Spaceboys 2049

Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

A week before the warehouse incident...

Simon gets inside a car parked behind a fence in an alleyway. Another man is in the driver's seat as Simon looks around beside him. "Couldn't just wire it to you?" Simon asks. The man stays silent and looks at him with an unwelcoming face. Simon sighs and brings out an envelope from his pocket and hands it to the man. The man smiles.

"I like it this way... It's untraceable, old-school." The man replies.

"Pshh, not so untraceable if I had tail." Simon scoffs.

"Well, there isn't, is there?" The man grins at Simon...

"...How short am I these days?" Simon says sighingly.

"Right now... I'd say around four-hundred thousand."

"Alright, I'll come by here next month." Simon says as he opens the car door.

"Take care, Simon. I'll see you next week."

Just as Simon was leaving the car, he turns back to him.

"Next week?" Simon asks confused. The man in the car does not answer back gives him an unwelcoming face. "You can't be fucking doing this to me, Eddie."

"It's been a year, Simon. Virgil's getting pretty impatient with you these days."

"Ed, I TOLD you to TELL him he has nothing to worry about. I'm getting the money aren't I!?" Simon says pleadingly.

"Well, it seems that's not the case now, is it? It's payday. He wants ten-thousand next week." Eddie says as he drives the out of the alleyway, leaving the area. Simon stands displeased as he watches Eddie drive away. He then walks out of the alley and into the city. Neon lights and flashing bill boards around the city. Unflashy people roam the streets heading to their usual business. Fancy cars and buildings, and a couple of flying cars. Extravagant conveniences with garbagemen constantly picking up trash from the streets. The City of Freud. Simon walks to his parked car and drives off...

*****

Simon enters a bar seeing his 2 friends, Lou and Connor drinking.

"Hey, Simon!" Lou greets Simon as he joins the table. "How's it going? You want a drink?"

A server approaches the table.

"I'll just take a... milkshake." Simon replies.

"Alright, sir." The bartender says as he takes the order and leaves.

"Hey, the next time we meet this guy in a whorehouse, he'll say he doesn't fuck." Lou jokes.

"Gotta stay sober, man. I'm still on the clock." Simon says tiredly.

"Jeez dude, these jobs you're taking are a pain in a fireman's ass." Kyle says.

"I know... I had to take multiple at once too because of Virgil. He's really demanding nowadays, always in a pissy mood." Simon says.

"It's probably because of that new city joint they're trying to take."

"The gutter with the Spaceboy crew? Not worth it."

"Yeah, last time I went there for a negotiation. I insulted the guy a little and guess what? He went fucking ballistic, those raccoons are wild." Lou says and chuckles.