//------------------------------//
// Part 1 
// Story: When We Fall 
// by ObCom 
//------------------------------//

	Vinyl Scratch woke to sirens. 
Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest at the sound while her brain tried to understand what was happening. Was this it? Did Bass Leader activate the explosives he had put in her brain? He wouldn’t traumatize his daughter by making Vinyl’s head pop off, right? 
“What’s that?” Octavia mumbled into the pillow. 
“It’s nothing, Tav. Go back to sleep.” Vinyl tried to stay calm as she spoke, keeping her voice low and skipping some details. She had to get away from Octavia before the explosives detonated, just to keep Octavia safe.
Unfortunately, Vinyl’s dismissive tone worked too well. Octavia shifted so that her head rested on Vinyl’s chest. Now her heart took some time off of its frantic pace to beat for a different reason. The DJ resisted the urge to run her hands through that beautiful cascade of black hair, the mere thought making her face heat up. The persistent sirens made her realize that she might never get the chance to do anything again if her head was about to blow up. 
Vinyl ran a hand through Octavia’s hair. She wanted to savor this potentially last moment with the woman she had done so much for, essentially giving her body and a large chunk of her mind to. But the sirens would not stop, and each second that passed could be the last. Vinyl kissed the top of Octavia’s head and inhaled deeply. Octavia tightened her grip around Vinyl at the sign of affection. If there was an afterlife, Vinyl was going to miss her, but if there wasn’t, well, she might find the answer to that soon enough. It was time to go.  “Tavi, I gotta use the toilet,” Vinyl mumbled to conceal the urgency in her voice. 
Octavia made a pouting sound but mercifully slid off. “Don’t be too long,” she muttered as Vinyl slid off of the bed. The words, spoken innocently, sent shivers through Vinyl’s spine. 
The restroom was small and bland. The tiles under her feet were cool to the touch. Vinyl stood in the center of the room, facing the mirror. She looked scared, but she knew that death was coming at her like a freight train. The whole affair wasn’t what she had in mind for dying. The early days of her youth had been a blur of fun and excitement, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have plans.  
She was a young, talented DJ. She was going to ride that train for as long as she could, having the time of her life until the last stop. What would happen after that, well, who could say? When she had entertained such fantasies, she had been sitting on the roof of her old house, wearing an old pair of headphones and drinking cheap beer, watching the few stars that managed to shine through the light pollution. It would be a long time before she had to worry about anything after her time as a DJ had come and gone. 
Vinyl had moved out as soon as she had been able, taking jobs at any club that she could. She spent years honing her craft. Places were filling with people who were drawn to her. Word had spread fast that Vinyl Scratch knew how to throw a party. Life hadn’t thrown her for a loop until she was offered a job at the CyberLink. 
The CyberLink was a club that many people called the best of the best. Vinyl never knew why. There were lights, music, dancing, and alcohol, but that could be found at any club. Maybe they were drawn to the fact that the CyberLink was owned by a reclusive man with too much money and a private army. Or maybe the drinks were just that good. No matter the reason, Vinyl knew that a job at the CyberLink could only bolster her career. Never had she thought that her musical career could turn her into a killing machine.
Vinyl closed her magenta eyes and waited for the end. Her mind was thinking about whatever it wanted, but she didn’t want to think about Bass Leader and what he did to her. What was something better? Vinyl smirked, her mind instantly providing a picture of the woman still sleeping on the bed. The woman who expected her to come back at any moment. The woman who was about to be alone. 
Tears started to fall down Vinyl’s cheeks. “Oh, Empress, Tavi,” she said into her hands. “I am so sorry.” She was wracked with sobs and fell to her knees. Vinyl didn’t care that she looked pathetic. She was going to die. For her, it would be easy. She wouldn’t even know she was dead. Octavia, on the other hand, was going to hear something, walk in, and see whatever was left. Vinyl thought about locking the door in hopes of sparing Octavia from stumbling into something terrible, but the sirens suddenly seemed louder. Too loud. 
Oh, fuck, it’s happening. I know it’s happening. Vinyl wept, navigating through tear-filled eyes to sit in front of the door. At least now, with her back against the door, she had a clear view of the window. It was going to be a sunny day. 
Octavia, I’m so sorry. Vinyl closed her eyes for what she was sure to be the last time. 

There was no pain, no bright light at the end of a long tunnel. For Vinyl Scratch, life continued on. She opened one eye hesitantly, as if any quick movements would cause her head to pop off. The sirens persisted, but the longer Vinyl sat in the cramped restroom, she realized that they were coming from outside. 
Vinyl let out an explosive breath until there was no air left in her lungs. Then she took a large gulp of air and relished every moment of it. A chuckle found its way through her lips, and before she knew it, she was rolling on the floor with laughter. She didn’t care about how loud she was laughing because she was alive. All of the fear was gone, melted away. Vinyl Scratch was not going to be dying that day! Vinyl almost let out a cheer of victory before she realized a tiny notification on her heads up display. 
The message caused her to sober up instantly. Her hand shook slightly as she rose her fingers, each pulsing with a bright blue light, a sign of her augments being activated, to open the message. 


YOU ABDUCTED MY DAUGHTER.


Vinyl’s heart missed a beat. After the ominous message, the sender had attached pictures. The pictures depicted Vinyl on her hands and knees in a very boring bathroom. Vinyl scrolled further. 


YOU WILL DIE. 


Vinyl looked past the message and at the window. A sharp crack filled the air and a large hole suddenly appeared in the door next to Vinyl’s head. She swore and scrambled to her feet, unable to believe the sniper had missed. 
“Tavi, we gotta go right now!” Vinyl flew to the chair where her jacket was and threw it on. 
“What?” Octavia sat up, rubbing her eyes. 
“What do you mean, ‘what?’ Did you not hear that loud noise? We gotta get out of here!”
Octavia blinked once, as if she was trying to understand why Vinyl was suddenly flailing her arms and screaming. Then something kicked in, and the young woman was flying across the room. “Will I be alright with these new augments?” she asked, throwing off the hospital gown in favor of her shirt. 
“You should be. We could’ve left at any time, or so the doctor said earlier.” 	
“That’s good. What’s going on?” Octavia was fumbling with her pants. 
“Your dad sent his goons. They’re not too happy that you’re here, and I doubt they know about your augmentation.” Vinyl checked her pistol, the only weapon she had managed to hold onto. 
“What’s the plan?” 
Vinyl sucked on her lip. “Run like hell, I guess. We’ll go for the stairs to the left. I don’t think we should go for the SUV, though, but we do need a set of wheels.” 
“So take the stairs to run like hell and try to get a car while under fire?” 
“Pretty much,” Vinyl shrugged. 
Octavia closed her eyes. “I’m going to need some coffee after this.” 
“And I’ll need something stronger,” Vinyl said. “Just follow me and we’ll get through this. Ready?” 
Octavia nodded. Vinyl turned to the door, threw it open, and ran out with Octavia right behind her.