Search, infiltrate and destroy.
They're always the same three steps. They keep it simple, not because I'm dense, but because I'm damn good at my job and I don't need to be told.
It was in New Chicago, it changes every time I have the misfortune to visit. They tell me it used to be a beautiful place, maybe so, but after the accident at the end of the last century I couldn't say there was much proof.
What happened? All I know is that one mother fucking hell hole opened and swallowed the whole city; people, cars, buildings and every last stinking cockroach. There were lots of conspiracy theories, terrorism mainly, but I have my own theories. Needless to say was what built in its place was far from a utopia.
With a city like New Chicago, as it is, comes the low-life scum that I have to clean up. Those that have taken advantage of the situation, gone further than the authorities can tolerate.
So my assignment, Rick Menshikov; a dealer in body-suits. He specialised in ex-military--mainly Soviet Sector, so heavy build, but none of your pretty boys. You see the city has become a place for people to hide. It was dangerous as hell, so Menshikov sold suits. It means you could hide, and protect yourself. But there'd been problems, the suits were faulty. They were turning up at morgues with their occupants fried.
The solution you may think would be simple, take out Menshikov and stop the supply. Wrong! Although he's a powerful man in the district, his supplier would just push in another direction. They didn't care their suits were killing people, meant there'd be no creeps bitching about the two week charging cycle. That's why I'd proposed to take down their whole framework. My superiors knew better than argue with me, and signed off the mission plus expenses.
While I was busy finishing off my previous assignment, I got my partner Jackson to set up a base in the city--an apartment, not far from where Menshikov operated.
This assignment needed some specialised kit, and some honey to lure Menshikov out. I'd told Jackson to wear Danny, a teenager with the premise that he was my son. Once he was suited up he snapped a picture. He didn't have to, I'd used that suit myself just a few months earlier.
The second piece of kit was Ivan, he was an autonomous giant of a man. I'd designed the shell myself, although it was a wearable, it could function without anyone inside thanks to it's AI. I was kinda proud of that, the tech guys had used a mind-mapper and copied parts of my memory, and personality to power it.
Ivan and Danny had been there for six weeks now. Ivan didn't need any commands, but Danny was there as a handler all the same. From time to time he'd climb into the giant, taking over from the AI and perform scouting missions at the gym where Menshikov handled his business.
When my current mission had finished it was time to meet up with Ivan and Danny. I'd got a cab to a cafe, and sat waiting for them to arrive. It was busy, lots of people coming and going. But through the crowds, I spotted the giant, closely followed by Danny. There was a air of cocky confidence as swarms of people parted to make room for him. He spotted me, and smiled. I had to remind myself that this was just an automaton, admittedly with my psyche, but it was just an empty shell.
As agreed, they sat at another table, talking. Ivan had a beer, drinking it naturally--just like everyone else. After some time, he got to his feet and walked towards the rest rooms--I followed. Once inside, I locked the door. Ivan looked at me, and held out his hand.
"Good to see you again," he said.
"Back at cha'," I replied shaking his hand.
He grinned, and pulled the shirt over his head. He bent over almost touching his toes, and paused for a moment. With a near silent whisper of air escaping his back parted from the base of his spine to the top of his head. It was like a pair of barn doors opening. His shoulders relaxed, and rolled forward. I wasted no time in stepping into his lower body, slipping my arms into his hollow sleeves and finally aligning my head inside the automaton's. The suit sealed, all its seams blending and vanishing. I stretched enjoying my new weight before pulling the shirt back on and returning to Danny.
"Hope you washed your hands," he said as I sat opposite him.
"Always," I replied in Ivan's voice. I finished the beer, and got to my feet. "Let's go, we've got work to do."
We returned to the apartment, and Danny filled me in with the details as I checked through the inventory of tech that I'd requested. I knew most of the history, Ivan's core memory had updated me as we walked back.
"Good, they've included a few spare bands. These things are always going on the fritz," I said.
"When do you want to make contact with Menshikov?" Danny asked.
"Soon as we can. It gets quiet around nine, so we'll go then."
It was late autumn, and dark before we set off. Danny had packed what we needed in a rucksack, and slung it over his shoulder.
"Well, son, lets go to work," I teased.
"Fuck you," he replied.
---
We arrived at the gym, and Danny stood to one side; quiet and passive, but didn't hide his physique--just as I'd told him. The place itself had just a few people inside, each wrapped up in their own little worlds. At the weights I saw Menshikov.
I spent some time slowly changing and watched him train. I'd caught his attention, I knew he liked big guys.
The following hour I went through a number of routines, grunting and making a lot of noise. It was all for show, this suit was big enough to handle twice the weight with ease. But I wanted was Menshikov to be curious.
Another thirty minutes passed, and I decided I'd teased him enough. I sat on a bench, leaning forward to make myself as large as possible. I looked over at Danny and clicked my fingers a few times. He obediently jogged over and gave me a bottle of water from the rucksack, I gulping it down.
Walking over to Menshikov, I leaned on a machine and watched him for a while. He seemed to like the attention because he started lifting heavier weights. After his final rep, he dropped them and tensed as he turned.
"It looks good, strong as well," I said to him. A confused look washed over his face for a moment. "The suit, Soviet, with a custom face--right?"
"Yeah," he replied. "How did you know?"
"Seen them before," I lied, "recognised the lines. Was the new face expensive?"
He touched his nose and cheek. "5K, you like it?"
"Yeah, looks a lot younger than the original." He turned on the spot flexing.
"You're big enough, you interested in one for your boy?" He asked nodding at Danny.
I grinned, leaned in close to Menshikov and whispered in his ear. "No interest, he's an AI-suit."
"Seriously?"
"Yup, he's a great wear. Was using him at the weekend, got laid a couple of times as well."
He looked between me and Danny. "But--
A smile crept across his face. "You mean that's a suit as well?"
"The finest," I said flexing a huge bicep. He reached over and started to feel the various parts of my synthetic body.
"No, you're fucking with me. That's no suit."
He needed convincing, so I picked up a bar and using the suits strength bent it back and forth. "Happy now?"
"Fuck." He circled me, looking closely the muscle definition. "Can I see?"
I laughed, "You want to see inside?" He nodded. "You know I really loved my old suit, but I got rid of it when I heard some of them were frying people."
"This one's fixed, safe as houses," Menshikov replied stroking his cobbled stomach.
"I don't mind showing you, but somewhere private."
"I've got a room here I use for--business."
I followed Menshikov to the back of the gym, and called Danny to follow.
End of part 1, >> pt2
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