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I trudged my way up the walkway, heading back into my old building. I was like a dog scratching the door after gallivanting throughout the streets hunting for food when no one was home to feed him.

The security guard raised his hand, trying to hail me, but I ignored him, making a right, and hitting the elevator button. The elevator slashed open, and the light within the elevator space blinked twice as if it had a short circuit.

I ignored it, walking into the elevator, hitting my floor twice, and watched as the door closed on someone who was running towards it. As the door fully closed, I read the lips of the runner mouthing the words ‘Fuck You’ as I simply couldn’t care enough at this point. My life was fucked and had no meaning whatsoever to it.

The elevator stopped at a few floors, but when I pointed up, they nodded. I think they stepped back from seeing my bruised face and the stench of blood emanating from me.

If Naedon and the crew didn’t have a change of clothes for me. I probably would’ve smelt worst, and no matter how many times I showered.

The Elevator door slashed open and light from the hallway beamed through like the doors like a sun. My SMB throbbed my brain as I took a deep gulp, hoping to quell my neural hemicrania.

I took my first step into the corridor, feeling as though I was now entering a tomb. Each step I made, was filled with guilt... the guilt of failing my family. If this was to be my life going forward, I don’t know if could continue, but with each step, my knees felt like powdered chalk, ready to give way at any moment. ...just get inside Cypher I told myself, just get inside, and wait for the call.

I hit the passcode on the keypad of my door, feeling as my heart seep deeper into my chest with each tap. My code was a mixture of Hannah and Shin-Lee's birthday which only ached my heart. The door buzzed and slashed open and I walked in.

“DADDY!” Hannah screamed, running into my leg holding me tightly. I froze, unsure if to move and wondered if I’d gone crazy already. I laughed bitterly, thinking to myself. Yeah…I am crazy.

I blinked five times, looking down whilst I shifted my leg feeling the resistance as I did so. I zoomed in and out of the image ensuring I wasn’t going crazy…because fuck I sure as hell felt that way.

My cybernetics weren’t lying, they usually never did, unless someone hacked them. I didn’t even have Nova to confirm this shit. Fuck, I messed up. No nova. No family. Nothing.

I closed my eyes, then guided my hand to the resistance I felt on my leg. The smooth softness of a little girl’s hair sent goosebumps up my hand and back, then exploded across my body like a tsunami.

I know this hair…I KNOW THIS HAIR. it was my daughter’s hair! I scooped Hannah and hugged her tightly just like the first time I held her in my arms, the only difference was, she giggled in resistance, instead of crying her heart out.

The irony of holding her in my arms was that I was the one crying this time. I dropped to the floor, knees screaming from both Hannah and my weight. Hannah tried to force herself free, and I wouldn’t let her.

“Daddy!” She cried out in resistance, but I dare not let her go. She was dead in my mind, yet she was still alive, relieving my mind of the pain of her loss. I released her for a second, then pulled her again, smelling the cherry-flavour shampoo in her hair. Shampoo?

A thundering clap bellowed to my left, drawing my attention and a statued figure stomped his way into the kitchen, eyeing me and smiling as if he’d just saved the god damn world.

Mr Black’s red coat waft from side to side, as he stood before me golden tooth shining brightly. I yanked my pistol from its holster, pointing it straight at Mr Black whilst I held my daughter in my arms. “What are you doing here,” I growled.

“Ensuring your family’s fine.” He said, raising his hands. It didn’t hit me immediately, but now it did. I’d been overjoyed to see my daughter, but wherein the IMBIBE is Shin-Lee?

“Where’s my wife?” I growled.

“She’s fine Cypher, just recovering.”

“Recovering? What happened?”

“Or you slow? Or just dense? You’re making me rethink having you as part of my team Cypher.”

Part of his team? What is he talking about? I thought, confused.

“You forgot didn’t you?”

“What are you talking about? Why are you HERE and where is my wife?” I snarled nestling Hannah behind me with my pistol trained on him.

Mr Black sighed, then shook his head. “Don’t shoot me Cypher. I’m gonna pull something from my pocket.”

I switched my vision to X-Ray and saw a small datacube in his pocket. I nodded, ushering him to do so, but kept my pistol trained on him. Mr Black pressed a button and an audio file started.

“Before you speak, I’ll ask you one question. Do you want your wife and daughter back?”

“Yes…”

“Are you one of my people? Cypher?”

“I am.”

“Good.”

Mr Black slipped the datacube back into his pocket and turned to me. The spooling sound of a motor resonated to my left, coming from my living room area. Jixafon appeared in a hover-chair, floating next to Mr Black and nodding towards me. “Jix!”

“Yes Cypher, it’s me.” He said.

“What are you doing here?”

“Come on Cypher, stop being glum. Shin-Lee is fine. I can attest to that. Mr Black swooped in and saved Hannah and Shin-Lee.”

“Wha…how?”

“Akatani is a sick bastard Cypher. He wanted Hannah and Shin-Lee to watch you die in Freedom Park. The bastard had drones sending a direct feed to their hideout. After that, he would then kill them.”

“That mother-fu” I snarled but caught myself realising Hannah had slipped her hands into mine. The sensation of her small hand made me feel good, calming me even.

“Where’s Shin-Lee?”

“Recovering, Mr Black is regrowing her finger and getting her some therapy from the experience.”

Mr Black smiled at me then dabbed his golden tooth with his tongue. “I told you I take care of my people Cypher.” He then turned to Jix with a nod.

Jix turned his hover chair around, heading back into the direction of the living room. “Come on Hannah, let’s finish that game we were playing your father has some things to discuss with Mr Black.”

“You work for him now?” I asked.

“He’s offered, but I told him I won’t help unless you’ve decided to join in on this little mission he has for you.”

“I see.”

I turned to Hannah whose brown eyes gleamed with beauty. She smiled and swung my arm as if it were her own. It was in all honesty, I thought smiling whilst she did it. “Can I go play with uncle Jix, daddy?”

“Sure baby, you can do whatever you want.”

Hannah sauntered off into the living room with Jix and Mr Black bellowed a laugh, then shook his head, again. “It stings how you think of me Cypher.” He said.

“Stings?”

“Yes...you said you were one of us, did you think I'd let something happen to your family?”

“I don’t trust you.”

“That’s fine.” He said with a scoff.

“Where’s my wife?”

“Recovering, you heard Jix, her finger was cut off. She’s with Eltessa so there’s no need to worry.”

“Is she your hostage?”

“No. She’s a guest.”

“I find that hard to believe Mr Black.”

“Hump…Cypher, let me advise you. I don’t care if you don’t trust me. You've been trained to be sceptical, I know that but look around you. Who rescued Jix when you needed the help?

“You.”

“You fucked up my deal with Colvolt, IMBIBE man, you probably even killed him, shaming me in the process.”

“Shaming you, to whom, your superiors?”

A wry smile flashed across Mr Black’s face and he discerned his turn to amusement. “Superiors? You wouldn’t even know half of it! BUT that’s not the point. I need you, more than you need me...but if I didn’t rescue you, or your family you’d probably just put a bullet in your brain to end your life. I've known men such as you, changed upon gaining a family. I've also watched them sink to the deepest pits after losing their loved ones.”

“Is that why you saved them?” I asked, curious.

“No, but that’s why I saved your family. I need you to get something for me.”

“Something like what?” I hissed, frustrated.

“I’ll tell you in time.”

“But you need to be re-trained, your infiltration skills aren’t what they were. You're more brute than anything.”

“I’ve given up that life.“

“You’ve given it up, yet you needed those skills to save them. You could’ve snuck into his operation and cut his throat. Instead, you chose to charge which left Jixafon wheelchair-bound.

I ground my teeth, feeling like my body set aflame from my anger. My anger was a testament to my failure, which made it worst. I did realise that Mr Black did clean up behind me. I don’t know what he wanted me for, but the best I could do was see what he needed me for.

“You’re right,” I said cooly. “What is it you need me to do for you?”

Mr Black’s face curled into a knowing smile, he stepped forward and cupped my shoulder firmly, giving it three squeezes. “I need you to save the World Cypher, Save the GOD DAMN World!”