Silk enjoyed the night’s cool air as it flowed around her face... she didn’t own any transportation -getting free rides came natural to her- but if she’d ever buy something, it’d be a bike. ”Something tells me he’d rather have you at home than hanging around with the crowd you were just with.”. She felt Tanya’s muscles tense a bit so quickly added, ”But it doesn’t really matter anyway, your dad ain’t home, part of the reason he sent me. But you got a job to do first? No reason to get fired because of me... You two get along well?”
"Yeah, last delivery. I don't ask and they don't tell but if the Halloweenies want it I have a guess. We get on...well enough. He's been busier since getting fired if you can believe it. He send you to check on me?”
Silk sounded baffled. ”Halloweeners... The gang with the silly costumes? You’re telling me they get stuff delivered by courier services?” she paused for a second, then shrugged. ”Huh, guess that makes sense when you think about it... You ain’t worried going there? I mean, they don’t really seem like the kind of people who sign off a package with a smile and a generous tip for timely delivery.” Come on, don’t talk about daddy, talk about anything else.
"No, no, I mean I think that’s why the Orc was after me, to intercept for them. The package is to some apartment."
”But that doesn’t worry you? I mean, your dad obviously taught you some stuff, you’ve got killer reflexes and are perceptive enough to pick me out of a crowd when I don’t want to be noticed, not a lot of people pull that off. But that was still an Ork coming at you with a knife, you know.” Silk chuckled. ”Ah drek, just listen to me talk... I got him to come after me instead so I’m probably not the best one to give safety advice.
You like the excitement? That why you’re flirting with that Elven gang?”
"Heh Thanks. I guess I like some excitement, but I’m no fighter.”, Tanya replied. ”I feel like I fit in pretty well with that gang. I might join. Would gimme some protection too.”
Silk only made the the kind of "Hmph." sound which invariably leads other people to ask the question "What?", which it did.
"Oh, sorry. I mean, the excitement, I totally get that, couldn't imagine living like a corpse wageslave, wasting your whole life in servitude and blind obedience. Not sure about the protection, sounds like you wouldn’t be attacked in dark alleys by some tusker if you weren’t involved with them. Don't get me wrong. I mean, I get it, I really do. Lots of people that seem to be just like you, all looking out for each other, gives a sense of belonging. Almost like a family, it's kind of romantic.
But, you know... joining a gang like that is for life. And I'm sure it's all fun and excitement now but it’s kind of immature, no? You're an elf! A hundred years from now you'll still be young. Would you really still want to be just hanging around and fighting turf wars against a bunch of trogs?”
Tanya seemed to consider her words. ”You have a point... I'll think about it." Quickly after they pulled up outside and apartment block and Tanya jumped off her bike. ”"Right, back in a sec."
Silk watched her enter the building and waited, watching the new Zoé catalogue while playing some synthrash music in the background. Luckily, it didn’t take Tanya too long. "Right, done. Somewhere I can drop you off?"
Silk slid back on the bike’s seat, allowing Tanya to get back on easily. ”You know, there was actually a reason for me stalking you earlier. There’s some stuff we should talk about, preferably somewhere safe and private. You live far from here?”
She was slightly hesitant, but didn’t refuse. ”No... It's nearby but it's not usually my style to take someone there on the first date... but all right."
”A date, huh? First time I get to use my taser on a date... Can’t say I don’t like it.”
They headed towards an apartment building on the edge of Auburn. The apartment was exactly like she'd expected. Salt was a single man and (ex-)police officer. His home was -Silk tried to think of a polite description- clean and functional. The very few decorations there were had been placed with a ruler. There wasn't a single spec of dust anywhere. She wondered briefly how long it would be until the place would be cleaned again. And then there was the door to Tanya's room, it stuck out like a sore thumb. Another remarkable resemblance to that of her own room decades ago and of the 'girl's in Chrona's base. She didn't go inside the room but didn't need to to know exactly what it would look like. The following hours were more difficult.
They sat down into a living area that seemed to be bought straight out of a catalogue from floor to ceiling. After some smalltalk and slowly built up preparation, they started telling about Ron Salt again. The girl didn't know her father's current -or past- profession. He'd told her that after he got fired he and some ex-colleagues took on various security projects and had started their own private security company. He'd never told her their license had been refused and that they'd become mercenaries instead. She seemed more upset about the fact that he’d lied than his actual career choice, a small thing Silk found very promising.
Silk streamed Salt's farewell message to the home node which projected it on the wall and played it through the speakers. The poor girl didn't get much further than 15 seconds before it dawned to her what the message meant, the rest of the message was lost in cries and tears. Silk comforted the young elf as well as she could but there’s only so much that can be said to a teenage girl who just lost her father.
She felt strangely uncomfortable with the situation. She was of course aware that to most people this would be very normal, but she’d always convinced herself that she was above that kind of weakness. Despite the fact that she’d been the last person to talk to or see the man in a conscious state and had been the one that drugged him to have him shipped off to be cut to pieces she didn’t feel responsible of guilty for his death. They had been adversaries and he’d lost, end of story. Of course she’d felt some kind of satisfaction while tying him up to the table and at the beginning of the torture, it was only natural considering the fact that he’d shot her. But other than that it was just business. If anyone was responsible it was Salt himself or the guy who hired him, Silk reasoned. So why would she feel this way?
She managed to fend of the girl’s when and why and how questions until she’d calmed down enough to watch the message a second time. Tanya lasted until almost halfway before breaking down again. Her vest absorbed the girls tears while she absorbed the girl’s emotions, quieting them down to manageable levels before talking to her again. She filled some holes and answered some important questions with lies and bent truths.
Implying and letting the other put the pieces in the wrong place was a lot easier than lying. Tanya had already convinced herself that Silk had been with her father’s team -why else would she be there- and there was no reason to correct that logical but flawed assumption.
Yes, she had recorded her father’s last message and had promised to get it to her. His last thoughts had been about his girl and despite knowing he’d probably die he still worried more about her than himself.
No, the ones responsible hadn’t been caught. But she’d do what she could to get them and make them pay. After getting hired for it.
No, she didn’t know exactly how he had died -it wasn’t technically a lie- but she was certain about his fate. The one who’d employed her father’s team had set them up on an impossible mission, destined to fail from the start. The job had been to ambush another team but the employer was working together with the other teams employer. So the ambushers had lost their advantage and had been taken by surprise. Even when he knew they were doomed, her father had been brave, the team’s fearless leader. He’d been the last one of the team left standing.
Yes, It was only thanks to him that she was here now, talking to his daughter, relaying the news of his death and his message.
No, she couldn’t tell when and where, it was simply too dangerous to know these things. At least at this time. She needed to found out more.
It kept amazing Silk how misleading the truth could be if just a couple of pieces were missing. Those pieces were replaced by whatever the other person wanted to believe. So much easier than having to come up with those things yourself.
They talked for hours until the early morning. The emotions had exhausted the girl. Silk made her promise that she’d file a missing person’s report later that day. Besides that she should hang around with her friends, being around them would still her some protection. Talk to people, get her mind on other things. But not tell anyone. Telling people would mean putting herself, Silk and whoever else she told in serious danger. There were powerful people involved that would come after her if they thought the girl knew anything about the events. Some of her own team probably even more dangerous than KE, LoneStar and possibly even Ragley’s people, she realized.
Silk handed the girl two credsticks with 2.500 nuyen each and explained that her father had tried to save up some money to support his family and that she’d promised to get it to her too. There was more money, but her father had hidden the money in places that weren’t really safe anymore so she’d need time to get the rest. But she’d look after her, wouldn’t abandon her. She was a friend, trust her. She left Tanya the number of a disposable commlink and gave her one to contact her with. She couldn’t be sure the cops -or other people- wouldn’t watch her and her normal commlink for a while. But if things seemed clear, she’d be left alone quickly. Nobody had any reason to think Tanya knew about her father’s activities, if they even knew about her existence in the first place.
She said goodbye to the girl, promising that she’d be back soon and that she’d check the commlink as often as she could. There wasn’t any need to tell her about the stealth tags Silk had put on her boots, coat and bike so she’d be able to find her easily.
Silk stepped into her cab slightly confused. She didn't know what she'd expected to do there, but this hadn't been it. Everything had gone as well as could have been expected. She'd won the girl's trust... but she hadn't used -abused suddenly flashed through her head- it to gain a real benefit. Not yet, she tried to convince herself. Build up slowly, there'll be more to gain later. But she didn't buy it.
Tanya was mature enough just a child, kneadable vulnerable, naive innocent, a perfect target in need of protection. Silk sighed deeply as she dropped on her bed and lay awake for hours.
The rest of the week Silk spent most of the day shopping and networking and most evenings dancing and partying. She stopped by Tanya's place twice again, just to talk without any hidden agenda, helping her file a missing person’s report again the third day and calming the grieving girl with a soothing voice and shoulder to cry on.
