The night-time was colorful inside the town, the opposite of the day-time in the open field. Multiform shades of light, drawing all kinds of assorted shapes, chaotic and geometric ones, were spread at the commercial zones. On the other zones, the lights were soft and relaxing, creating a serene surrounding. Some even thought that it was such a melancholic view.

However, the night was never really serene. At most of the town, beyond those shades of light, licit activities occured. In the meanwhile, other kinds of activities made good use of the shadows to be at ease. Especially at the outskirts of the town, where everyone who couldn’t be “at ease”, were hidden in their homes and did not even think about taking part in it.

But where he was going, he would not be disturbed or noticed, even if was carrying a body. Actually, since he was carrying a wounded person, his presence there would be totally normal. Many hospitals in the outskirts limits attended people like him, and some of them were even better than the “official” ones in the upper-class parts of the city. That particular hospital was in the neighborhood where the money was always running free and, obviously, had better quality. And if you had enough cash, you would be protected and get the best doctors and rooms. It did not matter your real intentions, if it was personal care or selling organs, everything had it’s own price.

He left the car in the parking, just beside the building with white walls. It was shorter than the others, with less than ten floors. Actually, that hospital was bigger than it looked, since it attended people in the underground as well. It was the only place where he would trust his body, if his mind was endangered. And that boy needed capable help. He got the kid in his arms and entered the building, following through a corridor until the first white room, with a strong smell of antiseptic.

“I need a doctor. A transplant one, would be a good option.” saying that, he laid the boy on the closest stretcher. It was not needed to talk too loudly, every room in that place had special sound devices that could capture the clients and patients voices while they were asking for something.

The man started to walk through the long corridor looking around, waiting for someone to help him. He did not need to walk further, since a nurse came in a hurry, to verify what was happening.

“Keep him alive for a few hours...” he said to her, indicating the stretcher behind him, “I will be back quickly.”

She just nodded and went running to the patient, starting the emergency care at once, without asking any questions to the man who was walking away, leaving the building without even waiting for an answer.

Calling one of the doctors, she took the stretcher to the first available room and started to undress the boy’s torso. The wounds were at the upper part of his body, as it was evident by the big blood stain in the clothes. As soon she took his wet coat, she noticed the three holes in his shirt. Getting the scissors in the nearest tray, she cut the shirt away fast, throwing away the shreds. One of the projectiles, miraculously, got stuck on the metal pendant that he was wearing. It was designed with a high-relief eight, pending on the chain around his neck.

She took the chain away, watching it in disbelief, while the doctor arrived with his surgery tools, since the effects of the drug were still active, stopping the bleeding. If any other projectile was still inside the boy’s body, it would be good to take it as soon as possible. A few moments later, they looked at each other, surprised. The projectiles crossed through his body, going out through his back, but even thou, it did not hit anything vital.

In the meanwhile, the man was going about his way, for a moment, without worrying about the kid. He knew that the doctors where he left him were really capable and that they always attended to his expectations. Besides, they were the ones who usually paid the best price for any organs.

About twenty minutes later, he went back to the hospital, but not alone. Doctor and nurse just opened an area while they were working, for them to be able to see the boy. The man’s companion was tall, thin and had a dirty blonde hair color, probably from some artificial dye. He was dressed with colourful clothes and was using fussy ornaments. His pale light-brown eyes watched Tasi, as he started to scratch his chin.

“So, what is it?” the man asked to his blatant companion.

Finnen was one of the “Information Kings” in the underground. He could answer about almost everything to whom was able to afford it, of course. He was dangerous to many, but useful to many others, so his life was always in a perfect, but fragile, balance.

He already knew about what had been found with the kid: the portable computer and the credit card. By the way, that, and being called to confirm the situation, was part of the job for what he was being paid for.

“Well...” Finnen looked closely the face and hair almost clean from the blood. The boy looked like seventeen, maybe eighteen years old. His features were like it has been carefully traced. He was handsome. Finnen stopped for a moment, thinking that those features seemed familiar. The boy’s hair was long, touching his neck and it seemed that the color was some kind of ash-blond, hard to say with the lamp’s light making it look silver. Some of it was still brown, dirty with the dry blood, but most of the true color could be seen already.

“Well?” the man asked.

“Tasi, right? I guess I have heard about him.” Finnen thought for a while. “But, the intriguing thing would be to connect this boy to this...” said, holding the portable computer in his hands. “There is a very famous hacker in the underground. He has dissapeared since the hospital data’s robbery.”

“So, are you saying that they could be the same person? Or maybe, a puppet?” he asked.

“I do not know. See, if I am not mistaken, Tasi is the name of Matthew Corentin’s son. With those features, it can not be someone else. This Matthew died in some kind of... “interesting” circumstances. After his death, his wife stayed under the care of her brother-in-law, Anthony Corentin, who is the head of the family and the adviser and spokesman of the candidate for the elections that we both know. The candidate is his brother too, by the way. So, this boy must be his nephew and adopted son.” Finnen made a short interruption, and then went on. “Well, thinking more carefully, I guess I have already seen this kid before, far away... while I was passing by the street in front of the mansion one night. Those features are uncommon and attract anyone’s attention. But he is totally unknown outside the family.”

“Well, I guess you will like to know that he has been ‘erased’ by an authority, then.” the man said, almost satisfied, if his face showed any emotion.

“An authority, huh? I suppose there are lots of people who want him. The interesting thing about this hacker that I told you about, is that no one knows the man. I mean, no one ever saw or tracked him. It would really be a surprise if they were the same person. I don’t know how you found him, but whoever wanted to kill the brat, it’s hard to say who it could be.”

“How much would someone pay me, in case that he is really this hacker? But, before saying it, tell me if this hacker-guy is involved in this robbery.” he asked, bluntly.

“I think this hacker is involved, yes. His nickname is Gale. I don’t think there are many who could have stolen such secret data as this one. Those two families are just insane because of that. I heard that the guy who stole it, left a virus that damaged their systems, they are still trying to recover from it.” Finnen sighed. “If this boy is the one who calls himself ‘Gale’, I can try to figure out if the virus that was left, has his mark. If this ‘authority’ is not from one of those families, maybe he could pay a good price for him, since he’s probably the only one who can recover the data. I am talking about more than four zeros, my friend. But, of course, we need to be sure that the boy is the one.”

The man reflected for a few seconds. That could be his chance to go away from that continent. On the other hand, it could be his ticket directly to hell. He was skilled, but never delt with something so big before.

“Why the hell should I care?” he thought, while opening his coat, getting one of the pills he kept in a small box inside his pocket and took an extra dosage of adrenaline. It always made him think better. As soon as the pill started to have it’s effect, almost instantaneously, he decided. Nothing could be more exciting than pursuing that chance. And he liked natural adrenaline better.

“Just be sure, Finnen.” he ordered.

“Leave it to me.” answered the fussy man, leaving the portable computer at the bed’s border, near the kid’s feet, and leaving fast on his way to search for more precise information about the hacker attack.

“And you two...” he turned around and stared at the ones who were taking care of the boy, “just make him regain consciousness as soon as possible.”

The doctor and the nurse looked at each other again. After breaking the eye contact, she started to put a pillow beyond the boy’s head. They had finished everything they could do already.

“Well...” the doctor said, “we are waiting for the injection’s effect to be over. This boy has such incredible luck. The projectile that could threaten his life by hitting one of his arteries, was just stopped by this.” He took a little plastic bag from his smock with the chain and the somewhat crushed lemniscate symbol inside. Throwing the bag in the other man’s hands, the doctor continued his explanation. “The other two projectiles did not hit anything vital. We have already sutured and is already healing by now.  Since the kid has lost a lot of blood, we are giving him some special blood serum to help. In a few minutes, I suppose he will wake up. Kinda dizzy, but will. If you need anything else, just call.” Finished, leaving the room, calling for the nurse to join him.

“Good.” The man got some paper money and gave to the girl, when she passed by him following the doctor’s orders. That kind of money was still well-liked between the illegal services. She thanked with a smile, and went out closing the door.