This is Duel: A Tech-Noir Detective Story
Previously: Detective McElroy connects with Tyrone Worran, and they discuss plans to hunt Black Zaelland…
Sol II System, Eden, New Chalcedon. 07:35 Local time
“So,” Tyrone said, as a breakfast platter was placed in front of him. “How are we going to hang you out as bait and simultaneously keep you safe.”
“Well, first things first I need to get the attention of Black Zaelland.” James fiddled with his hands—he missed his pipe badly. The waitress brought him a black coffee.
“The first thing that comes to mind is you just go hang out in public and then wait,” Tyrone paused with a mouthful of scrambled eggs. “If he’s looking for you as relentlessly as you seem to think, he will find you. Maybe like a square or park or something.”
“That’s the thing, Black Zaelland is a known marksman. He shot DB431 from a rooftop, who knows how many floors up and at least 300 yards away.”
“Yeah but he was aiming for you.” Tyrone winked.
“I moved!”
“Okay, Okay, so, what? We already know he’s going to try to shoot you.”
“It’s not just that he’s going to shoot, he’s a shoot first, questions later kind of guy. He’ll kill me before I ever see him, and then question me on the way to collect the bounty.”
“Alright, so we need to get him close range. What have we got?” Tyrone looked determinedly at his plate while he scooped up stray eggs.
“The alleyway outside the safehouse might work. It’s closed on one side, so I’d be trapped but at least he wouldn’t be able to use the rifle.”
“You’d need some valiant and anonymous benefactor to cross the stars and help your ass, sounds like.”
“My hero.” James said sarcastically, sipping his coffee, and reclining in the booth.
“So what’s the play?”
“If I lure him in close then you can cut off his escape, and we’d both be trapped. We just need some way to get him off balance. I’ve got my gun, but if it came to blows I’m sure I’m the one that’s going to eat the dirt.”
“Sure you don’t want to eat breakfast instead?” Tyrone gestured approvingly at the mess on his plate.
“We need a distraction.” James ignored his friends quip.
“We need some way to get him to the alley.”
“I’ve got an idea for that,” James sipped his coffee. “I’m sure he’s watching my office. I’ll go, I’ll see if he bites—then I’ll make my escape. If I can stay away from him, then I’ll lead him to the alley, where we’ll spring our trap.”
“Wait wait—I missed something. What’s the trap?”
“What if you took the car once he was chasing me? Then we know he won’t be watching you. Take it out of sight, and then circle back and box him in.”
“He can still shoot you even if he’s boxed in.”
“We’ll figure something out. Do you have a gun?”
“Yeah I bring a gun with me to sign paperwork.” Tyrone rolled his eyes. “Which reminds me—” he looked at his watch, and groaned. “Ahhh man. Mackerel you owe me big for this. I’ll take care of the papers when this is all over. But I’m not leaving here without those papers.”
“You’ll get your papers, I promise.”
“So what role does the droid play in all this?”
“Depends on whether you can fix him. Do you think you can fix him?”
“I can try.”
= = =
With breakfast done, Tyrone got ready to leave. “Alright where’s this place you’ve stashed your dr—ah, associate.”
“The safehouse is at this address.” James handed over a slip of paper. “Enter through the main street. DB431 is still in the car, in the garage. The garage opens up to the alley I’ll be leading Black Zaelland to.”
“I see. What kind of tools do you have?”
“Just basic ones—things DB needed, he largely took care of his own maintenance.”
“Alright. That might be enough. How much wiggle room do we have on timing?”
“It’s already been too long—Bridgett has been in captivity since last night. The sooner we take care of our hunter, the sooner we can help her.”
“We can help her. James…” Tyrone looked worried, like he was searching for the right words and couldn’t just spit them out. After a moment of sputtering, he managed, “Come with me. When this is over. It would do you good.”
“I can’t think that far ahead, Ty. I just gotta get through this.”
“You’re in this because you don’t think ahead. You’re thinking job to job, and if you don’t plan ahead, you’re gonna take another job before you start getting restless. You’re not gonna fill a void with work, James. Come with me.”
James fidgeted uncomfortably. “Remind me when it’s over.”
“No, I want you to promise. You’ll love my kids. Markus is nine, Darius is seven. They’d love to have Uncle Mackerel nearby. You could teach ‘em a thing or two.”
“When it’s over, Ty.” James avoided his gaze.
Tyrone shrugged. “Alright alright. I guess I better get moving, huh?”
“Yes. Here’s the keys. Remember—main street. You’ll blend in, no one will notice you.”
“What if he’s watching?”
“I don’t think he knows about it—and he certainly doesn’t know about you. Just say you’re checking on your friends cat, if he confronts you. There’s no way he would shoot you dead unless he saw you with DB431.”
“OK great yeah I feel real safe, Mackerel.”
“Hop to it will you? I’ve got to stay hidden until it’s time to go.”
“Ten-four, Mack. I’m leaving.”
= = =
James waited anxious hours in the bar. Tyrone was working, but droids are complicated and if Tyrone hadn’t been a crack mechanic then this would have been impossible. James paced back and forth at the bar.
“Hey listen, James, can you sit down? You’re making the customers nervous. What can I get you, it’s on the house.” Skip had finally come in for the morning and was working the counter.
James reluctantly took a stool at the bar. “Black coffee.” He said. “Thanks, Skip.”
“I saw the bike was still out back—do you still need it?”
“Yeah—I’ll need it today.”
“Alright alright. What’s got you so nervous?”
“I’m waiting for a—” his phone rang in his pocket. James jumped, and fumbled the phone, nearly dropping it as he answered the call. “Hello?”
DB431’s familiar voice crackled through on the other end: “I told Tyrone not to tell me your plan but he did anyway.”
“DB431!” James cheered. Skip gave him a concerned look, and then returned to cleaning the bar.
“You got me shot.”
“I got you un-shot too! I hope you thanked Tyrone.”
“I half thanked him because I am only half fixed.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I can talk to you, but if you want to get me anywhere you better leave me in this car. I can not move.”
“I am happy to hear your voice again DB. I was worried about you.”
“DB431.” he corrected. “It is my turn to worry about you. Tyrone says ‘we are a go’. I told him that phrase does not make sense.”
Despite his anxiety, James laughed. “Yeah yeah you work that out with him, ok? I’ll see you on the other side, my friend.”
“See you soon.” The call disconnected.
James returned the phone to his pocket, and turned to Skip.
“About that bike…”
Thank You For Reading!
This has been DUEL, a tech-noir serial featuring Detective James McElroy and his Detective Droid DB431. This will be a serial publishing every week because I seem to have gotten my act together! There are twelve episodes tentatively planned, and I reserve the right to end the story as soon as its over and no sooner.
If you enjoyed this episode, please let me know with a like, or a comment! If you REALLY like it, tell your friends with a restack? If you’d like to not miss an episode, be sure to subscribe!
DB rides again!
Heh. I like DB431, I really do. I mean, that's a fair point; if he's only half-fixed it's perfectly logical that only half-gratitude is required.