Neurocyber: Dead Alive: Neurocyber, #1

By Lee Shorter

What is your opinion of  the roadrunner (ground cuckoo and snake killer)?  Geococcyx californianus can live in sparse forest, or in scrappy, scrubby, arid desert; it has been found at sea level and at 3,000 feet; the champion world record-holder roadrunner clocked 26 mph running on land; it reduces its dehydration and can lower its body temperature.

 

Now consider this ruined city: buildings and people have been devastated by earthquakes, fires, and floods; havoc was wreaked over centuries by pandemics and a kind of civil war; all digital records, savings, trade, and money itself were wiped away by massive astronomical events.  Must a biped still go alone down these decaying streets?

 

Would you agree that the environment of the distant future is more suited to the greater roadrunner than to the surviving members of the species Homo sapiens? The Guardians, toiling in secret in Civic Hall, one of the few remaining tall buildings in the whole of the city, would do well to study the adaptive thermoregulation of the chaparral cock. Guardian Lois, however, spends her hours imprisoned in The Hall studying recovered fragments of ancient movies and planning how she will take down the guardian opposing her. Should Clarke Maxwell act as her private investigator? Would you like to find out?

 

Buy this short read, first in the 12-part series Neurocyber by Lee Shorter, and you will begin your exploration of the shape of the future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Budleigh Books
• Release date: Mar 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393842071

Book preview

Preface

Aruined city, buildings and people devastated by earthquakes, fires, floods, pandemics and a kind of civil war, all digital records, savings, trade, and hence money itself, wiped away by massive astronomical events and material shortages. Once it was called a city of the angels, but can a biped go alone down these decaying streets today?

Dead Alive

It was early in the morning, early for me. When I’m finally given a case to investigate, I’m motivated.

The sun was flitting through clouds over the foothills and there was no necessity for the Guardians to turn on the sunshields. I was wearing my best metallic suit with day-glow shirt and bootlace tie. I turned off the flashing collar and reduced the intensity of the day-glow so that the shirt was a nice early morning radiance to match the time of day. I was smart. I was alert. I wasn’t drugged up and I wasn’t full of liquor.

I was dressed so sharp because I had a summons to meet with a Guardian. In my time as a wall cop I had visited Guardian Hall, City Hall, or plain old The Hall, just twice. The first time I was with about twenty others, to be sworn in as a new cop; the second, with six others to be kicked out. That was still two times more than most.

Transport