| abstract
| - The sound of sharp nails clicked softly over the stained and cracked linoleum. Princess paced right along with Shri, hoping for tidbits to fall to the floor. She had long since given up trying to “influence” these chain of events. “Sit,” Might as well be gibberish for all Princess was concerned, but the sound in that order and pitch meant only one thing, food for actions. “Good girl.” Shri dribbled some of the soy gruel onto the floor where it was lapped up eagerly. “At least one of us can eat this crap.” She lifted a spoonful and let it slop back into the bowl. Shri paced back and forth, back and forth. Some sort of nervous energy tingled and crackled through her brain. She had to get out, or she'd crawl out of her own skin trying to escape this feeling. It seemed like every year this happened. Bad memories she tried to keep buried resurfaced with a vengeance and it was all she could do to keep from screaming. Maybe it was time to get the truth. Put to bed her nightmares and perhaps, get in a few good blows to the one, who every year, had her pacing her apartment like a caged cat. Shri stormed over to her closet, sorting through her work and play cloths and tossed on the fire engine red sequined top and black leather pants with matching boots. Matching red lipstick and smoky eye makeup followed. “Princess, be good. I'm headed out for the night.” Shri patted the dog on the head. “don't wait up.” Shri arrived around 10:45, earlier then she expected. She glanced up at the managers glass booth suspended above the dance floor. The windows were dark. He was supposed to be out of town till next week. “Hey Jas!, I need something to make the night better!” Jas smiles his razor grin at her and pulled out a glass and poured for her. “Brave girl comin 'round here again. Haven't seen you in years.” he pushed the glass at her and wiped down the counter where he'd spilled. Shri scooped it up and took a drink. “You - know - who isn't in today is he?” “Hasn't been in all week. Business I guess.” he jerked his head up to the darkened windows. “Ah.” Shri said quietly. “You okay, sweety? You look kinda sick. Ever since that last fiasco you haven't been round to see me.” “Things got crazy...” “Look, I'm sorry for what happened.”he started. Shri cut into the middle of his sentence. “It wasn't your fault Jas, you didn't know when you sent us the work.” Jas set down the rag, “Honey, I don't think you really know what happened...” Shri cut him off again, “I thought you said he was out of town...” she spotted him in the crowd. He was perfectly still in a sea of motion. He looked out of place in his expensive cut suit and tie, his sandy blond hair combed back, every strand in place despite the jostling around him. His too green eyes burning in her direction. “I swear honey, he was.” Jas nervously fiddled with his towel. “Had to happen sometime Jas,” For a brief moment, concern showed through her smile. Shri moved off, pushing her way none to gently through dancers to the only man on the dance floor not moving. Not saying a word, he turned on his heels and headed to the back where the stairs would take them up to his office. She followed him up the stairs past the two body guards. A quick peek at their astral said they were packing cyberware to within an inch of their lives. Up the stairs and down a small hallway lined with doors, they stopped at the middle one on the right. It swung open noiselessly at his approach and he ushered her in. Shri took in the sight around her. It was as different from the chaos below as Cyber could get from magic. While down below was tense excitement, this place was order. The window directly in front of her was expansive, taking up the entire back wall. Currently tinted so anyone looking up wouldn't be able to see in Expensive furniture was arranged artfully around the space, some offering a vantage point to the crowd dancing below. A small liquor bar held only the most expensive brands. Tasteful wall sconces illuminated the way. The over all effect radiated calm power. He hadn't moved from the door. Shri walked over to the liquor and flipped over a brandy snifter. “You haven't been to this club since I bought it three years ago. Why are you here?” Shri ignored the question as she poured a measure of the best. “Looks like you're doing well for yourself.” she tipped back the drink, swallowing it all in one mouthful. “You didn't answer my question.” He advanced on her slowly. “Club Madness is the best place to play.”, she glanced out the large window, “Your supposed to be out of town.” “I had business in town.” he walked up behind her. “Seems odd after all this time you'd come into my club. There are others that would have suited you just the same. Or is it because the other owners won't let you drink their brandy.” taking the glass from her hand he poured a measure for himself and tossed it back. “I needed to unwind, and this was the closest to my place.” He slammed the glass down on the bar. “Making up poor excuses doesn't become you.” He turned to face her and clutched her forearm, pulling her close, forcing her to look him in the eyes. “Spit it out, why are you here.” “Let. Go.” each word was a threat. “Or you'll do what?” he hissed in her face. “Scream.” she said resolutely. “Always the little girl shrieking at the world,” His rich laughter filled the small space. “This room is sound proof. Who would hear you?” but he let her go, putting some distance between them. “Look, either start talking or get out of my club.” he poured another drink, pulling his attention back to the bar, once again in control of himself. Shri stood silently a moment. Contemplating her answer. “I don't know.” “First honest answer I've gotten from you.” he tossed back his second drink in the space of a minute. Shri glanced nervously to the door, suddenly not sure of herself at all. “I should go. “Go ahead, leave.” he caught her glance, “Not much left to say anyway.” He poured a third, as Shri moved to the door. “Coward,” he murmured into his glass. Shri dropped her hand from the handle and marched over to the window, slamming her palm across his face. It connected with a loud crack, but Simon took it with out flinching. He set the glass down on the bar. And when she swung a second time, he neatly plucked her arm out of the air. “How dare you!” Shri's eyes flashed fire as rage tore through her. “You're the coward!”as she twisted her arm attempting to free herself. He reached down and gripped her other wrist pulling her closer. She tried to pull away, but he just pulled tighter. “I did what I had to do..” “At the cost of your team. You were our leader, you were supposed to protect us! Instead you sold us out for this cushy life!” “You don't know anything, Sue. Not one damned thing.” “Tell that to Dark and Jacked.” she turned glaring up at him. “Oh, wait, you can't. Their dead.” “Thin ice Sue.” “I can't stand the sight of you!” his grip tightened, crushing her wrists. “You're a traitor!” He dropped her hands as if she had burned him, and she yanked the blade at her hip knife out and pointed it at his throat and lunged. Some small voice registered in her head at what she had done seconds after she did it. It never was her intention to attack. Simon moved fast enough to get under her guard and land a blow in her gut. She collapsed to her knees, struggling to breath. Her hand twisted behind her as he removed her blade. God damned adepts. “You go to far!” He jerked her to her feet and slammed her up against the window, her arms pinned behind her. Her rasping breath painted the window in fog. It's chill cooling her heated face. “You know nothing of what happened!” he hissed in her ear, “You're to scared to ask me. Holding close your hate keeps you safe!” She struggled and he jerked her back into place. “and blaming me is easy! They are the ones who turned, THEY are the ones who would have killed us!” “Lies!” Shri screamed anger clouding her mind. She shoved against the window with all her might. Simon stumbled back, releasing one wrist and Shri snatched her second concealed dagger on her other hip and took a wild stab. He dodged her attack. Spinning he deflected her, using her own momentum as a weapon. Then with the completion of his turn he shoved her back toward the window. Her foot got caught in the actual silk rug and she stumbled. Shri heard glass shatter around her and felt empty air under her. She came plummeting down with the shards. Acting on almost purely survival instincts she reached for any spell that could stop her fall and stopped inches from the floor, suspended in mid air. Silence from all around as the dancers stood in a wide circle, staring. "Had enough?!" Simon called down from the managers booth. Carefully raising up off the ground and to her feet, Shri the brushed the glass from her hair, hissed at a cut on her cheek as she swiped away the blood, “You fucking piece of shit! You pushed me out a window!” she called up at him and stormed back over to the stairs. The two guards moved to stop her, but in her anger, she summoned up a stun bolt for the each of them. They suddenly slumped over and hit the floor in a heap, as Shri gripped her head. Pain exploded behind her eyes. "Oh you're going to pay for that too." She screamed up at the broken window, rubbing at her temples. "God damned woman! It was your own fault!" He turned away from the window stripping off his coat. Marching right up to his door, she pulled every once of anger from her soul and blasted the door apart. Splinters flew everywhere as Simon rushed out of the rubble, gripping her around the throat and slammed her back into the hall. She struggled, trying anything to loosen his grip. “Calm down.”He spun her around and slammed her into the other side of the hall and gave her a shake for good measure. “It wasn't supposed to happen the way it did, Sue.” he said quietly. “but wither you want to admit it or not is your problem, not mine.” She stopped wiggling and his fingers loosened, “Something went south, it was all I could do to get you out.” Shri looked up at him in stony silence. Stubbornness in the very set of her jaw. Seconds ticked by. “Stop slamming me around.” Shri spit at him finally. “I'm getting bruises.” Simon chuckled softly. “You seem to have that effect on me.” His gaze dropped and he ran a thumb over her lips, “You always were temperamental.” a grin gracing his features. Someone cleared their throat at the end of the hallway. “Is there trouble Mr. Dibbs?” An impeccably dressed man stood watching, behind him, a woman troll looked on dispassionately , and a mousy human woman peaked from around the troll with curiosity. “No,” he didn't look up, “I was just finishing up here. Please make yourselves comfortable.” He nodded to the broken door. They brushed by, the well dressed man, didn't even glance in her direction, nor did the troll, but the mousy girl stared. When she entered the door, Shri heard a timid voice whisper. “You see what she did to that door?” before she moved out of sight and out of hearing range. Simon leaned in, his lips a breath away from hers.“Get out Shriek,” her murmured softly, “but don't go too far.” He pulled way, letting her loose. “We've unfinished business, you and I.” “My dagger,” Shri said with dignity. “I'll make sure you get it later.” Simon paused at the entrance. “It was good to see you again.” he headed through the door greeting his guests. Heading down the stairs, the two unconscious men had been dragged away and two new people stood in their place. She headed out the door. An hour later, washed up and bandaged, Shri sank down into her torn and battered couch. Princess hopped up onto her lap. Absentmindedly scratching behind one ear she thought things over. Dark and Jacked were traitors? Even Jas had said something about not knowing what had really happened. It happened so long ago and she was so young. she put the pooch back on the floor. “Good night Princess.” Shri flipped off the lights with her com, placed it on the coffee table and headed to her room to sleep.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)