Lauren Milwaukee was a woman who looked young, charming, and spirited like a wild fire. She had the personality of a woman and the ego of a man, able to produce pain when necessary to drop her enemies down the wells right into the sewage they came from. She was big boned, big chested, with long black hair, and light brown skin, with a Tongan, Chinese background. She spoke easily with a bartender who was shouldering her sadness.
Lauren sombered, "He isn't here anymore, I miss him. John was spectacular. And I feel like he deserves... more than he got. He was so sweet! Really! I went to his funeral and I felt like... nobody even cared! I looked around and I felt like someone could have been more supportive! Like, it was a f$cking funeral, you know? Excuse my language, sorry."
The bartender she was speaking to looked like he was straight out of a modeling magazine. He had brunette hair slicked to one side, fresh stubble, long sideburns, and a soul patch. He nodded at what she said and allowed her to continue, smirking when she was happy, and frowning when she was sad.
Lauren continued, "Like... he was one of my great friends into the year... 205. I was like... alarmed at his death when it happened. It broke me a little bit on the inside, but it didn't really hit me until the funeral, and I was... embarrassed. I cried. And everyone looked like they were happy, smiling, and Jennifer and her family thought it was funny to see me crying... for someone that... look, she thinks I didn't know John! I knew John, okay? And how the f$ck could people be so happy about the death of someone they genuinely care about? I felt really like I was the only one." Lauren was dynamic in her explanation, going through her ups and downs with the bartender.
The bartender took her dish and glass and placed them behind the bar, and grabbed another plate from a stack of dishes sitting on the bar top. He wiped it down very gently, listening to Lauren intently, connecting with how she may have felt at that moment, and being careful not to disturb her emotions any further.
"Like, so many people don't get it. You know? They really don't get it. He was so good! I felt like John was... the man! He did what so many other dudes didn't, in his lifetime! And what made him so good was how he was able to care for everyone all the time. No matter what he was doing. Wherever he went, he cared for his daughters and his son, who is so cute, and John really loved them. They, his kids... were just passing by in his life," Lauren described, guilt welling up inside of her for not having done more for him while he was still alive. "He wasn't like... all these punk, broke a$$ boys that think they know what they're talking about, and talk like they're all hot sh$t. I don't care about that. I don't care how hot they are, I feel... I feel for them, for people like... John. John was a warm hearted person, and he was so good to me! I'm not even his kid and he treated me like my own."
The bartender continued listening and nodding, his face staying serious. He felt that her intentions were genuine and warm if not dimly lit. He grabbed another dish and began wiping it down, releasing the scent of clean dish water and wet cloth, continuing to the next plates as she explained onward about her feelings.
"Nobody ever deserves to have to feel so alone like he felt. He was so alone near the end of his life, and knowing that... kills me. I mean, I wasn't there for him! Granted, I work. I couldn't be there for him. But I wasn't there caring for him... like someone should've been, and I don't know if he..." She declared in a remorseful way, trying to remember. She kept on, "You see, his family was fed up with him because they were always fighting. They were b$tches. Like, nah, his son was super sweet and good, but his daughters, too. They all b$tches. His sister and his cousins were such wh$res, too, man!" Lauren laughed, trying not to. She couldn't help it, being real with the bartender. She resumed, "I can't believe he allowed them to stay in his life! Man! If I were his wife, I would've told them all to frick off, man! And I even told him that they weren't good for him, but he still cared."
The bartender was smiling, happy to hear Lauren laugh. He thought he may have heard something outside of the bar, and he did. He heard the door of the bar bust open and immediately looked, alarmed. Someone cracked the lock on the door, broke the control panel from the outside to hang a system error, and then slid the door halfway open. They grabbed the side of the door and slid it open as far as they could while rapid beeps and glitched noises sounded off from the door and damaged control panel.
Lauren reacted by gasping and jolting backward into her seat as soon as the door busted open. She covered her mouth, then stood up and grouped herself closer to the bar top, grabbing the counter, then searching for the bartender's hand. The bartender had dropped the dish he was holding and let the hand towel slip onto the floor.
The bartender and Lauren both stayed silent, watching the figure burst into the room with the door still halfway ajar. She gasped, looking at the figure standing there in the dimmest part of the room, then screamed. Feeling the intensity of the invader's attitude and adrenaline rush as he looked around the room and then at them, her body shivered, and she closed her eyes wanting the figure to disappear. With her eyes open again, she watched his every motion. Lauren was still under the influence of the alcohol and feeling her heart rate quicken. Her heart was beating so fast she could feel it thumping in her chest, and if anyone were to look, they would see her chest thumping along, too. The bartender was breathing quickly and heavily, pressure building up in his digestive system.
"You know you look like you're scared? You haven't seen a crowbar before? It's a tool they designed for opening things. Hey, don't make me feel weird, okay? I'm looking for someone. Have either of you seen a short guy, looks kind of gay?... named... Elroy? Works for the security division?" Requested the figure, sounding polite. He still seemed intimidating and detached like a cyborg. "And what are you doing open so late?" He chuckled with a big smile, scanning Lauren. The invader was amused, knowing that he was overpowering the room but merely wanted to joke around with them. He was also broad-bodied with a large belly, tall, and could've been a bouncer for the bar.
The bartender looked at Lauren like he forgot his wife's anniversary then murmured, "You can go. Go out back that way and run. It's okay. I got this from here." He tried to be confident, nodding quickly, keeping his eyes alert for any other movements from the invader.
"What was that?" The invader asked lightly, slamming the crowbar onto the bar top.
Lauren fidgeted, disgusted by what was happening. She said to herself, "You're f$cking kidding me right now, right?"
The invader was staring into Lauren's eyes, slipping the crowbar lower and lower to the ground, slowly, until it was solidly by his side. "What?!" He checked again, cupping his hand to his ear, gesturing that he was closely listening for a particular answer.
Suddenly, a sly woman walked into the room behind him, squeezing herself through the narrow entryway he created. The door and control panel still malfunctioned, throwing errors and glitched noises. The sly, small woman looked at the door with a grimace, then looked up the invader with the crowbar.
The invader turned his body halfway to her with the crowbar raised up above his head like he was going to swing it at her. Then he twisted back toward the bartender, making him and Lauren flinch.
The invader told the small woman, "You can be a little nicer walking in here. You don't see? I'm taking something we need, hoe bag."
"You shut up, a$$hole. Don't call me that. Okay? Hey, there are people in here, baby," the woman whispered to him. "What are you doing, baby? You didn't know they were still open?"
"Uhh, we're not open," the bartender stated outright.
The invader put his finger up to his lips requesting silence. He rolled his eyes and smiled, turning himself toward the bartender and Lauren again. The small woman crept up next to him and held onto his arm, crowbar still in his hand. He looked down at her and explained, "I want to know where Elroy is. Jeff and Pat told me he's been cruising here at this bar sometimes. Remember Elroy?" He said back to the woman.
She replied, "I don't know who that is, baby. You just walked away from me and then next thing I know I saw you f$cking take that crowbar. Then you smashed your way into here?! What the f$ck are you doing, baby?!" The invader turned o face her with a look of shame. She slapped her hand against his forearm a few times and told him, "Come on, get up! Use your head! You know they've got covvies all around this area, too, a$$hole! You didn't think of that?!"
"They could be on their way now," the bartender shouted. Lauren instantly placed her hand on his mouth, hushing him before the invader did anything to them.
"They aren't going to know," the invader said, turning his body to face the bartender and Lauren again, ominously drooping the crowbar low again. "Hey!" He yelled. He cleared his throat and calmed his voice down to sound reasonable and comforting, smiling down at his woman. He looked at the bartender and said, "Nobody is going anywhere until I get the answers I want. Do you know Elroy?" He tapped the bar top with his free hand and walked closer to the bartender.
"No no no, no, no. I don't know who that is," the bartender said, his eyes widening. "And she doesn't either!"
"Do you? Don't answer for her. You! Do you know Elroy?" Asked the invader, swinging the crowbar to point it at Lauren. "You don't know... who Elroy is? Red Roof Security's little baby boy? You look like you know him." He chuckled.
"No!" Cried Lauren, already bawling in her bar stool. Her makeup was running down her cheeks. She sniffled and whispered to the bartender, "Give me a clean cloth, please."
The invader said, "Aw, you don't have to cry, Lauren. I'm just here to see if Elroy is here, and then I'm leaving. Are you two okay with that?"
"Wait!" Lauren shouted. "Wait, you know me? You know my name?" She was still sniffling, but was bewildered to be known by someone like the invader.
The small woman looked up at the invader, giggling quietly.
The bartender felt like the room turned weird, looking at Lauren then at the invader.
"Hey," the invader laughed. "This is one of the best bars in the area. Everyone here knows everyone. And aren't you like... famous or something?"
"No, but... well, maybe... but..." Lauren began, holding back as the invader twirled the crowbar.
The invader demanded calmly, "Tell me what I need to know and I'll get out of your hair."
"That's fine," said the bartender, lowering his tone to sound more protective. "But we already told you, we don't know who that is."
The invader said, "Okay, fine. Good deal! Come on, Arla. Let's not bother these people anymore. They don't know who little boy Elroy is." He began walking away with Arla, his hand cuffing her neck gently.
The invader suddenly swung her back the other way to face the bartender and Lauren, then slammed the crowbar onto the bar top again, causing all the plates and glasses in that spot to shake, and some bottles to fall off and shatter on the floor. The impact of the crowbar startled everyone except the invader himself. He spoke gently, "And you haven't seen him around? You know Elroy, right?"
The bartender tried not to gulp, his eyes tearing up. He looked away from the invader and his crowbar. He met eyes with Lauren who felt her heart whimper at the sight of the bartender's eyes, then he looked down at the floor. "I've... no, I swear. I don't know who that is. I just started working here. And she... Lauren... she's just a really wonderful customer, and she didn't... she doesn't know who Elroy is."
"Okay, well?" The invader exhaled. "Can we start over again? My name is Mickey, and I was sent here for someone who caused a lot of problems for my client. Sorry about the rude awakening!" He smiled glibly at Lauren then let the smile fade in an instant, looking at the bartender.
"Ye—yeah. Sure. Don't sweat it. No problem! We don't want any problems! We just wanted to talk to each other, close up, and then go home, that's all," the bartender informed Mickey, holding his position behind the counter. The bartender was nowhere near the 'danger button' nor the gun he tucked away underneath the bar counter. Mickey looked stronger and more dangerous, so the bartender knew well to avoid confrontation. Mickey was dressed up in a hardened military vest with black cargo pants underneath, and heavy black tactical boots with some wear and tear to match.
Lauren held back a cry and looked away. She hid her face with her hands. She was gulping down her tears from the fear of death, on top of the event of her good friend John having passed away.
What the bartender didn't tell Mickey was that there was another worker in the pool room that connected to the bathrooms. Another bar worker had been listening and kept a working laser pistol on her belt. When she heard Mickey bust through the door, she almost barged in to shoot him, but wasn't sure what else nor who she would be met by. She took her own precautions, stayed calm and alert, and then she heard who he asked for. The woman crawling in after him, Arla, also sounded like a familiar person. She had been listening to the back and forth discussion, waiting for Mickey or the bartender to do something. Wanting to gear up a notch to test Mickey's overbearing resolve, she set the safety on her pistol into the off position, making a barely noticeable clicking sound.
"Okay, well, thank you for your time. I best be going, then. Since you don't know Elroy," Mickey said, smiling and knocking the crowbar against the wall of the bar counter a few times. He eyed the backroom, feeling the pace of the room quicken. Knowing what that meant, he assumed it was time to leave. "Thanks for your time and understanding! I love your work, Lauren!" He smiled glibly again. "I scared the sh$t out of you, didn't I?" He laughed heartily while Arla tugged at his arm, urging him to leave with her. "Hey, Arla loves your work, too! Yup, gotta take my woman back home with me. You know how it is," Mickey opened up more, sounding oddly comforting to everyone in the bar, laughing from the heart. He sounded genuinely amused and satisfied by their encounter.
"Thanks, take care," said the bartender very sternly, trying to compute how to feel.
Mickey and Arla were walking out when Mickey turned around again, looked at the bartender and jutted his chin out like a savage man. He alternated raising each eyebrow and looked left and right, then hung his head low. Mickey looked up again, grinning, laughing. His intention was clearly to offer some mocking comic relief, but it actually reminded the bartender of the Doom Guy's portrait.
Mickey followed Arla out as she squeezed her way through the busted open entryway. Mickey shoved the door open more with the strength of his arm and then pushed himself through slowly and uncomfortably. He made a face of extreme discomfort and sounds like he was constipated for more comic relief. He managed to make his way through, then slowly slid the door closed behind him, with both the bartender and Lauren watching and not making a sound. Mickey left the door slightly cracked open, matching the feeling of unending anticipation.
Lauren wasn't sobbing anymore, looking more shocked and somewhat curious as to what would happen next. She was wondering who this guy was and what gave him the balls to bust a door open at a renown establishment, act like a house burglar, then to speak to her like everything was peachy keen.
Mickey came back and grabbed hold of the door again, startling Lauren and the bartender. He slid the door open slightly again and gradually peeked at them sideways. He grinned, smiling with only his eyes showing, then frowned his eyes and said in a high pitch, "If you see Elroy, please let me know! Red Roof Security doesn't answer my calls anymore. Thanks, people!" Mickey disappeared from the door, then in a few nano-ticks, he crept his head in again slowly, innocently claiming, "I'll pay for the door later! Did you know that you can't hear gunshots in space? Crazy, ainnit?! That's a fact!" He then slid the door completely shut and gave it one last little thud with his crowbar.
Lauren and the bartender stared at each other then back at the door, waiting for it all to be over. It appeared that Mickey had really moved on.
The bartender's eyes were wide open. He had nothing to say, collecting himself again.
Lauren mouthed, oh my God, at him.
The bartender whispered in response, "I am so, so sorry, Lauren! I apologize! That!... Shouldn't have happened! At all! Do you need a hug?" He sounded like a puppy dog and smiled at her.
"I need a hug," Lauren admitted, breaking into tears again. She sobbed loudly while he was coming around the bar to her side, giving in to her feelings. The bartender threw his arms open and invited her into his warming embrace. "I'm just so... f$cking happy you're here! You're really great. You really are. I'm so sorry, what's your name again?" She fell into him, her head against his chest. She could hear the sound of his heart beating loud and clear.
"Babe, but you can call me Michael," the bartender said.
Lauren giggled.
At that moment, the worker hiding in the pool room emerged slowly, seeing Lauren and the bartender in their embracing hug. The worker had set her safety to on again after not hearing Mickey's voice anymore, noting that the bar's entryway was supposedly clear. She walked into the room, crept to the entrance door, and slid it all the way shut.
"Hey kitten," said the bar worker, hurrying back to Lauren.
"Kim!" Lauren said, sobbing with a stuffy nose. She let out her cries in small pulses then sniffled, dabbing her eyes with the clean cloth that Michael had given her. She let herself up and away from Michael, preparing herself to receive a hug from the female bar worker. "Kim! Thank you! I love you so much!... You're so wonderful! You're always so wonderful to me! You and Michael!"
Lauren sat, brought Kim closer to her, and leaned into Kim's chest sideways. Kim mumbled an mmhmm. She hugged onto Lauren, caressing her back gently as Lauren continued to sob. Her sobbing turned into weeping, feeling the care of Kim and Michael barely balancing the violent and impactful event as well as her friend John's death. Kim whispered to Michael expectantly, "You should get the Police Covenant to look into this situation."
Michael said, "No, Kim. Let's... look. I know that guy, actually. Do not mix this up with the Police officers or we'll be visited again."
Kim looked at him in scrutiny and argued quietly, "Do you know who I know? He scared the f$ck out of her!"
"Kim, I know," Michael began.
Kim shushed him while she rocked Lauren in her arms, holding her like a nurturing mother figure.
"It's alright! Really!" Lauren said, removing herself slowly from Kim's arms. "It's okay. I just want to have another drink, and... please can I be with you both right now?! And... and I... don't... know! This is too much for me right now!" Lauren sobbed again, holding the wettened cloth to her face. "This is a lot! I'm—! I want my brothers here!" She giggled into sobbing.
"It's okay," Kim said, shushing her as though she were a baby cradled in its mother's arms. She rested Lauren's head against her shoulder. She looked at the bartender and said, "You've got one h$ll of a story to tell the owner tomorrow." She smiled at him smugly as though frowning upon his decision to keep the Police Covenant out.
Michael went to the front door to check out the damage. He sighed and closed his eyes while pushing against the door with both hands, then trying to slide it open himself. It wouldn't budge as easily as Mickey had made it seem. Michael then checked the door control panel and tried navigating to an override screen to open the door. The light on it flashed red three times, and the door wouldn't open. He thought to himself, now how am I supposed to close the d$mn bar? I'm going to have to call the owner and explain this to him. This is expensive. Forget the police, though? That's my life on the line, and maybe their lives, too. Either way. I guess it's just return to normal business and forget.
Michael also pondered how Mickey seemed to sense Kim when she was in the pool room, knowing she was legally armed with her own pistol. He couldn't figure out how some of the most dangerous, seemingly deranged people, were so intelligently attuned to their environment. Michael thought that people had to be officially professionals, as though they were entitled to those abilities, and nobody else. He thought nothing more about it and returned to Lauren's side.
Michael poured himself and the ladies drinks. "Last ones for the night, then we can walk you home, okay Lauren?" He resumed while scanning the rest of the damages to the bar. Michael grabbed a mop and swept up what he could behind the counter, swishing the alcohol on the floor toward the drain.
Kim hushed Lauren gently, intuitively singing her a lullaby that Kim's own mother sang to her when she was young. Lauren calmed down, slowing in her breathing. Michael sat down next to Lauren with a bottle after setting their glasses down on the table. They all sat together, drinking quietly, and watching the bar's front door, wondering if Mickey and Arla would return.
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USF Progenitor & Crew: Adventures in Cosmos 01
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