03:11:38 Monday 01 January 2063 - Trade Winds Hotel, Los Angeles, CFS

The Trade Winds Hotel appears less than imposing from the parking lot: a faded two story structure, with a small office at the front followed by ranks of partially illuminated doors. The front desk is manned by a bored looking dwarf, barely visible behind the chipped plastic counter. A trid blares from the corner of the room, one of the many twenty four hour sports shows.

03:46:38 Monday 01 January 2063 - Trade Winds Hotel, Los Angeles, CFS

Striding to the desk looking more like a wet rat than anything else, Cosmo gives the dwarf a tired looking smile.

"Hoi. I'm looking for a quiet room for the week."

03:47:12 Monday 01 January 2063 - Trade Winds Hotel, Los Angeles, CFS

The dwarf turns the credstick reader to face Cosmo without looking up.

"Five hundred nuyen for the week."

After Cosmo slots her credstick, the dwarf pushes a keycard across the counter.

"Room 18. Keep the noise down."

1230 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Virgil's Redmond Safehouse

With Virgil's slow, sorry hoop seeming to drag as he prepared (or so Dragon thought he was preparing) Dragon finished his conversation with Susan. "Thanks, good idea sis," he mentally translated. "Let me know when you've got the stuff, and we'll work out a time and drop."
"No problem Vincent." She smiles at him. "Take care. I expect to see you again in one piece you know."

Even though she couldn't see him, he smiled back. "I know, and I will," he transmitted, "you too." Then he cut the connection.

Well, I was hoping to do this a little later, but since we've got a nice little fragging delay on our hands, and there's not much I can do about it, I may as well get the ball rolling.

Switching channels again and taking a moment to encrypt them, he dialed up Global, and after a few seconds, heard the message from the cut out, one of many, that Global had in use. An automated voice answered, "We're sorry, but Costerisan Research is currently closed for the day. If you know the extension of the party you are dialing, please enter it now."

Entering in a prearranged code that would let Global know who it was, he waited for the beep that confirmed the acceptance of the code and the beginning of the recording. After it confirmed, he began transmitting, the transducer making the words come out at lightning speed.

"It's me. Thanks for the file you sent me by the way, it was extremely helpful. I need you to check a few things out for me. Actually, it's a freaking list, but I'm going to avoid digging myself too big a hole here."

Yeah, he may be a chum, but I definitely want to avoid digging too big a hole here, especially because who knows what I'll need from him later?

"Anyway, news report, couple hours ago, by Tiffany, remember her? You should. Gunfight outside of Tommy Wong's, the name of the sniper was reported to be Pieter deVeers, aka Hawkeye. The report ran at 12:10. The interesting thing is, that wasn't Tiffany giving the report. I want to know who ordered that report to run featuring her, and why. Might be SOP, but given that she was on the scene at the time, I doubt it. Someone's putting the screws to her and I want to know who, and what the score is.

The hit crew also included a mage, hermetic, and a street samurai. I have info that says the team was hired by S-K, but I'd like you to check that for me, as well as anything you can get about Hawkeye. The street samurai may or may not have been KIA by yours truly, see if you can confirm that and where the body was taken. I want to see if I can track down their employer through them. A long shot, I know, but I'd like to know who the real enemy is as soon as I can.

Drop me a line as son as you have something, if for whatever reason I don't answer, leave a message and I'll get back to you pronto. Thanks chummer."

Cutting the connection, he turns to Virgil. "Well? where do we stand with that spirit cover?"

0317 Saturday January 6, 2063 - at the all-night cinema

As Alleycat listens to the menu options, a brief moment of doubt: I thought I'd disconnected the outgoing video feed? Too late to do anything about it now ...

Next, she scans the entertainment options: Live band still on at this hour? That means the stage door won't be fully secured yet, and they'll have a van or truck at the back somewhere. I can work with that. Allowing the comm to recite off its choices, she lets it tell her about the band and its members.

Finally, disconnecting as the crowd starts to disperse from around her -- automatic double-check of the items she'd moved to inside pockets -- she lets their movement carry her back in Blaze's direction, peeling off easily at the last moment. He says nothing, but every tense muscle in his body is screaming: Well?

She cocks her head toward him. "Active, open, with a band playing. There was a bouncer at the front door last time, and odds are the place remembers us, and that we were with Mr. Fan. Not the direction I'd suggest going, if we're trying to get answers and not just shoot up the place. But the stage door will still be sort of open -- maybe a minimal lock -- and there'll only be light security on it, maybe a camera and one or two guys. And that'll get us access to the back areas.

"Yeah, got a plan, couple of them -- but first I need to know: can you hide us -- or maybe just you -- from the cameras?"

1830 Monday January 8, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

Andie digs out the three thick wads of nuyen bills first, considers reluctantly whether to go into them into greater detail immediately or not. Well, it can probably wait until I've got the rest of this sorted out. I doubt the dwarf would have stiffed me, not when he hasn't gotten anything from me yet. Besides, he just doesn't scan as the dishonest type. He's a tougher negotiator than he lets on, but it's not like he would try to stiff the bar tab.

Doesn't take Andie long to realise that what the dwarf had deposited on the former table was a single massive -- heavy! -- cylinder of tightly wound paper, every "page" of which was covered in notes and diagrams. It's a fragging scroll, for God's sake.

Easiest way to do this, if he wanted to keep the "scroll" intact, would be to scan every last one of those "pages" into the computer and chip them for later transfer. Pity I can't just run cross-referencing between those notes and Sara's libraries ... but she's made it very clear that I'm now an independent, and that her resources are off-limits except for this circulation. From now on, anything I need is up to me. Guess I'll just have to get that new computer set up asap -- and I'll need an office to go with it too, unless I want to spring for a wrist model. And I'll need to remember to include a proper forge in the plans, if I want to tackle this myself. Solomon -- he's just the kind of guy you tend to think of in terms of last names -- said that part of the deal was him advancing me a few thousand. Time to find out just how much that is ... after I get through this mess.

The sound of the bells gives an escape opening. Up front, he discovers the fixer standing behind the counter, elbows on the bullet-proof glass, fingers steepled, regarding thoughtfully (and with a bare hint of amusement) the door which had just closed behind the most recent customer. After a while he shakes his head ruefully, the amusement deepening into an almost-smile as he turns to face the mage. "Fascinating world, this. Do I want to know what that crash was all about, Andie?"

"I owe Sara a new table," says Andie without further adornment.

"And the printer?"

An unvoiced "oh" on his lips, the mage returns to pick up the equipment and return it to its spot under the wooden part of that counter. Straightening, he asks, "You said you had some information for me?"

"Yes," says Solomon. "Your warehouse is owned free and clear by Integra, and has been for some months. No outstanding liens there at the second sweep, though there are a couple layers to get through yet. Truth be known, I am not expecting any. But Integra: ah, that is interesting."

"Oh?"

"It is a shell, of course. Just a small one -- but they acquired controlling interest in Hidalgo Republic last year, and this year they have started to collapse it."

Too many geography changes over the past few years. Andie's never heard of Hidalgo, and his expression shows it. He's saved from asking the wrong question by the fixer's elaboration: "Just a small trading company, mostly local. Its controllers had been playing it mostly hands-off ever since a shadowrun team traced it to Conrad McKenzie." At the mage's blank stare, Solomon elaborates: "Familia, before the split. They used it as a front for contraband."

0317 Saturday January 6, 2063 - at the all-night cinema

Blaze shakes his head, "I'm afriad I can't. I specialize more in the style of magic that winds up with dead bodies, not hidden ones. I could try and destroy the cameras, but some how I don't think that's what you're looking for."

Sighing slightly, "looks like we'll have to go in a different way, or use plan B to get in that way."

0317 Saturday January 6, 2063 - at the all-night cinema

"It's not that bad," Alleycat says quickly. "Just testing what we've got for resources ... and willingness. You said earlier that you could probably call up a small city spirit, and we might yet need that ... How do you feel about temporarily becoming a groupie?"

Seeing his reaction, she adds, "Okay, bad idea -- but can you live with my being one? And do you have a few loose nuyen on you? A hundred or so ought to do it. Cheap price to pay off the secguards, when it's obvious you're trying to impress your girlfriend who's so into them, and you absolutely promised her she could meet them backstage ..."

0317 Saturday January 6, 2063 - at the all-night cinema

"I can do whatever it takes to ensure my cousin's safety, but I suspect you'll blend in better than I will," indicating his signature coat and Glasses. "I've got some extra Nuyen, and can more than look like I've got more to throw around."

After hearing her exact suggestion, Blaze says, "yeah, that could work. I don't know that they would buy it, but we can give it a shot, and if that doesn't work, and worst comes to worst we can always try and cut our way in the back way"

The hungry look has returned to Blaze's eyes, but this time tapered slightly with something else. Perhaps Alleycat's presence is tempering his fire, or perhaps it's just a trick of the light.

1230 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Virgil's Redmond Safehouse

When life is lived on cybered reflexes, when communication occurs at the speed of thought -- it's like you're the last person at an express checkout and everyone ahead of you has one item over the maximum, and everyone's a senior with a chequebook, and everyone wants to talk, and you're caught there in that line all the fragging time ...

The talking heads on the trid were starting up about a car accident that had happened somewhere in Tacoma. The sound of the background trid was starting to get on Dragon's nerves.

And Virgil still hadn't done anything about that spirit, although he'd been back from the astral for ages now ...

03:50:28 Monday 01 January 2063 - Trade Winds Hotel, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo spent the better part of a minute in the "front lobby" processing the place while she pretended interest in the overly-loud sportscast coming from the corner. After an initial sweep, she switches to thermographic vision, and then finally to ultrasound to complete her map of the front. The keycard flickers in a quick salute to the dwarf as she heads past the office and into the hotel proper, scanning the halls, doors, stairs, exits, and any common areas in much the same manner. Once satisfied, she slips into her room and takes even more time to secure the area.

...

04:25:02 Monday 01 January 2063 - Trade Winds Hotel, Los Angeles, CFS

The doors were locked. Her car (carefully parked four blocks away and with easy access to several routes of egress, all programmed into the vehicle's nav computer) was wiped clean of any traces that she'd been inside. All of her equipment was secured in the room with her for now, each piece laid out precisely in front of her as she studied the surveillance photos and blueprints in the thin black binder.

1231 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Virgil's Redmond Safehouse

Virgil could feel the penetrating gaze of three pairs of eyes all focused on him. Running the needs of the group through his head Virgil attempted to formulate the most strategic way to cover the resource gaps currently threatening to swallow the group. Gaps that were ever-widening as the invisible countdown to the next confrontation seemed to be ticking faster and faster.

We need survellience help badly, that can be handled easily enough by a watcher or two. We will also need to have an extra combat-ready spirit on call. Most importantly, I need to have enough juice left to throw out spell cover when the need arises.

"Tiffany, Sybersnake. Their are a few cleaning supplies underneath the sink. Grab the bottle of kitchen cleaner and a roll of paper towels and go clean the back seat of Dragon's ride the best that you can. You can take the sheets off the bed and use them as seat-covers as well."

All the spirit cover in the world won't pull our hoops off the burner if a single lonestar patrol gets a sight of the mess in the backseat. We'll also need to look into ditching this vehicle soon.

As the two women disappeared into the kitchette Virgil focused his attention away from the persistent glare of the trid and into the astral plane. Tyr preached keeping a keen eye across the battlefield at all times so calling a pair of watchers was almost a reflex action for Virgil.

Lazarious, Danagrath, I am in need of your eyes so that I can out-maneuver my enemies.

As the twin glowing orbs took shape before his astral eyes Virgil took an extra moment to strengthen the mana bonds that tied the two watchers to the astral plane. It seemed obvious to Virgil that he would be needing a lot of their help within the coming days. Gazing upon his new scouts Virgil quickly issued his first command. Go outside and scout the street in front of the building and the back alley. Report to me all metahuman and astral activity.

As the pair blinked out of sight Virgil turned his attention back to a now less irritated Dragon. "I just sent two watchers to scout the alley out back and the front street. In a moment we'll go into the alley and have Sybersnake and Tiffany clean your car a bit while you stand guard. I'll use that time to summon a stronger city spirit to bring with us. Do you have any objections?"

04:15:38 Monday 01 January 2063 - Trade Winds Hotel, Los Angeles, CFS

Setting down her cases, Cosmo breaks out her counter-intelligence gear. She sweeps first for anything active. Constant transmission devices were something of the past, or of low-tech snoops, but she was far too paranoid to discount them. Turning on the television, she turned up the volume to something approximating normal conversation before sweeping again. The noise should trip any of the sound-activated bugs. The only thing she couldn't sweep for were the burst transmission surveillance devices, but she would need far more sophisticated gear to detect those.

0317 Saturday January 6, 2063 - at the all-night cinema

"Hmm ..." considering him with a small frown ... but it isn't a "can't be done" tone, more along the lines of This is going to be a challenge ... how can we make this work?

"So ka," she says suddenly, taking a step back from him, hands on her hips, still regarding him with her head slightly tilted. "You're right -- and we can work with that. Start with this --"

And she pulls the coat off him and turns it inside out (standing close enough to conceal his formerly hidden Predator with her own body), hangs it back on him. At least the lining's not red ... it's black, with red hems and a red collar. It hangs awkwardly on Blaze, who looks horribly uncomfortable. She tells him so, straightening out the folds just enough to conceal the Predator again, and adds: "But you're supposed to. No guy ever looks comfortable when they're wearing what their girlfriend makes them wear.

"Because we're no longer going for the disguise-you look; only for the maybe-I've-seen-him-before? look. You don't outright tell them, of course -- but if the secguards ask, you tell them that of course you were there before. So was half of Seattle! You can even tell them why, if they press you: I promise to be suitably impressed. And you stick to the girlfriend story -- because you know the music of kore gets me wild ... and you're really hoping you'll get shagged before you get off the premises. They'll believe it from me. You play it right, that should get us a few minutes of privacy, ooh ya, baby ..."

Blaze stared at her in bewilderment and some alarm as her voice and her entire body began to shift in some very disturbing directions. At the last moment he caught her wrist -- tightly -- as she began to run the back of her nails down his shirt. "Don't."

It came out somewhere between a demand and a question mark: please? But she stopped, and stepped back from him to regard him again. The coat's a little off-balance, nothing that can't still conceal a Predator. "All right," she says at last. "I've got to change as well -- and unlike you, I've got to try not to be recognised. But when we're on-site, you've got to be able to play along, at least while we're within sight of the secguards. Think about it -- I'll be back in a sec."

She hooks a set of flats from a nearby vending machine, and ducks into the nearest public washroom.

1232 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Virgil's Redmond Safehouse

"Great," mutters Tiffany, but well under her breath as she goes over to get the requested items, "I'm auditioning for my future career as Miss Seattle Carwash '63."

Oddly enough, rather than triggering it, her words ease much of the remaining tension in Dragon. He's still in a state of hyper-alertness -- in some ways he never entirely leaves it -- but there's no longer that sense of imminent explosion.

From the sounds in the bedroom, Sybersnake has followed the reporter's lead -- only without comment -- and is stripping the bed.

Less than a minute after he's sent them out, one of the watchers comes zipping back to Virgil: "There is someone in the alley, master."

1233 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Virgil's Redmond Safehouse

And so it begins . . .

"Dragon, we may have company outside. I'm going for some astral recon."

With only the slightest nod of his head to indicate compliance, Dragon keeps his eyes trained intently on the door as he beckons for the two women to duck below the shaded windows.

Reaching into the astral blanket swirling around the small safehouse, Virgil calls out to the gurdians of the hearth with a plea for aid. Watchers of our homes I need your help to protect my companions. Please come to me.

Dragon notices a few errant beads of sweat tracking their way down Virgil's forehead and notices that a dry stillness has just fallen over the small apartment.

Virgil can feel the grip of the spirit's response as he focuses intently on the swirling mass of mana that has just taken an amorphous shape in front of his astral vision. You call, and we will come . . .

I am going to leave my physical body for a moment. I ask that you watch over my body and the bodies of those who are with me right now. Attack anyone who attempts to do them harm.

Your will is my duty servant of Tyr. With that the spirt's form floats to the top of the apartment and begins patrolling as an ever-loyal sentry.

Having secured assistance in guarding his companions, Virgil looses his essence from the confines of his flesh body and drifts slowly down into the alley.

That city spirit was supposed to be guarding this alley, where did it go?

10:05:44 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Seattle, UCAS

Kansatsu stood at the window with his hands folded behind his back, staring out at the metroplex. Neither the sounds of the city or the dampness of the morning rain penetrated the density enhanced armored plexiglas, but his mind filled in the missing elements. Over a decade ago he would have been out in the urban jungle, part of the vicious predator/prey relationship that kept the bloodlines of the Sixth World vibrant and alive. Time, though, was not on his side. A decade in the trenches exacts a toll from a body, even one supported with the best technology and magic that a corporation could provide. Ultimately it was not his decision to make nor to regret. The corporation demanded his loyalty, he would serve in whatever capacity was asked of him until he was no longer necessary.

It is as it should be. This is the life of a Samurai.

He turned back to the two men seated across his desk, his face a carefully neutral mask. Both of them straightened a little beneath his gaze, posture and balance moving forward in an unconscious precursor to expected orders of action. Kansatsu stared at the half-dozen surveillance photos spread across his desk, all of them high resolution digital images from inside the Arcology itself.

"This situation is not unexpected. The individual does, after all, have family relations here in Seattle. Begin surveillance operations. Contract with our first string of assets, this should not be something that is handled in-house. Emphasize that it is surveillance only, no contact whatsoever is authorized. Funding is at your discretion to the limit stipulated in SOP regarding surveillance operations. We will meet back here at 1000 on Friday to assess preliminary intelligence reports and determine the future of the surveillance. Questions?" He glanced up at the two men, ensuring that his orders were understood.

"No, sir." Both answered simultaneously, standing and bowing. Kansatsu returned the bow, turning back to the windows as the two men stepped out of the room.

What force in Heaven or Earth compelled you to discover the secrets you did, Yamana? Why did you question them? Surely you must have known that it would lead to only one, final solution. Why did you do it, old friend?

1233 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Virgil's Redmond Safehouse

As he releases his hold on his body, Virgil feels that light hollowness, that sense of having started to scrape together resources he didn't have, which warns him that he had better begin to pace himself. One more astral reconnaissance. Then, if we are given the time, I'll take the moment to catch my breath.

As he slips through into the alleyway, a powerful reek of urine comes to him like hitting a wall. It's the despair that makes it so potent, he realises. In the mundane, in the winter, I'd never have noticed. Almost at once he spots the spirit he had conjured earlier ... and it's looking very frustrated, an appearance which, as it senses its conjurer nearby, shifts subtly in emotional tone. Not apologetic -- Virgil wouldn't have expected that from a servant of Tyr -- but just about as close to that emotion as it was possible to come without abrogating all personal ability to deal with the situation.

I tried to frighten her away. She wouldn't go. I tried again. She crawled into that stairwell and sat down against the wall. I went right in front of her so she couldn't see anything but me. She stared right at me and threw a broken brick at me. She missed. I was thinking about removing her physically.

Virgil stared at the indicated person, shaking his head in sheer disbelief. The girl was scared, all right, so scared he could see nothing of her but her fear, terrified almost beyond sanity ... but she wasn't moving.

04:28:47 Monday 01 January 2063 - Trade Winds Hotel, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo had been staring at the contents of the binder for a solid ten minutes, studying the layout of the FTL Matrixware building, considering strategy as well as efficiency while she planned the next plausible course. It had become clear to her, also, that whomever had been monitoring her in the 'storage facility' would know she was awake and possibly only a few hours from finding her even now. The heady promise of a long, lingering bath at the end of this stage began to fade....

Getting up with a bit of a sigh, Cosmo begins sorting her equipment, placing roughly half of it within the carry-on bag and leaving the other half, along with the MP-5 and its ammo, inside the hard-sided duffel. Once the larger bag is stowed within the room's tiny closet, she conceals her SPAS above the bathroom mirror and the Alpha between the mattresses of the filthy bed. Toothbrush and toothpaste are set in a plastic cup by the sink.

After taking a couple of minutes to change yet again, she hefts the carry-on bag, attachè case, and her disguise kit, leaving the room by way of the parking lot. Her slender frame, clothed entirely in black, seems to blend in with the half-shadows of the all but empty streets.

Time to check out the new flop....

A bit of a smile plays around the corners of Cosmo's lips as she jingles her keychain, knowing that whatever the place was, it had to be nicer than the Trade Winds Hotel.

04:42:19 Monday 01 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

Riverwalk Apartments turns out to be a fourteen story building nestled amidst a dozen other similar structures, well lit with a glassed in atrium and an underground parking garage. Cosmo paused in the street outside, drumming her fingers against the wheel of the BMW.

I desperately need a manicure. Apartment later, target now.

With a feral smile she gunned the engine, accelerating away into the darkness of the early morning.

05:08:41 Monday 01 January 2063 - Tech Sector, South Los Angeles, CFS

The FTL Matrixware building sits amidst a fenced in corporate park, eight other similar white structures circling a large central parking lot. Sodium arc lamps mounted on pylons around the site keep the area lit to a constant low light level. Otherwise the building appears identical to the surveillance stills provided in the binder.

05:08:56 Monday 01 January 2063 - Tech Sector, South Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo sits within the comfort of her coupe, studying the layout of the complex, analyzing the likely (if not evident) security that could get in the way of an easy grab as well as the relative speed of additional security forces. Her scan, thanks to the designer glasses perched on her nose, covers every spectrum available to her.

05:35:24 Monday 01 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

The fenceline surrounding the corporate park is four meters of steel done like decorative wrought iron: square rods bent outward at the top and sharpened into spikes. Ten centimeters separate each rod. The fenceline does not appear to be electrified, but it is under camera surveillance, lexan globes mounted on the light pylons have a clear view of the entire perimeter. Entrance through the fenceline is granted via a card reader maglock, unmanned by any guards, but monitored by a pair of security cameras designed to catch both the driver's face as well as the license plate of the vehicle. The other buildings in the corporate park appear to belong to Novatech as well, a collection of offices and light industry. In this early morning hour, only twenty or so vehicles dot the large central parking area.

05:36:06 Monday 01 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Hmmm, twenty five meters to the lot. Twenty from the front space to the front entrance. Parking lot looks like .. one hundred. So, three, maybe four seconds after I jump the fence ....

Cosmo shakes her head, still watching the corporate park as though an obvious solution would simply pop out at her.

No. Novatech won't have some slob in a uniform manning their monitors. Think, girl.

She glanced into the lot again, counting the cars that likely held workers for the night shift, possibly security personnel. Her soft chuckle mingled with the soulful strummings of Miguel Sanchez and his Spanish guitar as she began assessing each of the vehicles already in the lot, waiting for a likely target to step out of the FTL building....

08:25:13 01 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Sean Andersen yawned, rubbing his eyes as he clocked out for the night. Ordinarily the day shift would be here to pick-up operations, but today was New Year's Day. A drag to be working on the holiday, but it was double overtime.

"Happy new year, Sean." Vince waved from the security desk.

"Yeah, happy new year."

The morning sunshine was stunningly bright, even through the low haze of smoke and smog that hung over the city. Sean grumbled, pawing in his jacket pocket for his sunglasses. Once shielded from the glare, he made his way to his Americar. Sliding behind the wheel, he headed out of the parking lot. He'd make a stop at the Stuffer Shack for a smoothy before keeping his long overdue appointment with his bed.

08:25:37 01 January 2063 - FTL Matrixware, Los Angeles, CFS

Well hello there, Handsome.

Cosmo smiled, her vivid green eyes finding her mark at long last. Setting aside the p-sec with its uploaded copy of 'The SimStar and The Shadowrunner' (evidently Megan Richards was a fan of romance novels), she recorded his license plate number, stifled a yawn and brought the coupe back to life, ready to follow the Americar wherever it lead. She groaned when he stopped at the Stuffer Shack, wanting nothing more than a cherry coke and a pack of her favourite berry bombs, but resolved to stay in the car, promising herself an absolute sugar binge when this was all over.

20:03:23 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - Miner's Landing, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

Zeyda nodded. "I'll hold you to that, Tenmou. Good luck with your work tomorrow."

Tenmou nodded with a smirk and made his way through the crowd, eventually stepping outside, into the rain. Pulling his coat tighter around him, he made his way down the street, heading for the dojo where he practiced his martial arts. It wasn't too far away and his funds were pretty tight, so rather than grabbing a cab, he decided to brave the elements.

He looked forward to a good spar with his sensei and burn off some of the energy he had stored up for the possible job tonight.

0318 Saturday January 6, 2063 - in the public washroom

A couple of whiffs of the air give no doubt about the other purposes for which this place is regularly used. Alleycat smiles to herself as she ducks into the stall next to the (occupied) handicapped/meta one and begins quickly to strip, a smile that quickly slips away as she considers what she'd last seen of Blaze.

Like a taut wire, that one ... and I came too close there to making him snap. I don't really know what he's thinking now -- but I got the signal wideband to back off, and so I backed off. But I've got to get us both in on the QT -- and it will need both of us. There's no way there was that kind of fire and all that was left was one matchbook with the letters still legible. We're being baited -- but if we're careful, we can make that work for us.

She's in the clear, and she's pulled on the clothes she intends to keep for the night, temporarily pulling out all items from the coat's pockets on a just-in-case basis. She quickly tries calling Avalanche again -- no answer. With a sigh, she lets that deeply familiar shiver of mana run through her ...

08:51:33 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

The normally forty five minute commute took him barely thirty, the early morning streets devoid of traffic thanks to the late night holiday. Pulling up before the gate of his apartment building parking lot, Sean rubbed a hand across his face again. Slotting his keycard in the reader, he waited for the access port to crank open. Pulling in to the lot beneath the building, he parked in the assigned spot before making his way to the bank of elevators. It would be a short ride up to his third floor apartment, then a shower, and finally, bed.

08:51:33 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

Underground parking. Of course. Damn, girl, you're rusty today.

With a sigh that came out as more of a grunt, Cosmo parks the car across the street and down about half a block, watching from the corner of one eye as her mark waited for the garage to open. She hurries towards the apartment complex, hoping to intercept him at the elevator.

08:52:17 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadenca, CFS

The front doors to the lobby are locked with a passkey reader. A small speaker panel next to the lock features a digital screen with a list of apartment numbers and a small call button. Barely visible through the shaded windows of the lobby front doors is Sean as he waits for his elevator, leaning tiredly against the wall.

08:52:22 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadenca, CFS

Lightly gloved knuckles rap against the locked door as she tries to catch the young man's attention, affecting her friendliest smile but with a hint of worry creasing the corners of her eyes. She scans the list of names for a likely cover (her mother, who needs medecine) and waits with seeming impatience, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet as she depresses the 'call' button again and again (but with no room selected).

21:37:48 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - Master Kim's Dojo, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

Tenmou took the offered hand of Sensei Kim and was pulled up off the mat.

"You are rusty, Yamamoto-san," Kim said. Yamamoto was a false name that Tenmou's brother, Hatano, had put together for him.

"I suppose I have been rather lax in my practice, Sensei. I will practice harder and come back again for another spar with you next week." Tenmou said.

The roar of rain hammered on the front window of the dojo. "This weather appears to be getting worse instead of better. Shall I call you a cab?" Kim asked.

"No thank you, Sensei. I'm a little short. I'll walk to a nearby bus stop and catch a bus."

"Nonsense. I'll not have one of my favourite sparring partners out in this rain. I'll give you a lift."

"You really don't need to, Sensei," Tenmou said, waving him off.

"I do. Now be quiet and accept my offer."

"Arigatau, Sensei."

Tenmou was lead out behind the dojo where a modest sedan sat in the sole parking spot. Sensei Kim drove the runner back to his "home", the address that Tenmou provided, which was actually several blocks from his residence. Thanking Kim, Tenmou made his way toward the apartment complex until his Sensei drove away and turned a corner, before he changed his course and headed home.

08:53:05 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

Sean glances around at the knock before catching sight of Cosmo standing at the front door. With a wry smile, he opens the door for her, stepping back to allow her into the lobby.

"Forget your key?"

08:53:18 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

Cosmo dimples, nodding as she steps into the lobby.

"Yeah, thanks, my mistake for rushing. I'm just glad you were here."

She catches his eye and winks before striding over to the waiting elevator.

08:53:29 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

Sean returns the smile, running his hand through his hair in a vague attempt to conceal its general disarray.

"It was my pleasure."

Stepping into the elevator after Cosmo, he pushes the button for the third floor before glancing over his shoulder at her.

"Where you headed?"

08:53:41 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

"Same."

Smiling shyly, Cosmo makes a point of glancing around the elevator (checking for surveillance), her cheeks perhaps a little more flushed than usual. After a few foot-shuffling awkward moments, she extends her hand towards him and grins.

"Lisa Taylor, and thank you again for helping me."

08:54:02 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

"Sean. Andersen. Nice to meet you. I haven't seen you around before, did you just move in?"

08:54:19 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

"Nah, I live in north L.A.; I'm just bringing Mom some of the meds she left in my car yesterday. It's good to meet you, too .. maybe I'll make a point of stopping by more often."

She winks again, blushes, and promptly looks off to one side.

1235 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Alley outside of Virgil's Redmond safehouse

Removing her will not be necessary at the moment. You have done your task well, continue please.
Like a good soldier the spirit once again moved towards the mouth of the alley, a most stoic and invisible sentry.

Lazarious, attention!

Jumping into sight before Virgil's face the spirit made no sound, merely awaiting the next order.

Thank you for informing me of this incident. Please continue to scout the surrounding streets. Inform me the moment anything approaches this building.

Jumping up above the building with the same silence, Lazarious re-joined his counterpart.

Further examination of the terrified girl from astral space would prove fruitless in the immediate time frame. Any other signs her aura might be expected to show were completely blotted out by her blind fear . . . But fear of what? If she were only under the influence of the spirit, she would have fled the alley. What are you afraid of?

Knowing that he was on a team mission Virgil quickly moved back through the pitted concrete of the building walls and returned to his physical body. A feeling of anticipated relaxation swept over his body for a moment, like that experienced by a marathon runner looking forward to resting as the finish line comes into site. I am going to have to take it easy before I am no use to anyone.

Virgil could see that Dragon had fixed him in a gaze of anticipation, his posture of readiness was reassuring as the tension mounted inside the small apartment.

"The disturbance was just a girl huddled in the alley, terrified out of her mind, enough so that I couldn't read anything else from her. Otherwise the area appears clear. She doesn't appear to post any threat."

Virgil hoped that is own increasing tiredness was not showing to Tiffany and Sybersnake, he wanted them to be as confident as possible. However hiding his condition from the battlefield experience of Dragon was not even conceivable.

"Lead them out into the alley and so they can start on the car. The watcher are still running surveillance so we stand a strong chance of having the initiative should the need arise. I'll follow you out and take a look at the girl."

08:54:50 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

"That's really nice of you." Sean glances over as the elevator creaks to a stop, the doors opening with a chime. Stepping out, he turns right down the hallway.

"Well, it was nice meeting you. Have a good day."

08:55:16 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

"You too, Sean, maybe I'll see you around sometime. Happy New Year."

With a friendly wave, Cosmo steps outside the elevator and bends forward as if to tie her boot, watching him carefully through the veil of her hair to see which apartment is his.

1237 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Virgil's Redmond safehouse

With a dark stare at Virgil, Dragon repeated levelly, "Just a girl? How do we know she isn't a threat? Or an enemy? If your spirit is still out there trying to scare her off, it isn't natural for her to still be waiting around. She should have run off screaming by now. Whatever else she is or is not, she is definitely not just a girl."

Concealing the shotgun as best he could under his coat, he informed the group, "I'll go talk to her."

"NO!" Sybersnake and Virgil both exclaimed at the same time. It was quite obvious they were both thinking the exact same thing. Whatever else he is or is not, Dragon is definitely not the best person to talk to...well, most people. And talking is probably not the highest on his list of things to do once he reaches her. Better let someone else handle it.

"Look, take the ladies downstairs, Sybersnake can clear the car while Tiffany talks to her, and you can stand watch too. I doubt she's anything you can't handle if she is a problem," Virgil said diplomatically.

"Better safe that sorry," Dragon shot back.

"Better a savior than a killer," Sybersnake replied in an even tone. That seemed to freeze the mercenary, who simply glared at her. "Fine. Lead the way." Despite the level, almost bored sounding tone, it still managed to come out sarcastically, and after grabbing up her gear from the apartment, Sybersnake stormed out past him, Tiffany only a few steps behind.

Something happened between them in the kitchen, and whatever it is, it isn't goodVirgil reflected, but whatever it is, it'll have to wait. I hope it doesn't affect them too much. As Dragon followed the girls out, Virgil was left alone to complete his preparations.

Downstairs, Tiffany had approached the girl, and kneeling down to look her in the eye, asked gently, "Hey there, what's your name? What are you doing here? Is everything all right?"

Meanwhile, Sybersnake had begun cleaning out the car, and Dragon, standing in the doorway to partially obscure himself from sight and attack, stood silent and grim watch over them both.

08:56:08 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

Sean passes his cardkey through the lock on apartment 3G.

That's right, it is the new year, isn't it?

With a sigh, he pushes the door closed behind him. The apartment is chill, having sat empty all night long, with just the barest hint of morning sunshine peeking past the heavy curtains. Sean preferred it that way, it was much harder for him to sleep if it wasn't dark in the room. Even after a full eight hour shift. Yawning, he dropped his jacket on the table and kicked his shoes off. Tugging off his shirt, he pitched that into the corner with the rest of his dirty laundry before sitting down heavily at the end of the bed. Pulling off his socks and heavy work pants left him clad only in boxers. With a sigh, he flopped backwards onto the bed, reaching for the covers with his left hand. A roll to the right left him swathed in comforter, and he scratched his hip where the canvas of his workpants had rubbed his skin over his shift. The last conscious thought he entertained was of a gentle, heart-shaped face framed by a mane of dark hair.

08:56:31 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

3G, check.

Grinning at no one in particular, Cosmo straightens, studying the fire route information posted near the elevator to get a feel for the layout of the building. That being done, she heads back into the elevator, making her way towards the parking level to see where Mr. Andersen left his car.

1242 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Alley outside of Virgil's Redmond safehouse

Of all the many ways to die, Dragon had always hated attack drones the most. Well, he wasn't thrilled about any of them, but another person, even a sniper at the other end of a long rifle -- at least another person was directly involved. The intellectual knowledge of a rigger at the other end, even having known and worked with Daedalus, didn't seem to alter that at all. It wasn't particularly professional, but there it was.

Knowing it, he could compensate for it. No point in continually scanning the skies for something they repeatedly hadn't been able to spot, so (with only a slight effort) Dragon focused his attention into his proximate and short pistol-shot distance environment. The rat which scampered suddenly across the alley survived only because it came from in front of him, such that his heightened senses were able to identify it as non immediate threat before his reflexes could decide to bring the shotgun to bear and fire. If it had come from behind him, it wouldn't have had a chance.

The air out here is clammy, and cold, and steaming just a little above the grates almost clogged with trash and from a couple of small stairwells where the inside temperature would be just warm enough to make the outside seem that much colder by comparison. The tactical part of Dragon's mind notes absently that the window of Virgil's small apartment had been similarly marked: and in his memory his thermographic vision etches the place into sharp relief. It probably wouldn't matter, here and now -- but if they were able to hang onto the place, some better weather stripping might be advisable.

It was one of those stairwells the ork girl had found. Huddled into what passed there for warmth, shaking so hard that she was almost into convulsions, she seems not to notice Tiffany in front of her at all, let alone any of the others.

Without warning, she lets out a piercing scream.

1239 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Virgil's Redmond Safehouse

As he watched Sybersnake storm out the apartment door Virgil realized that it was probably better for either her or Tiffany to approach the terrified girl. Not only could he use a few minutes to catch his breath and plan the next maneuver, but Virgil knew that the motherly instinct carried in the soft touch of those women would be far more comforting than any words he could muster. A good general always knows when to stand down. He thought to himself with a relieved sigh.

Sitting down cross-legged on the now stripped mattress, Virgil allowed his eyes to close as he set to processing all the leads that had come up today alone.

08:58:47 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

Sean's car is parked in space 27, halfway down the far side.

08:58:50 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

Space 27, check, and not a bad ride, considering.

Without pausing, Cosmo goes on a tour of the parking lot, planning the best possible route to the gate.

Motion activated, finally something halfway simple.

She grins, heading back into the lobby, around the elevators, and down a short hallway to the rear entrance of the building. Poking her head outside for a brief moment, she scans a sec camera, nods, and hopes that whomever is working off-site is a bit groggy this morning as she rolls up a discarded copy of last month's Cosmopolitan magazine and jams it against the latch. That being done, she dusts off her lightly gloved hands and strides through the front entrance of the lobby, dialing Drago's number on her pocket secretary as she makes her way to her car.

"Ahhh, buongiorno, Tino. I hope you have slept well."

08:59:31 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

"Prego, signora, it is far too early. Why aren't you on holiday?"

The voice on the other end of the line is gravelly with sleep, and no video component is being transmitted.

08:59:46 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

"Scusa, Signor. I do not take holidays .. and I did not know you'd still be sleeping at this hour."

She smirks. Who am I kidding? I'd still be sleeping, too.

"It's just that I have an order for you, some things I need as soon as possible, when is a good time to call back?"

Ahhh, three, two ....