Shadow Walker

Luminite

Dec skirted the tracks on his way to the train terminal, which was little more than a rickety bench, a rusty four-post shelter, and a single SolStore lamp which gave no more light than the moon. Only a few stragglers remained on the road, some making the long walk to the closest bus which would take them back to their coastal homes, others heading to their cars which were parked on the dusty expanse of what used to be farmland but had now turned into arid wasteland.

Dec checked his palm pod, which flashed a little after 3AM. He must've just missed the fast-track train, which would have left a little before the hour. It would be enough hour before the next. He had time to waste.

Stopping, to dislodge a loose pebble in the dirt with the toe of his shoe, he took the time to turn over his annoyance with Mel in his head. Why was he so furious with her? She'd done nothing wrong. She'd offered to look after Tommy, and for that, he should be thankful. But there was something else she'd done. Something he couldn't quite put a finger on. Something—

His thoughts were interrupted by yelling. Up ahead, from the confines of the terminal, a heated argument was taking place. He stopped and listened. One of the voices was low and gruff. Distinctly male. The other was female, cut like crystal. He recognised it. But from where?

He crept closer, giving the terminal a wide berth so as not to draw attention to himself. Two figures came into view, locked in opposing stances, splaying the lamplight with jerky arm movements. The woman was Teegan from the club— almost unrecognisable in her plain black jeans and tank top as opposed to the tight lacy dress from two nights before. She must've come to watch the fight. The person she was yelling at was Chook, Tommy's opponent—significantly less disfigured than Tommy, but with noticeable bruising on his cheek, and a butterfly bandaid holding a split eyebrow together.

Teegan was pointing a manicured finger at Chook's chest, and prodding it, as one might stoke a fire to see if it's still burning.

"That's a cop out and you know it."

"They saw me fight. They want me to go away for six months on a special assignment. Six months. That's not fair on you ... or me."

"Do you hear yourself? They've given you a special assignment because it's risky and they want you to take the fall."

Chook shook his head. "Look. I know this is hard for you, but I think it'd be best if we took a break."

"You're an idiot," Teegan growled, though if only to disguise the choked sob that caught in her throat.

Chook stepped forward to touch her cheek. "Teegan ..."

She slapped his hand away.

Chook threw his arms in the air. "I'm trying to do the right thing here."

"The right thing? The right thing?" Teegan's voice rose shrilly. "How about this for the right thing. If you walk away now and take that deal, don't ever speak to me again, don't ever try to see me again. And when shit goes down and you realise you were wrong, don't come grovelling back."

"So is that how it's going to be? As easy as that. Like ripping off a fucking bandaid."

"Yep. As easy as ripping off an itchy as shit plaster cast."

Chook shook his head and muttered, "Fine. But I want my Luminite back."

Dec's years pricked.

Teegan scoffed. "It's mine now. You gave it to me."

"No way. That was my money. So that's my Luminite."

"Well, too bad."

Their voices rose, and started on about who'd given who money, and who owed who what. Dec listened with one ear, while his mind spun with new plans for his Luminite. Without trying, he'd stumbled across more users. And users with money, judging from the high-tech of Chook's compression skins. He probably had cash on him too. Fresh notes from his win against Tommy.