Check

"Thank you for your payment, Ms. Tatuz. Your next one will be due on the eigth of Febuos," The electronic female voice repeated back what she already knew. It was the same every month. "Those of us at Dexus Medical are happy to serve you. Have a nice day."

Eora sighed before pressing the end call button on her wrist and the blue hologram box faded away. Those damned mechs always gave her a headache. She squeezed the bridge of her nose to relieve some pressure. The stress was really getting to her.

She checked the time once again. Her target was late. Damned Monarch's always wasting everyone's time and now hers. For once she was excited to put a bullet in this pricks skull.

She looked out over the lively streets and brightly lit neon signs from where she was perched. Hellex was a popular shopping district. Despite the late hour and the fact that it had just rained, people were still out and about like it was still daytime. The scent of freshly cooked meat filled her nose and her stomach growled in response. She'd been waiting here for a long time. Maybe when this was all over she could grab a bite and head back up to the hospital to see Nexid. Not that it mattered. He would never know she was there, but still, he was all the family she had left.

Out of the corner of her eyes she caught sight of the green robe of a Monarch. "About damn time," she whispered, jumping from the balcony and landing in a dark alleyway.

Eora peeked around the corner of a fancy wig shop and spotted the Patriarch heading towards the city center. She emerged from the shadows and pulled her hood over her head. She counted four human bodyguards with him.

Child's play.

Her target was a Patriarch by the name Yce Fransix. Corrupt, like all the rest. The government was a joke, ran by a group of politicians called Monarchs. They were supposed to be voted in each year, but somehow the eight current Monarchs had managed to stay in power for the last twelve. They made all the rules and if anyone went against them they had no problem throwing your ass in prison, then label you as a danger to society. For once, Eora was fine with killing this target.

She'd been hired to take the Patriarch out, discreetly. All she knew about her employer was they went by the code name Zyre. Never showed their face. She didn't know if they were male or female, but they did pay her well. Fifty thousand chips upfront and another fifty thousand when the job was done. A big risk, but it would pay her brother's medical bills for a while at least. Keeping someone on life support was expensive, but she refused to give up on him.

Eora passed by all the hustle and bustle. Shop keepers trying to sell their goods and delicious foods. She really needed to eat something when this was all over.

The Patriarch turned down the next block and Eora finally saw an opportunity. People were more scarce on this street. She unlocked the safety on her rifle, but kept it hidden under her cloak. Suddenly the Patriarch turned down another block and speed up his pace. Eora rounded the corner and paused.

It was a dead end.

Her eyes widened as the Patriarch's guards turned on her with their guns raised. Eora dove behind a dumpster as they let their bullets fly.

"Damn it!" She cursed, pulling her rifle out from under her cloak. How had she been spotted? She'd been so careful.

Eora leaned around the dumpster and looked down the sight. She pulled the trigger, sinking a poisoned bullet into one of the guard's foreheads before she had to duck back behind the dumpster again as another wave of bullets came at her.

'How the hell did they know I was following them?' She thought. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. Something wasn't right. Had she been set up?

Eora's eyes widened as she heard metal roll across the ground. She turned, throwing herself around the other side of the building as a grenade exploded.

The dumpster went flying and crashed against the wall opposite from her. Eora picked herself up off the ground as flashing lights were approaching quickly. Too quick. This was definitely a setup.

"Hands up!" One of the human bodyguard's ordered. Eora spun around to find his pistol aimed at her head. She swallowed.

The security mechs then surrounded her, blocking off any and all escape routes. Eora squeezed her eyes shut in disbelief. It was unreal the number of mechs they had sent. It was unlikely if she were to fight back that she would make it out of this alive. Enraged, Eora tossed her rifle to the ground before raising her hands above her head.

"On the ground!" A security mech ordered.

Eora bit her lip as she laid down on the damp asphalt with her hands held above her head. She felt the cold metal of a mech's arm grab her hands and roughly cuff them behind her back.

Eora heard a deep chuckle and turned her head to see Patriarch Fransix approaching her. He ran a hand through his silvery hair that matched his well-groomed beard. She'd only seen a photo of him, but that picture must have been old. He was much older than she had expected him to be. Yce smiled down at her.

"Serves you right for following me, fifty rat." He turned to the security mechs. "Take her away." The Patriarch walked past her and back down the block they had just come from, followed by his four human security guards.

"Alright let's go!" The security mech painfully drug her to her feet and forced her to walk towards the open transport doors.

Eora's heart began to race faster now. The mech shoved her inside, with her hands behind her back she couldn't catch herself and fell onto the floor of the transport. She took her last glance at the outside world before the doors slammed in front of her. They didn't bother to light the inside of the transport leaving Eora in pitch darkness. She wasn't afraid for herself, she was afraid for her brother.