Jed
Chapter 3 Part 1
Jed was like an island surrounded by a sea of sand. At the entrance, there was a cargo terminal. They parked their land rover in the parking for non-resident vehicles. The city flourished due to it being a market located in between other cities. Dingo led Angela to the market. Along the streets under the eaves were small shops. Everything from garbage to food was traded here. There were bright posters with booze and women with heavy makeup standing in the doorways.
Angela was shocked to see so many people here. There was nothing in the desert, so all the people gathered here. There was real pandemonium on the streets. Following Dingo was already difficult. Some strange traders told her,“You there beautiful, take it while it’s cheap,” and they offered dried lizards and scorpions soaked in rum. Angela turned away in disgust. However, Dingo was enjoying this bustle. Somehow managing to catch up with him, Angela asked, “And how do you plan to collect information?”
“We’ll look for those that could have traded with the Pioneer.”
“And do you know who to look for?”
“We’ll sort it out on the spot.”
Dingo headed for an alley, further from the main road. Here everything was different. There were suspicious men everywhere. They seemed to be eyeing the pa.s.ser-bys. Here there were stores, selling stolen goods and drugs. Dingo kept walking. He stopped before a store that was selling suspicious electronic parts. Near the window on a table sat a man, that was in charge of this store.
Dingo spoke to him,“ ಐ ಓ ಔ ಕ ಖ ಗ ಘ.”
Angela watched doubtfully. She did not understand the language that Dingo spoke in. There were several different languages mixed up together, forming its own dialect.
The man looked at Dingo suspiciously.
“ಙ ಝ ಞ ಲ ಶ ಹ ય ર લ ળ વ ಕ ಖ দ ধ ন প ফ ব অ আ ই.”
The man spoke.
“র ল শ ষ স অ আ ই ঈ উ.”
Angela turned on her wrist computer. She activated the automatic translator. But their conversation had too much slang. After a simple translation, a lot of words were left, the meaning of which were unclear. She could have asked Deva’s operator for an algorithm for an exact translation, but she couldn’t use the satellite communication system.
“ભ મ ય ર લ ঢ ণ ত থ ળ વ શ ષ.”
Saying something, Dingo held out a small diamond in his hand.
“ સ ই ঈ উ હ ড ঢ ণ ত ধ ন প ফ ব ভ ম য.”
The man got up and went into the store.
Angela said in a whisper, “Hey, translate.”
“Oh sorry,” Dingo was able to answer before the man came back.
“ র ল শ ষ স অ আ.”
“Hey.”
“Later.” He said to Angela and followed the merchant deep into the store.
“Wait… Oh d.a.m.n it!”
Angela’s dissatisfaction reached its limits. She will not forgive for not explaining anything to her and doing what he wants. In Deva, she always carried out investigations on her own. She decided by herself and acted by herself. She got the information from the network and gave instructions to AI support, she solved many cases of interference with the system. But in the real world, she wasn’t capable of anything. She couldn’t achieve anything.
“What is this… How is this! d.a.m.n him!”
Angela herself did not notice that she lost control, and three hooligans noticed her.
“I can’t translate, I can’t collect information. Why does this world outside of Deva even exist? Why do they live in such a disgusting place?”
She continued to grumble as the hooligans approached her. Two of them came in from behind. One was a small but strong guy, like a wrestler, and the second had a bubble gum and a knife in his hand. The third that stood in front of her wore round gla.s.ses and a Hawaiian shirt.
“h.e.l.lo beautiful. Lost?”
The wrestler added.
“Let us walk you. But you have to pay for that.”
“Huh..?”
Angela was slightly taken aback. Thanks to the tracking system in Deva, it was simply impossible to perform such an open blackmail. But this was the real world. She could only rely on her own strength to survive.
Angela chuckled.
“Perfect. Just in time. So you’re saying directions. Bring me to a place with a lot of s.p.a.ce.”
Not really understanding her reaction, they led her to a place with no people at all. The guy ahead with the gla.s.ses looked around.
“Well, will this place suit you? Now about the payment…”
“Well, I don’t even know.”
In response, she kicked with her leg into his jaw. He flew into a pile of garbage. She turned around and called the other two.
“Come on.”
“Oh, you little snot!”
The guy with the bubble gum started swinging his knife. Fighting with an armed enemy with bare hands was Angela’s forte. The knife was facing her. Angela grabbed the guy’s wrists and threw him onto his back. Her fist crashed directly into his solar plexus. The enemy uttered a cry of agony.
“Rubbish!”
The wrestler struck a blow with bra.s.s knuckles. Angela blocked it, went behind him and hit his crotch with her knee. Groaning, the wrestler fell. Angela moved in a dance rhythm. These games were not enough for her. Enduring the pain, the hooligans stood up, expecting more blows.
Suddenly, she felt dizzy. She could barely stand on her legs.
‘Huh?!’ was what she had time to think before the guy with the knife jumped up and stood in a fighting stance. He began to roughly wave the knife. She was going to grab his hands and deliver a blow again, but her body refused to move the way she wanted it to. To dodge the blows, she decided to retreat. Somehow she was able to do it. She could only dodge all his knife attacks.
She barely moved but sweat a lot, besides, she was shivering as if her whole body was frozen. Angela couldn’t understand what was happening to her. Her legs stammered. She was about to fall, but her legs somehow still held her balance.
But then the wrestler jumped up and grabbed Angela.
“Аh!”
While she was concentrating on the knife, she didn’t notice her rear at all. She fought the best she could, but the guy was too strong. The guy with the knife neared her with a smile. The guy with the gla.s.ses held a stick and also approached her. The knife was zeroing on her chest.
“And what can we do with you?”
The hooligans giggled terribly. Angela glared at them angrily.
“I don’t like your gaze. It is necessary to punish you properly.”
He took the knife with a reverse grip and began to swing it. Angela shut her eyes.
A shot sounded. With a metallic sound, the bullet sent the knife flying. Blood flowed from the hand of the guy which held the knife. He turned around. There stood Dingo with his revolver. Silently, the hooligans looked at the muzzle of the 45-caliber pistol. The guy with the gla.s.ses looked at the knife on the ground. The thin blade split in two. He nodded to his comrades. They let go of Angela and fled.
Angela fell right on the spot. Dingo said reproachfully.
“Don’t underestimate the real world.”
“I don’t need your concern…”
It was difficult for her to breath. Her voice weakened. Now that she was free from fear, she couldn’t get up. Realizing what was wrong, Dingo’s expression changed.
“Sorry. I should have noticed. I know that you are stubborn, but you don’t need to put up with it this long.”
He held out his hand, but Angela pushed it away.
“It’s okay… I’ll manage.”
Even as she rose, she kept shaking. There was no strength left in her legs. She began to fall again.
Dingo barely managed to catch Angela as she fainted.