Chapter4: Mind-numbing
The job was theoretically simple but Megufu knew that it could go wrong at any moment. He had been out of work for three months and hadn't expected ever to work again. The Boss was never a heart-feeling man or extremely ambitious talking person (although he was certainly ambitious) and he said little else except that he wanted this black rock whatever it was. He went through a few basic logistics about payment and things he expected to happen and then called the drivers back in (who might or might not have been listening at the door). They were to leave to prepare for the job.
They left the building passing innocent hotel members ignorant of the building's true use. Rikki drove again and they drove across the city past the entrance to the royal palace where Duke Albert lived and where all the current confusing politics that were going through the senate manifested. The palace looked small compared to the now towering skyscrapers that had been built up. Once upon a time it would have been the tallest building around. Now it seemed like a miniature model amongst titans.
The magi-wheel smelled continually of Pai smoke and it was getting on Megufu's nerves. The two drivers finding that Megufu was cooperating and wasn't one of their dodgy clients, started to talk to him more. They opened the window for him on request so that he could get some fresh air and not have to suffer the stench.
Revian suggested some music to which Megufu wasn't keen but thought it best not to interfere. He had never been very keen on music of any kind. Rikki inserted a red cube into the radio and a semi-tonal based Whack music started to play by a group called Splinter. The Whack style of music was based upon vast differences in tempo. The idea was after using wacky harmonic changes in a very slow speed to suddenly leap into a fast surprising key and vice versa. It was hard to pick up a beat and the general idea was to listen to it and be spaced out as was the current musical trend.
They arrived at an old where house that looked pretty much abandoned although it presumably wasn't. They got out and Megufu walked with the two men and came to the single red door entrance. The brickwork was a shabby brown with a dusty texture. Bits crumbled off the corners if you pushed against it too hard. The roof was black and sloping on either side with broken guttering.
Revian knocked on the door and waited. The area was brown and muddy with boring weather above. There was little to see on all fronts except more warehouses or disused piles of tires and junk. Distantly a road roared. They waited for what seemed like a few minutes until the door clicked and a bald headed man looked out; a little shorter than his macho missing hair would have originally suggested.
"You Megufu?" he asked with lips that tried continually to bite each other.
Megufu nodded.
"Pleased to meet you," replied the man shaking his hand, "I'm Gambo. I'm going to be giving you physical assistance and training that should get you up to date with anything you may have forgotten during your retirement"
"I doubt there's much," replied Megufu indifferently
"Even so, it's a very important job so I expect your full cooperation. You'll train all day on the courses to develop as fast as we can as much physical strength and awareness as possible. Phleg my partner will be training you in the finer details. He knows everything about the job you're doing so don't go asking me"
"What about us?" asked Rikki leaning against the wall
"You? You can do what you want. Your jobs simple; there's a shack over there that you can sleep in. Its got some amusements and a fridge with stuff to keep you happy. Don't drink it all at once because there won't be a restock"
"Lets check it out," said Revian tossing his head slightly.
"See ya later Megufu," said Rikki and the two of them headed away.
"Come in," said Gambo with a grin, "We need to get started right away"
They walked down a dull lamped corridor that was white washed with a dull brown carpet. There were many doors: some were open and filled with junk and empty plastic bags or polystyrene packaging from whatever had been unpacked – evidently something had been. They crossed into a small kitchen where a dark haired man was sitting with a mug of coffee. Light came in through the windows illuminating the cup and the various documents he had set out on the table. He stood up as they entered and nodded.
"This is Phleg," said Gambo
"Pleased to meet you," said Phleg shaking him by the hand. He had a less interesting normal pitched voice than Gambo. Gambo's was much lower but Phleg had the boring caffeine enchanted stupor of the stockbroker and the bank cashier. His eyes were baggy and he had long white fingers and a pale face that suggested a life of devious figures. While Phleg was wearing a tie and shirt and dark trousers Gambo had a red shirt and blue track suit bottoms. A whistle was round his neck giving him the stereotypical feel of the trainer. Gambo had something about him that Megufu felt he could get to know but in this man: Phleg Megufu knew that there was no way he would ever get along with him. All the life had been sucked out of him by his work with Virage. That was why Megufu had wanted to be out originally.
"The toilet's just across from this room," said Phleg, "Gambo knows where your room is and will no doubt show you. I won't be instructing you today but I will be tomorrow. Gambo wants to do some basics with you today. Apparently you were quite skilled when you were in Virage"
"I would hardly say 'were'" laughed Megufu, "It feels as if I have hardly left"
Phleg raised an eyebrow, "Indeed," he said coldly, "At any rate Gambo will bring out whatever talent you have. There's coffee in the cupboard. Gambo will be preparing your meals to make sure you don't eat the wrong kind of food"
"Indeed," parodied Megufu, "Well now that we've got these minor details out of the way I should like to get to work. Shall we get started then Gambo?"
"Be my pleasure mate," he retorted and they left the emotionless faced Phleg to deal with his papers that were spread out across the table.
