Chapter Forty-Five - Mall Day


    Chapter Forty-Five - Mall Day


    Malls were an interesting idea before the turn of the century. A place where stores could be jammed in and where people could gather. They nearly became an artefact of a more peaceful time.


    Terrorist attacks, a few plagues, the increasing digitalization of marketplaces, and the rising cost of physical marketplaces nearly killed the entire idea of a mall.


    Nearly.


    Now malls still exist, but more as a grand experience where those with more money than sense can be surrounded and cuddled in consumerist bliss, at least until they run out of cash to spend.


    --Excerpts from The Past Today - a Look at the Artefacts of Old America, 2055


    ***


    Lucy, Rac and I arrived at the museum sometime before ten, which I figured was pretty good, considering how lazy Lucy and I could be if we wanted.


    We showed Rac the matter recombobulator in what would be my armoury, and the girl practically worshipped the machine. Its ability to turn useless trash into samurai-grade stuff was like a small religious revelation to her.


    When I told her that my job for her was basically to collect trash and chuck it in the machine to make stuff with, she immediately took off and said she would take care of it.


    Honestly, I was a bit worried, but I had Myalis track her, and she was mostly making the rounds of all the nearest dumpsters looking for preem refuse.


    Lucy and I had a quick conversation with the contractor when he finally showed up. It ended with the man shooting down some of Lucys more outrageous ideas before we settled on a plan for the renovations that was a bit more reasonable.


    Once I dropped some cash for a deposit and warned the man about Rac and the very dangerous machine guarded by a few more-dangerous mecha cats, Lucy and I found ourselves with a heap of time at our disposal.


    Now what? Lucy asked. We were sitting on the edge of our floors parking space, that overhang at the very top of the building where cars could come in to unload passengers into the more ostentatious entrance to the museum.


    I have... a couple of things to do, I said.Updated chapters at novelhall.com


    So I should go home? Lucy asked.


    I frowned. I think you can come along for the first one? I need to meet this guy called Jeff Burringham. Hes a politician.


    Oh, yuck, Lucy said. Think youll find him getting blown?


    I doubt it, but its not impossible, I said. He has the afternoon penciled for clothes shopping. So I thought it would be nice and natural to show up at whatever shop hes at to say hello and talk about stuff.


    Lucy entwined her fingers with mine and we ran up to the back of the line.


    The people here skewed towards the younger, so much so that Lucy and I were about average. Teens in little cliques, some college students, plenty of upper-middle class daddys money vibes going around.


    I glanced over to Lucy, who grinned back.


    The lines moved in towards the doors, and I noticed a ping on my augs. The mall trying to connect to me to send me some maps and about a terabyte of ads mixed in with malware. Myalis was likely having a great time tearing whatever system had sent that apart.


    We crossed through the revolving doorway and stepped into a smaller lobby area. Cement half-walls with security behind them, automated guns tucked away in large stainless crates, and rows of metal detectors that mall-goers were stepping through one at a time before being accosted by a guard that checked their temperatures and papers before letting them in. All to the tune of some shitty jingles played on crackly speakers.


    So much for this place looking fancy, I muttered.


    Theres a no guns allowed sign there, Lucy said, pointing to a large plastic board over the security stations.


    Thats cute, I said. Myalis, can you make us less conspicuous?


    Actually attempting subterfuge? How strange.


    When our time came to pass through the metal detectors they came back clean, and when the guard checked our IDs by tagging our augs, we came back with nothing but flying colours. I noticed one of the guards staring at the very obvious sword hooked to a loop of my pants, but he didnt comment.


    So much for all that security, Lucy said as she leaned against me again.


    Yeah, well, fancy samurai tech trumps half-assed mall security, I said.


    And if they caught on anyway? Lucy asked.


    Then fancy samurai weaponry trumps mall securitys tasers, I said. This whole samurai gig is a bit like cheating.


    A bit? Lucy asked.


    I smiled, a bit sheepish. Alright, so a lot.


    The entrance led up a slight incline and around a corner, then into the centre of the pyramid.


    It was hollow, with a great big pillar filled with elevators in its centre and all the floors of the mall ringing around the middle in ever tightening circles.


    Right, now we just need to figure out where the fancy fucker is, I said.


    ***