District - 17: Reunification

Pandemonium: Part One

THEY HAD NO IDEA WHO THEY were, other than what Director Mandahl told them. Affiliates, of sorts, to Moreno Arwacht. Mandy met with Dang who told them to get the answers required in finding the abstract solution. It's one thing for Moreno to be dead and gone but it's another thing for her pet project to be active, and of potential abuse and use by unjustly people. Mandy was particularly greedy for the information herself. She savored the anticipation of what came next. She originally offered up the idea of sending the registrants of Cube Nox out into the field for a live operation. A real world experience for them. She hand-picked Ryder Luca Russo and Johanna Rice for the assignment. High Director McCall and assistant Nanika Riley agreed. Almost gladly.

Johnnie had time to spare and so, when she was satisfied, she wrapped up a session at the batting range and slid her bat into her duffel. Carried it with her when she got the second alert from Mandy. Smiled at the message and flipped her cellular device shut. Kept her equipment with her on the assignment. Almost by second nature. She was dressed in a pair of black shorts with a tight bodysuit beneath. Her letterman jacket hung off her right shoulder. She walked with confidence and had her head held high.

She flipped her cellular device open and read the message over again. Flipped it closed and stashed it in her duffel. It read her the directions to the location. A tap house in the Cinnabar district. Adjacent to a row of neatly settled restaurants and coffee houses. Loud and busy. It was sharp on seven o'clock in the evening. Johnnie was tanned and her hair was a dark sandy brown in the evening gloom. The street lights were bright and reflected off of the wet pavement. Ryder watched her walk. Her legs were strong. Clear definition of muscle was present. He knew first-hand how powerful her legs were both in and out of the bedroom. They had never established a personal relationship, but then again, how could they when they lived a territory apart and went to rival schools? High-school was just that, high-school. It meant nothing back then and they forgot about it and remained friends. Now, in the present, he was happy to have her by his side on this assignment. Nervous as all hell, but excited and ready. Determined and confident, just like her.

"What the hell are you staring at?" she said.

He chuckled. Shook his head. "Nothing."

"Uh-huh," she nodded. "It's up this way." They skewered through a busy late evening crowd filing into the Cicero Theatre. 'White Fox and Yuelebun,' were the headlining play. Johnnie didn't care for theatre and ignored the rest of the crowd entirely.

'The Tawny Hare,' was a street across and slightly to the left. The road wasn't straight and curved at a slight angle. They passed a group of men and women on some sort of business venture based on their passing conversation. Ryder squeezed past them. With his large frame he had no choice and dwarfed the other folks.

Johnnie had some idea of who they were looking for. She spotted a man in a white dress shirt and black suspenders. He was seated at the counter. There was the bartender in a black dress shirt with navy suspenders. A woman sat across from them. Several other people crowded the neighboring booths and were settled into their drinks. There was music playing. Not loud. The lighting was OK. Not great. Ryder pushed through the door and Johnnie followed close behind.

He glanced over everyone. In a way that said, I may not be the biggest guy in here but don't make the mistake of thinking I'm afraid of you. Any of you. He moved on across the bar. Johnnie made the same look he did. Thought the same thing. The rest of the room turned away as they approached the counter.

The woman seated across from them stirred. The bartender looked up. The man at the counter ignored them.

"Help you, kids?" The bartender said.

Ryder went to speak when he interrupted. "Care to show me some ID?"

Ryder acquiesced. Took out his wallet and flashed his ID. Johnnie did the same. He nodded, satisfied.