Neon is the Colour of Vengeance (Flappers and False Gods)

BOBBY

“ In the years leading up to The Scorching of 2189, world leaders had been long forewarned about the dangers of climate change…”

Bobby had long since fallen asleep in front of the television when there was a gentle knock at the door. They didn’t hear it.

“…By the time fire rained from the sky rendering the planet’s surface uninhabitable, several of the ocean colonies had already been built...”

The knock sounded again more forcefully, but Bobby slept on.

“… The first colony only had a single city perched at the top, but it wasn’t long before level after level of the conical structure was converted into matching cities high above the ocean… ”

It wasn’t until the door opened that they roused. They turned bleary eyes towards the sound. The man that stood there was like a vision of death with grey skin and sunken eyes.

“It’s finally my turn?”

Hugo nodded.

“Promise me you won’t hurt Dana.”

“I promise. She has nothing to fear from me.” Hugo stepped further inside and closed the door.

“For what it’s worth, I really am sorry.” They wanted to make sure Hugo knew that.

“I know, but it’s not enough. I didn’t expect you to disobey Sam, but you could have told me. I could have saved him.”

“So how do we do this? I won’t go quietly. I can’t. Dana would never forgive me if I didn’t try.”

“She’ll try and stop us if we do it here. We should go somewhere else.”

“How did you even get in here? Sam posted guards.”

“There are a few dead bodies downstairs.” Hugo shrugged. “How about the roof?”

“It has drama. I like it.” They stood up and stretched following Hugo out. “If this doesn’t go my way, tell Dana I love her. Tell her that I’ve made mistakes, and I’ve paid for them but that she’s the best of me.”

“I will.”

Together, they made their way through the fire escape and up the concrete stairs that led to the roof.

“Do you remember when we were sent to spy on that guy with the ice cream cart? You were what—twelve?”

Hugo smiled sadly. “He thought we were just cute kids, gave us free sundaes until Sam ordered us to kill him.”

“Our lives are fucked up.” They continued to climb. “We never had a chance.”

Finally, they crested the last set of stairs and pushed their way onto the roof top. It was a cold night; Bobby’s breath coiled in the air in front of them. Rain fell in sheets.

The roof was much like the others in the city, flat, rough concrete with metal piping. The perimeter was run with dim red lights designed to stop Jonks crashing into them in the dark.

“It’s a good night for it,” Bobby said, taking a deep breath.

Bobby felt an odd sort of peace. There was only one person on the planet that they cared about more than Hugo and that was Dana. He was their brother and their best friend, he had been their protector growing up, their best man. If they had to die, they couldn’t think of a better person to do it.

They moved over to the edge of the building to look out over the city. It really was beautiful. Tenebrium was a living breathing thing and Bobby loved it like an old friend. They loved the neon signs that lit up every building and the Jonks that flew through the air.

Hugo had been silent since stepping onto the roof, and Bobby wasn’t surprised when they turned back and saw that Hugo had his signature pistol trained on them.

“I don’t have it in me to fight you.”

“That’s cheating,” Bobby said wryly.

“I’m a killer.” Hugo smiled grimly.

“Just like Daddy wanted. I wanted so much more for us. We deserved so much better. What happened to Evan wasn’t your fault, you know?”

“Is that it?”

“He’s your father. Samuel is your father by blood. I thought you should know.”

“Doesn’t matter now.”

“When you kill him. End it. End it all. Wipe the Conti family off the map.”

“I promise.”

Bobby searched Hugo’s face. They saw no malice or anger, just pain. A pain they had helped inflict.

“Close your eyes.”

Bobby complied without a second thought.

BANG.

The shot came a moment later and they felt the dull burn as it pierced their chest. They stumbled backwards, their feet leaving the ground. They opened their eyes as they fell. The lights of the city blurred together as they plummeted, but Bobby only saw Hugo as he looked sadly down at them from the roof’s edge. As his face faded into darkness, so did Bobby. Their last thoughts were of Dana.

They were dead before they hit the ground.