Life on Mars

Chapter Twenty

The doctor had made it clear he'd no intention of going back up to the Chase, in his anger having requested a more neutral meeting place eventually suggesting Sector S061, a subliminal insult to the rebels which had backfired when they agreed. The doctor had isolated his location from Duke and expected the professor would have done the same. 

Being off the grid was one thing, but having to explain why you were in Sector S061 was an entirely different matter. It was one of the grubbiest sectors in Heathen sitting on its outer fringes. By physical human standards, it was busy, physical being the reason most people were here. It's narrow, dimly lit streets hid a multitude of sins. If Manhattan Chase was Heathen's human sewer, then S061 was its overflow pipe. 

There were plenty of bodies milling around, few of which had a legitimate reason to be here. On the surface, it bustled, but it wasn't always clear how many of these people were organic. If the whole place wasn't lit like a cave it might be easier to tell. Truth is, there were people here who didn't want to know who was and who wasn't organic. The Mother system allowed certain immoral activities to go on provided most people were willing participants and in sector SO61, this was most definitely the case. 

A large number of hacked drones for sale or hire boosted the visible population on the streets. The doctor felt a hint of hypocrisy in his disdain for them, considering his relations with Ramona, but that was different. They had not lowered their relationship morals to crawling down alleyways. At least SO61 was serviced by Mother, which meant it was possible to catch a Mag Pod into the area. The upshot being you only have to endure it's depressing stench once you hit the street. Neon signs reflected in the puddle strewn pavements, washing yellow and purple hews up the dark, damp walls. Disembarking at his destination, there were no such signs, instead, a worn plate on the wall read 'Cafe Exile.' 

The doctor stepped from the transport and clunked down a narrow stairwell towards the muffled beat of music. At the bottom, he pushed a dark heavy curtain to one side and the odour filled his nostrils. It smelt damp and musky like a derelict building. A bar ran across the far wall and a row of dimly lit booths ran along the right-hand side. The bearded man leaning across an under illuminated bar was looking straight at him. The place was empty except for three figures sat in the only occupied booth and he nodded in their direction. The barman stood upright as he approached, drying his hands ready to take his order. The doctor ignored him and as he passed, the man leant back on his elbows and continued reading. The monotonous beat of the music faded in the confines of the booth as he spread his legs and pulled a stool between them. Feng stared straight ahead, his smile too wide as if holding back a laugh, eyeing the doctor sideways.

"How's it going?" said Jak. At the end of his arm, a glass characteristically dangled from thumb and finger. His head shot back as he took a large gulp of the red liquid, slamming the glass down on the table. Dragging his sleeve across his mouth like a pirate caused his lipstick to smudge a little. He looked around nervously much of the confidence from the last time they had met was gone. We're in no-man's land now, the doctor thought, feeling the power had shifted just a little. Jak looked different again, none of the shadowy makeup and definitely no blatant humanist symbols. There were hints of grey hair but still the eye patch over his right eye.

"How's what going?" said the doctor knowing full well what he meant.

"The caveman, everything going as he said it would?" nodding towards the professor. The three waited for his reply and he paused purposefully, looking up in thought and then down at the table.

"It's been a week since he cancelled the show." There were looks of concern around the table as the three men waited for a response from the professor.

"Tomorrow or the next day," he paused. "Just as last time, he'll change his mind." The professor simply nodded in acknowledgement and the two sighed with relief, sitting back in their chairs. Feng threw a look at Jak.