4: An Exciting Opportunity
I didn't have much work after the Reed job, so I just bounced around the place for days, going from town to town living off of the earnings I made. Like most of the time I didn't have a real plan or anything like that, I just travelled along the roads. I remember one day, or evening rather, I was eating at this greasy spoon. Heh, now that I mention it, my diet on Papetoon was largely diner food. Not the healthiest you'd imagine, but with what I was doing, running and jumping and shooting, I always stayed fit. After all, those high-calorie meals would get burned in high-calorie dodging and fighting, so extra pounds usually weren't a problem for me if I had at least some work. Plus, there were weeks when I only ate once a day, or even didn't eat on certain days at all.
Anyway, back at the greasy spoon. It was called Low Rock Diner, named after the town it was in, which in turn was named after a giant boulder in the center of the place, which itself was lying in a crater. The thing was a meteorite that fell from the sky around 40,000 years ago and landed in this flat plain, the only terrain feature for dozens of klicks. I saw the thing myself, it was about as big as a car and the town's kids would always crawl up on it and play on the thing, making the park it was in a sort of playground for them. Low Rock Diner was right in front of the park, and had a good view of the place. Over some scrambled eggs, hash browns, two pieces of bacon and of sausage, and a side of two pancakes, I stared out the window, gazing at the lump of space rock just sitting there, as some kids were scaling it like mountaineers conquering an untouched summit. I could hear faint, excited screaming from within the diner as I sipped some coffee with cream and sugar.
I was sitting in a booth when I heard the door to the diner open, thanks to a small bell attached to it that rang whenever someone came or left. I faced the door so as not to be surprised by anyone coming in. Looking up after stabbing a sausage with a fork, I spotted a lynx waltz in, wearing an off-white wool shirt with the sleeves rolled up, cargo pants, boots, and a bandana. He also had a satchel and a shoulder holster containing a Universal. He carried himself like a merc or adventurer, but he also screamed Cornerian to me. He'd most likely been around, seen some things, maybe even killed some people. He went to sit at the counter on a stool, and ordered a coffee. After some time, he took a look at me.
"Hey you," he said. "You with the face. You look tough, dontcha?" There wasn't anyone else in the diner, so of course he was talking to me. He sounded Cornerian, definitely, although I couldn't figure out exactly where he came from. Definitely FN though, just like me.
"Depends on who's asking," I said. The guy seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite place him. Then, at last, he answered the question of familiarity or me.
"Minoru Lynx," he said. Of course. Physical description seemed right, so did the accent, or apparent lack thereof. Minoru Lynx was notable in the Circuit, the in-house term for the mercenary industry. He was an explorer, a treasure hunter who got lucky, actually found treasure – multiple times! – and got rich off of it. Well, not super rich. He did manage to pay off bounties and bills and whatnot. Now, he was a free man, and there were rumors that he would retire.
"I'm Wolf O'Donnell," I said. "I know you, Mr. Lynx."
"And I know you, Mr. O'Donnell," replied Minoru. He left his stool with his cup of coffee, and then sat down in front of me at the booth. "People in the Circuit on-world have been starting to talk about you. About how you wiped out the Bronstein Family. About how you killed Julius Ra-Ki. And about that pair of Marksmen of the Secret Department you put down. It's hard getting one Marksmen, let alone a pair."
"Yeah, that job was a sticky one, but I did it," I said.
"And that's why I'm giving you this," said Minoru. He gave me a tiny notebook, leather, brown. I took it and opened the thing, glancing over its contents. "It's a notebook containing all of my copied notes on the treasure of Rashid al-Mansur, the famed general from the Pioneer Wars. It's said that somewhere in Imperial Valley he hid a treasure worth tens of billions of credits, a treasure so amazing, that anyone who took possession of it could rule the entire planet."
"What an exciting opportunity," I said, half-sarcastically. I'll admit, I was incredulous at this little claim. I've heard of al-Mansur's treasure. I've also heard of dozens of people losing their lives, their minds, or sometimes both, going after the damn thing, whatever it is. I wasn't too confident in its existence. "And you don't wanna go after that?" I continued. Minoru shot a slick smile at me, leaning forward as he rubbed his hands.
"I don't want to push my luck, and I feel that after this one particular adventure I've reached my limit," he explained. He drew a long breath, looking down at his coffee in deep thought. Then he brought his eyes up to mine, and leaned back, gripping the handle of the mug and taking a sip of the coffee. He quickly put it down. "Mmm, I just burnt my tongue. Anyway, all you need is in the notes there. This treasure's been missing for over 150 years, it's about time someone found it, don't you think?"
"Absolutely," I answered. "A treasure like that, I could retire. Hell, I could live for centuries off of the money I'll get from al-Mansur's treasure. Too bad it ain't real."
"Oh, 'ain't real,'" he replied mockingly. "Of course it's real! Every treasure, myth, legend, all of it, it's all grounded in some sort of truth. Al-Mansur was a real guy, and he had a real secret he buried out there somewhere in Imperial Valley. Now, I'm in no mood to find it, but you… you could."
"So it's true. You are retiring."
"Ah, the rumor mill never fails to put out. Yeah, I'm leaving the game. I got a kid on the way, can't afford to get shot."
"I feel you." Actually I didn't feel him, since I didn't know, or really care to know, the experience of fatherhood. I just said it because it's something you say to someone in conversation. You know, "feeling someone." "I feel you." "I hear you." "I get it." Things like that. "You're what… only 30 or something?"
"34," answered Minoru. "But I'm not Minoru Lynx, adventurer and treasure hunter anymore. I'm Minoru Lynx, dad. I'm a dad."
"Not yet."
"But soon. I wanna be there for my little girl, for her first steps. I want her first word to be 'dad.' Now, the wife may have a few words about that, but I think she'll get around to it eventually." We both chuckled. I looked down at the notebook, the tome harkening to me. My hand drifted to it, my curiosity piquing. Tilting my head slightly, I opened it to page one. There before me was a doodle of Rashid al-Mansur, and his name written in Minoru's handwriting.
"Are you obsessed with this guy?"
"Used to. Then I realized that there's more important things out there than just a dead guy's treasure."
"Like family?"
"Yeah. Like family. Like the people you love. They're around, and the dead guys who buried the treasure aren't. I'm gonna stick around for my daughter. I have to."
"Do you want her to be like you? You."
"I dunno. I guess when the time comes she'll have to make that decision on her own. I mean, I'll be happy for her either way. If you had a kid, would you want them to be like you?"
"Oh, God no. Not in a million years."
"So, O'Donnell Jr. would be, like, a lawyer or something? A tax attorney? What about an architect? Oh, no, I got it. A doctor." I chuckled. One thing was right about the holovids concerning Minoru Lynx: he was a sarcastic yet charming fellow.
"I guess." I didn't say much concerning much personal matters to Minoru, so I put up walls. He sensed that quick, and changed the subject.
"Anyway," continued the lynx, "the treasure's certainly difficult to find. It's been evading hunters for well over a century. But kid, I think you got what it takes. You certainly got the spunk."
"That ain't the first time I heard that."
"Heh, yeah, and it probably won't be the last. You know, you're kinda like me when I was in my 20s. Oh man, I was reckless, energetic, but slightly cynical and full of realism. I mellowed out when I got older. Who knows, maybe you will too."
"Or I'll turn into a murdering bastard who cares little for anything other than money."
"Yeah, and you'll wear some god-awful eyepatch."
"If I turn into someone like that please just shoot me. Please." Oh, the irony.
"Anyway," continued Minoru, sipping more of his coffee, which by now was cool enough for him to properly to enjoy, "you should start reading up my notes. Outside of museums, that book has more info on al-Mansur and his treasure than anywhere else. It'll help a bunch."
"Thanks for all of this, but I still have my doubts."
"So what? You'll lose a few days' time chasing a treasure. But if it's real…"
"If it's real?"
"You won't have to work again." Minoru smiled confidently at me. I was still intensely skeptical of these claims. I've chased after fool's gold before as a small-time shootist, desperate for a quick way to earn big bucks.
"I've been promised that before, Lynx," I said. "Every time, I got disappointed."
"You won't be disappointed in this one, trust me."
"I trust no one." Minoru chuckled, amused by my distrust of the fanciful promises this treasure, and indeed Minoru, assured me.
"Come on, O'Donnell. Live a little." I laughed at that comment, dropping my knife and fork as the latter impaled a sausage and the former was cutting a slice off.
"'Live a little' he says!" I replied. "Buddy, I've been living it up blowing away bad guys for a living for 20 years! I'm having the time of my life."
"Blowing away bad guys? Does that entail massacring a whole family, little boy included?" My smile vanished quickly from my face, and my hands balled up into fists. I scowled at the lynx.
"You shut your mouth," I growled. Minoru simply stared at me.
"If you wanna do something more than what happened to the Reed boy, you'll go looking for that treasure."
"Oh, what, you looking out for my eternal soul or something?"
"No, I'm looking out for a kid who's on the edge of going down a slippery slope."
"Ugh." I went back to eating my food, rapidly losing interest in what Minoru had to say.
"Just make sure you're doing things for the right reason." I dropped my utensils onto the cheap ceramic plate, and sighed exasperatedly.
"Listen, you're not my father," I uttered abruptly. "So don't try and act like one. Just lay off." Minoru stopped speaking. He finished his coffee.
"Alright," he said in a low voice. "Alright then. I'll be off." He then stood up and went to the counter, paying for his coffee. "Keep the change," he said to the waitress. I watched as he walked out of the diner. Now at this time someone fucking blasted him. No joke, the second he stepped out of the diner, literally a car, I think some sort of SUV, drove by and fucking blew away that motherfucker, like outta some sort of mob movie or something. Just… blam blam blam! I dove to the floor, whipping out my blaster. I poked my head up, and heard the screeching of tires as the SUV drove off. I ran out of the diner and my head turned left and right, and left again, and saw nobody coming towards me. Across the street in the park children were being grabbed and hurried away by concerned parents. I looked down onto the sidewalk, and saw Minoru, squirming on the pavement, groaning in pain.
"Oh shit, Minoru!" I yelled. He was filled with blaster holes. It wasn't hot enough to cauterize the wounds, so he started to bleed out. I didn't know what to do: what little medical supplies I came across previously I had used up on myself. Alls I could do was put pressure on some of the wounds. "Someone call an ambulance!" I yelled out to no one in particular. Minoru was a fighter though, and he wasn't ready to give up the ghost. "Come on Minoru!" I begged. "Don't give up, don't! Think about your little girl! Don't give up! For her!"
"Gah, whaddya think I'm doing, O'Donnell?!" cried out Minoru between ragged breaths.
I honestly thought he was gonna die on that sidewalk. And in the ambulance. And on the operating table. But, thankfully, he didn't. He held on for dear life.
Several hours had passed since the shooting. An ambulance managed to pick up Minoru and zip him over to the town's clinic, where he took up their best bed. The medicine in the place wasn't first class, no Med-Pods in sight of course, but the doctor in the clinic was good and she patched him up well enough to keep him alive. I was sitting in a chair in the room, my blaster at the ready, keeping watch over the wounded Minoru. I passed the time looking through Minoru's notes. They were quite informative. I dunno why I stuck around: maybe I had enough respect for the guy. The doc stepped inside the room, wearing a white coat over a buttoned up tan shirt and matching slacks. A porcupine, she was shorter than me, but older, I'd guess in her 50s.
"Lucky the ambulance was fast enough," said the doctor, a Dr. Joyce. "A few minutes more, he would've bled to death."
"Lucky, indeed," said Minoru weakly.
"Come on, Mr. Lynx," said Dr. Joyce. "You shouldn't expend your energy on talking too much." Meanwhile, I stood up from my chair, keeping my blaster out of view from behind my back.
"Hey, Doc," I started. Dr. Joyce turned to face me. "How's Minoru gonna be?"
"Well, several blaster wounds in his both his shoulders, gut, torso," started the Doc. "Luckily for Mr. Lynx, some higher power's watching out for him: all the shots narrowly missed his vital organs: if they didn't he'd be dead before he hit the pavement."
"That is lucky," I commented. "Lucky for his wife and kid too." Now, at this time Minoru was just starting to regain consciousness after being under for a few hours, hopped up on meds. He groaned to life, slowly rustling in his bed.
"Mr. Lynx," said the concerned doctor. "You're in the Low Rock Clinic. You suffered serious injuries, but you're fine now. Your wife is coming over to see you. If it wasn't for Mr. O'Donnell here, you probably would've died."
"Well, at least I know who to thank," said Minoru. "Thanks, Doc. Thanks, O'Donnell." I nodded at Minoru, standing at the foot of his bead.
"Mr. Lynx, I insist on you getting more rest, not talking or moving much," said Dr. Joyce. "Just let your body heal on its own, don't interrupt the process." Minoru grumbled.
"Yeah, sure Doc," he said.
"Now, I'll check in on other patients, but I'll be back, okay?" Minoru smiled and nodded. Dr. Joyce left the room. Minoru then looked to me.
"So, who do you think did this to you?" I asked.
"Ah, it could be anyone," he answered. "I mean, I've – I've made so many enemies over the years that I kinda lose track of 'em, you know?"
"Did you see 'em?"
Minoru shook his head. "No," he said. "But I did see what they were driving. A white pickup, made off-world. I couldn't get the license plates either. God… I nearly got myself killed over buried treasure. Again."
"The treasure with the radiance of a thousand suns," I said, quoting a phrase Minoru had scrawled all over one whole page in the book. Minoru smiled a bit, nodding.
"Yeah…" he said softly. "But not bright enough to keep me running after it. This is the fourth attempt on my life over this treasure, and I haven't even gone close to Imperial Valley yet."
"So, you're hoping to pass off this treasure curse onto me?"
"Call it a curse, call it bad luck, call it someone really wanting to get there first, what matters is that somebody should find it. And that someone should be you."
"What an exciting opportunity," I said sarcastically, flipping through the pages. All right, I'll admit, this treasure was really starting to entice me. If someone was willing to kill one of the greatest treasure hunters of all time to get to it, it must be really valuable, or at the very least, really real. "Imperial Valley, right?"
"Indeed," answered Minoru. "Just an hour's drive southwest of here. O'Donnell, if I was going to send you to your death I'd shoot you in the head myself. Besides… you look like you need a pick-me-up."
"A what? No way."
"Yes way. I know that look in your eye. The look nearly every two-bit merc on this dustbowl gets even after a few years of living here. You wanna leave. You wanna get out. You wanna buy a ship and fly outta here and never look back." I let out a brief chuckle, smirking. Yeah, he was right.
"Yeah," I affirmed. "Yeah, you got that right. I… I just wanna get off-world. The 'verse is a big place, and I wanna see more of it."
"Maybe that treasure is your ticket off-world."
"Maybe." My mind started to wander. "Maybe…" I said, trailing off into the distance. Suddenly hurried footsteps snapped me back to reality. It was a woman, a lynx, with a bloated belly.
"Oh my God," she exclaimed. "Minoru! Are you all right?"
"Eve," Minoru said. "I'm fine, honey… I'm fine…"
I withdrew from the room, and then the clinic. Slipping out rather unnoticeably, I went on my bike and turned it on, riding southwest. To fame and fortune… or a grave. Aw shit, yeah that was corny, but it was true! 100% fact! I was gonna get rich off of this job! At least, I hoped.