Back in South Paris, the four met back at Caleb's place relieved that they were able to get away from such a close call.
"I can't believe we got away with that." Isaac said breathing heavily. "My heart's still racing."
"Good show, Danny." Caleb said. "Maybe I was wrong to doubt you."
"So I guess you'll be willing to compensate us then?" Danny asked.
"Sure sure." Caleb said walking away.
"Over my dead body." He muttered.
"So what do we do now?" Redmond asked.
"You three retire for the night." Caleb said. "I'll head out tomorrow and find out exactly what this data says."
"Yes, my Prince." The three said in unison as they headed out. Caleb then went to bed.
The next morning, Caleb was walking across a large street until he came across a wide underpass. He made his way to one of the edges and moved part of the rock on the side off of it, revealing a large cave turned into a makeshift bar. Inside the bar, loud music was blaring and people were idly conversing among themselves. They froze as soon as they saw Caleb enter the vicinity.
"Lucky!" Caleb shouted to the bartender.
"Prince Caleb." Lucky said. "What brings you here?"
"I'd like a beer." Caleb said.
"Will that be all?" Lucky asked.
"No actually." Caleb said. He reached into his uniform and pulled out the drive he stole last night. "I need your help deciphering the contents of this."
Lucky picked up the device.
"I see." Lucky said. "Unfortunately, I don't have a machine that can operate this. However, the name on the label does seem awfully familiar. Hold on."
Lucky then went into the back room as Caleb began sipping his beverage. Just then, Isaac walked up to the bar.
"Prince Caleb." Isaac said.
"Isaac." Caleb said. "What brings you here?"
"It's my father's bar." Isaac said. "What brings you here?"
"Lucky's an archivist, remember?" Caleb asked.
"So?"
"So he should be able to help with the Scipio thing."
"Well, good luck." Isaac said.
"Isaac, my boy!" Lucky said returning. "Good to see you."
"You too, father." Isaac said.
"Caleb, I thought this would help." Lucky said throwing some stuff on the table.
"Let me see." Caleb said. He sifted through the documents and read them carefully.
They talked about a man by the name of Waldo Schaeffer and a government project he worked on more than a century ago. It continued to talk about four kids and their discovery of a large supercomputer hidden below a factory on the Seine River and how it was inhabited by an insane computer program and another virtual being who they saved. It also talked about the sons and daughters of the same kids and how they defeated the computer program once and for all.
"Where have I heard this before?" Caleb said laughing. "Oh, I remember. From my great-great grandfather's fairy tale book…"
"…Based on a true story." Lucky said.
"Bullshit." Isaac said.
"Watch your tongue, lad." Lucky said. "I thought it was crazy at first, but then I realized that my grandfather has never lied to me before."
"Sam was there?" Isaac asked.
"Of course. He was part of the second generation." Lucky said. "If you don't believe me, why not actually go under that factory you live in?"
"That elevator's no longer there; it's just an empty shaft." Caleb said.
"There's more than one way to go down an empty shaft." Lucky said. "I wouldn't be surprised if that supercomputer was still there and active."
"Worth a shot." Isaac said.
"Very well." Caleb said. "But first another round."
After going through a few rounds of beer each, they began joking amongst each other. Just then, the bar was silenced when a young woman entered the vicinity.
"Hey Caleb." Isaac said. "Isn't that the pretty girl from the Kac Ady?"
"So it is." Caleb said. "I think I'll treat her to a little something." He walked over to the jukebox and put in a coin. He then selected a song. The loudspeakers began blaring an old '80s song as Caleb began singing.
"Here we stand."
"Worlds apart, hearts broken in two, two, two."
"Sleepless nights."
"Losing ground
I'm reaching for you, you, you."
"Feelin' that it's gone
Can change your mind
If we can't go on
To survive the tide love divides."
He then walked over to the woman, who was already confused at what was going on.
"Someday love will find you
Break those chains that bind you
One night will remind you
How we touched
And went our separate ways
If he ever hurts you
True love won't desert you
You know I still love you
Though we touched
And went our separate ways."
Just then a gunshot went off. The patrons turned to see a young man with a cowboy hat and a long black jacket holding a pistol. Across his bare chest were two bandoliers filled with bullets. The man himself had a pale, scarred face and a wicked smile. His defining feature, however, was his heterochromia: One eye was blue, the other brown. Caleb immediately recognized the figure.
"Sharpshooter." Caleb said. "Come back for another round?"
"After what you did to Vince Giorgio, it only seems necessary." Sharpshooter said. He then turned to the North Parisian woman who was just standing their frightened. "Well, what do we have here?"
"Sharpshooter, this is between you and me." Caleb said.
"Then I hope you won't mind if I take care of your tasks for the moment."
"Hey!" Lucky shouted. "Take it outside you two! I don't want you killing more people than necessary."
"Fine then." Sharpshooter said. He then picked up the young woman and threw her to the ground outside.
Picking her up, he pinned her against the wall with his knee and tore off the top of her uniform, exposing her breasts.
"Not even wearing a bra, you filthy slut?" Sharpshooter asked. "Not the type of class I was expecting from a North Parisian."
"I like to express myself." She said.
"Drop her, Shooter." Caleb said. "This is between you and me."
Before anyone can blink, Sharpshooter drew his pistol, fired and put it back in his holster while Caleb drew a knife, deflected the shot and placed the knife back, all in less than a second.
"Even as a drunk, you're as quick as I remembered." Sharpshooter said. "Alright, pendejo, let's see what you got."
Caleb drew a knife and charged towards him while Sharpshooter drew two pistols and fired. Caleb deflected the bullets and moved the knife towards his opponent. Sharpstooter blocked the attack with the barrels of his guns. Anticipating this, Caleb drew another knife and slashed his opponent's hand, causing him to drop one of his pistols. Caleb then grappled him and pinned him to the ground. The next thing he heard was a gunshot as he felt a searing pain in his abdomen. The young woman, who had been watching the whole thing, was shocked as Caleb fell to the ground.
"Looks like I'll finally be taking my place as Supreme Prince." Sharpshooter said walking up to Caleb. "Good match, hombre."
Caleb then opened his eyes and grabbed Sharpshooter by the wrist and snapped it. He then jumped up and threw his body against the wall and finally slammed him against the floor.
"I don't think so." Caleb said.
"This isn't over." Sharpshooter said. "I will claim my throne soon enough."
Caleb then walked over to the woman.
"Get up." He said. "And for God's sake, make yourself decent."
"Woah, you're alive." Isaac said walking out.
"Let's get back to the factory." Caleb said. "I have a bullet lodged in my abdomen that I need to get out."
"Wait a minute." The woman said getting up after wrapping what remained of her top around her breasts. "I was ordered to find you and reclaim the data you stole. Now hand it over lest you be punished to the fullest extent of the law."
"Your laws have no jurisdiction here." Caleb said. "Especially when coming from a wench such as yourself."
"I have a name you know." She said. "It's Olivia."
"Caleb Stern." Caleb said. "This is my partner Isaac. You want the data, you're going to have to come with us."
"Why should I?" Olivia asked.
"You saw what Sharpshooter did to you." Caleb said. "Now imagine three or four of them ganging up on you."
"You really are a bunch of savages, aren't you?" Olivia asked.
"That's why I'm here." Caleb said. "To bring order where chaos reigns."
"Sounds like my boyfriend." She said to herself.
"Just stay with me and I'll make sure you come out alive." Caleb said as the three walked away.
"Why are you helping me?" Olivia asked.
"I dunno." Caleb said. "Because I find you attractive, I guess."
Eventually, the trio got to the factory. Caleb was sitting on his bed taking off his uniform when he saw broken glass and liquid spill out from it.
"Well that explains what softened the impact." Caleb said. He then grabbed a pair of rusty pliers and tried to extract the bullet.
"If I could just…" Caleb said trying to feel around.
"Mind if I take a look?" Olivia asked.
"Very well." Caleb said. Olivia looked inside the wound and managed to locate the bullet.
"Pliers." Olivia said. Caleb handed her the pliers and carefully placed them around the bullet.
"Hold still." She instructed. "Just carefully…"
She wiggled the pliers around until the bullet loosened up and was easily pulled out.
"Got it." She said. "Who was that guy anyway and why was he out to kill you?"
"Shooter 'Sharpshooter' Evans." Caleb said. "Second most powerful man in South Paris. The only one of my victims to come out alive."
"Victims?" Olivia asked.
"Caleb's the Supreme Prince of all of South Paris." Isaac added. "Gang leaders from all over try to challenge him with the hopes of claiming his throne."
"You guys live in gangs?" Olivia asked.
"There are two kinds of people in South Paris: Gangs and everyone else." Caleb said. "If you want to survive around here, you need followers and a need to fend for yourself regardless of whatever obstacles or circumstances. Here, actions have no consequences unless I say they do."
"That's not really ethical." Olivia said.
"What are ethics but an opinionated stance on how your people live?" Caleb asked rhetorically.
"Anyways, if we're going to find out what this Scipio thing is, we need to find that supercomputer." Isaac said.
"We can try climbing down the elevator shaft." Caleb said. "I remember seeing a set of rungs alongside the edge."
"Wait, I'm coming with you." Olivia said. "I want to find out more about this too."
"If you insist." Caleb said.
They then made their way to the shaft and, one at a time, carefully climbed down the rusty rungs.
"According to the schematics Father gave us, the computer should be at the very bottom floor." Isaac said.
"You heard him." Caleb said. "Keep climbing down."
Eventually, the three reached the bottom only to find that it was blocked off by a heavy door.
"Well, I guess that's it then." Olivia said.
"Not yet." Caleb said. "Isaac, see if you can rewire the door to open on command."
"Yes, my Prince." Isaac said as he pulled back a metal panel and began messing with the wires.
"In no time, Isaac will have the door opened and we will be able to…"
Just then, a ground shaking roar was heard as they saw the large door open before them. They could only stand there stunned as they looked at what was in front of them.
Please Review.