Moon Shattered

"You don't take warnings well," the Russian said as he sat in my booth.

Without moving my hand, I unsnapped my holster.

The Russian hailed a waiter, "Vodka, please." He looked back at me, "I'm going to have to kill you now. You know that?"

I never took my eyes off him. It was unlikely he'd try anything in a crowded bar, but I wouldn't bet my life on it.

"Not much of a talker?" The Russian took a drink.

"You're doing enough for both of us."

The Russian laughed, "Good one."

A couple of LTF officers walked in. The Russian stared at them and laughed, "What jokes. The entire Lunar Task Force is nothing but a bunch of clowns. I killed two in New London last week."

I know he's lying. I would have heard about it, although I don't doubt he has killed a few.

"You're boring company. You know that?" He finished off his vodka just as the officers came to our table.

"Everything alright here?"

"You know it," the Russian moved slowly with his hands in plain sight.

"Good. Make sure it stays that way." They moved to the bar.

"Just because we're prospectors," the Russian shook his head. "Anyway, I don't like killing a man without knowing his name."

"Tango."

"That's not your real name."

We locked eyes, measuring each other, killer to killer.

"I guess Tango will have to do. See you in the crater."

I watched until he left the bar and called my company contact, Jeeves.

"The Russian just paid me a visit."

"How unfortunate," the British male voice sounded bored. "I'll add a high-powered sniper rifle to your gear."

"And a bullet-proof suit."

"Those are hard to come by in a wasteland city, but I'll see what I can do."

"He took out Spec last month. Make it happen, or MoonCorp might never know if there are diamonds in that crater."

"Spec? I didn't know he was dead. That's very unfortunate. Will you be able to deal with the Russian? Or should we hire another?"

"I'll handle him. Just get me the suit."

I took the monorail to the hotel district, watching my back. I wouldn't put it past the Russian to make an attempt before we get anywhere near the crater. My gaze went to the projected blue sky and white puffy clouds of the city's dome, reminding me of Earth. I've been here too long. I'm tired of fake sky. I know what's on the other side-a wasteland of darkness and rocks, craters and chasms, hopelessness and death.

A drone flying outside my window shook me out of my ruminations. My instincts warned me to beware. Drones are as common in a lunar city as birds on Earth. However, a drone matching the speed and direction of a monorail doesn't happen often, if at all.

Suddenly, two miniguns materialized from the drone. I ducked just as it opened fire. Shattered glass fell on me. Passengers screamed. I pulled my pistol, rolled the quad barrel to scattershot, and destroyed the drone. I scanned for more drones before holstering my gun.

After a grueling round of questions from the LTF, I finally made it to my hotel. The rifle and suit lay on my bed. These should give me an advantage in the crater, assuming I make it out of the city.

I grabbed the rifle to feel its weight and peered through the scope. To my horror, I spotted a gun pointed at me from the opposite building. I pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. I hadn't loaded it. Just then, my window shattered, and a bullet grazed my cheek.

I fell to my knees and crawled to the corner, out of sight of the gunman. How is he always one step ahead of me? It's like he knows where I'll be before I do. Then it hit me-my phone. Jeeves gave it to me when I arrived. I almost threw it out the window, but then I had an idea.

I crawled to the edge of my bed, still out of sight of the window, loaded my rifle, and grabbed a drone from my gear bag under the bed. I secured my phone to the drone and entered Jeeves' hotel coordinates.

If the gunman could track my phone, then he'd think I retreated to my safe house. I carefully used a mirror to see if he had gone. He had. I quickly dressed my wound to avoid questions, threw on my long jacket, and concealed my rifle.

I found a low-rise building whose roof would be perfect for my plan. I positioned myself and waited. An hour passed before the Russian took his shot. Jeeves' window shattered exactly where the drone landed with my phone.

I saw the gun flash on the fifth floor of a building slightly to my right. I aimed for his head and fired. He instantly fell.

I walked to Jeeves' place and looked through the shattered window. He lay in a pool of blood. The Russian hit him between the eyes—an instant kill. Jeeves betrayed me. It's poetic justice that his asset killed him. The company who hired them must know there are diamonds in that crater. Or else, they would have never attempted to take me out in the city.

I hurried to the Russian before the LTF arrived. He lay where I shot him. For the first time in my career, the sight of death made me sick. He was just like me–a prospector. It's just business. Nothing personal.

I saw myself lying in a pool of blood, like the Russian. I, too, will make a mistake one day and take one between the eyes. Suddenly, it began to feel very personal. I've had enough of this rock. The vultures can have it.

I looked back down at the Russian.

"Back at the bar, you asked for my real name. I don't know why it's important to you, but I owe you that much. It's Tom. Nothing fancy. Just Tom."

I left for the nearest shuttle port.