Chapter 5

Finko’s

12:00 PM

       Rick leaned against the side of a light pole, the shattered glass of the bulb and cover lay scattered on the ground like large white translucent eggshells. Red, yellow, and green Electro-buses and personal vehicles passed whirring quietly by on the electro-strips while the occasional car also drove by on omni-directional tires. Within Nexus city cars were not overly prominent due to the network of public transportation. Rick had heard that in other nations personal vehicles, especially ones with omni-directional tires, were more common.

       Rick did not have to wait long before a small beige car pulled to a stop beside him. The vehicle was the type with round omni-directional tires that allowed it to go places electro-vehicles couldn’t. Though not using electric strips had the downside of requiring an on-board power supply which meant the trunk extended back a little further. He reached down and pressed the button to pop the door open and then slid onto the white Taevon leather seats. He looked over and nodded, “Hey Brick.”

       “Hey man.” Brick slapped Rick on the shoulder and began to pull away. “Where we headed?”

       “The River District, there something at Finko’s I need to check out.”

       “I hear you, though I saw that you sent the evidence of the Governor murdering his brother-in-law to the station. Don’t you think you should let them go to the club and do whatever you are going there to do then send the evidence afterwards?” As Brick was talking, he put the coordinates in and then switched the vehicle to autopilot, the car lurched slightly before settling into an even speed.

       “No, that isn’t under Crick’s jurisdiction, besides, I want to see this through.”

       “Yeah.” Brick nodded. “I figured you would say that… So why Finko’s?”

       “Well, a boy I’m tracking down might have gone there to sell an amulet,” Rick paused to think. “Though considering how long he has been gone that doesn’t seem likely. He could have gone to sell it then they didn’t let him leave, honestly who knows… Though I fear I must assume the worst and hope for the best.”

       Brick looked out his side of the car as they crossed over the bridge. “I hate assuming the worst, when I got the call about what happened on the dock with your wife… well… I quit assuming the best would happen. There are people out there who may still have it out for you, and I can only assume the worst will happen and I don’t want that.”

       “Yeah… me too… that night did the same to me too.” Rick grew quiet as the vehicle moved along the road. They passed warehouses and docks dotted with boats, every one of them reminded him of that rainy night. He looked away and didn’t look back up until he felt the car come to a stop.

       They both looked at the building, it was squat with faded blue and red paint. Above the door was a sign that was turned off that said Finko’s. “The place looks empty,” Brick commented. “Only way we know it’s alive is the bouncer standing outside.”

       “Well, it is still daylight.” Rick got out of the car. “Brick, stay here, I’ve got this,” He walked up to the bouncer who stood about a foot taller than him and stopped. “May I enter, I would like to speak with the owner?”

       “Sorry but we don’t allow blues in.”

       “I’m not blue.”

       The bouncer unfolded his arms. “You were a blue, I know your face Rick, leave, you are not a detective registered in this district.”

       “Well, the way I see it, no one knows I’m here besides my friend back there who will keep his mouth shut, so you will either let me in, or I will walk over you to get in.” The bouncer just grunted and reached out to grab Rick by the coat. Rick opened his hand and sent a translucent rope to attach to the bouncer’s shirt then with all his might he pulled down. The bouncer fell forward, and Rick swung his elbow up to meet the falling chin, he felt a crack as he shattered the jaw and teeth. The bouncer collapsed on the ground and tried to call out, but Rick kneeled and punched him in the face, knocking him out. “Ow!” Rick grabbed his fist. “I think I broke something.”

       “That’s normal.” Brick spoke from right behind.

Rick jumped. “Man, I thought you were in the car.”

“Sorry.” Brick shrugged while not looking sorry.

       “Well, wait in the car just in case I need to make a brake for it.”

       “If you need me to run in, call me.” Brick turned to go back to the car before pausing and turning back, “Ask for Jewelry, that is the code word for amulet.”

       Rick gave a sharp nod and turned on his recorder before stepping on the bouncer and entering Finko’s.

The music was loud, and Bass boosted to the point you could only hear the rhythm and nothing else. There were people at tables passed out or with their eyes rolled back in their heads. Many of the patrons had needles in their arms that had a soft red glow. Eaiz, a drug to relax you and pull only the happiest memories you have. Rick moved to the counter and waited for the bartender to acknowledge him.

“Ay, what can I do for you?” The bartender said in a slow rumble.

Rick mentally crossed his fingers and hoped that the code for an amulet hadn’t changed since Brick had learned the phrase. “I’m here for some jewelry.”

“Jewelry huh” The bartender rumbled out. “Go through the arch and then enter the third door past the bathrooms.”

Rick tried to flash his best smile. “Thank you, sir.”

The bartender just grunted.

Rick entered the dark hallway and passed the two bathrooms, the men’s had sounds of sickness emanating from it while the out of the women’s a ruffled male cop from the river district exited throwing a needle to the ground. Rick looked with disgust at the cop. When his business was done, he was going to call his precinct in to deal with this place and the River District Precinct enacting the Law of Neighbors oversight. Coming to the third door past the bathrooms he paused. He took a deep breath and then opened the door.

On either side he was flanked by big muscle-bound bodyguards, the one on the right had a heart tattooed around each eye and the one on the left was missing a nose. Across from him at a desk sat a greasy looking man with his hair slicked back over a bald spot, a pinched nose, and a tiny mouth. “Hello!” The man’s voice was high pitched to the point it sounded almost effeminate. “I’m dearly sorry but we don’t buy jewelry. But! If you have some veggies, then we can talk.”

“The code has changed.” Rick stated.

“Why of course! Everyone knew that old code, even though the cops are in our pockets I still must watch out for people like you. Listen Rick, yes, you arrested me a couple years ago because I stole a little trinket from the Ethel family. Today, I will not allow you to take the trinket and its bearer away.” The greasy man grinned.

“I’m not leaving without Mike.”

“Oh, he is mine. You cannot have him as I said.” The two guards by the door began to move closer. “In fact, I will make sure you do not leave the building.”

“Fine.” Rick said as he sent two translucent strands of rope to connect to the two guards’ shirts. With a quick pull he caused them to lose balance and tumble in front of himself. 86 heartbeats before he can use inchemy again. He felt for the cool metal of his Pelk Model 9 and unholstered it. Bringing it up he fired, and the bullets left the chamber near silently, the first imbedded in the wall but the second took the greasy man between the eyes. He dropped like a ragdoll.

As soon as the greasy man dropped heart eyes came up slashing with a knife cutting a clean hole in Ricks brown trench coat. Rick moved towards the door as both men attempted to engage him. No nose spoke in old Nextian what translated to “Grasping Rope.” Then when he threw his knife, a translucent green rope connected his knife and hand, so he could not lose his knife.

Rick struggled, blocking jabs from his right while trying to avoid a flying knife on his left. He felt pain, then he felt blood beginning to flow slowly and warmly on his side, as the flying knife imbedded for a moment before being ripped away.

The distraction of getting cut almost cost him his life as heart eyes tackled him and tried to stab Rick’s chest. The only thing stopping it was that he had his arm, that held the gun, braced against the big man’s. Slowly the knife came closer to his face, it got so close that it began to cut him right under his eye drawing blood. With a glance to his left Rick saw that no nose was beginning to throw his knife aiming for his face, apparently unconcerned for heart eyes safety. Letting out a low growl, he silently tried to send the translucent pole out and grab the knife no nose was using but they felt as though there was a blockage between mind and hand. It had not been 86 heartbeats yet. The knife no nose had thrown imbedded itself in the palm of his hand then was ripped away spraying blood into heart eye’s eyes. Causing him to rear back and giving Rick a split second to shove him off, then he brought up his railgun and sent two bullets into the man’s face. The man didn’t drop as cleanly as the greasy one had, he grabbed at his face and moaned before collapsing on his knees and slumping onto the ground.

When the man was settled on the ground no nose’s grasping rope disappeared, apparently, 86 heartbeats had elapsed. The moment the knife touched the floor Rick sent grasping rope out to grab it and pull it to his hand. Rick tossed it up weighing and watching the last man. No nose looked around at heart eyes and his boss and he began backing towards the door as he pulled out a railgun. Rick threw the knife, translucent rope still attached and imbedded in the man’s throat he then disengaged the rope allowing him to drown in his blood.

Rick loaded four bullets into the bottom of his gun bringing the total back to ten before holstering. He then moved back into the hallway and went to the only door past the one he had just fought in. Opening the door Rick gagged slightly, there was a horrible stench of blood, burnt skin, and bodily fluid. Rick moved slowly through. There were cages that contained people who had been hurt and tortured. Rick opened some to try and help but most were dead, and the few that weren’t were too weak to move. Immediately Rick sent a message to emergency services in the Crick District, He didn’t trust the River Districts emergency service. He methodically went to every cage he needed to find Mike.

Finally, he came to a cage near the back, there was a boy in there with bruises, welts, and cuts crisscrossing his body. Entering the cage, the boy shot up, “Who is there? Please, just kill me.”

“Mike, kid,” Rick soothed, “I’m a detective, I’m here to get you out of here.”

“Oh, oh,” Mike began to shake, and tears could be heard in his voice. “Is this real, true, happening.”

“Yes,” Rick smiled. “Yes, it is.”

Mike began to cry, he tried to speak but no sound could come out. Rick wrapped his arms around Mike as the boy’s tears shook his body. He sent a message to Brick briefly explaining what happened.

Rick just sat with his arms around Mike until he heard footsteps, turning he saw Brick. “I am a bit surprised you… I’m surprised that you messaged me for help. I just arrested the bartender though for you.”

Rick nodded. “Thanks.”

“I’m going to step outside, to meet emergency services when they get here.

Rick just nodded.

“I just wanted to see if it worked.” Mike looked up at Rick. “I ran because I cannot stay… I cannot stay in the house with her.” He wiped tears from his eyes. “Danny told me about this place, he thought if I could help the guys here with amulets, I could make some money then leave to the other side of the river. But they said I would be more help if I worked for free so...” He fell silent and Rick didn’t know what to say.

In the distance he heard sirens then everything became a blur, the police and ambulances arriving. The sick being tended and the police combing the place. Only Mike’s amulet was found, sitting in the drawer of the greasy man’s desk, the rest had been shipped off site to be sent to the Seffalon Islands according to the records the greasy man had kept.

The police chief, Pierson walked up to Rick and shook his head. “Do you realize the paperwork this will entail. For you and me. Also, now I am going to have to personally talk to the Lord Chief of Police to get permission to temporarily take jurisdiction of this district.” The chief frowned further. “If the Lord Chief grants our request scrutiny will be brought on us from the Lord Governor.”.

“Is that not worth it?” heat entered Rick’s voice. “If that is the cost of saving lives, is it not worth it?”

Chief Pierson shook his head. “Sometimes, upholding the status quo is more important and saves more lives than this stunt of yours.”

Afraid he would say something he shouldn’t, Rick saluted the chief and walked off by himself. He stood, looking out over the river towards the Crick District for a while wondering at how broken the city was until the screeching of tires brought him back to the moment as a black and gold automobile driven by Robert, the Ethel butler. The moment the car had stopped Alan, Elaine, Barney, Bree, and a man the height of Elaine and the girth of Allan coming last who Rick assumed was Bryson all tumbled out of the car and tearfully reunited with Mike.

After a few minutes Allan stalked up to Rick and gave him a firm handshake and smiled as though he was about to speak words of praise “Boy, you have ruined me, while the police have figured out it was my sister who killed her husband from the boy, they have still found the donations I was given and now I will be tried for accepting bribes, I will hang and my family will be destitute, are you happy.”

“Your sister framed you for killing her husband by placing the note in the box in your closet?”

“Well obviously.” He sputtered.

“A box you would obviously take down often to store papers in?”

“Well, she is obviously not very smart, and besides we have what Mike saw.”

“He saw his mothers involvement, that does not discredit aid from someone else.” Allan said nothing so Rick continued, “Why Allan?”

“Five generations of Governors of the Crick District. Each generation more blessed than the last, I wanted that for Bryson, but we are expected to be models of Nextian living, and cheating, it is condemned in both The Bronze Book and The Visions if word of it got out I the Lord Governor would have stripped me of titles and blessings.”

“So, you killed an innocent man?” Allan stayed quiet. “Did you know about Mike?”

Allan shook his head, “Honestly no, though I suspect Martha knew but didn’t want him found.”

“Then why hire me?”

“I was going to hire an expensive detective, but she said “no, no I know of a cheaper detective just as good” I don’t think she thought you were actually good considering. Considering most of your cases are petty theft and lost pets.”

Rick nodded, “it felt good to actually do good.”

“Is deposing me really doing good?”

Rick looked out over the river, the words of a song coming to mind. “Death awaits the sinner, Allan.”

Allan grew red in the face and puffed himself up then he deflated, “I did what I had to, to provide for my family and my people, by being blessed I brought blessing you will die having made Nexus City a worse place.” He then turned on his heels and stalked away.

       Brick walked over after tapping on his Nexitech communications device “The officers staked out by Danny’s dorm have arrested him and Martha Ethel as they were leaving for a date and are going to transport them to us so we can question them. Though since the alleged murder and where she used to live was the Mids district they get final prosecution rights.”

       “So, Danny was helping Mike escape his mom while sleeping with his mom?”

       “Yeah.”

       “Huh. Well, she shouldn’t get a light sentence from the Mids.”

“Ah yes.” Brick grinned. “I have no worries about a light sentence.” He paused looking over the lake, “Rick, this event was hard on you. Take a break, I have the money to help you with bills.”

“You know my answer.”

Brick looked down. “If that, if you wish.”

Rick, desiring a change of subject asked, “What happens to the amulet now that we know what it does?”

“As far as I’m concerned it is still Ethel property.” As soon as Brick stopped speaking the sound of engines reached their ears as a transport copter covered in light bending panels materialized above them and came down to a landing. The chief turned with a curse and ran up to see what was happening.

Rick looked at Brick and shrugged before trotting after the Chief. From out of the ship came men in completely metal suits with just their hands exposed, the black spike of the Lord Governor stood stark on their breastplate on a field of green. On their hips they carried no weapons. One stepped up to the Chief, he had a black rope knotted on his shoulder unlike the other soldiers, and in a monotone voice said, “We have received word there is a dangerous Inchemically Infused Device in the area, and we have been sent under direct order of the Lord Governor Adam Philips Serkin to retrieve it.”

“Wha-,” The chief fell to the ground as though he were a dead man “As the Lord Governor commands.”

The metal clad men walked around the chief. As the man weaved through the crowd every person, he came near prostrated themselves before them. They retrieved the box containing the amulet and wordlessly entered the copter.

After taking the device they loaded up and left the copter seeming to dematerialize in the sky. Rick released the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He leaned over to Brick and asked, “Was that the Special Guard?”

“Yeah,” Brick nodded wide eyed. “That was the Special Guard.”