The day progressed in typical fashion. I encountered the occasional lone gunman, most likely from the Factories or the Farm. By evening, I had successfully completed one assignments out of 9 attempts, adding a substantial 15,000 credits to my account. It had been a good day. As was my custom, I found solace on a rooftop, enjoying a cigarette, the time approaching 22:00.
The night unveiled a pristine, star-studded canvas in the sky, offering a clear view of the colossal space freighter that presided over ToxCity. As wisps of my delicious nicotine addiction wafted towards the heavens, an incoming message interrupted my contemplation.
"Target Name: Cleo Hano
Target Address: 6412 Nadan Road, Apt. 1558
Target Distance: 5.32 Km
Target Subscription: GOLD Tier
Couriers Contacted: 18"
My heart skipped a beat. This marked the first occasion I had ever received a contract for a Gold Tier subscriber, or indeed, heard of anyone possessing such a rarefied tier. I promptly refreshed my head-up display to ensure that I wasn't immersed in a dream, yet the contract remained, confirming the existence of a Gold Tier Subscriber within the city center.
The number of Couriers contacted also raised my eyebrows. I had heard whispers that the recruitment radius expanded commensurate with the subscriber's tier, and this seemed to validate that notion. Clearing my thoughts, I projected the navigation directions onto my visual display. There was no room for error; I couldn't afford to miss this opportunity. With unwavering determination, I engaged my leg overdrives and embarked on my journey. On a nearby rooftop across the street, I discerned the presence of another Courier who briefly glanced my way before intensifying his pace.
However, I remained undeterred, striving to catch up. Leaping across the yawning gap that separated the buildings, I closed the distance between us. To my advantage, he appeared burdened by thick, metallic piston-shaped arms enveloped in protective steel armor, a configuration that hampered his speed.
He swiftly produced a makeshift pistol, targeting me. Without breaking my stride, I deftly slid to the side and seized the ledge of the rooftop, transforming into a wall-running shadow, all while keeping my focus on the intended target. With a desperate leap, the pursuing Courier strained to reach me, and as he departed from the rooftop, a grappling hook ejected from his back, anchoring him to the building. As he clumsily traversed the wall in his pursuit, he took aim once more. The chain from his grappling hook tore through the brickwork, sending a cascade of debris raining down upon the street.
Another shot echoed, but I persisted in activating my overdrive, vaulting across the street to the adjacent building without forfeiting my momentum. Engaging in combat was an unwise option, for my adversary's mechanized augmentations might very well outmatch my own. Instead, I opted for a strategic withdrawal, choosing an alternative route to approach my objective. When I reached the rooftop, he continued to discharge rounds in my direction, but soon, I was beyond his weapon's effective range, disappearing into the cloak of the night.
My plan was straightforward: continue utilizing my overdrive to the fullest extent permitted by my cybernetic legs. The overheating generated would entail potential damage to the robotic components, yet the bounty of a Gold Tier Subscriber far outweighed the anticipated repair costs. My overdrive engaged once more, propelling me at incredible speed. Warning signs appeared on my head-up display.
"Heating: 23% over safety target."
With a practiced hand, I retrieved my knife, slicing through my running suit at knee level. The fabric shredded apart, and I promptly initiated the emergency cooldown system. My cybernetic legs revealed multiple panels that swung open, exposing the mechanical underpinnings beneath. As steam billowed out to dissipate the accumulating heat, the overheat warning gradually receded to 8%, and a countdown timer for the emergency cooldown materialized on the display.
Sixty seconds.
I was traversing new frontiers of speed, the world blurring into obscurity, the urban cacophony distorted by the rushing wind. I fought to maintain composure, relying on muscle memory and instinct to guide me safely to my destination. The breakneck pace induced tunnel vision, yet I persisted. The cityscape blurred into an indistinct tapestry of lines and shadows, and I engaged overdrive once more.
Amidst this velocity, the remaining shreds of natural skin clung to my body began to smolder as the winds and abrasive dust inflicted myriad cuts upon my exposed flesh. As my runner suit started to tear apart from the shear velocity, I approached Republic Avenue, one of the broadest thoroughfares within the area. Eight lanes could comfortably accommodate vehicles side by side, and as I recalled, numerous advertising signs dangled overhead, bombarding pedestrians and drivers alike with commercial enticements.
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Usually, I would descend to street level for this crossing, sacrificing speed for safety. But I couldn't afford any luxury to slow down. I placed my trust in my cybernetic capabilities and took the leap. Fueled by my incredible velocity, the force of my jump exceeded all expectations. Instinctively, I shielded my face with my arm as I propelled through a wooden panel adorned with neon—a cataclysmic eruption of splinters, dust, and sparks ensued.
Ironically, the advertising billboard seemed to bore an endorsement for cybernetic leg extensions.
However, my landing was less fortunate. I missed my intended mark by a substantial margin, completely passing over my landing spot.
With a bone-jarring impact, I crashed into the façade of a building in the following street. Momentum bore me into the housing, where I skidded across the slick surface of the tiled floor, eventually coming to a halt against the rear wall.
My head swam in a dizzying whirlwind. Multiple warnings flared on my display, cautioning me of potential damage.
There was no time for respite. I propelled myself onto my feet amidst the bewildered expressions of the room's inhabitants. Swiftly, I seized the precipice of the jagged hole I had created and hauled myself onto the rooftop, disappearing once more into the shroud of the urban night.
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Perched atop the roof, my overheat warning flashed ominously, standing at a perilous 49%. But I couldn't afford a moment's respite, for a mere 21 seconds remained until my emergency cooldown system would spring back to life. I continued along this frenetic path, scanning my surroundings in haste and once more harnessing the power of my overdriven legs..
The readout blinked, delivering an alarming message:
"Heating: 63% over safety target."
I disregarded the warning, the singular objective occupying my thoughts. Every sense was on high alert, attuned to the task at hand. In a split second, my instincts surged, and I barely managed to use my arms to deflect a colossal battle hammer that rained down upon my head. The impact sent fragments of metal and glowing sparks scattering in an eerie slow-motion ballet as I slammed violently onto the rooftop.
Before I could even comprehend my assailant's identity, the hammer swung once more. Rolling with frantic agility, I narrowly evaded the crushing blow, the weapon's ferocious descent rending through the concrete surface, gouging out a crater.
My eyes rose to meet another Courier, the source of those attacks. The man was a hulking behemoth, his upper body a mosaic of mechanical parts and wires. His face was bereft of humanity, made of a mere chrome plate and a solitary, menacing crimson eye at its center. He reared back, readying himself for another strike, unrelenting in his desire to get rid of me.
With the hammer poised for yet another devastating strike, I discerned the urgency of my situation. In a desperate gambit, I triggered my Kozec shield. Emanating from my chest, the technological marvel unleashed a localized EMP charge, forcibly propelling the mechanical monstrosity backward. His solitary red eye dimmed into obscurity, confirming my hypothesis.
Most of his body seemed to be mechanical, and my calculated risk had paid off. He would remain incapacitated for a significant amount of time. Without a moment's hesitation, I reactivated my leg augmentations, leaving him in my dust.
"Heating: 87% over safety target."
My emergency cooldown was at the ready. I promptly initiated the process, and steam billowed from the vents in my legs as the overheat alarm dipped to a more manageable 59%.
Yet, a red warning abruptly flashed across my display, my cybernetic limbs slowing to a crawl as they emitted an ominous mixture of oil and sparks.
"Emergency Cooldown Damaged, risk of fire 92.6%."
Cursing beneath my breat, I rapidely accessed my internal settings and shut off all power to the faltering emergency cooldown system. It wouldn't be operational until repairs were made. I drew a deep breath and steeled myself, determination eclipsing the fear that clung to my resolve.
With unwavering focus, I pushed forward, cognizant of the short wait before I could employ overdrive once more. The target now seemed tantalizingly close, the remaining distance a mere 281 meters. It was a gamble, one I couldn't resist.
I had to take the the risk, quelling my deepest apprehensions as I revved up the system once more. Vaulting across rooftops, I rapidly approached the destination.
Taking a deep breath, I plunged into the risk as I revved up the overdrive system once more, catapulting me from rooftop to rooftop. The target building loomed large, my velocity closing the gap.
Regrettably, upon reaching my target's building, I encountered three Couriers embroiled in a maelstrom of clashes, their bladed weapons casting shimmering trails of light and tracer shots painting streaks of luminescent chaos.
I didn't falter but conjured a bold strategy. Quick calculations passed through my mind. With a high degree of certainty, I gauged my target's floor and window. A risky bet, but I took it. I stole a furtive glance at my overheat:
74%.
Convinced that fortune favored the bold, I risked it all. Engaging my overdrive - knowing far too well that it would be the last time - I catapulted into the void and smashed through my targeted window, my legs were consumed by fire in response to the reckless burst of speed. A forceful landing followed, and I hastily deactivated any superfluous enhancements on my cybernetic limbs, extinguishing the flames.
As I glanced around, I couldn't ignore the conspicuous emptiness of the room, save for a middle-aged man seated tranquilly in an armchair.
My target.
As I prepared to rise, an unexpected voice shattered the silence:
"And so, it begins."
My target was very much still alive.