It Was 2052 Read Online Free

vegetables....a clear bottle with amber liquid and a glass with ice beside it, When it's bourbon, Brewer's is the Best.  Just as he was wondering what those huge red lips below exotic dark eyes were going to say, Eric spoke in his ear. 
    “Jack, pull the bag around to the front and be on your toes.” Jackson followed his friend's look to three men weaving their way towards them.  The men were older, heavier built and didn't have friendly looks on their faces.  As they got closer, they effectively cleared a path and moved menacingly forward. Trusting in Eric's street savvy, he moved the bag to his shoulder, between himself and Rose, who Eric had maneuvered between the two of them. One of the men gave a sneer that fell short of a smile and said, “Who-o-ee Red, aren't you a sight today?”
    All three young hands moved to their guns and Eric said, “Move on Asshole.”
    One of the men spit a nasty dark goo right at Eric's feet. The possessor of the sneer was suddenly rolling a pocket knife between his fingers.  Jackson was thinking that here was that confrontation he had avoided all this time, when a new figure joined the six of them.  From a nearby doorway, an imposing man with a holstered pistol on each hip, a rifle over his shoulder stepped out. The western style hat was no small piece of head wear and his pointed boots had a shine on them, his eyes invisible behind dark sun glasses.  He poked a finger, hard into the chest of the center man of the three, “Didn't I warn you not to be talking to or messing with any folks, par-tic-CU-lar-ly women folk, on these streets?” His voice was deep and had the tone of a croaking frog.
    The man straightened himself, made an effort not to flinch, “Yes sir.”
    “Unless you're missing them leg irons and the work crew, don't you let me so much as see you--- any of ya'll,” his head turned to each of them, “even blinking at any females. Got that?”
    The three just nodded and hustled away behind them, disappearing into the crowd.  The three young people let out a sigh of relief.  Eric stuck out his hand, “Thanks Sheriff. Those jerks are pure bad news.  Oh yeah, this is Jackson. He and I are the new carpenters at Brewer's. We're just out to do some trading, have some lunch.”
    “Nice to meet cha'” croaked the man. “On about yer bizness now.” He was walking away but turned, “Kid,” he appeared to be looking Eric's way, “Shoot first, ask questions later.”
    “Got it,” smiled Eric.
    The big red lips flashed across the screen again, a sexy voice was amplified over their heads, Come to Luciano Village and try a piece of my pizza, then a smacking sound.  They all laughed, Rose put her hands through both of the man's arm, “About three blocks down. Let's see what shopping we can do and it's Pizza for lunch.”  The sun was making a valiant effort to shine and the demolition derby in the street sprayed murky water on the inhabitants of the sidewalks of Big D.

Chapter Two
     
    Level Three
     
    It was Dallas, not the sprawling Texas city of the early twenty first century but still Dallas.  He had to admit that he was a “country boy” because he felt amazed at the vast difference between his hometown of Unity and this place. The city was an eclectic mixture of things he had only seen in books or old movies. The fascinating visions he had often watched on the vintage television in the common room at the family complex; pictures of modern life before the event and stories that depicted characters very much like the cowboy sheriff he had just met a few moments before. 
    It was well past lunch time when the three friends entered the pizza place on the lower floor of the Luciano Village.  They had gone in and out of several of the other villages, traded and purchased nearly all of the supplies Jackson and his helper needed.  The two men patiently waited on Rose as she looked through various offerings in the village markets.  Now Eric said, “Girl, it's