Tales of the Check Mate

Untitled Part 4

searched for the blaster that had been absent for a bit over two years before giving up and just balling into a fist.

Water from one or several cooling pipes dripped into a deep puddle from the sounds it made and the regularity told him that this had been going on for more than a while.

A shift in the shadows caught his eye and he turned to face the shape as it seemed to fill the narrow passage.

"Damn it Marvin why do you so insist on meeting in places like this? This crap in here is driving my allergies nuts."

The large shape slowly collapsed on itself until a smaller being stood before Ryan and smiled meekly and replied in a slightly southern hiss. "Iss would haves thoughts thas IAI would likes dark and drippy places to conducts its work.

"Just give me what I need and I'll let you crawl back under what ever crate you came from." Ryan held out his hand gesturing with his fingers.

The small being placed a disk in Ryan's hand along with some of the contents of whatever pocket he had it in.

Ryan picked the disk up with two fingers and wiped it off on his pants then slipped it in his vest pocket.

"Mys credits. Information hard to finds." Marvin held his own four-fingered hand out making the same motion of wanting Ryan had.

Ryan fished out the credits and dropped them in the outstretched hand. "Don't spend them all at once."

Marvin's shape changed again this time to that of a human female with generous attributes and a soft velvety voice. "Care for a good time sailor?"

"Marvin you make me sick. I'll let you know if I need anything more."

Marvin trailed one long finger around Ryan's lips and cheek. "You do that darling. I've got a date that I just have to make."

Ryan wiped his face on his sleeve as Marvin passed giving him a high-pitched giggle.

Renegotiating the maze of poorly lit back corridors was not one wanted to do twice. If one passed by once there was a very strong possibility that someone or something had seen you and would be waiting for your return. So while it was shorter to return the way he had entered it was not the best way to get back out. Especially not being armed with anything better than a stylus.

With the noise of conversations leading him closer to the more traveled halls it didn't take long to get to the relative safety of a crowd.