“Are you afraid of death? Do you know someone in their final moments of life? Maybe you yourself are close to seeing God? Perhaps life dealt you a bad hand or you screwed up and wish to be redeemed with a new lease on life. Well, if you are chipped then a second chance is right around the corner for the right price! Recent studies have shown that the new BioMed program ‘Soul Cage’ is a massive success within the scientific and medical communities. For a one-time payment, you or someone you know can be reborn into a new body free of disease, illness or consequences from your prior transgressions! Studies have shown that the volunteers of Project Soul Cage have all been successfully transferred. Each one of them can now go and live their lives happy and free! Head to BioMed Industries in New Miami now and get your screening to see if you’re qualified for Soul Cage! If you’re bed-ridden or physically impaired, have a friend or family member get the screening done for you! BioMed: Your Future is Safe in Our Hands.”
The commercial played on every television screen and computer monitor inside the store. Some of the customers muttered amongst themselves. The black-haired man with sullen eyes and blemishes wearing a blue vest with a name tag leaned against the back counter. His eyes lit up while he watched the commercial.
“If I hadn’t dropped out of med school and gotten my degree I could be working somewhere like that place. BioMed huh? I do have some funds saved up for vacation. Maybe I can… Get a second chance at life. Become younger. Have a nicer face. A sexier bod all the ladies at the beach would swoon over. Yeah. Fuck this place. I quit.” The man spat.
He tore off his vest, tossing it on the floor and jumping over the counter. As he walked out of the store, he lit a cigarette to take a long drag on the way to his beat-up sedan. Getting in, he floored it out of the parking lot almost hitting a minivan pulling in.
“Do not believe the blasphemers on the streets holding signs and shouting obscenities! Do not believe the slandering lies inked across the internet implanting false information into your minds! God has blessed us with the technology to continue living on this beautiful green Earth He created! I say if you need a second chance, to take those shackles weighing you down and throw them away! If God wants us to keep living on when death is close at hand then I say to keep on living! Can I get an amen brothers and sisters?!”
The rotund bald priest in white garbs raised his hands in the air. The huge crowd of thousands in front of him all mimicking his gesture with a thunderous roar followed with applause.
After the service, the priest returned to his dressing room. He swallowed some pills left on the table following up with a swig of water.
“Mark of the beast. What a joke. At least the masses understand the gift we’ve been granted. Unlike those fools stuck in their doom and gloom. Go ahead and live inside your bubbles. Won’t be long before all of us can be a part of this Soul Cage I keep hearing about.” The priest mumbled to himself.
He pulled out a watch on a chain tucked inside of his pocket. Inside of it opposite to the clock was a picture of himself with a blonde-haired woman. He kissed the tip of his index finger and pressed it to the image.
“Don’t worry baby. You’re getting that second chance…” He whispered.
Hensley was pulling up to work when he spotted a crowd of people shouting and holding signs just outside the pathway leading to the front doors. Parking the car, he got out to approach the crowd. A camera crew from the local news was filming the protests. At least two-dozen people were there he had to force his way through and out to the other end. Two security guards armed with rifles stood on either side of the doors. Hensley walked up to one of them.
“What’s going on??” He asked.
“Protesters. They’re pissed off about Soul Cage being approved or some shit. Been here for the past two hours now.” The security guard answered.
Hensley gave the crowd a gaze before storming inside. Some of the staff were chatting amongst themselves feeling concerned and even afraid. Hensley was not having this in the slightest. He got into the elevator to head up top. Once at the top floor, he walked to Shimada’s office and pounded on the door. His voice responded from inside the office;
“Come in!”
Hensley entered the office. Jennifer stood by his side; The two of them glaring at the computer monitor.
“Protesters? Really??” Hensley spat.
“Relax, Hensley. They’re a nuisance but have been harmless. So far…” Shimada murmured. “I think they’re just conspiracy nuts or too poor to afford the program and are upset about it.”
“That… Sounds about right.”
Stolen novel; please report.
“Besides, they’ll be dealt with here soon. I called in my private security team to scare them off. Should arrive any moment now.”
Right as Shimada finished his sentence a distant sound from outside could be heard getting closer to the office. The menacing hum of rotary blades. Hensley and Jennifer looked to the windows and saw a jet-black chopper encroaching.
“Speak of the devil.” Shimada chuckled.
The chopper changed its trajectory to fly by the office, vanishing from sight. Jennifer cupped her hands together and went over to Hensley.
“H-hey now it’s okay. Controversies aside… Your work is an absolute hit! The waiting list is already miles long. So, so many people are eager to become part of Soul Cage. Especially from rougher parts of the country like Los Angeles and Chicago where violence and illness are rampant.” Jennifer reassured him.
Hensley reached out to her and pressed his palms over her hands. He nodded and smiled at her.
“You’re right, my dear. Apologies for barging in here with such a disgusted look on my face. I’m just stressed is all.” Hensley groaned.
“No need to apologize my friend. Now then!” Shimada clapped his hands together as he stood up. “I have great news for you two! With Soul Cage being successful, you two are being transferred permanently to the project. Jennifer you are in charge of screenings, paperwork and marketing. Hensley of course you are the leader so you will be running Soul Cage. Let’s ensure we don’t have another Jackie incident alright you two?”
Jennifer and Hensley both bowed to Shimada.
“Yes sir.” They said simultaneously.
“Excellent! Then you two, my dynamic duo, are dismissed. I… Must make some calls regarding the outcry for soul cage. Petty bullshit, honestly. But as the head of this company, I need to deal with this. Go on then.”
Feeling enthusiastic, Hensley and Jennifer turned heel and left the office. Shimada pulled out his phone to see all the message notifications. He shook his head. A glass or two of liquor in his system sounded heavenly to him before having to deal with the calls.
Meanwhile outside of the BioMed facility, the jet-black chopper landed less than a mile from the crowd of protesters. The doors slid open, allowing the group of eight heavily-armed security officers to jump out and approach the crowd with their muzzles out.
“All of you stand down! Get the hell out of here now! You’re only getting one warning!” The captain shouted.
The people turned their attention to the security officers. Angry shouts arose and middle fingers were being flung up. Some of the officers rolled their eyes. They awkwardly glanced to one another with shrugged shoulders. One of them looked to the camera crew from the news and gestured for them to cut the feed and lower the cameras. The anchorwoman nodded, turning to the camera.
“The directors private security team is going to resolve the protests. We’ll be back with an update on the situation. This is Adrianna Justice of Channel Forty-Two New Miami News.” The anchorwoman spoke.
The cameraman gave a thumbs up. He shut the camera off and lowered it. Adrianna and him looked over to the ongoing protest.
“Fuck off! We have our God-given rights to protest these inhumane actions! This company should be shutting down this project! The mark of the beast has branded us all and now you think you can play God?! Leave us alo-!”
The security officers all opened fire on the crowd. All twenty-four protestors were gunned down in less then fifteen seconds. Blood stained the concrete and grass. The captain muttered into the radio strapped to his upper chest. He glanced over to Adrianna and gave her a nod. She nodded back. Her and the cameraman packed up their gear into the van. They jumped in and took off away from the BioMed property. The captain rallied his team together to keep them on standby while they waited for a crew to come clean up the mess, scrubbing away any evidence that this ever happened.
Smoke lingering into the clear skies. Buildings decimated by constant shelling. Streets dirty and stained with the blood of victims caught in the crossfire. The dust of hot sand being carried through the air by the howling winds. Sun beaming down on the burning carcasses of cars, trucks and vans destroyed by bombs and rockets. A man-made Hell on Earth.
Men in bulletproof vests with bandanas standing around a compound marked with the flag of their coalition. Crates of guns, ammunition and explosives scattered throughout. The cries and pleading of civilians bound and gagged with rope cower in a single room guarded by a man brandishing a curved sword. Amidst the distant gunfire and artillery, the sound of a large aircraft roared over the large compound. This grabbed the attention of the militants. They prattled on in their native language, scattering to grab their guns and head outside to see what had flown by. Their leader wearing a blood red cape, commanded the men to follow him. Everyone gathered out front to be greeted by the sight of a Lockheed C-145 Hercules having landed nearby. The rear cargo hatch dropped down. The caped leader’s eyes widened. Thirty men and women armed to the teeth in military gear and weapons stepped out. Two armored trucks with mounted miniguns followed behind them.
“Follow orders. Kill… On… Sight.”
“Affirmed. Kill… On… Sight.”
“Kill… On… Sight.”
The replicants spoke in monotone speech patterns. They raised their guns and started spraying bullets. One-by-one the militants were downed with little chance to fire back. A couple of replicants were killed by the end of the brief firefight. The caped militant leader hid behind cover shaking in his boots. He mumbled prayers to himself. Gun locked and loaded, he waited patiently for the first target to step past the wall erected around the compound. But then he froze. Frozen in fear. The barrel of a machine gun rounded the corner directly aimed at his head. The last thing the militant leader would see is the soulless gaze of the man behind the scope before the trigger was pulled. His brains now painted the walls. The man showed no change of expression as he lowered the gun.
“Objective… Secured. Now seize… the civilians. Complete… The mission.”