The Machine Cult welcomes Jack Allen to its most venerable ranks, may his toils be as great as that of his fellow acolytes!
Or else.
---
The sliding doors to Vik's clinic were nearly ripped off their hinges as I rushed my way inside, only to pause as I was met face to face with a very unimpressed Ripperdoc.
"Kid" He greeted calmly "What did I tell you about storming in here?"
"Not to." I answered automatically before focusing on what truly mattered "How is she?"
Vik kept his expression calm but my Optics allowed me to notice the slight tightening around his eyes "She is coherent-"
My entire body slumped in relief.
"-But" Vik went on, voice pointed "She is still very twitchy. So I am going to need you to take a deep breath and calm down before I let you in."
The words 'Let me in!?' Were already halfway to my lips but his piercing look stopped them in their tracks as I understood what he wanted.
Charging in there as an unfamiliar face would be... bad.
Nodding in acceptance, I took a step back and did as instructed, taking in long breaths as I let my thoughts settle.
Around a minute later, Vik clapped his hands "Good. We can go in now."
He quickly led me into the back of the clinic but as I reached the threshold I found that my legs wouldn't move.
Automatically, I checked on the connection but instead of a cyberware failure I found that my brain simply refused to send the signal in the first place.
Vik also paused, smiling encouragingly as he patted my shoulder "Come on, kid. You have nothing to fear."
My lips split without prompting "But-"
"No buts." Vik cut me off "Stop overthinking and get in there."
Momentarily closing my eyes, I nodded. And took a step inside.
And in a blink I was looking down at the scene of Misty talking softly to my mother.
She was already looking better than last time. Some color had returned to her skin, and the connections between her cyberware and flesh were properly healed and smoothened out. Even the lines of her face had retreated under my nanites' influence.
But one detail took my attention over all others.
The short crop of hair that had regrown in the meantime was not blonde, but grey.
My hands clutched into fists as I once more found myself paralyzed.
Long enough for her to notice me.
And before Misty could warn her, her eyes widened.
Misty immediately placed a hand on her chest "'Lana, wait!"
But she went ignored, as mom's freshly awakened brain began firing off fight or flight signals at the sight of me, and her whole posture shifted into a combative one, her cyberarms moving to throw her up from the ripper-chair.
I began moving my hands up to show I was no threat, but immediately thought better of it, and instead activated my Agent, sending her a call.
Like a switch had been flicked, her movements ceased completely and utterly, and her blue eyes lit up as she accepted it.
This time I did wave [M: Hey mom.]
"M-" She rasped "Mikey?"
"It's me" I smiled, even as I remained rooted to the floor.
"You-" She went to speak but then began coughing.
Misty quickly got her a cup of RealWater "Take your time, 'Lana."
She gave me a sideways look and smiled encouragingly "Come on, Mike. She won't bite."
Mom exhaled as she downed the cup, absently returning it to Misty while her eyes remained rooted firmly on me "It's really you?" She whispered.
Listening to Misty's advice, I took a few steps forward and leaned over the ripper-chair "It is, me." I said softly "You are safe now."
She looked as lost as I felt, but then her eyes widened "It was you who saved me..."
Misty winced, no doubt having tried to omit that fact.
"Yes." I nodded, unsure what else to say.
"When I saw you" She whispered, looking down "I thought you were one of them..."
My right hand clenched "There are no more of them." I said icily.
She paused and then slowly blinked, speaking in a voice that was utterly flat "No, I suppose there are not."
Misty looked between the two of us and made a decision "No need to focus on the bad, 'Lana." She placed a calming hand on her Cyberarm "Why not celebrate Mike's success instead? Aren't you happy to see him walking?"
And once more, as if a switch had been flipped, mom's entire demeanor shifted her dead eyes visibly brightening, and pained expression shifting into a happy smile as she moved Misty's hand away and got up, much to the part time nurse's protests.
I too tried stopping her but that same odd affliction from the door stopped me from doing it in time.
Before I could be rid of my indecision, mom had already gotten up and quickly drew me into an embrace, brokenly whispering "My little genius" and "Michael" Over and over again.
Once more unsure what to do, I followed Misty's expectant look and slowly wrapped my arms around her, remaining completely silent as mom lost her tension with each passing moment.
Misty mouthed a 'I will give you some space' and silently left the room with Vik.
We remained in silent embrace for ten whole minutes.
She seemed unwilling to let go anytime soon, and so I lowered my Vocalizer's volume and spoke "Mom" I shook her slightly "You should sit back down."
She shook slightly, and sniffled, but seemed to have heard me as she took a very reluctant step away, looking up at me with eyes that would have been red had they still been flesh.
"I can't believe I missed your operation" She half whispered half croaked "I am a terrible mother."
"Nonsense!" I nearly snapped at the very implication "You are the greatest woman this city has ever or will ever see. Never say something like that again."
She twitched at the sudden rise in volume but slowly relaxed again and smiled, though the expression was a pained one "I never wanted for you to bloody your hands."
"I've long since bloodied my hands for mere profit" I corrected with a scoff as I guided her back to the chair "That I did it to save you was the first time I did it for something unquestionably right."
She let out a quiet yet pride filled chuckle "Keep saying things like that and I won't be able to stay sad."
"Good." I nodded firmly, and for a moment I was tempted to ask her if everything was fine, if she was still herself even with all the terrible things I knew had been done to her.
But I was not stupid enough to actually do so.
The answer would not be one I wanted to hear.
Even now she was showing a strong front, but her voice, her posture, and all of her expressions were only partially glad to see me.
I knew she was a mercenary and had suffered numerous injuries over the years, most of which I myself had built replacements for even. But there were some experiences one could not wave off, that they could not tough out...
Even if they were Svetlana Sobronov.
She was acting to save me from worry, and that twisted my heart beyond any blame and rage she could have possibly thrown at me.
"My little genius" She whispered again after a bout of silence, looking over my new body, her eyes lightening up with only partially force teasing "Already got yourself a style, hm?"
"It is a good combination" I said defensively.
"Definitely has nothing to do with your father's uniform." She nodded sagely.
I looked away "It was a pretty damn preem uniform."
I could have grown to hate the colors but... They were all that remained of the few moments with him I cherished.
Mom seemed to understand that as well, as she lowered her head in sorrow.
Not willing to let her spiral, I said the first positive thing that came to mind "I uh... made a friend?"
Her eyes brightened "Oh?"
---
"How are you two doing?" Vik entered the room a good hour later, wiping his hands with a towel from no doubt seeing another patient.
I went to speak but mom preempted me, directing the ripper with an accusatory look "My son was just telling me about how you tried avoiding getting paid. Again."
Vik let out a dramatic sigh at that "You two are impossible."
"Good work needs good pay." Mom stated the utter truth while I nodded my agreement.
"Two of them now" He shook his head, though he was unable to hide his smile "How will I deal with such stubborn patients?"
"By accepting the truth" Mom said imperiously "And not being stubborn."
"I am the stubborn one?" Vik quirked an eyebrow and we all shared a chuckle.
Moments later, he was seated next to the ripper-chair and running routine scans "Anything unusual on your end, Mike?"
Mom gave me a questioning look at that.
"All her 'ware is running optimally." I informed him "No infections or signs of any other disease or disorder either."
"Good" Vik nodded, both of us ignoring mom's increasingly questioning glances at both of us "Looks to be the same on my end." He said after a moment "I am happy to give you a clean bill of health."
"But." He rose a finger before either of us could speak "You will hire a psychologist-"
"I will not" She immediately snapped, glaring at him.
Without thinking I placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Mikey" She turned to me, voice pleading "Tell him I will be fine on my own."
Vik gave me a look.
"Why not give it a try?" I asked.
"I am fine" She repeated "There are no problems with me, there are no aftereffects." She flinched "This damn city has not broken me-"
"Mom" I clutched her shoulder ever so slightly "Do it for me, at least?"
She sucked in a breath, but stopped herself from retorting. Instead, she looked away and whispered "I will think about it."
Vik and I shared a look and unanimously decided not to push it.
Around a minute passed as the two of us went over some medical details on our Agents while she calmed down but the moment she did she remembered the the earlier parts of this conversation.
"Vik" She said.
"'Lana" He slowly nodded.
"My Mikey is a pretty good doctor, right?" She said.
Vik huffed "Better than me, I'd wager. Just needs to get some experience on his hands and he will be better in every way."
I looked away.
She directed me with a deliberate look before smiling back at Vik "So how about you hire him on as an assistant? You need help from time to time, right?"
Vik hummed but his microexpressions already told me the answer "I am not running a big operation here, 'Lana-"
Before he could go on, I interjected, ignoring her threatening look "While I wouldn't mind helping Vik whenever he needs it-" I gave him a pointed look in turn to which he nodded.
"-My ambitions are a bit greater than playing assistant." I finished and quickly added "No offense, Vik."
"None taken, kid" He chuckled "You don't owe me a thing. But." He added "I will see about calling you whenever I have an overflow. I wasn't just yapping about you needing the experience."
If I didn't already agree with the idea, mom's expectant look would have made me accept it anyway.
"Then I will thank you in advance" I nodded.
"No need to be so serious" He chuckled at mom's beaming "Now get out of here you two, I think you are just as sick of this room as I am of seeing you in it."
"So rude" Mom shook her head even as I helped her up.
"Yeah, yeah" he waved her off and looked to me "Make sure to bring her for a checkup in a month. Just to be sure."
Accepting the good will for what it was, I nodded "You can be sure, Vik. Thanks, for everything."
He huffed "Just get out already."
Was the old man... embarrassed?
"Stop embarrassing the poor man, Mikey" Mom patted my arm "He will go red."
Vik let out a sigh of fond exasperation and began grumbling.
Deciding to spare the poor man, we made our exit, making sure to thank Misty silently and tip her two grand on the way out as I did.
She just sighed and silently accepted it.
Good, they were learning.
But the moment we stepped out, I realized my mistake.
The van I drove here was the exact same one mom had been taken in.
For a moment panic rose in my chest and I looked down to see her tense.
But unlike whatever I was dreading, she simply grit her teeth for a moment and kept walking.
"We can walk home, or call a cab" I quickly said.
"No" She shook her head, opening the van on the driver's side "I am not that fragile."
"But-"
"No." She repeated.
"At least let me drive" I sighed.
She paused, looking me over "You didn't use an autopilot?"
I tapped the side of the van "This trash can doesn't even come with one."
She just smiled proudly at that.
I shook my head with a huff and entered the van.
The bucket of rust shook like the washing machine it was as I started it up, and then we were moving down the road.
At a crawl, as always.
"So" Mom smirked as I failed to say anything "Have you met any cute girls yet?"
I groaned.
---
The order of restaurant food was already waiting for me in front of my apartment as I returned.
An incredibly idiotic thing to do in most other cases, but the people of the floor knew not to steal my shit.
And so, ignoring the curious glances directed at us by said people, I led mom inside and laid out our lunch.
We devoured the authentic pierogi and then just chatted about anything and everything for hours on end.
The irritated look she gave me as she realized what I did to her couch would haunt me for many nights.
Thankfully she accepted a bribe in the form of the answer to her earlier question.
And honestly I'd have preferred righteous punishment to what came after.
I had thought to use the girl I saved from the Maelstromers as an excuse, but I was foolish, for I only gave out ammunition for motherly teasing.
I might have had to overplay my embarrassment a bit but it was worth seeing her so lively and amused.
We only stopped talking when I saw her getting drowsy and quickly tucked her in despite her protests, myself taking a seat against the nearby wall and letting my thoughts drift as her quiet mumblings turned to near inaudible snores.
Before long, I too was lost in dreamland.
---
My internal chronometer informed me only three hours had passed as I was woken up by a panicked scream, Optics snapping open to find my mother sweating in her bed, breathing rapidly and her eyes looking about erratically.
She began visibly calming as our eyes met and slowed her breathing "I am fine" She muttered "I am fine..."
"Mom-" I began.
"No need to worry." She interrupted "I just need to calm down" She nodded to herself "Yes, just need to calm down."
"You know that isn't how it works" I said quietly.
"Don't you-" She glared at me but only for a moment before looking away.
"Fine" She said after a while "You can find a professional, but make sure they are trustworthy."
"In this city?" The quip escaped me before I could stop it.
Thankfully all it did was make her snort "See what I mean?"
"There must be someone" I muttered.
"My foolish boy" She shook her head before changing the topic "I gave Reggie a call."
I was confused for a moment before then blinking in realization "Ms. Jones?"
"It is good that you are so respectful" She smiled "She told me you started doing work for her?"
"Knowing to defend myself is good, and my body is made for it" I shrugged her disapproval off "Besides, we will need the money, since you are not going to be doing any work for a long time, and I have new goals now that I am not imprisoned in meat."
She gave me an odd look at the meat comment but then her glare returned again "And you think you can stop me?"
"Without a doubt." I declared with utter certainty.
She kept the glare for a long moment before sighing and shaking her head "And what plans are these?"
"Start my own clinic" I answered, hand raised palm upwards "Make my own cyberware" I began clutching it "Gain wealth" The fingers became a fist "Become powerful, invulnerable" I looked up from the hand and to her "Ensure no one can hurt us ever again."
She looked at me for what felt like an entire minute before sharply nodding, her approval and pride clear in her eyes "Good" She declared clearly "I will train you."
"Whut?" I blinked.
"Since you won't let me go back to work" She smirked "The best I can do is make sure you aren't a gonk about it."
What answer existed to that but "I am in."
-----
Let the streets drown in stone!
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