In Midas Corp’s 97th floor board room, Glenn went from chair to chair, placing the regalia of business just so. There was a folder, complete with simulated documents and a tablet detailing the sale between Sizemore and the new backers, a legal pad, and a selection of pens and pencils, even a cup of coffee. It was all strictly symbolic. The board would bring their own implements slaved to record and message. But The City’s kabuki of the physical world was of the utmost importance. And Interns had to play their part. The Smiling Man nodded, and Glenn exited discreetly.
The City: 036: Glenn
November 17, 2014
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The City: 035: Victoria
November 14, 2014
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At the other end of the compound, Victoria watched without interest as her driver negotiated the limousine through the checkpoint. Heightened security bothered her. The first change was not a reassuring one. And for a virtual bank of all things. It would be ludicrous if the threats they faced weren’t so serious. Getting killed in the real world was risky, but getting assassinated in The City, losing her access, possibly even being hacked, that was what kept her up at night. And the changeover would be a prime opportunity for an attack. Sizemore’s replacement had better be good, she thought.
The City: 034: Ray
November 13, 2014
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Ray got the fortunate duty of being the guy that met City Police when they showed up en mass. Just what he fucking needed, the VR cops. As far as he was concerned they were set dressing, just like everything else in The City. They were paper tigers. Midas security, they were the real thing, with their boot guns and the writ of Midas’s board to do anything they needed to protect the real owners of The City. Public safety? What a joke. Meghan rolled down the window of her cruiser.
“You can’t come in here. There’s a board meeting.”
The City: 033: Meghan
November 12, 2014
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A long line of police cars, their sirens blaring, raced out of Headquarters. They were followed by a smaller fleet of unmarked black vehicles. They traveled at all possible speed to Midas Corporation Tower, at the heart of The City. It was not so far from Police Headquarters, but traffic was backed up due to the transit shutdown. Meghan had the pleasure of listening to the Commissioner swear the entire way.
“Bells, what the fuck does that mean?” Back at headquarters, an entire squad was puzzling over the prophetic riddle. They stopped short. Midas Plaza was blocked off by Security.
The City: 032: Maurice
November 11, 2014
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City Police Commissioner Maurice Jenkins was the first to press close to the body when it began to whisper.
“The hills, the bay, the valley, the tower. The Bells! The bells are sounding. The clarion call is sounding, and He is drawing the threads together. He’ll climb Jacob’s Ladder and ascend from fire as the Phoenix. The City will know its master, and He will be the god of this place. The bells are sounding…” The cops all straightened.
“Some hacker messing with us,” Marcy said. Maurice frowned.
“I’d like to speak with the hacker that made this. Let’s go.”
The City: 031: Janelle
November 10, 2014
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In the decorative morgue, the former avatar of Sandra sat upright and looked around. At least, it gave the impression that it was looking around. It lacked half of its face. Janelle stepped forward.
“Contact with the user must have been reestablished,” she said. “Hello, I’m Janelle Smith, with Midas Quality control. We’d like to talk with out about your user experience.” The living corpse turned to look at her, and spoke in a robotic voice.
“Change is coming to The City. Death is coming to The City. Destruction is coming to The City.” It collapsed back onto the gurney.
The City: 030: Paulo
November 7, 2014
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Paulo nodded at the American punk girl.
Do you think the one has to do with the other? Is Midas screwing with the trains to manipulate the market?
Xue shook her head.
Too expensive. Midas owns too much of The City to wreck it’s productivity.
Maybe a rival? Ingmar offered.
The timings too close. The announcement about the trains came before the sale.
I got a peek at the meeting. The new CEO’s avatar looked weird.
Weird how?
I don’t know. Out of sync. Kind of creepy.
I’ll look into it. Paulo offered. He was always trying to impress Dawn.
The City: 029: Nora
November 6, 2014
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Nora frowned after the cat and sat down on the bench next to Hiro. She furiously typed into her messenger. Between the six of them, they spoke ten languages, but there was not one they all shared fluently. So they typed, and used translations to be understood.
Paulo and I had an awful time getting here. The trains are all shut down. Nora wrote.
A woman got hit by one. Hiro replied.
Impossible.
Is it? Dawn typed. Or is it just so unlikely that it never happened before? The Man sold out and the trains stop. No such thing as coincidence.
The City: 028: MacBeth
November 5, 2014
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MacBeth the Cat sunned himself on an outer wall of Osaka Castle. He enjoyed the spot because it was always warm and sunny during the day, and there were many small birds and squirrels to chase. Below him, a crowd of humans, teenagers, he noted, was gathering. Lazily, he cataloged and recorded their identities and conversation. He wasn’t listening, but the recording went on automatically. A pair of additional humans climbed the steps and joined the group. A female, identified as Nora O’Reilly, location: Donegal, Ireland, reached up a hand to pet him. He hissed, and bounded into the grass.
Hugh Likes Comics: Lone Wolf and Cub
November 4, 2014
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Lone Wolf and Cub Volume One: The Assassin’s Road
Written by Kazuo Koike
Drawn by Goseki Kojima
Published by Dark Horse Comics (English Version)
Originally published in Japan in 1970, “Lone Wolf and Cub” is a seminal document of Japanese Comics (Manga). The story of an executioner turned assassin in 16th century Japan was hugely popular, becoming a best-seller and spawning a series of films, two television series, and inspiring artists and writers in Japan and around the world. Partially translated and released in the US in the 1980’s, it was not fully collected in English until Dark Horse Comics began releasing volumes in 2000.
Ogami Itto was the Shogun’s chief executioner until the treachery of the rival Yagyu clan robbed him of his position and sentenced him to sepuku. In defiance of the Shogun, Ogami became an assassin living in “Meifumado,” the Way of Demons.” He takes his only living family member, his infant son Daigoro, with him in his quest for vengeance. As such, he is called “Lone Wolf and Cub,” a peerless killer who will take on any mission for five hundred Ryo.
“Lone Wolf and Cub” is an epic story collected over twenty-eight volumes, but each volume is picaresque, discribing specific assassinations or encounters Itto and Daigoro have on their journey. Deeply beautiful and starkly violent, these stories are quintessential Japanese pulp. Like Ogami himself, they are a paradox. At once noble and at the same time murderous, they celebrate Japan’s Zen Buddhist warrior traditions while standing apart from them.
Koike’s writing details the lives of noble samurai, struggling peasants, and suffering prostitutes with a historian’s careful eye. Kojima’s work evokes Japan’s greatest artistic traditions. This is a manga where ultra-violence and gratuitous nudity are positioned directly beside deep philosophical questions and breathtaking landscapes.
“Lone Wolf and Cub” is not a comic for kids, and it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Volume One features nine stories of samurai action that perfectly introduces the reader to the soul of Koike and Kojima’s groundbreaking work. It was an important step in my own appreciation of the medium, and it is a great place to start if you’d like something a bit more serious in your comics reading.
Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 1 is available digitally, in print from Amazon, or from your local comics shop.
Hugh J. O'Donnell 