Chapter 35 – Living a Civilian's Life
Shelley's Bar basement, Vertigo Town
Arlington County, VA
Monday, May 4, 2076
07:47 EST GMT-5
I arrived early today, to just report to Ashley, and call it a day by three in the afternoon. I didn't want to stay late. I normally am not a morning person, but I'm only doing it today, before clocking in tomorrow from twelve noon to seven in the evening. However, Ashley wasn't keeping any secrets today, nor did she feel I should've come in.
"Ace, you're here, early?" said Ashley. "Wanted to work early?"
"Yeah!" I said in delight. "I'll be fine."
"Yeah, I just hope you know, I'm only having you come on Mondays from now on. Work the rest of the days at home." She said in sincerity.
"Sounds good!" I exclaimed. "I'll do that then."
And I won't lie, it didn't feel good, living a civilian's life at all. I'd rather be out, where the action is. I mean, I don't blame Wheeler for how he felt, but yeah, it was annoying. I didn't intend to take the war to Kilmann immediately. But I also couldn't accept this dystopian brave new world, type of scenario.
"Ace, go ahead and help with the others, make sure they're receiving clear transmissions." Ashley said.
"Ten-four!" I added.
Then I took out the time, to help Graciela and Nolan, two people working for me, while I worked under Ashley. They were only kids, well I am much older than them, being twenty-seven, not counting the forty-two years of hibernation. Nolan was nineteen and Graciela was seventeen. Needless to say, but I'll just go ahead and say it anyway, they're dating. Which is okay, as long as they're not causing a conflict of interest at work.
"Sir?" said Graciela. "We've located some mutants, who're attempting to break down the force field and destroy the network terminal outside the city walls, if that happens, we all lose Internet in the city."
"Shit!" I said in disgust. "We can't let that happen! Nolan, deploy security drones with guns to take them out!"
"Roger that, captain!" said Nolan.
"Just call me Ace, or Austin. For now, I'm stuck living as a civilian!" I exclaimed.
"Roger, captain! Err... Ace!" said Nolan. "Armed security drones deployed and in route to take out the mutants."