Snippet #1693760

It wasn't a normal night--well--in a way it was--at least for Delunrick. The hussle of the street was the usual drab and bland mass of population--people to busy to have a second glance, billboards casting iridescent light across the crack asphalt and wandering user. There usually wasn't much hub-bub when things really boiled down to it, this was a casual beat and it made earning a week's pay something a little more leisurely than John really liked. A thumb drummed atop the steering wheel as the flock gathered--a massive of people around the central podium of the town's central park. Apparently they were amassing for something,considering the chatter over the radio.

" Think they're up to something ? "

A blank stare was cut short by the voice of his partner--O'conner--a nice guy really, he couldn't remember his first name..He couldn't remember much of anything about what the guy said--He was older, an experienced Cop who had seen more of the grit in Delunrick than he thought even existed. A green tinted gaze shifted to the corner of his eyelid--staring blankly at the pencil thin band of hair topping a set of lips that had become freshly adorned with a layer of powder--way to fulfill the stereotype O'conner. He couldn't be positive of exactly what was going on, but there was definitely something amiss--considering the sudden silence that came from the various mechanized billboards about the area.

" Looks like it. "

He really couldn't manage more of a response than that--a shift in his seat allowed him to fondle for the handheld of his radio--he may as well call it in,right ? A chubby hand rested atop his own as the small plastic device was lifted--seemed that O'conner couldn't exactly agree to him chirping over the radio because a few hippies had found an acoustic guitar. They would simply have to wait and figure out what was going on. He took the time to flick a glare towards O'conner ( who still managed to down another donut,unphased by the leering green of John's eyes. ) O'conner wasn't really anything abnormal when it came to the law enforcement in the city--a bit portly, balding--and absolutely addicted to sweets. He probably drank to much, smoked to much and rarely ever saw that stranger known as 'exercise' but he was a fine cop--a damn fine cop that knew his job better than John did--he struggled to find respect for that fact as it were.

" Fine. "

He answered to a silent command--He didn't feel like making a mountain out of a molehill and obviously O'conner didn't think it was much to worry about either..John was a younger cop, he had just gotten out of the academy a year prior to that night--his anniversary was coming up--or lack there of. She had been a dream to him, blonde, blue eyes--long legs and a shining smile--The final light in a darkening world that spurred him to actually do something with his life. His gaze faded to the huddling of people while his mind recollected the events of the past. She had encouraged him to make some headway in the force--to do something with his career, but her intentions weren't exactly crystal when it all boiled down. Apparently it wasn't her forte to see him wrapped up in the life of a beat cop, constantly exposed to NRT-54 users, modders and all sorts of random crazies that inhabited this town..She had promptly called off the engagement and requested that he re-evaluate his life while she did the same. He assumed it meant that she was spending her weekends wrapped around some Portuguese stud that he liked to call Javier--he soon came to find out different. She was sick, had been for a while, needed an organ replacement but didn't have the funds or the willpower to give up a part of her humanity. She had gladly crawled into an early grave to avoid the sin that was defiling her body..Perhaps that was why his scowl grew as a figure in white paraded onto the podium.


***

The night had been perfectly planned--A gathering of the believers to hear the good news--The heathens were to be expelled, faith was to prosper and crisis averted. Alexander had planned it all so perfectly--crawling onto the podium with the aid of a cane, wearing the usual suit of white and adorning that faceless visage of white--the thin slits allowing that oddly beaming glow of blue to permeate between.

" My friends ! "

A charming--delightful--and somewhat 'british' sounding voice flooded through with the aid of microphones hardlinked into the parks sound system--It was normally used to broadcast the dreary blend of advertisements and various product placement that had become modern media. His associates had allowed him the courtesy of sneaking a few words in before the night took the city. The waning sun cast a dying light across the mass of 'friends' before him--the flock of believers he had fostered from the sundered womb of the city.

" There is good news to be heard ! "

A smile hid it's self behind the thin plastic facade--faceless--as always, to avoid the suspicion of his enemies--it was rather apparent that this was the man known as Alexander Roswell, the modern " Messiah " of Delunrick.

***

" Is that Roswell ? "

O'conner barked--near choking on his donut--a chubby hand immediately snatched away the handset--chirping out to dispatch exactly what they were witnessing. John wasn't exactly tied up in the situation--he wanted to hear what that bastard had to say. The patrol car's door popped open without a thought and a loafer coated foot allowed him to adjust. He wore the normal service uniform--suit jacket,slacks--loafers--it was impractical for his profession, but they liked him to be more a beacon than an actual player in the ongoings of the city. A forearm came to rest atop the vehicle--his eyes fixated on the figure in white he seemed bound and determined for everyone to hear his cry.

He hated the religious fanatic type that Roswell inspired--a man in white proclaiming to be the second coming--He had heard it before, just like anyone else in the city--but he seemed to bring such charisma to the table that the lesser minded would flock without a question. It seemed that his speech was already drawing the eye of curious passer by and enemy alike..A few silent figures in dark outfits--undoubtedly a few unfriendly characters who were just dripping with excitement about Roswell's unexpected arrival. A sigh flooded from his lips as he stuffed a cropping of brunette beneath his service cap--a quick adjustment allowed it to sit partially over his brows. He would hear the man out--though his cynicism seeped from his pores--He had been the reason she let herself go in the end, she was one of these fanatics..it always made him wonder if any of this bullshit rubbed off on him.

" Hey--Ridgeway..."

The voice caused a quick turn of head and yet another blank stare of eyes.

"What ? "

" We've got a seeker. "

" And ? "

" It's bad news--just come on. "

It seemed they wouldn't be sticking around for the speech--his eyes snapped up to catch the darting figure in black hauling down an alley--they would follow on foot it seemed.

***

After a brief chase they had managed to track this odd little being in black to a nearby passageway--nothing of much interest--a simple pace that funneled sighs from Ridgeway without much of an afterthought--he was never a fan of this whole psycho killer pursuit that they had going on, though he did fear breaking out into a trot would leave O'conner clinging at his arm and calling for an ambulance. They had just managed to round a corner when they realized this little figure had all but disappeared--there wasn't a turn off--just a dead end..The sinking suspicion that they were being toyed with crept up John's neck like the plague--leaving him with a chill in his throat that caused the words to stick and lodge against the rear of his tongue. A fiddling hand snapped his service weapon from his hip--hoisting it upward--the last thing they needed was one of those mixed freaks--psychic monsters with the power of ten men and an arsenal stored under a miniskirt--He had been fooled before--it almost got him killed, the scars were apparent on his forearm from that brief stint with a ' Founder' as he had come to know them.

Shaky fingers avoided protocol and already rested on the trigger--O'conner seemed to share the sentiment of nerves--hoisting his own weapon quietly from the holster, though he wasn't quite capable of handling it as aptly as John--considering the obstacle an oversized pair of 'man breasts' presented. A silent point came to the end of the alley--there wasn't a need for a gesture, but apparently O'conner felt that it made the whole situation seem 'cooler'. His eyes wandered before him to try and make some sense of the inky darkness--it seemed to dark--like something was siphoning the light out of the place. He managed to precariously approach the end of the alley--a few stares and finally his weapon was lowered.

" Probably a modder--jumped clean over. "

He explained--hoping that O'conner would understand the situation better than he did--he wasn't really sure of the limitations of their appendages--he had seen some who could punch a hole through a brick wall--while others remained ultimately human still. His jaw clenched and a hand rose to idly rub at his forehead--this whole situation just seemed off..Like someone led them here--was this figure in black trying to show him something ? He leaned rather casually-his elbow compressing to the brick wall aside him..Though the moment the weight came there was an odd shift--and a hiss--a long, almost electronic hiss--the panel of the wall gave a sharp drop before finally sliding sideward, almost taking John with it.

" Oh shi--"

" What..."

A blank stare came--a long--metallic set of stairs descended in a spiral--jutting off quickly at a stainless steel wall--a lining of small lights flooded a pathway at the base of the stairs..He didn't want to know--he didn't feel like looking--his mind immediately flooded with the thought to take up his handset again--yet once more O'conner's chubby digits collided with his own--haulting his chance to call for help.

" You scared of a little girl, Ridgeway ? "

He was when that little girl had robot arms. The little test of machismo did it's own work--spurring John to take a step into the reservoir made within the brick wall--a quick turn and his weapon was hoisted once more--leading him down the staircase rather quickly--he was stumbling on his nerves. Within a moment O'conner was behind him--a weapon in one hand--donut in the other..A groan caught his lips in a blank stair.

" Professionalism would be great right about now."

" So would a cannoli. "

O'conner's riposte caught him off guard--despite his nervousness and anxiety about the whole situation--he cracked a toothy smile..O'conner was numb to this--he still hadn't quite adjust. He began his pace once more--unable to really make out much of anything beyond those small lights--just enough to illuminate the flooring ( which also shared a metallic decree, he assumed it was steel by the way his loafers clicked against it. ) They had just managed to enter what he assumed was an intersection--left or right..he really couldn't decide but O'conner seemed to make the choice for him.

" Go right, Rook. "

He hated right--only the wicked went left though. He turned on a shaking heel to begin his following of the pathway--more lights--more darkness--an eery setting--the further they descended into the obsidian of this small little place the less he could hear of Roswell's speech.He longed for the comfort of watching the man he hated. As he finally reached the end of his portion of the corridoor he would take a turn--immediately greeted with a rather large room. Contained therein was a mass of removed limbs--the sudden stench of what could be described as an electric burn caused his nostrils to flare--a hand immediately descended to finger up a portion of his uniform shirt to cover over his features..A cough came from his side and his weapon was immediately tilted--only to catch sight of O'conner.

" Ugh ! Fuckin' modders. "

He barked with a flat grumble--finishing off his donut quickly before replicating Ridgeway's shirt action. The pile of limbs seemed remarkably human save for the odd green ooze that dripped from them--and the metallic bundlings of wires and various odd looking, almost pinkish ends. It looked like the end of a fiber optic cable, which in some fashions it was..Various methods of connecting bone to metal, skin to steel and nerves to the nylon like strands. The two paced rather casually around the mass of limbs, severed heads and legs before finding a small door in the rear of the room--it was quickly breached and the two made an effort to clear the room..it was just then a thunderous roar came blaring through the compound--gunfire ? Screaming ?

" What in the Hell is going on ? "

Ridgeway asked--though O'conner was already waddling towards the exit.

" Get out there and find out, Rook ! "

He barked with a flail of arm--immediately causing the young cop in Ridgeway to spurr to life--forcing his legs into motion. The heat of sprinting in loafers was bad enough--but the sudden slide near the doorway had caused his thigh to careen into the doorframe--leaving him aching with each trot.


***


The speech was in full swing--Talk of being spoke to by God Himself--Broad mention of a new age--an age where technology failed and the world was plunged headlong into chaos. The pills would stop working--the 'machines' that drove modern day life would be disabled--A plan perhaps ? In the heat of the words Alexander had flung his hands about wildly--dropped his cane and proclaimed his new found 'youth' was a miracle given to him by the true Messiah of their age..As the crowd roared there was a sudden--near deafening thump-a careening round sent shattering across his brow--collapsing the smooth surface of mask--dimpling it within brow as a the pointed tip of a ballistic catridge came toppling through his skull. The figure in white flopped lifelessly back near instantaneously, a crowd of his guards came rushing to his side--surrounding the form with some degree of urgency. A cry of horror had already broken out from the crowd as thunderous percussions of gunfire became more present--the men about him falling headlong, leaving the lifeless corpse of Roswell resting atop the stage...A new sound of horror arose--a pointed digit from a faceless witness--the green ooze that slithered from his skull..the mass of metallic parts that once could have been known as his 'face'...Alexander Roswell was a modder, and now--he was dead.

The signs about the area--once home to various adds about lingerei,break cereal and anything else that could be marketted to the common consumer--were suddenly flooded with a brief phrase--seemingly made by some hastily scrolled text.

***

John had managed to force himself once more into a rushed gait--toppling out of the alleyway already breathless and burning through every inch of his twenty four year old frame. He was by no means out of shape, but he wasn't an avid runner--more of a habitual smoker. A coughing set of lips blinded his eyes with tears--his cheeks aflame with the heat of exertion as he watched the panic civilians at the event--the thud of gunfire left him deafened--the shooter was nearby--had to be. He searched blindly for a possible suspect but found little salvation or any degree of hope amongst the darkness of the descending night. His eyes snapped quickly to the small park--riddled with chaos as the signs began to flicker and finally blacken--white--so stark that it caused his eyes to further squint...

Kill the Shepard and the sheep shall scatter...


O'conner came briefly after--toppling a hand to Ridgeway's shoulder as the rookie helplessly stared into the chaos--A panting breath was immediately halted with a yell.

" YOU STOP ! "

There was a tussle--the portly man had caught a hold of that dark figures hoodie--as the two wressled about there was a sudden screech--the howl of shock as the two hundred and fifty pound frame of O'conner was carelessly flicked off of the small figure--bouncing from the wall and ultimately falling lifeless.

" O'conner ! Shit ! "

He tried his best to snatch his weapon but there was a sudden--crushing grip--a seering pain that filled his forearm. His eyes went wide in shock as his features locked on the odd eyes of a small--dark haired boy with such strange eyes. He had little time to really interpret the situation as a second grip came--at his shoulder--a sudden pop--his mind flooded with a numbness--a pain so great that it left his eyes wide with shock..He watched as the well sculpted arm of a twenty four year old frame was casually yanked out of socket--and eventually torn from his being. His own howl of panic came as he witnessed that limb flung at his chest--bouncing flatly against him--his fingers still clutching--he could see the wedding band he still wore for no reason..His mind fogged and he dropped like a brick--unconscious to the asphalt beneath...


***

The morning came--a creeping sun that stung his eyes--a quick snap and a gasp--he was made witness to a doctor hovering overhead--a mask upon his features.

" He's up ! He's up ! "

He barked with a waggle of hand--obviously unable to move to much in his work..Ridgeway sank quickly back into the darkness--void of memory for a length of time he didn't know. After some bit of waiting he finally cracked an eye open--a weight upon his chest that he was unfamiliar with caused his eyes to lower--a metal hand rested there--immediately causing yet another bark of terror--a flood of sedatives and finally he sank into some degree of medicated calm.

" What..what's happening ? "

He asked the darkness--the creeping void of consciousness that seemed to elude him so profoundly--a soft voice echoed in his ears--a woman's voice.

" It's okay, John--just...just sleep. "