This is Duel: A Tech-Noir Detective Story
Previously: Detective James McElroy confronted Black Zaelland in an alley with the help of his friends…
Sol II System, Eden, New Chalcedon. 12:25 Local time
The adrenaline pumped through James’ veins, his hands jittering, his heart pumping so hard he felt each beat move up his neck. Smoke whisped from the barrel of the gun which he still gripped tightly. He climbed to his feet, slowly, and peered over the edge.
Tyrone and DB431 had their faces full of airbags, and were trying to disentangle themselves. Black Zaelland was pinned against the wall—the car had crushed him from just below his chest and pinned one of his arms to the wall too. His other arm was flailing, but he didn’t have a gun.
James pointed his gun: “Zaelland, stop! We’ve got you. It’s over.”
Black Zaelland choked static. “It’s…” he breathed heavily, “never over.”
James approached like he was approaching a wild animal. “Tyrone, you ok?”
“Yeah man. We get him?”
“We got him. Can you get DB431 out? I need him. Police will be here any minute.”
“Working on it.”
Zaelland groaned. “Let me go!”
James kept his gun pointed at Zaelland, and checked for weapons on the ground or holstered—making sure there was nothing accessible to Zaelland’s free hand. “You’re a persistent cuss, Zaelland.”
He answered with a static-filled cough.
“I’ve got some questions for you, Zaelland, and you’re going to answer them, understood?”
“Just kill me. Better use of your time.” he gasped.
Tyrone was out and fiddling with getting DB431 out of the passenger seat. “Mack, can you give me a hand?”
James kept his gun on Zaelland, but moved around the car to the passenger side.
DB431 said, “I do not need to be that close to scan, you can set me on the ground next to him just make sure I have line-of-sight.”
James looked at Tyrone, “I gotta put the gun down to do this, let’s be quick, ok? We’ll move him by the wall and prop him up so he can get a good look.”
Zaelland continued groaning fruitlessly against the car. James holstered the gun, and in one swift motion, Tyrone heaved DB431 out, and James picked up the weight opposite. After a fitful moment, they positioned DB431 carefully adjacent to Zaelland, on the ground, looking up at the wreck and Zaelland’s pinned body.
“You got it, DB? Recording?”
“Started before you moved me. Scanning.”
“Great. Tyrone, go over to the other side—watch out for Zaelland’s arm. I don’t want to risk him getting the gun so that’s why I gotta be here.” James had the gun out again, and was pointing it at Zaelland.
Tyrone wordlessly moved over to the other side. “What’s the play, James?”
“Do you think you can pin him? He’s strong—be careful. Let’s get this helmet off.”
Zaelland grunted. “Your energy is wasted on me. Just kill me.”
“Or you could talk willingly. Give us answers before the police arrive, or we’ll get them the hard way.”
Tyrone was in position, and braced, ready to leap and try and get Zaellands arm. James was in position to, to try and wrench off the helmet.
“Are you ready, Tyrone?”
“No, but let’s do this.”
“On three ok?”
Tyrone nodded.
“One…two…THREE!”
James and Tyrone leapt forward simultaneously, Tyrone tried to grab Zaelland’s arm but was caught, Zaelland out maneuvered him and grabbed Tyrone by the neck and smashed him into the hood of the car. James backed up: “LET HIM GO!” he shouted.
Tyrone gasped for breath, unable to speak, as Zaelland knocked him against the car again.
“LET HIM GO!”
“KILL ME!”
BANG BANG
Tyrone fell to the ground, coughing and wheezing. Zaelland slumped over, his arm hanging limp, his pristine, smooth, reflective helmet cracked, sparking, oozing blood out of two new holes.
“Tyrone, buddy, you OK?”
“Yeah, I’m good,” he said hoarsely. “You weren’t kidding, what’s this guys deal?”
“Let’s find out.” James holstered his gun, and grabbed Zaelland’s helmet. On the back, he found a latch, and unfastened it—the helmet popped loose, and came off easily.
It was a head—but one eye, the lower jaw, the neck, were replaced with robotic parts. A hybrid machine.
The parts of his head that were human were translucent-pale and bald, you could see blue veins tracing their way around his head. His one organic eye was bloodshot and dark brown.
“Ty, have you ever seen anything like this?”
“Never.” Tyrone was removing Zaelland’s gloves and rolling up the sleeve of his free hand. “I wonder how much of him was machine, and how much was man.” Tyrone revealed a robotic arm—humanoid in contour but totally mechanical in substance. “No wonder he got the jump on me.”
“No wonder the crash didn’t kill him. DB, are you getting anything?”
“Yes. Look, on the neck, below the ear.”
James went over to investigate. Black mechanical parts contoured the shape of a human neck. But there, where DB431 had pointed out, there was writing. James looked closely, and gasped.
“It’s a serial number and—a logo.”
“What is it?” Tyrone asked.
“Bergenz Brothers Engineering.”
“Wait—isn’t that the guy—”
“Yes. DB431, how much would you bet that Gerard’s initiative has something to do with Zaelland here?”
“My cash chip is the only one working right now, I am not gambling with you.”
“But James,” Tyrone said, “Cyborgs, hybrids, whatever—that’s not…legal, right?”
“Right. Sector II specializes in Cloning, Sector VI in Robotics, but never the twain shall meet—these laws predate the Jovian Union. No wonder ol’ Gerard was keeping it secret.”
“This only proves that the Bergenz Brothers were involved in some questionable practices, not that Gerard hired Zaelland to kill George.” DB431 pointed out.
“You’re right...”
“And Gerard still has Bridgett—and I still can not move. James, we are still behind.”
In the distance, the wail of sirens grew louder.
James added: “And we’re out of time.”
Thank You For Reading!
This has been DUEL, a tech-noir serial featuring Detective James McElroy and his Detective Droid DB431. This will be a serial publishing every week because I seem to have gotten my act together! There are twelve episodes tentatively planned, and I reserve the right to end the story as soon as its over and no sooner.
If you enjoyed this episode, please let me know with a like, or a comment! If you REALLY like it, tell your friends with a restack? If you’d like to not miss an episode, be sure to subscribe!
The cash chip line was hilarious; perfect bit of humor amidst the drama. Can't wait for the next one!
Also, I suspect this is not the last we'll see of Black Zaelland. *dun dun dunnnn*
Time to get me one o' those hybrids. Toyota Prius or Mercedes Bergenz.