Chapter 36

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      The laud music could be heard from the main street. Club was located in somewhere in entertainment district near city center, not very far from my apartment. All of us looked very casual, blending in perfectly with people on the street. It was dark already, but the abundance of electric advertisements made everything look as bright as in daytime.

       The club was called 'Synthetic Beats'. Finally after turning to the left from the main street, we entered a smaller alley, still full with people. From the outside it looked very ordinary. The main entrance was decorated with a neon light which was a punk DJ with red mohawk playing his beats - the entrance door was his beat box. It looked very creative. In front of the black sliding doors were standing two security guards - robot security guards. Their look matched the theme of the club.

     We walked through. They didn't pay much attention to us, but stopped and looked at Bryce. My bodyguard just made and a subtle angry stare at them and left the security robots behind. They did not pay attention to us anymore and we proceeded deeper in to the club. Music was laud, they were playing synth-pop at the moment, but I had a feeling they do different styles of music. Probably cyber, EBM, industrial too. 'Synthetic Beats' were full with young people, dancing drinking by a bar, they seemed to be lost in their own worlds. Me and my friends squeezed through crowds of people, trying to find a place, were we could settle down. There was an empty spaces near a bar with a black counter, lined with a red neon lighting on the edge of it. On opposite side of it was a stage, but no one was on it at the moment. On the way there I felt a hands on my shoulders, holding me gently and leading me to our destination. I felt, that Bryce seems to be on guard, as his position was so close to me.

"Desert Dew for all of us!" I heard Sharlene shout over the laud music. "Ohm... No! Just for three, three!" She showed the robotic bartender with fingers. Of course, there was no need for Bryce to drink.

       He looked so ordinary. Everyone would forget that he can't eat and drink, there is no need for it. I eyed the people around me. Everyone here was very modern looking and young. I looked at other side of the bar witch was looped around. Bunch of girls were glancing in my way, but I didn't understand why. I noticed their white smiles and inaudible giggles muffled by the music. One of them pushed up her boobs, to make them look bigger, I suppose. Realization hit me and I visibly rolled my eyes. I looked at Bryce and wondered if he noticed them, how much they wanted to get his attention, but he looked other way, frequently glancing at me. I hit him with my elbow to get his full attention. A sharp pain went trough my arm, as I have hit a bit too hard against his metal hard torso.

"Hey, there is someone who wants to get your attention." I said him as I wanted to see his further response to it and invisibly pointed at the girls on the other side.

"So? What about them?"

"Don't you see? They are totally interested. What are you going to do?"

"Nothing, I don't care."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Hey, Brycy! Come with us. Lets leave our angel alone for a moment!" Laura squeezed between us and grabbed my android's huge arm and pulled him away deep in to the moving crowd. I didn't see Sharlene anywhere as well.

     The girls looked totally disappointed seeing him gone, before they could get anything out of him. I was left alone. I ordered another drink and continued to observe people.

     I noticed smoke filling the air on the stage. There was a change of music. I recognized it. It was very, very old song, but the music itself was changed to fit modern era. Three shadows appeared on the stage along with one larger one. Smoke cleared and I finally noticed four robots on it. Crowd was going crazy and I couldn't help myself and feel excited too. They started to dance and the people around went obsoletely mad.

       Robots itself looked very primitive, simple mechanics. The largest one looked like a wolf with a spikes on his neck and head. The dance looked so cool, matching the dance moves of that old song.

"Do you like it?" I heard someone whisper in my ear.

Instinctively I moved sideways, away from whoever was by my side.

"Yeah! It's cool." I said feeling nervous beside this man.

He had black artificial leather jacket and simple black pants. His hair was shoulder length, bit curly. He looked couple of years older, his skin darker, but it didn't look healthy, more with grey tone to it. He is probably smoking, drinking a lot or maybe doing drugs.

"Do you want something to drink?"

"Sure, why not." actually I wasn't so sure about it. "Desert Dew will do."

"Oh, I see you like that one a lot."

     How does he know that? I didn't like his company. Where were my friends? I was frantically scanning the dance floor for a recognizable face. I saw none. Everything looked like a big mush of people. I quickly drank his offered drink. Maybe he will leave after some time. There were more drinks coming my way. I felt myself getting tipsy.

"Do you want to try something new? This one is good. It is called 'Hangman'. Very good. Strong, but good. You will see."

"That is quite menacing title for a drink."

"Haha. It is. Just drink it."

    He ordered one of it, while I was scanning the crowd again. Finally I noticed Bryce leaning against the wall on other side of the wide room. Again some girls were around him, but his eyes were focused at me. Thanks god. I wanted him to come and 'save me' from this man's company. Seconds later Bryce's expression changed in to a deep scowl turning in to an angry look. What was that about. Why he became angry all of the sudden? In meantime my next shot was ready and I drunk it in one go.

"Oh my. It is so strong!"

      He just gave me his cheesy smile as I was squirming under the taste of it. I looked again in my bodyguard's direction, but he was gone. I could not see him anywhere. I started to feel really dizzy and sick. I need to go to bathroom. I didn't want to make the mess here around everybody.

"Will you excuse me? I have to use a bathroom."

He said nothing, just watched me before I leave.

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