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Posted by:

the_mask

Date:

June 7th, 2007 11:49 AM

Header:

Void short story!

Bulletin:

(Computer. Begin entry 1027) [Entry has begun] After I woke up this morning, I went into an electronics store, where I found some helpful new equipment. (A new operating system was available for my computer, which I could easily convert to work with my body, and a faster CPU, but that’s not important now). I was their top customer. Terry Rendon- Cray, female, age 31, 5 foot 5, 36- 34- 36, green eyes, and so on. I saw the bin of outdated material for 100 units each. This reminded me of a long time ago, in the year 2018 (it’s 2215 now), when I fell into an experimental chemical. I had fallen from a thin walkway overlooking it, during a tour. The chemical was designed to slowly eat away at organic material, and therefore I almost died during my bath in the substance. As soon as humanly possible, I was fished out of it, and rushed into a cryogenic chamber. What was left of me, anyway.
I was kept in the chamber until the year 2211, where they created a body for me, designed to react to my thoughts, so that it would act just like my old one. They added a few nice perks, such as the ability to lift up to two tons. Artificial nerves were implanted, which I can turn on or off. I can also move faster than the average human, morph, or whatnot. Unfortunately, my speed is triggered by how I perceive time. I can change my perception, by changing the frame rate at which I see things. My eyes are cameras, because my old ones were eaten away. Once time is either moving more quickly, or slowly, I feel like I’m moving at the same speed I usually do, but what’s around me is faster or slower. I can cause the shift by blinking, and focusing on the new speed. The only thing that’s different, other than looks, is that I can no longer have a child of my own.
Even though I had been this way for four years, my new reflection still surprises me. I picked up a package with a very reflective backing, and studied my reflection for the 15th time in the past 24 hours. My hair was neck- length, and a translucent gray. I wore lipstick that was red; it makes my feel nostalgic, because the modern color is an electric blue. I had a few earrings, and my nose was small, and formed into a point.
When I was in the chamber, society had changed quite a bit. There were three classes in society; Legal, illegal, and fringe. A legal was someone with a perfectly clean record, or someone who was rich enough to have it wiped clean. They couldn’t be arrested, and bounties couldn’t (legally) be placed upon them. Illegals were people with criminal records, no matter how big or small, that were still wanted. They could legally be the subject of a bounty. A Fringer was someone who had a criminal record, but their time had been served. Bounties could be placed on them legally as well. Hunting a Legal, or placing an illegal bounty on one immediately transformed your social status into an Illegal. There were no courts, and the government attempted to hold total control over the state, but everything had gone to hell in reality.
I am a wanted bounty hunter, because I am known for hunting Legals. The reason I hunt them, is because one of them hired someone to kill a person who was close to me. Before I hunt them, I always study them to see if they are corrupt. If they are, it’s a fairly obvious fact. They pay to clean their records, or their parents do. The city is forced to acknowledge them as benefactors, but really they are destroying the city at its roots. Fortunately, no one knows that I’m the bounty hunter they want, because I wear a different outfit that just happens to cover my face, and distinctive traits. No one knows Terry Rendon-Cray is Void.
As I walked out of the store with my purchase, I heard a faint buzzing in my left ear. My palm began to tingle at the same time. I sprinted to the nearest alley without a camera down it. It was easy to find one, which was a surprise, because this neighborhood is so run down, and infested with Illegals. I quickly slipped on my suit. It consisted of what would be known as tights in the past, only they were bulletproof. They were white, except for a pattern that formed an hourglass shape on the front and back of the suit. I also wore gloves that had white fingers, but the rest was black. They extended to the elbows where they turned into a sharp spike that stopped just under the bicep. It was a mix weave of fabric and steel. The hands were mainly fabric, and the spike was completely steel.
I also wore a helmet that had a white dome where the top of my head was. There was a black faceplate in front of it that formed into four spikes, or horns coming from my forehead. I wore boots that went to the knees, and extended into two spikes, one on either side of the leg. They were also a mix of cloth and steel. I also wore a black cape which was made the same way. I wore a belt with two holsters and many pouches on it. The pouches contained many different gadgets, including ammunition for the pistols in the holsters, and a grapple attachment for each.
I looked up once my suit was on, and leaped onto the roof of the building I was next to. It was only one story from where I was, and an easy jump. It was in reality roughly 25 or 30 stories, but they all extended underground. When I came out of the chamber, I was surprised to learn that the city had grown so large, it could no longer expand to the sides, or into they sky safely, so it grew down. This was logical, when you thought about it. There was a culture thriving underground, one thriving on plexiarmor floors in the sky, and one on the ground. I was surprised the human race lasted this long, but they had found a way past global warming. I forget how, so (Computer. Make a note.) [Recording.] I should check the historical archives on global warming. (End note.) [Done.]
I ran the length of the building, and jumped to the next. I worked my way to my lifebase (I still want to call it a home) in this fashion. Once I was under it, I pulled out the grapple attachment for one of my guns, and attached it to the weapon. I aimed above a window, and fired. It reeled me in to the window, and I went straight through. It’s a clear energy field aligned to only let my DNA structure through. I had to add a few things to my cybernetic body to make it unique, however.
When I got in, the place was in shambles. Someone had found a way past all of my security measures, and was able to rummage through my belongings. I frantically searched my lifebase, and wasn’t able to find anything missing. I sat in a chair, and thought about who could have broken in, and why. Nothing was stolen, or was it? I looked more carefully, and checked the one place that wasn’t a mess. I opened a drawer protected by a retinal scanner, voice, and keypad security. I kept this heavily locked on purpose, the information inside was too sensitive for any less. I looked in, and found it was missing; the one thing that could ruin me. Proof of my dual identity, as well as all the people I had worked for, and all the people I had captured.
I sat on the floor, and rethought everything. Who would have been able to get it? I had no idea. Who would want to? Just about everyone, the bounty on my head was the most expensive one I had heard of.
I called my partner, the Knight. I stepped out on the balcony, and saw him coming. He flew in on his jetpack. He wore white armor that was creased all around. He also had a belt like mine, but instead of two holsters, he had a sheath affixed to his left hip with a sword. His helmet had a visor shaped like a V, and a grate across his mouth. He knew who I was, and I trusted him with my life, but for some reason he wouldn’t tell me who he was. “Do know anyone who would be able to break in here?” I asked, gesturing at the lifebase behind me.
He put his hand on his chin, and thought for a minute. “I have no idea.” He replied.
“Great.” I said. “I’ll have to interrogate a few people underground.”
“Need any help?” He asked.
“No thanks. I think it would be best if I did this alone.” I answered.
“Keeping it quiet, are you?”
“Pretty much. I don’t want people knowing my secret is out there somewhere.” I replied. “Thank goodness this is only known as Void’s headquarters, and not Ms. Cray’s!” I chuckled, upset.
“Yes,” He agreed. “thank goodness.”
Once he had left, I jumped over the rail, and activated small magnets in my wrists and ankles by will. They then connected to my cape, and I glid to the ground safely. I ran to the nearest station where I could go underground. I leaped over any obstacles in my way.
When I was underground, I looked around, and noticed that no one seemed to care about an antique cooking store that was on fire. It was called ‘The Pot’. I shook my head, and chuckled. I went to the crummy area of the place. The ‘sky’, which was actually a mix of a giant rock face and a reinforced steel frame, was illuminated with an artificial star that was small enough to provide light without blinding you unless you looked directly at it for a couple hours. It also provided the power for the city here, above us, and in the sky. The star was entirely self-sufficient, how I don’t know.
I walked to the club next to me. I came to places like this fairly often, only as Terry Rendon-Cray, not Void. If I walked inside with my costume on, everyone would either laugh, or be quiet and unsure how to react. So, I kicked the door in. Everyone who noticed looked towards me, and quieted down. I walked straight through to the back of the club, where I knew I would find the information I needed. As I walked, a path was cleared for me, and soon the entire club was silent. They knew they didn’t want to make me angry.
In the back of the club, there was one man. He was known as Krimp. I wondered where these people got their names. He sat calmly, watching me. The man had a cybernetic arm, as well as one bionic eye, and a large gun strapped to his thigh. His translucent green hair was arranged into spikes. He wore a pimp outfit that was both translucent and purple. When you looked through it, you only saw what was on the other side of him, instead of his underdressings.
“I need information.” I said, thumping the table. He thought for a moment, and replied:
“If you want some of that it’ll cost you.” I looked at him, and laughed. I said, suddenly serious:
“You really think you can try that with me?”
“Well, yes I actually do.” He said. “You see, I have some of my Morphs to keep girlies like you in line.”
As angry as I was at his response, I wanted to do this as fast as possible, so fighting wasn’t in my best interest. Plus, Morphs were much more challenging to fight than uneducated scum like him. Morphs were people who changed their DNA structure to become stronger, faster, or whatever. At one point you were an Illegal if you were a Morph, because genetic experimentation was illegal. Eventually the problem got so out of hand, that testing became legal, along with Morphs.
“Fine, we’ll do this how you want.” I growled. “How much do you want?”
“Well,” he replied. “That depends on the information you need.”
“I need to know who was planning to break into my lifebase.”
He didn’t look surprised, when he said “That’ll be a billion.” My self from 2018 was grateful for inflation.
I transferred the money to his account through my body’s computer. The information appeared to float in front of me, and I could work with it by thinking. “It’s there.” I said.
He looked surprised for the first time; I hadn’t moved to do so. He eyed my skeptically as he pulled his account information up on the crummy computer built into the table. “Well, what do you know, it is.” He said as he shut the screen off. “Let’s talk.”
“So, who—“
“A man named Vice.” He interrupted. “You can find him in the sky.”
I was surprised with how fast he answered me. “Thanks.” I said, pretending to be convinced. I left the club, leaving a wake of unanswered questions behind me. I pressed a button on the side of my helmet, activating the built in COM link. “Knight?” I asked. “Do you have a minute?”
“Yeah, what do you need?” He replied.
“Can you dig up some dirt on a man known as Vice in the underworld?”
“I’m looking now…” He said. After a few seconds he continued: “Alright, he only has one known relative, Kris. No last name is filed, but the underworld knows him as Krimp.”
“Oh, no.” I said. “I just gave him a billion units to find out it was Vice who had my stuff.” I thought for a minute, then said “They must plan to blackmail me.”
“What? Where did that come from?” The Knight asked.
“I know Krimp is an Illegal, so he must want protection.” I told him. “When I transferred money to his account, I saw all that he’s wanted for.”
He said “Right. Accounts are all purpose that way.”
Suddenly, I heard someone yelling. I turned around, and saw a government officer yelling at me to stay where I was. His gun was trained on me. “Gotta go!” I said. “I’ll call you back later!” I hung up.
The officer slowly walked toward me, slowly, with his gun still trained on me, he said “Remove your helmet, NOW!”
“No.” I said. “Go home while you have the chance.”
“I repeat… remove your helmet NOW, or I will use lethal force!”
“No.” I said, once again. At the same time, I blinked. He fired his weapon. I stepped out of the way, as everything was suddenly moving very slowly. I proceeded to break his nose, and knee him in the groin. I blinked again, and he fell to the ground. Everything was normal again. I leaned down to the twitching figure, and said whispered to him “I wasn’t even trying. Be more careful next time.” I walked to the nearest lift to the surface.
After I found a lift to the city in the sky, I studied my surroundings. Where would I find someone like Vice? I snuck into another alleyway, and changed back to my normal clothing, stashing my costume in my backpack. I sat on a bench, and thought. I studied the city, which was a couple miles down, through the plexiarmor platform. It was an amazing view. I sat back after a few minutes, and decided to explore. I realized that this guy already probably knew who I was, so I went back in the alley, and pulled out the backpack my suit was in. I slung it over my shoulder, and explored. Suddenly, I heard the buzzing in my ear, only it was almost deafening this time. My palm pulsed more than usual, and I fell to the ground in pain. I clenched my jaw, and slowly worked my way back to my feet as the noise continued. People were staring at me like I was a circus freak. I knew the signal was coming from somewhere up here, and the only person who would know who would know this frequency; Vice. I stumbled to the source of the signal, how far it was, I don’t know.
At one point I fell to the ground, unable to continue, the signal had gotten stronger as I had gotten closer. I vaguely remember someone coming out, and picking me up. I was carried to a room, and thrown on the floor.
When I came to, I sat up on the floor. I looked around, and noticed cables and machinery were strewn all about the floor. I stood, and began to walk. My backpack was gone, and I was in my normal clothing. My instinct was to yell ‘Hello?’ but, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to let whoever was here know I was awake. I snuck through the building, and saw a man sitting at a workbench, tinkering with my helmet. My backpack was on the floor by the door. I looked at him, and silently crouched down to remove one of my guns from the backpack. Once I had one, I slowly walked over to him, and, placing the barrel of the gun on the back of his head, said:
“You aren’t very professional, are you?” I heard him chuckle, and suddenly the lights blew out. My night vision filters were in my helmet, which he had conveniently taken apart. I fired blindly, and missed completely. In the dark, I couldn’t move faster or slower, because I couldn’t perceive a difference. Suddenly, I was attacked from behind, and I heard:
“Ms. Cray, you really should be more careful with your secrets.” I elbowed the man who was behind me, and quickly ducked down, and kicked his feet out from under him. I kicked him where his face would be, and felt my foot crumple against a helmet.
“Unright…” I muttered, as I realized he was wearing my helmet. I kicked whatever part of his body I could connect with, until I felt an arm grab my ankle, and hurl me a few meters back into the wall. It was quite painful. I fired my gun as many times as I could, blindly in the dark, until I heard a cry. I shot in the same spot again, and heard another cry. I walked in the direction of the sound, and kicked when I thought I was where Vise was. I connected. I stooped down, violently removed my helmet, and put it on. The man on the ground covered his face, and was bleeding quite badly. I gathered everything I could find of mine, including what he had stolen, and left as fast as possible.
On my way back home, I called the Knight, to tell him everything was ok. Vice was dead, and my secret was still a secret. I got home, cleaned up a bit, and decided to go to sleep. So, here I am after one hell of a day, giving my daily journal entry. (Computer. End entry 1027) [Entry complete]

THE END?

Like it? Read the webcomic here, or at my website (www.freewebs.com/voidv2)!

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