Alex found his way through the wet pavement as he walked on it under the drizzling night. On his left colorful stores lined up across the street, decorating the city's busy life with vibrant neon. A lot of people can be seen minding their business; some having a conversation, some just sitting around and some walking to various places-keeping the city alive no matter what and when. From afar, various skyscrapers can be seen, painting the skies. His leg stopped in front of a huge building, that turned out a bar called "Moonlit", he got inside, looking at his surroundings, the place was crowded as usual. The couch on the right filled with men and women, on the left he spots a billiard game, other room shows a hectic group was dancing to loud techno music. He found a sit on the bar stool, face to face with the bartender. He is a man in his late 40s, he has a nice and groomed mustache, his body is slightly fat with no sign of cyberware augmentation, and his hair is black-short and slicked back reaching his back neck.
"Stinks as usual," Alex said, smirking at the bartender.
"Shut your ass, kid." Bartender snickered.
"As usual?"
"No, I wanna try something new."
Alex scrolls a holographic menu on the table to choose various cocktails. His eye lay on a drink called sour punch.
"This one."
"You sure you can handle it?"
"Just make it, old man." He said impatiently.
The bartender just laughs, shakes his head at Alex's response, then immediately makes his order. A moment later his drink appears in front of him. Alex gulped the small glass and winced due to its strong taste.
"Damn! It's very sour."
"Told you."
The bartender takes the glass back and then puts it in the automatic dishwasher. Keep it clean and ready to use.
"So… how's is it going? And what happened to your job?"
"Well, it's a rough day for me, can't believe the so-called justice shit corps having such a scandal. I lost everything in one night, you know."
The bartender nods, contemplating his words.
"I see… so how is this happened?"
Alex relaxes his position and tells the story…
An hour ago, at Neovista Justice Corps precinct 27.
When Alex arrived at the precinct, he saw nothing but a commotion, cars from news agencies, government agents even another corps were parked outside, scattered and blocking the way. He tries to make his way inside and is halted by another enforcer.
"Stop! Where do you think you going?"
"Inside of course, what else."
"Can't do that bud, don't you see it's a prohibited area?"
"I can, smart-ass. I, too police like you, so let me in!"
"Proof?"
Alex pulls out his badge from his jacket and shows it. The enforcer checks it with a scanning tool to make sure it's authentic. The tool shows a brief information:
System Output:
"Authenticating…
Name: Alex Mercer
Badge ID: NJC-27-458723-22
Rank: Sergeant
Status: Inactive"
"Yeah… it's real though. But you're no longer active as one."
"The hell you mean by that!''
He lets Alex look at the scanner's info and finds out he was inactivated one-sided without him knowing anything. Alex clenches his fists, his teeth tightened, and frustration consumes him.
"Why is this happening? Who did this!"
"Government, bud, why do I care their stuff."
"No, I mean why is this happening?"
"Don't you know it? Your boss got a big sum to cover corporate's shady business."
"Then why did I get fired!?"
"I don't know, bud! Told you it's government stuff, besides, your peers also impacted."
A moment passed, and reporters started to swarm a fat man whose arms were guarded by two people on his left and right. Alex knows who he is, that's Morrison, his upper that made him jobless because of his greed. He rushes to the crowd and starts cursing Morris.
"Damn you, Fatso! I lost my stupid job because of you idiot!"
He keeps cursing in anger, his eyes are filled with unbridled rage until he lashes out by punching his face and making him fall. Morris, without shame, stood up and fought back by launching a verbal attack.
"Shut up, you scum! I should have fired you yesterday!"
Hearing those words, Alex once again tried to beat him out but was unable because another police held him.
"Relax, bud. No need for unnecessary violence here, everything's under control."
Alex gets up and fixes his jacket. "Everything will be under control when I finish beating him to death."
"And get inside the jail? What a smart-ass."
His body was tired, his mind burning, he was disappointed and went home with a heavy heart. Suddenly, someone grabbed his shoulder and it was the enforcer from earlier.
"What again?"
"Forgot your prize."
The enforcer handed him a sealed envelope. He opens it and checks over the letter. It turned out Alex's dismissal was even before Morrison was caught by the government. In the end, Alex's inactivation is because of his insubordination with no ties to corruption which he believes is his downfall. Seeing this, Alex sighs under his breath.
"Fuck."
Had nothing to do anymore as his fate was sealed, and he decided to go to Moonlit and forget his pain.
------
The bartender just laughs at the end part of his story, he finds his suffering amusing, and instead of being a corruption scandal victim so his rage is justified, he throws himself into his own misery. Alex frowns at his reaction, clicking his tongue-annoyed.
"Haha, funny?"
The bartender wipes his tears from too much laughing and then starts to regain his composure, he feels bad indeed, but it's just funny with the twist he unexpected.
"Sorry for that, I didn't mean to."
"I don't believe it."
The bartender sighs, "How about a free drink for this night? Let's say it's my sorry."
Alex perked up hearing it, feeling his sorrow stripped out from his body. This night perhaps is the most unlucky-lucky for him, but, does having a free drink compare to losing a job fair? Well, Alex doesn't bother with his thoughts, at least for now.
"Now now, that's what I called a friend, pass me another, Gus!"
Gustav rolls his eyes and passes him another drink. It is better than having him listening to Alex's stupid grumbles, it's just for a night though, he thinks.