Rick prefers either his own shoe leather or a good taxi to Ed's junker. He gathers up a couple of changes of cloths, grabs his walking staff/club and calls for a cab. When the taxi arrives he gives the driver the address before hunkering down in the back to think about what he's going to do for a week. At least I don't need to haul my deck around like Ed.

Ed ponders the mans question, relizing what it means. While Ed has gone under the laser before, and in truth fairly often compaired to his house mates, hes not that convinced with this guy. "Yeah, its when you add biologicly matched grey matter to the umm..." Eds smart ass retort breaks down as he talks way over his lines of understanding. "Its supposed to make you smarter I guess"

"Exactly. Now, if any of you are concerned about getting the procedure, don't be. I assure you that I am the best qualified doctor within the sprawl. I've done many of these operations before."

Rick's eyes narrow a bit, "Can you give us any information about who order these operations?"

The Doctor smiles, reaches into his labcoat and pulls out a p-sec with a red X on the back. He then puts it away, figuring that would answer the question. "Any other questions before we get started?"

"How long will it take? And How many times have you done this is kids like us?"

"It should take about a week. As far as your age, it won't be a problem. Its bioware, so it will grow with you as you age."

Karl looks around and grins, "Well, at least I can catch up on my sleep while I'm here."

He gives you all an expectant look, eyebrows arched.

"So, if there aren't anymore questions, please follow me and we'll get you started."

Still didn't answer my Question Mo thinks after hearing his reply, Messing with my brain... What happens if i can no longer hear the Deep Resonance?? Mean what can i do if i can't live the matrix?

Those who look at her while she is thinking this may notice that her grey/ yellow skin getting paler, and a sheen appearing on her skin as she starts to sweat.

"Miss, are you ok? Perhaps we should get you in here and get pre-op going and see whats wrong?"

Rick thinks to himself, The intelligence boost would be nice. Plus, eventually I'm going to have to start thinking about what I'm going to be doing with my life after the Fading. he shudders a moment before looking up at the Doc. "I'm in. Just be sure that a Cerebral Booster is all that you put inside of me, though. Where should we put our stuff?"

Ed is pleased at the offer as an offer, but isnt all that pleased with how it has been carried out. But seeing the P-Sec does put his mind to something closer to ease. "Ok, Im in. How long will it be between the surgery and when we can get back on the 'trix?"

"I'll have a closet for you to store your gear. Once you are awake and active again after the proceedure, you should be able to go back online right away. If you'll follow me?"

He moves to the door he entered the room from and holds it open for you. The hallway beyond leads into a large surgery room with four tables. All kinds of medical equipment fill the room and it all has a look of SOTA.

Ed whistles in spite of him self, impressed, but quickly bites it back. "Everyone at once? Must have a big staff to do that. Or that stuff is more wiz then it looks. Either way, show me to pre-op doc." Ed smirks again.

"The first part of the proceedure will be done by myself, its mostly working in the lab. Once I am ready for the op, my nurse will be here to assist me. Go ahead and stash your gear in that room there for now."

Turning to Mo, the Doctor says, "Miss, if you could climb up onto this table here, I'd like to get a look at you first."

Her breathing getting shallow as she slowly follows the others to the other room. Blinking a couple of times to try and get her vision back as it starts to narrow, Seeing the doctor speak but not hearing his words she puts a hand towards the table not to climb up but to try to steady herself as she start's to wobble, the last thought that goes through her mind is Why is he getting taller.....

The Doc rushes over and scoops Mo up as she passes as, then sets her down on the table with a grace that you'd not have guessed he had in him. He quickly runs a Bioscanner over her small form and sighs, "She'll be fine. I've had patents get nervous and passout before. The rest of you go ahead and find a table and we'll get started."

Ed sees Mo fall, and dives to help the doctor pick her up again. "What the hell is going on here? She gonna be ok?"
Ed has always know that shes not the most healthy person, down right sickly really, but Ed has always taken the role of the physical grunt of the misfits, even though he is much younger then the more senior members.

@Mo, Thor, and Maelstorm

The Matrix lays out before you in all its glory and things just make since to you. You can see all the RTGs, LTGs, Nodes, and Users going about their daily operations and the world is whole. But then someone starts to become clear. Things aren’t right. Something is wrong.

One by won they become apparent, twisted Nodes. They don’t make any sense to you what-so-ever, but you know that things aren’t going to be the same for the matrix much longer. The Nodes comes together, one by one. There are thousands of them and you are afraid…

@Ed

You are afraid too…

A voice comes to you, like the vocals of God it reaches inside of you and is all consuming. “The Deep Resonance does not want you, it turned its back on you… But I won’t. I see you and I will set you free…”

In the depths of your mind, an old jealousy comes haunting you again. Why didn’t the Resonance talk to you? Sure, you have your deck and can run the matrix like the best of them, but you’ve never had the true freedom of the Otaku. Is this the key?

@All

The world and reality slowly creeps back in on you as your eyes flutter open. You are staring up at the ceiling that is lined with white lights. Its takes you a minute to realize where you are, until you hear a voice, “Ah, you are all up. Good. You’ll be happy to know that things went perfectly.”

Skwinting her eyes at the harshness of the lights Mo, slow feels herself for cables and drips before she slowly sits up. Sitting there cross legged on the table she looks about the room. seeing the others getting up of the tables and making thier own way to their gear, mo slides carefully of the table. As her feet touch the cold floor she gives out a quite hiss of suprise. Seeing a clean surgical tool she picks it up and starts to look at herself in it's reflection, shrugging she puts it down and turns to the first person she see's, but really notice as to who it is. The words "I had a dream" escaping her lips as she does so.

Ed wakes in a cold sweat. He looks at the others now recovering. What the hell was that all about... Someone, something other then the Resonance? Could it be my second chance? Or just another drug induced hallucination...Just another dream Ed climbs down from the table "Dammit thats COLD" he shouts as his feet hit the tile floor. He stops for a second, notices the draft, and pulls the sheet off the bed and wraps it around him, hating the hospital style jonnys that let his ugly ork ass hang out for the world to see.
Ed shuffles to the closet where the other seem to be congregrating, and puts the dream out of his head for the moment, dismissing it as just another post medical brain fart. Then he notices the looks of, disturbment on his associates. "You guys don't look so hot..." he remarks off hand, and drags his bag out, realizing there isn't a place up sit thats not stainless steel, or cold and sterile.

A nurse who looks like she is right out of a german concentration camp brings out a box and sets it down. "Your clothes", is all she says before turning to leave.

Rick gets up and shakes his head a bit. I doesn't feel too different. He runs through some quick calculations and it doesn't seem like his brain is moving any faster. And what the hell was that dream?

Hopping down onto the floor, he snorts when Ed complains about the temperature. Moving towards his stuff, he redons his clothing without a shred of modesty. Years as a vagabond moving from Sweeden to Seattle resulted in many a situation where he was forced to change in front of others and it doesn't really both him anymore.

Looking into the mirror, he notices that his head has been shaved and there's a scar already healing. Feeling a little dizzy, and hoping that his hair will eventually grow back over the scar, he turns to Mo and says, "So did I, but I don't think we should talk about it here."

Ed hears the wiff of conversation while dodging the nazi-nurse. He walks over with a pair of pants that don't seem to belong to anyones here. "You guys too? The dream I mean?" Ed shivers nervously, and collects his belongings and heads to the bathroom to change.

Stepping gingerly over to the box that has her stuff in, she starts to pull her clothes on. Odd socks, her dungerees, her bra all go on before she take off her gown then her black thick lace top goes on after. Turning to Rick and say's in a quite voice "Maybe not here" As she runs her fingers carefully through her hair feeling for scars. At which start to look to see if this place is connected to the Matrix, and a clue as to it's MSP. Also to find something tht would indicate what time of day it is.



I'd Also start having a litle nose for any medical records lying around to do with Mo.

Its takes a little while, but you do feel as if your brain is working faster than normal. You don't know more, but you can think about what you know much faster now.

Mo's eyes bulge as she quickly realizes shes standing in a Beta-Clinic. This is likely the most advanced medical equipment shes ever seen.

Ed returns from the bathroom, looking a good bit more...like his old self. Or at least looking less like a scared kitten. "So anyone know what day it is? Or how long till we can go home? Or is anyone up for a game of Quake 13 while we wait?"

Ed quickly remembers that he has a Math CPU installed which acts as a perfect clock on top of its other functions, it is exactly a week later, just past 5:00 PM.

The Doctor walks into the room, "Ahh.. good to see you all up. I hope everyone is feeling well? I'd like to do one more scan of you all before you go, but other than that, you should all be ready for whatever it is you do each day."

"Can i see the results once your done? So what happened? I passed out i think. How long for this to heal up?"

The wounds are already healed up, there is just the slightest pink line accross your forehead now.

"Yes you did, but don't worry, I've had patents get nervous on me before. As for the results of your scan, I don't see why not. In fact, we can plug you in to the output as well so you get the results as I get them. The healing process is done. There will be a small ammount of scaring for now, but it should fade over the next month or so."

Rick looks up at the doctor, "One more scan, huh? No problem here. I would also like to see the results."

"Ok one more scan ok. I'm gonna be happy with that, Just one question, Was i jacked in while asleep?"

“You were connected to my monitoring equipment, which connects to my diagnostics server. Sometimes I send data from the server to an external backup source, but I didn’t in the last week. So I guess there is a connection, just not an active one.

Now, come stand over here so we can get started…”

He plugs a dataline into a very SOTA looking hand scanner, then offers you a line as well so you can get output. He runs the scanner along the length of your body slowly, watching the readings.

Everyone checks out fine, in fact, Mo is in better heath than she’s likely ever been in. Once everyone is checked out, the Doc gives you all leave. Amazingly enough, the car you used it still sitting at the curb, but then again, its not something many people would want to have…

Karl looks around, "Now that we're outa there, and it's safe to talk. Does anyone have any idea what it was we saw while we were 'out'?"

"I don't know. But im for sure gonna try and found out at the first oppertunaty. Cos it didn't look good, looked like a Diease or an Infection. What ecer it was it Can't be good" Closing her jacket about her thankfull that it's a bit over cast today. "So Ed is this gonna run a second time?" Pointing to the car.

Ed looks slightly sideways at it. "Umm, yeah, itll run, I think." Ed gets in and reaches under the dash for the 2 magic wires, which spark, but the starter dosent turn over. He pops the hood " See that round thing, at the top, with the big red wire? Hit it with something heavy, like a rock or something. It should turn over then" With a little applied precussion the car fires up, and seems to run passibly.
"So you guys had that dream too? Whats up with it? Its scared the crap out of me..."

After beating the engine of Ed's truck into submission with his staff, Rick returns an available seat. "I don't know what it was. I saw what looked like a reorganization of the matrix -- almost like healthy cells attacking a cancer. Anyway, whatever it was, when we get home I want to talk to the boys across the street and see if we can get a third party to give us a scan -- at least one of us. That way we can be sure that nothing .... extra was jammed inside while we were out."

Ed raises an eyebrow, noticing that it seems they had a different dream, but plays along. "Just spooky..." Ed cruises the rolling junk heap to the misfits, only managing to careen off one unlucky dumpster, but that was mostly on purpose. He pulls the junk box into the side of the garage not occupied by the piles of junk computer equipment and cable that have started to gain sentaince.

"I'll be right back," Rick says as you arrive back at the house. "I'm heading over to talk to the streetboys and see if they've know of any street docs that might be able to take a peek at one or all of us for a small fee."

Exiting the truck and grabbing his staff, just in case, he heads across the street and wraps on the front door of the gang's hq. The angry looking person that comes to the door softens a bit when he sees that it's one of the tribe, and Rick catches the motion of the person dropping something just to the right inside the door. Probably a gun ... "The boss man in?"

"Yeah, gimmie a sec," comes the reply.

A few moments later Rick is joined by the leader of the gang. "Question for you: we have recently been given a reward for one of our actions, but I'm nervous that it may not be all that we were given. Do you know anyone who could give us a cyberware scan?"

"Yeah sure. Give Doc Bloodmoney a call. He's down on Pine Street, between 2nd and 3rd."

"Sounds good. Any trouble over the last week?"

Waiting for his response, Rick is patient. When the boss man is finished, then Rick shakes his hand and asks if they need anything from the tribe. Then, heading back across the street, Rick catches up with the others inside.

"Naw, things were cool. A few of the kids got pissy about something, but Mother worked it all out."

"Good. Thanks for the name. Catch yo ulater."

Upon arriving Mo starts going around the house to check on the young'uns and have a chat with mother on how things went. After which she heads to her room and sits down in the middle of her pile of clean blankets that is her chair and bed at the same time, after a little searching she finds her datajack. I dreamt the Matrix but i wasn't jacked in, what does that mean? i must find out... with that she jacks in.....


... Pulling the lead out tears off relief soaking her face, she lies there head buried in her blankets. After a while shes gets up with a happy spring in her step as she goes to make the house something to eat.

After making sure the newly aquired car wont explode under his bedroom, Ed takes a bit of time to clean the kitchen coffee machine. After getting things set right again, Ed changes back into his slippers, and sits down to do some looking around.

Best place to look and Ed follows his nose to the pearly gates to the Shadowland data haven. Ed is greeted by a massive IC construct, who runs a short trace ID on him, and once verified, opens the gates to Shadowland.
Ed flags down a passing search SK, to leave contact note to a sys op "Need a very extensive search done, willing to trade for soruce code(s). Speed not the most important, but will need to be extensivly cross referanced. Contact at following SL dropbox 335.6134.91771.sissy." Ed leaves a note for his infobroker at Rufus's own dropbox, just to say hi.

Normally Ed is very protective of his own personal work, but in this case, getting more information on this construct sitting on the BBB would take paramount. After all, who wouldent love to have their own SK to play with
Ed pulls the plug from his jack, and shuffles back down to the living room.

Rick enters the kitchen and with a soy-cola ponders the events of the past week waiting for the others to finish what they're doing.

Ed sits down and starts looking over a pile of papers from his coding class, something thats long over due. So what was that... so real, but we wernt connected to the matrix, how? And what is this? and how... Eds mind wanders as his red felt tip circles lines of text leaving dots the bleed though to the next page.

In a vain attempt to get the strange dream out of his head, Karl goes straight up to his room, jacks in, and starts to catch up on the action sim-sense flicks that he missed during the last week.

He remains immersed in the mindless violence until he's fully up date, unless he's roused by one of the tribe.

Jamie shuffles into the kitchen, holding her pink stuffed buddy under her arm. She reaches up and tugs on Mo's sleave, with a look of concern.

"Jason hasn't come home yet... I'm getting scared for him..."