Chase met Alice again in the hallway. She leaned against the wall with her arms folded, and looked at him expectantly. “So, did he change your mind?”

Chase sighed. “This case isn’t right for you. You're great at diplomacy, much better than I am. But you don’t have enough combat training to fight the Technician, and I don’t have enough time to train you. Also, your talents may be more useful elsewhere. The destruction of the electric plant severed electrical connections to essential parts of the city, like Lion’s Grove.”

Alice’s eyes widened. “You mean Lion’s Grove is even more powerless now?”

“Yes, so you might want to go there to help.”

She paused, contemplating, before looking back at him with a shake of her head and a look of determination. “Lion’s Grove will be fine. They may not have much but they’re strong, and I’d be helping them a lot more by getting rid of their most immediate threat. The Technician’s the one who took away their energy, and I don’t want him taking anything else away.”

Chase sighed. “That’s great of you to say, but I just can’t let you get hurt again.”

“Well, I’m not just going to wait here, hoping you just beat that guy, especially after I saw what he can do. He can literally form GIANT SAWBLADES from his HANDS!” Alice exclaimed before taking a deep breath. “Actually, that reminds me, have you figured out what’s his whole deal and how he can do that?”

Chase was about to respond before Marcus cut in. “I believe I can explain that.” They both turned to him walking down the hall, hands in his lab coat’s pockets. “Sorry to eavesdrop but I couldn’t help but listen in on this yelling. But you’re all familiar with the Network, yes?”

“Nope,” Alice said.

Marcus curled a smile. “Well, I’m glad I’ll be teaching something new. The Network is a mysterious realm of data and technology that I had studied for awhile. 7 years on a research project named Project Zonar with three other excellent scientists.”

“Cool,” Alice said. “Where did you study this Network thing?”

“In a lab, of course, but I’m sure that’s not exactly what you meant. You see, the Network is a very special realm that doesn’t have a set place that we can study it in. It’s closely connected to our material realm but not enough for us to physically interact with it like any other piece of data. Think of it like an invisible sea of information floating all around us that we can’t feel, except for a few certain regions where the sea actually breaks through to a point where we can feel its force.”

“So, these regions are where you can study it?”

“You’re a bright one, yes. The regions are called Unstable Zones, because of the abnormal effects the Network’s close presence has on these areas. But it’s also the place where it’s close enough for us to acknowledge and study its existence. Unfortunately, even with all the years of research, I still don’t know much about it.”

“It’s nice to hear all this again, Marcus, but could you get on with how this relates to the Technician.”

Marcus cleared his throat. “Of course. The important thing to know is that the Network is the main common factor that connects all the advanced pieces of technology we have, at least the ones that use Aurainium. Aurainium as you may know is a material that actually originates from the Unstable Zones and when mixed with a gemstone, like diamonds, can create a new material that offers special properties. These special properties are what allows the creation of technology like blasters, high-speed vehicles, power cores, supercomputers, and Chase’s cyborg body. With this in mind, I believe the Technician is an entity that has gained superior access to the Network, which would allow him to absorb and control all those technologies. However, seeing as how he hasn’t completely taken over the world yet, I’m assuming he has his limits.”

“So, that’s how he was able to hold me,” Chase said.

“And I guess that explains the sawblades and absorbing guns,” Alice said.

“Yes, I’m thinking that by absorbing technology he gets the materials and stores their information and design into his memory. But somehow, the Technician might be limited to his robot body, or at least he’s some kind of sentient Network entity that uses the robot as an anchor on our world.”

“Then what’s his weakness?” Chase said, getting impatient.

“Well, his link to the Network only allows him to really control technology that is also linked to the Network. Other stuff, like basic manual guns and other vehicles can’t really be controlled.”

“I’m pretty sure firing normal bullets at him isn’t gonna be any better,” Alice said.

“Oh, absolutely, but he also needs materials to use and control. Without the sufficient Aurainium and materials, he can’t do much. If you can just get rid of his access to any materials then he’ll be defenseless.”

“Easier said than done,” Chase said, “Aurainium is practically everywhere in this city, not only that, but he’s already absorbed so much.”

“I never said it was a fool proof plan,” Marcus said. “I’m working on a virus that could potentially nullify his powers, but it’ll take time. What I need you to do is make sure he doesn’t get anymore powerful.” He pulled a map on his phone and pointed to a large rectangle outside the city. “I have a facility outside of the city that I’ve probably put the most security on.”

“What is it?” Alice said.

Marcus glanced at her, a slight hint of hesitation crossed his face, but then he just shrugged. “I’m not as untrusting as Chase here so I’ll tell you, but please keep this on the down low. I call it The Vault, it stores the majority of all the weapons I’ve ever designed and created, ranging from advanced new blasters, explosives, and even giant robots.”

“Why would you need to store so many weapons that you’d need an entire facility?” Chase said.

“I–well, they come in handy, okay? Most of them are just prototypes and I needed someplace safe to put them. Also, literally, most of my clients, all the governments and companies, mostly want the weapons, so I needed to stockpile them,” Marcus said.

“And for what?”

“For security and stuff!”

Chase sighed and rubbed his mask. “We’ll deal with this later. So, you’re saying that the Technician will be going to The Vault?”

“Myes, and it’ll most likely be disastrous if he absorbs everything there, like a destroyed-city level disaster.”

“Hold on, if it’s so dangerous, then don’t you have it all guarded?” Alice asked.

“I do, but it’s also all technology. I don’t have any human guards to avoid human errors. The whole facility is guarded by a state-of-art security system with drones constantly on guard. The only people that have access are really just me and anyone I specifically designate to join me when I go there to do maintenance checks. However, I doubt that the system will do much to keep the Technician out.”

“Then I’ll go now,” Chase said and dashed off before Marcus or Alice could say anything else.

“Are you not going with him?” Marcus said.

“He told me to stay here,” Alice pouted.

“Well are you going to follow him anyways?”

“How am I going to catch up to him? He runs faster than a car. Plus, I don’t even know where your Vault is.”

“Do you know how to drive?”

“Oh, I’m great at driving.”

Marcus took out a shiny keychain and threw it to her. “I’ve got a new car model in my underground garage and I can send you directions to the Vault. Why don’t we say you take it out for a spin?” He gave her a toothy grin and Alice returned it with delight. “And while you’re at it. Here,” Marcus took out a pair of golden bracers, with blue needle-like devices attached around it. “Take these, they might come in handy.” He winked.

“Huh, cool. Thanks!” Alice said with a wave before running off after Chase.