Chartreuse || ONC 2022

▪︎ Digi Log 1 ▪︎

Location:
Two kilometers outside the city of Neo-York.

Present day.
184 years after the Fall of WiFi.

The trinity of Negotiators stood atop a wide rockface ridge overlooking the industrial metropolis of Neo-York. This mobile city would soon be their place of employ. For a time. Their latest client had not yet arrived, but the Negotiators were early. They were always early.

As the last beam of the sun sank below the looming horizon, Mina closed her large black umbrella and held it at her side. There was no point in protecting her photosensitive skin once the sun had set.

In the same moment, the left eye of Ava-1 automatically switched to night vision. The eye was also designed to see infrared, three dimensional laser outlines, x-rays, and toxins in the air that were invisible to the naked eye. The eye had both telescope and microscope capabilities, and could zoom in across great distances. For this reason, Ava-1 was the first to see their client's approach.

"She's on her way in a small motorized vehicle," Ava-1 told her comrades. Neither showed the least bit of inquisitiveness. "Fusion engine, digital dashboard. She will arrive in three minutes and nineteen seconds."

Saito ran his hands along the sheathed blades at his side — a katana and a wakizashi of ancient forge, together known as the Daishō of the samurai. "I dislike waiting," Saito said, his voice calm rather than disdainful. "It makes me anxious and throws off my inner chi."

"According to my analysis of your sympathetic nervous system, there is still a six minute and thirty-five second window before the flow of your chi becomes truly disrupted," Ava-1 told him. "More than enough of a grace period for our client to arrive."

Mina, who had remained quiet for this exchange, broke her habitual silence and stared pointedly at Ava-1. "It was difficult for me to see you while the sun still shone, of course," Mina said to her. "Light sensitivity never loses its potency. But now I see that your latest skin graph operation went well. The left side of your face looks nearly human again."

"You're almost attractive," Saito added, a subtle smirk gracing his chiseled features.

Ava-1 gave him a glare that would inspire goosebumps in the bravest of men. "I don't recall asking you, Saito."

Saito expelled a quiet laugh. He checked the condition of his swords again.

Mina sighed.

Saito and Ava-1 both glanced at her. Neither was particularly concerned; they knew better than most the extent of Mina's strength. Still, it wasn't often that she sighed or did anything of the sort. The sound bordered on ominous.

"Our travels during daylight hours exhausted you, didn't they?" Saito asked his nocturnal comrade. He hoped that was all, but his instincts told him otherwise.

"My neuro scan and analysis shows that you're fatigued," Ava-1 said.

Mina shook her head, neglecting to answer for a moment, as was her common practice. "Fatigued, yes," she said at last. "Not from what has happened thus far, but from what will soon come to pass."

"You are experiencing apprehension as well, I take it?" Saito asked. "My mind has been in disquiet since we began our journey here. There is something dark in this city."

Ava-1 accessed the power assessment device embedded above her left ear. "My radar is picking up a power level of at least six," she reported. "That's the highest we've encountered in quite some time. No wonder our client wanted us to come."

Like clockwork, the small motorized vehicle pulled to a stop in front of the trio. The fusion technology allowed for absolute silence, despite the running engine. The driver's door opened, and a petite young woman emerged.