Chapter Forty-Eight - A Time for Explanations


    Chapter Forty-Eight - A Time for Explanations


    We need something better to really sell our new fall 2047 collection. Chanels Water Number 7 is coming out soon, and Louis Vutton is pushing out a new flavour with a new bottle and everything.


    If we dont step up our game, were going to start losing shares. Were only the fifth best designer water brand in the NA region, we cant afford to fall back any further.


    --Interior Guucci Memo from head of Designer Water Production to head of Marketing, 2047


    ***


    Manic, Jennifer and I walked back towards the front lines of our defences. I figured we probably made something of a weird show. Manic in her leather coat and new-samurai armour, me in my slightly better gear, then Jennifer in nothing but a hoodie.


    The sun was setting quickly, with the buildings shrouding us in deep shadows, at least until we turned a corner and came face-to-face with one of the fires Gomorrah had lit. It was currently chewing its way up an apartment building, but fortunately, the fire didnt seem to be burning through everything.


    Some buildings were a little more robust, made of nothing but cement and glass and the fire didnt seem to catch onto them as easily. Theyd hopefully act as firebreaks, keeping it all away from Downtown and from spreading too far.


    Theyd also make any antithesis invasion a little bit harder, I imagined.


    We went around, in any case, avoiding the worst of the fire. I could probably walk through some of it without much issue, but Manics gear wasnt as fire proof and Jennifer risked melting her latex ass right off if we tried.


    So it took a little longer to reach the makeshift barricade, but we made it there eventually. We found a few alien corpses dotting the roadside, and as I squinted I was able to make out a couple of militia folk up on the wall next to a few of Lucys kittens in their jumpsuits and cat ears.


    Hey! I called out. Got a place we can come in through?


    As it turned out, they didnt, but what they did have was a ladder they could sling over the side to make it easier to climb our way up. Jennifer went first, since we didnt want to leave her undefended on the ground, then I followed after her and kept my head down on the rungs ahead of me, because she was just wearing a hoodie and Lucy would kill me for staring.


    Once all three of us were up, the kittens and militia pulled the ladder back up. Anything to report? I asked one of the nearest militia guys.


    He froze up for a moment, then shook his head. No, sir, he said. Nothing much going on here. Just a few stragglers. He gestured down the street, towards the corpses dotting the road.


    Uh, alright then, I said. A few random, low-tier aliens was fine. In fact, that was pretty much the best we could hope for. We could hold out for days if all we were dealing with was the occasional lost alien. I had the impression wed be dealing with a lot more than just that soon, though. Keep an eye open for more trouble, I said. Theres some bigger fuckers hanging out there, and they might pop around for a visit.


    He snapped a salute, and I went and climbed down the other side of the wall with Manic and Jennifer following after me.


    The mall was quieter now than it had been earlier in the day. There were still a few kittens lingering by the entrance, but with fewer people around it seemed rather perfunctory.


    I checked my map, and found that Lucys tag was real close. She was on the second floor again, around the space that shed taken over as her base of operations. Want to split up here? I asked Manic as we slipped into the mall. There were fewer people, sure, but that didnt mean it was empty, and we both earned ourselves a lot of looks from those who remained. I caught a few eyes glowing with the tell-tale sign that their augs were filming us.


    Is the food court even still open? Manic asked.


    I shrugged. Half the places were automated most of the time, so there was a chance that it was. Still... Well, whatever. Come upstairs, you can meet Lucy. I bet shes got food around. She always liked keeping a few granola bars or something hidden away.


    Thats strange, Manic said.


    Really? I asked. I thought it was rather smart. If one of the kittens got hungry she could toss a bar out to keep them quiet. Plus it always made Lucy even more of a snack than usual.


    We rode up an escalator, and I glanced back at Jennifer who was still following after us. How was I going to explain her to Lucy? There was no way Lucy wouldnt notice what Jennifer was, and it didnt feel right to just tell Jennifer to piss off and find her owner all on her own.


    I decided Id just wing it and hope for the best.


    Then I saw Lucy working behind a row of hastily setup desks, directing a volunteer with looking at a tablet computer and back. She was pointing at something, a cute little frown showing her mild displeasure.


    Lucy! I called out.


    Her head whipped up, and the frown disappeared into a brilliant smile. Cat! she said. Then she was stumbling around the desk to meet me with a hug. And you brought friends too!


    Yeah, I said as I returned the hug. It was too bad my arms were tangled up, or else Id be removing my helmet to capture her lips with mine. Uh, this is Manic, and thats Jennifer. We rescued Jennifer from the area outside of Downtown a while ago.


    Pleased to meet ya, Manic said.


    Hello, Jennifer said.


    Ah, youre the other samurai from here, Lucy said. And youre... a sex bot?


    I can explain, I said.


    ***