Acid Reign : Genesis

Despite the ever-present tang of poorly recycled air, distilling liquor, and mephitic patrons, Johnny’s mobile depot was a runner’s haven.

She could get you whatever you wanted if the price was right, weapons, gear, tech, drugs, and even a few things that any normal human would never consider.

She didn’t care about what kind of filth you were, as long as you behaved in her depot and paid what you owed. Johnny herself was disconnectedly brutal, which is most likely the main reason her depot had survived as long as it has. The other reasons being, of course, alcohol and serving girls, which were the only two things you couldn’t buy in the Central or East Market.

Any form of alcohol was illegal in Nucrea, even for Nun. You weren’t just holed up in a cell for a day, there were steep penalties for consuming. Manufacturing and distributing would get you sanctioned, questioned, and months of cell time. Doing it for a profit? You were usually killed on the spot.

Luckily, her depot was never in the same place, making it hard to find, and the fact that she operated outside Nucrea kept the soldiers away and created a relatively gray area of what was legal and what wasn’t. As far as soldiers go, it didn’t matter if you swore on your momma’s grave, if you were affiliated with the Nucrean Guard in any way, you weren’t welcome.

Gus and Lilly sat on the mudroom bench, ignoring each other, impatiently waiting for the decontamination process to finish. As the door opened, they handed their rad-gear to the attendant, who gladly accepted it, not because she enjoyed what she did, but because she would forget about it in a few minutes. When you forget most everything, you tend to be happier than most.

She opened her toothless mouth, mumbled something neither of them understood, and then disappeared into a side room still mumbling as she went. Her weathered skin and wrinkles gave her a vacuum-packed look, but under all that age, you could see she had been beautiful once. Lilly felt sorry for her.

The main room was thick with smoke and noise. There was not a corner or a section of a wall that didn’t have some old toy, or gadget, or unusable device from the Fringe. Johnny loved her junk. Her father had been a Runner with Nun in the early days, and many of the items in her depot were things that he had brought back just for her.

Gus and Lilly watched as the local boy carried out his routine, grabbing a toy car off the serving bar and running away. As usual, Johnny turned and saw him just as he rounded the corner.

“You get back here you little rat! I’m gonna skin you alive!”

He giggled and disappeared into the shadows of the storage room.

She always tried to make the boy seem normal, but something was wrong with his memory. He was like a much younger version of the entry attendant. Overexposure in the Fringe had different effects on people, memory being the least damaging. The boy took the same car, from the same place, in the same way, every day. Later, Johnny would sneak to where ever he would end up sleeping that night, take the car and put it back for him to steal the next day.

She smiled to herself and took some drinks over to a table. Most of her patrons knew the routine, but on she caught a glimpse of a woman staring at her in a way you don’t stare at Johnny.

“And what are you looking at, ya hussy?”

The woman quickly looked into her drink. Luckily, just as Johnny was about go over and knock the woman’s teeth in, she noticed Gus and Lilly making their way through the tables.

“It’s about time someone I actually wanted to see came in here.”

“Hey Johnny,” Lilly said.

“Hey there, Lil.”

Johnny’s attention quickly turned to Gus. Lilly rolled her eyes as the adults traded lustful stares.

Johnny moved as close to Gus as possible and unnecessarily straightened his collar.

“What can I get you two?” she asked with more sexual undertones than Lilly could handle.

“Just a still for me,” Gus said to her overflowing bust.

“That all?”

“Yeah, we’re meeting Ripp, then headin’ out.”

“Always in a hurry. You know, Gus, you are welcome to come back when you aren’t too busy killing Fringers. I’ll make it worth your time.”

“I’m sure you will.”

Gus let out a small burst of laughter that was a good mix of shyness and uncomfortable excitement.

Happy with Gus’s reaction, Johnny turned to Lilly. “What about you, hon?”

“I’ll have a still too; might help me forget what just happened.”

Johnny smiled. Gus shifted uncomfortably.

“Citric it is,” Johnny said, with a hint of reprimand.

“Oh c’mon. Not like it would be my first one.”

“You think you’re all grown up now don’t you?” Gus asked, obviously referring to what had happened in the market.

“Pretty sure I am, listening to you two go on and on and making eyes at each other.”

“Let her stay here for a week and work for me. We’ll get you all grown up Lil’.”

Gus shook his head painfully when he realized Johnny was being serious. “Now I need to forget what just happened.”

Johnny laughed. “You two go sit down. I’ll bring your drinks right over.”

Gus watched her every move as she turned and headed back to the bar.

Lilly sat down hard, activated her Pigeon, and scrolled through the feeds while Gus continued to watch Johnny prepare the drinks.

“Isn’t polite to stare,” Lilly said without looking up.

Gus broke out of his trance. “You sure have a lot to say for a dead girl.”

“You’re funny.”

Gus noticed a woman in the depot that definitely did not belong. Her hair was too well kept and her skin too smooth to be a Runner. She had a strong sense of frailness to her, and the uneasiness she was putting out excluded her from being anything but someone paying for a favor.

Sitting across from her was a hooded figure. This one he had seen before. Ripp had met with her once, but never said what it was about, only that it was better if Gus didn’t know, which still hurt a little. Gus and Ripp had been partners for years, and had never kept anything from each other except whatever it was that hooded woman and Ripp had discussed.

After the exchange of credits, the lady seemed relieved. She sat back and downed her drink. Johnny’s liquor wasn’t something you downed.

Definitely not a regular.

Gus knew what was going to happen next. The woman wheezed and coughed. She put her hand to her mouth and looked around to see if anyone else was experiencing the kind of pain she was.

Johnny set their drinks down.

“Here you are, you two.”

Gus grabbed her hand gently.

“Thanks, Johnny. Who is that?”

Gus pointed with his eyes, but Johnny didn’t need to see who he was asking about.

“The hood, I am sure you’ve seen before. Ripp did some business with her not too long ago.”

“Yeah, seems everyone knows about that but me,” Gus said.

“The fragile one is some city tramp that needed a place to cry about all her problems. She has clearance, so don’t really care. Paid her percent up front.”

“What’s the contract for?” Gus asked, realizing he might have overstepped boundaries.

“You know it ain’t my policy to discuss other people’s contracts,” Johnny scolded playfully.

“I know just how much you honor your policies.”

Johnny pretended to look hurt at such a remark, then moved closer to Gus.

“I’ll make you a deal, I’ll find out what little Miss Princess and the raincoat are talking about an’ tell you all about it. All you have to do is stop by and give me what I want next time you’re around.”

Gus finally ignored Lilly being there.

“I can do that.”

“C’mon, you two,” Lilly said, reminding them that she was still there. Lilly made a sick face, then buried her face as far as she could in her Pigeon display.

“If you’re curious, you can always watch,” Johnny said, knowing it would put Lilly’s discomfort over the edge.

“When was Ripp supposed to be here?”

Gus and Johnny both laughed.