*Smals

Intro: Years ago when I was in Jr High I started writing a fantasy story with the help of my little brother and cousing. We came up with an vague plotline and some awesome characters. My character was a gymnist street fighter, my cousing was a wizard, and my brother was a bodyguard. That seemed to have stuck with my brother and after all of these years he still makes reference to this character. We never finished the novel, though I am sure I have the papers somewhere. I decided it was time to resurrect the best character of the three (mine and my cousins were a little overthetop). However I am not writing him in a fantasy setting. I decided to try a cyberpunk setting, though that isn't really important to the story. I hope you enjoy. (And I don't promise there will be another story next week.)

Smals daubed the liquid bond across Kyler’s temple. Kyler hissed between his teeth then clamped his jaw shut. Smals raised an eyebrow and repacked his med kit. With both men on their feet, they surveyed the remains of the apartment.

“It looks like the blast came from this corner,” Kyler said.

“The door would block our view of the device until we had fully entered.” Smals crouched down and stared at the blackened metal work. “The trip was off.” He looked back at the door. “From here you can see the door was to lock behind us.”

Kyler’s brows drew together as he examined the bare floor. “Nowhere to hide.”

“President, Commander,” Lt. Jefferies, entered and saluted to Kyler than Smals. His gray and black uniform matched the one Smals was wearing. “If we don’t transport you know, I don’t think we will be able to avoid the media.”

Smals stood and ran his hand along the external locking pin. The metal snapped to a lock position with a clang. Kyler winced and shook his head.

“I don’t really want to talk to the media. We should be going, Smals.”

“I am going to stay behind. There is still a lot of information we can get from here. This is supposed to be a furnished apartment.” Smals gestured around the room. “So what happened to all of the furniture?”

Kyler started to shake his head then stopped, his body swaying for a moment.

“Get the President out of here and take him somewhere private. Leave a bike for me and I will meet up with you when I am done here.”

Kyler sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I just want to see my family again.”

“You will, President. I know you will. As soon as we catch the monsters who are targeting you,” Jeffries said.

Smals gritted his teeth and turned away as Kyler was ushered from the room. He watched as his men provided cover so the President could get in the gray hover and drive away. The apartment building groaned and creaked. The other tenants could be heard talking, or shouting, through the walls. A few poked their head out of the door but slammed them shut as Smals stalked by. He took the stairs down two at a time. The bespectacled night clerk pushed his visor back up and licked his lips.

“Is someone going to pay for that room?”

Smals swiped his palm over the register and a 50 appeared on the screen. The man licked his lips again and reached for the console. Smals grabbed his wrist.

“We were told we would be getting a furnished room.” Smals swiped his free palm over the register and the number dropped to 40. “What is your definition of furnished?”

“I was told you wanted an empty room.” The man tested Smals grip. “Blame your subordinate who made the reservation.”

The number dropped to 25.

“I made the reservation.”

The man rolled his eyes. “You made the first reservation. But that was cancelled and replaced with one for no furniture.”

Smals let got. The man claimed the money and pushed his visor back in place. Smals could see a faint shadow of the bank deposit notice as it scrolled across the visor.

“A second reservation? Why wasn’t I notified?”

“It came through your official channel. That soldier who walked the other dude out. He was the one who made it. He had a document with your approval. And you were notified. I sent out the notification myself.”

“When was this change made?”

“About two hours ago. Who was that dude? Someone important?”

Smals raced through the lobby pulling out his phone. The new message icon blinked at him. He muttered under his breath as he ran down the stairs and to the alley. His bike rested against the wall next to the trash receptacles. It started as he approached and practically took off before he was fully seated.

He pulled his helmet on an activated the emergency headset. “Kyler, it’s Jeffries. Kyler. Repeat. Jefferies is the assassin.”

Smals dodged around the other cars in traffic. The windshield showed the map with a yellow blinking dot. He used one hand to steer while loosening the cover on his firearm. As he approached the yellow dot he slowed enough to jump safely from the bike. It turned up the alley and he lost sight of it. A lone man sat on the stairs to the tumbled building. Smals kept his gun raised. The man’s head snapped up and Smals’ gaze flicked from the barrel of the gun to the man’s face.

“Kyler. Are you alright?”

Kyler’s hand shook and the gun fell from his hand. “I got your message. I killed him. I killed Jeffries.” He looked at his shaking hands and gave a hoarse laugh. “I’ve never killed anyone before.”

Smals sat down on the steps, holstering his weapon and picking up the one Kyler had dropped. “I never wanted you to. That is my job.”

“I had to grow up sometime.” Kyler smirked. “I don’t think anyone every expected you to grow up faster than me. And you grew out of an "l" while you were at it.”

Smals bit back a sigh as he studied his friend's ashen profile.

“Talls and Smalls. Maybe I should have kept the name. President Tals. We are still quite a fearsome team.” Kyler chuckled which died off. “I think the adrenaline has run out, finally.”

Smals cracked a smile. “Let’s get you home. Your family misses you.”