by J P Carver
“No exact location yet. Just supposed to head toward Madison and Wharf at the moment.”
“That’s the docks,” Ziller said. “Shady shit always goes down around there. The cops are gonna be everywhere. It’s stupid to meet there.”
“Unless they got an in with the cops,” I said. “Ain’t no reason for droopers to show up at Kay’s unless they’re still concerned peeps are sniffing for them. We don’t have a choice either way.”
Nina got up and picked up a bag from beside the couch. She handed it over. “You need to get these around the area when you arrive, they’ll record what’s going on.”
I opened the bag and found seven small cylinders about half a foot in length. I took one out. “You think I’m gonna have time to place these around?”
Nina reached out and tapped a hidden button on the top of the cylinder. A pair of blades popped out and spun. It took off from my hand and with a slight buzz, hovered and then moved to the corner of the room. I stared at it and then at Nina. “What the hell is that?”
“New tech.”
“From where?”
She grinned. “Winter. They’re a project he and his partners created for their robotics class.”
“Shit, I’ve seen these before. They’re a couple thousand on a good day.” Ziller said as he walked up to the floating cylinder. “He made these? They function the same?” I asked, still stunned.
“Pretty much, through his group made some improvements. They have a longer range and battery life, but they’re bigger. Their scanning of an area is about twice as fast as even the best surveillance cameras out there. They won’t miss a beat and they’ll stay out of the way.”
I kissed Nina’s cheek and grinned at her. “Give that to Winter from me.”
“You got your own, don’t go after mine.”
“Ha-ha,” I said and looked at the group. “I think we’re good. Remember, this is an in and out. We transfer the fake credits and we take the Honey. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Why d'you look at me and Ziller when you said that?” Marcus asked.
“That’s fairly obvious, isn’t it?” Merigold said. “We’ll keep watch from somewhere nearby in case things go sour. I’m warning you through, Ragan.”
“What?”
“I’m not saving your ass if you do something stupid too.”
“Got it,” I said and shouldered the backpack. With one last look at everyone, I headed out the door and they followed.
Minutes before the meet we received a text with directions for the docks, specifically the shipping area filled with large metal containers. The auto-driver parked the car in one of the few clearings and I looked around our surroundings. No quick way out, there were too many turns that needed to be made. It seemed like a dangerous place to meet, unless they had people out on the containers, watching.
I put the window down and shivered at the cold as I sent out the first drone. It took off into the darkness with a low hum. It made it about twenty feet before something shot it out of the sky. The remains of the drone landed on the ground, a large bullet hole in its center.
“Dammit,” I said and looked over to Marcus and Ziller. “Don’t think we’re gonna get a recording from anything other than me.”
“You can try again while they’re talking to us,” Ziller said and put his window down so he could stick his head out. His breath clouded out the window as he turned his head to search the containers on his side. “I count two over here. My guess you got the same. They aren’t taking any chances with this.”
“Makes sense, we’re newbies on the scene,” Marcus said and shifted beside me. “Here they come, see the lights?”
Two beams broke through the hazy darkness. The car rounded a stack of containers and then pulled to a stop a few yards from us.
“Go make friends, guys,” I said, and the two nodded and opened the door. They got out and walked to the front of the car as silhouettes in the light. “Crow?” I asked across the comm.
“Here. Saw the drone go down, working on another idea.”
“CCTV system on the docks?”
“Yeah, but there aren’t any good angles that I’ve found yet,” she said.
“We need something.”
“I’m working on it, give me a second.”
I moved to the front of the car and turned on the camera I had brought with me and placed it on the dash. As I did so, the sound of car doors thumping closed reached me. Three more silhouettes walked into the light, one holding a large metal case.
“Drones?” A male voice asked.
“My investor is jumpy is all,” Ziller said. “He likes security and being sure of things.”
“We have people for that, highly trained people.”
“Expensive,” Marcus said, his voice going deep. “Are we here to chat or make a deal?”
“To make a deal, but first we want to see the money,” the man said as he walked forward with his hand out.
“All here on the chip, check it over,” Ziller said and held out the chip for the man. As he walked forward, I could see he was dressed like a corp drone too, nice suit and tie, even better than what Marcus wore.
“Crow, they’re checking the chip, be ready,” I said and got a grunt back from her. I turned my attention back to the group. The other two were standing in the light, one female and another male. The female took the chip and handed it off to the man who was holding the case. He placed the case on the ground and did something with the chip. With a nod the woman bent down and picked the case up and undid the chain that was around the man's wrist.
“Seems we have a deal then,” she said, and I felt my skin prickle. She walked to stand in front of Ziller and held out the case. “I hope your clients will enjoy it.”
“I’m sure they will. This goes well, we might purchase more,” Ziller said and reached for the case, but she didn’t let go.
“I’ll look forward to it,” she said and paused at Marcus. “You look young to be an investor.”
“Head down, Marcus, she’ll know who you are,” I said, hoping he wouldn’t react too quickly. He adjusted his glasses and dropped his head a little while cocking it to the side.
“Inheritance, dad made the money and now I’m making more.”
The woman laughed. “What would he think if he knew what you were spending his hard earned money on?”
“He’d be proud of the profit I’m going to make.”
“Maybe he would. We’re done here, I’d like you to leave first.”
“Will do,” Ziller said and tried to take the case. She held on.
“Why can’t I shake the feeling,” she said and looked between the two, “of being watched.” She went to the side of the car. Ziller and Marcus went to stop her, but the clicks of guns readying stopped them cold.
She stopped at the passenger side door and I stayed frozen between the seats. She peered into the window and a surprised grin appeared on her face as she tried to open the door. When that didn't work, she shot out the glass with a pistol.
I covered myself against the glass and when I let my arms drop she was unlocking the door.
“I’m looking at a ghost,” she said, an angry expression on her face.
“Fuck,” I said as she grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the car and onto the freezing cold asphalt.
“Raggy?” Nina called in my ear. “Raggy, what’s going on?”
I opened the channel to my ears so she could hear.
“You should be dead,” the woman said.
“Didn’t stick,” I said as I stared at the woman. She looked much more dangerous in black than in green. “Chris know about your moonlight gig? Would probably be happier if he found out you were a stripper.”
Kale hit me, not very hard because she didn’t have it in her, but it still turned my head and made my jaw tingle. “How d'you make it? You should have died in that damn room.”
“Chris saved me, didn't he tell you?” I said and enjoyed the shock and anger that
sprang onto her face. “Seems he still has a thing for me.”
“He said he was using the bathroom… that bastard.” Another hit, this one had a bit more behind it and cut my lip. I spat blood into the snow and faced her again.
“Raggy, don’t think now is the time for provoking,” Nina said and I grinned.
“He never liked a piece of garbage like you,” Kale said. “You weren’t worth anything more than a way to get laid. He told me you put out so easily that he didn’t even have to try.” Her attempts to hurt me were almost laughable. She was lashing out.
I shrugged. “Didn’t have to try either, so I think that’s a win-win.”
She snarled and turned from me to face Marcus and Ziller. “What is this? I didn’t give you enough last time? Got you hooked?”
“Can’t beat em, join em,” I said and got to my feet. She didn’t try to stop me. “I didn’t know you were the one making it.”
“Who says I’m making it? I’m just a reseller.” She stepped back and looked at her two men. “Don’t know where it comes from.”
I laughed. “Bullshit, you used Chris’s account to access the formula. But, whatever, you got your money, and we got our drugs. We’re done here.”
“No, you’re all coming with us,” Kale said and pointed to her men. They moved forward and motioned for Marcus and Ziller to follow them. Kale, still holding my arm, pulled me away from the car. “This time I’ll make sure you don’t come back down.”
“I’m in touch with the police already, trying to get them there, but they’re fighting me on it,” Nina said, her voice breathless.
“It’s fine,” I said and Kale looked at me. “Didn’t expect anything else.”
Kale smiled. “This time I’ll wait for you to die, just to make sure. Would you like to try some of the product you purchased? I mean, you spent all that money on it.”
“I’ve had enough for one lifetime, thanks,” I said as she stopped in front of Ziller and Marcus who were framed by the two men.
“Open it,” she said to Ziller.
“No.”
Kale pressed the gun painfully against my temple. “Open it, or I kill her the quick way.”
“I’ll take the quick, Ziller.”
“Tell him to open it, or I’ll have them both killed,” Kale said and pressed the gun harder. “If they do, then they get to go.”
“I’m not stupid enough to take that deal,” I said, and she shoved me away from her and tore to the case from Ziller's hands. She unlocked it and took out an auto injector. She trained the gun on me as she came over. “You got an audience this time, make sure to tell them what it’s like.”
“Oh, lord! And cut! That’s a wrap, kiddies!” A voice called from the darkness and everyone froze. From the shadows of a container came a wave of droopers, their guns raised. Leading them was a bastard of a man that I was sure wouldn’t show. Dougherty. “I believe that’s some of the best footage we ever got on one of these. Well done, all of you.”
Kale turned from me and waved her hand. She seemed to expect something, but nothing happened other than her getting tackled to the ground by two droopers. Sadly, they soon were on me, locking my wrists and pulling me to my feet.
Dougherty stopped at the case and bent down, his breath a milky cloud in front of him as he gave a little whistle. “Jeeze, you guys weren’t playing around. Enough here to kill a hundred or more people. That’s… life, I think. Maybe double life.” He stood and faced us. “So, we got the buyers and dealers here. You all look very fancy. I’m a bit disappointed I wasn’t invited to the party.”
“Your invitation must’ve been lost in the mail,” I said and couldn’t help the grin. He returned it while I was roughly pulled from the scene.
“Must’ve, but I’ll be at the next one, the one where you’re all put behind bars.”
“And you just caused two techs to lose their jobs,” Dougherty said. I was in another interrogation room. At least this time I wasn’t handcuffed to the table, and he hadn’t broken any of my fingers, yet. “That was one hell of a credit stick.”
“You know you aren’t supposed to stick things in without knowing they're clean.”
“Now there is some good advice,” he said and sat down across from me. “I got my bust, but I also got you and your friends.”
“You do. We held up our end. Will you?”
“End of what? I made no deal,” he said and grinned. I felt my stomach twist. “We don’t make deals with criminals, Ragan.”
“Never been convicted of any crime,” I said and tried to keep my voice steady. It wasn’t just my neck on the line, but Ziller’s and Marcus’s.
He laughed. “That is true, but I got you at the scene of a crime now.” He dropped his hands to the table and let the silence wash over us. I couldn’t take it.
“Stop screwing with me, Dougherty,” I said and sat up in the chair. “Either put me in a cell or let me go.”
“You’re just no fun.” He slid an omni-pad across the table. “You’re a witness, all right? You agree to appear in court to testify and you and your friends walk free.”
I stared at him. “This could get me blacklisted.”
“Aw, does that mean little Ragan will have to make an honest living?”
“Yeah, cause there’s so much honesty in corps and troopers.”
He shrugged. “Not here to argue that. We can keep your name out, a protected witness if you will.”
I looked down at the omni and skimmed the words. It was an account of everything that had happened on the docks, written as if I wrote it out. I reached out and put my thumb to the little square on the screen. It scanned it and made a little ding.
Dougherty stood and picked up the pad. “Oh, there are the fines you and your friends have to pay. Can’t do anything about those, sadly.”
“Asshole.”
“Might want to work on being more personable before court. Stay out of trouble, Ragan.” He gave a quick wave and then went out, but left the door open. I hesitated for a few seconds and then hurried into the hall.
From there I found my way to the lobby where Ziller and Marcus were waiting for me. They were sitting in chairs and looked like they had been there for a while. Marcus saw me first and crossed the room so fast I barely had time to register his movement before he wrapped me up in a tight hug.
“They wouldn’t let us see you—I thought…”
“I’m okay. I’m really okay,” I said, and he kissed me before I reluctantly pushed him off. Ziller was beside us as we stepped from each other.
“Come on, I already know,” he said with a smile, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. “What they do to you, girl?”
“You two weren’t in cells or being interrogated?” They both shook their heads. “That bastard. He didn’t really need me…”
“What did you do?” Marcus asked.
I scratched at the back of my head and glared at everything around me. “Nothing that bad, he just lied to me. He’s playing another of his stupid games. Dammit. You’re both okay, though? No charges?”
"A few fines that blew my budget for the month," Ziller said and shrugged his broad shoulders. "Paid yours too and no, you’re not paying me back. We’re good."
“We’ll see. What about Kale?”
"Dunno, haven’t heard anything but a bit of cop talk," Marcus said. "She’s probably striking some deal though. Did some digging on her, she’s apparently the daughter of a high-level official. I don’t think she’s gonna be doing any time." Marcus grabbed my hand. "Let’s get out of here. I hate this place."
“Lead the way,” I said, and we walked together out into the cold.
Eleven
A Holiday
Christmas found me at Marcus’s place, sitting on the floor before a large tree that took up an entire corner of the living room. It was well past midnight, but I couldn’t sleep. My mind just wouldn’t turn off, which happened sometimes, especially around the holidays. I usually spent them with Nina
and we’d watch sappy Christmas movies and get drunk on cheap eggnog from the corner store.
Instead, I had spent it with Marcus and his family, eating at their large dining table in their nicely decorated home. Then we decorated an enormous and expensive tree. Drank expensive wine and actual eggnog and had wonderful desserts. All ended by going with Marcus to his room for some fantastic but quiet sex. Maybe that’s blasphemous, but no one really celebrated the holiday as a religious one and it was a great gift for us both now that I had healed enough to take part how I wanted.
I traced the faint scar on my arm and stared at the wrapped gifts and the glittering tree. This was the Christmas I used to dream about as a child. The kind you would see in the vids: the happy family, loved ones all around with gifts under a tree. It almost seemed like a dream.
“Doll?” I turned to see Marcus standing in the doorway. He was rubbing an eye and stifling a yawn at the same time. He was in his underwear and a long sleeve shirt. “You okay?”
I smiled and patted the rug next to me. He said nothing as he joined me. “Just thinking.”
“About?”
“About what I will do when your sister kills you. She was pretty pissed about the blood on her sweater. You tell her it was me?”
“I’m not admitting to anything and if you do, I will throw you under the bus.”
I shoved him. “Real nice that you’d just ditch your girlfriend like that.”
“She’ll just glare at you. She will actually kill me if she can prove I had anything to do with it.” He swayed over and put his arms across my shoulders, pulling me against him. “Did you have a good time?”
“Yeah, was surprised your dad let me back in the house,” I said. His parents were really nice the whole night and Dr. Thaxton even sat and talked to me after dinner about where I learned so much about computers. He was far nicer when he wasn't trying to save my life.
“I think he’s waiting for you to walk out because I can’t pay you anymore.”