Need a Book

Chapter 9

November 17, 3060, 17:51:19

     "Is that a book I see?'

     Shit! What was I thinking?! Walking around with a book in my bag. At least I have my hood on with my mask around my neck, which I quickly pulled up. I was about to turn on my voice changer when a ray gun started firing at me.

     "Give me the book and turn yourself in," Atlas spoke from a drone hovering above. 

     "Not a chance," I said in a deeper voice while heading into a building. I ran upstairs with arms like those of Doc Oct from the old movie Sider-Man: No Way Home appearing behind me. It's so old that it's on a flat screen, not a 3-D projected movie.

     Why did I come in here? I was looking for a way out when I saw a window open. Rushing towards it, I barely slipped through it. I was only on the second floor, so I used my boots to cousin them fall as they had shock absorbers in them. I still rolled afterward as a safety precaution.

     I've attracted a lot of attention, and everyone's taking videos. This does mean they can't delete the videos as too many people are here to witness it.

     When I stood up, I saw my satchel was open and my book was missing. Looking around for it, I saw it had fallen towards the people. Everyone was standing back, so I quickly longed for it. Getting it, I look around for an escape route when I see mothers grabbing their children protectively and fathers standing in front of their families.

     Before I could react, I was shot in the side with a ray gun. Gasping, I held my side instinctively when I felt a wetness. Figuring I was bleeding, I allowed my suit to tighten over it so I wouldn't bleed out in the street before running into the crowd.

     I deactivated all of the robots and drones before turning off the cameras and quickly changing my clothes. I flipped my hoodie around to show a while's color, and my satchel became a backpack. Once I was done, I turned the other way and started walking towards the place I had just come from.

     Once I reached the area I jumped out the window, I see the crowd is still there. Acting confused, I walk up to someone and ask, "Excuse me, what happened here?"

     "We just saw the Mask Bandit jump out the window! He had a book and everything! He also got shot. I'm posting my video online if you want to watch it."

     "Thanks. I'll look for it," I say while trying to keep my panic out of my voice. Once I walk away from her, I looked down at my side to make sure there's no blood on it and to check that's it not wet. Once I'm sure it's all good, I make my way back home.

November 17, 3060, 18:15:12

     Looking at my book, 'How to Expose a Lying Leader,' I quickly open up my floorboard to hide it with my other books, 'How to Tell if Your Leader is Lying to You,' 'Potions and Spells from Around the World,' 'Mylology from Around the World,' and the ingredients I've already collected for the Dolor Bibendum and κινητήριος δύναμη potion.

     The concept should still be the same to expose a leader as they've only got better at hiding things. You can't change the way people act and think, only change their knowledge.

August 4, 3061, 21:18:52

     My old phone dinged just as I got a message from Pete. I know it's Ace and Leo, so I leave them on deliver while I open Pete's message.

     'When can we meet again?'

'I'll have to check with some other people before I can give you an answer.'