Extract from Mort Times
There are days when decisions have to be made.
Normally this is a place where I tell you about some new and exciting bit of kit. The thing that will make your life better tomorrow.
But not today.
Today you get yesterdays news.Alexi Carter Smith is dead.
If this means nothing to you may be this will help. Alexi was the other A in A&A I.
I could go on a great length about the qualities of this man. I could tell you who is was and what he was like, but you still would never know him. And you still wouldn't feel what I'm feeling now.
There is a hole in the world this morning.
I will miss you my friend.
Andi.
People I have a problem here.
Andi is sitting in the crater of what used to be A.V.S.
He is getting steadily more and more drunk And I can't get him to move. I keep telling him he has to go home and he just keeps saying he is home.I can't get through to him. Some one else want a go?
Mags
SCL Null
Squad NWO
SLA code Null
Ha home. This is home.
The bastards blew up every where I cared about. If I go any where else they'll just blow that up to.
Tent. I need a tent.
And I need more vodka.Andi
scl 7c.0
Squad NWO
sla code 001-2410880-01-12-06-808-1-001Tent? All right, we'll get you a tent. But more vodka will just make things worse. You know that.
Mags
SCL Null
Squad NWO
SLA code NullNope.
Vodka makes the shit go away.
Means I can forget all this crap in my head that I don't want to remember.
I can forget people giving me choises that aren't choices.
I can forget the fact my brain is telling me I was in two places at one time. and may be just many be for a few moments I can forget that the only person I ever thought of as a father is dead.Dead dead
Not coming back dead.
And its all my fault.
Bottle's empty. There must be another one round here.
Nwo. No way out. No fucking way out.
Feet first thats it. Anything else they tell you is a lie..Ah theres one.
Oh Caleb. If you only knew.
What the fuck have I done.
<DISCONNECTING>
Andi
scl 7c.0
Squad NWO
sla code 001-2410880-01-12-06-808-1-001Andi... I don't know what to say, I don't know how to help. But I'm here & I'm staying, & that's not a lie. I'll always be here.
Mags
SCL Null
Squad NWO
SLA code Null#### WARNING : Incoming message of unknown source.
#### No such server
#### No such node
#### Full alert initiatedGet me Quin.
#### Trace failed....
#### Alert error. No such message detected.
#### Self diagnositic of local nodes initiated.
#### Please wait....
#### No errors found.Daniel O'Crowe sat back at his desk and flicked on the TV.
The latest news was playing and he watched as the footage Andi gave him comes on. No Work Ethic had done a really good work on the backing track and he pressed a few buttons on his keyboard, overlaying the footage with details of their latest sales - up 3% in the last 2 minutes.
He dropped the details and watched as Andi used one of those gadgets of his to open the door in front of him.
Suddenly the screen went to static and then the 3Rd Eye News logo came on.
"What the fuck!"
He dialled up the transmitter control room.
"What happened to the footage I sent you. You just cut it after 3 minutes."
'I'll just check Sir, please hold'
Daniel had to listen some shitty jazz crap, a shocking differnece after No Work Ethics distopia backing track.
'Sir, we have no footage sent by you.'
"I only fucking sent it 20 minutes ago, and I was sat here watching it go out on the news. Then you pulled it."
'I'm sorry Sir but there is no record.'
Daniel hung up and thought for a moment, he typed in a query on his computer for the whereabouts of Andi and Mags.
'Error in Querystring, no such Operative, key word ANDI.'
'SLA Property, MAGS temporarily offline.'Daniel was confused. Both SLA-Net and Station-Anaylsis could not find Andi and Mags wasn't working?... He tryed another query.
'SLA Property MAGS. Last known location - 23 Bexter Street, suburbia sector 32'
The old AVS building...
He pulled on his trenchcoat and grabbed his pistol.
They gave me a choice that wasn't a choise.
Father or son.
Of course I don't actually have either but they knew me well enought to know what the next best thing was. And they said that one of them had to die.
Its not an easy choice.
So they made it one or both.
They are nice like that.It reduced down to a man who had lived his life or a life still full of potential.
I'm sorry Alexi.
I'm waiting here because I know they are coming back. And I might as well make this easy for all of us.
I don't know what they are going to do when they get there. But I have no where else to run to and no place left to hide. May be if things were different but they are not.Besides I'm sick of it all.
I'm sick of pretending I am something I am not and hidding behind others.
They created me.
They gave me life so I suppose in some great order of things it is theirs to take away again.They can not ignore what I just did so I suspect they are on their way by now. Strange I would have thought they would have got here quicker. May be they don't see me as that big a threat.
I suppose thats kind of insulting.
But I'm past such considerations now.
Hmmm, its gone quiet. I assume thats a bad sign.
Ahh theres the White Battletaxi I'm looking for. Looks pretty clean considering the rain, but then I suppose it would really. Has to be some perks of the job I suppose.
Don't know if I can be arsed to stand up.
Actually all things considered I don't know if I'm sober enough to stand up.Ooo apparently I am.
Do I get to leave a last will and Testament?
Nah didn't think so.
####
scl ##.#
Squad ###
sla code ###-#######-##-##-##-###-#-###
Daniel O'Crowe ran out of the office building, ducked into the lift in front of a secretary and pulled his trenchcoat in to stop it getting trapped in the closing doors.
As soon as the lift reached the car park he sprinted to his sports car and gunned the engine to its maximum, roaring up the ramp onto the flyway in seconds.
He headed directly for suburbia, turning off at the sector 32 junction. The old avs building was just round the corner...
He screeched to a halt next to the crater, seeing Mags lying near the edge
He walked over, glancing around for Andi.Mags looked deactivated...
Another glance revealed nothing other than a few empty bottles of vodka in the crater and a white vehicle in the distance.
Where was andi?
Daniel felt unnerved by the silence. Surburbia was still, nothing was moving, not even people behind the curtains opposite. Almost as if everyone thing had been removed.
His arms ached from dragging Mags out of the crater and into the shelter of a shop front nearby. He was concerned about her, he'd never seen her not active and seeing her like this didn't help his feeling that something bad had happened.
The rain was a light drizzle and instead of the usual smell of industrial pollutants, Daniel was sure he could smell gunpowder from something liek a Blitzer. He checked his pistol once again.
He had two choices really, wait here with Mags and hope she reactivated herself or take her over to A&A I. to see if anyone there knew how to help.
He made his decision quickly and dragged Mags to his car, carefully placing her on the back seat.
He pressed his SLA-NET link on his dashboard - "Location of Andi and Alexi Innovations please"
'[Unable to comply, Data is covered by Section D, Paragraphs 1 thru 42 of SLA Industries operating code.]'
D-Noticed data?
Daniel tried again. "Instructions for maintenance of SLA Android Unit MAGS please"
'Instructions are only available to SLA approved technicians. Current technicians are [Unable to comply, Data is covered by Section D, Paragraphs 1 thru 42 of SLA Industries operating code.] and [Unable to comply, Data is covered by Section D, Paragraphs 1 thru 42 of SLA Industries operating code.]'
More D-Notices.
Fuck it, get her to 3rd Eye HQ, someone there would know something about machines.
"Daniel?
Where's D-NOTICE?
What?
Whats happening to me?Where am I?"
Mags
SCL Null
Squad NWO
SLA code Null
SLA-NET data request response up date.
Request:"Location of A&A Innovations please"A&A Innovations located.
Main facility can be found at 122 Dresdan Rd, sector 41.
Please be advise CEO Alexi Carter Smith now registered as deceased and trading status of the company is currently unknown.
Further details may be available from company sla-net contact: MAGS.---------
SLA-NET data request response up date.
Request:"Instructions for maintenance of SLA Android Unit MAGS please"'MAGS Unit now registered as joint property of Jin Ki-Hiroshi (NWO) and Daniel O'Crowe in accordence with the last will and testament of #### {error.... Correction engaged} Alexi Carter Smith.
Instructions for maintance will be released to these individuals on request. Request detected.
Instructons attached.Warning incoming large file detected. Oyster memory too small. Reroute address requested.
......SLA-NET Data request update.
Ownership of A&A I. reverts to A&A I. co-operative as per instructions in last will and testement of #### [error correction] Alexi Carter Smith.
Financial Director now listed as Jin Ki-Hiroshi.
Publicity Director now listed as Daniel O Crowe
Communications Director now listed as MAGS
Invention Advisor now listed as #### [error - ignore]
Security Director now listed as Richard Godfrey.
Testing Director now listed as Caleb Ki-HiroshiAll shares to be evenly divided between the listed Directors.
A&A I. will continue trading despite the death of Alexi Carter Smith and [D-NOTICE].
All belongings and possessions and bank accounts of #### [error correction] Alexi Carter Smith and assosiates revert to MAGS.
MORE DATA TO FOLLOW.....
Memo
To: Daniel OCrowe
From: 3M
Subject: Operative Andi of NWO.
---------------------------------------------------------
Request form the top.
Following his Death in the park, sacrificing himself to save those kids from the dark night scum. Not surprisingly they want an obituary for this individual- Full works - Done A.S.A.P.You knew him. Its yours.
Get on with it. I need a basic version for the top of the hour. Full version for the 6 oclock news.There have been some problems with SLA-NET Data Retrieval but they seem to have cleared up now.
3M
SLA-NET Data request update.
Ownership of A&A I. reverts to A&A I. co-operative as per instructions in last will and testement of Andi
Financial Director now listed as Jin Ki-Hiroshi.
Publicity Director now listed as Daniel O Crowe
Communications Director now listed as MAGS
Security Director now listed as Richard Godfrey.
Testing Director now listed as Caleb Ki-Hiroshi
All shares to be evenly divided between the 6 Directors. As per instructions of Andi no dividends to be paid by the company until Caleb Ki-Hiroshi's 16th birthday. All profits to be re invested in the company until that date.
A&A I. will continue trading despite the deaths of Alexi Carter Smith and Andi.
Company to maintain the current business plan and mode of operation, but to expand as the directors see fit.All belongings and possessions and bank accounts of Alexi Carter Smith revert to MAGS.
MAGS now registered as a SLA operative assigned to squad NWO with all rights and privileges there of.