Black Market Merchant

Chapter 58: Maintenance (1)
After they had eaten and washed everything they had used, Sadie started to ask Lisa various questions on the list. She did so while following Lisa as they went to the maintenance building nearby. Sadie asked questions like Lisa’s real name, any organization affiliation, blood type, body specs., and other standard things you would find on a medical form.

Lisa answered some of the questions, but others she intentionally asked to be left blank. She couldn’t let all of her secrets be spilled. Sadie did ask one question that Lisa had been wondering herself.

The question was as follows: [This question may remain confidential: Does the Fighter have any Augmentations, Inducements, or Alterations done on or in their body?]

”What do those three things pertain to exactly?” Lisa asked. She had never encountered a question as odd as this, at least not while in the future.

”Well, these are different legal techniques that a fighter might use to better themselves in a Match Fight.” Sadie started to explain as Lisa opened the door to the maintenance shop. Once inside Sadie opened the envelope with the rules to find the right papers to explain better. ”Other than natural skill, training techniques and non-projectile related weapons, a fighter can also use these to give them an edge. These techniques are generally divided into three broad categories.”

Sadie cleared her throat and squinted at the papers in the dim light of the shop. ”Augmentations: This type has several different variations, for example, medical procedures that have added implementations into the body. These include bone infrastructure or bone support implants. As well as joint and ligament replacements with advanced fibers that increase their overall productivity, stress reduction, and longevity. Depending on the size and extent of the number of Augmentations added to the body, can cause the user to have abnormally shaped features; though with few drawbacks. These however are awfully expensive to preform and mainly the old and wealthy consider having Augmentations.”

”That sounds like it would take a while to heal up from all the surgeries. Also, wouldn’t it mess up your appearance and make you look all bulky or misshapen, defeating the purpose of having them?” Lisa asked looking over some tools in a large two-meter-long metal tool crate.

”It very well can. I had seen a man once, that called himself ’The Rhino’ and he looked like his body was twice in size with body armor under his skin. He visited the University for promotion of his brand. I think at the time he was in the Sun League. There’s more here, but it would take an hour for me to read about the different types and what they are used for.” Sadie said skimming through the paper.

”Here is the next type.” Sadie replied hovering her finger on the paper. ”Alteration: These changes to the body include cybernetics, prosthetics, and genetic alterations. The first two are the oldest types and very self-explanatory, so I won’t explain them to deeply. Unless you need me too?”

”No, those are easy to understand. What about the genetic alterations?” Lisa said as she wrote down a list of items in the room. Multitasking was not at all hard for her to do and she easily could work and listen to Sadie at the same time.

”Alright then. The genetic alterations are where someone, either a fetus or child that has not yet reached puberty, are injected with gene enhancing codes. They are either directly put in the nucleus of the individual or transmitted through bacterial transference. The information here doesn’t explain the scientific details much further. Though I do find this remarkably interesting myself and I wish I studied this in school as my minor.” Sadie replied rescanning the paper.

”I am guessing it was some Arian group that was trying to create the ultimate human, and this was the result, right?” Lisa scoffed.

”Yes and no. It was originally used to treat genetically transferable or hereditary diseases. It was remarkably successful in completely irradiating HIV from humans, only fifty years ago.” Sadie said with a tone of excitement.

”HIV is gone?!” Lisa said looking up at Sadie with surprise.

”Yes of course. Didn’t you pay attention in school?” Sadie replied looking at her questionably.

”Kind of…” Lisa replied halfheartedly. She really couldn’t say to Sadie that back two hundred odd years ago in high school that she learned how to not contract it. Doctors then could only dream of eradicating such a disease. ”Any way, what about the last part?”

”Of course, the Inducements. The Inducements are the strangest of the three groups and the most common. Still on the verge of mad science, despite being commonly used, these implants or injection-able solutions are able to give the user enhanced instincts, physical strength maxing out their muscles power, incomparable speeds, reaction time and other bodily functions to work highly efficiently. Though there are other things that these Inducements can do in the human body, they have not yet been fully described. Results vary from different users as well.” Sadie said finishing that page of explanations.

”Now that sounds cool. Are there any side effects from using them?” Lisa asked. By now she had her arms full of tools and ancient looking paper manuals. The two started for the door to exit the shop.

”Of course. Lots of these Inducements are still illegal and in the experimental stages. Some are addictive, cancer causing, harmful to bodily function and even brain activity. However, the pay offs for a good Inducement serum can out way the potential side effects.” Sadie said flipping through the rest of the document.

”Very interesting. It would be good to know more about these advantages in Fighters before I fight them.” Lisa said as she motioned with her head for Sadie to open the door. Sadie put the document back in the envelope and opened the door to the outside.

”Yes, it would.” Sadie replied nodding. ”So next time it might be a good idea for me to research the Fighters before you challenge them. I don’t want you fighting someone that would be too much for you to handle.”

”Alright, if you must. But I think I can handle myself in the ring, especially if everyone is as weak as the guys I fought already.” Lisa said with a chuckle. ”Oh, and you can put on the Form a ’yes’ but leave the type blank. I don’t want to give my secrets way to easily.”

”Alright that will be fine.” Sadie sighed. ”Could you at least tell me?”

”Hmmm, no. I’ll make it a surprise.” Lisa replied while crossing the parking lot.

”Fine.” Sadie said sounding disappointed. ”So, what exactly are you doing with all these tools? Are you going to fixing up the building?”

”Not exactly.” Lisa replied stepping back inside the Powerhouse building. She put the tools and manuals down on the concrete floor near the entrance to the tunnel. ”I am going to do some checking up on the reasons for why I live here.”

”I don’t get it.” Sadie said gently stuffing the envelope back into her backpack.

”Just give me a second. I’ll show you.” Lisa replied selecting a few tools from the pile and a manual labeled ’Generator Disassembly’. ”Follow me.”

Sadie followed Lisa curiously down the ramp towards the two big metal doors leading to the dam’s tunnel. Lisa fiddled with the lock and chain briefly before removing it. Then Lisa pushed open the door and it groaned and scratched at the floor grudgingly. The cool air inside came rushing out and tossed back the two ladies’ hair at the same time.

”Where are we going?” Sadie asked nervously looking down the dreary hallway.

”Just going inside the dam. I want to check up on my new project to see what kind of repairs or broken parts need attention.” Lisa replied nonchalantly. ”Don’t worry. It should be safe now.”

”What do you mean, safe now?” Sadie asked following closely behind Lisa.

”Eh, I had an issue with a Twisted down here last time. Don’t worry I have plugged up the hole and nothings been in here since.” Lisa replied. Though she spoke confidently she still had a hand ready to grab her sword. Just in case.

”So, the Twisted you mentioned before was in here?” Sadie said looking around quickly. All she saw was the tan walls and metal pipes.

”Yep.” Lisa replied. ”Killed it right up ahead in fact.”

The two walked further inside. Their footsteps on the smooth concrete floor echoed in the quiet hallway. Soon they arrived at the first generator. It was humming smoothly and quietly. The sounds of water turning the turbines far below was slightly audible.

”I actually got this baby to turn on and start making electricity by sheer luck!” Lisa said with excitement. Then Lisa pointed up at the ceiling. ”Didn’t you notice the lights?”

”Now that you mention it, you do have electricity running in here!” Sadie said coming to the realization. ”I guess being in the compound made me not notice.”

”This is the reason I am staying here. To work on getting this hydroelectric dam working again. Once I do, I can get power running to the rest of town and get everything back to normal.” Lisa said putting down the items she was carrying onto an old table near the generator. It was between the first and second generators.

”The whole reason I am going to do this is a simple one. Sure, helping everyone is good, but I need to benefit as well. That benefit is for me to make money. Lots of money!” Lisa said smiling. ”The reason I went to Jackson was to get him and some men to work for me. I can’t do this all on my own.”

”You mean you tried to get Jackson, a lieutenant for the Mad Dogs, to work for you! Are you crazy?” Sadie replied in shock.

”Ha-ha, maybe I am. But if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have become a Match Fighter. If this whole electricity thing doesn’t pan out, then I can always do the fighting to make money. From what I have seen I could score big beating all those weak male fighters!” Lisa replied pompously. She flipped open the manual to the part about removing the top if a generator to inspect it.

”Sure, you can make a lot of money that way.” Sadie replied though she was still amazed by what Lisa had planned on doing with the gang.

Lisa found the right diagrams and read them over carefully. She couldn’t afford to mess things up at the moment. After a few moments she figured out the first steps. Then going over to the second generator she carried two large wrenches. The three-meter-wide lid covering the generator had a series of large nuts and bolts going around the rim of the lid. They apparently had rusted a little, but the waterproof paint had done a good job up to this point. So, the rust wasn’t out of control yet.

Lisa then went to work loosening all these nuts. Sadie watched curiously nearby. She was starting to get the impression that Lisa was able to do anything, from skinning animals and fixing machines, to making deals and winning fights. Was there nothing this woman could not do?

”So, once you get the power on, how are you going to get it to the rest of town?” Sadie asked curiously.

”Well, I’ll hire workers to rebuild the electrical lines and run them to buildings that I choose first. Those buildings I plan on buying or working out deals with the owners. This way once the power is on, everyone will need to use it. Meaning they will need to buy all kinds of stuff. If I own that stuff or what makes it, I can sell the electricity and the stuff. Making double if not triple the money!” Lisa replied enthusiastically. Her grey eyes sparkled brightly as she proclaimed her true intentions, ”I am going to build my own Marketing Empire!”