SSV: Project STATIC Part 3: Game Over

Chapter 17

Jake and Pam walked along the sidewalks of the Corporate District of the city. The difference was unbelievable in this section of the metropolitan area. The streets were cleaner, the air was lighter, and the people all dressed nicer. There was an air of unease and tension that was still present, but it wasn’t from criminals. Jake knew what it was before Pam, and he explained it once they’d gotten to a safe place to plan. It was the fear that came from working in a corporate environment; the fear of being undercut and taken out before your work was done. Such was the way many corporate drones in the real world. Jake had seen it himself many times within his own company. The suits, the hair, the money, it was all just an elaborate coverup and small perk for the constant threat lurking around the corner.

Pam had a thorough understanding of the criminal underworld, but this was Jake’s home turf. Her time under Rebecca had given her more of an understanding than some, but Jake had been born into this lifestyle. He knew better than anyone else how to handle the corporate world, and even if Ingrid had a warped idea of it, Jake was confident that he could help them to navigate whatever was in store for them. The enhanced tech and threat of Ingrid’s monster were two unpredictable factors, but even that was something Jake was sure the three of them could handle whatever was in store. With Anders providing support, he felt like they had a strong shot at success this time around.

They had changed in their little alcove not far from Brunswick Tower, and Anders had left them shortly after dropping them off. A construction site was underway not far from the Tower, and Anders had perched on one of the upper floors to provide cover and support. Jake, Ashley, and Pam had changed out of their street clothes and into more formal attire. Jake felt at home in his three piece suit, and Pam looked as confident as ever in her pantsuit. Ashley was wearing a pencil skirt and blazer combination, and she had made it no secret that she wasn’t a fan of the outfit. However, it was necessary for them to blend in as they walked through the front gates. It was doubtful that they’d make it far without a fight ensuing, but they had to take the chance. The further she made it in, the closer they would be to their exit. Each of them carried a large duffle bag and wore heavy long coats to hide their weapons.

The outside of the building had the first patch of green that the trio had seen since arriving in the cyber wasteland. Grass patches lined the outside, and a large fountain with a statue of a woman that none of them recognized was outside the front doors. Jake led the three of them as they approached the entrance. Thanks to Pam and her developing abilities, the three of them had badges that gave them a chance at getting in. The guard at the front held up a hand as they approached, but the three of them held up their badges for a second. He held up a small scanner, and he checked each of their badges. It dinged green, and the guard shrugged as he opened the door for them.

The inside of the bottom floor felt like a warped version of the Blackridge lobby. The floors were black, the walls were silver granite, and there were pillars lining the bottom floor. A large desk sat in the distance with the elevators behind it. Jake looked around, and felt a sense of dread as he looked at the metal detectors just behind the front desk. So much for laying low and sneaking in. The amount of iron and steel they were packing was bound to alert security before they made it off the first floor. They’d have to check their bags through the x-ray machine, but they had enough firepower on them to withstand the basic grunts that were lurking on this floor, but Jake was sure Ingrid had littered this place with countless waves of intense resistance throughout the building.

“Ready for this?” Jake whispered as the three of them walked up to the scanners.

“Born ready,” Pam replied as she set her bag down on the rollers.

A security guard stood by the metal detectors, and he waved them through one at a time as their bags ran through the x-ray machine. The machine beeped profusely as they walked through, and the guard held his hand up. “Empty your pockets of anything…: he started before his jaw dropped when the three of them opened their coats to show their weapons, “Holy shit…security!”

The next ten seconds were a blurry series of bangs and chaos. Inside of their coats were various pistols, small machine guns, grenades, bandoliers of ammunition, swords, knives, and other weapons that weighed them all down. The second the guard shouted, Pam pulled her pistol and shot him in the head. Shouting and screaming came next, but it was overshadowed by the heavy footfalls of incoming security officers carrying machineguns and pistols. Jake and Ashley split off to opposite pillars for cover, and Ashley pulled the pin on one of her grenades to throw it into the incoming wave. Pam tucked herself behind one of the rollers to grab her bag, and the explosion went off to dismantle the first set of resistance.

“Making waves already, kids?” Anders’ voice came over their comms, “That didn’t take long. Doors are gonna lock shut, and the building will go on lockdown within the next ten seconds. I got eyes on the floors above you three, and you got more drones inbound within the next five. Get to the elevator while you can, but they’ll cut the power before long. Use the shaft to get up from there, and take the first exit you get to from there. Keep me posted on your location, and I’ll burn through the bastards that I can from here.”

“Not like we had much of a choice,” Jake scoffed as he grabbed his bag and hurried to the elevator, “Come on, we need to keep moving.”

“Lets not keep our esteemed welcoming party waiting,” Ashley chuckled as she hurried behind Jake, “This is going to be fun.”

“Should I be concerned that you’re looking forward to this?” Jake asked as the doors opened.

“I don’t get out much, sue me,” Ashley shrugged, “Let me enjoy this while I can, love.”

"Enjoy it as much as you like, but stay focused," Pam said as the doors closed, "We have one shot at this, and we did not come this far to lose."

"We're getting out of here, Pam," Jake assured her, "I promise, we're going to get you back home to Beth."

Pam had been on edge since they'd arrived at this district. Jake understood her position since this was their do or die moment. Ingrid had planned for this moment, and she'd unleashed a gamebreaking monster to stop them. That thing was bound to be here, and the fact that they'd managed to escape twice meant she was probably planning to throw everything she had to stop them here. After all, they were the only things standing between her and what she wanted: Beth. But, Jake knew what Pam was capable of when her beloved was threatened. She'd bring down the entire tower, maybe even Ingrid's game, if it meant she could get back to Beth.

The ride up on the elevator was quiet, tense, and short-lived. Jake had pressed the top floor, where Pam was sure the exit was hidden, and they'd made it five floors up before the alarms went off. The power went dark, and the elevator came to a complete stop. Jake exchanged a look with Ashley as Pam shook her head and looked up. Jake gave her a boost so she could push the hatch open to enter the shaft. She held her hand out to help the two of them climb up before opening her bag. The building had twenty floors in total, and they needed to cover as much ground as quickly as possible. They also needed to put a stop to anyone attempting to get in through the ground floors. With this in mind, Anders had helped construct a high level explosive from what they'd found at the shop they'd raided. Pam pulled the device out of her bag and placed it atop the elevator.

Jake knelt beside the device to arm it as Pam concentrated on their next task. They could climb, but she had another idea for them. It was doubtful that she could get the three of them to the top floor, but she felt strong enough to carry them to at least the midway point. Ashley pulled her sword out and the belt of grenades she'd been carrying in preparation for their approaching battle. Jake put his hand on the source code hanging from his waist before grabbing the submachine gun from his bag. Pam wasn't a fan of him using it, but they needed as much firepower as they could get for what was coming. The automatic would prove invaluable against the waves waiting for them.

Once the device was armed, Jake grabbed the source code from his waist and let it reshape. It took the form of a glowing knife, and he looked at Pam to make sure she was ready. The nod she gave was signal enough for him to cut the cord and hope for the best. His blade cut through the cables, and the elevator quickly screeched as it plummeted towards the ground floor. Jake braced himself before relaxing when Pam's powers took hold. It was like they were standing on solid ground, although nothing beyond a shimmering light could be seen beneath their feet. Pam exhaled and raised her hand to begin their ascent. They wouldn't have long before the fires started alongside the explosion, and the three of them would be in a race against the rising inferno.

Pam lifted the three of them upward at a rapid rate. The crash of the elevator followed by the deafening boom filled the air as they continued upward. A rush of heat filled the shaft as the fires erupted down below, and it wasn't long before the flames were on their heels. Jake watched as Pam started to strain to keep her barrier intact beneath them. He didn't have a clue what floor they were going to wind up on, but they'd have to get out sooner than later. Pam wouldn't be able to keep her hold up for much longer unless she risked exhausting herself. Watching her reminded him of himself during their training sessions. This was as new to her as spellcasting was to him. Everyone had to start somewhere, he supposed.

Pam held her hand out as they neared a set of doors, and she blew them off as she reached a breaking point. "Out, now!" she ordered, "Move, move, move!"

Ashley and Jake didn't need to be told twice. They filed out of the elevator and onto an unknown floor in time to see a squad of armored security sweeping the area. "Terrorists!" a guard shouted, "Shoot to kill, take them out!"

"Seems a bit extreme," Ashley huffed as she crouched down and raced for cover.

Jake dove behind a wall as the gunshots rang out. They were carrying assault rifles, and they had the drop on them. The floor they'd exited on was filled with offices of different types, each separated by walls of steel or glass. He waited until the gunshots died down before sticking his head out and returning fire. His first few shots went smooth enough, but he had to release the trigger as the recoil began to get the better of him. He ducked back behind cover and ejected the magazine to check it. It was still half full, maybe a little more. Before he could try to regroup and return fire, Pam had stepped off the elevator and held her hand out. A purple blast of energy shot out of her hand, and the guards lost their grips on their weapons. She raised her pistol and fired on them as Ashley raced out to cut the remainder down.

"Hey, kid," Anders voice came over Jake's comm unit, "You've got incoming from the southern stairwell. Move up and hang a right at the end of the corridor. There's a stairwell leading up on the opposite side. I'll lay down suppressing fire to try to slow these fuckers down, but there's gonna be more moving down to you soon."

"Copy that," Jake said as he got up and relayed the information to Ashley and Pam.

The trio took off running in the direction of the stairwell Anders had mentioned. They could hear the glass breaking from his shots, and the sound of pained cries from the guards could faintly be heard in the distance. Then, the sound of marching as more of the guards headed in their direction. Jake raised his gun as they neared the corner, and he opened fire once he saw the first security officer. The first one fell, but two more were behind him ready to attack. Ashley ducked low to avoid getting shot, and Pam fired three shots at the legs of one of them. Ashley impaled the one on the end, and she ripped the blade from his stomach and threw her shoulder into the other to knock him down. A quick flick of her wrist, and she'd slit his throat before he could get up.

The alarms sounded next, and Jake looked up in time to see ports on the walls begin to open up. The small holes grew larger as drones were deployed to combat the three of them. They were small, but the barrels on the ends were clear indicators of how dangerous they were. They'd become a huge problem if they didn't deal with them fast. Luckily, Pam heard the dull roar of their engines as they hovered and tried to lock onto them. She snarled as she turned around and stretched her fingers out as though she were going to grab them. Jake watched as she clenched her fist, and the air around them distorted for a second before they were crushed to debris.

"There's going to be more, and I can't keep this up forever," she said, turning back around, "I'll need to save some of my strength to get us out of here, and each time I use this power it takes a toll on me. Let's move, and pray that we're closer to the top floor than I think."

Ashley pulled one of the grenades from her belt, and she tossed it down the hall as the three of them continued deeper into the tower. Jake kept his gun raised and tried to take point to allow Pam time to recover. Ashley had taken a pistol from their small armory, and she was trying to take out any drones that flew nearby. They found the door to the stairwell and Jake kicked it open. It smacked into a guard, and Jake unloaded what was left of his clip on the others trying to push through. They fell to the ground as they stepped through, and they hurried over their bodies. Ashley thrust her blade down to ensure the man knocked down wouldn't be getting back up. The sign near the stairs showed the number twelve. Eight floors to go, and they could hear more soldiers coming from up above.

Now it was a race to get to the top floor. Jake reloaded his submachine gun as they ran up the stairs two at a time. The door to the thirteenth floor swung open as they got close, but Ashley leapt at it and slammed it shut with her boot. She rammed her sword through the steel and jerked it hard to the right. She'd sealed the floor, but she'd given her weapon to do it. It wasn't her only blade but with it gone she was down to knives, her guns, explosives, and her bare hands. It suited her just fine, if she were being honest. She'd stick close to Jake and in front of Pam to ensure that they made it out. The door above them burst open, and the sounds of shouting could be heard. This fight was only getting started.

—---

Ingrid sat her computer typing away like a woman possessed. She hadn't been expecting her three players to pull off such a coordinated assault, but here they were. "Come on, come on," she whispered to herself as she adjusted the difficulty scroll up and called in more reinforcements, "Let's see how well you little fuckers can keep this up."

The elevator was out, but she could fix it if she had time. The problem was she didn't have time. Between their frantic pace, Pam's unexplainable ability to manipulate her systems, and the shooter hiding in the shadows, she was at her limit. She couldn't divert her focus away from stopping the trio. The shooter would have to wait, and she couldn't afford to let them keep going. IG-33 was in position, but she doubted letting her run on autopilot would work well against these three. It was infuriating how well they were working together. How had she overlooked this coordination?

She watched as Ashley, the girl supposedly connected to Jake, launched herself over the railing and up into a group of her officers. It was beautiful and brutal to watch, but maddening at the same time. She tackled one with her bare hands, and drove a knife into his throat. She ripped the blade out and threw it into one of the guards nearby. Before they could recover, she was disarming another one and sinking her fingers into his throat. Just as the remaining two guards opened fire, she shifted and used the body of the dying man as a shield. Jake and Pam used the opening to drop the remaining two with the guns.

"Fucking bastards!" Ingrid screamed as she slammed her fists down, "Try this on for size then!"

They were burning through the tower quicker than should have been possible. Ingrid pressed a series of keys on her keyboard to bring up another display. She swiped her finger across the display to release another series of drones. They funneled through the walls and were able to pass through the doors behind security. She'd deployed everything from the ones she'd built with rifles, dart guns, and electro traps to try to break these three for good. Still, she felt like she was missing something as she watched them continue upwards. Something was off with them, and it wasn't solely Pam's abilities.

She seized control of the drones remotely, and organized them into a strike pattern. They lined up in a triangle formation as they flew up and past the three players. They pivoted as she opened the controls and switched her camera to their rear. The ones in the front were her assault drones, and she had them blind fire to try to scatter them. They didn't have much room to move, but she broke their little formation with relative ease. The dart drones were next, and a series of tranquilizers and poisoned darts were fired at them. Unfortunately, they barely missed the three of them, but that was okay. Lastly, she sent out the trap drones, and she grinned as an electrified net dropped down on top of Ashley. She turned a dial, and sent thousands of volts through her body to bring her to a stop. She was pinned, and her soldiers were closing in from both ends alongside her drones. At least it would be one less idiot to worry about.

"Jake, use it now!" Pam's voice came through the speakers as she tried to shoot at the guards coming from above, "Focus on the drones!"

What was she talking about? Whatever it was, it wouldn't make a difference. There wasn't a weapon in her game that could take out the drones before Ashley was dealt with. She smirked as her bots closed in on their target. Her face fell as she saw Jake pull a strand of something glowing from his waist. It flashed orange as he swung it around his head. Was that what she thought it was? It couldn't be, could it? It arched out as Jake continued to swing it, and Ingrid bit back a scream as her fears were confirmed. A string of ones and zeros could faintly be seen as it grew to an impossible size. That little shit had gotten his hands on her base code! That shouldn't have been possible, but she knew that code anywhere. The strand shot out and passed through several drones, and they shuddered before crashing one by one. They were offline in a single attack.

"Ugh, that tears it!" Ingrid snapped as she watched Jake free Ashley, "No more games, you mother fuckers. This ends now, and I'll make sure that you little bitches suffer!"

"Ingrid?" Beth's voice came from behind her, "What's wrong?"

"Having a little trouble here, hon," Ingrid growled, trying her best not to let her anger turn towards Beth, "Your shit friends are cheating their way through my systems. I've been playing fair until now, but that stops right now!"

Beth had just come to give Ingrid Jake's phone, but she hadn't been expecting this. Ingrid looked frazzled and furious as she typed away at her computer. That could only mean one thing. Jake and Pam were close to getting out. Ingrid was clearly unwilling to let it slide, though. She needed to do something to help, but what could she do? She paused as she tried to figure out her options. One thing was for certain, she wasn't going to let her friends die in some stupid game.

"Is it…" she started, trying to be cautious as she asked, "Is it okay if I watch?"

"I don't-" Ingrid started.

"I just want to see how this ends," Beth cut her off quickly, "Win or lose, I think I deserve to see their final moments. Whether it be getting out, or dying in that game. Please, Ingrid, let me have this."

Ingrid glanced back at Beth and sighed, "Fine, but don't make me regret this, Beth."

Beth slowly approached as she tried to get a read on the situation. She needed to act fast, but going for the controls was suicide. Even if she bought her friends time, it would ruin whatever good will she had gained. No, she had to be smart about this and time it right. Waiting was a pain, but she'd bide her time and watch for now. There was still a chance that Jake and Pam wouldn't need her help, but she still felt anxious as she watched Ingrid donne her headset.

—---

"How many fucking stairs are there?!" Jake shouted as he pointed his gun over the railing and shot at another group of guards, "Is she toying with us?"

"Doubtful," Pam sighed as she reloaded and fired two shots at a guard coming down the stairs, "She's wanting to end this. Infuriating as this girl is, she knows where we are and what's around the corner. Everything she's throwing at us, it's an attempt to kill us rather than slow us down. The game is over, and now it's a matter of victory for her."

"Funny," Jake chuckled as he reloaded, "You almost sound like you respect her right now."

"I can respect decisiveness," Pam said, taking out another guard, "It's cowardice that I detest, and she's still hiding behind a damn screen. We're clear, let's move up."

"About time," Ashley growled as she got back to her feet, "That net hurt, and I'm itching for some payback."

They'd made it to the eighteenth floor now, and they were closing in on their destination. None of them were willing to give an inch, and they'd managed to avoid any serious damage thanks to their coordinated attacks. As they got close to the nineteenth stairwell, the wall was suddenly demolished as Ingrid’s character appeared with a sadistic snarl. Pam barely had enough time to react and throw a shield up before the monster rushed at them. One floor away, and their greatest opposition had reared her head. Pam was able to keep them shielded from the debris, but Ingrid was already bearing down on them.

"You three have lived long enough!" Ingrid screamed as she pushed Pam back, "This is where it ends!"

"Back off!" Pam roared as she pushed Ingrid back, "Jake, Ashley, get to the top floor, now!"

"What about you?!" Jake asked.

"I'll hold her and catch up," Pam answered as she tossed her gun down and raised her hands.

"You think you actually stand a chance against me?!" Ingrid demanded, "I'm going to rip you apart, you bitch!"

"Try me," Pam growled, "Jake, go! I can handle this. Find a server on the top floor, and I'll meet you there once I'm through with this trash."

"Don't do anything too risky," Jake shook his head, "C'mon, Ash, let's move."

"You're not going anywhere!" Ingrid screamed as she leapt over Pam to try to grab Jake, "What the?!"

She was stopped mid flight as Pam managed to conjure something all too familiar to her at long last. Chains were wrapped around Ingrid’s arms and held her in place, and they were tethered to Pam's arms. "You're fighting me," Pam glared at her, "Or, are you ready to give me back what's mine?"

"Miserable little bitch," Ingrid huffed as she broke the chains, "This tower will be your tomb! If you want to be the first to die, then I'll be happy to oblige!"

Ingrid turned her full attention to Pam and lunged at her. Pam sidestepped and cartwheeled down the stairs to put some distance between them. Her body was crying out from the strain of sustaining her spell, but they were too close to give up now. Ingrid’s blade cut through the railing, but Pam was able to avoid the slice. She shifted and threw her hand out to launch one of the chains at Ingrid. It grazed her, but Pam twisted her arm and curved it as Ingrid charged at her. She frowned as she forced the edge to change to a bladed hook. It dug into Ingrid’s shoulder and stopped her just short of cutting Pam across the face. Pam jerked her arm down to force her to her knees, and flipped over her to try to catch up with Jake and Ashley.

Ingrid screamed as she ripped the hook from her shoulder and got back to her feet. She turned to chase after Pam, but Pam clapped her hands together to shatter the links. They whizzed and swirled around Ingrid at blinding speeds. Ingrid hesitated for a fraction of a second before raising her arm and letting her wrist fold down. The barrel of the grenades launcher rose up as she aimed it at Pam. Pam brought pulled her hands apart and curled her fingers as she concentrated on shaping a prison for Ingrid. It wouldn't stop her, not for long, but she could hold her in place. Another round of shouts from the security sounded behind her, but she whipped her hand behind her back to send several jagged links sweeping across their throats before pulling them back toward Ingrid.

Pam slowly put her hands together to form a sphere around Ingrid just as she shot her cannon. The force of the explosion nearly shattered her concentration, but she refused to give up. She could feel her nose beginning to bleed, and a headache was beginning to take root as her prison took shape. This was more taxing than casting in their world, and she felt like a novice trying to conjure expert level spells. Ingrid was trapped in Pam's makeshift prison, and she beat against it as Pam finished sealing it off. Every time her fist pounded against it, Pam felt it in her head.

"This won't stop me!" Ingrid shrieked at Pam, "I'll get out of this, and I'll break you in half! Don't worry, Pammy, I'll take good care of Beth once you're gone! She'll be happy with me, way happier than she ever was with you!"

"Shut up," Pam said through clenched teeth as her knees buckled.

"She told me about how you held her prisoner," Ingrid continued, beating against the prison, "You used her, used her position in that stupid court against her! You gave her hope, but you were just chasing your own lust, weren't you?!"

"Shut up," Pam repeated, hating the sound of Ingrid’s voice and fists pounding in her head.

"You might have turned her, but I'll be the one who keeps her!" Ingrid screamed, "She's mine, and you're just a flavor of the month!"

"I said, shut up!" Pam screamed, feeling a rush of rage hit her all at once.

Pam forced herself to stand up, and she raised her hand to lift Ingrid and her prison into the air. She thrust her hand downward and sent her crashing through the stairs. Pam leaned over the ledge and felt herself wobble for a second. She clenched her fist to crush the bubble she'd made once it had slammed into the bottom floor. That thing didn't have emotions, but she knew it was still alive. A construct from Ingrid herself wouldn't go down so easily. All she had done was bought them time, but soon she'd make the girl pay for her hurtful remarks. Nothing would keep her from being reunited with her beloved.

Already exhausting herself, Pam deigned to use her abilities to carry herself the rest of the way. Her body and mind were already aching, but she wasn't sure if her legs could carry her the rest of the way. She levitated off the stairs and slowly rose toward the top floor. A bubble surrounded her as she continued to climb, but she was finding it difficult to stand. The bullets ricocheted off of her shield, but each one sent waves of agony pumping through her mind. She landed at the top near the door where Jake and Ashley were holding position.

"Shit," Jake said as Pam collapsed on the ground, "Pam, Pam, talk to me!"

"I'm…I'm okay," she said, although her voice was weak, "We need…we need to keep moving. She's not finished, and the server is in the center of the room."

"Jake, she's not going to make it at this rate," Ashley commented, checking Pam's pulse.

"No," Pam growled, trying to stand, "Just help me up, and let me do the rest. I won't let this girl beat me. She will not have what belongs to me!"

"Hey, kid," Anders' voice came over Jake's comms, "You three ready for me?"

Pam nodded and focused on Anders. A flash of orange flickered before he fell through the ceiling from a small portal. "Cover us," she ordered, "Make sure nothing disturbs me and what's about to happen."

"You're not looking good, lady," Anders shook his head, grabbing a syringe from his coat, "Hold still, and let me give you this. It's a healing balm, but it's a stimulant as well."

"Get that away from me," Pam pulled back, still hating needles, "I don't do shots."

"Pam, really not a good time to let fear get the better of you," Jake pointed out.

"Fucking fine," Pam huffed, "I hate it when you're right."

"Even a broken clock is right twice a day," Ashley offered as Anders knelt beside her and took her arm.

"Hey!" Jake frowned.

"Shut it, kid," Anders sighed, lining the needle up, "Got more important shit to worry about than banter. Hold still, Pammy, this ain't gonna feel great, but we're gonna get you three back home."

Pam nodded and swallowed as Anders injected her with the needle. It burned as the medicine entered her system, but she felt a rush of energy hit her all at once. It was still difficult to stand, but she could feel her strength returning. "Where's the server?" Jake asked, helping Anders get Pam up.

"Leave that to me," Pam sighed as she got her bearings, "It's hidden, but she's not playing by the rules anymore. So, we aren't going to either. Jake, get that code ready. Her monster will be here any second."

"Shit, that thing is still alive?!" Anders shouted, "Fucking A, this day gets better and better."

Pam didn't reply as she pushed into the last floor. She looked around as they were surrounded by the security teams and offices. She might die getting them out of here, but surely Jake could save Beth if they made it out. All that mattered was Beth's safety. "Don't move!" one of the guards shouted.

"Bite me," Pam whispered as she summoned everything she had.

—-----

Ingrid was livid as she regained control of IG-33. How the hell was Pam doing this? It defied all sense and logic. She looked at the screen showing the top floor and her jaw dropped. The woman was fucking glowing! "What the fuck is this?!" Ingrid demanded, looking back at Beth, "What is she doing?! Tell me!"

Beth didn't need Ingrid’s control this time as she answered, "I don't know, I swear, but it looks like she's tapping into something I've only seen once before. Ingrid, you need to stop before-"

"Don't tell me to stop!" Ingrid snapped, turning her attention back to the screens, "She might have a little trick, but I'm not done yet."

Ingrid took the controls for her avatar and opened a portal to the top floor. If they wanted out, they were going to have to fight for it. As IG-33 stepped through the portal, she watched as her security forces were wiped from the entire building. Then, she stared as the top floor began to distort and reshape. The offices were wiped away, and in its place was a simple white room. Her eyes widened as she looked at the rest of the city. She was erasing everything she'd worked years on! Her entire programming was being undone in seconds! She'd kill the witch for this, even if she had to pull the plug to do it!

IG-33 burst through the portal as a large doorway appeared in the center of the chamber. To Ingrid's shock, Anders stood beside the three of them. How was he still around? Why was he working with them? She glared at the screen as she realized that she had lost his code earlier. She'd rewritten him. That blonde bitch had changed one of her personal creations! This wouldn't stand. She'd rip them all apart piece by piece before this was over. She lunged at Pam to try to stop her, but IG-33 was stopped by something piercing through her arm. Ingrid whipped her around to see Jake holding that damned source code. Of course, they still had that cheat up their sleeve.

Ingrid grabbed the code, but Jake pulled it back before she could take it from him. She charged at him, shifting focus again in an attempt to stop whatever they were planning. Her fist slammed into Jake's face, but he'd already thrown the code to Ashley. The little bastard was playing keep away! She didn't have time for these childish games. As Jake flew backwards, Ingrid turned to Ashley in time to see her running on all fours at her. She tried to stomp the little vermin, but Ashley dodged and wrapped the code around her ankles. It was tight, and Ashley climbed up her frame to drive the edge into her eye. One of her retinal cameras was damaged now, but she was still moving.

Ingrid threw Ashley off of her, but Ashley took the strand with her. She threw it again, but Ingrid was going to intercept it this time. She reached for it, but to her surprise, Anders cut through the air to grab it. He landed in front of her and glared at her, "So, you're the little shit that's God in this world, huh?" he asked.

"Stand down, Anders," Ingrid growled, unsheathing her blades, "I won't hesitate to erase you if I have to."

"Like you did my sister?" Anders asked, wrapping the code around his fist and wincing, "Mm, this thing burns like a mother fucker."

"It's dangerous for you to hold that!" Pam shouted as she tried to open the door, "Let one of us have it. It'll absorb you if you don't!"

"I didn't get to choose my life," Anders said, his eyes not leaving Ingrid, "Everything was picked for me. Parents getting merced, time at war, a sister that helped raise me, and a city that wanted nothing more than to flatline me, all of it could have been different. I'll take my chances here, Pammy. If I'm going out, I'm going out on my terms. You three get out of here. Get that door open, and get back to your lover. Let her know that she's not alone, and I'll show this freak what happens when her creations wake up!"

"Ungrateful little shit!" Ingrid screamed as she charged at Anders, "I gave you everything!"

Anders rolled out of the way of an incoming attack, and he blocked a blade with his forearm. The code slowly dissolved his arm as he did so. Ingrid screamed at her computer as she was turned on by her own pet project. Erin and Anders were modeled after two people she'd met earlier that year, and they were meant to be an homage to them. Now, one of those was blatantly defying her. It pained her to have to do it, but he had to go if she was going to win. She charged at him and swung wildly. Pam was right about the code. It would eat him alive before long. All she had to do was wait it out, and he and that cheat would be gone forever.

Beth watched from the sidelines as Ingrid lost her mind in a battle against her creations. They were going to do it, but Pam looked worse for wear. She had to do something to buy them time, go give this random character an opening. There was only one thing that came to mind. She got up and threw herself at Ingrid. Ingrid glared at her for a second before their lips met one final time. A last kiss before Pam returned to put things right. She could give Ingrid this much, but she knew she'd be furious before it was said and done. It worked. Ingrid slowly faltered and melted in her arms as Beth deepened the kiss. A moment was all that her friends needed to win this.

The sound of a blade and an alarm caused Ingrid to break the kiss. She looked up in time to see IG-33's cameras go dark. She'd lost her head because of a moment of lust. She pushed Beth off of her and glared at her, "What have you done?!"

"Couldn't help myself," Beth smirked up at her, "I just gave you what you've been wanting, right, honey?"

"I am going to-" Ingrid growled before a chime cut her off, "No, no, no, no! This isn't how this ends! We're not done here, Beth. You're going to pay for that, and you're going to make it up to me for doing this the hard way."

Beth watched as Ingrid sprinted out of the control room and towards the holding area where Jake and Pam were. She hoped that Pam was still in good enough shape to fight. Ingrid still had her powers, and she still had that damned mech. They'd won that battle, but the fight was only getting started. She got up and chased after Ingrid. She wasn't going to miss what came next.

—--

Jake, Pam, and Ashley watched as Anders capitalized on a surprise moment of weakness from Ingrid. They'd been in the middle of a heated battle exchanging blows when suddenly the monster had stopped dead in her tracks. Anders hadn't wasted a second as he grabbed the strand and jumped over Ingrid’s back. He landed as the strand wrapped around her neck, and he pulled it down until her neck snapped. Her head rolled to the ground, but he fell to his knees shortly after. The doorway opened as he finished, but he didn't move.

"Anders!" Jake shouted, rushing over to him.

"I'm alright, kid," Anders grunted, "Well, that's a fucking lie, but I'm content. Damn thing is killing me, but that bitch got what she deserved."

"That code is going to erase you," Pam said, "You'll cease to exist in this reality."

"Easy come, easy go," Anders sighed, "Least I was able to give the finger to my maker before I go. Serves her right. You three need to get moving, though. Looks like you did a real number on this place, Pammy. Heh, never thought I'd see magic in person."

"It's more exhausting here than in our world," Pam admitted, "But, he's right. I can't hold this open for long, and Ingrid could pull the plugs on us any second."

"We won't forget you," Jake said, "Virtual or not, what you did for us was real."

"Guess that's one thing I can take pride in," Anders sighed, his body starting to flicker, "Go, get back to your world. Put an end to this psycho, and live your lives. Nice knowing you, kids…."

They watched as his body disintegrated and turned to pixels. He was gone after that, and Jake and the others were left standing in front of the doorway. Ashley threw her arms around Jake and kissed him one last time. "I'll be with you on the other side, love," she said, "I've enjoyed this, but the world needs you. I can be patient for a while longer."

"Come on," Pam groaned, limping towards the door, "Let's go home."

They stepped through the door that had turned to a pillar of light. A series of colorful lights flashed before them as they were transported out of cyberspace and back to their bodies. They were free, but there was no telling what was waiting for them on the other side. Ingrid was still alive, and she still had Beth hostage. Jake knew one thing, their fight was far from over.