Data Corruption Chapter 3

Chapter III
“This was not by chance”


She awoke in her own bed on the concert bus, her head spun as she thought about the images of her previous encounter with Ovan. Had he really kissed her and let her run her fingers through his hair or had that all been a dream she had the night before?
“Finally, you’re awake. We were beginning to worry Avi.”
Still dizzy, Avril focused enough to make out Rai’s face among all the blur.
“Rai? What the heck? What happened?” she tried to stand only to stumble back onto her butt on the edge of the bed. “Yesterday is a complete blur.”
Rai sat down in a chair opposite Avril and crossed his legs. “I honestly can’t tell you. I can’t remember everything either except the concert. After that, it is all a blur. I woke up feeling like I had a twenty day hangover.”
Avril steadied herself before trying to step one foot upon the cold floor of the bus. She too remembered the concert but afterwards was a mish-mush of fuzz. “What happened? I remember the concert too; it’s after that that I lose it.”
Rai shook his head in dismay. “I honestly don’t know.”
Suddenly Avril did remember one thing. He had been there. Oh my God! Did he hear the song I wrote for him?
She looked at Rai and ran over to him to put her hands on his shoulders. “Rai, the song, the new one that I wrote for him? Did he hear it? Was he there?”
With a nervous shrug, Rai shook his head. “I….have no idea.”
Avril lowered her head. “What happened Rai? What happened to us?”
Again he shook his head and shrugged. “I don’t…know.”


He sat on the edge of a chapel roof top with deep sadness in his heart. Birds came to make their perch on his shoulders and rested their wings. He didn’t seem to mind their company but focused instead on his own pains and sorrows.
Pain shot through the mark at the base of his neck as he turned his thoughts towards the girl. He remembered her kiss and the way she ran her hands through his hair. He remembered how she had treated him like a human being and not a machine or weapon that could be used to destroy.
The pain continued to burn and throb in his neck at an almost unbearably high level. The corrupted spots on his body pulsed and ached rendering him almost completely immobile.
“So…it has come to this. I am no more than a mere weapon, I can not afford distraction. I am sorry…Avril.” He said and rubbed his neck to try and ease the pain. “That bastard. He ruined everything. Everything.” He closed his eyes and dozed into dreams of days long past.


Bridge Arlington stood next to his mother in the kitchen as she was preparing one of his favorite lunch time meals of pot roast and mashed potatoes. It smelled delicious and he couldn’t help but just whiff in the fragrant odor.
‘This looks awesome mom. You always make it the best.’ He said and hugged his mom, receiving a smile in return.
“Go get your brother and father Bri, it is almost finished.” Shane Arlington responded to her son while fixing his t-shirt sleeve.
Bridge immediately obeyed her and opened the door of their country house to the front yard.
It was a beautiful Arizona morning. Mist swirled over the freshly viewed lakes while river otters played at the shores and birds sang over head.
He looked out over the scenery and then brought his eyes to fall on his own front yard.
The sight he saw before him was of his little brother Jonathan and his father Jaren. They were tussling in the grass over a football that his father apparently had missed the pass of.
He yelled at them to get their attention.
Jonathan was the first to respond and ran to his brother to embrace him around the waist.
Bridge smiled and ruffled the little boy’s brown hair and received a smile and giggle from this little munchkin in his arms.



He opened eyes at the buzzing of the ear piece in his ear.
“Ovan…Ovan where are you?! Answer me! Please respond!” Kun screamed on the other side of the line.
He lifted his hand to the phone. “Affirmative. What is it Kun?”
Kun hesitated and then heaved a heavy sigh. “Damn dude, we haven’t been able to contact you since yesterday. What the heck have you been doing?!”
“Explanation unnecessary. Why?”
Kun again heaved a sigh, this time it was one of complete and utter disdain. “Oh nothing. It is just that we have been unable to get a hold of Midnight for over forty-eight hours. The last time he was heard from was a scouting mission in Tripoli. Have you heard from him?”
Concern began to well up inside Ovan. Had a Dark Data Corrupt attack occurred while he was held up with the girl? “Kun, report Midnight’s last known coordinates. I will look through the CDRA’s satellite link and try and track him.”
Another long pause and some ruffling through papers and Kun was back on the line. “Delta quadrant 42005436 at Tripoli. I suppose you know his tracker number?”
Ovan assured him that he did indeed know Midnight’s staff id number and hung up the line.
Angeline took over and in a panicked voice informed Ovan of a Data Corrupt attack two blocks from his current position.
“Affirmative. Primary invoice attack by Data Corrupts highest priority. Now determining location of DC attacks.” He stood and took a flying leap up onto the steeple of the church and came to stand on the toes of his boots.
His eye laid out a blue print of the city as he read every Body Data Level of every human and Data Corrupt until it fell upon a group of Data Corrupts in the old warehouse district.
“Target acquired. Now confirming ten Data Corrupts. Body Data Levels over safe parameters. In pursuit.”


“Man, those stupid PureBloods know nothing about us! I can’t believe that damned cashier wouldn’t even sell me a pack o’ smokes just because I was a Data Corrupt. Bastard.” One of the Data Corrupts sat leaning against a pile of grain grumbling.
Another grumbled beside him concurring his feelings. “Yeah. They are so friggin racist.”
A loud crash as Ovan dropped through the roof brought the two men’s attention to him.
He landed on his knee with his eyes closed and his head lowered to look at the floor.
The Data Corrupts watched as he slowly drew his hands up through his trench coat and behind his back.
“What the hell? Who the hell are you?!” the same man who had been grumbling addressed him first.
Ovan pulled his two pitch black guns out from behind his back and raised his head to look at the DC that had addressed him. His left eye glowed a crimson red as he analyzed them. “Negative for Pure Dark corruption. Body Data level at forty-two percent capacity. Data Gunner Restraint Program has gone into affect. Use of Data Gunner is prohibited.”
The two DCs had been sitting there watching him, stunned at the new DC’s arrival. “What? Who are you?” the skinnier of the two asked.
The other stepped forward as well. “Yeah, who the hell are you?!”
Ovan pointed his gun barrel at the man’s forehead. “Data Corrupt, you are under arrest for murder and illegal drug trafficking. You are advised to surrender peacefully. Will you comply?”
The Data Corrupt flipped him and the bird. “Forget that you freak! Who the hell do you think you are?!”
The other Data Corrupt circled around Ovan, hoping to get him off guard. He drew a knife out of the belt sheath that hid under his shirt.
He charged at Ovan with his blade and lunged forward.
Instead of stepping aside, Ovan swayed his body and grabbed the man’s wrist, twisting it into a painful position. The boy struggled to get away only to have his wrist twisted even more, snapping tendons and bones.
“Resistance is futile. Surrender and you will not be hurt. Please give up.”
The other DC turned to see a pole attached to a pipeline that lead up into the ceiling and broke it off.
He ran at Ovan swinging the pole madly only to be dodged.
Ovan moved to dodge each blow without an error. He moved side to side and ducked without letting go of his other foe’s wrist.
The Data Corrupt grew angry and wildly lunged at Ovan missing him at every turn.
“Bastard! What the hell are you?!” he yelled.
Ovan threw the now unconscious Data Corrupt at his friend. “Ovan. Pure Corrupt Project XVII. Head of Data Corrupt Purification and annihilation of Pure Dark Data Corrupts. Codename Data Gunner. You are at forty-five percent body data levels. Any higher and your disease will mutate further. Come with me peacefully and you will be spared.”
The Data Corrupt’s body trembled with fear as he stood there glaring at Ovan with anger and hatred in his face. He spat at Ovan and began to laugh.
Ovan never moved, he stood silently as he watched the Data Corrupt raise his head and laugh evilly to the ceiling. He pulled one f his guns up to point at his foe. “I will not repeat myself more than I have. For your final time, you are under arrest. Surrender peacefully and you shall not be hurt.”
The Data Corrupt looked back down at Ovan. “You…you have absolutely no idea how many of us are actually in this ware house do you? You idiot. How do you know that I am alone?”
Immediately Ovan’s eye began glowing a piercing crimson once more as he sensed more of the man’s friends. “Affirmative. Confirmation of twelve Data Corrupts. Body Data Levels each at twenty percent. Data Gunner Restraint Program is in affect. Use of Pyralis Data Gunner prohibited.”
He raised both of his guns preparing to engage his foes.
The Data Corrupt ordered his friends to attack.
All at once they charged at Ovan from all sides with knives, broken poles and pieces of broken glass raised ready to draw blood.
Ovan closed his eyes and released the safety of his Pyralis guns.
He leapt into the air shooting the lights out as he rose. Each sent sparks into the air until the room was pitch black.
The Data Corrupts stopped dead in their tracks, confused as to why he would render himself and them totally blind.
“That fool, he blinded himself and us. What the hell could he be thinking? With the lights off he’s a dead man. Boys find that freak and kill im!” the leader shouted and they all started running around in the dark.
Three gun shots from the middle of them brought their attention back to the middle of the room.
They all watched as one of Data Corrupts dropped to the ground holding his side. His knee and shoulder were bleeding as he writhed in pain.
Ovan stood above the fallen DC. “Will you comply?”
The leader of the DCs growled a curse under his breath. “Kill him!!!!”
Again, the fight ensued. Each Data Corrupt swung their weapon at Ovan only to miss.
Two of the men holding knives lunged at Ovan from opposite sides.
He fell to his knee allowing the two to clash at each other. One knife went into the arm of the other.
Ovan used this opportunity to shoot the knees out of the both of them.
He slowly raised himself from the floor. His side was turned towards the leader and then looked at him with his eye blazing. “Failure to comply. Commencing hunting procedure. Targets acquired.”
He again raised his guns and began shooting rapidly at the other Data Corrupts as he made his way towards the man who was their leader. Each one fell holding either their hips, shoulders, or knees.
The Data Corrupt didn’t know what to say. He stood in a room where one man had taken down fourteen of his brethren. He brought his attention to Ovan. “Who are you? What are you?! You are not a normal human nor are you are Data Corrupt. Tell me! What the hell are you?!” he said and attempted to throw a punch at Ovan, who now stood face to face with him.
Ovan grabbed his fist and pressed it hard enough to snap bones. He forced the man to his knees in pain and humiliation. “I gave you an option. You have failed to comply. Now, you are under arrest. I shall not kill you.”
He released the man and watched as he scrambled away on hand and knees.
The Data Corrupt sat with his back against the wall growling at Ovan for the humiliation he had just been shown. “I will never go back to being a normal human! You hear me you freak! I like this power! I love the fear of those wretched PureBlood racists! I will never let you or anyone else defeat me! I am invincible!!!”
Ovan’s eyes widened as the man’s BDL rose rapidly. “Body Data Level rising at a severely dangerous rate. Cease this now or you will become something you do not wish to be.”
Again the man began laughing towards the ceiling. “I want power! I want to live forever! I will be victorious against a PureBlood lapdog like you!”
After that comment, the Data Corrupt’s body began to glow as his disease began to mutate and warp into a malignant cancer.
Tears began to well up in his eyes as he was engulfed into streams of pain and twisting agony. “Ack! What…is….happening to me?!!! What…have…you…done…to…me?!!!”
Ovan lowered his head to look at the ground. “Body Data Levels over safe parameters. Termination is eminent. Releasing Data Gunner Restraint Program.”
Bones snapped and sinews tore as the man’s body twisted and warped into a new form. The Data Corruption Syndrome pulsed as it spread over the man’s arms, legs and neck.
Soon he was reduced to a drooling, growling and snarling beast with a pure black body except for the DCS spots that now oozed data fragments and pulsed a bright green.
“Sa…..v….e…..m……e…..pl….eeee….aaa…..sssssss…..e.” the beast now begged Ovan to save his life.
“Negative. Chance of purification at point zero two percent. Termination only option.” He said and raised his right arm and uncovered the claw.
The gun formed and he loaded it with the red bullet. “Rest in peace.”
The newly formed Pure Dark Data Corrupt lunged at Ovan snarling and raising his massive nails.
Ovan didn’t have enough time to lower the gun and barely avoided a direct blow in the stomach. The PDDC’s nails raked his side bringing thin lines of blood to the surface.
“Minor damage to lower right side acknowledged.”
The PDDC attacked again with animal- like speed, swinging its huge nails again and again only to barely miss.
Eventually got lucky and pinned Ovan to the ground holding his wrists and pinning him against the ground.
Its hold on the Data Gunner forbade any movement so Ovan brought his legs up and rested his feet on the chest of the huge monster.
Pressing with all his might, he flipped it over himself and came to rest on his knees with the beast crashing behind him against a wall.
It recovered quickly and once again lunged at Ovan only to be stopped as the barrel of one of Ovan’s Pyralis barrel guns had found its way into the beast’s jaws.
He pulled the trigger rapidly, releasing a barrage of bullets into the beast’s skull stunning it. He then raised the Data Gunner once again and pulled the trigger.
The wings began spinning, launching a hurricane level wind throughout the building’s rafters and ceiling.
The end of the barrel glowed with the energy released from the bullet.
“Again. Rest in peace.” Ovan said and released the energy, hitting its target dead on with no error.
The beast screamed in pain as the Data Corruption receded and ripped from his body.
The man fell to the floor with his eyes still holding a bit of shock.
Ovan walked over to him and knelt beside him.
The man looked up at Ovan and in a drained and fading voice asked. “Wh…..what…….are….you?”
Ovan looked down at him with a hint of sorrow in his eyes. “Data Gunner. Rest in peace.”
The man’s life left his body, leaving his eyes open and staring blankly.
Ovan rose to his feet and raised his hand to the microphone in his ear. “It’s Data Gunner. Threat neutralized. Prepared for clean-up protocol.”
“Understood. Return to your apartment and await further instruction. Angeline out.”
Ovan lowered his hand and turned to leave the premises. He stopped to look at the clock tower as it rang out midnight.
He closed his eyes and walked away down the street to his apartment.


In the shadows the silhouette of a man hid among the darkness. His purple hair blew with the breeze along with his white coat. His eyes radiated a burnt orange as he smiled a sadistic grin and disappeared into the darkness.
He followed Ovan all the way back his apartment and came to perch on a tree limb overlooking the window to the apartment.
Found you. He said and watched.


Ovan unlocked the door to his apartment and stepped inside the dark room. He closed the door behind him and stood in the foyer for a few minutes.
Pain tore through his neck causing him to fall the floor. He writhed in throbbing pain on the floor gritting his teeth against it. Every infection on his body pulsed a sickly green.
St….stop….please…please stop…pl…ease… he thought as the pain escalated to a higher level, eventually causing him to pass out. His mind sank far into his subconscious thoughts. Memories that he had not thought about since the disappearance of his younger brother and the death of his mother.


Bridge ran through the rain and sleet to his house after receiving the call about the accident his mother had been in. He burst through the police line where two cars lay smoking and crushed in.
He eventually found his mother in one of the ambulances. She lay on a stretcher with an oxygen mask over her face and a bleeding wound had engraved itself on her brow.
“Mother, mother what happened? Tell me please!” he pleaded with her to tell him the truth of what happened. He fell to his knees next to her and held her hand.
She opened her eyes slowly and looked at him, smiling faintly. “Hello sweety. I was just…on my way back home…I guess I…didn’t see the other car. Sorry.”
Bridge shook his head quickly to assure her that he wasn’t mad at him.
Her eyes closed as she fell unconscious.
A hand on Bridge’s shoulder told him it was time to let her go. He turned to see a police officer behind him. “Is she…going to be okay?”
The police officer lowered his head. He informed Bridge that the damage to his mother was most likely critical and were not going to heal that easily.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he shook his head and screamed into the thundering skies. “Mooooooooooooother!!!!!!!!!”


“Mother!!!” Ovan shot up quickly and found himself in his apartment bed. Someone had removed his trenchcoat and shirt, bandaged his neck, laid him in
bed and put a cold wet rag on his head. What? How did I? Who could have?
He looked around and heard a crash in his kitchen and got up to go and find out
who his new guest was.
He grabbed the girl’s wrist and twisted it to pen her to the cabinet. With his elbow
pressed firmly against her mid-back he said. “Who are you? How did you get in here and what exactly do you…what?” he stopped as he saw that he had pinned Avril and released her to let her up. “What are you doing here?”
She rubbed her arm to staunch the pain. “I was walking by and saw that your door was hanging open and saw blood spots on the ground so I decided to check on you. I am glad I did. You were bleeding really bad on your side.”
Ovan realized that he had been bleeding from the wound in his side from the fight with the Pure Dark Corrupt earlier that evening. Avril had patched him up. She would have seen his infection if he hadn’t been using the illusion program that Angeline had made for him.
He looked away from her and said thank you.
Avril smiled and giggled. She blushed when she looked at the muscles in Ovan’s shoulder blades and back. “Beautiful.” She said aloud without knowing.
Ovan looked back at her.
She shook her head and gave a sarcastic smirk. “I meant your apartment. It is really very pretty. Are you renting it by yourself?”
Ovan rolled his eyes. Great. Small talk is not my strong point. He thought to himself. Aloud he addressed Avril. “The place I work is renting it for me. I do not pay for anything.”
She turned her back to him and fiddled with her thumbs. “Um…listen…I…are your wounds feeling any better?”
Ovan looked over his shoulder with one word: fine.
Oh great, what an awkward moment. C’mon Avi, say something to him. Anything. What about…how are your classes or…where are your parents…something that he would want to talk about.
Avril turned back around in time to see Ovan hobbling to the laundry room. She followed him and nearly hit him with the door as she walked in.
Ovan was on his knees clasping his neck. The pain pulsed mildly but was still enough to force him to his knees.
She fell next to him and noticed that he had started sweating. Placing her hand on his forehead, she noticed that he had a fever and was breathing hard against his weakness. “Oh dear. Come on, you need to get back into bed. You have a very high fever.”
Ovan turned his eye back to look at her. “I…do…not need…your help…” he said and tried to raise himself to his feet only to fall again.
Avril placed her hand gently on his back. The muscles underneath were tense and hot to the touch. She helped Ovan to his feet and assisted him in walking to his bed.
Ovan laid down heavily on the pillow and opened his eyes to look at her. “Why?”
Avril took the rag out of the dishpan of water and began to gently wipe Ovan’s face with it. “What do you mean? Why do I do what I do? You’re hurt and need help, it is not a problem. Now be quiet and rest. I trust you will be okay by yourself. Just call me if you need help.” She said and sat down beside him on the bed. “Rest now.”
Ovan reluctantly closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Dreams once again filled his mind.


Bridge sat in the living room in a chair across from his father Jaren.
They had both received the news that his mother had passed away from internal bleeding.
Jaren had tears falling down his face while Jonathan sat in his brother’s lap
clutched to his chest.
“I am…so sorry. I didn’t know she…” Jaren began only o be stopped by Bridge.
“It isn’t only your fault. I couldn’t do anything worthwhile either. We are alone
now and with everything happening as it is…BioTech…Dad, you did refuse them right?” Bridge asked his dad in fear.
Jaren smiled and nodded his head.
Bridge took Jonathan upstairs to get him ready for school. “I’ll take this
munchkin to school. You better head off to work dad.”
Jaren nodded his head and departed the room.
Jonathan looked up at his brother. “What is going to happen now? Are we going to be okay Bridge?”
Bridge looked down at him and smiled. “Yeah. We will be just fine. You better get ready. I will drive you to school today.”
Jonathan nodded and headed into his room to get ready.


It wasn’t until nearly one am that Ovan opened his eyes again. The dreams had become more frequent and the pain returned with every one of them. He rose up and looked out the window at the moon.
He looked around to see if the girl was still there only to find that he was alone. His wounds had stopped hurting and his fever had gone down so he decided to get
up and take a shower to wash the blood and pain away.
The sound of shattering glass brought his attention to the room outside the bathroom. He darted out of the bathroom and into the main room, grabbing his guns as he did.
He carefully and slowly slunk around the corners and walls. No one was in the room. He lowered his guns with a heavy sigh as he saw that the glass of water that the girl had left on the bedside table was what broke.
Hello Ovan. A dark voice resounded throughout the room.
Ovan looked at the computer on his desk. It glowed a fierce bright light illuminating the dark room.
His body trembled at the newcomer’s presence.
The faint touch of fangs to his shoulder sent a shot of ice through his veins.
“It is you…is it not?”
The stranger stepped out of the darkness and raised dark nails up to Ovan’s neck close enough for thin lines of blood to make their appearance.
Yes…hello…my little toy…it has been too long.
Ovan knocked his hand away and spun on his heels to raise the barrels of his guns to the forehead of his new guest.
A wall of digital shadows hid the stranger’s face and body.
Ovan’s eyes and body trembled at the sight. “BladeEdge.”
The stranger smirked revealing his fangs. Hello Pyralis.
“Bastard.” Ovan said and started firing off bullets missing every time as BladeEdge dematerialized his data in order to avoid every bullet.
You have not changed Pyralis. You are still as hasty as ever.
“By what chance have I met up with you again, you monster?” Ovan asked, reloading his guns.
Chance? My dear boy, this was not by chance. I chose you. But it seems you have gotten lost. Allow me to remind you of your purpose. He said and raised his hand.
Ovan’s vision blurred as the pain shot through his neck with a ferocity he had not felt since he received it the first time. He began to fall only to be caught by BladeEdge and held against his body.
It seems to me that you need to be reminded of your purpose. Allow me to do so. He said and tore the bandage away from Ovan’s neck.
The feeling of BladeEdge’s fangs against the bite mark awoke a memory that Ovan had long tried to bury.
BladeEdge’s eyes glowed as he once again pierced the bite mark. Remember your purpose…brother.


Bridge sat at his laptop surfing the internet for information on BioTech and Data Corrupts and all the links he could on what they were and how to cure it.
An image flashed across the screen too fast for him to see so he ignored it.
Soon two clawed hands reached through the computer and pulled him in.
The area around him was dark and damp. His body was bent at the waist with his arms hanging limp away from his sides.
At first Bridge didn’t see the new arrival but his bending next to him and whispering something inaudible.
The newcomer tore the sleeve of Bridge’s shirt revealing his collarbone.
The initial piercing of his flesh snapped Bridge out of the trance he was in.
The burning came next as tissues in his body became infected by the foreign virus.
Bridge screamed in pain as the stranger held him firmly in place with inhuman strength.
Hours seemed to pass as the fangs remained in Bridge’s neck as if the stranger was trying to make sure the virus got all the way through his blood stream.
Finally pulling his fangs out of Bridge’s neck, the stranger brought his mouth close to Bridge’s ear.
H…a….te….m…..e……h….un…..t…..me….d…..o…..no…..t…..fo…..r…..g…et…..th…..i….s…..pain…..


BladeEdge removed his fangs and let Ovan fall limp to the floor. Remember Pyralis. This was not by chance. I chose you so I expect you to keep on track. Don’t make me remind you again. Until we meet once more my little doll. He said and departed through the telephone line back into his digital hell.
Ovan lay in pain on the floor. He raised his hand to his neck and clutched the newly opened wound. Tears welled up in his eyes as he gritted his teeth. “Blade…Edge…” he said and fell once again, unconscious.