Chapter 2: Acclimation

Silver City Angel. The name of the game is actually the nickname Marina got for herself as an officer: she took down criminals with such grace that the papers bestowed this title upon her. An angel of justice. And then there’s me.

Alex Lee, 25, a normal working-class woman by any measure. Not particularly athletic, nor skilled in subduing delinquents. As I stand in front of the mirror, I realize: I may look like Marina, but I’m nothing like her. 

And I don’t mean that in a self-deprecating way; I think that perhaps, being so different from Marina could help me. If this is to be my reality from now on, if this isn’t a dream and I have to live in Marina’s body now, I’ll choose differently than her. I will use this strong body, along with the knowledge I have of this game, to change my fate. I will save myself, just as Marina wanted.

I walk back to the desk and pick up the notebook. I look for something to write with, and quickly find it in a desk drawer. As I put pen to paper, a thought hits me. The secret route. Could it be? Is this the solution to my problems? I hadn’t been able to find it in any of my playthroughs, though, so how would I know how to find it now…? 

Right then, another thought strikes me. Like lightning, the image of a real angel pops up in my head. My perfect boy. My king. Elliot.

Elliot King is Marina’s assigned partner, the one who goes missing during the first few chapters of the game. I had hoped that the secret route involved him, and that's why I was trying to find the secret route so passionately. Not to mention he’s gorgeous, it was practically love at first sight. If the secret route was really about him, it would answer so many questions; it would finally make the game complete.  Excitement builds up in my body, my thoughts race with all the possibilities; maybe I could prevent his disappearance, maybe he’s the way out of this.

Just as I think I’m ready to ditch Marina’s apartment and run straight into Elliot’s arms, I hear something buzzing from inside one of the desk’s shelves. Upon opening it, I find Marina’s phone. I reach for it and notice a new text message on its screen.

Marina, are you coming? It’s already past 8…

It’s Elliot.

My breath hitches. My heart skips a beat, and I squeeze the phone so hard that I fear I might break it, but I can’t relax. A familiar heat rushes to my cheeks; if I looked in the mirror, I know my face would be as red as a tomato. But as excited as I am, I know this isn’t a coincidence. I recognize this situation immediately. 

This is the start of Silver City Angel: Marina snoozes her alarm and is late for an important meeting. Just your typical girl running through the streets with a loaf of bread in her mouth. Which is how I might end up, as my belly makes a disturbing sound, announcing to the empty apartment that I haven’t had breakfast yet.

A quick search through Marina’s kitchen reveals a few loaves of white bread. I grab them and put them in a bag, and rush to change into the white and blue uniform hanging from her closet door. The uniform looks like a mix of high fashion and cosplay, and even though it looks impractical, upon wearing it, it’s actually quite comfortable. I imagine it would be hard to move around and catch criminals if it wasn’t. I bolt out of her place, not wanting to waste another second. Elliot is waiting.

Stepping out of the apartment building feels like a dream: places I have only seen in the game now stand right in front of me, defiantly, as if to say “I exist, I’m part of your reality now”. I pull out Marina’s phone and try to find out how to get to the precinct. The way her phone works is quite instinctive, very much like phones in my own world. I quickly set a route in the navigation app and make my way to the precinct, gobbling down pieces of white bread on the way.

The city is full of colorful storefronts, tall, glass buildings, and fashionable people. It’s so unbelievably clean, it’s almost uncanny. Silver City is unlike any place I’ve ever been, in both good and bad ways. It’s not exactly subtle, but many passersby sport unnaturally colored eyes and hair, while others have augmented their bodies in other visible ways. Some of them have pieces of metal melded into their bodies, a sign of technological augmentation. 

Not everyone is an “auggie”, though; the nickname is reserved for people who use their augments for crimes. These augments were supposed to make life easier, people healthier, but there will always be those who push the boundaries of what is accepted. After all, it must be easier to rob a bank if you have titanium for skin or hidden blades under your wrists.

Walking through the streets of Silver City feels both nostalgic and new. On the way, I recognize Marina’s favorite cafe, the hospital where she goes to investigate, Elliot’s apartment building, and then, finally, the precinct. It’s a beautiful building that mixes modern and old architecture. The front looks like a historical building from yesteryears, while a modern tower made of metal and glass stands right behind it. 

Staring at the front door, I brace myself for what’s to come. I must put on a convincing act. I know the game, so in theory it should be easy, but I can’t afford to mess up lest I end up in jail, dead, or worse, in the clutches of one of the love interests.

I cross the threshold that is the front door into a foyer. A grand statue of an angel in a blindfold, carrying a scale and a sword, welcomes me. It's the symbol of justice, quite standard for a law enforcement building. I think justice statues aren’t usually angels, but that might just be a stylistic choice, given the name of the game. Below the statue is a counter where a couple of officers are talking to visitors. I approach the officer on duty and report.

“Officer Hayes, you’re late,” Says a burly man from behind a holographic computer monitor. His nameplate reads “Johnson”.

“Good Morning, Johnson. Sorry about that, had a rough night,” I say, as nonchalantly as possible. Hearing Marina’s voice coming out of my mouth is freaky, to say the least.

“They’re waiting for you at Meering Room B.” He says, pointing to a door. He then turns his attention back to his computer screen.

“Thanks a lot.” I tap the counter lightly and head to a door on the left. There is what seems to be a card reader with a red light on it. I search my uniform pockets for anything I might use to gain access, but no luck. They don’t really show these types of small interactions in the game.

“Your pass not working?” Officer Johnson notices my conundrum and looks at me expectantly.

“Um…” I shrug and look confused. I don’t even know what he’s talking about.

“Let me take a look.” He stands up and presses a button on the wall behind him. A short door attached to the counter opens up, and he joins me next to the scanner. “Did you try hovering your arm for at least a couple of seconds? If you wave it too quickly, it won’t read the bracelet’s signal.”

Oh, the bracelet. I raise my arms slightly and notice a slim band around my right wrist. This must be what he’s referring to. I bring the bracelet close to the reader and leave it there for a couple of seconds. The red light turns green, and I can hear the sound of the door unlocking.

“There we go,” Says Johnson, as he returns to his desk. “Go on now, don’t make them wait much longer.”

“Yup, I’m going.” I open the door and go through. On the other side of the door, there’s a large office space with many officers sitting in front of their desks, processing paperwork. Others pace around, discussing the latest raid against The Untamed, the main bad guys of the game. Pretty self-explanatory name. Their members are high proponents of using augmentations to free themselves from the chains of society. I don’t know that I agree with their ways, as more often than not, they are shown getting innocent people hurt . But that’s what I’m here for, I guess.

Hanging on one of the walls is an old map of the precinct. I quickly find where Meeting Room B is, and hurriedly make my way there. Stepping in front of the door to the meeting room, I take a deep breath. I can’t believe I’m about to meet THE Elliot. This scene is iconic (for Elliot fans anyway). It’s the first time you see him, and one of the few extended scenes you get with Elliot before his disappearance. A couple of seconds pass, and I steel myself for the coming encounter.