Hiss of the Steam

Hiss of the Steam Chapter 6 - Walter Tower

We got to the South edge and the high-rise. It was called the Walter Tower. The Walter Corporation was in charge of money trafficking and transport. When taxes rolled around, this was where the money went. Then it was put on airships that took it to the upper city, where it was given to the funds of Icarus. “The politicians’ pockets basically,” as Amber had put it.

 

I suddenly realized that we didn’t even have a plan. This place had way more security assets than any other building in Lower Icarus. I grabbed Amber’s arm and told her to wait.

 

“What are we planning on doing when we get inside? We don’t have any more golems, and we can’t just barge, guns blazing, into the Walter Tower. And besides, what would Mick be doing in a place like this? He’s a crimelord, not a politician.”

 

“Haven’t we already decided that the politicians are the biggest crimelords of all?” Amber argued.   “And I owe Mick a visit anyways. We need to at least try to be civil.”

We stepped inside of the tower and walked to the reception desk. Amber pulled out her gun but kept it hidden from view.

 

“We are here to see Mick Walters,” she said, allowing the receptionist to see the gun. The man behind the desk rolled his eyes and pushed a button that opened the door to the stairs. Amber put the gun away and started for the stairs. I thought it was strange that they had just let us go into the most important building in the lower city, to the office of the most important man in the lower city, with a loaded gun. But then Amber grabbed my hand and motioned for me to run. I looked back and noticed that the receptionist had gotten up and walked over to some security guards. One of them ran over to a lever. When he pulled it, an alarm began to blare. We ran up the stairs until we got to the top floor. We ran into Mick’s office and Elliot slammed the door.

Mick leaned forward at his desk and put his head in between the knuckles of his hands. “Well, well, well... if it isn’t Ms. Gears, her drunkard friend, and... the runaway Skylord. Mark, wasn’t it?”

Mick Walters. He had a dark brown hair color and was cleanly shaven and had dark green eyes.

 

“How do you know my name?” I asked him. Then it hit me; he had been the one in the office talking to the general! “You!”

 

“You yourself.  I just got an interesting report from my rum traffickers.” He tsked. “You are all criminals now, you know that? You have killed...” He shuffled through some papers. “twentyfive people.”  He whistled low. “Well, color me impressed. Seems you did learn something in the military Mark.” he said, giggling with a high-pitched voice.

 

“And Ms. Gears! You don’t have any explosives do you?” he asked with mock interest, narrowing his eyes as if he were a customer. He then let out a laugh. “Oh, I’m just kidding. How have you been?”

“We didn’t come to exchange pleasantries, Mick. We came for information on the government,” she said, starting to draw her gun again. “What can you tell us about the corruption that's going on?”

“Oh, I’ll tell you everything!” he said, nodding with his eyes widened like an eager child.  “Speaking of which, did I ever tell you that I caused your parents’ deaths?”

 

Amber froze.