My feet tapped on the pavement in autopilot, taking me home through the few blocks I had to cross to get from the University to the penthouse where my family and I lived. Not paying attention to much else, I scrolled through the feed on my WaComm attached to my wrist, headlines from recent events flashing in front of my eyes. Bright letters exclaimed yet another death of an esteemed cabinet member chilled my blood. The cabinet, publicly elected officials to advise and make laws with the Prime Minister, were being picked off one by one by some mystery murderer. My father was a cabinet member – was he in danger too? As his son, was I? This was the fourth one, a pattern; it was no longer random, senseless violence. I scrolled past the headline, ignoring the panic and fear it brought me, instead settling on news of a new vid coming out.

I didn’t even see the shining metal screech to a halt in front of me.

“Watch where you’re going, asshole!” shouted the driver, a middle aged balding man who stuck his head out of his car’s window to scream at me.

“I’ll sue your fuckin’ ass!” I yelled back without hesitation. Of course, the car was never going to hit me. They zoomed by on autodrive, piloted through a mesh of communications with major traffic intelligence, automatically detecting interferences with their paths and correcting. The worst I’d really done was slow this man’s commute by a few seconds. He could fuck off.

The man smoothed his thinning hair, grumbling, and sat back in his car. He rolled up the window. I smoothed my specially tailored uniform, specific to the graduate school of Aruga State University, and continued on my way. The nerve of people around here. In light of my near death experience, I decided to forgo my typical routine of zoning out while walking, and instead took in the sights.

They were familiar sights. The lights, already on, even though it wasn’t quite sunset yet, flooded the streets with a harsh glow, barely leaving room for shadows. The cars zoomed past on auto, their passengers reclining back and allowing their expensive gleaming metal vehicles to hurtle them through to their destination. My father had bought me a car when I was old enough to drive, and I used it often; however, today was a different case. I’d been feeling rather pent up, having sat down all day during lectures - I relished the exercise. My father would never have made that decision, if he were in my shoes, though. He insisted it was important how we were seen, and that it was both unwise and unsafe to go anywhere not in a car or with an entourage.

The buildings, familiar as I saw them every single day, loomed over me, their sheer height of floor to wall windows reflecting the sun about to set directly in my eyes. I squinted looking up at them. They were pretty, I supposed, in an imposing manner. They all looked eerily similar; while they varied widely in shape and design, they were all sleek, shiny, and covered in glass. The streetlights dotted uniformly on the wide open streets, all lined with chrome and gleaming to perfection.

Finally, I entered the front door of our building, barely registering the glass door I pushed open, the hello of the door man in his impeccable suit, the elevator’s ding as I selected the eighth floor. I had the fifth, the first four related to the building’s maintenance, maids, and kitchens, while my stepmother claimed the sixth, and my father the seventh and eighth. I didn’t like that I lived with my father, but there were definitely worse conditions to be in. I recognized that at twenty five, most of my other peers were probably in their own apartment, paying their own rent. A few of my classmates were in that very situation. But most of my classmates didn’t have access to a living space this extensive and of high quality, complete with room service and daily maid service. My floor had just enough distance from my family, and that was how I liked it.

I entered my pin number onto the door’s seemingly invisible keypad, the sensors in it feeling my distinct fingerprints and detecting my identity. The lock clicked, and I swung the door open to reveal my home. I took in a deep breath of relief; it smelled fresh and clean, as if the maid service had just been by. A hint of lemon scented cleaning products lingered behind, the citrus smell crisp and energizing.

I tossed my designer school bag onto the floor, the books in it clanking as they toppled to the ground. I looked forward to sitting down and thinking of nothing.

But, my WaComm pinged, gentle and soft, notifying me of an incoming message. I swiped to view, reading the message quickly, each word bringing me down. I was looking forward to relaxing in my apartment, and I’d just gotten home. Didn’t I deserve at least a little bit of a break?

I sighed, leaving my bag on the floor and turned to exit my apartment space. I bid goodbye to the shining, clean surfaces, the large media screen beckoning me, the fully stocked fridge with groceries I never had to retrieve personally. I left the apartment and re-entered the elevator, but this time, pressing the button for the eighth floor of our building where my father awaited me. I gulped.

The quiet ding of the elevator announced my arrival and I passed through the hallway to my father’s personal office. I tapped on the door – no personal pin for this door, at least, not for me – and one of my father’s secretaries opened it. She was a slim, dainty, and very short Nari’e woman, with medium brown skin and hair only a shade darker. It was perfectly straightened and coiffed, twisted into a severe bun. She refused to meet my eyes but gestured that I pass through the waiting room and into one of my father’s main offices. He had several, for different purposes.

“This way, Mr. Torven. He’s waiting for you,” she said in a light, sweet voice.

“Thanks, Ms. Wela.”

I passed through the waiting room that played faint, traditional classical Arugan instrumental music in the background, the elegance of each velvety chair and tastefully calm decorations the complete opposite of the chaos occurring in my stomach. I wished I could sit down on the couch and sip at a coffee from the little coffee bar setup for guests and precisely that purpose, but there was business to attend to.

I approached the door to my father’s office, a large, dulled glass window with a handle. He perked up as a I got close, my fingers gripping the thick metal handle to pull the door open.

“Good, you’re here,” my father said gruffly, making large, violent swipes on his media screen to exit from whatever program he was working on.

“Evening, sir,” I said, the polite words coming out easily with the years of practice. “You called for me?”

“Obviously. I thought I’d remind you in person,” my father said, his voice grumbling and gravelly. “As a Montgomery, you have more responsibilities than the average citizen of Aruga. You have a reputation to uphold.”

“I know that father, I haven’t done –“

“Don’t interrupt me.” He stared with steely blue eyes directly into my soul. “This is but a reminder, not a lecture. Cerise and I have an event to attend this evening. I don’t much want to go, but it’s a matter of political importance. I’ve allowed you the space to continue your education, but you’re almost graduated. As soon as you do, I’ll expect you to take up the mantle, follow in my footsteps. As a Montgomery, with the connections we have, it’s your duty to pursue a career in our government.” He sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair, the leather squeaking in protest. “You’ll begin as soon as you graduate.”

I raised my eyebrows. This wasn’t unexpected; I’d always known I was supposed to continue the family legacy of being continually influential in the cabinet, maybe even Prime Minister one day. But for some reason, I hadn’t expected it to be so soon.

“Don’t you want me to have some job experience first?”

“That’s what I mean. When you graduate, you’ll apprentice with me.”

“I understand, sir,” I said solemnly. “I’ll do my best.” I nodded gravely at him, the seriousness of the moment fully hitting me. He was officially accepting me as his successor, placing on my shoulders the continuation of the legacy he began years ago, the same one his father placed on his. “May I ask one question though, sir?”

“That was one. You may ask another,” he said, the barest hint of a smile twisting the corners of his lips.

“Why is this event tonight so important?” Curiosity had gotten the better of me; I simply had to know.

“Ah, it’s all for you, my son. You’ll need support, allies. I’m going to start collecting some for you.”

I tilted my head forward, accepting his help silently. “Thank you, father.”

“You’re welcome. Any son of Ralen Montgomery will not be a failure. Remember that.”

“I will, sir. Is there anything else?”

“Dismissed.” He waved me off, going back to his media screen.

~

I sat in my opulent apartment, alone. The couch, perfectly white and stiff, felt almost like a prison of comfort. I itched to get out, to do something, to celebrate. I’d known my father would someday recognize me like he had, giving me the responsibilities I’d rightfully inherit from him, but the knowledge that it was real invigorated me still. I felt like an adult, a proper adult, even though I’d known this day was coming. It was as if I’d been recognized as a true man, one with expectations and duties and a career ahead of him. Growing up this way, I always knew it would be like this to a degree, but I’d never expected that I’d feel so… energized by it. I always thought I’d feel a little weighed down, at the very least. Instead, I wanted nothing more than to go out and have a little fun, let loose, and enjoy the evening to celebrate.

I whipped out my WaComm and typed up a message to my childhood friend, Sheen.

You busy? Wanna get trashed with me tonight?

The message pinged, letting me know it’d been sent and delivered. I leaned back against my couch, the cloth covered cushion so stiff it barely dented when I put pressure on it. As soon as I reclined, my WaComm pinged, letting me know Sheen had replied.

Dude it’s Wednesday I have to work early in the morning. Drink one for me

I typed back furiously.

Fine be a bitch

I sighed. Sheen was always busy with work. But I supposed I couldn’t blame him too much. We’d grown up together as kids, and would always be friends, but his insistence on pursuing an engineering degree and then another one after that, on top of his new job with the defense department really made it hard to see him. He was always working or studying. Even though I was almost done with my master’s degree, it was a different kind of workload than his. Mine was mostly research papers, which I was able to spit out with ease, while his was mostly problem solving and math. I knew for a fact if we’d switched roles, I would cry as soon as I saw the unfamiliar variables and he would whine about typing a single letter. To each their own, I supposed, even though knowing that didn’t make me miss spending time with him any less.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

The urge to go out and party still burned within me. I guess I could call up some of my classmates, or some people I knew who were also involved in the government like I was. My peers, my father would say, and allies. Maybe he would be proud of me for building relationships with them. It was this thought that made me select their profiles and send a group message to three of them I knew the best, which unfortunately, still wasn’t well.

Who wants to go out and get fuckin lit????

Immediately, they all responded positively, their enthusiasm obvious through the text. I couldn’t help the smile that grew on my face. Even if these weren’t my close friends, they seemed like they knew how to party. This should be a fun night. I wasn’t planning on telling them that I was celebrating, to them, this would just be another wild night of fun.

~

I walked into the bar they suggested, a shitty dive only a short drive away from my apartment. I decided to drive because it would look weird if I didn’t, and as my father had recently reminded me, image was everything. Plus, it would be safer to drive if we were going to get really intoxicated, as I was planning on doing. The auto-drive feature was really a godsend in those cases. Much safer than centuries and centuries ago, where I’m told some people drove even though they were drunk. The audacity to endanger yourself and others that way always astounded me. History was strange.

I’d not been to this bar before, but I suppose the venue of choice really was irrelevant as long as there would be alcohol. As soon as I entered, I spied my friends already at the bar, taking shots. They stood out, despite their efforts to blend in, the scent of old money impossible to scrub off. Everyone else around us eyed us suspiciously; perhaps it was the perfect sheen of our expensive haircuts, or the clean glimmer of our shoes, even though the effort was made to wear something not obviously designer brand. I knew I was guilty of it too, the way even my grungiest and lowest end clothes were still too haughty for this place.

They slammed their shot glasses back on the table, the smell of alcohol wafting to my nose as droplets splattered out of the glass. It smelled like something strong, something indescribably Nari’e. They used some kind of plant only found in those islands to make their famous alcohol, ‘Ona, and it was even more rare and expensive now since the islands had gone inhabitable. It was probably the most expensive liquor this bar had.

“Torven, mate, good to see you,” drawled Malley, who was closest to me. He clapped a hand on my back, the sting of his fingers making me flinch. “We ordered you a shot, too.”

A peek down at the table deemed him right. There was a lone shot glass, identical to the others that had just been slammed, filled with the mysteriously glimmer liquid. A bit had spilled out from the side and had pooled around the bottom; most likely from when the shots were smacked on the table only moments ago.

“Thanks, man,” I said, swiftly lifting the shot to my lips. I took a deep inhale, noting the earthy and herbal tones of the liquid before tossing it down. It burned my throat, but instantly after, soothed and cooled it, almost a numbing sensation. It tasted fantastic. The Nari’e sure knew what they were doing when it came to booze.

“Montgomery! You made it!” said the others, Joh and Lip, nearly in unison. They were identical twin brothers, with eerily identical features and mannerisms. They each sported a similar outfit, as well, with clean pressed blue jeans and faded green tees.

“More shots?” I prompted, pointing to the bar. “This round is on me.”

“More ‘Ona!” shouted Joh.

I’d already begun pressing through the crowd towards the bar. I would just get a bottle of the stuff; at this rate, I didn’t want to have to carry this many shots through all of these people to begin with. The shot I’d just taken had already started to blur my thoughts, the fuzz of alcohol dampening my senses. I’d forgotten how fast this stuff worked.

Two hours later, the bottle was almost empty.

“Where are you goin?” Joh slurred.

I looked down and realized I’d stood up from our table. “Um, dunno?” I licked my lips, my cheeks hot and flushed. I slapped them with both hands, only vaguely registering the touch and sound. “Let’s…. go. I’m bored? I wanna go….somewhere else.”

Joh and Lip exchanged mischievous looks.

“Let’s go, buddy,” Joh said, standing up and grabbing my arm. “I’ll help you walk. Lip knows a good place, right?”

“Fuck yes, bro,” Lip answered, getting up from our table as well. He looked as if he handled his liquor just about as well as I did, his movement slow and jerky. “You comin, Malley?”

Malley burped in response, grabbed the nearly empty bottle of ‘Ona, and stood too hastily. As a result, he tripped over the edge of the table, earning what was sure to be a nasty bruise in the morning. But he just laughed it off, checking the bottle to make sure he hadn’t broken it accidentally, and kept moving with us.

The brisk air sobered me slightly, but not enough to do much more than make me blink rapidly at the sudden change of atmosphere. Shouts and giggles from my friends – colleagues, really – brought me back to my senses. They were walking ahead of me, jumping and skipping and making too much noise for my inebriated brain to comprehend. I followed them blindly. I caught up with them, doing the best I could to keep up the pace they set. I let them get ahead of me again, not worrying about trying to stay next to them anymore. It was too much effort.

A man sat at the edge of the street, his feet dangling over the curb. His hair was knotted and matted, unlike the usual clean and proud Nari’e hairstyles I typically saw. His clothes weren’t in much better shape. Clearly, he was homeless, and judging by the rag that might once have been described as a hat, laying upside down in his lap, he was begging. I averted my gaze quickly, unwilling to make eye contact.

“Hey man, here’s some cash,” Malley said, tossing a large crumpled bill into the man’s open hat.

“Clear skies and swift water, stranger,” the man said, his pale white eyes roaming.

I hadn’t noticed before, but he was clearly blind. There was no harm in making eye contact, I supposed, but I still found it hard to look at the poor man. I felt as if I should apologize, but I didn’t know why. I wasn’t the one who put him there. And, Joh and Malley had just given him some money. So why did I feel so strange right now?

Malley laughed and slowed up his pace. Joh and Lip were behind him, and with one swift movement, Lip kicked the man’s cash hat right out of his hands. The hat flew in the air, the coins toppling out and the large bill floating majestically, flipping in the updraft. Joh caught the cash mid-swipe, surprisingly deft with his action.

They all cackled with glee; I managed a guilty chuckle, the cries of the Nari’e man growing quieter and quieter as we got farther and farther away. Joh, holding the cash he had recently come into possession with, picked up the pace, forcing us to follow, until we could no longer hear the man. I forced my eyes ahead, not allowing myself a glance backwards. What would be the point? All I would see was my cowardice in the form of a homeless man that they – we – had just robbed, for no reason.

“Bro, lighten up,” Lip said, noticing my silence.

“I’m cool, I’m cool,” I said, my voice uncharacteristically monotone. Maybe it registered to them that I wasn’t exactly okay with this, or maybe it was enough to be going on, they left me alone and we all walked together in silence. Whatever this destination was, it had better be worth it. That whole experience had stolen my buzz, re-sharpened the edges I had worked so hard to drink smooth.

We kept walking, the three of us standing shoulder to shoulder, taking up the entire walkway. The lights became less frequent, though there were fixtures for them, less of them were functional. Some flickered, others simply emitted no brightness at all. The ones that did work, cast the street in a yellow light, washing over everything a golden hue. Though sobering up from the walk and the cold night air, I still couldn’t read the signs well enough to pay attention to them, but there were more neon lights and flashing signs. These businesses were entertainment, bars, that sort of thing. I’d never been here before, but Joh, Lip, and Malley still looked comfortable, like they knew exactly where they were going. I hoped they did; I certainly didn’t.

This part of town definitely wasn’t the upscale apartments and businesses placed atop skyscrapers I was used to; we were quickly wandering into the Nari’e quarter, a much more dangerous part of town - particularly for three young men of noble class. I didn’t let myself think about the murderer on the loose, I wouldn’t. We were safe, right?

We stopped; I didn’t notice in time and crashed into Lip in front of me. He just brushed me off, completely entranced by the building in front of us. There were windows of displays, something moving that I couldn’t quite make out. The lights were flashing behind like strobes, and it gave me a headache to look at. I favored staring at my shoes instead, still annoyingly clean and perfect.

Malley grabbed my arm and brought me inside. The next thing I knew we were sitting at a table, those strobe lights still flashing, but less intrusive now that we were inside. A shot glass suddenly appeared in front of me, making me jump. I took it anyway.

I closed my eyes in relief; it was more Nari’e swill, the best liquor I’d ever had. I wondered if we could figure out how to make it ourselves. If so, it’d be worth the effort. I’d drink this every day if I could. The liquid coated my tongue, then I swallowed, burning its way down my throat. I set down the glass and opened my eyes once more, finally able to focus on where I was.

In front of me was a fully nude woman twisting seductively on the stage, her eyes right on us. She was dancing closer and closer, strategically moving her body to only allow just enough of a glimpse. Her hair was wild and free, a deep brown like a river stone, her skin tone only a shade or two lighter. The look in her eyes was that of a predator, and we her prey. I shivered, largely uncomfortable. This wasn’t really my thing.

Joh, Lip, and Malley counted out their newfound cash, on the table, the coins glinting in the flashing lights. Lip tossed a wad of bills at the woman coming our way; she picked it up graciously and stuffed it in a string tied around her thigh. She directed her full attention onto the three of us; hurriedly, I gestured to a passing waitress for another drink. Only seconds later, another shot glass was in my hand, and a bottle of ‘Ona on the table.

On second thought, I didn’t think I could ever drink this stuff again. I was going to puke.

I stood up unceremoniously, tossing aside a chair and clumsily removing myself from the table. My friends didn’t even notice, so entranced they were with the women. I hustled out of the building, eager not to puke inside and certainly not in front of everyone. I shoved through people, bumping shoulders with middle aged men who looked like they should invest more in personal hygiene, until I finally found the front door. I booked it to the alley, heaving and emptying the entire contents of my stomach.

The bile burned my throat again, making me cough. Finally, it was over. I leaned against the wall, the smell of what I’d just done permeating through my nose. I wondered if they were worried about me, wondering where I went.

I took a few steps down the alley back towards the front to go back inside when I heard a door open. I turned around, only to see Malley, Joh, and Lip exiting into the alley, the stripper in tow. I heard mumbles, whispers of promises, saw the exchange of a stack of bills as they walked further back into the alley.

Guess they weren’t too worried about me after all. I checked my WaComm, noting the time was late. I was too drunk for this bullshit. I dialed my location in to call my car to pick me up, and made my way up to the front to wait for it. Just because I could ping my location and have auto drive pick me and take me home, didn’t mean it was instant. My car had to come all the way from where I’d left it, back at the first bar. It would be a few minutes.

I could take this time to relax and catch a breather. That sounded nice. I hadn’t left the alley yet, instead deciding to lean up against that wall once more. I really didn’t feel like puking in my own car tonight.

Through my own drunken stupor, I barely noticed the slight, childlike frame that bumped into me.

“Sorry sir!” piped up a small voice. A child.

“Um, it’s… okay.” What was a kid doing out here late at night? “Are you lost?”

The kid looked up at me with big, brown eyes and tightly braided hair. “Just trying to get home, sir. But I don’t have money for the bus fare, sir, so I’s gotta walk.”

I blinked at her. It occurred to me that this poor kid shouldn’t be where she was. And – I had enough money for a bus fare, I was sure of it. Maybe this small act of kindness would help me feel better about that stunt my friends – my acquaintances – pulled on that homeless man. I reached into my back pocket for my wallet; her shrewd eyes watched carefully.

“You’re too kind, sir,” she said, still staring at my hands.

I opened my wallet, rustling for a couple of bills that I thought might be enough. Before I could react, she whipped it out of my numb fingers and ran off, her short legs carrying her faster than I would have imagined.

I blinked dumbly. “Hey, come back here!” I shouted.