Titan: Episode Two

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Last time on Titian: Synth and Reed found a new client named Kasey Jones, also known as the Harlot. Kasey's brother has gone missing, and she's hired Synth and Reed to find him. 

Episode 002

Reed stepped out of the Crimson Cask onto the busy streets of Titan. As was typical, crowds of people thronged the sidewalks, engaging with street vendors or navigating their way through the masses. The hum of vehicles filled the air as he looked up, taking in the towering buildings above him, most of them adorned with garish neon signs or displaying videos. Synth walked beside him, her hair currently a vibrant cherry red that matched her lips and eyes. Her skin was an almost silvery porcelain white that loudly proclaimed, 'I'm an android,' to anyone who glanced her way.

Reed had never encountered an android quite like Synth, and he knew he wasn't alone in that. His partner had been manufactured in an underground facility. She wasn't illegal, per se, but the people who built her and the design they used had been. Reed knew some details about her past, but he wasn't certain about all of it. For that matter, he wasn't even sure how old she was.

Androids didn't age, obviously, so for all he knew, Synth could be 10 or 15 years old, or she could be 40. Synth was slightly shorter than average for a woman, with the body of a dancer. Reed knew she could make minor alterations to her appearance, such as her hair color, skin color, and eye color, as well as other minor aspects of her body. But he was never sure how extensive those changes could be. Synth wasn't as physically strong as most androids, as her design prioritized fine motor function, mobility, and the ability to move gracefully over raw strength. That's not to say she was weak. Pound for pound, she was stronger than a human woman of her size, but not by a significant margin. When she wanted to, Synth could pass completely as human and blend in seamlessly. She was perfect for infiltration.

Reed knew what he was. He was a blunt instrument. He was strong and powerful, with extensive tactical and combat experience. If you needed someone intimidating, that was Reed. Synth could never overpower him, and in a boxing match, she'd be finished almost as soon as it started. But Reed knew she was lethal if she chose to be. Although, in his experience, Synth rarely opted to kill.

That wasn't a problem he had. He had killed plenty in his life, and he suspected he would do it again. He didn't relish it or seek it out, but sometimes things happened.

The Red Room was located downtown. As they made their way there, the buildings and the people became slightly more upscale and sophisticated. They arrived at a large building and entered, taking the elevator up. Reed glanced at Synth.

"You good with this?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, it should be fine."

The Albrights owned the Red Room. The head of the family, Harlan, was known for having a bit of a chip on his shoulder against androids. Reed wasn't sure of its origin, but it was widely known. That said, he didn't think they would kick an android out. He just suspected they would be cautious of Synth.

"I can never understand people like that," Reed said.

Synth shrugged, understanding what he meant. "Yeah, I don't either, but there are plenty of my kind that don't like humans. Think about how many people don't like vatters or cyborgs, for that matter," she said.

Reed nodded. That was fair. They reached the right floor and entered the club. The Red Room was expansive, not just a room, but several stories tall with multiple rooms. The walls were red, as were many of the lights. There was a bar near windows that overlooked Titan below. In the corners, Reed noticed several small stages where go-go dancers swayed languidly to the music playing. The music was just loud enough to prevent conversations from carrying, but not so loud that people thought it was a party.

Yes, there were dance floors where people were dancing, but for the most part, the Red Room wasn't a place to let loose and have fun. The Red Room was a meeting place. Around him, there were all types of people, from businessmen to politicians to individuals involved in the city's more clandestine industries.

If the Crimson Cask was where individuals seeking assistance or smaller crime groups gathered, the Red Room was the hub of serious business. Synth left Reed's side to scout the room, while he made a beeline for the bar. Ordering a drink, he noticed a woman from the corner of his eye. She had striking blue eyes and long blonde hair that framed a flawless face and full lips.

She was dressed in a black dress with a plunging neckline that accentuated her curves. A voice in his head noted appreciatively that those curves were in all the right places. A younger version of Reed would have felt his heart stop, his mind go blank, and he would have stumbled and muttered over his words. But he wasn't so young, and he wasn't so stupid. But his mind still faltered momentarily. The woman smiled.

"Good evening, how are you doing?" she asked.

Reed took a sip of his drink, trying to gather himself. "I'm doing well, Miss. Albright. How are you?" Reed said to Ashley Albright. 

Her eyes tightened briefly, but not in irritation. 

“You know who I am?" she asked.

Reed nodded. "Yes, ma'am, I do."

Ashley smiled. He did know who she was. Ashley Albright was Harlan Albright's only child. Rumor had it that she was next in line to take over the family business, just as Harlan had done when his father retired. It was a tradition in their family, one generation succeeding the other. Not in a violent, medieval way, or in a chaotic power struggle that was common in other organizations, but in a deliberate, well-planned manner. It was just how business was done. Reed also knew that Ashley was well-connected and deeply entrenched in the business.

"So, what brings you to the Red Room tonight?" Ashley asked, her eyes tracing his mechanical arms.

Some cyborgs tried to hide their enhancements. Reed didn't. He didn't see a point in it. He wasn't ashamed of his cyborg enhancements, and he'd found that, more often than not, they deterred trouble and secured him jobs. He wasn't sure how it would play out with an Albright, though.

"I'm here on a job," he said honestly.

The Albrights were known for their neutrality. They were facilitators. Yes, they had a lot of resources at their disposal, and they weren't afraid to use them, but they weren't aligned with any particular group in the city.

She nodded. "And the job?" she inquired.

She signaled the bartender, ordering a drink.

"I'm looking for someone. Well, I've been paid to look for someone," he said.

She nodded. "Is this going to be a problem for us this evening?"

Reed shook his head. "No, ma'am. I wouldn't cause any problems here. Just chasing down a potential lead right now," he said.

The bartender handed Ashley a cocktail that was a deep red. She took a sip. "May I ask who you're looking for?"

Reed thought for a moment, part of him wanting to say no, but another part of him realizing that the Albrights could potentially be a resource and he'd never worked with them before. He didn't want to get on their bad side. 

"Yeah, the name's Nathan Jones," he said. "Ever heard of him?" he asked.

Ashley looked thoughtful for a moment and shook her head. "No. Why do you think that you're going to be able to find him here?" she asked.

Reed shook his head. "I don't. He was coming here to meet with somebody. Just trying to see who that person was. I'm not sure if he ever made it to the meeting, and if he did, he didn't make it back home to his sister," Reed said.

Ashley looked thoughtful. "Ah, I see. And should I know the sister?"

"Probably. Her name is Kasey, but you probably know her as The Harlot," Reed said.

Ashley nodded in understanding. "I see. Well, I could see where she might not want to talk to the Dragons about finding somebody," she commented. Ashley took another sip and looked around the room. "I see your friend over there is making friends," she said.

Reed looked over, seeing Synth sitting with a group of people, chatting with them. He felt a twinge of unease. "Yeah, that's Synth. She's my partner," he said.

"Very nice," she said, and then, reading his expression, her expression softened. "I don't share my father's distaste for androids, or vatters for that matter," she explained.

"So, do you think you could maybe help me out with who Nathan might have been meeting with here?" Reed asked.

Ashley smiled softly and shook her head, "Maybe, but probably not."

She looked at the bar as she set down her drink, and as she did, Reed couldn't help but have his eyes sweep over her body. Ashley was something amazing to look at. From everything he'd heard, she was known to be incredibly seductive and persuasive. Seeing her in person, it was easy to see where those rumors had come from. When she looked back at him, her expression was warm and almost flirtatious. She leaned against the bar, positioning her body towards him in just the right way that he felt his heart thump.

"So, tell me about yourself," Ashley asked.

"What do you want to know?" Reed asked. In his mind, he was chiding himself. What are you doing? Don't be stupid with this woman.

She reached out and caressed his metallic arms, tracing her fingers all the way down to his hand where his drink rested. Reed could feel it. Not the way he'd been able to feel when he had flesh arms, but he could sense the pressure. And it was just right. Just enough that if he'd had human arms, her touch would have seemed a tad too firm. But with his mechanical limbs, it almost felt pleasant, yet non-threatening. The gesture told Reed something. Ashley had enough understanding of cyborgs to know just how to touch and make it seem as natural as possible. This woman could get inside someone's head in no time, he thought.

"How'd you get these?" she asked.

He smirked and took a sip of his drink. "That's a long story, but I was a Marine," he confessed.

She nodded. "Oh, one of those. I'm sorry to hear that. I hope it was something that you chose," she said.

He shook his head. "It was, but the circumstances weren't. How about you? What's it like working in the Red Room?" he asked, glancing around.

She smiled and cast her gaze over the room. "It has its ups and downs," she said. "So, you're here looking for someone, as is your partner. You've got big, strong mechanical arms, and my guess is a few other cybernetic enhancements. And she looks like, well," Ashley pursed her lips. "She's clearly an android and wants people to know it, but I can't quite figure her out. So tell me, are you just private investigators, or do you offer other services?" she asked with a warm smile that made his heart thump again.

Reed smiled tightly. "Is this a job interview?" he asked her.

She chuckled. "Maybe, maybe not. We're always on the lookout for people."

He was impressed by how open she was about that. He nodded. "We do a bit of everything. Find people, provide some protection. Kind of the basics," he said.

Ashley looked thoughtful, and Reed wondered what was going through the woman's mind. She didn't feel like a threat to him, and most people did, but she didn't feel like a friend either. She looked contemplative for a moment as she watched Synth.

"Sorry, I can't help you with what you're currently working on. I can keep an ear out, though, and let you know if I hear anything," she said.

Reed finished his drink. "I appreciate that, but just so you know, I'm not in the habit of owing people favors. If I can help it," he said.

This seemed to amuse her. "And all my business is, is favors," she said. Then she chuckled and said, "But I can understand that."

He smiled. "Is it? Is your business really all about favors?" he asked.

She smiled back. "I suppose not. It's not a favor if you get paid for it, is it?" she commented. "Well, at any rate, I'll listen, and if I hear anything, I'll let you know.”

"And what would I owe you for that?" he asked.

"Maybe a favor, but you'd know the price before I gave you any information. You may not make a habit of owing people favors. I don't make a habit of trying to put people in situations they resent or regret," she said. "It's bad for business."

He could appreciate that. He chuckled.

"What?" she asked, her face showing genuine curiosity.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

"Please tell me," she said. Her voice was confident and had an edge to it that made him want to tell her whatever she wanted to know.

He shook his head. "You're just not what I was expecting," he admitted.

Her lips curled into a smile. "And what were you expecting?"

"Well, from what I've heard about you, either you're a seductress, or maybe it's an act, and you're just like your father, who has a reputation for being a cold businessman. But mostly, I expected that you'd be a seductress," he confessed.

This seemed to satisfy her. "Yes, the vapid slut, or the viper," she said.

"I'm sorry," Reed said, meaning it, not wanting to offend her.

She placed her hand on his. His hands had more sensors in them than the rest of his arm, and it felt nice. Her skin was soft and warm. The touch wasn't flirtatious or threatening.

"You have nothing to apologize for," she said earnestly. She glanced over at Synth. "Well, I hope to talk to you again sometime. And if I find anything, I'll let you know."

Reed exchanged contact information with her, and she walked off. As she sauntered away, he tried not to stare at her ass. He turned back to the bar. The bartender looked at him.

"Would you like another drink, or are your eyes the only thing drinking right now?" he asked and smirked.

Reed chuckled. "I think I'm good on both."

The bartender nodded and laughed, walking away. Reed exhaled. "That could have gone a whole lot worse," he muttered to himself. He turned from the bar and signaled to Synth. She walked over to him.

"Find anything?" he asked.

"Not shit," she said. "You? Saw you were having a nice conversation."

"I was, with Ashley Albright," he said, seeing Synth's eyes widen.

"Is that who it was? I couldn't quite make her out from where I was sitting."

"It was," he confirmed. "This place is a dead end."

Synth sighed. "Yeah, let's head out. We can chat about it tomorrow and see what we can figure out."

He nodded in agreement, and they walked out of the Red Room.