From: khanx@netcom.com (David J. Altman)
Subject: Act I-III
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 1994 04:55:10 GMT
Lines: 198

This is an oldie, but a goody. I think I was half drunk, quarter asleep,
and thoroughly neurotic when I wrote it. But damn, how else would you
write cyberpunk.
     This is my directors cut. Its been editted - to the better I hope. I've
also finally wrote Act III, the last part. Enjoy.

                                       Act I

"Why did you run away ?"
"I don't know if you'd understand."
     Cain  nodded for her to go on. She wiped away some tears, smudging
makeup in the process.
"I was poor, miserable . . . I wanted to be rich and pampered, like the
girls on the sims. Champagne, furs, really good drugs and lots of cash,
thats what I thought I was getting."  She sniffed, then went on.
"So I sold myself, my body that is. That's when my problems started." She
stopped, biting her lip, hesitant.
"Go on Tiana, I'm still listening"
     She took in a deep breath and sighed.
"People - men - want power."
     Cain nodded in sympathetic understanding.
"Power over someone's flesh is the first step" Tiana continued" it satiates
Their hunger for a time, but its not enough. The dose has to keep
increasing."
     He pushed her hair back, to reveal her startling green eyes.
"How ?" Was his response.
"Power feeds on itself, devours itself, leaves nothing but a numbness
that cries for more power to fill the emptiness." A wearied bitterness
crept into her voice.
     His icy blue eyes keep staring at her, asking for more, trying to
understand.
"After owning your body They want to own your mind" A slow sob started
in the depths of her throat "Their machines twist and erase memories,
confuse feelings." Her cry echoed madness.
"They twisted me until I wasn't sane any more" Tears ran down smooth cheeks,
touching full ruby lips with their salty essence.
     He gave her a reassuring smile. Nodding for her to continue,
tightening his hold on her.
"But owning someones mind isn't enough either. Even that edge gets old.
 The price of luxury gets higher." She was shaking, on the verge of
breakdown.
"Then the cruelty really begins. Then They want the highest price of all -
your soul." The last came out as a  hiss, twisting her face in gruesome
rage.
"They took my mind back to my high school prom. I was 18, still a
cheerleader. I was dancing with my date, Charles Davis. Our song was
playing, we were cheek to cheek." Tiana's eyes lighted up with the
memory, she smiled a little girl smile. He could almost see the dim lights
playing over the dancing couple as they snuggled together. Innocence. It
was a scene of serene innocence.
"All of a sudden he tears at my dress. I try to stop him - he's too
strong. He tears it away from my body and knocks me to the floor." Her
face clouds over, her dream turned nightmare." Everyone gathers around us,
watching as he holds me down and rips of my panties. I feel pain, hear the
jeers, as he spreads my legs. He hold them wide apart, then starts
turning me in a circle so everyone can see. They laugh, even my best
friend Carolyn Ethridge laughs. Finally he stops." An expression of
curious horror comes over Tiana's face. He realizes that she must have
been near breaking at that point. She sounds apologetic, as if seeking
his forgiveness for sharing her burden. Underneath her voice the
hysterical edge looms up, like a viper ready to strike. He knows she
can't hold much longer.
"I cry for help, everybody is standing right there. Noone helps. Then,
as if that was his cue, he forces my legs further apart and lies on top
of me. The laughter is sending sharp pain to my head, but all I can see
is face. His dead cold eyes look into mine, then he suddenly smiles. I
know its coming . . . I struggle, punch him, bite him, then . . . Its
sharp, burning, it feels like its going to tear me inside. He does it
again, with more force . . . The pain feels molten, I can't stand the
pain inside me, I scream . . . Then its over and I wake up. THEY are all
there. Smiling, feeding of my fear like demons in hell. Fatcats taking
pleasure in devouring my soul, robbing me of goodness and purity."
Tears overcome her then. She shakes and thrashes around, hitting, biting.
"Thats when I ran away. I couldn't let them take my soul" Tiana screams.
    Now he understands. He grabs her more firmly, waiting until her
crying spasms pass. Finally she settles down, makeup smeared on her
face. She looks him in the eyes. Understanding blooms within her madness.
"You understand don't you ? It has to be this way" he says softly. She nods
resolutley.
     He pulls the trigger. She dies. He always likes to know his victims
story  before he fulfills the contract.

Copyright 1994 David Altman




I suggest taking a break between reading Act I and II



                               Act II


     Caine was sweating, shivering too. The bed touched him with sweaty,
sticky fingers. A huge anger buzzed in his head with no way out. A drop
of sweat slid into his eye - it burned. Good he thought, the pain takes
away the anger.
    He heard the soft whisper of her approach and looked up. She was there,
transparent, looking out the window. She wore a seductive smile and a
sparkling emerald green dress that complimented her stunning auburn hair
and pale skin. "Hello Caine, whats going on ?"
      He tried to ignore her, but her eyes melted him.
"Go away Tiana. Just go away. You're a ghost. Insubstantial. A mind trick."
Tiana smiled her coldest smile.
"Are you sure ?  What if I'm really Tiana ?" She purred with feline mirth.
"You're not. Dammit, you couldn't be. Your just a guilty hallucination."
"Guilty ?" she laughed merrily"Why would you feel guilty? I was just
a job - contract number sixty two, thats all."
     He was suffocating. It was too much. She had haunted him from the day
she died.
"Stop Tiana. Please go away. Go to heaven and rest. . . Leave me alone" He
cried.
"Heaven ?" She raged, her banshee scream piercing his heart" What makes you
think that you sent me to heaven ? When you MURDERED me I was tawdry and
used. They don't take dirty angels in heaven."
     She cooled immediately."Besides when I died I had no soul, thats why
I'm here" She added calmly as she approached him, then sat down next to
him on his rumpled bed.
"Lies. All lies. You're nothing. Just a guilty memory clawing its way
into my world so that you can survive"
"Why the guilt ?" She screamed.
     He shoook his head violently to clear the ghost from his mind, but she
wouldn't leave.
"WHY ?" She yelled, crying, slapping him.
"Because I love you !" The confession tore out of his heart.
     She stopped her hysterics. Crying a carressing him, she asked "Why
did you kill me then ?"
 "Because it was my job !"
     She turned, leaning over, mouth slightly open. They met in a kiss.
"I loved you too" The whisper came as she disappeared.
     He froze, franticly looking for her. He was alone. Utterly, coldly
alone.
"NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" came the screaming moan. He
passed out.


     He was on the roof of the skyrise, knew the target would be in sight
any second. The sniper rifle was all set up, and he was ready.
"I'm back from the dead" came the voice from behind his ear. He didn't
even flinch.
"You're not Tiana"
"Of course I am. How could I have those midnight conversations with you
if I wasn't ?"
"I was just imagining."
"What about when I told you about my childhood, my parents, my loves ?"
"I made those up in my mind to give you life and substance" Caine responded.
"Did you check the records ?"
     He didn't answer.
"Of course not. Your afraid to find out if I'm really Tiana."
     Cold hands entered through his jacket and shirt. Delicate chilly little
hands rubbing his chest, sliding into his pants.
     The target walked out of the casino. The sonic targeter locked on,
microprocessor calculated aimimg factors and the crosshairs adjusted.
"I love you Caine" Her hands slid deeper into his pants. He held his breath.
The target started toward the limo.
"Caine, whether or not I'm a real ghost or not, you keep me alive by
remembering, and I love you. We love each other. I want your love and
understanding."
      Her hands encircled him, clenching. The target was almost to his
car. Harder clenching. Cold. Smooth. Soft. Carress. Hot burning.
ecstacy rising like bile in his throat. Target almost gone. Inhale
breath. Muscle spasming. Trigger pull. Target crumpled. Release. Death.
Void. Universe rushing back at him. Life.

. . . . . "Do you love me Caine ?"

. . . . . "Yes I love you."

. . . . . "Do you believe in me ?"

. . . . . "Yes I do Tiana."

. . . . . "Would you kill for me Caine ?"

. . . . . "Anything. I'd do anything for you."

. . . . . "Would you die for me ?"

. . . . . "It would be light as a feather to die for you."

. . . . . "Come to me Caine. Be with me. Make it right for me."
"I will Tiana. I will."
      Hot tears ran down his cheeks. Her cool body enveloped his. He made
love to her. He made love to Tiana. The orgasm cleared his soul. He was
free. Free of doubt. Free of responsibility. Free of guilt. Only purpose
was left.

Copyright David Altman 1994

Article: 3001 of alt.cyberpunk.chatsubo
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.chatsubo
From: khanx@netcom.com (David J. Altman)
Subject: Act III
Message-ID: <khanxCtouKz.4xG@netcom.com>
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 1994 06:12:34 GMT
Lines: 136

Here is Act III.



                                  Act III

"Why where you there Caine ?"
"Where ?"
     The punch was swift and viscious. Kidneys exploded for the fiftieth
time, and he coughed blood.
"Why were you sneaking around in the upper levels ?"
     The room was sterile white. A single yellow bulb illuminated the ten
by ten room.
"Because I wanted to talk to Them"
"About what Caine ?  Why were you sneaking ?"
     The smell was blood, sour vomit and sweat. Claustophobic. The room
was twenty feet high, but only ten across. It was supposed to make you feel
claustrophobic.
"Kid, you just screwed up. You asked two questions. A good interogattor only
asks one uestion at a time" Caine replied.
     Crunch !  His nose was rebroken, blood falling unheeded to his chest.
"Caine, if you answer the questions I won't have to hurt you. They might
let you go. After all, your Their ace-man."
     Caine shook his head in ruefully slow arcs. Spitting out some blood
he looked up at his young interogator. Their eyes locked, held.
"How'd they get you kid ?  How'd they hook you ?  How'd they reel you in ?"
     The interogator lean back, as if slapped. Shocked horror coming into
his eyes. Despair, self-loathing, hatred mingled, exploded.
     Blow after blow rained down on him. Face, kidney, stomach, knee. Impact
after impact. Finally it slowed then stopped. The kid wasn't looking at
Caine, was avoiding him. He stormed out a minute later. Caine watched him
go. Then looked up into the camera, knowing he'd be watching.

     *                           *                        *

     He walked in carrying a sub. Turkey, bacon, lettuce and tomato.
Another chair was brought in. He sat down.
"Come on Caine. Just talk to me. Tell me why you were up there. Surely you
have nothing to lose. You were caught before you could do anything. The Top
was searched and scanned - every inch. What ever you were going to do, it
failed. So either you weren't planning on doing anything . . . Or whatever
you had in mind didn't happen. So why prolong it. Just tell me what you were
doing up there. Then I can get you a sub. You can eat, take a hot bath,
get new clothes."  The kid leaned forward, smiling. He was young, not
cold yet.
     Caine thought about it. Decided to answer.
"How would YOU kill them  ?    How have you, when your sitting awake at
three in the morning ?   What devious plan did you play over in your mind
a thousand times, till it drove you crazy with desire ?"
     The sandwich smacked into Caine's face. The kick was only a second
behind. Another storm to be weathered. This time the kid didn't stay quite.
"Stop it you motherfucker, stop it or I'll kill ya'. I'll tear your head
off, motherfucker. I'll squeeze your throat till you . . ." It went on
for an hour. The kid wouldn't stop this time, or slow down. Thud !  Thud !
Thud ! Pain after pain, the kid was yelling out his heart. Another hour, the
kid stopped, fell, vomited on  the ground, gulped air.
"Now !" The voices screamed to Caine "Now! Do it now !"
"Whats your name kid ?"  The kid was still gulping air on the ground.
"WHATS YOUR NAME KID ?" Caine bellowed "Tell me, goddammit, before you
lose it all !"
"Ray, Ray Thompson !" He sobbed.
"How did they do it kid ?  How did they hook you ?" Caine screamed, but
only a raspy whisper came out.
     The kid hesitated.
"Tell me before THEY OWN YOU !  Tell me while there's still time !"
"I had to kill my mother for them. She was snitching. . . to the cops. They
said that if I didn't do her, they would kill her AND my sister. . . ."
The kid was bawling, letting the pain rage out"I had to. They woulda' killed
mom and Samantha and me. . . They woulda'  done it, you goddamn
motherfucker. Don't you understand, they woulda' done us all !"
"Ray . . RAY ! . . . RAY ! Pay attention. . . .Let me go . . . DO IT !
I'm the only one who can save you ! Me ! Thats it. If you don't let me
loose, you and your sister are DEAD ! They will own you, and then they'll
kill you."
     The kid got up and untied Caine.
"The gun, Ray. Give me the gun"
     It was passed to him.
"Now go and get your sister and run. Leave. Get out of here NOW !"
     He was gone in a moment. Caine hobbled into the hall. Pop ! Pop !
Pop !  Three security down. Another hall, another. Elevtor. No, won't work.
Stairs. Climb stairs. Every step is pain. Pain is good, makes the anger
go away. Makes the voices go away.
     Slam !  The doors close. Other doors slide into place in front and
behind him. He stops, waits.
"Hello, Mr. Caine" The cultured voice says mockingly"Good to see you about."
"You're dead. You sit there on your thrones, but you'rer all dead inside. And
soon you'll be just dead" Cried Caine hystericly.
"I don't think so Mr. Caine. We searched and scanned the rooms with every
known device. You failed, Mr. Caine. This is your first . . . And last
failure" said the cultured voice calmly.
"You won't. If you thought you were safe I would have been killed right
away. Your not sure where the bomb is, thats why you kept me alive to
interogate me" Laughed Caine.
"True, Mr. Caine. But now we are convinced you failed. We found nothing.
I'm sorry, Mr. Caine, but you have to die now" The speaker went dead.
The oxygen was was slowly drawn out of the stairwell. Hissing, it went into
the walls. Less and less to breathe with.
     Caine laughed, and laughed, and laughed. Choking on laughter, he
fell to the floor.

        *                          *                       *

   Breathing. Hard. THUMP of his heart. Less air. Lungs burning. THUMp.
Rasping breath. Hold. Stars in eyes. THUmp. Another breath. Shallow. Not
enough. Blackness. THump. Darkness. Gasp. Light. Dizzy. Voices. Distant.
Thump. Void. Swimming. Pleasant. Voices. Singing. Talking. thump. People.
Talking. Saying. To him. thum. Tiana. Others. Alot of them.
"I love you Caine. We all love you" She pointed back at sixty one other
people"You're nearly here,Caine. Soon you'll be with us. Forever." She
came over, gently laid her hands round him. On tip toes she leaned
forward, and their lips met.

 . . . . . . .thum . . . .

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .thum

. .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . thm



     Nothingness. Absolute Nothingness.

     The bomb stopped receiving the regular "Thump, Thump". The timer
started. 00:00:01. 00:00:00.

"Your finally with us" She whispered before even nothingness disappeared.

Copyright David Altman 1994 -July 28