Random Story Fragments
As he walked into the club, he could hear the base ringing off the textured cream-covered walls. The DJ was tied into an erotic feedback loop, based upon an expert system tracking the beauty and the enthusiasm of the dancing crowd on the dance floor. Considering how the music was and the DJ's pre-cum expression, tonight had to be pretty good.
Through the acrylic floor above him, he could see which girls were genuine and which were new-halves. Also, which of the real girls were wearing panties or not. Big Jake had to be having a booming night tonight, as the cameras tracked hundreds of dollars in alcohol sales. Clearly, tonight was going to be a profitable night, even without the club's other services.
Men and women working the trade stalked through the crowd, gengineered eroticism pheromones mingling into an intoxicating haze. Every move and motion suggested that your every dream could come true if you had cash in hand, no credit please.
His eyes fixated on one woman, the eyepull of her black latex tank-top and antique black lace miniskirt perfectly contrasting her pale white skin and pageboy auburn hair that Japanese or Chinese genetics never gave her. But, clearly, she was a natural, not modded except for her hair and minor changes to emphasize her for business. She smiled perfectly white teeth as he passed, long fingers in fingerless opera gloves teasing along the edge of his vest with a faint scent of lust and lilacs. He knew that she had left her card there, teasing him. Maybe after this job, he could afford her services. Oh well, to business.
Up the stairs, natural reaction to clear his duster slightly to make sure his guns were clear. In eight years-an eternity on the job-Big Jim had never burned him. But, there was always a first time-and you prepared to make sure it wasn't the last time.
Past the bar, where the bartender tried to offer him a drink to soften him up for further negotiations. No sell-booze after the deal, unless it was an instant job. Across the top dance floor, which wasn't as busy tonight from the DJ's appearance of having blue balls.
Doding the bottle service girls, whom were obvious in their pale white corsets, taser circuits in their outfits ready to shock anybody that would touch them without permission. Past the glam boys planning their latest conquests. And up to the doors at the VIP Lounge, where Big Jim was holding court.
He never learned where Big Jim got his nickname-or even if it was a nickname. In an era of biomod uniqueness and genegeneered perfection, Big Jim was as bland but androgynously beautiful as the constructed models on the covers of popmags. His current-and longest by nineteen months-girlfriend was curled up against him, hip-length red hair wrapped up in a ponytail and her body an Amazonian perfection of a Scottish Warrior queen wearing Edwardian gothic garb in what had to be vintage clothing. As a security guard in haze black whispered in his ear, his girlfriend teased his unoccupied ear with an erotic tongue.
Big Jim's smile-too big and too perfect for the size of his mouth-flashed as he entered the room. "A joy to see you," Big Jim laughed through his smile, motioning him to a chair. "I see you met the lovely Xiao Han downstairs. Lovely, lovely woman-all natural except for the hair and even that wasn't much and so deliciously pnuemantic. Siobhan says that she has the third best-"
"Second best," Siobhan interrupted and corrected with a pout and a moue of her lips.
"-second best, my bad, tongue that she ever found on a woman. And, super technique and such natural enthusiasm as well. Clearly does this as a religious vocation, even with the money she makes." Big Jim waved a bottle girl over as he sat down. "Let me know if you're interested, I'll make sure that-"
"-you only get ten percent, instead of fifteen percent of her fees?" he interrupted, sitting down in the chair. "To business, you had work for me?"
Big Jim gave a theatrical sigh, leaning back in the booth. "You are so dull, no banter, no joy, no bit of the game. Ironically enough, you met your job for the next few days. I want you to keep an eye on Xiao Han until the end of the month-eleven days-during daylight hours. She works here, so all you have to do is escort her back and forth. Twenty grand plus expenses, and she is not an expense. If she offers, that's fine, but don't try to force it."
He flagged down the incoming bottle girl and grabbed a sealed bottle of water and sipped at it. "What sort of trouble are you expecting? I'm not the sort you ask for bodyguard work."
"I'm getting some odd feedback on her," Big Jim admitted, sipping something that had to be colored water or he had a liver mod that sneered at one-hundred proof. "A few former clients that are a touch too interested and could...acquire her. Oh, nothing like what you did for me with the Albanians-I just need you to play big bad boyfriend for a few days while I check things out."
He sipped at the water, considering. "Forty grand, half up front in cash, and I need her yay or nay before I start. Without you listening in-her honest opinion, not yours."
"Done and done," Big Jim leaned forward slightly in satisfaction. "Booth nine in the back, in a half hour. She will say yes, but we do live in a world of surprises, yes?"
"That we do," he replied with a nod and a smile. Then, curiously, he looked at Siobhan. "I'm curious, would you tell me who was the first best woman you ever met with her tongue?"
Siobhan untangled herself from Big Jim, and slinked over, putting her hands around his waist and her lips against her ear. "My sister had the best tongue I ever found-and I learned so much from her," she whispered, then giggled. "I showed her your picture once-she wanted me to introduce you to her. I'll make sure that when she's in town, she'll be here to say hello."