[Mercy Merchant]

Vlad nods and smiles as he pulls out a pack of cigarettes just like yours.  "Looks like we have the same taste in coffin nails.  And I understand about respecting a woman like your Barbara.  I thought there was something more about her than just the person driving your car.  Here we are, they are both in this room.  Yours is here across the hall.  Come back down if you want to smoke away from the ladies."

He turns and leaves you, headed back down the hall to the stairs.  Opening the door, you see a smallish room with two beds and a small table with two chairs.  Rowena is in one, the wheelchair to its side.  Barbara is sitting at the table.  Both look up when you walk in.

[Zen Gypsy]

Bryant walked over to the unoccupied seat, looked from Rowena to Barbara and back again.  "Talked to our host, despite my misgivings about his organization, the man himself is willing to risk both status and resources to provide us shelter from the storm that follows.  In addition to that, he is willing to use his connections to that organization to look for information that could help us bring those bastards to heel."

He sighed, and continued, "I played straight with him, I didn't hold anything back, nor do I intend to.  I made it clear that if his aid would incur debt or obligation, that it would be me alone who would be accountable for that debt."  He reached across the small bed and grasped Rowe's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, that he hoped was both comforting and reassuring.  "I trust the man, but I am just across the hall.  If you need anything, let me know.  I doubt I'll be able to get much sleep."

Bryant stood up, "Just because I can't doesn't mean you shouldn't.  Get some rest, we'll talk in the morning."  With that he strode across the room, looked back at the two women, forced a smile and slowly closed the door, stepping into the hall.

He walked down the corridor until he found Vlad, he tapped the unlit Szczepanski, "Shall we put a few nails in our own coffins?  Then maybe tomorrow we can start measuring those bastards for their own boxes, eh?"

[Mercy Merchant]

The man nods.  "Do you speak Russian, my friend?  In the Motherland, we have a saying that can only be roughly translated to "Life sucks and then you make someone else pay for it.".  It sounds better in Russian, I think.  I will help you as much as I can without endangering my people here.  A vicious gang leader has more to worry about than which knees to break today.  I have people that look up to me and need my soldiers to keep riff raff away.  But I will do what I can.  By any chance, can you move in the matrix?  It would be helpful if you could aid my man with details."

After chain smoking three cigarettes, Vlad tells you it is time for him to get some rest.  He leaves you after making sure that you know how to get back to your room.

[Zen Gypsy]

Bryant leaned against the window ledge, blew the smoke out into the evening air, "In another life I was Chief Security Officer for a small national corporation, one of my guys kept telling me that Matrix Security should be my primary concern, I told him that's why he was on the payroll," he turned and looked at Vlad, "Guess you could say I am used to contracting out.  Barbara is pretty decent at sniffing out data trails, it's one of her many talents, so you could try asking her."

As he turned back down the corridor towards his guest room, he looked over his shoulder at Vlad, "I don't know anything about your operation, nor am I curious enough to risk our relationship by asking too many questions.  What I do want to know is, do I have free rein in this safehouse, or do I need to avoid certain areas so as to not make either you or your crew nervous?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Vlad's eyes go a bit brighter when you say Barbara might be able to help with the matrix stuff and he seems to be mulling that over in his mind as you talk about your prior life.  "A corporation man, eh?  And a suit to boot.  Not sure that idea crossed my mind when I was trying to decide to take you in.  You have the ability to move anywhere in the building.  You can even go outside if you need to stretch your legs.  I would be cautious, though, and maybe stay in the rear alley.  It smells worse, but there are lots fewer people there who might recognize you and try to claim the reward that KE has out on you."

[Zen Gypsy]

Bryant smiled ruefully, and nodded.  "I may end up checking out that alley if I can't sleep," he paused, looked at his host again, "thank you once again for your hospitality, your respect and consideration will be paid in kind."  He shook the man's hand and walked back down the corridor to the guest room. 

Once inside, he stripped off his shirt, and his body armor, checked the bruising along his ribs from the shots a gunman had got in on him at Washington Rec.  He stretched out his ribcage, then watched as the diagnostics and calibration sequence scrolled through his field of vision, ensuring that his limbs hadn't sustained any significant damage or any other associated issues.  He sat down at the table, and clicked on the bedside lamp, and drew out his weapons, one by one, stripping and field cleaning them to prepare for the inevitable.

He ran through his options, he hadn't lied when he spoke to Vlad.  The lack of information on his opponents was what had them on the defensive, and he couldn't formulate a plan of action without knowing in what direction he needed to move.  He sighed, put his head back against the wall, and listened for sounds of movement from across the hall.

He didn't know what he felt for Rowe, guilt certainly, a sense of obligation, but he didn't want to explore those feelings too deeply.  He needed to conclude business first, and she was a part of that.  Anything else, he'd need time to discover, and she'd need time to adjust to her new life.

As his thoughts drifted down those roads, he drifted off to sleep still seated, head resting against the wall, facing the doorway to the corridor.

[Mercy Merchant]

Sunday  10 June 2075  0758  Vory Safehouse  Seattle Barrens

The toll of the previous day had hit you harder than you had thought and you sleep all the way to nearly 0800.  The rest must have done you some good because you feel refreshed and do not recall any of the nightmares that have sometimes plagued your sleep in recent days.  Your training means that you have none of the "where am I" feeling from waking in a strange place.  You know that you are in a safehouse for a violent gang of criminals and yet that thought does not seem to disturb you overmuch.  There are voices in the hall outside your room but you cannot make any of the words out.  Then comes a knock on the door.  "Are you decent, Boss?  I have some breakfast for you.  May I come in?"

[Zen Gypsy]

He stood up, stretched his back, the diagnostics were through his field of vision as his limbs powered up.  He got up from the chair, realized he hadn't even changed from the previous day, shrugged and threw on his shirt.  "I'm good, yeah, some grub would be great about now."

He headed for the door, opened it with a tired smile, "Apparently I overslept, how'd you sleep last night, good?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Barbara walks into the room carrying a small try with some food on it.  She nods as she walks to the small table and puts it down.  "Slept well.  And, yeah, you overslept a bit, but I guess you needed it.  Not much here, just some things from the Stuffer Shack down the street, but it will do.  So, are we staying here a bit?  The head guy wants me to work with him and his trix wizard to see if we can find some of these guys.  Rowena is already downstairs charming the thugs on watch.  She got a couple of them to carry her down the stairway."

[Zen Gypsy]

Bryant only nibbled at the krill burrito, but thoroughly enjoyed the soy-kaf, "The Stuffer?  Any port in a storm eh?"  He set the thermal foam cup down on the bed side table, turned around and pulled off his shirt, so he could slip on his form fit armor weave.  Doing so he revealed a gaunt and wiry frame, his chest and shoulders marked by a criss cross of scar tissue that terminated at the shoulder housings for his cybernetic prosthetics.

He turned back around, "Talked to Vlad last night, told him you're our best bet for a data search, so he'll probably co-ordinate between yourself and his matrix specialist.  I've been honest with them," and at this juncture he lowered his voice, "but B., if we could keep what Rowe's told us off the radar it might save us some trouble in the long term."

He picked up his thermofoam cup, brought the soy kaf to his face and inhaled the caffeinated vapour.  "What are the feeds saying B., any news on the office, Raleigh?"  While he believed that Raleigh had the resources, the guts and the sheer will to survive the strike at the office, he wasn't sure that his friend would surface yet, at least not until he knew which way the wind was blowing.

[Mercy Merchant]

Barbara nods and you can tell by her eyes that she has noticed the scars on your back.  "Sure thing, Boss.  News feeds are pretty much what they were yesterday, but something else is pushing the feeds away from Seattle.  Apparently some sort of bombing in Bogota, Colombia.  Scores dead and many more wounded.  No one claiming responsibility yet, but it might serve to get us off the feeds for a bit.  Won't stop the guys looking for us on either side of the law, though.  No news of Raleigh, although they released the Jacob's name as among the dead.  The rest are unidentified, but they put pictures up to try to get people to call in about them and I know one of them.  Or at least I think I do.  Mercenary I ran across two years ago when working a line for another employer.  The boss was a bit loose with his hands and his morals, so I quit.  But I remember this guy on the feeds.  Might be a place to start, eh?"

[Zen Gypsy]

"That will certainly work in our favour, financials, employer, residence, outstanding warrants and known associates, a good place to start.  Nice find B."  He started to walk into the hall then stopped, looking towards Barbara to ensure he had her attention, "Keep this find under wraps until after the data search with Vlad's guy, see if we can't start to piece this together without risking too much exposure."

As he stepped into the hallway, he called back to Barbara, "Now lets see if we can't find Rowena, and see how she's enjoying her breakfast."

[Mercy Merchant]

Barbara shakes her head.  "I will do as you say, Boss, but I think we need to share something.  The guy is going out on a limb here for us.  He may be Vory, but he seems nice and he seems genuinely like he wants to help."  She walks with you down the hallway to the stairs, where you can hear some raised voices.  Once in the main room, you see Rowena moving the wheelchair about in the main room, using her arms to push the wheels.  Three men are watching her, cheering her on, which is the source of the raised voices.  She spies you and stops before rolling over to you.  "Figured I would try to get the hang of this wheelchair.  Nothing is going to stop Mrs. Calder's daughter from moving around, certainly not something as silly as a shattered spine.  Then just wait, I will out of this thing and moving about on my own soon."  Her eyes seem bright and she smiling bravely, but is that a small note of despair you detect when she talks about walking again?

The men near you start to move away, but call out words of encouragement as the do.  There is a voice from behind you.  "Bryant, my friend, good morning.  Are you ready to get cracking on finding out who is doing this to you?  I was hoping to get your Barbara to help me?  I am not so good with the matrix, but my nephew is."

[Zen Gypsy]

Bryant smiled as he walked over to Rowe, he knew the despair that could come from the injuries, he remembered some of his own counselling as he became accustomed to his cybernetic implants and prosthetic limbs.  He knelt down beside her chair, putting himself on her level,"I know you've got all these boys attention," with a tilt of his head he indicated the Vory soldiers, "just remember who gets the first dance."  He squeezed her hand reassuringly as he heard Vlad's voice over his shoulder.

He remembered Barbara's words as he stood up, one last look at Rowe, and he turned around to Vlad, his professionalism again sliding into place. "Good morning Vlad.  Barbara is going to help you, and your cousin, search the data for evidence of our assailants."  He paused, looked to Barbara, then back to his host, "While monitoring the news feeds, specifically in regards to our offices, she recognised one of the bodies taken out.  It may be a place to start, I was going to with hold the information, to ensure that any info you offered us matched to what we knew.  Old habits my friend," he clasped Vlad's shoulder, "you are our host, and Barbara was the one to remind me that you have shown us nothing but respect."

[Mercy Merchant]

Rowena blushes at your words and sucks her breath in without saying anything, but her eyes look at you, asking an unspoken question that is interrupted by Vlad.  After saying your piece, the gangster's eyes narrow and his lips tighten a bit.  he looks from you to Barbara then back to you before breaking into a smile.  "Yes, my new friend.  I might have done the same in your position.  But now we are good, yes?  I will take your Barbara to meet my nephew and get started on this research.  Perhaps we see each other at lunch?"  He offers his arm to Barbara and walks off.  There are a few whistles that die off quickly as Vlad looks around.

Rowena tugs on your shirt and waits for you to turn around.  "And what do you want me to do?  I do not have matrix skills like Barbara, but do not want to feel useless, especially after all you have done for me."