The Annihilation Code

Chapter Six ✰ Chase Huxley ✰

I swear I have no how that got there! If I were to rob a toaster company, I'd steal one of those fancy toasters with touchscreens. I tried to buy one a few months ago, but my financial advisor wouldn't let me. He was like, "You can't keep making impulsive purchases like this. You don't even like toast."

I was like, "Shut up, Old man! You can't tell me what to do!" I felt bad about it later, and I never ended up buying the toaster. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah, the map! I didn't even know Bionic Corp sold maps, so I couldn't have stolen it. Right? I don't think I stole it, but I was pretty drunk at Jaxon Wan's party. I had to ask myself the question, Did I do that?

I looked at Atlas to gage his reaction to this new information, but his attention was zeroed in on the map. I leaned in to get a better view of the map that ruined my life. It looked like a black blob with a big red line going through it. "What is this supposed to be a map of?"

"I'm not sure." Atlas signed.

It's pretty weird having his signs translated aloud in my brain. It's like having a second voice in your head that isn't yours. It's freaky.

Marisa squinted her eyes in an attempt to decipher the image. "It looks like some sort of landmass if you look at it the right way."

I slow clapped. "Excellent detective work, Marisa. That really narrows it down. It's not like most maps have landmasses in them."

"Don't be a smart-ass." Atlas signed. "If you're so smart, why don't you tell us what this is a map of?"

Dammit. I wasn't prepared for a geography pop quiz. I cheated my way through high school geography, along with all my other classes. "I don't know. Ireland?"

Atlas shot me a judgmental look. Apparently, Ireland wasn't the correct answer.

"This thing ruined my life." I pointed towards the map. "I'd like to know what's so freaking special about it."

"Whatever this map leads to must be valuable to Bionic Corp." Atlas signed.

"Do you think it could be valuable to other people?"

"How so?"

"I was thinking if this map is so special, maybe I could auction it off on the black market and become as rich as Jaxon Wan."

"Are you kidding me? You can't just sell it on the black market! We don't even know what it is!"

"Well, how can I learn what it is?"

Atlas tapped his finger on his chin in deep thought. Then signed, "I might know someone."

Atlas guided me out of the apartment building and into the crowded street. Vendors with carts full of various goods parked on every corner. Flags in hundreds of different patterns and colors hung from the balconies above. The people in the streets spoke in so many different languages I could hardly keep track. My cybernetics attempted to translate them all at once. 

"Fresh Fish Tacos! Buy one, get one free today only!"

"It's so hard to find good workers these days. Bionic Corp keeps poaching my staff."

"Hey! Watch where you're going!"

"I told Li Na it was her turn to do the laundry, but she must have forgotten."

"Mama, where are you?"

"If it's a fight you want, I'll give you a fight!"

"Did you see the Cybrawl last night? Vindicator kicked the other guy's ass!"