Axle counted the money handed to him. He turned around, counting the physical tender. A group of scavengers emerged from a shed and gathered around the borg, Jade could hear their efforts as they bent down. The scavs didn't follow any work safety procedures when lifting, It was because of this A scav threw their back out lifting Six into a van. Any more weight risked the van's front wheels lifting off the tarmac. It's chasis nearly kissing the road. Axle finished counting and scowled.
"Robbing bastards. A couple thousand, enough to get you out of those clothes though. Gets the psycho out of our hair. I'm thinking, you brought me the metal head. How about we split fifty-fifty, get yourself something that doesn't look like it's from a snuff film."
"And Six's cut?"
"The corp get's what's coming to 'em."
"Six is risking their life so I can pay rent."
"And now you can. You gamble with your life, you lose."
"Aren't nomads meant to be loyal?"
"To my clan."
"Hate to be in yours then." Jade saw the van's lights flicker, the scav's. Axle had to get in the truck as Jade nodded, wandering to the vehicle. "Tell you what. You can get two thirds if you drop me off somewhere"
"Deal, where too?" Axle was in the driver's seat, and Jade sat next to him, she looked around at the inside. There was a glint in the rear-view mirror. A weapon. Jade's arm slinked behind, her hands, wrapped around the gun. She snapped back, her hands wrapped around the under barrel, pointing it towards Axle's general direction. "We follow Six." Axle scowled and banged his head against the wheel.
"You serious?"
"Wouldn't be holding a gun if I wasn't."
"It's not loaded." Jade opened the chamber, revealing two shells in the chamber Axle reached for the gun, only to have Jade's nails scratch at his face, drawing blood, he pulled back against the door with a click, and Jade closed the barrel.
"You're not the first to try and grab me outta' nowhere."
"They're a corp." Axle said, seeing the van move off in their side mirror, Jade pressed the barrels into Axle's thigh.
"Start driving." Axle held up a hand, waiting for a van to head down the road.
"A rule for tailing, don't tailgate." Axle pressed the pedal down the hum of the engine low. The nomad spun the car around, breaking the speed limit, heading forwards, a few cars behind. On the straight Axle steered with his knees, meaning that his fingers were free to smart smoking, lighting a cigarette. He took a long drag, keeping an eye on the license place, glancing down to the double barrels. "You got the money. Why you helping this thing out?"
"I'm not leaving someone to die."
"Would they do the same to you?"
"I think so, Woke up with no memories and them over my head, I was still alive."
"Never had a hangover before?"
"One more word and I pull the trigger. I'm not in the mood tonight." Axle gestured zipping his mouth and throwing the key out the window, only the sound of beeping from angry cars in traffic, the mass of cars made it easier for the truck to blend in. Axle switched the radio to Morro rock listening to Samurai. The sounds of guitars and drums echo. The transport turned down a side street, the painted road made for four cars was replaced with a street that could barely fit two with no markings. Axle parked on the curb, a pedestrian, having to quickly swerve to not have their foot crushed, their swearing drowned out by the music. Axle threw the nicotine stick in the drain, among the broken hypostim needles.
"Can I have my gun back?"
"I need it." Jade's grip tightened, Axle scoffed.
"Firefights are going to need something with a bit more ammo, a pump action. You fire two shells, then they fill you with lead." Axle opened the door and got out. "A quick trip to the second amendment?"
"But, they could be carving Six up."
"They won't. scav's need to be careful not to damage the merch." Axle wandered down the pavement, rubbing his index and thumb together. "I'm taking the gun you buy out of your cut though." The Second Amendment had a glowing neon sign of a gun within a shield. It's windows, are barred with metal. cages protecting the firearms on display, from tasers to grenade launchers. The inside was, somehow darker than the street, The cashier was behind bulletproof glass, guarding the ammunition. Jade stepped back from the wall with the heavy weapons, turning to something more in her price range. Nine-millimetre M-10AF-Lexington. A quote was written just before the price tag. 'God's gift to the inalienable right of self-defence.' Jade reached out, feeling the weight of the weapon. The death dealer was no heavier than a water bottle. The shotgun was a threat, buying a gun, was not some threat, to loaf it. There was intent, she could buy the weapon, it was nothing. She placed it at the counter, looking at all the boxes of different numbers and different pictures. Ammo was bought to be used, to kill. Her voice stuttered, trying to recall the number.
"I. I will have fifteen bullets?" The cashier raised a brow, looking down to Jade's gun and placed the correct millimetre through the drawer after the money was handed underneath the window. A shaking hand took the ammo and left.
Jade wandered outside staring at the gun, not even loaded yet, Axle had to nudge her.
"At least put it in your pocket, don't show your iron. What's with the shaking?" Jade nodded and slipped it into her stocking, the chilled metal against her leg. She shuddered, getting a look and a whistle from a passerby in the street, her footsteps becoming heavy. "You didn't shake with the shotgun?" Axle cocked a brow.
"I wasn't actually going to shoot you." Jade rubbed the back of her neck, stroking her chip.
"I knew you liked me." Axle pulled Jade to the side, "But going in there's suicide, can you even shoot a gun?"
"I, did once, Kind of." Jade looked up at the apartments. A run-down redbrick building underneath a bridge. Jade pulled the magazine out of her new purchase and opened the box of bullets. Her hands shivered, placing a bullet in with a loud click.
"How do you kind of shoot a gun."
"That's private." Jade stiffened, a bullet slipped between her fingers onto the street.
"Listen. These people are used to fights." Axle picked up the bullet and offered it to Jade. "They've probably got chromed up too and can shoot better. It's suicide."
"If I lose Six, Our deal's null and void." Jade slipped the magazine into her weapon, her finger repulsed from the trigger. "Then I starve to death. At least getting shot is quick." Jade stood up, and began to cross the street, Axle gave chase, tapping her shoulder.
"How are you going to find the chrome dome, by the time you find the corp, it'll be too late. Look we work well together, you don't have to throw your life away." The window lights were on, though the blinds were shut. Six could be in any of them. A body flew through the window of the top floor, traveling with enough force to smack against the building across the street. A meat pinball the small pings replaced with screams, until he hit the floor with a bounce. Jade recoiled, turning away from the failed blood angel on the floor, Six had to be on the top floor. She ran, through the front door. No receptionist. Only a small corridor with a mailbox on one side, and elevators on the other. Jade mashed the screen, even after it showed an arrow going down. Axle stole his shotgun back, resting it on his shoulder.
"Safety's off?"
"Safety?" Jade reached inside her stocking. She had to be guided to flick off the safety, the weapon was activated, Lethal. Her hands shook her finger refusing to slip into the trigger guard. The elevator closed. Jade's breath was heavy, looking towards Axle.
"They're a corp you know."
"Yeah…but Golden eyeballs are gonna' rake in some more cash."
"Don't you have enough?"
"I gave half my cut to you, so no." The elevator opened, with a flickering yellow light. The elevator jerked. Only the broken notes of a tune from over twenty years ago from the old speakers. Axle tapped his foot checking his watch. "So…got any plans? If you don't die that is?"
"Sleep in a bed." Axle's laughter failed to drown out the sound of gunshots from above.
"I like that plan, make it till tomorrow." Axle stepped through the corridor, seeing the door with bullet holes in it, more forming at the corridor. The doors slammed shut. Axle reached to the door, placing their ear to it, The gunshots had stopped, yet there was no noise. Jade held her breath, running the wall, unable to recall her lost memories of combat. Axle moved in front of Jade.
"Relax, it'll only be about three people. I drop two with my shell's you get the other." Axle placed their shotgun against the handle and pulled the trigger, blasting a hole where the lock used to be. Axle kicked the door in and aimed their double barrel forward upon breaching the door. His feet made a splash, the gun trained on the silhouette, standing above two halves of a body. It turned around, in an instant, clutching Axle by the throat.
Author's note:
So a little short. Figured Six is a little conked out it gives me time perhaps to focus a little bit more on Jade and Axle.
So I got distracted and started my original story again. However, I still intend to keep myself up with Cyberpunk LTH as well, to put simply I love the genre.
I also find that editing for me is just painful, because I get distracted, i'm having to look at all the mistakes i make, and can't catch them all. Still I suppose that is the issue with self proof reading. This is fanfiction however and although I don't believe any fanfiction can range in quality I do want to make the story at least read like a proper book.
