they weren’t just part of a dream. It had been so long since he’d actually had pork bellies that it nearly made him salivate just thinking about it.
Having slept in his clothes, Jaxon wasted no time stepping out into Gillette’s apartment. The vid screen displayed a scenic view from earth: the sun rising above a grassy horizon.
“Oh, wow. I’d say that it looks like you got a good night’s rest, but to tell the truth, you look worse now than you did last night,” Gillette said as he poured Jaxon a cup of coffee.
“Yeah, thanks for that. As you can imagine, I tossed and turned all night, reliving the events from yesterday.” Jaxon sat at the island, practically worshiping the steaming cup of coffee.
“Hopefully, this will perk you up. Plus, I got bacon!”
“Real bacon? How’d you get that up here?” Jaxon asked as he drooled over the plate of crispy strips of heaven.
“It’s the real thing. I’m able to get a pound every now and then from a connection I have in the city. This one’s been sitting in my freezer for the last two months, so I figured it’d be a great way to kick off the day.”
Jaxon didn’t hesitate stuffing a piece into his mouth. The salty goodness that can only come from the flavor of bacon melted on his tongue. He closed his eyes as he chewed, savoring every morsel.
“Jesus, Jaxon. Do you two need to get a room?” Gillette asked as he slid a plate of toast across the island.
“My God. That bite was almost pure nirvana,” Jaxon said as he slid two more pieces onto his plate before grabbing a slice of toast.
“Well, you better eat well. We’re going to get you up to the outer ring today, and I think you’re gonna need all the nourishment you can get,” Gillette said.
“What’s that? I thought you were on the cautionary side of my predicament,” Jaxon said. He stopped eating, pushing his ravenous appetite to the side for a moment.
“Yeah, well, that was last night. Went to bed thinking how much of an ass I sounded like, not willing to help a buddy out. I’m sure if the tables were turned, you’d be the first one to help me—if I was in your position. So, I was up early and reached out to some friends. Looks like you’re in luck today.”
Jaxon’s eyes widened in surprise, dumbfounded by his buddy’s change of heart. “I … I’m speechless. I don’t know what to say. I, I owe you, buddy.”
“Don’t thank me quite yet, Jaxon. First off, it’s going to cost you. Three hundred credits, all in advance.”
“Done. I still have my rainy day stash—I’ve barely even touched it.”
“Then, there’s the shuttle. It leaves at 10 AM, and it’s ten minutes after nine right now.”
Jaxon looked at the digital clock on the wall: It read 9:11 AM. “And you don’t think you could’ve led off with that as opposed to wasting time with eating breakfast? Shouldn’t we be getting there and—”
“Relax, Jaxon. We’re good. I trust this guy as much as you trust me. Finish your breakfast and we’ll be on our way.”
“But isn’t the city a good forty minutes away at this time of day?” Jaxon asked
“Don’t fret, my man. Because this isn’t a publicly authorized departure, you will not be leaving from Luna City station. There’s an old surface access just on the far side of Sector 45. Once you get to the surface, there will be a ship waiting.”
Jaxon relaxed and picked up another piece of bacon. “All right. No use letting this fine swine meal go to waste, then.”
18
Twenty minutes later, they walked out of the apartment. As Gillette spent several minutes securing the myriad of locks on his apartment door, Jaxon scanned the immediate vicinity, looking for any sign of the assailants.
“All locked up,” Gillette said. “Are we clear?” He and Gillette had complemented each other so well for so many years, and he felt a resurgence of strength with his old partner. Just like old times, Jaxon mused.
“Nobody in sight,”
Having slept in his clothes, Jaxon wasted no time stepping out into Gillette’s apartment. The vid screen displayed a scenic view from earth: the sun rising above a grassy horizon.
“Oh, wow. I’d say that it looks like you got a good night’s rest, but to tell the truth, you look worse now than you did last night,” Gillette said as he poured Jaxon a cup of coffee.
“Yeah, thanks for that. As you can imagine, I tossed and turned all night, reliving the events from yesterday.” Jaxon sat at the island, practically worshiping the steaming cup of coffee.
“Hopefully, this will perk you up. Plus, I got bacon!”
“Real bacon? How’d you get that up here?” Jaxon asked as he drooled over the plate of crispy strips of heaven.
“It’s the real thing. I’m able to get a pound every now and then from a connection I have in the city. This one’s been sitting in my freezer for the last two months, so I figured it’d be a great way to kick off the day.”
Jaxon didn’t hesitate stuffing a piece into his mouth. The salty goodness that can only come from the flavor of bacon melted on his tongue. He closed his eyes as he chewed, savoring every morsel.
“Jesus, Jaxon. Do you two need to get a room?” Gillette asked as he slid a plate of toast across the island.
“My God. That bite was almost pure nirvana,” Jaxon said as he slid two more pieces onto his plate before grabbing a slice of toast.
“Well, you better eat well. We’re going to get you up to the outer ring today, and I think you’re gonna need all the nourishment you can get,” Gillette said.
“What’s that? I thought you were on the cautionary side of my predicament,” Jaxon said. He stopped eating, pushing his ravenous appetite to the side for a moment.
“Yeah, well, that was last night. Went to bed thinking how much of an ass I sounded like, not willing to help a buddy out. I’m sure if the tables were turned, you’d be the first one to help me—if I was in your position. So, I was up early and reached out to some friends. Looks like you’re in luck today.”
Jaxon’s eyes widened in surprise, dumbfounded by his buddy’s change of heart. “I … I’m speechless. I don’t know what to say. I, I owe you, buddy.”
“Don’t thank me quite yet, Jaxon. First off, it’s going to cost you. Three hundred credits, all in advance.”
“Done. I still have my rainy day stash—I’ve barely even touched it.”
“Then, there’s the shuttle. It leaves at 10 AM, and it’s ten minutes after nine right now.”
Jaxon looked at the digital clock on the wall: It read 9:11 AM. “And you don’t think you could’ve led off with that as opposed to wasting time with eating breakfast? Shouldn’t we be getting there and—”
“Relax, Jaxon. We’re good. I trust this guy as much as you trust me. Finish your breakfast and we’ll be on our way.”
“But isn’t the city a good forty minutes away at this time of day?” Jaxon asked
“Don’t fret, my man. Because this isn’t a publicly authorized departure, you will not be leaving from Luna City station. There’s an old surface access just on the far side of Sector 45. Once you get to the surface, there will be a ship waiting.”
Jaxon relaxed and picked up another piece of bacon. “All right. No use letting this fine swine meal go to waste, then.”
18
Twenty minutes later, they walked out of the apartment. As Gillette spent several minutes securing the myriad of locks on his apartment door, Jaxon scanned the immediate vicinity, looking for any sign of the assailants.
“All locked up,” Gillette said. “Are we clear?” He and Gillette had complemented each other so well for so many years, and he felt a resurgence of strength with his old partner. Just like old times, Jaxon mused.
“Nobody in sight,”
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