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Eden let out a long sigh. She wouldn’t have gotten so defensive, usually, but she really was feeling out of place here, like a fish out of her pond. This was a beautiful but scary aquarium, in a way. As she kept walking, trying to act calm but moving fast, she couldn’t help but feel like she was sticking out. She was worried about anyone she crossed paths with, even as they smiled at her. Perfect, pearl-white smiles with nothing out of place. Their hair and eyes were of all sorts of beautiful colors and shades, even the strangest ones, while their skin was precisely tanned to a specific shade. There wasn’t a single hair out of place, not a bead of sweat, and Eden couldn’t smell anything either. There was no smell. Perhaps she was too used to the Suburbs; over there, the air was always filled with smells of food, gas, human body odors, and so many things she both loved and hated.
Here, everything was... sterile. The air was so pure, she almost felt like she was breathing in an icy mist. Even while wearing her oxygen mask, she had never experienced such a strange thing. Eden kept trying to act normally while thinking how everything was different from what she knew. She walked along large, empty, yet pretty roads that were cleaner than Dante’s place. Her boots felt much dirtier than the ground she was stepping on.
“You’re almost there,” said A. “Just a few more streets.”
“I’m fine,” muttered Eden.
She was feeling nervous, but if no one had noticed her presence or manifested any discomfort with her so far, she doubted any citizen of the Core would hold her back now. Because it was still early, she was barely crossing paths with anyone, except for a few morning runners, people with perfectly groomed dogs, and those who seemed to be headed somewhere, probably work. If anyone did glance at her, she was usually greeted with a smile, a word or two, and then they went on their way. Eden was surprised. Was her appearance really doing the trick, or were those people so worry-free that they couldn’t imagine someone from the Suburbs being there? It was pretty disturbing. She kept walking, unable to stop looking all around her at the place she had been born in. Chrome white buildings with large windows, behind which she could see gorgeous living spaces, tons of green plants, and people exercising or having breakfast with their families. Everything was so quiet, so safe. So perfect, and yet so... empty. Eden wouldn’t have been able to explain it, but she wasn’t even feeling jealous of this. Those lives almost looked as if they were on display, too perfect to be true. Empty. There was no odor, no sound. No warmth at all...
“I’m almost there,” she muttered for those who listened.
As opposed to what she was presently seeing, she could hear the ongoing fights happening on the other side of the wall. It was strange that only she could hear it. Because her SIN was still linked to everyone else’s fights, she felt like she was still in the middle of the fight, gleaning information from all sides and hoping they’d make it. She accelerated a bit. The hackers were so busy, they barely talked anymore, while those on the ground and fighting against the Core’s bots and human soldiers were continuously grunting and shouting. At least, it meant they were still alive. Fighting and overwhelmed, but alive...
Eden took a new right turn, trying to figure out the location of the address she had been given. She had seen it on a map and knew how to find the names of the streets, but she was worried she’d miss it or get the wrong place, as everything looked so alike. She was growing more nervous the longer she was here, and she was a bit doubtful about the place she was going, too. Allies within the Core? She didn’t want to not trust A. and his network, but she still had her doubts.
Finally, Eden reached the place. Surprisingly, it was a simple house like most of the one or two-story buildings. A large, white square with a green roof, a few plants, and even a little garden. Eden stood at the entrance, hesitating for a second. All the windows had white curtains, so she had absolutely no idea what was going on behind them. The only clue about her secret ally was the perfectly kept vegetable garden and flowers.
She pressed the doorbell, her heart beating fast. What should she do if something went wrong? What if the information she had was false, or this was a trap? Or what if the person inside didn’t recognize her?
To her surprise, a little door in the fence opened right away, and Eden walked into the garden. On the other side, a young woman opened the door to the house, greeting Eden.
“Good morning,” she said with a large smile as if they were long-time friends. “Come in! You must be hungry, breakfast is ready.”
“Good morning...”
This whole interaction felt incredibly odd, but Eden walked in quickly, aware there might be eyes watching. The young woman let her in, and sure enough, she quickly glanced left and right outside before closing the door behind them. She let out a faint sigh of relief after that, her orange irises going to Eden. She was wearing a turquoise sports ensemble, matching shoes, and her black hair was in a high ponytail as if she had just been ready to leave for a workout.
“Are you Eden?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Father is waiting for you. Come.”
Her father? Eden nodded and followed the woman through the house. This place was styled differently from what Eden would expect all the houses to be. Despite its exterior, the interior was clearly decorated in an older fashion, as if everything was vintage or taken from an old movie. There was a green, leather sofa, some ugly carpets, very colorful decorations on the walls, an old retro TV, a gramophone, and just a few plants. Something about this place strangely put Eden at ease. She realized it was because the overall atmosphere was similar to Jack’s bar... It had a familiar smell too.
“Father! Your guest is here!”
“Oh, is she?”
The voice coming from upstairs surprised Eden. She slowly watched him come down the stairs, completely stunned. No wonder she recognized the smells in this place!
“Mr. Charles?” she mumbled. “How...?”
“Good morning, dear,” said the older man.
He smiled at her, but Eden was speechless. Her customer from the bar! How was Mr. Charles the contact? She hadn’t imagined this scenario at all.
“Thank you, darling,” he said to his daughter. “I’ll take care of my guest now.”
“Alright, I’m going for my run then! See you later!”
The young woman left, leaving the two of them there. Mr. Charles chuckled.
“She’s a good girl,” he said, “but she doesn’t like to get involved in my business, which is a good thing... She’s too much like her peers here.”
“I don’t understand. You’re... the Edge’s contact?”
“Oh, I would be careful with the words you use in here, dear.”
