The high towers of Megatoyko didn't bring him any ease, the air was thick with smog and other pollutants which attacked his sense of smell like no other. Being a country boy was kicking him in the ass. Even the oppressively dark alleyways were deeply depressing as were the high tall buildings. Genom's pyramid however trumped it all, casted a brilliant shadow it was just a cold sick reminder. He was really beginning to hate that building. He almost hated it as much as he did his parents. Never would you find a more wrenched hive of scum and villainy. Taking a breath he sighed deepy as he looked away from the large black pyramid. Something didn't feel right, It just keep eating at him long after work. He felt as if he was being watched from a distance. He was with Priss of all people who had been asked by Linna to help Jacob shop for clothes. It wasn't Priss who he was worried about, it was something else which he couldn't put his finger on. He figured he was just paranoid. He even felt as if it had gotten cold all of a sudden.

"Is it me did it get cold all of a sudden?" Jacob asked Priss.

She shrugged. She was wearing her usual attire and he was just wearing a long sleeve and jeans. Priss looked absolutely unaware of how he felt and it was normal. At least she's doesn't have a mark for death. Jacob mused as he and her walked. The paranoia boiled with each moment as he looked back for a brief moment. Many people walked which way they saw fit, not knowing they looked like back to the future part 2 rejects. Jacob honestly expected a bit more streets of fire but was disappointed. Priss saw his face and wondered what he found so interesting. Looking back she saw the crowds of people moving about their day. She couldn't find a single thing that would catch his eye. Just people. Jacob looking back forwards felt uneasy no matter how he tired to sooth himself. Gene had done the almost impossible for him but a lot of suspicion remained. But he was in a better place since then. Gene was still the biggest person in his life, who now rested in peace.

"What was so interesting?" Priss inquired.

Jacob looked back briefly and then to her. He looked as if he didn't know what he was looking for.

"I dunno, I just got a nasty feeling that I'm being watched" He replied.

"Where?" She pressed.

As he looked around he couldn't find anything which he was sure was still there somewhere. Biting his lower lip he replied with a shiver.

"I dunno, I think I'm just getting paranoid" He shivered.

Priss grunted as she looked around once more to find nothing out of the ordinary. Unfortunately for Jacob everything was out of the ordinary. The two kept walking on. Jacob keeping an eye out for any danger which may strike when ever it felt like it. In the crowd was the very thing he looked for. The one that had been hunting him was slowly closing on its target, all it had to do was get it slender fingers around his throat and squeeze.

Leon was on his day off and didn't know exactly what to do. He walked down the street himself as he smoked a cigarette. He wore a blue jacket and grey jeans, underneath the jacket was a high powered pistol used for boomers. It was his special friend for sticky situations. He was busy thinking, yesterday he had checked on a shots fired situation only to find a dead boomer only 3 miles away. Obviously there was a connection. Finding the bullets was his first lead. Leon just thought it was a case of self-defence and how to put on the back burner deciding to devote more of his attention on the boomer related crimes. Those were the cases that seemed most simple, but yet the most challenging at the same time. Cars passed as he reached a nearby cross-walk with many others waiting to cross. Tapping his foot his eyes drifted to the opposite side of the road as cars drove past. A familiar face caught his eyes. Priss was walking in tandem with another man, The same man he had saw days before both at the phone booth and the burger joint. Leon didn't mistake it as the cross light flashed green. Quickly running across he caught up with them with a boyish grin.

"So you two know each other after all!" He said from behind.

Jacob jumped and looked with a terrified look on his face as Priss blankly looked at the copper. Jacob sighed in relief and lowered his bag filled hands.

"Sweet Jesus man that nearly sent me through the window" Jacob chided him.

"My bad" Leon apologetically said.

Priss and Jacob noticed his gun and then looked too one another. Jacob smirked to her surprise. He could use Leon who had experience with boomers. Jacob looked back to him and kindly smiled. Too bad he was on edge to genuinely feel it. He just shrugged it all off.

"It's alright, just jumpy that's all" Jacob reassured.

Leon nodded with skepticism. Something was up about him and Leon knew it. He was afraid of something.

"Ok, let me but ya a drink. It's the very least I can do" He offered.

Jacob nodded with reluctance.

"I don't do booze, never booze" Jacob replied.

Priss picked up on the pain and rested a hand on his shoulder. Leon gestured them to follow and they took up just behind the officer. Jacob did a quick look around and still couldn't find what had been troubling him...hopefully this worked out.

The slender bommeroid recognized Leon from its data base on officers and grimaced as a result. This hadn't been a anticipated in the slightest. Keeping behind it ducked info an alley way as the humans talked. Things got a bit more complicated than anticipated. The monster continued however, it's target within sight and venerable within its grasp. Flanking just behind it lagged behind the trio ready too strike the target when the opportunity arised. It would have to wait just a little longer to make a move. It was more than willing too wait a few more minutes.

Leon sipped a Pepsi with Jacob and Priss in a club. Jacob was on edge but held it behind a mask of calm, cool and collected. He had more than plenty of experience in keeping his emotions hidden. Priss had a same expression as her eyes swept across the crowd. Leon picked up on it despite how well they hid it and just sipped his drink. They were using him and he knew it. Nobody got to where he was without intelligence or a hunch. Music played in the background, mostly Prog-rock and psychedelia. The table they sat at was round, 3 chairs in total. Not Priss's taste for sure but Jacob seemed a bit more relaxed as the song switched over to something he hadn't expected. Doing a double take he had to think for a second before it registered. Hope, Klaatu dose exist over here!. There was some joy found in that thought as he smiled softly. Jacob smiled softly as he looked to Leon who was surprised by the song's beauty.

"1977 was a good year, from what I heard" Leon remarked.

"Depends on what happened" Jacob responded.

He didn't have much too add given how different the world was from his own. Nothing was the same and knowing it only added to his stress.

"Well Star Wars released is that something?" Leon said, giving Jacob a odd look.

Jacob looked at him with a chuckle.

"Altered in 97 and the original can never be seen" Jacob soberly said.

Leon began laughing out of nowhere. Jacob looked at him as Priss looked at Jacob as if he'd gone mad. Leaning in closer she whispered as so Leon wouldn't hear her.

"It hasn't been touched since 1981. Just play along" She warned him.

Jacob was in shock however turned too her and whispered.

"It's not like I've lived here all my life, what's next? did the USSR beat Nasa to the fucking moon?" Jacob hissed.

Priss bit her lip and her uneasy look told him everything. Jacob lowered his head as Leon saw his troubled look adorning his face. Clasping his hands together Jacob looked up to the ceiling for a long moment. How did they pull it off?. He mused distantly. It's like i'm in a dream. taking another sip he regained his composure. Luckily Leon hadn't heard his moon comment to Priss. Leon was looking else where with a flat look as he narrowed his eyes. Jacob turned too look where his eyes landed. A slim female at the bar wearing a black coat and grey jeans caught Jacob and Leon's eyes. Priss too also noticed it who leaned in close to Leon who had a hand close to his pistol. Priss did the same as Leon. Jacob saw the woman turn, brushing her hair behind her. Her red eyes fixed on Jacob who looked back with interest. Something felt very wrong about that woman, her figure was almost unnatural and her red eyes only unsettled him. Leon needed a closer look to determine what it was as he found the other two looking at the woman.

"Tell me the truth right now or soo help me..." Leon began only to be cut off.

"Boomer, I'm a former Genom employee who pissed of someone big" Jacob interjected swiftly.

Leon nodded with a small grin. So it's Tuesday. He mused as he gripped his pistol.

"Typical" Leon muttered without surprise.

Priss felt a bit of relief as he bought Jacobs bogus tale. The thick tension dominated the air around the table as they watched the woman move over to the jukebox. Jacob broke his look away and began eyeing other people incase he was wrong. Jesus a am paranoid. Jacob realized. Taking a sip his right hand shook as he quickly grabbed it and forced it to steady. As he looked around another song began too play.

The boomer noticed they were suspicious of it and it paid it no mind, deciding too play it off and throw them off a bit before striking them all down. Jacob was its target but some extra blood wouldn't hurt it at all. Stopping at the jukebox it began flipping though the massive song selection before stopping on a particular song. The Doors: The End. The boomer with back turned to its targets clicked the song. A fitting song for somebody about to face the end. It was surprisingly ironic to the droid which moved to a table before ordering a drink as too look human. Let them sweat for a while. It thought when it got a vodka martini. Taking a sip the boomer didn't feel a thing. Immune to booze unlike the humans which hung about either drunk or getting there. Too bad its target wasn't getting drunk, it would have been easier if he had did.

"I dunno if it's even here, it's a big city after all" Leon said after 2 hours past.

Jacob nodded but was still on edge. Priss on the opposite hand shook her head in disagreement. She was certain unlike Jacob and Leon who's eyes darted about the room.

"It's her, I know a boomer when I see one" Priss replied.

Jacob had too hold back a laugh as he decided to nod in agreement. A stupid idea formed in his head as he grimaced and sighed.

"Maybe, I'm gonna make a call. You know what to do" Jacob said before moving from the table towards the nearby phone.

Reaching the phone he quickly dialed the Genom building. If I'm gonna die might as well have a laugh. Jacob thought. Leon grabbed his gun and placed it on his lap as Priss did the same.

The Boomer began over too Jacob, it's programming overriding all logic circuits in a heartbeat. With each step it drew closer to its target reading its extendable nails for the kill. The human was talking, mocking the person on the opposite end.

Jacob saw the creature in the reflective surface and smiled in satisfaction. Soon it would end, hopefully he was lucky.

"Well tell mason to get fucked for me, goodbye" He hung up.

Leon leapt to his feet pulling his gun up and lined up with the monster. Firing on the boomer he was quickly joined by Priss who fired as well. The high caliber rounds tore though the boomers skull spilling power fluid everywhere!. People screamed and began running from the group. Jacob watched as the boomer doubled over crashing into the nearby tables spilling the drinks over the body. The boomer spasmed before going limp. Leon looked to Jacob and gave the thumbs up.

"I expected more" Jacob admitted.

Priss moved over to him pulling him from the metal corpse clothed in synthetic human skin. Jacob sighed in relief as he saw Leon fired an extra two shots in the skull too make sure. Looking at them he holstered his pistol.

"Go on, I'll clean this mess up"

End of chapter