作者 主题: 【DT】企业赞助 CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP p.78-81  (阅读 6941 次)

副标题: 这小说是云玩家写的,不要信

离线 妖猫

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【DT】企业赞助 CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP p.78-81
« 于: 2020-04-09, 周四 12:42:29 »
分隔开司机和乘客所在的车厢的暗色玻璃降了下来,没有发出一点声音。机师把头向后探去,盯着他的眼睛。Jinx发现很难准确判断人类的年龄,而且这个女孩可爱的心形脸,酒窝,还有亮粉色的头发让她显得特别年轻。“我都不敢信我掺和进来了,朋友,”她对他说,“我发过誓再也不从Bastian爵爷那里接活了。他是个混蛋。”
他们绕过车流,霓虹灯的光点闪耀在豪车之上。他反射性地缩了一下,即便他的大脑告诉他机师完全掌控着这辆豪车。“Wheelz,你认识他?”
机师冷哼了一声。“你没法想象上次Bastian在车里留了多臭的味儿。整整三个月都没法让个兽人开回去,把所有东西都彻彻底底洗了两遍!”
剧透 -   :
The shaded glass partition separating the driver and passenger compartments lowered without a sound. The rigger craned her neck back to look him in the eyes. Jinx found it difficult to judge human ages accurately, and this girl seemed particularly young with her cute heart-shaped face, dimples, and bright pink hair. “I can’t believe I took this gig, chummer,” she told him. “I swore I’d never take another job from Lord Bastian. He’s an ass.”
Outside the limo, neon lights streaked past them as they circumnavigated traffic. He flinched reflexively, even though his head told him that the rigger had complete control of the limo.“You know him, Wheelz?”
The rigger snorted. “You wouldn’t believe the unholy stank Bastian left in the cab after last time. Couldn’t even get orcs to ride back there for three months. Had to have everything detailed twice!”
Jinx小心翼翼地把他的手放在真正的皮椅上,摸着培养槽长出来的皮——如此的奢华让他感觉像是赤身裸体踏入圣地。他之前从来没坐进时髦的三菱·夜空,这对他来说太贵了。“Wheelz,你亲眼见过他?”
“是啊,而且我还是把活接下来了。钱合法,而且他保证说你知道在哪大小便——哪怕这个活在道德上一团糟。”
“舞枪乐(Pistol Whip Music)审查Bastian爵爷是因为那些提尔坦盖的势利小人威胁要经济抵制。除了把他的音乐偷回来之外,他还能做什么?”
Wheelz翻了个白眼。“你真以为他们会把一首叫‘提尔坦盖肏他妈’的歌笑过算过,然后把它激起的抗议置之不理。”
“你是人类,Wheelz。”Jinx忍不住把他的白发理到尖耳后面。“你想象不出活在不朽精灵的掌心下面是什么感觉,知道你会生会死可他们永远在那——你永远是他们计划里的小卒。Bastian爵爷背叛了他们来帮我们追求自由。”
剧透 -   :
Jinx gingerly placed his hands on the genuine vat-grown leather seats—such luxury felt akin to stepping onto holy ground naked. He had never been inside of one of these swanky Mitsubishi Nightsky—too rich for his blood. “You’ve met him personally, Wheelz?”
“Yeah, and I took the job anyway. The pay is legit, and I was promised you were house-broken—even if the job is fragged ethically.”
“Pistol Whip Music censored Lord Bastian because those snobs back in Tír Tairngire threatened an economic boycott. What else can he do but try to steal back his music?”
Wheelz rolled her eyes. “You’d think they would just laugh off a song called ‘Frag Tír Tairngire’ and ignore all the protests it’s stirring up.”
“You’re human, Wheelz.” Jinx couldn’t help but fold his white hair back behind his angled ears. “You can’t imagine what it’s like living under the thumb of immortal elves, knowing that you’ll live and die while they’ll go on forever—always being a pawn in their schemes. Lord Bastian betrayed them to help us find freedom.”
Wheelz耸了耸肩。“Bastian爵爷想的可只有随便搞马子,嗑药磕到死。如果他真在乎你们和他的苦力,他就不会接受企业赞助。他的整张专辑都是雇用作品。你知道这意味着什么?我们在偷舞枪乐。这可不是罗宾汉。我们不是在劫富济贫。Bastian已经拿到了他那份,但他觉得他可以私自发布原声带,来把街头名誉变现。我们是坏人。你对此没意见?”
“我很好。”
“挺好。我们再过一遍计划。”Jinx的脸颊因为她刚刚那些教训人的话而泛红。她怎么敢把他当成第一次狂奔的菜鸟对待?McCready——那个把他们安排在一起,还安排了通过前门的请柬的杂种掮客——坚持要么他们一起干,要么他会找个新队伍。“我已经编辑了你车的广播来获得通过许可。它会让你通过安保进入车库。通常来说不会很难,但现在因为有粉丝在抗议审查,他们全都很警惕。3层以下的杂讯都太重了,在我潜入VR找到值钱数据值钱,我得先溜到个私密空间去。”
剧透 -   :
Wheelz shrugged her shoulders. “The only thing Lord Bastian wants is to score some easy tail and then snort his way to hell. If he cared about your people and his muscle, he wouldn’t have accepted corporate sponsorship. His whole album is work-for-hire. You know what that means? We’re stealing from Pistol Whip Music. This ain’t a Robin Hood job. We’re not robbing from the rich to give to the poor. Bastian’s already gotten his cut, but he thinks he can turn street cred into nuyen by arranging for the unauthorized release of the original recording. We’re the bad guys here. You alright with that?”
“I’m fine.”
“Good to hear. Let’s go over the plan one more time.” Jinx’s cheeks burned at her patronizing words. How dare she treat him like this was his first run? McCready—the bastard fixer who put them together and arranged for an invitation to get past the front door—insisted that either they’d work together, or he’d find a new team. “I’ve already edited your vehicle’s marks to broadcast clearance. It’ll get you past the security into the garage. Normally it wouldn’t be that hard, but everything’s on alert because of the groupie protests over the censorship. The noise is too dense anywhere below the third floor, so I’ll need to sleaze my way into a private space before I get too deep into VR and try to find the paydata.”
“McCready在十层安排了一间空办公室。它应该在你碟板上的示意图上有标明位置。你座位底下有个金属公文包,把它拿出来。”Jinx伸手到座位底下,摸到了那个包。它比预想的要更重一些。“你编辑完设施的权限之后,把它们装进那个公文包里我的苍蝇间谍无人机上。它们被设定为在你打开包的时候启动。启动之后,它们会为我提供一组眼睛。”
“明白。”
“迪克兰法律(Declan Law)是地平线的子公司,所以它们的公司账户会有顶尖的安保。我会在你深入的时候照看你的身体,尽可能给你警告。我们没有能帮你闯出一条路的战力,所以这只能是个隐秘行动。相信我,你不会想去公司监狱的。”
Jinx反射性地伸向他的碟板。“我知道该怎么做。”
“集中注意,别惹麻烦,”Wheelz警告说。“那份值钱数据值一堆新円。有可能我并不是唯一一组想拿到它的狂奔者,所以提高警戒。”
剧透 -   :
“McCready arranged for an empty office on the tenth floor. It should be listed on the schematics loaded onto your deck. There’s a metal briefcase under your seat. Take it out.” Jinx reached under the seat and located the case. It was heavier than expected. “After you’ve got the facility’s marks edited, install them onto my Fly-Spy drones in that briefcase. They’re keyed to activate when you open it. Once they’re active, they’ll provide me with a set of eyes.”
“Got it.”
“Declan Law is a subsidiary of Horizon, so their corporate accounts alone will require top-notch security. I’ll keep watch over your body when you deep-dive, and give you warnings the best I can. We ain’t got the muscle to fight our way out, so this needs to be a stealth run. Believe me, you don’t want to go to corporate prison.”
Jinx reflexively reached for his deck. “I know the job.”
“Keep your mind on it and stay out of trouble,” Wheelz warned. “That paydata is worth a pile of nuyen. Odds are, we won’t be the only shadowrunners trying to get it, so stay frosty.”
一座金属和反光玻璃构成的塔矗立在地平线上。Jinx吞了口口水,已经有些紧张。他买了他微薄的小金库能负担得起的最好的一身行头,但有人仔细瞧上一眼就会知道他并非精英。“你确定我不像是走错了地方?”
在他们经过大群疯狂尖叫着的抗议者的时候,三菱·夜空放慢了速度。他们停在一串公司安保设置的水泥路障前面——那些安保都穿着全套的防暴装备。Wheelz晃了一下身份证明,于是安保向他们挥了挥手,让他们进入车库。“要是我们能拿个精英衣橱把你打扮好,会更合适,但你有漂亮的精灵颧骨。它会有效的。”
他们往更下面的停车区开去。随机巡逻的安保很是稀疏,但如果他们要闯出一条路,从这里开到上面需要很久。
剧透 -   :
A tower of steel and glittering glass dominated the horizon. Jinx swallowed, already nervous. He had bought the best styles he could afford with his limited stash, but surely anyone who took a real look at him would know he wasn’t elite. “You sure I won’t be out of place?”
The Mitsubishi Nightsky limo slowed as they pushed through a mob of crazy, screaming protestors. They stopped at a series of cement blockades manned by corporate security—decked out in full riot gear. Wheelz flashed her credentials, and they waved them through to the garage. “Would have been keen if we could have decked you out with an elite wardrobe for this job, but you’ve got those pretty elfin cheekbones. That’ll have to do.”
They pulled into a space on the lower parking levels. Random security patrols were sparse down here, but it would be a long way back to topside if they had to fight their way out.
“这不是我第一次从迪克兰法律的后门带一些‘得体’的客人进去,和一些薪奴律师共度良宵。表现得像是这里的人,不要引起什么响动。通讯链里有些人说抗议的粉丝正在趋于暴力。别掺和进去,不管你有多赞同他们。”
乘客的车门打开,Jinx小心翼翼地从车里滑出来。两个公司安保瞥了他一眼又走了过去,呼吸声下伴着窃笑。他们或许知道一些公司成员和他们对精灵的小癖好。Jinx紧张地挥了挥手,走向电梯。
随着他走近,电梯扫描了他的脸,磁卡锁发出哔哔的确认声。这是关键时刻。他没法骇掉安保系统,因为权限理论上是硬件刻录在匙卡里的。McCready提供了匙卡和计划,所以如果匙卡可以用,计划的其他部分也应该没问题。电梯门打开,Jinx走了进去,说:“十层”。
剧透 -   :
“This won’t be the first time I’ve brought a number of discreet guests up into Declaw Law through the back door for some wageslave lawyer’s afternoon delight. Act like you belong and don’t make waves. There’s some chatter on the comms that the groupie protestors are starting to get violent. Don’t get involved, no matter how much you might agree with them.”
The passenger door opened, and Jinx slid out into the garage. Two corporate security guards glanced him over and passed by, snickering under their breath. They probably knew a few partners with a thing for elves. Jinx waved nervously and proceeded to the elevator.
The elevator scanned his face as he approached and beeped for the keycard. Here was the moment of truth. He couldn’t hack through the security since the marks were theoretically hardcoded onto the card. McCready provided both the card and the plans, so if this card was solid, then odds were the rest would be, too. The elevator door slid open. Jinx entered and said, “Tenth floor.”
电梯的引擎发出持续而低沉的轰鸣。随着电梯从地下升起,玻璃墙展示出外面愤怒的人群的全景,以及城市的景观。他踏上十层的时候,城市的喧嚣和冲突的叫嚷全部消失不见。随着他逐渐靠近目标,他的碟板把每一层的设备都记录了下来。
他把头探出电梯门,发现它正对着空荡荡的大厅。McCready的情报说有一些高管的办公室在重新装修的时候挪到了楼上。这意味着这一层除了清扫无人机和建筑工人之外。
Jinx启动了他碟板的增强现实设置,一层单色的蒙版叠在他的现实感知之上,让周围看上去像是上世纪的旧电影一般。一名活泼的建筑工在大厅里撞上了他,拎着一大箱工具,在金属箱子里叮呤咣啷。AR蒙版将他变成了一个穿着炭灰色西装,戴着软呢帽的上班族。
剧透 -   :
The elevator motors whirred. As the elevator rose from the subfloors, the glass walls provided a panoramic view of the angry mob outside and the landscape of the city. The noise of the city and the conflicting pattern and voices faded once he passed the fifth floor. His deck registered devices
on each floor as they closed in on its target.
He poked his head out of the elevator doors as soon as they opened to discover an empty hall. McCready’s intel said that a number of the executives had moved to the floor above while their offices were being redecorated. That meant the floor should be empty, save for drone sweeps and construction workers.
Jinx flipped on his deck’s augmented reality setting, and a monochromatic filter overlaid his perceptions of the real world, making his surroundings look like an old film from the last century. A boisterous construction worker, carrying a large metal box of tools that rattled as he walked, bumped into him in the hallway. The AR filter translated him into an office worker clad in a charcoal grey suit with a fedora.
他数着旁边的办公室,直到他数到第五个,试着开门。它没有阻碍地被直接打开。Jinx在后墙上搜索了一阵,寻找通向高管洗手间的暗门,在一段墙板打开,露出里面的奢华空间之后,长长舒了口气。
多亏贿赂了修理工,这间高管办公室的秘密摄像头被关掉了。幸运的是,这台设备还有他可以利用的权限,虽然它已经没有在主动广播了。他用数据棘刺砖了摄像头,然后夺取了安保系统中的所有权限。这让Jinx能连接上辨别这层所有东西的友敌识别系统。
他用他新获得的权限让苍蝇间谍被系统识别为有授权的部分,允许其广播,所以Wheelz能实时看到镜头。他打开公文包,把它放在浴室地上。十多个机械黄蜂飞了起来,像是从蜂巢中一涌而出。“你能收到吗?”Wheelz在通讯链中和应着。
剧透 -   :
He counted the offices until he reached the fifth one and then tried the door. It opened without challenge. Jinx searched along the back wall for the secret opening to the executive washroom and breathed a loud sigh of relief when a section of the panel opened, revealing the luxurious space.
The secret camera in the executive office was disabled, thanks to a quiet bribe to the construction workers. Fortunately, the device still had security marks on it that he could exploit, even if it wasn’t actively broadcasting. He bricked the camera with a data spike and then sleazed all of the marks for the security system. This gave Jinx access to the friend-or-foe system for everything on the floor.
He used his new access to get the Fly-Spy drones recognized a an authorized part of the system, allowing them to broadcast so Wheelz could see their footage in real time. He opened the briefcase and set it down in the bathroom. A dozen mechanical wasps took flight as though escaping a hive. “Can you read me?” Wheelz chimed in through the commlink.
Jinx切换到文字信息来避免说话发出声响。躲在浴室里能掩盖他的声音,但警卫还是很可能听到他。<收到。你应该已经能连上这一层的所有东西了。>
苍蝇间谍无人机安静地跟着他到了办公室门口。他把门打开一条缝,无人机四散而出,占据整层楼的战术位置。一个机械黄蜂跟着他回到浴室,停在天花板上。Jinx关上门并锁上。现在他安全地缩在肉界的巢里,身旁有无人机让Wheelz照看他,他找了个舒服的姿势,接入完全的虚拟现实模式。
矩阵的美景在他面前螺旋展开,以蓝白两色呈现。迪克兰法律的主机的样子看上去就像是老式的大理石造的法院,直接从上世纪的黑白电影里挪了过来。主机的设计师都会在化身体验的环境之中揉入一点个人独有的特点和动力。Jinx发现这地方有着那种想要道德高地的权柄在握,可又不想付出的组织的味道。
剧透 -   :
Jinx switched to text messages to avoid speaking. Hiding in the bathroom would muffle the sound of his voice, but there was always the chance a guard could hear him. <Roger that. You should have complete access to everything on this floor.>
The Fly-Spy drones silently followed him to the office door. He opened it a crack, and they scattered outside to take tactical positions throughout the floor. A single mechanical wasp followed him back into the bathroom and settled on the ceiling. Jinx closed the door and locked it. Now secure in a nest for meatspace with a drone allowing Wheelz to keep an eye on him, he settled down and jacked into full virtual reality mode.
The beauty of the Matrix spiraled before him in blue and white. Declan Law’s host appeared as an old-fashioned marble courthouse straight out of an old black-and-white movie from the last century. Any host’s designers reveal a bit of themselves and their motivations in the environments the personas experience. Jinx figured that this place had all the tells of an organization that wanted to wield authority from the moral high ground without having to do any work to earn it.
在地平线的外围,一群化身把他们的抗议也延伸到了网络空间之中。他们试着想暴力破解防火墙,或是把恶作剧病毒偷偷送进主机。公司安保轻而易举地就把这些业余的冒险家清扫出去,但这也占用了他们的资源。这些蹩脚骇客没想着拖垮主机,只是想通过访问它来骚扰。
他花了些时间才从这些袭击边上绕过,通过前门接入而没有被交叉火力击中。公司网域加上他复制的权限,让他能顺利进入系统之中。
Jinx眼前的宇宙彻底融解,他眨了眨眼,新主机的图形显现而出,呈现出古韵十足的法庭样貌,其中文员,律师和客户模样的化身带着伪装成马尼拉*文件夹的图标。文员作为主机系统和律师之间的低端交互面板。他们把全世界各个公司法庭的动议归档,研究法律问题,把上锁的图标放进保险库。
*译注:马尼拉是一种米黄色的纸,看上去像是牛皮纸但强度更低,印刷质量更好,经常用来做文件夹
剧透 -   :
At the periphery of the horizon, a crowd of personas extended their protest into cyberspace. They attempted to launch brute force attacks against the firewalls and sleaze prank viruses into the host. Corporate security easily turned back the amateur gambits, but it ate at their resources. The dime-store hackers weren’t trying to bring down the host, just harass those trying to access it.
It took a bit of time to skirt past their assaults and gain access via the front doors without getting caught in the crossfire. The perfect combination of the corporate grid and his cloned marks allowed him to enter the system without a hitch.
Jinx blinked as the universe melted away. Graphics for a new host appeared, displaying an antique courtroom show with personas taking on the roles of clerks, lawyers, and clients carrying icons disguised as manila folders. The clerks acted as a low-level interface between the host system and the lawyers. They filed motions at various corporate courts around the world, researched legal questions, and locked icons into the secure vaults.
一对像是巨魔般高大,又两倍于巨魔严厉的法警怀疑地看着他走过。他可能有合适的MARK,但他的化身并没有融入这里,而代理的程序让它们注意到这样的细节。Jinx很快编辑了他的化身来融入人群,穿上类似的西装,戴上软呢帽,代理又把注意力移到了别处。
主机的构架感觉很熟悉,很舒适。Jinx人生中的不少时间花在了看关于真理和正义战胜腐败的旧视频。这是他忘记了的某个场景吗?如果是,这意味着什么?
VR狂奔的铁律是:像是福尔摩斯一样观察这里的禁忌,确保不要直接触犯它们,避免在主机里惹上麻烦。律师看上去都很满意于排队等着文员服务,所以Jinx也加入队伍。一个穿着漂白衬衫和背带,举止温雅的文员叫到了他。“先生,我能帮您做什么?”
“我需要拿到深层储存里的一个文件。”
剧透 -   :
Twin bailiffs, the size of trolls and twice as mean, eyed him suspiciously as he passed. He might have the proper marks, but his persona clashed with the environment, and the agents were programmed to notice such things. Jinx quickly edited his persona to match the crowd with a similar suit and fedora, and the agents turned their attention elsewhere.
The host scaffolding felt familiar, comfortable. Jinx wasted many hours watching old vids that trumpeted truth and justice over corruption. Was this some scene he had long forgotten? If so, what did that mean?
The standard rules of deep runs were to avoid causing trouble in a host by sherlocking the local taboos and making sure not to break them openly. The lawyers seemed content to wait in the queue until served by a clerk, so Jinx followed their lead. A mild-mannered clerk with a bleach-white shirt and suspenders pinged Jinx. “How may I help you, sir?”
“I need to access a file from deep storage.”
文员专注地点了点头。“快速扫描显示您有权限,但本站不能访问您所说的文件。”
他已经预料到了这个答案。“我在哪能访问到它?”
文员指了指他身后巨大的双开木门。“法官会亲自受理动议。”
Jinx谢过文员,跟在法庭里的其他律师身后。躲开代理的最好方法就是融入其中,直到他变成羊群之中的普通一只羊,等着轮到他见法官的时候。
他看向一旁,欣赏周围的景致。法庭节点有老式的装饰艺术风格,用染色的木扶手和木桌作为家具。法官从席上给予判决,似乎像是鹰栖息在那里。这感觉就像是陷入了一些他祖母可能看过的东西里面。
剧透 -   :
The clerk nodded attentively. “A quick scan indicates that you have clearance, but this station is unable to access said information.”
He had expected this answer. “Where can I gain access?”
The clerk gestured to the large wooden double doors behind him. “The judge is taking motions personally.”
Jinx thanked the clerk and followed the other lawyers into the courtroom. The best tactic for avoiding the agents was trying to blend until he was just another sheep in the herd, waiting for his turn to see the judge.
He glanced aside to soak in his surroundings. The court node had an old-fashioned art deco style to it, furnished in stained wooden rails and desks. The judge issued his rulings from the bench, where he seemed to perch like an eagle. It felt like being sucked into something his grandma might have watched.
法官很快地处理着律师们的请求,而在他反应过来之前,Jinx就已经站在了他面前。他看上去是一个极英俊的男人,有着电影明星一般的长相,厚实的黑发,戴着一副沉重的眼镜。这一化身代表了主机中核心处理系统的AI。它控制着每个储存在深层主机里的文件,大多数化身都不能访问那里,除非要破坏规则。获得下载文件的权限不成问题,但他的MARK会因此被标记,系统会仔细观察他接下来要做什么。他需要在系统不标记的情况下拿到权限,这样主机就不会太仔细审查他。
法警锤了两次木槌。“Atticus法官已经准备好听你陈述动议。”
Jinx看了一眼法庭,仔细看了一下没有其他在他旁边静默运行的骇客。作为预防措施,他发送出一声“叮”,就像是旧战争片里潜艇想要发现其他潜艇位置的时候做的那样。
房间很干净。很可能是抗议者给其他人添了太多麻烦,其他骇客没法进来。“动议为访问深层储存中的345242-A号文件,阁下。”
剧透 -   :
The judge quickly processed requests from the lawyers, and before he knew it, Jinx stood before him. He appeared as a handsome man with movie-star looks, thick black hair, and heavyrimmed glasses. This persona represented the central processing system AI in the host. It controlled every file saved in the deep host, where most personas couldn’t visit unless they broke the rules. Gaining permission to download the file wouldn’t be a problem, but he would receive a red flag on his mark, and the system would take a serious look at what he did next. He needed to receive the mark without the system flagging it so the host wouldn’t watch him too closely.
The bailiff tapped his gavel twice. “Judge Atticus is ready to hear your motion.”
Jinx glanced about the courtroom, taking a deep look to make sure there weren’t any hackers running silent near them. As a precautionary measure, he sent out a ping, like a submarine in an old war movie trying to catch another sub’s position.
The room was clear. Likely the protestors gave everyone else too much trouble to allow other hackers access. “Motion to access file 345242-A in deep storage, Your Honor.”
法官皱起眉头,摘下眼镜,仔细看着Jinx,感觉像是看了几个小时。在他等待的时候,Jinx偷偷对程序射出一发数据棘刺。这是生死存亡的时刻。他已经花了好几天来计划攻击这个AI的最佳角度。如果他能打上一些MARK,这会轻松很多。
化身闪烁了一下,把眼镜放回原处,然后敲下木槌。“授予许可。法警,请护送这位男子去深层储存。”
Jinx跟着代理走进文件室。这个相邻的节点只能从法庭访问,看上去就像是个积满灰尘的文件室。代理站在门口,他脸上面无表情,但警惕十足。Jinx在这里做的一切都会被监控。
Jinx看向桌子上等着他的马尼拉文件夹,立刻明白了里面装着Bastian爵爷雇他们偷的音频主文件。但拿到那个文件夹只是完成了工作的一半。他下载完文件,拨通讯链。“我拿到值钱数据了。我一旦把文件从系统里清除掉,就会引起很多不好的注意。上面*怎么样?”
*译注:我不知道为什么这个作者一直把VR当作deep run(这个词指结构层狂奔),但这里的上面肯定是相对于VR的深的……
剧透 -   :
The judge furrowed his brow and removed his glasses to study Jinx for what seemed like hours. While he was waiting, Jinx slipped a sleazed data spike directly into the program. This was the do-or-die moment. He had spent days planning just the right angle of attack against the AI. If he could get some marks on it, life would get a lot easier.
The persona blinked, replaced his glasses, and then banged his gavel. “Permission granted. Bailiff, please escort this man into deep storage.”
Jinx followed the agent into the file room. This adjacent node could only be accessed from the courtroom and appeared to be no more than a dusty file room. The agent stood at the entrance, his face expressionless but ever-watchful. Anything that Jinx did here would be monitored.
Jinx looked at the manila folder already waiting for him on the table and knew immediately that it contained all of the master audio files Lord Bastian had paid them to snatch. But taking the folder was only half of the job. He finished downloading the file and toggled his comm. “I have the paydata. When I wipe the file from the system, I’m going to attract a lot of the wrong kind of attention. How are we doing topside?”
Wheelz通过通讯链从肉界回复。“地上没有威胁。抗议特别激烈,到处都他妈是人。你只能通过二层南边的大堂出口离开。”
Jinx计算着他袭击之后公司安保重启所需的时间。“这可不好。时间不够我在他们发现之前赶到出口。”
“我会用无人机帮你争取几分钟时间,但你得正中靶心才行。”
“收到。”
碟客转向代理,然后,它正倾尽全力,准备攻击程序。在矩阵之中,他的化身作出回应,直接向着法警甩出一串闪闪发亮的手里剑。它们精准地命中了双眼之间的地方,随后爆炸。他的蒙版从来不曾让他失望,将他的攻击招式呈现得让人血脉贲张。
剧透 -   :
Wheelz replied via the comm from meatspace. “The floor is clear. The protests are really thick, fragging traffic is everywhere. You’ll have to leave via the exit in the south lobby on the second floor.”
Jinx calculated the time it would take for corporate security to reboot after his assault. “That’s no good. I won’t have enough time to make the exit before they spot me.” “I’ll try to buy you a couple of minutes with the drones, but you’ll need to hit that mark.”
“Roger.”
The decker turned toward the agent and, taking its full measure, prepared an attack program. In the matrix, his persona responded, flinging a series of shimmering throwing stars directly at the bailiff. They struck true, landing right between the eyes, and exploded. The way his filter interpreted his attack moves never failed to get his blood pumping.
Jinx立刻静默运行,试图掩盖他在主机中的存在。这不会永远有效,但足够争取到把活做完的时间。既然他已经把文件下载到了碟板上,他就有足够的面包屑痕迹来追踪主文件在主机里的位置。碟客沿着痕迹,砸进主机的纯代码,又发射了一束数据棘刺,在云端锁定了文件的存储位置。一旦它找到数据,病毒就会把它砖爆。
他的碟板警告他说主机的监视警报(Overwatch Warning)响了。这可不好。他将无处可躲,主机里的每个代理都会追踪他的行踪。Jinx给Wheelz发了最后一条信息,然后把他的注意力转回到主机的现实之中。
一队军警装备着左轮和警棍,涌进了这个安全节点,立刻锁定了他。攻击从四面八方而来,它们朝着他涌了上去。他们的拳头很有分寸,避免在链锁他之前就把他的碟板变砖,让他的意识保持在矩阵之中,直到他们找到他的身体为止。
剧透 -   :
Jinx immediately went silent, trying to mask his presence in the host. It wouldn’t work forever, but it might just buy him enough time to get the job done. Now that he had downloaded the file onto his deck, he had the proper breadcrumbs to follow the master file in the system to the proper location in the host. The decker punched through the scaffolding into the host’s pure code and launched another data spike to locate the file’s storage space in the cloud. Once it found the data, the virus would brick it to hell.
His deck alerted him to the host’s Overwatch Warning. That was bad. There’d be no place for him to hide, as every agent in the host would start tracking his movement. Jinx fired a last text to Wheelz and then turned his attention back to the reality of the host.
A cohort of bailiffs, armed with revolvers and nightsticks, poured into the secured node and immediately targeted him. The attacks came from all sides as they dogpiled upon him. Their blows were controlled and measured, taking care to avoid bricking his deck until they could link-lock him, trapping his consciousness in the Matrix until they could locate his body.
尽管他被一通猛揍,Jinx还是保持着决心。他用一连串齐射炸开他们,呈现出一连串的拳击和回旋踢,试图把他们推到后面,让自己能趁机脱离。
安保守着所有主要的公共出入口。Jinx可以弹出去,但那就得丢掉他下载的文件。如果他想要带着值钱数据出去,他就得一路闯到法庭,下到大厅,然后从正门出去。一旦他到了矩阵,他就能试着躲在抗议的人群中,然后弹出到肉界。
他的本能告诉他要战斗,但这只会通向绝望的最后一站,海量的代理最终会把他放倒。无论“攻击是最好的防御”是谁说的,他都肯定没以一敌多过。
Jinx全防御,把他的碟板的防火墙调到最高。然后他奔向大门。袭来的数据棘刺从他的盾牌上弹开,在主机中显现为惊险的一躲,从代理头上跳过,还有足以让他垂直跑上墙的令人目眩的速度,粉碎了主机的重力法则。他可怜的组装不太牢固的碟板因为伤害而嘶嘶作响,冒着烟,但还是不知如何让他掌控着局势。
剧透 -   :
In spite of the pummeling he was taking, Jinx remained resolute. He blasted them with a volley of attacks, manifesting through a series of punches and spinning-kicks, trying to push them back just enough to find an exit.
Security locked down all exits save the main public portal. Jinx could jack out, but that would require dumping the downloaded files. If he wanted out with the paydata, he’d need to fight his way through the court, down the hall, and out the front door. Once he reached the Matrix proper, he could try to hide among the protesters until he jacked out into meatspace.
His instincts told him to fight, but that would only lead to a desperate last stand where the sheer number of agents would eventually bring him down. Whoever said that offense was the best defense was never this outnumbered.
Jinx went full defense, turning up the firewall on his deck to maximum. Then he made a run for the door. An incoming data spike reflected off his shield, manifesting in the host as death-defying dodges, leaps that bounded over agents, and blinding speed that allowed him to run perpendicular to the walls, shattering the rules of the host’s gravity. His poor jury-rigged deck sizzled and smoked from the damage, but somehow it kept him in control.
这团混战冲进法庭,越过法官,后者敲着他的木槌大喊:“扰乱秩序!扰乱秩序!”
Jinx越过身前滚作一团的文员,躲过法警的拳头。他冲过门口的玻璃双开门,踏入矩阵网域的荒野之中,这里主机的无聊定律不会奏效。他逃进了安全的人群之中。
Jinx立刻弹了出来,关掉了碟板,以免安保追踪到他。他跟着最后那只机械黄蜂退到打开的电梯里,用匙卡命令它前往2层。
电梯像是慢得如同冰山,但它的显示屏上显示它还在稳步下降。他发现自己喘不上气;Wheelz没有回他消息。
门打开后是一片凶狠的斗殴场景,狂暴的抗议者让公司安保也陷入困境。Jinx绕过混乱,半跑半走地穿过大厅,穿过鲜血与暴力,然后他到了预先定好的出口。
Wheelz和她的三菱·夜空正在那里等着。门打开了。“好了孩子,我们去领报酬。”
剧透 -   :
The rolling melee burst out into the court and past the judge, who banged his gavel and screamed, “Out of order! Out of order!”
Jinx dashed past the clerks stumbling in front of him and dodged under the bailiffs’ blows. He burst through the glass double doors and leaped out into the wilds of the grid Matrix, where the mundane laws of the host no longer applied, and flew into the safety of the mob.
Jinx immediately jacked out and shut down his deck, in case security was able to trace him. He followed the last mechanical wasp back to the open elevator and keyed it to the second floor.
The elevator seemed to move at a glacier’s pace, but it kept moving down according to the readout. He found it difficult to breathe; Wheelz didn’t answer his texts.
The doors opened onto the setting of a brutal brawl between rabid protestors and beleaguered corporate security. Jinx maneuvered through the chaos, run-walking across the lobby through the blood and violence until he reached the assigned exit.
Wheelz and her Mitsubishi Nightsky limo waited on the other side. The door opened. “All right kid, let’s get paid.” ✖