“Yeah, but this place looks like an open-air drug den. Just because there’s a bar and a band doesn’t somehow make this place a legitimate living area.”
“Like I said, Underworld isn’t for everyone. Let’s take you, for example. Just look at you. You’re a handsome fella who’s got his shit straight. You’re in good with the captain and the shot-callers, and that works for you, but take a look at this bloke over here.” Ahole was referring to a man who was lying in a puddle of his own piss—the guy seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness. “Now you take one look at him and you know damn well that there’s not a single job upstairs that would have him. Maybe janitorial or stowage, if he’s lucky. But who’s to say he even wants that for himself? Maybe he prefers to ride out the apocalypse wallowing in his own filth. Again, it’s about choice, mate. I don’t want to tell the guy he shouldn’t get fall-down drunk on a daily basis. It’s not my place.”
“Okay, fine. Well, then how does he or anyone else pay for all this?”
“And that’s the rub, isn’t it? You see, Underworld has their own economy. Not too dissimilar from upstairs. They operate on a chit system, just like us. Only difference is, down here, you pay up front whereas our spending comes out of our paychecks. We get to go to the bar or get a meal on credit, whereas these blokes need to show the coin ahead of time.”
“That doesn’t explain how they earn it.”
“I was getting to that. And this is the part you might not like.” Ahole waved Miller forward. “Walk with me.”
They passed the River Styx with a nod from bartender Mike. “Now you see, over here we’ve got the bar area, and over there is the main stage for the bands and shows and the like, the content of which can be a little more extreme than what you’ll ever see upstairs. These are all jobs with varying degrees of payout. The same goes for that lot over there already cleaning up that bloke that was lying in his own piss. Don’t get it twisted, mate. Folks in Underworld may look rough on the outside, but they function just like us, all the way down to a janitorial staff and security. If it was as bad down here as you were imagining, there would be shit in the streets. Do you see garbage piling up? Of course you don’t. They’re not animals. They’re just a little rough around the edges.”
“That doesn’t seem like enough jobs to go around.”
“Oh, it’s not. You saw the people having sex, right? Well, they don’t call it the oldest profession in the world for nothing, eh?” Ahole leaned in close to Miller’s ear and pointed out a man who sat at the bar while chatting up a couple. “And I’ll let you in on a little secret. For every two ladies of the night, there’s a fella doing the same thing. Inhibitions went out the window in light of the end of the world.”
Miller shrugged.
“Failing that, there’s always the Pit.”
“The Pit?”
“Right this way.” Ahole guided Miller through a dimly lit passageway, out from Underworld’s main drag, and through to the open area of the Pit. Dozens of people were gathered around, watching a match between two—appearance-wise—evenly matched combatants. Each fighter took turns with the upper hand. The crowd erupted with every landed blow or spray of blood that reached the spectators.
“What in the hell is this?”
“It’s exactly what it looks like. It’s a fighting arena. People from all walks of life come down here to test their mettle, and not just the denizens of Underworld. There was a bloke from the wait staff who was reigning champ for a solid six weeks before he was dethroned. A little birdie told me that your old running mate, Radzinski, is the current champ.”
“I was wondering where he’d gotten off to.”
“He’ll be earning hand over fist for as long as he can keep it up.” Ahole got the attention of a wandering barmaid and ordered a couple of drinks as they watched the fight. “The beer’s not as cold down here, but who gives a fuck, right?”
Miller sipped his beer without a response. For Ahole, that was a net positive.
“Now don’t let me give you the wrong impression of Underworld. There are certainly some elements down here that you’ll want to give a wide berth.”
“You mean something worse than the guy that pissed himself?”
“Heh, yeah. Just like in the old world, if there’s even a hint of lawlessness in the air, the gangs move in. There’s three that operate here on this level. They mainly stick to themselves and their own territory, but the word on the street is there’s a bit of a turf war brewing. It’s best to just let these things blow over. But the real power in Underworld lies below.”
Miller gazed around. “This isn’t it?”
“Oh no, mate. This is only the surface. Underworld consists of two more levels below our feet. First up is Frost, the empire of Sona, and the place is pretty cool if you ask me, but it’s an acquired taste, to say the least. If you’re not into bondage and extreme BDSM, you’ll likely want to give Frost a pass, what with its wall-to-wall leather and latex, chains and whips, and the whole nine yards. But don’t let the atmosphere fool you: Sona’s number-one priority is looking after the downtrodden, but you wouldn’t know that at first glance. She’s a sweetheart, but if you saw her on her throne, you’d never guess. Appearances, mate. She’s currently in a standoff—a cold war of sorts—with the level just below her. They hate each other with a passion. If Sona’s all about freedom and the mantra of live and let live, well, then the other one wants to rule through fear, plain and simple.”
“What about that other floor?”
“That, my friend, is Seiiki, the realm of Lady Setsuko. She is the leader of a branch of the Yakuza that took a foothold during the confusion in the earliest days of the crisis. Whatever you do, do not step foot down there without an invitation, and even if you are invited, wait for an escort. You don’t want to get caught alone down there.”
A pair of latex-clad spectators appeared in a temporary gap in the crowd at ringside. Skin-tight latex hugged every curve of the duo, who were just as enthusiastic about the fight as anyone else in the room. Neon trim highlighted the seams and curves of their attire. They wore spiked collars that could easily be removed and wrapped around their hands if they had to defend themselves. As a primary form of defense, nightsticks dangled from belts that were strapped to their waists. The woman was short, even with six-inch heels. She tapped her companion on his back and he raised her up to his shoulder, where she sat for a better view of the fight. Ahole nudged Miller in the side and pointed in their direction.
Miller’s eyes went wide. “That’s what I can expect at Frost?”
“More or less,” Ahole said with a grin. “It’s all theatrics, mate. While you’re busy trying to make heads or tails of the spectacle, half a dozen of Frost’s finest already have you pegged for a customer, as trouble, or just some bloke who’s looking around. Every person in Sona’s employ is ready to fight for her at a moment’s notice. And when the time comes, you’d better believe half of Sona’s clientele will pick up arms against her enemies, too. Lady Setsuko knows this, and not only that, but she’s well aware that she doesn’t have the numbers to just run over Frost. Now, if the captain gets involved, well, that’s mutually assured destruction for everyone down here.”
“The cold war.”
“Bingo. So they’re at a standstill. But make no mistake, Setsuko will strike. If Sona’s smart, she’ll draw first blood and cut the Yakuza off at the knees.”
“Why don’t the excursion teams get involved?”
“We’re not a police force. Besides, we’re already busy, mate. How much do you expect us to do?”
“How can Kayembe let this go on?”
“What part?”
“Where do I even begin? You’ve got gangs vying for territory right out in the open, people cheering for blood, and a crime boss living just beneath our feet. This whole place is a powder keg waiting to go off.”
“Ah, you’re focusing on the negative, Miller. I agree that the gangs are a problem, but the captain d
oes have a contingency if things ever spill over to the rest of the ship. What you’ve got to understand is that the entirety of Haven is a very delicate ecosystem. Each deck plays its part, from the Elite’s private sanctuary all the way down to stowage and everything in between. You start pulling pieces out of the puzzle and the whole thing could come crashing down. Then where would that leave us? Come on, let’s head back to the River Styx. Bartender Mike can fill you in on any of the finer details I left out.”
Miller followed Ahole back through the crowd. He kept his head on a swivel. They were a rowdy bunch in Underworld, to be sure, but not a soul was paying him or Ahole any mind. On the surface, these people seemed happy or at the very least content.
Behind them, the crowd cheered again as a clear winner’s hand was raised in victory. His opponent lay on the mat, bloodied but moving. He was quickly being tended to by Underworld’s version of a medical staff. Already in their corners, the next challengers eagerly sized up their opponents. A pair of women, both of whom seemed oddly familiar. Then it dawned on him that the taller of the two women was Abayomi, the captain’s daughter’s bodyguard. The crowd closed in for a better view of the upcoming brawl as Miller made his way through the passage and out into Underworld’s main drag.
Ahole waved across the room to Mike, who shooed away a couple of nearly passed out patrons to make room for Ahole and the newcomer.
“Ahole, good to see you. What brings you to my fine establishment today?”
“Just giving Miller here a tour.”
“Miller? Why do I feel like I’ve heard that name before?”
“He was a traveling companion with the champ.”
“Oh, well, if you’re a friend of Radzinski, then you’re a friend of mine. The first drink is on the house. What can I get you?”
“Beer is fine. Whatever you’ve got. And I wouldn’t exactly call Radzinski and I friends.”
“Well, it’s not like he’s my friend, either, but what you’ve got to understand about the Marine is that if he bothers talking to you at all when he doesn’t have to, that probably means he likes you. That’s why he fits in so well down here. He’s rough around the edges but he means well.”
“I hadn’t considered that.”
“Most people don’t. Folks take one look at him and all they see is his brutish exterior and a guy who couldn’t give two shits. But that’s not the real Radzinski. Just last night, I watched him set a couple assholes straight who were trying to shake down some new guy.”
“Interesting.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t hear any of that from me. The man has a reputation to uphold.”
Miller nodded as Ahole paid for the next round of drinks ahead of time before Mike wandered off to see to his other customers.
“So what do you think?”
“This is a lot to take in.”
“Like I said, it’s an acquired taste, but don’t let the grime fool you. Underworld is a vital cog in a massive wheel that keeps Haven chugging along.”
A series of claps and cheers erupted from the customers at the bar as well as the people spread out between the stage and the stairwell. A lone man was making his way through the crowd toward the River Styx.
“Here comes your boy now.” Ahole pointed to the center of the commotion.
Radzinski waded through the crowd, shaking hands and fist-bumping people as he passed. He was all smiles, and the people seemed to genuinely love him.
“I’ll leave you guys to it, give you a moment to catch up. Find me later if you want to talk. Otherwise, I’m headed back to see the missus. Try to enjoy yourself, okay, mate?”
“Thanks for the tour, Ahole. I’ll see you around.”
Ahole made his way for the exit but not before stopping for a brief conversation with fans of his own.
He was right. Miller conceded that maybe this place wasn’t as bad as it appeared at first glance. Like Ahole had said, Underworld was an acquired taste for sure.
“As I live and breathe, Captain Miller. What in the hell brings you down here?”
“Radzinski.”
Neither man attempted any more of a greeting than simple words. There was no love lost between them. Handshakes or any other form of formal greeting were not forthcoming for two men who had been through as much as they had together and yet remained at odds. Differences of opinion aside, they at least held a passing respect for the other.
“Ahole been giving you a tour of the place? He said he’d be bringing you around someday.”
“He did, and this is quite the experience down here. I honestly don’t know how I should feel about it.”
“It’s different, I’ll give you that.” Radzinski held up two fingers for Bartender Mike. “Shit, I’ll take this over those stuffy pricks upstairs any day.”
Miller nodded.
“So I’ll ask again, what are you doing down here? Underworld isn’t what I would consider a place where you would be able to unwind.”
“I’m here to see you, actually.”
“Really? To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“I’ll come right out with it. We may not see eye to eye on most things.”
“Understatement,” Radzinski interrupted as Mike dropped off his beers. He nodded at Miller as if to ask if he’d like a drink as well.
Miller silently declined as he continued. “Your skills are being wasted down here. I don’t even know what it is you do in this place, but I know you could be of better use on one of the excursion teams.”
“Is that so?”
“I can talk to Kayembe, get you pulled out of here. I’m sure of it. If you don’t want to work with me, that’s fine. There’s another team that could use you.”
“So let me get this straight. Admittedly, you have no idea what it is I’m doing here but your default stance is that whatever it is, you’ve got something more important that needs doing. That’s it in a nutshell, isn’t it?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Yeah, well, that’s how it comes off.” Radzinski took a long pull from his beer. He lit up a smoke before approaching Miller. He knew his former road-mate hated the smell. “You know, Miller, you have this way about you. This goody-two-shoes, my-shit-don’t-stink, higher-than-thou condescension, like if we don’t fall in line with Miller’s view of the world, then by default we must be in the wrong. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you’re the one coming at this whole end-of-the-world thing from the wrong angle?”
“I don’t think I’m better than anyone.”
“Of course you don’t. I bet you’ve told the captain and anyone else who’ll listen that if they tweak things just a hair, operations would run that much smoother around here. Just listen to ol’ Captain Miller.”
Miller was seething by this point, but if he didn’t keep it to himself, he would only prove Radzinski right. He didn’t approach the Marine for a fight, but it seemed that, no matter his intentions, they were destined to clash.
Radzinski continued. “What’s the matter? This place a little too real for you? You got a taste of what people look like when your precious rules don’t apply anymore and you desperately want the world to go back to the way it was? Newsflash, it ain’t ever going back to the way it was.”
“You’ve got me all wrong. I didn’t come down here to argue. In fact, I didn’t know I’d run into you. I saw you and thought we should talk. I don’t have a problem with the way things look down here. People are fed and they’re safe, at least from what I can tell.”
“Then what do you want?”
“Why don’t you help out? The excursion teams are a well-oiled machine, but they can always use some expertise. A little fine-tuning could go a long way. You could really be of help to one of them.”
“And who says I’m not helping down here? I’ll reiterate what I said. You took one look at this place and all you see is the bar, the fighting, and the fucking. You think it’s playtime all the time in Underworld. Life down here is far from that, but I
don’t expect you to stick around long enough to find that out for yourself. Nah, Miller. I’m just fine right where I’m at. You want to play boy scout, go right ahead. Go back to your privileged masters. I’ve got things covered down here with the dregs. Here’s the way I see it. I thought those sorry saps back at Pepperbush had their priorities all fucked up. Nah, they had their shit straight compared to these fuckers. This place is like a floating fucking time warp, and these people don’t have a care in the world. They’re sailing around out here waiting for the world to right itself, and you know what? Good for them. As far as I’m concerned, they’ve got the right idea. In my brief time upstairs, I clocked that there’s at least one pool bar, a buffet, a casino, live shows and dancing, three squares, and a cot plus whatever the fuck goes on down here. Miller, I’ll put this as plainly as I can. I will never step foot off this ship of my own free will. As far as I’m concerned, the rest of the world can go to hell. This right here…” He took a working girl in his arms. She loved the attention. “This is the new world, man. I intend to make the best of it.” With that, Radzinski grabbed his drinks and he and the working girl disappeared into the crowd.
Miller was left standing alone at the River Styx. The crowd filled in around him, and although he was surrounded by dozens of people, he felt alone for the first time since boarding Haven. He never really expected Radzinski to see eye to eye with him, but a nagging sense of camaraderie compelled him to try. Perhaps Radzinski was right in that, their shared history notwithstanding, these men were very different and had equally different paths to travel. Miller finished his drink in silence. He made his way to the exit and climbed the first few stairs. He paused, turned, and took one final look around Underworld before leaving. He wouldn’t return.
Bartender Mike tried not to eavesdrop, but he was a server in a drinking establishment. Information was his trade, and the much-vaunted Miller and the champion of the Pit being at odds was just the type of information that paid dividends.
The Roaming (Book 3): Haven's Promise Page 22