Cyberpunk: Arasaka Secret Son

The blizzard intensified as they ascended the mountain. The biting cold seeped through the thick layers of Sora's poncho, as he rode atop the albino Eco. Jack, at his side, moved forward on LQ, both following the path set for infiltrating the abandoned mine on the other side of the mountain range.

As they climbed, they also had to worry about the cameras and drones patrolling the island. Sora let Eco handle that while he focused on the window in his IDn interface.

Sharing the view with the same raven that had been "eliminated" by enemy forces. In a not-so-casual coincidence, after been "blamed" and "executed" for disturbing the invernacion of the infected.

However, as soon as the enemy forces withdrew, and Eco was praised for a job well done, the nanobots forming the raven's body sealed the simulated wound. As they continued their advance, Eco programmed a subroutine to take samples and monitor the contaminated body of the abandoned soldier.

And now, twenty-eight minutes and thirty-six seconds later... something is happening.

The soldier's corpse, abandoned with its brain removed, began to move. At first, just a slight tremor. Then, the shaking intensified until the entire body was convulsing violently, like a fish out of water.

Finally, the soldier rose slowly. His skin was grayish, his head hollow, and his movements erratic. Yet, unlike the Husks that roamed the village, his condition seemed more... "fresh."

As if some residual part of humanity remained in the "soldier," it stumbled out of the village, following the same path the AVs had used, as though somehow trying to return home.

"It's happened, just as we feared," Sora murmured. "He's turned into a Husk."

"Hm," Jack grunted in response, his hatred for the island growing with each step. His mood darkened after passively witnessing the soldier's cruel fate.

To him, he had behaved just like the people behind the glass who watched while they experimented on his body and mind, stirring a deep sense of anger and frustration within.

Sora was fully aware of this, having noticed his companion's fixed gaze, but had chosen to ignore it until now, knowing it could jeopardize his mission.

"Have you managed to contact your friends?" Sora asked, fully aware of the answer, but oddly trying to keep a conversation going.

"No, I'll try again at the summit," Jack replied bluntly, adding dryly, "Besides, they're not my friends, just colleagues. Nothing more."

"Okay, edgy tin man," Sora joked with a crooked smile.

"Don't call me that," Jack growled, clenching his metal jaw.

"Alright, don't get upset." Sora lifted his hands, his carefree attitude contrasting with his companion's growing frustration. "If you've got something to say… say it, don't hold back."

Jack glared at him before finally asking the question he had been mulling over. "Tell me... what was Boris talking about when he mentioned BlackDoor? What's your real mission?"

"Maybe you should hold back a little..." Sora replied, his tone becoming more evasive, though still carrying a hint of mockery.

Jack's frown made Sora sigh. "It was a joke," he clarified with a touch of patience. Then, contrary to his troubling words, he added with an unsettling calmness:: "My mission is to destroy the Blackwall's Backdoor beneath Shadow Moses."

Jack's single visible eye widened as much as it could before he exclaimed, "Why are you keeping something like that a secret from the Table?"

"Why do you think?" Sora replied, smiling with a composure that contrasted with Jack's agitation.

"Do you believe there's a traitor in the High Table?" Jack asked in bewilderment.

"I have no idea," Sora admitted, shrugging, calming Jack, until he added something that had been bothering him: "But... the speed at which it leaked that I was in possession of Norris's Sandervista was suspiciously fast. I only told Boss that I had it, and then she categorized the information at the Table level... So, it's possible."

The wind continued swirling around Jack, but suddenly the blizzard didn't seem as bothersome, as he was too distracted processing what he had just heard.

"Then why are you telling me?" Jack asked, distrustful.

Sora glanced at him from the corner of his eye, a hint of seriousness briefly crossing his expression. "Well, although it would have been normal for Morgan to accompany me, the fact that Boss chose you means she trusts you..."

Without realizing it, Jack slightly tugged on LQ, causing it to stop, while the dissatisfaction he had felt even before starting the mission evaporated due to the kind recognition in his companion's words.

Coming back to his senses, with his mood restored, Jack rode LQ through the snow and asked, "So... why does Boss trust you so much?"

Finding his question amusing, Sora's eyes gleamed slightly as he replied with irony, "Because I'm charming. Come on, we're almost at the top."

Covering the lower part of their faces, Sora and Jack reached the top of the narrow ridge that connected two peaks, creating a slight frozen valley between them.

-

At the same time, at 12:00 midnight in Night City

In the crowded streets that never slept in Night City, a young man moved quickly, dodging puddles that reflected the neon lights. With his hands in his pockets and the collar of his yellow jacket turned up, he hid most of his face, except for his sharp, watchful eyes. He scanned every corner of the avenue and the people walking through it, looking for any suspicious signs.

Upon spotting a group of corpos, all large and dressed in immaculate suits approaching, the young man observed them carefully before doing anything, noticing their military boots. Without alarm, without running, or acting hastily, the young man slipped through the crowd, waiting for the right moment to make a run for it.

However, before he could, a blonde woman with red lips and a tight scarlet suit, who looked like a model hired by some local spot to attract customers, grabbed his arm and smiled seductively, holding him back for just an instant.

It was enough for a hidden blade to extend from the woman's arm, which she used to attack him.

"Shit," David muttered, barely managing to dodge the attack, the blade leaving a crimson line across his cheek.

Following the steps he had been taught, he grabbed the woman's wrist to control the weapon and clumsily swept her legs, knocking her to the ground. He bolted before the group of corpos could reach him. "Shit, shit!"

David moved nimbly, using his size to leap over street stalls, gaining some distance. Sticking to the priorities that had been drilled into him, he used his knowledge of the city to ensure a route without dead ends.

After finding one, he veered towards an apartment building, quickly crossing the lobby and exiting through the back door into an alley, one of the narrowest he knew.

Using the walls and the air vents that jutted out as support, he jumped over the tall fence that separated the alley from the street. The bulky bodies of the Corpos, despite their enhancements that allowed them to easily jump the fence, couldn't move freely in the narrow alley, almost getting stuck.

For a moment, David thought that, after hundreds of attempts, this time he might be able to escape. But just as he was about to exit the alley, the same blonde woman who had attacked him earlier appeared on the other side, blocking his way.

With a cold smile, the woman forced David to stop dead in his tracks, and raise his hands thanks to the persuasion power granted by her Militech M-76e Omaha that was aimed at his head.

However, when the woman looked away, confident as she saw her companions approaching, David activated his Sandevistan. His hands became a blur, and in the blink of an eye, he snatched the weapon from her.

Without hesitation, he made her scream by shooting her in the thigh. In the same movement, he aimed the weapon at the Corpos approaching and opened fire while running, wounding them and forcing them to drop to the ground.

Just as he was about to escape the alley, a smile returning to his face, the echo of another shot rang out, and the subsequent pain wiped it away. Before reaching the light of the street, a bullet pierced his back and stomach, making him fall to the ground. Blood quickly began to stain the pavement.

The last thing David saw was the blonde woman on the ground, with a satisfied smile as she pulled the trigger of another weapon she had and that he hadn't noticed.

Suddenly, everything froze: the city, the alley, the blonde woman with her fixed smile... and then, "Aaaah!" David's scream as he "came back to life" echoed again within the simulation.

"Attempt 151 failed," announced the figure of Richard Night, appearing next to the undead David. Without giving him time to respond, he added, "Let's begin 152."

"No, wait!" exclaimed David, raising his hands, trying to pause the relentless cycle.

"What's the matter?" replied Jarvis, his tone as neutral as ever.

"I've been training for over 8 hours non-stop," David said with frustration.

"So what?" Jarvis replied, not understanding where he was going with this. "Only four hours have passed in the real world."

David stopped, incredulous. "What!? How is that possible?"

"All your brain fields are operating at 72% capacity, receiving information without needing to process it through your senses. Which means that, with a lot of effort, here, in this cyberspace, we can expand your perception of time."

David, surprised, thought for a moment before responding. "Wait, if they're at 72%, that means... you can increase the time dilation even more?"

Jarvis sighed. "Is that a question or a suggestion?"

"..." David remained silent, not even himself being sure.

Jarvis stared at him, before replying."I could do it, but without specialized Netrunner-grade cyberware to help synchronize the processes, it would put too much strain on your brain."

"What does that mean?" asked David, wanting to know the side effects.

"It means I could increase the dilation, but tomorrow, when you wake up, you'd feel like you got run over by a truck. Do you understand now?" Jarvis replied, mimicking his master's ironic tone.

David ignored him, knowing it was pointless to argue when Jarvis got like this. "Maybe it's not such a bad idea," he muttered. "I don't know if you're aware of the huge target your creator has put on my back... literally." He gestured in annoyance toward his digital recreation, where a Sandevistan gleamed on the spine of his avatar.

Jarvis nodded calmly. "Of course, I'm aware. There are six hours left until dawn, which here would be the equivalent of 12 hours of training. We could extend it even further..." He paused for a moment, shaking his head. "But I think that would be counterproductive. With this session, which will give you a solid foundation, and considering the true potential of that 'target' you complain so much about without understanding its real value, you should be able to escape most of the threats Militech or Arasaka might throw at you."

David raised an eyebrow and, with a mocking tone, asked, "Even against a Smasher?"

To his surprise, Jarvis didn't respond immediately. The silence dragged on for a few seconds, enough for David to interpret it differently. "No way!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet, excited by the idea.

David's sudden excitement caused Jarvis' expression to harden. "Don't push your luck," he replied in a flat, almost mechanical tone. "I said 'most of the threats,' referring to the disposable resources they'd use to capture a civilian teenager like you." He paused for a moment, his inhuman eyes studying David with a calculated coldness. "If they sent something with Smasher's specifications... not even a year of experience would save you."

David, with his illusions shattered, slumped to the ground, defeated. "Boomer," he muttered, deflated.

Jarvis remained silent for a moment longer, unable to be sure of the outcome of a hypothetical battle between Smasher... and the entity that slumbered within David's Sandevistan.

He had doubts about whether 'he' would be able to take him down again in a different body.

Shaking his head to dismiss the thought that was consuming valuable resources, Jarvis said, "Alright, we've been doing escape training for an hour now, let's take a short break..."

With a brief snap of his fingers, the Night City simulation shattered like glass, revealing a vast, pristine white void stretching as far as the eye could see.

"We'll continue with a shooting session," Jarvis added, just as, out of nowhere, a massive rack full of weapons and a nearby shooting range appeared at a dizzying speed. Its abrupt halt created a wave of air that ruffled David's clothes and hair, giving him a tangible sensation in that digital world.

When David reached out to grab a familiar silver pistol, so powerful and violent that it required a cybernetic arm to withstand its recoil, Jarvis interrupted him with a warning and a hollow look, like that of a dead fish: "That one will break your wrist when you fire, and I'll make sure you feel every bone fracture."

David swallowed audibly. And as a passive complaint — also to annoy him a little — he opted for a "smart" option against the purpose of his shooting training.

With a mischievous smile, David turned to face Jarvis, but he knew something was wrong when the creator of the city mirrored his smile mockingly.

Lowering his head, defeated, he realized that instead of the HJKE-11 Yukimura he had chosen, he was holding an M-10AF Lexington. With no other choice, David resignedly continued with his training, taking position, and focusing on the targets that began to appear randomly.

-

In one of the Fox Islands.

Sora was crouched alongside Eco on a ledge on the opposite side of the mountain range they had just crossed, studying the mine that would be their entry point to Shadow Moses through the three green lenses of his tactical goggles.

Or rather, the small, fully equipped base that guarded the entrance, which wasn't part of the plan.

Thanks to their position, with the mine at the foot of the mountain they were on, the spotlights and security systems, as well as the soldiers, were all focused on the flat terrain in front of the entrance, where bipedal drones patrolled. With the mountain at their backs, giving them a false sense of security, as if the natural protection of the mountain covered their rear.

While Sora kept planning how they could infiltrate, Jack appeared, crouched, his steps measured to avoid detection, followed by LQ, who slid behind him like a metallic shadow. When he reached Sora, the latter barely glanced up.

"I barely managed to contact Boris and Kevin. The signal was full of interference, but I think it was enough to let them know we landed safely," Jack murmured, summarizing his half-failed attempt to communicate with base.

After scanning the area with a look full of doubt, Jack said, "It looks heavily guarded," before asking, "Do you think we can sneak into the mine without being detected?"

Sora pushed his goggles up to his forehead and, pointing to the heavily guarded exclusion zone with fences and a reinforced door blocking access to the mine, said, "I don't think so. Even if we got there undetected, opening that door would trigger alarms and warning lights, and the whole base would know we're here."

Jack frowned. "Then what do we do? Do we find an alternative way to get in? Maybe where the AVs entered?"

Sora shook his head. "That would take too long. And if this area is this protected, the other will be even worse."

He bent down, scooping a handful of snow from the ground. As he sifted it through his fingers, the icy flakes stuck to his gloves. Though white, the snow was tainted—laced with heavy metals and sulfur compounds that poisoned forests, plants, and insects. It wasn't just cold; it was toxic.

A bitter reminder of the perpetual winter that now gripped the Northern Hemisphere. The heavy industrialization across the north had pumped so many pollutants into the atmosphere that they had formed a thick layer of clouds, blocking out the sun and blanketing the land in endless snowstorms.

Then... his mind clicked. "Follow me. I've got an idea."

Though puzzled, Jack followed him back to the top.

Finding a good snowbank, Sora began pulling grenades from under his poncho, which he opened and worked on in the middle of the storm. He cut wires, welded the plate with his finger, and removed part of the plastic explosive.

"Is this your plan?" Jack asked as, after finishing, he handed a few to Eco, and the two of them, like they were planting seeds, began burying them deep in the snow.

Sora looked up for a moment, and with a barely perceptible smile under his scarf, replied, "Brilliant, isn't it?" Continuing as he kept planting, "Simple but effective; I've reduced their explosive charge so the sensors will barely register the detonation." He nodded toward the base at the end of the slope, concluding, "Creating... the perfect cover for our infiltration."

"An avalanche?!" Jack questioned, doubting his definition of "perfect cover."

Closing his fingers together almost to touch, Sora replied, "A... small one." As he finished planting the grenades, he added, like a child eager to have a great time., "Come on, let's get into position—it'll be a awesome!"

A few minutes later...

"Bang!" exclaimed Sora with a grin, as he pressed the detonator from a safe spot on the side of the mountain.

Up on the slope, a series of small explosions followed, but the initial effect was disappointing. Just an insignificant puff of snow.

"Is that it?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow. Sora ignored him, frowning as he kept pressing the detonator, unsatisfied. "Maybe I took out too much charge?"

However, neither of them noticed the snow starting to move at the top of the mountain. At first, it was an almost imperceptible slip, a whisper of falling snow…

But within seconds, it turned into an unstoppable wave. A monstrous avalanche cascading down the slope, devouring everything in its path.

Jack stared, stunned, as the avalanche grew in size and speed. "That doesn't look small..." he murmured, impressed by the chaos they had just unleashed.

Sora, keeping his cool, responded with a half-smile. "If it's too little, you complain; if it's too much, you also complain... You're worse than women."

The snow crashed down upon the base with a deafening roar, engulfing everything in its path. The soldiers, patrolling unsuspectingly, barely had time to react. They only heard the imminent rumble of something immense descending, but in the darkness of the night, it was invisible until it was too late.

The bipedal drones, designed to identify and neutralize threats, were useless against the force of nature that struck from their blind spot. The base's spotlights flickered once or twice before going out completely, smothered by the white curtain that covered everything. The fences and security structures, which had seemed so imposing minutes before, were crushed without resistance. In a matter of seconds, the base was buried under a thick layer of snow and debris.

Sora stood proudly, watching the result of his "little" avalanche with satisfaction. "Perfect," he murmured to himself with a wide grin, while Jack, still processing what he had just witnessed, let out a snort. "You're definitely fucked up inside, man."

"I know," Sora replied, still reveling in the chaos they had just unleashed.

When they reached the top of the mountain of snow and debris that had buried the base, the legs of a bipedal unit jutted out from the remains, buried upside down in the snow.

Without wasting time, Sora raised his metallic arm toward where the entrance to the mine should be. "Let's go, we have a few minutes before they send an AV to check why the signal has been cut off." From his open palm, a sudden flame shot out, melting the snow in a precise line.

Eco, by his side, mimicked him, opening his jaws and unleashing another flame that joined Sora's, amplifying the process. LQ didn't lag behind; he ignited his tail, which turned incandescent, and used it to lash at the snow, melting the path toward the mine even faster.

Lastly, Jack, not to be outdone, unsheathed his sword, which glowed intensely, red-hot. With a firm motion, he plunged it into the snow, which began to evaporate instantly around it.

-

At the same time, in a control room... at Shadow Moses

The room had a military design, with reinforced steel walls and visible cables running across the ceiling. The lights were cold and dim, casting harsh shadows on the polished metal floor. Multiple holographic screens displayed real-time data, and a constant murmur of radio frequency and machinery filled the air, creating a tense and watchful atmosphere.

Sitting in front of one of the terminals, a focused technician in a fitted gray uniform frowned as he noticed something strange on his screen.

"Supervisor," the technician called out, raising his voice just enough to be heard over the noise. "We've lost signal with Outpost 34."

The supervisor, a middle-aged man with a weathered face and a scar on his cheek, slowly turned toward the technician. His hardened expression shifted into a grimace. Just an hour ago, they had an infected activation, and now...

"Again?" he muttered, moving closer to the terminal as his fingers impatiently tapped the edge of the console. "Was anything unusual detected before we lost contact?"

The technician shook his head as he reviewed the last logs. "Not from the base. All the soldiers responded correctly in their last status report just a few minutes ago. Nothing out of the ordinary. But..." he paused, his tone more serious, "the seismographs picked up a minimal response, something like a slight tremor."

The supervisor narrowed his eyes. "A tremor?"

"Yes, it seems to have been an avalanche, probably caused by the storms in the area."

The supervisor exhaled heavily and crossed his arms, clearly dissatisfied with the answer. "First the infected, now this... Send an AV to check the situation immediately. If something has happened to the base, we'll send reinforcements to rescue the survivors."

"Understood," the technician replied, his fingers flying over the keyboard, sending the order to the nearest units.

-

A few minutes after melting several meters of accumulated snow, Sora hit the red button next to the armored door.

With a deep metallic clunk, the door began to move, slowly sliding to the sides. A yellow light flickered on above them, slowly rotating and casting flashes through the blizzard.

The sound of an alarm rumbled through the frozen silence—not as a distress signal, but as a warning of the door opening. Few speakers were still functional; most were buried under the snow, like the rest of the base, which showed no signs of life.

Finally, the doors fully opened, and the alarm ceased. Before entering, Sora turned to Eco, who was watching from the top of the snow mound. "You and LQ cover the hole and then get out of here. After that, find an alternate route to meet us at the coordinates."

["Waaf!"] Eco responded energetically, as if saying, "Leave it to me."

Jack turned to LQ, tilting his head slightly before saying goodbye. "You get out too, and follow any order from Eco, okay?"

LQ looked at Jack, then at Eco, and nodded its metallic head. Without further words, Sora and Jack entered the dark mouth of the mine as the echo of the alarm and the rumble of the closing door resonated behind them.

Outside, Eco barked ["Waaf!"] at LQ, signaling it to start covering the entrance. Both got to work, using their hind legs to push snow into the hole, burying the evidence of their intervention.

However, midway through the task, Eco's ears perked up at the sound of engines approaching.

With another bark, Eco ordered LQ to retreat immediately. LQ obeyed, running toward the snow-covered hillside. Meanwhile, Eco rose onto its hind legs, its limbs transforming to shake snow in the most optimized way.

With a powerful strike, it shook off the white mantle, triggering a small avalanche that finished covering the door and the gap, burying them partially—but enough to go unnoticed.

Just before the AV arrived in the area, Eco dashed away at full speed, disappearing into the blizzard, blending with the white landscape.

-

As soon as they entered the mine, a damp darkness enveloped Sora and Jack. They both activated the night vision on their visors/goggles, revealing the structure around them: old rusted metal beams secured the bare rock walls, while the dense air smelled of rusted iron and moisture that had accumulated over the years.

In front of them, the elevator shaft descended like an open throat in the rock. An old metal cage hung rusted from chains that looked like they were one breath away from breaking.

Sora pulled a flare from under his poncho and, after lighting it, tossed it into the dark "throat." Jack watched as the light faded into the depths, without even touching the bottom, and said sarcastically, "Great, how do we get down there, follow it?"

Before Sora could respond, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. "What the fuck...?" Sora muttered, as a massive concrete door began to close, blocking the elevator shaft from below.

Without hesitation, Sora quickly unsheathed Getsuga and slashed the chains holding the cage. The thunderous sound of the chains sliding across the metal echoed through the mine, just before the cage was crushed by the concrete doors, momentarily stopping them. The metallic screech reverberated, as the doors struggled to fully close.

"That gives us a few seconds!" Jack exclaimed. Sora nodded silently, but before he could respond, the metallic screech of a second gate began to resonate, this time a few meters lower.

"Tch... Jump!" Sora ordered, diving headfirst into the void in frustration.

Jack followed, and the two disappeared into the unsettling darkness, which seemed to embrace them with open arms.

As they fell, they could hear the gates behind them sealing with a dull boom, crushing the rusted metal cage.

However, those weren't the only ones; every few meters, new gates, just as thick, began to close. First behind them, then catching up, and soon blocking their path as they tried to stay ahead of the closing barriers.

Forced to maneuver in mid-air, Sora and Jack aligned themselves with precision, like needle and thread, slipping through the ever-narrowing openings between the gates that slammed shut in their wake. After passing through half a dozen of these barriers during a dizzying descent of hundreds of meters, they spotted the faint glow of the flare beyond the final gate, which was about to seal shut completely.

Without hesitation, Sora fired the grapple gun integrated into his cybernetic arm. The hook embedded itself into the edge of the gate, and with a violent tug, he was propelled forward. Compressing his arms beneath his poncho, he twisted his body mid-air to slide cleanly through the gates before they closed.

Jack, on the other hand, took a different approach. He had to briefly slow his descent before abruptly accelerating again.

Opening his legs and fanning them gracefully, Jack spun his body and shot one of his cybernetic hands toward the wall, where its claws embedded with a metallic snap. With a sharp pull of his body, the magnetism did the rest, pulling him forcefully toward his hand.

When he had his feet firmly adhered to the rusted metal surface, Jack activated his Sandevistan and crouched like an Olympic sprinter at the starting line, waiting for the initial burst

The artificial muscles in his legs swelled and tensed like springs about to snap. The energy building in the lower part of his frame was so intense that small sparks of static electricity crackled around his limbs.

Suddenly, with a burst of air, Jack unleashed all the accumulated energy, dashing vertically down the wall at an inhuman speed, far exceeding the maximum velocity of an average Sandevistan user.

The friction at such extreme speed caused his boots to leave glowing streaks on the rusted surface. Just before the gate fully closed, Jack leaped, launching himself like a projectile through the narrow gap that was still open.

He managed to pass through the final gate just before it sealed shut completely, wrapped in a whirlwind of sparks caused by the spikes protruding from his frame. They scraped the inner edge of the gate, sending flashes of metal against concrete.

Now, the problem was... after completing his desperate charge, Jack hadn't thought about how to stop.

With barely a second before crashing, Jack caught sight of Sora, who had managed to land safely, standing next to the flare. Watching him calmly, almost amused by the fact that Jack was about to crash, while casually playing with an orange grenade in his hand.

Jack let out a brief tch in his mind, irritated by the situation, as he braced for the inevitable, brutal impact, raising his arms to protect his head.

Just before the impact, Sora's orange grenade hit the unprotected side of Jack's head, and with a soft click, it activated.

In mere milliseconds, a thick, sticky foam enveloped his frame, cushioning his body just before the crash. Jack hit the ground, but instead of a violent collision, the foam absorbed most of the force, covering him in a smelly, sticky mantle that prevented the impact from being as brutal as he'd anticipated.

After coming to a stop, embedded in the rocky ground. As if he could read Jack's thoughts, Sora walked over with a wide, teasing grin on his face and said:

"You know... Morgan thinks R&D makes it smell bad on purpose... something about the spirit of, 'Since our creations are saving your life, at least let us troll you a bit.'" Sitting atop the solid cocoon of foam that immobilized Jack, Sora gave his own opinion, "I think he's right... In my case, I'd even say we're kindred spirits."

Then, with a mocking tone, he asked, "What do you think?"

"Get me out of this!" Jack exclaimed, unable to bear the rotten egg smell of sulfur from the foam that covered him.

"Tch... a fall of a few hundred meters and you've already lost your manners." With a tone that was almost educational, Sora added, "Come on, Jack, what are the magic words we use when we need help?"

The silence, filled with Jack's murderous intent, was intense—very good, even, Sora thought... but not enough to stop him. "Don't know them? Well, let's start: the first is 'plea-...'"

Sora couldn't finish before Jack roared from inside his "cozy" foam cocoon: "I SWEAR IF YOU DON'T GET ME OUT OF HERE...!"

"What? You're going to punch me? Cut me to pieces?" Sora pulled out an energy bar, and after taking a bite, asked nonchalantly, "You'll need to get out first, won't you?"

This provoked another shout of fury, cursing his name. "SORAAAA!"

"Hehe..." Sora chuckled. Since he had saved him... he could enjoy a bit too.

-

A few minutes later.

A tense and uncomfortable silence hung between Sora and Jack, who still had small bits of foam clinging to his frame, as they made their way through the enormous circular tunnels of the mine.

The vast network seemed endless, with horizontal tunnels interwoven and crossed by vertical ones, like a spine and its ribs, connecting every corner of the underground labyrinth.

Sora couldn't shake a strange feeling about these tunnels. The marks left by the massive cylindrical drills on the walls seemed absurdly familiar, though he couldn't pinpoint why. It was as if his mind were trying to piece together fragments of an elusive memory.

Frustrated by the lack of answers slipping through his mind like water through his fingers, Sora decided to occupy his thoughts with something else, breaking the tense silence:

"Still... what the hell were those gates for? They look more modern than the rest of the mine's equipment. What do you think?"

"..." Jack remained silent.

Without getting a response, Sora made one up: "I see... the idea that they weren't meant to keep us out, but to keep something from getting out... could make sense. Well thought out, partner!"

After everything that had happened, the word "partner," spoken with that fake friendliness, was what finally made Jack snap. "Don't you dare call me that!" he shouted, before adding bitterly, "A partner would never do what you've done."

Sora stopped dead in his tracks, stared at him intently, and, grabbing him firmly by the shoulder, responded: "Maybe not a partner... BUT... A friend, yes." Opening his arms as if expecting a hug, he exclaimed, "Come here, you son of a bitch!"

Jack couldn't keep his poker face any longer, and enraged, brushed past Sora, ignoring him completely.

"Do you ever take anything seriously?" Jack asked, with a frustrated growl.

Sora suddenly changed his expression to a serious one and shouted, stopping in his tracks, "Stop!"

Jack rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Sure, now you're taking it seriously. You think I'm stupid or..."

Before he could finish his sentence, "Ghhhhghmmmgghghg..." a metallic roar rumbled through the mine, causing it to tremble.

"What the hell was that?" Jack asked, alarmed, scanning the dark tunnel from where the roar had come. "Don't tell me this is another one of your pranks."

"Do I look like I could pull off something like that?" Sora responded, raising his hands in a gesture of innocence.

Jack stared at him, still unconvinced. "Are you really telling me that wasn't you?"

"Duh," Sora replied dryly, finding it obvious.

Immediately after... Another guttural and metallic roar echoed throughout the mine, this time closer, as the tunnel they were in began to tremble, causing small rocks to fall from the mine's ceiling.

Jack and Sora exchanged tense glances as the tremors grew stronger, approaching. Just when it seemed like whatever it was was right on top of them, the tremors and the mechanical hum that filled the air suddenly stopped.

This made Jack scan the dark tunnel ahead of them again, and this time, something looked back. Three eerie red lenses glowed intensely, scanning them in return, like eyes inside mechanical jaws full of sharp teeth made of three circular drills.

Something about the scan results must have pleased the metallic beast, because suddenly it charged at them as fast as it could.

Seeing the metal beast approach, Jack shouted, "RU-RUN!" unable to keep his alarmed voice steady.

The moment he turned around and started running, another metallic roar rumbled again through the tunnel. "Ghhhhghmmmgghghg!!!"

This time it was louder, more intense, as if the very metal was twisting. Jack felt the vibrations reverberate through his spine, and he couldn't help but think that the monstrous machine was eager to kill them.

On the contrary, for the paralyzed Sora... it didn't seem like a threat. To him, the roar was almost... 'happy.' A shiver ran down his body as that idea gained strength in his mind.

When Jack turned, "Move your ass!" he yelled with a mix of panic and frustration, seeing that Sora hadn't moved an inch. Worse, he was clutching his head with his hands, as if dealing with some sort of attack at the worst possible moment.

With no other option, Jack was about to push his frame's specs once again to try to save him, fully aware of the risk of overloading it by using it so frequently. However, seeing Sora recover and raise his hand, signaling him to stop, made Jack mutter, "What are you-?"

"Relax," Sora interrupted in a calm voice, though he couldn't completely hide the contentment in it.

Next, he raised his metal hand forward, making Jack think he was going to attack the monstrous robotic worm that was closing in on them.

Yet, when nothing happened, Jack could only hold his breath. When the enormous mechanical worm reached them and made the tunnel tremble, as if everything was about to collapse... it stopped abruptly.

Instead of advancing aggressively, the creature carefully moved its spinning drills around Sora as if it were embracing him. And with an almost reverent slowness, it brought its red lens close until it touched Sora's raised hand, which was waiting for it.

As soon as they made contact... the tunnel was filled with a light metallic rumble, something more akin to a purr that didn't match its intimidating source. Accompanied by "gentle" tremors caused by the involuntary movements of the creature's tail, which wagged happily... upon reuniting and feeling the touch of its co-creator.

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