Gene's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding. The vivid nightmare had returned: the explosion of the Birmingham, his father's face as he sent him away in the escape pod. Shaking off the remnants of the dream, he checked his duffel bag. Sixteen thousand wong. This was his second heist, and while it wasn't a jackpot, it was enough to live on for a few more months.
After three days of living rough, Gene walked through the streets of Locus, the city feeling like an urban wild west. The warm glow of Chinese lanterns illuminated the narrow alleys, and intricate dragon statues adorned the corners of buildings. Street vendors hawked pork buns, filling the air with a mix of spices and grease.
This time, Gene had robbed Nebula's City Bank. The night sky was clear, but dawn was approaching. Wanting a few hours of shut-eye, he considered stopping at one of Locus' inns.
He could stay there tonight, but that would raise too many eyebrows. With the stolen cash still in hand, Gene headed deeper into the city. There was a bar just down from his inn; Clyde's Bar, it would do for now.
Gene sat down at the bar, ordering some food and a drink. The bartender, a middle-aged man with a weathered face, noticed Gene's glum expression as he stared into his whisky.
"On your own tonight, huh?" the bartender enquired.
"Yeah," Gene answered, his tone a bit cheeky. "I figured I could use the peace and quiet."
The bartender chuckled. "Well, if you ever decide to come back here for anything, you can always come in for a chat," he smiled. "Name's Clyde. I run the place. The waitress over there is Iris."
"Nice to meet you, Clyde. I'm Gene," he replied, offering a small nod.
Gene looked to where Clyde was pointing and saw a young woman in an apron standing behind a table of customers. She smiled politely when Gene looked her way. Gene smiled back, his eyes lingering a bit longer than they should have.
"That'll be ten wong," Clyde said, placing the bill on top of the bar.
Reaching into his duffel bag, Gene's hand trembled slightly as he pulled out the cash he'd stolen earlier. He paid for his drink, his eyes darting around nervously, hoping no one had noticed.
Gene saw that Iris was watching him closely. She caught Gene noticing her and turned away bashfully before heading towards a small office behind the room. Gene chuckled softly to himself as he left the bar.