The Harmony Paradox (Virtual Immortality Book 2) by Matthew S. Cox

Author:Matthew S. Cox [Cox, Matthew S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781948099721
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Published: 2018-02-04T22:00:00+00:00

Ricky Barron’s neighborhood lurked in the shadow of a thick mass of abandoned office towers in the adjacent sector south. Metallic blight surrounded it, leaving Sector 71 in a perpetual dimness somewhere between sundown and midnight. She flew her unmarked patrol craft in low, tucking between a pair of filthy century towers. The ionic downblast from the hovercar stirred up a whirlwind of trash in the alley below, and sent small sparks flickering over the plastisteel ground. After getting out, she remote-controlled the car back into the air and north, away from the grey zone, to a roof parking area on a residence tower 2.4 miles away.

Nina walked to the end of the alley, stepping over and around old food cartons, cups, and unidentifiable junk, most of which appeared to have once been furniture that had fallen from the buildings on either side. She entered the alley about ten feet away from a pack of twenty-somethings with light cybernetics, wild hair, and grungy clothes in mostly black and grey. Of seventeen individuals, the four women regarded her with a mixture of curiosity and territorial glowers.

One, a skinny wisp with cherry-red hair, two metal arms, no shirt, and an ankle-long skirt made of thick, dangling strips of faux-leather held her arms out and thrust her chin forward. Her prosthetic arms glinted in the feeble light, dark metallic pewter and contoured in an elongated stylized version of human musculature. The fingers curved out to eight-inch claws that didn’t seem capable of retracting. Her legs, also metal from mid-thigh down, ended in permanent high heels with an array of small, bladed protrusions likely intended more for decoration than as weapons. It gave her the overall aesthetic of some humanoid-insectoid alien.

“Keep on walkin’ bitch,” said the woman. “You ain’t got ’nuff metal ta be here.”

Nina glanced sideways at her with a condescending smile, but kept walking.

“Oh, we’re lookin’ at me like that.” Alien Girl pushed off the wall she’d been leaning on and approached, her metal feet clicking on the plastisteel ground. “That’s gonna cost you some blood, little pixie.”

Nina stopped and turned to face her, one eyebrow up. Over the course of two seconds, seventeen small holo-panels appeared in her view, identifying all the gangers looking at her. Three had records, none had active warrants, and they didn’t appear connected to the ACC.

Alien Girl froze, her menacing glare flickered into confusion for an instant before returning to anger.

“Oh, is this the part where I’m supposed to scream and run?” asked Nina. “The alien hive queen look works for you, but I dunno about those nails. Don’t they get in the way when you play with yourself?”

A few chuckles came from the group.

“The fuck is wrong with you, chica?” yelled Alien Girl. “You tryin’ ta get fucked up?”

Nina’s scan didn’t pick up any speedware in the woman, so not having armor wouldn’t matter. “Back at you.”

“Ooooh, damn,” said a man. “She’s callin’ you out, Li.”

Li glared, leaning forward, her arms raised to strike.

Nina put her hands on her hips, again feeling ridiculous in such a short, puffy skirt.

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