Cyberpunk 2021

April 15, 2021. 00:55. Surrey.

The party steps into the building's hollowed-out interior. I sniff the air. It's thick with the scent of mildew and decay. Crumbling walls stretch into nearby shadows. The moonlight illuminates them faintly through the filter of shattered windows. I take a small step forward and the floor groans under my weight, a mixture of dust and debris crunching under my foot.

Remi coughs with raised eyebrows and a look of uncertainty on his face. "Yo, this place is straight-up a horror movie. You think there's a ghost or something?"

Azure snickers, her voice light. "If there is, it's probably pissed we broke in."

I sigh, glancing back at them with a hiss. "Keep it down and watch your step."

Mister nods, his voice low but commanding. "We're here to get the Dead Kings out, not entertain ourselves. Please stay focused."

Tetra shifts uncomfortably, his eyes scanning the dark corners of the room. "Yeah, let's uh, not push our luck. This isn't what I'm normally paid to do."

Shock fidgets her fingers around aimlessly. "Yeah, same. I'm a hacker, not a fighter." 

I glance at them, noting the tension in their posture. I'm a little annoyed, not gonna lie, but I know better than to dismiss their nerves outright. It's not their fault this kind of work is new to them. "Alright, listen," I whisper. "Stay light on your feet and follow my lead. Sound carries in places like this. If you hear or see something, let me know immediately."

I readjust my duffle bag, grateful for having invested in quiet and ergonomic gear. I make sure that each step I take is deliberate, my movements fluid and soundless. The others follow without any objection, albeit less gracefully, naturally. Their collective presence presses through the ruined halls.

Some time passes by and we successfully wander the desolate halls. Eventually, we run into an old security room, which allows Shock the chance to mess around. She successfully hijacks nearby security systems and then can remotely access them. It doesn't take her long to confirm that Carl and his men are in the building. 

The only issue was that they were several floors above us, and the only way up to them was through crumbling staircases. Still, even with the awkward environment, we continue moving. We maneuver past collapsed walls and makeshift barricades. Each floor presents new obstacles: jagged metal, debris-strewn paths, and ominous creaks that make us hesitate occasionally.

Midway up, we encounter the first trap in a darkened hall. A taut tripwire glints faintly under my flashlight and I raise my hand to signal to the party. "Stop, trap."

Azure kneels to inspect it, her brows furrowing. She extends her hand out, and her fingers transform into a variety of tools. "Basic sensor rig, gimme a sec." She disables it with a few deft motions, cutting the wire and disarming the attached alarm. "Easy." 

Ahead, multiple traps lie in the hall but Azure quickly deals with them one by one. We walk behind her, keeping an eye out as she gets to work. Her tools glint under the moonlight as she remains crouched to disarm a pressure plate. "Y'know, whoever set these didn't have much time. It's kind of sloppy."

While Azure is reporting her success, a sudden feeling of dread builds up in me. My senses prick at the edges of my awareness, subtle but persistent. A faint sound—like a shuffle or a distant snap—catches my attention. I snap my head, to a nearby hallway, my eyes scanning through the dark.

A flicker of red light? I'm not sure. Something glows faintly in the corner of my vision, vanishing just as quickly as it appears. My hand instinctively rests on my pistol. 

Tetra notices my tension. "Artemis, you good?"

I shake my head, my voice barely audible. "I thought I saw something."

He frowns, his tone cautious. "Well, if it's you saying that, it's worth keeping in mind."

I stare at the hall for a few more seconds. My grip tightens on my weapon one last time before I let both the pistol and the red light go. "Thanks." Am I just paranoid? I shake my head and follow after the group. 

...

April 15, 2021. 01:20. Surrey.

The remainder of the trip to the seventh floor is just as uneventful as the earlier floors. The hallway is eerily silent, save for the occasional creak of settling metal. Shock directs us to a door marked by fresh scuffs and reinforced hinges, clearly the Dead Kings' makeshift stronghold. 

Mister steps forward, raising a hand to the group. "One moment, let me handle this." He knocks lightly against the door, his voice calm. "Carl? It's Mister. We're here on Blake's orders."

Inside, I hear a muffled sound of movement. A gruff voice calls out, laced with suspicion. "Who the hell is Mister? How do I know you're not lying?"

Still monitoring the hacked camera feed, Shock whispers to Mister. "Careful, he's got a shotgun at the door." Mister doesn't flinch and instead remains in place. 

"Blake sent us to get you out of here. The Melders outside are dead. You're safe to leave."

Carl's voice remains wary. "Blake's orders, huh? Prove it."

Mister tilts his head slightly, his tone unwavering. "If Blake didn't send us, would we have gotten this far without him knowing? He wants you back in Vancouver. You're safe enough to contact him, go on, I can wait."

"Give us a bit."

Then, there's silence that lasts for a few minutes. Eventually, the door creaks open, revealing Carl and his team. They're armed and visibly worn, their faces lined with fatigue. "Aight," Carl mutters, lowering his weapon. "Let's go. But if this is a setup, you're going first." 

One of the other Dead Kings, robust with plenty of tattoos, grunts and carries a large grey case with a handle. The recognition and excitement kick in almost immediately and the team knows immediately what's inside. He hands us the container. "Careful, it's the real deal."

We then split up to handle different tasks. It's almost unanimous, without any discussion, really. Mister and Remi volunteer to escort Carl and his crew to their car. Meanwhile, Azure and Tetra work together to transport the railgun.

I stay behind with Shock, scanning the area for any remaining threats with the rest slowly making their way down. Shock leans against a wall as she rapidly jumps between different camera feeds and I quietly walk down the hallway. My senses are still active, and the earlier flicker of red continues gnawing at my mind. Wasn't there something weird in this part of the neighbourhood? I recall reading a headline earlier today and it mentioned Surrey. But I couldn't quite remember what it was. As I roam the darkened hallways, my gaze sharpens—and then I see it. 

A faint red glow flickers in the distance, accompanied by the soft hum of something mechanical. My pulse quickens as I step into cover, gun at the ready. I whisper to my nearby hacker with a slightly hurried tone of voice. "Shock, check the corner for me."

Shock hums, her fingers dancing in the air. "Give me a sec." She chirps away and checks the nearby cameras. "Oh, it's just a busted LED. There's nothing to worry."

She says that, yet, I don't lower my weapon. The glow persists, accompanied by the faintest sound of retreating footsteps. Yeah, no, I wasn't imagining it. My pulse quickens. "That's not just an LED." 

Shock looks up and stops typing in the air. "You sure?"

I don't answer immediately, my eyes still fixed on the shadowy corridor. "We need to go. Now."

Shock and I break into a pace that's just shy of a full-on sprint but faster than someone speedwalking. I don't know what she's feeling, but I'm somewhat terrified. I hate it when I don't know what I'm up against. Thankfully, by the time we caught up to the party, they already exited the tower. We regroup outside as the cold night air washes over us. 

We exchange brief words with Carl and his men as they climb into their vehicle, letting them know we'll return to discuss business with Blake after handling other matters. They nod their thanks and drive back to Vancouver. That just leaves us with the railgun.

Back at the van, the team exchanges wary glances. While the others climb back in, I linger outside just a tiny bit longer, my thoughts racing. Whatever I saw—or thought I saw—still lingers in my mind. Just who the hell was that?

Mister breaks my concentration, his voice steady. "Artemis, we've got what we came for. Let's head back to Vancouver and plan our next move."

I relent and climb into the van. "Okay, fine." My grip on my pistol refusing to loosen even as Mister's vehicle hums to life. Surrey fades into the distance, but my unease remains.

The tension eases as we cut through the dimly lit streets, entering Burnaby. I fall back into my chair while Remi and Shock go back to looking at their phones. It's Azure and Tetra that keep an eye on the railgun case.

"I'm just gonna get right to the point. Can we open it?" Azure's voice cuts through the quiet, her tone neutral but laced with curiosity. She looks at all of us as she asks. 

Tetra glances at her, eyebrows raised. "Uh, Is that really a good idea? What if it's booby-trapped or something?"

I wave a hand dismissively. "Nah, if it was rigged, Carl and his guys would've been blown to bits long before we got here."

Mister glances at the rearview mirror. "If we open it, we need to be careful. No unnecessary risks. Everyone okay with that?"

A round of reluctant nods follows. Azure leans forward, her fingers once again transforming into a series of tools as she holds the case against her. The rest of the party shifts slightly, some out of nervousness, others out of excitement.

Azure carefully unscrews the safety locks on the crate, her movements precise and practiced. The hiss of depressurization fills the van as the lid pops open, revealing a sleek, angular weapon inside. Even at a glance, it's clear this isn't just any weapon—it's something beyond anything currently on the market.

I lean in, my eyes narrowing as I study it. Smart weaponry isn't new, corporations have been working on tracking bullets for years. But, this is something else. 

The railgun lies nestled in its foam casing. The black matte chassis absorbs faint light. The weapon's sharp angles and smooth contours exude a strange predatory elegance. Pulsing blue lines run along the length of the barrel, faintly glowing with some sort of energy. Azure carefully lifts the weapon from its foam casing, revealing more details to the rest of us. 

The barrel is long and sleek, similar to a sniper rifle of sorts. The surface is lined with subtle grooves, likely designed to aid in heat dissipation. The muzzle flares slightly with a reinforced end cap that bears small vented slits, which I assume is for the immense power generated with each shot. Still, I don't see any physical bullets or anything of the like anywhere. Could it be that this shoots raw energy? 

Azure's fingers tap against a small button on the side of the weapon. A holographic display near the top of the gun reveals itself, acting as a scope if this was a regular weapon. It shows simple readouts for charge levels, diagnostics, and remaining shots in a muted blue glow. 

My eyes trail along the grip itself. It's ergonomic and designed with a wrapped textured material. The stock seems to be adjustable, with minimal decoration. Whoever designed this prioritizes function over form.

"This thing's no joke," Azure mutters with a mix of admiration and… frustration in her voice? 

I watch Azure closely. The way she handles the weapon isn't just professional—it's deeply familiar. "You know this?"

Azure smirks, not looking up from her work. "What? You think you're the only one who knows her way around guns?" Her words are playful, but something in her body language doesn't sit right with me. A subtle shift in her posture, a flicker of tension in her voice. She's hiding something.

Remi leans back in his seat, whistling low. "Shit, that thing's gassed out. You think it can take out a tank?"

Tetra scoots closer. "Or a city block?"

Shock tilts her head and coos. "Oh my gosh, the blue lights are so cute though!" 

Part of me wants to continue bugging Azure, but I ultimately file the thought away for later. No point in pestering her for now.

Azure unscrews a few panels on the weapon, revealing its internals. Her excitement dims as she examines the internals. "It's incomplete."

I peer over her shoulder, studying the exposed components. "The hell? The firing mechanisms make sense—the trigger and targeting systems look functional. But…" And then my eyes notice the center of the weapon, it's hollow and something is missing. 

Azure points to the hollow space. "Yeah, there's no power supply."

Remi leans forward, frowning. "You think Carl or his guys took it?"

"No chance," Mister interjects firmly. "They didn't even know how to use this thing, let alone modify it."

Azure nods in agreement, tapping the hollowed section with her tool fingers. "Yeah, this looks intentional. Whoever made this, designed it to use a specialized power source. I… have no clue what it'd be, but I bet it's something crazy," Azure tugs at the wiring and gently pulls out a small box plastered with electrical tape and stickers. "Seems like it's using a battery of sorts for temporary power though, probably military grade."

"Any idea what kind of battery?" Tetra asks, tilting his head.

"Not really, it could be anything," Azure replies, her voice distracted as she continues to inspect the weapon. Her hands pause as she notices a sleek black device tucked into the railgun's casing. "Wait, what the hell is this?" She carefully pulls it out, holding it up to the dim light. The sleek, unmarked device looks harmless enough, but its unexpected presence feels ominous.

"What is it?" Mister asks, his tone sharp as he drives. 

"Not sure," I frown. "It's some weird black box. Doesn't look like it's supposed to be part of the gun."

Shock pulls out a cable from her computer. "Let me see." She connects to the device, her eyes glow and her fingers rapidly type in the air. Within moments, her eyes widen. "Oh, I see! Uhmmm."

The rest of us stiffen while Mister calmly asks. "What is it?" 

Shock glances up, her expression a mix of surprise and concern. "It's broadcasting the railgun's location to someone." Shit.