Rats in the Pipes

25: Rats in the Pipes

A few days later I was coming back from work with a couple of bags of groceries from the Hi-Mid provision store since we'd decided to spend the remainder of our savings on lavish living. I can't say I wasn't enjoying the taste of real food now that my guts had got used to it. I stopped at the Omnimart on 25 and got some beers then walked down the last few levels on the service ramps. I heard Sol shouting before I turned the corner. She sounded angry and desperate and the thought flashed through my mind that she and Jan were having some sort of row. That vanished as the square came into view. There were two WCM officials and a CSB operative. The Forcer was fastening arm restraints on Sol. One of the WCM officials held a stinger and it was obvious he'd used it on Jan. The other had a tight grip on a terrified Mik. 

My record as a cage fighter was average not because I lacked ability but because I hesitated to use moves that could inflict real damage when they weren't choreographed. I had no such inhibitions now. No-one was keeping a lookout and that was their mistake. I dropped the bags and leapt across the space. I targeted the WCM official with the stinger. A hard open hand chop on the neck and he crumpled. I snatched the stinger as he went down and used it on the Forcer then I spun round and used it to club the one holding Mik. He let go of Mik as blood fountained from his nose. CSB training includes the use of stingers. I changed the setting and used it to render all three of them unconscious. They'd be out for at least an hour. By this time Jan had unfrozen and was getting the arm restraints off Sol who'd stopped swearing. I dropped the stinger and scooped up Mik who was now sobbing uncontrollably.

"It's all right. It's all right no-one is going to get you." He hid his face in my neck. I turned to Jan and Sol. "Drag the bodies into number 10. Sooner they're out of sight the better. Mik?" he raised a tear stained face and looked at me "You remember we said about going to a place where there are no orphanages?" he nodded "Would you like to go there now?" he nodded again. I carried him inside and put him down. "Can you wait here while Dad Per deals with the bad men?" He nodded again. He seemed to have lost the ability to say anything but he stayed on the couch. I gave him Fant and he clutched the toy tightly to his chest.

I collected the stinger and went into number 10. The three officials were laid out on the floor and Jan was packing his things. Sol had opened the cupboard and started to empty his clothes out of it. She turned holding up the green dress

"Whose is this?" her voice had a belligerent note

Jan glanced up "It's mine."

"Yours? Oh I really believe that!"

I intervened "It really is his. It's what he was wearing when Ben brought him home. There's a pink jacket to go with it."

Sol stared at Jan who gave a deprecating shrug. "I was passing myself off as a woman to avoid some creditors who were looking for me."

Sol shook her head in amazement "You have a fake bracelet because you sold your ID to get the money to pay off one lot of creditors to avoid debt bondage. Then you dress up as a woman to hide from another lot." She started laughing "No sane woman should get within ten levels of you!"

Jan went over and put his arms round her "I know I'm hopeless but I would never cheat on you."

I left them to it and went back to check on Mik. I buzzed Ben.

"Where are you?"

"I've just been to Chizzles I'm on my way back up."

"Book a rest break and switch your tak off. You need to get home immediately. It's an emergency."

"What's happened?"

"Can't explain. Just get here quickly." I cut the connection. Jan was now stuffing his clothes into the holdall. I checked the officials and propped the one with the broken nose upright. I didn't want him dying on us. I removed their Pcoms and ID's and went over to the chutes. The chutes have a lockable grill to prevent the unauthorised disposal of waste. Only the street cleaning teams have keys but Esperance being Esperance there is a thriving system of black keys. I didn't need one. The grill is big enough that one can feed small items through the spaces. I watched them disappear into the depths. By the time I came back Jan and Sol had moved his stuff out of the studio and into ours. Sol was helping Mik put his clothes and wash things in the pillowcase bag Ben had made for him.