Two people were proceeding down both ends of the street. Still more were shuffling on the opposite side of the road. Still holding the page in his hand, he utilised the scanner in his now-bionic eye, trying to ascertain which of the retreating figures belonged to that woman in the bar. Thankfully, approximate height and weight matched that of only one, headed up east. Cable picked up the pace, eager to not lose her in the encroaching dim.
She turned a corner and continued, the sensible boots tapped against the pavement; dark, nondescript short coat blending almost into the shadows. The pockets were deep enough to hide weapons, though these would be small and unlikely to be firearms. Only her bright hair caught the light of the overhead streetlamps, dimmer in this part of town. The small piles of fallen leaves began to cover the sidewalk as they approached the edge of the construction projects. This was… a park. A forced gathering of greenery that was no longer found fifty years in the future. Governments had found them difficult to maintain as vegetation kept dying in the poisoned grounds of technocratic cities. One wondered how she felt safe enough to tread where skulkers and hooligans lurked as she set foot between the gates of the park, no hesitation whatsoever. But he had finally neared the woman, aware that his own quick steps were audible to her by now.
Finally, her own pace quickened when she realised that he was following her. Her previous lack of awareness made him realise that perhaps she was simply a normal person. Naive, yes, but just a simple civilian who had no business with such a powerful... Idea. Someone who had merely doodled this sign. Or perhaps… she was leading him into a trap. The glow from his eye grew as he allowed himself to watch the periphery of the path they were both on.
Yet nothing pounced at him from the darkness.
They were midway through the park before she rounded upon him under a solitary lamp, the brightest so far, hands still deep in her pockets and a calm expression on her face. This was a clearing with no trees, no benches, only the singular gravel path they stood on.
"Who's there?" She called out, and Cable realised that despite her demeanor, the tightness in her voice gave away the tension she had gathered in their foot chase. Typical defensiveness, just like a simple civilian would. "I knew cutting through the park was a bad idea," she muttered.
He stepped into the pool of light, raising both hands, the one without the paper empty and placating, palm open, tried to rearrange his facial features into a more neutral visage. He must have seemed like some kind of prowling predator.
Her face registered the surprise she undoubtedly felt, seeing the man who had followed her from the bar. She was clearly young, and looked nothing like…
"I just want to ask one question." He held out the piece of paper, running the organic fingers of his right hand along the pattern that had been scribed, almost fully embossed by a heavy press of her pen. The ink that had leaked through was almost dry now.
"I'm sorry, was that too forward?" The shifting of her feet seemed to indicate a different kind of emotion and caused the rest of his words to falter. She had her own hands out of the pockets, hugging herself self-consciously.
He could not help but let slip a word detailing his growing confusion. "What?"
"I'm… I was just trying to cheer you up, you seemed a bit… stressed back there. I wasn't… trying to pick you up. Much. Okay, maybe some. But I chickened out." Seeing that he said nothing, the woman continued, this time gesticulating as she spoke. "I mean, I do think you're very attractive, but uh I hope that you don't… take it the wrong way." She cocked her head as she processed his own silent contemplation. Something was clearly not adding up
"You didn't read it, did you?" A small chuckle escaped her now-upturned lips. "Oh gosh, this is awkward. Um..." she was starting to turn away from him.
He raised it to the light, now realising that a spidery script had been on the other side of the thick piece of paper. This was… cursive, as he recalled. It was rarely practised in his time, a time when digital displays depicted only the most directive forms of instructions. Frivolous, it was, to write in such.
You look troubled. Have a drink on me, handsome.
It was now his turn to feel uncomfortable.
"That… that wasn't my question." He muttered. "You..." Raising the slip again, he tried to speak sense amidst this contrasting information. This was when a heavy droplet splashed onto the paper, heralding the abrupt crash of rainfall, sheets that descended upon their very exposed position in that park. Sharp flashes of white light reverberated in crashes that were very, very near. Lightning could easily seek them out.
"So much for my shortcut — look, we need to get out of the storm." She grabbed his arm and started pulling him in the oposite direction of where they had come.
Cable shrugged off his own oilskin coat, he raised the fabric above the two of them and she acknowledged the gesture with a nod, ducking under what he had offered. It was scant cover but was a much-welcome shelter as they pushed through the pouring wetness.
"Where are we going?"
"Well, there's a café that's open 24/7 but has the vilest coffee… or…"
"Or?"
"Well I don't know if I should be telling you this, but my apartment is also close by."
"…"
"Look, I know how it sounds. But this is definitely not a proposition."
Somehow, he felt his own lips curve upwards against his will.