Jin

The first sight Jin had seen when he opened his eyes was the small, thin girl who called herself Ghost, lying in a puddle of her own blood. The first sound he had heard was the dull roar of crawlers somewhere in the distance. The first thing he had tasted was dirt in his mouth. The first scent he had smelled was the horrid reek of the Underbelly. And last, but not least, the first sensation he had felt was the unspeakable pain shooting through his arm, scorching every single nerve ending within it.

It had taken a great mustering of courage and strength to drag himself to his feet. Even as he did so, he had reeled and fallen onto the ground, writhing in the dust. He might have remained there, hopeless, had it not been for the sudden appearance of a savior.

The man who had apparently known the woman named “Kapi”, whom they had met warming his hands at the barrel, had discovered the dilapidated Jin and Ghost, then taken them back to his copper abode and laboriously nursed them back to health.

He had introduced himself as Hiro. Jin thought that he might have been around his own dad’s age, had he still been alive. Despite the fact that Hiro appeared a wizened old man with windswept features, his only redeeming physical characteristic being a full head of black hair streaked in white, Jin could tell that he had once been a man of great importance and status from the way he spoke and carried himself. Of course, aiding the fact was that he seemed to have knowledge of the medical sciences—and not only that, but of the Healer arts as well—the tending of bioEnhancements and the injuries related to them.

When Jin had first woken up, Hiro had carefully informed him that he would never again be using his arm. His nerves had been fried completely through—there would be no saving it except with the help of a whole, cybernetic limb—and even then, there would be limitations. Jin understood that to mean that his arm was as good as gone—only corporate executives could afford one of those anyways.

He had tried not to mope over the fact; in any case, he was in too much pain to dwell too long on the loss of his arm. Jin liked to think himself an optimist—at least the limb was still attached to his body, he thought to himself. He spent the next several days teetering on the edge of awareness and slumber, until the agony in his arm had sufficiently subsided to allow for clear thinking.

One day, when nearly a week had passed, Jin decided to pose the question that had settled itself in his thoughts. He sat awkwardly for a moment, his arm hanging in his sling, before finally asking what itched at his mind.

“Hiro, are you former Joryoku?”

Hiro never ceased his movements as he stood bent over his countertop, preparing a kettle of tea for Jin. Ghost lay curled in her mat upon the ground, deep in sleep. She had nearly regained much of her former cheek and sass, much to Jin’s happy annoyance.

Just as Jin began wondering if he should be worried if the healer was of the Kargu, Hiro shuffled over to him and set the steaming cup on the low table.

“Yes,” Hiro said. “And not of the Kargu clan.”

Jin attempted to hide his relief.

“I could tell. You definitely knew your way around bioEnhancements.”

Hiro’s lips took on the shape of an almost wistful smile. “Is that so?”

“Yup. Is that why you faked your accent before? To hide your true self?”

"Yes," Hiro nodded slowly as he sipped at his cup. “The Underbelly is rarely friendly to those they perceive as outsiders. And you are of the Seven Star Mob. Do you feel no aversion?”

“For you?” Jin scoffed. He then shrugged. “Maybe, I don’t know.” His shoulders sagged as he released a repressed sigh. “You wouldn’t happen to know the whereabouts of my friend, would you?”

Hiro shook his head. “Unfortunately, I do not.”

“No former friends, no acquaintances still consorting with the shadowy world of the Joryoku who might know?” Jin asked as lightly as he could. He tried to make a joke of it, to lessen the disappointment he suspected he would feel from Hiro's answer.

“No.”

Jin nodded sadly. As expected. Nothing ever works out that easily. Plagued as he was by the thick fog of the pain plaguing his arm, the only thoughts which managed to sift their way through were those of Kazin. Where was he? What had happened to him? Old Man Hazikawa hadn’t gotten to him, that was for sure—Jin had taken care of that. The last thing he remembered was looking at the giant man’s brains before being blinded by pain and falling into unconsciousness.

A problem of equally pressing importance was that of Royang. Jin had seen the news. The neighborhood had been leveled, destroyed, razed to the ground. His former home, the place he had found comfort after his life had fallen apart, gone and obliterated. He wondered if any of his friends from the Mob were still alive—if Mugen and Kala had survived.

He didn’t know where to begin, so he remained here, closed off and set apart from the problems which lay without.

“It is not that I do not want to help you,” Hiro offered.

“Were you exiled or something?” Jin asked with a discouraged chuckle.

“Yes,” Hiro said bluntly.

“Oh. By which clan?”

“The Yamda.”

“Huh.” Jin shuffled his feet uncomfortably, wondering if Hiro had noticed Kazin’s clan of allegiance.

Hiro smiled. “I know your friend was of the Yamda. There is no need to fear. I mean you no harm. I followed you because he was Yamda. I was…interested.” He stirred at his tea with a small spoon as if the fate of the world depended on it. “You are mere boys. What could you know of the deeper workings of the clans, and the purposes which drive them?”

“Hey man, I’m not that disconnected,” Jin said defensively. “I know they’re violent, evil, pieces of ripe shit. I’m just working with them because I had to, not because I wanted to. No offense to you.” And Kazin too. Kazin was different. Kazin was only using them for his revenge. Kazin was a good guy, regardless of his bloodline.

The silence stretched between them like a taut string.

“They are not all evil,” Hiro said quietly. “The Yamda are honorable.”

Jin questioned whether what he was hearing was real or not, or if he was going mad. “You’re defending the people who cast you out?”

“I merely speak the truth.”

“You imply then, that you yourself are dishonorable,” Jin said, feeling overly proud of himself for his deduction.

“There are different views on what is honorable,” Hiro said. “Ours simply did not align.” There was a hollow sadness in the depth of Hiro’s eyes as he said this.

Jin scowled and gulped his tea down. “Ours?”

“Norbu’s and my own.”

Jin’s breath caught in his throat. The way Hiro spoke Norbu’s name was with something close to wistful reverence, like the regret one feels for a respected friend lost from a road wrongly taken. Jin wondered if he might pull some strings to push the man into action.

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“The friend who was with me—do you know who he was?”

Hiro cocked his head and looked deeply into Jin’s eyes. “The Yamda boy? Should I?”

“His name is Kazin Moyashino.”

Hiro’s eyes widened from disbelief. One hand clutched tightly at his cup, the other turned white from the intensity with which he grasped at his chair.

“I see you recognize the name,” Jin said slowly.

“I do.” Hiro seemed to slouch deeper into his chair as the weight of the world bore down upon him. “His mother was Mayako Hamada. He is Norbu’s nephew.”

Jin remained quiet so as to allow the revelation to sink in deeper.

Hiro glanced up. “How did you know this?”

Jin flashed a wry smile. “I may not look it, but I am one of the three captains of the Seven Star Mob. Mugen told me when we first—” Captured Kazin, he almost said, before thinking better of it. "When we first met." Jin leaned forward, his good arm pressed against his knee. “So. You think you can get me a meeting with Norbu? I would have contacted him if I could, but unfortunately, I am without my cTab, and I neglected to memorize his code.”

Hiro nodded hesitantly. “Very well.”

Within the next twenty-four hours, Jin found himself within a Yamda hovercar, flying above Handata City with Hiro seated beside him. Jin was thankful for the steel canopy over Royang, as it blocked his view from the destruction that inevitably sprawled beneath it.

“Yamda,” Jin said to the clansmember seated in the passenger’s seat. “Can I get your cTab again?”

The Yamda shrugged and proceeded to hand it to Jin. Once more, Jin entered Mugen’s code and attempted to get into contact.

Nothing.

Undeterred, Jin repeated his efforts, entering Ako’s, then Gento’s codes as well. Again, there was no answer.

Jin reluctantly returned the Yamda his cTab, hoping that his comrades were safe and unhurt.

When Jin glanced out the window to gaze out at the city beneath him, he found that the buildings below and the skyscrapers towering above were not those he recognized.

“Hey,” he said, tapping on the leather seat before him. “Where are we headed? This isn’t the way to the Saro District.”

“The Commander was forced to relocate,” the Yamda replied.

Jin collapsed back into his seat. It would have required great relinquishing of pride for the Commander of the Yamda to flee from his compound at Saro. To abandon the traditional abode in this way was as good as admitting defeat. Jin began wondering if the Yamda would even be able to offer any aid, when they themselves were in such dire straits. His best hope, at this rate, was to obtain information as to the Seven Star Mob’s whereabouts and whether any had survived the Kargu onslaught, and to work his way from there.

When the hovercar hurtled into the Kendaku Bridge, Jin’s instincts prickled. This way would lead only to one place—Indato District, home to corporate dogs. His hackles rose, and Jin readied himself to strangle the Yamda in front of him if need be. He would not be dying alone.

As if the Yamda had read Jin’s mind, he suddenly spoke. “Our clan was forced to look for help elsewhere. We hope you understand the need for corporate involvement. We know Royang was not friendly to corporate intrusion, and the Seven Star Mob helped to protect those interests.”

Jin remained quiet the remainder of the way, as the car traveled into Indato’s airspace. That they could do so without being blown to smithereens by Indato’s defenses was proof that they were in the good graces of someone who resided within.

estateTower after estateTower rose below them, the buildings towering higher with each elevated terrace of the hill that they passed. Soon, they were near the top of the hill, skimming towards a steel cylinder. As they approached, a door in its side slid open to reveal a hangar within. They had soon parked inside the metal garage, surrounded by countless flightCraft and other corporate hovercars.

When Jin climbed out of the car, Norbu was already waiting for him.

“Jin,” Norbu said, nodding his head respectfully.

“Norbu,” Jin replied, following suit. “I won’t hide the fact I’m a little disappointed.” He waved his arm around the hangar.

“With Shora gone, all we did was reestablish ties,” Norbu said. “Welcome to one of the many homes of Chairman Mujima, of the Vermeta Corporation. He has graciously allowed the Yamda to take up residence in his Handata City estateTower.” His eyes flicked to Jin’s rear as he noticed Hiro’s presence. His face twisted into one of confusion. “Hiro?”

Hiro shuffled quietly to Jin’s side. “Norbu. How long has it been?”

“Very long, old friend,” Norbu said. His tone was pleasant, much to Jin’s surprise. “And why are you here, and not at your villa by the sea?”

Jin reeled in confusion. “Villa? This guy was at the Underbelly.”

“Underbelly?” Norbu cried. He shook his head. “Come, let us discuss things further, in my rooms.”

After traversing the several corridors and levels of the estateTower, Jin soon found himself within a compound deep in the steel cylinder. They appeared to be in some sort of lounging room, the walls of white marble streaked in black, the area populated with every amenity imaginable.

Jin wriggled impatiently in his sofa as a Yamda poured him a cocktail. “First things first,” Jin said. “What happened to my friends?”

Norbu twirled his glass, allowing an olive to wade in circles through the liquid. “Ako and Gento were killed,” Norbu said in a flat tone. “As were most of my captains. We lost many of our number that day. The Kargu were...monsters. They were joined by many others, we suspect, who were residents of the Underbelly.” He shot an unreadable look in Hiro’s direction.

Jin was shaken by the news. “Ako and Gento…What about Mugen? And Kala?”

“They are still alive,” Norbu replied. “It was thanks to their efforts that the Kargu attack was dampened somewhat, as they were able to eliminate many of their mobile energyTowers. Mugen will be gladdened to learn that you yet live.”

Jin released a sigh of relief. “Where are they?”

“Preparing to set Kazin free,” Norbu said.

“You know where he is?” Jin asked excitedly.

“It is one of the many reasons why we have allied ourselves with the Vermeta Corporation,” Norbu said. “We have access to their technologies. Look.” An attending Yamda handed Norbu a tPanel, which he set on the table between them. He drew up a series of graphs and charts, as well as a hologram of the city. “I had a tracking chip inserted into the Moyashino boy, you see. The last place we located him was at the Underbelly.”

Jin zoomed closely into the map, then nodded curtly. “That there, is the Factory.”

“It would appear that his captors had him moved out of there,” Norbu continued. “They began traveling along this route, where we then lost track of him.”

“Where were they taking him?” Hiro asked curiously.

“With the help of Vermeta’s corporate espionage network, we have a bit of an idea,” Norbu said. “The night Kazin was captured in the Underbelly, the heir to Shampai Group was also present at the Factory. We believe Moyashino was aboard Sangsum Gato’s flightCraft when it departed the Underbelly.”

“So...did they take him to the Shampai headquarters?” Jin asked. “Or even worse, their estateTower here, at Indato?”

Norbu shook his head. “According to the Vermeta hackerCorps, it appears that there is dissension among the Shampai Group’s ranks. Sangsum means to overthrow his father in a corporate coup. He has taken Kazin with him to his own secret hideout for unknown reasons.” He pointed to the map and zoomed into a bright area in the center of the city. “He has a secret compound here, in the Andaka District. With Vermeta’s help, we were able to track spikes of intranet activity emanating from his compound in recent days.”

“So, what is Sangsum doing?” Jin asked.

Deep creases formed in Norbu’s brow. “In the old days, there was something called the dark web, a segment of the internet that was considered nigh untrackable.”

“Before the First AI Uprising created a shattered ruin out of it,” Jin said. “What?” he said indignantly, shrugging at the astonished, disbelieving gazes of the two men. “I used to be a coder. I know shit. It’s why you can’t access the dark web from Vermeta’s VR machines.”

“Looks like someone’s tried,” Hiro said sardonically, earning him a scowl from Jin.

“Yes,” Norbu said, a smile taking form on his lips. “Full of surprises, as always.”

Jin shrugged once more.

“In any case. The dark web is now considered deeply unstable, as you said—the slightest misstep might trigger and encryptionEvent, causing one to lose their mind—or perhaps, even trapping them within it forever. Chairman Mujima allowed me the use of Vermeta scourBots…we suspect Sangsum is conducting activities within this forbidden part of the web.” Norbu’s right hand began trembling. He set down his drink, then clamped down on it with his free hand until the quaking ceased. “Nerve damage,” he said in false dismissiveness.

“Norbu,” Hiro said quietly. “We know Kazin is your nephew. You are afraid for his safety, are you not?”

Norbu frowned. “So…you all know.”

“We three do,” Jin said.

Norbu licked his lips before knocking back his drink. “Yes. You will understand why I kept it secret. It was for his own safety, you see...The less people who know of our connection, the less chance there is of him becoming a target. He was told all his life his uncle was a...cybernetic drug addict." Norbu spoke the last words with a fierce spite. "Mugen, Kala, the other survivors are preparing a strike force even as we speak. We must rescue Kazin, before he goes mad within the dark web.”

“Count me in,” Jin said. “Take me to where Mugen is.”

Norbu nodded. “You may leave first, Jin. Hiro and I still have things to discuss.”

As Jin followed his Yamda escort out of the chambers, he turned back as a suspicion suddenly took hold of him.

“Just one thing, Norbu,” Jin said. “No offense, but your clan is nearly defeated now. What do you have to offer Vermeta that they are willing to spend so much time and resources to help you? It sounds like a backhanded trick, if you ask me.”

“Shampai is allied with B.Ridge,” Norbu answered. “And B.Ridge has recently come into possession of a very, very valuable asset, or so I hear from Vermeta’s spies. Vermeta wants this asset for themselves.”

“What is this asset?” Jin asked.

“From what I gather, it is neither human nor machine. Something in between,” Norbu said as a clansmember refilled his drink. “Some sort of mind that would allow a complete unity of the two. An abomination." The look that formed on Norbu's face caused Jin to inadvertently take a step backwards.

Hiro looked on sadly. "You have not changed, my friend, to the detriment of us all."

Norbu glared at Hiro. "Then I suspect you have not changed either."