Dirty Work: Volume 2

Story Six - The Breaking Storm: Part 1 - 3

As expected, once they reviewed the security footage, against the policeman's warning, it went well for us. They removed us from our little holding cells, didn't apologise for the rigorous, in-your-face interrogations we'd been subjected to, and we were kicked out onto the street again without a care in the world. All in all, a pretty decent showing from the police, considering they could have gunned us down in the lobby.

The chief did make sure he'd got my contact details, however. He'd asked questions about why Euphero had wanted me, and I told him she was an ex who'd said in the heat of a breakup that I could have some expensive family heirloom of hers which I'd put in Ochre. He didn't believe it, but what was he going to do about it?

'If she shows up again, I want to know about it,' he said. That was fair enough.

We stood outside the station underneath the low porch. A large holo ad not far down the street blared that if we spent just a little over more money than both of us combined made in a year, we could spend an entire 22 and a half minutes inside The Lounge in Region 2. Could probably have bought my arm's weight in drugs for that money as well, and the latter would no doubt be better value for the price.

'I'm going to the club,' Reyna said.

'Not going back to Siala?'

She shook her head. 'I've spent enough time rotting there already. Time to get back going again.'

I nodded. 'If that's what you want.'

'You talked me into it, moron.'

'I guess I did. Want me to come with you?'

'I can manage. I'll run back to the room and head on over to them. Give them a hand with the last few finishing touches.' She smiled a little. 'I've always wanted to be an interior designer.'

'You going to help me behind the bar when it's open again next week?'

'Boss can go suck one if he says no.'

I laughed. Hearing Reyna say anything that wasn't dripping in depression was a revelation I welcomed wholeheartedly. I asked for a hug and she gave me one. Long and hard and good for the soul.

'You're not too bad, you know?' she said quietly.

'That's not what you thought when you first met me.'

'Yeah, well, times change. The world turns around and lives turn with it.'

'Nick that one or did you spend a whole week on it?'

'You can still be really fucking annoying, though.'

I let her go. She smiled as strong a smile as she could muster, winked, and set off back towards the hospital. Watching her disappear into the crowd like that, suddenly a feeling of utter loneliness washed over me. I felt in that moment exactly how she felt. Surrounded by faces and yet lost in an ever-tightening iris. Some things you have to do for yourself, and you have to drag yourself through it the hard way.

I got to the Magna-Train station to head back home to find Ashrore waiting outside for me. She was packing concealed heat.

'Long time no sssssee,' she said.

'Bodyguard duty?'

'Sssssomeone hassss to make ssssure you don't end up in a body bag. Now it'sssss my turn to play babyssssitter.'

'I'm so thankful,' I said.

We watched each other for a moment before we hugged. I was doing a lot of this hugging-business at the moment. It made me uneasy.