The Deadman

After that corpo job, he got another from the Boss immediately. This time it was delivering cyberware to Japantown, in Chiba Street, to a prosthetist who installs them for any customer that has the cred and the say so of people they can trust.

Lux City was called a melting pot OF city because of various cultures that had settled in. You can find any culture in the city and one of the popular districts is Japantown where they sell a lot of products that have been delivered from Japan.

It was quite a popular place run by diasporas who were evicted by the main branch of the Yakuza in their home country. Robert had been here, and tried to play on pachinko parlors and small gambling dens until deciding he wasn’t fond of throwing money away.

He did visit a ramen shop selling real authentic noodles. The place was protected by the local gangsters and was one of the many places you can get a decent meal. It’s popular so it’s always full.

Robert weaved through the crowd and found the client’s clinic twenty seconds away from the main street. The moment he entered the alley, he immediately dodged the hand trying to grab him and backed away, ducking as someone tried to grab him from behind. He distanced himself and looked at them.

“Who are you guys? I’m here for a delivery.”

The two glared at Robert with their hands itching to their holsters. Robert blandly stared at them.

“Look. I’m here for a delivery. Once I get this delivered, I’ll fuck off. And no, you can’t look inside the Doc’s package.”

Robert declared firmly. If these guys wanna rob him, he’d make them regret having itchy hands. Robert noticed that the two were quiet, their eyes were glowing as they probably spoke to someone in their heads. He’d guessed that it was a neural commlink.

“He’s good. Dr. Ishi is expecting the delivery.”

“Chrome?”

“Yeah, probably. You can go.”

Robert silently took the package with him and found the receptionist. The receptionist thumbed the door on the left. He entered and saw the Doc of the clinic 

“Dr. Ishi, I got a delivery for you. Please sign this.”

Robert ran the biometric scanner of his smart glasses and confirmed that it was the customer. The Doctor pushed his thumb on the signer and took the package with him. He opened the package and took out a cyber arm.

“Raiden Arm Mk. 12 A thing of beauty, isn’t it?”

“It looks sturdy.”

Doc’s eyes glow, “You do not have implants… a rarity in this city. Or could it be a very subtle Bioware? I see no implant lines or find the eerie imperfections.”

“None.”

“Then a true purist? Oh, I hope you don’t start preaching about how human flesh must stay pure from the touch of steel.”

“That happened to you, Doc?”

“It did. I am sick of the purist.”

Robert could understand. It was somewhat worse than he thought. It was a craze that transformed humanity.

Replacement and Enhancement.

There was always an argument about it.

Dr. Ishi looked at the cyber arm and then placed it on the operating table. He looked at Robert and then asked. “I assume that you are leaving? I could use help in regards to chipping in a patient.”

“Hmm? I thought it’s a one-man show.”

“It is. But as you can see I don’t have my auto-doc at the moment. It has been sent to repair and thus I have to painfully do it myself. Besides that, this is an Enforcer of the local gang. I need proper hands for this.”

“Either I must have good timing or is it always like this? Asking a delivery boy to help you?”

“You’d be surprised. Pei’s boys are usually freelancers and it’s not that rare to ask them for any odd jobs. Think of it as a show of kindness, demonstrate our flair.”

“Ah, so I can spread rumors about how good you are with what you do.”

“Blunt, but word of mouth works wonders - what is your name?”

“Robert.”

“Word of mouth is great. You tell someone unconsciously and they remember it more than the ads on TV or some crier in the street. It stays with you and you boys travel a lot.

“Fair.”

“So, going to help?”

Robert sighed, “What do I need to do?”

“I’ll tell you what to do. The customer should come in. Take the apron will you?”

Robert wore the spare apron and waited for the customer. The one that walked in was this overbearing hulk of a man with a missing limb. One look at the stump of his arm suggests that it got ripped off.

“Kuma, you are here. Lie down so we can get this installed.”

The Doc said while reading the cyber arm. Kuma’s face pointed at Robert who was standing idly.

“Who is this?”

“A temporary assistant. My assistant’s out to get the Auto-doc upgraded with the latest firmware. So you’ll get my hands this time.”

“What will he do?”

“Apply anesthetic and medicine to keep your body from rejecting the install.”

“Got it. If he messes up I’ll tear his head off.”

Kuma said while staring Robert down. Robert’s face remains unchanged and placid. He snorted and laid on the operating chair. Robert strapped him and then took the container full of auto-syringe from the doc.

“I’ll start by picking the pieces out. For now, you need to go to sleep, Kuma. Robert, give him the tranquilizer.”

Robert took the auto-syringe and then stabbed it on the neck of the patient. Kuma’s eyes drifted immediately.

“Strong.”

“It’s ketamine. Can knock out a horse. This one needs it if he wants to be put to sleep. His implants had made him resistant to certain drugs like anesthetic. He can’t get drunk either.”

The Doctor plucked the personal link located on the base of Kuma’s skull and attached it to his computer. On the screen, the Doctor accessed Kuma’s pain editors.

“You allowed pain?”

“It helps in identifying what’s wrong. Because pain can be a warning device that helps if the install is wrong or if there is any trouble during the process.”

On the screen shows Kuma’s implants. There were about 22 implants on the man’s body. From subdermal skin, to magnified vision, and even a backup heart.

He was nearly a cyborg.

He was 30 percent organic.

“Lot of 'netics on him.”

“To be fair he didn’t make the choice. This man had been running around Japantown for years now. Had never rested in keeping the territory safe. He had been shot, stabbed, slashed, gutted, and even executed; his mere survival makes him a semi-legend in this area. A tough man to kill with a lot of funding from his superiors.”

“Is he the only one?”

“Nope. There are others like him who had gone old, but refused to retire from servitude. Since their flesh has become weak, they replaced it with steel. Shichishō Hōkoku! They always tend to parrot when talking about their loyalty.”

“What’s that?”

“I don’t know, but it roughly translates to: “Would that I had seven lives to give for my country!”.

“Real loyal soldiers.”

“That's why they are still holding on. But these men have to be equipped with brain enhancement implants. They are strong in will, but their problem is that their brain still ages. There are treatments to prevent brain degradation, but it’s a temporary solution. Last year they had to bury one of their soldiers after he had become a Ghoul.”

“I heard of it. Living corpses with their brains functionally dead. Their heart keeps pumping, but there is no response.”

“It’s a fascinating thing. Last year’s case had one of their soldiers barely conscious, but was able to go back home and stay there until one of their friends found them and honorably put them down for good.”

“I guess you can’t escape that unless you’re rich.”

“Expensive treatment is there, but it costs millions to do it. Their organization is willing to uphold it if they are deemed worthy. Everyone does it now.”

“Is he going to get it?”

“He might get one. But who knows?”

Doctor Ishi removed the damage on the stump and proceeded to adjust the joints of the cyberware to fit. From the looks of it, it was custom made to fit the patient. Even prepared the preferred settings that Kuma had before his arm got ripped out.

“It seems that this always happens to you. You are not surprised.”

“Last week I had to replace someone’s private parts, Doc. It doesn’t happen often, but still that experience was quite something.”

“Oh, was it a woman?”

“Yep.”

“She must have an auto-doc. Probably a premium-class escort. I’m surprised they allowed you to touch or see them. They are quite picky when it comes to chumps viewing their bodies.”

“She needed it immediately. Besides, I don’t think that she minded it. Not that she cared, honestly.”

“They are quite expensive. You’d need to have some serious money to hire one.”

Dr. Ishi started soldering the cyberware on Kuma’s stump, “They are. If you have a neural processor, having sex with one is like going to heaven. If you are connected to them, they enhance your sensitivity to the point that you’d be addicted to it. They are like succubus, they drain your spirit.”

“You fucked one, Doc?”

“Once in a while I purchase their seven minutes of heaven service. Worth the money. But it kinda is addicting, so I only purchase the service if I’m strapped with cash. You could try it. Pei should be paying you enough to save enough cash for it. Hmm, I can offer you a discount if you want to get a neural processor installed."

“I’m good for now.”

“You are a tough man to sell a product to, Robert. Hmm, when was the last time you had some action?”

“105 years ago? Could be longer.”

“You are a very, very sad man then, Robert.”

Dr. Ishi didn’t believe Robert’s truth. Hell, lately Robert had been wondering if that was the truth when working in the landfill. If all that happened to him was nothing more than an elaborate simulation.

He had stopped thinking about that after producing fire with his bare hands and using his all-sense.

“You should find time to relax. I have an implant that can destress you.”

“No, Doctor, I am not buying any implant.”

“A shame. Would you kindly inject him?”

“Sure.”

Robert stabbed the auto-syringe below Kuma’s heart. Kuma’s eyes opened and he looked like just got jolted away.

“Relax for now, sir. Most of your functions are paused to make sure that the installment process goes smoothly.”

Robert glanced at the screen above Kuma’s head showing processing his spoken thought to words.

“How long, Doctor?”

“It wouldn't take a while. Any pain?”

“None.”

Robert took the auto-syringe, located the slot on the base of Kuma’s head and injected the nanites.

“Hmm, you are doing well. Did you have any prior experience?”

“I have.”

Robert recalled his military days. He had to know how to maintain his prosthetic and got himself slotted with medical practices that he could barely remember now.

The methods here were quite familiar so he could keep up. It also helped that they had auto-docs and auto-syringes that made it hard to mess up the process. And that he was following the instructions through the smart glasses that spoon feeds him where to apply it. The cracked package he had installed was worth the price. He knew it was going to be helpful after his encounter with Mimi.

Kuma’s arm was installed after minutes of intricate soldering. Kuma had some body-shaking reactions with the nanite adjusting his body to the newly installed arm, but the man had the iron will and discipline.

“It’s good to have my arm back, I thank you, Ishi-san.”

“I will wait for your payment. Try not to think of yourself as a tow truck, Kuma.”

Kuma nodded and left the clinic. Robert placed the apron on the side and asked, “Tow truck?”

“He overdid the use of his own implant. Not rare for folk like  him. I thank you for your small assistance. You’ll get your tip and remember, Robert. Word of mouth. Tell Pei that I'll be expecting more delivery.”

Robert bid the Doctor goodbye and left Japantown. While driving on the highway, Robert wondered if he just couldn't help but get interested in acquiring tips from customers.