Simon awoke in the morning. He summed the strength to get out of his bed. He sat up and looked at his alarm that read 7:33 A.M. He opened his bedroom door. Then went across the hallway and opened Alexa's door. He then said, "Rise and Shi-" Then he remembered what happened, hoping it was just a dream. He must have forgotten that he walked. Simon's mood drastically shifted. He moped around his apartment. He made scrambled eggs for himself. Something just feels off without Alexa.
After breakfast, Simon dressed himself in his uniform. His uniform consisted of one blue jacket with bolded black words stitched to his vest reading:
Frank, Simon
31st Unit
N.E.O. Police
He wore his helmet and goggles both embroiled with a swastika. He fitted his tall rubber boots and his rubber gloves onto himself. His goggles dangled from his neck. He grabbed his pea coat and briefcase and left the apartment.
His boots made a notorious sound while walking. He once again, pulled a cigarette from his silver case and lit it with his lighter. He puffed the tobacco filled smoke. When he left his large, orthodox apartment building he noticed the rain was cleared from the atmosphere. He peered towards the ground, no flooding.
He entered the station again, the intercom chimed again, he punched his laminated pass again, and he boarded the monorail again. The surroundings flew past him as he sat there, in the large metallic snake slithering through the cityscape waiting for its next victims. The city moved by so fast. No pedestrians paid any attention to it. The hiss and buzz of the anaconda never left an area untouched by its sound. Yet, no one cared of its existence.
The monorail stopped and Simon left. He rushed down the stairs, almost slipping on the leftover water from the rain. He then tried to hail a cab to get into. When he spotted one of the black, hound-like cars he grabbed its attention. The cab's electric cable snapped into another lane and pulled onto the side of the street. Its reflective window fell into itself and the man behind it appeared. He was wearing a flat cap hat on his head and a cigarette hung out the left side of his mouth. He spoke in a low-pitched, raspy, aged british voice, "Wait will it be officer?"
"Just need a ride to Precinct thirty-one, please."
"Anything for a N.E.O. policeman. Oh my son always wanted to be one, too bad he was selected for filing."
"Oh, too bad."
"Anyway the ride will cost 100 Reichsmark."
Simon entered the vehicle. The cab sped into the distance. Simon stared out the window, looking at all the leftover water puddles. He also saw all the people dressed in suits and factory outfits walking to their less important destinations. He accidentally leaned on the metallic device in his coat. He quickly propelled backwards relieved that nothing occurred. The cab finally pulled to the front of the precinct. Simon paid the Reichsmarks then left the cab, hearing the cable cord snap behind him.
He pushed inward the great glass doors of the precinct, every colleague and comrad greeted him with a friendly gesture or wave. A group of policemen gathered around a radio listening to the results of the latest football match, and the receptionist organized her contact list. Simon walked up the winding precinct stairs. On the top floor was the main offices. He stopped by his cubicle to grab a pen, then proceeded to the Gruppenführer's office. He knocked on the door and the Gruppenführer signaled him to walk in. The Gruppenführer had a buttoned black coat with a striped banner around his forearm. He wore a peaked cap with a swastika ensnared onto it. His boots and gloves were the same as Simon's, and he also wore many different war medals and trophies including the Iron Cross and the German Cross.
"Greetings Gruppenführer Adam," said Simon.
"Greetings Lieutenant Frank. It is always a pleasure to see you."
"And you as well."
"Anyway," explained the Gruppenführer. "Here is the list of targets today. Only seventeen! So consider yourself lucky."
"I will Gruppenführer."
Simon exited the office and called the unit together. He explained the list of targets. Simon hauled a large map of their district onto the table. Together, they drew a list of who to visit and detain first. They would first stop at Apartment 3772 at 90 Bishopsgate. Then to apartment 567 at 25 Old Broad Street, apartment 6678 at 3 St Mary Axe, apartment 784 at 30 St Mary Axe, apartment 5679 at 12 Mitre Street. The other visits are just check-ins.
The Gruppenführer came from his office and ordered the team to leave. The leader of the ground units, Garry Sharper, lead the unit to the roof of the building to board the heli-carrier. The large machine weighed eighty tons. It was held in the sky by the large propeller fastened to the roof of the vehicle. In the back of the vehicle was another propeller that controlled the direction. Then, on the sides were two massive jets that propelled the flying beast forward at a max speed of 120kmph.
Simon was the pilot of the aircraft.Simon climbed into the massive behemoth. He lifted his arm forward and flicked a group of switches on the panel above him. Then he took hold of the speaker intercom, "Everyone ready?"
"Yeah we are ready. Take us up."
Simon moved his arm once again and flicked a large switch on the main controls. Then, the whole vehicle shifted and lifted off the ground. After they were twenty feet above the ground Simon moved the aircraft forward. They were now above the streets. Simon pushed the two large buttons on the top panel. The heli-carrier suddenly leaped forward and sped across the sky. The jets of the helicarrier overwhelmed the cityscape and the monorail. They would Soon approach their next target.
The heli-carrier started to decelerate. The engine stopped and Simon landed on one of the suspended platforms in-between two buildings. He then flicked a switch and the side door opened. The unit began to file out of the carrier and rush to the target. After a few minutes of quietly listening for an alarm Simon heard something through the radio, "Target acquired, target acquired. Bringing them to the transporter brig." Soon Simon saw the soldiers walk up the stairs. In the back two men carried the convict towards the carrier. They all filed into the vehicle and off they went onto the next retrieval.
The carrier continued to fly through the polluted skies. Sometimes, they would hit a bird. Sometimes, they would spot another carrier. Sometimes, They would snap a cord. The carrier reached another platform. Simon flicked the notorious switch that controlled the door. As the unit began to exit the carrier Simon peered back to see the hull. All the officers filing out of the tight exit way.
Simon propped his leg above the blank section of the control panel. He leaned backwards and took a long sip of his morning brew. The speaker suddenly chimed, "Frank help! They got weapons and firearms!"
Simon pushed the sides of the radio, "What floor? Which side?"
"East side, forty-four," The man responded.
Simon jumped out of his seat and turned towards the hull. He sprinted up the stairs and into the back of the second level. There in the back was the familiar mini-carrier. Simon climbed into the cockpit. He strapped himself into the metal cage, then turned a few keys. The cage began to rise out of the rear cabin. The miniature bird sprouted propellers. Then the great propellers spun upward and the helicopter moved away from the carrier.
Simon flew the petite vehicle off above the platform. Then he began the descent toward the forty-fourth. He also maneuvered the machine onto the east side of the building while dodging dangling wires. When the reached the destination, the floor of the massive tower was decorated with flashing lights and broken glass. Through the basted, crushed windows Simon could spot the two sides fighting. He then pushed the large red button on the control stick. All sounds were overcome by the deafening roar of the machine guns. The noise was like an enormous rush of power and authority. When he released his finger from the deadly button, all that was left on the floor was the thirty-first unit.
Simon flew the machine back to the platform. When he was lowered into the second level his colleagues gathered around him to celebrate his bravery. "Great job Franky!" They said. "That was a special show, down there what you did!" Simon began to feel better.
He sat back down in the main control area of the carrier. He once again switched the levers to their opposite directions and began the ascent. They flew to the rest of the targets. In each one they brought forward a new and unique person. An old man with a gray beard, a young woman with a yellow skirt, and then a young boy with a watch in is hands. After all the targets were reached, Simon flew home.
They reached the precinct early. The whole building convulsed when the massive transported touched the platform. Simon exited the carrier. Captain Sharper approached Simon, "That was some nice flying back their."
"Thanks," responded Simon.
"I'll take the prisoners to the ground transport with Harold and Buldton. You take a break, back there was intense."
"Thanks again!" Simon said. He walked into the precinct, the air was clearer and surpassed the tainted air outside. He knocked on the Gruppenführer's door.
"Come in," he said.
"Hey I'm headed home. See you tomorrow."
"You too Frank," responded the Gruppenführer. "Oh also, I heard about your niece. She is in great hands. No need to be scared or worried."
"I'm not worried," Simon explained. "I'm disappointed almost, that they would... just take her."
"Who would you be disappointed at Frank?"
"The... never mind, bye."
"Bye Simon."
Simon exited the office. He fell into the trough of the ebb and flow of emotions. When he walked through the precinct lobby he did not respond to any of the friendly waves and gestures. All he could think about was Alexa.
He did not take a cab this time, he just walked. When he reached the station he, once again, punched his laminated pass into the scanner. The light switched green and the turn able gate moved. He walked up the steep, mountainous steps and waited at the peak of the station. The intercom chimed and the massive snake slid forward. Simon entered the monorail, waiting for the thirty second countdown to end. The monorail moved forward. It veered left to right and shuffled up and down. The buzz and hiss of the tram created a wave of noise that advanced through the towers and apartments.
The monorail stopped and Simon exited. Surprisingly, no one was at the Borehamwood station except one guard. Simon descended from the platform and exited the station. The streets were still wet from the flooding, but not full.
A bus stopped in front of him and he boarded it. He combed through his coat and pulled from it his wallet. He showed the driver his bus pass and proceeded to walk to the rear of the bus. The bus started moving. Simon heard the electric cable of the bus switch from one to another. The streets were almost empty.
When the bus stopped Simon tipped the driver and walked towards the entrance of his building. He entered the elevator and picked the phone from its resting place. Then he gave all his information to the elevator operator.
As the elevator ascended Simon realized he had forgotten to wish one of his work friends a birthday. Simon pushed the thought away and focused on the elevator. He exited the machine and walked towards his room while passing all the bronze numbers beside each door. He unlocked his door and entered the apartment.
He shuffled to his red padded couch and fell down. Simon stared at the ceiling. He began to weep. Simon thought about all the memories with Alexa, when she was first sent to him, the first night with her at his house, the first book he read to her.
Simon heard a noise. It was coming from Alexa's room. Simon stood and wiped the melancholy tears. He walked to Alexa's room, wondering what was happening. He dropped his coat onto the table, his metallic device made a "thud" noise. Simon's heart began to shake and hide in his chest. He could hardly breath. His mind froze and all he could do was walk through the wooden egress and react. He opened the door and to his surprise, was the girl from the monorail.