36.

The ironically named Wet Street was one of the few districts in the undercity where the native sky could be seen, and the perpetual drizzle of New Madrid had broken, making way for a downpour.

Geraldo cursed as he opened the door of his car and flipped up his collar to the rain. He had parked behind an auto cab that had slowly pulled away while he pulled in. He slowly reached under his seat and pulled a case out. The latches flipped up when he pressed his thumb to the biometric reader. He flipped open the lid and pulled out the snub nose pistol from inside. It was small, and easily fit in the palm of his hand. Flipping the gun to the side caused the drum to flip out. Five rounds were loaded. It was old, older than he was. A relic of the past. It wasn’t the carbon printed weapon he was used to, but it would have to do until a new replacement fire was issued to him.

He tucked the weapon in his waistband before he headed in.

Vixen was just as he had expected; a seedy joint pedaling to perverts. A woman, your typical joy toy, was busy cleaning up what looked like a puddle of vomit.

“Rough night?” Geraldo asked with a smile.

The woman looked over at him and gave him a seductive smile, or at least the closest thing she could, given the mess she was cleaning up. “Not as bad as the night you seem to be having, sweety.”

Geraldo touched his ruined face. “This? This is a typical Saturday night for me.”

“You looking to feel better, cowboy?” The joy toy disposed of the vomit covered rags and rinsed her hands off. “Names Candy. And I am really good at turning a typical night around.”

“Actually.” Geraldo drummed his fingers against the galvanized metal counter. “I was hoping to forget myself for a while.”

Candy pouted. “Seems to be a lot of that going around.”

“Yeah? There been anyone else in here looking for the same thing?”

“I don’t kiss and tell, baby. You will have to ask Boris.”

“Right. Do I pay him or do I pay you?”

Candy took out a wad of chewed bubble gum and pressed it down on the counter top. “Boris handles his own business. Follow me.” She waved seductively for him to follow her. She stopped in a hallway and opened a door.

Geraldo peaked past the door, seeing the stairs leading down into the darkness.

“If you want, I’ll be here when you get back.” She brushed a hand over his arm.

“Yeah, I think I would like that.” Geraldo gave her a wink.

“Don’t forget me then.” She winked back before she walked away, hips swinging to and fro.

Geraldo took a long, deep breath. The woman was a professional, and a damn good one at that. He gave his head a small shake before he took the pistol from his pants, concealing it at his side as he quietly walked down the stairs.

There was another door at the end of the steps. Geraldo tested the door knob, and slowly pushed the door open when he discovered that it wasn’t locked.

A big man was frantically unplugging cables from a net chair, carelessly casting them to the side. He mumbled in Russian as he struggled to disconnect a terminal from the rest of the equipment in the room.

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Geraldo noted the cameras above, and quickly traced the wires back to the terminal, which had already been unplugged.

Geraldo pushed the door open and raised the pistol. “Going somewhere?” He asked.

The big man paused. His eyes darted wildly from Geraldo to the desk near the net chair. Geraldo followed his gaze and saw the butt of a weapon sticking out from the chaos on the desk. The big man took a step towards the desk.

“Don’t.” Geraldo warned. He took a step closer, motioning for the man to move away from the desk.

The man put up his hands and slowly moved away. “I have money.” He blurted out.

“I bet you do.” Geraldo never lowered his weapon. He cooly made his way to the desk and pulled out a sawed off shotgun, which he tossed away. “Are you Boris?”

“Da.”

“English, shit head.”

“Yes,” Brosi stuttered, “I am Boris.”

“You’re the brain hacker?”

Boris nodded.

“Where is Gabriela?”

“Gone.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know. She left not too long ago, perhaps she is still outside?”

“Doubtful. What did she come here for?”

Geraldo aimed the weapon at Boris’s face when he didn’t answer him. “Why was she here?” He demanded once more.

“Memories.” Boris stammered and closed his eyes. His hands were still raised high in the air. “She came back for her memories. She had them removed so she couldn’t implicate anyone involved.”

“Do you have a copy of them?”

“No.”

Geraldo frowned and cocked his head. “Do you expect me to believe a piece of shit like you wouldn’t keep a copy? I am sure you got copies of every memory you changed. A little insurance policy? Or maybe just to beat your meat to?”

Silence.

“I want the copy,” Geraldo shouted. “Now!”

“It's on the terminal.” Boris tentatively pointed at the desk.

Geraldo moved to the side, motioning with the barrel of his gun for the man to retrieve what he wanted.

“Put it on a data spool.” Geraldo commanded.

Boris nodded and did what he was told. “There.” He said, stepping away from the terminal and raising his hands again.

“Move back.” Geraldo motioned with his gun once more. He hit play, playing the memories back. It was like watching a movie in reverse. “Why is it going backwards?”

“It's how the software captures the memories.

“Is there audio?” Geraldo asked while he watched the video. He saw Gabriela walking back up the stairs, watched her interact with Candy, before she walked backwards out of the shop.

“It's on the spool, on a separate file.”

Geraldo’s blood ran cold when Tanya entered Gabriela’s view.

“What the fuck?” He whispered. Geraldo watched for a few more moments before he deleted the main file from the terminal and turned back to Boris. “Is the only copy?”

“Yes.”

“Has anyone else seen this?”

“Just you and Gabriela.”

“Good.” Geraldo glanced back at the monitor. His chest felt tight, his mouth dry. Of all people that could have been involved in what Gabriela was doing, he would have never expected Tanya, not the Chief, not her.

His mind raced, panic clawing at his mind. He needed the video to prove Gabriela was innocent of murder, but it would incriminate Tanya, and threaten the only person that gave him the courage to get up every morning.

Geraldo knew what he had to do, and his body acted before he could even willed it to do so. The report of the pistol was deafening. Boris’ head jerked back, blood, brain matter, and bone sprayed the wall behind him. The big man sank to his feet, before he slumped backwards.

Geraldo took the data spool. His hands were shaking. He had killed before, but never murdered. Never in cold blood.

“I had to do it.” He told himself. Geraldo grabbed the shotgun and wiped his prints from the weapon before he placed it in the dead man's hands. He took a step back from the body just as Candy opened the door.

Her eyes were wide, her face white. Geraldo expected her to scream, but she just stood there, staring at him.

Geraldo pulled out his terminal and called Taurus.

“This is Detective Montis. I have been involved in officer related shooting. Self-defense. Send medical immediately.”