Part 5
May 5th 2513
They left Madison but walked with Genevieve and Sakura was still holding Kate's hand.
They were inside the plaza mall. A rather large domed structure that remined Kate of a wide jelly stack five levels tall, each of the four upper floors with a section missing for an open-air section where people could enjoy the sun. The problem being there was no sun, what remained was a snow biker's dream.
"Now, Kate," Gen began, "you can be strong, sure, but what more? Sakura sees something, you just need to show the rest of us, let us enjoy."
Half a dozen drones sunk down from the sky and floated around them.
"Gen, those yours?" Sakura asked.
Gen reached out and let one rest on their hands, cuddling it before shoving it up into the air.
"My babies are very sweet and cute. They'll be with us for a bit."
Kate had been watching the cute thin, sharp faced lady, with runway steps which were sharp and piercing as if she were wearing daggers of high heels.
Also how quickly she was moving too. There was quite a lot of purpose to her steps. Huh. Yeah…
"We're off to get me ambushed aren't we," Kate said but yelped as Sakura smacked the small of her back.
"See, I told you." Sakura said. "She good."
"Or paranoid" Gen said.
Again, Kate found herself being poked somewhere strange in her gut.
"She is, but for reason. Anyway Kate, yes, we are preparing your ambush as we speak."
They were deep in the mall, going down an elevator which travelled below the ground levels and the sound of gas engines roaring drowned out the world. The smell was incredible, it wasn't eve a smell, it was an impact! It filed her nostrils, engulfed her mouth, stuck to the roof of her mouth like a magic oily peanut butter and tried to slide down her throat.
"What the hell!" Kate yelled.
Sakura and Gen gave the universal ear touch and shrug move of 'I can't hear you' at the same time. Kate rolled her eyes.
They were surprisingly in synch.
Ping Sakura
Ping Unknown, accept?
Private Network created.
Sakura requests permanent status and admin rights?
Accepted.
Admin status Sakura, code Name Nobunaka granted
Sakura added Genevieve, code name Napoleon
Sakura added Madeline, code name, Hannibal
Sakura Edwina, code name Alexander Khalid
Group Advertisement:
Payment accepted advertising and sponsorships removed for all.
Payment accepted: Permanent group status created.
Payment accepted: City wide network access created.
Payment accepted: Voice access granted, for all users and future users.
Payment accepted: Group Name: Kate's platoon.
Payment accepted: Ping access rights to group admin granted.
Kate's jaw hit the floor but it wasn't over.
Payment accepted: Group access to video granted.
Payment accepted: Private video network.
Payment accepted: Unlimited cloud access, one year program.
Payment accepted: Private and AI fan marketing created.
Fan base score: 0
Notification!
Fan base score: 1
Notifications!
Fan base score: 50
Mute Notifications!
Payment accepted: Private access to group's health score granted.
Display Kaitlyn scores.
"Hey!" Kate yelled.
"Sorry, not sorry." Sakura sang.
"What?"
"Sakura means she's sorry she did it but needed to do it so she isn't sorry enough to not do it in the first place, ie, she'd do it again." Gen said.
Kate gaped, overwhelmed when the elevator they hit a bottom floor and they were surrounded by… car was too generous a term. Go carts of war would be the better term.
They almost entirely consisted of metal tubing and a giant engine. It was the most caveman thing Kate had ever seen!
Being there was so incredible it was better than the rest of the day watching Sakura try find new corners to make out in every hour or so. But at the same time… what exactly was she looking at? What was that wonderland?
Group Chat, voice mode paid for:
"Where are you guys?"
Maddy asked, that voice inside her mind made Kate shiver.
"The mall's anus."
Laughed Sakura.
"What?"
Kate asked.
"It's called the hole."
Gen said rolling her eyes.
"You gonna make her ride?"
"Hell's yes."
Gen yelled, those sharp eyes widening with her grin.
"We go for chariot!"
"Oh shit look out!"
Kate ducked, the girls giggle.
"Yeah, paranoia indeed. But that's not what I was playing, at look. It's tha rascal!" Sakura yelled and pointed.
"Not just him." Gen said with a grunt.
Kate followed the path of Gen's disappointment to look eyes with the Eric. He was in enormous overalls, an entire cotton field having died to make it. They weren't his father's colours either which was now, there were even lights on the outside of the clothing as if tracing the bones of his hands and arms up to the shoulder. Before the eye contact, he'd been leaning over one of those ridiculous tube-vehicles lifting up something in the rear. There were butterfly wings on it too, it fluttered as he walked.
After putting it down, he dropped low and then, with his outfit growing rigid and lighting up bright, picked up an entire engine! The slab of alloy and horsepower must have weighted half a tone and with the aid of (the limo driver from the other night?) he put the engine in the buggy.
They shook hands and he pulled out a glass case. Mr Limo Driver licked his dirty fingers and spat before pressing down on Eric's bit of glass. The deal complete, Eric made to leave.
Kate could feel Sakura's eyes upon her. Kate knew shouting out would've been a massive mistake.
But why though? Why would it be so bad?
'Because', responded a voice, 'this is a date, and you know it.'