17:34:20 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - Outside the Puyallup Street Clinic

Daedalus answers in his gravest tone:

"Is this the clinic at 104 3rd street in Puyallup? You are about to have a very dangerous situation. You need to seal off your ventilation system or you may have a quarenteen breach. There is a in intruder in your vents. Please hurry, there is no time to waste."

17:34:55 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - Outside the Puyallup Street Clinic

A quick flurry on the other side of the phone, a couple of clicks, then a male voice: Who is this? And what is the nature of the situation? Details, please.

17:40:53 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - at the Fox and Hound

As Virgil and Dragon continue to work out the details of what they do and don't have yet (and Dragon is starting to get increasingly puzzled by the rigger's silence) -- all at once both their phones go off. Simultaneously. With five or so phone calls each.

The detangling takes a while -- "No, I don't want to subscribe to the Seattle Star!" How did you get this number?. Most of it is innocuous, just the usual barrage of phone calls, nuisance and otherwise, some literally dialing down the list of all possible LTGs: but condensed into a five second burst, overpowering the usual spam filtres.

Fourth down the list, Dragon's side, is Tiffany. "Did you want me to sit on this, Dragon?" she asks directly, her face tight.

Who -- what -- Sit on what, Tiffany?

She's about to say something else but then checks: "Sorry -- you really don't know. That guy, the Caucasian: he's Vinnie."

Dragon and Virgil (on one of his own calls) glance at each other. Then Dragon asks: Who's Vinnie?

Tiffany closes her eyes. "Only one of the middling major players around here. Familia, that's who. He has something of a specialty in smuggling. Sorry, something's come up here. Got to go. Keep your phone on next time!"

And with that, she's gone.

17:35:15 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - Outside the Puyallup Street Clinic

“I am a friend to the employees of the clinic. The rigger who attacked with the missiles earlier today dropped a drone that has entered your ventilation system from the roof. It hasn’t gone very deep yet, but I trust you will respect the danger presented here.

It could be anything from surveillance to a bomb.”

anyone who would put missiles onto a blimp cannot be underestimated…

20:16:38 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Wei's Noodle House, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo blinked, which for her was the equivalent to dropping her jaw in wide-eyed astonishment. Had he shown her that face when the two of them were alone, she ... no, it was best not to think of that. Her fingers already itched to touch him, to tap into that current of torrential energy and feel it wash over her. He was intoxicating, without question, and seeing that level of conviction displayed at all, much less in someone that seemed so cool, was beyond fascinating.

Ilsa was a damned fool.

She smiled, slowly at first but with a quiet intensity that grew from one second to the next. It wasn't the charming, seductive smile that had become her hallmark or even the playful dimple she often used to keep men off their guard; there was nothing even remotely pretty about the lush curve of her lips, but then the heat that ran through her wasn't all that pretty either. Cosmo followed his train of thought and took it a step further, glancing meaningfully from her empty bowl to his own. She raised one eyebrow in wordless question.

17:41:38 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - at the Fox and Hound

Virgil is stuck in anticipation as he waits for Dragon to end his latest call. The merc has a headware phone system so it is not possible for his current conversation to be overheard. The shaman could tell that his friend had just been given an important piece of information, for Dragon's face had just taken on the look of man who has just solved the mystery an hour before the movie was over.

17:42:03 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - at the Fox and Hound

Leaning back in his chair with a bit of surprise on his face, Dragon smiles at Virgil . “Well well well, I guess even we’re entitled to a bit of a lucky break sometimes.”
“What do you mean?”

“You want to know who that other guy in the photo is?”

“You’ve got to be drekking me. You know already?” The disbelief is evident in the shaman’s tone.

“Nope, and that’s the best part. I’m 100% for real on this. Tiffany just told me that the guy’s name is Vinnie , a connected Mafiosi who’s a mid-major player around Seattle. Specializes in smuggling. Granted, it’s not a complete biography, but how many mid-major smugglers in the Mafia named Vinnie can there be? So,” Dragon leans forward and crosses his arms on the table, “where do we go from here?”

20:17:04 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Wei's Noodle House, Los Angeles, CFS

Standing, Caska offered his hand to Cosmo, reradiating the heat of desire. He swept his glance across the restaurant, nodding to Wei in thanks. Payment for this evening had already been made. A window opened in his vision, remoting the sensor feed from the Condor II orbiting overhead. A single line of text appeared across the bottom of the image: Clear. Handing Cosmo into his car, he opened up his headware comm interface.

Heading to my place, keep eyes on, ground combat element released once we've arrived, rendezvous tomorrow 1400.

Engine snarling, the Shadow accelerated down the street into the darkness. The drive was short, twenty minutes of primary arteries through central Los Angeles to a modest residential neighborhood consisting mostly of four and five story apartment complexes. The driveway they pulled into belonged to the Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes. Caska slotted his passcard, waiting for the heavy gate to scroll back before negotiating the slight ramp down into the parking garage. Cosmo noted the security cameras scanning the entrance to the garage, setup to catch only the license plate of vehicles entering and not the driver's face. Caska's parking spot is well chosen, affording three different routes to the two exits from the garage while being out of direct sight from the casual passer-by on the street.

As he closed the door of the car behind her and moved them towards the bank of elevators in the center of the parking garage, Caska placed his left hand at the small of Cosmo's back, a simple gesture of control and possession that only fueled the fires burning inside of her. It was hard to decide who moved first when the elevator doors closed, bodies came together in a rush, mouths hungry for each other.

Caska broke away when the elevator chimed to a halt on the third floor, clearing the hallway before leading Cosmo down to the condo marked 3D. The door opened to his passcard and entrance code. Her practiced eyes noticed that his lock was different from the others, featuring a passive fingerprint scanner built into the keypad. So, not just another safehouse, but his home, she mused, the hunger of her curiosity warring with another, more basic, desire. Investigation can wait until later, she decides, reaching for Caska as he closed the door behind them.

17:42:03 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - at the Fox and Hound

"Well there is more than a probable chance that this Vinnie is totally unrelated to Jonah's disappearance. It was the dark man that came to the club seeking Jonah and it was likely him and his entrouge that tossed the doss."

Virgil leans back and takes a long drink of his lager.

"I am getting way ahead of myself here. Right now our working theory is that Jonah was home when his place was ransacked, meaning he likely fled somewhere. If I had a connection with an accomplished smuggler, I know that's the first guy I'd turn to if I wanted to get out of town."

20:15:29 Saturday, January 6, 2063 - Catapusan's Sushi Bar

“Well ain’t that something to hear that warms my old heart,” Max answers in a slightly exaggerated tone of voice. A waitress comes by discreetly and asks if they would like anything to drink. Casually the two men place their drink orders, and wait until she leaves before resuming their discussion.

Leaning forward slightly, Max looks a bit uncomfortable. “Listen kid, I know I said we shouldn’t talk biz, but we don’t have a lot of time and I’ve been doing some digging like you asked, and I got some of that information you asked me for. Figure we should get that out first, because this, you should know. I’ll give you the not so bad news first.”

Not so bad news. That means there’s bad news next. This cannot be good. So much for a nice, quiet, relaxing evening. “OK, let’s hear it,” Blaze answers a bit stiffly.

“I looked into that magical group or whatever you call it, and as far as Leopard shamans only, you are drek outta luck. Of course, it’s possible I just ain’t in the know enough to know about them, but I pretty much got laughed at by my contacts for asking. ‘Leopard shaman? In the sprawl? Are you fragging nuts? When was the last time a Leopard was anywhere near a sprawl?’ was about the long and the short of the responses I got.”

Running a hand through his hair, Blaze just nods. “I expected as much, but I was hoping I’d luck out. I mean, you never know, right?” Leaning forward with his arms on the table, he asks quietly, “OK then, that’s the not so bad news. Now let’s hear the really bad news. And before you ask, I know it’s really bad or you wouldn’t have been so hesitant about it.”

Max flashes him a quick smile. “Read me like a freaking screamsheet. I’m going to have to work on that with you.” Nodding sharply, his demeanor abruptly shifts. “OK kid, you’re a pro, so I’m going to give it to you straight. Buzz on the street says not one, but two crews are looking for your cousin now. One of them is Universal Omnitech, which figures. They aren’t too scary, I guess they know what she can do and figure she ain’t too dangerous, and there’s no need to send the heavy guns after her. They’ve got a fair amount of people combing the sprawl looking for her, but nothing too out of hand.”
“Figured Omnitech wouldn’t just let her walk away.”

“Yeah, but they aren’t the ones who I’d worry about. The guys I’d worry about are another group. Smaller, but professionals, you scan? I couldn’t get a handle on who they’re working for, but they’re definitely shadow talent, from what I hear. They’ve got an interest in her as well. If I had to guess, they were hired by another corp to extract her in this mess. Hell, maybe they even caused the mess, what with her husband dying and all, you never know, right?”

The waitress brings back their drinks, and the fixer takes a sip of his before Blaze interjects, “OK Max what aren’t you telling me here? This is pretty standard drek, it shouldn’t bother you that these guys are out here. Hell, we both expected it. There’s another card in this deck somewhere and we both know it. Don’t worry about protecting me from things I don’t need to know, and all that drek. I need to know or I’m going to get fragged up a hell of a lot worse for not knowing?”

“You’re right. Just wasn’t sure how to break it to you. I tracked your cousin to being in the Redmond Barrens. Granted, that doesn’t narrow it down much, but it’s a start, right? What worries me is that I’ve been hearing rumors, just rumors, mind you,” he emphasizes with a disclaiming wave of his hand, “that some of the local Triads in Redmond are starting to get a little restless. About something…or someone.”

He lets that sink in before clarifying, “For all I know, it could be coincidence, but these Triads, they don’t talk. So I got no real way of knowing anything more than that. Could be nothing. More than likely, it’s just coincidence, but if it’s not , you could be biting off more than you could chew. You hear me?”

20:20:29 Saturday, January 6, 2063 - Catapusan's Sushi Bar

"Yeah, I understand. But that doesn't really change much, I still have to find her. I've got a spirit out looking, but there's no gauruntees. At least if I've got it down to the barrens I can start doing an astral search, although I don't know exactly what I'm looking for..."

Max shakes his head slowly, "you've really got to work on the impetuous streak, it's gonna get you into real trouble one of these days."

Blaze chuckled slightly at that, "it's already gotten me into trouble, but then again I think that's why your contacts laughed at you about Leopards in the sprawl. Either way thank you, I'm sure you know how much this means to me. But the fact that the a second shadow group and the Triads may be involved has me somewhat worried. Unless she's learned some fairly impressive dreck she's gonna need help."

Sighing Blaze shakes his head slowly in turn. The waitress came back by to deliver the day's sushi special, a Salmon roll, and Tuna Sashmi. Blaze nods to her mumbling "Arigato".

Turning back to Max he continues on, "It's my job to try and protect her. She needs my help, but I'm not sure I really can help. It's my job to keep my family safe, but all I can do is find out afterwards that they're in trouble. Damn it, and I was hoping to stay off the topic of biz..."

"It's alright kid. I understand this is fairly hard, but at least now that you know she's still ok you can keep working on it. Just don't do something that's going to get you hurt."

"I'll try not to. If I did that I'd have a hard time finding that chika to get you off my back wouldn't I?"

"I suppose you would kid, but the ladies seem to like a man with a few bullet holes, means he's tough, and can protect them... But don't get them just for that reason. I mean really, takes you out of the game for a fragging long time."

As the two of them began eating their food they continued their discussion, the conversation slowly shifting from Blaze's personal life to Max's, and then over to the subject of the values of the newest version of NERPs.

After about a half hour of eating and chatting with his "son" Max stood up from his chair. "This has been enjoyable, we really should try to do this more often kid, but I've got to go. I've had a busy day, and it's not done yet. I'll give you a call if I hear anything more about your cousin."

"Yeah, we should do this more often, thanks and I'll see around Max." Blaze remained in his seat, slowly sipping at the dregs of his drink and finishing some of the ginger left on his plate. He gave Max a good ten minutes of head start before standing up, paying the check and heading out for the rest of his evening, and maybe a decent night's sleep.

17:43:03 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - at the Fox and Hound

"Agreed on that wanting to get out of town part. But what makes you think Jonah was home when his place got sacked? Did I miss something? And while we're on that question, do you have any better guesses than the Big A for the so-called 'dark man'? Because Juliette was right, that's not exactly a hell of a lot of hard evidence, or even substantial evidence."

Dragon absently butters a roll and starts chewing as he kicks around the random facts and thoughts they had accumulated, trying to make them fit into a coherent picture.

17:36:03 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - Outside the Puyallup Street Clinic

Seconds pass, ages of time. After it's gotten almost to a full minute, the rigger is about to try again, certain that his earlier message hadn't gotten through; when the line comes open again: Thank you for your timely warning. The issue has been dealt with.

Daedalus twitches: military training notwithstanding, after what he'd just gone through, there is something of stubborn refusal in him to leave it at that. May I know what its purpose was? If they dealt with it that quickly, probably it was just surveillance -- but that doesn't fit what I'm starting to know of this guy. He's not yet had a drone that only served one function, and the secondary ones were pure ambush.

Gas, says the other curtly. Fugi. We have retrieved the drone and have a barrier active.

Its sensors will still be active ...

The other waits for him to finish. After a second or so of silence came the answer: Thank you for the warning. We are aware of the nature of the problem and of its range. Sybersnake has been moved to a safe location.

With that the line clicks shut. Daedalus thinks briefly about pulling himself out of Icarus, reconsiders when he remembers the earlier interference, reconsiders again when he realised that whatever it was that had been interfering with earlier electronic communications seems to have been lifted. That was strange. Is this kind of thing typical of this area? It looks a bit shot up, but I thought that was just the missile. Frag, I'm hungry.

Hey, Daedalus, what's keeping you? comes Dragon's familiar voice over the radio. A good dinner's missing you here, and we've got to brief you in any case. Concern suddenly bleeds through: What's going on there? Do you need me?

Maybe five minutes ago ... but Daedalus has long been practiced in the ways of behind-transducer thinking. Had a bogey, but we're clear now. I'll update you later. While I get some food into me! Where do I meet you again?

Daedalus quickly pulls up the instructions for how to get to the Fox and Hound, sighs softly when he realises it's going to be more than walking distance. I'll just copy over the Shadowland personals to ask their opinion, and then I'm gone. I can't believe I'll have to take a taxi. How humiliating.

17:43:46 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - at the Fox and Hound

"Frag. Did I say that I thought he was home? I meant that I am almost positive that Jonah was not home. Sorry about that slip-up." Blame it on the head-ache I guess. . .

"As far as the dark-man indicatind the presence of the Big A goes, the combined tactics of the fire elemental and watcher were are very common amongst their mages, the types that we've been up against before." Virgil feels a shudder work it's way up his spine.

"In addition to that observation, I swear that I heard him speak with a spanish accent in Cindy's memory of her encounter with him."

17:45:09 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - at the Fox and Hound

Dragon nods. "Fair enough. That said, have we checked Shadowland for anything lately? All sorts of stuff shows up there, some of which might actually be useful to us. It can't do any harm at the least. Oh and by the way, Daedalus is on his way. He should be here shortly."

20:40:16 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo grinned, her teeth flashing white in an otherwise black room. However many things she could say about Caska, there was no denying that she was drawn to him. Spirits above and below, was she ever drawn to him. Clothing ripped. Teeth pulled at flesh with little restraint. Fire leapt into her eyes as tiny crystal beads sprayed from her tattered shirt, bouncing across the floor before they finally settled. Her knees threatened to give out at his low, gravelly laugh. Strength fought strength; skill fought skill, and Cosmo knew that her will was nothing compared to the power he radiated.

It was a difficult balance to strike. Poised between the prospects gentle yielding and complete and utter surrender, Cosmo felt as though she danced on a razor's edge, flirting with the dangerous prospect of losing herself to caresses that demanded more than she'd ever wanted to give. A low growl slipped from between her lips as she strained against him, her lithe body twisting at the last moment to gain a little extra leverage only to find the move skillfully reversed. Suddenly she was beneath him, her back pressed firmly against a soft mattress as the last of her clothing was torn away. Her eyes widened for a second, alight with challenge before they half-closed. A long slow breath escaped her as she stared up at Caska, noting the rigid set of his jaw, all the planes and angles of his face .. the sheer animal beauty of him. Something inside her tore away in that moment. She knew what he wanted from her; what he'd wanted from her the night they met.

"To hell with it," she breathed, her voice so soft she could barely hear it herself. A small smile played about her lips as her eyes finally drifted shut.

21:32:49 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Wind hammered against the bedroom window, and the air in the apartment was chill and dark. A single strip of red LEDs lit the room, enough light for a normal human to navigate by, but almost as good as daylight for the enhanced predators curled beneath the covers on the bed. Caska slid his hand across the smooth curves of Cosmo's skin.

"Tell me something true, again," he whispered.

21:33:11 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo smiled softly as she looked down at him, her face, still damp with a sheen of sweat, mere centimeters from his. Long waves of silky blonde hair tickled his ribs as she shifted downwards, trailing light kisses across the claw marks she'd given him two nights earlier. She was very nearly purring; his hands hadn't left her from the second the door closed behind them.

"Mmm," she shook her head, playfully nipping at his chest. "You first."

21:35:26 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Caska was quiet for a moment, his eyes distant. His hands continued to move against her skin, though, gentle but demanding. The latent strength in his body now was relaxed, resting.

"I killed five men when I was thirteen years old. They were my first. That was fourteen years ago. I couldn't tell you how many lives I've taken since then. I've sold pieces of my body, replacing them with titanium and polymer, FRCs and fiber optics. I've trained for years with weapons, explosives, vehicles. I have cut away everything that could be used against me by an adversary."

Again, his voice drops, gravelly. Cosmo feels him close, though. This is the truest he's ever spoken to her.

"If I ask you to stay with me, you'll be in danger. I know that doesn't mean much to you. You've been trained as I have. But I'd like you to stay."

17:38:03 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - Daedalus's apartment

Leaving Icarus to watch over the clinic, and fully entering his body after hours of projecting his mind and senses all over town on the radio waves, Daedalus gets dressed and layers a sweater and his long coat for the chilly weather outside.

Making a call to the cab company, he exits his apartment and while locking the door remembers the shadowlands post and that he needs to contact Vinnie.

Dialing as he jogs down the stairs Daedalus can only reach Vinnie's voicemail.

"Hey Vinnie this is Daedalus calling regarding our delayed meeting. What type of delay are we talking about and how about the first package? Call me back whenever."

Ugh, I really hope this won't be a long delay, I could really use my van... Daedalus thinks as the battered yellow cab pulls up.

A short trip, and a handful of bills later and Daedalus finds himself in front of the Fox and Hound, famished but impressed at the quality of resturant his friends arrange their meets at.

Entering, he spots Dragon and Virgil and bypassing the host station by indicating he is the missing third party makes his way to the table.

"Well hello my friends, nice place. Virgil its been a while, Dragon nice to see you with my meat eyes. Whats for dinner?"

17:59:45 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - The Fox and the Hound

Dragon grins at the rigger. "Whatever you want. It's on our delayed host's tab, and since he's the one that caused this hold up in our schedule, I for one don't feel bad about going a little nuts."

21:36:57 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

She felt his words more than she heard them; the roughness in his voice, the brief statements he made .. and didn't make, all resonated within her. The largest part of her success with people stemmed from feeling what they were about and as much as emotion could be a liability in their particular profession, for her, it was everything. Cosmo had held on to enough of herself to see that there was still music and beauty in an otherwise dark world, so long as one was willing to look for it and make it their own.

The smile that played across her lips was soft, almost sweet, despite the seriousness of the moment, and rather than recoiling from him as another woman might have, Cosmo wrapped her arms about Caska, hugging herself to him. She was quiet for a long time though her eyes, dancing with emotion, never left his.

"It means a great deal to me, Caska, because I know you'd keep me out of trouble if you could; I would do the same, if I could."

She took a deep breath and paused, considering how to proceed.

"There are .. things, about me, that I don't know; parts of myself that I'm still learning. I have dreams, waking and asleep, of the person I might have been but no matter how hard I try, I can't credit them as true. I can't deny them either." Cosmo shivered, remembering dark speckles across her pale skin, the metallic tang of Version's blood on her lips as she felt his life slip away....

"I don't know what's after me or why I was brought back, but I do know why I'm here tonight. I'd like to stay, if you'll have me."

21:39:04 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

I've never wanted anything more in my life. Caska brushes his fingertips across Cosmo's cheek, silent for the moment. It wasn't a question she asked, but he would give her an answer in any case. She was magical, this creature of soft beauty nestled next to him. She inspired passion in him, something he was unused to, as well as something resembling tenderness, an emotion he long thought dead. Parallel, but at complete opposite purposes, were other, more wicked thoughts. He'd felt her surrender to him, the arch of her back as she bared her throat, the moment in her eyes when his will supplanted hers. He exulted in it, savage glee racing through him.

His was a combat mind, though, used to assimilating information quickly, sorting useful from extraneous, weighing the options, and executing a plan. His indecision did not last long.

"Tonight, then. Stay with me tonight."

21:41:42 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo nodded, just once, her features radiant even in the wash of red lighting. She'd seen it, really and truly seen Caska soften toward her, even if it was only for a second; something about the mouth, the way he caressed her cheek....

"Tonight," she whispered, unsure and uncaring of what tomorrow might bring. Soft, plush lips parted ever so slightly as she tilted her face toward him, curling into a slow, sweet smile as she felt a new fire kindling in him. She would be His .. tonight.

02:15:36 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

The car fishtailed violently, throwing Cosmo against the restraining harness as she countersteered, fighting for control. Bullets gouged scars from the asphalt before chewing up her right rear tire and the rear quarter panel. The runflat tire held momentarily before the friction of the slide tore it apart. The sports car flipped and rolled twice, side windows shattering into beads of safety glass while the front windshield spiderwebbed.

Airbags deployed, cushioning Cosmo as she recoiled from the crash. The vehicle slid another thirty meters on its roof, sparks cascading off the metal, before coming to a halt. Tires squealed nearby, and Cosmo fought against the safety restraints, finally dragging herself free through the passenger side window. Gunfire immediately stabbed across the overturned vehicle, silenced rounds crackling through the air next to her head. She ducked and swore, pistol out in her hand. Without looking, she sent two rounds back over the car before staggering towards the line of parked vehicles twelve meters away. She could hear feet pounding on the pavement as the hit squad switched from pursuit to termination.

Ducking between the two of the parked cars, she swapped magazines in the Predator. Glancing over her shoulder, she could just make out two of the black jumpsuited attackers, faces obscured by a combination of tactical display and gas mask, vest hung with magazines and grenades, and the silenced carbine already shouldered and seeking a target. She took a moment to examine the ruined cocktail dress before brushing an errant strand of hair out of her face. The world exploded.

The 30mm air timed minigrenade detonated a meter and a half shy of her position, just above head level. The concussion blew out her eardrums and sent her skidding onto the sidewalk. The left half of her body prickled, skin punished by the overpressure from the grenade. She rolled into a crouch, weapon held at the ready. A trio of 8mm gel rounds flattened themselves against her chest, fracturing two of her ribs despite the massive deformation of the projectiles.

Cosmo's vision compressed itself into a single horizontal line, one pixel high but of infinite length. Taking a shuddering breath, she tried to open her eyes before realizing they were already open, staring up into the overcast sky. Her body was numb with shock, but she groped for her pistol anyway, finger skittering over its grip before it was kicked away. She went for the ankle, clawing at the hamstring, but someone stepped on her wrist, pinning her arm to the ground. Someone else sat on her legs. Hissing like a cobra, she lashed out again, shadows blurring with the black figures crowded over her. A voice cursed before slipping a plastic flex-cuff over her free wrist and cinching it down.

A face swam into view, dark hair pulled back into a braid, dangerous eyes glinting over a cruel smile. The woman leaned close, feeling along Cosmo's neck for something. She felt the bite of a compressed air injection.

"Say goodnight," whispered the woman as Cosmo's vision faded to black.

Cosmo opened her eyes, inhaling sharply, tension suffusing her body. The memory had been sudden, unbidden, intense. Her chest ached in sympathy to where she'd been shot in the vision, and she reached up to brush her fingertips across the skin. Caska woke and moved as if he'd never been asleep, his right hand clearing the room with a Browning while his left held the spoon down on a grenade he'd already pulled the pin on. Cosmo waited, frozen, her eyes watching as his combat reflexes spooled down to where it was no longer dangerous to move. She brushed her hand across his chest, feeling the rapid but even thunder of his heart. The weapons disappeared as quickly as they were drawn, and he covers her hand with his.

"You all right?" he asks, his voice soft.

02:17:48 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo's eyes squeezed tightly shut for a second as she tried to put those hideous images in the back of her mind. She couldn't stand not seeing, though, and those dim shapes seemed to stalk her no matter what she did. She was barely able to breathe as she carefully opened her eyes, scanning the room for a few awful moments, completely unaware of how badly her body trembled.

Am I all right?

The question was simple enough, and after a few more seconds Cosmo was able to manage a slight nod. Her eyes, wide and unblinking, were focused on some faraway place now that the immediate threat was gone and Caska had set his weapons aside. Her pulse had yet to slow. She was still unable to breathe.

My old Shadow .. my favorite dress .. that bitch.

Swallowing convulsively, her free hand raised to the side of her neck, feeling along that smooth column for any indication of past or present injury. That was Seattle, wasn't it, but .. when? She played the scene over and over in her mind, straining to learn something, even a sliver of a memory she could use but always coming up short. Bright spots began to swim across her vision; shadows grew longer; those shapes drew nearer .. were they men?

NO!

Cosmo gasped for air, her throat finally opening enough to allow a weak breath. Shadows receded. Her pulse, still hammering wildly against the base of her throat, slowed to a tolerable level. Forcing herself to look at Caska and releasing the hand she hadn't known she'd been squeezing, she rolled out of bed and raked both hands through her hair.

"I'll be all right."

02:19:24 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Caska slid out of bed, silent in the chill air. He was back a minute later with a half liter bottle of water, which he offered to Cosmo.

"Want to talk about it?"

02:22:41 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo accepted the bottled water gratefully, twisting the top of with violently shaking hands. She raised the bottle to her lips, paused, and instead poured a measure of cool water over her head, shuddering as it trickled over her skin.

"You called me Sleeping Beauty once. Why?"

She appraised him as calmly as she could manage, her chest heaving painfully with each and every breath, her eyes (still wide with barely disguised fear) shooting green fire. Spirits, she was angry, though not at Caska .. her bearing would indicate that.

16:10 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Redmond Barrens, Cao Jaan's halfway house

Knight smiles and rises from his formal greeting.

"It shall be a pleasure to work alongside you, Jennifer."

He turns back to Cao.

"I shall return tomorrow, I have a little business to attend tonight. A few loose ends to tie up and some items to collect. " he smiles and nods to them both "Have a good evening Mr Jaan, Jennifer"

Knight continues to discuss small points and details with Cao as he is escorted out to the main door.

17:25 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Redmond Barrens, The Streets

Knight pulls the collar of his coat up about his neck as he walks back through the barrens. He lets his weapons ride openly as a warning to would be muggers or the local gangers that crossing his path was a bad idea.

He had walked for some time, little over an hour and the chill was taking ahold. Checking about the area he was in and deciding it was satisfactory enough Knight made his way across the sleet covered street, kicking aside the refuse of NukeEm burger cartons and other trash so curteously provided by the StufferShack some hundred yards behind him, no doubt.

His nose wrinkled at the appaling scent that reached him as he stepped into the small cubicle of the public Matrix Terminal. Knight casually slots the credstick given him by Mr Jackson and dials up Portia's LTG number optioning straight to messaging services. He speaks smoothly in sperethial.

"Mine Lady Portia, precious, it does seem that whilst i have found myself with new duty to attend my commitment does not interfere with our plans for this evening. I shall await your arrival at the same place we parted. As ever I am in your debt to transport as I still lack mine own. Send word to me if you need to, your security is resoundedly superior to mine own in such things. Till our paths cross anon."

He signs off the terminal and checks the cred reading. The call had cost him 2 :nuyen: not a bad deal.

Knight turns back to the streets and starts walking in the direction of Leathernecks.

02:24:08 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Caska sighs, drinking from his own bottle of water. He sits next to Cosmo on the edge of the bed.

"I saw you while you were in the stasis chamber. I was the one who setup the equipment for you in the antechamber. You looked so peaceful, so beautiful."

02:24:08 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

She nodded, looking at him for a long while before speaking again, her voice hoarse, ragged with emotion.

"Can you tell me anything about where I was?" Instead of sitting beside him, she sinks to her knees, gripping both his hands and holding them to her chest.

"I won't ask who sent you to .. help me. I don't want to put you in that position, not when we're still so new to one another but I have to know something, anything. Caska .. please?"

02:26:55 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

"Whoever set you up there, it had to have been corporate or government. The stuff was high-end, and anonymous. Trademarks and serial numbers were all removed. I was given all of your equipment, I didn't purchase any of it. I was paid to wait until you woke up and make sure you had all of your gear. Then I destroyed the room."

Caska spoke quietly, his eyes holding Cosmo's.

02:28:17 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Closing her eyes and letting out a long, slow breath, Cosmo felt her shoulders sag and hated that she couldn't appear as weak as she felt. It was more than the fact that her adrenaline was beginning to wear out, more than the traumatic memories she didn't even know existed. The men in the vision, the woman that all but sneered at her as she was put under; it all made sense but the implications were enormous. How could she defend herself against an entire organization? Why would someone bring her back to steal server components when they must have known who put her in stasis?

She nodded again, her jaw twitching once, twice, and finally setting itself in a rigid line. At least she'd gone down fighting the first time; she could do no less now.

"Thank you," a bitter half-smile played about her lips as she looked up at Caska. Rising to her feet was difficult, made even more so by the fact that her knees were still liquid. She sunk down onto the mattress beside him, her forehead resting heavily against his shoulder.

"At least I know who it is now." When he didn't say anything about the brief wetness on his arm, she laughed and wrapped her arms around him again, unsure whether she should be laughing or crying.

"I've seen the bitch that kissed me goodnight."

02:28:52 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Caska snaked his arm around Cosmo, holding her close. Leaning back, he drew her down with him, tilting her face up so he could kiss her. He ran his fingers through her damp hair, tracing a droplet of water down the back of her neck and across her shoulderblade. Cosmo shivered, simultaneously chill and warm. He nuzzled her neck, offering the only way he knew to cure nightmares.

07:58:29 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo's smile was a bit lopsided as she stretched out across Caska's bed, moving only slightly so as not to wake him yet. The last few hours' rest had been wholly uneventful and had afforded her the sort of quiet time she needed to plan ahead. There was no choice but to assume that whoever had put her in stasis knew that she was out by now; as nice as the last couple of days had been, security would have to be her new priority.

She sighed softly, studying Caska as he slept, wishing she'd been able to sleep as he was, no matter how lightly, and wake up beside a warm body. Well, as long as I'm here.... A playful twinkle crept into her eyes as she shifted a bit closer to him, gently brushing her lips across his. It was nearly time to wake up.

08:01:14 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Caska reached out for her, awake but lazy and warm. The softness of Cosmo's body did nothing to encourage him to rise, either. But the day would not wait. Gently he extricated himself from the tangle of her arms, stretching in the cool air. The wickedly playful smile was back on his face as he glanced back at her.

"My shower isn't quite as large as the mansion's, but you're welcome to join me."

08:02:04 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

One eyebrow arched eloquently as she watched him roll out of bed. Cosmo made a show of stretching even when she knew it would avail her nothing.

"Have it your way," she dimpled, winking up at him from over her shoulder as she rolled out of bed and sauntered toward the washroom. Considering you already have....

18:01:21 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - The Fox and the Hound

"Well well well, we shall have to peruse this menu carefully then eh? to maximize the bang for our benefactor's buck" Daedalus cheerfully replies as he takes his seat and scans the menu.

"By the way, you guys are going to have catch me up to speed. I just made an anonymous phone call to give a warning against a rigger, whom I consider to be quite dangerous and is probably miffed at Icarus and me, to a clinic full of people that I don't know nor necessairly care about, all for apparently no concrete benefit? I've got enough enemies crawling around than to go picking fights with some guy (or girl) who has the chutzpah to stick a..."

he drops his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "...fragging missile launcher onto a blimp drone!"
the tone of excitement in his voice combined with the big smile on his face show that for all his ranting, Daedalus is quite pleased to have seen a new innovation and is already figuring out how to replicate such a feat.

"Seriously, who did you screw/cheat/beat or kill to get into this situation? And I hope this is not some idealistic crusades of yours Virgil... not that I'm against being the good guys... but... my babies gotta eat, and you can't just milk rocket fuel from a... ah.. lets not go there. So... the steak looks good."

08:26:33 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Wearing the black 5.11 pants of his Actioneer over the lower half of a full body suit of form fitting body armor, Caska leaned against the counter, shaving. A Browning heavy pistol already rode in a cutaway holster just behind his right hip. A pair of clips balanced the weight on his left hip. Cosmo had watched as he completed half his gear up, pulling equipment from the closet with quick, assured motions. It was vaguely ritualistic, and she didn't doubt that he went through the same checklist every morning. He caught her watching him in the mirror.

"I have appointments to take care of today. Can I drop you at your apartment?"

08:26:33 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Camino Del Sur Condominium Homes, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo nodded, slightly envious of the functionality of mens' clothing as they compared to her own. She supposed it wouldn't kill her to wear a suit now and then but still....

"I'd appreciate it if you could, yes," she began, the clipped businesslike tone of her daytime voice already asserting itself as she leaned against the bathroom wall, arms crossed over her chest to keep her clothing in place. The curve of her mouth was decidedly petulant as she watched him go through this sacred morning ritual when she would have quite happily spent a few more hours "resting."

08:55:17 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

Caska held the door for Cosmo as she slipped into her apartment. His eyes scanned over her shoulder for signs of trouble, then up and down the hall.

"Call you tonight?"

08:55:35 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

She chuckled, nodded, and placed a light, sweet kiss on each corner of his mouth, whispering a soft "goodbye" against his lips before she turned back into her apartment and shut the door behind her. Cosmo grinned as she heard his footfalls leave her doorway only after the lock had engaged itself.

Her morning ritual was somewhat different from Caska's and involved at least another two hours' worth of sleep. Her smile faded with each step toward her own empty bedroom. It was going to be a long day.

23:29:59 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - the Puyallup doss

This place is neither so foreign nor impossible to who you are and who you may yet be that you can afford to simply write it off. Riiight ...

In that long, prolonged moment before the alarm would have gone off, deeply entrenched instinct snaps Alleycat awake. Awareness of time is once again an intuitive part of her. She stretches a little, relieved, pleased to discover that she's not yet gone stiff. She determinedly doesn't think about what had just transpired.

A long road ...

In that same instant of coming to full consciousness she's already assessed that she's alone in the tiny doss, at least among the larger members of class Mammalia. None of the small markers of another's breathing, heartbeat, essence. Getting up from the floor and sweeping away the ants with another small stretch, she determines that none of her telltales have been disturbed, but in the process discovers in herself an unconscious reaction of sheath-release. With a slight effort she stills it, wills her mind not to think of the large elephant that isn't in the room.

It is whether we define those instincts or they define us that matters.

A soft snarl, forcing her body into the pattern of sun descending until that instinct can take her over: but she's off her pattern and the forms don't come of themselves. She'll have to wait until the sunrise to restore this balance. In the meantime ...

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single hop.

She hasn't bothered to turn on the lights, so she doesn't bother to turn them off as she heads out the door. She has an extended date with a few boxes of ammo and a Predator at the Teaser's.

01:14:38 Saturday, 7 January, 2063 - Teaser Rat's

Three boxes of ammo later, her arms and hands starting to tremble with fatigue, Alleycat finally manages to place herself in that useful blankness of body and mind which allows her muscles and tendons to place the shots of their own accord, a rapidly fired half-dozen shots grouped tightly despite the lack of aiming pauses. No burst fire or automatic settings, a part of her mind notes absently, independent of the movement of sinews and bone. But it's a Predator, she's betting that the Teaser can remedy at least part of that. If she even bothers to hang onto this weapon for any longer than this run.

Then Sivalius flashes through her mind and the last shot goes into the target of the next booth over.

"Whoa, girl. With shooting like that, you oughta be a corp mage."

The Teaser hadn't been there, which in one way was good, and in another not. It's Tarq that's in charge this night and the only other sentient being in this place at this time, and Tarq she's not yet met. Among other things, apparently this means that that the small supervision booth which had been so workshop-neat on her previous visits is rapidly being transformed into a self-contained combination ant refuge and compost heap-to-be. He's leaning back now in the small office chair, feet on the desk beside the ledger, picking his teeth. "Like the hair," he adds casually, abandoning the artifically exaggerated Texan lilt.

Alleycat freezes, every muscle in her gone absolutely rigid. Frag it, she had come straight from The Last Drop, last time she had been here, she'd been "Anne" for frag's sake! What's she got now? She runs quickly through her mnemonic inventory of recent changes and what she comes up with leaves her absolutely cold: mid-olive skin suggesting a light built-in tan, silvery-platinum hair. She'd felt the shift in her during -- whatever had happened, back there -- and she hadn't thought to check before heading out the door. At least it's Anne-length, with the curls. And it's getting into deep night, when all reasonable folks are asleep ... Another tangential possibility of Melissa-pursuit suddenly catches her. Even through her shock, it's a matter of instinct to focus, hold the thought long enough to ensure she'll remember it later -- which cross-links with a sudden realisation that there'd been no further messages yet from Grail, she'd half been expecting one when she woke -- then release it for later examination. And at least I grabbed Anne's glasses. But if I slip up like this again ... At last she forces herself to the minimal acknowledging nod, only a few fractions of a second off-beat; and with the nod comes a shy smile, and that finally unlocks the rest of the Anne-Alleycat merger that she'd defaulted to here, the last (and only other) time. She's settled. Finally.

Another biting ant she'd missed earlier works its way out of her sleeve. Absently, she flicks it into a corner, where it begins to busy itself on an abandoned take-out box half full of something sticky.

"You got some serious frustration going there," notes the Rat shaman. Doesn't matter that he'd never introduced himself as such, everything about what he is would scream it out to her, even if she hadn't already seen it in his aura, even if she hadn't caught the hint of shamanic mask during the small casting earlier, when he'd been confirming her right of access to this place.

The thought itself stops her, brings her to consider it more carefully. Something about her had shifted, something simultaneously utterly familiar and utterly foreign. The change penetrated to every part of her: body, mind, spirit, perception. She'd pierced Tarq's masking before she'd even quite realised it existed.

"Know a better way to get rid of it?" she asks, matching his light sarcasm almost perfectly as she rubs her aching wrists to disguise the disturbance shuddering through her, then deliberately turns back to the target and empties out another clip. The first three hit more or less as she had intended, but the rest stitch a line up and left, the last one missing the target altogether.

"Maybe. If you're interested and you got the nuyen."

The first in itself definitely piques her interest; the second deflates possibility almost as quickly even as part of her's trying to decipher the sources of that singularly melanged accent. "How much nuyen we talking about?"

"You keep coming back. You won my bet for me, girl. And you're running an account through Hobbes, for now. That'll do. That changes, we'll renegotiate."

Another might have closed her eyes, understanding that she was slipping even deeper into debt. She understands it all right, but she merely empties out the clip per the Teaser's strict range rules and hangs the weapon on the booth's hook before pulling the target toward her, crumpling it with one hand and tossing it onto the growing scrapheap. "So we're talking about me learning some kind of self-defense sparring, ka?"

"Maybe." After locking the door and setting the alarms Tarq leads her to a door, and behind it the second large room whose existence she'd suspected almost from the moment she'd been introduced to the building and been unable to reconcile the shooting range interior with the size of the boarded-up exterior. There would be at least two more: a proper pistol workshop, and probably a backroom office tucked into the design somewhere. "Okay, girl," he said easily. "Show me what you know." And then, in the moment when she's trying to figure out what exactly he wants from her -- kicks against a punching bag? forms? a bow? -- he's already rushing her. Even though sheer muscle memory allows her to deflect most of the force, his initial strike gets through, staggering her back with a newly purpling bruise across her ribs. He whirls easily back, stained longcoat whipping about him in a distracting spiral. "What're you waiting for? An invitation?"

By way of response, she spins into her own attack.

He's too experienced at this kind of sparring to be caught for long by surprise at her unorthodox patterns; and it's soon obvious that he knows far more dirty tricks of street scrapping than Alleycat's ever encountered, and hasn't forgotten any of them. The first bruises quickly acquire friends: deflecting arms, exposed shins, almost a black eye if she hadn't ducked her head with a speed beyond thinking, and only then thinks to wonder (in a part of her mind oddly separate from the rapid physical exchanges) whether the glasses are shatterproof. When they fog up, she closes her eyes and allows herself to slip into the half-sensed, half-empathised rhythms of the Rat shaman's movements, the motion itself almost -- almost -- another sense in her -- and then she's spitting out some odd mixture of honey and peanut butter (part of the coat had whipped across her face, explains that same detached part of her mind), falling back to clear her throat; and then she's gagging in sensory overload as something thick and cloying and retching settles about her, coughing, utterly deafened in the instant before --

Although she doesn't lose consciousness, she doesn't actually remember the boot making contact with the side of her head. Her next clear memory is of discovering she's not actually standing upright but rather lying on her back; and when she shoves herself up, all the bruises decide to bring themselves to her attention at once. Shaking her head, she makes it to her knees, and then to her feet.

"You know, that's not half bad." Through the ringing in her ears, she's slowly coming to realise that she hadn't managed to land even a single blow. "You've obviously had some training, though I'm fragged if I can guess where. You've also got enough familiarity with magic for it not to throw you completely."

"Fragging stinkbomb," she mutters through the dull pain, embracing it and letting it bring her fully to consciousness.

"Exactly," says Tarq, with a suspicious hint of a grin in his voice. "The rule is to win. Style is for salons. Are you up yet for another go?"

18:03:03 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - The Fox and the Hound

Somewhat grouchily, Dragon mutters, "Actually, we did get started on this whole mess because of one of Virgil's idealistic damn fool crusades."

A pointed look and a quick reply from the shaman are not far behind. "Maybe as far as Julia's concerned, but whose girlfriend was it that is responsible for the S-K hit team and the missile getting shot at us?"

"She's not my girlfriend. She's my contact." The mercenary snaps back testily.

"A contact that you sleep with." Virgil was grinning now, twisting the knife and enjoying it.

"So?" Rapidly being reduced to one word comebacks now, knowing that his...situation with Selina was one that was not exactly defensible as being completely free and clear of any romantic entanglements, Dragon racked his brain for a comeback.

"On a pretty regular basis, last time I checked." A sudden ambush from Daedalus, who was grinning that same stupid grin he had when he was enjoying himself way too much brought a retaliatory smoldering stare from Dragon.

"And?" Still backpedaling, still getting nowhere...

"You take care of her son." Virgil helpfully pointed out.

"Really? I didn't know about that one. Do tell," Daedalus quickly played along.

Glaring at both of them now, Dragon grumbled the only thing he could come up with in the face of their rapid, and unfortunately true, statements. "What's your point?"

"That makes her your girlfriend! Even if you aren't going to call it that." Looking over at Virgil, the rigger made a show of whispering consipratorily, "I think he's in denial."

"Hell, what else is new, remember how he had that thing for Susan's math teacher..."

"I did NOT have a thing for Susan's math teacher!"

"Right...right..."

"Sure, if you say so..."

"Bastards..." As much as he would have liked to start dragging up bits and rumors of the their history to sling back, the mercenary's mudslinging was interrupted as he was saved by the sudden arrival of the waitress.

The three of them placed their orders, and Dragon took advantage of the interruption to quickly bring the conversation to something, anything, other than himself.

"So, what should we fill Daedalus in on first Virg? Is there anything in particular you want to ask about D?"

21:15:48 Saturday, January 6, 2063 - Home

After parking his bike back in the basement of his home Blaze began walking up the stairs to his apartment. Opening the door he opens himself to the astral, once again checking that his ward is still in place and that no Astral nastiness has come to visit him.

The watcher I sent out should have been back long ago. I can't help the feeling that something's wrong.

Walking through his house Blaze slowly removes his coat and shirt, preparing himself to go to sleep.

I know she's in the Barrens somewhere. I wonder if I could find her...

Setting his meat body down on the bed he closes his eyes and pulls himself out of his body. It's not really sleep, because his mind is still awake, but it's better than nothing.

3 Hours, no more. I need to check over the Barrens looking for either her, my watcher, or that Elemental, if he's still out there.

Passing through the curtain of his ward Blaze's anthromorphic form heads out towards Redmond.

Be careful, you aren't gonna do her any good if you end up dead to a wiz kid mage.

22:30:48 Saturday, January 6, 2063 - Home

Despite his best efforts, a little more than an hour later, the only thing Blaze can say for sure is that his watcher was definitely gone. Although he attempted to discern what it was that had done the deed, it had happened too long ago and the traces were too faint to gather many clues. What he could say was that his watcher wasn't too far from Touristville when it got dusted.

Unfortunately, what exactly that meant he did not know. The trail was frustratingly cold, and the knowledge that there were at least several other interested parties out there looking for her made it even worse.

Then out of the corner of his eye, he noticed another astral form, accompanied by a pair of watchers, speeding in his (extremely general) direction.

Friend, foe, or random passerby...?

22:30:48 Saturday, January 6, 2063 - Home

Frag, I hope this guy isn't looking for trouble, but if he is I think I can handle him. I hope.

Focusing his astral senses on the Mage Blaze's astral form begins testing the "air" for the sent of anger or hatred from the other form. Blaze's form resembles that of a cat testing the wind. Preparing himself for combat Blaze hopes for the best.

If nothing else this may lead me to where Melissa is.

18:05:03 Saturday, 6 January, 2063 - The Fox and the Hound

Daedalus pauses for a moment to collect his thoughts. And addresses his friends:

"Ok, first of all, we are here for a reason, we have our orders Dragon and I would like to formulate a plan on how to specificially accomplish our mission here in Seattle. Now it seems that we have gathered some opposition, think that the caliber of the enemies we have here is not going to make our cause any easier."

Pausing for a moment to take a sip of water and glancing around the room to insure that nobody was overhearing him, he leans in and continues:
"So, it appears to me that in order to accomplish our mission, we have to do something about all the heat we seem to have gathered."

Leaning back out he looks to the shamen, "Virgil, I assume that you're here to help us out, and I for one am very glad. This is a nice town you've got out here, nice scenery, decent skyline but some crazy wildlife."

"What I want to know is who is after us, and what have we done to incite this interest... and is it even possible to shake them and keep the cover we need to establish ourselves here."

"And by the way, who else is "us" anyway?"

15:17:08 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

The smile that swept across Cosmo's features was more satisfied than happy and in spite of the soft healthy glow of her skin, there was a slump to her shoulders now that she allowed herself a few moments' rest. Her eyes were glassy from exhaustion.

"Three hours is never enough," she sighed, leaning against her kitchen counter, an unopened bottle of spring water forgotten in her hand. She wasn't sure why something inside her forbade the extra hours of rest, but she figured there was a reason .. and hoped it was a good one.

Cosmo's spirits were barely brightened by the array of garments spread around her modest apartment. The rich fabrics and softly gleaming jewelry, curvaceous cosmetic bottles and supple leather shoes were more than simple feminine trophies, they were more weapons for her arsenal, their quality beyond compare. Who needs kevlar and a machine gun, she mused, when one can get so much farther with a full length Valentino gown and a bit of lipstick? Cosmo eyed the scarlet satin dress from across the room and shook her head. Who was she to resist something so decadent, even if it was technically out of her price range?

Her smile faded entirely, though, as her eyes came to rest on the phone she held, far from forgotten, in her other hand. It stood to reason, of course, that her contact's number had been disconnected sometime within the last two years. HardBitten had more than likely moved on. And still alive, I'll bet, knowing the careful bastard....

Making her way over to her telecom, Cosmo blinked at the text lining the screen and shuddered. She'd never been all that great with computer systems, but considering her current "taskings", she felt it prudent to start learning. Settling down for what would be hours of studying, she sniffed at the bottle of water and opened a can of cherry cola instead....