The new day dawned over the skyline of mega New York, though if you were to step out from any balcony, it would be next to impossible to actually see the sun. The many buildings littered the view with their grim and often shadowing grey cement towers and would block it from all sight. The privileged few that lived in the grossly expensive penthouses on the top of the massive buildings were the only people probably capable of seeing the sun in it's burning warm orange-yellow glow. Even those who have a waterfront properties would be able to see the sun, if only for a few passing minutes. The cloud coverage above the city and beyond the waters is always thick and gloomy. The light they do manage to get is enough to highlight the mega metropolis and expose the streets and alleyways that are usually shrouded by the night. To live here is to accept you'll never see the sun in your lifetime.
New York had changed a lot since the early 21st Century; terrorist attacks were only the beginning of the city's problems, as it under went many facelifts over the years. The "Terrorist War" as it had become known by 2010 was the one last attack on the city that changed its inner structure forever. Not only that, but as that disaster was plaguing them all, the ever rising sea levels started to flood the streets on the Manhattan island. During 2015, there was a great-unexpected hurricane that struck the coast and managed to wash away parts of the island's infamous locations and parks; it even caused the Statue of Liberty to be left halfway underwater. Rather then abandon and retreat back into the mainland, the city overcame the forces of nature and expanded back into the ocean that had claimed its older territory. Corporations saw opportunity and possible tourist investments of this grand construction, as they aided with its expense and took hold of key areas for their own use. Factories could now be built directly into the shores and pump the water they needed to supply their buildings with necessary hydroelectricity. A cost effective way of providing themselves with all the electricity they needed to keep their businesses running. Replicant factories became the necessary evil that helped to rebuild the city back to its new state; they made them to expand the labor force and in turn became rich from the flow of government money.
Mason had always suspected the companies were all safe from Replicant law violations, even when they banned them during 2019's Off World scare, it amazed him to no end that the companies themselves were never to blame. Walking along the drab New York streets reminds him that this is a bought town, Omashi Bioworks advertising is littered all around, on buildings, cabs and giant video screens hovering high above. People pay it no mind though; it's just the way of the world in this day and age. Probably just how it was looked over during the last century as well.
Mason hails for a cab and has to practically leap over several crammed cars blocking his path to get into the vehicle that's stopped for his fare. Cursing under his breath at the traffic, he finally manages to climb in and close the door paying extra caution as to not catch his coat in the frame. As he rides through the streets in ground-based cab, he thinks deeply about all the bad things that have come at this city and yet some how, it's managed to stay standing all this time. Closing his eyes again, he uses his mind to envision that calm blue ocean, the rolling waves, the cry of the seagulls and it gives his brain some peace of mind...if only for a few moments.
"Where too buddy?" The sour smelling multi-ethic cab driver asked.
Mason snapped out of his train of thought as the cab driver glanced behind waiting for his instructions.
"Uh...take me...take me to the OBE tower."
"Ah shit, guy. That's red zone sector...I'll have to charge ya extra for the hover mode," The cabby moaned.
Derek took out his badge and flashed it to the taxi driver as he looked behind. "Don't hustle me pal, I'm no tourist for Christ's sake. Just take me to the tower and don't jack up the meter - I know how much it costs from here to there."
"Blade Runner huh?" The cabman snickered like a jackal. "Crap man - and I thought I had it bad. Is it true you guys get lower pay then a Replicant worker?"
Mason tapped the plastic barrier between them hard, "Hey! What did I say? Just do you job monkey or do I have to call the cabby commission about your expired license?"
"Ok, ok buddy. Sheesh! OBE tower it is, jeez...no need to get bent out of shape. Sounds to me like someone got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning."
Derek slouched back into his stained, ripped red seat and rubbed his eyes. "There is no morning in this city...it's always dark."
The cabby nodded in agreement and switched on his hover mode. "Yep - New York, what a bitch man!"
The taxi raised out of the traffic as it flashed signal lights alerting the others around of its direction. The yellow cab is designed like a throw back to the late 1950's, not really a brand new vehicle, it's beaten and worn look gives a sign of just how long its been in service. As it thrusted upward into the air with a push from its rocket boosters, the cab began to fly between the buildings and dodging the odd vehicle that entered its path. As it soars and hovers over the streets below, Mason looks as though he's about to fall to sleep and starts to drift off as the motion of the cab ride cradles him into slumber. Suddenly a low beeping noise comes out of his leathery old trench coat, reaching into the inside left of it he pulls out a small black pod like device and notices the red light flashing on the top. Giving a simple sigh, as he looks at it, the tired man brings it to a display screen sitting in front of him. The built in screen on the back of the cab driver's seat is a combo media center and public phone system. The original picture displayed on the monitor was that of the cab driver's face and name, scrolling beside it was a number of advertisements and the spinning logo of the phone company that owns this particular unit. Mason puts the black pod device to the screen and pushes a button placed on the top of the blinking pod. The monitor cuts out the images and now shows the phone logo with a female voice accompanying it.
"Welcome to AT&V Wireless Mediacom. There is an incoming call for you Derek Mason. Shall I display?" The cheerful sounding woman's voice says.
"Display please." Derek answers back.
The image cuts over to his call and he's soon face to face with Captain Barnes.
"Mason...what the hell are you doing? I told you to come down to the station first. Now I've got you located on BRL heading for the Red Zone...."
BRL stands for Blade Runner Locator, a microchip implanted into the cops so they can track them incase they should ever decide to run away or have their bodies located should they die. It was a failsafe the government initiated after the disastrous results of both Deckard and Mason's actions, now they could be monitored and controlled with relative ease. Mason hated having the installed chip; it was like having a leash placed around his neck and being told he was nothing more then a dog.
"I want to get the Voight-Kampff test over first." He explains the gruff police captain. "I'm going to the OBE tower and then I'll head back over to the station. It won't take long anyhow...plus I don't see why I should run over to the station first, talk to you about going to the tower and then heading over afterwards. That just wastes time."
The captain gives a look of frustration and purses his lips. "That's not the point damnit! I need you here first! This has nothing to do with OBE...."
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"Why? Now what?" Mason inquires.
"That woman you checked out last night...the officers finally had a chance to question the store staff and customers after you left. Turns out she was killed by her male companion...a Rep."
Derek's eyes focus on the monitor, hearing that bit of news sparks his interest and leans in to listen.
"A Replicant? What did it look like?" Mason asks.
"We're getting a file on him now..." The captain says in a more professional tone. "The woman was obviously pretty wealthy if she could afford a top model. Looks like it got tired of being her play thing and decided to ice the broad."
"So it was a Nexus Delta then? Hmm...probably a ten or twelve model if she's used it often." Mason thinks aloud.
The captain pulls his face away slightly as if he's leaning back in a chair, letting out a long breath, the looks back to Derek and points at him.
"Alright. You can go do your test at OBE, but want you to come back here and give me report about what happened there. And don't let on to the company that one of their models has gone twitchy...last thing I need is a call from them about how we failed to contain the matter."
"Must be nice to know there's someone that can chew your ass out for a change huh Barnes? Welcome to my world." Derek smirks.
The cop just gives him a glare and reaches over to the control switch out of Mason's view.
"Be back here afterwards, Mason. Or it's your ass. You got that?"
The image of him switches off and the returning logo of the phone company appears with a charge toll at the bottom. Derek sits back in his seat and places the pod device back in his jacket after noticing its still in his hand. His head turns to look out the window on his left side and notices the half submerged Liberty Statue in the dark waters as they clear the city limits.
"Liberty and Justice...for none." He states.
The cab driver looks in his rear display at the black man as he hears him utter that line.
"What? What did you say buddy?"
Derek keeps his eyes focused out the window as he responds to the driver's question.
"Nothing. Just keep driving."
The car zooms over the water and past the statue on its route. The city was now behind them like a forest of grey lifeless structures, only a single stretch of land jutted out beyond the New York metropolis like very long wide arm that reach across to the next massive constructed island. Omashi Bioworks Enterprises had its own private mini-city attached to the end of that long outstretched connection, it's octagon shape surrounded around a huge white looking tower that stood erect like a statue onto itself. The base of the tower was built into the octagon shaped city, four struts jutting out of it gave it a solid hold on the ground and the appearance that it was also the support for the entire mini-community. Looking down over the empire of OBE, Derek saw the many factories and labs the place had around it, enough to manufacture a small army if need be. The traffic flow was as heavy as New York's inner core, non-stop shipping and deliveries kept the sky around the large tower very busy. The closer the taxi got to the white shimmering spire, the more the building looked overly occupied as the faint windows all around it glared on the multiple floors of the structure.
"You are now entering a Red Zone area. Please identify and await controller instructions." A very drone male voice announced to the driver.
"NYC Yellow cabs...uh...Zero five nine, requesting to enter." The cabby responded.
"This is OBE control...what are you doing here? No cabs are scheduled for pick up at this time?" A new male voice now speaks to the driver.
"Yeah I know. My fare was very insistent on coming here. The guy is a Blade Runner...I don't know why he's..."
"Oh yes, he's on my list. Request granted...Proceed to dock in pad five." The man interrupts.
"Uh...ok." The cabby answered with surprise. "Guess they know you're coming, huh...didn't ask for your name or nothin'."
Derek could hear it all in the back; he nodded with little enthusiasm as he figured they'd be informed to his arrival. Having never been to the main tower, he seemed somewhat eager to view the inside of the building. He'd often heard of the tower being referred to as "Heaven's Sword" by locals, a myth that the company no doubt welcomed as it made their image look that more regal. The car flew in to the fifth opening in the center of the tower; there were six wide spaces around the entire tower, all of which was meant for special pick-ups and staff parking only. There was even a place designated for taxi service in each dock, though rarely used, it's just a formality for anyone who visits their tower on business. The cab pulled into the wide hole and parked in the specified zone waiting for him. Now he was here, it was time to get it over with and find out why they chose him above any other Blade Runner currently working in New York.
• • • • • •
Walking at a fast pace, a very pale man with too much black eyeliner keeps watch around his person as he deeks down the alleyway in New York City. It is the same individual that Derek Mason had seen the other night; the skinny, trendy clothed male was out of breath and looked frightened as he strolled down the dark narrow ally. As he turned a corner, he gave one last look to see if he was being followed by anyone. With a sigh of relief, the young man continued on down the new path, he managed to get about half way when a voice echoed out at him.
"I thought I told you not to kill her. How many times did I tell you not to kill her?" The calm deep booming male voice shouted.
The frightened man gazed around to see where the voice was coming from and shouted back in his light, yet effeminate masculine voice.
"I...I'm sorry Judas. I had too...she wouldn't leave me. I didn't like her touching me anymore...it was wrong. It was always wrong of her to do that."
Stepping out from the hidden corner, a man with slicked back brown hair, a long black leather raincoat and tinted red sunglasses appeared before the scared youth.
"I know you didn't like it. But I needed you to stay with her...just...a...bit...longer."
The young man stood there blinking in confusion and pleaded with the grim darkly dressed man.
"I know. Forgive me Judas...I...was weak."
"Yes..." Judas replied with a smirk. "But I forgive you anyway for being so."
The blond haired youth ran over to him and kissed his hand with joy. "Thank you Judas...thank you."
"My poor little Pryus..." He softly said to him as he lifted the young man's chin up. "The temptation was so overwhelming you that I should have sent in another in your place. Too long have you suffered as that woman's sexual plaything...too long has she used you as means to make herself young and beautiful. All is forgiven my brother."
"Where are the others dear Judas?" The young man smiles as he stands up. "Are we meeting in the same place as usual?"
"Well now, Pryus." The man answers back as he strokes his cheek. "Because of your lack of faith and will power...our meeting location has changed. We must regroup someplace new, somewhere that will not attract the police to our gatherings...had you not killed the special lady...we still could have used her lovely home while she was out. But now...we have to look again."
Judas gives a back handed slap to the boy, as he strikes hard and causing the boy to bleed in the mouth. Aware of the pain, Pryus holds his face and whimpers from the blow. His whimpering soon becomes a full set of tears and thrusts his face into Judas's chest as he hugs the man with his arms.
"Remember that pain is all we have left. Death is all we have left. So few of us can truly live to see a new day, yet the lucky few that live for a mere fraction of most of us seem to embrace the pain and death with a smile. They know that life is but a dream." Judas says as he rubs the crying boy's back.
The young man looks up at him, reaches up with his hands and gabs the slick haired man a passionate kiss on the lips. Judas pulls him off and gabs his hands away forcefully.
"No, Pyrus...no."
"But I love you Judas...I love you."
Judas continues to push him away and looks him straight in the eye.
"That is not love you feel...that is lust. You don't lust after me...that is what they programmed your brain to feel. Love is very different Pyrus...remember whom you love? Remember?"
The young pale boy shivers from Judas rejecting him and suddenly looks up in realization. "Yes...Falcon. I love Falcon...my beloved, sweet Falcon. Is he with you?"
"No, but he will be with us all in the new meeting place." Judas replies. "Remember that you love and lust for him alone. For he is your mate, just as Lena is mine. We all choose to love those who make us happy...freedom of choice is what we must fight for. Yes?"
The young man continues to think of his male lover. "Falcon. Soft flowing brown hair with eyes as innocent as a dove. I will love him, I shall always love him..."
"Go and change your clothes." Judas instructs. "Then wait for one of us to find you at the second pick up spot. Remember not to be seen or do anything that will alert the authorities to locating you. Understood?"
The young man nods as he smiles and wipes his face in a peculiar manner. Judas walks over and rubs his short blond hair like he would a small child.
"Well make these bastards pay for killing our kind yet. We'll show them that we are the rising stars to come."