to rede I me delyte
Content Emeritus spy of the council
By FOX 52 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
This competition attracted some excellent writing, but in the end our winner was isa0005 with his tale set in a cyberpunk future. Instead of showing us a detective solving a mystery, or pursuing a criminal, isa0005 started a little later in the story. He's given us hints of action and intrigue, together with a clear description of how law enforcement works in this universe - and he's left us with no doubt about the value placed on a man's life there.
TotW 287: NYPD - WINNING SUBMISSION
The Kona Kai Saloon, a 20th century tiki bar with a 22nd century local Hong Kong twist, was quipped with exotic faux-Polynesian decor, gaudy Hawaiian shirts and a plethora of tropical cocktails. One half expected some bikini clad silicone smile to burst through its doors. Instead it's usual clientele was the average Hong Konger wage slave, Corporate neo-colonialists and up-and-comers in the South Chinese criminal underworld. The body fell to the floor some three feet from the bar, amidst surfer paraphernalia and spilled mojitos, the crack of a ferromagnetic slug echoing for what must have been miles. “Is that how you greet all your friends Herr Richter?” Asked Hermann, the pistons in the bartender's old Bavarian auto-prosthetic shifting into overdrive as he reached for a dirty glass. “Ha! Only those who don’t respect the badge and uniform .” Said Richter, gesturing to his casual attire and distinct lack of any formal identification. Placing his chrome firearm on the counter to cool from its recent use he ordered a vodka “make it a double.” He was in a celebratory mood. “One double vodka coming up. Poor bastard, let me guess, he was late on some debtor's payments? Or perhaps he failed to submit his paper work in triplicate?” The bartender reached for a dusty bottle behind the counter and unscrewed its top, his arm jerking as though it were haunted as he placed the drink on the counter. “Corporate espionage. Was a real slippery one too. Chased him from Mauritius to Macau.” Above, a vidscreen echoed under the slow spin of ceiling fans and the the crack-pop of pinball machines ringing outback. “Uniformed officers from the Kowloon City Police Department stormed the headquarters of Japanese corporation Kobayashi Technologies earlier this afternoon. After a year long investigation the KCPD has released evidence linking the international conglomerate to numerous criminal syndicates” began the reporter. “Kobayashi, that sounds familiar" “Ganbei!” Richter raised his glass in salute to a job well done, drank finishing it in one gulp. Smiling from ear to ear, he revealed nicotine stained teeth and years of bad dental care "It should, I work for the bastards." “Well then, I assume you won’t be paying the bill this month” “Are you kidding? Have no fear barkeep, who do you think tipped off the KCPD in the first place?” With a look of satisfaction Richter slapped a credit chip on the counter “here’s everything, plus interest.” “My, my Herr Richter, you are full of surprises! Will you be helping me clean up this mess as well?” the bartender gestured towards the body, the smell of cauterised flesh wafting under his nose. “I’m a Corporate Investigator not a crime scene cleanup crew, you’re on your own pal!”
Last edited by Caillagh de Bodemloze; January 23, 2019 at 10:52 AM .
Tale of the Week 287: NYPD - Winner's Circle!
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