For the last time (not really), I do not own Big O or any of its characters. I am making no $$$ off this whatsoever. It is futile to sue me. So there.
"If you look carefully, there should be a cargo hatch in your Megadeuce's back. We can carry the essentials with us." Angel was helping the household pack what little they could take with them on the journey. Roger had selected a fraction of his suits from the wardrobe, and some of the better bottles of wine. Norman rounded up the variety of weapons he kept around the house, for emergencies, and also lowered the Gryphon and his motorbike into Big O's carrying space.
"Dorothy, you can't be kidding me!! There's no way it will survive the trip!" The android had the piano laid across her back and was walking towards the repair bay purposefully.
"If you can take your car with you, I can bring the piano." Roger threw up his hands, but smiled at Dorothy's argument.
Angel walked by, carrying several boxes, and stopped to talk to him. "One more thing: Rosewater might use anyone you know as leverage to stop you. We have enough room for several other people, so I would suggest you find anybody you have connections with and convince them to come with us."
Dorothy and Roger entered the bar to the last notes of a beautiful piano concerto, then applause. Instro bowed to the crowd, then beamed when he spotted his student approaching. "Dorothy, how good it is to see you again! And Roger, you look none the worse for wear!"
Roger allowed himself a smile, despite the circumstances. "Instro, we have something we need to talk to you about..."
"No, I think we'll stay here. I doubt very much that Mr. Rosewater would bother with me and Laura." Oliver handed the pair some tea. "But if you could introduce us to these friends of yours, maybe we could help them get people out of town."
"I'll be sure to give them your name and number. But if things start to get bad, don't hesitate to ask for a way out yourself."
Oliver's blind companion smiled. "Don't worry, Mr. Smith. We'll be quite alright."
Roger took a deep breath. The horribly bad music stopped, and a voice came from the other end of the telephone. "Major Dan Dastun, here. How can I help you?"
"Dastun, it's me. Roger." Roger knew how his old friend would react, but there was no harm in trying.
"Smith! I can't believe you've got the guts to even call me! What do you want?"
Roger explained that he was leaving the city soon, and offered to take Dastun with him--
"I trusted you once, Smith. You broke that trust. What makes you think I'll give you a second chance?" The line went dead.
"Nice try, Negotiator, but I'm staying right here." Big Ear put down his drink. "If your friends intend to work against Paradigm, I'm more valuable where I am. You'll need an inside source of information."
"But--" Roger began, but the other man cut him off.
"No buts, Negotiator. I know this town well enough to hide, if the need arises. But the more time you spend here, the longer you give Rosewater to set a trap. I'd hurry, if I were you."
Roger placed a stack of bills down, hundreds instead of twenties this time. "Thanks for the last warning. Take care of yourself."
The man with the orange glasses lifted his glass to the Negotiator. "Good luck on your trip, Roger. See you around." With that, he downed his drink and departed, leaving Roger slightly taken aback. The man had never called him by any name other than Negotiator before...
"Alright, Angel. We're just about ready to go." Roger was in the cockpit of Big O, with Dorothy alongside. Norman was down in the cargo compartment with Instro, making sure the last few items were secured.
"Hang on, Roger, we have a problem." She showed him the scene outside: the Military Police had formed a blockade around the building, hoping to stop Big O from leaving. Roger grimaced.
"I knew I shouldn't have talked to Dastun! No matter, we can always go underground." Then there was a muffled explosion, and the cockpit shook. "Norman, what the hell happened??"
"It appears the Military Police have collapsed the tunnels leading out of the building, Master Roger. We will not have the option of subterranean escape."
Roger grimaced. "This week just gets better and better. Alright, everyone! Hang on! We're going out the hard way!!"
"If you look carefully, there should be a cargo hatch in your Megadeuce's back. We can carry the essentials with us." Angel was helping the household pack what little they could take with them on the journey. Roger had selected a fraction of his suits from the wardrobe, and some of the better bottles of wine. Norman rounded up the variety of weapons he kept around the house, for emergencies, and also lowered the Gryphon and his motorbike into Big O's carrying space.
"Dorothy, you can't be kidding me!! There's no way it will survive the trip!" The android had the piano laid across her back and was walking towards the repair bay purposefully.
"If you can take your car with you, I can bring the piano." Roger threw up his hands, but smiled at Dorothy's argument.
Angel walked by, carrying several boxes, and stopped to talk to him. "One more thing: Rosewater might use anyone you know as leverage to stop you. We have enough room for several other people, so I would suggest you find anybody you have connections with and convince them to come with us."
Dorothy and Roger entered the bar to the last notes of a beautiful piano concerto, then applause. Instro bowed to the crowd, then beamed when he spotted his student approaching. "Dorothy, how good it is to see you again! And Roger, you look none the worse for wear!"
Roger allowed himself a smile, despite the circumstances. "Instro, we have something we need to talk to you about..."
"No, I think we'll stay here. I doubt very much that Mr. Rosewater would bother with me and Laura." Oliver handed the pair some tea. "But if you could introduce us to these friends of yours, maybe we could help them get people out of town."
"I'll be sure to give them your name and number. But if things start to get bad, don't hesitate to ask for a way out yourself."
Oliver's blind companion smiled. "Don't worry, Mr. Smith. We'll be quite alright."
Roger took a deep breath. The horribly bad music stopped, and a voice came from the other end of the telephone. "Major Dan Dastun, here. How can I help you?"
"Dastun, it's me. Roger." Roger knew how his old friend would react, but there was no harm in trying.
"Smith! I can't believe you've got the guts to even call me! What do you want?"
Roger explained that he was leaving the city soon, and offered to take Dastun with him--
"I trusted you once, Smith. You broke that trust. What makes you think I'll give you a second chance?" The line went dead.
"Nice try, Negotiator, but I'm staying right here." Big Ear put down his drink. "If your friends intend to work against Paradigm, I'm more valuable where I am. You'll need an inside source of information."
"But--" Roger began, but the other man cut him off.
"No buts, Negotiator. I know this town well enough to hide, if the need arises. But the more time you spend here, the longer you give Rosewater to set a trap. I'd hurry, if I were you."
Roger placed a stack of bills down, hundreds instead of twenties this time. "Thanks for the last warning. Take care of yourself."
The man with the orange glasses lifted his glass to the Negotiator. "Good luck on your trip, Roger. See you around." With that, he downed his drink and departed, leaving Roger slightly taken aback. The man had never called him by any name other than Negotiator before...
"Alright, Angel. We're just about ready to go." Roger was in the cockpit of Big O, with Dorothy alongside. Norman was down in the cargo compartment with Instro, making sure the last few items were secured.
"Hang on, Roger, we have a problem." She showed him the scene outside: the Military Police had formed a blockade around the building, hoping to stop Big O from leaving. Roger grimaced.
"I knew I shouldn't have talked to Dastun! No matter, we can always go underground." Then there was a muffled explosion, and the cockpit shook. "Norman, what the hell happened??"
"It appears the Military Police have collapsed the tunnels leading out of the building, Master Roger. We will not have the option of subterranean escape."
Roger grimaced. "This week just gets better and better. Alright, everyone! Hang on! We're going out the hard way!!"