Snippet #2387624

The previous weeks were filled with horror, for each night a corpse would be found with a different kind of clock were the head should have been, the perpetrator had been the nickname the "clock work killer".

The office was a busy clutter as usual and the mixture of the summer sun and the exhaust fumes made the junkyard feel hotter than hell. Candice didn't mind though the cybernetic parts of her had coolant systems, and her biological part always liked warm weather over cold. Nea's workshop was under the junkyard, it was also were the fostered robots and androids stayed. Candice admired her cause, protecting the weak and making inovations to better humanity. Candice began to sweat into her robotic joints meaning that they would have to be cleaned or else she would rust from the inside. Candice went through the tuning up process and left for the arena.
...
The yard was bustling with drop-offs of more and more scrap, in fact they are installing three new incinerators to compensate. The path way out was blocked today by a bunch of old computer parts. Well if any of those parts still works Nea could use some of those. "Hey girl get out of the damn way!" Shouted a man in a large truck that was out of control. Candice easily dodged the vehicle with great swiftness. She ran the rest of the way until she was back in the city. I guess it's time to get back to work.
...
"This is a mighty nice show up tonight." Grinned Candice's fighting coach. "We'll what do you expect? I mean a five year champion defending his title against a girl? No one would dare miss this even if it is illegal." I will earn ten thousand gilt when I win tonight, that will be one hell of a upgrade.
... There goes the bell, okay this guy is quick but I'm quicker, and barley as strong as he is. If I keep my head up and let him wear him self out this will be mine. "I'm going to kill you little girl" muttered her foe under his breath. "I'm not so little, compared to those so called muscles of yours!" Alright my taunts are working he's getting mad. "What's the matter twinkle toes? You scared to face me? Stop being craven and fight me!" Good he's losing it, he rushed past me a few jabs in the jut and a solid punch in the jaw as he ran past. He's turning putting up his arms for defense, and deflecting a volley of my punches. He tries a right hook and his right leg leaves the ground, I sweep his left leg from out under him. He is on the ground helpless in send a flurry of kicks his way. He curls up, but then he catches my foot and twists me to the ground. I meet his stomach with my elbow in a quick thrust, and my knee with his un-mentionables. He gave out a savage howl of pain, the advasary grabbed me by the hair and the throat. Thinking that I am as weak as other women, he thought wrong. I grabbed him and picked him up over my head to bring his back to my knee with a gruesome crack.
...
Her friends from the arena invited Candice to a local bar to celebrate. But Candice didn't drink, the momentary high, the thrill of combat was gone and she had no idea what to do next. After the battle had concluded paramedics dragged the opponent to the nearest hospital. Everyone around her was joyous , but allcandice felt was guilt. She should be home by now in the scrap yard, these are not her people. Her people are those who have been neglected and that are broken down. Candice ran to the hospital deposited the ten thousand in the man's fund. She returned home she went down a dark alley which is a well known short-cut. And then she saw it, the clockwork "killer" she whispered and then she ran.
...
That night another one died and Candice had no alibi. The clock is ticking it is a new day the clock has struck One, and you think you know someone.