Just a little bit of blue R1.3

1.3 – Two days ago

Three-Five-One Leblanc always felt an enormous relief after taking the juice. It meant he got a seventy two hour extension on life, and he enjoyed being alive. He had started to become phylosophical about it, even though that could be considered an intolerable deviation from the norm and could get him terminated if he admited to it. He often wondered what would life be like if he didn't have to go through the debrief protocol, every third day, to be given the concoction that kept him alive and kicking. The assurance of loyalty to the system. The quid pro quo that kept the Technocracy safe from rebelions and master of a totally reliable security force. As a Crime Squad Team Leader, he had a lot more leeway than most, but that came with extra responsabilities and the worry that one of his underlings fucked up so bad that the Security Council decided to terminate the entire unit, as sometimes happens. He was only happy that he had been dealt a good group to lead, still, he could never shake the worry from his head. It was a forever feeling of the need to do things right. Get it wrong a couple of times and you are out of the juice. You are out of juice, you're dead.

(Image: adapted from rosbonk in kr.pinterest.com)

The Sanitizer Corps was created by the Government to replace the mercenary armies used by the corporations during the the first years of the chaos. Genetically enhanced phoetuses were implanted in an army of surrogate mothers that were disposed of after giving birth. Some were clones, some were not. In common, they had increased strength, stamina and resistance to high radioactive exposure. They also carried a latent retro-virus that would kill them in short notice if they weren't supplied with the antidote every four days or so. All of them raised under a strict military system and brainwashed into absolute loyalty to the Technocracy, the sanitizers, as they were known, were the assurance policy of the ruling elites, the guarantee that their will would be done no matter what. As Chancelor Rashmikantas Gokaldas put it, they were the force that would “keep the checks and balances of the system in proper order and erradicate all the threats to our common safety. They were created to sanitize our planet”.

The guys called him Effow, out of the Three-Five-One part of his name. T.F.O., Effow. He kind of found it endearing, whenever he didn't remember that it was just short for faster operational communications. In any case, he always felt it was a lot cooler than being called by a number, like Twenty One, his Commanding Officer. Out of the debrief offices, he set himself in route to his section. It was time to go and check his team's readiness. Hopefully, in around ten minutes, they would all have had their juice meet-ups and he could, once again, count the full twenty heads he was given to lead. As he got into the corridor heading to the locker room, he felt something was off. The guys never left the door open, and it was open wide. As he peeped inside, there was Twenty One, the bald round faced unit CO, waiting, carrying a pack of brown envelopes like they were a baby. Something was definitely off. Effow had never seen the C.O. out of his fifteenth story office, and, facing him in the locker room was a first. Staightening his coat, he went into the room, stopped and saluted.

-At ease, Effow. - said Twenty One in a lower tone than usual.- I have a special one for you, today. Your team is going to arrest a Techno. Discreetly. - Yes, sir. - Effow replied – Any special precautions? - The C.O. handed him the briefs, a somber look on his face, and looked vaguely in the direction of the security camera that watched over them. - You'll find everything you need to know in the mission's orders. - OK, sir.- The fat figure made his way to the door and turned around. - Be careful out there! - Effow again stood in salute. -Yes, sir! Thank you, sir! - Twenty one grinned and exited the room, leaving Effow wondering why in the world would the C.O. be down here, handing him the envelopes instead of using the internal courier, as usual. This was way more than abnormal, it was highly irregular. The top brief had his name on it, Three-Five-One Leblanc. Inside, were the mission's orders. There was also a yellow post-it. Walking into the camera's blind side, he slipped it into his pocked. Just in time, as the team started pouring into the room.

Twenty heads. Everybody got the juice. Effow figured he must be doing a good job. He hasn't lost anyone yet. Going around the room, handing the briefs, he couldn't stop wondering what was on the note. He'd have to wait until he was out of camera's reach so he could read it. Patience would be needed, for now, there were more pressing matters to attend to, like the mission at hand. He stood on the end of the second row of lockers and read his own mission instructions. High discretion advised. Four men only into the building, civilian clothes. The rest of the team in standby on selected locations, outside. No tech support, no coms. To execute in the black. Subject to be delivered to location provided to the drivers. Mission orders to be destroyed after reading. All highly unusual, he thought. Looking around the room, he saw the others were as baffled as he was. -Alright, people. - He called out loud. - Change and get equiped. Read your orders and get them to the shredder. I want you all on the move in twenty. -Making sure everybody nodded, - let's go get this Julius guy!

-To be continued

22.01.25 - @hefestus

To find the other parts: https://steemit.com/created/justalittlebitofblue

Disclaimer:
"Just a little bit of blue" is a work of fiction. Every event, character, planet, continent, country, city, street, building, corporation, institution and product mentioned in this work is totally fictitious and has absolutely no relation to reality or real events, persons, planets, continents, countries, cities, streets, buildings, corporations or institutions. Everything is derived from the author's own imagination and no AI products were involved in the planning, writing or revision of this work. Additionally, the story happens in the future, in a time that has not yet come, so, any considerations about the possibility of the occurrence of facts or release of products mentioned herein, in the years to come, are due to mere coincidence and in no way derive from the author's inside or 3rd party knowledge of any country, organization or person's plans to implement actions or release said products into the market.
Just to be clear: All that's written here is fictional and originated by the author's own toughts about what may happen to come in the unknown future.