27

The morning air burned your eyes. It was a sobering experience, the usual grey of the morning sky replaced with a thick layer of vaporized blue earth. The stolen gas mask slid over your face tightly secured to your head. You emptied your stores for this series. Communication linked up, you had a habit of lifting high end electronics when Xxavi was still around, it was pretty easy if you played your cards right, most loss prevention would show their hand immediately on the suspect. Not flying off the handle was easier than it seemed if you were playing for fun. MAGs Six and Seven were next door to one another the furthest pair outside the flats. They had a special purpose keeping the orbits from arcing off at will. The technology was stable but it was still the public sentiment that the highs and lows had to be normalized, the argument that no one wanted to have the fillings ripped from their heads because of a phenomena.

“Barty, over,” Jane’s voice over the walkie talkie, you rolled over into more dust, good thing you packed smart or you’d have blue lungs after the explosion. The wind whipped a sheet of powder blue cremation into face. Oreo coughed, being low to the ground may have been the best place right now, if he were on twos right now he might not have made it.

“Barty,” Kaite now calling. You stood up stretching high into the new sky at the edge of what used to be MAG Seven, now the crater spitting noiselessly into the atmosphere. The “accident” worked. the column of particulate a success. You wondered how long it would take for security to get here. Good thing about an automated facility, you didn’t have that itching feeling that comes with wondering if you were really faceless in the line up. Hell they already knew your face and where you lay your head at night if they were feeling hoppy. You made the trek over the sand to where you parked, you cut it a little close, the metal buttons on your jacket sending off little lightening bolts onto your skin, it was the same down to your boots, the energy discharging into the earth. Through the dust you made it to your ride. It was clear enough for you to take off your mask, a shower of static coming from your hair, you shook out as much of the dust as you could. You climbed onto your bike, Oreo shook himself to a puffy grey shade then climbed into the sidecar.

You rode full metal, ripping over the outer flats; your mutly howled into the wind, tongue lapping at the air, it was better than a blow drier. This was a test project, nothing contained in the spokes except for dust. Dominos fall if they’re close enough but keys open all the gates. Breaking the lock afterwards, after this, would be a bit more fun. The signal in the sky heralded Jane and Ren’s successful takedown of MAG Six. Kaite was covering you from a hawk’s eye; anything stirring would be shot down before it got to you. You were in the Olympics, still in the prelims, but the best time so far, and a good lane for the finals. Ren blazed up beside you, candy green bike with hot pink accents like a watermelon on wheels, her black helmet the seed in the slice. She blew you a kiss, big goggles obscuring her face but dust free around he exposed bits. Forward ho, your arm outstretched towards the Springs.

After the quake boiled the Sonnison sisters and company into bisque, the Springs had been deserted. No one wanted to be the next in the clambake. KKZP stopped the geo services announcements of temp. The departments inability to broadcast on the error in the forecast and it’s failure to inform on what exactly happened was the death knell. It’s not a perfect science, natural disasters are bound to happen was the consensus. The thermal vents burned themselves out in the last rush, the water was cold over your skin. Oreo paddled about with Ren and Jane while you did dives, the girls throwing up finger scorecards.

“So we keep doing those until.” Kaite

“No until, we blow up all the MAGS if it comes down to it. If they want to blame the OS or Mayers for something let them pick up this.” Jane

“Kick a*s, I’ve always wanted to be an OS. They’ve got style.” Kaite

“And Richie?” Jane

“He’s got clean up. If we’re in the right pond, and we are, Cliffson will start applying some pressure and soon as that f****r bites we’ll gut his a*s.” You

“If he doesn’t make it a personal matter?” Ren

“Think differently. If that’s the case after this then we’re the underdog and we’re coming with machine gun funk, but that’s not going to happen.”

“Why not?” Kaite

“Because of pride. If that f****t really wants to flex s**t then this is his lifeline. We’re cutting arteries, veins tendons, bone. Who do you think manages these MAGS? It’s a contract. Let them speak to the management if they want. They can suck dick if they wanna go that route and I know Richie and Jason will tell em the same thing.” You cleared the water from your face.

“Preach.” Jane

“All I know is this is definitely going on the news tonight.” Kaite

“Did we go deaf or was that the quietest explosion ever?” Ren.

“Just think of it as opening a valve. S***s about to get really interesting around here.”

“I think I could use a little more excitement.” Kaite

“Let’s go see the family.”

“Will you set me up with your Brother?” Jane

“I’ll see what I can do cowgirl,” you dropped under the waves.