I was shocked. "No way! Why would you joke around like that!? I've known Christopher for years." I said. The PEP unit just nodded. The android shook his head with a big smile. "All of us C-JAMs are equipped with the cutting edge technology to distinguish between humans, androids and cyborgs. You can't fool me citizen." "You're just bluffing. We spoke to one earlier and she did not say anything like this." I said. "That was because she thought you would take us straight to a PEP hideout. After clearly meandering, we decided to just apprehend you." he explained. "We've done nothing wrong. In fact, we have been hanging out all day." I lied. "No. There was a recent police report of someone matching that PEP unit's description chasing after a young girl. There was also a report of street fight. The description of the combatants match your descriptions perfectly." he said. My good Samaritan act backfired on me here. That really sucked. "Well, this is it. I've sustained too much damage to fight. I'll initiate my self-destruct sequences now. If I take you both out, even better." the PEP unit said.
Getting blown up was not something I wanted to do. I dropped the PEP unit to the ground and was ready to run when the C-JAM picked me up and carried me princess style. There was an explosion that made my vision go all white for a moment. I was in rough shape because I had not healed any damage from the brawl. The C-JAM got substantial damage. My holy magic did not heal constructs like cyborgs and androids. "Are you alright citizen?" it asked me, missing a leg and sparking from exposed circuitry. "I'm fine. Tell me your name." "My C-JAM designation is 719." He had scarlet red hair in a single braid going halfway down his back with orange eyes. He had a rosy complexion before he got scorched black in places from the blast. He looked like an affable, athletic young man. Now, he looked like a horror show. "Do you need help or anything? I can get you to the police station or somewhere to fix you." "You can take me to the nearest PEP hideout. Even if I'm totally destroyed, I want to find and route them out of this town. I want to expel all of them from this world." he stated.
He was serious about it. I said "Listen. You protected me from that explosion, so I feel responsible for getting you fixed up. I don't want you getting killed by PEP units or stolen by reprogrammers." He said "I admire your chivalry to help me when I'm wounded, but it is unnecessary. Please take me to the hideout you were going to take that cyborg to." I said "C'mon. Don't be stubborn. You don't even have a left leg anymore. Even if I told you or showed you, it would not do anything. We'd kill you instantly." A simple shot to the exposed circuitry would probably put him out of commission. I was going to leave when my ankle was grabbed tightly. "You're an accomplice to the cyborg menace. I can't let you go. At the very least, I am to arrest you." I broke his grip and jumped back. "719! Do not try to follow me. I am leaving. Call for backup so you don't get killed." I then left the area. Hopefully he got the help that he clearly needed. He called after me. By the time I made it back to the cab depot, all of the PEP units in the clan were waiting in the lounge. Alex asked if I heard the news. I shrugged.
I was told about the library being compromised. I pretended to be surprised. "How does a little girl get passed the librarians, but I fucking can't go down there!? I'm a big fucking clan engineer!" I snapped. It was something that had to be said. Ryder spoke up and said "No one knows how. One of the librarians got attacked by salt water by an older patron of the library. The other was distracted by the people asking questions." "What happened to the girl?" I asked. "She was disposed of. Mandy took care of it." Alex responded. That was what I thought would happen. I just did not want to see it in front of me. Maroon said "It was not cruel. She made it so it was very quick and painless." It was to reassure me, but I was not too concerned. "Alright. We have to lay low. There was a C-JAM that made me out. You all need to lay low for a while." I said before explaining my encounter with 719. They were concerned. "I'll be fine. Remember all those death squads? I can handle myself." I just need to get some help from contacts. I looked at Paul and asked him to come with me. He nodded and we left.
