Chapter 6:

Alone (4)

Podzemgrad


Katie sat in front of the counter inside Luna Paradise–a small cocktail lounge in Tulva Residence, not far from Zhasmin. Her hand held a coupe of martini. It was her third–chilled with five parts of gin, a part of vermouth, and a lemon peel. Vodka was far cheaper and more common in every bar in Podzemgrad, but gin was always her choice.

It was warm. Katie was unsure whether it was the heater or the martinis he had drunk. Usually, the place would always be packed with people. This time, there were not many inside. Only a few couples in the booths, some hostesses talking to each other near a table not far, and the working bartenders.

The soothing jazz music from the wall speakers brought peace to her mind. It was an old genre, but she always loved it. It was part of the reason why she was a regular visitor, other than the magnificent liquors. Unlike many bars, there was no mainstream electronic music there. No loud thumping sound of beats, synths, basses, and drums. Not that she did not like it, but she preferred tranquillity at that time.

She sipped the martini once as she drowned herself in the melody of piano and saxophone. Her eyes closed. The taste was bright and refreshing–just as she needed to clear her mind.

“What’s the matter, Catherine? A client went hard on you again?”

“Shut up, David.”

Katie opened her eyes. She looked towards the tall and burly man just in front of her across the counter. He stood slightly to her side. The man had a confident, masculine face.

“Sorry,” he said. “Didn’t know it was that bad.”

She sighed. “Really bad. Really fucking bad.”

She took another martini sip. Her mind wandered to the man he had met around an hour ago. The image of him leaving Katie with his back on her sight stuck inside her. Stupid, she lamented. Why?

“Prepare another glass, David.”

No more than three, I said.”

“Fuck you, I’m the queen here. Give me another glass.”

David chuckled and smiled, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Your Highness, but no.”

“You bastard.” She took another sip.

“Remember what happened last-”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it already!”

Katie closed her eyes and sipped the martini once more. Again, that man appeared in her mind.

Ryou Takagi.

The more she tried to forget, the more he appeared in her mind.

“There. You’re sighing again,” David said.

“Please stop, David.”

“I’m all ears for the troubles, you know?”

“Your voice is one.”

David shrugged and smiled wryly. “Well, I’ll better keep quiet then.”

He then walked away from Katie. Coincidentally, new customers were coming in–a pair of young women. They then sat a few chairs away beside her. He took their orders, ordering other people to do it, before striking up a conversation. Katie looked at them a few seconds later.

Not long, those women glanced at Katie, putting on nervous smiles as their eyes met. She kept her face flat–not trying to look too angry nor too friendly. No smile or anything. David soon followed with a glance. She then moved her sights away. She could hear giggles from those women, but she did not care. It was not the time for that.

She took yet another sip of martini, and her coupe was almost empty. She could pester David for another one, but he already said no. She put her arms on the counter and then closed her eyes as she sank her face onto them. Everything was black. She could feel her heartbeat growing faster.

Then, she suddenly found herself in the middle of Regra District. Three years ago.

It was the jewel of the outer district–tall buildings, bright lights, vibrant people. It was the safest place of all outer districts, a symbol of defiant hope amid the wretched world of Podzemgrad as they had challenged the authorities of the technocrats for ten years.

Then, the district was invaded by the Bezopasnosti, and Katie was in the middle of it, almost losing her life.

Everything was in ruins, with bodies lying everywhere. Gunshots rang through the air, accompanied by neverending screams.

She was in the middle of the road, stranded, speechless to the horrors in front of her. Her teary eyes fixed on the floating billboard above her, a few metres away, waiting to crush upon her body.

But, it never fell.

You alright?” A man’s voice came from behind.

She looked around. It was a masked man in a black trench coat. The same man she saw back in the tunnel. At that time, she was scared but for an instant. It was gone soon. The man offered one of his hands to get her out of there. The other faced upward as if he was holding something.

Quick!

She looked at that hand and the billboard repeatedly, confused as she tried to stand up and reached his gloved hand. He pulled her out to his side. Then, the floating billboard slowly fell onto the ground with the movement of his other hand.

Who are you?” she asked.

The masked man grabbed her shoulder and said, “It’s me, David.”

Katie soon found herself back in Luna Paradise with hazy eyes and a fuzzy mind. Same place, same stool. David stood across the counter. His hand was on her shoulder, softly shaking it from time to time.

“Sorry to wake you up, Katie.”

She looked at him for a moment before focusing on her surroundings. The people were gone. The music had stopped, and some lights were turned off.

The place was already closed for the day.

“I’m… sorry. I think I’ll be… going as well.”

“It’s fine. It’s okay,” David said. “Why not just sleep here? You’re too wasted right now.”

She did not answer. She felt the world spinning around in her head. Not long after, it was another blackout.

She returned to that Regra District once more, standing behind the man-in-black.

In front of them, there was a man-in-suit with silver hair. The man who destroyed the district into ruins. He was young, the same age as her. At that time, he had not yet become the CEO of Krasinski Corp.

His eyes stared at her. A wide smile then appeared.

“What a surprise, Katsirina.”

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