Mind Lost
Kasper
“Does anybody have any clue as to what the hell they’re planning?!”
That’s our boss, Estellia. She used to be in the Navy, but when she got back home she didn’t know what to do with her life. She got picked out of everyone in her division to be a part of the National Defence Unit (NDU).
I’m a legacy around here.
I’m Kasper Hackett and we have recently become aware of…
“CyberNight, they just set a time. 2:37pm.”
“What are they planning?”
“Ma’am, we have a more pressing concern. There has been a recent spike in the import of demolition equipment.”
“Specifically?”
“Bombs, ma’am.” At that, the look around the room was devastating.
“Kasper, you and your escort will go to the grouping of office buildings in the centre of the city. Cassidi and her team found the CyberNight have been particularly interested in the recently.”
“Yes ma’am.”
I nodded around the table, take my leave. The hallways cluttered with people, the air smelling of fear and anxiousness, the escort and I gearing up to the rapid heartbeat of the NDU. Every movement here had a purpose, a reason. No one can be out of place. They’ve had security leaks of the years, every time security gets tighter and the secrets get harder.
Ready, to perform our best. Or not at all. Thing is, this place isn’t perfect, never will be. Neither will we. We will do our best to make sure no one gets hurt.
*2 hours later*
Getting there was easy. It wasn’t rush hour. The buildings are across from the loveliest park; it was commissioned before the offices were built 50 years later. The Sapphire Meadows have been mentioned in books about Brova for 80years. It is also a historical landmark. The park is as peaceful as it has ever been. The sounds of children cackling, crying, living joyously. No bombs, no sketchy looking people with something to hide.
Just her.
Tracey.
***I’d known her a long time ago. As a child she came into my house as a foster kid. We’d had many come through before, but she seemed to be the most damaged. We found her on the roof one early morning, she was very balanced and confident in what she was doing. My parents were still worried though. She was so composed and not even worried about anything happening below her. It was like she had no fear, no worries and no understanding of how potentially dangerous it was for my parents who were standing beneath her. I didn’t understand as the time, as to why they didn’t call to her, let her know we were there and to get down because it wasn’t safe. It took them 5 to usher me inside and back up to me room. They stayed inside too. We didn’t know how long she’d been out there; we were never going to know. That night was not the last we found her on a rooftop somewhere.
Everywhere we would go she would find a way to get on a roof.
“Trace, what’s with you and roofs?”
“It’s an advantage point, to see what I can from higher than most. Seeing more than everyone else helps when determining dangers.”
But there were no dangers around for miles. And that’s what my parents thought, until Clarice from the foster system came one day to pick her up and move her to a new location because she’d been found. ***
“Trace?”
“Kasper? Oh my… Hi. I’ve missed you.
What are you doing here?”
I can’t tell her. I just can’t. It’s been years since that sweet, cautious, terrified girl came to our doorstep. So, no, I won’t tell her.
“Kasper… what’s going on? And why are you dressed like NDU officer?”
How does she know what an NDU officer even looks like? 98% of the public don’t know. But even then that 2% is the criminal… syndicate. Seriously? She’s with a crime group? Why? Why would she do that to herself?
“Trace who are you here with?”
“What do you m-…”
“And how do you know the uniform of a NDU officer? Practically no one on the planet knows wat our uniform looks like? So how do you?”
“I think this goes without saying, don’t you?” Trace laced that line with hints and touches of snark, darkness and bullets.
She turns and slinks her way through the park heading to its edge, it took me way too long to understand. She was 7 metres to the sidewalk when I realise.
I sprint my way to her, trying not to trip anyone or fall over myself.
“Trace this isn’t right.”
“How do you know? You don’t even know what we’re doing.”
“No, I don’t. but I know that whatever it is isn’t good.”
“You have a good heart Kase, always did. But for now my name is Tracer. And this had to be done.”
“What? What has to be done?”
She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a detonator, the very same that will blow whatever CyberNight has rigged.
“No.”
“Yes. Now is the time and this world needs to change.”
“No, not like this.”
She steps away from me and turns to the line-up of office buildings across the street.
No.
I step up beside her and whisper in her ear; “There is a time and place for everything and this is not the time nor the place.”
I turn and stalk back towards my team. But I can’t hear her falling into step with me, so I turn.
No.
“Tracer don’t!”
The building’s crumbled under the fractured columns keeping them vertical. They fell to the ground like a rock tossed into a lake. It’s terrifying to see the crowds run toward you only to have your team swarm on you. After you realise the girl who just collapsed the building in front of you isn’t there.
All right then.
“There is a girl: her name is Tracey She prefers Tracer. She just pulled the trigger that set off the bombs. We need to set up a perimeter so she can’t leave.”
Fanning out we move around the crowd, calling her name. Trying to find her.
“Tracer!”
“Trace!”
“Tracey!”
Damn it, where did she go.
“Tracer!!”
“TRACE”
She can’t have gone far.
She needs to come back.
“TRACE!”
“TRACEY!”
“TRACER!”
She needs to answer our questions.
She must be found.
My team is circling. But there is a chance she won’t be found.
“TRACER!!”
“TRACEY!!”
“TRACE!!!”
Damn, she could be anywhere. Where is she?
She can’t be gone. She just can’t be.
“TRACER!!!!”
“TRACE!!!!”
Seriously? Where is she?
“TRAC…”
Shit. I flick my hand. I grazed my right hand pretty deep, there’s blood threatening to spill onto the pavement. I badly cut my thumb, pointer and middle finger. Damn, there’s blood spilling off my fingers and hitting the ground at a rate of knots. Shit it hurts.
I track back to where Trace had let the bombs devastate the now debris and cluttered block.
Here, she had a full view of the buildings and in full view of the cameras. The Sapphire Meadows had CCTV throughout, that might come in handy, if we can find her within the crowd that could have been around her.
I sigh, tilt my head to see the sky, then down to my feet. The blotches that fleck about my vision almost blind me to what is by my feet.
A USB. In a sealed off plastic sleeve pocket. I kneel down to peer at it. It has ‘Tracer*’ written on it.
I decided to pick it up with my right hand. It stings when I do, I drop it. I pick it up with my left instead, it doesn’t sting. Odd. I stand, loose a little of my balance, steady myself. Walk back to my team, ask Bryce to put the USB in an evidence bag.
“Sir, why aren’t you wearing gloves?”
“I… I thought I did.”
“Sir? Sir?! Kasper!”
I didn’t think it took too long to get over here but for some reason I can see me walk over here in almost slow motion.
My muscles don’t have a sensation but I hit the ground like a ragdoll thrown off a building. I think head bounced, because Bryce put his hand it my head and it came away covered in blood. My limbs won’t move, I will them to but they’re stationary.
What’s wrong with me?
My team looks so worried.
I wonder why?
The trees are so pretty.
The sky is so blue.
That bird…
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