57 The Greater Good (1/2)
SUBJECT 001 HAS STATED THAT THEFT IS ABHORRENT YET SUBJECT 001'S CURRENT ACTIVITIES ARE CONTRADICTORY TO THAT VIEWPOINT
”Priority number 1...right?” Marcus shoves a backpack into the trunk of an abandoned car from the back seat.
His legs are hanging out the back seat of the junker. The door has been removed from the rusty frame, while the remaining doors have grimy windows that are smeared with dirt. He checks the rear view window and over his shoulder out the windshield, through the smudged glass he's cleaned with his jacket sleeve. The coast is clear.
'Lying and stealing is bad, but this is life and death. It's normal to lie and steal if death is the likely consequence, okay? If it wasn't... I wouldn't be doing this,' Marcus shoves one last time and the backpack slips through the small opening between the collapsible seat and the trunk.
He shifts around to grab the other backpack on the concrete ground outside the car. He picks it up and turns to prop himself up on his knees. With one good push, the backpack slips into the trunk.
'Okay, so we should get back to the Merchant quarters now,' Marcus leans his forearm on the headrest of the backseat and gives the area outside the rearview mirror a cursory inspection.
His eyes sweep across the damaged cars at the edge of the car lot, and the torn apart wrecks in his field of vision. Not that anyone would be following him.
'I'm pretty inconspicuous,' Marcus smirks before sitting back on his heels and breathing a sigh of relief.
EQUIPMENT ACQUIRED
EXIT STRATEGY PENDING
'Yeah... I think the Priya has to hang on until the morning, less crazy insects out and more--'
A large calloused hand grips the back of Marcus's collar and yanks him out of the car.
”Ugggggh!” Marcus chokes for a moment while he hurtles backward out of the car.
DANGER
Marcus's arms wrap around his head to cushion his skull from making contact with the concrete. He lands heavily on his side.
CRACK
The sound of glass shattering is heard, Marcus cringes as the small bottles of morphine within his jacket break into pieces. Liquid seeps into the shirts beneath his jacket and down the top of his jeans. The assailant kicks Marcus. The young man cringes as he feels the glass that has shattered in his pocket being driven into his side. He presses his hands down to his side and curls up around the injury.
LEFT LATERAL ABDOMINAL INJURY DETECTED
SILICA HAS PENETRATED THE SUPERFICIAL FASCIA ALONG THE EXTERNAL ABDOMINAL OBLIQUE
NANO INFIRMARY PROTOCOL INITIATED
The assailant doesn't continue their attack, ”So, you really are a thief?”
Marcus's eyes widen when he hears that familiar deep voice. The pain recedes as the nanotechnology repairs his body in record time, but Marcus feigns injury.
”What do we have here?” The guard with the short ponytail kicks away Marcus's legs and leans into the old junker to peer into the gap between the seats.
He reaches in and tugs out a heavy backpack, ”Jackpot. What did you think you were going to get away with?”
Marcus scrambles up from the ground and moves out of range of the guard. The guard roughly unzips the backpack and snorts. He drops the backpack, causing the contents of the tattered backpack to spill out onto the ground.
”Food, night vision goggles, bandages...you planning a trip or something?” The guard glares down at Marcus.
”Just staying prepared...It's a crazy world. Is it a crime to store supplies on the side? You can just attack anyone here? What the hell is wrong with you?!” Marcus holds a hand to his side and points a bloody finger at the sneering guard.
”Sure it is! Especially when that supplies don't belong to you!” The guard dips forward and grabs Marcus's index finger in his large hand.
Marcus grimaces as his finger is twisted and his arm is awkwardly held above his head. He stops feigning injury on his side and raises his other hand to grab the bicep of the man.
”F*ck me, you really thought no one would notice you steal all this gear? How dumb are you? Only the mercs are allowed to handle the night vision gear here. Limited supply,” The guard takes a step backward and Marcus is dragged forward.
The angry guard kicks at the opened backpack, ”And these snacks? No one gets these from inventory with the rationing going on. How did you score those?”
”Aaah...AAh...it was in a truck. It was all stuff I got from some armored trucks, please,” Marcus whines against the guard's tight grip.
'Dammit. What do we do?! He's going to get us in trouble...if they take this supplies back we'll never get to Priya in the morning. I'll probably be kicked out into the storm. She needs those bandages. Dammit! The morphine is all gone. S*it!'
”I know you types! You scout out groups for how many women and children there are, and plan an attack while they're vulnerable!....” The guard pulls Marcus in to shout in his face but receives a glazed over look from the young man.
S.I.D. REQUESTS TO ELIMINATE THE THREAT
'NO! That'll ruin their trust of us even more!.... We can't kill any of these people.'
Marcus's head rattles from left to right when the guard shakes him back to attention, ”Oh, this getting too boring for you?” The guard pulls his sidearm from his holster.
S.I.D. REQUESTS TO SUBDUE THE THREAT