Red Eye

Author note: I must admit, it has been some time since I've written anything, so please be kind. Incidentally I do not own Mirror's Edge or any of its characters. I love the game, and I own a copy, but the license remains firmly not mine.

Faith Connors turned the seemingly innocuous contact lenses container around in her hand, examining it from all sides. It was more of a force of habit than anything else, because it sure wasn't telling her anything Merc wasn't.

"So, we're not high-tech enough?" Faith finally asked, eyes leaving the plastic container to focus on the older man seated in front of his menagerie of computers.

Merc shrugged one shoulder, unconcerned. "Every little bit helps Faith. Any edge on the Blues is worth looking into."

"I can see well enough already."

"That is only partly the point," Merc replied. "It gives us another way of seeing how to get around. Runners are good, but nobody is perfect and jumping around on roofs does have its hazards. This will give us a little extra boost."

Faith's expression soured. "If this is about my fall-"

"Faith, you're not the only Runner that's ever taken a spill. This is as much for everybody else out there as it is for you. It's not a crutch, just another piece of hardware to help."

There was a moment of quiet that Mr. Mercury, Merc to his runners, found to be not entirely comfortable.

"Alright," She acquiesced, "So exactly what does it do?"

"It's a bit of adapted tech that the Blues use, these 'threat and surroundings assessment scanners'; gotta love the names the Blues come up with. The regular ones would highlight targets and obstacles in bright colors so they could quickly understand any situation," Merc explained. "I've tweaked it so it does the same for us, except now Blues are the unfriendlys and possible routes for Runners are highlighted."

"So, a Runner GPS then?"

Merc grinned. "I guess you could call it that."

"You said it was Blue tech," Faith echoed, turning her attention back to the small plastic case in her hand. "Is it traceable?"

"I've been doing tests on that. I've added a few things to ours so that in a pinch they can be used to locate Runners from their home bases. Like say, your ear piece breaks, the contacts are the backup. You can't be too careful in this city."

"Runners," Faith said with some wry amusement, "and careful don't really go together. But, that's not what I meant. If you can trace it, can the Blues?"

"Kiddo, it is me we're talking about."

"The question stands."

Merc sighed. If there was one thing that was certain about Merc's protégé, it was that Faith was a master of dry sarcasm. "Unless the Blues get a hell of a lot smarter: then no. I've randomized the signal it transmits, and the transmission itself has a lag time of about four seconds. Even if somebody picks up the signal, and that's a big if, you'll be a ways away from where they'll think you are. They'd have to really know what to look for."

"So it would be a royal pain in the ass for them, but it's possible." Faith summarized.

"Honestly it's probably safer than using the ear piece as far as tracing goes. But yes, there is always the possibility."

Faith made a thoughtful noise. "I guess I can work with that."

She hopped off the empty table she'd commandeered as a chair and popped open the case. Faith reminded her hands to be gentle as she picked up the contacts and moved to put them in. God, she just knew these things were going to irritate her eyes. Merc turned back to his command center and began running the startup program.

Faith blinked twice once they were in, making sure the contacts weren't going anywhere. "Alright, so what's next?"

"I press the 'on' button."

Faith was about to retort when suddenly the world flashed white. The effect lasted just long enough for Faith to offer a very unkind word about it before it just as abruptly subsided. Faith found herself blinking rapidly to restore her vision, though this didn't stop her from throwing a reproachful look at her elder.

"A little warning next time Merc?"

"Sorry, must have slipped my mind." There was a smile in his tone

"Uh-huh."

The sound of typing filled silence which otherwise permeated the emptied water tower which Merc had made his home.

"Alright, the signal is coming in real nice. Now I just need to input a route and we'll be in business."

"You have to input the routes?" She asked. That put a little more reliance on tracking systems, a medium the Blues were very good at utilizing, than Faith liked.

"Only the starting location and destination, the rest is handled by the onboard GPS and topography programs," Merc replied as he typed. "I'll kick this off with something easy so if things go belly up it'll be no big loss. Go take a run to the old training grounds."

Faith nodded, moved to the top hatch that functioned as the door to Merc's place, and quickly, silently slipped out. She took a few minutes to stretch her legs and arms then turned in the direction of the old Runner training ground. Merc had been bragging about his new 'find', and that the new course made the old one look like a playground. Faith would believe that when she saw it. Casting a quick glance around the area for the best starting point, she discovered a very new attribute floating around in the world.

A bright column of red light was jutting up from the first roof which she normally jumped too in the run to the old training grounds. In fact, a pair of guard rails, which she had often used as a springboard, had also been inexplicably painted in red light. She blinked at them, momentarily surprised, and then shook her head ruefully. Merc may have been many things, but when he bragged, he tended to have good reason for it. Maybe the new training ground would also pleasantly surprise her.

"Alright Faith, what's the word?" Merc's voice came over her ear piece.

"Well, its working, looks like my old route is 'highlighted'," Faith replied and glanced around. "It's even showing a few things I hadn't thought to use before."

The sound of Merc chuckling reached her ears. "Well, if you're complimenting it, I think I can count it as a success."

Faith made a noncommittal sound in response and got to the business of running.

"So, why red?"

Merc's voice paused. "Kiddo, have you seen this city lately?"

She landed on a new roof and took a moment to survey the city; ivory towers, many with polished glass skins. A pastel blue sky and fire escapes painted to match; large billboards dotting the rooftops, all broadcasting their wears in garish oranges and yellows, but no ambient red save for the new additions her contacts were creating. Her eyes refocused on the next bit of crimson, glaringly obvious in the overly pallid city, a large crate which would provide an excellent launch pad to the vents on the structure directly before her.

Faith smirked. "Alright, you have a point."

The next few moments for Faith Connors were spent in relative silence as she vaulted over railings, ran on walls and jumped over man-made gorges that could almost instantly induce vertigo. Her only companions were the sounds of the city, her rapid breathing and the faint sound of Merc's typing emanating from her ear piece. With no real external interruption, she allowed herself to bask in the moment. The sense of freedom, of danger, was invigorating; almost intoxicating. Faith wasn't delusional, she knew the hazards, but she had yet to find anything as life affirming as the feel of the wind and speed that came with being a Runner. It was the last true edge in this city of mirrors, and she loved every minute she spent on it.

"By the way Merc, how are we going to test the 'painting the Blues' as hostile part?" She asked, now a little curious about her new accessories.

"I've set it up so that only the Blues are highlighted by their communication signals, so unless you want to jump in the middle of some, I don't have any ideas. In the long run, let's just hope it's not necessary."

"Oh yeah, that's comforting."

"Actually that reminds me. Celeste is at the new training grounds. Why not head over there? I'll put the new destination in now," Mercury said. "I know you hate training, but we've been a few hands short lately and I need you back on your feet ASAP."

Faith sighed. "I don't suppose I can talk my way out of this?"

"No dice kiddo."

"Fine, I'm heading there now."

End.