“Look, It’s going to be 10,000 or nothing... It’s your choice.
Cornelius eased back in his chair and looked at the fifteen or sow kilos sitting on the table in front of him. It was pretty good quality, but considering all he had to do to get here, the price was a little insulting.
“Seems a bit high. What’s to stop me from wasting you and your little sister here and just taking the whole damn thing?” As Cornelius said as the thug of a body guard growled at him. You don’t bring a guy that big unless your trying to make a statement. Cornelius knew this a postured accordingly.
“I do appreciate that sharp wit of yours...Careful you don’t cut yourself.” The smaller man said from behind his thick dark glasses.
Cornelius smiled and slowly leaned forward and picked up one of the baggies and held it in his hand as if he was weighing it. It wasn’t a bad deal and with this last score he would be done. He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a large stack of bill and tossed them on the table.
“cash ok”
The man nodded and Cornelius started shuffling the baggies into his duffel. He stood up slowly and stared into the mans eyes. This was always the worst part. There wasn’t anything stopping this man from shooting Cornelius in the back as soon as he turned, except for the honor among thieves. He stared long and hard, then turned his back and walked away.
“James!” Cornelius called out as he boarded the ship.
The ship came to life and responded, “Yes sir.”
“Get me off this freaking rock!”
“home sir?”
“Sure what ever that mean.”
“I don’t understand sir.”
“Forget it...yeah home sweet moon.”
Cornelius sat in the captain's chair and prepared the pre-flight checks.
“I’ll tell you what James.”
“what’s that sir?”
There are no shortages of shit holes in this system.”
“You’ve made your disdain for mars and the Martian people quite clear sir, but considering that this is your last run, have you decided what you are going to do now?”
“You know James... I’m sick of all these seedy colonies. They’re all metal and artificial. Nope... Now my brother has a claim out on the frontier. Clean air and real dirt. I’ve never seen real dirt.”
“Nor I sir.”
*************************************
Cornelius threw the duffel on the bosses table. The boss reached into the bag and pulled out one of the baggies, opened it, poured a small pile of the powder on the table and began cutting up two lines.
“So this is it huh?” he snorted one and offered the other to Cornelius.
“No thanks.”
“You’re an odd sort of boyscout aren’t you? I mean for ten years now you’ve been running this stuff for me and yet I’ve seen you take so much as a bump.”
“I tried it once, never really understood the appeal but, I’m not going to quit being a drug dealer to work in the mines. What I do find apealing is the money you owe me.”
“Of course...Al business Cornelius.”
“I’m in a bit of a rush, my transport leaves in twenty minutes.”
The boss reached in his desk and pulled out a thick envelope and waved it at Cornelius.
“Sure I can’t get you to stay? We made a lot of money together. It’s hard out there on the frontier. Those people are crazy. Why would any one leave the luxury of technology to live out there like savages?”
Finally, the boss tossed him the envelope. Cornelius snatched it out of the air, turned his back and walked away.
No comments:
Post a Comment