Patrick clamps down on a sudden surge of blinding anger, stopping himself - barely - from snapping back the first thing that comes to mind as The Red Queen inadvertently pokes a gaping wound that's been a constant agony for the past decade. She should take her own 'advice', the smart-mouthed young twit. Even a cursory background check on me would have taught her to avoid saying something quite so ... stupidly insensitive. Not trusting himself to respond to her with any semblance of politeness, he yanks the trodes off of his head and goes back to meditating. Several hours later, he gets up, collects his go-bag, slips on his jacket, and heads out the door of his flat.
He'll have with him all of his gear with the exception of the survival kit. The magazine currently loaded in his sub-gun is filled with gel rounds.
As he exits his apartment building, he nods a greeting to the local ganger providing 'security' this night for the tenants wise enough to pay for 'protection', "Evening, Julio. I'm heading over to Puyallup for a while. Have to meet someone. Don't know how long I'll be. If you need to, you know how to reach me."
"No problemo, Doc. Want I get ya cab?"
"Yes, please. Thanks."
Waiting for a GridCab to arrive, Laughing Bear has some time to ponder. Odds are that this is yet another of her schemes. Still, it's out of her normal comfort zone so there might be something to it, and if anyone's going to pick up some trace it'll be elves. It's not as if I can afford to pass up any chance to find a clue - and the crazy little kit knows it.
A taxi arrives sooner than expected, coming from the direction of the nearby hospital. Must have just dropped someone off.
As Patrick opens the door to the taxi, the ganger waves, "You be safe out there."
Chuckling, Patrick replies, "Safe? In Seattle? Still, the meet's in Tarislar, so it should be tolerably safe. At least for me."
Once in the cab, after giving it his destination, Patrick dons his goggles, inserts his earbuds, and pulls the sub-gun from its shoulder holster to double-check the magazine. Satisfied, he racks a round into the chamber and flicks the safety back on. If I ever need to use this thing the drek will be really deep. He settles in to enjoy the ride over to Puyallup.
The taxi deposits him in front of the Daisy Chain ten minutes before The Red Queen said to be there.