" Crimson Red P.C.B. " Chapter 6 "First Strike" (Cyberpunk Fiction)

Slipping the jack attached to the long cord into the Cybernetic interface of her bio mechanical arm, Cyberware that had a direct link to the electrical impulses of her brain, Britney fell back into the consciousness of the Matrix. The grid of planet wide connections was like a rush through her brain of amphetamine and raw power even as her physical body remained inactive. Soon she heard the crackling voice of The Cleaner in the electrical radio stray.

“The buildings main security looks unaware of our arrival, We need to do this quickly, have you inputted the power directives into your data recovery?”

“Yeah, Making the call to the power provider now. Be ready to intercept the incoming confirmation call as soon as i disconnect.” Britney spoke as she waved her hands in the air changing a display of the building. Numbers flashing in front of her eyes and being instantly memorized by her subconouse and ready to be repeated. Dial tones in her ears until an Operator answered. “Hello, North-Eastern National Grid, This is Manager number two-six-four from the Kincade Overture building. I am doing operational matinance hear and need to ask for a reboot of our power, The re connection should update our upgrades. Our utility pass code is seven-three-zero-charlie-victor-three-two-douglass-five-zero-one. Thank you, yes I can hold.” A few minutes went by with Britney nervous waiting for a response from the operator.

The Cleaner listened and made a thumbs signal with his hand before waving his own interface and moving to a call intercepting program. As Britney ended her phone call, he waited for his, the signal being sent to the building he was able to pick up the incoming security call. “ Yes, Hello, this is manager eight-five-one ... Yes, I approve that directive. Security confirmation seven-three-zero-charlie-victor-three-two-douglass-five-zero-one. Thank you “

Britney smiled and watched as the power input supply to her devices went to battery mode and then back too drawing power from the utility box. The Cleaner ended his call and the two seemed to dissolve into light as they logged out of the Matrix.
Britney woke up to Megana holding the door open to the rooftop entrance.

“That seemed easy” Megana said as Britney and her stood in the stairwell and looked down the empty flight of stairs.

“Sure, but now it gets difficult, we need to get to the lab, and I don't know what floor that is, so we will have to shoot our way through until we find the lab or meet up with the guys. I don't think the security at the ground level will let them to the elevators too easily.” Britney held her gun up and moved down the stairs quickly with Megana doing the same right by her side.

Four flights down they found the first door. Megana held the handle as Briney took a smoke grenade from her belt. Switching her V R goggles to thermagraphic vision and pulling them back down but still aware of her surroundings due to the cameras on the corners of her goggles. Megana opened the door and Britney tossed the grenade in watching it hiss out smoke into an area of cubicles they heard office workers shouting. Megana then stepped in and fired shots from her assault riffle at the ceiling with a semi-auto pull. A few moments later the lights cutting off and a red hugh of emergency back up lights came on as well as a high pitch clang of an alarm sounded. The floor was in chaos as they moved through the walkways. Kicking over cubicle walls and pointing their guns in the direction of low wage workers.

“Get down, and shut the fuck up.“ Megana shouted as she tossed another gas grenade to keep their movements going forward well hidden. They moved through clearing the floor and letting office workers go. the point was not to kill innocent people to them, the point was to complete the objective and get paid.

With nothing on the first floor they left the office party scared and confused, now running down the stairs to the next floor they set themselves to do the same thing to the next floor, As Megana opened the second heavy metal door a barrage of bullets smacked hard into the door. They both took cover in the corners and Britney lobbed the grenade she didn't have a chance to throw down the stairs.

“Shit, Lone Star security. We need to push forward” Britney said as she pointed her riffle at the door, With dents now in the metal.

Waiting a moment as nothing to happen. No one seemed to open the door as it was a choke point for gun fire.

“We need to get through, Do you think you can distract them by shape shifting? I will pull the door” Britney said as she ran to the same wall Magena was pressed up to. Grabbing the door handle as Magana nodded and started to hand Britney some of her gear and started to strip down out of her body armor and clothing. “On three.. One ... two.. Three”