Darksong Heist #1 (Patreon)

Author's Notes: Some heroes never die. They do, however, grow up.

[story]

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‭[ ‬Integrated Comm online.‭ ‬It is time to wake up,‭ ‬Kai.‭ ]

Kai squeezed his eyes shut,‭ ‬letting out a hoarse groan as he was roused from sleep by an alarm audible only to himself.‭ ‬He could hear the soft‭ ‬tch of the lights turning on in his narrow closet bedroom,‭ ‬illuminating the glorified cabinet in which he slept.‭ ‬Rolling onto his back,‭ ‬the waterbed beneath him wobbled and swayed,‭ ‬coaxing the initial,‭ ‬inevitable annoyance of waking out of his muscles.

‭“‬Thank you,‭ ‬Rosa,‭” ‬he sighed,‭ ‬opening his eyes and staring up at the black-painted ceiling for a moment,‭ ‬then finally speaking again.‭ “‬Activate visual readout,‭ ‬please.‭”

In an instant,‭ ‬a quiet whir could be heard from his single cybernetic eye as it interfaced with the commlink integrated into his skull,‭ ‬sharing their local private network in order to project a pseudo-holographic display upon the ceiling,‭ ‬showing an elaborate interface of alerts,‭ ‬updates,‭ ‬and other such hubpages personal to Kai.‭ ‬David R.‭ ‬Browning,‭ ‬the mayor of New Arbor,‭ ‬had won the election for his second term,‭ ‬unsurprisingly‭ ‬--‭ ‬it was common knowledge that he was in the pocket of multiple megacorps,‭ ‬who always managed to support him in their own clandestine ways.‭ ‬Power begot power‭; ‬that was just the way of the world,‭ ‬now.

Gazing at the hand icon in the corner of his screen,‭ ‬Kai blinked,‭ ‬and felt another surge of energy as the direct interface‭ ‘‬ware in his hand was activated.‭ ‬He could control the readout with glances,‭ ‬blinks,‭ ‬and verbal commands if he chose,‭ ‬but there was something satisfying about the control provided by using one’s finger.‭ ‬Something old-school.

Living his life primarily as a hacker and technician,‭ ‬before,‭ ‬during,‭ ‬and especially now that he was out of high school,‭ ‬his need for a bit of chrome was obvious but limited‭ ‬--‭ ‬a few were aesthetic,‭ ‬such as the extendable sunglasses built into facially-integrated frames,‭ ‬his few LED circuitry tattoos,‭ ‬or the likewise extending nails on his fingers.‭ ‬Many more,‭ ‬though,‭ ‬were necessary for his work,‭ ‬like the integrated comm in his head,‭ ‬cybereye,‭ ‬datajack in his wrist,‭ ‬or the subdermal manual interface equipment in his hand.‭ ‬They served their purpose to make Kai Ortega as efficient and streamlined an electronics specialist as possible,‭ ‬even if a few required minor upgrades.‭ ‬What was one to do,‭ ‬though‭ ‬--‭ ‬shit’s expensive.

Scanning past depressing news articles and updates on his own cryptofinance investments,‭ ‬Kai paused at something unexpected:‭ ‬an email.‭ ‬Not just an email,‭ ‬but one sent to an account he hadn’t used in years,‭ ‬not since he was in high school.‭ ‬He’d largely since relegated it to spam advertisements,‭ ‬using it to make accounts for websites he had no intention of revisiting.‭ ‬A dump account.‭ ‬Yet here was a fresh new email from a name he recognized,‭ ‬if not one he’d heard in quite some time.‭ ‬Samantha Johnson.‭ ‬He blinked,‭ ‬furrowed his brow,‭ ‬and gently tapped the air with his finger,‭ ‬selecting and opening the message.

‭[ ‬Kai,

I know it’s been forever since we talked,‭ ‬hate to reach out to you like this.‭ ‬But hey,‭ ‬we went through some shit together,‭ ‬right‭? ‬With Saito and all them‭? ‬I know we didn’t really get off on the right foot‭ ‬--‭ ‬not sure any of us did,‭ ‬honestly‭ ‬--‭ ‬but I remember you knew your way around computers,‭ ‬and...‭ ‬especially their naughty side,‭ ‬I guess.

Look,‭ ‬I’ve got a problem.‭ ‬Like a major fucking problem,‭ ‬and it’s not something I can deal with in a normal way.‭ ‬I need your help,‭ ‬maybe other people too,‭ ‬and I’m willing to pay.‭ ‬If you’re up for it,‭ ‬show up wednesday at Nudd’s Noodle Hut around noon,‭ ‬and I can explain more then.

Peace out,‭ ‬sorry again for not keeping in touch.

‭~‬Sam‭ ]

Interesting.‭ ‬Highly unexpected.‭ ‬It had been...‭ ‬how long since the two had last met‭? ‬Graduation‭? ‬That had been five years ago.‭ ‬How curious that she would contact him now‭ ‬--‭ ‬though it did explain why she would use this email address to do so.

Even more curious than the sender,‭ ‬though,‭ ‬was the vagueness of the offer.‭ ‬A‭ ‘‬major fucking problem‭’ ‬was certainly provocative,‭ ‬but didn’t give much helpful information,‭ ‬likewise with the‭ ‘‬naughty side‭’ ‬of computers.‭ ‬Was she alluding to him being a hacker‭? ‬That almost had to be the case,‭ ‬but what would Samantha Johnson possibly need a hacker for‭? ‬She was a certified vatjob,‭ ‬dealt far more in hardware and biofuckery than safenet,‭ ‬freenet even less so.

He didn’t send a response.‭ ‬Too high a risk that this was some kind of trick or trap from a rival,‭ ‬or worse,‭ ‬some kind of corp surveillance agent who’d gotten wind of one of Kai’s innumerable gigs,‭ ‬grifts,‭ ‬and ploys.‭ ‬He’d safely scan the area when the time came...‭ ‬and then,‭ ‬perhaps,‭ ‬show up to see what was happening.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

‭“‬Alriiiight...‭ ‬doooown she goes...‭” ‬Emma exhaled slowly as she lowered the front half of the sleek,‭ ‬robin’s-egg sports car,‭ ‬gently placing it back onto the ground and then removing her dark leather gloves,‭ ‬now caked with grime.‭ ‬Expensive as they’d been,‭ ‬the subdermal micro-hydraulics and assortment of other cybernetic strength enhancers had made her job far easier,‭ ‬and had been worth every penny.‭ ‬When you didn’t need to rig up a carjack to see what you were dealing with,‭ ‬each job went so much quicker...‭ ‬not to mention their usefulness out of the shop,‭ ‬as well.‭ “‬Alright,‭ ‬so I fixed the fuel line and a couple other things.‭ ‬You’re lucky you found me,‭ ‬I don’t think any other New Arbor body shops would know what they were doing with a classic like this.‭”

“Damn,‭ ‬been a while since I saw a lady who can pick up a car,‭” ‬chuckled the client‭ ‬--‭ ‬Joe,‭ ‬was that his name‭? ‬--‭ ‬a taller guy with dark skin and short,‭ ‬bleached hair.‭ “‬You must have some sick chrome under there.‭”

Emma let out a short chuckle,‭ ‬but didn’t acknowledge the statement beyond that.‭ ‬She’d changed in a few ways since high school,‭ ‬yet in others,‭ ‬she’d very much remained the same.‭ ‬The streaks in her black hair were now pink,‭ ‬rather than purple,‭ ‬and a bit more muscle definition could be seen under the soft,‭ ‬pale skin of her otherwise curvy figure.‭ ‬What few cybernetics she’d been fitted with were on the cheaper side,‭ ‬and thus more visible,‭ ‬but the few subtle assembly-grooves marking the implant locations were far from distracting.‭ “‬Anyway,‭ ‬it’s gonna be about eight hundred points for the fixes and the upgrade.‭”

“You sure there isn’t another way I can pay it off‭? ‬Maybe with dinner‭?” ‬the guy smiled,‭ ‬showing off an undistracting snaggletooth.‭ ‬Handsome enough,‭ ‬but Emma hadn’t made it the past five years running the automotive equivalent of an antique store by letting herself get ripped off.

‭“‬Sorry,‭ ‬mate,‭ ‬my girlfriend’s a great home cook.‭ ‬You wouldn’t believe the things that woman can do with nutrient paste,‭” ‬Emma glanced sidelong at a woman in the shop’s office,‭ ‬who was now giggling maniacally.‭ “‬We do have a payment plan,‭ ‬though.‭”

“Ah,‭ ‬shame,‭ ‬shame...‭ ‬well,‭ ‬if you ever change your mind...‭” ‬the guy brought up a holoscreen in front of him,‭ ‬tapping and swiping a few translucent buttons to complete the transfer of money to Hawthorn’s Classic Body and Repair.‭ “‬Or you two ever want a third....‭”

“Look,‭ ‬buddy,‭ ‬I think I--‭” ‬a flare of annoyance sparked in Emma’s chest,‭ ‬and she took a half-step forward before stopping herself.‭ ‬Her anger issues were something she’d put behind her...‭ ‬or been trying to put behind her,‭ ‬anyway.‭ ‬Hadn’t quite worked out perfectly,‭ ‬especially with fucks like this who couldn’t take no for an answer.‭ ‬Exhaling through her nostrils and attempting to keep her composure,‭ ‬she finished.‭ “‬--I think we’ll be fine,‭ ‬thanks so much for your business.‭ ‬Make sure to come on back to Hawthorn’s Classic Body and Repair.‭”

Paying his bill and taking back his keys,‭ ‬Emma let out a low sigh and made her way back to the office of the shop,‭ ‬Leslie was inside,‭ ‬still getting over a thorough gigglefit as she sat behind a holographic screen offering a readout of the shop’s current inventory and income,‭ ‬both of which were decidedly...‭ ‬lacking.‭ “‬Another dissatisfied customer,‭ ‬Em‭? ‬Didn’t get the happy ending he wanted‭?” ‬she chuckled wickedly.‭ “‬First time you’ve called me your girlfriend,‭ ‬though.‭ ‬I liked that.‭”

Emma and Leslie had been going out for the past few months,‭ ‬taking their professional relationship to the next level,‭ ‬even if not necessarily‭ ‘‬all the way.‭’ ‬Shorter than Emma but nearly as curvy,‭ ‬Leslie’s wavy,‭ ‬voluminous electric-blue sidecut and mismatched cybereyes gave her a dissonant appearance,‭ ‬an intersection between gridpunk and classical beauty.‭ “‬Well,‭ ‬hey,‭ ‬had to get out of that somehow,‭” ‬Emma smirked back,‭ ‬leaning in to plant one soft kiss on the other girl’s cheek,‭ ‬then winding behind her to look at the screen.‭ “‬Any updates‭?”

“Request for an appointment next week,‭ ‬nothing major.‭ ‬Your personal email has an update too,‭ ‬but I obviously can’t access it.‭” ‬Leslie shrugged.

‭“‬Weird,‭ ‬I never get messages that don’t wind up straight in the spam folder,‭” ‬Emma furrowed her brow.‭ “‬Pop up and let me take a look‭?”

“You got it,‭” ‬Leslie nodded,‭ ‬getting out of her squat brown swivel-chair and letting Emma jump in,‭ ‬swiping to the correct account and opening it with a retinal scan.‭ ‬One new email,‭ ‬from Samantha Johnson of all people.

‭“‬Holy shit,‭ ‬Sam Johnson‭?”

“Old girlfriend‭?” ‬Leslie smirked.

‭“‬Ehh,‭ ‬wouldn’t go that far.‭ ‬I knew her in high school.‭”

“Ooh,‭ ‬high school‭ ‬has been known to be complicated.‭”

Emma scoffed,‭ “‬Yeah,‭ ‬and don’t even get me started on what detention was like.‭”

“You do strike me as the type to end up there a lot.‭ ‬You went to Huron,‭ ‬right‭?”

“For a few months.‭ ‬I dropped out like six times,‭ ‬outta different schools.‭ ‬Ended up graduating from Darksong High‭; ‬that’s where I met Sam,‭” ‬Emma furrowed her brow as she read through the message,‭ ‬folding her arms beneath her full breasts as she contemplated it.‭ “‬And she’s in some kind of trouble.‭ ‬If she’d reach out to me for help...‭ ‬it’s either really bad,‭ ‬or has something to do with cars,‭ ‬find myself kinda doubting the latter.‭”

“Well,‭ ‬nothing wrong with catching up,‭ ‬right‭?”

“Yeah...‭ ‬nah,‭ ‬I suppose there isn’t.‭ ‬I guess I’ll head out wednesday and see what’s up.‭ ‬Think you can look after the shop‭?”

“You know it,‭ ‬babe.‭”

Emma bit her lip as she looked back at the email,‭ ‬reading back over it several times.‭ ‬What kind of help could someone like Sam Johnson possibly want‭? ‬She always seemed like the one who had her shit together,‭ ‬besides being a chrome-junkie anyway.‭ ‬Still...‭ ‬it’d be nice to catch up,‭ ‬if nothing else.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

All of New Arbor’s weather was artificial,‭ ‬yet even with that knowledge it seemed like it was always raining.‭ ‬Wednesday was one of those days,‭ ‬the sky dark even in midday as the city’s false sky grayed over,‭ ‬drizzling recycled water down over its populace.‭ ‬Pulling up into the ground level of the district’s vertipark,‭ ‬Emma Hawthorn was forced to walk the rest of the way to Nudd’s Noodle Hut,‭ ‬a hole-in-the-wall noodle shop that served to-go out of their interior kitchen,‭ ‬but did have some limited outdoor seating under massive,‭ ‬neon-trimmed umbrellas.‭ ‬Emma’d been planning to go there for some time,‭ ‬but had never gotten around to it.

‭“‬Yo,‭ ‬big man,‭” ‬she nodded to the take-out place’s proprietor,‭ ‬or at least the guy chilling in the order kiosk behind an inch or two of bulletproof glass.‭ ‬He was impressively tall and decidedly pear-shaped,‭ ‬sporting a broad smile and deeply tanned skin.‭ ‬Southeast Asian,‭ ‬maybe‭? ‬Indonesian‭? “‬What do you recommend‭?”

“Ev’thing,‭” ‬the guy grunted,‭ ‬showing off his toothy grin before finally relenting,‭ ‬pointing to an entry on the menu.‭ “‬But mah favurite is tha‭’ ‬kee mao.‭” ‬Whatever his accent was,‭ ‬it didn’t place him as being from any country whatsoever‭ ‬--‭ ‬some mushmouthed gutterchat comprised of too many campfire gangervids and a squalid upbringing.‭ ‬Like a lot of people in New Arbor,‭ ‬and...‭ ‬most of the world at this point,‭ ‬in all honesty.‭ ‬Props to the guy for having a job at all.

Emma paused a moment,‭ ‬biting her lip,‭ ‬then shrugged.‭ “‬Alright,‭ ‬I’ll take that.‭ ‬And a can of Stomp.‭”

“Gatcha,‭” ‬the guy inside the kiosk nodded,‭ ‬turning his back and shouting something to the cooks behind him in a language Emma couldn’t begin to understand.‭ ‬Finally turning back,‭ ‬he shot her that huge grin again.‭ “‬Dae‭’ ‬pretty lady you with,‭ ‬ah‭? ‬She waitan‭’ ‬sum while.‭”

“Redhead,‭ ‬nice muscles‭?”

“Das huh,‭” ‬he nodded,‭ ‬pointing to one of the outdoor tables beneath the thin fabric‭ awning. ‬Yeah,‭ ‬there she was.‭ ‬Older,‭ ‬but definitely Sam.‭ “‬An‭’ ‬das twenny poin‭’‬.‭”

“Thanks man,‭” ‬Emma tapped a button on the datapad hidden in her sturdy,‭ synthl‬eather wristband,‭ ‬transferring the money and throwing the guy a thumbs-up,‭ ‬then making her way over to the table where Samantha sat.

Fuck,‭ ‬had it been a while‭ ‬--‭ ‬and Sam was just as beautiful as ever,‭ ‬even if the pall of worry darkened her freckled features.‭ ‬Her auburn hair slightly shorter,‭ ‬athletic physique even more well-defined,‭ ‬she was a network of different cybernetic and biological enhancements,‭ ‬many of which were new or experimental.‭ ‬The grooves of her implant locations were so extensively used for new tech replacements that they were worn nearly smooth,‭ ‬giving her a strange elegance in appearance despite her extensive physiological changes‭ ‬--‭ ‬like she’d ceased to be a woman with multiple replacements,‭ ‬and become something entirely new.‭ ‬A fusion of organic and artificial life.‭ “‬Emma,‭” ‬her face was brightened by a sudden smile.‭ “‬You showed up.‭”

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The one good thing about living in a society where everyone was under constant surveillance,‭ ‬was that if you were good enough at hijacking the technology necessary for that surveillance,‭ ‬you became Big Brother.‭ ‬This was the role Kai Ortega now found himself in,‭ ‬a live stream from a cloaked minicam fed directly into his cybereye,‭ ‬the lens from his implanted cheekbone-frame snapped shut to cover the unnerving twitching and squirming of the artificial ocular implant.

From the safety of a cafe two blocks south,‭ ‬he observed the noodle shack,‭ ‬the comings and goings.‭ ‬He’d already seen Sam,‭ ‬noted her presence,‭ ‬but that wasn’t enough‭ ‬--‭ ‬he needed to know how she’d react,‭ ‬and who else would show up.‭ ‬If she was there as bait,‭ ‬or this was some other kind of...‭ ‬trap.‭ ‬Perpetually living on the wrong side of corps and gangs alike had tempered the hacker’s cold confidence with a tinge of warranted paranoia,‭ ‬but in New Arbor there was always good reason to take precautions.

When Emma arrived,‭ ‬making her order and going to talk to Sam,‭ ‬the boy finally allowed himself to relax.‭ ‬A reunion,‭ ‬then‭? ‬Unexpected,‭ ‬but if Sam was willing to reach out to high school friends for help,‭ ‬then it wasn’t too surprising that Emma would be here.‭ ‬Part of him wondered if he’d also see the german girl,‭ ‬or that snobby rich brat,‭ ‬but as the minutes ticked by,‭ ‬neither arrived,‭ ‬nor did anyone else.‭ ‬Either no-shows,‭ ‬or uninvited.‭ ‬If the former was true,‭ ‬he wondered what skills they offered that would be missing for whatever the upcoming effort was.‭ ‬If the latter,‭ ‬it meant Sam needed two things‭ ‬--‭ ‬someone good with computers,‭ ‬and someone good with cars,‭ ‬neither ever on the right side of the law for long.‭ ‬If that was true,‭ ‬this may not just be a little issue that needed dealing with...‭ ‬this sounded like a‭ ‬job.

Finishing his shitty,‭ ‬overpriced coffee,‭ ‬Kai slung his jacket back around his slim shoulders and slithered out of the cafe,‭ ‬hopping onto one of the side-bars of a passing transit car to make it the rest of the way to Nudd’s Noodle Hut.‭ ‬Not ordering anything,‭ ‬he stalked to the table where the two women sat,‭ ‬both of them seemingly not having progressed past basic formalities.

‭“‬--Yeah,‭ ‬dad passed a few years back,‭ ‬left the shop to me.‭ ‬Lotta work,‭ ‬but it keeps the lights on,‭ ‬at least,‭” ‬Emma was saying,‭ ‬though the proverbial hair on the back of her neck seemed to stand when Kai drew close,‭ ‬causing her to glance back over her shoulder.‭ “‬Huh,‭ ‬well look who decided to show up.‭”

“Kai,‭”  ‬Samantha said softly,‭ ‬not quite excited enough to be a gasp,‭ ‬but bearing more than a hint of surprise as she watched the dusky,‭ ‬androgynous delinquent’s arrival over Emma’s shoulder.‭ “‬I really didn’t think you’d show up.‭”

“I almost didn’t,‭” ‬Kai shrugged one shoulder idly,‭ ‬finally pulling up one of the sterile plastic chairs and taking a seat between the two girls,‭ ‬crossing one ankle demurely over the other.‭ “‬So,‭ ‬what’s the problem‭?”

“Straight to business,‭ ‬huh,‭” ‬Emma stifled a chuckle.‭ “‬You could at least pretend to give a shit,‭ ‬Ortega.‭”

“If I didn’t give a shit,‭ ‬I wouldn’t be here,‭ ‬Hawthorn,‭” ‬Kai grunted back,‭ ‬turning his attention back to Sam,‭ ‬then inhaling.‭ “‬Everything’s fine,‭ ‬I am financially stable but socially isolated.‭ ‬My attitude towards the majority of current events is blandly nihilistic,‭ ‬and am considering getting a holopet,‭ ‬maybe a fish.‭ ‬How are you‭?”

Sam paused,‭ ‬pressed her tongue against the inside of her teeth,‭ ‬then shrugged.‭ “‬I guess I may as well explain what’s going on,‭ ‬huh‭?”

“Eventually,‭ ‬one would think,‭” ‬Kai chimed in,‭ ‬earning himself a distantly familiar elbow to the ribs from Emma.

‭“‬Alright,‭ ‬so,‭” ‬Sam paused,‭ ‬seeming to think things over,‭ ‬as if how exactly to approach her specific dilemma in a convincing way.‭ “‬I realize it’s been a spicy sixty seconds.‭ ‬You may have forgotten my whole...‭” ‬a pause,‭ “‬...deal.‭”

“Correct,‭” ‬Kai said quickly.

‭“‬You’re fucked without chrome,‭ ‬right‭?” ‬Emma followed up.

‭“‬Basically,‭ ‬yeah,‭” ‬Sam nodded to the tall punk girl,‭ “‬Without sufficient enhancements,‭ ‬I can’t,‭ ‬um...‭” ‬she paused,‭ ‬breathing in through her nostrils,‭ ‬then taking a sip of the iced tea she’d ordered.‭ “‬Yeah,‭ ‬I’m fucked.‭”

“Right,‭” ‬Kai nodded.

‭“‬So,‭ ‬I’ve spent the past few years on obscure technomodeling gigs,‭ ‬I’m a host that readily accepts new cyberware and can make it,‭ ‬ah...‭ ‬look good,‭” ‬she shrugged,‭ ‬offering a half-hearted smile that belied her curious dichotomy between confidence and awkwardness.‭ “‬Sometimes that involves taking on certain things‭ ‬--‭ ‬or volunteering to take on certain things‭ ‬--‭ ‬that aren’t...‭ ‬safe.‭”

“Now it gets spicy,‭” ‬Kai bit back a dark chuckle.

‭“‬Look,‭ ‬I put something in me,‭ ‬and...‭” ‬Sam paused,‭ ‬breathing in deeply through her nostrils,‭ ‬thinking for a moment,‭ ‬then finally seeming to alter her course of thought.‭ “‬Fuck,‭ ‬probably easier if I just show you.‭” ‬Standing up,‭ ‬the freckled beauty lifted up the tightly-fit white t-shirt she was wearing to just beneath her bustline,‭ ‬showing off the gorgeous expanse of her midriff...‭ ‬and the horrifying blight upon it that was the entire left side of her ribcage.‭ ‬Sunken into her side was a twisted gray-black mass,‭ ‬a mess of mangled circuitry,‭ ‬hardware fused to flesh,‭ ‬pieces of high-tech metal bulging from the inflamed edges of Sam’s flesh.‭ ‬Necrotic,‭ ‬infected.‭ ‬Deadly.

‭“‬Hooooooly fuck,‭” ‬Emma recoiled slightly,‭ ‬eyes widening as she stared at the horrifying display of rejected tech.‭ “‬When you said major fucking problem,‭ ‬you weren’t kidding.‭”

“You rejected an implant,‭” ‬Kai clucked under his tongue,‭ ‬averting his eyes.‭ “‬Why not see a dok and get it taken out‭?”

A pained,‭ ‬embarrassed look flushed over Sam’s face as she leaned back in her uncomfortable plastic chair,‭ ‬holding gently to the table’s edge with her fingertips to prevent herself from tipping over.‭ “‬That’s...‭ ‬the problem,‭” ‬she flashed a tight,‭ ‬twisted smile,‭ ‬her shoulders tightening.‭ “‬The implant isn’t legal.‭ ‬It’s S@urn tech,‭ ‬not released to the public.‭ ‬I got it through an inside dealer,‭ ‬who provided the implant and the ambrosia at a discount.‭”

“Fuck,‭ ‬nothing given at a discount is a good deal in the end,‭” ‬Emma frowned.

‭“‬Still,‭” ‬Kai arched a thin brow,‭ ‬finger-combing his dark,‭ ‬wavy hair to the side,‭ ‬better revealing the gridwork tattoos on his head’s right side.‭ “‬Getting the intra-grid fluids to remove it has to be child’s play for someone with your connections,‭ ‬right‭?”

“...Eheheh,‭” ‬Sam giggled awkwardly,‭ ‬showing off pristine teeth in a fake smile.‭ “‬That’s...‭ ‬also‭ ‬the problem.‭ ‬Turns out,‭ ‬the implant uses a specific intra-grid solution,‭ ‬one that’s neither publicly available,‭ ‬nor legal.‭ ‬No dok can fix this because no dok has the solution,‭ ‬and the solution’s so exclusive that no amount of money can buy it.‭ ‬I’m fucked,‭ ‬and every day that passes with this thing inside me is,‭ ‬ah...‭” ‬she glanced down at the festering implant jacked into her side,‭ ‬and tugged her shirt down,‭ ‬covering the horrifying offspring of multiple transhuman illegalities.‭ “‬A day closer to death.‭”

Kai looked to Emma.‭ ‬Emma looked to Sam,‭ ‬then back to Kai,‭ ‬then let out a brief squawk as the fellow from the kiosk brought her large to-go container of noodles,‭ ‬nodded and smiled,‭ ‬and left.‭ ‬Placing it awkwardly in front of her,‭ ‬the mechanic looked back to Sam and let out a tentative‭ “‬...Fuck.‭”

“Yeah,‭ ‬uh,‭ ‬fuck’s right,‭” ‬Sam responded with a pained half-smile.

‭“‬So,‭ ‬you messaged both of us.‭ ‬I don’t see Saito or the others here,‭ ‬so you wanted us for something,‭” ‬Kai drew his brows into a grimace of concern,‭ “‬considering nobody else has showed up,‭ ‬we’re either the only ones you invited,‭ ‬or the only ones you showed up.‭”

“My friend Naomi didn’t show,‭” ‬Sam frowned,‭ “‬beyond that,‭ ‬yeah,‭ ‬the two of you.‭”

Kai continued quickly,‭ “‬So you need someone proficient with freenet,‭ ‬and someone skilled with unhackable vehicles.‭ ‬Am I warm‭?”

“I need to get into the New Arbor S@urn HQ and scap with their illegal,‭ ‬untested intra-grid solution.‭ ‬Is that what you want to hear‭?”

Emma shrugged,‭ ‬and nodded,‭ ‬saying nothing legible around a mouthful of slippery noodles.‭ “‬Checks out.‭”

“Hence why you needed a hacker and a driver,‭” ‬Kai’s brow knitted into a thoughtful scowl,‭ ‬then brightened into a shrug of acceptance.‭ “‬Sensible.‭ ‬You need us to stage a raid on megacorp territory,‭ ‬pushing past officially-sanctioned security and under-the-table mercenaries,‭ ‬to get something ungettable.‭ ‬A specialist in untrackable getaway hardware and someone hardwired into freenet would be obvious assets...‭ ‬any team I’d’ve made would be similar,‭ ‬if perhaps broader.‭ ‬You got what you wanted.‭”

“Hold up,‭ ‬you want me to be a getaway driver for a fucking heist‭?” ‬Emma arched a brow,‭ ‬motioning to sit up from her chair but not quite following through with the motion.‭ ‬She paused,‭ ‬then shrugged.‭ “‬Yeah,‭ ‬sure.‭ ‬I’m in.‭”

“As am I,‭” ‬Kai said flatly.‭ “‬I could use some action,‭ ‬and I’ve been meaning to get into S@urn’s files anyway.‭ ‬Doing so within an Imminent Network will make the process dramatically simpler.‭”

A small,‭ ‬hopeful smile spread across Sam’s face,‭ ‬the kind of hopeful that one knew was but a final vestige of a greater yearning,‭ ‬one from someone with no more options.‭ “‬Then let’s start making a plan.‭ ‬Oh,‭ ‬and Em‭ ‬--‭ ‬the noodles‭; ‬great,‭ ‬right‭?”

Emma looked up from her mouthful of phad kee mao,‭ ‬then shrugged her powerful shoulders in a physical expression of appreciation.‭ “‬Mhrph phrmph.‭”