PROMO: Enigma

[Guest darktaken]

Sydney Harbour has one of the most spectacular waterfronts in the world. From the majesty of the Harbour Bridge to the bizarre, half-sea-shell half-sailboat roof of the Opera House, everywhere there is the sign of human endavour drenched in the golden sunshine of the great Southern continent. Come back from the water's edge and there are a myriad of different bars, restuarants and other leisure outlets with plenty of sea view for anyone who wants to sample it whilst enjoying themselves at the same time.

 

"Y'alright there, mate?" the barman says to his customer. It's an hour or so past midday, but the man has been there since opening.

 

"Same again please," the customer says quietly, pushing his glass back across the bar. The barman dutifully fills it up, tutting as he does so.

 

"You want to go easy on that stuff," he says with a wink, returning the soda, "it's early yet."

 

"I'm a hardened drinker," the other man deadpans, taking a long sip of his cooling beverage. Something on the TV mounted on the wall next to the bar catches his eye and he looks up, but it turns out to only be a report on gobal finance. The barman grimaces and picks up the remote control, then starts flicking channels.

 

"I can't stand all that economy stuff," he confides, "I guess it's important but it's just so goddamn boring. So what shall we have?" he continues, looking around. The few other patrons aren't paying any attention to the TV, so the choice is just between them. "A travel programme?"

 

The customer winces.

 

"How about some cricket?"

 

"Definitely not."

 

"Right, right..." the barman says, still flicking. Then he lights on something noisy and colourful and grins, sheepishly, "ah, wrestling. I always liked that. What do you reckon?" he asks his customer, who smiles slightly in response.

 

"It's as good as anything," he replies, taking another sip of his drink, "haven't watched it in a while, though."

 

For the next thirty minutes the SWF unfolds on the screen to the amusement of both men. Then, however, the customer stops talking. He sits bolt upright, eyes fixed on the TV, drink clutched in front of him but apparently ignored. The barman stops in the middle of a quip and looks at him, surprised.

 

"Hey mate, you alright?" he says with some concern.

 

"When was this?" the other man says, not taking his eyes from the TV. The barman looks up at the screen as if that will help him answer the question, then shrugs.

 

"Dunno, it's on tape delay down here. Hang on a sec, got a TV guide here somewhere..." He flicks through the pages until he finds what he wants, then tracks down the listings. "Er... yeah, this was February sometime."

 

"February?" the customer asks, shooting him a glance from behind the curtains of dark hair that fall down to his chin before staring up at the TV again. "Right..." Abruptly he stands, drains his drink and slaps a note down on the bar. "Keep the change. I've got a flight to catch."

 

"What, all of a sudden?" the barman says, surprised, looking back up at the TV for a second, then tries a joke to cover his confusion, "you gonna go buy tickets for it, or something?"

 

"Not exactly," the man says, picking a pair of dark glasses up and heading for the bright sunshine beyond the bar door. "It looks like I've got some unfinished business to take care of."

 

Now utterly bewildered, the barman looks up at the TV again, then back at his customer... and something clicks. The profile, the way of moving, the voice... and the eyes. Especially the eyes. Put them all together and...

 

"Hey!" he calls, causing the man to turn back around, "hey, I know you! Aren't you-"

 

"Unfortunately," the man nods. Then he puts his shades on, and steps out of the door.

[Angel_Grace_Blue 0]

Aww, yeah! Axis is back!