ADDICTION AND DEATH
BOOK ONE: BEGINNING

Chapter 1: Admission

The tires on the sleek black vehicle stopped, the blasting sounds of the latest and hottest metal band could be heard through the glass and metal walls amongst the laughter of several college students. The large sports SUV stopped in front of the fast food place near Red Rose ST on Sundries Drive a ghetto of the year 2048, which was rare to come by in this day and age.

“Yo, Jacob, you guys want some chow to?” the muscular brown skinned man in the drivers seat with a rather voluptuous Korean girl hugging him and sitting on his lap, he wore a black backwards baseball cap, black tank top, and a red pair of baggy track pants and sneaks amongst some sweat bands around his wrists.

“Nah nothing for me, and could you get my sister off you?” the Asian man asked adjusting his sunglasses as he took the cigarette out of his own mouth and wiping the ash from his expensive black vest “Yo, head dress-”

A boy probably not even out of his teens or young adult age peered over at Jacob, his tone was cold as his head and most of his identity was kept secret by a black head wrap and pair of black slim sunglasses, though the two men had been friends with him there whole life-they never knew ‘who’ he was “Jacob, my name is Shade remember that, and I may have a burger and something to drink.” he said coldly before staring off into the crowded lit up city streets, seeing a security officer with a D6 pistol directing the medium amount of traffic.

Shade’s gaze turned its attention to the large video screen showing a commercial for ‘MANTEL GLOBAL INDUSTRIES’ with David Bloomfield explaining how ‘Mantel is there, making a difference-’ Shade poked the large black man’s shoulder interrupting him as he was about to place the order while feeling his Asian girlfriend’s bottom “Gavin, turn on the television I would like to listen to this commercial.” he asked in a cold empty tone that wasn’t really scary just really felt-well empty.

“You got a ni-” Gavin nodded and responded to his young friend as he pulled his hand from the Korean girls butt and pressed a button inside the black car as a small flat screen plasma lowered from the ceiling with two little speakers beside it. The screen blared on with the MTL Mantel Live Television network jingle and logo appearing before it went to David Bloomfield “I don’t get why you like this corporation so much, I mean sure it looks glamorous, but you know there’s going to be a catch an all that good shit.”

“Shut-it.” Shade said in an remotely calm and annoyed tone as Gavin just sighed and went back to feeling up his girlfriend. Shade’s eyes were fixated onto the television screen as the commercial began.

“Do you want to make a difference in this world?” David Bloomfield said as he took off his glasses giving a smiling gaze “Than join Mantel Core.” the commercial soon displayed mantel troopers giving supplies to poor families “Join the right team, the winning team.” the commercial than displayed mantel soldiers playing football on the surface of a ‘Titan’ Land Carrier, a large mobile base for Mantel Global Industries military. “Mantel Core will give you strength” it displayed a soldier firing a minigun from the side of a Mrs. Mantel drop ship “Mantel Core will give you, the finest weapons ever made.” the screen displayed a soldier leaning from the side of a Boxcart mantel buggy shooting off his Wilson D6 pistol at the front of a large convoy of buggies and drop ships “Mantel Core will give you a chance to be a hero! A chance to be invincible.” the image changed again to display a trooper firing off there BSW-72 assault rifle while getting shot and not bleeding or even being phased not even grunting or huddling downwards, standing straight up and firing the gun like a juggernaut “Join us and fight the good fight.” the commercial went onwards to a news channel in which Gavin turned it off.

“That’s what I want to do.” the smoking Korean man said “Become a big hero, show the world what I’m made of get on the news, get a lot of medals-more importantly I’ll be famous.” he said with a sly smile as he blew smoke out of his mouth and tossed his used cigarette out the window. Shade shook his head in disappointment at Jacob’s reason to join Mantel Military, Gavin just laughed and smacked his girl’s ass making her give an excited ‘OH!’.

“I have my own reasons for wanting to join…and I don’t feel like talking about them.” he said as his friends and Gavin’s girl got excited thinking they were going to find out but all let out a disappointed ‘awh’ when he said he wouldn’t. “Make sure the drink I get with my meal is Nectar.” he said kindly and calmly as Gavin drove up to the window and picked up the food, he took out him and his girl’s diet cola and boneless rib sandwiches while he tossed what was left in the bag back to Shade.

“Dmude, whenph are you gomma tell ums why you want in that military shit?” Gavin asked while chewing his sandwich Shade simply smacked the back of his head in response, Gavin growled but when he looked back at his friends-even with his head covered he knew he didn’t want to talk about it and it actually saddened him when he thought of the reason “never mind.” he said after taking a gulp of the meat and a swig of his soda.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full from here on out, Gavin Luis Rodney.” the Korean girl spoke with a small giggle as she gently nibbled on the meat, her scarlet hair resting on her shoulders as her brown eyes closed while she enjoyed her meal. Gavin rolled his eyes as they continued there drive home “So did you hear about that rogue trooper in the Boa region?” she asked Shade giving him a somewhat grinning gaze.

“Shane Carpenter, used to be a sergeant but broke off in a heart beat due to being a mole for the rebels, killed a lot of the guys and Sergeant Morgan Duvall, why does it matter to you?” Shade asked after his intelligent but emotionless explanation “Unless you plan on doing something about it, you shouldn’t bother talking about it.” The girl frowned with her mouth closed but Gavin turned back and responded angrily.

“Man, show some respect to the lady. She treats you like a little brother, and all you have to say about it is that emotionless bullshit?!” He asked yelling at Shade while he was driving, the girl rolled her eyes before finding this the final over defensive straw.

“Gavin, I’m breaking up with you.” Gavin stopped the car in the drive way as she said that coldly while sipping her drink, she looked at him with daggers “You didn’t’ think it was going to last long honestly, we only dated because my brother wanted both of us to shut up about being lonely.”

Gavin nodded with a sigh “Yeah, yeah your right, I need to work on my anger anyways…” the Asian woman got out of the car with Shade and Jacob, her hips shook left and right as Shade looked over towards his friend who was still in the drivers seat.

“If it’s any compensation, I knew you both didn’t give a damn about each other so you can quit the act.” Gavin blinked and looked up and just shrugged as he picked up his meal and his part of the rentals from the movie store they had gone to before dinner “I’m going, see you three tomorrow, oh and Whitney.” the words came out as he looked over at the Asian girl “Do you want to come over tomorrow, I need your help with something it is kind of important.”

Whitney nodded as she finished her sandwich and sipped her drink “Sure thing me amigo.” she said calmly as Shade smiled with an empty gaze walking down the street, Gavin thought they were planning on dating, Jacob was unsure of what was going on, but Whitney R. Mercury and Shade M. Romera both knew what was going to happen very soon…

END CHAPTER 1