23:12:44 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

"I'm something of a regular, they keep a table open for me."

Reign smiles her thanks at the waitress as she brings Tony's wine as well as a steaming cup of chai. She warms her hands on the tea, staring into softly swirling liquid. For a moment silence stretches between the two of them. A small smile plays across her lips, and she sips carefully from her drink.

"Care to mix business with pleasure?"

23:13:20 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

Why did I not see this coming? Tony thought as he poured the wine, trying and succeeding in keeping a steady hand for once. Reign’s whole seduction damn near screamed setup from the beginning, and it took most of Tony’s remaining self-control not to stroll out of the restaurant in some godforsakenly sterile part of Bellvue and drive off back to his doss and call this another bad dream. I’ve got other things to do he thought again.

Probably, he should walk the hell away from this right now. Sam had warned him often enough to just keep business biz, pleasure hot, and never mix the two; he’d gotten onto him often enough when he’d found out about his ongoing ‘relationship’ with Priest.

Can’t keep reality from breakin’ in for long he thought with a sigh, twirling the wine glass, then setting it down without taking a drink, looking up and seeing her. Quit fraggin’ kidding yourself. You’d have killed people in that bar for her. You’d have killed that asshole last night in the Spirit if she’d asked. You blew off Sam, and what-ever-his-name-is just to spend time with her. Just make her work for it he thought, seeing her again, looking at him with that seductive smile.

Blinking, his eyes changed from what they had been to a harder, more businesslike squint. The smirk dropped from his face as well, dropping into a neutral stare. “Maybe. Lay it out and I’ll tell you. And don’t skimp on the details; I’m sure that an artist like you probably has good need of someone like me,” Tony said, keeping his voice neutral and his hands flat on the table.

23:13:46 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

A wry smile touches Reign's lips, and she sips from her tea again. If she's noticed Tony's change in manner, she doesn't react.

"If it were in my capacity as an artist, it would be me asking you to pose for me."

She glances up at Tony out of the corner of her eye, touching her lip with the tip of her tongue.

"Which I just might do anyway. But this is a different kind of favor. A friend of mine doesn't have my excellent taste in men and seems to keep falling for the wrong kind of man. The flavor of this month managed to break two ribs and give her a black eye. She's been staying at my place since Wednesday. Will you come with me when I go to her place to pick up some stuff? I'd like to have a strong male presence at my back if things get dicey."

Her smile softens.

"Please?"

23:14:15 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

Overreacted again Tony thought, chuckling softly while taking a sip of the wine. He would have laughed harder to bleed off the tension he’d felt, but guessed that it would seem overly theatric.

“Since you said the magic word…And, you’re in luck too: I have my tools with me. What’s this ‘flavor of the month’ look like? You expecting him to be there?” he said in a much less harsh tone than he’d used earlier, smiling gently.

23:14:27 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

"Actually I was planning on going tomorrow night. I figured he'd most likely be out of the apartment then. He's not much, nothing more than a punk, really. But you know, better safe than sorry."

Reign sips from her tea again.

"Thanks for doing this for me."

23:14:58 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

"Really, its no trouble at all," Tony said with a broadening smile, relieved that Reign’s idea of business and his own were two completely different things. Next time, I’m going to just let her talk instead of getting worked up over nothing he thought, taking a larger sip of the wine this time.

“Barring something coming up, tomorrow night should be ok. I hope that your friend feels better; broken ribs aren’t any fun at all. She’s got a key to this place, right?”

23:15:26 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

"Yeah, it's her place, actually. She's had it rough, but she's mending well. Couple more days and she'll be back to her usual self."

Reign smiled, interrupted by the waitress delivering their entrees. Setting her cup of chai to the side, she uses one of the triangles of pita bread to shovel a bite of rice into her mouth. Outside, a fresh blast of wind rattles the front door and the windows, swirling a curtain of snow down the street.

23:16:15 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

Tony took a good-sized bite from the gyro, bending over the plate to keep the creamy and vaguely cucumber tasting sauce from running down his clothing. “This is good,” he said, savoring the spiced lamb meat.

“Ran her off from her own place? You sure that you don’t want to go over tonight and toss him out on his hoop? Not that an evening with you isn’t very attractive either…” Tony said in between bites. Apart from the domestic violence angle, being run off from one’s home reminded him of things he’d done and wasn’t proud of, and he was looking at this as an act of penance

23:17:02 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

Reign shakes her head, dabbing at the corner of her mouth with her napkin. She eats with delicate efficiency, using her fingers to fill and roll the pita triangles with shavings of seasoned lamb before dipping them in the tzadziki sauce.

"No, tonight isn't a good night. Tomorrow night will be better."

She smiles at Tony.

"I already have plans for tonight."

23:17:22 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

"And what would those plans be? More dance lessons?" Tony said with a slightly raised eyebrow after polishing off a gyro, having successfully kept sauce and longcoat seperated. He was a little dissappointed at not being able to get into a fight with some punk, but another evening with Reign was a safer and far more pleasurable one.

23:17:49 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Reign's eyes danced playfully in the subdued lighting, a particularly wicked smile curving across her lips.

"But first I'm going to finish my dinner. Then I plan on having another cup of chai. And then you're going to take me out to get dessert. And then we'll see if we can't find some appropriate music to dance to."

23:28:17 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

"My my, a full evening then," Tony chuckled, finishing his wine and switching over to water. For the type of evening Reign had planned, he'd need to be less drunk than usual, and the wine was too good for him not to be able to resist if he didn't stop now. Taking out his fork, he took a bite of the basil and tomato salad that accompained the gyro, again being careful to not spill any of the oily dressing on his clothing.

After Reign had finished, drawing out the last few bites by patiently organizing the lamb on the pita slices while keeping up the same wicked grin, Tony added a double espresso for him to the chai she ordered. "So, what do you have planned for dessert?

23:29:32 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

"Something extraordinary." Reign warmed her hands on her teacup again, smiling softly.

"There's a coffeeshop I know on Harbor, up in Everett. It's a drive, but it's worth it. They make this killer cinnamon cheesecake. It's one of my secret places to go."

23:54:29 Thursday 11 January 2063 - The Last Drop, Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

"Well I am flexible, but sometimes there is a limit." Marquis pauses for a minute, before being more direct, "What is in the package?..." There is another pause, but not enough for the man with the newspaper to get his response. Whether he was caught offguard, ignoring the question, or just hadn't thought of the response he wanted to give.

"I normally wouldnt ask the question, nor want to know, but you have given me reason to mistrust you. Now I know that in this line of business, that you should never trust anybody, but there has to be a little between employer and employee. You have to trust me to get the job done, and I have got to trust you, not to set me up."

Marquis, not wanting to tip his hand, hasn't scanned the room, not wanting to give Karma's position away. That is assuming she is there, which he does.

23:54:52 Thursday 11 January 2063 - The Last Drop, Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

The pale-eyed man waits until Marquis has finished.

"Your suspicion is only natural: a survival trait bred by a successful life in the urban jungle. But you must also realize that I cannot reveal the nature of the delivery that my employer seeks to make. I can assure you, though, that your contract is designed to prevent you from coming to any harm. Neither I, nor my employer, would gain from your demise."

23:33:05 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

“It’s not that far,” Tony said with a smile, remembering his drive from earlier this week. From here it was a bit longer, but the route wouldn’t take him where he didn’t want to go with a date. More coffee wouldn’t hurt either, already feeling a little less buzzed and more alert from the black and hideously strong espresso. They sat in slience for a moment, sipping coffee and tea, while dishes rattled in the kitchen.

“While we’re sitting here, sipping on our aperitivo, why don’t you tell me your story?” Tony drawled, slipping abruptly into a Jalisco accent in Spanish, then back out to a drawl.

“Please?” he winked, using the same tone as Reign had earlier on him, and gently reaching across the table, taking her soft, delicate hand in his own larger, calloused one.

23:55:21 Thursday 11 January 2063 - The Last Drop, Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

"I am still going to have to ask for more money."

23:33:24 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

Reign sips thoughtfully from her tea, steam from the cup curling softly around her face.

"There's not much to tell, really. It's all pretty standard. Good girl grows up in a nice home, with nice parents, rebels a little, goes to college far from home, loses her way along the way, and ends up as a starving artist living in a loft in Everett."

Her smile grows a little playful.

"You keep thinking I'm something special when I'm just your average, everday girl next door."

23:55:44 Thursday 11 January 2063 - The Last Drop, Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

"It's a simple package drop, with minimal interaction on your part. Minimal threat on the delivery end as well. Fifteen hundred is more than enough for this mission."

The pale-eyed man seems surprised at Marquis' request. After a moment, though, he nods.

"My employer agrees that that the risk, though, is worth additional compensation. He is willing to raise the payment to two thousand nuyen."

23:36:55 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

“Hey, we all rebel. Even when there isn’t much reason to,” Tony said, taking another sip of the coffee. “And everyone loses their way; the important thing is that you make your own. You probably wouldn't believe what my parents do.”

“I just kinda realized that I’m taking a girl on a date that treks most of the way across the Sprawl, and I don’t even know anything beyond her name. And you are special. Very special; I don't think I've met anyone quite like you before."Tony said with a wry grin of his own, trying to hide a bit of concern. Thanks to the food and coffee, he was decently sober now, and starting to think. Always a bad sign. You’re going to get this girl involved in stuff she has no business being in. You want her to end up like the chica yesterday?

“Like you said, mystery’s nice. You’ve got more than a few left, I’d imagine.” Swirling his cup around and finishing the dregs of the brew, he stood up, held out his hand and bowed deeply from the hip.

“Your carriage awaits. To the cheesecake?” he said, in a horrible British accent to take his mind off of bad images.

23:37:29 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

A warm flush spreads across Reign's cheeks, only partly due to the chai.

"My how you flatter so. I'll bet you say that to all the girls."

Her smile, though, tells Tony that his words have meant something to her. She finishes her drink and nods. standing. The coins of her choli ring softly as she settles her voluminous cloak about her.

23:38:10 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Outside Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

“Been talkin’ to my ex’s?” Tony drawled in a teasing tone of his own while holding the Americar’s door open. The tab hadn't been outragous for the quality of the food and the atmosphere, but it still wasn't a cheap place to eat by any circumstances, especially with the tip. The parking area’s lot was mostly clear of major snow, with only a few windswept drifts that had stayed away from the traffic.

After getting in the car and setting a somewhat off track route to Everett that didn’t cross into Snohomish, he asked “Where is this place at?”. How am I going to tell her? he thought, not really wanting to tell her that she might be in some danger by just being with him.

23:38:41 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Outside Alborz Restaurant, 2838 Westmere Ave S, Bellvue

Reign glances sideways at Tony before drawing the cowl over her head.

"Just take the five north and exit at Marchand Ave. It gets a bit complex after that."

She settled herself into the passenger seat of Tony's car, anonymous inside her all encompassing cloak.

23:45:11 Friday, 12 January 2063 - Onramp to I-5 North, Bellvue

“Aye Aye,” Tony said, keeping up the fake accent. Pulling out onto Westmere, Tony let the autonav drive along a route he’d picked out. Turning up the heater and tuning to a blues station, they drove along in silence punctuated only by a re-mastered Robert Johnson tune and the thump of tires running over expansion joints in the pavement. Tony was thinking how or what to tell her, and trying to find what he’d figured out earlier in the bar before he saw her. Reign stayed wrapped in her cloak, seemingly content with the comfortable silence that stretched between them.

Tony broke it when they reached the onramp for the 405. “Nuyen for your thoughts?” he said softly, resuming his normal drawl.

23:51:39 Friday, 12 January 2063 - 405 North, Bellvue

Reign's smile is luminous in the darkness.

"Just a nuyen? I must be slipping. I'm just thinking about how rare a thing it is to find an individual willing to put himself in the middle of a domestic dispute. You're more of a gentleman then you think you are. Hearts are breaking tonight because you're here with me."

23:55:58 Thursday 11 January 2063 - The Last Drop, Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

"I have my reasons."

Marquis doesnt tell him anymore about the fact that he checked his story. If the pale eyed man knows that Marq knows he lied about the call, he hadnt indicated it. Not knowing how to make it more known, other than flat out telling him, but this may not be the time or place.

23:53:12 Friday, 12 January 2063 - 405 North, Bellvue

“No, hearts are breaking ‘cause that guy from Karl Kombatmage is getting married, not because of anything I’m doing,” Tony said deadpan as the car pulled into the main lane of the 405.

“And you don’t know that I am a gentleman; all I said last night that I could play one pretty well. I could have completely different motivations for helping,” Tony said with a lecherous grin of his own, trying to laugh or lust his disquiet away; not completely succeeding at either.

23:56:11 Thursday 11 January 2063 - The Last Drop, Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

"So we have an accord, then?"

The pale-eyed man quirked an eyebrow at Marquis, setting the folded up newspaper down on the counter behind him.

23:53:47 Friday, 12 January 2063 - 405 North, Bellvue

"Oh? Different motivations? Trying to get into my good graces just so you can take advantage of me? Use me, abuse me, and then kick me to the curb?"

Reign's tone is playful and teasing, her hands sneaking out from within her cloak to poke at Tony.

23:54:20 Friday, 12 January 2063 - 405 North, Bellvue

"Or other things: I could be a guy that just likes to fight. Or I could be very infatuated with you. Or any combination above. But, abuse you? I'm the one that needs to worry about abuse: I've still got scratches from last night," Tony said, matching Reign's teasing tone. Where she poked him with her slim fingers his muscles clinched; half to ward away the blows, half responding to her touch.

"And you never did tell me how long that outfit took to put on,"

23:56:25 Thursday 11 January 2063 - The Last Drop, Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

"Sure," the reply comes out flat, void of emotion.

23:54:42 Friday, 12 January 2063 - 405 North, Bellvue

"Oh please," Reign scoffed, slapping playfully at Tony's shoulder.

"I didn't hear any complaints from you when it got a little physical. But if you're that sensitive, I supppose I could be gentle with you tonight and simply send you to bed."

She smiled at him, that familiar gleeful predatory expression of hers.

23:56:47 Thursday 11 January 2063 - The Last Drop, Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

Reaching into his jacket pocket, the pale-eyed man withdraws a certified credstick and hands it to Marquis.

"Our agreed upon price. The package will be delivered to your office tomorrow at six p.m. If you have any difficulties, you may reach me at the same LTG number provided last time."

The man pauses to glance at Marquis one last time before heading for the front door.

23:55:45 Friday, 12 January 2063 - 405 North, Bellvue

“I never said that it hurt, just that I had a pretty good case to go to the Star and say that I’d gotten my back almost torn off by my girlfriend. Leaving me now would probably reduce me to getting a guitar and singing bad Aztlaner lovesongs under your window. ” Tony said jokingly, reaching out and gently pokeing back at Reign's leg. “Neighbors would complain, friends would laugh. Not a pretty sight.”

“Speaking of which, why didn’t your friend call the Star on that punk? Not that tossing him around isn’t going to be fun, but it would probably be more satisfying to see him tossed in a cell with a large Troll named Bubba,” Tony said, still with a joking tone. “After all, they come at y’all’s beck and call.”

23:57:09 Thursday 11 January 2063 - The Last Drop, Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

"Thank you sir," Marq says as he receives the credstick. He watches as the man takes his leave, then scans the overhead menu for a regular coffee. He looks back at the door and catches the man glance at him before he leaves. It gives Marquis an uneasy feeling, but pushes it aside and goes back to scanning the menu. Its going to take a pretty good brew to get him home.

23:56:06 Friday, 12 January 2063 - 405 North, Bellvue

"A gentleman and a romantic! You never told me you played the guitar. You realize you're going to have to play something for me now."

Reign grins, playfully batting away Tony's hands.

23:56:42 Friday, 12 January 2063 - 5/405 Interchange, Bellvue

“Never said that I could play; that’s the reason your neighbors would complain. Actually, they’d probably start throwing stuff at me,” Tony laughed out, sneaking his hands around Reign’s guard and getting one soft jab in on her leg before she batted his hands away again.

“I was just hoping that you’d appreciate the effort and take me back in should you tell me to get lost and take pity on me. Though, you’d probably toss a few sculptures at me just to shut me up," he said as the car joined the 5.

23:58:12 Friday, 12 January 2063 - 5 North, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

Reign chuckles, sliding her hands along Tony's muscular wrists, drawing his hands to her body.

"A pity, it would have been a true pleasure to dance as you played."

She winds herself into his arms with sinuous grace, tucking her legs down between his but being careful not to touch the pedals of the vehicle. The coins of her choli ring softly against one another, muted by the draping of her cloak. She nuzzles her lips against the line of Tony's jaw.

"Tell me about your life before," she whispers, "tell me your secrets."

24:03:15 Thursday 11 January 2063 - The Last Drop, Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

"I just want a regular coffee flavored coffee," Marquis requests of the girl behind the counter. While in line he has scanned the shop, but still has seen no sign of Karma. Either she is damn good, or she is a no show. Probably not the latter.

Marquis takes his coffee over to the condiments area, where he adds a bit of sugar and cream. It would probably be better to meet the shadowrunner elsewhere, to go over payments and such, but just in case she thought otherwise he hung around a bit.

After no approach was made, he took his gourmet coffee outside so the winter air could cool it down enough to sip. Marq scanned the parking lot, for any signs of the strange man. It had been a couple minutes since he had left, giving the mechanic nothing really to see.

While taking long swallows of his overpriced drink, something in the parking lot caught his eye. A 2007 Mustang, a little battered and bruised by the elements and time, but none of the less still a classic. Marquis moved closer for a better look, and noticed more imperfections, but was still intrigued.

23:59:01 Friday, 12 January 2063 - 5 North, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

Tony sat there for a moment, silently enjoying having Reign in his arms and thanking the dog-brain and GridGuide for allowing this moment to happen. Her whispered voice, the feel of her skin touching his and her breath upon his face, her very presence were more intoxicating to him than any amount of alcohol that he’d had tonight. He wanted so badly to tell, to let her know…

They were walking down a street, him and a women that he’d seen with him earlier in the month, ID unknown. “Possibly related or lovers, maybe an escort?” the sheet said. Whoever she was, they were close enough together to both fit in the Zeiss-Leopould scope he saw them through, almost a half a click away from the fake KASF van. They often took walks together in the park close to the Pyramid, especially on the sunny days that weren’t too common here in the Sprawl; he’d followed them as a jogger on at least two such occasions.

He’d planned this moment for the better part of two weeks, watching the weather reports and the increasingly shrill and demanding conference calls from home demanding something, some type of response to the continuing stock freefall caused by them. For the first time that he could recall, they’d asked for a plan. That alone made him think this was serious; the Office hadn’t really ever asked for such thing over a call. He’d had one, and at least one of the directors blanched at Tony’s calm demeanor while presenting it. He’d been excused from the rest of the meeting, his assistant almost carrying him out. Tony tried not to roll his eyes as the man left the room. Didn’t he know what he was up here for? “How soon, Mr. Francis?” Markenson asked, tapping a pen on the table.

Frag off, asswipe Tony thought. “Thursday looks good on this end. The target likes sunny days,” he said in a diplomatic voice. He’d never liked Markenson pompous ass, but at least respected him for not drekking around when the chips fell. Most of the people in the Office could be maddingly handwringy when it came to make a decision like this.

“Go on Thursday, we’ll plan for then. Thank you, Mr. Francis, please proceed.” the asshole said as the call was disconnected.

Tony blinked, and the car was driving itself down the road, and he was holding Reign, her breath still hot on his neck and jaw. Instead of shuddering, he held her closer to him, tightening his embrace, holding her closer to him, wanting to feel anything other than what the waking nightmare made him feel.

“You’d run screaming if I told you,” he said softly, whispering sadly in her ear.

23:59:45 Friday, 12 January 2063 - 5 North, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

Reign listened to the blood thundering through Tony's veins, the hammer of his heart momentarily accelerating as her words tripped his memory. She smiled, brushing her lips against his jaw again.

"Try me."

00:04:27 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 5 North, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

“Try you?” he said, looking into her green eyes. So easy to get lost in them, he thought, So easy to lose what you think you’re doing in those eyes. “Remember, you can’t get back from here,” Tony said finally, blinking again to get away from them, to get back to himself.

“You mentioned old movies? There was one, one of the first remakes into tri-d, way back in the 40’s, I think. I only saw the original,” Tony said in a low voice, the slightest tinges of emotion trickling into his tone. “Pulp Fiction Redux, I think was the name of it. Same high-art title as every other remake during the time. One of the characters was really prone to quoting a bible verse, Ezekiel 25:17, I think,” he said, taking a deep breath and continuing softly, barely audable over the blues on the radio.

“At the very end he realized what exactly he’d been quoting. ‘You are the weak, and I am the tyranny of evil men’ he said” Tony said, remembering something he’d long ago realized himself.

“That’s exactly what I was, and what I am. The tyranny of evil men. Maybe they ain’t evil, but I take their money and do what they want. I am no shepard, no gentleman, no romantic. I only play those parts, like an actor would. I’m good at it, but those are only parts of me, not the real me” Tony bitterly, regretting what he said even as he said it.

“I’ll let you out anywhere you want. I promise on my Way not to hurt you or to play bad guitar under your window,” he finished, holding her hand lightly.

00:04:55 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 5 North, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

Reign closed her eyes, breathing in softly. After his confession, Tony's embrace had slackened somewhat, and she ran her fingertips gently over his collarbone.

"Tyranny, perhaps. But you, you are not an evil man. There is nobility in the warrior's path. A greatness that others fail to see. A greatness that I see in you."

00:05:55 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 5 North, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

"Who are you, Reign?" Tony said in a whisper. Most people would have ran at a statement like his. He'd taken up drinking as a defense mechanism when he realized it. He didn’t want her to run away, but realized that it was probably better to have her know, especially if she was asking. But what was she still doing here?

00:06:13 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 5 North, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

"Just a girl. An average, everyday, girl next door." Reign replied softly. "You ask too many questions."

The car travels on in relative silence, the hum of the concrete filling the space around them. Ten minutes more sees them out of the glass and ferroconcrete spires of Downtown and into the square, utilitarian prefab structures of Everett.

Reign directs them to a small commercial mall off Harbor Ave, to a parking space in front of a small coffeeshop advertised as Luna Cafe. Reign extricates herself from Tony's arms, pulling her cowl over her head again.

"C'mon, be a gentleman and get the door for me."

00:17:27 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - Luna Cafe Harbor Ave, Everett, Seattle, UCAS

I’m not the guy next door, though Tony thought. The ride over had passed in a very nice period of silence and warm touching. If not for the steering column in front of them, they could have been sitting on a comfortable chair enjoying a romantic moment that pushed bad thoughts out of his head and replaced them with a companionable warmth that put him at ease.

As they reached the Luna Café, Tony was not impressed. Compared to the coffee shops in the Hill, this place looked as if it had been plopped down yesterday. The landscaping still needed another season to grow in, and Tony thought that if he looked closely enough he could probably spot the crane tracks that had dropped this building down not terribly long ago. For all of that, the place was popular; three-quarters full of a mixture of hipster wannabe urbanites and the real life models they patterned their dress and mannerisms on.

“Certainly, my dear,” Tony said in his drawl, opening the door and bowing gracefully. “This is the place?” he added, more doubtful.

00:17:44 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - Luna Cafe, 2081C Harbor Ave, Everett, Seattle, UCAS

Reign tsks.

"No faith. This is my secret cafe."

She navigates her way gracefully through the cluttered tables and chairs to the front counter. Pulling back the cowl of her cloak, she brushes a hand through her hair. The girl behind the counter smiles in something of recognition.

"May I help you?"

"Tiramisu, please. And a cup of chai." Reign glances over her shoulder at Tony, one eyebrow raised in question.

00:18:32 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - Luna Cafe, 2081C Harbor Ave, Everett, Seattle, UCAS

“Hiding in plain sight then,” Tony said doubtfully as he followed Reign up to the counter. Fragments of conversation drifted toward them, a busboy cleaned up some tables, a few glances caught on Reign’s cloak as they walked up.

“I’ll have a double espresso, real please, and,” quick scan of the glassed in dessert counter, “the cinnamon cheesecake,” he said politely, not finding anything else in the display that caught his attention other than the prices of the items. This better be the best cheesecake known to man he thought, spinning out a credstick from his pocket to pay as the girl behind the counter busied herself with their order.

“I just can’t see you hanging out in here too much. This place doesn’t have much of a soul,” Tony whispered in her ear as the machine began to spit out his drink. He snaked an arm around her waist to take any ill-feeling out of the statement.

13:02:22 Friday January 12, 2063; Ludmilla’s Workshop, Everett, Seattle, UCAS

Leaning back in her chair, Ludmilla stretched her arms back as far as she could. Protective goggles now dangling from her neck, she yawned heavily, trying to shake the numbness away from her tired muscles. It wasn’t particularly late, but her day had started quite early, and wasn’t even close to being over. First, she had gotten up at her usual 7:00, did her daily workout session, when out to ran for 20 minutes, and had been able to make it back home just in time to make some fresh pancakes for Lana.

She would have made some for Zina, but she knew the old woman: “too much sugar; it’ll rotten your teeth!”. Some days, Ludmilla had a hard time even believing her aunt had ever been a child herself.

Leaning forward toward her worktable, she pushed away the magnifier she had been peering thru for the past hours, and then tugged hard on the high precision glue gun’s cord. A gentle “pop” echoed in the small room as it pulled free from the wall socket. From the adjacent room, the wall mounted telecom unit was spitting industrial music. The quality of the sound was far from being top notch… but Ludi had other things to spend her nuyens on. In a corner of the room, which she had turned some time ago into a full fledge microelectronics’ shop, sat a discolored green and yellow plastic bag.

Finding the old overalls Ludmilla needed for the job had been a piece of cake: the first thrift store she had randomly picked carried over 20 different models. What had been a tad harder had been the shopping spree she had then gone on. Lana needed new clothes, and there was simply no way she would simply pass such a nice and cheap selection of goodies. She had gone in for a 15 nuyens pair of work overall… and left about 100 nuyens poorer.

As she worked, all the young mother could think of was the face her daughter would make tonight. She’d be so excited! Lana would insist on trying everything on… and Ludmilla would argue it was too late… but she would, of course, give into her daughter’s demand by the end of it.

Picking up a now cold cup of tea, she dragged her combat boots to the tiny kitchen. It had no refrigerator, and only the sink was working. The place could have been a nice apartment, especially in this neighborhood… but Ludmilla’s had never taken care of it. The three room apartment served both as a storage depot for all her gear, as well as a quiet and discreet place she could do her work. The only piece of none “work related” gear were a small collection of music chips, a box filled with different tea bags, a kettle and a small army surplus bunk bed (for those quick power nap).

In the kitchen, a large printed version of Sascha’s blueprints was pinned on the way, several post-it stuck on it here and there. Emptying her cup in the sink, her thoughts drifted back to the task at hand. In about two hours, she had been able to procure herself almost everything she needed to build the bugs. The bill for the whole thing had already been text sent to Sascha. She could have very well called him… make the whole thing go faster… but after what had happened yesterday, she decided she would deal with him as little as possible.

She’d get the job done, and then would start looking for Yuri.

The only things she still needed weren’t particularly difficult to obtain. She could have had them yesterday if it wasn’t for a small problem; she couldn’t ask any of her comrades… Signal repeaters, radio links and data taps were clear indicators of a job.

Even if they were in theory legal items, they still raised eyebrows.

As she poured herself another cup of tea, she grabbed her pocket secretary off the counter. It was still rather early for business talk, but she still had a lot of work in front of her. Knowing when she’d have all the gear would help her fix the dates for her two part run. Quickly dialing a number, she waited for Zeyda to pick up.

00:19:38 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - Luna Cafe, 2081C Harbor Ave, Everett, Seattle, UCAS

Reign chuckles, blowing gently on her tea.

"Sometimes it's not the soul of the place so much as the soul of its patrons."

She glances quietly around at the half-lit faces cluttering the tables and inhales as if she were savoring the boquet of a fine wine.

"Besides," she leaned in to Tony with a conspiratorial wink as her plate of tiramisu is delivered, "I come for the dessert, not the ambiance."