Hwy 87

An unknown caller rings Dom and a strong alto-esque voice emerges from the phone.

“Hello, is this Dominiq Tesfah?”

“Speaking?...”

“My client is looking to hire you to investigate the disappearance of their assets. Multiple parties are involved. Meet with me at the Apex Nightclub–”

“--Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?...” Dom interrupted.

“Samayat Powers of Powers Law and Associates.” Samayat sighed in exhaustion. “Look, This is completely off books and they are willing to pay any price. I’ll message you the logistics now.”

“Who’s your client?”

“Kuhama Tribe.”

“I mean who’s paying the bills, Samay.”

Samay lets out an awkward chuckle, “She goes by Mama. No one knows her real name.”

“Right… Whatever. If your Mama doesn't pay me, I’m gonna have to pay her a visit.”

Samay paused, “Are we speaking about the same person?”

“You tell me.” Dom sighed, “Well, I’ll see you at Apex.”

“See you.”

Dom waves their hand over their ear to hang up and shuts off the bluetooth implant by tapping their temple. The doctor approaches Dom and flips through their chart and plops it on the desk beside her, “Give it to me straight, Sav.”

“Did I ever?” Dr. Savah Wesh smiles, averting her eyes, and placing her pen in her breast pocket. “You didn’t always look like shit though.”

Dom scoffs and bites their lips, “Yeah eh. So you’re sayin’ you were feelin’ this mug.”

“Ha! Please, sit your ass down somewhere. You're clearly acting like you have a concussion.” Sav said laughing. “You haven’t changed since the war.”

Dom gently moves Sav’s ‘fro from out of her face, “You think you can help me, Doc.”

Goosebumps form on Sav’s cheeks and Dom notices and leans into Sav’s ear, “I feel sick of being without you.”

Sav’s lips part and turn to Dom’s. She holds their neck and pushes them to the stretcher. “That used to work on me but we’ve been over for a long time, Dom. After so many years, why are you here?”

Dom smiles. “Alright. I need a favour. Two actually.” Dom says, pointing to her implant.

“Again? I could lose my license.”

“There’s another one of our old sayings.” Dom says cheekily.

“Shut up and lie down.”

“Talk about nostalgia!” Dom laughs.

Sav administers the anesthesia and surgically removes the implant and replaces it with a burner. Using a pyro-celluar stitch gun, she seals up the wound and injects them with an advanced dose of antibiotics. “There, done. Remember to get some rest but I know your ass wont listen.”

Dom grabs Sav’s hand, “Thank you.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Sav said, rolling her eyes. “What was the other thing you wanted?”

“I need you to look into someone for me…”

“Who.”

“Someone named Mama.”

Sav, perplexed by the name, stood over her desk and started clicking and typing away on the computer, “You’re probably better off hiring a hacker… Do you know her last name?”

Dom dropped their head back, “Nope.”

“Any kids?”

“Not sure.”

“Not sure how I can help you.”

“Forget it. It’s okay.” says Dom as they stand up from the stretcher and hugs Sav.

“Actually, I know someone who can. I’ll send you his contacts now.” Sav wires her his contact information. Dom receives it and thanks her as they leave the hospital.

Later Dom messages the contact and finds out that a woman gave birth 30 years ago to twins. Jokireh and Julliehya Kubwa. They have a trust account in the Tryterrah National Bank and the Power of Attorney is Samayat Powers, an ex-member but got emancipated at 16 years old for a reason unknown. Apparently, Samay just helps them out for legal matters from time to time and handles their estates, wills and such. ‘Great. Just what I need. Family Feuds.’, Dom thought as they made their way to Apex Nightclub in the Wella entertainment district. The effulgent signs that gleaned between pubs and brothels, adorn over the faceless drunken forgets and forget-me-nots.

The only relic in this neon concrete landscape is the cobbled stoned streets and the Tryterrah ‘droids dancing in the brothel windows. A crowded line formed around a building and they followed it to the entrance to where stood a seven foot muscularly ostentatious merc standing at the entrance. Dom flashes their ID and badge to the merc and brush past entering into a sea of salted heat and crowded dance floor that moves like the synchronized scales on a snake every time the beat dropped. They moved their way down the jumping crowd of glitter and sweat to sit at the bar. Dom knocked the counter to get the bartender’s attention. “A vodka for me.” Dom said to the bartender. The bartender nodded and passed Dom a glass and poured a shot for them. Dom knocked it back and knocked the counter, “Another.” The bartender poured another shot for Dom. Just as Dom was going to pick up the glass Dom noticed a woman approaching them and placed her hand on Dom’s glass. Dom looks at her as she knocks back their shot and places it back in front of them.

“Oh please. By all means, help yourself” Dom said sarcastically.

The woman slips her hands down over Dom’s pants. “I just did.” She pulls them up so their bodies are touching. Dom glances over and peers into the pools of her eyes. The top of her lips lightly brushes Dom’s lower lips as they open to lick the opening. As if to give her a preview of what they would do. The woman placed her hand over their back pocket and picked their ID then slipped it into her underwear. Dom was so enamored, they didn't even realize that they were just robbed. The woman began to pull away, blowing Dom a kiss as their hands parted before she disappeared into the sea of the crowd and into the night. Dom noticed a tattoo on Julli’s wrist that looked like two Js turned back to back. The bartender gave Dom the bill. Dom waved their wrist over the receiver and paid him. Dom, deciding to jot down some notes, went to pull out their wallet. “What the fuck?!” Dom exclaimed as they started to pat themselves down. “Where’s my fucken wallet!” The bartender looked at Dom puzzled, “So old-school. Who carries wallets anymore.”

“Nobody asked you, fetus.” Dom snapped.

“Rude.” The bartender went back to serving the other guests.

Dom ran outside and saw an UTV speed off into the darkness. Samayat drove into the parking space and handed the keys to the valet, “Dom, Hello! Let’s head inside.” She signals to the bartender for a booth for two. A host escorts them to a private booth away from the busy dance floor where it wailed and waved in the background. “Dom. I have a job for you from my client and she wants you to look into the disappearance of Wolph Tariq.”

Dom leans back into the couch and lets out an exhausted sigh, “Don’t waste my time.”

“What makes you say that?” Samay said.

“What makes you think they ‘disappeared’, hm?” Dom said as they leaned into Samay.

Samayat shakes her head and slips Dom a photo of Wolph leaving the hospital with Dom’s jacket over their chest holding the wound from being impaled earlier. Dom looked at the photo and their fist started to ball up and shake. Dom hid their fist under the table.

‘How. I saw them die. That’s my jacket.’ Dom thought to themselves as their thumb grazes over the picture on the table. “What exactly happened?” Dom pulls out a napkin and starts to jot down notes.

“Well the client knows that they were at the Donahue-Owen hospital and that somehow Wolph survived the fire and is still alive. They just need to find out Wolph’s whereabouts. It looks like they went off-grid. They worked for Beta Qidist and I’m sure you are aware that she is notorious for selling illegal synthetic organs on the blackmarket. Wolph was also tied in the killing of Mama’s son Jokireh “Jokie” Kubwa and Sidney Zeke of the Kuhama Tribe. The Kuhama Tribe and Beta and her goons formed a truce agreement of sorts years ago and this death violated the interference clause.” Samay slipped Dom a file with a copy of the contract and a photo of Sid sitting in the dusty background on a porch smoking a pipe and cleaning a rifle smiling at Jokie and Julli as they posed in front of their caged blue and orange decaled UTV, marked JJ in yellow. Dom pointed to Julli in the photo, “Who’s this.”

“That’s Julli. Jokie’s twin sister. There’s a note in the file stating that you make sure she’s nowhere near this case. She was the one that witnessed Jokie killed and reported it back to Mama.” Samay said, clenching her jaw. “Poor thing.”

“Poor thing indeed.” Dom said, tapping her picture realizing that the same woman in the picture was the woman that stole her IDs. They remembered leaving the hospital and seeing the same blue caged UTV with orange decals parked in the shadows between the buildings. “Julli, huh.” Dom said under their breath.

Samayat told them that she will set up a meeting with Mama and she’ll give her more details. Samayat wired them the down payment and took off. Dom followed her out back into the busy crowd. ‘Wolph. Alive? How? I saw you die with my own eyes. You weren’t regenerating fast enough to heal.’ Dom thought. Dom raised their head and felt a cold, still presence around them. They turned their head toward the mirror behind the bartender and saw a tall figure standing amongst the dancing crowd against the wall of the opposite end of the dance floor. It’s Wolph’s reflection in the crowd staring back at them with a grim look on their face. As if they were watching this whole time. Dom’s eyes widened and they turned their head in their direction. Wolph was gone but the smell of sativa lingered. As if they were a mere meraj conjured out of Dom’s imagination. They pushed through the crowd to where they last saw them. Nothing. Dom stepped out the back exit. A couple sharing a blunt but no sign of Wolph. Realizing they could be experiencing burnout, they called it a night and a cab home. Meanwhile, Wolph watched Dom get into a cab from the rooftop near the fire escape sitting on the ledge and took a draw. Smoke from sess departed from their nose, “Fire and gunpowder do not sleep together.”

~~~~~

As day broke and Raven decided to get the jump on Julli’s new truck. “Hey Ju! Hand me that power inverter.” Julli hands it to her and slumps into the chair and starts smiling at the ceiling. Raven looks over at Julli in glee, “So… Who are they?” Julli looks back at her returning the smirk, “Girl bye! No! It’s no one.” Julli turned away trying to hide her twitching nose that gave her away whenever she lied. Raven jumped up laughing, “There is someone! Look at your nose! You’re like a hamster! Ha!”

“Shut up!”

“Oh, my Goddess. Are you back together with Wolph?”

“God no. Actually, I just came back from a mission.” Julli said, folding her arms.

“Didn’t Mama ban you from looking into your ex.” Raven said, looking at her oil smudge hands and nails before meeting her eyes back at Julli.

“How did you know–”

“I got eyes and ears everywhere, girl” Raven said, pointing at the black synth mosquito with glowing red eyes as it flutters about Raven’s index finger before returning to its computerized HYVE. Simultaneously, a beep emitted from her computer notifying Raven of new visitors. “Ju, we have company.”

Julli hovered over Raven’s shoulder to look at the CCTV on the monitor. Dom arrived at the compound and Samayat introduced them to the clan and started talking with Mama and Jericoke. “Hey Rav, turn on the audio.” Julli said, tapping Raven’s shoulder. Raven turned up the volume as the static voices between Dom and Mama were apparent. Mama paced back and forth as Dom stood upright analyzing her. They listened in as Mama impertinently explained the situation to Dom. As a result, Dom asks to interview the rest of the family. “Do you want my help, or do you want to keep yammering?” Dom held out their hand nonchalantly towards the camp as if to say ‘So, you going to invite me in or what’. Mama scrunched her brows and stormed off towards the Den. Samayat pat Dom on the shoulder, “Don’t worry she’s always like this. She’s just sussing you out.” Dom rolled her eyes and noticed a mosquito hovering. ‘Huh. I thought they were extinct.’ Dom thought. Raven held her breath and Julli clenched her teeth. Dom shrugged and continued to follow Mama and Samayat. Julli and Raven let out a big sigh. “Fuck me!” Julli exclaimed, holding her chest.

Dom was escorted by Jericoke to a private room by the foyer, “You can conduct your interviews here. However, we’ve wired this room to have a copy of the interactions for our records.”

Dom looked at Jericoke, “Um no. I will send Mama the relevant recordings when I’m done with the interview.”

“Why. Hiding something.”

“Hey asshole, you guys hired me to do a job. As a matter of fact, you’re going to be the first person I grill. Let’s go.”

Jericoke threw his hands up in front of him, “Alright, forget about it. Come. I know a spot. Don’t tell Mama though.” Jericoke led them a few minutes away from the compound near the wall of boulders. “Here, There’s enough distance. So, when you’re speaking, they won’t be able to hear anything. I’ll bring over some chairs and a table.”

“Attaboy.” Dom said, slapping Jericoke’s lower back and winking at him. Jericoke pursed his lips as his mustache and goatee blended into each other. He smiled sheepishly before walking off.

Samayat laughed, “Heh-Heh! Okay!”

Dom fake-laughed, “Ha Ha! It’s called rapport, mothafucka.”

Samayat in disbelief rolled her eyes before meeting Dom’s, “Whoever makes you sleep at night!”

“Yup. Whomever.” Dom said nonchalantly.

“Alright I'll leave you to your devices. Call me.”

“Why? Not going to stay with your family?” Dom said cheekily, standing on their tiptoes to meet Samayat’s height.

“Mind your business, Dom.” Samay said, winking before strutting off.

Dom walked around the east side of the compound and observed the poorly written yet colourful signs over the stores. Their main plan was to confront Julli about the occurrence at the club. Dom walked around and peered into shops and nodded at the clerks and continued down the alleyway that led to the central part of the compound. Kids ran with wooden carved guns as they frolic past Dom and chased each other down the alley. The Sun beats hotter in the outskirts than in the city where every inch is covered by old skyscrapers that surround Lakken Plaza, the base of the Lakken Sky. It’s the only thing connecting the two cities by elevator or anyone brave enough to go up the heavily guarded stairs. Dom sees a water tower near the rear of the foyer and heads up the steps. As Dom reached the top, they were greeted by two snipers. “Can I help you.” said one of the brothers snarkily without taking their eyes from the scope.

“I’m Dom. I’m looking for someone. Julli Kubwa. You know ‘er?”

“Yeah, we all do. She should be by the Armoury. We practically all grew up together when we lost our parents to the wars.”

“Yeah, I know all about that. Nearly wiped out a whole generation, they did.”

“Yup, the fuckers.”

“Yup. You know about the fuckers that killed Sid and Jokie?”

“Can’t say I have. But I know Wolph is involved somehow. One night back when we were on rotation shifts and my brother and I were relieving the other two snipers we saw Mama hollerin’ at Wolph tellin’ ‘em to leave and never come back. Julli looked like she was cryin’ somethin’ fierce. ‘Til this day, no one knows how Wolph left. I don’t even think Mama knows that we know.” the sniper sighed.

“Well, confidentiality and all that. your secret is safe with me.” Dom said, patting their shoulder. “Mind if I stay up here for a bit?”

“Sure. Knock ya’self out.” the sniper shrugged while repositioning his rifle.

Dom zoomed through their retinal interceptors on the Armoury. ‘I just came from there.’ Dom thought to themselves. Dom glazed over to a mechanic shop. Julli’s UTV was parked behind it with tall grass poorly covering it. Dom shook their head. “C’yah guys.”

“Later, D.”

Dom ascended the steps to the ground and walked towards the shop. A black mosquito swarmed around Dom again. They slapped it with their hands and looked at the crushed body. “A drone? The fuck?” Dom looked up at the sky. It was the only one following them. Dom ran towards the back of the shop to cut Julli off from running away. They creeped to the back and saw Julli moving the grass from over her vehicle, looking around to see if being watched. She turned her back to remove the grass from the hood. Dom grabbed her and pinned her neck to the UTV hood with their leg between hers as she was bent over. Dom patted her down and took out a knife from her back pocket and their wallet that she stole was in her underwear. Julli winced as Dom took it back. “You’re in violation of obstruction and interference with my case, hun.” Dom said brutally as they released her.

Julli swung around and hooked Dom in the jaw, “Obstruct that.” Dom held their face and cracked their jaw back in place while they stared back at her. Dom stood up and scoffed. Rage washed Julli over her face as Julli lunged after them. Dom grabbed Julli and put her over their shoulder and Julli kicked and yelled. Raven ran out the back and saw Dom carrying Julli back to the interview site, “Heyyyy!” She then went off to tell Mama but then stopped in her tracks because she knew if she told Mama everything that transpired, Julli would be pissed and would be sent to the Hole (a 7-foot dug out hole where members pay for transgressing against the clan after a trail in front of the elders) for intervening in this case. Instead, she went inside and deployed another mosquito drone to the interview site and flown it at an indistinguishable altitude and followed them at a reasonable distance until they were seated. Julli pounded and punched on Dom’s back, “Put me down, you asswipe!”

“Okay.” Dom and dropped Julli to the ground. Julli spat at Dom, and it hit the bottom of their coat. They laughed and pulled out the chair and held out their hand pointing to it, “Mi’lady.”

“Fuck you.” Julli snarled.

“Hot. Wouldn’t you like to. Fortunately, for me you can do better than that. You’re going to tell me exactly what happened during the incident with your brother and where Wolph is now. Comprende?”

Julli looked down on Dom’s pants, “Your fly is open.”

“And yet, your mouth is closed. Start talking.” Dom placed Eryn’s engraved 9mm with the silencer on the table.

“What are you gonna do, shoot me?” Julli then looked at the pistol and the engraving ‘To my favourite person in the whole universe. Love Eryn.’ Julli made a deep inhale and whispered under her breath, “Eryn”. Tears started to roll down her cheeks, “You have no right.”

“I have all the rights.” Dom aimed the 9mm to the sky behind them without turning their head and released the trigger, firing a shot at the hovering drone Raven sent, breaking it then and there before placing the gun back on the table. In the distance, Raven is heard cursing. “Putain de merde! Pas encore! UGH! Espèce de merde! Tu n'es pas un gros bonnet!” Raven said, yelling from her window.

Dom pulls their chair closer to Julli and reaches in their jacket for a handkerchief and dries her eyes, “You’re lucky.”

“How so.”

“I have a soft spot for trouble-makers.”

Julli scoffs, “Boi bye.”

“I could have easily told your ‘Mama’ that I saw you at the club. You think I wouldn’t have found out who you were?”

“Knew you would. I didn’t care about that.” Julli looks away from Dom. Goosebumps form on Julli. Dom notices.

“Who did you care about that night?” Dom said leaning in.

“That the people that are close to me always die.” Julli looks back into Dom’s eyes.

“Like Wolph?” Dom whispered in her ear, “Both of you are from two different worlds. Different upbringings. Got outcasted by the only place they could call home. I could understand if they took the easy way out. Sound familiar?”

“Wolph is… Joke’s… No! I know what you’re trying to do.”

Dom leaned back, throwing their hands in front of them, “I’m not doing anything. Look, I know how you feel right now. Wolph’s a solid person. They could be alive for all we know. If you want me to help them, you need to just point in the direction, and I’ll look. Everything else I’ll keep it between us.”

“You have no idea how I feel right now.”

“Of course, I know. I know you like a lot of folks who lost family to the war. Not sure who ‘Mama’ is to you, but I know like the rest of us, you were made an orphan and had to raise yourself. You also lost 3 very important people in your life and all I know is that I want to bring Beta to justice so you can grieve in peace. So, Joke and Sid can get justice. I don’t know who Wolph is to you exactly, but I’ll do my best to bring them back to you.” Dom placed their hand over Julli’s.

Julli stared at Dom as the words parted from their lips. “They’re my ex. So, you don’t have to bring them back to me.” Julli attempted to yank her hand away from Dom and rolled her eyes as Dom continued to hold them tight in theirs.

Dom patted and cupped her hands in theirs, “Let me get back to you, okay? Here’s my card.” Dom wired her their contact details, “Keep in touch.” Dom’s hands finally slip away from Julli as her hands remain still on the table.

“I will.” Julli stood up with Dom and watched them walk away as the dusty breeze flapped and crept under their coat before settling back onto the ground behind them.