Zero Time Dilemma Part #54 - Outbreak (2 of 2)

Part 54: Outbreak (2 of 2)

Part 54: Outbreak (2 of 2)

Music: Solitary Snail

Let's go.

Fade to black, and we're back in the Lounge. If my pattern recognition is still functioning, we're due for a long chat...

I don't see him...

He does seem to get around.

He could be coming through the air vent?

Sigma, did those robots cause you to remember something?

The robots...?

The ones we saw when we were in Manufacturing.

You started acting so strange after we entered that room...

He did, didn't he?

You made robots?

The frame was built somewhere else.

Let's just say that it was vital to the completion of my plan.

No, maybe that's not quite true. It could've just been my cover. To tell the truth...

Music: Nostalgic Scenery

I spent several decades of my life alone. In the middle of a desolate desert...

"...on the moon..." Sorry, I'll stop interrupting. Probably.

I lived in a facility built deep underground, much like this shelter is. Sometimes an acquaintance stopped by, but that was it. No calls or even emails. It was a place of complete and utter quiet. No rain. No wind. Just a buzz that echoed in my ears constantly.

Someone was there to help me for a short while after I started living at the facility. A woman. She was very lovely. Kind, and gentle. Her name was... Well, let's just call her D.

Right, just like we called Marty "M" back in the Power Room with C-Team. Gee, I wonder what "D" could stand for?

We spent the time researching genetics, and studying various subjects like quantum mechanics, cosmology, biochemistry, and artificial intelligence. But...

The facility's environment was very particular. To be brief, it had weak gravity.

Sigma killed her by bringing her to the moon, basically.

My grief overwhelmed me. Two, three years passed, and the pain was as fresh as ever.

I recreated D's appearance as best I could. I made her thought patterns match as close as possible. I spent twenty-five years completing her. Of course it was impossible to perfectly replicate everything about D. Still, she ended up pretty close...for a robot.

Luna was very devoted to me. I also found that I truly loved her. Not as a woman, but more like a daughter...

Do you hate me?

No, I'd never... I'm just...really confused...

It took you twenty-five years to make that robot... Sigma...how old are you?

Oh, right, this version of Diana hasn't heard the crazy "I'm an old man from the future" speech yet.

I'm 67...

There's a crashing sound suddenly.

Hey! Diana, Sigma, come here!

Music: Placidity 2nd Mix

And now we're in the Prep Room. This room doesn't get a lot of screen time normally.

What is it?

I'm not sure I like Phi's plans.

A plan?

The Prep Room leads to the Decontamination Room.

Diana and Sigma follow Phi inside.

What's beyond the Decontamination Room?

The hall for the elevator...

So that would mean...?

If we open this door, we can get out of here?

Sigma walks over to check it out.

It's welded shut. Nothing less than a bomb would manage to dent it.

If only we had just cleared a room with a bunch of bombs in it...

Time for crazy escape plan number two!

When we cleared the room, the bomb here came loose from its stand.

If I remember right, we only need to set the timer and press the Start button?

Correct. Once the timer ends, the red and blue balls are released.

When they both touch...that's when it explodes.

Yeah, okay, get to it Sigma.

Huh?

The two of us...will see you back in the Lounge.

You want me to carry it by myself?!

It's been the way of things since olden times.

She's got you there, Sigma.

Diana's shaking a bit, trying not to laugh.

If those two balls touch early, we're goners. Diana and I won't have a way out anymore.

Okay, let's go, Diana.

Oh, um, okay...

Diana steps forward, but then looks down for some reason.

Why's she looking at the stun gun?

Music: Mischievousness (Consternation Remix)

All set to go.

Who the hell made you head honcho...?

Please, you two... More importantly...

It looks like the timer can only go up to 300 seconds.

Five minutes, huh...

Five minutes is plenty of time to get enough distance.

All right, I'm going to push the button now. Are you all ready?

Yeah.

Ready when you are.

Okay, here we go!

3, 2, 1...!

Music: Consternation 2nd Mix

runrunrunrunrunrunrunrun

runrunrun... Wait a minute, we have five whole minutes, why are we running?

Sigma has a lot of experience with unknown explosives probably.

How much time is left?

My recording says it's only been 17 seconds since we hit the button, but whatever.

Computer lady really has the best timing.

[Computer Lady:] That is all.

Same X-Passes as in the Biolab and Healing Room fragments. As if C-Team being dead didn't already clue you in as to which main timeline branch we're in.

The execution.

Diana picked C-Team during the vote at 13:30.

Diana chose to vote for Q-Team.

Not this argument again.

Music: Dcom (The Beginning)

Another great time for an interruption.

Did you really believe that I wouldn't notice?

This recording seems less...recorded, than usual.

Penalty. Penalty.

You are not allowed to leave by means other than the X-Door. That is one of the game rules.

Yeah, well, what are you going to do about it?

Q-Team is on the other side of the Decontamination Room at this moment.

What? How?

They lie unconscious from being injected with the anesthetic in their bracelets.

Eh, I'm calling bullshit. He's bluffing.

Just so you know, the bomb you activated is really quite powerful. It's true that if it detonates, the door in the Decontamination Room will be blasted apart, just as you had planned.

At the same time, that means the deaths of the oblivious, slumbering Q-Team.

So, what will you do? There are three minutes left.

Or leave them to die and make your own escape... The choice is yours.

He's going to make sure we only get out of here over six bodies. Or at least wants us to think that.