Asmodeus lifts his head up and, sighing softly to himself, answers the annoying beep of his commlink. "Yesss?"

Halcyon's voice drifts from the commlink. <<Gotta job for you. Yeah, old guy named Bone Eagle. He wants to meet you down deep in the Barrens, got the X-by-X here for ya. Seems he assembling a team, he asked for ya specific-like>>

"Gotsss it"

<<anyway, the meet's tomorrow, 22 hours. This could be the beginning of something big for you. This bone eagle guy may not be the most widely-known fixer in seattle, but he's got his fingers in a lot of pies. Anyway, i gotta get going, good luck man>>

"Thanksss" With that, Asmodeus cuts the connection and curls back up on his heated bed. '2200 tomorrow, huh? Plenty of time to finish digesting...' Within minutes, he's sleeping again.

Denic had hoped that the incoming Mana storm would help him find some reagents. So he had spent the day of the 31st wandering around the more secure neighborhoods and ‘tourist-type’ locations. His Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and big floppy hat, made him stand out. Ironically by standing out he avoided too much scrutiny by security. They saw him, saw his comlink broadcasting an ID, and wrote him off as harmless.

Of course the active link and dress made him a target for AR spam and tourist-trap type merchants. But those he could ignore. That just left the darker things that preyed on tourists. The area’s security would handle most of them, as for the rest... well; he wasn’t really a tourist who was unfamiliar with the area or the dangers. He did know what to watch for.

Unfortunately his hunt wasn’t successful, no problems, but no success. He had spent the whole day feeling the mana storm build up, exposed to the weather and pollution for nothing. So it’s not surprising he slept in the next day.

The persistent buzzing of his commlink finally woke him.

“Yeah..� Blearey eyed and half asleep he answered

“Ok..�

“22 got it, Thanks.�

Rolling out of bed Denic stretched and popped. He was still getting used to his nice new place. He was in debt up to his eyeballs to afford it, but it meant real food, distance between neighbors, and no need to worry if the power would suddenly fail. Plus it had space so he could do some work. Now all he need were the supplies. (and clients)

Speaking of which he was going to need to do some work to pay for all this stuff and his only current option was this Bone Eagle guy. He did not know any details, but given the way the job was being presented it felt like it was something that wasn’t totally legal. He hated those kinds of jobs, yet it did seem to be the only ones he could constantly get.

Over breakfast he pondered his options, such jobs were risky and he needed to be prepared. That meant he needed to tap into the few supplies he did have to call up some help. He didn’t like that, still one had to spend money to make money, or so the saying went.

After breakfast he spent the next 5 hours getting things ready. He was wanted to request help from a jötunn. And they tended to be quite picky about how things were done. The lines had to be drawn just so, the sacrifice placed just right, the words spoken just so with the proper tone. Even the slightest error could cause problems and strain. And thinking about why a creature of magic would want a couple thousand nuyen worth of mystical odds and ends, always made his head hurt. Given that he already had a headache from the mana storm, he didn’t want to think about it. He was just glad it wasn’t a blood or human sacrifice anymore like it the old books say it used to be.

With his stomach telling him it was approaching lunch time, he was finally ready. In a span of a second and an act of will he went from preparing to doing. In the middle of his preparations a creature covered in flames suddenly appeared. It wasted no time pointing out flaws, and complaining in a very superior tone. Every flaw was driven home like a dagger of fire into his mind. When it ran out of criticisms the fire giant turned to Denic and appraised him.

Seeing that the Seidr was still standing in spite of everything it could do, it said, “You’ll do. But you’d better not be wasting my time when you call upon me again.�

In a flash of flames the spirit and the offering are gone. Quite exhausted Denic pulled him self over to a couch and crashes.

He spent most of the afternoon vegging out; he did eventually remember to turn the fire suppression system back on in the summoning area and to eat lunch.

It isn’t until early evening that he is ready to try again, this time instead of a more hostile jötunn he would try for a more mankind friendly valkyrie. The setup was fundamentally the same, the lines went different places, the offering and words where different, but it still had to be done correctly to ‘honor’ the guest that he would invite, and it still would take alot of time.

He did eventually finish and he braced himself for another assault on his mind. In the blink of an eye an armored, but still very much female, form appeared. For several seconds it stood motionless looking at him through her visored helm. With a gloved hand it lifted up the visor and showed Denic a face he knew all to well. The voice matched as the spirit said, “I await your call, Warrior.�

Denic stood there stunned, and the spirit and the offering disappeared. His mind was a jumble of incoherent thoughts and ideas as he tried to come to terms with what he had just seen and heard.

He finally recovers a enough to mutter, “That is so twisted and wrong. She wasn’t even a follower of �satru.�

- 0700/1/6/2072:Robbie's Apartment, Everett, Seattle, UCAS -

The sunrise glinted off his helmet as he hopped off his bike. Sunup, and not a moment too soon. The batteries were running a bit dry. He activated the anti-theft system and strolled into the high-rise apartment complex he called home these days. A few Triad goons were waiting on the stoop, as they were on the first of every month. Robbie pulled a credstick out of his pocket and tossed it to the one that fit into his suit.

The man tried to catch it with one hand, but fumbled and dropped it. His beefier friends chuckled. [Chinese]"You're fraggin lucky you always pay on time, tusker."

Without breaking his stride, Robbie flipped open the visor on his helmet and gave the man a fat grin. [Chinese]"A show like this is well worth the price, omae." Taking the stairs two at a time, he eventually arrived at his door. His vision flooded with alerts. The soy processor was empty, his cleaning drone needed maintenance, his software was out of date, and his shoe was untied. No helping it, he couldn't afford most of the luxuries he stole, so he had to wait for the heat to die down before snagging what he needed. Things tended to get run down in such a state. He sighed, pulled a half-eaten nutribar out of his pocket, and cleared away the messages as he chewed. He flopped onto the bed and plugged in his commlink to charge as he slipped into cyberspace.



Robbie's work was interrupted by an incoming commcall from one of his buddies in the underground. "Yeah, old guy named Bone Eagle. He wants to meet you down deep in the Barrens, got the X-by-X here for ya. Seems he assembling a team, he asked for ya specific-like." Robbie sent back a quick thumbs-up icon without missing a beat on his hack. "Anyway, the meet's tomorrow, 22 hours. This could be the beginning of something big for you. This bone eagle guy may not be the most widely-known fixer in seattle, but he's got his fingers in a lot of pies. Anyway, i gotta get going, good luck man." The call faded out.

- 0200/1/7/2072:Robbie's Apartment, Everett, Seattle, UCAS -

Robbie finally floated back to reality. He pulled off his trodes and jacket, placing them within arm's reach, and passed out face-down on top of the covers.

- 1700/1/7/2072:Robbie's Apartment, Everett, Seattle, UCAS -

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Robbie eventually roused himself from hibernation to check the message on his commlink. A delivery drone was waiting at his door. The crate of food supplies brightened his mood considerably, and the drone chirped at him in a cheery voice "thank you for choosing Hermes Deliveries, Mr. Smith."

He closed the door and loaded the autocooker. "Like taking candy from a baby." After an enormous meal, he turned to the news feeds for some inspiration. "Still a few hours to kill before meeting Mr. Boner. Slept through the water ration, so much for a shower. Let's see if there's anything happening."

A tall dark handsome man stands in the middle of a barren street. Facing him, over two dozen people in heavy armor, carrying a verity of the deadliest weapons not available to anyone. Standing behind the men are three massive spirits, twenty feet tall easy.

The tall man grins and spits the cigar he was chewing on to the ground “Go on... make my day.� he says in a deep voice that can only be described as a growl. The other men need no further provocation. Hundreds of rounds rain towards the lone man, but he doesn't even bother moving. Some of the bullets slow down and die in mid air, others bounce off an invisible shield, and some miss by miles, but none so much as ruff his hair.

The rain of bullets is accompanied by the whistle of missiles, several explosions engulfing the lone man, the bullets stopping as the smoke clears. The man still stands just where he was, unmoved by the display of firepower. He grins “My turn.� and raises both hands, palms towards the group. A moment later massive explosions begin to engulf the men and spirits.

At that exact instant, a loud ringing splits the air, and time freezes. Then the world becomes strange... angular, the color vanishes, several people become blocks of static, then everything vanishes.

“Damn it!� cries Razel “Always in the good parts!� He answers his commlink, grunting non-committal responses to try and get this moron talking about some bone guy off the line quickly. By the time he hangs up and changes back to his trid, the credits are rolling. “Damn it.� he grunts, then chucks his commlink across the room. It makes a dent in the wall where it hits, adding to the large number of dents already there.

“Piece of crap commlink, piece of crap connection...� he goes on to include several several other things as he walks over to his soy machine, which produces a lovely concoction which some call food, and he calls... well, surely you can guess. Forcing down the gruel does nothing to improve Razel's mood. Blasting the wall with a bolt of energy helps



“Ahh, that's better.� he walks over to the wall and retrieves his commlink, reviewing the call he had “Hmm, sounds like fun.� he says, finally devoting attention to what was actually said. “Nothing else to do in this dump though.� he glances around his accommodations. Far from luxury, he at least isn't on the streets, though his furniture tends to have various singes, and the wall has been burned black and is covered in dents and holes from thrown objects, mostly commlinks.

Still, Razel has been in better moods, the mana storm had him even more on edge then normal, though one thing or another always seemed to be putting him on edge. Razel throws himself down in his favorite chair. It is easy to pick out as his favorite, because it lacks any burn marks, obviously never having been subjected to a powerbolt.

Leaning back he jumps on the Matrix and tries to find a station playing a “Karl Kombatmage™â€? trid. After finding one and getting about halfway through it, his connection crashes. Another series of curses, another dent in the wall, and another blackened patch of wallpaper.


Grumbling he walks into his bedroom, which has significantly fewer dents and blackened spots and tosses himself on the bed, there had been a “Suki Redflower� marathon on last night, and his connection had actually let him see -most- of it.

Several hours later, Razel wakes in a bad mood, so no changes there. He makes his way to the soy processor and tries to convince it to make him something that tastes decent, but fails utterly, getting a bowl of tasteless slop.

Forcing down his breakfast, Razel moves into the third room of his apartment. Converted from a large closet into his lodge, papers with complex formulas have been printed out and posted up all over the walls. Sitting down he pulls out another commlink and begins to type out yet more complex formulas, looking somewhat relaxed for the first time.

It isn't until nightfall again that he finally gets leaves his lodge, grabbing his commlink and feeling up to struggling through the lag of a matrix game. After blasting some stuff and being blasted (due to lag of course) a few times, he feels in a decent enough mood to force down yet more slop before settling in for another late night marathon of magic trids.

A good day's sleep and Razel wakes up just as the sun is setting. He stops in his lodge, calling up a fire spirit, not wanting to be caught unprepared at the meet. The spirit appears as a humanoid mass of flame, but something is odd about it, the proportions are too... exact, the way the fire flickers is almost predicable, and even the colors of the flames are just too well distributed to be natural... as natural as a magical spirit can be at any rate.

The spirit watches Razel for a few moments before asking him a single question somehow both exceedingly complex, and yet requiring no knowledge of a particular field, a logic question of the highest order.



Having barely answered the question satisfactorily, Razel orders his spirit to wait for his command, before quickly calling up three watcher spirits.



He sends the first watcher to the meeting place, telling it to wait till its time was almost up before returning and reporting about the place and prominent activities. The second and third are ordered off to make two people's nights quite miserable.

Finally a few spells.. just in case.

Razel finally begins his arduous journey to the meeting place, made all the more difficult by lack of personal transportation, and having to switch buses about a dozen times. As he waits a ways off from the meeting spot for his first watcher to show up and report, he summons two more, ordering them to discreetly inform him of astral activity around him

He passes the wait by staring down a stop sign, spiting on the ground, and saying “Go ahead, make my day.� before blasting it with a bolt of energy


He considers trying to blast his watchers as they inform him that a spell was just cast, but instead grits his teeth and prepares to hear it a few more times as he readies some spells, just in case there is any action.



More warnings of another spell being cast before he can pull out his commlink and try and pull up a decent trid... something with magic in it.

As Razel sends watchers near the meeting place, one by one he feels his connection to them disappear in a confused little "pop" of sadness.

Part 1

Tama knew he was awake because he felt Sabia stir in her sleep. She always did when he woke up. Trying not to wake her, he shifted until he could see the clock. Four am. Contented, Tama slipped on the trode net he keeps by the bedside, closed his eyes, and let his being leave his body. Astrally, Tama oriented himself upright, and turn to look at where he and Sabia lay. With great concern, he inspected the entirety of Sabia's aura, than of his own. Being work he enjoyed immensely, Tama took his time. They were both happy. Both still in love. Sabia was a bit sad about something that happened yesterday still... he couldn't quite establish what- she hadn't mentioned anything to him, so Tama wouldn't bring it up unless it looked like the dis-ease was starting to fester. In his own aura, it looked like he might come down with a cold in the next week is he wasn't mindful. He decided he would call Auntie Gab in the morning- she would have something for that, he was sure. Satisfied, Tama flew up above the clouds, away from the city lights below. He also went west a few thousand miles, to where it was still dark, and manifested his senses into the world. Tama loves the stars. In the city, you cannot see any, but thirty or forty kilometers up, and they are perfectly clear, and absolutely gorgeous. He enjoyed the view, then returned his senses to the astral, and began his nightly routine.

Tama began an outward spiral, sweeping the entire neighborhood. Out of the 97 people in the neighborhood, 83 were at home, and there were six others about. He spotted Emily climbing back into her house through the window. If he was reading the signs right, it was a different man, and she didn't use protection, again. He took a few moments to inspect her aura- no STDs or pregnancy yet, but if she kept up these habits it was only a matter of time. Tama made a mental note to ask Sabia to talk to her about it. He also spotted a certain man walking through the neighborhood again. He has been spotted regularly- he passes through on the way to one of his jobs. Tama knows this because Tama has followed this particular man. His aura does something Tama does not like, and only when little girls are around. It is very faint, Tama has not been able to establish quite what it is for sure though, but he has brought it to the attention of the community.

Having done a circuit, Tama checks on a few people he has been asked to watch. Jacob looks like he is getting better, and probably won't try to kill himself again, and Allen is definitely NOT doing drugs, no matter what his mother says. But then some sad news. The cancer is back in Aunt Gemma. It is faint, just two tiny threads in her aura that vibrate two quickly every twenty nine beating of her heart, resulting in a brown smear where they touch. She had been in remission for years. He did a thorough investigation. Nothing in her lymph nodes, nothing in her bone marrow, blood, or brain. All vital organ are clear. He breaths a sigh of relief. Six am he will call her niece and tell her to make a doctors appointment for Aunt Gemma. Six am, and not a minute later.

He is also concerned to see Sierra isn't home. Because if Serria isn't home, it means she is shitfaced in a bar, and when shitfaced in a bar, Sierra is prone to doing stupid things. Now, Tama knows that she is a thirty-seven year old woman who has seen more blah blah blah etc for five minutes, but Tama can't help but check up on the retired runner. He checks her favorite bars first, finds her on the third try just leaving a bar, following some man. Her aura had that I'm-going-to-forget-all-my-problems-by-having-my-some-guy-fuck-my-brains-out-while-plastered glow to it. So, Tama quickly inspected his aura, then returned immediately to his body and called Sierra. It rang for a good 40 seconds before Sierra picked up.
"Thish better be sho importint" Sierra slurred. "There better bhe... a... a... a doshen guys waiting to gang rape me bahck at hish plash. Acktually, I wouldn't mind that right now."
"Active herpes." Tama said simply and quickly. Talking to Sierra when she was this drunk and horny was NEVER pleasant. It is best to handle her like one handles a band aid. There was a few seconds of silence before Sierra began swearing. He always admired her ability to swear for half an hour without repeating herself, so he set the commlink to record, gave it instructions to disconnect when she hung up, and then left his body again.

He check on Isabella's pregnancy- the baby was still completely healthy and without deformity. He lingered there some, because he found the dual auras of a pregnant woman so beautiful. He checked on Jean's grandmother in the hospital- she is getting better, he will be happy to find out. He had seen Adel get into a nasty bike crash today, and while he walked away from it, Tama had been meaning to check on him. He did have a less than a hairline crack on one of his bones. Probably would never have noticed- not enough to require medical attention or even cause pain- but Tama will warn him to go easy on it for a few days anyway. He flitted back to his body to check the time. Sierra was still swearing enthusiastically, and it was 5:18. Just in time, he flickered over to the roof of the building Mr. Hefferson was living in. He waited there for twenty minutes. Mr. Hefferson could rest in peace; no alien/angel hybrids had descended to harvest choice memories. Which reminded him, Tama promised to check under Dorothy's bed for monsters. As suspected, no monsters. He did another sweep of the neighborhood, and then checked back in at Sierra's place. She was home, but had just gotten home and was a breath away from passing out. He briefly manifested.
"Drink water" He advised, before leaving, then called it a night.

Time to start his day. Exactly six he called Penny, Aunt Gemma niece, to break the bad news. As he tried did so gently, Tama remembered a saying he heard somewhere. It went that everyday you should eat a frog before breakfast. That way, for the rest of the day you knew the worst was behind you. He thought it was a damn odd saying, but in that it was completely impracticable and, as he had learned shadowrunning, not necessarily true. Finished, he slipped out of bed and began his morning exorcises. Push-ups, sit-ups, kata- he went through the routines while listening to the recording of Sierra swearing. It was really impressive. Really impressive. When he finished, Sabia was waiting for him in her running clothes, dozing sitting on the steps. He sat down and kissed her.
"Is it possible you have learned to thrive on only a few hours of sleep each as well?" Tama teased.
"Flgn-mshtr- shut it," she muttered, and pushed herself to her feet. They jogged and talked. At first it was Tama monologuing, but Sabia woke up quickly and their conversation became a dialog, and finally evolved into monologue by Sabia. After about forty minutes they finished their run, showered, got dressed, and went to breakfast with the others people they shared the house with. Tama didn't eat breakfast, of course, but he sat and chatted, and drank a small cup of mint tea. Then he started his visiting list. He started with Autie Gab.
"Come in, boy, come in, I will make you a cup of tea" She practically bellowed when she answered the door, before herding him inside. Five minutes later he was sitting in her sun room, conversing.
"You haven't been sleeping enough, have you, boy" she accused, shaking a thick finger at him. "How much did you sleep tonight."
"Three hours, auntie, but my metabolism-"
"I don't want to hear about metabolism this, or magic or any other bullcrud. A growing boy needs his sleep! And food. Have you been eating three meal a day?" This time Auntie Gab went so far as to poke him in the rib, as if testing for plumpness.
"I only need one meal, one big meal, and I feel good." Tama explained again with a smile.
"More bullcrud," she said with a snort. "You should be coming over hear to eat more often. I'll lay the fat on you, and your skinny girlfriend too."
"Well, Auntie Gab, I am worried I might be getting a cold-"
"See!" Auntie exclaimed, pointing the finger again in certain victory. "You come right over her tonight at five and whip something up that will drive the bugs right out of you. Bring your skinny girlfriend, too."
"Her name is Sabia, and I will invite her alone."
"Until I can pinch her, and get some fat, she is skinny girlfriend. Now that I think of it, you're looking like your name might be at risk as well. "Gab said, eying him critically.
"I still have some reserves on my bottom," Tama assured her, happy he was sitting down so she wouldn't try to, platonicaly, verify the fact. "Beside, you always call my 'boy' anyway."
"Hush, boy. Now, about that-"
After another ten or so minutes of chatter, Tama is on to his next visit. It is a set pattern in the neighborhood. You visit someone, not call, when possible, and you sit down, have a cup of coffee (tea for Tama) and chat. The morning passes very quickly. He starts with some unpleasant visits.
"...But I KNOW my boy Allan MUST be doing drugs!" "I am categorically sure he isn't."
"...It turns out you didn't intercept a telepathic communication, Mr. Hefferson, it was just a dream,"
And then a fun one as a pick-me up.
"...Definitely no monsters under your bed, Dorothy... why yes, Princess Polly, I will pour you more tea..."
Then back to the rest of his list.
"...Adel, try not to do anything stupid for the next couple of weeks."
"... I think Jacob is going to be fine, but I think you should still have someone watch him like the doctor said."
"... You're grandmother is healing well, I don't think the doctors missed anything..."
And finally he hung out a bit for with Paul and Chad, who he has known since time immemorial.
"...And's that's when she slipped, and nailed him right in the balls!"
"That's absolutely terrible."
"I know, its like watching a train wreck, and you can't stop watching. Or even want to stop watching."
"Shit man, just... shit."
"Oh, that reminds me, does a cybercock have an aura?"
"How the fuck should I know?"
"You're the aura guy, why shouldn't you?"
"Uh, dur, I don't go around assessing men's junk."
"Yet you use words like 'assessing'"
"Shut it, Paul, its a technical term in these matters."
"Well, I think you should find out."
"I am not going go hunting for men with robodicks, just to satisfy your curiosity."
"Please!"
"No, Paul"
"Please!"
"No, Chad"
"..."
"So... if it doesn't have an aura, does that mean if you fuck a chick with one God doesn't count it?"
"That's it, I'm going to lunch."
"You must find out!"
"Its the ultimate pick up line!"
"Think of the potential for picking up nuns!"
"Screw you guys, go write a letter to the Pope."

((To Be Continued))

Part II

Tama had decided he would sit with Aunt Gemma for lunch. On the way, he passed by the empty lot where the kids play. A game of baseball was underway, and Cait was standing in the 'far field' (at the edge of the lot) looking dejected.
“Still not letting you bat, Cait?� he asked as he approached the girl.
“Or pitch, now� Cait grumbled. “Hurt someone.�
“I remember the 'you can't play sports with us anymore' stage.� Tama said with a sympathetic sigh, as he playfully leaned his weight on the top of her head.
“Are you inviting me to break you?� Cait threatened, but Tama could see she was amused, so be used his preternatural speed to move a step back from her in mock fright. She smiled a little.
“What stage comes next?� Cait asked.
“Well, if you are like me, next, girls won't want to go on dates with you.� He said sagely, and Cait rewarded his wisdom with a playful punch to his arm that will probably leave a bruise.
“Come on,� Tama said, rubbing his arm, “I am going to visit Aunt Gemma for lunch and I want to pick some of the dandelions and daisies growing along the fence by the Jenssen's place for her. Wanna come with?�
“You think I like picking flowers just 'cause I'm a girl?� Cait asked as she eyed him, daring him to invite another punch.
“Not at all, I just need a look out. If someone spots me picking flowers I might loose my precious 'man-cred.'� Tama dramatically confides in Cait.

“Tama, oh how lovely to see you. Thank you, dear, please come in. I was just about to serve lunch,� Auntie Gemma said, in her soft, gentle way.
“I am happy to see you, Aunt Gemma,� Tama said, stepping in and lightly kissing Aunt Gemma on the cheek. “The flowers are from Cait as well, but please don't tell her I told you. I fear for my bones.�
“Of course I won't. Please, come into the dining room, Penelope and Robert are already there. I will put on a pot of tea and join you shortly.� In the dining room, Penny hugged him silently, and Uncle Bobby as well. They had a hushed conversation while Aunt Gemma finished preparing the food and tea.
“...the first appointment I could get is in three weeks...�
“...I will talk to Grandfather, maybe I can use some of the money from 'work...'
“...Tama... will you try to....�
“...Of course, you don't even need to ask...�
Then Aunt Gemma began bringing in lunch. She eyed them critically for a moment.
“I know what you are talking about, and I won't have it at my table. Please be on to more pleasant topics by the time I return.
“Before I forget, Someone is trying to rent the empty room at May's place, and we were hoping you could check him out,� Uncle Bobby said, as he checked his watch. “Might still be there.�
“Sure, just give me five seconds,� Tama said, letting his body go limp before stepping out of it. He took a step, and found the man just leaving May's. Tama read his aura quickly, and then stepped back into his body. “Looks clean, but I would guess he is a cop. Can't tell if he is narc, or stakeout or what. That room has a good view of the apartment across the street, and its not Neighborhood, so its possible.� Then Aunt Gemma returned, so they discussed more pleasant things.

If the afternoon, Tama stayed home for a couple of hours to give people a chance to visit him. Sabia was out, so he did a little reading, and did not drink mint tea. Tama's allergy to caffeine has eliminated most beverages from his diet. Being unable to socialize in the Neighborhood without the consumption of beverages that were not water, this was problematic before the arrival of mint tea. Mint grows like a weed. Literally. A patch can spread to cover most of a herb garden, if one is not careful, and a single cutting can spawn a whole garden. It will also come back every year by itself, once it has been planted. In other to accommodate Tama' allergy, mint tends to be the neighborhood's most common weed. Visitors to his house still drank coffee, of course.
It is a quite afternoon, and only a few people come in with requests. Marie said Francis has strep throat, so Tama agreed to make a house call the next day, and Emily came by to chew him out for not minding his own business. Tama supposes Sabia was not as delicate with the matter as he had hoped. Around three Sierra stopped in, looking slightly like hell.
“I'll make some more coffee.� Tama said, not needing to assess her to understand the situation. By the time he returned with a cup, she was sleeping on the table. Tama put the cup beside her, and then checked his email and goofed around on the Matrix until three-thirty, when he had a meeting. He left Sierra dozing on the table.
The heads of the community were already all present when he arrived. This was not a public meeting, just a few lifers, building owners, and suchlike. Tama was brought in as a special consultant because the issue was the potential pedophile he had spotted. The meeting started simple enough. Questions about how sure Tama was, and Tama had to admit he wasn't very sure at all. May asked about how often he had been seen, and Dorothy's mother, Unity, wanted to know is he had been seen approaching any girls, and no one had seen any such thing. Finally, Grandfather, as usual, plunged the meeting into chaos.
“Ladies and gentlemen. I purpose a one word solution. Trap.�
“Trap?�
“Trap.�
“I don't think I like what you are suggesting...� Unity started.
“Only because you are thinking of Dorothy.� Grandfather said with a dismissive gesture. “But we wouldn't use her as bait- we would use Cait.� Pandemonium ensued.
Eventually, it calmed down to where individual voices could be heard.
“...You can't honestly be suggesting we use Cait as bait?�
“The girl's practically Pippi Longstocking� Grandfather said in his defense, but only got an assorted collection of puzzled stares. “young shits...� he muttered under his breath.
“It hardly-�
“She broke a bat the other day!� Grandfather interjected.
“It is a bit unusual, but not-�
“It was an aluminum bat, and she is thirteen years old. Give her a set of brass knuckles and she could work over a troll.� Grandfather said, sounding exasperated, then he paused to reflect a moment, “You, know, thats a fight I wouldn't mind seeing...� The meeting continued to decay from there. By four-thirty everyone was leaving, and grandfather pulled Tama off to the side on the way out.
“I've got a little job for you, Tama.� Grandfather said, putting a piece of paper in his hand. “Here is the meet, a fellow named Bone Eagle is putting a group together and asked for you by name. Word is he's got connections, which means this could be big. A big fuck-up, or a big pay-off. So be careful.�
“Thanks Grandfather, I will be careful,� Tama said, pocketing the address and starting back to his place.

“So is Gabs going to be making one of her famous I-can't-believe-its-food! dishes?� Sabia asked, as they walked to Auntie Gab's place for dinner.
“Oh yes, I have little doubt of it.� Tama assured her.
“Awesome,� Sabia said sincerely, “I love it when Gabs thinks outside the culinary box. Any idea what she is making?�
“I strongly suspect the theme of tonight's meal like be 'burning' or possibly 'fire.' I told Auntie Gab I might be coming down with a cold.� Tama explained as they approached the front door.
“Oh. Then I think you must have doomed us all.� Sabia said quietly as the door opened.
“Right on time, boy, supper's just ready and you brought your skinny girlfriend, too.� Auntie Gab exclaimed, then caught them up in a bear hug that lifted Sabia off her feet. She almost carried them into the kitchen, where the table was set up. Dinner was almost soup, or almost stew. Really, it seemed like a bunch of vitamin rich veggies (and synth veggies) boiled with a half-dozen different kinds of peppers, rice, dumplings, a few eggs, some kind of fat (chicken? Beef? real? Synthetic stuff for broths?), possibly oatmeal (not much, if any), some kind of melted cheese, and at least two different kinds of meat (probably synthetic, but Auntie Gab tended to splurg when stocking his kitchen). It was seasoned with more hot sauces (some of which are normally reserved for orks and trolls), sugar (just a bit to intensify the spice) and a magic assortment sprices to bring the flavours together. All thrown together into a pot with a pastry-like crust was baked on top. Tama couldn't help but think that if Cajun gumbo and French-Canadian tourtière had two love children, which then inbred incestuously for five or six generations, this would be what it was like. Foreseeing her meal would be hot enough to insure constant weeping from the eyes and nose, Auntie Gab had also stocked the table with two boxes of tissues, thick bread with snyth butter (and NOT the low fat kind), salt, and a kind of tea from India that was served hot enough to almost burn the mouth.
“A Mexican friend taught me that a pinch of salt will kill the spice in your mouth, and an Indian friend told me this tea will wash all the hot oils away�
Tama and Sabia both just knocked back cups of tea.
“See, that what you both get for being so skinny-assed� Auntie Gabs said, serving them all another helping. “No constitution. But this will lay the fat on you, and burn out any bugs.�
“Gabs, you are the scariest and best cook I ever met. We have got to get you a restaurant.�
“Hah! You'd but a price on this! Damn corporate types thinking everything be sold. My cooking is priceless, right boy?�
“Hell. Yes.� Tama managed between coughs.
“Breath, honey, breath.� Sabia said, whacking him squarely on the back.
“Frail as a spring posy� Auntie Gab sighed, clicking her tongue. “Tama's skiny girlfriend is even doing better then you, boy.�
“How can us use my name in referring to Sabia, but not to me?� Tama said before going for another large spoonful.
“Hush,� Auntie Gab chided, then wagged a finger at Sabia, “I would have thought you'd've taught him to watch his mouth by now.�
“I try, Gabs, but he is sooo stubborn,� Sabia said as she rolled her eyes.
“Stubborn?� Auntie Gab said, cocking an eyebrow at her, “You sure he ain't just dumb?�
“I am perfectly capable of learning,� Tama said indignantly, finishing off his bowl.
“Oh look, we've got his feathers up.� Sabia teased, “He's so cute when he foolhearted tries to defend his pride.�
“Pride,� Auntie Gabs said with a snort, “All that fancy 'I can see your soul' mumbo goes straight to his head.�
“I'll say, all the time he's just zoning out a bit and looking at things that aren't there, like it makes him special.� Sabia leaned forwards towards Auntie Gab. “Sometimes, he even does it during sex.�
“No!�
“Yes! I can always tell to, cause he gets distracted, and then he-�
“Okay, I am just going to be leaving now.� Tama said, standing up.
“Hell you will, you'll miss dessert.� Auntie Gabs said.
“I have been suitably bribed.� he said, sitting back down. As he did so, he spied Cait out the window. “But I think Cait should come in and have some too.�

“What... what did you get me into?� Cait asked of Tama, as Auntie Gabs and Sabia loudly chatted away across from them.
“I am so sorry. I thought for sure with you around they would change the topic.� Tama apologized, blushing furiously.
“I... I think I hate you right now,�
“I hate me right now, too.�
“I am pretty sure this will be one of those memories my psychologist unearths twenty years from now.�
“That you should be so lucky to forget! I have perfect sense memory with all five senses. I am incapable of forgetting a single word they utter. Its like a forced recording in my brain.�
“Perfect touch memory was pretty useful, actually." Sabia chimed in, "Learned my 'geography' real quick.�
“That you would be so lucky!� Auntie Gabs exclaimed, “When I was first dating Joe, he was so clueless, I got a piercing in my-�
“Just run, Cait! Just run!� Tama advised loudly.
“Oh, I see, like the 'you are here' thingy on a map� Sabia said with delight.

After dinner, Tama did another quick sweep of the neighborhood to make sure everything was all right. No fires to put out, so to speak. Next, he lets himself slit away to the meeting place. Just a big empty building with an empty cellar. Maybe electricity, but no signs of people. So, Tama pushed his senses through to the physical world. Just a few gang tags and a router. And lots of C-squared.

When he returns to his body, Sabia is laying next to him, pressed against his back, and an arm draped over him.
“You brought your swords with you.� she said, referring to the pair of sheathed blades he held against his chest.
“Yes.� He said simply, happy to feel the warmth of her presence.
“Are you scared?�
“I'm always nervous before a meet, or a run, or anything like that. I'd be crazy not to be.�
“That's my Tama� Sabia said and wriggled closer against him.
“Do you and Auntie Gab really think-� Tama started.
“Shush, I'm happy. Don't ruin it by being dumb.�

Too soon, it was time for Tama to leave for the meet. He put on his layers of armour, his commlinks and trode net. His ceramic knife, in his boot, and swords in an old guitar case. By the time he was ready to leave, he looked like nothing more than another street musician. He kissed Sabia goodbye and caught the subway.

The meet. June 2nd, 2072. 22.00

Driving through the Barrens, you note the poverty. Of course you know it, but the very misery of the place still screams out. While the buildings look like the remains from some long-ago war, the residents are worse. Their eyes are bleak and empty, and all the wonders of modern medicine hasn't helped the hunchbacks, the freaks, the scarred and the crazy that reside here.

At the coordinates, a single three-story brick house stands alone in a concrete yard. The roof is partially fallen in, the windows covered up and the walls covered with gang tags. Three gangers sit against the wall next to a surprisingly new-looking door, cheap submachineguns resting on the ground beside them.



The gangers stand up, making sure to look as authoritative and intimidating as their limited faculties allow. The biggest of them, an ork with a body covered in prison tats, asks
- Are ya here fo' da meet?
- Who ya' be meetin'?
Assuming you answer satisfactorily, he leads you into the house, where three other gangs sit in a circle playing some cheap AR game on BTL decks. He pulls the plugs in the decks.
- They here be our guest. Yo boys take 'em down ta meet da Eagle.
The gangers get up slowly, dazed a bit from the dumpshock, and lead you through another new and armored door, down recently reinforced stairs, and into a brightly lit room. The walls are painted white, and newly-assembled IKEA chairs and a clean table stand in the middle. The room smells of drying paint and sweetly nauseating smell of nanoassemblers from the IKEA set.

A tall, bony man with long white hair stands up to greet you. He doesn't smile, and his wrinkles tell you it would be hard to get even a grin out of him.
As he speaks, a strange smell like the lizard cave at a zoo fills the room.
- Hello, i'm the Bone Eagle. I assume you're here because you were contacted about a job.
He waits for you to reply, then continues.
- I may be able to help you. I have chosen you people specially for this, should be something you can sort out.
- There's coffee and tee, while we wait for the rest of the group to arrive.
As everyone arrives, he introduces himself, and makes sure everyone knows everyone's names.

- 2100/2/6/2072:Robbie's Apartment, Everett, Seattle, UCAS -

Robbie grins as he rearranges the Stuffer Shack's AR displays. Too bad he wouldn't have time to watch the corpers scream at the "cappuchino" machine that insisted on giving them strawberry slushies. "Duty calls." He leaves his group's calling card in a quiet behind-the-scenes ARO where only they would find it, covers his tracks, and logs out. Gathering his meager belongings, he pauses to check his weapon over. The electronic firing mechanism didn't need much cleaning, and neither did the barrel thanks to the caseless ammunition, but it never hurt to know he's prepared. Gel rounds ought to be fine. Who knows who's waiting there.

A minute later, he's on his Pegasus, tearing his way down the streets. He takes a detour through a nicer neighborhood of Snohomish, and slows down to save fuel. Better make use of the 'Grid while I can, this could be a long night.

- 2130/2/6/2072:The Meet, Redmond, Seattle, UCAS -

Robbie pulls his bike into the concrete yard, parking it and storing his helmet in the small cargo compartment. He walks straight toward the door, pretending not to notice the thugs until they interrupt him. "Are ya here fo' da meet?"

No sense beating around the bush. "Where's Bone Eagle?" He follows the ork through the building, and winces when he dumps the gamers inside. You can knock a man out like that.

Robbie enters the overly-white meeting room, wrinkling his nose at the paint fumes. He does not speak until spoken to. "Hello, i'm the Bone Eagle. I assume you're here because you were contacted about a job."

Robbie keeps a straight face, "you assume right."

"I may be able to help you. I have chosen you people specially for this, should be something you can sort out. There's coffee and tea, while we wait for the rest of the group to arrive."

"You people?" Who am I being associated with now? Robbie takes a seat and a cup of coffee, not wanting to appear rude. Probably second-hand soycaf this deep in the barrens.

- 2130/2/6/2072:The Meet, Redmond, Seattle, UCAS -
Razel waits for his watchers to pop as he gets closer to the meeting spot, knowing that if they don't, it means his first one was attacked and not simply the victim of background count. Information is power and he intended to have his share of it and perhaps more by the time he met this 'bone' guy.

He'd seen way too many magic trids not to recognize those guns, though they may have given him too strong of an idea as to how often they jammed.

"Of course I'm here for the meet, why the hell else would I be in this wasteland? What, there more then just this bone dude using this place as a meeting spot?" He follows the ork in his all too normal mood of 'surly', then continuing to follow the other members.


Razel bites his tongue figuratively as Bone Eagle asks him if he's here for the job. Bone Eagle was an unknown quantity, and while the grunts were unlikely to give him guff for his attitude, he knew well enough that it could go over poorly with the one in charge of them. So instead of a smart remark he simply nods, though the strain of the withheld remark is likely to show on his face.

Glancing at the other person to have already arrived, he gives him a slight nod of acknowledgment. He does not however give a damn about offending by not accepting the drink. Instead he moves to lean in a corner of the room, after making sure the paint isn't still wet. He passes his waiting time by considering how much better the room would look with a couple of black scorch marks here and there.

June 2, 2072; 2200 - the Meet, Redmond Barrens
A Fairly nice car (somewhat armored) pulls up near the meet.
Inside, Jack looks around both in the meat and Astrally.
Not very impressed, he steps out. While he does not look flashy, he is a bit over-dressed for the area.
As he steps out, he makes a comment to the driver. "Thanks. Tell Benni I appreciate the help. I'll find my way back."

Stepping over to the entrance-way, he gives the gangers an unimpressed look.
"Bone Eagle is expecting me."

Walking down stairs, Hack tries to tell just how ugly this place is, mostly by looking at the spirit keeping him company.
(I presume that there are no wards that I have to push through.)

When Bone Eagle asks, Jack replies, "Yeah, you called."

he then looks around to see who else is here.

The meet. June 2nd, 2072. 21.25

Asmodeus gracefully glides down the side streets towards the meeting point, giving a serpentine frown at the overwhelming sense of unease that the area exudes. Terror, despair, torment, and a dozen mammal emotions he couldn't begin to identify beat down upon him, suppressing his mana slightly and dimming the world around him. This was not a pleasant location.

As he arrives at the meeting site, he gives a snakish smirk at the gangers trying to hide their nervousness around him. He decides that tormenting them would not make the best of first impressions and nods to them, yawning broadly. "Yesss, I am heah fo' th' mee'in' with 'Bone Eagle'. Show me th' way."

He follows calmly and watches as the ganger tells the dumpshocked punks to take him downstairs. He rolls his eyes and follows them to the recently improved basement room. He hisses slightly to himself as the fresh paint smell hits him. He tunes out the smell and focuses on the man in the room. He studies the man for a minute, and allows the man he suspects is Bone Eagle to study him. Eventually, the tall, bony man with long white hair stands up to greet him He doesn't smile, and his wrinkles tell you it would be hard to get even a grin out of him.

As he speaks, a strange smell like the lizard cave at a zoo fills the room, and Asmodeus relaxes slightly. "Hello, i'm the Bone Eagle. I assume you're here because you were contacted about a job."

" Sssalutations, Bone Eagle. You can call me Asssmodeusss. Word did reach me tha' you sssough' my aid on a job. Wha' can I do for you?"

"I may be able to help you. I have chosen a group of people specially for this, should be something you can sort out. There's coffee and tee, while we wait for the rest of the group to arrive."

The meet. June 2nd, 2072. 21.32

With a word of thanks, Tama got off the motorcycle and waved goodbye. Hitchhiking was a lot safer when you can read a person's intentions in his aura. He was about two block for the meet, and running a bit late, but he still paused along the way to slip into the astral for a half dozen seconds to scout out the meet again. Looks like the warehouse was far from empty now.
As Tama approaches the gangers, the lead eyes him suspiciously. For all the world he looks like some kind 4th rate busker, except perhaps for the mirrorshades.
"Are ya here fo' da meet?" He asks, just as a formality.
"Oh yes," Tama replies with a smile.
"Who ya' be meetin' then?" the ganger asks suspiciously.
"I got an invite from Bone Eagle" Tana confidently replies, watching calmly from behind the reflective lenses. They stand off for a few moments.
"Sure," he finally says, and leads Tama into the house.
In the basement, Tama listens to Bone Eagle speak, before politely replying.
"Thank you for this oppertunity. For know, you can all know my as Sixth, or Six if it is easier to pronounce." Tama says, and he inspects the teabags present. He finds a brand that he is pretty sure is caffeine free, and makes himself a cup. As he does so, he casually, subtly, looks over the entire group, both physically, and astrally. He also tries to pick up on their smells- something many people forget to hide, but it is hard to separate from the strong smells already present in the room.

The cabbie would only drive so far, and that left Denic walking the rest of the way toward the meet. He had finally pull himself out of places like this and here he was being pulled back in. As much as he tried to pull away, but it wouldn't be a clean break as long as he needed a job and places like this is were his rep was. So far

He nods and gives one word answers as the gangers question why he is here.

Following his 'guide' Denic passes through the armored door down to Bone Eagle. Figures... games and fighting. Typical of gangs, but really quite limiting to what the world could really offer. But that would require more work then the run of the mill gangsta would really want to do.

Arriving at the 'nest' of Bone Eagle, Denic again simply nods or gives one word answers before going to grab a cup of coffee