Chapter Text
Chapter 1. Juno steel and the time the HCPD sold me to dark matters
Ah, good evening, traveler. And welcome to The Penumbra. Please put on your reading glasses. We have the best archive from nowhere and beyond. There’s many books to choose from. Even we're not sure how many there are. You appear confused, dear traveler. But The Penumbra has always taken precisely the shape it needs to guide us. We have books from every wear and every when. Don’t believe me? Well, see for yourself. *Flipping though pages* “Juno Steel you are hereby convicted of stealing and using The Saffron Pill and sentenced to 20 years in Hoosegow penitentiary or a 10,000 cred bail” What luck! Sounds like he’s in. Come, traveler. Come with me into room J2
Hyperion city, where you can get 20 years for a stupid pill and with enough creds you can be free as a bird by morning. Unfortunately for me, P.I work doesn't exactly pay that, and I’m not willing to beg for bail. That’s too pathetic, even for me. And the Kanagawa’s seem to want me around. Apparently I’ll make good T.V., so.. I’m fucked. And the worst part is the pill didn’t even do anything! Well, besides landing me in the hospital with a wicked headache and some nasty voices. Over all nothing new, the prince of mars sells 100 pills that do the exact same thing. Who cares if it’s technically ‘one of a kind’? Julian DiMaggio apparently, and I took ‘his’ pill, and the “I was cornered” difference didn’t really hold up in court. I mean I was hired to bring it back, I did bring it back. But it’s not about what it *did* it’s about what it *cost* and it cost about oh 10, 000 creds…and I’m right back to the problem I started with. I don’t exactly have too many allies at the moment, definitely not the loaded kind. Reta said she'll ‘figure it out’ but we both know she doesn't have that and I’m definitely not worth it. “Mister Steel..?” I wasn't sure how long the guard had been standing there waiting for me to get out of my head and take a look around.
“Huh? Oh, ‘morning”
“There’s a call for ‘ya” She tossed my comms through the bars and I had to rush to catch it.
The screen flashed with red text 'Caller I.D Classified'
“What- Why do I get my comms back now? Who’s calling?”
“How should I know, it’s your comms.” She turned on her heels and left. I picked up the call.
“Hello Juno” Sasha Wier, operative at dark matters, my childhood friend and mysterious caller on the other line. It’d been fifteen years, and this was definitely not the reunion I’d expected.
“Hey Sasha, been awhile. What’s with the sudden call? I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.”
“Dark Matters has an offer…We will pay your bail and in exchange your custody will be transferred to Dark Matters.”
“You.. want to buy me?”
“Functionaly, yes”
“Wat?”
“Is your connection bad?”
“No, no- what? Since when is dark matter in the under paid P.I business?”
“We’r not.”
“Then what is this about?”
“Clasafyed.”
“Do I get a choice?”
“I thought you were aware of the terms of your bail.”
“I am- nevermind ugh! Is there anything you can tell me about this mess?”
“It’s your mess Juno, we're just cleaning it up. As for what I can tell you; In approximately 30min and 22 seconds an agent will be there to pick you up. I advise you cooperate. His name is Rex Glass, I’ve never met him, but I am told he is very good with a knife and has an impeccable track record.”
“Oh come on, you think I’d disobey the authorities Sasha, I’m hurt.”
“For your sake I hope you won’t” *Beeeeep* The call was cut and I was left with twice as many questions and half as many answers. What did dark matters want with me? How long would it take? How was I gonna explain this to Reta in 30 minutes?
*28 minutes later*
“You- You- You're going off with that dark matters lady? Why? What’s she gonna do? Is she gonna do all kinds ‘a weird experiments on ‘ya? Like in that movie, wear they- and then his leg got cut off- and the next thing you know your face is sewed to your butt and there's a weird creepy doll in the corner- and- What are we gonna do?”
I cut her off. “I was wondering the exact same thing. Sasha wasn't very forthcoming was she?”
“Mistah Steeeeel!” Our conversation was interrupted by a knock on the bar’s
“Good morning, Detective” The man who must’ve been Rex Glass. His face was lean but soft, with a cherub's smile and a fox’s teeth. He looked like he was happy to see me and like he’d be just as happy to kill me, if push came to shove. It wasn't unpleasant, all things considered “Mister Juno Steel right?"
“Unfortunitly, yup. That’s the name my mommy gave me”
“I am sorry to disrupt your call but we are on a tight schedule, if you could follow me please. I have picked up your confiscated belongings from HCPD storage"
“Sorry Reta, My ride’s here”
“But Mistah Steeeel!”
“‘Unfotunitly’? No need to be so misanthropic, Detective. It’s a beautiful morning, and it’s shaping up to be an even more beautiful day. Our chariot awaits.” He opened the cell door with a key I was sure he wasn't supposed to have.
“…right behind you” No one seemed to question how I’d came up with 10,000 creds in 18 hours or why a strange man in sunglasses had a master key to the cell doors. We walked to the V.I.P parking lot out back and then to the nicest looking green sports car in two miles. The licence plate said Ruby7, the lime green paint said ‘look at me’.
“Beautiful isn’t she?”
“Yeah, it’s certainly..bright. It just doesn't seem like dark matters style. Aren’t you guys supposed to be like secret agents?”
“Ah well I always say the best hiding spot is a good disguise.” He opened the passenger door and gestured to the empty seat, I sat down in the inconspicuously conspicuous car. Next a conspicuously inconspicuous man in a very well tailored suit and the Ruby beeped at us as if to say "ready to go?”