The Asmodai: Oranos #1: Who Am I?

Part 2

Three days ago...

I had been on a routine mission in the Matrix. The job? Kill an exile named Spam. Exiles were a threat to the stability of the Matrix. Programs that were trying to escape deletion. One of the more standard jobs of a Machinist is to eliminate these exiles. One by one. This particular exile was not of much importance.

The mission had been going successfully. I had tracked him down to an apartment building. I had also killed a few more exiles on my way to find him. However I knew something was wrong on my way to his location. As I was hopping roofs to my location a bullet just missed me. It smashed a glass window inches away from my face. I looked towards the direction the bullet had come from. I was unsurprised to see my stalker aiming at me with a Halsey. The Sakura mask, with the goggles over the eyes made it impossible for me to see his face. I had no time to contemplate this however. He was already readying the next shot.

I dived out of the way, and broke into a sprint. The stalker dropped his rifle and jumped over to my roof. Meanwhile I had come to the edge and hopped over to the next roof. He began to chase me over the roof tops. He was fast. Faster than me. When I realized this I ran into the building through the roof top entrance. He followed as I ran down the stairs. Luckily, the elevator was already on my floor. I ran in and the elevator door shut before he managed to get in.

I waited until I thought it would be safe and left the building. There was no sign of him. I was not far from my destination and five minutes later I was there. I reached his apartment and knocked on the door. I was greeted by a Guard. Before he could react I put a bullet into his head. Another exile kill. There were two vamps as well. Unfortunately I had no wooden stakes. Some tales tell vampires to be invincible unless you have a wooden stake. These programs however, are much weaker. Though wooden stakes will kill a vampire so much faster, they can be killed by ordinary means. So we fought. From the looks of it they were hungry. They kept going for my neck. I'm used to it of course. Killed dozens of these blood-lusting bastards.

After they were dead, I checked the bodies. One of them was carrying a key. Spam had had himself locked in. The stupid fool would not be able to escape now. I unlocked the door. He was another vampire. He was stronger than his friends. Eventually though I had him on the ground ready to deliver a finishing blow. However, I never got a chance to. I suddenly found myself being pulled off the vampire, and thrown against a wall.

I looked into the masked face of the stalker. He was pointing a Kessay in my face. Before he shot me he spoke. This was the first time since he had started to stalk me four days before. "Khao..." He said. Or at least I thought it was Khao. I could not be sure. His voice was muffled, covered by the mask. A moment later I woke up in my hovercraft with a tremendous headache.

"A rifle bullet at point blank range?! Jesus!" I was talking to myself. No one was on the hovercraft. The mission had failed.

The Asmodai: Oranos #1: Who Am I?

Part 3

I had been asleep when I received a call. Someone was contacting me from the Matrix. I awoke immediately and ran to answer it. The voice on the other end was muffled.

"I am tired of playing cat and mouse." It had to be the stalker.

"Who are you?" I replied.

"Tonight I will end it."

"I said who are you? Why are you after me?!"

"We shall meet on the top of the Metacortex building. I am there now. Be quick."

"Who..." The line went dead.

Part of me figured it would be a bad idea to go, and to ignore it. But I needed answers.

                                                            *****

A few minutes later I was jacked into the Matrix. I had entered through a Morrell hardline. North Central. Not too far from Metacortex. I was cautious as I approached the building. I did not want to get sniped. Just another point in this sick bastard's game. I jumped up to the roof of Metacortex. It's a long jump. Only long time operatives can do it.  The masked man was standing in front of me.

"So are you going to tell me who you are?" He did not speak. He just ran at me, punching me in the face. I should have been ready. I got up and we began to exchange blows. He seemed less skilled and less strong today. Or perhaps I felt more confident. Either way I was winning the fight. Pretty soon I had him to the floor where I was about to deliver the last blow. Then I had a better idea.

"Time to find out who you really are." I started to pull off his mask. However, suddenly I was grabbing nothing but air. He had disappeared. "A simulacrum?!" He was a fake. That explained his lack of ability, and his silence. But why had he called me then? Suddenly the realization dawned on me. The terrible danger I was in, and how little time I had left. "Tonight I will end it..." I muttered to myself. The phone rang. I answered it, knowing who would be on the other end.

"Time to die." The voice was not muffled this time.

"Not if I can help it!"     I hung up.

I had no time to get to a hardline. There was only one solution. I didn't want to do it but I had no choice. I had less than minutes. I reached into my trench pocket and pulled out a handgun. "Just like the old days." I muttered to myself. As I aimed the gun at my own head and pulled the trigger, I suddenly awoke back in the Real. Welcomed by a splitting headache. I felt the hand on the back of my head. He was seconds away from pulling the plug out of my head. If he had done this while I was still in the Matrix I would have been dead.

I jumped out of the chair, and turned around. We were both startled. He, by my sudden awakening. Me, by the recognition of his identity. "You!" I exclaimed.

The Asmodai: Oranos #1: Who Am I?

Part 4

"How did you get out of the Matrix so fast?!" We both still had a look of disbelief on our face.

"I shot myself. Broomfondle?!" This was one of my old crew mates. One of those that freed me.

"Yes Khao. You are a criminal of Zion" He now looked angry.

"I'm not Khao. I'm Oranos. How did you find me?!" There was no point in asking him why he was after me. I knew that one already.

"We saw you at Zion. I volunteered to follow you. We could have turned you into Zion, but we did not want you imprisoned. We wanted you dead! How could you kill him Khao? Ibis freed you! He told you the truth! You left him for toasters?! You son of a *CENSORED* you're going to pay!" He was working himself into a frenzy.

"I wasn't myself."

"Then who were you?! You butchered him you sick son of a *CENSORED*!" I was aware that his fists were clenched. A fight was inevitable.

"It's...complicated. I mean I was myself, but I was...ill." I was right. It was time I stopped blaming other things. I was myself. A different part of myself. I can deny Sonaro but he will always be a part of me.

"Enough talk! I've waited too long for this!" He tried to stab me in the face with the jack-in plug. I ducked and grabbed it. I wrenched it out of his hands and threw it to the side. He punched me in the face. I tasted the blood. He continued to punch me, knocking me to the ground. "Finally. You murdering bastard!" He punched me in the face again.

"So what? You're going to murder me too? Two wrongs make a right?" Of course I didn't really believe what I was saying. I couldn't blame him for wanting me dead, but I didn't want to die.

"I...Shut up! He was like a father to me!" I had committed murder frequently whilst ill. Whilst my brain was splintered. While I was like this, his death was the only one I really felt guilty about. Even before I knew I did it. After I was healed, I took this time alone to forget about everything. To work out whom I was now. I figured I was still Oranos. But I was a different Oranos. It's hard to explain. I had my own memories, but I had Sonaro's too. They might have been my own, but they didn't feel like mine. I hoped I wouldn't have to commit murder again. Not in the Real anyway. But I couldn't let him go. Zion still wanted me. Well, still wanted Khao.

"I'm sorry Broom, but I can't let you leave this hovercraft alive. You're too much of a danger to me, but I regret it I really do." He punched me in the face again.

"Whaddya mean? I'm on top of you about to kill you!" Another punch to the face. My nose was broken I thought. I started to tense and gathered as much strength as I could, turning us over. Now I was on top of him. My hands reached for his throat.

"I really am sorry." I began to choke him. Putting all my strength into my hands. His face turned blue. His last breath left him violently.

The Asmodai: Oranos #1: Who Am I?

Epilogue

"He should have called by now. He failed. That means he's dead." She looked angry.

"You don't know that for sure."

"I feel it. Khao is still alive. After what that bastard did to our leader he's allowed to go free?! No no no! The Freelife will have its revenge. It's time we sought outside help."

                                                            *****

I had thrown his body out of the hovercraft. I felt bad about killing him, but he was a danger to me. That meant he was a danger to Systematic Chaos. However I was worried. This was not over. He said "We". The Freelife would still be hunting him down. I was sure of it. I only hoped that they had not given my identity to the rest of Zion. I guess I'd take one problem at a time.

This encounter had taught me something though. I was responsible for Ibis' death. I was responsible for all of Sonaro's actions. I am Sonaro. I am Oranos. I am Khao. However, I won't let a name control me. Just because I am Sonaro does not mean I am an insane murderer. We all have our inner demons. Power is not letting them control you. No one will control me. Not again.