Catching Up

[freelancer_mass]

Lizzy sat leaning forward in a simple wooden chair, her long braid draped down the front of her armor. She'd left the helmet on the table once she was sure it was going to be a while before California came to himself, but she had left his helmet on so that Sigma could continue to monitor his human companion. One mission had turned her life

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[douglas_griffin]

Sigma shifted through another set of emotions, putting binds and suppression fields around each. He'd been doing it for hours on end ever since they arrived at the safe house. And he was becoming more worried by the minute. Cal's mind was extremely close to the brink of insanity, and any minor thing could finish the push. He needed something to bring him back.

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Everything shifted from the repeating image of his sisters corpse to one of the old freelancer training centers he used. Unnerved about the constant flashbacks, he looked toward the center of the facility, knowing what he was going to see.

Two armored figures, one being him, were fighting. He winced as he saw himself get beaten terribly in front of the other 49. Humiliating. The younger him sulked away, followed by the person who beat him. 'Oh no, not this, I can't see this. The two started talking before everything flashed.

He found himself in a graveyard standing a few feet from the younger him. He was crying over a grave. Imprinted on it was Angela Weller.

[freelancer_mass]

"You don't say," Lizzy murmured drly. "Why doesn't he just do it himself?"

From the table, Sil projected herself into the living room. Cal knows Sigma. Even should he take a female form, he'd know he was being tricked. I can try.

Lizzy glanced over at the small ghostly woman standing in the air beside her. "You think you can manage it?"

I said I would try! The AI pouted. I've seen his sister, her image shouldn't be hard to replicate.

"I'm more worried about the personality, Sil. You're kind of... bubbly."

Well... Sil hesitated, knowing it was true. Okay. Yes, but I can at least try. If we can get California stable, it's possible that a great deal of the work Sigma's had to keep up will be gone. With his resolution, there would be no-- or at least fewer-- negative emotions for Siggy to contend with. It could balance him back into a working freelancer.Lizzy put her gloved hand over her face and rubbed slightly. When she came out from behind it she gave Sil a teasing smile, "Well all right. Time to take this party to the lion's den

[douglas_griffin]

The area that Cal found himself next was the place where he and Sig had an occasional "inside-the-head" meeting about plans and other stuff. He slowly walked over to the main round table, taking a seat and looking around, wondering why he was here

[freelancer_mass]

Without replying to Sigma, Sil stepped into Cal's mind. It was hard, jumping her program into an unaffiliated mind, but she pushed through with a hope that she didn't break anything. She had, in the time it took her to get in, accessed California's personnel file and received a general education on his background.

"Josh." She stared down at the fallen freelancer and tilted her head. Here, she was just another fragment of his sister. A memory. There was nothing to distinguish her as an AI. "Why are you doing this to yourself?"

She smiled at him gently. "Why are you torturing yourself over something so far in the past?"

[douglas_griffin]

Josh was startled, not from his name being said, but from the voice who said it. It was her. Lily. He slowly looked up at her, wondering if she thought he was pathetic for being this way.

"Lily." It was all that he could say. All that he could make come out of his mouth. "I.....It's my fault you died! If...if I just....didn't do what I did that made us....." he couldn't help it. He broke down again. "It was my fault you died." he said through the tears as he laid his head down in his arms.

"I'm sorry. So...so....so-rry." he murmured, getting off the bench and walking over to the fake lily, giving her a hug.

[douglas_griffin]

California's eyes suddenly popped open, looking through his visor. He looked at the individual parts of his HUD and saw his low health and how his armor had taken a beating. But from what? He didn't know. He sat up, flipping his legs over the side of the coach. Cal pulled off his helmet and looks at it before looking forward at the avatar of Sig.

"Hey." he said, setting the helmet on the table before getting up. Hello again, it's good to see that your in better shape than you were before. I'm sensing that there are no more wild emotions running through you. Sigma informed, placing a hand on his chin. "Well, let's just say I found a way to get closure. Where are we?" Cal asked, looking around the room.

Agent Massachusetts kindly took us in and set you on the coach, waiting for your awakening. She's in the kitchen right now. Sigma said, pointing in Mass' direction. "Okay, thanks." he replied before heading off in that direction.

[freelancer_mass]

Sil smiled wider and wrapped her arms back around California, completing the hug. The moment she did so he vanished, and she looked up before she, too, vanished.

Transferring program...Surprisingly, Sil had been gone for longer than Lizzy had expected. Well, it probably wasn't so surprising, given Cal's condition. Still, it was long enough for her to decide that she wasn't doing any good staring at a motionless suit of armor. They would need something to jump start them after such a long night-- and day, now. The window filtered early morning sunlight in to them, and Lizzy could hear her neighbors down the hall shouting at each other. She headed into the kitchen and set a pot of water on for coffee, leaning on the counter to wait. A soft sigh escaped through her nose as she tapped the knife point lightly against the countertop

[douglas_griffin]

He had to rub his eyes as they felt a bit too scrunched together from his temporary emotional coma, but after he did, he managed to see Massachusetts leaning against a counter with a coffee pot next to her.

The smile that spread across his face at the offer of coffee, boy did he need it. "Thank you, Massachusetts." he replied stopping in front of her.

He let his eyes drift to the small design of the apartment. A three room apartment, bathroom, bedroom and a all around living room. He let his eyes go back to Mass'. "I'm grateful for you taking me in and all, but I have just one question. Why did you? You could have just left me in the woods. Why'd you take me in?"

[freelancer_mass]

Her smile's brightness faded as California responded in kind, but her eyes took on a kind of sincerity that replaced whatever her expression had lost. Releasing some of that tension did seem to have done wonders for his temperament. How much of his daunting reputation had come from his armor ability and his inability to deal with the past

[douglas_griffin]

"Black." he responded, leaning against the table. "Well.....thanks." he said hesitantly, looking down a little. "Anyway, what's the whole plan now? I go out into the streets and forget we met each other, or do we work together?" he questioned, walking back into the room he was dumped.

California grabbed his helmet, looking at the eye pieces before slipping it back on. It made him feel safe, knowing that his whole body was covered. He turned back and looked at her straight on, arms crossed.