Marr City was the most technologically advanced city in the United States in the year 2073. Almost every part of the city was run by machine, though humans still reside jobs with the companies. Yet the problem with the U.S., but mostly in Marr City, was the homeless issue. Everyday you would see adults and children alike roaming the streets and alleyways for money and food. Mobs were also an issue in Marr city. Nearly one hundred mobs were now residing there. Satellites rotated around the city, replacing most television stations and radio towers. The satellites also had cameras that were able to zoom in with a perfect pixel image on things occurring on ground. Right now, the camera was focused on a certain 13 year old boy in an alley.

John Grayson looked around the dark and scorching alley. He held the electronic palm book in his left hand and a Stunner in his right, crossing his arms behind his back. Passing the Stunner into his left hand, he looked at his outdated watch. 4:47. He should have been here by now, thought John. He wiped his forehead free of the sweat, and patted down his chocolate brown hair. It was also sweaty, but that was the least of his worries. If he didn't get the currency on time to the Boss, then he would be dead before the satellite sent another report.

He saw movement from the corner of his eye. A man in his early thirties, nearly starved, was making his was down the alley, shaking violently. John nodded and revealed the palm handheld and the Stunner. John punched in a code and let the palm scan the man. A name appeared on the screen. " Connor Keys. Resident of Housing 34-B6. You owe 48 nelues. Do you have them?"

John gave him a straight look, blank as a door. " N-n… no, Sir. Afraid not. But you don't understand! I-"

John put up his hand. " I understand completely."

A nervous smile appeared on Connor's face. " Uh,… ok, Sir. But do understand, that…"

But John had not heard the rest. By then, John had given the Signal and 5 snipers had killed the man. " Well, now the Boss is not going to be happy," said John out loud. The snipers simply nodded.

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" What did you say?" bellowed Boss, giving an outraged looked to John. He showed no fear, though there was plenty in the pit of his stomach.

" Keys didn't have the money," he repeated, trying to say it quietly so Boss's anger wouldn't rise too much.

" You don't understand our concept! You hold a Stunner to his head, and tell him if he doesn't give you the damn money then you are going to blast his brains out! Then when he does give you the money, blast him anyway!" Boss rubbed his head. " We can't afford mistakes! I picked you up from the homeless and give simple jobs, and yet you fail to complete them!"

John kept his mouth shut, trying to resist the urge to say that was his first mess-up in the past year.

Boss pulled out a Stunner. " You see this? This is my best friend. Now, this can also be your best friend, or your worst enemy. Which one is it?" John knew then that he shouldn't think about and just say 'Best friend,' but his mind took the challenge to think about it. Boss raised an eyebrow. " Thinking?" John heard a power charger activated. " Wrong answer."

John considered his options, he could either fight till the death, or beg for forgiveness. Well, I'm not going to suck up to some jerk, he thought to himself, so must be Choice A. Quickly and accurately, John whipped out a Stunner and held it equal to Boss's head. " Well, Grayson, taught you well, have I? Hiding a Stunner for backup if needed. To bad you have hardly any experience. Unlike me, I have had over 300 'practice' shootings; you have had none. Good luck. I mean, …" But Boss never finished his sentence. John knew a little about fighting, from watching other men. For one, he knew you never took your eyes off your enemy; and two, you don't ramble about pointless things. With the very few seconds he had, John shot the Stunner and hit Boss square in the chest.

Boss fell to the floor with a whack and a thump. John hadn't meant to kill him, only stun him, which would keep him unconscious for about 3 hours. Looking around the room for a way out, John realized that Boss wasn't stupid enough to put a window side door in his office leading towards the street, but was indeed stupid enough to put an air vent in. Taking advantage of the very little time he had, John quickly began to find necessities for survival he made need out in the 'real world.' Boss had told John a few weeks ago that he kept a ton of money somewhere in the room, but her had never told John where. Somewhere in the room, though, there was a hidden safe with enough money to last John a very long time. He checked behind the painting of Boss himself, which obviously wasn't there. They had always been told by Boss to check the most obvious place for a safe, which was behind a painting of the person who lived there. Why would Boss break his own saying? John began stamping the floor for a loose board, which he found within a minute. With his Stunner, John broke open the loose board and pulled out the money that was under there. 'About 3 million,' John thought to himself as he searched the room for other assistances. He grabbed an invisi-jacket from the rack beside the door. "Good thing Boss hijacked these from a transporter," muttered John to himself as he began to stuff the swipe cards into the jacket pockets.

Footsteps.

The echo from the shot had reached the workers, and they were now coming to shoot somebody, even if it be John. Snatching the trans keys off Boss's desk, he ran to the vent, tore off the metal protection, and slipped into it, ready to follow it where ever it lead, into the free world.