[FIN] Final Upgrades

[Blood_Goddess]

The facilities int he Ambergris outpost was not ideal, where she took to keeping a small supply of tools and equipment for her mechanical repairs was a meager closet and what work she was required to keep up done in a small work room that was fit more for a small office then it was a robotics lab.
But Faleen never once complained, she was happy for what she got, and understood that she was fortunate enough to have most of the team back in the base she was assigned to and given a designated aria for their work and storage.

It was about a week ago that Faleen was approached by one of the Elites, With their presence came a new assignment for her, and a set of orders that pertained to her expertise with the prisoner Lance, more specifically the chip that she had build that was now in his brain.

With the data she had gathered from her studies, she had sent a message to the Programing department, requesting specific edits that would work with the information she provided.
She couldn't imagine they were given any better accommodations then she was, but she was sent the finished product in an extremely respectable amount of time, something she felt they should be commended for.

So the dark blond Agent once again found herself in the modest clinic again standing across from where a red haired man lay strapped to a bed, hooked up to a variety of machines.
Hazel eyes did not look down at the man for even a moment after she entered the room, with medical rockets on call if she needed to she got to work right away, clicking away over the keyboard as she accessed the chips functions, and with a small hesitation and great distaste in her mouth concluded that she needed to shut the chip off completely while the upgrades were installed.

A few clicks of the keyboard, and the chip working to rein in Lance's free will released the man into free use of his own mind.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Naturally the location didn't matter to Lance. A prison was a prison and it's not like he could have protested to being moved even if he had wanted to. Despite the fact that he couldn't control what was going on or even himself, he could watch and listen.

Deep down he knew things were happening and he overheard little snippets here and there. The old base was destroyed and the League was giving the Rockets a hard time. Even if they couldn't get to him, this was still enough to give Lance some hope. Something he hadn't had in a long time.

As usual he was cooperative, though not by any will of his own. He merely laid there on the table with that same dull expression. That is until the chip was turned off.

Gold hued eyes blinked for a moment and the cloudiness seemed to fade. He looked around, a bit surprised.

"Faleen? What's going on?" He asked, wondering why the chip had been turned off, though he certainly wouldn't argue.

He attempted to move his arms and legs, but found himself unable to due to the restraints. "This isn't necessary you know. I promise I'll behave myself."  

[Blood_Goddess]

The agent wasn't sure what she was expecting, after turning the chip off, when it had been on for so long, could she expect his brain to have some kind of damage? Maybe the affects would be permanent.
It was a mild curiosity that she idly wondered as she clicked open a small case with a small USB that the programers had given her.

The Rocket did not look up when she heard her name, giving her an answer as to his condition at least, and feeling a small sense of malicious pity that he didn't just stay in a mindless state for the duration of this upgrade.

As he continued to speak, the rush of amusement that met her at his last words caused her to glance over, her brow furrowing.
"Mm, excuse me if I don't take you're word for it."

More then that it was protocol, none of them were stupid enough to allow a prisoner to remain outside of their control at all times, especially after he had manage to escape his bonds and nearly strangle the agent.  

[BlackPidgeot]

The man actually laughed a little at that, apparently amused as well. "I guess I can't blame you, especially after what happened that one time," he said wryly.

It sure felt good to laugh again, and to talk freely. He felt almost giddy with his temporary freedom, and thus was in a surprisingly good mood.

He tried to move his head so he could look up at her. "Hey."  

[Blood_Goddess]

She said nothing to him, standing with her back to the champion with her hands folded behind her back as she watched a spread of code run down the monitor of her screen.
The USB closed securely in the palm of her gloved fingers.  

[BlackPidgeot]

His brows furrowed slightly when she didn't answer him and he tried to see what was going on.

"You're not even going to say anything? No, tech talk or even a 'I hate you Lance'?" He sighed and put his head down again.

"Can you atleast tell me what you're doing?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

"I see no reason to repeat myself." she said, not looking away from the monitor "Anything I say now is simply indulging you."

At the question as to what she was doing drew her to glance over her shoulder, standing for a moment she then turned to the side to look at him, her expression of professional indifference, though a pause as if mildly curious about something.
"Are you sure you want to know that?"  

[BlackPidgeot]

His eyes met hers when she stepped over to him. His gaze unwavering.

"I have a feeling it's not going to matter either way. So why not indulge me? Even if just a little bit."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Her expression did not change from her stoic indifference, though there was a slight twitch upwards of her eyebrows at his words, just as stubbornly not looking away from him.
"Listening to you, I see the years of entrapment I place you in hasn't changed anything about you."
"I would avoid trying to appeal to me, if I must come out and say it, normally I would have you gagged to keep from distractions." She heaved a forced sigh. "As a last gift then, why don't I just allow you to keep control of your mind for a bit more and you can discern what you think you're here for." The Agent straightened further, peering down at him with a slightly lifted chin. "Go on then..."

It was a cruel gift, but ultimately that was the point, her cold irony almost transparent.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Lance smiled a little at the idea that he hadn't changed. "Really? That's quite the compliment, thank you. Though to be honest, I've never felt lonelier in my entire life. But seeing you always helped."

She may hate his guts but she was the closest thing he had to a friend around here and his feelings for her hadnt changed. That was comforting in its own small way.

"But you didn't gag me did you," he pointed out. With the decision to let him keep his mind for now he lifted a brow slightly. "How generous of you."

Clearly her cold tone didn't bother him. He was use to it. Lance then glanced at her. "A guessing game then? Well I have a feeling it has something to do with that little device you put in my head."

How much he had missed being able to hold something as simple as a conversation.  

[Blood_Goddess]

The Agent shook her head, looking away from him as she walked back over to the computer as it finished up its configuring, and in silence slipped the USB into the slot.

"I wouldn't exactly call that gracious." She replied "And no, this isn't a guessing game, This isn't a hot of cold yes or no questions. for once, use you're logic and your brain, instead of that useless heart you place so much stock in. Or even then, assess you're situations and memories, and you tell me what that weak heart tells you is going to happen to you."

Though she might have been annoyed having to explain it to him, she certainly didn't sound it.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Lance sighed, a sad smile on his face. "Weak or not it's gotten me this far. I'd be a far more broken man otherwise."

Wait situations and memories? His brow furrowed slightly but he just kept going.

"Tell me... Where has that logic of yours gotten you? A good job, sure, you're a talented woman. But can you truly and honestly say you're happy?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Good job." she repeated, glancing over to him with arched eyebrows and an expression that said 'try again'
"Good job does not cover it."
She clicked a gloves finger onto the keyboard, and a progress bar indicated that something was being uploaded.
"-Dream Job." she looked him dead in the eye "I am doing what I want to be doing, I am working on things that I love to work on, and I'm working with people whom I respect, and for an organization that I believe in."
a small smile feathered the corners of her lips. "Not everyone in you're ideal imagination of a world works the same way you expect it to, just because you don't get it, doesn't mean that Team Rocket, or even me is unhappy."

Ah this was just a waist of her time.
Reaching over she reached out to pull up a seat, sitting down in it and crossing her legs, with her hands folded in her back.
"Since you haven't figured it out, I suppose I'll grant you some perspective into you're situation."
She gestured a hand up to the monitor where the progress bar was still working.
"You have until that progress bar finishes loading, before everything that you are, everything that you were. essentially you is destroyed forever. with just a push of a button."  

[BlackPidgeot]

As the upload started his eyes fluttered briefly.

"Then why can't you even smile."

And no he didn't mean the way she twisted her lips like that.

"You had such a pretty smile."

Her cruel words didn't faze him, his sad smile unwavering. He heard what she said and had understood, but he wasn't going to beg or break down infront of her. It almost seemed fitting in that this was how it would all end.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Her eyes narrowed softly, though no in a cold sense, but in the way someone would if they were studying someone they were uncertain about.
His reply was repulsive, though she didn't look away at his words, or his compliment.
"You should see me with the rest of my team, but you sir, are not Rocket."

He said nothing as she explained his fate, though she caught the subtle shifts in his face, as if he knew this was inevitable.