System Break

Chapter 165: Air Capital of the World

The container bumped around blindly for what felt like days. The wise cracking hacker was well prepared; there was food, water, and induction charger for my robot.

I watched all his videos and read the documents to pass the time.  It was 2033 and the world was in the shitter. Currencies had fallen and cryptocurrency had taken over. Cities were becoming privatised one after another. Society was devolving into the haves and the have nots.

Most people struggled to live while the few were incredibly wealthy. The workers who used to pay all the taxes no longer had jobs and since governments let the rich get away with paying no tax for decades - they no longer had any income. The governments were so far in debt they couldn't service it.

It was a corporate takeover. Huan Industries wasn't alone it was one of thousands of companies which now ran the world. Politicians and political leaders were corrupt and basically lived off bribes from their corporate overlords.

Pieter was one pissed off dude and I wasn't sure if that was his name anymore. From what I read - he waged a one man war against them.

With all of the crap going on in the world I found it hard to give a fuck. If Pieter wanted me to help him he was in for a shock. I only wanted one thing and that was to get off this planet.

I wanted to go back.

And I would do anything to make that happen. Literally anything.

After a week of solitude with only my voice and the sound from the videos to listen to the creek of the doors opening was jarring.

"Hold on," the voice said. It had an Asian accent and I was expecting a Russian. 

A girl a little over five foot began to disable all power and comms on the robot. I could move my head enough to watch her. The first thing I noticed were her arms, they were robotic. She was a damn cyborg. But other than a few piercings and tattoos the rest of her was smooth white skin. 

She wore boots and shorts that were so short they left little to the imagination. It must have been hot where we were because she worse a sports bra for a top. Along her spine she had a few cybernetic implants, but she used the one out of her wrist to manipulate my robot.

She tinkered for twenty minutes in silence before she said. "Okay, we're good to go."

"You are?"

"None of your business." Her smile was cute, and she looked barely over twenty, but she had the swagger of an expert technician.

"What now?"

She grinned. "I power you up big boy."

I have six and a half foot tall, so I guess the five foot girl was well within her rights to call me that even if I couldn't walk.

She rebooted the robot and I had full control. She picked up a rag and wiped off some dried blood and guts. A reminder of what had happened just a few days ago.

"Follow," she said and walked out.

I turned the robot and followed her out of the container. The van waiting for us was painted like a graffiti wall. She pulled back the sliding door and it was decked out with tools and spare parts.

She flicked her head. "You should fit in there. If not I'll chop off your legs." She smiled sweetly and I laughed.

"What city are we in?"

"I think you should know it Wichita - Air Capital of the World. Proudly owned and run by Blackrock."

Was it a coincidence? I grew up in Kansas. What game was Pieter playing with me.

The van had a driver - a five foot cute asian girl and her driving was that bad I wished it was automated. She took every corner at maximum speed and used the brake like she was stomping on a cockroach.

We arrived at what looked like a garage and they lifted me off my robot wheelchair and onto a table.

I man walked up to me and I barely recognised him. It was Pieter, but it wasn't. He spoke with a thick southern accent. "Howdy Ben." He was wearing a shiny suit and a white hat.

"Pieter?"

"Jake. You can call me Jake."

"What's with the getup Jake?"

His laugh was a slow drawl. "Is that what you really want to know?"

"I want to know why I'm lying on this slab like a piece of meat. Is this where you cut me up and sell my parts on the black market?"

He laughed again. "That's funny. I kinda wish that was the plan now. No, that wouldn't even pay for the private plane ride you just enjoyed. You know you went around the planet and had a couple of trips on trucks and boats. We even put your container into a larger container for half of it."

I guessed that was the length he had to go to, to hide me from Huan Industries. Because they were mega wealthy there would be no limit to their investigation.

"You were very well prepared for an emergency extraction," I said.

He smiled. "I pride myself in my forward planning skills. No. What we have you on the slab here for an exoskeleton. So you can get around without the need for an oversized forklift."

I lay back and relaxed. 

"You are taking this well Ben," he said. The cute asian girl drove out of the garage with a wave and she took my old robot wheelchair with her.

I closed my eyes and breathed. "I'm just going with the flow."

He laughed again. "You amaze me. Of all my clients you are the most laid back."

"I'm a client?"

He stepped around me to allow the technician room to start the procedure. It was obvious now, the exo was hanging from a rack. It was a skeleton of arms, legs and torso. There were small motors at nearly every joint rather than one large one. I wasn't an expert, but it looked advanced.

"That's the way I think of it Hoss. I look after you like you're a client and you will owe me a favour at the end."

"What's the favour?"

"I don't know yet. But when I ask you, you will oblige. That's the deal."

"What if I don't like this deal?"

"I can send you back to Huan Industries now if you like. Is that what you want?"

I laughed. "Nah. I was just curious. I already signed myself up for your shit show and I don't go back on my word."

He made a clicking noise with his mouth. "That's what I like about you Ben. I actually believe you when you say that. And let me tell you, that's rare."

I was astounded that not only was his accent different, but the way he spoke and his entire personality. If I hadn't met him before I would swear he had lived here all his life and there was no way this was Pieter the wise cracking Russian Hacker.

"What's your real name?" I asked.

He just laughed and walked off while the hydraulic drill powered up. The exoskeleton wasn't clamped on - it was implanted.