49_Loose ends [Book 1 complete]

"Hey babushka get out of ma way!" Big_Chungus_88 otherwise known as Timmy, shouted at the old lady who limped away towards the promised land of Generica.

The babushka was violently shoved away by the former raider leader, making her to fall down to the the irradiated sands of the neutral zone.

"Woooohooo, Genericaaa here we coooome!!!" Timmy howled with excitement, steering his new raider squad to follow him as he ran like a headless chicken towards the now unguarded border.

"Ma'am are you okay?"

"I am so sorry for my roommate's behavior. He is just… very excitable…"

The familiar avatar of Scull_Crusher_15 (Dave) said. His skeletal appearance of leathery rocker attire adored with all too many spikes, sharply contrasting with his polite demeanor.

"Urgh, your friend has no respect for his elders, someone ought to put him in his place!" The old woman said as she stood on her shaky legs with the help of Dave.

"Oh believe me it wouldn't help… Many have tried, but nothing sticks in that thick head of his." Scull_Crusher_15 said, tapping his exposed charred scull with a bony knuckle for emphasis.

"Arhg well, at least you young man have proper manners. It gives me hope in my old age that the new generation is not a complete waste…" The babushka said, placing one arm at her injured knee and rubbing it as to relieve the pain.

"Oh where are my manners, here take this, it’s mint flavored. And here are a few more for all of your friends as well."

"Thanks!" Scullcrusher smiled, taking the offered candy’s and popping one in his mouth.

After a few more exchanged words and reassurances from the old lady that she was fine, Dave ran ahead to follow his roommate into their new misadventure.

…

"Well that was nice of you, I didn’t know you had such a kind heart boss."

"Keep your mouth shut Brock!" The babushka hissed in their private channel, so all the refugees around them couldn't hear them.

"Those candies contain surveillance techno demons. They will keep constant watch over each recipient + inform me of any sighting of our targets."

"Sigh… of course they are…" Brock sighed as he spat the minty candy and instructed his antivirus protocols to hunt down the techno demon before it made a full fledged nest inside his mechanoid head…

"Also, you will address me as grandma or gran in public!"

"We can’t risk people getting suspicious of our proxy skins."

"Brock, you ungrateful grandson of mine, stop gawking at the scenery and come here. You should stay by my side and defend your poor granny from rude people." The babushka barked.

"Yes granny…” Brock murmured dejectedly as he dragged the heavy bags and other stuff his grandma had tasked him with."

…

Bzzt!

"Shu! Shu!"

"Fucking realism!" The babushka complained as she shooed the persistent insect away from biting her.

With those thoughts in mind, Enforcement AI B45 entered the world of Generica Online, fully intent on capturing his targets: The Novicov family.

All the while unbeknownst to both him and Brock, the mosquito on top of the babushka’s hood rubbed its tiny front legs conspiratorially, an evil glint in its insectile eyes.