Eagle City, what a spectacle.
The pinnacle of human decadence and grandeur, and as dangerous as it is beautiful. You could find anything and everything in this city if you know where to look.... hell, sometimes when you're not looking for anything at all. Granted, rainy nights like this don't bring out the city's more subtle beauty.
Walking out the coffee shop and into these cold, crowded streets is never a highlight of mine, but its apart of the job.
I look back into the shop and give my waitress one last wave goodbye, she smiles back at me before taking another patrons order. I always over tip my waitress for all the right reasons, and its not just for her good looks and the large double shot latte I'll tell you that. “Misha”, what she goes by at least , and she gives me exactly what I need, information, on anything and anyone for the right price. I started a case on a "lost puppy" my client wants me to call it. By lost puppy I really mean a lost five hundred thousand credits to an investment firm that disappeared quietly into the night, a politicians money he was trying to triple through offworld bank accounts with guys in suits who work on the opposite sides of the judicial system. It's always funny to me, crooks getting crooked, no honor among thieves I suppose.
People come to a guy like me when they want to find things very under the radar, off the books. Whether to avoid bad publicity, scandal, and all things they would rather stay out the public eye, and willing to pay to keep it that way. Its not the most glorious of jobs, but what can I say, it's steady work, and I'm good at finding just about anything that doesn't want to be found.
I want to take a quick scan of the file she slipped me, but its never going work in rain like this, so I slip it in the inside of my right jacket pocket, safe keeping. I feel like an idiot for leaving my halo at home, now that I'm getting soaked, I remember hearing the forecast as i walked out the door, “showers at 9:52pm”, I laugh and continued, “and not a second later”. I reach into my left pocket and find my link set and put it in my ear. "Link, please remind me to get my umbrella next time I walk out the door in weather this shitty", a requisite beep in my ear lets me know that my command was understood, back in my pocket it goes.
This rain always smells too sterile for me, not like the real stuff out on the core. Then again, outside this perfect little bubble were in, the only natural rainfall we get is a little more toxic in nature. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.
As my overcoat continues to get drenched, I find myself regretting not picking up a lift ticket at the subway station next to the coffee shop. Just a trip down the subway, like I usually use to get around, and i'd be home in seconds, luxury at its most convenient. I need more exercise though, the good old fashioned way, on my own two feet, just like the doctor ordered. Patting on this little gut I'm growing reassures me i'm making the right choice in walking. On the high wet road I go then.
It’s not just the rain making me feel all cynical tonight. I'd probably feel a hell of a lot better if it weren't for the scaly, beady eyed, slouched over, 6’4” 250 pounds of pure ugly following me for all of 9 blocks.
Askar’s there called, giant lizards if you ask me, not exactly hard to spot in a crowd even as big as this one. Given by what he’s wearing, doesn't seem like hes from the wash begging for credits to feed his kin.
Government suit, well dressed, UEA heavy i presume. I think its time to pick up my pace. Funny, another one of those doctors orders.
Tumbling through the thickening crowd, I'm trying my best not to make it obvious that I'm onto the alien tailing me. Hell, I acted like i didn't notice him when he was watching me outside the coffee shop. Not the most tactful brute for sure, which means he was either stupid enough to get spotted, or smart enough to send me a very clear message. Either way, I'm not sticking around to find out what he has to tell me.
As my steps quicken and the crowd seemingly moves erratic, I don't look behind me, but I take a deep breath and close my eyes for a second to make out the heaved, hurried footsteps of his massive feet through the sound of rain and inaudible muttering in the crowd. Getting closer to me by the second, the splashing rain under his boots getting louder with every step, my heart starts to beat a little faster. “Calm down Eric, you're ready for this type of dance”, I whisper to myself as my left hand slowly reaches in my soaked over coat, gripping the cool steel handle of my sidearm, my trusty old revolver, I got to be ready for anything. Its been awhile, i wonder if we still got the moves, this rust has to come off fast.
As I hear him getting closer my options weigh down on me.
First thing that comes to mind, can't shoot it out in a crowd like this, too reckless, too loud, and don't know if hes got any friends waiting to light me up like a Christmas Tree. Besides, I'm sure the UEA wouldn't want to deal with that kind of shit storm of even more bad publicity like that, not in times as shaky as these. Then again, i haven't particularly made a lot of friends in my service years. I'm not going to make it to the office before this guy gets to me, no way to outrun him either.
No more time for thinking, I can hear him breathing on top of me. I pull my gun out, i know he seen me cause I heard him ready his. It feels heavier than I remember.
In a snarling voice that can be described as nothing more than menacing, “Mr. Emmer---”, the butt of my gun crashes into his chin before he can even finish saying my name. Old guns sure have a weight to them. He reels back and stumbles, hes not down, but the blood coming from his mouth and a few knocked out fangs make me realize he felt it, and really pissed him off. Bad move, If he had any kind words for me, I'm sure that just about changed. I know he has my scent, so hiding is useless. Time to make a run for it, my office is only a few blocks away, but it would be stupid for me to go in the front door, possibly an ambush.
There’s a subway terminal not too far from here... scenic route.
I run down the nearby alley to make it to the subway station. Its congested enough to slow him down, unless...
“Out of the way!”
He starts tossing people around like stuffed animals.
Persistent bastard i'll give em that. I can see the back entrance to my building now, can't slow down. "Keep going Eric" I say to myself through the heavy breathing. I pull my gun out and wipe the sweat and rain from my face. If this is an ambush I want to make sure I got a party favor of my own. Damn, hes getting closer, faster than I thought. As I get closer to the lift, the doors aren't opening up nearly as fast as i'd like them to.
My eyes scanning for any signs of unwelcome guest, Don't notice any, hope that's a good sign. My face almost slams into the steel door until I stop myself and turn around to see where big and ugly might be, until...
"Stop right there Emmerson!"
I get a gun pressed firmly into my cheek.
“Sorry about your jaw.... and teeth, I'm sure you have excellent coverage though”, he didn't seem amused. “You have no idea what I could do to you”, hearing his gun ready. He looks at me angry and puzzled at the same time to why I'm smiling. Then he looks down to see my revolver pointed straight up to his jaw. I smirk, “and I'm sure you know what old colt could do to you, stand down”. I think without words, we came to an agreement, his gun slowly goes back into its holster. “Hold on a sec, i'll take that”, He flinches before I press my gun closer to his bloodied chin. I reach over and grab his piece, custom Repeater, nice add to my collection. “That's a good boy, now back off and lets get back to our regularly scheduled program. Whoever you're working for go tell him I'm not interested”. I back into the lift and thumb my office number in without taking an eye off the scaly bastard. The lift door starts to close and before it does, I see something I really don't like from the Askar,
a smile.
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