Awakening - The Last Science #1

Chapter 18 - Breaking the Rules - II

  "Hi, Will," Rika said, casually strolling into the living room. Will practically jumped out of his skin. His hand went reaching for a few gemstones lying on his desk next to his keyboard, but Rika raised a hand. Forks of electricity buzzed and crackled between her fingertips. "Uh uh, we just want to talk."

  "How did you get in here?" he asked cautiously.

  "Oh come on, you think I can't break into a shitty apartment in Rallsburg?" Rika rolled her eyes exaggeratedly.

  "Who are they?" Will nodded at Hailey and Alden, who were standing behind Rika in the hallway. Alden opened his mouth to answer, but Rika cut him off.

  "Associates."

  "Right." Will shrugged. "Rachel's not here."

  "Good thing, because we're here for you." Rika took the nearest chair and relaxed, though her hand still had electricity dancing about threateningly. "So, Will, between Rachel's tuition, paying to keep Hector and such from going bankrupt, and your setup here... how do you pay for everything as an unemployed couple?"

  "Cryptocurrency," Will answered, but it was so fast and unconvincing that Alden laughed right alongside Rika.

  "Bullshit. You don't have the hardware to be a serious miner and I know you didn't have the foresight to invest big back when you could afford it." Rika smirked. "Does Rachel know what you've been doing?"

  "I—"

  "She doesn't? Shit, I thought you two were the best couple I've ever met. You're murdering my poor romantic side."

  "You had one?" Alden quipped.

  Rika shot him a grin. "Hopeless romantic just like you, Alzack. Anyway, Will, since you're apparently renting out your services on a whim, how about you help me and mine out with something?"

  He slumped in his chair, defeated. "Since it's you. But please, don't tell Rachel."

  "Wouldn't dream of it," Rika answered. "I'll even pay your going rate. Now, tell us—where's the Scrap now?"

  Will sighed. "I can't tell you."

  "Sure you can. Just do your little magic and find out where it is, then tell me. Easy-peasy."

  "Okay, so I won't tell you?"

  "Will, how many years have we known each other?" She twirled her fingers around, and a bolt of electricity sparked through the air and connected with his hand. He recoiled from the sting. "You know when I'm being serious."

  "Rika..." Alden started. He wasn't entirely comfortable with threatening the guy, even if he did seem to be a shifty information trader by what Rika had told them. Hailey also looked a little uneasy, but she was deferring to Rika for the time being.

  "There's a difference between me selling affinity readings and location services, and me telling you where to find the most wanted piece of paper in town," Will said, frowning.

  "Didn't stop you from giving it to Viper," Rika countered.

  Will faltered. "He promised to get it far away from here, and I agreed."

  "You want to put it in the hands of a mercenary corporation owned by one of the largest multinational conglomerates in the world?" Rika asked, raising her eyebrows.

  "Huh?"

  "Viper works for Malton Solutions. Subsidiary of the Culver-Malton group. I saw the logo on one of his boxes in his camp. You really want to put power like that in the hands of a self-obsessed British asshole who runs merc groups in Africa and the Middle East for kicks?"