Ajax_Rebirth

by Gavin Magson

  “No need to sugar coat it, Sal. Let's just say I've had a rough night and leave it at that.” said Ajax, limping past the large figure of his landlord.

  “Are you going to be all right? I can help you upstairs if you need it.”

  “I can make it on my own, but thanks for the offer. I'll be okay.”

  “Well next time get Duke or Ilya to come let you in, I could have killed you.” said Sal as he closed the taverns door and slid home a thick deadbolt.

  Ajax did not answer the man, instead he headed for the stairs and climbed them gingerly, his body aching uncontrollably as leaden legs pushed him upwards. He could feel Sal's eyes on his back as he leaned heavily on the rail with his good arm, no doubt unconvinced by Ajax's words. He was cursing his room for being so high up by the time he had managed to hobble his way to the third floor. If anyone had been listening they would have heard Ajax whisper thanks to his door for being infinitely lighter than the taverns, and for opening inwards.

  Finally inside the cool room Ajax wasted no time stripping off his bloodied clothing. He made sure to rest the tablet down on the chair, along with his room keys and the credit chip. It was only then that he pulled out the knife he had kept stowed under his trouser leg and down his boot. The large blade caught the little moonlight that filtered through his bedroom window and gleamed along its wicked edge.

  He had forgotten that he kept it after the assault outside of the Haven, Aiko had foolishly tested out his prowess before the night had even started; her man would be lucky to keep the hand for her mistake. He stashed it under the bed, then climbed in. Despite the cold sheets Ajax drifted into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

  The bedroom door closed slowly, scraping along the carpet until it snapped shut as the latch locked the door; Ajax awoke. After a few attempts he managed to get both eyes open, he immediately regretted it when the strong sunlight tried to blind him. Ajax let out a groan as the events of last night caught up with his body, his black eye closed back up almost instantly.

  His face was just one giant area of pain, the nano machines might have healed his cuts but they had not stopped the agonising bruising. He rolled out of the light, ending up at the foot of his bed in an attempt to seek refuge. It was then that Ajax noticed the pain in his shoulder was only a throbbing ache, nowhere near as strong as the lancing pain of last night.

  With a resounding grunt Ajax climbed out of bed, admitting his defeat to the morning sun. He rotated his left shoulder slowly, gently easing it in circles to test his range of movement. Satisfied that it was a lot better than he expected Ajax hobbled into the bathroom, dancing across the cold tiles underfoot.

  The reflection that met him in the mirror wasn't the face he remembered from yesterday. Both eyes were bruised, the salve had definitely missed a graze on his cheek and his scalp was coated in caked on blood. I'm surprised Sal didn't beat me first and ask questions later, he thought, which brought a smile to his face and a groan as he upset the multitude of bruises.

  The water took some time to heat up, yet it was worth the wait when he was finally stood under the hot shower. Ajax leant his arms against the shower wall, looking down at his feet and the bloody water running off his body. He was reminded of his last shower, the same murky colour ran off his body then. Two days and he had already killed four men, extinguishing their lives without hesitation; he shook the thought from his mind. It took a lot of scrubbing, but eventually the water that ran off his body cleared up.

  Ajax felt along his ribs gingerly, probing for any cracks or breaks. They were tender, nothing like his face in terms of pain, but he wanted to ensure that he did not miss anything. He was not certain if some of those blows to his head had dulled his sense of pain, so he took his time and made sure his ribs were intact.

  When he was satisfied that he was roughly in the same amount of pieces as he should be Ajax climbed out of the shower and towelled off his dripping body. The towel still found some sand grains and blood that the soap and cloth had missed, but it was good enough for him. The towel and yesterday’s clothes went into a laundry bin at the base of his bed, when he noticed that yesterday’s clothes had once again disappeared.

  Ajax showed no surprise at the fresh clothes on his bed side chair, which he quickly donned. The tablet, keys and chip were still where he left them, which he stowed away in his trouser pockets. He wondered how someone knew to bring him clean trousers as well, since they should have lasted him a few days at least. His stomach rumbled loudly; Ajax took his cue and left the room, heading downstairs in search of breakfast and with his puzzlement forgotten.

  The taverns dining room was surprisingly empty, only one table had a couple sat around it enjoying their meal peacefully when Ajax reached the stairs base. The clock above the fireplace claimed it was earlier than he thought, which surprised Ajax considering the strong sunlight that streamed through the rooms many windows. He sat down on a table facing towards the door and watched as the young blonde waitress from yesterday walked through into the room, carrying a damp cloth that she began to wipe tables with.

  As he relaxed into his seat Ajax found himself watching the woman's behind, despite not intentionally meaning to do so. Each time she feverishly began to clean a table her curvaceous rear would start to jiggle, it was too hypnotising to tear his eyes away. It was this very reason he was too slow to realise she had turned around and had caught him in the act.

  Ajax quickly looked away, praying he was wrong about being caught red handed. His hopes were dashed when he saw her approaching his table from the corner of his eye. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.

  “You do know it's customary to at least tip me if you are going to sit there ogling.” she said, her pursed lips and stern expression bearing down on him as he cowered in the chair.

  Ajax stared hard at the table, unable to make eye contact with her as he stammered to try and explain himself. He risked a glance at the woman and watched in awe as the set expression on her face cracked into a dazzling, beautiful smile that broke out to light up her face. Ajax was relieved that she wasn't mad at him, surprised even. He sat up in his chair and turned to look at her, now with a shy smile of his own. “I'm really sorry about that, I just kind of zoned out. I didn't mean to offend you, it just sort of happened.”

  The waitress’s expression soon changed to one of shock and concern. “What the hell happened to your face? I only saw you last night and you were fine then.”

  “Let's just say I'm a bit clumsy and accidentally walked into a door.”

  “I don't know of many doors that have fists attached to them.”

  Ajax chuckled, then winced as his healing skin pulled tight. He was a fool to think that others wouldn't realise what had happened just by looking at his face, they would not need a second glance to know.

  “Fine then, I won't push you for the truth. What would you like for breakfast?” she asked, pulling out a pad of paper and a pen from her aprons pocket.

  “Anything that fills out the plate will do for me. Plenty of eggs, if you have them; preferably fried. Could I get some water as well, please?”

  “I'll see what I can do with the food, we really should get you to memorise the menu if you'll be staying long. I'll bring the drink with your order, it should be pretty quick; as you can see we aren't rushed just yet.”

  With the waitress now gone Ajax was left with his thoughts, as strange and confused as they were. He pulled out the tablet from his pocket and began trying to switch it on, which still required a few attempts and a lot of cursing. There weren't any messages awaiting him, so he stowed it away again and started to drum his fingers on the table. He had forgotten to ask Duke and Ilya which rooms they were staying in, which left him with little choice but to ask Sal. The man scared him, or repulsed; he couldn't really decide which.

  The waitress returned, carrying a heavy plate and a large glass of water that she set down gingerly in front of Ajax. Before he had a chance to ask for them she conjured a knife and fork from her apron and h
anded them over to Ajax, flashing him a quick grin.

  “I'm sorry, what is your name? I keep meaning to ask but always forget at the last second.” said a nervous Ajax, just as she started to turn away.

  The woman turned back around and stared at Ajax, leaving him with a sudden tightness in his gut as her eyes sized him up. “My name is Sarah, Sal is my father.” Ajax blanched a little at this revelation. “Don't worry about him, he's a big softy when you get to know him. Will I be seeing you for lunch today?” asked Sarah.

  “To be honest I don't know what I'll be doing come lunch time, I have to find my crew mates first to see if there is anything planned. I'm sure I'll see you soon enough, thanks for the food, Sarah.”

  “No problem, hun.” she said, leaving him with another of her brilliant smiles.

  The dining area had slowly began to fill whilst Ajax waited for his meal, several tables were passing menus between them or glancing at Sarah to try and attract her attention. Ajax thought he saw some of the customers reading the menu to their companions; perhaps literacy wasn't a big thing around these parts?

  He attacked the meal with gusto, carving his way through the fried bread, eggs, sausages, what could be bacon and something brown and squishy that took a few attempts to spear with his fork but melted in his mouth. The water had a strange after taste to it, but it was that or alcohol to choose between; his head did not relish the thought of adding a hangover to his aches and pains.

  Whilst Ajax was busy chewing his way through his last mouthful of food, feeling very sated by a surprisingly tasty meal, a middle aged man sat down on the seat opposite his. The man removed his hat, revealing a combed over hairstyle that looked comical to Ajax. He just caught himself before he snorted at the sight.

  “You are looking very mobile for someone who had their arm dislocated last night, Ajax.” said the stranger as he ran bone thin fingers through his greasy hair.

  “How do you know my name? I have never met you before.” said Ajax, tensing at the familiarity of the stranger.

  “Relax, Aiko told me where to find you. I saw you fight last night, it was a very impressive spectacle. She said that you might be looking for some work, and I'm definitely in need of someone with your particular talents.”

  Ajax relaxed at the mention of work, he hadn't heard off Aiko yet and was very eager to work off more of the debt. He should really have asked Aiko exactly how much Duke owed, by her reaction when he refused the credit chip it was an obscene amount.

  “Who are you?” asked Ajax.

  “Sorry, where are my manners?” said the man, extending his hand across the table with a sinister smirk on his face. Ajax stared at the limb first, intrigued by the three absent fingertips, before he shook it hesitantly. “My name is Steiner. If we are done with the pleasantries, I really need an answer on whether you are looking for some gainful, honest employment.” The grin on his face told volumes about his definition of honest employment.

  “It really depends on what the job is, and the wage that goes with it.”

  “I need some protection for a deal that I will be making this afternoon. It is in Sector Six, so as you can imagine there will be an element of danger to the transaction. I need someone fast, strong and good with a weapon. Have you handled a gun before, Ajax?”

  “I'm more of a close combat person,” he said, twirling the knife still held in his hand, “though I am always willing to learn new skills to improve my resume.”

  “Good, I'm glad to hear it. I take it you are in?” Ajax gave a hasty nod. “Excellent. I shall tell Beryl to expect you, she runs a weapons shop not far from here. You might turn out to be a good customer of hers. Pass me your tablet.”

  “What do you want with my tablet?” asked Ajax.

  “Don't be so defensive, I need to program my tablets ID into yours so that I can send you information. You will need directions to find me this afternoon, the slums can be a labyrinth even with good instructions.”

  Reluctantly Ajax pulled out his tablet and handed it over to Steiner. He was unsure whether to trust the man and was loathe to be taken advantage of so early in the day, yet the mention of Aiko was a little reassuring. Steiner had a similar device in his hands, and was typing in commands faster than Ajax could follow. Within a handful of minutes he had returned the tablet to its owner, who could do little more than look at the screen in bafflement.

  Steiner slipped a thin silver disc from his pocket and passed it across the tablet. “This is one half of your pay, you'll get the rest once we leave Sector Six in one piece; I hope I can trust you to not take this money and run. Just make sure to answer when I message you, and go see Beryl now. I'll call her when I leave, she doesn't like to be kept waiting; so don't be long. Do you know how to open the navigation on this thing?” he asked, giving his own tablet a shake.

  “No, I must admit I'm still getting used to the controls. I've never used one of them before yesterday.”

  “I'm not surprised, most orphans don't manage to make the kind of money needed to buy one of these. Look here,” he said, pointing at the screen, “just tap it with your finger to open the map icon and the list on this side contains your recently found addresses. Beryl's is your only one, so you have no excuse for getting lost. Tap that and it will load up a route to follow.”

  Steiner stood up, yet again he offered his hand and shook Ajax's enthusiastically. “I'll see you in a few hours. Make sure you turn up on time, I don't want the customers to be waiting on you. Prove your worth and more work might come your way.” He covered his balding head with the hat, gave Ajax a small nod and left. Steiner filtered through the throng of people now occupying the room and quickly disappeared from sight.

  Ajax looked down at the device in his hands, still confused by how exactly this object worked. He clicked on the address still displayed and watched as a map appeared on the screen, showing all the streets that surrounded the Haven. The device even plotted a path for him, starting at the Haven and snaking its way through half a dozen streets to this woman's business. It was certainly impressive, if entirely baffling to him.

  He turned off the tablet and stowed it away again, then downed the remainder of his water and stood up. He stretched his stiff muscles and made his way through the crowd and back up the stairs to his room. Ajax had to rummage through each pocket in search of his bedroom key, for a moment he feared it was lost.

  Ajax opened the door and crossed over to his bed, kneeling down in front of it whilst his hands reached underneath, searching for the knife he had acquired. Gingerly his hands felt for the sharp blade until they brushed the handle and he could pull it clear.

  The blade looked like it had recently been sharpened, and considering the immaculate state of the handle it could have been bought only yesterday. One edge of the blade was curved and devilishly sharp, the other lined with serrated teeth. It wasn't just for killing, it was for inflicting pain and serious injury; more a knife for torturers than clean killers. Ajax knew he was going to get a lot of use out of it in the near future; he almost pitied the poor bastards that he would use it against.

  Ajax opened the wardrobe next to his bed and searched through until he found what he was looking for; a spare pillow case, creased from long term storage. Using the knife he cut the fabric into strips, which he tied around his leg as protection and then used thinner strips to fasten the knife to his calf. With his trouser leg rolled over it the blade was effectively undetectable, though he was worried about lacerating his leg if not careful.

  Ajax was satisfied that he had done everything he could to protect his leg and decided it would be best to find the captain after he had seen the weapons shop owner. It sounded wise to take Steiner's advice and not keep Beryl waiting, but Duke needed to know that Ajax was leaving the sector today and Ajax did not yet know how to reach Sector Six. He headed back out of his room and made his way down the stairs, towards the delicious smell of roasting meats.

  The front door might as well have been removed, there wer
e that many people streaming in and out of the tavern it barely had time to close. Ajax was unsure if there was some special occasion being hosted or if this was the regular breakfast rush Sarah had previously hinted at. He made a beeline for the door and didn't stop to let anyone through.

  The morning air was still crisp and cool, the sun had yet to heat up the sector. Early sunlight filtered over tall buildings and bathed the dilapidated courtyard in pale light, a breeze carried over a multitude of odours. It was refreshing to Ajax as he sucked air into his lungs, and smelt far fresher than inside the tavern. The courtyard was bustling with activity, people passing through from alleyways he had not noticed before, heading either for the tavern itself or the streets beyond. The tablet illuminated at his touch, still displaying the map. Ajax joined the crowd and followed its directions, all the while studying the route it took him.

  Chapter 11

  The tablets screen went blank as Ajax turned it off, now that he was stood outside the small shops door he no longer needed its detailed directions. He had struggled at first to follow the map as it changed position depending on where he faced, rotating almost constantly and throwing him off. He was forced to follow the map blindly and hoped that it did not stop working. The market stalls were already out in full force, their owners all vying for the attention of potential customers.

  Ajax had remained on course, avoiding the weird and wonderful wares on display. He did think that on the return journey he might pick up some fruit, as it seemed to be missing from his diet of late. There were a few foreign objects that he would not mind inspecting either.

  The door glided open silently, until it caught a small bell that chimed away enthusiastically as Ajax entered the shop. It was dark and mysterious inside, even from the street he had struggled to see much beyond the large exterior window. A plump lady of indeterminable age appeared through a beaded curtain behind the counter, flanked by a small cloud of smoke. Whatever she was smoking smelled foul to Ajax, but he knew better than to complain about it. Her garish clothes were the only thing of colour in the drab shop.