Time, payday

Morning, woken by the persistent buzzing off my old alarm. Another drop hits the puddle atop the fridge, time to ask Josh to get it fixed again. Never happens, but at least it gives him something to complain about.

Limp to the loo and take a leak. Stale cereal for breakfast, time to go get paid again.

Slip the CAF body armour on. Not much better than bare clothes, but it takes the attention away from the extra ceramic plates I had a friend back at HQ slip into them before I left.

Finish getting ready.

Out the door and down the stairs. I nod to a few neighbours as I pass, most of them ignore me. I stop and tell Josh about the leak again. He ignores me too.

He looks up and nods as I slip out through the front entrance though.

Couple of the boys on the front steps give me the once over as I step outside. I smile hard at them. I know that one day I'll lose my usefulness, but until then they still think I have friends with the clout to make things difficult if I disappear.

I can still see their blue and green jackets at the end of the block, but I turn the corner and head for the agency. Some of their friends will be along, but I can't be bothered waiting.

Pushing my way through the masses heading the other way I catch the smell of stale blood. Shaking my head, I see the splashes over the road surface. I remember that night, but I stop.

Without thinking I slap away the attempt to pick my pocket. The kid is gone before I get a look in. Not that he'd get much now.

An hour later I reach the Uptown perimeter and sign into the gate station. Two of the new boys escort me to the office. Jackson is sitting behind the grill as usual.

Two minutes later I'm leaving with the cash on my card. I used to wonder why the old guys had to check in every week. Soon worked out that otherwise they were getting capped, and someone else would kick back and collect their pension until HQ wised up.

I head into the White Horse just inside the perimeter, down a beer and change most of the credits into UNIs

Heading back into Downtown I catch a load of water down the back of my neck passing through the check point.

Muttering, I make my way towards home. About halfway I brush past two of the boys from Sharp Fred. I slip them the 10% for Freddie, and continue onwards. Wonder if any of the boys know I'm his dad. Looks like he'll go further than I ever did.

Stop for lunch at a noodle bar. Takeaway crud, but without a working hotplate, there ain't no way I'm cooking for myself. Least I'm not paying for it. Old Sam owes me a few from the old days, and he's more than happy to pay up.