In the year 2027, the Humanoid Rights Act was passed, outlawing the use of Replicants for off-world slave labor. ORD,  The Office of Replication Diplomacy allows replicants with no criminal record to register & apply for citizenship on Earth. While many replicants chose to stay off-world and continue to work in the colonies -- thousands of others would ultimately return to Earth. The influx forced ORD to limit the number of replicants who could become citizens, leaving many stranded without work or shelter. A new mandate was enacted stating that all non-citizen replicants were to be deported and reevaluated at some unspecified time in the future. Replicants who evaded deportation were in violation of the law, considered erratic, and therefore dangerous. Special Blade Runner Units have been assembled to hunt down such "illegals" and retire them without prejudice. ... this was not called "execution" or "retirement" -- it was called "depopulation."

LOS ANGELES, DECEMBER 28, 2029

       

Violent protest outside the Tyrell-Unicon Corp. Rep-Lovers demanding the release of longevity codes so humanoids can have longer lifespans. Three years ago scientists at Unicon cracked the genetic coding error in replication that the Tyrell Corporation couldn't. This breakthrough made it possible to manipulate a replicants' longevity long after it's initial incept date. Soon after a clause was added to the Humanoid Rights Act that granted all replicants, who became citizens of Earth, five more years of life. When the deportation laws passed, the longevity program was ended, as was the replicants' rights to a longer lifespan. That's when all hell broke loose. Protests, riots, bloody mutinies... all in the name of biomechanics. Last week a replicant set itself on fire right outside the main offices of the Shimago Dominguez Corporation. Whenever the powers that be royally screw things up they turn to people like me to clean up their mess... quietly, and with much discretion. 

I am a Blade Runner... detective... and I live for one thing... the  thrill  of  the  hunt. Patiently I wait, unnoticed... tucked away in the shadows like an owl in the night, ready to swoop down on it's unsuspecting prey. I kept the Spinner powered down, save the Esper Unit inside, which provided enough light to for me to clean my PK-D. The latest blaster issued for the B.R.U., the M2028, still feels light in my hands. Wonder if it packs the punch of the older M2019. The Esper emits a series of distorted blips & beeps as it tries to sync up to Mother Esper back out the station house. I use a detective issue Ocular Enhancer to scan the protesters, hoping I recognize a face or distinguishing mark like a tattoo. 

The mix of freezing rain & snow was making it impossible for the ocular to get a clean digital wireframing of any of the protesters faces. I spot a tall, hulking figure with a hood & breather, towering over the others, holding a sign that read Love & Longevity Now! I notice a semi circle with 2 slashes passing through it branded on one his hands, a symbol used by one of the off-world slave labor camps. The ocular feeds all images back to the Esper which cross references it against all known off-world symbols. Within moments I had a match. Interesting. This symbol was commonly used by the Tethys Colonies, one of the first settlements to outlaw replicant slave labor. "Show me all outstanding warrants for replicants from the Tethys colony." The Esper rapidly flips through thousands of files. A few moments later 4 unsavory looking replicants are displayed onscreen. 

I begin to look over the mug shots. The first replicant was simply too heavyset. The second, too short. The third was a pleasure model. I focus in on the fourth replicant, a real brutish looking fellow with a long face, sunken cheeks, and a piercing gaze. "Enhance 004." The display flickers as the image enlarges, the digital head eerily turning 360˚ on it's axis, in a continuos loop. "Ok darling, give me the lowdown." In response, a digitized female voice emanates from the Esper unit . Samuel Warinski, Replicant, Elite Class, Off-World Hazard Specialist, Tythes Colony. 6' 7", 285 lbs. Incept Date Nov 2025, Status, illegal. "Looks like I got myself one." I use the ocular once more to get a fix on the giant-sized skinjob, but he's nowhere in site. I look through the various makeshift poster signs the protesters were brandishing, but there were none that said "Love & Longevity Now!" 

I sink back into my seat, soured by the missed opportunity, starring at the revolving replicant head onscreen. Warinski had indeed vanished. ... footsteps appraoching the driver's side door. My ears are sharp, even with all the background noise, I can still here them drawing near. I instinctively draw my freshly loaded weapon, position myself against the opposite door and take aim. i have Esper power up the outer flood lights. couldn't see much through the frosted over windows, but i could tell it wasn't the replicant. I move in closer, my PK-D pressed against door, 10mm Caseless Rounds ready to blow a melon-sized whole thru whatever was on the other side. I begin to lower the window revealing a scraggly little man in an oversized trench and rain cap... a big toothy grin on his face. I let out a frustrated sigh and holster my weapon. This is all I needed. I power the window down all the way.... "Hello Chen." Chen stood there, still defiantly smiling, as if it would shield him from the pain of being pelted in the face with shards of freezing rain.

CHEN: I find you!

BR: Yeah, I know. How can I help you Chen? Kinda busy here.

CHEN: Busy with Replicant or busy with Protest?

BR: Both.

CHEN: No "both." Boss man says no more! 

BR: Boss man is fool.

CHEN: No. You not come here! Illegal! No Protest!

BR: Okay, but the boss wouldn't have sent you down here just to babysit me.

CHEN: New Assignment.

BR: New case? Why the personal delivery?

CHEN: You not hear? Mother sick.

BR: Hacked?

CHEN: Very bad. Many files gone.

BR: Replicant files?

CHEN: Don't know.

(Chen hands me a yellow envelope he had kept tucked just beneath his trench coat. I toss it onto the passenger seat.)

BR: Anything else Chen?

CHEN: Don't you wonder how I always find you?

BR: As long as it's just you Chen, no not really.

Chen just smiles and walks away. I could hear his voice echoing in the alley," Police will handle. You have new job now."