บท 297: Shock and Regret

Borous looks to be struggling to process what Afton had just said... Perhaps he hadn't considered himself an animal due to his robotic components? Or perhaps he had just never been challenged on his rather drastic views.

Afton couldn't blame the scientist though, being worried about communists was the right state of mind two-hundred-years ago, and he wasn't wrong about animals either. Though, there was one thing that made Afton slightly annoyed... "Anyway, my name is Afton Parker, a proper post-U.S citizen, a pleasure to meet you Dr. Borous."

...

"So... You the Lobotomite, was just a... U.S citizen? Not a communist spy?" the scientist questions.

"Yep."

"So, the other people we lobotomized were also... U.S citizens?" he quietly asks.

"Yes."

"I... I'll need to consider this further..." Borous says, clearly not having realised who they were experimenting on.

"Hang on, I still need your help Borous." Afton says, holding up a hand before the robot can head to their room.

"Do you?..."

"Yeah, you can rethink your life choices later, for now, think of this as recompense for lobotomizing me." Afton states with crossed arms.

"... Very well..."

"Earlier. You said something about calling Cyberdogs to your side? Care to elaborate?" he asks, remembering the powerful cyberdogs that attacked him outside the Think Tank the other day.

Afton bringing up this subject seems to cheer Borous up... Slightly. "Oh, my Cyberdogs are one of my favourite creations. Combining the loyalty of man's BEST friend, with the durability, power, and ADAPTABILITY of robots!"

"So, you control them?" Afton asks.

"I do. Currently, all of my Cyberdogs that aren't in X-8 are patrolling around Big Mt to find any COMMIES that might be trying to break in. Though, I doubt any are smart enough to get past the fence."

"Youknow, I was attacked by some Cyberdogs earlier, Borous. I'd appreciate if you could stop that from happening in future..." Afton asks tentatively.

"Why, ofcourse they attacked you! You are, or were, designated as a COMMIE!... My apologies."

"So, I won't get attacked by them again?"

"Correct."

Afton nods at one problem being rectified. "You said Cyberdogs were your 'favourite' creations, what other creatures have you made?" he asks, more curious than anything.

"Why, I've made many creatures in my time here... Industrious Cazadors and Happy-go-Lucky Night Stalkers were among those that actually survived the BRUTAL experimentation." Borous explains.

"Wait, so you created Cazadors, one of the most dangerous creatures flying around the wasteland? Their poison so vicious that your flesh will literally melt from your flesh, stingers so large that getting stung is like receiving a sword wound, so fast that they can outrun VEHICLES!?" Afton asks loudly, astounded that this man was solely responsible for the Cazador infestation across the world.

"Hm, nice to hear someone who appreciates my work. They were terribly difficult to create, always EXPLODING when spliced with the wrong specimen..." he mutters.

"Borous, you are aware that Cazadors have literally killed hundreds of thousands of people, right?"

"Implausible. There weren't that many people inside Big Mt." Borous says, completing rejected Afton's words.

"Yeah, but you haven't counted the people outside of Big Mt... Your Cazadors managed to somehow escape and start infesting the rest of America."

"Oh, now I know you are pulling my manipulator. All Cazadors in Big Mt were sterilised. CASTRATED. I made sure of it myself! And I'll have you know, I PRIDE myself on my ability to castrate specimens."

Afton shakes his head, "Well, you must've missed a couple, because swarms of Cazadors regularly destroy settlements outside of Big Mt."

Borous growls, "Even if I did miss a COUPLE, they would not have escaped the fence!"

...

"What if they, I don't know... Flew. over it?" he blankly questions.

...

"Fly over it?... I. Never considered that."

"Yeah, it's not just Cazadors either, Night Stalkers are also all around the wasteland. Killing stray travellers who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time." Afton adds.

"And you want me to believe that my Night Stalkers FLEW over the fence with the Cazadors!?"

"No... It isn't like you guys used to have a train system leading out of Big Mt. I'd hazard to guess that those invisible Night Stalkers managed to make their way through there."

...

"Indeed. That would explain where some of them had gone..." Borous mutters. "How many American deaths do you think I am actually responsible for..."

"Truthfully? Are you sure you want to know Borous?"

"I NEED to know. I never knew how... Far, my experiments had gon. How many American lives I may have affected."

Afton briefly counts how many people may, or may not have been killed by Cazadors and Night Stalkers. He didn't have much data, but he could make a good guess. "I'd gander over a million people have died from those two creatures alone."

"Guhk!" Borous squeaks upon hearing the number, but Afton stops him from breaking down... For now at least. "Hold up. We haven't finished talking yet, so before you go to your room to cry about what a monster you are. We need to finish talking."

...

"Tell me about the fence surrounding the crater." Afton asks.

Borous seems to sigh, "The fence, a 'formerly' impenetrable barrier that prevents ANYTHING organic from getting in, or out... Unless you're able to fly over it apparently... Or use the tunnels beneath it... Or disable it... GAH! IS EVERYTHING I DESIGN USELESS!"

"No, I think the fence is good. You just didn't take into account airborne threats... So, how does it work? I heard something about 'radar' the other day."

Borous shakes his monitors, "'Radar' is a misnomer. It's more appropriate to call it a Tesla Fence, each Pylon is capable of spitting enough electricity at an intruder to render them charred flesh and bones. Of course, when something tries to exit the fence the teleportation array activates and prevents them from leaving. Wouldn't want to scorch our research now, would we?"