In the streets of City M, a lone figure trudged through, his hands deep in his pockets, clutching something. He wore a black leather cloak that covered his entire being, a hood pulled over his head. A black mask concealed the lower half of his face, leaving only his red eyes visible. He began walking faster, heading toward the lower part of the city, or as the denizens called it, the slums.
The slums were the disgusting underbelly of the city. Here, you could find everything legal and illegal. This was where the outcasts and the criminals stayed. The boy dug his fists deeper into his cloak, securing whatever he was carrying.
Around him, multiple cybernetics walked about, eyeing their next prey. On the side of the street, beggars pleaded with passersby for spare Union coins, but everyone continued on, treating them as air. The ground below was littered with glass, grime, and used stim pads. The boy carefully avoided all of it.
Suddenly, the ground rumbled. The boy looked ahead another grav train. The sky overhead was a maze of grav train tracks, rushing with speed toward the inner city. Each time they passed, the ground trembled, but the denizens paid them no mind, already used to the noise. Buildings rose high into the sky, piercing the dark clouds above, their surfaces plastered with holographic advertisements displaying logos and brands. He scoffed. No one here could afford any of the things they were selling.
Yet one advertisement caught his attention. On one of the largest holographic billboards, a woman appeared. Beautiful was the only word to describe her long blonde hair, deep blue eyes, clad in a loose fitting, flowing white dress.
"Ever dreamt you could escape your world and join a new one? Well, now you can. I present to you Eden Online, the latest VRMMORPG, designed with cutting edge technology to give you a fully immersive experience. In this world, you can be whatever you wish to be. Leave your old life behind and join us here. Become a star."
The advertisement faded, now displaying the name of the game in elegant, luxurious handwriting.
The boy's eyes narrowed. A new world? VR? He laughed at the idea. There was no such thing. It was just another gimmick for the company to sell their game. He glanced around, taking in the toxic scent of rusted metal and stim pads. This was the real world, and it was disgusting, he thought.
With that, he continued forward, heading deeper into the slums. It was time for business.
The boy eventually arrived in front of a large metal building, its walls rusted and nearly falling apart. He sighed before stepping inside. The interior wasn't any better destroyed furniture lay everywhere, graffiti covered the walls, and bottles of alcohol littered the floor. The room reeked.
The boy ignored it all, walking to a corner of the room. He flicked a switch, and with a rumble, the floor beneath him gave way, revealing a descending staircase. He took the stairs, the floor sealing shut behind him. The staircase led to a dimly lit corridor, plastered with the same graffiti a green snake coiled around a skull.
The corridor ended at a large metal door. The boy approached and knocked. It took a while before a response came, but he was patient.
"WHO IS IT?" a voice shouted from the other side.
"Spider," he replied.
A slit opened in the door, revealing a pair of eyes scrutinizing him. With a grunt, the person behind the door shut the slit, and the sound of locks disengaging echoed from within. The door swung open with a loud creak.
A massive figure stood on the other side, his body marked with scars. Tubes ran along his arms, carrying a green liquid. He sized up the boy for a few seconds before stepping aside.
Spider nodded and entered. The scene inside was obscene naked androids wandered about, carrying booze. In the center of the room, a bare chested man sat before a large smoking contraption, taking a deep puff before exhaling a cloud of clear smoke.
He turned toward Spider, a grin spreading across his face, revealing golden teeth.
"Since you're standing here, I'm assuming you have it," the man said, taking another puff.
The boy nodded and pulled something from his pocket a small, thin metal plate covered in intricate engravings. The man's eyes gleamed as he snatched it, immediately examining it.
"Hmmm… it's the real thing. Good job, Spider," he said with a laugh.
"Now the money," Spider demanded.
The man fell silent, his grin widening. He spread his arms wide.
"Now, about that money… you see, I don't think I want to pay you."
Spider's eyes narrowed. A sigh escaped his lips he'd expected this. In a flash, he drew a pistol from his side and fired, turning the man's head into mush.
The goons around him, caught off guard, scrambled for their weapons but Spider was too quick. He drew a second pistol and gunned them down with ruthless efficiency.
Smoke curled from the barrels of his guns as Spider stood amid the carnage. He exhaled sharply before walking over to the fallen leader. Kneeling, he retrieved the metal disk and stuffed it back into his pocket. Then he strode out of the lair.
Time to find another buyer, he thought.