The Deadman

The face reflected on the mirror had truly become close to his original face. It felt strange seeing his face turning like that. Not to mention that in the dossier that he had built for himself. He made his face look closer to his original face, although there are traces of Robert left, if someone from his old world could see him now, they’d think that he rose from the dead.

He parted his hair and shaved his face clean. He was lacking the implants, the datajack and the slots around his neck, but nonetheless it came close to the face he knew. He walked out of the bathroom, and found the awful face that had been digging a hole in Valerie who was renting this apartment.

Julie, who heard that Val was around, took a day off, and visited her with that smug-sure face and a bottle that was her weapon.

It came to Robert that she was aggressive when it comes to flirting and according to Julie, Valerie checked all she wanted on a woman. Robert didn’t have to deduce that with how she’s looking at Valerie.

Valerie seems rather amused and confused by Julie. If she was bothered by her playfulness, then she would have told her off. Guess Julie made an impression on Valerie. Or was it the booze that she seems so masterful at?

Julie caught Robert’s glance.

“Ew. Creep.”

“Stalker.”

She calmly raises her middle fingers while pouring. Valerie calmly sips the glass that Julie poured. She leans back and crosses her arm, glass raised.

“You two always like this?”

“It’s not my fault he’s like this. It’s odd isn’t it? He’s all macho and stoic but he doesn’t even try to hit on someone. Tell me, truthfully, Robert. When the hell did you get some action?”

“105 years ago?”

“See? Always trying to deflect when asked.”

“Hmm, it is concerning. Then again, he does hang out with women a lot.”

“And something wrong with that?”

“Maybe you feel at home? Or are you the kind that likes being surrounded by girls but doesn’t take a step when provoked?”

Julie grins. Valerie adds to it.

“She has a point.”

“Or maybe I have a type that I like?”

Robert told them his type. The more he spoke, the more he knew that he was just describing Katey to them. His voice became more sullen, lonesome that he found himself unable to string the sentences, like trying to find the right words. In the end, he found himself mute, words stopped flowing from his throat, as he immersed himself in the last memory of her.

Eyes hoping that at least her child would remain. The helplessness, the sorrow, and feeling of his chest emptying without a word to speak.

Then within that emptiness comes the rage that flamed before it just died out.

“Must have really loved her that much.”

“I did. It’s been a long time. Nothing I can do about it. Guess, I’m a sucker who can’t forget easily.”

Robert found no reason to bare his heart to these two. In a way, it was pain that he’d carry with him until the day he’d die.

“I feel like I should apologize.”

“No, there’s no need for that, moron.”

Julie bit her molars and drank. Valerie gave Julie a glance before taking a sip.

“Guess that’s a landmine to remember.”

Valerie takes a mental note while Julie behaves as if she’s uncomfortable about what she did. Robert’s not unreasonable enough to believe that she did it for some purpose. He doesn’t expect her to know of something he hid deeply in his heart.

Valerie pours a glass and hands it over to Robert. He takes a pass and then looks at himself in the mirror. It has been a while since he’s wearing a suit that was fully engraved with runic writings. Not to mention that his head, limbs, spine and waist is reinforced by this deployable nanographene armor that could stop a sniper round and at best prevent an explosion from a grenade if need to.

It was experimental, but Robert had an idea on how to improve it. Deployable armor was nothing new to him, since in the far future of another world, they had a habit of miniaturizing everything to provide the most optimal way of survival and finishing the mission.

He needed time and some preparations and the best place to get tools and materials was in Lux City where he could get the materials he needed to program and integrate his deck into the ngs suit.

It was an experimental prototype so they didn’t mind handing it over. He had been taught how to jury-rig, customize, and make sure that their equipment can run on its peak performance, and if he wanted to survive. He had to know how to optimize even the shittiest deployable suit.

Under-equipped, overpowered, outmanned, but never outgunned. He had to store his smart glasses, and make do with the wreath that does the thing but much more subtle and looked more like decorations than eyewear.

It had a lot of upgrades and with a mirror-cloaking he could cover himself with a field that reflects light while also making sure that he doesn’t go blind when deprived of light. Though in any case, it was more like he’s covering himself with a one-way mirror.

Other than the gauntlet now integrated into the ngs-suit. He carried his  integrally suppressed 9mm that has lethal and non-lethal rounds.

He didn’t carry much other than his documents, ghost badge, and his luggage full of clothing that would serve him during his time in Haven.

He took his luggage with him and looked at the two. He had cleaned up in Valerie’s apartment. He went back to his apartment once, took care of some things, and then sat for an hour staring at the wall before Julie pestered him about going to Valerie’s rented apartment found in the upper district.

“Guess you two have fun. Try not to annoy Val too much.”

“I’ll be gentle,” said Julie, leaving Valerie with an exasperated sigh, questioning if he could match the energy that Julie is manifesting.

 

***

 

He went to the warehouse with Gu, whistling at the suit he’s wearing. He walks up to the office where Boss Pei’s waiting for him.

“Guess you had your secrets.”

“Sorry, Boss.”

“No need,” he moves a stack of paper on the side. “It’s good to have friends everywhere. Still, meeting a legend like that, getting to know him is quite else. Served under Strato’s command once. He had flesh back then, now he’s just steel with a rotting brain inside.”

“You know a lot, Boss.”

“Served and fared well. Mil-vets like me aren’t that rare, it's just that I have met people that put me into this position. This solves my previous question why you were good at what you do.”

“Am I fired, Boss?”

“Depends. He’s  a servant of Uncle Sam. A loyal one that had practically sold his soul to his country. Can you trust someone like that to keep his word?”

“I know what you mean.”

If he hadn’t been found first. There was a good chance that he wouldn’t bother to play Strato’s game. Being found and resisting makes it more likely for that old man to find one that will force him to act. Nonetheless, he could also see that there is truth in Strato’s words.

A loyal soul, but he’d be a fool to truly trust his words as if he doesn’t know that in the end, he’s an agent working for a superpower nation.

“Nonetheless, if you grow tired of working for him. I don’t mind letting you work once in two. Not that you’d need it, but just in case.”

The look on Boss Pei made him wonder if he could guess what arrangements that he had with Strato. To Pei, he must have been like a dog that wasn’t leashed, able to do something as requested.

Nothing more than a merc thrown with cash for a living. Boss Pei’s appraising gaze was enough to let him know what was going on. A familiar gaze that said what is with him that Strato values?

He had met a lot of people in life. People that are wise, cruel, and bitter. There were only a few that he was sure that were better than most of the people he knew. This world, perhaps because they didn’t have that burning sky yet, was able to retain humanity’s best part.

Compared to his other life. They were decent, humane, and didn’t have that savageness that came with the state of the world. Of course, he had seen vileness, but compared to most of his other life. It’s nothing more than just another day.

“You’re going to be busy. Here are your things. He requested that you be handed the necessities of living in that place for a few days. Wisteria is quite something, Oswald. It’s not everyday one would have business there.”

Robert left and got into a cab heading to the airport where an aerial transport was waiting for him. Inside the transport was Ben Hanzo, who, by the looks of it, was invited to the island of Wisteria.

It was an island located not far from the Island Nation of Japan, exactly three thousand one hundred fifty-four miles away and was outside international laws and is considered one of the many islands that were successfully raised, and had a size comparable to Rhode Island. Though there are rumors that they have built an underground city on top of the city.

The aerial transport leaves, passing through the gigantic pillars supporting the three-layered platforms and skyscraping towers, and megastructures of Lux City. Looking at it from a view from above, the city was like a maze. A labyrinth that was intricately made, and carved to fulfill a purpose.

He had noticed that there were signs of defenses on the platforms. The city itself could probably endure an invasion with how much anti-air and ground armaments were installed. Not far from the city, lining up the coasts were gigantic seawalls that blocked the water.

“Isn’t it quite magnificent? The city itself is a prototype of what’s coming in the future. With how we are heading, it is surprising that there’s still people who would dare to live on the coastlines.”

“What do you expect to see in Wisteria, Hanzo?”

“My own business. Wisteria’s quite the fascinating micro nation.  A lot of people are coming there, people that are interested in the view of the city they made. A city that covers an entire island. Artificially made to provide Haven for her people. Do you think that their Madam is afraid of something? Or is it simply because she’s rich enough to own a nation for herself?”

“Don’t know. If you’re rich enough, does it even matter?”

“I wouldn’t waste it on managing an island. I guess it is a matter of people,” he pauses for a minute. “And the person who would give so much shelter to those who are lost and turn them into fanatical sons and daughters who are willing to fight and kill for their Madam.”

Ben Hanzo takes a sip of his drink and stands up to head to his cabin. “It’s going to be a long flight, Kato Lores. I suggest that you take this time to rest and rest your mind.”

He enters his cabin, leaving him to his seat. Outside, he saw the city of Lux getting farther away. He entered his cabin, and looked at the mirror on the side.

“Sleep for now, Robert,” he convinced himself, it was almost hypnotic, like he’s just switching his mind, and bringing in front the true self that he had buried in order to act like Robert.

His eyes narrowed. His face was somewhat matching . What replaced the blank and cold look was an even more unapproachable and even more distant look.

What glared back on the mirror was the deadman that didn’t try to wear Robert Oswald’s face.