Chapter 55 - Cute Rabid Animal

 

Tyler POV

 

3 hours into making the Armory.

 

Damn. I know I made these spikes out of aerogel to be sound absorbent, but maybe I should have gone with foam. I designed it, so it wouldn't break easily, but it's still so stiff that you can't exactly lean on the wall comfortably. But I guess this place isn't meant to be a lounge, it's meant to test guns in a sound isolated space. And seeing how even I can't hear anything from the outside, I say it does its job pretty well.

 

It's kinda weird, actually. I haven't had this level of silence since before I augment my hearing. Maybe I should get Matt a room like this, it would be nice for naps.

 

*BANG*

 

"Tyler, are you done yet?" Gabrielle barges into the room. 

 

Maybe the sound isolation is a little too good.

 

"Woah. What are all these spikes for?"

 

"Guns are loud, Gabby. Especially all the high firepower guns you asked for. We don't want to attract attention."

 

"I don't know what you're being so cautious for, we're in the middle of nowhere."

 

"We're barely 3 miles away from the closest town. I may have taken steps to get the Facility off all our backs, but there are bigger groups out there."

 

"Hmph. So the shooting range is done, but what about the guns you promised?"

 

"Just pull those secret handles over there." I point to a set of notched handles built into the spiked wall. She walks over and pulls lightly, and the two large double doors swing out of the wall to reveal a well-lit walk-in armory filled with guns and blades of various sizes. Why is my spidey-sense tingling?

 

"Hehe. Look at all these weapons. We could rob a few banks with this stuff."

 

"Yup. I made them myself. I thought about not making a few of the ones on your list. But I figured you and your sister deserved it after everything you've been through." Guns are actually fairly simple machines, but the manufacturing process doesn't allow a lot of error.

 

"I've changed my mind. You can pat my head from time to time. But just so you know, I'm only a year and a half younger than Laura." And yet you're a foot shorter. 

 

"I pet my sister, and she's not even a year younger than me. You're a cute wild animal, accept it." I walk over and place my hand on her head.

 

"Hyahh…" she places her hands above mine, holding them to her head. Then I hear her let out a few tears.

 

"Why are you crying?"

 

"I'm not crying."

 

"Ahh, so some sad dust must have flown into your eyes." I squat down and wipe away the tears trailing the long scars running down on her face.

 

"Shuttap." She throws her arms around me, squeezes hard, and her claws come out.

 

"I'm working on destroying the Facility's supporter base.  Pretty soon you guys will be able to go out and explore and eat ice cream without having to worry about people coming after you." 

 

"Are you...kicking us out?"

 

"No. You can stay as long as you like. But you have that option. I just think it would be good if you and your sisters made some friends."

 

"We were literally born to be killing machines. How can I go outside when every time I think of a man, all I see is red?"

 

"People become more than what they were born as. It doesn't matter so much what you are, it matters more about who you are. And aren't I a man?"

 

"You're different."

 

"Not by much, Gab. The world isn't black and white, it's a swirling mass of shades of gray. And even the kindest of actions have selfish motivations."

 

"Then why did you save us?"

 

"Partially because I knew Laura was there, and I wanted to save her. Partially because I wanted to become friends with your Dad, Logan."

 

"He left us to be tortured and experimented on. You're better than him."

 

"Everything he's come into contact with in his long, long, long life has come into ruin. And it's even worse than he knows. He thought he was doing the right thing. But no one in the world is more willing to sacrifice than him. Maybe one day you'll be able to forgive him."

 

"...Thank you for saving us. I know we don't show it, but we're really thankful. If we can do anything to make it up to you, let us know."

 

"It would be nice if you could be happier. To that end, there happens to be a vampire problem nearby. Perhaps you and your sisters can let loose on that." I rub her head.

 

"Mhmm."

 

"Better now?"

 

"No."

 

"Come on, pick a gun and try it out."

 

She peels herself off me and her claws go back to normal as she rubs her eyes. Then she immediately goes to one of the largest guns in the armory, a long Barret-style rifle. When she takes the massive gun off the rack, she's pulled down to the ground by the weight of the thing. I dash over to take it off her hands and stop her fall.

 

"Hey. Why is it so heavy?"

 

"It's a massive chunk of metal designed to take out helicopters and lightly armored ground vehicles. Of course, it's going to be heavy."

 

"But aren't you a miracle worker? Can't you make it lighter?"

 

"Nope. If I made the gun any lighter, the recoil would destroy your shoulder, especially at your size. Even I can't overcome physics."

 

"I don't understand complicated science stuff." 

 

"I forgot that you probably haven't had a good education. We'll fix that later. For now, if you want lightweight and power, you're going to have to use explosive rounds."

 

"No fair." She picks up a small AK rifle, a suppressor for safety, and a corresponding pack of explosive ammunition. She then stomps over to the range, takes a stance, and points to a target 40 meters down.

 

"Hold up. Where is your ear protection?"

 

"It's fine. I have a suppressor and the damage should heal immediately anyways."

 

"Put your earbuds in, or I'll bite your ears off."

 

"Humph." She pops her earbuds in and sticks her tongue out at me. I fill my ears with heavy gases to protect my ears as she lets loose 5 shots at the target.

 

*POP...POP...POP...POP...POP*

 

When she turns the gun safety back on, the target automatically slides forward. None of the shots penetrated the metallic glass target, but from the indents and char pattern, a real human in modern armor would be missing a torso. 

 

"Not bad. I kinda expected you to go trigger-happy." I tell her.

 

"That's a stupid waste of ammo."

 

"Well. I think it's about time I go. Be sure to share the place with other people besides your sisters."

 

"Have you seen Laura?"

 

"Nope. But I'm sure she's fine." Before she can ask any more questions, I zoom outside the room.

 

That, was a close one. I better get gone before people start putting things together. Now would be the perfect time to take Rachael out on a few errands before Laura wakes up. That should give me some free time to come up with a real excuse. Come on, falling unconscious because of a dildo? The girls may be traumatized, but that won't slide. Honestly, I should have put the armory aside, but that still would have drawn attention.

 

*SIGH* "Socializing used to be so much easier."

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