Rogue

The Good, the Bad and the Dirty

"Hey, kid." Jolee rolls over to see Lake standing above her. "I'm goin' out for a bit. Stay here." Lake grabs their spiky leather jacket that was hanging by the door.

"Where are you going?" Jolee asks, sitting up. She had slept on the couch since Lake only lived in an apartment meant for one person. "Can I come with?"

Lake shakes their head. "It's a bar. I doubt they'd let kids in there. I gotta meet with my fixer and go over some stuff, and kids shouldn't be in bars."

"But I don't drink. I'll stay feet away from the bar." Jolee says with a hopeful smile. She knew what the city was like, but she still had a bit of that childish hopefulness that there was good in everything. "I promise."

Lake sighs. "Fine, but if the bouncer tells you to go, you go. No fights." Jolee nods with a wide smile on her face. "C'mon, let's go. Fixers waitin' on me."

Jolee practically jumps off of the couch. She quickly changes her cloths and slips on her shoes.

~~~~~~

"The Afterlife?" Jolee asks as Lake drives the car into the bar's parking lot. "The Mistral?" Jolee says, spotting a green car parked in the lot. "Rogue is here?" Lake smiles when she sees the excitement on Jolee's face.

"Yeah, Rogues the fixer I've got a meetin' with." Lake says, getting out of the car. Jolee follows suit, but she was still looking at Rogue's car.

"C'mon." Lake says, taping Jolee on the shoulder. "If they let you inside, you've gotta be cool. Don't freak out 'bout meetin' Rogue. She won't appreciate that." Jolee looks away from the Mistral.

Jolee follows Lake down the stairs leading to the underground bar. "Did you know this place used to be a morgue?" Jolee asks Lake.

"Huh. Never heard that before." Lake glances at Jolee who was entirely serious. "You know a lot about Edgerunners, huh?"

"Yeah, I do." Jolee says with a slight smile. "The Afterlife was rebuilt in 2045 after the fourth corporate war but was moved to Watson later. Like the original Afterlife, it was a former morgue."

"Damn, you've done your research." Lake says as the automatic door opens as they walk into the bar. The bouncer stood at the door, blocking their way in. "I'm here to see Rogue." Lake says to him.

"Got two people, Lake and a kid." The bouncer says, his eyes glowing a yellow orange color. "Huh, alright. In you go." He says to Lake and Jolee. He steps out of the way so they can enter.

Jolee was amazed by what she saw. She recognized some of the mercs. She had never met them, but as Lake had said, she did her research. Lake walks over to the bar with Jolee in tow. "Hey Claire." Lake says, getting the bartender's attention.

"What can I get ya, Lake?" Claire says, leaning against the bar.

"Lookin' for Rogue. She here?" Claire nods.

"Yeah, she's down in her normal booth. She's talkin' to someone though." Lake thanks Claire and steps away from the bar.

Jolee follows Lake to the booth Rogue sat in. Someone was just leaving the booth. He seemed irritated but not mad. He wore a sleeveless vest and jeans. He looked like he ran with the nomads. "He was a nomad, wasn't he?" Jolee asks Lake.

"Yeah, his name is Yenryne. He was with the Aldecaldos. He works with Rogue now. Sometimes he smuggles stuff for her." They approach Rogue's body guard. "Got some biz with Rogue." Lake says to him.

"Let them in, I'm expecting them." Rogue says and the bouncer gets out of the way. "You're late, Lake." Rogue says, crossing her arms.

"Doesn't matter. Seems you had other biz to tie up 'fore I got here. Anyways, I have the data." Rogue glances over at Jolee then back at Lake.