[Interstate Gold Line. Zone 2. Bakewell Station]
"The NU736 Trawler will be docking at approximately noon today- the report says that…."
The static sound of the radio looped across the steel panels of the abandoned underground platform.
The over-grown plants in the damp tunnel fouled what was left of a once busy metropolitan tube with rotten smells as the few surviving flickering decade-old sunlamps briefly illuminated whatever surroundings they could manage.
Sounds of light clicking heels could be heard echoing around the space before a 'clang' sounded, and the area was silenced.
The cold wind blew across the empty tracks as litter scattered across the platform, clearly not having been maintained for several months.
A woman dressed in a black-semi see-through tight dress stood beside the electricity panel with a small black handbag in hand along with a spherical drone, its holographic face illuminating the sudden darkness.
The lamps that had once kept the tunnel illuminated had also been switched off along with the radio.
Red scanned the newly pitch-black environment, her drone illuminating the surrounding area, "baby, scan the area."
2B, which floated beside her, pulled a holographic face, "can you stop calling me baby? It makes me sick," it continued with some gagging sounds before it flew up higher and spurted out a multitude of neon green lines beginning the environmental scan.
"At this point, I don't know why the company still has you in the books," it continued to mutter in annoyance.
Red pulled up several holographic interfaces, skimming the information that 2B was streaming over, "now, now darling, don't worry, I'll throw you into the pretty garbage dump outside the city before I clear my desk."
She sighed while looking at the 3D model of the area that was beginning to take shape on one of the windows, caressing one of her cheeks with a black-gloved laced hand, "after all, I wouldn't want you to be reassigned to someone more unqualified," she continued to say.
"Unlike you, I'm useful; the organisation will assign me to a new savvier agent. Why was I assigned to someone like you?" The robotic female voice had a slight tone of aggravation before 2B finally finished its scan and flew back to float beside Red, "by the way," it continued, "you have an incoming call from Caller ID: bald patch do you want to answer?"
Red glanced at the incoming call icon, tapping a finger against her red lipstick-stained lips before unhesitatingly pressing the decline button, "it's a shame that some people don't seem to understand the no phone during work hour policy."
She rotated the 3D model on the interface before disappointingly commenting, "baby you need an upgrade; what kind of material depth did you get? The resolution looks worse than the antique videographs you find at the Interstellar Holosite museum. If you need funding just tell me alright? I don't mind donating~"
"You're seriously going to get fired one day," 2B muttered as it stuffed the call log hopefully far enough away at the back of its system so no one would find it, "and what do you mean bad resolution?! My scanning module was upgraded just this week to the newest one before I was assigned to you; I was assured! You're just too picky. Also, 'bald patch' is calling again."
Without waiting for Red to decline the call again, 2B took it upon itself to answer the call for her.
Red gave the 'way too independent' supposedly 'helpful' AI assistant a smiling glance, causing 2B who was as dead as can be to shiver, before answering.
"Yes?~"
"Why did you hang up the first time?" A puffed-up, gritty-sounding male voice condescendingly asked before Red could say anything more.
"Ah, hello Mr Employer. You see I happen to be working," she scrolled through the data on the holoface before walking forward towards the other side of the tunnel where the wall was.
"Working? Since it's your work hours, should you NOT pick up the call from your employer?"
Red crouched down in front of the wall, her hand tracing over the red symbol that has graffiti sprayed plentifully onto its surface.
The symbol was a familiar one.
"Hmm...I don't remember reading on the contract about needing to pick up calls made by the employer while on the job though." Red pulled up her camera, taking several pictures of the graffiti before standing up and finding any other abnormalities in the scan data.
"Miss. Red, I suggest you stop acting too big for your boots before it gets you in trouble; I can drop you anytime I please and file an official complaint to your organisation. So do reconsider your tone when talking to me." The man on the other side was breathing a little too heavily into the mic, clearly getting agitated from being talked back to.
"Feel free, but I am contractually obliged to remind you the cancellation fees must be paid one week in advance to you terminating the contract, else you will still be charged the full contracted amount.~"
Red studied the 3D model again after she affirmed that there was nothing else she could find from the area; she closed all the holographic interfaces before giving 2B a gesture.
Like clockwork, 2B was an advanced AI after all; it rescanned the area several times from different angles, ensuring it didn't miss a speck of dust.
"Yo…yo-you know what, Miss. Red! I will terminate this contract instantly; Enjoy your money while you can! I will be speaking with my lawyer and will be writing up a scathing review for your service, don't come begging to me…."
The result of the 3D scans soon popped up on Red's holoface; checking over the information again, she noticed an anomaly. Confirming the direction, she promptly made her way over to the source.
"I'll also be contacting Brick myself to tell him about your total disregard for customer service!" The man on the other side stressed the last two words through gritted teeth, finally finishing his rant while panting, out of breath.
He had been immensely angered or very unfit, having seen the state of this employer Red could 100% confirm it's the latter.
Rae glanced at the item she had found lying in a hidden cubbyhole beside the track; picking up the small tube of red liquid, she casually answered, "so you'll be terminating the contract?"
"I've just sent the confirmation over, rig…."
Blip.
Red ended the call.
Fiddling with the tube in her hand, she narrowed her eyes before putting the item carefully into her handbag.
"See, I told you you'd be fired one day!" 2B couldn't help commenting while spinning around Red's head, "the guild master won't be happy about this!"
Red chuckled amused before climbing back up to the platform, "clearly, you don't know our beloved guild master well enough then," she began to take the route back towards the exit of the station.
"What do you mean? That man is going to file a complaint, along with a bad review for our company; the guild master will be furious at you!"
Red slowly made her way through the area where the terminal gate should've been before giving 2B a look of doubt, amused, "do you think Brick likes money… or reviews. I bet the old fox has never read a single review in his life. Plus that employer was such a greasy and disgusting one, the bugger would be happy I got rid of him so quickly~"
"Reviews! Reviews make a company! Also, have respect when talking about the guild master!" If 2B had arms, it would be waving it around right now while slowly getting agitated by her; that was the second phone call today, and she had managed to get fired; at this rate, would she even get her weekly wage, let alone monthly?
The reputation of the company will plummet!
Red, ignoring the angry buzzing, turned away and walked up towards the exit; the orange sunlight of the afternoon blazed through the shattered skyline of the station, "so cute.~"
Brick was an evil capitalist, a filthy extortionist at their finest. How could he like cr*ppy reviews over the ample compensation he has already received?
This new AI needed to update its information regarding the guild master; maybe it's a victim of a fresh format. She'll request to modify its system later. Who knows if she doesn't fix it soon, it might even claim to be reincarnated pig by tomorrow?