Long Ho sat at a wood bar with ashtrays and wood carvings of flowers and painted rainbows. It was smokey and smelled like cannabis and burnt tea leaves. Two men kissed lovingly, and two women were holding hands and cuddling in a booth across from him. Long Ho had a cigarette in his mouth and flicked a lighter with a beer bottle in front of him. The smoke curled around his shaggy head, and the shiny disco ball with bright white lights made beams through the smoke.
Medusa — a woman with an air of superiority from being in upper management — came into the gay bar and sat next to him. “So, the rumors were true.”
Long Ho took a drag from his cigarette and blew smoke into Medusa’s face. “Yeah. They were. I don’t want to be like this.”
“Why do you hate Brinus so much?”
Long Ho laughed cynically and crossed his arms. “He gets to be free and live on his own terms.”
“Are you jealous of him?”
Long Ho nodded and blew more smoke into Medusa’s face again.
Medusa grabbed the cigarette out of his mouth and crushed it in an ashtray. “You’re just like Brinus, you know that right? Now stop blowing smoke in my face, okay?”
“Whatever.”
“I think you should make up with him and tell him you’re his father before it’s too late.”
“He is not my son.”
“He is your son. You brought him into the syndicate and now all of a sudden he isn’t good enough for you?”
“I’ve already made up my mind what to do with Harper.”
Medusa reached across the stool and slapped him; a red hand print was left on his face. “If you harm that boy, he won’t be the only one who falls apart. You’ll have a lot more to lose if you take my meaning.” Medusa narrowed her eyes and made a creepy smile.
“Over a homo? Really Medusa?”
Medusa let out a heavy sigh and rolled her eyes. “That’s a little hypocritical, don’t you think?” She looked around the bar and saw multiple same-sex couples being intimate. “Looks like the only one who doesn’t belong here is you.”
“I fucking hate myself,” Long Ho spat.
“Why?”
“I just do.”
Medusa cussed and then came up from her stool. “The burglary is happening tonight. Suck it up; do as you’re told; and wait outside the office like a good little boy. That’s an order. If Brinus gets arrested because of something you did, you will be terminated. Are we clear?”
“Crystal.”
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Brinus wore a red shirt with a logo and orange cargo pants. He also wore an orange hardhat with yellow fluorescent tape on it.He had his tool box and welding torch together. He was dressed like a building mechanic’s apprentice. Furthermore, the color combination would prevent the AI from recording.
Brinus was in the back of a white van with Long Ho and the getaway driver. Midnight loomed over them; it was time to get to work.
The street lights flickered and threw grotesque shadows in all directions. Brinus stepped out of the vehicle, glancing in either direction; the coast was clear for now. He lurked over toward the parking meter and took out a single credit. Brinus then—
—a police car sped by, causing Brinus to jump. He squinted, watching it take the corner. After a few seconds, Brinus finally inserted the credit.
Step one complete. Now I just gotta put on my nic patch, weld off that there door and make my way into that there building. Got the anti-gravity belt buckley for the vent and a map fer the warhead room. Once everythang is clear, I’ll disable that there 1-C and leave. Should be ’bout five hours tops.
Brinus put on his AA-nicotine patch on his leg with shaky hands. He then walked over to the back of the building where the steel door was. He pulled out his welding torch, and put on his welding gear. Finally, he removed the door hinges. He quickly caught them and put them in this tool box. The door popped off, groaning slightly under pressure, but Brinus was a professional; he easily caught the door and lowered it quietly.
Brinus then used his TriQuarter to execute the malware he planted in the Rickroll before the alarm triggered. Immediately, the building security went offline and the cameras played in a loop.
A security guard saw a shadow as he went onto the stairs. The security guard followed the shadows, as they avoided the camera’s gaze.
Brinus heard echoing footsteps in the marble hallway so he went into the lady’s bathroom; he took to the closest stall to hide. Brinus held his breath as he listened to what sounded like security burst through the doors.
“Suspect not found. Be alert. Someone is in the building.”
“Where are you and where’s the suspect?”
“I’m in the third floor women’s bathroom.”
Brinus heard through the radio chatter, “what if you followed an employee going to the bathroom?! What if someone sees you?! Get the fuck out! Now!”
The guard left. Sweat dropped from Brinus’s brow and his muscles were tense. His heart beat fast and he felt awake like he had ten cups of coffee.
Shit that was close! If the sergeant of the guard knew I was here…
Once the guard was gone, Brinus let out a sigh of reliefHe and jumped down. He went into the stairwell where the HVAC air duct was. His intel stated it had no surveillance or guard patrols.
He went up to the wall and burnt off the HVAC vent. The duct was dirty and dusty like it hadn’t been cleaned in months. It also smelled like burning tobacco. Brinus gagged at the smell. As he pulled himself into the duct work felt a pleasant warmth.
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He used his anti-gravity belt buckle and floated to the third floor. Whenever he saw a fan or a blockage he would weld it out of position and put it off and welded it to the wall. Because of the malware, security was none of the wiser.
Finally, Brinus came to his exit point and watched two security guards with guns drawn.
“The intruder is here somewhere,” one of them exclaimed
“Of all nights for this to happen. Why tonight?” asked the other one.
“Your son’s birthday is tomorrow right?”
“Yeah, finally seventeen. He finally gets to start his apprenticeship for the military.”
Shit! I am a fucking idiot! Someone must have found the door. What a rookie Mistake!
Brinus’s heart raced as he jumped out of the exit point. In a swift motion, he shot both of the guards before they could respond; all that remained were two blaster holes.
His chest heaved as he gasped for air. I fucking hate killing!
Brinus quickly pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag. The action of smoking slowed down his breath as he was forced to inhale the smoke and blow it out; the sensation soothed his muscles and relaxed him. Brinus then checked his watch: he only had about five minutes to smoke and find the warhead. He rolled his eyes. And only eight minutes until swat shows up, too.
With a lit cig in his mouth, he began looking for the warhead. It only took three minutes to find the vacuum sealed storage it was held in.
A Tricobalt Concussion missile, not a problem, easy pick’ns, he thought. Brinus found the percussion cap and popped it off to keep it from exploding. Only thirty seconds remained. Shit. Brinus snatched the warhead, busted open the window, and used his anti gravity belt to float down before security showed up.
Once he touched down, Brinus removed the nicotine patch and sprinted down the road. He became short of breath and flicked the cigarette butt into the bushes. After regaining composure, Brinus shoved his hands in his pockets and strolled down the sidewalk as several cop cars sped by, blasting their sirens. He hid in the bushes half a mile away from the campus and waited for the rendezvous. Finally, the white work van slowed to a roll in front of his hiding spot.
The back door opened with Long Ho beckoning him in. “Get in! Now!”
Brinus jumped into the back and they slowly drove away. More cops swarmed the area. Brinus executed the malware to steal the schematics. It downloaded in two minutes and then the virus self deleted.
He curled into a ball and began hyperventilating once he thought about the father he killed in cold blood as they drove to a police checkpoint. The cop shined a light into the van to see Brinus crying in a ball and Long Ho with a sour look on his face.
“Anyone care to tell me why a maintenance company is out this late at night?” the cop asked.
“We had maintenance to do,” Long Ho snapped.
“Obviously, but Where? What address? These aren’t normal working hours.”
Brinus had actually executed a program to simulate an emergency just in case they were pulled over by the police. However, they needed him to trigger the TriQuarter.
For a moment two more cops looked into the van to see Brinus crying hysterically.
“Should we get EMS?” asked one of the cops.
“I am not sure,” stated the other one.
They shined a light into Long Ho’s face. “Show me your wrist.”
Is Brinus serious? What the fuck happened? Why are there so many feds everywhere? Thought Long Ho.
He showed his wrist and the cop scanned his chip. The cop muttered, “Benner Cheeseman. Maintenance Man. Emergency call at Thomson Nursing Home. Okay move along.”
The cops walked away. Long Ho started up the car and slowly drove off at the speed limit.
Long Ho looked back angered, but saw a TriQuarter in Brinus’s hands.
“What the fuck Brinus? What happened?”
“I-I just k-killed two people…”
“Collateral damage! Suck it the fuck up! We need to get the hell outta here!”
Five SWAT cars rushed by and now two strike teams flew overhead.
“Who the fuck are they looking for?!” shouted Long Ho.
“Manuel Josphus,” Brinus cried.
“And who the fuck is that?!”
Brinus crawled to the passenger seat next to Long Ho, wiped his eyes and blew his nose. “I smoked a cigarette and threw it in the bushes and threw out my nicotine patch. I had his AI synthesized DNA on the cigarette butt and patch. I also had the AI generate his image with the code in my fluorescent hardhat.”
I see why Medusa doesn’t want me turning you away, Thought Long Ho.
They drove in total silence to the rendezvous point. An engineer from, what Brinus called “maybe evi-1.”
“You got the goods?” the engineer asked.
Brinus took the warhead out from his tool box. It had a shape similar to that of an underwater torpedo head and it was no bigger than the palm of his hand. It felt warm and heavy. Finally, he handed it over.
The engineer smiled. “This is for ground to space fighters. I didn’t realize they were making a new fighter type. I was told to give you this.” He handed over a bag of coins.
Brinus scoffed and sneered, “Was a bag of coins worth three people?”
“Winning is worth three people’s lives. Good day Mr. Helios.”
Brinus watched as the engineer walked away. He groaned; tonight was a shitty night. Two people murdered, and a third framed. All he wanted to do now was drink until he blacked out.
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Brinus woke at around midday to two people banging on his door. He turned on his TriQuarter and saw four uniformed cops and a detective.
“Open up! We have a search warrant! You have thirty seconds before we break down the door!”
Brinus pressed the two-way conference button on his TriQuarter camera app. “Where is your search warrant? Put it up to the doorbell camera.”
It read: By order of Judge Sorrows, The Saffron Police is authorized to search for a Mk. II Chevron Military Blaster Pistol.
Singed,
Judge Sorrows
Smithers A. Sorrows
Brinus’s heart raced. His hands shook and he felt like he had smoked an entire pack of cigs at once.
He entered a code and the door opened. The cops and detectives entered the apartment and began tearing it apart. The gun he used in the robbery was in the syndicate armory and was likely melted down. He never kept the weapon used in a murder in his home.
The police searched for an hour. They tore apart his home and cataloged every one of his possessions.
After the search, the detective came over his phone. “You were right, cap. The kid didn’t have the gun in his apartment. I can see the syndicate tattoo on his right arm. It looks like an Orin Syndicate tat so I doubt we’ll find anything in his apartment. Right. Yes, sir.” The detective hung up. Turning to Brinus, he flashed a creepy smile. “Nice try with the AI frame job. We may not have proof it was you, but we know it was you. Don’t go anywhere Mr. Helios. We may need to speak to you in the future.”
Brinus made a screw-you smile and crossed his arms in front of his chest, “What’s your probable cause it was me?”
Briggs rolled his eyes and snorted, “Come on, man. Really? You created a fake social media profile, possibly hundreds and a fake school site, so you could gain access to the campus. Three days later, after you’re removed from the campus. There is a robbery where two guards were murdered. You were seen by two officers half a mile from the campus the day of the murder. Did you know one of them was a father who’s 17-year-old son joined the military today? You killed one of our defender’s father.”
Brinus’s pupils dilated. His eyes welled up with tears as he clenched his fists. Control yourself. Don’t lash out.
The detective smiled seeing the guilt in his body language, and handed him his business card. “Do the right thing and turn yourself in. You’re not cut out for the syndicate life.”
The police left his apartment in a mess. He’s right, I ain’t cut out for syndicate. This here is too much!
He fell to the ground and began crying from the stress.
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The detective came into a police van outside of the apartment building. They watched Brinus cry in his apartment.
The tech watched Brinus. Briggs shook his head. “Poor thing, I actually feel sorry for him. He isn’t cut out for the syndicate.”
The tech switched the camera view to the kitchen as Brinus began cleaning up the mess the police left behind. “Remember, he killed two people.”
“I know. But he’s just a kid and he has skills that can be used for good.”
“He’s still a murder.”
Briggs scoffed and rolled his eyes. “I have other cases to work. Let me know if anything happens.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
The detective walked out of the van and drove off.
The tech saw Brinus turned to face the camera and gave it the middle finger with a giant fuck you smile.
The tech laughed and sent a message to Briggs, He knows.