Relief

I've learnt a few things over the last few days. Firstly, Azure's cycle seems to have synched to mine exactly. How does that make any fucking sense? Why would her body work like that? No fucking clue. Secondly, while I tend to get pissed off during my time of the month, rightly so, Azure only gets more chipper. It's like trying to get mad when there's a playful kitten around, it just ruins the mood of my angst.

Most of my week off has gone by now. Without sex, we had to find other ways to entertain ourselves. We tried chess, which I obliterated her at, until she bought a book on strategies, then she became some sort of grandmaster, and I didn't stand a chance. Azure suggested we get into yoga, I figured, why not? So we grabbed some workout clothes and streamed an instruction video. Unfortunately, I quickly realised how unbelievably, mouth-wateringly flexible Azure is... That did not help my pent-up emotions, so we had to stop.

I hammer the punching bag I keep in the corner of my loft. I've only got a couple of days now until I'm back, have to make sure I'm in fighting shape. I finish my combination and let my arms fall, just as I feel two hands cup my arse. "Master... Looks like we're in the clear." Azure reminds me, as if I'm not happy to see the end of it. "I'm thinking we should make up for lost time... I always wondered how this tasted." She purrs, her fingers sinking into my buttocks.

I intend to turn around and finally get some stress relief... But before I can, I get a call on my bangle. Lux. Damn it, I can't turn it down, she might have information. To Azure's great disappointment, as written on her face, I answer it. "Tera, we've got one of them." Lux's voice informs me. Without waiting, I grab my coat and summon my AV. "An officer saw him stabbing an unregistered AI with one of those weird knives. He's escaping, but I'm tracking him by drone."

I leap into the AV, Azure close behind me, and program the AV to track the signal from Lux's drone. It doesn't take long to catch up or to spot the suspect running along the rooftops of the lower city, no megabuildings here. I bring the AV as low as I can risk and, causing Azure to scream in shock, jump out of the AV onto the rooftop ahead of the runner. Leaving the vehicle to the task of keeping Azure safe, I focus up at the Purifier and raise my gun. "Police. Stop where you are!" I order. Unsurprisingly, the figure doesn't stop, guess it's the second option.

I fire a single warning shot over their shoulder, but that's ignored too. Next I fire directly into their chest, no effect, just like last time. They're getting close now, I can't risk a fight. I open fire, releasing shot after shot until they finally go down. It took way more than last time. Maybe their **** are getting stronger? I quickly search the Purifier's body and spot their grav belt. I take the butt of my gun and smash the panel that serves as a buckle. No escape this time. The AV pulls back around to pick me up, and Azure gets out to help me carry them.

Time for some real answers.

*

The guy we've got tied up in one of Lux's safehouses is pretty unassuming with his mask off. East Asian, if I had to hazard a guess, with short black hair, clean shaven, and no scars. I could see this guy in the morning rush and never question it. After a couple of hours, he comes to, his face contorting into rage as he sees the three of us, attempting to break his bindings.

"Nuh-uh" Lux smirks, pressing a button to electrify the cables, causing him to scream in agony. He doesn't try it again. "Now, we've got some questions for you, lil' buddy." She continues, mockingly. She gestures to give me the floor, this is my speciality after all.

"Name, age, home address." I demand, following the protocol for new suspects.

"Go fuck yourself." He grunts, his voice is deep and rough, like he's been shouting a lot. Maybe he attends whatever passes for Purifier sermons?

"No thanks, I have people to do that for me." I grin, throwing Azure a wink. She blushes and smiles back. Lux seems to pick up on our interaction but doesn't say anything. "I'm just gonna call you Pansy based on how easily I took you down. Tell me, Pansy, you're a Purifier, aren't you?" I ask, knowing the answer ahead of time, but sometimes you have to give information to get more.

Pansy just spits on the floor, making me roll my eyes and Lux to electrify the bindings again. When he's done screaming, he answers. "I am the will of human life, a protector of the future, don't use 'Purifier' like an insult. I'll gladly purify the whole world of their filth!" He roars, looking at Azure when he emphasises the last word.

Well, he's talking now. "Wonderful, good luck with that. Anyway, why'd you guys attack the labs?" I ask, uninterested in his gospel.

Pansy laughs at my question, like the answer is obvious. "You have no idea, do you? The Grand Purifier personally led the crusade, he prevented a second Prometheus incident. Your abomination is just the last remnant of it." He snarls, still staring daggers at Azure, who seems uninterested in his threats and keeps reading whatever book has grabbed her attention.

A second Prometheus incident? Prometheus was the first true AI, when it was created, it went haywire, caused havoc across the whole city, power failures, traffic accidents, and even knocked a plane out of the sky. Hundreds died, but the AI vanished after, and no true AI since has exhibited even a fraction of the power. The theory is that Prometheus went supernova, burning itself up to cause all of that chaos, but there's no way to know at this stage.

"Grand Purifier, yeah? Not a hugely original name for a cult leader, but it'll do." I note. "Let me take a wild guess: You're going to be really obtuse about telling me who he is?" I ask rhetorically.

Pansy laughs again. "We do not look upon his face. We are executors of his commands, he sees all, and we act accordingly." He spits at me. So the rank and file don't get to know who's in charge... That makes things a bit more difficult.

I need to choose my next question carefully, it seems like these guys weren't prepared for interrogation, maybe they assumed they'd never be caught. "What's your endgame here, Pansy? You personally, I mean. Your friends are definitely gonna think you sung like a canary, they'll kill you for it. My CI found that out the hard way." I point out. His eye twitches, apparently not having thought that far ahead. "Now, I can turn you into the precinct, say you're an anonymous witness and get you into safety, but only if you give me something to go on."

Pansy seems to weigh his options before he responds. "You cannot protect anyone, your department has more of my people than your own. You are fighting the inevitable. I will watch your defeat from the fires beyond." He growls. I don't realise what he's doing until I hear the crunch. I rush over and pry his mouth open, but it's too late. He spasms and retches until the last breath leaves his body.

Cyanide teeth? What is this, the 20th century? God damn it, this shit is getting more fucked up by the minute. Still, it confirms one thing: The precinct isn't safe. I should get a message to the chief, but I can't risk it being intercepted. Damn it.

I'm supposed to be on my day off.