novelraw Chapter 627 627: In Trouble.
Chapter 627 627: In Trouble.
BEEP
Finn's eyes snapped open the moment he heard the sound, and he jumped up from his seat, panic coloring his face. He has done it again. He fell asleep on his workbench. Looking down, he was met with a chaotic scene: tools scattered around haphazardly, circuit boards of varying sizes, connected by a storm of cables and hair-thin wires, and mechanical parts. Seeing the whole picture, one would think it was a butcher's table, only the victim was a humanoid robot chopped into small parts and stripped of all its components.
Time was running out, forcing Finn to give one mental command after the other. Mechanical arms sprang out of the boxes in front of him and picked a few of the larger items, including the android's half-open skull. At the same time, the surface of the workbench began to sink, taking with it everything else. A lid slid into place just then, and the mechanical arms came back, placing some less complex tools over the new surface.
Just as the mechanical arms contracted into their shells, the door slid open, and a familiar face appeared from behind it.
"H-hey, Vik, did you… Did you need something?"
"Just checking on you." The fixer said, his eyes inspecting the room. "Boris told me you tried to sneak out last night."
"Y-yeah, sorry about that." The boy tried to laugh it off, only to fail miserably. "I just wanted to stretch my legs, you know."
"By sneaking into a police station's evidence vault?"
"Ugh…"
As it turned out, he had already been exposed.
"Am I… am I in trouble?"
"Don't worry, I pulled some strings and cleaned up after you," Viktor said. "You have been making the best of that Ghost Mode of yours, but you still make some mistakes."
"Sorry…"
"And Jake,"
The name caused the large capsule sitting in the corner to jump up.
"You were supposed to stop him from taking such risks. I'm really disappointed in you."
[Hey! How is it my fault!] Jake unfolded, jumping onto his feet. [You know he's the boss!]
"Really now?"
When the fixer's eyes turned to him, Finn shrank into his seat. It occurred to him just then that the fixer never said anything about him not being in trouble. Pulling the stool that was placed to the side, Viktor walked over to the workbench and sat down beside him.
Technically speaking, Viktor was his legal guardian, so he was responsible for everything that happened to him. Finn was well aware of all the things he had done for him since they met, which was one of the main reasons he hadn't escaped yet, and why guilt overwhelmed him whenever they had to have a serious talk.
"So, what are you working on?"
The question took the boy by surprise, and he looked up to find the fixer gazing at him with a relaxed smile. After a moment of hesitation, Finn's eyes narrowed.
"I'm sensing a trap…"
Viktor eyes widened in shock, and he acted as if he was hurt.
"I already know, you know?"
"Still… sounds like a trap…" Finn said. "I choose the right to remain silent."
"I see…" Nodding, Viktor pushed himself up. "Guess I will talk to Dante and tell him to hold back on building that lab of yours."
A spark of panic struck the boy once more. Jumping to his feet, he quickly went to block the fixer's path.
"Wait! I will tell you! I will tell you!"
There was no escape. Finn realized as much the moment he got caught, but it took him until now to know that there is no way out unless he comes out clean.
"I'm trying to improve my exo-suit, that's all!" He said.
"Your exo-suit, huh?" Viktor raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"
"Well… I might have snuck some of the schematics from the Blackshield suits a while back."
"And you have been trying to recreate them?"
"You could say that…"
Stealing a glance, Finn saw that the fixer was still giving him a doubtful look. Eventually, he heaved a sigh and patted his head.
"The tech you stole isn't something you can find on the open market. Are you aware of who it belongs to?"
"I know," Finn said. "Dante gave me a few to work with before, remember?"
"Right…" Viktor glanced at Jake. "So you should know how to deal with it?"
"I already scrubbed it clean. There is no way they can trace us."
He wasn't talking about filth, per se. The android remains he stole were some of the most advanced tech in the world, and things like that came with thorough security measures, some of which ensure that they can be traced and retrieved. The first thing Finn did once he had his hands on the android was to shut down all its security protocols, ensuring that the cultist who made it wouldn't come after him.
"I'm dismantling it for parts, that's all." He said. "It won't exist in its previous form by tomorrow."
"... alright, I get it." Heaving a sigh, Vik sat back down on the stool. "Now, how about you show me the improvements you're making to this exo-suit you're making?"
Though he was reluctant at first, Finn gave in eventually and walked the fixer through his schematics. Vik seemed truly interested in the topic, going so far as to ask questions and give suggestions here and there. Before they knew it, a couple of hours passed, and the fixer had to leave for work.
"Remember to get something to eat." He said. "And stay out of trouble."
Once the door closed, Finn checked the feed from his Scorpiobots. Only once he saw the fixer walking through the corridor to the first floor did the boy heave a sigh.
"That wasn't so bad." Jake trod over.
"I would have preferred if we hadn't gotten caught at all." Said the boy.
Knowing how these things go, Finn was sure they were going to start keeping a closer eye on him.
[I think you're worrying too much.] Stealing his chair, the capsule-shaped bot made himself comfortable. [By the way, I found something interesting while looking into the data from that droid.] The pixels making up his face formed a devious grin. [Want to look?]