Chapter One-Working For Wan

Chapter One

         Many nights start this way, friends lay strewn around the floor and bottles left empty on every piece of furniture. All that remains from the hours proceeding were the memories and a bad after taste. Jade’s head was buzzing; she was guilty of nothing more than the usual pleasures. Her friends, Ty and Jaz introduced her to a new drug on the market. The dealer marketed it as the closest thing to being fully aware. Nexiex gave its user increased senses. For some it made them violently ill, others nosebleeds and in extreme cases vision loss. For those who knew their limit and could handle the effects tended favorable results. This would be the last time for Jade, in her line of work she could not take the risk of going too far.
         Looking around the room Jade awoke to reality by the message that was now flashing ominously blue on her computer screen. She gracefully moved a long brown strand of hair away from her eye and stared intently at the words. Her lips moved on their own as she read the message making sure she understood every word. Wan Hongei wanted to see her and he was not the type to take into consideration the late hour. In her current state, she feared she might say the wrong thing, she dreaded these meetings. Stumbling into the dark bathroom, Jade needed to pull herself together quick. Splashing cold water on her face did little to get rid of the bags under her eyes. Even in a slightly intoxicated state Jade was stunning. She would never admit to the fact but others would surely tell you. She had nearly flawless olive skin, dark green eyes and a thin, fit body that made all her female friends jealous. Her Japanese-American features made her stand out in any crowd. Tonight the fear in her eyes shown from behind her long eyelashes, her hand trembling as she reapplied eyeliner. Wan only called her in for one reason; something was wrong. At twenty-two Jade Sueng lived a very secretive lifestyle. During the day, she worked security computer hacking for top-secret government officials. Wan then bought her secrets. Not secrets that cause war, the kind of secrets that rob banks without casualties. Jade is not remorseful; she is good at what she does and is paid well. Nights like these, nights when Wan wants to talk face to face made her uneasy. She was scared of Wan; he was the only person who could turn on her in a moments notice. In the living room, Jaz, her attractive blonde-haired friend lay across the back of the couch like a puppet without strings; her snoring gave Jade little relief. Her friends all worked for Wan; however, they did not know that she supplied him with the target locations. They also did not know that she is working for the government. As long as she supplies Wan’s requests, her secrets and friends remain safe.
         The front door to her apartment hissed open and Jade stepped into the hall. The bright light hurt her eyes and it took a moment for them to adjust. Her vision glasses fit snug and provided her with a virtual map of Tokyo. Glancing left, her time display shown it was three-thirty a.m., February 19, 2131. Traveling late at night made her cautious of her surroundings and she never carried credits. A man lay at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at her, “You must be an angel.” He fell silently back into dreamland, a smile on his dirty face.
         Outside the air was damp and cold, the perfect weather. Jade heard from a friend that only one hundred years earlier the temperature would climb over ninety-five degrees during a season called summer. The thought is always amusing to her. Anything above sixty degrees was enough to shut down local business. Once a year it would get above eighty-five degrees for a week.
         Climbing into the driver’s side of her vehicle it quickly came to life. Scanning her profile for verification, it found her favorite music and inside cabin temperature. Now in control, she maneuvered straight up into traffic. It was tough to learn the rules and not everyone earns permission to own a vehicle. The first rule, show no fear is the toughest. Her destination was a half an hour away, switching over to autopilot she shut her eyes.
         Jade awoke startled by the navigation system, “You have arrived at your desired location.” Outside Jade quickly set the cloaking device on her vehicle, some areas of Tokyo paid high prices for stolen vehicles. Downtown you can get anything your heart desires, custom parts, the latest electronic gadgets, you name it and it can be yours for a price. Following the sounds of laughter echoing from the alley, she moves quickly. The ground is wet from the rain and the smells of trash and decay fill the night air. Coming around a dark corner Jade sees the small metal door, knocking in secret fashion she goes inside. Anyone trying to pass through the door uninvited ends up with a hole in the head right on the other side. All of Wan’s men know her and that can be good or bad. Tonight it is bad and she can tell, none of them make eye contact or greet her in the usual manner. Jade follows them to a small, dark room and must wait for Wan to arrive. Feeling uneasy she shifts nervously in her chair, a light comes on.
         Wan is tall, around 6’4”, dark ominous eyes that look into your soul pulling out secrets. The look on his face is nothing short of disappointment. Shaking his head, “Tsk, tsk, why am I so disappointed by the news I received.” He kicks the chair hard against the wall and grabs Jade by the back of the hair. “I received word that my men have all been killed by government agents. Seems the information I was given led them to the slaughter.” Wan pushing Jade back into her seat continues, “You know I don’t like being betrayed and you know what I do to those who set me up.” He turns unflinching and fires a round into one of his security, dropping him to the ground. Jade’s heart is racing in her chest and beads of sweat form at an alarming rate. Through all of this, she remains silent, knowing that Wan does not like any interruptions. Wan walks over and places his hand on her shoulder, he can feel her tremble. “Jade, my dearest friend, tell me why I should let you live?”
         Knowing that her life depends on her answer, she finds her voice, “I would never betray you, Wan. Someone in the office must know that there is a leak and set up false information.” Her throat is dry and her voice cracks, “I need some time.”
         Wan paces around the room and suddenly slams his hands down on the table. “I don’t have any time to give. Therefore, here is the plan. You and your team, Ty and Jaz included will pull off the next heist. We will see who is betraying who.” He stands closing his eyes, “You have grown close to your team and that is unfortunate for them. If they die, their blood will be on your hands. Now leave me, I will send word soon.”