Chapter 6: Old Friends

The Hooded woman continued to follow Gene, jumping from roof to roof like an animal stalking its prey, shifting her weight with each precise jump to make her landing silent and stealthy that would make any Ninja master proud.

Gene reached the Mag-lift, and entered the car.

"Level 2, Section 8" Gene said aloud.

The computer beeped in response and in a blue streak he was propelled through the tubes to his chosen destination at incredible speed.

After the upward expansion Mag-lifts were implemented and became the best means of travel between levels and also around your current level since you could travel vertically and horizontally, sort of like and upgraded subway system of 20th century Earth.

The Hooded figure, followed in the next car, repeating the same command Gene had given having been close enough to hear the words. Imminently upon reaching the destination the car doors opened and she exited into the crowd.

Level 2 was far more crowed than level Zero, most people worked shopped and lived on Levels 1 and 2 except for the super rich of course who were all on level 3, known as the paradise in the sky. The view was said to be spectacular. Unfortunately you had to have special clearance to reach that level.

Level Zero was the foundation level where the old city used to be before the great collapse, some remnants of the old city still exist no one really case about them anymore, only criminals and low life's live down in level Zero.

The hooded woman could easily make out Gene's Red hair amongst the crowd and followed the top of his head into a less crowed sector and to the shop front of a bar. She smiled even though it could not be seen she should have known he was going to a bar.

The bright lights of many colours illuminated the signed above the door in spectacular neon. Gene entered the bar. It was old and smelled of alcohol – the good stuff; Gene loved these old bars they didn't build 'em like this anymore. This place must have been built just after the great collapse when the Beer was still real and not that new Synthhol shit. Beer flavoured water it is really, all the taste with none of the effect for the same price. The powers that be obviously missed the point people drink IS to get drunk.

Gene sat at the bar, where several patrons had passed out and were mumbling something in there sleep, oh yeah! This place had the good stuff all right.

"Whisky, straight, leave the bottle", Gene ordered.

The Bartender a man of around 60 with thinning grey hair obliged and returned to him a moment later with a half glass of straight whisky and an unbranded bottle of the same liquid.

Gene handed over an amount of Wong to cover it and threw back the half glass and downed it in one.

"Ah, The good stuff", Gene exclaimed lifting the bottle to pour another.

Gene was amidst pouring another drink when the cloaked figure entered the bar and sat down on the stool next to him. The bar tender approached her and before he could ask her what drink she would like, the cloaked woman simply slipped a peace of paper over the bar.

The barman read the paper nodded and replied with a "Coming right up"

The barman turned and poured small amounts of alcohol from various bottles into a container and sealed it before shaking it vigorously and pouring it out into a glass.

The bad man handed the mysterious stranger the drink and she paid.

"You want some company cowboy"; the woman said to Gene as more of a statement than a question not turning to face him.

"Not tonight", Gene replied thinking she was trying to pick him up.

"No man should drink alone", she replied.

Gene humphed and threw back his drink in one go pouring himself another the orange substance filling the glass again ignoring his would be drinking buddy.

"So Gene, how long have you been finding yourself at the bottom of a bottle?" she asked almost coldly.

Gene looked up his attention now fully on the woman next to him she knew his name, how did she know his name?

"A long time", Gene replied turning his attention back to his alcoholic substance.

People behind him and around the bar laughed and joked with each other as the pub hit 'happy hour', the waitress paraded around in her skimpy outfit serving customers.

"What happened to you Gene? You used to have so much spirit" the cloaked figure said watching the man take another drink, his forth in the ten minutes they had been sat there.

"Gene Starwind died", he said simply.

Gene seemed to close his eyes the alcohol taking effect, some people drank to forget or drown out the past, Gene drank to remember because only when he was drunk could he face those memories without breaking down to tears

-

Gene could see the image of Melfina running through a Forrest, the Job had been simple, go to the abandoned bunker, get the data, get out - for 70,000 Wong it seemed simple. However it was far from simple tuned out the bunker wasn't abandoned in fact it was crawling with troops.

She was right behind him one second next, she tripped, tumbling to the ground, hurting her ankle, Gene stopped to turn back, bullets rang out from nearby soldiers filling the air with crackles and the smell of gunpowder.

A lucky shot struck Gene's arm, forcing him to the ground.

"GENE!" Melfina yelled.

"Melfina!" Gene shouted back.

"Gene! Go NOW! " She yelled as gene climbed to his feet.

"Go! If you stay we'll both die, come back for me!" Melfina yelled.

"I Will, I promise" Gene yelled, turning and running against his better judgement.

Gene had been lucky to get out alive that day, if Melfina had come injured he had no doubt they both would have died. He returned two days later to the area armed to the teeth, what he should have done the first time only to find the facility was shut down, mothballed and no sign of Melfina.

He had failed her.

He failed to keep his promise

It was his fault

-

"That's a shame, I had some information for Gene Starwind, but if he's dead…" the woman trailed off standing to leave.

"Wait…tell me, maybe I'll pass it on to him at his grave", Gene said.

"Perhaps somewhere a little more Private is in order, it involves Melfina", said the mysterious woman.

Gene looked up; obviously all attention now focused on the individual who had spoken the name of his missing love. Gene stood from his stool and they both headed to the back room.

"So what you got?" Gene spoke first resting his hand on his holstered pistol.

"Just a name", said the cloaked woman pulling down her hood to reveal her blue hair much to Gene's amazement; "Key Project"

"Suzuka!" Gene exclaimed instantly recognising the woman as twilight Suzuka a woman he hadn't seen for 10 years, she was older and her blue hair had a few streaks of grey coming but it was definitely her that was without doubt.

Authors Notes:

A Nice slow set up chapter really, yes I know but I need to do this to work the next chapter and thicken the plot without making this chapter too long. quick edit is still managing to annoy me by removing my paragraph seperators.