The Man between my crosshairs (girl X assassin)

Chapter 38/The scales of karma's punch bag

Hours later Zoe looked at her drink. She was sitting at the bar of 'Shoot it up' and hadn't even announced her presence to Mohab.

"You know I'm just karma's punch bag? That's me." Zoe said slightly slured "boof boof. Is that ringing in my ear or has an alarm clock gone off to say 'wake up. Time to die'."

"You've had enough," said the Barman.

"Oh fuck he speaks!" Zoe said. "Here that everyone Mr Easter island here speaks! But your right. I'm wasted. Wasted on this planet. Wasted in this part of the galaxy."

She turned back to him.

"Where is the usual guy?" She asked.

"Wrong shift," said the Barman casually.

"Yeah I forgot the city never sleeps, never dreams, never wakes up,"  she said. 

Some cyborgs, dark menacing, approached showing their mechanical mussels off. Walked up to her and tapped her on her shoulder.

"Yeah?" Zoe said turning around. "Waddaya want aye?"

They looked at her. As a group not moving, not speaking. She checked them out. The same kinds of physical upgrades which had been applied to the pimp she had taken out last time.

"We heard what you did to our friend. You think you can just do come down again, and just walk out bitch?" The front most one said.

Zoe turned to the rest of the bar crowd.

"Bitches out" she shouted her voice slurred.

They didn't need much more encouragement. Women stood up and rushed out.

"Now as for you fucks." Zoe began.

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About thirty minutes later Zoe staggered out from the still bar behind her. She limped to her motor bike and drove out of there. She looked pretty beat up. Her clothes had cut marks from the knives they had used against her. Shallow cuts bled and soaked into her clothes bruises started to bloom. She was covered in blood and wiped her hands on her self to make them dry enough to drive with. Normally rule number one of combat was don't go into a fight your not sure you can win. She hand't felt like following that rule today.

A later Zoe was driving fast on her motorbike. The local news was playing.

"A bizarre and macabre event as seven bodies and over thirty injured were found all killed in a bar on the deep decks on the Alpha evening. The police are treating it as a gang war of territory. All the witnesses have taken Ryhopnol 7 and have no memory of the event. Mayor Bayden tweeted that it's time to change regulation regarding the use of Ryhopnol 7. This was immediately counter tweeted by the leader of the democratic alliance that this was typical of Mayor Bayden to use any tragic opportunity to push forward the removal of our freedoms. In more news, the attack on the offices of Harry Styles while the entire company was at a party has been denied by anti-capitalist activists.  They say while they support this show of defiance it was not linked to their members. Spokesmen for Mr Styles said they were glad the offices were empty while the staff held to celebrate the deorbiting of a new block. After the break a off world visitor is killed by a massive battery malfunction while entering his car. We ask is it time to do something about battery regulation?"

Zoe was driving at speed outside the city. Her visor was dark but the speed and the feel of the prairie under the spinning wheels was sobering her up.  She brooded on the skyline and  was interrupted by a call to her helmet.

"Zoe? Harry here. After the attack, my security advisors suggest I need a break away from the city. Max and I were talking. Each year my daughter and I normally go to our private ski lodge near the sunrise for the weekend. I was wondering if you would like to come along? We could get some skiing in and talk over the last bits of the contract. Also, I think you will have difficulty keeping your local agent away from us, my daughter has grown rather attached." Harry's voice down the line.

"I noticed," Zoe said.

"So what do you say?" Harry said.

Zoe pause for a moment. Melting ice far away from everyone and no distractions and no one around to stop her. It sounded like the perfect opportunity to finish Styles off. Then she could get away and set up a trap once and for all for Raven. It sounded perfect. The scales were being balanced for the loss of Ryder. 

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A/N Its been a remarkably good week for us. The reads are rolling in which is always a good sign. This is supposed to be the worst few weeks of the year and we are picking up. I'm going to take this moment to say thanks for the reads and the votes. It's super appreciated.  Also, We are going to salute the passing of SciFi legend  Ursula Le Guin.  Let go the fragile bonds to Earth.  RK&Reb.