Chapter Twenty-Seven

Apparently not. The chips aren't for everyone according to Austin.

"Just important business owners, apparently they need to know exactly when to come in on their investments and all that bull crap." He sighs.

We're finally walking at a normal pace, side by side. Although my legs still ache.

"So they'll be there in the morning to check in on her body?"

He shakes his head, "No, they'll be there to take inventory. Of course, we can always bribe the officials that come to look the other way, Desire wasn't that important to them anyway."

I brighten up at this, "Then why not just do that?"

He growls, "Aren't you listening? We don't want to spend any more than we need to in our budget, this isn't some fun house playground where you can spend all the cash you want and feel nothing. It'll cost a great bit to have them look the other way and then there's still the question of what we do with the place afterwards."

Ah right. Organizations like these also function on the level of profit against loss. Loss is typically unacceptable.

Austin continues, "There's also the fact that we've lost Rey a heavy bit of money, one that Invincibill will be expecting a piece of, and so far, we've been running on a deficit without payments to him, anymore and we'll be flat out broke."

He sounds downtrodden about this, very much so. I realize the gang, or crew, means much more to him than just a way to make money and get women. He's actively worried about his boss's future as well as his comrades.

At least, I think he is.

Finally, an idea I think might be well worth it pops into my head, "Then why not just empty out the store, sell the guns at marked up prices to…well, whoever isn't supposed to have a gun and then use a bit of that in flow to repair the droid as best as possible."

I pause at this and add, "Actually, I'm sure if you throw in the turrets there will be several people willing to buy that busted droid. Its capabilities once fixed is what they'll be looking forward to."

Austin looks down at me, staring silently and with a rather irking smirk on his face.

"What?" I end up having to ask, looking away with shivers running through my spine.

"Nothing, just…that's actually a good idea." Then he sighs and I know there's something still off about it, "But the problem is, the only people who can and will want to afford this are other crews and the other gangs."

I blink, "We sell to the other crews then?"

"We're not exactly on great terms, so even as brilliant of an opportunity it is to sell it off to them, it could bite back on us."

I'm sure there's a simple explanation to why that is but fine, be cryptic.

I roll my eyes but nod, accepting that I can't help with this bit at the moment. "I'm sure you and Rey will figure something out."

He shoots me a stern, questioning look. I know what it means and I nod, "Yes, I'm done with this, you can come for me in the morning, and by morning, I mean noon. Then we'll head over to the remaining two places and I'll get the tax or I won't get anything."

I let out a tired breath, "Either way, it isn't my fault the tax can't be collected, as far as I'm concerned, I'm doing you guys a favour and retrieving these locations, getting them back under your control when you couldn't. The complications that come up in that endeavour are not my responsibility."

He snorts immediately after my rant, "That's a lot of big words just to say fuck you."

I don't deny that's exactly what I was going at.

He leaves my side for a bit, pulls out his gun and walks dead ahead towards a scooter parked by the side of the road.

"It's going to be a while on foot, your girls at that Prism Motel yeah?"

"Yeah," I answer cautiously, he proceeds to slam open a compartment of the scooter with the butt of his gun.

He strains a bit, picking about in the compartment until something happens.

Vrmm rrm!

The scooter roars alive and he jumps up with a grin plastered on his face. "There you go! A free ride out to your girl."

I wear a smile as I approach the now stolen scooter. "What about you? You coming along?"

He shakes his head, "No, I shouldn't have left the scene in the first place, but you were in a hurry to get out so…" He sighs, looking away, "Look, I know you might feel that you did the right thing and you did the only thing that you could and even though these feelings are all correct and valid…I want you to know that you don't have to do it again, not if you can help it."

That…Well, I wasn't expecting that.

I'd let my guard fall and his remorse and pity broke through the open door. Sending him a curt nod I hop on the scooter and pump the engine with life.

"Thanks, my legs were beginning to hurt." Is all I say before veering off the sidewalk and out to the open, snow covered road, leaving him behind.