Cyberpunk 2766AD

"Who're you calling a coward! I know your kind, manipulative bitches who think they're smarter than they really are."

I take a deep breath to calm myself down. I do need the practice. My first try on the prison didn't turn out all that hot.

"I guess I'll stay with you for a little while though. Lightbulb over there still owes me a date."

She's an evil woman, all women with green eyes are evil. Not to mention her tail. I point at it waving in the air behind her.

"That must be awkward to have to cut a hole in the rear end of all your clothes. I'll bet you get a lot of dates that way."

 

"Call me what you will, but it worked didn't it. I do whatever is best for the people, and getting rid of this guy is a good thing. As for dates, I'm usually too busy and I doudt she is going to go out with you." says Fox.

 

It is clear that my companions do not like each other.

To the boy I say -I do not date anybody, I see no point. Do not mantain that dream of yours, you will be sadly disappointed.-

I look at the woma, but think twice and decide not to say anything to her.

 

A map. That I can do at the first data cluster we find. And if I were to bet, I’d bet that there would be one somewhere along the suspended train cage, possibly on the upside. Maybe at the bottom at a brace juncture. We’ll soon find out.

I look down to see if I can see the cleanup man that Kiara and Ghost told me about. There is little to see with the naked eye so I maginfy, ignoring the vision from my real eye and using the augment.

Nothing. Blowing trash, drifting smoke, a few addicts lying in a stupor. No scary glowing-eyed man. Which only meant I didn’t see him, not that he wasn’t there.

I switch my gaze upward. Always upward in this city. Mesh, wire cage for the train, magnify…

Tracks, four of them that the train hangs from, seen through the wire cage. No data cluster but wires running alongside…magnify and track…

“Time to go.”

I don’t wait but jump for a high handhold, curling my fingers into the mesh and getting a toe into the mesh and scrambling up fast as I can. The mesh is a little too small for good toeholds so you have to climb like a monkey with your fingers and practically run up the mesh with your feet. The sign is roughly forty feet high, maybe fifty.

When I reach the top I can’t hesitate but have to grab the thicker wider wire of the train cage, turning 90 degrees to do it. I can’t stop because at the top of the mesh there isn’t anything more than a 1” frame around the mesh. There is nowhere to rest.

For a moment my feet dangle, I get an encouraging kick off the top of the sign and then I’m climbing the train cage. Once on top we’ll be able to walk on the mesh if we’re careful. The rooftops will be at least one hundred, maybe one hundred and fifty feet below us.

It’s best not to look down.

 

"Don't worry sweetheart, you'll come to love me, just like everyone else."

This place doesn't seem very inviting. It's dark, and definitly not the best neighborhood. I also don't like the long wait for this next bus. I wonder if we should just head out on foot.

 

I look around, not identfying a vessel like the one we previously used.

-Is it possible that there might be somebody after us? If so, we should refrain from public transport. As to your determination to mantain a dream that shall never be fulfilled, you are too young for me. How old are you again?-

 

"I'm sure somebody is after us, or at least will be soon. It might not actually be a good idea to take the bus up top. It's too public. And I'm sixteen by the way."

 

"Time to go"

And then I watch Tolva monkey climb up the mesh. The hand holds are small, much smaller then I would like them to be, but they are sturdy and the structure seems sound.

I pull my belt tight as water flows down my boots falling from the small catwalk between the two billboards. Another few straps around my vest and I feel about thirty kilos lighter.

That woman will get me killed me one day. I can feel it. But somehow that does not seem to bother me as much as I had expected it to when faced with this situation.

I start to climb the mesh carefully picking my hand grips. As I reach the top I brace my hands across the two sides of of the support frame letting my feet dangle in the air. I watch as a bit more water falls to the catwalk and then all the way to the ground below me. That is going to be very displeasing if I fall. However I have another though that seems to fill my head. I feel very thirsty at this moment.

I can't miss this, but if I grab things right I can simply lift myself under the train tracks and then a simple hand over hand and though the open web design of the train cage.

One shot is all I have and one is all it takes. A quick double check behind me to make sure Kiara is on my heels.... drat... I'll worry about that later.. and I work myself over to Tovla.

"Wonderful day for a climb?" I snort as I wipe the grease and grime from my gloves and use my vest to wipe down my mask. This stuff is far worse then the rust from the hand holds, even if the climb was far shorter and easier.

I see Tolva pant a bit as I make it to her, it is the air, must be getting to her, and that means it has to be affecting Kiara.

We will need to get above the smog and toxins if we plan to keep this up.

Being a gentlemen always paid off, or at least that was what I was told. Lets see if there is any truth to it. I pull out a black silk scarf and hand it to Tolva.

I realize I am not the best color coordinator, perhaps that might be something fun to learn when I get the chance, fashion style and color coding, but right now, black and white work, besides, black goes with pretty much anything except stupidity. So I know it won't clash with anything she has.

"It won't affect the chemical compounds, but it will stop the big partials from adhering to your lungs and causing you continual irritation after we get out of this environment, I would suggest if you can get to a main line to find us a place that will have medical respiratory systems to clear out you and Kiara's lungs"

 

"You're a pretty short sixteen year old. Anyways, actually we need to be out in public when we get to the midsection. I know that sounds weird, but its less likely someone will start shooting with a crowd of people around. Anyone following use would want to attack, when other people aren't around." says Fox.

 

-Also, if your are sixteen, then I am twenty. Think on it.-

Fox's comment startles me, -they will attack us?-

I spent almost ten years being attacked, I don't want to kill, but I will not allow myself to be attacked. Not ever again, never.

 

Fox points up to a moniter displaying the faces of the people on board that shuttle. It gives names and ages. "Look, we have a bounty out on us. How many people do you think would love to get that much money at one time."

 

"If we're on a bus, there's no way to get out if somebody recognizes us, and with all the media going around about the crash now it'd be stupid to think they wouldn't."

I turn back to firefly.

"In the grand scheme of things what's four years?"

 

-I am confused? What is a bounty? Why are they after us?- What is going on?! I blame him, he's kept me in a box all my damned life, I'm only out because I escaped one night. I should have staid. -I should go back to Calridge!-

 

"A bounty means, that someone has offered money for anyone to capture or kill us. Well, the company is pissed that we escaped that is why. We should get moving right away. He have to find a quick way up to the next level, that doesn't put us into a corner. Dakota, relax. I won't let them hurt you ok." says Fox.

 

I have to get back to Calridge, I have to!

-I will go, but only because I now want to return to Blu Mownten, it is my home.-

 

"LIKE HELL YOU'RE GOING BACK!"

I stand up and get in her face.

"You want to go back to what you had before? You may not know much about the real world, but you're smarter than that!"

 

Fox stands behind her, and wraps her tail around Dakota's waist. She puts her hands on Dakota's shoulders and says "You will not be some slave. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Jimmy is right. You are free and you won't be a slave ever again."

 

I run the black silk through my fingers, luxuriating briefly in the feel of it before tying it bandit-style around nose and mouth. I would have loved to have driven him a little crazy by putting it on like a doo-rag but he’s right. I forgot how the lungs take a beating on this level. Been above the midline too long, I guess.

"Thanks." I say, winking my bionic eye at him.

Looking over I see Kiara scrambling up, her braid whipping from side to side as she climbs.

((correct me if I’m wrong, Katz…about the time you have her fall or something I’ll have to edit))

 

-I was never a slave, a possesion yes, but a slave no.- I look at the boy, Jimmy, and place my hand on his shoulder, pushing him away. I then grab Fox's tail and struggle to wrench it from my waist.

-You will both respect my wish.- The bots zooom around my body, there is something wrong, they should only deploy when I am injured! I feel my face contort in anger as the bots begin lighting my my skin, my body glowing for no apparent reason.

-Take me to Calridge, he might protect you if he has me.- The bots begin to create a whir in my mind, the plate thrumming in my head.

-What is going on!?- My hands blind me with their glow.

There is suddenly a voice that is not my own floating through my mind >Come, come home Little Dolly, you've been a bad little toy.<

Calridge!

I look up at Fox and Jimmy, my eyes widdening, the light blinding, I can't control the voice!

->Return my Dolly to me! Or else!<-

 

I watch Tolva, and then Ghost, both scurry up the mesh in front of me with barely a pause. It's a darn good thing I'm not scared of heights, or this would REALLY suck right about now. I start to pick my way up, a bit slower than I would have liked. I'm not scared of heights... but I just couldn't get a good foothold at all with my heavy boots. I get about three quarters of the way up, when suddenly a little dribble of water splashes me right in the face! "What the?!?" I splutter, but my loss of momentum is just enough that I loose my left hand's grip, and my tenuous 'foothold' is now non-existant, and I'm dangling loose by my one right hand. D*mn but I'm glad I paid extra to make sure the thing works right! I wipe the wetness away with my left hand...it tastes fresh, not like pee or grime, like I would have expected. I look up, but all I see is Tolva and Ghost, the latter of who I notice turns his head briefly looking for me... I'd better get a move-on and get caught up. I'll file this under "mysteries to solve later, when I'm not about to die".

I work my left hand back into the mesh and start climbing again, following the example set on how to swing over when I reached the top. By the time I finally got there, I felt like one of the contestants from the Old World Japan game show Ninjitsu Fighter. Man I loved that show. I spare myself a quick grin at the memory, but my grin disappears at Tolva's "what took you so long?" expression. "Sorry." I mumble, slightly embarrassed. I'm usually better than that.

 

Fox shakes her a little and says "Snap out of it, Dakota. You are not a possesion. You are your own person. This guy can only control you if you let him. You are not a damn doll."

 

"****! She's a beacon or something. She's going to lead them right to us."

 

->How dare you hurt my doll?! Who the hell are you?! Return her to me! Now!<-

The voice fills my mind, bursting it. I want to scream, but nobody would hear me!

->Answer me dammit! Who are you?!<-

 

"**** Off Old Man!"

 

"She is not anyones doll! I am someone who doesn't listen to scum like you that thinks he can take over other people's lives. Dakota! Don't let him control you!" Fox backhand her and says "Snap out of it!"