As the sun rose over Meridiana,Roger Smith slept late,as usual.However,he took the precaution of
hiding the radio so Dorothy Wayneright would not turn up the volume again.However,this did not stop
her from playing a harmonica she had just bought.
A few minutes later,Roger began to curse the harmonica.Inwardly,of course.
There was no school on this particular day,so Lucas Amato and Adrian Seidelman - secretly Cybersix -
were at a park,not much different from any other park : trees,grass,ponds,people going about
various activities.In an attempt to start a conversation,Adrian decided to discuss a certain student's
academic progress.
"I may be a literature teacher,not a history teacher,but still,I think Lori should apply herself a bit
more,"Adrian said.
"What do you mean?"Lucas asked.
"Well,just because nobody in Meridiana knows what happened forty years ago shouldn't be used as
an excuse to simply ignore the past,"said Adrian.
"Well,in Lori's case and mine,we were born long after the event.It's the older folk who regret not
remembering anything about it.All we do know about it are those huge robots . . . megadeuses,they're
called.Parts of 'em are shown in museums."
"Lucas,"Adrian then said."Do you think there are other cities besides Meridiana left in the world?"
"I don't know,Adrian.Why?"
"Just . . . curious,that's all."
Adrian was recalling his - Cybersix's really - encounters with first the man called Schwartzewald and
then the man calling himself Roger Smith.Wherever they came from,it wasn't Meridiana,that much was
certain.Adrian had a . . . feeling about that.Meanwhile,at the other end of the park,Roger and Dorothy
were observing yet another example of how different Meridiana and Paradigm City were.As Roger had
noted before,the people of Meridiana had rebuilt their city better than the people of Paradigm did theirs.
Roger thought to himself if perhaps the division between rich and poor was not as pronounced here as
it was back where he came from.Back in Paradigm City,the wealthy lived in huge domes,leaving the
destitute to fend for themselves on the outside.Dorothy noticed the thoughtful look on Roger's face but
remained quiet.Suddenly,the man in black and the female android bumped into two of the locals,a
powerfully built blonde-haired man and a slight,bespectacled,black-haired one.
"Whoa!" The blond said.
"Hey!Sorry about that!" Roger replied.
"It's all right.No harm was done."The smaller one said.
"Well,as long as we're talking,allow me to make introductions.My name is Roger Smith.The young lady with
me is Dorothy Wayneright."
"Well,my name is Adrain Seidelman and this fellow here is Lucas Amato."Adrian,of course recognized
Smith from last night but decided to keep quiet about that.
"How do you do," Dorothy said,trying to be as polite as possible.
"Would you mind if I asked the two of you a question,"Roger said.
"Go ahead,"replied Adran.
"Does the name Cybersix mean anything to you?"
A grinning Lucas said,"Funny you should ask.She helps people in trouble.Fights bad guys.That sort of thing."
"I see,"Roger said.
"Not many people know what she's really like.In any case,she's helped me out many times and I
owe her,"Lucas said.
"Is that a fact?"Roger asked.Then Adrian asked,"What exactly do you want with Cybersix?"
"To be honest,"Smith answered,"I'm a negotiator.Something was stolen from a certain group of people a
few days ago,something that I'm not at liberty to discuss.When I heard about the theft,well,let's just say
that my intention is to recover the stolen item if possible.Last night I encountered four . . . people
I believe were responsible for the theft.Cybersix helped me scare them off."
"Ah,I understand."Adrian said.Adrian,who was really Cybersix was then noticing Smith's rather pale
companion.She seemed rather sullen to Adrian,who wondered what she had to hide.
After a few minutes or so,both twosomes went their separate ways.
"So this is where this Jose has his hideout,huh?"Beck asked,looking what appeared to be an
abandoned factory.Motioning to his two henchmen,Beck prepared to enter.Inside,Jose was sulking
because Cybersix had,as usual,interefered in his affairs.Then there was this fellow in the black suit,
the self styled negotiator.Obviously he was after the stolen Paradigm engine.Suddenly an unfamiliar
voice rang out.
"Well,well,so this is the infamous mastermind of Meridiana,eh?You don't look like much to me,kid."
Searching for the source of the voice,Jose found a man in a gold suit and an outrageous blonde
pompadour flanked by two goons.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?!?"Jose asked,enraged.
"My name is Beck Gold and I'd like to offer a proposition."
"What do you mean . . . proposition?"Jose asked,wondering what he knew.
hiding the radio so Dorothy Wayneright would not turn up the volume again.However,this did not stop
her from playing a harmonica she had just bought.
A few minutes later,Roger began to curse the harmonica.Inwardly,of course.
There was no school on this particular day,so Lucas Amato and Adrian Seidelman - secretly Cybersix -
were at a park,not much different from any other park : trees,grass,ponds,people going about
various activities.In an attempt to start a conversation,Adrian decided to discuss a certain student's
academic progress.
"I may be a literature teacher,not a history teacher,but still,I think Lori should apply herself a bit
more,"Adrian said.
"What do you mean?"Lucas asked.
"Well,just because nobody in Meridiana knows what happened forty years ago shouldn't be used as
an excuse to simply ignore the past,"said Adrian.
"Well,in Lori's case and mine,we were born long after the event.It's the older folk who regret not
remembering anything about it.All we do know about it are those huge robots . . . megadeuses,they're
called.Parts of 'em are shown in museums."
"Lucas,"Adrian then said."Do you think there are other cities besides Meridiana left in the world?"
"I don't know,Adrian.Why?"
"Just . . . curious,that's all."
Adrian was recalling his - Cybersix's really - encounters with first the man called Schwartzewald and
then the man calling himself Roger Smith.Wherever they came from,it wasn't Meridiana,that much was
certain.Adrian had a . . . feeling about that.Meanwhile,at the other end of the park,Roger and Dorothy
were observing yet another example of how different Meridiana and Paradigm City were.As Roger had
noted before,the people of Meridiana had rebuilt their city better than the people of Paradigm did theirs.
Roger thought to himself if perhaps the division between rich and poor was not as pronounced here as
it was back where he came from.Back in Paradigm City,the wealthy lived in huge domes,leaving the
destitute to fend for themselves on the outside.Dorothy noticed the thoughtful look on Roger's face but
remained quiet.Suddenly,the man in black and the female android bumped into two of the locals,a
powerfully built blonde-haired man and a slight,bespectacled,black-haired one.
"Whoa!" The blond said.
"Hey!Sorry about that!" Roger replied.
"It's all right.No harm was done."The smaller one said.
"Well,as long as we're talking,allow me to make introductions.My name is Roger Smith.The young lady with
me is Dorothy Wayneright."
"Well,my name is Adrain Seidelman and this fellow here is Lucas Amato."Adrian,of course recognized
Smith from last night but decided to keep quiet about that.
"How do you do," Dorothy said,trying to be as polite as possible.
"Would you mind if I asked the two of you a question,"Roger said.
"Go ahead,"replied Adran.
"Does the name Cybersix mean anything to you?"
A grinning Lucas said,"Funny you should ask.She helps people in trouble.Fights bad guys.That sort of thing."
"I see,"Roger said.
"Not many people know what she's really like.In any case,she's helped me out many times and I
owe her,"Lucas said.
"Is that a fact?"Roger asked.Then Adrian asked,"What exactly do you want with Cybersix?"
"To be honest,"Smith answered,"I'm a negotiator.Something was stolen from a certain group of people a
few days ago,something that I'm not at liberty to discuss.When I heard about the theft,well,let's just say
that my intention is to recover the stolen item if possible.Last night I encountered four . . . people
I believe were responsible for the theft.Cybersix helped me scare them off."
"Ah,I understand."Adrian said.Adrian,who was really Cybersix was then noticing Smith's rather pale
companion.She seemed rather sullen to Adrian,who wondered what she had to hide.
After a few minutes or so,both twosomes went their separate ways.
"So this is where this Jose has his hideout,huh?"Beck asked,looking what appeared to be an
abandoned factory.Motioning to his two henchmen,Beck prepared to enter.Inside,Jose was sulking
because Cybersix had,as usual,interefered in his affairs.Then there was this fellow in the black suit,
the self styled negotiator.Obviously he was after the stolen Paradigm engine.Suddenly an unfamiliar
voice rang out.
"Well,well,so this is the infamous mastermind of Meridiana,eh?You don't look like much to me,kid."
Searching for the source of the voice,Jose found a man in a gold suit and an outrageous blonde
pompadour flanked by two goons.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?!?"Jose asked,enraged.
"My name is Beck Gold and I'd like to offer a proposition."
"What do you mean . . . proposition?"Jose asked,wondering what he knew.