Metrodome Tyran

X. Refuse

The Overway station was awash with suspicious-looking characters, at least to Melodie's now-paranoid eyes. Every stranger could be some government agent, every odd sound a cause for alarm. The world used to feel dull, cold and uncaring--but not dangerous. Now she felt the pressure of being pursued and she found it made her nauseous.

There were a few individuals scattered about the place, all of which looking like they'd rather be someplace else. Melodie's heart thumped in her chest as she paced down the platform, mind buzzing with nervous questions. What if she couldn't find her contact? What if she got the wrong person? What if someone had betrayed her papa's trust and they simply shot her there and then? Or worse; capture her and send her back to the Arena as a con. Her hands sweated just at the thought of it.

After a look around, none of the strangers seemed to fit what she imagined to be looking for, they all looked too... poor? There was one, though, whose attention she seemed to have ensnared. He kept looking over at her quizzically, as she meandered around and tried to seem like she actually knew where she was headed. He caught her eye again and she panicked. He was after her. He must be with the authorities.

A train pulled in and she stepped onto it as soon as its doors opened. Stepping to the far side of the carriage, she sat down heavily and drew a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

'House?' she said quietly. There was nobody else sitting nearby, so likely only the AI in her backpack heard her.

'Yes?' it replied within a moment or so.

'Can you help me analyse--' she stopped abruptly, noticing the man heading down the carriage toward her was the same that had made eye-contact on the platform. He was definitely following her. She looked to get up and leave the train, but the doors had shut and the platform outside was beginning to slide away.

'Never mind,' she said to House quietly, then tried to perk up as she addressed the man. 'Hey there!' she said.

He seemed to be unsettled by the fact someone was talking to him, but she continued anyway. 'I think I recognise you from someplace. Have we met?'

His eyes averted direct contact. 'I don't recall.'

Her mind worked furiously. She had to get him to say the phrase in a natural context. And if he didn't, she had to get as far away from him as possible.

'Sorry, I didn't mean to be so forward,' she said. It was a very brash thing in Citizen culture, particularly in repressed Tyran, to simply hail a complete stranger on such a long-shot. 'I mistook you for someone else.'

'Quite alright, Miss.' He seemed to relax a little, taking a seat opposite her. Tanned and dark-haired, small black eyes peered from a round face of fattened cheeks. He looked more nervous than threatening, but he also smelled unpleasant in a way that was hard to ignore.

'It's a little embarrassing,' Melodie said, thinking quickly, 'he was an ex of mine, you see. Still, plenty of fish in the sea.'

The man gave her a knowing look. 'I'd heard the seas are empty.'

Relief overcame Melodie. She inspected the rest of the desolate carriage with a cursory glance, then leaned in. 'My papa sent you?'

The man shrugged. 'I was only told there was a young miss needing a ride out to TAN 4, figured it had to be you. You stick out. Melodie, right?'

She paused, then replied. 'Yes. That's me.'

He nodded, looking out the window at the passing lights. 'Jaden. We get off at the next station.'

Melodie nodded in return, pressing her lips into a flat line as concern weighed on her mind. 'How are we going to get out of the city?'

Jaden didn't look at her. 'We ain't going anywhere. You're going by hopper.'