Part seven
May the Hunt Begin
There was no more time for painful self pity now. The nagging thought of a possible suicide still hidden deeply in her hazed mind, Max headed for her meet with Sung. She expected to find him alone at the location they had agreed upon at South Market, but seeing what looked like civilian thugs around him made her keep her distance. Could Sung be a traitor ? After all someone had to have traced Logan down. She was about to disappear from the area when the flower vendor at the corner ran after her. She knew him, had often chatted with him when shopping. But this time he just handed her a bouquet of red roses and said conspiratively:
„Best wishes from the nice gentleman".
She looked at him puzzled but couldn't afford to stay around and be spotted by Sung's thugs.
Three blocks away Max finally stopped and started searching the bouquet for a message. There was just a normal customer card attached to it and a scribbled line: „Hot run 411 SN"
It didn't take Max long to figure the meaning out. She cursed silently. Matt Sung wasn't the only one. In fact, most people at Jam Pony knew Logan as a friend or at least acquaintance of hers. She couldn't go there, not even at home for that matter. Time to regroup.
Her first call went to Alec. She had an errand for him. Afterwards he should meet her with Cindy at Joshua's. Bling was next. She summoned him to the next gas station. At least there they could talk while pretending to stand in line. Not like she actually needed gas after losing her baby. Shit. At the moment it had seemed a good idea. On second thought...
Blings tall figure appeared in the crowded little street, his brow all a frown. Looking at him from the distance reminded her of better times, in fact, that was the only reason Max let herself be hugged, only to slip away in a quick motion seconds later.
Going over to the washroom area they both felt the need to keep their discussion all business.
„Max, you need to leave town. I scored two sector passes and an ID for you".
„Not you too, Bling !" she exclaimed, slightly pissed off. And yet, she was intrigued.
„How did you get those ?"
„Trade secret." He smiled, but only barely.
„I'm serious, Max. I talked to his cousin Bennett."
As her eybrow lifted slightly, he added:
„They had him pegged as next of kin and let me tell you, he is in deep trouble."
He hated to bring this up but it seemed the only way to convince her.
Max cringed at the thought. Bennett was probably the only other Cale she could be civil to and he didn't look like he could bear much hassle from the police.
„Trouble?"
„They got him out of bed to identify him. Afterwards he got arrested. I had to listen to Margo for a full hour before I could find out more. They are going to release him eventually."
Max seemed not to understand. She was just glad Bling refrained from talking about Logan. Right now the thought of it made her stomach churn. But she had sighed in relief too soon. Bling caught her gaze and faintly said, as if he knew her innermost thoughts:
„Definitely murder."
He hesitated but sensed her unspoken question and continued:
„I haven't seen him."
Max gripped his arm hard.
„Bling, I need to see him."
He had been afraid of this. He tried to let her down gently.
„Max, Margo spilled her guts about you and they have a warrant out".
She didn't seem to care much as she shot him an angry look.
„I need to know, Bling."
„You can't go. You know, the informant network was not the only thing I was supposed to take care of in the event this came about. He made me promise to keep an eye on you if anything happened to him. You might think you don't need it, and it might have been a while back, but I promised." She looked like she wanted to give a biting reply but averted her eyes at the last moment.
He went on:
„I tried to get to Sung. I don't know why, but he is under surveillance. Somehow they know too much for my taste."
This time their eyes locked.
„Bling..."
He had hoped to spare her this, but he didn't seem to have any choice.
„Anyway, Bennett said there was barely anything to identify."
The hard slap he promptly received was actually welcome He would have kicked himself if he could have for saying such a thing to her. But at least it showed she still had the spunk in her. Damn, that had hurt, even though she was inches shorter than him. Seeing that she was about to run off, he called out:
„Max, OK. But I'll go. It's too dangerous for you, they have your picture and if anything happens,
Sung can't help right now."
She stared at him defiantly, but seeing his concerned look she finally gave in.
„Want me to look for anything in particular ?"
Max was all business again and both of them couldn't help being relieved.
„The exo. Any weapons he had on him or what they found in the apartment.What happened to his equipment." She was about to go on but refrained. „Anything that could help."
And as if in an afterthought she added faintly:
„And Bling." She paused for a second.
„I need you to be absolutely sure it's him."
Her last words had shaken him so deeply he let her go without uttering another sound.
May the Hunt Begin
There was no more time for painful self pity now. The nagging thought of a possible suicide still hidden deeply in her hazed mind, Max headed for her meet with Sung. She expected to find him alone at the location they had agreed upon at South Market, but seeing what looked like civilian thugs around him made her keep her distance. Could Sung be a traitor ? After all someone had to have traced Logan down. She was about to disappear from the area when the flower vendor at the corner ran after her. She knew him, had often chatted with him when shopping. But this time he just handed her a bouquet of red roses and said conspiratively:
„Best wishes from the nice gentleman".
She looked at him puzzled but couldn't afford to stay around and be spotted by Sung's thugs.
Three blocks away Max finally stopped and started searching the bouquet for a message. There was just a normal customer card attached to it and a scribbled line: „Hot run 411 SN"
It didn't take Max long to figure the meaning out. She cursed silently. Matt Sung wasn't the only one. In fact, most people at Jam Pony knew Logan as a friend or at least acquaintance of hers. She couldn't go there, not even at home for that matter. Time to regroup.
Her first call went to Alec. She had an errand for him. Afterwards he should meet her with Cindy at Joshua's. Bling was next. She summoned him to the next gas station. At least there they could talk while pretending to stand in line. Not like she actually needed gas after losing her baby. Shit. At the moment it had seemed a good idea. On second thought...
Blings tall figure appeared in the crowded little street, his brow all a frown. Looking at him from the distance reminded her of better times, in fact, that was the only reason Max let herself be hugged, only to slip away in a quick motion seconds later.
Going over to the washroom area they both felt the need to keep their discussion all business.
„Max, you need to leave town. I scored two sector passes and an ID for you".
„Not you too, Bling !" she exclaimed, slightly pissed off. And yet, she was intrigued.
„How did you get those ?"
„Trade secret." He smiled, but only barely.
„I'm serious, Max. I talked to his cousin Bennett."
As her eybrow lifted slightly, he added:
„They had him pegged as next of kin and let me tell you, he is in deep trouble."
He hated to bring this up but it seemed the only way to convince her.
Max cringed at the thought. Bennett was probably the only other Cale she could be civil to and he didn't look like he could bear much hassle from the police.
„Trouble?"
„They got him out of bed to identify him. Afterwards he got arrested. I had to listen to Margo for a full hour before I could find out more. They are going to release him eventually."
Max seemed not to understand. She was just glad Bling refrained from talking about Logan. Right now the thought of it made her stomach churn. But she had sighed in relief too soon. Bling caught her gaze and faintly said, as if he knew her innermost thoughts:
„Definitely murder."
He hesitated but sensed her unspoken question and continued:
„I haven't seen him."
Max gripped his arm hard.
„Bling, I need to see him."
He had been afraid of this. He tried to let her down gently.
„Max, Margo spilled her guts about you and they have a warrant out".
She didn't seem to care much as she shot him an angry look.
„I need to know, Bling."
„You can't go. You know, the informant network was not the only thing I was supposed to take care of in the event this came about. He made me promise to keep an eye on you if anything happened to him. You might think you don't need it, and it might have been a while back, but I promised." She looked like she wanted to give a biting reply but averted her eyes at the last moment.
He went on:
„I tried to get to Sung. I don't know why, but he is under surveillance. Somehow they know too much for my taste."
This time their eyes locked.
„Bling..."
He had hoped to spare her this, but he didn't seem to have any choice.
„Anyway, Bennett said there was barely anything to identify."
The hard slap he promptly received was actually welcome He would have kicked himself if he could have for saying such a thing to her. But at least it showed she still had the spunk in her. Damn, that had hurt, even though she was inches shorter than him. Seeing that she was about to run off, he called out:
„Max, OK. But I'll go. It's too dangerous for you, they have your picture and if anything happens,
Sung can't help right now."
She stared at him defiantly, but seeing his concerned look she finally gave in.
„Want me to look for anything in particular ?"
Max was all business again and both of them couldn't help being relieved.
„The exo. Any weapons he had on him or what they found in the apartment.What happened to his equipment." She was about to go on but refrained. „Anything that could help."
And as if in an afterthought she added faintly:
„And Bling." She paused for a second.
„I need you to be absolutely sure it's him."
Her last words had shaken him so deeply he let her go without uttering another sound.
