Duel: Whatever's Next
Duel, Episode 12
This is Duel: A Tech-Noir Detective Story
Authors Note: Please check out the note at the end of the story for a special request!
Previously: McElroy squared off against Gerard Bergenz, leading to his arrest…
Sol II System, Eden, New Chalcedon. 03:30 Local time
The police finished taking statements, and returned to their squad cars where Gerard Bergenz’ silhouette cut a stark outline in the back of the car.
“Well,” Bridgett said, relieved for the police to finally be leaving, “I guess that’s that.”
“What will happen next?” James’ eyes were fixed on Gerard’s silhouette.
“Gerard will be released on bail unless the press publish something by morning. He will fight this with every bone in his body. But it’s enough to finish his career. The Board will probably move to depose him.”
“Leaving room for you to take charge?”
“Maybe! Maybe the Bergenz company could do without a Bergenz at the helm for a while.”
James shuffled on his feet, and watched the squad car pull away. He was almost certain he saw Gerard turn—but he was too far away. “Maybe Bridgett Bergenz is exactly what the company needs after this.”
Bridgett sighed. “I’ll leave it to the board. Anyway, your job is done. I…” Bridgett hesitated, and fidgeted with her hands. “Thank you, Mr. McElroy. When I came into your office that day, I thought I was crazy. I thought no one would believe me. Thank you for giving my father a chance at justice.”
James stared at his feet. “I wish I could say I was in the justice game, Miz Bergenz. I’m—I was—in the money game.”
“What game are you in now?”
“I don’t know. I’ve looked down the barrel of one too many guns for my liking, in this job. Sets a man thinking…” he trailed off.
An awkward silence descended over the pair. The sound of a motorcycle engine roared in the distance, and together James and Bridgett watched as Tyrone arrived, breathless.
“James! I came as fast as I could. When the call disconnected, I worried—”
“It’s over. We got him. Or, we started it anyway. Press will keep the police in check, for the time being.” James couldn’t suppress a smile—I never fail to collect. “Tyrone, uh, also, this is Mz Bridgett Bergenz, my employer for this adventure. Bridgett, meet Tyrone Worran. He is an old friend, and helped me tremendously.”
Tyrone extended a hand, “A pleasure, Ms Bergenz. I’m so sorry…but I am glad I arrived in time to help. You picked right, with James and DB here. In fact—where is that droid of yours?”
“My associate,” James corrected, “Is still in the car. Let’s go tell him the good news.”
They paraded over to the passenger side of the car, and James swung the door open. “DB, we did it!”
“DB431. And, you did it. You left me in the car for the finale.”
“Ah, don’t be like that DB, this was the plan!”
“It was a bad plan.”
James laughed. “Ok, ok. Suit yourself.”
“So, what’s next for you?” Bridgett asked.
James stuffed his hands in his pockets and shifted awkwardly on his feet. “Honestly, I don’t know,” he looked over at Tyrone, “And I think that’s a good thing.”
= = =
3 days later: Sol II System, Eden Orbit. 84:66 Ship time
Detective James McElroy stared into his favorite drink at this new bar—respectively: A Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, double, neat; the bar in the hyperspace ferry casino. The noisy crowd pounded on his ears, while the whiskey pounded on his head.
The hyperspace ferry was large, and crowded—revelers cutting loose during transit between systems. Plenty of time to sober up before they arrived. Yes, this was the seedy underbelly of hyperspace travel, and it was totally unfamiliar and foreign. What am I doing, he thought; what am I going to do with myself. He poured the fiery elixir into his mouth, and it burned all the way down. Still alive. He took a long drag on his pipe, and blew smoke to the side.
Tyrone waved the smoke away. “You alright James? You’re looking awfully pensive! Come on, relax a little!”
“He does this when he does not have work.” DB431 rejoined, from the seat on James’ other side.
“Work? Plenty of work to do once we get to Koslov. My wife and kids are gonna be happy to have Uncle Mackerel around. Many hands make light work! It’ll be a change of pace from detecting.”
“—Private investigating,” James corrected.
“Yeah, that. But it’ll be nice. It’s a different life.”
“At least it’s a life.”
“Hey, listen, James—this is a big change. But you’ll see. A farm is all about life. Growing life. Fueling life. I wasn’t sure I’d like it either.”
“I am not sure why I am coming with you. I am not a farming droid.”
“Not yet you’re not,” Tyrone smirked. “You guys are gonna be just fine.”
“Yeah,” James smiled, and took another sip of whiskey. “Been fighting for money, trying to pay bills and earn a buck—it will be nice change of pace.”
“That’s the spirit.” Tyrone said, knocking James playfully on the shoulder.
James looked out the great big view-screen ‘windows’ overlooking the casino hall. The planet Eden drifted faintly away. A small cluster of lights near the terminator line identified the city of New Chalcedon, his home of many years.
James raised his glass to the planet, and the city.
“Here’s to whatever’s next.” He whispered.
Thank You For Reading!
This has been DUEL, a tech-noir serial featuring Detective James McElroy and his Detective Droid DB431. This is the last episode! Thank you so much for reading along and making this a fun journey, right up to the end!
I plan to do a post-op about my experience writing this serial. I would like to also answer your questions! If you have any questions for me about writing, about the story itself, about the world—Please leave questions in the comments! I will answer questions which are left in this episode and the previous episode, in the post-op analysis article.
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!
Is it weird that I wanted Bridget to be a Mastermind that wanted to get her uncle out of the picture and was playing voy this whole time?
Love it. But I can't imagine the farmer's life will last--especially for DB. ALTHOUGH...maybe DB will find his way to a little island in the PNW where he could meet a sweet little spider droid...