Chapter 6: Forward
The hotel room was bathed in a soft, golden light, the remnants of the morning sun filtering through the tattered curtains. The air was thick with the scent of ozone, a mixture ofBrando's cybernetic components and Alice's sweat from their shared exertions. The sheets were rumpled, the pillows scattered, and the air was heavy with a sense of satiated intimacy.
Brando lay on his back, his cybernetic eye closed, his chest rising and falling calmly. His skin was slick with perspiration, the sheen glistening under the sunlight. He was awoken to the sound of the air conditioner humming and percolating coffee. He awoke, this time without a jolt. He shakes off the cobwebs and a bra and panty laden Alice stands in front of him with a hot cup of black coffee. He pulls her in and kisses her belly. "Good fucking morning," he says, shaking off the cobwebs.
"Morning handsome. Shame I couldn't startle you again. Was hoping you'd pin me up against the wall again like our first night here." She smiles cheekily and moans at the feel of his lips on her abdomen.
"I haven't slept like that since, well since I set the bomb off on K4. What have you done to me?" He says, kissing lower.
"Same thing you've done to me. The result of which has ruined two pairs of panties already and is about to ruin a third. How much more of you is going to drip out of me?" She says, cheekily.
"Much as you want, darlin'." He smiles.
"Give me a chance to empty the tank before you go filling it again." She pulls his lips from her lower abdomen and puts them on her own. "Drink your coffee and have a smoke. You're meeting Maverick in an hour."
"Another job?" He asks, taking a sip and lighting a smoke.
"Hopefully many, but he's always been reliable. I'm sure you know that." She says, removing her panties. "Be a gentleman and pass me a hand towel."
He does so and she begins wiping more of the remnants of their nights and days and nights again with each other. "I'm going to pack everything and have transport ready. It's unlikely we will work so close to the previous mark." She says, running a bath.
He dresses in a plain t-shirt, jeans, boots, and leather jacket. He wears a cowboy hat and a glove to cover his cybernetic hand. "I'll keep an open comm." He says, stealing one more kiss before he finishes his coffee and walks out the door. She reciprocates passionately and slaps his ass for luck.
He hops on a grav-bike given to him before he took the job, starts it up and is quickly whizzing through traffic to get to the pub. He is there early so he orders a coffee and lights a cigarette.
“I’m here,” he says over the comm. “I’m waiting on Maverick.”
“I’m taking a bath. We are all packed. I’ll get the travel itinerary whenever we know where we are headed next.” She replies.
“Thank you. Copy.” He ends the call.
Colton is, as always, unmistakeable walking through the door, barely fitting through the frame. He spots Rek immediately and sits across from him at the table. He signals for a black coffee, lights a smoke, and pops a few of his prescribed pills. “Morning, Rek.” He says with a smile on his face.
“Morning, Mav. They up your dosage?” He asks, concerned.
“I did.” He washes it down with coffee. “Just maintenance at this point.”
“You got a way to ween off?” Rek asks.
“I’m working on it. Job went flawlessly, as expected. Transferring your bonus.” Mav states pulling out a palm sized tablet.
“Bonus?” Rek asks, confused.
“They were not confident anyone could take him in alive, much less as efficiently as you two did. So yeah, you get a bonus. Harder jobs pay more. Same as initiative just less red tape to cut through.” He smiles as Rek’s palm tablet dings with the alert of the successful deposit.
“Thanks, Mav.” Rek says.
“You earned it. How’s Chen working out?” Colton says trying to hide a grin.
Rek tosses a toothpick at him. “Like you don’t fucking know. Fucking scheming bastard.” He smiles.
Colton holds up his hands protesting his innocence. “Hey, I thought you’d work well together and you do.”
“She’s…she’s really something. She’s special Mav.” He says, sincere.
“Brother that makes me the happiest junky in this pub to hear that.” Mav says.
“That shit ain’t funny, Mav. Don’t let them do you the way they did me.” Rek warns.
“That ain’t happenin. I got a chemist working on reverse engineering the pills. Take out the narcotics. Gonna get me a window where I can sweat the rest of the lingering effects off. It stops with us. No more.” Mac says, resolute.
“Amen. (To the bartender) Two whiskeys please.” Rek says, smoking his cigarette.
The shots arrive at the table.
“To we few…” Rek raises his glass.
“We happy few.” Mav touches his glass to Rek’s, finishing the toast. Both men down their drinks and sip their coffee.
“I’m sending you the dossiers. This will keep you guys busy while I’m gone.” He says.
“Gone? Going dark?” Rek asks.
“Invisible. There’s word on a team of mercs from other worlds, travels in a sentient ship. Remember Mickey Jenneger?” Mav asks.
“The genius they scapegoated for the death of the civilian crew? Yeah. You’re kidding!” Rek says.
“My sources are solid and they check out. Gonna make contact and make em an offer. Keep comms open, I may be in touch.” He stands up and finished his coffee. He extends his hand. Rek receives it and pulls him down for a hug.
“Take care of yourself, Mav.”
“You, too Rek.”
Mav exits the bar and Rek pays before leaving.
He arrives back at the room. Alice is dressed and they are packed. “Got the dossiers. We need to go shopping first.” He says to her.
She smiles at him. “Sounds good. Let roll.”
They grab their bags and she slaps his ass playfully and he pulls her into a kiss as they exit the room.