Page 121 of Light Leech

His initial response was an awkward glance, but he took the hint and left with two blown kisses.

“So how do you party here?“ I asked Kell.

“Really a first timer?”

“The girl brought me along.”

“Now that you’re here, you can leave with a different one!” He laughed, smacking my shoulder.

Zeg, this guy was a total shac. With her exaggerated breaths and clenching fists, I could tell Naoma was just as done with him. I didn’t plan on enjoying the event but knew that we couldn’t accomplish anything until I satiated my need.

A Finian with a tray full of devices neared us.

“You a fix user?” I asked.

“Do I look like a stuck-up shac?” He reached for one of the devices. I took one as well. It was a small disk about the width of a finger with the diameter of my thumb. I swiped the touchscreen display to see an array of fix options, all highlighted with a different color and font to characterize them. The first option had been a modified socitab–not a surprise for a party where boastful people like Kell might end up alone, despite their best options to force interactions. Worrytabs, amptabs, and all of the other usuals were in the array, but I noticed a near endless among of lesser known fixes, including the illegal options Tevon had told me about from his dealing days.

“What’s your pick?” he asked.

I looked up at him.

“Still here, du? Maybe get you something to calm yourself the zeg down.”

“Then you’ll show us around, right?”

“Of course! Here, let me choose a favorite for you from the vast selection they have so kindly offered.”

I smirked. “Only if I can choose yours.”

“I dunno–”

“Weak shac.”

He laughed loud enough for me to hear his smokers wheeze as he smacked my back. “Fine, but let’s find a place to chill, you plug?”

He nodded. “You hittin’ a fix, Neon Idol?”

She shook her head.

He leaned in and I could smell the alcohol in his breath. “That means we can go all out if you’ve got a guide home. Don’t worry, Idol, I can take any fix this guy throws at me and still hold a conversation on business. Setting up a Republic stream for The Red Geisha isn’t that possible, but if you treat me right, I’m sure we’ll find a solution that makes the both of us happy.“ He pointed down one of the many halls. “Follow me, dus. We’ll settle in for a nice ride. I’ll give you a tab no Medislav has ever even imagined.”

I laughed with him and turned to Naoma as he left the way. I whispered, “I need you to guide me for a sec.”

“Why?”

“I need to ask Ral something in my neurospace.”

“Be quick, I don’t want to waste a breath on this shac.”

“We’ll get rid of him soon enough.”

“Are you sure?”

Kell waved back. “Come on, du! You’re dragging major!”

I pressed ahead and switched sides with her to put her between him and me as we caught up. “Sorry, do your best to keep his attention away.”

She linked her arm to mine and I entered my neurospace. She started speaking with him, but I couldn’t focus on the words as I opened my messages. What he said didn’t matter, the tone was enough to tell me that she was keeping him occupied by stoking his ego.