Chapter Ten - Tensions

Chapter Ten - Tensions

Chapter Ten - Tensions

Never let anyone tell you youre not valuable! You have organs after all!

At Organ-dos, we turn some of that value into cold hard credits. Its as easy as stepping into one of our insured Organ-do booths, and leaving a few minutes later with a pocket full of spending money!*

*Organ sales are non-refundable

-Organ-do ad, 2051

***

Franny was a little different in person. A couple of years older than in the picture Gomorrah had shown me, and she wasnt quite as clean. Not that she was dirty or anything, but her clothes had a few dusty stains on them, and she was obviously not wearing any makeup.

She looked past the fat man blocking her path, just a glance, but one that turned into an outright stare as Gomorrah stepped up... then paused.

I slowed to a stop behind Gomorrah. There was still a half-dozen metres between her and Franny, and yet she seemed reluctant to move.

Whats going on? Raccoon asked when the moment started to stretch.

Your guess is as good as mine, I muttered back to her.

Franny, Gomorrah said.

The fat man turned, his frown disappearing in an instant when he locked eyes on Gomorrah. Ah, Miss Samurai, youre here at last. As you can see, I kept the girl here. I did as you asked.

You made him hold me back? Franny asked.

I didnt want you running off before I could arrive.

Im not twelve, Delilah, Franny snapped. Im an adult.

One whos currently in one of the worst establishments Ive ever had the misfortune of laying eyes on, Gomorrah retorted.

I felt my eyebrows rising. There was a whole heap of tension between the two, and not the fun kind. I imagined that Delilah was Gomorrahs real name. A bit weird to have spent so much time with her without knowing, actually. Are you two alright? I asked.Fịndd new updates at novelhall.com

Whos that? Franny asked with a nod my way. You hired a bodyguard?

Thats Stray Cat, Gomorrah said. Shes a samurai. A friend.

Franny crossed her arms, the gesture bunching up the black cloth of her robes. She was wearing a mostly nun-like outfit, though her robes ended near her knees, which I was pretty sure wasnt standard, nor were the jeans underneath, or the all-black combat boots and choker. So, youre making friends with more people playing God? Im impressed youre even managing to make friends at all.

I raised my hand. Im not playing God. I wish I could play God. Right now Im stuck in a permanent game of hide-and-go-seek but with high explosives. So, Gomorrah, this is the girl you ran halfway across the city to save? Because she doesnt look like she needs saving.

Ive never needed saving, Franny said with the snap and bluster of someone who had very much needed saving at one time or another and who didnt appreciate it.

Yes, Cat, this is Franny. Now that the introductions are over with, lets go home, Franny.

Franny shook her head. No, Delilah, Im not just going to let you drag me back home like Im some unruly kid. The old bags can live without someone to bitch at for an evening.

Yeah, well, she interrupted me mid-happy-time with my girlfriend to come rescue you. I enjoyed the incensed insult on Frannys face, as if it was enough to disguise the reddening of her cheeks. Now, Im always willing to help a friend out, but that doesnt mean I wont be obnoxious and ask questions, like Why didnt you answer your calls? and What were you doing here anyway?

The old bags are the sort to spend the day preaching about being good rather than doing good, Franny said.

She paused while pointing at me with a finger when a robot rolled over and crashed into the edge of our table. It was little more than an oversized roomba with some servos and a pitcher of ice where our drinks were waiting.

I served us all. So you cut them off. Alright. Didnt have to cut Gomorrah here off.

I took out my augs, Franny said. Its safer that way.

Safer? I asked.

You wouldnt understand.

I shrugged. Okay. And what were you doing here? You dont drink, and something tells me that while you'd like to look, the holographic strippers arent why youre here.

Franny looked to Gomorrah, then at me. Im not going to sit back and do nothing, alright.

Alright, so what were you doing?

While you were sleeping with... with your girlfriend, I was down here looking for people. There have been disappearances. Lots of them.

The incursion nearby probably accounts for some of that, I said.

Some, but not this many. No one pays much attention when nobodies disappear. But I know some of them. Or at least I know people that know them. A lot of them are too poor to move further out, and some have left families behind. Thats after the incursion.

I leaned forward. And whats that got to do with the Sewer Dragons? I asked.

How do you know about them?

I really dont know much, I said.

Franny licked her lips, but she did spill. Theyre the ones doing the kidnappings. I couldnt get any answers yesterday. I... uh, persuaded some people to let me see their security camera footage, but all the video from where the kidnappings happened was either wiped or a loop. No clues there, and no other witnesses, at least, none that I found. So I started to map things out.

Okay, I said with a nod.

She reached out and grabbed some of the leftover napkins I had, then laid them out on the table. The kidnappings happened in different buildings, but always on the same floor. She poured some of her water into her hand, then started pressing dots onto the napkins. And there was a pattern.

There was a pattern now, all the wet smudges grouped together in a long trail. The sewers, I guess.

Yeah, concentrated around openings. No specific target either, just anyone. Young, old. Inside their house or standing outside. It took some work to figure out the who, by the way.

Thats impressive work, Gomorrah said, talking at last. We can tell people, tell the authorities.

Franny slapped the table. They wont do anything.

I sighed. This was going to be one of those discussions.

***