Sudden Escape
Today too, Agent Dorothy brilliantly completed her mission. Waaah! Dorothy, you're amazinggg! As expected of a Netdiver agent! Amazinggg!
"Receiving cheers from the citizens."
"Yesss!"
In truth, Dorothy still didn't fully grasp the abilities of a Netdiver agent. She always solved things with guns, bombs, and her fists. Tsk. The real charm of Netdivers is their finesse and utility. And the protagonist is so pretty too... Ah, thinking about the protagonist gives me another headache. She's the one variable I can't account for. I have no idea what the protagonist—who still doesn't have a vaccine in this era—is up to...
"...Tiara."
Dorothy, who had been cheering over her great victory, suddenly sank into a gloom. With over ten years of menhera management experience, I quickly picked up on her mood.
"Bored? Wanna talk about something else?"
Dorothy shook her head. She averted her gaze, mumbling evasively, then asked in a voice as tiny as a mosquito's.
"Can I... leave this place?"
"I told you last time. You wanna get out."
"It's because of me."
Hmm. This one's pretty severe. Better observe for a bit.
Tiara hid her face behind her disheveled red hair and said,
"I've been here the longest."
The resentment in Dorothy's heart seeped into her damp voice. I'd already told her some of the lab's truth. Of course, through TRPG.
The place where Dorothy and I were was an illegal vaccine research lab. The spot where the Netdiver protagonist is born and utterly destroys it... And where the world's only vaccine slips away, kicking off the long story.
Since a vaccine came out of this lab, there has to be an immune subject here. Dorothy was the longest-surviving test subject in this lab.
Conclusion: High chance Dorothy's the immune one.
Even after we became friends, some kids still vanished at the researchers' hands. Friends who showed off their stitched surgery scars with smiles before leaving. Those kids were probably all dead. Without ever leaving the lab.
"Can someone like me really leave?"
Dorothy buried her nose in her knees, hugging her head. Then she peeked at me. What. Why.
"Of course. Or should I just let you die?"
Poo—Don't you get it? Her puffed-up cheeks seemed to say. But when I left her alone, Dorothy scooted right back up against me like nothing happened.
"You're thinking about it."
"Ugh... But... then we can't cure people's infections..."
"Not your problem. Just forget it and live."
"Ughhh..."
"Ah, we're escaping tomorrow, by the way."
Dorothy slumped without a word. Ah, what to do with this shit-shih tzu of a girl. Unable to think of a proper response, I fell back on a cliché comfort.
"It's not like it's your fault. So what?"
"But..."
Normally I'd pat her more, but... my head was full of escape plans right now.
"You might not even be the vaccine. You could get infected any day."
Dorothy pondered seriously, as if she'd never considered it before.
"That's kinda scary..."
"Don't worry. If you get infected, I'll handle it."
Just in case, I'd prepped a backup plan. First off, once Dorothy becomes a Netdiver, the infection issue's solved. Netdivers can remotely access storage devices, so no need for a hippocampus implant. They're basically walking supercomputers.
"What if you're the vaccine, Tiara?"
If I'm the vaccine? I chuckled heh heh heuk and said, mixing in a bit of sincerity,
"Dunno. Guess I'd have to die. For a better future."
"...Tiara, I'm mad. I'm gonna hit you."
Ah. Teased too much? Dorothy puffed her cheeks and bonk! headbutted my shoulder. It hurts, you dino-head.
"Never think about leaving me behind. I'll follow you, Tiara."
Her words hit too close to home, leaving me speechless. Ah, whatever. Time for skinship. I ruffled Dorothy's hair wildly.
Dorothy stiffened, enjoying the pats (physical), but suddenly her ears flushed bright red and she shoved my hand away.
What? Embarrassed? 'Cause people are watching?
"T-Tiara. Um... Never mind. Wait just a sec..."
Dorothy turned her head and tugged my shoulder strap up.
Ah, must've slipped down.
"Thanks, Dorothy."
"Ughh...! Don't smile like that. And fix your clothes before they slip. You're a girl, always..."
Dorothy sighed and tied my clothes securely so they wouldn't slip. Ooh. The oversized dress now clung perfectly to my body. Dorothy had this mammon-like side too? Not just a shit-shih tzu? I raised my arms—way more comfortable. Tighten it a bit more here... and flatten the chest, it'd be like my old body.
"How's it...?"
"Good. Big help."
Hehe—my good partner Dorothy grinned like a seal. Glad her mood's better.
Over the past few days, Dorothy had been seriously pissed at me. Lying to the researchers and scouting the facility was super dangerous, she said. Begged me never to do it. Even said to make her do it instead.
But Dorothy would just stomp out and ask, "Where's the exit?" No choice but to do it myself. And since other kids did the same to get out quick, it wasn't that risky. Dorothy better memorize the layout fast. When she finds out later, she'll be bowing and thanking big sis.
"Tiara! You're not going out today, right?! I'll really get mad!"
"Not today."
"For real? Let's talk zombies then!"
Preparations complete. Now just get the immune Dorothy out.
The next day.
"Tiara! You're not going out today, right?! I'll really get mad!"
"What're you talking about? Today we're escaping... Uh...?"
I turned to Dorothy. No joking around—her face was seriously pouty. Staring at her stiff expression, Dorothy sensed something off and asked,
"You're going today too...? You went yesterday."
"Yesterday... yesterday... Yeah. Not today."
"For real? Let's talk zombies then!"
Infection symptoms appeared in Dorothy. She wasn't immune.
And... at the same time.
"T-999, wanna go with Teacher?"
Researchers with unusually flushed faces swarmed into the white room.
Fuck. Guess I'm the immune one. Did all those tests backfire? Should've listened to Dorothy.
I flashed a bright smile, replied "Sureee~!" and fingered a signal on Dorothy's back.
-Prep talk. Like Netdivers in the story.
Luckily, aspiring Netdiver Dorothy got the sign, hardened her expression.
I tried to stay calm. Nothing's changed. Just a minor shuffle in the sequence. I planned for this.
"Okay, T-999. Calm down."
I grabbed Dorothy's hand and slowly backed away. More researchers meant harder to escape mid-move. Barely snatched a pistol and bolted chaotically, ending up outside my mapped area. Well, excuses anyway. My fault.
"...Tiara."
To draw eyes, I spat random words while scanning paths behind and ahead with my gaze.
"U-Uh, yeah?"
"My name's Tiara."
As I cocked the hammer against my own head, the researchers panicked visibly.
"Right, right. Tiara."
I spotted one reaching for the wall. I whipped the barrel up and shot the ceiling pipe.
"Gaaah...!"
Hot gas poured from above, blocking the researcher from calling security. And moreover...
Chiriririruk!
Alarms blared as corridors began sealing shut.
"Let's go, Dorothy."
"U-Uh... yeah..."
Grabbing Dorothy's hand, we ran. Plan A—both escaping—was scrapped. Good thing the panic kept Dorothy from noticing my twisted face.
"Remember the story? The one we talked about most. The Netdiver escape thriller."
Dorothy nodded, but looked unsure. Frustrating...!
"Dorothy, snap out of it!"
"Tiara... but your arm...!"
Damn. Why're you saying that line, Redhead D. Rosy? She worriedly lifted my arm. Recoil control failed—right hand and arm numb. Gunpowder burns faint. Honestly, worth it.
Dorothy and I panted through the lab corridors. Seals confused the paths.
Thud. Thud.
"This way!"
Sensing presences, we hid in a room. Surgery table, small tub, huge vending machine-like device.
"Tiara, this is...!"
"Shh."
Fetid blood stench hung heavy. Recent surgery, no hygiene care. Of course—they'd show us then kill us right after?
The eerie scene made Dorothy tremble. Thump. I gripped her shoulder with my less-injured hand.
"It's okay. I'll figure something out."
No need for Dorothy's surgery. Once on land, we can store memories. Awaken her as Netdiver today, reach land—done.
Haa. Haa. Haa.
...Yeah. Easier said. But tomorrow, Dorothy forgets today. She'd be a girl suddenly chased out, wandering streets. Unacceptable. That wouldn't save her.
Somehow get a catalyst to awaken her as Netdiver...!
Tap tap tap… Footsteps. Light ones—not armed guards. Dorothy and I held breath behind the big vending machine.
Peeking in cautiously: one of the kids who bullied Dorothy.
"...!"
I clamped Dorothy's mouth quick. She widened eyes in shock, then nodded firmly.
Honestly, surprised me too. Other kids escaped too. Trashy, but... good they became decoys.
The kid who entered was J. J panted wildly, cycling between psychotic sobs and screams. White clothes bloodstained.
"No...! Why, why this...!"
Grip tightened on gun. Amid J's noise and potential shots, I mentally chanted: shots louder, shots louder.
Thud. Outside noise—J froze. Us too.
Please, J. Don't come here.
Against my wish, J flailed toward our hiding spot.
"Wha...? You guys...?"
Right as J spotted us, whispering...
Kwaaang…!
"...!"
We clamped each other's mouths. Dorothy's tears soaked my hand. I fought vomit with all I had.
J knelt, slowly toppling. Upper body gone. Shadow fell over J.
Thud. Thud.
Thought explosions—but footsteps. Compared to ear-splitting prior shots... plausible.
Chizik. Radio crackle.
"Report. One escaped test subject terminated."
Weary man's voice. Armed guard radioing colleague.
"No, kid. Had a pistol too. Aim assist and all. Huh?"
....
"Ha, these fucking shits."
Man spat on J, sauntered in.
"Ugh. Hypocrites. Just cage 'em like chickens. Pamper 'em... tch."
Tsking at blood-soaked OR, he thud-thud... toward J's gaze. Flipped body with huge barrel.
"Nah. Supposed to be black-haired girl."
Always showing off subpar humanity with "killable anyway... tch," then thud... thud... out to corridor end.
"Haa..."
"Hic... sniff."
One shot wrecked the OR. Bullet hit our vending machine—black fluid leaked.
Chest tight, I yanked clothes roughly. Dorothy buried face in sleeve.
For now... yeah. Catch our breath.