Articles - Unicorn's Shadows - Part 3
Part ThreeRome Red, Omni-Pol quarters. 1:25 AM
A squad is preparing to patrol the streets of Rome.
"Hey Charlie, pass me two boxes. No, not bullets, energy ammo."
"Here ya go Tod, whatcha think of me shiny new Division Nine weapon?quot;
"Man, why you even bother? You need a Manex, not that piece of crap those niners put out."
"I'd like to see ya with one of them in the arena, them smart guys."
The Opifex turns to his comrade.
"You're a freaking atrox Charlie, a leet is smarter than you."
The atrox points his weapon at Tod as their Captain enters the room.
"What the hell is this? You're not ready yet? You have sixty seconds to BE ready! move it!"
The atrox puts his weapon aside an continues to put his gear on. For a moment, he ponders something, and turns to his commanding officer and asks.
"Captain, why we always picked to patrol this early?quot;
"I requested this shift for our squad, do you have a damn problem with it? or would you like to patrol the sewers with the rest of the lazy bastards who don't deserve to call themselves Omni-Pol?quot;
"No sir!"
"WE ARE OMNI-POL GOD DAMMIT, THERE IS NO REST FOR US, THE ENEMY IS EVERYWHERE! WE ARE THE GUARDIANS OF THE COMPANY, WITHOUT US, OMNI-1 AND EVERY SINGLE OF OUR OUTPOSTS WOULD BE AN EASY TARGET FOR THE REBEL SCUM, NOW I WANT YOU READY IN THIRTY SECONDS, AND OUTSIDE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE! MOVE IT!"
The Captain walks out of the room.
"Whats up his crack?quot;
"Dunno Tod, but when we're off duty, me and you in the arena, me not forget what you said."
"Sure Charlie, my Manex against your niner, will be fun to send you to reclaim."
"Would you guys stop the crap and get ready? the Captain is pissed as it is, lets get going!"
"Alright Mike, don't get your panties in a bunch. We're ready, lets go."
"Charlie, if you don't kill him, I will."
Charlie smiles at Mike.
Streets of Rome. 1:35AM
Twelve men, in full suits of Omni-Pol armor walk in a two line formation.
"Zembower, take three men and check the west side, recent reports of illegal stim sales suggest some of that scum do their business on that side of Rome. Arrest any suspicious individuals, we can interrogate them later today. If anyone resists, do a level one scan, and terminate. They'll be looking at one of our reclaims in a jail cell."
"Yes sir! Kashu, Cornelius and Denk, with me!"
The four men begin to walk west.
"O'connor."
"Yes Sir!" answers the tall opifex officer.
"Begin a standard type six local scan, if there is any illegal transmissions I want to know it before HQ does."
"Yes sir, initiating scan now."
"Every damn week clanners sneaks into our cities to broadcast their lies. Catching one today would be a nice bonus, I need to test a new baton."
1:50AM
As the squad continues their patrol...
"Spencer and Orbin, get to the whompas and check on the guards there. See if anything out of the ordinary took place overnight, their shift change is in ten minutes, so get moving."
"Yes Sir!" the men spoke in unison, moving down the street at once.
The Captain and his five remaining men walk the street looking at every passing person with suspecting eyes. Employees avoid their gaze in fear to attract unwanted attention.
"Sir, I detect an unautorized transmission."
"Where is it coming from O'connor?quot;
"I can't pinpoint the exact location sir, the transmission ceased, it lasted only a few seconds."
"Well then get me a location dammit!"
'Yes Sir!"
"As soon as we get a fix, we're moving. Let's bag us some criminals men!"
The officers nod, eager for some action.
1:55AM
"What's taking so damn long O'connor? and you call yourself a top notch fixer?quot;
"Sir, this transmission was brief, and looks like whomever sent it switched frequencies and techniques to give out fake sources of transmission. So far it looks like it came from Rome Blue, not sure where however."
"You heard him, let's move to Blue. O'connor you better get me a more precise location by the time we get there!"
"I'm trying sir!"
"I don't want to hear that! there is no try, do or do not! Now move out!"
As they're running down the street the Captain taps this wrist and opens a channel to the rest of his squad.
"Everyone, get a lock on me and regroup with us in Rome Blue, we have a security breach!"
He hears a few "Yes Sir!" from his wrist.
2:00AM
The entire squad gathers in Rome Blue, ready for action. Employees notice the movement and hostility of the Omni-Pol officers, and begin to walk out of the area.
"O'connor, give me a specific location, now!"
"Sir, I've eliminated several 'ghost' locations, I'm down to four, all appear to have come from underground places. I'm running a type nine local scan and checking all security logs from each building located here to see if anyone used any terminal or hacked into any of our systems. I need a few minutes sir."
The Captain steps in front of the fixer, face to face.
"You have three minutes to get me a place to go, or I'll have you cleaning the Public toilets in Omni-Trade!"
The squad chuckles as their fixer is desperatly trying to get a location.
2:03AM
"O'connor!"
"I got it sir. It's came from the abandoned subway, can't get a precise fix on it, but once we're down there I can tap into the main terminal and do a more thorough search."
"Good enough for me. Lets move men!"
Running at full speed they insure at the nearest insurance terminal and head for the abandoned subway.
2:08AM
The squad arrives at the Subway entrance.
"Alright, once inside, we'll split in two teams. Zembower, you will lead the second team. Kashu, Cornelius, Riker, Spencer and Wagner, you're with Zembower. I want you to stay by the entrance and arrest anyone trying to leave, grid them straight to the interrogating room. If they resist arrest, you know the procedure. Got that?quot;
"Yes Sir!" replied the officers.
"Good. O'connor, how fast can you get us to the main terminal to do your search?quot;
"I've already downloaded the blueprints sir, I can get us there within five minutes, the place is running on minimum power, I suggest night vision goggles."
"Alright, you heard him, everyone get your goggles out, we're going in fifteen seconds."
2:10AM
"Listen, I just got here two days ago, I got a message from Omni-Admin telling me I was to come down here to help clean up the place, I didn't do anything wrong! I've just graduated from Boot Camp in Omni Prime for god's sake! I'm a loyal soldier!"
"Now you listen, we Omni-Pol, you under arrest. You not like? too bad! put hands on wall or me shoot you with new weapon!"
"Nice going Charlie, why don't you just use hand gestures? he'll understand you better."
"You want some of this Tod?quot;
"Bring it on son of a leet!"
"Shut up you two! the Captain put me in charge, so you two blockheads wouldn't mess up! Now Charlie, shoot him."
The atrox points his weapon at another officer.
"Not Riker! the soldier! I've already scanned him, he'll wake up in a cell."
"WHAT? I didn't do anything!" protests the young employee.
The atrox shrugs and shoots the man point blank, turning him into ashes.
"Niner weapon, works good."
"Yeah Charlie, works perfect. Riker, keep quiet, or I'll tell the Captain you opened your big mouth, and then you'll be cleaning bathrooms with a toothbrush. I don't want to hear one more word from you except 'you're under arrest', got me?quot;
"Yeah Zembower, I got you." he replies, with a tone which gives a hint of hatred.
2:15AM
Somewhere in a room, deep in the subway.
"It's right here sir. I'll hook my NCU to it to get started."
"Alright O'connor, be quick about it. We can't let this slip through our fingers."
"Yes sir."
The Captain's wrist beeps and a red light begins to blink from it.
"Damn, HQ."
He taps his wrist.
<<Captain>>
"Yes sir! we detected an unauthorized transmission from Rome Blue at aproximately 1:50AM, tracked the source to be in the condemmed subway. We currently got the only exit covered while I have a fixer from my squad doing a thorough search of the system to get a precise fix on the location of the source sir!"
<<So>>
"Sir, a moment please. I will check on my men covering the exit to see if there have been any arrests."
<<Granted>>
The Captain taps his wrist again.
"Zembower, do we have anyone in custody?quot;
"Yes sir, eight people so far, all claiming innocence of course."
"Good, keep me informed."
"Yes sir!"
The Captain's wrist beeps and a red light begins to blink from it again.
"Great, he waited a whole ten seconds, dammit!"
He taps his wrist.
<<Well>>
"Sir, we have eight suspects in custody."
The fixer waves his hand to the Captain.
"What is it O'connor?quot;
"Sir, I got something. One of the terminals went online at aproximately the same time the transmission was sent. No other terminals were active at that time, I think this is it."
"Excuse me Colonel, but as you heard, we got a lead."
<<Understood Captain, I'll leave you to your work. Leisner out.>>
"O'connor, tell me you know where this terminal is exactly."
"Not exactly sir. The system here is mostly deteriorated and not working properly, but I've got it narrowed down to four adjacent tunnels, not far from here."
"Alright, lets move."
The six men walk out of the room and begin to follow the fixer down a few corridors, leading them to a long tunnel.
2:18AM
"This way sir, at the end of the tunnel, where the light is, another three tunnels meet. I've already scanned the one we're in, and it's clear, so it must be in one of the other tunnels."
"Alright, we may have one or more hostiles here. Set weapons to stun, we need to scan anyone before we go for the kill, or we lose them. O'connor you stay behind me and continue your scan. Denk and Orbin, you got the rear."
The officers nod, and behind to walk slowly toward the light.
Luis Odicio
Released July 11, 29477 (2003)
Last updated on 12.07.2011 by Khuri
Luis Odicio
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Luis Odicio
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