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Part of a Novel I'm writing.
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We watch the chaos from above. “This will save us,” Pavel says. I’m trying to figure out the future… “It will destroy us,” Dr. Rexler pleads. By remembering the past… The Revolution had begun Fixated on his Infinity device, Mikhail asks me if he should buy more shares of our syndicate’s stock before we do the deal tonight. I tell him to do it, once we announce we have this revolutionary technology our stock will gain exponentially. Pavel walks past us telling me come into his office. I follow him and sit at the desk while he is searching the room. “I need you to bargain with the Triad tonight. Take Mikhail, Sergei and Boris with you.” “Why Boss?” “Don’t worry the deal with the Triad should be simple. I need to go out to speak to some people tonight.” He finds what he was looking for and gives it to me. “Good luck Yuri,” he says as he leaves. I take Mikhail and we go look for Sergei. Sergei creeps around the battlefield of war torn Moscow, crumpling buildings, flaming wrecks of cars, tanks and everything mechanical. Sergei see’s something moving inside a burned out museum. He throws an incendiary grenade causing the walls to be blown in. A laser shot comes right at Sergei, he barely escapes by rolling backwards finding cover behind a pillar. Peaking around the corner, he sees nothing expect darkness slightly illuminated by pockets of fire. Sergei runs back into a more illuminated area trying to lure the bot. As Sergei is running, the bot takes off immediately after him, firing shots that graze Sergei, as he manages to slide behind a door. The bot begins firing off round after round into the door way and wall trying to estimate where Sergei should be. Sergei launches an acid round through a hole in the wall hitting the bot. No one is left. The landscape fades away, in its place a mammoth black room with billions of sensors. “Not only did I improve my World ranking but I also made ten million rubles. “You made that much?” Mikhail asks looking up from his Infinity device. Sergei nods while taking his Infinity device from his pocket to accept the deposit into his bank account. “Let’s grab a drink I’m buying.” Three vodkas are poured as Sergei swipes his Infinity device across the counter, “So when do we meet these guys for the tech?” “Eight.” “Where are we meeting Pavel?” “We’re not.” “Then whose doing the deal?” “I am.” “You?” “Why so surprised?” “For a deal this big, you’d figure the Boss would be there.” “He was called away.” I tell him. “Where are we doing the deal?” “Transformations Night club.” “The place with all of the androids and tech vampires?!” “It’ll be quick.” “At least we’ll be making money on this.” “Yes,” I remind him, “Cash is king but tech is God.” “Boris is fully up and running,” a voice said as we entered the lab, “Anything special we need to program into him?” Railya appears from behind an automatic sliding door, the beautiful woman who’s been breed for this role. “Nothing I can think of,” I tell her. “He has been programmed as per Pavel’s requests, so it knows all forms of hand to hand combat, knowledge of the area so you don’t have to be distracted using your Infinity Devices. He will be concealing a new prototype weapon, the MPD-1X10. “He has a new sensor which will read the technology you will be receiving. This will tell us whether or not it’s counterfeit.” In the streets people are marching down the street, some struggling with police forces. Stalin preaches the ideals of his revolution welcomes us to Transformations. A past brought back to life by the future. Transformations Night Club is a pinnacle of new age design, a blend of architecture and technology revolving three hundred sixty degrees revealing the entire city of Moscow. The interior of the club is lined with artifacts of Russia’s history old, new and history that hasn’t happened yet. People are crowded everywhere each experiencing a different reality. “After the meeting, we have to come back down to the dance floor,” Sergei cheerfully reminds me. We are to meet the Triad members in a private lounge upstairs. The room is locked with encrypted code keys. Techno music thumps repeatedly while lights flicker. The Android is the first one in the room, always the first one, just to make sure everything is fine, no assassins, no moles, just a beautiful furnished room that’s one hundred percent soundproof. A waitress comes in, “Drinks anyone?” I stare at the waitress and I suddenly it hits me. Slowly the service industry has been taken over by robots doing the jobs humans have labeled as ‘dehumanizing’. But that’s only the service industry here in this rich neighborhood, in other places across the world people still have the jobs but for how long? We wait. The door opens as six men dressed in black suits with black ties all wearing sunglasses expect for one, carrying a briefcase. He’s probably not human. They stand at the opposite ends of the room, staring at us. Silence. “Are you Yin?” I ask. “I am Yin,” a man says stepping forward, the one not wearing the sunglasses. “I’m Yuri,” I tell him as I shake his hand. His grip is a bit weak. “Where is Pavel?” he asks. “He was called away in an emergency and…” Yin interrupting me, “An event more important than this?” “Yes.” “What could be so important?” “I… I don’t know…” He turns and says something in I’m guessing is Mandarin to the guys behind him. “This is rather…strange,” he says to me, “we aren’t use to doing business this way but then again business is changing every day, isn’t it?” “Just like everything else in the world.” Yin sets the briefcase onto the table that’s between us. “Do you have the money for the Nano-technology?” “Yes all one hundred million Yuan.” “The price is raised to five hundred million Yuan.” “What?! Why?” Yin calmly tells me, “Things change, the technology we had to risk our lives stealing for you has increased in value since the Japanese company went public with the information about the stolen technology, interest has peaked for the tech from other potential independent buyers and a few foreign governments.” “We had a deal,” Interrupting, “That’s why we’re dealing with you first, since we did have a deal.” I’d better call Pavel. “I’ll have to check this with my boss,” I begin to get up from my seat. “Why do you need to call? I thought you were supposed to do this deal for him.” “I’ll be right back.” I walk out and realize that the sound in the hallway is so loud it will be hard to make the call. I’ve been in the lounge so long, sealed off from all sound that I forgot where I was. I go back into the lounge to make the call. I go into the corner on the opposite side of the Triad. “Call Pavel,” I say into my Infinity device. It begins to ring. Looking out onto the dance floor, more and more people are coming in. It keeps ringing. The dance floor’s lights begin to change into hypnotic blue the color that makes you… It keeps ringing. … think differently about the world… It keeps ringing. …The golden dome that sits upside down on the ceiling of the building begins to open up, pouring snow onto everybody beneath. .. It keeps ringing. … It seems that it could snow all night… It keeps ringing. …I put the device back into my pocket. “Problem?” Yin asks. “No, everything is ok. We can make the deal.” “Excellent.” “Where’s the tech?” He opens the case and inside are the blueprints for the tech and underneath encased in glass is the Nano tech. Boris comes over to examine the technology. “Things aren’t as bad here as in places like America. Imagine doing a deal like this in America? Cameras everywhere to spy on you on the street, cameras inside building, spy satellites orbiting around the globe to give them an overview. Strange isn’t it, after communism fell here, democracy was supposed to rule the world, now the country that originated the form of government doesn’t even practice it anymore. And it’s not like they’ve experienced a revolution…” “The technology is authentic,” Boris says. “We have a deal then,” I tell him, “Where should I wire the money to?” “To this account. This tech race that we are in reminds me of the comparison between the armor and firepower. When the armor maker makes a new type of armor, the weapon maker makes a more powerful weapon and the cycle goes on and on. Now mankind keeps one upping each other with new kinds of technology. I’ve been in Moscow since last night and it’s very similar to Beijing. Two cities with a history of political revolutions turned into architectural wonders, cities that now are defining a world ever changing. Don’t you agree? Ideas and people change, buildings crumple and technology evolves day to day. The technology that’s revolutionary today maybe obsolete by tomorrow. Are you following me…Yuri?” “Yes.” “In a few years our countries maybe at war over natural resources not technology but water. “What do you mean by all of this?” “Just…making conversation. Our deal is complete.” Stepping out of the lounge, the snow is falling harder. Club goers call this, ‘Siberian Winter’. The Triad follow us to the bar to celebrate the deal with a shot of vodka and a glass of red wine. “Our deal is complete, I hope whatever it is you plan to do with that technology it goes well for you.” “Thanks.” “And my advice to you, don’t stick around here too long with that kind of technology you could become a target for anybody.” How odd it feels getting advice from a foreigner about protection in my homeland. “We’ll be quick.” “Zai’jian Yuri,” he says as he turns with the other Triad and leaves. As I watch him leave, I take a look around the club. Maybe he is right, we did just walk out of an expensive lounge so anybody could assume we have something. Looking over at Sergei, he’s talking with a girl and buying more shots of vodka. Mikhail puts it away his Infinity device and leans over to me, “Let’s try the illusion bar. Any drugs you want, acid, ecstasy, shrooms anything to transcend into a new state of consciousness,” Mikhail tells me, “You should try some hits of acid then go into the VR room. The music, the colors and the lights all become something physical, something you can eat, smell and breathe in. The images and thoughts…you wonder if you’re thinking about them or if the drugs are…thinking themselves.” He hands me some pills which I put into my pocket. “Maybe later,” I tell him, “Just don’t do too much, we’ll need everybody alert if there’s a problem. Mikhail smiles, taking a handful of pills with a glass of wine. I lean over to Boris and tell it to be on the alert for potential threats. “Understood,” is it’s reply. “What did those Triad members say to each other when I told them Pavel wasn’t here?” Boris tells me it wasn’t on any of the language spectrums most likely they made it up so nobody can understand them when they speak to each other. If they made it in here alive, then we can unquestionably leave. The Triad could be androids or simply genetically superior beings, I couldn’t tell. I doubt anybody would try anything in a crowded place like this club… It cut through the falling snow one flake at a time. It cut through the dancer who at the wrong moment moved into its path. It came past my shoulder destroying the wall behind me. A sniper. I hit the floor immediately just out of reaction and looked to my right to see Sergei drawing his weapon and Mikhail dropping his Infinity Device it shattering into three pieces. Boris shouted something but I couldn’t hear over the noise of the music. It didn’t matter really, Boris began returning fire at whatever shot at us with his weapon. The MPD-1100 shot a blue burst of kinetic energy to the second floor leaving a hole the size of a car. With debris falling everywhere it’s hard to tell what Boris hit. Sergei comes over and helps me up. He mouths, ‘Are you ok?’ I nod yes and with Mikhail following we start to fight our way out of the club. I take my laser handgun from my belt and begin to return fire but I can’t tell what exactly is going on. Sergei is firing at the main entrance as people flee. It looks like he’s trying to hit something that maybe firing at us. Boris is leading our pack as he is continually scanning the upper floor for more snipers. We’ve made it out onto the street as the chaos continues bodies both alive and dead litter the streets. “Mikhail you drive,” Boris commands him. Mikhail dials the car’s ignition code and we race off. I’m in the passenger’s seat while Sergei and Android are in the backseat looking back. “Who were they?” I ask. “Android 100 models,” Boris informs us. A new twist in the world of organized crime, instead of sending a group of thugs to do a job, gangs were now sending groups of Androids to do robberies. They’re smart, tough and lethal. And the best part is, if they get caught they can’t be traced back to the owner in any way. Only loss is the androids the monetary value of each android. Pavel is waiting for us. “How’d everything go?” “We hit a few problems.” “Do you have the tech?” “Yes, I have the technology right here.” “So what happened?”. “We were attacked at the club after the meeting. They sent a couple of androids.” “Anybody hit?” “No.” “Someone must have found out.” “They changed the price of the technology they wanted five hundred million Yuan.” “Figures. Maybe they realized what they have…or had,” Pavel stares at me, “Come on let’s take this to Railya.” “She’s still here this late?” “She wanted to see the tech as soon as you brought it back.” . “So what are we doing this for?” I ask Pavel. The echoes on the high walls of the laboratory making it sound even louder. “As I told you before Yuri we can do a vast amount of things with this tech. I can’t believe you of all people don’t see the enormous potential here. What world do you live in, where tech isn’t the most vital part of your existence?” “I most likely can figure out this tech but it might have a plethora of fail-safes attached, which could take awhile,” Railya informs us. Pavel thinks a moment, “Yuri you can go home now and get some rest. I have work to do.” I reach my apartment door, walk in and head upstairs. It feels like eons have passed since I’ve been here. My apartment has been cleaned by the maid service of the building and I still don’t know if the maids are humans or androids. The TV automatically turns on to the news because the system rationalizes that I would want to watch this first since it’s the most important program on right now. ‘Riots continue over allegations of election fraud,’ scrolls across the screen, pictures of protestors hurling rocks, bottles and bombs at police. The two broadcasters come back on commenting on the issue with an expert on civil issues. “The overpopulation, huge unemployment numbers, the people are not going to continue living in a world where the human race is pushing itself into being obsolete.” I look at the pills Mikhail gave me, I need to relax, to take the edge off. I have no idea what they do but right now it can be anything. If I take them maybe I can experience something else for awhile. The images on the floating hologram screen show people holding signs that want a resolution to the problem. ‘Give us back our jobs.’ ‘Help the homeless.’ I take a pill. It begins to work… time flows at a slower rate---everything moves in fragments….. The broadcasters mentions a Japanese company that had a revolutionary tech stolen the same night Dr. Rexler was kidnapped. In the next moment, the door to my apartment explodes in. Maybe from the pills beginning to work or from my adrenaline soaring. A combination of both. I ------ the gun from my belt planning to shot whatever is coming as a small object flies into room. I duck behind a wall on the opposite side of the room, the whole way looking at the entrance. The napalm grenade blows everything in a ten foot radius…………………… before the smoke settles --------- I fire back randomly at the doorway where I think the person should be while running backwards up the stairs leading to the second floor. I run to my room ------------ run over to the safe to get a better weapon. The first object I grab is…………………….. at the time what I thought was the weapon of choice. I have a card-key to open the front door and can hear him talking to someone on his Infinity device. I sneak up behind him. The house is full of guns of every caliber, shape and model. Various grenades, EMP devices and other materials are lying around. “Yes, yes, I understand. Yes it will all be taken care of,” Pavel says to someone. “Pavel,” I yell causing him to turn in panic. “We need to talk.” “Yuri, I’ve been trying to contact you, whats wrong?” “I was just attacked in my apartment by a group of old model predator androids the same ones that attacked us in the club..” “Remember what the Triad said to you about not selling the tech to other people? They never said they couldn’t sell the information about where the tech was going to be. The attack at the club, this incident they sold the information to various bidders and now every gang, corporation, government and android will be looking for you.” “Who are we doing this job for?” “ Vladimir Potrov. He’s hired us to help him get into office.” “Get into office? It’s too late the elections have already happened.” “There are other ways to get into office.” I stare at him not sure of what he means. “By using this technology we can help him over throw this corrupt government, we’ll be heroes.” “How?” “By using the Nano-Tech we can attack anyone in a number of different ways.” “When would we do this?” “As soon as we figure out the technology.” “We don’t know how long that will take.” “We do… Dr. Rexler will tell us.” “Dr. Rexler has been missing for weeks now.” “I was just talking with the people who have him. They kidnapped Rexler hoping he could duplicate the process of making the Nano-Technology. He couldn’t so I offered to buy him from them. With him and the tech together, we can achieve anything.” “How much did they demand for him?” “Money…that doesn’t matter anymore.” Pavel taking two rail guns off the couch, “We’re meeting them in an hour at the bridge, I’m rounding up everyone and going to do this deal.” It began to snow when everybody arrived at Pavel’s. A cold gust of wind would accompany whoever walked into the house. I feel so odd right now, I can’t tell the difference if it’s day or night, looking out the window all I see is grey skies. “You look bad,” Railya tells me, “You should take some medications.” We’re speeding down the road, Boris driving. Pavel tells us that we can generate new currency with the Nano-technology so the price we paid for it and the money we’re giving these people is meaningless. We will have an infinite amount. “We’ve achieved a dream,” Pavel tells us, “Of so many people.” We exchange one billion rubles for Rexler. “We’re we going now Pavel?” Sergei asks. The war is engulfing the populace but something is different… humans that aren’t bleeding lying on the ground. The battles are between humans. We board the plane from above where we can see the full effects of the technology and chaos, androids deactivating everywhere and money will soon be raining from the sky and flowing into the streets. With this tech we can copy anything, assemble or disassemble anything….create worlds then destroy them. With the influx of currency into the streets and banks of Moscow, the ruble devalues at an alarming rate. With such a large cash influx our currency becomes the poorest currency in the world leaving the ruble in worse status than when we began. But there’s another use of this Nano-Technology like any other technology, you just have to find out what your goals are then find the right tools to help you achieve those goals. As we look into the streets of the city, fires begin to burn and crowds gather to fight and loot, I notice they’re going for technological items even before grabbing food from the grocer. What will the future hold? We wait for the next chapter of the revolution to begin… |