Possession. A word that means ownership. Sometimes it's a nasty word. Seldom nice. It reminds you of jealousy. People will do stupid things because of possession. Or at least their thought of what they own. War, murder and sometimes religion all has something to do with it. To own or to be owned? The powerful own. The weak are owned. And sometimes you can be right in the middle and be both. Owned and owner. Weak and strong. That's the fine line hardest to walk. The one that makes you tremble at the thought. Stepping just a little off the middle line takes you all the way into the other extreme. I've seen the strongest on their knees and the weakest standing over them. Why? A simple emotion that all people carry around with them. Gripping it to their hearts in the middle of the darkest nights or the coldest winters. The set of emotions that convince you that there is someone out there. The need to be wanted. The need in some small way in the darkest corner of your mind to be loved.
Didn't believe in love. Something for parents to tell their children at bedtime; to make them believe that there is a power in this fucked up world of ours; that makes since out of all he crazy things people do. I knew better. People on the whole are just fucked up. Don't blame love for it. That's like saying the friggin' tooth fairy gives you cavities. Please. But it would be nice to have the luxury to be able to believe in something like that.
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Wylie pulled the floor length black duster around her and buttoned the silver snaps at her waist. She turned quietly in the mirror looking carefully at her reflection. Knee high Black boots. Leather pants. Black tank, Black duster.
"Miss Monochromatic. That's me." She peered again looking to see if there were any tell tale bulges poking out from under the duster. The harness she wore chafed horribly over the shoulder but the duster made it too warm to wear long sleeve underneath it. She moved looking to see if the silver of the blade she carried with her shone out when she moved or shrugged. Satisfied Wylie stepped out of the room and onto the streets of Vestuvia to meet with Gymp her information contact she had met years ago. Gymp was a little rat of a man. Whenever she would have problems hacking into Rosemond's comps or procuring ways for Rosemond's prospective toys to get off of Vesta 5 she had always relied on Gymp. He could be a good man. For a price. A little too touchy feely for her taste but, he always had the goods. Besides it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Wylie smirked to herself. Gymp had seen what she was capable of. Wylie knew she scared the livin' shit out of him
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The streets on Vestuvia were like that of any other sprawling metropolis. That is if the city in question leaned towards brothels, casinos and bars. Wylie pulled in a deep breath smelling the dust and heat baked street. It remained hot on Vestuvia long after the sun went down. Looking down the street she was suddenly struck by how little the place had changed since she left. Still the same bars with their garish neon signs, the same clubs and venues the same brothels, whores hanging from every available balcony and window plying their trades and wares for the viewing public. Wylie pulled her damp hair from the nape of her neck letting the stifling breeze cool the perspiration some what.
Turning a corner she saw her target. A large two story bar with a black front. Several grav bikes were parked next to the entrance with a handful of seedy miners and bikers hanging out in front. She walked smoothly to the porch keeping her head tucked into the high collar of the duster trying to look as non- descript as possible. Her boots made the boards of the building squeal as she stepped on to them. Everyone's head turned towards the noise.
So much for being invisible.
She moved between the crowd trying not to make eye contact but observing several people out of the corner of her eyes.
Seems shine jobs have become all the rage.
The observation put her at ease. If several people had jobs then she would be less likely to stick out.
She pushed open the heavy leaded doors at the front and looked about in the din. Music, smoke and laughter were the first things that assaulted her senses. She pushed past a large crowd gambling over a game of dice and walked over to the bar. Scanning it quietly she noted a little man hunched over a bottle of cheap whiskey and headed in that direction.
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"Gymp didn't I tell ya' about that shit" She asked disapprovingly.
The smaller man's head shot up, blinking a pair of watery eyes at her. Wylie reached over the bar grabbing the bottle of rotgut and sniffed it making a face.
"This is really low. Even for you." Wylie pushed the offensive liquor down the bar and grabbed her credit chip from her pocket. She pulled up a bar stool next to him and waved a bartender over.
"Wacha' havin' Gymp? And god help me if you ask for something cheap, I'll slap the shit out of ya'. "
Gymp looked over to her and shrugged.
"Thought I at least left ya with a nose for good stuff." Gymp made a move to speak and she waved a hand at him. Turning her attention to the bartender in front of her.
"A bottle of Whiskey. Top shelf. No home brew." She placed the chip down on the counter with an audible click. "Pack of ciggs. "
The bartender nodded and walked away. Wylie turned her attention back to the little man at the bar.
"So Gymp, she leaned over. How's tricks?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Not bad. You've grown since the last time I saw you." Gymp ran his tongue over his lips and stared down at her cleavage.
Wylie ran her hand under the smaller man's chin and pulled his head up." I'm up here Gymp." She pointed to her eyes.
"Sorry." He said sheepishly.
The bartender came back with a bottle of Ara whiskey and a pack of cigs with two shot glasses. Wylie uncorked the bottle and breathed deeply a smile spreading across her wide lips. She reached for the shot glasses and poured liberal amounts in each. She pushed one in front of Gymp and grabbed two cigs. lighting both ciggs she handed one to Gymp.
"I don't smoke." He said.
"You do when you're with me Gymp. You know the rules."
He threw back the shot and pulled on the cigg. Gymp began hacking immediately.
Wylie clapped him on the back.
"You're gonna' be the death of me." He said looking tired.
"Not the first man to say it Gymp. Definitely not the last. You got the codes?"
"Yup." Gymp said in a strangled voice. "Fresh from the fuckers' database. Should be good for a week or so. He rolls them over every Thursday." Gymp rummaged around in his pocket producing a small slip of paper with several sets of numbers on it. He placed it on the bar and pushed it towards Wylie. Gymp nodded as she picked it up and stared at the paper. He began to pour himself another shot.
He swallowed grimacing and poured her one. "Now we discuss payment. Whatcha' got?"
"Several credit chips and…"Gymp began to sake his head. "No? What do you mean no?"
"Took me a lot of sweat and muscle to get the codes Wylie. A couple of credit chips ain't gonna' do it."
"What did you have in mind?" She knew it was an open ended question but she had to ask.
"You know how long it's been since…" Wylie pulled down her glasses and gave him a dirty look. Unhindered Gymp moved a small shaking hand up her leg.
"Fucking Christ Gymp." Wylie growled. "How many times do I?…" she stopped in mid sentence at the look on Gymp's face.
"Shit. I didn't offend your religion did I Gymp?" "Christ." " You change convictions like you change underwear." She stopped thinking over her words. "All right maybe not the best analogy but still." She took another shot.
Gymps face was still horrified.
"Don't get all sanctimonious on me Gymp. Look I'm sorry."
Gymp pointed and began to mumble.
"Wha?" Wylie said a turned on her stool coming face to face with a very angry Riddick.
"Don't like it when people touch what's mine."
He leaned towards Gymp.
"Hello Wylie." He said with out sparing her a second glance. "Thought you had bigger fish to fry?" "This," he said pointing at Gymp. "Is not bigger."
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Wylie pulled Riddick to the other side of the bar looking at him.
"What are you doing here Riddick?"
Riddick hadn't taken his eyes off Gymp. "Taking a friends advice and going out to get a drink ." He ground out slowly. "Imagine my surprise to see you here with that little shit touching you."
"Jealous?" She asked
Riddick grunted. "Tell me why you left."
"None of your business Riddick."
"I could make it my business. Tell.Me." He said coldly looking at her.
"I came to get the codes for Vesta 5."
Shock spread over his handsome features for a moment then his face became impassive again.
"Goin' back hunh?"
"Yeah but on my own terms."
"Got balls kid." He said smirking.
"Figured I'd take out Rosemond. Its one less person I have to keep looking over my shoulder for."
"So who's the guppy?"
"Gymp. He's a hacker and info man I met on the inside. Petty shit really. Not the killin' type." She said out of the corner of her mouth as she lit a cigg.
Riddick looked down. Leaning over slowly he whispered into her ear. "Have a good time last night?" He moved back to look into her eyes watching her face color.
She blew out the smoke slowly. "It was adequate." She laughed and winked at Riddick.
He growled. "So do I kill him now or later?"
"Kill who?" Wylie asked.
"The guppy." he pointed his chin to Gymp.
"Why?" She asked.
"Told you I don't like people touchin' what's mine." He ran his finger around the collar of the duster.
"Yours hunh? When did that happen?" She took another drag off the cigg.
"When I saw you fightin' the merks in the ally on Helion Prime."
"Was that before or after you tried to shiv me in the bed at the hotel?"
"Before." He said lowly.
She laughed and looked at Riddick. "You sure have a funny way of takin' care of what's yours. " She flicked the cigg to the ground and ground it out under the heel of her boot. Wylie walked over to the bar and scooped up the bottle off of it to the dismay of Gymp. She walked past Riddick with the bottle in her hand and leaned over to his ear.
"If you would like to know your "possession", she said angrily "will be outside drinking." She stalked away and out of the heavy doors; slamming them behind her,
Sorry so short. More on the way. Thanks everyone for the reviews.