Part 9
The next morning, I headed down to the coffee shop. The two panzergirls fell in behind me, looking like hard bastards in trenchcoats and stompin' boots. They stayed a few steps behind on the sidewalk, which puzzled me for a moment.
Then, up ahead, two men poured into charcoal grey suits stepped around the corner from 6th Avenue. Upon seeing me, they smiled the sort of smile that you normally see only in aquariums, and then made a beeline for me. They walked right up to me, and grabbed my elbows.
"Hello, Hamish", said goon #1. "I am Mister Chop and my associate here is Mister Scratch. You will be taking a ride with us."
"I'm afraid I have business", I began, "and...OOOF". Mister Scratch had just punched me in the stomach. "Shut up", he grated, in a voice that sounded like a bus driver using the PA to announce the final solution.
"I'm afraid that you won't be taking him anywhere", Sheila said, having just caught up.
"And what are you dames gonna do about it?", asked Mr Chop, with a wide, sadistic grin on his face.
"Well", said Sara, "We were raised to be proper ladies, so there won't be any of THIS". She kicked Mr Chop dead in his junk. Mr Chop let out a groan and sank to the floor.
"And we sure as hell are too lady-like to do THAT", Sheila said, poking Mr Scratch in the eyes, then boxing his ears, THEN kicking him in his bits. Mr Scratch stayed on his feet and just looked puzzled, with some growing anger in there somewhere.
I pulled my heater. "Back off. Get your buddy there and take a hike."
Mr Scratch looked at the gun, and smiled. Then he was outlined in a green fire, like Saint Elmo's fire. So I shot him. It didn't seem to have any effect, so I shot him five more times. More of that smile, as he stepped forward, raising his hand to grab me. However, two other sets of hands grabbed me - the Highsmith sisters - and gave me a yank. I turned, and the three of us ran. Mr Scratch followed, and in the background, I could see Mr Chop getting back on his feet.
"What the fuck was that green shit?", Sara asked.
"Fuck if I know. That was weird."
"You shot the shit out of him. I could see the bullets come out of him and hit the wall. He didn't even NOTICE.", Sheila added.
"So the plan is run."
"Run where?"
I was in serious danger of having a thought, so I legged it as fast as I could toward Horne Industries. When we were a block away, I hazarded a look over my shoulder. Nobody was there...At some point Mr Chop and Mr Scratch had given up the chase.
We walked into Horne and asked for Dakota. She showed up in less than 5 minutes.
"What can I do for you, Mister Howl?"
"I'd like to talk to myself again, please. There's something I'd forgotten to ask."
"Very well." She led me to the booth, and I put the visor on.
A moment later, I was in my office, sitting across the desk from myself.
"So, any news?", asked dead me.
"Not sure yet", I responded, "I just wanted to try something."
I concentrated on the desk lamp. A green, flickering glow surrounded me, as the lamp floated a foot off the table.
"Nice trick", other me said, "You can maybe do it at parties. Now, what did you need from me?"
"I think I just got what I needed."
I took the visor off and stood up, turning toward Dakota. "So, how long?"
"How long what?"
"How long have I been in this state of existence?"
"Oh, shit" Dakota sprouted that same glow. I tried to do the same, but nothing happened...Itself a very useful piece of information, but only if I 'survived' long enough to piece it together.
I grabbed the Highsmith sisters by the arm, and ran like I was Roger Bannister. Security goons of some kind fell in behind us, arriving just too late to head us off. Over the door in the lobby, a red light strobed, and a coldly-mechanical female voice was saying "Lockdown initiated. Please keep clear of doors."
Sara and Sheila, hearing this, both drew their pistols on the run, and blazed away at the window. The glass shattered, and we got out onto the street. We ran for about 6 blocks, and didn't seem to be pursued, when I spotted a payphone. I threw a dime in it, and called Friday.
"You know what time it is?", she said upon picking up, "I just woke the hell up, you bastard."
"Not now, Friday. Meet me at the Bhutanese joint on Pennington, quick as you can."
We got there first.
"You mind telling me what the hell is going on?", Sara asked.
"Yeah, what the hell happened in there?", her sister joined in.
"Well, I have warn you, you aren't going to like it."
"We'll be the judge of that."
"We're dead. Not as in 'we have no chance', but rather as in 'we're ALREADY dead'.
The Highsmith sisters glanced at each other, then at me. "You're a nutter", Shiela said.
From the door, a voice said, "He's right, you know." I turned, and there was Friday.
Her hands were glowing green.
(to be continued)
