The Diamond Cult

Unavailable

Liars twist life so it's tasty to the lazy

Powerful to the weak and crazy

Brilliant and seductive to the ignorant youth

But even in pain there's beauty to the truth

-

Piggy sat at his office, alert and bored. His stomach rumbled and he realised he hadn't had breakfast yet.

Maybe Azra wanted to go eat somewhere?

He hadn't done anything outside of work with him for a long time.

He walked back to Azra's office. An eery vibe hung around it.

He knocked and opened the door. To his surprise Azra wasn't there.

Had he gone for a walk?

That didn't seem very Azra like, not during work hours. Piggy entered and looked around for clues.

Azra's phone laid on the desk, quite unusual.

Piggy didn't want to panic even more. He forced himself to breathe calmly and think it through.

Maybe he need some air? Or he had to help someone? Or something bad happened to him?

No, Azra is strong and independent.

Piggy looked out the window and saw a man that looked like Azra walking in the distance. He grabbed a hat and coat and hurried down stairs like a maniac. It wasn't his calmest day.

He swiftly manoeuvred in between people. He tapped the man's shoulder.

"Azra."

"Piggy, please."

Azra kept his face away from Piggy.

"Are you okay? Have you been crying...?"

"No, I just need to be alone. Please take over my duties for today."

"Okay, be careful... I mean just look after yourself, yeah?"

"Yeah, thank you."

Just as Piggy turned away he remembered something.

"Hey, wait."

"What?"

"Take my jacket and I'll take yours and take this hat. The things that have been happening left a bitter taste in my mouth. I wouldn't want something to happen to you."

"Alright, quick we might be watched."

They both took their jackets off and switched. Azra now in a beige coat on and Piggy in a neat black coat.

Azra put the hat on and went to leave.

-

She typed away, trying to find out what was wrong with her computer when everything shut down.

"Fockin' bastard!"

Jade forced herself to breathe calmly while she fought the urge to throw her keyboard at the screen. As she ran her hands through her hair she noticed a little white spot on her screen.

She sat down and hesitantly moved her curser which surprisingly still worked. She clicked on the spot and it opened a file.

"Styx?"

She rolled her chair back to the desk and scrolled down, checking out the file. Before she could finish reading a message flashed across the screen.

'be careful.'

Her hands shook while she tried to control the urge to vomit. Someone hacking into her computer could mean nothing good.

She hacked into things not the other way around.

Breathe,

Breathe,

Breathe.

She stepped away from her computer and pulled all of the cables out of the wall.

Panic mode.

-

"Ricin, how many of them have you located?"

"Two, but I currently only have one on radar."

"Names."

" 160203 and 270803, 160203 is lost currently. I suspect he's either at their office or with 090203."

"Too many numbers, darling."

"I'm sorry, sir. I meant I've located Nigel and Isla, Nigel is lost currently. I suspect he's either at their office or with Serhat."

"Have you located him?"

"Who, Serhat?"

Neville's expression hardened every time he heard his name. Old wrath resurfacing.

"Yeah, could you use Little Bear instead of Serhat."

"Of course, sir. Changing system. I haven't located Little bear."

"I need you to send out Veno to find him and get someone to bring Ares back."

"Veno is already out, sir."

"Where is he?"

"He's currently at a training."

"I don't care, I need him out there."

"Sir, you sent him to that training."

"I know, but I need him out there. Are you arguing with me? Do you need a reboot?"

"I am not arguing with you, sir. I don't need a reboot, I was just making sure you knew what you were doing."

"Doubting me, Ricin?"

"No, sir. Am I capable of doubting?"

"Enough, I'm not used to this behaviour and I won't tolerate it."

Neville cleared his throat.

"Ricin, reboot system."

"Sir, I- System rebooting."

Ricin stood still, almost tranquillised. The reboot forcing itself through their body and mind.

"Ricin?"

"Yes, sir."

Neville received a text from Ricin's creator.

'What was the reason for a reboot? Did anything go wrong?'

'Disobedience, is it possible Ricin has a mind of their own?'

'It's not entirely impossible. They are an AI mixed with a human brain, but we programmed them differently from a regular AI.'

'What do you mean differently?'

'Well, we customised them for your project. You haven't read the manual?'

'There's a manual?'

'You haven't read it! After 6 years. Sir, I highly advice you to read it.'

'I don't have it.'

'Ricin didn't give it to you?'

'No.'

'Uh, I think they might've broken their own system.'

'On a scale from 1 to 10 how bad is that?'

'Uh, 8?'

'Should I turn them off?'

"Neville, should I calculate the consequences of turning my system off?"