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Middleboro towers were the central hub of the Cloud district’s middle class. The four massive towers were aligned in a square formation, connected by a multitude of arches with walkways. Near the central floors, there was even a circular tram network that ran two trains in a never-ending loop. Talia winced as her aircar opened up on one of the lower levels, a light drizzle of rain falling from a thick, gray overcast.

Her car had set down on one of the lower levels, because of course that’s where the security station and regional jail were located. The building’s façade and open plaza had a simple, utilitarian air about it, made of functional materials mixed with some green plant-life décor. The sound of aircars filled the area, echoing against all the other nearby sky towers to fill the landing plaza with the never-ending melody of urban living.

Her light jacket flickered in the rain, its protective field redirecting the falling water droplets from hitting her, but her integrated AR HUD informed her its power source was nearly depleted and she needed to recharge it soon. Talia ignored it and headed straight for the nearest entrance after taking a deep breath and mentally fortifying herself.

The doors slid open on their own, a cool breeze escaping the small climate-controlled foyer. It was a welcome but sharp contrast to the humid outside. She wasn’t sure how anyone living ground-side actually lived with the constant temperature of the equatorial climate Argos’ capital city enjoyed. Even sterile spacer air was way more comfortable.

Storefronts poked out of the inside walls of the building offering glass views of the insides, but whereas the plaza outside had at least attempted to keep up a veneer of elegance, the interior had abandoned that guise for a completely stark white, utilitarian look. Digital screens and ads were plastered everywhere, catering to a decidedly lower class than she was used to seeing. There were condom ads, posters for cheap alcohol, and a plethora of options for smoking and vaping in a hundred different flavors.

There wasn’t a place to hang her jacket either, probably because someone would have taken off with it? Talia released a tense breath and headed down the hall, scattered humanity humming with conversations as they went about their business, shopping or otherwise.

The security station was near the central nexus of the building where the shop-lined halls opened up into a round open area for dining, with stairs and escalators leading upwards to higher and higher levels of shopping. A municipal security team patrolled the area in a group of three, seemingly bored to death. No one gave her a second glance, despite how out of place she felt.

The security station was boldly marked with a ‘Middleboro Police Department’ sign above the double glass sliding doors. A security officer was standing watch at the door and gave her a slight frown but didn’t bother her and nodded her through.

There was a short line inside, with quiet chatter from a half-dozen people sitting at waiting chairs while others conversed with the clerks. Someone had turned the temperature way down, like they had wanted to make sure anyone inside would be uncomfortable and consider leaving early.

When it was finally her turn to speak, the bored lady gave her an unreadable expression. “Purpose of visit?”

“I’m here to bail a friend out,” Talia replied immediately.

“Do you have the full amount of bail, a bondsman’s affidavit, or would you like to apply for the Middleboro 15% program?” the clerk asked.

“I have the full bail,” Talia answered politely. It wasn’t technically a lie. It was just that Irene hadn’t been offered one.

The woman nodded and pointed down the hallway. “Second hall on the right. Speak with the jail clerk and he will get the process started for you.”

Talia nodded to the lady. “Thank you.”

The walk wasn’t that far, but entering the new section of the facility she was hit by a new climate, this one mimicking the muggy outside with a thick undertone of cleaning liquid that was just short of covering up the smell of sweat and mold.

The clerk was sitting behind one of the ivory painted counters with several monitors. It took him a moment to bother looking up at her.

“Appointment? Walk-in? What do you need?” he finally asked.

“I’m here to bail my friend out.” Talia replied.

He sighed. “Name? Case Number?”

Talia already had that up on her HUD and read it back to him. “Irene Blackwaters. C-136456.”

That earned her a glance and a frown. His fingers began clattering across his console’s keys before a red message popped up on his screen, casting its hue on the man’s face.

“I’m sorry, C-136-456 has been denied bail.”

That wasn’t really unexpected. Talia reached under her arm and pulled out the binder she’d brought and pulled out a sheet with an official-looking seal emblazoned on it. “She’s been granted bail set at 10,000 EC credits, by special session of the Cloud-dis magistrate court, earlier this morning.”

The man skimmed over the document, then looked up at her with a serious expression. “Young Lady, you realize forgery is a serious criminal offense? Cloud-dis doesn’t have jurisdiction over—”

“It does have jurisdiction over orbital infrastructure incidents and altercations with VIP individuals while they are on official business.” Talia countered immediately.

The clerk huffed. “Then why was she sent to Middleboro, besides your paper isn’t in the system.”

“Of course it’s not in the system. I brought it straight here from the court. I didn’t have it recorded there because I didn’t want anyone to know she was being bailed out.”

The man shook his head. “None of this makes any sense. I’m going to have to go get a supervisor.”

Talia bristled, but didn’t relent. “Surely you’ve validated a sealed court order before? Last I checked, paper and official seals still trump the digital. It isn’t like you can’t confirm their validity with your scanner.”

He peered at her. “Yes, but not from another district. I don’t know if I can do that, and I need to get my supervisor.”

Talia let out an exasperated breath. There was another card she had to play, but she had not wanted to use it. It was too close to something she felt her father would do. “Do you have any idea who I am?”

The man adjusted his glasses and looked at her more closely, but all he did was raise an eyebrow.

She reached down and placed her palm on the biometric reader. “My name is Talia Fremont—F. R. E. M. O. N. T.”

She dropped her signet ring onto his keyboard, which righted itself and then projected a holographic display showing her personal information and photograph. The biometric scanner was sitting at the counter as well and she placed her palm on it. "FASS, please."

Even though there wasn’t a scan request active, there was a sudden bleep from the clerk's central console as her personal profile popped up again, yellow warning bars offering insight into the ‘VIP’ personnel notice. She scooped up her ring and then stared at him expectantly.

It was not the first time she’d seen a member of the bureaucracy frozen in what seemed to be a set of corporate headlights shining nearly lethal levels of entitlement. A security guard who had been watching silently suddenly straightened up as well. Anyone within a certain range would have had their neural implant pinged.

It made her feel like shit. But she couldn’t argue with the results.

“I-I apologize, Miss Fremont,” the clerk stammered, his face turning pale. “Please give me a moment to process her release.”

She handed over her credit chit and a few minutes later, he confirmed that the court order had been recorded and that Irene would be going through processing momentarily. That didn’t take long at all. The grapevine seemed very efficient in the facility, and five minutes later, Talia spotted Irene in the back, behind the wall of safety glass.

The woman was uncuffed and had her belongings returned by an officer at another counter. The older woman gave her a wry smile. “Didn’t think I’d be getting out of there, to be honest.”

“It wasn’t a sure thing, but I pulled some strings without Father noticing. But I think if…when he finds out, things aren’t going to be so easy. I already bought you a ticket off world and to another system on a starship…” Talia trailed off. The ticket had been on one of the cheaper freighters that wasn’t technically supposed to be doing transport, but they’d take on ‘passengers’ as crew.

Irene sighed. “Probably for the best. Probably the only way I’m getting out of this in one piece, too. I shouldn’t have punched him, but he just reminded me of… some of my own personal things it just flipped a switch. Thanks, kiddo.”

A changing booth gave Irene the privacy she needed to change, and Talia waited outside. Now that everyone in the department knew who she was, there were countless little stares and looks directed at her. It wasn’t something that she hadn’t dealt with before, but it still made her feel nervous.

All her father needed to do to throw a wrench into things was to call the judge and rescind the order before Irene was off-planet.

“I have an aircar waiting for us,” Talia said, hoping to hurry things along.

“Didn’t bring me any smokes?” Irene asked.

“What?”

“Smokes. Even a vape would do. You don’t get those behind bars. I’m jittery.”

Talia suppressed a judgmental wince. Smoking was one of the worst things you could do to your body, even with the advanced medicine available to most people. It didn’t mean that it was a nice habit, and it was generally frowned upon in higher circles, which was why Irene always had to take breaks outside when they went somewhere.

Normally she’d tell the woman to just deal with it, but the tension and nervousness had her looking over to two security guards. “Do either of you have a smoke for my friend?”

They shared a look. One of them pulled out a single cigarette. Apparently neither of them were going to tell them that smoking wasn’t allowed indoors, either.

“Thanks.” Irene nodded to the man. “Got a light?”

Drug withdrawal warded off; Talia led the way out. They received a bunch of questioning glances as they stepped into the main lobby, but they’d picked up a small escort on the way out and no one was going to try to stop them. The main doors slid open and let them out, the muggy Argos’ heat washing over them.

“I have your ticket here. It’s not digital to keep it under wraps,” Talia explained, her voice barely audible amidst the bustling plaza. She looked down to pull the ticket out of her small folio pouch when suddenly, the side of her face and hair were splattered by a thick, sticky mist.

Tiny fragments bounced off her jacket, and her eyes widened in shock as the sound of glass shattering explosively nearby reached her ears. Instinctively, she twisted toward Irene.

The woman crumpled to the ground, her head resembling a deflated sports ball rather than a human face. The echoing crack of a rail sniper filled the plaza, causing panic and chaos as dozens of people screamed and ran in every direction.

Talia’s gaze was locked on the rapidly spreading pool of blood where her friend had been standing just a second ago. A security officer shouted something unintelligible at her before dragging her back inside the building. He lifted her off the ground when her legs gave out, placing her on a bench inside while a dozen other officers responded with weapons drawn.

But all Talia could focus on was the bloodstained ticket clenched tightly in her trembling hand. Her heart pounded violently in her chest, and it felt as if all the air had been squeezed from her lungs; she struggled to breathe.

She glanced up at Irene’s lifeless body, feeling an overwhelming sense of despair and anger.

There was only one thing Talia was certain of: He had done this.

She didn’t know how.

Whether he was trying to punish her or assuage his own ego, he had done this.

Her eyes slid back to the blood-stained ticket she’d arranged for Irene.

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