Princess Mononoke Fan Fiction ❯ Speed Prodigy ❯ Research ( Chapter 9 )

Research

 

The Major strode gallantly yet subtly across and pass the heavy traffic weighing down on the city roads, blocking pathways that only be spaced for two-wheeled machines. So of course, the Major rode on his slick black Yamaha with his protective helmet on as he swiveled and sprinted pass petrol-fueled cars; still haven't found a way to lower carbon emissions. Pity, the world could have been better without them. Yet when Ashitaka continued to look straight, he then sharply turned his eyes onto his right hand side, and observed the hacking rebel San, sliding across the tarmac with as less friction as possible. She wore her black leather jacket that morning, with her grave gothic boots totally matching the silver Suzuki she was riding the back of. It perfectly matched her, most of all the color. Silver. Silver was sort of a new shade towards Ashitaka, it was pragmatic to be seen as a new flush; not too alive, yet not too dead. More of a ghost, ominously yet wildly drifting, passing the mortals without fear and without doubt, who wasn't afraid to reappear into the light as she once lived underneath it. The color matched her soul.

She then turned her goggle-protected eyes at Ashitaka, they had eye-contact again, she then thought of the idea to rev the engines harder to accelerate her by another metre. Something was about to begin. So then Ashitaka did the same, still looking at her, yet he accelerated a few more centimeters farther than San. She looked at his wheels and speeded a little more, he did the same. And then she peaked a little smile within her cheeks. A smile. That was the first time Ashitaka saw positive energy bubbling out from the young girl. All he wanted for her was protection and to feel calm, to feel free from stress and anxiety. All he received from her was her anger, yet a tinge of reverse psychology relieved the tension from her, especially from last night. But what was with the pinning her down moment? He didn't have to do that, well for obvious reasons he didn't want her to escape and get killed on the streets; he could have just easily knocked her out with the slight clench on her collar bone. But deep down inside, he cares for her, he doesn't know why, but he was bound to find out.

They then reached the tunnel; the orange lights flickered and stranded all over the sideway walls. Ashitaka couldn't help but watch them created vibrant patterns of artificial sunlight on her clothes. He secretly smiled at her, yet she was too distant with the small cheeky race she was having with him; it beaten the time to wait in queues of spitting fuel.

So there, they were both then at the main entrance of the building, and San gazed at the mechanical computer scanning the Major's eye for identification to let them enter. They got into the cavernous building with the white wall reflecting light blurrily. San could only remember the night the manslaughter incident happened before she was in the building for the first time; being taken for a question inquiry from the asshole Chisato from Sector 10. San spotted him within a second and looked away in an instant. Ashitaka noticed the U-turn of her behavior but carried on walking over to the elevator. San lowered her walking pace slightly so that she was then trailing off from the Major's footsteps behind him; it was obvious that she doesn't want to encounter the captain again like the last interrogation. Chisato looked at her quite sternly after staring at Ashitaka when he passed them and the scoffed under his breath.

“Bringing in criminals now, Major? Especially in this building?”
“I have my reasons; you just deal with your own.” Ashitaka lowly yet calmly replied as the statement was spoken to the passing air and reached to Chisato's ears; the captain didn't reply and carried on walking to whatever destination he was heading to.

The two people then reached up to the elevator as then the Major pressed up onto the level floor of Sector 7. San stared and gazed over at the city skyline with the giant concrete towers and prowling cars and people overcrowding each other on the street. Ashitaka couldn't help but peculiarly yet peacefully stare at her; does she always look unusually pretty when she glares at something interesting? Even though her wild beauty still prevails over her body, there would always be a silent moment where you would notice her rare tranquility, no matter how small in percentage or size.

They reached up to the floor they most desired to stop at, as then the heavy metallic doors slid open to give easy access for the people to exit. San walked out first and then paced herself slowly to observe and scan over the architectural work that has been put below the ceilings of the floor of Sector 7. Ashitaka continued walking where San stopped for a moment to look back out to another window; it was as if she desired to go somewhere outside.

“There are a few people I want you to meet; they will help us on this assignment.”
“'Us'? Since when was there an `us'?”
“If you don't want to get involved, leave.”
“You're reverse psychology won't work on me, human.” Ashitaka was a little puzzled with the end of that sentence; did she meant that generally or something else? But then he was interrupted when then Sono walked out from the computer room and intervened into Ashitaka's duo.

“Ah, Major, you're finally here.”
“What do you mean `finally'? We got here on time.”
“We?” the Sergeant then looked across over to San. “Oh, you must be San then. I'm the Sergeant here.” He raised out his right hand for the greeting gesture of shaking hands between him and San, but the hacker just stood there with her arms crossed staring down at the hand. Sono recognized that she didn't want to consummate the greeting, so he just slowly put his hand away.

“Well then, got any more info?”
“We got a few, nothing vital but useful.”
“That's a good start, Sergeant. Let's keep it up.”
“Yes Major." They both then walked up into the room with all the high-tech computers inside. San gazed at them like it was utopia for her to be surrounded and closed with copper wires and glowing screens. Her lips pursed a little but her eyes refused to slide her eyelids down due to her hypnotization of their faces. However, back with the Major and the Sergeant, they both stopped their pacing over with one laptop with a whirring face upon it.

“Right, we have now found out that he is American, and has been raise up in a military army base since he was 15 years old.”
“Where are you getting this information from?”
“Yuka managed to use the cyber transmitter once when she managed to pick up one silver wire that triggered some data on his back-up history from the net.”
“That seems good. But how come you only come up with still such small statistics?”
“Well, somehow the transmitter malfunctioned during in use.” Then metallic rattling and clanging came from the other room which was sub-folded from the main computer room.

“Shit!” Her voice echoed throttled against the ears of the people in the main room, as then the three of them peered around the corner of the door, looking and staring at the frustrated Constable grunting and groaning at the metallic seat known as the Cyber Transmitter.

“Any improvement Yuka?” Sono timidly asked her politely, but then her raging eyes turned to him as he winced a little out of a small sense of humour and fright.

“Well, so much for synchronization transmission! I don't know how 500,000 Yen turned into this piece of junk! If you ask me, this whole invention is impossible to compromise with!”

“So…going great then (!)”
“Sono, I am warning you: DO NOT…mess with me when I'm aggravated!”
“Well then…I'll leave you then.” Yuka then gave out the loudest huff she could do until she stomped her way monstrously through the door, giving the atmosphere for Ashitaka, San and Sono to move out of the quickly before they get eaten alive. But then the hacker stared wondrously at the intelligent device, and slowly walked up to it; staring behind her head a numerous amount of times just to check if the purple-head grizzly or any of the soldiers in command are watching; those two were still latching themselves back at the computer with all the information they required.

“We also found out that was classified as a Private from when he turned 18 in the U.S Military, his origin still remained a mystery, but during his later life as of 22 years of age, he was ordered to form with the army in the Mexican gulf war in 2038, when he was then refined from his position since he helplessly shot a young Mexican child, which cause even more tension between the two countries. He then turned to I.T. management, and became internet famous through his known ego: The Hustler.”
“Right, that could lead up on some feasible background information on him. Maybe…maybe he then became a net-hacking terrorist just for revenge from his dismissal.”
“That could be a possible theory, but it's still not hard enough to lay a finger on it.”
“Hmm, well, excellent job Sergeant, keep it up.”
“I will.” The Major then walked over to Yuka who was still in a technical rage as she clenched her fists over at one computer with all the cyber-transmitter's help and technical support area on a laptop.

“Don't get too worked up on it; you'll get a splitting headache at the end.

“I ALREADY have a splitting headache over this!”

“Well that's you're brain's fault then.” She then swiveled over from her computer chair hurriedly over to his face and pointed a finger at him ferociously.

“Hey! I already warned Sono, so now I'm warning you; DO NOT mess with me when I'm aggravated!”

Back into the room where the mechanical cyber-transmitter was, San secretly entered back into the area to gaze upon this high-technical machinery. She couldn't help but observe the silver sleek steel, with all the optic fiber thin wires that swarm around and through its skeleton. Her eyes then lowered down to where she next opened a lid to view the source of it's industrial support, where there were red wires, earth cables connected to buttons and plug sockets, then se knew Yuka's little problem.

“Ahaa…that's what's been going on then…” With a small look to the left and then a small look to the right, she let her white fingers fumble and play with those wires, as she disconnect pieces and reunited them with new holes. Whilst muttering her little cynicism towards Ashitaka, Yuka then took a tiny glimpse inside the other room, where she then gasped out with slapstick horror and tapped the Major's shoulder one side frantically, and stumbled into the room.

“Oh no! No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-!”

“Nearly there…” San was doing her final touches before she then closed the lid and pressed the power button on the one side of the steel chair. Yuka tripped clumsily on some wires before she could manage to slap San's hands away from the device. “It's perfect.” She spoke quiet to the air, as then the machine fired up in its original piece and prepared itself for the net pilot to engineer it. The purple head lifted her head up out of puny terror, but then took another big gasp before gazing thoroughly at the device.

“Ah! Perfect! You fixed it!” She giggled when she timidly bounced up and down and bushed strands of her grape violet hair away from her jade green eyes.

“Uh…no problem?”
“Well I have to get back to handling this now.” She then jumped back into the chair and strapped herself in a she pulled on some fine silk gloves that can connect with her handles on each side of the chair.

“I was wondering…is it possible that I can have a try some time.”
“Sorry, but this is a very high-tech state of machinery; the use of it in inexperienced hands such as yourself can be very dangerous. And besides, I think the clothes are enough don't you think?” San slowly grew a solemn but subtle frown upon her lips, as if it was the more articulate version of telling her to `piss off'. So then she walked out from the room with Ashitaka watching her leave, and then observing Yuka's activity.

“You didn't have reply back to her lie that.”

“Look Major, I was doing the girl a favor, this is a very dangerous device to handle, if she gets mess up in this it can effect her cerebral system and could cause her to be permanently paralyzed.”

“Why couldn't you have just told that then?” Yuka kept silent for a moment as her cheeks went blue a little.

“Listen Ashitaka, if the girl wants to use it, I can give her the proper training in my spare time, but just not at this moment, we still need to solve the Hustler case.”
“San has the ability to hack into any computer wiring whenever she wants; why do you think she was on that list then? At least let her get involved with us; with her on our side, we could solve this assignment quicker then any of the other Sectors in this building.”
“Are you trying to get back at Chisato for intruding at that night club?”
“For God sake Yuka, can't I just get some things done without a motive of such?” he then hastily twisted his body and turned back into the other room to meet up with Sono. Yuka still sat in her chair looking down at her lap, probably thinking about what she had just said between herself and Ashitaka. But shook her head out of ignorance and whirred up the transmitter as she laid her head back and closed her eyes to then get drifted away into the net dimension.

 

“Sono, can you pick up anything else now?”
“Just collected in the last information stored by the auto recover; we found out that he's been visiting this website a numerous amount of times.” The Sergeant then clicked the mouse button onto a pop-up page and viewed its complex feature. The Major slowly walked his way over to the computer lit up from the various rows of them, and gazed thoroughly at the screen.

“Relight?”

“That's the name for the company. They specialize in bio-mechanical development such as artificial limbs and organs for people with disabilities or have been injured in accidents, and that they also do full human recovery surgical operations and have been successful for years.”
“What do you mean by `full human recovery'?” The Sergeant took one silent deep breath into his lungs and then looked back at the Major.

“They can bring the dead back to life.” Ashitaka leaned his head back slightly as he tried to grasp the sort of advance ability that this `Relight' company can provide to the public.

“That's impossible; they can't bring dead people back to life!”
“Well apparently you can now, this is the year 2051.” Sono decided to add that statement to San as she looked quite distraught at the matter. “Ashitaka, do you want to go check out this building, it's not far from here.” The Major remained silent for a moment, but then looked up at Sono.

“I'll take San with me then.” He then walked away from the row of computers with San trying to catch herself up with the Major. Sono looked a little curious with Ashitaka's sudden behavior, but needed to get back to work when he then stared at the Constable strapped and carefully wired into the cyber-transmitter.

 

HE PROMPTED himself back onto his sleek carbon black Yamaha bike as he forcefully placed his helmet over his dark cocoa feathers on his head and looked firmly down when he revved up the bike. But then he sharply looked up at his right hand side when he then noticed the hacker punctually stopped up near his side with her silver Suzuki ride. He then looked forward when he then accelerated his speed and fiercely drove down the run way before reaching up to the next road where he turned right along with the hacker just behind him.

So there he was; striding down the tarmac road once again, only with a problematical hunch on his mind. Something didn't seem too right about the company. Bringing the dead back too life all seems a little too cliché on the whole `horror movie' theme, or that it seemed highly unethical that the fact bringing the dead back o life can corrupt the human lifecycle of dying and rebirthing. Nevertheless, it was only an opinion; nothing that can change a world's perspective on its view.

A few minutes later, both the Major and the Hacker parked their bikes near the side of this highly designed building. It had a curved roof platted a thousand solar panels, and the building was structured with strong thin cement that emits 76% less carbon dioxide than regular cement. And the sculpture of the overall building could nearly be a statue itself. San curbed up on the side as she then hurried herself over to Ashitaka's side and looked up.

“So is that the building?”
“Looks like it.” The Major replied back.

 

THEY ENTERED into the white building and looked at it's innovation inside. It was massive; scouring through millions of floors spiraled to the glass view of sunlight lightening up the contrast of the painted walls and paneled flooring. Then a man in a dark teal shirt with a black tie and tailored trouser with polished black shoes, along with bright chocolate gelled hair and greenish blue eyes came walking proudly over to the pair.

“Ah, you must be Major Kaneshiro; the Constable sent us an email about your visit. I'm Dean Winslow, and this is…?” He then looked at the Hacker in quite a belittling way.

“This is my associate; she would like to keep herself anonymous for the time being.” Respecting her privacy, he looked at her with a fair look within his eyes, and in return, she gave him a quick wink of a smile in her lips. Another quick smile. Thank God. Maybe if he gave her a little more respect, she would give him a little more…yes, a little more.

“So what is it that you're interested in to visit us here?”
“Your safety.”
“Hmm…perhaps we should take this into our office.”

 

THE ROOM was somehow darker than the whole building itself. The grey walls were thick with shadows but there was still an arrow shaped window allow light to access into the area. The desk was curved and the seats were padded with leather, but neither the Major nor San allowed to sit themselves down, yet the clerk placed himself into his seat and looked at them both.

“Could you explain to me in more detail…why you are so interested in the safety of this company?”
“We have been recently been put onto an assignment to arrest a world-known internet hacker called the Hustler. And we find out that he has been visiting your websites numerously. So then we may have a theory that he's planning something dangerous with your company.”
“Well, here at this company, we have the most highly advanced security through our remote access connections and we never had any problems whatsoever with any forms of terrorism.”
“That may be so, but then we must also ask…what is it you specialize here?”
“We dedicate ourselves to work on bio-reconstruction of humane functions such as limbs and organs, and that we can also reconstruct human DNA from any remaining living cells that can then regenerate itself back into human form.”
“Cloning?”
“`Cloning' is not the term used often around this building.”
“How about `Bringing the dead back to life' then?” San decided to intervene into the conversation quite boldly, but Mr. Winslow just chuckled humorously in a low tone.

“That seems to be a bit of a `horror movie' cliché don't you think there?”
“What's so cliché about it? The fact that you can resurrect dead people all seems to be some sort of a magic trick.”
“San…” Ashitaka muttered to her as low as he could.

“Or does that all seem to be some sort of an illusion?” Then the clerk laughed a bit more loudly than before.

“You do seem to have a very broad mind on what we do here, don't you young lady. We are just here to give the public a second chance in life, and giving them greater chances of living; we're practically the new hospital for the sick and needed.”
“Except you have to pay for health needs here.”
“I never really knew women such as yourself can keep up with holding a masculine speaking role in this kind of society, along with your big opinions.”
“Please…Mr. Winslow…” Ashitaka interrupted the conversation that could turn into a debate. “…We like to thank you for taking your time to speak with us since your are a busy man, but we do need to get this case solved. This man had destroyed many cities in the past; and we can't afford to have this city fallen.”
“I understand that Major.”
“Now, we must ask you, do you have any affiliation or contact with the U.S Military?”
“No, we are a commercial company based on retailing and industrial work…” As the clerk carried on rumbling too proudly on his successful corporation, San decided have another deep observation at the office; the desk, the curtains…the LAN wire. She took a deeper look at the modem that connected to his laptop and through into the wall. Then, she sneakily slipped her hand down into her leather trouser pocket, and then mysteriously pressed her thumb on something which only made a quick click noise and then ceased; leaving her to only then draw her hand out and cross her arms together.

“Well, if you get any disturbances or anything else suspicious, please let us know.”
“We will do.” The Major then gently patted San on the back as a message to make move out of the building as she then slowly walked out from the office. “Oh and Major?” Ashitaka then turned his head to the side with his eyes looking back at the clerk. “Make sure on your next visit…don't bring your associate; I'd rather have one less open-minded woman on my back.” The Major seemed quite disturbed by that favor; he lowered his brows slightly and pressed his lips together a bit harder, trying not to clench his fists.

“…Of course.” He then walked out of the office and head his way down the spiral stairs where San was by his side again; both silent and not a single breath heard from either one of them.

Outside of the building, Ashitaka still looked as soundless and firm from when he just got out from the bureau. He then looked up to see San even more distraught than he was.

“That man needs a slap he does.” He sighed a little in return. “Fuck him.” A small silence occurred.

“Don't.”
“Fuck them.”
“Yeah…but don't.” They both sat on their bikes but didn't make any action to start them up.

“Wanna find out something interesting?” Ashitaka then took another moderate deep breath as he rubbed his face with his right hand and leaned back like a sign of a headache. After leaning his head back to the sky, he then looked over to San and sighed.

“What?”