<h1><a href='https://steemit.com/sciencefiction/@gonzo/the-dark-side-of-the-blockchain-chapter-one'> Link to Chapter One </a></h1>



<img src='https://ipfs.pics/ipfs/Qma7HPM6YyJNMxkAPDaaEgXPne8GHS6T1PBwZmSZk7uRYx'/>


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<h1>While racing down the sidewalk</h1>

I was startled to see two moderators walking out from around the corner and I accidentally slammed into a rich woman carrying stylish shopping bags with ritzy names on the side. The woman and her bags came crashing to the ground and a small dog was launched out from under her arm and into the mod's legs. 

The woman cried out in agony as the angry mods came toward me, so I held up my SCM and yelled “I am a deactivated UC and I'm late for my final debriefing at Blockchain 96!” The mod verified my credentials and said “Slow down next time, you could have killed this woman!”

While the other mod helped the woman back to her feet, the first mod handed my SCM back and naively asked “What was undercover like?” The memory of an offline Icelandic woman cutting the last leg off her baby to cook over a barrel came flooding back, but I quickly gave the typical response “It was an honor and a privilege to serve the blockchain. Now I have gotta go!” and ran into Blockchain 96. 

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<h1>“Sorry I'm late”</h1>

I said while walking up to the receptionist. “You must be Thomas, can I see your subchain monitor” she said with a pretty smile on her face. I showed her my SCM and she said “Tom, I want to thank you for your service.” which sent chills up my spine. 

Then a well dressed man walked into the lobby and in a playful manner yelled “Tom... I was starting to think you were never going to show.” I coyly said “Sorry, they had us on a late train last night and I'm...” “Don't worry about it. Are you ready to get have your subchain reinstated?” he interrupted. 

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<h1>“You bet I am, I haven't seen my family in over a year.”</h1>

I said with enthusiasm. I followed my host into the elevator and I was surprised to see that we were going down into the lower levels. Over the last two weeks my partner Ned and I had been repeatedly debriefed in high level offices in different cities all over the country and I was relieved to find that I wasn't going to have to do that again today, because we were going straight to the coders.

As the elevator opened I saw two large coders and my host shook my hand while saying in a serious tone “I want to thank you for your service,” which made me feel uneasy. Then he motioned for me to leave the elevator and in a familiar manner he said “Tom these guys will get you all fixed up and if you are nice to them, they might increase your pension.” 

As I followed one of the coders down the hallway he said “It is nice to meet you Tom, we are still getting everything setup so if you...” But then I saw a familiar face through the small window in one of the passing doors, It was my partner Ned who was suppose to come in thirty minutes after me. 

Ned was just sitting in a chair with a blank expression on his face, but when he saw me he gave a smile that quickly faded away. His body language immediately changed and even though I couldn't hear him, I knew that he was screaming a long drawn out “No!” in complete despair.

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<h1>I froze dead in my tracks</h1> 

and the coder that was following behind me bumped into me and said “No, you're in room 11.” As I walked past Ned's room I was panicking and my body was walking on autopilot, Seeing Ned this upset was very alarming, because he had a tendency to know things that he wasn't suppose to know and sometimes he would even answer questions before I asked them. 

When we turned a corner I noticed a janitor that was sweeping the floor while making eye contact with me as if he was trying to tell me something. As I walked into the room one of the coders said “Wait in here and a hardware technician will be with you in just a few minutes.” 

I began pacing the room with a feeling of dread, my stomach was in knots and I could feel myself sweating regardless of how cold the small waiting room was. Then the janitor slipped into the room and with a sense of urgency said “Tom, I'm a Loki Agent and your wife sent me! And you are about to be repurposed, but if you do exactly what I say, I will get you out of here.” 

In disbelief I said “That can't be! They are suppose to fix my subchain today!” “Your subchain ended! There is no way to reinstate a dead subchain, that is the whole point of the system! You have been officially dead for two years now. You're a loose end that is on schedule to be repurposed today! Now let's go!” he demand while slipping out of the room.

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<h1>“No, this can't be!”</h1> 

I thought to myself, but deep down I knew it was true and the world that I knew was over. I was either going to be repurposed or become an enemy of the state and self preservation and my sense of duty took over. As I followed him out he began walking toward the stairs so I said “Help me get Ned!”

“There is no time, we are already 20 minuted behind schedule!” he replied. But I couldn't just leave Ned, Ned had saved my life on several occasions, so I said “Ned is special, he has the gift and I am not going to leave him here to die!” Then I raced down the hall and turn the corner toward Ned's room only to find four men exiting the elevator and walking toward me. 

Three of the men began running toward and the other spoke into his SCM before joining his friends in the hunt. I could see that Ned was pulling and pounding on his door in a desperate attempt to escape, but I knew he was lost. I quickly ran back around the corner to see the Janitor walking toward me. 

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<h1>“They're coming!”</h1>

I screamed, but then the Janitor tackled me and I came crashing to the linoleum. “I got him!” he screamed in a proud manner while a dozen men came running toward us from every direction. The janitor got off me and began bragging “I got him!” while walking away. Then a big guy yanked me back up while I pulled a pen from my pocket and stabbed a man through the left side of his cheek and into his tongue. 

I quickly pulled the pen out of the man's mouth and then stabbed another in the left eye. My arm began frantically swinging back and fourth, aimlessly hacking away at them over and over. Then a man from behind yanked my arm so hard I felt the bone snap and the pen fell to the ground. The man behind me threw me to the floor and they began kicking me, while others were doubled over screaming in agony. 

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<h1>But then the kicking abruptly stopped</h1>

and they began backing away from me, staring into the distance with frightened looks on their faces. When I rolled over to attempt to get up, I saw a screaming man with blood streaming out of his mouth and cheek racing toward me with a red axe held high over his head. As the man got closer the axe came swinging down and I felt a terrible popping sensation in my neck.

Then the hall began to spin in a counterclockwise motion, but as the spinning stopped I was horrified to see my body a few feet away with blood gushing out from where my head used to be. The terror was taking hold and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I tried to scream and to pick my self up to continue the fight but nothing happened and the hall faded into darkness.




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<b>Follow me for more Tales from The Dark Side of the Blockchain</b>
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<h1>Links</h1>

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<a href='https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@gonzo/hello-steemit-i-am-an-author-and-a-screen-writer'> Introduction </a>
<a href='https://steemit.com/blog/@gonzo/when-a-high-pressure-salesman-shakes-hands-with-a-lunatic-in-disguise'> The Death of a Salesman </a>
<a href='https://steemit.com/drugs/@gonzo/the-death-of-a-hitchhiker-part-one'> The Death of a Hitchhiker – Series </a>