Chapter 1 - Link Vrains most wanted - Playmaker!
The Link Vrains network. The largest, and greatest innovation in computer science. A large, city-wide open network that connects the citizens together as one whole. As a virtual city in the network, Link Vrains acts like a second world for the public to roam and live in. All walks of life visit and inhabit the network from the general public to people of business, using the network as a secondary platform to make a living.
The network is overshadowed and dominant, and towering company, SOL Technologies. A power company that brought Link Vrains to the masses, and evolved the city into a metropolis in the modern-day. SOL polices the network around the clock; keeping the public safe from cyber terrorists, and people trying to use the network for their own misdeeds.
Their biggest threat at the time was a small, up-and-coming group of cyber terrorists known as the Knights of Hanoi. Although their numbers were vast at the start, most of them were easily captured, but none gave any information before deleting themselves in the network. The only information about the group that is known is the amount of chaos they bring to the network, the list of their casualties, and one name, Revolver.
SOL Technologies uses its resources and power as a way to manipulate the people. The little information of the Knights of Hanoi is displayed in the public square of Link Vrains like wanted posters, used to draw crowds to cast hate on those that are seen as troublemakers, wanting to disrupt the peace. These posters range from asking for information in exchange for a reward to bringing the suspect to SOL personally. As of recent days, a new name has been added to the wanted list, however, it seems to have no ties with the Knights of Hanoi, nor related to the network, and more SOL itself.
Miles from the main square, in the more seedy districts of Link Vrains, three private Ai programs patrol the skies. Painted white and blue to depict police, with SOL Technologies branded on their bodies, these literally faceless drones are in pursuit of a wanted criminal. Their palms emit a near blinding torch-like light to examine the network, hunting for their target.
The Ai drones split up to cover more ground. They separate into different streets. Passing an alleyway in the district, a drone's torchlight grazes the arm of a figure hiding in the dark, but ignores it, writing it off as nothing. As the drone continues its rounds, the figure steps out of the alley. A voice comes to them from outside of the network. "Playmaker, come in. Did you get to the drop-off point?" The figure moves his hand to his ear to respond, "Yes Unnamed. It wasn't much, but the data should prove to be helpful in taking on SOL."
Playmaker holds up the data as a physical object in his hand before downloading it into a device strapped to his arm. "Well, it's something at least. I'm still working on my end with my contacts. I think I might be able to manage a meet-up with..." At that moment, a spotlight is thrust upon Playmaker, the drone from before is the source. Hovering over them like a pursuit helicopter, it calls out to them in a robotic, lifeless voice. "Playmaker of Link Vrains. You are wanted for your crimes against SOL Technologies. Turn yourself into me, or risk deletion." Playmaker holds his hand to his ear again, "Unnamed, I've been spotted! Radio silence until I give the all-clear!" Playmaker starts to run. They leap into the air, before landing on a board-like craft that hovers off the ground.
On his board, Playmaker tries to evade the pursuing drone. On a board of their own, one that flashes red and blue lights like a police cruiser, it gives chase. Playmaker tries to lose them with his speed, betting on outrunning the persistent drone. Unable to lose the drone from speed alone, the drone's board is able to nearly match Playmaker's in terms of acceleration; he tries another strategy. Playmaker uses his knowledge of the district and takes a shift to turn into an alleyway. The drone follows. Playmaker attempts to pick up on speed; looking back he can see the drone try the same, wanting to catch up. The alleyway starts to grow more narrow; the edges of Playmakers board start to scratch and scrape the sides of the walls. Before any real damage is done to him, Playmaker stamps the back of his board, and pulls himself up, making up go up, instead of forward. The drone doesn't respond right away, nor does it slow down. The drone gets caught in the trap, and starts to scrape against the walls completely; it gets torn into code with its board as the body is crushed between the narrow walls.
Playmaker exits the alley from the opening above him. He is spotted by the other two drones, both flash him with their torches. One of the drones hovers just above Playmaker as he continues his diagonal movement. He continues his speed as he shoots his board towards the hovering drone. Playmaker leaps off his board, jumping over the drone as his board tears through the drone, cutting it in half from the torso. As the drone dissolves into code, Playmaker lands on his board. Before he can plan to deal with the third drone, he gets caught by a chain from the last of the drones. It wraps around his wrist and pulls him closer as the drone catches up. "Playmaker of Link Vrains. You are wanted for your crimes against SOL Technologies. As punishment for resisting arrest, your penalty will be a duel for deletion. If you lose, you will be deleted from Link Vrains." The chain disappears, but the device strapped to Playmaker's arm activates, turning itself into a duel disk. He hits his ear. "Unnamed! I've been caught and forced to duel. I need you to create an exit hole for me out of Link Vrains in case of backup!" Playmaker's voice sounds equal parts confident and concerned, overlayed with an assertive tone. "Understood. It should take at least 5 minutes, just hang on and try to either outlast them or win." Playmaker looks back at the following drone and calls them out, "Alright, you'll get your way. But just so you know, your master, SOL Technology, won't stop me. Nothing will!"
To be continued...