Storymania - Claustrum Chap. 1 by Mathew Hamm

Claustrum Chap. 1 (1)
Mathew Hamm

Murdered

Throughout the city, one could see a flurry of monitors in just about every building, each with its own loudspeaker constantly repeating advertisements.
“VPS where the world becomes reality” or “Join the WPF, do for your state what you would have the state do for you”.
For over ten years, people herd the same soothing voice, day in and day out; to some the voice almost became a lullaby yet to others, it drove them mad .
At first these advertisements were used as political tactics, brain washing people to vote for a certain candidate, or buying into something they wanted them to believe.
In these days advertisements were used by those powerful enough to keep ads running, and people buying.
Since the population of the state had grown to undetermined amounts, the city officials placed a ten of clock electric curfew. Meaning that those who could not afford to pay the high amount to run electricity would be cut of until eight the next morning. And like magic, buildings, advertisements and everything else that required electricity and one could not afford disappeared in the darkness. Only a few advertisements remained, and a few lights could be seen here and there in some buildings, usually from those who could afford to pay the ridiculous amounts.
As soon as the lights when out, merchants appeared lining up the streets with tents and lighting them up with their strings of Christmas lights, these were used not only to light up their tents but also to attract attention, usually the brighter the tent the more clients the vendor would get. Most vendors stole their power from a nearby street lamp, and in many cases many wires laid across the side walks coming from the lamp.
Even do the rain was coming down hard, people could be seen running to and fro, looking at what each vendor had to sell, or trade. Most people here scavenged old buildings for items of worth, then would come here to trade for food. Those items would be fixed and resold at a better price.
The term “Roach market” was given to these merchants, not only because of the items they traded, but because as soon as day broke, the streets were cleared of them.
Most merchants in the “Roach market” were illegal immigrants from a nearby state where the politicians had failed to do their duties and the state economic, political and social system collapsed. When this would happen, anarchy ruled and only the strong survived, every one else fled to a nearby state in hope of a better life. But all to often they would find nothing more than a little peace, because both food and work was to difficult to find for those who were not citizens of the state.
When the system of politics collapsed within a state, the leaders of the state would reform to a stronger nearby state, thus taking the name, laws and politics of the new state. As in the case of New York, most of the smaller states around it like New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, were now all part of New York.
To John it seemed that the whole city was turning into one large roach market. People would cry out to him as he walked by offering all kinds of items and even asking how they could meet his needs. Everyone had something to offer, however he did not pause to talk, much less to look, he knew that if he stopped he would take some sort of pity on all these needy people. He chose to just get to the station with out much interruption and before his shift started.
“Johnathan Baird”, a voice that was increased by an electrical device, cried out behind him. The voice did not seem familiar to John because of the quality changes it received through the electrical device.
Johnathan stopped, his eyes looking down at the wet ground, standing still for a second, trying to recognize the voice, but with out success.
People ran to and fro, most were running to get a better view of what was going on, these people were used to violence and most dealt with it in a day to day basis.
     Johnathan turned, and there before him stood a ten foot tall Mechanical Police Unit or MPU as it was called by most people on the streets. Its yellow paint reflected the glittering lights that came from the tents, as the rain ran down its metallic armor. Some parts of the machine were covered by vinyl canvas that had been shredded as the immense machine walked through the crowd of merchant’s tents.
     The leather coat that John wore covered his body from the neck down to below his knees. Under this he carried a Redeemer lacer rifle. He placed his hand over the butt of his rifle and held it firmly. This was his weapon of choice as an Officer of the MPF, not only for its efficiency, but because he could control the distance and the area of damage effectively.
     John looked directly at the large MPUs’ dark visor, expecting to see a mans face, but with out success. He also looked for a serial number on the right shoulder of the MPU, but it was covered by a piece of canvas.
     He grew tired of trying to figure out who the man was within the MPU, he knew it was an officer of MPF, but now days one could not even trust many of them.
“Yes, officer?” he asked in a firm voice. “How can I help you?”
     The man opened the visor and the red light within the helmet showed the face of a man, but John was not close enough to recognize it. He knew that his rifle was useless against the armor of the MPU, but now at least he would have a shot, and this was directly at the head, throughout the opened visor.
     “It’s me, you fool” the man said.
     “man” he paused “no matter how many times one puts on that suit, one could never help to wonder what mad man lies behind it!”
     “Well the feeling is different when you are on this side of the suit, Henry,” Peter said mockingly.
     “You look like you ran through every single street vendor canvas on your way here. Why are you all covered in it?” John asked.
     “There was a commotion a little bit ago between two merchants, and to make a long story short, one had a old pistol, and finished the problem quickly!”
     “A pistol?, John asked, “but how?”
      “That’s what I was trying to figure out my self, but needless to say, he got away.” He said. Then he tried to reach one of the vinyl canvases stuck on the shoulder of the MPU, with out success. “Those who get away know where to go, where we can’t be followed by MPUs’, as you well know”
     “You almost done with your shift?” John asked.
     “Yea, I am on my way to headquarters now; I can’t wait to take this thing of,” he exclaimed.
“Ill walk with ya” Exclaimed John.
     After a little while they came to an intersection where there was some sort of commotion. Peter guided the MPU towards the place and found two man in a struggle. Peter walked into the middle of the fight and with the MPUs’ large mechanical hands, grabbed one man by the waist, then the other, holding them up in the air about five feet apart. The whole scene looked like a kid playing dolls.
     John recognized Jim’s face instantly. This was the man with whom his wife had cheated him with, a face he would never forget, or could never forget it.
The street quickly returned to its normality once they saw the MPU. Most people knew that getting involved in this kind of issues could lead them into problems, specially since they were mostly illegals.
John chuckled and muttered something about Jim at least not being with his wife. But Peter quickly interrupted what seem to be the beginning of an antagonism.
     “You are in violation of penal code 9.42.4”, Peter exclaimed through the MPU’s speakers.
     “This man is accusing me of something I did not do, Officer”, Jim said pointing at the other man being held on the other robots arm.
     “What, did you sleep with his wife also?” John muttered next to Peter but not loud enough for Jim to hear.
     Peter knew everything that had happened between Jim and John’s wife, but he also knew that this things happened, and there was nothing John could do legally towards the man, and this was not the place or time for anything else.
“This man that you are accusing, is an Officer of MPF, sir. What is it that you accuse him of?” . Peter asked as he put them both down.
     “Well, that explains it”, the man paused, scratching his head. “I saw him come out of a home in a hurry a few blocks from here, and he looked very suspicious. I approached the home and quickly looked in one of the windows and saw a body, I then preceded to follow him. when I finally caught up with him I was going to look for an MPU, that’s when you showed up.”
     To John and Peter, this was not something unheard of, both man often did jobs that required them to eliminate someone for political purposes. This was the requirement of most officers of the MPF.
     The man stretched out a hand apologizing to Jim “Well, if its not to much let’s put this behind us, for I felt that it was my duty you know. With all those advertising speakers blaring messages about the MPF, well it kind of put it in me to investigate, if you know what I mean!” the man said, giving a chuckle.
     “Well get home, let this type of jobs for those of us who are getting paid to do it” Peter said to the man.
“Very well officer” the man nodded and walked off.
     Jim looking about nervously said “Well, I must finish an errand before my shift starts” Having John in his presence made him feel a bit ac ward, and he avoid it him at all costs, he turned and walked of with out even waving good bye.
     John was beginning to run after him but Peter managed to grab him by one of his arms.
     “This is not the time of the place” He exclaimed.
     “Well, I am hoping that day will come soon.”
      Peter gave a mocking smile “Got your back up on that one, bro.”
      Fifteen minutes later they were at MPF headquarters. John left Peter and walked in the main entrance to the building, Peter walked about the building, to the rear entrance.
Peter walked in the shop and place his suit into a slot in the wall made just for the suit. Then two man connected cables to the back of the suit, so as to extract information and recharge the suit for future use.
     After a few seconds one of the man pressed three buttons in consecutive order, and on each side of the pressurized suit, air hissed out of the suit. The helm was removed from the body of the suit, two buttons were pressed on either side of the neck then the upper front of the MPU came forward on hinges and rested against the legs of the MPU. There sat Peter with his legs in a semi-bent form and his back straight, in between his legs, there was a hook like shaped seat. He reached to one side of the MPU, pulled one leg out of the MPU and then the other.
     “I would wait a little while before going in there,” Peter cried out as he jumped to the ground.
     One of the technicians was already on his way in, when he turned his face in disgust. Peter had left him a little gassy surprise. The man turned and cursed at Peter, but he just laugh as he walked off.
     “You are never going to change, are you Peter!” a female voice cried out behind him.
     Peter recognizing the voice turned and said “I will change when you marry me, baby”
     She laughed, gave a sigh and shook her head “We could not last a day married, specially with the jokes you love to play on everyone!”
     “What is life without jokes?” Peter asked jokingly.
     “Well, one thing is for sure. It would be a lot nicer to step in a MPU and find the air breathable”, she cried out, laughing.
     They walked through the back door and up a couple of stairs and then all of the sudden Peter grabbed Vanessa and pushed her against the wall where they began wildly kissing each other. They found a nearby door, walked in and commanded it to lock.
     John reached his desk and pulled out his Redeemer Lacer rifle out of the side of his coat and placed it in the lock box under his desk. He then sat down and touched the flat panel monitor on top of his desk, which quickly lit up. He picked up the ear piece and put it in his ear.
     “Hello John,” a soft computerized female voice was heard.
     “Hello Annie”
     “You have two digitized messages; one is from Judge Oslim and one is from your wife. Shall I play them in that order sir?” she asked.
     “Yes Annie”
     Immediately the first message appeared on the screen. It read, “Friday 06/14/2029 time 8:15 P.M. John, I need you to give me a call soon, I have a special job for you. You know where to reach me”, the man finished. John leaned forward, rubbing his eyes.
“Next message, please”
     The second message came on the screen. It read, “Friday 06/14/2029, time 9:45 P.M.” But this time there was no voice, just a visual.
     John leaned closer towards the screen as he could see the living room of a home, his home. A man ran in front of the phones camera, then back again. John leaned back pondering, his first thought was that his wife was having another affair.
     Then he saw a Lacer beam shot from one side of the room to the other, a few seconds later his wife’s face appeared on the screen in tears and then fell to the floor. A man stood next to her body, cleaned the gun and placed it back on the lock box under the phone.
John was speechless, his eyes glared at the screen, nothing seemed to be registering, he shock his head, as if trying to clear his mind.
     At this Peter and Vanessa walked into the room, as he saw John, he knew that something was extremely wrong.
     “What happened?” he cried out.
     “It doesn’t make sense” He responded shaking his head once more.
     “What the hell are you talking about, what doesn’t make sense?”
     John called Peter over and re-played the last message.
“Jim Benson!” Peter cried out as he recognized the man on the screen.
     At this both man jumped up and ran towards Jim’s desk.
Peter reached the desk first and launched him self over the desk graving Jim by the throat, at this John appeared next to him swinging a right hook directly on the mans face, making both Peter and Jim fall back.
Both man rolled on the ground, Jim managed to place his arm around Peter’s neck, as both man raised to their knees.
     By this time Jim had Peter in a tight head lock. Peter reached down his leg, looking for his pistol, but it was not there! At first he thought it might have fallen during the struggle, but then he felt the cold tip on the side of his head.
     “You know that a gun can only be used by its owner!” he cried out.
     “As for the gun, this ring jams the program.” Jim said, as he showed the ring, without taking the gun from his head.
     “Well that would explain why he cleaned the weapon after shooting Sandra”, exclaimed Peter. “He was trying to make it look like it was you, John”
     “But what I don’t get is, how you figure out it was me?” cried out Jim.
     “Well, it appears that my wife was calling me at the time, you showed up,” answered John.
     Mean while a small crowd of officers gathered in the room and were overhearing the discussion between the three men. Officer Anthony Block, who noticed that John did not have a weapon, pulled his out and spoke onto the gun, programming it to be used by John.
     “Everyone leave the room!” Jim demanded.

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