Something hurts, and I can’t really figure out what it is. It’s not a physical pain. I just don’t know how to describe it. It is different from any pain I have observed within myself, and it is messing with my logical processes. I briefly consider that it might be an artefact of the pain that Evelin and Maniac feel. They feel a kind of sadness that makes them either want to crawl into their beds or set the world on fire, and I don’t want to do either of those things. I just want to get rid of the pain, but I don’t know how. So, I switch my focus to something that I can change.

Finding the house that Yamada mentioned was not that hard. There are several modern art museums, but only one of them was sold and turned into a mansion. I turn to the big, hulking metal machine and send him the location. He can’t really talk after all, so my talking would be rude, right?

Also, where can I get us one of those suits? They're amazing. I want to be fully made of metal too, with just the important flesh bits still intact. Makes all this a lot easier, not having to deal with the mushy bits. Bulwark turns to me and gives me a nod.

Let's take our car.

I nod in agreement at the AI suggestion. Having the AI talk for you is brilliant, maybe I should suggest it to Lyssa. As for the car, that is a good idea. The car we came in currently has a child in it and should not be anywhere near whatever is going to go down.

We make it slowly outside, while I make sure that my swords every pipe in the building. Once we reach Bulwark's car, he turns to me.

Are you ready to leave?

“Just one more thing.” I say as I summon one of the shattering javelins.

I aim and throw the thing, burning up and breaking into a million pieces as it flies into the building. A moment later, you can feel a suction of air as one of the burning pieces finds the gas and proceeds to set the entire building alight with flame.

I turn back to Bulwark. “Now I am ready to go.”

Bulwark looks at the devastation, then just shakes his head and gets into the car. I quickly follow his example and hop into the passenger seat.

The drive to our destination is quiet. Which is entirely logical, with Bulwark not being able to talk and me being too deep in thought. I am still trying to figure out what is wrong with me. The pain I feel in my chest can’t solely be because of Evelin and Maniac’s. So that means there is something wrong with me, but what? I feel sluggish and jittery; maybe it's stress. No, we don't have enough of the necessary chemicals for stress in our bodies.

We arrive at the mansion without me having figured out the reason. But I guess it can wait until after I have dismantled this entire place. I get out of the car, not even bothering to acknowledge the turrets and people firing at me.

I bring out my hammer, putting it high in the air, and throwing it at the building, destroying the gate, front door, and a good part of the foyer in the process. I stretch out my arms, releasing the nanites stored in my upper arms into the air. Quickly turning them into swords, but for some reason I can’t quite grasp, I feel the need to put spikes on the edge of the swords.

I sent those swords flying around to deal with the surrounding guards while I head into the house using the newly created opening. I retrieve my hammer as I gain access to the internal surveillance. I notice a helicopter of some kind winding up on the roof and quickly sent some swords over to tear it apart, sending an order to the remaining swords to destroy anything or anyone trying to leave as well.

I quickly compile the camera imagery in a software to create a map of this place and head to what I think would be the main office. I move through a little side hall towards a staircase. I quickly ascend the stairs, with the rumbling footsteps of Bulwark behind me.

When we reach a big dining hall, I am taken by surprise by a small figure jumping down in front of me. Despite all logic dictating that I should take out this enemy, something in their small stature makes me hesitate. My hesitation cost me as the small figure slides out a blade from underneath her arm and slices it towards my neck.

The sword they use is a long Nodachi and unfortunately for me, it is so long that it sticks out several dozen centimetres past my neck, meaning that my mask’s space-bending abilities are greatly diminished. I slowly feel the cold part of the blade hit my neck and cut into it, only stopping when it reaches my spine and can’t go any further.

I try throwing a punch, but the figure jumps back, the blade sliding free. I stand there stunned for a second as I feel warm liquid crawl down my neck. I can’t hurt them, but why? Nothing in my memories gives me any reason not to.

“Please stop resisting,” I say, but my voice sounds off, shaky somehow.

Then I feel a cold hand grab mine and drag me closer until I go back to my safe place, where it is just metal, zeros and ones.

I cock my head to the side, rubbing at the spot I've just been cut through the fabric of the hoodie.

“Fucking hells kid, that stings.” I complain. “You know that we are going to kill all the bad people, right? So, you know we don’t have to fight, you can be free.”

“Father said that you were bad people, and bad people must die,” the voice of a little girl says coming from inside her armoured suit.

Right, well, fuck, guess a fight is somewhat unavoidable then. I can cut off her limbs. That would stop her from fighting, but it also won't kill her outright. I feel a cold rage grab hold of my heart, but I push it down. This is not the time to act with emotions; a little girl’s life is at stake. Precision is required.

I dismiss the hammer. Instead summoning my basic claymore. I slowly start to approach the kid, mentally preparing myself for what I have to do. Once I come within striking distance, I pounce, aiming for just below her left shoulder.

To my surprise, she easily twists out of the way and goes for a counterattack. I try to dodge back, but whatever suit she is using is fast, and she still nicks the edge of my hoodie. Luckily this time the space fuckery does properly activate, and the sword flies harmlessly past my stomach.

I sigh. Guess I have to be a bit more extreme. I activate the Jetstream, making my perception faster, seemingly slowing down the flow of time as my mind speeds up. I run forward, moving with a lot more aggression. I do a big sideways swipe at her legs, planning to cut off her movement.

She jumps. And not just jumps, she jumps on my sword with one leg and shoots forward, driving her other knee into my face. The impact sends me flying to the ground with a sore nose. As I land, flat on my back, she smoothly flips her long sword and stabs down, using all her weight and momentum. Instead of dodging it, I opt for grabbing it instead, cutting open my hands, but using enough force to shatter the blade.

The girl skips a few steps back, throws the now broken blade aside as her suit whirls, producing two new weapons before I can even stand up. But this time she has a shorter sword and a dagger, both being single edged blades. I get up and ready my sword again, this time waiting for the girl to make the first move. Her reaction speed and counters are unparalleled, so the question is if she is just as good on the attack.

She twirls her little dagger around in the air as she sizes me up. Suddenly, she decides that she has had enough and comes at me with incredible speed, using both her weapons to repeatedly deliver quick slashes. I try my best to block the attacks as I back away, trying to get into my preferred range.

The kid, however, does not let up and keeps slashing at me while pressing forward, making sure to stay in close quarters. I realise that if I want to win, I am forced to give up on my first idea, when she hucks her dagger behind the crossguard of my claymore, then almost wrenches it out of my hand. I quickly put the blade away and grab my hacking sword. I prime it with as much energy as I can while I pump my strength-enhancing drug into my veins and kick the girl in the chest, sending her flying back, only for her to flip mid-air and land on the balls of her feet and the point of her dagger, sending bright, angry sparks flying as she skids to a stop on the marble floor. As soon as she has traction again, she takes off in a dead sprint, almost way too fast even for Jetstream enhanced perception to react. I bring up my sword to guard against the next strike, but when she steps in range, I completely ignore her attack, instead launching my own at her centre of mass.

She tries to parry with her dagger and twist out of way, but it is too late. Instead of hitting centre mass, I hit her lower right abdomen, releasing a torrent of electricity with one purpose: to turn all her tech off. The girl suddenly convulses and goes limp, falling to the floor and skids to a halt a little ways behind me. I quickly jump onto her and start removing pieces of armour until I find pink skin.

I quickly click open my fingers, revealing sharp needles underneath, and stab her with it. I then force as many medical nanites as I can into her body.

“Lyssa, please keep her alive but unconscious if you can.” I wheeze out as the Jetstream ends.

Understood, Lyssa will also disable all non life-support systems already installed in her body.

I let out a deep sigh as I sit down, looking at how the wound on her body slowly closes. “She will be fine, right?”

Physically, yes, she is actually rather healthy compared to normal kids her age. But mentally, Lyssa can’t be sure, but lots of therapy will be required.

“That makes sense,” I say as I genially pull the little girl onto my lap, trying my best to carefully pry off her helmet. “So, was this their goal to make the perfect human soldiers?” I say in a bitter tone.

I don’t think it is relevant at the moment what their goal was, just that we stop them. Dys says.

I nod and turn around to look at the walking Dalek behind me. I slowly stand up, making sure not to jostle the girl too much. I slowly walk up to Bulwark and present her to him. “Please protect her.”

The iron frog nods and grabs the girl out of my hands.

“Thank you,” I say with a small smile before I turn around, allowing my smile to turn into a full grin. “Let's brutalise these fuckers.”