Jack had bought his apartment in upper Bakara district at a time when he had more money than sense. Having just pulled off a job in the Desert, siphoning off Helium-3 from landed and unguarded inbound harvesters, he felt the need to celebrate by drunkenly purchasing an upmarket property in one of the most downmarket areas. Bakara was renowned for its violence and criminal gambling syndicates. The apartment itself was nice: a wide open plan space on different levels with a panoramic view of Babylon, the Skytower loomed out in the distance. The place came with art decor furniture; Jack was not a fan of but hadn’t had time to change it yet. 

Suddenly the man himself burst through the front door, grappling with the woman trying to suck his face right off his head. Embarrassing body sounds filled the room: moaning, kissing, shuffling shoes and clothing. Jack’s coat fell to the floor along with her dress. Clicking his fingers three times in manic succession, Jack managed to turn on some moody ambient sound and the faux fireplace over the cacophony of her animalistic growling. Lifting his companion up in a vice grip he crashed her down on a sofa with him on top. Pressure was beginning to grow in the back of Jack’s mind, behind the ears. Slowly, not quite being able to see what he was doing in the half-light, he moved his kissing down her body, exciting ejaculations of ecstasy from his companion. A loud grumbling sound was shaking the room now, a priceless painting fell from the wall and smashed. Jack’s head was vibrating now, a roar from some chained beast deep down in Babylon filled his ears.

And he was back in the Project tower, Jack’s bloodshot eyes darting open. He must have been running all that time because a completely new environment presented itself to him. A vast and deep circular chamber, empty in the middle with a walkway that wrapped its way around the outside like a python. Doors to a myriad of abodes opened onto the footpath which sloped downwards like the rifling on an enormous gun to an atrium at the bottom. Sticking out of the outside window was a set of landing gantries. Jack had no idea if that was his intended destination, but his drug addled brain didn’t care. It thought only of escape. 

The walkway itself was a vision of hell. Citizens of the Project Tower had begun to realize the true gravity of their plight; the entire building was coming down. There was anarchy on the walkway, full to brim with people and packs of belongings. They were all pushing and shoving their way down the ramp like creatures possessed. Guns were firing, coshes were flying and there was a sound like a swarm of harpys echoing around the chamber over the rumbling thunder of the Tower. Not hesitating, Jack barged straight into the crowd, using his tall frame and bulky arms to part the sea of people all heading the same way as him. There was a buzzing sound and people all around Jack were seized by bolts of white lightning, their arms tucked in tight to the side of their bodies and they fell straight to the floor. BESC stunners, Jack concluded, redoubling his efforts; he hadn’t lost them yet.