09:03:24 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

"A pretty girl such as yourself deserves a holiday every once in a while. It's not good to work all the time, not healthy for the skin. Prego, signora, what can I do for you?"

Already, Drago sounds fully awake, and in the background Cosmo hears the clicking of the old Novatech computer. Also, faintly, a sleepy female voice complaining.

09:04:16 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

Cosmo laughs softly and shakes her head as she slips inside her coupe.

And one.

"Well how about I promise to take a holiday once I'm finished with this? Just a few small things to get me by until next pay, Tino, can you get me some grenades? NeuroStun ten, four of them would be ideal; two smoke, two infrared smoke. Tranq patches, as potent as you can get them, I'll pay double for those. A sensor defeating jumpsuit, as well, size five. My priority is to get those patches, though. What do you think?"

Slipping effortlessly into her clipped, businesslike tone as she rhymes off her mental list, she softens her voice for a moment.

"And please offer my apologies to your lovely companion."

09:08:51 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

Drago chuckles, his fingers poking spastically at the keyboard.

"Don't worry yourself, signora, she's just a little tart who sleeps too much and drinks too much."

The last part is said loud and not specifically to the phone, and is followed by equally loud Italian cursing. Drago laughs.

"Let's see. I can get you max strength tranq patches by tonight, but it'll cost. 400 each. The grenades are going to take a day, though. 150 per. Size five on the suit, anti-sensor camouflage, is going to be 1200 . I can have that for you same time tonight."

09:09:38 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

Cosmo laughs softly along with Drago.

"None of that matters on a holiday, Signor. Please have breakfast this morning, on me, with champagne of course, and add that bill to mine. Happy New Year, Tino."

Inwardly groaning at the additional cost but glad to grease the wheels somewhat, she lets out a low whistle as she adds breakfast to the already inflated tab.

So, four hundred for a one-shot patch, one fifty per grenade .. I don't have to use those right away, though, and twelve hundred for the suit, a deal at five times the price. So long as I grab enough while I'm in, profits shouldn't be a problem....

"Prego, I'll take two of the patches with everything else as ordered. Where would you like me to pick everything up?"

09:10:11 Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

The smile is evident in Drago's voice as he accepts Cosmo's offer.

"You're too kind, signora. Stop by the restaurant tomorrow at noon, all will be ready. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some blonde business to take care of."

09:11:13Monday 01 January 2063 - Pasadena, CFS

Miraculously managing to hold back her laughter until the line is closed off, Cosmo turns up the radio as she peals down the still-empty street, the corners of her eyes crinkling with mirth. Slowing to an easier, more leagal speed after about a block, she dials the second LTG number from memory, still smiling from her conversation with Tino.

09:12:10 Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

The phone rings three times before the line connects. A moment of dead air follows before the voice answers, urbane yet playful.

"Well, well, sleeping beauty. I was wondering if you were going to call. I've been thinking about you."

09:12:31 Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo chuckles, programming the Riverwalk Apartment Complex's address into the onboard computer as she leans back in the driver's seat, a slow smile spreading across her face.

"Hmm, have you, now? Anything I'd want to hear about?"

09:12:49 Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

The vehicle responds to the navigation input even as the voice on the other end of the phone responds to Cosmo's comment with a soft chuckle.

"Oh, nothing special. Just wondering if I'd see you again. You have such lovely eyes."

09:13:02 Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

Eyes, huh? I'll bet.

"I'd like that, Watchdog, but then it all depends .."

She leans back and closes her eyes, halfway tempted to take a short nap on the way home. Her drops in pitch as everything about her fades to black, a soft 'mmmm,' slipping from between her smiling lips as she finally begins to relax.

09:13:18 Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

A soft chuckle sounds in her ear.

"As much as I would like to be someone who watches over you, something tells me you prefer your privacy. Call me Caska."

09:13:50Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

Her estimation of the fellow rose a notch.

"Caska, then. You can call me Cosmo, I hope I didn't call too early...."

11:32:17 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Seattle, UCAS

Tenmou stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair after a nice hot shower. Grabbing an old bathrobe, he wrapped his damp body in it before making his way into the kitchen to make himself some lunch. After a quick scan of his pantry, he realised that his cupboards were pretty spartan.

Using his speed dial, Tenmou made a quick phone call.

"Renraku Arcology, Security Office," the voice said at the other side.

"Hi Phoenix," Tenmou said with a smirk.

There were a series of faint tones that signified the line being secured and the video feed activated.

"Shitoki! How have you been?" Phoenix asked with a wide smile. She had dyed her hair recently, adding streaks of red to her normally straight black hair.

"I'm well, Mioko. How are you?"

"Another day, another nuyen...so, why have you graced my terminal barely dressed?"

Tenmou had forgotten that he was only wearing a bathrobe. After a quick check to make sure he was decent, he turned back to Mioko, who had a smirk on her face. "Were you checking me out?" he asked her.

"Maybe just a little...I'm glad to see you've maintained your physique..."

"I was calling..." he said, slightly embarrassed and trying to bring the topic back on track, "to find out if you were free for lunch. My treat."

"I wish I could, Shitoki... I have yet another staff meeting over lunch. How about dinner?"

"I won't be free...I'm working tonight." Tenmou said.

"Working, huh? You're not doing anything I'd disapprove of, are you?" Phoenix asked.

Tenmou laughed. "No, just a little security work to pay for groceries. Rain check?"

"Sure and it's your treat, remember?"

"My treat."

"Call me again soon, Shitoki." Phoenix said.

"Promise."

Tenmou disconnected the line and went to get dressed. He had enough cash to cover the cost of lunch at his favourite Japanese restaurant. The rest of his on-hand cash would have to cover his expenses tonight.

1831 Monday January 8, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

Andie listens to the information Solomon imparts about Andie's new magic shop location. "Jack, are you telling me the mob owns that building? If that's the case then I would have some reservations about being a pawn in power play. What are your feelings about this Mckenzie?"

Andie pauses for Jack's response and continues.

"The last time we spoke about the new magic shop location you mentioned you mentioned giving me a $24k credit with you plus work on my new magic shop location for one orichaculm unit. I'm going to need some more equipment for this project I'm about to start. Do you think you can help me out??"

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

Hearing the sudden scream, Dragon whirled around, pulling the shotgun from his coat and seeking its source, prepared to lock on and fire in the blink of an eye. It was only because Tiffany was partially between him and the girl that he didn’t splatter the kid all over the alley wall. The nanosecond that it took for his smartgun link to lock in and display on his image link as ‘friendly’ as the crosshairs passed over the reporter was long enough, but just barely, for him to regain control of his reflexes and ease off.

Hearing someone clearing their throat behind him, he didn’t want to turn around, knowing who it was, but knowing she expected him to look anyway. “My, aren’t we a little jumpy?” Sybersnake asked sarcastically.

Without turning to face her, he replied mechanically, “We know there’s people watching us. There could be others in the area. She could be linked to them. Don’t you think I should be jumpy?”

Damn, there it is again. That distant, isolated feeling. It’s been happening a little more often since that last operation. I wonder, how much can a person alter himself before that line between man and machine gets really damn thin? And more importantly, just how close am I to that line?

“I’m not saying anything,” the decker interrupted his thoughts, “just that you were a little jumpy.”

The scream was still ringing throughout the alley as Tiffany tried to calm the girl down. Growing more and more paranoid that she might attract attention, which was never a good thing at the best of times, Dragon snapped, “Can you please shut her up? I don’t care about this kid, but I do care about drawing attention, and we’ve got too much of that already. She has three choices. Leave. Shut up. Or be shut up. I don’t care which, just make one of them happen fast.”

17:41:04 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Seattle, UCAS

Tenmou once again slid into his form fitting body armor, preparing for his meet. Putting on a clean shirt and jeans, he mentally recited the address for the meet.

"10441 Pacific Court Way, Suite 302" he muttered to himself repeatedly.

He grabbed a tired old duffle bag from his bedroom closet to stash his swords and his SCK submachinegun, since he wasn't about to go on this escort unprepared. Ensuring the safety was on and the chamber was empty, he put the gun into the bag and zipped it closed.

"Time to go to work..."

Tenmou lifted his jacket from its peg near the door and threw it on as he stepped out the door to catch a cab to the meet location.

1832 Monday January 8, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

"You have not updated your credstick since we last talked, I take it."

A simple statement of fact, but coming on the heels of dealing with Durin, it didn't come well at all. The sigh slips out; still, Andie manages to bite back the retort, Just when would I have had the time?

"You will find the five thousand advance deposited into the account you have on file with Sara. The rest will follow at the end of your circulation, as we agreed." The polishing cloth already in his left hand, the fixer reaches into his breast pocket to retrieve his reading spectacles. Not finding them, he begins casually and then ever more intently to search for them, not seeming aware that they are resting on his nose. "As to McKenzie," he says absently, his attention mostly on the search, "my feeling on him is that he is dead."

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

The only reason Tiffany hadn't dived clear of Dragon's line of fire, he was slowly processing now, was that she literally hadn't had enough time to react ... and again, she demonstrates that she's got urban DMZ instincts. The only reason she hadn't jumped clear at all was that by the time she'd been able to respond, that threat no longer existed -- but even as Dragon's speaking she's stuffing the sleeve of Virgil's sweatshirt into the kid's mouth, muffling the shriek; and the tightness across her shoulders telegraphs more than Dragon really wants to know. He closes his eyes -- state-of-the-art, lid-protected, cybereyes, with natural lubrication carefully retained -- but just for a moment: the threat isn't gone. Although part of him mourns what's happening, another part of him is finding it hard to care.

As the kid's shriek dies into silence and she returns to quiet, weakening convulsions, Tiffany looks up at him and reports: "She's been shut up, sir."

There's no sarcasm in it at all.

The decker glances around nervously: "He's right though, we can't draw any more attention; and we've got to get out of here." Closest thing to an apology he'd ever hear from Sybersnake, he knew; and wondered why she was giving it.

Tiffany's eyebrows lifted. Without further comment she rolls back the overlong coat sleeve on the kid's arm to expose the tracks upon tracks of mainline punctures.

0324 Saturday January 6, 2063 - in the public washroom

In the end it takes her more time than Blaze was wanting to take, but far less time than he had expected. A dozen women in and out of the fragging public restroom. How long could one person take? The distraction of wanting to be on his way had become almost a tangible force when one of the thinly-disguised corpers came over to him and asked the time.

He pointed out the wall chrono to her to keep from betraying the impatient snarl in his voice.

She didn't look at it. With a lift of cultured eyebrows aboved the lightly bronzed, lightly reflective lenses, she said in a low, rich, contralto voice: "I'd thought you'd be counting every second thrice over."

Just for a moment, the tightly reined-in impatience evaporated. "Alleycat?"

"Ali-aah-na," she "corrected" him, smiling: and even that sophisticated smile was not the one he remembered.

She was a vision in a little black strapless dress and black narrow-heeled boots, lime green coat and matching hat and mittens accentuating her pale olivine skin and the few small strands of colour that wove through the layered, ash-brown hair cascading in gentle, disciplined waves to just below the line of her shoulderblades. Somewhere she's acquired a purse she's rummaging through, her brows lifting again at whatever it is she's spotted. Then she looks up again and deposits in his arms a pool of fabric he recognises from the meet: from its feel he suspects in-woven Kevlar: "Please store this under the bike seat for me? I can't wear it in."

It's a very simple outfit, stylish yes, but nothing ornate; and with the clothing she'd adopted the manner, so completely that maybe no one else would be able to recognise her if she didn't want them to.

Just maybe, it disguises also from her own conscious awareness whatever deeply buried pain lies in her past. But he'd seen it surface in her once, and maybe again, when she watched without expression the watcher evaporate and dissolve into the mana mists; and no thin-strapped little black dress could completely hide it from his eyes again.

Behind the bronzed lenses, her own remain hidden.

1834 Monday January 8, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

"May he rest in peace", Andie says; referring to Mckenzie and his death. "I will have to thank him for making the space downtown available for me the next time I see him."

Andie takes the credstick he received from Durin and verifies the funds from him and Jack's $5k advance on file with Sara. Well, it's nice such a large lump sum. Too bad I wont have it for very long...

"I have another favor to ask of you, Jack. I need a computer with enough memory to run a 6400 Mp program file size. Without it I will not be able to work on this new project. It should cost around $128k. Do you think you can acquire one for me?? With the advance from Durin and the $24k credit from you I'll be a little short and will have to owe you the difference; perhaps barter another orichalcum unit and some future magic shop renovations for a hydroponics unit maybe."

09:14:06 Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

"Cosmo." He rolls the name around his mouth as if tasting a fine wine.

"Early for some, late for others, it's a holiday after all. What can I do for you?"

09:14:51 Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

She sat perfectly still for a few moments, a small smile playing around the corners of her lips as the soft 'purr' of the engine, along with his low, almost sleepy voice, began to unwind her taut, hypersensitive nerves. The sleek sports coupe had reached a good speed and it seemed that the slight adjustments, turns, and lane changes could very nearly put her to sleep.

"Mmmm, that's right; happy new year, Caska."

Cosmo stretched a little, hoping that whomever had known her enough to equip her with all her favourite gear also knew to stock the fridge with cherry colas and to fill the cupboards with coffee .. lots of coffee.

"I have a few things I wanted to take care of this morning but I was wondering how your schedule looks for later on today...."

1834 Monday January 8, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

May he rest in peace ...

Behind the lenses, the fixer's dark eyes regard Andie keenly, thoughtfully. "Indeed," he says at last.

"About the computer," reminds Andie impatiently, after the other's silence had gotten a little too long.

"Yes, well, that is a separate negotiation, yes? And you have yet to pay the service charges from the original credit?"

Andie let out an inaudible sigh. "6400 Mp. Can you do this for me, Jack?"

"I can connect you with someone in the business," says the fixer slowly, appraisingly. "Call that a finder's fee. The rest, then, will be up to you."

17:53:40 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - Seattle, UCAS

10441 Pacific Court Way turns out to be a large four story office building, housing a number of different businesses. Ordinarily, the end of the business day would bring a close to the building's activities, but on this night a solitary individual waits outside the glass doors of the lobby. His expression doesn't change as the Tenmou steps out of the cab. He holds the door.

"They're waiting for you upstairs."

The halls of the building are oddly deserted, not even cleaning drones making their rounds. Tenmou takes the stairs up to the third floor, glancing at the information plaque on the wall before turning left down the corridor. He knocks once on the door marked 302 before entering.

The room reveals itself to be a small conference room, with an oval table and half a dozen chairs. Three people are present in the room. The first, an older Japanese businessman, stands as Tenmou enters. He smooths his hands down the front of his suit, preparing to speak. The young girl next to him remains seated, her eyes downcast. The last figure remains unmoving, stationed in the back corner with a clear line of fire across the entire room.

"Please, come in and sit down, we have business to discuss. You may call me Mr. Omura. It is not overly complex, this task that I require of you. My niece has an appointment at 905 West Park Ave in Tacoma tomorrow at 1400. Pick her up at 1330, take her to the appointment, and bring her back to her apartment safely. Simple escort duty like this is worth three thousand nuyen, half up front."

Omura withdraws a certified credstick from his jacket pocket and lays it on the table in front of him.

0325 Saturday January 6, 2063 - in the public washroom

Still slightly stunned by Alleycat's transformation Blaze takes the bundle and stashes it under the seat. He then looks at Alleycat and extends his arm, offering her help onto the bike. "If you're ready, shall we take our leave?"

0327 Saturday January 6, 2063 - at the bike

"Yes. I've left enough messages. Here's hoping Tin Star and Avalanche get back to me within the next few minutes." Even in considering details of what passed for a plan, her manner never loses its cool corporate sophistication, and her voice never once shifts from that deep contralto timbre ... although now it takes on a thoughtful cast. "It took us 12 from the parking space to get here, the last time Avalanche and I passed this place, and we'll be looking for safe parking for about another minute and change. Call that the outside limit, before we're for sure on our own."

Only one call to Tin Star though: the most recent, the moment she'd realised where he fit into the tentative plans, and just before she'd changed in clothing and -- other things. Predictably, she'd gotten his answering service:

1242 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Virgil's Redmond Safehouse

What the frag?

Though muffled by the walls of the small apartment, the unmistakeable sound of a terrified shriek yanked Virgil out of a much needed meditative break. Leaping off the bed accompanied by a chorus of protesting springs, Virgil threw open the front door and bounded down the flight of bare concrete steps two at a time.

As he reached the final stairs Virgil became aware of Dragon positioned right outside the open door. He was intently surveying a scene out of Virgil's line of sight, but was not acting. No immediate danger. . .

Virgil also immediately noticed that the shrieking had come to an abrupt stop.

Approaching Dragon, who had already detected the approaching shaman, Virgil was very careful to stay inside of the stairwell and not breach the barrier of the hearth. It'd be wise not to give up direct control of my hearth ally until I figure out what is going on.

"What's the situation Dragon?"

09:15:12 Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

"Later today, hmmm..let me double check my calendar. It appears I may be able to pencil you in. What time should I pick you up?"

1834 Monday January 8, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

"Fine, Jack. Give me the number of your contact."

1834 Monday January 8, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

The fixer's eyebrows rise. "Give?"

"Fine, fine," says Andie. "Sell it to me. Whatever."

Elbows on the counter, fingers pressed to his temples. "You are not making this easy on either of us, Andie ... and even though it is a format you seem most used to, I do not suppose you would appreciate a lecture on how the world works outside the ivory tower."

Before resentment has a chance to rise very far, Solomon continues: "My standard finder's fee to connect a person with a computer specialist is 10k. As a favour to Sara, I am willing to cut that, this once, to 5k, and to take it out of the balance of our contract at the end of the month."

0329 Saturday January 6, 2063 - on the way there

As Alleycat hops up on the bike Blaze starts it up and heads towards the Paradigm Shift. Blaze's mind is focused on the task at hand, despite his humor. approaching the building he slows down the bike a little bit and maneuvers towards the back side of the building. Stage door, stage door. Where's a fragging door when you're looking for one. As he passes by the first time Blaze does his best to fit into the "frazzled boyfriend" persona, looking over his shoulder from time to time, and looking mostly just frustrated, which isn't too far from his real emotions anyway. Going around for a second pass Blaze finds a spot behind the club to park his bike.

Cutting the engine Blaze looks over at Alleycat, "They won't let us in, and you know it. I know you want to see the band but they have rules. Why don't we just go back to the hotel?" As he steps off the bike he offers his arm to Alleycat again, helping her off the bike.

0339 Saturday January 6, 2063 - looking for a stage or back door

"Rules are made for bending," Alianna says lightly, her body melting into his as she accepts his help in dismounting. The narrow heels on the boots are just high enough to keep her clear of, if not incongruous against, the accumulated winter debris. "I'm not letting this opportunity to meet kore slip by. It's just got to be around here somewhere," she says, pressing against him as her head scans the area, and the sudden, sexual hunger in her voice is distinctly predatorial.

0339 Saturday January 6, 2063 - looking for a stage or back door

"Alianna, one of these days you're going to get me in real trouble." Looking down at her Blaze seems to decide the posibilties for later are worth the risk. "All right, I'll go. The door's got to be here somewhere" She's either a really great actress, or there's something deep inside her that she's been hiding this whole time. Either way this will be interesting.

0339 Saturday January 6, 2063 - looking for a stage or back door

A throaty laugh around her shivering: "Will you hurry up and get me inside? It's tó'samriel'sket cold out here!"

0339 Saturday January 6, 2063 - looking for a stage or back door

Before taking any other actions Blaze wraps his Coat around Alianna, "Here, I'm not sure how much it will help, but anything is better than nothing."

0339 Saturday January 6, 2063 - looking for a stage or back door

She sighs, melting into it (and thus concealing Blaze's Predator with her body, the pistol a cold piece of metal between them): "Mmm, that's nice ... but you'll freeze! No," she adds, blowing on her gloved hands in great clouds of white, "keep the coat, you'll need it. I'll just borrow body heat directly from you."

0339 Saturday January 6, 2063 - looking for a stage or back door

Blaze chuckles to himself, "well, I can't complain about that." Blaze adjusts the coat so that it partially covers both of them, and the chunk of metal.

0339 Saturday January 6, 2063 - looking for a stage or back door

Pressed against him as he folds the coat around the two of them, into his ear she murmurs, "Remember what I said on the bike, coming here."

Blaze remembered.

"That place must have been cleaned of all magic signatures. I didn't see anyone else that stayed around to "see" anything. Only the matchbook remained, odds are it's bait -- but we can make that work for us. What we're looking for here is a lead to Melissa, not Melissa herself. So we've got to play it low-key: get into the place, search for evidence or links or any trace of the astral signatures you encountered -- but not until one or both of us are clear of the secguards. Ideally, we'll manage to get something solid, maybe someone's seen one of the people we're looking for, or maybe we can narrow it down to something a particular security camera picked up. I wish Avalanche ..."

She'd gone silent then. When she picked up again, her voice had gone crisp:

"If all goes well, our way out is back the way we came. through the secguards ... but if we've found anything immediately useful I'll be wanting to dance first, and I'll be mingling and asking questions. If Tin Star turns up, my way out is through the dance floor, and maybe you'll be with me, and maybe not. That's also our first default -- second's looking for a way out by the roof, if we're in real trouble -- but if we're still clear at all, ditch the pistol first. I don't want those weapons detectors drawing further attention to us if there's any way around it."

17:56:24 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - 10441 Pacific Court Way, Seattle, UCAS

Tenmou absorbs the information as Mr. Omura relays it. "I am to escort your niece from this building to her appointment and return her here? How am I to address your niece for the duration of my employ, Omura-san?"

1834 Monday January 8, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

"Agreed." Andie says simply. I don't need problems Jack I need problem solvers and if you don't want to help me then I'll find someone who will...

Once Jack gives Andie the phone number for the computer specialist Andie will contact that person to arrange the computer purchase.

17:56:51 Wednesday 03 January 2063 - 10441 Pacific Court Way, Seattle, UCAS

Mr. Omura shakes his head once, a sharp gesture.

"Pardon, no. Please pick my neice up at her apartment, 6461 Woolfes Lane, and return her there when the appointment is over. For the duration, you may call her Miss Omura."

09:15:48 Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

"Well, how about seven or eight this evening?"

Cosmo pauses briefly, a soft chuckle slipping out of its own volition.

"What did you have in mind? Since you'll be picking me up and all...."

0339 Saturday January 6, 2063 - looking for a stage or back door
As the two young lovers gaze across the street at the Paradigm Shift , they cannot help but notice a few things. One, the place still seems unusually busy for this time of night. The lines are gone, but the bouncers up front remain as diligent as ever. Also, while it could hardly be called a steady stream of people, more like a trickle, there were still enough people going into and leaving the club at such a late hour to qualify as unusual, certainly.

Gone too are the corporate yuppies slumming it for the night. In their place is a rougher crowd. Not in the ‘street thug’ sense. No, they’re too well dressed for that. Harder too. Continuing their surveillance, a side door near a small loading area, big enough for a truck to drive into and unload, band equipment perhaps? Both of them easily spot the surveillance camera by the door. Then again, it appears that it is meant to be found, mounted as it is over an intercom system set into the wall by the door.

And oh yes, there is a fire elemental that seems to be on patrol in the area, guarding the club as well…

1244 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Virgil's Redmond Safehouse

Without turning to look at him, Dragon answered, “Some kid was screaming and drawing attention to us. I don’t know why your spirit didn’t scare her off, but regardless of that, Tiffany did a,” he paused, searching for the right word, “efficient job of silencing her. Hopefully she did not draw too much attention to us.” Looking at the sky, he added, “at least, no more than we already have.”

In a dry monotone, almost mechanically, he asked Sybersnake , “How are we doing with the car? Are we almost ready to roll yet?”

It was a shocking sort of shift, even for those who knew him well. Despite the earlier emotion that had been present with the Latina, both in the kitchen and back at Tommy Wong’s , there were no traces of feeling in his voice. Just cold, distant professionalism.

I’ve seen this before , thought Virgil . He’s got this crazy…disconnect from life. Sometimes it’s like he’s not even human. I’m used to it, and it still gives me the chills. I wonder what it’s like, to go through life seeing everything through…. With a start, the shaman almost jerked away from the mercenary as he realized once again, that his friend didn’t even see life through his own eyes, but rather through cold, metal replacements. What does he see? What does he see through those eyes of his? I can only imagine, but I certainly don’t ever want to find out.

Cutting through Virgil’s thoughts, Dragon asked once again, “Status please Sybersnake . And Tiffany , is there anything about the girl we should be made aware of?”

Addressing the shaman once again, he continued, “She knows we were here. She is a witness to our presence. A witness does not bother me overly so. However, a suspicious one does. And a witness, a child witness who was not frightened off by something many grown men would have run from, is a very suspicious witness indeed. Your thoughts on what to do with her?”

09:16:02 Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

"Seven o'clock it is, then. Wear something nice."

1245 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Virgil's Redmond Safehouse

Head and shoulders into the car, Sybersnake doesn't answer. The reporter shrugs, her face carefully expressionless ... but she's got the kid held closer than she really needs to. "If you leave her here, she won't be a problem to you much longer. She's ODing bad."

1834 Monday January 8, 2063 - Land's End Magic Shop

Andie's on the receiving end of another of those intense gazes as he quickly writes down the LTG number. He doesn't care. He begins to dial, hoping for a quick answer. Perhaps predictably, there isn't.

"He might be occupied," says Solomon. "A job came through recently. If you still cannot connect with him after a day or two, talk to me again and I will fix you up with someone else -- but he is among the best in the business. Fallaces sunt rerum species."

The appearances of things are deceptive, the mage automatically translated in his head. It was one of Sara's favourite sayings ... but Solomon was not Sara. "Quicquid." Whatever.

The fixer laughed. "Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur" -- anything said in Latin sounds profound.

Without further comment Andie decides to return to his circulation, redialing the number at regular intervals.

0340 Saturday January 6, 2063 - looking for a stage or back door

"I dunno," Alianna said, hooking a stray strand of hair behind one ear. At this close range, the smell of the earlier beers still wafted lightly around her. "They said the dance floor was still open, but l -- dunno." A sudden shrug and a wicked smile: "Can't hurt to ask, now?"

Waving at the camera, she strides over to the intercom, the coat slipping from her bare shoulders: "Yo, hey in there, it's freezing out here. What's a girl gotta do to get a little kore action around here?" Shivering, she broadens a willing smile for the camera and clutches the coat around her a little more tightly (but managing somehow to accentuate rather than conceal what cleavage the dress had helped create), and waits.

09:16:18 Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

"Mmm, count on it."

Eyes opening suddenly, Cosmo looks around, her brow lowering suspiciously while a bit of a smile peeks out of one corner of her mouth.

He'd know know the number if he set up the 'storage room,' now wouldn't he? Black stockings it is....

09:16:31 Monday 01 January 2063 - Los Angeles, CFS

"I'll see you then."

Caska terminated the call, waited for a moment, then engaged the counter-trace program. Swapping over to his other line, he re-opened the call interface.

"Sorry about that, one of my important contacts. Change of plans, we'll have to move our meeting up to 1600."