Cyberpunk 2766AD

I watch the leader of our small kill squad have a brain hemorrhage over the fact that 'his bounty' escaped. he starts to scream about how he wants this entire area to be ash. Leave no one alive. There are only six of us now in the building, five if you don't count me still in this place and the smoke is so think you can barely see.

I know Kiara and Tolva need my help and staying here is not going to help them. There is a good chance they are going to lock-down. But I might want to make sure of that first.

Nothing more for me to see here, so I walk out the front door.

I see the few that were arrested being processed. poor guy, he finally wakes up and starts saying they have the wrong person. Like anyone ever listens to that, and the rifle butt across his face followed by several fatal side arm shots into him tells him that if an enforcer says you are guilty, well lets just say that being on the wrong side of an enforcer is not a pleasant place to be. Then again, I do not know, being dead might be very pleasant and relaxing.

I pull up the data plate hanging on my belt. Nothing like having all the answers at your fingertips. There is it, Car 27, I nod to the other Enforcers and give a slight wave as I head off. I love how they don't ask questions.

Next list of things to do is find out where that patrol car is going.

 

"There's nothing that they need to know."
"That's good, because there's nothing I know." I want to chuckle at the irony, but I don't really think this is a good time or place to laugh. "Where are you taking us?" I hazard to ask.

 

Fox is on the street infront of the crashjoint. She thinks to herself "Damn it. I can't keep going for too much longer like this. I need sleep, food and a doctor." She looks around and sees that she's surrounded by what she assumes are enforcers. She says in a low whisper "Damn. I hate depending on others, but please, someone help."

 

I place a booted foot up on the back of the front seats and the guy with the metal head tells me to put it down. I imagine that school must be a lot like this. Wherever I'm going I'm pretty sure I don't want to go there but it was better than burning.

I sigh and fall into a sulky silence.

 

Gleeson looks into Tolvas eyes.

"Its you. It's gotta be. your the one Sekki want dead." He pauses.

"I bet you don't even know. of course it all makes sense. Thats why Vornns in New L.A. Why else would such a warrior be after freebooters." Gleeson points to a tall building in the high section of the city.

Dekker races up and begins to lower down on a dual carraigeway road. after a minute he zooms off across the road and takes them into the high rise streets twelve miles above the slums and their previous destination. Dekker then stops the Flyer.

Gleeson turns to face Tolva.

"You've got Data in your head. And Sekki will kill you all to get at it. Or delete it.
It’s too dangerous for me to take you back to the precinct. half the force work for the Sekki Corp. But I do however have a friend at AG Systems. He'll be able to help you. I'm dropping you off here." Gleeson hands a card to Tolva.

"This is a hotel called the Ferensway it's a luxury seven star dwelling. i suggest you clean up and rest." He then pulls out a needler gun and shoots her in the neck. The pains nothing more than a quick nip.

"This is so i can find you. small nano’s. that I can trace."

Gleeson leaves them on the road side and flies off in the flyer with Dekker.

"She really doesn't know does she." Dekker said.

"She will. I just hope we can get her to Tokyo before Vornn gets her." Replied Gleeson

"He'll soon figure out its Tolva won't he." Asked Dekker matter of factly.

"Yeah." Finished Gleeson

 

I watch that Golden eyed bounty hunter and that other one, the one in green that shot Tolva go crashing out of the building after what looked like a nasty fight.

I love strange ideas. But I could never pull it off, Unless?

The car they are in is number 738, Good enough. I can find it later.

I punch into GPS system for the closest costume store. Just my luck, it is back at the mall. I pull up the data plate and this guy is not rich. Just the way life goes, well, he does not need the money anymore, so I might as well use it.

I burn the Hovercar towards the mall and like everyone they look at me in that strange 'why is an enforcer here' look. Like we are not humans too.

There is it, and after a few choice words with the clerk and pile of credits later that make me think thievery is starting to look good. I have what I need.

The sword alone costs me more then four thousand credits I hope it was worth it.

I head out to the car and toss the stuff into the seat. A quick call to dispatch to locate car 738 was all it took. I chart in the path in the auto pilot and begin to change.

I really... really... hope this works.

 

I watch the hover speed away with a very puzzled look. I glance sidelong at Tolva, and she has an equally baffled expression. Then I look up at the hotel he's deposited us in front of. Nice place. "That was... weird." He'd never disarmed us... I was all set to threaten bodily harm and commandeer the car... or something, but then he just said something about Tolva being the one Sekki was really looking for and just dropped us off in front of this super-lux hotel.

After a long pause, filled with some migraine inducing mental gymnastics trying to figure out what was going on, I finally shrug and remark simply, "Sekki wants us all dead. He doesn't seem to like Sekki. Enemy of my enemy is my friend. Let's go get some food."

 

I yelp at the sting of the needle and curse Gleeson roundly, glaring at him.

A few minutes later I'm standing outside the hotel feeling as gobsmacked as Kiara looks.

"Uhh." I say unhelpfully. Then, "Well, let's check in...then."

That was one of my stranger experiences but I'm glad it didn't end in death, dismemberment, fire...I shake my head to clear it and trail in to get a room.

 

Jimmy woke up.

"Huh? What the?"

It took a moment for him to comprehend what it was he was seeing. It took a moment for him to remember. The pulsing ribbon of light in front of him was a steady stream of vehicles.

"I can't believe I fell asleep."

It was time to get moving again. If he didn't find an exit soon he didn't know what would happen to him. This was just like wandering in the desert, except he was surrounded by people. He wanted to throw something at a car. It was too bad there wasn't any rocks around.

Jimmy stood up and saw something that was pretty interesting. A building on one of the platforms just below his level was on fire. It looked like there was some kind of fight or something. He started walking farther up the spiral, occasionally glancing at the burning building below.

 

The autopilot tells that human correction is needed to direct change of course. I almost cough on my own spit.

What the? Direction change. have dispatch send me their motions. Oh great. They stopped "some" place. It seems the car was under a non-exact guidance directive.

Stupid device!

I suppose they want to keep somethings hidden even from each other, such is the way with things. I feel my whole body lurch as I hope they are alive or something.

I do not think I could handle a "or something" at this time in my life.

I set the car down and pull out the data plate as I head towards the local retailer. Tolva's and Kiara's picture spreads across it.

He looks at me like death itself just walked into his life and shakes his head. I ask him about Enforcer cars and he is still blind.

Three stores and then some guy comes up to me asking about the reward. I tell him fifty million is a lot of money and if he gives me something he might get something. He starts telling me about every oriental chick he ever had sex with and that they ALL looked like Kiara.

The urge to kill this slab of stupidity is so overwhelming that really I wish I could.

It takes exactly 27.6 seconds before he starts blabbing about how he had three females just show up at his apartment in his mothers basement at one time to have sex with him. I put his head into the wall just to shut him up, I still wish I could put him out his misery as well.

After that display a few others come out and tell me about some cop car that came by. I now understand why Vornn needs to hurt people. It seems to be the only thing they comprehend.

I head off where they told me and, it would figure that it is next to a hotel. I let out a deep breath and walk in showing the concierge the data slate. he starts to deny ever letting in such rabble into his fine establishment. I let the sword slide down his neck "...If..." Was all it took for him to hand me a spare room key and give me directions to where they were staying. He begs me not to tell anyone that he ratted them out, they would kill him.

I just nod and run up the stairs. Great two hundred flights of stairs and I decide to run for visual effect. What was I thinking?

 

The room goes with the clothes that Ghost bought us. Definitely upscale, I think, rubbing my damn shoulder and hoping I don’t get the carpet too dirty as I amble around exploring. It’s not just a room it’s a suite that you could throw a party in.

“I gues we’ve gone up in the world,” I remark to Kiara and the silent Spence, “I’m just not quite sure why. D’you think we’re safe?”

 

Zu made his way up the spiral until he got to the level he wanted and walked over to the railing. He looked down and nearly threw up. It was a long drop for sure. He hailed a cabbie to Ino's place. Ino welcomed him in.

He grinned. "Welcome back to luxury, man."
Zu nodded. "Glad to be back, although I'm not sure for how long," he said closing the door behind him. "Who knows when one of those crazy f***ers is going to drop in."

Zu walked into the luxurious living room. Kenji and Nathan were sitting on Ino's couch. Zu went to say hi, but was interrupted by Ino.

"It's not the crazy f***ers out there that you have to be worried about."

Zu felt something hard crash on his head, and he hit the ground. He saw his three crew members surround him, and then his world went dark.

 

"...D’you think we’re safe?”
"Probably not, but it's better than where we were. Plus we seem to have at least ONE law-man on our side. Better'n nothin'."
We just slept, so I'm not tired, but I missed out on my chicken wings. I bet a place this classy has room service. And I certainly don't mind putting it on chrome-dome's tab. I grab the phone and place a quick order, then start wandering the room. After all the intense stress, it almost feels weird to be lazing around in the lap of luxury like this. I saunter over near the door and examine the statuettes and paintings on display... bored and waiting for food.

 

I finally made it to the door when some guy pushing a large platter of food steps out of the elevator. He Looks and me almost wets himself. I hold my finger up and pull out the sword letting him know he better be quiet. I just HAD to take the stairs didn't I?

He nods and continues moving towards the exact same door I was planning on going to. Well I can't just take off the mask now. I tap the guy in the shoulder and point to the elevators, he gets the clue and runs for it.

"Room Service" I call out as I kick the door open, watching the latch bust from the effort. That was a lot weaker lock then I expected. I am too used to the slums. I bumble into the room still holding my sword to two armed women that just had a bad day. Top that off am I am dressed head to tow like that bounty hunter Vornn.

Can this suck harder? I am not sure... and for the first time I don't care if the analogy makes any sense.

 

"Holy Freaking...!" I yell as room service bursts in and turns into Vornn. What the hell?

A pulse from my shotgun whizzes over his head as he stumbles and it takes out the left hand side of the door lintel and the door across the hall.

Two and a half seconds...not enough.

Tossing the gun aside, I already have second thoughts about that course of action as I get ready to zap him with the hot rodded anti-amorous-guy ring from the clubbing kit but Kiara is already in action.

 

Fox sits in the back of a hover going to the station. She tail quietly goes over the back of the front seat and impales the man through the neck. It rips out the side of his neck and then goes throung the enforcer in the passenger seat. Using her tail she steers it towards a parking lot, while sitting in the back. When it lands, she looks over to see that she's in front of some fancy hotel. She lays down in the back, hoping that no one will come over to check out an enforcers vehicle. Her tail rips a couple pieces of the enforcers uniform and uses them to cover her wounds.

 

"Room Service!" I hear the call from the other side of the door. Oh, good, that was pretty quick. I start to turn, and the door flies open and almost cracks me in the nose. A split second later a big guy, decked out head to toe in black and wearing a hood stumbles in, his sword leading. Yellow eyes! Tolva takes a shot at him with her shotgun, but she's as startled as I am, and her first shot misses. A flash of steel, and the point of my blade hovers a hair's breadth away from the hollow of his throat, right under his chin. The ONLY thing staying my hand? His eyes don't glow... its not him.

"Drop the sword. You might live." I bark.

His move.

 

I see Kiara give me the meanest look of the damned as she holds the sword to my throat and Tolva is coming me with a look of pure hate. I drop the sword to the ground.

"It seems you two can down a very poor imposer as he bumbles a rescue attempt, I can not fathom why we have such difficulty with the real thing"

They pause for a moment and share uneasy looks. I remove the clown hat and wig and give them both a wining smile and wink at Tolva with my ocean blue eyes.

 

"Ghost! Holy s***! How'd you find us? How'd you get away?! Are you alright?! What the h*** happened?" The rush of questions babbles out of my mouth in my confused excitement. I'm so shocked, I almost forget about my wakasashi...still hovering in front of Ghost's neck, till he gives me a slightly uncomfortable glance, then directs his eyes down to the blade in my hand in a 'well, gonna put it away?' manner.

I blush and sheath it away. Finally, "And why the h*** are you dressed like Vornn?" I want to hug him... he's a guy, but I still want to hug the slippery little b**tard. This is gonna be an interesting tale. I notice the room service cart out in the hall, pull it in and shut the door behind. I want to hear what Ghostie has to say.

 

Ghost has nice eyes. I glare into them.

"Are you," I bite off the words, "that desperate to get killed?"

Then I realize he didn't know what had happened.

"uhm," I say by way of a very half-as*ed apology, "This guy who never talks jumped out of the window with us and we lost the girl with the tail...sorry about that. We couldn't carry her and I believe you're familiar with the creed...anyway..."

I take a deep breath and continue.

"The enforcers who nabbed us asked a few questions that they seemed to already know the answers to and dumped us here."

I don't mention the needle gun for the moment. It's embarrassing and Ghost is most likely not going to like what it means very much.

 

The world starts to fill with white nose as the two of them sorta-of-kinda-talk to me, more at me then to me, but none the less their words seems to be a blur.

Kiara asked me a million and one questions while keeping the sword to my throat and then Tolva sorta of said hello but left me rather confused. She tells be how some

Tolva starts to talk about how some of the enforcers were asking questions that they already knew the answers to. I find it odd at the very least and downright unnerving in reality.

Letting a smile cross my lips "Well, since Vornn does not have a fifty million bounty on his head, he seemed like the safest best, and as for ho I escaped, lets just say that Vornn is one of the many faces I have worn today, and that the truth can be a bit stranger then fiction" I grin "Not to mention the food is getting cold you might want to dig in... and as for how I found you, I suppose I used the same method that those other Enforcer's used" I notice that there is another enforcer car in the parking lot that was not there when I arrived.

"I wonder if Vornn should go check that out" I muse to myself slowly or perhaps the nice officer that gave his life so I could escape.

Something stirs inside me as I watch Tolva seem to seethe with mixed emotions. Almost as if she is angry that I showed up, and I am not sure hat to make of it, but it confuses me. That might be a female emotional issue thing going on.

 

Suzu grinned from her hiding place several streets back from the hot banana, she had been fortunate to get there as the other freebooters caused a screening row. They had long gone the police were still about dancing about like maggots on a corpse. She knew lying low here while the heat was on everyone else was a wise idea. She’d have to move on soon though, she needed to alter her appearance and get food into her system. She knew her clam couldn’t last forever. Besides the police were a bright bunch and they’d become bored soon enough. She checked her guns ammo clip then placed it back in the band of her black leather pants. If she could keep up with the drama the other freebooters were causing she’d be able to use them as her own cover.

 

Wraith awoke. He was in some sort of medical chair, slightly rusting. A doctor was standing over him, staring into his eyes.

"Ahh you are awake." said the doctor.

"Why have you brought me here? What are you doing here? Who are you? Where am I?"
shouted Wraith, trying to break free of the restraints on the chair.

"One question at a time my friend, one at a time." replied the doctor, still staring madly.

"Firstly, you are here because your are in need of some auguments, you will die without them."

"But I dont have much money, how am I supposed to pay?"

The doctor raised his hands. "ah! One question at a time, please. Firstly, I brought you here to save you life, you need these augments. I am here to give you these augments, for a price. Thirdly I am a doctor, or at least, was one, but that isn't important right now. You are in my medical center. Finally, I can also take items as payment, such as that lovely knife of yours on that table over there. I am an avid history collector, but I will require some credits too."

Wraith sat there, trying to take it all in. This guy was trying to help?
"So, youre not going to turn me in?"

"Why? Then I wouldnt be able to help you, with these augments,"

That is logical thought Wraith, the more people out fighting on the streets, the more augments people would need.

"it appears you will need a chest augment and one for your arm there. I will return with them momentarilly." continued the doctor as Wraith lay, still paralyzed.

 

Spencer sat in a nearby chair in the upscale hotel room. He had broken his shotgun down and cleaned it, checking each of his remaining clips. His frown spread a little further. He would need more shells, or a replacement weapon, soon. He put the shotgun back together just in time to see the bounty hunter enter with a platterfull of food. His gun came up, but he didn't shoot. One of the girls, Tolva, did however. And Kiara was prepared to slit his throat. However much they talked, these girls knew their business. And then the man who entered revealed himself to be their third companion. The girls pressed him with questions, and he looked not to be in the mood.

The situation had not merited any real talk until now; despite how much these two women seemed to believe otherwise.

"So, you're all back together again. What's your plan." They all stopped silent, turning towards him and looking at him like he had spontaneously grown horns. He waited ten seconds, then sighed.

"Right now, you're no better off than you were when you left the shuttle. All you've done is survive. We need a long-term goal. And to accomplish it, we need money, weapons, and influence. Start thinking about it." He stood slowly, his jacket falling around his ankles. He pushed his shades up on his nose.

"I'm going to find Fox. Don't leave this room, and keep the door locked. If I'm not back in two hours, move. If I'm alive, I'll find you later. If I'm dead, I won't care."

 

"Dude," Tolva explained to the suddenly-taking-charge cloaked guy, "The door isn't going to work much less lock. Would it be okay with you," she asked with heavy sarcasm, "If we switched suites?"