The Revelers (Serial 1)

Act 2 - Chapter 28: Ari

Samza and Mezos finally arrive at the briefing room and we begin discussions on how to proceed. Getting into the Solstice Sky Labs will be no easy feat. Based on the intel Livia gathered during her prior scouting mission, we can hitch a ride on a cargo vessel from the Boulder Beach Labs.

However, before doing so, there's one object of interest Dr. Williams wants us to get while at the facility. It's a visor-like device called The Dream Recorder, Cithara's invention. As the name implies, it allows the wearer to record their dreams and play them back for others to witness. This item is in a safe box bolted on to a wall in Cithara's workshop according to our intel.

Speaking of dreams, while Gunhild hasn't appeared in my dreams since the past few days, I still hear that girl's voice calling my name: Arizona, are you there? I answer every time I hear her, but I don't think she can hear me. There's got to be a way to contact her.

It's nighttime. There are a few clouds, but I can still count the stars. We're cruising down Lakeshore Road, going north, just passing the Boulder Beach RV Campground. I'm in the back seat of Charles's Dodge Charger with Mezos next to me and Samza on shotgun. As I suspect, the car is police-spec, but with the engine swapped out with a much bigger one, producing more horsepower and torque, rivaling that of its wilder sibling, the Dodge Challenger. It's also loud, just like Makoto and Sebastian's cars. However, the Charger also has a lower speed hybrid component, allowing the car to run off a battery, which Charles activates to silence the car as we approach the premises of the Boulder Beach Labs.

"Aww yeah!" Charles grins after pushing a holographic button on the dashboard.

"Internal Combustion Engine Deactivated," a male robotic voice announces. "Now operating in Exclusive Electric Drive Mode."

"Prius Mode up in this joint. Now we undercover like no other." Charles lets out a low chuckle.

"I don't know about you," Samza says, "but I think running the Charger in Prius Mode is an utter disrespect to its badassness."

"You got a point there, Sammie, but on a mission like this, you need to be like a ninja, ya dig?"

"Besides sis," Mezos adds, "electric motors are good at being quiet."

"You right." Samza nods.

Behind us is Livia, cruising on her Zero SR/S electric motorcycle. Quiet and nimble, just like the assassin herself.

We arrive at the Boulder Beach Labs on Lake Mead Cruises Road, a three-story facility located minutes away from the shores of the Boulder Basin on Lake Mead. Also near the Boulder Beach Labs is a racetrack where lab technicians test their automotive projects. Surrounding the facility are smaller wooden sheds, some open, revealing random car parts, like suspension components, crate-engines, high-powered batteries, and aerodynamic attachments.

Charles parks the Charger around a rear opening of the lab's race track. I pull out my triggerblade from the trunk of the Charger. Then Livia hitches her bike on a discreet towing attachment on the back of the muscle car. Charles then rides out to some place hidden while the rest of us deploy.

Livia leads the party while Samza and Mezos take the middle. I watch the back. We sneak around through the small bushes in the sand and unoccupied sheds. So far, nothing odd. Livia scopes ahead and says, "Cithara's office is on the third floor. That's where we can find the Dream Recorder." Livia points at a window at the third floor. "However, before we can get to it, we need to find a pneumatic driver."

"What for?" Samza asks.

"To unbolt the safe box from the wall."

"I would think Cithara has one of those," I say, knowing her line of work.