Chapter 3

He rests his arms on the edge of his knees. He looks down at Atlas and narrows his eyes. Following him down the street.

"What do you want me to do?" he asks into his radio,

"You got eyes on?"

"Yeah, hes headed further into downtown, but he's in no rush...want me to take him out?"

"....No, not yet at least. Keep an eye on him."

"Got it, how's Gabe?"

"He got hit hard, he's stable though."

"Alright. I'm tailing, over and out."

****

Atlas starts down the sidewalk, they were the Syndicate. But are they good? He can't be sure.

Atlas wracks his brain, he realizes he will probably half to steal if he wants to eat tonight. He pushes the guilt he feels out of his mind.

He walks past a street vender selling peaches, it's pretty busy luckily. Atlas pushes someone as he walks past them. But does it subtly, the woman falls against the stand and knocks over several. People mock and scorn her.

Atlas walks through the crowd and takes two as he hurries, casually, away and around the nearby street corner.

It's not much but its food.

No guilt Atlas, you cant feel guilty, he tells himself.

He continues down the street and munches away,he eats them fast and drops the cores down through a grate in the street's gutter and they fall into the sewer.

****

"-can't get a reading on him yet."

"Alright, intercept. He can be an asset."

"Rodger tha...oh crap." she says and turns around, spinning herself out of view, behind the corner of a building.

"What?"

"May Barnes just walked up to him." he says in an angry soft voice,

"You got to be kidding me."

"What do I do? Scram?"

"No! No, they sent her because they someone is probably watching, running might actually get you killed. J-just follow, stay out of sight."

The man sighs, "Yes sir."

****

"You aren't someone to mess around with."

Atlas looks at the ginger haired girl in dark clothes with a brown leather, fur lined hood coat on.

"Who are you?"

"I'm May, I only saw the tail end of what happened, you got some skills. Now before you say anything. All I ask is you hear me out, I'll even overlook that little theft you just committed."

Chills run up his spine, "You're with Syndicate?"

"Hah! Gah no! They put that video up to persuade people, they can be pretty convincing, I'll give em that. We are someone else. I can't say our name out in the open because the Syndicate doesn't even know who we are. They could be watching us now. Speaking of, mind if we talk somewhere safer? Mr..."

"Grey."

She smiles, "Mr. Grey."

He stares at her for a moment, she raises an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

"Alright, a short leash."

She smirks, "Good, come on then."

****

"I won't be able to follow for long, they are going somewhere away from prying eyes and ears."

"...Alright, find out where they go, we'll send Shadow to take your place."

"Got it, sorry Tips."

"Don't worry about it, just stay focused."

****

Atlas and the woman walk down the sidewalk to the cross walk and then walk across the street.

"So tell me this, why should I even trust you? How do I know they aren't the good guys?"

May gives a smile, "You're pretty smart. Well, we can prove it. We simply want order and peace. We do have a way we visualize that, but who doesn't? Peace and order is based on perspective."

Atlas narrows his eyes, "Really?" he asks sarcastically,

It makes her smile more, "I was skeptical too once. I thought, bull, peace is peace. But when you think about it...to a hippie musician peace could mean the world singing and dancing, literally everyday and living in the same rooms as your neighbor. To a marine, order is a strict command to do something, whether it's something you like, or not. Perspective. We have our own, but we do want what's best for the people."

"So how do you know your perspective is healthy and not damaging?"

"Here we are."

Atlas looks at the white small car parked on the street. NazX7 Tesla, she opens the passenger door for Atlas and waits for him to climb in.

He looks at her, trying once more to read any evil in her face. But he can't see any, he climbs in and she shuts the door. She then climbs in on the driver's side.

"The Syndicate are rebels, they think we restrain freedom, and to an extent we do, I won't lie. But we don't consume their freedoms, we have rules, security measures like any other group, country or whatever. We protect people, but if people new we were taking their freedoms and saw it as such, well there would be riots wouldn't there?"

Atlas looks at the ground, thinking about that, that's true, no one likes it when things are taken from them. Atlas looks at May.

"But I'm not sure that gives you the right to do it behind people's backs. That doesn't excuse it."

"You're right, it doesn't. We don't want control people, what we want is, how do I put it...the world practically collapsed centuries ago. The Last War, left the world in ruins and we had to start over almost from the same age as steam power was invented. We don't want to control anyone, we want to make sure that The Last War, stays, The Last War."

"You act like it won't?"

She gives him a concerned look, "Do you honestly think it will be? With the way the world is headed right now? Two thousand years later and the world is escalating again."

Atlas sighs and takes a deep breath, "So what do you do then? If not what the Syndicate claims you do?"

"We spy on people, we can't spy on everyone, but we are trying to find the Syndicate. We have our own secret agents, that all hunt for the Syndicate."

"So why are they evil?" Atlas asks,

"They want nothing but freedom, which we wouldn't have a problem with...if it wasn't so destructive. Freedom should definitely be granted to people, but unfortunately there are a lot of bad people out there as well...with unlimited freedom, the consequences could be disastrous."

"So you want to manage it."

"We want to prevent them from hurting themselves, even we keep ourselves in check with each other. So we don't get power hungry."

"And what if you do?"

"That person or those people are forced to step down. It depends on what we see and what they do, it, being the consequences. Mr. Grey, we have methods that are unorthodox, but we will use what we can to find the Syndicate. They are very dangerous."

"Just because they want freedom, why don't they leave then?"

May sighs, "Mr. Grey, there is another reason they resist...we are for technology. It protects people, I'm not talking about just spying on people. For example, machine officers instead of humans, robots in military. It saves lives, countless! They think we want to use machines to control everyone."

"I'm guessing they're wrong?" Atlas asks,

She looks at him and out the windshield. "Maybe....maybe you could talk with some of our directors? Would that help convince you?"

"Why are you talking to me at all? You want me to be a soldier? Hunt the Syndicate for you?"

"Yes, machines have come a long way, but human soldiers are still required, I'd ask you to join us."

Both are silent for a long time, staring at each other. "Fine, show me to the directors, I'll make my decision after. But what will they tell me that is different from what you have said?"

"We don't have much, footage of what they do to us? And what we do to them? I'm interrogations."

Atlas takes in a deep breath, "What if I say no?"

"If you chose the Syndicate...they'd want to use you against them or kill you...but, Mr. Grey, we really need you, so, maybe this will help you to trust me. If you wish to join the Syndicate after, tell me privately. I'll let you run, just the one time."

Atlas narrows his eyes, studying her. She's hiding something. But he can't be sure what, she's a very good actress though. Few would be able to tell that she was hiding something.

"Fine, agreed."

She smiles softly, "Good. Let's go."

****

"This is Shadow, they're driving away. I'll follow them. You did good Hector, head back."

"Good luck Shadow." the man says and pats her back,

Shadow phases through a car door and sits in the driver seat, she leans forward and phases her hand to play with the wires and hot wire the car.

She puts it in drive and pulls away from the curb moments after Atlas and May leave.