08:55:41 Saturday, 07 January 2063, Renton Mall Food Court

Klaus looks at Blaze a bit oddly, like he's both sizing him up and believing yet disbelieving him at the same time. Finally, he asks, "Do you have any proof or evidence to substantiate your belief that first, her corporation is out to hurt, rather than help her? The second question is related to the first, do you have any evidence to support your belief that she's better off away from her parent corp than with it?"

08:55:41 Saturday, 07 January 2063, Renton Mall Food Court

Blaze pauses for a moment then speaks, "Do I have any proof...? No, I'm afraid I don't, I only have my own personal belief that corps are all evil and that free is always the better way to be." Blaze pauses for a moment then continues on. "In terms of knowing her parent corp is after her, I only know that she ran from them, and that in a building where she had been staying a fire elemental apeared, and torched most of it. If nothing else she's family and I have to protect her from that."

He waits just a moment. "All I need is to find her and help her do whatever it is she needs to do to be safe. I would hope that means staying with me, or underground and hiding, but if for whatever reason she wants to go back it's her life, not mine."

08:36:50 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - The Last Drop, Auburn

Try it this way: what specifically do you want to get done today, when, and how are you going to go about doing it? Fill out a fragging daytimer, girl!

Okay. Under the to-do list, pencil in:

• Black Tony (training sim, garage space, and get rid of the fragging Scoot -- more trouble than it's worth)
• Matrixed-microfiche library stacks, public and university, government, corporate, city documents, heck, even birth certificates: megasearch for anything relating to Melissa

You think Blaze hasn't already had that done?

Possibly. Probably. It needs to be done though, don't take it for granted that someone's already done so. Hmm ...

• University ... what would it take to rehabilitate Anne? Find out, set that in motion

That's more than enough to take me up to 10:30, and then I've got the meets with Durin and then Blaze and the others. Oh, add -- and then she reconsiders, somehow Tin Star hadn't come across as the kind of person who'd take well to being reminded to bring the retainer. Take it as a given that he would, then; you can deal at that time if he doesn't.

That will do for now. Just add one last thing, a long-term project to fill the void:

• Start coding a halfway decent generic knowbot frame for browsing Shadowland.

08:56:31 Saturday, 07 January 2063, Renton Mall Food Court

The big troll looks at Blaze for a long moment, sizing him up. Finally he says, "All right, I'm convinced. Let me tell you up front though, if we find her and she wants to go back to her home corp, I'm going to hold you to that, you got me?"

Blaze nods once, which apparently is enough for the troll. "All right, now that we're on the same page, I'll tell you some stuff that maybe you don't know. I was hired to look for this girl, supposedly by her parent corp."

He holds up a hand at the flash of anger in Blaze's eyes, and continues calmly, "They told me it was a recovery, not a snatch, and I told them that if I found differently, I walk. That's why it's important to me that you let her go home if that's what she wants. I'm not calling you a liar, but I don't know this girl, and from what you tell me, in all honesty, you don't either. It's very possible that she wants to go back to her nice, safe nest. So if the corp was playing it straight, and she wants back in, I'm not going to let you stop her."

With difficulty, Blaze refrains from errupting into a long-winded tirade about how no corp, anywhere, ever, would actually want what's best for their people, would never look out for them, would never actually try to really help them, if there wasn't a bottom line in it for them somewhere. But he realized that probably wouldn't do any good, and first, they had to find Melissa before he could convince her not to go anywhere, so he just nodded.

"I tracked her to the Barrens in Redmond, but I lost her in there." He shakes his head. "Magic's the fast way, and the nice way, but it looks like some old-school groundpounding is going to have bring this one in. Are you available for that, or do you have other stuff taking up your time, and that's why you asked me to sign on to help you?"

10:35:03 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - U-Dub, Downtown Seattle

It's her feet that decide for Anne that she isn't going to deal with anyone else she knows personally -- at least, not yet -- and it's only long habit that settle the longcoat on her shoulders and gradually alter her stride and her appearance, until by the time she's reached the campus (by way of a useful locker she'd set up when she'd first learned the specifics of "Anne") she's in soaked sneakers and blue jeans and bohemian blouse and the bright red currently popular phoenix'ed version of the Chinese character tattoo for double happiness at the nape of her neck and a sweater that's far too light for the chill that's permanently settled into her. Seattle might be a small town: but right about now it's feeling fragging near claustrophobic.

Not only to see, not only to see herself, but to see with understanding, to see and recognise and understand what constitutes beauty.

When old age shall this generation waste, / Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe / Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st, / "Beauty is truth, truth beauty"---that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

She kicks at the dirt, muddying the sneakers.

As the feel of the place shifts subtly to arrested adolescence she pauses for a moment, five non-hangover'ed early risers streaming around her without once interrupting the verbal stream of consciousness flowing between them, pulls up in her mind the Matrixed map of U-Dub to match it with what's around her.

(A part of her mind automatically assesses the value of the mountain bike parked in the rack beside her. Acting on that assessment isn't even enough of a consideration to dismiss. One doesn't steal from one's camouflage.)

Without any real difficulty and shivering only a little, she quickly finds the administrative building. The doors of the building are open, she doesn't have to test the SIN in the maglocks ... possibly a good thing, considering Anne is supposed to be behind in her tuition payments.

Inside the building she pauses again, trying to get her bearings. It's Sunday, why is the place open at all? It's surprisingly busy in here by any standards, let alone for a Sunday: until one piece of disconnected data finally finds a cross-connection and she realises that the term begins on Monday -- tomorrow.

Until that moment, she'd had no real connection with the greater timeflow, nothing that wasn't a series of abstract numbers, abstract knowledge. Ask her time and date and she'd respond automatically and instinctively. Ask her what it means --

Eventually she finds a long, straggling line of caffinated students and follows it to its end and waits for half an hour, only to discover that this room is dedicated to requested changes of major at term beginning ("Didn't you read the sign? Tuition is across the hall!") But "Tuition" turns out to be for students who've already received their pay packets on the Matrix and have already slotted their credsticks and punched all their cards. "You're in Finances. One floor up!"

She is rerouted twice more and gets lost once ("Can't you read the signs?"), ends up briefly in an add/drop line before she finally finds herself once again back in Finances for a required Matrix chit into her credstick ("You should have had this done on-line four months ago!"); and then in some variant of Records to transfer that chit physically into their off-Matrix computer.

Finally, after all that, she is shunted down two floors and down yet another hall to the secretariat's office, where she waits ten minutes, fifty-three seconds for the door to be unlocked so that she can confirm that yes, she would like to unseal her completed credits and yes, she has arranged appropriate financing to cover the back-owing, and no, it won't happen again (on pain of ever, ever graduating from this great institution of higher learning).

She leaves, finally, with all the appropriate seals and signatures and a written memo for an appointment with the psychology dean later today to discuss her class schedule. She isn't quite running by the time she finally makes it into the open air and then off the campus -- but it's a close thing. Grab the monorail, as far as it goes. She should still be on time to meet Durin ... barely.

08:56:31 Saturday, 07 January 2063, Renton Mall Food Court

Blaze pauses for a moment. "It's some and some. I am busy and that's part of why I asked you, but I also figure two heads are better than one, so to speak. I actually have somewhere I have to be later today, and then I am unforchunately going out of town." Taking a deep breath he continues on. "So you see why I need your help. You say you were hired to find a girl," he pauses for a moment to pull out the picture of Melissa and show it to Klaus, "Is this her?"

Klaus takes the picture for a moment then hands it back to Blaze, "Yeah I'm pretty sure."

Blaze sighs lightly, "Ok then I know who at least one of the two parties are. I apologize for not telling you earlier, but I didn't want to tell you everything until you aggreed to help, you understand. I my search I discovered that two groups were being sent after her, one presumably you are one of them. That's the other reason why I asked you, since I know other people are after her, and I don't know what their agenda is, I need to find her as quickly as possible."

Blaze looks at Klaus for a moment. "You said you were thinking we should 'pound the streets' I might be able to do that later tonight, but nightime in the Barrens gets... Interesting, to say the least."

08:58:19 Saturday, 07 January 2063, Renton Mall Food Court

Klaus grins. "I been around chummer. I can handle it." He makes a show of looking Blaze up and down. "From the looks of things, I'd say you can too. Still, if you don't want to, that's fine. I would've had to do it anyway. But you don't sound the type to back off cause of a little danger."

08:58:19 Saturday, 07 January 2063, Renton Mall Food Court

Blaze lets out a soft hollow laugh. When he speaks his tone seems even but soft, tinged with almost regret, "I've been expecting to die for a long time now, how and when aren't that important." His voice shifts back into his profesional tone, " If you feel that we need to do a Barrens run to find her, then we're going to the Barrens."

Blaze thinks for a moment then looks at the troll. "How much do you need as compensation?"

08:58:59 Saturday, 07 January 2063, Renton Mall Food Court

Klaus shakes his head. "I was hired to find this girl, and I planned on doing it, before I met you, and even now, regardless of your involvement. My concern is that the girl gets where she wants and needs to go safely. So how about this." He folds his hands on the table and leans forward, attempting to create an atmosphere of privacy but giving Blaze more a sense of claustrophobia.

"I'll help you find the girl. You seem like a straight up guy, maybe even one out to do a bit of good in the world. And while I never back down from a fight if it's necessary, it seems to me that getting down and dirty is more your specialty than mine. In my line of work, sometimes things get ugly fast, and when they do, it's always good to have someone to call who's better and smoother at the nasty spell slinging than you are, you scanning me here?"

08:58:59 Saturday, 07 January 2063, Renton Mall Food Court

"Yeah, you scratch my back I scratch yours. I'm down for that." Leaning back in his chair for a moment Blaze glances around trying to see if anyone seems a little too interested in their conversation.

Blaze leans back forward, "I should be done with my stuff by 5 tonight, where would you like to meet?"

08:59:41 Saturday, 07 January 2063, Renton Mall Food Court

"Sounds like we have a deal then. How about across the street from that new club that just opened up in Touristville, the Paradigm Shift? It's a pretty hot location for corpers and rich kids slumming it, so there'll be lots of people to cover our presence and you shouldn't stand out too much. It's right on the border of the serious slums in Redmond, and given its relative security and crowds, seems as good a place as any to cover our approach until we're ready to go."

08:59:41 Saturday, 07 January 2063, Renton Mall Food Court

Seems like I've spent a lot of my time there recently... wonder how connected it is?

Chuckling slightly Blaze nods, "You'd be suprised how familiar I am with the place." Blaze stands up from the table, "I'll see you there tonight. Oh, and here." Blaze reaches into his pocket and grabs a small wrinkled notecard. He scribbles his cell number on there and hands it to Klaus. "Give me a call if something big comes up, ok?"

09:01:11 Saturday, 07 January 2063, Renton Mall Food Court

Blaze takes a moment once standing to look around the mall. The glittering glass walls allow some of the minimal natural light in, but the harsh white lights embeded between the panes keep the mall covered in a bright light. Walking away from the table Blaze moves against the crowd, heading out of the mall. As he passes he gets more than a few second looks, but he's used to that.

Passing through the glittering glass doors of the mall Blaze enters back into reality. The cool chill bites in and he closes the front of his coat to combat it. Blaze begins to walk away from the mall, moving away from the mass of people still entering. He heads about a half block towards his bike's garage and then opens himself to the Astral Plane. Glancing about the air around him he checks for anyone following him. The emotions of the mall, while somewhat distant, can still be seen as ripples of color floating through the air. Satisfied that he isn't being followed Blaze turns and finishes the walk to his Bike.

Entering the garage he heads up a few levels to where his bike is parked. The garage is dark and shadowed, many of the lights are hardly powered and not enough to light the whole area. The stark conntrast between the dusk and grime of the garrage and the glittering lights of the mall remind Blaze of the dychotomy between what the corps show, and how they really are.

At least now I have help to find her, and I know who one of the groups after her are.

Stopping next to his Bike he once again checks it for additional passengers then starts it up. Sliding the earpiece in he calls Alleycat as he heads out of the garage.

09:01:11 Saturday, 07 January, 2063 - Leaving The Last Drop, Auburn

Finally, some structure. Useful, that.

Pushing away the empty plate, Anne stands up (a quick glance around, see what's what), heads for the door quickly before anyone else who knows her can spot her. Not for her today, the other exit, down below. In her mind she's already assembling the general coding structure she'll need for the new agent.

She's just getting to her bus stop when her phone buzzes in her ear. Blaze's ring. So soon? Either a very quick meet, or a complication. "Alleycat."

22:10:29 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Nine blocks from AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

You know, if they showed this sort of dreck in the movies instead of busty, MMG-toting, second skin wearing .. actresses with characters named for stones, of all things ...

Cosmo kicked a used caf cup aside and forced herself to focus on clearing her exit from the lot rather than the .. unique scents inside the vehicle and the many and varied textures underfoot. Any petulant musings over the apparent glitz and glamour of her "business" were forcibly put to one side (to be saved for nothing less than a truly spectacular future rant). She had a job to do, even if she wasn't crazy about doing it.

... and the ACTORS, for the love of the Spirits, are ..

She cut herself off with a low sound that was half snort, half growl and tipped her shades a little farther down her nose. Luckily, the gesture was familiar enough to reel in the last of her wayward thoughts, rooting her in the tiny smelly car and the fluorescent-lit streets as she wound her way closer and closer to AMI Networking, taking three times longer than normal to assure that no one was tailing her.

Or at least, if someone is, they're better than me.

The Accord rolled to a stop, partly concealed in an alleyway a scant block from her target that afforded her a place to view the area with a reduced chance of being seen herself. A simple thought brought blueprints and text descriptions of the warehouse onto the left lens of her glasses while another flipped the right lens first to thermal overlay and then lowlight as she thoroughly scanned the dark, dirty streets for any signs indicating she might not be alone.

22:14:08 Thursday 04 January 2063 - One block from AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo completed her second slow scan of the area, eyes moving in controlled increments. Her trained gaze swept both street level and the nearby rooftops, checking for metahuman surveillance. The airspace above also came under scrutiny, the low smog layer useful as a lighter backdrop against which to search for the tell-tale lifting body shape of a long loiter surveillance drone. The only spectrum she lacked the ability to scan through was Astral.

So far, though, nothing piqued her suspicions. AMI Networking remained oblivious to her surveillance, a half a dozen cars in the parking lot representing the totality of the night shift. The automated processes on the factory floor would require only two or three supervisors in order to run smoothly. The remainder were most likely security guards, six to ten all told, stationed in the central security station to watch the monitors for signs of possible trouble.

09:01:11 Saturday, 07 January, 2063 - On the road home

The low rumble of his bike filling the background Blaze pulls out into traffic, "Hey, I finished that meet so if I'm more than a minute or two late start worrying about me. I talked to my man, met him in the astral last night, and he says he's in for giving me that hand I need. Turns out he was actually already searching for Melissa."

Weaving through traffic Blaze heads out of downtown and back towards his home. "At least now we know who one of the two groups searching for her is."

Pausing for a moment Blaze thinks We... well, she's taken extra time and invested it, so I guess it really is us... "Unless you need to talk to me I'll see you at the meet." He waits to see if Alleycat has anything else to say.

09:02:10 Saturday, 07 January, 2063 - On the way to U-Dub

At least now we know who one of the two groups searching for her is.

Do we?

"Did he mention why he was looking for her? or who he was working for? For that matter, did he mention why he's now willing to work with you?" And why and how it doesn't contradict his employer's intent?

Alleycat finds herself smiling a little to herself. For someone so on edge, so constantly aware of the world's betrayals: Blaze seems to be very trusting at times.

09:01:11 Saturday, 07 January, 2063 - On the road home

Sliding past a slower moving Americar Blaze smiles slightly to himself. For someone as new at this as Alleycat seems to be she's already paraniod. Although maybe she's not as new as I thought...

"He's looking for her at the parent corp's request, but he was told it's not a pickup, but a rescue. Maybe it's true maybe not. The reason he's willing to work with me is he's like me. He's out to do at least a little good in the world before the corps eat him alive. His deal was if he finds Melissa and she doesn't want to go back, he walks. If I find Melissa and she wants to go back I'm gonna try and talk her out of it, but her safety is my concern. In the end, it's the same deal."

Slowing up some as he catches sight of a Lonestar car behind him on the road Blaze merges fully with the traffic, becoming just another corpie out on the road.

"In the end I trust him because, to a lesser degree he's like me."

09:01:12 Saturday, 07 January, 2063 - On the way to U-Dub

A little good in the world? That's why he's working openly and unquestioningly for a corp, is it? Still, it's Blaze's business.

But at the repeated last line she almost laughs out loud: "Like you, is he? Don't know if the world is ready for two of you." At that she does permit herself the short laugh: "I'll see you when I see you, then."

09:01:23 Saturday, 07 January, 2063 - On the road home

Blaze chuckles at the joke, "There's only one of me, just more people out to work some good. I'll see you later"

Switching the phone off, Blaze lets the police cruiser pass by, gives it time enough to be out of sight, and then continues moving through traffic towards home.

22:14:08 Thursday 04 January 2063 - One block from AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

"But maybe a little more than possible trouble this time, hmm?"

A half smile quirked across Cosmo's lips as she took one final sweeping glance from her vehicle and another precious minute to clear the alley around her before she considered herself safe enough to proceed. Her dark casual clothes were removed with amazing efficiency, revealing a close-fit bodysuit of black and dark green checkers with a series of tactical straps, pouches, and holsters blended so seamlessly as to seem all but invisible, concealing the assortment of equipment she'd opted to bring with her. Head, hands, and feet were quickly covered by a similar, if finer, fabric that covered all trace of skin but allowed her to breathe adequately as well. She was anonymous. A wraith in a forest of warehouses .. and she had a job to do.

Slipping from the Accord with all the grace of the ghost she imagined herself to be, Cosmo kept to the deeper shadows of buildings and the vehicles scattered to either side of the street as she crept toward her target. She took long, measured breaths, suppressing the instinct to move too quickly but remaining mindful of the fact that moving too slowly, too cautiously, could be equally problematic. Control over rhythm and tempo often separated the greatest musicians from eager amateurs; in the shadows they often meant the difference between success and death.

Letting out a soft breath as she finally gained the entrance, she crouched to one side, bringing her tools to bear with the flick of her wrist. Deft fingers worked across the maglock, disengaging the keypad in ninety seconds flat and the cardreader in one hundred twenty. Cosmo would have run her fingers through her hair once the more difficult lock had finally given way (it nearly hadn't) but since the situation prevented it she satisfied herself with another slow breath before slipping into the AMI building and closing the door firmly behind her.

09:51:28 Saturday, 07 January, 2063 - Home

Blaze stops and parks his bike back in the same spot in the run down garage as before.

At least now, even if I'm not here, someone is and will be looking for Melissa. I'm not certain I trust him, but it's better than nothing.

Instead of heading up and into his apartment Blaze walks towards the woods near the building. Snohomish is one of the few places where you can still find forests, and even then it's only on the outskirts where Blaze lives. Walking through the forest he can once again feel nature around him, the unpollotued green that Leopard thrives in. Walking down the path he stops and heads deeper into the woods, towards his lodge. Coming out into the clearing he calls forth to summon a watcher.

Standing inside his Lodge Blaze calls for to Leopard I need another of your servents. Forming weaves of summoning Blaze begins to shape another Leopard form. The Leopard anthroform appears in front of him. Blaze twitches slightly as the backlash of mana hits him, but recovers quickly. Reaching up, Blaze strokes the head of his companion. "After I meditate here we're going to go out for a trip. I would like you to follow and listen for any instructions I may give, ok?" The Leopard purs softly by way of response. "Thank you."

Kneeling in the center of the lodge Blaze finds himself relaxed and at least somewhat reconnected with Leopard.

After a half hour of comunion with Leopard's spirit Blaze stands once again, stretching himself slightly. He pauses to adjust his shades and whipe some of the earth off the hem of his coat. Shifting back to the astral plane he can see the vivid colors of life in the woods. Searching for a moment he finds his watcher darting back and forth, amusing itself in the auras of the trees around him. "Come on, time to go."

The watcher drops down to Blaze's shoulder and floats there. Blaze closes himself to the plane and heads back to the garage. Passing back out from the vivid greens and browns of the forest he pauses for a moment to once again repeat his vow. I will find her and protect her. No matter the cost.

10:26:07 Saturday, 07 January, 2063 - Home

Heading back into the garage Blaze opens himself to the astral briefly. "If on the way there you see something bad following me tell me, ok?" The watcher nods slightly and the begins to scan the plane for "bad things".

Hopping onto his bike Blaze heads towards the Big Rhino once again. I'll be early, but at least this way I can hover in the astral and check it out ahead of time.

Traffic has calmed down since his trip this morning and their flow is now fast enough that Blaze can make decent time without weaving between cars. Passing through the city Blaze can see the tall glittering glass spires of the corporate empire. Going by the hundreds of sites of corporate corruptoin and pollution he cannot help but rage a little. This is the world you lived in Melissa, I hope you will come with me away from it.

Making his way to the Rhino Blaze drives past the front, checking for anything visibly odd about the place. Seeing nothing he continues to an underground garage a few blocks away. Parking inside the difference between this lot, where corporate wage slaves often stay, and his lot, home to the dregs the corps have screwed, is stark. The bright lights of the lot light everything, and as Blaze shuts down the bike he can see a single guard wandering through the lot protecting the cars inside.

Heading out he begins to walk towards the rhino, stopping in a small coffee shop along the way. Entering he grabs a small booth, sits down and orders a small Soykaf. Blaze waits for the drink to arrive, then leans back in the booth, angling himself so that he will be leaning back without any corrections. He then pulls out of his body once again enjoying the freedom of astral space. Passing through the walls of the coffee shop his watcher follows him.

Blaze turns on the spot, "I need you to watch my body, I'll be back soon." Flying the rest of the distance to the Rhino he passes slowly overtop, trying to see who is inside, and checking for any sign of a set up.

22:45 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Near the Paradigm shift, Touristville, Redmond

After the little over half an hour stop off at one of Portia`s scattered crashes Knight stood upon the streets of Touristville looking almost like a new elf. Gone were the trail worn street clothes he`d been wearing when he`d limped into the city on the back of a truly totaled bike. Now he stood resplendant in a mix of silver and black Glitterthread and Synthleather, latest off the nightwear racks from Zoe`. Portia always seemed to have such things on hand for `emergencies` as she termed it. The only concession she had allowed the Tir elf had been to retain his black and red thorn patterned longcoat and even then that was only for the armour it allowed.

Knight waited patiently, his coat catching a dusting of the light snow that had begun to fall in place of the earlier rain and sleet. He felt a little underdressed denied both Rosekiss and a firearm, but Portia had said security here was tight and besides which each of them carried enough mystical firepower to deal with any unpleasant events that may crop up. Reluctantly he agreed and was now waiting for his friend to show from the back of her car where she was `making a few adjustments`.

Another few minutes slid by and Knight turned, finally growing impatient, to be greeted with a sight that very nearly made his jaw drop. Portia was dressed in a full body catsuite semingly crafted from a mix of velvets and real leathers. Like his own new clothing the entire ensamble was silver and black, but where as his own garmebnts where solidly blocks of one or the other, Portia`s entire form seemed to shimmer with every minute movement she made.

"One would almost believe ye had nae seen a lady bedecked in splendor before, my Knight" her words in soft Sperethial snapped him out of his moment of awe.

"Alas, mine lady Portia, it has been indeed a long enough passage of the moments to feel as if it has been forever since i did view a lady so." he recovered quickly, offering her a devastating smile.

"Very well, my Knight, mayhaps you should make the most of this moment then, for soon will it pass and I cannot say when it will come again" she returned his smile as she walks up level with him, slipping her arm through his and the pair walked to the door.

Fair warning Knight thought to himself. We`ve been in alot of contact recently and given our trade we may have to go our ways for a while after tonight.

Together they approached the doors of the Paradigm Shift and joined the que to enter. Things seem to move slowly untill finally they are at the doors, ushered through by the troll bouncer, who earns a brilliantly sly smile from Portia. They proceed unhindered through the MAD scanners and the brief security check they have to sumbit to before being allowed final entrance. Afterall they are carry nothing to cause a fuss. Knight considers the level of security on the place and comes up with a few quick conclusions.

Either this place see's some serious gang movements or syndicate activity. Its a Corp Exec popular dive or one of the more paranoid about it clientel shadowrunner `hunting grounds`

But he keeps his musings private, trying to enjoy the roll of the latest canned music on the speakers, the taste of the real-hol Portia had just bought for each of them and, of course, Portia`s good company..

11:01:01 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - the front gate of a truck lot up in Snohomish

Early she's not, but she's not "late" yet either; right now, she'll settle. Helped that one of the first things she'd done, once she'd become "Anne", was to memorise the mass transit schedules; and now she's also starting to catch the quirks of the individual routes. Alleycat hadn't been consciously thinking about it, but it can't have hurt that this time it was her who wasn't exactly on time.

The dwarf's there, and trying not to look impatient (without much success), and when he finally spots her he looks openly relieved.

11:02:01 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - the front gate of a truck lot up in Snohomish

"Hoi, elf girl. Thought for a bit there you weren't gonna turn up."

Alleycat smiled a slow smile, running her fingers through her newly re-acquired dark dreadlocks in a slow, sinuous stretch. (She'd have preferred to have properly wet-braided them, but the mana would do in a pinch, and its feel wouldn't linger for too long.) "You came through. I'm here. You have a ticket for me?"

He holds it out to her, the movement automatically compensating for several concealed weapons. "Like I said, lot 13, storage area 412. You want to check the goods?"

One short shake of her head as she takes it. "You came through. I know you're good for it." She puts the ticket away without glancing at it. "We'll pick this up sometime before the week is up. You said the trucks were rented. Do we have a deadline when they have to be back?"

The dwarf -- doesn't fidget. Almost nothing physical shows in his stance except the single shift that -- almost -- brought a weapon into greater awareness. "Maybe 'borrowed' would be a better word." As Alleycat's posture hardens slightly he quickly adds, "You're clear, I swear. These trucks cross the Salish border regularly. Right now and for the next three weeks, they're supposed to be in for regular maintenance. You'll bring them back in good condition and gassed up, right?"

"I see," she says neutrally, no intonation in her voice.

"There won't be no problems," Durin says firmly. "I'm the one what called in this marker. Nothing can go wrong, but if it does, it's on me only."

At last the girl nods slowly, accepting it -- and is a bit surprised at how relieved he is. I'd never seen myself as someone holding power over other people. I just used what I needed to do the job and get out. "Hoi, Durin," she calls out as he's turning away, "never got your LTG."

"I didn't give it," he growls, quickly scribbling out a number on a scrap of paper he fishes out from one of the many pockets of his longcoat and handing it to her. She takes it with a second almost-smile: "Uneasy times, these. Good to know who a chummer can trust at her back."

"Huh," he says, unaware that he's shifting slightly from foot to foot. "Good luck on that run of yours, elf girl. You're going to need it."

"Why?" and she lets the smile grow, ever so slightly. "You heard something?"

"Not down the way you're heading, but yeah, I heard a couple of things, make me kind of glad you're clearing the city for a while."

He's personalised it, Alleycat realises. If he'd been thinking about the team as a whole, he would have said "you guys". "Durin," she says carefully, "what are you able to tell me about what's going on?"

10:26:07 Saturday, 07 January, 2063 - Astral Space by The Big Rhino


After thoroughly scanning astral space with the help of his newly summoned watcher, Blaze concludes that there is no signs of a setup that he can detect. The crowd is thin, with the restaurant just starting to gear up for the early lunch crowd. He doesn't see the auras of their contacts from last tiime, and concludes that he must have arrived here before they did. Among the sparse clientele, it doesn't look like there's anyone with remotely hostile intentions at this moment in time.

11:08:51 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - the front gate of a truck lot up in Snohomish

"You're asking a lot, you know," he says, his gaze rising to meet hers. "I wish you guys the best and all, but maybe you should just take my word for it that you're better off that the job's out of the city, kay?"

11:09:06 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - the front gate of a truck lot up in Snohomish

"I know," she says simply, but on a slightly upward, uncertain intonation rather than the downward of closure, and lets it hang there ...

11:09:31 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - the front gate of a truck lot up in Snohomish

Looking around quickly, he motions Alleycat in closer. She leans forward slightly, not making herself vulnerable but enough to set Durin's mind at ease. He says softly, "Look, let's just say that it's a pretty good bet we'll be having some syndicate trouble soon, and pretty widespread. Word on the streets says Mafia and Yakuza for now, but it could get a lot bigger before it's all over. Now let's just leave it at that, and be glad you'll be on a working vacation."

His tone makes it clear that he's spilled all he's going to, and she can tell he's nervous about even telling her that much.

11:11:02 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - the front gate of a truck lot up in Snohomish

Guess I better not ask about the Triads then ... though it's worth noting that he didn't mention them.

And her earlier speculation had panned out in spades: it had been Durin acting as Bigio's messenger back then, at the Last Drop. She had only caught a glimpse of him then (and if she'd caught more, maybe they'd not be having this conversation now); and at the Paradigm Shift she'd not yet been sure -- something about wayward elementals encouraging discretion in probing as the better part of valour -- but now, as much in his element as she intended ever to encounter him: she was sure.

She smiled and thanked him, and swayed forward and almost in the same instant checked what looked to have become a spontaneous hug; and his hand almost had the Predator clear before he recognised the motion for what it was. "Fragging hell, girl, you looking to get yourself killed? You got a job to do, a good one! Ain't all that many of those, out here. Now go, make yourself useful."

She took the careful step back, shoulders slumped. "You're a good friend, Durin," she says softly.

"Ain't no such thing, in the shadows," he replies, a little too roughly.

She nods, and turns her back, and walks away.

11:11:52 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - the front gate of a truck lot up in Snohomish

Once she's sure she's out of range (and dodging through the confines of a useful nearby park), she ventures the quick call to Tin Star who, not surprisingly, had been running late as well:

"Alleycat. On my way, got delayed by our truck --" allowing the grin to show in her voice, allowing it to suggest the rest. "Should be there in ten, twenty if the traffic's against me. See you then."

Disconnecting, leaving the same message with Blaze on his voicemail. (His voicemail?)

It's Sal who emerges from the park, cutting across the wide bend of the road at a run to catch the bus just pulling in. Good, first part of the connection worked out. One more and then the cab, and I just might be able to cut that estimate to nine.

11:20:59 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - Astral space, near the Rhino

Flitting back and forth between his body and the "air" above the Rhino Blaze manages to keep a decent eye on both his body and the resaurant.

Pausing in front of the Rhino he takes a moment to study an oddly familiar aura heading towards him. I'm pretty sure that's Alleycat, she may be able to change her apearance, but astrally she's the same.

Jumping back to his body Blaze drains the remainder of his Soykaf and stands up. Switching to the astral once more he turns to his Watcher. "I want you to look for any astral bad guys and let me know if you see them. Ok?" The watcher nods slightly and purs, then takes up a position just over Blaze's right shoulder.

Heading out of the Coffee shop Blaze walks towards the Rhino, aiming to time it so that he gets to the door the same time Alleycat does.

23:40 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Near the Paradigm shift, Touristville, Redmond

Knight and Portia had passed through the very tight security of the Paradigm Shift and were now seated in a small booth off the main dance floor. The stringent security proceedures had once again caused Knight to consider the real nature of the club, but such concerns were soon swept aside by the gentle and teasing nature that Portia so often displayed in his presence.

I wonder how much of thise is really you Portia, precious? the thought entered bitterly and unwanted into Knight's mind but was just as quickly banished again. He offered a smile to his companion as she returned to the booth with drinks.

"So, my Knight" she purred softly "Why are you here in Seattle so much earlier than planned"

He sighed; So, she was back on this.... he took a deep swallow from his glass and met her gaze evenly, not bothering to hide the pain that flickers through his eyes.

"Harvey and Pixiedust both got iced" he speaks in plain english, not able to form the words in elegant sperethial. Another swallow follows the words.

Portia gave a few blinks, silence stealing her usually fluid purring voice for a few moments before...

"How?"

Knight straigtened his jaw a little, teeth pressing hard. His words were barely above a whisper.

"That son of a slitch, Ambrose. Him and his goons. Would`ve done me too if i hadnt been lucky" another tilt of the glass and the alchohol was gone.

They sat in silence as the lifebeat of the club roared about them. Slowly Portia started talking again, twisting and turning his thoughts away from Tir Tairngire. An hour later they were smiling a laughing again, but much of it was still tainted by the shadow of Knight's past.

02:30 Sunday January 7th, 2063 - Cao Jaan`s Halfway House- Redmond Barrens

Glad that the drinks of earlier were warming him artificially against the lousey weather of early morning Seattle, Knight once more approached the doors of the Halfway House. He`d had Portia take him by the coffin hotel he`d been booked into to retrieve his things and now he was ready to begin this job for Cao and get on with finding the meanings in his life again.

15:32 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - UDub library

The campus is livelier now, patchworked with students returning after the holidays with bright new clothing and clean underwear and Christmas family nuyen and the second half of their funding about to kick in. At the last moment Alleycat had asked Blaze to drop her off at a small student pub just outside the university grounds. "Sal" had already shifted subtly to a student gruntwork wageslave Alleycat during the ride itself. Now, it's Anne who leaves the dim, dingy pub through its back door, pulling her coat tighter around herself against the sudden, searing, slicing wind. Fragging city. How can there be this much of a coming storm in the air, and the sun still showing through the clouds?

The appointment with the dean of psychology took longer than the five minutes she had hoped for, he'd been showing a genuine interest in her situation and where she wanted to head now with her studies -- just what I need, a thesis supervisor who cares -- but she managed to escape with a couple of essay courses that wouldn't require much of her beyond developing a reading list for the 100% final graded papers, as well as another appointment with the dean at the end of the month to assess her progress and resolve any issues. Escaping his office finally, another person who wasn't Alleycat might have sighed in relief: but Anne wouldn't have, and so Alleycat doesn't -- can't. Instead, she walks over to the library, stepping off the pathway twice for the three or so bicycles that try to run down her and every other invisible person who happened to be in their way.

At the library she finds new resources opened to her, and so Anne quietly sets the searches in motion: reading lists, periodicals, screamsheets (in such a way that the search just happened to bring up every local paper for the past three weeks) ... and, quietly buried among all the rest, touching upon a few public government databases where she had -- not yet -- left a name. Trail needed to be quite a bit more confused before she could make the Melissa search more explicit: but she'd get there before the end of today.

Something left undone ... oh, yes. She left the database search engines to their work, pulling up the information she'd requested and piling it into her student e-mailbox; while she slipped back off campus but not quite yet away from Anne. Predictably she gets a voice mailbox when she calls him -- at which she realises that it would have startled her indeed to get anything other than a recording -- and leaves a message that something came up, could she please postpone the date?

So there's another thing done.

Just one more for the immediate future then: but it wouldn't do to seek out Black Tony without bearing some version of a four-wheeled offering ... and besides, she could use the money. Or maybe she could take part of its value in kind, maybe a swap for a basic sim trainer for driving trucks? Thought becomes action: fully Alleycat now, she transfers off two buses before she finds an appropriate parking lot surrounding a careless, middling-sized mall; and, in the security camera deadspot, a careless wageslave just parking an Americar so average it almost vanished into its background beside something that, but for a couple of misplaced dings, might have been its exact clone.

She's so much a part of the pattern of this place that no one even notices when she quickly switches the plates, jimmies open the door, and drives off, fingers already searching under the dashboard for the wires which would render the first the transponder chip and then the stop-me useless. Even now the driving itself still isn't natural to her, not the way the electronics are: but the autopilot compensates for a lot of that -- let it obey the traffic laws for you, don't try to override it -- and she's fragging forcing herself to attune herself gradually to the rest.

Not that she intends to have a great deal of time to deal with it in this car. Two sets of misdirections later, and she's finally on her way to Black Tony's.

15:48 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - Black Tony's garage, on the wrong side of Touristville

He doesn't even glance up as she pulls around the corner, just wipes off his hands with a greasy rag and thumbs her toward an opening garage door. Another might have seen it as a weak spot in his security. If anyone ever tried to take advantage of it, they'd quickly have at least five gangs Alleycat knew of (and probably more she didn't) breathing down their throat. As the major vehicle clearing house and chopshop in this part of the almost-Barrens, Black Tony's garage is considered neutral turf for a reason.

As soon as she's clear the garage door begins to close behind her. She hops out of the vehicle as soon as its engine stops, wincing at a last cough precipitating a second of run-on. Price just went down another ten percent.

She doesn't know the place well enough to know what's normal by it, but every other time she'd been here he'd had one of the guys take a looksee first. However, Lakshmi's nowhere in sight (so Alleycat'll have to postpone asking about the Puyallup garage-shaped space she'd mentioned last time); Drulo's under the hood of something sleek and vaguely exotic over in the next bay with an anxious and very proud Leatherbacks ganger hovering beside him; and Kyle's, well, being Kyle. So this time it's Tony himself who lifts up the hood and starts examining it ... which means that the next several minutes pass in complete silence. Not a talkative type, him.

In time he releases the hood and starts working his way around the car, and he'll go under it and into it before he'll give her any kind of price -- and that'll be fragging near non-negotiable. All of his mechanics do the same. She's gotten to know that much from experience.

Just once, she interrupts: to mention that she'd be willing to consider a trade in kind -- looking for a sim rental -- and to add that "You were right, about the Scoot."

She knows he's heard. Never mind that he doesn't bother acknowledging.

"Why do they call him 'Black' Tony anyway?" asks the young, proud, bored ganger.

Alleycat glances over his way, the visor concealing the startled surprise in her. Hadn't the kid looked at him?

She shrugs: "Got me."

16:52 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - outside the Paradigm Shift, Touristville

Along with the sim she'd requested he'd handed Alleycat a certified credstick: more than a month's pay at the Last Drop, less, far less, than what she'd abandoned. She'd accepted it without a word. For all that she'd worked out a few reasonably predictable responses, she'd not yet really been able to figure out anything of substance of Black Tony. From the beginning theirs had always been a strict business relationship, she perfectly willing to work her way back up the food chain by faithful implementation of the acquire-low, sell-at-more paradigm, he introduced by Ripper as the reliable middleman who'd ensure that the acquisitions found their way elsewhere. From the beginning they'd fallen easily into the comfort of understanding, each, where the other stood -- yet it was an understanding that began and ended with the intersection of their common business. If he'd spoken twenty words together to her, she'd be surprised. Still, there seem to be aspects of him that she can definitely appreciate in herself: not least that as nearly as she can tell, work is his life, and he exists in his work ... maybe only in the aspect of work. Sometimes, she wonders what she'd become, if she ever learned his language. Never mind eyes, language is the window into the soul.

She smiles to herself, remembering how she'd looked up then, to meet his flat, inhuman gaze with one of her own; nodded a matter-of-fact acknowledgement; turned her back on him and walked away, the proceeds heavy in her pocket. She has a place of her own within this network. In that, she's the equal of any gang here.

Time, time, time.

It had been the matter of a few moments to check that her searches were quietly working their way through the massive amount of material available: a few pieces already downloaded to her account quickly scanned, nothing yet twinging correlation at her, set aside for later. A moment of surprised pleasure: discovering the latest issue of Psychol UCAS waiting in her e-account, subscription freshly renewed.

No message yet from Sivalius. Automatic check: her phone service confirms the earlier sending. No matter, she'll follow this up later. For now, instinctively following up on what Blaze had suggested earlier, a couple of trail back-checks later her feet bring her to one of the trendy outlets fanning out along Auburn west -- but she's got to go different, different outfit, different outfit ... what is the fashionable teenager wearing to places like the Paradigm Shift, these days? The displays are meaningless to her. She's about exhausted her existing wardrobe, she'd have had to purchase something new or at least not too abused for the date in any case. Either that, or go as Alianna.

Teenager ... she'd already been thinking maybe something in a jumpsuit, and she remembers hearing something about the Victory line that might suit. There's customisation available, but she doesn't have time for all that, just get a basic model for now in a store with two very giggly storeclerks, have them show her how to set it to a deep red (that should match Blaze, shouldn't it?) and let them deck her out in the accessories to match her raven-tressed updo and "native" skintone: beads, neopagan amulets, genuine Cascade Ork boots. She even lets them play with a pair of horn-rimmed one-way opaque black shades, holding her eyes shut against the "glare" for the brief moment before the younger of the two girls settles them on her nose. She has no doubt that, if mirrors were relevant, she'd not recognise herself.

And isn't that the point?

Fling the leather jacket on top with the shoulder harness underneath and the taser in her pocket, stash the other clothing into a bus terminal temp-locker (into which she switches the business card from two nights ago) ... arriving eight minutes ahead of the agreed-upon meeting time at the Paradigm Shift, with the expected bouncers, but for once without a line.

Sunday? or just early?

22:20:23 Thursday 04 January 2063 - AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo all but melted into the shadowed hallway, slinking forward at a half-crouch until she'd gained the deeper shadows of a reception area. Her world was cast in familiar verdant shades, from the nearly black mossy hue beneath a desk to the electric water in the aquarium to her left, the surreal shades lent her a certain sense of detachment from 'here,' and 'now. She smiled slightly and watched a pair of fish circling one another, their sleeky scaled bodies suspended in the eerily glowing tank, their lazy movements echoed in the sultry glide of her hips as she made her way toward the rear of the room.

The detailed schematic of the building that hovers in the uppermost corner of her vision indicates that the door to her right opens into the shortest route to her destination. A thought zooms in and rotates the map.

Forward ten meters and then right. Up the stairs and right again....

It was almost a chant; one that mingled with footfalls nearly as quiet as her thoughts as she ghosted across a catwalk high above the factory floor. The door to the shipping office was locked, naturally, but opened easily enough with some persuasion. An outdated but well-maintained computer basked the tiny room in faintly radioactive light. Cosmo grinned from behind her mask and settled in for a bit of work.

Come on, baby. Show me what you've got.

22:20:29 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Trans-shipment office, AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

Deft keystrokes on the desktop inlay brought the holographic display live. It was a matter of seconds to list out the inventory in the office, and to highlight the required items. The red sidebar is a mystery for a moment, until the red strobes on the factory floor become apparent.

Oh frag.

22:20:38 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Trans-shipment office, AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

Oh frag.

Cosmo bit off a stream of curses as she made the requisite changes to her mental shopping list. Fingers that had flown across the keyboard now flew to the assortment of gear strapped to her body, finding a small gas mask and fastening behind her head. She growled softly as she crept back onto the catwalk, hands hovering over any assortment of weapons until she found the way clear. Red strobe-light mingled with the eerie green overlay of her goggles, turning everything a sickly brown.

Cosmo grumbled under her breath and leapt gracefully to the factory floor, landing with hardly a sound and pausing only a second to clear the floor around her. Finding nothing and no one (a bit odd), she started in on her search, alert as always.

22:22:05 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Factory Floor, AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo's search, guided by her virtual recon, is swift. Boxes are pulled from shelves, stacked in the aisle ready for a quick withdrawal. The digital readout in the corner of her vision drives her relentlessly as she runs her fingers across the inventory numbers stenciled on the crates around her. The sound of running footsteps and the hydraulic whine of security doors closing are closing rapidly. Time is not on her side.

22:22:37 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Factory Floor, AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

Frag, frag, frag.

There was something about being chased and systematically cornered that brought a faint sense of panic, making it somewhat difficult to move systematically herself. There was no help for her increased pulse or the adrenaline that started to course along her veins. As much as she disliked being run to ground, Cosmo couldn't quite stop the feral grin that spread across her covered face. One hand plucked a neuro stun grenade from her belt.

She almost laughed.

Dashing over to the factory floor's door, she made quick work of fastening the grenade to the handle, silently willing it to trigger as the security personnel passed by. That done, she very nearly sprints to the loading bay, grabs one of the handtrucks, and rushes back to her neat stack of boxes. The digital timer, counting down from five minutes, flashes in the corner of her vision.

02:38

02:37

02:36

22:22:40 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Factory Floor, AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

"Freeze!"

Footsteps pound across the catwalk overhead as a trio of security guards with weapons drawn move to intercept the intruder. Each of them wears a helmet with a clear faceshield, black LBV, and an armored jumpsuit, stenciled with the winged dagger of Blackwater Security. The guards' HK227s feature gas vent porting on the barrels, as well as an underbarrel forehand grip.

22:22:40 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Factory Floor, AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo rolled her eyes, not even bothering to acknowledge the guards above her. A cursory glance around the room told her that she'd have fairly decent cover until she'd gained the door.

She ran, pushing the handtruck ahead of her, ready to duck to one side if things started to go south.

Started?! Where do you think you are, girl?

22:22:41 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Factory Floor, AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

One of guards skids to a halt where the catwalk T's, bracing his submachinegun on the railing and ripping off a pair of bursts at Cosmo. The remaining two guards break to the right, heading for the stairs leading down to the factory floor.

22:22:42 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Factory Floor, AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

Grinding her teeth as both bursts slam into her back, one after another, Cosmo pushes forward, continuing her headlong rush to the loading bay doors. The clang of booted feet running down the stairs bring some small measure of relief, though. She'd have been lost if they'd stayed up to shoot her.

A bit of luck, but would it hold?

22:22:43 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Factory Floor, AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

The guard on the catwalk lines up for another pair of bursts, just as his cohorts manage to detonate the neurostun grenade thoughtfully left behind by Cosmo. A choking gray cloud envelopes the three.

22:22:44 Thursday 04 January 2063 - Loading Bay, AMI Networking, Los Angeles, CFS

The soft whoosh of air leaving her lungs was the only sign that she took another hit, though she was sure there would be more signs .. later .. when she was in a position to make a bit more noise. A final burst of speed saw her to the loading bay doors, with half a second to open, and then begin closing the portal. Even if she had to duck her head to leave AMI Networking, the few seconds she bought could still serve her well.

She let out a hard breath and scanned the parking lot, taking in the light traffic and the sounds of distant sirens closing in.

Just enough time to get the frag out of here.

Cosmo grimaced, took one last look around, and sprinted to the dirty blue Accord that had gotten her here....

16:55:00 Sunday, 07 January, 2063 - outside the Paradigm Shift, Touristville

Blaze arrives first, about three minutes after Alleycat. He doesn't recognize her in her disguise, so she waves him down and smiles slightly. "Like the matching outfits?" Smiling back, he nods, and the two of them make small talk while keeping a close eye out for their partner for the evening.

At exactly 17:00:00 hours, two things happen, first, Blaze sees Klaus, a large troll dressed in a trench coat and fedora, striding towards them. As he nods in greeting, Alleycat's phone rings. It's Sivalius.

To pick up, or not to pick up, that is the question... she thinks to herself as she too noticed the large troll heading towards the two of them.

"Hoi chummer, you read to go?" the big troll asks Blaze while Alleycat pauses for a moment, deciding.