It wasn’t raining today.

Two days had passed since that night in the desert. It was just after lunchtime. I was walking to the usual bar, Jun had called for a new meeting.

The Patriots had disbanded. Arty made a run for it. The potential consequences of his misjudgment made him prioritize his survival over his patriotism.

The weight on my shoulders felt heavier than usual today. Around my neck, there was a chain I always wore. Pressed against my chest a new metallic tag made its home. It was Bobby’s, we went to look for her body that night. We couldn’t find enough to call it a body. The first vehicle of the column had set off a mine, the aftermath wasn’t pretty. After some searching Batou found her tag and gave it to me with a sorrowful expression.

Next to her tag, there was mine and... someone else’s.

I got to the plaza in front of the bar, it was crowded again. I dodged the pedestrians as I made my way to the Mars monument. Between the bobbing heads of the surrounding people, I spotted a speck of electric blue. I cleared the crowd. Alex was facing the monument, her hands were in the pockets of her black jacket. She was looking at the first Mars colonists in their space suits building a bunker under the red planet. I stopped next to her, also facing the monument.

She had a determined expression. I couldn’t help but wonder. “What’s on your mind?”

Alex glanced at me. “I’ve been doing some thinking yesterday. After the events of the night before I was reminded how easy it is to cash in your chips. I was thinking of what to do in the future if we make it to the red planet.”

“Let me guess, you’re always nagging others about the sci-fi dream we are living, so I’m guessing explorer or something similar?”

She smiled. “I don’t think I would be satisfied with the solar system, most of it is already known.”

I frowned. “Please don’t tell me you’re planning to join those nutcases that want to embark on the ten-year journey to Alpha Centauri.”

She laughed. “Not for a billion credits.” She stopped laughing. “No, I was thinking of becoming a scientist on Mars. If we don’t have a way of reaching the stars that just means I have to make one.”

I smirked. “Bold of you to assume you’ll succeed where many before have failed. But if there is someone that can pull it off it's you.”

She gave me a smug look. “I do get shit done.”

“You also fuck up just as much.”

“Couldn’t let me have it, could you?”

We started making our way to the other side of the plaza towards the bar. As we walked Alex’s good humor dissipated and she asked. “You going to carry her tag too?”

“mh hm.” I hummed in confirmation.

We entered the bar, Bob was watching one of the holo screens on the side wall. On it, the news was showing cyber spec ops assaulting the corpo site. They had eliminated the guards with brutal efficiency. There was no resistance from the defenders. When they arrived at the building’s interior, they found crying young teens hiding behind the white coats of a group of scientists. The scientists were begging spec ops to not shoot them, and they didn’t. Except for one trigger-happy soldier.

If I had a million credits, I would bet them all in saying that the bastard who shot was a corpo spy. The public didn’t think that way though. That was not helped by the fact that the media was under the corpos control. They spun the whole story in a way that would make it look as bad as possible for the government.

Bob shook his head and changed the channel with a quick eye movement from his single cyber eye.

He turned to us, looking sullen. “Kids, they shot at some sick kids. The world’s gone insane.” He sighed. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been watching that while at work. Going to scare away customers. What can I get you?”

I reassured him. “You won’t scare us away Bob, and what happened was messed up. I’ll have some water.”

“You don’t have to apologize to us, I’ll have some water too.” Added Alex.

Bob still looked sullen, but a small sad smile tugged at his lips when he heard our words.

“The others here?” asked Alex.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Bob nodded. “Usual table.”

We went upstairs. The others were at the table. Jun was sitting very straight, not touching the back of his chair. He had been hit by three shots on the back, the armor held but the bruises were still painful. Revy’s leg had healed entirely, she went to a cyberdoc to fix the damage to her synth muscles, and expensive medical nanites did the rest. Batou and Alex had been blessed by the goddess of luck and escaped injuries.

Revy waved when she spotted us. Jun and Batou nodded. We sat at the table.

Without ceremony, Jun began speaking.

“When we agreed to this endeavor we made a plan, it was not a bad plan, but it got us nowhere. We tried doing things our way, now we will do things my way or I will just do so without you.”

I frowned. “You don’t have to start with an ultimatum Jun. Might as well share your plan first and see how we react.”

Jun leaned back and quickly straightened up again. “I just wanted to be transparent, I will be involving my family going forward. My idea will require more manpower. Last time we did something similar we both lost an arm. And I very much do not want to lose another.”

Alex quirked an eyebrow. “Yet you’re suggesting something very dangerous.”

Jun nodded. “Which is why I’m offering you an out. If you still want to participate show up tonight at the coordinates I am sending you now.”

With that, he got up and started leaving, Batou following him.

“That’s it?” Asked Revy to their retreating forms.

Batou turned for a moment. “I think he wants to spend the rest of the day lying down. On his stomach.”

After they walked away Revy grinned at us. “You guys interested in some motorcycle racing to kill some time?”

“Pass,” I said immediately, not having much experience in motorcycles I wasn’t thrilled at the notion of racing. Especially against Revy, who seems to be able to drive and pilot most vehicles like a pro.

“Sure.” Was Alex’s answer.

I raised an eyebrow at that. “Try not to kill yourself.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” She deadpanned.

After downing the glass of water, I turned to Revy. “You’ve been very vague before and we normally don’t pry, but I can’t help asking how did you learn to drive and fly like that?”

She waved a hand. “I studied and practiced back when I was younger.”

“All right, keep your secrets. Also, you’re 19, and hearing you say things like ‘when I was younger’ just feels wrong.”

She stuck out her tongue in response.

Rising from my seat I said a quick goodbye and left. I went back home.

When I exited the lift and entered the 27th floor I took a few steps and immediately stilled. I had the input volume of my ears on the higher end as usual, you never knew when it could save your life. Very soft breathing could be heard around the corner. There were two of them. I reached for my handgun, and I slowly began backing off towards the lift, as soon I reached it, I pressed the button to open the doors. If these people were geared out, it would be impossible to beat them in a fair fight.

They must have heard me because they cleared the corner with their submachine guns aimed forward. Fuck, they were armored. I didn’t bother shooting and made a mad sprint toward the side of the corridor that had the door that led to the stairs. The sound of silenced gunshots came from behind me.

While crossing the threshold of the door I was hit by several bullets, they hit my side. I kept going. It hurt, but the shots did not penetrate. Must be using rubber-tipped bullets. They wanted me alive. I’m not sure if I felt relief or more dread at the notion.

As I sprinted down the stairs my mind was racing. I had a decision to make. Either I fought them now while I wasn’t tired, or I tried to get to the garage where my car was. If I took them by surprise and used the strength of my right arm, I could probably beat them, it helps that they are not trying to kill me.

I ran down two flights of stairs and irrupted into the floor’s corridor, instead of going down the corridor I pressed my back against the wall right next to the door. After switching the handgun to my left hand I stilled, waiting. As soon I heard them I held my breath.

They were chasing after me as fast as they could. Which is why they were not cautious when opening the door. Right when the first one was passing by I stuck my gun to his visor and pulled the trigger, shooting him at point-blank range. By pushing with my right arm, the armored body went flying against the other pursuer. Sending him stumbling back to the stairs, with me charging after him. While he was still off balance, I kicked him in his center as hard as I could, he faltered backward hitting the railing of the stairs, his gun falling as he dropped it to grab the railing and not fall over.

I didn’t give him any time to recover, grabbing him by the neck with my right hand I pushed his upper body beyond the railing, his legs in the air flailing uselessly. The strong grip around his neck of my chromed hand was the only thing keeping him alive.

He shouted. “I surrender! I surrender! Please don’t kill me!” The muffled voice was laced with panic.

“Why were you after me?” I questioned.

“I don’t know! I’m just a corpo grunt, they sent me an address and a target to capture. I swear!”

Corpo huh, if this is about what happened two days ago the rest of the team was also in danger.

While I was thinking of the implications the corpo grunt spoke again. “Listen, I have some others on comms. I’ll tell them that you were not home and that it looks like you fled, then just please pull me back up! I’ll never tell a soul! They’d take my job if they knew I covered for you, I have no reason to tell them.”

“You do that,” I commanded.

After a short pause, I heard his voice, despite his life hanging on the precipice it sounded mostly steady. “This is Echo 6, target is missing, evidence indicates he fled, requesting permission to return to base, over.” Another short silence, “Wilco, over and out.”

I considered what to do. Had this been me from more than three years ago I would have dropped him without hesitation. But I was trying to be better, not that I will ever become a good person, just better.

“The guy I killed, will it be a problem?” I asked

“First time I met him! Please, just pull me up. I don’t want to die.” He was crying by the end.

I pulled him up.

He hugged the ground, taking long shuddering breaths audible through the helmet. “I thought for sure you were going to drop me.”

I grimaced, “Yeah, me too.”