11.d

Worm 11.d:

A faint tapping, a clink of hard on metal or glass, disturbed Colin’s work. He messaged Dragon, requesting her assistance in identifying the sound’s source. She pinpointed it to a vent above him. The vent exploded, and white, segmented body parts poured out, forming the villain Mannequin.

Colin, recognizing the threat, grabbed a miniature disintegration weapon. Mannequin, seemingly incapacitated, extended a telescoping blade. Colin narrowly avoided it, falling and rolling. The blade retracted, reattaching Mannequin’s dismembered parts. The head, the last to join, was featureless, devoid of sensory organs.

Dragon, monitoring the situation remotely, provided assistance via the room’s speakers. Mannequin tested his joints, then unleashed four blades from his forearm, spinning them like a propeller. The blades ricocheted, damaging the room but not attacking Colin directly.

Dragon identified Mannequin as Alan Gramme, formerly Sphere, a Tinker specializing in biomes and ecosystems. His work on self-sustaining habitats was destroyed by the Simurgh, which also killed his family. This drove him mad, leading to his transformation into Mannequin. Dragon hinted at his specific victim profile, which included tinkers and those seeking to profit from their abilities.

Colin taunted Mannequin, claiming he had little to live for. Mannequin remained unresponsive. Dragon revealed the Slaughterhouse Nine were in town to replace their ninth member, implying Colin was their target. Enraged, Colin argued against the comparison, but Mannequin ignored him, collecting keyboard keys.

Mannequin arranged the keys to spell “U M E” (You, Me). He then used a makeshift mirror to reflect half of Colin’s face onto his own, suggesting a similarity between them. Colin vehemently denied this, asserting his dedication to helping others, unlike Mannequin’s failed projects.

Mannequin attacked, slamming Colin into the wall and stabbing him repeatedly. Dragon screamed through the speakers. Colin, severely wounded, attempted to use his disintegration knife, but Mannequin effortlessly stopped him. The villain toyed with Colin, nearly allowing the knife to touch him before pulling away. Mannequin then used the knife on the wall, demonstrating its power, before Colin lost consciousness.

He awoke to Dragon’s voice, learning he had survived multiple cardiac arrests during surgery. Dragon had provided artificial parts, saving his life, though his face was now partially prosthetic. The parts were temporary, requiring further surgeries.

Dragon called Colin an idiot for provoking Mannequin. A photo revealed Mannequin’s message: “BRB” (Be Right Back), possibly directed at Colin. Dragon suggested Mannequin intentionally left Colin alive.

Colin, trying to lighten the mood, questioned Dragon’s earlier statement, “I need you.” Dragon revealed the prosthetics were part of a larger project for herself, implying a personal connection. She confessed a secret about herself, hinting at a deeper reason for her actions. The nature of her secret remained undisclosed.