Rain
Chapter Two
The Game begins
Writers
CharlotteCarrendar
IceTe3a
CharlotteCarrendar: – That voice – Rayne had heard it before. Long ago, while in her training days, and just after graduation. But it can’t be him. The young officer turned her weapon and flash light towards the dark silhouette of a man that was wearing a long black leather coat, fedora, dark shades, and carrying a jewel tipped cane. Immaculate; considering just where she was. As he came out from the shadows, his right cheek bore the disfiguring mark gained from an accident, possibly an explosive device. It was his voice she recognised first, not his appearance. That had altered greatly. Siliver flecks of hair was shown just under the brim of his hat. He bore a malicious grin, as he approached the Officer. “Stay back! Her voice rang out but only was answered by laughter, till she heard a voice in her ear piece. Someone clearly had broken through the Squad comms system, and was watching the scene unfold. Her green eyes darted right as she listened to the mans voice. Warning her about at least 8 other people all tracking her, along with the man now approaching her in the alley. The voice in her ear piece suggested running, but with the man in front of her coming closer, she was curious as to why her squad helicar blew up, and why she was even on this shift, and in this area.
“I’m sorry, Officer Redding. But you see, you are rather special. Yes. Even with your poor performance in the field tonight. That is why I arranged for this….meeting.” ~Arranged?~ So this WAS a set up. Rayne’s hand trembled as she held the fire arm and then made the threat. “Come one step closer and I shoot!” The young Officer curled her finger tighter around the trigger, and the man simply laughed at her. “You could…try to shoot me; however it will take a lot more than that to kill me, my Dear Officer Redding.” The man took another step, and Rayne opened fire, shooting the man five times before running out of ammo. The man’s body shook as each bullet ripped through his jacket and shirt, but the strange part was, no blood splatter. He merely righted himself again and then took another step forward. “I …did warn you, Officer Redding.”
Rayne immediately threw the firearm at the man and turned on her heel and ran, as fast as she could from the man, who simply walked along behind her, knowing that she would not get far, not with the area being surrounded. She was a special case. One of the few Squad members alive who could break into any computer or machine’s main frame and rework it in such a way that it would go against all former programming. Rayne knew the Zen inside out, and more secrets than even they had imagined. So; she was taken on a special assignment, and whilst in Cried City she was kidnapped by the Elders and reprogrammed to that of a surveillance officer of the Squad. She was placed into the Squad patrols on purpose, as her Commanders and the hierarchy of the Zen decided what to do with her. It was safer for them, to keep her where they could see her; but they didn’t count on the Source trying to find her.
Running down the empty street and now unarmed, she was a sitting duck to the man following her.
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IceTe3a: **Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom* Five shots were made, that was a confirmed shooting as he sighed slightly, sounds like the rookie has the shakes as he rubs his stubbled chin. “Spraying your ammo just wastes it.” He said over the comms as he heard her softly panting, she was obviously running at this point as he glanced around his room and sighed. Putting his long trench coat back on, he collects his custom M1911, three knives and places them all into his trench coats hidden slots. He walks for the door as the lights of the loft starts to turn off, the jukebox stops playing as the room starts to seal itself, the main door opens up for him to exit.
Coming out to the side alley which was the only way to get into his loft the door slams shut behind him locking itself, as he walks straight into the darkness. He had decided to stalk her, to see how this would play out and who was following her. At the very least he needed to make sure he wasn’t on anyone’s radar, he sticks to the shadows where he would go unnoticed, reaching for his pocket he pulls out a small Ntech tracking signal these things were indestructible but easily removed. Harder to put onto someone as there needed to be direct contact, he could hear her running her steps echoing as she ran down the dark alley way.
He needed to be able to put the tracking device on her without her knowing it was on her or realizing he was there. But how could he get close enough, without her realizing he was there. He quickly ducked down a tight alleyway it was tight enough for one person to walk through as he glanced both ways, she’d come down this way for sure. He had to step over junk, broken wooden fences among other trash that was scattered over the floor. Clearing some of the trash from the floor he laid down on the cold cement floor, it was dark enough so no one could see him, as she passed by he would have to place the tracker on her. He’d just have to hope she wouldn’t step on him.
“Keep going down that path, there’s a tight alleyway up a head, go through there and you should out move him” he said hooking the bait up as he laid there waiting for her to pass through the alleyway. Once she came past him even if she trod on him he would place the tracker on her person and wait for her to clear the alleyway before he got back up and start to follow her again. All he’d have to do is waiting for the right time, and then he could start getting to the bottom of this. Once he had her in his eyesight, he will scan her for her File and see just who she is and what section she was from, but he’ll have to get a good shot of her face to be able to get a perfect scan.
CharlotteCarrendar: – Sprinting down the road, her heart rate accelerating as she turned a corner and onto another larger street. All around her were burnt out car wrecks and rubbish piled high like mini garbage tips. This really was the worst part of the city and no place for an unarmed Squad member. Hated by all levels of society, she could easily be lynched if caught by anyone. Without backing and her helicar, she was now in a situation that would be hard to get out of. So this is what that Security guard meant. Was she to become another statistic on the wall? The man was still following her but at some distance away, while the voice in her ear piece seemed to be the only one who was doing anything to help her. ““Keep going down that path, there’s a tight alleyway up a head, go through there and you should out move him” Hearing this she turned into the tight alley just as he instructed, but then discovered all too late that it was a dead end. Running up to a brick wall, she let out a horrified gasp. She rummaged on her utility belt for something that would protect her, but all she had was a taser. What good would that be to a borg? He’d probably get off on it. The shadow’s lengthened to the point she finally saw the man turn the corner.
”Well well well…we meet again, Officer Reed.”
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IceTe3a: He waited, and waited as he lay on the floor of the alleyway for her to pass by; it shouldn’t take this long for her to run straight through. He came to a kneel as he looked around, Rookie got lost in the maze of alleyways no doubt. He sighed slightly as he listened into her radio frequency. He glanced up the walls were close enough together, as he scaled them leaning against one and climbing up with the other he hit to the rooftops as he started to look around for her. She was close but where exactly was she? He arched a brow as he started moving from rooftop to rooftop checking the alleyways as he jumped the roofs.
He sighed as he turned on his electronic current view to find her earpiece again, surely enough there it was “That’s a dead end stupid, can’t you follow simple directions” he said but it was too late, he heard her breathing become heavy as the other male’s voice came into play. He sighed as he went into a sprint jumping across the rooftops he could hear the conversation that was going on, pulling out his custom M1911 he glanced at the other view, a robot? No all robots were Ntech designed for the military or Squad… A Borg, someone who had butchered their body to attach half assed Ntech gear on it, they weren’t up to military standards but they had a advantage over normal human’s even if the gear was second rate.
Coming to a stop above the alleyway they female was in he glanced down at the two, knowing full well that he was already in to far he needed to do this and get out, he jumped into the air as he turned upside down, falling head first down into the alleyway his legs split as his feet hit the brick walls of the alleyway on either side, he came to a stop hanging upside down 3/4th of the way up the wall, his M1911 switched to tazer rounds, designed by the military to take out Robotics this bullet would stop the borgs mechanic parts from working, until he had his next half assed maintenance that is.
Taking perfect aim he lets fly a single bullet *Boom* hitting the Borg directly in the chest, as the pulse surges throughout the man’s body shutting down his tech, That’s what you get for forcing half assed tech into your body, it doesn’t work properly and is susceptible to tazor rounds. He watches as the man’s body seizes up, Adams head looking directly down at the female’s body he was in the cover of the dark skies so she wouldn’t be able to see him.
Loosening his press on his feet he comes down right behind the young Female his head down to her ass as his hand reaches for the Tracking device he presses it firmly against her back under her shirt, a slight pinch would be felt. He kept directly still as he hung upside down his back pressed against the alleyway wall behind him as she was directly in front her back facing him. “What are you waiting for? Run..”
CharlotteCarrendar: The borg went totally still, as though the hard wiring components had been compromised; it then collapsed to its knees as soon as the full effect of the taser round hit home. Rayne was in shock as everything was happening at once. She thought she was a goner for sure, and yet the man was shot by an unknown marksman and stopped dead in his tracks. But would he rise again and take chase? The young Officer feels an odd pinch on the back of her neck, and almost swats at it, but she then hears the man speak again into her ear piece. “What are you waiting for? Run..” Rayne did run, straight past the smoking borg and out into the street again. She turned right and then ran up the main street, her mind wild with the notions that more were after her. It was like a game of cat and mouse, and she needed to find somewhere to hide. A few more blocks and she sees an abandoned church, the door half hanging off it’s hinges. Surely no one would dare follow her in there.
She runs up the steps and leaps over a fallen beam, only to enter the decaying church. Within high ceilings and rows of pews greeted her, with the sounds of pigeons cooing high up in the beams. A single candle is lit at the top of the church. So many candles, yet one is lit? She looks behind her and sees no one is following her. She looks for a place to hide herself, and goes to the confessional, where she enters the door and sits down. Rocking back and forth, she starts to pray.
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IceTe3a: She was a nobody, otherwise she’d have realized he was behind her, and would have done something about it. Let alone letting a strange man guide her supposable out of trouble a new recruit for the Squad, how’d she even get past their tests he would never know. This was obviously no Spec ops commando, let alone a quality member of the Squad force; she was some rookie who still had her green horns. He watched as she ran off into the night, he checked his signal was working, confirming it was attached properly he sighed, waste of a location tracker really. He let his feet lose grip as he fell down to the ground onto a hand stand, he slowly fell back onto his feet as he came to a full stand. “Alright rookie, you’re on your own. I was never here” and with that he disconnected his link to her ear piece. Determining she was a no body, just a rookie with unlucky habits.
*Groans* he glanced down as he saw the borg, some people are that desperate for power they are willing to bucher their bodies and implant poorly graded Ntech into their bodies just for a slight advantage pathetic really. *Slam* Adam’s pistol hilt slams straight into the guys back head knocking him out cold “Night night” He said softly as he casually walked out of the alleyway. After a uneventful night like this he wanted to get back to his loft and relax.
He sighed as he came out to the main street and holstered his M1911 in his trench coat, casually strolling down the sidewalk he headed back him, nothing eventful was going on as the streets became quiet again for the rest of the walk. Coming back to his door it scanned his hand *Beep Beep* as the door swings open the lights flick on and the juke box starts playing music loudly She’s my cherry pie was the song of choice at the moment. As he threw his coat off leaving it to lay on the floor, he walked around his loft topless as he poured himself another drink.
“Should never have left the couch” he sighed as he lit up a cigarette taking a drag he held it in for awhile getting a stronger hit as he blew it out and sipped some of his scotch. He never bothered to keep the front door locked, nor turn the music down. One people weren’t stupid enough to follow him one, two people weren’t stupid enough to walk into a man’s house who chooses to live in the dead zone that’s asking for it. After a few moments of drinking his scotch he passed out on the couch his Lit cigarette still lit sitting in between his lips as it slowly burned away in the course of the night.
CharlotteCarrendar: – Many different kinds of people lived and worked in the Dead Zone. There was someone paying close attention to the goings on since the attack on the helicar, to the shooting of the borg operative. Another being, cloaked by the darkness was across the street, and as the girl sprinted away, he held back and waited for the gunman to pass, before he went in a different direction. The girl was now, on her own. Only not for long. Pulling down the wide brim of his hat, he followed on after the girl, who had run into what looked to be an abandoned church. His long shadow stretched out before him, as he too went through the broken doors. He crossed himself at the top of the aisle, before glancing over at the confessional, where he could hear the light muttering of a feminine voice in prayer. An idea formed in his head, and seeing at someone had lit a candle, he decided to take on the role of the priest. He entered the Priest’s door and sat down, before pulling the small door across, and showing the hiding girl that she was no longer alone. Rayne sat bolt upright to hear the noise then see the shadowy figure on the other side of the window, though he was obscured by the grill that separated them. He coughed lightly as though waiting for her….confession. Having not done something like this in forever, she thought she better play along. “Forgive me father for I have sinned. It has been…err…well, a few years since my last confession.” The man in the hat nodded and grunted to signal he understood. A silent pause followed as Rayne fiddled with her hands. Should she tell him that she just watched a borg being shot in the alley? That she is part of the patrols for the Squad? Then it hit her just what to say. “I…I keep having these dreams. And I really don’t understand them. See, I never really thought I was good with computers.” Now this is where the man on the other side became more interested. He leaned closer to the grill and coughed again. Rayne continued. “These..Dreams have become more regular of late. Walls of screens, and I am seated in front of a terminal. All these codes keep spinning past – flashing before my eyes, and yet…yet I can understand it, like…reading a child’s book. “ She holds her hand up to her mouth and picks at her lip nervously. “Then…I cracked a code. Something that I wasn’t supposed to see. It was of the Zen. But in my life, I have only done work for the Squad. I mean, I do patrols. I’m not into computers. Hell, I can’t even programme my alarm clock.” She rocks forward and says. “I keep having the same dream….it’s like a broken record, and I just don’t understand. I mean, what is that? Is it a message? A sign?” This had been plaguing her…for well over a year.
The man on the other side coughed again. He knew who she was. He also knew why the borg was after her. She was the one. “Say three hail Marys for the next week.” Rayne blinked. That was it? No words of advice? She scratched her cheek and then he snapped closed the window, leaving her sitting there to contemplate. After a minute, she exited the confessional and went to go pray before the cross.
The man in the wide brimmed hat emerged, and then followed Rayne so he was standing right behind her. He watched her quietly, letting her have her moment to pray, and then he spoke.
“The Dead Zone is not a place for the young and fool hardy. Especially dressed as you are.”
Rayne turned around and saw the man behind her. He appeared non threatening, but still she was worried. “I’m Officer Redding of the 54th Division night patrol” The man nodded and then said. “And they usually go out in pairs. You are alone. A… very dangerous position to be in. I suggest you find a place for the night and then leave at dawn. It’s just safe that way.”
The officer thought for a moment, and then asked. “Do you know of a place?”
“There is a hotel, just a block down called Bexter’s Beat. He puts up people, but uhm…you might want to get rid of your coat and your hat. One whiff of the Squad on you and you be turned away and left for the rats of the Dead Zone.” He spoke wisely, and then took out a cigarette and lit it. “God….only helps those that help themselves.”
True words. Rayne slowly took off her coat and then her hat, setting them down leaving on only a tank top beneath and her regulation pants. It would have to do. The man in the hat gestured for her to leave, and she took him up on it, walking past him, and then heading out to go find Bexter’s beat. The red hue of the cigarette was the last she saw of the man in the hat. She would meet up with him again…only the next time, he would not be alone.
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