Citopia
As Mathew walked past the advascan, it kicked to life.
“Hello citizen. Welcome to Citopia, one of five ships designed by Allen Spade. When paving the sea for the future, Allen Spade invented designed and constructed five ships over 607 square miles or 1572 kilometres in diameter, to give the world the very first international sea city. Citopia is a landmark for the future, a cornerstone for progress. Welcome to paradise. Welcome to your new hooooooommmmmmmeeee.”
The last light died as the strong sound of static roared out of the half-burned speaker. The sound of creaking rusting metal from under his feet was as familiar to Mathew as the fowl stench of ship rot.
“A Cornerstone for progress? Yea right” said Mathew.
Mathew walked down the graffiti filled walls of sector F. One of the longest alleyways in the city. His face turned pale “Aww no, where is it?” He cried out, glancing around at the other boxes. He ran over to the box across from where his used to be.
“Toni, wake up”
There were some mumbles as Mathew prodded his shoulder. “What do you mean wake up, I wasn’t even sleeping” Said Toni.
“Where’s my box Toni, where is it?”
Toni stretched and pushed at Mathew slightly to see behind him.
“Maybe I was sleeping just a little bit,”
Mathew looked at his friend “Oh come off it that was not the arrangement Toni. You guard my home while I search for anything of value, and I guard yours while you do the same”
Toni nodded “Yes and we have done that for years, and you have always returned by the thirteenth click, but I counted twenty seven, do you know how long that is?”
Mathew moved a little closer to Toni “Toni, it was return by the thirteenth click if by the thirteenth click we had found nothing of value”
Toni nodded “Yes which is why we have always returned by the...” His voice was lower “You found something?”
Mathew took a glance around to be sure it was safe, he then took a see through item from his pocket
“Look”
Toni took it. He shook it close to his ear and placed his thumb on the wheel. Mathew grabbed his hand and shook his head “Don’t do that”
Toni released his grip “What is it?”
Mathew beckoned his friends ear “It’s a lighter, a full working lighter,” he said as quiet as a whisper. Toni’s face went pale.
“You know what to do” Said Mathew.
Toni leaped to his feet and looked around “What? Someone stole your home. Ivor did you see anything?” The large man shook his head “No, you going to go help your friend find his home?” he said sarcastically. Toni shook his head at Mathew “I will make you an arrangement. If you guard my box for three clicks while I help Mathew find his, I will guard yours for three tomorrow”
Ivor shook his neakless head “Nup”
Mathew knew offering more than three clicks would clue others into their find. But so would leaving Toni’s box unguarded. It was not working, it was said Ivor could smell a find before it had even been found, he must have heard them, and now he was toying with them.
“What’s your favourite bingo number Ivor?” said Mathew.
Ivor gave him a sly smile “thirty”
Mathew nodded “I like that one too, so we have that in common, could you do me this favour?”
Ivor nodded but his eyes said everything.
It wasn’t until Mathew reached the end of the alleyway that Toni started to crack. “Are you insane? Thirty percent? I thought we agreed that a find like this would be safer stashed, why did you tell him?”
Mathew walked closer to the white noise coming from the nearby vent. It was the perfect place to mask your conversation. “He knew. And you know that two men leaving there possessions behind would have caused every person here to hunt us down to take our find. We had to buy his silence, Ivor may be a brute, but he is smart enough to know that following us would cause as many eyes on him”
Toni nodded “Yes and so will standing by this vent too long, let’s go.”
Mathew could see the red bar across the ground. “I hate these things,” He said as it sparked to life.
“Hello citizen. It had started as New Citizen project. Aimed at giving people all over the world an international city. David Spade had three wishes. His first was for world peace and his second was for full freedom. His final wish was for Project Moon push toooooooooooooooooooooooooooo”
Mathew pulled his grazed fist back from the speaker. “Shut up” He shouted.
Alarms blared in the background. A manhole opened near Tony. “Mathew, they sent an enforcer, you idiot”
Mathew never had time to react. The Mecanoid stood, red lights shooting along its body like veins, its weapon arm already aimed at his face. “You have vandalised Spade property. A dispatch unit have been sent, remain where you are, for security I am programmed to shoot”
“A dispatch unit?” Said Toni “They don’t exist anymore”
“Do not attempt to modify my programming...scanning...error no active patrols...scanning...error no active enforcement Mecanoids. Searching data bank for scenario deployment. Activate scenario 524. Shoot to kill if found armed...scanning...potential weapon located in foragers pocket. Scanning face...Fugitive match Mister ------ Eliminate. Fire...malfunction...target rockets locked on...fire...maaaallllffffuuunnnnnnn”
Mathew was unable to move, the blood had drained from his face. Toni had to pull him to get his attention “It’s not often I am glad this place is a rusting graveyard, but today for sure”
Mathew held onto the lighter in his pocket. “I am sorry Toni” he said.
“No need, I understand, there is not a man here who would not have done the same" Tony said stearing at the wreack, "right it’s just here” Toni tapped the wall. Mathew watched the correspondence of taps until the door opened. “Come in then”
Mathew looked around. The store was full of treasures “How do you do it Zed, have all this stuff and nobody able to take it”
The old man gave a wheezing cough “Well, before this place fell apart, I was the man who designed the security for all of cityopia. Plus trading items here is the only stable economy left, nobody wants to see that go” Zed gave him an expectant look.
“Wait, I went through allot of trouble to get this too you. I have a question I need answered, if possible for free”
The old man gave a wheezing laughter. “Wait, you’re serious. Well ask and I will judge if there is any value in the answer”
Toni was holding up his arms in protest.
“We ran into one of the enforcers. When it scanned my face, it called me Mister ----- a fugitive. Who is that?”
Zed took a step backwards “Show me what you brought”
Mathew never knew what to do, perhaps Zed wanted to see if there was as much value in the item as in the answer. “This” He said. He took the lighter from his pocket and showed it to Zed.
“That’s impossible” spat Zed. He examined it and was about to test it.
“Wait, I will allow you to test it, but testing it will waste a bit, I think that merits an answer to my question.” Said Mathew
Zed looked at the lighter wheel “If it works, I shall answer your question” Zed flicked the wheel. Sparks flew from the flint and the gas combusted into a flame. He stopped it as fast as he started. Toni was taking deep breaths “It works” he shouted “Not too bad” he said prodding Mathew playfully in the arm.
“My answer?” said Mathew
Zed nodded “I have never hared of a Mister -----“
Mathew glanced at Toni “Now wait a minute, you told me you would answer my question” He protested.
“I did, but I never said I knew the answer to your question”
“Well of all the lousy...” he started.
Zed placed the lighter on the table “That been said however. This is a fully working and filled lighter. It is one of the most valuable items on this ship. With this, I can show you the items of equal value”
Toni shook his head “No, We want to trade it in for its value in food tokens”
Mathew tapped his finger on the lighter “No Toni, it’s not for me, I want a boat, I want out of here. You can do what you want with your share”
Toni shook his head in disbelief “Come on now Mathew, we have all been there. Wanting to go find land”
Mathew picked up the lighter “No, I want to find one of the other ships. The people on them live in paradise while we suffer here. Zed show me your collection”
Zed pressed a button that opened the floor “Follow me”
Mathew followed him.
“Zed what is the value of the lighter in food tokens?” asked Toni
Zed opened the door “Around 250.000”
Toni went pale in the face “Mathew that’s enough to feed us for the rest of our lives” he protested.
“Until stolen by whom, you know what it’s like”
Mathew looked around the room. It was large. It had several boats capable of taking his across the ocean.
“Feel free to look around, but be careful, some of this is active” said Zed.
Mathew looked up at the S.S. Ami. “Hey Mathew, come and see this” shouted Toni.
Mathew gave the boat a kiss “I’ll be back for you in a minute, don’t go anywhere”
“Look Mathew it’s a three piece suit” said Toni.
As Toni folded the trousers, something fell from the pocket; it was flashing a blue light. “Careful you idiot, these things have high value” Said Mathew as he picked the hoop from the ground “Well it’s still flashing so I think its fine”
Toni looked around “What’s flashing?”
Mathew pointed at the hoop in his hand. “See its flashing, and again, see?”
Toni nodded “Well if you say its flashing, I will too” He winked at Mathew.
Mathew glanced at it, it was still flashing in his hand.
“Do you think Zed will let us test any of this stuff?” Toni asked.
Mathew nodded “Yes he will let us test it, for a price”
“Test underway” The hoop started melting in Mathews hand, it slithered around his wrist and clicked. “Ouch, what on earth” shouted Mathew.
“Blood test results confirmed. D.N.A match”
Toni turned around “What are you shout...why did you put that on?”
Mathew pulled at it “I didn’t, it did it itself, can’t you hear that?”
“Shutting down”
“Hear what?” said Zed. Toni shrugged as though he never knew what Mathew was talking about. “I thought you wanted a boat not an IDhoop”
Mathew let go of the hoop “I do, but this clasped my wrist, I can’t get it off”
“I told you to be careful. But a trade is a trade, the lighter for the IDhoop”
Mathew pulled harder “No wait, if I can just. What are you doing with that saw Toni?”
Toni took a step closer to him “We need to cut that thing off your arm”
“But you will break it” replied Mathew.
“It’s better we break it and trade it for some food tokens than return to Ivor empty handed”
Mathew looked over at the boat desperately. “Fine”
Toni placed the saw against the metal hoop. There was movement, a spray of liquid squirted out and hit Toni’s eyes. he started to scream.
“You can’t be serious; don’t you know what an IDhoop is?”
Mathew had no idea what an IDhoop was. He also had no idea what happened to Toni.
“No” he said
Zed was shaking his head in bewilderment. “An IDhoop is a prison band, given to the very worst kind of criminals. The inventor was some kind of genius, made them unbreakable and tamper proof”
Toni wiped his eyes “Mathew we need to get off this ship. If Ivor comes for us we have had it”
Zed folded his arms “Not possible, it’s designed to keep you on the ship”
Mathew tapped it “Can we stay here for a little longer to plan”
Zed nodded “I guess as long as you have that thing on, you can’t take anything that doesn’t belong to you”
Fear filled his mind “No, what about scavenging, I will still be able to scavenge right?”
Zed gave a half smirk “Yea sure, let me just turn on the finder’s keeper’s option. It is a prison band!!!”
Mathew felt week in the knees, he walked over to the wall and sat down. Without scavenging, he would have no way to live, no way to earn. No way to give Ivor his thirty percent.
“Mathew?”
Mathew looked around
“Mathew?”
He looked over at Zed and Toni, but there were in a conversation with one another.
“Mathew?”
He looked down at the IDhoop.
“Yes?”
“I don’t want you to panic, so listen up. There is much to explain and not allot of time so I will give you what is relevant.”
“My name is Albert Stone. I am your biological father; I am the inventor of the IDhoop, and of Citopia.”
Mathew held the hoop closer to his ear.
“What?”
“Allen Spade planned to take my invention. Therefore, I made no secret of the fact that I was the only person able to run and maintain the ship. However, he hired a freelance inventor for a secret project. I did a little research on the man and found out he had invented a machine capable of pushing the moon from its orbit. The plan was supposed to stop the waves and make the ocean calm”
Mathew thought about it “The gravitational pull?”
“Yes. According to my calculations, pushing the moon would cause the ocean to recede by 80% and increase the gravitational pull the damage to the earth would be immeasurable. I attempted to destroy the machine myself but he was a step ahead of me and caught me in the act. They charged me as a traitor and as a fugitive and sentenced to maintain Citopia for life.
“Are you still here?” He asked.
“No. They have starved me of proper rest and food, in this condition I will not be able to keep the ship in order. Something is bound to happen, an accident perhaps. However, I did have time to reprogram the IDhoop. I knew you would find it. Perhaps you are shocked at the complexity of the hoop. Nevertheless, I set a complex maze for you to obtain my lighter and you did it. You have a mind like mine”
Mathew was shaking, not sure what to do.
“Mathew, listen. This is my room where I have hidden it. To your right there is a key card concealed inside a mirror cube. Take it and I shall lead you to the solution. I have invented a machine to repair the damage that Zed has done to the world. You must find the sphere”
Toni hit Mathew’s arm “I said have you come up with a plan yet?”
Mathew looked at Zed. He ruled the economy unopposed. It was him. He was the one responsible for everything.
“Well I haven’t got all day,” said Zed.
Mathew’s eyes must have screamed out the truth because Zed have him a half smirk
“You know?”
...............................................
I will continue this if its enjoyed. I do not know if its an R but due to the violence at the end I think it's best I rate it R