Digital Souls by Kipp Martines

Author:Kipp Martines
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-01-21T14:22:54+00:00

“It really seems to me that in the midst of great tragedy, there is always the horrible possibility that something terribly funny will happen.”

—Philip K. Dick

Chapter 7

Ashes to Ashes Dust to Dust Club, Boomtown District

Phineas Ashe liked to think of himself as a businessman. He won this night club in a game of chance many years ago. When he became low on funds or business didn’t support the renovations he made, he contracted other kinds of work. Some of those jobs may have been a little less than ethical, or legal, but it was all business to him. He was a big believer in the theory, “After me comes you.” It had served him well all his life. He never knew his father. His mother was a single working parent, washing clothes and babysitting kids for extra money. He rarely had shoes or clothes that fit. Usually they were handed down by his many brothers who all had different daddies than him. He knew that when he grew up, this wasn’t the life for him. He was meant for bigger things…greater things.

Working the streets and hustling drunken patrons in pool halls got him by with enough money to enter a craps game that changed his life. Old man Dowry was down on his luck and no one would take his wager. But Phineas did, and two rolls later, he owned the night club. It was a shame that the building caught on fire the next night with Dowry and that family stuck inside. But GEN-TEC repaired the damage and made it good as new. That was over thirty years ago. Now Ashes to Ashes was one of the hottest night clubs around. People came from all over Boomtown, Green Zone, and the Dust Bowl to party, dance, drink, and get high in his club. He loved it. Looking around from behind the bar, Phineas Ashe surveyed his kingdom. He had made this all on his own. Phineas knew he would rather die young shaking his ass on the lighted dance floor than laying old in his bed. He poured him himself a dark amber drink and said out loud, “Life’s a Bitch and then you die.” Swallowing the shot in one gulp, he tossed his glass into the sink and walked into his club to mingle.

Outside, Tank was doing his job at checking people at the door. Mr. Ashe had been furious about letting that cop in the other day. He told Tank if it ever happened again, he would cut off one foot and make him hobble for the rest of his life. That didn’t sound like a good idea to Tank. He’d have a heck of a time trying to find someone who would just sell him one shoe. Pretty ladies and men lined up down the street. The Ashes to Ashes doorman collected the money and Tank just checked them for weapons and other safety concerns. A scanner encased in a plastic sphere would check out each person and give Tank a read out.

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