“It’s true…the B5-10 Protocol is real,” I whispered to myself, annoyed from the revelation.

“What’s that?” the cabbie asked me.

“Nothing, talking to myself,” I answered.

I saw the cabbie’s questioning gaze through his rear-view mirror, from the corner of my eyes as I looked at the ongoing traffic from Sky Lane, but I couldn’t care enough.

I’ve had those looks many times, especially with my cybernetics. One would assume that cybernetics were a norm here. They were…but they still made people weird…not that I’d care for that either.

“How much longer before we reach Pelston Street?” I asked.

“Least twenty minutes or so.” The cabbie answered.

“I see…or so it is.”

He gave me a resigned look through his rear-view mirror, then smiled, but the moment he looked off, I noticed the menacing glare he gave me, turned his head back to the Sky Lanes in front of him.

I pursed my lips in annoyance and closed my eyes, letting my mind wander for a bit. Well, I tried to let it wander… that is what I should really say. But the only thing my mind had control of was that damned protocol.

Protocol B5-10: EXiCON Duties Oversight

The Protocol will be initiated upon episodes of Civil Unrest such as rioting, violent protesting and looting. These are just examples of such and are meant only to provide a guideline to understand. The Bridge City Law Enforcement Department has the right to assign any Case File to any EXiCON on active duty. The cancellation of Protocol B5-10 can only be issued through direct order from The Commissioner of Police.

Duties of EXiCONS (if qualified) during Protocol B5-10 once initiated are;

S.W.A.T Crime Scene Investigator Detective Riot Police Patrol Duty

When I read the five EXiCON duties for this protocol, I was shocked. I did remember having these options. I also remembered expunging myself from SWAT duties, but here I am…I guess.

Just my luck, I thought bitterly

I was a crack-shot for Patrol Duty, and I didn’t know shit about crime scene investigating. Riot Police? Yes, I had the mental know-how to handle a shield and enough tactical prowess to be put to use, but detective work? Not my forte.

As an EXiCON, I handled misdemeanours, vandalism, petty theft, reckless driving and, on a rare occasion, indecent exposure, and at forty thousand credits each one. All I saw were credit signs, only to find out that BLED did a piss poor job of keeping the city safe.

However, maybe…just maybe, I can get this done. Nova was being upgraded for major crimes tips to help, but I can’t rely on her for that. I’d have to use my wits to catch this murderer, and bank the credits I need for the next couple of months.

I still didn’t like my chances, in all fairness. But I still felt a little bit upbeat about my situation, but that was mostly due to the number of credits I would get for solving the crime.

One Hundred Thousand Credits, nothing could go wrong, right? Right.

In truth, though, I was flustered with the miserly forty thousand credits I received for successful investigations. It would’ve been better if my conversion rates were four cases out of ten, but it was only two.

Yes, investigating minor crimes was a drag for me, mostly because I had to rely on surveillance cameras and informants.

We Protect, by Serving You…my ass.

The damned police had a fragmented surveillance system throughout the City, making capturing petty criminals quite difficult. To remedy this, you needed an informant, and those fools were expensive.

That was one challenge. The next, being shunned upon, as no one dared talk to the police, especially an EXiCON.

In fairness, I wasn’t angry at the cards I’d been dealt, but i knew how the game ran, so I found a “curb” for that.

“You got this, Cypher”, I whispered to myself. “You can get it done.”

I caught the cabbie staring at me once more and shaking his head, even more, whispering, “I got a crazy one tonight."

Asshole.

Ignoring the cabbie further, I checked the installation progress for the homicide pack that Gonzada had sent me. 56%, with ten minutes remaining. Great, right on time for my arrival in Clydestone.

The speed at which the headlights zipped past us made me feel as if they were blinking, which, in turn, almost gave me a headache. I massaged my temple, hoping to soothe it away before it came.

Bridge City was magnificent in the distance. Thousands of lights beaming through the night sky, trying their best to pierce the elongated clouds that fluttered above.

When I looked down at them, the lights seemed like shattered pieces of glass, painted in the hue of the rainbow, emanating its imperfection after a rainy day. Dissipating after the mist had sprayed fully. It was a beautiful yet nauseating sight…and I still couldn’t keep my eyes away from its hypnosis.

“We’re here,” The cabbie told me, bringing me out of my own thoughts. The moment he pressed the descent trigger to bring the taxi down to the landing section, I felt my stomach trying its best to crawl up into my throat, making my chicken wings rumble within.

“Take it easy; you’re being too rough.”

Another shake from the cabbie’s head.

When he finally landed, I swiped my creditstrip across his scanner, kicking the door open and shut, not even looking back after he loosed an array of expletives in my direction.

Like I cared.

I travelled down three flights of stairs from the landing tower and made it to the ground level, feeling quite ecstatic to finally have my feet on the ground once more.

Once I felt my body relax enough to make the trip on foot, I slipped my hand behind my prosthetic ear and initialised Nova.

“Augment Artificial Assistant: Nova…Online.” The A.A. said upon turning on.

“Nova, it’s been a while,” I said, feeling like an old friend returning from a long trip.

“One week and five days, to be precise,” The AA confirmed.

“You missed me?”

“Improbable.”

“Ahh…I missed you too. Now, enough with the pleasantries.

Status report on the patch installation.”

“92% and climbing.”

“Great, activate BLED GPS tracker for Case File: 31-AB010-048.”

“Case File: 31-AB010-048 activated,” Nova said.

A white dot pulsed into my cybernetic eye and I zoomed in on the body, following the white line through a group of people. Once I made my way into the market, I took note of how busy it was, despite how late…or early it was, but this was normal.

Death doesn’t stop business.

“Finally. You’re here.” A patrol officer barked upon seeing me push my way through the sea of people, who crowded around the barricade.

I slipped through the floating LED caution lights and flashed my EXiCON badge to the patrol officers on duty.

“Apologies, bumpy ride getting here,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.

“Don’t care, Seapher, or whatever your name is, just hurry up so we can get back to doing real work.”

“Aye Aye Captain.” I countered, in a mocking tone, pushing past them. If it were any other day, I would’ve shrugged them off, but not today. I just wanted to get started, get my bearings right and do what needed to be done.

BLED officers and their whoreshit, could wait another day. I get it. They didn’t like EXiCONS because they took advantage of the low tax rate offered by simply working with the government. I get it, but the harassment wasn’t needed.

EXiCON is just a bastardised acronym for External Investigative Constable, a third-party investigation unit basically. We really just handle minor crimes within designated areas, but this? A homicide…was new for me, and I planned to make the most of it.

Kever’s Alley was dark, wet and quite bleak, which made me strain my natural eye as I peered down the alley.

As I strolled down the alley, my boots slid from each step, not enough to make me fall, but enough to make me feel uncomfortable. Eight rusted AC Units and five rusted doors appeared on both my left and right. Above those with an uneven height were Electrical Meters that extended down the alley into obscurity.

I walked past them, noticing the caution stickers placed by the police were peeling from the surface. Shoddy work…not surprising. There were three skips, roughly five meters apart from each other, with a stockpile of black garbage bags nestled between each of them.

Easily forming a fire hazard.