From Hadden:
I look at Rossi, sharp, concerned. Raise my eyebrows like really? I sure as hell want to talk about it. But no time. Slash is dead. Make time.
"Jester's likely keep his head screwed on." I make a brushing motion with my hand. "Baby mo…
From Hadden:
Fuckballs.
I got two thoughts, abattle insome muddy emotional reactions. One is a question seeking truth, simply WTF? The other is a statement of truth. "Imma kill him." Rescue mom, Lashfight.
Aw fuck, the merchants dead? I can't eve…
From Hadden:
Aw, man, Squirrel! I grab him like anything, hug tight tight. "Like six happiness, Squirrel." For a second, the smell of fish, of labor's sweat, and I'm laughing like a kid again. "Em-Six-Teen here would break you in half in ten second…
From Hadden:
I nod, it's on the up-and-up. Never enough time. I get a steel look in my eye. "And my sister. Revenge for my brother. And my dad." I stand up, get my jacket and set my pistols. I wonder who she really loves.
"And being bendy? It's a …
From Hadden:
Em-Six-Teen's question catches me as I'm half-dressed, no boots, shirts not fully over my head. Love? I pop my head through the neck, regarding her. Still thinking about the fam. Slash is dead. Lashfight treated like a thing. Mom. "Of…
From Hadden:
With Invert, I flirted back, of course. I want to stay friendly. But between Silica and K2 and Em-Six-Teen, my dance card is a little full. But that's aside the point.
I look at her, swallow, get it together. A little faintly, I say, …
From Hadden:
How am I keeping them happy?
Tindy was the hardest and the easiest. I know she's alone and slowly losing it, so I arranged for books to get to her, crosswords and old novels. Very tricky to get that shit in, let me tell you. But that …
From Hadden:
With the Skegs and Stink Bug's crew torn up, folks need crap moved more than ever. Mostly from Artec and Stalefish, they've got a nice setup there with Backside Misty gone.
Burton's been pretty active, what with the change in manageme…
From Hadden:
Work's been, you know, work. Things are different. Don't know if I like it. I still miss Oakley, and Molotov. Handplant's been good to me, but things with K2 are still weird. Seems like there's never time to talk about Hitec, either. I…
From Hadden:
I watch the connections. I can't believe I see something. I look guiltily to the door as though someone will come in and catch me. If K2 is bone afied addicted to Silica, maybe she does need to be locked up in the sub and go off her dr…
From Hadden:
Any other day where I didn't have my throat cut open and we'd have a different conversation in a bed. Tugs at me to let her down because Hadden. But yeah, I want to see her off to sleep in a bit of luxe. Just sit, hold her hand, hum a …
From Hadden:
Mmm. I keep my eyes closed briefly, feel her.
I stop her. I'm in no shape for gymnastics. "Rain check. I just got sewed up." I point to my neck wound. "Don't want to bleed out." I look at Silica's sleeping self, consider.
I want to r…
From Hadden:
I clasp her hand, kiss her cheek once. My eyes have a bit of hardness to the edges, but I'm still me, still tender with her. "Don't have to be business, remember?" Not going to like this. I sigh.
Not so long ago, she trusted me absolu…
From Hadden:
Warm girl, on me, nice. Totally smell her perfume.
Get a little tense anger in my back, K2 with Never Summer and Molotw T. Gunlugger and Roxy.
I'll tilt her head up to look me full in the face. "I'm getting out of that gig. Haven't w…
From Hadden:
I read her calm and try to capture it. Just holding hands. Choose my words carefully. "I think Silica's scared and confused with you. I don't think you will sort it out with ice or running with Roxy." I wonder if there's another way to…
From Hadden:
I figure she's not talking about the Freeze.
I take her hand. "It's people," and I smile, not unkindly. "Makes life interesting. Simple can get nice and boring... like eating peanut butter every day for a month, right?" I look at her …
From Hadden:
I don't sigh. "Work I got. There's that whole trainyard, remember?" As for the ice, fuck that shit in its tiny little ear. She don't want ice, she wants the icewalker. I don't think it's too late. Her eyes are still K2. She's my crew, …
From Hadden:
Still testing my voice. "She's her own thing, wild. Just like you." I stand up, stretch big as a bear, yawn like my head's going to fall off. A thought strikes, and I stare at them entwined. "Like me."
Loosely aware my shirt's open an…
From Hadden:
I had dreams. Not good ones. Dreams of people I miss, who I've let down. The shimmer behind my eyes. Running and out of breath, but not running from. Running to.
I wake, and it's like veil has lifted from my brain. I wiggle my toes an…
From Hadden:
A breathy, "Aah-iite." Shake head no, liquor plus drugs be bad for Haddens.
If it hurts overmuch, I'm gone. Hanging on by an edge here. Slow blinks.
Fucken not gonna lose K2 here. Molotov, Oakley...
Too tired to mourn. Want to.
Her…
From Hadden:
I raise my eyebrows. Ice? K2? Explains some.
I shake my head, we're not end up fucked. Quirk my lips, tired smile. "Not fucked. Still kickin'. We gonna rock." Fucked happens and passes, it's not the end less'n you choose.
I close my …
From Hadden:
I don't want her gone.
I tilt my head at Silica, look at her questioningly, quick flick to the closed door. I feel like I'm gutted like a gull, way not like K2 to not react.
From Hadden:
I would really really enjoy like a sponge bath and some doctoring from the two of them. But K2... she's don't want to be here. This ain't her. Why's she need the jingle so bad? Hasn't been that long since the trainyard. Oh, Handplant, …
From Hadden:
I'm all but immobile on the bed. Move my hand, enjoy a little luxe. Shit, not even a few hours ago I was strapped to a table about to buy it. Same position, different circumstances. I shoot a little look to Silica, wondering how she's …