Bee, still looking at the generator he found, had moved with it towards Sophie against the wall. He sat down, before tinkering with it again. She wasn't sure how much of the generator he could fix, or if it was even in need of a fix. All she knew was that she had found a place to stick the shield in. It had been a slot on her back where she could slide it in. As it clicked-in, a blue hue came over her like a bubble, turning transparent shortly after. Maya had tried it out by trying to grab her ass. The endeavor left her disappointed when the energy shield had stopped her groping hand. Sophie had just smiled at her, before sitting back down to regenerate her wounds.

It was getting late in her time zone. Soon she had to leave them for a few hours. Not before they had found the next boss. Whatever that may be. As she regenerated her last percentages she stood up while saying "Shall we move on?" It was a rhetorical question but both nodded. Bee less enthusiastic than he normally would. She guessed he wasn't finished. He could fix it while she was gone. They both crawled up from the floor as Sophie gave them a hand to pull them up. As was now custom, Maya went first into the giant cave to lure the next batch so they could move around in relative peace.

As Sophie was inspecting her new gun for any possible damage, she was curious how it worked. The plasma seemed to come out of nothing, the "Battery" couldn't just make the stuff indefinitely, right? That would be weird. In the middle of her thoughts, she was interrupted by a screaming Maya who was sprinting into the tunnel far faster than Sophie had ever seen her run. Surprise making way for alertness as Maya explained in a panicked voice "I have no clue what the fuck just happened but it seemed all the remaining drones are coming this way…"

They were all quiet for a moment, as Bee's and Sophie's expression went from confusion to pale. This was bad. Deathly bad. Sophie rushed to the end of the tunnel looking outside.

A massive body of drones counting at least 300 was in its forming stages as it circled in a dense pack around the steel tree. Where it was normal for them to fly around it, now they had grouped up and they seemed to wait for the last stragglers that kept joining the group. As she was looking at the black cloud of angry buzzing, it moved towards their tunnel speeding up with every passing second.

They were fucked. No way they could win against so many… She turned around running back to her friends, telling them what she saw. Maya nodded as she probably had expected such a scene, while Bee cursed out loud. Seeing their reactions Sophie smiled. In this hopeless situation, at least she could die alongside her friends. She rather not die at all but at the moment that was impossible.

Once you logged off your body stayed within the game for at least three to five minutes. She hadn't seen this with Maya and Bee as she was always somewhere else when they logged, or she had gone first. They had told her during a random conversation. It was annoying, but a good thing against people that ruined the game by logging off while you were about to murder them.

As she smiled they looked at her a little confused before Maya understood her train of thought and laughed "Ah the dying alongside your friend’s cliché. Man up Bee, we got shrapnel to teach that nobody messes with the Willis siblings." Bee still looked sour and cursed "Dammit, why are we dying so much." Sophie could only keep the smile on her face, she felt fortunate to have met these two persons to adventure with. She never cared about being alone, but the feeling of companionship and friendship did not go to waste on her. Liking it as much as any other human would.

Smiling she said to them "Willis huh, not afraid one of your stalker viewers will come looking for you?" This made Mayas` face look pale and scared before relieve washed over it, she said "Well, first, there are like a thousand-people called Willis in New York alone. Second, I made it beep out my real name every time I or my slow brother would say it out loud. I did kind of forget about it. You almost had me way more scared of them then that Swarm of robots outside." Handy, Sophie thought, she might ask Frank to do a little research on them. It was all that could be said on the subject as there was no more time left. Their conversation cut short by the first drones that flew into the tunnel.

All three of them turned around and began shooting. They didn't need to aim as the whole tunnel was filled with a wall of buzzing, laser shooting black drones that looked annoyed at their presence. They kept on shooting, their energy shields covering the first ten percent of the onslaught. They had managed to shoot around twenty out of the sky before the real pain began. Tens of lasers fired every second into their suits that soon looked nothing more than rags, their health plummeting down in a crazy pace.

Maya was the first to fall down. Her body disappearing. Sophie didn't look at it and just kept on shooting, her gun almost empty, maybe fifty dead drones on the ground but many, many more still in the sky. The shots painted her skin red. Soon Bee fell down, disappearing. The sound of the buzzing drones echoed through the tunnel, the laser flashes now focused on her as her blue plasma sometimes overshadowed a drone, only to be replaced instantly. This could not be won. This was a massacre. It was also her last thought before she experienced her first death in the game and everything turned black. The last thing she saw from the horde was a face that formed in their collective bodies. A face that had a strange familiarity to it and seemed to smile. Before she could process any thoughts, the blackness swallowed her whole.

As she died she expected to be thrown out of the POD. At least it had said so in the manual. Now however she felt like she was floating through an endless expanse of blackness, stars surrounding her. She looked down, but couldn't see her body, she was nothing. Floating along, nothing pushing her forward, nothing holding her back. Perfect equilibrium. As she drifted for a while her vision blurred and she was back in the POD, the lid sliding off. She blinked a few times but then crawled out of the POD and back into real life.

Looking around the room she noticed the house was dark, a cold breeze touching her skin. It had more to do with the fact she was naked then that the house was not well heated. Lights would have gone off at eleven o'clock, looking at the antique clock that was hanging on the far-off wall she could just make out its legs and see it was a little before twelve. She sighed, it was late. That Frank had not yet pulled her out had to do with the agreement they had. Twelve o'clock was the limit.

It was a good time. She would still get enough sleep and had plenty of time after that to do the mandatory activities of the day. Getting out of the POD she put the bathrobe around her shoulders, making her way upstairs. She was tired off a day's hard work. Throwing her bathrobe on the floor next to her bed, she climbed in. The soft fabric embracing her as she snuggled into the giant bed and fell asleep.

The next morning, she woke up with her alarm clock blaring at her again. Groaning she slammed her hand on it with a by now practiced ease. Hearing a small crack, the red lights that used to give her the time snuffed out of existence. She stared at the clock for a moment, awake and alert by its destruction. She hadn't used the alarm a lot in recent years, most of the time just waking up out of habit. But besides that, it was a little unusual that she could break it with just her hand. She had not paid attention to how much power she asserted but to destroy the plastic alarm clock went a little too far… Maybe she should ease up a little on the weights and focus more on cardio. It seemed she was getting a little bit too strong…

She slowly got out of the loving embrace of the soft and warm bed, to replace it with the cold and harsh air that hung in her room. Picking the bathrobe up where she had left it last night she put in on while walking towards the window, opening the shades. She had plenty of time today. Well, not that much considering she still needed to do a whole lot before twelve, but still. As she opened the shades a rarity shone into her face. The sun was shining, with no clouds to be seen in miles. She smiled, this didn't happen often enough and could be over in a couple of hours! She quickly went to her closet opening the door, walking in and picking up some warm clothes.

As she walked out again she pressed the intercom, stating "Frank I know you are still angry but I am going out for a run." A dozen seconds passed by and she waited patiently for Frank to react. If she went out without informing him things might get pesky for her. As she waited she tied her laces and put on the sweater she usually never wore but still had for the colder parts of winter or to go on a run, like today. The intercom creaked, before she heard Franks business voice coming out of it "All right miss, be safe. What route will you take?" The corners of her mouth curved up in a little smile as she listened to him. She knew he acted mad, but by the sound of it, she would be back on her normal level by tomorrow. Not wanting to ruin that she said sweetly "Route A, and after that, I will study till twelve." A little pause was followed by another "As you wish miss." Before silence returned to the room.

Walking downstairs, towards the table, she grabbed the breakfast that was already waiting for her, three pieces of roasted bread with butter and sugar on top. It might not be fancy but she loved it. It was also a sign that her punishment was almost over. She smiled again, stuffing a piece into her mouth chewing it while she walked into the opposite direction she usually took. Normally she would exercise in the entertainment room, before going to the swimming pool. Now she walked underneath the floor where her room was located, into a small hallway that led to a pair of huge double doors, standing three meters tall. It was the entrance to the house and she had gone through these doors many times. Not so much in recent weeks. Taking a run outside was more of a summer and spring activity. The rest of the year she preferred the warmth and comfort of the house.

As she pushed one door open the sunshine hit her face, putting a hand in front of her eyes she smiled. Her pale skin sucking up the rays of sunlight as if it were a thirsty man in the desert. She felt her face warm up just by the few seconds she was out and she loved it. In the summer, she had to smear layers upon layers of sunscreen to prevent her skin from turning tomato red, but now it was still harmless enough to go without. It was bliss. She took a long sniff of the crisp and cold air, forgetting for a moment she was supposed to go running and just enjoying the first rays of sunlight in months.

Snapping out of her trance after a couple of minutes she shook her head, making her way through the front garden. She called it a garden but in reality, it was more like a plain of grass that was larger than some surrounding villages. On both sides of the road she walked on, stood oaks that were older than her grandparents, aligning the road that stretched on for two and a half kilometers. She started her running pace, slower than normal as she had to run four times as long. Route A was a route of twenty kilometers. After she finishing it she would be done with exercising. With this kind of weather, it was a treat.

She ran, pacing herself, looking around. Taking in the scenery. She had almost forgotten how beautiful it was. The dirt road took her past the numerous green plains of grass interrupted by rough and rocky hills that sometimes came out of nowhere and disappeared into nothing. She ran as in a trance, her feet hitting the road underneath her that was mainly gravel with a preordained rhythm. Lost in thought, lost in the scenery. The sunshine shone on her while little tendrils of heat rose into the cold morning air. It felt freeing to run as she pleased, not hindered by a heavy space suit or unwilling vegetation. The landscape passed her by, uphill, downhill, until she finally arrived at the place she was running to.

As she ran over the last hilltop her destination came into view. At precisely ten kilometers there was a lake that stretched out for tens of kilometers to both sides. She stood still, looking at its reflective surface, the slight ripples of disturbances that went through the lake as birds and fish penetrated its surface. Small waves landed on its shores and the grass plains that were interrupted by rock and an occasional tree made the scene all the more serene. She breathed in and out deeply, her face sweaty, her hair sticking to her face, streams of steam coming off of her body and into the crisp air. Her eyes shone with joy as she had not seen the scenery in front of her for quite some time.

She had stopped while admiring the scenery but now continued downhill until she reached the lake. She stared over it. Its surface releasing small amounts of mist that would normally create the misty conditions that plagued the Scottish Highlands. Now though they added to its mystique. She had not visited a lot of places, but these lands had to be one of the most beautiful that one could come by. Untainted by the decay called the human race, the elements and time sculpting a masterpiece.

She sighed. When she had been little and upset, she used to come to this lake and stare at it for hours until Frank would pick her up. Rain, fog or sunshine it had not mattered. She took one last look, the sunshine reflecting off its surface, the grass surrounding it slowly moving in the slight breeze. The rocks unmoving and uncaring. The slight reflection of a glass object on top of one particular large stone outcropping.

It was not supposed to be there, she knew, but she was trained by Frank. Meaning she was drilled on what to do when something was not as it was supposed to be. She slowly walked back up the hill, like she had not noticed. The most important thing after staying calm was not to give away your advantages. She walked up the hill until twenty meters separated her from the edge. Then, in one big exertion of power, she took off sprinting the remaining twenty meters, throwing whatever was watching her off its game. As she made it to the edge she slowed down again.

She looked back, agitation showing itself on her face. Whatever was spying on her was ruining a perfectly fine morning. She made a b-line off the track and onto the grass and rocks that ran parallel with it. Walking slow and steadily towards the spot she had seen the reflection from. It was far and she needed to be careful not to make too much sound or trip over the rocks that were covered in moss. Half an hour later she arrived thirty meters from its location. Crouching down, onto her knees and looking over the ridge as she had sought higher ground behind her intended target. She was curious, not stupid.

She looked over the ridge and saw nothing. Staring at the spot in confusion for a few moments before she shrugged, returning to the spot where she crawled from. Maybe she had been wrong. Making it back to the dirt road, her shoes had suffered mud pools and her leggings had cuts from sharp bushes. Moping a little about the disturbance she resumed her run, going back in a brisk tempo. If she would take too long Frank would ask questions about her leggings and shoes. She didn't want to explain how she went searching for trouble.

It kept gnawing at her. She could have sworn she had seen the reflecting surface of something like a scope. Frank had shown her on multiple occasions what to look out for when she went on her runs or went somewhere alone. Had she been mistaken or was there really someone out there looking at her? She ran a lot faster back home then she had done towards the lake. Not even half an hour had passed or she ran passed the ancient oaks again. As she made the final curve in the road and her house came into view again she saw that in front of the villa that seemed to melt away in the scenery a Jeep was parked.

She instantly stopped running, almost skidding over the dirt road underneath her feet. They didn't get visitors… The last time somebody visited was a teacher that made a mandatory house call and that was almost six years ago. Sure they went out sometimes, to one of the local cities or the bigger ones like Glasgow or Edinburgh but nobody ever visited them. Too many secrets lay in the house. Most of all the one that Frank was not human. She did not want to know what would happen to whoever happened upon that secret.

She slowly made her way towards the car and saw that the number plates were English. Not that that was strange but she knew no one from the English side of the country. She didn't know all that many people period.

As she came closer she looked inside of the car and frowned. It was empty, except for a couple of bags inside of it. Black and big. She thought about opening one but then decided against it. Sometimes it was better not to know. Saver too. Cautioned she approached the house, trying to hear if there was any disturbance. But she heard nothing.

As she walked towards the big double doors she heard talking coming from inside. She crept closer and in a fluent motion pulled one door open. No one stood in the hall, but there was a trail of footprints that led into the entertainment room. She looked at the print and judged that they were around size 11. Which was big. Either this was an enormous woman or a man.

Walking to the door that connected the entertainment room to the hallway she put her ear to the door and listened. As she did, she heard a thunderous roar of laughter. Letting out the breath of air she had been holding in ever since she had entered the house, a small smile appeared on her face. She knew this person. She pulled off her shoes, opening the door.

Without making a sound she sneaked in, seeing the enormous back of a man that stood two meters into the sky. His head shaved and his black skin wrinkled at the base of his neck due to over training, scratching up the skin with muscle. He had legs like a bull, one of his thighs easily as big as her torso as they went into a v-shaped back , and arms that looked like they could hold a bridge, putting steel cables to shame.

She sneaked into the room on her socks, not making a sound. She saw how Frank had seen her but just slightly smiled as she made her attack. She rushed towards his back, jumping up, putting her arms around the walking mountains` neck shouting "Jazz!" The person called Jazz grinned, hardly surprised that he was being jumped by a seventeen-year-old girl saying in his deep, rumbling voice "I see that the miss is still as energetic as ever. I am glad. For a moment I thought Frank might have gotten to you with his harsh teachings." She beamed back and kissed him on his broad and shaved cheek letting go of his neck walking around him. The man's face was like it was carved out of stone, and a big chunk of it at that.

His nose was broad, just like his cheekbones, jaw and chin. Big bushy eyebrows stood above his big brown eyes that lay a little deeper inside his skull than was usual. Sophie looked at his face, not saying a word. She had always liked Jazz a lot when he was still there to play with her, now it seemed like he had grown two times over. She smirked saying "Did you eat your twin brother or something. Jeez, I don't know how you got through the door! Did you come to show off?" She laughed at her own joke and saw Jazz smiling too, before he looked at Frank who nodded. Jazz face became a little more serious and said "Frank has asked me to keep you company for a while. He said you missed me so much that you couldn't sleep anymore. So I took pity on you and quit my job to help Frank around the house."

He smiled, Sophie smiled back, her little dimples showing on her cheeks but there was also doubt in her mind. He lied. Why would jazz lie about him staying here? For one, she knew for a fact Frank did not need help in the household or grew tired. For another, she spends almost all her time in the game or studying. Why did she need someone entertaining her? It made little sense but she left it be for now. She was just happy Jazz was visiting for whatever reason the two had for him being here. She Looked at Jazz a moment longer, before turning to Frank stating "Can't he join me in Ethereal space? I could use a man of his skills." She turned around to Jazz and smirked "You know all muscles and no brains."

A laugh thundered through the house, it had always been their act. They would jab at each other even when she was still small. Frank had said it was good for her character to have somebody around that didn't take her too serious. He had been right. When he stopped laughing, Jazz looked at Frank for confirmation. She had guessed he would. There was something going on between the two of them, she was now more sure than ever. She had not even felt the need to lie as she used asking Jazz into the game as a probe. She really needed someone with Jazz his skill set.

Maya was great and fun, she was a great person and friend, but Maya was only mediocre in combat. She suspected that Maya had it in her to become a great merchant or something else that involved people, but that was beside the point for the moment. Bee was a great person, honest and smart, but also timid and again, not great in a straight up fight.

She loved playing with them but an extra hand in the dirty work of fighting would be appreciated. If Frank agreed then it would be perfect, she could focus more on precise actions instead of the bulk work she was doing now. She might seem good at it, but she had seen Jazz practice on the dummy and sandbag all those years ago, and she was far, very far from his level of expertise. That was not counting the almost guaranteed high aptitude in strength. The man was a walking castle.

She followed his gaze towards Frank who was now frowning and letting his processors do the cost-benefit analysis. She wasn't sure if Jazz knew what Frank was, but she would not be shocked if he knew. He had lived with them for a significant amount of time, and Jazz was a lot of thinks but dense was not one of them. She saw the tides turn in Franks' eyes as he came to a decision, a smile telling her enough to smile too. Frank coughed a little and said "I think that would fit in our plans for young mister Jazz perfectly. I gather young mister Jazz agrees?" This time she followed Franks gaze towards the stone face of the castle named Jazz. He seemed to think for a while but his smile shone through the mask of intimidation as he answered "I would be honored to show the young miss how it is done."

Frank nodded stating "Excellent, well then I believe the young miss has studying to do while we will discuss the details of your… companionship with the miss in the game. The guest room you used to inhabit is made up for your return and I will order an extra POD which will probably arrive here tomorrow. Let's be on our way young mister Jazz, for we might be a distraction that the miss does not need in her studies." Jazz winked at her and gave her a kiss on the forehead before following Frank into the back where the guest rooms were situated. She felt the urge to follow them and listen in on their conversation but thought the better of it. It was better to have Jazz join her online then to know what they were up to right away.

Not yet anyway. But ones she got some alone time with Jazz in the game she would drop the occasional question at an unexpected occasion. Smiling at the prospect of having one of her oldest friends joining her in her adventure, she walked towards the table with study materials. She would take a dive in the pool once she finished this. She needed to keep the momentum going or it would slowly eat her brain away. Plus, after almost two days of not showering the pool was a nice reward to give herself after finishing. The studying subject? Robotics.