Elite Comic Universe PBP

The dingy warehouse, or maybe it had been a meat packing plant at some point, whatever it had been it was not just a run-down structure but also an underground black-market business. A local gang did the security while the interior had all kinds of goods, much of illicit on display.

But there was a back room that had high value goods, the kind of stuff that demanded extra security. The kind of stuff that the Brass Orchid Triad would send a real enforcer to keep the peace. Inside what was called the Champagne Room was where the real deals went down, from experimental tech to people; everything has a price here.

Everything.

Hoodie up, dark and drab clothes on. Simple backpack. The school had so many things, but somethings were just outside the realm of their acquisition or maybe they were not legal to own. Robotics was not illegal but what he wanted to do was definitely, a gray area.

He paid the security off and entered and made his way to the Champagne Room.

Hopefully, his contact had been on the level.

She leaned with her back against a far wall in the small makeshift lab. It was not well-lit but thankfully it just needed power to maintain the pod that sat on the table in the center of the room. Her enhanced eyes picked up every detail in the chamber.

Her AR senses picked up the digital ping, and she was now tracking her guest through the security system.

“The buyer is here, forgive me if I think this whole thing is going to be a waste of our time,” the woman said in Amharic. “If he does not have the money, kill him Cipher-One.”

Cipher-One just gave a curt nod, his cybernetic body already poised for action.

“Violence won’t be needed, I have vetted the buyer. And I would prefer to not make a mess where we eat,” a man responded as he did some checks on the pod.

“Just be cool, and we walk away much richer.”

Markus entered, he recognized Eric. But the woman and the cybered-up man were unknowns and that gave him pause. For a moment he felt very vulnerable and alone. Plus how does one do a black market deal? Maybe just be straight forward.

He said to Eric, “I thought we were meeting alone, Mr. Gibson.”

Eric responded, “The supplier wanted to see the buyer so here we are. I am not going to stand in the way of that, given the sum involved. Hopefully this will satisfy their demands.”

He turned to look at the woman to see if she was pleased.

If she was pleased her face did not show it. She responded in Amharic, “I am waiting for the money, Mister Gibson. Until then, this will continue to be a waste of my time.”

Markus responded in Amharic, “Got it, fifty two million USD in encrypted currency, just tell me where to transfer, after I see the internals of the pod.”

Eric looked to the woman and then said, “Of course.”

He tapped in the code and the seals decoupled, revealing the interior obscured by the actors of the scene. Everyone seemed pleased and the pod closed. Eric added, “This is genuine DCP technology, it’s high quality.”

He then relayed the account to transfer the money.

Markus transferred the money and said, “Thanks, I have a vehicle, umm can someone help me to my vehicle, or?”

The woman gestured to Cipher-One and said in Amharic, “Help him to his vehicle. This deal is concluded.”

She departed.

Eric Gibson sighed once he was alone, he took his thirteen percent cut and started tapping on his phone. Maybe he would take in the local game this evening? But he knew it would not be long before Mokele Mbembe would come calling for his services.

/scene