[Mercy Merchant]

You wake to a hand slapping your face.  "Hey wake up.  Wake up."  You can barely open your eyes and some part of your brain realizes that you have been drugged.  You see Steve's face above yours, arm raised for another slap but dropping as she sees you are awake.  She straightens up and you can see two men standing near her.

One of the men hands Steve a credstick and says, "Thank you Miss.  We have been looking for this one for a while.  He busted up our attempt to kill some Vory bitch and take over her father's territory.  Vengeance is now ours.  Are you sure that the drugs will hold him?"

Steve nods and looks at you.  "Absolutely sure.  And, Spokane?  This is not personal, just business.  I needed the money for my drones and from your story I thought these guys might want you.  The sex was amazing and I almost changed my mind because of it.  But business is business.  I know you understand."

[Stuttrboy]

Spokane feels something rip and tear inside of him.  His eye go dead.  That glimmer of hope, the endangered light of his humanity snuffs out in an instant and is replaced with a cold rage.  The burning sensation returns to his skin and he gathers every ounce of his will to fight these drugs and these men.

If my hat is still on somehow I send a message to each of my contacts Steve has betrayed me!
If there's anything I can do to resist the drug I'll do it.  Including spending the three edge I've basically ignored this whole time.

[Mercy Merchant]

You realize that there is no hat on your head as the two men lean over you and poke at near-rigid limbs.  You can smell the breath of the one that puts his face close to yours and looks into your eyes.  "He seems to be done up right.  You should be able to get several drones with what we gave you.  And as for you, you piece of trash meat, you are off to see the wizard.  Oh, you did not know the boss had a brother?  Well, he knows you and has been looking ever since you stepped in and shot his brother's plans all to drek."  His smile is not a friendly one as he reaches out a hand to caress your face.

"Spokane?  Spokane?  Are you alright?  Hey, wake up.  You are having a nightmare of some kind.  Spokane?"

The soft words and worried voice break into your mind and you stir awake, looking into Steve's eyes.  One hand is carefully stroking your face and you can see she is concerned.

[Stuttrboy]

Spokane recoils from her rolling out of bed and squats against the far wall.  He holds a hand up to stop her as Steve moves to comfort him.  Wait!  He pants, shaking his head.  Why do people do that?  It never works. 

As he gets his bearings and realizes its only a dream he visibly calms.  I uh, I'm sorry.  I think I need some air.  He dresses qucikly and hops on his bike.  He heads towards his bar the only thing he will stop for is a gym or a fight.  He needs to work off this energy or have a few drinks to calm down.

[Mercy Merchant]

The cool evening air helps clear your mind as you drive, almost on autopilot, to the bar.  There is not such thing as a closing hour law and the bar is open and fairly busy, even at 2 AM.  You favorite bartender is away, probably somewhere in bed with someone not his wife, but the guy at the bar knows you a bit and brings over something you like when you step up to the bar.  A cute prostitute sidles up next to you.  "Hey, you look like you could use some company."

[Stuttrboy]

Spokane knocks back the synthohol.  Hit me again...make it a double.

He looks at the prostitute out of the corner of his eye, Not unless you know how to fight.

Jeremiah looks into his glass.  Apparently I have some unresolved trust issues.  Jeremiah shivers a moment as he remembers the feeling of his humanity burning out in a rage.  That twisting tearing feeling as if something precious had been torn from him.  The flicker was back, the relief of it all having been a dream had rekindled it.  Thank god for small favors.  The damage had been done though.  It did not shine as brightly as it had.  I need a few more drinks to deal with this I think...no getting wasted, you have a meet in 10 hours.

[Mercy Merchant]

The prostitute quickly moves off to another guy somewhere else in the bar.  You get your double and begin nursing it, finish it, and get another to sip at.  You hear a soft voice at your back.; one you recognize as belonging to the girl whose bed you had recently fled from.  "Hey, buy a girl a drink?"  You look up at the mirror over the bar and see Steve standing behind you.

[Stuttrboy]

Sure...may not be the best company right now though.  I'd talk about it, but damn if I know where to begin.  I'm sorry for making you worry anyway.  Spokane motions for the bartender to get her whatever she wants.

[Mercy Merchant]

Steve takes the stool next to you and thanks the bartender when he places a large whiskey in front of her.  "How did you know?" 

He chuckles.  "You look like a whiskey girl and if you are with him tonight, you will need a couple of these just to catch up."

Steve laughs.  "Right on both counts so keep 'em coming.'  She lays a hand on the bar next to yours without touching you.  "No need to apologize.  I would be a poor friend if I was discouraged by something like that.  Talk to me if and when you want to.  Just know that I am here for you."

[Stuttrboy]

Spokane takes her hand and rubs her fingers with his thumb and sighs.  I don't know how to fight this.  I'm used to solving my problems with the meticulous use of violence.  I...feel things that I can't seem to get my head around and apparently I have some unresolved trust issues.  I thought not thinking about it would be enough, that time would fix things,  Maybe it will but it doesn't seem to be helping much yet.

[Mercy Merchant]

Steve nurses her drink and nods, but does not say anything at this time, letting you do the talking.

[Stuttrboy]

Listen to me go on.  I had a bad dream.  I should just get over it.  I mean on one hand it's perfectly understandable.  I feel like I was betrayed by Lucy and as we get closer my brain associates the two of you, so I have a dream about you betraying me.  I mean it's really no wonder I have a dream like that, anyone would. 

The problem is the dream has a point.  I trust too easily, that's not a great quality in my line of work, but I just don't want to be that guy, I don't want to be cynical.  I want to think people are good at heart and that things will work out in the end of I trust that part of me.  Then there's the realist in me.  Thinking like that is going to get you killed.  So yeah, it was just a bad dream, but it's hit me where I'm most vulnerable.

[Mercy Merchant]

Steve takes another sip of her drink then softly says, "Am I your weakness?  If so, are you going to leave me?  The world is not flat nor is it filled with good people.  You will certainly find some, but it is unlikely that you will ever find Santa Claus in the Barrens.  And that includes me.  I am a flawed person and so are you.  We can try to work on each other's flaws if you like, or you can go running away from me or just tell me to get lost.  I really prefer the first option and that is my vote.  Now it is up to you to decide."

[Stuttrboy]

What?  No...no.  Did it sound like that?  Then I wasn't doing a very good job of explaining.  I am at odds with myself.  This isn't about you...I mean, not really.  I'm having trouble reconciling my conflicting ideals.  I mean when I thought you had betrayed me in the dream I went all BSOD and that was disturbing, hell I'm still a little shaken.  When I realized part of me thinks like that, and the more I thought about it the more I realized it was true, that is what's really gotten under my skin.  It makes me wonder how much I actually trust people and how much is just bravado.  Then again I may have simply had too much to drink and I've turned into a brown bottle philosopher.

[Mercy Merchant]

"I cannot tell you who to trust.  That is just something you have to work out for yourself.  Or not, if you want to go through like alone.  I can only try to show you that you can trust me and you have to do the rest.?