"To Kill A Runner" Chapter Ten "Nanook " (Cyberpunk Fiction)

The Great Long House was the gambling casino establishment that was in the heart of the reservation land. A large compound with bright lights that reflected out of a large fountain in the front. Bronze titans of past warrior heroes watched over the white van as it pulled into a crowded parking lot and found a space.

Jarome examined the note he received and it looked like the emblem of a bear paw made with a brown dried blood stain. Some secret message this note is a piece of garbage he thought to himself as he once again loaded his last 45 caliber loaded magazine into the glock and stuck it in the waist of his new camouflage pants. Britney jumped out of the drivers seat and opened the sliding door letting Jerome hop out to the paved surface. Then pulling her V R goggles back over her eyes and powered on her drone transmitter. The clunky modified machine buzzing as it moved out, heavily battle damaged and low on ammo, even a liquid leaking from a bullet hole in its lead acid battery. It may be a bad idea to go into a meeting so ill equipped but they had little choice in the matter. They wanted to negotiate for a new vehicle and possibly assistance with the Triad hit man that still wanted to kill them.

Entering the building through the whizzing of automatic doors even more lights and sounds of slot machines buzzing and ringing. Jarome looked at the ceiling scanning for small black shiny domes of closed circuit cameras trained on them, then holding the unfolded note right in the view of one of them.

It did not take long for two large men in dark blue suits to confront them and escorting them to an elevator to take them to a higher floor. The guards searched and confiscated Jerome's weapon saying again it was only temporary.
The clear glass elevator shooting up to a pent house and the door sliding open into a large office.

A large heaver set native man sat behind a large oak desk and looked at Jarome and Britney with a scowl. A few other man with ear pieces stood in the wings like secret service agents ready to pounce in front of a bullet in a moments notice.

“So these are the new employ applicants ? “ He said with depressed sigh “Do you have any augmentations ?”

Jarome shook his head "No" with little understanding of his question.

“Well i have little faith in your results but if you two are able to preform this task I will pay you handsomely with what ever you want. No negotiations necessary. Understand ?”

“What are we doing ? You have not really explained anything.” Britney said crossing her arms frustrated. “ We have money, we just need to buy one of your cars and we can leave the reservation. “

“Well I won't take money at this time until my daughter comes home safely. I don't want to discuss business with anyone!”

Realizing this man was missing someone he loved she changed her mind and attitude lifting up her VR goggles and giving the man her full attention. “We will find her . “

“Alright, now what I tell you is not to leave this room. My daughter had reached the age in which she is given her rite of passage, A spirit journey. Now most will come back from this simply knowing communing with their totem. Some times the tested will lose themselves to their totem and take the form of their spirit animal. They will remain in that feral form until they are reminded of their human life.”

Jarome looks dumbfounded by what the man was telling them “Wait, you are talking about magic ? Real magic ?”

“Yes now listen carefully, I cannot tell you what feral form she would have taken but I can guarantee this will be more dangerous for you in every way. With that I suggest you take some of my supplies and orders “ with that, he snapped his finger and a Casino employee brought out several metal carts that had several types of weapons on them. Two class three body armor plates inside lone star flack vests. “ I have loaded the guns in front of you with non lethal rounds along with this military quad-roter made prior to the third great war”

Britney's eyes widened as she saw the drone and stepped closer to examine it.

“This stuff is military grade do we really need all this to find your daughter “ Jarome said still skeptical of all this.

“If you Underestimate my daughter in her current state, I guarantee she will kill you both and her feral animal spirit will tell her to rip you both open and eat you. Now listen... You will take the body armor and drone I provide seeing as the terrain I assume she is in you will not be able to bring that old wheelchair to. “ Then Pulling the bow lo tie from around his own neck he handed it over. “When you have her subdued show her this.”

“Alright where do we find her ?” Jarome said leaning over the weapons and outfitting them.

With that question the owner of the casino walked over to the wooden desk and searched in his drawer for something. “That unfortunately only the spirits can reveal to you” He said and with that he blew the contents of a powdered drug in each of their faces. The drug making them feel sick to their stomachs instantly and then passing into unconsciousness.