" Crimson Red P.C.B. " Chapter 13 " Dangerous Apathy " (Cyberpunk Fiction)

Snapping her fingers In front of Raven's pupils and checking to see if they drastically dilate, Megana tugs her by her black grimy cotton hooded sweatshirt sleeve. Britney followed behind as they re entered the lonely dive bar to see Jarome still at the bar wallowing in a pool of drool and synthetic grain whiskey. Britney shoved his shoulder again testing his balance at the bar stool.

“Come on Jerome, We are done here, We have work to do. “ Britney exclaimed picking up his weapon and pack and finding herself a little over encumbered. “Are you getting up ?”

With a slump of groggy anger. Jerome dragged himself away from the bar slurring his words and stumbling unable to find stable footing. “ I'm going to a hotel. Just transfer my part of the score to my cred-stick ledger.”

“What? You need to be there. You are our heavy gun.” Britney protested a bit shocked that he began to walk past her and shrugged her off.

Jerome returned shouting “NO! I Don't Need to be there at all, Britney! I truly thought and wished at one point we could be together, and I was more than just the teams heavy gun. But after today I'm not sure that you care about anything anymore. “ Remember back in New York ? when we were content just selling phones we lifted off people. I would boost them, you would wipe them clean and swap the sim chips. At least then we didn't kill anyone.”

“Yeah I do Jerome, We had to do a dozen or so every damn day just to eat. And don't you remember living with our Fixer Adam, He was an abusive asshole to me. He would constantly tell me I should get off my computer and go make money for him by turning tricks. “ Britney responded.

“Well maybe you should have just fucked him to make him shut up” Jarome said abruptly still with wandering drunken eyes.

Britney just stared at him in shock stepping back a bit and not knowing what to say to his foul drunken comment. She sat down at his empty bar stool and faced the wall behind the bar stacked with alcohol bottles.

Jarome seemed to realize he had made a mistake in his mind and then said “ I'm sorry, Just give me a call when I sober up. please?” He held up his phone, but after a minute or so of awkward silence in the bar between them Jarome left the bar.

Magana seemed completely far more interested with coaching the strange teen drug addict she had pulled off the street. “Raven we will give you money for the B.T.L. Chips after you help us.. OK ?”

Raven smiled and seemed to be aware of her surroundings although still severely confused, nodding as she spoke and touched the leather of Megana's sleeve in response. “If I take Credits to the gate keeper I will be able to plug back in. “

“That's right, now have you ever used one of these? “ Megana taking out a pistol and putting it in the quivering hands of the adolescent.

Raven nodded a surprising yes but looked like she did not.

Megana clicked the safety on the Desert Eagle and told her to put it in the pocket of her hooded sweatshirt and hold it there for now. Then she turned back to the distraught Britney sitting at the bar in sobbing tears.

“We are still doing this right ?” Are you in or out ?” Magana asked Britney.

Shaking off her emotion for Jarome and staring forward for a long pause before she nodded and spoke “ Yes, Lets do this. But what are you doing with this kid ?”

“Well what I figured is that this Vampire coven targets mercenaries like us, right ?. Well we get are new friend here to hold and make the call while we back her up. She can be a real Runner like us.” Megana says as she pats the shoulders of her new patsy.

“Fuck NO! Please think Megana, this is a kid. This would be her first run and it's a trap with supernatural blood suckers.” Britney pleaded with Megana.

“Trust Me, I will keep her safe. You just keep me safe” Megana said as she winked and rubbed the new recruits shoulders.

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