Ro (A Cyberpunk Retelling of Romeo and Juliet)

RO MONTAGUE

"Benny, go!" I shout, training my weapon on Tibbs. "Get help!"

Benny runs, narrowly missing getting shot by Tibbs. Bullets burrow into my walls. I shoot back, but Tibbs dodges cleanly.

"Jules, to me." Tibbs holds out his hand. His other is gripped on the gun that's pointed at my chest.

I wrap my hand, silently, interlacing my fingers tight through Jules'. They grip my arm, even tighter if possible. Neither of us move.

"Ah, I see." Tibbs waves the gun now between the two of us. I try to shield Jules' body as much as possible. "One night together, and suddenly you're willing to die for one another? What, was their touch that good to you? A kiss worth dying for?" Tibbs snorts, waving at Jules again with his free arm. "Don't be stupid, Mx. Capulet. Ro Montague is a filthy drug lord and a thief."

Jules shakes their head, still wearing my mother's suit, smelling sweet, like tea. "Ro protects New Verona. Tibbs, why didn't any of you tell me? Tell me that the Capulets are forcing people from their homes. Building over their graves?"

Tibbs sighs, running a worn hand over his face, the premature wrinkles at his eyes and lips, all from worry. Nobody sleeps well with murder on their minds. "The Capulets do what we need to. To clean a city, you burn out the rats. You don't belong with these people, Jules."

Jules places a hand over their mouth to keep from sobbing aloud.

"Enough!" I growl, lifting my weapon evenly just as Tibbs does. "You murdered my best friend. Now you're terrorizing Jules? You're as cruel as you are stupid."

"Oh, please, you wouldn't dare—."

"Ro, watch it!"

Jules shoves me out of the way just in time before Tibbs can get a flawless shot. I react on instinct, squeezing the nano-trigger with imperfect aim. A bullet burns in answer through my shoulder, but my mark, somehow, hits too. Tibbs screams, clutching at his lung, the laser burning clean through his clothing.

I can't move my arm much, so I shift my gun over to my uninjured hand. My left isn't as good a shot as my right, but Tibbs is choking on his own body fluids. He falls to one knee as I limp over to him, spitting out blood.

"Good night, sweet prince." I lift the gun, press it to his temple.

"I'm glad." Tibbs sneers. "I'm glad that the bitch police officer is dead. I only regret—."

I don't let the vermin finish the thought.

Jules cries behind me, staring in shock at Tibbs. Staring, with wide eyes, at me. "Jules, please."

"No..." Jules draws their knees to their chest, huddled in a corner. "No, I don't want you. I didn't know what you were. What you are. Get away from me, murderer."

"Jules," I grimace. "There is no good side in this war."

"I'll call a hovercraft to get you back home." I pull Jules to their feet. "There's a stop-and-go eatery two streets down. Relatively safe. I know the owners. You can wait there for the craft to take you back to the north side." Where you belong, I think, but I dare not say it.

Jules nods, standing up without my help. "Don't ever call me again." They tell me.

"I won't," I soothe, wrapping a blanket tighter around them, to keep them from going entirely into shock. I think of the blood on my floor, the bodies I'll have to clean up with Benny's help. "I'll leave your life forever, if you wish it."

"I do." Jules murmurs, and those words hurt worst of all. "I want you gone, Ro Montague. Like you never lived."

I love you. They think, still connected by Lawrence's implant. I hate you. I love you... I hate...

I can hear your thoughts still. I reply, instinctively.

Jules turns to me. "Unless I force them to stop altogether."

Chills run through me at the implication.

***

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