It was a late night in the Chestermere district of Calgary. A businessman pulled up to the pumps of an all night gas station. It was one of those pay at the pump deals and so the only employee spent most of his time looking at the nudie mags and eating the profits of the day shift.
The businessman was out of place. People of his status and position rarely came here during the day and never ever in the evening. He tried to look imposing and alert but it was obvious he was out of his element. His look might have scared other salarymen but he was no better than a target to the denizens of this neighborhood.
He got lucky.
A car pulled into station and stopped on the other side of the pump. It looked like larger version of an 1960s hot rod. It was a combat vehicle and there was no subtlety to it. It was loud, like 12L v10 diesel loud. It was covered with thick armored plating. The rear windows were solid metal and the sides and front had layered plate to allow for visibility but still protection. You might get away with this in the downtown core where he lived and worked but the heavy machine guns mounted on the hood would have been a no-no. It was now that he started to get some small insight in the world he had walked into.
The door opened and a pair of muscular, yet feminine legs covered in skin tight black leather got out. The legs were attached to goddess in the flesh. Even the heavy scarring that started on her midriff and went under her shirt did not detract from her beauty. Her eyes, partially concealed behind some designer sunglasses, were intelligent and cold.
She took one look at the businessman pumping his gas and a slightly predatory smile crossed her face. She swayed over to him and took her glasses off, revealing a doe-eyed look. From the way his heartbeat changed and the flush to his face she realized that she didn’t need to say anything at this point but why not.
“I am lost and scared. Can you help me?” She said in a voice that would become the victim in a horror movie. His response was typical of any man who thinks he can be the knight in shining armor. What he didn’t notice was the passenger side door of her car opened up and a small mechanical humanoid in mechanics coveralls slink out and creep up to his car. He removed the gas nozzle from the businessman’s German import and started to fill the muscle car instead.
The damsel kept the conversation up for another 15 minutes while her robot companion finished filling their tank. After the robot was secure, she kissed the businessman on the cheek and promised (cross her heart) to call him if she had any more trouble and swayed back to towards her car.
The roar of a v10 fills the air as an armored pickup truck screeches to a halt in front of the muscle car. A very large tattooed man in combat fatigues and leathers jumps out of the driver’s side wielding a large handgun.
“Give it up Sam. I want the plans.” He says pointing the gun at the girl.
“Now wait just a minute” The businessman jumps in. “I am sure she doesn’t have whatever you a looking for. She is new to Calgary.” Repeating the lie she told him.
“Stay out of this” Sam said.
The businessman walked closer to the tattooed man. The Tattooed man pulled out a second pistol and pointed it at the businessman. Though his eyes never leave Sam the second gun tracks the businessman unerringly.
“Listen to the Bitch. This isn’t your business so turn around and drive away.”
“I can’t let you bully an unarmed woman.” The businessman says.
Behind the sunglasses, a computer boot up sequence scrolls up the surface of her eyeballs. Inside her car various lights and gauges come to life.
“I am fine. Just get in your car and go” Sam says.
“Oh you’re not fine. You are going to give me the plans and if you are lucky you will die fast.”
The businessman pulls out his phone and starts to dial. The Tattooed man shoots him in the chest. Then the heavy machine guns on Sam’s car open fire. Bullets zip past either side of Sam as she drops to a crouch covering her ears. The armor piercing rounds tear through the tattooed man and leave large holes in the armor plating of his truck.
100 rounds and 20 seconds later the guns stop and Sam rushes to the businessman. He is alive, barely, a bracelet on his wrist emits a loud alarm and starts to blink rapidly.
“Shit” Sam says and runs to the tattooed man’s body. He quickly rifles through what’s left of his pockets pulling out what appears to be a phone and stuffing it into her pocket. She then jumps into the car and it roars to life as she tears out of the gas station.