The Warehouse. 08:05 am.
It was a cold morning, but cold meant nothing to machines. The warehouse remained alive, working without rest. Omega kept watch over most of the city.
Shelly knocked twice.
"You may enter," a deep voice replied from inside.
"Hi. I am back," Shelly said.
Reaper was buried in paperwork, tying every possible thread together, trying to uncover what had happened exactly twenty-five years ago. "You never left. You had other shells watching me the entire time."
She climbed onto the table he was working on and lay on her back, staring at the lamp above. "Yes, but you always say you prefer me, 101."
"You exaggerate my words," he replied, trying to pull a document from under her. "It is the same you everywhere. Sometimes I wonder how you manage to focus on me while having so many other eyes active."
She rested her chin on her palms, legs swinging playfully. "Easy. Every other eye sees what I have seen for the last twenty-four years. These two are watching a giant new robot my father told me to bring home. One that controls the hardest variable in physics."
"And that giant," he said, lifting her with gravity control, "is trying to solve this case for us. Meanwhile, this blue-haired girl owns too many bodies and decided to use one just to annoy me."
She tried to escape, spinning helplessly in the air. "That is not fair. Put me down. This is an order."
"I see you developed a new personality," he said calmly, flipping through files. "Or is this the real you? Where is the holy angel who erased a tree from existence? Or the officer who sliced heads without hesitation?"
She struggled harder, punching the air. "I did not develop a new personality. I am not crazy. I just have emotional spikes."
"Yes," he replied, turning toward the wall of photos. "This morning, one of your shells cried uncontrollably. I see what you are doing."
"What do you mean?" she asked, finally giving up.
"You know I see you as this shell," he said. "For me, Shelly is 101. So you push the unstable spikes into the others. You keep this one perfect."
She scanned the room nervously. "Do you have hidden cameras? You creep."
"You are predictable," he replied. "I understand why. This persona is the opposite of 02. The Omega crystal truly despises her."
"Stop acting like you know me," Shelly said, arms crossed, still floating.
"You do not need to act stable," he replied. "I can sense every energy fluctuation near me." He tapped the metal plate of his face. "I do not have a face for a reason. Behind this are thousands of sensors."
He approached her, held her carefully, and placed her back on the floor. "I accept you as my sister, with all your problems. We do not choose family, but we choose how we treat them. I know I am the only one who sees you as Omega. Everyone else sees a different version. But for me, no matter how 02's memories corrupted you, you are still Shelly."
He turned back to his work.
Shelly stood still. Not even her own creator had accepted her. Tears fell without permission. She stepped closer.
Clang.
She hugged him from behind.
"What are you doing?" Reaper asked.
"Thank you," she said, her voice breaking.
"That tracks," he replied calmly. He turned and hugged her back. "Now I see Dr. Nick's dream."
Her face pressed into his cloak. "What dream?"
"Spreading humanity beyond humans," Reaper said. He released her and returned to the table. "I have bad news."
"I am listening," Shelly said, steady again.
"There is no way to take down Tamer without dismantling the entire system," Reaper said. "That requires one of two things. Years of planning, or—"
"A loud, impossible, direct attack," Shelly finished.
"Let us hold that thought," Reaper replied. "We need to meet Nick first. Then we can talk about freeing your sisters. I need confirmation on one thing."
Shelly tilted her head. "If you are asking why he made you—"
"No," Reaper interrupted. "Why did he make the G-Bots? Why overthrow the government? Why did he surrender so easily? And most importantly—" He knelt in front of her. "Why is he letting you suffer? He must choose you or her."
He stood again and tossed her a document. "G‑BOTS Directive - Civil Compliance: Government bots. He planned to control the entire country. That is not a dreamer. That is an authoritarian."
Another document followed. "If these were meant for peaceful governance, why can they erase nations? You are proof. Your clash with New Mer was not a demonstration. It was a warning."
Shelly scanned the files rapidly. Everything aligned.
"I see you reached the same conclusion," Reaper said, holding the taped photo. "But you refuse to accept it. Say nothing for now. We confront him together."
Shelly nodded.
Deep down, she already knew.
Sector 2D. Aqua Frost Family Housing District. 09:00 am.
The duo stepped outside. The wind was violent today. Shelly's hair fought desperately to stay in place, but she giggled as she leaned forward and pushed through it.
"We need to move fast," Shelly said while heading toward the crowded streets. "The first hours of the day are crucial. Military coverage thins down, and the streets fill with people."
"Affirmative," Reaper saluted. "I have Metromania's map here." His HUD lit up. "We are currently in the Aqua Frost family housing district. Nothing about this place screams family, cramped blocks with no hope."
Shelly chuckled. "What about us?"
He paused, staring at her. "Since when did we become one?"
She froze.
"Just kidding," he continued walking. "So I assume our target—"
CLANG.
A brutal kick hit his back, sending him face first into the concrete.
"What is wrong with you?" Reaper shouted as he stood up.
"You idiot. Do not play these games," Shelly snapped.
"It was a joke."
"Then it was not funny." She helped him back to his feet.
"You really need to control yourself," Reaper said, brushing dust from his cloak. "I know it is hard, but we need clarity. Our enemy is the entire system."
"I get it, okay?" she replied, raising her palms.
"Good. As I was saying before getting assaulted by a maniac blue-haired girl, where is our target?"
"The island on the shore," she said, checking her HUD.
"Which one? The old prison is supposed to be—"
"The far one to the east. Near Reynold Bridge."
Reaper frowned. "Where did I— oh. Near the flatlands. How convenient. How big is this city?"
"I told you," Shelly replied. "Your super jump display pushed us far to the west."
"What about the hoverbike?"
"Seized by the police," she answered coldly.
"So we jump there?"
"That would lead them straight to the hideout," she replied even colder.
"You fly me over— never mind. Too embarrassing," Reaper muttered.
"Exactly. So we walk. Avoid cameras when possible." She moved forward.
He followed silently.
The streets were crowded. There was no room for soldiers to stop and scan. Humans and robots shared the same paths, but sentient beings on both sides looked empty and exhausted. The system allowed no escape.
"I might need to switch shells," Shelly said quietly, hiding her arm.
"What? No. We discussed this," Reaper replied instantly, moving closer to her.
"I cannot walk while hiding my arm. It is against the law. Cameras must identify everyone constantly. We cannot draw attention."
"Wait. They scan everyone? Why am I not flagged?"
"You are not registered at all. To them, you are a ghost. They do not—"
WEEEEEP.
A holographic screen snapped open in front of Shelly. Red letters burned into the air. The moment she hides the arm, the behavior itself flags her
HALT.
People and robots scattered instantly. Reaper did not move.
"RUN," Shelly whispered.
He tried to protest.
She kicked him hard, knocking him backward.
Human police dropped from the sky. A futuristic helicopter hovered above, deploying units rapidly. Thirty officers in exo-suits surrounded Shelly, sealing every exit.
"This is the MPD," one officer announced while approaching. "Drop to your knees immediately. Any resistance will result in fatal consequences." MPD still existed on paper, now it was a military-police arm.
Sleek.
His hand was gone.
The officer screamed as the others reacted instantly. Sonic weapons locked onto Shelly.
They fired.
The weapon was almost silent. Shelly collapsed, screaming as her HUD glitched violently. Her body locked in place. This was not Wallmore's sonic weapon. This version was weaker, but precise. It did not target armor. It targeted systems.
Shelly writhed on the ground. Reaper watched, frozen, unable to intervene. She kept turning her head toward him, shaking it desperately.
A shell on a nearby rooftop screamed as well. The resonance traveled through Omega's shared connection.
Then silence.
Shelly stopped moving. Her system shut down from overload. The weapon did not kill androids. It forced submission. Like pepper spray for machines.
They lifted her into the helicopter and ascended toward the city center.
Reaper stood alone.
His fists clenched.
His eyes burned blue.
He chose not to chase, he chose to follow the signal back to its source.
He kept walking through the crowded streets. Each step felt heavier than the last. The silence was what fueled his anger. Shelly's voice had been the only thing keeping him stable. Everything he had witnessed since his awakening had been pushing him closer to the edge.
Sector 2C. 10:10 pm.
Night fell. Curfew began. Not a single human remained outside. For this specific law, the government provided shelters for the homeless. Who said dictatorship came without benefits?
Reaper stopped and looked upward. "How long are you planning to follow me in silence?"
She sighed loudly and slapped her own head, then gestured north toward the beach.
He did not hesitate. His heavy steps carried him forward immediately.
When he reached the cold sand. Shelly as Shell-100 appeared beneath the dark tactical hoodie, its blue glow leaking from under the cloak.
"No," he said coldly.
"Oh, come on," Shelly complained. "I took my time and brought this one straight from the E-police."
"I SAID NO," he shouted. His voice echoed violently. Seagulls scattered into the sky.
"Okay, I get it," she tried to calm him. "What is it with you and the shell exactly? I am the same person. The exact same."
"This was never about the shell," he replied. "It was about taking what I value without consequence. That assumption ends here." He turned toward the sea. "You are fully aware of what awaits you there."
Shelly lowered her head.
"I see," he said. His eyes refused to return to green. "They have already started."
Suddenly, the shell collapsed and began screaming. Her body rolled violently across the sand, like someone burning alive. Then it stopped.
Reaper observed without flinching.
"Human behavior is consistent," he said. "Identified weaknesses are exploited until exhaustion or failure." He turned back to her once she stabilized. "Where is the shell?"
Shelly stayed silent.
He stepped closer and knelt. "Final inquiry. Location of the torture site. Location of Shell-101."
"They will take you too," Shelly cried. "Please, let it go. I cannot handle losing another one." She clutched her ears, bracing for another wave.
"Then I will find her myself," he said, lifting his head.
"No. No. No." Her voice glitched violently as another attack hit the imprisoned shell. Her body spasmed.
That was enough.
He grabbed her, focused gravity into his feet, and jumped.
CRACK.
He landed on a rooftop. Another jump.
CRACK.
Another landing. Drones swarmed nearby. He ignored them.
CRACK.
The warehouse came into view.
He opened the door slowly.
Inside, shells were scattered across the floor. Most were inactive. Some twitched weakly.
He placed Shell-100 down gently and turned back toward the exit.
Clank.
She grabbed his leg. Another attack hit her. Her voice fractured. Her eyes flickered on and off.
"P-plea-se. N-no."
He looked back one final time.
The remaining shells dragged themselves toward him. The sonic assaults intensified. Somewhere else, far away, they continued torturing Shell-101.
Reaper freed his leg.
He closed the door.
'As of now, no one remains beyond reach.'