Dad was avoiding my calls so I decided to put on my headset and jack into the cyberspace Corporate server to come looking for him at his apartment office. He wasn’t around. I scanned the area until I found him outside and appeared before him.
Dad smiles at me. “What’s going on baby girl? I thought you would be getting your beauty rest. How you doing?”
Dad seemed fine and relaxed. I felt at ease and smiled back. “I’m fine. I was just wondering why you haven’t been taking my calls. You headed out?”
Dad nodded staring at me with a shaky grin on his lips. “Yeah. I got a job sent my way and my other responsibilities have called me out of my apartment for a bit. Daisy is going to pick me up and drive me around. You really should get your sleep. Your a busy President.”
I blinked in surprise and then remembered. Dad was a King of Newark City State. I then frowned as a transporter pulled up on the curb beside Dad. The door slid down to reveal the single passenger inside.
I stared open mouthed as I realized who she was. “Daisy?! Is that you?”
The beautiful female smiled. (Confirmed. Greetings President Sergio.)
Dad slid inside beside Daisy and smiled up at me. “I’ll see you later honey. Don’t be worrying about your old Dad. I’ll be back to Sergio servers in a few hours. Give me a kiss for luck.”
I grinned at him and bent down and kissed his cheek. “Go get the bag Daddy.” I said straightened up. I still gave Daisy a look. She nodded in understanding. I was counting her to bring him back safe.
The door slide up again and then took off for the open cyberspace network.
I watched newsfeeds of the events broadcasted on the cyberspace unfold and felt like an itch to be out there and wish I could. I was out of the game though. My mind stuck in the virtual cyberspace. A forced retirement. Still I existed and I would use whatever means I could to win. No way in hell was I leaving my baby girl to live in any shit hole the ice head had planned for dream realm subjugation.
Hexi’s name was flashing on my call screen. I hit a button on my keyboard and smiled as I saw Hexi along with Largo and Omarion in the background images appear on my dashboard. They were a pretty exceptional group I had come to deeply respect and take pride in the fact that they road with my pack.
“What’s up boss? I like your new digs.” Omarion said.
“Thank you, Omarion good to see you. Mr. Astro! What’s going on Sir?”
“Their in the city. Boss. They almost took us out on the way to our home base.” Largo said. “It’s fucking on tonight. What you got for us?” He said with a smile.
I smiled. “I got plenty of work for you Mr. Astro. But first. I got promises to keep. Omarion. I promised you an item for doing me a solid regarding everything you have done for my corporation and my baby girl. Your going to need it.” I said and snapped my fingers.
Omarion had a puzzled look on his face and started to say something. I waved my hand and the sword disappeared from the cyberspace into the real world in a sword belt behind Omarion’s back. He jumped and looked behind himself at the sword and then back at me. The other two shared similar looks of surprise. “Damn. That is impressive. I’m thinking you most have a big job for us.”
I nodded. “I’m sending Hexi, the details. The short of it is your going to be raiding a corporate business of seven assets that have been hidden away in a closed down corporation.”
Largo frowned shaking his head. “I don’t get it Boss. What do seven assets have to do with the war going on outside?”
I smiled. “Everything, Mr. Astro. Your assignment will become clear when you find them and the holder of the assets. The corporation is the Princess Inc.”
“No fucking way. We burned those fuckers.”
Hexi was silently shaking her head as she reviewed the material I sent her on her end. She was frowning glaring at the information. “I guess we missed one. Is this the chick that jammed you up?”
I shook my head. “Oh no. I have an idea where she is but I don’t have a solid lead to send you after her just yet. No this is the female that personally retired me permanently to my current state you see before you.”
Omarion nodded. “We’ll bury her and claim the assets. She isn’t getting away tonight.”
“Be careful Omarion. She has evaded us so far and she is a powerful human elemental. Do not over estimate her powers like I did.”
“I got you Boss. She evaded us so far but there’s no way in the nine hells I’m going to let her get away tonight. We’ll send you a photo of the body to confirm it’s her to be sure until then we’ll be on the hunt.” Omarion said.
It was plashed all over the city now in advertisements pushed toward the Nomads and underground business sector. I had managed during this time to buy out the company I wanted during the upheaval.
War was here again in the dream realm. The newsfeed solos were out recording the advance of the frost army toward the city but they had already sent out agents toward the farming expansions outside of the city. Once they took captive all the farms they would attempt to starve us out and then the Frost bastard would come making his proposal for our surrender of the realm into his federation of realms under his control. It was strange. I remember when the war began I had been a small child apart of large pack and then in five years I had become one of the last soldiers fighting back the frost army until the war was ended.
Hmm. Ended?! No. The war hadn’t ended it just had been put on a pause and now given the enemy enough time and knowledge the realm to strike at us for takeover and raid on all our asses and assets. The war felt like decades ago at one point now I felt the itch and wondered if I would be able to resist taking a leave of absence from the company to go out against the invader trash. There would be no truce this time. No. This time we had to totally destroy any and all fight in the enemy. The question was how. If the HeavyMetal Dragon couldn’t drive that fear into the frost king and his soldiers what the hell would? I felt a buzz in my pocket and took out my detapad. “Take Call!”
“What’s going on in your head baby girl? Talk to me!”
I shook my head. “War. We’re headed into the shit again.”
“Okay. I’m missing the part where any of that has to do with you. Let the Kings and generals in charge handle it. How’s business going?”
“Good. I bought out the company and we’re in the process of valuing the assets for sale and then building up the company to earn more. Easy work. Easy money. Why don’t you want to challenge Sigma? Is it because you don’t trust me to handle him or you don’t think I’m strong enough?”
“None of that shit. Sigma doesn’t own a business. He is his business. All that paperwork about a business that’s an illusion he uses to hide what he is. Sigma is an enigma. I don’t fuck with his type. Their to much of a mystery. You can’t figure out where the fuck they’ll strike back at you or with what weapon. I don’t trust them and I don’t fuck with anything they might own. Hold on, Daisy! Bring up Sigma’s file!”
(Confirmed)
I looked up to my screen as profile appeared of Owen Sigma.
Early 40s to late 30s. Former Nomad class. Former Runner. Former Solo Sniper warrior. Currently Underground class. Job title THE Fixer. Net worth 3.5 Million ebs.?!
I frowned at the last line. “Daisy. Two questions. What’s up with the Net Worth issue about and what’s up with job title THE Fixer? Fixer is a common enough low class job title in the Underground business sector. Sigma owns a corporation. Shouldn’t he be a executive class?”
(Negative. Fixer is a common job title for thirty-five hundred citizens in the city state however THE Fixer is the main job class of the current King of the Underground so his net worth can not possible me Under 3.5 Million ebs. Estimation of net worth is a fabrication.)
I leaned back in my chair and looked down at Dad’s image on my detapad. “I didn’t know the underground sector had a King status.”
Dad shook his head. “They didn’t. Sigma chose to stay in the Underground instead of going into the Executive branch and he managed to do what nobody in that sector has done sense it’s inception. He legitimized it. You didn’t even notice how you call it the underground business sector. That wasn’t a common thing in my time growing up. Sigma did that when he got the authority kings on his side and started charging his services publicly to executives and everybody in between. It took him twenty years to do it. None of the kings knows what the hell he’ll do in the next twenty let alone what he’ll do now that war is coming to the city with him in power. He’s ghosting us right now. But, we know that asshole is Fixing to do something big if he hasn’t started it already.”
I started to ask him how he knew what the kings were thinking then it hit me. I stared at him. He wasn’t my Dad right now. He was A king of Newark City State. “So do you know what other the kings are planning?”
Dad shrugged. “The kings position is clear. Their invasion is their annialtion. The kings are taking out ever last one of them fuckers and destroying whatever back key or backstabbing bitch got them back into the dream realm. The last time we were in defense this time they ain’t seen shit yet. They going to learn quick enough to leave us the fuck alone and stay the fuck off our block. But, you don’t need to worry about the lightning storm about to come down on that Ice head Frusty. When the time comes there’s going to be businesses I’m going to need you to capture and raid of assets. Mr. Golden is going to be your back up while you go to war in the executive sector. You got me!”
My heart was hammering in my chest but I nodded my head. Things were beginning to become clearer now and why My Dad the King was insistent I think of myself as an executive. What better means of masking what I was or what he needed me to do. “Yes. I got you. You don’t have to worry about me. Just concentrate on what you need to right now and when the time comes tell me what business you want the corporation to look at targeting.”
Dad sighed and seemed to relax his face into a smile. “That’s good. That’s good. Trust me Baby girl. I know it seems boring and easy work to you but your doing and what your going to do is important to your future.”
I smiled. My head hurt at the stress that now I really couldn’t screw this up for him. He was depending on me in the war. Traitors.
I sat at my writing desk recording my thoughts and took a break to gaze up a at cyberspace for a few moments as I looked over the latest news reports about two blood hounds that setting fire to the Princess Inc. On the accounting of a broken blood law seven and smiled. “Omarion had done it. The Astro Bros had completed my last will and job. It was finished.
I turned in surprise to see the cyberspace image of my daughter. “What are you doing here, Debra? You should be-“
“The job is done. Your blood hounds have secured your revenge. Now will you tell me what happened to you and why?”
I shrugged blowing out smoke from the side of my mouth. “Nothing much to say? I took a job back damn near a year ago a little before I met you and I couldn’t complete it. I was asked to retrieve a rare legendary CPU hybrid A.i chip system. It was meant to be put into high end GEH warrior models that were prototype Dragons or automatic lightning kissed immortals. I traced the location of the chip.. I had two problems. One, the chip had already been set with in a GEH financial assistant model already in operation and second the chip being a legendary a.i. was complete bullshit. So even if I killed the GEH model to get the chip out of her chest I would only end up looking like a liar if I ripped the chip from her chest and handed over to them.”
I could see understanding in her eyes even as she shook her head. “No. I don’t understand.” She lied.
“Yes you do. I was the chump set up to take the fall. I had to protect myself. Well I thought I did if it wasn’t for one chatter box traitorous bitch-“
“Your still full of shit Dad. The CPU would have a code and identification number on it. It didn’t matter whether it was the real deal or not. A job is a job. You couldn’t complete the job because you couldn’t kill her. Heroes don’t kill the innocent just to get a paycheck.”
“Holy shit. This bullshit again. I’m a business man.” I said. Fuck. I sounded like lying dog to my own ears.
“Bullshit and you know it.” She said. “Wait a minute. Does this GEH have children and a mate. Damn it. I knew it. What bitch were talking ?”
Oh shit. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Yeah. The bitch you were about to mention. Is she the one that told on you? You must have told somebody about your problem. It must be the bitch that got you jammed up. What’s her name!?”
I shook my head. “It’s over. Chances are she’ll be dead along with the rest of the assholes that had a hand in burning my body. Let the shit go.”
“Oh no. Your going to tell me her name. I promise not to kill her. I swore. I won’t do shit to her.. But your going to tell me her name.”
“Wait a minute. You’ve been wondering what I am right? Well I can-“
“-I don’t give a fuck about that. Tell.me this bitch’s name.”
I was silent. Pondering what to say. “I can’t. You’re not ready for that bitch. She waited a while to plan this out and remove me from the picture. Learning how to find her let alone defeat her will only end making you lose everything you desire. It’s what happened to me though I never thought she would turn on me like she did. She was one of my people. Once I realized she was behind it all I had already lost everything and ended up here. I couldn’t lose you which I knew she was after. It’s you Debra.”
“Teach me. Teach me how to be better then her and then when I’m ready she’ll never see me coming or the axe before it comes down on her neck. I can beat her. Do you trust me?”
I stared at her. “Of course I do. Your my Baby girl. That’s why I don’t want to lose you.”
“Then teach me to succeed where you failed because I’m your daughter and as long as I’m alive she’ll be after anyone connected to you to destroy. I can beat her.”
I smiled. “Alright. You got me.”
End of 2nd series….
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt
I stared at my message displayed on visor lenses as I got the second confirmation from Mr. Golden in a short email message congratulating me on my success in avenging my father. I didn’t send in any reply back because I knew he was only trying to blow smoke up my ass while he was the only one responsible for succeeding.
“CALL Dad.” I said.
I got no response from my detapad at first and then a message started being typed out. Titled goodbye. I sighed. “Dad. Talk to me.”
The message went on until it was complete. I didn’t read. I already knew what it said. “Daisy. summarize message from my Dad.”
(Confirmed. The chairman is giving his final goodbyes after the successful mission completion of his avenging. He wishes you well and now has gone on to the great beyond. The roads of the beyond are calling him. Personal comment. LOL!
I frowned at her last comment. “Daisy. Are you laughing at my Dad?”
(Confirmed.)
I sighed Dad was bullshitting me again. But, why though and where the hell was he. “Daisy, tell me. Formulate reasons my Dad would be avoiding talking to me now. I know you can’t tell me the reason he gave you. Three examples will do.”
(Confirmed. 1. A inability to face what Chairman Sergio has lost. 2. In ability to protect President Sergio. 3. A secret.
Hmm. All seemed likely but the last one. I had to find him. “Daisy, Is my Dad similar to you know?”
(Negative. Chairman Sergio is highly advance alien species. Daisy 0200A is a A.i. with a recent upgrade in emotional intelligence and brainstorming. Personal comment. Bam!)
I smiled shaking my head at her. Okay. I frowned. “Daisy. How did you get your upgrade from Dad. I didn’t see invoice in our accounts from a software engineer.”
(Chairman Sergio performed a personal conditioning, induction into my sensory core and elevated my status into that of more-
“He had sex with you. Your saying he mated with you?” I asked wondering if I was hearing it wrong.
(Confirmed. Six times with future updates promised. Personal comment. Bam!)
Holy shit. My Ai assistant was getting laid more then me lately. Hmm. I needed to find Dad. I had to get a profile list on Dad to find out where in the cyberspace he would be hanging out. It was time to get to work. Wait a minute. I didn’t have to do this alone. “Daisy! Call up my Lawyer Golden. I have a request to make from him.”
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt
The lights came on as I entered my apartment alone. No one greeted me and I couldn’t trace where my father’s hunting hounds where.
“Daisy! Call lawyer. I need information on any progress he’s making with finding out who the fuck stole my black box and if those two cowboys have found out who the fuck jammed up my Dad.”
((acknowledged. Your lawyer has sent you a message regarding the corporation that stole chairman Sergio and documents for you to look over.)
“Send them to my detapad and I’ll look over them. What’s the message?”
((Tetermination of asset liquidators will be complete in less then five hours. Twenty-eight minutes and zero seconds.))
“Daisy. I need a location on the hunters so that I can join them.”
(request, denied.))
“Under whose orders. The AI posing as my Dad. My father is dead.”
((Negative. Chairman Sergio is alive currently located in President Sergio’s detapad. Under his orders and advice of President Sergio’s lawyer it is so.))
“Daisy. Video call Lawyer Golden. Now.”
((acknowledged. Call received.))
A live video of Golden sitting at his desk still in his suit working appear. Golden had jade green eyes and a sharp black suit. He was a dorf mutant and always had a sunny smile on his face when he greeted me but not today.
“President Sergio.”
“Golden. You will give me the location of the cowboys or I will fire you on the spot.”
“I am employed by the chairman currently and seeing as he is still alive you do not have the authority to fire me. Is there anything else?”
“My father is alive then?”
“Yes. He currently is in your detapad.”
“So my Dad isn’t human?” I asked though I knew the truth I still needed to hear it. I needed to know I wasn’t crazy.
Golden shook his head. “No. Chairman Sergio is an alien of course. His kidnappers destroyed the body he used and permanently disabled him. I was able to aquire his mind luckily through the black market for a price. Is there anything else?”
“Give me the address to the people that hurt my Dad. Now.”
“Under the security and regulations contract you signed for the chairman you not allowed to engage in any form of corporate espionage or revenge quests in the event our chief asset Chairman Sergio would be liquidated. You put your name on that contract as a sign of your word and loyalty to the corporation and it’s founder Chairman Sergio.” He said smoothly.
He was right but damn it I couldn’t lose this chance. “Fuck your contracts. You corporate devil. I’m Nomad. I have a right by Noman law to-“
“-Blood law seven. Under justice repayment clause. All matters of eye for eye are handled by the elder brothers of the pack and all children are forbidden from acting in the place of an adult. I am your elder by twenty years. Your father named me the man to handle this matter quietly. You are a child by nomad law. This matter would be none of your business. By corporate law you are President Sergio. A young talented youth that is a rising star in the financial industry and business acquisition area. You are neither a solo or Fixer. I have had a practice in both professions. You pay men such as myself to handle those matters you are ignorant of in general. Is there anything else?”
It was him. This was the man my Dad had selected for me.. The dominance and complete arrogance dripped from his lips and cold gaze. He regarded me as nothing more then a nosy female being a busy-body in his affairs. I shook my head. “No. I will look over the files and have them signed if I like the offer.”
Lawyer Golden smiled his face becoming a mask of friendly open innocence. “Good. Good. You know best in such matters. President Sergio. I’m just a humble tradesman in this regard. By your leave.”
I waved him away and live video blinked out. Damn. I wasn’t ready for him.
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt
The room was empty when I got in for the morning. It was time for the meeting but was the only one here. I got out my detapad to ask Daisy what the hell was going on. I looked at the wall screen come to life. It flashed digital images of my assistants at their seats working.
They all jumped as I walked over looking over at what they were working on. I saw the screens flashing with market charts and data read outs for the day. “So how is the portfolio doing? Poorly I would guess. Carmon. What are we looking at?”
Carmon Indigo stared at me. “The portfolio is in the shit house for the moment and several of our employees have jumped ship to our competition but that’s not the major situation. We’ve just hit pay dirt. We got two sub-contractors snagged three high profile assets.”
I frowned. “Bring up a profile of one the assets and resalable value.” I asked and looked toward the wall.
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt
I stared at the cruiser in shock. “Carmon is this-“
“Yes. It’s confirmed. It’s the original model and has the artifacts of the founders of the dream realm. All confirmed and we have offers coming in from private collectors. King Eddie Williams is the top pic.”
“It’s worth in the billions. Alright. Shit. First, who the fuck found this thing and did they acquire it through legal means that won’t get us fucked with Authority and the corporate tax gang for not cutting them a piece in the action? Bring up their ID images and intelligence on how they-“
“-No pictures on file just Letters. L.A. and O. A. and audio message.”
“Shit! Play message!”
“Carmon baby. We got a contracted bill of sale coming to you and a location of where we’re keeping the goods. You know the place Authority Square of 5th Street. We’ll be awaiting the pick up. Come on down and be quick about it baby. My brother got company business to finish up. Later.”
I sighed. “Alright. meeting is over. Carmon send a max prize we can get for the car to his majesty Williams. I need whatever people got left on payroll not hunting down contracts to meet me at the location. Meetings over for now. Call me back when you get answer on the price. I got a few words to have with this cowboy and his mysterious brother.”
I got already feel my detapad buzzing in my pocket as I left room and headed upstairs to where my cruiser was parked on the room of my apartment building. I put on my vizor and hit the receive button on the side. Dad’s image was frowning at me.
“Baby girl what in the hell are you doing? Your not a nomad anymore. Your a Corpo. Leave that shit to-“
“Fuck that shit. You hired them to find the people that jammed you up, didn’t you? I should have known it. I’m not letting them ace me out of the kill and I’m not Corpo. I want to rich and damn sure ain’t trying to sit back and wait while those clowns you hired have all the fun. I’m still a warrior Dad. The same as you.”
“Fucking hell! You ain’t mated yet and keep acting the way your doing the Nomads are going to come hunting you up to shackle you to some asshole I don’t know to get a hold on you. Nomad culture is basic down and dirty what the fuck it is. I told you going fully Corpo is your best-
“-and I told you I ain’t no Corpo. I’m get mated soon enough either to one of those cowboys you hired or to Mr. mystery man you keeping in your back pocket. I’ll leave you to decide. Later.” I said turning off communication. I raced upstairs to the roof.
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt
Authority came to pick up the body and the stranger that Dad hired talked with them explaining what happened.
I didn’t feel righteous or good doing what I did I just felt more lost and no idea who sent the beer to Herold to have my Dad drink. There were no records in his place linking the transporter to any corporation a common no name runner had done the job.
I looked at the solo who finished talking to authority and wondered if…wow wait a minute. A man on cycle pulled up full armor and held with a sword on his back. He waved Over to the Solo that had been following me.
The Solo jogged over explained what happened to him. The warrior’s right arm was lightning kissed. I saw streams of lightning wrapped around his arm like large bands of rope or moving snakes.
I started to get up and start walking toward the them my eyes on the lightning kissed. He nodded at me before hoping on his bike and racing away. I smiled. It was him. I walked up to the Solo left.
“So. When did my father hire you and your partner as my bodyguards?” I asked tapping my visor and scanning his biological form.
He smiled. “You don’t even know my name. Your assuming shit. I told you-“
“Wait a sec. Oh here it comes. Hmm. I’m not getting a name only L A. Nothing else. That’s amazing. You must be one of the big boys that work for the kings. So you must have been hired my Dad. Okay L.A. What did my Dad hire you to do?”
L.A. smiled. “I’ll leave that for you to guess. You should get home President Sergio. My condolences about your Father. Stories about Mr. Sergio’s big nuts proceeds him in many circles. I don’t have cruiser. I’m dirt poor but I could boost you a ride if you need one.”
I hit my visor on the left side. “Daisy. Pick me up.” I said and turned up as my cruiser came down from the Sky-ways and parked on the corner beside me. I smiled Daisy opened the door opened for me. “Thank you Daisy.” I got in the cruiser ignoring the L.A.
I frowned. “Your acting funny. What are you not telling me?”
(President Sergio. Lawyer says no identification can be made on intruders that stole said property and several employees have dis-associated from the corporation.)
“Great. Anything else?”
(Chairman Sergio sent you flowers. They will arrive in a few hours at your apartment.)
I smiled. “Daisy. Where is Chairman Sergio located?”
I felt a buzzing in my jacket pocket where my detapad was located. I tapped my Bluetooth visor on right side. Dad’s annoyed face appeared before my eyes.
“Your in red district at 2 in morning. You looking for a ice cream store?”
“Actually I’m heading for a beer at your old spot. What’s up?”
“You hate Beer!” Dad said. “Looks like your looking for trouble. I thought you out grew that bad habit.. Don’t you have a corp meeting tomorrow morning?”
“I do. Don’t worry so much. I really am just getting a beer. What was it like growing up here?”
“I didn’t grow up here. I grew up near the rim surviving in the Outlands during the winter and I spent the summers in the city looking for work before and after the frost war. The past doesn’t matter. Your alive. I’m not. Live your life. Get a mating contract. Get rich.”
“You don’t want me to be happy?” I asked.
“Being rich is happiness kiddo. You got a gift for it. Trust me I know. When you came into my life you brought me a lot of it thanks to that lovely brain of yours. You won’t find the people that got me. Find yourself a decent enough asshole with a heart of loyalty. There are more then a few at our little corporation.” He said.
“Hmm. Do you have a male in mind for me? Is he handsome?” I said and started to feel like someone was following me.
“Of course. Only the best for you kiddo. But, your not ready for him just yet. You should focus on making money. Get some sleep. Go home. Your a big time Corpo now. Your a busy young woman.”
“So you do have someone for me. He most be someone you respect. Whoever got you jammed up cost me twenty-five million ebs and time I can’t get back.”
“I know. You’ll make it up.. You don’t need to settle it. Forgive and forget. You know.”
I smiled when I saw the bar up ahead. “This male you have for me? He’s not a office man is he?What does he do?”
“He is a clean up man. He cleans up messes and shit-cans, shit bags. After you get your beer will you please go home? Talking to Herold won’t solve anything. He’s only going to lie.”
“I know. I’m not interested in what he has say. I’m just really going out for a beer and to relax a bit.. Did you hire bodyguards for me today?”
Dad gave me a side eye. “Of course I did. I might be dead but I’m not going to stop trying to look out for you.” He paused as he looked down at his detapad. “I got a go handle some business. Be safe Baby girl.” He said and my screen went blank.
I really wondered when he was going to stop pretending he was dead. Whatever happened to Dad one thing I was confident of now.. He wasn’t human so he hadn’t been born a human..non-humans were hard to kill. It started to rain and I hurried to the Bar.
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt
I stared out at the city listening to music while I wondered when Dad was going to get home from work.
I heard a buzz from front door and something heavy like a box being dropped down outside. I grabbed my P89 and headed to the door. I took a look from my Datapad to see outside at the cameras I had had installed in our private hallway.
I looked outside a black box sat on the floor in front of my door. I opened my door and bent down reaching for it carefully and picked it up. I went inside closing the door behind me it locked automatically.
I went over to my workstation and put it down. There was a code on of the top box. I scanned it with my Datapad and downloaded a video message.
“I got some bad news baby girl. Well depending on when you hear this and our relationship.. I’m dead. This is my last will and testament to you in the event my heart stopped and I wasn’t able to check in with my lawyer in the last twenty-four hours. I don’t have much but my name to give you. My business and all my accounts are now yours. I was-“
The door was blown open a second later and several Corpo agents came in with pulse rifles. They advanced in pushing me back as they took the black box.
“Your stealing my property.” I said.
They ignored me as they took the box backing out and leaving. “Daisy!”
(At your service, President Sergio)
“Record theft and identity agents draw up lawsuit on corporation for theft and attempted assault.”
(Done. Waiting for response from lawyer.)
I looked back at my Detapad and froze as I saw my Dad pretending to be froze while listening to everything going on. Hope. I allowed myself a little of it. Dad was an odd one.
“Play message.”
“I know. It’s going to be hard for you but your in a good position to transfer into a full Corpo position in your life but-“
“Cut the crap Dad. I want to know who got you jammed up enough to fake your death. This isn’t a recording and you weren’t about to say all this.”
Dad sighed. “Listen. I’m dead. What your seeing now is just an A.I. program I had made up to give you the details and make some arrangements along the way. I’m not live streaming to you. Daisy can confirm it for you.”
(Correct. Chairman Sergio is not live streaming his message from any known device. He is currently located in President Sergio’s Detapad. President Sergio the video has been sent to your lawyer. He is reviewing it now.)
What the hell?!
Dad waved his thin cigar nodding his head. “See. Now. My message is complete. You can delete this program at any time you want. Later-“
“Wait. Your an A.I. of my Dad? You most know somethings about him.”
Dad shrugged. “I know what I know. The past never matters much to me Baby girl.”
Even that answer was so like my Dad. “Where were you born? What is the name of your pack?”
Dad smiled shaking his head. “Nope. I know where you trying to go but trust me Baby girl my past is complicated enough. Let’s just say I wasn’t born in the normal way or in a normal setting. My pack name is of course. Sergio. If that’s all you really should delete this program.”
I smiled and put away detapad. “Daisy. Is the market open yet?”
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt
I woke half naked with only my pants on and nothing else. My gear was gone and I had massive headache. I was lying on a concrete floor with smell of dry blood. It was warm. I only felt a little cool from the air conditioning.
Hmm. I heard the steady clip of heels approaching me from a hallway outside my cell. I wondered what the hell this was about. I rolled up to a sitting position on the floor. My head made me pay for the movement with extra pounding.
I tried tapping the side of my head and attempted to remove a VR headset that wasn’t there. This was real then. Where fuck was I?
I looked up as the heels came to a stop at a wall but I didn’t see a door. The door way slid open to a white hallway I saw past the female figure that stood in front of me as the door quickly slid closed behind us leaving us in the fake dungeon.
She wasn’t a model. Her tone and direct stare wasn’t like one of them and she smelled like soap and water with slash of roses. Corpo. She had to be an executive class. Shit.
“No. No. I don’t one moment I’m drinking coffee at my favorite bar and relaxing for night before a job now. I’m thinking when I get out of here I’m going to kill my favorite bartender for slipping me whatever he did to make my head hurt like a son of bitch. You got a job for me or are you presenting me with a mating contract?”
She stared at me. She reached behind her back presenting me with fancy silver detapad and clicked a bottom to show the picture of photo of a former client of mean a year ago. “Do you know this person?”
“Yeah. She gave me the name Katelyn Bess a solo operator of some kind. Wanted me to find some micro computer of some kind. I had to give her the credits back. I failed the job.”
The room flashed a green color.
What the hell?
She grimanced. “She wanted you to find a very special item. A Silverback. An item that you say you failed to find but I know that is a lie.”
Again the room flashed green. I shrugged. “I’m missing the part why I would willingly give up 50k ebs. I don’t break my word and I don’t give up ebs easily. I’m a business man and I eat what I kill.”
The green flashed green again.
She frowned at me. “Your a good liar. Fine then. Tell me where the Silverback is?”
“Your guess is as good as mean?” I said.
“Tell me where the Silverback is? Your evading my question. You must an idea where it is or in whom possession it currently is. Tell me.”
I smiled. “Can’t help you there. Your asking for free help. I’m not into charity work.” I said coming to my feet. All I had to do was grab a hold of her and use her as a hostage. Easy work.
“Oh. I think you can. I think you will.” She said before lifting her hand and firing fingernails toward. They stabbed into my chest.
Pain shot up into my chest as my body was lit up with lightning.. My body started shaking in a violent uncontrollably.
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt
