Thursday, 4/18/2216, Part 2

“I always wanted to do something like this.” ChingWei whispered as he walked up to us at the bar of TV Party.

He had been surprisingly easy to convince. I had expected him to yell at me when I called him after work and have to invoke some sob story about my dad, but he actually gave me more shit for skipping work then for what I was doing. “I’m just giving my piece of shit employee a backlog of orders to file.” He had said, with a wink. What a guy!

The sob story wasn’t in vain, however. The HU guys went wild when I told them I needed to bring my boss in and it wasn’t until I told them he was a good friend of my dad’s who had always looked out for me that they relented. After that, Ontivia and I had gone to TV Party to wait while the rest of them went back to their preparations. It was the only place I could think of that was close to my home and didn’t enforce PCD. Also, if K saw me in my badass terrorist arc, I don’t think that would be the worst thing. She wasn’t there, but maybe that’s for the best.

There weren’t many people besides us to start and they slowly filtered out. I don’t know why this spot was so unpopular. It’s gimmick wasn’t bad as far as gimmicks go. We sat at the bar where there weren’t as many TVs. The ones that were there were broadcasting war propaganda.

“Yoooooo! That’s so wild!” A young streamer was reacting to videos of solar sail missiles being tested on near-Earth asteroids. The asteroid shattered as the explosion spread out in an orange sphere. The camera orbiting the small body shook with the energy wave as the camera on the asteroid went black. “What do you even do about that? Not that I want them to.” He added quickly.

Almost all broadcasters, streamers, etc… were all covering the war effort. It was all just exhausting. I wondered if they could keep it up until the missiles hit.

We already had beers when ChingWei walked in and I quickly ordered one for him too. Select TV Party menu, select beverages, select drafts, select Dub Light. ‘You will be charged 7 credits’, select accept.

“The digital records are all physically with me,” ChingWei said. He put his hand on my shoulder but he was talking to Ontivia. “I have them on this drive, no record.”

“Thanks so much.” Ontivia said, sweetly. “It’s nice to meet you by the way.”

“It’s ahhh, nice to meet you too,” ChingWei replied nervously, and maybe even a little flustered. “Always wanted to do my part, expose corruption and all that.”

He sat down next to her and slid the drive across the bar under his hand, spy style. ChingWei seemed like he was ready for his terrorist arc, I observed.

“You’ve done so much, you’re a hero.” Ontivia said, putting her hand on his, subtly taking the drive.

“I’d say you are.” ChingWei blushed a little bit. He jumped as the bartender put his drink down next to him, but he recovered quickly. “You gonna stick around for a bit?”

“No I really need to get this back, but,” she picked up her beer and raised it. ChingWei and I raised ours as well. “To the future.” Ontivia said and drained her beer.

As we agreed and sipped she stood to leave. “Thank you.” She said to ChingWei in closing. “I’ll see you later, yeah?” She said to me.

“S-see you.” I said as she walked away.

“Ayeeee, good work my boy.” ChingWei said, elbowing me and sliding into her seat once she was far enough away.

“Uhhh, yeah, thanks,” I said awkwardly. Better not to elaborate, just change the subject. “You really are a great guy, I’m so sorry I ever hated you.”

He laughed at that, a deep rasping laugh that warmed my heart. “No it was the least I could do.”

“I, uhhh, I was ready to give you a sob story about dad.”

He laughed again. “Well, after what happened to your dad, he really—”

There was an ear piercing crack as his brains exploded all over the bar top.

His beer fell from his limp fingers to the floor where its glass shattered. Out of pure instinct I flung myself backwards, diving down under the lip of the bar. In my adrenaline fueled frenzy, I managed to turn around just in time to see Ontivia collapse at the door.

Seitaro stood behind her seizing body, shrugging, holding a pistol in his left hand.

He was saying something as a man in tactical gear barged in to the small dimly lit bar followed by a team of riot drones. The man looked to Seitaro and pointed at me but he waved them off.

He kept talking as he walked up but my ears were still ringing. Fragments of speech began making their way through my damaged ears “… that… crime… terminated… she… suspended until… rest of those fuckers.”

Internal Notice: Heart rate unusually elevated. Do you require assistance?

Select yes.

Public Assistance: What service do you require?

Select Peace Officer.

Public Assistance: This service is temporarily blocked. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Seitaro crouched down in front of me, shaking his head sadly.

“What can I say? I’m a company man,” I could barely hear him say as he reached over behind my ear and tapped my NAC.

I lost consciousness.