Neon Haze: Snakes and Roses

by Chris Sherrit

  As they return to the corridors of the building Jimmy looks at the walls curiously.

  “Where’s greeny?” he asks.

  “What? Oh, don’t start with that shit, Kersh. I’m really not in the mood” says Dixon.

  “No, I’m not joking, Dix. We should be getting shown out by that green blip, right? It isn’t here” He continues looking around. Dixon realises he is right, and seeks the green blip. After a couple of seconds, the entire corridor fills with red. The strips where lights direct people on the walls glimmer red shooting off down the corridors. A siren begins to ring out across the entire floor.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, please do not be alarmed. Remain in your homes while we lock the floor down. Security shall be here momentarily to resolve the situation.” A powerful voice booms over the floor.

  Jimmy looks to Dixon “Situation?”

  “They must have rigged the system to flag when we arrive. Quick” Dixon sprints off down the corridor, Jimmy in pursuit. The two peak round the corners as fast as they can, throwing themselves into the lift, the doors sliding closed behind them. Through the glass, Dixon can see someone trying to look out at the ruckus as his front door closes him back inside.

  Dixon catches his breath as he wipes the sweat off his forehead. He may be as strong as he once was, but his cardio had never been fantastic, it was even worse now. “We’ve got to get this tube working,” he says to Jimmy.

  “On it!” Jimmy whips his sleeve back and brings up the display on his arm. He brings up the LAF database and puts in what seem like codes, followed by three-dimensional shapes. Looking up at the simple interface on the door he presses some buttons. They ripple distortion across the display, warps into a dark red cross a couple of times, before the entire display ripples a friendly green.

  “Got it” Jimmy steps back with a proud grin on his face. “Tricked it into thinking we were residents who’ve been shot and need emergency evac.”

  “So you mean they’re going to try and take us to the hospital when we get out of this thing?” Dixon asks as the lift descends.

  “No dummy, the medical staff won’t make it here before we leave. Besides, there may be enforcers waiting for us when we get out instead!” Jimmy’s smile leaves his face as his tone gets serious.

  “Great. I still don’t have my mag rifle.” Dixon curses.

  “You’ve got the armour though, buddy. If Halo enforcers are down there they’ll all be using energy weapons. We should be alright.” Jimmy says reassuringly.

  The lift reaches the bottom and the doors slide open. Nobody is walking into or out of the other lifts, nor is anyone climbing the stairs. Dixon edges out of the lift followed by Jimmy. Cautiously stepping across the floor, they begin to quicken their pace. Passing by the reception desk they break into a run. Jonie lifts and slowly swivels her head as they soar by.

  “Good day gentlemen, have a pleasant day,” She says as they exit. Looking down at her display - she sees a layout of the building with one floor flashing red. Pressing it, the display shows the notification of a security lockdown with pictures of Jimmy and Dixon’s faces taken by the corridor cameras. She turns her head to look back out of the window. Luckily for them, they’d managed to jump into the car and escape her view.

  She turns back to the display, still bearing her eerie smile.

  Chapter 17

  “That was close,” Jimmy says, as a Halo squad unit hovers by at great speed, it’s blue lights glimmering off the clean surfaces of the buildings and street. Dixon looks back to make sure they don’t have a track on Jimmy’s car.

  “We have to find Sadie.” Dixon pleads to Jimmy.

  “Alright, look. Let’s head back to your place. We’ll gather everything together and try to figure out where she went, and what our next move is.” Jimmy, managing to focus his brain, as Dixon still sheds off his emotional memories. He’d always known Dixon was an emotional person deep down inside. The years they served together would have taught him otherwise if he’d only seen him in a professional environment. A hard-edged cop with a bite worse than his bark. Meeting his family had shown Jimmy that even the roughest edges could hold some of the sweetest things.

  Dixon rests in the chair, nodding a few times, mulling things over in his head. “Ok, yeah. Let’s be rational”, speaking to himself more than Jimmy. Dixon had always respected the restraint and control that Jimmy had in his work. While he may have regularly tried to get him to release his harder side, he knew that Jimmy held onto the concept of good police work. The only real moment Dixon could think of where Jimmy had stepped over the line of law and order, was letting him have his way with Chester. The laws of this world had changed, having a lot of shades of greys rather than blacks and whites. This grey line was what allowed Dixon to use his brash kind of police work, but he was fully aware that he wouldn’t have been as effective without Jimmy’s attention to detail.

  They arrive at Dixon’s flat, work their way up to his floor past the playing children and garbage and enter. Dixon picks up the pile of data cards from the hallway. The standard collection of flyer like advert cards. Plug them into your system and they’d bring up a flashy and catchy advert, normally filled with semi-naked women or obscenely attractive people. Dixon has relied on these for a while, thanks to their discount offers giving him his “first meal free”.

  Jimmy sits down at the table and brings up some of the files Sadie had sent to his arm display, checking them over for any further information. Dixon pours two drinks and hands one to Jimmy, he barely looks up to thank him, as he returns to the files. Dixon slowly swigs from the glass, enjoying the smoky burn in his throat as he sifts through the data cards.

  Tossing them aside one by one; Thai, Indian, Italian and English. Each one brightly coloured, with the restaurant logo on it. Strip joint, strip joint, strip joint, another restaurant, strip joint and a Halo discount card. Dixon pauses, staring at the card. He rolls it over in his hand and notices a handwritten note. “DIXON, I’M SAFE” is written in block capital letters across it. He gulps down the whiskey and looks up.

  “Jimmy” He walks around the table and sits down next to Jimmy, forcing the data card in front of his face. Jimmy’s eyes dart over the writing and then shoot to Dixon.

  “Plug it in!” Jimmy says hastily. Dixon slips the data card into a small box sitting on the coffee table. It fizzes a little and finally comes to life, after Dixon gives it a swift bash on the head, projecting a two-dimensional screen into the air, an image of a concerned Sadie looks back.

  “Dixon, Jimmy. I found what you were looking for…” the view from just on top of her desk frames her, she looks up anxiously. “I’m sending it over to Jimmy’s account. It’ll be more secure under the LAF database. I think they might have found out about me though.” She stops, looks up and smiles, then leans closer to the camera. “Staff on my floor have been walking cautiously past my desk for a few minutes. I think they’re about to grab me. I’m going to make a run for it. Head to my mothers. Dixon, you’ll remember where. Once this is all done, then you can come and meet me. I don’t want to be there when it all goes down.” She reaches for the camera and begins to walk off from her desk down the corridor towards the exit.

  “Don’t come looking for me before this is done. You’ll only put yourselves at risk. They don’t have any record of my mother’s location, I won’t use trackable transport. No doubt they’ll get someone tracking you through the LAF database so if you leave the city to come to me, they’ll follow you.” She enters the lift to head to the main building entrance. “Good luck guys, I hope to god that I see you both again.” She smiles a little. “Dixon, we may not be the same as we were, but know that I never stopped loving you”. Her smile slips a little as her eyes start to water. The window then cuts out and folds back into the black box. Both Jimmy and Dixon lean back in their chairs. Jimmy looks to Dixon.

  “Well, she’s ok. We know that now”

  Yet again emotions brim high as Dixon tries to contemplat
e this news. He’d always thought that Sadie had grown to despise him. Losing his daughters nearly killed him, and hearing her argue fiercely with him did nothing but pour salt on the wounds. After hearing her proclaim her true feelings, Dixon realised how wrong he’d been. He’d folded inwards into his own hate and depression. He too had never stopped loving her, he literally couldn’t even if he tried. He sighs in relief, “yeah, so what do we do now, detective?” his face clearly more at ease. Jimmy stands up, collecting himself.

  “We have the files, we’re done with Chester. Time to go to Leistung.” He says, turning to face Dixon.

  “Who are we going to speak to?” Dixon asks. “We don’t know anyone in their top levels. How do we get a sit down with them?”

  Jimmy contemplates things for a few seconds, his face contorting as the gears in his head grind on. Finally, he breathes in, nodding to himself.

  “Improvise!”

  Chapter 18

  The front of the Leistung corporate building is not guarded by fearsome looking professionals. Nor is it reaching for the sky in a vision of clean and perfect architecture. It stands, a tall building certainly, but looking similar to every other building around it. The only identifying feature is the large ‘L’ on its front. The inner corner at the bottom of the letter holding the rest of the company name.

  Leistung hadn’t poured resources into their assets outside of their territories. Setting up standard outposts throughout the globe simply to create an easier path of contact with their competitors. The bulk of their resources being recycled back into their South American empire. Only once they had bolstered their defences and technologies with their latest toys, would they begin rolling the previous generation of assets. The hand me down culture being laughed at on rival turf, Jimmy himself had been laughed at when he was a cop by Fenghuang goons, and even by a Leistung official carrying out a placement in his precinct.

  The illusion of these outer footholds being inferior was exactly what Leistung had wanted. Not only did their competition become arrogant, but they didn’t have any idea what the Leistung homeland was capable of. A case of keeping your enemies close but your guns closer.

  Jimmy and Dixon strolled through the door of the building. The layout much like one would expect of an old business. A small seating area for people to sit and wait for their appointments. Three one hundred inch television screens, top of the range devices from nearly one hundred years ago. A gruff looking old man sitting behind a large wooden desk. A receptionist clearly too old to care who you wanted to see, and more interested in getting back to the TV show he’d put on the nearest television.

  “Good day, old chap” Jimmy lays his hands on the reception countertop. The old man unblinking and unseeing, continues watching the TV. Jimmy tries again but still receives no reply.

  Dixon looks to the TV also, the show a modern-day equivalent of the old family issues reality crap people used to watch when off work with nothing to do. Three women with long black hair and an ageing family likeness between them, spit volumes of Italian curses at a man smugly sitting in a chair. A chyron at the bottom rolls a message; “You left me for a cyber doll and now you want our sons to call her mom?!”

  Dixon smiles, chuckling he turns to the desk. “Crazy bitches huh?” The old man grunts a single vowel reply. Dixon looks to Jimmy and continues. “This is the one where he isn’t the dad of two of the kids and the last girl used to be a man.” The old man’s eyes wrinkle open as Dixon continues, “Yeah, he stole the dude’s savings and got the bits switched”.

  “Hey! You just ruined that episode, you fuck!” his raspy voice bubbling with the spit of his frustration.

  Dixon leans on the desk with folded arms. “Funny thing is, she still has a cock bigger than the dudes”. Jimmy chuckles.

  “I believe my friend was trying to ask you a question.” Dixon nods in Jimmy’s direction as the old man sits. Holding back further insults in his crinkles.

  “We need to speak to one of the executives that are here, right now. I’m a LAF detective” He flashes his holo-badge. “It’s of the utmost importance”.

  “That’s all fine and dandy, sonny boy. But ain’t nobody gets up to the execs unless they arrange it.” His mouth almost hidden by the sagging skin around it, a tiny hole of black warping the words out. “Now I suggest you skedaddle, on your little feet out of here, and let me get back to my show”. He looks to Dixon, “which you ruined”.

  Jimmy slaps the countertop, making the old man jump in surprise. Dixon even jolts unexpectedly. “Listen here, old timer, this shit is bigger than you or me or even the executives. We have to speak to the top fucking dog, or so help me I will beat another lifetime of pain into you.” His jaw flexes as he stares the old man down.

  “Gentlemen” a voice cuts through the situation from the side. Jimmy frowns as he looks across the room. A smartly dressed woman in a three-piece suit and waistcoat stands before them.

  “It’s alright, Jeeves. I’ll talk to these guys.” She turns back to Jimmy and Dixon, extending a hand. “Miss Maria Sorensen. It sounds like you have something of the utmost importance. How can I help you?”

  Jimmy looks back at the old man as they walk over to greet the woman and shake her hand. The old man leans back in his chair, bouncing up quickly to shout “My name isn’t Jeeves. It’s Frank!”

  “Thank you, Jeeves” Maria shouts back, as she leads the two men through double doors. Dixon walks behind Jimmy and Maria, an ogre in height and size by comparison.

  “Thanks, Miss Sorensen. I’m Detective Kershon and this is my partner, Dixon Callaway.” She looks up to Dixon. He smiles and adds, “Former partners” She lowers her eyebrows a little in confusion.

  “We need to speak to one of your executives as soon as possible. We’ve got some information I think they’re going to want to know about.” Jimmy says.

  “Oh, right this way, gentlemen.” She leads them down the corridor and up two flights of stairs. Jimmy slows his pace a little and falls back in line with Dixon. Nudging him with his elbow and flashing his eyes at the woman’s rear. Dixon sighs and looks back in disdain at his friend. Leaning into Jimmy’s ear he whispers, “You gotta get a girl or get laid or something. Now focus!”

  Jimmy nods and restores his professional manners. Miss Maria Sorensen looks to be in her mid-forties, not much shorter than Jimmy, her long blonde hair tied up with two chopsticks holding it in place. Two strands of her shining hair hang down, framing her face. Young and welcoming eyes pierce blue, her cheekbones and jawline giving her an attractive and strong appearance.

  Opening a door to a small but respectable looking office she lets the two men enter. “Please take a seat,” she says.

  “Oh, are you going to get someone, it’s really urgent we speak to someone now,” Jimmy says, his voice beginning to show a little firmness. Maria smiles and circles the desk, sitting down behind it, quickly checking her screen.

  “Right gentlemen, as I said I am Maria Sorensen and I am part of the Central America Leistung Legal team. You said you wanted an executive, well in this building I am about as close as you are going to get to that.” Her eyes stabbing at Jimmy as his resolve dwindles away.

  “Please, what is so urgent?” She looks to Dixon.

  Jimmy leans forward again, “Uh, I’m sorry. I thought you were uh…“

  “A receptionist? Please, let’s not dabble on your misguided prejudices after you bring something urgent to me.” She says, as Jimmy half smiles realising the humour of his own mistake. Apologising, he provides her with the information stored in his arm and explains the significance and consequences they feel may be on the horizon.

  Dixon remains silent throughout the whole discussion. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to add much to it, his mind wanders, hoping that Sadie made it to her mother’s without a problem. Not knowing the lengths to which he would go to get revenge on anyone who hurt her. He had lost her once already, and now with the faint chance that he had of sharing love with her again, the
re was no chance even the largest army was going to get in his way.

  “This is bizarre,” Maria says as she gets the full picture painted to her by Jimmy, filling in the end of his sentences occasionally as her quick wit figures out pieces. Jimmy can’t help but feel his heart flutter a little as he watches the lips of this beautiful woman talk in such an enchanting manner. Her words are more specific and professional than the terminology Jimmy can achieve. He watches, mesmerized as she rises from her desk.

  “Gentlemen, thank you for this information. I have to get this to my superiors post haste. I’ll be contacting all branches of Leistung legal, as well as Mr Engel.” She pulls a notepad device from the screen and taps it a few times.

  “Engel? Gabriel Engel?” Jimmy asks. Maria nods, smiling as she walks to the door. “Uh, Miss Sorensen, please take my contact details. We’d be very interested in providing any assistance to yourself and Mr Engel if need be.” He swipes his arm and the pad in Maria’s hand notifies her of his details.

  “He will no doubt want to meet with you, good day gentlemen, and thank you”. She nods to Dixon with a polite smile, and reaches out to shake Jimmy’s hand. As she does so, she locks eyes with him and for a split second, it almost seems like she blushes.

  Chapter 19

  As they leave the building, Jimmy finally giving up trying to see where Maria had walked off to, they jump into the car and head off back towards Dixon’s place.

  “How does it feel?” Jimmy asks.

  “How does what feel?” Dixon asks.

  “Almost like we were back doing our old work together, huh?” Jimmy smiles, not speeding around traffic, his mood far more relaxed and at ease with himself.

  “I’m not gonna lie, Kersh. It was feeling like that a bit” Dixon’s eyes stay focussed straightforward. Jimmy hesitates.