Malcolm lay in bed with Selene on his right, and the device on his left. It sat next to a pile of books on the bedside table. He knew he couldn't let it out of his sight; he was all too familiar with the consequences of being late to a mission.
To Selene, he’d just told her that it was a new work phone.
“It doesn’t look like any one I’ve seen before,” Selene had said, turning it over in her hands.
“They’re trying out a new model, it’s supposed to be more efficient,” Malcolm responded.
“Huh…”
As Malcolm lay in bed, Selene by his side, he silently wished it could all be different. I needed change, Malcolm thought, playing with Selene’s hand, which was wrapped around him from behind. I didn’t need this. Her skin was as soft as silk. How she could grow up here and end up like this was a mystery to Malcolm.
Gridlock had promised opportunity. Malcolm knew that meant payment included. Whatever I have to do, this is going to get me paid. Get me out of the mines, out of here. He looked down at Selene’s hand and held it tighter. I can finally give her the life that I promised. He looked back towards the silver box sitting on the night stand, the moon's glow gently reflecting off its surface, casting a small sliver of light onto the two of them. Maybe after all this was the chance I was after. An opportunity.
. . .
“Yo, M.” The voice reverberated around the small apartment. Malcolm was already up, but Selene was still in bed, “Yo, M, pick up the phone!”
Malcolm tapped at the display near his sofa, turning off the voice mail, but he nevertheless went to the wall to pick up.
“Dante, what is it? This isn’t a good time.”
“You ain’t ever have a good time, man. This is important. A new avenue opened up. A job. For both of us. You're gonna like this, M, I know it. We need to talk, right now. Not over the phone, because this is on the down low. Archipelago in 30?”
“Dante, I can’t right now, Selene’s still in. What’s the rush?”
“A job this hot is not going to last long, come on!.”
“It’ll last long enough. I’ll see you when I get there.”
“M—”
Malcolm shut off the phone.
He’d heard enough about Dante’s ‘jobs’ that he knew exactly what this would entail. He’d had enough of this for the rest of his life, let alone enough for the span of two days.
. . .
In a couple hours, Selene woke up. Malcolm had decided to make her breakfast, although there were rarely many options. Despite usually taking the mandatory meals, for once he had chosen to actually purchase from some more exclusive options.
“Malc, how much did this cost,” Selene said, in between mouthfuls of scrambled egg.
“Nothing,” Malcolm responded. “Work gave me an overtime bonus and I used that. It was practically free.”
“That is not ‘practically free’.”
“Why does the price matter? I know it’s been hard for you lately, losing your job and everything, so I thought I should do something nice for you.” Malcolm moved closer and kissed Selene on the forehead. “No price on that.”
For a brief moment they stayed within each other's embrace, and Malcolm could feel the exact moment when Selene let go, and her muscles relaxed. Malcolm only wished that he could do the same.
Selene kissed Malcolm on the lips as he stared blankly ahead, consumed by his own thoughts. Her touch brought him back to reality, and he looked down to face her.
“Thank you,” She said, before letting go of him, and turning back to her food.
In that moment of bliss, the fire alarm went off. The repetitive beeps pierced through the air, and Malcolm covered his ears, although to no effect.
“Fuck’s sake.” he said. “This better not be a test.”
“What are you talking about,” Selene said, continuing to eat.
“The fire alarm?” Malcolm said.
She cocked her head sideways at him.
“What fire alarm?”
Malcolm’s face of confusion immediately transitioned to realisation. It was in his head. He quickly rushed to the bedroom, much to Selene’s confusion before shutting the door, and taking the metal box into his hand. The only thing that had access to his mental interface. He felt for the inset on the side of the box, sliding his fingers along the edge, until he found it, and clicked it in.
After a few seconds of static, it began speaking in a voice that Malcolm instantly recognised.
“Mr Chambers,” it began. “We meet again.”
There was a knock on the door.
“Malcolm, what’s going on in there?”
“Sorry, I forgot I promised to call my sister, please can I have five minutes!”
He heard Selene slowly back away from the door, just as the device began to speak again.
“Your first mission is very simple. It is less of a task, and more of a test of trust. All you have to do is follow through on a simple sale of product. 100g of tricohyphalicide has been purchased by our most lucrative buyer. The payment has been made, and all you need to do is provide him with his product. The transaction will be tonight. I will tell you the pick up spot when there is one hour remaining, and I expect you to be quick. You know how I feel about being late. Once again, this mission is not difficult. It is a test of trust. Let me trust you.”
The machine beeped off.
He stood for a moment in silence. Everything was suddenly happening at once and it was all moving too quickly. His mind only went to one place, and he rushed quickly back to Selene, for now he needed her as much as she needed him.
. . .
“M, I’m going to tell this to you quick, but we gotta make sure no one's listening.”
Malcolm and Dante huddled in the corner of the Archipelago, occupying a four-person booth to themselves.
“And whatever happens, the moment I tell you, you’re in,” Dante continued. “Because once you know there ain’t no backing out.”
Malcolm’s curiosity and interests were piqued, too much to not hear what he had to tell him.
“What do you have for me?” Malcolm leaned forward in the booth, turning his shoulders slightly towards the inside, shutting off the world.
“What I’ve got for you,” Dante began. “Is intel. Cloud Nine Intel.”
Malcolm's heart dropped, but his face remained calm.
“A leak on the inside said there's something going down tonight,” Dante continued. “A sale of sorts.”
“What’s that gotta do with us?” Malcolm asked. How the hell could I have already been compromised. Malcolm thought. Have I done something wrong?”
“A one on one transaction has room for error—”
“One on one?”
“That’s what the source says–”
“You really think Cloud Nine are coming into a one-on-one unarmed? We don’t fuck around with that crowd, Dante. And just because I saved your ass one time, doesn’t mean I’m going on suicide missions based on your ‘inside intel’. I’m not like that.”
Dante’s face froze. The smile he always wore faltered, his muscles tightening as he recoiled. The reaction was only brief — barely noticeable — but still certainly there.
“So you won’t do it? Cause if we don’t tell my source soon, he’s gonna give the job to someone else.”
Someone else? Malcolm thought. At least Dante’s within reach.
“I can tell you want this,” Malcolm began.
“M, I need this. What else do I got, man?”
Dante’s eyes locked with Malcolm’s, their instincts intersecting for a brief moment. They both knew what each other wanted, or at least they thought they did, but in the moment it was just a matter of who would give in first, who would allow the other victory.
Malcolm broke into a slight smile.
“How long do we have?”
. . .
Malcolm’s car crunched along the central highway, rising up towards the main centre of Europa. According to Dante’s source, the transaction would take place somewhere upside, which even Malcolm didn’t know yet. Gridlock had told him ‘an hour before the transaction’, yet Malcolm didn’t even know when the transaction would be. Night was only gently starting to creep in, so Malcolm and Dante prepared for the long haul.
“What made you change your mind,” Dante said, sitting beside Malcolm in the passenger’s seat.
“Selene,” Malcolm said. “I promised her better than…this.”
“It’s going to get better. This job alone is a month's paycheck down in the old dirt hole.”
“Exactly.”
Malcolm turned off the highway, and into a two lane street. This is for Selene, Malcolm thought. In both ways. I need to keep her safe, and I need to keep her provided. But how can I do both? Malcolm’s two missions were directly opposed. One paid in safety, the other in credits. I know which one I need more…but…no. I know which one I need. It’s impossible to ignore it.
Malcolm turned onto a street of warehouses that Dante had tapped in on the car's display.
I know what Selene needs…but I also know what she wants, Malcolm continued to think. But I can’t mess with Cloud Nine.
“This is the place, M,” Dante said, pointing at the second warehouse on the right.
“Where did you get this?” Malcolm asked.
“Dont worry about that part, man. It’s just where we’re gonna stay for a few hours.”
“Where is this deal going down anyways.”
Dante picked up his phone first as he began leaving the car, before also picking up his jacket, and his keys.
“I’m not sure yet. My contact said he’ll let me know 30 minutes before it’s happening.”
30 minutes between the intel being dropped and being leaked, Malcolm thought. How the hell is he going to do it? Surely the Cloud Nine lines haven’t been tapped? It must be an inside man.
“Better hope it’s close,” Malcolm said.
“Nah don’t worry about it,” Dante replied. “This thing looks like it's got some pace on it.” He slapped the hood sarcastically.
The warehouse was clad in black iron and was sealed besides the main entrance. No ordinary warehouse, thought Malcolm. Some kind of black site. Three security cameras were placed along the front wall of the building, all of them securing the entrance.
They approached the building cautiously, the ‘electrically charged wall’ warning ominously glaring at them. If the facility detected any threat in the both of them the building would electrify every piece of metal in the complex.
Dante doesn’t own a place like this, Malcolm thought. And if this is his ‘contact’s’ place, how can we trust it?
Dante walked up to the side of the door and tapped his phone against it. The device beeped, and a green light flashed where Dante had placed his phone. He pushed the door open, revealing the interior of the warehouse.
The entire room was pitch black, and the space looked smaller than it did on the outside. Dante found a light switch on the side of the wall and flicked it. Once it was lit, they both walked in. The first thought in Malcolm’s head was "What the hell have I gotten into?"
In the centre of the room was a singular chair. Atop it: a man, tied with his hands behind his back, and his mouth gagged.