Re: Osez Marchez avec l’obscurité (Dare to Walk with Darkness)

[The Atomic Punk]

Osez Marcher avec l’obscurité: Episode 2
Story and Characters by DC-Lover & The Atomic Punk

A few blocks from the hotel, a pedestrian climbed into a taxi. He ignored the foul smell of cigarettes and vomit. Nor did he particularly care for the foreign music.

“Où voulez-vous aller, m’sieur?” the driver asked.

“Au Quartier-Fleurs, tout de suite,” replied his new passenger.

The bald cabbie looked into his rearview mirror nervously. The downtown Flower District was once an open-air market and tourist destination near the river. These days, it was where criminals and junkies met to do all sorts of “business.” The cabbie regretted his choice to collect a random fare outside of the airport. He had been rolled more than once venturing into the dark neighborhoods.

“Very well,” the cabbie said while casing the rider. “So, what’s in the duffle bag? Heading to the gym?”

“Just drive,” replied the passenger in a sharp tone.

The driver clammed immediately. He gripped the wheel, kept his eyes forward, and silently prayed that he would leave Le Quartier-Fleurs alive. The passenger put his left leg up to stretch on the backseat. He smiled to himself.

Shutting up the cab driver was not as easy as dispatching the two hitmen whom he had strung to a streetlight an hour ago. What was Don Fournier thinking? Sending a couple of junkies to assassinate Ténèbre. Most likely, the Don wanted to see where the thorn in his side would show. Any place, any time… that’s where.

Though he had to admit, the Don seemed to have an endless supply of foot soldiers. Ténèbre had considered recruiting his own. Of course, this is Libreville. The only guarantee is a stab in the back at the first opportunity. He had to find a way to penetrate this wall of punks that shielded Don Fournier.

The taxi pulled in front of the once grand marquee that welcomed visitors to Le Quartier-Fleurs. It sprawled over the street like a dead oak tree limb. The driver refused to go into the unlit marketplace. Already, he could see street people and gang members staring at his cab from smashed windows and behind alleyways. It was an apocalyptic scene complete with zombies.

The passenger exited the cab. He tossed the duffle bag over his shoulder and smirked. No one was going to even dare. Indeed, some of the peepers disappeared into the shadows.

The cab driver yelled out, “M’sieur, that will be 22,50.”

Ténèbre tossed a wallet on the passenger seat: “Here, keep it.”

The driver looked in the wallet to find a 100 dollar bill and a baggie with two crack rocks inside. He stared at his fare who was already walking into the district. The cabbie had a sinking feeling that the wallet did not belong to the passenger.