Jacked In
Page 3
The second door led to the sleeping quarters, but were empty aside from a dead cat. Apparently, they hadn’t had time to put her in her space-crate.
Jack: Please tell me that cats are NPCs.
Lucy: Yeah they are, but they’re super rare. These guys are going to be pissed. The cat’s worth more than the ore. Grab it!
Jack: It’s dead.
Mike: Well fuck!
Talon: I’d say they’re going to be more than pissed.
Lucy: Stay focused. Finish getting what we came for!
The final door led to the mining laser, and the shaft they’d cut into the crust. There were no signs of anyone else.
Jack: All clear.
Lucy: Great. Come grab a crate.
After two more loads each, the cargo bay of the rover was full and Jack had nowhere to sit, but on top of the crates.
Jack: Don’t we need to knock out the guards?
Lucy: Can’t. Their tape might break and then they’d die. Chris throw them the tap.
He did, and one of the guys caught it.
Lucy spoke for them again. “We left you alive, and we only took half the ore. Invest in better defenses. We’ll keep the secret of where your complex is. In return, you forget this ever happened.”
“Fuck you!” the same guy yelled. k`1`2
Mike posted his rifle and shot the man’s leg in less than a second.
“No, it’s fuck you!” Lucy said. “We could have killed you all, but we didn’t. Don’t make me finish what I started. Forget us, and forget about today.”
Lucy: Drive.
Chris didn’t have to be told twice. He took the most direct path back to the mountain complex.
Chapter 9
Project Phoenix Day 2038-10-05-20
Getting back to rover rental was easy. The wait for the next portal to open had been the hard part. They all were on edge with their adrenaline pumping, keeping an eye out for the miners to come after them. However, they never came, and when the portal opened Lucy and Chris went through, while Mike, Talon, and Jack passed the crates through.
On the other side, Lucy and Mike had procured another motorized cart poppedthey loaded the crates into.
Lucy: We’re not safe yet. Keep your eyes peeled. We could get robbed.
Mike: They’d have to be nuts to rob us on the station. The fines alone would bury them! If they managed to get away.
Lucy: Humor me, and keep your eyes open, fucktard!
Mike: Yes, ma’am!
The five of them slowly circled around the cart as it automatically rolled its way towards the lift.
“Get out!” Mike told two people who’d been walking into the lift before them.
They looked like they were about to argue, but then they saw Mike and the four backing him up, and decided against it. The five of them rode the lift down to the 7th floor, alone.
The lift doors opened, and he was greeted with a vision of death. There were more guns pointed at them than the Chinese army had, mounted from brackets on the ceiling.
Jack: What the fuck is this?
Chris: It’s the vault and trading hub for the station. That archway we passed through disabled all laser guns, but you’d have to be an idiot or have a death wish to try anything here. This is the safest spot in all of Project Phoenix.
Lucy: Don’t say anything. Let me do all the talking.
Jack had no intention of doing otherwise. He was in no position to trade. He didn’t even know where to start.
The room looked much like the 3rd floor but smaller. To their left was display running from floor to ceiling, with prices scrolling across it. Much like the stock exchange, but the listings were for companies, and commodities Jack had never heard of.
In front of them were a crowd of people all talking and trading goods, and to their right were the vaults. Jack could tell by the fact that half the floor was missing compared to the 3rd floor, and the steel wall that stretched from floor to ceiling and from the back to the front of the room.
The three of them took a seat on the crates while Lucy and Chris went into the crowd of people to sell their ore.
To Jack it felt like it took longer to sell the ore than it did to steal it, but it all worked itself out.
When the trade was made a bill of sale popped up in the [Lucy Fucks Hard] channel.
18 Kg [Indium] - ¥30,347
216 Kg [Copper] - ¥7,534
126 Kg [Aluminum] - ¥1,053
Total - ¥38,934
Talon: Woot!
Mike: Fuck yeah! Great job Chris and Lucy!
Lucy: Once again it’s all Chris and his contacts.
Chris: Yeah, but it was your plan. It was a team effort.
Lucy: Speaking of team. I think Jack did a great job, and he took out the first guard. What do you say to bumping him up to 10% share?
Vote - Jack gets 10% of the loot.
[Yes] [No]
Jack didn’t hesitate, if he was getting to vote he was voting [Yes].
Vote - Results [Yes] - 100% [No] - 0%
Jack: Thanks guys!
Lucy: You earned it. You need to open account first though. Then we can transfer your yuan. You don’t want to walk around with this much.
Jack walked to the right of the group, while the other four handled transferring to the ore to its new owner.
At the counter an AI interface popped up in Jack’s visor and Alfred’s voice spoke. “You can choose between two types of accounts, sir.”
[Business] [Personal]
Jack blinked on [Personal].
“Very good, sir.” Alfred said.
A long terms of service popped up and Jack didn’t bother reading. He scrolled to the bottom and selected [Agree], [Agree], [Confirm].
It took less than 5 minutes, and Jack had an account.
Jack: Done. I have an account.
A display showed up on his visor.
Lucy would like to transfer ¥3,893 into your account.
[Accept] [Decline]
Jack had never selected [Accept] as fast before in his life.
Lucy: Well I’m heading back to my room and logging off. I’ve got shit to do today.
Mike: Same. Tomorrow same time?
Talon: I’m in.
Chris: I’m always here.
Lucy: See you then. Jack will you be on?
Jack: Sure.
The Present
Chapter 10
Project Phoenix Day 2038-10-09-19
Jack docked his ship in the hangar bay of [Space Station: Kuiper Alpha]. He’d hoped to slip in unnoticed for a quick refuel before heading straight back out. But his luck wasn’t ready to change.
Gilbert was waiting for him as he stepped out of his ship. “Boss wants to know where his payment is. You missed yesterday.”
“I’m three days ahead of schedule.”
“You still owe daily payments. Your account was declined when we tried to charge you. Two more and you know what happens.”
Jack stepped up to Gilbert and looked up. Gilbert towered over him. “Tell him I’ll get the money.”
“We’ll see. The next time I see you, you won’t see me.” Gilbert knocked Jack aside using his shoulder as a battering ram.
“Hey, Gil?”
Gilbert looked over his shoulder.
“How’s Lucy doing?” Jack asked.
“She put a hit out on you, but the Boss out bid her to keep you alive. At least until you pay him back.” Gilbert walked out of the hanger leaving Jack alone with his ship. At least for the time being.
“Well, fuck.” Jack thought.
Chapter 11
October 9th, 2038
April was on the phone with her boss. “He’s fine, sir. It’s only been 9 hours.”
“What’s the record before brain damage sets in?”
“We think 12 hours, sir.”
“You better hope you’re right. I’ve already drawn up the papers. If you fail, you’ll be on the first plane to Alaska.”
Her boss hu
ng up the phone. April stared at the monitors and prayed Jack was doing well inside Project Phoenix. Jack became her golden ticket or death warrant, and only time would tell; something they were running out of!
Jack’s body lay stiff as a board on the support chair, his legs elevated to prevent atrophy. His skin had already begun to turn from bronze, to a hue between green and black. The average member of Project Phoenix played for an hour maybe two. Jack’s rigorous habit of 10 hour days were taking its toll on his body and mind. Eventually he’d be unable to enter Project Phoenix without risking death, but April wouldn’t let him die before finding what she needed.