☆ ⁺ « HAND IN THE COOKIE JAR
★˚⋆ YOU BROUGHT THE RECEIVER TO your lips and spoke in the most exaggerated Lower Space accent you knew how to. "'Ello? This is Ahren Irani. May I speak to Pannacotta Fugo?"
"Who is this? I don't know anyone by that name."
Fugo's suspicion was practically a knife, sharp and cutting. It might have pissed you off but you were just glad to hear his voice again.
Stars, you could have cried. Your crew had made it to Minos. They were okay.
"You have five seconds to explain yourself before I hang up."
You darted a look around the dock. A few bored sailors and dockworkers, some grisly fishermen. Abbacchio keeping watch by the corner. No one seemed the least bit interested in you. Even the cracked holoscreen in the corner wasn't displaying any current news about your crew.
"Fugo," you said, cutting back on the Lower Space twang. "It's me." Your throat tightened. "Your Captain."
You heard Fugo inhale. It became utterly quiet on the other end of the call.
"Fugo?" you said.
"What's the name of my Stand?" Fugo asked.
"Purple Haze. Or Purple Catastrophe, depending on who you ask."
"H-how are you alive?" he spluttered and you almost laughed. "How did you manage to get out of the Black Zone? Are you on Minos right now?"
"I don't really know myself. It's a long story, but yeah, I'm on Minos. Where are you and the crew?"
Fugo got over his shock quickly. "We got here a few days ago and took a while to regroup. Coco Jumbo managed to make contact with Polnareff and we took one of the ferries to the nearby islands. D46. We're under a made-up research crew Coco whipped up. We have clearance for three weeks."
"How much time do we have left?"
"A week," said Fugo grimly.
It was about what you had expected, but hearing it from Fugo made it so much worse.
"Keep doing what you're doing. I'll find a way to reach you."
"Will you be able to? We can send someone out."
"You need everyone to deal with Polnareff. I'll manage. We can't waste anymore time. Besides, I have help."
"Help?"
You looked in Abbacchio's direction. He'd left his GA uniform behind and wore black pants and a grey button-up. His hair was shoved under a cap. As far from an Inspector as you could please. "You'll see."
Fugo's voice suddenly turned urgent. "Captain, I have to ask. Did JoJo ever say anything to you? Anything strange?"
"No. Strange how, exactly?"
"No. It's nothing. I was just curious. I wanted—ah, well, it's not important. We'll continue things here then," said Fugo. "I'll pass you over to Mista. He's been listening in this whole time and nearly shat his pants."
"Shut up, you flackbag," Mista said without missing a beat. You couldn't help smirking. "Is that really you, Cap?"
"Who else?"
Mista's voice went uncharacteristically soft. Your breath caught.
"You really scared me, you know that? I don't know what I would've done if—flack, I'm so glad you're alive."
"I'm sorry," you whispered.
"I should be the one apologizing. I said I'd have your back and I let you get swept into the Black Zone. I deserve to be belted for that."
"You made good on your oath, so that's what matters."
Mista was quiet for a few beats. "I didn't. Fugo had to step up. I was too distraught to do anything. We'd still be back in the Black Zone looking for you if it weren't for him."
You closed your eyes. "I'm just glad everyone's alright."
"Yeah, well, about that . . ."
"What is it?" Your voice sharpened.
"Nothing. Just that . . . Narancia's eye hasn't been doing so hot. It started bleeding the other day. Scary shit."
"Is he okay?"
"It's bandaged, but he needs medical attention. I think it's a lot worse than he's letting on. He could barely see straight the past few days and he's been weak. He's been numbing it with eye drops. At best, some kind of infection. At worst, he'll probably need a cybernetic."
"That idiot," you muttered, but it was more worried than irritated.
"We'll look after him, Cap. You just get your ass here. You're on the main docks, right? A guy named Rati brought us over. He's trustworthy. If you show him Zero's pin, it should be a breeze."
"Will do."
"Oh, and Cap. You owe me a round of drinks. Don't die or anything stupid like that."
You smiled weakly. "I won't. Talk to you soon."
You replaced the receiver and Abbacchio took that as his cue to make his way over.
"Everything alright?" he asked.
"The crew's fine. They're out on island D46. Said if we get in contact with some guy named Rati, he should be able to get us out."
Abbacchio tilted his head. "Would that happen to be him over there? He's been staring at you since you started the call."
Across the docking office, someone leaned against the entrance, not quite casually. You couldn't make out any distinguishing features about them, only that they were dressed in the full-body skin suit that researchers on Minos seemed to like and had on a large blue visor over their eyes.
You traded a look with Abbacchio. He gave a one-shoulder shrug.
"Do you know anyone around here named Rati?" you asked, walking over to the person. They looked you up and down, and you couldn't help feeling self-conscious. After narrowly dying just a day ago, you couldn't imagine that you looked very appealing.
"Who's asking?"
The voice was male. Light. Pleasant. He hadn't corrected you, so you assumed he really was Rati.
From your jacket pocket, you took out Zero's pin. You couldn't even remember the last time you'd used it.
"I'm under Zero's employ. I've been told you can get us to island D46."
"And why do you need to get there?"
"I don't see how that's your business."
"Don't get defensive. I was just curious. If you're here for sights, there are plenty of more attractive islands. And if you're here for research, that island has already been extensively mapped and catalogued."
You set your jaw. "I just need to get to island D46. Can you take us or not?"
Rati looked over your shoulder at Abbacchio. "Friend of yours?"
"Associate."
The stranger nodded to himself. "You must be with the crew that just passed by. They were just as rude as you were."
"Can you help us or not? There are plenty of other people on this dock I can ask."
"Does a thousand credits sound okay?"
You would normally decline, but you were on Zero's dime. "I can double it if you like."
The visor didn't cover Rati's mouth, so you could see when he grinned. "Follow me then."
You were thankful you'd thought to stock Party Rock up before you'd left Abbacchio's ship. You had a few electors on hand you could use, and blades at Abbacchio's insistence. You stared at the back of Rati's head as you followed him out of the docking office. You hoped he could feel that you wouldn't hesitate to shoot him if he tried anything funny.
The air on Minos was crisp and bracing, a nice change to the stale, recycled air you'd been breathing on ships. Little colour seemed to exist on the planet, the buildings, water, and sky all just different shades of grey. Gulls cawed overhead, diving occasionally into the sea for fish. When you looked off at the islands in the distance, the lack of vegetation struck you. No trees or bushes anywhere. Mostly stone and shale. It made for a lonely planet, you thought. It was no wonder that few people outside of researchers made their home here.
All along the dock were various seacraft, from dinghies to speed jets to motorboats. Rati's motorboat was small and unassuming. It looked like it could have carried tourists in another life.
"Get yourself settled," Rati said. "I just have to check back with the office for a permit. Help yourself to a life vest. I'd hate it if anyone were to fall overboard."
While Rati doubled back, you clambered to the front of the motorboat and reached under the seat for a life vest. You didn't like how unstable the boat was. Already, you were starting to feel a little nauseous.
"Ever been on a boat before?" Abbacchio asked.
"No. Never been out on the ocean, either. We didn't have beaches on Solymus."
"Not even after all of your escapades?"
You realized then that it was a little silly you had never thought to use your credits on a cruise ship or something. You'd been to plenty of resorts but never out to the ocean. On any planet at all.
Abbacchio grunted.
"Have you ever been on a boat?"
"A few times." Abbacchio squinted out at the horizon. "Never liked it much."
You took a few minutes to look around the motorboat while Rati was still gone. Rope, a water buoy, a holopad set into the side. Nothing noteworthy. There was a cooler near the controls that you pulled out, however.
You couldn't tell how long it had been sitting out here, but it was ice-cold. Maybe Rati had restocked it recently.
Abbacchio shifted in his seat. The motorboat rocked. "Are you sure we can trust this guy?"
"You don't?"
"He seemed very eager to help two complete strangers."
"That's what Zero's pin gets you," you said lightly, but it didn't quite land.
You felt under the cooler lid for the latch. You suddenly felt thirsty. You should have gotten a drink back at the office.
"I'd prefer if you didn't open that."
You looked up at Rati. It was hard to make out his expression behind his visor, but you imagined he smiled at you the way a parent smiled at a toddler with their hand in the cookie jar.
It rankled you.
"I'm not allowed to have a drink?"
"Of course, but there's no water in there." Rati slid the cooler back beneath the steering wheel. From some unseen corner, he passed you a bottle of water.
"What's inside it, then?" you asked.
"Nothing of concern. Do you get seasick?" Rati asked, still infuriatingly pleasant. He put a key in the ignition and the motorboat hummed to life. You crushed the water bottle in your palm, too pissed now to drink.
"It's fine if you are, as long as you direct yourself into the water and not the bottom of my boat." Rati laughed at his own joke. For that, you were willing to throw up right into his lap.
Rati eased the motorboat away from the dock and out onto open waters. Nothing but grey sea seemed to stretch away from you in all directions.
"It'll take us at least an hour to get to island D46," Rati said. "If at any point you want to turn back, please let me know."
For a while, only the roar of the motorboat and the churning waves filled the silence. You leaned over the edge of your seat, letting the sea spray splash across your face. You couldn't say exactly what it was about Rati that threw you off. If it was his politeness, that honestly said more about you than him.
Abbacchio and Rati engaged in mindless chatter as the ride went on. You listened in silently, not willing to contribute anything. Even though Abbacchio was a shit liar, the anecdotes he fabricated about your time in the Institute weren't half bad. You could almost have believed them yourself. Rati remained nothing short of courteous the entire conversation, nodding and commenting at all the right intervals. It didn't escape your notice that he offered nothing about himself.
More than once, the cooler that Rati kept by his leg kept slipping out and sliding around the motorboat. Either you or Abbacchio would have to carry it back and Rati would sheepishly thank you. It was strange. The ride was rocky, but not enough for a big-ass cooler to be sliding around like that. It made you think about Rati saying there weren't any drinks inside of it. If not drinks, why the flack would you have cooler onboard? It wasn't light enough to be empty and you would've bet anything that Rati wasn't a fisherman.
Every time the cooler slid toward you, you had to fight not to pry the damn thing open. What the flack was inside?
"Have you lived on Minos all your life?" you decided to ask during a lull. Abbacchio shot you a look, but you ignored him.
"No. I only started living here recently."
"So you're a researcher?"
"You could say that. I do odd jobs here and there. Transport services for people like yourself."
"Where did you live before Minos?"
Rati gave a half-smile. "Is this an interrogation?"
"Don't get defensive. I was just curious," you said mockingly.
Rati's smile widened. It made you want to punch him. "In that case, I lived on a well-off moon colony for most of my childhood. Then I got caught up in . . . illicit activities. Thankfully, I managed to extricate myself and make my way here. The rest is history."
You didn't buy this nice-guy act for one second. He was probably still involved in "illicit activities", whatever those were. If you weren't already halfway out in the middle of the ocean, you would have demanded he take you back.
"How lucky," you said flatly.
"I'm trying to turn my life around," Rati said. "Some days are harder than others. I try to take things one at a time."
And then, because of course it did, the cooler slid out from Rati's feet yet again.
"I've had enough of this," you snapped, pulling the cooler towards you. "What the flack is in this thing? This has to be the tenth time it's slid out already."
"I wouldn't open that if I were you," Rati said, but you were already prying the lid open. Bits of steam escaped it and before you had gotten the entire lid off, something flew out of it, and splattered on the floor.
You immediately drew up your feet. "What the flack?"
Abbacchio stood up, his hand going instinctively to his shoulder holster before he remembered he didn't have it anymore. "What was that?"
Rati killed the engine. The cordial smile slid off his face. "I was afraid this would happen."
You reached into your pocket for a card and took out an elector. "What the flack is going on here, Rati? We paid you to get us to the island, not mess with us."
"Please don't make any sudden movements," Rati said, raising a hand. "I can explain. You just need to sit down. Both of you."
You pointed the elector as his face. "Explain, you flackbag."
Abbacchio started moving towards the ship's stern.
"Stop! Don't move," Rati commanded, and the sudden steel in his voice gave Abbacchio pause. Rati's mouth flattened into a line. He raised his other hand so they both pointed towards the sky.
"I will explain. But unless you want to die, I need both of you to sit down. Now. You have no idea how deadly that thing you just released is."
You and Abbacchio looked at each other. Rati wasn't flacking around. Slowly, gingerly, Abbacchio lowered himself back in his seat. The boat rocked lazily as the motion of the waves took over. With your free hand, you clenched your seat so hard your knuckles turned white.
Rati began to speak quickly. "A few days ago, a man was found dead on the docks. The GA's reported the death as a suicide. The citizens here were relieved. The man had been nothing but a nuisance during his time here. The only thing he did was walk around and ask people to shoot him. He desperately wanted to die. His name was Carne.
"We thought that was the end of it. But things started happening. Random attacks. Animals dying. One woman was nearly mauled to death. It was unusual. Minos has a relatively low crime rate. This had never happened before. There were rumours that a new organism had made its way over from one of the islands and that it was attacking everyone. It was described as small, fleshy. It moved with incredible speed and seemed to draw energy from other living things.
"A group was dispatched to deal with it. I was among them. We spent an entire night chasing after it. But then it started chasing us. It attacked randomly, indiscriminately. By some stroke of luck, I managed to trap it in this cooler. I was meant to give it to one of the researchers interested in it on island D46 except that you have now released it onto this boat."
Abbacchio swore. You were tempted to pitch yourself into the ocean.
"Why didn't you just say so then?" you hissed, as though the organism could hear you. "I wouldn't have opened it if I'd known. And why would you keep it in a cooler of all things?"
"It wasn't as though I could transfer it somewhere else without being attacked," Rati snapped. "Most people keep away from things when they're told."
You swallowed your retort. You knew you had no right to be angry. This was on you.
"What do we do?" Abbacchio asked. "We have to get it back into the cooler."
"As I said, the creature attacks indiscriminately. We haven't been able to figure out how it latches onto its targets. It uses something other than sight. Some kind of sensor."
Abbbacchio moved his head slowly. "One of us is going to have to move if we want to catch it."
"Don't move unless you're told," Rati said with a pointed look in your direction. He began moving away from the steering wheel and made his way toward the cooler.
This motorboat was tiny. You should've been able to see the creature. Was it possible that it had fallen overboard somehow?
Rati lifted up the cooler. He flipped open the lid and then tucked it under his arm. He raised his head, searching.
You opened your mouth, then stiffened when you heard a low growl behind you. A chill went down your back.
Abbacchio's eyes widened. Rati didn't have time to react.
You whipped around, then screamed as the creature latched onto your face with a wet squelch.
- ✦ -
NEXT CHAPTER ─
❝ IS THAT MY SHOULDER HOLSTER? ❞
☆ ⁺ « THE GANG'S BACK TOGETHER