I strolled through the maze of streets known as America. I looked up the clouds more interesting than the faceless people walking by. The clouds were gathering, overwhelming each other. Rain started to drop from the skies carelessly almost exploding on to the people occasionally one landed on the filthy pavement. I felt for my breast pocket and removed a cigarette from a packet lighting it with a flash from the lighter and a cup from my hand. The cigarette hung from my mouth, I puffed, releasing the smoke with a sigh. Ten years since I had last seen my friends, the catastrophe I had caused. Laila, Ezra, Emilly and so many more, all too young I thought, why did I have to be the miserable bastard to live though it? I smirked, a tear joining the rain which was falling heavily; I gave one last puff and flicked the cigarette away. I stopped and leaned back, the rain caressing my neck with the cool water, I closed my eyes and went back to wandering the streets of Chicago.
I entered an Italian restaurant my jacket dripping on the carpeted floor, smells of pizza and pasta being made and the low murmur of talking and the occasional burst of laughter. Suddenly, a waitress was in front of me.
"How many people?" She asked, I could tell she was blonde even if her hair was blinding me. I rolled my eyes and sighed. I put one finger up and she nodded and walked to the furthest corner of the restaurant, I sat in the booth she had offered me.
"Today's special is dell'Italia e della pasta dei peperoni. Can I get you a drink while you choose something to eat?" She looked at me attentively like I was the only person in the room.
"Sure, get me some water please and err some red wine the older the better." I whispered, she nodded and walked off. I looked at the holograph-menu scrolling down the list I clicked on some of the images only to find myself disgusted. She was back in seconds placing the drinks on the table. "I'll have the spaghetti Bolognese and some garlic bread on the side, thank you." She moved away quickly this time knowing I didn't give a shit. She looked somehow familiar like I knew her from the news or something but I couldn't be bothered to work it out. I tasted the wine it was about 5 years old, I looked at the bottle 'Made in 2095' I was right, sighing I took another sip remembering the good old days.
By the time I was finished I was the last customer remaining, the waitress was waiting for me to finish so she could go home, I thought about giving her a tip for patience then thought better of it. I wiped my lips with the napkin that was lying on my lap and finished the last of the wine. I smiled; the waitress came by clearing the table.
"Can I get you anything else?" she muttered obviously pissed that she had to serve me.
"No thank you, how much will that be?"
"Two hundred and fourteen credits." Sighing, she leaned against her left leg the machine waiting for my finger scan. I swiped it quickly getting up and leaving, she held me back though her brown eyes piercing my body.
"Did I forget something?" I muttered barely audible in this empty room.
"Don't you recognise me?" She grumbled. "I mean I remember you, you were one of my closest friends, ages ago."
"No sorry, look I have to go now." I was at the door and she put a card in my hand, I slid it into my back pocket whilst exiting the restaurant. Weird I thought and walked through the streets yet again. BANG! I turned to see the two men from before, they looked at me guns aimed for my chest. I dashed down the street avoiding people, shouldering people out of my way. The men followed at a steady pace, people moving out of the way due to the fact they had guns. I ran down an alleyway hugging the wall, I breathed in and waited. The two men followed blindly down the alleyway, I slid past them when they were scanning the dead end. Crouching, I moved backwards never taking my eyes of them. I tripped. Splash! They turned to see me, my butt in a puddle, they chuckled at the sight. They moved towards me slowly, guns aimed at me. Unexpectedly, I pushed up and shouldered them both, taking their guns as they fell. I grinned and ran down the alleyway and joined the crowds again. I ducked my head as they came by pushing people out of the way, trying to find me. I smiled once, they were ahead of me now, they had lost me.
I slouched into my armchair, leaned back and sighed. What an odd night I thought with armed men to crazy waitresses, Chicago what else did I expect. My eyes started to drop as sleep pulled me. I was almost gone when there was a knocking at the door. I got up silently and dragged myself to the door, I looked through the peep hole, it was the men from before and this time they had bigger guns.
"Come out and we won't break the door open!" One yelled banging hard against the door. "You have until the count of three." I grabbed my coat and took my revolvers placing them into their shoulder holsters, I picked up my gear and put it in my bag I cracked open the window to the fire-escape and started to climb it. "THREE!" I heard the door being shot open, but by then I was already three floors up. I could hear them trashing the place not like it wasn't a mess already. One of them looked through the window and saw me, but this is what I had hoped. I fired and the metal frame sparks blinding him. He screamed and then they were after me. Again. I ran up the stairs faster now, they couldn't shoot as their guns were to awkward to use in such a small area and the guns also slowed them down to. I reached the top of the flats. I looked to my left the next building bigger than this one. I looked to my right it was an office building, no chance I would rather take these idiots than robot officials and domes. The only way was forward. I looked down the way I had came they were about ten seconds away. Perfect! I stepped back and breathed. I started to sprint, gaining speed. I jumped. I felt the air whistling past my face. I was flying. It ended as fast it started. I crashed onto the gravel of the building.
"Ow that was a bad idea." I got up and dusted myself off, my left arm was dislocated, I pushed and twisted my arm, I screamed the pain was too much. I could see the men on the roof top looking at me in amazement on how I did that. But now I was cornered. "Oh shit." I muttered, there was a gun right between my eyes, but that wasn't what scared me, it was the person. They tilted the gun to the stairs I followed. I walked down in no rush, a car came to meet us at the bottom the two men from before in it. The insignia of the Mercedes glowed from the street lamp above us. The windows were tinted black but the colour of the car darker, it looked smooth. It looked fast.
"Get in." The person whacked me with the gun. I opened the door, the cream leather inviting but I knew I was in for one hell of a trip. The car jerked forward, the engine roaring in triumph and zoomed through the streets to a place I knew to well.