Chương 15: Trust

The man's eyes widened with disbelief as he saw the small rabbit, Garry, talking.

"What the hell!! a ghost kid, and a talking rabbit... Are you guys the spirits of the dead people in this city!?" Tears welled up in his eyes as panic consumed him. "Oh my god, I swear I am not with those machines!?" he pleaded, his voice cracking with fear as he cried like a frightened child.

"No, we're not ghosts," Aaron said firmly, his face maintaining its serious composure. "She's an AI, and he's a doctor."

"LIKE HELL, I WILL BELIEVE YOU!" the man retorted, still skeptical of their claims. But before anyone could say anything further, a voice echoed from the medical store, shouting with urgency, "Where are you, Max?!"

Everyone jumped in alarm, their hearts racing as the man's voice reverberated through the room. Aaron instinctively covered Max's mouth with his hand, silencing him, while Garry cowered behind Aaron, his whole body trembling.

"Oh, my god..." Garry whispered, his voice shaking with fear.

"WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU, MAX?!" the man's voice bellowed again, closer this time.

Max struggled to speak, but Aaron's grip on his mouth was relentless. He fought back, trying to free himself from Aaron's grasp, but it was futile.

The footsteps grew louder, each step sending shivers down their spines, as the man approached the door to the basement where they were hiding. "Hey, MAX!" he called out once more, his voice filled with an unsettling mix of anger and desperation.

Max's muffled attempts at speaking could be felt through Aaron's hand, and Garry could hear the faint but rapid thumping of Max's heart, a reflection of their collective fear.

As the man reached for the basement door's lock, a distant voice suddenly pierced the air, shouting, "Hey, Stuart! Come out fast!" The man froze, his hand hovering above the lock. His footsteps began to retreat, gradually fading away as he left the medical store.

Aaron and Garry let out a collective breath they hadn't realized they were holding. Aaron slowly released his grip, allowing Max to breathe freely again. Coughing and gasping for air, Max finally spoke, his frustration evident in his trembling voice, "What... hnn, what do you want from me, huh?"

"We just don't want any trouble," Aaron replied calmly, taking a step closer to Serena and placing his right hand on her forehead to check her fever. "Phew, man! That was close..." Garry said, visibly shaken by the recent events.

Clara suddenly flew right in front of Garry's face and said, "Check Serena, please." Garry nodded, climbing up to the table where Serena was sleeping, her face still etched with pain, and her forehead covered in beads of sweat.

As Aaron and Clara turned their attention back to Max, they found him struggling to free himself from the pole that Aaron had bent around his hands. Max's frustration was evident as he exclaimed, "What the fuck is this? An actual metal! How did you fucking... ughh, bend it!"

"How many of you are there?" Aaron inquired, settling down in front of Max. Max looked up defiantly, his lips sealed tight.

"Hah! You really think I will tell you that!" Max retorted, looking away, clearly unwilling to cooperate.

Clara chimed in, asking, "What are you guys doing here?" But Max remained silent, his gaze fixed on the wall to his right.

Growing increasingly impatient, Aaron slowly raised his hand, which swiftly morphed into a gun, its beam loading and ready to strike Max. Max caught sight of the weapon from the corner of his eyes and quickly exclaimed, "Woah! Stop!" Aaron lowered his hand and leaned forward, urging Max to spill the information they sought. "Then tell us," Aaron said with determination.

Max hesitated momentarily before finally revealing, "Our group was informed that the Ultacity is going to get attacked by the machines as they went against the Order." He looked down, his expression softening as he continued, "So we came here for some loot..."

"I see," Aaron acknowledged, trying to grasp the situation at hand.

"They will be here any minute now," Max warned, his expression hardening once more.

Aaron glanced at Clara and then turned back to Max, considering the options. "So you want us to let you go?" he asked, unsure if he could trust Max's plea.

Max replied earnestly, "Yes, I promise I'll not tell them anything." His eyes locked with Aaron's, begging for trust. "And if you don't let me go, eventually, they will come here and find you guys," he added, emphasizing the potential danger they would face if they kept him captive.

"Why won't you tell them?" Aaron asked, seeking clarity on Max's loyalty and motives. The air was tense, and the fate of their encounter hung in the balance, leaving Aaron uncertain about the best course of action.

Aaron's gaze shifted from Max to Serena, who was still writhing in pain. He repeated his question, "You didn't answer me, how many of you are there?" Max looked down, seemingly hesitant, before finally replying, "Six, including me."

The atmosphere in the room grew even tenser, and Aaron unbent the pole around Max's wrist, freeing him. "I don't trust you," Aaron said coldly, "but if you sell us out..." He slowly turned his head towards the basement door, which he then opened, "I will kill you all six," he declared with a tone that sent shivers down everyone's spines.

At that moment, Max could feel an intense void of emotions in Aaron's eyes.

Even Garry could sense it, the unmistakable aura of murderous intent that radiated from Aaron.

Max's heart raced as he ascended the steps from the medical store's basement, his eyes widening in shock as he met his chief's piercing gaze. A cigarette dangled casually from the chief's lips, his smirking face shrouded in tendrils of smoke. "Well, well, Max," the chief drawled, his voice laced with curiosity. "What is it that you're hiding from us?"

Max's throat felt dry, and his trembling hand hesitantly closed the basement door behind him. "Um, nothing really," he stammered, his nerves palpable.

With deliberate slowness, the chief began to advance, the air heavy with tension and the scent of smoke. Max instinctively stepped back until his back was pressed against the door. "So, what were you doing down there, huh?" The chief's tone held a hint of suspicion.

Max's retreat halted abruptly, his wide eyes locked onto the chief's unyielding gaze. "I was just tired, so I decided to take a nap in there," he stammered, his words shaky.

As the chief continued to close the distance, Max's pulse quickened. Suddenly, a forceful shove sent Max stumbling aside.

The chief's hand deftly turned the lock, and the door creaked open to reveal the unexpected scene. Aaron stood defiantly, Garry hiding behind him, and Serena lay on the bed, still lost in slumber.

"Holy Fuck." A stunned exclamation escaped the chief's lips. In one swift motion, he drew his gun from its holster, the metal glinting ominously in the dim light.

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