"Crimson Red P.C.B." Chapter 14 "Pendent of The Golden Heart" (Cyberpunk Fiction)

Still, into the day light pressed through a prism of glass and reflecting into iron and steel, and as it tried to reach further down, past the rust and broken mortar between brick layers. Crowds of people walking through crowded metropolitan streets, some with cybernetic enhancements and augmentations. Part human part machine for those who possessed the brain cognition to control a robotic prosthesis. In the slum of graffiti and salted roads, Megana led Britney and Raven down back alleys on foot rather than take motor bikes they had left dive bar's parking lot. Most likely being looked for by Lone Star Police units and therefor too much of a liability to use again. They did however have more armaments than they could carry from working with The Cleaner and Jarome recently abandoning them, and struggled with the duffle bags through the streets. Three Assault riffles, a few Dessert Eagle pistols, and a little of the C-4 left, they truly needed a place to stash all these hot weapons. Britney dragged the heavy load behind her though she could not truly stop thinking about her decision to help Megana and what Jarome had said to her. She didn't think of herself as the leader at all, but more as the technical hand of the group. She thought all of them had their own unique quality to bring to the group. Jarome had a well versed knowledge of the mechanics of weaponry, She had watched him make nail bombs out of gun powder he had produced using compressed charcoal briquettes and liquid chemical stump remover.
She had a long history with him and now with his absence she felt unsafe and uneasy. Megana had some of the most unique powers she had ever seen, a shape shifting power to turn into a blood thirsty ravaging wolf. Britney stomped through a puddle as they turned a corner and looked toward Megana that was ducking into a small shop.

A crowded row home that had been turned into a store front. A place that had no advertising signals on the outside for sale, but looking around and clearly seeing things labeled with stickers with prices. Bookshelves of dusty old books, candles, small straw dolls stuck with pins and sewing needles. Crocodile heads dried out and hung on the wall and the strong smell of incense hit the senses. And behind a small glass display case in the back of the apartment was a dark skinned Rastafarian woman humming a sweet tune to herself as she watched a small T.V.

“You gals needin something today ? whaa kin me get cha ?” She speaks as she adjusts an old pair of glasses along her nose. Strange to see a person with glasses and not ocular implants but some people could not afford surgery like that. Her eyes closing for a moment and then her eyes seemed to focus on Megana. “ So you have da gift ? The wolf follows you, I can sense it in da wind. “

“Do you have anything that can repel and destroy great darkness?” Megana said, quickly getting to the point of her interaction with this woman.

“Yes, The darkness that overwhelmed this city? You must know of it as well. Most who have spoken to them do not return from the meeting.. . and yet, I see you still going. With these two others ?” The shop keep seemed to speak the future into existence in short incomplete sentences. “This is not the kind of evil you should face alone I am sure of. I could recommend you read several books but I'm not sure you would. Runners like you always looking for da quick fix.”

“Well, I was hoping for some sort of weapon ? Something anyone could use today.” Magena explained, her eyes darting from the shop owner to Raven and then back to the shop owner.

“Ah, So you are looking for something your companions could use for protection ?” The shop keep said. “ I think I might have something. “

Tying her braids back and getting up out of her seat, the shop keep took a key that hung from a lanyard around her neck and opened the glass display case and then pull out a gilded pendant. A golden locket in the shape of a small heart. And flames erupting from the top of the heart pendent attached to a thin sparkling chain. Then looking past Megana to a book shelf and raised her hand. With a slight rumble of the shelf a single book flew from the shelf as if possessed be poltergeist and connected with the shop keeps clasping hand. Raven and Britney looked on in amazement seeing a clear example of magic in broad day light.

“I suggest you study this book when you have a chance. The strongest power comes from your essence, not a trinket. Remember that. “ Said the shop keep calculating the total she wanted for the items. “ Pass your ledger over the scanner please. “

Britney moved her cybernetic chrome wrist to the register she motioned to and heard a small beeping sound and the woman turned her screen to ask for a signature. Signing the screen with a stylist and seeing the number on her arms small display reduce in number value. It felt so strange to not use cash for once in a black market deal for her, like it was something new.

The Shop Keep smiled and seemed to know their purchases were over, with another wave of her hand the shops' door creaked and swung open as if the place was haunted once again.

“Good luck to ya, girls” the strange mystic said with a sign off.

Catch up on previous chapters:

1. Chapter I
2. Chapter II
3. Chapter III
4. Chapter IV
5. Chapter V
6. Chapter VI
7. Chapter VII
8. Chapter VIII
9. Chapter IX
10. Chapter X
11. Chapter XI
12. Chapter XII
13. Chapter XIII