“Do I get to do my thing Berry? Do I ?! Do I ?!”

“No, you just keep your mouth shut and unlock the gun when it’s time.”

The two cloaked figures waited across the street from the apartment complex. The storm that was brewing before became nothing more than a sprinkle now. Berry took off his hood and made a mental note of the surrounding area before making his way towards the beat-up building.

"This is why I like Aquarius 1. These rundown streets and alleyways make a great plan B if things go south." Berry said, while planning his escape route.

"Time to fight?" The other figure reached for her hood, but Berry signaled her to stop.

"Keep it on. Better if they only know my face."

Berry looked to be in his 30's. His slick back black hair and trimmed stubble showed he cared about his appearance. He wore a hooded cloak around his shoulders that helped hide his distrustful bulletproof vest. Armed with two weapons, he was ready for the deal to go wrong. His accomplice openly carried a bullpup rifle, wearing a similar cloak. She didn't measure up to Berry in size, being smaller height-wise and a lot smaller muscle wise.

They enter the apartments and make their way past the desk and to the elevator. The woman behind the desk watches as the armed pair enter the elevator but wisely decides not to get involved. Once inside, Berry lets his partner click the top floor and the elevator shakes before beginning its ascent.

"This place smells YUCKY! Ahaha," she said, trying to fan away the smell.

"It smells like poverty if you ask me."

The lift's broken air unit only let out a burst of air when the doors opened. They exit and go up the stairs to the roof. Before they open the door, Berry looked over to his partner and reinstates, "Rena, don't do anything more than what's necessary. Let me do the talking and everything will go well." Rena shakes her head in agreeance.

"You're late," the bald man exclaimed. He and his crew of 3 others looked impatient.

"We had to scope out the place and make sure you weren't playing us for fools." Berry said, making his way to the middle of the roof, leaving his sidekick's side.

“We huh? I didn't hear about a WE when WE made the arrangement." None of them moved towards Berry, suspicious of the extra weight he had brought along.

"Calm down Karlos. They're with me so you know they're good," Berry explained, but they weren't loosening up.

"Fine, to tell you the truth, I brought them along because they’re the key. Come on out here and do your thing." Berry signalled his partner to come forth.

The opposition had good reason to be scared. The two gave off a certain presence on that roof. Although no one could see it, Rena was smiling under her hood. The way she carried the gun and herself could be described as familiar and Berry’s speech was calm and collective.

[Those two… they’ve done this before,] Karlos thought.

She made her way to Berry, who watched her hoping she wouldn't mess everything up. Everyone attention was on her as she held the gun up high. Rena spun the gun until its fingerprint scanner was facing her. Pulling her hood partly back, along with her long purple hair, she began to slowly lick the handle of the rifle. The audience uncomfortably looked on as she seductively licked the gun.

“On with it already... they aren’t paying for some smutty show.” Berry exclaimed.

Her tongue finally made contact with the scanner. The blue started to flash green and the buyer seemed pleased with the result.

Karlos sent over his lackey who carried the suitcase. The man was heavy-footed. Berry could hear his cybernetic legs as he approached. On the way over he opened the briefcase, flashing enough money to satisfy Berry’s greed.

[No need to count. Even if it’s not the 50k, it’s enough. I wish all our customers were this dumb.]

Berry grabbed the gun and started to countdown. [180, 179, 178.] The trade went swiftly and each party was pleased.

Before they could leave the roof, the wind picked up until it reached a climax. From the side of the apartment rose a small grey hoverbike, the raging winds coming from its propellers. Before either side could react, the mysterious lady launched two capsules onto the roof. Berry assumed them to be flashes and covered his eyes. They went off and covered the rider as she swooped in and grabbed the gun.

Things were going south so Berry went to make his exit. Berry grabbed his partner and raced off the roof.

“Should I do it now?”

“No, Rena. They probably think this is a setup. You take the elevator and remain calm.”

“BUT!” Rena cried.

“Go back to the Bazaar. I’ll meet you there.” Berry clicked the elevator button before running back to the flight of stairs.

In the staircase, Berry could hear Karlos’s men flood into the staircase. Berry jumped between the railing, dropping fast before grabbing the rail. His cloak fell off, revealing that his right arm was cybernetic. Figuring this way was working for him, he dropped again, only to be greeted by an early railing to the groins. He rolled around for a bit before making it to his feet.

He booked it through the lobby. The lady at the desk reached for the phone to call the authorities only to be informed by Berry, “They won’t come.”

Rena stood on the 9th floor, waiting for the elevator. Gunfire could be heard outside, but she couldn't tell if it was from Aquarius 1 residents or their on-going battle. The doors open with a burst of air, blowing off Rena's hood. The couple inside held onto each other, scared from the gunshots. They were now face to face with the beautiful Rena, whom long purple hair blew with the breeze. An overjoyed smile raced across her young face as she spoke, “Don’t be scared. Gunshots are fun!”

The sun was trying to peek through the clouds. Berry looked up at the sky and saw the beauty in Aquarius. The streets, however, told a story of impoverishment.

Berry made his way to his predetermined escape route. He heard the sound of something heavy landing down the alley he was escaping too. As he turned the corner he was met with the metal leg of the thug against his cybernetic arm.

Berry couldn’t let this engagement take too long, risking getting ganged up on. Berry hopped back after throwing the guys leg off him. In an instant, he managed to pull out the M1911 from his waist; the emerging sun reflected off its silver coat.

“Woah there. Let calm down now. I see you're a vet," Berry said, referring to his cybernetics. "Let me just slide past and as an act of respect, from one vet to another, I'll leave you with all your blood.” Berry said, circling the man from a distance. before he was safely on the other side, the man sprung forward, reaching for the briefcase.

“Show some respect by fighting fairly!” The thug shouted.

Berry decided against it. He lets off his handgun, leaving two bullets in the shoulder of the thug. The streets seem to go quiet after that. Berry ran towards the end of the alley, hearing the murmur of a dysfunctional vehicle up ahead.

There in the parking lot was the hoverbike of the mysterious thief. She was working on its propellers and half looking out for anyone when she spotted Berry. She pulled out the stolen gun, ready to fire. [9,8,] Berry counted. He ducks behind the cover of a rusted car as she let off some rounds. The gunfire was attentionally off point,  just a few rounds to keep Berry at bay while she started to make her getaway on foot. Berry took a glimpse at her as she ran away.

[Blue braided hair, visors, leather jacket, tight jeans. I’m getting Aquarius runaway vibes from her. If her chest was a bit bigger, I could see her being my next mistake.]

Berry stopped to pick up a small card from off the bike. “Really now? Jessica huh?” interest peaked, he now decided to pursue her instead.

Berry weaved through oncoming traffic to follow the athletic thief. It wasn’t before long that a car intentionally swerved to hit him, laying him out on the ground behind it.

Berry wakes up from the quick blackout, unaware of his current situation. He reaches for his gun, but can’t find it. To his surprise, it had only been a few seconds since the accident. Berry grabs the suitcase, but as he went to get up, he was face to face with Karlos.

“Karlos listen, this looks bad, but it wasn’t a setup. I don’t know who that girl is, but she swiped it from your hands. It’s only right that I keep my share.” 

Karlos kicks him to the ground, spitting on him in the process. “You wanna play me, huh?” Karlos goon grabbed Berry’s M1911 from the ground and aimed it at his head. Berry smirk, getting cocky.

“Karlos, your men should know better. All guns are locked by the New Universal Authority, only to be unlocked by their rightful owners.”

He pulled the trigger, but it wouldn’t budge. Berry swiftly open the case, throwing the money in the air. “Shit! Forget him, grab the money!” People started to exit their cars just for a chance of grabbing some cash.

“I’ll be taking this,”  Berry said, grabbing his gun from the crook. He used the commotion to also take a motor-bike from a pedestrian who had left it on the ground, trying his best to catch up to the thief.

On the bike, the streets were easier to navigate. He zipped through the streets, dodging cars and running lights, finally reaching the barren lot at the edge of the city.

There stood a spaceship, longer than the city itself. Shaped like a boat, it was metallic black with a dark glass dome near the middle of the ship. It extended a ramp from its back-end that allowed boarding.

Berry rode alongside the massive starboard of the ship, seeing the blue-haired lady in the distance. The unsettled mud of the lot didn’t allow Berry to catch up, until the end of the aircraft, where she searched her pockets for something. Berry got the jump on her as she was talking to the guards.

“This is really the Black Bazaar huh?"

“Yep, where you can find anything, that is if you have enough. What are you looking for,” Berry chimed in.

“A fresh start I suppose,” Jessica answers as she turned around, finally noticing who had asked her the question.

“My gun please.”

 She didn’t listen, instead, pointing it right at his chest. The guards stood in a full suit of armor, gun to his side. “Settle all disputes outside, or the court will take care of it,” He announced ominously.

“oR tHE CoUrT WILl TAke caRE Of It,” Berry joined in, mocking the guard. “I know, I’ve heard it a thousand times, so we’re settling it.”

“Get back punk, no fighting at the Bazaar," Jessica states, still aimming at Berry.

“Yea, that’s only inside.”

“Then I’ll shoot.”

“You can’t.”

“You don’t think I have the guts?” she asked.

“It’s not th-”

She didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. Too much of her surprise, nothing happened.

“It’s locked by the NUA.” Berry said while snatching the gun from her hands.

“But you guys unlocked it…”

“Yea, but it doesn’t stay unlocked.”

 She was taken aback, realizing that she got duped. “It was a scam?”

“Of course, we’d be rich if we could unlock whatever guns we wanted. We’re barely out here making a living.”

Anger swept over the girl.

“YOU OWE ME SO MUCH. I BROKE MY HOVER TRYING TO GET THIS AND I USED IT’S EMERGENCY FLASHES,” Jessica yelled.

“YEA WELL GET ME THE 50,000 DOLLARS I LOST BECAUSE OF YOU AND MAYBE I’LL THINK ABOUT IT!"

“What are you talking about, I can’t afford that! I spent all my money just to get on this ship and I can’t even do that now.” 

Berry smiled, happy to have the upper hand. “Looking for this?” He pulled out her Black Bazaar spending card that seconded as an ID.

“Hey give me that!” she demanded, reaching for the card.

“You left it on your bike and I found it. You know what they say in Aquarius 1, ‘finders keepers’.”

“I lived here all my life, they don’t say that.”

“Jessica Fisher huh? 21, just my age range.”

“Yea right, you bag of bones. Pass it up, it all I have left.” 

Berry, feeling insulted, handed it to her. She tried to snatch it, but his metal hand held on tight.

“Let go of it will ya’.” With her now pulling full force, he let go sending her flying into the wet sand.

“I pity the poor soul who has to deal with your disrespectful ass. I’M 30!” Berry yelled.

Berry walked past the guard, “ Settle all disputes outside or the...” “Shut up,” Berry interrupted, the girl now under his skin.

Jessica flashed her ID and followed behind him, ready to give him a piece of her mind. “30 what? Years from your deathbed?”

Before they could spark up another argument, Berry spotted Rena, who managed to get close behind them before they could notice.

“Good job Rena, you made it back. Now even if those thugs show back up they can’t hurt us.”

Rena looked rather sinister at the moment, holding something behind her back. The guards watched her with weapons drawn, not sure what to make of the situation. The guard repeated his usual phrase in the background. A worried look rushed over Berry's face.

“Hurt us? We never need to worry about them again.” Rena face changed from the devilish look she had to a much more innocent smile.

“Because I hurt them real bad!” 

Jess hid behind Berry as Rena flashed Karlos dismembered head to the disgusted onlookers.