Upon Silver Devil: Chapter Three

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[I can't say i've ever seen him drunk actually. I haven't seen him in nearly ten years.] Hmm that'd be interesting. [He got tall.] He smiled oddly, trying to make light of what was clearly pretty awkward and difficult.

"What?" James looked stunned. "But she's a..." he realized that maybe Lupe might be friends with Vicky, and censored himself. "I'm sure she's very useful for whatever jobs you guys do," he finished lamely.

"but.. but she shot your boss" Luka repeated a little quieter this time.

"Yeah, the boss doesn't seem to really mind. He said it showed... gumption and exceptional aim... " Lope shook his head.

Luka just looked stunned.

"Umm." James shook his head. "Well, umm, as long as he knows what he's getting into, I guess that's great?" So weird.

Rigel just shook his head, this guy was weird in his opinion. Why would you hire someone who had tried to kill you?

Lope shrugged. "Keep your enemies close or something?" He suggested.

Luka shook her head. "Maybe... is.. is she okay?" She might not have been that close to vicky but it still felt like she should ask.

"oh she's fine." Lope nodded. "more than fine really." He giggled again. "You guys missing her?"

James frowned at the giggling. This guy was either weird, or there was something weird on his mind. It was hard to tell, nobody had ever mentioned Lope to him. "Uh, missing her? Yeah, we've been kinda busy but I guess so. I'm glad she's doing good. What do you mean though, she's more than fine?" The vagueness was unsettling, he was starting to worry what it meant.

"Glad she landed on her feet" Rigel said with a shrug. He hadn't known her long at all.

"not important." Lope spoke quickly. He tried to wipe the smile off his face, realising he'd probably let on a little too much about his private life. Oops.

Luka shook her head. "I'm glad she's okay." She spoke earnestly.

James noticed the hasty way Lope was backtracking, and felt a moment of suspicion that he knew what it meant. Maybe he was just imagining things though. Hmm.
"Yeah, it's good she's all right. So, uh, what were you doing out here before you spotted Luka?" he asked.

"Wandering, exploring." Lope shrugged. "Stretching my legs." He never quite seemed able to stand still, bouncing from one foot to the other. He was however utterly oblivious to James' suspicion.

Luke smiled softly. "so are we."

Rigel just nodded and glanced around as they started walking again.

"Right. Let's look around together then." James smiled. "Maybe we can find something fun to do, like win money from morally questionable rogues."

"I don't think those sorts of people are as lovable as terran movies make out." Luka mused.

Lope laughed. "Depends on the rogue." His phone trilled and he sighed as he read the message. "Sorry, I gotta run. Before Toby starts a fight." He smiled appologetically at them. "see you tomorrow right?" and raced off toward a bar.

"Yeah, those rogues are jerks. That's why we win their money. Who's Toby?" James asked Luka as Lope ran off.

Luka shrugged. "no idea. " Nope, she'd only met the valet and lope last time

Rigel shrugged, he didn't even remember meeting Lope, if he had before. That wasn't exactly his best moments then.

"Guess we'll find out later," James said. "That meeting's gonna be interesting." He looked around, "RIght, let's challenge some poor fool to bowl against me and bet money."

"Bowl?" Luka asked. "Is there somewhere to do that?"

"No idea," James said. "Let's find somewhere we can win money off some poor idiot, though."

Luka chuckled. "I hope you know what you're doing James."

Unsavoury looking people watched Dawn wandering. A single girl on her own? In a dodgy place like this? She looked terran too, which meant she was easy pickings.

Rigel glanced around then shrugged "Might as well try, yes?"

~~
Dawn noticed the looks she was getting but she didn't care right now. She found an open store and went in to browse around.

James smirked. "I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm good at this." He headed down the hall, looking for somewhere to try and make money off someone. Hmm, lots of shops and hangouts. There must be a bowling alley here.

Luka glanced to Rigel, her expression one of 'Gosh I hope he knows what he's doing.'

Rigel answered with a shrug. Sometimes he did, sometimes not.

There wasn't a bowling alley. There was, however, something going on in an alley between some shops. Closer inspection would reveal it was a group of people watching as two contestants battled their remote controlled bots in a ring chalked on the floor.

Money was changing hands, of course.

"That looks lucrative," James said brightly.

Dawn would come out of the shop after a minute or two to glance around before starting to wander again.

~~~
"That looks fun" Rigel countered and grinned.