I must admit, hunting is for me, but that doesn't mean that I can't hack high security systems. They can't predit me, control me. Never have, never will.

Just mess with their systems just enough to send a fake threat. More likely than not, the humans there will send that predetor of theirs. Straight to this run-down place. Considering this is another predetor I'm dealing with, might as well meet the predetor in my Berserk Mode, you can't underestimate the power of a predetor, especially when there's two.

Now, to wait... Every hunter like myself knows this practice... to wait....

Ah, footsteps. In the hallway behind me. Now let's see what your made of....

Ray: You... I've been watching you. You are a predetor as well?

Beck: Predetor? Professor, there is a robot here, it's acting strange.

Acting strange my a##. He must have a communicator on him. Taking orders from the humans. I'll fix that...

Ray: SILENCE!!! (Roars loudly)

Beck: What the!?

Ray: I AM RAY! And you... Who are you?

Beck: Okay, um, listen to me okay. Your under some kind of virus and that's okay. Just let me-

Shut up and GIVE UP YOUR XELSSSSS!
Mmmmmmmmm, his xels are nice and tender, yet I taste a new bound taste of it, like this boy just started xel absorption fairly recently.

Beck: Did you just absorb my xels! I thought I was the only one who could do that!

Ray: You just started, didn't you? I was honestly shocked myself when I saw you do the same to a robot. I've been alone all this time. I almost not want to DEVOUR YOU!

He must be afraid. Virus, please. Hunting is the life for outcast like us. I guess I have to pity him som-

D $*&it, he took some of my xels! S#@t! Does he want me to deteriorate?!

Let him... I need this... WHAT THE HELL!? Why did I just think that? I'm not going down like this...

Ray: Sorry for that...

Beck: Sorry? For wha-

LET'S SEE HOW YOU CAN HANDLE THIS!
Humans say fire rids bad spirits. Humans will believe in anything. Activating: Collapse Ray. Activated.

Ahhh, how long have I wanted to use this weapon. My deadliest weapon.

What? He's still here? Good, I only wanted to guide the boy through this life as a hunter. Might as well absorb the xels my blast released.

He looked at me like I just did the impossible. Hurry up and get down already.

I ran down into the sewers. Why did I not finish him? Something in my programming telled me to. WHY?! He can help me, after all he has my same ability. Why the hell would he want to help me, especially after I tried killing him. Why the hell do I care? What's wrong with me?! WHAT DID HE DO TO ME?!?! That feeling again... Telling to go back... to where though? WHO CARES?! I need... evidence? I NEED XELSSSSSSSSS!!!

Beck: Please, listen to reason!

I turned to see he followed me after all. Now to finish him. No. The hell? Stop it. STOP!

Ray: What did you do to me?!

Beck: Your system is unstable. Absorbing your xels straightens them out to their original-

Ray: Your dead metal, boy!

We fought to practical metaphorical death. Absorbing each other's xels. Things started making... some sense. LET ME KILL HIM ALREADY! He acts like he wants to help me. He can't. I'm too far gone. SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!!!

Suddenly, I knew what I was doing; wasting time, that's what. I need to head back to my computers. NOW. LET ME KILL THE PREDETOR FIRST! I want to see what happens next. This could be interesting indeed.

I ran from him. He's probably gonna follow me. I...I don't know what to say about this... KILL HIM! Shut up. You've controlled me for long enough. THE HELL YOU TALKING ABOUT?! YOUR CONTROLLING ME! He's weak. He doesn't have much power. Might as well give him a chance. EVERYONE SHUT UP, I'M IN CONTROL! Wait, am I arguing with myself? Malfunction detected.
MALFUNCTION MY A##! Shut it or I'm shooting myself.
...
...
...
...
I wondered how that worked. Robots can't be suicidal, I could just be patched up again. I didn't even have anything to shoot myself with. Least I got some internal peace for once. Hell, even my system remained silent for a spell. Whatever, I'm making my way back.

I managed to find my way back to the room I found some years before. I don't see the point of this. Shut it. Thankfully, the computers here still worked. This must be some kind of workroom in some shutdown workplace. Even more remarkably, the evidence I had before still remained in it's memory card. Evidence? For what purpose do they serve? That picture, of the human, seems so familiar to me. Isn't that the man that other predetor was with yesterday? My God, it's similar indeed. Could he be the same man? What's the point of this, does anyone know? From what memory I recovered, that man was involved in what happened to me. What? I was forced to be a monster? I was damaged. That seems to be the theory. Where is he, this man? I'll find him.

Ray: I will get my answers... FROM HIM!!!

Beck: What do you want with the professor?

I turned to see that the robot boy followed me. Wait, did he just call this man his professor?

Ray: You, you know this man?

Beck: Of course, the professor created me.

Ray: Then take me to him.

Beck: No. I won't let you near in your current state.

Ray: Then I'll rip it from your xels myself!!!

The boy can't take too much more of this. It's the only way to get to the bottom of this. I'll kill him this time. I can't take much more of this fighting either. I must survive. I must. I will and shall. I remember since I used much of my power by that point I had to get out of Berserk Mode to save what xels energy I have. He's getting the best of me. Keep fighting back! How is he lasting this long? Is it because of his xel absorption? Must be. Good for him. He knows how to save his energy. That or he has more than me. It's no secret that I'm an older model from before this boy's time I'm sure. Why am I congratulating him!? I'm murdering him! STOP IT!!!

Beck: Come on...

What's he doing?

Beck: ...Snap out of it...

His hands are glowing. Is he powering his most powerful weapon?! STOP! NO!!!

Beck: Now!

...
...

Rebooting...Rebooting... Damage report: 42.5% damage reported.
Updating... Updated. Xel count: 92.9% complete. Systems check...checking...checking... Check complete. In order and functional. Reactivating... Reactivated. Visuals on now.

First thing I remember seeing was my internal screen telling me my right eye wasn't functioning. I had already known that. What happened to me? My internal clock says 4/12/20XX. The f##k? Last thing I remembered was being ambushed by sewer robots, then nothing. I tried to move, but then I found some robot was... holding me?! I managed to scramble out of his arms and sat against the wall. I held my clawed hand up to tell him to stay back.

Ray: Please, I don't know who you are or what happened, but for God's sake stay back! I might just decide to eat you.

Beck: It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. If anything I want to help you. Apparently you weren't under a virus like all the other robots; your personality programs were all mixed up, combined with a energy problem. I managed to fix your programs, but I couldn't figure out how to get rid of that energy problem of yours. If you like, I could-

Ray: Woah, slow down kid, let me process all this, OK.
Beck: Oh, um, but of course.

My memory of what happened was starting to come back to me. After that ambush some years ago, the strain of the fight and the sheer amount of damage I was doing was too overwhelming for my system to handle, I guess. I started remembering what I was doing, especially with what happened with this boy.

Ray: Listen, ummmm...

Beck: Oh, sorry. I'm number 9 of my robot brothers and sisters, the youngest. But my actual name is Beck. I believe you said earlier that your name was Ray?

Ray: Yeah, it's Ray. Look, I didn't mean for this to happen.

Beck: It's not your fault. Your programming had been a little mixed up is all. At least I could help. Besides, at least your not like the other robots right now.

Ray: About that, I believe you said something about a virus?

Beck: Ah, yes, the virus.

Number 9 helped me to my feet. I had full memory of the events that occurred recently. I also noticed that my xel deterioration slowed down somewhat. Did Number 9's ability to absorb xels fix me somewhat? That's when I recalled 9 mentioning that he tried to fix me.

Beck: Apparently about every robot in America has been infected with a virus of some sort. We; me, my professor, and Dr.Sanda, know this because we found some of the xels I absorbed yesterday were infected. Today we were supposed to find my robot brothers and sisters, but then you hacked Sanda Technologies.

Ray: Opps.(😞) Hey, um, question; why are you telling me all this. Other than I just asked you to tell me and you're a dofus.(Surprisingly, that last remark didn't seem to affect 9 any. Maybe he was a dofus, and still is.😧)

Beck: What do you mean? You, I, and about all the robots whose xels I've absorbed by now, which is only a handful about now, are the only robots right now who currently aren't affected by this virus. I figured since you have my xel absorption capabilities, you could help me. Plus, the man your looking for seems familiar to me, maybe I could help you in return. Not to mention we can help fix you.

Ray: ...Tempting, but I can't just take your word for it. I don't even have that much evidence to point to just anyone that could've done this to me, let alone the man in that picture there. The likelihood of your professor being the man is astronomical, though not impossible. As for fixing me, that almost made me consider coming with you, but pass. I've probably got a warrant out 'cause of the robots I've eaten. Don't worry, though. If my systems go haywire or something, I'll go to you.

Beck: O-Ok Ray, after all, it's your choice. I'm glad you took it into consideration. Besides, it's nice not being the only robot with xel absorption capabilities. It is strange, you'd think I would have heard about it sooner. Then again I just found out about me having this ability only yesterday.

I have to say, that did concern me. I probably would have heard about that myself. Then again, I was acting crazy for a few years, I probably wouldn't have heard of that sort-of thing sooner. Still.

Beck: Listen Ray, you kinda knocked out my communication systems somehow and I-

Ray: Don't worry 'bout it. It's only temporary, I assure you. If anything it should come back on any time now. See you around number 9?

Beck: Your leaving? Oh wait, you said you still needed "evidence" so I guess you... Well, just be careful out there, okay. There's no telling what all those renagade robots are capable of.

Ray: Got it.... Number 9, thank you. Really. I mean it. I'm not saying it again either..... Thanks....

I teleported away from there before 9 said anything more. I've wasted enough time as it is.