Attack on the Streets!
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Originally Published on June 8th, 2488
Rain falls upon a yellow and aged self-automated cleaning machine as it lumbered along the streets of Cocoon, rustling up more dirt and spewing more of it than it managed to clean. As you watched the tank of a cleaning machine from the confines of the cozy Gigabites cafe, a double-take would be given; waving away the steam from your freshly brewed Bite coffee to press your face to the steamy glass, you weren't sure what you were seeing. The pitter-patter of the rain drumming your ears and cheek as the cold glass found a home against your inquisitive gaze and cheek. The yellow tank machine slowly drummed its way across a large spill of what appeared to be blue-blood, a trail of it led off to the entrance of the ATS building, as though someone had dragged in a leaky android into the premises. The cleaning tank emitted a conk of a beep, signaling its discovery of the blood, and quickly as the lumbering machine could-cleaned up any remaining evidence of the blood.
"We interrupt this program to bring you BREAKING NEWS from the Arboria Corporation!"
The old cathode-ray tube television in the corner crackled with life as it mysteriously grew in brightness and audio.
"What is tarnation? Who turned that up so loud?" Milor, the coffee shop's attendant, began his fruitless search for the ancient remote.
"I am joined here by an Arborian Representative to discuss the recent event, welcome Mr. Hyde, do you mind telling us what just occurred?"
"Certainly." The man straightened his tie, tightening it until it could no more; his features striking, dark and perfect, far too perfect to be natural. "Less than one hour ago, an Arborian employee was brutally murdered in front of the ATS headquarters." His french tone rang out, ringing just enough to be french, yet his tone was still PC, perfectly understandable as if designed.
You raise a quick hand, stealing your own attention from the dated screen for the moment to wipe the steam from the interior of the windows away. Making a window through the steamy glass large enough to be called a porthole, you stare at the aforementioned place once more, where the blue blood resided moments prior; only managing to catch the last glimpse of the cleaning droid, a large AICHI logo upon its rear, the last remnants of the company still dutifully fulfilling its work with a faithful last 'conk'.
The Arborian creation continued, the blue ring upon his temple that signaled his artificialness thrumming with light. "Suspect Akio Saito committed an open act of violence today upon Arborian property. The criminal act, carried out when my predecessor attempted to arrest the suspect, was fortunately caught on camera." The man continued to drone on, his voice, appearance and stature all of an inviting nature, in the most PC and neutral of ways possible.
"Ah...forgive me for interrupting, but for our viewers out there; the following footage includes some graphic scenes, please be advised."
The footage rolled across the screen, brimming brightly as it portrayed a small crowd outside the ATS entrance from which the camera was situated. Audio was dampened, a security precaution as the voices were muffled to the point where they were all incomprehensible.
The very man being interviewed was at the center of attention, the camera footage following him as if it knew what was coming, anticipating it; he approached Akio Saito who stood at the far end of the street, grabbed his wrist and mumbled some words, to which Akio met with violence. An impossibly fast fist into the androids gut, the second fist went screaming into the man's jaw; the blue-blood, so dutifully cleaned up later, now went spewing out from the man's mouth. Jaw hanging upon a single hinge, broken and nearly blown off. He fell to a knee and retrieved a revolver, all-the-while the crowd grew distant, backing off as a ATS agent came into frame and clearly ordered them all back with her muffled shouting; two single shots rang out and screamed at Akio who would blur into nothingness once more, dodging the fire with miraculous speed. In another moment, Akio sprang a blade from his wrist and plunged it into the dying man's gut, destroying whatever was left of the android. More muffled words were shared, words that managed to talk the ATS Agent down, persuading them to back away from Akio as the android muttered something as well, quiet and muffled it was not clear what was said as the last of the light drained from the android.
"Some shocking footage there indeed. Now if I have understood your right Mr. Hyde, you said this sort of violence is becoming quite regular now? Particularly from the so-called 'Twin Dragons' who this Akio Saito supposedly leads? And do you have any feelings about the fact that, essentially, this is your death on screen?"
"Indeed. This is a new violence though, never before has it been so blatant and public, typically it was kept in the other sectors, Chinatown and the shipping district. They are growing ever more ruthless, Akio Saito and his bunch of so-called 'Twin Dragons', everyone must be on their guard and weary. This is but one of their leaders, there's another head to this dragon; however, that one is proving far more secretive than this one. But help is coming, ATS have reintensified its efforts of recruiting, more androids and replicants from the mainland are being shipped over. Like myself, we will continue being shipped until this city has been deemed safe and secure. And no Ma'am, I am a machine assigned to accomplish my task and obey, that is all."
"Well there you have it ladies and gentlemen, the Twin Dragons, a home-brewed syndicate group living amongst us that are becoming more violent than ever. ATS promises to redouble their efforts in fighting this menace, but will it be enough? Coming up next, I interview Mr. Hyde a second time, getting a rich view upon this new line of Arborian androids. Rumor has it only one is active at a time and that they purely serve the Arborian CEO herself only! Find out next on-"
The ancient cathode-ray tube television was quickly silenced with a snap and sizzle of the heat of the screen as Milor slammed down the remote he had finally fished up triumphantly. "Fucking finally! Stupid-arse television acting up all the time something about dragons or trees comes up! Arborian tree people and Dragon gangsters. Oi you! Quit gumming up my windows and get over here, your second cup is ready."
Dutifully like the tank cleaner, you release your chair from your bottom and move over to Milos, secretly repressing an urge to go 'conk' all of a sudden.