First Flyght – Chapter 6

“When you asked if I was up for a trip to the city, I didn’t think we’d be doing this,” Skylar whispers.

“Well, I have to figure out where the hell he is if I’m going to kick his ass.”

The hallway of Tomu’s apartment building is quiet. In this upscale neighborhood, everyone is at work or school in the middle of the day. When I think about how much money my family spent on this place every month, I want to cry. What a waste.

I touch my wristlet to the door panel of Tomu’s apartment and the door clicks open, admitting us to the quiet and dark living room.

And the smelly living room.

“Oh my God, are you sure he’s not in here dead?” Skylar plugs her nose and retches while I run across the living room to open the window. I press my nose to the screen and breathe in the fresh air.

“No, I’m not sure, actually. I only found out about the money problems yesterday, and I haven’t seen Tomu in two, maybe three, weeks.” I let my gaze sweep through the living room and kitchen, and nothing looks out of place. “I have to believe Dad came here to see if he could find Tomu when everything happened, though.”

I imagine my father coming and finding nothing, but it’s worth a shot to search the place, anyway.

“It’s probably just the trash.”

Skylar throws her arm over her mouth and nose and heads for the kitchen. “Yeah. Spoiled meat in the trash,” she calls out before retching again. I hurry to the kitchen to help her because I know that she’s likely to puke if her gag reflex is triggered at all.

I sweep up the trash from the kitchen pail and tie it up. “Run the room deodorizers while I’m gone.” I wave to the room panel before I take the trash to the incinerator drop at the end of the hallway.

By the time I’m back, a fresh breeze is blowing through the apartment, and the kitchen deodorizer is running at full tilt.

“Better,” Skylar says, nodding. She looks a little green but okay. Funny that she can fly a ship in tumbling circles and ride out atmospheric disturbances with not a flinch of motion sickness, but bad smells or vomit? She’s a goner.

“Okay, let’s search the place and see if we can get any clues as to what happened.”

“And then?” She looks me over from head to toe. “We go get you cleaned up and presentable.”

I scoff. “Presentable to whom? I’m fine.”

But I know I’m not. I’m a ratty mess, and Skylar will not tolerate my bullshit.

“Please,” she says, rolling her eyes. “Your hair is a disaster. It looks like it hasn’t been cut in years. Your eyebrows need waxing, and I’m sure other parts of you need the same.”

My grimace is weak.

“When was the last time you wore makeup?” She folds her arms across her chest. “Because you look like you haven’t seen the sun in ten years.”

I turn from her and walk away.

“And those pants are baggy! Threads are hanging off the back of your sweatshirt. A sweatshirt, Viv! I can’t even believe you’re wearing one in public.” She follows me down the hall to Tomu’s bedroom. “This is a planet known for good style and taste. For beautiful men and women, eating organic food and drinking artisanal wines. For grand balls and high society. It’s only second to Rio when it comes to vanity consumption. Neck and neck with Sonoma. And you? You’re one of the most desirable daughters on the continent —”

“Was,” I stress, turning around. “Was. Not anymore.” I wave my hand at her. “I never cared for any of that stuff, anyway.”

I charge into Tomu’s room, wishing he was in it so I could kick him and give him a black eye. Wow. I spend a lot of time fantasizing about the things I want to do to Tomu when I finally find him. It won’t be pretty. Any of it.

“Bullshit. You and I used to critique makeup techniques and do spa treatments during our sleepovers. You love fancy shoes and dresses. This is way out of character for you.”

“Yeah, well. School was hard the last two years.”

School was hard for the last three years if I’m honest with myself. After Ken and I broke up, I let a lot of things go like my hair, nails, and eyebrows. I was depressed, and I just needed to get through my classes, get through to graduation.

“That’s no excuse,” Skylar says, and she’s right. But this is not the time.

Settling my hands on my hips, I survey the room. The bed looks like it was recently slept in. Clothes are strewn across the floor. A glass is broken next to the bed, sitting in a pool of stagnant water. I squat down next to it, grateful I kept my shoes on.

“Do you think he knocked it onto the floor? Or was there a struggle?”

Skylar peeks over my shoulder. “I don’t know. It could be either. Hey, did your mom call the police? File a missing persons report?”

“I doubt it though I’m sure she’ll do it eventually.” I sigh as I stand up. “She’s probably more worried about our reputation than finding Tomu.”

“But finding Tomu could repair your reputation,” she points out.

“Yeah, that’s true, though I have a feeling we’re never going to see our money again.”

Tomu doesn’t have animals here, so I jump when movement from a carousel photo display on the dresser catches my eye. I clutch at my heart for a moment, and Skylar jumps with me.

“Jesus, I thought you saw a killer or something,” she says, clutching my arm.

In all the years Tomu has lived here, this is the first time I have ever been in his bedroom. I always gave him that privacy since he didn’t seem to like me very much. So whether this picture carousel is new or not, I can’t tell.

“Who is that?” Skylar’s eyes widen.

The picture in the carousel screen changes and shows Tomu, tanned and wearing a white hat, his shirt open, sunglasses in hand, standing with a gorgeous woman I’ve never seen before. She’s the embodiment of classic beauty, curves from here to next Tuesday, long flowing hair, looks like she works out and takes care of herself. Both Skylar and I lean in to examine her.

“Hot damn, Tomu has a girlfriend,” Skylar breathes out.

“I always thought he might be gay.”

“Me too.”

The woman’s smile is blinding, her teeth perfect and white. A small beauty mark on her upper lip adds a little mystique.

The photo on the carousel fades and shows one of Tomu and our parents together. I’m nowhere in sight. Of course.

Resentment burns in the back of my throat.

“Let’s toss the place. Look for anything incriminating. Anything.”

I stalk down the hall, grab a knife from the kitchen, and return. Skylar pulls her own knife from her boot. She’s always prepared.

“I’ll take the pillows. You take the mattress.” She winks at me, and we get to work.

—-

When we’re finally done with the apartment two hours later, the fruits of our labors sit on the coffee table in the living room. Skylar sighs as she sits on the couch and hangs her head over the back of it. We had to put the couch back together to sit on it.

“That was a lot of work for so little payoff,” she says, returning her knife to her boot.

What we have here are three random things Tomu left behind. First is a stack of business cards, most of them with self-updating info-chips, so not a total loss. Some of the cards are from people I already know, but there are many more I don’t recognize. Second is a bottle of expensive perfume that I think comes from Laguna, a planet in the Californikos system. It smells of cinnamon and lemon, not a scent I’ve ever smelled on Tomu when I’ve seen him. And last but not least, a redeem card to a casino on Rio.

I pick up each item, hold it in my hand, and think.

“Are you hoping the items will speak to you or something?” Skylar drawls.

“Yes. I’m tapping into my latent psychic powers. The ones that totally failed to tell me Tomu was robbing my family blind. Obviously, they suck.”

Skylar sighs. “I could use a beer or a snack.”

“It’s barely noon,” I say, as she gets up from the couch to raid the kitchen.

“Noon, midnight, middle of winter? These sorts of planetary paradigms don’t faze me. It’s always twilight and twenty-three degrees onboard ship.”

A ship that will be my home soon.

I watch Skylar cross the room, all confident and at ease in her own skin. She’s only a few months younger than me, but she’s more worldly than I am. She’s seen all the planets and their moons in our two sister systems. She’s made more friends than I ever will, more money of her own than I have ever had in the bank.

I turn around to open my mouth and thank her, thank her for swooping in with her mom and dad to save me from certain ruin, when the doorbell to the apartment rings.

I wasn’t expecting that.

My wristlet buzzes, showing me who’s on the other side of the door and identifying them. Someone named Augusto Correa, a man in his early thirties, his hair messy, and wearing a robe and house slippers.

Skylar and I shrug at each other, so I head to the door.

“I don’t know what’s been going on in here the last hour, Tomu, but you have to cut that crap out. I’m sleeping —” He stops as he catches sight of me and the apartment behind me a total mess. “And who are you?” he asks, stiffening.

“I’m now the current owner of this place. Who are you?”

He looks past me to Skylar. She pops the top off a beer bottle and drinks it down.

“I’m Augusto. Gus. I live downstairs.” He drags his hand across the back of his neck. “You’ve been a little loud in here, and my shift at the hospital doesn’t start for another six hours. I was hoping to get some sleep.”

I fold my arms across my chest and lean against the doorframe. “Hospital, you say? Are you a doctor?”

“Registered nurse.”

Hmmmm. “And how do you know Tomu?”

“How do you know Tomu? You’re the strange woman in his apartment.”

I crack a smile, too amused by this whole situation to be more angry with Tomu.

“I’m his sister, Vivian.” I don’t offer a hand to shake.

“Sister? He never mentioned a sister.”

“I’m not surprised. When was the last time you saw him?”

He scratches the stubble on his cheek. “Uhhhh, three days ago, I think?” He looks up at the ceiling, thinking back. “Yeah. I was on my way out for a noon shift, and I saw him leaving the building. He had a suitcase, and he was carrying a backpack too. Looked like he was going on a trip. We said hi and promised to get together for drinks soon.”

“Three days ago… Any chance you saw where he went?”

He shrugs. “Not really. What’s with all the questions, anyway?”

I play it casual. “Nothing. My parents were wondering where he went. That’s all.”

He points towards the stairwell. “I’m gonna go back to bed now. Any chance you’ll be quiet?”

“We’re done and leaving soon. Have a good sleep,” I say, plastering on a smile as I shut the door in his face. I’d be more polite, but the insatiable anger is back, heating my gut.

Knock, knock.

Skylar laughs. “He seems persistent.”

I open the door again, and Augusto is still standing there.

“One more thing,” he says, raising a finger in the air. “Two guys came to my apartment yesterday looking for Tomu. I wasn’t home, so I only have their entry records and messages.” He taps on his wristlet, scrolls through the information only he can see, then pings me to share the projection.

Two men pop up in front of me. They’re stocky, muscular, and covered with tattoos. Names float next to their heads, but I’m distracted by the message playing in one of their voices, “We know you’re friends with your upstairs neighbor, Tomu Kawabata. Next time you see him, let him know Renny’s looking for him.”

They disappear, but then my wristlet buzzes as Augusto swipes the message to me. I accept his request.

“There. Now you can have the message too, and I don’t have to hold on to it anymore. And before you ask” — he raises his hand — “I have no idea who they were. No idea who Renny is either. You’re on your own there.”

I sigh. “Thanks.” I turn to close the door when Augusto steps forward.

“So, um,” he starts, clearing his throat. “Are you the one set to inherit your parents’ farm? Tomu talked about the farm a lot.”

“Yeah?” I really don’t want to get into it right now.

“Are you… are you dating anyone?”

I pause, looking at his day-old stubble, rumpled clothes, and messy hair, and I wonder, am I supposed to entertain every possible offer of companionship now? He’s probably handsome when he’s showered and rested, but now is not the time.

Over my shoulder, Skylar gives a horrified shake of the head.

“I’m sorry. I’m not interested.”

I shut the door and press my back to it.

Skylar smirks. “Get used to it. That’s only the beginning.”

“Unfortunately, I’m sure it is. What’s next?” I have new clues to Tomu’s whereabouts and a year-long mission to start, but all I want to do is go back to sleep and forget this week ever happened.

“We leave this mess,” she says, stepping over the stuffing from the side chair we left on the floor. “And head to the spaceport. It’s time to get the Amagi ready to go.”