‘Maybe soon.’
‘I’ll toast to that.’
Toby
Unathi is still wearing the same leopard-print vest. I study it carefully to make sure, but even the stains look identical.
‘What is with you? Stop staring at my tits, man!’ He hands me a gamechip. ‘Congratulations, you made the big league. Realspace, and you don’t even have to go elf. Or vampire. Personally, I don’t think you’re qualified for this, but some chick did a recommend on you. Julia Thambo? Know her?’
I shrug, non-committal. Fucked if I know. Which is probably exactly what happened.
‘Said she saw you play in the barcade up St. John’s Wood way? She’s quite the cherry. You better not have slept with her, you twat.’
Again I shrug, which winds him up more than a straight confession.
‘Asshole. Anyway. Their clan has a lastminute casualty. They need a replacement. Don’t go thinking this means you get to play with the grown-ups regularly.’
‘So what’s the game?’
‘Load up the chip, asshole, and see.’
I slot the card into the gameport on my phone. The screen goes that particular cyan that quickens any realspace gamer’s pulse, cos it’s all happening now, kids, connecting to Playnet.
FallenCity™ Scorpions Elite
>>Welcome agent BUZZKILL
‘Great call sign, you’ve preselected for me, Unathi, thanks.’
‘Thought you’d appreciate it.’
‘How do I change it?’
‘You’re stuck with it. The account is all paid up. That’s your call sign.’
‘You are such a bitchmonkey.’
‘Just read the assignment, asshole.’
>>You have a new mission briefing…
BRIEF DATE: Wednesday 20 September
OPERATION: Rosa Parks
TYPE: Realworld
LOCATION: Adderley Station Deck, Adderley Street, Cape Town City
RISK LEVEL: 4+
MISSION OBJECTIVES: Find and subdue terrorists on the underway and recover and disarm dirty ‘suitcase’ bomb. This is a multi-operative mission.
EXECUTION: 20h05, Saturday 23 September
DETAILED BRIEFING: Scorpion Elite’s intelligence agents have uncovered a terrorist plot by militant mercenary group MaVimbi, to plant a ‘suitcase’ nuclear bomb on the M-line train with the intention of detonating it once the train reaches Robben Island Memorial Industrial Park. Fallout will affect the entire East City coastline. Projected casualties are 16,000 on Robben Island alone.
The carrier is believed to be the terrorist known as UNITY. No further information is available, but s/he will certainly be disguised as a corporate and will likely have fake identification. S/he may have additional terrorists travelling with him/her as protection and cover.
Your mission is to infiltrate and take over the corporate coaches on the M-line underway at Adderley Street station, subdue all passengers, prevent the train from departing the station, identify and subdue the terrorist/s, and find and disarm the suitcase bomb. (Scorpions Elite Bomb Squad operatives only.) Because of the scale of the operation, mass action is required. You will be required to co-ordinate your action with one or more teams. Mission control can assign you to a team should you not already have one.
ADVISORY: This mission will take you into civilian territory. Discretion is advised.* All operatives must tag their SIMs with PlayNet FallenCity™ chips to identify them as players.
DISCLAIMER: FallenCity™ is not real. FallenCity™ does not have any real-world affiliations with the Scorpions or the criminal underworld or terrorist organisations. InGame agents are actors employed by Inkubate Inc. to validate and enhance the player’s experience in realworld play and advance the game.
LEGAL: FallenCity™ and add-on packs, FallenCity™ Scorpions Elite, FallenCity™ Underworld, FallenCity™ Wire, and FallenCity™ Apocalypse are registered trademarks of Inkubate Inc. FallenCity™ players are not formally affiliated with Inkubate Inc. and the corporation cannot be held legally responsible for any actions by FallenCity™ players during the course of play, whether virtual or physical. By entering into game time, FallenCity™ players agree to the terms and conditions of play and acknowledge that they are fully aware that FallenCity™ is only a game. Players are solely responsible for their actions in realworld play and any repercussions thereof. By registering on the system, players acknowledge that they are of sound mind and not on stimulants, legal or criminal, which might impede their judgement, and that they are fully able to distinguish between gameplay and reality. Players who enter realworld play without chipping their SIMs with FallenCity™ identifiers, or who create a public disturbance or interfere with non-player civilians will be suspended from gameplay for the period of one month. Repeat offenders will be disbarred from the game. Players who break the law in the course of play or enact physical violence on any persons (players, InGame agents, or civilians) will be barred from FallenCity™ and all other Inkubate Inc.’s titles. If necessary, their files will be uploaded to the SAPS.
*All passengers in the corporate coaches on M-line are InGame agents. Please do not interfere with other passengers on any other lines or in the station.
>> Do you wish to accept the mission, BUZZKILL?
--Yes
>> You are registered temporary affiliate with Scorpions Elite CLAN STINGER. Would you like to maintain this affiliation?
--Yes
>> Operative status confirmed. T-minus three days to execution. Further details will be uploaded to your FallenCity™ chip. Proceed with caution, BUZZKILL.
--Log out
Tendeka
Zuko rattles the can of spray-paint far longer than he needs to, but he’s working the crowd, both the kids he’s teaching and the passers-by, which makes for a considerable crowd on a Wednesday morning on the Parade. It strikes me that this must be one of the only occasions that the kids are drawing positive attention from the public. Zuko takes to the showman role brilliantly, demonstrating how to hold the nozzle so you get a smooth flow without collateral spillage on your clothes, and why you have to wear the fumemask.
The kids who live on the street make their own agenda, and if you try to force them into yours, you’re just going to lose them. We’re not overly worried if they don’t rock up first thing or if they leave before four p.m. They can come and go as they please, the only rule is they can’t be fucked up or get fucked up while they’re working with us. If we catch anyone huffing paint, it’s an instant red card.
I’ve got no illusions. I know exactly where they go when they peel off at two or three, after lunch, because that’s the deal, four hours’ work and you earn a decent meal; and I know they won’t be coming back till tomorrow, once they’ve slept it off. The thing is to respect them and how they run their lives. We can’t force them to be here, but we can offer an attractive alternate to rummaging in the garbage or begging for food. We’re building a conversation, not handing down a lecture on high. Respect is reciprocal.