Change of Perspective

A few months ago I would've laughed if you told me what the future held. My co-worker being a demon and actually being my girlfriend, me getting a chance at actually using Paradise as a platform to help people, and even Paradise itself being used as a conduit by the actual God they speak of in the Bible. Yeah, I would've considered it a massive joke.

But this is all reality. Yet, with everything going on, it feels like something even bigger is looming. A shadow lurking behind me waiting to pounce the moment I feel like everything's going my way.

After I put that fake priest away, the publicity of that story fed into what I did. I needed to hire more people because of the demand, and just like that more and more people were being helped, charities came from this to put into orphanages like I'd planned.

Maybe I fear success. No, success is to be feared at times, because once you feel like you can keep going farther, someone can come along and clip your wings on a whim, just because they felt like it. Or, even worse, the good you do can uncover a dark secret. A secret worth killing for.

I sat in my office with these thoughts in mind, when a middle aged man came in and sat down. The look on his face paints a vivid picture, he looked somewhere between the verge of tears and a livid outburst.

"I..I need help finding my daughter. She's been missing for almost a week and the police refuse to do anything to help me.."

He sounded defeated, like he'd gone to war day in and day out fighting a losing battle.

"I'll do everything I can, what's her name and what can you tell me about her?"

He swallowed hard, like something was stuck inside his throat. His nerves are at a fever pitch, but he managed to respond to me.

"Her name is Fiona Frost, she's sixteen and has recently been in quite a rebellious stage as of late. We've been fighting a lot over personal matters, and she's recently begun hanging out with a group of Scrappers."

"I see, that could be concerning for a parent. But, most of the Scrappers are usually harmless. They've stolen at a few places and cause mischief here and there, but they're a group that takes pride in mechanical modification. They have patternized movements and hangouts, I can look into her disappearance personally and relay my findings as soon as I can to you."

"Thank you, Tobias. I pray under your watchful eye she'll turn up soon."

He left with more pep in his step than he came in with. I'm glad that my presence is so reassuring after such a short time. I just hope I can follow through and help properly.

-

It's been a few days now. No sign of her anywhere. I've combed through all the Scappers known hangouts, and no one had any information. Or, at least didn't want to give up any information. They have a code amongst them, and they wouldn't sell anyone out. I guess that includes concerned parents unfortunately.

I'm sitting in my apartment looking over a map of the city, what am I missing here? Where haven't I looked? Are there darker forces in play? Or, could I be overthinking it?

"Agh!" I let out an audible growl of frustration without even realizing it.

I looked up to see Meri staring down at me before speaking in her usual cold tone.

"Tobias. You haven't eaten in well over a day. Don't let this case cause your health to suffer."

As per usual, she's in my head again. Columbines are hyper intelligent, they know a human better than we know ourselves half the time.

"Yes, yes. I know. I'll eat something here soon."

"What is it you're struggling with?"

"Well…this girl apparently has been running with Scrappers, but there's no information about her location. She wasn't at any hangouts, nor was anyone willing to give up anything. I've hit a roadblock."

Meri looked over the map closely, tracing her fingers around some of the points I had previously marked.

"That's their main hideout. I've passed by that place a few times, noticing a lot of their most respected members coming in and out."

"From the old radio tower? That sounds like a typical wayward gang hideout. But how would I get in there without issue?"

"I can't tell you everything Tobias, use your head and conjure something up like you usually do."

My eyes widened at the thought, I'm a thinker not a fighter. Any time I've been in any physical altercation, I'm left on the ground because I got pummeled. Even with a gun, they have metal pieces that wouldn't take damage, and my reputation can't afford any potential murder charges.

Meri, looked back at me while I cycled through another drawn out thought process. She let out an audible sigh of disappointment. "You could pose that you want to join them."

I snapped out of it again, shaking my head lightly. "No, my reputation and lines of questioning would prove different. They could capture me as bait even."

"What if you wanted to bring good publicity to their cause? Understanding is a great way of earning trust, and most of what they are about is aesthetic and loving oneself. Not much of a difference than someone who wants a bunch of piercings or tattoos."

She's not wrong. All they've ever wanted was to be understood, maybe I could play into that. I hate being deceitful but I need to let a single father know that his daughter is okay.

"You're right, actually. I might be able to have them give me a tour or something. When did you become so intuitive about humans? I swear, you've sponged up everything around you since you came here."

Meri analyzed me for a moment before giving her response. "Information is fed into our personal CPU upon creation. Most answers I give are premeditated to help the person I'm assigned to."

I hopped to my feet, which startled her a bit, and went straight into the kitchen and gave her a soft rub on the head.

"I'm grateful for everything you do."

"I-um..Tobias you have a girlfriend, this kind of display may not look right."

She's at a loss for words, something I've never seen out of her before. She closed her eyes tightly, I imagine if she could blush her face would be as red as a tomato. When I stopped after a few moments she stepped on my foot firmly, setting a reminder that Columbines are still a combat AI.

"Please refrain from doing that again…"

I can't tell if she's fighting back anger or embarrassment, her flat vocal tone never gives any queues.

"I'm sorry. Zoey said I should show my appreciation to you more, and I guess I got caught in the moment. My apologies."

Her face had a look of slight shock as she immediately got off my foot and took a half step back away. "My humblest apologies in return. I had no idea that Miss Zoey said that to you. But please, be safe when you go there Mas- I mean, Tobias."

"I will. I promise."

Was she honestly thinking I was coming onto her? I know the repercussions of that more than she knows.

-

This was easier than I thought. I told the Scrappers I wanted to write about them and they let me in. Honestly, they seem pretty noble for the most part. Maybe they'll give me details on Fiona after all is said and done.

This guy that's leading me is looking back at me with a level of concern. It's like there's something wr-. Before I could finish my thought he pulled me around a corner, pointing to a door it led to.

"Tobias…she's in there. Call the cops and blow this whole thing open…please. What they did…is not something I signed up for."

He spoke in a hushed whisper frantically before practically pushing me through the door! He's known as the Right Hand, because of his cybernetic right hand and is known as a dependable guy in general.

I followed what he said, without complaint and without second guessing. The door leads to a secret set of stairs built directly in the center of the tower, with the lone entrance on the fourth floor. I went down five flights of stairs with each step echoing as the only sound audible, into a basement level. I reached heavy double doors that squeaked and scraped across the floor as they opened.

The sight before me changes the whole narrative of what I thought I'd deal with. I've never felt so sick in my life, I can't even look. I have to call 911, I have to somehow speak clearly and let them know where I am precisely. This…this..can't be missed.