[IC] Valhalla Chronicles

[vietmyke]

The Valhalla Chronicles

^{9:30 PM - Sunflower Street, Minako Family Apartment.}
Music

For Hisano Minako, and the rest of her family, home for the last few years has been a shoddy apartment- more like converted loft- above a local bar: Ray's Dive. It was better off than most of the city's Micro-partments or Coffin Motels, New-Hong Kong's response to the low-income population boom. Micro-partments and Coffin Motels literally fit thousands of individuals into a comparatively tiny amount of land space. Beds fit into tiny squared tubes, linked from their door to the building's front door by a network of omni-directional elevators, it was hardly an elegant living solution. The Minako resident wasn't much better- it was small, single room relying on curtains and dividers to give its inhabitants any semblance of privacy. Bedrooms, kitchen and living room all in one, on creaky patch metal and wood floors and faulty ventilation. But on the bright side, it was legal, and sure as hell beat squatting in the crumbling walls of a slum hoping no one bigger than you walked in to kick you out.

Working at Vitality MacroTechnology was a chore, to say the least, and though a shift was a typical 9am-5pm, VMT liked to work its employees hard during their shift hours. Not that the low level work was particularly hard, but it was incredibly dull, boring, and samey. Enough so that it wasn't uncommon for some unwitting employee to fuck up, and end up getting sacked and kicked out of the building- a desperate-for-work replacement popping up in his place within the hour. All of this for little more than a meager paycheck- after taking out her rent and utilities, for this month, as well as medical costs for her sick mother, Hisano had little more than $150 for pocket money- which wouldn't go far with today's economy.

As far as things go, business as usual. Between work at VMT, and helping out at the bar downstairs, tonight was one of the few nights Hisano had had to herself in a while. She was relaxing, or perhaps preparing to go out for the night- It was a Friday after all, or doing what it was she did to kill time, when her phone gave a buzz.

Checking the Caller ID, Hisano could readily see that the message was from Tommy DeGarro. An old friend, one who helped her get this job in the first place. Tommy was an argumentative hot-head or a lovable rogue depending on the day, but he was the closest thing Hisano had to a sibling. Her parents loved him for some indiscernible reason, he helped Hisano get her job at VMT, and knew the owner of the bar well enough to convince him to discount the Minako family while they lived there. When they were younger, they'd run together. He was there the day she got shot, and half dragged, half carried her to the local street-doc. Sometimes it seemed like he wanted to be more than just a childhood friend, but nothing really happened.

Tommy got switched into the HR department several months ago- surprising enough seeing as all he did was talk shit and get drunk on his off time- and has been rather out of touch since. This is probably the first time he'd messaged her in almost two months.

'Hey 'Sano, uhm, probably not the best time, but I'm in a bit of shit. Swing by the office- 7112, alone. Hurry.'

[Tranquility]

The Minako family had sustained such cramped conditions for so long that it not longer was an uncomfortable situation. The smells on the other hand, were something that the Minako family could never fully adjust to. The air was seldom clean but mildew and cigarette smoke, along with rotten potatoes were the main culprits that frequently assaulted their nostrils. Despite the sometimes soggy floor or leaking roof, they knew it could be much worse. They knew they were one of the lucky ones. Her father brought in most of the money though Hisano tried to contribute and pay her fair share whenever she could. Seeing her mother so ill often weighed heavily on her shoulders and she knew if she and her father lost her, then hope would truly be stolen from their pathetic world.

Hisano dragged her hand through her hair and glanced down at the dirt under her nails. Not matter how much time she spent at work digging the crud out from under them, by the time she got home, she'd be filthy once again. To make matters worse and add insult to infected wound, she often passed by glaring advertisements for things no one around them could afford. The latest trend seemed to be weightless water you could carry around and used to make tricks in the air before drinking it or to wash your hands. It was clearly just meant to show off to your friends but that whole notion of needless waste irritated the pink haired woman to no end.

But there was nothing she could do.

She and everyone around her were powerless and she had accepted the life she was living, even if it gave her no sense of satisfaction. Hisano decided with what money she had left, she would treat her family to a nice drink, not cheap nasty stuff she always got at Ray's Dive. She wanted to taste the real stuff, stuff that some folks were killing for. Of course she wasn't a killer, if anything she steered away from the rougher areas of District 9. She had a mother and father to look after. She couldn't be caught up in something stupid and otherwise illegal. As much as she wanted to lash out and take what she wanted, she was determined to go about things the right way, even if the right way wasn't fair.

At the moment, the woman was laying down, her back pressed into the thin mattress under her. She could hear her mother coughing on the other side of the stitched together curtain she and her mother made when she was a little girl. She was getting ready to head out for the night and try to look for something special, be it liquor or something else to brighten her family's weekend. She was tired of the same old shit. As she sat up, she got a text from an old friend, someone she feared she had lost to big corporate giant, VMT. Without hesitating, Hisano sent him back a message:

'Fine but this better not be something fuckin' crazy.'

Of course, she knew it was.

Hisano slowly got to her feet, her back killing her. No matter how many sleepless nights she spent on the old so-called mattress, she never found a way to make it even the slightest bit comfortable. She grabbed her gun and slipped it behind her, tucking it into her faded torn jeans, under her black long sleeve collared shirt. "Hey I'm heading out." She called out to her parents as she pushed back her curtain and took the seven long strides to the apartment's exit. Heading down the steps she waved to some familiar patrons at the bar and kept on walking, her hands already sticky from the god awful humidity. Hisano looked around, trying to see if anyone happened to be following her. The vibe she got from Tommy's text was that something was really wrong.

In the pit of her stomach she had to question why she was meeting up with him after not hearing from him for nearly two months. She had half a mind to show up swinging a baseball bat. He knew she didn't get into trouble anymore, not unless a life was on the line. She just hoped Tommy's life wasn't on the line. After cutting through some seedy alleys, she finally made it to the office. She dug out her own key card and let herself into the building. It was quiet and dimly lit. "Spooky." She muttered to herself and headed over to the stairs going all the way up to the seventh floor before she quickly walked along the glass hallway, locating 7112. She sighed deeply, knowing she had one last chance to just bolt and pretend like he had never contacted her but she had to know what was going on.

Knocking, she stepped back, bringing a hand behind her to grab her gun, just in case.

[vietmyke]

As Hisano exited the bar onto the streets of Com-Res District 9- the Vallhalla district as she and many of the other residents called it, she could see that as usual, very little had changed. The No mans zone between the chinese quarters and slums to the south, and the gentrified megacorp office parks to the north. The street was crowded, people pushed past her, heads down, shoulders hunched, and the occasional car sent the small spray of a puddle from this morning's rain. The air smelled like a mix of smog, rain, and desperation.

She managed to pass through the alleys and the rest of the Valhalla district with little difficulty. Sure the place was shit, but the gangsters hadn't taken it over yet.

^{Vitality MacroTechnology}

Music
A little while later, Hisano was at the border between the Valhalla district and business district 8. The somber head-down crowds of general street rabble transitioned into somber head-down crowds of men and women in business suits. Hisano was shot a couple looks- but nothing worth paying attention to.

Vitality MacroTechnology, a Hong Kong-based Megacorp- Hong Kong's own entry into the Mega-Corp competition. As far as Mega-Corps went, it wasn't too bad, they didn't oppress their people any more than other mega-corps did, and their employee uniforms were significantly more flattering than some of the other major corporations. VMT was going through a relatively good fiscal year- the recent advances in cybertech had been making them more and more money than ever- meaning a generous pay increase of $250 to their annual salary. Still, their local office building loomed over the populace, staring them down fancy exterior lights.

The building itself was quite quiet. Not that many employees were still around at this time of night- in fact the building looked empty, and given Tommy's recent message, the silence was almost unnerving. The front lobby itself was a spacious room- with its walls consisting almost entirely of wide panes of glass opening its interior to the flashing lights and shadows of the streets around it. Oddly, no one stood at the front desk to welcome Hisano, and there was little more response than the beep of her RFID badge as she passed through the gates in the lobby. In fact, the loudest noise in the dark lobby was the echoing clack of Hisano's footwear against the immaculate black marble tiles in the spacious, modern lobby.

Hisano had never been to the 7th floor before- it was the HR Department's floor, and she had never any need to visit the HR Department. Unlike her office- one of the dozens of lower level floors fit with as many cubicles as they could manage, this floor was sleek and modern, more marble tiles along the floor, and full on offices on either side of the hallway as opposed to cubicles- each with their own wide window and shutters, and a spacious employee lounge in sunken a few steps into the center of the floor. Like the lobby, the lights were out and it was dark- save the glow of a computer screen or two from a window that hadn't been closed or blinded. As she proceeded down the hall, she'd find that all of the doors on the floor were unsuprisingly either closed or locked.

As Hisano knocked on the door- the force of her fist against the slightly ajar door caused it to slowly swing open to reveal the interior of room 7112.

Tommy's office was fairly spacious by today's standards- the room was some 15 by 15 feet, with space for a desk and chair, two chairs for visitors and coffee table and low chairs for lounging. Behind the desk chair was a wide window that nearly took up the entire back wall- from floor to ceiling, save for a smaller buffer from the floor. The office was clean and modern as expected of in a digital age, and the floor was a taut commercial carpeting, with squared, modern furniture.

As the door slowly swung open, the first immediate tell tale sign that something was out of place in the office was a small hole in the back window- its edges cracking and a few lines spider-webbing themselves across the space. That, and the glow of the still active computer screen illuminating a body slumped face-down on the desk. Stagnant blood sat pooled on the desk around the body- arm outstretched across the desk, a snubnosed revolver held loosely in the hand.

[Tranquility]

With the door opening without much force, she stuck her head inside. "Hey, D, you in here?" She called out, half-holding this was just a fluke or something of bullshit joke. Hisano scrunched up her face as she noted how nice everything looked compared to her dull cubicle. Hisano hated her job because it was so generic, so boring. So lifeless. Still, she had a job so what right did she have to complain? Still it seemed like Tommy had been given quite an upgrade since moving to HR. Hisano had a weird feeling about whatever was going on.

The door slowly opened as she stepped through the doorway, her eyes scanning the area more thoroughly now.

When she saw the small hole in the glass, her eyes narrowed. It looked like a bullet hole or maybe even a laser hole of some sort. The woman took a few steps further into the office. "Tommy?" She called out, now feeling as though the air was being sucked out of her lungs. She saw a body at the desk but wasn't sure if he was alive, injured or dead. Hisano moved over to the desk and looked from the window to Tommy's body. She tried to figure out if he had been shot by someone or if for some reason he had shot himself. She wasn't sure which horrifying notion was harder to fathom. "Shit. Shit shit shit." She knew she needed to leave but she kept wondering why he'd summon her to his office if he was going to kill himself.

It didn't make sense and her gut was telling her it was foul play. Maybe Tommy got into serious trouble and that trouble had finally caught up with him. But why not reach out sooner? It was too late for her to help now, surely. Hisano had the urge to smoke and think the whole thing over but she knew she needed to leave and fast. Hisano was sure her card and video cameras would confirm her location, but still she didn't want to get involved. Even if maybe she already was. Her family was at stake and part of her pissed off that Tommy would drag her into his mess.

She leaned over the body and decided to get a look at his computer to see if had anything of use. While she wasn't one to go around shooting people and enacting revenge, she had to know what Tommy was up to. He was her best friend and while he gave her headaches, she cared for him and his inability to make the better choices in life. She scrolled through what was on the screen and wondered if the pockets might have any sort of lead. Hisano still wasn't sure if she would do anything with any information but she couldn't sleep without understanding the situation a bit more. "No way in hell I'm putting on a cape and becoming some masked avenger but still...D deserves a better end than this." Hisano muttered to herself as she looked from the computer and began to see if his pockets contained anything or if it would be a dead end, prompting her to leave and resume her quest of decent alcohol.

"God, I'd love a drink right now..."

[vietmyke]

Music

Moving around to the other side of the desk, she could see the body illuminated by the glow of the computer screen. The light revealed Tommy's facial features, his face contorted in a fading face of surprise or anger, pale and stained red by blood. The computer screen had half a dozen documents open, and a notification for a running application in the lower right.

The computer was undamaged and still running, so whoever had killed Tommy didn't seem to care much about anything other than killing Tommy. A dozen or so work files cluttered the screen- TPS reports, inventory lists, business e-mails, and more. At a glance it looked like Tommy was just doing some late night work, but further examination would reveal all these work files to be anywhere from days to weeks old. The app itself, was a recording app, camera still running. It looked like Tommy was in the middle of sending a video message. The video taken had yet to be saved, but could still be stopped and re-watched. It was dated that same day, at 9:40 PM- just 20 minutes ago.

---

As the video phazed in with a wash of static, there were some shifting and clicking sounds as Hisano watched Tommy adjust himself and the camera, throwing his phone lazily across his desk.

"Shit man," Tommy sighed as he settled himself in the chair, his voice cracking as burying his face in his hands for a moment before stress-fully breathing out. "Yo Talesin, its me. The defacation has royally hit the ventilation now."

"This HR shit isn't gonna work out man." Tommy started, "- ah fuck it with the secrecy, this corporate hit-squad shit is going south real fast."

"Uh, in our last job, we ran across something we weren't supposed to. And uh- you know me" He chuckled mirthlessly, with a finger tapping behind his left ear, with his head slightly turned, showing the near hidden slit behind his ear that was a datachip slot. "Cyber eyes, auto-record feature. Stored everything right in here."

"We found something big- something no one's supposed to know about. Like, this is some next level- corporate fucking shit going on right here. I thought we were safe because we're part of the company, but I guess VMT really doesn't want loose ends. Ridge is gone- I just got a call- they're tying up loose ends. Hard. I gotta get underground, and I need someone I can trust."

"I know you said no outsiders, but I'm bringing Hisano into the loop. Its only a matter of time before corporate traces my money to her, so they're gonna think she's in on it anyway."

"I'm gonna grab her, then we're gonna head to Fixer's Hope- Fuck! I really hate the Chinese Quarter. Sorry Talesin, I really need this favor-"

Tommy paused, like he heard something outside. He clicked something on the computer and rapidly fumbled with something in his hands, out of camera, and the hydraulic hiss of something opening underneath him could be heard. In a fluid motion, Tommy drew the pistol and slammed the container shut with his hand leveled the firearm at something off camera and squeezed the trigger. The video froze and stuttered as the bright muzzle flare blinded half of the camera. When the video was back in focus, Tommy was slumped in his chair, head hung limply backwards as a figure in all black pressed the muzzle of a pistol to his forehead and fired before pushing the body forward onto the desk.

"That all of them?" a deep, gruff voice off camera asked.

"Yeah I think so," replied a softer, male voice from the figure that had just executed Tommy. The figure paused, leaning across the desk to stare at the computer screen. His hand reached over to the mouse but the other voice interrupted him.

"He sent a text recently." The other figure stated before tossing the phone to the figure om front of the camera.

"Another loose end?"

"Possibly. Trace the number, find out where this Hisano Minako is."

"We taking care of her too?" the gruff voice asked. "Are we sure she's involved?"

"Doesn't matter, Knight said no loose ends."

The two figures rushed out the door, and the video fell silent for another 15 minutes before the faint sound of the door opening and Hisano's voice in the office could be heard calling out for Tommy. Hisano watched herself walk up to the body, and then to the computer screen.

---

Hisano shifted the body, taking a closer look at her old friend. Tommy's body was still warm, and rigor mortis had yet to set in. Hisano could easily identify small caliber bullet wounds- two in his chest, where most of the blood seemed to have poured from, and a single, execution style wound to the forehead. He wore a plain business suit, grey and white, his tie loosely pulled. His pockets were empty, but as Hisano fussed with the body, a small key came loose and fell out of his sleeve, making a plopping sound as it fell into the small pool of blood.

In his palm was a revolver, a small, chunky revolver with a short barrel and rubberized grip. A quick examination of the pistol showed that it had been fired once, and the weapon had a faint amount of residual heat- there was also a medium sized crater on the inside of the wooden door. The revolver was a pretty nice weapon- a bit nicer than a low level wage worker for VMT should have been able to afford. The pistol was primarily metals and other high quality materials, and probably costed a pretty penny, it was a B-Grade weapon, so it was expected to be a cut above the plastic or more disposable C-Grade weapons.

[Tranquility]

Watching the video, her heart began to ache and her chest began to tighten.

She found it harder and harder to breathe the longer she was lingering by Tommy's body. The blood only reminded her of the loss. SHe had no idea what Tommy had done or why those around him in HR were being picked off. They cleared did something they shouldn't have but to be killed? She didn't want to be involved. While Hisano Mikano had every intention of just running away, a chill came over her when the two mysterious men decided to pay her a visit too since she was the last person Tommy had texted. Fuck. Were her parents after? She pulled out her phone, dreading the likelihood that she was already too late.

'Dad, you and mom need to get out now. Go down to Ray's and ask to be hidden somewhere. I can't explain anymore but just go somewhere and stay low! I'll contact you when I know it's safe. Don't trust anyone. If not Ray, find somewhere. I love you both.'

Sending the text to her father, she picked up the bloodied key and looked it over, frowning. She grabbed a bit of Tommy's suit blazer and used it to wipe the key clean. Stuffing it in her jean pocket, she took a few paces back and eyed his revolver, unsure if she should nick it or not. Her own gun wasn't nearly as good as his but she wasn't fond of carrying two weapons. That would make her look like she was looking for trouble, which she was not. All Hisano wanted was answers. The woman sighed and decided it was better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

The last thing she wanted was her final thought to be regretting not taking the damn gun. So Hisano grabbed it and then recalled the other piece of information the video had provided. Fixer's Hope. She hadn't been there before but had heard Tommy mention it once or twice. Hisano headed for the door, giving one final glance over her shoulder. She shook her head, wishing things had gone different. Maybe if she had gotten there sooner, she might have been able to save his life? Hisano headed back along the hallway and back down the steps, her footsteps light.

As soon as she reached the first floor, the tears hit her.

Wiping her eyes with the back of her right hand, Hisano tried to tell herself to keep it together. She couldn't look like she was involved. She knew people were now looking for her and likely her folks by extension. Hisano headed out of the building and headed for the Chinese Quarter, her eyes looking out for anyone who looked threatening. The pink haired woman needed time to find Fixer's Hope. It was a place hidden away, like a hole in the wall. Hisano banged on the door, not in the mood to be coy and polite. Tommy was dead and she expected this place to have a some clue as to what happened and why. She had to wonder if the key unlocked the door but for now she impatiently waited. As she did, she took out a cigarette and lit it up, taking a long drag to try and compile and soothe her nerves.

[vietmyke]

Music

If you had any sort of business in New Hong Kong, you'd eventually find yourself in the Chinese Quarter- no matter how hard you tried to stay away from it, it would bring you in. It didn't matter who you were, the Chinese Quarter didn't like you. Take one part industrial wasteland, three parts dog eat dog slum, slather it up with neon and add a dash of black market and you had a recipe for mean-as-hell.

It was strange to call this place in particular 'Chinese', as technically, the entirety of Hong Kong was Chinese, but the Chinese Quarter was where modern technology met traditional Chinese architecture and business- similar to Chinatowns of the western world. Seedy, yet technological, the Chinese Quarter was a weird mix of high tech and trashy, a half slum half technology park, filled with metric tons of underground, illegal, and black market technology dealers and cyber surgeons. C-Sec, Hong Kong's corporate police force tended to steer clear of the Chinese Quarter, due to a combination of deals with the local Triads, and fear of the general violence and seediness of the pseudo-slum. As a result, black markets thrived here- and everyone knew it.

The streets were packed with people and rubble, making it difficult for a vehicle to travel through, and no Taxi would take her any closer than the outskirts. She made her way through the crowd packed streets and found her way to the giant arch that marked the Chinese Quarter. Entering through large archway, Hisano could only be 80% certain that she wouldn't be knocked unconscious, and robbed of major organs- that was 70% more certain than she could be about almost every other smaller entrance around the Chinese Quarter.

Stepping into the streets of the Chinese Quarter, Hisano's senses were immediately assaulted by bright neon colors, the sounds of street vendors and crowds, the smell of sweat, grime, and chinese food, and the overwhelming atmosphere of the Chinese Quarter itself. Sure, Hisano was no goodie-goodie straight-shooter nose-in-the-air middle-class wage slave, but she wasn't a slummer either, and the Chinese Quarter was a weird kinda slum.

Fixer's Hope was a moderately difficult bar to find- it wasn't on any of the main roads, and anyone Hisano talked to seemed just as likely to tell her to 'slag off' as they were to give her instructions- and half the times the instructions didn't even take her to the right place. She found a Fixer-Up Auto shop, Last Hope- a strip club, and a gaudily dressed man calling himself Mr. Fixer, 'willing to kill anyone for the right price' before she found Fixer's Hope, a smallish building off Renno Street, nearby the seediest alley she'd ever seen. Outside the building a few people stood around or sat on the curb, a few smoking cigarettes, their arms bare- either chromed out or covered in tattoos, one drunk. One or two gave the girl a look, but no one approached her.

Knocking on the steel door and lighting up a cigarette, Hisano only needed to wait a moment before a slit at eye level of the steel door slid open. A glowing blue eye stared her down, looked down, then up. The eye shot a look at one of the chromed out guys behind her who merely nodded- probably making sure she wasn't a cop, or any other sort of trouble. Without a word, the slit slid shut, and a the door slowly swung open. The glowing blue eye was skinny looking guy, grimy and missing his left eye. He held the door open for her and gestured her inside. He made no attempt to ask her to throw out her cigarette, and the general haze coming from the interior of the building implied that there was probably more than person actively smoking inside the establishment already.

As far as bars went- Fixer's Hope wasn't nearly as shitty as Hisano expected- it was by no means great, but it was't a run down piece of shit. The bar itself had a very technophile aesthetic to it, and was neither particularly crowded nor extremely empty- the remote location and the man at the door seemed to limit general accessibility. Fixer's Hope appeared to have two floors, and a spiral staircase sitting next to the bar lead to that upper floor- an impossibly big man in an impeccable suit stood in front of that staircase though, and he seemed to be turning away most people that approached him. The bar on this floor was relatively small, with only enough space for some 10 stools, about 3 of which were taken.

The bar was easily the brightest thing in the room, neon lights projecting long shadows across the floor- cleverly placed so none would be in your eyes when you sat down, dozens upon dozens of bottles of liquor and synth-alcohol lit up in their shelves by LED backlights. A military grade energy shotgun sat on one of the shelves- both a decoration, and a not-so subtle warning to anyone that would cause the bar trouble. Behind the bar was a taller, gaunt man, his hair salt and pepper gray with a full brown beard and a black cyberarm. He paid little attention to the patrons of the bar, and seemed to be occupying his time by running a rag through a glass mug.

Small round tables and taller standing tables populated this floor of the bar. A bit less than half of them were occupied, many by just small groups or one or two people. Only one particularly large and rowdy group were present on this floor- a group of tattooed triads sat in the corner loudly laughing to themselves and speaking in rapid cantonese. Even then, their volume was only loud by relative terms, and they maintained a rather respectful volume and distance from the other customers nearest them.

[Tranquility]

The Chinese Quarter was a questionable place to be in at best. At worst, it meant your life had hit rock bottom, likely why it wasn't a place Hisano knew very well. It screamed danger and she knew C-sec probably smart to stay away. She hated being thrown on many wild goose chases but there wasn't much she could do but hope that eventually she'd find the right place. She still didn't know what had happened to her parents and she was beginning to fear the worst since she hadn't heard a confirmation from them. It was also possible that they were in hiding and wouldn't respond to her text until she reached out to them. Hisano was worried and felt like her brain was working overtime. This was not how she wanted to spend her Friday night.

Standing outside the door, she jumped when a slot slid and revealed someone eyeing her. She scowled slightly and entered the bar when allowed. She held her tongue for the time being and stepped inside.

Not too bad...

Now that she was bathing in the blue neon glow from the bar's backdrop, she didn't feel much safer, nor any closer to answers. Why would Tommy want to bring her here? Did he know someone who would help him? Her eyes lingered on the cluster of triads. She hoped they weren't someone Tommy was dumb enough to get involved in. She looked a the other patrons but none of them really stood out. Maybe that was the point. Keep a low profile, keep your head down and no one would ask any questions. Hisano had questions though but wasn't sure who to approach.

The man behind the bar was a time honored cliche and looked the least likely to give her a hostile response so she sauntered over and took a seat. Hisano took another drag and pulled over an ashtray to tap her cinders into. She scanned the rows of bottles in front of her but didn't know what to get. She needed a drink but she also hoped by buying one, the guy would be more willing to tell her what he knew about Tommy. Of course Hisano assumed he had to be a regular or know a guy, if he wanted to hide out. She put her cigarette out and held up her two fingers to signal she was ready to order. "Hey uhhh give me whatever a shot of something strong." She asked as she turned around in the stool.

There was something else Tommy had mentioned but she was struggling to remember who or what it was. His computer's recording ended with him addressing someone. Tal-something. She leaned back and turned around the bartender once more. She didn't want to just come out and ask if he knew about Tommy, while she wasn't some seasoned, hard-boiled investigator, her gut was telling her to be very cautious. But at the same time, she felt like time wasn't on her side and she couldn't keep dragging her keep, plagued by uncertainty. "Is there someone named...Tal...esin?" She asked the guy behind the bar, hoping she got the name right.

[vietmyke]

The bartender wordlessly nodded to her as he picked up a tumbler, dropped a round ball of ice into it, and poured a translucent brown liquid into it. At a glance, it looked like whiskey-synthetic of course. It smelled terrible, and tasted worse- like synthetic alcohol. But, in this day and age- real whiskey was incredibly expensive, and not something one would find at a bar in the Chinese Quarter. It was definitely strong, and it cleansed the senses- at least for a moment before the muddying properties of alcohol followed it.

The bartender was a tall man of middling age, his hair was cut short and very white, and somewhat shoddily groomed- the white tinted blue from the neon lights behind him, and he sported a short, but full beard of a much darker brown color. He wore a red buttonup shirt with its sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a black vest over it. His right arm was adorned with a silver watch, and his left arm was a rather obvious cybernetic, bands of mechanical muscle in stark black- a bit different than the chrome and gunmetal that was very much the rage lately. He took Hisano's credstick and fed it into a small credit chit- a simple device for customers to slot their credsticks into for payment, meant for businesses rather than individuals.

The Credstick dinged, and the credit chit flashed "$7.00" in neon numerals for a second before disappearing behind the counter. The bartender gave the credit chit a dirty look, almost like he wished the price was higher, but he said nothing as he placed the chit under the counter, instead replacing it with a blue microfiber washcloth. Dunking the tumbler under the counter for a moment, he reproduced the now clear glass and began absentmindedly rubbing it with the washcloth. The bartender shot her a dark, but surprised look when she said the name "Talesin". The big man standing nearby guarding the stairs also seemed to hear. Out of the corner of her eyes, Hisano could see the already big man standing up even straighter, his casually crossed arms slowly dropping to his sides.

The bartender pressed his elbows against the surface of the bar and leaned in. The bartender stared at her with an analyzing look- one eye was brown, the other a cybernetic without color.

"Whose asking?" the bartender's gravelly growl responded. The tone wasn't aggressive, but it was filled with a dark suspicion that bore the implication that whoever Talesin was, theirs was a name that held gravity in this place.

Visual Representation for bartender

[Tranquility]

As the man worked on her pour, she didn't give him much attention, her mind still focused on her parents and Tommy. Regret seemed to hang in the air much like the smoke around her. When prompted, she absent-mindedly handed over her credit stick and didn't bother much with a tip. She wasn't made of money after all. And why tip a guy for something so ordinary. If he had any sense of flair or service, she may have given him a dollar but didn't. Her mind was far away from the worry of money or the risk of offending someone, no matter how dangerous they looked. Hisano took the offered drink and downed it, feeling it burn and hit her rather empty stomach. She looked to the man when his expression changed at the mention of Talesin.

Looking toward the brute by the stairs, she looked back to the bartender.

"I am." Hisano said in a matter-of-fact tone.

While the man wasn't aggressive, neither was Hisano. She wasn't a fighter but her patience was wearing very thin, very quickly.

"A friend of Tommy's." Hisano said, not sure what to divulge. "He..." Did she want to get into the gritty details? Should she? She had no idea who to trust. All she had to go on was someone named Talesin. "Uhhh he ran into some trouble. He wanted us to meet Talesin here." She left it at that, not saying anything else for the time being. She kept both her handguns hidden, not getting the feeling she'd need to use them but she was still keeping her guard raised to be safe. Of course she didn't really feel safe. She had no idea what connection this mysterious person had to Tommy but she had to figure it out. If Talesin was in trouble too, she had to let them know and then go into hiding herself.

[vietmyke]

As Hisano spoke, the face remained impassive- tired even, though there was a hint of bemusement that could be seen as a result of her accidental- or intentional sass. Without breaking eye contact, the bartender flagged down a younger looking woman- perhaps a few years younger than Hisano.

"Cheryl, watch the bar." The bartender said to the girl, who merely nodded, and took a position behind the bar. "You, follow me." He said to Jessica as he shoved his hands into his pockets, producing a cigarette and a lighter. He led her to the spiral staircase- at which point the big man stood aside, allowing them to pass through.

The big man was handsome, even if his face was rather forgettable- so forgettable in fact Hisano probably would have difficulty remembering what the man's face looked like if she didn't keep staring at it. Not that it made him difficult to notice, the big bouncer was easily over 7 feet tall and as broad as a bear. Everything about the bouncer was impeccable- a perfectly tailored suit, a smart and clean hairstyle with a fashionable beard, shiny manicured nails and a strong facial features. He probably would've made it as a model if he wasn't so big.

If the main floor was the bar, the second level was a cross between a VIP area and a lounge. Music on this floor was much quieter, and less than a dozen souls populated the floor. People smoked on cigars and drank casually with one another while lounged on couches- as run down as the furniture was. This wasn't to be their destination, as the bartender led her behind the VIP lounge and into a rather dimly lit backroom.

It must've been a sort of storage area for the bar, filled with crates of shitty, synthetic alcohol, and pre-preserved food. The walls were industrial and metallic, and while Hisano couldn't see anything, she got the feeling that there was more to this particular room than meets the eye. The bartender took a long drag of his cigarette before blowing out a billow of smoke. Now that he was no longer leaning against the bar and in the neon light, Hisano got a better look at him. He was tall, broad shouldered, and had more grey hair than it first appeared. The man wasn't old by any means, but he was several years past his prime.

He closed the door behind him and looked at her for a while. After a short, awkward silence. He spoke.

"Tommy DeGarro isn't a name I've heard in a while, much less seen. Kid's got a lot of nerve telling folks about other's handles and where to find them. Speaking of, where's that fucker anyway?"

[Tranquility]

Being directed to the staircase was a bit of a surprise. Hisano gave the bouncer a look over before she turned her attention to the stairs in front of her. She grabbed onto the rail as she made her way upwards and around up to the top. She looked around, trying to figure out where they might take her. As she was led further into a backroom, her heart began to sank. Was it too late to back out and change her mind? Say she was joking? She didn't know what to expect but she didn't feel exactly welcomed or safe at the moment, causing her senses to heighten. The smoke from the cigarettes were calming, almost. But still, Hisano was filled with renewed uncertainty and didn't know what to expect. So far, her night was one big twist that found refuge in her stomach.

She turned when the bartender shut the door behind them.

Oh crap.

Was she going to be murdered now?

She whirled around and felt her shoulders and fists tighten. The man asked about Tommy and she stayed quiet. Was this the guy she was supposed to find? Was he right under her nose this whole time or was this some kind of test? Hisano wasn't even sure how the death would be taken. Was Tommy a friend or on more questionable terms. She studied the grey man before she puckered her lips as though she had just take a shot of lemon juice. "Well it's hard to say exactly where he is...last I checked he was back at the office, a few bullets cut through him." She told the man. "Whatever shit he got himself into I guess caught up with him." She gave a shrug, trying to stay more aloof than emotional, not wanting to breakdown and show weakness now.

"He was my best friend." She said quietly, unable to stop herself. "I'm just trying to figure this mess out, I guess I'm always suck cleaning up his shit." She glanced off. Hisano still couldn't believe he was gone. She wished he hadn't made such piss poor choices in life as it now led to his death. Still, the pink haired woman was kind and couldn't walk away until she knew her friend's issues had been resolved. It was trouble and her gut was urging her to just walk away but she couldn't. "I don't know why he wanted me to come here but I'm here so..." Her voice trailed off, her gaze still off toward the collection of crates.

[vietmyke]

When Hisano told about the death of her friend, she could notice a subtle change in the gruff bartender's expression. A tiny furrowing of the brow, a subtle twinge in the corner of his mouth, a minuscule drop of the shoulders, a slight softness in the steely hard eyes. Was it disappointment? Sadness? Either way, it looked like the first genuine feeling Hisano had witnessed this entire long, long night. Only for a moment before Talesin gave a cross between a snort and a sigh.

"That's too bad. Tommy was a good kid. A stupid kid, but a good one." Talesin shifted uncomfortably. "I'm guessing that means VMT decided to cut him loose. I told the kid to get out while he could, running hits for Corps isn't like being security- you're not just expendable, you're deniable."

Talesin snorted as she explained how Tommy wanted her to come here. "He was probably trying to save you as much as he was trying to save his own tail. When you go underground you're supposed to drop everyone and disappear. Guess the kid didn't want to disappear alone."

The bartender's tensed shoulders finally seemed to relax- it looked like he was also debating a 'fight-or-flight' course of action like she was. He took another long drag of his cigarette before he snuffed it and crushed it in the palm of his mechanical hand, tossing it aside. The ash covered hand rubbed unconsciously against the rough beard. He looked like he was thinking half a dozen steps ahead, trying to figure out every possible angle.

"Alright. Well you're here, and you're a friend of a friend. You're okay for now-"

Before he could continue speaking, Hisano's phone started buzzing. Someone was calling her. Pulling out her phone, she could see the caller ID before she opened her phone.

>>Call From: Tommy DeGarro

[Tranquility]

Delivering bad news wasn't something Hisano took pleasure in. She was sure the man knew that, though she wasn't expecting much in his response. Talesin then mentioned how Tommy probably wanted to save her too. "Save me? Why would I be involved?" She asked though she had to consider that those after Tommy would go after her, just as they were likely doing this very moment. She didn't like that she had been pulled into quicksand because she was associated with Tommy. Her sadness was mixed with confusion and anger. Leave it to Tommy to make as much trouble for her as possible, even after his death.

She rubbed her neck as the man in front of her relaxed somewhat.

She didn't know what to do now or if Talesin had any idea himself. Hisano wanted to go home, not disappear. A buzzing noise stopped the conversation from progressing. She looked at it and her other arm dropped from her neck. Well shit. Tommy was dead. Whoever was calling her was not Tommy and probably assumed she didn't know he was dead yet. Should she answer it? Would whoever it was try to find her and this place now?

Looking to Talesin, she wasn't given much help. Her two options were pick it up or don't pick it up. There was nothing complicated about that. Hisano swallowed and cleared her throat, finding it a bit hard to speak. She sighed deeply and finally pressed a small green glowing button and put the phone to her ear but held it away slightly so Talesin might be able to listen in. Maybe he'd know the person on the other line. "Hey." She said, trying to act normal. "What's up?" She asked. Hisano wasn't sure if this place was secure or not but she didn't want any trouble finding them. She had finally caught her breath and she didn't want to go back on the run.

[vietmyke]

Talesin leaned in slightly as Hisano answered the phone, keeping silently as she spoke into it. The phone itself was quiet. Hisano couldn't hear anything from the other line, not even a breath. The storage room was eerily silent, even the noises from the bar seemed to not filter in anymore. One second past, then another, and another.

Before the call timer hit 5 seconds, Talesin grabbed the phone out from Hisano's hand and shut if off. He looked at the phone for a brief moment before handing it back to her. As Hisano accepted the phone, she could hear the noises from the bar filter back into hearing range. She realized that the sound she had been hearing- or rather the lack of sound she had been hearing must have been manufactured in a way. Almost as an explanation, Talesin nodded. "Fixer's Hope has a rudimentary jammer. Stops people from tracing phone calls right away. Didn't know you noticed it."

"You're going to have to ditch that eventually. If someone's calling you from Tommy's phone. Chances are they're trying to track you down."

Leaning on a nearby crate, Talesin finally seemed to wind down. "As far as why he would drag you into this- well, Corps are relatively messy when it comes to making people disappear. Sure they have their share of professionals, but most of the goons aren't paid enough to care. When Corps make people disappear, they tend to kill off or ruin a lot of their close contacts, family, close friends. People like you."

Getting up, Talesin opened the storage room door, and gestured for her to follow him out. "You can lay low here for a while. They don't know where you are yet, and Fixer's Hope is about as unknown as it gets for corp people."

The lounge had since emptied out save for a few individuals. The clock read 1:45am, and most of the lounge's patrons had left for their own haunts. While the bar downstairs still seemed to have people there, the volume was considerably lower. People were probably filtering out. The individuals who still remained had a different look about them. They might've worked at the bar, but something in the back of Hisano's mind told her that they weren't just bartenders and busboys. The music was turned off, and one of the remaining individuals was flipping through channels on a TV, watching for a couple seconds before switching to the next. The others did their own thing, one smoked, another slept on a couch.

As the man in front of the TV flipped channels, one screen was painfully recognizable to Hisano. It was a local news channel, with a female host sitting in front of a desk in a small corner in the bottom left, the rest of the screen was devoted to a camera feed showing a street from the Valhalla district.

"This just in, the citizens of Valhalla are shocked following the reports of a shooting on Sunflower Street, as masked men entered and attacked a local bar: Ray's-"

The TV spluttered for a moment as the channel switched a trivia game show.

[Tranquility]

As nothing but silence welcomed her, she had to worry that the call was made to simply locate her. But she was frozen, almost seeming to wish that Tommy was alive and the one actually calling her. Talesin took the phone before she could say anything else, which she was secretly grateful for. "Thanks." She mumbled as she took the phone back from him. When the guy explained the jammer, she nodded. "Oh, that makes sense." She replied. She wasn't sure if she wanted to just trash her phone somewhere, buying a new one wasn't really feasible given her monetary situation. But she knew it was better to be safe than sorry, even if being safe meant being without a means to call her folks.

Talesin offered her refuge which she was immensely grateful for. In the back of her mind she couldn't help but think about her parents and if she could also hide them out here but knew she was already on thin ice in regard to being spotted. If she left and came back, there was a chance someone would have followed her. The hidden lounge was a neat idea and one she had to wonder about who else had to use it in the past. She knew better than to ask questions and bother someone who was sticking his neck out for her. "Thank you." She said again, feeling like those words were beginning to lose their true meaning, the more she said them.

Stepping inside she took a seat on one of the empty couches and curled up. Even though she didn't think she'd get any sleep, she wanted to try. Her eyes and ears noticed a familiar name and place. Her head jerked up in time to see the crime scene itself on tv. She hung her head and clenched her jaw, trying not to cry. She knew her parents had to be dead. It wasn't fair and it didn't make much sense. She folded her arms across her chest and pressed her back into the couch, now laying on her back, her feet twisted so they pressed against the wall next to her and the couch.

How long could she stay?

How long should she stay?

Hisano let out a sigh, not wanting the same fate to befall Talesin who was helping her. It seemed that anyone who was kind, often ended up dead or killed. Hisano closed her eyes as she tried to tune out the tv in the room. She had no interest in getting to know anyone else in the room, not if her knowing them meant they might be targeted. After a few hours of trying to clear her mind, Hisano got to her feet and headed out the door she had come in. It was early morning and she decided to see if Talesin knew anymore about Tommy and his plans, she thought he had to know more than what had been said. Finding him down by the bar. "Hey. Is there anything else you can tell me about Tommy? I'm thankful you're letting me crash here but...I can't stay here and put your life and everyone else's life as risk." She voiced her thoughts to him. "I am way out of my depth here." She had to admit.

[vietmyke]

"Tommy was..." Talesin said softly. The already quiet room seemed to hush a bit more, a few heads turned their way. "Before he worked corporate, he was one of us." From the way Talesin said 'us', it was easy to tell he was talking about more than just some sort of club member at this seedy bar.

"We do work for a variety of people, some of them corps, usually outside of the more legal side of things." That statement itself was rather innocuous, in this day and age, people did things outside the legality of law all the time. Bureaucracy was slow and law cared little for anyone without a fat wallet, so most people skirted around the law from time to time to get things done in order to survive- small companies and stores, even Ray's Bar went outside the law occasionally. Most were fairly minor infractions, so the police either ignored them, or charged a small fee to pad their own pockets along with it. However, the meaning behind that statement was something Hisano was vaguely familiar with.

"We've been called a variety of things- freelancers, mercenaries, thugs, hitmen. Tommy was one of us, a bit too bleeding heart for his own good, but he was good at what he did. After joining up with Vitality Macrotech, he's been out of touch, this is the first I'd heard of him in a year."

Talesin shook his head as she mentioned that she couldn't stay. "You walk out that door and there's a 70% chance you die before the sun rises. After they kill you, they trace your tracks back to the Fixer's Hope and then we burn too. You staying here is better for you and for us."

Looking around, Talesin gestured for Hisano to follow him. "We'll figure our your next move tomorrow, for now you should get some rest. You'll need to be on your A-Game if you want to survive the next few days."

---

^{Fixer's Hope - Safehouse}
Music

Sitting on top of the bar that was Fixer's Hope was a small apartment building- much like her own home. Space in the city was scarce, so it wasn't surprising that even seedy, poor areas like the Chinese Quarter built themselves up. The outside of the apartment room door was as unremarkable as the rest of the doors in the hall, the light in its section of the hallway conveniently out of order, leaving the door almost completely shrouded in darkness. As Talesin opened the plain wood door, Hisano could hear the magnetic hiss of high-tech mag-locks, something Hisano had never seen outside of Vitality Macrotechnology's high-security office or a bank vault.

As the door opened, it was plain to tell that the shoddy wood on the outside of the door was just a panel, and the door itself was some sort of reinforced metal. The apartment itself was small, similar in square footage to her own home, though it was considerably less crowded. Despite that, there was still clutter in every corner of the room- though not the type of clutter Hisano expected of a home. Instead of dirty laundry and ramen containers littering the tables and floor, there were medical supplies, handguns and empty weapon magazines. A suit of traditional japanese armor- which must've been worth a small fortune sat by the door, and a katana leaned against the desk with a computer. A bed sat next to the desk, with a ladder heading up to possibly the roof of the building, and next to the bed were several long, olive drab military crates and a guided missile launcher almost casually leaning against the wall nearby.

Talesin sat down onto the nearby couch and picked up one of the firearms on the table, inspecting it. He gestured towards the bed, "Rest, Fixer's Hope is safe enough for now."

[Tranquility]

Hisano was grateful for some more information regarding Tommy. Talesin seemed like an honest guy, if but rough around the edges. Hisano listened even though he was essentially feeding her bits, breadcrumbs at best. She was sure he was being vague for her own protection as well as his own. "Thanks." She said, feeling as though she had been saying that endlessly and it had begun to lose its meaning. There had to be some kind of way she could repay Talesin for what he was doing for her. In all honestly, she wasn't sure if she'd go to such lengths for a total stranger. In her mind, her parents' safety would have come first and if someone came in with some target on their back, Hisano didn't think she'd be as generous as Talesin.

Following Talesin, she wondered what sort of challenges would spring up in front of her over the next few days. She couldn't even fathom what the next few days would be like. The whole process was making her sick to her stomach. High-stress situations were not her thing and she felt utterly alone. Talesin was kind but she wasn't going to burden him much longer if she could help it. Tommy may have hoped for Talesin's help but Hisano wouldn't be able to live with herself if she cost people their lives. She had already lost so much.

The woman was led upwards to Talesin's own loft. All buildings were arching further and further into the smog-clogged sky. It was annoying because it meant the city was all the more cold and congested. Overpopulation was becoming a problem. People were restless, angry, desperate, hungry and poor. Those were dangerous combinations. Hisano tilted her head as she heard the security locks hiss. She wasn't sure how Talesin could afford such a luxury but it did give her some peace of mind. Maybe now sleep would come easier to the pink haired wanderer.

"Woah." She said quietly as she stepped inside, the wood lined metal door shut behind her. Hisano looked around, deeming Talesin a bit of a hoarder but it wasn't an uncommon habit that people had developed. Everyone had to keep things close, had to scramble for basic needs and these kinds of supplies that Talesin had were certainly important. Vital. Hisano stepped further in while the man situated himself on the couch. He picked up a gun and focused on it while gesturing for her to lay down. Her eyes went from the bed back to Talesin. Her nerves almost made her cry from his selfless nature.

People like him and Roy and Tommy were a dying breed.

Hisano had to hope she would be able to follow in their footsteps. She would ensure their deeds somehow lived on through her. Sitting on the bed, she placed her own weapons on the desk by the bed. As much as she wanted to thank Talesin once again, she refrained from sounding like some parrot or robot and held her tongue. Hisano also set her pack of cigarettes and her phone down, not wanting them to bother her as she slept. There was more she wanted to ask the man on the couch. He seemed like some kind of ex-military or someone who had been trained. It wasn't just the goods he had, that tipped her off but it was the way he carried himself and acted. "I'm sorry for all this." Hisano said quietly as she swung her legs over onto the bed and laid back, her muscles twitching in attempt to relax. Her brain was still operating as though she were danger but she told herself the door and the apartment were secure.

Even though she wasn't much for conflict or getting into messy situations, she had to accept that she was in one hell of a jam right now. And she couldn't run away. Those who were after her had near unlimited money. But whatever they thought she knew, she didn't. If there was a way to diplomatically settle this whole misunderstanding of sorts, it would be amazing but she knew that was likely impossible. Hisano had to figure things out. Otherwise people like her parents and Tommy and even Talesin, were all acting without purpose and she wouldn't allow for lives to be wasted. Her eyes fluttered closed, "Whatever 'this' is." She muttered, her mind finally shutting down.

[vietmyke]

^{Fixer's Hope - Safehouse - Morning}
Music

"So who's the chick?"

"Tommy's friend."

"Where's Tommy?"

"Dead."

As Hisano came to consciousness, she was vaguely aware of a small conversation happening off to the side. The room, while technologically advanced, was still just a small apartment after all. Opening her eyes, she could see Talesin, still sitting on the couch, same gun in hand, almost as though he hadn't moved when she had passed out hours ago, though his change in outfit clearly disproved the theory. Gone was the vest and buttonup of a bartender, and in its place, a plain white tanktop- his cyberarm now clearly visible without the sleeves to obscure it. Standing across from Talesin was another man, about her age give or take a few years. He was tall- not as tall as Talesin, but pretty tall. His skin, hair and eyes were all varying shades of brown, and aside from a single long scar that snaked down from his brow to his lip, his skin was clear and impeccable, surprisingly so for this area anyway. The new man wore a dark puffy vest over a long sleeve- sleeves rolled up to reveal a pair of identical, black cyberarms.

Noticing her flutter to consciousness, Talesin leaned his head to regard her. The black male also turned around to face her. "Ah, you're up. Good." remarked Talesin. "You seemed tired so I left you to sleep."

"Don't blame you, last night must've been a long one from what I hear." the black guy commented.

Talesin nodded, "Either way, its good you're up, we're not out of the woods yet."

Talesin gestured to the table in front of him. Some of the weapons and clutter had been brushed aside to make space for a small plate and mug. The plate was nothing special: Nutrisoy-scrambled eggs, a highly nutritious but vaguely soy tasting paste reshaped and retextured into the shape of scrambled eggs, with artificial coloring and flavoring- a standard of low-class living. The mug had a steaming cup of soycaf- again, a soy based solution synthesized into the approximate taste of coffee, with caffeine added into it to give it the effects of the real thing. The meal itself was rather bland, though filling and nutritious.

As she ate, Talesin passed her a new phone- a cheap looking, plain piece of rectangular plastic with a glass screen. A burner phone, something that anyone could buy off a vendor, pre-loaded with call minutes, and texting. "You should use this for the time being." Talesin said as a way of explanation. "If the corps are after you, they're probably tracing your phone.

"First course of action for today is getting you anonymous. Off the grid. That means erasing every trace of you in corporate databases: ID number, credit history, birth certificate, everything. That was probably Tommy's plan for coming here anyway." Talesin continued, absentmindedly observing her as she ate. "Unfortunately, I've been out of that game for a while now, I don't have the resources handy to make you disappear- not entirely anyway. Luckily, I know someone that does."

"You're looking for a man named Siu-Feng Ho, Triad dataminer and local tech-expert." Talesin said, pausing before gesturing to the other man in the room. "Oh, and this is Wire, he's in better shape than I am, and not wanted by the Triads, so he'll be going along with you to make sure you don't get into any trouble."

[Tranquility]

Behind closed eyelids, Hisano dreamed that she was back home with her family. Things were simple and they seemed to not need to scrape together food and supplies. Somehow they had everything they needed and yet outside the window people were dying. There were people on fire, somehow drowning, getting beaten. And yet life was perfect for the Mikano family. Flashes of white faded in and out as most of the scenes playing in her head were unremarkable and difficult to remember. In the back of her head there was still a bit of dread. What really stirred her from her hazy slumber was the sound of voices. Her body had already picked up on the fact the room had someone else in it. Perhaps it was the survival instinct awakening inside of her.

Hisano opened her eyes, her brain slowly beginning to register the words being exchanged between Talesin and someone else.

Her mouth felt dry. She pushed her body up and felt her shoulders stiffen and her neck ache. Emotions seemed to be taking a physical toll on the woman. Hisano looked to the stranger and then to the offer of breakfast. She felt a little queasy but knew she had to eat something. She grabbed the mug and took a few healthy gulps of the soycaf and dug into the eggs. Or what was meant to appear like eggs. She paused when Talesin mentioned they weren't out of the woods yet. Of course not. She set the plate down and gave them her full attention as she was given a burner phone. She had used something like it before but it had been a while. She looked it over and then back to the two men.

Talesin began to explain that she had to get off the grid. She was sure that was much easier said than done. Hisano figured now that she lacked real ties to anyone she loved, going off the grid wouldn't be such a horrible fate. It was better than death after all. She went back to eating, finding her stomach in need of fuel. Anything would do really. At the mention of someone she was looking for, she looked to the dark skinned man but it turned out he wasn't him, instead he was called Wire. Getting to her feet, she set the plate and mub back where she had found them. "Alright." She wasn't sure what she would need to do in order to get off the grid.

What would be asked of her?

Surely the kindness of strangers wouldn't carry her through this entire adventure. Hisano put the phone in her pocket and stuffed her other items, gun included back in her jeans. She looked to Wire, wondering how he and Talesin had met, probably a long time ago. But as much as she wanted to commit their story to memory, she knew there was no time for being sentimental. Hisano had to consider that she may not see Talesin again and knew he was already doing enough to attract trouble on her behalf. "I've said thank you enough times I know. But is there anything I can do to repay you? I came to you with horrible news and you helped me. There's gotta be something I can do you." Before she left with Wire, she needed to thank Talesin one last time and see if there was any good she could to do. Otherwise she'd always want to look back.