Chapter 2
“Freddie, glad you could join us.” The man by the counter greeted. He folded the newspaper he was reading and started pouring coffee on two mugs.
“Dad, he’s just here to deliver your sugar,” Lily said.
“Can’t he stop by for something warm? It’s a long drive back to the city. With winter coming close, he’ll freeze.”
When the man walked to the kitchen, the blonde patted Keaton by the arm and pointed at the corner to put the box down. “I’m sorry, you know how he is. He thinks he can predict the future.”
Keaton shrugged. “He was on point with some of his predictions. The bus accident. The cyberterrorism against the Anti-Anomaly campaign. He was also very close to predicting Hurricane Mildew. He’s in the ballpark.” He paused abruptly.
Lily didn’t catch on that he held back on talking, thinking he just ran out of things to say. “Yeah, in the right state. I’m worried that these predictions are too on-point.”
When her father got out of the kitchen, one mug smelled of brewed coffee while the other had a mix of vanilla and mini mallows. He handed it towards Keaton with a proud smile. “You’re not leaving until you drink every last drop.” Keaton took it and nodded. Then the man snatched his newspaper from the table. “I’ll be doing my thing. You kids clean up here, alright?”
As soon as he was gone, Keaton blew on the steam from his mug and sipped. The only reason he’d savor the drink was to stay in the house for as long as he could.
“You travel a lot, Freddie. What do the people in other towns say about anomalies?” Lily crossed her arms.
Anomalies were individuals born with a genetic abnormality. They could be identified by difference in appearance. Pointy ears, claws, fangs or skin texture. Other ways they were identified by the hazardous abilities they carried. Whether it was generating electricity or commanding animals to attack their owners, they were dangerous. Anomalies weren’t welcomed by society because not only were they genetically abnormal, but they were disrupting the norms and livelihood of the normal people.
Part of Keaton’s job was to kill these anomalies.
“Anomalies don’t exist in most towns I’ve been to.” He was an expert liar but he couldn’t bring himself to tell Lily her father might be one. Authorities could be all over the place to apprehend the poor man if they found out.
“You know there’s this doctor at Biogenetics Inc. my colleagues said he’s a renowned biochemist. Do you think he could examine my dad or create a cure?”
“I’m sure Mr. Morgan is not an anomaly.” Another lie. He was able to confirm this weeks back. But he wasn’t going to let Lily get herself involved with the anomaly business. He could never admit it but he was happy just delivering sugar if it meant he could see her, even if it was once a week. He finished his drink, setting the mug on the sink to wash.
“Ah, just leave it there. I got it.”
“Thank you.”
Keaton left and continued to deliver the rest of the boxes to his respective clients. He stayed in his pickup truck for lunch, eating cup noodles. At the back of his head, he knew he wasn’t earning enough to give him the chance of luxurious living, and he was beginning to question if it was justified to live poorly and not kill people.
One of his favorite spots during lunch was to park near Sage Appliances. They had multiple TV displays flashing the latest news and music videos that he could entertain himself with.
The music volume was louder than the news but it was clear to him what the reporter was talking about. There were several campaigns against Biogenetics Inc. because of the so-called cure they promised for anomalies that led to hundreds of controversial deaths and thousands else hidden from the media. He never took jobs pro or anti Biogenetics Inc. because it was a messy detail.
Police sirens blared behind him, engines roared as cars passed by him, grazing his pickup by an inch. Keaton almost spilled the remnants of his noodle soup. Police cars were chasing a black car breaking the speed limit.
The City wasn’t a stranger to high stakes pursuits against the police. If anything, they were the center of criminal activity.
Keaton’s phone rang as he finished his cheap meal. Olivia. He was reluctant to answer but the six-figure money attached to her name was hard to resist. He answered the call and hit the loudspeaker as he crushed the plastic cup and fork, throwing it in the trash bin beside the truck.
“Lewis, finally reached you, old dog,” Olivia said, relieved. “Have you finally come to your senses?”
“It never left.”
Olivia laughed but Keaton said nothing. He adjusted his seat and turned the engine on. He reached for his phone to hit the end button but then she cleared her throat. “I have a job for you. Short. Quick. Easy money. I promise killing is optional.”
The last part immediately made him consider it. “I’m listening.”
“I have a client on the run. All of his escorts are dead but he’s so close to the finish line. If you could pick him up and drop him off at the nearest train station to Los Posthumous, I’ll wire you twenty thousand ions.”
“Where is he?”
“Flipburough,” Olivia answered.
“And who is this client?”
“I will reveal that information if you want the job. Taking it or leaving it, Mr. Keaton?”
He weighed the stakes as he thought about it. A simple escort mission. The train station wasn’t far off. If the client was a high-profile member of a criminal family, just the usual people Olivia associates herself with, then twenty thousand ions wasn’t enough to compensate for the potential killings he could do.
“Alright. I’ll take it.”
“That’s what I love about you, Lewis. Business is business. I’ll forward you the details as usual. Call me when it’s done.” Olivia ended the call.
Keaton waited for her email to come through. Despite being the instigator of trouble, Olivia had always been true to her word. How much money she’d pay and the details of his mission were exactly as she mentioned it, no strings attached.
His phone beeped as soon as Olivia’s email went through.
To: Lewis Keaton
From: Olivia Mesa
Subject: Escort Mission
Mission: Please escort Client to Los Posthumous Station in one piece–safe and alive.
Client information
Name: Finley Bennett
Age: 17
Last known location: Sage Appliances
See attached photo for confirmation
Restrictions: Don’t talk to anyone and don’t let Client engage with anyone.
With love,
O.
Keaton did a double take at the Client’s location, almost as if Olivia knew he was nearby. Just one glance at the downloaded attachment, he engraved it into his memory before going out of the truck and into the store.
Comments