Dead on Paper — MindVector #02

COVER

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COVER: MindVector #02. Dead on Paper. PLAYMINDVECTOR.COM. Synthesized By QvxSphere.

Page 1: Officers work to override Ren’s one-way security door. Ren packs the Mind, clips a powered climber onto a rising cable and escapes as security searches his apartment.

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Panel 1 · MIND: Two officers and a drone. Security door override in ninety seconds.

Panel 1 · REN: Okay, I'm moving as fast as I can.

Panel 2 · SECURITY: AR-Warden security! Open up!

Panel 2 · SFX: BANG BANG

Panel 3 · MIND (CASE): You told me that was a laundry line.

Panel 3 · REN: It is a laundry line. It's also my exit.

Panel 4 · SECURITY: Unit 4-17. Subject not present.

Panel 4 · SECURITY: Window.

Page 2: Ren climbs above the pursuing guards, hides behind an immense billboard and connects his laptop and the Mind to a maintenance network to search for Yuna.

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Panel 1 · SFX: ZZZZZIP

Panel 1 · MIND (CASE): I'd like to formally object to this route.

Panel 1 · REN: Noted!

Panel 2 · MIND (CASE): Behind the billboard. I'll disable the local cameras and trip alarms across the block. That should pull them away.

Panel 2 · DISTANT ALARMS: WHEE-OOO

Panel 3 · REN: Lowrail runs power and data on one grid. Trace it back into AR. Then find Yuna. Fast.

Panel 3 · MIND: On it.

Panel 4 · MIND: First firewall's down. Four to go.

Panel 4 · REN: Skip payroll. Get me Warden security traffic.

Panel 4 · MIND: Routing.

Page 3: Restricted AR records reveal Yuna’s redacted transfer and false deceased statuses for her and Ren. A counter-trace forces Ren and the Mind to leave the billboard platform for Tetsu’s.

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Panel 1 · WARDEN SECURITY CHATTER: ...Subject Sato processed. Priority transfer. Sealed by directive...

Panel 1 · REN: That's her. Where are they taking her?

Panel 1 · MIND: Destination redacted. The order is signed.

Panel 1 · RESTRICTED TRANSFER ORDER: SATO, YUNA · DESTINATION: [REDACTED] · AUTHORIZED: OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN · K. NULL

Panel 2 · REN: ...They killed us.

Panel 2 · MIND: They filed us. It's not the same thing.

Panel 2 · RESTRICTED PERSONNEL RECORD: AMANO, REN · STATUS: DECEASED

Panel 2 · RESTRICTED PERSONNEL RECORD: SATO, YUNA · STATUS: DECEASED

Panel 3 · REN: The Chairman? Why would he care about an intake officer?

Panel 3 · MIND: I don't know.

Panel 3 · MIND: Dead on paper, Ren. A status isn't a body.

Panel 4 · MIND (CASE): I'm surprised how easy that was. But they've detected us in their systems and started an active counter-trace. I can only mask our location for so long.

Panel 4 · REN: We need somewhere they can't trace.

Panel 4 · SECURITY STATUS: COUNTER-TRACE · ACTIVE

Panel 4 · REN: Tetsu's.

Page 4: Tetsu shelters Ren and the Mind in his workshop. Ren resolves to escape Hikari Reach. The final panel cuts to the sealed, ultraviolet-lit doors of restricted Bay Nine.

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Silent Bay Nine scene. Motion respects your device preferences.

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Panel 1 · REN: Tetsu. It's me.

Panel 1 · MIND (CASE): Statistically, he's asleep.

Panel 1 · SFX: KNOK KNOK

Panel 1 · SFX: KRRRRK

Panel 2 · TETSU: Thought you'd come.

Panel 2 · REN: I need somewhere to—

Panel 2 · TETSU: Inside. Before the patrol drones spot you.

Panel 3 · REN: They took Yuna off-planet. No destination. And now AR says we're both dead.

Panel 3 · MIND: The transfer order came from the Chairman's office.

Panel 3 · TETSU: AR doesn't bury its assets, boy. It files them. If they marked her dead, they want her kept hidden. Both of you.

Panel 3 · REN: Then I need to escape Hikari Reach.

Panel 4 · CAPTION: NEXT WEEK: #03 - BAY NINE