'PERSPECTIVE SHIFT: 187-424'

  'CODEWORD: TUNNEL-VISION'

  'TUNNEL-VISION I'

  Each time I get on these things, something seems to go wrong, but there's some silver lining to everything. I'm still alive. I pussy out of a lotta things, some justified, others not- but, I am not the type to roam places like this. I prefer the comfort of a den, my den.

  It's jarring goin' from a place that was cookin' us to a place that tries to freeze us, but that's precisely what I prepared for. No-one will freeze, not this time- though I'd never thought I'd be reminded of that day by a fuckin' cyborg.

  There's certain things none of us are built to know. But, cyborgs? They're built to know one thing and one thing only; to complete the mission. Their mission? I got no fuckin' clue. I've found this particular gaggle works against those pencil-pushers- and me, unfortunately.

  I look down to see a hand reached out to me.

  Now it was laying there, it felt like some typa' mockery, but I have to do what I need to get by. There are tunnels in this world, not the type traversed by people like us, and with each informed person the cracks get wider.

  I didn't have much intention to tell him anythin', or at least anythin' worth much- though scrappers have a way of diggin' deeper that not a lotta' people have. I weighed the situation, and saw I could rid myself of three headaches at once, so I took it.

  It's almost second nature to preserve the mission. Somethin' was wrecking me nonetheless, but it was either them or all of us in that place. A reaver, a cyborg, and a scrapper out of patience? I get the feelin' that's not a situation even I could give a happy ending.

  A dry taste was runnin' down my tongue through my throat.

  I urgently look about the cart, seemed everyone got their masks on in time, oxygen ain't exactly commonplace further through cart tunnels. I couldn't help but look back at the mechanical hand, this wasn't the release I expected, just a sliverin' regret which clawed up my spine.

  At the speed the cart was going we would reach the next station in only a few hours, we got plenty of stuff to keep us alive in that time. We should be fine, there ain't nothing that could stop this cart now it's goin', but still- it feels bitter.

  One quick check over my equipment confirmed I was fine, at least on the surface, but that's good enough here. I count three podlings. Three is all I have left. Fuck, what have I done to deserve this? Some burden they've left me haven't they? Life's not fair but I didn't expect it to be a bitch.

  It's damn hard to breathe. The mask functions fine though?

  I crouch down to the hand, usually I woulda' not hesitated to pick it up, metal is metal after all. I caught myself ponderin' on it again and again, until a small metal box smacked the back of my head. Drawin' me to the ire of the usual suspect.

  "Why did you fuckin' do that!" Oscar shouted, throwing another discarded piece of cart at me which I slap aside before it lands,

  I couldn't bring myself to say anything back, the other two as quiet as they usually were avoided my gaze completely, but Oscar was always one to get into shouting matches.

  "You left Kip to fuckin' die to some piles of shit! Are you crazy, you lose your mind or somethin'!" Oscar ranted,

  "It was either them or all of us." I rationalise, more to myself than anyone else,

  "Whaddya' mean! If you let us use the weapons we coulda' blasted them to fuckin' smithereens!" Oscar rebutted,

  "No, I ain't giving podlings fuckin' weapons!" I snap back,

  "You gave Kip weapons, didn't ya? Why not us, why not when it mattered!" Oscar loudly argued,

  "I didn't give him shit, that was Ro-, that was the scrapper! Kip's three years older than you anyhow!" I shout, my voice waning against my dry throat,

  "How many exceptions you gonna make until you realise the rule doesn't fuckin' work!" Oscar quickly shouted back,

  "It ain't a fuckin' decision for you to make!" I sternly reply, walking straight up to him,

  A long silence followed, as what usually happens with Oscar. He took too much from Elis, just constantly arguin' everything, it's fuckin' irritating.

  "Kip's fuckin' dead." Oscar murmured, before sliding down against the wall of the cart,

  I walk away from him, just trying to look at anything else but the hand on the floor, I almost missed Jasper picking it up. As sneaky as he usually is, typical.

  "What if he is still alive?" Jasper then asked, startling everyone with his speech,

  "That's the first time you've spoken in a week." I comment,

  He walks past me with the hand as if he were examining it- but he probably had no idea what he was looking at. Still, the sentiment is enough.

  "If Kip's alive, it's only logical that Rory's alive. Ed always said: 'if you break a deal with a scrapper, don't expect to live long after.' Didn't he?" Jasper explained, completely ignoring my comment,

  Jasper per usual was tweakin' his ear-box. He was unlucky- or maybe lucky enough to be born deaf in one of his ears, so the opportunity to replace it with a spare ear-box was taken.

  "That's the last thing I need to think about." I dismissively reply,

  I watch as he put the hand on top of the wagon of kleptomania I've built up over the years. I don't know why, it just felt good to have stuff, there's a lot of comfort in equipment.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  "You wouldn't have to think about it, if you properly assessed the situation, and allowed us all to help." Jasper backhandedly said,

  "You too? My fuckin' priority is you keep y'all safe! I have to think about keeping you little shits alive, don't expect me to weigh options fuckin' perfectly." I angrily state,

  Jasper seemed contented with his commentary on the subject, just like Ed, except he was much more articulate. I always found that strange, well he's just a strange podling.

  "Don't fuckin' argue with me. I got to get us out of this fuckin situation to." I sharply command,

  I look over to Ari for any sense of agreement, but she still preferred to look away from me, that solemn look she always held seemed even lower now.

  I stroll my way across to the cart's console, in it's sorry ass state.

  These bad boys are a complete hassle, not only are they overly complex with features I can't even fathom; but they also manage to be extremely fucked at the same time. A recipe for a whole lotta work, but we should have more than enough time for me to work my magic.

  Luckily I have tools tailored to this. It's luck because I didn't make 'em, call it fortune that it's pretty much the only reason we're alive- besides the scrapper. I need to make sure this thing can actually stop, because if it doesn't; well, let's just say we ain't even gettin' the comfort of being mist.

  With a quick unlock of my trusty toolbox, an arrangement of possibilities is instantly opened. First trinket I always use is what I like to dub the 'analyser', the smallest of its kind I've ever found. No matter how many times I take it apart, then put it back together, I still got no clue how it works.

  As I wave it over the console it lights up in reds, oranges, yellows, and blues. In some fashion telling me what's fucked and what isn't- safe to say, everythin' was red or orange.

  "What's wrong with it?" Em whispered straight into my ear,

  "Shit!" I respond, startled by her sudden question,

  "Well, to keep it easy Ari; everythin'. I'll deal with this myself, you make sure the other two don't do anything." I gruffly explain,

  "No." She simply replied,

  I shrugged my shoulders at her denial. It's infinitely more convenient having a podlin' like Ari who can disagree, than it is a podlin' like Oscar. But, inconsistency is his biggest pet peeve sadly.

  "So you ain't gonna scold her?" Oscar peevishly questioned, right on cue,

  "Put a fuckin' sock in it Oscar." I rudely answer,

  He responded in some combination of curses and growling noises. Regardless, I continue to attempt to locate the gizmo which allows this thing to stop.

  In my tinkering I managed to turn on the headlights which were fairly intact. By fairly I mean they were fuckin' flickering and annoying the shit outta' me. Can't risk breaking anything else, fuck.

  "Uh, Lila?" Ari asked, pulling against the tool satchel on the back of my belt,

  "What?" I irritably respond,

  I look back at her in anticipation of her usually useless discovery.

  She pointed my attention to the front dashboard of the cart, the window was missin' obviously, which is why this shithole was freezin' but what's wrong?

  The headlights flickered in a random combination, which alluded me to the possibility, then I twisted some knob and they decided to light up permanently. It's almost strange to be able to see the cart whizzin' past the structure of the tunnel, but something wasn't right.

  Every cart tunnel has an arrangement of gates which mark each portion of it. These gates require quite the amount of electricity to close. This sort of stuff shouldn't be flowin' down here, and it wasn't closed before that's for sure.

  The symmetrical horizontal structures dipped into an X shape in the closing distance, it was a rough thing to notice- but, having a mechanical eye makes things easier. I close my real eye and let the robotics do the work, which is when I noticed it; a closed cart gate.

  A fucking closed gate?

  "Oh fuck!" I instinctively shout, which drew everyone else's attention forth- but they couldn't see it,

  I still have time. I begin rapidly tossin' around wires, it doesn't matter if I break somethin', I just need to get this thing to stop. I tested one of the first baubles, and I got nothin', shit.

  Another connection, another stinking pile of nothin', then another, then another. I look up- shit idea, the gates even closer, it's now or becoming red paste.

  I rip apart what I already know isn't worth anythin', it hurts my soul to do something like that, a lotta slips down the drain just for those couple of wires being ripped aside.

  Then I find it. But, it could be too late. I shoot some electricity into the circuit, which seemed to trigger the breaks. I drag Ari too the floor with me, can't risk her shootin' out the window.

  The cart begins to rapidly descend in speed with a high pitched hiss.

  We still crashed into the gate. But the good news is that we weren't goin' fast enough to be flattened and the cart was still intact. Maybe a bit bumped, but nothin' crazy.

  "My leg! Fuck!" Oscar screamed,

  My head was spinning from the impact, but I still flicked my head over to the screeching podlin', which wasn't doing any wonders for me.

  I stumble up to my feet and make sure Ari is fine, luckily I managed to cushion her impact at the cost of my own pelvis. For fuck sake, can somethin' go right for me?

  "Shit, wait. Calm down." I stammer, making my way over to him,

  A large box managed to fall off the wagon, leaving some of my less lucrative arms strewn about the place. This box fell directly on Oscar, who was using a wheeled wagon as cover. Retard.

  "Can you still feel it?" I calmly ask,

  "Of course I fuckin' can! That's why i'm screamin' about it you stupid-!" He loudly began, interrupted by me throwing the box off his leg and him shoutin' again,

  I look at the damage, looks mostly on the outside, a bit of patchin' and maybe a bit of walkin' help should do him just fine for the moment.

  I rummage for a medical box, and pass it over too him. I made it one of my goals to make sure they're all capable of tendin' to themselves, I ain't always gonna be there after all.

  "How the fuck is a cart gate closed?" I mutter,

  "Why are you asking?" Jasper commented, managing to hear my frustrated whisperings with his ear-box,

  "I ain't, stop nosin'. Little shit." I reprimand, which is responded to by him shrugging obviously,

  Nice to know he wasn't put into any harm by this absolute travesty. But, what matters is findin' out what's keeping the gate closed. Hopefully, it's on this side of things.

  Even so, there's something bad in the air ain't there?

  I look out of one of the side cart windows, now dawning one of the discarded multi-visions from the pencil-pushers dogs. On first glance, it looked like the worst possible scenario, until I spotted a large cable. About torso wide, pretty standard for the power of these gates.

  Each cart gate has a maintenance station, however, the possibility that the station has collapsed into the canyon is higher than you'd want it to be. This is one of the unlucky ones, no platform to stand on this far out either.

  The cable which stuck into the side of the gate seemed improvised anyhow. It descended deep into the canyon, possibly into some alternative generator? No, that doesn't add up, why would a generator be stuck all the way down in the cart canyon. And why would it be workin'?

  The multi-vision can't see deep enough into the canyon per usual.

  I look to my wagon once more, though it pains me to use pieces of it, at this point I have no choice. I take out a flare from one of my many boxes.

  "Are you certain that's a good idea Lila?" Jasper questioned,

  "Got a better idea lead artificer?" I jab,

  "What are you even doing?" Jasper asked, ignoring my comment,

  "There's a cable powerin' the gate, goes down into the canyon, I'd like to see what's powerin' it." I quickly explain,

  He looked at me in a perplexing way, which usually meant; he knew it was a bad idea, or, he knew that it would end badly. I'm aimin' for the former.

  I pop it and drop it down the canyon.

  It bounces off some hanging panelling, before making its way down to the bottom of the canyon. It was lighting up some large cylindrical object, though it was strangely sideways.

  It seemed to be attached to some sort of separated conveyer? No, that doesn't look right, and that was my first correct instinct.

  It began to twitch, before then an extremely thin metallic spike for a leg struck it and the light fizzled as a result.

  The generator began moving.