Prequel: Opening Moves

Written by: Impfac

Series by:

Impfac

Eva the Diva

Sentry22

Authors note: this is simply an introduction to the series,

introducing some characters and plot elements. Thus it is shorter and

may be slower than regular "episodes."

The doors to the Old Man's office slid open silently. Johnson paused for a moment at the sight of the back of the Old Mans chair, then entered, heels clicking on the marble.

Noiselessly, the chair turned. The Old Man sat with his hands held across his middle. He smiled slightly.

"Johnson. You're early."

"I have the report you asked for sir." The younger executive held up a thick folder, at which the older executive's eyebrows went up.

"It seems you've done an especially thorough job. Please, sit."

Johnson eased himself into the large yet somehow uncomfortable leather office chair.

"I wish I could say it was so, but in reality I've just scratched the surface Sir." Johnson placed the folder on his desk. "I think I could produce a volume ten times as thick on the damage Dick Jones did to Security Concepts during his tenure as CEO." He pulled a miniature CD out of the folder and gave it to his boss. "I've included this summation."

The Old Man slid the CD into a slot in his desk, studying the images that came up on the large flat screen monitor perched at the corner of his desk.

"He hand picked most of the staff at Security Concepts, so as you can imagine the corruption is extensive. Investigation is virtually impossible. We can't even conduct an audit. But it would seem at first glance that via fraud and illegal accounting around 100 million is unaccounted for over his 6 years as vice president. A good portion of this went through the ED-209 project."

The Old Man said nothing for a moment, his face becoming pale as he stared into empty space. "Dick was always a risk taker. Security Concepts was largely his brain child and made us one of the biggest corporations on the planet. He did such a good job in his first four years we just stopped watching him," he said at last. He glared at the monitor accusingly, then shut it off. "And this is how he repaid me. Thank god for Robocop."

Johnson shifted uncomfortably. "That is another subject I'd like to discuss." The Old Man looked up, a little surprised. "Robocop has been a PR coup, of course, and the effect on crime has been drastic.... but I have doubts about the project as a whole."

"Doubts? Robocop is the only good thing to come out of Security Concepts in two years. At least on budget."

"Robocop is our highest profile product to date. After he uncovered Jones's corruption, he's become a focal point of national attention."

"A point of pride."

"And of weakness sir. Our competition would love to see nothing more than Robocop fail, dramatically and publicly."

The Old Mans eye's narrowed. "Your point?"

"That we should begin restricting it-"

"Him. He calls himself Murphy."

"Uh, that we should begin restricting his exposure."

"I'll agree that extra security is needed, but we're not crippling the best crime fighting asset this city has ever seen. Especially when the police are embroiled in a strike."

Johnson frowned, but said nothing. The cyborg had saved the Old Man's life-so he felt some sort of loyalty. Fair enough.

Johnson pulled a paper from his folder and placed it on the desk.

"I've including a list of people I feel should be terminated."

"So I saw. That's most of Security Concepts officers." Johnson nodded. The Old Man looked over the list again slowly, thinking. "Agreed. Begin picking your staff-carefully. I'll be watching." The junior executive nodded again. "Don't fail me Johnson. OCP is at a critical juncture. Construction of Delta City has begun-if we can't make a profit, we'll be ruined. Security Concepts must become our best performing division again-it's up to you to rebuild it. You have to save the ED-209 project and end the police strike, using any means necessary."

Johnson hesitated. "Any means necessary?" He repeated cautiously.

The Old Man nodded. "But remember, any repercussions fall on you, not OCP. Do I make my self clear?"

"Perfectly, Sir."

Anne Lewis came awake slowly, eye's fluttering open. When the world came into focus, what she saw brought a smile to her lips.

"Murphy."

"Anne. I am sorry I did not come sooner."

"No problem partner. Did you get him?"

"Yes. Dick Jones died trying to take the CEO of OCP hostage."

The wounded cop smiled faintly. "Score one for the good guys." She coughed, wincing.

Robocop straighten slightly. "Are you in any pain? Do you need attention?" He began to turn, as if to find someone.

"I'm fine," Anne said, slightly annoyed. Robocop relaxed. "They fixed you up? Good as new?"

"Better."

Concern crossed her face. "Are you... what are you going to do about your family Murphy?"

For a long moment Robocop said nothing. Just as she became convinced he wasn't going to answer, he said quietly, "Nothing. Let them think I'm dead."

"But you're not."

"They have gone through enough." He brushed his fingertips against her hand gently. "I am just glad I did not loose you as well."

She smiled. "Same here Murphy. Same here."

Emanuel Rojano whistled quietly as his obese, sweating partner pried the top of the crate off.

"Holy shit man, who are we dealing with?" Steven exclaimed, smiling broadly. "A fucking rocket launcher! I'm not even sure what we'll use it for. I mean, Jesus, we going to rob fucking area 51? Are we going to invade Panama?" He reached out to pick the weapon up. "Are we-"

With a sudden motion that only special ops training could teach you, Rojano grabbed his hand and twisted. Steven screamed, trying to pull away. He fell to his knees.

"Never, ever touch my gun," Rojano said slowly. "Understand?"

"Fuck yeah I understand! Let me go Manie! Jesus let me-"

Rojano release him. The fat man staggered to his feet, cradling his aching wrist against his body.

Reverently, Rojano picked up the long black weapon. "And it's not "a fucking rocket launcher," you ignorant pig." He aimed it at Stevens head with a grin, looking through the large rectangular digital scope. "It's a Soviet Phantom P-19 tank buster, high velocity, long range, armor piercing."

"Yeah, whatever." Steven said, sulking. He suddenly wasn't interested in Rojano's new toy. He didn't like him, but Rojano was the new man on the street, coming out of nowhere. He'd killed the leader of his gang when he wouldn't capitulate and had given Steven a choice: work with him or die. The thought that ran through his head as the blood of his former boss ran down his face and Rojano turned the gun on him was: I can get more pussy alive than dead. So he'd agreed. His theory hadn't worked out yet though.

"Pull your head out of your ass. There are ED-209's everywhere now. And if it can take out a tank, what do you think it can do to one of those little black SHO's the cops drive?"

"Sure, I guess. But you didn't answer my question. Who are these people? And what are you paying them for this kind of firepower?"

"I get my stuff on credit. Without Boddicker, and the police on strike, Old Detroit is up for grabs. And I'm going to be the one to take it."

"So who are these people?"

"Does it matter?" The expression on Steven's face said that yes, it sure as hell mattered. Rojano smiled darkly, lowering the gun. "There is a new big dog on the block, and it isn't OCP."

The police station was it's normal clamor of angry voices, ringing phones, and violent suspects. A drunk handcuffed to the bench was yelling about his 'stupid slut' ex-wife and how much he still loved her and how sorry he was for shooting her cat. Another man was yelling at an officer about his goddamn rights, which you'd better fucking believe he knew goddamn it.

But as Robocop went through the station, one conversation stood out. He stopped, listening to the two cops standing behind a vending machine, unaware of his presence.

"Hell yeah I'll strike," One of them, a short blond in his thirties leaning against the wall said. "OCP is the worst thing that ever happened to this department. Cuts in benefits, cuts in salary, cuts in funding! I'm going to join the rest of them tomorrow."

His counterpart grunted. "It's always been rough. Robo is really cleaning things up though."

"Until they frag his ass too. Were you at the warehouse last night Jake? They blew away two 209's. Two man!"

Jake shook his head.

Unlike Jake, Robocop had been there. Somebody robbed an OCP store house-mainly high tech equipment-and destroyed the ED-209's guarding it and a pursuing police cruiser. The security camera revealed several known street thugs-people that never should have had that kind of fire power. They all got away clean. The news had shaken the whole force. A little under half of the force had shown up that day; about a third the next.

Robocop stepped closer, standing just behind the first man but still out of site.

"Being a cop is suicide and OCP doesn't care jack shit about it." The blond finished.

"Dunno Carl. Chief has a point. We're public servants." The cop laughed. "Hey, think Robo will strike?"

"No," Murphy said. Both men jumped. Jake spun around, jumping back at the sight of the imposing cyborg standing over him. "I won't. Neither will my partner. We have a city to protect."

The blond frowned unhappily. "Yeah, well, I have a family to protect."

Robocop leaned in, his visor inches away from the other cops face. "So did I."

The End of part 1

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