This is a noir which takes place in the retro futuristic city of Libertopolis. In this world, there are robots and grit and mysteries to be solved by our main character, the private eye Rex Malone. The full story is available to our paid subscribers. If you want to become a subscriber, you can sign up right now for a 14-day free trial.
Without further ado, here is Chapter 11: Rising Robots and Departing Shrugs
They came out of nowhere. Or rather, they came from that impossible city in the sky. Phased right through the window like it was smoke. Atlanteans. Real-life Atlanteans. Looked just like something out of an old religious text. And they looked right at the robots, their own creations, like we weren't even in the room. 'Minor resistance', the Mayor-bot had called us. Seemed about right. We were nothing more than scenery in their cosmic reunion tour.
They were tall and slender. Their attire robes of shifting, iridescent material that seemed to flow like liquid light, and woven with patterns that seemed geometrically impossible. Their features were serene, beautiful in an unsettlingly perfect way. Their skin was smooth and flawless, their eyes large and holding an ancient wisdom. They were not earthly people; they were beings of a different order entirely.
He felt his stomach get queasy, a feeling as if he had drank too much. It was easy to be cynical in this city, to feel like nothing mattered. But seeing these beings of celestial stature made him feel smaller than anything had before.
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