Part 26

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***

Postmortem...

A bar located in a former morgue, at least that's what the game said about it. I have no idea if it's actually true. I only know that the best of the best gather here, or rather those who were recognised as such by the fixers who have access to it.

Regina and the other district fixers could sit here, as Bestia does, but they're more comfortable in their hideouts. They don't trust her, and they don't trust fixers who don't work in the neighbourhood.

- Who's this guy?

I looked over at the guard who stood at the entrance to the bar and did the so-called face check.

- Quiet, on your way to see Bestia.

- They?

- They're my team.

- Stand by.

I didn't show my annoyance in any way and calmly waited for the guy to call his superiors and make sure I wasn't lying.

- Look, if we weren't warned about us, maybe we're not needed here.

I shrugged.

- Maybe we're not needed and it was a stupid joke... But it's not difficult for me to wait a couple of minutes until everything is agreed.

- Come in...

The bogey pointed to a door that opened.

- Bestia is busy right now, wait in the bar, you'll be called.

I nodded and we went inside, where I didn't pay attention to my surroundings and walked towards a free table, where I sat down. The girls sat down next to me.

- You're not ordering anything?

- No, I have to talk to Bestia....

I shook my head.

- ...You need a clear mind and a well-functioning speech apparatus, and I'm not a fan of alcohol.

The girls snorted, and leaning towards each other whispered, after which Panam, who was sitting on the edge, got up and went to the bar, behind which stood a very large girl, the barmaid....

A couple of minutes and Panam returned with three tall glasses.

- Judy and I have lightly alcoholic ones, you have a completely non-alcoholic one.

I nodded, and took a glass and tasted the drink. Very little of the cocktail went into my mouth, which I swirled around, appreciating the flavour. It was only after I'd assessed it that I finished the sip.

- Not bad...

Panam grinned.

- Mm-hmm, but ours is still better...''

I shrugged my shoulders and took the same small sip before pushing the glass slightly aside and thinking.

- Are we just going to sit here like this?

- And you're so eager to socialise? In a place where everyone has an advanced chrome that can help us eavesdrop? And I'm not just talking about solos now, I'm also talking about spies from the fixers, who are probably gathering information on everyone who enters the Afterlife.

Panam wrinkled her nose slightly and stopped talking. Judy looked around suspiciously and shrugged, taking a sip of her cocktail.

We sat in silence for about ten minutes, until some bloke came over to our table.

- What are such beauties doing in the company of a little boy?

He grinned at me and made a gesture with his hand that could be interpreted as: 'Get out of here, you're in the way.'

- Girls don't need other company. So if it's not too much trouble, could you please get out of here?

My calm voice caught the attention of the type who had already turned away from me and focused all his attention on Panam and Judy. Who just stayed silent and grinned slightly.

- Hey, kid, why don't you get the hell out of here?

- My companions don't need any other company. I'm asking you to leave. I'm not gonna tell you a third time.

- Kid, I'm with the Wipers. Stay out of my way and get back in the fog, or I'll shoot you in the head and--

Bang! Bing!

I didn't even activate the sandi, I just used the new possibilities of my muscles, and stood up, intercepted the hand, which the type kept resting on the table, as well as his head, sharply pulled his hand back, and dropped his head forward on the table. This caused the type's head to make contact with the table in a rather audible thump.

Panam and Judy had the foresight to grab their cocktails and lift them off the table a second before I could act. My cocktail, however, bounced a little from the impact, and as it stood on the edge of the table it tumbled to the floor, shattering.

Tipok stood for a couple of seconds with his head pressed into the table, and then collapsed on the floor.

- Hey, mate...

A rather thin guy came to our table, but he had a lot of chrome in him... just terrible. If I'd met him on the street, I'd have thought he was Malstrom's boss. He was too chrome-plated.

- I warned your friend, he didn't listen...

I calmly met a lot of small optics, with which I was drilled for a few seconds, apparently expecting to frighten me. Except I didn't care. Sandi needed a fraction of a second to activate, and with my current capabilities.....

- Okay, you owe me a hundred grand for the injuries... physical... and moral... and another hundred.....

- Shut your mouth, turn around and walk away into the fog. I'm not interested in your wishes, and I'm not going to fulfil them like a fairy genie. And if you insist, you'll be lying next to your mate.

- Hey! I told you! Or I'll have your whores running round in a circle.

Sandi activated.

I calmly got up from my seat, walked over to the guy and took his gun out of his holster and put it in his open mouth.

Shutdown.

Katz!

Type Two's teeth clattered against the muzzle of the gun.

- Okay, you're going to take your mate now and leave us. But before you do that... how much did you say I owe you? Two hundred grand?

I chuckled.

- I value my companions far more than that, and you threatened them....

I shook my head.

- ...out of order...

- Kid, put the gun down...

The guard at the entrance was at my side, watching me intently. I had no doubt that if anything, he would intervene, or rather try to, and try to stop me.

- You should have intervened when your boss authorised this inspection....

I shook my head.

- ...which goes against the rules of Postmortem, which, surprise surprise, I studied before my visit. So for now, just stand back and observe.

I grinned with a corner of my lips.

- Getting back to you...

I looked at type number two.

- That'll be five hundred grand.

- Umunu nutu!

In a voice that was extremely hard to make out because of the gun in my mouth, I could hear panic.

- Am I supposed to care?

I raised an eyebrow questioningly.

- You agreed to this, no matter who offered you the job. So you were prepared for the consequences. No money, take out a loan...

I shrugged a little.

- That's enough...

I glanced in the direction of the voice and saw a slightly grey-haired woman, quite pretty, who came down to us from a separate cubicle. She came down because all the booths were on a small elevation separated from the main floor of the club by a couple of steps.

- I didn't start this, I don't have to finish it. Either this gentleman will comply with my demands, or I'll shoot him in the head and sell the chrome, getting....

I activated my optics in scan mode.

- About three hundred and fifty thousand.

- I said that's enough.

- So you're fitting in for him?

I looked questioningly at Bestia.

- Yes.

There was a slight sneer on her lips, to which I shrugged and took the gun out of Type Two's mouth and in three movements disassembled it, dumping the parts on the floor, then looked at Panam and Judy.

- We're leaving.

They nodded and stood up to follow me.

- Quiet, stop.

The voice is commanding, but I still restrained myself and didn't stop.

- If you want to meet, you'll make sure the Wiper transfers the money to me. Regina will be the go-between. And yes, if you do need my services as a solo, you'd better not make any more such enquiries. My time is valuable, and I value my companions' nerves and honour even more.

We'd reached the Torticus when Regina got on the line.

- What the fuck are you doing?!

- Regina?

- Can you explain to me why Bestia called me now, asked me to broker a settlement for you for five hundred grand, which she immediately transferred. And she asked me to help you agree to a conversation. What. Mum. Yours. What happened?

- They decided to test me...

I gestured to Panam and Judy, who were about to get into the Tortilla.

- ...But I told the checker off and demanded compensation, just as he had demanded from me a few seconds before. Then the club security guard intervened, but I told him that I knew the rules and that he, or his mates, should have intervened earlier. Then Bestia came out and entered behind the checker. I turned round and saying that until I was paid what I was owed, I wouldn't be allowed to set foot in Postmortality, walked away, ignoring Bestia's shout.

- Psycho...

- Not at all, but I value my reputation, and as you know, I have a very high reputation. And if I were to bend to Bestia now, even if it's just to Bestia, the others would realise that they could bend to me too.

- Damn lunatic... you shook Bestia down for five hundred grand... she's only going to send you on missions that will help her recoup those costs!

- ?

I snorted.

- Are you going to help me get back into the club or not?

Regina handed me the five hundred grand, and gave me a stern look.

- What do you want?

- Just tell me, should I go there or not? What's best for you as my Fixer?

- Just like that?

- Regina, you and I work very well together, even thought out a plan to roll Bestia with my hiring on a permanent basis. So you should have realised by now that it was just that simple.

She sighed.

- Go... please. At the very least, listen to her with a polite smile....

My image nodded understandingly.

- As you wish.

- Eh... how difficult it is with you....

Regina shook her head.

- ...It's a good thing, though, because Bestia had been getting a lot of arrogance lately. All the best solos were always going to her, and the orders....

Regina chuckled.

- ...Now, if you and I do well, we can squeeze some orders out of her...but don't get too cocky, because otherwise she might retaliate. And if we do it nicely, I won't offend you either....

My image showed a satisfied grin, and with a nod of the head confirmed the consent to participate in this adventure.

- Good, then stick to the plan... I hope she doesn't find something to pressurise or bribe you with, because otherwise my whole scheme will fall apart like a house of cards.

- Don't worry, as long as I'm in Knight City, I'm on your side.

- Hmm?

- I've got an idea to raise some money, get ready and get the hell out of this town.

- Well, well, well.

Regina snorted.

- Anything to say?

- You wouldn't last two months out of town.

- What makes you think that?

- You're a solo to the core, you're all about missions and adrenaline. So being out of this city, which is one of the few that offers such vast opportunities, you'll just... wither.

I chuckled.

- You know, if you're right and I, if I ever leave Knight City, come back here, I'll do every fifth assignment for you for free for a year.

- I've got it memorised...

Her image nodded, but the smirk that was on it immediately disappeared.

- ...now go talk to Bestia.