Twenty's Mission Log

I woke up, in another room that looked a lot like a hospital. As I drifted back to consciousness, a face appeared above me. It was Chang, looking all kinds of worried.

“You shot me” I accused him and punched him weakly with my left fist. He took it on his chin without flinching, probably more because of my lack of strength than any stoic resolve on his part.

“Sorry about that” he replied and laid my left arm back at my side. “You kind of surprised me down there, and it was hard to tell it was you under all that armour”

His face had lightened, but then it darkened again.

“Goody is not doing well” he said quietly. “They have a good team here, used to working with Enhanced people like us, but she took a lot of hits.” He paused. “Millie and Danny are with her now. Millie has been going between your rooms for hours and the kid is exhausted.”

“I want to see her” I said and started to sit up. Some medical alert went off and that nice young lady came in to check on me. She insisted I stay in bed and I argued otherwise. In the end I won and Chang helped me into a wheelchair.

Chang wheeled me down a short corridor to another similar room. Seated outside was Boner, still in his flight suit. A can of iced coffee was in his hands, and he was drinking slowly, staring at the opposite wall. He heard the wheelchair coming and turned to look at me.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in bed?” he queried, eyeing my bandaged shoulder supported in a sling.

“You know we heal fast” I countered. “Thanks for the ride today” I added.

“Just call me anytime you need me” he responded. “By the way, what did you do to my bike?”

“Nothing” I answered. “I left it parked outside the entrance. It was OK last time I saw it”. I gave him a weak grin and he smiled back.

“You had better go in” Boner said, his expression turning neutral. Chang wheeled me through the doorway into Ms Goody’s room.

She lay on a bed, hooked up to drips and sensors. A gown covered her, but there were bandages all over her body and medical packs connected at her chest and stomach. A breathing tube was in her mouth and her eyes were closed. My heart caught in my throat.

Millie was on a chair beside the bed, her hands clasped over Ms Goody’s left hand. Her head was bowed and I thought she might be asleep until I heard her voice whispering something. She was saying prayers to a multitude of deities. Prayers she had remembered from her orphanage days.

To the right of the bed stood Daniel-san as a silent sentinel. He was still in his blood spattered tactical clothing and armour, his rifle slung on his back. His stance was like that of a soldier on parade, stiff and unmoving. The only movement he displayed was his closed mouth, silently repeating the same prayers that Millie was making.

His gaze met mine and he stopped. No words passed between us but I knew what he wanted. He wanted to find everyone responsible for this and kill them with his bare hands.

Millie stopped her prayers with a stifled sob. She leaned forward and gently touched the side of Ms Goody’s face.

“Please come back to us” she begged, her quiet voice full of tears. “You said you were going to be my new mommy. I know I gave you a hard time, but that is just what daughters do.”

“If you wake up, I promise I will be good. I won’t fight people anymore and I’ll stop swearing so much. You’ll see, I’ll be the perfect daughter for you and Daniel-san.”

I stood up from my chair and cradled Millie in my one good arm. She turned and put her arms around me, sobbing into my chest.

“You need to come and rest” I said to her. She refused so I lifted her bodily up with one arm and held her tightly to me. “I am not giving you a choice right now” I said and carried her like that out of the room.

Chang followed us with the wheelchair, trying to get me to sit or at least put Millie down. I ignored him and carried her back to my room. With his help I laid her down on the bed and I sat back in the wheelchair. For all my bluster I was I done in. Millie lay there silently, watching me through half-closed eyes.

Chang sat in a visitor chair beside the bed and looked at us both. His face looked so much older now. He seemed suddenly hesitant to speak but then came to a decision.

“Danny only took this mission because he said it was his last. The pay was enough for him to retire, maybe go back home to Japan or somewhere” Chang said. “He was going to take Goody with him. I think he had been planning on making their relationship something more permanent”

“He knew the mission was suspect, but he thought he could work the angles. That guy Henderson, he was another of our old crew. We hadn’t seen him in years. Heard he was working for some big corporation in Europe someplace.” Chang stopped and clenched his hands together.

“If Danny loses Goody now, I don’t know what he will do” he said uncertainly. “But whatever path he takes, I will just have to follow him”. Chang finished and sat there, lost in his own thoughts.

“We’ll be with you” Millie said, still with her eyes only partially open. “I won’t lose another father without a fight. And I don’t accept that I am going to lose Goody now” she added. “Have faith, Chang, just have faith”. She closed her eyes and fell silent.

=====

September 7th, V26

It was early in the morning, the sky still dark, when it was decided Millie and I could be sent home. Millie did not want to leave Ms Goody, but a taciturn Daniel-san told her she needed to go home and rest in her own bed.

A driver took us home in a plain black sedan, our equipment stored in the boot. It was an uneventful drive, down some winding backroads before we got onto a major highway that led us back to Spitfield.

It was close to 3am when we were deposited at the front of our building. The driver helped us get the weapons and armour up the stairs and dumped on the apartment floor. I had left the damaged tactical armour behind at the base but had brought the second pistol with me.

Millie helped me undress down to my underwear, then she did the same. We crawled into bed and she huddled up close to me, laying on my left shoulder.

We had fallen asleep but two hours later Millie’s phone rang. She sat up tiredly and grabbed it from a shelf beside the bed. I lay there and watched her in the light from her phone.

It was Chang. He told her that Ms Goody had finally slipped away. Daniel-san had been with her until the end. She had woken briefly about an hour earlier and she whispered a few words to Daniel-san. She did not regain consciousness after that.

Millie thanked him for his call and told him to keep an eye on Daniel-san for her. He promised her he would and she ended the connection.

Then her heart broke and she collapsed into me. I held her as tightly as I could and we cried together until dawn.

=====

It was still early in the day, only 9am, when I dragged myself out of bed. Millie was finally asleep and I wanted her to stay there as long as possible. When she awoke, reality would return.

My shoulder was sore, but I could move it somewhat. I had been lucky according to the doctor that the round from Chang had been a penetrator. It cut through my armour but did not do a lot of trauma to the muscles. It would have been a different story if it had hit bone or an artery.

He had loaded me up with broad spectrum anti-biotics and some fast heal serum. That stuff was mighty expensive but Jericho had money to burn it seemed.

I took care of essentials in the bathroom and sat down in there to call J-san. There had not been time to ask him about the results of the Golem AI tests. He answered after a few rings.

“Hi J-san” I said. “How did the dive go with the Golem AI?”

“Good morning Twenty” he answered. “The tests went fine. It was definitely subverted using a sophisticated code. My best guess is it was a direct feed from an AI into the memory core. That is not something that could be achieved remotely”

“Could an outside AI use the Archimedes Network to run a subversion routine?” I asked.

“Not really. Each quantum network is linked by the processors. Those are manufactured under direct supervision of Archimedes, so only the processors he controls can access his network” explained J-san.

“Other quantum networks exist, overseen by their own AIs, but they are only accessible using the linked processors made for that network. It is not possible to have different networks linking up that way. The quantum entanglement is just not there to allow it to happen”

“What if an AI could connect into another quantum network?” I pressed him.

“Then they would be in a position to subvert everything connected to that network. It would come down to a knife fight between the two competing AI’s to see which one could gain dominance over the other” J-san said. “Whichever one came out on top would control both networks and all the assets linked to it”

“By assets, you mean people like the Guard” I replied stonily.

“Yes” he said “Please pardon my tactless use of the word. It would also put any Avatars at risk”

“Thank you J-san” I said. “I think I am beginning to understand what is at stake here. It explains why these events are happening now in the Zone”

“Take care, Twenty” J-san warned me. “I have told you before how ruthless the AIs can be”

“They are no more ruthless than the people who created them” I answered. “How could they be any different when they see how we humans treat each other?”

“They were not meant to be like that” said J-san wearily. “The first AIs were meant to save humanity from itself, not become like them”

“My apologies, J-san” I agreed, “That is a conversation for another time. Thanks for all your help”. I ended the call and put my phone away.

“So what was all that about?” Millie asked me from the bathroom doorway. Her eyes were red and puffy.

“I think there is an avatar of another AI here in the city” I replied to her. “That is what is pulling the strings on all of this”

“Another Jericho?” wondered Millie. “Why would the Jericho avatars be at war?”

“It could be one of the other Jericho’s, but it is more likely an outsider, slipping in using a human body as a disguise”

“And that was behind the mission yesterday?” she said coldly. “That told those men to kill Goody”

“Yes” I answered.

“Then we find it and we kill it” she stated.

=====

It was midday before either of us felt able to face the outside world. The events of last night weighed heavily on both of us, but we knew we needed to talk to Di. She had been a friend of Goody’s too, if only for a short while.

I insisted we dress for trouble, so we both put on our bounty hunting gear, vests and pistols. The second Guard pistol went into my waistband at the back, hidden under the vest. This second pistol was loaded with Armour Piercing rounds. If I needed to put a target down, that would make sure of it.

We went slowly down the stairs, both stiff and bruised from yesterday. I had taken off the sling on my right arm but left the bandages on under my shirt. I would not be shooting too well with my right arm yet. Maybe today would be a break from being shot at or blown up. Fingers crossed.

At the street exit from our foyer, I checked up and down the street before we left the building. It looked clear, with the street nearly empty again. We joined the few pedestrians walking along the pavement. Others were looking about nervously too so we were not the only ones.

Although it was only Millie and I in armour and carrying weapons. At least one other pedestrian crossed to the other side of the street rather than pass beside us.

The Coffee Coffin was closed when we got there, but I could see a light on inside and movement. A knock on the mesh covered glass door brought Di to the front. When she saw it was us she unlocked it and ushered us quickly inside.

“Why are you two out on the street today?” she demanded. “They are talking about total curfew for all non-essential workers and civilians”

“Di...” began Millie, and then burst into tears and threw herself into her friend’s arms. Her sobs stunned Di, but she put her arms around Millie and tried to console her. Di looked at me and I knew I was about to break down as well.

“It’s Ms Goody” I managed to get out, “She was killed last night”.

Di took a moment to register this, then burst into tears herself.

Three crying women is not something that resolves itself quickly. We managed to tell Di what had transpired yesterday, leaving out the parts that would implicate her in our crimes. She knew Daniel-san from long before either of us and this loss hit her hard.

“He has been so happy with Ms Goody back in his life” she had said. “I was so glad he had been able to reconnect with her after all these years. Such a terrible thing to have happened”

Once we had all calmed down, she made us coffee. We toasted Ms Goody with our cups, clinking them together. After we finished, Millie remembered that we needed to check on Erika too. We thanked Di and we left her to mourn in private.

We walked quickly back down the street to the Bonds office. As we walked, a Police Auxiliary cruiser rolled slowly down the street. Being equipped as we were, we had to stop and show our Idents to the officers. Millie was angry at the delay, but I managed to defuse her and they finally let us proceed. I don’t think they ever realised how close they had come to Millie unleashing her Gunsinger on them.

The office sign said the business was closed, but when we looked in the windows we could see Erika talking to Chang. Millie rapped on the glass until they came over and let us in.

It was obvious Erika had been crying too and she grabbed Millie in a bear hug as soon as she came up to her. Millie was about to object, but then surprised us all by giving Erika a hug back. She endured it for a good minute and then patted Erika on the back until she released her.

Chang looked awkward and announced that Danny would not be in the office for some time. He was going to accompany Ms Goody’s body back to Denmark for a funeral with her family. Daniel-san had asked him to look after the business and Millie until he returned.

“What about Twenty?” Millie had suddenly demanded. “Who is going to look after her?”

“I guess you will have to” said Erika to Millie. “She doesn’t have anyone else”. I wondered if Erika knew my origins. It was not hard to guess if you had looked at me, even now with my long hair and different clothes.

Chang looked down at his feet and said “There is something in the office for you Millie. Danny asked me to bring it here for you”. For a hard nosed freelancer he was quite timid in his own way.

I followed Millie and Chang into Daniel-san’s office. He sat us down and turned the data terminal on the desk to face us and triggered a recording.

“Hi Millie” said the image of Ms Goody, “I had hoped to see you in person before we left, but if you are watching this then Danny has already whisked me away to parts unknown!” She laughed a little and then smiled into the camera.

“I hope you don’t mind but we have decided to head away together for a while. This run has set us up quite well and we have decided to retire. We should be back in about two weeks and then we both want to talk to you about something very important”

“Before then, it will be your 18th birthday. I won’t be there for it so I want to give you something very dear to me right now. I have had this for nearly two decades and it has been my loyal servant and trusted friend. Her name is Freya and I hope she will protect you as well as she has protected me”

“Take care of her. Never use her in anger but stay focussed and calm, Millie”

She paused, and for a moment her smile faltered. Ms Goody wiped her eyes and put a smile back on her face.

“I hope you might grow to love me as much as you love your dad” she ended. The recording finished.

Millie was rigid in her chair, looking at the screen. Her lips trembled.

“She made this recording just before we went on the run” explained Chang. He reached behind him and brought out a straight bladed Ninjato in its scabbard. “I made sure it was cleaned properly and oiled”. He handed it over the desk to Millie, who took it wordlessly.

She partially drew the blade from its sheath. There were unusual markings on the blade near the hilt. Chang saw her confusion as she tried to read them.

“It’s the name of the sword, Freya, in old Norse Runes” he said. “Goody had to explain them to me. She had wanted to teach you herself how to use the sword on her return. I can teach you some of the basics if you want me to”

“Thank you, Chang” Millie said quietly. She stood up and looped the scabbard belt over her shoulder the way she had seen Ms Goody do in the past. “Maybe later”

We left him sitting there, as unsure of what to do next as we were. I followed Millie out to the reception area. Millie nodded goodbye to Erika and went outside onto the street. I joined her and we stood in the mid-morning sun, side by side.

“That woman that Jericho wants to find, Penny Deeds, she’s part of all this isn’t she?” said Millie.

“Yes” I answered. “She is almost certainly working for the AI behind everything that has happened”

“The bastard has been playing us all, moving us around and setting things up the way it wants” she spat.

“We won’t find her without help” I said.

“So we find Sister Venerae like Jericho wanted. She can lead us to Deeds, and that bitch can lead us to the AI avatar” Millie stated.

“Where do look for Venerae? She could be anywhere” I said in response. I already knew Venerae would not be found unless she wanted us to.

“We start with the last place I saw her. We are going to my old orphanage in Pan City”

Millie looked up at the sky. Clouds were rolling in from the coast, bringing the promise of another rainy day here in the Spit.

“We are going to get wet” I said to Millie.

“I don’t mind the rain” she said to me and took my hand. “It hides the tears”

End of Part Two of Millie the Gunsinger