Corrido of Eddie Muerto, pt I

• Chapter One

  There’s something about a dusty morning that's easy to miss. The beauty of a sky filled with pinks and reds as a brilliant yellow disc rises is easily missed by most. For Eddie Vela, watching the sunrise had been a ritual since he could remember. In Nuevo Llano, the days get real hot real fast. A rising sun signaling a working day's end for most. For Eddie it usually marked the beginning. Today, on this balcony, in a part of town he never would have thought he’d be in? Well, it felt off. Maybe even special, somehow. He just couldn’t put his finger on why. Or maybe he was a bit preoccupied? He did just steal from City Hall, and in Dust City, no good deed went unpunished.

  His heart raced. He needed to catch his breath.
  
  “Just hold on a bit longer,” Eddie said to the person he held at his side, shouldering the better part of the younger Courier’s weight. A kid really. What had they called themselves? Grits, maybe? Eddie hadn’t gotten their actual name.This was supposed to be an in-and-out job so they usually used handles.
  
  “You’re full of shit, Muerto.” The younger Courier felt at their own side, hand slick with the red stuff that belonged on the inside. “You should just leave me here. Right in front of that door. Maybe my dead body can buy you some time; block the fucking Chotas for a few minutes. Then maybe I can actually be helpful.”
  
  Eddie thought he should say something back. The words just wouldn't come.

  Mechanized locks should have prevented anyone from using the door once the alarm was kicked. Locking the building down for anyone within or without. At least according to the plans he was given. Though plans, in Eddie’s experience, were more recommendations than anything else. It never quite went the way it was supposed to. Adaptability and quick thinking had earned him the name Muerto among his fellow Couriers. Eddie Muerto, as they called him. The man that never dies. It was probably meant as a sign of respect. To Eddie, every time he heard it felt like a slap in the face. Just another reminder of all the people he’d failed, of the dead that followed him. So he accepted it.
  
  “Yeah. Okay.”
  
  The kid looked pale. Their face sallow. Soon another ghost to add to the mausoleum Eddie carried.
  
  “There was so much green. They just spray water everywhere like it’s nothing. There were trees. Flowers. I’ve never seen so many colors” The younger Courier's eyes stared out into the distance. The weight of what they'd just seen pressing down on them.

  “We both heard the stories. We just finally got to see it with our own eyes.”

  “It’s different! It feels different to actually see it. To actually experience it. It’s different. Why can’t we have it too?” The younger Courier's voice broke as tears attempted to fall, instead mixing with the dust and dried blood that had slowly accumulated along their face. Fractals bloomed from their eyes down to their jaw.
  

  The kid was right. It was different. If Eddie had the time to consider it, it would overwhelm him. He’d break right then and there if he hadn’t had a job to do. Eddie felt like minutes had passed, but it had only really been seconds, if that. When he finally had the words to say something, anything, it was too late.
  
  Eddie placed the fallen Courier’s body in front of the balcony door, honoring the kid’s final wish. He placed their helmet over their face. It was custom among Couriers to decorate their face plates with a design that was personal. The kid’s had a crooked smiley face with the eyes X’d out. Like they expected it to end this way.
  
  Eddie looked out towards the horizon. He was high enough up that he could see far into the surrounding city, its limits stretching to the horizon. The morning sky was blood red. It felt angry. The sun rising into the sky like an unblinking eye, casting its judgment on a world that would allow another youth to die.
  
  “Staring at me. I let them die.” He quietly said to no one in particular. No more than a  whisper, if even that.
  
  The telltale buzzing of flying drones echoed in the distance. They were mostly used for the rabble far outside the Financial District. Never in a million years would the corpos have imagined someone would get in. Eddie knew he had a head start. He felt his eyes start to burn, grit irritating his throat. The dust storm had finally arrived. It was part of the plan. Get in, get the data packet, get out under cover of the storm. Eddie gave a final look at his younger partner. If he had it his way he’d come back for the body. Hell, if he had it his way the kid would still be alive.
  
  As the storm moved into the city, Eddie Muerto snapped his visor over his face. It had an air filtration system and it allowed him to see through the dust clouds. Well, see enough of it to get around. It was a steep learning curve to use the helmets, but once you got it, you were right as rain. Standard issue for Couriers. The smooth obsidian glass covered his face, a rough rendition of a candy skull decorated its surface. Another reminder of the dead he left in his wake. In case he ever forgot.text goes here

• Chapter Two

  It had taken Eddie a bit of time to lose his tail. Drones didn’t do well when there was too much dust in the air, and the sky was thick with it. The rent-a-cops did even worse in it. It was part of the plan. A plan that Eddie again hoped wouldn’t take any more turns. He hurried to find the closest MESH upload point. One that was close enough to get to quickly, but far enough, that with any luck, not to fall under the surveillance perimeter that was no doubt in effect.
  
  If you didn’t know what you were doing, navigating the sprawl of the City in a dust storm could take hours. An average person could get lost and fall prey to the elements if they weren’t careful enough to find cover. Couriers weren’t the average person. And Eddie? Eddie was pretty damn adept at it. Hell, he wrote the training manual. Parts of it, at least. Even so, trudging through the heavy winds while a wall of dirt pelted you felt like an eternity.
  
  One of the most important things you learn as a Courier is to trust the process. Though it could feel like you aren’t making much headway in these conditions, you had to ground yourself in the reality of your surroundings. Eddie could very well imagine he was circling the same turns over and over; the truth was he had made damn good time working his way through the maze of alleyways and empty buildings. The glowing neon of lights from businesses long ago passed and those fighting to stay afloat shepherding him through the red haze choking the air. 

  He marched on looking for a specific outline of neon embers. It was a sign hanging over an abandoned bodega that had seen better days. Probably. He breathed a sigh of relief as it came into focus. The letters T-E-X-X and O revealing themselves like a message from the heavens. If Eddie were the religious type he may have even said a prayer then and there. He whispered his thanks anyway. Never know who may be listening.

  Eddie made his way into the alleyway behind the TEXXO, vending machines lining its walls, beeping and booping as he passed them. The holographic visage of Prairie Doug, a cartoon version of the now extinct prairie dog, hovered above the one of the machines. Particles of dust danced with its display, almost making the anthropomorphic rodent seem like a physical object rather than a trick of the light. As if Eddie could reach out his hand and touch it. It had to be the exhaustion getting to him. He pushed the thought aside, lowered his outstretched hand, and continued down the narrow path through the alleyway, making his way to what seemed like a dead end.

  The dust had calmed down a bit, and Eddie found himself staring at a rundown doorway in the wall of the alcove, the facade dirty and rotted. You would never guess it led anywhere worthwhile. 

  Unless he’d made a wrong turn somewhere? 

  “Nah, I’m sure this is it.” Eddie told himself. 

  He looked up into a corner where he thought a hidden camera was placed, hoping that it was open today. It was something he wished he had considered before making his way here. He reasoned he had a lot of other things on his mind to keep from ruminating on it. It helped a bit, though the weight of today still threatened to push down on him. He could hear the buzz of drones in the distance again, using the temporary break in the storm to continue their manhunt. He couldn’t wait. They would find him if he stayed still too long. He turned to leave.

  A beep sounded.
  
  “Leaving without saying hi? That’s pretty rude,” said the voice through Eddie’s comms channel. 

  The door unlocked with an audible click.

• Chapter Three

  Eddie entered the small speakeasy. It was empty, which wasn’t uncommon during big dust storms. They rarely opened on those days, which was why Eddie hadn't been sure coming here was the right call. If he had been wrong it could have cost the mission.

  “I was lucky.” Eddie realized he said out loud. It was supposed to be an inside thought.

  
  “Damn right you are! Almost didn’t come in today. But, I heard what you were doing and made an exception. Must be that luck you mentioned.” 

  She was Rosa Leanne Padilla Traoré, but she just went by Rosa. She was the proprietor of this fine establishment. A small bar themed and named after the “Old West” of an America long gone. While water was tough to come by, alcohol flowed a bit easier. It was a sweet gig.
  
  “Thanks, Rosie!”
  
  “Yeah, no sweat. And I’m even going to overlook all that dirt you decided to track in! I didn't know you had taken up interior decorating. You enjoying it?”
  
  “I’m sorry about the mess. Is the thing on?” Eddie asked in reference to the data drop point.

  “Yeah, in the back. Powered it up for you… Wasn't there supposed to be another one of you?” 
  
  “Yeah.” The word held heavy in the air. Eddie was glad he hadn't removed his visor yet as it offered a degree of comfort in that moment.
  
  “Oh,” Rosa said, a degree of understanding permeating the air. “Need a drink?”

  Rosa knew Eddie wasn’t a drinker. He’d gone this long not picking up the habit, wouldn’t make sense to start now. Besides, he probably had too much regret to handle it. He understood the offer for what it was, a condolence with a side of commiseration.
  
  “No. I, uh, I appreciate,” the words catching in Eddie’s throat. “ I gotta get this uploaded so…”

  “Yeah, yeah. I understand. Go ahead.” She paused for a moment. She knew this had to be important when she received the all hands on deck request. It’s why she’d opened the bar today. “The thing you got, is it…” she hesitated once again, knowing she couldn’t ask for specific details, but she had to know. “Was it worth it? Will it change things?”
  
  Truth be told, Eddie wasn’t really sure, but he hoped it would. It had been hell to get in and out of the Financial District. They wouldn’t get a second chance at this. The powers that be would make sure of it. 

  Before he could catch himself, he nodded.
  
  Rosa's breath hitched. “Okay. Okay!”

  And with that Eddie walked into the dimly lit backroom. Screens filled the walls showing almost every angle outside the fine establishment. 

  Eddie closed the door, sat down at the main console, and removed his helmet. He caught his reflection on the black mirror of one of the screens. The image that stared back looked old. Its eyes red with frustration and sadness. The image quickly disappeared as Eddie hit enter on the keyboard exiting standby mode. The warm blue glow of the screen shined on his face as he entered his passcode and plugged in the data chip. MESH networks were reliable but slow. They bypassed the need to use main networks and offered a degree of privacy at the cost of speed. It could take up to half an hour for the upload to complete. 

  Against his better judgement, he allowed himself a moment of respite.

• Chapter Four

  The upload bar ticked up slowly. Slower than Eddie liked. That couldn’t be remedied, so Eddie decided to take stock of his supplies. The things he had left and the things expended. He took off his face mask and placed it on a table near him. Unholstered his side arm, ejected the magazine and counted his rounds. Three in the magazine and another in the chamber. He should have had more. When the bullets start flying it’s easy to lose count. Still, he was better than this. He knew better than this. He snapped the magazine back into place and moved on. He removed his carbyne-graphenite machete from its sheath. It had a billhook which really helped out when you needed to cut through brambles from the overgrown tumble weeds that blew in from time to time. It was reliable, flexible, and had saved his ass more than a few times. He unbuttoned his tan field jacket, checking the condition of his bulletproof vest. It had a few dents. More than he was comfortable with. In this condition he wasn't sure if it would be of any use. Still better to have it than not. He checked the rest of his torso for any wounds. Arms were clean. Legs were too. 

  It’s good, he thinks, that he wore his favorite Hawaiian shirt.It would’ve been a shame if it got ripped.
  
  He checked the upload bar again as he sat back down. More than halfway. It picked up a little speed which was good. 

  He didn’t know how much more of the wait he could handle.

  He could feel the noise slowly building in his head. Hear his heart start to pound. Feel the nerves in his body wanting to blow.
  
  “Breathe. Just breathe,” he told himself as he closed his eyes, trying to find some semblance of balance. Trying to soothe the fire in his body.  

  It just so happened that in that exact moment two Gold Circle Officers entered the building. They wore flak jackets with the words “Police” emblazoned across the collar. It was a punchline to a joke that hadn’t been funny in years. The Gold Circle was little more than a private mercenary force hired to do the dirty work of the city's elite.
  
  The dust storm, it seemed, had calmed enough for the state sponsored thugs to expand their search and they picked the Old West. 

  The city had a sense of humor.

  As Eddie opened his eyes, he spotted them on one of the security cameras as they approached Rosa. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but could tell Rosa was buying time, giving them the run around. 

  He looked at the upload bar, it was damn near finished, but the speed had slowed down a fair bit.

  One of the officers had broken off and started walking to the back door. To the room Eddie was currently occupying. Eddie stowed his machete, fastened his helmet, and readied his pistol. He looked back at the various screens, trying to find an angle of attack. Rosa was looking straight at him through one of the cameras. He knew that look from their younger days, before she retired as a Courier. 

  He thought back to when he’d first entered. He had nodded. That nod had decided her fate as soon as the Gold Circle had entered her establishment. She pressed something below the bar, and he heard a click. 

  The door was now locked.
  
  “Don’t do this, Rosie. Please?” Eddie said, though no sound escaped his mouth.
  
  The next few seconds were a blur. Rosa pulled a shotgun from behind the bar and unloaded a close range shot into the nearest officer. The second one, who had been approaching the back room, turned, pulled out a weapon and shot at Rosa. She ducked behind the bar, narrowly escaping the blow. Once a Courier, always a Courier it seemed. She hid behind the bar and pumped a new round into the shotgun. She looked into the camera and mouthed something. If Eddie had to guess, she was telling him to run. Rosa dived to the side as glass bottles exploded behind her, shooting at where she hoped the other merc was. He staggered back and fell, Rosa’s shot having made contact. He had been hurt, but was still alert. The merc aimed his gun, pulled the trigger once, and emptied the magazine. 

  And, as violence is wont to do, it was over as quick as it had started.
  
  Eddie searched every screen for his friend. He found her sitting against a wall. Eyes closed. She didn’t seem to be breathing. 

  She looked peaceful all things considered. 

  Why had he nodded?

  Multiple Gold Circle mercs started to enter. Guns drawn and in formation.

  Eddie glanced at the upload bar for a final time. Must have finished during the commotion. He studied the room trying to find a way out. A hatch had opened up towards the back of the room. It must have happened when Rosa hit whatever was under the bar.

  Why did he fucking nod?
  
  This MESH point had been compromised. He knew the protocol. They all came with a self-destruct. Problem was, it would take the bar with it. Then it would be gone.

  Rosie would be gone. 

  Rosie was gone. 

  One more ghost.
  
  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Eddie said, his voice heavy with regret.
  
  Eddie exited back into the streets. He knew there would be more Gold Circle Mercs. Maybe even a few Rangers if they wanted to make an example. They wouldn’t know he didn’t have the data chip anymore. He had to lose them. The sky was still a heavy red. This was just a small reprieve from the storm.
  
  Eddie made his way between the patrols. Careful to avoid any on foot patrols or drones that had been called in. He listened for any buzzing, but all he heard were sirens. Maybe they hadn’t arrived yet? The high pitched whirring would’ve easily cut through the sirens. Stealth mode must have been turned on, which worried Eddie. They almost never gave up the chance to terrorize people with the sound. Lucky me, Eddie thought.

  Lucky me.
  
  Eddie snuck around until he found dried, snake skins hanging. They marked Kulkan territory. The Kulkans were one of the bigger gangs in the city. They were territorial; most Nuevo Llano patrols steered clear of it. Usually. Eddie wasn’t so sure today. Couriers had to have authorization before they could enter, but he was out of ideas. The only way out was through.

  Eddie heard an explosion in the distance. He knew that the “Old West” was no more. Gone in an act of terroristic vandalism. At least that’s what the corpo newscasts would say. 

  Eddie knew the truth.
  
  He would carry that weight.
  
  The day had already been long, and the sun had just reached its zenith. Unsure what awaited him, Eddie pushed past the hanged serpents.
  
  end of part 1