Cyberpunk: Ultimate Cyborg System-Chapter 558: Dock.
Despite being a coastal city, many in Neo-Vatra go years without ever seeing the sea. The five-hundred-meter-tall wall built around its southern border blocked access to it decades ago, which wasn’t that great of a loss, considering the tall cliff the city was built on.
In the past, there had been attempts at building docks at the bottom of the cliff. Though the project had long since finished, those docks had long since fallen into disrepair from the lack of use. Those were the official accounts, at last. With a massive cliff and an even taller wall on top of it, the southern dock was out of everyone’s eyes, making it perfect for those who want to get things in and out of the city.
Big money flowed through that place, and because of that, the way it operated grew increasingly more complex. City officials were in on the action, off course, but most of it was handled by a coalition of gangs from White Hill and the Pit. Ships arrived at meticulously studied dates, the cargo was loaded onto trucks, and those trucks scattered into the city through several routes.
One of the shipments was scheduled to arrive soon after the clock hit 0000 on the 5th of April. The dock was entirely dark, but those with keen eyes or the right gear could see something drifting in the dark water—a cargo carrier. Though it was stacked with containers, its size told that it wasn’t originally designed for this purpose.
Things began to move as soon as it made landfall. Bots emerged from hidden stations and went to handle several tasks, including performing repairs and refueling the vessel. Cranes began unloading the containers, and trucks moved into place, loading their intended cargo before taking off. If things went according to plan, the cargo would never touch the concrete floor or spend more than a few minutes on the dock. B
Before long, most of the containers were carried away, and only two remained. Those weren’t any simple containers. They carried special goods, and the recipient had to personally be present to confirm their delivery. The dock grew silent for a few minutes, then a car drove in, followed by a couple of semi trucks and a few more vehicles. They stopped a short distance from where the containers were being unloaded, and the doors opened.
Coming out of the luxurious car was a man of average height. Dressed in all black, he blended perfectly into the dark background, the skull tattoo covering his entire head only enhancing that impression. Looking around, he spotted someone standing near what looked like a golf car. He was a rough-looking man who depicted the very picture of a seasoned sailor, complete with an old, shabby hat, a blue coat, and a smoky pipe.
"Ahab! How have you been!?"
The skull’s enthusiastic voice and raised arms shattered the glum scenery, causing everyone present to turn their heads to him. Paying them no mind, he walked over with his arms still raised. The old sailor looked annoyed as hell, yet he didn’t move even as the skull face embraced him.
"Would have been better if I didn’t have to see your ugly mug again so soon," Grabbing his pipe, the old sailor exhaled a cloud of smoke large enough to cover them both. "I heard the news, Krueger. Seems like you’re having some trouble."
"Not gonna lie to you, it has been a major setback," Krueger said. "I had to fly around all over the place to find some new goods. The bastards must have sensed my desperation and jacked up the prices."
"That’s what happens when you go shopping at unusual times," Ahab said. "News spread fast, you know. And business people always have their ears open."
"Well, nothing I can do about it." Krueger looked over his shoulder and saw his subordinates open one of the containers. "I don’t want to keep you for long, so... let’s go see the goods."
Light flashed in the dark dock, its source the cars that had arrived earlier. They had been parked around the two semi-trucks, the back of which had been lined up with the doors of the containers. Armed with rifles, the thugs walked inside while shouting commands, and seconds later, a small crowd walked out, looking like a pack of scared animals.
Little girls, each one no older than twelve. Some looked around with fear in their eyes, others had a look of resignation on their pale faces. Though the clothes seemed a bit worn out, the girls themselves seemed to be in good shape.
Krueger stood at the side, watching as they walked in front of him in a single file before being made to climb into the back of the semi-truck.
"They seem undamaged," Krueger said.
"Only tired from the trip. Same as always." Ahab said.
"Did you face any problems on the way?"
"Nothing we couldn’t..."
The old sailor went silent all of a sudden, then turned in the direction of the sea. Even with the clouds above reflecting the light from the city, the endless body of water was still as dark as it could get, and spotting anything at this hour was an impossible task.
"Is something the matter?" Krueger asked, already raising his guard.
"The wind..." Ahab said, looking at the trail of smoke rising from his pipe. "It’s gone..."
A faint rumble ran across the dock, gradually increasing in intensity. Everyone’s eyes were drawn to the ground under their feet, but then a shout snapped them back to reality.
"MOVE IT!" Krueger commanded. "GET OUT OF HER!"
The last of the hundred girls was picked and thrown into the back of the semi-truck, and the doors were slammed shut right after. The gangsters rushed around, starting their cars and preparing to take off. The world went silent just then, and they all found themselves looking in the same direction.
"... it can’t be..."
As he muttered the words, Captain Ahab watched as his ship slowly rose into the air, pushed by a powerful geyser of epic proportions.
