Chapter Sixty-Three - People are Stupid

Chapter Sixty-Three - People are Stupid

Chapter Sixty-Three - People are Stupid

With the advent of corporate police forces and national and international PMCs, there has been a sharp rise in the number of people willing and able to fight crime for the right amount of money.

Unsurprisingly, this had little to no impact on the organized parts of the criminal underworld.

Most cities, especially the megacities, have organizations whose entire modus operandi revolve around specific crimes. Thieves, cybercriminals and spies make up part of the soft criminal world, usually working on smaller jobs or contracting themselves over to corporations in order to ruin an adversary's quarterly profits.

Thugs of all sorts have made a niche for themselves in the poorer districts where they usually begin as well-meaning groups defending their home.

Dealers plague every strata of society. From those selling common meth to the homeless, to those smuggling in luxurious alien-made drugs for the CEOs of multinationals. Gét latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om

Crime, it seems, is a constant among humanity. Especially in a world where the meaning of law is so vague and weak.

--Excerpt from The Lawless by an anonymous author. 2054

***

I was expecting a few things when I returned to the shelter.

I was hoping for certain things too.

Arriving to find all the civilians waiting calmly inside a row of trucks ready to go, with maybe a few volunteers guarding the entire lot would have been nice.

Instead I arrived to find a half-circle of scared people all staring at a spectacle that had shivers crawling down my spine. There were some men standing around, all of them armed with guns that I found all too familiar.

One of them, the biggest in the entire lot, was standing before the crowd. On one side, Monroe was on his knees, hands held behind his back by some dipshit.

The Samurais gone! If you want to become pawns of these corporate fucks, then thats on you. But me and mine, were making a stand. Were going to take those aliens on!

I stared, dumbfounded, as some of them actually cheered him on.

I dont suppose this was part of any plan? Gomorrah asked.

No, no it wasnt. I told them to get ready to evacuate, not this shit. I stomped out across the street, vaguely aware that Gomorrah was sticking close behind me.

The big dipshit paused mid-way through his speech as the crowds attention turned away from him and moved towards me.

Dumbass! Come here, I shouted.

The man looked around. You want to talk, Samurai? he demanded. Ill have you know that wh--

You, shut the fuck up, I said.

Dumbass Two appeared out of the shadows of one of the nearby trucks, its holographic camo winking out as it moved.

Dumbass, you see what happened? I asked.

Reviewing the footage now. It seems as if a group of men, most of whom have criminal records and affiliations to a local gang, decided to take over the evacuation operation. Sargent Monroe protested. A small fight broke out and his squad was detained.

I nodded, then my gaze turned towards Speedy. The womans helmet was off, and her face was a mess of blood and missing teeth.

I suspect they were the sort of thugs used to jumping when told to, because they did make it quick. I noticed a few of them slipping behind the crowd, but as long as they didnt cause more trouble I had bigger problems to deal with.

Gomorrah, can you organize people?

Ive... done similar before, she said.

Cool. Im going to get these guys back on their feet. We need to move, and soon.

I moved over first to Monroe, who looked like hed been kicked in the chest a few times, then over to Speedy. I winced. Shed been beaten black and blue, her teeth kicked in and one of her eyes was squeezed shut around a swelling mess of purplish skin. Damn Speedy, I said.

Hey, its you, she said. I can still drive.

I snorted. Sure. Myalis? Can I afford some meds?

Certainly. Your points have been climbing steadily for the last few minutes. The traps youve set seem to be effective enough.

Dumbass the First skittered over. It still held onto one of my plasma rifles, making it look rather silly as it wobbled over. Hey there, I said. Can you run a scan on her? I asked.

The drone bobbed and soon Myalis was giving me some suggestions that I more or less blindly accepted.

Youll be right as rain, I told her as I waved Monroe over. Can you get any of your guys who are hurt here? And any civilians that need medical attention too, while youre at it?

Do you mind if I delegate that, maam? he asked with a wheeze.

Shit. Yeah, sure. Let Dumbass here check you out real quick.

As it turned out, Monroe had a fucked up rib. His armour had taken the worst of the blows, but that didnt mean he wasnt winded.

What will you do about him? Monroe asked as he gestured to the idiot that started it all.

I looked over at the guy who was on the ground, kneeling with his stump cradled against his chest. I sighed. Cuff him and toss him in the back of a truck? Im sure someone will want him, stump and all.

Not nice to make fun of stumpy people, Speedy said from her spot below us. She was looking a bit better already. Probably feeling better too if she had time to be snarky.

Im a stumpy person too, I said with a wiggle of my super arm. Does this kind of crap happen often?

Often enough, Monroe said. The aliens are only the most dangerous thing on the field. Not the only things that can kill you.

I felt my good mood draining as that sank in. How many more people would I be trampling over without so much as a second thought before that number grew too big? Could I have handled things differently? Made it less likely that something like this would happen again?

A not-so-distant thump had me looking down the road. It was followed by a clatter of gunfire and a faint wailing. Something had set off one of my traps, one that was a lot closer than the others.

Monroe, get everyones shit together. You have two minutes.

Yes maam.

Speedy, well see if your claims that you can still drive hold up.

You betcha.

***