Opus Veda

Cheers erupted. Friends toasted the birthday girl. Emirati traders watched with amused scorn from the shisha pit, wreathed in menthol smoke. Against the pub's wall a woman politely listened, as a man wired on white powder explained the importance of male feminism.

Three out of place visitors ran by in a blur. One stopped to point wildly at the pub. An older woman pulled him away. A girl panicked on the spot.

A cab screeched alongside them with such a racket the entire beer garden spun to face it.

Jason looked horrified. He pinged the doors open.

"Get in get in get in! Fucks sake police won't be far be'ind. Imany move it!"

They could barely sit down before he blasted off, cutting a corner before any puntersfilmed him.

"Thanks for creatin' a scene mate..." Sermon stabbed his seatbelt but missed the holster, angering him more, "where the fuck were you!?"

"Had to drop a fair off. Trust me it's a story for later..." Jason found a busy street to blend into, "what 'appened with you lot!?"

"She agreed to place the charge on hold," Imany took the knife from the glove box, "they'll look into it again next month."

"Place on hold what does that mean? Place on hold!? Is it goin' ahead or not!?"

Imany kept silent. The tanto rested in her hand. She squeezed and released its hilt. Kasia pulled her hood up and hid behind the seatbelt. There were ways to rationalise her actions; none of them quelled her fear. She contemplated time in prison, condemned for invading a home and assaulting a child. She'd never see Eva again. Did she deserve to?

Jason dropped them off at Little Kendi and continued on to return the cab. The passengers stood obscured in the forecourt, watching their estate across the road as it slept. Sermon blew out of his mouth.

"Let's get the hell outta here. I'm gettin' one of Kash's hot cocoa's and goin' to bed."

"No," Imany held the knife out between them, "we go back staggered, alone. I don't want neighbours seein' us together."

She tilted the knife, holding it at Kasia's heart. Kasia took it back with weak fingers.

"Thank you..."

"What happened with that girl Kasia?"

Kasia saw Imany's face - the matriarchal scowl, the furious eyes - and felt crushed.

"She was filming me... I thought things would get… I had to delete the footage."

Imany turned to Sermon.

"What happened. Was the girl hurt?"

"Only shaken," Sermon grimaced, unconvinced by his own words, "a little grapple for the phone. What you thinkin' will it be a problem?"

Imany palmed Kasia's chest and pushed her gently back.

"Go first. Go straight home, tuck yourself in, and be a model citizen until I tell you otherwise."

Kasia obeyed. She walked to her flat with no resolution, fragile and scared, as her only allies burned her ears behind her back.

* * *

She suffered a sleepless night. The front door's gap turned to daylight, revealing the concrete floor of an otherwise dark and windowless prison. The knife tempted her every second, a lump under her pillow offering her tension a bloody release.

But she needed to be a model citizen.

She made breakfast and sat on her bed, staring through her phone as if scrolling content. Eva noticed something was wrong and decided to intervene. She knelt beside her mother, cupping in her hands a consolatory tea. Kasia took the mug with a warm smile.

"Aww… thank you pretty thing."

"You look very tired," Eva switched to Polish, signifying concern.

"I've got too much work, that's all. Tomorrow will be better. What do you have on at school?"

"We learn about the Mars colony and which companies we could work for."

"Incredible! Exactly as I learnt at school! President Musk finally found something he couldn't have."

Eva's eyes widened with glee.

"Wouldn't it be cool to go up there one day!?"

"How about a weekend at Sussex Downs!? When you're a famous actor we can aim higher," Kasia chuckled, "eat breakfast, and let's watch something."

They shared music reels over the dining table, Kasia's playlist often choppy vapours of old hits, designed to lower moods. Eva's tended towards Hyperpop and Asian samples, bubbly and upbeat. She also followed the Britpop revival to the snobby disgust of Kasia, who knew the originals of the 2060's. Her childhood had been marked by the Oasys-Blvr debate, itself rehashed from a deleted era. And no matter how Kasia tried to instil Polish pride upon her daughter, Eva would not listen to Chopin.

They started making a music video on their favourite hit factory. In a world of zealous fandoms, apps laced with micro-transactions sold the idols with puppet strings. From post-race icon Zitha, to 20's figurehead Taylor Swift, the stars glistened in digital pens like pets, dancing and singing and covered in collectible accessories. Even their bodies could be altered for a fee - Taiko Miki's dusky skin whitened to an acceptable porcelain; Ariana Grande's weight managed by a slider canvassing her doomed career.

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On these apps users made infinite content, daily, immortalising their objects of worship. Sometimes the users became viral themselves, crafting through Miki a firestorm anti-China ballad, or a jarring farce of Zitha rapping over racist Country. Bigger payments enabled content for deeper desires - the celebrity made voodoo doll, no longer alive to defend their bodies. For the less financially fortunate, pre-made content often covered what they sought.

Kasia and Eva squabbled over their video's choreography, then got distracted by a sequel to Robert's Rebellion. Halfway through their binge, the door knocked.

Kasia's morning of distraction was over. She sank to reality and let Imany in. Eva attempted to offer tea, recognised serious adult talk needed to happen, and vanished outside. Imany took a seat and beckoned for Kasia to do likewise.

"We managed a stay of execution. The uplift's on hold, for now."

"That's good news... Isn't it?"

"That depends on you," again the scowl, the penetrating eyes, "what happened between you and that girl Kasia."

Kasia's heart thumped. She was about to find out if she did the right thing.

"One of the girls was filming me and saying she'd call the police. Anything could have been happening between you and Ali I... I had to delete the video."

"Yes. And what did you do to the girl?"

"I just… I took the phone off her."

"How?"

"Just…" Kasia searched around for words, "I kind of, grappled her... And I deleted the video."

"Grappled..." a single nod, unimpressed, "you're certain it wasn't a live stream?"

Kasia nodded back, quick and agitated.

"Were you certain of that before you grappled her?"

"What do you want me to say Imany!? 'Sorry I thought about the evidence we'd leave behind'!?"

"If you'd have told me at the time I coulda made her delete it myself. But it's too late now Ali'll be too insulted to back down. Be honest with me Kasia, if she has proof of what you did, could it be enough?"

"Enough for what?" Kasia trembled.

"Eviction? Prosecution? Terrorism?"

"Your acting like I fucked up Imany!"

"Come on girl. You wanted to join a war, accept the stakes of one. Prison should be the last of your worries. So: how you gonna play this when Ali comes after you?"

Kasia paced around the room, breathing heavily and whining. Ideas flooded her, all pointless to suggest. She slumped onto her bunk defeated. Out of options, she picked the knife up and waved it sarcastically. Imany's eyebrow arched.

"Got a feel for it have ya? Do you know what it feels like to take another woman's life?"

Kasia shook her head and looked down.

"Like becoming aware of the whole universe, and you've let it down in the worst way possible. If you go that far you come straight to me," Imany placed her elbows on her knees and leant forward, "I'm gonna offer you some advice now, and you haven't got long to accept it: whatever shit you're up to, you can still get out while you're ahead. This lifestyle ain't gonna get you much further."

"It pays me more in one week than I earn at Riese in a month."

"Shady schemes always let you win at the start. If you choose to keep playin' Kasia then keep playin', but be honest with yourself. Tell yourself you're gonna get caught, 'cause you will."

The door knocked. Imany stood to leave.

"Remember I told ya."

"I have stupid face and bad smell?" Sermon entered, garbling proudly in Polish. Eva peered from behind him with a devilish grin. Kasia forced herself to lighten up.

"Are you trying to get him beaten up child!?"

"I told him it means 'can I buy you a drink'. Don't correct him! I want him to keep saying it."

Sermon watched them both giggle at him, catching on that he was the victim of a plot. Kasia held her fists up.

"Are we going out to exercise then?"

"Uh… nah… I'm stayin' home tonight."

"Can't we train at yours?"

"Nah Kash…" he rubbed his cheek, "you crack on without me, I'll catch up another time. I do wanna borrow you quickly though."

Kasia shrugged. She joined him on the walkway outside. He toked his vape and sighed.

"I'll leave the girl issue between you and Imi Kash but, about our trip... it's best we say nothin' about it on the job yea? Luca and that."

"Don't worry I won't," Kasia saw angst on his face, "you do think this will go alright don't you?"

He thought for a moment, broke into an easy smile, and boxed in her direction.

"We'll be ready whatever happens! We didn't do this because it was easy did we?"

He jogged away. Kasia frowned with worry as he disappeared upstairs.

The muffled chatter died. Imany sat meditative on the floor and let thoughts pass by. The katana leant against her shoulder; her mind focussed on the night before. She was standing over Ali, stopped from going further by a photo of two girls. She couldn't do it. Ali hadn't known that, and the threat was enough for her to delay everything.

Imany knew she had merely bought time. Everyone would be paying more sooner or later.

She drew her Katana, listened to it click and hush from its sheath, and moved between stances. The blade sang softly, taunting her with what she could do when pushed.

She didn't want that life. The life Kasia was falling into, foolish and lost, a girl who wouldn't survive a year in the game. What would happen to Eva? Imany could take her in, but she couldn't afford it for long. If the Police took her, fresh dangers would loom for a teenager so pretty.

The katana screamed, carving hard into an invisible foe. If there was to be no happy ending, there would be no reason to hold back. Her neighbours deserved more of a future than she did. If Ali came for them, Imany's sword would run through her heart and split it in half.

"I had a word. You can trust her."

"You could always check with me before you go after someone. What you did sounds a bit vigilante..."

"I wanted to ask you before! She told me not to bother."

"I thought you were the leader of your little partnership?"

Sermon huffed. He checked outside his door a second time and locked it shut.

"You certain nobody saw you come in?"

"I'm a trained soldier. I can move quietly," Luca stood easily in Sermon's flat, more relaxed than his host, "I was just in the area and fancied visiting you. Is that a problem?"

"Nah... but, it's weird meeting someone in the real world izzit. Plus..." he snorted nervously, "usually when I meet a guy it's in a club - not that you need to worry!"

"I'm not worried at all," Luca laughed, "I wonder how well I'd do if you found my profile in the pre-bar?"

Sermon lifted his shoulders, "honestly... if I'd seen you in a club, I'd have swiped right in a heartbeat."

"Is that so? Well, to be honest with you too, I'd have accepted the match in a blink of an eye."

It was enough. They launched themselves into and around each other, releasing what they'd held back since they met, crashing around until the noise became too much. Luca stepped back.

"What are you into then?"

"Top. Do you mind?"

"I do. You can't be top."

"Why not?"

Luca cocked his head, "I outrank you. Sorry..."

"Let's not do any of that then..." Sermon tutted, then tugged Luca's belt, "I can give you somethin' here if you want... if corporals return the favour."

"They do," he let Sermon carry on, "but they get to go first. Shall I hang on to your one coat hook?"

Sermon ignored him and went down. Everything he wanted was in front of him. He found himself hesitating.

"It does feel a bit weird doin' it outside a club..."

Luca knelt to join him.

"Same... I'm not expecting everything, we can go as far as you like. How about this?"

They took one another in their hands and faced away from each other. In the outside world, so unfamiliar to them, they had to imagine they were in a club. It was the only way to feel comfortable with it.