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

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<h1>I want to thank you for your service,</h1>

kept repeating in my head like an ominous warning. I remember thinking “Why do they keep saying that to me? What does that even mean? It wasn't like I fought in a war and it's not like they will never see me again, I  have to comeback up right?” Everything about this place seemed weird so I checked my hands, but everything still seemed fine. 

Maybe I am still on edge from this morning, I thought to myself. I was already having lousy day, I woke up in a panic and checked my hands only to discover that I was about to die, I immediately jumped out of bed grabbed my clothes and my gun and rushed out of the hotel room in my underwear.

As I ran passed the pool I noticed that my hands were fine. I turned back and stared at the tiny room almost expecting it to explode, then I scanned the sky for meteors, but there was nothing. Was it just a dream, I wondered, but I refused to go back inside. 

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<h1>I put my clothes on outside</h1>

and left early for my final Debriefing at Blockchain 96, with the hopes of meeting up with my partner Tom before his appointment. But I arrived five minutes after he was scheduled, so I went inside to find him and these weirdos that were so grateful for my service stuck me in this cold little room. I began to wonder where they would have put me if they weren't so grateful and how many assholes ended up stuck in a broom closet.

Then to my delight I saw my buddy Tom through the little window, and I hoped that he didn't mention the time that he was tricked into eating a baby's leg again, only to find himself having to wait in some smelly bathroom. But then I was filled with dread to see that he had no aura and I realized that they were marching him off to his death. 

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<h1>I began to scream to warn him,</h1>

but he passed by with a puzzled look on his face. I quickly looked at my hands and saw that they were fine and then I jumped out of my chair and headed for the door. The handle easily turned, but the door wouldn't budge. Then I remembered that in the morning's chaos I broke protocol and brought a firearm into the building. 

I immediately grabbed the gun and pointed it at the door handle, but the fiery red aura that surrounded my right hand, began to fade away. As I lowered the gun my aura returned, so I pointed the gun at the corner of the room. My aura faded again, so I slowly walked to my right all the way around the room, while raising and lowering my weapon that was pointed at the wall. 

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<h1>I was hoping that my aura would return,</h1> 

to confirm a clean shot that would rescue both of us, but it never did and I ended up right back where I started. I holstered my gun and began pulling on the handle. Then I saw Tom who looked like a dead man through the window. In a panic he turned back to try to outrun fate, while I was banging and yanking at the door trying to break it free. 

Over and over I pulled at the door until it finally swung open revealing a janitor and I went flying backwards into the floor. As I went to get up the janitor was shaking his hand in pain from the door handle, that was ripped from his grip and then there was a loud bang that echoed into the room. Out of nowhere I began to feel terrified and completely helpless, but the feelings quickly faded and I knew that Tom was dead.

The Janitor put his index finger to his lips as if to say be quiet and then motioned for me to follow. I looked at my hands for reassurance while I chased after him into the elevator. After the elevator doors shut the janitor became distraught  “It's all fucked up! The plan's completely fucked! We were suppose to take...” I pulled my pistol and shoved up against his head and coldly said “Why?” 

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<h1>“I had to do it, or we'd both be dead!”</h1>

I jammed the barrel deeper into his scull and said “No! Why did you let him come back for me? I was fine!” Then he stopped to look directly into my eyes and without any emotion said “If you're gonna do it... do it!” Furious I pulled the gun away, high into the air to begin pistol whipping him, but the elevator stopped and I quickly turned to see what was on the other side of the doors.

As the doors opened I could tell that the man in the smart suit was shocked to see me again. With my gun drawn I quickly ran over to the man and said “My service isn't done yet!” While shooting him through the back of the head as he cowered in fear. The receptionist began typing into her SCM while ducking behind her desk, I immediately ran up to the desk and pointed my gun at her. 

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<h1>“Please No!”</h1>

She said with tears in her eyes as she looked up at me. But in that moment I realized that she was a siren, hired to lure my partner to his death. So I gave her my prettiest smile as I said “Yes” while shooting her in the face. Then I heard sirens and modcars began pulling up to the west side of the building. The janitor began running toward the mods so I quickly grabbed him and yelled “What's the plan?” 

While pointing past the modcars he said in agony “That was our ride!” I swung him around and began shaking him while screaming “Where was it suppose to take you?” While shaking uncontrollably he managed to say “To Tom's wife at 11th and Satoshi Blvd!” While pulling the janitor I ran toward the north exit with my gun leading the charge.

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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>