23:23:04 Sunday, 21 January 2063 – northbound on 140th Ln, Redmond, Seattle

Mac could barely stay still in the front seat as Mario drove on, she kept on the lookout for the Star or anyone on their tail.

"We are going to have to ditch this car on or somewhere near the docks. It's got a short life-cycle at best, that suit was totally Corp and if this was one of their toys..."

Her concern and logic was met with a gruff nod and a sound of disgust from Mario as he cut across town on the side streets and tertiary roads.

"I'm sure one of my guys will loan us some wheels if we need 'em."

23:51:19 Sunday, 21 January 2063 – Complete-U-Store, N 142nd St, Downtown, Seattle

As the Saab rolled up to the gates of the storage facility that was minded by a different guard than the one who was there almost 12 hours prior, she was once again admitted by providing Kovacs' security code and the quickly found a parking spot inside the gated lot.

Mac was practically out of the car the moment it came to a complete stop. Mario didn't bother to lock it up as he caught up with her by the time she hit the doors to the facility. Too much was at stake to spend too much time here and potentially lose a valuable lead on the guys from Winternight so her speed increased once they were inside and she headed directly for the storage locker. The only questions she was entertaining was just how much of Kovacs stash was she going to liberate from the locker tonight and if she'd even have a chance to come back again.

Her fingers glided over the keypad, pressing in the code that was so ingrained in her memory and after a moments hesitation the door began to roll up once more.

00:08:37 Monday, 22 January 2063 – southbound Greenwood Ave N, Downtown, Seattle

Mac ducked under the door before it was halfway up, her eyes scanning the piles of unmarked boxes and bags as the overhead halogens flickered on.

Black duffel second from the right in the corner, grab it.

Kovacs' electronic command brooked no discussion, and she stepped quickly to drag it towards her. She recognized it immediately as the one they'd bought at The Emporium, and by its weight, it still held all of the clothes and gear they'd picked up together.

Mid-size slate gray soft-side weapon case, that one there, grab it. Go!

Mac pointed, then shifted in response to his confirmation, slinging the unassuming rectangle of cordura and webbing over her shoulder before dragging the heavy duffel into the hall. She slapped the lock closed, waiting until the door rolled to within a hand's breadth of the floor. Straining, she heaved the duffel over her shoulder, something sharp digging into her back, and staggered out into the parking lot. She dumped everything into the backseat of the Saab before climbing in after it.

"Go. Go!" she directed, and Mario put his foot in it again, the turbine winding aggressively as the sports car arrowed out of the parking lot. Mac shucked off her jacket, then undid the busks of the corset top. She felt the Saab lurch, and glanced up to meet Mario's eyes in the rearview mirror.

"Eyes on the road, jackass," she commented drily, not bothering to cover up.

"Sorry," muttered Mario.

Mac opened up the duffel bag, rummaging through until she found the Vashon Island packages. She remembered undergarments as well, pawing through the collection until she found one of the workout compression shirts. It would do until she got a proper bra. Both shirts were crinkly, unwashed and smelling of factory manufacture. For all that, Mac felt infinitely more comfortable with them on, a psychic armor that told her once more how far she'd come from the life she'd known. Pants, socks, and boots followed, her eyes finding the serial number with the EOD ending that Kovacs had found so important. She laced them tightly before transferring the holster for her pistol to her strong side hip. It jabbed her uncomfortably until she remembered the adjustment she'd made.

"Hey, gimme yer multitool," she said, holding her hand out. Mario fumbled at his belt before passing the leatherman back to her. She undid the screws, realigning them to what they had been. The holster rode correctly afterwards. All of Frankie's borrowed clothes went back into the duffel bag, and Mac drew the weapon case into her lap. Undoing the zip, she watched as the streetlight slid wetly over the smooth, organic curves of the P93. Four full magazines of ammo were tucked into pouches on the top half of the case. Sliding one out, she fit it to the magazine well of the weapon, seating it home with a satisfying finality. Grasping the charging handle, she put the weapon into battery.

Your shirt has epaulet tabs, undo the buttons on them. Then slip your arms through the sling loops, make sure the long strap goes across your back.

Mac struggled to follow the unfamiliar instructions, untangling the sling but still taking two tries to get it set right. She buttoned the straps back up so they kept the sling in place around her shoulders.

The weapon will ride muzzle down on your right side. There's a clip on the left side of the upper receiver which hooks to your belt. When you're going to employ the weapon, just push down on the pistol grip before bringing the stock to your shoulder. The clip will pop free. The long coat that goes along with your Actioneer set will conceal the weapon for the most part.

Mac nodded, remembering a night not too long ago, and how even the bulk of an Ares Alpha disappeared for the most part beneath a long coat. She left the weapon resting in her lap for the time being.

Is this right? she demanded. Are we doing the right thing?

You're asking the wrong question. It's not about right or wrong right now, it's about making good decisions. Sound tactical decisions. You're doing well. You have good instincts. Trust them.

00:43:19 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Port of Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle

I'd make better decisions knowing you were there beside me

The stabbing sense of loss that punctuated her thought could be felt by both of them as she fell silent in the back seat while Mario continued to angle the pair southwest towards the docks. They had driven minutes or miles in silence and as Mac brooded in the darkness as the pavement slipped by beneath them.

Absently her fingers patterned over the hard, lethal lines of the P93 laid across her lap, the metal and polymers both warming and cooling between her touch and the chill of the night air. Somehow it focused her, steeled her resolve for what they might be required to do. She leaned over and dug out the longcoat from the duffle, settling it about her shoulders in both a final act of defiance against her old life and a calming measure of her new.

"How much further do you think?"

"Ten, maybe fifteen."

She caught Mario's gaze in the rear view mirror and gave him one silent, confident nod. She pulled the extra loaded mags from the weapon's case and slid them into various pockets of the coat, finding their extra weight somehow reassuring in an entirely odd way not just for the additional ammunition.

When they finally hit the outskirts of the ports, Mario slowed and pulled to the side of the road not far from the main gates which were chained and guarded by multiple men, some of which Mac guessed belonged to O'Malley.

"You have the clout to get us onto the terminals by car, or are we finding a way in through a backdoor?"

00:58:26 Monday, 22 January 2063 – 1400 block of 54th Ave E, Tacoma, Seattle

"Hell, I ain't got that kind of pull," snorted Mario. He gestured towards the bright neon lights of the food trucks parked across the road. "I figured we could just canvas the crowd and see what info we could pull."

Mac nodded. "All right, you lead since they're your buddies, and I'll stick close behind. If there's trouble, I'll cover our retreat to the car. Sound like a plan?"

There was a new respect in Mario's eyes. The slim woman in the back seat of the Saab spoke with a certainty that was lacking only a week ago when she'd guided them in to Winternight's safe house. Together they exited the vehicle, Mac taking a moment to adjust the ride of her weapon and settle the fall of her long coat over it. She still felt exposed and vulnerable, her skin prickling with memories of the last time she'd operated solo with Mario. The firepower slung at her side did not reassure her, not like having Kovacs and Tristan on call to back her up would have. She bit down on her tongue, shutting down that train of thought with the sharp pain, and followed Mario into the crowd of longshoremen milling about the food trucks.

The ork had a casual, easy air about him, sliding through the crowd until he ran across a familiar face. Mac kept to the outside of the crowd, closer to the center of the street. Any glances that came her way, she turned back with a flat, uninterested stare. She hadn't checked, but she was sure that at least a bit of her make-up had come off during her hasty change in the car, revealing some of the still livid bruises beneath.

She kept an eye on the street as well as the buildings and warehouses behind them, tracking Mario's progress but doing her best to be aware of everything in the environment. Her AR was virtually empty, and she wished for Drift's presence on the net, and the multitude of information provided by his drones. If she and Mario were going to make a go of this, they'd need some kind of matrix support. She glanced down at her hand, imagining for a moment the fiery blue code that Isomer had given her. At least matrix support that was more active.

Mario ambled out of the crowd, tossing a few comments over his shoulder as he did so. There was a tension in his eyes, though, and he gestured towards the car.

"Good news and bad news," he confided, his voice pitched to carry only to her. "I sold our ride for enough that we can pick up some used wheels. I gotta friend who works a shop that's usually open late."

"Late?" interjected Mac, concerned now that she was going to have to carry the bag of gear she'd pulled from the storage locker. "It's one a.m.!"

"Easy, sister," Mario held up a hand. "I didn't say it was exactly a legal kind of shop. I called him earlier and he'll be there with some stock we can look at. Bad news is, though, that whatever is going on, the port's closed up tight. The guys said that there's a bunch of extra security crawling over the docks, lots of random ID checks, vehicle searches, whole nine yards. If this was Winternight's way out, it's no good to them anymore. We're gonna have to look someplace else."

The ork opened the back door of the Saab as he spoke, casually hefting the duffel bag over his shoulder with an ease that belied its weight. Mac slung the weapon case across her back.

"It's not completely bad news," said Mac, following across the street as Mario headed for the cab stand. "At least we crossed this place off our list."

"That's true, I suppose." Mario dropped the duffel bag into the trunk of the electric commuter taxi, an older Dodge Swift model. Mac slid into the backseat, tucking the case down by her feet as the ork gave the driver directions.

01:17:49 Monday, 22 January 2063 – 3727 S G St, Tacoma, Seattle

Mario led them around back of the auto parts store as the cab disappeared into the urban wilds of Tacoma, crossing a narrow alleyway to a fenced off lot. Mac was glad once more for the weight of the weapon on her right side, her eyes flickering up the alleyway at the multitude of shadowed doorways that could have hidden a platoon of enemies. Cheap floodlights burned in the fenced area, their sulfurous orange light leaking through cracks in the plastic sheeting tacked to the chainlink. Mario rattled the gate.

"Yo, Burner!" he called.

"Not so loud, omae!" came the sharp reply from just inside the lot. A padlock and chain jangled, and the gate rolled back, revealing a younger, hispanic looking human. He glanced up and down the alleyway before standing aside to let them enter.

"Good to see you, too." Mario's grin was once more loose and friendly. He set down the heavy duffel to the side as Burner closed the gate behind him. As he did, Mac caught sight of his hands, the smooth, mottled scars answering where the nickname came from.

"Yeah, yeah. All right, your bankroll still eight large? I got a nice Hyundai here, clean paint job and new rims. Or there's the Americar over there, not much to look at it but it's got a couple of extras on it."

"Extras?" asked Mac.

"Yeah, nothing fancy," replied Burner. He opened the door of the vehicle, reaching under the dashboard. The digital barcode on the front license plate shivered and altered.

"They call it a 'morphing plate', has some electrochemical treatment which gives you the ability to switch the license plate. Also has a spoof ID chip that you can change to match the plate so Grid Guide or the Star won't cotton to you."

Mario opened his mouth, glancing back towards the Hyundai.

"We'll take it," said Mac. "Pay him."

01:21:13 Monday, 22 January 2063 – 3727 S G St, Tacoma, Seattle

Mario turned his head towards Mac more rapidly than a casual glance but his argument died on his lips when he caught the look in her eyes while her face remained blank and impassive. This was the car, and she wasn’t about to be swayed towards the other option. The ork turned his attention back towards Burner and slipped back into his casual street swagger as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

“What the woman wants. The woman gets.” He flashed a toothy grin at his contact before sealing the deal with the cred obtained from the Saab.

A slight smile ghosted across Mac’s features for an instant pleased that the Americar would have at least a couple of extras that the truck had. The car would blend in with most of the traffic around the city and wouldn’t call enormous amounts of attention to the two of them while they were seeking out Winternight.

“At least you won’t have to drive around with your head out the sunroof in that one.”

01:32:25 Monday, 22 January 2063 – 3727 S G St, Tacoma, Seattle

"True that," replied Mario. Nevertheless, the ork had to adjust the seat fully back and fully down before it was remotely comfortable. He futzed with the lumbar support as well, settling and resettling to make sure it was just right. Burner watched with some amusement, having satisfied himself that their cred was good and deducting the negotiated amount. Mario had stashed the oversized duffel bag in the trunk, but Mac waited until Burner's gaze was turned away before she unclipped the submachine gun and returned it to its weapon case. She found the car to be suitably anonymous, the outer body was a light metallic bronze while the gray interior was happily stain free. Sliding into the passenger side, she watched as Mario paged through the control center's AR display. He searched through the available music selections before settling on something catchy and urban.

"All right," he said, running his hands over the steering wheel with a smile. "Where to next?"

01:51:38 Monday, 22 January 2063 – 3727 S G St, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac chewed on her lip for a minute while she thought about their next steps.

"Let's let Burner close it down for the night if he needs to and we'll drive around and think this through."

Mario obliged and they left the lot with a nod to Burner as he locked the gates behind them as they drove off. They were moving about the streets aimlessly and getting a better feel for the state of the metroplex as well as what they'd be working against.

"What's keeping them from trying to do what we did and find a vehicle to leave Seattle in? If they went that route, we may be Derek out of luck trying to track them."

The thought that they could get away flared a new level of anger inside her and she growled in frustration.

"We need additional help to do this and have a chance to ferret them out if they're still here. With just the two of us it could take forever. We need technical support, we can pound the pavement but if we had someone who could search the electronic trails..."

Her companion nodded as he drove but she continued on.

"I know someone who might be willing to help, but I doubt they'll come cheap. Even for a good cause."

02:08:19 Monday, 22 January 2063 – driving aimlessly through Tacoma, Seattle

Mario had to turn around mid-block to avoid the debris from a pair of street lamps felled across the street. Mac couldn't tell from the wreckage if it was by accident or design. A forlorn flag of Lone Star caution tape fluttered in the wind.

"Well, there's no harm in asking at least. Worst they could say is no. Although given what we've seen of the damage, I'm not sure the matrix is a safe place to be right now."

The ork took a moment to stare glumly at his commlink. "Not even sure you can get anything online. I still don't have a data connection."

Mac cursed, realizing that their spotty coverage probably meant that the public nets weren't fully repaired yet. The corporate grids would be first on the list, but the matrix infrastructure frequented by the rest of humanity was of less concern. She wasn't even sure that the illegal tap location that she and Tristan first visited would even be operational anymore. Let alone how to get access past the bouncer.

I supposed it's too late for Zeyda, she thought glumly.

During this crisis? Yes, otherwise you could probably catch him. I'm willing to bet, though, that Geisty is still open for business.

02:12:48 Monday, 22 January 2063 – driving aimlessly through Tacoma, Seattle

Smart. Keeps us from sitting on our hands until we can reach out to Zeyda and Isomer

Mac instantly warmed to the idea of going back to Geisty's, not just for the real coffee but she was near certain it would still be standing. It was even more likely however, that the Guild's proprietor would have his ear to the ground on the more shady comings and goings via alternate routes from the city.

"How do you feel about coffee?"

It was a rhetorical question really, she was already leaning towards the center console to plug in the location into the car's nav, but she did catch the look of delight on a fellow caffeine addict's face out of the corner of her eye. Mario questioned the location she had plugged in, but pointed the car in that direction.

"It's contingency plan D." She offered with a slight shrug of her shoulders as if it explained everything.

03:02:53 Monday, 22 January 2063 – The Bard's Guild, 521 Lincoln Ave, Downtown, Seattle

By the time the pair had pulled up outside Geisty's, the streets of downtown were a shell of their former selves, the building still stood, a few visible scars on its exterior, but still standing.

A little like me. she thought as Mario found a spot to leave the car that wouldn't put it in immediate danger of being stolen.

When she stepped out of the car, she rechecked the ride of her pistol before she buttoned the front of her coat and fell in step beside Mario as they carefully approached the front door. She was on guard only because she had no idea of the mood of those beyond the front door.

"We're on our best behavior."

"I know the place sister, didn't know it was in your radar however."

Mac opened her mouth to reply but was cut short by the front door being thrown open.

03:14:06 Monday, 22 January 2063 – The Bard's Guild, 521 Lincoln Ave, Downtown, Seattle

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in," Geist leaned against the doorjamb, making a show of checking out Mac as she walked up the two steps to the entrance foyer.

"You talkin' to me or her?" inquired Mario, a step behind. The brawler that Mac remembered from her first visit was standing behind Geist, an oversized automatic weapon cradled in his arms.

Ingram Valiant light machine gun, answered Kovacs to her unasked question.

He wore a couple of bandages, one around his arm and the other plastered on the left side of his head, and didn't look any happier than he had the first time she'd stopped by.

"Any chance we could still get a cup of coffee?" inquired Mac, ignoring the rest of the conversation. She flashed Geist a tired smile. The ork was more intuitive than she gave him credit for, compassion in his eyes as he nodded.

"Of course, honey." He stepped back, and the three of them moved to the bar together. The guard remained behind, staring tensely out at the street.

The house blend was as hot and delicious as she remembered, and Mac fought to keep the other memories of that night from crowding in on her.

"Glad to see you guys made it through all right," said Mario, slurping noisily from his own cup.

Geist nodded, although his mask of urbane carelessness slipped for a moment. "Not gonna lie, it was touch and go there for a bit. Luckily we're no strangers to mobs wanting to ruin our day."

03:25:19 Monday, 22 January 2063 – The Bard's Guild, 521 Lincoln Ave, Downtown, Seattle

Mac clutched at her mug of coffee with her left hand like it was a lifeline, letting the heat sink into her fingers as the caffeine moved through her veins and used both in a way to center herself and her thoughts. She watched Geist carefully, her own mask of neutrality just barely in place, knowing full well that if the man studied her well enough, her dark eyes would hold back no secrets. She refocused her thoughts towards those responsible and away from what had been stolen from her. She hoped if Geist truly looked, he'd see only anger and revenge burning there and not the heartbreak.

“Under normal circumstances, you know I wouldn’t think twice about crossing half the city for such an exquisite cup of coffee, however you and I both know these aren’t normal circumstances.”

She leaned forward slightly, running the matte grey fingers of her mis-sized right hand through her spiky black hair. She caught the second slight slip in Geist's façade before he corrected himself, though whether it was from fatigue or surprise she wasn't sure.

"Plenty has been lost, Geist." Her voice was edged with anger and her hands fisted tightly before she dropped them both to her lap beneath the table.

"While I'm grateful to know you're still standing, we didn't come entirely for a welfare check. I know you have a finger on the pulse of the city in a way some of us can't even begin to fathom. Holding sway over ways in and out of the city, perhaps."

She felt Mario tense slightly beside her, but she didn't hesitate to continue.

"There's a group of individuals who are going to try to leave Seattle through less than conventional means. A group of European men who are growing more desperate as avenues of egress are closing to them. I want them so desperate they make a mistake, and I can find them before they ghost."

03:31:53 Monday, 22 January 2063 – The Bard's Guild, 521 Lincoln Ave, Downtown, Seattle

Geist paused to savor a swallow of coffee, pale eyes glittering in the soft illumination of the cafe.

"You've picked up some bad habits from your mentor," he commented, setting the oversized mug down so he could rest his fingers on the back of Mac's hand. "I'm sorry for your loss."

The touch is sincere, though thankfully brief.

"I'm afraid I'm not going to be much help, though. I only deal with intercity movements, not any that cross the border. You're right, though, these gentlemen aren't going to want to hang out for much longer. You're not the only ones looking for them."

"Who else?" asked Mario, although the same question was on the tip of Mac's tongue.

"Old friends," replied Geist, although it was obvious that they were anything but. "They're interested in the same thing you are, though: revenge."

Mac and Mario traded glances. The ork gestured in a way that meant I'll tell you later, but Geist was speaking again anyway.

"There's a Flying J truckstop, north of here on the 5 on the border between Everett and Snohomish. The restaurant there, Laughlin's, is a favored hangout for those who specialize in cross-border transportation. If your Europeans are seeking a fast way out of the city, more than likely that's where they're going to find a ride."

03:42:25 Monday, 22 January 2063 – The Bard's Guild, 521 Lincoln Ave, Downtown, Seattle

Mac inclined her head slightly towards Geist to match the simple words that fell from her lips.

"Thank you."

To her left, Mario made a show of draining the last of the coffee from the mug and rising slowly and deliberately to his feet. Mac followed his lead, sadly leaving half of her coffee unfinished. She let her gaze drift towards Geist until it caught his eyes as she lowered her voice for his ears.

"I owe you for this, and I intend to repay it."

She didn't linger, falling in step a pace behind Mario as he strode towards the door. They brushed past the establishment's muscle and made a bee line for the car, both their minds on the same end result but processing it with different filters. As she pulled open the passenger door she flashed a sly smile in her companion's direction.

"Up for a road trip? I think you have a story to share to occupy us on the drive."

She was met with a matching toothy grin and a nod as he ducked into the driver's seat.

"By the way, how many languages do you speak?" She asked as she clicked her seatbelt into place.

04:03:19 Monday, 22 January 2063 – northbound I-5, Downtown, Seattle

Mario glanced quizzically at Mac before concentrating on the road.

"I can get by with Cityspeak and Orzzet, but I would only say that I speak one language."

Mac nodded. "Just curious, I don't want to give up any edge against these guys. They might assume that we don't speak their language and give away details of their plan."

"Yeah, sorry."

She shrugged. "Null sweat, just a thought. So what did Geist mean by old friends?"

Mario's face congealed. "At its largest extent, the Underground abuts the foundation of the RenRaku Arcology. During the Shutdown, both the UCAS government as well as Ares negotiated a deal to let troops move through the Underground's tunnels in order to access the Arcology. I wasn't there for the deal, but I helped contain the fallout. It kinda confirmed the worst that we thought about the corps. I'm guessing that Geist was referring to Ares, but I'm not sure why they'd be looking for our guys."

Ares Firewatch teams led the way into the Arcology along with UCAS MARSOC troops. They know it was Deus who caused the most recent matrix crash and are working the trail back. If Geist gave them the same info as you, they're liable to be casing the Flying J stop right now. Firewatch won't move without solid intel, but when they do, they're going to come with overwhelming force. If you get any hint of surveillance, back off. You may be able to find an opportunity in the fog of war, but don't push it.

04:38:13 Monday, 22 January 2063 – northbound I-5, Downtown, Seattle

I just want to be sure none of the rats manage to slip the trap.

Mac felt the buzz beneath her skin as the anger threatened to burn through her again. She flexed her hands and tightened them trying to dissipate the feelings, trying to keep control. Tamping down her emotions in the past had never been a problem before, but this was different. Kovacs had made everything different.

I can't... I won't let them get away.

Mac put her booted feet carefully on the dash as she leaned back in her seat and focused her gaze on the ceiling of the car. A few cleansing, deep breaths later she tossed out her thoughts on what would come when they hit the truckstop.

"Since I'm not even certain we'll recognize anyone, I figure we can park a little ways out, head inside and get the lay of the land. Maybe a bite to eat if you're hungry? Maybe someone will catch our eyes or ears while we enjoy some more coffee on our road trip."

04:51:26 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Laughlin's, Flying J Truck Stop #0583, Seattle

First rule of revenge is make sure you stay alive to enjoy it.

Kovacs' voice was even colder than usual, and Mac knew he spoke from experience. Mario, not privy to the silent conversation, nodded.

"Sounds good. Definitely could go for some food and it would give us good cover for being there."

It was a long ten minutes to their destination. Mac guessed that a working business like this would frown on anything heavier than her pistol, leaving her nothing to do to get ready. The interstate was clear for the most part, insulated from the worst of the damages due to its limited access and more robust pilot ratings of the drones plying its length. They still passed plenty of accident wreckage, bulldozed to the shoulders by the responding emergency vehicles and Lone Star cruisers. The early morning darkness hid the rest. Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't feel the car's speed change as they took the offramp, only snapping out of her fugue when Mario spoke, his voice low and charged.

"We're here."

Backing into a spot with a good line towards the parking lot's exit, they stepped out of the car and crossed the damp pavement to the warm interior of the truck stop. The building's lines were utilitarian, prefab construction with pressed construction plastic dressing. The restaurant was much the same, monochrome tables and chairs spaced evenly around a linoleum countertop. Surprisingly, most of the tables were full, with a broad spectrum of metatypes represented. At the nod of a tired looking waitress, Mac and Mario slid into a table against the near wall.

05:16:38 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Laughlin's, Flying J Truck Stop #0583, Downtown, Seattle

She had swept her gaze across the parking lot as they made their way into the truckstop. Noting the various mix of vehicles and semis that littered the area surround the building.

Once inside, Mac settled into the table, turning her body in the chair so her back was against the wall and her feet splayed out on the chair beside her in casual indifference, another road-weary traveler looking for coffee and food.

Kovacs' words still lingered in her head and she knew she needed to listen. Her dark eyes moved from Mario's face as they made harmless conversation about the drive, and she did a cursory glance around the restaurant space. She was trying to use what she had learned from her mentor, trying to spot not only the transporters but any sign of Ares as well.

Mario was almost finished ordering enough food for himself to feed a small army, when the waitress turned her tired eyes to Mac.

"And for you hon?"

"Just coffee and scrambled eggs please."

The woman nodded with a exhausted, weak smile and turned away from the table once again giving Mac and Mario the privacy of a busy dining room filled with the constant buzz of conversation to hold their own.

"Anything look good to you?" She posed the question to her dark, and silent companions.

05:31:29 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Laughlin's, Flying J Truck Stop #0583, Everett, Seattle

Mario took a swallow of water, his eyes scanning the interior of the restaurant in a deliberate pattern. Mac checked the parking lot through the window before focusing on the reflection of her fellow patrons.

"There's a couple of guys at the bar who aren't trucker types," replied the ork, his voice casual and pitched only loud enough for her to hear. "And the dwarf two tables over has too much ware for a simple driver. Not sure about any of the others, although there's two guys in back who I can' get a good bead on. There's something off about them."

Mac nodded non-comittaly. She had pegged the dwarf right away, too. She was less sure about the guys at the counter, they all looked the same to her. She couldn't get an eye on the two in back that Mario was uncertain about. The restrooms were back that way, though, so sometime during their meal she could wander past and check them out.

"Any idea how you wanted to play this?"

She shrugged. "Not much of one. I'm gonna have some breakfast and then drop some hints to those guys at the counter real casual like. Then play it from there."

"'Bout what I figured," replied Mario. "I can hit up some of the guys around back in the truck lot, see if any of them have been approached by some hitchhikers."

"Works for me, just be careful. If you and Geist are right about your 'old friends', they may be nosing around here as well. Last thing we need is to get caught in the crossfire between Ares and Winternight."

"You don't have to warn me twice," agreed Mario, nodding. He might have added more, but the waitress flashed past, slinging their plates onto the table with practiced abandon. It was simple fare, mostly soy by the taste, but Mac was suddenly ravenous, her stomach hungry for something resembling real food rather than the survival rations that had been fueling her for the past few days. She ate quickly, luxuriating in the sugary sweetness of a thick layer of jam on her toast.

Halfway through her meal, the bell on the door rang. Glancing up, she caught a glimpse of a pair of men in long coats. They cased the interior of the restaurant with a detachment that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. One made a quick gesture towards the counter, the other nodded, and they made their way to a pair of open seats.

05:42:19 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Laughlin's, Flying J Truck Stop #0583, Downtown, Seattle

Mac let her gaze linger on the two men as long as she could and keep it casual. The lingering feeling of unease stuck with her as she turned back to her nearly destroyed plate of eggs.

"Those two, just walked in, any chance they look familiar to you?"

Something about them was familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She didn't recognize their faces as they had strolled through the restaurant, but it was tickling at the back of her brain.

Something about those two who walked in, familiar but I don't know, just 'off'

She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to shake the feeling, but instead after a few moments she found clarity. It wasn't the two men in particular that were familiar, but the feeling they brought out in her. Something she hadn't felt since the Heart of the City.

Everything is screaming at me that they're on one side of this or the other.

05:49:46 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Laughlin's, Flying J Truck Stop #0583, Everett, Seattle

They don't move their right hands when they walk. It's weapons training. Watch the way they sit, too. Restricted torso movement hints towards either heavier armor underneath the coat or a low-cost dermal armor implant.

Mac slid her eyes left, turning her head only a minute amount, hawking the points that Kovacs mentioned.

"They're moving in back," muttered Mario, covering his mouth with his napkin. Mac nodded, successfully resisting the urge to glance their way, finding a reflection in the side of one of the coolers to track their progress. She felt her heartbeat accelerate, adrenaline erasing the aches from her injuries as her subconscious reacted to the possibility of imminent action.

The pair from the back booth passed her and Mario, bland conversation following in their wake as they stopped by the counter to pay their bill. They were wearing heavy canvas work pants, boots, and jackets with some kind of moss green and oak leaf camo pattern. Mac's eyes slid across their scraggly hair and unshaven cheeks, her threat assessment dropping.

Check their hands.

She followed the suggestion, watching as they tucked their commlinks back into jacket pockets. She didn't see anything right away, until she thought about how clean their nails were, and how thick their wrists.

They're surveillance, probably corporate of some kind because the rest of their outfits are well prepped. But it's hard to conceal the hands. They're headed out to meet up with the rest of their team. Probably won't see any action here. They'll try and pick-up the pair at the counter on their way out and track them back to the rest of their team.

05:52:29 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Laughlin's, Flying J Truck Stop #0583, Downtown, Seattle

Mac casually watched the pair of men as they passed their table and continued to the door before she turned her eyes back to Mario and dropped her voice for his ears only.

"I think they might be some kind of corporate security team, surveillance most likely."

She paused to finish off her last bite of toast before she continued.

"Either they have eyes on someone in here and are waiting for them to come out or they might be our lead to find where they're going to look next. Either way I think we should pay our bill and head to the car."

06:01:03 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Laughlin's, Flying J Truck Stop #0583, Everett, Seattle

It happened faster than Mac was expecting.

Mario nodded to her suggestion, wiping his mouth and standing. She followed, covering both their breakfasts. The balance on her credstick was still decent, Tristan had brought her share of what was left of de Medici's payment less what the team had spent in preparation for the job. She almost refused it, but he'd been persuasive. She'd paid a price during that final battle, and was due some compensation.

She caught the eye of one of the strangers at the breakfast counter, offering him a perfunctory smile in response before stepping out the door. Together she and Mario headed across the parking lot towards their car. In the adjacent row, next to a lifted Ford Workhorse, the two surveillance operatives sharing a cigarette next to the passenger door. Mac cleared her throat softly, and Mario slowly increased their separation, heading towards the driver's side of their car. Another vehicle's engine fired to life. Behind them, the bell on the door of the diner rang as it opened again. Mac glanced at the rear windows of the van next to her, seeing in their reflection the blurry image of the two strangers now moving purposefully through the door towards them. The sound of a vehicle accelerating reached her as well, and she risked a glance over her right shoulder, watching a Mercury Comet squeal around the corner towards them.

"DOWN!" she yelled to Mario, hand dropping to her waist.

Gunfire ripped across the parking lot.

The two strangers were kneeling, blazing out rounds from submachine guns. The corporate surveillance team had pistols out, leaning past the quarter panel of their truck to return fire. Mario scrabbled crab-like across the pavement, desperately seeking cover.

06:01:04 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Laughlin's, Flying J Truck Stop #0583, Everett, Seattle

Bullets whistled through the air past Mac like angry hornets, making her blood run cold. Everything seemed to be happening in silence, all sound compressed into a single, low constant tone. She could clearly see the intensity on the faces of the two strangers, their eyes flashing in the muzzle blasts of their submachine guns. She brought her Browning up into her sightline, left hand finding her right on its grip.

TWO STEPS BACK!

- blared the voice in her head. The command was so intense that she complied without hesitation, her finger tight on the trigger but held for a moment. Out of her peripheral vision she realized that she'd stepped into the gap between the parked van and another vehicle. A heartbeat later Kovacs added

FIRE.

Her foot hit the ground and her Browning roared, surprising her with both the recoil and the sound. The windows on the van next to her spiderwebbed beneath a fusillade of bullets. Desperately she glances to the side, risking taking her eyes off her target in order to check Mario's progress. The ork has the driver's side door of their car open, and is groping for something inside. Either the ignition or his pistol, she can't tell. Beyond him, the two corporate surveillance operatives are still firing, their arms outstretched over the hood of the truck as they shield themselves with its heavy engine compartment. The Mercury Comet, which until now was only a sound, becomes a flash of motion in her vision, cutting across the parking lot to slam into the front of the truck opposite the two corporate agents. The truck bounces sideways with enough force to fling them away. One of them, the younger, ends up kneeling in front of the same two vehicles as Mac. He wobbles, clearly dazed from the blow, still trying to engage the enemy.

06:01:05 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Laughlin's, Flying J Truck Stop #0583, Everett, Seattle

DOWN

blared the voice in her head, and Mac obeyed instinctively again, launching herself sideways towards cover as submachine gun rounds cracked through the rear window of the car she was sheltering behind. For good or ill, she'd gotten their attention. Her rapid evasive maneuver carried her directly into the path of the young corporate operative, taking them both down in a tangle of limbs. He stared at her in surprise, the contact shocking him back to his senses. His eyes were a pretty green, Mac noted, even as she stiff armed him away.

"Get outta the way! High beams!" she yelled, throwing her voice towards Mario. She didn't check to see if the ork understood her reference, twisting to put two more rounds downrange towards the attackers. Recoil was lifting the muzzle of her Browning and she fought to get back towards some semblance of a firing stance. More gunfire, louder, thundered close by, along with the sound of splintering glass and the rev of more than one vehicle's engine. A figure moved past Mac, the young corporate operative, his pistol in front of him as he blazed away at the targets gunning for both her and him. Mac saw one go down, wounded or dead she wasn't sure, but doesn't know the status of the other.

"C'mon!" shouted Mario from their car, his hand held out the open driver's side window to send rounds downrange towards the Comet in front of him.

06:01:06 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Laughlin's, Flying J Truck Stop #0583, Everett, Seattle

Heavier automatic fire sounded close by, automotive glass splintering and composite body panels crackling beneath the fusillade. Shouts of pain and anger filled the air, along with cries of surprise and panic from bystanders. The young corporate operative crossed to the back panel of their Comet, sheltering behind the wheel and axel to fire at the retreating gunman by the restaurant door. Mac yanked open the rear passenger door, diving onto the seat.

"GO! GO!" she shouted, swinging her legs around to try and get into a position to cover their withdrawal. Mario stomped on the gas, squealing the tires as he aimed the sedan towards the street.

06:01:07 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Laughlin's, Flying J Truck Stop #0583, Everett, Seattle

Mac jammed her left leg against the rear of the passenger seat, kneeling on her right. Luckily the rear passenger window was already down, although when it happened she couldn't say. The Comet swerved as Mario angled them towards the street, the rear door slamming closed as it tagged the rear bumper of a pick-up truck. Mac fought to track her target, gunsights bobbing wildly. The pistol barks, the gunshot loud and surprising. She continues to turn, trying to track their opponents as the car slams over the curb and out into traffic amidst blaring horns. Two final images impress themselves upon her. First is the lifeless body slumped halfway through the diner door. And the second is the surprised look on the young corporate operative's face as he watches his cover drive away.

"You okay?" asks Mario, his voice husky with adrenaline.

06:04:29 Monday, 22 January 2063 – Laughlin's, Flying J Truck Stop #0583, Everett, Seattle

Adrenaline still rushed through Mac's veins, blood thundering in her ears as she forced herself to slow her breathing, to make certain she wasn't hurt. Feeling no pain and seeing no obvious injuries, a stream of curses spilled from her mouth when she caught the Ork's eyes in the rearview mirror as she
pounded the backseat with her fist as she held on with her other hand as Mario took another turn at accelerated speeds.

"I'm fine. Just pissed we just nuked our only solid lead and managed to end up on someone else's radar in the process."

06:08:11 Monday, 22 January 2063 – eastbound 124th St NE, Everett, Seattle

"Weren't us that nuked it," grunted Mario. "But either way, I think that pair and their backup got handled. Works just the same for me although it's sweeter when I pull the trigger. Gotta think, though, that if one of the corps snagged 'em there's gotta be people we can ask about it. That stuff doesn't happen in a vacuum. You got anybody on the inside, maybe one of them executive assistants that could poke around and see what they could find out?"

Mac shrugged angrily, reloading her pistol with sharp, controlled motions. Then she realized that Mario probably couldn't see her body language if he was concentrating on the road. Opening her mouth to reply, she closed it a moment later. Something about her earlier plan had come back to her. She did know people who might be able to help. Finding Zeyda might be hard, the city still recovering as it was, but assuming she could access the matrix she could probably get ahold of Isomer. And he would be able to get them answers.

06:10:23 Monday, 22 January 2063 - eastbound 124th St. NE, Everett, Seattle

Mac thought about an access point for a moment. She didn’t have Tristan’s business card or Kovacs’ reputation so she doubted the jackpoint they had visited on multiple occasions would be open to her, provided it was even still operational. She didn’t trust a connection via her commlink, but her eyes flicked to the corner of her vision and was rewarded with “limited connection” glowing in amber. It wouldn’t do to try to reach out to Isomer on such a weak link and unsecured line.

“I’d need a more reliable matrix connection than I’ve got to reach out. But if we can find a reliable spot, I can at least start opening the lines of communication."

She braced herself in the backseat as Mario rounded a corner with a bit more speed than necessary. She spared a lingering glance out the back window to attempt to spot any tails.

“Might want to slow it down there speed demon. No need to draw extra attention to us if it’s avoidable."

[Double Post Removed]

06:28:43 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Lazy Hummingbird Coffee Shop 1140 128th St. NE, Everett, Seattle

"Whatever you say, Ms. Leadfoot," shot back Mario, grinning. He eased up on the accelerator a tad, slowing the vehicle to a little more respectable speed.

"It's too early for the library, that won't be open until nine. But I think there's a coffee shop down the road a bit that's got public access."

"Yaaasss," muttered Mac. "Coffeeeeeeee."

Neither one commented that it was going to be luck of the draw if the shop had survived, let alone was open in the wake of what had gone down in the metroplex. As it was, they needn't have worried. Despite two window panes covered in plywood, the shop was defiantly open. People had tacked up messages of support and concern on the plywood, as well as posting pictures of missing friends and family. Even at this early hour the small common room was crowded, and it looked like they might have been open all night.

Not wanting to answer the inevitable questions her arm would bring beneath the harsh light of day, Mac sent Mario in for coffee, while she accessed the matrix from the comfortable anonymity of their car. The coffeehouse node was similar to the brick and mortar reality, festooned with AR notes of solidarity, support, and desperate hope. Pausing just long enough to verify her own avatar remained unaltered, she routed herself to the address provided by Isomer during their first meeting.

Palatine, just like everything else she'd seen recently, had its own battle scars. The guards around it had more than doubled, and made no pretense now of concealing lethal programs from casual view. Apparently they were still on a full combat alert. She wondered what it was like to try and face an AI in the matrix, wondered how many of the usual suspects here would never recover from the crippling biofeedback from such an encounter. Slowly, making no sudden movements, she offered her passcode for scrutiny. Whatever Isomer had given her, still worked, as after a moment she was allowed to pass.

The interior of the matrix club looked nothing like before. Instead of the classic lines of a Roman villa, it now appeared more like a high-tech command center, with screens and status boards plastered on every surface. Icons moved quickly through the dim lighting, armed and armored figures grim with purpose. Mac scanned the crowd, moving along the wall to stay out of the way. It wasn't long before she found the familiar winged jackal, although even Isomer was now garbed in scale mail made from some kind of dark metal. She liked to think that it was a welcome smile on its face.

A survivor, then. It's good to see you.

06:35:19 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Lazy Hummingbird Coffee Shop 1140 128th St. NE, Everett, Seattle

Mac managed a slight smile in both greeting and in response to Isomer’s comment.

“Not without some battle scars and big losses, but it’s good to see another friendly face.”

She was fairly certain Isomer would have been aware of Kovacs’ death, but it wasn’t something she wanted to dwell on emotionally at the moment. She remained standing beside the booth the jackal was ensconced within until he inclined his head and offered her seat. She slid in as gracefully as her avatar would allow and focused all her attention on the matrix wizard that sat across from her.

“I’ll cut to the chase since I don’t know how long I’ll have a solid connection, but I need your help.”

Her request was paused for a moment as the scent of fresh coffee permeated her senses as Mario had returned to the car. She refocused her attention and continued her request.

“I need to find the guys who put everything in motion. The ones you were tracking for me before. The ones de Medici aligned himself with. I’m going after them with anything and everything I can. I have to. I need to."

06:41:26 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Lazy Hummingbird Coffee Shop 1140 128th St. NE, Everett, Seattle

The jackal head mimed a brief, silent laugh.

You'd best get in line, then. Every agency I know, legitimate and otherwise, is looking for the individuals responsible for releasing Deus and precipitating the second Crash. You may already be too late for the ones in the local area.

Mac felt her jaw tense, anger swelling within her. Isomer forestalled her comment, though, with a raised hand.

I'll be the first to admit that the data at my disposal should not be trusted, there's too much damage to the infrastructure to compile an accurate picture of street truth. But my assessment of the situation is that roughly sixty to seventy percent of the initial hostile forces did not survive thirty six hours after the event. We're over one hundred hours post-operation at this point and it's a safe bet that the surviving members have either completed their ex-fil plans or have gone to ground locally.

"Yeah, that's about what we figured, too," replied Mac. "Found out about a smuggler's hangout at a truck stop, but only managed to get into a dust-up with the survivors and corporate security. Bugged out before things got too dicey."

Isomer gestured with his left hand, a trideo window coalescing into view. Mac watched as security camera footage from the Flying J unreeled, first the interior showing all the parties exiting, then the gunfight in the parking lot. Her eyes picked out her and Mario's exit, seconds before the heavy firepower arrives on scene. The three surviving Winternight soldiers don't stand a chance. They break for their vehicle beneath a cover of suppressing fire, but are picked off by well aimed gunfire.

Ares Firewatch, details Isomer, confirming Kovacs' suspicions. Battlefield medicine kept two of them alive, they're probably undergoing magical interrogation right now. Not sure it's going to bear fruit, Winternight cells are known to operate independently and without cooperation to ensure that if one is compromised, it can't betray the others.

"Goddammit! There's got to be a way to find these fraggers!" Mac's anger bubbled like ice through her veins.

How much are you willing to risk? asked the jackal headed figure.

"What are you offering?" Mac's anger submerged beneath a cold dose of skepticism.

A possible target. I know that there's a system, a host, which is used by half a dozen of Seattle's best fixers to coordinate safe houses. It's likely that at least some of the Winternight cells sourced both primary and back-up safe houses through at least one of those fixers. However, the host is currently offline, either isolated by matrix outage, damaged, or destroyed. If you could recover the physical memory, it may be possible to correlate names, SINs, dates, and locations.

Mac sensed something else. "But?"

It's location is somewhat dangerous. 508 Lakeshore Drive Apartment 8. It's in Bellevue, a gated community in an A rated neighborhood. Also, possession of the information might cause others to view you as a liability. A liability that needs to be silenced permanently.

06:44:09 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Lazy Hummingbird Coffee Shop 1140 128th St. NE, Everett, Seattle

The digital Mac shook her head with enough declaration, that she was certain her meat body was doing the same inside the car. Frustration built up inside her as she once again realized just how in over her head she was

"Maybe with Tristan or Kovacs, but not alone. Not after this mess. Almost everything would be suspicious in that neighborhood that didn't belong, no matter the cover. Might as well affix flashing AROs to the car and Mario while we’re at it."

She sat across from Isomer[/i] as she studied him silently! waiting for some pithy comment or any comment at all in response to her outburst. They sat in the digital silent stalemate for what felt like minutes until she finally caved. The ice cold anger that pulsed just beneath the surface shredded any rational thought that told her to walk away. Instead she kept her seat across from Isomer and got down to business. She could feel it, a little ’shiver’ in her consciousness that likely meant the [b]Kovacs in her head was biting his tongue, but her need to find those who remained and hold them accountable pushed anything he might have said to the side. She was like an animal with blinders on, pushing relentlessly towards what could be an unfavorable outcome. She couldn’t explain why, only that she had to. A heavy sigh escaped her digital lips and she resigned herself to the fact she wasn’t going to let this go.

“If I decide to shoulder the risk alone, if the building is still standing and not damaged, and if I go poking my nose in places it doesn't otherwise belong, just what exactly am I searching for in terms of the physical memory?"

06:46:41 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Lazy Hummingbird Coffee Shop 1140 128th St. NE, Everett, Seattle

I estimate that there's a seventy seven percent likelihood that the host is structurally intact. Bellevue wasn't hit hard and the houses there are built a little more robustly than in some of the lower rated neighborhoods of the metroplex. Matrix damage is the most probable cause of the downtime, although I can't rule out infrastructure damage either.

As Isomer spoke, a pale blue hologram sprang to life in between them: a wire diagram drawing of a small rack server, sixty centimeters tall by twenty wide and thirty five deep. Pieces exploded off it, hovering in space to reveal the inner workings. A series of optical storage drives highlighted themselves yellow.

It's likely that the server is something approximately this size and dimension, since it's being run illegitimately. Anything larger would be unwieldy and wasteful. The drives themselves should be fairly easy to extract. Don't worry about powering down or anything, the storage is optical so it's proof against loss from the reading lasers. Once you have them, contact me at this LTG number and I'll arrange a drop off. It will take between four to six hours to recover any data from the drives, but once I have access I should be able to make the appropriate correlations quickly. I estimate you'll have actionable targets within seven hours of delivering the drives.

07:02:19 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Lazy Hummingbird Coffee Shop 1140 128th St. NE, Everett, Seattle


Mac studied the wireframe copy of the likely server, doing her best to commit the details to memory while she made sure to copy Isomer's LTG under an alias in her commlink.

“I think I’ve got it,” She rose from the booth that they were seated in, her face set in hard lines of determination and she started to turn away before glancing back over her shoulder where her face softened.

“Thank you. Let me know what I owe you for this and I’ll take care of it. Plus I owe you a favor or two in the future.”

The clock was still ticking in her head, each minute, every second, the opportunity to find anyone connected to those responsible was slipping away. She didn’t wait for a graceful logoff, just a hard drop off the grid and back into the front seat of the car. Dropping so quickly out of VR caused the inside of the car to spin around her slightly as she focused on the large, still very warm coffee that Mario had carefully placed on the dash. Once she regained her bearings she was quick to notice he wasn’t in the car beside her.

Mac sipped at the cup of coffee while she waited for Mario to return back to the driver’s side of the car. About the time she was ready to go into the cafe looking for him, he sauntered out the front door and maneuvered himself back behind the wheel.

“Thanks for the coffee. How do you feel about playing tourist this morning and taking the scenic route home by way of Bellevue? And hopefully you got something more at the cafe besides the coffee.”

08:11:16 Monday, 22 January 2063 - southbound Lakeshore Drive, Bellevue, Seattle

Mario grinned, shaking the bag of croissants in his hand in way of answer. He gave one over at Mac's greedy motion before starting the car and pointing them towards the interstate.

"Bellevue, eh? Sure, we can swing through. Guess it'll be a good test of how legit this car is." If the ork was worried, he didn't show it. Crosstown traffic had picked up a bit, the city still reeled from the cataclysm of a week ago but this wasn't the first time Seattleites had to pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and get back to work. There were still a greater number of emergency and police vehicles on the road, and more than once they were forced to detour off the interstate in order to avoid roadblocks or, worse, wreckage. Mac realized that it would be months, if not years, before the damage to the city's infrastructure was completely repaired.

Passing into Bellevue proved Isomer's assessment correct; the more robust corporate estates here had weathered the storm with minimal damage. Power seemed to be reliable in most areas as well, although there were still numerous blocks without. Lone Star traffic control drones stood in many intersections, directing the flow of traffic. No one seemed to bat an eye as their Americar cruised past. Mac let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

508 Lakeshore turns out to be a community of apartment homes, four to a building, with what looks like ten buildings in the complex overall. The entrance onto the street is sealed with an ornate looking iron gate that Mac guessed was sturdier than it looked. The guardhouse next to it was probably manned, but also had a card reader and speaker box for resident and after hours access. The entrance was watched over by a pair of security cameras as well. The exit was also closed by a similar gate, although it looked like it just had proximity sensors for those pulling up to it.

08:25:02 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Outside 508 Lakeshore Drive, Bellevue, Seattle

Once Mario had found a spot on the street to park, Mac shimmied her way into the back seat to get a better view of 508 Lakeshore and to locate Apartment 8 without being blatant about her scrutiny. Her short time with Kovacs had already started to change the way she viewed the building, spotting things that would have gone unnoticed before but old habits died hard and she was falling back on trying to find a way to socially engineer her way past the guards and the front gate.

She fished a crumpled pack of her cigarettes from her pocket and slipped one of the black filters between her lips, the tease of clove and the nicotine to come instantly calmed and focused her even before she lit up.

“I’m going to take a little walk, enjoy the view while I smoke. Think you’ll be ok for 10? Let me know if you need to move, I’ll catch up with you.”

She questioned the back of Mario’s head before he replied with an affirmative grunt as she slid across the backseat towards the passenger side again, pausing only to button up the front of her long coat before opening the door and stepping onto the sidewalk. She waited outside the car only long enough to light the tip of her cigarette before she moved up the block and away from the gates leading to 508 Lakeshore. Once she had hit the corner, she crossed over and made her way back down the block, slowing her gait to a casual stroll as she crossed in front of the guardhouse, casting a furtive glance or two its way as she passed.

Once she hit the corner, she walked the long side of the block, again her casual attention to the complex seeking out both hidden and blatant security measures. She stopped partway down the side of the building, feigning looking at her commlink and manually sending a reply to a non-existent message while taking a closer look at the windows that made up what she made her best guess as Apartment 8. She kept walking, taking a few moments to glance at the back of the building and taking in any possible entrance options from the back, before completing her loop around the block and heading back towards where Mario was hopefully still parked.

08:25:02 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Outside Astrobucks #297, 1410 Lakeshore Drive, Bellevue, Seattle

Mac felt a chill in her blood that had nothing to do with the temperature outside. Mario and the car was nowhere to be seen. Instead, parked outside the front of 508 Lakeshore was a Knight Errant patrol cruiser. One of the uniformed KE officers was leaning against the open passenger side door talking with the building's security concierge.

Check your commlink. Make sure you're broadcasting an ID. Shutdown the rest of your wireless. Quick!

With a nonchalance that was entirely faked, Mac strolled down the sidewalk, continuing to check her commlink. She quickly set her best ID to public, and killed anything she didn't have a license, fake or otherwise, for. She didn't spare a glance for either of the men as she passed, her skin crawling in imagined response to the security probe she knew was being conducted. Out of the corner of her eyes she caught the motion of the KE officer as he glanced towards his own AR display. It took a supreme effort of will to keep her steps casual and unconcerned. Ahead of her, another block down at a cross street she saw a car flick its high beams. She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

The interior of the car was warm and welcoming. Mario shot her an apologetic glance.

"Sorry. I had to roll when the 5-O showed up. I think building security scanned my ID and saw the metahuman identifier. I didn't want to answer too many difficult questions."

"Yeah, null sweat. I should've figured that Bellevue would still be paranoid as frag." Mac tapped out another cigarette. "Let's head out before KE gets any more bright ideas. There's an Astrobucks just up the road, they spammed my AR when I went public."

Mario nodded. "What do you think our next move ought to be?"

08:46:19 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Astrobucks #297, 1410 Lakeshore Drive, Bellevue, Seattle


Mac had spent the better part of the last couple of weeks flying under the radar so when she was forced to broadcast her best ID, she found it distracting and almost overwhelming. The local advertising spam, while upscale and tasteful AROs and the like, still pulled her attention away from her street sense as well as things she had picked up being in the company of Kovacs.

By the time they had pulled up just down the block from the Astrobucks and found a place to park that had the best options for egress should it become necessary, the pair made their way inside the coffee shop that still seemed "busy" even post chaos that had taken place across the city. Working her way through the line as she suggested Mario find them a place to sit, she cringed inwardly as she slotted some cred to pay for the two large soykaf lattes.

She sank into the chair across from Mario with a sigh even though she appreciated his choice of table. One out of general earshot of patrons along the wall that provided them a good view of both the front door as well as the hallway to the restrooms and beyond.

She took a long sip of her latte and closed her eyes as something close to delight crossed her face. She reopened her eyes to find Mario shaking his head and quietly laughing at her.

"Fine, I'll delay my continued enjoyment and get to work." She lowered her voice for his ears only before she continued.

"So with paranoia running high in the neighborhood, I figure we need a way inside the building that bypasses the guards. A Trojan horse of sorts, like a delivery that has to be signed for or handed to the occupant."

She paused for a moment, her fingers idly playing with the sleeve on her cup as she attempted to form a plan when an idea came to her.

"How much do you know about computers?"

08:52:45 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Astrobucks #297, 1410 Lakeshore Drive, Bellevue, Seattle

"Not enough to fake the kind of data you're talking about," replied Mario with a harsh chuckle. "I'm the hired muscle of this outfit, remember? You're the brains."

Mac shot him her best quit-fragging-with-me eyebrow and took a deliberate sip of her soycafe.

"Besides," continued the ork with a cold twist to his mouth, "that place strikes me as the kind of joint where deliveries are made to the front desk, then couriered up via building security staff. You know, just so that the rich folks don't have to worry about meeting any of the peasant class in a darkened hallway."

Mario had a fair point, Mac had visited several higher lifestyle residences in her time and the people who lived there paid extra just so they wouldn't have to socialize with anyone not of the same economic class. Not to mention the same racial stereotypes as well. More often than not the delivery people in the metroplex were metahuman, often orks and dwarves. And that thought spurred something else. Mario was apparently thinking along the same lines, since he spoke as she reached for her commlink.

"Any chance you know a working girl with a regular in that building or the neighborhood?"

09:01:33 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Astrobucks #297, 1410 Lakeshore Drive, Bellevue, Seattle


Mac shrugged as she set her soycaf down and quickly fished out her commlink.

“No one off the top of my head, but it can’t hurt to put out the feelers, even a friend of a friend would be a foot in the door at this point, literally.”

She made quick work of penning off a message that she was looking for a intro into the specific building in question and would offer an enticing ‘referral bonus’ for the earliest access.

As she scrolled through her contacts and added them to the message, her fingers hesitated over Linda’s name. She had already brought enough trouble to the Madam’s doorstep and she worried what the consequences could be if it tied back to her business. Mac left her off the initial message to her network, but before she put down her commlink and picked up her coffee again she dashed off a message only for Linda.

Call it reckless if you want, but I’m going after them. For K. For me. For the girls. Need access to a swanky, secure apartment building in Bellevue, don’t want it to darken your door if it goes sideways, so I’ll leave it to you to say yes or no, but any help would be appreciated.

Mac pocketed her commlink and picked up her soycaf to stave off the chill that ran through her, a moment of self-doubt over all that they were planning that was soon replaced with a simmering anger as she lifted her eyes and looked into the face of someone other thank Kovacs.

Her voice was flat but she bit out. "I guess now we wait."

09:19:26 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Astrobucks #297, 1410 Lakeshore Drive, Bellevue, Seattle

Mario nodded. "But we should figure out the rest of our plan. After all, getting past the doorman is only step one. I'm pretty sure that place has security cameras in its common areas like the halls and elevators, so you'll need some kind of disguise. And then how are you getting into the apartment? If you can't pick the lock, are you going to kick the door in? What if someone is home?"

He pitched his voice just far enough to reach Mac although his concern was a little misplaced. The coffeeshop's other denizens were all engaged in various trauma coping mechanisms, most of which involved AR feeds and interaction. Nevertheless, both she and the ork kept their voices low and made sure no one was casually listening in as they elaborated on their plan.

A cold smile spread across Mac's face. "As it so happens, I am adept at bypassing maglocks. And I've got skills with make-up that go beyond just covering up bruises." She gestured to the still healing wreckage of her face. Mario quirked an apologetic smile but she waved it away."

"The real problem is dealing with any occupants. While I'm confident this ruse will get me past the doorman and up to the apartment, I don't think it'll work for you. I mean, we saw how they reacted when you just dropped me off."

"No big surprise there," replies the ork, sipping from his coffee. "Think you could smuggle in enough hardware to take care of 'em?"

You're going to have to prep if you do, it's likely that such a high lifestyle establishment has weapons detectors at the door. You'll have to vacuum seal the ammo for your pistol to avoid setting it off. And the pistol is about the heaviest weapon you can get in there, broke in Kovacs. She nodded in response to the silent communication.

"Probably only going to be able to take my pistol," she said out loud, "I don't think I could safely slip anything larger past their weapons detectors."

Mario blew out his cheeks. "That's risky. Maybe too much."

09:22:47 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Astrobucks #297, 1410 Lakeshore Drive, Bellevue, Seattle


Mac’s lips twisted into a momentary frown before she raised her brows and shrugged.

“What other avenues do we have? This is the only hard lead we’ve got.”

Something slithered through her subconscious. Something that had her agreeing with Mario that perhaps this wasn’t the best course of action. Something that felt very much like doubt. She shook her head as if to clear the feeling and for the most part her anger and need for retribution filled the space, but that concern still sizzled around the edges of her thoughts.

Think Locus would help?

She didn’t doubt Mario’s physical abilities, he had proven himself indispensable many times over already, but she did doubt he’d have the tech that would help give her a chance to circumnavigate any scanners she might encounter entering the apartment building. She was confident enough about getting past the front doors and likely all the way to the apartment itself, even inside. It was what might await her behind the door that had her concerned.

“If we can ‘legitimize’ getting me past the guards and into the building via ‘work,’ I’m wondering if with all the chaos happening upon the streets of Seattle we can use that as our cover to have you enter the building with me, for our protection.”

Her finger absentmindedly traced the top of her coffee cup as she started considering options for more protection upon entering the building.

09:31:06 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Astrobucks #297, 1410 Lakeshore Drive, Bellevue, Seattle

No, he's not an operator anymore. He has a brick and mortar store to look after. You might be able to source equipment from him, possibly on a loaner basis, but you'd better make sure to return it in working order. Otherwise that resource is going to dry up with a quickness.

Mac gave a mental nod of understanding, forcing herself not to let black despair overwhelm her. She was afraid she wasn't up to this challenge, and that failure would mean Kovacs' killers went free. Or, worse, that she and Mario ended up dead as well. She took another sip of coffee, chasing her thoughts around before sighing.

"I'm getting nowhere, let's lay out what we've got and what we know. First, I'm not going to assume any outside help. If that comes along, we can re-evaluate the plan. But for now let's say that it's just us who are going to get this done."

"Sounds reasonable," replied Mario.

"All right. Step one: get inside. We've got to worry about the doorman, cameras, and weapon detectors. Step two: get to the apartment. Probably not too difficult if we take the stairs. Step three: get inside the apartment. Here we're facing a maglock, probably with an anti-tamper circuit, and a hallway camera or two. Step four: grab the goods. Hopefully it won't take us too long to find it."

"That's a good point," interjected the ork. "However we accomplish steps one through three, we've got to leave ourselves enough time to locate the memory before security shows up to throw us out."

Mac nodded. "Right. And then step five: make a clean getaway."

Mario rubbed his hand across the dusting of stubble on his cheeks. "You know, I been thinking about what you said earlier, about the delivery? I think we could make that work. At least to get you inside with your gear."

"How?" asked Mac, cycling her mind back to the earlier part of the conversation. "I agree that you wouldn't be able to get past the lobby security and up to the apartment."

"Yeah, but I might not have to. What if I roll in with a dolly of boxes and distract the doorman long enough for you to get past and to the stairs. And, the dolly's metal, so we know it's going to set off the weapon detector. Let's say that in addition to the boxes, I'm also carrying a small satchel with your gear and maybe your weapon in it, but out of sight, right? Then, while I'm distracting the doorman, I kick the satchel to the side, and you scoop it up on your way across the lobby."

"The cameras will see it, though," Mac pointed out.

"That's only a problem if they have someone watching them 24/7," replied Mario. "Otherwise, by the time they review the footage, we'll be long gone."

09:36:19 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Astrobucks #297, 1410 Lakeshore Drive, Bellevue, Seattle

Mac found herself nodding along with Mario’s summation and possible plan before developing it a touch further and making her own suggestions.

“It’d be easier and less noticeable for me to carry a dummy bag and lift my weapon off the dolly honestly. If it’s packed small and compact, but easily unwrappable me palming it off the pile will be less obvious than trying to scoop something up off the floor while trying to remain forgettable.”

She paused only to drain the last sip of her coffee before continuing, feeling a tiny spark of hope that they could pull this off, or at least cross the major hurdle of getting past the guards.

“I can pack some other ‘incriminating’ items from my old line of work for cover, a pair of metal cuffs, something that gives me an out if they stop me separately. I think if we can time it right and the guards hit the lock on the door to let you into the building itself to make the deliveries, I can manage to arrive at the same time and graciously open and hold the door for you, giving us a plausible opportunity for me to grab gear and get inside and move to the stairs to access the apartment on the second floor. If you can manage to get inside it’s a pure bonus, if they hold you up, I can at least fade into the background a bit so I can throw off any scrutiny and prying eyes and maybe you can keep them occupied long enough for me to get upstairs and at least part way through the lock in case they are monitoring cameras more solidly.”

Mac chewed thoughtfully on her bottom lip while she worked out the timing.

“If I can get past the locks, I figure I’ve got maybe three, possibly five, if I’m lucky, minutes to search the place. I’m pretty confident I can locate what we’re looking for inside the apartment if I can find the computer. I had a pretty good visual of what needs to be retrieved. Of course that’s assuming I don’t run into opposition on the other side of the door.”

09:47:26 Monday, 22 January 2063 - Astrobucks #297, 1410 Lakeshore Drive, Bellevue, Seattle

Mario nodded. "I like where your heads at. Make sure you include a bright pink fake dick or something like that. If they saw that on top of your bag or if you 'accidentally' spilled it, everyone's gonna be too busy looking away from it to pay much attention to anything else."

Mac chuckled, nodding in agreement and taking a sip of her coffee. "It's still risky since all I'm going to have is the pistol. The subgun is way too big to try and conceal like that."

"Maybe you should have an emergency back-up in case you run into something heavy in the apartment. Something you could drop to cover a hasty exit." Mario rasped a hand over the stubble on his chin. "Something explosive."

Mac already knew she didn't have anything suitable in her inventory. Could Locus help out with that?

A standard flash-bang would work. He should have one on hand for you.

She nodded once, finishing her coffee. "All right, I like it. So we need a hand truck, a couple of boxes, something to conceal my pistol in, and a flash-bang. Oh, and a delivery get-up for you."

"I got a cousin who works for DHL, we can swing by and borrow one of his shirts. A hardware store for the dolly. We can just rummage through the recycle out back for some appropriate boxes. No idea about the grenade, though." Mario swallowed the last of his own brew.

"Actually," replied Mac, a crazy grin on her face, "that's going to be the easy part."

10:07:22 Monday, 22 January 2063 - 2063 - 5420 Mont Clair Blvd, Redmond, Seattle

Mac guided Mario out of Bellevue and across into Redmond, feeling a little more confident in their plan to gain access to the apartment building. She was still trying to run the angles, consider how things could go sideways, so much so that she was rather quiet for most of the drive and broke from her contemplation only when Mario pulled to the curb at their destination and broke the silence.

“Tell me we came all the way here for this!” Her Ork companion gestured towards the advertising that decorated the quonset hut.

She found herself rolling her eyes at Mario’s reaction towards HansBiertos and grabbed the lapel of his jacket to detour him from making a bee line towards the restaurant and instead pulled him around to the side until she stood in front of a familiar steel fire door. Mac tried the door but found it locked. She paused a moment before sweeping her gaze around the door, tipping her face up ever so slightly guessing that given the events across Seattle in the past week security around the building would be heightened given the contents inside. Mac held her ground while Mario mumbled something about it being closed and a waste of time to make the drive into Redmond while he was looking around for potential signs of trouble. Her patience finally paid off as she was rewarded with the heavy thunk of the lock disengaging.

“What were you saying about a waste of time? C’mon.”

She grabbed the door handle and swung it open as she glanced over her shoulder at her companion and stepped inside. She paused just inside the threshold, allowing the door to close and relock behind her and her companion and to give herself a second or two for her eyes to adjust to the change in lighting. Taking a deep breath, she found some semblance of peace in the cool dry air filled with the scents of cordite and gun oil. Hard to believe she stood in the same place less than two weeks prior under an entirely different set of circumstances. She started towards the counter, grateful to see the familiar extremely attractive face behind it and inclined her head in greeting.

“Hello Locus.”

10:23:16 Monday, 22 January 2063 - 2063 - 5420 Mont Clair Blvd, Redmond, Seattle

The elf's smile is restrained, but genuine despite the fact that he understands completely the ramifications of who accompanies her and who isn't there. One elegant eyebrow raises as he catches sight of her new arm, but again, he doesn't comment.

"Mac. It's good to see you again."

Beside her, Mario let's out a low whistle. "Now that is a piece of hardware."

Mac glances over and a ghost of a smile flickers across Locus' face.

"Ah, a fellow connoisseur I see." The elf retrieves the sleek black shotgun from its mounting brackets. "Franchi SPAS-24. The latest in tactical pump action. Twelve gauge, with an integral smart link controlling the choke and the action, a ten round removable box magazine, fixed stock with recoil absorbing butt pad, and a fore-end light customizable for low-light output. Usable as a pump action for reliably cycling low-pressure less lethal rounds or as a gas operated semi-automatic capable of three round bursts."

Locus points out each feature as he describes the weapon, before cycling the action open and verifying the breech and barrel are clear. Flipping it easily in his hands, he offers the weapon stock first to Mario. A toothy grin breaks out on the ork's face as he shoulders the weapon, sighting down the barrel through the ghost ring sights. Mac shakes her head softly, leaning against the counter. Locus returns his gaze to her, certain now that Mario isn't going to do something foolish with the shotgun.

"I need a flash-bang grenade and a favor," she says, pitching her tone carefully to convey her understanding of just what it is she's asking for. Wordlessly the elf disappears into the back before returning a minute later with a slim gray cylinder that he sets on the counter before her.

"He was a good friend. He didn't trust lightly, and his approval of you carries some authority. Don't abuse my kindness, though." Locus holds Mac's gaze, and she nods in reply, already frustrated with having to ask for help.

"I pay my debts," she replied, fighting to keep the curtness from her tone. Again, Locus favors her with a warm smile.

"Of that I have no doubt. You can owe me for the shotgun. The grenade is on the house."

Reaching beneath the counter, he produces a box of ammunition and two spare magazines for the weapon.

10:41:51 Monday, 22 January 2063 - 2063 - 5420 Mont Clair Blvd, Redmond, Seattle

Mac forced herself to uncurl the fists her hands had turned into out of frustration and breathed out a long, quiet breath before she palmed the flash-bang into the pocket on her longcoat and offered Locus a genuine thank you.

This was the hardest for her, going above and beyond the asking for help, but receiving help because she was able to tread on Kovacs’ reputation that for one reason or another was extended to her. She hated the handout and was already calculating what she could afford to shed of her own gear to pay back Locus as quickly and efficiently as possible. She forced herself into a casual lean against the counter while Mario was getting comfortable with the shotgun.

“Time to take your new shiny toy for a spin.”

Mac’s voice was all business again as Mario’s head snapped up from the weapon and his eyes moved between her and Locus and the Elf graced him with a brief nod before the Ork’s eyes moved back to Mac.

“We have things to do and people to see.”

Mac paused as the pair of men nestled the shotgun and its accessories into its case and Mario snapped the case shut firmly before she started for the door.

She glanced back over her shoulder towards the counter and the Elf who remained guarded behind it.

“End of the week. If not before.”

With a nod to herself, committing the promise, she pushed through the door and stepped back into the narrow walkway and headed towards the car at a brisk pace. She was far too aware of the clock that was ticking and how much they still needed to pull together to have a hope of making this plan a success, or at least keep them both out of jail or dead.