Chapter 6: The Ghost in the Machine
New Seattle had not changed in five years, but it had grown more desperate. The gap between the Upper and Lower sectors had become a canyon.
A simple black jet landed at a private terminal. No one noticed the man who stepped out. He wore a charcoal suit that cost more than a Lower Sector apartment, but he carried himself with the quiet invisibility of a shadow.
"Aura," Carson said, touching a silver ring on his finger.
"Yes, Sir," a soft, feminine AI voice replied. "The Aegis accounts have been synchronized. You currently have 450 trillion units in liquid assets. You own 40% of New Seattle's energy grid and 100% of the debt of the Solaris Hegemony's regional office."
"Good," Carson said. He looked toward the Zenith Spire, where the lights of the VIP lounges mocked the darkness below. "I'm not here to destroy the city. I'm here to buy it."
"Where would you like to start, Sir?"
Carson thought of the alley. He thought of the 290 units he had bled for. "The Luxe-Aether dealership. I believe someone there once told me I didn't belong in the light. Let's see if the light is for sale."