“Good. This will ensure our success, yes?” Volda replied.
“Indeed,” General Cain said. They had struck a new deal.
CHAPTER 23
---usr/systems/server-x/STRONGER---
It was close to eight a.m. There were loud shouts and heavy breathing coming from the lower level of the Home-base apartment. The shouts became more intense. Nami and Hitomi were exercising. More specifically, they were following the training program that Caiden made for them. In the depths of their boredom they found a new purpose, a new desire to change. They were tired of their admitted weaknesses. Never again did they want to be afraid or powerless to protect themselves. Instead of surrendering to fear, they used their fear as fuel to become stronger.
Sweat trickled from Hitomi’s silver hair down her forehead. She was sitting with her back against the wall with one leg extended outward. Her arm was rested her other knee. They were both in sports bras and skin-tight leggings, courtesy of Caiden's sneaky midnight delivery. They had no idea when he arrived or left, but they were extremely happy to have their new clothes. Nami lay flat on her back. Her eyes were closed but she was grinning.
"I won that one," Hitomi panted.
“You got lucky with that weird joint lock you had on me. My kicks were getting to you right before then,” Nami replied in between breaths.
Hitomi smiled. “I guess this training regimen is really working out for us, huh?”
“OMG, dude, it actually feels good to do this. It’s almost like I was born to do this,” Nami replied.
“Pretty soon we’ll be as skillful as Caide, too.” Hitomi said.
“Break time remaining; forty-five seconds. Next on the schedule will be jab-cross-low leg kick combinations reps,” the pre-programmed training hologram indicated. The girls got to their feet, assumed their fighting stances, and fired off the combinations as the program instructed.
“Next training module; the virtual firing range.”
CHAPTER 24
---usr/systems/server-x/RECOVER---
Caiden’s short, but reenergizing slumber was gradually interrupted by the yellow glare of the morning sun. Caiden awakened, arms and legs stretched outward. He ended up falling asleep shortly after he got back from dropping the clothes of at Home-base. His body was sore, but intact. He put his fingers to his face where he incurred the nasty gash from the android’s powerful punch. It was almost fully healed. He closed his eyes and shook his head in both wonder and disappointment. There was still so much to learn about why and how he could do the things he could do.
Cyclical, cyclical. Everything is an infinite fucking loop, he thought to himself. This did appear to become a pattern of his as of late. To him, the world seemed to have cast its net of inevitable danger closer and closer, and the only way to escape it was either by death or insanity. Rarely did he ever have the time to just sit back and reflect. In many ways, his secret condo in Darkside represented all that was wrong in his life.
What drove me to all of this? How do I get myself into these wacky things? Is this karmic retribution for the life I lead? I only do what I do to help others. He sighed. This is so frustrating, he thought as he sat on the edge of his bed. He was still a little banged up from the midnight drama with The Sentience. He needed to gather his thoughts. There were so many things to unravel about the happenings of last night; the Pink Flame Riders, Pierce, the androids, the Clone Farm. He couldn’t believe he went through all of that in few hours, all in the name of saving someone he considered family.
He went to the main menu display on his holo-watch to check out the footage of the clone farm. Still can’t believe this shit. This would turn the CWR community upside down if I leaked this. But it might put me at risk too. Hmm, I guess I’ll have some questions for good ole Shino Honda when I pay him a visit, Caiden thought. Just as he was about to close the window, a pop-up notification emerged saying, ‘Upload of file XNS-Nano Code.hlg is complete’.
“’Bout damn time,” he said.
Accessing the fully uploaded codec, a drop-down menu with numerous titles appeared. Some of files included nanocell formation; life cycle, membrane synapse connection, data transmission, assimilation, nanocell types, and a plethora of other subjects to choose from.
“Jeez. Okay, let’s take a look at data transmission. I wonder what that’s all about,” he said to himself. He clicked the file and a holo-video began playing.
“Dr. Amiko reporting new video file four-eight-zero-one; Data Transmission. In our nanocell formation video log, Dr. Sendo and I concluded that the base nanocell has four nuclei; two organic, and two techno-organic. In light of this realization came our hypothesis, specifically about how the nanocell could possibly influence cerebral function.
With more energy and intelligence at its disposal, we can speculate that a brain reinforced by nanocells would function and operate approximately fifty to one hundred times more efficiently than a brain without nanocell reinforcement. Specifically, on the topic of data transmission, we ponder the processing of visual data. A normal human retina interprets and transmits data at a speed rivaling an ethernet connection. With a nanocell enhanced retina and brain, data has the potential to be processed much faster and more efficiently.
Since we haven’t any proper way to test this theory, we can’t know for sure just how much faster a nanocell enhanced brain would intake and interpret data. But with a proper test subject we could record our findings. That, though, may prove difficult, and even unethical. There are countless things that could go wrong. Surely Dr. Volda would find a way to conduct these kinds of tests if he was aware of what we were doing. Maybe we should keep this from him. Wouldn’t you say Hisashi?”
The video log abruptly ended. Hmm, I should revisit this. That Amiko lady was smart as hell. Little did she know, the nanocells in my brain have eight nuclei. I might be able to finish that project I started working on, after all. I wonder what Vantz is up to? Caiden thought stood up to stretch.
He made his way to Vantz’s room, knocking on the door several times. “Vantz! Hey, Vantz! You up?”
He didn’t answer. He opened the door just to make sure Vantz was okay, expecting him to be asleep, only to be surprised by what he saw. The room was dark. The blinds were closed. He saw Vantz, sitting upright, robotically stiff, staring haplessly at the light grey wall of his room. He was unfazed by Caiden’s entrance. He sat there in silence.
“Hey, man. Are you there, dude? Earth to Vantz?” Caiden called out.
“What do you want, Caide?” Vantz replied coldly. He was still facing the wall, unmoving and barely responsive.
“What’s goin’ on with you man? Why’re you so being weird?” Caiden asked tentatively.
Vantz shook his head. A few seconds of awkward silence ticked by, leaving Caiden unsure of what to say as he stood in the doorway. “It’s always like this,” Vantz began with a calm, but abrasive demeanor.
“What’re you talking about? Always like what?” Caiden asked.
“This!” Vantz yelled as he stood up to turn around and look at Caiden.
“What are you so mad about? What is ‘this’? You’re not making any damn sense!” Caiden shot back.
“It’s just like when we were kids!” Vantz replied. “This kind of shit always happens to me!”
“Vantz, I dunno what to say to you, man. I mean, you’re like a brother to me, and I’m not gonna sit by and let something happen to you, especially if I can do something about it.”
“Fuck man! I know, Caide, okay? I appreciate you always stickin’ your neck out for me. But, you know what? Just forget it man,” Vantz said.
“No way! Finish what you were saying! ‘Cause I wanna understand where all this aggression is coming from,” Caiden replied combatively.
“Every damn time something happens to me or whatever, you always come and get me out of a jam! It’s been that way since we were younger, and it’s like nothing’s changed at all! What the hell did I do all that training with Master Ao fo
r? How can I call myself a real man if this kind of shit always happens and you always come to protect me?” Vantz asked rhetorically.
“Um, okay, how about you start with a ‘thank you’, maybe? What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I have your back?” Caiden shouted back.
“That not what I mean! Okay, look. I am thankful that you saved my ass back there with those frickin’ androids. I really am! I’m just pissed at myself for being weak. The truth is, I hate having to burden you with saving my ass when I should be able to save my damn self,” Vantz ranted in frustration.
Caiden calmed down before he spoke again. “Look, don’t you ever worry about putting any burden on me. If it wasn’t for you and your mom, I dunno what I would’ve done, or if I would even be alive right now. The least I can do is return the favor for what you guys have done for me. So, if you get in a jam, it’s nothing for me to jump into action. You bet your ass I’m gonna do whatever it takes to help you guys,” Caiden said firmly.
“Fuck, man. You don’t think I know that?" Vantz said as he paused briefly. "Look, I’m sorry dude. Just remember though, I will return the favor one of these days, okay? We cool?” Vantz replied.
Caiden smiled. “Sure, asshole,” he said lightheartedly.
“Phew! Now that that’s over with, what’s up with you and Yvora, huh? Aren’t you guys supposed to be schmoozin tonight, huh?” Vantz asked suggestively.
“Schmoozin? Really? What does that even mean?” Caiden asked, a bit embarrassed.
“Ah, come on man! Don’t be coy! This is Yvora Blue we’re talkin’ about! She’s easily one of the top five prettiest chicks I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
“I guess you would know! But, honestly, I don’t even know what she has planned. I guess we’re just gonna hang out and see what comes our way,” Caiden replied, unsure. “How in the world do you know her, by the way?”
“I took a shot at her, but let’s just say I got shot down. I guess I’m not her type. I didn’t take it hard, though. She’s a really cool girl, and it turns out that we know a lot of the same people, so we kinda just became friends,” Vantz said.
“Ha! Go figure. the socialite works his magic, yet again,” Caiden replied sarcastically.
“Better than your antisocial ass!” Vantz joked.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Not to be a downer, but I’ve been thinking about everything that happened last night and I’ve been wrestling with this for a while now, but let me put it like this; if by some chance things start to get real dangerous, like all hell breaks loose and the city goes to shit, I want you to take these coordinates,” Caiden said as he handed him a small piece of folded paper. Vantz slowly took the paper and examined it, then skeptically stared at Caiden.
“What kind of sketchiness are you getting into? Is there something else I need to be worried about?” Vantz asked while casting a cynical eye on his best friend.
“I know it doesn’t make much sense and I know it sounds sketchy. Just promise me you will take your mom with you and head there, okay?”
“You know, this doesn't surprise me one bit you know that right? But man are you sketchy, haha. Okay, I’ll remember these coordinates. Cool?” Vantz said.
“Thank you,” a relieved Caiden replied.
The lingering tension that circulated in his chest finally subsided. His shoulders relaxed and he let out a sigh of relief.
“Oh, hey! Viana and Penny are heading over in a little bit so—”
“Penny’s coming?” Caiden began to hyperventilate.
“Uh, yeah. Why, is that a problem?” Vantz asked.
The memory of the Penny’s predatory nature overwhelmed Caiden. “Uh, no. It’s okay. When she comes, tell her I’m not here, okay? She’s a little bit too much for me.”
“Uh oh, somebody got the mighty Caiden Nyx nervous. Holy hell!” Vantz howled with laughter. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to let her know you told me your door is wide open for her!”
“Please don’t,” Caiden replied as he walked out of the room.
“Hey, dude. You may wanna lock your door then. Penny’s got a sixth sense. She’ll probably sense your presence the moment she steps foot in here, man!” Vantz joked.
Caiden returned to his room, anxious to take his mind off the lunacy of the preceding night and focus on a new idea he wanted to develop with the help of the files on the nano codec. Just before he could dive into the material, he received a text from Yvora.
Hey, it’s me, Yvora. Don’t forget about tonight! My address is 43 Rhodes Way, East Andromeda District. See you tonight! xoxo
CHAPTER 25
---usr/systems/server-x/YVORA, STAR HILLS PRINCESS---
It was seven thirty p.m., and Caiden was dressed and ready to head out. Vantz, Viana, and Penny were in the living room drinking and watching TV, allowing Caiden to slip out unnoticed. He made his way to the building’s underground parking garage toward his hypercycle. He revved the engine and made his way to East Andromeda. The sun was a beautiful pink, giving way to the night sky as it set.
The drive wasn’t long at all. He pulled up to Yvora’s place. The neighborhood was comprised of high-end brownstone buildings. The night was calm, but Caiden was nervous beyond belief. This is what I get for not going out much, he thought. As he walked up the brick steps to her door, a facial recognition camera emerged.
“State your name and your visit,” the automated voice spoke.
“Uh, Caiden Nyx, here to see Yvora?” he said.
“Hey Caide! Sorry about that; I just installed it a few days ago. I need something like this to stave off the crazy fans. Come on up!” Yvora said over the connected intercom.
Caiden made his way up to the door atop the steps that was half open. He slowly opened it and was greeted by Yvora. He could smell the coconut and vanilla scented candles as soon as he stepped inside. Yvora’s beauty was incomparable. She had a perfectly proportioned body and baby-soft skin. Even in her comfort clothes, she was as alluring as ever. She was wearing a white cropped sweater with black leggings. Her hair was swept to the side over her left shoulder. She embraced Caiden upon his entrance. She smelled of a sweet perfume that reminded him of the tropics.
Caiden wondered what was it about her that beguiled him so and how could he become so smitten with her without knowing her all that well. It was unlike anything else he’d ever felt before. He’d subconsciously begun to reach enthralling depths of emotional discovery that he never had the chance to explore at any other point in his life.
Her apartment was beautiful. The color scheme was eerily similar to his place in Darkside. But the lighting was warmer, more welcoming. The pearlescent marble floors accented the white walls and ceilings. There were recessed lights in the ceiling, emitting soft purple and daylight halogen colors. Everything inside was neatly placed. Her furniture was simple and sleek, complimenting the rest of the decor with its light grey coloring.
In the open kitchen was a beautiful island with modern bar stools. Stainless steel appliances occupied the granite countertops. Ceiling height windows were on the opposite wall of the open space, giving way to a magnificent view of the city.
“So, you just gonna stand there Mr. Antisocial?” she said.
“I’m sorry. You have a nice place by the way,” Cadien replied.
“Aw, you’re sweet. The spoils and toils of hard work on the road, touring and performing, I suppose,” she said. “You want something to drink?”
“Are you gonna drug it again?” Caiden asked sarcastically.
“Ooh, quick on the trigger! Funny guy we have here,” She replied laughing. “I have Citrona, that okay?”
“Sure,” he replied.
She brought the drinks over and sat down on the couch with Caiden, tucking both her legs under her bottom. She positioned herself close to Caiden and sat and watched him for a moment. A wave of emotions and feelings flowed through him that were so powerful, he could feel them manifest in the pit of his stomach. It showed physically. He was noticeably
uncomfortable, although he did his best hide it.
“What’s wrong, tough guy? You can’t be all that nervous about a pretty little girl like me, right?” she asked, her voice hypnotic.
“I was wondering if you were tryna burn a hole through the side of my head with your stare. Is that what you do to all your victims?” Caiden said in jest.
“No. Just you… You were getting pretty outside yourself at the club the other night. You really don’t get out that much, do you?” she asked, looking him up and down. “And why is that? Being friends with someone like Vantz, I’d figure you’d have no choice but to go out all the time.”
“Yeah, that’s Vantz for you. As for me, his scene isn’t really mine. I guess, I dunno, I just like being low key,” Caiden said.
“I noticed. You looked miserable at the White Room. I felt it was my duty as a tax paying citizen of Neon District to help you out,” she joked.
Caiden chuckled nervously in return. “Why did you really come to talk to me, though? Just out of curiosity,” he asked.
“It was simple. I thought to myself, how could a gorgeous man like you be so miserable when we are so alive? I dunno, you seemed preoccupied at the time, and to be honest, aside from being socially awkward, it was your eyes. They told me a story without words. I wanted to learn more of that story,” she replied.
Caiden noticed very early on that Yvora had a way with words. She had the gift of gab, the ability to seamlessly incorporate humor, sarcasm, and visionary prose into her everyday conversation. He was captivated.
“Well, wow, I guess I’m flattered? I don’t know what to say, Caiden said with more jittery laughter.
“How about you say, ‘Oh, Yvora, my beautiful queen, I’m so thankful to you for pulling me out from the darkness of my heart,” she said in an overdrawn theatrical manner.
Neon District: ALPHA (The Neon District Trilogy, Book 1) Page 23
