Ghost in the shell: Equestrian architecture

The shower sprayed warm water over Osborn´s head. He looked down on his naked feet, glistening with water dripping from his face. He lifted his head and closed his eyes as the water smacked his face. His fingers pushed through his thin, black hair and felt the water rushing in between them.

Osborn stood still for a moment, feeling the warm water running on his skin and let the smell of artificial lemons from the shampoo fill his nose. A long breath drew from his mouth. He turned the valve and the water stopped spraying over him. He walked out the shower, dried himself with his usual red towel. When it was wet, it smelled similar to the cat he had up until a few years ago.

“Sixteen years.” He smiled and laughed nostalgically. The thought of getting a new cat crossed his mind. “No. Not yet and not now.”

He dried the rest of himself and get dressed. He was about to exit the locker room when something in his pocket started vibrating.

“What the?” He reached into his pocket and found the source. It was the little device he had taken when making a deal with the bullet farmer outside of the city. “Just when I was about to go home.” He grunted. The device had a small display, it urged him to answer by pressing a marked zone on the display. Osborn did what he was urged and pressed it against his ear. “What do you need me to do?”

“I don´t have time to talk. Just drive to the central station and wait for me there.”

Osborn grunted. “I´ll be there in teen minutes.”

“See-“ Osborn hung up and put the device in his pocket.

“Major.”

“Yes, Osborn?”

“I´ve been called in. I won´t be available for a while.”

“Know for how long?”

“No, but don´t worry. I won´t drag it out.”

“Let me know if you need any help.”

“Sure.”

Osborn took the elevator down to the parking level and got into his car. After teen minutes on the road he was only halfway there.

The device started shacking again.

“What´s keeping you?!”

“It´s taking me a little longer than I anticipated. Give me another five and I´ll be there.”

“You sure this time?”

Osborn squeezed the device. “Maybe I will have an accident on the way and die in the car. It´s what it should take and that´s all you get.”

The farmer started to reply when the call was broken up as Osborn drove into a tunnel. He put the device into the passenger seat. He could fell his nail digging into the leather on steering wheel. “I need some music.” He turned on the cars CD player and loud guitar riffs started booming from the speakers. A slow, easy breath flowed across Osborn’s lips.

Two other tracks on the CD played before he reached the central station. He parked next to a convenient store, paused the CD and waited.

The device moved produced a buzzing noise and shifted on the seat.

“Where are you?” Osborn asked when he picked it up.

“Not your concern. Are you armed?”

He glanced into his jacket to make sure that his gun was there. “Yes.”

Moments after he said that, the bullet farmer opened the door on the passenger seat and climbed in. “Drive.” He said with an anxious voice while looking out the window.

Osborn turned the key. “Couldn´t call a taxi driver?”

“Just drive.” He kept looking out the window and over his shoulder.

“Let me put it like this; if you don´t tell what´s going on and why, I am gonna kick you out and leave you to whatever you´re scared of.”

“We had a deal.” He turned towards Osborn briefly. He looked paler than before and dark pouches had formed beneath his eyes.

“Never said; no questions asked. And besides the information you gave us was barely worth the effort.”

The farmer frowned and sighed. “I´ve been sold out.” He turned back to the window. “When I got to my workshop last night it was burned to the ground and all of my workers had been killed. I tried all my friends but none of them were willing to help. Since then I´ve been hiding but I think they´re on my trail.”

“So as last resort you called me.” Osborn stopped at an intersection and waited for the traffic light. “You want me to keep you safe?”

“Yes. With a cyber cop as my body guard most of my pursuers will be scared of when they see what you can do.”
Osborn laughed. “I´ve got bad news for you. The only augmentation I have is behind my ear.”

The farmer grunted. “Oh, my luck never ends.”

Osborn could see droops of sweet running down his brows. “Got any idea of who exactly is after you?”

“I´ve sold bullets to every assassin and hitman in this city and probably a few mob bosses to. Perhaps one of them decided that it would be better to let no one have my bullets instead of everyone.”

Well, that makes my job a lot easier. The traffic light turned green and Osborn drove to the right. In a passing car the woman driving the car gave him a cold stare. “What if I take you to the station?”

“Fuck that.”

“Listen, if you manage to stay out of sight we may be able to sweep you under the radar.”

“No way.”

“Got another other plan then, I suppose?”

“Anything but going to prison.”

Osborn stopped at another intersection. The traffic lights turned red as he got closer. Two cars stopped next to him. The driver on the left side was a man driving a black car with short white hair and a thick beard. The driver on the right side was a young woman with bright green hair tied behind her head.

Osborn tried to keep his eyes on both drivers. He reached for his side and pretended to scratch himself but was actually removing the safety and releasing the buckle. “See those two?”

“Yes.”

In the rearview mirror Osborn could see another car driving up to them. The windows were shaded and Osborn couldn´t see through them. “Two questions; do you know them and do you know how to use a gun?”

“No and yes.”

“Good.” The lights stayed red. Turn green, dammit. He drummed his fingers at the wheel with one hand and placed the other on his gun. He looked to his left and the old man was gone. A quick glance to his right and he saw the woman with green hair raising a gun towards them. “GET DOWN!” He grabbed the farmer by his jacket and yanked him to down, his foot slammed down on pedal the moment before the passenger side window exploded in sparkling shards. The acceleration of the car pushed him backwards. In the corner of his right eye he saw a bright yellow flash followed by a loud bang.

“Major!” Osborn called out over the coms has he headed into the oncoming traffic.

“Osborn?”

“I´m being attacked. Close to central station.” He saw at least one of the cars in his mirror but he couldn´t tell witch one. “Suspects are chasing me in a vehicle. I´m gonna try and shake them of.”

“Copy that, Osborn. We´re heading for you now.”

He was about to answer when the back window shattered and send sparkling shards towards them.

“Hand me your gun!” The farmer held his hand out.

Osborn shifted the gear before he handed it over.

The farmer twisted and shoot towards the cars behind them.

When Osborn turned his eyes back on the road he saw a car heading right for them. With a hard twist, Osborn managed to avoid the incoming car and turned down into an underground tunnel. He pressed down the gas pedal and heard the engine screech.

A web shaped crack with a black center appeared in the front mirror. A warm liquid started running from Osborn´s shoulder, down his chest and gathering up the elbow of his jacket.

“You´re bleeding.” The farmer said while climbing back into his seat.

“Is it bad?” Osborn didn´t have time to look. He had to keep his eyes in the narrow and avoid the other cars.

“I think you´ll live.” The gun clicked and another crack appeared in the window. The thin strings spread through the window, making it hard Osborn to see. “Got any more ammo?”

“In the glove compartment.” Osborn punched the corners of the window until the edges gave in.

The farmer gave the window a kick and the window tipped over the hood. It bounced for a few moments before flying off.

“Get back to shooting!” Osborn growled and pressed his hand against the wound on his shoulder. The major can´t track the car underground. I need to reach the surface.

A hissing blow came from the left side of the car and Osborn could feel the car tipping towards the left corner.

“No, no, no!” The car began to struggle and a black car drove up next to him.

There was nothing he could do.

The black car slammed into the side of his car. It careened and spiraled out of control before eventually slamming into the side of the tunnel. Osborn felt warm streams running down his forehead. When he opened his eyes the world was blur. He squinted a few times and saw a shape coming towards him. It was the old man. He had an assault rifle in his arms and was lining up to shoot.

In one quick movement Osborn took his gun from the farmer and pulled him down has he let himself fall. The back of his head slammed into the door on his way down and a jolting pain rushed through him. Above them a swarm of bullets flew by, tearing up the seats into showers of burned cotton.

“Got any ideas?” The farmer asked when the spray stopped.

Osborn didn´t answer. Instead he rose back up in the seat and took aim for the old man. His vision was still blurry and none of the shoots hit.

A clacking metallic sound echoed through the tunnel.

He´s reloading. After a moments pause Osborn´s vision cleared and he managed to line a shoot. The bullet hit him in the chest. He flinched for a moment but instead of stopping he raised his weapon. Osborn ducked back down and the bullets started flying a second time.

“He must have turned off his pain receptors.” Osborn checked the magazine. It was empty. “And I´m out of ammo.”

“So what now?”

Osborn dug into his jacket. “There´s a flashbang in the glo ve compartment.” He donned a black glove with metallic knuckles and the farmer held the flashbang in his hand. “Throw it.”

The farmer threw it towards the old man.

Osborn reached over his shoulder to open the car door. When he saw a white light flashing outside the car he climbed out. His ears were still ringing and his legs felt like they were made from soft gel but he rushed forward. Despite his blurred vision he could see the old man. He blocked his eyes with his left arm while his right held the rifle.

There was no time to think or consider. Osborn dashed forward, his eyes focused on the old man. When he was one step away from him pulled his fist back and rammed it into the old mans chest. An electrical tingle came of his knuckles and the old man slammed onto the ground.

Osborn almost came down with him. He stopped himself by falling to his knee and leaning on it. His head pounded with pain and his ears rang but he managed to regain himself. In the corner of his sight he could see the woman with green hair coming towards him. With an instinctive movement, Osborn took the assault rifle from the old man. The rifle barked louder than he anticipated and the kick of the shoots almost knocked of his feet.

The woman ducked behind a vehicle in front of her and Osborn rushed back to his own car. The woman peaked out from her cover and Osborn pushed her back down with another burst of fire. Once he reached the car he pressed his back against the open door. His breath was ragged and relentless. The farmer was still in the car but he stayed down.

“Major?” He tried to reach her but only silence responded. Can´t reach her down here.

A bang echoed and a cold pain spread from Osborn right upper arm. Warm blood ran down his arm.

“Son of a bitch.” Osborn clutched the wound on his arm and bit down so hard he heard his teeth cracking.

“Get back inside!” The farmer said before another shot came through the door. This one missed Osborn and tunneled into the pavement.

“Fucking…” Osborn held the rifle around the corner and blind fired. The kick in combination with his wounded arm he struggled to keep the gun stable.

Bits of the pavement exploded in a small bang.

Osborn just barely managed to duck behind the door before another shoot was fired and tore through the metal. He heard the distinct sound of a clip hitting the ground. There was no point in peeking out. She´s smart enough to hide while reloading. He checked the clip. And these bullets aren´t armor piercing, only five of them left.

A burst of fire echoed from the entrance of the tunnel.

Reinforcement? Osborn swallowed and listened. Two more. He took a deep breath through his teeth peeked around the corner.

“Osborn?” Applejack was leaning on the car that the woman had driven.

Osborn ducked back. “Got the woman?”

“Yes, are there any others?”

He stood up and turned to Applejack. “Just him and this guy in the car.” Osborn nodded towards the old man. He still laid motionless on the road.

“Good.” The major appeared next to the old man when she turned off her thermoptic camouflage. “And who´s in the car?”

“You meet him outside of town.” Osborn helped the farmer climb out of the car. “Take him to the station for now.”

The farmer frowned at Osborn but he followed them without arguing.

Applejack took the farmer into the truck she and Twilight had come in.

“You okay?” Twilight asked when she got a good look at his wounds.

“No.” He rubbed the wound on his shoulder. The blood had stopped flowing but his muscles ached with every movement and his head still pounded while drops of blood still fell of his fingers. “How did you find us?”

“Went to your car´s last known position and the rest was pretty easy when we heard the sound of gunfire.” She gave Osborn a shot into his shoulder.

The needle getting through his skin was nothing but when the nano bots kicked in it felt like warm water being pressed into his body. “Aloe´s got her work cut out for her.”

Twilight chuckled. “Get in the car before you bleed to death.”