A Day in the Sun (ID)

[DanteMGalileo]

"... I what the bad guy?"

Will collapsed into a seat, doubling over at that thought. Yes, he had eaten some dubious things in the past, but well... that was unpleasant even by those standards. He ran a head through his mop of dirty blonde hair, groaning. "P-Please... Please get us there fast. I... Even I can tell she's running out of time."

Imago made a tongue-clicking sound, rubbing Will's shoulder with a fingertip. "It'll all be over soon, child. Soon, you will go back to your semi-normal life." This earned the demon a sixteenth-assed punch from the taller man. "Oh, come on. You know what I meant."

[ColArana]

At least the cyborg had the good nature to look a little embarrassed as Max checked his condition. It wasn't great. What had passed for skin was basically worn away at this point, leaving tarnished metallic looking limbs at this point. They probably would have been shinier, but the grit of battle had worn that away too. His clothing was more or less shredded, leaving his pants intact at least, but also revealing glints of metal beneath what was left of his shirt. Ryan's face had managed to avoid the worst of it mercifully, so nobody had to look at a half-terminator.

Ryan's head snapped over to Will as he said something. "Will? What's going on? You what... what do you mean you what the bad guy?" He didn't like to think about Lydia running out of time. One of the "perks" of Ryan's condition was that he was impeccably good at telling time. He should be, he could literally pull up the time in front of his eyes like a digital clock if he wanted to. He knew exactly how long it had taken them to get here from LunArc's base, and knew equally as well how much time Lydia had. He looked at the doors. "Even if I drain every last ounce of my battery, I'm going to make sure nobody else dies today." He promised Max and Will. And Lydia if she was listening.

Then he looked at Imago. "As for you. What's your deal? And who are you?"

[ParamountKeymaster]

Max could only offer Will an anxious frown, wishing beyond all reason that she could look right through him and see Lydia for herself. See how well she was holding up. All in due time.

She turned and met Ryan's eyes, sadly looking the kid over. He had taken quite a beating from that crash landing and subsequent scuffle. It was disheartening to see the damages her friends had accrued on top of questioning how much Lydia had obtained. She wanted to believe their combined pains wouldn't be for naught. Still, despite her fears, Max found it in her to gently grab Ryan's arm, give it a gentle shake, and conjure a tiny smile for him. "You did well out there. We'll... We'll get you patched up in no time. I promise."

The camper van lurched to life. Through the window, the group watched as the vehicle became airborne, the park disappearing beneath them as they entered the last leg of the race to the lab. Max took a deep breath, clearing her mind of the chaotic scene they were leaving behind, glancing up at Rio perched at the top of the stairs. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Rio meekly smiled at Max, then at Will. "No hard feelings. She'll be okay if I have anything to say about it."

[Pink Moon Wolf]

"It's gonna be okay, Will..." Lydia softly assured him, staring forlornly at her monitor, soaking in the tired, anxious looks of each and every one of her friends. Ryan, beaten and scratched down to his metal chassis... Max, emotionally drained but still clinging to hope... Jack, lost and confused but still in one piece... She had to keep it together for their sake.

She slowly directed her gaze to the top of her windshield, craning her neck to stare up at the stomach walls that surrounded her. One way or another, she was going to get out of there.

[ThePopcornFairy]

Jack donned a sad smile as he looked between Max and Ryan, then up at Will. He felt Lydia's quiet confidence flowing through the young man in spite of it all. It felt good. Reassuring. Despite the ups and downs, despite the physical and emotional scars that had been accumulated today, she was going to make it. They were going to make it.

Dr. Pendleton. Can you hear me? We're on our way.

Good. The chamber is ready for reenlargement.

We have the chips, but Lydia's oxygen is leaking. We'll be there as soon as we can.

Hurry.

---------------------------

It was a grisly sight. One plane lay abandoned. Another was strewn about in a destroyed heap. Burns and scars in the earth littered the park. A charred human corpse was left to rot beneath a tree.

In the shadows of that same tree, a pair of glowing, ice blue eyes appeared. A clawed black hand reached out as if the shadows themselves had taken shape. A dark mist surrounded Dr. Michaels' body, rising off of her and accumulating into a swirling mass with a small, silvery ball of light at its core.

"Such a pity," the spectre teased wistfully. "Not to worry, doctor. You'll get another chance."

His claws raked across the open air, tearing into the astral plane, ripping open a portal to a realm of pure darkness. He slipped into this dimensional tear with his prize in tow, letting it seal behind him. The park returned to silence.