"I've paid my back taxes! "
Serena held her breath as he floated over to her, he smelt like a hip hog himself who had rolled in the sewer and was left in the sun for dead.
Sasha growled at the man. "Oh what a precious wee thing, Sig I need a scarf made of this muse eh. " Krew chuckled and his rolls wobbled with them. "Touch my muse and you won't live lard boy!" Serena snapped and pointed her pistol at him. " Alright, alright Sig get our guest a drink. Eh, on the house," he waved his chubby ringed fingers at the bar. Serena walked to the bar and the tall dark man turned around.
He wore metal head hides as amour and had a mechanical eye his skin dark and also tanned from the wasteland sun. Sig was one of Serena's long time friends and had known him from a young age from the wastelands. "Hello cherries, now what would we like, of course this Wee cutie gets some milk. " h He indicated to Sasha who had made herself at home on the bench. He poured the muse a saucer of milk. "Your a big softie aren't you Sig? " Serena asked him mockingly. " Only a softy for Mar's creatures, now what drink were you after?"
"Vodka and orange please."
"Coming right up beautiful lady. "
He handed her the drink and she blushed.
He was a big flirt and he always knew what to say to get a blush out of her. He began to pet the muse and scratch her chin and Sasha purred. "Serena, " a raspy voice from behind her startled her.
She swiveled on the bar stool to see Torn, he still had his hair in those ridiculous dreads and still wore his red scarf and leather. "Hey Torn," she jumped up and hugged him briefly, he still smelt like she remembered and squeezed him tight. " God it's been so long, you look good Seri." He used her nickname. " Could say the same about you Torn, lets grab a booth and we can debrief. " She walked to the booth and Sasha hopped off the bar and climbed in next to her. Torn chuckled in his raspy voice. " I see you take that muse with you everywhere still."
Serena put her hands over Sasha's ears, " Don't say mean things about my cute fluff ball! I see you still smoke, I thought you quit? "
"Haha yea and the war has ended five minutes ago, tell me what you have doll I ain't got all night. " He demanded sharply. Wow the vibe has definitely changed since we were together she thought. " Well I am getting closer to Erol, he's given me his personal number and asked me to his race garage next week for the class one race. "
"Go on, " Torn waved his hand and took a drag on his cigarette as Sig dropped a tumbler of bourbon on the table in front of him. "Well we were in the war room this morning and the Baron has asked me to ensure I double the guard in the prisons, as to why I have no idea and he didn't care to explain, cause as usual he is in a foul mood."
"Good I'll pass this onto the shadow, stick close with Erol Seri, we need to know more about what him and the Baron are up to with this Dark eco warrior project. "
"Alright you stick in the mud I'll get it done but you will owe me. " Her anger starting to show as her patience grew thinner with his demands.
" He hasn't gotten too, too close though has he? I know what he can be like and he can be rough. " He looked at her slightly worried. "Look Torn, I can handle my own when needed, don't panic. " She was starting to remember how jealous Torn use to get.
"What has he done? "
"Nothing much," she said casually. " Seri I'm serious if he's hurt one hair on your head. " He said slamming his fist on the table. " Alright! Don't let the green monster out Torn, far out, we kissed, what, three times."
He didn't look too happy at this and took a swig of his drink. "Well as long as its no more than that. "
"Alright you happy now?" She spat at him. "Yes I am, now if you'll excuse me a beautiful woman just walked in."
"Ouch you jerk," Serena said coldly to him as he got up and greated Ashelin with a kiss. She watched and couldn't help feel a little sad. "Hey there sugar don't look so down. " Sig said as he picked up Torn's empty glass. She hadn't realised that it was so obviously displayed on her face. "Chin up, baby, your a beautiful woman and any man would be lucky to have you."
She placed her hand over his and squeezed it, "Thanks Sig, your a real sweetheart, but I best be off, I'm sure I'll see you shortly."
She got up from the bench seat gave him a peck on the cheek and walked out the bar with the golden muse on her heel. "Serena wait! " She heard Torn shout but she ignored it and didn't say a word as she held back the tears of frustration and hurt that threatened to fall and got on her zoomer, Sasha jumped up on her and draped herself over her shoulder and they took off, just as Torn exited the bar to see them take off.
The memories had come flooding back of her and Torn. It had only been a year since they split but they hadn't seen each other in over six months.
They had been together for three years before then and were close in and out of the guard together. They were in the same recruitment lot, had been on many missions together.
He had decided things were too hard after the battle that closed off part of the city leaving many innocents to die, he dropped out of the guard for the underground, after the fall of old town now known as dead town. Serena almost felt like a part of Torn was left outside those walls, the one who cared and laughed.
They couldn't be seen to be together for fear of him being found and exposing the underground, then six months later after things had settled and the people started to forget, he got together with Ashelin, which was a kick in the teeth. She never got angry at Ash over it but seeing him drop everything to greet Ashelin in such passion had hurt and the built up emotion and frustration spilt over.
She didn't want them to see her cry the angry tears, the wind felt good on her face as she made her way home, she put her zoomer away and went inside the ever faithful muse on her heel. Not knowing what to do she began to tidy around the house the odd sniffle getting the better of her. She picked up the clothes in the bathroom when something clattered onto the tiled floor. She picked up the bracelet that Onin had put in her hand, she inspected it, it had multiple metal precursor beads on a chain each,with the precursor symbol for each type of eco, one bead in particular stood out to her it had the old seal of the house of Acheron on it with a small light eco crystal embeded into it and it glowed when Serena touched it. Serena knew her family had been one of the great families hundreds of years ago. The rumor is that Gol and Maia Acheron had toiled in dark eco and became twisted and mentally deranged and tried to flood the world with the eco to rule it and shape it in their own image.
The ancient texts also said they were dark eco warriors and sages. She put the bracelet on and felt the crystals warmth and remembered she had Erol's number in her pocket she fished it out and put the clothes in the laundry. She took the peice of paper with her to the living room plonked herself on the comfy black leather couch with fluffy cushions to match. She got out her communicator and entered in Erol's details. She hesitated and then messaged him.
Serena: Hey Erol this is Serena.
She waited for a couple of minutes staring at the screen. No reply so she got up and made herself a coffee. She came back and sat on the couch tucked her legs under and picked up the book she had been trying to get through for a month.
Just then her communicator buzzed on the table startling Sasha curled up at the end of the couch. She picked up the communicator and pushed the message icon.
Errol: I was wondering when I'd hear from you...
Sernea: Well I couldn't seem desperate now could I?
Errol: Well I could give you something to be desperate about.
Serena almost dropped her communicator in her coffee after that last message.
Serena: Well I am desperate to see you race in the class one races next week, I want a personal tour of your race garage.
Errol: Don't worry my dear you shall see it all in due time.
Serena: Well I can't wait.
Errol: Good I'm looking forward to, I will be out of town for the weekend the Baron has us going after some precursor artifact. Meet me on Sunday afternoon at the barracks at four x
Serena: see you at four and be careful x
Serena's communicator rang in her hand she answered it.
"Serena here, " she said dryly. "Serena it's Ashelin are you okay? " She asked concerned. "I'm just peachy Ashelin," there was an awkward silence between them.
"I'm sorry but I forgot how much of a jerk your boyfriend could be. " She said a little bit grumpily.
" I know he can be a jerk but I'm sure he didn't mean it."
"Oh I'm sure he was, just to spite me." She sighed.
" Well forget him, I want to know how you and Erol are getting on, you two would make a great power couple you know. " She said matter of factly. "Ashelin you know you shouldn't be encouraging it further than me getting his trust enough to be let in on this Dark eco warrior project."
"Ah screw what Torn says he just doesn't like other people playing with what was once his. "
"Wow coming from you Ashelin."
" He doesn't own you Seri don't let him get to you, I'll have a word with him for you and you can bet that next time he sees you he will have an apology lined up for you."
She laughed at her friend, "thanks Ash that does make me feel a whole lot better."
"Well I look out for my bestie."
"Oh um Erol asked me to meet him at the barricks after he gets back from his mission over the weekend."
"Ooo you should so go!"
"Well I'm gonna"
"Okay girl, I just wanted to check up on you and make sure your okay, love you see you on monday"
"Love you too Ash, night."
"Night." The line went dead. Serena finished her coffee put down the book she had only managed to read three pages of and went to bed pondering what she was to say to Errol on Sunday.