an eccentric cabal made up of Etherites, Virtual Adepts, and Euthanatoi had the building completely occupied. 


This building, once called Adam-Waynes Center, was now an Technocratic Construct hosting a large Symposium that serves NWO. The cabal was extremely lucky, as this construct suffered a irrecoverable damage over the last few weeks. It was primarily due to a conflict with blood suckers. Perhaps NWO was too unsubtle on handling those RD; after all, any cornered prey will bite the predator as the last resort. They should have tried a more gradual way, but did not. Vampires were now extinct in this city, albeit heavy casualties.


The Phase Golem made by a young genius Etherite had a head of HITMARK-VI in its hand. The Golem was superior to HITMARK in every way. It was able to 'phase' into another dimension for a short period of time, making it invulnerable to most forms of physical attack. The majority of the cabal was securing the lobby. The bloods of Extraordinary Citizens were spilled everywhere. They had cutting edge bulletproof vests, corner-shot rifles, and reflex boosting drugs, but were no match for the Golems and Euthanatoic assassination tricks. 


The casualty from NWO side was 56. 50 of the EC, 3 of them Enlightened, and 3 of them HITMARKs. The cabal lost 1 Golem -due to the unexpected appearance of Phase Disruptor- and three servants, but that was it. Four mages and ten of their servants were occupying the lobby. The rest of them, including their leader, was up in the top floor. There was a very reliable source of info from VE side; there is a 'White Suit' who recently was appointed as the head of this Construct. It was the cabal's only chance to have some negotiating power with NWO. They capture the White Suit, and will bargain for their comrades' lives. 


"What is taking so long?"


Speaks the young Etherite. She was only in her 20s, with bright blond hair and eyes filled with extreme curiosity, and aggressiveness. She created the Golems, and commanded them. She wore a sleeveless jacket. Her exposed arms were shining with artificial veins filled with Quintessence. 


"Jenny, let's just wait. Dennis will bring down the target soon."


An Adept answers her complains. He was working on the security system. The Euthantoi assassins were covering the building's visual from mundane eyes, but electronic security was out of their hands. As always, it's the Adapt's job to isolate a location from the electronic world and Digital Web.


Jenny sighs, and nods.


"Alright, but if they don't come down in 15 minutes, I'm going up. You okay with that Ben?"


"Yeah, sure, whatever."


He works on the securities again. The monitors were filled with pornographic pictures, indicating that his Generic Trojan Atrocity Virus was working. The GTA virus was notorious among the members of the Union, as Iteration X had no way of removing its quantum-coded protection. But sure, he claimed that the pornographic images were super high quality. 






"Here we are."


Nathan catches his breath. Once an Orphan, he was now the leader of this cabal. The tattoo on his almost naked body was crawling all over him. The depictions of jaws and claws were digging their ways out of his skin, only to be suppressed back into his skin again.


"I'll cut this open."


He raises his arm before a tightly locked Titanium-Plasteel door. The black tattoos on his body jumps into the air, making an unnatural shriek. The nightmarish tentacles cut through the Reality, along with the locked door. Finally, they were in front of the White Suit's room.


He kissed his necklace that once belonged to his mom. Its medal was cut in half; the other belong to his mom. She was taken by NWO two years ago; he was still looking for her. Joining the Tradition was part of his effort.


"Ok, Whitey! We know you in there! C'mon out, or we goin' to force you to!"


He shouts. Behind him were three mages. They wore eccentric -perhaps otherworldly- clothing and had Etherite gears. They were the enforcers of the cabal, strongest battle-mages in a city-wide radius.


"What do you want?"


Suddenly, in front of the door, an hologram appears. It was blurry, especially on the facial traits.


"Didn't ya hear what I said? COME, ON, OUT!"


"Nathan, calm down."


A young voice whispers. He reluctantly nods. The young woman behind him speaks.


"You know we occupy this building. Come out. We promise that you will be handled safely."


She speaks in a calm voice. She has already vibro-scanned the room behind the door. There was no equipment storage or HITMARKs. The room was, surprisingly, just a large room used for desk work with only one occupant - the White Suit, obviously. 


The holographic figure does not answer to that request. The security camera above moves and points at Nathan. They could feel that someone was 'staring' through the cam. 


Bam.


Nathan breaks it into pieces. 


"Alright, this is the last-"


"Your name is Nathan, is it not?"


The figure speaks in terrifying voice.


"What? How did you figure that out?"


"You will see."


The figure disappears. After a moment, a woman comes out of the door.


She wears a white suit. She would make a fantastic party host and an enterprising CEO at the same time.


But it is not what is important.


"Nathan?"


She speaks, in an accent just like Nathans.


Everyone stares at her; she looks just like Nathan, too.


"W..what?"


Nathan, gasping for breath, cannot hide how surprised he is.


"Nathan, I missed you so much."


She speaks gently. Without any hesitation, she walks to Nathan and hugs him.


"M..mom?"


"Yes, it is me."


She whispers to Nathan.


"Wait, something is wrong."


One of the Etherites speaks. 


"What? Can't you see? She's-"


"There is no way. It is not possible. Stay *away* from Nathan, woman."


The Etherite points her Dark Matter Pistol at the white suit.


"Nathan, are these your-"


"Abby, put that gun down!"


Nathan tries to protect the woman. His eyes almost look desperate.


"Nathan, get your wits together. There is *no* fuckin' way that she is your mom! It's a trick!"


"But-"


"Nathan, I think this will prove it."


The woman give him her necklace, and the medal fits Nathan's necklace's perfectly; it was the one that his mom was always wearing. It was always the link.


"Alright, that's it. I'm callin' this operation off."


"Nathan!"


The Etherite shouts. Her pistol makes vibrating sounds, signalling that it is ready to fire. Nathan's eyes widen. He covers the woman with his body. The tattoos are bursting out of his skin.


"Abby, put, the, gun, down! She *is* my MOM!"


"I tell ya there is no fuckin' way! Move!"


The fight escalates, and the other Etherites raise their gun, too, but do not know where to point them. 


"I am not letting you shoot her!"


"I'm not shootin' her! Get to your goddamn senses! This is-"


"Guys, can we settle this downstairs?"


"DOWNSTAIRS? What, you ganna smash me with the Golems?"


"Nathan, you know that is-"



Then, a thundering sound burst in the air, and firefight starts. Dark matter bullets distorts the air, arc-lightning gun pierces someone's body and burns the flesh. Nathans tattoos slices everything in half, including his cabal members.


After three seconds, the fight ends.


Nathan's upper body was gone. Two of the Etherites, now dead, were cut in half. The woman trying to stop Nathan was the only one alive. Her legs were cut, but her arms were hanging from her shoulders. It was clear that someone who did not use Etherite technologies was in the firefight; it was more of a conventional weapon's damage that ripped her arms apart.


She coughs blood.


"You kids are so cute."


The White Suit steps on her body. Abby was going to die soon.


"You... you bitch..."


"A simple background research, and a handful of cosmetics does the trick, see?"


She pulls out a cotton pad from the bag she held, and wipes her makeup. It was more like a magic; the shedding, coloring, linings were erased from her face and revealed a completely different face.


"Huh, I don't really want to call this Enlightened Science, but you can call this Enlightened makeup, if you want."


She makes comments with boredom.


"I honestly doubted this would work."


Now, her voice and accent changes. She picks up the 3D-printed amulet. She throws it into the floor, and it breaks. 


"You.. how.."


"I was watching you. I noted that the Nathan boy was an orphan. I did a quick makeup to look like him, copied his accent, and made that stupid amulet that fits his. You see, you should never make a... linkage like that necklace. It is very exploitable."


"..."


Her last breath fades.


"This didn't work in the 70's, you know. You should really respect your seniors, Etherite."


She steps over the dead bodies.


"Sometimes you just gotta do everything yourself."


She quotes, and pulls out her hidden handgun. Of course, it was this handgun that started the little gunfight.


"Always the last drop."


She repeats her mentor's teachings as she enters the elevator. The elevator moves down; soon, the little kids will face the wrath of a White Suit.


ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ


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