|
Alrighty, time for me to be IN for my Thunderdome debut. I am definitely in the Loser camp.
|
#
¿
Sep 9, 2015 08:35
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 00:58 |
|
|
The Abduction Myth 1035 words. Originally Broken Women by Drunk Nerds --- “Izzy, it’s your round.” Of course, he always tries to find a way out of having to buy his round. He might be the best tech I know, but he is a cheap bastard when it comes to drinks. I wasn’t going to let him get out of it. Not if he worked for me. He sighed, and headed toward the crowded bar. I like to relax with a drink or two when a client actually comes through and pays for a job. Even better when it doesn’t take any “convincing” for them to send the credits. “Declan Macross?” came a woman’s voice. I turned toward the voice. There was a woman in her 50s, slim, nothing special, although she did have nice threads. Not today, not interested. “Wrong guy. Sorry.” I turned back to watching the wallcast. “He said you would say that,” she said, “That’s why he gave me a pic.” I sighed, and showed her my beer. “Look, can’t you see I am busy? And who have you been talking to?” “Juno. He said you still owed him. Anyway, my name’s Chloe, I need your help. Someone has abducted my daughter.” --- I am not the type to fall for a sob story, but it seemed like an easy job. And if it gets me out of owing that rear end in a top hat Juno anything else, it will be worth it. We pulled up on the opposite side of the road and I turned off the lights. “So, Izzy, what’s the deal?” I said. Izzy explained that the decrepit looking building across the street was not what it looked like. Which was good, because it looked like a rat-infested crap-hole. Some of the places down this side of town catered to the well-off to have a walk on the wild side. Girls, men, ladyboys, and anything else someone with imagination can make with some body-mods. “So you go in and ask for Cora. Once you are there with her, you convince her to come out and go home to her family.” "That’s your plan? That what I pay you for? What if she won't?" Izzy shrugged. "Plan B, I guess. You’ll figure it out." Izzy’s info is always spot on, but he sucks at planning things. He is more of a think-on-your-feet kind of guy. “OK, let’s do this.” --- I was sitting, waiting in the room when she came in. She was quite a looker for a hit girl. Her draped sheer clothing offered an enticing view of naked skin underneath. She tried to look sexy as she came over to where I was sitting and sat down on my knee. “I’m Cora, What’s your name, baby?” I didn’t answer, so she just continued her pitch. “What’ll it be? We have a nice range of toys. Hammers, bats, pliers. And for those that like old-timey things, an antique golf club, if that's your style, honey.” Hitgirls always creep me out. I know with quick-med, they can get right back to it, still, I am pretty sure I wouldn’t want to be beaten with a golf club by some under-endowed middle-manager with wife issues. Not all scars are physical. “I am here to bring you home to your mother,” I said. She leapt up as if stung. “I can’t go back.” “I don’t really care,” I said, “I have a job. I bring you home, I get paid. It is as simple as that.” She started to back toward the door. “Get out! Or I’ll call security.” The dart hit her in the neck. Her surprise, and the sharp intake of breath gave me time to cross the room and cover her mouth before she could call out. They work pretty fast. She slumped against me after a few seconds. “Izzy. Looks like it is Plan B,” I said aloud. --- I opened the back door and dumped the unconscious woman into the back seat. I climbed into the driver’s seat. “A police raid? Really?” I looked at Izzy and raised an eyebrow. “How did you manage that?” “No. To be precise it was the sound of a police raid. Did you actually see any cops?” I shook my head. “I saw a big rear end, modded prick with four arms. Lucky he didn’t see me though. Poor bastard. I hope he knows a friendly doctor.” Izzy changed the subject. “Shall we deliver the package?” He hates knowing the details of a job. Just like I don’t care who he has to blow to get his info. As long as he gets it. I started the engine and we headed back to the other side of town. --- She started to wake as I carried her up to Chloe’s apartment. Izzy had called ahead and she opened the door as we came to the door. I dumped her on the sofa. “There. One returned daughter.” “Is she ok?” “Just a little asleep, that’s all.” The girl groaned from the sofa as she gained consciousness. I zapped Chloe my invoice for payment. The notification came through seconds later, telling me that she had paid it. A quick, easy job, and Juno’s favor called in as well. A good day. “A pleasure doing business with you,” I said. “I'll show myself out”. --- The bar was rowdier than usual, there was a lot of shouting and jostling people making it hard for me to concentrate. As usual, drinking was far more important than whatever stupid game was on the wallcast. “She’s gone again.” I heard a familiar woman’s voice from behind me. I didn’t even turn, knowing who it would be. “She left a note saying that she has to go back, and to not follow her.” “Not interested.” I don’t know why she went back. Probably hooked on narnak, or something. Or maybe she just wanted a different life. She probably has a taste for it, and doesn’t want to give it up. Cora didn’t want to be saved. It might have been my job to bring her home, but I can’t make her want anything different. No matter how much anyone pays me. I looked down at my empty glass and back up at Izzy. “It’s your round.”
|
|
#
¿
Sep 14, 2015 00:14
|
|