Morjian pushed past all the people bolting for the doors. She was jostled back and forth, no one paying any attention to others. Morjian quietly cursed and lifted up her arm, a line shooting from her iron arm-cuff and spreading out unto a grappling hook. The grapple latched onto a railing three stories above her. The claws tightened around the metal, securing it tightly. Morjian clicked some buttons on her arm scanner, then was yanked up as the grapple tightened. She launched herself on the fourth flour by jumping above the third-floor railing and releasing the grapple.

The white tile cracked from her impact on the floor as she landed in a crouch. Pulling out a double-barreled pistol, she sprang forward into a run after Jacques, a floor below her.

"Jacq, what's the status?" She asked over her ear mic.

"Opposite side, two o'clock sharp," his deep voice came in statically.

"Right," she muttered, skidding to a stop. Glancing over at the other side of the now-empty mall, she caught a glimpse of a human-like thing climbing up the glass wall. It stopped, looked straight at her, and hissed. Morjians eyes widened as the things head split open in a jagged line, and a metal skull-like head tore out. Her mouth slacked as giant shoulder-blades ripped out from the collarbone, and set itself to the shoulders. The human skin fell away, revealing claws, jagged metal ribs, and a thin, whip-like tail spiked with iron spread tips.

"That doesn't look normal," Jacques hissed through a clenched jaw, coming up behind her.

"No," Morjian said, eyes wide. "He's created a new robot."

Jacques cursed, sliding two double-bladed swords from sheaths in his back, his robotic arm glowed bright blue as he lined it up with engravings on the cross piece. "Then let's give him hell."

Morjian slid out a small gun, cocking it. The gun split open, with metal pieces sliding out and attaching themselves to the main gun. "Agreed," she nodded, cocking the firearm again.

Jacques sprinted to the glass wall, Morjian following, grabbed onto the handrail and swung himself over. He pushed off from the glass panel, spreading his legs wide and landing on the other side of the room. Morjian launched her grapple again, swung herself over the side and fell, being yanked to a stop then up in the air as it tightened.

The metallic creature, now fully transformed and resembling a metal lizard/human creature, hissed at them and clawed its way to the fifth floor.

Morjian pulled herself over the glass, landing next to Jaques in a crouch. "Where is it?" She asked, slowly rising, gun at ready.

He raised his head to the floor above them, nodding once. She nodded and silently moved over to the wall. Jacques stepped down the hall little ways and stopped under a large shadow. Morjian raised her gun, bringing it to eye level, and aiming at the black blob. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed the trigger.

Glass and metal flew everywhere, slicing into her skin like sharp daggers. A deafening scream shrieked through the air, sounding like pain and rage. Morjian caught a glimpse of the thing be for it raised up its lips in a sneer-like expression, and spat out purple, liquid-like jell. She ducked, the goo barely missing her as it flew overhead and landing with a splat in some plants. The flowers, dirt, pot and everything surrounding it instantly vaporized with a sizzling hiss.

Morjian blinked. She turned back to the robot, barely missing another attack of the purple gloop. She ducked, rolled and fired at the metallic lizard. The energy bullet exploded on the thing, knocking it back, but leaving it unmarked. "Holy shi-" she cut herself off, being forced to duck and roll again. Hiding in an empty store, she called Jacques over her earpiece. "Where the heck are you?" She whispered.

"Here," he replied. Morjian peeked around the corner of the store and saw Jacques swing on a grapple from the floor above. He slammed his feet into the robotic creation, smashing it through the glass of a window. Morjian bolted towards them, cocking her gun.

Jacques crossed his swords, fingers digging into the hilt. "Back off!" He shouted.

The lizard responded with a hiss, spitting out the purple liquid. He ducked, and spun around, kicking out and catching the robot in the ribs. One flew off, sparks and wires snapping. The thing snarled, lashing out with its claws and tail. Jacques cried out, staggering back, before launching himself at the creature, swords swinging. Morjian stood back, waiting for her chance with the gun.

Jacques thrust forwards, iron meeting iron. The metal slid through, slicing wires and breaking gears. The lizard screamed, spitting purple everywhere. He grimaced, pressing a side button on by his ear. A gas mask spread across his face, sizzling when the purple goo struck it.

The lizard unscathed its claws, digging them into his arms. The tail stabbed him everywhere, denting the mask. Morjian pulled out a smaller pistol, aimed, and fired at the tail. It blew up in a small explosion of sparks, gears, wires and metal scraps. The lizard screeched, lifting its leg and kicking Jacques in the chest. He flew backward, shattering glass and merchandise as he was knocked through the store windows.

Morjian started after him but was crushed when the robot latched itself to her back. Ripping its rear claws into her clothes and back, it dug its front talons into her shoulders and neck. Morjian screamed as the shock ripped through her, the tickle of blood trickling down her neck. Purple fluid hung from the creature's teeth, sticking together and dripping down its gums and lips.

"In pain, are we?" The metallic voice was rusty, slurring its R's together. Morjian blinked. This was the first time a robot had ever spoken.

She twisted her head around, staring at the robot. It had a skull-like sneer on its face. "No," she spat, glaring at it.

The robot growled, unhooked one of its claws from her shoulders, grabbed her hair, and wrenched her head back. Morjian choked, unable to breathe right.

"Now are we in pain?" It questioned.

"No," she whispered, struggling to take a breath.

The thing growled. "We shall make you scream till you shatter," it hissed in her ear. Morjian bit back a shout as the claws began to slowly slid up her neck, tightening all the way.

Morjian struggled to break free, her leg suddenly pressing against a hard lump. Frantically, she groped around for it while the claws squeezed tighter. Black lined her vision, her mind pounding in her head. The tips of her fingers touched a cool, safe metal gun. Morjian yanked out the weapon and fired. The lizard flew off her, a gaping hole grinning through the stomach of the machine.

Morjian got to her knees, breathing in the sweet air and grasping her neck. The robot struggled to rise, the green, bug-like eyes dimming before it slumped to the floor.

She breathed a sigh of relief, regaining her feet. Starring at the robot, she tensed when Jacques came up behind her. His gait was uneven, and he was panting heavily.

"You okay?" She asked without taking her eyes from the dead robot.

"I've been better," he admitted, rubbing his shoulder. " although Lizzie here is worse than me."

"Lizzie?" Morjian raised an eyebrow, slowly stepping forwards the robot.

"Yeah," he explained. "The robot looks like a lizard, so I'm calling it Lizzie."

"Lizzie is a girl's name," Morjian crouched down beside the broken robot. "This isn't a girl."

"Well, we don't know if it's it's not, either. Robots don't have genders." Jacques defended.

Morjian rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Jacques muttered under his breath, but Morjian ignored him. She tore open the chest of the droid and winced when a shower of sparks greeted her. Shoving away her pain, she dug deeper into the gears and wires of the metallic lizard.

"What are you doing?" Jacques asked, bending down beside her to peer inside the robot.

"Looking for the homing device," she replied. "Every robot should have the home location programmed into them. If we can hack it, we may be able to figure out where the Master is."

"Smart," Jacques looked doubtful. "But don't think I can hack it. We have one shot at this, and if I do something wrong it'll shut down, and we won't get another chance."

"I know you can't," Morjian yanked out a small, green chip with multiple wires running through it, and held it up. The light shone through the almost transparent yellow-green chip. "But I know someone who can."