Pluto VII

[kittenofdeath]

Jason gave the little tablet a once over, it was kinda basic and didn’t have a proper interface, but it had wireless capability, so he could transmit automated programs easily enough “I’ll make sure they get it back in one piece” he replied before chasing after Seth, quickly following out the window and making his way down the fire escape with a notably less amount of skill, but he managed it easily enough.

“Well, that wasn’t too hard” he remarked once he hit the floor “I suggest we move though, it never takes even the stupid ones long to check the back alleys” he grinned and pulled his hood back up “I don’t like running too much in one day.”

He led the way out of the alleyway, acting as nonchalantly as he could, stopping occasionally to check the map or double check that a passing person hadn’t recognised him, but apart from that their progress went unimpeded. He pulled the map out again and looked up at a signpost, then stared at the map for a few seconds “Wait…” he slowly turned the map the other way around “Oh, well that’s not good.”

He turned back to Seth with a guilty look on his face “I’ve got bad news” he tried to keep a straight face while Seth came to the obvious conclusion that they were lost, but just as he went to talk Jason chuckled and grinned “Ok, sorry, couldn’t resist” he straightened up again and pointed to the next corner “It’s just around there.”

 

[Talon]

Seth smirked and shook his head. "That’s almost as bad as the old ‘your shoe’s untied’ routine. At least you haven’t lost your sense of humor. Or attempted humor.” He chuckled and nodded in the direction of the corner up ahead. “Better get your game face on brother, time to see how legit your skills are.” The Gun Store came into view as they rounded the corner, two large guards standing on either side of the caged doorway that served as its entrance. The guard to the left held out his hand as they approached, sizing up the two men silently until they stood in front of him, “Permit.”. Seth handed over his passport, carefully watching the man’s face for signs of disproval. The man scanned the barcode on the inside flap of the passport with a handheld reader, which chimed with an approving ‘ding’ several seconds later. The man returned the passport and turned his head towards Jason, but Seth cut him off before he could say anything. “My colleague is just here for technical assistance, he’s not buying.” The man stared at Jason for a few moments before nodding and turning to pound on the bars of the cage covering the door. They could hear the heavy locking mechanism slide open and the door was pulled open.

Seth tucked his passport into his jacket, his eyes scanning the inside of the shop as they entered, all business. The shop was fairly small compared to gun stores of the last century, glass counter displays to the left and right of the room, running the length of the interior to the back wall which contained a display of body armors. Seth knew exactly what he was looking for so he didn’t even bother to browse, directly approaching the clerk standing behind the left counter cleaning a pistol. The man cracked a smile and started to launch into a sales pitch, which Seth rudely interrupted. “Model M2034A1…you have any in stock?” The clerk quirked an eyebrow, setting the pistol he was cleaning down onto the counter. Apparently he was insulted about the interruption and decided to give Seth a hard time. “You mean the X-34?” Seth shook his head and laughed under his breath, leaning against the counter. “Yeah, that’s the civilian equivalent. M2034A1 military nomenclature. A single action, magazine fed, recoil operated handgun most commonly chambered in .45 ACP.” The clerk nodded approvingly, apparently satisfied he was dealing with a knowledgeable customer, and retrieved the pistol from under the counter, slide locked to the rear. The clerk set it on a cloth on the counter in front of Seth. “Slightly used, but excellent condition.”

Seth studied the outside of the pistol before picking it up and testing the action a few times. He disassembled the pistol and inspected the inside components before reassembling it and returning it to the cloth. The M2034A1 resembled the older M1911 model pistol, slightly larger, and was named after the year in which it had been commissioned by the U.S. Army, 2034. A reliable pistol still preferred by Special Operations groups. Seth nodded, satisfied with the pistol. He selected a shoulder holster that would conceal the pistol beneath his jacket, one hundred rounds and a few spare magazines. Before the clerk could ring up the purchases Seth pointed to a smaller caliber, high capacity pistol in the display. “I’ll take that one as well and some ammo. Could use a backup.” The clerk nodded, it seemed reasonable that a bodyguard would need a spare pistol. As the clerk rang up the items Seth looked back to Jason. The M2034A1 was an older model and used, as was the smaller pistol, so the bill was reasonable. With such a small client base, bodyguards and security personnel, gun stores couldn't afford to charge the same exorbitant prices they had in the past and remain in buisness. Seth removed his jacket to strap on the holster while he waited for Jason to pay the bill.

 

[Cherubian]

Michaela just shook her head as soon as she had left the interrogation room. These goons had stormed into the office guns blazing, and all she had done was to save her own ass, and that of the black embassy woman. And still she was interrogated as if she were a prime suspect. It had takken her all her effort to stay calm and mostly composed, cutting the snide remarks to a minimum. She had stuck to what Fiona had instructed her to tell, and for the rest had been as vague as possible.

At least now it was over. She looked at Fiona who was calmly sitting there, waiting for her. "I am done. Let's get out of here quickly. What is up next?"

 

[Belinda35]

Fiona Cole

"First, we'll get home, and see for your room. Then I will make a little trip to get you a weapon license. And always renember, they are not after you here, but me. The find it highly suspicious that I neclected the official bodyguard and hired an unknown person with a rather ominous background." Fiona moved back towards her quarters.

 

[Cherubian]

Michaela trodded along with her new employer, now already casually but continually scanning their surroundings as they passed the streets of the upper class district. Her new wardrobe did wonders in so far as she seemed to attract almost no attention. Almost, since some of the males could not help but shoot a glance at her chest. She shook her head as she addressed Fiona "So you want me to officially be your bodyguard, and tell that to everyone? Might it not be better you just tell them I am a personal assistant, or a friend living with you for a while, or some such?"

As the got close to the apartment complex that must contain Fiona's residence, Michaela stepped up her pace until she was walking alongside the black woman, and with a whisper barely audible even for her, asked "If you're right an' they're after you, you think it's a good idea to go to that weapon permit dude alone?"

 

[Belinda35]

Fiona Cole

"It is no use making lies that will be easy to debunk. And after what happened today, everybody will know that I've hired a bodyguard." she closed the door behind them, that was well secured. Even if her interior was rather understatement and not very luxurious, she had taken care of some safety.
But you might have a point in going with me. But first I show you your room." She opened the door to a not very large room, that was used as storage room so far. It was not bad, compare to many rooms that were for rent, but as the rest of the flat, not very luxurious. It was used as storage room, although there was a narrow bed inside and a locker. "You can stay here. There isn't much stored in here, so you can arrange it in a way you like. Meanwhile I will just change." Fiona went into her bedroom and left Michaela behind.

 

[Cherubian]

As soon as Fiona had left the room Michaela sat down on the mattress, testing it with a few little up-and-down sways of her behind. Satisfied that it was not too soft she ceased her movements, and bent slightly forward with her elbows on her knees she started to study what would be her home for the next few days or weeks. But what exactly should she rearrange? There were just a few food supplies on the shelves that dominated one wall of the room, and what was left was barely enough for her bed and one cupboard. She reached out to open its door, and found it to be almost empty, except for some dusted female underwear and interestingly enough what must be a beige shirt of some rather large man on a hanger. And there in the top compartment a pajama, likely from the same person. That last one elicited a smile from her, she wondered who that last guest had been.

After another half a minute of contemplation she finally got to her feet and left her new room, checked the other doors in the foyer. So that was the bathroom, and this the kitchen, and ahh that is the main bedroom. Without thinking much about it she walked in on her changing employer in her half complete state of dress and started

"You know, I have been thinking we might have a bit of a dilemma. There's obviously someone out there who wants you dead badly. So considering that I should stick to you like glue until we find out who it is and have dealt with him."

She leaned with her behind against the edge of a low cupboard as she continued "On the other hand, I need some 'private time' once in a while." She hesitated a bit, whatever she wanted to say next obviously was not easy for her. Her gaze aimed at the floor she quietly explained "And when I say 'need' I mean it. Not like you might have some fun with a guy. Those ... scientists ... that messed around with me screwed up somehow, and as a result I REALLY need some dick in my ... inside me every few days, or I am going downhill."

 

[Belinda35]

Fiona Cole
Fiona was somehow indignated that her bodyguard just walked in as she was stripped down to her red lingerie, but she said nothing this time.
"This sounds so strange, that I could imagine that you have just made that up."
Fiona put on a black sweatshirt and a tartan mini.
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"Maybe you should concentrate on more important things."

 

[Cherubian]

Michaela looked up at her now completely dressed superior and gave a snorting laugh. "Yeah, it probably does sound that way. But if you'd been there and seen what they did to me, you'd think different. And I swear it's the truth." For emphasis she lifted one of her hands in the typical oath taker's gesture "One or two more days and I'll start getting all giddy and nervous, and then aggressive as shit, can't help it, I need my regular release."

Michaela thought for a moment, before she added "But why not get some use outta it? You wouldn't know some guy who'd be grateful if you got him some nice piece of ass to fuck? I'm not picky in that regard."

 

[Belinda35]

Fiona Cole

"If you do insist, I will have to do some days without your protection then, but you will have to look for your...toys yourself. I have more important things to do then to hang around with some dick-brained men."
She was already angry now, but she had herself in control enough to stay calm.
"And I will go out now to get you a weapon license. You can come with me, if you like."

 

[Cherubian]

Oh great, now her new boss was already pissed at her. Way to start out. She cursed silently, but there was not much she could do about it, and she had thought it better to mention that problem right in the beginning, since sooner or later they would have to deal with it anyways.

So a little abashed she added "Listen, boss, I am really sorry about this myself, but it simply is how things are and I can't change it. Don't you think we can find a better way to deal with the whole issue than being miffed? Or would you rather I had not told you in advance?"

She got ready to go as Fiona did and followed her out of the room "And of course I'll come with you. That other issue is not that urgent yet."

 

[Belinda35]

Fiona Cole

"Just don't ever think that I might act as a bawd. But let us go no."
Fiona walked out, looking much younger in her energetic walk. She looked around as if checking, and steered towards an area reserved with shops and offices that were more second class.

 

[Cherubian]

Michaela accompanied her employer as promised to the next Mono station. Mono was the slang word turned abbreviation for Monorail Cabin Transport System, the only way except for your own feet that enabled you to get anywhere on the station, and the Mono was considerably faster at that. As the name indicated it consisted of an automated system of plexiglass cabins offering room for about a dozen passengers that rode on monorails which sprawled all over the station, even down into the deepest slums. Transportation was free, and one of the unwritten and for the most part upheld laws of the place was to spare it from any vandalism.

The two women were lucky to have their cabin for their own. Fiona, much more familiar with the different lines and schedules had effortlessly picked the one heading into the direction they needed, or at least Michaela hoped so, and so they sat inside, facing each other, in an uneasy quiet, as various structures passed by. It seemed that the outside conditions worsened almost by the second. The farther they got away from Valhalla the more run down everything outside appeared, from the roads and maintenance types to the buildings and increasingly erratic lighting.

Finally Michaela tried to break the awkward silence with what she thought was a good offer, tieing in with Fiona's last statement.

"You know, I've been thinking. I definitely do not want you to go out of your way to find me someone for some company. But on the other hand say we meet some guy you are negotiatin' with and his eyes are on my tits all the time, why not use that to get the upper hand on him? We'd both profit, so to speak, and if it makes you feel better you can give me some extra pay. Actually, that would be appreciated.

But say, where exactly are we headin'? Wouldn't you get some permit the legal way for me, with me being your bodyguard and all?"

 

[kittenofdeath]

The Seth guy clearly knew what he wanted, the thought crossed Jason’s mind though that it could all be an elaborate bluff, an obese teenager who never left his basement could just as easily rattle off information like that, so that alone meant little, but given Seth’s past actions Jason ignored the thought, he clearly had the skill to back up the bluster.

Jason amused himself for the rest of the encounter by looking at all the shiny toys and keeping his face out of all the cameras he could see, there was some nice stock here, or at least he thought there was, he knew far less than Seth did in such matters, for most of his life people had wisely avoided teaching him how to use a gun. Once it was his time to pay he did so quickly, the credentials had held up, no reason to hang around long enough to arouse unnecessary suspicion, as soon as he had gotten the credit card back from the clerk they left quickly.

“Well, you’ve got your weapon on choice” He said as they idly walked from the passively scanning eyes and ears of the gun stores guards, no reason to trust their confidentiality “which means I no longer owe you for your earlier assistance, leaving you with no further reason for endangering yourself by hanging around with someone who is going to get you in to trouble eventually, so I wouldn’t hold it against you if you left.”

Jason would have, if their situations had been reversed, but he also wouldn’t have helped out at the beginning of all this so he wasn’t sure what to expect “That all said, if you won’t be leaving, I’d love to hear any ideas you have for what to do next.”

 

[Belinda35]

Fiona Cole

"That is not the way I do business. I was looking for someone with brains."
She stopped and got out, walking towards an entrance. "Of course you could apply for a license the usual way. It would take quite some time until you would hear anything from them at all. And as you are my private bodyguard without any official background so far, it is quite possible that you get no license at all. I have someone who cares for that. " She went inside, where they found a little man sitting in a very small office. He did recognize Fiona and looked over to Michaela.
"It is allright. She is my bodyguard. She will wait here." Fiona went into another room with the small man, but she turned around and said: "You wait here."
A while later she came back alone, holding the license.
"That is what we need. Now for the gunshop."

 

[Cherubian]

"Since when is it stupid to make the best use of all the options that present themselves?" Her boss seemed to think chastity was the same as smarts, or what? But there probably was no point discussing that any further, that tight assed bitch ... Oh oh, it really was a bad sign that she was already thinking that way about her after less than a day. Just give her a chance, she told herself.

So she just trudged along scowling a bit, and that "You wait here" that sounded like she was talking to her dog did not improve things. Michaela just dropped on one of the chairs, literally twiddling her thumbs. Wonder what negotiation tactic she uses in there? Maybe the same one she just criticised in her? Michaela had to grin at the image of the black woman riding the little man wildly for that permit.

But after what seemed like a very long time, especialy to someone with Michaela's dilated sense of time perception, Fiona reappeared, and in her hands was the prized document. She immediately took it, and her mood almost instantly improved as her eyes wandered over it. It definitely seemed legitimate, and who knows, maybe it actually was.

The nect sentence brought her back into the present. "Yes, the gun shop. Which poses another question." Michaela turned, heading back to the Mono. A quick scan on her pocket computer had revealed that there were only two of them on the station, and the upper one was superior in every respect - if you could get in. Which should not be a problem in Fiona's company.

"The question being how much you want to invest. We can either buy a decent gun, or a good one. The difference is about a factor of five."

 

[Belinda35]

Fiona Cole

Fiona stepped out, and gave no answer for Michaelas first remark. She knew she had some quite remarkable breasts herself, and she absolutely hated it when somebody stared at them, and this did happen quite often, although she did not display them. One of her superiors looked at them quite shamelessly, and he surely would have made remarks about them, if he would have dared to be so open to her. The last thing she could use was someone doing the things that she disrespected so much herself.
"After the attack in the morning we should better get something good. Although not to flashy. Something in the balance of looking unsuspicious and being effective at the same time."
She got back into the monorail.

 

[Cherubian]

Michaela joined her and sat down on the opposite bench. It was their lucky day it seemed as again noone shared the cabin with them. As they began to move she explained.

"Don't worry, I was not looking for gold plating or some such nonsense. It is the internal values that can make a gun expensive. See, you could buy something like the M2034A1, a regular army weapon, robust, relieable, accurate, downs everyone with one well placed bullet. That would be perfectly sufficient - in a world without body armor."

After a small pause she leaned forward, her face now much closer to Fiona, and she placed her elbows on her knees as she continued. "But there is body armor, and it has improved quite a bit in the last decade or so. Those goons that came after you did not wear any, because they probably did not expect any resistance. Also why they only had those peeble shooters. But next time ... who knows. And even I am not always accurate enough to find their weak spots, particularly if they wear helmets.

Which brings us to the other category. The upper class. That would be guns like the Smith&Wesson .52 Highpower. It is actually even a tad smaller than the M2034A1, but it was developed specifically with obstacles in mind. They are all at best semi automatic and don't have a high ammo capacity, but a bullet from one of them will go through almost everything. At a price. Special alloys, an elaborate and robust mechanism holding against the punch they deliver whenever you fire that mean little piece, it all adds up. We are talking about a price in the 4 grand range, and you wouldn't want to buy one of them second hand."

 

[Belinda35]

Fiona Cole

"Now that is really a lot of money. But you might be right about the assasins. But don't forget, the weapon must be handy enough to be taken along all the time. With the license, you don't have the trouble to hide it. Still, it should not be to large."

 

[Cherubian]

"I know." Michaela leaned back again. "That's the beauty of this new generation, they are not bigger that their predecessors. Getting enough ooomph into a bullet to blast through several layers of Kevlar is no problem, the problem starts when the gun has to be sturdy enough to not blow up in the shooters face the first time it is fired. But for that they do not need to be bigger, just better. The .52 should easily fit here." and demostratively she lifted one half of her jacket to her side, showing the place where the shoulder holster was not yet positioned. "But maybe you're right and I we should also buy a smaller one for those special cases, say when I have to wear a tight fitting dress. Your money, your call. But I think we have to get off here."

And indeed her pocket computer confirmed that they had lo leave at the next stop, which they did. They were now back in the best part of the station, and the contrast to where they had been before was clearly visible. It took them not more than five minutes and they stood in front of the gun shop. And as if to demonstrate that it was a good address no hulking guards stood in front of it.

 

[Talon]

Seth nodded as they strolled away from the gun store, relieved to feel the weight of the pistol in its holster under his jacket. "Right. Like I said, we're square. I didn't really do it for payment to begin with, but if you felt any obligation to 'pay me back', you can consider yourself paid in full as far as I'm concerned. At this point I would suggest we find a place to crash, preferably cheap and low tech, and regroup from that point. You look like you could use a good night’s sleep, we can decide come morning where exactly we go from here."

They used the mobile computer to find a place that fit the bill, a hotel a few blocks from the gun shop that prostitutes and their customers typically used for their rendezvous, so the rate was hourly and dirt cheap. Seth made all of the arrangements with the front desk for a room on the first floor and once in the room he helped Jason climb in through the window to the back alley. The room was small, a single bed with two bedside tables and a small writing desk that had clearly seen better days taking up most of the room. Seth took the chair from the desk and propped it under the door handle. While it wasn't the best security, it would at least allow them some advanced notice if the door was opened.

"Alright...you take the bed, I'll take the floor. Unless you have any objections, I'll be hittin' the shower then." Seth took the time to lay out his new purchase, rubbing all the moving parts of the pistol down with lubricating oil and loading his spare magazines. “I’m thinking tomorrow I will take a trip to the embassy district and check on some job prospects. Perhaps if I can manage to get a contract I can convince my new employer that they are also in need of a new tech guy. If not, at least one of us will have a source of income.” Seth reassembled the pistol and stored the spare magazines in his backpack. “Look, I’m not exactly the ‘sharing’ type…but I’ll say this. My parents were slaves and my sister is somewhere on this station on a slave contract. So you could say I’m not a fan.” Seth stood to move for the shower, pausing to see if Jason had any objections to his plans for the evening.

 

[Belinda35]

Fiona Cole

Of course it was no problem to get inside of the shop, and she knew that the license would stand every test. She would take no risk here. She looked around at the weapons at display. She had fired guns before, but she did not own one and was never really interested in them.
"Ok. Get the slim gun and the one you can wear in open."

 

[Cherubian]

Michaela strode inside the shop. It had only one sales room, where the top half of all walls was covered with display boxed and the lower one with various cupboards. The whole back wall was occupied by a single transparent counter displaying more of the merchandise. Behind it one of the two clerks was servicing an elder male customer and seemingly advising him in choosing a suitable pocket sidearm, while the other one was free and as a consequence looked at the two women expectantly.

Michaela immediately approached him, and without much intro asked "Hello, do you have the Swith&Wesson .52 Highpower, the Glock P96 or the Heckler&Koch USP Expert V5 on stock?". The clerk, about to give her his usual smiling sales pitch, immediately halted at the unusual list of weaponry, and even dared a "Madam, are you sure ? These weapons all have a very high ..."

"I am sure." It probably was something in the tone of her rather rude interruption that made him stop, and just nod silently. "You are lucky, currently we have the Glock and the Heckler&Koch available." "The German one, then" Indeed she was lucky, this would have been her first choice anyways.

It did not take the clerk long to leave to the backroom and return with a rather nondescript black box about 15 inches wide, 10 inches deep and 5 inches high with the H&K logon on it. He placed it on the counter, undid the latches, and opened it presenting the requested implement of destruction. A smile came to Michaela's hardened features as she reached out, carefuly lifted it out of its storage, and then almost lovingly let her fingers wrap around the grip, starting to closely inspect its various features. At first sight it really did look decidedly ordinary with its nondescript dark grey color and rather plain and boxed design lacking any noticeable features, but closer inspection gave first hints of its reinforced structure. "Even a micrometer adjustable sight, very good" she commented, finally replacing it in its box.

"We take it, three spare clips and a hundred shells of ammunition. Plus a P2050 SK with one spare clip and 50 shells." The clerk just nodded, and left again to complete the order. As he was away Michaela turned to Fiona, and asked "While we are at it, you want one for yourself?"

 

[Belinda35]

Fiona Cole

Fiona thought for a moment.
"No. I have a bodyguard, and I am not that practised in shooting. And it would not protect me against snipers, anyway." She prepared to pay for the weapons. It was much, even for her. But she knew she could afford it. With her own money. She never mixed her own buys with that other money foor the more important things...

 

[kittenofdeath]

As soon as Seth mentioned Jason’s rather tired appearance, the same old feeling crashed in to him, his whole body instantly going back to being heavy, aching and sluggish, the walk to the hotel they eventually found had been arduous enough a task for him that as he waited around the side of the building he almost fell asleep before Seth popped out the window and helped him inside.

Once inside He didn’t pay too much attention to Seth’s words, tiredness taking too much of a toll on him by this point, instead walking around to the other side of the bed and pulling off his hoodie and shoes before arranging them all neatly beside the bed. Jason only half registered Seth’s explanation of why he had helped, but he heard enough to understand, responding after a few seconds of silence with a simple thumbs up before he turned his attention to the bed.

Wordlessly he set to work, stripping back all but one sheet from the bed and tossing them all in to a pile along with the pillow, if he was going to be taking the bed then Seth might as well get something to make a bed out of, besides, Jason was well used to sleeping in the cold, at least the mattress wasn’t quite as hard as some he had used in the past.