Izikiel by Thomas Fay Page B

wider as sweat beads formed on his forehead and travelled down his face. His mouth opened to reveal several chipped teeth as he raised his hands in a defensive gesture.
    ‘ There’ll be no need for that weapon, officer. I was just making sure that you were reputable customers if you take my meaning.’
    ‘ We’re looking for an independent freighter captain who wears a black shawl,’ Jonas said.
    ‘ Black shawl you say? Hmmm,’ the bartender said, drumming his fat fingers on his cheek. ‘You must mean Vorn.’
    ‘ And do you know where we can find him?’
    ‘ That depends.’
    ‘ Depends on what?’
    ‘ On what’s in it for me. These are very uncertain times after all. A man needs to look after his own interests.’
    ‘ Of course,’ Jonas said.
    He stepped up to the bar. Motioning the bartender closer, he holstered his weapon and lifted up his visor. As the man leaned in towards him, Jonas pulled him forward slamming the man’s head down into the counter. Several glasses shattered as they fell off the counter and the drunken patrons looked up in surprise.
    ‘ Now, I’m going to repeat my question only once. Where can I find Vorn?’
    ‘ Alright, alright! He’s here. Upstairs, private room. Now let me go!’ the fleshy bartender squirmed trying to free himself from Jonas’ grip.
    Releasing him, Jonas motioned them up a flight of stairs. As they walked through a shimmering curtain made of small, highly reflective beads, they found themselves in the private room. It was round with a continuous couch running along its edge, upholstered in a thick, white fabric. The centre had a small pool of water with several bottles of unknown contents floating in them.
    Izikiel’s gaze was drawn to the three occupants of the room.
    The little girl sat opposite the man in the black shawl who seemed unphased by their presence. Seated next to him was a red haired woman with large blue eyes and a very shapely nose and cheeks. The beauty of her facial features was only matched by the flawless shape of her body which was clad in a dense, black material. As Izikiel stared at her, a slow smile crept across her face. Then she winked at him.

THIRTY SIX
    Izikiel found himself drawn in by the unknown woman’s beauty. There was something mesmerizing about her that prevented him from looking away. Staring at her incredible blue eyes, he experienced a strange sense of weightlessness. It was almost as if he had established contact with the Eternal Flame. The sensation evaporated when he felt Te’Anne’s elbow in his ribs. Coughing slightly, he turned his attention to the little girl.
    ‘ Are you ok?’ he asked her.
    She slowly nodded her head as her eyes stared straight through him. Seeing her again brought back that sense of familiarity. It also put him at ease as he realised that he had been truly worried about her. Satisfied that she was safe for the moment, Izikiel looked over at the man in the black shawl.
    ‘ Are you Vorn?’ he asked.
    ‘ Yes,’ the man replied in a calm, steady voice. His eyes never left Izikiel.
    ‘ It seems this is the second time that we’ve run into each other.’
    ‘ It would seem that way, yes.’
    ‘ I understand that you are a freighter captain?’
    ‘ You understand correctly.’
    ‘ Can you offer us passage off the planet?’
    The man’s steel grey eyes hardened as he took in Xavier and Jonas’ appearance. Leaning forward, his voice took on a dangerous edge as he said, ‘I don’t do business with security officers.’
    ‘ Now that’s not a very neighbourly attitude,’ Jonas said, looking at Xavier. The other man simply shrugged his shoulders.
    ‘ Could you two wait outside for a moment?’ Izikiel asked.
    Xavier and Jonas looked about to argue but then they looked over at the freighter captain and his female companion. Seemingly reaching a decision, they turned and walked back through the shimmering curtain. Once he was satisfied that they had left, Vorn continued as if nothing had