Never Lost

02 - Some Matrix Bullshit

02 – Some Matrix Bullshit

Kayda reached over and swiped the bottle from Torch who was in the middle of pouring herself a second drink. Hypocritically, she took a swig right from the neck before either of them could react.

Monty snatched it right out of her hands. "No, now I get why she keeps you around. Just because you think you're going to die doesn't mean you have to pollute all my merchandise."

Kayda wasn't listening though. In that moment, her attention was only for Torch. Her eyes were warm and lively, colored like the sun ten minutes after it had disappeared. For a total whack job lunatic, she moved through life as if it were light. Or maybe that was an understatement. There was a lot of unspoken history that she knew better than to pry into. Yet that was something that she understood better than most people her age.

Still...she made it all look easy. Not unlike a daughter of Iris, Kayda once knew.

As she watched her newest friend from the corner of her eye, her heart grew heavy and her vision began to swim. Torch was not the first person to take that stool by her side. She wouldn't even be the second person, or the third.

"If you can guarantee me my half hour, I'll risk myself and tell you a tale," she said quietly and smiled with the politeness of someone who had never the seen the world.

Despite his size, Monty's hands touch was feather soft as he pulled up a stool on his side of the counter and leaned his broad arms out in front of him. "You of all people would have every reason not to tell anything to me."

"You're right. I hate you vile scum to the ends of the earth." Kayda's voice remained even as she watched closely to gauge his reaction. The tavern owner seemed to take that with grace. "If I could eliminate you all and bring you begging to your knees, I would. And I wouldn't hesitate to force you down with them, pry your jaws open and force the sands down your throat alive with ticks and bed lice. The Underground is the shit of the earth, toxic waste like nothing there ever should be. They're everything wrong with Neo Neo Neo and wrong with the world. I have no reason to be friendly with you, if you're still in good graces –"

"He was in good graces," Torch interjected gently. "He left the Undergound, Kayda. "

"He left active service." She bit back. "Doesn't change the fact that he wasn't eliminated from them. They still let him run around doing his own thing. He wanted some time off and he got it – it doesn't mean he's gone for good."

Monty was dark skinned, dark eyes, and had a mug like he's been on the losing end of too many fights. Kayda's brain was fizzling around the edges, watching his lips as he opened his mouth to speak. "How much has she told you about me?"

"You're like a bouncer between this world and theirs." Kayda made grabby hands for the bottle. He didn't give it to her. "If the Underground is like the mafia, you're like the black dude in horror movies."

"Excuse me?" He sat up and rested his head on his fist.

"You know, you die first."

Monty rolled his eyes. "I did a lot of things for the Underground – but you're right about one thing. Everyone down there is expendable." He nodded over at Torch. "That's what I've been trying to tell her all her life."

"Well it only really took 36 hours with me for her to figure it out so meh." Kayda stuck out her tongue like the fully mature adult she was. She sighed and looked longingly at her empty glass. Some stories weren't meant to be told. They were better existing in tandem without any interference to cross them into each other. When legends came together things got messy, and Kayda hated cleaning.