Lustral || Complete

II

     "The shower is down the hall, second door on the right, and straight on till morning."

     Liri's light-blonde locks shimmered and floated about like spider's webbing in a light breeze with the sunlight catching it as she shook her head. A look of confusion graced her pale-blue face. "What?"

     "I've been on Earth too long," Ardon mumbled. "It's over there." He pointed. "Second--"

     "Door on the right," she said as she walked away.

     He kept a smile on his face as she made her way down the squeaky-planked hall. Once the door slid closed behind her, the smile was gone. Ardon yanked his coat off, tossing it on the white couch that matched every other piece of furniture, he shook out his wings and stretched.

     Hissing at a shot of pain, he bent his right-wing around to inspect it. A deep gash ran between the webbing of the third and fourth fingers.

     He squinted. "Shit."

     Pulling a small metal disk from the wound, it crunched between his tense fingertips. He bolted to the nearest window and threw it open. The ore button sailed through New Seattle's smog as quickly as he slipped down the hall to the room across from where Liri was showering.

     Ardon pulled a round tube out from one of the dozens of drawers in the study. Ultraviolet light shot out of the end of the device and hummed. With several quick swipes over his gash, it disappeared as if it had never happened. Tossing the personal-healer back into the drawer, he moved and tapped a few commands onto the glass surface of his desk.

     A video of his flat popped to life. Within moments he and Liri walked through the front entrance. He froze the recording when a clear shot of her face made itself available. Pressing several more buttons, other people's faces started flashing across the screen next to hers.

     Minutes passed. Twice, he stuck his head out into the hall to make sure she wasn't finished cleaning up.

     "Match found," an automated voice piped up.

     He flew to the images with a flap of his wings. Green eyes darted over the text, and a smile pulled at his lips as he finished reading. "Well - well - well, look at what's hunting for you, my sexy ticket outta' here."

     He tapped a few more commands then paced the floor as the intercom's music played.

     "Niko!" Ardon greeted, as a hazy image of an elephant-sized feline smoking a sizable cigar replaced Liri.

     Niko pushed the bowler hat out of his squinty, yellow-eyes way. "Hey, if it isn't my best boy! What can I do for you today, my friend?"

     Ardon pulled a puck out of his pocket and set it on his desk. Pressing a few buttons, it faded away like sand in the breeze and reappeared at Niko's elbow.

     "For starters, you can pay me."

     Niko eyed the puck before it vanished under his giant paw. A message from Ardon's bank blinked across the top of the screen.

     "Thank you," Ardon said with a smile.

     "Were you looking for more work? I had a doozy come in just this morning."

     "No, I'm leaving Earth."

     Niko laugh-purred. "Yeah, you been sayin' that for years now."

     "I know, but I finally have a ticket off this heap. And let me tell you, she is loaded."

     "Oh, no! You gotta watch out for them dames—especially the rich ones—they think they own everything. No good, I tell ya."

     Ardon sent her picture to the screen, the feline-eyes widened.

     With a chuckle-purr, Niko said, "A Venusian? You're fucked, pal."

     "No, I think she's Dubrovn."

     The black and brown-furred cat leaned towards the image. "I don't know; she looks like she's one of those blue-skinned, Venusian beauties to me. Besides, the Dubrovn are a peaceful race on the outskirts of the core and tend to stick to themselves. Why would she be here?"

     "I don't know yet, but I intend to find out."

     Niko shook his head. "I warn you; she's trouble."

     "Oh, yeah. Just my kind, it turns out. I need a private flight."

     "You sure about this?" Niko scratched his head.

     "Yes."

     "I don't know—"

     "She has enough power at her fingertips to get me home looking like a shiny new penny. I have to try, or I'll be stuck here until I die."

     "Or you're finally killed during a run."

     Ardon waved his wing. "Exactly."

     Niko nodded while rubbing his jowls. "All right, my friend, just don't come crying to me when she rips you to shreds."

     "She isn't—"

     "Destination?" Niko sucked in a deep lungful of smoke and eyed Ardon.

     He cleared his throat. "I don't know yet, but I should in the next hour... maybe two."

     "How long will this excursion last?"

     "Three months, possibly more."

     "I'll call—"

     "Syd."

     Niko's yellow eyes snapped to Ardon. He leaned back in his leather, swivel chair and puffed on his smoke a few moments before he spoke. "You expecting trouble?"

     "You know me." The sound of running water shut off, drawing his eyes to the door across the hallway.

     "I know Syd's still pissed about the last run you did. She told me that you short-changed her."

     "The deal was that she gets 40% of the take-home. It wasn't my fault that we lost half the merchandise in the middle of the Ferrini war zone."

     Niko shook his head. "That's not going to convince her to work with you again."

     Ardon sighed heavily. "Tell her; I'll double her usual merc pay."

     "That should do the trick." Niko chuckled. "Ya need anything else?"

     "I might. Hey, is Jax still working with her?"

     "The whole crew is still there and packing."

     "Good. I'll get back to you with more details."

     The fat cat nodded, and his face disappeared just as Liri stepped into the hall.