Free Monthly #32 Stephen & Delphi (2)

Part of the Community Fiction Series of Short Stories!

Introduction

One of the on and off series I’ve been thinking about and writing down ideas for is what I’ll describe (for now) as “utopian”. Utopian in the sense that the society has “figured out how to remain civil” while still having strife and adversity to keep humanity progressing towards perfection. Take that as you will.

This is a direct continuation of an earlier short story and by clicking here, you can view previous short stories.

Community Fiction | Stephen & Delphi (Community 5)

2: Sandi’s Reversal

Stephen’s next three days were spent in repetition, he went to work, finished his team’s shift report, and ate breakfast at the Luxury Casino in the hopes of spotting Sandi. He was worried about her and debated on the second day if he should report the incident to Delphi’s enforcers. Stephen ultimately decided against the action. If Sandi was still alive, the investigation would be detrimental to her health.

“Hey! You’re a border guard, right?” The dark brown-haired man with freckles and a sharp nose slid three seats over to Stephen as he spoke.

“That’s right.”

“I’ve got a question for ya.”

“Besides the one you’ve already asked?”

The man laughed boisterously. “You’ve got some steel in your veins don’t ya?”

“Is that your question?” Stephen faced the man sternly, like he would for a young jokester at work.

“No, no. Nah man. I just wanted to ask what’s with the recent proposal with the community? My wife and I are divide on it and I’m curious about your thoughts.”

“Oh!” Stephen collected his thoughts as he cut a few pieces of his pancake. “I’m for Proposition 3. We see way too much drug traffic to not impose an agreement granting us the right to detain and ban offenders, especially when we have evidence they’re abusing agoral residency to get away with their actions here which are violating the rights of our agora. Right now, we just kick out or temporarily ban visitors. This proposition would allow us to effectively jail them for several weeks. If they refuse to sign the paperwork, we refuse entry.”

“Violation of the NAP is sacred, though. Isn’t that against everything we’re striving for in society?”

“Perhaps, but nothing’s perfect. My take on it is simple: if we don’t want hard drugs or the costs that comes with them should they be brought here, that is an act of aggression on the community and our funds. Think about how much it costs to clean and recoup from a meth or heroin addict dying, or the rage of those on drugs, or the medical costs to take care of addicts. That’s unfair for them to impose on the businesses or the people here. We aren’t a charity and taking our money for their problems, their sins, is an act of aggression in and of itself.”

“So if they sign it, they lose the right to pursue their happiness?”

“I mean, if they sign the agreement to a closed community like ours, they agreed that those actions will be considered a violation of our rights, and we’ll act accordingly.”

“What about the other agora? What if they get upset?”

“We’re well within the insurance coverage and tribunal system for any of that as far as I know.”

The man nodded until Stephen ceased speaking. He slapped the bar and smiled. “Well, that makes it much clearer to me!”

“I’m glad I could be of help.”

“Thanks man, what’s your name?”

“Stephen.”

“Thanks Stephen.”

The man finished his drink and disappeared as Stephen ate his pancake in peace. When the bartender checked on him, she asked, “You know who that man was?”

“The one who asked me about Prop 3? Nope.”

“That was Darius, one of the casino’s top men.”

He knew the Luxury Limited Corporation, which owned the Luxury Casino, was really just a mutual insurance organization that submitted to the agora’s contractual requirements. This was how business existed in their interagoral society. However, with interagoral business came problems from other communities. Rumors of gang involvement were circulating as of late, and the tales about drug shipments were rising too. To Stephen, it was all the more reason to support Prop 3 and to discuss removal of the casino’s rights to operate in their agora.

Stephen froze. If one of the casino’s men was asking about Prop 3, he realized there might be validity to the rumors after all. With sensual women came the need for release that weed and alcohol couldn’t provide. There were recreational ketamine and similar type shops, but treatment was expensive, requiring patients to fill a questionnaire which might lead to questions no one wanted answers too. It was all confidential, but any activity that constituted grounds for removal from the agora, or charges to be pressed when rights were violated, had to be anonymized and reported by the staff. When such things couldn’t be anonymized, the staff would contact their enforcers and track down enough evidence to keep the patient’s confidentiality protected. This meant the price to seek release was too great for most.

“Sir?”

Stephen blinked and realized the woman was still standing in front of him. “Sorry, long shift and it’s getting past my bed time.”

“If I were you, I’d check out the buffet. Might find a boost of energy.”

“I don’t really partake in caffeine past coffee. And I’ve had enough of that.”

She shook her head. “Look. Carefully. And don’t say I didn’t pass along the message.”

Stephen glared at the woman as she briskly departed to attend to another guest. Out of sheer curiosity, he turned towards the buffet and nearly choked on his food. Sandi was slowly making a salad on the opposite side of the salad section. She glanced up at him and away twice before managing to gesture out of view of the camera. She wanted him to join her in the elevator lobby. He gave a singular, curt, nod and dropped a bill to pay for his food.

The elevator lobby was empty save for Sandi who stood in the alcove leading to both men’s and women’s bathrooms. Stephen did his best to walk smoothly over to her. When with reach, she pushed him into the women’s bathroom and into the utility closet with its door ajar. She shut the door quickly and tried to turn without brushing against Stephen in the tight space. The space was too tight, and his hand jerked away from her midsection.

“It’s worse than I thought.”

“What do you mean Sandi?”

“The amount of work, the years, I’d have to spend to pay off these debts. It’s too much. I can’t do it.”

Stephen looked at her. Sandi’s eyes were weary. Up close, he saw the effects of the last three days on her face, hair, and demeanor. She was not looking good. “I thought everything was good? You had a plan and knew what you were getting into?”

“I don’t. Not anymore. My last debts only took a month to pay off. Apparently, things have changed since then.”

“What do you need?”

“The people they have me schmoozing with, they’re working with rival casinos. It’s more dangerous than the normal line, and they aren’t paying me more or anything. It’ll be five years to pay off the debts. Chances are, I’ll be dead by then. These men, these people, they’re not to be messed with!”

“Tell me more.”

“I can’t. If I do they’ll know I told someone. Just—just check the alley tonight at 11 between Third and Main. During a show’s intermission Hystas is watching.”

It had been a while since Stephen was down that way. “That between the butcher shop and Castille Delphi?”

“That’s the music hall right?”

“Yes.”

“Then, yes, that’s where.”

“What time.”

“I don’t know!”

“I work tonight.”

“If this is important enough to you, you’ll figure it out. I need to get back.” Sandi made to leave but Stephen put a hand on her shoulder and his other on the door.

“Whoa, we’re not done here.”

“Yes we are!” Sandi pleaded.

“What’s happening, what do you know?”

“Nothing I can say without retaliation. Only a handful of people know. If there’s a bystander like you that happens across their meeting, that’s plausible and keeps me alive.” The look in Sandi’s eyes told Stephen she wasn’t lying, that she was no longer in Luxury Casino by her own free will, and she wanted out.

“I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t just call off work. We’re short staffed as it is.”

“If you care about me, you’ll do this for me.” Sandi let her hand brush Stephen’s side.

“I’m married.”

She removed her hand at once. “Then do what your conscience is telling you. Just, whatever you do, please don’t stop coming here for breakfast. I need to know someone cares enough to check if I’m still here.”

“Who’s got you by their leash? Who do you owe money to?”

“Hystas.”

“His-tas?”

“Hystas.”

“What kind of name is that?”

“They’re part of the Purple Persians. Some syndicate that expressly engages in whatever economic enterprise isn’t allowed in an agora. They are true believers who don’t value the NAP.”

“It’s people like that who give Agorism a bad name.”

“So do something about it then!”

“I will Sandi.”

“I never got your name.”

“It’s Stephen.”

“Get me out of here, Stephen, and I’ll do whatever you want as thanks.”

“I don’t want anything, just your safety.”

“Whatever you want.”

“What about your family? What did you tell them?”

“The truth. Most of it anyway. They know my partner left me footing the bill and I’ve gone to make things right with the lenders. They think it’s all through reputable organizations and on the level. I’ve told Mariam, the bar lady, where they live should I go missing.”

“Anything else?”

“Calling off won’t ruin Delphi, Stephen. Not taking this opportunity to nip these criminals at the core before they can work together against the interests of this community will.”

“What do you know?!” Stephen hissed, but Sandi was already out of the closet and through the bathroom entrance. Stephen stood like a statue contemplating what she had said until a woman walked into the bathroom, saw him, and shouted for him to get out.

TBC in the near future!

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