Eagle X, Mission 21: CTRL

Part 21: Patricia

The two women hid in a narrow doorway in the alley between two retail structures. The sound of dozens of feet marching in precise timing seemed to come from every direction. Intermingled with the continuous steps were the sounds of panicked people being pulled from their homes or fleeing Mastermind-308's purge. Drones buzzed overhead, scanning and recording. With the street cameras, storefront surveillance, and even their own datapads, it would be almost impossible for anyone to flee the inquisition-like maneuver. It wouldn't be long before everyone was rounded up and taken to one of the detention centers.

It all reminded Patricia of the pogroms that always seemed to herald the full takeover of a fascist government. Human history always repeated itself. A cyclical revisiting of madness.

After a loud terrain-mapping drone passed over the area, Patricia hazarded a peek down the alley. She didn't see any of Mastermind's brainwashed security personnel or his modified maintenance clones, but their nonstop marching still filled her ears. She glanced back at the woman crouched down beside her. Her skin, slightly lighter than Liam's, had a permanent honey glow that seemed to make all lighting perfect for her. Her amber colored eyes were darker in-person than they appeared on the station's newsfeed, and her hair managed to look less surreal and yet all the more perfect for the simple flaws. Her brightly colored clothes stood out like a beacon.

"What's the plan, Ms... In our mad dash, I didn't get your name. I'm Onika Fwendi."

"Patricia." She turned her attention to the sky above their cluster of buildings as the buzzing sound of drones seemed to diminish. "You wouldn't happen to have a change of clothes in that shoulder bag."

"What? Not really, no." Onika stood. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing? It's the height of news anchor fashion."

"That's the problem. It makes it too easy to pick you out of a crowd."

"They're targeting everyone. Any crowds we see will be just as hunted as we are." Onika stuck her head out of the doorway for a moment, then ducked back in. Looking down at her garb, she frowned. "I guess the bright lime green might be a bit much."

She removed a wand shaped device and fiddled with a dial on the stout end. The device pipped and she pressed it to her lime green reading glasses. The glasses turn a non-distinct shade of gray. After a moment, her cap, jacket, skirt, stockings and boots did the same. Patricia raised an eyebrow in surprise. It was the same technology cosmetic companies used for their surgically permanent lip-coloring and eyeliner, but she'd never seen it used for high fashion.

"It's a prototype that a friend and I are working on. There are pricing issues and a problem with the transformation signal. A good static discharge and the cloth turns into an amorphous kaleidoscope." Onika explained as if reading Patricia's mind.

"I was being mostly sarcastic when I'd asked about your clothes."

"I could tell, but it was a valid point. It's a lot harder to hide when your outfit sticks out like a felarnian on a space station full of humans."

The two women met each other's gaze. After a moment, Patricia nodded and Onika did the same.

They waited a few more minutes then Patricia led them back the way they'd come. The pair doubled around a collection of residential buildings before taking shelter in the attached transport garage.

"Is it safe to wait here? They've focused their efforts on apartments and businesses."

"They've already cleared this place. It is very unlikely they'll do a fourth sweep so soon."

Onika nodded. "So you're monitoring their comms and you have some kind of countermeasures to elude video surveillance. Impressive."

Patricia kept her face impassive.