Chapter 17

Goldy

I walked into shop with Bran close at my side. He took in the market shop in one glance saying nothing at the items on the wall behind electrified security walls.

I walked up to the front to see no one here. I knocked on the desk. “Mr. Sigma. I’ve come to get my Daddy’s birthday gift.”

Owen Sigma came out of a back door frowning at me rubbing his hands on a dry black hand towel. I noticed a black blaster at his side. That was unusual for him to carry a weapon in the shop.”Miss Warrior. Your here again? So soon?” He said and looked at Bran and stopped in his tracks. He stared and then relaxed when Bran only gave him a short nod.

“Hmm. So this must be your man. Judge Rafe?” He said.

I nodded. I studied him. “Mr. Sigma. I haven’t seen you in a month sense I ordered the item. Have you been having trouble.”

Sigma grimanced. “A lot of clones come around resently trying to mess with my customer relations. Here. Put your code in and I’ll get you your item. Miss Warrior.” He said and slid over a black detapad to me.

I picked and started putting in my code of sale while a silence followed. I looked up to see Sigma studying Bran.

“Do you happen to be related to a Fixer named Cole Cash?”

Bran frowned at the name. “No. But I know him. What happened to him?”

“He’s gone missing. I filed a missing person’s report with your station but your boys in the station have been giving me the run around because he’s a black market business owner.”

“Give me a time table of when he went missing and I’ll go on the hunt for him.” Bran said immediately.

“He has a shop a couple of blocks down the same street as mean. He deals information and connects people. Last Wednesday he didn’t show up to open his shop up at 5 a.m. I got sent a message from his detapad that he went on a vacation. Cash isn’t the type to take a more then one half day vacation. It’s been a fucking week. I went to his place the door was open and the only thing there was his detapad. I showed it to your people but they say it’s outside their district.”

Bran held out his hand. “Give me the detapad.”

Mr. Sigma reached in to his desk and brought out a detapad sliding over the detapad to Bran. Bran took it and put it into his jacket pocket. “I’ll look into it Mr. Sigma and I’ll let you know what I find with in the next seventy-two hours.” He said.

Sigma nodded and then looked at me and then my hands before he took the detapad. He glanced at it and then put it away. “I’ll go get your item Miss Warrior. Oh. That is a nice tattoo you have on your finger. It’s simple but I can tell it was done by a professional artist.”

I smiled. “Thank you. I got it done by a professional. La Praise Delores. It cost me 300 ebs but the kind of ink she makes was well worth it. It’s simple but a one of a kind.”

Sigma nodded bent down to his safe to retrieve my item. “Oh I know. I know. The ink she uses for her customers is specialized for each person and not used again on any other person. Can’t be faked or copied. You know their making impressive clones nowadays that are really improved but for special tattoos and unique personal scars they could fool almost anybody.” He said and got up placing a silver case on the desk.

I took the case peeking inside before I closed it happy to see my Daddy’s gift was inside. He was going to love it. I smiled up at Sigma but he was looking at Bran. I looked at Bran to see him studying Mr. Sigma.

“What’s up?”

Bran shook his head. “Nothing and everything. Mr. Sigma. Please let me know if you get any clone troubles that raise above troublesome to you and your business. I will get you information on your case soon. Thank you for looking out for Goldy’s business.”

Mr. Sigma smiled. “I’m all about customer service and professional top grade dedication to my customers for continued service.” He said and grinned at me. “Tell the elder I wish him a happy birthday and his continued customer loyalty, princess.” He said bowing to me.

I blushed nodding and took the case and took Bran’s arm leading him outside. I turned to him frowning. “What the hell is going on? Did some try to impersonate me?”

Bran studied me. “Was your adopted father offered a royal title? By Gino Fish?”

I stared at him. “Yes. Uncle Fish and my Daddy became brothers recently and they get on well. Now will you tell me what the hell that was about with Sigma and the whole clones issue?”

“The mad scientist made a clone of you. She’ll probably show up for your family’s get together so be prepared. Don’t be worried your family will know you. We have to look into this Cole Cash case a little today before your adopted father’s birthday tonight.”

A storm of worries was going through my head but I kept myself in check. “How do you know Cole Cash? What is he to you?”

Bran stared at me. “He’s my brother.”

Warm Regards,

Guardiandogg