A Bar
A Bar
Damn… I knew I shouldn’t have come into this stupid assed bar. That freak, Grome isn’t gonna show up like he said, and I am short the credits to pay this bar tab. This place isn’t very friendly to people trying to slip out without paying the bill first. Hell, may just have to make a dash for the door soon, but what the hell… may as well finish the Artacian Ale first… it is pretty good. Unknown to Mark, his problems are just starting, for he is about to be singled out for some criminal activity. Is that Grome coming in the door now? Well I think so, better get up and head in that direction anyway, so let me drop some credits on the bar and blow this joint if it isn’t Grome.
As Mark reachs toward his back pocket, his hand unexpectedly meet another’s hand. “Hey! What the living Hell do you think that you are doing?”, yells Mark over the fairly loud roar of the crowd in the bar, and he quickly spins around. Wow, those are some nice eyes…. what the hell are you thinking… grab her? The failed pickpocket dashs back away from Mark as he hesitates and in a flash is shoving her way throu the crowd. “Somebody stop that woman!”, blurts out of Mark’s mouth, even as he realizes that nobody in this dump will do a damn thing. I will have to smack myself in the head later for that… now catch her…. hell maybe I can talk her into paying for my tab. A little smile creeps across Mark’s face as he plunges into the crowd.
“I don’t know what the hell I was thinking… meeting Mark at the “Light Dies” was a bad idea”, thinks Grome, as he heads down a long narrow alleyway. Let me see, I have all the material that Mark needs to get off this sorry excuse for a planet and I should be able to hitch a ride myself… which considering the material was “borrowed” from Sardaxar, can’t come too soon.
A low hum is present on the closed circuit communications system that “Sharkknife” and “Cando” are using to keep in touch with each other as they follow their lead to the target. “Hey, Can’, do you think will will get to kill this guy… or is he just going to turn over the material real peaceful like”. “Will you just shuddup and keep out of sight… you are going to mess this whole thing up. You know I need to buy some replacement parts soon, my damn tracking system is getting a bit on the flaky side” The pair continue their little “conversation” and keep eye’s and tracking systems pinned on their lead.
Hmmm , did I just hear a buzzing sound? Ah… must be this breeze coming down this alley, I have to be more aware of the things that I need to get done first. That cyborg salesman really had me going for a while there. “What the hell time is it? It is now 15:17:36 Galactic Standardized Time”, states Grome’s persacomp. “Gee… I hate it when it does that, maybe I should read the manual and fix the audio readout.”, grumbles Grome, as he realizes that he is seriously late in meeting Mark. I better get a move on…..
“We have been made! The lead is picking up speed!” Cando responds quickly, ” Would you calm down! You make me sick with your stupidity! The guy isn’t running… Hell, he isn’t even looking around!”. Look man, I am serious… he is starting to trot or something crap like that… remember… your sensors are crap compared to mine. Well we need to close the gap anyway, We are heading toward some bars and we don’t want to loose the guy in the crowd.”, The pair pick up speed and start to close, just as Grome makes a beeline towards the entrance of the “Light Dies”.
There she is, man, she is fast… probably augmented, which is too bad, that means she probably is a former milcorp employee. Okay she is almost at the door, it is now or never, she gets out… I will never catch her. Bringing my gun to bear, I pull the trigger, once and then once again. As the old style ruber tipped bullets scream toward there target, I wonder if the pickpocket has a personal defense system. The crowd scatters as Mark opens fire and bouncers that had ignored his yells for help are now closig in on his position. The pickpocket stumbles, as the slugs hit her in solidly in the back and right shoulder. Tripping over the edge of the door, the pickpocket falls headfirst into the man entering the door.
Author- James M Long 200AD
