the sentence as the metal flowed from his arm and over his body.

            The metal being stood up, and looked at Jez. Even with no mouth, she could tell that the thing would've been smiling. She ran as tentacles smashed up the sinks behind her.

            She tried to bash her way through the crowd, but had some trouble, even between shows the crowd was thick.

            MetalliX smashed through the wall of the bathroom, and sent tentacles out to slash, stab, and cut the people in his way. He dropped about 20 people before he noticed the girl, "Heeeeeeere kitty kitty kitty!" he said menacingly, in a kind of singsong voice.

            She got to the coat room, found Tyler's duffel bag, grabbed it and the box and ran out the door, she spun on her heels and tore off like a shot down the street. MetalliX was hot on her heels, a tentacle whipped out and tripped her, she hit the ground hard.

            She rolled onto her back, looking up at him. He stood over her, metal skin seemingly rippling as rain poured off of him. He shook his head silently.

            The area lit up as a bolt of lightning struck nearby and the resulting thunderclap sent MetalliX to his knees. She took advantage of the situation and searched the duffel bag. Clothes, sneakers, those tripod things...and a gun. A very weird looking gun. She picked it up, stood up and aimed it at MetalliX. He looked shocked when he saw it. Then he did that mouth-less smile again, "You wont fire."

            "You'd be surprised," she hoped her voice sounded more confident than she felt, and she really hoped he didn't see her knees knocking.

            He took a step forward, and she fired. The green blast flew past as MetalliX jumped 30 feet straight up and to the side; he now stood sideways on a building.

            "Nice try!" Tentacles whipped out and surrounded her. She pulled the trigger, the tentacles either ripped apart or just fell limp as MetalliX screamed and fell off the building ungracefully on his side. She fired again. This time she nailed him dead on. The metal rippled, tore and slid back under the control panel. Tyler lay there, half-conscious.

            "Ouch," he said, she ran to him.

            "Oh my god I'm sorry!" she said, nearly in tears.

            "Don't be," he said, propping himself up on his elbows, "that blaster won't hurt me, but wreaks havoc on him."

            She hugged him.

            He looked surprised, "What was that for?"

            "For warning me."

            He got up, and retrieved his duffel bag and box. "I'll explain what the little gizmos are in the bag a little later, but for now, let's just find ourselves a ride."

            After about an hour, they found a fairly decent car, a Caprice Classic, running with the keys in the ignition. "This can't be real," he said, "You never get a find like this. Well, better not let this one get away." He got in, tossing the box and duffel bag in the back seat, and as Jez climbed into the shotgun seat, he put the car in drive and took off.

            The compass on the dash said E.

            "East?" she said.

            "East is where the answers are." he said, staring out the windshield.

            This time, her hand found his.

            Several minutes later, Jason, arms loaded to overflowing with packages staggered out to the street and sawnothing. His whole damn car was gone. He blinked twice, then shook his head.