Garbage Disposal (Novella)

About the Humans

Finn stood in front of a huge mansion the Aerocraft had brought him to. Unlike most of the buildings he'd seen so far, there were consistent reminders of the lower classes with restrictions everywhere visible - in fact, his transportation hadn't been allowed to enter the property. Everything was big and open, with no possibilities for hiding other than the scattered trees around the huge mansion. The mansion itself had limited windows and only at strange angles, metal shutters occasionally sealing them from view.

A swallow. He breathed and went to the door which scanned him and opened as soon as he got close. A voice echoed around him, seemingly coming from nowhere. "Welcome, Finn. Please go down the hall and enter the far room on your right. Do not touch anything. Do not make noise."

Finn carefully started walking down the hall, looking either side with lips closed. Once he reached the room, he opened the door and entered. It was boxed. Boring. Cut off.

The door closed behind him and a few vibrations went through the floor. It was an elevator.

A few seconds. Then the vibrations stopped and the door opened. 

Everything was pristine, lit with light and incredibly clean. 

He walked out, down another long hall to a room at the far end. There was a chair in the centre. He sat. Ropes curled around his legs, chest and hands.

Then a part of the wall slid open before him. He looked up. A figure walked in, looked at him, then sat in another chair opposite him.

"Forgive the formalities. I have to make sure you're not going to do anything to endanger me." The voice was soft and a little bit lower than his. Each word dripped with a calm knowing that was poisonous to the ear.

Finn smiled. "I would never do anything to endanger you, Mister Lee. Why would I hurt my saviour?"

"I'm your saviour, am I?"

"You brought me here."

Taejun Lee Han smiled back. "That's true." He held up a device, showing Finn the picture. "I liked your artistry here. It's a phoenix with a devil head, correct?"

Finn stared blankly. Then, after a few seconds, he spoke. "Sorry? What's a phoenix?"

A chuckle and Lee Han sat back in his chair. "No matter, it looks great." He placed the device next to him. "How was your journey here?"

"Frustrating." Finn tilted his head slightly and swallowed. "Do I have to be tied up?"

"You don't enjoy being tied to a chair, defenceless?" He pursed his lips. "Then why do you end up in this situation so much?"

"People keep thinking I'm going to hurt them, resist or retaliate. I'm a calm person."

"You just killed someone and mangled their corpse to create a picture."

"That's just a job."

Lee Han's smile widened and he glanced away. "You're an amusing person. I like that." He clicked his fingers and the ropes retracted back into the ground. "After I last saw you in middle-class, I prepared everything to make sure 'it' will go according to plan. I assume you also completed your side of the deal?"

Relaxing back in the chair, Finn crossed his arms and legs. "I brought the weapons."

"Yes, I'm aware." Lee Han gestured to the door he had entered. "They're in the other room. You know what I'm referring to."

"Yes." A swallow. "And... everything's prepared. I removed the chip so it wouldn't leave a scar. And the device is in my arm, hooked up and definitely working."