by The Eurostar and T5
Edulcore Cicciotto:
Ladnikia burns inside her scabbard across my back. Too much time has passed since she ate. She wants blood and souls. And so do I.
My God. Forgive me. What I am becoming?
And yet I love it: the excitement of the battle, the last stare of the eyes of a dying man, the butter-like consistence of the skin and muscle and bones to the penetration of my blade.
I... need... it.
Sometimes I just think of going to the docks of La Perdita or to the meta bar just to find someone to fight and, hopefully, to kill. Until now, something has always stopped me: conscience, faith, call it what you will, something deep in my mind, or my soul... something that becomes thinner as the days pass.
Luckily this new job will put me in situations where my blade will find satisfaction. I hope. I know.
For now, let's put my mind on the party and on drinks. My thirst is not for alcohol, but wine and vodka and rum will help me forget my needs... for now.
As I walk across the old factory, a voice strange and known hits my mind from behind a door. It's the room of Jackie, the Ameristar.
The voice is the one of the old Neanderthal, the one who tried to employ me when I returned from my prison in the EPS, the one for whom Jackie works, for whom she does what he wants.
Weeks ago I would never have eavesdropped, but now I find it perfectly natural. They are talking.
"So, I tell you again, Jackie, don't go there for any reason."
"But could it be the place we are looking for?"
"No. I have looked for the Liber Vitae for centuries, and in that tower it isn't. The tower has connections to Cuccubao, deep ones, but the book is not there. I know because I have been there.
I know for sure that there, in the tower in the middle of the Amazon jungle, there are people that know clues to the true location of Cuccubao's last hideout, but don't you dare go there. I forbid you. And I order you to ensure that your comrades don't go there. You must find a different way to find the Liber Vitae."
There is a very brief buzz, the one I have learned is connected to the Gaia unit technology. The old man has gone. I knock at the door.
"Euro, come in."
Oh, fuck, I forgot the x-ray goggles in her armor. I can only hope she had not been using them when she was talking with the old man.
"Hi, Jackie," I say, coming inside.
"What do you think about what the old man said?" she asks. Months ago I would have turned red like a hot chili. Now, who cares?
"I think that he knows something he doesn't want us to know. And since we have not the book, I say we shouldn't have concerns. Tomorrow we'll have the picture, and we'll find the location by ourselves. We don't need the book of the old man."
The familiar buzz. And right in front of me appears the pretty figure in red boots of Crasher.
"I have stolen the book from my daddy. For you, Jackie!" she says, smiling.
I look at Ameristar. What will she do? How strong is her loyalty to the Neanderthal?
Later, Ameristar and Jackie were in the kitchen preparing a couple of drinks for themselves.
"How could you?" asked Ameristar.
"How could I what, dear?"
"How could you steal from him? He's your father, and my best friend... besides you," she added after receiving a frown from Crasher.
"Easy. I took it from the library and teleported here." Crasher took her drink and started toward the door.
"Let's put some threads on for the men to ogle at," she said with an evil twinkle in her eye.
Ameristar sighed, took the drink and the book, and followed her to their temporary room.
Elsewhere, Giorgio took one look at the Pontiac Firebird-Transam with clear metal coating and red leather interior and fell in love. It took him forty-two seconds to hotwire it and make a hasty getaway from the parking lot. He was getting rusty. That took much longer than it should have.
Ah, to test the abilities of a car was almost even better than sex. The cars disappeared behind him, and he continued on to the main road from Paris to Travemynde, Germany. He had a boat to catch.