Bubblegum Crisis Fan Fiction ❯ Stage Three ❯ Chapter 6

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Bubblegum Crisis
Stage Three
Part Six
"This is not good," Sylia Stingray muttered as she sat back from her home computer, "not good at all."
The black haired woman set out tonight to do some digging into her father's company, Genom, as well as to look into events surrounding the company. The longer she worked in there the more Sylia had smelled a rat, or possibly a whole colony of rats using Genom as shelter and a base of operations. But the deeper she had dug, the more strange and difficult questions had come up.
Over the past few years, Boomer related incidents causing death and destruction were on the rise, so why was nothing being done? Several of these had been in public, but somehow all negative reporting had stopped. The AD Police were accused of silencing any objections, but no investigations were launched. Even stranger several reporters had attempted to pry the lid off of Genom but stopped, either backing off, disappearing or dying in 'accidents.' And these accidents, more often than not, seemed to involve Boomers.
"Is someone at Genom doing this intentionally?" Sylia wondered aloud, sitting back in her chair as she frowned at the screen. "If so, who?" she muttered, thoughts racing.
The problem was, Sylia didn't have enough information. She didn't know why Boomers were going rogue, she didn't know who had the authority to mobilize Boomers to attack people, nor did she know what their motives were. It could be someone covering up a personal error, it could be some executive hiding a secret of some sort and it could even be some fool thinking he was protecting the company.
Scowling Sylia murmured, "And I can't just go into work and kick over the apple cart, either."
The boomer attack on her in her office just last week had shown Sylia exactly how vulnerable she was. Even in her own building surrounded by state of the art security, a Boomer had been able to attack and try to kill her. An attack that internal security could still not explain to her satisfaction. Apparently the Boomer had just suddenly gone rogue, broke into the office and tried to kill her in defiance of all safety programing. It was a mostly superficial investigation, but one that Sylia couldn't easily object too.
'I need personal security,' Sylia admitted to herself glumly, 'people I can trust with my life, if I need be. But where do I find that kind of person?'
Impulsively Sylia opened up her computer files, scanning data as she entered search parameters. There was already someone Sylia had trusted with her life, Nene Romanova, and perusing her files confirmed her original opinion of the girl's trustworthiness. In fact, she was almost too honest according to her confidential file that Sylia hacked into, having refused to slant the truth to suit her superiors.
Digging into files Sylia searched, stretching long unused hacking muscles. Being careful not to trip hidden flags she expertly rose through the less secured personnel files in Genom, finding the sort of person she wanted then following up on her hunches through external search engines. Within a minute she had a longer list, then began to dig as she attempted to narrow it down further.
"Miss Sylia," the specially made Boomer maid said respectfully, the tall redhead standing in the doorway. "You've been up for nearly twenty-four hours," she chided gently, "it's not healthy to go so long without sleep."
Sylia stretched tiredly, closing her files and locking them in her home's secure data archive. "Thanks, Erica," she conceded as she got up, "it's been a hectic week."
"Shall I draw you a bath before bed?" Erica asked warmly.
"No thank you," Sylia sighed, feeling a moment of discomfort as she realized even her own, personal Boomer could be turned on her. She patted Erica on the shoulder as she added, "Do me a favor and run your self-diagnostic mode for me tonight."
"Of course, madam," Erica nodded as she watched Sylia walk away.
The next morning Sylia began to put her strategy in motion, making a series of phone calls through scrambled systems, carefully maintaining her anonymity. She felt a pang of guilt over some of her methods but firmly squashed it, knowing she would make it up to her candidates.
Priss Asagiri felt her blood run cold as she opened up the message on her phone. A photo of her in disguise preforming in Hot Legs. The text attached read, "This would be a clear violation of your Genom contract, if they found out. Come to assembly factory six at 06:00 and no one will need to know."
"Shit!" the brown haired woman cursed as she stuffed her phone back into her pocket.
Priss steadied her sleek bike as she started the engine, her thoughts racing. Whoever had sent the mail could destroy her career, or worse bankrupt her by providing the photo to Genom. She had no choice, she had to go to this meeting and find out what they wanted from her.
'But if it's too much,' Priss thought bleakly as she touched the pistol she usually wore at the base of her back, 'I'll do what I have to.'
Meanwhile, in another part of the city Linna Yamazaki made a soft, broken sound as the brown haired woman dropped the plate she had been carrying, the glass breaking with a crash.
"Linna!" Reika Chang yelped as she hurried over to her lover, the older woman worriedly asking, "What's wrong?"
"I...," Linna said weakly, then turned her mobile phone towards Reika.
Reika visibly paled as she saw a image of herself and Linna wrapped around each other. It looked like it was taken at a hotel, and with a sinking feeling she recognized the place as where they had attended a music conference together. "How did...," Reika blinked.
"There's a message too," Linna said, her eyes wide.
Reika scrolled up and read, "Naughty naughty. Doing this on company time? I wonder what Mason or Stingray would say. If you don't want them to find out, meet me at assembly factory six at 06:00."
Linna took a minute to gather her wits, "I'll go. Maybe I can convince them to...."
"I'm coming along too," Reika said firmly.
"You can't," Linna looked up at Reika as she continued, "if we go there together we'll be confirming the evidence for whoever did this."
Reika met her eyes as she caressed her cheek, "I'm not ashamed of you, Linna. And you're worth more to me than the damn job anyway."
"I...," Linna smiled weakly, "I guess I can't talk you out of it?"
"No way in hell," Reika answered calmly.
Linna took a deep breath and nodded firmly. "Then we'll go together," she agreed, both women abandoming their planned lunch and heading off to change.
"Business wear?" Reika asked as she peered into her closet.
"Yes," Linna agreed as she got a black dress out along with matching leggings, "but formal. If we can knock their socks off it might give us a edge."
Reika smiled, "Good idea."
Assembly factory six was out on the edge of Genom's property, a unused building that was gradually falling into disrepair. But around the massive five story block there were fresh tracks of vehicles and a motorbike was parked nearby onr of the side doors. Parking nearby Reika and Linna stepped out onto the broken concrete, looking around warily.
"I don't...," Reika started.
"There's someone by the doorway," Linna whispered as they walked forward warily.
Priss Asagiri's cigarette glowed in the shadows as she stiffened, then blazed brightly as she charged forward. "You!" she growled angrilly, "I should have known it was you, Chang...!"
"Asagiri?" Reika blurted, "How did you...?"
"Stop," Linna yelped as she moved between the two women, grabbing Priss' hand as she threw a punch. Twisting her body she used a symple throw to send her flying, sending her crashing down with a thump.
"Oww," Priss winced as she forced herself up.
"No," Linna looked up at Reika, "There's no way she could have taken that photo. She doesn't have the money to hire a investigator and she was recording that weekend."
"What the hell?" Priss blinked.
Reika realized that Priss wasn't the author of their troubles, relaxing a bit reluctantly. "You got a phone call?" she addressed Priss, "So did we."
"You're being blackmailed too?" Priss said as she brushed herself off and muttered , "There is a god."
With a soft hiss the door opened, revealing a shadowed interior. "06:00," Linna confirmed on her watch.
"Then let's see what this is about," Reika scowed as the three women headed inside.
To be continued....