Page 37 of Cyborg's Tether
As if on cue, a dozen elite cyborg troops materialized from the shadows, their weapons trained on the group. Xavier’s combat protocols activated automatically, calculating possible escape routes and defensive strategies.
Admiral Zorn stepped forward, his imposing figure cutting through the tense atmosphere. His cybernetic eye glowed an ominous red as he surveyed the scene, revealing he was definitely an enhanced human—though he likely wouldn’t volunteer himself for the control chip to be implanted and tested on him.
“What do we have here?” Zorn’s voice dripped with contempt. “A band of traitors and their rescued lab rats.”
Xavier positioned himself between Zorn and the others, his stance defensive. “Admiral, this doesn’t have to end in bloodshed.”
Zorn laughed. “Oh, but it does. You’ve seen and learned too much. I can’t let you walk away with that knowledge.”
Amaya stepped forward, looking angry and resolved. “We know about Project Guardian, Zorn. We know what you’re planning to do with those cyborgs.”
The admiral’s expression hardened. “Then you understand why I can’t let you leave.”
Dr. Vex sounded steady despite the tension. “There’s still time to stop this madness, Admiral. We can find another way.”
Zorn’s cybernetic eye flashed. “There is no other way. Humanity has proven time and again that they can’t be trusted with power. The cyborgs will bring order to the galaxy.”
“At what cost?” asked Xavier. “By turning them, and the humans, into mindless slaves?”
The admiral’s patience had clearly worn thin. “Enough talk. Surrender now or face the consequences.”
Xavier’s combat systems went into overdrive, assessing the situation. They were outnumbered and outgunned, but he refused to give up without a fight. “Amaya,” he whispered, “Can you access their weapons systems?”
She nodded, fingers moving across her datapad a second later. “Give me a minute.”
Xavier, watching the approaching cyborg guards ready themselves, leaned slightly toward Amaya and whispered, “I’ll buy you some time. See if you can disable their systems.” He squared his shoulders, his voice calm despite the chaos brewing. “Admiral, I think you owe us an explanation. How long have you been plotting this?”
“Longer than you’ve been alive, cyborg.” Zorn sneered, but Xavier saw the flicker of pride in his eyes. “You really don’t get it, do you?” His voice was filled with cold conviction. “When we hit the main facility, it wasn’t about controlling the facility, and destabilizing the core wasn’t the primary mission. It was merely a test—a field trial for my new personal guard. These enhanced cyborgs aren’t bound by your limitations, Xavier. They’re stronger, faster, and more obedient.”
He gestured to the cyborg soldiers who stood motionless behind him, their expressions blank, eyes cold. “I sent them tothe facility as a test of control. It’s a test they passed with flying colors.”
Xavier’s jaw tightened. “You sent them to slaughter innocent people to test their programming?”
“They weren’t specifically told to kill anyone, and they weren’t forbidden to.” Zorn’s lips curled in a cruel smile. “Those were acceptable losses in the pursuit of perfection. I needed to see if I could maintain control remotely, and if their enhancements could withstand the rigors of combat while following my commands without question.”
Amaya was intent on the device as she worked in the background. He caught her faint murmur of what sounded like delight and hoped she was close. He just needed to keep Zorn talking a little longer.
“These are people, not machines. Even if they’re under your control now, it won’t last. You can’t suppress their humanity forever.”
The admiral laughed. “Humanity is exactly the problem. They’re weak and unpredictable, but with my enhancements, I’ve perfected them. And soon, I’ll have an entire army that answers only to me. You’ve already seen what they can do.”
Xavier turned to the rescued cyborgs. “Prepare yourselves. This might get ugly.”
As if on cue, Zorn raised his hand, signaling his troops to attack. Xavier sprang into action, his cybernetic enhancements giving him superhuman speed and strength, but his opponents had the same advantages.
He engaged the nearest soldier, ducking under a plasma blast and retaliating with a swift uppercut. The impact sent the trooper flying backward, crashing into two of his comrades. Around him, chaos erupted. The rescued cyborgs, though weakened, fought with desperation born of newfound freedom.Dr. Vex wielded a makeshift weapon, her scientific precision translating into surprisingly effective combat moves.
Amaya worked furiously, tapping on her datapad. “Almost there,” she muttered.
Xavier deflected another attack, but he couldn’t hold off the entire squad indefinitely. A plasma bolt grazed his shoulder, sending a jolt of pain through his system. He stumbled, momentarily vulnerable.
Zorn seized the opportunity, closing in with a sadistic grin. “It’s over,Subject 174,” he said mockingly, revealing his planned fate for Xavier. “You can’t win.”
Just as the admiral raised his weapon for a killing blow, a series of explosions rocked the battlefield. The elite troops’ weapons suddenly powered down, leaving them defenseless.
Amaya’s voice rang out triumphantly. “Got it. Their weapons are offline.”
The tide of battle shifted instantly. Without their superior firepower, Zorn’s troops found themselves outmatched by the determined group of escapees. Their advanced cybernetic enhancements weren’t operational without power from their fuel cells.