It was raining, and that was always bad news. The megacorps said it had started a long time ago with microplastics and phthalates, then with the forever chemicals. Eventually, as time passed and governments on earth were replaced with megacorporations, the concoction of forever chemicals in the environment grew, but they kept that information to themselves. They leaked into the water sources and cycled over and over again. Scientists said that these chemicals would keep cycling for thousands of years. They were what had made the rain toxic. The warnings that were broadcasted when it rained always kept out those details.

The rain was poison; she pulled up the high neck of her raincoat, it covered most of her face. Today, most of her body was covered in rainwear just to be safe. Still, she wanted to reach a hand out and feel the cool water droplets against her skin. Maybe someday, if she made it out of this hellhole on another less corrupt planet, she would feel the rain. Ever since she was a child, there had always been a longing to run through the rain, to splash amongst the puddles.

The rain angered her. It boiled her blood. The rain was a reminder of the corruption of what had been the megacorps. They had bled the world dry. Fri thought that most people would agree with her anger. She reached out her cupped gloved hand and let the water collect in her palm. It looked innocuous enough. Just water, but enough exposure could mean death. Some people did not hide from it; maybe it was thier way of suicide. Some would pass her utterly open to the rain, their hair and clothing soaked to the bone. Soaked in a concoction of toxic chemicals. This was far from a quick death.

She made her way home after work. It had been an uneventful day. The rain had kept her few students hiding at home, so she had spent most of the day filling out reports and petitioning for sponsorship. Another thankless job kissing up to those higher up. Maybe she could become a sponsor herself? Fri made a mental note to ask if she could qualify to become a sponsor.

Few were willing to walk the streets during rainy days. Day had started to turn into night. The holographic sky above dimmed and was slowly filling with advertisements. Bright ads had long replaced the stars. Stars that could only be seen on the higher levels. Neon signs reflected off the wet asphalt. It was almost atmospheric in a strange and twisted way. Level 1 had its charm. A charm noticeable in the dirt and grime of the city, in the cheap pornographic holograms, and the glitching advertisements that splattered the sky like malware. Like a cheap virus infecting every aspect of thier life. The charm was seen in the people who struggled and the life they had created for themselves. Level 1 still prospered in its own ways, the city streets full of bars, restaurants, and food stands.

Those who could afford to drive drove to their destinations when it rained. On another day, she would have taken her nano-cycle to work, but today, she wanted to clear her head. The past weekend had left her with a lot to figure out. Ryuu, the assassination attempt, and the strange creature that had attempted it. It wasn't a Gambie; it was something else. Something that had never been seen before. Its mutilated body still haunted her.

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How could something like that even move? The quick glance she had was enough for her to figure out that they were dealing with something strange. The man's body was disfigured with scars as if, at one point, he had fully been wired. Tubes and wires similar to the gambie's but more than was standard. A lot more. It didn't seem that the man's mind had deteriorated. It seemed like he wasn't there at all, as if he was controlled by an outside force. A shiver ran down her spine. The idea sounded impossible, but the assassin had moved like a marionette. His limbs twitched, dragging to its target. Arms and legs that shouldn't move. A movement that defied reality.

Ryuu had transferred her two hundred thousand credits after their weekend getaway. She had to figure out how to use this money and what she could do to help those at level 1, but her mind kept thinking about that creature. The zombie-like corpses had taken over her mind. Unknowing ate at her; it filled her with an itch she couldn't scratch. Fri needed to figure out what was going on.

She had first seen it with Xander. Maybe he knew something more? But how would she be able to get close enough to the man to talk to him? It wasn't as if she could waltz up and speak to the boss of a syndicate. She was fairly sure that even her mother rarely made contact with the man.

Ryuu had sent her off with a warning not to meddle and to forget about the issue. It was all suspicious. He wasn't one to coddle her this much. It hadn't been the first time she had investigated an incident with him. She doubted his words about wanting to protect her psyche. It wasn't something specific that made her suspicious, just a gut feeling. She had never been one to listen to her gut, but this time, something was different.

She looked around and sighed. Lost in thought, she had walked past her apartment building. The rain had eased, and she looked up. Somewhere beyond the holographic screens, beyond the atmosphere, somewhere far away, a place waited for her—a place out of this hellhole. She reached a hand out to the sky and then sighed. What a useless gesture. Fri dropped her hand. Feeling silly, not that anyone had even noticed.

A car slowed next to her. Instinctively, she flinched and reached for the pistol. The windows were blacked out, so she couldn't tell how many people were in the car. One window rolled down and revealed Xan's familiar face. She relaxed, the momentary tension fading quickly, only to be replaced by another type of anxiety.

"Miss teacher," he greeted, a large smile already on his face.

The man was as much a mystery as a Ryuu. How could such a person be so happy? How could a hardened criminal act like this? Did he not feel guilty for what he had done? This one man was responsible for who knows how many deaths, and yet here he was.

"Hello, boss man," she replied.

"Are you free tonight?" he asked.

Although Xan came off as kind. His smile seemed genuine. There was something off about his eyes. They were cold and calculating. His gaze reminded her of Ryuu's and reminded her that she should be careful around him. This was not a question; this was a request.

"I am free; why do you ask, boss man," she answered.