2-3
Victoria Cristal had been isekaid. Vicky didn't know what else to call it. Amber has said something about dimension frequencies and things matching up. All Victoria knew was one second she was mopping the floor of the lab she worked at then the next she was falling through the air into an ocean mop in hand.
Victoria wasn't a good swimmer but by the time she breached the surface there was already a massive Owl shaped vehicle floating above her, pulling her out with some invisible force. She ended up dried off in the back of the vehicle facing The Owl still carrying the mop.
Victoria had blurted out that she read all of The Owls comics and the conversation they were having had changed. A few random tests and Amber had offered her a job. So here she was, mopping the floor of the facility Amber had put together.
Victoria knew she wasn't truly needed. She had seen the robots that moved around the place and cleaned everything. Amber had taken one look at her and hired her. She had a job, steady pay and a place to lay her head. She had read isekai stories with beginning a whole lot worse than hers.
The door ahead of her split open and Victoria pulled her little cart into the main lab. There were tables everywhere with lab equipment on them. She grabbed her things and started on one side of the lab wiping down tables with a cleaning agent. She stayed away from the tables with equipment on them.
She was humming a random song when she got to the wall with all the monitors. Victoria grabbed the cup off the desk and saw the dregs of coffee in the bottom. She dumped out the little bit of coffee and set the cup on her cart where she would drop it off at the small kitchen this place had later.
She put both her hands on the cart to push it away when the screen in the center flickered. It rolled outwards and suddenly she was standing under the stare of Owls mask. It was slightly intimidating. The mask was closed telling Victoria that Owl was somewhere she wasn't sure she could breathe, “Victoria when is the last time you say Amber face to face.”
That was an odd question to ask. She normally saw Amber every morning at breakfast but Amber had missed it this morning. That Victoria was being asked proved this wasn't Owl, “What are you?”
“A virtual intelligence hand crafted by Owl to help her with things. Research and monitoring things. When was the last time you saw Amber face to face?” the speakers echoed out over the lab.
Victoria chewed on her lip. This might be bad, she let go of the cart and faced the computer, “She didn't show up for breakfast today if that helps.”
The computer screen flickered a bit and I could hear the humming of machinery starting to warm up. The screen flashed black and the mask was replaced by a number counting down, "Contingencies activated. Amber Erid is offworld. Plan Jenga Tower is in effect.”
Victoria could feel the sweat roll down her spine. The lab suddenly felt cold and her hands felt clammy. Jenga towers fell at the end of the game. “That doesn't sound good.”
The computer didn't answer. The silence of the lab felt suffocating. “What happens when the timer ends?”
Owl normally had plans within plans. Even when plans were failing she tended to have back up plans already running a spooling up. If this virtual intelligence was right and Amber was off planet then there would be no back up plan coming when this count down finished. Victoria took a step away from the cart and closer to the silent computer, “What happens when the timer ends!”
Her voice reverberated out across the lab. The sounds of the lab continued, machines humming and liquids running. The timer was still in front of her and continued ticking down. Her hands rolled into fists and watched it tick down. She didnt know what would happen when the timer hit Zero but she knew there wasn't anything good at the end of a jenga tower falling, “What can I do to help extend the timer. Add hours and days to it?”
The timer shrunk down and slid into a corner of the screen while the mask appeared again. The computer started running harder and the virtual intelligence spoke, “There are a few things that need to be done that were on Amber's schedule. Are you willing to try completing them?”
Consequences meet Victoria. She bit her lip before asking, “are they safe? I won't have to disarm a bomb or something will I?”
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
The fans of the computer picked up speed and something rose out of the floor to Victoria's left. It was a dark wide cylinder. When it was all the way out of the ground lights flickered on the inside. Victoria instantly recognized the suit inside on a mannequin. It was one of the suits Owl threw on her OwlBots, human shaped robots that Owl used as manpower for rescue operations and natural disasters.
It was a black full body suit with a fully encased helmet and cape. It had very little armor because Owl didn't expect them to survive much. The suit was bullet proof but that was about it. It had gauntlets and forearm bracers with thick plates for modesty's sake. Owl had said in the comics it was easier to throw the suit at her OwlBots than to constantly have to rebuild them when she got into a super fight.
Victoria stepped close to the casing and looked the suit up and down. Where a humans muscles would flex it had little divots allowing the material to stretch. If she was wearing it and got shot there was a good chance she would bruise but she wouldn't die. “Will this thing even fit me?”
“They are self adjusting.” The virtual intelligence answered.
Victoria stared at the suit and knew it would keep her safe. She then turned back to the computer, “If I can wear the suit I will do the things Amber needed to do.”
Victor slowed to a jog and turned to the back lot of the dojo. He slowed to a walk and pushed open the back door. Taking his morning burrito he walked into the office, saw his brother doing paperwork, and headed to the fridge. He stuffed his burrito into the fridge and turned to his brother who was looking slightly out of it, “What's up Jacob? You looked like someone found your stash of honey.”
Jacob glared at his little brother before grabbing a stress ball and throwing it at Victor, “Suneya is missing. She left early yesterday and wasn't here this morning.”
Victor caught the ball and tossed it between his hands while shrugging, “Sensei can take care of herself. I don't see the problem.”
Jacob sighed and leaned back from his desk and crossed his arms, “She can take care of herself but we have twenty or so new people looking to learn from her that show up daily.”
Victor shrugged again, “Still not seeing the problem.”
Jacob scanned his brother up and down before waving him off, “I’m sure it's not a big deal. I am just stressing about things that are not my problem.”
Anthony stuck his head into the back office, “People are starting to show up.”
Jacob gave him a nod then stood from his desk, “Another day's work. Lets get to it guys.”
Victor followed his brother out of the back and into the dojo. The class that had shown up for teaching were pretty much all amateurs in the sport of fighting. Victor walked from person to person and guided them through the beginnings of throws and punches. There were people on the heavy bags throwing punches and people on the mats working on the ground game.
Anthony and Jacob did the same. Floating from person to person and helping them learn and better themselves. This was one of Victor's favorite things to do with his time. Helping them get better at the sport he loved brought enjoyment to his life.
Jane eventually showed up and after her more of the students of Suneya showed up. Most of them went to the back but quite a few tried to help some of the people in class learn. Lunch came up and people started leaving. Victor headed for the back and grabbed his burrito, throwing it in the microwave. The microwaved dinged and he pulled his burrito out of it. He unwrapped it as he headed for the back lot, where Suneya normally held her classes.
The rest of the people that had followed Jane in were out the back, sitting around or pacing. Victor took a seat near the back door and ate his burrito while waiting also. He finished the last of it when Jane and a stray few more walked out of the back of the dojo.
Victor sat around with the rest of them and waited for Suneya to show up. The dojo started up again and he could hear his brother and Anthony start teaching people inside. The sound of jingling chains from people punching the heavy bags or the sounds of people being slammed down onto the mats. It was an advanced class now, the later in the night was for the harder classes. When it was dark was when the black belts showed up to learn from Suneya, all of them trying to push themselves and unlock chi.
Victor could feel the warmth in his stomach that wasn't from his lunch. It was a constantly expanding warmth because of how much he used when Suneya was training him. About an hour had passed when Jane turned from where she was watching the other students to him, “Sensei isn't coming today.”
Victor shrugged at her, “Then it's a light day today. We can learn from her tomorrow.”
“Is this a surprise that she didn't show up to you?” Jane asked.
Victor nodded, “Yeah. She normally shows up early and helps set everything up or beats us to it. I don't think she has missed a day since she started working here.”
Jane crossed her arms and gave Victor a look, “Do you know how to get a hold of her?”
All the students around them had stopped what they were doing and had turned to listen in on the conversation. Victor shifted from where he was sitting at the attention, “If she hasn't left a message she is probably busy. She left early yesterday and probably hasn't visited her place. We would have gotten a phone call if she was available. So no, I don't know how to get a hold of her.”
Jane turned from Victor and looked at all the students. They met her look and something was exchanged that Victor didn't comprehend. She dropped her arms and looked back to Victor, “Teach us.”
It wasn't a question or an order. To Victor it felt more like something that had already happened. Victor rolled to his feet and shook his head, “Teach you what? Chi? You probably know a whole lot more about it than I do.”
Jane stepped forward into Victor's reach, “You are Suneya's first student. She has probably taught you things we have yet to learn. She built a foundation in you and when she is teaching us it feels more like she is correcting our foundation. Teach us everything she has taught you.”
Victor scratched his chin and thought about all the things Suneya had helped him learn. It was mostly beatings and how to take punishment, very few things were applicable. He looked at all the hopefuls and sighed, “do any of you know how to see in the dark or things like that?”
When they all shook their heads he sighed then turned to the dojo to get some rags. He came back out and the students all tied the rags around their head, cutting off their eye sight. Victor nodded. Perfect.