Girls and Vengeance

Edward Callahan blinked. He felt his phone ringing. Ms. Eloise searched his pockets playfully and handed him the phone. Seeing the number calling him. His face turned serious as he picked it up and placed the phone close to his ear.

"Sotto, how are you doing?"

"I have received it."

"You did?"

Edward Callahan's voice had a tone of surprise to it. Damn, he really got the parcel to Sotto? Henry Sotto took that voice calmly and responded with a semi-arrogant manner.

"Why are you so surprised, Callahan? You sent a competent man and he had done well. He has been searched it seems, but he was able to deliver them perfectly. Or were you expecting something else?"

"I have my doubts. You know how hot things are right now."

'Indeed, Callahan. Nonetheless, he has done you a good service. Thank the Solomons for me, and I will make sure that they are properly compensated for this."

The call ended. Edward Callahan returned his phone to his pocket. Detecting Eloise's inquisitive gaze. He sighed and started speaking.

"Nikolai seems to have delivered it perfectly."

"Told you that he would."

Eloise said surely. She relaxed herself on Edward Callahan's shoulder as their driver continued on roaming around. Henry Sotto, that slimy and cunning fox was the head of this operation. Edward Callahan wondered how in God's good name he was able to arrange all of this.

Lt. Thorne, and the Solomons. They were all terrible folk that had come and made sure that everything had been arranged. He had been truly using the Solomons to take care of Eloise and all those 'customers' that Eloise had were nothing more than 'folks' who needed punishment. If anything her 'service' was more of a brutal affair compared to the sisters she worked with.

"What's your read on Nikolai?"

Eloise blinked. Her eyes didn't move as she opened it. "He's stone."

"Stone?"

"Doesn't blink no matter what. He's that strong, silent, and terrifying type. You saw him in action twice. I could tell a fool acting brave, but he doesn't look bothered by what's happening around him. So in control that it makes me wonder if he really is right in the head."

Edward Callahan saw him in action. That calm and composed manner he conducts himself with. Not to mention that awful feeling when he saw him appear and speak next to him during that auction. Not a single sound was made and he was able to take care of himself and found them without revealing himself. A man that moved like a ghost and was competent enough to rise from some runner to a trusted associate within a few months.

"Good man. Learned that he does not kill, no?"

"He doesn't. I saw it on his face, barely. He's smart enough to figure out how heavy this load is. You know why he agreed to this."

Edward Callahan could tell. No matter what they were paying Nikolai. He wouldn't dare to join them and only did this for a favor such as protection from folk knowing who he was. He had dug some history behind the man and it was so clean that it made him suspicious no matter what. A man who survived being shot in the head by the Lintons. And suddenly turning to crime so he could pay his loans as if gave up on something like a normal life.

It was an absurd story. Nonetheless it also gave him insight on this man.

"So what's next?" Eloise asked. "I like my friends. They are good women. But I can't stay in the Solomons more than I should, Edward."

"I will tell Strauss that you are done. Your 'sisters' know your true purpose and although I trust Nikolai to keep you safe. I am an easily jealous man and I cannot afford to keep you there."

"Thank you."

Eloise smiled sweetly. He had been enduring so he could keep her safe. Even though he hated the idea of what she was doing. It was also to his benefit. With the cooperation of the Solomons and the cunning of the sly fox called Henry Sotto. He was able to manage the troubles given to him.

"With this we should be fine."

Edward Callahan wanted to believe they would be.

***

Audrey pocketed her fingers. Her colleague, Rodes Baumann, watched the recordings. No sign of the perpetrators in the forty-sixth tape. Not to mention that all the flight drones who went after the cargo helicopter recorded only the monstrous flying of whoever was piloting the cargo helicopter.

"How the hell did he do that?"

Rodes pointed out. Audrey admits that however it was. The pilot was someone who was right for this job.

"Anything that we can catch at all??"

"I told you that there is nothing much we could recover from the recordings. They probably thought that it was a shame to the branch here. Being robbed while everyone was none the wiser."

The base where the helicopter held the gold was the same as well. They have many reasons to believe that there was someone in the base that cooperated with the thieves. No recordings and no one in the base had a say on the matter other than telling the authorities to fuck off.

Audrey moved her fingers around her jacket. "We feel like fools doing this. Everything's been cleared and not a single thing is left. It's been done quietly and any traces have been cleared."

Audrey suspected that there was more to this than they were giving. Though she wasn't as surprised that they found nothing other than the amazing recordings. The mercenaries who fought the authority even got away after they made sure to give Pacifica's forces a beating. Fourteen dead and forty-six injured. It was a heavy blow to the police force of Pacifica.

"We're wasting time," Audrey sasid.

Rodes turned to her. "I've never thought you'd be so pessimistic, Audrey. What happened?"

Audrey stared at Rodes. "You tell me. Something awful is happening and it's clear that we aren't getting anything other than criticism and shame. Do you know how long they talked it out? I can't be cool when they are allowing these awful folks compensation! We are allowing them to get away with it."

"Can we even avoid any of it?" Rodes stopped the recordings. "You know how spent the forces are and if anything. This will make the Augmented folks and the Professionals investigate whatever it is happening."

Pacifica has been a melting pot lately. Mercenaries, Fixers, Runners, and even dangerous Black Hats who've been fucking around with their systems. Most of the city is infested with undesirable folks that she would wish nothing more than to place inside a jail.

"I'm getting off."

"Wait a moment, don't tell me you're leaving all the work to me?"

Rodes panicked. Audrey stood in the middle of a doorway and told Rodes what was in her mind ever since.

"We ain't catching anything here. Come on, Rodes, even you could see how clean this place already is."

Audrey had enough pretending that they can still find anything. Rodes's shoulders sagged. "Very well, I'll tell the Captain that it's all clear here.

With that done Audrey left the room. The precinct was full of folks with far too many complaints. Even the folks back in the emergency hotline operators had a hard time dealing with whatever was happening.

Audrey was about to take a damn long rest when Nance called. She drove to where Nance was and found her sitting on a bench near this drugstore. She was tipsy and from the looks of it was going to be that way.

"Hey, Audrey," she said happily as a drunk one would say, "I know that I call on you, hick!"

"Tsk, you are drunk again. Really, what happened here? Glad that you called me instead of driving like this."

"Heh, I wanted to call Nik, but he was out. Sooooo I had to call you."

"What about Milana?"

"She's probably out there working on her… stuff. You know how it is for her."

Audrey sighed. Her smile however was still on her troublesome friend. She sat next to her while she cared for her hangover.

"I feel awful," said Nance. "I kinda told my guy to fuck off."

"Wow, really? This one lasted for what? Four months?"

"Don't you dare lecture me. When did you have a boyfriend? The last one lasted for nine months, sure, but the man would have far done better getting a nun to kiss him than giving him some sort of a peck on the cheek!"

Audrey folded her arms as if she was unfairly judged.

"I told him to take it slow. He didn't listen so we broke up. Simple as that."

Audrey said coldly. Nance took a long long at her before she giggled. "Hey, should I hit on Nikolai, next?"

"Nikolai?" Audrey thought of Nikolai. "Hell, does he even see you as someone he'd date??"

"Not sure."

"You are really saying that?" said Audrey. "I never thought you'd be this pissy."

"Hey, now," she burped. "Nik's a good guy. An actual good guy who doesn't mind being with a woman. If anything, I think he's annoyed by my presence."

He was disinterested in them. Audrey was somewhat confident with her looks and her two besties were either and yet that mad never had any desire for them. Even Nance here, who usually can get into some guy's pants if she wishes to, felt like she wasn't sure if she could chip the walls on that man. No, if anything, she was afraid to mess it up with her new friend.

"So he's a no?"

"I saw him topless. He's built like an adonis and you saw that jaw?"

Audrey quietly nodded. She does admit that he was quite a looker in a manly sort of way. An athletic man was certainly attracted.

"Even Milana said that she had a naughty dream with him being in the lead role."

Audrey cringed. "Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"That's the reason why you ain't trying anything?"

"Nah, I just like him enough and you know how it is with relationships. Can go wrong suddenly and I kinda like him as a friend."

"That so?"

"Yeah, no one tolerates me better than him and I know him only for a short time. Besides, it ain't so bad."

"If I have known you less. I'd say you are just denying your feelings."

"As if I would. I'm quite alright. Hmm, if anything it's the thing about him being so disinterested. I might not resist that much if he decides to."

"Fat chance."

"I think Milana likes it that way."

Audrey didn't dare to ask. She leans forward. Nance took her time before she kneaded the side of her head and looked at the sky.

"Can you drive me home?"

"I sure can. Come on, let's get you home before you scam a poor guy into letting you stay in his place and not getting any out of it."

"Hey, I don't sleep that much…"

"Yes, poor them, getting blue balled like that all the time. I wonder if you like doing that."

Audrey dragged Nance back to her car. She searched her pockets and then started driving to Nance's apartment. As she drives the car, Nance, whose hangover was killing her, said.

"I think I might actually quit my job now. Nance, I think I'm dying."

"You should really stop this, Nance. This isn't good for you at all."

"This is the only way I can continue living on."

"That ain't true."

"I'm tired and my bottle is a great relief."

"It'll be your grave if you keep on relying on that friend, Nance."

Nance quieted. Audrey wanted to say more, yet the look on Nance's eyes said that the conversation was done. Audrey had always wondered why she kept on being friends with Nance and that look on her face always reminded her why.

This damn city took many things from them.