A TALE OF MANY TERRIBLE CITIES

The radio had not gone off, so he woke up an hour later than he would have liked to. Not that Sirius vin David had much to do these days, but waking early was something he liked.

He now brushed his teeth before his mirror already in his uniform thinking his patrol route through.

Two weeks it had been since he'd been released from the hospital and a week since he'd started his new job as a cop. It irked him to be so lowly as to disturb folks in their own homes on account of municipal laws, but he knew that was the best his brother could have gotten for him.

He looked around at his ever neat kitchen and thought what she would say if she saw it.

I suppose starving yourself is okay love. She'd want you to join her..

Sirius blinked ridding himself of that awful but oily voice. He hated it and the more he stood there staring at the kitchen the more he hated himself for what he'd become with it; and without it.

He checked his pockets for the photo he carried everyday then exited the house.

The first stop was the Gutters where he'd most likely spend an hour or two making sure biomes and humans lived at peace. Then he'd have to go the Middle Zones and watch as decently rich humans pretended to be better than what they were.

Finally, he'd go to the Upper Zones and by chance he'd see his brother and his family. He chuckled to himself as he thought of how his brother would scowl at the Upper Zones being called the Goldilocks by the Gutterfolk.

He passed Jashi at the First Gates who saluted at him even though Sirius nolonger held rank over him. Just as he walked past him, Jashi tugged at his shoulder and Sirius almost went for his plasma pistol. The only weapon he was allowed these days.

"Sir there's been a robbery at Sector Two of the Middle Zones. The Captain wants you there in ten minutes and a report when you're done."

Jashi gave Sirius a weak smile as Sirius walked past the gates. He hated that everyone understood that his former rivals were all having a go at him now that they could hide behind his disgrace.

Before he reached the second gates, he'd saved a little biome boy and his sister from an angry mob mainly comprised of humans. Stealing a two pack charge for lunch the boy had done; and for his sister who'd not had any for a week. Sirius had paid for the goods and threatened anyone who'd dare to touch the children.

Not that he cared for the machine things, he just didn't like seeing people having power over children.

Reminds you of our little baby doesn't it?...

Again he blinked, refusing to acknowledge that voice.

He'd reached the second gates. Nobody knew him that well over here to acknowledge him or even smile at him. He walked on till he saw the house his System had shown him.

He took a retake to make sure because from where he stood, he saw dozens of black uniforms which meant the Royal Order was here.

Why would the Captain send him to an already sacntioned place?

He already knew the answer and was just about to leave when he saw Darius, his brother wave at him from the house's door.

Sirius walked a bit too enthusiastically at the sight.

"How about that big brain then Sirius?" Darius joked.

He hugged his younger brother and got to looking around at the scene. As they walked into it, Sirius started seeing familiar items all around. A cabinet he'd once seen and a set of cups in another that he was sure he'd bought on someone's birthday back in the day.

He stopped when he saw her lying in a pool of blood on the floor. She looked just like...

"It's Marriane Sirius. They shot her through the chest after they got what they'd come for," Darius said looking at him.

She looks just like her on that night...

Sirius agreed with that ugly voice for the first time.

"Who are they?" He asked.

"Don't know mate, there's not much to go with that the perpetrators took down both the house's and her system before they even came in."

Sirius almost whistled. He wasn't a techie but he was sure that kind of tech was banned in the city.

"What was stolen?"

Darius looked around at the agents sampling every piece of material they could and pocketed his hands into his jacket. Bad news.

"I'm sorry Sirius but I can't release that kind of information to--you."

Sirius knew what that meant now. A person of your rank is what his brother meant to say. He nodded, took one last look at Marriane and headed for the door.

"Hey,"

He turned his head towards him.

"Dinner with the family this weekend. Haven't forgotten have you?" Darius said smiling.

"I'll be there mate. Do say hello to little Dodie for me. I love ya brother."

He didn't wait to hear his response already having made a call to his Patroller through his system. The terrible scene of his school mate murdered had drained the life out of him this early into the morning.

As he watched the little car like thing that reminded him of a human sized floating toaster, the thought of the importance of what was stolen hit him. The Royal Guard only took on very serious and top secret cases. He wondered what Marriane had held as he got into the patroller.

Marriane had studied the sciences at the Special Branch while Sirius had gone into the Royal Army. She'd been a genius at chemistry and biology. He'd bought her that set of cups at the advice of his own wife. To ensure she remembered where her kitchen was as she worked, she'd said.

What could she have possibly been working on for the Royal Academy that had warranted her murder.

She'd always been a gentle soul that one, so killing her still didn't make sense to him even if it was a robbery.

He was headed back to the first gates now almost having flown over the Gutters fully when he noticed a scuffle in an alley. He dropped a little off the alley and got off the patroller.

Checking for his plasma pistol, Sirius walked into the scene that would change his life forever.

A boy, he thought in a dirty grey hoodie struggled against four men who pinned him to a wall. Sirius saw the thing as ugly as three more men stood beside all smiling maniacally. They didn't hear him.

"Hands off the lad, you things!"

As one of them turned to him, he noticed they all wore the same black leather jacket with the 'No Biomes' logo on the back. A gang against the machines, one of the many that existed in the Gutters and all over Acropolis.

The four men still pinned the boy to the wall as the other three approached Sirius. He took out his pistol and aimed at the nearest man.

They also almost had the same pathetic look on their face. Hunger mixed with evil desire was in their eyes and Sirius powered his gun to warn them.

"Stay back you things!"

They walked closer.

"Stay back!"

They stopped.

"Are you going to shoot us patroller sir?" One man said.

As if that was half as funny as they thought, they all cracked up.

Sirius was focused on the men for too long and never noticed the boy pinned against the wall glowing blue. Neither did the men holding him when he exploded.