Read Online DJ's Mission by A. E. McCullough - Free Book Online Page B

to terra-form the plant for decades but it
hadn’t completely worked, hence the bio-domes. But there were two basic types
of bio-domes, commonly referred to as Green and Blue. Green, meant a full
Earth-like environment; light, heating, oxygen, everything. Blue, meant that it
was safe to move about with only some sort of breathing apparatus. The
atmosphere would be too nitrogen rich to breathe without one.
    As soon as Tony took Lucille through the upper
airlock, DJ could tell which building was Mocha Delights. It was covered in
lights, blue, purple and red neon flashed brighter than anything else in the
skyline.
    Tony pointed out the brightly lit nightclub.
“There she is in all her glory. Don’t let the cheesy exterior fool you. It is
pure luxury inside.”
    DJ spied a line of waiting patrons which wrapped
around the block outside. Many could be seen wearing their party clothes while
some were in full atmospheric suits. The other thing he noticed that no matter
what they wore, everyone had a weapon. Once again DJ was struck with another
reminder that they were outside the Coalition’s tight control. “Have you had
many troubles with raiders of late?”
    “Not in the last month. But don’t worry; there
hasn’t been an attack in Xanadu in over two years.”
    “Xanadu?”
    Tony nodded to the ground. “The name of the region
we’re in. Just like every other city, there are good areas and bad areas.
Xanadu isn’t a favorite with the SS, so you would think that the bad elements
would move in but for some reason they don’t. Not sure why but I’m sure it
frustrates the hell out of Kassinger.”
    DJ knew from his files that Kassinger was the
leader of the SS, a former soldier and confidant of Roger Thomas, his ex-wife’s
husband and beater of women and children. One part of him wanted to rush
straight on and choke the life out of the retired Admiral but he knew that
Iaido was right. He couldn’t charge straight in. He needed to sneak in and out.
And to do so, he was going to need help from Mocha, aka Andrew Young. Iaido had
included a complete dossier on the owner and suggestions on how to use it.
    When Tony pulled up out front and the doors popped
open, he calmly slipped on a mask and hopped out to help as if this was a standard
fare and held out his cred-reader which showed his fare…two-hundred and fifty
credits.
    DJ grabbed a cred-stix, adjusted the amount he
wished to transfer and placed it in the reader.
    Tony nearly dropped the device when the sum of
five thousand credits popped up. “Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot!”
    DJ shrugged. “Consider it a tip.”
    Tony shook his head. “I can’t accept that. It’s
too much.”
    “Listen. It’s not charity. I can see you’re down
on your luck. I’ve been there, more recent than you could imagine. If not for
the generosity of an old friend I would probably be dead by now. But he stepped
in and gave me a hand even when I didn’t know I needed it. Let me do the same
to you.”
    Tony shook his head. “But you don’t know me.”
    DJ shrugged. “What else do I need to know about
you? You’ve served your country and now you are down on your luck.” He pointed
at the sobriety medallion. “But instead of giving in, you’re fighting the good
fight, one day at a time.”
    Tony stammered for a second before nodding. “This
means more to me than you will ever know.”
    Placing a reassuring hand on the cancer stricken
veteran, DJ nodded. “I know brother, I know. We all carry demons from the war;
yours are just winning the fight. Do whatever you have to but don’t let it
win.”
    It was at that moment when Tony realized that the
bounty hunter knew about his cancer. And by giving him the credits, the Marine
was granting him a chance to return to Earth for treatment. He now had a
possibility to beat the disease. The odds weren’t good but now he at least had
a fighting chance. “Thanks Marine.”
    “Semper Fi, brother.”
    Tony nodded. “Aye, semper fi…do or