XxXNobukoXxX

            Dusty lamps flickered in the nearly empty bar, casting a dim orange glow over the old metallic furniture. The usual closing time was six hours away but this particular establishment was open at all hours. Yes, the lights went out to signal it was closed in cooperation with the strict curfew in effect, but people could come and go as they pleased as long as they were willing to pay and didn’t cause any trouble.            The bar was a rare neutral place in the tumultuous and often violent Zones.            Front doors swung open with a creak and the bartender looked up from the musty glass in his hand. He had a fondness