Neon District: Redux

Chapter 8

       Abby sat in the cracking leather office chair and spun around once before stopping in front of the computer's many monitors. She sat in front of this computer underneath the gym her and Yuka used to figure out what was in that computer chip, which was a 6-digit code that would get Cathra through the giant security door in the labs.

Currently, the monitors all had security footage from cameras inside Amery Labs with some circling through footage of wealthy looking citizens dining on cocktail foods and martini's. Damn, she really wanted a martini right now. The other monitors showed footage from inside the labs with many different scientists in their white lab coats coming to a from several offices.

In the footage it was hard to tell what was in those offices but all she knew was that Cathra had to find whatever they needed from one of them. She had a one out of six chance of finding the right office in one shot.

Glancing back at the circling footage of the ballroom she noticed an elegant woman in a skin tight black dress with a lengthy skirt flowing out from around the knees of the dress. This woman glided across the ballroom with her dark hair slicked backed waving around like a stream of mud, she held herself a dark cloud through the sea of twinkling stars.

Cathra.

"She's in the ballroom." Abby announced through a small 20th century walkie-talkie.

"Noted." Zoo replied back with some static courtesy of the crappy walkie-talkie they had to use.

"Wait until she has made it from exiting the labs, then you move in with the van." Abby ordered tapping a key on the keyboard which changed the security footage of one screen to show the back alley of the building where a dark van lingered in the shadows.

It wouldn't take long for the under-paid security guards to notice that their security footage has been compromised and replaced with old footage from another gala held four years ago. But knowing Cathra she would be in and out of there before anybody noticed the lady in black was even there in the first place.

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       Shifting her weight ever so slightly to glide pass the many party goers in the ballroom, Cathra managed to make her way to the other side of the room without having to make any conversations with anyone.

She wasn't worried about people knowing who she actually was as for all they know was that Eri Shibata was dead.

When a butler came by with a tray full of colourful iced drinks in tall glasses Cathra took a glass with peach coloured liquid and gave the butler a generous smile. Sipping the drink thoughtfully she surveyed the room of any security amongst the colourful cocktail dresses and gowns where she learned to find out only a singular security guard was even in the room.

Too bad for the guard he was halted right in the spot she wanted him in; in the darkly lit corridor leading to the labs.

She decided to change her posture and began to shuffle her way down the corridor while holding her drink loosely in her hand. When she approached the security guard she acted as if she was madly drunk and was about to collapse.

"Ma'am you can't be down this way, I'll have to ask you to turn around." The guard ordered her as he took a few small steps towards her.

"Oh... I was just looking for the bathroom." She replied, slurring her words as much as she could and continued to shuffle her way towards the guard.

"It's right down that hallway-" The guard said back before coughing on his words and falling to the floor. Blood began to pour from a deep gash along his throat with a piece of glass stuck in his skin. Cathra sighed before dragging the guard deeper in the shadows and then hiding the empty glass in a plastic plant.