Vantz was Caiden’s best friend; someone he considered family. As much as he wanted to tell him everything that had happened, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
“What’s so wrong with that? Look at you! You’re up studying at two in the morning! When’s the last time you even opened a book, genius?” Caiden responded with a smirk on his face.
“Touché, my friend, touché, ” Vantz conceded.
Vantz was extraordinarily intuitive by nature. In another life, he would have been an outstanding detective. But in this life, it's a good thing he wasn't. The malfeasance of the political and judicial institutions of Zonos Inc and Psi- Corp respectively would have put Vantz' strong moral code to the test. And that test would surely cost him his life.
“Anyway, I’m off to my room. Finally got tired. See you in the morning, dumbass,” Caiden said in jest.
“Whatever, loser,” Vantz smiled as the two bumped fists.
Caiden entered his room and a great relief overtook him; he was back in his sanctuary. Satisfied that he pulled off the mission successfully and dodge a dangerous bullet, he logged back onto CWR under ‘VseR’ and waited for a chat with Slavo.
“VseR, receiving an audio request from a private secure channel, username KingSleaze11, will you accept?” asked Xandra.
“Yes, please connect me,” Caiden replied.
“My, my, VseR. I must say, I am thoroughly impressed. I have confirmed the seventy-five million Creds in my requested Enzen Bank account. And, as promised, I have now sent you the other one million Creds as payment.” Slavo stated.
“No biggie,” Caiden coldly replied, “Are we done now?”
“Of course, but rest assured that you will be hearing from me again. You’ve turned out to be more useful than I anticipated, VseR.”
“Whatever, man,” Caiden nonchalantly replied as he cut the transmission.
Caiden shook his head in disbelief at his client’s lack of appreciation for all he was made to endure. He then remembered that his payback plan was nowhere near done. While Caiden was transferring the Creds from Prime-1 Bank to Slavo’s Enzen Banking account during the job, he also installed a hidden trigger function. This undetectable trigger function would prevent Slavo from withdrawing any money from the account. It would force him to go to a physical bank location to do anything about it. When the Enzen account specialist would attempt to open Slavo’s bank file, it would automatically set off a built in DDoS attack. The attack would cause the bank’s entire network to shut down completely and it has been designed to send the seventy-five million Creds in Slavo’s account to millions of people across the megacity at random. Satisfied with how everything turned out, Caiden decided to rest until further notice.
CHAPTER 4
---usr/systems/server-x/THE LOVEMAARS---
Caiden used the same money he earned from the Prime-1 job and uploaded the Creds onto a blank Cred Codec. Cred codecs were used to provide people instant access to their funds without the need for it to be attached to a bank account. The tradeoff was security. If a person was to lose that codec, they would have no insurance or record to prove they had any money on it to begin with. The codecs were as small as a flash drive, but had an octagonal shape. Each codec had a unique barcode resting atop of it, which allowed a person to scan it for transactions, as well as load more money onto it. Cred codecs were popular within the city, almost entirely replacing paper cash altogether. They were also commonly used by those who were engaged in illegal activities as it was harder to track codec-based Creds than Creds attached to an actual bank account.
During his initial hack of The LoveMaars, Caiden got a hold of the elaborate security systems in the building. It sported a rather robust security protocol, most likely to prevent the women from communicating too much with the outside world and, most importantly, from escaping from the building. The brothel was a dead-end sex and drug filled hellhole. Caiden took the time to prep for yet another wild task, this time of his own choosing. There were things he needed to confirm, not to mention the fact that the infamous Zonos Inc. has significant ties to the brothel. His anti-establishment disposition compelled him to embark on this dangerous task and he was determined to fulfill it. There was no turning back.
Vantz’s apartment was the place that Caiden called home. They had been best friends since they were fifteen. Vantz’s mother, Layne Marling, was a prominent member of the board of administration for the company, Cytoplasmic Evolutionary Leveling Logistics, otherwise known as ‘C.E.L.L.’. The company had become powerful within Neon District. Not much was known about them, other than their acclaimed revolutionizing of reaching peak human potential without cybernetic augmentations via the creation of the ScioN serum; Super Cellular Integration Optimization Nutrient serum. They rose to prominence, and due to their powerful business relationships. C.E.L.L. had also been on watch by Zonos Inc. Despite an apparent business partnership that spanned back approximately twenty years or so between the two titan companies, there was overwhelming distrust between both parties.
Because of the ostensibly high stakes, Vantz knew very little about his mother’s job as she was sworn to secrecy. The only thing he knew was that his mother’s position afforded them a lavish lifestyle. Vantz opted to live in one of the better apartment complexes in the dangerous BlackLight District. He claimed that he to wanted to be close to the ‘action’. Despite his family’s vast wealth, Vantz epitomized altruism, regularly lending a helping hand to others, devoid of any self-interests or motives of his own. He was overly outgoing to a fault, which Caiden constantly scolded him for. He had insisted that Caiden live with him, seeing as the two of them were virtually inseparable. Caiden, without any known relatives, reluctantly agreed. He had no clear memory of his mother or father, and Vantz had been his only family for as long as he could remember.
“Hey, Vantz? You mind if I borrow one of your cars tonight?” Caiden called out.
“Fine by me. You headin’ to a party or something? I wanna roll with you!” Vantz replied, childishly rushing to Caiden’s door.
“It’s not like that. Got some important stuff to handle. I’ll be out of town for a couple of days.”
“Ah, bummer. Okay, just be careful with it,” Vantz said as he tossed a key to Caiden.
In preparation for the night’s danger, he made sure he had a backup license plate to put on Vantz’s car. He dug through his closet and looked for clothes that were inconspicuous and unlike his every day attire. He decided to wear his dark blue medium-length pea coat with his least favorite slim fitting jeans, a short sleeve denim button up, and dark shades. He wore his most expensive loafers, all for the sake of giving off an affluent impression, juxtaposing the image of his strange ‘Mr. Knowone’ identity. He tucked the loaded Cred codec into his pocket and headed toward the apartment’s garage. As he began to replace the license plate on Vantz’s car with his fake one, he began having reservations about his actions.
Should I really be doing this? Is the payback really worth it? But this isn’t all about me. Those girls lives are at stake. If I sit back and do nothing, I’m just as worse as that piece of shit Slavo. Caiden got into the car.
Vantz’s car was state of the art. It featured a full-on AI-assisted, automated, hands-free driving function. It was also extremely expensive, with an astounding dynamic design, and was rather durable. This vehicle was one of the fastest cars on the road, packed with twelve hundred horsepower and maximum speeds of two hundred and fifty-six miles per hour. The base color of the car was a steel-grey and midnight blue mix. The exterior had a paramagnetic color-changing function, allowing the car to change color on command. It was the perfect getaway car for the occasion.
Caiden pressed the button on the car key and the butterfly door on the driver side opened. The interior was beautiful. The seats were a light cream colored, plush soft leather with wood grain finish on the central panels and parts of the driving wheel. The odometer and radio displays were neon blue, accompanied by a soft blue car light
on the ceiling. The car had suicide doors in the back. The engine purred as he turned the key in the ignition, and he powered up halogen headlights.
“Please assign a destination,” the onboard AI requested.
“The LoveMaars Brothel, West BlackLight District,” Caiden commanded.
“Most certainly. Please fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the drive. Destination approximately fifteen minutes away,” The AI stated.
He soon neared the area where the brothel was located. “AI, please disengage automated driving. I’ll take the wheel.”
“Yes, sir. Disengaging in three, two, one.”
The steering wheel emitted a soft neon blue light, indicating manual driving was in effect. Caiden took the wheel and pulled up in front of The LoveMaars building. He circled the busy block several times, surveying the nearby streets for accessibility. He was formulating a few different escape plans, just in case things went south. After he felt comfortable enough, he parked the car in a dark, unoccupied public garage near the building. Surprisingly, there were no HSDs around. He adjusted his attire, got out of the car, and walked toward the front of the building.
The pavement was damp from a light rainstorm prior to his arrival. The scent of the concrete invaded his olfactory senses due to the lingering moisture the rain left behind. The streets were packed, filled with street vendors, neon signs, hole-in-the-wall bars and coffee shops, as well as a plethora of cybernetic repair shops. BlackLight had the largest population of Hybrids in the entire city. It was something of a safe haven, particularly from the Purebred purist groups like the Zealots of the Blue Earth, aka ZOBE, who had a serious vendetta against anything cybernetic-human related.
The LoveMaars had a glowing neon reddish-pink sign. It was fairly large and well designed to say the least. Caiden approached the front doors and was halted by two massive men, presumably guards. They were decked out in all-black suits, tailor made to accommodate their individual cybernetic implants. Each man stood well above average height and had a bulky, muscular build.
“State your name and business, sir,” one of them demanded.
“Here ta see the one they call ‘KingSleaze’,” Caiden said, disguising his voice. “I go by the name’o Mr. Knowone. Got an appointment with some exotics tonight,” he said confidently while adjusting his dark shades.
“Ah, It’s you! He’s expecting you. Pass through these doors; you’ll know him when you see him,” the other guard said. Caiden ambled forward, codec in hand, ready to make the transaction.
The double doors were massive, presumably made of reinforced cherry oak. In each door were peculiar ingrained insignias of a three-headed animal. It consisted of a lion with a ram’s head, dragon wings and a serpent’s tail. Definitely a property of Chimera. Talk about hiding in plain sight, Caiden thought. Upon his entrance, unpleasant fumes pervaded the air; a mixture between flesh, drugs, perfume, and alcohol. A thick misty cloud of smoke sat atop the area near the tall ceiling, unmoving and potent. It was almost stifling. Slavo was there, waiting to greet Caiden.
“We finally meet, Mr. Knowone! How goes it? Do you have the money I asked for?” Slavo pleasantly asked while rubbing his hands.
“I got it right here for you,” Caiden replied.
Slavo took out a small cylindrical scanner and scanned the unique barcode of the Cred codec Caiden presented to him.
“One point five million all here. Beautiful.”
Slavo seemed jittery, but excited nonetheless. In person, Slavo was a freakishly tall and sleazy man, with faded pink-copper colored hair. He sported a spiky punk rock hairstyle with a bald fade on the left side of his head. His clothes consisted of white and grey dress pants, a grey vest with a white shirt and grey tie, and a long white over coat. The collar of the coat was popped, adding to his gangster, bad-boy aesthetic. He had a cybernetic visor where his eyes should be, and the upper left portion of his face had been reconstructed with a synthetic durable substance that had the appearance of skin. His surgery appeared to be a result of a horrific accident that left his orbital bone and both of his eyes severely damaged. As a result, he must have had to undergo cybernetic surgery to save his vision. His cybernetic visor possessed an EMP resistant vision with switchable modes between regular, infrared, and night vision as a result of the implant.
After he confirmed the money on the codec, Slavo handed Caiden a special keycard labeled ‘Suite 2233’. “Those exotics are ready for you now. We’ve provided the suite with two vials of Mania for your pleasure,” Slavo stated.
Mania was Neon District’s most popular drug of choice. It induces neurological and psychological euphoria. The drug was injected via a needle hooked up to a VR machine interface to enhance ones Virtual Reality experience, taking it to inhuman heights. Some have even claimed a temporary merging with the AI of a given system. To the naked eye, the drug appeared to be a fluorescent blue liquid. The substance was billions of dissolvable synthetic cells that traveled to the cerebral cortex to over stimulate its activity. To take this when not on a VR Network machine would be extremely dangerous, as the mind would be left to its own overstimulated senses. Without a VR machine, Mania caused psychosis, the users will even exhibit sporadic hypersexual and violent behavior. Many Mania users preferred taking it as it was, enjoying the potency and full effects head on. It was a rather fitting drug for both customer and escort for a prominent brothel like The LoveMaars.
“Wild night for me, I guess!” Caiden nervously exclaimed.
He had no intention of doing anything, except for getting those girls out of there. He surveyed the area. Security guards were everywhere. Ten guards inside, as well as the additional two outside. All of them were freakish in one way or another. They were all equipped with somewhat grotesque cybernetic enhancements, if you could even call them that. It was evident that their surgeries were handled by black market doctors. These enhancements did not abide by the regulations the city-state provided. They were like demons, fresh from the pits of hell. They all looked like they were preparing for a long night as they spread out and went to their assigned areas of the building.
The most dangerous looking one had two additional cybernetic arms lodged into his upper torso. Each arm was coated in a gleaming chrome finish. At the elbows, were wires and metal ball joint contraptions. The fists looked like they were built specifically for violence, covered in armored, reinforced ridges on each knuckle, to presumably cause maximum damage upon impact. From a glance, you could tell that there were only shreds of humanity left in each guard. One could feel their collective menace emanating serious murderous intent in the air. Caiden memorized the characteristics of each guard he passed as he made his way deeper into the brothel. There were hordes of women, all of them nearly naked and heavily drugged. Its was difficult to determine whether this was really a brothel or an insane asylum. A good number of the women were engaging their customers sexually, out in the open. It was an eye-opening experience for anyone who had never entered this type of world before. There were vials of Mania on top of every table and counter. The ambience was accentuated by the peculiar haze and dim pink lighting. Caiden was taken aback by the lustful imagery of this new environment.
During the elevator ride to the twentieth floor, Caiden synced his holo-watch to the security systems of the building in preparation of his planned escape with the girls. Hopefully, I can convince them to come with me, he thought. The elevator doors rolled open and he moved forward. As he made his way down a hallway illuminated by soft, sensual pink lights, he approached a door with cursive lettering; ‘Suite 2233’. This was the luxury suite for the high rollers and big spending clients. He showed his access card to one of the hulking guards at the door and was allowed to pass. He slid the keycard into the access point and opened the door.
The door closed behind him and he heard it lock. Upon entry, he saw two beautiful women, scantily clad in nothing but thin black and white leather straps covering their areolas and groin. These leather straps wrapped around their legs a
ll the way up to their shoulders in intricate patterns, while showing plenty of skin and holding up their already perky breasts. Their rears were virtually uncovered, completely dressed for the occasion. They were wearing translucent stiletto heels with diamond encrusted buckles.
They were twins, alright. The only distinguishing features were a slight color difference in their hair, with one twin’s hair a platinum silver and the other a platinum blond. The platinum blonde twin sported a short bob with bangs covering her forehead. The platinum silver haired twin sported a long bang on the right side of her head while the left side was short and tapered. These twins were blessed with full perky bosoms and proportionate curves with an athletic tone. It was evident that they both took great care of their physiques. The twins had tattoos of a dragon scaling from their bicep to their forearm, each on opposite arms. Their skin was lightly tanned with a healthy glow, and they had both had high, supermodel cheekbones, accented by cute, small noses and nose rings. They both had seductive eyes with a unique eye color; a blend of magenta and purple that seemed to glow. They were type of eyes you could get lost in if you looked deep enough. It was as if the twins were from an entirely different world, altogether.
Both girls had silver chain chokers around their necks. Their bodies glistened with a sweet scented oil, accentuating their physical beauty. The room was enveloped in perfume; mango with a hint of cinnamon. It was intoxicating. The room temperature began to rise as if it automated, to prompt each visitor to remove their clothing one layer at a time. The light fixtures slowly changed color, from a deep crimson red to violet, in a smooth, slow transition.
The night sky, a part of the backdrop of the suite, added to the mystical ambience. It was as though they were all live pieces in a surreal 3D painting. Soft music began to play as both twins seductively slithered and crawled toward Caiden without a single word. He was enchanted, hypnotized even, slowly losing his restraint and giving into his lustful impulses the closer they inched toward him. The chain links on their chokers tread slowly on the glittering black tile floor as they moved closer. As they arrived at his feet, they slowly traced their hands up his legs. Every touch sent warm vibrating sensations throughout his body.
Neon District: ALPHA (The Neon District Trilogy, Book 1) Page 4