After a few minutes I feel like the drums in my head quiet down and that I can stand up with out throwing up.
I stand up straight and stretch. All that did was rip the back of my jacket. I sigh and take it off. I get up and walk into the small bathroom to the side of my office. I open the sink and wait for the sludge that comes out to turn into what looks remotely like clear water and wash my face. I'd look into the mirror if it wasn't cracked into a million lightings. I look for something to wipe my face but why would I have anything like that. I just use my shirt which turns out to be a bad idea because the stench of puke and cigarettes that comes off it almost makes me faint. I take it off and throw it into a corner of the bathroom. I walk back to my main office and look around. My office is a mess but not enough of a mess to make me care. There's rust on the walls and and it seems the old filing cabinet finally gave into time seeing how there's paper slowly pouring down from the back of the cabinet. I walk back to my desk pick up all the papers on it that and file them in the cabinet. By filing I mean stuffing them in where ever they fit and this just makes the papers pour out faster from the back. I walk back to my desk and pick up the lamp and plaque I seemed to have thrown down during last night. I check that the lamp works which does for some odd reason since nothing ever works here. Then I wipe some of the dust off the plaque and place it in the front of my desk.
"Joseph Slayton, P.I." I read it out loud and laugh out loud.
"Private investigator, haha, such a joke." All I do is get wasted and stare at the rain or get harrassed by the cops for unpaid taxes. Oh well atleast by selling my appartment I bought atleast a month of peace. I look at the clock on my wall and notice that I still have over an hour before my secretary comes to work with a new suit for me to wear.
Oh what would I do without her, she's like a wife except the nagging. I take a look around and wonder if I should clean up atleast a little bit. Then I realise how pointless it would be since the chance of me getting a client is like getting a letter from God saying that I can pop over to heaven whenever I feel like it. I feel hungry but I can't really go outside with what I have on now so I'll just lay down on the floor and wait her to come to work.
I wake up to a ruckuss at the door. I get up and go look what's going on and notice that my secretary has finally arrived.
"Well you sure took your sweet time." I open the door and walk up to her.
"I'm 5 minutes early silly." She says happily as ever God bless her.
"Now here's your suit go put it on while I make tea." She gives me the suit and smiles.
"I don't need tea thanks." I take the suit and walk back into my office.
"It's not for you silly it's for the gentleman waiting in the front room." She says all casual like and walks off.
Her words make me freeze. A client. No, she must be joking. I sneak to the front door and look through the keyhole to see an elderly very rich looking man sitting in the front room. I walk swiftly back to my room and throw my old clothes into the bathroom and get dressed. I tidy the place up the best I can and the sit behind my desk and put some papers on it to make it look like I actually work sometimes. I take a deep breath and press the intercom button.
"Miss Aston will you let the gentleman in please." I say in the politest manner I can.
I watched as the old geezer walked.
"Please sit down." I pointed to the chair infront of my desk.
"Can we get you something, tea perhaps?" And as I said that Julie walked in with the tea wearing that big smile of hers.
She poured him a cup and looked at me but I just shook my head so she walked away.
"So how can I help you today mr...?" I said to the man. He took a zip from the tea and from his manner I could tell he was a money'd individual.
"My name is Smith. But that is not important. What is important is who I represent. And that is the family Giovanni."
I almost swallow my tongue when he said that name. Giovanni. The biggest crime family here in the lower levels. Extortion. Bribery. Murder. Satanic rituals and demon worship. All that and much more is what the mysterious Giovanni is all about.
"Ah I see you regonize the name." Smith says with a smug smile on his face.
"Now that I have your attention. The reason that the family approaches you is that the youngest son has gone missing."
I give him a puzzled look.
"I don't know how to ask this without sounding stupid, but doesn't the Giovanni have more than enough men to search for this missing son of theirs?"
"That would be correct in any other situation but we already know where the youngest Giovanni is, we just need someone to go get him." Smith says calmy and takes another zip of the tea.
"But again can't you just use one of your own men?"
"We could, but the ones holding are out of even the reach of the Giovanni."
"Haha the only ones that are out of their reach is the military and some of the biggest corporations and of course..." I stop there and stare at him.
"Yes. The rebels." He says without even blinking.
"The rebels." I repeat. "So that's why you need me."
"Yes and we will pay more than you would need for your services." Smith continued as calmly as before.
"Ok.... Ok. What are you offering?" I try to calm myself. The damn rebels. Why them? I'd rather go fight a military spider tank with a pointy stick than go against the rebels again.
"We will give you an appartment and offices from the upper mid-levels and a Full Access Citizenship and enough cash to get your buisness restarted."
I try not to look too shocked. Going against the rebels just stopped sounding as bad as before. With a F.A.C -card I could actually visit the upper levels and find him. Finally, after all these years I can have revenge on him. Ok Joe calm down! Time to take it easy, first things first.
"Ok, for those conditions I'll do it." If nothing else honor comes before anything to these Giovanni so if I get their son I will get what they promise.
"So it's decided. You know how to contact us once you have retrieved him." Smith stands up and turns to leave.
"Oh and don't take too long." He says and he walks away.