by Riker Kane
“What are you even doing?” Proxy said with her mouth full. “I mean, you’ve got enough credits to live comfortably. You’ve got this nice place all to yourself. You should at least be relaxing instead of working.”
Max looked around his new dwelling and sighed in contentment. He had a couple of extra bedrooms for his friends to spend time in and his furnishings were new. But there was nothing remarkable about it. To him, it was a quiet space where he could just relax.
“I work at the electronics shop because I’m good at it,” he said. “And I don’t go to Cosmic to battle because there’s no need for me to.”
“You’ve got talent, Max. I think it’s a waste not to use it.”
“I’m retired, Proxy. The sooner you learn to accept it, the happier you’ll be.”
“Yeah, yeah…” The blond watched her android counterpart load all of the pots and utensils into the AutoWasher. “How about you, Zigzag? How are things going?”
“I am enjoying myself,” the android replied. “Domestic duties are foreign to me, though there is little work with the frugal lifestyle Max lives. I have decided to pursue furthering my knowledge in the arts. Painting and music courses will help me understand what it’s like to be an ordinary citizen in New Austin. Spending time with Max also affords me the opportunity to strengthen our relationship.”
“Don’t think about dragging her into the War Zone either,” Max said. “If there’s anybody who needs a break from fighting, it’s her.”
“You know… They ask for the android as much as the Rebel,” Proxy said. “Say, Zigzag… You ever have a desire to hear the adulation of an arena cheering for you like they did the last time you were there?”
Zigzag stared blankly at the blond. “No.”
“Ha!” Max burst into laughter, nearly spitting out a mouthful of coffee.
“Fine, fine,” Proxy sighed. “Maybe you two have found your calling elsewhere. But I’m an Operator, so I’m gonna operate. One of these days both of you will get the itch. I’ll be waiting right here for you.”
“And we’ll be right here, too.”
“Considering how crappy my Contenders are, I’ll probably be here a lot more often. I wonder how Hudson is doing… I haven’t seen him around the club lately.”
“He went to Santa Fe. Said he had something to take care of.”
“Serious?”
“He didn’t say. It’s been a few days though, so I’m kinda curious.”
“Hudson isn’t the type to just disappear days at a time. Especially to another city. Maybe you should give him—”
Max’s AllDevice began to ring and vibrate on the kitchen counter next to his plate.
“Speak of the devil…” He put the small rectangular device up to his ear. “Hudson.”
“Max… Are you free to talk?”
Max already thought it was an odd question but Hudson’s shaky tone made him more curious.
“What’s happening?” Max asked.
“It’s… Shit, man. I hate asking you.”
“You know you don’t have to worry about asking me anything.”
“I… I’m having some trouble. You think you can help me out?”
“What do you need?”
“Meet me in Santa Fe. And bring your ACE with you.”
Max raised an eyebrow. “Hudson, what the hell is going on—”
“I promise I’ll explain everything when you get here. Can you just do this for me? Please?”
Max heard a sense of desperation in his friend’s voice. It was clear something was wrong but he didn’t question it.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Max lowered his AllDevice down on the counter.
Proxy noisily chewed on her breakfast as she stared at him. “You’ve got a look in your eyes. Is Hudson all right?”
“I don’t know. Said he might be in trouble. Wants me to meet him in Santa Fe.”
“If he’s in trouble, we should be there to assist him,” Zigzag said.
“I think my Contenders can do fine without me,” Proxy said.
Max thought about it for a second even though his mind was already made up. “All right… We’re headed for Santa Fe.”
Chapter 2
The piece of metal around Max’s arm was light enough not to wear on him. Even though it wasn’t activated, the silicone prongs digging into his skin were enough of a reminder of what it was capable of.
He ignored his ACE and the abilities it gave him, his attention focused on the view outside of the speeder cab.
The rest of his group remained silent until the scenery began to change. Decrepit, broken-down buildings. Merchants along the streets tending to their stands as they supplemented food and other cheap electronics. Thugs lurking in the darkness of the alleys. The neon from the advertising was so bright Max could see it even with his eyes closed. It was a poor neighborhood but being around poverty was something Max was used to.
“You all right?” Proxy asked. “You’ve been quiet this whole time. I’m guessing this is pretty serious if Hudson told you to bring your ACE with you.”
“Hudson wouldn’t make me use this thing against my will. Judging from the looks of these punks outside, I figure it’s a precautionary measure.”
“Just remember not to use that thing whenever you want. You’ve still got some powerful abilities on it. The rules are different in other cities. I don’t know how it works in Santa Fe. They might confiscate it just for even having it equipped.”
Max rolled the sleeve of his leather coat down to make sure there was no sign of the device. “Something tells me the police here don’t care too much about what happens on the streets.”
It was an hour before the speeder cab arrived at its destination. Max stepped out and looked up at the flickering neon sign.
“Hudson sure picked a hell of a place to ask you for a drink,” Proxy said.
The bar wasn’t out of the ordinary. A few punks loitered just outside. Sleeveless leather jackets and spiked collars. Greasy hair, long and slicked back. Colorful tattoos along their arms and trailing all the way to their necks. Max knew just a glance was enough to start trouble with the guys.
He stepped inside the bar and the scene wasn’t any more inviting. Thick clouds of white smoke billowed into the air from old-fashioned cigars. Combined with the stench of old wood furniture and spilled liquor, the pungent aroma was enough for a blind man to know where he was.
The place was full enough there was more than one conversation to overhear though everybody kept to themselves. Music from a digital jukebox provided some ambiance to the mellow scene. It was still the middle of the day but some already looked like they’d been drinking for hours.
The dim-lighting was just enough for Max to examine his surroundings. He overlooked the tattooed punks and gangsters eyeballing him. It was hard not to get some attention with women like Proxy and Zigzag following behind him. Everybody minded their business long enough for Max to find Hudson sitting in the corner of the bar.
The older man hunched over in his seat with his head down. The ballcap put a shadow over his face. His jacket was disheveled along with the rest of his clothes. His beard was growing long enough to need a trim. If Max didn’t know how well off he was, he would have thought the man was living on the streets.
The group took a seat at the booth and the man raised his head up. He wiped some of the dirt from his cheeks, revealing the tan skin underneath. There was a smile on his face but not big enough to completely reveal his chipped teeth.
He twirled an empty glass between his fingertips and sighed. “Thanks for coming.”
“It’s not a big deal, Hudson,” Max said. “I’ve got free time.”
“You know that’s not what I mean. Asking you to come all the way out here to Santa Fe… I wouldn’t have called if there was someone else I could turn to. I didn’t think you’d bring Zigzag and Proxy along.”
“Anything to not have to deal with the Contenders I’m operating for,” Pro
xy sighed.
Hudson gave the blond a smirk before shifting his gaze back to his empty glass.
“You know Zigzag has no obligations to anybody,” Max said. “What’s up, Hudson?”
Hudson looked around like he was making sure nobody was listening then turned back to the three sitting across from him.
“After you won the War Gamez, I figured I’d take some time to myself,” Hudson said. “I guess I just got tired of hanging around New Austin. Felt like I was stuck there. Remembered an old buddy of mine back in the service was living out here. Sammy… Last time I talked to him, things weren’t great but they weren’t that bad either. Looked him up and found him in the hospital.”
The disappointment in Hudson’s eyes was obvious. Max was already taking him seriously but now he was even more focused.
“He’ll be all right, right?” Max asked.
“He barely made it to a hospital. He’s recovering. But they beat him pretty bad. It’ll take longer than usual to get back to full-strength even with a regenerator. They don’t care too much about a man like Sammy. Not in a city like this.”
Max only had more questions but stayed silent, letting Hudson gather himself before he continued.
“Sammy and I were in the same unit. It was hell. You know that better than anybody. When we came back, it was hard adjusting to being a civilian. Sammy took it harder than most. Started using.”
“Loot’s always an easy way out,” Max said.
“And once you get on it, it’s hard to stop. Sammy doesn’t exactly have the creds to flush it out of his system.”
“Sorry, Hudson… You’ve got more credits than I do—”
“I can handle it. That’s not what this is about though.” Hudson again shifted his eyes around the bar. He leaned forward across the table and looked Max right in the eye.
“It’s not about getting Sammy off the loot,” Hudson said. “Someone beat him within an inch of his life. It was the kind of beating not even a junkie deserves.”
“Santa Fe has high levels of crime and poverty,” Zigzag said. “There is little doubt your friend’s attack has something to do with loot.”
“That’s what I already figured. Started looking into seeing who did it but Sammy’s not in the position to talk right now.”
“How about a location?” Max said. “I don’t know what they say about Santa Fe but there had to have been cameras.”
Hudson shook his head. “Whoever did this to Sammy knew exactly where to take him. I checked with the police and there’s no recordings of any assaults that fit Sammy’s description. But this is all connected to the loot. We follow the loot, we find whoever’s responsible for what happened.”
Proxy straightened up and let out an anxious sigh. “I don’t know about this. Isn’t this something the cops should be dealing with? We’re not crime fighters or vigilantes.”
“I already figured that. But Santa Fe isn’t like New Austin. The cops around here are just putting up a front. Pushers got enough money to quiet law enforcement. It’s hard to tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys around here.”
Hudson leaned back in his seat and looked out toward the bar. “I get why you don’t wanna do this. This is my business. I won’t ask any of you to get involved. If you wanna head back to New Austin, I’ll buy you some dinner and a speeder ride. No hard feelings.”
Max, Proxy and Zigzag looked at one another. Despite Hudson’s serious tone, it wasn’t enough to make any of them move from their seats.
“Let’s get this done,” Proxy said.
“I’m certain with our assistance this matter can be settled quickly,” Zigzag said.
“You heard ‘em,” Max said.
Hudson smirked. “All right then… I did a little research. Santa Fe ain’t my town but from what I gathered, most of the loot circulating around here is being moved by a group called the Disciples.”
“The Disciples… Zigzag, do you have any information on them in your files?” Max asked.
“I have no knowledge of any affiliation pertaining to the Disciples,” the android responded. “I will have to search the Santa Fe database.”
“What else do you got, Hudson?”
“That’s it. I don’t know who they are exactly. I don’t know how many of them there are. But I know they’re around here. We follow the trail of loot and we eventually find who the hell did this to Sammy.”
“Whoa, whoa, hold on a second.” Proxy put her hands up. “Are we just gonna start asking around for some gang, trying to get their attention in the hopes one of ‘em will admit to beating up your friend?”
“Do you have a better idea?”
The table fell silent. Proxy leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms. Max chuckled softly at her obvious frustration and put a hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “We’re all in this together. We keep a low-profile and our ears open. I look around and I can see half the people in this bar are whales who’ve got something to do with loot. If the Disciples are responsible for moving all of the weight, we’ll find ‘em.”
“There’s a place a couple blocks from here,” Hudson said. “Bar called Downpour. I overheard some guys talking about some loot they scored over there. I say we go over there and see if we can find a score ourselves.”
“Downpour…” Max thought about it for a moment then nodded in agreement.
The group stepped back out onto the streets. It was still the middle of the day but gathering clouds made the view gloomier than when Max first arrived.
Max looked around and noticed just how decrepit the buildings were. It looked like the place had been hit by a bomb with how much everything was crumbling. Only the light from the flickering neon signs was enough to stop the place from looking completely dead.
“You know, I never thought I would see a place as bad as Kings Row but here we are,” Proxy said.
The thugs Max saw when they first arrived eyeballed him. He gave them a glance before turning his attention down the street.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get to Downpour.”
Chapter 3
The merchants and punks were all the same, eyeballing Max to see what they could get out of him and the people he was with. He quickly got used to the poverty-stricken streets. After living for so many years in a place like Kings Row, watching his back wasn’t anything new to him.
The electric red sign of Downpour was broken, with the last two letters flickering on and off. A couple of tattooed thugs leaned up against the wall with their arms crossed but didn’t pay any more attention to Max than everybody else he’d seen in Santa Fe.
“An Operator, an agent, an android and a man armed with an ACE walk into a bar… Sounds like a bad joke.” Max ran his hand over his forearm to make sure his ACE was still in place. “We don’t wanna draw too much attention to ourselves. Proxy, Zigzag. You two walk around. Don’t ask any questions. See if you can overhear anything. Guys in here should be gentlemanly enough not to give you a hard time.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” Proxy replied. “But we’ll lay low. See if we can hear anything about loot or the Disciples. How about you?”
“Hudson and I will see if we can get a lead. We play it up a little bit, we might actually look like we’re into loot.”
Hudson gave him a smirk. “Whatever it takes.”
Max nodded in response then stepped inside. As soon as he did, he was greeted with a waft of old-fashioned tobacco smoke. Combined with the brownish tint of the lights, the scene inside Downpour was already uninviting. Max quickly adjusted and got a good look around.
More tattooed punks with nothing better to do were scattered around in different groups. The intricate ink on their arms, necks and faces indicated some type of affiliation. They enjoyed their liquor between puffs of their tobacco, ready to snap on anybody who was looking at them the wrong way.
“Nice group of people.”
The bar itself wasn’t
anything glamorous. A mish-mash of plastic and metal furnishings were scattered around for everybody to lounge upon. Judging from the overpowering stench of alcohol, Max didn’t have to think twice about why Downpour had drawn a crowd like this in the middle of the day.
He gave a quick glance to Zigzag and Proxy and they started nonchalantly walking through the crowd. Max made his way to the bar with Hudson beside him.
“Nice group of people.” Max kept his voice as low as possible. “Where do we start?”
“I’ve seen enough abuse back in New Austin. Guys and girls like these don’t just get tattoos to show off how cool they are. Perfect way to hide loot box tracks.”
“People are using here. I can see it on some of their eyes. Don’t think strong-arming a junkie into telling us where he got his shit is gonna help us though.”
“I’ll follow your lead, Max. I figure any punk in here is as good as the next in getting to the drugs.”
“Right… Just gotta figure out who’s willing to play along…”
Max narrowed his eyes and scanned the bar. There was no shortage of people to talk to. But everywhere he looked, the groups consisted of at least six or seven people.
“A dealer wouldn’t be hanging around with a big group… Someone who’s not drawing any attention to himself…”
Max got used to the stink of liquor and smoke. His eyes squinted, he spotted a man sitting in the corner of the bar. He could barely make him out in the shadows but from what Max could tell, he was alone except for a couple of guys standing guard.
Max leaned up against the bar, his eyes still locked on the stranger. “In the corner. Two enforcers watching over him.”
“I see him…”
“Doesn’t have any tattoos, so you know he’s not using. Wearing shades indoors to keep a low profile. Bodyguards instead of a gang. I bet the guy’s a pusher.”
“Damn observant of you.”
“When you were on the battlefield, you had to be. Spot a man on the other side a split-second too late and it was your head. That’s the man we’re looking for.”
“It’s your call, Max.”