Twenty's Mission Log

September 4th, V26

The next morning Millie and I went for our daily run. We pounded the pavements of the Spit for about an hour and decided to stop into Daniel-sans Bonds office on the way back. He often opened up early on weekdays, even if Erika did not arrive til after 9am.

We were both in our running shorts and t-shirts. I had my Demons cap on too but Millie always complained she got too hot wearing a hat while running. I lead the way inside the reception area and spotted Mr Chang, a fellow Bounty Hunter. He freelanced for Daniel-san and we had worked a few captures together.

He was lounging in a chair, scanning his phone, when we entered. Chang smiled at me so I smiled back. He had always been polite to me and offered many compliments whenever we met.

“Hi Twenty” he greeted me and observed my lightly sweat stained top and shorts. “You are really rocking that Japanese pro-athlete super model look today”.

I looked down at myself in confusion. “I am sorry Mr Chang. I am designed to be very athletic but I was only a standard model”

“Give it up Chang” Millie said as she came in and stood next to me. “You know I won’t let you take her out on a date”. She grabbed my arm rather possessively and dragged me into Daniel-san’s office.

“He’s busy in there” warned Chang but Millie had already pushed the door open.

Daniel-san and Ms Thorsfeldt, another freelancer, moved apart guiltily as Millie walked in unannounced. Our boss went from flustered to angry about as fast as Millie can.

“What the hell Millie!” he shouted at her. “How about knocking first!”.

“Greetings Daniel-san and Ms Thorsfeldt” I said and gave a short bow. Millie just stood and looked at the two of them. Both were seated very close on Daniel-san’s side of the desk.

“Is there something going on that I need to know about?” Millie asked very slowly.

Ms Thorsfeldt gave a gentle laugh and looked right into Millie’s eyes.

“I am sorry we hid this from you Millie” she began, “But I am dating your father”.

“She is not my daughter!” yelled Daniel-san at the same time Millie shouted “He is not my dad!”

“Why are you here?” Daniel-san nearly shouted to Millie and she shouted back “Because I need you to check up on a bounty we took in yesterday!”

Ms Thorsfeldt stood up smoothly and came around the desk. Taking my arm gently she said “Twenty and I will wait outside while the family sort this out”. She led me back into Reception and closed the door behind us. The shouted conversation was now muffled so I was straining to hear it.

“Let’s just sit over here,Twenty” she said and guided me to one of the chairs. She sat down next to me, still holding my arm. Chang looked over questioningly but the blonde woman waved him off.

“Are you and Daniel-san having a liaison, Ms Thorsfeldt?” I asked her quietly.

“First off, please call me by my given name, Gudrun” she asked. “In the old days the squad used to call me Goody if that is easier”.

“Short for Goody-Two-Shoes” added Mr Chang. She gave him a one-fingered wave this time.

“OK, Ms Goody” I answered her. I realised she smelled nice and was still holding my arm, a lot like Millie always does. She was a skilled fighter and Bounty Hunter but she also seemed to be a very gentle person at times.

“I am happy if you and Daniel-san are going together” I added.

“Thank you Twenty” she responded. “It was more the reaction from Millie that I was worried about. She is very possessive of the people she cares about”.

“That is very true” I agreed. “She does not like it when other people get too close to Di or Daniel-san”.

“She is especially protective towards you, Twenty” observed Ms Goody.

“I am her partner” I stated. “We are a team, Millie and Twenty”.

Ms Goody leaned close and put her head next to mine. “She loves you Twenty. You mean more to her than anyone, we can all see that”.

I felt uncomfortable inside. She sounded so honest and sincere it was hard not to agree, but I was not certain I was capable of love.

“I want to love her too” I said softly to Ms Goody. “I want to be with her so much that it hurts sometimes. But I don’t know if what I feel is really love. I was not created to feel such things”.

“You are human Twenty” she said close to me. “You may not have been made to love someone, but I know you are capable of it. If it feels like love, it probably is”

“I have realised that missing the chance to be loved by someone is the biggest mistake you can make in life. Don’t let go of this chance you have with Millie” she finished. Ms Goody let go of my arm and straightened in her chair.

She nodded towards the office. The shouting seemed to have ended at some point.

“Looks like daddy has finished telling his daughter about her new mommy”.

“Daniel-san never adopted Millie” I observed to Ms Goody.

“Not on paper, Twenty, but little bits of paper don’t make things true or not” she said.

=====

Millie opened the door to the office and stalked out into the reception room. She was met with the interested stares of Chang, Goody and myself.

She stopped in front of Ms Goody and would not meet her eyes, but she did grudgingly say “I am very happy that you and Daniel-san are seeing each other”.

“Thank you Millie, I appreciate that” Ms Goody said in reply. “I know you only want the best for him”

“Yeah, well, be nice to him” Millie warned. Her eyes snapped forward and locked onto Ms Goody’s. “Or I may need to sing for you”.

“That is an unusual statement” said Ms Goody. “Was it a threat?”

“Of course it was!” said Millie in an exasperated tone. “I’m a Gunsinger!”

“Ah, right, I get you now” Ms Goody said. “In that case I feel suitably threatened and promise to be good to Danny”.

Millie just sighed. “Come on Twenty, we need to leave the old folks to plan their secret mission or whatever it is they are doing”. She grabbed my arm and pulled me upright.

“Let’s catch up for coffee” said Ms Goody cheerily as Millie dragged me outside. I waved goodbye with my free hand.

Out in the street we started walking back towards our apartment. The sun was well and truly up and the day was getting warm. A few other pedestrians were walking down the street on the shaded side so we crossed to the sunny side.

“What did Daniel-san say about the bounty?” I asked Millie.

“He checked it out and agreed something unusual happened. Tan was processed and should have been remanded in the lock-up until he saw a judge. That would normally be a day or two at least” she replied. “But somehow he was granted release on a new twenty thousand Panda bail within an hour and put back on the street”.

“Why would someone put up such a big bail for a minor criminal like Tan?” I wondered as we walked. “And how was it pushed through the system so quickly?”

“Maybe the Archimedes Network got involved” pondered Millie. “It would have no trouble interfering with the criminal warrants and bail processes. But why would it bother?”

“It is possible one of the other foreign AI’s was involved” I said to her. “In such a case it could be a small part of some larger scheme. Maybe that is why the gang targeted us. It wanted us to be delayed, even stopped, in our task for Jericho-Three”

“So these hoods have been sicced on us by some other party just to stop us finding Venerae?” Millie wondered.

“Whatever the cause, we need to deal with them” I said. “We can’t have them taking random pot shots at us”

“OK. Let’s give them a call and set up a meeting” agreed Millie.

=====

When we got back to our room I fished out the phone from last night. There had been no messages left yet so I hit the callback function.

The phone rang a couple of times and then the same male voice answered with a curt “Yes”.

“We want to meet up and discuss the situation with Tan” I said. “There is some new information we have discovered”.

The voice was silent for a moment.

“OK. Come to us and we can decide what we are going to do” he finally answered.

He passed on some details for a location and time later on that day, just after noon. It was a food court in the south-eastern quarter of the city, a district known as East Park. Millie and I had been there once or twice when chasing a bounty. It was not familiar territory but being a public space it should be safe enough.

I relayed the details to Millie. She frowned as she thought about how we should equip ourselves. I recommended we went armed, but walking in armoured was asking for a fight. The compromise was I could wear the lightweight tactical vest under my clothing and she would rely on her Gunsinger for defence.

In my foot locker I located the vest. It was a recent purchase and I had only worn it a few times. I really preferred the heavier vest as it covered more of me and gave excellent protection. It was very obvious though.

The lightweight vest was intended for discreet use but only gave good protection to my chest and upper stomach. Once I had stripped off my running clothes I took a quick shower. I then dried myself thoroughly – as opposed to my partner who was still damp as she dressed – and put on my black uniform. The vest went under my shirt and after a bit of rearranging by Millie was well concealed.

I slipped on an outer vest that contained an internal holster for my pistol and a spare magazine. My phone and the disposable went into side pockets. The extending baton was tucked into my pants pocket. The Demons cap completed my outfit.

Millie went for her usual knee length shorts, a black T-shirt and a leather jacket. Her beloved Doc Martens were laced up tightly and she was ready. She slipped her own phone into an inner pocket of the jacket and I made her put the 9mm caseless pistol from Daniel-san in her outer pocket.

It was a small pistol, well suited to her little hands. It carried nine rounds in the magazine, or ten with one in the spout. She had become quite proficient in its use despite her protestations it was too small to be any good in a fight. I made her take a spare magazine which she jammed into a pocket on the other side.

We still had time before the scheduled meeting. By mutual assent we grabbed our helmets and went downstairs to the parking lot underneath the building.

Our scooter was still damaged but I doubted we would be hassled for a missing wing mirror here in the Spit. I drove us the short distance to the Coffee Coffin and parked outside. I locked it up once more and went inside with Millie.

Di and Kim Lee were handling the small number of customers easily. It was that lull between the morning coffee crowd and the lunch time rush. We don’t get many people doing brunch in this neighbourhood.

Millie ordered us our coffees and decided we deserved a pastry each for a late breakfast. I sat next to her in our usual table right against the rear wall. Once I was settled Millie put her arm through mine and leaned back, watching the street traffic go past with lidded eyes.

“Here you go my loves” said Di as she delivered our order. It was quiet so she sat down opposite us. I sipped my coffee appreciatively but Millie was still staring past Di at the street.

“What’s up?” Di enquired. She could see Millie was not her usual self.

“Daniel-san is seeing someone” Millie replied in an even tone. “And we got shot at last night by some gangsters”.

“Oh my god, that is terrible!” said Di in shock.

“I know!” said Millie with sudden animation “And he didn’t even tell me about her until this morning!”

“Um, is that what is worrying you?” replied Di. “Danny has been in here quite a few times with her. It’s that blonde Danish woman isn’t it? Gudrun? She seems nice”.

“She prefers to be called Goody” I offered into the conversation. I felt the glare from Millie but I chose not to meet her eyes.

“Well I think it’s wonderful that he has finally met someone” Di continued gamely onwards. I had to admire her bravery. “He has been alone for far too long”.

“But what about me?” pouted Millie. She can be very selfish at times, especially about sharing her friends.

“You have Twenty” said Di. “Doesn’t Danny deserve to have someone care for him like that?”

“But we aren’t a couple” replied Millie. I felt something lurch in my chest. I sat very still and I realised Di was suddenly looking at me very closely.

“What do you mean Millie?” said Di, facing back to Millie. ”You two are never apart. You live together and hug each other all the time. Aren’t you in love?”

“I haven’t really thought about it” said Millie in confusion. “Twenty is just part of my life”

Di looked at me and I knew I could not handle this moment any longer. I stood up suddenly, pulling my arm free of Millie’s grip. My eyes were blurring and I staggered out of the coffee shop and onto the walkway. I only went a few steps before I sagged to the paving. I felt my chest heaving and then I started sobbing. I have never cried like this before.

I was aware of people walking around me and I knew I needed to stand up and control myself. But I could not do it. I felt my tears run down my nose and drop onto the concrete below. It hurt so much.

Booted feet appeared alongside. A slender body grabbed me and hugged me tightly. Her own tears were falling onto my back as she sobbed with me.

“I am so sorry Twenty” Millie cried. “I am such as ass. I love you more than anything in the world. Please stop crying”. She was barely comprehensible in her grief.

I stood up and she moved to stand in front of me. She looked up at me with her anguished face and pleading eyes.

“I wasn’t sure you wanted that from me” Millie said tearfully. “I didn’t know if you would accept me as more than just a friend. But I want to be with you always”.

“You have never kissed me” I said, my own voice thick with emotion. “Not on the lips. Not like someone you loved”.

Millie stared at me for only a moment. Then she pulled my face down towards her own and stood up on her toes. Our lips met and she kissed me with all her passion. The tears we both shed mingled and fell away.

We pulled away from each other after what seemed like a glorious eternity. She smiled up at me and sniffled. She mouthed the words “I love you” and then buried her face in my chest.

“Don’t wipe your nose on my shirt” I said gently and hugged her as hard as I could.

I saw Di and Kim Lee watching us from the coffee shop doorway with concerned looks. Millie turned towards them and wiped her eyes, still holding onto me tightly.

“Di, Kim Lee, please meet my girlfriend Twenty” she announced in a steady voice. “We are in love”.

“About bloody time” answered Di and ran over to hug us both.

=====

The ride over to the south side of Spitfield was pleasant. Sunshine and a few scattered clouds made the day warm but on the scooter we stayed nice and cool. Millie hugged me tightly all the way there, her cheek pressed up against my back.

I felt light and happy inside. There was so much danger ahead of us, but Millie and I had affirmed something fundamental between us. We were no longer just good friends or partners. We were a couple. It was never something I could have expected just six months ago when I first met her.

The day we met and she befriended me is the day I consider my life to have begun. Before that I barely existed as a living creature. She had allowed me to become something so much more. We had enemies, but I felt invincible. I just hoped that whatever fates had brought us together would not pull us apart once more.

The neighbourhood we had arrived at was mostly two and three storey apartment buildings. It was residential with a scattering of retail shops, restaurants and garages. The occasional church or temple sat nestled between the other buildings. There was even a large school, the yard filled with running and shouting children on their midday break.

We parked the scooter in the parking lot of a small retail mall. It rose up about four storeys and the ground level was filled with fresh food stalls and a food court. The lunch crowd was starting to drift in, so I guess our mysterious host wanted a public venue as much as we did. Even in this city, it was foolhardy to start a fight in a public space. It offered a form of protection for both parties.

I secured the scooter and we headed inside, following the other customers. Millie took the lead and I followed, scanning the crowd for signs of any danger. There were the usual loiterers standing around the big doorways that gave access.

Two I marked as likely pick pockets from how they watched the crowd. Two more were definitely sentries. The others just seemed to have nothing better to do. I gave a hard look at each of the pick pockets and I was gratified when they moved off hurriedly.

Inside the building the ground and first levels were open in the centre. It was full of noise and the odours of cooked and raw foods for sale. People jostled past so we moved to the relative calm of the central seating area.

A middle aged woman appeared before us and beckoned to follow her. She said something briefly in what my processor identified as Russian. A simple “Please follow me”. Millie and I followed her to a café set within one side of the ground floor.

It had a low barrier made of a framework covered in fabric that separated their tables and chairs from the rest of the busy market. The tables had dark red cloth covers and the people seated were drinking tea from tall glasses in metal holders. Our guide led us to a table where two men were seated, drinking their tea. A plate of fried pastries glistening on a plate lay on the table between them, along with a small heated jug and a sugar bowl.

They looked us over and we did the same to them. One was balding and overweight, his body barely contained by his bright red track suit. He had a lot of gold jewellery on his hands and an old style wristwatch. He looked bored and observed us through slitted eyes.

The other was younger, maybe mid-20’s, with a slender but muscular body in jeans and a white t-shirt. He sported an induction pad on his forehead for a cyberlink but no other obvious implants. His hair was short and spiky and bleached almost white.

The logo on his shirt was for a local band that Millie sometimes listened too. The Screaming Starts Now, a rather disturbing name for a music band in my opinion. I hoped it was not an indicator of his mood.

“Howdy” said Mille by way of introduction. “I’m Millie and this my partner, Twenty”. She stuck a thumb over her shoulder to indicate me. I was busy checking out the other patrons of the café. At least two were armed I reckoned based on the bulges under their light sports jackets and sat at opposite tables to cover us. They had t-shirts visible under the jackets and no armour I could spot.

“Welcome” said the younger man. Definitely the voice from the phone. “You may address me as Gregor and this is my uncle, Yuri”. He indicated the older man next to him.

“Please have a seat and take some tea with us” he continued. There were two seats with their backs to the open centre of the court. I looked at Millie and she nodded so we both sat down. As we sat I noticed Uncle Yuri glanced up at the first level stalls that looked over the central area.

So, they had a least one shooter on that level, covering our backs. I smiled to myself. We may be vulnerable, but even a trained sniper would not risk a shot with his bosses sitting less than two meters away in the line of fire. Assuming these guys were important and not just expendable stooges.

While Gregor poured us some tea, Uncle Yuri looked at me and said something in Russian. My translation software came up with “See something you like sweetie?”.

Speaking in a foreign language is harder using my software so I just answered in English: “I do like my tea sweet, thank you”. I dropped a couple of sugar cubes into my cup using the little tongs provided in the sugar bowl. Uncle Yuri just laughed and slapped his knee.

“I like you already” said Uncle Yuri. “Let’s speak honestly about our little situation. My stupid nephew here has been lead astray by his hacker friends. He believed you were given account access codes by Jacob Tan. I know this is patently untrue. If he had made a deal with you he would have never been taken into custody”

“That’s true” confirmed Millie. “I don’t know for sure what you were told but we got nothing like that from him”

“And we are sorry that your men were hurt last night” I added. “They did shoot first I must say”.

“Well, Gregor is young and impulsive.The young ones follow his lead too easily” wheezed Yuri. “But we will forgive any debt to us if you can find Mr Tan and return him intact”.

I did not like the idea of trying to find Jacob Tan all over again, and for no reward. On the other hand, we did not want to make enemies of this gang. I was not certain how big they were in the Spit, but any interference from them would be a danger.

“How about a compromise?” suggested Millie. “We find Tan again and bring him to you. In return you pay us the same bounty we got for him last time. It’s only five hundred Pandas. That is a bargain for our services” She grinned at both men.

Gregor scowled and was about to speak when Yuri cut him off.

“Agreed” he said. “However our needs are pressing so you have 48 hours to find him”.

“What!” yelled Millie. I laid a calming hand on her arm but she continued “It took us three days to find him last time!”

“You had better work harder this time” sneered Gregor. Yuri shot him a look but it was ignored.

“We accept the deal” I said to both men and put my hand solidly on Millie’s shoulder. “Don’t we partner?” I added for her benefit.

“Fine” she seethed and we both stood up. Millie stalked off and I bowed to both men. Yuri nodded back.

As I walked away I looked up to the first level. The second guy from the van was up there. I waved at him and he just watched me leave. I think he had really wanted to shoot us.

Millie was waiting near the doors that lead to the parking lot. She was still a bit angry but she took my hand and we walked together back to the scooter.

“So what are we having for lunch?” she asked.

=====

We sat on our scooter eating bean burritos from a roadside stand, watching the traffic go past.

“This is a very romantic first date” laughed Millie. She glanced at me sitting sideways on the front scooter seat. “You are dribbling some sauce down your chin” she added.

“Where?” I asked and tried to clean my face with the tiny paper serviette provided.

She stood up and used her own serviette to clean the errant dribble. Millie leaned in close to me and gave me a crooked smile.

“I am sorry it took me six months to let you know how I really felt” she said.

“That’s OK” I answered. “I was only going to give you ten more years to realise, then I was out of there”.

She leaned in closer and kissed me. I kissed her back.

“Thank you” I said when we finished.

“Only ten years?” smirked Millie.

“Well, I will be out of warranty by then. You may not want me” I answered.

Her face crumpled and I could see the tears starting.

“Sorry, that was a very bad joke. Please don’t cry” I said hurriedly. She punched me lightly on the shoulder and sat back on the rear scooter seat.

We finished eating our lunch and watched the cars drive by.