Ascension

I have never been fond of cheaters. You’re supposed to take the long hard road, and fo things the hard way. It makes you a better person. It builds you up, and allows you to survive in the world. And cheaters? They get used to it being easy, and when something hard does come along, they’re screwed.

Yet here I was, cheating. In a sense. Technically I wasn’t, since I was using my resources, but in my mind, in my gut, I knew I was. I should be doing the leg work. I should be hunting down all the people on the list and finding out their significance. And if I wasn’t up for it? I should have had the few lab tech’s we have at the base do it. The problem with that? I have to clar it through Flint, and Flint would never agree to do something that made my life easier. So here I was. Going to Issaiah. Yet again. It was beginning to turn into an annoying occurrence. Bright side? I finally got Issaiah to give his body guards my picture, so no long lines for me. Down side? He didn’t tell them why, for obvious reasons. So this resulted in many looks. Not many women go up to Issaiah’s office, and the few that do? Well, let’s just say that the guards were really eyeing me. As I do to most things that annoy me, I ignored it.

Issaiah’s place hadn’t changed much. Still two stories, only one entrance that was known, and still crowded. From the outside it always reminded me of an olden day tavern, the inside? Not so much. It was steel, pure metal. The whole bottom floor was a dance floor, and with of course, a bar. The second floor was split into two. Issaiah’s office, and rooms. Rooms where men could rent out women. Out of all the things he did, this was the one thing I hated. It was just pathetic.

I made it through the mesh of sweaty bodies, past the body guard, and was heading up the stairs when a male figure came hurtling down the stairs, nearly knocking me over. I quickly memorized his appearance.

Short. Maybe 5'2. Lanky. No muscle. Greasy brown hair. Dull green eyes. Maybe seventeen. Hard to tell for sure. Overall, nothing note worthy, which in my eyes, made him note worthy.

I caught Issaiah in the hallway, about to close his door. His eyes met mine, and a small smile lifted onto his face. He held the door open for me, and ushered his guard out. As usual, he waited until I sat before sitting. A gentleman in the olden ways.

“I wasn’t expecting you. How can I assist?” I thought about asking about the boy but decided against it.

I pulled out a copy of the list of numbers from Eli’s place, setting them in from of Issaiah.

“I need information. Brief. I need to know if one of these was the employer of Eli Windsor, and if none are, who might know.”

“Eli Windsor? I hear he’s dead.” He eyed me, with a small twinkle in his eyes, “I take it he wasn’t very forthcoming?”

“Men never are.” I responded, keeping my tone ice. Issaiah could easily lose track of a conversation if given the chance. I don’t like to give him the chance to.

“Alight. Let’s see.” He picked up the list and leaned back, his eyes flicking over the names. His eyes stopped briefly on one of the names midway down, but he finished the list regardless. He set it back down, turning it so it faced me.

“Eli was a drug dealer, and a ruthless one at that. Other than that? I can’t say much about him. I could find out obviously, buy I don’t know much. Which includes not knowing his employer.” He paused, and I narrowed my eyes. “However, this name,
he pointed to the one he must have hesitated on, the one midway down. Arlo Levington. “I know he’s... how to put it? High up, I suppose. I know he has dealers under him, and I know he never brings himself to do anything on the streets. Out of all the names, that’s the one I would guess. Just keep in mind, Andrayka, it is a guess.” I eyed Issaiah, wondering what had him not in a happy-go-lucky mood. My guess? The boy. It wasn’t my problem.

“Know anything else about him?” He grinned now, even though his eyes weren’t in it.

“Himself personally? Other than he’s a psychotic freak? No.” I waited. “However, I do know his last known location.” It was my turn to grin.