It made me laugh every time. I don't know why it pleased me but in any circumstance it did, just watching them squirm and shake at the sudden shock. It amazed me just how smart and yet how dense these teenage cyborgs were. They were brilliant enough to get illegal enhancements despite the overwhelming obstacles and they were smart enough to perform the surgeries in their basements! Even though they were inexperienced, to my knowledge they hadn't lost a soul. Hands of scholars, or just pure luck. I'd rather have them do surgery on me than a world-renowned doctor. However, when it comes down to street smarts they lack all the necessities. Maybe they spend too much time cooped up in their virtual reality rooms and thought this was no different, that it was all the same. Truthfully, all of it was the same, or fairly similar except for me. I am an engineer of sorts, so while they had skilled hands, their brains were comparatively a pile of goosh. That was a risk in attaching more than the legal amount of mechanical enhancements. Cybernetics were very interconnected with the human system, a gap in their knowledge. They didn't understand how much the metal scraps they wore were connected to their brain and body, and that they had just become lightning rods. So when they had so violently ganged up on me they didn't understand that they would lose to a taser. I guess that kind of shows you that at least there are a few good laws in place, with all the restricting of parts and whatnot.

That's why I never bothered with becoming cyborg. Being half robot and half man never seemed all that fun, with all the little gears and bolts and constant updates, just too much to bother with. Well, technically I fit the definition of cyborg because I wore contacts. They weren't the coolest or the latest in fashion, they just helped me with my vision, and gave me the ability to use x-ray vision. I guess I never got new ones because I like old fashioned things. My clothes are a great example of this. I wear a windbreaker, jeans and converse shoes. All three of these had won a Nobel Prize in Scientific Advancement since they were insulated against electricity and fire retardant. Primarily, they were more comfortable than any other clothing, one magazine had stated, but not very many people read magazines anymore, not to add that the government forgot to pay its Nobel Prize winner. Oh, not to forget my shirt composed of synthetic fibers created in a factory by an old sewing machine, or, in other words, I bought it on clearance. I don't know why I never bothered to improve my shirt. I was constantly nagged and bribed about doing it but i never wanted too. I think I just enjoyed the risk of having a flammable non-insulated shirt. It gave me a rush of fear that I deeply enjoyed.

I trudged back to my rutty apartment. At one time it had been party central, however its time had long passed. I walked down the street listening to the faint hum of electricity that came from below my feet, listening to the sound until I started climbing the fire escape to the 9th floor: my apartment. Climbing the rusty railings and deteriorating stairs helped to invigorate me, the stairs crumbling under my feet, nothing else was quite like this. I unlocked my window hanging from the ledge; it felt good to be home, if you could call it that. All of the necessities and essentials were crammed into the tight quarters, however the true feeling of home wasn't there; never had been. It didn't really matter though that there wasn't a warm fuzzy feeling like there ought to be, I had learned to deal with it. And so my 'home' had become only a storage place. I gave it the sobriquet BoxCAR, short for the Box of Clothing, Accessories, and Rest. I nick-named a lot of things, recently at work I had named something MACH7, it was classified though so I wasn't told the details, but I'd find them out, hence the name Must Access Certain Hardware and the 7 was for seventh time (I had obtained six MACHs previously). I grabbed some bread and stuffing it in my mouth, I turned to my closet. It registered my fingerprint, and opened. It's funny to think that fingerprints are so easy to manipulate, and yet we use them for protection from thieves. A slight noise came from my front door. Speak of the devil.

Leaving the closet I meandered to my front door. It felt eerie, so I put on a radiation suit. It smelled; don't remember the last time I had laundered it. the light turned on in my presence and revealed Fudge foaming through the cracks, literally. It was Detonating Fudge, a beautiful concept; at first it had been invented for parties, would splatter all over the place, then the military saw it, made it almost nigh impossible to get. so someone had gone though all the loopholes to get some, how sweet and I thought no one remember my birthday. I heard a small click, they had finished.

The explosion was stronger than expected. I tasted blood with a hint of fudge. Hah! A wonderful concept, blow things up and leave things in fudgey goodness. I returned to my open closet a bit dazed; I think the doorknob had hit me in the head. I had to unzip and get out of the suit. Seconds later, it was stuck to the floor, an improved version. Wow, I would need to applaud this person. I reached in the closet and pulled out a smooth alloy canister. I had so longed for a fight on my own turf, I didn't even care that I didn't know the person or what they wanted. It was time for a fight. I opened the canister and beheld my greatest inventions: gloves.

"Marcus, we detected your presence and know you are here; we have waited for you. Escape is useless and we by far outnumber you. Put your hands up and come to the door peacefully or we shall come in and remove you forcibly. You have eight seconds to decide. Eight!..." a monotone voice stated. How boring, I hadn't even thought of escape. "Seven!" Never did, I always fought, "Six!" I pulled my gloves over my hands; they began to glowing as they awoke and energy flowed through. "Five!"

"Alright, my hands are up." I said, raising them. I stepped back to stand by the fire escape, checking whether anyone was outside. The fire escape appeared to be devoid of life; I could've escaped.

"Then come out where we can see them," the voice sounded. It was unsure now, most likely because he thought he'd have to come in by force. He might need some therapy since bad, old Marcus didn't let him get all the way down to zero. I thought about coming out, but that wouldn't be fun. I think the Fudge would attach me to the floor just like it had done to my suit. No, I'd make him come in here, and if he didn't my hypothesis was right. This new model of Fudge would trap whoever stepped in it.

"No, I don't feel like coming out there," I said. "Why don't you come in here." I heard the sounds of an explosion and some smoke entered the room. The idiot was trying to blow through my wall. This would get tiring. I had made a thick mixture, by taking an illicit sample of Mach7 from work, and tried it out in my walls. I'm more than sure that it could take a nuclear explosion... well, I hadn't actually tested that out but I was going to get to it eventually, but for now I was pretty sure.

A few minutes passed. I guessed my wall was holding and my idea about the Fudge was correct. I couldn't wait for an unknown foe all day, and I needed to get going. Best to ell him that I was leaving, another let down to his day. "Well, good sir, it was nice hearing your voice, but I've got to get going." I grabbed my canister, packed a change of clothes and placed a taser gun in the outside pocket of my canister. Don't think I'd want to come back here for a while; it would be under construction. Also, the firm would be upset if they new that I had obtained some Mach7, they wouldn't tell me what it was so I was going to find out, and the firm would only hinder by progress.

"Escape is useless." The mysterious voice said, still monotone. Didn't anyone get excited when they were destroying someone's home?

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time. But anyway, here's a parting gift." I grabbed a purple stick, twisted it and threw it out the door and heard it activate. If it worked all of them would have purple skin, and the last time I checked up on fashion it wasn't in.

I opened the window and jumped out. My windbreaker caught the air and I glided over to another building and climbed down the fire escape. I wondered in my descent if I'd ever hear from that monotone man again. It hadn't been a teenager or a gang; they would've gotten in. Well, I guess if he was persistent I'd meet him again, and maybe he'd be more prepared the next time. Oh well. Two cyborgs had just caught my attention. They were talking into a cell, maybe planning a heist. My hand was in my pocket clenching the taser.

"Escape is useless." They synchronized the sentence. They turned to me, tranquilizers in hand. Must have been the boring man. I examined their skulls. They weren't teenagers at all; it was a holographic disguise.

"You work for the monotone man?" I asked. I was pretty sure but just checking.

They looked at me irritated. That was a sure sign they did. Finally, a fight and hopefully it was good. They were here to capture me, they'd at least give me entertainment.

"At your mark." I said. But they weren't concentrating on me, they were looking behind me. I felt someone there, so I simply dived to the side as darts were shot, and the two men were stunned. Good, human shields. I grabbed the closest one and pulled him up as more darts stuck in him. They were hefty tranquilizer darts, a prick of one and I'd be out cold. I kind of felt bad for this guy, he'd be out for weeks.

"Escape is useless." Said the man who had shadowed me. These people were getting really boring. He made it up, though, by showering the place with darts. It was like a firework show. It made it difficult for me to move from my cover.

"I'm not trying to escape, I've just got things to do, and that doesn't involve strangers who Fudge doors, or try to put me to sleep," I said, stepping back, visualizing how I'd plow through this shooting maniac. Seriously, how many times would you shoot your own guy? He must be going for the record or something.

Something hit me in the ankle. I looked down, and realized that the other human shield had just shot me with his gun. How was that possible? He had been shot with a heavy dosage.

"We said escape was useless, we told you that you were outnumbered." The shield said. "This was a distraction to capture you in case you felt like leaving."

My body was shutting down, and I felt myself hit the pavement. The darts that were impaling the man I was holding must've been fakes as well. It was a good trick, if I had the energy I would have applauded. Now I guess I was going to be spending time with strangers. Hopefully, it would be fun; maybe I'd get a sucker or maybe a pony or maybe...

... I felt stiff, really stiff, but at least I was awake. That dart probably knocked me out for a day, although it felt like several. My stomach was agreeing to that. It would have been nice had I woken to a more comfortable state.

"How are we today?" Great Monotone was speaking again.

I opened my eyes, "what kind of insane question is that? You Fudge my door and shoot me and the you... you... I don't know, what did you do after you shot me?" I asked. I noticed his skin had an unnatural tint. It made me grin.

"That is of no importance and there is no time for idle chat." He said dramatically. Pandiculation. 

"Do you want me to do a few laps for you or something, then will you tell me?"

"What?"

"Well you said no idle chat. I figure if I'm moving at the least it would no longer be idle chat, and then you would have to tell me."

"Insolent fool." He slapped me, "do not mock me!" his voice raised. Finally, he actually had a personality.

"I don't know, if I don't, I'm afraid I'll fall asleep. You really have a boring voice." I slapped him as I stood. My legs almost faltered. I notice my gloves had been taken off, and I noticed as my flesh touched his that, ew, he had persperation all over himself. I wiped my hand of on his shirt. He stood stunned at what I just did.

"Come on, tell me what you've got going. I figure if you go through all the trouble of capturing someone, in the least it is courteous to tell them why, and state your name too." I started to look at my surroundings. I walked the room, basically a cell with a door.

"The boss said you'd be a difficult one."

"Well, now I know you work for an organization."

"Of sorts, yes. Now if it would help, my name is Mars, and I don't know the details for your apprehension, but the boss wanted you and that's a good enough reasoning for me. Now follow me." He started walking to the door. He opened it and waited for me. As I exited he cuffed my hands and grabbed my shoulder, taking the lead. "Sorry for the cuffs, but I really don't want to waste time chasing you here; you've been elusive for sometime. Mercury couldn't capture you, that's why I was sent. Who would have thought that you live this close to us?"

"So, exactly where are we?" I scanned my new surroundings; everything seemed transparent. 

"In what you people in the Slums call Faceless," He said. "Here get in; you're on your way to the boss."

I entered into a transparent elevator; it felt disorienting as I saw at least 13 stories below. "Really, in Faceless. Wow." It was a towering building with no windows or doors, nothing except four walls. Mars nodded his head as he pushed some buttons. The doors closed, and the elevator took off. I felt weightless at the velocity it traveled.

"Step forward," repeated an automatic voice. I had to pop my ears a few times before I understood. The doors closed behind me. I was no longer in a see through tower but a white room with golden lights that created one pathway, so I followed them.

I stopped in front of a door; it reminded me of a painting of the Pearly Gates. Was this Heaven? Ha, and Joe Donavon said I'd never make it.

"Welcome," buzzed another automated voice. The door opened and I walked in. A small robot came behind me and undid the cuffs; he disappeared as the door closed.

"Marcus." Boomed a voice. "I am so glad that I could finally meet you. Did you know that my agent, Mercury, couldn't even capture you, even though he tried relentlessly? I had to send in a second agent, Mars, and with the information Mercury had obtained about you we were finally able to apprehend you. But most importantly, since that time I have been completed, thanks to you." I heard him move, but a stupid nimbus was passing by and blocked my view until he passed through it and stood in front of me. He measured the height and width of an elephant. I could see all the small mechanics that helped his robotic body move. Lightning jumped from a cloud, almost striking him. I wondered why. The only explanation I had was that something kept the lightning on a continuous pattern. This was why he could move through this dangerous habitat, he knew when the bolts would jump. The lightning was dangerous even for me, but for a cyborg, they would be worse off. I saw that his hands had gloves with a similar design to mine. "I imagined you taller, but that doesn't really matter does it. Now let me welcome you to my abode, two miles skyward we are." His voice rang in my ears, and no wonder they hurt.

"To what pleasure do I have to meet you?" I asked. My ears popped again, ow.

"You are a genius, the type I've been looking for. I knew you would have the invention that would complete me. And with the help of my agents and your work I am complete. Thank you Marcus, I needed the design of your gloves. Yours made a noble sacrifice, they've been trashed for my sake." He threw my gloves before me, they landed on the ground, sparking as they did so, their energy drained. I picked them up and placed them on. Not completely trashed.

"I'm glad that you appreciate my work. So, why didn't you just steal them?"

"The gloves I wear now are half the strength to what your gloves were, and I had a division make them. They really struggled. I thought to myself that it would be nice if i could have your expertise, and I remembered in all the information gathered about you that you didn't mind inflicting pain to make a better world. Because you see, my agents and I are going to take over the Solar System, we only lack a 'mad' scientist."

"I assume I'm the missing agent."

"Yes, you are that missing agent. You will even have a code name, Vulcan. There is a laboratory awaiting you. You know as well as I do that the worlds need to be perfected, that all the governments and leaders now are corrupt. Take your stand with use and become a forger for the dawn of the new Roman Empire." He said this with great gusto.

"Mmm, sounds good. You've piqued my interest," I said watching the lightning in its everlasting pattern.

"Then I, Jupiter, soon to be ruler of the worlds, welcome you, Vulcan, as the Galaxy's Ultimate Blacksmith!" He exclaimed.

"Hahahahahahahahahaha!" 

"Yes, laugh to your heart's content; you now have reason to be happy. The worlds will be changed like never before."

"Hahahaha," I wiped a tear. "No, I'm not laughing for the change, but to think that I could actually be part of it. However, it really wouldn't be me..." I jumped towards him, as a bolt of lightning protruded from the nearby cloud, with an outstretched hand I caught the lightning, I felt the current run through my body, rejuvenating my gloves. I firmly placed my other hand on his chest as the lightning left me, striking him, my glove fully activated added to the voltage. "This is me." He fell to the ground with a loud thud, his body twitching.

It made me laugh every time.