"Torn to Shreds" - Reboot.Exe - S2 Chapter 7

## Torn to Shreds

Jenn

"Torn to Shreds" is the seventh episode of the second season in Reboot.exe. It was released on 12 August 2022 and is narrated by Dave.

## Episode Synopsis

The gang makes their way to the edge of the city, passing corners and stumbling across the canal that The Palace Pub is on. As they continue closer to the edge, they see a low haze of smoke and the crack of shots. They can only guess it to be small explosions or direct gun fire. This is unusual to the normal slum activity but familiar to the many riots that have been echoing through the slums. They collectively decide that they are going to try and wait it out at the pub.

30 minuets pass and the riot has diffused down and another 15 minutes, the fog dissipates. As they all decide to leave, the familiar bespoke girl approaches Seb and says that there is a need for reform and that Raggs is still waiting for their phone call before walking away. Pr0, overhearing, suggests that maybe they could either be tools of Raggs reform, or use him as a tool for theirs. Seb isn't so keen on the idea, given the calamity they just witnessed due to his chaos.

As they approach the divide from slum to city they spy a human officer that is dealing with the damages of the altercation. As they get closer, the police robot that has just previously emptied a semi-automatic into the back of an escaping rioter turns to them and suggests that they return to the city as it is too dangerous out here. Seb states that they're just on their way to the kitchen to continue their outreach program. The robot agrees and lets them all into the slums. As they pass, there is a bloodied hand print tracing down the robot's torso. The female officer also suggests that they turn back into the city where its safe. They notice a badge clearly displaying "Miller," her last name. All of the previous officers they have come into contact with have all had their IDs blocked out. Noticing a head laceration, some scuffs and bruises, Eve asks if she is in need of assistance, but Officer Miller refuses, saying that there are more people in the slums that need it more than she does. She also warns that once they are out of these boarders that there is officially nothing she can do to help them, as they're out of her jurisdiction.

Eve looks around for anything to use as a weapon for their protection, spots a 2x4 and grabs it to put in the back of Seb's chair. The scurrying of feet and swishing of a puffer jacket snaps their attention towards imminent danger. A few people that appeared to be wounded are taking the opportunity to try and jump the crew. One appears to have a full face plate of cybernetics completely covering his vision wearing a bright yellow puffer jacket carrying a machete. The other just looks like a slummer with no augmentations with a bat. Seb, knowing that he can't offer much in terms of combat with his currant state, tries to diffuse the situation with a confident, non-threatening greeting. This catches them off guard but not in a way that will make a difference to their planed attacked.

Pr0 looks at the one in the yellow puffer jacket and attempts to disarm his cybernetics with a targeted attack and effectively blinds him for the entire next round of combat. Eve tries to shout as loud as can that she needs assistance, hoping to get the attention of Officer Miller, who hears them, but is busy with another matter. The man with the machete charges Pr0 and takes out a swinging slice of skin off of his arm, two inches across and only a few millimeters deep. He also sustains a bodily hit from the baseball bat which knocks him off balance. Eve looks at the syringe of morphine in her hand and decides that she is going to rush one of the attackers.

The one with the puffer jacket shouts over the calamity "Say El Gordo sends his regards!" The name means nothing to the crew. Pr0 gains another injury as the baseball bat cracks into his torso for a second time and a few more slashes from the puffer jacket man. Eve is able to get the jump on the man with the puffer jacket and stabs the needle into his neck. She immediately notices something wrong with the man's skin and complexion. The man has terrible circulation and the skin almost looks as if its dead. The man pulls the needle out from his neck, filled with cybernetics and no blood spills from the puncture.

As Seb wishes he had decked out his wheelchair Monster Derby style, Pr0 continues to take hits from the baseball bat, falling closer to unconsciousness and he loses the connection to the visor. Eve looks around and notices that the other slummer looks normal and will be a better target of the morphine.

Officer Stephanie Miller steps over to watch the scuffle, not stepping over as she previously warned them that they are now out of her responsibilities. Eve creeps closer to the assault happening on the grounded Pr0 and manages to stab and inject the needle directly into the slummer with the baseball bat's elbow. Seb continues to shout insults and questions about El Gordo until with an incredible stroke of luck, he is able to get the attention of the man in the puffer jacket by saying "We're actually on our way to see El Gordo right now!" Managing to be persuasive enough, the puffer jacket man turns around completely and takes a step toward Seb. The man with the machete doesn't give up so easily, and calls his shot to Pr0, declaring that he is going to cut his arm off.

As the combat ensues, a dismembered voice familiar to Seb erupts from the man with the puffer jacket. It speaks "Sebastian. Ah. Delicious. Have you returned to me so I can meet my ministrations out on you again?" Seb recognizes this voice as the man who has tormented him for six months. This isn't Joseph himself, rather one of his meat puppets that can be controlled from anywhere in the world.

As this conversation continues, Eve tries to convince Officer Miller to help while Pr0 takes the tip of the machete two inches into the belly. Pr0 and the slummer both stand to each other, battered and bruised just before Pr0 falls to a heap on the ground, unconscious. A few moments later, the drugs finally affect the slummer and he disengages combat. Eve rushes from the barricades to Pr0.

Seb asks "Joseph" to call off the other slummer, but he confirms that the man wasn't his doing, and just a happy coincidence. Seb asks "Who hurt you?" "Joseph" is taken slightly aback and deflects saying that he is normally the one in that position. Seb insists he gets an answer. "Joseph" states that he is simply the messenger for El Gordo. He leans closer, yanking a few strands of his hair out and says "Pleasant memories. I can't wait to look after you again."

The slummer man is suddenly back in control of his own body and is severely confused by the situation. Seb flips the situation, saying that the two of them were in love and flirts with the man, trying to disarm him. The slummer is incredibly confused and even more uninterested as the panic starts to set it. He raises his back and arm for a strike. Seb smirks and asks for him to hit him again. Almost as quickly as he was first plunged out of the control, the slummer is taken back into it.

Eve rushes towards Seb and begins wheeling Seb back to behind the barricade brushing off a smack with a baseball bat off. Eve successfully gets behind Officer Miller and she raises her gun to the approaching meat puppet. The slummer doesn't respond to her warnings and she opens fire on them after he lands a hit on Seb. The bright puffer jacket Eve wanted so much is torn to shreds in a blast of open fire. The slummer takes more shots as he gets one more hit in on Seb, knocking him unconscious as well. Officer Miller empties her rounds in the man finally killing him. Eve is able to look over the man and confirms that he was barely alive. The visor and various cybernetics were keeping him at the bare minimum requirements of being alive.

After just a few minuets, both Seb and Pr0 regain consciousness and regain their capabilities. They have been clearly targeted as individuals, with this attack coming into the city and the repeated attacks on the kitchen.

-YHTris

## TL;DR

* The gang makes their way to the edge of the city. They see a low haze of smoke and the crack of shots. This is unusual to the normal slum activity but familiar to the many riots that have been echoing through the slums. They collectively decide that they are going to try and wait it out at the pub.
* 30 minutes pass and the riot has diffused down. As they all decide to leave, the familiar bespoke girl approaches Seb and says that there is a need for reform and that Raggs is still waiting for their phone call before walking away.
* As they approach the divide from slum to city they spy a human officer that is dealing with the damages of the altercation. They notice a badge clearly displaying "Miller," her last name. All of the previous officers they have come into contact with have all had their IDs blocked out. She also warns that once they are out of these boarders that there is officially nothing she can do to help them, as they're out of her jurisdiction.
* The scurrying of feet and swishing of a puffer jacket snaps their attention towards imminent danger.
* One of the attackers appears to have a full face plate of cybernetics completely covering his vision wearing a bright yellow puffer jacket carrying a machete. The other just looks like a slummer with no augmentations with a bat.
* Seb, knowing that he can't offer much in terms of combat with his current state, tries to diffuse the situation with a confident, non-threatening greeting.
* Pr0 looks at the one in the yellow puffer jacket and attempts to disarm his cybernetics with a targeted attack and effectively blinds him for the entire next round of combat. The man with the machete charges Pr0 and takes out a swinging slice of skin off of his arm. He also sustains a bodily hit from the baseball bat which knocks him off balance.
* The one with the puffer jacket shouts over the calamity "Say El Gordo sends his regards!" The name means nothing to the crew.
* Eve is able to get the jump on the man with the puffer jacket and stabs the needle into his neck. She immediately notices something wrong. The skin almost looks as if its dead. The man pulls the needle out from his neck, filled with cybernetics and no blood spills from the puncture. Eve looks around and notices that the other slummer looks normal and will be a better target of the morphine.
* Officer Stephanie Miller steps over to watch the scuffle, not stepping over as she previously warned them that they are now out of her responsibilities.
* Eve creeps closer to the assault happening on the grounded Pr0 and manages to stab and inject the needle directly into the slummer with the baseball bat's elbow.
* With an incredible stroke of luck, Seb is able to get the attention of the man in the puffer jacket by saying "We're actually on our way to see El Gordo right now!"
* As the combat ensues, a dismembered voice familiar to Seb erupts from the man with the puffer jacket. It speaks "Sebastian. Ah. Delicious. Have you returned to me so I can meet my ministrations out on you again?" Seb recognizes this voice as the man who has tormented him for six months. This isn't Joseph himself, rather one of his meat puppets that can be controlled from anywhere in the world.
* Pr0 and the slummer both stand to each other, battered and bruised just before Pr0 falls to a heap on the ground, unconscious. A few moments later, the drugs finally affect the slummer and he disengages combat. Eve rushes from the barricades to Pr0.
* "Joseph" states that he is simply the messenger for El Gordo. He leans closer, yanking a few strands of his hair out and says "Pleasant memories. I can't wait to look after you again."
* The slummer man is suddenly back in control of his own body and is severely confused by the situation. Seb flips the situation and flirts with the man, trying to disarm him. The slummer is incredibly confused and even more uninterested as the panic starts to set it. He raises his back and arm for a strike. Almost as quickly as he was first plunged out of the control, the slummer is taken back into it.
* Eve rushes towards Seb and begins wheeling him back to behind the barricade brushing off a smack with a baseball bat off. Eve successfully gets behind Officer Miller and she raises her gun to the approaching meat puppet.
* The slummer takes more shots as he gets one more hit in on Seb, knocking him unconscious as well. Officer Miller empties her rounds in the man finally killing him.
* Eve is able to look over the man and confirms that he was barely alive. The visor and various cybernetics were keeping him at the bare minimum requirements of being alive.
* After just a few minutes, both Seb and Pr0 regain consciousness and regain their capabilities. They have been clearly targeted as individuals, with this attack coming into the city and the repeated attacks on the kitchen.

YHT