Terminus Part I: The Journey There (Draft)

Chapter 12: Barracuda

"Your plan is actually quite ingenious, jazz club," said Disco.

"Thank you, Disco. It wasn't easy. I've been sitting on this one for a while. The only thing that troubles me is what Gaia said."

"What did she say, Barracuda? Will the plan fail, retro?"

"She said the plan would succeed, but that I would be undone by a detective. I don't want to become one of those people that in trying to avoid their fate, are responsible for sealing it, but I feel as though I have to do something."

"Perhaps accept things as they come and cut your losses if the need arises?"

"Maybe. I've been too irredeemable, it feels like."

"Yes, well, you know what they say about karma."

"Have you been talking to fires again?"

"They're quite intuitive about these things. The natural world is far stranger than the world of imagination."

"Normally, weird people talk to trees, not fires," interjected Piranha.

"Bitey LeJawface is lecturing me on what is not acceptable. That's a good one, never fails to amuse me, all-nighter."

"Everyone finds your speech habit annoying. Why are you still doing it?"

"Some people can't change, no matter how much others would like them to. It's pathological, and I don't feel satisfied if I try to suppress it. Boogaloo."

James found himself in an alleyway, being approached by two men who carried themselves in a way that suggested that they liked to start fights.

One of the men asked, "What are you doing here, stranger?"

"I'm looking for a man known as 'Bob'," he said bluntly.

"Who wants to know?" said the other man.

"I am James Baron."

"Yeah, I've heard that name before. You're the detective with the ridiculous bounty, right? Almost as high as Salvador's. At least before the big guy got arrested. Judge Perkins did it. 'Bob' was his source. Stand-up guy."

"Don't you think you're giving this guy too much information? Maybe just a little bit?" said the first man.

"You've got a point. What's a detective doing asking around for 'Bob', anyway?"

"Judge Perkins was murdered. The discoverer of the crime believes that the authorities will not seek the true culprit. As a result of these circumstances, I am investigating this matter myself. Do you two know this 'Bob', in any way?"

"You could say that. He pays us to make sure no-one comes in trying to kill him. He's a journalist, the kind that everybody hates. Exposes corruption, hypocrisy, and conspiracy."

"You're doing it again, Isaac."

"Your name is Isaac?" asked James.

"Yes, what of it?

"Nothing, just wasn't under the impression that I would be learning your names today."

"Shit, why did I go and do that? Er, anyway, yes, that's Isaac, and I'm Jonah. We're contract workers, and we believe that despite his bad reputation, 'Bob' does good work."

"So am I in the right place, or what?" asked James.

"Oh, yes, of course. Forgive me, I'll take you to him."

Salvador had been catching up on the events of the day, with help from the Martyrs A.I, Sunday, and a long-time member of the gang, Puppet (so named because of the puppet she used to communicate).