by Tripp Ellis
Zack shrugged. "Anxious."
“I can't believe you're going. It's going to be weird around here without you."
“You can always go with me.”
“Nah. I don’t think I’m cut out for that kind of thing.”
“Yeah, me neither,” Isaac said.
The three of them strolled down the sidewalk. Zack could hear the low-frequency thump of music from around the block. They were heading to a senior party in an abandoned warehouse. This kind of thing was a common occurrence, and the party would usually rage on until the cops broke it up somewhere around midnight. It was Zack's last night as a civilian, and Matt and Isaac wanted to give him a good sendoff.
Kevin Kirk was working the door at the warehouse. "It's 20 credits apiece.”
"What?" Isaac said. "That's outrageous."
“Somebody’s got to pay for the keg.”
“I got it," Zack said.
"No. You don't pay for a thing tonight. We’ve got you covered." Matt placed his thumb on Kevin’s pay pad, transferring the money.
The three of them entered the crowded warehouse. It was packed with teenagers dancing and drinking and having a good time. There was a DJ on a riser that kept the tunes pumping. Lights and lasers flashed, and a fog machine hazed the air. It was a full on event.
Matt scanned the premises and spotted the keg in the corner. Zack and Isaac followed him as he weaved his way through the horde of teenagers. It was hot and muggy from the swarm of bodies, packed like sardines.
The line for the keg's took 10 minutes to get through. Matt filled a plastic cup full of beer and did the honors for his two buddies. They toasted each other, and Matt guzzled the cup down. He let out a triumphant gasp when he finished. “Must be a hole in my cup.” He filled it again.
“Easy there, cowboy. The night is young,” Zack said.
“Son, you are talking to a professional.”
Isaac took a sip of his beer, and his face crinkled up with disgust. He had a little bit of foam on his lip when he pulled the cup away.
“Don’t tell me that’s your first sip of beer?” Matt asked.
Isaac nodded, sheepishly.
“It’s an acquired taste,” Zack said.
“I can’t see how anyone could acquire a taste for that.” Isaac said. “It tastes like stale socks and piss.”
Zack chuckled. He surveyed the crowd as the music pumped through massive speakers—a sea of heads bobbing in rhythm with the beat. But he saw one familiar head that towered above them all, making a beeline straight for the keg.
Dean Dully and his crew were plowing through the herd.
Zack cringed. “Hey guys. I think it’s time to go.”
“What? We just got here? I didn’t just pay 60 credits for two beers.”
Zack motioned to the approaching ogre.
“On second thought, you might be right.”
“I can’t afford to get my ass kicked before I ship out,” Zack said.
The three of them shuffled away from the keg and disappeared into the crowd before Dean caught sight of them.
“Let’s go hit the clubs on 6th Street,” Matt suggested.
“How are we going to get in?” Isaac asked.
“Leave that to me,” Matt said with confidence.
18
The bouncer at Lush made Dean look tiny. He had blonde hair, trimmed tight on the sides, and a goatee. A gold chain dangled around his neck. He wore a white tank top under a yellow pressed button down.
Zack and Isaac hung back on the sidewalk while Matt conversed with the bouncer. There was no way they were going to get into the club, Zack thought. It was a trendy bar on 6th Street, and even if you were of age, it was hard to get in.
The blue glow from the signage cascaded across the sidewalk, reflecting in the windows of parked cars. The city was bustling with nightlife. The bars and clubs stretched for 12 blocks. Revelers moved up and down the sidewalks, hopping from club to club. A kaleidoscope of lights illuminated the area. This was THE place to be on a Friday or Saturday night.
Zack's eyes flicked back to Matt, who was still working his powers of persuasion. The bouncer's intimidating eyes glanced to Zack and Isaac for an instant, then back to Matt. A few moments later, Matt waved the lurkers on.
Zack and Isaac rushed to the door, and the bouncer pulled back the velvet rope and let them slip inside ahead of the rest of the line. They didn't even have to pay a cover.
“Semper Fi," the bouncer said to Zack as he passed.
Zack grinned, and the bouncer pulled his collar aside, revealing a UFMC tattoo on his neck. It was the insignia of the 1st Mechanized Battalion, 1st Marines—a dagger against an arrowhead background with the number 1 on either side.
“Your buddy tells me you're headed to Omaha Island soon.”
“Yes, sir."
“Good luck, recruit.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Zack filed into the club with his buddies. The club was crowded, but it wasn't the sweat pit that the warehouse had been.
Zack followed Matt as he weaved his way to the bar. He flagged the bartender down and ordered a round of tequila shots for the trio. The bartender pulled a bottle from the well, spun it around and expertly filled three shot glasses with the amber liquid, moving from one to the other without spilling a drop in between.
Matt pressed his thumb on the pay pad, then distributed the shots between his buddies. He held his glass in the air. "To the Marine Corps."
"To the Marine Corps," Zack and Isaac replied.
They clinked glasses and slugged the tequila down. Isaac's lips puckered, and his face contorted. He looked tortured. He gasped and clutched his throat. "Oh, my God. That's horrible."
“Want another one?" Matt asked.
There was a long pause. “Okay."
Matt ordered another round, and the trio knocked them back. Isaac didn't look quite as distraught this time. The second one didn't burn as much. The first one had numbed his throat.
With two beers and two tequila shots in his belly, Matt was feeling pretty good, and damn near invincible. His eyes scanned the club and locked onto three gorgeous women at the end of the bar. They all wore skimpy black cocktail dresses that looked like they were painted on. Svelte curves, long toned legs, and stiletto heels. There was a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead.
Matt watched as a couple of guys slithered up to them and offered to buy a drink. But the girls didn't seem interested at all. The guys slinked away moments later
“Watch and learn,” Matt said to his buddies with a cocksure grin.
Zack and Isaac watched as Matt strolled to the women. He had a little extra swagger in his step.
“No way. He's going to embarrass himself,” Isaac said.
“I don't know about that. The man has a gift."
A few moments later, Matt was waving the two over.
Isaac look dumbstruck. “How did he do that?"
The girls were even more beautiful up close. Stunning eyes, sculpted cheekbones, plush lips. Zack felt his heartbeat elevate. These women were breathtaking.
“I'd like you to meet my buddies, Isaac and Zack," Matt said. "This is Ashley, Honor, and Evelyn." He gestured from the blonde to the brunette to the redhead.
Zack was so nervous, it took a moment for him to choke the words out. He finally stammered, “It's nice to meet you."
Isaac just nodded. He couldn't speak at all.
"These girls are all models with the Omega agency."
“That’s not surprising," Zack said.
“Zack is leaving soon for the Marine Corps, Matt boasted. He knew how to play the game. He was going to build Zack up. "He's one of the most loyal guys I know. I think he’s going to make a great warrior."
“My dad was in the Navy," Honor said.
“What did he do?” Zack asked.
“He was a pilot. He's retired now and flies commercial."
Honor's crystal blue eyes were mesmerizing. She had raven hair and her voice was
smooth like velvet. Zack was instantly smitten. He fumbled for something to say, but couldn't think of anything.
"How old are you guys?" Evelyn, the redhead, asked. Her green eyes narrowed at them suspiciously. "You look like you're barely out of high school."
Matt flashed a nervous grin. "It's my boyish good looks, what can I say."
Evelyn arched an eyebrow at him. She wasn’t buying it. "You boys are cute. Look us up when you're old enough to get in here." She pulled her friends away.
Matt winced as he watched them depart. "Damn. That's downright criminal!” He sighed.
“At least they talked to us," Isaac said.
“The goal is to do more than talk,” Matt said.
“I don't know, I could listen to Honor recite the phone book,” Zack said.
“I think she was into you."
Zack shrugged, unsure.
“The night is young," Matt said. “I'm sure there will be plenty more opportunities to get rejected."
19
"I can't feel my face," Isaac said, poking his cheek with his fingertip. "I can't feel my nose either."
“That’s why people acquire the taste, my friend,” Matt said.
It was hard to say if they were leaning against the bar, or if the bar was holding them up.
“I gotta take a leak,” Zack said. He ambled toward the restroom. He saw Honor at the sidebar, and the two locked eyes for an instant, then she looked away. He figured she just wasn't interested.
The line for the restroom was long. It took almost 15 minutes to get inside the men's room. By the time he came back out, he figured that Honor would have moved on from the bar, but he gave a quick glance over to see if she was still there.
She was.
But there was a complete tool hitting on her. She didn't seem to be reciprocating, and the guy wasn't getting the message. Then he started getting a little handsy, and she shoved him away.
The loser still didn't get the message.
"I think the lady wants to be left alone," Zack said.
The jerk was more than a little drunk. He looked at Zack in disbelief and laughed. "Why don't you run along? I think your mom is looking for you."
Honor slipped away from the idiot and moved behind Zack.
“I think you're the one who needs to move along,” Zack said, standing his ground.
"I'm going to beat your ass, you little punk."
“Bring it!” Zack glared at him. He figured that most of the time when you call a bully on their bluff, they back down. But this guy was to inebriated to think logically. Bar fights usually end with one, or both, parties going to jail. Or, at the very least, getting removed from the premises. The last thing Zack needed was to get arrested before he shipped out.
Zack’s menacing glare didn't work. The guy lunged at him.
Zack sidestepped. He stuck his foot out, tripping the guy and shoving him to the ground.
The jerk slammed against the floor. A rush of adrenaline gave him momentary awareness. He sprung to his feet and tackled Zack. He straddled him, ready to do the old ground and pound.
But the blonde bouncer yanked the man off Zack before he could do any damage. The former Marine lifted the jerk by his collar like a kitten. The bouncer pointed at Zack. "Sorry, recruit. You and your buddies just lost your party privileges. You're out of here."
Zack frowned. He climbed to his feet and dusted himself off.
Honor gave him a hand. "Are you all right?"
“Yeah. I’m fine. I've gotten my ass kicked way worse than that before." Zack smiled.
"Now, recruit!" The bouncer yelled, growing impatient.
Zack followed him to the exit. He looked back at Honor. "It was nice to meet you."
“Likewise." She smiled, and her blue eyes sparkled. Zack figured it was probably the last time he would ever see her.
20
Zack, Isaac, and Matt listed down the sidewalk. They weaved through the crowd of revelers.
“I’m not sure if this was a good night, or a bad night,” Zack said.
“The night’s not over yet," Matt said with devious optimism.
Isaac looked pale. It took everything he had just to put one foot in front of the other. "I don't feel so good."
Matt and Zack exchanged a worried glance. They knew what was coming.
Isaac’s stomach twisted in knots. He felt the angry shots of tequila coming back for revenge. His cheeks bulged, and he dashed into a nearby alleyway.
Zack could hear him retching his guts out. “Maybe we should go check on him?”
“I'm a sympathetic vomiter,” Matt replied. "I can't look at that kind of thing."
Just as Zack was about to turn around and head down the alley, Isaac emerged, wiping his lips on his sleeve. His eyes were bloodshot, and his skin had a green pallor to it.
“You okay?" Zack asked.
Isaac nodded. "I don't think I want to drink ever again."
"You gotta pace yourself," Matt said.
“I’ll pace myself—as in, never again.”
"Let's get him something to eat,” Zack said.
“Do you think you can keep something down?" Matt asked.
Isaac nodded.
There was a pizza by the slice vendor at the next block. There was a walk-up window where you ordered and got served. The place did a good business on Friday and Saturday nights, selling New York style pizza to hungry drunks. A foul-mouthed automated service bot in the window took their order. It's speech algorithms were based on interactions with patrons, and the constant stream of rowdy drunks made the android somewhat salty.
The trio scarfed down two slices each of gooey cheese pizza. It could have been the worst pizza in the world, but it still would have tasted divine at that particular moment in time.
Isaac looked uneasy for the first few bites. But after he got those down, it was smooth sailing. The food seemed to rejuvenate him a bit. His color improved, and he was steadier on his feet. He still didn't ever want to have anything to do with tequila again.
The pizza place was right next door to an oracle. There was a glowing display in the window that enticed passersby to have their fortunes told.
"Learn your destiny," Matt said, reading the display.
“You don’t buy into that nonsense, do you?” Zack said.
Matt shrugged. "I don't know. There might be something to it." He gazed at the display for a moment, contemplating whether or not to step inside. "I'm gonna do it. Why not?”
Matt strolled into the oracle's establishment, followed by Zack and Isaac. The lighting was dim. Amber orbs hovered in the corners without any apparent support, casting a warm glow about the room. The smell of incense filled the air. It had a comfortable, cozy vibe. There was a couch and a coffee table with some digital magazines. There was a large aquarium against one of the walls with colorful exotic fish.
“Hello?" Matt called out. "Is anybody here?"
There was no response.
"Let's get out of here," Isaac said. "This place is creepy."
“Hang on a minute," Matt said.
Beads hung in a doorway that led to another room. Matt stepped to the passageway and called into the darkness. "Hello? Is anybody here?"
There was still no reply.
“You’d think a fortuneteller would know when customers walked in," Zack said.
“Good point," Matt said. He strolled back to Zack and Isaac. Matt shrugged, and the three of them turned for the door.
Just as they were about to reach the exit, a soft ethereal voice called after them. “Can I help you?”
The trio turned to gaze at the woman. She was dressed in a white flowing gown, and her porcelain skin was almost as pale. It had a translucent quality to it. She was beautiful, but not entirely human.
“Shouldn't you already know what we want?" Matt asked.
She arched an eyebrow at him. It wasn't the first time someone had made the smart-ass comment. She gave him an equally sassy response. "You want to know the futur
e."
Matt rolled his eyes and nudged Zack. "Come on. Let's get out of here."
“You have two paths you can choose. you'll always wonder which one you should have taken if you walk out that door, Matt.”
He stopped in his tracks. His face twisted up, perplexed. "How did you know my name?”
The oracle shrugged. “Maybe it was a lucky guess." There was a hint of snark in her voice.
“Okay. What are their names," Matt said, gesturing to his comrades.
“Zack and Isaac." She lifted her brow. "Are we done with the parlor tricks?"
“Um, yeah. I guess,” Matt stammered. "How much for a reading?"
"200 credits.”
Matt balked. "That's outrageous.”
"I'll do all three for 300."
“Do we get a happy ending with that?”
Zack elbowed him. "Okay. Fine."
Matt looked at him like he was crazy.
"I'm buying,” Zack said.
"We are supposed to be picking up the tab for tonight."
“Come on,” Zack said. “This is the last time I get to spend money on you guys."
Matt grinned. “Well, if you insist.”
"Come this way, gentlemen." The oracle motioned for them to follow her beyond the beaded passageway.
Matt whispered into Zack's ear. "If she breaks out a crystal ball, I’m leaving.” They all took a seat at a small round table.
The oracle looked right at Zack. Her eyes were hazy, and he realized that she was blind, though she had perfectly navigated her way around. "Since you’re paying, you can go first."
"Okay." Zack was taking it all in stride. He didn't know what to expect, and was looking at it as entertainment.
"Place your hands on top of the table, palms up.”
Zack did as she requested. He felt a little silly.
She placed her hands on top of his and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and was silent for a long moment. Then she abruptly opened her eyes and stared at him. It was eerie. Zack wondered how she knew exactly where his eyes were.
“I don't think you want me to continue,” She said.
Zack scrunched his brow. "What? Do you see something bad?”