Against the Tide - A New Elysium Story [Complete]

19. Headfirst into Hell

The Backside was a sanctuary.

A place for serious business, not mindless quarrel. If people wanted to shoot each other, they were welcome to pack up and take their business elsewhere. Nobody was allowed to bring weapons in here, that was one of the sacred rules they all abided by, no matter if raider, scavenger, smuggler, hooker or anything else.

But now, five people stood in the doorway, who had violated those rules and brought their guns, and something even worse. Looming behind them, like two bodyguards from hell, hovered two pitch black scandroids.

Every patron had gotten to their feet and stared at the five men. Their grey uniforms were sodden, like the weather outside, so they looked almost black. The leader of the group rubbed his hand over his head to get the water out of his close cropped hair, and then over his face, where two long scars drew deep gorges across his cheeks.

"Gentlemen," Phil addressed them across the room in a calm voice, "We have rules in this establishment. Please leave your weapons... and your... attachés outside."

The leader of the group of men seemed to notice him only now, and snapped his dark-eyed gaze at him. He raised his eye brows.

"Are you for real, old man?"

It is him. This is him, Lars thought, I am certain of it.

Who? What? Who are you talking about? Null asked.

Amy Larsson's one-eyed gaze was fixed on the leader of the group, as he began to speak with a slight sneer to his voice.

"I'm Lieutenant Dixon. We're with Orion's Reach," he said, "And we're here to conduct a... routine security sweep of this sector. I suggest you all sit back down and relax, and make no sudden movements. This will be over before you know it."

Well, seems like somebody taught him some manners after all, Lars noted with grim sarcasm.

Lars, what are you talking about? I don't understand. Do you know these people? From your time in the military? Null asked, and her confusion reflected on Amy's face.

Don't tell me – you don't recognize him?

He could feel a strange sensation well up between the two of them, confusion mixed with something else. For a second he didn't know what upset him more – the sight of this man and his face, or her not recognizing who he was. She squinted at the man.

No. But we have other problems right now. Like the two scandroids behind him.

She was right. Amy Larsson had brought no weapons, like the good patrons she was. She had parked the shuttle in a green sector too far away to outrun the unwelcome visitors. And she couldn't call in Heisenberg because the second their augments would flare to life to establish a comm link with the Blackstar, the scandroids would probably shoot them on the spot. Right now, the droids were still just hovering there, their red scanner lights glowing dimly, while the men surveyed the room and the patrons in it.

But Lars didn't care about the scandroids. His full attention belonged to Lieutenant Dixon of Orion's Reach.

Look at the uniforms. They're with Orion's Reach. They're Hunters, Null. They hunt augments.

Obviously, she remarked, as she eyed the motionless scandroids with suspicion.

No, you don't understand... look at him! Don't you recognize him at all?!

Lars, why are you so angry? We need to focus!

Angry? I'm not-

He stopped mid-sentence. She was right. He was angry. No, he was furious.