District - 17: Reunification

Heartbreak Valley Part Two

HE WAS A BIG, HEAVY MAN WITH A THICK BEARD. HE HAD THAT HARD, slabby fat which is almost muscle but not quite. He had crude tattoos all over.

"How'd they let someone like you in here, fat boy?"

He was looming over Johnnie. She slipped the retractable blade in front of her palm. A lot of people in here. Maybe they wouldn't notice a subtle use of Bloodtech. Surely not. Johnnie changed her mind on that avenue.

"Funny girl. Got jokes, I see."

"Not all I got," she muttered. Johnnie leaned back and kicked out. She threw her weight into the kick, like punting a ball out of a stadium. She heard the all too familiar sound of male genitals crunching under the pressure. She smiled and adjusted her dress.

Then she heard it. "Bitch!" But she was too late. Two large hands were wrapped around her throat. They squeezed their fingers tight, a death grip. She was losing this one.

The grip loosened and the hands fell around her to the floor. Shards of glass made snowfall around his large mass. Franco had another thick piece in his other hand. "You think I wasn't going to notice that?" he said, tapping the man with his foot. He dropped the second piece onto him with a thud. "Can't seem to stay out of trouble."

"And right as I was getting used to wearing dresses." Johnnie slid her hand across the bar. Glasses crashed onto both wounded men.

He could see the bartender was not all too pleased to deal with the last minute mess that was made. A sliver of gratitude for the brutes being handled but the damage outweighed the intention. He gestured toward the side door. Less traffic. Unlikely to be noticed or stopped by anyone not busy getting liquored up.

"He deserved it."

He put his hands up, "Not saying he didn't."

"But?"

"You're a firecracker. Got me living on the edge now."

"You knew what you were getting into when you signed up."

"And I don't regret it for a moment." He took her arm into his. They stepped out of the alleyway into the warm night. Franco hailed a cab. Gave him the address. Cabbie drove. Threading his way out of the untidy maze of massive streets and casinos toward the hotel.

He stopped at the next red light. There was traffic on the cross street. More than that. Law enforcement were forming a gridlock. Yellow-holo tape cordoned off a huge chunk of the street. Franco and Johnnie glanced out the window as it slowly cruised past. There must have been twenty cops. Johnnie recognized some as H.I.C.

"High Intensity Crimes," the driver said rubbing his face. "Wonder what sorry bastard caught their attention."

They wedged out, ditching the masses behind and into the warm night, melting into the darkness.
                                              

                                             
* * *

He laid down on their bed, folded his hands behind his head and stared. He stared at her for a long time. He smiled when she began to undress. Soon she was crawling into bed beside him.

Johnnie brushed his cheek and looked at him. Emerald green. She loved the color of his eyes but could see there was something stirring within. "What's on your mind?"

"You."

"Be more specific." Her attention was focused on him.

"Would you be averse to a more permanent step up from this?"