ShuChapter 2: Part 1
Rodrigo was uncertain how he felt about Livewire as the man explained his involvement with their mysterious benefactor. He'd worked with others of Livewire's ilk before -- you needed parts to be able to perform cyberware upgrades, after all. The equipment was necessary not only for upgrades to paying customers, but there had been many times Rodrigo had offered assistance to those in his community that simply didn't have the means to repair damaged or broken components. All of the shady back dealers who had provided these goods were unsavory types, typically men that Rodrigo would arrange to meet well far enough away from his clinic so they would be unable to connect him with his family or the Valentinos.
The more he heard about Livewire's outlook, the more he saw the way the man carried himself, distrust blossomed in the pit of his stomach. After the harrowing experience they'd all shared below ground, and with the reality they were now facing as escapees from Militech who would surely seek their missing assets, it was highly unclear who they could fully trust. For all intents and purposes, Rodrigo had classified Livewire in the same category of the other solicitors he'd worked with.
At least, this was the case until the man's mother appeared unexpectedly. Rodrigo watched the interaction between the two and couldn't help but picture himself with his own mother, his cousins with his aunts, and a number of other women that he'd met in his life that would fit a similar description. The gentle care Livewire showed the woman suddenly changed his initial opinion of the man and Rodrigo found himself suddenly relating to his struggles. They were both trying to find their way in this hellhole of a city, keeping their family safe and scraping enough by to survive.
At the mention of a stew, Rodrigo's stomach rumbled, and he suddenly realized how hungry he was. How long had it even been since he'd last eaten? The state, smell, and condition of the building mattered little to him, it was nothing he hadn't seen before, and the inhabitants were nothing other than people like him. Skin of the Earth, as his mamá would say. As Livewire's mother turned to return to her preparation of the stew, Kade let out a loud outburst, which he quickly tried to play off.
Rodrigo glanced at the man with confusion, but decided not to comment on the strangeness of his offer to assist the woman in whatever makeshift kitchen she had in the back.
"Why don't we focus our efforts here, instead," he said, motioning to Livewire and the table he was setting up with various wares. "I'm sure Livewire's..." he paused, realizing he'd neither introduced himself to the woman nor asked her name. Appalled at himself for his lack of manners yet again, Rodrigo made a note to rectify this when the woman returned with stew. "Uh, 'Mumma'," he continued, "is more than capable of handling a stew."
He stepped forward as Livewire continued to lay out the many pieces he had available. Each one was placed on the table with care, it was obvious he took his job and wares seriously. Frowning in consideration, Rodrigo's eyes wandered over the various options until his eyes fell on one in particular. "This padding here looks to be a good fit for me." He turned his head to the others, "Anything in particular catch your fancy?"
--
JV eyes lingered, watching as Mumma Livewire walked back to the shack. Maman Nadège would've done the same. Prepared a feast for the guests, fussed over them, urged them to take care of their stomachs before anything else. She'd give JV an ear full too. Forced the man to hug her, to help her prepare, to get Jean-Baptiste to set the table.
As Livewire's mum disappeared behind the curtain, JV exhaled. A warm feeling washed over him, tingling all the way down his spine. Things were better this way. They were better off. While the Gods had been cruel to him, they had at least spared his family. Now more so than ever.
Wandering over to the table, JV perused over the options. He had never picked out his own anything before nor did he have much of an idea about cyberware. It's not exactly as if they were labelled either.
Livewire smiled, recognising the lost look in the man's eyes. Scorch marks and dried blood climbed up both JVs arms, from knuckle to elbow giving the South African all he needed to know. "Ay big man, check this one out." Picking up a large bit of plating, he tossed it to JV. "Countershell, it's an older version so not as reliable as the latest models but it's still got a good chance at reflecting damage. Good for anyone who gets up close and personal to take care of business, right my friend?"
JV nodded, slightly. Shoving the cyberware into Rodrigo's chest he spoke. "Doctor, I will take this one. Fuse it to me once I have finished my meal." Leaving before the man could answer, JV headed off towards the kitchen.
--
Resisting the urge to complain about the force with which Gorilla Arms pushed it into him, Rodrigo held the cyberware with a grimace. It was likely the man was entirely oblivious to his own strength. "Sin problemas," he replied, before giving Kade and Ember a sidelong glance and continuing in a lower tone, "I just can't say how much longer after you've finished your meal it'll be, hermano."
He looked down at the ware in his hands with a critical eye, noticing where the piece had been worn and how it truly wouldn't hold up to a more modern version, just as Livewire had expressed. He was honest, he thought, further convinced his initial judgement of the man had been made too hastily.
Rodrigo picked up the padding that had caught his eye previously and placed both items to the side. "I suppose I'll get all of you situated, but I need to get some food in me first, and perhaps some rest."
--
Rico was the only one who paid any attention to Kade after his little outburst, but he seemed to be content to take the corpo’s attempt to twist it at face value rather than try and pry. Perhaps Kade had played it off cool enough? Or they were just trying to keep things more civil. Whatever the reason, Kade wouldn’t push his luck and continued with the conversation.
“Yes, I suppose we should browse our options.” Kade replied to Rico and approached the wares Livewire had set out. Though glancing over them he spoke under his breath “Afterall it would be rude to refuse free implants offered by a complete stranger.”
Kade’s eyes meticulously combed over each and every piece that had been offered. He wasn’t an expert on chrome by any means, but he at least knew their function well enough to make an informed decision. He could also tell the quality was, as Livewire had even admitted, less than what modern or what was currently market standard. It wasn’t ideal, but if he was going to get back to the top of the spy game he’d need any boost he could. Like a cyberware that did exactly that!
“Well, hello there!” Kade excitedly exclaimed as he picked up a circulatory enhancer commonly known as the Heal-on-Kill. He wasn’t familiar with the specifics, just that it artificially boosted all senses in high adrenalin moments such as the rush you’d get from flatlining someone. A perfect edition to his already existing implants, assuming they were still functioning properly with that virus. Speaking of…
“I agree, Rico. We could all certainly benefit from a meal and a good night's sleep. But in case you forgot, we are still racing against a clock here.” Kade stated rather casually as he strolled over and placed the Heal-on-Kill in front of the ripper doc. “Livewire, I don’t suppose our Anonymous Benefactor mentioned anything about a virus before imploring your services?” They were already operating on the timeline of ‘Less than 24 hours’. Kade would need assurance that sleeping through the night wouldn’t be a death sentence.
--
Livewire took an immediate step back. The man's face crumpled in disgust as he began to wipe his hands on his tank top. "A virus? What the fuck man, what are you talking about? Is it contagious?"
Whether the slender corpo was talking biological or cyber did not matter, with his mother in the room, Livewire was not fucking around. Loading up his 'detonate grenade' quickhack and looking towards Ember, he replied. "This better be nothing like the Wasting Plague, ay my friend. I do hate when I have to kill paying clientele."
--
Kade chuckled and shook his head. A simple ‘No’ would have sufficed. Instead Livewire flipped from gracious host to potential hostile immediately. Oh well. This wasn’t the first time Kade had to diffuse an escalating situation like this. Keeping his smile, he took a step to the side and placed himself between Livewire and Ember hoping to maintain his full attention.
“First off; I never said anything about being infected. I simply asked if it had been mentioned. Second; If we were infected and it was contagious, you’d already have it. You have been in a car in close proximity with us for some time, but I think you’ll find you are completely clean. Finally; I believe you mentioned the deal was ‘if all goes well they’ll keep you around’. Killing all of us doesn’t sound like all going well, does it?” Kade explained as calmly and rationally as he could. “Now, if you would please refrain from threatening us for the time being, may I at least ask if there were any further instructions? Maybe a second location we’ll be going to or are we just waiting around until we get a call?”
--
Ember eagerly inspected the cyberware options, searching for the one that suited her best. Each of them had something to offer, but which one? She hated making decisions like this. Normally Billy would do this for her. Where was he anyway? Her excitement was starting to turn to stress as she tried to make a choice, when Billy finally arrived. This version of her imaginary companion, however, was a stark departure from the usually cheerful and quirky entity she knew. The cartoon bomb’s features now wore an unsettling combination of aggression and malice, manifesting in red eyes and a menacing smile. He ambled around on the table observing the cyberware himself.
“Well, well, Emelia.” His tone was cruel. He flung her old name at her as if it were an insult. “Still struggling to make such a simple decision?” Ember felt a wave of unease, unsure how to handle this more aggressive incarnation of her choom. “Yet you had no hesitation to follow these strangers. You trust too easily, Emelia.” He added once more putting a spiteful emphasis to her rarely used first name. “Only a gonk like you would get into a mess like this.”
“They are my chooms, Billy,” Ember retorted in her mind trying to assert herself, ”Everything is fine. Now stop being a bad Billy and help me pick something. I need to be stronger.”
Billy simply laughed loudly, sending a shiver down Ember’s spine. “Why? Afraid you’ll be too weak and get these ones killed too?”
Billy’s words cut deep. Ember became speechless and the voices of her squad echoed through her mind. Each one slowly got loud and louder until her head was filled with the shouting of ghosts. She froze, unable to move much less make a decision about the cyberware choices before her.
Billy sneered, relishing in his perceived victory. She was determined not to let this evil Billy dictate her choices, but hesitated nonetheless. “I thought so,” he stood next to an optic and kicked at it. “This one, you gonk.” Ember tried to shake her head, close her eyes, anything to get rid of this Billy.
Finally, his aggressive features began to disappear, replaced with her familiar Billy. He smiled playfully with his usual sweet demeanor. She felt a rush of relief as he spoke, “Ember, you okay choom?” He stood where the other had on the table. “You should pick these Kiroshi optics, they’ll be helpful.” Billy’s encouragement seemed genuine, and Ember, shaking off the residual unease, nodded, her mind settling on the cyberware.
“Y-yeah. Thanks, Billy,” she replied aloud but quietly. Looking towards Livewire, she held up the optics and excitedly proclaimed “I’d like those Kiroshi “Stalker” optics, please!” The switch from spiraling after such an ordeal to her normal peppy self shocked even her.
--
"Now you listen here my friend," Livewire's hands slammed down on the table. He wasn't about to be talked down to by some wannabe Corpo. "I have told you everything I know. I get paid to not ask questions but at the same time, do not take me for some fucking dickhead, ay? It's obvious that you and your crew are in some sort of fucked up shit, so you talking about some virus rings true."
Pointing towards the shack, Livewire spoke in a tone that bordered on fury. "And when it comes to protecting my Mumma, I couldn't give a single fuck about any amount of ennies. I will kill whoever needs to die. Now you-"
At that moment, seemingly oblivious to the tense conversation going on, Ember strode up to the table, quietly muttering to herself before choosing her cyberware. "Great choice my dear," Livewires demeanour flipped quicker than someone tossing a pancake in a pan. "these will ensure your SMART weapon is even more accurate, finding those hard to reach gonks no matter where they hide. Again, this early version means you'll need to be close by for it to work. Enjoy ay?"
Handing over the optics, the man turned his attention back to the Corpo. "Listen to me, my friend, you confirm to me that my Mumma is safe from your virus and nobody needs to get flatlined, ay?"
--
Kade's eyes narrowed yet his smile remained even as Livewire grew more agitated. Politely he waited as Ember and Livewire chatted about her choice in cyberware all the while trying to decide how he wanted to handle this. Livewire was on edge ready to start lashing out. Another remark beating around the bush or returning the threat could set him off. Kade considered attempting to ‘shoot first’, but he and his group were tired and unprepared. A fight wouldn't end well for either party. His only option was the truth, but even that did not guarantee their safety. If this was going to work, he had to make sure Livewire had more of a reason not to attack than to kick things off.
“Fine. You want the truth, ‘friend’?” Kade said. He leaned it a few inches closer to Livewire before blurting out, “The truth is, I have no fucking clue!” Pulling away, Kade corrected his posture as he continued. “All we know is that we have a virus in our systems and less than 24 hours from when we woke up to cure it. Something the same person who hired you promised us they could do, but failed to specify when and where.”
It wasn't a great answer, but it was exactly what Livewire had asked for. The honest truth. But Kade wasn't about to let their fate be decided based on if this random gonk liked that answer or not. The corpo proceeded to hold up a finger to indicate he hadn't finished speaking.
“Now before you decide if you'd like to make good on those threats, maybe you should consider the consequences of such actions beyond the eddies? Assuming you did manage to kill us all, you’d be screwing over our employer who, may I remind you, is a mystery figure you have no information on but who clearly knows a lot about you. One who has the ability to hack a secure militech facility from a completely remote location and the resources to pay people up front for any job. So ask yourself, would killing us and gaining such an enemy really keep your mumma safe?"
--
Militech? Livewire's eyes widened. Such a juicy piece of information meant a lot to a guy like him. Though, only time would tell if it could be used to his advantage. Almost just as interesting was the fact that the mysterious benefactor was just as real as they claimed. All too often people in Night City failed to both talk and walk.
Livewire chuckled, clasping his hands together and nodding slightly. "Ok my friend. I appreciate the honesty. Maybe I stick an ear out for you, ay? If I come across any information that might help, I'll pass it on. For now, take your piece of cyberware and a hot meal, this is all I can offer."
--
With a sigh of relief, Rodrigo shook his head at the entire interaction, wondering for what seemed to be the hundredth time about what kind of people he’d gotten himself involved with. Dios, Gorilla Arms was impenetrable and impossible to read, Ember was in her own little world, but the most enigmatic was likely Kade. He couldn’t believe the Suit would simply divulge the details of their predicament to Livewire when it was still so unclear whether they could fully trust the man. The daggers Rodrigo shot from his eyes as Kade started to ramble went entirely unnoticed, but it ended up mattering little anyway since Livewire seemed satisfied with his newfound insight. His initial outburst and sudden antagonism couldn’t even be blamed, given Rodrigo would likely have felt similarly were their roles reversed.
Now that the boys seemed to be done swinging their dicks around, Rodrigo placed a hand on Kade’s shoulder and directed him toward the back where a tempting scent had begun wafting from the kitchens. Likely, Gorilla arms had already been served and Rodrigo wanted to at least be sitting before the man had another chance to shove anymore hardware into his chest.
“And we thank you for both,” he directed to Livewire before nodding to Ember to follow him and Kade. Never mind that the Cyberware had been paid for by whoever this mysterious Voice was.
Livewire’s mother had done the best she could with the little she’d been provided with. A makeshift table hobbled together out of items with flat surfaces that sat atop a number of other items so they all reached a similar height sat near a roasting fire that warmed a metal pot, the contents of which bubbled enticingly. Around the table were a number of smaller objects that served as stools. Gorilla Arms seemed a bit out of place, large man that he was, his arms and legs tucked in as close as they would go to fit into the small space. When the trio came around the corner, Livewire’s mother smiled at them and began pouring each a bowl.
The taste of the dish was unexpectedly complex, layered with savory morsels of synthmeat, a combination of spices, and a few hearty artificial vegetables that Rodrigo simply hadn’t anticipated. It was something he could have been served at home. The sudden memory jolted his heart and he wondered how distraught his mother must be with his absence. Tomorrow he would discover some way to contact her safely. Perhaps the Voice would be able to assist in delivering a secure message. For now, he would have to hope his aunt and cousin would comfort her …and ideally, feed the cats.
Dinner was a quiet affair apart from the comfortable conversation between Livewire and his mother, who aside from discussing personal affairs that might have been better left for private, also directed everyone to find a space they felt comfortable with to claim as their own. A few cots had been identified along with some sleeping pads, and they’d been given free range to utilize any of the discarded items both within the building as well as its surroundings.
Rodrigo found an old reclining chair in a back corner, ripped in places where some of the cushion poked through. The mechanism to recline still worked however, and the old furniture was comfortable enough. Not too far from where it sat was an old metal desk. Perfect. Aside from offering a relatively comfortable place to sleep for the night, it could serve as an installation table for Cyberware. Deciding he would procure further necessary items in the daylight, he sank into the chair, falling asleep immediately.
--
As Ember followed behind Rico, the enticing aroma of food wafted towards her, overpowering her senses. It dawned on her just how hungry she was, realizing she couldn't recall the last time she had a proper meal. They settled at the makeshift table. Despite her attempts to savor the moment, Ember found herself unable to resist the temptation of the meal in front of her and devoured the food in an instance. While she was particularly fond of silence while eating, she enjoyed the casual conversation flowing between Livewire and his mother, a small, appreciative smile gracing her lips. As the meal concluded, Ember expressed her gratitude to Livewire's mother for the delicious feast.
After they all had their fill, the group dispersed in search of their own places to spend the night. Ember, feeling the weight of the day's events, gravitated toward one of the nearest cots. She collapsed onto it, her boundless energy depleted by the whirlwind of experiences. As she lay there, the fatigue from the day took hold, and Ember quickly succumbed to a deep and restful sleep.
--
It seemed Livewire was finally backing down thanks to the extra ‘clarification’ Kade slipped him. Only time would tell if Livewire came to regret such a transaction, but that wasn’t Kade’s problem. He just needed to keep Livewire from going full psycho on them, and it appeared he had succeeded. Rico made it clear he didn’t want to take any chances of things becoming heated again and quickly pulled Kade away and ushered him to the table. It was time for family dinner.
Aside from Livewire and his mother, no one was really in the mood for talking. Maybe it was the unpleasant tension between him and Livewire moments ago, or more likely it was the fighting for their lives to escape that god awful facility, but everyone chose to sit in silence as they scarfed down their meal. Though Kade had to admit, while he was a bit more accustomed to meals of a more refined quality, this was some good stew. Once dinner had concluded, Kade made good on his promise and assisted mamawire with clearing the table and washing dishes. Even if he had offered in an attempt to cover his outburst, Kade was a man of his word. Not to mention it wouldn’t hurt to at least be on her good side.
With the cleaning done and night fully blanketing the sky, Kade began his search of the encampment. Unlike the others, he wasn’t searching for a place to sleep. He was once again on the hunt for a cigarette to satisfy that accursed craving of his. He had already asked Miss Wire if she or her son had any he could borrow, but much to his disappointment neither of them smoked. A pity, but no matter, surely somewhere among the trash was a pack abandoned too early by its previous owner.
After a short search, Kade found himself lounging at the edge of the building. His back against a steel beam, one leg placed on the concrete floor with his arm rested on his knee, while the other leg dangled off the side. Nestled between two fingers in his free hand was a lit cigarette. There was no telling how long it had been laying out in the open, but just like the moment similar in the facility; beggars can’t be choosers. As he looked over the Night City skyline, he took a long drag from his cigarette, then slowly released a cloud of smoke as he mused to himself.
“Just you wait, Night City. I’ve climbed to the top before. And mark my words; I’ll do it again.”
--
Bea, having paid close attention to the instructions given, had eventually found her way to the base. She looked upon it from far down the road. In disbelief she slowly removed her sunglasses, narrowing her eyes at the huge shape and run down form of it, discomfort crept in and she sighed, placing the arm of the glasses against her glossed bottom lip she took another breath. There wasn't much that she was thinking, other than about how much she really didn't want to be here. How much she couldn't remember of the night before, except for the terrifying parts.
How embarrassed she was about to feel, walking back in.
The orange glow of midmorning warmed up the sky - an almost cloudless one save for some that were clearly holding onto their rain for dear life. She felt that change in the air too, that it may rain later. She was holding back her own storm too, pain still clung to her face and wrist. An ache throughout her body. Still, she had dressed it all away. A patterned skirt that clung to her figure, a crisp and clean shirt that was barely buttoned was tucked into the waistband. Her hair long today, poker straight and bright blonde - hot and baby pinks at the tips in an ombre to the middle of its length. "Come on..." she muttered, as if trying to muster her own energy to take more steps.
The woman reached for her suitcase again. She began wheeling it behind her as she trundled forwards - head held high, shoulders back.
At her side, and closely too, was Cookie. In the daylight, he was a remarkable beast - like somehow while huge in the apartment, he appeared bigger outside in the real world - void of any colour of pattern to his coat, from a distance, he could have appeared to look like a panther in the way that he moved with purpose and grace that betrayed his size. His eyes held the only colour, the reflection of orange from the atmosphere that gave his eyes the look of headlights. An intense gaze, watching for any threat.
The two of them had managed to cab most of the way, until Cookie had grumbled too loud, pushed his head too far forward in the cab to make the driver uncomfortable.
As they arrived at the base, Bea took a look at the stairs and the climb ahead. Heels were not ideal for this, certainly not these heels. Patent leather pumps in hot pink that had such a shine it was almost as if they had been striped with white.
Those heels tipped and tapped against the scaffolding and stairways, and Bea huffed out an annoyed breath, dragging her suitcase up too. Even Cookie seemed to be unsure of it. At some point, she wobbled too with the movements and let out a panicked "oooh!" until she found her balance again and continued. Eventually, she had arrived at the first floor. She had made sure to tuck her hair behind her ears and put her sunglassed back on. She cleared her throat in the dusty space. "Now, I don't want to hear any ‘I told you so’,” she announced in her confident, melodic voice - a noticeable rasp in her throat. "Wow, the Ritz never looked so good," she added with a shrug. Cookie, meanwhile, was still scoping the stairwell out and wasn't quite ready to join her just yet, so, alone she stood - a hand resting on the handle of her suitcase, and the other on her hip.
"Alright, I made it. Fix me already."
--
Ember sat on her cot, tinkering with some scraps she had found. Making what appeared to be a grenade shaped device. Deep in her building process, she was momentarily pulled away when she heard a woman's voice as Bea reached the top of the stairs. He head snapped up to see that beautiful blonde woman again.
“It’s you!” Ember practically yelled, as she tossed the contraption to the side and bolted towards the woman. She wrapped her arms around the taller woman in excitement. “You're back!” Ember gushed, giving Bea another squeeze before she stepped back. As she did her eyes caught sight of him on the stairs following Bea. Ember's tone shifted to a whisper as her eyes grew wide. “Puppy!”
--
Bea's entire body stiffened as the excitable woman hugged her. Immediately hugged her. Without warning. Bea thought back to the moment when they had first freed her, and decided that actually the greeting wasn't so unexpected at all. Her eyebrows raised and she exhaled a long breath she was sure the woman wouldn't notice - her attention had already moved on. Awkwardly, Bea patted her on the shoulders. "Yes... Uh huh. Me again."
Once she was freed from the enthusiastic greeting, she placed a hand on her hip and nodded. "Yeah. I brought him too. That's Cookie."
Cookie's head tilted as he eyed Ember up, as if trying to decide if the woman was safe or not. He gave an indifferent grumble, and hadn't immediately leapt to action when the woman had grabbed Bea. Anyone that Cookie didn't trust, wouldn't have gotten away with it with all of their limbs intact.
--
Upon releasing Bea from her tight grasp, Ember excitedly bounced while eyeing Cookie. Pointing towards the large dog she asks a bit louder than her whisper, “Can I pet him? Please, please, please!?” She asked already slowly walking towards him.
--
Kade stared into the remains of a discarded mirror, studying what he could view of his figure in the cracked reflection. He had just finished carefully smoothing his hair back and was in the middle of adjusting his suit coat when a familiar voice sounded from the stairs. Kade turned to see Bea as glamorous as ever standing at the top of the stairs. Ember was overjoyed and immediately wrapped her arms around the returning diva. Kade on, the other hand, merely looked Bea up and down before returning to his reflection.
“All of you?” Kade called out in response to Bea's request to ‘fix her’. “I don't think there's enough time in the world for that. But if you're referring to the little bug in our systems, I'm afraid we're still waiting for that as well.”
--
"Well obviously you speak from experience, Cupcake," Bea retorted - eyeing up her nails as she outstretched her hand. At Ember's request she merely shrugged. "Sure."
Cookie approached Ember carefully, his eyes cautious, and his steps slow. He opened his mouth, and took her hand in it gently - applying no pressure to the bite. He bopped her around at the wrist with a wet nose. He let go of her, leaving a trail of slobber behind him and huffed out a breath as if to say "you're a good people."
--
Livewire had just finished setting up his table when the woman arrived. He'd been called in once again this morning by the mysterious sponsor and this must've been why.
"S'cuse me, miss?" he yelled, interrupting the reunion. "Your secretive friend has charged me with giving you a piece of cyberware." Livewire's eye lit up as he checked his schedule for his next appointment. "So please, come choose as my clock is ticking, ay?"
--
"Oh no no no," Bea began, wagging a finger towards Livewire as he hurried her. "I didn't realise that was part of the plan - is this part of the plan? The one to get well that is? Cyberware?" She narrowed her eyes, suddenly becoming more acutely aware of the surroundings - of the disarray around her, of the mess. Was this really where she was to sit this one out? The back of her neck prickled, and agitated, she huffed out a sigh. "Where's the good Doc? You know what, maybe I'll leave that decision in his hands - "Cyberware" is not exactly.... Familiar to me..."
--
After having discovered a motherboard that was still functioning and successfully connecting it to a display that was only moderately cracked, Rodrigo had cleared off and finished the setup on the desk beside the armchair he'd slept in. All things considered, it had been much more comfortable than the concrete block from the previous evening, and though he'd prefer not to wake with the sun in his eyes, he found himself to be in much better spirits than the last time he awoke. Can't imagine why, he thought sarcastically to himself.
With his tools in hand and everyone's cyberware secured, he'd spent the better part of the morning outfitting his new companions with their chrome, and was taking a moment to finalize his own installation when he overheard a honey sweet voice from beyond the corner that he'd half expected never to hear again.
His pace picked up as he rounded the corner to see Bea tackled in delight by Ember. The movement jostled the blonde and added noticeable strain to the few buttons on her shirt, but they remained securely in place. Malditos botóns, he cursed silently, unable to keep himself from smiling in relief at the sight of the woman. Looks like JV had been right after all, and she'd obviously used her time away wisely, her hair shimmered in the sunlight, her skin glistening with ...was that glitter? His eyes trailed down her short skirt to her bare, sleek legs and Rodrigo was suddenly overcome with the disturbing thought that he wasn't certain how long it'd been since he'd last showered. Even the dog she'd brought along seemed cleaner than he was, if that beast of an animal could even be considered a dog, large as he was.
Throwing a rag he'd discovered over his shoulder after wiping his hands, he approached with a half smile, figuring there was nothing he could do about appearances so he shouldn't bother worrying about it. "It's good to see you again, Bea. Looks like you had a better night than the rest of us." The ripperdoc eyed the dog a little warily but extended his hand for a sniff regardless. "Even brought a guard dog, huh? Not a bad idea to have extra security around this lot," he chuckled, referencing the others around them. A newfound excitement bubbled within him that was difficult to disguise. His eyes raced over the cyberware on Livewire's table and he instinctively paused on one piece. "How would you feel about an adrenaline boost?" He asked, his eyes meeting Bea's. "Once you've found somewhere to place your things, I'd be happy to hook you up."
--
Bea watched as Rodrigo approached, eyeing him with almost as much attention as he had to her. The one person she trusted. He seems fine... They all seem fine... Didn't they also see anything last night...? she wondered. The sound of bullets intruded her thoughts again but she didn't flinch, instead, she took a slight step back, pushing up her sunglasses further as an awful dreadful feeling sank into her chest. "Yes. Busy evening of course," she began. "This and that. Champagne and canapes on the rooftop..." she added with a wave of her hand as if that was almost boring to her.
"This here is Cookie," Bea said with a smile as he moved back to her side, eyeing up Rodrigo cautiously, sniffing at the air to catch his scent that was quite familiar. It had been on Bea's dress. Unlike with Ember, he didn't mouth at the doctor's hand, and just let out a single grumble, but nothing more.
"You all.... Seem in good spirits," she added, a probing comment to see if any of them would mention anything out of sorts. Any Militech presence, even. Without waiting for an answer, she met Rodrigo's eyes, "Adrenaline boost? Is that.... an easy procedure, Sugar? It's not going to be visible? On my face is it? Is this... really a sterile environment?" She asked, stepping forward and looking the place over with an uncertain tone. "I... does it take long? Is this what's going to help us? More cyberware?" There was a nervousness in her voice that she couldn't disguise, but after a moment, she forced a smile.
--
As Bea stepped back, Rodrigo worried it had been due to his odor and frowned slightly, deciding his next priority would be to find running water. And soap.
"You a good boy, Cook?" He stepped aside as Ember knelt beside the massive pup, who relented to her pets with begrudging friendliness as if in answer to Rodrigo's question. Seemed well mannered enough, but his reluctance didn't inspire complete confidence.
Moving his attention back to Bea, he nodded to her comment about their general well being and opened his mouth to respond further when he was met with a flurry of questions. It was clear she was more than a little anxious about cyberwear, and it softened Rodrigo's heart to the dog to see Cookie steal protective glances up at her as she rambled. He began taking a step forward to comfort her when he remembered her earlier reaction and instead pivoted to the table to grab the chrome before meeting her gaze once more. Softening his tone, his voice calm and even, he said, "I promise I'll take good care of you, Bea. You'll be safe, it'll be done before you know it, and it will be completely invisible to the naked eye." Rodrigo sighed and ran his fingers through his hair as memories of their imprisonment and Bea's reaction to the horror of it all replayed in his mind. "I don't know that we'll be able to avoid conflict, and... this might be a better option for you than a gun."
--
"More conflict? You think we'll have more...?" Bea asked, knowing that she'd had some of her own already - unless it hadn't been real. She wasn't confident enough to say whether the events of the night had been in her head or real. It seemed however, that they had not gone through the same thing. Perhaps she should have gotten in the van in the first place afterall... Although, who could say when she would have seen Cookie again had that been the case. "Alright, I'll do it," she said. Part of her wanted to confide in Rico - to tell him she didn't want to end up like Lauren. A liability. But, the others were around -- and, still she trusted him, but not that much yet.
She didn't want any of them to perceive any kind of weak thought. Was that all it would take for someone like Kade to pull a trigger? She doubted Ember would... the Gorilla Arms... He'd given her the gun, but - if she was unwilling to use it then maybe he'd take hold of her with those arms and tear her apart too... The only option was to comply.
"Well alright then Sugardoc." Bea sighed. "Cyberise me already," she uttered quietly, her gaze turning to his chair, and she understood from the equipment around it that was where it was to be done. She didn't let her steps towards it falter even if her legs felt heavy as she approached. What he saw as a safe workstation, she saw as a trap. It was like a form of stage fright that was taking over her as she got close, and that dreadful sensation swirled around. She felt lightheaded again, just like in the prison. Don't be weak, this isn't like... she told herself and took a long breath.
"This the spot?" she asked, her comfortable expression a complete betrayal of how she was feeling inside. "Dressed or undressed?"
--
Rodrigo followed behind Bea with a concerned expression, unsure exactly why he was unnerved by her reaction. Perhaps it was the way her jugular pulsed when she walked by.
Cookie pushed past him in a rush to stand beside his owner. Small whines escaped the dog, and he gave the woman's hand a gentle lick. Did he feel something amiss too, or was this Cookie's typical behavior? There was no way of knowing.
Once again, Rodrigo nodded to her initial statement, only to balk at her second question. "Dressed," he answered a little too quickly. After a slight pause he added, "I'll only need to reach the base of your neck." As thrilling as the latter option sounded, it wouldn't do to perform surgery while his heart pounded in his ears. Feeling the eyes of the others on his back, the ripperdoc realized he should've sought out a privacy screen to enclose the makeshift clinic he'd thrown together.
Bea appeared entirely unbothered either way as she sat on the tattered armchair, where more cushion protruded further from the larger tears. Taking a breath to steady himself, Rodrigo approached and focused his gaze on the woman once more, only this time, using his cyberoptics to assess her vitals. Cortisol, blood pressure, and heart rate elevated. He frowned. There definitely was something bothering her, no denying it now.
Taking a step closer and kneeling on the ground before her, Rodrigo lowered his voice so only she could hear his gentle tone. "We don't have to rush into this. Have you eaten yet? We can get you settled first."
--
He had a point. The equipment had just been plucked off a table in a dirty warehouse. Did Bea really want to hurry and put that in her body to do goodness knows what? An adrenaline boost, Rico had said, whatever that really meant. Her smiling expression faded to neutral, and she brought a hand to the side of her eye where she'd fallen. "Settled? Here? I just want to know what this Voice wants? How we're going to be cured."
She leaned forward in the chair as he knelt down, running a hand through her hair so as to bring it across her shoulder so the back of her neck would be revealed to him. "I saw the alternative - the not listening to it..." her voice was quieter, and momentarily vulnerable. Rico had created an air of trust between them, and Bea pulled down her sunglasses and looked down to him, to show him the marks on her face until she realised that she was doing it.
"Do it already," her sharp chirp returned and she leaned back. Her finger pushed the sunglasses back up quickly and she crossed one leg over the other moving her foot in small, slow circles. Breaking the close proximity they had shared. "Oh, and I want to watch -" she added cooly, looking up into the corners of the room now. "When you put it in that is. I want to watch."
--
At first, all Rodrigo noticed was the fear in her eyes as Bea pulled down the sunglasses he now realized she'd worn as a form of armor. The unguarded look so contrasted the heavy walls Bea typically had raised all around her, it awakened a surprisingly strong protective desire in him which only grew in force when he registered the rest of her face. The bruising, the pain etched into the curve of her cheeks. Instinctively, his hand twitched with the desire to cup them, to run the pad of his thumb over each scrape and have them vanish at his touch, but just as quickly as she'd opened up to him, she was a vault once more. Rodrigo's hand moved instead to the base of her neck, gently brushing a few remaining strands to the side as he scanned the area for the best incision.
Just what had she experienced last night? An unexpected anger blossomed within him at their situation, at the Voice, and at Militech who had created this hopelessness that crushed the woman's spirit. His Mamá's words came to mind, "Use anger as a tool, mijo, channel it, instead of letting it use you." With that thought in mind, his anger molded itself into the resolve that he would do everything in his power to keep them all safe.
A disembodied laughter Rodrigo knew belonged to no one in the room echoed in his mind then, and he braced himself for the horrible, gravely voice that accompanied it. Only this time, it was some mutilated version of his own mother's voice. "And just what does a weakling, failed healer like you think you'll be able to do, hm?" More disjointed laughter reverberated in his mind, broken and garbled, striking him as if like shards. He shut his eyes tightly until it dissipated, and what felt like long excruciating minutes lasted only a few seconds.
When he opened his eyes, he saw Cookie resting his head on the footrest of the armchair, ever the guardian, and Bea lazily rotating her foot with a bored expression as she eyed the room. At her request to watch the procedure, Rodrigo reassuringly squeezed her shoulder. "I'll do it nice and gentle. We'll get you a mirror so you can see every detail."
--
Following closely behind Cookie, Ember sat next to the pup. Scratching behind his ears as he comforted Bea. Once she heard Rico mention the mirror her eyes snapped to Kade who was still admiring himself in a mirror.
“He's got one!” Ember pointed at the corpo with her other hand still petting the dog.
--
Kade’s head popped around the corner with a sharp glare at Ember.
“Is that what we're doing now? Offering other people's things?” Kade asked sarcastically.
--
Ember looked up at him and thoughtfuly put her finger under her chin. Then looked back with a smile.
"Yep."
--
Holding out his hand, Rodrigo smiled to the Suit. “You don’t mind, do you, hermano?” He then turned his attention to Ember. “Think you can find us another one? We’ll need two so she can see what’s going on. Maybe Cookie can help.”
--
Kade rolled his eyes, but knowing it wouldn't do him any good to protest, he begrudgingly brought his mirror over to the surgical chair.
"Fine. But try not to chip it any further. Our luck has already been questionable. Last thing we need is seven years of the bad stuff."
--
At Rico's request she stood, “Aye Aye doc!” Ember chimed with a silly finger salute. Bending down to look at Cookie she asked the pup, “You want to go on an adventure, choom?”
--
"Ahh," Bea began, a quiet sigh as she glanced down to Cookie who appeared to be tolerating the extra attention just well enough. "He's not that kind of dog, sweet petit pois," she said to Ember, making sure to scratch the top of his head as she leaned forward to pick up the mirror from Kade.
She didn't want to quite break the girl's heart with the blunt delivery of explaining how the dog would not be leaving her alone with Rico. "But there's a mirror in my suitcase," she added. "Just.... Be careful. Cosmetic case. Should be in the side."
--
After another quick scratch for Cookie, Ember skipped over to Bea's suitcase. Fumbling around the bag until she spotted the glint of the mirror. [color=872187]Nova
