Post by tylatz on Jan 1, 2010 20:31:18 GMT -5
He wasn't sure if this was a good day as he marked names off the schedule so he would remember not to pay them for working today or a bad day as he looked across his cluttered desk at the vested long haired man kicking back in the office with a tennis ball in hand. On one hand he got some free help running the tours, but on the other he could be imprisoned or worse for aiding these freedom fighters with whatever they are plotting against the Duchy. Von August was kind enough to allow limited tours to be conducted given the cultural history of the strategic city since the Duchy had based their operation around a bay filled with priceless historical treasures and flanked by the New Alexandria Library and Lighthouse. It took a lot of convincing to persuade the commander that allowing tours to resume would benefit the morale of the people by restoring a bit of the feeling from before the war broke out while projecting an outward indication of their dominance. Business hadn't picked back up, but with the tight restrictions on the number of tours and who may conduct them he'd managed to spin it to convince the daring customers that the increased price was a sign that their safety was guaranteed and a good deal given the circumstances. Some of the people are just affluent upper crust types looking for a good story of how they braved the war ravaged Earth like their “Gran Papa”. They just might get their wish this time.
“You know Von August will never allow tours again if something happens,” the entrepreneur commented to his unwelcome guest.
“Ah, get off it, Akil. Nothing is going to happen. My people are good at what they do and if something does happen those two will just shake their jugs at it until it's all good.” Des snapped the ball out of the air and grins at his friend. “They caught your eye.”
“I'm a businessman. Not a soldier.”
“But you are a man and my people are better than soldiers,” the self styled freedom fighter responded and began tossing the ball in the air once more. “Just relax. Even if something goes wrong we will make it look like you were forced into helping us.” Des chuckled to himself a bit and added, “Nu does good work.”
“That is not comforting.” Akil had changed his mind at this point. It wasn't a choice between a good and bad day. More like a bad day or a nightmare that would end with him in a hospital on his way to jail. “Why am I helping you again?”
“Because you love me,” he smacked his lips and gave a suggestive wink. “And because I still have those pictures of you with that tranny in Cairo six years back that you don't want your wife and kids to see.”
“Fuck my life.”
Jocelyn stared out the window at the back of the multicolored bus trundling down a busy thoroughfare in Alexandria. It was her best effort yet to tune out the random facts and historical knowledge Des and the guy back at the office pumped into Contessa's head so she could prattle on in front of these people sight seeing in a war zone. The farm girl was good at being the center of attention with the stage presence expected of a former celebrity. Feeling eyes on her chest once again she turned to look at the young man sitting adjacent to her and gave him a small smile through a few strands of hair that turned his body rigid with a forward facing snap of his body. The smile flat lined and she rolled her eyes at the timid response. These people were so fucked if shit went down.
“Marc,” she almost whispered to her companion sitting next to her, “why the hell did he send me on this ride?”
“You'd rather be at the docks?” He questioned and responded to her nod with a smile almost as seductive as the one she flashed the tourist. “Me too.”
“I'm starting to wonder if he's lost his touch.”
“Why's that?” Marcelino questioned, still listlessly viewing his personal fantasy.
“He told Elden he could drive for starters.”
“Hey, Elden's a good driver,” he attempted to defend his subordinate behind the wheel of the vehicle, but the numerous profanities and death threats making their way to the back deflated effort. “Ok, you have a point. At least he's sober.”
“Is he?”
“Maybe?”
“First check point coming up,” Wati, the only actual tour guide on the bus informed Elden and Contessa. “Just smile, nod, and stop swearing.” His eyes lingered on Elden. “Don't exhale and turn here.”
The bus parted from the main flow of traffic to a smaller side road blockaded by a yellow gate with half a dozen marines milling about it. One waved Elden to a halt with the barrel of his rifle and two more approached the door of the vehicle with weapons in the low ready. Wati opened the door and greeted them before stepping off the bus with a thick notebook to speak out of earshot of the paying customer. He quickly explained that the employees scheduled for that day had been in an accident and they called in some new help whose papers were still clearing so they only had a temporary pass at the moment. The entire check lasted a couple of minutes and they were through the gate on their way into the heart of Nazi land.
“That was easy,” Contessa noted before preparing for her next long spiel on the history of Alexandria.
Wati only snorted a response. Those two had no idea what was up ahead. The outer gate was not a real check, but a way for the soldiers to tag the vehicle with a destination on the surveillance cameras. The real searches were still to come.
“You know Von August will never allow tours again if something happens,” the entrepreneur commented to his unwelcome guest.
“Ah, get off it, Akil. Nothing is going to happen. My people are good at what they do and if something does happen those two will just shake their jugs at it until it's all good.” Des snapped the ball out of the air and grins at his friend. “They caught your eye.”
“I'm a businessman. Not a soldier.”
“But you are a man and my people are better than soldiers,” the self styled freedom fighter responded and began tossing the ball in the air once more. “Just relax. Even if something goes wrong we will make it look like you were forced into helping us.” Des chuckled to himself a bit and added, “Nu does good work.”
“That is not comforting.” Akil had changed his mind at this point. It wasn't a choice between a good and bad day. More like a bad day or a nightmare that would end with him in a hospital on his way to jail. “Why am I helping you again?”
“Because you love me,” he smacked his lips and gave a suggestive wink. “And because I still have those pictures of you with that tranny in Cairo six years back that you don't want your wife and kids to see.”
“Fuck my life.”
***
Jocelyn stared out the window at the back of the multicolored bus trundling down a busy thoroughfare in Alexandria. It was her best effort yet to tune out the random facts and historical knowledge Des and the guy back at the office pumped into Contessa's head so she could prattle on in front of these people sight seeing in a war zone. The farm girl was good at being the center of attention with the stage presence expected of a former celebrity. Feeling eyes on her chest once again she turned to look at the young man sitting adjacent to her and gave him a small smile through a few strands of hair that turned his body rigid with a forward facing snap of his body. The smile flat lined and she rolled her eyes at the timid response. These people were so fucked if shit went down.
“Marc,” she almost whispered to her companion sitting next to her, “why the hell did he send me on this ride?”
“You'd rather be at the docks?” He questioned and responded to her nod with a smile almost as seductive as the one she flashed the tourist. “Me too.”
“I'm starting to wonder if he's lost his touch.”
“Why's that?” Marcelino questioned, still listlessly viewing his personal fantasy.
“He told Elden he could drive for starters.”
“Hey, Elden's a good driver,” he attempted to defend his subordinate behind the wheel of the vehicle, but the numerous profanities and death threats making their way to the back deflated effort. “Ok, you have a point. At least he's sober.”
“Is he?”
“Maybe?”
“First check point coming up,” Wati, the only actual tour guide on the bus informed Elden and Contessa. “Just smile, nod, and stop swearing.” His eyes lingered on Elden. “Don't exhale and turn here.”
The bus parted from the main flow of traffic to a smaller side road blockaded by a yellow gate with half a dozen marines milling about it. One waved Elden to a halt with the barrel of his rifle and two more approached the door of the vehicle with weapons in the low ready. Wati opened the door and greeted them before stepping off the bus with a thick notebook to speak out of earshot of the paying customer. He quickly explained that the employees scheduled for that day had been in an accident and they called in some new help whose papers were still clearing so they only had a temporary pass at the moment. The entire check lasted a couple of minutes and they were through the gate on their way into the heart of Nazi land.
“That was easy,” Contessa noted before preparing for her next long spiel on the history of Alexandria.
Wati only snorted a response. Those two had no idea what was up ahead. The outer gate was not a real check, but a way for the soldiers to tag the vehicle with a destination on the surveillance cameras. The real searches were still to come.