05:13:09 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac nodded as she tucked her feet up beneath her, grateful for the slightly warmer conditions inside the Roadmaster compared to the warehouse.

“Something like that, yeah. I guess I miss my own bed a little more than I expected.” She smiled softly towards the rigger as she laughed softly at herself at the truth behind that statement. “I guess it’s been quiet around here for a few hours at least if the rest of us were sleeping… Or trying to.”

Mac’s eyes moved about the interior of the Roadmaster, settling back on Drift while he worked. She quietly wondered about each of the members of the team, how they got to this point, what they had given up along the way. She knew a bit of the backstory on each of them, had seen what Drift walked away from in order to keep his family safe, but she hardly knew any of them. She chewed on her lip while her thoughts wound themselves in circles in her head.

“So, did we get what you needed for the keycards? So Isomer can work his magic and get us in that much closer?” She had trusted the glowing green LED on the card copier in the heat of the moment and had been so drained when she came back she hadn’t stuck around to be certain all her efforts weren’t for nothing.

05:19:31 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

"Far as I know it did," replied Drift, his eyes closed. The network display that dominated the holodisplay in the Roadmaster was smaller than the unit setup outside in the warehouse, but Mac could tell that the rigger remained submerged in his network, only preferring to speak due to her proximity and, she guessed, others that might still be listening on the network. An icon briefly highlighted itself in the display.

"Kovacs left about thirty minutes ago to meet up with some of his contacts," explained Drift. "He said that our passkeys would be ready and would at least get us through the outer fenceline. It's still going to be dicey breaching the facility but if we move quick enough it should succeed."

His mouth twisted in distaste at something, though.

"What's your concern, then?" probed Mac. After a moment, the ork sighed.

"The entry plan hinges on Suda being able to get you guys to the rooftop quickly and quietly."

05:31:02 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

If Mac hadn’t been so tired still she might have been able to reign in the look of surprise that flashed across her features for a moment longer than she would have liked. She shook her head as much to hide her tell as much as to share in Drift’s concern. She already was edgy around those that were magically inclined, and the idea of having someone who obviously wasn’t terribly fond of her to begin with having the job of using her magic to control Mac’s ability to get to the roof definitely didn’t sit well with her.

You've got to be kidding me. Seriously? Yeah, that’s going to end well.

“Never a dull moment with the four of you is there?” Mac laughed softly beside herself as she realized how small their chances of success were growing as each layer of the plan was revealed. But a chance was a chance no matter how slim, and unless everyone decided it was a lost cause, there was no way she'd convince Kovacs to institute Plan B. No matter what their relationship had become, she wasn't foolish enough to think he'd turn his back on his team for her.

"Everyone else out on their own errands this morning as well, or are they grabbing some sleep? I didn't pause to look around when I got up."

Mac rolled her shoulders forward and back, trying to work out the kinks and the tightness that settled there.

"I don't suppose there's a stash of coffee anywhere near by. Something tells me if I go off on a search of my own I'd never hear the end of it." She smiled despite the truth of that statement. "If there's anything I can do to help you out this morning, give me a holler? Otherwise I could use a little time to sort some things out on my own..."

Right now she wanted to settle the riot that still plagued her head, to center herself before Kovacs got back from whatever he was up to this morning and she didn't have any more time to herself, and some time working through the Asanas alone sounded like the perfect remedy unless Drift had something for her to work on.

05:36:17 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

"Nope, everyone else is still catching some rest. The man is the only one out and about. He got the required four hours of downtime and then started checking things off the list."

Mac didn't need Drift to explain further, knowing that he was referring to the artificial implant which allowed the user to sleep only a single REM cycle and emerge rested and fatigue free. She wondered if Kovacs still suffered from the nightmares, and how he was dealing with them without a midnight cup of tea. Drift dropped an icon into her AR, indicating the small hot water heater in the small amenities section of the Roadmaster.

"Don't take the coffee out into the warehouse, though," he admonished. "You'll wake up Tristan with the smell and he just went down to rest a couple hours ago."

05:51:57 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac nodded her understanding as she uncoiled her legs from beneath her and got to task, thinking even day-old soykaf sludge would have made her happy this morning.

“Got it, I don’t want to wake sleeping beauty. Guess you’ll be stuck with me for a little longer. Can I make you anything?”

She shrugged when Drift politely declined and brewed a cup for herself strong enough to wake the dead before she curled herself back up on the bench seat, her fingers wrapped around the cup as she inhaled deeply and a genuine smile graced her lips. Coffee and eventually yoga would be a good start to the day, no matter what it might bring. Figuring she’d make the most of the time she had alone with Drift she continued the more pressing line of conversation from before.

“So if the plan is to get us to the roof, and Suda’s more than capable, why the concern?”

She took a sip from her cup, feeling the slow burn of the hot liquid as her thoughts were already voicing multiple opinions on reasons the plan raised red flags for her, but she was curious to hear the rigger’s thoughts if he was willing to share them.

05:56:06 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Drift, though supine and submerged, still managed to convey his tone enough for Mac to fill in the blanks.

"Because Kovacs doesn't trust her. And I don't trust who he doesn't trust. And it's bad business to go into a run with people you don't trust. You start second guessing them and looking over your shoulder. It didn't used to be this way. Before- um. Before."

Mac tilted her head to the side, taking a sip from her coffee. "Before what?"

The rigger shifted uncomfortably. "Y'know. Before."

Mac's eyes probed silently, waiting. Drift fidgeted, then sighed.

"Don't tell him I told you. Suda and Kovacs used to have a thing."

She chuckled. "Drift, anyone can see that from the way they talk."

"Naw, not just that," replied the rigger. "They used to be serious. And then they weren't. And neither one of them would talk about it. That's what really broke us up. It took eight months, maybe a year, but the team wasn't working anymore. So Kovacs lined up a last few jobs, really profitable ones, took us out clean and gave up the life. Or so we thought."

06:08:06 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac found herself nodding along in agreement over Kovacs's lack of trust towards Suda, that was nothing new but the further explanation of their relationship, that nearly knocked the wind out of her. She was grateful in that moment that Drift was submerged and couldn't see the cracks in her poker face start to show. She swallowed hard and shook her head, her very own mask of indifference slipping into place.

"Well that makes more sense as to why she's here. Doesn't help the fact that everyone's got issue with her though and so much is riding on her to get us in..." She trailed off, stopping short of what she could have and wanted to say.

And she's already said she's going to betray us...

She drank long from her cup, but the bitter coffee couldn't stave off the chill that ran through her and only added to the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"I appreciate you being candid with me Drift, means a lot actually." Her voice was flat, but the sentiment was genuine. A few choice words left her with more questions and the one person who could provide answers wasn't around to do so, nor was she in a position to ask. She needed an escape, something a bit stronger than yoga would provide.

Mac downed what was left of her coffee and stood back up on slightly shaky legs.

"Thanks for the coffee, I'm just gonna step outside the door and grab a smoke for a few."

Slipping from the Roadmaster before Drift could protest, she grabbed her coat and found her heels were still where she had kicked them off hours earlier near the command center and made a bee-line for the side door, lighting up before she had even stepped outside the first of what would likely be many cigarettes to come as she fought her flight response.

06:23:29 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

The first cigarette did little to calm the riot of emotions that screamed through her head, and Mac lit another immediately afterwards as she paced along the edge of the warehouse. This new information on the history between Kovacs and Suda worried her. Was he trusting her solely because she was someone he'd broken rules with before? Did his feelings for her blind him to the magnitude of damage that her betrayal would cause? It seemed so unlike him to underestimate those effects. His trademark when it came to operations was one of silent, cold calculation. Mac had a hard time reconciling that, but it wouldn't be the first time she'd seen an intelligent man do stupid things for a woman. Her second cigarette burned her fingers as it ashed down to the filter and she cursed, tapping out another one.

"You seem like a woman with a problem," said Suda, emerging from the shadows by the door. "Anything I can help with?"

06:31:49 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

The moment the Cat Shaman slipped from her shadows was the moment Mac’s walls went all the way back up. Knowing full well that Suda could read her emotions as easily as if she was reading an email, Mac did her best to reign them in, choosing to speak in half-truths and omissions.

“Unless you’ve mastered time travel with your brand of magic, doubtful.” She lit her third and final cigarette, crumpling the now-empty pack and shoving it into her pocket along with one hand to warm it up. Slowly exhaling a stream of blue-grey smoke that curled around her face she was as close to truthful with the woman as she felt she could be.

“Just trying to make sense of life turned upside down, inside out and sideways in a very short span of time.” She dismissed it with a nonchalant wave of her hand that would have made even Tristan proud and managed to smile over that in spite of herself. She would have loved to ask some poignant questions of the woman who stood before her, but uncertain of what hornet’s nest she might stir up, and even more certain she wouldn’t particularly want to know the answers, Mac kept quiet and decided to keep the peace instead.

“Kind of you to offer to help, but I don’t think there’s much you can really do. So I'm out here, drowning my thoughts in nicotine and taking a moment to enjoy the cold morning air and the relative quiet of the early hour. And of course trying not to wake Tristan with the aroma of coffee.”

06:37:14 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Suda's laugh was soft and musical. "If ever there was a man who proved the adage about food and the heart, it would be Tristan. It's kind of you to be considerate of his rest."

The slim shaman pulled the cowl of her cloak tighter about her face as the winter wind swirled about the two women, wisps of snow scurrying down the empty street. After a moment, she sighed.

"And as for the first part, not even the most powerful among us can turn back the river of time, nor even affect its flow. Everyone has regrets in their past they would change if they could."

She might have said more, but at that moment an airy, ethereal presence manifested before her, communicating silently. The hairs along Mac's arm stood on end as the spirit made its presence known. Suda nodded, dismissing her minion with a gesture before quirking a smile at Mac.

"No rest for the wicked it would seem." Turning, she disappeared back into the shadows of the warehouse as silently as she arrived.

06:51:39 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac let our her breath in a sigh along with the smoke from the last drag of her last cigarette as the shaman disappeared back inside. With a shake of her head that sent her dark curls tumbling she pulled her commlink from her pocket and fired off a quick message for the benefit of Kovacs’ eyes only.

Estimated ETA back? Wouldn’t mind monopolizing a few minutes of your time to talk if you can spare them.

She lingered outside just long enough fire off one more short but sweet message in Frankie’s direction as well.

Still breathing. Thanks again for the other day and the conversation, I really owe you. Let me know if you need anything.

Shoving her commlink back in her pocket, she took one last deep breath of the cold morning air and stepped back inside the relative warmth of the warehouse. Seeing Drift was still running ops from the comfort of the Roadmaster. Suda had disappeared to wherever she went to do her voodoo, and it appeared Tristan was still sleeping, she kicked her heels back off at the command center and tossed her coat over the back of one of the empty chairs. The burn of clove and nicotine still lingered on her tongue but it had only turned the volume of the chaos in her head from a 9 to a 5.

Mac rolled her neck from side to side trying to work out some of the tension before she realized just how tight every inch of her body truly was. She bent forward at the waist, placing her hands on the cool concrete floor and easing herself down to her forearms as she took a step back and put herself into Dolphin Pose. She moved herself into Downward Dog and forced herself to draw long, cleansing breaths and focus on the draw in as well as the exhale. She moved back between the positions two more times before she stood up and moved into Natarajasana and the questions in her head finally started to go nearly silent for the time being.

07:28:19 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac let herself sink into the meditation, quieting the riot of voices inside her head, the fears, the worries, the rage, all leeching away from her as she controlled her breathing. How distinct was the memory of just a few days ago, when Kovacs walked her through the same exercise. She made an effort to put even that away, to clear her mind of everything and exist solely within the nothingness of the universe. Gradually she became aware of something else, some deep reservoir of calm nearby, as if she sat on the shores of a vast, placid ocean. The energy washed over her and through her, buoying her spirits and soothing her macerated nerves.

Mac opened her eyes, breathing deep for the first time in days and not feeling as if a vice were crushing her ribs. Blinking, she realized that Tristan was awake, seated just a meter away in his own meditation. His eyes were closed, and his fingers intertwined in his lap in a complex pattern reminiscent of the Kuji Kiri meditation used by the samurai. Shirtless, he seemed immune to the chill of the warehouse, and Mac couldn't help but stare at the patina of scars tattooed across his muscles. He smiled, not opening his eyes.

"You're very centered for someone so young. Your meditation skills are impressive."

Mac shrugged. "Thanks, I'm sure yours are better, though."

Tristan opened his eyes, his gaze warm, yet piercing and direct. He spoke volumes with just a tilt of his head, a language she knew intrinsically but a message rarely sent her way. "I'm going to do a little physical practice," he said, stretching his shoulders. "You're welcome to join me if you'd like."

07:36:22 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac nodded as Tristan's compliment softened the look on her face as she dropped out of her pose and into Mountain and held herself there until her body caught up to her head. She was grateful for Tristan's offer as well as his overall calming influence, not knowing what she'd do to otherwise occupy her time this morning.

"Sure, thanks."

She watched as Tristan rose to his feet with an effortless grace and as he walked away from her she could see the myriad of scars that continued across his back. Silently she wondered as she followed him, how long it would be if they made it through this run at all, before her emotional scars would turn to physical ones. Her train of thought might have instilled a sense of panic in others, but for her it brought a different sense of peace, further cementing her point of transition in her life.

Mac padded on bare feet behind Tristan across the warehouse as she wondered just what his choice of practice would be. A slight smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as she remembered watching Kovacs and Tristan spar back at the house. They were fast and lethal where she was still slow and almost clumsy in comparison. Truth was she could probably use all the practice she could get right now given the circumstances.

08:13:56 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Retrieving a pair of dense plastic practice blades from his pack, Tristan handed one to Mac. In design, it wasn't that different from the blade she'd picked at Baendyrmal's forge, and she hefted it in her hand, finding a comfortable grip. Tristan moved them over to an empty area of the warehouse.

"All right, I know Kovacs has been working on your open hand skills a bit, but this is blade work so limit your offense to that. Start at half-speed and we'll pick things up as we warm up. Now, attack."

Mac blinked at him, then shook her head slightly, preparing for another pride-swallowing practice. Light on the balls of her feet, she circled, then slid in, slashing at the inside of his right wrist. Tristan did something, and her blade passed by without making contact. She glanced at him, waiting for the smile or snarky comment. Instead, his face was a mask of concentration, his eyes rolling over Mac's stance and form. She stayed inside, cutting at his torso. Again, her attacks were turned away, this time with blocks and controls rather than simple evasions. She didn't notice herself getting faster, but after another series of cuts she was breathing hard, her hand tangled with Tristan as she cut at his neck. He did something, twisting, and suddenly had her knife.

"Good," he said, taking a breath and handing her knife back. "You're quick and balanced, with a good eye for openings, but you're too linear in your movements and you're not being efficient when it comes to targets. Lets work through some angles and then we'll spar again."

08:27:13 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac listened as Tristan began to teach her a different, more efficient way to attack and to defend. He both showed and shadowed her through the movements, through the angles, every movement fluid and graceful versus where her body and muscle memory from the streets fought the efficiency and control he tried to teach her

She thought in that instant about the differences between the teaching approaches of both Tristan and Kovacs which took her mind off on a tangent, missing the last piece of her instruction as her thoughts drifted to the Samurai who was missing from the warehouse.

In a split second she thought it odd she hadn't heard anything from Kovacs since she sent her message, and hoped it was nothing more than him being tied up with business. In a split second Tristan took advantage of her distraction, moving quickly in a way that put him behind her, immobilizing her with the plastic of the blade against her throat.

"You can't lose focus." The swordsman said matter-of-factly, unrelenting in his stance so the lesson would sink in.

Mac growled in response as she dropped her knife, her hands reached up and clamped tightly around Tristan's forearm and she pulled down with all her strength, loosening his grip enough for her to torque slightly against him and slip beneath his hold, scooping her blade back up and standing off to face him again.

Her chest rose and fell with each breath, the thin cotton of her t-shirt clung to every inch of her skin that was glistened with a light sheen of sweat. She fixed her gaze on the swordsman's body instead of his face, trying to anticipate his movement while she managed one word between breaths.

"Again."

08:54:26 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Tristan nodded, and reset for the drill. This time he was the one who slid in on the attack, moving at a speed reduced enough that Mac would have a chance. She still didn't catch the first one in time, feeling the dull plastic blade slide across the inside of her right elbow in a cut that would have severed half the nerves and blood vessels had it been real. She stayed inside, riding the flow and rhythm of the fight, her blade searching for the openings against the targets Tristan had showed her. Once again she could feel herself speeding up, twisting tighter, blade moving in closer circles. Fatigue was rapidly catching up to her, though. Full speed sparring wasn't an exercise she was used to, and as her breathing became ragged so did her form. At last, when she could tell that Tristan was turning aside her attacks with ease, she put all she had into a straight lunge, her blade spearing out for him. Again, just as it seemed she would hit home, he moved, flowing around her attack somehow and locking up her arm tight enough that the blade dropped from her nerveless fingers.

"Ow! Cheater!" Mac rubbed her arm, glaring at the swordsman, who smiled back at her.

"If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'. But I'll show you that one tomorrow." Tristan scooped up the blade from the floor. "Nice work."

"Yeah, yeah," Mac grumbled, retrieving her shirt and checking her commlink by reflex. Kovacs had replied to her text some fifteen minutes ago.

Back at 0930. We can go for a ride.

09:22:54 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac couldn’t hide the small smile that turned up the corners of her lips as she read the message, even knowing the intense conversation that was likely to come onceKovacs returned. Instead of letting herself get worked back up over the thought of it, she closed her eyes and slowed her breathing to long deep breaths, trying to find her way back to that oasis of calm from earlier with Tristan.

When she finally got her heart rate down to something approaching normal, she fired off a quick reply as she headed back to get cleaned up and changed out of what had become her workout clothes.

I’ll be ready.

As she dug through her things she threw on well-worn jeans and a grey cowl-neck sweater. She brushed her hair into a high ponytail and touched a tiny bit of her favorite perfume behind her ears as an instant pick-me-up. Looking around, she took a few extra moments to empty her clutch from the night before. Mac returned various items back to the small teal box buried in her things. As her fingers moved over the various patches, pills and chip cases her attention lingered on the single unlabeled grey chip in the group. The one Kovacs had handed her in his living room. The one that contained all his "recipes".

Deftly plucking the chip from the box, curiosity got the better of her as she sat on her cot and popped it into the chipjack of her commlink and waited to see what it really contained.

09:28:32 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac's commlink whirred, then threw up a pair of graphics into her AR. The first was a text file titled Kovacs - LWT, a pale green paper file icon, while the second was a matte hash indicating an unreadable file, this one called Kovacs.pra. Curious, Mac was about to open the first file when the rumble of the garage door interrupted her. Kovacs nosed the truck through the opening, parking just inside rather than pulling all the way forward next to the Roadmaster. Drift emerged from his truck at the same time as Kovacs stepped down from his, Tristan was right behind, his mouth full of a bite of a sandwich he'd appropriated from somewhere.

Kovacs passed out thin shrink-wrapped packages to everyone, pausing momentarily to ensure the name scrawled on the top matched the recipient.

"ID and passkey," he explained unnecessarily, "Good for twenty four hours after first use so keep 'em in reserve until at least Monday if not Tuesday."

He was still holding one packet and Mac assumed it was for him until he stopped and glanced around before letting his lips twist momentarily. Tristan held out his hand but Kovacs waved him off.

"I've got another couple of errands to run with Mac, we'll be back by noon. Drift, I want to do a drive by of the facility today to make sure our exit routing is viable. Tristan, head back to Geisty's and tell him if we use the visas we'll be entering the Underground via the Northeast Tollroad and that they should be expecting us. I'll lend you the truck after we get back."

Tristan nodded. "What time tomorrow did you want to run by the depot and pick up our goods from Demetria?"

Kovacs glanced at Drift, who consulted some kind of internal timeline. "Five hours to get everything loaded."

"1300," Kovacs said to Tristan, "tell them to be ready. I want to be in and out at speed."

Tristan nodded in reply again, his mouth full of food. Kovacs turned to Mac. "I'll be ready to go in a couple of minutes, I've got to drop this with Suda. You can wait in the truck if you want to."

09:40:11 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac’s eyes narrowed with the beginning of a question that didn’t leave her lips before she shook her head, shrugged and made her way up to the passenger door of the Rover by way of the command center to grab her coat. She just decided to tack that last question onto the ever growing list that was formulating in her head as she pulled open the door and climbed up inside.

Her commlink shivered with an incoming message as she settled in and she decided while she waited for Kovacs she’d start clearing out her ever growing list of unanswered messages and emails. Many were from her now-former clients, and she tried to suggest to her favorite clients introductions to other girls in her inner circle that she thought would fill the void of her leaving the business, at least for the time being, as she honored the agreement she had made last night.

Last night...

Mac closed her eyes and leaned back against the slight recline of the front seat and replayed portions of last night in her head. What was so different about Kovacs that she said yes? That she wanted more than a casual relationship with him? She shook her head slightly and her attention was pulled back to the pale green paper file icon still glowing on her commlink. Maybe more answers would be inside. Manipulating her AR she started streaming one of her favorite playlists and as the familiar first notes filled her ears, she opened the file and started reading.

She was only mildly aware when Kovacs opened the driver's side door and slid into the truck and was completely oblivious to her softly singing along with her music...

"Hold on
We're so strong
Now we fight as one
Forever together
And I'll save ya when the sky falls
Can you hear the siren call?"

09:57:02 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - Hwy 161 southbound out of Tacoma, Seattle

The text hovering in Mac's AR destroyed whatever calm she'd managed to achieve during her yoga.

M: If I don't make it back from this mission, go to the long term storage on N 142nd St in the University District. Locker number 307. The code is 130 - 616 - 45. Everything inside is yours to do with as you please. Use it to equip yourself for the shadows. If you don't want the picture, please give it to Linda at Studio Milan. You know the addresses to the safe houses, but after this run they may be compromised. I wouldn't visit them for at least a couple of months. If anyone else survives, don't contact them. Let them disappear back to their lives. The shadows are now your home. Remember the lessons that I tried to teach you, and learn from the mistakes that I made. Shoot straight, conserve ammo, and never, ever, cut a deal with a dragon. For what it's worth, in a lifetime of war, you brought me a measure of peace. -K

10:05:49 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - Hwy 161 southbound out of Tacoma, Seattle

Yanking the slim cable from behind her ear made the glowing file go dark, yet did nothing to erase the words she had read from her memory. The sudden silence and the steady vibration of the vehicle as they drove away from the warehouse were of little comfort to her.

She squeezed her eyes shut tight for a moment as she drew a long and shallow breath before she turned her gaze upon Kovacs as he drove on silent and stoic as ever. Suddenly all the questions she had both seemed so trivial and important at the same time and their priorities were ever shifting. The fact that he said she brought him peace was not lost on her, but the short amount of time felt unfair. A quiet bitter laugh chided her, reminded her when was her life ever fair. Her voiced cracked as she broke the silence.

"Tell me one thing. This..." She hesitated, trying to put her thoughts into words. "Whatever this is between us exactly... It is real, no?" She tried to temper the hope in her voice, because his answer would determine what she said next.

10:08:02 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - Hwy 161 southbound out of Tacoma, Seattle

Kovacs glanced over at Mac, his eyebrow raised in some confusion as to what she was referring. He read her body language, though, and his eyes caught the end of the OMC emerging from the data port on her commlink. Turning back to the road, he took a breath, careful to compose his face. There was a time for information control and manipulation, a time for operational deception, and a time for honesty. This was one of those times. He looked back to Mac.

"It's as real as it gets."

10:11:17 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - Hwy 161 southbound out of Tacoma, Seattle

Mac felt the electricity of his words race through her and fill the cab of the truck, it steeled her for the next detour in their conversation. There were things that she needed to say, pieces of history she needed to know in order to say them.

“So, about Suda,” There was no trace of malice or jealousy in Mac’s voice, though it was altogether different. More matter-of-fact and serious than usual. She was going to open that Pandora’s box no matter if she truly wanted to or not… Too much was at stake to not speak up.

"The history is obvious, but I want...I need to hear it from you."

She listened as he started to speak, to talk about their history in an operational sense, as a part of the team. Mac shook her head and cut him off.

"No Kovacs, the deeper history. The one everyone evades and dances around. The one everyone eludes to but can't confirm. The one that I need to know doesn't compromise you in all of this... The one that has everyone on edge and untrusting."

She almost regretted the question as she watched his jaw set with tension and his eyes stayed focused on the road ahead. The silence that stretched on became uncomfortable but she was unapologetic and kept her gaze locked on his face as he drove on.

10:19:28 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - Hwy 161 southbound out of Tacoma, Seattle

After several minutes of silence, Kovacs reaches over and engages the autodrive on the truck. He waits until the pilot reports a green status, all safety and control protocols engaged before running a hand through his hair.

"Suda was in love. We were in love. She didn't tell me until afterwards, though. It was about a year, maybe eight months before the team broke up. We were pulling a tight job, high risk, high reward. I told Suda she couldn't come. I couldn't stay objective about the operation and still have her there with us. She didn't take it well. Blew up on me, called me all kinds of names, told me I couldn't control her, stormed out. The usual. I relented, and let her come along."

Kovacs paused, taking a breath. His face is the emotionless mask of an already doomed man receiving further condemnation.

"The run went down without a problem until the very end. We never found out if it was accident or design, but we tripped an alarm and had to withdraw under fire. Suda got cutoff and I went in after her. She didn't make it out, and pulling her body out cost me."

His left hand, still flesh and bone, gestures towards the synthetic limb grafted to his shoulder.

"It was only later, at the doc's, that I found out she was pregnant. The baby didn't make it."

He took another breath, deep and ragged. "They told me it would have been a son."

10:25:51 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - Hwy 161 southbound out of Tacoma, Seattle

Mac felt her breath catch in her throat in the same moment she felt like the floor had dropped out from underneath her. She had expected at least as much as the first part of the history. The latter half however was a bombshell and left her grasping for words that wouldn’t voice themselves to sentiments she couldn’t even begin to put together.

A barely whispered “Kovacs… I’m sorry…” was all she could manage as she dropped her gaze from his face to the floorboards and shook her head.

She was sorry for it all. For pushing for the truth, for his loss, for ever having his life get tangled in the mess that was hers. Actually, she wasn’t sorry for the last part at all. Her life had been more vibrant, more exciting over the last week than she could remember. The depths of the feelings she had for the man who sat beside her overwhelmed her at times, scared her a little even. Maybe a lot if she stopped and gave thought to it. She stared out the window and watched the city speed by outside as she continued to process what he had shared with her.

She was never good at relationships, they had never really fit into her life nor her lifestyle. In truth she couldn’t really qualify anyone from her past as being someone she was in love with. It had always been something else, naïveté or lust, well lust was a feeling and a vice she knew well enough, but it never gave her something to look forward to, never gave her hope and naïveté was what got her tied up with Wayne in the first place. Whatever relationship she had with Kovacs, working or something more, she swore in that very moment she wouldn't let him repeat history, she wouldn't let him do something foolish for her.

Mac reached across the center console and carefully intertwined her fingers with those of his synthetic. The rest of her thoughts and concerns could wait as she felt it would be rather cruel to second guess his ability to remain objective on the upcoming job and the last thing she could take given the situation was for him to push her away. She settled on a gentle squeeze of his hand if for no other reason than to let him know that she would continue to listen for as much or as little as he wanted to say.

10:39:44 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 801 Alder Ave Apt 7, Puyallup, Seattle

Kovacs glances down at their intertwined hands, his face immobile. After a moment of slack, he gives Mac's hand a squeeze in return. Taking a deep breath, he settled his shoulders, the armor around his soul once more intact. He flips off the autodrive and resumes control of the vehicle, dumping them from the highway and onto the surface streets of Puyallup.

Traffic is light this early on a Saturday, and he moves them quickly through the commercial zone surrounding the interchange and into the endless blocks of gray, utilitarian blue-collar housing. The apartment blocs rise between ten and fifteen stories into the gray winter sky, their harsh urban lines enclosing the street like worn and tired sentinels. Kovacs guides the truck into one of the underground parking garages, fishing out a keycard that he scans through the access box. The heavy steel gate scrolls aside, and the dimness of the garage swallows them. Kovacs backs the truck into a spot before grabbing his satchel from the back seat and sliding out of the cab. Mac follows him, once more seeking physical contact as they walked to the elevator. Kovacs gave up his left hand, and they rode up two floors in silence, exiting into a remarkably plain hallway. Once more, the tall samurai uses his keycard to open the maglock on apartment number seven, stepping through and letting Mac enter the sparsely furnished room first.

10:45:03 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 801 Alder Ave Apt 7, Puyallup, Seattle

Mac followed his lead, stepping into what she assumed was yet another of his many safehouses as she let her eyes roam over the generic decor as simple and impersonal as the apartment from last night. She felt Kovacs step in behind her and shut the door, hearing it lock behind them.

She took a few steps further into the apartment feeling Kovacs shadow each one, feeling his more predatory nature stalking behind her. She touched her tongue to her lips as she turned with her next step on the ball of her foot to face him. She tilted her head slightly as she tried to read the situation, to read something in the impassive set of his face and his body.

She watched as his grip on his satchel tighten almost imperceptibly and she raised a brow in response. She voiced the question at the forefront of her mind in that very instant not wanting to misread the moment, her voice soft and with a hint of something else hidden in it.

"Kovacs, why are we here?"

10:50:52 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 801 Alder Ave Apt 7, Puyallup, Seattle

Kovacs drops his satchel onto the couch, raising a thin cloud of dust. He peers into the kitchen, scanning for any signs of unauthorized visitors. A small cleaning drone whirs past, quietly vacuuming the carpet.

"Because you wanted to talk, and it sounded like you wanted some privacy. And because I wanted to do more than talk."

He headed down the hallway towards the closet at the far end, opening up the folding door and rummaging through the shelves before finding a clean set of sheets.

10:58:17 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 801 Alder Ave Apt 7, Puyallup, Seattle

Mac both loved and hated the effect his words had on her as a shiver of electricity ran through her and her body started to respond to the anticipation of what was to come. The primal part of her brain that craved the addicting mix of pain and pleasure and the feeling of his body against hers won out over her desire to dredge up more dark memories or talk about the issues she had with the run, or the file on her commlink. She couldn’t help but smile darkly as she shrugged out of her coat, setting it beside his bag on the couch as she spoke to him down the hall.

“Yes I wanted to talk…” She dropped her voice, knowing full well he could still hear her even as he stepped into what she assumed was the bedroom. “Emphasis on wanted at this point.”

She started slowly down the hallway, her heels barely sinking into the generic carpeting as she walked. She pushed the sleeves of her sweater up to her elbows and enjoyed the feeling as the cool yet stale air of the apartment washed over her warm skin. The hunger in her heightened her senses, her body hyper aware of every sensation as she stepped closer to the threshold of the bedroom.

It took every inch of control that she had to keep from throwing herself at him, to maintain her casual lean up against the door frame as he finished with the sheets and turned to look her up and down. They stood feet apart, one dark soul a mirror to the other. The need in her feeding the predator in him in a thrilling game of continual give and take. Her eyes locked on his. She could see the darkness in him just below the surface, the need, the hunger struggling to break free.

It stole her breath away.

11:39:41 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 801 Alder Ave Apt 7, Puyallup, Seattle

Kovacs closed the distance between them with slow deliberateness, his body turning to press Mac against the open door, his hips grinding into hers. A low growl escaped her throat as she pulled him down into a hungry kiss, tongues tangling together. She felt clothes leaving her body, her sweater yanked over her head, jeans worked down across her hips. She gasped as his lips found the sensitive flesh of her inner thighs, her hands pressing his face tighter as her back arched. Then Kovacs was on her again, spinning her around, forcing her hard against the wall, the chill surface biting at her nipples. He captured her arms with a sweeping twist, wringing a hiss of pain from her lips. The ropes burned around her skin, their implacable grasp wresting away her freedom, pulling her relentlessly into the darkness of her mind.

Belatedly she realized she was lying on the bed, her hips lifted as Kovacs' hands groped and mauled the rounded cheeks of her ass, his face pressed into her groin. Her hungry cries filled the small bedroom, rising twice to a crescendo. Then she was face down, back arched as he knelt behind her, driving into her with bruising force. Fire burned through her veins, raw, hungry energy, as if she'd never been sated in her life. And yet she could feel it from Kovacs as well, an elemental wellspring that fed the painful emptiness within her.

11:58:03 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 801 Alder Ave Apt 7, Puyallup, Seattle

Mac gasped for air as Kovacs drove her face down against the bed with each thrust of his hips, her arms immobile beneath his ropes. She rocked back against him in counterpoint doing everything she could to draw out his release by using her body against him. Her hands closed and flexed around empty air as she longed to dig her nails into his skin, to ratchet up the level of pain he delivered to her. She felt herself slipping over the edge from her restricted breaths, losing herself to the intense heady sensation of when she surrendered to the darkness that burned within her, when she submitted to him. She lost track of time as she lost herself in the moment, only coming out of her headspace as Kovacs clenched his grip on her hips and spent himself inside her, as her final climax though muffled against the bed, mingled with his own.

He pushed her onto her side, her chest heaving with each draw of breath that gave her fresh air as he sat beside her and ran his fingers through his hair. He let her stay bound as she lay there beside him, her eyes half-closed enjoying the ebbing sensations racing through her, as she struggled ever so slightly against the rope and in turn against his will. She was content for the first time in as long as she could remember, her mind was calm and serene. That peace was shattered as she was suddenly lifted up to her knees by her hair, wringing a yelp of pain from her lips.

Stripping the rope away from her body with a speed and force that left lingering marks across her biceps Kovacs wasn't quite done with her, his appetite not yet sated. As he cast the ropes aside, the synthetic of his right hand wrapped around her throat, the latent strength holding her in place and more still than his ropes ever could as he slowly increased the pressure of his grasp. He pulled Mac to him, her long legs straddling his hips as he settled her against his lap, his body stirring beneath her heat. He locked eyes with her as he continued to squeeze tighter, the edges of her vision dancing in hazy grays and indigos. Her body bucked involuntarily against his hips as her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. Her lips parted as if to call out, but no sound came and her eyes flashed with a moment of fear thinking Kovacs might not let go.

As her panic registered with him, he let go and as she drew her deep gasping breath his hands moved back to her hips, driving her down onto him. Mac cried out at the overwhelming mix of pain, fear and pleasure as she snaked her arms around Kovacs' shoulders and held on tight as she gave herself over to him, mind, body and soul.

12:09:56 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 801 Alder Ave Apt 7, Puyallup, Seattle

Mac tasted blood on her lips, and for a moment she wasn't sure whose it was. Blinking open her eyes, she pushed her tangled hair out of her face and saw the raw red wound on Kovacs' shoulder. He didn't seem to notice, his right arm wrapped around her waist while his left draped lower, his hand palming the curve of her ass. Their bodies felt bonfire hot in the narrow chill of the room, pale reflections from the noonday sun filtering through the cheap curtains on the far wall. Mac had a sudden irrational urge to take this man and run, run far away from everything. Find some small room in some far away place and submerge each other in the raw emotions binding them together and never come up for air. She clung to him, desperate for his strength. She felt him trail his fingertips gently down her back, bringing a shiver of goosebumps to her skin. Again, she feels him press his face into her hair, inhaling the rich female scent of her, as if he would never be able to hold her again.

12:16:38 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 801 Alder Ave Apt 7, Puyallup, Seattle

Mac nuzzled her cheek against his chest, pulling herself closer and insinuating herself against him. Whether she was unwilling or unable to let go of him in that instant she wasn't sure but she clung to him all the same. She closed her eyes and tried to memorize every nuance of the moment. The feeling of his skin against hers, the sound of his relaxed breathing, the way he could steal her breath away with a single look or the slightest touch.

She shook her head slightly trying to dispel the foreboding feeling that was creeping into her high that threatened to shatter the moment they shared. The reality that they couldn’t run at this point, too far invested in seeing the plan to the end and doing everything possible to burn it down and make certain de Medici didn’t rise from the ashes. The thought sent a shiver through her that was altogether different from the sensation of Kovacs’s fingers against her skin.

“Can we just stay here a few minutes more?” She murmured against him, her lips brushing against his skin as she spoke.

I’m not ready to go back to reality quite yet…

12:34:19 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 801 Alder Ave Apt 7, Puyallup, Seattle

We can stay forever, said the voice in Kovacs' head.

"We can stay a little longer," said his mouth.

He slipped his arms tighter around Mac, the warmth of their bodies warding off the chill of the room. He felt her breathing against him, the energy of her body soft and sated for once, a peacefulness to her that he wished he could grant forever. He knew, though, that this was the calm before the storm. Tomorrow they would armor up the vehicles and start their recon runs, and by Monday they'd be well set for the intrusion. And everything after was blood and tears.

Rolling to the side, he pulled Mac in to spoon with him, wrapping them both in the blanket, his arm draped possessively across her hip. Silence surrounds them, as if the city had somehow turned its back on the small room to give them privacy from everything. The pale reflected sunlight crossed the room in shadows, and the warmth and comfort lulled them into a restful haze. For the first time in a long time, Kovacs doesn't fear closing his eyes. The minutes seem to crawl past like hours, but all too soon the clock inside his mind tells him that their interlude is over. Pressing his lips against the back of Mac's neck, he gives her one last kiss.

"C'mon. We should get cleaned up."

12:51:37 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 801 Alder Ave Apt 7, Puyallup, Seattle

Mac groaned her displeasure as reality stomped back in on the peacefulness of the bedroom. She tried to bury her head in the blankets as she felt Kovacs slip out from underneath them, taking with him the warmth the pair had almost insulated themselves with against the rest of the world.

“Go ahead,” Her voice muffled as she spoke into the bed. “I’ll join you in a minute.”

She could feel it when he left the room, an emptiness that rushed in on her as she heard the shower start across the hall. Fighting the urge to burrow deeper into the blankets, she forced herself to get up, stretching out her body as she padded into the bathroom to join Kovacs. The shower was utilitarian, purely to rinse off any evidence of what they had just shared of one another and time was of the essence.

Mac started to fix her hair into some semblance of her original ponytail as Kovacs dried off. She couldn’t help but steal a glance at him through the mirror, her lips curving into an appreciative smile as her eyes raked over his body. When his eyes caught hers, she couldn’t help but cast her eyes down, a subtle blush staining her cheeks. She laughed softly at herself and it was slightly infectious, getting a smile out of him as well.

It didn’t take long before they finished getting dressed and completed a few housekeeping tasks, returning the apartment back to its original, anonymous state. Mac slipped her arms into her coat and settled the now-familiar weight of her holster at her hip before she turned her gaze back on Kovacs.

“Anything else you needed to get done while we’re out, or are we headed straight back?”

12:58:42 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 801 Alder Ave Apt 7, Puyallup, Seattle

Kovacs flexed his right hand as if seeing it for the first time. "Nope, finished all my errands earlier. We should pick up lunch on our way back, though. And we can make any stops you need."

Mac furrowed her brow for a moment, then shook her head as well. "Can't think of anything pressing I need, but food does sound good. Where were you thinking?"

Instead of answering right away, the tall samurai gestured her out the door, making sure it locked solidly behind him, then leading her down to the parking garage where the truck waited.

"There's a Thai place I know nearby, we can get some pho," he said, firing the heavy diesel. The truck's navigation system responded to the unspoken request, and without a look back they emerged onto the city streets, disappearing into the urban jungle.

13:41:49 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

"You haven't missed much," said Tristan around a mouthful of rice noodles, gesturing with his chopsticks to the surveillance feed that spun past at eight times normal speed. Kovacs nodded, his attention on the images as he stirred his own bowl. Mac sat behind the two men, perched on the hood of the truck. The dissipating heat from the engine was keeping her nice and toasty warm. The Roadmaster was buttoned up, Drift taking the opportunity to catch some sleep. Suda lay curled on her cot, napping as well. She'd waved a hand to acknowledge the food, but hadn't risen yet.

"Workout later?" asked the lanky swordsman.

"Yeah," replied Kovacs. "Cardio. We're going to be doing some heavy lifting tomorrow."

13:43:26 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac watched the dizzying display of the surveillance feed spin past her vision, catching probably less than a tenth of what was contained in it. She refocused her attention on her Pho, deftly using her chopsticks to pluck a piece of protein along with a slice of a fiery chili from the broth. The burn in her mouth was nearly instant and brought a smile to her lips as she enjoyed the heat of the truck radiating beneath her. She looked up as the screens slowed faded back to real-time footage. She watched the back of Kovacs’ head as he remained with his gaze transfixed on the screens in front of him as he answered Tristan’s request. She cleared her throat, as much to slow the burn from the Pho as to get his attention.

“So if Tristan is heading to Geisty's and you and Drift are going for a drive, what do you need me to do while you're gone?”

13:51:38 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Kovacs gestured with his chopsticks, leaning around so Mac could see a quarter profile of his face. "Stand watch. If something happens push it to us on the network. If it looks like we won't make it back in time, bug out to one of the safe houses and we'll either rendezvous there or grab you on the way."

Tristan appeared from around the corner of the truck, having dressed in his traveling gear. Kovacs passed him the keys, and Mac reluctantly gave up her perch for the swordsman's recently vacated seat.

"Back soonest," was all he said as he fired up the truck's heavy diesel. Kovacs watched with a critical eye until the truck had cleared the surveillance zone around the warehouse, then checked the time stamp in the upper corner of the display before briefing Mac on his plan.

"I'll give Drift another half hour to rest, then we'll do our drive by. Shouldn't take more than an hour."

13:54:09 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac had been afraid that was going to be her role and yet she nodded as her face went a little unreadable as she did her best to hide her mild concern of being the one left responsible, if only for a couple of hours. She shifted her gaze from Kovacs’ face to the screens and get a better look at the layout and what “normal” looked like.

“I’ll try not to be the girl who cried wolf while you’re gone. It’s all icy. Anything you want me to keep my eyes open for?”

She turned back to him with a brow raised as one more, yet very important question popped into her head.

“Suda. Staying or going?”

Frankly given this morning’s revelations and not wanting to walk a tightrope around the Shaman for the next few hours, she rather hoped she’d have the warehouse to herself.

14:07:23 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

"Don't sweat it," replied Kovacs. "Drift still has his mobile assets, he can check things out even when we're on the road. Better to push the question and find out it's just the local squatters than to miss someone moving surveillance assets into place. Just keep an eye out for anything that strikes you as strange. Use your intuition." His mouth twisted into a rare, wry smile for a moment, leaning back in his seat and stretching his arms overhead. Mac scooted her chair ever so closer and was rewarded as he draped his arm over her shoulders. Once again she intertwined her fingers with his. After a moment, he answered her second question.

"Staying, I surmise, she hasn't listed anything in the network which would draw her from the warehouse. You girls play nice."

14:18:12 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac pursed her lips in disappointment at the news but pushed it to the back of her mind and just enjoyed the feeling of his arm around her while she could.

"I'll be a perfect angel."

She laughed softly as she rested her head against Kovacs' shoulder and once again had the near irresistible desire to beg him to go to Plan B, to walk away from this all and leave with her to places unknown. When the realistic and logical part of her chided the romantic movie-type ending she was hoping for, her fingers laced a little tighter with his. She lifted her head slightly and moved her eyes away from the screen to look at his profile.

"Promise me you'll stay safe out there today?"

14:24:38 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Kovacs arched an eyebrow which eloquently expressed his doubt as to her ability to be a perfect angel. Rather than commenting, he leaned over and kissed her. He glanced over her shoulder, concentrating for a moment. The door to the Roadmaster slid open and Drift flopped his arm out.

"Yeah, yeah."

Kovacs smiled, disentangling himself from Mac's embrace. He gave her one more kiss.

"We'll be careful. I won't let anyone turn Drift's son into an orphan."

The Roadmaster's diesel fired and the lanky street sam climbed into the passenger side. The heavy truck backed and disappeared out of the warehouse, leaving Mac alone with the flickering surveillance display and her thoughts.

14:49:12 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

A soft smile lingered on Mac's lips as her eyes watched the various feeds until the Roadmaster was no longer in any frame. Once they were gone, she reached her arms over her head and stretched before settling into the chair, tucking her feet up beneath her. She made sure that while she was paying attention to the information coming in from the surveillance outside, she didn't do it to the exclusion of all else around her. With the majority of the team gone, she could hear more of the sounds of the warehouse itself. The sounds the limited heat made, the soft hum and buzz of the electronics that surrounded her and even the muffled sounds from the world outside the warehouse that crept in between the relative silence.

She was however acutely aware of the shaman who stirred and started moving around back near the cots and she quietly hoped that Suda would keep herself otherwise occupied for the next couple of hours. She was rather enjoying the headspace she was in and didn't want it disturbed by having to "play nice." She drummed her fingers against the arm rest of the chair absentmindedly to the soundtrack in her head as her eyes moved from screen to screen silently.

15:33:06 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

As it turns out, Mac's concerns are unfounded. Suda merely nodded to her as she went past, giving the surveillance feeds a perfunctory glance before returning to the carefully etched circle she'd constructed yesterday. And it was only fifteen or twenty minutes later that she caught Tristan's text over the network:

Inbound. ETA five minutes

True to his word, the truck rolled into the warehouse only six minutes later. The swordsman slid out from the cab, a four pack of frosting drenched cinnamon rolls in his hand and the remains of one in his mouth. Their fragrant aroma immediately filled the warehouse. He'd barely had time to sit down next to Mac when Suda poked her head around the screens, her face and eyes suffused with eager hunger, like a kid on Halloween.

"Oooo, treats?"

Tristan smiled, offering one to the slim Cat shaman, who retreated to her corner with her prize, devouring it with dainty finesse. Mac accepted one as well, although she ate at a more measured pace. Tristan smiled and stretched, looking far too pleased with himself. Mac did some quick mental calculations before letting a small smile dance across her lips.

"So," she asked, her tone the very definition of innocent curiosity. "How's Demetria?"

Tristan arched an eyebrow in a gesture not unlike what Kovacs had favored her with. "You should know a gentleman never kisses and tells."

"Good thing you're not a gentleman," rejoined Mac, smiling openly now. Tristan twirled a hand lazily, dismissing her allegation as patently untrue, his own smile saucy.

"She's delicious, thank you, but don't tell her I mentioned it."

15:42:03 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

"Wouldn't dream of tarnishing your reputation with such talk." She said with mock seriousness a moment before she licked a tiny bit of errant frosting from a fingertip.

"Thanks for the indulgent sugar rush. I'm going to need another workout because of it."

She turned to face the screens as much to watch what was happening outside as to hide her smirk knowing full well she had worked off more than a cinnamon roll with her own carnal activities earlier. She lowered her voice slightly as she grew a bit more serious.

"I'm glad you made time for her, given everything that's coming..."

She trailed off the rest of her thought, shaking her head to dismiss it, her voice growing even softer and more introspective.

"How do you do it? Let someone get that close I mean. With a lifestyle like this, this kind of job looming over your head? Nothing's ever really normal after the catalyst point hmmm?"

Mac shoved her hands into the pockets of her coat, suddenly craving a cigarette or a piece of gum. As her fingers found an empty pack and empty wrappers she let out a soft sigh of frustration.

15:49:32 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Tristan smiled, leaning back in his chair and pitching his voice to carry no further than Mac.

"I'm sure our fearless leader has told you all about The Way and The Path necessary to walk the shadows. But in truth, there is no one true way. It is different for everyone. Sure there are commonalities, but our experiences are unique. You have to figure out what works for you, you have to understand how to handle your own headspace and mentality. Most of us, we keep it light. There's already enough darkness in this world without having to add to it. Besides, if you can't laugh at things, you're not really alive."

He runs a hand through his hair, his eyes on the flickering screens in front of them but his gaze was distant, on some far internal horizon. "Tria and I are just casual. She breaks her professional ethics with me, she swore she'd never get involved with someone she works with."

His smile was rakishly proud, the ego of a man who had successfully seduced a powerful woman. His expression softened, though, as the glanced at Mac.

"It's not like what you have with Kovacs. I haven't seen him like this in years. Ever since before...."

He let his voice trail off and Mac didn't need the subtle tilt of his head towards Suda to know what he meant.

15:53:19 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Mac gave a slight nod in Tristan’s direction and while her eyes sparkled slightly, her lips compressed into a tight line. She was glad that she was an apparent good influence on Kovacs but she didn’t want to be the cause of history possibly repeating itself.

“I’m still not sure that’s such a good thing, given what that cost him before.”

She drew a long slow breath in and released it just as slowly, trying to imagine the tease of nicotine and clove on her tongue, but it was a poor substitution for the real thing. Her thoughts swarmed inside her head as she debated pressing further with this line of conversation with Tristan. Everything with Kovacs was different from anything else in her life before. The file. The honesty. The sex. It both thrilled and terrified her in the same breath, afraid of letting anyone in that close.

“Can he still be objective about her given their history?” She dropped her voice to an almost conspiratorial whisper.

15:57:46 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Tristan's smile was full of sadness. "If it's one thing he understands with brutal clarity, it's the situation with her. I don't know what he has planned, but he has something in place. It's just a question of how well she knows him and what he's capable of. As for me, I'm betting on the man. If I wasn't, you can be sure I'd be long gone from this job."

The lanky swordsman stretched, rolling out his shoulders. His expression brightened somewhat as he contemplated her earlier statement, though.

"I don't think this situation now is comparable to what happened earlier. As much as the two of them loved each other, they couldn't be in love together. They weren't right for each other. Not like you are for him. I won't lie, it's been nice having the team back together and seeing him move in the old ways. The rest of us might have been capable of moving on and doing other things, but Kovacs was born for this life. Might as well ask a bird not to fly as keep him out of the shadows."

16:05:22 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

The concern on Mac’s face softened considerably as Tristan spoke, worries put to bed simply by the trust he had in Kovacs and she found herself nodding along slightly in agreement. If she didn’t trust him, she would have disappeared a while ago, or worse. She knew his life was always going to be tangled in the shadows, it ran in his blood, it was a piece of his darkness, one of many things that drew her to him. She silently wondered if something similar lived just below the surface in her as well, if she belonged here as much as he did. A smirk pulled at the corners of her lips as she keyed in on Tristan’s last few words.

“Yeah, he doesn’t strike me as the poster boy for a corporate wage slave. None of us do… Well maybe you do, a little.”

She fixed Tristan with a wink and she stuck out her tongue at him, her need for levity greater than sinking back into her headspace for too long. Her eyes moved left off his face for an instant as she looked at the screens and more specifically the timestamp on the frames. She checked the inner pockets of her coat thoroughly and was rewarded with a small, fat silver-foil wrapped piece of gum. She unwrapped it and popped it into her mouth and smiled with delight.

“Thank god, I thought I was going to have to go for another one of those cinnamon rolls, damn the consequences.”

16:12:39 Saturday, 13 January 2063 - 1400 Willow Heights Road #4, Tacoma, Seattle

Tristan coughed. "Not bloody likely! I'd be fired about five minutes after the first cute intern waltzed passed my cubicle."

"I knew it." Mac snapped her gum. "You are most definitely not a gentleman."

Tristan made an elaborate show of examining his fingernails. "The way I hear it, you get all wet for a not gentle man."

Mac punched him in the shoulder. "Just because you're not a gentleman doesn't entitle you to talk that way to a lady!"

The lanky swordsman laughed. "I'll remember to watch my tongue next time I'm around a lady."

The chime of a network message interrupted Mac's retort for a moment.

Inbound. ETA 26 minutes.

"I'll be that's not all you want to do with that tongue," muttered Mac as she responded to the advisory.

"Sassy, sassy," chided Tristan, shaking his head. Standing, he stretched and yawned. "I'm going to make sure everything's ready for our erstwhile leader's return."