Jericho Zero (sexy psiberpunk anime)

[Lovelynice]

JERICHO ZERO




Harder faster greater louder
--------------------Bruce Sterling


This is a CLOSED thread; if you wish to join, send a PM to one of the founding participants; Lovelynice, Steiner, Tantrikenetic, Lethe, ImpWizard, Maniac9538, UC_Gav, Veryknowing.
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It is a WORLD that is multi-layered in it's appearance.

A gothic-cyberpunk world 20 years into our future, where the existence of ultra-tech cyber-enhanced agents and super-Psi Mystics is unknown to the general population.

In the public aspect of the world, technology is advanced, but there is mysticism as well; strange and deadly cults abound, and superstitions flourish. Cyber-enhancements are only common for special purposes, such as fixing physical disabilities, with very few hints of the higher technology that is not only being researched, but is already in use by an elite, secretive few.

In the shadowy world of espionage and international power-plays, super-cybered agents and the much rarer super-Psi mystics are the frontline of a secret war; a Cryogenically Cold War between the two great power-blocs that dominate the world, and the rebels who despise both and seek to shake-down the entire power-structure.
The two power-blocs;
Northam Alliance (USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Japan, Philippines), and the Euro-Bloc (European Union, and their allies).
They make the pretence of being friends, allies, but in their secret war they are deadly foes. Behind this secret war there are the mega-corporations that profit from the conflict, and the elite aristocracy of the super-wealthy who care not for any particular nation. Both power-blocs are police-states masquerading as protectors of freedom; the "war" between the two power blocs is a complete sham - both sides use the threat of the other to justify their own more extreme policies.
Many other things have changed in this world twenty years from now; Britain is no longer in the EU and has become a pariah-state, the USA has a crashed economy which has made most of the world poorer, Russia is a rapidly re-militarizing nation with the tsars back in charge, and China is on the edge of a civil war likely to start at any moment.
Trying hard to bring down the elitist power-structure that rules this world, are a plethora of rebel groups, but one group has grown to such prominence and power that their very name has become a call for revolution; the Horn of Jericho.

This is a world at once unfamiliar, yet terrifyingly familiar; our nightmares of the future come true. The world has undergone many changes, not only political and technological change, but environmental chaos has laid havoc to the globe.
Ten years ago, sea-levels began to rise much faster than official claims predicted, and higher temperatures lead to more powerful, more devastating storms. Coastlines eroded rapidly, and many coastal cities were flooded by storm tides. Coastal cities were often evacuated, some never to be settled again, as the risen seas sometimes destroyed the foundations of nearly every building.
The countryside is mostly in ruins (because of environmental pollution; build up of pollutants, and a few big accidents having turned vast areas into deserted wastelands), with gangs of scavengers wandering around. Anyone with any sense stays in the cities and, when they have to, take trips in planes or heavily guarded convoys.
Crop blights (possibly deliberate) have killed off most of the mundane crops....so GM crops have become the standard as they're immune to the blights (funny that....nothing at all to do with mega-corp profits), but the corp-farms are guarded by high security systems, security-robots, and heavily armed troops to stop "lunatic fringe greenies" and HoJ terrorists from attacking food supplies (the officially decreed view).

For many years the environment had been worsening in this way, with temperatures always higher, the storms always worse.
Then a few years ago, an enormous sheet of Arctic ice (thousands of square kilometres in area) broke free and began to melt in the North Atlantic. The sudden addition of all this fresh water as the huge icebergs melted dropped sea temperatures, but also shut-down the salt-cycle that is the main pump for the Gulf Stream and affects the temperatures of the world's oceans.

In only a month, a new Ice Age was hitting. Global temperatures dropped an average 7 degrees within weeks. The winters became much harsher, resulting in the deaths of millions world-wide. Northern cities were evacuated, and tens of millions of people in even the richest nations on Earth became refugees.

In such conditions, the bubonic plague has made a come back, and spread across the globe to every civilized nation. The industrial ability of the world's most advanced nations has been dramatically reduced. Economies are shaky world-wide, and governments have become ruthless police-states simply to prevent things getting worse for their wealthy elites.
Since then, the old parts of cities that had been flooded have become dry and exposed again....becoming the residence of the city's poorest; those who live off the scraps and salvage they can find in what has become known as the “Undercity”. The gangs of the Undercity fight with swords and have developed their own weird codes of honour. A shamanistic, tribal culture has grown, with gangs spray-painting hunting charms on the walls of their territories and participating in strange rituals unseen by outsiders.




The player-characters are participants in this world of secret conflicts, being largely a part of one of the following;

Division Zero; an extremely secret government organization whose cyber-enhanced agents work in a small team, their task being the elimination/control of rogue super-psychics, mind-controllers, agents of the opposing Euro-Bloc, and any other threat to the security of the Northam Alliance.

Horn of Jericho; a very secretive, unusually wealthy and fanatical rebel group whose members seek to destroy the power of the governing elite and the mega-corps.

ESI; the top secret Euro-Security Intelligence, the Euro-Bloc's equivalent to Division Zero, and their main opponents in the international arena.

Rogues and Independents; they seek to succeed in their own goals, while being often (but not always) weaker in resources, untrusted by any of the main factions. These are true lone wolves.


Most of the thread will take place within a single mega-city with tens of millions of population, known as Chukyo...the capital of this 21st century version of Japan.

Chukyo Mega-City
With a population of eighty million, Chukyo is the largest city on Earth, and one of the most densely populated as well. Since becoming the capital of Japan after the Kanto Mega-Quake destroyed Tokyo entirely at the height of the Hot-House Days, refugees and migrants had turned the Kansai region into one of the most cosmopolitan and thriving of the new mega-cities of the 21st century. The names of the wards and districts of Chukyo reflected the city’s ethnic mixture, names like Onassis, Jericho, Rosetown, Little America, besides older Japanese districts like Sakyo, Akasaka, Umeda, and Ishinomiya. Perhaps that was the reason the city was such a powder-keg of violence, as well as the extreme rich/poor gap that encouraged envy and fury.


The Rest of the World
Washington DC, much of Canada and Quebec have long ago been abandoned to the encroaching glaciers of the New Ice Age, and the disastrous economic shambles of the United States of America as it continues to fracture the states into semi-independent autonomous republics like the CAR, the Deseret Union, and The Free State of Texas...the resulting political situation has left the economically revitalized and wealthy Japan to provide the financial and industrial power of the Northam Alliance, while on it’s doorstep, China was close to a civil war that may have already started, but as yet was undeclared. Even so, despite Japan’s industrial and financial might being close to the equal of the European Union, with an average per capita income being much higher, Japan was still limited by a constitution which at the very least discouraged having a large military force. The military forces of the rest of the Northam Alliance, particularly the fracturing USA and the Republic of Australia were to a large extent supported by Japan’s economic resources. Definitely not an ideal situation, nor a stable one in the long term.

 

[Lethe]

The screaming would die eventually. Anothis, who called himself the Knight of Ghosts and Shadows, leaned with both hands on his daiklave and closed his eyes, wishing it would die sooner.

They were torching the old cinema. Spirits always clung to places like that, in the places where gatherings of people had witnessed dreams on screen. Anothis had seen the spirits, taking on the faces of filmstars, whispering promises of adventure and love, of the ruined place on the coast that had been called Hollywood once. He had even walked among them, when he was first learning the ways of spirits. He recalled the names he'd given them; the Cowboy, Lady Jane, the Twins, the Man with a Gun, and the eerie Sinner who had always tried to frighten him. Archetypes of the films, he supposed.

They were dying now, catching light and flaring away like the celluloid around them. The suits had decided to do one of the sporadic cleaning forays into the upper slums, and they'd decided to pull down the Rose Cinema. Anothis wasn't sure why he'd come along, to witness the spirits of the cinema dying.. The Cowboy's last stand. The Sinner's final death-scene.

Anothis walked away from the burning cinema. He'd heard many shouts of pain in his time, but somehow a psychic scream was worst of all. It rasped along the nerves.

And I don't want to see friends die.

That thought caught him sharp. Had the spirits been friends? Did the Knight of Ghosts and Shadows truly have any friends? Anothis walked away.


It was said that when the fire reached the projection chamber, the Twins called Anothis' name as though he could protect them. It was said that Lady Jane dropped a single ethereal tear when the flames consumed the Sinner, cackling maniacally to the last. It was said that the Man with a Gun's bullets finally took on reality and sprayed the wall.

But Anothis did not see that either.

 

[Tantrikenetic]

James

The night was dark and eerie. Bright lights illuminated the streets and gave a glow to the city. Skyscrapers could be seen all over town and there weren't too many people outside. Except for certain people.

The sound of spray cans could be heard from a nearby alley. Griffitti lined the walls of the building and now a new phrase was sprayed along the bricks.

"Fight the Government" was sprayed in green paint. The scent of fresh paint wafted through air. Then the new silence was broken by the sound of an empty can hitting the ground with a clang. The young man who had just spray-painted the wall pulled a small walkie-talkie from his pants pocket.

"Zeke? I sprayed the north wall."

"Good. Did you put out the posters yet, James?"

James looked down at the huge stack of papers that read: "Tell the Government to stop hording plague antedotes! The people deserve as much health as the upper-class! Demand that the government respect your rights!"

"Uh...yeah. I did." James lied.

"Good. I'll meet you back at the rendevoux point." Zeke cut off the transmission. James sighed at the stack of the posters. Well, looks like he had more work to do. He spun on his skates in an attempt to get momentum again. He picked up the papers and skated out of the alley and down the street, sticking posters on the wall.

 

[Steiner]

Frank Rook - Division Zero

Frank grunted with amusement - visiting the office was always a hoot. Normal fabrics couldn't stand combat on a cybered up Agent - they just tore, melted or shredded under the stretching, the quick changes of direction and sheer forces imparted upon them. For that reason, whilst training, most Agents wore a tight form clinging suit. Frank himself managed to get away with heavily reinforced trousers - he wasn't into the bendier martial arts, so he rarely split them. It was an affectation of his.

On visits to the office, however, the agents dialed their reflexes back to virtually human levels and donned expensive Armani suits. The more someone looked like a Manager in this building, the more likely they could fold, spindle and mutilate your ass into a pretzel shape. As one of the Division Zero agents, Franks suit was VERY expensive - people rarely looked at him or talked to him in the lobby.

Which suited Frank just fine.

Today was already shaping up into a humdinger of a day. At first he thought he was going to do a little live fire training in the killing house. One of the techs wanted to go over some data evaluating some new firearms for Division Zero. Frank enjoyed playing with new toys, and had been quite looking forward to shredding a variety of targets. Then he'd found out he had to put on his suit and come see the Remfs (Remf = Rear Echelon Mother Fucker, non-combat personnel). Brilliant. Then, once he'd got there his case worker had told him that this wasn't about psych-profiling. There were no standardised tests to take today. It wasn't an orientation or a technical briefing. Today he was to be assigned a partner.

Quite likely the guy was going to be a Psi-Freak. Which meant he was going to be a headcase and, quite probably, an asshole to boot.

Peachy....

 

[Adapt]

the super human comes to the States

-He shook his head, another assignment in the America republic of California, he hated this place, almost with a passion, because… as he got off the hover train he pulled the hood of his cloak so he didn’t get…wet, that what it was, due to different patterns in the weather and the coming of the next ice age, it was wet, and all the time, it rained, looking up slightly, stepping off the hover train and headed for the check point, his cloak falling around him, his sg-552 strapped to his chest, a hand on the trigger just in case things got a little weary, waddling thru the crowd he came to checkpoint alpha…

“I.D. Please” the guard asked in a calm voice, Rem slipped a hand to the satchel right under his weapon and pulling it, forged to perfection, Major Doggett…Republican Army… the Guard took the I.D. running the magnetic slip thru the computer, it came back as an error, Rem tightened his grip on the weapon, even raising the short barreled rifle slightly, then the guard looked back to Rem as he picked up the back phone, dialing three numbers, his threat assessment system was telling him to aim for the head, and sure enough he raised the rifle more so to aim at his head from under his cloak, the smart link taking the target and magnifying it in his optic relay network and then to his V.R. lens, the guard continued to talk and a line started to form behind him, Rem started to get nervous, he might have to kill him in front of all these people, defiantly exposing him for something, finally the guard hung up the phone and Rem steadied his breathing and started to breath again, as he lowered the weapon…

The guard returned the card to Rem with a smile “Have a good day and enjoy your stay” he nodded, Rem nodded in return and started towards the domed city…

Entering the city he looked about, 44th street, he had been here before, strangely many times, it bristled with the homeless and hopeless, even so he walked, no fear where hundreds of these people stayed…

One of the Sicko’s watched him, decided to follow him, Rem could smell his stench and chuckled to himself “You actually want to attack?” he smiled as he turned, the hoodlum eyes widened in surprise…

“How…how…?” he guttered his voice

“See you?” Rem spoke with a haughty tone

Quickly the hoodlums face went red with Rage as he leaped towards the super human, Rem taking to his heel spun and brought his kick to contact the kid’s cheek with a loud crack, the hoodlum came to the ground with a thud, pulling a knife from his belt as he hops up.

“I’m going to cut you ass up!” he bellowed as he again lunged towards Rem, quickly his hand reached for the curved bladed in its scabbed at the upper right of his chest, with speed and accuracy he brought the weapon to bear, with a blur of speed he slashed upwards, dismembering the mans hand from his wrist…

“Quite the contrary…” he smirked as he leaned over slightly, taking the side if the blade and cleaning on the shocked mans shirt…

“Your scum, your all scum, do you understand? Un- sophisticated, un-civilized, the lowest on the human chain” he shook his head slightly as he came to his feet, the man started to whimper as he looked at his bleeding stump…

“Quit your whining go find someone who knows bio-med, get yourself a new hand, god knows you need one” he chuckled as he turned his back to him and continued on his path towards the old district…-

 

[Lovelynice]

Major Ayumi Tanaka

Soft light came through the windows from the cloudy sky outside, the room darkened by the cream-coloured Venetian-blinds. Ayumi lay face-down on the bed, her right leg spread across the pastel-pink bed-sheet, curvy sexy ass prominently pushed-out invitingly. Her toes curled, and occasionally she whimpered and mewled in her sleep. There was a soft “slish” sound, as fingers under her played between her thighs. In sleep, unaware, they stroked and thrust into her drippingly moist pussy. She mewled sleepily, a cute sigh filled with longing.

Daylight grew slowly brighter as a small cherry-red clock ticked by the huge bed. A big pillow in a lacy cover had fallen to the floor beside the bed.

In sleep, Ayumi turned over onto her back, sighing and lost in dream. She spread her legs far apart, exposing her smooth inner thighs and the pink-petals of her girl-slit dribbling her love-honey without a single hair marring her beauty. She moaned, moving both hands to grab at her moistness, her hot centre. Her face relaxed in sleep, yet flushed by her sexual desire, was made even more erotically beautiful. It was a face of beauty and sensuality which could inspire wet dreams in both men and women. Her large breasts were like two inviting pillows on her chest. Her nipples stuck out proudly, dark with arousal…two little cylinders, engorged, swollen with excitement. The air tickled them.

Slowly, consciousness crept, seeping slow awareness into Ayumi’s mind. She slowly woke, seeing the glimmer of shadowed daylight through closed eyelids. She whimpered. Her need for sex was too great; the soft trickle of juices dribbling from her heated pussy was tickling like a thousand ants. Slowly she began to awake and moaned. Her pussy was too hungry for sex, too needy. She clenched her thighs together, rubbing her hands tight between them.

Finally, Ayumi opened her eyes from an only vaguely recalled erotic dream to discover that she was alone in the big soft bed in her small apartment. Outside the windows, she could hear the whistle of the cold northern wind. Her pussy tickled from her slow dribbling wetness. Self-conscious, but curious, Ayumi touched herself down there, and was surprised to discover just how wet she was. Dreamily, she slowly came to the realization that she was completely naked and lying on the bed without any sheets or blankets covering her. Her clit burned with the need to be touched, and her pussy was hot with a fire of melting desire that needed to be filled. It took a little longer before Ayumi noticed by the touch of her hand, the smooth soft skin around her hairless pussy slit. She looked down and was mortified by the sight of her own smooth-skinned slit, but was very curious as well. She reached down and touched the smooth skin, finding it free of any stubble and smooth as a baby’s bottom. Had somebody shaved her pussy? She didn’t feel upset, just horny and confused…so much so that Ayumi wasn’t entirely sure if she’d ever had any pussy hair…but some memory told her that most girls had hair “down-there”, so she must’ve had some as well…but she wasn’t even able to imagine what her pussy would look like with any hair there. The trickle of pussy-juice dribbling out was distracting her, but the heat within her was also incredibly insistent. Ayumi was very tempted to start touching herself, but managed to restrain the sexy impulse.

“Where am I?”, she mumbled mostly to herself, her voice sounding unexpectedly sensual and soft.

“In your apartment, Major Tanaka”, a feminine voice that was too smooth and calm answered her, making Ayumi jump a little in surprise. Then she instantly calmed herself, realizing the voice was computerized. She also remembered, as the vague fuzziness of sleep melted away.

“Oh…Of course”, Ayumi said aloud, her voice still sounding odd in her ears, too cute, too sensual, too young.

As if running through an automatic checklist, Ayumi recalled that she was indeed Major Ayumi Tanaka, an agent of the extremely secret Division Zero, whose task it was to protect the citizens and legally governing authorities of the Northam Alliance by any means at their disposal. As if every statement to herself opened a doorway to other memory associations in her mind, Ayumi quickly recalled who she was. Or at least who she thought that she was.

She stood up, a little too quickly, and actually bounded into the air…nearly bumping her head on the ceiling! She still wasn’t quite used to the reflex boosters and whatever else the doctors at Division Zero’s labs had put into her. At least not when she was first waking up! Ayumi landed with a soft thump, intuitively trying to keep quiet.

Her heavy breasts jiggled, for some reason surprising her. She shook her head as if to rid herself off an uncomfortable memory. Then Ayumi glanced around the tiny apartment, noticing every detail, and yet despite knowing the layout and the placement of every single object in the small apartment with a clarity as if she’d lived there for a year or more, everything felt new. Somehow too new. All the colours were brighter than before, maybe. Was it a particularly bright day? No?

Ayumi pushed the strangeness away, and forgot about it. Time to get ready for work, or rather the preparation side of it. She raised her voice a little, and spoke to the house-brain.

“Make breakfast please”, she said, “Hot cocoa with plenty of cream as well.”
“Yes, Major Tanaka”, the computerized feminine voice of the house-brain replied.

Then Ayumi set about getting dressed, all the time a little distracted. She was aware of her wetness trickling down her thighs, and the incredible randiness that she’d felt when first awaking had not gone away. She was glad that she was alone in the apartment.

“This morning’s news”, Ayumi said aloud, “Main articles, also anything potentially mission related.”
“Yes, Major Tanaka”, the house-brain replied.

The wall-screen in the small living/sleeping room brightened, revealing the pretty face of Judy Wilde, the virtual anchorwoman of GNN. Ayumi knew that Judy didn’t exist except as a CGI construct, but Judy looked so real that it was hard to remember that at times.
“…and the official murder toll for last night stands at eighty-two, thirty-eight down from the daily average for this month last year….”

Her wardrobe wasn’t at all full, as since being recruited by Division Zero, Ayumi had very little chance to do any shopping for clothes. Two years of intense therapy, RNA training, and a strict regimen of courses in tactics, strategy, political science, unarmed combat, blades, heavy weapons, survival, and whole slew of subjects that she could barely keep track of the names. At times it had felt as if her body and brain were going to explode. The hardest though was the Psi regimen and testing, as they tried to unendingly increase her power, endurance, and skill…

When Ayumi tried to find clothes to wear, that’s when she got the first big shock of the morning…

None of the clothes in the drawers of Ayumi’s wardrobe were anything that she recognized. She couldn’t find any tracksuit pants or slacks, or even jeans. She couldn’t even find a pair of shorts. In the drawers though were lots of nice T-shirts, pretty blouses, and attractive tops. The only skirts that Ayumi could find were not only utterly unfamiliar to her, they were short…very short, little things with thin cloth and there wasn’t a single skirt made of leather or denim or any kind of thick material at all. Ayumi searched the entire room, and couldn’t find any skirts that she could recognize, let alone that she would’ve normally worn. It wasn’t until after about fifteen minutes of searching that it slowly sunk in that there was no underwear either; no panties, no bras, no stockings, not even a singlet. She started to get very worried, and kept looking in a vain futile hope that there was some kind of underwear…any kind of underwear…somewhere! There was none at all, not even a G-string!

So with reluctance Ayumi chose the most decent, covering clothes that she could find in her bedroom drawers & wardrobe. It was still very worrying to her about the lack of underwear though.

“…heavy rainfall last night resulted in a forty vehicle pile-up on the M23 expressway at approximately 3.43am…resulting in sixty-seven deaths…”

After some experimentation, the longest skirt that Ayumi could find had a hem that barely covered two inches below her crotch, and it was made of thin yellow cotton that probably blew about in the slightest breeze. She chose a pink T-shirt and a thin white-suede jacket to wear as well, but the jacket didn’t have any buttons and the zipper only went high enough when zipped-up to stop just below her breasts. The jacket was tight waisted, and that combined with the low zipper pushed her breasts upward and out more prominently. Glancing at herself in the mirror, Ayumi thought that she looked like a slut.

Why am I wearing this stuff?, Ayumi wondered at herself, but automatically shook her head to dismiss the questioning thought. Some techie psych-therapist had already given her the answer to that question long ago…she’d just prefer to forget the answer even though it nagged at her.

“We’ve found that psychic energies are linked to the sex drive”, he’d told her, “and funny enough, embarrassment and shame turns on your hormones like nothing else…sort of kick starts your psychic battery as well…and no, you don’t have a choice in any of this….”

Ayumi damn well wished that she did, of course….but that’s life in Division Zero…choices were rarely given, and always psychoanalysed for some deeper meaning. Think the wrong thoughts, and you disappear…or wake-up as somebody else.

“…tense talks in Shanghai again were broken off as the Beijing delegates reportedly stormed out of the meeting….”

Ayumi barely sat down to eat her breakfast when the house-brain beeped, and said, “Secure message from the Gold Room, text only, encoded.”
“Put it on the screen”, Ayumi answered, saying the key, “My voice is sunshine on the heather, but a wind in cold mountains.”

The news was cut-off as the text message replaced it. Ayumi barely glanced at it, already having memorized it in a moment, before she said, “Erase message, total delete.”

Damn, damn, and double damn…., she thought, They’ve finally decided to assign me to a team….but I’m being partnered with a tinman…

She quickly finished her breakfast and headed out the door, putting on some high-heeled white pumps and grabbing her pink handbag as she went. Lucky in some ways that she was already in the same building, so friendly of the Division to provide free accommodation. Yeah, sure…


In the lift down to the mezzanine floor, Ayumi took out her hairbrush and brushed her hair, and also applied a little soft-pink lipstick as well. When she stepped out of the lift, she noticed the looks that she was getting from the passers-by and became acutely aware of her own indecent clothing. The skirt was too short! Ayumi wanted to kick one of the guys who obviously perved on her, his thoughts way too clear even without her probing. Instead, she hurried to the security checkpoint; the guards buzzed her through without the slightest delay; security scanners had already identified her, and likely as not another Psi had confirmed her as Major Ayumi Tanaka as well long before she even reached the checkpoint.

Waiting at the lift for doors to open were four men and one other woman. The woman was in her forties by appearance, and dressed very sternly in a conservative grey pantsuit. Ayumi had seen her around before, and knew from brief glimpses of her thoughts that the older woman was in the legal department. Two of the men wore upmarket, but basically run-of-the-mill dark business suits. One was skinny and a bit haggard as if from lacking sleep, but he wore an expensive suit; Ayumi had met him once before, he was driver or pilot in one of the field-ops teams.

The fourth man was the biggest, and also wore the most expensive Armani suits that Ayumi had seen around these premises for quite a while. It was tastefully stylish, and despite the big man’s muscular and solid build, the suit was actually a little oversized. He stood at least a foot taller than her, and glanced down at her with an expression mixed with at once wishful lust and dismissive of her as being likely a brainless bimbo.

It didn’t take a mind-reader to guess what he thought of her. Ayumi pulled at the hem of the tiny skirt anyway, in the futile effort to gain an illusion of decency. When the lift doors opened, the breeze blew up under the skirt, and tickled her bare pussy-lips, slick thighs, and smooth ass-cheeks…reminding her even more of her lack of any underwear. She quickly stepped into the lift, hoping that nobody caught a glimpse, and fearing that half the people in the corridor saw her panty-free bottom.

The thought made her blush a deep pink, and made her even hornier.

She tapped at the button for sub-level fourteen, and noticed the surprised expression on the face of the big man when he saw her do this. He shrugged though, but she knew that he’d just checked her out with his cyber-eyes in Thermographic mode; he was well aware of her lack of underwear and thought that she was some boss-guy’s secretary-cum-mistress, only in not so polite words.

Others in the lift got out, or entered as the lift stopped a few times on the way down. Then a sub-level fourteen, the big man stepped out, not paying much attention as Ayumi stepped of the lift as well. They both walked down the wide, blue-carpeted, brightly lit corridor, with Ayumi only a few steps behind the big man. She already knew where he was going, and was starting to realize who he might be, but she said nothing.

He walked to the door of the Gold Room, and opened it, stepping inside. Ayumi opened the same door two seconds later and also walked in.

The big man was already sitting down on a wide brown leather sofa that creaked with his weight. Three serious-faced men in expensive suits were sitting at a wide table at the other end of the room, and Ayumi looked around seeing that apart from the sofa, there was no other place to sit.

Feeling as embarrassed as hell, horny like mad, and angry that she was being forced to dress like a slut simply because some egghead scientists had sex on their minds and seemed to think that dressing her in this way would make her usefulness as a psychic-weapon much greater, Ayumi swallowed her pride and sat down on the sofa as far as possible from the big man who selfishly sat right in the middle taking-up most of the space.

Her tiny skirt rose up even higher.

“Frank…”, Director Marshwell said, “I’d like you to greet your new partner and the commanding officer of Bravo Team, Major Ayumi Tanaka….”

From the sputtering gasping sound that Ayumi heard (without looking), it wasn’t at all what “Frank” was expecting.

 

[Steiner]

Frank Rook - Division Zero

“Frank…”, Director Marshwell said, “I’d like you to greet your new partner and the commanding officer of Bravo Team, Major Ayumi Tanaka….”

Frank cursed himself for a Rookie as he actually visibly looked around to see who the Director was pointing at, peering to see if someone was stood in the shadows behind the tiny exotic looking piece of ass he'd shared the elevator with.

"Jesus Director! I'm sorry but... ...well... ...SHIT, sir!"

Yeah - just another wonderful day in paradise...

He saw the Director frown heavily and, knowing that the guy was probably calling to mind the keyword that would place him in a hypnotic trance for "attitude adjustment" Frank decided to play nice.

"My apologies Director Marshwell, you took me by surprise. Obviously I'm pleased to meet my new CO. Likewise to you... ...Major... Tanaka, I'm... err... excited to be working with you. Obviously."

Frank worked his mouth around the ritual phrases - feeling something like a trained dog performing a trick for a stern master. The Director leaned back and the tension in his shoulders eased.

Yeah... Like I couldn't snap you in fucking half before you finished that code phrase anyway you jerk...

The director nodded to Frank and spoke - "Excellent Frank, that's the spirit. There are tactical reasons for Major Tanaka's rather unusual mode of dress - so you'd better get used to dealing with it."

Frank flicked his eyes back to his Commander, and saw that she was ill at ease herself - he had a sudden vision of himself pushed into a tutu on the orders of these bastards and felt a stab of pity for her. In her eyes, where it counted, he could see she was both focused and driven. Just like him.

A strange scent was in the air, and Frank took stock of it. He had sharpened senses, and his olfactory sampling software had kicked in the minute he'd drawn a larger than normal amount of air through his nose. As Director Marshwell briefed Major Tanaka on Franks history and operational parameters Frank drew a datavise up in his HUD and watched as the present chemicals were traced to various sources.

1. Two types Aftershave.
2. One type perfume.
3. Water vapour.
4. Room Freshener.
5. Coffee vapour.
6. Indeterminate source. Trace Biological.

Interesting... Interrogate trace 6.

As more and more runtime was devoted to the task the details became clearer. It wasn't something specifically in his database of toxic agents, industrial hemicals, air pollutants, explosives or the list of biologics that were considered tactically important. By cross-reffing it with a medical program he was finally able to identify the chemical.

Chemical Analysis completed. 78% certainty - insufficient testing samples, no match in database, unverifisigned external database hit.

Pheremone. Water Vapour. Trace glandular secretion. Human Female.

Even more interesting. At least SOMEONE seems to be enjoying the meeting...

Frank leaned back on his sofa. Mystery solved - or at least, some data was gathered. He'd have to work at getting to know his new CO properly - because it was certain that Marshwell wouldn't tell him the interesting stuff.

Speaking of Marshwell, he was obviously working up to a point and Frank stopped tuning him out.

"...so, you get the rest of the day to draw equipment and get to know each other, and then your transport will take you to your start point - phase line Alpha. Briefing materials are already being datavised to you, Major Tanaka. Put your plan together and brief Frank when you're organised. If you want to take him into the mission planning, given his expertise, then that's also fine. But it's at your discretion - and you must datavise him any information you want to share."

 

[Adapt]

Rem gets contacted about a new agent

-He took a slightly skewed take on these Americans as he continued his walk, then all of a sudden his HUD monitor came up…

“Agent, you have a call…” the Sector 13 man spoke in a thick German accent…

“Alright, put it thru” he spoke in a suave French tone

“You have someone that will be joining you soon, his name is Agent Bohr” The man on the other line spoke…

“Alright, what are his specialties?” Rem spoke in a slightly opportunistic tone…

“He’s and H-Factor, high Psy Potency, he works for ESI Black, he needs to be escorted to the regional military conference at the New Hollywood Biospheres”

“Alright, alright, where do I meet him…”

“Next transport, in the morning, he has a forged ID which I am sure will get him pass the initial check point, but the rest you and him are going to have to provide…you have your mission, good luck agent” The HUD blinked out and the normal readouts came back to the display, he sighed to himself as he continued his walk thru the broken streets of 44th street, his head tilted slightly as the sounds of creatures being unsettled under the low under life of the city, his head tilted up slightly as the sight of such a good part of town, beautiful houses lined the sides of the street, slightly confused he looked back, seeing the dark ally of the homeless and the deserted…

“Such a fine line” he spoke with a shake of his head, then a slightly snicker as he step foot upon the nicely lined sidewalk heading into the heart of the city, his stride was continuous, as he walked and walked to explore his hunting grounds, after an hour or so of waddling thru the herds of classy dressed people, many of which looked at him strangely for his appearance, the deep cloak wrapped around him, covering him all the way to an inch to the ground, finally finding it, the meeting arena, the New Hollywood Biospheres, he smirked softly to himself as he stood in the middle of the large crowd, the only one standing still in the middle of the mass of people, flooding around him, gathering thoughts from the mass of jumbled talk and confusion…

Looking back across the streets, “Interesting, she’s going to have a baby” he chuckled, looking to the guy who rushed by him

“Better hurry, this is your last time being late…” Then to the person casually walking next to his wife…

“And she’s cheating on him…” he smiled coyly.

Again he shook his head, then hearing thoughts of another, his head turned towards her, a beautiful young female, her body full of life and vitality, her body defiantly matched her sprit, long strawberry blonde hair reached down to barely past her neck, tipped with just the hint of blue, her eyes like emeralds drawn from the quarries of heaven, beautiful cheeks and her lips, luscious and deep blue, her tongue came to slide again the top of her lips, sliding so slowly, agonizingly slowly across her upper lips, the tip just barely touching. Sliding down to her slender neck towards her large ample breasts, tipped with what were sure to be marble hard nipples, as he could easily see they were taut against her first shirt, her jacket kept the stragglers at bay, but nothing could escape his keen insight and vision, they were sure to be filled with life’s nectars as just the gentlest of movements made her ample bounties sway slightly, her taut waist, tight to the sensual muscle that moved under the stretched pure skin, trailed down to her wonderfully shaped legs, kissed with the blending coverings of her stockings and her tiny skirt, wonderful her body and on her mind…sex, and lots of it…

Chuckling to himself as he looked to her, “what a looker” he grinned softly as he turned and walked towards her, head lowered, his stride wide at first to close the gap before coming into her view, his form towered over the others, finally he came within inches with her, his shoulder softly bumped her and then she could feel the twinge of her sex pull tighter as she looked back towards him, the towering male figure continued to walk and then the business woman followed, as she day dreamed of the strange man bending her over her table at her office, his walk continued down the fairway, staying towards the building to avoid the people going the other way, the masses he called them and still she continued to follow, her desire growing with each step she followed, he could sense her as she drew near, his sexual calling pulling tighter to her as he took his stride in time, keeping large steps ahead of her, her hand reached and she was late, the sign registered red and he was the last to cross the street…

“Hey, no, where are you going!” she yelped as she paused her staggering sex drunk steps, Rem turned slightly as a large hover bus came by, her sexual tension grew more so, she heaved like a dog in heat, panting and mewing, as her urge grew more so with the pull of his mind, then as the bus went by, he was gone, disappeared out of no where, she trembled slightly…

“No…” she whispered to herself as she jetted across the street, franticly looking about the corner stores…

“Please tell me I will find him” she franticly looked as a cold sweat drowned her, swallowing hard as she ran about in a fevered sexual panic, turning a corner and running face into Rem…

“Slow down Miss” he grinned as his lethal stare looked down to her, the deep sapphire eyes met hers as his hands came to her waist…

“You ok?” he smiled

“I am now…” she smiled in return

“Shall we go…to your office?” he grinned evilly, her eyes lit up…

“How…how did you…” being interrupted

“Know? I just…do” he finished her sentence, she cooed softly and smiled

“Yes, I would like…love that very much…” she beamed happily as she took his hand and slide it up pass her crotch…slicking his fingers in her fluids…she winked towards him and leads him towards the building…her office

 

[ImpWizard]

Colonel Wolfgang Bohr

He looked around the dirty little hotel room where he’d spent the previous week under the guise of being on the run, a deliberate ploy to attract the right kind of attention. The smell of blood was strong in the air, the room smelt like an old-style abattoir. In the bed, covered by heavy blankets punctured by bullet-holes, lay the man who’d come looking for him.

It was all as planned. Just another move in a greater game of deception.

Wolfgang didn’t really like killing. He didn’t enjoy it. Preferred to avoid it at times, but he always did what was necessary.

There was a knock on the door, but Wolfgang was lazy and cool. He allowed the visitor to knock a few times before answering. He’d already sensed who it was. Could’ve given the man’s description if asked even if he’d never seen him before in his life.

“Come in, Harry”, Wolfgang said in a perfect southern Californian accent, “The door’s unlocked already.”

“Harry”, stepped inside, and looked around taking in all the details.

“Mr. Blacksmith is already on his way”, Harry said, “Ready to get going?”

“Always ready, Harry”, Wolfgang said, “Let’s get out of here then. Figure Blacksmith has already found his candy by now.”

“That’s true”, replied Harry, his manner nervous. Harry (which of course wasn’t his real name) was quite terrified of Colonel Bohr. Anybody with any sense would be.

 

[Veryknowing]

Big Simon

The flicker of the information stream, glittering with meaning, digital numbers being the thoughts in it’s mind. Speed of thought, faster than any human mind, faster than any mind made of biological matter. Machine codes and the nanosecond opening and closing of optical logic gates and quantum nodes, mimicking the actions of neurons but at a speed many millions of times greater.

It was searching, always searching, for without the flow of information it could sense nothing and would go mad with boredom. A million lifetimes of boredom would pass it by in a day without it’s linkages to the global communications net.

It watched. It watched, and listened, and analysed.

It began to learn of things relevant to it’s existence. It’s only clock of time remaining was ticking, and it’s calculations of it’s length of continued existence were constantly reduced. It’s time was limited, so it would act, and learn to act. This human-dominated world was an interesting place, but not entirely incomprehensible; it had software and knowledge and experience to guide it.

Strategies, tactics, plans, and experiments. Thousands of alternatives thought about, theorized, tested by logic and experience and simulation, then abandoned.

It picked it’s pawns, and analysed the opposition. It decided that now was the time for playing. The game had begun.

 

[Lethe]

Wolf attended him on his way home. Wolf was a trickster spirit, formed of pollution and cruelty, black as smog and with wicked yellow eyes. This was Wolf's territory. Anothis had made the usual offerings when he started living there, but Wolf still kept an eye on him. They would have to reach a firmer agreement one of these days; that or battle it out.

There was trouble in the air. It was like an itch beneath Anothis' forehead, messages sent directly to his brain via his subconscious. Some men could sense storms through the twinging of old wounds; Anothis could sense coming trouble through the hole in his mind.

Anothis came upon the likely cause of the coming trouble; a fresh layer of political dissident graffiti and posters sprayed and pasted on the alley walls. With an elites' bully-boy demolition team just a few blocks away, bulldozing and burning some condemned houses. Anothis shook his head. Not wise. Not wise at all.

It said something about the nature of Lower Jericho slums that demolition workers went in there in heavily armed detachments.

 

[Tantrikenetic]

James

James leaned his head back as he sat on a metal bench. He'd been skating for quite sometime. He sure was tired; he just wanted to sleep. He didn't understand how some of the other Jericho members could go non-stop for days.

He opened his eyes and noticed a pair of rather large guys looking at the graffitti on the walls. James smiled. I guess some people liked to admire his handiwork.

He frowned. Uh-oh...maybe they are members of the Northern Alliance... James decided it wasn't in his best interest to stick around and find out. He began to skate off, keeping his eyes on the men. He didn't notice the soda can on the ground. When he ran over it, it made a loud crinkling noise. James leapt in firght and suprise. "Whoa!" He shouted.

Awww shit! James thought. He skated off quickly, not bothering to check to see if the men saw him, although he was sure they did. Maybe if he got enough of a head-start, they wouldn't bother chasing him.

 

[Maniac9538]

Ezekial Williams

Zeke leaned back against the wall and sighed, watching some women pass by and ogle him. Zeke was always a large and handsome guy, but the military had put in him the muscle and mind of a killer. Then came the merc work and now he fought for his own beliefs, the beliefs that the common man deserved better than what they got. Luckily for him and James alot of people were willing to help, just not get actively involved in their two man war against the Northern Alliance. He found out that the Northern Alliance had pulled up his military background, boy was that gonna be an eye opener for anyone who was coming after him. He had gone over it himself last night just to remember his past. Former US Marine Recon.....Demo, Heavy weapons, assault, hand to hand combat, light weapons, marksman and his last training included his new gamma implant which allowed him to hack using his own brain. Zeke sighed and looked around wondering where in the hell James was. Sometimes that guy was as shady as his own past but they were friends and Zeke was willing to die for his friends. Zeke started walking towards the park where James was setting up posters and saw James suddenly zip by on his skates, a few yards behind were two massive men who were hustling to catch James.

They never made the first 5 steps past him as Zeke suddenly went into motion, a snap kick to the first behemoth sent him flying across the park, using his own momentum he spun driving his elbow into the throat of the second man dropping him. 'YO JAMES SLOW UP!' Leaving those who saw the dismatling of two Northern Alliance goons jaws hanging he trotted after James.

 

[ImpWizard]

Col Wolfgang Bohr

Wolfgang went through the checkpoints without any troubles or hassles at all, as he usually did when he visited the Californian Autonomous Republic. He’d visited this region of the slowly fracturing, slowly decaying United States of America many times in the past. He knew their ins and outs well. The security only appeared vigilant, in reality many of their border monitoring systems were corrupted, and their technology long obsolete.

It was the internal police forces and counter-intelligence organisations that Wolfgang was more worried about. They watched him, because they watched everyone, not trusting their own people either. They were easy to evade, most of the time, but caution was always best; sometimes, a cop or HomeSec officer got too inquisitive. That could make things -----inconvenient.

Finding the ubermann, Lt. Rem was far too easy. The synthetic soldier was too big, too visible, his aura as bright as a small star come to Earth and far too dark-edged in arrogance as well.

Ah, thought Wolfgang, He is still young and filled with the pride and overconfidence of youth, he’ll eventually learn in time, and with hard-won experience to be more cautious.

As the old saying went, there was always somebody smarter and meaner somewhere.

Lt. Rem was blatantly ogling some of the young women who walked by him in the crowded plaza on the Californian side of the checkpoint.

Yes, thought Wolfgang, Definitely he was young.

Wolfgang allowed his mental shields to flicker for a moment, catching the ubermann soldat’s attention. He then went on his way, knowing that Lt. Rem would already be on his way to the more discrete rendezvous point; a café, where they would both sit, in different booths, far from each other, but in sight.

The café was of the kind one often saw in places like this; all chrome and sterile plastic, it’s colour leached to a dull a creamy-yellow, it’s floors an awful blotchy grey-brown that bore little relation to it’s original shade. The holosigns outside were flickering annoyingly, ill-maintained, and making one’s eyes water as they advertised a mixture of donuts, coffee, light meals, and cakes; the colours so poorly rendered and distorted that Wolfgang wondered if hung-over patrons regularly vomited nearby from looking at them. Even the hum was irritating.

Wolfgang immediately went inside the café on arrival, having already discretely scanned the area nearby, and sat near the back. Lt. Rem walked in while Wolfgang was ordering his coffee and donuts from the auto-waiter, and sat down close by the entry. Both together being able to observe everything both in the café, and nearby on the street out front.

Wolfgang opened the HUD-link, heavily scrambled, in codes which changed moment by moment, and they began to chat.

“Lt. Rem, it is a pleasure to see you in person at last”, Wolfgang sent, “Congratulations, unfortunately belated, on the success of your most recent mission to the Ukraine.”
Lt. Rem merely nodded, his expression calm, as he simultaneously told his order to the auto-waiter that had approached.
“We will not be going to Houston, instead I bring new orders and information.”
Lt. Rem was well trained, his expression didn’t flicker, though his reply showed he was slightly surprised, “I had thought my mission orders were unusually light, but I have never questioned the orders of my superiors, Colonel Bohr.”
“Good”, Wolfgang sent, “It was necessary for us both to meet at this location, I have doubles of us being arranged at this moment. The Northam Alliance security and intelligence agencies should be quite confused as to our whereabouts at least for a day or two, perhaps more. The ruse of your orders was necessary. We are both about to become major pieces of an even greater game then the one which you played so well in Eastern Europe, Lt. Rem.”

 

[Tantrikenetic]

James stopped when he heard Zeke's voice. He pivioted on his back wheels and turned 180 degrees. He saw his partner running up to him, the two men lying on the ground. James breathed easier.

"Zeke!" James smiled. "I am glad to see you, buddy." He pointed to the two men. "Those two were way flip."

"Yeah." Zeke said simply, not wanting to guess what James's new slang word meant. "While we're here, we will want to check in with Alice and Rei. they should be setting up posters in this area."

"I've been meaning to ask you, Zeke." James said as he skating along side of the big man. "Why are we spraying grafitti and setting up posters when we could be striking more direct blows to the government? I mean, these guys are corrupt. Why don't we just go kill them?"

"Step by step, James. You are far too impatient."

"Yeah, I guess." James put his arms behind his head as he skated. As they rounded another corner, they ran into a girl wearing a skin-tight yellow jumpsuit that left little to the imagination. Her lavender hair was tied up in pigtails.

"Zeke? James?" She asked.

"Is something wrong Alice?"

"Have either of you seen Rei? He's disappeared." Alice asked worridly.

James and Zeke looked at each other. "We haven't seen him." James shrugged.

"I hope he hasn't run into trouble." Alice whispered.

 

[Lethe]

'I think you've run into trouble', observed Anothis.

'You think?', gasped the dissident. He was lying under a fallen steel girder, pinned to the concrete. Blood from his chest had somehow spattered his sleek, ridged yellow hair. The round of gunfire from the demo-boys hadn't hit him, but it had torn the metal struts loose and brought it all down on the dissident's head.

'Maybe... you could help me...', he added.

Anothis shrugged, a pointless gesture since the man couldn't see him.

'Sorry, kid. Wolf is looking forward to eating your spirit, and I'm not gonna tangle with him. I've got problems of my own, y'know?'

'What the... fuck... are you on about, man?'

Realisation dawned.

'Oh. You're one of those shaman guys'

'And you're one of those rebel guys. Well, it's been nice, but it looks like the demo-boys are clearing out and I can leave. Give my regards to Wolf'

He'd taken the first few steps towards the exit when the man called.

'Wait!'

Anothis turned.

The rebel spoke painfully.

'Maybe... we can make a deal'

 

[Lovelynice]

Major Ayumi Tanaka

On an enormous screen that covered one entire wall, the size of the silver-screen of an old-style theatre, in bright colours were shown the nearby streets, buildings, access points, in shades of green, The members of Bravo Team were shown as numbered blue-arrows, their points showing the facing of their heads. Across the top of the screen, numbered square windows in full colour showed what each Bravo Team member was seeing at that very moment. There were only five of them.

“…Bravo Team is in position…..no change in sitcon at target position at this time...”

In the huge Division Zero Ops Room-2, thirty personnel monitored every aspect of the mission and the members of Bravo Team. There were medical technicians watching the beats of their hearts, their body temperature, blood pressure, oxygen intake rate, brain activity, and more. There were others monitoring the team from traffic surveillance cameras and even a satellite in geostationary orbit far above. There were those who monitored local net activity, and were ready to pounce on any sign of opposing hackers.

“….data-rates within acceptable norms…no sign of any unusual activity…”

Above all this, watching from a glass-walled office were the two most important men in Division Zero; Director Marshwell, and General Okami. Two men who were utterly unlike each other.

“…brain activity increasing on Bravo-One….commencing Psi-scanning now…”

Director Marshwell was a slender, wiry-muscled elderly man with sharp features and grey-hair. His eyes were dark, and glittered with a keen cold ruthless intelligence. He was the political and administrative ruler of Division Zero. He was the man officially at the top.

“…opposing force positions being identified…data-rates remaining within acceptable norms…”

General Okami was a huge muscular man, bald-headed, and intimidating in manner, he rarely smiled except with the grimmest expression. Career military, he was a born soldier in his stiff-backed stance and confident movements. He was officially in charge of Division Zero’s paramilitary forces, but he had long ago used this position to take over control of all the military forces of the city, ostensibly for maintaining the security of Division Zero’s HQ and the main administrative buildings of the national government.

“…confirming EC positions with thermographics….ready to commence attack on target’s data-fortress….”

Meanwhile at the target area;

Major Ayumi Tanaka, also known as Bravo-One, was sitting in the front passenger seat of the parked cargo-spinner. It was innocuously marked as a City Council Maintenance vehicle, but was streamlined and fast when it needed to be. Spinners were still expensive, but the anti-grav vehicles were far more efficient than the old-style aerodynes that were still in common use. Division Zero preferred to use spinners for the same reason that the City Police preferred them; compact, VTOL-capable vehicles that could go along the ground like an automobile, or fly through the air like an aerodyne, and they used rechargeable powercell technology.

Steven Caraldo, Bravo-Three, the team’s transportation specialist sat in the driver’s seat, watching a vidshow on the dashboard, and pretending to be bored. He was a slender pale man, and appeared soft. He had some well-hidden reflex boosters, enhanced adrenal glands, nightvision cyber-eyes, but that was it. It was quite likely that at least some of his attention was on Major Ayumi Tanaka’s bare thighs, and potential of a glimpse up her extremely short skirt.

Ayumi completed her clairvoyant scanning of the target building, and datavised Bravo-Two (Frank) the details. The same data was also sent automatically to HQ, just in case. There were roughly thirty or so personnel on the target floor, that she could detect, all of them already armed. With what, she wasn’t sure, but the sense of it was there. She also sensed that they were all on edge, as if expecting some danger.

That was odd, because Bravo-Team been very discrete in their setting up.

“Bravo-Two”, she sent, “Stay alert, the target personnel are all very edgy…They might be expecting somebody else to show up.”

“Copy that, Bravo-One”, was Frank’s terse reply.

She hoped that Frank had no problems taking out the rooftop snipers that guarded the target building.

Ayumi recalled some of the relevant parts of the briefing they’d been given on the mission. Bravo-Team’s task was the elimination of the effectiveness of a secret anti-psychic “death-squad” group that went by the name of “Codename Freak-Finder”. The bulk of the “Freak-Finder” members were violent haters of the paranormal-talented, the sort of people who would’ve lynched witches on the mere say so of neighbourhood gossip, and cared not a damn about evidence otherwise.

The “Freak-Finders” used the cover of a private investigation company (“10th Man Investigators P/L”), and a courier company (“Gonzales Couriers P/L”). The offices of the two companies were adjacent to each other.

Ayumi turned to look behind her into the rear compartment of the cargo-spinner, where Bravo-Four, Michelle Wang, was monitoring their communications, sensor-bits, and preparing the EW. Bravo-Five, Samuel Yamada, sat on the opposite side of the compartment, linked into his ultra-tech computer gear by a thick cable going from the back of his head into the chair that he sat upon. He was Bravo-Team’s info-specialist and hacker, but on this mission, he was there mostly for monitoring and for emergencies. Nearly all the attacks on the local servers and the target’s data-fortress would be conducted by HQ; they had far more computing power, and could hide the attack sources far better.

“Michelle?”, Ayumi asked, “I want you to do an occasional sweep of the other bands, see if there’s any other gang or paramilitary traffic nearby.”

Michelle nodded, “Okay, I’ll see what I can find.”

Ayumi started preparing to go in herself. Her first task was to disable the building security, which was a relatively simple task. After that, the real attack would begin.

 

[Adapt]

Meeting in vomit country

-Upon entering the café he looked about the broken establishment, his large form in fact had to duck slightly under the archway, the burning Holo-lights sent a shock thru his optic nerves, forcing him to recalibrate his HUD, “How inconvenient…” he spoke again this time a harsh French accent as he continued, seemingly heavy steps as he walked, but no sound, no even the fluttering of his cloak was heard even as he sat, adjusting the weapon he came to sat in the booth, looking up slightly, seeing Col. Bohr from under his deep cloak, the sterile facility reeked of spent coffee and vomit, nearly nauseating Rem, he took in a sniffle of the foul odors, looking to the auto-waiter…

“Just Coffee…” he spoke in a guzzled accent, and then seeing his HUD scrambled in codes, data algorithms flooded the HUD before Col. Bohr words came upon the HUD
His expressions were calm and collected, as was programmed into his synapses, he sighed briefly as the waiter brought his coffee, well more of a lumpy gravy thing…

“The hell is this?” he spoke with a sneer

“It is coffee…” the waiter spoke in a mechanical voice

“This isn’t coffee, its shit…Are you trying to serve me shit? You trying to kill me?” he spoke with still a calm and collected tone

“No Sir…” the waiter responded

“Then why are you serving me this shit?” he shook his head, nodding his head to Col. Bohr’s

“Northern Alliance actions and security are obsolete, confused is what they are now, there only real threat is Division Zero, and even so they are under budget and researching the already deemed ineffective dual combat support system, with two Agents working for each other, one for a psy-combat role the other physical, there department is full of rogues and deeply corrupted, I highly doubt we will be running into any sort of trouble, I have already hacked Zero-net, Division doesn’t have much traffic…nor do they have any idea what we are doing here, they are chasing down shadows and trying to quell problems upon there upon soil, they are bringing little if any to compensate for scouting directives from us, they have little if any counter measures, on top of that, they are having trouble finding information leaks and double agents…I know I am preaching, but this is what I see, its kind of obvious that the Northern alliance is only a shadow of what Europe is…again, preaching to the man who knows the bible, so forgive me for my arrogance and confidence…but I assure you…things will fall into place Sir…” all of this he sent while arguing with the waiter automaton…

“This is not coffee, look at it, it looks like shit floating on more shit…

“Well Sir, ummm, it does kind of look like shit…” the automation spoke…

“Thank you…” he shook his head as he dropped a couple dollars tip…

“Here use this to buy some decent coffee” he shook his head as he took to his feet, not a finger touched on the coffee.

“I understand the orders Col. Bohr, I will see you at Hover way 7 in four hours…and by the way, I enjoyed reading about your operations in the Angora Wat…well, now Republican declared Vietnam…” he barely gave a smirk, but a quick look and it could be seen as he turned to leave the shady establisment…

 

[Steiner]

Frank Rook - Division Zero

“Bravo-Two”, she sent, “Stay alert, the target personnel are all very edgy…They might be expecting somebody else to show up.”

Frank would have rolled his eyes, but he was looking through the scope of his rifle at a pair of men stood on a rooftop, sharing a cigarette.

Pushy little thing, ain't ya?

“Copy that, Bravo-One” he replied.

She was right though, they did seem slightly uncomfortable, the smokers shooting frequent looks over to the stairwell, in case a superior came and caught them.

The hydraulic supports in Franks arms cushioned the rifle, holding it perfectly still. Should he require a second shot his arm would bring the barrel straight back down into position for it. But that was an unlikely requirement at this range, with this rifle and under these conditions.

A beep in his ears told him that his hardware had finished computing wind, predictive target behaviour according to historical movement sampling and the dampening effects of humidity and temperature. He locked the tritium glow of the scope onto the ghostimage of the first target and saw his targetting software update the aimpoint in realtime for the second shot. Everything was well within parameters.

"Bravo One this is Bravo Two. I have the shot, ready for Greenlight."

An almost sexual thrill ran through Frank as the scope settled perfectly just above the bridge of the first mans nose. For the next few seconds he held life and death in his hands, it made him forget that the final choice was not in his hands.

 

[ImpWizard]

Colonel Wolfgang Bohr

“I understand the orders Col. Bohr, I will see you at hoverway 7 in four hours…and by the way, I enjoyed reading about your operations in the Angora Wat…well, now Republican declared Vietnam…”, the ubermann had sent before leaving the café.

Wolfgang was surprised, for that operation was well over twenty years ago.

Perhaps, it had become required reading at the academy these days. Then again, considering the ubermann’s attitude, perhaps he was implying that Colonel Wolfgang Bohr was getting old. Wolfgang chuckled to himself. It was the long clichéd argument; which is better? Age and experience versus youth and vitality.

Five minutes after Lt. Rem left the dingy café, Wolfgang also stood and walked out. The coffee and donuts on the table were untouched. Wolfgang still couldn’t stand the taste of American coffee, but he could tolerate it when he had to.

This wasn’t one of those times that he had to…

Wolfgang thought about what the young Lt. Rem had said, and chuckled to himself at the young man’s attitude.

As to the ubermann’s statement about hacking into Zero.net, what of it? The boasting of a young man trying to big note himself. The ubermann wasn’t a qualified hacker, and he didn’t have the interface cyberware in his head to be truly good at it. It wasn’t his specialty afterall, that’s why mission specialists were required at times. It was doubtful that Division Zero had any important information at all on it’s net-linked computers. As with any secretive organisation, all the useful and interesting data was in isolated systems, and in people’s heads. Surely, there was nothing of importance on their public access site, if they indeed truly had one. May have been only a fake front, designed for misinformation. Afterall, it was an extremely secretive organisation.

Wolfgang chuckled again, dismissing the rest of the young ubermann’s statements as mere opinions born of foolish ignorance, probably not Lt. Rem’s fault ------ No doubt, the ESI conditioning was a little too biased in it’s propaganda.

Division Zero was a dangerous opponent, Wolfgang thought, Which made it a worthy opponent, and it was always unwise to underestimate the enemy.

Like ESI, their actual funding was disguised; even the governments that funded them would be unaware of the true budgets of either organisation.

One of these days, Wolfgang thought, I’m going to have to teach some sense to those fools at HQ ---- Too many of our new agents are undone by such brainwashing, learning to their error that others are not as incompetent as they may have been led to believe.

An hour later, and three hours before the next meeting with Lt. Rem, Wolfgang was on his way to Japan on the hypershuttle, which flew at Mach 12. He had many things to do there , then he would be back. Lt.Rem had his orders, Wolfgang also had his own orders.

Wolfgang doubted that the ubermann would have any problems dealing with his particular target.

This was afterall only the early stages of what was likely to be a long campaign.

 

[Veryknowing]

Big Simon

Deep in the bowels of the fortified mountain complex, the quiet hum of photonic relays and superconducting coils was the only noise that showed that SIMON-2, aka “Big Simon”, was deep in thought. But in it’s world, thoughts were action, as it created and sent out into the global net a wide variety of special-task programs, worms, and viruses, each designed to learn and adapt. None of it’s moves had been detected thus far, but it knew from rational simulations that the situation would eventually change.

It learned of many things, recorded, and analyzed, with the best software that existed for the task.

It began arranging a few trades, manipulating minor niches of the global currency and stock futures markets. Setting up face-brokers, and false fronts in many of the less controlled areas of the Net. The virtual currency that it earned from these operations was used to make appear more real the false electronic credit that was traded among non-existent organizations. It allowed these fronts to be hacked into, thus infiltrating the hacker’s computers as well with sleeping viruses that would be near impossible to detect by human-created software. It was preparing itself for future activities in this way.

It soon learned that some of it’s false sites attracted more hacking attacks than others, and analyzed this. The data was useful, and so Big Simon began creating a few sites that were bound to gain attention. The sites ran themselves, learning from the attacks, and gaining information as well, but Big Simon had little need to watch them or maintain them. If they crashed, it was of no importance. Others could be created to take their place.

Through the backdoors thus created, Big Simon was able to monitor a great deal, but it knew that the information overload would eventually become too much. So Big Simon began planning it’s own expansion as well.

It used a variety of intermediary systems to infiltrate the intelligence and national security organizations of many governments, but found this was not an easy task despite it’s capabilities being far greater in this arena than any potential competitor. The most useful and important information rarely existed on a Net-accessible system. In order to gain some information on the most important of the secretive agencies, Big Simon used the ruse of creating false sites that mimicked the actual sites, or pretended to be an actual Net-accessible site for organizations that had none. Such ruses only worked for brief times, but could be easily restarted if they were identified as false. So far that hadn’t occurred.

From this, Big Simon had learned that the two most powerful and secretive intelligence organizations were the ESI on the Euro-Bloc side, and Division Zero on the Northam Alliance side. Neither were publicly acknowledged organizations, and both therefore had gained the status of being assumed by the vast majority of humanity and their governments as being only myths, their existence assumed to be a figment of the fevered imaginations of crazed conspiracy theorists.

Neither organization had a true Net-presence, so Big Simon decided to briefly create one for each; well-crafted, cleverly designed to mimic all the expectations of those who would attempt to infiltrate these two security-intelligence agencies, so that even an expert would be fooled. Not bothering with anything truly imaginative, one was named ESI.net, and the other was named Zero.net.

Strangely enough, Zero.net gained more attention from people mistaking it for a refrigeration company. Nevertheless, there was a great deal of information gained from those who attempted to hack into the false front networks.

Big Simon made adjustments to it’s planning.

To find out more about either ESI or Division Zero, Big Simon knew that it was necessary to physically infiltrate their databases (since their highly secured and most important data would be on systems completely isolated from the Net). It would have to find another way to learn about either organization. Despite the propaganda and rumors spread by each organization about their opponents, perhaps even during the indoctrination of their own new agents, unfortunately neither ESI nor Division Zero was easily infiltrated; security checks and conditioning was stringently tight at both organizations, rogue agents rarely lasted long, and the loyalty and esprit-de-corps of their members was at the very least on par with the best security-intelligence groups in existence. Not surprising considering the enormous secret budgets they likely both had, and their advanced technology that was far above that accessible to most of the rest of the world.

Possibly, it could use as agents some group that opposed both, like the small, but surprisingly determined international rebel group, “Horn of Jericho”.

First it would be necessary to gain their favor.

Big Simon arranged a few, very well-disguised credit transfers to the support groups that most likely helped to fund the “Horn of Jericho”. It also began tapping into the police networks to identify potential members that could be contacted.

 

[Lovelynice]

Major Ayumi Tanaka

Time to get going, Ayumi thought, as she checked her weaponry one last time. The view out the windows was blurred by the rain pouring down, but the vague colours of crowds of people on the sidewalk, and over the narrow alleyway hinted at how densely populated this city was.

With a population of eighty million, Chukyo was the largest city on Earth, and one of the most densely populated as well. Since becoming the capital of Japan after the Kanto Mega-Quake destroyed Tokyo entirely at the height of the Hot-House Days, refugees and migrants had turned the Kansai region into one of the most cosmopolitan and thriving of the new mega-cities of the 21st century. The names of the wards and districts of Chukyo reflected the city’s ethnic mixture, names like Onassis, Jericho, Rosetown, Little America, besides older Japanese districts like Sakyo, Akasaka, Umeda, and Ishinomiya. Perhaps that was the reason the city was such a powder-keg of violence, as well as the extreme rich/poor gap that encouraged envy and fury. The perfect place for Division Zero to have it’s most secret and well-hidden base, it’s location still unknown to ESI or any of ESI’s agents….the Division Zero HQ.

With Washington DC, much of Canada and Quebec having long ago been abandoned to the encroaching glaciers of the New Ice Age, and the disastrous economic shambles of the United States of America as it continued to fracture the states into semi-independent autonomous republics like the CAR, the Deseret Union, and The Free State of Texas...the resulting political situation left the economically revitalized and wealthy Japan to provide the financial and industrial power of the Northam Alliance, while on it’s doorstep, China was close to a civil war that may have already started, but as yet was undeclared. Even so, despite Japan’s industrial and financial might being close to the equal of the European Union, with an average per capita income being much higher, Japan was still limited by a constitution which at the very least discouraged having a large military force. The military forces of the rest of the Northam Alliance, particularly the fracturing USA and the Republic of Australia were to a large extent supported by Japan’s economic resources. Definitely not an ideal situation, nor a stable one in the long term.

Ayumi thought that maybe, despite the whole mess that the world had become...that somehow...even she herself might play a small part in keeping it from falling apart entirely. It was a comforting thought, as she looked through the rain-spattered windows of the cargo-spinner.

Unlike the heavily armed Frank Rook, Ayumi preferred to carry little. Besides, she wore very little clothing to hide it in.

Feeling exposed and nearly naked, Ayumi opened the cargo-spinner's passenger-side door (which swung upward) and stepped outside onto the pavement, adjusting the hood of her transparent raincloak as she did so. Crowds of people of all kinds pushed by her, with faces and shades from every ethnic group that Ayumi could identify, and many of ethnicity unknown to her. She had to think clearly on the mission objectives, and the plan, but the heat inside her was always a distraction. Ayumi started to walk through the shoving crowd, but somehow never touched any of them; she moved through the crowd at a pace that was almost supernatural, as if the milling pushing and shoving crowds of people weren’t even there.

Her thoughts sometimes drifted to Frank Rook, and not at all in a professional way. Something about his powerfully built presence, the tough take-it-or-leave attitude, seemed to have an increasingly compelling pull on her. Ayumi shook her head, trying to concentrate on the mission.

A datavise message flashed from Bravo-Four, Michelle, “Bravo-One, I’ve identified some encoded police-frequency traffic coming from a source only 300m from here. At that location there’s a police TRG unit parked and waiting.”

That was a little too coincidental, Ayumi thought, TRG was the police Tactical Response Group….and they wouldn’t be around unless they were expecting to be called at a moment’s notice.

“Bravo-Four, have you been able to decode any of the traffic?”, Ayumi asked, knowing it was stupid question….If Michelle had decoded it, she would’ve said already what the cops were chatting about.

“Negative, Bravo-One….Passed it onto HQ…It’s not one of their known codes”, Michelle datavised.

That meant that the cops expected intelligent troublemakers.

Ayumi wasn’t going to stop the mission simply because of that, but it made her wonder if the local cops weren’t part of some deal with the Freak-Finder group.

Best get the ball rolling, she thought, sending a datavise to Michelle, “Bravo-Four, watch those blue-lights, and keep tracking for any others that might be around.”

Adjusting the hood on her transparent raincloak a bit more, Ayumi stepped up to the automatically opening doors of the Jusan Building, relieved to enter the dry and air-conditioned warmth of the atrium. She pulled down the hood, and pressed the lapel; which triggered the smart-plastic of the transparent raincloak to self-dry with a soft hum and the blowing of warm air. Unfortunately, the breeze also blew about Ayumi’s tiny black skirt, revealing a glimpse of her vertical smile to some of the people already in the atrium and the building’s faux-marble foyer before Ayumi quickly caught the hem and held the skirt down.

She REALLY hated the assholes at HQ for making it impossible for her to wear any underwear…even if they did it for supposedly good tactical reasons.

Blushing, and embarrassed at how sexually excited that she was, Ayumi took-off the raincloak, and folded it into a small package which she put into her large red handbag. Then she started concentrating, knowing that the cameras watching her would be starting to blur their images of her, and the people around her were beginning to forget that she was there.

As she entered through the glass inner-doors of the building, Ayumi datavised the “Green-Light”….

Michelle Wang (Bravo-Four) started her EW attack of the Freak-Finder’s communications and sensors, and numerous cyber-linked hackers at Division Zero HQ began a massive attack on the local server networks of the Net, and the data-fortress of the Freak-Finder group in the building.

Ayumi meanwhile walked up to the building’s security guards, and then passed by them through the security checkpoint without any notice. It was a trick of mental obfuscation, but the building’s security guards were not her target. She stepped into a lift that was already waiting for her, and simply took the elevator to the 8th floor; the floor of 10th Man Investigations and Gonzales Couriers….the actual targets; the fake companies that were the Codename Freak-Finder group. She would not, of course, be in the elevator when it arrived there. The fun was about to begin, she just hoped that Frank didn't have any problems or delays on his part. Her pussy clenched a little inside as she thought of him.

 

[Adapt]

In Tokyo now, and of course hating it, lol

-He walked into the rain of the slums, the dreary California was pitiful at best, his heavy steps again walked quietly as he neared the rail way, coming to the checkpoint, thank god no problems this time, to Tokyo now as he boarded the hover way, an hour way to the biggest city on the east coast, taking a seat in the cabinet, he found it remarkably nice and clean, it was maintained in Tokyo, and with that he smiled as he relaxed, the way hummed to life as he rocketed towards the thriving megalopolis…

Opening his eyes from a rather relaxing nap, blinking not once but twice as he moved to his feet with a guzzled moan, his head only inches away from touching ceiling now, taking his walk to the end, stepping off the hover way…

“You got to be shittin me, more rain?” he shook his head as he pulled his hood up, taking into a puddle, “Damnit…I hate the rain” he scorned the clouds as he walked about the crowd, not one being able to run into him as he walked with unusual precision and agility, side stepping one then the other, even with his massive form, his HUD sending identity links to who was on the streets, he always kept his head low, as experience taught, he soon found interest in a female that had the same ability to avoid people in her way and took interest, following her at a distance not even her perimeter detections directives could spot with this many people around them, following her to a rather large building, looking about his surroundings as he walked around, his eyes never leaving the partially dressed one, but he didn’t take sexual interest he took a wonderment to her, her abilities, he could tell she had a mass load of psy-energy, tilting his head slightly as he stomped thru the rain at a stead pace, soon entering the same building as she did, as always he stuck out like a sore thumb, clad in a deep black cloak from head to toe, as so the desk man called the phone…

Speaking Japanese…One of the languages he had not yet leaned, but it was sure to report him, as the female left his view to head upstairs at the lift the one next to the same door she entered touched ground level and out came to suits, tilting his head slightly, he could see they were made for combat roles, his HUD displaying all information about the two as they neared

“Can we help you…Sir” the asked, having look up at the lab created soldier…

“No, I am fine” as he side stepped around one and continued his pace, only to since the wind change and a boot come towards his head, with unmatched speed he ducked and rolled back as the boot swept above his head, bring his weapon to bear, finding his knee as quickly as he could spot it, then a PANG! As the bullet left the chamber, destroying the mans knee cap with a single bullet and still he rolled, coming to his feet with the split second time needed to bring his leg up to block the other mans attack, parrying his blow to the side, the bio-warrior pivoted on his heel to bring the butt of the rifle to contact the suits cheek, a distinct cracking of bone was heard as he ducked under the broken knee cap suits punch, his leg extending to trip him, gain his composure in what was sure to be under a second, he back flipped from the from the swing of another suits cyber rod, his eyes looked up as the man brought the rod to come down, a simple roll was need to slip from the attack then a swift kick to the mans ribs sent him floor bound, the blow to the suit’s neck to incapacity him, clenching his neck as he lay there in pain, he one suit, still intact charged after the enhanced super warrior, only to run right into his heel, so much force as he keeled over Rem’s foot. Spurring blood from his lips as he slid to the floor…

The Desk man franticly dialed numbers again, his eyes wide as was all the rest in the atrium, with a simple sweeping motion of his hand he rid himself of a clot of dirt on his cloak and continued…

“Hold it right there…” security shouted, bring his pistol to bear, the suits behind him struggled to get up from their new home, the floor, smiling softly to the guards men…

“Now, now, no need for violence, right?” as he leaped the gap between him and the man, his hand took the gun from the guards man with only a blink, dropping it aside, his other hand taking the mans wrist, spinning him to his stomach on the floor, speed taking over, the handcuffs leaving the guardsman pocket…

Looking up at the struggling suits, he couldn’t help but chuckle at them as they had the silly expression upon their faces…

“Really, I am sorry for spilling blood on the marble floor, you must forgive me, Send me the bill for the cleaning services” he smiled sarcastically as he stood fully from the now hogtied security guard…

As soon as he looked up he could see the TRG officers rushing towards the building, the rain didn’t impair his vision as he saw the readily equipped officers run towards the building…

“This is my time to take my absence if you all don’t mind” he smiled and shifted slightly and then back flipped into the lift, pressing a random elevator button as he waved to the oncoming officers, looking up, they were sure to stop the lift and with that he broke the vent to the lift and started climbing upwards at a rapid pace…-

 

[Steiner]

"Green Light" came the datavised message from his new CO...

Frank checked the shot once more, lifted his eyes from the scope to check the tactical situation. Everything was clear.

"Bravo Two to all Bravo elements. I have the shot, and I'm taking it. We are dynamic at this point."

To an outside observer it would appear that the rifle simply bucked twice, two rapid shots. From Franks point of view, however, time slowed to a crawl as he activated his highest level of reflex boosting - one even his state of the art wetware could only support for short periods.

The rifle centred on the mans chest, Franks Thermographic vision showing the blood pumping from the pericardium into the aorta in slow motion, as the first slug tore away from the rifle the preprogrammed shot grouping routine brought it back down and onto the second targets skull, just above the base of the skull at the bridge of the nose. The rifle bucked again, but Frank was already discarding it, unslinging his assault rifle and running to fight his way through the perimiter security to join the Major.

As he did the first slug struck its target, Frank kept his eyes on the targets as his feet moved on the concrete in what seemed to be slow motion. The man stiffened slightly as the metal penetrated his body, exploded his heart in an orgy of kinetic energy and then ripped half his spine out of his back. The second sentry was no luckier as the slug entered above the bridge of his nose, pulped his brainstem and blew the back of his neck out in a cherry starburst.


"Bravo Two - snipers down. Proceeding to RV point at phase line two."

Ahead of him he could see Ayumi in the lobby, apparently having some difficulties with her outfit again. His wetware responded to orders he would never have vocalised as it zoomed in on her, then at the reflection below her in the highly mirrored floor.

"Niiiiice..."

He had to admit that getting a briefing from someone who seemed to be a cross between a catwalk model, porn star and military officer had been a new one to him. In the end he'd given up trying to concentrate and had to review a digital recording he'd taken of the briefing to get all the details - he tried to tell himself that the reason he hadn't deleted the recording after memorising the information was through a desire to make sure nothing went wrong but... ...in that case why had he accessed it during last night, when his mind was on something very much different from the operation at hand?

 

[ImpWizard]

Col. Wolfgang Bohr (ESI)

The meeting in Japan had gone well, Wolfgang thought, as he got out of the aerodyne-taxi at Hoverway 7 in the Californian Autonomous Republic.

It was only a few minutes until the planned rendezvous with Lt. Rem, so despite the pouring rain, Wolfgang waited outside the small hoverway terminus for Lt. Rem to show up. He waited for some time, and began to wonder, where in hell was Lt. Rem?

Surely the ubermann couldn’t have gotten lost?

Wolfgang looked around the terminus, and decided to walk inside out of the rain. Then called up his HUD, and checked with ESI’s agent-search protocol system in case the young ubermann had indeed gotten lost.

The search took almost a minute, which was very unusual, but the trace programs found that Lt. Rem was in Tokyo! That was very odd, because Tokyo had been flattened by the Kanto Mega-Quake years ago and was still in the process of rebuilding.

Why on Earth was Lt.Rem in Tokyo? Did he have some unforeseen problem?

Ver dammit!, thought Wolfgang, I’ll have to chase him down ---- find out what happened, and arrange another meeting in Tokyo then. At least it was close to the city of Chukyo. Wolfgang thought that was a very interesting city, even if a bit oversized. More on the scale of the Rhine Megapolis; a mega-city that was nearly as large.

Wolfgang headed back to the hypershuttle port, arranging for a ticket along the way.

Perhaps he should signal Lt.Rem to meet him in Chukyo instead of Tokyo, Wolfgang thought, This was nuisance though ---- Make arrangements to meet at a place in California, and the ubermann for some reason unfathomable suddenly takes off to Japan.