Atrophy
Creative Chaos
NoriWasHereπ½π¦π₯ππππ₯πͺ: πππ πΎπ£ππt πΎπππ
So thatβs just it, isnβt it?
Any kami be damned to flames.
All falls in favor of the πΎπππ.
>>>πΈπππππ π...
>>>πΈππ...
>>>βπ π‘πβ¦
We, the people be the tools of entropy. Thatβs it. We are the pawn pieces. It all came crashing into the damn E-Brain that day. He was the βπππππ£. I was the πΈππ§ππ.
>>>π»π ...
>>>βπ π₯...
>>>π»πππ§π...
>>>πππ₯πππβ¦
Back then, I thought I was lucky to even see him strike. To enter it all and have a chance to be integral to the wavesβthat vast array of information. My eyes staring into the cameraβ¦ He invaded like a parasitic thought, didnβt even have to open the door and face the old monoblade persuasionβ¦
>>>πΌπ€πππ‘π...
>>>πππππ...
>>>ππ π¦...
>>>βππβ¦
At least I got the information. Just a IV drip of intrigueβof what was hidden. He was already a conduit, surfing the digital landscapes. He was a pest, really. Pragmatic parasite, thinking that information could save him. He was weak. Even before I ever saw him, I could see, just as he could see the weakness in me.
>>>πΌπ§ππ£πͺ...
>>>βπ£πππ₯π¦π£π...
>>>ππππ₯π€...
>>>πΈπ€...
>>>πΌπ’π¦ππβ¦
Partnersβ¦ I never thought Iβd have one, but in the face of something πΎπ£πππ₯, thereβs no choice but to huddle in hives or stand subject to Mother Fate. That was the beginning of something. A unity of lost souls against some esoteric βEntropyβ entity that ran like live current through all of us. We were just tools, observers, seekers, naive, weak, baseless beasts intruding from a land of mediocrity. The βπππππ£ and πΈππ§ππ, but we werenβt yet complete. We couldnβt compete.
But all I needed was a glimpse.
>>>πππ πππ πΎπΈππΌ...
>>>ππ₯'π€ ππ¦π€π₯ πΈ πΎπΈππΌ...
>>>ππ₯ππ‘ πππ₯π πππ πΈπ£πππ...
>>>βπ£π π€π₯π£ππ₯π πππͺπ€πππ πΉπππ π£π πππ πΎπΈππΌ...
>>>π»π βππ πΌππ₯ππ£ πππ πΎπΈππΌ..
>>>πΌππ₯ππ£ πππ πΎπΈππΌβ¦
>>>πΌππ₯ππ£ πππ πΎπΈππΌ...
>>>...
ππ¨ππ₯ππ ππ₯π£πππ₯ βπ πππ ππ€
βππππππ β€π ππ, ππ π¦π₯π βππ₯πͺ ππ‘π£ππ¨ππΈπ‘π£ππ ππ€π₯, ππππ ππ :ππ
[βπ ππ, πππππ π¨ βππ£ππ§ππ] πππ£πππππ₯πππ...
Nobody really noticed the final flash of orange until he was out the door. The moment panic wove its way into the suites, the monk was on his way. Anyone who might have spotted him must have wondered what the straggler was doing after his procession had already gone off to do things that were certainly esoteric and probably a little creepy.
Samsara had taken to kicking Delilah every few beats of the music that played regularly in his head. It was rock music. Super cool stuff. Behind those hi-tech corpo glasses, though, he was having one of those staring deathmatches with Faren. Some of the NLP roadies had already lost interest in the scene, though most were focused on the show, considering it was blocking their way to the drinks. Faren had started smoking inside. Ironic.
Samsara held a dataslate in his hand. It went off, buzzing, though no one could really be sure if that wasnβt the effect of a well placed finger or an actual call. βThe looming overlords call, D.β He fished into his pocket, but the show had already taken off before he could wrangle it.
Delilah had already started to drag herself up to her feet with handfuls of Samsaraβs jacket when another one of the elite had infiltrated the domain of the bourgeoisie. She didnβt notice the βdoctorβ at first, focusing her eyes instead into the ether. All too often, shitposting in response to Citizen K took precedence over any job, any Councilman Washington, or any wild west gun standoff, but the doctor came straight for her. It was way too suspicious. Medical emergency? she thought. He definitely wasnβt the navy.
βπ¨πππ₯ πππ‘π‘ππππ?"<<<
βπ¦π£ πππ§π π£ππ₯π π‘ππ«π«π π‘π ππππ₯ ππππ§π π£ πππ₯ πππ©ππ?"<<<
...<<<
βπ¦π£ πππ§π π£ππ₯π π‘ππ«π«π π‘π ππππ₯ ππππ§π π£ πππ₯ πππ©ππ?"<<<
...<<<
>>> βπΈπππ π€π₯ πππ ππ₯ πππππβ¦ ππ¦π£π§ππ§ππ... πΉπ¦π₯ ππ π¨ π₯ππ ππ π£π‘π π€ πππ§π π€π¦π£π£π π¦ππππ ππ...β
>>> βπ'ππ πππ§π π₯π πππππ₯ π₯πππ π ππ...β
>>> βπππ₯π ππͺ πππ€π₯π€...β
>>> βππ£ πππππ...β
>>>...
Phase shift. Back to reality.
Two completely conspicuous sorts approached Faren and his horde from either staircase that led further into the suites. You could tell they were with the NLP because of their hipster glasses and black turtlenecks.
βEverything we needed?β The candidate asked. Both of his goons nodded, and a good portion of the NLP crowd started to disperse, finally intent on doing something useful besides warming up the room by standing together like a bunch of bees. Faren and a few others stayed, sizing up Samsara.
βMaβam?β Delilah almost audibly scoffed, but opted for a sick hair-flip, devious-laugh combo instead. He was definitely a cop. She pushed herself off of Samsara and adjusted her glasses, trying to decipher whether he was red or blue or what. βAlright?β
Samsara shook his head. The moment his companion had finished using him as a support crutch, he stepped back, nudging Delilah with an elbow and pointing to his dataslate. An infallible excuse. βOn to more important things.β He extended his hand and between his two fingers was a nondescript drive of black plastic. βLet me know when you get back to being useful.β Delilah begrudgingly accepted the drive, but her eyes never left Howland.
βWhatβs with all these questions?β Delilah leaned back, and tried to get a read on the guy. βWhatβre you a cop? Iβll be asking the questions here.β She was rather light on her feet with a bit of a sway to her step, but Delilah had always been a timebomb waiting to explode in motionβ¦ At least, if she had her snack that day.
Glory had resolved to keep herself occupied by maintaining a perimeter while she waited for the medical team to arrive after picking up Lottβs left-behind phone and pocketing it. It was a part of the unit tactics that she had been trained in for use on deployments: If you werenβt relevant for the task at hand, you kept an eye out for the people who were relevant. Fortunately, assistance arrived faster than Glory anticipated. It had only been a few moments when her ear perked up as she heard a voice begin speaking from within the crowd that had formed as people departed.
Gloryβs eyes flicked over to Howland as he arrived on scene. Dr. Parker Howland, member of the health oversight committee and quite possibly the best person to arrive on scene at that moment. Glory blinked, but nodded. Her first-aid training was superficial at best, but if needed she could at least reliably perform CPR. βYes sir. My training in first-aid is limited, but I will assist you to the best of my ability on request.β
Due to her attention being on Howlandβs arrival, Glory missed the black plastic drive that Samsara passed Delilah. Though if she had seen it, Glory wouldnβt be able to do anything about it. Delilah was most likely going to be arrested and brought in for interrogation, but Glory couldnβt just declare everything she touched as evidence.
As Howland began to assess Delilah, Glory placed herself nearby. She still needed to provide overwatch, but was ready to respond if Howland presented a request.
Well, her airway and breathing were clear - and she was clearly intoxicated, too. Howland shook his head, gently placing two fingers on her neck. "I'm a doctor, ma'am. Did you say you suspected a heart attack?"
That man is more interested in the ridiculous glasses on his face than the woman in front of him, Howland observed. He consciously kept a sour expression from his face. Pulse elevated, but consistent. Pupils dilated - she was probably on drugs. As he spoke, he tried to guide her to a seat - sitting would be easier on her heart than standing.
A doctor, Delilah thought. It was a clever disguise, but she was always prepared with a clever-er reaction. Always stay strapped. Thatβs what the Crocodiles used to say. She jerked back a bit as his hand met her neck. Her left hand slipped up to grab his hand. βHeart attack? Iβve seen Death, cop, and the flatline doesnβt scare me anymore. Iβm too powerful.β
Her other hand rose this time, she formed her gat once more, placing it just beneath his chin and tried to perform a dramatic pass-through to switch places with Howland, as if she were pushing him up against a wall. βNow where were you on November 8th, 2064 at approximately 1900 hours?β
"At the dinner table with my wife, at my home," Howland answered unexcitedly. He shifted his weight, using his greater size to absorb Delilahβs momentum as she pushed into him for some reason. He didnβt think this was a heart attack - this was most likely nothing more than the security guard overreacting to an even-greater idiotβs drunken rambling. All the same, this woman was wasted - she probably needed medical attention. His tone of voice didnβt change at all. "You do seem quite powerful, maβam. Please donβt shoot me." He glanced over to the security guard, catching her eye and throwing a meaningful look towards the intoxicated woman.
Delilahβs flustered expression was evident the moment Howland resisted her slick moves, though it could have just been her body betraying her to the dehydration and heat exhaustion. The Shaman didnβt bother herself with worldly matters. βLikely storyβ¦ Everyone in the Reclaim was busy that day. I bet you donβt even have a wife, cop. Whatβs your wifeβs maiden name?β
She was always quite adamant about her positional advantage, and Delilah knew not to give any cop the upper hand. After a few steps, she planted her feet firmly, dropping her grip on Howlands wrist and exchanging it for another gun. βIβm very powerful. Magic as fuck, in fact, but donβt worry.β She turned her wrist as if to show him her weapon. βThe safety was on.β Until she clicked it off, the menace.
Glory caught sight of Howlandβs glance between her and Delilah and responded with a blink. The signal mightβve gone unnoticed, but it was indeed a signal. Most of the security team was aware of the idea that one blink was a confirmation, and two blinks was a denial. Moving subtly, Glory shifted a hand to one of her belt pouches. Popping it open, she retrieved one of the two pairs of handcuffs she kept on hand. Her motions would have to be swift.
Gloryβs primary concern was the βgunβ that Delilah had pressed to Howlandβs chin, so it would be the first thing she dealt with. Unlocking both ends of the handcuffs, Glory mentally planned out her actions for a moment, and then executed them swiftly. With a single step and one swift arm motion, Glory moved behind Delilah and attempted to slap one end of the now-open handcuffs around Delilahβs βgunβ hand...
One cop was bad enough. Two cops was a whole ordealβthe sort where the Shaman and her cronies began the reeeaaall hustle. Delilah knew that much from her circuit in Neo Orleans with the Crocodiles. She lost all interest in Howland when the security officer clearly started approaching with silent intent. Everyone wanted to dance with her, it seemed. Things always seemed to work out that way.
As Glory reached for Delilahβs main firearm, handcuffs already in hands, Delilah knew she was coming for some of that sweet heat. Her gun hand merely twisted, gripped the center of the handcuffs and Delilah spun into Glory so the two were face-to-face. Of course, she lost her suave Samsara coat in the process, but the expression on her face read stone-cold smooth.
βCareful what youβre doing there, miss,β the Shaman said. βSβvenia always said it was dangerous to mess with a wizard.β There was a clear click from behind her back of handcuffs clinching shut and Delilah jingled her wrist a bit before letting all of her weight slump backwards. If Glory wanted to maintain control of the βcriminalβ magician, sheβd have to stumble with Delilah as she went to the ground or drop the cuffs.
βIβm the worst kind, too.β Delilah winked shut her eye on the blue side, because she saw only red. βAnd only I get to arrest me...β
Glory was genuinely caught by surprise as Delilah managed to twist her hand into position to grab at the oncoming cuff. βDamn. For someone that genuinely looked to be on deathβs door a few moments ago she sure does recover fast.β flicked through Gloryβs mind as Delilah spun into her. Glory glared angrily at Delilah as she spoke, though she happily retained her height advantage at this distance. As Glory heard the clicking of cuffs behind Delilahβs back her mind began to race with possibilities. βDid she cuff herself? Did she just close them? Did she try to cuff me?β
All of these thoughts were pushed aside as Delilah pushed herself backwards and began to fall. Glory had a few scenarios play through her head. In scenario one, she released her grip on the handcuffs and allowed Delilah to fall before attempting to restrain her again. However, this presented the possibility of Delilah utilizing the same swiftness she had made use of to grab the handcuffs in the first place to scamper away, and losing a piece of kit as abusable as handcuffs would come with a sharp penalty.
On the other hand, if Glory allowed herself to fall with Delilah, that allowed her to keep hold of the handcuffs and would most likely allow for her to prevent Delilah from scampering away. But it presented an uncomfortable amount of contact between the two of them and Della could try to pull some other trick. It would be incredibly bad if Delilah had a syringe filled with unknown chemicals at her disposal.
However, Glory also reasoned that with Howland present and the coat she had been previously wearing discarded on the floor, anything she had on hand wouldβve likely been inaccessible and would likely be easy to diagnose and fix. Glory mentally nodded as she made her decision, and deliberately allowed Delilah to pull her down with her.
This deliberate motion allowed Glory to avoid falling harshly as she ended up largely on top of Delilah. Glory wasnβt happy being there, but it was needed to avoid her escaping. Glowering at Delilah, Glory used her free hand to push herself up and attempted to plant her left knee on the base of Delilahβs sternum as she shifted to the right to largely remove herself from being in contact with Delilah. Looking up at Howland, Glory motioned to the presumably now-pinned Delilah and spoke quickly. βDoctor, if youβd like to continue your examination, sheβll probably not be able to do much else.β
Delilah sputtered in the face of her captor as she fell. The metallic arm clasped within the cuff became visible only as she stifled her fall, but Delilah shunted her prosthesis beneath her deck soon after, the bulky console nearly covering Delilahβs entire torso. Netrunners were always a strange sort, and even the Shaman herself felt the taxing effects of her Amalgaβs weight everywhere she went. That didnβt much matter. She was always fully strapped.
βOh, poor decision, miss.β Delilah looked all too content in her prone position, and the numerous wires enwrapping her form were plugged so haphazardly it was hard to tell what equipment was running and what she was actively operating.
βWow, I came for a drink now I got girl on girl?β Johnny said finally walking over, Manhattan in hand. His other hand gripped onto his phone as he pulled it from his jacket and started recording the two flailing about.
Howland rubbed his forehead. He'd just wanted help holding the drunk still, and now all ofβ¦ this. "Ah, thank you, miss." He stepped back, opening his medical case and pulling out that most advanced of pharmacological wonders - a tablet of aspirin. "That's all we can do here - she should be examined at the hospital. Here, get her to chew this, please. Aspirin can protect the heart from further clotting." He thought a moment, then held the bottle out where Delilah could see it. There was nothing more to do than wait for an ambulance. Howland was pretty certain she didn't need it, but he rather wanted to see the drunken woman admitted anyway. A toxicology report would, he guessed, make for interesting readingβ¦
The Amalga Deck seemed almost to be a conduit for Delilahβs feelings, as much of a silly cyberjockey metaphor as that was. Nonetheless, the moment Howland stepped forward, the bulky gunmetal box whirred to life. While the Machine raged with life, however, Delilah appeared quite the opposite. Sheβd zoned out entirely, lost in the maze of cords and connections.
>>> ππ πππππβ¦
>>> πππππ ππ ππππ π½ππ¦π© ππππππ! ππ π¦ π£πππππͺ ππ¦ππππ π₯πππ₯ π ππ π¦π‘...
>>> "βππππ ππ,β
>>> "ππ π¦ π πππͺ?β
>>> βππ£ π€ππ π¦ππ π π€π₯ππ£π₯ ππͺ ππ£πππ-πππππ₯πππ ππππ π¨ππ₯ππ π¦π₯ πͺπ π¦? πππππ π πππ£π£πͺ πͺπ π¦ π₯π π₯ππ πππ£ π πππ ππ π£π?β
>>>...
>>>πππππππ πππ€π€πππ π₯π βπ ππ₯πππ₯π€:
"πππ ππ£π¦π₯π"
>>> βπβπΎ βπβπΎ βπβπΎ...
>>> "π π πΉππππ ππ£π£ππ€π₯ππ ππͺ πΎππ₯ππ'π€ βπππ₯-π-ππ π‘...β
>>> "βπππππππ ππͺ π¦ππ₯ππππ₯π ππππππ ππ π§ππ€...β
>>> βπ π£ππ’π¦ππ£π π₯ππ π¦πππππ€ππ, π§ππ£π₯π¦ππ¦π€ πππ»ππΈ!!!β
>>>...
Howland lowered the bottle as it became clear the woman was no longer paying attention. "...Maβam?" Howland prompted. He did his best to ignore the camera and act professional. His job was first aid - let the security officer worry about the laws.
As Della revealed the prosthetic arm, Glory raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Delilah had, in fact, cuffed herself. What was this mad-womanβs end goal? Glory was about to reply to Howland when someone spoke behind her. Taking a moment to look over her shoulder, Glory scowled at Johnny and gave him a curt reminder. βAll non-essential personnel are supposed to be out of this area. This includes you. Please vacate the area promptly, thank you.β
βYouβre mistaken miss, Iβm essential as legal counsel. Thank youββ Lovecraft said professionally as he continued to record her.
Glory grumbled at Johnnyβs answer, however she really couldnβt do anything as he was pretty much correct. At least in this scenario anyway. Turning her attention back to Delilah, Glory was surprised to see that she was totally zoned out, having apparently plugged herself into the cyberdeck that had whirred to life beneath her knee. Looking to Howland, Glory asked an important question. βDoctor Howland, Iβve heard through word of mouth that pulling the plug out of someone thatβs jacked into a cyberdeck can have some nasty biofeedback issues. Is that true? I ask because of the fact that every moment sheβs plugged into that deck sheβs potentially attacking some other electronic device and if I can put a stop to that possibility Iβd like to.β
βAs a security contractor you have no police powers or a Deck-warrant to stop her from decking even if she is blowing up the entire building. You need to call and report her to the police otherwise you would be violating her right to privacy on the net.ββ Johnny said almost quoting the law itself.
Delilah smiled at the words of the lawman or whatever they called themselves these days. Her deck wasnβt quite the usual FuryTech hardware. Glory must have already been feeling the heat emanate from Delilahβs web of cables. βOh, donβt want to mess with a Netrunnerβs deck. This one especially. Thatβs the quickest way to get a curse cast upon you by a vile magician of the net.β
"And it can stress the heart - not a good idea if any cardiac symptoms are suspected." Howland shook his head - he was putting it mildly. The insidious connections an e-brain held could have serious effects if it were active enough. "Leave her be; the paramedics will have equipment for safely disconnecting without causing a feedback or power surge."
Sβveniaβs smile faded as she read the message, a smile made late by her desire to track a story. S'venia had thoughts about leaving this alone. Delilah was capable enough in her mind. If Gatch had hired someone to protect him, then they must have been the lowest common denominator. At the same time this text was unlike anything Del had sent before. Curious. Delilah was much more durable than others gave her credit. From her wacky mannerisms to her off putting nature, she always had a way to rub the wrong persons the wrong way. S'venia once again had thoughts of leaving the matter to its eventuality. The Truth of the matter, a friend was in need, and this was new. She needed to be sure.
βπβπΎ βπβπΎ βπβπΎ...
>>> "π¨πππ£π π£ π¦??"
βπ ππ ππ π₯ππ πππ π π π₯ππ πππ ππ€. π½π£π ππ₯ ππ π π£ ππ€ π¦πππ¦ππ£πππ.β<<<
...<<<
...<<<
βLions den Deli,β Sβvenia thought as she turned her head towards the doors of the hotel. What could have compelled her to go back into that horror show? Her eyes shifted as she unrolled her computer once more and tapped on two icons, one with the name R1 and the other R2. Soon her computer was alive with various bits of data. βAlright RRβs,β Sβvenia spoke as she began to type various commands into the screen, βtime to join the party,β she finished as she rolled her computer backup and started towards the front door. βLead me in,β she commanded.
Glory nodded to Howlandβs information. Unfortunately, that meant that she couldnβt stop Delilah from accessing her deck. However, that problem was rendered secondary by the problem of Johnny attempting to give her grief for doing her job. Glory was naturally less than pleased at his assertion that she was doing her job incorrectly, and thus her limit was finally reached as she looked over her shoulder once again to confront Johnny on his incessant disturbances. βFirstly, deliberately hacking into security systems qualifies as a major cybercrime and a public offense. Secondly, a citizen has the capability to arrest if a public offense has been committed in his or her presence. Thirdly, I have authority to detain anyone in this building for questioning should circumstances arise that place them as a viable suspect in blackmail, cybercrime, bribery, espionage, or theft. I know what I am doing, and what Iβm doing is in accordance with the authority I have been granted.β
Giving an exhausted sigh, Glory returned her attention to Delilah. The cords that her leg was partially resting on were getting quite warm, but that didnβt dissuade Glory from keeping her knee planted on the bottom of Delilahβs sternum. More than anything, Glory wanted no more tricks out of the woman with infinite surprises.
βYou have no idea what sheβs doing in their decking, you arenβt plugged in like a data-cop would so you canβt even touch her in the real. For all you know she could be playing pong in the Labyrinth. The worst she has done was molest that guy, if you do anything to her sheβll sue the socks off you or maybe cast a spell. ββ Within a flash Johnny threw a business card on Delβs jacked in corpse.
βIf youβre going to detain someone maybe you should follow the procedural rules of fed-law and inform her sheβs being detained all you did was handcuff her and then touch her when she was jacked in. You could be sued civilly for violating her while she was jacked in, see Fairview Clearwater Sec vs. T. Thunderlane, 2034.ββ Johnny finished his Manhattan finally, tasted like Buka backwater. He tossed the plastic martini-weeny drink holder-gadget away towards the βbarβ as it fell into obscurity.
βYouβre young, beautiful but inexperienced miss. Youβre doing too much, especially for a corpo party like this.ββ
Delilah snapped her free hand up and caught the business card between her fingers, and pulled it in front of her glasses, reading through it a good few times in her prone and immobile condition. βLovecraft the Lawyermanβ¦ Solid choice. You will be remembered in the ether, when my magic consumes the rest of them.β She pocketed the card, stowing it in Samsaraβs fallen coat. βAnd itβs no party anymore, Lawyerman. Strictly business.β
βMaybe you can buy me a drink at the Duat sometime and weβll make it a party?ββ He said looking at his dwindling sad-boy stash of cigarettes, the carton was in a No-Americana language which reminded him of how long he had had such an awesome & stoic pack of cigs.
Sβvenia had now found herself in the hallway adjacent to where the common areas used to be, guided by her reporter drone through the hallways and away from any crowded sections that remained. Her drone allowed her to see which way the cameras faced on her way to the area. The front door really was wide open. The place was practically a ghost town at this point without a hint of the campaigns present. She unrolled her computer, before raising her glasses upward, once again and looked over the streams of data, namely their locations, of her two other drones. Both were where they were supposed to be, hidden thick amid the actual reporter drones. Perfect. She typed a few more commands into her console, and soon, two separate video feeds appeared on the device. While the quality was not excellent, she was able to see what they saw.
"Well you're in a pickle," S'venia thought as she saw the goon on top of Delilah, and another off to the side. There was another figure, she couldnβt make out who they were but an educated guess meant he was there to help in some capacity. She used her hand to motion for her drone to come closer. Once it was in range, she smiled as she began to whisper. "Paparazzi mode, full video," she paused as various cameras, cameras with flashes, and actual flash devices erupted outward. "Quarter second bursts, full flash," she paused once again as she lowered her glasses. The video feed from the drone lit up her vision. She taped a few more commands into her computer, and the RR's now saw the two goons highlighted in red. "Targets identified, shift focus each burst." The drone shifted its front back towards the door. "On my command, execute."
She then entered a command called "Fly-by" to the two drones outside, and tagged the command to the phrase "two".
>>> "ππ π¦ π£ππππͺ?"
βπππ ππππππ πππ€π₯π€ πππ£ π€π‘πππ!β<<<
...<<<
...<<<
Glory thought about what the surprisingly well versed merc behind her had mentioned. The case he had specifically mentioned was indeed quite relevant. As were the other things that he had mentioned before. Now that her haze of justice and righteousness was broken, things were beginning to click into place. Why had she seized Lottβs phone? She didnβt know if it had actually been assaulted by the person pinned under her knee. She didnβt even know for sure if the person pinned under her knee was in fact responsible for the earlier cyberattack. What if she had been defending against it? What had even led to this course of events? Glory had called for medical assistance since she had mentioned a heart attack, and then Howland had asked for assistance when she was interrogating him, but was going for her handcuffs really the right idea?
βI screwed up. I screwed up. Oh shit. I screwed up. My first ever job where itβs not just βstand here and look toughβ and I screwed up. Fuck, fuck fuck fuck fu-β Gloryβs mental fortress began to collapse as the chain of realizations hit her as to how badly she had overreacted. Her eyes glazed over as she felt a massive wave of anxiety roll over her as her mind went back to the same desperate state that had landed her this job in the first place. Delilah would probably notice that the pressure being applied to the base of her sternum was rapidly decreasing at this point. Glory gave a small yet visible shudder as her self confidence shattered like a pane of glass. Her eyes darted about the room, first to Delilah, then to Howland, then to the crowd. Her mind raced as she struggled to think of a way out of this situation.
Gloryβs head began to spin. Details began to blur together as she felt a strong rushing sensation overtake her as her anxiety reached critical levels. Moments before she went limp, Glory managed to utter one word. βNoβ¦β After that, Glory went limp and collapsed harshly onto where Delilahβs legs would be. Out cold.
βWow, what the drig did I just witness.ββ He said taking out an ancient 427 Lucky cigarette and dropping it on Gloryβs body for future smoking or sentimental value. Seeing that the big goon was down and a future client has his number he turned to walk out of the suites. βCall me if you want to take me out for drinks Wire Girl.β He said putting a Red Devil cigarette in his mouth, he lit it with a match from The Departed. Exhaling smoke he walked towards the exit, maybe to find Lott for once.
Sβvenia counted down. >>> "ππ ππͺ πππ£π,
π₯ππ£ππ... π₯π¨π .."
βπ½πππ₯π₯ππ£πππ π½ππ¦π© π½πππ£πͺ π½π π£ππ€ βππ£ π½πππ₯ππ€π₯ππππ π½ππππππ₯π€ πππ βππππ₯ππ€ππ€!β<<<
β[[[ππππ₯'π€ π₯ππ ππ ππ π‘ππ£ππ€π]]]...β<<<
...<<<
β[[[ππππ₯'π€ π₯ππ ππ ππ π‘ππ£ππ€π]]]...β<<<
...<<<
As she said the command the two drones reacted. In an instant fury, they flew themselves towards the windows of the lobby. Accelerating at a pace allowed by their repulsorlifts, they found themselves closer, and closer, and even closer still to crashing through the windows of the lobby. Suddenly, and as soon as they reached the predetermined metrics of their command, they flipped. Instead of crashing through the windows they floored their engines in an attempt to reverse their chosen path. The increased powerload from their engines roared against the glass of the lobby, causing the glass to react violently. The noise was loud. Those in the lobby would hear the sound of a machine of war reacting violently to a stress it was not designed to endure.
>>> "πππ."
Sβvenia made one fast motion with her hand, the sign of a gun, and her drone went through the door.
βπ½πππ₯π₯ππ£πππ π½ππ¦π© π½πππ£πͺ π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½π½β...β<<<
...<<<
...<<<
Delilah, taking note of the slack of Gloryβs hold and whatever chaos The Truth was busy stirring, threw all of her weight to the side to roll from the security guardβs pin. Her deck input was momentarily ignored, leading her βcode phraseβ to turn instead into the interconnected cyberdeck equivalent of a pressed-down key.. Delilah started to press herself up to her knees, taking the deck in both hands. Anyone who managed to keep their eyes on the wild shaman would have noticed the handcuff merely fall off of her hand, as though by magic. βAnarchy!β the vile shaman yelled as her battlecry.
Howland had only just started to react to the security guardβs sudden collapse when noise and light flooded the refreshments area. He reeled back in surprise as Delilah shot upwards, shouting for some reason. He reflexively threw out his hands as a loud noise emanated from the windows. He was unarmed, and whatever this drunken hacker had just done, he wanted no part of it!
S'venia watched through her glasses as her drone entered the room. "Shit," she thought as she turned her head as one of the goons had gone missing. Her drone, however, still executed her command. The drone began to send bright lights toward goon #1 and the man with his hands up. S'venia took a second to realize the situation, "freeze," she commanded, and her drone obeyed. She rotated her hand, and her drone shifted its focus towards Delilah. With a raise, and then soon followed by a lowering of her hand, her drone responded. It went up, then down as it caught the sight of the anarchy.
"Where did goon two go," she asked as she shifted her attention down the hallway.
Delilah stumbled. Despite her miraculous handcuff escape, the cords of her Amalga rigging was a trap in and of itself. She flinched as she rose to her feet, grabbing the handle-side of her deck in one hand and bringing her gun-hand back level with the cop doctor. The nausea was already starting to take hold, but the flashing lights only made it worse.
βCome in, ally. Iβve neutralized the situation and the cops are on the backfoot.β
Sβvenia, upon hearing the all clear, issued a new command to her drone. βCover me.β As her drone slid back towards the door Sβvenia made her way towards it. A few steps later she turned the corner, entered the room, with most of her face more or less blocked by the drone. While it hid the full frame, it still left enough to be seen. Her head still shifted from the sudden transition, eventually it settled on the backside of the drone.
Howland backed away, keeping an eye on the drone and blinking to clear spots from his vision. "Excuse me..." he started, keeping his voice even and unexcited. He wasnβt sure who this woman was or why she had burst onto the scene - clearly the drunk woman had backup of some kind. "Iβm a doctor. Iβm trying to bring this woman to medical attention."
βYouβre excused,β Sβvenia paused for a brief second, head shifting out of position ever so, βhi Delilah.β She gave a small half wave as she returned her focus back to the rear of the drone. βMade a friend,β Sβvenia asked as she took another step into the room. βA doctor even? Look at you, trading up,β she finished as she stared down the βDoctorβ through her glasses.
"...Yes, quite." Howland lowered his hands. What more was there to say? "Although with her level of activity, I donβt think the cardiac problem I was summoned here for is a pressing issue, I still think she should be checked out in an emergency department."
βDonβt listen to him, Sβvenia. Heβs undercoverβa doctor, but also a cop. A Cop-Doctor. I think he might even have been the assassin that killed Dex. Heβs got no alibi.β Delilah squared off with Howland, weapons at the ready as she closed the distance between herself and The Truth. βHospitals are a scam anyways. Use black clinics, you cop.β
With the drunk woman moving away, Howland slowly walked over and knelt next to the fallen security guard. The woman seemed intent on pointing her fingers at him, for some reason, but he wasnβt about to let a drunken attempt at a threat come before his duty as a medical professional. "Iβm also not sure why this woman fainted - Iβm just going to check and see that sheβs alright." With practiced ease, Howland checked her vitals. Pulse steady. Airway unobstructed. She was breathing. "My name is Dr. Parker Howland - I work with the Twin Cities Health Department." Between that, a private practice, and his other activism, he didnβt exactly have time for a career in law enforcement anyway. Perhaps this newcomer could talk some sense into the woman.
Sβvenia smile faded for a brief second before it resumed in full. The mention of the assassin had forced her hand up to adjust her glasses in a quick fashion. She took a few seconds and waited with baited breath as she examined the face of the cop-doctor. βOh heβs,β she paused for a second as a quick chuckle came out, βheβs not the assassin, Delilah.β She shifted her head towards the Shaman, noticing her moving towards her. βHis eyes are all wrong.β She took a step backwards and soon found herself leaning her back against the door frame, her drone still following her movements. βI doubt our new friend knows much about that creature, do ya mister...β she paused as she let the question hang in the air.
Howlandβs voice remained flat. "Iβm afraid no assassins rank among my professional contacts." He gently rolled the unconscious security guard on her back.
βAs expected,β Sβvenia responded as she shifted along the frame until she was almost out the door. βIn that case itβs been a pleasure to meet you Dr. Parker Howland.β After a short pause, his name started to tingle in the back of her mind. She knew it somehow but at the same time did not know from where. A curiosity. She had met an enigma earlier and now she has met a curiosity. Sβvenia wanted to probe further but the thought of the second goon was still on her mind. βDelilah,β Sβvenia spoke as she motioned towards the door.
The netrunner steadied her lopsided deck, still dangerously close to hanging herself in the cords. βSecurity neutralized,β she said, stepping around Howland and his newfound patient. βI would say theyβd need more for the debate, but Iβm sure Gatch has plenty of plans.β
As Delilah reached the door, she glanced back to the cop-doctor. The Reclaim was full of odd sorts, but it was their place. In the midst of the frying pan, the burning lunatics did well to survive together, even if that survival was wrought with chaos and deception. Delilah didnβt appreciate the sort who didnβt know the status-quo, but then again, she wasnβt a Reclaim-native either. She stepped through the door. Maybe they were all outsiders. Maybe that was the point.
βIβve found something, Sβvenia. About the debate. About art...β
