18:13:25 Sunday 07 January 2063 – Virtual Daze Arcade

Scrapheap quickly pulled himself into a crouch. Simultaneously he glanced around, both to make sure that nobody else was coming after him and to look for a way around the gangers standing between him and the rapidly crawling elf girl. Seeing that most of his routes were blocked by either the flailing bodies of various combatants or by fleeing bystanders, he turned his attention fully onto the advancing punks. In the time it had taken him to look around, they had both moved a step closer.

"Look, chummers, I don't want trouble. I just want to find my niece. What say you two let me pass? We all go home in one piece, no hard feelings?"

C'mon! C'mon! She's getting away!

20:04:12 Friday 05 January 2063 - The Other Place, Seattle, UCAS

Shitoki nodded. "Yeah... I grew up in Sendai and spent a lot of time in Tokyo when my father was working. It was always so busy and I used to love that. I don't know that I could go back though. I have this perfect memory of the city, but with all the volcanic eruptions that happened when the comet went by and the change in power, I doubt it'd be the same."

Sipping his water, Shitoki looked at Tanisa and smiled. "I wouldn't want to change my perceptions of Japan by returning. It's one of memories I have that I savor."

18:13:25 Sunday 07 January 2063 – Virtual Daze Arcade

The punks sneer at him, mistaking his pacifism for weakness. "Don't worry," one begins, "we'll send you home in one piece."

"Yeah, it'll just be in a body bag!" The other finishes. Both snicker at their brilliant (in their own minds, at least) humor.

But there's nothing funny about the switchblade knives that suddenly flicker out of nowhere into their respective grips. One of them steps slightly to John's right and slashes high, at about face level, while the other crouches and moves to John's left, stabbing at his ribs.

14:59:49 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic // Cyberspace

"We'reeeeee juuuusssstttt heeerrrreeee toooooooooooooo aaaaaaaaaalllllllkkkkkk aaaaaabbbbbbout Julia --"

Their perceptions snap back to normal speed with an abruptness that is dizzying.

The slow utility is still active. I have looped in a compensating perceptual adjustment that will allow perception in normal time. I don't want to alert him until we are clear. Get what you can. She is still one step ahead of the tracer code.

"Why don't you ask your friend, here?" the one called Kiki laughs, trying to spin a loose silk scarf around Sybersnake's shoulders. It's taking all her attention to keep clear of it -- and that only just. "Nothing personal between you and me, Father, but she is the one working for Aztechnology. Didn't you know you'd been harbouring a snake to your bosom?"

In the back seat, Virgil realises that Bob has slowly, unobtrusively pulled out some kind of tool from his worker's harness, and, concealed by Dragon and Sybersnake, is beginning to pry free the car's rivets.

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

"Aztechnology? What interest do they have in Julia ? Assuming your information is accurate and you're on the level, what is Sybersnake's role in all this? What makes you so sure she's a traitor?" Dragon stresses the 'and', hoping that Sybersnake will realize he's just playing along to buy time, not that he doesn't trust her. Of course, right now, they have slightly bigger problems, but later on, when they're sorting this out, hopefully she won't be angry with him. Hopefully.

Keeping up the flow of conversation to distract Kiki and buy Bob and Sybersnake some time, he continues, "What's so special about this girl that the Big A would send a special agent after her, and while we're on the topic, what's your interest in Julia , and stopping Aztechnology from getting her?"

As best as he can Dragon gestures towards his crew, thinking at the same time, Dammit to hell! That goddamn priest is fragging worthless! He's the one who's supposed to know this joker, why the FRAG isn't he saying anything to help us out here? Fragging worthless civilian! Throw them for a loop in a slightly dangerous situation and they go to drek. When we get back meatside, he's going to tell us every fragging thing he knows about every fragging one involved here, and I mean everything. Whether he likes it or not, he finished the thought grimly.

Quickly continuing along and not getting caught up in that thought, he adds, "We know that our interest in Julia is benevolent, but can we say the same for you? How do we know you've got her best interests in mind and aren't just looking to spin a quick nuyen or three? For all we know you're just working for someone else, and trying to blame drek on Sybersnake to mess with us. So why should we believe anything you say?"

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

"Nothing personal between you and me either, dear," says Kiki to Dragon, as the Zoé scarf finally catches Sybersnake's wrists and loops around them and the car's railings ... and dissolves with a smell of burning plastic, as the restraint burners kick in. "Just because she's working for Aztechnology doesn't make her a traitor ... not to me. Right, Father? And, oh dear, you aren't doing so well, are you, Father? It's just that this place gives me the edge in case anyone's trying to double-cross me. Good thing, wouldn't you say? Not that I'm blaming you for this. It's not like you knew anything about any of this."

"Please," says Father Bremen at last, struggling to shape the words, "just let her go. I'm the one you wanted."

"What on earth makes you think I've got anything against you?" The programming brought across a sense of honest upset, the moment before gravity dropped out from under them again. "I'm trying to help you, priest."

"You have a strange way of showing it," says Virgil, trying to help Father Bremen, and failing.

"Yeah, well, you always like all the things that are good for you?" The existing harnesses are holding Sybersnake and all of her hitchers fast, but Dragon spots the small multitool slipped to her by Bob, a moment before she sticks it through the old, dusty wood of the car to short-circuit the newly-exposed wiring and the bar separating them hums with sudden electricity. "This Julia's key in a lot of things," Kiki continues almost blithely, drawing the electricity up -- into the dress? The sudden influx of static crackles along the thin silk, sending all their hair on end; and Dragon almost bites his tongue as the electricity shocks through his muscles. "Sybersnake, my dear, your contract was another. Hadn't you ever thought about why your employer would want to discredit CorpDeVo?"

"That's where you'll find the person you're looking for," says Tiffany suddenly. "An unregistered --"

"Embarrassment, of course," says Kiki without the least embarrassment, grounding the last of the electricity into the metal binding the old wooden track; causing Bob to hiss inaudibly as a spark leaped to touch his own tools. "That's for the public relations front. More importantly, if you'd succeeded in uncovering the person you say you're looking for, you'd be winding up protecting at least one Aztechnology mole. Take a close look at what's been planted in CorpDeVo's biotech research files. You know what's been starting to go around the Barrens. Take a wild guess what's going to happen to the share prices then, once this becomes UCAS business and they lose any protection from the Corporate Court. CDV's about to lose its independent status, dear -- and you helped. The only hope CDV's got now is to recover Julia before Aztechnology gets to her."

20:04:50 Friday 05 January 2063 - The Other Place, Seattle, UCAS

"Tokyo is Tokyo, it's the Rome of the Far East." Mioko reflected. Tanisa shrugged.

"I don't know, I can see where you wouldn't want to spoil a good memory. But I couldn't imagine not going home. I mean, it's home. No matter where else you are in the world, there's that one place that holds a special meaning. Where the streets seem familiar. Home." She finished with a smile, but her gaze was locked on the liquid swirling gently in her martini glass, and her mind was very far away. After a moment she glanced up and her face brightened once more.

"Sorry, I'm back from my little trip down memory lane."

Mioko laughed. "Get a souvenier?"

Tanisa stuck out her tongue again, but her clever retort was interrupted by the waiter arriving with the entrees.

18:56:01 January 6, 2063 Sunset Apartments - Milton

"I can make your order available for pickup by 21:00 tonight at a cost of 70 per unit. Is this timeframe appropriate for your needs?"

18:56:02 January 6, 2063 Sunset Apartments - Milton

Erebus nodded to himself at Elan's response. The fixer understood the value of speed. Things move fast in the shadows and you had to be able to keep up.

"Absolutely, the price and time frame is acceptable. Let me know the location for the exchange and we'll be there."

20:05:13 Friday 05 January 2063 - The Other Place, Seattle, UCAS

Taking his plate of Teriyaki Chicken and rice, Shitoki looked at Tanisa.

"I will likely go home at some point. I just don't think I'm ready to go back just yet. I'm still giving Seattle its chance," he said with a smile.

15:30 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Redmond Barrens-Cao Jaan's Halfwayhouse

Knight slips casually into the seat offered. for a moment he considers dropping the weave of power that surrounds him in the form of the spell he had cast but then decides against it.

Better to keep it handy for the next few minutes, just incase. Careless means dead in the shadows.

He tilts his head and regards the Asian man for a few moments before nodding softly and speaking.

"Indeed, Mr Jaan. I was informed you are in need of astral security for your establishment here, as well as magical security in a more direct and.. physical.. fashion. These are services I am quite willing to provide, as my presence here surely indicates." he pauses for a moment. "Such services do cost, however. Mr Jackson informed me that you are willing to provide accomodation, which is of course sensible since my presence on site is somewhat required by the job. He has also furnished me with the 1,000Y downpayment for my services that you offered. A most generous sum i must add, he did however leave the details at that."

Knight stretches in the chair as Cao Jaan takes up his own seat now.

"My first question, in regards to details, is how deep and effective a magical security do you desire? or indeed need? The second, as i was also told you wished some astral survielance to spot those in need of your own services, is how big an area do you wish me to watch for you?. Once i know these things I can better judge the exact requirements to your task. Then we can inevitabley talk money."

Knight falls silent and he awits the man`s response.

20:28:34 Friday 05 January 2063 - The Other Place, Seattle, UCAS

Tanisa nods as if to agree, but conversation gives way to food, the ambient sounds of the restaurant filling the emptiness. The meal is excellent, well cooked and flavorful. Tenmou listens to Tanisa and Mioko as they chat and share stories from their work. For a moment, he remembers what it felt like to be part of a team, an integral member working towards a common goal. It would have been his life, his career, but for the death of his father.

18:13:30 Sunday 07 January 2063 – Virtual Daze Arcade

Years of reflexes kick in, and John instinctively moves to put punk A between him and punk B, in the process letting A's knife whiz harmlessly by. It's like a fragging training sim, I'm even thinking of them as A and B he thinks grimly. Cocking his wrist slightly, he releases the cyberspur within as he shoves it deep into the first one's side.

Moaning, the kid drops. Trying to take advantage of the situation, the second one keeps coming at slashes wildly, nearly catching John's exposed arm. Quickly retracting his arm, John kicks out with his leg, catching the ganger in the leg and knocking him just slightly off balance. Not enough to do any real harm, sure, but enough to buy him the time to bring his own spur back into play as he slashes it across the kid's arm, forcing him to drop the knife. Holding up his hands in surrender, the ganger picks up his wounded friend and quickly tries to backpedal into the crowd, keeping his eyes on John the whole time.

Forget about them, they're nothing. But that girl...she seemed to know something. Where the frag has she gotten herself to? John thinks to himself as he contemplates what to do next in the middle of the swirling melee.

20:29:01 Friday 05 January 2063 - The Other Place, Seattle, UCAS

Shitoki drifts away from the conversation momentarily upon the thought of his father. His father's death was still his driving factor for doing the job he did. He strove to find the man within Renraku responsible for his father's demise. The corp's name even made him conflicted. In one hand, he would have happily served them and put his own life on the line in their defence. In the other, he would tear the corp wide open in order to find the one at the center of the conspiracy behind the tarnishing of his family's name.

He snapped out of his revelry and brought himself back into the conversation. He looked over at Mioko who, despite listening to Tanisa, gave him a worried look.

Shitoki simply smiled and nodded, mouthing "I'm OK," before returning to the conversation.

18:13:45 Sunday 07 January 2063 – Virtual Daze Arcade

With the riotous strobe of the arcade lights reflecting off his mirrored eye-shields and blood dripping down the spur extending from his cyberarm, Scrapheap watches as the swirling crowd swallows the two wounded gangers. He straightens from a crouch just as light smoke from the burning dance-game begins to pour into the row, and for a second he looks like something straight off of the trid: the deadly street samurai, violence personified, terror of the streets. The moment quickly passes, leaving only a tired, middle-aged man in rumpled clothes.

John quickly turns so that the video games are to his back and begins to move toward the end of the row. Keeping his back to the machines allows him not only to keep the area where the punks entered the crowd in sight, but also affords him a view of the action in general. As he moves he reaches under his grey armored jacket with his right hand and draws one of his battered Colt Manhunters out of its concealed holster. The motion is blurred by his enhanced reflexes.

No drekin' around next time. I managed to handle those punks, but I ain't as young as I used to be. If I was, those two wouldn't be leaving here under their own power. Of course, back in the day those kids would never have attacked me in the first place. They'd have known better.

Holding the heavy pistol at the ready, and with his spur still extended, John glides smoothly down the row. His head and eyes are in constant motion as he alternately scans the floor and the crowd. On the floor he's looking for the photo of Nora, just in case it was dropped by the fleeing girl. He checks the crowd both for possible danger and for the girl who represents the latest lead in the search for his missing niece.

Ok, elf-girl, where have you gone?

20:42:12 Friday 05 January 2063 - The Other Place, Seattle, UCAS

Mioko dabs at the corners of her mouth with her napkin before looking longingly at the desert tray waiting in the corner of the dining room. Tanisa drains the last of her third martini before munching on the olive.

"Drek, but that's good. I haven't had a meal like that in too long. If nothing else goes right tonight, this, at least, was a good time. Thank you." She smiles at Tenmou, who nods in return. Both women excuse themselves to go freshen up and Tenmou signals for the check. The bill is expensive, but not exorbitant, which is to be expected for the quality of food and service. Tenmou pays with certified cred, popping one of the after dinner mints into his mouth. Well, on to phase II.

20:42:12 Friday 05 January 2063 - The Other Place, Seattle, UCAS

When the ladies return from the restroom, Shitoki rises from his chair and motions for the ladies to accompany him back to the car.

He climbs into the car, starts it up and soon merges with traffic, heading towards the Inferno. Traffic is somewhat lighter than it was, but he doesn't have to travel far to get to the trendy night spot.

"This place is going to be packed," Shitoki thinks to himself. "Hopefully, a little cred in the right hands will get us inside without spending the whole evening in a line-up..."

20:47:35 Friday 05 January 2063 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle, UCAS

The line outside Dante's Inferno stretches down the block to the corner. An equally long line of luxury vehicles, Toyota Elites and Mitsubishi Nightskies, idle at the curb, waiting to disgorge their loads of party-goers. Tenmou sighs, it was going to cost more than just a little cred to get them in ahead of the rest of Seattle. Tanisa strides confidently ahead of him, though, while Mioko hooks her arm through his. The ground ripples to the bass pumping through the club, and the music streaming through the large double doors hammers the trio like a waterfall as they step up to the velvet rope. Tanisa smiles brilliantly at the doorman, leaning over to whisper something in his ear. He nods to her, stepping back from the red carpet. She turns and motions to Tenmou and Mioko, striding through the entrance like a queen leading her entourage to court.

18:15:50 Sunday 07 January 2063 – Virtual Daze Arcade

As John neared the end of the row, he paused as three gangers rolled across the floor and into his path. Two human females wearing the same colors were battling an orc male, and looked to be getting the better of him. They rolled back and forth across the floor: punching, kicking, scratching, and biting. He watched dispassionately as they fought, simply waiting for his chance to get by the fight without being forced to join in himself. Finally the orc struggled to his feet, the two girls still clinging to him, and lurched down the row. John just stepped aside, his back against a game, until they were past. He then continued on.

Stepping out of the row into the main aisle that ran to the entrance, John was immediately forced to duck as a plastic chair went flying past. Battles raged on both sides of him now. He watched as off to his left a large troll wearing a red fez tossed an entire game cabinet onto a group of unsuspecting gangers. Gangers who had, up to that point, seemed to be fighting each other. Maybe the big guy felt left out? John thought to himself with a faint smile. Off to his right he could see a couple of elves kicking a prone figure who was, judging by his uniform, one of the arcade's security guards. Are those guys wearing Ancient's colors? I guess the heavy hitters have arrived.

John began to make his way cautiously down the aisle. Looking ahead he could see that a large fight had broken out near the entrance, apparently started in the scramble to escape. He started to look away when something caught his eye. Concentrating, he could just barely make out a figure hiding beneath one of the tables from the concession stand near the entrance. The figure was hard to make out as the fight surged around the area, so he triggered the zoom function in his eyes and the area leapt into closer focus. It was the girl he had mistaken for Twiggy. She seemed to be tensely watching the entrance, waiting for her chance to escape. Smiling at finally getting a stroke of luck, John started to zoom back out but then, noticing something else near the girl, his smile widened. He hurried towards the entrance.

As he made his way towards the girl, John realized that people were giving way as he approached. Gangers were taking one look in his direction before turning to look for easier prey. A couple even raised their hands and backed off, careful not to make sudden moves. Kinda like the old days, he thought to himself with a quick swell of pride. His reverie was shattered as an empty bottle hit him in the shoulder, spraying him with the remains of its contents. It was then that he realized that it wasn't like the old days at all. Unlike then, the respect this trash was showing wasn't for him and his sterling street-rep, but for his bared Manhunter. Who cares as long as they stay out of my way? True though that may have been, he couldn't deny that it stung.

Dodging a group of combatants huddled together like some sort of rugby scrum, he noticed the elf girl's eyes widen as she finally spotted him approaching. She started to dart from beneath the table, but quickly dove back as the fight continued. The fighting was thick here, and John was forced to club a few people who strayed too close. Most, however, noticed the grim set of his features and his exposed weaponry and quickly gave ground, just as before.

Soon he was squatting over an unconscious ganger sprawled on the floor near the girl's hiding place. He cleaned his spur on the punk's tattered shirt before his mental trigger caused it to disappear back up into his cyberarm with a clack. Then, smiling his rueful half-smile, John plucked the pack of cigarettes that he, from across the room, had noticed sticking out of the guy's pocket. He quickly checked the pack's contents, and seeing that it was 3/4 full he stuck it into his shirt pocket. That done, he looked up and met the young elf's wide-eyed gaze.

"Hoi. What's a nice girl like you doin' in a place like this?"

"Listen, mister. Mebbe you didn't scan me before, but..."

"Look, I don't care what you're about to say; I just want to find Nora. You said before that you knew her? Well, she's my niece, and she hasn't been home for over a week. Now, as I just demonstrated," he gestured towards the cigarettes in his pocket, "I'm not a proud man. Don't make me beg. Let's just get out of here and go somewhere quiet where you can tell me your story."

17:28:06 Monday 01 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

There was something to be said for the benefits of sleep and steam, both worked wonders for clearing her mind, helping her find some sort of focus after such deeply disturbing events. Cosmo tilted her head back a bit, lazily trailing a finger along the edge of the tub as a chest-pounding reggae beat brought her small-ish apartment to life.

Search apartment for signs of surveillance: Check. Nothing found.

Secure doors and windows, trip-wire balcony door: Done.

Self-check for transmitting devices: Done. Nothing found.

Nap .. three hours: Done, not long enough, dammit.

Espresso at Il Grano: Delicious; emergency pastries in the cupboard..

Manicure, haircut: Check, and check.

Bubble bath …

Cosmo smiled softly, examining her freshly painted nails with a critical eye. The polish’s pale rose hue had never been her first choice .. but then her trademark apricot had always matched the tan she’d maintained so meticulously. Pale skin, pale polish. She patted the loose pile of curls pinned on top of her head. Long hair certainly was a luxury, one she had every intention of enjoying before it became necessary to return to the shorter styles she favoured. A sigh of pure, feminine bliss slipped from between her lips as she sank further into the softly scented bath.

Profile both shoppers ..

“Resume list. Subject one .. “ pausing for a moment to ensure that the p-sec was, in fact, recording her words, Cosmo continued, her normally throaty voice made all the richer by the sultry lap of warm water about her shoulders, “.. male, mature, with classic taste. Favors basic black, European fashion .. silk rather than lace.” She sighs again. “Controlling. Extensive resources and no apparent motive. Cautious. Well informed. He knows my shoe size, dress size, equipment, standard and non-standard, quite possibly my methods; he knew where I was last night .. potentially knows what put me there in the first place. Apparently a ‘tech head,’” a dimple peeks out of one cheek at Tino’s appellation. “Supplied luxury coupe, clothes, weaponry, and equipment. Linked to Drago and Caska. Provided cover identity Megan Richards. ’Trix persona: an unremarkable man .. needlessly false tan, brown hair, brown eyes. Conclusion: none as yet. Pause.”

There was no helping the wry twist of her mouth at that last admission; even though she was fairly certain that the pocket secretary wouldn’t judge her, a failure was still a failure and the better part of a day had already been wasted ….

Not wasted, Meg. You’re clean, alive, and safe .. for the moment ..

She grinned and took a sip of ice-cold cherry cola.

.. and you have a date tonight. Things could be a lot worse.

“Resume list. Subject two …”

There was something different about the way her apartment had been set up, a complete contrast to the luxuriousness of the BMW and all of her new clothes. “furnished apartment, stocked with healthy food, cherry cola, no alcohol. Gender undetermined, although scented products seem too contrived to be selected by a person of discerning taste.” Cosmo paused, chewing on her lower lip as she considered the too-sweet scents of vanilla and lily of the valley as they wafted around her. “Conclusion: indeterminable. The apartment could have been furnished by proxy. Mail order. Also possibly to fit more firmly with the Megan Richards cover. End list.”

17:35:49 / 01 January 2063

Cosmo drew in a deep breath, releasing it slowly as she resolved not to look at the clock again. There'd be plenty of time to properly pamper herself before seven and get enough rest to last her for a while longer; who knew when she'd have a chance like this again.

Rest is a weapon.

Now where did that thought come from ...?

18:55:01 Monday 01 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

Caska stands just to the side of the door, out of view of the peephole, knocking twice. He listens closely for the sound of footsteps, judging when the time is right to hold out the small bouquet of flowers. This time, there's no mistaking the trill of feminine laughter from within. The door opens, and Caska offers the Irises and Baby's Breath to Cosmo.

"You look beautiful."

18:56:17 Monday 01 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo's smile was warm as she pulled the door open, her cheeks gently flushed as though she'd rushed to get to the door in time (which she had). There was a bit of a playful sparkle in her eyes as she nodded, accepting the compliment for what it was, her fingers lightly brushing against his as she accepted the bouquet, sighing as she breathed in the heady floral fragrance.

"Caska, thank you."

She laughed softly, not bothering to adjust the loosely tied robe that was barely long enough to cover the satin garters she wore. Vivid teal silk contrasted sharply with translucent black stockings and stylish stilettos that already encased her delicate feet. Her already-striking features were subtly enhanced with warm shades of peach to compliment the soft blonde curls that fell to either side of her face.

"Would you come in? I'm not quite ready yet though it shouldn't be much longer...."

A dimple peeked out of one cheek as she glanced meaningfully up at him, saying 'you're early,' without actually speaking the words themselves. A quick wink took any sting out of such an implication, though, and she spun around before any apologies could be offered, revealing the long, straight seams that ran up the back of each stocking.

"There's bottled water in the fridge if you like," she called over her shoulder, already striding towards her room at the end of the hall, "and a few cannoli on the bar if you're hungry. Please, help yourself, I won't be much longer."

18:56:50 January 6, 2063 Sunset Apartments - Milton

"Do you know where the club Paradigm Shift is located."

"I've heard of the place." I know I saw something about it on Shadowland. Some hot new club down in Touristville.

"There is a small VIP parking lot behind the club. Approach the gate and tell the guard that you are here to pick up your take-out order. He will direct you to the courier whom will make the exchange. I regret that I have some vital buisness to attend to this evening, but I assure you that one of my most trusted associates will be attending to your needs."

20:47:55 Friday 05 January 2063 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle, UCAS

Shitoki glances over his shoulder at the doorman and after he was certain he was far enough away, he leaned forward to Tanisa.

"Dare I ask what you said to him?"

18:16:08 Sunday 07 January 2063 – Virtual Daze Arcade

The kid looks at John and then back at the swirling melee around them, obviously feeling trapped and needing to decide between two evils. Finally deciding that if he really wanted to geek her he could just do it right there, the girl nods.

"Aight. But you gotta get me outta here in one piece, with no funny business. And we talk somewhere public, I ain't goin' nowhere shady by myself wit you. Capiche?"

20:48:02 Friday 05 January 2063 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle, UCAS

Tanisa smiles wickedly, giving Tenmou a quick kiss on the cheek.

"You don't know me well enough for me to kiss and tell." She winks, and then is gone in a swirl of hips and laughter. Mioko slides in front of Tenmou watching her friend go with a shake of her head. Her hips sway in time to the music, her body already possessed by the rhythm. With a smile, she pulls Tenmou towards the dance floor.

18:56:48 Monday 01 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

Caska leered at Cosmo as she disappeared from the front hall, his eyes tracking the sway of her hips. He'd read the message well enough in her body language, but it took conscious effort for him not to be on time to his appointments. Closing the door behind him, he drifted down the hallway into the kitchen, inhaling the heady scent of her perfume mixed with that of the flowers. Pulling a bottle of water from the fridge he smiled to himself. Tonight is going to be a good night.

"You seem to have settled in fairly well, no lasting after effects from yesterday, I hope?"

18:56:52 January 6, 2063 Sunset Apartments - Milton

"No problem, I'll be there and drop the nuyen on the courier. Thanks again Elan, I appreciate a professional."

That was true, he appreciated the fixer's ability to get things done. It was that "can do" attitude that kept Erebus coming back to Elan.

Hmmmm, the Paradigm Shift, I know that name but I don't know much more than that, still can't be too hard to find.

It took him less than ten minutes to get the address to the nightclub from information as well as driving directions. He had until 21:00:00 which gave him time to make a quick stop at Neon Dreams and see if Angel was working the runway's tonight, and still make the meeting.

Erebus glanced over at his deck, weighing the risk of driving around with it strapped to his back versus leaving the thing here. The Sony represented his single most expensive piece of equipment, and loosing it to a simple burglar would be a slotting joke. Still, he'd personally upgraded the maglock on the door, it should stop anyone not really serious about getting into the apartment. The only window faced out over the flat top of the block house style laundromat/mini-mart next door, but the roof was a good fifteen feet below the bottom edge of his window, anyone coming in that way would have to either repel down from the roof past all the other apartments or climb a shear wall.

Making up his mind he took the deck and scooted under the bed and wedged the deck, case and all, into a slit in the box spring he'd made. He'd had to remove about six springs from the box spring to get it to fit, which made the bed decidedly uncomfortable, but he could now wedge the deck into the box spring and have it almost completely hidden. His precautions wouldn't stop a serious search but the casual intruder would probably miss it.

With all his preparations made Erebus checked the actions on both his guns and made sure his psec was in place on his belt then grabbed his Gus Jensen credstick and headed for the hallway.

Erebus paused at the door and glanced through the peephole, the hallway looked empty but he couldn't see anyone not standing in front of his door.

Gotta remember to get some microcams set up to cover the hallway and outside the window dammit!

He'd thought about doing that before but he didn't have the ready cash to spend on the relatively expensive equipment. Hopefully, that would change in the near future. He pulled his Predator III, the circuits in the gun instantly found the implanted smartlink in his right hand and the gun became an extension of his arm, cautiously he eased out into the hallway, making sure it was empty. Quickly he re-engaged the maglock and holstered his Predator, wouldn't do to have a noisy neighbor calling Lone Star about the gun-toting maniac in apartment 36A, and headed for the stairs to the basement garage and his bike.

15:00:02 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic // Cyberspace

Thinking on his feet now, trying just to buy them some time to figure out how to respond, Dragon answers, "Wait, Corp DeVo as in WHICH corp's devo? And what is your interest in all this, you still haven't answered? How do we know you're not trying to play us as well? It's pretty safe to say given what's happened thus far that we can't assume any benevolent interest on your part just yet. Long story short, you're trying to say the Big A is trying to screw over Corp Devo of Company B, and unless we get to Julia before the Big A, they'll have the evidence to take down their target?"

It was all going to fast for Dragon to follow. He dealt in battlefields and gunfights. The finer subtleties of boardroom manuvering and politics were sometimes a little bit beyond him, at least when he wasn't ready for it. Still, he was born being quick on his feet, and he'd be damned if he dropped that quality from his list of character traits now.

"And while we're on the topic, who is the mole? Since you know so much about this scheme, how come you haven't done anything to help the situation, and are, how can I put this nicely, not being entirely gentle in helping the people who are doing something about all this?"

Tiffany, a little help? You're the reporter here....and Virgil, quit acting like a starstruck moron and SAY something already would you? You're the one everyone likes! I'm just the scary guy who makes sure the bad guys get dead. Argh! I guess this is what they call 'on the job training' Dragon thinks to himself ruefully.

18:56:54 Monday 01 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

It was all she could to do suppress the shudder that threatened to overwhelm her there and then,

The light was omni-present, a brilliant pure embrace that reached her even through closed eyelids. She smiled, knowing that it was the dream come to comfort her. But subtle things were wrong. The dream was always warm, always filled with a quiet shush of running water. Here was chill, goosebumps rising over her skin, and all she heard was a distant, dull hammer.

Cosmo's hands flew out, bracing her weight against the wall as her knees threatened to give way.

Eyes still closed, she groped for the covers, a lazy half-asleep motion that froze when her hand touched smooth synthetic. Opening her eyes, she glanced around, her sleep-fogged mind attempting to reconstruct the events of the previous night. Correction: she tried to open her eyes, something sticky was gumming the lids together, and she could only make out indistinct shapes in the room. She reached up to wipe her eyes clear, realizing only too late that the same substance was also coating her hand....

She fought for balance, willing strength back into her trembling limbs, her fingers closing vise-like around the bouquet of irises. The smile she forced into her voice did not reach the rest of her face, though thankfully she was well out of sight.

"Nothing lingering, no, thank goodness." She laughed wryly and shook her head as she finally made her way to the bedroom at the end of the hall, leaving the door partially open as she began her final preparations. "I'm still adjusting, though, and praying that I never have to wake up like that again...."

...

18:59:35 Monday 01 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

All right, girl, here goes....

Cosmo glanced in the mirror one last time, nodding her approval at the immaculate fit of the short black dress, a bit of a smile tugging at one corner of her mouth as she appraised the modest 'V' neckline but half a turn would reveal a shocking expanse of her smoothly pale back. The finest imported silk fluttered just above the tops of her knees as she stepped into her small kitchen, a small beaded handbag dangling from her wrist.

"Your concern is touching, Caska, thank you."

19:01:13 Monday 01 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

Caska smiles at her, but doesn't reply for a moment, just drinking in the vision before him. Cosmo preened beneath his gaze, looking good and knowing it, reveling in it. Every survival instinct he possessed screamed at him to stop this, to leave this obviously dangerous woman to whatever destiny had in store for her. But he couldn't. That was part of the excitement, the allure to this game that they were playing: the danger, not only the paltry possibility of rejection and humiliation, but the very real threat to life and limb. The realization was like fuel into an afterburner, desire coursing through him. He straightens, setting down the half-empty bottle of water in order to settle his long coat about his shoulders. A wicked half-smile plays across his lips as he dwells upon the possibility of 'touching concern'.

"You are most welcome. Shall we go?" He offers her the crook of his arm.

19:02:02 Monday 01 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

Arching an eyebrow at Caska's wholly unscrupulous smile, Cosmo found herself returning the look with a playful leer of her own. There was something refreshing about putting her agenda on pause for a while and an unmistakable rush from spending time with someone that quite possibly had as many enemies as she did, someone that could just as easily be hired to kill her tomorrow.

She chuckled, slipping into her own stylish long coat and wrapping a long violet satin scarf around her neck before delicately taking his arm.

"Yes, let's."

Hurry .. before leaving isn't an option ....

19:05:31 Monday 01 January 2063 - Riverwalk Apartment Complex, Los Angeles, CFS

The elevator ride down to the parking garage passes in comfortable silence, Caska standing close by Cosmo. He uses the time to put on a pair of black leather driving gloves, although the evening isn't quite cool enough to justify them.

Stepping out of the elevator into the parking garage, he leads Cosmo to a Mitsubishi Shadow parked in one of the visitor spots, its storm gray metallic paint gleaming beneath the overheads. The door unlocks to his access code, and he hands her in to the passenger seat. She notices that the interior light does not go on when the doors open. He closes the door, moving around to the driver's side. Sliding in to his own seat, he clips a jack from a reel mounted to the headrest of his seat into a jack implanted just behind his right ear. The vehicle snarls to life, backs from its resting spot, and accelerates out of the garage.

Caska drives with skillfull agressiveness, playing two layers of traffic against one another, but not so viciously as to draw law enforcement attention. Soft jazz drifts from the multitude of speakers recessed throughout the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Cosmo is almost certain that it's for her benefit and that it's not the usual music he would choose.

"So, where are we going?" she asked in an off-hand manner, her voice perfectly pitched to say not that I care at all. Caska smiled.

"Well, you're no ordinary girl so I figured that no ordinary restaurant would do."

"Don't be silly, any old place would have been fine." Cosmo patted his thigh with her hand, her face turned away as if she were watching the traffic out the window and not his reflection in it. She felt the muscles there jump as she let her fingers trail away, and he laughed, that throaty, sinister chuckle.

"You are such a liar."

Cosmo matched his chuckle with her own amused purr. The Shadow passed East of downtown, turning away from the entertainment district before starting its climb into the hills above Hollywood. Thirty five minutes after leaving her apartment, the sleek sportscar pulled up in front of a wrought iron gate that was not less functional for its decorative appearance. Caska rolled down the window and keyed in a combination to the callbox. After a moment, the gate cammed open, and the Shadow wound its way up a curving driveway. The mansion revealed at the summit was stunning, bone white walls set at right angles in a post-modern homage to the suites of Old Hollywood. Point spots, hidden by immacutely manicured grounds, throw fans of dusky illumination across the walls.

Caska parks in front, moving around the vehicle to hand her out. The cacophany of the city is far away and muted beneath the rush of wind and again, the haunting strains of a saxophone jazz riff. With a start, Cosmo realizes that it's the same music they've been enjoying on the ride up here, synchronized to the point that it's picked up from where the car stereo left off.

The front door of the mansion stands open, a marble floored hallway leading in to the main floor. Arm in arm, Caska leads her through the elegantly decorated entrance hall, beneath a massive gilt chandalier in the atrium, through a lavish sitting room, and out onto a wide patio.

Beneath them is spread the whole of the City of Angels, jewels glittering on a carpet of velvet. The view is amazing. Caska moves to one side as Cosmo leans against the iron railing, the gentle evening breeze caressing her hair. After a minute, he's at her side again, offering a glass of red wine.

"What shall we drink to?"

15:00:04 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic // Cyberspace

"How can you trust me?" Kiki laughed mockingly, producing a pair of handcuffs. "Simple answer is, you can't. But I'll give you this much: I'm my own agent, thank you very much. And I've got friends in here, which you, my dear" -- addressing Sybersnake, who was fending him off desperately and clumsily -- "don't. Not after what you've done."

Unobtrusively, barely visible in Dragon's peripheral vision, Bob had pulled out a pair of aluminum clamps and attached them to a place where the bare metal of the car had been scraped raw. After that single statement Tiffany's still been oddly silent, but Dragon's got the sense that she's thinking furiously.

"But ' which corp devo'? Come, come, my dear," Kiki was saying, "all information has a price, although I'm starting to wonder if I'm casting pearls before swine. After all, determined ignorance is a capital crime on the streets. Let you loose on the streets with that kind of attitude? Everything I just gave you would be in Azzie hands before nightfall. To the father, I've got a bit of an obligation and anyway he's got other protectors; but as for the rest of you, I'd just be performing a public service. So maybe I'll get the information to him some other way and just dejack him now --"

And Father Bremen vanished from the car.

15:00:06 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic // Cyberspace

"Whoa whoa whoa," Dragon holds up his hands placatingly. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking for anything for free. I get how it works, and I admit, this talking part isn't usually the strongest part of my game. Cut a guy a little slack would you?"

Thinking furiously, he ponders what to say next. Frag! Negotiation. I hate negotiation! Argh! OK ok, what did we learn in...uh, I didn't really go to school, but if I had to analyze, I'd say our bargaining position ain't that great...

Talking furiously, thinking on the fly, Dragon continues, "OK OK, so we want more specifics, and you're your own agent, you got your own interests. All right, I can respect that. But we're not exactly the bad guys where Julia's concerned, or Father Bremen wouldn't be helping us, right? So I'd say that if we're willing to cough up something that you want, then that gives us at least some basis for discussion, right?"

He shrugs, and spreads his hands out appealingly, "I mean, you want Julia to get help, we want to get Sybersnake out from under all this heat, I'd say that puts us at least in a position to keep this discussion going a little longer, right?"

OK...ok...keep going...uh...what do we want anyway? Frag! I was only thinking about keeping the conversation going after Father Bremen fragging up and vanished. I have no freaking clue what we're going for. That's not my department. Drek!

"OK straight up, we're not interested in helping the Azzies. I realize that for a variety of reasons," he gestures to Sybersnake, then himself, "we might have come in here on shaky ground, and the negotiating on our end hasn't been too savvy since. I give you that, sure."

He pauses, and it hits him. "But Father Bremen aside, the fact is that you probably knew from him already we were on the level about helping Julia. And yeah, ok, it looks bad bringing in someone who is responsible, albeit unknowingly," he hastily adds, "for all this, but honestly, is it really that much of a stretch to believe that she was set up as the fall guy for all this? As complicated as you make it sound, heck, I'd be more inclined to believe she was set up. All these layers within layers, hell, the Azzies are probably a step away from double-crossing themselves to make sure this all goes off right."

Dragon smiles (at least, he hopes the programming causes it to come across that way), hoping to relieve a bit of the tension. "So, all right, let's try this again. I realize you've given us a lot of information already to this point and have been very helpful, unquestionably." He deliberately made a mental note not to mention the whole attacking thing, deciding it might not be the most diplomatic thing to say at this point. Kiki didn't react that he could tell, so he figured he was right...he hoped?

"We want to play it straight with you, so I won't ask you for any more info before asking first, what do you want from us?"

That was my best shot, I hope it works. Definitely on the job training. And for God's sake, would Virgil speak the frag up already?

15:00:08 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic // Cyberspace

"At this point it's really what I want from her, dear," says Kiki lightly. "Like I've said before, it's nothing personal for the rest of you ... though I've got to have my doubts about anyone who'd trust her at this point."

It's unsettling enough that Sybersnake's suddenly looking like a troll -- a troll who seems to have all of Sybersnake's mannerisms yet. If she'd looked completely the same (albeit a Matrix'ed up version) or as her own, familiar icon, Dragon could have flowed with the illusion. If she'd looked and acted completely different, he'd have been able to reject it as an illusion. But she's something odd in between: sounding and acting in every way like someone he's pretty sure he knows very, very well -- that's got to be some fragging good programming -- but -- a troll.

It's even more unsettling how Dragon's found himself increasingly forced into an unfamiliar corner, where his only weapons are his voice and words. There's a small, starting-to-be-terrified part of him that's yammering at him that it's not fair! but the rest of him quashes that idea at once: Life's not fair.

"It'd be typical of Azzie operation if they had set up Sybersnake," says Tiffany, in a tone that suddenly reminds Dragon that they never had told her anything of the Julia part of this story ... partly because there just hadn't been time; mostly because even though he'd brought her in initially precisely to help them with finding Julia, they'd quickly been sidetracked by Sybersnake's dilemma. Let's face it: we never dreamed the two might be connected. And now our information person's working with less information than anyone else here except Sybersnake. "But you've got to admit, Dragon, that there's absolutely nothing here to make Kiki trust us."

Huh??? Wait a second, isn't she supposed to be helping US???

"I'm wearing a different icon right now because Sybersnake's deck is shot, Kiki, so probably you won't recognise me -- but I know that's no guarantee of trust either. After all, I'm only 'that reporter slitch' to your crowd."

Kiki had by then managed to manacle Sybersnake to the bar ... but just for a moment paused, long enough for her to try to slither free. In her usual iconic body, she might have succeeded. Here ... "Tiffany." But then the moment of inaction ended; the other decker caught her wrist and, in an innocuous moment, pinned the thick trollish tendons to the bar with graceful, feminine lightness. "What agenda are you pursuing this time?"

"The 'I'd like to stay alive' one, thank you very much," retorted Tiffany. "And that means I've really like to know what the Azzies have to do with Julia. The rest -- well, it kind of adds up, in a stuttering way, as long as you take as a given that Sybersnake was working for Aztechnology, and if she was doing it of her own free will, I can get how others might be a bit pissed off at her. So I fragging well am asking what's the connection."

Another pause. "A bit, she says," says Kiki, not releasing the manacle one bit. "But you know, I'll give you this: I really don't know what's the connection, dear, except that where Julia's been, that disease that's been slipping into the Barrens, isn't. I'll be surprised if that doesn't have some kind of connection."

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

Still sitting next to where the uneasy prist had been, Virgil sensed the situation very quickly deteriorating away from what was important. With the involvement of the Azzies and the interconnection of Sybersnake's trouble it seems that Dragon has forgotten, or may just doesn't realize what started this entire mission, what might also be most important to Kiki.

Frag I want out of this place. Just reading "Through the Looking Glass" was enough for me.

"Kiki I believe that we have become steered from the original and most important reason why I, and my friends, wanted to speak with you." Still maintaining his confinement of Sybersnake, Kiki now looked at the new speaker, not a word left his lips.

Ok, at least I have his attention. Perhaps it's the appearance of an agenda that keeps him from warming up to Dragon, I need to assess his priorities first so that I know what to bargain with.

"This entire conspiritous mess began with my desire to find Julia and get her off the streets. If even half the rumors about her mysterious talents were true then her survivability alone would be zilch, the number of orginizations that would desire her for a malevolent intent are uncountable."

I do not believe that mere cash is all the motivates Kiki. He probably approached Father Bremen stating that he had information about Julia, speaking about Aztechnology and other affairs would have been unimportant to the priest. He also has to know that Father Bremen would not have the means to pay a large sum for information

"The Azzies, Sybersnake, this strange virus, they are the top blocks of the pyramid, while Julia's safety is the base. My number one priority is locating her and getting her protection."

"Father Bremen trusts you Kiki, and he also trusts me. That knowledge combined with my belief that you do not want to see Julia harmed is enough cause for me to trust you now. All I want now is for you to trust me enough to help me find Julia, then I would be willing to discuss compensation for your other information."

Damn this place. I cannot even tell if he is lying or on the level. What I perceive as emotion could just be skilled and deceptive programming.

20:48:24 Friday 05 January 2063 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle, UCAS

Shitoki smirked, as he watched Tanisa vanish into the crowd. He allowed himself to be led onto the dance floor by Mioko.

"I'll warn you in advance," he said leaning towards her, "I may be a hazard to your feet..."

Despite his warning, he did his best to follow her lead, as they stepped in the writhing mass of people inside the Inferno.

As she danced close to him, he couldn't help but marvel at her body.

My God, she's gorgeous... he thought, how could I have been so blind?

He knew that attachment could be dangerous in his chosen way of life...but there was just something about Mioko that pulled him such force...

Maybe...

15:00:20 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic // Cyberspace

"Whoo-ee, this one talks purty," Kiki mocked softly. A light miasma of carnival stickiness and gaudy rowdiness and tarnish was beginning to coelesce around the manacles. "But he's also talking something real close to sense. Tiffany, he your catch?"

Without a single piece of visual iconic indication, the reporter's irritation clearly came through: "I've got a survival instinct."

"Sometimes, my dear. Sometimes." But Kiki's attention, now that he had Sybersnake secured, had shifted more fully to Virgil. "Tell you boys what. You keep saying that I should trust you, but so far only the priest has given me a reason; and until now you boys've given me a real strong anti-reason, in her." The decker slams Sybersnake against the rod to which she's handcuffed, hard. Dragon twitches. If he'd been in his own body ... but all this one can bring across of that hard, sheer movement is that single twitch //

-- being picked up off the floor, sweating and limp and distracted and not really there. Galina's gently placing him back in the chair, but most of her attention is on a monitoring screen somewhere just inside Dragon's peripheral vision, and on a background voice that seems somehow familiar --

// "So why don't each of you boys tell me," Kiki was saying, "separately, who each of you are, what's your interest in all this, and why?"

15:00:25 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic // Cyberspace

"My name is Virgil and the Barrens have been and will always be my home. Many of the people whom try valiantly to scape out a living against all that the rest of the city piles upon them are my friends."

Dragon has got to be close to wringing this guy's neck by now, but he will still be able to think clearly enough to follow whatever example that I can set.

"I discovered Julia when she turned up at one of the shelters that I work at. By that time rumors were already flying around Shadowland about a mysterious power that surrounded her, and those rumors foolishly listed the identity of the shelter where she had sought refuge. I am sure that you know far better than I how many sets of prying eyes would have seen that information."

Virgil paused for a moment to gauge Kiki's response. What more did he have to say? The decker knew better than anyone else present at this meeting how much attention Shadowland could bring down upon a subject.

"My primary intention is to find Julia and to get her to some degree of safety, both to protect her, and also to protect the lives of the people whom I see everyday. The lives which would surely be cast aside by whatever parties descend upon the Barrens looking for Julia. Now that I know that the Azzies could be close that concern becomes far more grave, for I know exactly what types of sadistic individuals are closing in on her location."

Virgil could feel his meat body shudder with a cold fear. The Aztechnology mages that would be tracking Julia couldn't even qualify as human by any sane man's definition. To be aprhended by them truly defined the adage "A fate worse than death.

"I do not know what history you and Sybersnake share, and that is not my concern nor interest. I am helping her because she is a friend of my companion's, a man whom I owe an innumerable amount of favors; a man who is following me now due to the same uncountable debt."

15:32 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Redmond Barrens-Cao Jaan's halfway house

"As far as providing astral security I believe that my needs for your abilities are quite different from your previous experiences. This place is a sanctuary for those looking to escape the violence of the streets and to share a hot meal amongst the peace of others. The greatest threat to the patrons of this house come in the form of errant gang violence, there is nothing of interest here for the wayward spirit or malicious spell caster."

Knight could not help but hear a hollow sadness seeping into Cao Jaan's voice as he spoke about the threats to the homeless people whom seek refuge. Perhaps hearing anger or spite at the ignorant violence of warring gangs would have not surprised Knight, but the man seem genuinely sad that any human being would want to do harm to another.

How very strange . . .but perhaps comforting.

"Hiring some young street toughs to guard this place did not seem to be the most prudent option, a show of force often only serves to provoke violence instead of abstain it. Your action would be needed if and only if inter-gang combat were to break out within a block of the shelter, then all I would ask is that you call up a spirit that could frighten any would-be looters away from entering this place. I say frighten, because I would not wish you to do harm upon them."

19:01:03 January 6, 2063 Sunset Apartments - Milton

When you made a habit out of slowly approaching every corner and double checking the shadow cast by any burnt-out light, even a trip down a few flights of stairs could span several minutes. In the end it is a small price to pay, not even a price since his innate caution and slight paranoia had gotten Erebus this far.

Crossing a few steps from the stairwell, he parked his bike close to the stairwell for a reason, Erebus pulled off the cover that lay protectively over the jet black Rapier. Thumbing the engine to life and giving it a few test revs he allowed the tinge of exhaust to seep through his nose. He'd only recently purchased this bike, recognizing it not only as a fast and stealthy form of transportation, but also as an adrenaline rush waiting to be mainlined into his veins. Erebus planned to ride the new Rapier as much as possible so as to learn how to more fully exact the full potential from it's race-bred chassis.

Jerking back on the throttle and hearing the rear tire chirp in response. Erebus sped out of the garage and out onto the awaiting streets.

Time to get down to business.

21:10:31 Friday 05 January 2063 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle, UCAS

Mioko pulls Tenmou outside onto the balcony, fanning herself with her hand.

"Whew. I just need to get some fresh air." She leans against the second story railing, staring out across the city. With a careless gesture, she piles her hair on top of her head with her left hand, exposing the nape of her neck to the cool night air. Tenmou can see the slight sheen of sweat that lines her skin. She glances back over her shoulder at him, her smile wavering from friendly innocence to raw desire and back again.

19:48:53 Monday 01 January 2063 - Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo turned about slowly, finally having to wrench herself away from the spectacular spread of the city below, just so she could meet Caska's gaze. The flowers, the drive from her apartment, the music, the mansion (part of her was still reeling from this one), and finally the whole of Los Angeles laid out before them .. everything fit so flawlessly she couldn't bring herself to over-analyze the pieces; the whole was simply too overwhelming, too overpowering to cheapen with petty things like "instinct," and "training."

"How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!"

This was not to say, however, that "instinct" and "training" had abandoned her to a night of witless romanticizing but rather that they prevented her from becoming completely caught up in the moment, lost in the titillatingly dangerous presence of the creature beside her and the night's potential. As much as a part of her might have wished for things to be different, wished for a full, normal life, she knew that nothing would be half as exciting, or potentially satisfying, as they were now. A small, enigmatic smile crept across her lips as she reached for the goblet, her soft, slightly chilly hand lingering over his. Cosmo spent a few long moments studying his face; his eyes, the set of his jaw, the curve of his lips .. her intense perusal as tangible as any touch as she began to reform her opinion of the man who called himself "Caska."

If the low baritone of his voice caught her off guard, she gave no sign of it beyond a slight widening of her eyes and a softly indrawn breath.

"To new .. friends."

Cosmo arched an eyebrow, her quietly confident voice trailing off with the barest hint of a question.

19:49:24 Monday 01 January 2063 - Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, CFS

Caska rings his glass softly against hers.

"New friends." He holds her eyes as he drinks from his glass. "Shall we?"

Cosmo follows the tilt of his head to the corner of the patio. A table for two, in the shape of an open crescent, is set immaculately with silver flatware and dark crimson linen. Betwen the horns of the crescent, set ten centimeters lower, is a shallow bronze bowl filled with gray lava rocks. A small gas fed flame flickers in their heart, enough heat radiating to the table to ward off the evening chill.

Caska holds Cosmo's chair for her, before serving the first course himself: a light Mediterranean salad with romaine and cucumber, black olives and red onions, dusted with olive oil and white wine vinegar.

19:16:14 January 6, 2063 Tacoma streets

Erebus enjoyed the feel of the cold night air pressing against him as he jetted along the streets. He loved to ride, the feeling of movement made him feel safe, even though he knew better intellectually. He figured a skeet felt safe while flying through the air too, no matter what though it was a feeling he savored.

He kept a sharp eye out for any of the Spikes go-gang. The Troll go-gangers oft times rode this part of Tacoma near the docks and they had a pathological hate for Elves. With the helmet on and with his build they might mistake him for a norm, but then again maybe not, and even the worst of them could ride him into the ground.

Noticing a particular neon sign up ahead, Erebus angled his bike to the right and slid smoothly into the parking lot of the Radio Shack. He'd been meaning to pick up some tools for awhile now, and since he had a few minutes now was as good a time as any.

The contrast between the cold dark city streets and the bright almost antiseptically clean interior of the store hit Erebus like blast of warm air from an oven. It wasn't unpleasant, just strong. He carried his helmet in his left hand and automatically in getting off the bike he'd unbuttoned his armored jacket to allow him quick access to his weapons if the need arose. Even in his street clothes he was sure he didn't look out of place for this store, he dressed like a blue collar worker rather than some street hood. The teenage Ork behind the counter barely even looked up from the small trid unit he had behind the counter. From the muted sounds he was watching a re-run of the last Seattle Timberwolves combat biker match.

Erebus didn't bother to look around the store, beyond checking to verify the place was empty, and strolled right up to the counter where the attendant sat. The kid tried to ignore him for a few moments, probably hoping Erebus would wander off and let him watch his trid, but Erebus patiently stood there staring at the kid until he looked up.

"Yes sir, can I help you?"

At least the kid was polite, Erebus thought to himself.

"Ya, I need a small microtronics tool kit. Something small, preferably in a soft sided roll-up carrying case rather than the hard sided case. Standard traveling kit, nothing unusual. Got anything like that handy?"

15:00:30 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Puyallup Street Clinic // Cyberspace

Sensing Virgil was finished and prompting him, Dragon smiled thinly. "You've probably guessed, but I'm that guy he's talking about. And yeah, I'm interested in Julia because I'm helping my friend, but I'm not one to leave an innocent person to fry if I can help it. Even if it means taking on the odds."

He looks over at Sybersnake , and when she looks back into his 'eyes', he remembers when they first met, and he knows she's thinking the same thing. 'An innocent person to fry.' That was her then, and it looks like it might be her again if he doesn't help her get out of this mess.

"I've tangled with the Azzies a bunch of times, and let me tell you, I got no love for them. And if they get their hands on Julia," he grins at Kiki viciously, "well, if you really care about her well-being, then chummer are you going to be up nights wishing you'd let us help her instead of getting in our way and letting the Big A get their claws on her."

He gestures to Sybersnake , "As for her, we're friends, and from personal experience, allow me to say that I highly doubt she's helping Aztechnology of her own free will. I'm not buying that. Inadvertantly, probably. Heck, almost certainly. But while it may make her the fall guy, that doesn't make her guilty. She wants to set things right or she'd have cut and run and never come to me and Virgil , because we ain't the type to back down from the right thing and she knows it. So why am I here? I'm helping my friends, and I'm trying to help someone because they need it and it's the right thing to do. I want Sybersnake free and clear of this frame job and all the fallout, I want Julia somewhere safe where no one will hurt her or take advantage of her, and I want to stop the Big A because they need stopping."

Dragon gives Kiki a pointed look and grins, "I'll refrain from pointing out that we don't know your answer to your own question, and simply ask, does that answer your question?"

21:10:31 Friday 05 January 2063 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle, UCAS

Shitoki allowed the cool breeze to blow over them as he looked out over the plex. He could hardly keep his eyes from Mioko, but he strove to keep from gawking at her.

His arm slowly landed on her back and traced a line up her spine to her neck. As his fingertips made contact with the skin of her neck, he could almost feel a low electric current running through his hand. He refused to pull away, instead stepping in closer beside her and allowing his hands to touch her hair.

Shitoki loved the touch of her skin. He had never desired anyone as much as he did Mioko at this very moment. It took a large portion of his willpower to avoid being impulsive and wait to see her reaction to his subtle advance.

18:17:17 Sunday 07 January 2063 – Virtual Daze Arcade

Capiche? Is she in the teenage elven Mafia?

John regarded the girl for a moment, still wondering how he could have mistaken her obviously feminine features for male. Still, what were the odds of finding someone else that met the description he had been given? He glanced around at the fighting around them, waiting until the area was relatively clear before turning back to her and answering.

"Ok, kid. You got a deal." Standing, he pulled his second Manhunter from under his jacket. "Come out from under that table and let's get the frag out of this mess."

Holding the two heavy pistols at the ready, Scrapheap scanned the immediate area for threats as the girl climbed cautiously out and stood next to him. Leaning down he said, "I'm going to try and clear us a path to the door. Stay right behind me. When you see an opening, go for it and I'll follow. If we get separated, meet me at Oodles of Noodles, it's a noodle stand up the street. You know it?" When she nodded, he added, "Ready? Let's go."

21:10:48 Friday 05 January 2063 - Dante's Inferno, Seattle, UCAS

Tenmou can feel a tension shimmering in Mioko at his first touch, a tenseness in the muscles that fades as his fingertips tease across the skin of her neck. The chill wind from the Sound lifts her hair into his hands, the red/black mane a halo about her as she turns towards him. She is just tall enough in her heels to nestle her face in the join of his neck and shoulder, her body warmer now than a minute ago when they stepped from the dance floor.

"I miss you so much," she whispers, her eyes closed, "I'm so lonely without you."