Polis Kyiv, The Palace of Sports
Alisa Chernykh, August 12, 2049, 10:45 AM
A small hall, semidarkness, muted colors. A high-end bar, a big rosewood table right in the center, cozy leather chairs around it. This place could’ve easily passed for a respectable nineteenth century gentlemen’s club, had it not been for the huge windows, through which you could see the stars and Earth from a height of four hundred kilometers...
#Alisa.Thread0.Primary
# VG.host0485.Darknet.sec //Private protocol 26-1
Three men in business suits were seated at the table, plus a stylishly dressed young man behind the bar in the back was lazily leaning on the counter. The door quietly slid aside, and a beautiful platinum-haired blonde in a little black dress entered.
The men rose from their seats to greet the woman as she walked over to the center of the hall at a measured pace and took a seat at the table. She gave them a nod of acknowledgment, smiling.
“Gentlemen,” she said.
“We’ve been expecting you, miss Alisa,” said one of the Participants with the eyes of a seasoned soldier and a gray goatee.
“Oracle? Nice to see you here.”
“Likewise. Are you concerned about Kyiv?” He tilted his glass of whiskey slightly, looking at the golden reflections on it. “Care for a drink?”
“I’m concerned about the whole world, as you know,” Alisa said, nodding. “Sure. Might as well partake.”
The dandy at the bar poured a classic Martini Rosso into a cocktail glass, walked over and placed it in front of the woman.
“Thank you, Hemming.” The blonde sipped the drink with enjoyment.
The young man nodded in response and silently returned to his post. The rest of the Participants at the table were also silent as they waited for her, smiling courteously.
“An invasion scenario, huh…” Alisa slowly said after a short pause.
“Yes, as ridiculous as that sounds. I’ve been trying to prognosticate the final phase, got busy last night.” Oracle took a small sip. “The portals are only the beginning. Although…”
He took a playing card out of his breast pocket – a ten of diamonds. Putting it suit up, he slid it toward the girl.
“I’m grateful for that one time. You’ve come for information. Well, everything we know is here.”
Alisa put down her glass and carefully picked up the card.
“Is that so…” she pondered out loud, not at all bothered by the silence that had descended.
Suddenly, there was a barely audible noise: the door opened again, and a tall, swarthy young woman in her twenties entered. She had a sharp face and almost black, deep-set eyes. Her asymmetrical long hairstyle with the shaved right temple and the hair dyed a metallic blueish-purple contrasted with the conservative looks of the others present. The stranger was also wearing a black dress, accessorized only with a silver bracelet on her left hand and a purse.
She approached the table in total silence; the floor’s soft carpeting completely absorbed footsteps. The men didn’t utter a word, greeting the uninvited guest with cold looks. Alisa, on the other hand, curiously turned her head to look at the newcomer with a half-smile.
The new girl opened her purse and produced a card – a six of diamonds. Putting it on the table, suit down, she asked in a subtly mocking tone,
“So, is no one going to treat a lady to a drink?”
“Our apologies,” Oracle said, and the men stood up, greeting the stranger. The guest coolly walked along the table and, without further formalities, sat across from Alisa, putting her purse on her knees.
“What may I offer you?” Hemming asked with a courteous smile, slightly narrowing his eyes.
“I’ll have a Martini Rosso, honoring the lady already present,” the stranger replied.
Hemming nodded, taking her order.
“Who are you and where did you come from?” said one of the men for the first time, who had a three-day black stubble, a small scar on his left cheek, and a dark look in his eyes. He was wearing a dark brown business suit, a white shirt, and a silver-gray tie.
“Gentlemen, since when is it considered acceptable to break the rules of the game?”
“Mister Black, that’s inappropriate,” Oracle remarked and then turned to face the woman. “I sincerely apologize. We didn’t expect any… guests today. How should we address you?”
“Iris. A symbolic name, all things considered,” she answered with a charming smile, taking her drink from Hemming. She imbibed a little, put the glass on the table and continued.
“I understand the intensity of the moment, so…” Iris slid the card toward the center of the table. “Here’s a timetable for new Shaiszu portals. This is the most accurate prediction as of right now. Even your powers that be don’t have it. And they don’t need to. I’m sure you catch my drift.”
image [https://i.imgur.com/tP8Vlkh.jpg]
Complete silence fell over.
Iris took another sip of her martini.
A minute passed.
She swirled her glass, smiled, and had a staring contest with Alisa.
Obviously enjoying herself, she took yet another drink.
Another minute…
“You know, while you’re having your secret conversations and calculations under the pretense of emotional shock, I think I’ll take my leave,” the guest broke the silence. “But I must admit, it’s been… interesting to have met you. I wasn’t going to say more, but I’ve changed my mind.”
A deck of cards appeared in her hands out of thin air.
“Let me give you a piece of advice, gentlemen. Brush up on everything you’ve ever learned about personal security. The world is becoming quite… complex, so do think about yourselves. You’re going to need to.”
She got up and, putting the deck on the table, removed her bracelet. Apparently, it was a duplicate because she was still wearing one on her wrist.
“Alisa?”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Yes?”
“Take this as a personal gift from me.” Twinkling, the bracelet disappeared from the mysterious guest’s hands and reappeared on the blonde’s wrist. “Unfortunately, time is not on our side right now, but you and I will definitely meet again.”
Iris gave the room a smile.
“It’s been… engaging. Have a good one.”
Picking up her purse, the girl briskly walked toward the exit.
“And by the way, gentlemen. Please don’t make my appearance here public. I highly recommend that you don’t,” she said her parting words and blended in with the darkness behind the door.
----------------------------------------
A few minutes earlier.
#Alisa.Thread0.Primary
“I’ll handle the medbot, Nika, thanks for your help. What were you doing here anyway?”
“Well,” the girl said, grabbing a tissue box and thoroughly wiping her bloody cyber-arms, “I actually came to see the show. After the explosion, people went nuts and dashed to the exits. I was pretty close to the arena, so I figured it’d be dumb to try to cut through the crowd. My Marcek always keeps tabs on what’s happening around me, so he suggested I jump over the barrier. I had to throw a few punches though to make my way to it. Even broke some chick’s jaw.”
“Is Marcek your AI assistant?”
“Yup, a pretty brainy one surprisingly.”
# Thank you, Nikola.
The redhead snickered at the message. She looked around for a trash bin out of force of habit, then laughed, realizing that dropping one used tissue on the floor wouldn’t be littering anymore in the great scheme of things.
“So, I jumped onto the arena, started figuring out where to go next, and here I am. Thought there’d be a back exit up here.”
“Yes, there is one.” Alisa nodded and suddenly changed the subject. “Is your platform Watson CyberTech?”
“Uh-huh, nineteenth generation.”
“Civilian?”
“No, extreme sports now. Geared toward Powerball and MMA. The core is originally military-oriented though, meant to be used with MPA. I would’ve had to enlist at twenty-two under the contract’s terms.”
(Note: MPA (Mobile Power Armor) is an advanced military exoskeleton controlled by the cyborg with additional core improvements. The cyborg’s limbs are disconnected during the connection to MPA-Unit, so after the activation, they feel the machine’s limbs as if they were their own. The pilot is required to undergo special psychological training)
“Ah, I see. Checking the network. Nikola Kowalsky, 21 y.o., from the hyperpolis of Warsaw. Your specifications are open except for the core. Is this information accurate?”
“Yup, that’s me. The info is accurate, I’m a cyberathlete after all. Why?” Nika took one of the stools that got overturned in the explosion and took a seat opposite Alisa.
“Sorry, hang on a second. While I’m resuscitating Maksim, I’m also getting some answers about the situation, and there’s an important call to boot. Not enough threads. I could parallel myself, but there’s only so much I can do.”
“Knock yourself out, no rush. My paw needs a tune-up anyhow,” said Nika. As she made herself comfortable on the stool, she lifted her left leg, rotating her knee joint so that her shin and blade foot were facing upward. Pressing on the holders, the girl removed the armor plate.
Alisa nodded and turned to Maksim. For a couple of minutes, she just stood in silence, motionless, as the medbot worked.
At last, Maksim started breathing by himself, and the medical platform put away the CPR kit. The android girl slightly shifted, and the bot’s main arms began treating the broken leg. Nikola, meanwhile, meticulously checked the frames and the state of the boosters, not just visually but by palpating them with her fingers. A few more minutes passed.
“The whole city is on red alert,” Alisa finally said, still not moving and without parting her lips. “All the communication lines are busy: the police, military, firefighters, hospitals.”
“So, that’s why ambulances were a no-show!”
“Yes, the audience got evacuated by the security and police drones, but they’ve been withdrawn just a while ago.” Alisa had finished the operation on Maksim’s leg and started applying a splint on it.
“What happened anyway? That wasn’t just a simple explosion at a stadium, was it?” Nika put back the armor without making any changes after all. “Sorry, I’m fussing with my leg here, just got a minute. My cyber-diagnostician is such a paranoid, thinks we have a twelve percent integrity damage in the main frame. Like, the last using of the boost mode was too harsh or something.”
“No worries,” Alisa said, disconnecting the smart cable and ‘swallowing’ it back. Her lower jaw made a soft click; the android resumed her breathing imitation and lip parting when speaking. “I can look at it myself later if you'd like. I happen to know my way around cyborgs.”
“Thanks, that’d be nice.” Redhead gave a smile.
“As for the situation…” Alisa went on, walking around the medbot and getting ready to transport Maksim. “Some sort of portals began opening around the globe, with monsters coming out. All top players from corporations, states, and polises already know. The police, military, including private armies, rapid response teams, and the Coast Guard are trying to utilize all available resources. Not very effectively though, unfortunately.”
“It sounds like madness,” Nikola rotated her knee back and rose from the chair. With a few taps of her cyber-foot and even a couple of bounces, Nikola clearly looked pleased, even tossing out something like, “Eat that, Marcek, you wretched paranoid!” into the air, albeit quietly.
“I’ve sent you a contact request. And please, open up the AR incoming-broadcast minimum. I'll show you a brief overview of the situation.”
Nika accepted an augmented reality transmission request from AlisaChernykh2 and took a seat on the stool again, straddling it and putting her arms on its back. A virtual screen appeared before her. Alisa approached it, taking a “virtual board pointer” out of thin air with a flourish.
“Don’t bother checking the signatures. The media files all have been analyzed, so don’t waste your time.” Waving her hand, she split the screen into four. “Take a look; it’s always the same. The portal is surrounded by a protective field. It blows up out of a tiny speck in just under a second.”
The android girl played the video in slow motion, highlighting the areas of the portals’ appearance and making a graphic of their gradual expansion.
“We don’t have much footage that would illustrate the entire process from the start. These four are the best.”
“How many of these… occurrences in total?” asked Nikola, closely studying the screen.
“317 sightings captured on video in the last five minutes alone.” Alisa closed all four instances with a wave, summoning a holographic projection of Earth in their place.
“As for the total number, the red dots indicate spots where they’ve already appeared,” she said, refreshing the image and adding a new layer. “Here are the zones with the highest likelihood of the portals in the next twenty-eight hours. I decided not to show the dependen–”
“Wait, wait, wait!” Nika sprang up impatiently. “If you’d just shown me the footage, I’d have said it was total baloney or something.”
“Unfortunately, it’s not,” the android girl objected and showed four scenarios again. “These are drone recordings that explicitly show huge monsters eating people.”
“Yeah, I get that. But you said, ‘zones with the highest likelihood… blah-blah-blah’ – where did you get that information?”
“Hmm… I’m sorry, but I’m not asking you where you got the cyber-core firmware that easily registers as the official Watson one, am I? You’re obviously not rocking a vanilla build.”
“Hey, that was uncalled for!” Nika crossed her arms and looked at Alisa reproachfully.
“Sorry, I’m not too big on manners.” The android shrugged sheepishly. “There’s no way I could resist looking you up! I got the map from a reliable source on the darknet. Sorry, I can’t say more…”
“I’ll still ask you about the details once we’re out of here,” Nika said stubbornly with a shake of her head.
“Fair enough,” Alisa said. “I’ll share everything I can. You seem nice, I hope we can become friends.”
“For sure.” Nika smiled. “I’m very friendly. Sometimes… So, you’re saying the prediction is accurate?”
“The accuracy is confirmed by an urgent Oxford University calculation for the Corporate Alliance. I just downloaded the file.”
“So, the military really know about all this?”
“That’s right. They’re working on the countermeasures, but it’s not looking good for us at the moment.”
“One last question then: what are you going to do with him?” Nika pointed at Maksim. “And when will that thing from the video show up here?”
“I could’ve answered that without the prediction map, just based on the videos’ geotag analysis. The pattern is as clear as day.” Alisa secured Max on the medbot. “We have about twenty minutes to get as far away from the stadium as possible. By the way, do you have any other weapons besides the running blades?”
“No, just these babies. I didn’t dress for war, y’know…”
“Can you help me get Max to the hospital? He needs surgery. I can do it myself, but I need the instruments and a neuro-implant for his lumbar spine.”
“What’s wrong with him? Broken back?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll help you. But even if the police and the Army did clean up this mess, we might still run into stragglers,” Nika said, looking around the room.
“True, unfortunately. That’s why I’ve asked for your help. I could take a couple of drones under my control, even combat ones. But I don’t see any here, aside from the broken stuff that we don’t have time to fix.”
Nikola walked over to a disassembled combat robot that was lying along the wall and examined it closely.
“This thing here is a melee robot. Considering the circumstances, I don’t think its owner would mind too much if I messed it up further.” Nika flipped the robot over and roughly put its arms back. Pressing hard, she ripped out the clamps that held two flick blades.
“Too short for a machine but just right for a human. Meaning, for me as all.” Red confidently removed both blades. “These will make for cool swords. Could use a decent hilt and a crossguard though…”
Nika tried them out by striking at the air a few times.
“I’ll just hold them like this for now. Good enough. Let’s get out of here.”
“Right,” Alisa said, activating the medbot’s transportation mode. “You go in front, help the bot if it gets stuck. We’ve added each other, so here are the tags on the map. And if we come across some useful drones, doesn’t matter what kind – flying, service or even couriers – we’ll be taking them under my control.”