A pat on the shoulder

~I can't tell whether its because I've already accepted death once before or because I'm almost completely certain that what's infected me isn't normal demon blood, but he's right. I am a little too calm for someone on the brink of supposed death,~ Atlas thought to himself as he stared at Doc.

"You still have the moonshine I hopped for you last week?" Atlas asked, noticing a flask containing a water-like substance on top of one of the Doc's cabinets.

"Ah," the Doc murmured, before going to collect the flask and two beakers. After pouring a generous amount into each one, he took a massive swig from one of them before handing the other to Atlas.

"You're too young to be drinking, but I suppose that doesn't matter now," the Doc added, before pouring more into his cup.

Atlas drank a little, but wasn't quite found of the bitter pungent taste of it. After a few more swigs, the two became deeply engrossed in shared stories and laughs. Although the Doc seemed happy, Atlas could tell that he was still bothered.

Soon, hours passed by, and the flask of moonshine was at its last few drops.

"Hey doc, thanks for everything," Atlas said, as the Doc took a swig of the now empty flask.

"Don't mention it, working with you has been... it's been interesting, Atlas. The undercity will be a darker place without you. I'll miss you," the Doc said, his face still a bit flushed from the moonshine.

"You'll miss me? You really mean it?" Atlas asked, before standing up.

"Of course! Who else in this district has the balls to steal from the government. I'll be out of medical supplies in a few months after you're gone," the Doc replied.

Ahh, of course. Even family in the undercity had to be useful. Nothing here was free, not even love.

"Say... you mind carrying out one last request?" Atlas whispered as he prepared to leave.

"You've already finished my moonshine, I don't know what else you want from me," the Doc replied, before hiccuping.

~I don't think I finished it, old man,~ Atlas thought to himself before saying: "Word has it that there'll be a demon outbreak in the district tonight. That's why I sent Drystan and gramps to the 11th. You should go too."

"Pfft, unfounded rumors. Probably one of the RSB's tactics to get people out of the 12th district. Demon outbreaks haven't happened for a reason; infecting large amounts of people is a difficult task, even if the Ryka themselves were the ones behind it," the Doc replied half-mindlessly as he packed away the beakers and the now empty flask.

~Hard to infect?~

That didn't align with what Atlas had seen. From what he could remember, all it took was a scratch for him to feel the effects of infection.

"They say that it can be spread through mere scratches," Atlas added.

"Funniest rumor I've heard in years. If that were possible, it would've happened already. There's no Ryka variant that can infect humans through scratches, much less one that would be down here. The Ryka have enough to worry about on the surface," the Doc replied.

For a moment Atlas wondered whether he was actually going crazy... whether what he had seen was a lie.

"It wouldn't hurt to go visit the 11th district for a day, right? You can go search for Drystan and gramps," Atlas insisted.

The Doc remained silent for a while, clearly against the idea, but after looking at Atlas, he nodded his head in agreement.

"It's not like you'll be able to bother me again," the Doc replied, before scavenging through one of his cabinets. "Here," he said after, removing a small handgun fashioned out of scrap metal. It was an ion blaster, albeit an unregulated one Atlas had sren the damage it could do first hand.

"If you aim it directly at your head, it should be painless," the Doc said, before handing it to Atlas.

"If the RSB get you first, they'll use you in their experiments. Trust me, I've worked for them, it's torture. Even as an infected, you'll still be able to feel the pain."

"T-Thank you," Atlas replied, before placing the blaster in his waist band. Even if the blaster was unregulated, it still cost around 10 000 carnz to get your hands on one. And the doc was no millionaire, so this would probably set him back quite a bit.

"Now get out of here. I don't want an infected slobbering all over my lab equipment," the Doc said, before patting Atlas on the shoulder and going back to his work.

That was the most contact the two of them had ever had in their 10 years of partnership. A pat on the shoulder, it wasn't much, but it was more affection than Atlas had ever received from anyone.

"I'll see you around doc," Atlas said as he walked out the door.

"See you around," the Doc whispered, his vision blurry as he attempted to finish up the stitch on the woman's body.

*

~When did it get so late?~ Atlas thought to himself as he walked out into the late afternoon of the undercity. Although the sun here was artificial, Atlas could feel its warmth waning as the artificial moon came into view.

After taking in the sight of the doc's shack for the last time, he made a run for the 11th district. If his memories served him right, the outbreak would happen soon. He could only hope that the Doc would heed his advice and leave before it happened.

As he ran through the crowded streets, he couldn't help but feel watched. In fact, he had seen the same man wearing a red shirt three times now. Each time he turned to look at him, the man would stop and act as if he were talking to one of the many hawkers spread out throughout the city.

~They aren't from the Annihilation Syndicate, if that were the case they'd have been more direct with their tailing,~ Atlas thought to himself, before weaving into a crowd that was waiting in front of a strip bar, and disappearing behind a corner.

With that, the group that had been chasing him ran full speed down the road, passing right past the corner he was hiding behind.

~4 men, three of them have knives, and one has an ion blaster,~ Atlas noted, as he watched them from the corner. Pulling out his blaster, he pointed the make shift iron sights at the man with an ion blaster, before mouthing: 'Pew'.

Although killing them would be the fastest way to get rid of them, he knew all to well that it never took care of the actual problem. Someone had sent them, and until he found out who and why, they wouldn't stop sending people after him.

~However now's not the time,~ he thought to himself before putting the blaster back. The time of reckoning was fast approaching, and he didn't want to be trapped here when it started.

{Hmm, these memories of yours. I see you've already used clairvoyance,} a voice said, startling Atlas.