Chapter XXIV

Old Friends

Adria arrived at the nightclub, which seemed crowded given the number of people lined up outside. With confidence, she strode towards Markus and Bostan, the bouncers, both towering over six feet tall, being in charge of security was among their duties. Their intimidating stance communicated the potential consequences of violating the club’s policies.

Unlike everyone else, Adria approached and greeted them warmly. “Hey! Troublemakers!” she exclaimed, excited to see them.

Upon noticing her, smiles broke across the faces of both men—a rare sight. Markus was the first to respond, his voice cheerful despite missing a few teeth. “Yo! Troublemaker!” he greeted her.

“Adria, it’s good to see you!” added Bostan, half of his face marked by scar tissue, it’s origin, too well known for her.

“Likewise, it’s been a while,” Adria replied, her interest in their well-being genuine. “Both of you doing okay?”

“As good as this furkan place allows,” Markus said, dismissing someone attempting to catch his attention. We miss you over here.”

“Drunia’s having the baby soon, right, Bostan?” Adria recalled the news of the pregnancy.

“Twins, actually. I’m pulling double shifts every day, could be any minute starting next week.” Bostan admitted, his smile failing to mask the burden in his eyes.

Adria was taken aback for a moment. “Did you consider applying for renounced parenthood?” She couldn’t help but ask, knowing the tough decisions they faced with the change of plans.

“Nah, we discussed it and decided against. Drunia’s extraction to Capitalia is supposed to take place three or four months after the birth, and my sentence here ends a year later. We plan to move back to Malkuth before the kids have speaking ages, so they can grow up in Rumania, under aequiteism, with us,” Bostan explained, optimism threading through his words despite the hardships.

“Please, reach out if you need ever need anything, aunt Dri will always be there for the kids!”

“Maybe one day you guys can babysit while we go out to some fancy restaurant in Capitalia. How’s Bitlan doing? That old rock still holds up?”

They had known each other since Imperia, years before that felt like a lifetime ago.

“I guess. He’s getting old and grumpy,” she felt worse every time she thought about their fight.

“Well, not everyone can—”

“Planning to let some steam off, Adria? I can take a break and dance with you if you’d like….” Markus interrupted not focused on the conversation, interested in other topics, taking another chance. “I’ve been learning some salsa…”

“Not today, Markus, nor tomorrow, I’ve told you!,” she waved him off like the last seven times, trying not to be awkward about it.

“You’re so smooth, dude,” His friend mocked him before slapping the back of his head.

“Shut up,” Markus’ frustration was obvious.

“Good luck there. Your tab is on us,” Bostan blinked with his healthy eyelid. “I might stay for a while and join you for a drink later tonight, it’s been a while!

“It’ll take your word on that, thank you!” he’s always kind to her. “See you, Markus.”

Adria went through the diamond tunnel that molded behind them and stepped inside the club. Some people in line stared with remorse. She didn’t feel guilty about it, her time waiting anywhere in Negativus was almost nonexistent thanks to the connections and reputation built over the years, most of them still thriving.

They owed each other their lives forever: Bostan, Markus, Adria, Drunia and Raxae, who was inside. Together, they had gone through many troubling times.

The extarri walked through the well-known multicolored crystal tunnel; when she got to the bar, the clock hit the 11:58 pm mark, right on time. She imagined they would find each other close to the main bar; she got in one of the many lines and waited for others to pay their check. Many drank and talked on a long plaque of metawood that held their weight. At least a dozen bartenders served for it and the forty something tables spread around the room.

She missed that life. After all her nights there, the faces coming and going were well-known acquaintances. Those moments had gone from meeting beautiful strangers who helped her accept her true identity to situations where she would start fights or get involved when others happened. Adria laughed to herself, reminiscent of those memories.

At a point in her life she had become a part of the trading system in the undercity thanks to Bitlan and her work in Imperia. When she moved to Dictaduria, Bitlan got her a job as a medic and a place in the Rabiosa family—her mind flashed back to working at the clinic, the thrilling nights partying with Raxae and their friends before thinking back to the near-death experiences fighting a war side by side with each of them. Adria’s achievements had made her a sort of a legend in the underlife of Negativus.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

That’s why it was hard for her to stay on the surface, taking care of her grandad; she feared the respect gained after years of hard work and betrayal of her own beliefs would vanish while she stayed on Dictaduria’s surface, away from her friends and a life worth living.

When Adria sat on one of those metallic stools, a bartender called Olivian walked by and acknowledged her with a smile on his face. He worked on a request while other dictadurians tried to get his attention; it was a busy night. The faces around were hundreds; some left, others went to the experience rooms of Lux. Many stood in groups near the bar having loud conversations, yet Adria did not see who she searched for. It was 00:06 am, Corven was late.

The dance part happened upstairs; the upbeat music from there sounded nonsensical. Lux de Noctis was designed for someone to listen to a conversation at the bar without worrying about the music from other rooms, isolating them.

Jazz music played in the bar area, allowing people to talk with comfort.

“Have you been taken care of, gorgeous?” When someone called her, it took a second for Adria to react, immersed in the sea of faces. Raxae, was in front of her.

If there’s someone who knew Adria better than anyone except Bitlan, it was them.

“Still waiting. It seems like this night is above your capacity.”

“Oh no, we’re doing great; the whole point is to make you wait. We don’t like entitled customers, you know? Someone has to bring down your fumes, Dri. Not doing line outside is not enough for you? The tendencies in your behavior reveal your overall strategy.” Their friend was sassy as only they could be.

“You’re such a bitch I’m almost offended!”

“Says the one who wears the crown.”

“What crown?”

“The symbolic bitch crown,” they burst out laughing.

“Wow,” she couldn’t believe Raxae had got her.

“Good, huh?” Their friend was proud.

“I’ve heard better, but yeah, it was good.” Adria couldn’t give her total victory; things would get out of control. Raxae became unbearable and evil if they were praised too much. “Nice hairdo.”

They ignore the commentary and went straight for the claim department.

“Where were you last week and the two before that one?”

They had to meet at least twice a month.

“Sorry, I’ve been working overtime for days at the mine, it’s exhausting. When I’m at the block, my focus is in monitor Bit; he’s been losing strength in his legs. It’s as if the attack took a late toll on him, the treatment and rehab continues and the gatvits disappear along with it.”

“Why didn’t you say anything? I can help if you need it.” Raxae was a good friend, reliable and trustworthy, always looking out for them.

“I can do things by myself; you know that. I figured without needing to ask for help,” Adria knew the commentary would annoy them but it was her truth.

Her friend lowered their voice.

“You will get nowhere by yourself. Let your family help; you are not alone in here.”

Those words were expected but the reality was there wasn’t much to do about their situation.

“You know the Narvados are eager to find us with our guards down, even if the deal was paid off. If I don’t get you involved in my day to day, it’s likely you won’t become a target, which is preferable. We just have to wait off a few weeks after the birth of Bostan’s kid. Allow the breathe room to continue growing until the matter has cooled off.”

“It’s been more than half a year, they have cooled down. Aren’t you being a bit paranoid?”

“Maybe, that’d preferable but I’m willing to wait and find out in a few months.”

“I’ll be here then, you know it.”

“I do, thank you; that means a lot. If it gets unbearable, you’ll hear from me, but for now, it’s okay. I just miss being here, like crazy.”

“Explain to me again, why don’t you try being a medic in Dictaduria?” That was a topic Raxae enjoyed discussing.

“Could you stop smoking that stuff? We talked about it like two months ago! I can’t risk myself like that. I’m the only person Bitlan depends on.” It was true; Adria wouldn’t forgive herself if something happened to him because of her, yet again. “Why don’t you stop giving me furka to think about and get me a drink, please?”

“You know how many things happen in here each night? Let alone two months! Bubbly Ocean?”

Raxae realized there was no point to continue with that argument.

“Bubbly Oceans it is,” she repeated in confirmation, thankful.

It was her favorite drink and one of their friends’ signature recipes.

The bartender left to get the ingredients for the drink. Adria turned around in her chair, looking for Corven. It was 00:12 am, and there was no sign of him. Maybe he was upstairs dancing? Not likely. His body might still hurt; the curaten takes hours to heal the wounds he had. She felt it was time to search for him.

Raxae came back and placed an elaborate cup in front of the dictadurian, a drink made with different shades of blue and hundreds of tiny little bubbles emerging from the bottom of the heptagonal glass.

“Thank you, Rax! Cheers, to Drunia’s baby!” Adria took the glass and raised it in the air while the bartender served a shot glass of vodka for themselves.

“Cheers, to the brutes and the boss!” Her friend drank fast, served themselves another shot, cheered with her friend, and drank again. “Once for each of them!”

Adria sensed bubbles as soon as the drink touched her lips; they exploded, and the taste landed on her buds, going down her throat. In a few seconds, she felt somewhat lighter. While Corven remained on her mind, she took the drink with her right hand and stood from the chair while Raxae stared at her, offended.

“That bad, huh? One sip and you’re gone.”

“I’ll be back! Calm down. I have to meet with someone, Raxae.”

“Oh! You’re ditching me for some furkana you just met?” They were overdramatic. “Why am I not impressed?”

“It’s a man, and no, I won’t ditch you; I will be back. We have to catch up,” Adria tried to bring Raxae to their senses. “You can help me!”

Their eyes went wide.

“I’m not going anywhere as long as the tips keep flowing. What do you need?”

“If someone asks for me, let him know I’ll be back,” she lowered her voice.

“Sure. What’s that guy’s name?” They were conspicuously curious.

“Corven,” Adria responded, with a knot in her stomach, wondering where he could be.

“Corven,” they repeated. “Copy. Go, have fun; it seems like you need it,” Raxae waved her away with a hand gesture.

“Thank you for the reminder that I look like trash. You’re such a friend.”

“Those are your words, Dri. You seem tired, that’s all!”

Her laugh was unexpected; yes, she was tired of that life. Of that rotten system that had taken so much from her. It made her crave another sip of ‘Bubbly Oceans.’ With small balloons floating inside her mouth, she felt thankful for Raxae; since she met them along with Markus and Bostan in Imperia, her life in Sectum had improved. Same with Bitlan, for all of them. That’s why his grandchild wanted to help him, but she couldn’t do it without Corven. Where was he?

****

That's it for Chapter XXIV!

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