Chapter 1 - Dream WeaverPart 3By the time Tara had run down the four flights of stairs the automated metcar was waiting for her. She jumped in and entered the destination on the nav screen. As the car lurched off she sat back and watched the city roll past. Gradually the high rise tenement blocks faded into the distance replaced with more commercial units. Run down department stores and second hand clothes shops interspersed with the occasional pawnbrokers and electrical shops filled the sidewalks. Every other unit was boarded up and abandoned; every time she passed Tara noticed more empty spaces where there were once thriving businesses.
She hated the way the City was declining, how years of war had dragged everyone and everything down into the gutter, reduced life to a shadow of its former self. Was it always this way? Tara wondered to herself she seemed to remember a lot more joy and laughter when she was a child, but maybe that was because her mother ensured that her childhood had been as carefree as it could be. She instilled in her the power of her dreams and the importance of following her heart. Tara bit back a tear, it had been four years since her mother passed away from the sickness, but she still missed her acutely and while the pain had lessened somewhat her memory had never faded in Tara’s mind.
The metcar juddered to a stop and a metallic voice announced they had reached their destination. Tara inserted her ID Stick into the payment slot bearing the Cybertronix logo and pressed her thumb against the screen to be scanned. “Payment accepted. Doors opening. Have a nice day!”
Tara jumped out of the car and headed for the Lizard across the street. Gator was in his usual position on the door, clocking the queuing punters in one at time. He winked as he spotted her approaching, “hey gorgeous, you gonna make it my night tonight then?” He asked hopefully, holding up the rope barrier for her to duck under.
“From what I’ve heard Gator, it’s always your night.” Tara answered cheekily ducking under the rope.
“You’ll relent one night Tara and I can promise you the ride of your life darling, you ain’t lived till you’ve experienced some Gator action.”
“Well that’s why I’m holding out Gator, once I’ve had the experience everything else will be a disappointment and I’m too young only have disappointment to look forward to.” Tara replied smiling and walking in through the big industrial doors.
“This one’s on me Tex!” Gator shouted to the cashier, his neck muscles bulging as he flashed her best smile before turning back to the waiting crowd.
Tara slipped inside laughing at the protesting voices offering Gator their company for the evening if he let then in for free as well; she doubted he’d be spending the night alone. As she entered the main area the heat and music hit her and her mood instantly lightened, maybe she was in the mood to party after all. She headed to the side bar pushing her way through the crowds with practised ease.
“Hey Rik usual please make them large ones.” She called to the keep.
“Hey Tara, coming right up, you’re in late tonight Trix has been on form for hours.”
“Yeah I had some business to sort out. It looks like I’m playing catch up,” commented Tara spotting Trix giving it large on the dance floor.
“She’s been there most of the night,” laughed Rik handing her three drinks, “I don’t envy you.”
Tara inserted her stick into the payment slot and pressed her thumb to validate.
“Catch you later Rik!” she shouted grabbing the drinks and making her way to their usual table at the back of the club.
“Finally some decent company,” cried Andro as she arrived at their table, “Oh and she comes bearing drinks, my heroine!”
Tara placed the drinks on the table and pulled up a chair, “where is everyone?” she asked searching the crowd for familiar faces.
“Well Luca and Stem disappeared together a few minutes ago, the amount of CX2 he’s sniffed they’ll be back before they’ve gone.” Andro laughed, “Trix is in her usual place centre stage and Dax is probs sniffing out new talent.”
“If he’s been on that stuff all night I’m surprised Luca bothered she knows what he’s like.” Tara replied
“Yeah but she has been knocking them back and you know she’s always gagging after a few.”
Andro took a swig of his drink and relaxed back into his seat, he had a lot of time for his mates but Tara was the only one he felt he could relax around, yeah she could be headstrong and stubborn but she had her shit together. She wasn’t a loose cannon just waiting to go off at the slightest touch like the rest of his eclectic bunch of friends. You could really talk to Tara, she was a cool chick.
Tara took a sip of her drink and relaxed letting the heavy bass of the thumping music take control. She watched Trix gyrating rhythmically around the dance floor, bumping and grinding with whichever guy got in her way. She thought about joining her, but decided she wasn’t really in the mood. She was tired from standing watch all afternoon and was quite content to sit and chill out with Andro.
“So Taz how have you been sleeping lately?” asked Andro leaning over, hand cupped around his mouth as he shouted in her ear so she could hear him above the pumping music.
Tara shrugged nonchalantly and just for a second considered lying to Andro, it would save further questions that she didn’t really want to answer. However, one glance at his serious expression, his grey eyes wide in concern, soon wiped that notion out of her head.
“Still not great to be honest,” she replied as loudly as she could without actually shouting, “But not here, okay? I’ll tell you about it later when you can actually hear me.”
“Well okay, just as long as you know you will be telling me and won’t be able to avoid the subject next time I ask!” Andro told her firmly, leaving no doubt in her mind that he would ask again and soon. Then his face broke into a warm smile, softening his features and revealing the familiar face of the friend she loved so dearly. Tara returned his smile, she resolved she would speak to Andro when he asked and she’d tell him everything. With the decision made she felt her shoulders relax as if a backpack full of boulders had just been dropped to the floor, grabbing Andro’s protesting hand she led him on to the dance floor and gave herself over to the pumping, rhythmic beat.
Some time later Tara weaved her way through the throng of rotating bodies to the edge of the floor, head back laughing at the display her two friends were putting on behind her. It’s not often Andro had his dancing shoes on, but when he did, he and Trix had a hilarious robotics routine they had worked out over the years. It never failed to elicit comment. Tara had made her excuses, gesturing she needed a drink and left them to it, she had seen it a thousand times before anyway.
As she squeezed past another leather clad body she froze. It couldn’t be, not here. She must be seeing things