A Carpeted Room and a Girl of Pink

Boston and crew took them deep downtown, where the lights were still flashing, and EDM pounded through the streets. In this district, at this hour, no one was going to help them, especially not a bounty hunter, a bartender, and an assassin, that much Rei knew as they were shoved through the crowd.

They arrived in a back alley, and Boston knocked on a door covered with neon graffiti. A woman stuck her head out, snapping a piece of gum in her mouth. “Password?”

“Virtue,” Boston replied, and the woman nodded and let them in. They were herded down the hall and crammed into an old metal elevator, which began its descent with a groan and a clunk, the cables holding the cage creaking. Rei could smell the drugs in the air as they continued down, the music growing gradually louder and louder, until it finally overpowered her thoughts, and there was nothing left but ringing in her ears, and a drowning of her spirit in alcohol and overstimulation.

“Do you usually go to shady places like this?” Calix asked her as they were brought out of the elevator into what looked like a club. There were various people fighting in different cages, androids, cyborgs, humans, and whatnot, with crowds surrounding them, cheering and calling out bets.

“Only if I have to,” Rei replied. She had been here once or twice before, looking for targets. An illegal fight club buried deep beneath the city, where fighters or lowlife tried to make a profit off of violence and betting. “You fight at all?”

“Sometimes,” Calix replied. “I’ve done plenty of odd jobs before.”

The three of them were taken into a backroom, all carpeted and lingering with the scent of perfume, perhaps to cover up the smell of blood or some sort of other undesirable stains. One of the guards, a girl dressed in black and red, a veil covering her face, armed with what looked like an electric barbed pole, called for the club’s owner.

“Vice! Boston’s here with the cargo.”

“Cargo?” Calix raised an eyebrow, but one of the Sunset Eyes elbowed him hard.

A woman came out, her long wavy hair dyed pink, flowing around her shoulders, her sequined dress reflecting the lights on the ceiling. “Cargo, eh? Perfect timing, Boston. Our best fighter just got knocked out cold. The crowd could use some…new entertainment.” She traced her fingers down the edge of Boston’s mask. “What do you say?”

“I’d only fight for you if I was the last lowlife in the city,” Boston replied, unmoving. “Here, take these louts off my hands. I’m sure you can put them to good use.”

Vice turned to them, first examining Aries, pulling down his hood, then leaning close and sniffing his neck. “Sniper, eh? Where’s your gun?”

Aries shot the Sunset Eyes a glare. “You could ask them to give it back, and I’d show you a good fight.”

Vice smirked. “Nah, that’s no good. We like close combat battles here. I hope you’re up to it. You seem strong.”

Aries scoffed, but didn’t say anything else, and Vice continued on to Calix.

“Well, you certainly seem lankier.” She ran a hand down his arm. “You like blades?”

“Who uses blades these days?” Calix scoffed. “Pistols all the way.”

“Pity.” Vice yawned. “You’d look good with blades. Oh, look what we have here. These yours?”

One of the Sunset Eyes had walked over and handed Vice a set of throwing knives, evidently taken from Calix. Calix bit his lip and said, “Sure hope you aren’t putting us in the ring. Wouldn’t be healthy.”

“What, for you or the others?” Vice turned to Rei. “What have we here? Another girl? What are you doing, hanging around with these strange men?”

“I usually don’t,” Rei replied. “They slow me down, really. Did you refurbish your club, by the way? The flooring seems different.”

She gave Vice a hard, cold stare, but Vice stared right back, an unreadable fire in her eyes. “Sweet of you to notice,” she said. “Yes, we did remodel a little. You know how it gets around here. Oh, were you the one who took out Number Five last year? The wrestler?”

“Probably,” Rei replied. “I seem to have ended up here more than I would have liked. Especially this time.”

“Well, I sure hope you’re prepared to take Number Five’s place!” Vice flicked the ends of Rei’s hair and turned away with a laugh. “Guards, why don’t you take them away and get them ready? Put them in cells 7, 4, and 1, how’s that?”

“Wait.” Rei pulled against the guards, dragging her feet against the carpeted floor. “Vice. You notice anything strange tonight?”

“Well, you guys are here,” Vice replied, curling a pink lock around her finger. “That’s something.”

“No, I mean with the lights.” Rei strained harder, trying to stay within Vice’s line of sight. “If they go out - ”

“Enough about the lights!” Boston had pulled out a pistol, and pointed it straight at Rei’s forehead. “Take her away!”

“Now, now, Boston. No unauthorized weapons back here.” Vice patted his shoulder, and he reluctantly pocketed it. “Will you stay to watch these three?”

“No, I’ve got stuff to do.” Boston straightened his mask. “Men, let’s depart! No betting, no drinks.”

“Shame.” A grin twitched at the corner of Vice’s mouth, then she turned her gaze back to Rei, Calix, and Aries. “Well, looking forward to seeing you three fight later! What was that about the lights?”

“We need to fix the lights before the night’s over!” Rei was almost out the door. “Please, there’s no time! They could go out again any moment, permanently, and - ”

“Aw, is this another one of your jobs?” Vice blinked her eyes in a wide, innocent sort of way, rather like a rabbit. “How cute. But consider this, my dear girl: win, and you’ll get paid more than any job ever could. You prove yourself to be a capable fighter, and, well, you’ve got yourself a solid job here. What do you think?”

“The freaking lights, Vice!” But at this point Vice was already out of sight, and Rei could no longer smell her perfume.