Cyber Dreams 4.17 - Same Old MO

Good morning, everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm trying to showcase a little of Juliet's character growth here. I realize we're on chapter 17 already, but I'm still kind of setting the stage for the "main event" of book 4. There's more to come from this scene at The Raptor Haus.

-Plum

Juliet looked down the narrow, dark street to the bright yellow and blue neon sign proclaiming the building ahead as the Raptor Haus. She thought the German spelling made it a little more interesting than Nick’s flat delivery when he’d called the bar the “Raptor House.” It certainly looked interesting—tall, narrow, black-painted or stained concrete with yellow, neon-outlined birds of prey flying up the side, toward the metal gables of the roof, away from the hypnotically pulsing lettering.

In the dark, the stains and trash lining the walkway didn’t stand out, and the hooded, raincoat-wearing figures leaning against nearby buildings added to the mysterious, dangerous ambiance. Juliet felt alive, felt an electric tingle along her spine as she scanned the area, noting the many highlights Angel provided for openly visible weapons on the people milling about. She wasn’t underarmed; her vibroblade sat snugly against her wrist under her motorcycle jacket, and her Texan, loaded with Ryan’s custom ammo, sat against her right thigh, a comforting weight.

Nick turned back at her and raised an eyebrow. “You sure you gotta wear all that gear?”

Juliet snorted. “You sure you shouldn’t be wearing more?” Nick was dressed just as she’d first met him—loosely buttoned white dress shirt over faded jeans. He had no visible weapons or implants, no gear at all unless you counted his admittedly fancy vape battery.

He winked and said, “I guess I just rely on my smile to smooth any conflicts over. You know?”

“Yeah, that worked great with Tono . . .”

“You said you wouldn’t mention that!”

“Come on.” Juliet gave him a gentle nudge toward the building and followed behind. Despite her jacket, she felt the chill in the air. She wore it open to better display a new—to her—vintage smiley-face t-shirt, one with x’s for eyes and a frown. The cool, damp air was palpable, and she could feel her nose getting a little numb as her breath plumed out. “What’s with the cold, anyway?”

He shrugged. “Callistoans like their weather cycles.”

“Well, let’s get inside. My fingers are getting numb.”

“I’m moving, I’m moving.”

Juliet was being hyperbolic. Her right hand felt fine; Angel could adjust the synth-flesh’s sensitivity to temperature, and she did a good job of keeping Juliet comfortable. As for her left hand, it was in her pocket. She grinned at the thought, watching Nick shuffle forward, both his hands stuffed into his jeans pockets. He was a lanky-looking guy when he walked like that, shoulders hunched up, keeping the chill off his neck. She liked that kind of look on a guy—long limbs, lean body, casual but cool. The thought caught her by surprise, and she did her best to banish it; she was decidedly not into Nick in that way. Right?

“Nick!” the bouncer said, reaching out to clap Nick on the shoulder. She was a stocky woman wearing a silver, puffy, one-piece jumper that covered her from her ankles to her bulky neck. An SMG that announced her seriousness hung on a shoulder strap next to her hip, but she didn’t move a hand toward it as she glanced Juliet up and down, her violet-irised eyes flashing with active scans. “New girlfriend?”

“Uh!” Nick threw a horrified glance at Juliet, almost like he thought he was in trouble.

“Just a friend,” Juliet laughed, resting a hand on Nick’s shoulder and giving him a friendly jostle.

“Whew!” the doorwoman said, “I was trying to think of how to warn you, Nicky—Penny’s in there.”

Nick’s eyes widened, and he reflexively reached up to smooth his hair. “Seriously? My Penny?”

“Why would I warn you about someone else’s Penny?”

“Well, shit. Thanks, Sam.” Nick seemed to have lost a shade of ruddy complexion, looking just as nervous as he had when Wrench had him by the throat.

“No worries.” She turned back to Juliet. “Don’t go starting any shit with that cannon on your hip, huh?”

“I won’t start it . . .” Juliet winked at her, feeling giddy at Nick’s obvious discomfort and nervousness. She couldn’t wait to meet whoever Penny was.

“Atta girl. Go on, have fun.” She waved at the door, and Nick, still a little pale, brushed at his hair again, then pulled the door open for Juliet. She stepped past him into the thump of the music, loud enough to rattle her ribcage but not a problem for her ears—Angel tuned it to a comfortable level.

The Raptor Haus immediately set itself apart from other clubs or bars or whatever it was styling itself as with its vertical design. The ground floor wasn’t huge, just large enough for a ring of booths around a busy bar with an impressive rack of mirrored shelves displaying hundreds of bottles of booze. Above that level, though, Juliet could see at least five balconies that surrounded the open space of the bottom floor. Hanging from a distant ceiling from chains of varying lengths, vid screens, holo displays, and even platforms where men and women danced filled the void. Warm yellow neon was the predominant light source, giving the place a decidedly different vibe than the cooler, pink, and blue tones found in so many modern clubs.

Juliet found her head bobbing to the music, a smile on her face as Nick walked up beside her. “Pretty cool layout, huh?”

“Lots to look at!”

He held a hand to his ear and made a face like he couldn’t hear. Juliet narrowed her eyes at him and subvocalized, “Angel, send him a message.”

“What should it be?”

“Get new audio implants.”

Nick’s eyes opened wide, and he laughed, giving her a thumbs up. Then he gestured toward the far side of the bar where a plastiglass-paneled elevator sat, ready to carry patrons up to one of the balcony levels. “My friends said they’re on three.”

Juliet pointed to the bar and leaned close to Nick’s ear. “Do we need to order first?”

“Nah!” he yelled, “Just order online, and they’ll bring it up.”

Juliet followed him through the crowd, more mature yet decidedly more dangerous-looking people than she’d seen on Io Station when she’d met Nick at the Badhammer. Nearly everyone sported some kind of sidearm, cybernetic implants looked more utilitarian than stylish, and a lot more leather and denim prevailed in their outfits. Juliet felt like she fit in better with this crowd than the scantily clad “punks.” The funny thing was, she reflected, that when push came to shove, she’d bet on these people standing up to corpo authority sooner than the party kids at the Badhammer.

“You’re amused by something?” Angel asked as they stepped aboard the elevator, and Nick pressed the glowing numeral three.

“Thinking about how the club kids at the Badhammer think of themselves as punks, but they seem a lot more conformist to me than this crowd. These people look like they walk the walk, you know what I mean?”

“I do, and you’d be correct. I’ve seen quite a few faces that match up to postings on the public-net bounty boards.”

Juliet snorted, and Nick gave her a look. She leaned close to his ear. “My PAI just informed me that a lot of these people have bounties. Mind if I collect a few?” Nick’s eyes widened in horror, but Juliet held up a hand before he could formulate a reply. “Just kidding, relax.” The elevator lurched to a halt, and the doors started to open. Juliet grabbed Nick’s arm before he could walk off. “Are you nervous?”

“About?”

“Penny!”

Nick didn’t answer, but his stress was evident as his lips pressed together and he narrowed his eyes. Juliet grinned, following him onto the balcony level and past some patrons leaning against the railing, watching two very attractive women dancing on a suspended platform. He wound his way around to the far side where thickly cushioned, recessed booths with high backs made almost private little alcoves. He walked up to one with two men and a woman sitting around it, leaving plenty of room for another five or so. Empty bottles lined the tabletop, and as Nick waved and leaned forward to yell his greetings to his friends, Juliet took them in.

She couldn’t help staring at the woman first. Who was this lady who’d given Nick such a shock? Juliet was immediately reminded of Honey. A slightly older Honey, but the resemblance was there, nonetheless. She had short, curly black hair, big brown eyes, soft, dark skin, and an impeccable sense of style. She wore a frilly, pale-green blouse that left little to the imagination—it was nearly transparent. Juliet couldn’t see her bottom half, but she saw the gold jewelry on her wrists, her many rings, and the high-end, holo-projecting data port at her left temple. It was currently displaying a sparkling golden tiara atop the woman’s head.

Nick still hadn’t made eye contact with the woman, and Juliet smirked as she stood behind him. He leaned close to the man on the end, a guy who could pass for his brother. He was shorter than Nick, a little heavier, and a little older looking. He wore a paisley-patterned t-shirt that was so tight it could have been painted on. An antique-looking gold watch sat on his hairy, tanned arm, and when Nick pointed over his shoulder and said, “This is Lucky,” the man turned his gaze to her, and Juliet had to reassess her first impression.

She’d thought he looked kind of like a meathead, a muscle-type without a lot going on upstairs. His eyes told her a different story, however. They were sharp and predatory, and something in her gut said very loudly, “Be careful.” Juliet smiled and reached out to take his hand when he offered it.

“I’m Ray. Taught this guy everything he knows.” His hand was meaty and calloused, and he looked surprised when Juliet’s long fingers wrapped around his palm, and she gave him a solid grip.

“Bullshit!” Nick laughed. “The good-looking guy next to Ray is Alec. Alec, Juliet.”

Juliet released Ray’s hand, annoyed that he let his grip linger for a second. She pointedly didn’t look at him or say anything. Instead, she turned to Alec and smiled, tugging at her hand so she could offer it to him. Alec reached out to take it. He was a slight fellow, thin, short, and wan. He looked frail, really, and Juliet wondered if there might be something wrong with his health. Still, his grip was warm and firm, and she got a good feeling when she looked into his silvery visor—it looked like an implant, but she figured it might be a high-end wearable. In any case, she couldn’t see his eyes.

Juliet let go of Alec’s hand and looked at the woman. “And who’s this?”

“Uh, that’s . . .”

“I’m Penny. Nick’s ex. I’m sure he’s told you all about me, hmm?” Her voice was husky and low when she laughed, clearly indicating that she knew very well that Nick had done no such thing.

“Hey, Pen, that’s not really fair, is it?” Nick sighed and reached up to rub at his hair, brushing it back with one hand while he tapped at his shirt pocket with the other. Juliet knew he was probably fiending for a hit of nicotine.

“Sit down!” Alec said, indicating the open side of the booth next to Penny. Juliet backed up, letting Nick slide in first so she’d be on the outside and not forced to sit between him and his ex. Juliet wondered at that; did she mean ex as in ex-girlfriend or ex-wife? Nick’s layers kept multiplying.

“Angel, please order me a local beer, something light.”

“Okay, do you want to see the selection?”

“Nah, you know what I like.”

“I do.”

Nick slid into the booth, and Juliet noticed he left a good foot between himself and Penny. She grinned, for some reason enjoying his discomfort, and sat down. Her position in the booth put her almost directly across from Ray. He nodded and smiled, revealing a gold-plated canine, and pointed at the empty bottles on the table.

“You guys have some catching up to do. Don’t worry, we’ll help you get started. I ordered a round. I hear a toast is in order—you earned your first skull, huh?”

“Skulls,” Nick corrected.

“Oho? Pirates, I hope!” Ray laughed, but it was a mean sound, not a jovial one.

Juliet humored Ray with a smile but looked at Alec. “You’re a pilot, too?”

“Not exactly . . .”

“He rides in my navigator seat and runs the targeting system on my missile boat.” Ray spoke over Alec, slapping his heavy hand on the table, rattling the empty bottles.

“Missile boat, huh?”

“Yeah, he’s got a real beauty.” Nick seemed to be looking for any excuse not to talk to Penny, so he leaned forward and continued, “A Kroger Lamprey. He’s got something like fifty . . .”

“A hundred!” Ray said, slapping the table again. “Seventy-five short and twenty-five long-range missiles. I don’t take the little escort gigs like Nicky here. I fly escort to the big boys.”

“The big boys?” Juliet frowned. What was bigger than a gas harvester?

“Well, we mostly fly patrols around stations. Right now, we have a contract at Ygdrasil. Not much action, but the pay’s good . . .”

“Jesus, Alec. You really know how to kill the mood. Learn to tell a story, will you?” Ray glowered at his partner. “You don’t just drop the punchline.” He sighed, shaking his head, and then he looked over at Nick. “Anyway, yeah, we got a pretty sweet gig right now, flying circles around the scientists on Ygdrasil station.”

“That’s nice! Congrats, you guys!” It was Penny who spoke up; Nick was looking at Alec, frowning slightly.

“So, not much action, huh?” Juliet asked Ray, for some reason wanting to needle him a little.

Storm clouds entered his eyes as he scowled. “You insinuating something?”

Before Juliet could answer, a man wearing a black apron approached the table with a tray of shot glasses. “You ordered a round of shots? Spacer’s Thinner?”

“Yeah!” Ray said, magnanimous once again, “Only the best for my old boy Nick and his new girl.”

“She’s not . . .”

“I’m not his girl,” Juliet growled. The waiter sighed, shaking his head as he set the tray down. The expression on his face was clear—he didn’t get paid enough to get involved. He lingered briefly while Juliet glowered at Ray, perhaps hoping for a tip. When no one looked at him, he turned and walked away, muttering something Juliet didn’t care enough about to try to hear.

“Did I say something wrong?” Ray asked, pushing the shot glasses around the table, sliding one to each of them.

“Classic Ray,” Penny sighed. “Don’t take it personally, hon. Nick’s friends are . . . an acquired taste.”

Juliet didn’t reply. She was too busy feeling annoyed by Ray; he reminded her of too many bullies she’d known throughout her life. She felt like putting him in his place, but she decided to try to relax and let Nick enjoy the night as much as he could with his ex sitting next to him. So, with a forced smile and shrug, she picked up the shot glass Ray shoved in front of her.

“To Lucky!” Nick said, lifting his glass. “Watch your sixes, ‘cause she’s got talent and a killer instinct!”

Everyone echoed the “to Lucky” part, and Juliet tossed the drink back, grimacing as the harsh alcohol scorched the back of her throat. When she exhaled, she felt like she was blowing fire out of her nose for several seconds. Her eyes watered, and she stared at the table, trying to make it focus as she fought down a coughing fit. When she finally looked up, she saw everyone’s eyes on her, and then Nick laughed and clapped his hands.

“I told you she’d handle it!”

“That shit was awful.” Juliet frowned around the table, but she couldn’t deny the euphoric buzz lifting the corners of her mouth into an almost involuntary smile.

“Bad taste, good effect, eh?” Penny laughed.

“No shit! Is that stuff even legal?” Juliet laughed, and then she realized Angel was talking to her, had been talking to her, but her voice had seemed like a background noise.

“Your nanites are helping you detox! That beverage was far more than simple alcohol.”

“You joke, but that stuff’s not legal in some municipalities. Some corpo bureaucrats have a problem with synthed booze.” Alec stared at his empty shot glass almost longingly.

“Well,” Nick said, his words slurring as if his tongue was a little too large for his mouth, “it’s more to do with what gets added in the process. This one’s not too bad, but I’ve seen some crazy stuff.”

“Thanks, Angel,” Juliet subvocalized, already feeling more like herself.

“You’re welcome. I’m not trying to ruin your fun, but I didn’t think you were expecting to consume something so strong.”

“Definitely not.”

“So, you waxed a couple of pirates, huh?” Ray asked, leaning forward, and Juliet could see the trouble brewing behind his eyes even without listening to his thoughts. Still, she listened.

Look at this smartass bitch. Thinks she’s better than me. She’d probably come home with me in a second if I offered her a chance to fly the Overwolf. Wonder how long it took her to get Nick to let her fly his little ship. How many times she had to put out?

Juliet grimaced, disgusted by the images and thoughts bleeding out of Ray’s far too open mind. She passed her disgust off as if she was still recovering from the shot and smiled when she saw the waiter returning with a few beers on a try. He set hers in front of her, and she sat back, intent on nursing it and ignoring Ray.

“I say something wrong? Just curious about how you popped . . .”

“Don’t say it, Ray.” Nick sighed and leaned over the table, turning so he faced Juliet and put himself between her and his obnoxious friend. “You good? We can head out if this isn’t your thing.”

“I’m better now I got this beer, but if you’ve got someplace else you’d like to go . . .”

“What the fuck, Nick? You just got here! I got someone coming who wants to meet you.”

Nick sighed and sat back. Then he looked from Penny to Alec, who was busily examining his beer bottle, to Ray. “Hey bud, this night isn’t about me. It’s for Lucky, and I think you’re kinda rubbing her the wrong way.”

“It’s cool, Nick.” Juliet set her beer on the table, thinking about how directly she wanted to deal with Ray. Was it worth not causing a scene? Was it worth letting another bully get away with the same old MO?

“Holy . . . am I seeing this right?” Penny suddenly said. “If you’d have stood up for me like that, we’d be married with kids by now!”

“It’s not like that, Penny. I’m responsible for . . .”

“You’re good, Nick.” Juliet put a hand on his shoulder and looked at Ray. “We’ll stick around. I’m all for having a good time, but Ray, you need to cool your toxic shit. I don’t want to hear your suspicions about what I did to get Nick to let me fly his ship. I don’t want you even to think it. We clear?”

“Hey, I didn’t . . .”

“It’s all over your face, buddy. Now, just drink your beer and let Nick enjoy a little reunion with Penny. Listen to the music or something. I’m tired of your voice.” Juliet turned to Alec. “Tell me a little bit about what Ygdrasil station is like, Alec. I’ve never even heard of it.”