Sequela by Cleland Smith Read Free Book Online Page B

sick.'
    'What? That didn't even make sense.'
    'You heard me.' John started to pull himself up, to stand straighter.
    'Shit,' Dee said, 'we need to get him out of here now.'
    'Here.' John was staggering over to the woman next along in the circle, who was wearing sores around her lacquered lips. 'You've got a little something…' He indicated the corner of his mouth. '…just here on your…it's just a bit of…' He leaned forward to wipe at her mouth and her companion smacked his hand out of the way.
    Primal instincts kicked in and John launched himself at the man in a bear hug. His target reacted in kind and their shoulders clattered together.
    Betta and Calvin leaped into action, grabbing at any bit of John that flailed within reach. Managing to catch the crook of an elbow each, they tried to drag him back, but only succeeded in opening up a target. As the man punched, John's soft stomach collapsed around his fist like a cushion, sending vomit shooting out over his front and punching arm.
    'Cameron!' A tall woman who had been making her way across the bar called out above the rabble.
    She had no trouble getting through the crowd. A path opened up before her as it had for John, but out of respect, or perhaps even fear. The sick-covered man looked up and the expression of disgust on his face turned to one of guilt.
    'Cameron?'
    'Davis, sir. Ms.' Davis wiped at the front of his sick-covered shirt with the end of his sick-covered tie.
    'You're fired,' the woman said without emotion. 'Go and get your things. I don't want to see you again.'
    That voice. Dee saw Kester's outline freeze in what appeared to be fear. The fear spread to her. Her skeleton went cold.
    'Mrs Farrell,' Kester said.
    'What?' Dee leaned in to him, still keeping an eye on the situation, stepping back out of the way as Calvin and Betta bundled John back into the corner.
    'That's Alexis Farrell,' Kester said. 'My new boss.'
    'Oh fuck,' Dee whispered, 'sorry.'
    'Sorry for what?' Kester asked.
    Mrs Farrell's eyes wandered over the group and finally settled on Kester. She took a moment to recognise him. When she did, she stalked straight up to him.
    Dee recoiled and stepped behind Kester. She stared at Farrell. She was wearing something in her eyes – metal – gold. Her pupils were wide in the darkness of the bar and the effect was pronounced: a feathery metallic circle round each iris, flecks of blood, rings of eye shrapnel. Dee had never seen anything like it. Those weren't contacts – this was some sick new thing – eye implants. She wouldn't put it past Farrell's type.
    'Well, well,' Mrs Farrell said, stretching out her hand, 'if it isn't my newest acquisition.'
    Farrell wore a long blood-red wool dress. A strip of colour co-ordinated ads ran straight down from one shoulder to the hem. At first glance it looked quite a demure get-up, until she walked and you could see that it was slit up the side, revealing her long sinewy legs right to where they joined her hips. Easy access, thought Dee. Farrell's her hair fell in exaggerated curls around her face, an attempt perhaps to soften her appearance, but her augmented eyes were hard and intelligent.
    Kester reached out and shook Farrell's hand.
    'Is this something to do with you?' Farrell glanced over her shoulder at the mess on the floor.
    'No,' Dee said quickly.
    'Yes,' replied Kester, almost at the same time, 'my leaving party. I'm afraid John can't handle his drink.'
    'Being a drunken idiot is one thing; public assault is quite another. So I must apologise for the behaviour of our ex-employee.'
    'He asked for it,' Kester said.
    Dee shifted her attention to John, who was sitting behind her, grabbing at her knees. She tried hard to stay tuned in to Kester and Farrell's conversation, though the tone was confidential.
    'I don't know about you, but if I gave it to everyone who asked for it, things would start to get a little silly,' Farrell said.
    Looking back up, Dee bristled. Farrell's smile was charged.
    'You'd