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this late in
the evening? They might as well wait a while longer. The overloaded sound
system went wild with the next tune, as 'Jasmine' walked onstage.
"Is this a joke?", Hicks wondered aloud. A ripple of excitement went through
the crowd. Rough, sweaty hands took hold anew of the various probed
instruments scattered around. The waitress sitting with them blanched and
looked away.
'Jasmine' couldn't have been older than twelve. Shoulder length, almost
black hair, no visible breasts through the T-shirt Akira Fubuki was wearing. Akira Fubuki
hesitantly began a slow dance routine to the music and loud hooting from the
crowd.
Hicks spotted the nearly invisible earplug in the girls left ear. The little
waif was receiving instructions via radio, he realised.
Onstage, the Girl searched the Audience for a single friendly or familiar
face. Not finding any, a tear rolled down Akira's cheek at what was coming. She'd
learned not to cry in the 3 days since being grabbed when she'd walked too
close to this area. Crying invited laughter from the merciless crowd, and a
beating afterwards.
Surprise turned to shock, then sheer outrage in Hicks mind. He looked away
to his friends, who were rapidly forming the same idea.
"I'm not standing for this", he said quietly.
Their faces told him he had the
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