All Good Things

Prologue

The lounge's rancid stench was what you'd expect out of a hole that criminals scrambled into. With his medical background, John could make out the smells of urine, blood, vomit and various other bodily fluids and excretions, combined with cleaning agents that had tried and failed to win the battle. He pursed his pale pink lips tight, trying to hold his breath as long as he could between quick draws of air that made him gag. Fiddling with a small crystal wafer hanging from his neck, he looked across the booth's table into the hazel eyes of his wife, Isabel.

She ran a tanned hand through her long black strands of hair, pushing them behind her petite ear. "I don't like this place," she whispered.

"Not much longer," he attempted to assure her.

"Another moment longer is still too long." She sighed deep, and broke their mutual stare to look off toward the doors they'd be using to leave later.

John had been second-guessing his decision to bring her along, ever since they left the transport to trek through this forsaken spaceport. He could almost pass off for someone intending to be there, as his Torian heritage gave him a near-albino appearance, aside from his bright blue eyes. He'd actually seen a few others of his kind while walking through the corridors, which he thought quite odd, considering his species had always been known for staying close to home. He, on the other hand, was nothing like the rest of his people. He'd ventured out into the universe to make his own way. And now, he was delving into a life of crime and profiteering that would have made his own mother retch.

Isabel's glamorous body, however, made her stand out in ways he had never expected. Certainly, she'd turned heads everywhere he'd taken her, even when they lived on Vetras, their former home. But here it was worse. Her looks made her the target for all of the drunken animals and other criminals to ogle. It was obvious that she wasn't supposed to be here, and that made her a target.

He shouldn't have brought her.

John waved off the scantily-clad waitress as she tried to drop off another round of drinks, despite her having already been foiled on three earlier occasions. The barkeep behind the opposite counter gave them dirty looks, not expecting anyone to nurse their liquor for as long as he and Isabel had.

John continued stealing glances at a digital timepiece on his wrist, a present from Isabel for their recent wedding. She fiddled with the diamond ring on her left hand, shielding it from everyone else's view in the establishment as she twisted it around her finger.

Finally, he breathed a sigh of relief with one last look at his timepiece. The moment had come. "Time to go," he mumbled.

He slid out from the booth, holding a hand out for his wife. A smile finally graced his face, even though Isabel didn't match his expression herself as they walked as a pair toward the exit. Watchful eyes made no effort to hide the fact that other patrons were keeping tabs on the two as they left.

Everything he'd done had been leading up to this point. Putting up with his former employer and her lunacy, stealing the wafer which now hung on a chain around his neck, and traveling to this disgusting armpit of the galaxy. His moment had finally arrived.

Their moment, he thought to himself, as he snuck another glance at his loving bride. She was afraid, and with good reason. But in a short while, they'd have millions on them, and could travel anywhere they wanted.

Someone was paying a hefty price for the wafer and its contents, exactly as John had hoped when he'd stolen it right out from under his employer's nose.

They moved quickly out of the room, into a sterile, white tile hallway. The stench didn't improve any, even though there wasn't a single soul in sight. Isabel latched her arms around his waist and squeezed him tight. "I can't wait to get out of this place." John could feel her shaking, but he wasn't sure if it was fear or excitement.