Fan Fiction ❯ The Secret of the Always ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2

Nemesis rarely ever purchased a newspaper. He only did so whenever his handiwork was on the front page or one of his associates was in the obituaries. Crime Boss Krag's death was a featured item, as was the mystery of the missing bet card. Nemesis fingered the card in his pocket as he sat down at the bar to read. The inn he frequented in his trips to Giklon was well kept and slightly ritzy, but Nemesis enjoyed its atmosphere. He ordered a cup of hot tea and began flipping back through, checking for anything else interesting. Which he found.

A nearly front-page story caught his eye. The headline read "Archaeologists Uncover Rare Artifact". The story spoke about a strange artifact found in the arctic North, found in the skeletal ribcage of a long dead Mastodon. It was speculated to be one of two things: an ancient piece of art, or something of extra-terrestrial origins. The most intriguing part of the article stated that the artifact was encased in what the scientists called Absolute Zero Frost, ice so dense that not even diamond-tipped saws could cut it. The picture featured showed an ultrasonic image of the skeleton with a nondescript smudge in the center of it. Nemesis tore out the article and placed it in his pocket nest to the betting chip. I'd better deposit that before it gets stolen, he thought. He finished the rest of his tea, paid the tender and left, heading to the underworld bank.

The First Bank of the Underworld was established as a semi-legitimate bank for mercenaries and gamblers to stash their money. Tellers never asked questions there and no one spoke about their deposits. It was one of the few places where lowlifes were welcome. Nemesis stepped up to the window where his friend Zam was working today. They quickly exchanged greetings and Nemesis handed him the card. Zam was a fairly short man with black, beady eyes. He kept his gray hair long and wore a coat everywhere he went. He had come from a small country near the equator and hated Giklon's cool climate. His full name was Zamaracha, but most people just called him Zam. Zam slipped the card through the reader without looking at it, a necessity for employees here to be able to do. Many more daring folks would kill him just for seeing the amount on it. He typed a few keys and looked back up at Nemesis. "Do you want to withdraw any money now, Nem?" he asked.

"Sure, I'll take… five hundred today, Zam." Nemesis was in high spirits. He hadn't had enough money to give his equipment a complete overhaul in several months and his gun was getting rusty. Zam handed him the 500-point credit chip and Nemesis tossed him a ten. "Buy your kids dinner tonight. See ya later."

Nemesis was back out in the streets in no time, off on his way to Guy's Weaponry. Actually it was a small grocery, but the owner kept a private business in the back where most hit men and mercenaries in the area bought their tools. The three-block hike took Nemesis by the Ornaman Bulding. There was a large office on the eighteenth floor that Krag had used to keep tabs on his contacts. Nemesis laughed to himself. I wonder if I was still on that list. Probably not, seeing as how Krag tried to dismiss me the way he had… Then, a voice rose from the alley to his right, between the Ornaman and the building next to it. Out stepped a large man, probably one of Krag's thugs from the bar. He was shouting for Nemesis to stop. He jogged over almost leisurely and stopped in front of him.

"Excuse me, sir," he said, almost politely, "but weren't you at the Albata Sports Bar and Lounge last evening?"

Nemesis was edgy. "Yes, I was. I was awaiting payment for services rendered to the late Boss Krag. Unfortunately, he was killed and I never got paid." Nemesis decided to throw a little convincer into his speech. "That crook better hope I don't get to him before the authorities." To his dismay, the thug looked not at all convinced.

"I was told to find you because you are the current prime suspect to his murder. Would you mind if I inspect your armaments, sir?" Nemesis knew he was good as gold, now. He had never owned a blaster in his life. He preferred to stick with ballistic weapons and his trusty crossbow.

He handed the thug his gun, butt-first of course. The large man looked it over and grinned. "A fine make," he said. "DR-33X personal handgun, complete with laser sight and silencer." He unclipped and emptied the magazine into his right hand. He lifted one in front of his eyes and inspected it. "Extra-impact lead/titanium bullets, eh? Expensive stuff."

"I'm an expensive Mercenary, pal," Nemesis said, sounding confident.

The thug then pulled a photograph from his pocket and showed it to Nemesis. "Have you ever seen or worked for this man?"

Nemesis looked closely. It was a picture of a large man, somewhat fat with a head like a St. Bernard. He also had a scar across his entire face. "No, I can't say I've ever seen him before. Was he one of Krag's enemies?"

With that the thug silently went back inside the tower and Nemesis was free to go.