Where did Martine go?

Florence winced, staring through a glass panel at the crowds hurrying in one direction. All those translucent advertisements on the skyscrapers flickered red, each announcing the same thing…

A shutdown of District Nine.

Next to her, Aisling groaned on the white marble floor, hugging Yuze in her arms.

Florence turned towards both of them. She asked, “Are any of you hurt?”

Aisling grinned. “We’re alright.”

Together, Florence and Aisling supported Yuze back to her feet. They moved slowly and steadily, getting closer to the exit.

“What is going on?” Florence asked, pressing her palm on the glass panel. “Shutdown? What is that supposed to mean?”

Aisling gaped at Florence.

A lump formed in Florence’s throat, suffocating her. She took one shaky step towards the exit.

“Haven’t you heard of it before?” Aisling asked.

Florence shook her head.

Yuze smirked. Her face leaned nearer to Florence.

“Anyway, we’re gonna stay here for a bit,” Aisling said.

The air thickened. Florence inched to the glass door, stepping away from Aisling and Yuze.

“Calm down.” Aisling smiled at Florence. “I know what you wanna do.”

“I beg my pardon. But I will be… you know.” Florence wheeled around, pounding her feet across the white marble floor. She then burst through the exit, landing on the pavement. Shoulders bumped into her. She spun in circles, scanning everyone’s face.

Pillars of black smoke spewed out from an infernal in the distance. The flames seem to melt the skyscrapers nearby. Amongst the fleeing crowd, Martine weaved between the mass of people, approaching the pillars of black smoke.

Florence’s heart skipped a beat. “Martine!” she shouted.

Martine continued down the street with Florence’s voice drowning amid the screaming and the blaring speakers.

Florence’s palms were covered in sweat. She trudged at a fast pace, pushing past the sea of people. The wind whipped her blond, unkempt hair back, raising her heart rate. The injuries she received itched, draining all of her remaining energy.

However, no matter how much she struggled… Martine kept moving farther away.

It was not long before Florence collapsed on the pavement, drowning herself in the escaping crowds.

The boots trampled her body. She curled into a ball, protecting her head with her leather briefcase. Every stomp on her wounds sent a searing electric shock across her nerves. With one knock, a metallic tingling tickled inside her mouth.

Everything… blurred, turning red.

Suddenly, a hand clutched on her dress, yanking her up.

“Seriously?” Aisling asked. “Why won’t you listen to me?”

Florence blinked. In front of her was Aisling, supporting Yuze in standing up straight.

Yuze groaned. “Nice.”

Florence pointed at Martine. “Over there.”

“You really don’t have to be in such a hurry,” Aisling said. She slung Florence’s arm over her shoulders and assisted her through the street.

The waves of people jostled against Florence. Her leg muscles strained, and she cried out loud. Nonetheless, she approached Martine, and the crowds slowly dispersed in hurried footsteps.

Next to Florence, Aisling’s breathing morphed into a wheeze. Sweat trickled down Aisling’s neck, splashing onto Florence’s bandaged forearms. But Yuze rested her head on Aisling’s shoulder, snoozing amidst panicked screaming and blaring speakers.

When Florence was near Martine, pillars of black smoke engulfed the buildings. The metals clanged, and the gears screeched, overwhelming the fading screams in the now eerily empty street. In front of Florence, Martine slipped between a company of pink humanoid machines. She climbed over an onyx fence glimmering under the flickering red lights.

“Players, please do not panic,” all the pink humanoid machines said in a static voice.

Florence squinted her eyes at those pink humanoid machines. What do Players have to do with it?

“That’s unfortunate,” Aisling said.

The pink humanoid machines packed themselves together, blocking the remaining gaps between them. Florence shoved them aside, but they didn’t budge.

“Please remain calm,” the pink humanoid machines said harmoniously. “This is for your safety.”

“Let me in immediately,” Florence said. She stepped forward, but Aisling tugged her back.

Yuze opened one of her eyes, shaking her head.

The pink humanoid machines straightened themselves. “This is for your safety. There are some… minor inconveniences in District Nine. So we are undergoing some peacekeeping operations in that area.”

“Then why’d you let her through?” Florence stretched her finger out, pointing down the street at Martine. “Tell me why?”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Sorry, I do not understand what you mean.”

A chill stimulated Florence’s nerves, sending goosebumps across her skin. She turned towards Aisling and Yuze. However, Aisling only squinted her eyes, jaw open wide. Whereas Yuze tilted her head sideways as she rubbed her nape.

Florence continued pointing down the street leading into District Nine. “A gal is literally right over there.”

However, Martine… vanished.

Within Florence’s stomach, the bile rose up, burning her throat.

Suddenly, a ball of fire exploded in District Nine, sending a shockwave through the street. The skyscraper’s glass panel vibrated. Even the ground beneath Florence’s feet rumbled.

Aisling trembled.

“Please be patient. The shutdown will end as soon as we solve these minor inconveniences,” the pink humanoid machine said.

A sudden ringing tone quivered in Aisling’s ripped jeans pocket. She pulled her phone out and held it to her ear. “Hi,” she said. “Yup, I’ll remember to bring her with me.”

Immediately, she turned around, prancing away from the barricade while dragging Florence and Yuze.

“Let me go!” Florence shouted, unable to pull away from Aisling’s grasp.

“Florence, the last thing I need is you being dead.” Aisling slipped her phone into her ripped jeans pocket. “Plus, we’ve got to be somewhere other than here for our job.”

“Yeah,” Yuze said.

“You cannot be serious.” Florence blinked, clearing her throat. “Why are we doing this?”

Aisling slanted her head up, staring at the moon about to set on the western horizon. “I’m gonna be honest here; you’ll have to wait and see what will happen next.”

Florence bit her lips, calming her nerves. At least she was making some progress in getting back home. Still, before returning home, she had to find Martine no matter what.

“Florence, you gotta forget about it.” Aisling looked over her shoulder. “Those androids are gonna deal with the situation.”

“I… do not understand… why?” Florence asked.

Another explosion within District Nine quaked the ground and buildings nearby. Aisling jumped high up in the air, closing her eyes shut. Her body trembled on the spot.

“Aisling?” Florence asked. She tapped Aisling on her shoulder. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

Aisling hummed. Her head rocked back and forth.

Yuze’s face paled. “Don’t ask.”

They turned at the corner of the street, continuing to trudge onwards. The speakers blared, filling the silence between them.

“Needs time,” Yuze said. She pointed at Aisling.

“You do not have to tell me that.” Florence folded her arms around herself. “Pardon me, I know this might be late, but is this the future?”

Yuze’s cheeks bulged, tightening her lips.

“What?” Florence asked. She clutched hard on her leather briefcase, turning her fist white. Martine, how did she disappear? Could it be possible that the person who entered District Nine was actually her? No, of course not; it must be her. She had to be here somewhere.

Nevertheless, Florence ended up in front of another skyscraper entrance leading into a small room. Inside, metal junk was piled all over the concrete floor, workbench, rusty fridge, and spiral staircase. Not a single soul was seen, but a brown blur flashed across the room. There was nothing special about this place, with clutter jammed into this glass box of a room.

“Yup, this should be the place,” Aisling said.

“Already?” Florence scratched her bandaged, aching forearms. “Are you certain this is where we need to be?”

Aisling placed her palm on the dented steel door. Immediately, a message appeared denying entry. She smashed her forehead on the exterior of the skyscraper.

“How did those messages appear on the door?” Florence asked. “Pardon me, does it always happen?”

Yuze smirked.

Instantly, Aisling tightened her grip on Florence.

Florence gritted her teeth, holding her cry in.

Aisling dragged Florence and Yuze across the pavement, forcing them to come along. They took the turn at the corner leading into an alley. Florence covered her nose with the stench wafting from a mountain of garbage bags leaning against the skyscrapers.

Florence limped until Aisling suddenly halted.

“What is wrong?” Florence asked. “Is something bothering you?”

“Nope, I just remembered… some other stuff?” Aisling glanced up. “So don’t worry about it too much.”

Yuze snickered. Her violet eyes were in a daze, looking at the ground.

Aisling coughed, her hands cupped on her mouth. She stretched her arm up towards the air vent cover beyond her reach. “Anyways, who wanna go?”

“Is it me, or is this a load of baloney?” Florence asked.

“Hungry?” Yuze’s legs trembled as if she could not support her weight. “Baloney, nah. But food, yeah.”

For a moment, every muscle in Florence’s face tensed. Unable to utter a word out of her mouth.

“So nobody wanna volunteer?” Aisling asked, turning her head towards Florence, then Yuze.

Of course, Florence didn’t answer, not knowing what was inside. It might as well have been asking for trouble.

Yuze pointed at Florence.

Florence’s jaw dropped open.

Aisling climbed the mountain of garbage bags, releasing her grip from Florence and Yuze.

“Florence, I think you might’ve to step on me,” Aisling said. She stretched her hands out to the air vent cover, which was too far away.

Florence shrugged. “Why me?”

Yuze brushed and twirled her inky bobbed hair.

“We don’t have all day.” Aisling looked over her shoulder, smiling at Florence. “Come on, let’s get moving.”

Florence crossed her arms. “Are you not worried?” She stared at Aisling’s abdomen. “Would this be too much for you?”

“Spicy,” Yuze said.

Aisling furrowed her eyebrows at Yuze.

“What?” Yuze smirked. “It’s true.”

“Anyway, I’m gonna forget everything.” Aisling sighed, turning back to Florence. “Help me out here… please?”

“Absolutely, but you should step on me instead,” Florence said.

Yuze rubbed her bandaged left thigh. She eyed the ground intensely. Her lips closed tightly together, stifling a chuckle.

“Yup.” Aisling slammed her palm onto her face. “If you’re fine with it.”

Florence clambered up the mountain of garbage bags, rattling and clattering the trash. A rotten stench puffed on her face with each stumbling stride approaching Aisling.

“You sure?” Aisling asked.

“Of course.” After reaching the peak, Florence leaned against the wall and bent her knees. “Give me the signal whenever you are ready.”

Aisling exhaled through her pursed lips. Then she planted her feet, hunched over, on Florence’s lap.

The rushing of blood rang in Florence’s ears. Her nails clawed deep into her leather briefcase. She grunted with this crushing weight standing on her.

“Please… don’t sneeze,” Aisling said. She unsheathed her dagger, inserting the blade tip into the screw head and twisting it counterclockwise. Once all the screws were loosened and taken out, she opened the cover. Her hand slipped inside the air vent.

“Could you hurry up a little?” Florence asked.

Aisling inhaled deeply before an expulsion of air exploded through her nose. “I wish.”

Above Florence, the hitting of a metallic ringing came from within the air vent.

“Oh no,” Aisling said. She leaped off Florence’s lap and landed on the ground with a thud. “So… you want to know the good or bad news first?”

“No,” Yuze said.

Aisling twirled her dagger as she glared at Yuze. Immediately, Yuze put her hands high in the air.

Florence slid down the mountain of garbage bags. “What is it?”

“Well, we do have another way in.” Aisling ruffled her own hair. “But let’s just say something might’ve happened to it.”

“Please do not tell me you are trying to break in,” Florence said.