Sample chapter, Rough draft. Need input

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“So, the UEF finally gives us an opening, so I guess it is now time to give them our message, if you get my drift.” A scruffy looking, middle aged man in a navy blue suit said to a woman with short red hair in a black blouse in front of him. The blouse opened a bit, a tight white undershirt underneath it all, showing her toned body. “That is why I had requested you meet with me today Karin. Seeing as you know that specific region of the ghetto more than anyone else here, and we have but 3 days to prepare.”

Karin just smirked and said, “As long as the reward is suitable to my tastes, I will do it.” Her pale green eyes darted about the small dingy room, and finally focusing on the mans face. She felt she might be able to get something special out of the arrangements they both were were about to agree upon. “Enzo, let me put it this way. You know just as well as I do that my services don't come cheaply. Also, considering the sheer amount of people that are going to be there, and the hassle of finding a good spot where UEF security wont find me, or the prep-work before hand...”

“I had expected as much from you. Well if this is of any consolation to you...” Enzo reached down beside his chair and pulled out a large, four foot long case and set it up on the table. Karin pulled it towards her and opened it up. Enzo clasped his hands together and stated, “It may be an older model, but it is reliable to say the least. It is a sure way to deliver the message we need to send to the UEF.”

Karin just closed the case, a look of joy on her face. “This is more than enough to do that. I must leave now, and fulfill my end of the deal then.” She stood up and hefted the case off of the table and over her shoulder, and then turned to leave the building.

She walked on out into the dimly lit alleys and made her way towards the place she was staying at, an old run-down garage not too far from where the UEF's head of Natural relations would be giving his address. She set the case down upon a workbench and left it there for the time being, making her way to a sofa set against the wall. “So it is now going to finally happen. Hopefully Milliardo's death will send a nice, clear message to the UEF.”

The day before the address Karin made her way over to the square where the address will be given. Security had already been scrambling about, cordoning off the surrounding area, so she had to work fast. She noticed a fire escape on one of the taller buildings nearby and started to make her way there, using whatever she could to keep from being seen. At one point she almost got caught, but her quick thinking prevented that, even though she had to hide in a pile of refuse. After the guard continued his patrol elsewhere, she climbed out of underneath the bags and continued towards the fire escape, slowly making here way up.

She reached the top fairly quickly, and was surprised to see that the window had already been kicked in, most likely from some homeless person seeking shelter. She crawled inside and made her way back down to the bottom, a few curious faces staring at her and covering their noses as she made her way. She examined all exits to the building and noted a back entrance just below the fire escape. She left out of it and made sure to leave it unlocked. She then made her way back to the garage and opened up the case, pulling out individual pieces and stuffing them into a rather large duffel bag.

She then made her way back successfully, and made her way up to the top floor of the building. She noted which direction the square was and found the door to an apartment that should have the view she needed for when the time arrives. She knocked and after a while realized it was uninhabited. The door wasn't locked or anything so she made her way inside. It was just a single large room with filth littering the floor, other than that the apartment was bare. There was one large window overlooking the square. She opened it and looked out over the square, deeming the location a suitable site to carry out her contract.

The next morning she woke up and approached the window, noting the sheer amount of Naturals that had filled the square, almost a hundred-thousand by her judgment. A large stage had been set up, a news crew and security guards walking about it. A man in a white suit stood off to the side, talking to what she assumed were body guards. “So that is my target, and he is wearing his finest. I cannot wait to stain them crimson.” she mumbled to herself as she made her way back to the duffel bag and started to assemble the weapon Enzo had given her. She then got set up at the window and waited. She then noted some vehicles off in the distance past the line, but she didn't think much of it. As she waited however, she started to fall asleep.

She awoke and looked out the window, noticing that the vehicles in the distance ended up being parked around the backside of the stage, and that they were rather large transport vehicles. She noticed the figure in the white suit step onto the stage and approach the mic. “So you now start your speech Milliardo? I can't wait to bring it to its conclusion for you.” She then hunched over the rifle and got her sights lined up in preparation for taking the shot.

The loudspeakers started to blare out Milliardo's Speech, he himself crossing the stage and giving his speech with a dramatic flair. His long, platinum hair catching in the breeze. “I am here today to ask you all, What do YOU want?” Shouts of equality and freedom started to echo from the crowd. “You all want to be free from this suffering; to all be able to live life peacefully, happily.” A few preemptive cheers rose from the crowd, but with a simple gesture Milliardo had the volume on the loudspeakers increased even further. “Well, I have been able to convince my fellow senators to give you all the extra security you need to end the presence of the gangs that ruin your lives.”

Karin sighed in annoyance. She felt it still wasn't the proper time for her to make her move yet. “Damn you sure like to talk, maybe I will let you gloat a little while longer.” She looked back down and saw Milliardo gesture towards the transports in the back. The doors swung open as a somber marching tune filled the air. Soldiers in full exosuits started to march on out of the transports and proceeded to form ranks around the square, all of them facing inwards and at attention. “So, you even brought some dogs along to show your good will to us all? Gimme a break, this is too convenient, having even the military here to witness your death.” She scowled as she began to sight in just above Milliardo's Adam's apple.

“These will be your freedom fighters, they will free you from the gangs and given enough time stabilize your District. This isn't just happening here, this very moment, every District that house Naturals across the world will be given their own security force. Hopefully with this extra measure of security, humanitarian aid should arrive more effectively for you all.” The somber music continued to play, slowly approaching its crescendo.

“Its go time.” Karin mumbled and tightened her grip upon the trigger. All off a sudden she started to her a very rapid clinking sound echoing from all around the square, and then the screaming started. Her pulse quickened rapidly, sweat dripping off her brow, an intense rage and fear in her eyes as she saw the soldiers open fire upon the square. The soldiers were mowing down everyone in their sight; men, women and children. They didn't spare anyone. Karin started to cry, tears streaming down her face as she pulled the trigger, letting out a shriek of rage as she did so. The round when right through Milliardo's head and buried itself into the back wall of the stage. Milliardo was still walking around, but instead of giving his speech he was laughing maniacally, do damage from the bullet at all. Karin was still crying, watching as the carnage and gore spread throughout the square. She stood up and kicked the rifle out of the window, screaming in rage. “You gotta be f*****g kidding me, a hologram!? This is a load of f*****g s**t!”

The music then hit its crescendo, changing from a somber marching tune and into frenzied madness. “So what do you think of my gift unto you, you filthy lot of degenerate waste. You think I would have actually lowered myself and call you all Naturals? Your nothing but a bunch of Generics, your all better off dead. Oh, that reminds me, Adieu.” The soldiers looked over towards Milliardo, his form disappearing into nothingness. They continued firing into the crowd however. Then it all happened within a second, the music stopped and a sudden bright light and intense heat enveloped the area.

Karin instinctively leaped away from the window and ran for cover. The explosion consumed the square in its entirety including the soldiers. The apartment trembled violently, a loud sheering and crashing sound coming from the building itself. Karin regained her balance and ran for the exit into the alley. The building itself wasn't on fire, but she had do dodge plenty of falling debris along the way. The building started to collapse quicker and quicker and she felt she wasn't going to make it out alive. She made it out the door and was still running, the building collapsing into a heap behind her. She turned around and looked in the general direction of the square, and walked towards it, pulling a handgun from her waist as she made her way back to the square.

Smoke and the scent of charred flesh has filled the air, forcing Karin to rip off a sleeve to use it as a impromptu breath mask. She started her search for survivors, but so far no luck. Soldiers were broiled alive in their exosuits, and mangled bodies littered the ground. “Must have been a firebomb by the looks of it, no crater...” She heard the scraping of metal and turned around, seeing a soldier dragging itself across the ground towards her, the lower body completely melted together into a twisted mass.

“H..help me...” moaned, “I... have.... family, friends...” The soldier reaching out towards Karin.

“Help? Why should I?”

“I... am... a human... j..just like you....”

“You are just a f*****g murderer. What makes you think your human?”

“ I...I didn't shoot them... I threw d...down my weapon out o..of refusal to do it...” fear started to saturate the soldier's voice as Karin lowered her pistol and set it barrel first against the visor. “D..Don't kill m..me!”

“I don't believe you.” Karin pulled the handgun away, a hole now in the visor, the soldier lying on the ground, lifeless. “You are all the same, you f*****g dogs.”

His watchman had let the man in. Wearing a navy blue suit, his face covered with stubble and his black hair a mess, he walked on up to Zanzibar as he sat upon his chair. He was stopped about half-way across the room by his bodyguards. “So, what brings you here Enzo?” Zanzibar said roughly, his red eye bearing upon Enzo.

“I am here on behalf of Xypher.” Enzo said politely, bowing his head in respect. “He has an offer I know you will love.”

“Really now? Why don't he come here himself? I have heard talk about his exploits, and I would love to measure him up.” Zanzibar said, laughing coarsely. “So what is this deal you bring news to me of?”

“Xypher knows just how much the whole lot of you hate those modifieds We all know about their mobile assault platforms, Assault Armors. Lets just say we have captured one and reversed engineered it for our needs. So far we only managed to manufacture three others. Xypher is willing to give you two of them under one condition.”

“Conditions? Your on my turf right now you know that.” Zanzibar said, his skin becoming flushed with anger.

“Relax, the conditions aren't too bad. You will have to help back us up, we are going to make a push through the line. We need your gang to help us with that.”

“Go on...” Zanzibar said, starting to calm down a bit, even so much as starting to become interested.

“We aren't going to be pushing just yet, we need to train the pilots for the assault armors first. We would actually prefer you be one of them, since we do know how great you are as a tactician.” Enzo said, pushing the amber-lensed glasses on his face further up.

“You seriously want me to pilot one? Well, I will, as for the second pilot, I have one in mind. He wants revenge against the modifieds more than anyone else I know.”

“Good, good... Xypher will be pleased...” Enzo then reached into his jacket and produced a scrap of folded up paper. “Tonight, you and whoever you have chosen to be the second pilot shall meet up at a warehouse approximately three miles north of here. Its the old Armory warehouse. When you get there, you shall hand the paper I have given you to a man who will be operating the security gates. He will let you in. You are then to stay in the room just inside the main entrance until someone arrives to guide you. Enzo then turned around and made for the exit. Just as he about left he said, “Oh, I almost forgot, you are not permitted to bring any armaments with.” He then walked out.

“So... I guess I may finally get a chance to go down in a blaze of glory killing Modifieds after all...” Zanzibar mumbled to himself as he pocketed the paper. “You guys are to hold down house here. I have some business to attend to.” He stood up and made his way out of the hideout, large muscles rippling underneath the muscleshirt he wore.

*********************************

Laguna fell out of his bed, smacking the side of his head off of a stand as the buzzer for his door woke him up. As he approached the door, he could hear a familiar voice yelling from the other side of the door, “Laguna, get your scrawny ass out here. I have some business to discuss with ya.”

As Laguna rubbed the sore spot on his head, he wondered why Zanzibar would be bugging him. As he opened the door, he yawned and said, “I just got to sleep.... ya need me to crack something?”.

“You are coming with me tonight, lets just say I may be able to get ya past the line after all. If you refuse to come with, you lose that chance for good.” Zanzibar stated as he stood there.

“I thought you told me never to order you around?” Laguna said as he got dressed in a Red button-up with a black oriental style embroidery design. “So what really happened, did some opportunity present itself, dangling itself in front of ya like a bait to a fish?”

“Lets just say my god has decided to answer my prayers for a means to fight our oppressors, and we will be provided with that means tonight. Now lets get going, I can't wait to try out my new toy.”

Laguna facepalmed, struggling to hold back a chuckle. “Well, I'm sure your new toy will still be there when we get there. Well I am ready whenever you are.” Zanzibar left the apartment, Laguna following after him, making sure to lock the place up.

Dusk had begun to settle as they made their way down the twisting streets and alleys. Trash littered quite a few of the side alleys and even areas of the sidewalks on the main roads. Laguna saw a bunch of people living their day to day lives, trying to survive the harsh life of the ghetto. “Yeah, Id love to see an end to this just as much as you do.” Zanzibar mentioned, “At least we have a food supply, although its been getting more and more difficult to find plenty with the population growing as it is. Hydroponics they call it, but regardless food is food ya know.”

“So then, why did you form the gang anyways? Its not like your really helping them...”

“You know nothing Laguna, yeah, I may run the speed through these alleys, but the money earned has been getting put back into the ghetto as well as to help fund efforts with the group we are going to meet with tonight. Weaponry isn't cheap, and neither are soldiers ya know.” Zanzibar sighed in annoyance, and continued on walking.

It eventually turned to night as they wound up making their way to an abandoned warehouse complex, a large bare parking area surrounding it. Floodlights lit up the side of the building, 10 extremely large doors almost as tall as the building itself, about 80 feet high, lined the side. A fence rimmed with razorwire cordoned off the complex, with but a single security gate for the entryway. They made their way to the gate, which was wide enough to fit two transport vehicles side by side. The barrier was shut for the time being as Zanzibar made his way to the gatehouse and knocked on the door.

A man in a blue work uniform approached the door and opened a little window and slid an open hand out. Zanzibar quickly deposited the not in the guards hand, which quickly went back in, the window closing behind it. A few minutes had passed by, Zanzibar starting to get a little impatient over the fact until he saw three figures walking towards them from the warehouse. As they got closer, it was obvious that they were armed, each of them carrying an assault rifle. As they approached the gatehouse, Zanzibar shouted at them, “So you guys are our welcoming party it seems?”.

“Heh, and it seems you can see things as they are. Well, we are here to escort both of you inside.”

Zanzibar went in without an argument, but Laguna felt like it was a trap of some sort. The entered from a set of double doors at the far corner of the warehouse, a large hall extended forth. There were more people inside, many people who were armed, some people in navy blue or black suits, a few grease-covered engineers, and even someone Laguna thought was a scientist of some sort. A man with a scruffy appearance dressed in a navy blue suit walked towards the group along with the scientist. He was a tall, slender man with short blonde hair and delicate facial features.

“So you yourself have come to greet us Enzo.” Zanzibar said in a friendly manner. This left Laguna a bit confused because he had never even seen the man before.

“So this is the person you have in mind as the second pilot? He seems a bit young. That shouldn't be an issue though, would make it easier for him to learn the systems, as well as the fact that he is not old like us old men, he should have better reflexes.” Enzo said with a chuckle, patting Zanzibar on the shoulder. He then turned towards Laguna and put his right hand out towards him. “Enzo Valtieri, you?”

“Laguna Kyros.” He said plaintively, and shook Enzo's hand.

A calm, quiet voice added itself to the conversation. “I am Dr. Rickard Valmont.” The scientist nodded at Laguna and Zanzibar as he said it.

Rickard walked back down the hall towards a massive set of double doors. Enzo then motioned for Laguna to follow him as he made his way after Rickard. Passing through the doors, the rest of the warehouse opened up before them. Laborers, Engineers, and scientists scurried about the massive room. Assembly lines have been set up as well as what appeared to be an engineering lab of sorts. A boxlike structure supported by a bunch of hydraulic lifts filled up another part of the room. At the far end though are ten service docks. Four extremely large humanoid machines took up the furthest docks, each machine easily reaching sixty feet tall. Various other machines moved about, such as cranes and lifts for maneuvering various pieces of equipment around.

Laguna was about to walk further on towards the machines but Rickard stopped him. “Not yet, we need to judge if you would even be a capable assault armor pilot, and I have my doubts about you passing the test.” Laguna scowled at Rickard, but kept his mouth shut.

“So, both of you shall practice in the simulator, then we will be giving you a bit of a test to see if you are capable of handling an assault armor.” Enzo said with a smirk, “Im our our insufferable genius would gladly show you both to the simulator and help yas train.” He nudged Rickard with his elbow, Rickard facepalming in response.

Laguna felt a great opportunity has opened itself to him, and he swore to himself that he would train as hard as possible to be able to become a pilot. He found out training would start tomorrow so he went to the quarters he got assigned to rest up for tomorrow.