Color Ch. 04

--I hate winter, had to go through a flu. Can't promise this will be anyway near average. Hope I live to see one last summer.--

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The city sparkled below. Its shimmer a mimicry of the starry sky above. Tawny marvelled like a moth seeing a flame. He moved closer to the window, the flying car taking a sharp right turn from High-way route 106 to 107.

"Tawny, how do you know this gang?" asked Indigo as she folded her arms. "Tawny, are you even listening?"

"Um, nah."

Indigo knocked Tawny on the side of his head with her knuckles. "Tawny, this is serious. We need to find Red. And I can't imagine what this gang will do to him when they get to him first."

Tawny huffed and bent his neck away from her. "Ja need to cool off. Can't just go to K9. I do know someone who may know what 's going on."

"Well, whom may that be?"

"A Father I once worked for."

Indigo's eyes bulged. "A Father? Hold on, how do you know a Father?"

Tawny let out a deep sigh. "Please... don't be yo' usual judgemental self. I worked as a bouncer at one of his clubs before I met ja guys."

Indigo shook her head. "I'm not judgemental, Tawny. Fathers are dangerous man who run the underworld. They hate Ladies and Lords, and my brother is a Minor Lord so they will kill him."

"Come down, no one knows his a Lord. Father Lime 's by far a great person, he went clean. Ain't like all Lords and Ladies are noble. So baby girl, when we get there keep yo' opinions to yourself."

"God, you are just a grave of troubling mysteries. The more I dig, the more I find you problematic."

Tawny's face darkened. "Aye, had to do with what I had! Not all of us are rich snobs. And am not problematic, easy to say shit when ja never walked a minute on my shoes."

The rest of the trip they both sat in silence. Tawny was kind of mad, his reason for being mad made him feel even worse. He felt embarrassed of where he grew up and the things he had to do.

3 MINUTES TO DESTINATION CAR PORT #133, announced the car. The car dived below High-way Route 107. It descended to a dark car port.

The doors swung up open. HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR JOURNEY, proclaimed the car.

They both got out. Tawny shivered, South Central City was always cold. Something he used to hate. He turned and scanned the deserted port.

"Um... Tawny... am sorry. I guess I was a bit hush," she uttered.

Tawny didn't reply and just took out his e-cigarette. He took one long huff and let out a large lime cloud of smoke. "Ja know... I grew up here. Didn't have much."

He paused as he gazed at Indigo over his shoulder. Indigo was silent, her pale face red with embarrassment.

"Kind of hard for me to admit shit like dat... especially to ja, guess my balls are smaller than I thought. I was also kind of a big dick, am sorry."

Indigo gave a slow nod. "I am sorry... maybe one day it will easy to talk to me. I will try to be less judgemental."

Tawny giggled. "For you, that may be difficult."

"Am not the one who carries himself like he got the biggest wiener in the world," Indigo said.

Tawny howled as he threw his head back. "Hahah... who says wiener. And many people like my style."

"Yeah, tell that to the Back-enders."

Tawny wiped tears from his eyes. "'Kay, we gotta go. Vomitorium street 's packed by dis time of day." He beheld at Indigo and gave her his hand, "hold on to my hand and don't let go."

Indigo admired his dark brown eyes, she nodded and did what she was told. Tawny started to march for the exit, he dragged Indigo behind him.

"Be careful, de artificial snow makes everythin' extra slippery," said Tawny.

They went through the port exit and into Vomitorium street. The street stretched far down and had the vintage festive Christmas look. The archaic street lamp light were decorated with green neon lights and tiny Christmas lights glowed above the sea of people.

The street had various clubs which was the final nail of how the planner misunderstood what Christmas was about. He found it hard to understand how someone thought a family holiday was appropriate aesthetic for a street that will be filled with clubs. The aesthetic was still cool. They speared through the crowd.

They made it to the Space Club. A long line stretched past them. "Dang, I really don't feel like waiting," said Indigo.

"Nah, I don't do lines."

Tawny marched to the entrance. A bulky man stood beside the sliding door. He wore a lime suit and shades. Tawny walked to the man. He stood shoulder to shoulder with him.

"Yoh, got any space in there?" asked Tawny.

The man took off his shades. "Well, look what we have here? Tawny himself."

"De one and only. So 's there space?"

"There is a line, no skipping."

Tawny got a few glares from the people in the line. Indigo scurried to him. "Maybe we should wait, Tawny?"

Tawny huffed, lips curled to a smirk. "Nah, I kind of have to see Magenta's mother after this. How 'bout de side?"

The bouncer chuckled. "You never change, try the side if you want. He also won't let you through."

"I'm very persuasive, Magenta. So don't bet on dat. Indigo, lets go."

They walked further down the street. Indigo hurried behind him. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"I worked here, there 's a door on the side of the right wing. It leads to the storage room."

They got to the alley. It was dark, the only source a dim light that flickered in the distance. Tawny walked in, his gaze on the light. A man who held a tablet and his back against the wall stood straight.

"Aye, Brown!" called Tawny.

He glanced to his side and spat, "De fuck ja?"

"Looks like de Boogie-man can't see for shit. Heard blue light from screens does dat to ja."

Brown turned off his tablet. "Off mah dick. So how have ye been?"

"Nothin' much. Can ja do me a solid and let me through?" asked Tawny.

Brown shook his head. "No die, Father's order."

Indigo huffed behind Tawny. "Look, can you please let us through. This is urgent."

Brown skimmed Indigo from head to toe. "Who dis? Seems too clean to be yo' type, Tawny."

"She's a friend. Look, I will owe ja one. It's not like ja to follow orders."

Brown tittered. "Oh-kay, don't fuckin' ghost me when I call for a favour though. Just go through. De Father's office is now on the first floor of the left wing. Ye ain't packin'?"

"Nah, only got my flash bang and Indigo 's clean."

"Cool, just don't throw dat thing inside. When ye play Captain Save A Whore, stupid shit tend to happen."

Tawny shrugged. "Nah, stupid shit tends to happen 'bout me."

The two went through the archaic door. It lead to a storage room filled with boxes of liquor stacked on top of each other throughout the poorly lit room.

"God, I feel like I have to jump through hoops just for a bit of information for the whereabouts of my brother."

"We gotta do what we must. Not like ja have sucked a dick for anythin' so far."

"Eek! Do you have to be so crude," scolded Indigo.

Tawny laughed as the two went through the door and got into the hallway. He and Indigo went to the club.

The room was wide, able to be filled with hundreds of drunken people. The music blared and lime light flushed frequently. Tawny started to dance along the beat. Indigo laughed.

"Tawny, this isn't time for that!" she exclaimed.

"Come on, I like house music. And not like we haven't reached a dead end!"

She leaned closer to him. "Dead end!?"

"Look at de door dat leads to de left wing, it has two bouncers! Those dudes are new so I don't know them! Dey likely know me, but seems Father doesn't want to see me. Likely won't let me in!"

"I'm out of ideas. Can we distract them!?"

Tawny didn't get any time to reply as a short man stumbled into him. Tawny easily held him to his feet.

"I-I ssorry. Am so fucking drunk I don't know south from... another co-ordinate direction or something!" he slurred.

The man reeked of alcohol. He had a wide goofy smile. An idea crossed Tawny's mind.

"Aye, what's ja name, man!?" asked Tawny.

"Um... Teal... have you seen my girlfriend?"

"No, Teel, but how would you like to earn 100 BITS?"

Teal looked between the two, his eyes furrowed. "Look... I'm not fucking your plain girl while you watch man. I have a girlfriend and I love her and shit. Your girl isn't even my type"

Indigo sneered at Teal, brows arched. Tawny cleared his throat. "Nah, ja lost mah dude. It's more of a dare, no cuckoldry shenanigans. Just a little fun dare."

"Oh, 'kay. What is the dare!?"

"Um, ja see, I wanna prank those two guards. All ja have to do 's throw dis flash bang at 'em. Ja need to hurry though as dis thing has a timer."

Teal nodded. "I hear you!!"

"Um, Tawny, are you sure about this!?" asked Indigo

Tawny had a wide devilish grin as he took out his flash bang. "Look, ja need to walk beside de guards and just throw dis next to 'em. It won't hurt 'em, just knock 'em out for a second or two."

"Hahah, this will be wild!" exclaimed Teal.

Tawny adjusted the strength of the flush bang. It beeped as it's max effective level was reached. He gave it to Teal.

Teal gripped it and he spun on his heals. He swayed to the guards. Teal somehow dropped the flush bang. He panicked and stumbled towards it. The flush bang rolled to one of the guard's feet.

The guards looked down. The flash bang went off. The two guards and Teal were instantly knocked out. Their bodies fell with a thud.

Tawny and Indigo shared a look. "Lets go before someone sees us!" said Tawny.

Indigo exhaled. "God, I hope no one saw that?"

"We gotta go." Tawny grabbed Indigo's hand once more. He lead her into the door.

"You don't need to hold my hand," she protested.

"Just move it, baby girl," he said as they passed the guards and went through the door. The door lead to a short hallway. Only three doors were before them.

The first door was metallic and was a bit rusty. The one that followed was the same but the last door had been poorly painted lime.

"Last door is his office," said Tawny.

"How do you know that?"

He tilted his head. "Well, his name is Lime."

They walked to the door. Tawny sighed, he didn't know Father was going to help him but he had to try. He knocked.

"Come in!" called a rough voice.

They both got in. The office was small, barely able to fit a couch, one office table and an office chair behind the table.

A man whom wore a lime suit slouched on his chair behind the table. His eyes dilated when they gazed on Tawny.

Tawny cleared his voice. "Umm... Father Lime, how have ja been?"

Father Lime didn't reply, he motioned for the two to take a seat. Indigo squatted and Tawny lounged on the couch.

He clutched his hands and hunched over the table. "I owe you a great debt. So does my family... nevertheless, I can't help you."

"I don't know what's more disappointing, an old hand at his wits end or ja cowering from dis shit. Can't blame ja. Even I can't make out de fuck going on. Sorry dat we darkened yo' door," said Tawny as he got up.

"Tawny, where are you going?" asked Indigo.

"Lets leave, I'm sorry... seems I wasted yo' time."

Indigo stood up, her gaze cast down. "Sir... Father... do you know who I am, who my brother is?"

Father Lime huffed. "Yes, a Lord and Lady. That is very much part of why I want nothing to do with this."

"That is not what we want, all I want to know is where my brother is. I will personally make sure he gets far away from this city. Wouldn't that clear everything?"

Tawny howled. "How naive are you? Indigo lets go."

Tawny grabbed her arm. He pulled but she didn't budge. She glared at Tawny. "I am not leaving, not until he tells me where he is?"

Tawny growled, he let go and slouched back on the couch. "Ja heard old man, guess we will be havin' a slumber party."

Father Lime leaned back, his chair squeaked. "How stubborn. I don't want to be involve, you two being here will turn heads towards me. Although... I do know where they are being held."

"Dey? W--"

"Really!? You know where Red is?" Indigo grew a smile. She scooted to the Father's table.

The old man rubbed his sunken eyes. "If I am to tell you, promise to leave soon after."

They both gave quick nods. Father Lime inhaled and bowed his neck. "The boy is currently under surveillance up North Star City."

"North Star City? Tawny, where is that?"

"Um... one of de cluster cities in Central Metropolis. Central City 's also one of those cities. Am more interested in why his under surveillance."

Father Lime pulled out his pen and scribbled something into a piece of paper. "This is the address. I will like to still remain a neutral party to this."

He gave the paper to Indigo. Tawny got up. "Guess we will be outta ja hair, ol' man."

The two of them made their way for the door. "Tawny!" called Father Lime.

Tawny stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Yoh!"

"Be careful."

Tawny snickered. "Ja should hit up K9 and tell 'em dat."