Track 04 - Decommissioned

A few hours passed. The sun had finally set and with it the moon rose. It was a cloudy night and the moon could only barely be seen, a minute glow behind dark clouds. Stars weren't visible in the sky either, just an endless of dark clouds moving around as a cold breeze fluttered about.

The restaurant had finally closed for the night and there was not a soul in it except Displo, resting as he charged his battery.

His room was plain, just a simple shelf to hold his clothes, a nightstand and a bed with nothing on it but a mattress. It didn't matter to him. He never got dirty and didn't perspire so it was always clean. The bed sat next to an outlet which he had plugged himself into.

There wasn't a single poster or picture on the wall and they remained bare except the single light switch near the door. The only thing that even indicated anyone used this was room was the stack of books atop the night stand. Dust didn't cover any of them and while they were old novels they were in pristine condition.

Displo lay against the bedframe charging as he read one of the books. He could've easily just scanned and uploaded it to his mind but the physical act of reading made him enjoy it so much more,

To further add to the ambience a lantern stood beside on the nightstand lighting the room. It was another aesthetic feature Displo didn't need but enjoyed it nonetheless.

Hunched over The Magical Monarch of Mo, he reading it slowly. He was enjoyed himself, loving the feeling of gaining power back as well as the grandiose descriptions of a make-believe fantasy land. He heard a rustle from outside.

Now Playing...

Artist: Sonnov

Song: White Dove Emoji

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKMIqioD5YM

His first thought was S. However S' presence in the network would've been noticeable. He wasn't here. A quick check of TURINGS indicated no streams were active either. S was elsewhere. He wasn't surprised there, he had practically told the monster to go elsewhere for the night.

Putting the book down he mentally checked all the cameras. None of them displayed anything but two had been taken offline. Ones at the back of the restaurant. Looking at the last footage of the offline cam he saw a shadowy figure enter the back of the restaurant.

Though not seen he frowned. Thieves, he thought. He had been incredibly lucky, never once having anyone attempt a burglary in his establishment. Still, he had precautions in place in case.

Displo reached under his bed and pulled out a long metal box. Rusted shut, it didn't take much to pop the locks off.

He never considered himself much a fighter. He had weapons on him such as the cannon but those were 'last resort' measures. He never fancied himself a field agent anyways.

Black tissue paper covered the contents of the box. Displo slowly moved each piece of paper off, almost as if he were unwrapping a present.

But when those tried to threaten his restaurant, he became serious.

Under the paper inside the lock box was a shotgun, double-barrel, never once used. A few shells lined the box as well.

Picking it up carefully he loaded the shells into it.

"A man's home is his castle. And he has every right to defend it." Displo mumbled.

Being a front for his 'masters', he knew to inform them as well. He contacted IRIS. "We have a potential breach, exercising caution, send check-up support." He said to them.

Pushing the door open slowly he stepped into the hallway. The same one you had your meeting with Tabi in, the same one that held TURINGS, the meeting room and the private booths. Like the rest of the restaurant it was black, only a few stray streetlights through booth windows lighting up the hall.

He watched the booths carefully for any movement, any person lurking behind them. He waited for a minute as he stood there, ears checking for breathing. He needed to be extra careful, after all, one of the back doors was within sight. It had been closed, the intruder having gone elsewhere. Approaching the meeting room he noticed the door was ajar.

Displo pushed the door aside and aimed in. Not a single movement nor sounds were present. He looked at the room's state. It had been untouched since S had opened it, even longer untouched since the meetings had paused.

Each step remained silence. Displo knew about stealth. He made sure there was not a peep in his steps. He felt proud about that.

Moving the main restaurant he prepared himself. Another rustle came from inside. The intruder was there.

His face was dimmed as he moved. It made him more invisible. It removed his ability to see properly but he managed just fine by the night's ambience and the seeing through the cameras. He could see in the cameras somewhere riffling through the liquor collection.

Steal my liquor will you? Displo thought. It was his current guess on the intruder.

He stepped into the main lobby of the restaurant, both hands on the shotgun. When the restaurant had first been built none of the planners had noticed how close the entrance was to a street light. Displo worked it into the restaurant's design. It didn't do much during the day. However, during nights the street lamp's white light would illuminate the interior of the restaurant, allowing him to save money on lighting.

On the first night the workers thought a UFO was hovering just outside the building. It also provided a running gag for the sous chefs in winter, when the sun wouldn't rise till 7. They would pretend a UFO really did show up, even tinting the street light green.

Scanning around he saw no indication the thief was at the bar. The tables sat neatly in their predetermined order, as did the chairs sit around them.

There were a few differences Displo noticed. They were immediately apparent to him. A few of the table clothes had been moved slightly, one table was missing one of its coasters, the thief having knocked them asunder when they entered. One of the chairs had been moved just slightly off its planned position.

And judging by the space at which the cloth had curled, the intruder was hiding under that table.

Two intruders. It was not possible for someone to run from the liquor cabinet to that table that fast. It meant a second person hid behind the bar.

Interfacing with the lights Displo turned some, directly lighting up the bar and the table.

"Get up." He said.

He cocked the shotgun, the sound echoing in the restaurant.

There was a small fluttering at first, then something under the cloth rose. It struggled at first, pushing the cloth away but it got up. It was a small imp. And as it looked at Displo, it grinned and stuck its tongue out. Another one also popped up from behind the bar, further dividing his attention.

He had been had.

With an unusually strong strike, something hard smashed into Displo's back. He landed against the bar. As he sat up and turned someone spoke.

"Ha. I was expecting a little more resistance." A female voice remarked.

The hit hadn't knocked anything loose but it did hurt. He reached for the shotgun but was stopped, a black stiletto boot stepped on it, moving it out of the way. Displo looked up.

He knew who it was instantly. Unseen, Displo's eyes went wide with shock. It was seen by his screen suddenly increasing in brightness. It couldn't be. Several things immediately went through his head.

Standing above him was a demon, through and though. Displo knew her very well, just not personally. It was just that in his business there were people you just had to be aware of.

"Surprised to see me? You do know who I am right? Of course you do." She remarked.

She was known as Mommy Meanest. The matriarch of the Family.

Why her? How did she sneak up? Why was she here? What did she know? All raced through his head. A feeling of dread washed up on him, fear not too far behind.

While she appeared human, the white-purplish skin that turned purple as it went up to her head. She was a demon, full fledgling. It was clear to any observer there was little human in her. As did the pointed ears, and the black eyes, sparks of red glittering in them. Even in the bar's light did her pupils glow red. It would have struck fear into most victims. Her crimson red eyes matched the lipstick she wore, glistening in the bar's dim light.

Past the purple was a large mane of hair, auburn coloured, though to Displo's sight it appeared brighter than usual. It went down to her waste but was frayed with several pointed ends. It gave the depiction not as unhygienic, but wild and lion-like. He looked away, trying to suppress the anxiety bubbling within him.

She smiled, showing pearly whites, a wolfish grin forming.

To her fans that knew her as a rockstar she was a full on 'modern punk-rocker'. The Mother and Lioness of The Family.

She held a metal baseball bat, no doubt the same one that had struck him on the back. It was only then did he notice a few demons standing behind her, watching maniacally.

"Nothing to say?" She grinned.

She had a black jacket on, open, revealing a blood red dress under it. Hooked onto her ears were hoop earrings that shined quietly. It matched the golden choker that surrounded her neck as the bracelets surrounding her wrists.

The first thing Displo did was emit a distress signal. With the family, hell, with specifically her showing up it spelled disaster. She had the reputation of being the most brutal of them all. It was a silent distress signal, one sent through unseen back channels. But before he could speak a ding rang off.

"Oh?" Her grin grew wider. "Phoning home are we?" She pulled out a crimson red flip phone. She pushed one of the cell keys which appeared to do nothing. Displo knew what it did, having received the messaged instantly. His distress signal had been denied.

"What have you-"

"I just want to talk. Me and you. See, we have a lot to discuss. No cameras, no recordings, no friends. Just, me, you and my posse." She smiled.

There was a second chance, one he knew she wouldn't have. If he couldn't use the network he could use SMS to warn the others. Warn you, Tabi, Tess, etc. But as he did there a silence that followed. He heard a faint hum, one that made his heart sink in fear. There was no way.

"As I said. No friends. Just me and you." She said. One of the demons walked in from the dark and handed her something.

"See this? I know I don't have to explain what it is. You know what is, don't you?" She held a phone-sized object, a bright red light emitting from it. It had a large antenna. Displo knew what is was and felt no need to answer. It was a signal jammer.

She placed it on the table near him, out of reach.

Displo's hands were by his sides, spread on the carpet. He was shaking, although it remained out of sight. The request had to have been denied. He struggled to go through all the possibilities of how she got access to IRIS' system.

"What do you want?" Displo asked monotone.

"Y'know, I really shoulda did this earlier." Mommy said, looking at her nails. "Especially after that bullshit you pulled with my concert a few months back. Big concert we were putting on. You remember right?"

Displo knew what she was talking about and some relief washed over him. It had nothing to do with the team. As if predicting her next words he spoke. She must have wanted answers. "That was not me." He knew of that concert crash, when IRIS agents essentially hijacked it. They humiliated the Family, even if no physical damage was done.

She wore long knee-high boots that practically shined in the light. Latex, as was the jacket.

Mommy lifted a leg up and jammed it into Displo's the heel going clean through the metal. Displo winced, but nonetheless remained silent. A few sparks emitted from the crash.

"I know it was you who was behind it. Shit, I know it was your 'masters'." She said mockingly. "But you spearheaded the operation. It was a miracle one of your own agents helped us. I'm sure you remember him, right? Hex?"

"I wasn't the one who ordere-" Mommy raised the bat to Displo's chin, moving his head up slightly. "Let me finish otherwise they'll be nothing left of you to pick up." She said coldly.

Seeing Displo not respond she moved the bat away. "It's clever." She looked around the restaurant. "Use the place as a front away from the company, form your little band of mercenaries and start act as a hit squad for your babysitters." She paused. "Real clever."

No. She could not have been referring to the Carnival. Displo had been suppressing it but could feel the worry sting in his arms. He shook slightly.

"So you crash our concert, have your cop friend investigate us, attack The Greater Good twice and even do some pitiful attack on yourselves. As if it would make you look innocent."

Displo didn't speak.

"Course it ends tonight. You've been getting bolder and bolder. I figure it's just a matter of time till you pull a round 2 on us."

She couldn't have known that. Displo thought. She had to have been guessing. Maybe if someone on the team flipped. No. That was impossible. Wait, attack TGG twice? That never happened, unless that attack Nikusa, but nobody considered it an attack besid-

"Well? What have you got to say for yourself?"

"You are incorrect. We are merely a security team. IRIS and TGG were routine tests."

"Oh?" Mommy said. "And the concert was just a 'test'? And the investigation?"

"The concert wasn't my team. It was IRIS, but not me." Displo felt a little bad saying that, though to the cops and the Family it was common knowledge IRIS did it.

"What about the fact that most of your team has a history with us? What you did to Hex and what you did to Sarventes? Come on. At least try to make it believable. It's clear. You attacked TGG, use her own son as bait and arrest her. I bet it was you who wiretapped us too." Mommy said disappointed.

"Wiretap? What are you talking abou-"

"Silence. Anyways, it's not like it'll matter much." Her phone rang off again. "Hm?" She checked it, the disappointment replaced by amusement.

"Calling your other babysitters for help? How pathetic. So you're a double agent too huh?" Displo had tried activating the TGG signal that Updike had taught him, only to have it rejected instantly, the call forwarded to Mommy. The jammer had no problem blocking the call too.

He was flabbergasted, slowly seeing the amount of contradictions and erroneous conclusions she had come to. She knew nothing of the IRIS-TGG alliance, or at the very least saw it odd he could called TGG.

"They aren't coming. We got deeper claws than you think. IRIS and TGG are nothing. This will just a minor blip on IRIS' radar. Wanna call any of your friends, give 'em a warning? Probably too late. We made sure it all happens at the same time. Maybe I'll turn it off, just for a second." She taunted.

"T-the others?"

"That's right." She pulled out a few photographs from her pocket and tossed them onto Displo.

He looked horrified as he saw photos of you, Kapi, Tabi, Pomona and Agoti.

"The others weren't involved. It was all me. I did this. Not them." Displo said, a last ditch attempt at saving everyone.

"What about that green girl we saw you with? She a part of your team? I'd love to see what this bat could do to her."

"She's nothing. She's not even IRIS." Displo said, visibly worried now.

"What a pity. Ehn. I'm sure I'll get a shot at her eventually. Any last words? Tell you what, you tell us about the whole team and maybe I'll spare you. Maybe say sorry too?"

"I won't apologize for my actions. I will not beg for whatever sick amusement you get. I will not yield and I will not tell you where the others are. Do your worse. I have nothing more to say to you. All luck runs out. Even yours." It just came out, anger. He had no idea what to think of it. He knew the team members were strong, and they'd find a way.

"How boring."

With a mighty swing, Mommy swung the bat right into Displo's screen. His view immediately went blind, the bat smashing through the glass and cathode ray-tubes.

Displo slumped over, unmoving, shards of glass falling around him, sparks fluttering around his now-broken screen.

"Always heard you could get electrocuted hitting TVs. Guess not." Mommy shrugged.

"Alright, let's blow this popsicle stand. Good job you." Mommy petted the imp. She dropped the bat and walked away.

But, unseen to her Displo wasn't dead. He could still hear and see through the cameras. He watched as Mommy left the room then struggled to get up. His leg was still sparking and he was stumbling blindly.

The first thing he did was reach the table, and get the jammer. He had to use the cameras to find the off switch. The first signal he had sent earlier was received. IRIS agents were already on their way.

Now listening around he heard a bubbling sound from the kitchen. He didn't let it bother him. All it meant was that there was limited time now.

He sent off as many messages as he could. To you, Tabi, Pomona, everyone. It was hastily typed and errors present but had one clear message.

The Family knows. They are coming for you.

He had to warn IRIS. He opened a connection, dumping the logs. He encrypted them, making sure clearance was highest. Someone in IRIS had flipped, TGG too. He wasn't sure if it would be received. He sent a message to Static, telling him he loved him and to find Pomona.

He started to stumble to the door, losing control of himself. There was one final thing he needed to do, and if so would save himself.

As he uploaded himself to IRIS he sent one final message, to an unknown number. He made sure to encrypt it. Just in case.

"I'm sorry for what has happened. It wasn't your fault."

He just hoped he had enough time, and was far away enough-

The next chapter will be called My New Neighbour.