The C.A.N. Collector's Union

R.C. arrogantly sat back in the chair as if he was relaxing, as he waited. There were still two men in suits that remained in the room. Neither spoke.

Eventually the third man returned. He was accompanied by an older man in a red colored suit with a matching fedora. His beard was long and gray.

"You're probably curious about what all this is." The man said in a laid back tone.

"Of course I am! I've had guns pointed at me and things injected into me and I still have no idea what's going on." R.C. replied

"I'm known around here as Mr. Pipp. If you follow me, I'll show you everything you need to know." He said with a warm smile.

"Great. My name's R.C.. Let's see what you have to show me, old man."

R.C. got up from the chair. The two of them left the room with Mr. Pipp leading the way.

As they re-entered the main room. There were two individuals waiting at the front desk. One was a Tomboyish looking girl with medium length red hair. She was wearing a red hoodie and black leggings. The other was a pale looking young man with yellow hair. He was wearing a yellow hoodie and black cargo shorts. Both looked to be roughly the same age as R.C..

It was safe for R.C. to assume that these were the people he had tailed here.

"Pipp! Where the heck did the guys in suits go? We are looking to cash in on the stuff we collected." The red haired Girl said, seeming impatient.

Pipp Responded to her, "I'm sure they'll be back soon. We are all just working on getting R.C. here orientated with the profession of C.A.N. collecting."

"I still don't get it! This all seems a bit overkill just for some tin can recycling operation." R.C. said, chiming in.

Pipp laughed a bit, "you don't really know anything about us, Huh?"

"Wait if he doesn't know anything then how the heck did he find this place?" The girl inquired with a bit of an attitude.

R.C. spoke in a snarky tone, "I noticed the two of you over by the docks. You seemed kind of suspicious, so I decided to follow you here."

"I knew we should have waited until night to come here!" She snapped at the guy in the yellow hoodie next to her. He just smirked at her.

"Codea, why don't you show our friend R.C. here what you have in the bag." Pipp asked.

She huffed then reluctantly emptied her black trash bag onto the counter. A few objects fell out that were definitely not tin soda cans.

The objects appeared to be heavily damaged mechanical Beatles. They were green and about the size of a bowling ball. Their smashed up outer plating had the same decals and logo as Sprit brand soda can.

"What the heck are those things?" R.C. exclaimed.

These were definitely not like any drones R.C. had seen before.

"Those are C.A.N.s," Pipp replied.

R.C. had a confused look on his face, "Cans?"

Pipp smiled, "Yes, they are called C.A.N.s, which is an acronym for Carnivorous Autonomous Nanobots."

"Alright, that still doesn't tell me anything."

"As you may know, litter is a major issue in Popolis. About 5 years ago all the major beverage corporations, mainly Bepsi Co. and Cola-Cola with help from the city government, came together to develop a solution.

They eventually developed C.A.N.s., which were initially meant to be nanobots that consumed soda cans. The idea was for them to be released onto the streets to help reduce litter. Unfortunately, this didn't exactly turn out that way.

As the nanobots consume they use scrap metal to create more of themselves. At some point the A.I. that drives the nanobots started learning for itself and re-writing its programming.

Before long groups of the microscopic C.A.N. nanobots began merging together into symbiotic bodies, just like what you see here on the counter. Their forms vary and they tend to grow as they consume.

Their goal that they were programmed for is to try to eliminate litter. The only problem is their A.I. has decided that the only way to truly eliminate litter is to wipe out any humans they come in contact with, so that they can't litter in the first place."

"Yeah, I get that, but that still doesn't explain what the purpose of this place and everyone here is?" R.C. said, getting a bit impatient.

"As you'd imagine if the public found out about this project, the optics wouldn't be great for the Corporations or the government. So they had to figure out a way to take care of it in secret.

Eventually the C.A.N. Collector's Union was formed, which is us. The goal of this group is to exterminate C.A.N.s throughout the city.

Bounties for various C.A.N.s spotted throughout the city are posted on the board over there. Our members can take any bounties they like and if they succeed in eliminating their target and retrieving the remains, they are compensated in cash here." Pipp explained.

"What do they do with the remains after they are turned in?" R.C. Asked.

"I'm in charge of the union and all I know is that government agents take them away. Other than that nobody knows what is done with them after that."

"So what you're telling me is that all I have to do is go out and find some advanced recycling robots, smash them up, and then bring them back here and I'll get paid?" R.C. said.

Mr. Pipp adjusted his suit jacket a little then spoke, "We'll yeah, pretty much. But I'll warn you it's not necessarily that easy. I think you should consider teaming up with some other members for your first few hunts. Perhaps Ms. Codea Red and her brother here would be so kind as to take you along with them next time they go out."

Codea tilted her head a little and looked at R.C., "I guess it would be alright letting this amateur tag along with us, but he better not get in our way. Also, his cut of the reward will depend on how much he contributes."

R.C. got an arrogant grin on his face, "I think I'm good. Working with others just means I have to split my compensation. Also I don't typically work with girls unless they're pretty."

Codea paused for a moment and gave R.C. a death stare.

"What did you just say!?" She said in an angry tone.

"I said I only work with pretty girls." R.C. repeated.

*SLAP*

Codea slapped R.C. across the face. She then proceeded to clear her things off the counter.

"We're leaving," she said to her brother.

She proceeded to storm out of the room clearly angered by R.C.'s comment.

Before leaving her brother, the guy in the yellow hoodie, turned to R.C. with a grin. He looked as if he let out a silent laugh before proceeding to follow after his sister.

"I really think you are making a mistake. You should reconsider." Pipp said, seeming concerned.

"Nah, I'm good." R.C. said as he proceeded over to the bounty board.

"This isn't a joke, kid. These things can be pretty dangero-"

R.C. cut him off, "I'll take this one. One Hundred thousand Tabs (Popolis' universal currency) is enough money to make all my problems disappear."

He took a picture of the listing on the board with his Smartphone.

"I would not advise on that one in parti-"

R.C. cut him off again, "thanks for the concern, but I'm not some poser. I can handle some dumb robot."

"It's your life then. If you won't listen, that's on you."

"Yeah, Yeah. Whatever, I'll see you when I come back to collect my compensation."

With that R.C. left from where he entered from. Old Man Pipp deep down had a sick feeling in his stomach. It made him a bit sad to see a young man who had his whole life ahead of him, just throw his life away.