Program File # 6: The 88s

Program Files # 6: The 88s

FrozenFyre reporting in

Though not quite as rapid as I would have hoped I am still quite pleased with the progress I have made with this article in getting it out not too long after the previous one. Considering the state of things at the moment, with the Machines pressing the attack constantly (as I write reports are coming in that Zion has fallen to the Machines) and jacking in subject to relentless Agent strikes it is a wonder I managed to complete this at all. I would like to praise myself for this, but actually the cause lies with how little there is to know about the gang.

Henceforth, quotations shall be italicised and supposition shall be in bold.

The gang

A long established gang, many of the Eighty-Eights have graduated from street crime to real crime, making them a considerably tougher bunch.

The gang is an interesting one as it is a pure criminal venture as opposed to other gangs who band together for protection and then go raiding and thieving to get what they need. This gang, while on a small scale, are a structured crime organization who also hold sway of the streets of Mannsdale, their adopted home. Their crimes are no doubt widespread and numerous, but evidence seems to suggest that their main focus is drug dealing, though whether this is run of the mill stuff dealt to bluepills or unique coded narcotics dealt to exiles like Raini is unclear, though in likelihood it is both. In appearance and power the 88s aren’t particularly striking, but their specific focus makes them interesting.

The Token

I do not comprehend why, but the 88s carry small toy rockets with them as gang emblems…or perhaps to smuggle their wares in.

The Turf

Mannsdale was an experiment in public housing, creating smaller buildings, mostly 2-3 story structures which would lower the density of the residents from that of high-rise apartment building like those found in the Moriah Projects. . There’s no commercial activity to speak of in Mannsdale though, so the neighbourhood has remained impoverished and has degenerated badly. In spite of this, there’s a relatively low level of gang activity.

There’s not a lot going on in Mannsdale, the neighbourhood consisting of nothing but houses. There are no shops, dens or secrets to be found in Mannsdale. The neighbourhood is made to accommodate those who want to live in a house and not a tower block and it does the job well, though not well enough to bring wealth to the area, despite the close proximity to Kedemoth and the Kalt Chemical plant there. The neighbourhood is nicely tucked away and is not in the firing line of any conflicts, both the neighbourhood and it’s resident gang have managed to steer clear of this. The crime element of the 88s has, ironically, benefited the neighbourhood in some ways. The focus on pursuing active crime has made the gang less focused on controlling the streets and hassling others. However their drug dealing activities can’t be a benefit to a poor neighbourhood.
Mansdale doesn’t have much to say for itself, but it is still a rather pleasant place to walk through, it seems every time I visit it is a nice sunny day, and the houses do have their own charm hard to find elsewhere in the Slums or the steel towers of Downtown.

Rank and File

The gang name themselves after traditional crime roles and slang, particularly those to do with narcotics.

Cornermen benefit from further mentoring in the craft of crime.

Dealers make up most of the rank and filecriminals in inner Mannsdale.

Eightballs are tough combatants and use some of that power to keep the other ranks toeing the line.

Leadership

Buck has even higher aspirations than crime. He has designs on several of the surrounding neighbourhoods and is just waiting for his chance to act on those designs.

I don’t know much of Buck or his designs, but I do know that he keeps control of a gang of professional criminals and for that he gets my respect. Evidently he has his ambitions, as do most leaders, but he seems to have restrained himself from a foolish takeover so far so he does seem to recognize his limits as well as his goals. His territory is bordered by the three most powerful gangs, the Blackwoods to the north, the Furies to the east and the Bullets to the south so he has his work cut out if he wants to expand. My guess is that his most likely target would be Zia, freeing it from the Furies, which would also gain him the support of the Bullets – but I can only speculate on this and no doubt he has means and methods beyond my knowledge. Whether his plans ever see fruition is something time will tell, but a criminal with ambition is always a dangerous thing.

Anti-M’s expensive, professional attire and precisely measured words reveal her commitment to raising herself to a level of business above the petty squabbles of her fellow Elements. Still, even in the quiet streets of Mannsdale, she cannot avoid the occasional family entanglement.

The gang operate on behalf of Anti-M, a powerful exile from the Elements group. The gang seems to function as a street level arm of her business. Anti-M herself is a dealer in $Information the adopted currency among redpills and self aware programs, and has done well for herself, wearing expensive Italian suits and rivalling the most powerful entities of the Elements, though she would like more. Though she does business Downtown she is often found on the streets of Mannsdale where she offers employment to those who are willing to aid her. She dislikes Argon’s self appointed leadership of the group and acts where possible to disrupt his activities. One action she took was to take up a secret affair with Argon’s girlfriend Beryl, initially to aggravate Argon, but now she genuinely values the relationship and will do anything to keep it secret – however Argon is already suspicious of something going on and if he acts on those suspicions Anti-M will find out whether she really is strong enough to rival him.

Allies, enemies and neighbours

Being a crime squad is always going to get you enemies, no doubt the 88s are under constant pressure from the authorities, both human and machine, but they seem to be coping pretty well so far. But engaging in crime is always going to mean hurting others, some run away in fear, but others are pushed into vengeance. One such man is Caspian who seeks to inflict pain on the 88s and rewards those who help him in this task. Initially he seems to just want to clean up the neighbourhood, but further enquiries revealed that the 88s gang killed his family and now he seeks vengeance.

The gang have avoided conflict with others in the vicinity, though they may well do so if Buck goes ahead with his plans to rule other neighbourhoods. They largely kept off the world stage until recently when their employer Anti-M lead them into an alliance with a very dangerous leader – the General. The General contacted Anti-M to cause disruption in Richland to distract both the Merovingian and the Machines so he could eventually capture Sati as part of his plans. He sent instructions and money to Anti-M from his base Stalingrad and she in turn hired Thallia who paid the Blackwoods to cause disruption in Richland. This was eventually uncovered, and Anti-M had to make reparations to the Merovingian, but she and the gang managed to come out relatively unscathed and then the focus turned to the main player – the General and no one followed up on her actions. These events did serve to show the gang’s loyalty to her as they often tried to prevent agents of the Merovingian and the Machines from interrogating her.

Conclusion

The 88s are what they are, criminals living on the streets of Mannsdale and doing pretty well for themselves. Their leadership aspires for more but also know their place and what they are able to achieve. They have been established for some time and look set to continue for a long time to come.

Program File # 5: The Blackwoods

FrozenFyre reporting in

Again, my ambition to pick up the pace on these articles has been delayed, mostly due to the outbreak of war between Zion and the Machines. This has severely coloured my opinion of the Machines who I had at least thought tolerable until now. I could understand their wanting to sanction us for building a secret base, but declaring war simply because we want to defend ourselves is beyond reason – something I thought a machine would be capable of. So Agent attacks and proximity alarms have hampered my reports somewhat. But before I go on I must end my tirade by admitting that several machine allied redpills have remained amicable and even helpful to me and my research I only hope this war works out for humans, whatever their allegiance. Well it appears I am safe for the moment, so to work!

Henceforth, quotations shall be italicised and supposition shall be in bold.

The gang

The Merovingian maintains a place deep in the recesses of the Matrix, known only to a few and accessible to fewer. It is a prison, housed in an impenetrable forest where night never ends, where the walls themselves listen and whisper your doom. It is called Blackwood. The Blackwood gang takes its name from this horrible place, as its founders claim to have escaped from Blackwood together.

This gang are the true power in Richland, controlling two of the largest districts and keeping another under control through their former partner gang the Bells. The claim of the founders to have escaped from Blackwood seems to have been verified, which puts the gang’s leaders on the same scale of power and ingenuity as Ookami and Malphas who also escaped to lead a rebellion, though that ultimately failed. The gang are very distinctive in their bronze jackets and general toughie look, filling the streets of Mara and Magog intimidating anyone who might have the idea of crossing them.

The Token

The Blackwoods wear Onyx Rings, perhaps as a symbol of decadence or maybe to add an edge to their right hooks.

The Turf

The Mara neighbourhood is located in the north area of the Slums, just south of the waterfront industrial area and west of Achan (an area well known as a cesspool of vice). Mara is not so licentious as Achan, but it compensates with a culture of violence. Of all the neighbourhood of the Slums Mara may be the one most saturated with exile gangs. Mara is also a gateway neighbourhood for several destinations. Bridges span from Mara to the City’s Downtown and across the waterway to Westview. In addition, Mara is one way to reach the Uriah Industrial Park, an area that has evolved into a dangerous “free fire zone” since the truce. Many groups use the warehouse area as a place to settle their disputes with violence, and to reach it they must travel through Mara, meeting other redpills and exile gangs, each ready to draw blood with little provocation.

Magog has a bit of spillover gang activity from the nearby Mara neighbourhood to the north but is overall a better area. Magog is home to the city’s largest concentration of writers and poets and is widely thought to be an eccentric area to which crackpots gravitate.

While to it’s inhabitants Mara may seem like a gang infested slum, largely due to the Blackwoods no doubt, to those in the know it contains many places of interest and to those willing to brave the streets it does offer a fair amount of places to go. The most civilized spot is the Mara Congregational Church where local residents can go without fear of gang abuse. The building is large and impressive, one of a few churches in the city. Right next door is the Hypercube monument, made of interlocking squares situated in the middle of a plaza which is almost constantly free of exiles. This may be partly due to the proximity of Mara Central, a hardline which has become a popular spot for redpills to meet, converse and duel on what is mostly considered neutral ground. Outside interference is always unwelcome so gangs avoid it, making the area safe for humans, which is ironic since most residents fear the redpill “culture.”

Another attraction for redpills is Debir Court, where Neo first did battle with the resurrected Smith. The story of the battle is legend among the awakened and many will travel there to party, duel, or try and catch sight of the Oracle who occasionally strolls by. A place that draws humans, awakened or not, is the Polyvinyl nightclub. A music focused club it features a bewilderingly lengthy set of stairs designed to keep people in and it’s emblem is a giant rotating LP behind the DJ stand, for music lovers willing to risk the streets this is the place to go. The last draw to Mara is the Eber Casino, which again draws redpills not only for the gambling, but to hunt the exiles dwelling below.

Magog is a different story, with fewer exiles and much less to draw the eye. largely composed of houses with the odd bar or shop dotted around. How it evolved into a writer’s corner I don’t know, but it certainly adds character to an otherwise dull part of town. The only other interesting marks are the Mjolnir Monument, rising like a fist into the sky – whether there’s any connection with the Hovercraft is unknown to me, it seems unlikely, but then Roger’s Way was named after an ancient Zion hero so it’s possible I guess. The only other thing I can think to note is that, despite their powerbase being in Mara, the gang’s leadership reside in Magog – perhaps after a more comfortable life behind the battle lines or maybe there’s more than I can see to Magog.

Rank and File

The ranks of this gang have been rather difficult to track down, though with bloodthirsty exiles it is quite often a tad tricky. The difficulty lies with the gang controlling two neighbourhoods and some members seem to belong in Mara, when they are mostly found in Magog and others hardly seem to pop up at all. I would put it down to a combination of restructuring the gang and out of date sources. I will list what I have, though I cannot guarantee an official ranking scale here. The names mostly seem to be based on prison slang or are associated with prison, I haven’t been able to source all the terms, but it would seem appropriate.

The aptly named Killers of the Blackwoods are just as dangerous, or more so, than most gang’s leaders.

Convicts make up most of the Blackwood’s inner Magog population. They keep the Juvies in line but are always ambitious for more power.

(As I haven’t found any information on “Juvies” I assume that my information is either incorrect or outdated)

Keeping a gang like the Blackwoods in line requires a strong, iron grip and the Aces provide just that. A Blackwood Ace is never to be approached without caution and only if no other course of action is feasible.

The Mushfakes are vicious and merciless

Goofs have “graduated” from the gang’s activities in Magog and have been brought to Mara to protect the gang’s interests. The Goofs chafe at moving to the bottom of the “totem pole” again, but also relish the increased power.

Bull Dogs have the strength and temerity to keep the Chalk and Oxen in line.

The Oxen are bullish with violence

Chalk have survived time in Magog, and have been brought over to protect more important interests in Mara.

Members known as “Elwop” have been sighted also; I have no information on them

Leadership

It is rumoured that Owl Bangheart and two others engineered the escape from Blackwood and founded the gang in Mara. If this is true, Owl Bangheart must be considered one of the most dangerous and resourceful gang leaders in the Matrix. The best course of action, when dealing with him, is to avoid contact at all costs. Direct confrontation is never advised.

Owl is a leader to be respected, for his escape from Blackwood if nothing else. His gang are a great power in Richland and Owl has kept it under his control for a long time. Only a very few dare challenge Owl and his gang, which largely gave them a feeling of superiority and confidence until the aftermath of the cheat code incident. The Blackwoods were involved in a conspiracy to distract and disrupt Merovingian operations. Often the gang were ordered to group together in large numbers and cause havoc, though they eventually were driven off each time. Eventually Owl himself was captured by the Merovingian, who was determined to stop this plot. The Merovingian eventually extracted, by threatening to return him to Blackwood, from Owl that he had been hired by Anti-M, a member of the elements, to cause disruption to Merovingian forces –Thallia had also been involved in coordinating their assaults. After this he was taken to the Chateaux for some time and when he returned he was a shell of himself. He has since returned to the streets of Magog, but whether the same Owl Bangheart is fully in control of his gang is uncertain.

Thallia watches you closely looking for a weakness she can exploit. Although confined to the relatively poor neighbourhood of Magog she somehow manages to dig out the dark secrets of her neighbours, and she always uses them to her greatest possible advantage.

The gang are often low on resources and work for a price, which is how they wound up in Anti-M’s employ (though she herself was ultimately working for the General) and in the employ of others. I would not class any of these as a leader besides Thallia, who dwells in in the Magog neighbourhood and often uses the gang for her own ends. The relationship is purely business, but she does seem able to call on Blackwoods as and when she needs them so I will put her down as a leader of the gang. Thallia dwells in a classy penthouse, often adorned in a silvery cat suit that both draws you to her and yet warns you away. Such is her personality, alluring yet dangerous. Her main occupation seems to be combating Mercury and finding ways to extort her fellow exiles, using her employees as muscle. Thallia had to make reparations for her part in Anti-M’s plot, which has made it harder for her to fund the gang, though she still seems to have a hold on them.

Allies, enemies and neighbours

I’ve renamed this section because the Blackwoods, and many other gangs share their neighbourhoods and borders with entities that are neither opponent nor ally. The people with the most pull on them have already been mentioned so I won’t delve into them more. The gang have a troubled connection with the Bells gang, but that has already been discussed (see Program file 3) so again I won’t delve further, but there are many other exiles that cross the Blackwoods in different ways. The gang is not involved in any inter gang wars, partly because they are so powerful controlling two neighbourhoods and influencing a third. With this amount of power few gangs would dare to threaten them and all the other significant gangs in the area have battles with each other leaving the Blackwoods relatively free to hold their turf.

However, forming a street gang may give you power but it does not win many popularity contests. Their presence on the streets makes them unwelcome and a select few will inevitably work up the courage to challenge them. The first is Kerton, a young man dwelling in Magog. He hates their presence and hires anyone to thin out their numbers in the hope that they will retreat into Mara leaving Magog free – perhaps he is one of the “crackpots” who wants the area safe for writer’s groups and the like. Someone who would disagree with his goal but like his sentiment is Loripor, a resident of Mara who wants the Blackwoods out of her town and preferably gone altogether. No doubt she likes Kerton killing Blackwoods, but isn’t to keen on him driving them to her neck of the woods. She incites her takers to violence urging them to let the streets run with Blackwood blood. Loripor takes on the guise of a builder and keeps to the alleyways where the gang do not stray. She also has dealings with other groups and offers to trade some very exclusive items to those who can get the right resources for her.

There are other entities in Mara that the Blackwoods seem to have a neutral or even positive relationship with. The first is Sister Margaret, who works with the bluepills in Mara Church – the gang have no presence in the area , again perhaps because it’s close to Mara Central or because she is in the employ of the Sculptress, a powerful exile, but nonetheless they seem generally not to hassle her in any way. Sister Margaret does assignments for the Sculptress and also works to protect the humans she comes into contact with from those foolish enough to meddle with them. The other power in the area is The Oracle along with her guardian Seraph and ward Sati who has an apartment in Mara and occasionally walks the streets. Again, they don’t hassle the Oracle, though few would be foolish enough to try and tackle Seraph, but more than that they are on friendly terms with her. When Sati was kidnapped the gang went on the rampage, at first it was feared they were after the Oracle but it turned out they wanted to find Sati and even offered their aid to Zion. I doubt the Oracle approves of all their methods, has weekly chats with Owl or sends Seraph to help them rough up other exiles but nonetheless it is an advantage to have her on your good side and their care for Sati is a redeeming factor in my eyes.

Conclusion

The Blackwoods are mostly what they appear to be to others, brutal thugs who work for the highest bidder. But nonetheless they have carved out a nice home for themselves in Richland and with the exception of the Anti-M job they generally seem to avoid costly conflicts. They are the biggest power on the streets of Richland, and for that, if nothing else, they deserve your respect.

This would have been impossible without the work of Nicksie, who has my deepest gratitude for her contributions.

Program File #4 - The Slashers

FrozenFyre reporting in

First of all let me apologise for my absence, the end of the Unlimit threat should have given me time to study more of the exile gangs around. However, I’ve had trouble locating reliable sources concerning my next gang of choice, the Slashers and this has held me back more than I would have liked. Also Sati’s abduction, the General’s rampage, Seraph’s return, Cryptos being overwritten and of course the Smith Virus were no help to my concentration at all!! But I have finally managed to get together enough information to give a viable account of the Slashers gang.

Henceforth, quotations shall be italicised and supposition shall be in bold.

The gang

This small but fierce gang is composed of disaffected girls who have a lot to be angry at the world for. The Slashers and the Bricks have a truce agreement.

The gang have outwardly many similarities to the Bells, they both wear black and they both look great in it. The Slashers however let their militaristic tendencies rule their fashion choices, wearing berets and heavy military boots with an assortment of black protective clothing.
The gang have adopted a family ethic, they are kindred spirits who have nowhere to go so have bonded together for survival. All the girls, and it is a girls-only club, view each other as sisters and place a high value on their new family. Girls, that is, female programmed exiles, that are lost and angry at the world come together for protection and have found something more. This gives the gang an admirable quality that is hard to see behind their aggression and disappointment with the world. Despite this inward focus and anger at outside elements the gang have forged a truce with the neighbouring Brick gang and have avoided costly conflicts with other gangs.

The Token

The Slashers carry small razorblades as pendants around their necks to fit in with their gang name and also showing that they are never defenceless.

The Turf

Located on the east side of the slums, Camon Heights may be the Neighbourhood that has persevered the best. Though there are taller and older Apartment Complexes near to the Zia Industrial area, as you move east the neighbourhood improves. Camon Heights includes nicer condos and apartments than the Moriah Projects to the north, and the housing density is lowered by the presence of grocery stores, churches and storefront businesses.

Camon Heights is perhaps the nicest neighbourhood I’ve visited so far, though it doesn’t have as much character as places like Moriah. The neighbourhood has managed to avoid being an overcrowded housing project and also keeping industrial development down to a minimum, making it a nice place to live, despite the ruthless gang patrolling the streets. It has tower blocks, but also rows of smaller, more eye-pleasing condos with space in between an even greenery. Space is a key factor in a pleasing environment and what makes Camon advantageous is that it has large amounts of housing space without cramming people in. Camon Heights Park also gives a pleasant place for residents to exercise and enjoy the fresh air.
The neighbourhood also attracts others to it; it boasts one of the few churches in the city and has its share of shops and bars and also the Cormorant Casino which features a bar with darts and TV, pool and table football, a video games room and of course card tables. It is a place where residents can congregate for fun and company, whether they enjoy gambling or not. The area below the casino is closed off because an exile gang dwells there. The only real eyesore in the area is a construction site, which happens to be a favourite spot of Jane the Ripper. All in all Camon had plenty to offer, both to residents and to the exiles that control it.

Rank and File

The gang name their groupings on different kinds of knives as befits their gang name. The different knives may reflect the different functions in the gang, functional knives, knives that subtly stab opponents in the back and large knives that cut through opposition.

The Ooloo are the most idealistic of the gang, loyal to a fault and ever bettering their combat abilities.

The Machetes make up the majority of the gang, acting as the dirty jobs cadre that goes out and takes care of business.

Shanks are the most dangerous of the girls, being more brutally vicious than the Machetes.

Leadership

Jane is the leader of the gang, which has been her family from a young age. She speaks of the Slashers as if they’re sisters in fact, and commands their complete loyalty in the neighbourhood.

Jane is a powerful and respected leader in the gang. She is perhaps one of the few gang leaders that genuinely have the welfare of the gang as the highest priority. While others do actively look out for their gang members, they are motivated by power or greed and want to keep the gang strong for war or expansion. Jane’s gang is her family, it’s all she’s known, so preservation and protection of her gang is her highest priority. Since Jane has been with the gang a long time she has obviously been able to prove to her fellow sisters that she is worthy to lead all of them, this naturally makes hear a competent leader, and a deadly fighter. She doesn’t seem to have a desire for greater power as long as her gang remain safe and secure so when she bought the key to the cheat code case from the Bells she knew she could turn it into profit so quickly lined up a buyer so she could benefit her gang rather than take the powers for herself and risk a greater conflict. All in all Jane seems to be loved, wise and yet above all a dangerous leader.

Allies and enemies

As gangs are defined by their enemies, so others are defined by their alliances. The Slashers are a fierce family who violently defend what is theirs, yet for some time they have had a truce agreement with the Bricks gang in nearby Midian Park. The nature of this truce is not wholly clear, whether it is a full alliance or merely a ceasefire. Whatever the case both parties have willingly avoided conflict and aggression to the benefit of both gangs. It is certainly beneficial to the Slashers who are bordered by the Bricks on their south side. With the Crossbones to the north and the Furies to the west both engaged in conflict with other gangs it means that there is no one pressing in on the territory of the Slashers. How this truce came to be is unknown, maybe they used to be at war and negotiated a lasting peace, or maybe they found a…social advantage to a truce between an all male and an all female gang, but I have nothing definite to offer other than the fact that in present times the truce seems to be holding and working well.

The Slashers are not entirely without enemies however. Their violent tendencies have made them an unwanted presence to some in the neighbourhood. A man known as JohnQ has taken it upon himself to rid the neighbourhood of the Slashers, or at least to thin their ranks. He lacks the resources to do it himself, so he hires others to do it for him rewarding them for their efforts. From what he has divulged his motivation seems to be simply to make Camon a safer place, for the streets to be safe for anyone to walk through them. What brought on this desire he has declined to say, but he sees a problem in Camon and believes that ridding the neighbourhood of the Slashers is the best solution.

There is another powerful entity that dwells in Camon - the exile Silver. Silver is a member of the Elements group that control most of what goes on in Richland. He is, with the possible exception of Argon, the most powerful and influential member of the group. His power base is Downtown, but he declines to stay there, having a loathing of humans and wanting to keep a respectful distance from the Machines no doubt. Despite his hate of humans his research company is run by a redpill, Danielle Wright, and even bears her name in its title - “Wright Research.” So Silver leaves her to deal with the humans while keeping a secluded hideaway in Camon where he can develop the inventions that give him power. His researches are often dangerous, especially to bluepills who he loathes. He has managed to hold his own in the larger political stage, he has worked for the Machines and successfully kept the key to the cheat codes from all three organizations without recrimination, though he did eventually lose it to Zion. His biggest rival is Mercury because they are both inventors, though many others try and disrupt his work, some out of envy, and others to protect those he would experiment on.

From his headquarters in Camon Heights, the Exile known as Silver hatches plots designed to increase his power and torment the human “meatbags” he so despises.

Silver’s connection to the gang is a curious one and difficult to pin down. Some sources would suggest he is their employer and others that he is their enemy. The most bewildering reports are of operatives meeting with Silver, being attacked by Slashers, and then finding that they were there not as defence, but for Silver to conduct research on as payment for whatever information he might be asked to divulge. This may make him an uncaring and scheming leader, of which there are plenty, but since I’ve seen no direct accounts of Silver using the Slashers as foot soldiers or anything else I can only assume that they act independently of each other with Silver occasionally hiring or coercing members of the Slashers into his service and using them in his experiments. The most definitive event I can come up with to define their relationship is again found in the cheat code incident. As Jane went to sell the key her group was attacked, with her barely escaping – the fact that the key soon wound up with Silver is very telling.

Some sources have disclosed that the Merovingian had an operative within the Slashers, though it can be assumed that he and others have spies within many of the gangs.

Conclusion

“Small but Fierce” is a very adequate description of this gang. These girls have found nowhere to go, banded together and found a family. They are aggressive and dangerous because they don’t see much that they can trust other than themselves, so they quickly lash out at anything that they perceive as an outside threat, which makes life difficult for those who dwell in Camon. Despite this attitude the gang have maintained a hold on Camon and have kept themselves together and kept themselves strong. This militant band of women should be both respected and feared.

Program File # 3 The Bells

Program Files # 3: The Bells

FrozenFyre reporting in

My study of the exile gangs continues with the Bells gang who inhabit Achan in Richland. The gang are both dull and interesting at the same time, displaying a number of qualities, some that attract and some that put off my interest. They want independence from their former co-gang the Blackwoods, yet continually lean on them for support, they display an exterior of combat toughness, decked in black combat gear, yet work for their bosses desire for more “bling”. This made me disinterested until I remembered that these aren’t humans, they are programs aware of the illusion of such things, why then do they desire treasure- it is most likely shallowness, but this shallowness is still interesting to observe.

Henceforth, quotations shall be italicised and supposition shall be in bold.

The gang

Originally formed as a companion gang to the Blackwoods. The full name of the gang was the Blackwood Belles, but the current membership has shortened it as their relationship with the Blackwoods is now tenuous at best.

This gang presents an uneasy mix of pragmatism and style, they’re all black clothing and uniform berets indicate combat readiness, and the gang are more than willing to fight. But a closer look reveals the stylishly cut jackets and trousers of an image conscious bunch of females. The gang only just about manage to mix looking good with looking deadly, and this mix of ideas seems to define the gang throughout. They don’t seem to have any goals beyond holding their turf, adding to their collection trinkets (such as their emblematic bronze bells), and possibly expanding and gaining independence from the Blackwoods at some point.
This connection to the Blackwoods seems to be the gang’s defining feature- though that’s probably not something they’d want. The gang’s holdings in Achan are relatively small, and having a connection to the gang that runs Mara, Magog and holds some territory in Lemone is not a bad thing for them.

The Token

The gang carry small bells made of bronze, partly as a bling item, but it also confirms that they are no longer Belles.

The Turf

Primarily composed of older buildings that have seen better days, Achan has degenerated into a den of vice, crammed with strip clubs, adult book stores, bars and seedy hotels. The few decent citizens left in the neighbourhood know better than to walk the streets at night, when the local Exiles roam in search of trouble. The predominant gang in the neighbourhood is the Bells, an all female gang that guards their territory jealously, and doesn’t hesitate to call on their allies in the more powerful Blackwood gang (in Mara and Magog) when they need a hand.

Achan is quite simply a dump. There is nothing there to draw the eye except the garish neon signs outside of the strip clubs. There is nothing in the neighbourhood to make it stand out and very little to keep anyone who has anywhere else to go; Achan is a place you pass through on your way to somewhere else. The only landmark in the neighbourhood is Achan Square, which is nothing more than a square of land amidst the dilapidated buildings. Behind the crumbling walls there are a few decent apartments etc. but there’s nothing you couldn’t find elsewhere in a nicer neighbourhood.
You can begin to see how the area has influenced the Bells though. Having only a small turf to control with little opposition is what makes them feel like queens in their land. Also, the occupation of many of the attractive women in their area could be the reason they chose combat black attire instead of a more typical “bling” dress code.

Rank and File

The gang name their groupings after famous female performers on screen and stage, perhaps aspiring to the same level of fame amongst the exile community, and clearly viewing themselves as much more than street thugs.

Janets are the most driven of the gang members to broaden the gap with the Blackwoods. They are ambitious and not afraid to show it.

The Madonnas can be haughty and cruel, and make up the majority of the gangsters in the inner neighbourhood.

The Marilyns are the paramount combatants and troubleshooters in the gang. If Belinda’s got trouble, the Marylins will shoot it.

Leadership

Belinda “Bling Bling” Bernelli rules the Bells. Her expensive tastes have earned her her nickname and often drive the gang’s activities.

Belinda is the biggest influence on the gang, and not necessarily the best one. It is her that seeks out trinkets, and the rest of the gang follow looking for minor decorations and ignoring the bigger picture. And it is her influence that keeps the gang kept in the squalor of Achan. Belinda views herself as a God in Achan and no one, not even the mighty Merovingian can shake this belief. So to move out into other territory and to face fierce opposition and maybe defeat would surely threaten that image and quite possibly threaten Belinda’s rule on the gang. I would almost class this as an intelligent move, controlling your turf and keeping the gang happy with trinkets, but for the fact that when she obtained the key to the cheat code vials she didn’t see a chance to gain power for the gang, butinstead saw a chance for a quick profit and sold it on to Jane the Ripper. She quickly passed up her only real chance at becoming a God, and of having a possible alliance with a major organization. As it turns out, the decision was a wise one as the vials ended up with the betrayer Anome- but I doubt she could have foreseen that. As long as “Bling Bling” rules the Bells, that will be their focus, defending their turf and gathering bling for themselves.

Allies and enemies

I’ve already spoken of the coneection between the Bells and their Blackwood counterparts, so I won’t dwell long on this. The alliance is tentative, and is likely to remain so for sometime. Neither side really knows what they want out of it, the Bells want independence, but they don’t want to become enemies with the Blackwoods as that could mean their destruction. The Blackwoods would prefer it if the Bells were back under their control, but don’t want to forcibly take the gang because of their past connections and because it would be an unnecessary use of resources. So the gangs coexist, the Bells use the Blackwoods as a backup whenever they are threatened, and the Blackwoods rely on the Bells to keep Achan under control so they can concentrate on other threats.

But not everyone is happy with this situation, the Janets are eager to separate from the Blackwoods, but they are the least experienced members of the gang, so they probably don’t fully grasp the situation. But there are members of the Blackwoods that want to change the alliance too. Horace wants to fully reunite the gangs, but feels the Bells are too strong for this to happen naturally. So using his program logic he figures that if the Bells were weaker they would be more inclined to join fully with the Blackwoods. He hires outsiders to take out members of the Bells to put this in motion. He feels that this union would be beneficial for the whole of Richland, presumable because this would pave the way for putting the district under Blackwood rule. He collects the Bronze Bells the girls carry as proof of his work being carried out. There is some speculation that Horace has a personal attachment to the gang, maybe an affection for it’s leader- but like most collectors, Horace is pretty tight lipped, only giving instructions for getting the job done.

The only other influential figure in Achan is Yttri, a member of “The elements” who has the occupation of a street musician in the district. She has taken up an interesting in music as it can affect moods, and eagerly studies the code of new compositions to gain new secrets.

An exotic woman with unique viewpoints, Yttri’s conversational habits of long pauses between insightful comments imply that she knows more than she’s telling. Yttri is well known of the streets oh her home neighbourhood Achan.

Yttri has neither affiliation with the gang, nor they with her. They likely see her as a lowly street musician, who also happens to be connected to a powerful group and therefore they have decided to have as little to do with her as possible. Yttri works on the streets and has a good knowledge of everything that goes on in Achan, which means she has some sources within the gang- but her knowledge of anything outside Achan is sketchy at best. Yttri has managed to nail herself one of the few classy penthouse suites in the neighbourhood.

Conclusion

The Bells are small. They are a small gang in a small district with small ambitions, and they are likely to remain small. In studying them I have been somewhat disappointed by this, though I know I should expect nothing else from a street gang. I suppose that is what has affected me really- I studied these women and found some diversity, some beauty and some good right hooks! But what I really found was a street gang when I was looking for exiles.

Is it over?

As we enter the winter holiday I'm glad of the peace we seem to have, but there's a strangeness to this peace- I'm not used to it. for some time now we've had the threat of Anome hanging over us all until it was ended by the Machines. It was amazing how quickly that man changed from being my boss to my enemy, and how quickly I accepted that change. It was partly because I never like the man to begin with, but also because betrayal is now a common part of my world and that scares me. Especially as Zion tests the waters of the truce and as word spreads of the army of Sentinels on standby, betrayal is a very scary thought indeed.

But Anome is dead, and the truce has held, and we can take the time to relax a little, for which I'm very grateful. it has given me time to carry on with my studies of the gang and uncover a little more of the exile world. Sometimes I wish Anome wasn't dead- he had lots of connections in the exile world- Yttri, Pepper, the Ethereals, Mr Black, The Landlord- and it would have been interesting to know how he obtained such connections. But then I remember what he did and the things he planned to do and then I don't regret his death.

But now is not the time to think of such things, now is the time to enjoy and...hey, is that snow?!!

Program File # 2 The Crossbones

FrozenFyre reporting in.

My second gang taken under observation are the Crossbones. I have had the privilege of meeting their leader while working for Zion and he seemed most amicable and has declared that he wants peace with Zion, making it easier for me to study them- but don’t be foolish, they are determined to hold on to their territory in Moriah and will act against any perceived threat to this.

As before, quotations are in italics and suppositions are in bold

The Gang

The Crossbones are the dominant gang in the Moriah Projects area and ruthlessly protect their turf. They are engaged in a war with the Demon Army at present.

On the surface, the gang look like any other, though their long white coats and facial tattoos are distinctive enough, but while they engage in the violence and paranoia of other street gangs they have a more interesting side to them as well. At first I took them to be just another random grouping of exiles, but further investigation revealed what should have been obvious from their name and the skull and crossbones medallions they wear- the gang have a pirate theme! Thankfully they have not submitted themselves to the indignity of dressing up as pirates, but they all have a common interest greater than punching in your face; an interest in the olden day pirates of human history.
They have taken to speaking in the manner of a stereotypical Pirate accent, and are known to have a secret language based on a Pirate code of the Tortuga region. It would be fascinating to see more of this in the gang- but unfortunately they are taken up with a greater hobby- their war with the Demon Army, which is a pity for me, but a gang’s gotta do what a gang’s gotta do.

The Token

In keeping with their piratical theme, the gang wear medallions with a skull and crossbones engraved on them.

The Turf

East of Achan and south of the nicer Tabor Park Area, the Moriah Projects are largely composed of tall, nearly identical apartment structures for the city’s urban poor. The place is run down and gives little hope for better days ahead, but the neighbourhood’s residents have a deserved reputation for being stubbornly optimistic. They selected “Hope conquers all” as the slogan for Moriah.

I have always had an affection for this neighbourhood as it was one of the first for me to visit, and such an attitude from the people brightens up the dreary outlook. Perhaps this optimism is what drives the gang to stay and defend this otherwise dreary neighbourhood- though on the other hand, it could well be supposed that the turf war with the Demons could be so they can move into the nicer Tabor Park. I still know little about the motivations of programs to accurately guess why they do what they do.
Aside from its chirpy bluepills and apartment buildings Moriah has a few points of interest to attract those with or without knowledge of the Matrix. The Azimuth Monument sits in the middle of the Moriah plaza, and Moriah courts are the perfect place for Molly B to do business. The district’s club- the Sanguine Room, while as run down as the rest of the district, is actually quite pleasant. By the title it is understood that the club is not meant to be the hotspot of the city, but rather a place to relax, have a drink and get up on floor if the mood takes you. The ample scattering of sofas enforces the chilled out atmosphere: almost ordering you to kick back and relax.
For those more in the know and loyal to Zion, a small bookshop is in fact an access point to the Archives, digital realms extra to the Matrix itself, which feature fascinating exiles of their own- but I will come to that another time. On the whole, the neighbourhood is unremarkable on the surface, and fascinating beneath it.

Rank and File

The Crossbones group themselves on substances of importance upon Pirate Ships, Bumboos, denote a popular drink, Tars were essential for keeping a ship seaworthy and Salts were necessary for preserving food on a long voyage. This is supposition of course, but to my understanding this is the only explanation for somewhat unusual groupings- but it’s better than the dull obvious groupings of gangs such as the Crushers or Sparks.

Bumboos are survivors of the outer and middle neighbourhood brought to the fore of the inner neighbourhood for defence.

The Tars are best at guerrilla fighting; street skirmishers who’ve become hardened combatants during the ongoing battles with the Demon Army.

Salts are the individual shock troops, any one of whom is more than a match for you and your group.

(Note that I’m quoting from an external source here, not expressing an opinion of you or your group’s combat skills- please do not feel the need to engage the Salts just to prove me wrong!)

Leadership

It isn’t known who started the war between the Crossbones and the Demon Army, but Hatchet is determined to finish it. He is a highly dangerous exile and should not be crossed lightly.

Hatchet is a very interesting individual, while adamant to finish the war with the Demon Army and defend his turf from all who might pose a threat to it, he is also reasonable and unwilling to pursue unnecessary conflicts, such as during the finding of the cheat codes when, after initial hostility, he declared he wanted peaceful relations with Zion since they had no real grounds for conflict. Hatchet has a visible cough, and it’d be interesting to see how afflictions affect programs or whether he has adopted it as a personality trait- but I doubt anyone feels like pressing the issue!

Allies and Enemies

The gang is locked in conflict with the Demon Army, no one seems to know the origin of this rivalry, and as often happens in drawn out conflicts, neither side seems to care. Due to both sides being focused on eliminating each other they don’t seem to have much in the way of enemies or allies outside of this conflict- no other gang seems interested in supporting one of the two. There is little else to say about this conflict other than that it has been going on as long as anyone can remember…and looks like it will continue for some time. The Machines were able to take advantage of this conflict when they moved against the Demon Army, who had allied with the General- they traded information with the gang in order to obtain the location of the Demon Army leader.

They have a smaller enemy in the form of Jack, who hires redpills to weaken the gang- but he is no agent of the Demon Army, Jack is simply looking out for his brother. His brother has taken an interest in joining the Crossbones gang- for whatever reason, his brother’s safety or just dislike of the gang, he wants this stopped- he wants the crossbones to be killed and thus appear weak to discourage his brother from joining. Exile motivation is always fascinating, I don’t know who his ‘brother’ is or how they are such but it is interesting to see programs form bonds similar to human ones. It is also interesting to see the way they think without the compassion or respect for life humans have- when a gang is just code, it’s easy to delete it to get what you want- some gangs even purge their own membership to get a better gang, something absurd in human standards, but logical to those who are still machines, free from the system or not.

Zeroone506 and PhrogXIX have written more detailed accounts of working for ‘collectors’ such as Jack

The gang suffer two important exiles to dwell on an do business in their territory. The first is the bag lady who keeps to the side alleyways- perhaps because of the gang, or more likely because of her rivalry with the powerful entity Tick Tock. The bag lady is interested in small, seemingly insignificant but yet powerful items within the Matrix and also serves the interests of the entity known as The Collector and is willing to employ redpills to help her.

The second exile is Molly B, a member of the “Elements” grouping. Gang violence is not her thing, so I doubt she has an affiliation with the Crossbones, but she is able to stand openly in a courtyard filled with the gang. Perhaps this is a sign of the gang’s willingness to accept other that aren’t a direct threat to them. Molly B serves her own interests, that of protecting bluepills from the fallout of her groups more radical actions, whilst still trying to keep the peace within the group- despite occasionally taking action against them, she still has the loyalty and affection of the group making it unwise for anyone to move against her.

Sugaree has written accounts of working with these exiles and has insights on both

Aside from the recent nonaggression agreement with Zion, the Crossbones have little else in the way of allies- but since they have only one major enemy this doesn’t seem to be a problem.

Conclusion

I have, perhaps, been a little too personal in discussing the gang and will endeavour to keep out of the habit, especially when discussing gangs I have a grievance with (though I may tell you the effects of my study on the reaction of ASP members to a bullet in the face someday) however, as one of the first gangs for me to come across, and subsequently part of the reason I’m doing this study. But nonetheless there is a lot more to these pirates than meets the eye- making them one of the more interesting gangs of Megacity.

Promotion and prospects

I pass on a brief note to inform you of my promotion within the command structure of Zion- as I am now captain of the hovercraft Thunderchild. I had attained the rank of Captain some time ago, but with so many operatives defecting from Zion to other organizations, and even becoming hostile to Zion- Comander Lock and the council weren't happy to let me take a ship on my own, but when I convinced my friend LuckyDraw of the reality of the Matrix and assised with his training they finally assented and I now patrol the tunnels and the desert of the real in my own ship, I didn't mind the Hoverbarges too much- but there's nothing quite like your own ship!

Program File # 1: The Choppers

FrozenFyre reporting in.

Since a lot of new Redpills are directed to the Uriah district, I decided to get as full an analysis of the Chopper gang as possible for the benefit of those unwary of street gangs. I will try to be as complete as possible.

Most of what I say is taken from observation and based on facts and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. When quoting from another source I will use italics and anything that is pure supposition on my part will be highlighted in bold.

The Gang

The Choppers take their name from their main trade: theft and disassembly of vehicles, though they’re up for violence at any time. Most are hardened criminals.

The Choppers are distinctive in their heavy looking black jackets and cargo pants. They stalk between the warehouses and storage units that comprise their home alternating between thieving and modifying motor vehicles and defending their territory against enemies. The gang are very much work based and concentrate on selling “used” Autos to gain financial wealth rather than on fighting battles or gaining influence. The gang are fairly settled in both their jobs and their turf, not seeming to feel a need to expand beyond either, but what is theirs they will defend vehemently.

The Token

The Choppers pride themselves in the vehicles they steal and modify, and therefore carry the keys as a badge of honour

The Turf

Located in the north end of Richland, Uriah is an area that has evolved into a dangerous “free fire zone” since the truce was signed. Many groups use the warehouse- filled zone as a place to settle their disputes with violence without fear of attracting too much attention. Bluepill workers are almost blasé about seeing police scenes there each morning, cleaning up after gang- related violence.

The Choppers seem to tolerate this violent activity well as long as it doesn’t affect their business. With all this going on there is little besides warehouses and construction equipment in the dockland, no one wants to live there- few want to work there. The only points of interest are Mars Industrial Storage, where an exile gang remains hidden away instead of patrolling the streets, little is known of them- I shall have to do more digging before I can tell you what lurks there. The other point of interest is Club Parallaxis- some entrepreneur converted an empty warehouse into a decent nightclub, the layout is simple, a wide open floor space with industrial fittings, but it serves good ale and with a lot of new awakened being pointed to Uriah it does quite good business.

Rank and File

The Choppers group themselves based on various aspects of the car thief/mechanic trade, the more accomplished in either or both field holding more power within the group. Runners, Jumpers and Skids are seen patrolling the streets, whereas Joy Riders, Grease Monkeys and Boosters aren’t often seen and are more likely to be doing the job.

Runners are usually taken along to help members of the gang steal the cars they disassemble. They are often found in the chop shops doing the most menial of tasks.

If you want a car stolen, you send a Jumper. The Jumpers can usually steal a car in under 30 seconds and are quite capable of dealing with anyone trying to stop them.

Skids oversee the Chop Shops in the outer neighbourhood and send Jumpers and Runners out on “chopping” sprees to bring back cars. They are highly skilled fighters as well as organisers.

Joy Riders scout out sources for cars, sometimes for days or weeks, checking on the “renewability” of their favourite resource.

While Grease Monkeys are able to boost cars faster than most, their forte is in rebuilding, modifying and restoring vehicles to a pristine state. They are just as capable of cleaning up problems faced by the gang.

Boosters manage the business throughout Uriah, and deal with problems swiftly and violently.

Leadership

Leading the Choppers is Jack the Hack, a violent criminal known throughout outer Uriah. Not particularly interested in increasing his territory, he is content with the wealth he gains from the black market sale of car parts.

Jack the Hack seems fairly settled as Chopper leader as he swaggers between storage crates, directing his men and grudgingly giving them their pay packets. With Jack, money (or $Information to be correct) is what matters most. He is not too concerned with Redpills picking off his gang members or that people like to trade for Chopper keys as this just means less pay packets to send out. He will do anything he can to keep business going as was seen when a ‘cheat code’ incident closed much of Uriah’s business district.

Though Jack is the gang’s leader, it is possible that Mercury has influence over the gang. Mercury is a member of the influential “Elements” group who have their powerbase in Richland. He runs his operations from a warehouse in the Uriah district, where he works on his inventions and acts on his rivalries and interests with the other Elements. Despite looking and acting somewhat simple, Mercury is very intelligent and a capable designer, possessing his own forces to protect his interests, so it would not seem that he had that much interest in car thieves. However the Choppers have been seen working for Mercury on a number of occasions. While powerful exiles will sometimes take control of a street gang, I’m not sure if this is the same relation going on here. I would suggest that Mercury has instead worked out an agreement with the gang that has placed them in his service, perhaps for financial rewards or use of his inventions, without taking overt leadership of the gang.

Mercury’s is involved in several power struggles and conflicting relationships. His greatest rival is Silver, an inventor who has had more outward success, controlling the Wright Research Corporation, closely followed by Thallia, who he hates passionately for an incident in the past. His is in a relationship with Pepper but is suspected to have feelings for Raini. For more information on Mercury I suggest looking at the operative Sugaree's accounts of working for him HERE

Allies and Enemies

The gang as a whole seem to want to avoid conflict, content to hold their ground, despite this they are not without enemies. An influx of redpills into the area have led to some profiting from using the Choppers as a training ground for these new operatives- but Jack the Hack and the gang don’t seem too concerned and are happy to take fights as they come.

Their greatest enemy is FastBack, an ex-member of the gang, possibly even an ex-leader. FastBack now lurks around the warehouses, seeking control of the gang he once belonged to. He hasn’t revealed whether he left the gang or was forced out, either way he isn’t happy about it. He wants to weaken the gang to be able to take it from Jack the Hack, and rewards those who will hunt present members of the gang, giving them this message.

“I used to run with the Choppers back before they turned into a group of thugs and murderers. I want control of the gang back. Take out these new bloods and bring me back their Chopper keys. A Chopper’s ride is still his pride.”

Conclusion

The Choppers are interesting folks, especially with their “business” operation running, they aren’t the toughest or most dangerous gang- but they should not be underestimated especially by those new to the nature of the Matrix.

FrozenFyre, Signing out

Welcome humans and interested programs

Welcome

My name is FrozenFyre and I am a redpill. I was awakened to the truth of the Matrix during the conflict that resulted in the death of Morpheus's life. Ever since I was awakened I have been fascinated by the digital world and especially the intelligent programs who dwell within it and when not helping out with the latest crisis I have taken it upon myself to study these programs and pass on my conclusions to those who may be interested. Studying these programs is a dangerous hobby but one I do find worthwhile and I hope you will too. Whilst working for the Merovingian would be the best way I imagine to study exiled programs i do feel a great loyalty to Zion and I won't betray this for my personal interests, but I hope that any followers of said program would be happy to help me on this neutral ground at least, likewise for those in the employ of the Machines.

I look forward to sharing and working with you

FrozenFyre