ZERO (Complete)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Dane sat on an oversized sectional sofa, looking around the large two-bedroom apartment. The rustic wood flooring and exposed brick where offset by the modern furniture. It was a nice place, but located in a rundown part of town.

After the war, space and available real estate wasn't an issue. Due to the temporary breakdown of society and the absence of law and order, people took up residency wherever they wanted.

"Cool painting," Dane commented. "Did you paint that yourself?"

"Yeah," Cassie replied, gritting her teeth and trying not to succumb to the pain.

"Hold still," Train said as he sat with her in the kitchen. Cassie rested against the counter underneath a low hanging light. Train had a bit of medical experience from the military, but had never performed an actual surgery.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Dane asked.

Train ignored him, he was too focused on removing the bullet from Cassie's shoulder.

"You know who would be really great at this... Lynn. I wish she were here. Our friend Lynn is a surgeon. I mean, she was a surgeon."

"How do you two know each other?" Cassie asked. "Are you famous and this is your bodyguard?"

Dane started laughing. "You hear that, Train? She thinks you're my bodyguard."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, it's just... you two are sort of an odd pairing, don't you think? And you're friends with a surgeon."

"Former surgeon," Dane corrected.

"You don't think that's a little weird?"

"Not really."

"So how did you two meet?"

"It's a long story. Wait, do you live here alone?" Dane asked, changing the subject.

"I have a roommate."

"Guy, girl?"

"Girl."

"Where is she?"

"Working."

"Is she a... dancer as well?"

"No, she's a... ouch... she's a nurse."

"That's kind of ironic, huh? Too bad she's not home."

"Got it," Train said, rinsing the bullet in a bowl of warm water. "Here, you can keep this as a souvenir."

"Gee, thanks," she said.

"I would ask if there is anything I could do to help, but I don't like blood."

"I've heard women can tolerate more pain then men, I wonder if that's true?"

"I don't know, why don't we shoot you in the shoulder and see if you scream louder than me," Cassie joked.

"No thanks."

"Almost done," Train said as he was stitching her up.

"It's a good thing your roommate is a nurse and that you have all this first aid stuff lying around," Dane said. "But I'm curious why we didn't just go to the hospital."

"Yeah... that's not going to work," Cassie said.

"Why not?"

"Because I removed my chip."

"You removed your chip?" Dane asked. "Why would you do that? Isn't that illegal?"

"There're rumours that the government tracks everything we do and evaluates us based on productivity. They call it a social utility score or something. As a stripper, I'm always afraid they'll come for me, even though I'm educated and make good money. Besides, I don't like the idea of some big brother spying on my every move. I guess you could say I'm a little anti-authority in that way."