56 Skeletons

Growing up I thought there was something calming about the crowded streets of Tier-1. The constant mass of noise caused by ads and the people had been my refuge whenever I needed time to think or concentrate. That's the thing about chaos, once you get used to it you eventually become a part of it. 

I didn't know where I  needed to go, all I had was a vague idea of what to look for and a very strong will to compensate for it. Although the Officer's presence would make the search easier it would also make it a lot more dangerous.  

Leaning against the wall I pondered the risks. Maybe it was a trap, a very elaborate and hopeful one though. The person who sent those men would not expect for both of them to be taken down by an old woman and even if they knew someone was with her it would have been very unlikely that two trained assassins would be neutralized by a single civilian. Therefore, considering the low probability of both killers being taken down, leaving the drone software with them wouldn't have been a problem. 

No doubt whoever hired those men already knew they were dead and Louise was not. Assuming they wanted her to be erased, once she escaped she became a liability. They would come after her with even better tactics and personale. In that case I had to find out who they were sooner than later.

- So… - a sudden presence brought me back to the loud, incredibly busy street.  - How dangerous is it gonna be? 

Before saying anything I took a moment to observe her. Searching on my memory I tried to remember if I had ever seen her with untied hair. The red curls were big and full. She braided only the sides which outlined even more her straight jawline. She seemed different, even though her posture was the same as always, something remained untouched in her eyes, just like the old red jacket. 

- Very. - I pulled my eyes away from her face. - But nothing we can't handle.

Although she reacted with a shy smile, her eyes never turned to me.

- Where are we going then? - with the horizon as a target, she divided into the wave of people. 

- The Lower tier… - I closed my eyes, still a few steps behind her.

- Do you want me to yell at you like you did with Louise? - finally, when her eyes met mine, I saw it, a flicker of doubt, the same I felt in my heart and it had nothing to do with the mission.

- No. - the sounds of my own voice and words threatened to flood my ears but I stopped it before it spread. - The drone recall base is somewhere down there. - after checking my intentions, she looked away in the next second. 

- Do you really think this drone can tell us anything? There are hundreds of companies that use the same models, which means they all use the same base.

This time I was the one to walk away first. Everything she said was right but I knew I could extract info from that drone… Once I had found it.

- Lemme see the address. 

Normally they are as good as invisible. The lights are so bright, even during the day, that it's hard to see anything besides popping logos. However, as if the skies had opened up completely, I could see the hordes of aluminium insects crossing beyond the giant boobs of a woman from a VR system. 

- I don't have one. - my eyes dropped from the skies to my dirty shoes.

- Well, - without turning my head I tried to catch a glimpse of her expression while she pronounced her next words. - You better come up with something.  

During the walk down to the food district, where we would take a bus, not a breath was let out by either of us. Along the way many Force patrols crossed us and each time we turned the other way to avoid facial recognition. It was ridiculous how many cops walked up and down the top tier, yet it was a district ruled by the Trinity.  

In the bus we kept our heads down and soon enough we were at a completely different side of the same city, even the smell turned heavier. As for the sound, it was the same, except for an addition, gunshots. 

- Come on, - she waved, spinning on her heels. - This way. 

Still on track, I waved back without stopping. 

- Nope, through here.  

Surrounding us, dark shorter buildings allowed such a view. That was one of the few places in the city where you could see the skeleton. The Training district, where Force agents went to practice and also store their arsenal. To make things a little less "moody", almost as a monument to the Force's greatest victory, standing tall and twisted was one of the two bridges that were bombed by the police during the civil war. 

Not once I went to that part of the city. First rule among the kids at the slums is to never set foot around those streets. It was heavily protected, with cars and soldiers coming and going all day long. Took me a few years to understand why they kept such dangerous weapons so close to the most "vicious" part of the city. In the end, it is all about keeping your enemies closer. 

A quick look at my screen and we were getting closer. Groups of cadets crossed us, all of them distracted with their handguns and Force gear. I loosened my hair and fixed the delivery bag. It was almost show time. 

Dragging a few steps behind me, the Officer was glaring at the buildings. From where I was standing, I could tell she was remembering something. Didn't take long for a Force patrol to pass by and she quickly looked down and stepped up to catch me. 

- This is not the best place for me to be right now. - her voice was uneasy but her face was unaffected. 

- Stay close and relax. Try to look "less" like one of them. 

I didn't mean anything special. I only hoped she would lower her shoulders and maybe pretend to chew some gum, instead she pulled me closer by the waist. I bumped into her torso awkwardly. As I was a couple centimeters taller I could smell her hair, it didn't smell particularly special, it was simply her scent. While I breathed her air, she pressed my side with urgency. 

Ahead of us, two agents were coming in our direction. I started to sweat like a teenager. The pressure of her fingers got bigger as the seconds went by. Both guards were looking at us and one of them whispered something to the other. With my heart beating on my ears I raised my arm. Letting the adrenaline take over I let out a giggle  before pulling her face towards mine. 

My hand was on the base of her neck. Underneath my lips I could feel the warmth of her skin. On my waist, her nails sank on my flesh. They were almost crossing us, I needed to do something to push their attention away from us completely. As my lips brushed  her collarbone I opened my mouth, sending a chill down my stomach before biting off her smooth skin. 

- You idiot! What the fuck? - spontaneously she pushed me off the sidewalk. I bumped on my feet, almost losing balance. 

- It was just a little bite, - watching with the corner of my eye I saw them two steps away from her. - Babe. - while I smirked at her, I saw her eyes go blue. - C'mere! 

With a single step I jumped back to her side and pulled her to me once more. This time she was the one caught off guard by my hands on her waist. I leaned my head down covering her profile. We were so close I heard when the air stopped flowing into her lungs when the two agents passed by. 

- You two! - my heart crashed against my ribs, cutting off my breath. I looked up but left my hand on her neck, pressing it down with all my strength. - Get going! This ain't the place to fool around.

- My apologies, Officers! - with my heart still absent from my body, I bowed my head and pushed the very quiet woman forward.