An alarm began to ring as I opened my eyes to gaze around the room. I was still on the couch as I unraveled the blankets that got tangled when I was asleep. Gale was already up and about by the time the alarm first rang. She began to prepare a pot of coffee as she went towards her dresser. I noticed her take out my suit as all the blood that would've previously been there has faded away. Right after, she took out my weapons and placed it on a nearby table. In this quick frenzy of preparation, she began unfolding a package that was recently delivered. I got up from the couch finally as I began walking towards Gale to see what she was unraveling. The longsword with its metallic scale scabbard was revealed as she gazed towards me in a deep thoughtful look. She took the sword and placed it on the table with my other weapons. I ended up taking my suit as I looked towards Gale and pointed towards the bathroom. She just gave a simple nod. I entered in and begun to change.
She wasn't opposed to the idea of me using the longsword, even if I'd had to openly carry it. That would make me more of a target, but in a scenario like this. I don't know if it matters. Maybe she wants me to take everything in the scenario going to the worse? Regardless, I began equipping all of my weapons as I placed the scabbard of the longsword across my back. Looking back at Gale, she was already prepared to leave. Her eyes glanced towards me before giving a nod. She silently began heading for the door as she motioned for me to follow. As we left the apartment a certain stressful burden was levied onto our bodies. I wanted to speak to ease tensions, but I felt it was best we remained silent and allowed some time to clear our minds for what was to come from this mission.
The walk towards the casino was about half an hour. During it, we noticed many people going the same way. Some could be spotted with bumps under their coats that were easily identifiable as a weapon. I couldn't speak as quite a few civilians gazed at me with a longsword on my back that was out in the open. Gale made sure to stay close near me during the entire walk. Her trench coat covered most of her body and concealed whatever weapons she had perfectly. She kept her hands stuffed within the pockets of the coat. Gazing at Gale made me want to adjust my attire as I adjusted my suit to look tidy for the occasion.
Closing in on the casino we began to see it at the end of the street. A big line jutted out of the entrance as Gale and I glanced at one another. We both walked towards the line as we noticed bounty hunters within the line itself. Gale went to the back as I stood right behind her and patiently waited, growing more impatient as time went on. Gazing back at the night sky it looked the same as I first came to this world. Starless, with no lights in it other than the illumination of the city. No planes or airships. The most you'd see is a car hovering a dozen or two feet where the roads were.
A few hours later the line closed in as Gale and I got to the front of the entrance. We showed our identification on our bracelets before entering the casino. The foyer of the casino was large and extravagant. Gold crowning on the walls and embroidered furniture everywhere. We were both told to head to the third floor of the building. The tedium of that task wasn't any lighter as all the elevators and stairwells were being flooded by fellow bounty hunters. Almost no one seemed dressed for the occasion of a casino. Many in tattered coats and other clothing that has been worn down.
Reaching the third floor there were half a dozen lines. Each line totaling the better half of a hundred people. Gale took my hand as we walked to what we believed was the shortest line and waited there. Gazing at the other hunters I began to see more with scars and intricate cybernetics on their body. Mostly pertaining to their eyes and hands where they are more easily viewed. Another hour passed as we got to an assistant at the end of the line. He assigned us both rooms right next to one another on the highest floor of the building. We entered into a cramped elevator as Gale interacted with the elevator's interface to go to the 22nd floor. Not a single word was spoken amongst all the riders. Slowly as the elevator kept going up, fewer and fewer hunters were in the elevator. Eventually, only Gale and I were in the elevator as we reached the final floor. At the end of the hall was my room and Gale's was right next. We both opened our rooms as Gale got a typical single-bedroom while mine at the end of the hallway was a luxurious suite. She gazed at my longsword on the back before giving a frustrated sigh. Closing the door to her room, she followed me into the suite. A kitchen and a master bedroom and bathroom were what made the difference in this room.
We both sat down on the couch with a relieved sigh of going through all the waiting. Gale began to close her eyes and relax while I got up just after sitting to check the fridge and the kitchen. It had seemed the pantry was stocked up and so was the fridge with different types of commodities. Most included preservable food and a lot of alcohol. I grabbed a container of peanuts as I began to munch on it silently. Before long, we had a thunderous shake within the building as Gale opened up her eyes and glanced at me. We both went towards the window as a more violent shake broke our balance and tripped. The shaking began to intensify more and more as we laid prone to the ground. Gale crawled closer to me as she grabbed my arm and held tight. We both closed our eyes until the tremors stopped. She let go of my arm and got up to slowly unveil the curtains that covered the window. She stood there speechless before I got up to gaze at it myself.
The entire building was floating in mid-air. A chunk of the earth was missing from where the foundation of the casino was first created as we began flying closer and closer to the night sky. However, we weren't just increasing in altitude, but we were moving more north of the city. Asphalt and concrete that was on the edge of the foundation began to crumble and fall off as we continue to move. I saw some people at the surface level of the casino yelling and panicking as a few bounty hunters decided to jump off. Some immediately revealed their esper abilities as they began levitating away. Moments, after they'd jump off a sniper, would pick them one by one, as the deafening sounds of the rifle could be heard from anywhere.
I began to feel sick in my stomach like I'd just come across a fate that would be worse than anything I have seen in my life yet. My hands involuntarily shook as I glanced over to Gale as she began to shake her limbs. I looked back at the window as I noticed the area we were heading towards had fewer lights illuminating its facilities.
We were heading towards the unsanctioned district of the city.