1.56 - Eyes Wide Shut
I told them
to stop selling in Tranquillus, and they didn’t. I should have killed them when
I had the chance but I’m really trying not to use that as a solution for
everything. It took a total of three days before another overdose was reported
on the news. Took another week for me to confirm it was the same little
operation. I know I can’t stamp out all drug usage, and I’m not trying to. I’m
just trying to curve it enough that Pauline feels comfortable hiring workers
without keeping an overdose kit on site.
I make my
way out of the elevator and head towards the stash house. No new security, and
I can hear a few people inside laughing. The door slides open and I’ve already
rushed the first before he can say “not you again.” When fighting multiple
people, always come in as hard as you can at one person. It’ll hold the others
off for a few seconds while they’re in shock. A few seconds makes a big deal in
a fight. With a metal arm, it’ll give you time to knock the first person out. The
second guy manages to throw a few punches, but he’s too shaken up for any
serious fight. I manage to toss him over the kitchen counter and he doesn’t
come back. Third guy tries to grapple me, he’s big but a few punches to the squishy
parts of his face are enough for him to drop me so I can finish the job. Once
again, the zip ties come out. I don’t wait for the correct time to make a
pickup or bother with any threats this time around.
I make the
walk to the market stall a lot quicker this time, it’s hard to calm down with
all the energy flowing through me right now. Inside the market I make may way
over as fast as possible. I know there’s at least three people there, and I’ll
need to take them out as quick as possible so I don’t cause a scene.
A gun shot
fires in the air as I get close. People scream out in terror, running in
different directions. I stand out, another gunshot, likely fired at me, but
doesn’t hit anyone. It’s the men from the stall, they’re shooting at me. They
upped the ante more than I was willing to. I’m forced to flee with the crowd.
As another shot echoes through the crowd more people yell. I’m just putting
them in danger running with them. Eventually they’re going to hit someone even
if it isn’t me. I turn and spot my pursuers giving chase. I start making my way
towards them, fighting against the crowd. They’re spread out, I can at least
grab one in the chaos. It seems like they’ve only got one gun so I’ve got
pretty good odds the guy will be unarmed. I make it to the first, taking his
punches until he’s in reach. I wrap my left hand around his throat and use my
right to quickly knock him out. I spot the second and start to make my way
towards him.
My legs
start to give out beneath me, and I drop to my knees. I don’t know what’s going
on. A small vial rolls in front of me. I try to focus my vision to read it but
I can’t make out the language. I know in an instant someone has drugged me, but
who? They brought guns to a fist fight, they’re not the type to drug someone. I
try to stand but a foot on my back pushes me forward onto my face. A bag is
tossed over my head, and the weightlessness tells me I’ve been lifted for the
ground. The whole thing is playing out as if it’s taking hours for me, but I
know it has to be seconds. I try to fight back, but my body just won’t move no
matter how much I try.
“You really
stand out with that arm,” I hear a warped voice say.
“Perhaps
there’s a better way to do this,” a second voice responds.
“Nope, he
doesn’t know how to take it easy, it’s too hot, and he needs to lay low, so I’m
making him.”
The voices
keep having a discussion but my body is shutting down completely and I can’t
understand what they’re saying anymore. The commotion of the crowd begins to
fade along with their conversation. I feel my body being dropped somewhere,
then there’s nothing.
“Hello,” I
try to call for help in the white void that my mind is now trapped in.
“You’re
trapped,” I hear my own voice call back to me.
“Where?”
“Trapped in
a war with yourself.”
“What?”
“You’re
fighting your own nature.”
“I just
need to get out of here.”
“You can’t
get out of here unless you’re willing to do what you know you have to.”
“What is
that I have to do?”
“The thing
that’s been calling you for nearly a year now.”
“I don’t
have time for riddles.”
“Where are
you going?”
“How do I
get out of here?”
“Time.”
“That’s not
very helpful.”
“How is
chasing drug dealers helpful? How is shooting gangs on Mars helpful? How is
leaving Renan when he needed you helpful? What about Beatrix, she could have
used more than a terrible pep talk. You did all that talk about leaving the
military because you weren’t helping people. Who have you actually helped? You
can’t even help yourself. Mr. Spec Ops can’t even take on some local drug
dealers. You should have died on Xioshaa, but you lived and didn’t do anything
to make the universe a better place. You’re still running from something that
isn’t even chasing you.”
“What do
you know?”
“I’m you, I
know everything. I know why you can’t sleep. I know why you still crave
adrenaline. I know why you think nobody should love you. I know why you’re
planning to run away from Pauline and Martin. I know all your failures and
weaknesses.”
“You don’t
know anything.”
“I know
everything, I told you that.”
“If you
know everything how do I wake up.”
“You just
open your eyes. It’s always been that easy. Just open your eyes and see what
the world around you.”
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