"You mean when I…retire?" She looked amused at the thought.
"All good things come to an end sooner or later."
"I don't think about the end. There are no ends. And no beginnings. There is only the moment. Now is the only time I know. Now is all that matters."
I raised my glass in salute. "Amen to that, sweetheart."
"What about you, Mick? What will you do when your debts are paid?"
I glanced at the window, where the rain turned the outside world into glimmering jewels. "Guess I'll try picking up the pieces."
"Pieces?"
"My life. My business."
"Troubleshooting?"
"Yeah. Like you said the other night, it might be the only thing I'm good at."
She gave me one of her melancholy smiles. "I understand."
She pushed her bowl back and tapped on the bejeweled holoband on her wrist. The projected screen displayed her accounts, which she slid over until coming to our joint gambling line.
"I'm depositing your share of the winnings into your account. Have a good night, Mick."
"Sure you don't want to hang out for a bit? It's raining something fierce out there."
"It's always raining. I'll be fine."
I grinned and tipped my Bogart. "Till the next time, Faye."
I watched as she paid her tab and exited the building. She passed by the window, shaded by her neon-lit umbrella. The rain fell softly, sliding down the transparent shielding and carving shadowy tears across her face.
THAT NIGHT, I FOLLOWED her.
Wasn't sure why. I understood the value she placed on her privacy and knew she'd view my actions as a violation of trust. If she spotted me, I'd never see her again. I was pretty sure of that.
But there was something in her eyes before she left. Fear, maybe. Almost as if she didn't want to go. I'd never seen that before. Not from her. I had to know what was behind her shroud of secrecy. What it was she kept hidden, so guarded that she practically didn't exist.
When she hailed a cabbie, I slid into the confines of Maxine, my Duesenberg-inspired wheeler. Her fusion engine purred, and the console lit up as I entered.
Maxine's sultry voice greeted me from the speakers. "Welcome back, Mr. Trubble."
"Thanks. Be a doll and follow that cab. Shadow mode."
"No problem. I will be sure to avoid detection."
Faye's skimcab hovered just above the street, for which I was grateful. I didn't care much for floaters or airbuses. I preferred to go all the way low-tech with a wheeler. Something about the way the wheels gripped the asphalt made me feel grounded. Besides, my first trip on a zeppelin didn't end very well.
The street traffic was thin as usual. If I wanted to know where everyone went, all I had to do was look up. Air traffic hummed in the Uppers, intersecting lanes of zipping lights and gleaming alloy. If I strained my eyes I might even spot the zeppelins that glided through the haze like metallic whales. Everything was dwarfed by towering buildings that hulked like steel and glass giants, lit up by interactive billboards that kept New Haven so bright there was practically no need for streetlights. It was only dark at the bottom of the city, where the shadows swallowed the rain-slicked streets and the disadvantaged folk who dwelt there.
Faye's cab glided into Chinatown. I followed at a safe distance. Didn't matter if I lost sight of her at that point. Maxine had already tagged the cab and could tail it even without line of sight. Water spilled from the tiles of pagoda rooftops constructed for the tourists to gawk at, creating glittering curtains that flashed in multicolored neon as residents strolled past under the cover of protective awnings. Steam billowed from the gutters, fluttering alongside Maxine like accompanying ghosts. Two blocks ahead, Faye's cab cruised to a stop. Maxine pulled behind a desolate food truck as Faye exited into the rain, umbrella held up.
I got out and followed.
Most of the gawkers and hawkers had gone in or back to their respective parts of town, leaving me a foreigner among the natives. Didn't warrant much attention, though. There was always the straggler looking for action that could only be found at night, and the folk in Chinatown were experts at minding their own business. I kept my head down and my Bogart tipped low over my eyes as I strode along, alert for cover to use in case Faye looked behind her. I shouldn't have bothered.
Turned out she had other things to worry about.
I saw the lug before she did — squat and hefty, with a face hard enough to bash down brick walls. He seized her by the arm with rough hands and hustled her around the corner.
I slid a hand in my jacket and pulled out the Mean Ol' Broad. The seven-shot, mech-enhanced revolver felt cold against the rising heat of my skin as I dashed to the end of the street. Something told me to stop and sneak a peek before turning the alleyway into a shooting gallery. That tiny intuitive voice was the only thing that saved the man's life.
He wasn't roughing her up like I first imagined. Not physically, anyhow. But verbally he was giving her the major third, barking at her in a low but heated tone and slashing the air with vicious gestures. I couldn't understand the lingo because he spoke Chinese, but I caught the drift anyhow. I didn't need a translator to understand a threat.
Faye took the bombardment with her head down, eyes downcast, wilting like a dying flower before my eyes. A single teardrop sparkled in the corner of her eye before sliding down her cheek.
I was moving before I knew it. Only a few quick strides got me into range. A quick blow from the butt of the Mean Ol' Broad to the back of the bully's head did the rest, instantly dropping him like a sack of busted-up potatoes. Faye gasped and recoiled, eyes widening when she recognized me.
"Mick?" She stared down at the lug, then back up at me with disbelieving eyes. But her initial shock faded quickly, replaced by calculated calm. "Take his holoband."
"What…?"
"Take his holoband. Make it look like a robbery."
"Isn't it biologically locked to his wrist?"
"He's Triad. They use illegal holobands to avoid detection."
I knelt and checked his wrist. Sure enough, his holoband was secured by a simple clasp instead of a near-impenetrable security lock like legal Haven residents. All of his info — identification, bank accounts, personal details — gone in a second. Once removed, he became a ghost in the system. The digital blip would alert nearby authorities, sending flying eyes and at least one patrol to the vicinity within minutes.
Faye took my hand. "Come, quickly."
She pulled me to the cover of the awning, where we quickly retreated as searchlights flashed down from the sky, turning the rain into glimmering streaks. The drone arrived sooner than I expected. Security in Chinatown didn't mess around.
Flashlight beams and urgent voices approached from the mouth of the alley. Faye yanked me into a brick-layered nook and kissed me for all she was worth. I didn't fight back. Despite the fact I was about to be arrested for aggravated assault and grand theft, the sheer passion was worth a bid in the slammer, even if it was just an act.
Bright lights intruded on our little moment. I shielded my eyes, stepping in front of Faye.
The copper was barely visible behind the glare. "The hell is going on?"
I tried my best to look like an inebriated tourist. "Sorry, officer. We took a wrong turn and—"
His face twisted with scorn. "Yeah, I bet you did, pal. Look, we got an alert for an unauthorized band removal. Show me your wrists."
We complied, swaying and giggling like little kids. The copper scanned our holobands with a disgusted look.
"You two see anyone else back here?"
"No, officer." I snickered behind my hand. "Been a little busy."
He snorted. "All right, you're clean. Now scram. Get a hotel or something."