By the time Lucky got back to the Mae’s the restaurant had gone into low maintenance mode. It never really closed, but the lights were dim over certain sections and out completely over others leaving an unspoken no man’s land. In the darkest hours of the night people could still be found there doing what people did in the dark so long as it wasn’t illegal and they caused no ruckus. There were knots of people at the bar and a few small groups occupying tables. She could tell who the working girls were mainly because she knew them as individuals. There was also a certain body language, a confident sexuality even if the clients wanted something more meek. There was a chance she would be wrong even with these preconceptions, but it wasn’t like she was looking even for herself.
Kim was nowhere to be found. That meant she was either in a room working or just in her personal room relaxing or studying. There were no formal hours and no quota so long as the girls were able to pay for their spaces and general upkeep and expenses. Much like the bar, restaurant and hotel, that part of Mae’s house never closed either.
She chose a stool a good distance from anyone else and caught Tee’s eye. The flame haired bartender sauntered over to her, pulling a pint of bitter as he passed the rank of taps. Sliding it in front of her he winked rakishly. “I get off in a few hours.”
Lucky smiled at the familiar ritual. “Really? I heard it was a few minutes.” She took the cool glass and drank deeply of the hoppy brew. The hurt pout on his lips almost made her spew liquid in his face. The man was a natural born thespian and loved mugging for the customers as well as his friends. Most regulars fell into both categories.
“Is that any way to talk? You could damage my reputation.” His eyes flicked towards a statuesque brunette down the bar. “Or my potential for a date when I really do get off.” The woman was staggeringly beautiful and not one of Mae’s.
She didn’t want to hurt his potential liaison, but didn’t know whether or not to take him seriously. “Sorry, oh great one.” There was no sarcams in her tone, though it danced its wicked dance in the well of her eyes.
A deep sigh came from the man as he drank deeply from the look. “I could think of a way you could make it up…”
She stopped his words with a finger. “Tee, I love you deeply as a friend and that’s as far as our relationship is fated to go.” She did love the man dearly, but any romantic interest, any at all, was on the back burner until she was ready to retire. If he was still interested at that point then perhaps she would entertain the thought. She took her finger back only after he kissed it lightly. “Now be a darling and tell me you’ve seen Kim.”
“The Goddess? Yeah, I believe she’s around here somewhere. Last I saw her she was working a tourist.” He glanced around. “He’s not here so maybe they’re upstairs?”
A tourist and upstairs meant some serious money. The only real tourists that may be coming through these parts would do so strictly for the travel through the deep dark in search of adventure. That was expensive. She shrugged. “I guess I’ll have to wait and enjoy the scenery.”
A low whistle tore Tee’s attention away. “Hold that thought.” He turned to see what customer was hailing him.
Lucky took a longer pull from the bitter, getting the glass to a halfway point. She was thirsty, but moreover a little nervous. About what she couldn’t say exactly. It likely had something to do with the ticking of a clock. She was used to working with a deadline, but usually forfeiture just meant a loss of money. There was a lot more on the line this go around. Se pushed the beer away just a little, not wanting to rush it and wind up impaired. The right pill could counteract that but even those had side effects that could be unpleasant.
Tee glided back up to the spot near her. “Now, I’m sorrry. You were saying something about needing to see Kim?”
“Right, and she was upstairs with a guest you thought.”
“Yeah.” He looked down and then back up again. “That’s an affirmative. I see her on my magic crystal ball that she and the gent went upstairs about twenty minutes ago.” He looked back down. “The gentleman in question’s average time visiting is about a half hour.” Satisfied with what he saw there, he met her gaze again. “Any man that spends less than an hour in the company of one of Mae’s women is either too poor to do what he knows, or too inexperienced to know what he’s doing. A real shame that and a waste.”
“I’ll wait. Hey you haven’t seen Aces have you?” She looked hopeful.
“Not lately. And given Kim’s current state, I doubt she’s expecting him.” He looked down and tapped at something. “I see here that the two love birds haven’t enjoyed one another’s company in two days. Not on the record anyway.”
“And we know that the madame doesn’t like things to be off the record where paying customers are concerned.” Mae was a lovely gentle soul, but she could be a hard boss. She expected only the best from her people and complete honesty and loyalty. If you slipped up once all was forgiven, though not forgotten. A second infraction lost you what would likely have been one of the best paying, safest jobs on station.
“Indeed we do.” Tee had been caught once watering down the customer’s drinks and skimming from the till. Fortunately for him he did it in one night and Mae counted that as one infraction. Eight years later he was still working for her. He had learned his lesson. He saw the pushed away beer. “I hope that wasn’t an editorial comment?” Tee, in addition to being the barkeeper was also the bar manager and brewmaster.
“No, not at all. Just need to keep my head clear. It’s great as usual.” The vegetables from earlier hadn’t stuck with her. “Bring me whatever today’s soup is while I wait. I need to see her.” It looked like one way or another a stake out was going to be called for. At least she didn’t have to be under cover for this one and had a comfortable spot to sit.
Fortunately Lucky didn’t have to wait too long. She had finished her bitter and was about to gesture over to Tee for another one when Kim came in. She was a buxom thing, blond hair cascading down her back. She moved with an assurance that was shared by the ladies in Mae’s keeping. If you wanted a meek thing for your bed you didn’t come to the Chop House.
She scanned the room, whether she was looking for Aces or another customer or just checking the place out Lucky couldn’t really tell. Perhaps it was a mix of the three. When her eyes met Lucky’s they widened in surprise. that assurance nearly evaporated and she turned on her heel.
Lucky was off the stool in a shot and after her. Not two dozen long strides passed before her short nailed hand landed on the golden silk that the other’s body was wrapped in. Her strong fingers dug in to the flesh beneath, more due to the speed with which the two moved than out of any cruelty or desire to really harm her.
Kim gasped at the contact and then swore softly under her breath. She turned slowly, keeping her hands where Lucky cuould see them. That was wise. Lucky wasn’t trigger happy by any means and didn’t have that reputation, but maybe Kim didn’t know her that well and just maybe Kim knew something that may make her reconsider her usual MO.
“Hi there Kim.” Lucky worked to keep her tone neutral but the barest hint of sarcsasm crept into it. “Why are you in such a rush? Didin’t expect to see me?” Her eyes narrowed.
Kim lowered her head under the gaze. “Not sure what I was thinking really. it’s just that, well, Mink told me to go right to him if I saw you around. He seemed pretty adamant that I let him know quickly. He didn’t seem to want me to have any conversations with you first.”
That story didn’t make a whole lot of sense. There shouldn’t be any reason for Aces, she held back a snort at the appelation ‘Mink’, to be that cagey about Lucky’s return unless he knew more than he had any right to. “Say there Kim, where you and ‘Mink’ planning to be leaving the station any time soon?”
“What sort of question is that?”
Lucky, whose hand had relaxed enough for the young lady, little more than a girl really, to turn around now tightened. “Don’t play games with me Kim. I am not a person to fool around with.” He voice dropped and became husky. “Now tell me, were you and Mink planning on going somewhere?”
Steel resolved itself in Kim’s cornflower eyes. She didn’t like being pushed around. The two women locked gazes for a full and very quiet thirty seconds. Finally it was Kim’s eyes that sought the floor first. “I wasn’t. Mink said that hw would go first, find a place for us to honeymoon.”
“Honeymoon?” The incredulity practuically dripped form her tongue. All the thoughts she had about Kim being so smart flew out the window. “You two getting married?”
Kim looked back up. “Well that’s usually the cause for a honeymoon.” her tone got defensive. “Mink said he had a big deal on and he was going to make enough money so that I didnt’ have to go with any more men. I don’t mind the life. This is a good place, but he’s such a sweet man and he want’s to take care of me.”
“I don’t know who’s the bigger fool, him for thinking you’re one to need taking care of or you for thinking the same.” She let Kim go and scrubbed at her face with both hands, growling in frustration. “But then that’s not really my problem or my business.” She dropped her hands. “What is my problem is finding Minkus and getting to the bottom of a few things. You’re going to take me to him.” There was no question, just a tired hardness in her voice. She would take no foolishness from this girl, one surely no more than a third of her age.
The blue eyes that met her gaze were now chips of sapphire. “You’re right, it’s not any of your business and I will take you to him, but not because I want to.” The protest was weak but it was all she had. In spite of the hardness in her eyes, her body seemed to collapse on itself like a soufflé gone off.
Lucky nodded. Playing the heavy wasn’t something she ever really minded. If she did then she was in the wrong line of work by far. If you folded the first time a cute, innocent looking face got weepy or insulted, you might as well stay home. That didn’t mean she had to feel good about it. “I’d thank you Kim, but I know it’s not welcome. I do want you to know that I like your finace. He’s a good man and if you two do get married then he’ll make a good husband.” Not a great one by any stretch. “Once he and I are done with our business, I won’t stand in your way.” She did hope to still do business with Minkus, but if they were really going off station then it was time to find someone new and groom them.
Silence stretched between them. Just as it was about to get really uncomfortable Kim turned and started walking. They left through a side entrance and came out in one of the alleys. These narrow side streets were not really alleys in the old sense of the word. They were safe enough, though at night you probably still wanted to pass on the main thoroughfare. They were lit and clean. The station patrols made sure that anyone passed out was taken to where they belonged, be it a company flop house, a personal residence, or as a last result one of the coffin sized boxes that served as a jail cell.
There was a chance of getting mugged, but like it was in most places except for the true cess pools, if you looked like you knew what you were doing you could at least carry the illusion of safety with you. This wasn’t going to be one of those time.
A lanky figure detached itself from a wall. He was tall, at least two-tenths of a meter taller than lucky, herself no small woman. He wore the gray coveralls common to someone who worked on one of the lower levels of the station. The grease stains and general air of unkemptness around him though wouldn’t have been tolerated by most station bosses she knew.
She could smell the mixture of body odor and booze before he got anywhere close. If she hadn’t been so distracted by the tiff with Kim and the general poor state of her sleep habits for the last month she probably would have picked him up before the door closed behind them. Unfortunately, she knew without looking that the side doors don’t open from the outside. If they turned around they would be greeted by smooth beige metal.
“Evenin’ ladies.” The dim light revealed stubble and a look in his eyes that was an ugly mixture of desperation and hunger.
There were no weapons immediately visible on his person. That should make things easier. They were two women against one man. Kim should know how to take care of herself fairly well so no dead weight there. Then she heard a slight hum behind her. The nearly sub-audible noise told her that it was a stunner of some kind. Projectile weapons were a big no-no on station and even blasters required a special permit. If Asplund or one of his law keepers caught you with an illegal weapon you might be put in the mining operation or even ‘accidentally’ spaced. They didn’t take kindly to people putting the integrity of their physical world in danger. A stunner though, that was easy enough to get and keep. It was also easy to amp up to something lethal. She couldn’t tell just from the noise if this had been rigged.
“Good evening.” Lucky nodded. “What can we do for you?” The palm of her hand itched for either her baton or her hold out blaster. Not with an unknown at her back though.
Kim chimed in. “Look, why don’t you just leave us alone, Job.”
The man looked startled. “You remember me?”
“Of course I do. I have a knack for remembering faces. Especially faces of people who try and short the house.” She snapped at him.
Lucky reckoned she probably hadn’t heard the noise behind them. Kim must be running on the assumption that it was just Job. Unfortunately for them both, Kim also thought she could tough her way out of this. Lucky for one noticed the subtle shift in body language and the glare of an eye that the desperation became anger, a dangerous sort of rage that meant things were going to get ugly.
Job pulled something small from a pocket. A blade flipped out from his fingers. The knife was short and ugly, utilitarian and meant for cutting really tough synthetics. It would do messy things to flesh and bone. “Maybe if you didn’t overcharge. I think we’re gonna have us a real freebie this time.”
Kim didn’t have anything to say to that. She stepped back, eyes on the knife.
“Look, Job is it? Job, you and your friend back there just need to move on. This is not a fight you really want to pick.” Lucky’s voice stayed even.
“Friends.” A voice from behind her said. It was higher pitched than Job’s, but at the same time more intimidating. “And fight implies that you ladies,” the word was said with as much contempt as only a career misogynist can successfully communicate, “are going to put up a struggle.”
Lucky looked over her left shoulder. She saw two men who must have come form another cross street. A short, stubby looking man, the source of the second voice if she really had to guess, held what was little more than a glorified cattle prod. The third offender was average build and held something that sent a small shiver through Lucky. It was a homemade scatter gun. Yeah this crew was just begging to be put out an airlock.
“I’m not going to do anything stupid, but you really need to think about this.” Lucky held her hands out even with her waist, palms down.
“We’ve thought about it a lot.” Scattergun had a gravelly bass. “Why don’t you go ahead on and follow Job. He’s gonna take us some place a little quieter.”
That wouldn’t be good. There were access hatches to lower levels and those were places that you definitely didn’t want to go. Screams would get lost in the echoing pathways and bodies could be disposed of easily.
Job looked a little disappointed that he couldn’t deal with it here and now, but he gestured with the knife. “Yeah, follow me.” He turned his back, trusting his mates to watch the women.
That was when Lucky moved. She was fast. There was no artificial augmentation in her body. All the speed and strength came from hours spent in practice. There wasn’t a lot to do in the deep dark other than working on whatever it was you wanted to excel at. She excelled at hurting people.
She clipped Kim on the shoulder as she passed, bouncing her into a wall and knocking her down, out of the line of any fire. There was none, at least nothing immediately forthcoming. Not even taking the time to be thankful for that little blessing, she through herself forward into a low tackle. As she moved she did here a shout, but the thundering of blood in her ears made even that a distant murmur.
Her shoulder caught the lanky man just at the back of his knees and he fell backward landing on her. Their bodies tangled together and his sudden weight on her made her breath rush from her lungs. It wasn’t the prettiest thing, but she had the pleasure of hearing his knife go flying and in knowing that unless he wanted to kill or maim his partner there would be know metal pellets forthcoming.
Job yelled and fought, trying to rid himself of this mad woman. She still had a good hold on one of his ankles, but that was precarious given the heavy boot it was shod in. She slipped her hand down around his foot and with a hard push and a grunt flipped them both sideways. The roll continued and his foot rotated faster than the rest of him. A loud snapping noise and a scream satisfied her that he wouldn’t be using that ankle until it got patched up.
Being free did mean that she could move and go on the offensive, but it also meant that one of his friends could get frisky. Lucky had managed to roll to one knee and half sat upright trying to keep her frame as compact as possible. The dim light helped make her a bad target, but if that was a true scatter gun the pellet filled air would make that less of an issue.
In the brief time that had elapsed since Job turned her other opponents hadn’t moved far. They really had expected the two women to just come along. The man she thought of as Scattergun just stood there with his mouth open. Shock, as much as if not more than his friend’s proximity, kept his from firing. The guy with the electric prod moved towards Kim’s prone form with purpose.
Distance prevented her from pulling the baton and going to town on them, as satisfying as that might be. Instead, she reached for her hold out. The slim metal and plastic device didn’t look threatening at all if you didn’t know what it was. The act of freeing it activated it and in milliseconds it was ready to fire. She pointed it and pressed the firing stud. Nothing appeared to happen. There was no pulse of light or noise to give her location away.
Cattle prod dropped his weapon and grabbed his face. He screamed as it turned bright red and blisters raised instantly. The concentrated blast of microwave radiation cooked a good portion of his head. It wasn’t enough to be lethal, not at this range, but there was a good chance he’d need a new set of eyes.
Scattergun looked conflicted. His weapon was still pointed in her general direction, but he glanced around as if looking for a way out.
She didn’t want to give him any chances. The holdout only held enough charge for a couple of shots. He was farther away which diminished the effectiveness, much like the weapon he carried. She took two running steps from her crouch and hurled herself forward holding down the stud. A spray of sparks leapt from his gun and he dropped it as the moisture in his hands flashed to near the boiling point.
Lucky landed roughly, grunting in pain. The holdout clattered in front of her, spent. After a second of trying to regain her breath and mostly succeeding, she came to her feet. There was no sign of Scattergun and the other ‘gentleman’ had fallen to his side, still holding his face and sobbing.
Kim rolled to her back, groaning and managed to sit up. She rubbed at the spot on her shoulder where her body kissed the wall. Her eyes looked from one man to the other and then to Lucky. “Thanks.” Was all she could manage to say. It was enough.
Lucky helped Kim to her feet. “You’re welcome.” She reached down into her boot and pulled it the baton. It went from hand width to forearm length with a flick. Neither of the men seemed like they were in a position to threaten anyone, but better safe than sorry.
“I’ll call security.” Kim tapped at her bracelet, but it didn’t seem to be working.
Lucky pulled her e-harp out and tapped at it with a thumb. The readout came to life. “One of these guys has a portable jammer.” She tapped at the surface again. “It’s not very strong though. Good enough to block most commercial communications devices.” Another tap and a signal went out to the automated security net, letting it know that there was a citizen in danger. The nearest deputy would be around soon. It wouldn’t have been soon enough had they needed to rely on one for their salvation, but good enough for a little cleanup.
