Bubblegum Circus: BREAKDOWN, part 2

by Shunsuke Ichikawa
shunsuke@mailcity.com
www.fortunecity.com/victorian/university/5/index.htm
www.fortunecity.com/victorian/university/5/a-fanfic.htm

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CHAPTER 3: Rise and Falter

Reika and I were on duty a few days after Sylia had returned.  It
was my night off from patrol (some way to spend your free time!).
Reika was monitoring police frequencies, I was reading manga.
Hey, I got the crap jobs when I was the new member!

Four hours into our shift we got busy.

"Nene, we're on.  Something's up at Genom.  No identity on who yet."

We ran to Nightwing, with me carrying the portable computer reading
the updated info.

"Genom boomers have begun to attack it, this time before the intruder
started.  No surprise there," I said.  As we got to the launch bay,
I called by radio, "Kou, are you ready?"

"Got you.  Nightwing is prepped, engines warm.  I'm just waiting for
you two."

Inside we sat up front to monitor events.  It would take us only a
minute to get to Genom's demesne.  But would it be enough to stop
Genom's boomer guards and capture the attacker?  I would have crossed
my fingers, but my hardsuit wasn't designed for that.

Passing over buildings into the open space of the site, the firefight
below us was interesting to watch.  Lasers, stream weapons, cannons,
close-range rockets, all like something out of a video game.

The boomers (Genom's, I mean) spotted us and some started up toward us.
Reika and I were in the air by this time, and Kou had weapons trained
on the fight below.  His first few shots missed the boomers coming up,
but then hit the ground, wiped out two of those below.  Our quarry
was knocked down by the blast.

As I headed down away from the centre of the battle (I know what Kou
is like for accuracy), firing as I descended, Reika shot her wires
into the flying attackers, causing the two boomers to short out and
then explode; Reika then followed me down.

I saw more boomers emerge from the building.  "Kou, shoot the doors!
We can't handle too many at once.  Reika!  Fry anyone who comes at
us."  I went in to wipe out the Genom boomers with my weapons.

"Nene!  Reika!  I'm coming in!"  We heard the voice as she flew down.
We hadn't known Sylia was in the building when we launched; she had
to be to get suited up and arrive so quick.  She fired several bursts
at everything on the ground, knockout out two more boomers.

In front of me I saw the walls around the bay doors collapse and
explosions coming from inside as Kou fired.  "Nothing's coming out
of those doors now!  I'm landing for the pickup."

The three of us continued the fight, but as I put a shot into the
intruder and put it down, it made no attempt to attack me or the
others during the battle. I didn't think anything of it at the time.

Three Genom boomers remained, two coming at me, one at Sylia, but
all seized up and fell as Reika appeared behind their falling
bodies, sparks along the length of her wires.

"Kou, is the hatch ready?" I called as we three carried the boomer
toward Nightwing.  More boomers appeared around the corner of the
building, and were in sight for about three seconds until Kou's
rocket fire sent them to hell.

"We're in," called Sylia as we climbed in and flew out.  No one
followed as we flew away to base.  Reika went up front notifying
Priss and Linna of what happened.

"Well, that was quick and clean," I spoke after removing my helmet.
"It's usually not that easy.  You think it's a Genom plant, Sylia?
Should we dump it?"

"No, it looked like they gave up when they knew the attacker was
ours. They probably have enough information from the first four
boomers, anyway."

"I'll start opening it up as soon as we get back."

"NO.  We're shipping it out to Mackie to check it over.  No need for
you to do it.  He'll have better equipment for the job."  Sylia had
corrected herself just after snapping at me, but I heard it anyway.

I can't look at it?  Little Miss Cyberpunk can't do the job?  That's
not like her, I knew then.  Priss had told me about the night Sylia
returned, so I just shut my mouth and just agreed with what Sylia
said.  I'd figure things out later.

Back at base, after a change and a shower, we did a quick check of
boomer's model, nothing more.

"Nene, get started opening this up and -"

"Sylia says no, it's going to Germany."

"Sylia?" asked Linna.  "I thought this was my call."

"It is, but Mackie can do it better.  No offense, Nene."

I was deliberately standing behind Sylia as we surrounded the table
the boomer lay on.  Linna saw me shaking my head 'no', but took care
not to respond.  She got my point, knowing that it wasn't my ego I
was concerned about.

"Okay, it goes out tonight.  Priss, Reika, I'm going to need some
help.  Thanks, you two.  Take the night off."  Linna waved us away.

"Another crap job," muttered Reika.

"Something to say?" asked Priss.

            **********

Sylia and I took the elevator to the front door, leaving at the
same time.  I got a paranoid feeling that she was making sure I
left.  We didn't speak on the way down; the constant smile on
Sylia's face made me shiver and not want to talk.

We went our separate ways into the night.  I didn't return, figuring
Sylia might have doubled back to check on me.  I did what made the
most sense, and went to ADP HQ to use the computers.

            **********

As Murakawa got out of bed, he made a mental note to kill the
messenger.

"Nobody interrupts my sleep, especially with bad news."

He dressed and went to his car for the trip to Genom.  He was angry,
but it wasn't an entirely bad day by his standards.  He'd found out
where Quincy lived, which was a start.

Plus, Genom's share value had dropped another 200 points.  It would
not be long before his takeover bid could begin.

            **********

My bike got me to ADP HQ quickly.  Upstairs, Leon was checking up
on the boomer incident at Genom with the stakeout officers.

"Hi, Nene.  Can't get enough of this place, huh?"

I said nothing, dragging Leon off into a room I felt was secure.

"I didn't know you wanted me this bad," he snickered, but I ignored
him.

"I see you came in because of the attack.  We caught it without a
hitch, but something weird is going on.  I can't tell you exactly
what's happening because it involves one of us you don't know."

"You think one of you is selling out to Genom or something?"

"No, but I need to use the computers and check some facts.  It
might not be a good idea to do it at base, that's all."

"Just what exactly happened?"

I sighed to calm myself before speaking.  "Someone was doing things
out of normal habit.  We handle everything ourselves, then suddenly
we get orders to let someone outside examine the boomer's carcass?
Not normal procedure."  Okay, Mackie's one of us, but Leon doesn't
need to know.

"Your fearless leader is not of sound mind?"  Good guess on Leon's
part, but then, who else would it be?

"Maybe, maybe not."  I paused, just before stepping out.  "I need to
get going, I'll see you tomorrow."

In the computer room I started overhearing the bad jokes from the hall
about me and Leon together in a closet for five minutes.  I wasn't in
the mood for it, and let them know it.

            **********

Mackie and Dr. Verhofen had begun to tear apart some of the boomers
Sylia was using during the accident.  Both were exasperated, tired
and hungry.

"So what's next.  Nothing wrong with the control booth, all systems
are okay.  The boomer parts are standard and tested, so they're
fine.  Electronic pathways, electrical systems and relays are all in
working order."  Dr. Verhofen was rational.  Mackie wasn't.

"Shit!  JUST WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING WRONG?"  He threw his wrench
at the plexiglass window, barely scratching it.  Because it didn't
break, he got even angrier.  "I'm going for a drink, I've got to go
think about this," he said as he walked out.

The older man was calm, understanding Mackie's frustration but not
wanting to say anything.  After Mackie left, he decided to take a
break too, going for dinner.

Mackie returned to his office from the cafeteria with his coffee.
He and the doctor said nothing when they passed in the hall.

Mackie had just sat down and got comfortable in his chair when the
his videophone sounded.  He was tempted to throw the cup at the
screen but thought better of it.  His scowl lessened when he saw me.

"Hi, Nene.  Good to see you - what time is it?"  He looked at his
watch.  "You're still up?  Isn't it 4am back there?"

"Hi, Mackie.  Don't worry about me, I'm used to shift work.  Anyway,
if you haven't been told yet, we caught one of the intruders.  It's
body is being sent to you; it'll arrive at the lab tomorrow."

"So what did you think when you looked at it?"

"That's also what I'm calling about; Sylia nearly killed me when I
tried.  She said we were to send it to you without examining it.
Mackie, did something else happen to Sylia besides electrocution?
She's not herself since she got here, especially after the capture."

"Not really.  But she ignored doctor's orders about leaving.  She
wasn't supposed to do anything physical for about a week.  I thought
you and the others were going to keep her out of the fight."

"We tried, but she got involved anyway.  It was odd...she didn't tell
us she was in the building when the attack started, only showing up
after Reika, Kou and I had gone."

"After I check the boomer, do you want me to come back?"

"No, Linna's got a handle on things, and together we can all watch
Sylia.  But I'll update you on whatever happens."

"Thanks."

"No problem.  Ja!"

His brave face on the phone left him.  He was angrier than ever, only
noticing after a few seconds he had crushed the PVC cup, hot coffee
starting to burn his hand.

            **********

Back in the lab, Dr. Verhofen decided to go back over test results
from the accident and earlier trials.  "Maybe these will shed a
little light on things," he thought.

Both Mackie and Sylia had volunteered as test subjects for the
project.  Since no danger was involved, at least not until last week,
there hadn't been any reason for concern.

The doctor began to compare numbers from each test.  No unusual
pattern emerged.  He knew there would be differences, but that could
be chalked up to Sylia's better physical training.  Now what-

He stopped himself.  An odd reading caught his attention.  The
tester's command was 'stop', but the boomer kept performing its
task...

Mackie returned a few minutes later.

"Take a look at this!" the doctor called.

"What is it?"

"At first I thought there was an anomaly, but on certain tests, the
boomers stopped obeying commands.  There is no way they can do that
on their own, we removed all internal self-command functions, putting
everything through the booth.  So how did this happen?"

Mackie pored over the readouts, seeing the doctor was right.

"So what's the link?"

The doctor paused.  "Look at the test operator on all of the examples
here."  He thought aloud "Maybe it's not in our hardware or software."

Worry replaced anger on Mackie's face.

            **********

The Genom security staff was walking on pins and needles, as Murakawa
looked around the site of the incident.  No-one dared to speak to him
with a facial expression like his.

"So which one of you fools is in charge?"

"I-I am, S-Sir."

"Why aren't you dead?" he asked, walking up to the man's face.

"Sir?"

"Why the hell weren't you outside being killed by those damned Knight
Sabers?  DID YOU NOT HAVE THE GUTS TO STAND OUT THERE AND SHOOT THEM?"

Murakawa pulled a gun and put a hole in the head of the security
chief.  He slowly turned to everyone else standing around.

"That didn't happen.  And it won't happen again if any of you talk
about it or fail to capture the next boomer.  AM I UNDERSTOOD?"

All heads quietly nodded agreement as the body slumped to the floor
and Murakawa walked out.

"Since I'm already up, ticked off, and in a killing mood, I might as
well do Quincy," he thought as he got into his car and drove off.

END CHAPTER 3

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CHAPTER 4: Body and Soulless

Murakawa left his gun in the car as he arrived at his destination.
This didn't mean he was unarmed.  A small grenade, knife, piano wire,
and a remote electronic device for shutting down boomers; no name for
it yet, just a prototype.  He knew it couldn't hurt to have it.

"You'd figure someone in charge of a company like Genom would live
like a king, not a vagrant, but now I understand where Mr. Chairman
gets his taste in clothes."

Using security codes he had gotten from torturing another Genom
employee, Murakawa entered the old building.  It was dark, quiet,
and dusty.  Somewhat cold, even for a Japanese home.

He had decided not to risk lights or ultra-violet glasses.  A
boomer would be able to tell if he was here with them on.  He
quietly made his way around.  All room doors were open, so that
saved him making any noise.  But there was no sign of Quincy.
Actually, no sign of anyone living here.  Did his last torture
subject give him bad information?

If he had been polite enough to put on slippers when he took off
his shoes, Murakawa might have missed it in the dark.  His stocking
feet in the total darkness of the room found him the answer to
where Quincy might be: a hatch in the floor.

He kneeled down to feel it.  A meter square hatch, a single finger
hole in each corner.  He tested it to see if he could lift it alone.
Finding it not too heavy, he went back for his gun.  Ready for the
assassination, he opened the door to his succession as chairman of
Genom.

He was overwhelmed by what was underneath; it wasn't what he saw,
but what he smelt.

            **********

In nervous anticipation, Mackie opened the crate in his private lab.
He recoiled in horror on seeing the boomer.  Before he even examined
it, his worst fears were realized.

As he checked its systems, his discoveries matched his predictions
exactly except for one.  The AI on this boomer was programmed by a
systems expert, not a military or standard Genom applications writer.

It was one of the boomers they had been using to test the boomer
control mechanisms, there in Germany.

Mackie began to check everything on file from his father's work, and
every police or medical file relating to the Stingray family.

            **********

Murakawa almost laughed out loud at what he had found, barely able
to contain himself.

"I feel like Rasputin!"

His smile was ear to ear as he looked at the terminal that was
controlling the boomers that ran in public, portraying Quincy to
protect him from potential assassins.

"Once I reprogram this thing, Genom will be mine.  The run on shares
will be even easier to manipulate."

A huge smile crossed his face as he looked at Quincy.

The chairman's corpse had been rotting for at least three years.

            **********

After capturing the boomer, the next four days were pretty boring
for us.  We had nothing to do until Mackie gave us a report on what
he found.

Priss, Reika, and the band were in rehearsal, Linna talked to video
producers, Sylia checked on the Silky Doll.  I was lucky with ADP
work to take my mind off of Sylia, at least while I was on duty.

We had an early evening meeting to discuss what to do and whether to
call Mackie.  This was the 'official' meeting with Sylia present,
but we planned one later at Linna's to talk in private without her.

"When do you think there's going to be another attack on Genom?"

"I don't know, Priss.  Probably within two weeks."

"Linna, does this mean we have to capture another?"

"No, Reika, but we should watch for their reactions.  It'll give us
some idea of what they think."

"Do you really believe that..." Sylia said with her voice trailing
off.  She stood up and walked to the door.  We all stared at her in
silence at this odd behaviour.

Without hearing a knock on the door, she opened it.  We had a visitor.

"Mackie!"  we all called out.  We all got up to greet and hug him,
but stopped cold seeing Sylia just standing there by the door.
Mackie manipulated something in his hand, and Sylia went back and
sat on the couch.

"M-Mackie?  What's going on?" I asked, a quaver in my voice.

He stood there for a second, then dropped his face into his left hand
and cried.

            **********

We had put Sylia to bed still looking as robotic as before, and all
sat in the lounge around Mackie.

"You should brace yourselves for this."

Mackie sat quietly for a second, head down, then breathing deeply,
he began to talk:

"Dr. Verhofen and I went over the equipment used in our experiments
to see what was the cause of the accident.  As we scoured it piece
by piece, and nothing was wrong with our hardware or software.  It
was all working properly."

"When we began the actual experiments on the first boomer control
mechanisms more than a year ago, there were no problems.  Sylia and
I were the testers, everything went smoothly.  The test results were
positive, the only discrepancy being that Sylia's control of the
boomers was better.  We assumed this was due to Sylia having better
physical ability than me.  The differences between her and my tests
grew, but nothing out of line.  We only compared on a test-to-test
basis, not the overall results.  We would solved it if we had."

He stopped to sip his whisky, then continued.

"Feedback on the system was getting worse with each test she did.
Looking now at the overall results, it was inevitable that Sylia
would have been electrocuted."

Our collective gasps interrupted him, but he kept talking.

"When you sent me the boomer you captured, I immediately recognized
it as one of our test boomers.  Dr. Verhofen knows nothing about our
Knight Saber activities, and I wouldn't send out boomers to attack
Genom.  That could only mean Sylia was doing it.  She was the only
one with the access required."

"That left me asking myself why.  I had a theory, and started
checking on it.  I hacked into Tokyo Highway Patrol files, medical
records, and read the logs of Dad's early work to find the answers."

"As a child, there was a car accident involving Sylia and Dad.  He
was fine, but Sylia, being a kid, didn't wear her seat belt.
According to medical records, she suffered serious brain injury
during the crash, and the doctors gave up on her.  Dad apparently
took her to the lab and played God on her.  He replaced damaged brain
tissue with a prototype he had tested for use as boomer brains.  It
quickly attached itself to her, and functioned as part of her.  But
that left one problem: her loss of memory and intelligence.

"He took the first person he had put the experimental prototype into
and connected them.  Then, through the boomer halves, he transferred
the memories and learning from the flesh halves into each other's
skulls, providing both with a full brain's worth of knowledge."

"So that's why Sylia is such a quick learner?  Because half her
brain is really a computer?" asked Priss.

"Exactly.  Dad's guinea pig for the prototype was an adult, so as
an eight year old, Sylia immediately gained his knowledge, ability
and experience.  Dad's notes said she adjusted pretty well."

"The accident was because Dad was arguing with his front seat
passenger.  According to the accident report, Dad said the man
began to punch him for not doing what he wanted, and the car went
off the road.  The passenger suffered severe brain trauma, and
like Sylia, was written off, so Dad took him to the lab and used
him for the experiment.  It wasn't as good as Sylia's, but gave
Dad the ability to do Sylia's implant properly.  The passenger
was the guinea pig, the prototype."

"So who was the passenger?" Priss asked.

"Brian Mason."

It didn't surprise.  Everything made sense now.

"I would guess that's why he killed Dad, both as revenge for being
a throw-away test subject, and to make sure only Mason and Sylia
had it.  It also explains how Mason easily transferred his knowledge
and personality into Largo."

Mackie stopped speaking, allowing the information to sink in.
Reika spoke up first.

"But that still doesn't explain the boomers attacking Genom."

"The electrocution was probably just the last of a series of shocks
or feedback Sylia experienced.  It's likely all the earlier attacks
were caused by her.  I did some tests before I left Germany.  If a
boomer or computer AI system is used to control a BCM, it gets
feedback leading to breakdowns, system information transferred to
the controlled boomer, electrical power surges..."

"And that's what happened to Sylia?"

"Right.  The resulting surge probably triggered something in her
mind.  Her boomer-half and Mason memories in her created the boomers
as continued revenge against Genom and Quincy, both her goal and
Mason's."

I added "Is that why the boomer didn't attack us during the capture?"

"Possibly.  What you said in your phone call, Nene, about her
behaviour, makes sense if you believe she was not consciously aware
of programming the boomers.  It's like a person who becomes self-
destructive: they don't consciously slit their wrists, but do things
to put themselves in dangerous situations.  Sylia may not even know
she was doing this.  Remember that she showed up at the capture
site without being told.  She had to know the attack was happening
because she caused it.  And her not allowing you to examine it was
a way to force me to discover the truth."

"So what can we do?" asked Linna.

"Right now, nothing.  I need to sleep.  But in the morning, Nene,
I'm going to need your help and find out what's going on in her
head.  This modified BCM will keep her asleep for hours or days."

"You're controlling her, like a robot?"  Priss was visibly disgusted
by the thought.

"Sounds horrible, huh?  But it's a way we can keep her under control
and prevent more boomers going out on the town."

Finishing his glass, Mackie hugged each of us before going to bed.
We had an interesting day ahead of us.

END CHAPTER 4

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This is the end of the second segment of the story "Breakdown".
This is just past the halfway point in the story; the third part
will be the conclusion.

As before, please be patient.  All characters, chronology, and
scripting has been planned and written; the only part to complete
as I write these stories is the actual words.  Sending suggestions
now will not help me in writing the story.  Criticism and comments
are more than welcome, however.  To respond, you can contact me at:

      ae750@freenet.unbc.edu

or visit my web page:

      www.geocities.com/Tokyo/9464/yinghome.htm

That's all for now, kiddies.

Shunsuke Ichikawa