Celest
Celest
This was not one of my best contracts. Hours of waiting, standing on top a grimy, insect-infested apartment building, entertaining myself by watching the clouds that gathered around the three moons of Celest, counting every carriage taxi that passed by. The Baje always mesmerized me with their bright, glowing, green veins lighting up the street, their muscles bulging through transparent leathery skin. The constant stream of emotions around me was hard to shut out. Anger and depression clung to the ghetto and irritated me, even when I was blocking it. I resorted to throwing rocks with my mind.
Another damn taxi. Whatever Austin was doing, he was taking his time. Suddenly I felt a calmer emotion penetrate the negative. I waited, watching the corner of the street. Within moments he came into view, followed by two women and a boy. The dark-haired woman looked oddly familiar.
They walked to the door of the apartment across the street. Austin said his good-byes and they turned away as he went for the door. As he reached for the handle I jumped down, landing soundlessly behind him.
“Austin,” I whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. He turned. His eyes widened when he saw me.
“James Goodwin? Is that you?” His voice was loud to catch the attention of his friends, they turned and I felt their confusion. “What are you doing here?”
“Yeah it’s me.” I ignored the last question.
“What happened to you? The last time I saw you, you were at my old house, studying with my daughter.”
“I went looking for a job after school and found an opportunity,” I said, my voice still in a whisper, “So I moved to another sector of the city and began training.”
Austin drew in a long breath. “Very few people use the word ‘sector’ to describe the city’s boundaries.” He began to reach behind him. “Those few I became wary of.”
With my mind’s power I cocked my Marbell, the blade shooter strapped to my wrist.
“So that leads to a question, James. Who do you work for?”
“I work for Skylar.”
A deep sensation of hatred burst through my mental barriers. At first I thought it came from Austin, but out of the corner of my mind I saw the dark-haired woman run towards us. Austin took the opportunity to raise his handgun. I was ready. With my mind I threw the woman forward into Austin, knocking the gun out of his hand. The woman fell unconscious and bleeding.
I glanced back up to see that Austin wasn’t even stunned. He reached for the gun and stood up, pointing it at my head, but the Marbell was already pointed at his chest. Stalemate.
“Stop this now.”
I laughed at the empty threat.
“James, leave us, please!”
“Austin, Austin, Austin. You should never should have interfered with Skylar’s business. “
The unconscious women began to stir, emotion seeping back into her. Anger, deep anger.
“You’re a freak. He created a monster in you. Your not even a-”
I pressed the trigger on my palm. The blade sailed straight into his chest and out his back. I felt all emotion leave him. The forgotten woman and the boy started to scream. I turned to leave. The authorities would clean up after
me.
Another damn taxi. Whatever Austin was doing, he was taking his time. Suddenly I felt a calmer emotion penetrate the negative. I waited, watching the corner of the street. Within moments he came into view, followed by two women and a boy. The dark-haired woman looked oddly familiar.
They walked to the door of the apartment across the street. Austin said his good-byes and they turned away as he went for the door. As he reached for the handle I jumped down, landing soundlessly behind him.
“Austin,” I whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. He turned. His eyes widened when he saw me.
“James Goodwin? Is that you?” His voice was loud to catch the attention of his friends, they turned and I felt their confusion. “What are you doing here?”
“Yeah it’s me.” I ignored the last question.
“What happened to you? The last time I saw you, you were at my old house, studying with my daughter.”
“I went looking for a job after school and found an opportunity,” I said, my voice still in a whisper, “So I moved to another sector of the city and began training.”
Austin drew in a long breath. “Very few people use the word ‘sector’ to describe the city’s boundaries.” He began to reach behind him. “Those few I became wary of.”
With my mind’s power I cocked my Marbell, the blade shooter strapped to my wrist.
“So that leads to a question, James. Who do you work for?”
“I work for Skylar.”
A deep sensation of hatred burst through my mental barriers. At first I thought it came from Austin, but out of the corner of my mind I saw the dark-haired woman run towards us. Austin took the opportunity to raise his handgun. I was ready. With my mind I threw the woman forward into Austin, knocking the gun out of his hand. The woman fell unconscious and bleeding.
I glanced back up to see that Austin wasn’t even stunned. He reached for the gun and stood up, pointing it at my head, but the Marbell was already pointed at his chest. Stalemate.
“Stop this now.”
I laughed at the empty threat.
“James, leave us, please!”
“Austin, Austin, Austin. You should never should have interfered with Skylar’s business. “
The unconscious women began to stir, emotion seeping back into her. Anger, deep anger.
“You’re a freak. He created a monster in you. Your not even a-”
I pressed the trigger on my palm. The blade sailed straight into his chest and out his back. I felt all emotion leave him. The forgotten woman and the boy started to scream. I turned to leave. The authorities would clean up after
me.