The Ragdoll Sequence Box set

by J P Carver

  It rang six times before a dark skinned man with several piercings on his face and a chest covered in black ink tattoos answered. He glowered at me for a second and then broke into a toothy grin, his gold teeth shimmering. “Not often a cutie calls. What you want, darling? I bet we could make some deals that would rock this bed if not the world.”

  “Aren’t you the charmer? Kay there?”

  “She’s out, long night.” He turned the phone to show a naked Kay laying face down in the covers, her ass red and lit by the sun coming from the windows. “But I can get you what you need, darling, trust in old Busta.”

  “Busta? Who the hell calls you Busta, Lawrence?” He had changed a lot from the dweeby little street urchin that used to bum drugs off me and Kay, but the way he bobbed his head when he talked gave him away. “Don’t tell me Kay has stooped to banging a waste of space like you. Every other male in the city die when I wasn’t looking?”

  “Shit… Ragdoll? What the hell you calling here for? Heard you went all goody-good for some little feral bitch. What you want with us?”

  “You call my friend a feral bitch again and I’m ripping your nuts off and giving them back as a suppository.”

  “Supasa-what?”

  I sighed. “Just shut your stupid mouth and wake Kay up before you piss me off enough to crack into the droopers database and change your record.”

  “Damn girl, you’ve got mean.” A loud slap echoed, and I heard Kay give a squeak of surprise. “Get up, you got a call.”

  The bed rattled as Kay sat up and then took the holo-palm. A head of shockingly blue hair appeared. Her makeup was smudged and her skin blotchy. She wiped at her eyes and stared unseeing for a few seconds as she came around. She blinked twice and then grinned. “Ragan? Where you been? It’s been years.”

  “Hi, Kay, I’d say you’re looking well but you must have hit your head.” She stared, eyes squinted. “What are you doing with that idiot?”

  She turned to look at Lawrence and shrugged. “He’s got a nice piece and can use it. The college girls like him, too.”

  “There’s an image I could have done without.”

  “What you calling me for? You disappear and then call me out of the blue? Must need something, you back to mainlining? I got some new shit you’d be interested in, much better than that Pazz junk you were all into.”

  I shook my head and stood. There was a landscape of white outside the window and I went to it and sighed. Going anywhere would be a pain. “I’ve had my fill, believe me. You know anything about Honeykite?”

  She grimaced. “I don’t touch that shit no more, not after I lost a few customers to it. If I can’t resell, then there’s no point.”

  “Very corporate of you.”

  “Aw, don’t give me that shit.” She stood and camera fell some to show her naked chest. She had her nipples pierced, which didn't surprise me. I cleared my throat, and she turned to holo-palm back to her face. “What? I just got these studs, they’re cute, right?”

  “Sure are,” I said sarcastically. “So you don’t sell it anymore? Anyone else around you that does?”

  “Hm, some, I guess. Most of the dealers here gave up on it a few weeks back. Like I said, return business is important. Why are you asking all these questions suddenly?”

  I moved from the window and paced the space between the island and fridge. “Who brought it to you?”

  “You working for the cops now or something? Cause that’s some cop talk.”

  Taken aback I shook my head hard. “No, just… someone tried to kill me with an overdose of Honeykite.”

  “What?” she asked, her bloodshot eyes wide. “That’s so messed up. How d'you make it through an overdose? I’ve seen people pop just from a normal pick me up.”

  “Lots of luck and close friends,” I said, and she frowned before nodding. “Who brought you the drug the first time, Kay?”

  “I can’t give you my source, Ragan, that’s too far.”

  “Thought you were worried about repeat business? Isn’t Honeykite picking up steam out there? Soon most addicts are gonna be in a gutter.”

  She cursed and scratched at the side of her head. Flakes of dandruff showed in the sunlight's haze. “Look, I can’t say this shit over the link, could get me killed saying it at all. Let’s meet. Girl chat and catch up, huh?”

  “Mind if I bring a friend?”

  “Don’t trust me?”

  “Don’t trust your area. You’ve never steered me wrong, Kay. I remember the arguments we had over selling me the hard stuff and I appreciate that.” I gave her a warm smile, but she looked wary. “Swear, not working for the troopers or any other division.”

  “Okay, okay. You’ve become a wimp, you know that right? Where you want to meet? Old place?”

  “It’s still open?”

  She nodded as she took a sip from a glass full of what I hoped was tea and not dirty water. “Yeah, lost its liquor license a year ago, but they got the best noodles in the area.”

  “That isn’t saying much.”

  “Oh, look at miss fancy. You never bitched before,” she said, eyes narrowed in a glare.

  I shrugged. “About an hour?”

  “Okie-dokie.”

  “Can you not bring Lawrence? Guy creeps me out still.”

  “You wouldn’t say that if you spent time in bed with him. Promise you’d enjoy it,” she said and winked.

  “Doubt it, but thanks for the offer. I’ll see you at the restaurant,” I said and hung up on her. I paused for a moment, nails tapping against the island.

  If Kay gave me her supplier, then that might lead me back to who tried to kill me, but that wasn’t what nagged at me. The fact she wanted to meet at the restaurant, the same place that cracker had broken into Chris’s account from, made me uneasy.

  I didn’t think she was smart enough with technology to do it. In fact, in my time of knowing her, she had expressed nothing but distaste for it, having one conspiracy theory after another as to why anything more than an omni was bad. But, then again, she was with Lawrence so a lot had changed since I had last seen her.

  I left the kitchen to find Marcus looking very uncomfortable while Merigold and Nina chatted on the couch next to him. He looked up like I was some sort of savior and I gave him a questioning look as he rushed over.

  “They’ve been grilling me,” he said with a quick glance to the women, as if he worried they could hear him. They were too busy arguing about something to notice he left.

  “About?”

  “Everything, Nina keeps prodding enough to get Merigold’s back up. She knows something is going on, Doll. She knows.”

  “You’re paranoid. Just ignore them. If Crow breaks her promise, then I’ll handle her.” I patted his cheek. “Perk up and stop acting weird before she puts it all together.”

  “Easy for you say,” he said and looked me over. “You okay?”

  “We gotta go meet my old dealer, you up for a walk in the snow?”

  “Thought you’d never ask,” he said as I moved past him. The two women looked up at me and I froze.

  “Well?” they both said together.

  “I talked to Kay, she’s willing to give up her supplier but I have to meet her in person.”

  “Think that’s wise? You’re still not a hundred percent,” Merigold said.

  I nodded. “Which is why I’m taking Marcus with me. We’ll be fine.”

  “Why not Crow?”

  “She’s got plans,” I said and nodded to Marcus. “You got a coat I can borrow?”

  “Yeah, just hope it doesn’t snow again while we’re out there,” he said and led the way to the closet by the front door.

  Seven

  Old Friends

  It started to snow by the time the auto-cab pulled to a stop a few buildings from the restaurant. The sky was grey and made the entire world feel dreary, which was fair considering the slum we stepped out to.

  “You had to say it,” I said and held up my gloved hand to
catch a few large snowflakes.

  “Yes, Doll, I control the weather now. Fear me for I am a super villain in the making.”

  “You spend too much time around Crow,” I said as I swiped my credit stick across the scanner to pay the fare. I shivered as we walked. “You sure you’re cool coming with me?”

  “No complaints here. This the place?” he asked as he pushed back the hat he wore over his unruly hair. He stared up at a sign written in Japanese characters. “Charming little hole in the wall.”

  “When you’re living credit to credit, you take what you can get.”

  “I guess and no one working for security would be caught dead in a place like this.”

  I nodded and made my way through the five inches of snow and to the door. “Perfect place to make a deal.”

  “My girlfriend is part of the underground,” he said and I scoffed. “Not sure how I feel about that. Do you think you’ll corrupt me?”

  “I couldn’t do anything more, I don’t think.” I pushed through the door and a little bell rang above us. The entire room was under an umbrella of steam that wafted from the center kitchen.

  Men and women in what must’ve been white aprons and shirts at one point, worked feverishly over gas flames and bubbling friers. The smell of strong spices and mildew mixed together. The humidity made the room feel almost like a summer afternoon after being out in close to zero temperatures.

  I spotted Kay near the back of the room. She sat with her back against the wall and her omni held up to cover most of her face. Her eyes darted around the room a few times before they found me and she paused. She didn’t acknowledge me beyond that. I tapped Marcus’s arm and started over.

  We took chairs on the other side of the table and sat down, undoing our jackets and scarfs. Marcus placed his bag on the table and crossed his arms over it before looking at me. I faced Kay and she lowered the omni, her eyes accusing.

  “You look better than you did on the omni,” I said, but her glare deepened. “Kay?”

  “You forget the entire protocol? What kind of amateur are you, sitting right down next to me?”

  I looked around the room. “You think we’re being followed or did you call them on us?”

  She looked offended and went to stand. “If you think I would—”

  “Sit the hell down,” I said while grabbing her arm and forced her back to the chair. “I don’t have time to play games, Kay.”

  “Who’s the boy-toy?” she snarled as she sat down. “He looks too clean to be part of your group.”

  “Boy-toy?” Marcus asked, and I waved him off.

  “He’s one of mine and he’s a damn good cracker. He’s just here to make sure I don’t get into any trouble, so don’t mind him.”

  “Figured you’d come with that little brat instead,” Kay said as she stared at Marcus who shifted uncomfortable. “I’ll admit, he’s pretty. Hey, kiddo, you ever do it while high on Drazzel? I could show you a hell of a time.”

  “Yeah, he isn’t interested,” I said before Marcus could answer. Kay regarded me for a few seconds and a grin broke out over her lips.

  “Oh, now I get why you didn’t want a romp with Busta. Got this sweet little boy here to take care of your needs, huh?”

  “Something like that. Can we get back to why I’m here?”

  “When d'you become a clamshell?” Kay asked and pouted.

  “Look—”

  “You want something?” We all turned to an elderly woman who wore the same stained shirts as the other staff. She had a small, beaten up omni in her hand.

  “We’re good—” I started, but she interrupted.

  “Order something or you leave. We not running a flop house.”

  “Ramen. All of us,” I said and the woman made a note on the pad and shuffled off. I turned to Marcus. “You up on all your shots?”

  He shrugged and watched the kitchen.

  “What do I get out of giving up my supplier of Honeykite?” Kay asked just above a whisper. “I still think of you as a friend, but if people find out I’m giving up names I go out of business.”

  “We’re not turning them in, we only want to ask a few questions. Plus, I’ll owe you a favor and those are pretty useful.”

  “Not so useful when I’m drowning in a pool of my blood.” She ran a hand through her blue hair and then combed it back down with her fingers. “He’s gonna be pissed.”

  “Who?”

  “Busta,” she said and looked between us. “He’s my supplier for the last couple of years and he brought Honeykite to this neck of the woods.”

  “When the hell did he move into that position?”

  “Few months after you left he got some idea in his head that he should be the one running this side of town. So, he stole enough credits to pick up his first haul. Ever since he’s been the main runner here.” She shrugged. “A lot better than the last guy we had, he don’t break fingers for stupid shit. Remember him?”

  “Yeah, but Lawrence is an idiot.”

  "Well, yeah, but he’s got this thing moving like a corp. He’s building something here."

  I leaned back in the chair as our bowls of ramen were placed in front of us. The bowls were heavily stained, but the food didn’t look too bad. I paid with my credit stick on the woman’s omni.

  “You know where he gets his stuff?”

  She shook her head as she slurped up noodles. “He’s got all sorts of sources, says it’s to make sure he always gets his supply. He pits them against each other, it’s how he’s been building. It’s dangerous though.”

  “With so many people a cop could slip through,” I said and she nodded. “Where is little Lawrence right now?”

  She pointed her chopsticks toward the ceiling. “Doing a deal, I think. Look, he ain’t that little shit we knew, he’s grown now and he ain’t nipping at anyone's heels these days. Just thought you should know before you go barging in.”

  “We’ll be nice,” I said and picked at my noodles with my chopsticks. “You haven’t tried Honey, have you?”

  “Once. Was a crazy time, but never again.”

  “Why?”

  “Cause that shit is addictive. You know me, not gonna get high off stuff that is worth more than the high it gives, but that Honey… it messed me up for a few days after. Not fun.” She picked the egg out of her noodles and inspected it. “You said someone tried to overdose you?”

  “Not try, did,” Marcus said, an edge to his voice. “It was iffy a few times.”

  “Did you ride in on your white steed and save her, guy?” Kay said with an almost dreamy look on her face. “Gave her a kiss and woke her from the spell of that evil drug?”

  “What?” Marcus asked and looked at me.

  “She’s a bit out there, ignore it,” I said and Kay glared at me.

  “Not all of us can have someone running to save us, Ragan,” she said and stuffed the egg into her mouth.

  “Like I said, was mostly luck.” I pushed the bowl away, having only eaten a little. “You think he’s done his deal?” She checked her omni-pad and nodded. “Cool, what’s the code to your place up stairs?”

  “How you know we live upstairs?”

  “Cause Lawrence doesn’t sound like the kind of person that would go to someone for a deal and I doubt he would let you wander too far.” I stood. “The code? I can just crack it.”

  Kay sniffed and then drank the broth left in her bowl. “453323.”

  “Thanks,” I said and nudged Marcus. “Let’s go see… Busta. God, he’s an idiot.”

  We started to leave but movement caught my attention and I turned to see Kay fast walking up to us.

  “I’m coming, will probably make it all go over a lot smoother.”

  “Won’t he be pissed?”

  She laughed. “Like him being mad makes a difference to me. I’m the one with the goods he came lapping after. He ain’t gonna do shit to me.” She pushed past us and went out the door. Marcus and I looked at each other for a moment before h
e raised his arms toward the door.

  “She’s your friend, you go first.”

  “Fingers crossed this doesn’t go bad. If it does, you let me handle it,” I said and hurried after Kay because I knew he would try to argue.

  The hallway looked worse than my crash spot. The ceiling and half the walls were covered with water stains. The floor was littered with broken tile that crunched underfoot. The sounds of people doing all kinds of things I didn’t want to think about bled through the paper-thin walls. I let Kay go in first when we reached the door she pointed to.

  Two minutes later we stood in front of a very displeased Lawrence and an angry Kay. Not exactly a welcoming sight. The room wasn’t either with it being in the same state as the hallway, maybe even worse.

  Dirty dishes were stacked in the sink in the kitchen, the island yellow with age and most of the cabinets were missing doors. It was an open room floor plan, but not by design. There were chunks of plaster and pieces of wood all over the place from broken and damaged walls. The bedroom was in the back corner, a mattress on the floor with torn sheets. I didn't feel quiet as bad about my place when standing in theirs.

  “What the hell you stirring the shit here for after so long, Ragdoll?”

  “Nice to see you in person, Lawrence.”

  “Bitch, do I look like a Lawrence to you?” He stood from his chair. He had grown at least two feet since the last time I had seen him, he didn't have the pudge from when he was a kid and actually had some muscle tone to him. With a deep scowl he stared down at me, his big brown eyes not nearly as menacing as he was trying to make them.

  “I’m sorry, did I give the impression I care what you think you look like?” I said and glanced at Marcus. “Did I tell about you the time he fell off his bike trying to follow us? Cried for like an hour over a scraped knee.”

  Lawrence took a swing which I expected. What I didn’t was Marcus stepping in and deflecting it with a hand which he shook out as he stared back at Lawrence. They were about the same size height wise, but Lawrence had about thirty pounds on Marcus.