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There was just one last thing left to do.<\/p>\n
Connor, Karim, Fox and Wood pulled security in the hallway. Tan, Ngo and Yamamoto rushed into the server room. Tan retraced his steps through the aisles and made his way back to the terminal server.<\/p>\n
Many servers were melted and destroyed, but the laptop lying on the floor was still intact. He glanced at screen.<\/p>\n
And grinned.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes!\u201d he shouted, pumping his fist.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething good happened?\u201d Yamamoto asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re in!\u201d Tan said. \u201cWe\u2019re inside their systems! Their data, their records, everything they have, I\u2019ve imaged it on my computer! We own<\/em> them!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell done,\u201d Yamamoto said.<\/p>\n Ngo grinned. \u201cYou\u2019re the best, Z. With this, we can take down the Void Collective once and for all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot yet,\u201d he said. \u201cMuch of the information is secure. It needs to be decrypted before we can use it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDecryption can wait,\u201d Yamamoto said. \u201cWe are getting the hell out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n Tan packed up his things. No cops or guards came to interrupt. Together, the team rushed up on the roof.<\/p>\n The gravcar was waiting. Battered and blasted, yet still going strong, it had parked itself in the middle of the parking lot. At least the autopilot still worked.<\/p>\n All around Tan, lights flashed and sirens wailed. Babylon PD cruisers had formed a cordon around the arcology, hovering at street level and the first sky garden. More were vectoring in, wending through the distant skyscrapers, approaching the other sky garden and the roof.<\/p>\n But none approached. And there was no sign of the Black Marias of the STS.<\/p>\n Mortal law ended at the boundaries of land held by the New Gods.<\/p>\n They piled into the gravcar and took off into the night.<\/p>\n No one followed.<\/p>\n A half hour later, the car settled down at the city\u2019s edge. There were no skyscrapers here, only townhouses and low-rise apartments and wide walking paths. And, three blocks away, was a transport hub. From here, anyone could catch a bus or train to anywhere in Babylon. Anywhere in the country.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks for helping out,\u201d Tan said.<\/p>\n \u201cNo worries,\u201d Wood said.<\/p>\n \u201cMs. Ngo, can you make your way from here?\u201d Yamamoto asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. I\u2019ve got relatives in Riveria,\u201d she replied.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you have anyone else who lives elsewhere? Someplace where the New Gods aren\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe New Gods are everywhere,\u201d she said sadly.<\/p>\n \u201cThe VC doesn\u2019t have much of a presence in Riveria,\u201d Connor said. \u201cAnd after what we did there, the New Gods would think twice before they do anything. Just keep your head down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor how long?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs long as it takes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t do that. I\u2019m Public Security, just like you guys. I can\u2019t just sit down and do nothing. I can\u2019t let the New Gods off the hook.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat can you do? Report to the PSB?\u201d<\/p>\n Her eyes blazed with conviction.<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSister, that\u2019s the last thing you should do,\u201d Fox said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe PSB are in bed with the New Gods,\u201d Connor said.<\/p>\n \u201cNo way. No fucking way. Where\u2019s your proof?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRiveria. The Court of Shadows, the Pantheon and the Liberated, they were all at each other\u2019s throats. The Directors used us\u2014the STS\u2014to knock down the Court of Shadows a peg. All sides broke the law, but we were told to back off from the Pantheon and the Liberated.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe PSB doesn\u2019t want to enforce the law,\u201d Yamamoto said. \u201cThey just want to keep the balance of power.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the fuck? That\u2019s\u2026 that\u2019s not true. You can\u2019t prove it!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDirector Pearce told us, in no uncertain terms, the true mission of the STS,\u201d Tan said. \u201cAnd, I recorded him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShit\u2026 You\u2019re not\u2026 you\u2019re not exaggerating.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wish I were.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do we do next?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor the PSB to do what they do and get away with it, they must have strong ties to the New Gods,\u201d Yamamoto said. \u201cBrokers, middlemen, informants, couriers, a whole network of agents to facilitate deals and transactions. If we expose these links, the PSB and the New Gods will be too busy to go after us.\u201d<\/p>\n Tan patted his backpack. \u201cI\u2019ll start with the data I extracted from the VC. If they have any records, any dirt, anything at all to do with the PSB, I\u2019ll find them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExcellent. We\u2019ve got to disperse and dump the evidence. Can you take care of things from here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood luck. I\u2019ll get in touch with you soon.\u201d<\/p>\n Tan and Ngo stepped out the car. Tan shouldered his pack, wrapping his jacket around himself, concealing his plate carrier and pistol as best as he could. With a quiet hum, the bullet-riddled gravcar lifted into the air and rocketed off into the shadows.<\/p>\n The transport hub was a beacon of light in the darkness. This time of night, the trains were all shut down, but the buses ran on a 24\/7 schedule. Silently, the two approached the entrance.<\/p>\n Tan kept his head on a swivel and his hand on his pistol. Every shadow hid a possible hit man, every corner concealed a watcher. Or so it seemed. After what he had seen in the Golden Mile, after seeing the Elect of the VC teleport from darkness, he couldn\u2019t be too careful.<\/p>\n Ngo stayed close to him, her hand brushing against his.<\/p>\n The main hall of the hub was mostly deserted. Small groups of people huddled together on cold benches; other individuals occupied entire rows by themselves. Scattered in the corners, groups of haggard men and women lay curled up under blankets and inside sleeping bags. A lone transit security cop walked the floor, casting a wary eye on the sleepers. Ticket machines stood watch by the walls. Massive display windows showed lines and departure times.<\/p>\n The last bus to Riveria was departing in ten minutes. They hustled to the nearest machine. Ngo bought her ticket, and looked at Tan.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you want to come with me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have things to do in Babylon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to get lonely without you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you need me again, you know how to reach me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWon\u2019t you be too busy playing hero?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot for you.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled.<\/p>\n A short queue snaked out from the bus bay. Women and men and the odd child, bundled up in warm clothing. As Tan and Ngo approached, the bus pulled into the bay. The double doors opened, and the passengers shuffled aboard.<\/p>\n \u201cWell then,\u201d Ngo said. \u201cThis is it, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n Tan nodded. \u201cYeah. Do me a favor?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOnce you get to Riveria, check into a hospital. A private one, not one run by the New Gods. It\u2019ll be expensive, but it\u2019s better than being tracked. Get that wound looked at and remove the implants the VC installed in you. Last thing you need is to be turned into a zombie again.\u201d<\/p>\n She laughed. \u201cI will.\u201d<\/p>\n Silence, again. The line of passengers slowly vanished into the bus. They continued staring at each other.<\/p>\n Finally, she spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2026 You sure you don\u2019t want to come with me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d love to, but\u2026\u201d he shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cDuty. Always duty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n She chuckled. Sighed. Smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThat just makes you who you are.\u201d<\/p>\n He shrugged and said nothing. She smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026 thanks. For everything.\u201d<\/p>\n She tiptoed and pecked him on the lips.<\/p>\n He blinked. She smiled again.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re welcome,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n She laughed.<\/p>\n And walked away.<\/p>\n He stood where he was, watching her go. As she boarded, she turned to look back. He waved. She waved also, and disappeared aboard the bus.<\/p>\n The doors closed. The bus drove off.<\/p>\n He sighed.<\/p>\n Stretched his neck and arms.<\/p>\n And walked out into the Babylon night.<\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Love action, adventure and horror? Check out my latest novel\u00a0DUNGEON SAMURAI VOL. 2: KAMI NO KISHI<\/a>!<\/p>\n
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