Chapter Twenty-Eight - The Opposite of Reassuring

Chapter Twenty-Eight - The Opposite of Reassuring

Chapter Twenty-Eight - The Opposite of Reassuring

In the early 2000s there was a fear that the interconnectivity of the world could lead to trouble. Hacking was portrayed in the media as a new and terrifying crime.

The reality was a little more pedestrian at first. A good programmer with malicious intent could maybe steal some files, mess with some machines, or perhaps spy on someone, but other than the occasional virus there wasnt too much to it.

Then Augmentations became a new standard. Everyone had one, and the world became far, far more digital. By the 2030s one in ten people in the world had an aug. By 2040 that was up to four in ten. When 2050 rolled around, nine in ten people had an augmentation of some sort, most of them used to keep connected to local or international networks, social media, and other feeds.

Hackers, those who knew what they were doing, could now turn a persons entire life into a living nightmare.

--Excerpt from The Rise of the Aug, 2052

***

My plan, insofar as I had one, was simple. Burst in, fire a few bolts into the room, then unload my railgun into the turret they were still setting up.

It was a nice plan because I got to shoot things.

I raised a booted foot, prepared to kick at the door, then I hesitated. It didnt look like a door with an actual lock on it.

After making sure that my shoulder-mounted guns were set properly, I held Whisper close with one hand, then turned the door handle. A shove had the door moving in and got some of the office workers inside to look up. Hey guys! I said.

My railgun thumped and the gun emplacement in the middle of the room burst apart as a tiny bit of metal moving absurdly fast poked a hole through the middle of it.

Whisper came up and I aimed more-or-less in the direction of the first idiots to bring their guns to bear. The first bolt I fired thumped into and through a cubical wall, the next rammed into a projector box and fritzed it out. Myalis, masks, I said.

Fortunately, Myalis seemed to get what I meant. The gun on my opposite shoulder burped, twitched, then burped again. All across the room, masks were shredded apart as Myalis fired through them.

I was expecting the room to fill with gas or something, but there wasnt anything like that. The nearest office worker opened fire with an SMG and I ducked back out of the room and moved away from the doorway before I got sprayed.

Myalis, why isnt that room filled with gas? I asked.

It should be. If youre wondering why you cant see it... you are aware that not all gases are visible to the naked human eye, right?

Oh, I said. I was expecting... I dont know, orange-yellow gas or something.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com

So that anyone you face can see the gas and react to it?

Its always colourful in the movies, I said.

Im sure.

I snorted and moved over to the door opposite the one Id barged in from. Bringing the camera feed back revealed that two of the office workers on the other side had already slumped over, and the rest looked drunk. A clever one by the back had switched his mask out for a less holey one, but he was still stumbling about.

Opening the door slowly and quietly, I flicked on the invisibility on my jacket and held Whisper close. There was a neat puncture that was visually warped where Id been shot early. Annoying that. Id need to replace the jacket at some point.

All individuals within the Hour Men Mercenary building are now officially notified that the following Samurai wish to question you:

Stray Cat

Please surrender. Lower all weapons, remove all offensive equipment from your person, and prepare for arrest and questioning.

Refusal to comply will be met with the wrath of god.

Damn G-girl, I said. Way to be polite and non-threatening there. Very diplomatic of you.

Vanguard are not chosen for their diplomatic abilities.

I let out a rather inappropriate giggle at that.

A message was just sent out. Unsecured transmission. Its addressed to you and Gomorrah.

Huh, I said. Can I hear it? I asked.

Its text. Displaying it now.

Dear Stray Cat and Gomorroah,

Go fuck yourselves.

Gomorrah sighed. How polite. So do we just burn them all or are we going to try something else?

I considered it for a moment before replying. Im going to set a bomb up here by the door. Myalis, are they watching us?

Negative.

Right. So, bomb by the door here. Then... I think I might come in through a window after all. If we can knock them out peacefully... ish, then we can ask them some questions later. While theyre tied to a chair or something. Got that Gomorrah?

I could feel her hesitating for a moment. It might work. I dont like the idea of you hanging off the side of this building while they know were assaulting them.

Ah, dont worry, I said. Ive never done anything like this.

Thats the opposite of reassuring.

Snorting, I knelt down next to the door and flicked off the coms between myself and Gomorrah. Ill need a grenade. Motion sensor activated. Maybe... more knock-out gas? Something thatll keep people rooted here. Oh, those sticky bombs would do.

Certainly.

Two purchases later, and down to eight-thousand three-fifty, I was setting up a surprise for anyone that came upstairs.

Alright, I said as I got back up. Bringing up the building plans helped pinpoint where the windows on the floor below were located. The nearest one that matched above was in the conference room. Time to swing on down and say hello to everyone downstairs.

***