Read Online Hard Luck Hank: Prince of Suck by Steven Campbell - Free Book Online
Authors: Steven Campbell
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entrance to her apartment, wondering if yesterday’s events
had dampened her enthusiasm for the job.
“Come in,” she said.
I did, as she returned to buckling her
boots.
“I understand why you killed that guy,”
she answered simply. “You had to break up the crowd somehow. Almost everyone
went home right afterwards. It’s like they came specifically to watch you fight.
And he did attack you.”
“I notice you haven’t asked for a gun
yet.”
She pulled out a pistol from her coat.
“Where’d you get that?” I said, annoyed.
“If you bought it on the black market, that’s supporting the exact stuff we’re
trying to end.”
“Be cool, I brought it with me to the
station. Your scanners are terrible. That’s probably why guys can walk around
with D78 rocket launchers and shoot at you.”
“Thanks for volunteering,” I said after
she was done dressing.
“What did I volunteer for, by the way?”
“We’re going on a special assignment
today,” I said.
“Just us two?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
MTB was a good Stair Boy, but he thought
all that was required was a firm fist. As Supreme Kommilaire I had to do more
than just beat up people. Yesterday I asked for volunteers and was pleased to
see nearly all my men trusted me enough to go on a special assignment with no
questions asked.
“Is that what you came over to tell me?
Or did you have other reasons?”
Valia undid her coat in a blink and
stood before me with her eyes narrowed and a devious grin. She had a much better
body than I guessed. Her clothes must be so constrictive I’m surprised she
didn’t have blood spurting from her ears.
She was almost completely naked straight
to her knee boots, waiting for my response, not the least bit shy.
I stood there for ages. This woman was
probably two hundred years younger than me, about the size of my arm, and about
the weight of my pinky. She was attractive enough that she could have nearly
any man on Belvaille.
“Are you making fun of me?” I asked her.
“Wha—no,” she said, surprised, her eyes
blinking.
“We’re going to visit Hobardi,” I
continued. Valia quickly buttoned her coat as I spoke. “He is a religious
leader on Belvaille. The Sublime Order of Transcendence. I’d guess about a
fifth of the station are members—including a number of the Stair Boys. This is
a problem. You understand?”
Valia was fixing her hair hurriedly and
straightening her outfit.
“Hobardi, yeah.”
“Let’s go,” I said.
Hank Block had moved numerous times.
Wherever I lived was basically renamed Hank Block. Its current location came
about because I wanted to have the closest access to the largest number of functioning
trains. It was north central in terms of the city.
Belvaille used to have trains
everywhere. You almost never had to walk very far. But the equipment to run and
repair them had been cannibalized for other purposes. Delovoa could fix the
trains, I’m sure, but his time was better spent elsewhere. He did make sure all
the remaining trains could carry me, however. Something I was quite thankful
for.
On the train I was thinking about the
meeting coming up when I remembered what Valia had said in her apartment. I
didn’t want her to be embarrassed about it.
I looked over at her and saw her staring
at me with the same cocky expression she’d worn when she was naked.
Meh, she wasn’t going to be embarrassed.
“What is the religion like?” she asked.
“Nut jobs. Total fruitcakes. But don’t
say that.”
“I’m not stupid…”
“Hobardi is a con man if there ever was
one. And like any good con man, he’s smart. He has a mutant who works with him.
I think my level or maybe even higher. He’s always with him. I want you to keep
your eye on him.”
“What are his abilities?”
“I don’t know. See if you can pick up
anything.”
After a train transfer, we were back walking
on the street. The clothes of the pedestrians had abruptly changed.
People wore long colored
had dampened her enthusiasm for the job.
“Come in,” she said.
I did, as she returned to buckling her
boots.
“I understand why you killed that guy,”
she answered simply. “You had to break up the crowd somehow. Almost everyone
went home right afterwards. It’s like they came specifically to watch you fight.
And he did attack you.”
“I notice you haven’t asked for a gun
yet.”
She pulled out a pistol from her coat.
“Where’d you get that?” I said, annoyed.
“If you bought it on the black market, that’s supporting the exact stuff we’re
trying to end.”
“Be cool, I brought it with me to the
station. Your scanners are terrible. That’s probably why guys can walk around
with D78 rocket launchers and shoot at you.”
“Thanks for volunteering,” I said after
she was done dressing.
“What did I volunteer for, by the way?”
“We’re going on a special assignment
today,” I said.
“Just us two?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
MTB was a good Stair Boy, but he thought
all that was required was a firm fist. As Supreme Kommilaire I had to do more
than just beat up people. Yesterday I asked for volunteers and was pleased to
see nearly all my men trusted me enough to go on a special assignment with no
questions asked.
“Is that what you came over to tell me?
Or did you have other reasons?”
Valia undid her coat in a blink and
stood before me with her eyes narrowed and a devious grin. She had a much better
body than I guessed. Her clothes must be so constrictive I’m surprised she
didn’t have blood spurting from her ears.
She was almost completely naked straight
to her knee boots, waiting for my response, not the least bit shy.
I stood there for ages. This woman was
probably two hundred years younger than me, about the size of my arm, and about
the weight of my pinky. She was attractive enough that she could have nearly
any man on Belvaille.
“Are you making fun of me?” I asked her.
“Wha—no,” she said, surprised, her eyes
blinking.
“We’re going to visit Hobardi,” I
continued. Valia quickly buttoned her coat as I spoke. “He is a religious
leader on Belvaille. The Sublime Order of Transcendence. I’d guess about a
fifth of the station are members—including a number of the Stair Boys. This is
a problem. You understand?”
Valia was fixing her hair hurriedly and
straightening her outfit.
“Hobardi, yeah.”
“Let’s go,” I said.
Hank Block had moved numerous times.
Wherever I lived was basically renamed Hank Block. Its current location came
about because I wanted to have the closest access to the largest number of functioning
trains. It was north central in terms of the city.
Belvaille used to have trains
everywhere. You almost never had to walk very far. But the equipment to run and
repair them had been cannibalized for other purposes. Delovoa could fix the
trains, I’m sure, but his time was better spent elsewhere. He did make sure all
the remaining trains could carry me, however. Something I was quite thankful
for.
On the train I was thinking about the
meeting coming up when I remembered what Valia had said in her apartment. I
didn’t want her to be embarrassed about it.
I looked over at her and saw her staring
at me with the same cocky expression she’d worn when she was naked.
Meh, she wasn’t going to be embarrassed.
“What is the religion like?” she asked.
“Nut jobs. Total fruitcakes. But don’t
say that.”
“I’m not stupid…”
“Hobardi is a con man if there ever was
one. And like any good con man, he’s smart. He has a mutant who works with him.
I think my level or maybe even higher. He’s always with him. I want you to keep
your eye on him.”
“What are his abilities?”
“I don’t know. See if you can pick up
anything.”
After a train transfer, we were back walking
on the street. The clothes of the pedestrians had abruptly changed.
People wore long colored
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