ady neighbourhood. Marco and Anthony had put the metal bars up for me, it's just that some of them are a bit too heavy. I never mentioned it to them, they went through such

Finally I locate the thing under a pillow that I almost sit on. I flip on the wall and see if there are messages. As usual my incoming messages are abundant. There are two. "So, who is telling me what?" I wonder to no one as I hit the buttons on the unit. The first one is from Skylerax. Figures. They always look for idiots who let themselves be shot into space towards an uncertain future. I've thought of it once, long ago, but that was before more and more rockets exploded. No way they're going to get me for that, even if they'd want me. The second message is only marginally more interesti

, anyone who says that will get their ass kicked, but I'm not... no. Not a Flyer type. I stare at the patterns on the wall again as another police floater passes close to the window. I wonder who they're chasing as usually they don't go this low. Then the burglar alarm starts. Of course. The thing is far too sensitive, if these drones fly by they always set it off. I fall from my bed, tired while unable to sleep and slip. Of course. With a bruised and scratched knee I hobble into the living room and reset the alarm. I don't dare to leave it off. Back in bed I feel drowsy. I wrapped something around my knee so the bed won't get all bloody and finally I sink into a doze... In a startle I wake up. I dreamed and it was pretty ugly. My heart is pounding and I fight my way out of the blanket that I managed to wrap around my head. The rest of me is cold so I struggle the blanket back into place a

so red. "I may be able to put you out for a while, u

maze Bashir calls his own. I c

"I need fiv

st gives me one of his looks. "Okay, okay, didn't mean no harm, Mags.

mble back to bed, almost tripping over the blanket. This is not my day. Very much not my day. Or n

eyes. "If I get my hands on that hammer you used on

ration. Once I was at a gallery there to see paintings and drawings 'based on real life in Sin Angeles' as it was called. The artist was quite shocked when I told him that his stuff was hardly close to life. Oh, there were dead people and burning buildings in most pictures but he always forgot to add the police floaters and cars and blood. I'm sure the artist's never been to Black Town. Well, I can't blame him for that. Anyone with more than a few brain cells stays away from Black Town. And that includes the police. It used to be High Town and it was a pretty neighbourhood then, but something went wrong. The good folks move

needed a good night, " was all he had to say to my accusation. "And that worked. Remind me not to ask you too often, I still don't feel all awake but you know I have to get

d keep tinkering on his gadgets? Something inside me tells me that he probably would. If I managed to get him out there at all. I put on the coat and grab my bag. "Oh shit." I have forgotten to charge the stinger overnight. Like the previous night. I wonder if I can take the charger along and put the thing on at work, but... I'd have to leave it on a table in plain sight. Sure way to kiss the stinger goo