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Robert's entire head ached as he pried his eyes open. It felt like there was sand in his mouth and dirt in his brain.
He pushed himself up in the dark, eyes rapidly adjusting to the dim light.
“Ah, you're awake. Good.”
The voice was one he knew.
While Robert himself had never fought the Butterfly, he was well aware of who this was. More than once, his team had gone against the poorly named villain. Seriously- his attempted referral to the Butterfly effect wasn’t even being used correctly.
The Butterfly liked making people choose. How they lived, died, got maimed- he liked to play mind games. Honestly, Robert had always likened him to a Temu SAW dummy. He wasn't original or creative; he was an egomaniacal asshole who probably used ChatGPT to write his plans.
“Silly hero… I have your team. And you have a choice.”
Robert scowled. His memory was one big blank. He remembered leaving the office, he remembered wondering about his team's lack of chatter. Then-
“Let's start with some perspective.”
The lights grew brighter, revealing that he was in a catastrophically small space. It might have been an SUV of some type before the seats had been removed. Outside the windows, he could see nothing but black dirt and rock. Said lights were just built into the frame of the vehicle, and suddenly illuminated a dashboard, modified with a set of computer monitors and keyboard.
“This is already fucking stupid,” Robert muttered. “What do you even want?” He was sore and already annoyed.
“Take a look.”
Robert pushed himself closer to the screens as they turned on, revealing cameras pointed to into a series of individual rooms. Instantly, ice filled his veins as he fully registered what he was seeing.
“Motherfucker,” he muttered.
One of the rooms was some sort of walk-in freezer, with Flambae in the middle, curled in a ball and shaking. He’d been drenched, that much was obvious, and it was easy to see that he was being subdued via the cold. Another room was padded in a way to stop sound, Sonar in the center, ears wiggling as he tried to escape. A third held Malevola, the walls papered with spells to keep her there- or something. Robert wasn’t sure, but he scowled.
Each of the team members were in a similar situation. Visi’s cell showed a lack of air movement, Prism’s was nothing but darkness, even when he saw sparks from her attempts to use her projections, while Golem’s room was filled with rock, and Coupé’s was reinforced with some sort of light. And then there was Punch Up, dangled in a cage in the center, roughed up and likely yelling.
“What do you fucking want?” Robert asked. Waterboy and Phen were missing, which made no sense.
Butterfly chuckled. “You get to choose. I’ve given you just enough time to hack in and unlock one of my systems. You get to decide if you’ll free them or free yourself. Whoever is not freed will no longer get oxygen.”
It was not a choice he agonized over or even thought twice about.
“It's you or them, Mecha Man. They're villains. Do you really think they deserve to live more than you do?”
Yes. A million times yes.
Robert grit his teeth, instantly reaching for the keyboard. In the cramped space, he was on his knees, bent. The Butterfly did not need to tell him which system was which. “I’ve got you guys, hold on,” he said. He’d deal with the Butterfly knowing who he was later- or, well, not at all, actually, most likely. Maybe Blazer would.
The man was at peace with that.
“Shit, Robbo, is that you?”
“Robert! Thank fuck!”
“What’s going on?”
“I’m working on getting you guys out,” Robert said. “Just hold on.”
“H-hurry up, bitch,” Flambae said, teeth chattering.
Butterfly was not sophisticated of a coder. Half of the system in front of Robert was cobbled from syntax that made no sense. It was rough and painful, with language strings that broke off into useless fragments. For a moment, Robert wondered if ChatGPT had truly been involved. He could see the timer fairly slowly ticking down in the corner of the screen and scowled.
It was messy on purpose. It meant that he couldn’t easily just find the correct lines to change, stymying his ability to get into the system.
“What’s going on, Robbo?” Sonar asked.
“Just working. Stay calm, Sonar.”
“Keep talking, Boss-man. This room fucking sucks. It’s like the worst K-hole ever.”
“Whoever- hhhh- put us here- hhh- is going to -hhh- pay.” Visi was out of breath, and Robert swallowed.
“I’m getting you out, I promise. Golem, you okay there, buddy?” Robert glanced at the cameras, which just furthered his already made choice.
“I’m good, just stuck,” Golem rumbled.
“We’re lucky you came in early,” Coupé said. “Whoever this is managed to get us all.”
Robert frowned, glancing at the screens again. “Yeah,” he said. “This asshole got lucky.”
There was nothing but the sound of his team bickering back and forth as Robert worked. It was honestly soothing in a way, the flow of what had become his daily life reasserting itself in like a wedge. Usually, he’d mutter to himself in the process, but that was the one thing he couldn’t hold himself to.
“Y-you there, B-bob Bob?” Flambae asked suddenly, pulling him from his concentration. “Just i-ignoring us?”
“Sorry. I’m focusing,” Robert said. “This fucking asshole codes like a well fed blue-tongued marine.”
“Huh?”
“Marines eat crayons. It’s a military thing, babe.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, sorry. I’m glad to keep hearing you guys, though. Keep talking for me?” It was uncharacteristic, and Robert knew it. He glanced at the timer again. He was doing pretty well, thankfully. Soon he’d have the Z-team out of danger, and soon, he was going to die.
Robert pushed that into the back of his mind again. He had to focus.
“Everything okay, lad?” Punch Up asked.
“Yeah, you good, Robbo?”
“I’m fine. Focus on staying calm, guys.”
“Do you know what bastard caught us?” Malevola asked suddenly. “Is that why you’re worried?”
“We’ll be fine!”
Robert chuckled. “I know,” he said. He already made that choice. He didn’t answer the question, focused again on the code in front of him. His knees hurt from kneeling, but his thighs were falling asleep in a strange way. Somewhere behind him, a fan was whirring, pushing air into the space.
“Hhhh- speak for your- hhhh- selves,” Visi muttered.
“F-for r-real,” Flambae added. “S-some of us are m-more f-f-fucked.”
“I’m working as fast as I can,” Robert assured them.
There was a beat, and then Coupé made a low sound. “You never answered, Robert. Do you know who has managed to do this to us?”
“And why? What the fuck, man!” Sonar added.
Robert clicked his tongue. “Does it matter?” he asked. The timer bar had only a quarter left, and he would rather they talk about other things. But he’d be done soon. He had only two more parts of the code to break. Two!
“Well, yeah. What the fuck did we do to them?” Prism asked.
“You’re heroes. Fucking up bad guys makes them pissy,” Robert answered. He wondered, for a moment, if the Butterfly was enjoying listening to them. The freak was probably half hard and palming himself through his pants. Gross.
“You’re still not answering us,” Golem pointed out. “It’s not cool.”
“Robert…” Malevola said warningly. “What’s going on?”
“I’ve almost got you guys out,” Robert said. There was only one of the codes left, and with a victorious hum, he finished. He smiled as the doors of the cells his team were in suddenly whirred, locks popping open. The cage Punch Up was in dropped, things moved- Robert smiled.
“Fuck yeah!”
“Robbertini, I could kiss you.”
“Light! Fuuuuck!”
They clamored in his ears, even as he heard his own SDN comms crackling from his pocket.
“I don’t say it enough, but I’m really proud of you guys,” Robert said, pushing the little device to his ear as the computer screens in front of him flickered, the power turning off. He rolled off of his sore knees, sitting to lean back against the side of the modified SUB. As he did he looked around for anything to help.
“Robert?” Visi asked, taking deep breaths in.
“We’re on our way back, buddy. You okay?”
“You never answered. I’m upset by this,” Coupé said with a huff. “And suspicious.”
“Something’s wrong,” Golem rumbled.
Flambae, teeth still chattering hissed. “Rob Bob, you better be at your desk when we get back. You little-”
The comms clicked as Blazer’s voice popped in. “Oh thank god! Where are you all? We’ve been trying to reach you. Do you know where Robert is?”
Robert flinched, staring up at the grey ceiling. He wasn’t sure what to say, especially as the fan slowed, leaving no background noise when it stopped. He swallowed thickly.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “The Butterfly caught us all off guard. He caught me last night on my way out, I think.”
“The Butterfl- Robert, where are you?” Blazer’s voice was tight, and the silence from the team was painful.
“Dunno. In a car, I think. It’s been buried, or something, my air’s slowly running out. This dickhead’s not original.” Robert sighed. He thought of Beef, and Chase and Royd and- “Can you guys take care of Beef for me?” he asked. Already the air was starting to feel stale. It was probably a psychosomatic response, but that didn’t help. “I’ve got his special treats hidden in the third-floor conference room. Chase gives him too many, otherwise.”
“We’re going to find you, just hold on,” Blazer said, panic in her voice rising.
“Why’re you talking like that, lad?” Punch Up asked, voice wrong. “Like ye’ done.”
“The Butterfly makes someone choose- fuck!”
“What the fuck! Robert, you didn’t-”
“I have Phen out looking. Galen’s trying to track you. Just stay calm, Robert. Okay?”
“I’m okay, guys,” Robert said. It wasn’t a lie. He’d always assumed he’d die in the line of duty. Maybe he hadn’t died in the suit, but this was close. Robert didn’t want to die, when he thought about it. But it was his job, wasn’t it? “I made my choice. And working with you guys- I’m glad I did.”
“D-don’t say that, M- Mr- Robert,” Waterboy said, voice wetter than usual.
“Fuck!” Someone threw something, he could hear it as Prism cursed. “This isn’t fucking happening!”
Robert cleared his throat, searching his pockets for a flashlight and moving to the corners of the car, where the panels of the chassis hid the tires. As he did, he made a pleased sound- thank fuck, he always accidentally took one of Royd’s screwdrivers. “Oh, I promised Chase I’d stop in and get his meds from the pharmacy. Could one of you-? Or ask Royd for me? And tell him-”
“Stop talking,” Visi demanded, sounding near tears. “Shut up, Robert. Save your air.”
“-Tell him I really appreciate him working on the suit with me,” Robert finished, putting the flashlight in his mouth and working the screwdriver in. He was still sure he was going to die, but… he might as well make it not-easy on himself. Butterfly was a moron. Air in the tires- that’d give him a little extra time, even if was just to talk to his team.
“You tell him all the time. And you’ll tell him yourself again.” Malevola was panicked, and there was more chatter away from the comms, while Robert was watching the lights around him fading as well.
“Bob Ro- Robert,” Flambae said slowly, carefully, “We did not agree for you to do this. You aren’t so fucking bitch to be taken out like this.”
“Mal, any luck?” Sonar asked.
“Still looking.”
“I agree, Third Robert. You are a valued team member. Giving up is not like you.” Phen sounded off too, and Robert didn’t blame him.
He swallowed back a soft sound. “I’m not giving up,” he said. The air was feeling more thin and stifling by the minute, even as he made it to the next tire and slammed the screwdriver in, making it drop the tiniest bit in the soil. “But-”
“No buts,” Golem said gravely. “No.”
Coupé was deadly soft and serious when she spoke, “You picked us.”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Thought I wasn’t supposed to talk,” Robert answered. The third tire popped and he breathed deeply, pausing and closing his eyes for a moment, before sitting up to go after the final one.
“Answer th’ question, Robert,” Punch Up said.
It was easy, and it was hard, and Robert didn’t want to. Even so, he did, “Because you all deserved to live. You’re good fucking people, you’re my good fucking people. …Can one of you put Chase on?”
“I’m right here, you stupid bastard,” Chase said instantly, voice somber. “I’ve got my Beefy boy here, too.”
“Good, good. I know you’ll take care of him.” The last tire popped and the car sank further. It took a lot more effort to push himself back to his spot against the wall. “You’re the best big brother, you know. I’m sorry you used to deal with me being a crybaby bitch boy.”
“Motherfucker, I still deal with it. And I’m still gonna deal with it. We got the whole of SDN looking for you.”
Robert chuckled. “Isn’t that a waste of resources?” he asked. It was getting harder to breathe, and he tiredly closed his eyes. "Corporate's… gonna be… pissed.”
“I ‘ere too, bruddah,” Royd said. “Don talk much, eh. Save your strength. I gotta have you ta’ make the man mecha again.”
“We’re still looking, but I think we’re close,” Blazer assured. She sounded panicked, even more panicked.
Honestly, Robert didn’t feel like answering, and that was why he didn’t. The air was just too thin, and the dark was… comforting. For a long moment, all he heard was the sound of his own labored breathing, and the low crackles of the comms, with periodic thuds. He was sure it those thuds were his heart.
“Robert?” Visi said, suddenly. “You can’t die.”
“Sorry Robbo, it’s not allowed,” Sonar agreed.
THUD.
Robert couldn’t speak anymore even if he wanted to. There wasn’t enough air for his lungs. He was tired.
Flambae hummed. “You’re our bitch. You don’t get to leave us.”
“Damn skippy,” Golem said, while Punch Up added,
“Yer our lad.”
THUD THUD.
If it wasn’t his vision going, it was his flashlight. Robert knew he was sagging completely, consciousness fading. Hearing his team was comforting. He didn’t even feel guilty for destroying the family legacy, or for failing himself.
Coupé made a sound as well. “It’s not allowed.”
“It’s not your time yet,” Malevola said shakily.
“R-right!” Waterboy called. “You’re a hero!”
“And our home-boy,” Prism added. “Our home-boy, Robert.”
“We would do poorly without you,” Phen said.
“We’re here for you, Robert.” Blazer sounded strained.
THUD THUD THUD THUD-
Robert let go.
-
He came back to the sound of familiar rhythmic beeping, the sterile scent of a hospital, and the feeling of a heavy weight on his legs. Someone held his hand.
Slowly, he pried his eyes open, amazing to find that he was alive. Beef was the heavy weight on his legs, and he was in a hospital bed. It was Visi who was holding his hand, leaned over the bed, eyes closed. Blazer was next to her, a hand on his leg, and somehow, the rest of the team was crammed into the room, too.
Waterboy was laying against Golem on the floor, Flambae and Prism on his other side. Almost mirrored, Malevola was being used as a pillow by Sonar, Coupé, and Punch Up, with Royd and Phen taking up another spot next to the couch. On said couch, the only nice spot to sleep, was Chase.
Robert’s brain felt rattled still, but he smiled, swallowing back the emotions that rose up.
He made the right choice.
“You’re awake,” Blazer suddenly whispered. Robert blinked at her, swallowing again.
“Thanks to you guys,” he murmured. “How…”
“We managed to track you, finally,” Blazer answered. “Your comm tracker wasn’t working well, but…” she glanced at the team around them, then smiled. “Coupé apparently has been keeping track of you for the team.” She reached out, tapping his wrist where his watch usually was.
That… well. He wasn’t even surprised, just touched in a weird way.
“Guess I can’t make fun of her love of Tile tags anymore,” Robert murmured.
“Robert…” Blazer squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t ever do that to us again. Alright?” She wrapped arms around him, squeezing him in a tight hug before pecking his cheek. “We thought…”
The motion woke Visi, who squeezed his hand similarly, instantly rising as well. “You’re up? Holy shit!”
It set off a chain reaction as the team woke, clamoring voices demanding hugs, answers- and also more kisses to his cheeks and forehead. Robert blushed softly, squeaking a bit. He hugged back, and he knew he’d be interrogated later. They’d find that Butterfly-fucking bastard. But for the moment… for the moment he was just happy. Thinking of death had been so muted, his choice was barely that. He needed his team. Living without them would have been hell. It was more terrifying than death.
“Love you guys,” he murmured. It was swallowed by the excited voices, and he just smiled. He’d repeat it again later, when they could hear them.
He was sure they already knew.