Mirage

Chapter Twenty

Ryder stood on the street corner, pretending to browse through a chip modifier stand. The colored implants came in every color imaginable, held in clear containers. The vendor was haggling with a customer who wanted to barter instead of using their card, which meant the customer in question had either lost their card or didn't have one in the first place. The only other reason someone would refuse to use their card was someone who didn't want solid evidence of a crime being planned. 

Panther strode down the street, glanced at the sign that hung above the restaurant. He was clearly doublechecking it was the one Ryder had requested they go too for their date. The larger man stuck out in the crowd, not because he was in uniform but because of how imposing he was. 

He was dressed casually in a maroon and black jacket that was zipped up to ward off the slight chill and a pair of matching pants and boots. The jacket did little to hide his physique and he still towered over everyone. 

The Snizl had a glowing pink sign out front that hung above the door. It was one of many businesses on street level. It was a local, small time restaurant adored for its Selonian cuisine. The owners had immigrated from Selonia, a smaller planetary country, with the hopes of making it big in Deria, the trading hub of the galaxy and the Feinrral capital.  

Panther paused at the door, a slight frown on his face as though he could sense Ryder watching him. Or maybe he was questioning why the hell he'd decided to come to this side of the city for a date. Then he strode inside. 

Ryder watched him enter then slipped away through the crowd to do one last round of surveillance. He'd shown up several hours early and spent time canvasing the street just in case the man actually was trying to mount an operation against him. 

Finally, he was satisfied with the situation and he turned and made his way back to the restaurant. His messaging alert system went off and he pulled it up to see a message from Panther letting him know he was at the restaurant. Ryder quickly responded that he was there and then stepped inside. 

The Snizl had a quaint atmosphere. To the left was the bar and to the right, separated by a small wall that turned into glass, was the restaurant area. The kitchen was tucked away behind a wall to the far right. The walls were decorated with glowing pink signs and they cast a lighting that Ryder enjoyed. The floor was made up of cool, gray toned stone found in Selonia. It created a tile pattern across the floor. A banner on the far right against the kitchen wall scrolled through the menu options. 

Panther sat in a corner, near an exit. His maroon eyes were dark and he seemed crestfallen. He was in the middle of glancing down at his holo-projector. Then a hint of tension left his shoulders, and he glanced up. When he spotted Ryder his face lit up. 

His maroon eyes turned a slightly lighter shade and glowed faintly with excitement. A smile split his face, revealing nearly perfect teeth. Butterflies erupted in Ryder's stomach as they made eye contact. The space between them seemed almost nothing and yet so very vast all at once. 

Ryder neared the table, almost unconscious of his movements. Panther all but sprang out of his seat and crushed him in a massive bear hug. Ryder sucked in a deep breath, stunned into silence as Panther's arms encircled him. The hug was tight but not overly so. It was like being wrapped in a warm and heavy blanket. The entire world disappeared for several long seconds.

When Panther finally broke the hug both men were blushing. 

Panther's expression went from pleased to concerned and serious as his gaze raked over Ryder. His gaze didn't feel predatory like Whisper's and it took Ryder a moment to realize Panther was checking him over for injuries. 

"Are you ok?" Panther asked gently, his voice crawling up a pitch the way it only did around Ryder. The shorter man exhaled slowly, a little terrified of the way the tension had drained from every muscle in his body at the physical contact. Panther was like a sedative. Something about him made Ryder relax in a way he hadn't thought possible.