Nexus Noir, Chapter I, Part II

PART I CAN BE FOUND HERE: /120/da/6161/1.html

--Meeting Place, part II--

The next day, I knew what had to be done. HC and I went to Aqua, the rizy neighborhood. We had to get some nice clothes to make a good impression. I've never felt so out of place; I was the only one with newbie clothes. Misnomer Jones, clother to the ritch, gave me a snide look. I could only imagine what HC was feeling.

We walked into Avatar Central, lagged and miserable. Packet loss beat me like a fat hippo with an empty beer jug. It took me a while to settle in, but when I did, I heard some chatter coming from the other side of the store. They were the thugs from the night before. I instinctivly clamped my hand over HCs mouth; he tended to be a loudmouth, especially when it was crucial he needed to shut up.

I right clicked one of them; took a look at his profile. The only group he was listed under was "WW2olERs." Figured. I took out my gun, took controls. I went into mouselook, my crosshairs firm on one of them. I left clicked.

No build.

"DAMN!" I shouted. They all turned. All together, as if it was rehearsed, they attached swords to their arms and accepted permissions. Off they came. I right clicked HC as quick as I could and selected "IM."

"HC, teleport out. I can take them. No complaints, just do it."

He was gone, and I was alone. I ran out the door, depsperate to find land with build permissions. Most land was taken in Aqua. You'd think it would be easier to find in such an expensive simulator, but inflation was everywhere these days. The thugs were close on my tail, shouting and cursing all the way. With there swords, they didn't need build permissions to whack me.

"OMG k1ll h1m WTF LOL!!!1111!!1!"

Finally, I found some empty space. I opened up my inventory and pulled out my bumper. It faded in, resolving into the simulator. Then, it started to move. Hitting thugs, one by one, making them dissapear, so great was it's force. I just sat and watched as they blew away. There were about 10 of them, and I took them out real quick. That was that, and I got my bumper back in my inventory, and continued on with my shopping.

* * *

Back at Nexus Prime, I met up with HC. He was sitting outside the door of Mem-Corp, a small building with big power.

"I bought this for you, it was 50 dollars. I expect pay." I wasn't in the mood to joke around.

"Geez, fine, here it is." 'Easy enough,' I thought to myself.

"Time to visit Gibson," I said expecently.
"A'right, let's go."
"Do you have a gun?"
"That paranoid, are ya?
"Ya never know, 'specially with Zeeman."
"Whatever." He attached a gun to himself. Typical HC behavior. He rose up, particles fluttering around him. I didt he same. We were off to Gibson.

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