19:04:26 Sunday 07 January 2063 – The sidewalk in front of the Oodles of Noodles Restaurant

Moving to the payphone, Megan quickly dials a number. A tired looking teenage human answers. "Whoozit? Watcha want?"

"Hoi chummer, it's me, Megan."

"Megan?" Rubbing his eyes, he squints and blinks at the screen. "Whazzapening?"

Glancing over her shoulder at John, she says, "Hey chummer, listen, I need you and four others to meet me. I need someone to watch my back, kay? Meet me at the Oodles of Noodles restaurant, about a block from the arcade, aight?"

"Whoa whoa whoa." Sitting up straight, the figure yawns. "Is this serious? What you need backup for?"

"Trying to help out Twiggy and Nora chummer. There's a guy, says he's her uncle. I said I'd take him to Twiggy if he promises to help them."

More alert and suspicious now, the kid says, "How you know this guy's legit? He could be trying to scam us."

Mildly exasperated, Megan answers, "That's why I need you to back me up, in case he ain't legit. He's flying solo, so I don't think he's up to anything. But just in case, scan?"

"All right all right." Rolling out of bed, the kid stretches. "I'll get the others and meet you in..." he appears to be looking at a clock, "an hour, cool?"

Megan nods, and finishes, "Only four. Not counting you. Part of the deal I had with the guy. See you in an hour."

Disconnecting, she turns back to John, "OK, that's set. Can you wait an hour for them?"

19:07:06 Sunday 07 January 2063 – The sidewalk in front of the Oodles of Noodles Restaurant

"Can I wait? Do I really have a choice?" John replies, smiling to take any possible sting out of the words. "Sure, kid. One more hour shouldn't make that much difference. Besides, I'm waiting on a call."

Taking a pull off of his cigarette, he notices Megan shifting from foot to foot, hands stuffed deep into the pockets of her coat, trying to stay warm. "You suggested that your chummers meet us here," he gestured in the general direction of the restaurant, "so do you really want to go back inside? Or should we look for somewhere else to wait and then come back in an hour?"

Following his own suggestion, John took a couple of steps away from Oodle's storefront and looked up and down the block to see if he could spot any other possible places to wait.

15:19:31 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Sean slotted his ID through the cardreader at the entrance to the parking lot, waiting as the gate scaled back to allow him access. Pulling into the lot, he parked in the section reserved for security personnel. With a sigh, he stepped out of the vehicle and headed towards the service entrance of the building.

Cosmo waited until the sounds of Sean's footsteps faded before releasing the webbing which held her in place. She set her left arm down first, trying to cushion her back from the hard asphalt. She taken two good whacks from the road on the way here, one of which she knew had torn skin from her shoulderblades. Getting out of her jumpsuit was going to be a painful endeavour.

15:12:08 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic

Dragon sighs for a moment, then shakes his head. "Truth be told, I don't have any hard evidence to back up that theory." He looks over at Virgil, whose brain still appears to be a bit fried. "You'll have to ask him, since he's the one who actually saw the guy. But he mentioned his aura was...wrong? Not sure how he put it. I'm sure when he gets over being dumpshocked, he'll be able to tell you more."

Adjusting his body so he could more comfortably support Sybersnake, he continued, "The tactics were familiar, and so were the methods. And again, Virgil thought the aura was similar. As for if he'd have anything to do with why Sybersnake was..." He trails off, and it occurs to him that Kiki brought up a lot of questions and accusations about Sybersnake, questions and accusations that to this point, have not even been brought up, let alone dealt with.

Squeezing her tightly against him, as much for his own reassurance as hers, to affirm to them both that he trusts her, he looks pleadingly at Tiffany. His look clearly says, I'm sure you know what has to be asked, and what has to be said. I'll say it if I have to, but if you'd like to bail me out and say it for me in your capacity as reporter, I would really appreciate that.

Dragon knows the reporter understood him. She's too savvy not to. The question was, what would she do about it?

19:07:56 Sunday 07 January 2063 – The sidewalk in front of the Oodles of Noodles Restaurant

A glance up and down the street reveals numerous bars and small shops, but nothing of particular interest stands out. Shivering a little, Megan nods and says, "Lead the way chummer, as long as it's inside."

15:23:04 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo ground her teeth as she laid perfectly still against the cool pavement, letting the burning pain in her back seep into the ground. She gave herself a slow count to fifty to relax before glancing around the parking lot at ground level to clear herself and get her bearings. Slowly, deliberately, she'd begin the slow process of shrugging out of her long coat, moving by the smallest degrees possible until the garment lay beneath her and then finally on the side of her opposite the building. It was a calculated risk to remain beneath the Americar but she was counting on the shadows already beneath it (and the residual heat from its engine) to conceal her until full dark.

Stay sharp. Wait for nightfall, she reminded herself, look for the larger vehicles then, move, and wait for someone to be leaving for the night.

The bright smile that flashed across her face was quickly suppressed. So what if she'd made it in? There was still too much to do before there'd be any reason to celebrate.

15:14:00 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic

"Okay. Set aside the maybe-yes, maybe-no blood mage for now," says Tiffany, with an odd look in Virgil's direction that the mercenary can't decipher at all. The tightness is back in her voice, causing Dragon to re-assess: No, she knows what it means, but she still very much does want to know why. And then he almost laughs out loud as the obvious hits him: of course she does. She's a reporter. She'd chase a story if it killed her. The thought instantly sobers him. And this one might.

"We've got three different stories here," Tiffany is saying, "but it's starting to look like it's really all the same story." To Dragon's surprise, she doesn't add the obvious "and it's a big one"; not even in her thoughts, as far as he can tell.

"We've got the Julia-abduction-Jedi-fire connection, which is what got Virgil involved and which is where you come in." She indicates Father Bremen with a slight movement of her head. "Kiki and the Jedi both warned there might be trouble here, before it happened. I've heard of this Jedi character before, though I've never met him. I've also seen what's happened to the crime stats in 'his' territory since he established himself there."

"His 'territory'?" asks Sybersnake, then coughs, and winces.

"Might as well be. He comes across as very protective of the place, even got some kind of alliance going with the local gang, and people around there say there's nothing that happens there that doesn't get back to him. Whatever he's up to, it's not hurting the area. Gives him a real good rep with Lone Star. Couple of beat cops think he might be in with Irregular Assets, but no one knows for sure." Tiffany shakes her head ruefully. "I really don't know a whole lot about the area. It's not where news tends to happen."

"No one knows?" asks Sybersnake.

"No one I know," snaps back Tiffany.

Dragon smiles as he hears the reporter's version of "not knowing a lot". "Doesn't really matter," he says, "if he's gone to ground outside it." In passing he notes that of the clinic people, only Juliette seems at all surprised by the reporter's information: and in her it doesn't show all that much, if he hadn't been watching for it he wouldn't have seen it. Then again, what had Virgil mentioned about her? World's same as it always was, not time for change yet. Huh.

"Anyway," continues Tiffany, "story number two. We've got the Julia-Aztechnology-CorpDeVo-plague connection with whatever's been planted in CorpDeVo's research files, which is where you two come in." She nods at Galina and Bob. "I'll understand that one better once I get a look at those files. Obviously Kiki's already seen them. And he wants me to make them public, or else he wouldn't have shared them with me. I'd feel better about that if I understood why." She hesitates. "I don't know, but it's my hunch that it's something in those files first got him interested in Julia. And Kiki's also said that where Julia is, this disease isn't." She doesn't add, that's enough in itself for me to want to find her. She doesn't have to. Everyone's thinking it anyway.

"Third, we've got the someone-wants-to-kill-Sybersnake connection, because apparently she was working for Aztechnology to uncover a person working at CorpDeVo who Kiki thinks was a threat to an existing Aztechnology mole." She glances at Dragon coolly, something that might have bothered him more if he hadn't understood in himself about separating out emotion from one's work, and then stares at Bob, who doesn't seem to notice. "We've heard there's two separate Aztechnology factions involved here, so this may or may not be the same faction. She thought she was working for Saedar-Krupp, but it's supposed to be a team from Saedar-Krupp that's trying to kill her. And someone with a strange sense of humour seems to have been blocking her at every turn; but whoever it is seems to have been protecting her at the same time. You know," and she hesitated, "something about that ambush outside Tommy Wong's has been bothering me all along. Those guys, they were pros. They ..."

She trails off, not looking at Dragon, not knowing how to say it. Trying to struggle upright, Sybersnake supplies it: "They should have succeeded."

Reluctantly Dragon nods, seeing it now. It wasn't because we were that good, because so were they, and they were already set up for this. It was because someone else had disrupted them. "Kiki?" Involuntarily his own gaze drifts over to Bob. Surely not ...

Tiffany shakes her head firmly, to both. "Doesn't fit his style," she says. Yet her gaze lingers on Bob for a long moment ...

"I'm not sure if it qualifies as a fourth part of the story or not," and now Tiffany's gaze touches lightly on all of them, "but if Kiki's information is accurate, we've also got the Astral Space Preservation Society looking for Julia. I can't figure out how that one fits in, at all."

17:47:21 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Come out, come out wherever you are....

Cosmo smiled as she lay beneath a battered '59 Ford Texan, her body pressed close to the chill black asphalt. The digital readout on the inside of her glasses indicated that it was just coming on ten to six and the small cluster of vehicles she'd chosen for her battleground were the coldest in the parking lot. A small, hard-sided case was clutched in her left hand, a single slap patch concealed in her right. Taking out a random employee for their ID card was almost as important as securing Sean Andersen's Americar for the ride over but she saw no reason to connect the two. Sean had seen her face, after all.

So here she lay, poised and ready to strike, her keen eyes scanning the building for signs of someone heading to their vehicle after a long shift at FTL Matrixware. She would take them out quietly and advance to the next stage in her plan.

15:18:00 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic

"Well let's go through what we've got, and start making the transition from what we know to what we're going to do about it. If you don't mind?" Dragon raises an eyebrow at Tiffany inquisitively, and she nods assent, yielding the floor, such as it were, to him. When it comes to putting the pieces together in a way that makes sense, she is unquestionably everything Dragon had hoped she'd be, and more. But now it's hitting a point where they need more information for her to do her thing, and that means, at least to some degree, hitting the streets and probably getting nasty in the process. That's where he comes in.

Leaning his hand back against the wall, he closes his eyes briefly, gathering his thoughts. When he feels he has things in order, he opens his eyes and speaks. "OK, story one, we know that Jonah was the Jedi's contact, and we know we're not the only ones after this guy. We almost certainly need to get moving on that one, if we're going to track him down and get to him before any other interested parties."

A nod from Virgil , who's still reeling with having Cindy's mind integrated with his own, confirms the urgency of this point. "Point two, we need those files so we can examine them. How long with that take you Bob ? Give us your opinion after I finish my summary, please." The decker nods assent silently, and Dragon clears his throat, grateful that Tiffany had broached the topic of Sybersnake's involvement in all this for him.

"As far as Sybersnake , I think right now there's three issues at hand. First, what are the factions involved from the Big A? Second, which faction is she working for? Third, who helped us with the ambush outside Tommy Wong's ?"

Looking over at Virgil , Dragon continues, "When he recovers a bit more, I'm sure he can cover the whole ASPS angle, that's his thing more than mine. Until then, what do the rest of you think or have to contribute?"

Dragon leaves the question out there and waits for the others to voice their thoughts, and for Bob's estimate on the time it would take to get them the files.

15:19:27 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic

"Helped!" mutters Tiffany under her breath, at the same time as Bob repeats quietly, "I do not have the data yet to give an estimate." The wall doesn't offer a comment, and (for a change) decides to helpfully remain still, even with his eyes closed. Seems Dragon's inner ear is finally beginning to recover. "But there has been news on Shadowland that will be relevant to you. Did you wish --"

"NO!" say four voices in virtual unison, and after a moment Sybersnake's reluctant shake of her head adds the fifth.

Bob nods acceptance: "I can pull it up for you on-screen," and does so. "This came through early this morning, Seattle time. I have not seen anything about it since. Not one person has even commented."

They all stare at the odd mixture of English and Japanese script, the odd conflation of Latin alphabet with hiragana and kanji. After some moments of silence, Father Bremen asks, "What does it say?"

More silence: then few short phrases in English come into being below the original message.

"Who's Vinnie?" asks Virgil in a blurred voice.

"Seattle mafioso," supplies Tiffany absently. "What I'm wondering is, why would anyone openly ask a mafioso for help in Japanese?"

15:20:32 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic

Dragon shrugs. "Perhaps to tip off this Vinnie that it is the yakuza who are making a move? Or perhaps to throw off people who are aware of this Vinnie's identity? If this guy is connected to Jonah or Jedi..."

Holding up a hand to forestall objectsions for a moment, he continues, "Yes I know I'm really stretching, but let's just say hypothetically, then the possibility that the Mafia and/or the Yakuza are involved, or potentially getting involved could make an ugly situation down there worse. I just don't think we can afford to ignore possible syndicate involvement."

18:24:49 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo watched the workboots approach the pick-up truck, controlling her breathing. They stopped at the driver's side door as the individual fumbled briefly with their keys. With one swift motion, she scissored her legs across their ankles, using the momentum to swing her into position to bounce their head off the ground with her hardliner gloves. The driver gave a single ooof before relaxing into unconsciousness. Cosmo yanked the body beneath the truck, lifting the man's ID card from the lanyard around his neck.

We're in business now...

18:25:14 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Growling softly under her breath, Cosmo turned the card over in her hands just to be sure.

No RFID. I guess it's better to know for sure than to guess, but .. she growls again and removes his jacket, quickly wrapping a long strand of duct tape around his forearms before rolling him onto his back and fastening a smaller strip of the tape across his mouth. One of the tails of her tattered long coat is pulled over his head like a hood and secured around the neck, and then all over, with still more duct tape. She reviews her handiwork carefully, nods, and tosses his keys, along with the roll of tape and the tranq patches, into her soft-sided duffel. The ID card is hung about her neck and secured behind the fair (unworking) copy she'd created earlier that day.

A feral grin plays across her features as she pulls the black stocking up over her head, revealing a face that is both hers and not hers all at once. The soft contours of her features are sharpened with makeup and darkened to seem vaguely hollow, her eyes, diminuitive and all but hidden behind her glasses are ringed with brownish yellow circles. Full, soft lips are lined to seem smaller, coloured to be paler than average in a lined face that might have been pretty .. once upon a time. Cosmo slips out of her armored jumpsuit quickly and bundles it into one of the zippered sides of her bag. Her uniform, though a little rumpled from the trip, seems remarkably similar to the one of the man she'd just taken down and it is with a great deal of confidence that she straightens, shrugs into the oversized jacket, and begins striding towards the building.

Tilting her head somewhat away from where she judges the cameras to be, she slots the fallen sec agent's ID card and waits, barely able to keep from crossing her fingers.

18:27:43 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

The armored external door slides open on soundless pneumatics, admitting Cosmo to the well lit corridor beyond. The floor is tiled with sound deadening anti-static polymer hexagons, while the walls are plain construction plastic. Overhead lighting is provided by halogen glowstrips. According to the map on the wall, the warehouse section is to Cosmo's right.

18:27:47 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo hunches forward in the large jacket, subtly rolling her shoulders forward to give the illusion of a smaller, less confident individual. She turns to her right, keeping a careful eye out for surveillance cameras, indications of sensory equipment, and any signs that things here may not be as they seem.

30 meters and counting. 29 .. 28....

18:29:08 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Turning the corner of the hallway leading to her target, Cosmo spots the security cameras in the corners, their positions given them excellent views down both corridors. She tilts her head towards the cameras, shielding her face. Footsteps announce the approach of a guard down the hall towards her. The man, dressed in an identical jacket and pants, nods as he passes.

"Hey."

Cosmo returns the nod, lowering her voice to a harsh growl.

"Hey."

The guard passes on, and Cosmo slips the ID card into her hand, ready to open the door ahead of her. The guard's footsteps stop behind her.

"Hey!"

18:29:12 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Barely missing a beat as she dissects the pitch of his voice, she turns around and raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah?"

Cosmo looks the guard over before offering a gloved hand.

"Jess Chaplin."

18:29:50 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

"Rob Haney. I haven't seen you around here before, did you just start?"

He smiles at her, resting his hands on his web belt.

18:30:17 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

She affects the smile of an overall unpleasant person trying to be nice, smiling tiredly as she rests her hands on her padded hips.

"Yea, just a coupla days ago. I'll be seein' ya around I guess."

Cosmo notes the lack of a wedding ring on Rob's finger and looks him over again, her raised eyebrow taking on another meaning entirely.

18:30:37 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CF

"Yeah, looks like we're working the same shift. Say, how about we go for coffee tonight?"

Rob grins, his eyes running over Cosmo's form.

18:31:12 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo shrugs.

"I'd rather it was a brew but coffee sounds okay. Where'd ya wanna meet?"

18:31:30 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

"How about the breakroom?"

Rob glances at his watch, mentally counting how long he would have to wait until he saw her again.

18:31:53 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Charming fellow. I didn't know they still made this model of Caveman....

Mentally, she couldn't help but shake her head; it was all Cosmo could do to keep from rolling her eyes. Instead, she fixed him with a frankly appraising stare and considered the variables.

"How about the ..." she grins wolfishly. "How long have you been here, anyway?"

18:32:07 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

"Oh, going on about four years now. I'm a veteran of this job. They recruited me from the military and put me in charge of the High Threat Response squad. But I had to transfer from that job after a year, I'd been in too many firefights. They said I was too stressed out, so they sent me here."

Rob flexes minutely, sucking in his stomach a little as he recounts his dubious achievements to Cosmo.

18:32:51 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Her eyes widened slightly as if she was both surprised and impressed by his accomplishments.

Firefights, hmm? Maybe brawl; those knuckles look like they've been broken a few times.

"Stressed, were ya." She smiled meaningfully. "Do you fellas have a procedure for this sort of 'High Threat Response'? I'm not so sure I want coffee any more."

Cosmo hoped she wouldn't have to hit him over the head, well, for him to understand what she was talking about, anyway....

18:33:02 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

"Well, most of the procedures are classified, I can't tell you. But if you're interested, I suppose I could show you a couple of martial arts moves. I'm a level four master in krav maga."

Rob grins, making no effort to conceal his appraisal of Cosmo's body.

18:33:02 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Of course you are. Did you know that my aunt Fanny was the first Irish woman to tunnel through the earth?

"Interested? Depends on yer moves, don't it?" She looked him over at least as boldly as he was checking her out.

"Any way you can tell yer buds to keep their eyes away for .." Cosmo raised an eyebrow, the question clear in her gruff voice, "ten minutes?"

18:33:29 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Rob's eyes grow a little wider as he realizes that Cosmo means right now.

"Oh yeah," he whispers. Quickly glancing around, he spots the door to the warehouse section. Checking the hallway, he takes Cosmo's hand and pulls her towards the door. Reaching up to his shoulder, he keys the mike clipped to the lapel of his jacket.

"Six, Four-Six, can you give me a loopback test on the warehouse section cameras?"

He winks at Cosmo.

"That'll put 'em out of service for nine minutes, so we'll have to be quick."

18:33:56 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo reached into her pocket and depressed the timer button of her pocket secretary, winking broadly at Rob before giving him a genuinely smoldering stare. She dropped the act for half a second and gave him her best 'hurry the hell up' look and very nearly laughed when he did.

Nine minutes and counting....

"No complaints here. There's always time for another round later, ka?"

18:34:12 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

"Goddamn, girl, but you're a hungry one. Well, all right then."

Rob slips his jacket off and lays it on the floor, before unhooking his webbelt and tossing it on a nearby shelf. He glances at Cosmo expectantly.

18:34:25 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo takes half a second to look around the interior of the supply area, planning her next few moves and grinning when she spotted the inventory computer not too far away as well as a narrow exit in the far corner. She chuckled as he set his coat down on the floor and approached him slowly, her gloved fingers hovering over the buttons of her blouse.

"And here I thought you were going to show me some krav maga...."

Her voice was soft, sultry, and more of a purr than a growl as she leaned in to whisper warmly into his ear, her hands trailing up his chest. She grinned and shook her head even as one hand darted up to cover his mouth. Her knee struck into his padded stomach next and she placed a wet kiss on the brute's cheek while she spun around behind him, her forearm pressed into his throat to slowly cut out his supply of oxygen.

"Sorry Rob, I'll have to catch you some other time. Tonight's my busy night." Cosmo cooed as he began falling asleep, gently brushing aside the shaggy hair that was falling across his eyes.

18:34:42 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Already stunned from the blow to his solar plexus, Rob struggles for air, his vision graying out to black within a minute. Cosmo lowers him to the ground before stuffing him on to one of the lower shelves.

Now, let's work...

18:35:17 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo adjusted her unconscious friend's earpiece and boom mic until she was satisfied with their fit, a self-satisfied smirk playing across her lips. Slinging her duffel over one shoulder, she jogs towards the inventory computer, pulls out her p-sec and brings up a list of the components she was sent to find.

4CX1Q21-4327E: server controller, 6 port, configurable, pack of 4
EW780B5-0210P: optical memory storage deck, RW-R, 5000 Mp capacity, pack of 10
7HK1950-1974J: FICON express 990 superscalar processors, pack of 6
8LP1011-H60B: blade RAM, optical, 1000Mp capacity, pack of 8
6XU4263-92C3: rack power supply, 220V, 600W, 80A, air-cooled, pack of five

There wouldn't be much time to spare in retrieving everything but she fully intended to hurry through her search .. and pick up a few extra bits along the way, of course.

18:41:35 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

The search didn't take long, the storage system was remarkably effecient. The problem was, each box that Cosmo pulled from the shelves measured 50cm by 50cm by 40cm and weight about 5 kilos. The pile of five boxes wait for her on the cement floor. Now, to shop for herself....

18:41:41 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Grinding her teeth under the weight of the five boxes she carried, Cosmo judged that she had time to grab a few more if they were all in one place. She spotted a handtruck against one wall, grinned, and set the boxes down quickly before rushing over to the section she'd noted earlier and the few boxes of MPCP chips she knew were there.

Ten boxes altogether, not bad.

Allowing herself the briefest moment of enjoyment, she took the remainder of her 9-minute loop to haul her payload out into the cold, awaiting night. The biggest part of her success rate came from looking like she belonged and while she knew that someone would question the intent of a security guard carting away several boxes from the FTL warehouse; she hoped to seem confident enough in what she was doing that whomever thought to question her would pause long enough to give her time to get away. She strode around the building, looking for all the world like she was just another guard doing some crap job outside, listening closely over the radio frequency for any indication that she'd been noticed.

10:07:18 Sunday 07 January 2063 - Seattle, UCAS

If Tenmou had planned on any lengthy rest, that hope was dashed Sunday morning when the caller ID indicated it was Zeyda on the other end of the telecomm.

"It's the Sabbath, a day of rest and contemplation," stated Tenmou as he picked up the handset.

"I might believe you if I didn't know you were a Zen Buddhist," replied the fixer, a smile in his voice.

"I'm not a UCAS citizen, either, but I plan on taking President's Day Off."

Zeyda laughed. "Very well, I'll make a note of it. Anyway, are you seriously occupied? Something just came down the line and you're my varsity squad. It's supposed to be just a pick-up and a delivery, easy cash, 4k total. Interested?"

18:44:09 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

The truck bed makes an excellent place to stash her ill-gotten gains, and for speed and an instinct not to waste tools unnecessarily, Cosmo loads the handcart as well. Checking to make sure she's not about to treat her first victim to a short and surely lethal ride, she climbs into the cab of the pick-up and makes good her escape. The sensors on the entrance gate open once she slots the pilfered ID card, and as the last of the daylight fades she disappears into the vast sprawl of the City of Angels.

1320 Saturday, January 6, 2063 - Puyallup, still not too far from the civic centre, spirally wending her way through an increasingly broken-down neighbourhood, gradually moving closer to what passes for a doss

This is going to be harder than I thought.

Oh, not the mechanics of it. Delivery guy stopping in for a sec to check his messages. Spiky-haired punk. Grocery clerk. Three inch stilettoed by-the-hour whore. Small changes in hair and skin and clothing and tone of voice and most importantly demeanour, a minute or so in one location, a couple of minutes in the next. Not infrequently she goes for a specific dramatic accent, such as that jagged Noh pattern she'd used three locations ago:

Do you remember the person who used this terminal shortly after 1?
Oh, you mean "John"? The guy with the huge afro and the spiked teeth?
Yes, that's the one -- what else did he look like?
Uhh ...

Give them something to remember, let it fill what they think they need to remember.

How many different hundreds of elements had she already rote-learned, oriented toward the same basic four types? Even if she never again learned another one, how many possible combinations, from what she had already?

Not the mechanics at all -- but how do you get someone just to tell you what you need them to tell you?

This would be so much easier if I could just find out the who and the how, and then just talk to them, face to face. How am I supposed to get them to just tell me what I want to know if I can't hear their voice?

As she's logging out again and covering such footprints of hers as she can, her phone rings. Before she can say a single word, a familiar voice in her ear: "You sure do have a way with people."

Frag it to hell, Grail, not now ...

Tick. Tick. Tick. ...

19:58:03 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - An Undisclosed Location, Los Angeles, CFS

Well, well, well. It would seem as though my dear Mr. Johnson has opted to maintain his secret identity.

There wasn't anything particularily surprising about the rough neighbourhood she was cruising through or, for that matter, the seemingly abandoned brick house she'd driven past twice already. Two stories, though, she countered, and solid, considering the location. What were you expecting, anyway? A house in the Hollywood hills? The security grates over the windows and doors would give even her a bit of trouble. She glanced at the hard, hungry faces of the people on the streets here, recognizing their expressions as she drove past in her bloodred BMW. There was no way to help it of course, the pickup truck had been abandoned as soon as possible, left at a 24-hour car wash along with her target's ID tag, keys, and a package of Sugar Blasted Berry Bombs (by way of apology).

"Okay, so it wasn't necessary," she said to no one in particular, a small smile pulling at one corner of her mouth, "but he didn't do anything wrong. These things have to balance themselves out, you know."

Please don't tell me you're expecting an answer, girl, 'cos there's no one here but you and me.

Cosmo looked up into her reflection in the rearview mirror as the sleek sports coupe pulled to a halt; she looked like herself again, finally, with all traces of Jess Chaplin wiped away. Sporting a snug black turtleneck sweater and a pair of supple suede trousers, she pulled the hood of her long coat over her head to obscure most of her features but left the coat itself open, subtley displaying the heavy pistol nestled against her hip. She made a point of clearing the long tails of her coat away as she stepped out of the car, just in case any of the kids nearby were feeling brave, but carried on as if nothing was out of the ordinary as she engaged the vehicle's security system and crossed the street to investigate this new building. She hoped, at least, that whomever was cleared to accept the delivery was quick enough that she'd be able to get back out before her car was stolen....

19:42:05 Sunday 07 January 2063 – The Ground Floor Coffee Shop

John watched through the coffee shop's window as a couple gangers in colors that he didn't recognize carried an obviously wounded third between them down the snowy street. Wonder if the fight at the arcade finally broke up? What a mess. Good thing I'm so smooth, or there could have been trouble. Yep, like smoke, that's me. In and out with out a trace. He gave a small shake of his head and took a sip of his steaming soycaf. It was hot; the waitress had just been by with a refill. Yeah, you're real wiz, you fraggin' idiot. You're lucky you ran into the girl. Lucky, that's all. And with your luck, you better not count on it again.

"The girl," Megan, was sitting across from him, keeping up a steady stream of chatter. Seemed she was the type who couldn't stand the quiet, talked incessantly when uncomfortable or nervous. About what, John had no idea. He'd stopped paying attention long before. As long as she leads me to Twiggy, she can talk all night for all I care.

After a short debate and a walk up the street through the snow, he had chosen this coffee shop because it offered direct line of sight to the entrance of Oodles of Noodles. At least it did to him, with the magnification function of his cybereyes. From their seats in a window booth, John could see the restaurant’s entrance quite easily.

So they sat and drank coffee and waited for Megan's chummers. Though glancing at the girl as she continued to talk in her animated fashion, John began to doubt the wisdom of the coffee part, at least for her. For himself, he needed some pick-me-up. The Doc still hadn't called, which meant he was busy. Stim patches were a last resort anyway. He'd just have to get by without them.

Movement by the restaurant’s entrance caught his attention, so he quickly zoomed in on the area. It turned out to be a false alarm. Just a middle-aged dwarf going in to get some noodles, or so he assumed. Stifling a yawn, and silently wishing he had some earplugs, John went back to watching the entrance for anything out of the ordinary and waiting until the top of the hour for Megan's escort.

20:00:23 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - An Undisclosed Location, Los Angeles, CFS

The doorbell chimes faintly from inside. Cosmo stands back and to the side of the door, out of direct line of sight and line of fire. The door opens after only a heartbeat, as if she was expected, revealing an unlit hallway. Illuminated by the faint orange light from the streetlamp on the corner was a child, really, a boy about twelve years old dressed in a form fitting slate gray jumpsuit. His eyes are an unnatural pure white.

"I am Kald. Have you brought the items?"

20:00:39 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - An Undisclosed Location, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo masked her surprise as only a true actress could, smiling smoothly at the small boy.

"I have. Now that I know this is the correct place, I will bring them to you, Kald."

Inclining her head slightly, she spun about and headed back towards her car. The handtruck itself was not heavy and she had trained with more weight than the boxes added up to, but hefting the handtruck up the three steps to the house was somewhat difficult. She maintained her smile, though, and rested the top of the cart against the doorframe.

"Now where should I put these?"

20:01:05 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - An Undisclosed Location, Los Angeles, CFS

Kald stands back from the door, and gestures to the livingroom.

"You can leave them in there."

He follows and stands by the rear wall, his face expressionless. As Cosmo sets the handtruck down, he nods once. Moving across to the endtable, he lifts another black dossier and offers it to her.

"This contains your next tasking."

20:01:42 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - An Undisclosed Location, Los Angeles, CFS

Wait, next tasking?

Shaking her head slightly, Cosmo kept her hands at her sides and fought down a growl at the audacity of her employer.

"I'm sorry Kald, but I'm still new to this. How many 'taskings' will there be before I'm able to meet with the person in charge, here? I'm afraid I won't be able to continue unless we're able to reach some sort of agreement, negotiate a short-term contract at least. Are you able to help me with this?"

20:02:02 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - An Undisclosed Location, Los Angeles, CFS

"The contract was signed when you accepted custody of the equipment provided by us. If you find the terms of employment to be unacceptable, please return all of the items provided and we will return you to the stasis chamber. Otherwise, your mission tasking will continue until we have recouped our initial investment at which time we will renegotiate your contract."

Kald trains emotionless eyes on Cosmo as he explains.

15:20:55 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic

Trying his damnedest to rise to keep the cracking out of his voice that his own nausea was fighting to bring on Virgil picked his head up from between his knees, though he did not feel like attempting to stand quite yet.

"Any speculation I could make into the involvement of the ASPS in this situation would be just that at the moment, speculation. However within a few hours I may be able to provide more concrete explanations for us."

Seeing all sets of eyes in the room fall upon him, Virgil felt as if was under pressure to offer something truly enlightening.

"When I first heard the rumors concerning Julia being tossed around Shadowland I knew that this situation could easily spiral out of control and bring in some truly malevolent players, the type who also have seemingly limitless resources. If was was going to have any chance of keeping Julia out of the posession of such figures I was going to need some op-resources of my own."

Dragon nods his head slightly in understanding. He had known that Virgil was going to work on finding them backing for this search. He also knew that they had little means to grease any wheels right now.

"An associate of mine works as a researcher at the DIMR and we have worked together in the past on various projects concerning things magical. In the past we have kept an open exchange of information and he has often arranged for the financial backing that I have used to accomplish those projects. Before our meeting with Kiki he called me to say that he has arranged a meeting between me and some representatives of the ASPS whom are interested in retaining the services of me and the team that I have assembled. He couldn't go into specifics obviously but he dropped enough to let me know that the interests of the ASPS is likely related to Julia."

"The meeting is scheduled for 18:00 downtown. I was hoping to discuss this earlier but then we got blind-sided with the Kiki-situation. We might've just enough time to check out the last known whereabouts of Jonah before the time of the meet as well."

"I know that this all seems to be happening very quickly now so if you have any probing questions we should get them into the open now."

20:02:17 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - An Undisclosed Location, Los Angeles, CFS

She appraised the boy for a few long moments, wondering how such a young person could be so cold and what, exactly, his role in all of this could be. Cosmo accepted the dossier with a barely cut off growl, flipping through it's contents right there and then.

I'll kill him.

20:02:32 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - An Undisclosed Location, Los Angeles, CFS

The dossier contains the same high quality digital surveillance stills as before, although this time the target is AMI Networking. Again, the list of serial numbers of products, only four this time. And it ends with another lattitude and longitude.

20:02:38 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - An Undisclosed Location, Los Angeles, CFS

Of course, she fumed, closing the dossier with a resounding 'snap'. Who would care about the rights of a criminal anyway?

"This is not a contract, Kald, this is indentured servitude; let's not confuse the two." Cosmo glared, working hard to focus her anger towards her "employer" and not the strange boy that stared at her without expression. "If you would be so kind as to inform my new Master that this arrangement will only continue until I'm able to end it more permanently, I would greatly appreciate it."

Her eyes turned darker and darker until they were almost black, a stark contrast to the emotionless gaze of the 12-year old. The sheer malevolence brewing there indicated that this was no empty threat.

"Take care of yourself." Watch your back, child.

She turned abruptly, her fingertips digging painfully into the slim black folder as she stalked towards the door and out into the street, almost hoping that someone had been stupid enough to start breaking into her car. While the pistol at her hip beckoned, she imagined the 'crunch' of her fists and feet breaking bones .. and smiled.

15:23:06 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic

"These past projects of yours," Tiffany says drily, "they wouldn't happen to have anything to do with Aztlán, Aztechnology, or blood mages, would they?"

Virgil opens his mouth to answer, but to his surprise it's Sybersnake who overrides him: "We can discuss that later."

The reporter frowns, but accepts it for now. Absently rubbing at the tag end of the headache Virgil shares with her (but not Dragon -- hah! seems that implant isn't only relevant for physical duress), she stands up a little too quickly and asks the two of them to let her and the priest off at the shelter, she's got a lot of legwork to get done and the rest of a story to pull together by newstime. "If they'll not spike it out of hand," she adds under her breath, and then, more normally: "If you've got any evidence that would help, Bob, now would be a good time."

The small decker considers her silently for a couple of moments, then returns his attention to the maze of cables he's been steadily sorting with his hands while another machine into which Virgil guesses he's dumped the files they've received from Kiki continues to whir softly in the background.

"Right," says Dragon, standing up as well, "we're ready to move on. After we drop you two off, we'll start from Jonah's last known location, after we talk to Cindy --"

Without looking up, Bob passes him a scrap of paper. Surprised to be interrupted, Dragon glances at it -- and then again, registering the address. "Trank has been talking with her," Juliette supplies from the doorway. "He's been trying to figure out how to deal with the cyber. She's staying here a couple of days yet ..." trailing off before anything close to reproach could enter her voice, but Virgil hears it anyway, and sighs. While she's maybe more curious than him about the world generally, the necessities demanded by the ideal of perfect intelligence prior to entering battle remain something they don't see eye to eye on.

"Right," repeats Dragon, cutting into Virgil's thoughts. "We'll start from Jonah's last known location, then pick you up, Tiffany, for the meet at 1800 --"

"You'll have to summarise it for me later," says Tiffany, and when the mercenary frowns, gently reminds him: "The story?"

"Right," says Dragon, accepting it, repeating the rest of it yet again, wishing the others could get up to speed already on this, and this time is able to make it all the way to "Any questions?"

"Clear decom first," says Galina matter-of-factly. The headache that doesn't show on her face registers in her voice.

"Right," sighs Dragon, giving up on going through it again. They all get the idea anyway. Once again through the decontamination procedure (third time now for Tiffany, which reminded Virgil that he hadn't yet seen her tape), finally out the door, in their own clothing this time (a surprising relief, that). Dragon's fishing for the electronic door-beacon for the maglock. No matter how much he'd tried to make sure the Savalettes and everything else was back in its proper place, things such as the contents of the pockets would continue to be just that little bit "off" until he could get under a roof that wasn't here and get everything back in order properly. At least the guns and armour were on-track (and Dragon smiles slightly to once again hear that soft click of the clinic's scanners picking up some part of his hidden metal, reminding him that he would always carry resources that weren't obvious on the surface).

As soon as the car responds to its beacon with a soft chirp, the five of them all quickly flee the clinic, relieved beyond what words could express to be finally out of there. It's not until Dragon reaches the driver's side door that he's free enough of what he's witnessed, back there, to realise with an uncomfortable prickling that it's somehow too quiet ...