Chapter 5: The Reluctant Date

 ”Listen, you and I both know the historic zone petition was never signed into law,” Mack snarled through clenched teeth. He’d used the information Ro’lund had provided and did a little more digging to make sure he could file for an audit. The first two articles he sent to the government were news reports about the proposal for the change in district zoning near where his hotel was. He wanted to make sure everything would work out in his favor, so he sent the public records with the articles and kept an open-forum transcript as a trump card. Sitting Governor Andor Brios had spoken about his decision to strip all Imperials left on the planet of any comfort or historical references after a suicide bomber had destroyed a Republic monument. He had been the one to deny the petition.

 ”Mr. Wolf, if you look back at the articles, you will see it was only speculation, and if you look at the public zoning plans, you will notice the discrepancy has been fixed. In OUR records it was signed into law. Your audit is illegal and we will fine you for it,” the nasally official answered.

 Mack thought he could hear triumph in his voice. “I see, then I’m forced to go to the press about this. Thank you for your time, Mr. Porter.”

 ”Now, what’s this about the press? You will do as I say. You will pay your fine and move on. You can’t threaten the government.”

 ”Oh, I’m not threatening anyone. I’m stating the press would like to know the government is changing the databases when it suits them. You and I both know they are chomping at the bit to get more power over the people. Something like this would make for interesting news,” he shot back, leaning back in his chair. Ro’lund was looking worried and was wringing his large hands.

 ”I could have you thrown in jail for the rest of your life,” the official growled.

 He knew it wasn’t an idle threat, so he threw in an offer. “Okay, I won’t go to the press. Make the outrageous power bill charges disappear, and we’ll call each other even. Oh, by law I’m supposed to inform you this call is being recorded for legal purposes.”

 ”What! Fine, they will disappear. It was a pleasure speaking with you, Mr. Wolf” Mr. Porter growled in what sounded like his polite tone. The call dropped a moment later.

 ”That wasn’t smart, Mack. You’ll have made an enemy with that man,” his friend offered and sat up in his chair, eyes darting around the cafe.

 ”It wasn’t going to go any other way. That is the sad fact when living in the Republic. Now, that issue is completed, I’ll make copies of the damning information and store them somewhere safe. Don’t give me that look; I’m not going to make you hold it.”

 ”Sorry Mack, I’ve never seen this side of you.”

 ”What side is that? One that does what he needs to do in an oppressive regime? Maybe someone who isn’t drinking your delicious brew and asking silly questions?” Mack answered with a snort. He was still a little peeved Ro’lund had cornered him into taking his troublesome daughter on a date.

 ”She’s a good woman, just a little headstrong,” Ro’lund muttered into his hands, understanding where Mack had been going with his sarcastic response.

 ”I know, she’s just difficult to deal with sometimes. I’m sure she’s a lovely and delicate flower underneath,” Mack muttered and rolled his eyes.

 The large man howled with laughter, the chair under him groaning as the large man laughed and slapped his belly. “A delicate flower is one thing I would never say about my baby girl. Oh, void that was funny.”

 Snorting and shaking his had at his friend’s antics, Mack turned to the next project he wanted to get done before leaving the cafe. Bringing up the forms to start a business, he filled out the documents while he joked with his friend. He probed Ro’lund about things his daughter liked or hated. The date wasn’t going to be a fun prospect for him for many reasons, but he wanted to make sure El’ena had a decent time. He was conflicted as to why he was agreeing with Ro’lund to take his daughter out. On the one hand, he felt he owed his friend more favors than he could count, but on the other, he wondered if he still had it in him to be capable of dating. As he read over the forms, he warred with himself on whether or not he was doing it for his friend or for him. He set the issue with El’ena aside and debated for a while as to what assets he wanted to claim for the business. His gut told him it was going to be a bad idea to list the hotel as the company’s assets, but he couldn’t risk the house he bought for his mom. Scrubbing his face, he sent the forms out with the hefty setup fee to create Wolf Investments. He’d bounced ideas for the company name off his friend until they settled on the innocuous name.

 ”So, when do I pick your daughter up?” he asked, trying not to sigh. He’d decided to give it a shot, despite his misgivings.

 ”My friend, whenever you drop by the house next. Give me a ring before you arrive so I can give her the good news!”

 Biting off his initial reply, he nodded and decided not to share his concerns. He knew the ‘date’ would blow up on his friend’s face and he would be caught in the crossfire for going along with the scheme. The idea of backing out of the date suddenly sounded like a good idea. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he fought against the headache that had begun forming and looked down at his tablet when it beeped. He had three messages in his inbox. Clicking the first, he read over the government AI’s automated response to his application. The credits cleared the bank so everything okay on its end; the company was formed and logged into the system. The second message was from an anonymous sender, and it warned him not to do anything with the hotel. He frowned as he read between the lines and realized the sender was hinting at trouble with the government if he decided to do anything other than letting the building collapse. The last message was from Mr. Porter who informed him the electrical bill was waived by the government, but he was sorry to report that the charges for the utilities and unpaid processing fees were still due. He read over the message again and cursed the Republic system.

 ”So I owe the same amount of money I did before, and I got a message warning me not to do anything with the hotel. Only good news is I have my corporation now,” Mack muttered and glared at the tablet in his hands.

 ”Now now, don’t get your jumpsuit in a wad,” Ro’lund laughed and pointed at him. “I told you not to antagonize the government. Now, I recommend the fight pits off Mercer Ave. or the drop-bike races. She always loves a good brawl.”

 Banging his head on the table, Mack cursed his friend over and over, much to the other man’s amusement. He was cheered up a little when another message came in informing him he was rewarded a settlement in his audit. It wasn’t much, but it would pay for the majority of the trumped-up bills. The next moment he received a message informing him the settlement had been withheld until after a second review was complete. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the second message. “I think I’m going to have to find myself a lawyer,” he muttered.

 ”Why would you do that?!” his friend yelped and sat up, leaning over the counter to read the tablet.

 He showed Ro’lund the messages. “Know a lawyer who won’t steal everything or make my life more difficult?”

 ”I don’t deal with those types unless I have to. I’ve been lucky only to have to deal with two of them in my time. They are worse than scavengers,” the large man muttered.

 It took some time to find a lawyer that had a decent reputation. Some time ago, it had become standard practice for dedicated lawyers to modify themselves with memory improvements. Many times those enhancements came with the loss of their humanity as they integrated fully with their cybernetic implants. The old joke that lawyers weren’t human came into reality. Dialing the number listed, he read over Ms. Ewing’s reviews.

 ”You’ve reached Ewing and Associates. What can I do for you today?” a robotic voice answered.

 Biting back a groan, he marshaled his thoughts. “I have come into dispute with the government about zoning rights in an audit case. Does Ms. Ewing take situations like this?”

 ”One moment, processing. Yes, I believe Ms. Ewing will take your case if you have further proof. I see here your name is Mack Wolf and have come up in the system a few times in the last few hours regarding an audit dispute. The government first approved the audit as incorrect however it was retracted two minutes and eleven seconds later by a secondary auditor. I will put you through to Ms. Ewing.”

 He waited on hold for a few minutes before a female’s musical voice picked up. “You’ve reached Ms. Ewing, Mr. Wolf. I’ve read over your problem, and I think we can work together on this. If you would, please come down to my office today or tomorrow. The faster you get ahead of a situation like this the better chances you can fix the problem without a lengthy court process.”

 Her voice seemed to bounce around in his ears, and he had to blink to try and clear his head. “Uh, yeah sure, I’ll be down there in a little bit.”

 ”Most excellent. My associate Ryan will greet you. I look forward to seeing you.”

 The call dropped a moment later, and he started at his tablet. “That was weird,” he muttered and wiggled his finger in his ear, trying to get the sound of her voice out of his head.

 ”I’d be careful of that one,” Ro’lund offered a moment later. “We Beorusians have sensitive ears. She was using some sort of harmonic sound to lull you into compliance.”

 Mack grunted and nodded. Thanking his friend and promising to call soon, he left the cafe and walked to the lawyer’s office. Hovercars raced up and down the road while pedestrians walked home from their jobs or headed out for a night in the city. Being near the industrial district, he covered his face with one hand so he wouldn’t breathe in the polluted air too much. Many citizens of Torus wore visors and mouth-breathers while out walking in the city. Fifteen minutes later, he stopped in front of a squat building between two chain department stores. The awning had Ewing and Associates written in bold white letters and had wrought-iron bars over the windows. Opening the door, a tinkling bell sounded, and a smiling man in a three-piece suit looked up from a long metal desk. His eyes were unfocused as he stared at Mack and the smile splitting his face never wavering as he spoke. “Welcome to Ewing and Associates. My name is Ryan. Would you happen to be Mr. Wolf?” the smiling man asked, his voice matching the robotic voice from the phone call.

 Suppressing a shiver, Mack tried to smile back. “Yes, I believe Ms. Ewing is expecting me,” he answered and pressed a button on his tablet before slipping it back into his pocket.

 ”Good, right this way please,” Ryan said and stood. Mack followed the man, looking around at the well-decorated office. Awards and placards were in glass frames on the walls with small green plants decorating the floor space between each at regular intervals. The wood-paneled walls looked out of place in a metal and concrete city. He was lead to the farthest office with Ms. Ewing’s name written on a metal plate affixed to the open door. Ryan didn’t knock as he lead Mack inside.

 ”Ah, welcome Mr. Wolf,” Ms. Ewing crooned. Her melodic voice again bounced around in his head, and he fought to focus.

 ”Thank you for seeing me on short notice, Ms. Ewing,” he replied and took the offered leather chair. Behind her desk were three rows of bookshelves and a large hanging picture of a distinguished man with gray hair and dark eyes. Ms. Ewing had her dark hair tied up into a prim bun on the top of her head. Her oval face was handsome rather than beautiful, but her eyes are what drew his attention. The deep blue eyes seemed to draw him in and promise anything he could ever want. Reigning himself in, he focused on the task at hand.

 Her thin red lips parted into a sultry smile as she stood, her dark suit doing little to hide her body underneath. The form-fitting suit emphasized her lithe body and impressive chest. “I’ve taken the liberty to look into you a little, Mr. Wolf,” she announced and offered her hand for him to shake.

 He took her slim hand and shook, careful not to damage the flawless beauty before him. His mind rebelled, and his head seemed to pulse. “It’s not nice to use mind-altering psionics on your clients,” he muttered and shook his head to rid himself of the illusion.

 ”Aw, you saw through it,” Ms. Ewing huffed and waved her hand.

 His headache vanished, and the illusion broke. His initial observation was proven correct when he looked at the lawyer again. She was handsome rather than beautiful, but she was actually he judging by the adam’s apple near her throat. “That was intense,” Mack muttered and looked at the lawyer through slitted eyes. “Why all the theatrics?”

 ”Clients tend to feel safer around women than they do with men. My reputation alone is enough to bring them in, something I’ve worked hard to cultivate. The Republic has certain issues with citizens of my gender. It makes it easier for me to move up in the world. Now, your issue,” the lawyer said and produced a file from on top of the desk. “You submitted the request for an audit which was approved and completed. A settlement was initially found in your favor but was retracted a few minutes later. Suspicious, so I dug a little deeper. Ryan takes some getting used to, but he is a genius at finding things people wish to hide. Documents were changed and an entire petition pushed through the council within minutes of your audit. All of this was completed in minutes, pointing the finger at someone high up the chain of command. The Governmental AI couldn’t have been given the order to change anything except by General Hayden. What I would like to do is pay you a substantial settlement from my office. You would relinquish anything information you have on this incident and sign a document absolving yourself from this entire situation; agreeing to never go after the government for them falsifying information. I’m not doing this out of the kindness of my heart. I will use the information you provide to go after them, using a class action lawsuit for every single citizen who has been paying the government all these years for the illegal historical zoning tax. Think it over.”

 ”It sounds like I have more to lose than gain if I accept,” he stated, looking into the lawyer’s eyes.

 ”You have more to gain in terms of personal security. If you withdraw your claim, you absolve yourself legally and the government can’t outright come after you. If you attack them, they will come after you and anyone you love. They might anyway, but at least they won’t do it in public. I will give you a generous sum to compensate you. It doesn’t look like you are in need of a lot of credits at the moment anyway. The other thing I should mention is the building you have listed as your company’s assets will draw the governments attention if it hasn’t already. You are on the road to conflict whether you want it or not,” the lawyer answered and sat back.

 He was already regretting his decision to renovate the hotel. Tapping his fingers on the leather arm of the chair, he went over the pros and cons of the offer. “Assume I accept, what would happen?” he asked, looking up.

 Ms. Ewing’s eyes crinkled. “I knew you would see it my way. You would be paid one-hundred thousand credits, non-negotiable, and you would hand over anything you had on the subject. I would protect you in the courtroom from any recourse this settlement will bring, and I will take the settlement profits, minus what is owed to the other citizens in the lawsuit. Make no mistake, this will never reach the courts. Once the media gets wind of something like this, the government will sweep it under the rug and pay off whoever they have to. You will, however, revive your initial settlement, as that is what I will base my initial lawsuit off of. You get credits and peace of mind.”

 ”How long do I have to think this over?” he asked, watching the lawyer’s face.

 ”The offer will be rescinded after you leave this office. I have no guarantee you won’t take this to another lawyer,” she answered with a huff. “I’m being more than generous.”

 ”You are,” he conceded with a frown and sat back in the chair. “Fine, I agree. You stand to make a lot more from this, but my peace of mind is worth it. I’ll need it in writing that you will do as you’ve claimed.”

 Ms. Ewing’s eyes widened, and her lip stuck out in a pout, but he ignored it. “Yes, yes Mr. Wolf. I’ll have Ryan draft the contract. In the meantime, can I tempt you with a drink or maybe something more?” she said with her tongue darting out of the side of her lips.

 ”Thank you, but no thank you,” he answered, content to wait as long as he needed. The lawyer pouted a little more but didn’t push the offer. It took a while for her assistant to draft the contract while they discussed the possible ramifications for both of them. She’d offered to stay on as his retainer and personal lawyer if everything worked out in the case against the government. He wasn’t sure how he felt about the offer but didn’t outright reject her offer. Ryan appeared and put a tablet on Ms. Ewing’s desk before walking out.

 ”Now, let’s go over the contract. I will explain anything you wish to know. I’m not here to screw you out of anything, so the contract is straightforward,” the lawyer stated and handed the tablet over.

 He sat back and began to read carefully. In his experience, everyone tried to get over on someone else; it was just another hazard of dealing with humans and the Republic in general. The contract was indeed straightforward with little fluff in the wording. He did see where she could come after him if the information he provided were fraudulent, but it didn’t bother him. The lengthy document took some time to review. He did ask a few questions about how she would protect him in court and outside of court if it came to it. She laid out possible problems and how she would go about fixing them. After they were done discussing the contract, he signed it and handed it back. “May I get a copy of that?” he asked and received a message in his mailbox a moment later.

 ”I had anticipated your request,” she answered with a wink. “Now, I believe I have a lot of work to do. The credits will be wired to your account in a few. It has been a pleasure to work with you, Mr. Wolf. Can I do anything else for you today?”

 Shaking his head at Ms. Ewing’s not-so-subtle suggestion in the way she thrust her chest out at him again, he stood and thanked her for her expertise. Leaving the office after handing over all the evidence he’d collected, he realized how late it had become when his stomach growled. He found a take-out restaurant on the way back. Most of the food was gone by the time he’d reached his apartment. Aron wasn’t on his bench, and he guessed the old landlord had already retired for the night. When he flicked on the light in his apartment, he noticed a note on the floor. Picking it up, he read that Aron needed to speak to him about an urgent matter as soon as he was available.

 The next morning, he found his landlord in the office beside the main door. “Aron, I got your note. What’s up?”

 ”Your friend is at it again. Officially, I’ve got two days to see you gone before bad things happen to me and my building.” The landlord snorted and shook his head. “Like I’m scared of a popped up little tart. Listen, I’ll take the money and put it in an account. You take that money and make something with it, you hear me?” Aron’s face was set in a hard line.

 ”Alright, alright, I’ll use the money. What happens to you when Sibilla finds out?” Mack asked, frowning a little.

 ”Then she finds out what happens when you come after a Republic Marine. Now, I recommend you go to the bank and try and get a loan. Yes, yes you can pay for everything with your money now but what happens down the road when you need to borrow some? It’s better to involve the bank now then begging in the future. You’ll have an established a line of credit with them, once they know you’re good for it.”

 He frowned listening to the older man’s wisdom. It hadn’t occurred to him to involve a bank in helping him renovate the old hotel. “What would I need?” he asked.

 ”How do I know?! Go do some research! I’m not going to do all your work for you,” Aron grumbled and sat back in his swivel chair.

 ----

 It took three days for Mack to get an appointment with the bank and get a business plan written up that didn’t read like a child had written it. He sat in an opulent office waiting for the bank manager to arrive, dressed in the most expensive suit he owned. Being back in a suit made him think of his time at the club, and he was still uncomfortable without the familiar weight of his gun under his arm. Shifting in the chair, he looked over his checklist on his tablet to make sure he hadn’t missed anything.

 ”Mr. Wolf, thank you for your patience. The meeting took longer than I had expected. I understand you wish to get a loan from our humble bank to renovate the Fabula Palliata Hotel. I’m sure you have a wonderful proposal for us, but I’m afraid we can’t fund your venture. This bank cannot be tied to renovating an Imperial landmark within the city,” the rotund manager said as he took a seat behind his desk. The polish on the wood of the desk matched the manager’s polished bald head.

 Mack bit back an angry retort and started at the aging manager across from him. “I see,” he growled. “I’m sorry your feel making the old building into apartments is an affront to your bank. Thank you for your time,” he said and rose. He hadn’t wanted the bank meddling in his life, but at the same time hadn’t wanted all of his hard work to be a wasted effort. The manager muttered something behind him as he walked out of the office.

 He tried two more banks before he gave up. No one wanted to be associated with the old hotel. Archiving his business proposal, he cursed the banks, the government, and people in general. Once his anger was burned out, he called Ro’lund and inquired when he needed to meet El’ena. “One more thing to make my day,” he muttered to himself as he listened to his friend’s excited plans. Mack was to surprise his daughter by picking her up and taking her to a restaurant before taking her out to one of her favorite fight pits. The older man was sure his plan was foolproof. Mack didn’t agree but held his tongue. He’d given the date some more thought and was regretting agreeing to the favor.

 Driving over to Ro’lund’s place, he tried to plan out what he was going to say. When he arrived at the squat house on the edge of the city, he saw two figures engaged in a screaming match through the wide window. Ro’lund was on the defensive, his hands held out in submission, while his daughter screamed in his face. Blue veins seemed to throb in her temple as she clenched her fists. Mack was about to throw the car in reverse and pretend he’d never arrived when Ro’lund spotted him and pointed out the window. El’ena’s eyes turned to him, and he felt his chest tighten in fear. The primal fear of a predator catching his scent washed over his body. Shrugging off his momentary bout of weakness, he glared back at her.

 Before he knew it, the predator had left her father and opened the front door. She slammed it behind her, causing the dilapidated porch and door-frame to rattle with the force. He winced, as he watched her march toward his hovercar. The passenger door was yanked open, and she dropped into the passenger seat, her eyes boring into his. She wore a dark leather jacket over a dark red tight sweater and black, tight pants. Her combat boots thumped on the floor, bringing his eyes back to hers. “Uh, hi,” he said, all rational thought having fled under her fury.

 ”Let’s just get this over with. MY FATHER is such an idiot,” she growled and crossed her arms under her breasts, leaning back into the seat.

 ”So, we’re going to The Western Wall then I hear you like going to The Den to blow off some steam,” Mack said into the silence as he pulled out of the driveway. He was a little angry with himself for reacting like he had.

 ”Why are you even doing this?!” she asked and turned her eyes on him again. She looked like she was about to ask her questions with her fists.

 Shrugging, he answered her with honesty. “Your father asked me to take you out for a date. Well, he more or less demanded it, but I see it as a favor. He’s worried about you. I’m not going to lie, I’m not thrilled. I don’t date, haven’t dated in years, and aren’t going to be pursuing you. If you look past that, I hope we’ll have at least a cordial night. If that doesn’t fly with you, then I can turn around, and you can go home.”

 She remained silent for a little bit while they drove down the road. “No, I don’t want to go home yet. The Western Wall, huh? You sure you want to go in there in that nice suit?” she asked as she looked him over.

 Shrugging, he turned off the main road, moving to the upper lanes. The upper lanes were regulated low-flight paths that used light-markers to designate the route. It allowed hovercars to move from one section of the city to another without taking the streets. “I’m not worried about that. If you want, I can stop by my place to change, or I can just pick something up at a store before we get there.”

 ”Stop by Carpe Diem’s to get some more sturdy clothes. If we’re going to The Den later, you’ll thank me for saving that expensive suit,” El’ena stated. She leaned over and punched in the shop’s name into his navigation panel; it was on the way to the restaurant.

 Moving back to the road, he followed the marker on his dashboard to the clothing store. They parked, and he got out, locking the car behind him. El’ena’s short black hair, tall frame, and dark, combat outfit made her look like his bodyguard. He snorted and lead the way into the shop. A miniature green woman with bright green eyes and fluttering wings greeted them at the door. Her alien appearance surprised him in a largely human city as he looked her over. He thought the Olem were natives to the forest planet Sasnurn. They were second-class citizens of the Galactic Senate; their race was still fighting for a seat in the Senate like the humans were. A gray band around her neck made his eyes narrow. He glanced at El’ena, trying to figure out what was going on. She hated slavery and oppression more than he did.

 ”Hey Flol’, how are you today?” the tall Beorusian asked. She stepped over to the diminutive woman and picked her up in a big hug.

 ”No, wait! NO!!” Flol’ cried as she was hugged. She beat her tiny hands on El’ena’s leather jacket while trying to fight off a smile that had split her small lips. “Put me down you brute!” she ordered, her upper wings fluttering.

 ”But, I haven’t seen you in ages,” El’ena complained while she put Flol’ down. “Seriously, how are you doing?”

 ”Life is the same,” the small woman answered in a tiny voice. Her hands wrung once before she looked up and flashed them a halfhearted smile. “What can I do for you today?” she asked, eying Mack up and down. “You don’t look like you need anything.”

 Mack tried not to frown at the accusation he thought he’d detected in her words. He was still shocked to see a slave collar on the woman. “I’m overdressed for the night,” he stated in a flat voice. “I need to pick up something closer to what my,” he paused trying to find the word to match his relationship to El’ena, “friend here is wearing. Any suggestions?” He was careful to look the Olem in the eyes. He’d had little contact with species other than Beorusians and was unsure of her customs. The only reason he knew what species she was came from half-remembered lessons in school. He’d learned more from the streets than he’d ever learned in a school setting.

 ”Knowing my brute friend here,” the Olem muttered, shooting El’ena a frown,” she’ll want to go somewhere seedy and dangerous. Follow me please.” Flol’ lead them through racks of clothes toward the back of the store. Combat boots and heavy jumpsuits lined the back wall of the alcove she lead them to. Padded, plated, and belted jackets hung on racks near the center of the floor. Everything was in dark colors, and El’ena’s face seemed to brighten as she touched the articles of clothing. “With your build, I recommend something light but will offer you some protection in case there is a bar fight. We have a line of tinted goggles, glasses, and visors if you want to look cooler than you actually are. Please let me know if you need to try anything on.”

 Mack snorted at her sales pitch. “Thanks, I’ll just grab a couple things, and we’ll be out of your hair,” he muttered and stepped over to the jumpsuits on the back wall.

 ”Flol’, don’t mind my rude date. Now, what about you and Fos? Have you been able to get into his pants yet?”

 The Olem turned a deep shade of green and sputtered. “What? No, uh, he, uh,” she stuttered and muttered about impolite questions.

 El’ena roared with laughed and pulled her friend off to another corner. She began barraging her with questions as soon as they made it around the corner. Mack ignored them and grabbed a black jumpsuit, dark socks, and tried on a buckle-style combat boot nearest to his shoe size. The boot was a little narrow in the toes, so he tried the next size up. He picked up a dark synth-fiber compression shirt and took the clothes to the counter. The women were still talking in low whispers when he got to the counter.