MAKE IT GO BOOM | JINX

T W O

C H A P T E R   #02   //   D E A D L Y   M I S S I O N

        Later that night, a young girl sat alone at a table during the late hours. The Last Drop was quite packed, and loud chatter and coin clatter could be heard within the four walls. Sage stared at her empty cup of juice and inspected her reflection. Bright green eyes stared back at her while she pondered the day's events.

Upbeat music played in the background, but her spirit was not lifted by it. To her, the atmosphere in the bar felt rather eerie. Multiple drunken thieves and criminals sitting only a few tables away from her were not the best company. She did not worry about it too much, though. She spent plenty of time around these people - whenever she and her friends chose to chat at a table.

She toyed with a coin that had been on the table she sat at. Suddenly, somebody took a seat next to her. Her eyes shot up in alert, but her mind was put at ease when she saw that it was Ekko. He had a grin plastered on his face and a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

"What's up?" asked Sage in a nonchalant voice when she noticed Ekko staring at her without even blinking once. She watched as he slammed his hand onto the table. She raised an eyebrow and looked at him questionably. He held her gaze for a few seconds before he lifted his hand. A piece of paper remained where his hand had been.

"So," Ekko spoke up, dragging out the word before he continued. "It's a place I heard is gonna be left unguarded later tonight. To be precise..." he paused and lifted his wrist to look at an imaginary clock, "in two hours once the clock strikes midnight."

Ekko finished and put his elbows on the table, resting his chin on his hands as he watched Sage with eager eyes. Sage turned to glance towards the clock that stood in one of the corners of the bar. She had barely moved when she heard the clock strike. She halted her movements and glanced toward Ekko as she counted the chimes. Twelve.

Sage rolled her eyes lightly at the timing of the clock before she picked up the paper. It had a drawing of a tool on it, but she did not know what it was. Different street names and arrows, most likely directions, were on the map as well. She put the paper back down and sceptically said, "I don't know if Vi will agree to this."

Ekko nodded his head rapidly and began, "Well...yes. That's why I came to you and not her. I can already hear her saying how it's too dangerous and then kicking me out of your room. But it's urgent. The tool on the paper, I need it. I lost my old one a few days ago, and I got it from somebody who got it from somebody else, who got it from somebody from the Uppercity somewhere and... uh, you get my point."

"No, I don't get your point, Ekko," Sage told him with a tired sigh. The girl had spent the majority of her day practising her punches with the assistance of Vi after Deckard had beat her. All she wanted to do was go to sleep and rest.

Ekko cleared his throat and continued, "The import comes from Topside, so it's like really high-value stuff, right. And my source told me that my tool happens to be there too. Look, Sage, I know it's a lot to ask for, but don't you like a little adventure every once in a while?" he awkwardly finished when Sage stared him down.

"A little adventure? The place will be filled to the brim with Enforcers if the stuff is as important as you say it is. How do you even expect me to do this by myself?" Sage trailed off at the end, unsure of her capabilities. She rubbed her eyes with one hand and thought about the offer.

"It is filled to the brim with Enforcers, but in a little less than two hours from now, there'll be a shift change. Bam, a window of opportunity!" Ekko pushed further. He emphasised the bam by slamming his hand onto the table as if he had made a remarkable point.