A Coffee Break

Officer Alacantar had effectively ensnared the man who had saved her life, and quite possibly the lives of everyone in Lykos, by coercing him into covering the costs of his own medical treatment.

In hindsight, the undeniable truth was that Lykos was impoverished. The community had been struggling with poverty even before the outbreak, and the situation had only worsened in the aftermath.

Especially the Police Department, which didn't even have enough credit to pay its officers' salaries.

Axel used the cred stick Shabby had given him to purchase new apparel to pay his medical bills, but he couldn't shake the sadness of realizing that the police force lacked the resources to sustain itself for the next few months.

But he was also glad to get a new set of apparels, so the transaction between him and the medibot didn't seem waste at all.

Lykos will fall. Sooner or later.

"So, you're not with the Authority?"

Axel took a sip of the peculiar tea Officer Alacantar had brewed for him in the police station. Byte nestled on his arms, as always.

The room was spacious but showed its age, a couple of decades old at least. Instead of the sleek glow stones typically found adorning ceilings, the lighting came from automated LED lamps powered by the city's grid.

The walls wore a dull shade of grey, while the furniture was a simple mix of white and wooden pieces. A lone desk occupied the center of the room, with a sofa and a couple of chairs scattered around.

At the far end, there was a small cell, currently unoccupied, reserved for petty criminals. Due to a lack of credits to feed them, they had to release all the prisoners from the prison.

"Nah, we're just local cops who scored some gear from the Authority. Guns, armor, all that jazz—they're courtesy of the Authority, but we ain't officially part of their crew. Only a handful of us get to sport their fancy uniforms."

Officer Alacantar blew on the hot coffee, watching the steam swirl away before bringing the cup to her lips for a sip. She glanced at Axel over the rim, her gaze steady and curious.

She felt relieved that he'd saved the city, but she didn't have anything to give him as a reward. So, to make herself feel better, she asked him to come for a cup of coffee at her police office.

That day, 18 people were dead. 18 of her officers. The number of officers was decreasing and they didn't even have enough budget to buy them guns.

"Hey, I thought you were one of them Authority officers, sent here to Lykos on their orders. Why ain't they giving you more support?"

"Well, seems like Lykos ain't the only place in need, and the Authority probably can't spare any more help for a dying city." 

Quinn sighed. She looked tired.

"The Rhino? What was that about?"

"Some Cyber Psycho from a terrorist organization who mistook us for Authority officers. Can't blame him though, with our black uniforms and badges."

Quinn explained with a wry smile.

"I'm surprised they let a terrorist organization run wild."

"Run wild? They don't leave their base unless it's for a mission."

"What's their goal?"

"To completely wipe out Authority," she answered with a certain flair.

"Well, that doesn't sound too terrible."

Axel wholeheartedly agreed. He didn't know the Authority up close to judge them, but from what he'd heard, they were just a bunch of power-hungry individuals.

"Kids think like that. That's stupid. Suppose they're taken down, then what? Let the terrorists take over the world? Huh? Or better yet, let the people govern themselves. We all know how that'll turn out."

"Anarchy."

"Exactly. Anarchy. We can't survive without the authority."

"We survived before, right?"

"With better leaders, ones chosen by the people. Nowadays, it's just all military. A bunch of powerful men dictating the world, while they lounge in their sky castle."

"Sky Castle?"

"The Authority HQ. It's literally above the clouds. Nobody knows its location."

Axel sighed heavily. He had no interest in getting involved with the Authority whatsoever. He never wanted to cross paths with them, let alone tangle up in their affairs.

Deciding to shift the topic, he spoke up,

"There was this girl... at the site. I managed to save her, but I couldn't save her family. Her name was... uh... Nova."

Quinn's expression soured at the mention of Nova. She remembered the report about her, and the girl was nothing but trouble.

"You don't need to worry about her."

"Why? What's the problem?"

"She's currently locked up. She's gone mad with the trauma, I guess. It's a tragedy, considering the girl had a promising future as a Net-Runner. In fact, she and her family were traveling to Pelagos for her studies. It's a shame, really. The girl had the potential to be one of the greats."

Pelagos stood as the pinnacle of progress in the world. It was the birthplace of every advancement you could think of—hover cars, cyberwares, nano technology, you name it.

But it wasn't just advanced; it was also heavily fortified. Despite losing half of it to the Necro-Bots, the other half remained fiercely protected. The city was so renowned that even Authority soldiers were stationed there for its defense.

Axel looked down, feeling a wave of weakness wash over him. He had been too feeble to help her family, and even worse, he had only managed to save her. If they were all dead, he might have found some peace of mind. But she was alive, and she had witnessed her entire family being burned alive in front of her.

The trauma she experienced would require tremendous strength to overcome.

"She had a talent that could've helped many."

"Yeah, well. The world ain't that kind. She's just lucky to be alive."

Quinn let out a deep sigh, her shoulders slumping as she leaned back in her chair. She could feel the weight of his sadness, almost as if it hung in the air between them.

"Don't beat yourself up, kid. It's just the way life goes. Some people pass away, whether we like it or not, sooner or later. You did what you could."

"But I didn't do enough."

"Nobody did. And that's the reality. Nobody can save everyone. But we try, don't we?"

Suddenly, a loud whirling sound filled the air, catching their attention. Axel quickly moved towards the window, cradling Byte securely in his arms. They both leaned in close, peering outside to see what was causing the noise.

"Is that a..." Axel's eyes widened, his voice trailing off.

"...Hovercraft," Officer Alacantar finished his sentence, confirming Axel's suspicions.