-Location: in Tokyo city...within Japan...date 29/7/2007-
*I stand in an office... the vision is distorted, and a heavy fog clouds my mind... like reality is still catching up with whatever events chapter previously occurred.
Scape: "I wish to become an abstract hunter...ma'am...."
*I stand in an office; the feminine figure in front of me smiles faintly.
Sitting in her office...then exhales...and clasps her hands...then I am met with a soft voice...that breaks through the haze, then her face is clear...beautiful feminine features on her face...freckles on her nose...her hair is a short white curtain on her head...her eyes are a shining amber light that seems to glow...unnaturally...a calm authoritative aura slips...she tilts her head slightly, her albino human eyebrows gleam in the sunlight*
???: "Very well...I shall settle you in...get your papers done...and scape...*she says my name with a smile...her eyes unblinking even as she smiles faintly*..."You are a promising asset... but not in the way you would think... I am the only one that can see that for you...*her lips curve into a smile that doesn't reach her eyes*...
scape: I know my worth, ma'am...don't think I wouldn't see it either...I am here by choice... this "promising asset"... is here only because he wishes to find out the purpose of my stay...
???: "Define 'stay'....*she speaks...tilting her head slightly with curiosity, then she leans forward on her desk... hands on her cheeks... supporting her head*..."Does it imply... your stay in this building...or is it your stay in this beautiful yet eroding world we live in?" *she exclaims while taking a look out the window with a small smile that didn't leave her face*
Scape:..."I am unsure...don't ask me questions...I am still figuring out stuff...my life's always been a mess...I will work in this line of work...under the condition of no one's expectations...above and below me in this hierarchy...and in return...I guarantee you success in every mission I can carry out...I wouldn't want public recognition...I don't want anyone to know I exist...consider me as...already dead...*I look down at the floor, then at my hands*...if that's possible....
???:...success?....*she pauses, then she stands up and folds her hands, looking outside the grand window that takes the entire space behind her*...interesting...*she smiles faintly again and turns around, with a full blown smile and a closed pair of eyes that she opens as she turns*...your certainty...now that's something I can't wait to expect from anyone...but I may make one exception...*she walks towards me and starts managing my shirt collar*... everyone here promises something... because they have "needs"...needs that's given...and also taken...its why they fight...its why they struggle...some more than others...*she places her hands behind her back in a clasp now*...but you don't seem to want anything...people come here...looking for a job...a home...a promise...success...or belonging...but you?...you come here not seeking anyone's approval...not stating your needs...its quite...interesting...and rare...in this line of work...*she walks away back to her office just like that*...welcome to your new job...precious asset...*she speaks softly again but something unusual happens...the lights flicker once...the documents on her desk opens with my name and pictures...except that wasn't there a few seconds ago*...and scape...I am looking forward to the..."variable"...you made yourself to be...*she smiled faintly, leaning again on her desk*...
Scape: "....Variable?...weird...is that how you insult people nowadays?"...*I chuckle*...
???:*the woman exhales in something resembling a light laugh*...insults are meaningless when you can't fully grasp what's in front of you...*she pauses*...only fear of the unknown motivates such behavior...humans love to cope with things they don't understand...by simply belittling and mocking it...as if it would ever stop bothering them that way...*she tangles her hands as it sits neatly on her lap now*...but you aren't most people...are you?...*she tilts her head in uncontained curiosity*...you are to be dismissed...debriefing will be tomorrow...I will assign you to the first mission of your choosing...ALONE...and with a lot of expectations...fail it...and I will assign you again...and...again...I don't punish failure...I simply don't tolerate inefficiency...now go...*her low tone, which is almost whispering, makes me heed her command almost unconsciously*
*I bow and nod politely and walk out of the office, closing the door with a thud*...
Scape-*internal thoughts*:...how did she know my name?...something about that woman is off...fuck...why do I feel so overwhelmed?...*I walk through the corridor and shake my head in silent irritation...then a crack in my hearing rings loud....paper job...offices...phone calls....abstract hunters with all their weapons... and tired-but-still-functioning attitude...coffee...it activates a painful memory...That Dreaded Day...
*I walk to the reception couch as I sit down, crossing my arms. I feel a slight cold in my limbs; my eyes remain unblinking...the mundanity of life around me perseveres...I close my eyes and remain still; the ceiling fan hovers above me in the white tiled sterile room*
Scape: "Why now... not now...*I frown*...calm-...* I exhale*...calm down..."
TRANSITION
*instantly it flickers, images of a dim more dull memory, a younger me stretches his arms towards a collapsed house, the image is through the eyes of a innocent child, then it flickers again into rubble, the vibrant house of memories that once stood on a far hill from the far end of the city and held a loving family is now in a grave of Stone and torn rebar, the family dissipates into dead silence, then I fall to my knees, my expression is all nothing but shock and wide eyes as I see the intent behind the murder of the family, in the sky behind the house a red hot searing gleam like a cruel hungry sun, the manifestation of the intent to KILL...it looms like a harbinger of death above the City...the skies are a broken canvas of misery...reality fractures around its dark mist...no gunshots are heard...but Bullet cases litter the city...explosions are heard with no detonator...no blades swung but reality tears almost as if "cut"...and just like that...the majority of a city gone in a blink of an eye*
*I flinch as everything returns to normal. I clutch my head as I pant quickly, and my panic kicks in. I cover my face with my hands, trying to calm down. A hunter notices me*and decides to continue his day instead. Then I mutter to myself*
scape: "I can't keep living like this...* I say, clutching my head*."
*I look at the clock*
11:49 pm.
*I sit back and slump against the head of the reception couch with a sigh and close my eyes, the clock ticking in the background sitting in mere silence, then I hear a pair of boots clicking on the tiles approaching my direction, I open my eyes to see a woman holding a documentary folder and a tablet, she gazes down on me a slight lift of her brows in confusion*
The woman: "Identify yourself, asset?... I haven't seen your face around here before...I practically know everyone in the building...*she gives her tablet a scroll as if it holds the answer to her own question, "
*I look up at her, meeting her gaze*
Scape: "I have been...assigned very lately... I think I did?"
* The woman gives an impatient stomp on the floor while still staring at me skeptically*
The woman: "Who assigned you?...you don't exist in this building...or in my logs."
Scape: "It was a white-haired woman with unusual eyes who assigned me... she said I would be starting tomorrow."
*The woman's eyes widen as she takes one step back, composing herself. She clears her throat and then exclaims in a quieter tone, "
The woman: "Director Kayda?..."
*I nod*
* The woman closes her eyes and remains still for a second*
The woman": I see...if you met her...then I would assume you are a part of this building already...*she closes her eyes and tilts her head forward in a polite bow"...forgive my intrusion."
*She walks away as her boots' clicking sounds fade away. I don't even look in her direction*
Scape: She seemed... shaken by something...*I cross my arms and check the clock to see the time again*
* The clock strikes 11:58, and then it strikes past midnight*
*I look towards the building entrance as I see a multitude of looming shadows, then they enter, a platoon of individuals opening the door, each looks and attitude telling a past...each injury and scar telling a story, some lost their eyes some entire limbs, some lost the focus in their eyes dull and distant as if operating on just muscle memory...as If it's the same day on repeat, they walk past me not paying any mind for my presence as they simply clock in they settle inside the building each holding a cigarette....chatting idly...or simply leaning against a wall staring into nothing...minutes fly by..., then each get a notification on their company given phones some click their mouths some sigh and they leave just as they arrived, I notice and stand up*
Scape: "Talk about job dedication."
*Then I am approached by a different woman who seems to be also working here, who approaches me with a smile."
The woman: "Welcome to the system...newly assigned asset...*she hands me a phone*...this will hold the details of your debriefing... including location and affiliates...each recorded and tracked...make sure not to lose it"...*she turns and simply rides away into the building again*
*I look into the phone with the exact coordinates of my mission*
Scape: "That's nice, I guess...*I open the entrance door outside; the atmosphere is much lighter than inside the building, as the breeze of winter in Japan brushes past my face as I stride inside the city, my company-given device feels heavier than anything I held before, and I signal for a cab to stop as I head inside the car"
Cab-driver: "Good evening...where to, sir?"...* The driver exclaims with a smile that's not quite genuine... just repeated and forced habit. "
Scape: "To this location, I guess...I am not very good with these things...*I show him the location as he nods and begins the drive*
Cab-driver: "late night shift?...I get the feeling"...*the driver exclaims after checking my face with the corner of his eyes*..."weird... not many people wish to head to that part of town. "...*the driver scoffs*..." it ain't a part of my business, isn't it? Though...I would warn you... abstracts have been on a rise lately. "...
Scape:...*I look at him*... no one's supposed to head over there...that's the point...
*The cab-driver smiles, and the drive takes on a silent hush as I look outside the window; this part of town is old...not just in the weary buildings and abandoned neighborhood, but in the way that the space seems to be forgotten...grieving."
* The car stops, and I pay the driver*
The cab driver: "Have a good day, sir...life's too short to head into a town like this...*he chuckles, then turns the car back to where we came*
*I watch the headlights leave as I head inside*
END CHAPTER