Cherreads

Chapter 69 - Stopping the Enemy

The trio was inside a room with a lift at the center before Michelle and Katelynn climbed the small stairs on the right. "That lift will take us to the Doctor's lair," she said before looking at her. "Get ready to go on the defensive."

Katelynn nodded and slammed her right fist into her palm. "Right," she said.

Simon Smoke looked at Michelle as she and Katelynn turned left. "Hey, I can be helpful too," he said.

Katelynn rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right..." she said as she waved her hand. "Just let Big Sister hold you like a doll."

Simon Smoke growled a bit before climbing onto Michelle's right shoulder and glaring at Katelynn. "Hey, I may not be as big as you, but there are advantages to having a small body," he said.

Katelynn deadpanned at Simon Smoke. "Sure, it is," she said sarcastically. "You'll only get in my way."

Simon Smoke growled at Katelynn before looking away, which made her cross her arms. "You're acting more like an immature child than when I was when I had no memories, and I'm only thirteen," she continued.

Simon Smoke smugly laughed, which made Katelynn look at him. "You're only thirteen; I've got you beaten by two years," he said before pointing at her. "Therefore, you should respect those older than you."

Katelynn and Simon Smoke glared at one another, growling. "Y'know, you're definitely right, Simon," Michelle said, which made the duo look at her. "Some people need to respect those older than themselves."

Michelle sternly looked at the duo, which made them flinch a bit. "So, as the oldest of both of you, please be quiet," she continued.

Katelynn looked down. "Sorry, Big Sister," she said.

Simon Smoke clicked his tongue and turned away. "Whatever..." he said before landing back in Michelle's right arm.

After Michelle and Katelynn turned left and climbed the small stairs, the trio stared at the lift. Michelle stared at the lift before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath; after she exhaled, she looked at it. "Let's go," she said.

The duo nodded as Michelle and Katelynn approached the lift; when they got on it, the gate closed before it started going up. The trio heard an intercom go off. "Do you hear it... like I do?" the Doctor asked. "Off somewhere... somewhere far..."

Michelle stared at the intercoms. "Beyond this place... beyond any place... a bell," the Doctor said. "For whom does it toll, you think? A wounded little pup lifts its head beneath the shadow of the master's raised foot. For whom does that bell now toll?"

Michelle gritted her teeth and clenched her left fist as the Doctor chuckled. When the lift was at the top, the gate opened, revealing a hallway with multiple screens; Katelynn looked at Michelle, concerned. "Big Sister?" she asked.

Michelle undid her fist before looking forward. "It's time we end this fucker once and for all..." she said.

Katelynn stared at Michelle before nodding. "Right," she said before they got off the lift.

As Michelle and Katelynn walked forward, the screens showed the Doctor's eye and stared at the trio before they turned to static.

When the trio was near the door, it opened, revealing a large gray vital machine with the Doctor's brain inside, a computer at the center, and two sets of stairs. "There he is... the Doctor..." Michelle said before she and Katelynn went through it and walked forward a bit.

Unbeknownst to the trio, a mechanical body activated before quietly approaching them. "Not even the ground beneath your feet," the Doctor said.

When Michelle turned around, the mechanical body grabbed her by her neck while its eye glowed red, which made her grunt in pain and shocked Katelynn and Simon Smoke. "Big Sister!" she shouted.

The mechanical body tossed Michelle to the floor near the bottom of the stairs, which made Katelynn jump them and land next to her, while Simon Smoke tapped her arm, worried.

As Michelle slowly sat up and looked at the mechanical body, it waved with a yellow glowing eye before the ground under the trio opened.

Michelle looked down with widened eyes and held Simon Smoke tightly as they fell; Katelynn grabbed her before they hit the ground, which cushioned the impact.

The trio looked at the hole until it closed, which made Michelle grit her teeth. "Damn that asshole..." she said as Katelynn stood up before placing her on the ground.

Michelle opened the right hatch with her left hand, which turned the flashlight on, before looking around. The trio saw four computers with battery sockets next to them. "We'll need to find batteries to power these computers up," Michelle said.

Michelle turned her head to Katelynn. "Katie, destroy any of the mechanical bodies that come after us," she continued.

Katelynn nodded and readied her fists. "You got it," she said.

Michelle turned her head to Simon Smoke. "Simon, you'll be our second pair of eyes at the back," she said.

Simon Smoke nodded as he climbed onto Michelle's right shoulder. "Got it, Boss," he said.

Michelle was surprised and looked at Simon Smoke with a raised brow. "Boss?" she asked before shaking her head and walking forward. "Doesn't matter; let's find those batteries..."

When Michelle turned her head to the right, she spotted a battery in the corner before aiming at it and pulling the left trigger, launching the blue hand and grabbing it.

After the blue hand retracted with the battery in it, Michelle approached the computer at the back before aiming at the battery socket and pulling the left trigger, launching it.

After the blue hand placed the battery inside the socket, the green fence gates opened. "Let's move," Michelle said.

The duo nodded as they went through the right gate; when they turned left, they saw a deactivated mechanical body. "Katie," Michelle said.

Katelynn nodded as Michelle walked forward and turned right, while she followed close to her. Before Michelle and Katelynn turned the corner, a mechanical body's screen broke, which made Katelynn cover Michelle a bit before sprinting away.

When the trio was close to two mechanical bodies on the right, the far one activated before charging toward them; Katelynn turned to it and punched its screen, which pushed it back.

When the mechanical body was near the deactivated one, Katelynn grabbed their heads before slamming them against one another hard, which destroyed them, before they sprinted to the left.

When the duo turned right, they spotted the Doctor's eye painted in blood before approaching it. When Michelle turned her head to the right, she spotted green light in the distance. "That has to be where a battery is," she said before they approached it.

When Michelle and Katelynn were close to the green light, the trio spotted a battery inside a socket under a computer. Michelle aimed at the battery and pulled the left trigger, launching the blue hand and grabbing it before retracting. "Two down, two to go," she said.

Simon Smoke turned his head to the right and saw a mechanical body brought down by a wire, which made his eyes widen. "Robo-body incoming!" he shouted.

The duo looked at the mechanical body as it charged toward them. Katelynn stretched her arms and grabbed the mechanical body before lifting it. "You're not getting anywhere near Big Sister!!" she shouted before slamming it on the ground, which destroyed the screen.

Michelle looked at Katelynn. "Let's head back to the center," she said.

Katelynn nodded before she and Michelle sprinted away; as they ran, a mechanical body turned on and faced them. Katelynn grabbed the mechanical body and yelled before slamming it against the wall, which destroyed it, while Michelle ran ahead.

When Michelle turned left, she saw a yellow light from the mechanical body in front of her, which made her stop. The mechanical body turned its head to Michelle before its eye turned red, which made her step back.

Before the mechanical body could do anything, Katelynn punched its screen hard, which made it collapse to the ground.

Katelynn's body bubbled a bit as she approached the mechanical body while her right fingertips turned into claws. "Not on my watch!" she shouted as they went through the screen, destroying it, before she and Michelle sprinted forward.

When the duo reached the center, Michelle approached the left computer before aiming at the battery socket and pulling the left trigger.

The blue hand shot forward and placed the battery in the socket, which opened the red fence gate, before Michelle and Katelynn went through it. "Elliot's machines are nothing to me," the Doctor said. "The childish fantasy of a naive, broken man. They won't serve you here; NOTHING will."

As Michelle and Katelynn turned right, they saw a mechanical body run in the distance. Katelynn's fingertips turned into claws before the duo turned left.

After the duo turned right, they turned left; when they turned right, a mechanical body activated with a red glowing eye before charging toward them.

Katelynn grabbed the mechanical body's head before slamming them against the ground hard, which destroyed it, before going to the left.

Soon after, Michelle and Katelynn reached a large opening with two of the Doctor's eyes painted in blood on a data bank and a long trail of blood on the floor, revealing multiple mechanical bodies inside the room and large pools of blood on the floor.

As the duo sprinted through the room, a few of the mechanical bodies' screens blew up. When the duo turned left, they climbed the ramp and turned right before entering a room with a battery inside a socket next to a computer.

Michelle aimed at the battery and pulled the left trigger, launching the blue hand and grabbing it. After the blue hand retracted with the battery in it, Michelle looked at Simon Smoke. "Hold onto my shoulder tight," she said.

Simon Smoke nodded. "Heard ya loud and clear, Boss," he said as he gripped onto Michelle's shoulder.

Michelle looked at Katelynn. "Ready?" she asked.

Katelynn nodded as multiple pink slime arms sprouted out of her back. "Whether it's one enemy or multiple enemies, I'll destroy them," she said as she readied her claws.

Michelle looked at the opening. "Then let's go!" she shouted before they sprinted forward.

As the duo left the room, the door opened, revealing a mechanical body. Before the mechanical body moved forward, Katelynn roughly slammed it back into the room, which destroyed it.

When Michelle turned right, she saw another mechanical body activate; a pink slime arm grabbed its head before slamming it against the inactive one, which destroyed both.

When the duo entered the hallway, multiple mechanical bodies turned on and faced the group. Katelynn sprinted forward. "Run ahead! I'll catch up!!" she shouted as she destroyed the mechanical body on the left.

Michelle nodded. "Alright," she said before sprinting past Katelynn and the mechanical bodies as she destroyed them.

After Michelle turned right, she circled the area until she spotted the open red gate. "We're almost there," she said.

Unbeknownst to Michelle, a mechanical hand grabbed her left ankle, which made her hit the ground hard and made Simon Smoke let go of her before hitting the ground.

When Michelle sat up and turned her head to the back, her eyes widened when she saw a mechanical body with a glowing chaotic red eye. "What?!" she shouted.

Simon Smoke faced the mechanical body with a growl before leaping toward it and grabbing the screen. "Hands off the Boss!" he shouted.

The mechanical body grabbed the back of Simon Smoke's neck before throwing him against a wall hard, which made him yell before collapsing on the ground. Michelle looked in Simon Smoke's direction, worried. "Oh no, Simon!" she shouted.

The mechanical body started pulling on Michelle's ankle, which made her glare at it with a growl. Damn it, even if it wouldn't have any effect, I really wish I had my flare hand right now... she thought.

When the mechanical body's arm reached for Michelle, a pink slime hand grabbed its arm before tearing it off, which shocked her. "What the hell do you think you're doing...?" a young female voice asked.

Michelle looked up and saw a tense aura surrounding Katelynn, which made her flinch.

Katelynn glared at the mechanical body as her blue teeth extended. "Get your filthy hands off my Big Sister!!" she shouted as she roared and bit the top of the screen before tearing it off the body, which made it let go of Michelle's ankle and collapse to the ground.

As Katelynn tossed the screen away with her mouth, Michelle slowly got up and looked at her. "Thanks for that, Katie," she said.

Katelynn smiled at Michelle. "You're welcome," she said.

Michelle smiled a bit before approaching Simon Smoke's direction and kneeling. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Simon Smoke quickly got up and looked at Michelle. "You don't have to worry about me, Boss," he said as he flexed his arms. "I'm a lot stronger than I look."

Michelle smiled as she picked Simon Smoke up and placed him on her shoulder before standing up. "Well then, let's place this battery inside the front right computer," she said.

The duo nodded as Michelle and Katelynn entered the center room; when they were close to the front right computer, she aimed at the battery socket and pulled the left trigger.

The blue hand shot forward and placed the battery in the socket before retracting, which opened the blue gate. "I'll bury myself so far down that no one will ever find me!" the Doctor shouted. "Not you and your group. Not the Prototype; not anyone!"

The trio looked at the open blue gate. "We've got one battery remaining; this is the final stretch before we take care of the Doctor," Michelle said.

Katelynn nodded as she and Michelle sprinted through the blue gate; when they were near the corner, a mechanical body turned on. Katelynn slashed the mechanical body, which destroyed it and fell to the ground, before turning right.

When the duo was in a long hallway, a mechanical body charged toward them; Katelynn grabbed the mechanical body before throwing it against the wall.

After the robot was destroyed, Michelle and Katelynn sprinted to the right; near the opening, a mechanical body turned on before charging toward them.

Katelynn grabbed the mechanical body and raised it in the air before tearing it in half. After Katelynn dropped the mechanical body halves, they went through the opening and turned left.

When the trio saw a large version of the Doctor's eye painted in blood with an opening next to it, Michelle and Katelynn turned right before climbing the stairs.

When Michelle and Katelynn were at the top of the stairs and turned a couple of corners, the trio saw a computer with a battery next to it.

Michelle aimed at the battery and pulled the left trigger, launching the blue hand and grabbing it before retracting. "Time to head back to the center," she said.

Katelynn nodded as she and Michelle turned the corners and went down the stairs; after they left the room, a mechanical body activated.

As Katelynn grabbed the mechanical body in both hands, a different one on the opposite side turned on. Katelynn glared at the mechanical body on the opposite side with a growl. "Duck!" she shouted.

Michelle quickly crouched before Katelynn threw the mechanical body in her hands at the other one, which destroyed both of them. After Katelynn destroyed a few mechanical bodies along the way, the trio saw a small hole covered by a board.

Katelynn grabbed the board and quickly pulled it open before tossing it away; Michelle crouched and went through it, which made her follow behind.

Soon after, the duo reached the center; Michelle aimed at the battery socket near the front computer before pulling the left trigger.

The blue hand shot forward and placed the battery in the socket before retracting, which lit the cables. "It was going to be mine! It was ALL going to be MINE!" the Doctor shouted. "MY discovery; MY recognition! I was the one who paved the golden path!"

Michelle and Katelynn went through the open blue gate and followed the cable until they stood before stairs. "I've had enough of this..." she said, lowly.

Simon Smoke looked down and noticed a cable going toward the back. "Hey, Boss," he said, which made Michelle look at him. "There's a different cable leading towards the back; it could be something important."

Michelle clenched her fists and looked down. "Do we really have time for that?" she asked.

Katelynn looked at the cable. "I can do it for you, Big Sister; I'll be super quick," she said.

Michelle turned her head to Katelynn before nodding. "Very well..." she said, lowly.

Katelynn quickly followed the cable; when she was near the open yellow gates, she noticed a small gap on the left before going through it.

When Katelynn turned her head to the left, she spotted two deactivated mechanical bodies, with one of them holding an orange keycard in a chain before stretching her arm toward it and grabbing it.

After Katelynn retracted her arm and the orange keycard went inside her, she went through the small gap before sprinting toward the back until she saw Michelle and Simon Smoke. "We can go now!" she shouted.

Michelle nodded before she and Katelynn climbed the stairs; when they reached the top, they saw the Doctor's vital chamber. "You paving the golden path?" she asked rhetorically in anger. "The only thing you've done is turn innocent children into monsters."

Michelle glared at the vital chamber. "Well, no more," she continued before approaching it.

When Michelle was close to the computer, she pressed the 'Enter' button on the keyboard, which made a green chip come out of the slot. "This is your end!!" she shouted before grabbing it and pulling it out.

As the computer started overloading, multiple mechanical bodies charged toward Michelle; Katelynn stretched her arms and grabbed her before pulling her close.

Pink slime arms sprouted out of Katelynn's back as the mechanical bodies slowly approached them, while the Doctor screamed.

Soon after, an electric wave shot off from the vital chamber before the brain inside was destroyed, which stopped the mechanical bodies. "You've... saved... no one..." the Doctor said, lowly, before he went silent.

The trio stared at the vital chamber. "The Doctor is gone..." Michelle said. "He's finally gone..."

Katelynn let go of Michelle as she closed the right hatch. "Now what, Boss?" Simon Smoke asked.

Michelle looked at the stairs. "Katie... did you find anything important back there?" she asked.

Katelynn held her right hand out before the orange keycard came out of her palm. "Just an orange keycard," she said.

Michelle glanced at the opening on the back right before looking at the stairs. "We'll climb the stairs first... then we'll take the Omni-Hand," she said.

Katelynn nodded as Michelle put the chip in her right pocket before they climbed the stairs.

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