[00] The Teleporter

[DA 2009]

Shou awoke with a start in the hospital bed. His first thought was, “What the hell? I went to the goddamn bunker!” Then, he looked around, wondering if maybe he was in a bunker, and he’d somehow been knocked out. Had Vad gotten him from behind? No, that wasn’t possible; he’d have felt it, or at least heard it. Looking around for a clue as to his predicament, Shou found an envelope addressed to him on a tray. He ripped open the envelope, nearly destroying the letter in the process, but pulled the slip of paper out. It read:

“Dear Shou,

Most unfortunate, but you are a victim of misunderstanding the rules of the game. Yes, you did enter a bunker, but quite sadly, the temperamental nature of the trigger renders the collar unable to receive the same signal twice in a row from any bunker. In order to survive, you would have had to visit one of the other three sectors. I applaud your physical prowess, and your willing determination to save the life of the man whose identity you attempted to steal. Your typical nature belies these qualities. For your exit, simply enter the location of your choice into the keypad of the teleporter, and it will take you anywhere you desire. I believe this is a welcome advantage in your escape from Mercy-sei. As a small consolation, I have left a care package by the entrance; I believe it will be useful in your future endeavors. Remember: always watch your back.

Regards, Your Humble Host,
Damon Dukes”

Shou looked over to the teleporter, and it was indeed as Damon’s letter had described. He found a case next to it, and he opened it up to see what it contained for him. It looked a bit like…a wallet? Upon closer inspection, Shou realized it wasn’t a wallet at all. He opened the flap of the billfold, and out came tumbling a stack of fake ID’s, complete with passport, photo identification, false electronics cards…everything he needed to quietly disappear and assume any persona he needed.