Down and Out [Version 1]
Chance. It is not something one likes to bring to mind. The Everyman would deign to believe it is not he who will be the one in a million on whose number the…
The Drive for Freedom
Acrylic righted himself up, fumbling as Fetus’ limp body flopped down across the back seats. Hard Drive turned his head to face them, neon lights glinting…
Sacrifice
“Drones, 4 o’clock.” Fetus announced. She ducked while I aimed over her back, but the sabre taser did not warm up. “Crap!” “Chips are wiped,” Fetus calmly…
Fire Escape
Acrylic, bewildered, looked around nervously. Fetus’ now-gloved hand remained at her ear. “What?” she demanded, unusual emotion coloring her voice. “Why?”…
Going Down
“Oh no, Fetus, can you fix him?!” Suddenly, the mission seemed doomed. This was the first time panic had caused the rush of adrenaline to flood my capillaries…
Damage
We struggled to get our bearings after our heads popped out of the vent shaft like prairie dogs in the night. A flutter of several lights off to the side…
Going Up, Again
As Acrylic got out his grappling-gun, I tried to change the subject. “So why don’t you think you can see the plans anymore?” Turning his face me, he explained…
A Flare for the Macabre
As Fetus dealt with the machines with a ferocity I’d not expected out of her, I noticed the faint scoring the lasers dealt the glass. Remembering why we had…
The Brains Behind the Operation
“Give us one exemplary reason as to why we ought not,” challenged Acrylic. The man, his hands up in mock surrender, sidestepped closer to us. He seemed to look…
Going Up
Acrylic shifted to a neutral standing position, apparently staring off at the wall. It seemed as though he were just standing there, but I knew he was going…
A Brief Respite
Those of us who had run paused at the door. I could see the concentration written all over Acrylic’s face—hacking through various networks as he came within…
Two Hundred
The guard was quickly knocked out while I took the droid out of commission with the sabretaser. The jolt threw the droid into diagnostic mode, which only…
Chamber
As we made progress through the tunnel, we could just barely make out the faint clatter and thud of the sewer door closing. We came out the pipe when it…
Radio Armenia
“Radio Armenia,” Acrylic breathed, his voice quiet in wonder. Terminal screens and blinking lights were clustered in the side room. Too many cables to count…
Walla Walla
“In forty-five minutes,” continued C:\, “a group of us is going to gather up everything that they need and is going to break into MegaCorp Headquarters. They…
Backdoor
“What?” C:\ asked, incredulously voicing the question the rest of us were asking internally. “The building schematics were in a relatively unprotected location…
Plans
“This,” C:\ declared, “is the War Room.” “It’s a maintenance closet,” Shortcut interrupted. “This,” C:\ reïterated, “is the War Room. Virus, the plans.” Virus…
…Wait for It…
“A virtual curtain had inadvertently been revoked,” Acrylic explained, “and I seized the opportunity to ambulate around the inner workings of the MegaCorp…
We Now Interrupt Your Regularly-Scheduled Programming…Sort Of
I pushed past Hard Drive, Acrylic and Fetus in tow, and quickly made my way into the short corridor that led to the Council Room. The thick, rectangular metal…
Toys
If we were going to pull this job off, we were going to need help; namely, two specific kinds of help: Tech support and weapons support. I’d mentioned that I…