The Industrialist

'That's 50,000 to 150,000 per month gross income,' Lance thought as he ambled to the exit of the market.

The lucrative business tapped his interest. Electrical Tiers had one slot of a business opportunity and another slot for a TOR position. He was an employee now under CBD as the weapon's inventor, what he needed was a functional legitimate business that would help him prosper. Such a portion of his proceeds would be allocated to the rebels, eventually.

Upon his exit, he came across an empty market stall slot. 'Perfect.' He was not sure if such a business in mind would flourish among the competitors that heaved inside the market. What he needed to do was to sell unique items. If black market merch were untouched in this area, then, there was a soaring demand for these items.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

***

Chester Leric's Office

"I went over your designs of the Beast Bane Railgun. I am not actually fond of the name. However, it is your design and you have the right to name it as you pleased. Moreover, this will benefit the department. So, proceed with production and your needed budget is in this Cashcard, two hundred thousand units." Leric said.

'That easy?' Lance thought.

"Where are we in your PB 10 production?" Leric asked.

"We are now at 5,000 units, Mister Leric," Lance responded.

"Hmm. You work fast for only a week here in CBD. Now, the question is are we ready for Demetrian season?"

"What do you mean, Mister Leric?"

"We will not just cower here within the walls during that time. We will still hunt the Outsiders and they are most vulnerable in that season. So, we will grasp the opportunity and ready the weapons to battle against the Abominants. If this railgun will succeed, we can now battle larger Abominants. I am also thinking if you can have another weapon design, handier for our troops, the better."

Lance knew about the Outsider raids. Lance had been contributing to the cause of the enemy. But it was a necessary evil. He needed this to dig deep into the organization, or the circle.

"I have a lot of ideas in my mind, Mister Leric. I just need time to think. And for the Railgun, we can start producing next week as long as I already procure the materials."

"Make it and present it if you want. It's your design and your invention in our name and resources. So, this is a team effort for both of us. Pull this off, and I will promote you next month as our Weapons Division Supervisor."

'Next month? This is aggressive.' Lance liked the momentum.

"And of course, Flanegan's back from the hospital. He is not making any lawsuits against you. I talked to him and he understood. I transferred him to the clothing division of CBD. I know you are amenable to this move, I can give you a TOR replacement."

***

He walked out of the office earlier that day with Leric's permission. He just said that he wanted more time to design another weapon, he needed undistracted time to think clearly.

As he started to draft the design, he felt the pull of sleep even though the sunless sky told him that it was just early in the afternoon.

He succumbed to his drowsiness and slammed his body against the cushion bed. He realized that for the past few days, he had not gained sleep for over six hours. And his body had told him to recuperate such lack.

He dreamt of vivid images of war. Of CBD operatives raiding Outsiders from their homes, invading defenseless beaten, and wood-made compounds that were situated in the mountains or someplace else. The night was pitch black but the flames of the burned houses had provided ocher hues, sharply illuminating the evening.

Cries and screams filled the flames eating wood and clothes. Children were being dragged from their homes, and fathers were beaten by the sticks of the black-clad operatives in gas masks.

Others suffocated from the deathly atmosphere as their gas masks were removed from them. Others retaliated with their current firepower, meekly overpowering the weaponry that Lance had built for the raiders. The Beast Bane Railgun. It was designed for Abominants, but its blast beams of bluish poison and energy-filled force decimated wooden houses in an instant.

They were no match. They were helpless. They were prey.

He dreamt that he made many new weapons for the CBD, and such weapons had conquered the Outsiders, causing genocide.

Then he woke up, sweat had drenched his clothes and the mantle of his bed. His breathing became effortful, and the night had filled the room. He slept for hours as he watched his clock.

Then the door rang. Probably, it had been ringing for long and it woke up Lance.

He answered the door and found Damian again. It was their scheduled meeting.

"Damian, I have an idea. This is how we can finance the faction."

"Oh, getting straight to the point. I like it."

"We need to form a team. We will build a legitimate business in Omnexus Market. I have the privilege of an Electrical Tier 1."

"What? A promotion again?"

"I got promoted and I got perks. We need to exploit these perks, Damian. And I know how."

"Ok, point in the right direction."

"Gather Joe and George. I want Joe to train somebody to continue the farm. George will be our merchant, and Joe will be our scrapper. And you my friend is our Outsider Procurement."

"Ok. When?"

"Two days from now. I saw an empty stall in Omnexus. We can sell off unique components in there. The Trenchers have a lot of them."

"I think, it is good. But we will expose capture for Joe and George."

"No. We will register the two with their citizenship again. Tell the council that we are going to build a metal forger in the prison. We will fabricate on our own. This is for our weapons. We will manufacture for ourselves. The SHF is aggressive now in its raids. Leric told me that even in Demetrian Season, they will not cease. They will continue their raids at their most vulnerable."

"What?"

"Yes, you heard me right. They are continuing with the raids. And I am designing weapons for them. We should be ready, Damian. We should make our own."

"If it's true. Then we will accommodate Outsiders inside the prison as much as we can. The council won't like this. We are in need of food supplies, especially in Demetrain."

"Let me handle the food supply. If our business is doing great, we can horde food weeks before the season."

"What weapons do you think that can help us?"

"Armor, physical accelerants. Force shields. swarm guns. I don't know. There are lot of potential."

He had to make weapons and armaments that could defend the blast of his railgun. He assumed that the SHF would be utilizing his weapons during the raids.

"Can you even know how to make them?" Damian was just surprised, Lance thought.

"Yes. I will enroll in courses, Damian. I need also to increase my Intelligence grade through these courses."

"Who are you?" Damian asked with his inspecting eyes.

"I know right? Aggressive and momentum. I don't know. I feel like the deaths of the Outsiders are in my hands."

"No! You are not. You are our spy. You do what you needed to do just to avoid disclosure."

Damian indulged himself with Lance's food from the refrigerator. Lance had lots of food more than enough for one individual.

"Let's start with scrapping in Trenchers. Look for cigars. And of course, here is the list of my needed components for the Railgun."

Lance sent a holographic list to Damian's through their Holosyncs. Lance just got the name in CBD about their Holographic implants on their wrists. The commoners called them Holoshackles. They believed that their Holographic implants would imprison them in the future if martial law were executed.

"Got it," Damian said.