CHAPTER 5
Winter had yet to make its official arrival, however the December cold was certainly making its presence felt in the city of Tokyo. Lower temperatures and some early snow were already ringing in the coming weather for the next three months.
The Christmas season was well underway. All throughout the stores could been heard the sound of carols playing in the background; and in the streets, electronic billboards informed all that Genom was working hard to assure all citizens peace and harmony on these holidays. Tokyo was without a doubt the most western city of Japan. Speaking of customs, almost all cultures of the world could be found here, relegating the traditional and ancestral ones to the interior sections of the country.
Priss considered this season as the most hypocritical of them all. She wasn't discontented with the holidays, but with those who acted kindly only for those weeks then seemed to forget all about morals and education the rest of the year. Or like Genom, making promises that they would never keep. However, Christmas wasn't needed for that, any excuse was good enough for the corrupt corporation.
Seemingly lost in time were the moments in which she enjoyed feasts of the season. So were ones of decorating the tree on Christmas Eve or wearing her special kimono to visit the temples on New Year. All those were before Genom, before the earthquake. The world was a better place then, or at least it seemed that way to Priss.
The singer found her bike affected by the sudden cold spell. Nigel was making the necessary adjustments while she was lost in her reflections. Priss absently made some hot chocolate to start the day, a custom she had hung onto from her not so distant childhood. The chocolate's aroma inundated the garage as Nigel took his cup.
"What's wrong? You looked worried."
"Nothing, I'm just remembering a few things."
"What kinds of things?"
"When my life didn't stink."
Nigel stared at her with an inquiring look.
"I shouldn't complain. I'm feeling good right now after all. But sometimes I can't help but think about everything I've lost and will never be able to get back."
"I understand."
"So how are you thinking of spending this Christmas?"
"I guess just like any other day."
Priss finished her chocolate. She realized it would be like any other day for her too. She had long since given up the idea of that kind of feast, but she still felt the need for companionship… even if she didn't want to admit it.
"So, it's safe to assume you don't care if I spend Christmas with you then," Priss said, leaving the cup on the table. She slowly walked up to him and started to gently massage his shoulders…
*****
The doorbell rang twice. From outside the house could be heard hurried steps descending the staircase.
"I'll get it mum!" The blond girl yelled before jumping from the last stair.
When she opened the door, the girl found a voomer with two envelopes in its hands.
"Special delivery for Nene Romanova," said the postman's electronic voice.
"Yes, I am."
"Are you Nene Romanova?"
"Yes!!!" The young woman started to lose her patience because of the machine's limited intelligence.
"Put your finger here please." The voomer gave her a board with a LCD screen and a sensor to register her fingerprint. When she placed her finger on the sensor, all her personal information appeared and a window with the message "received" began to blink.
The blond girl closed the door and began to inspect the envelopes.
"Who was it Nene?" her mother asked from the kitchen.
"The postman. I don't get it. Why do they send this through the mail when they could just do it by e-mail?"
"It's a matter of security honey. Important things can't be trusted over the Internet. There are many hackers scouting around the net…"
Nene laughed nervously, feeling somewhat exposed by her mother's comment. The woman approached to see what letters they had received. It wasn't very common for the postman to visit the Romanova household.
"And… Are you thinking of just standing there the whole day without opening the letters?"
"I think I already know what these are all about…"
"Wow…so now you can see the future too."
"Okay then, let's see… I think I'll open this one first." The first envelope had the NASA logo in the upper left margin, heightening her expectations even more. Nene drew out the contents. Inside, there was a folder and a letter. While she read the letter, her face began to sag from disappointment.
"What's wrong?"
"They didn't accept me. They said that I don't meet the physical requirements needed…height and weight again. But they said they would keep my other skills in mind for the future. Yeah…sure…that's what they always say."
"Don't worry, they're just missing the most important things. You're a very intelligent child. You'll have better opportunities."
"Better?"
"I know that your dream is to be an astronaut and go into the space…"
"I was refused by everyone for the same exact reason. I thought they were looking for astronauts… not basketball players."
"You have another envelope you haven't opened yet. What's that one?"
"From the A.D. Police."
"What?! Do you really want to go into the A.D. Police?"
"There was vacant position in the communications section. The requirements were about having a high knowledge of computers and programming. At least they don't care about my physical attributes..."
Nene opened the envelope and took out the letter. She couldn't help the huge smile that immediately exploded on her face.
"They accepted me, they accepted me!" She hugged her mother and then started to jump for joy.
"Let me see." Her mother took the letter to read it. The way she grabbed it ended Nene's momentary happiness.
"What's wrong mum?"
"Tokyo? You have to go to Tokyo?"
"Of course. It's where A.D. Police's central station is."
"Are you nuts?"
"Why?"
"Do you really want to live alone in Tokyo?"
"Yes."
"There is no way I will let you go!"
"But.."
"And don't try that "lost puppy" face one me because you won't change my mind."
"But… It… it's not fair!"
"When your father gets home, we'll talk about what's fair and what's not."
Nene stormed up the stairs and locked herself in the bedroom before her mother had a chance to start on another one of her sermons. She didn't know which to do, cry or yell. This was her chance to be independent, grow up and do what she finally wanted to do. But her parents were always too overprotective, making all her decisions for her. Joining the A.D. Police not only spoke well of her knowledge about computers, but of her hacker abilities too. After all, her acceptance was in part thanks to some "adjustments" she had made through the net
She walked over to her desktop and picked up the toy weasel that was on the computer monitor. With it in her hand, she plopped down on the bed.
"Can you believe it Uprio-chan?"
"What happened Nene?" she replied to herself, pretending to be the weasel.
"I get my first job and my mother goes crazy saying she won't let me do it. It's amazing that she would rather send me on a mission into space instead of letting me live alone in Tokyo."
"Maybe she knew you would never be accepted as an astronaut and that's why she encouraged you."
Nene hugged the weasel and stayed like that for a while, just staring into the ceiling.
"Anyway, I think I'll do what I want to do." She closed her eyes and without realizing it, she fell asleep.
*****
"Well, do you have something in mind?"
"Here you go Maxon. I was working on this song. I can still change some stuff."
"I like it. And the music?"
"Hand me the guitar; I thought of some chords while I was writing."
"Go ahead Priss."
The notes that started to sound out were sweet and calm. Priss' voice resonated in much same tone. She paused after finishing the first part. Fox broke the silence, applauding as Jaid soon joined in.
"Hey, I thought we were going for a more upbeat tune, not another ballad."
"I'm sorry Maxon, but my inspiration only me gave this."
"I like it." Said Fox.
"Me too." Added Jaid.
"Ahhgg. It's OK. If this is what you want…we've got to seriously start working on the arrangements though. Remember we must have everything finished before Christmas."
"And what's the song's title?"
"I don't have a name for it yet."
"Well think about it. When we're back from vacation, the only thing we'll time to do is record it."
*****
Nigel had been working on Sylia's hardsuit for almost two hours, following her instructions to the letter. These changes were only internal, as the outer shell wasn't being modified. But manipulating the circuits was very exhausting work because any mistake could be fatal.
Sylia was attending to the boutique as the clock crept towards closing time. Nigel worked quietly with his only company a wine bottle that Sylia had given him. Suddenly, the ring of the cell phone interrupted his silence. He checked the screen and immediately recognized the number; it was Priss. He put the phone on "voice only" mode… he didn't want any problems in case Sylia appeared unexpectedly.
"Hi Nigel."
"Hi Priss. Are you still practicing?"
"We're all done. I'm coming over to the garage now."
"I'm not there."
"Where are you?"
"I'm working for an important client. I'll be back late."
"Do you want to go to my place then?"
"OK."
"You know where is, don't you?"
"Yes, I have your address."
"So I'll wait up for you then. Bye."
"Bye."
*****
Sylia had finished in the boutique. In her room, she changed her clothes into something more comfortable and went to the kitchen looking for something to eat. Henderson wasn't there, so she made herself some sandwiches and went to the pit where Nigel was.
"How much longer are you going to work?"
"Not much more tonight. I think I'll finish up tomorrow. I want to check some data in my computer first."
"I brought some snacks. If you want something more elaborate, I'll tell Henderson to fix some dinner."
Nigel said nothing. He took one of the sandwiches and both of them ate in silence.
Once they ended the light dinner, Nigel worked a little bit more. Sylia devoured him with her eyes and tried to begin a conversation, but the man's distant attitude kept her not so noble intentions at bay. He was sitting on the floor, running a test on the hardsuit. Sylia approached to him with feline like movements. She wrapped her arms around him from behind and started to massage him.
She noted his muscles tensing for a moment, as if he didn't expect this kind of contact. Nigel couldn't help his body rejecting her advances at first, but not accepting an offer from Sylia could turn into an ugly situation he would much rather avoid. However, the young woman's touch immediately reminded him of Priss… and where he needed to be right now...
"You worked a lot today…" she whispered in his ear. "Don't you think you deserve a little bit of fun?" Her hands slid under his shirt and onto his chest, insinuating something more than a simple massage. Sylia had started her play but when she didn't get an answer to her advances, she stopped. Nigel stood up, trying to act impassive.
"You know what? Since it's close, I wanted to tell you that I'll spend Christmas with you. Actually, we can spend Christmas here together." Sylia showed an innocent smile to do make her invitation more convincing. Nigel simply looked at her out of the corner of his eye.
"What do you think Nigel?"
"I already have plans for that day."
"What are you talking about?"
"It was something very sudden. People I've known for a long time..."
"You can invite them if you want…I'll tell Henderson to make a big dinner. But please, stay with me. I don't want to be alone!"
Nigel knew what Sylia asked of him was impossible, but he also knew how lonely she was. But if he accepted her invitation, he'd surely break Priss' heart.
"I'll see what I can do." That was the only answer she got from him. At the time, Nigel stood up and was ready to pick up his stuff. Sylia stood in front of him and hugged him.
"Don't go yet." She started to kiss his neck while her hands were looking to find their way under his shirt again.
"Sylia, not today." He slowly pushed her back with his hands, took his jacket and left.
Sylia said nothing, she stood calmly with a grin drawn across her lips as if she wasn't surprised. Perhaps that calm was nothing more the tempest's presage.
*****
"Nene! It's time for dinner! Nene!"
Anya Romanova was losing her patience. She knew that her daughter might be mad at the discussion they had earlier, but this was too much. She stormed up the staircase and strode into the teenager's room, expecting to find her in front of the computer.
"What do you think are you doing?" But her attitude abruptly changed when she saw her daughter wasn't ignoring her; rather she was deeply asleep. She approached with tenderness, sitting down on the bed and slid back the hair on her forehead.
"Honey, dinner's ready." Nene turned over, slowly awakening and started to stretch.
"Umm, what's wrong?"
"It's time for dinner. C'mon, let's go."
The nap she took made her forget for a moment what had happened, but when she saw her father, she instantly remembered the talk from earlier in the day.
"Hi, daddy!"
"Hi Nene!"
The three of them began to eat in silence until Anya decided to break the ice.
"Nene, why don't you tell your father about today?"
"About what?" Nene was trying to avoid the topic, playing like a fool.
"C'mon, don't be shy. You know very well about I'm talking about."
"What do you have to tell me dear?"
"Today…"
"Yes?"
"I received a letter from NASA…"
"Wow…and what did they tell you?"
"That I'm don't meet their requirements…"
"Oh. That's a shame! You're incredible intelligent. You'd have an excellent career there," answered her father without even letting her finish.
They continued their dinner as Nene assumed the conversation finished.
"Honey, why don't you tell daddy about the other letter you received?"
"What other letter Nene?"
"Well…I …was accepted into the A.D. Police of Tokyo and…"
"A.D. Police?" her father spilled the wine he was drinking everywhere. "Have you lost your mind!?!" he continued while trying to clean the whole mess with a single napkin. Again Nene's words were floating in air while her father screamed without even knowing the whole story.
"I said the same," her mother piled on as well.
Nene stared at them for a moment. Then she got up and went to the stairs leading to her bedroom, ignoring what was happening at the table.
"Where are you going?" asked her father.
"To my room. I'm getting my stuff ready and taking the first available flight to Tokyo."
"What?!" they yelled in unison.
"You can't stop me!"
"We're your parents so we can stop what we want!"
"I'll do what I want!"
"You won't go to Tokyo risking your life fighting against those mad beast voomers!" Nicolas Romanova was losing his control.
"I won't be fighting dad. I am going to be in the communications section in front of a computer the whole day."
"But dear, you don't need go to Tokyo to do that."
"You don't get it, do you!?!…I applied to every space agency, even NASA, with the hope of be accepted. And you supported me. So do you prefer that I'd be in outer space instead of Tokyo?"
Both of them kept silent, looking at each other without knowing what to say. Their daughter had hit a nerve.
"It's that the possibility was so unlikely that you would actually go into space … but this… this is not. We don't like the idea of you leaving home and living so far away from us. You're still too young."
"I knew it. All this time you supported me only to make me feel happy…Mom, I'm seventeen years old and thanks to my "incredible" intelligence I finished school two years earlier than everybody else. If I go to college, I'll probably know more than the professors will. What do you want me to do? Stay here playing with computers? Or is it because you don't like the idea of your little daughter growing up?"
"You're just a little brat."
"We won't speak any more about this. I will not tolerate it. You'll stay here in Nagoya with your family. Do you understand?" her father yelled her in a way he never had done before.
Nene held back her tears; she didn't want to show them her weakness. She went to her room and started to think of a way she could do what she wanted without hurting her parents. Actually, she realized they were the one's who must grow up; she had already done it and was sure of what she wanted. She'd go to Tokyo without any reservations and then she'd show them that she wasn't a little girl anymore.
*****
Priss was making breakfast while Nigel still slept. This time was her turn to be the hostess. It was important to Priss because it was the first time he had been to her home. Even more importantly, it was the first time she took a man to her bed since Hiro's death. She felt that, little by little, she was overcoming that loss… and finding that loving someone else didn't necessarily mean betraying her great love's memory.
She had noticed that Nigel was distant, as if something was bothering him. In any event, she had taken great care to make him forget at least for one night all of his concerns... whatever they might be.
Once the coffee was ready, she brought the cups over to the bed. She sat down next to him and gingerly woke him up. Nigel opened his eyes and smiled at her.
"Breakfast is ready."
The hot coffee's aroma finished the process of waking him up. He sat upright, looking at Priss waiting for him with the cups in her hands. He couldn't help but feel happiness for just an instant. That slovenly girl with such an unsociable character, much like him, now appearing as a woman with whom he could share the rest of his life. He was in front of an unknown Priss; one that only he had the privilege of meeting. While they drank their coffee sharing a short moment of intimacy, Nigel calmly scanned his newfound surroundings. He found the mess in whole trailer was in a small way evidence of its owner's character.
"I don't know why you say that your house isn't comfortable. I feel good here."
"It's just everything is out of place. I don't complain, I like to live this way. But I must admit that it isn't the best place to have visitors."
"It's your home after all."
"Hiro used to say the same thing…after all, I have this trailer thanks to him."
"I can't imagine Hiro living in a pink trailer…"
"It was gray before. After he died, I decided to make some changes…the color was so depressing…and I wanted the whole world to know that this was my home and nobody else's. That's why I painted my name with a spray can. It was the best way to mark my territory.
Priss finished her coffee and leaned on him, trying to keep him from getting up and leaving. Nigel knew he had to return to Sylia's house to continue working on the hardsuit. If she didn't give him a very good payment, he wouldn't have accepted the job. He didn't like Sylia's plans at all. It had failed in the past and, worse yet, he wasn't sure exactly what was on her mind now.
"You've got to go to work, don't you?"
"Yes, but it's still early…and I want to start the day in a good way."
Priss reached to put the cup on the floor, when Nigel pulled her into him. When he kissed her, he began to unbutton her shirt…
*****
A tall, slim and man brandished with pale features crossed the oversized corridor until he stood in front of the huge door. He stopped for a moment with a thoughtful expression on his face before finally entering. The cavern on the other side was enormous, filled with numerous cables and monitors. In the center was a throne occupied by an immobile old man. This man, staring at nothing in particular, was fixed in place by hundreds of cables connected to his body. Quincy Rosenkreuz, Genom's eternal CEO, had his life prolonged thanks to his machines. This man was the economic and politic leader of the whole nation. As he sat on his mutated throne, he watched all through the surrounding screens that had become the only link he still had with the real world. Even though he might look lost and unconscious, but he quite aware of other man's presence now in the room.
"Mason, is the human type voomer I asked for ready?"
"Not yet sir. The engineers say that they need more time to finish it."
"But I presume that the prototype had been distributed."
"Yes, that's right. The shopping centers in Tokyo and some individual stores have now acquired it."
"What do you know about the incidents that have happened recently with these voomers?"
"We're investigating sir. It seems that the phenomenon from the past may perhaps be plaguing us again."
"I know you will resolve it soon Mason. Genom can't lose money or risk its public image."
"My fears are as yours sir."
Mason made reverence to the old man and left. An evil grin was drawn through his lips as he slipped into his office.
*****
Priss knew very well that she wouldn't receive any presents for Christmas. But she didn't care as long as she was still able to give something to herself. She had saved some money for a while in order to buy a new computer, although it was one of the older models. Taking advantage of the fact she hadn't practiced with the band because of the holidays, she used the whole day to go through stores, looking for the computer that best fit her miniscule budget.
The malls were packed with people doing their Christmas shopping. A few grotesque voomers with an incipient human shape, dressed as Santa Claus, were trying to be attractions for the children. It seemed as if Genom had decided to show off some of its new toys this season. Priss couldn't help but feel a shiver through her spine at the thought of what would happen if one of those creatures had a loose screw.
Going through the malls was something that she didn't like at all. However, when she spied a music store through the swelling masses, all her cheap philosophy about society flew right out the window. The guitars and keyboards were more than just a little tempting. She reminded herself several times that the money she had was for a computer and not a keyboard. Even so, it was still hard for her to think of Sekiria playing with instruments of generations long past.
Priss' idle thoughts were violently interrupted by screams coming from the halls outside the store. All the lights suddenly turning off completed the rift into chaos.
"Shit! What now?" The answer to Priss' question ran past the in front of the store where she was.
Actually, Genom's Christmas voomers had lost several screws. Even though luckily no one was hurt yet, danger was imminent. Not only were the three Santa Claus mutating into something repugnant, but also all the exits from the mall were automatically closed to prevent the chaos from leaking out into the streets.
The emergency lights turned on bringing a short calm to those trapped inside. A security officer strode into the store trying to inspire even more order while Priss took advantage of the occasion to slide away and investigate. The voomers were all gathered in the first floor's hall. A lone officer was facing them with an ordinary gun as he started to shoot. One of the creatures actually fell from the otherwise meager impact. The man continued shooting at the other two with the hope of somehow defeating them as well.
"Well, at least he's more effective than the A.D. Police," Priss thought while she was sneaking up to see the action.
The officer ran out of ammunition and tried to call for help through the intercom system. That moment of distraction was all the voomer lying on its back needed to suddenly recover. The monster rushed at the man who was distracted trying to get some backup. Priss still trying to see what was going on when she heard a pain filled yell as panic once again took control among the people. She speeded up her march until nearly vomiting from the spectacle she found there. The voomer had pierced the officer through his chest and still had him on its right arm. The man briefly floated between life and death while the people watched with horror knowing full well which fate actually awaited him. The beast shook its hand, setting free its victim and joining with the others while looking for its next prey. Priss scurried around trying to find something to serve as a weapon. The only thing she found was a fire extinguisher, so she took it and started to shoot it against the demonic Santa Claus. Amazingly enough, it appeared as if the attack was actually effective as it momentarily short-circuited one of them.
"It looks like Genom didn't pass the quality test this time." Priss was over-confident for a second, which gave the other voomer enough time to react. She fought back with the extinguisher, but this time it didn't work. The people started to yell at her, that she was crazy and to get out of there. But she didn't was listening to anyone else and was too distracted by the voomer closing in on her.
"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!" it exclaimed with an electronic voice that seemed to come straight from hell itself.
Priss backpedaled without noticing that the whole floor was slippery because of the extinguisher's foam that she had used. She slid and fell over the lying voomer, while the one, which was stalking her, raised a double line of metallic teeth. Priss thought for a moment that that would be the last image she'd take to her grave, when suddenly a crash of broken glass distracted the monster that was over her.
"Great! This can't get any better! Being rescued by the A.D. Police!" she said with sarcasm still dripping from her voice.
A crystal rain started to fall from the sky, leaving Priss without words. A figure descended through the huge skylight that was in the high part of the mall. The light that came from the outside only let her see a silhouette until that figure jumped over the voomer with a leopard's agility. It was difficult to describe what it was, but the movements left no doubt that it was a person… and the shape seemed to show that is was a woman. The metallic white armor shone in a way that appeared to give off an aurora around it.
"Is like an angel…" Priss thought, suddenly finding a small sense of faith from the stark image before her.
The "angel" forged a knife from its right arm and pierced the voomer, drawing forth a deafening shriek in the process. The armored figure inserted its hand into the voomer's insides, overturned for a few seconds until it pulled out the beast's still throbbing heart and crushed it with her hand. Priss couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"So, the heart is the weak point…" Priss was making her conclusions without noticing that the voomer she was over was awakening. The woman in the armor hurled down towards Priss, taking her away from danger and then hurtled back to the voomer to perform the same purifying ritual as she did with the other. The remaining voomer was in the midst of a very unsettled stage of transformation. It closed in on the warrior attempting a brute attack. However, her reflexes were more than up to the task at hand and quickly pierced it with her sword before the beast close the gap.
The A.D. Police's helicopters were now flying overhead and some officers repelled down through the broken skylight… just in time to find that there was nothing more to do.
The warrior unfolded a pair of wings from her back and with a short blast left the same way she entered. The three mechanical Santa Clauses were lying in the middle of the whole mess. Close by was the dead body of the security officer. The fire alarm started to sound as a soft drizzle began to fall, mixed with snow that was now filtering through the opened ceiling. The hysteric masses calmed down some but were still generally horrified by the incidents. The mall's doors opened and the media flooded the halls, while the officers were making a cordon around the disaster zone.
"You must move Miss." The officer who was next to Priss was trying to warn her that the place must be evacuated. But Priss was still not moving, all soggy, gazing above without listening to anyone or anything else but the sounds of the battle she had just witnessed. She was wondering where the woman in the shining armor could have gone. Had she been real or just a hallucination? She lowered her sight and when she saw the smashed voomers she was convinced that the metallic angel had really been there after all. Despite all the chaos around her, Priss left the place ignoring the cops and paramedics who asked her about her condition.
There was someone in Tokyo with the power to destroy the voomers and leave the police in ridicule... someone as thirsty for revenge and violence as her… someone without fear and ready for anything. Was she an angel or a demon? To Priss, it didn't really matter…
To be continued