was expecting me to rush her, to do something horrible.
“Hey, I was just kidding.”
“I’m sure they will fix this momentarily,” she managed, her voice quivering, awash in fear.
I banged my head against the back of the wall, and suddenly a holo-projector came to life, illuminating the room with the image of a tech.
“You guys all right?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said, staring at Focus’ concerned face. “The thing just stopped.”
The tech shrugged, “That’s a first.”
“Elevators never break down?” I said. “Come on.”
“Well, it hasn’t happened in the two years I’ve been here. Let me check...you’re on deck 135. Just hang in there and–”
Then we lost the image, the tech’s face replaced with static snow.
I turned back to Focus, whose attention had never left me.
“Focus, I’m sorry about what I said.”
She swallowed hard, still pressing herself away with wide eyes staring at me, and I suddenly had flashback images of my last moments of the mind-prison at Utopia, at my consuming rage that had led me to do something terrible.
“I would never hurt you,” I said, using the softest, gentlest tone I could, but not sure I was being as honest as possible. “It was another joke, a bad one. Okay?”
Focus glared at me for a long while, knowing I was lying, but she finally accepted my apology with a gentle grin.
“I’m an asshole, you see. I’m not used to being around decent people,” I said.
“I just didn’t want to have to hurt you,” she said, biting her lip.
I stared at her, dumbfounded, caught wondering how badass of a martial artist she actually was, but she finally smiled.
“I finally got you on a joke, Mr. Blackjack.”
I have to give it to Superdynamic’s technical staff. They fixed the elevator in less than ten minutes, plenty of time for me to make up for my transgressions with Focus. By the time they arrived to pull us out, I had the girl in stitches.
We continued our tour and arrived at the antechamber to the command center, where Moe was leaning against a wall, waiting for us. I saw the smile of our conversation fade from Focus’ face, replaced instead with a downcast, embarrassed look. Moe eyed her over, noticing the embellishments and makeup, shaking his head.
“Why don’t you wait for us inside, angel,” he said, barring my way. “Me and Blackjack here are going to have a talk.”
Focus averted her eyes, clenching her jaw in frustration, moving past without another word.
“Come with me,” Moe said, going back the way we came. I followed silently to a doorway that he opened without a command. He stood there, left arm held wide for me to enter.
“Figured this was coming,” I said, with more than a little menace in my voice as I went inside.
The chamber was large, with a tall ceiling, almost five stories high. The floor was soft, with a little give, and the walls were padded.
“We use this room for practice,” he said coming in, and sealing us inside.
I stretched my neck. “You practice a lot?”
“Man, fuck you!” he said pushing me off, not even waiting for the preliminaries. “Fuck is wrong with you, anyway?”
I flexed my shoulders, feeling the blood flow through my limbs, and waited for his move. This was his party; he’d get the first shot.
“Look at you, you stupid fuck,” Moe said.
“I’m just waiting on you, man.”
“For what? To throw down? Shit, I’ll throw down with you, I don’t give a fuck. But first, first you’re going to listen to me, you get me? You big stupid fuck.”
“Call me that again and I’m redecorating this place with your face.”
“Man, you’re all wrong about everything, aren’t you?” he said, stomping closer. “All you know is this shit,” Moe raised his big fist. “I know about you, dude. I know all about you. It’s fucked up because you and me, we came from the same shit. It’s a fucking miracle we even made it; you know what I’m saying? Guys like us? Shit. Our shelf life’s like a few years, then that’s it. We’re either dead, or so beat-up it’s all pills and shit. But that girl,” he motioned to the door. “That girl has a future for her, you hear me? She’s good people. She comes from good people, people that are counting on her, praying for her and shit. And you’re not going to ruin that.”
He paused, letting it all sink in, and softening his stance, trying to break it to me as gently as I could. I must’ve softened my