Mirage Industries.
Mirage Industries is a moderately-sized but extremely advanced biotechnology company based in North America, with its headquarters in the city of Detroit. The company was founded by the controversial philanthropist Thomas Belmont in 2017 when he acquired a failing Detroit auto factory and had it repurposed for the automated manufacture of prosthetics. Mirage specializes in the design and manufacture of advanced mechanical augmentations for human implantations. The company distinguishes itself from its competitors by working with clients to create progressive, forward-thinking, custom augmentations that answer specific challenges and needs. It strongly believes that the research, development and implementation of augmentations is a measure of human advancement towards a better, stronger, faster and smarter future. Mirage Industries has several dozen facilities worldwide, the newest building having been opened in Neo San Tokyo.
In 2019, the U.S. Government, stretched thin by two military conflicts in the American Mideast, awards the contract of the Recycle Military Bill, financing free prosthetics for any wounded veteran who re-enlists, to Mirage Industries, which becomes the number one prosthetics manufacturer in America.
On November 30, 2020, Mirage Industries announces the launch of the Eye-Now Retinal Prosthesis capable of restoring sight to those with a once incurable optic nerve damage and other visual impairments. By the end of the year, an auditory prosthesis and olfactory prosthesis (Hear-Now and Smell-Now) are in distribution to people suffering from hearing or smell / taste related impairments. In 2021, in an attempt to catch up to the rapid advancements of rival nations, the U.S. military awards Mirage a top-secret, no-bid contract to manufacture deep-brain intelligence-enhancing chips.
In 2026, in response to increased level of competition and shrinking marketplace, Mirage realizes the need for an all-new, high-level security team to protect its research and employees. State-of-the-art technologies were added to all Mirage security forces, allowing them to resolve matters with minimal use of force and violence. In 2027, members of the anti-augmentation group Eternal Divinity protest against Mirage's augmentation program, in front of the Mirage Headquarters in Detroit.
In 2027, Mirage Industries employs over 150000 people in the Detroit greater metropolitan area, in its local core factory and satellite research and development facilities. The company maintains an in-house staff of doctors and nurses in addition to HET (Human Enhancement Technologies) scientists and researchers, who are trained to work with clients to determine individual needs. The company offers clients comprehensive, pre-operational screenings free of charge, so as to better understand their personal challenges and needs.
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That evening, Belmont was at Neo San Tokyo, in one of the dormitories on the top floor. He was wearing a sleek VR helmet with gloves and was currently in a boxing simulation, training against a virtual heavy bag. Thomas preferred the real thing but VR allowed for near-identical training with minimal space and equipment.
Suddenly, the system flashed red and shut down with a large "WARNING" flashing in front of him. There was an intruder in the building. Removing his training gear he moved through the room, bare-chested and covered in sweat, to the standing computer terminal. A few button presses later, a half-dozen holographic screens showed in great detail what was going on. A drop-dead gorgeous blonde, wearing a skin-tight cat suit, was parading around in one of the stock rooms. She was… Were those explosives?
A call came in through his earpiece, so small as to be practically invisible. Its technology was so cutting-edge that the slightest murmur could be heard perfectly, allowing for near-silent conversation between individuals.
"Sir. Intruder on floor 6, storage room 2." The head of security was already scrambling units to the floors above and below, in order to begin their containment of the threat.
"I see them." Thomas replied, his hands deftly moving along the holographic projections to have the cameras turn and zoom. The woman was a stunner all right, all curvy and tight, wearing yellow-tinted protection glasses. The man found it almost humorous; here she was planting bombs in his building, but was wearing safety glasses. He wondered if she also had earplugs for when she was blowing up buildings.
"Wireless explosives. Remote controlled." The security chief noted in that stern, matter-of-fact voice of his.
"Teams are on their way."
"Have them stand by." At those words, Thomas pressed a few more buttons and a silent electromagnetic pulse (EMP) flooded the storage room. Human bodies are incapable of feeling the effects of EMPs, but it basically nullifies electronic devices… Such as wireless explosives.
"Sir?"
"I want to talk to them. The explosives are useless, their electronics are fried." He knew that everything in the storage room was basically mechanical, so there would not have any damage done to the equipment. But he did remove her ability to blow stuff up. Now if she had sticks of dynamite, that would be a different story… But he doubted that. She was sleek, suave and sexy. She was high-class, high-tech and high-maintenance.
"Are you out of your goddamn mind?" Belmont smiled at the security chief's comment.
"This isn't some anarchist with a Mohawk, boss. This is a pro. A corporate killer. They're here to see you dead. They'll shoot you in the face and go out for a sandwich."
"I want to see if I can convince them otherwise. Have your teams on standby, chief."
"You're an idiot. But you're the boss." After a few seconds, the security personnel took up positions near the fire escapes and the elevator shafts at the 5
th and 7
th floors.
In the storage room where the Red Rose was doing her thing, the intercom spoke up.
"Good evening." It was a man's voice.
"My name is Thomas. I'd like to know why you're here and who sent you." There was no threat, no immediate use of power. She still had her weapons. With a press of a button, all of the doors and windows would shut with magnetic locks and be covered with a length of bulletproof alloy, locking her in.
However, he hadn't done that just yet. He wanted to give her a chance. Especially since she had picked up a new bladed guantlet and was curious about it.