Wyches' Waltz
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Wyches' Waltz
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Robyn
Evening, Saturday, December 25, 2077, Seattle Opera House, SeattleRobyn stops for a moment, a puzzled look on her face.
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Calista caught the pause, finished her pleasantries, turned back to Robyn. “What is it, love?” She asked in a low voice. Had she “seen” something? Had she herself said something to upset Robyn? Was she being too social, stealing the limelight or saying the wrong things? This was Robyn’s world, not hers, and Calista wasn’t sure what toes she might have trod on or lines she might have crossed. Hesitantly, she asked, “Baby, did I do something wrong?”
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Robyn
Evening, Saturday, December 25, 2077, Seattle Opera House, SeattleRobyn smiles. “Something wrong? No, I don’t think so, but I am curious. You…………we……….. are drawing a lot of attention from the people around us. Does that mean that you, and by extension, me, are the distraction for your run?”
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Calista at least had the grace to blush. ”Yeahhhhh…” she admitted, looking down. ”This was our only shot at her, and it was because of the run that I found out about you being here. Fox knew I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on the run, so we figured might as well tart me up and get everyone watching. They were going to anyway. Might as well use these curves to do the job, too!”
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[Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Ballroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle]
Lace had drifted away from Robyn after the brief encounter, working through the party and marking those who might bear further work before the night got too much older…and then the beautiful creature had descended on the wings of her song and wrapped herself around Robyn like a succubus. Lace had no doubts that Silk would be able to persuade Robyn to give her some information about the exotic woman but Lace’s own curiosity was burning and she wanted to meet her for herself. She began to gravitate back towards them, like most of the guests it seemed, moths to the incandescent candle. Once she was closer she waved off the escort Silk had insisted that she bring along, not that she really minded his presence, he was witty and charming and ordinarily she would have loved to hear his stories, but this was work…
“I want a quiet word, you can watch over me from over there can’t you” and she smiled winningly at him, laying on just a trace of her Gift so that he would take the hint. She approached knowing that Robyn, though blind, would be able to pick her up on her impressive sensor array…and then she waited for just the right moment, judging the flow of the Pattern for that perfect timing…
[Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Back of House, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle]
Bale had his metaphysical eye on the principal via the ring of spells that he was maintaining and he was mildly concerned to see her break away from Riptide and head back towards the stage
>Keep it tight people, I have a feeling about all this that I don’t like
>BThe pings he got back assured him that the ring of eyes was unbroken and that the team, even the newcomers, were doing their jobs but that didn’t quell the unease he felt about the goddess who had drawn all the eyes in the room, and now their young charge too. It felt like a distraction to him and he knew that his instincts were good…
#11
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Foxglove and Ryoko watched in wonder at Calista’s enthralling performance, their attention drawn immovably just like everyone else in the grand room. Fox had heard the Banshee sing, before, but never quite like this, and the illusions that had gone with it were much more grand and somehow heartfelt than ever before. The woman was incredible. It really was no wonder she got along with those Idol girls so well.
Then, the performance was over, and Robyn was once more in Calista’s arms. Foxglove watched for a moment longer, allowing herself to revel in the satisfaction of seeing her best friend finally have a chance at regaining her long-lost dream, before clamping down and getting back to work. She messaged the team as she made her way over to an horderves table, +The crowd is moving. Seems the distraction was a success. Now it’s our turn. Fan out, find our mark. If you have a clean shot at her, go for it, but if not just keep eyes until one of us does+
Ryoko glanced at the Nocturna, for a moment, as she watched her go, then turned to head her own direction as she read the message. Her eyes casually scanned the place again and again for their mark, making sure to make it look as natural as she could and periodically checking the security camera layover feed in AR. Finally, she spotted the girl, and frowned at what she saw. +Seems the distraction worked a little too well. Mark’s not going after corp goons, she’s heading for you, Calista.+
+Status on her guards?+
+Spread out. Her shadow seems to be hanging back at her request. Maybe our girl likes to live dangerously?+
+Could work to our advantage. If she’s willing to leave her tail behind, we might be able to get her alone easier. Might be easier for you, Cal, since apparently you’re the most interesting thing in the city, right now. Awesome performance, by the way.+
#36-18
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Robyn
Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Ballroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown SeattleRobyn smiles widely. “It has been a while since I have been a distraction. Perhaps I can distract you a but more, later?”
Robyn’s sensors are keeping track of everyone near her, after all, it would be just like Melissa to make a move against either or both Calista or herself while they are distracted by each other. Alfie is a very great help in that, but that is no excuse for not being careful, so she keeps tabs on the movements of Seattle’s rich and influential that seem to be trying to crowd in to see Cali. Her nose and ears help isolate the scents and sounds of the people, allowing her to pinpoint who is where on the floor.
Robyn detects when Lace moves close enough for her image and scent to be separated from the others.
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+Thank you darling! Let me see what I can do. Wait one. Goddamn socialites…+
Thanks to her teammates’ warnings, she was ready when Lace swanned out of the crowd, moving just so in order to flow between dancers and conversationalists without appearing to try. Calista recognized the maneuver, she’d done it herself, many times. She watched the girl approach from the corner of her eye, noting the designer dress, the gamine form, the easy smile…and that her escort had stayed behind. Now that she knew what she was looking for, Calista was able to put the woman’s movements and the man bird-dogging her into context.
+Great. She’s got at least one friend. Looks like we’re not the only ‘runners with biz tonight.+
As Lace drew even with Robyn and Calista, the banshee put her hand on Robyn’s arm and kissed her on the cheek again, then turned and offered a courtesy, dipping her head and bending her knees, spreading her short skirt with her hands. It was a peculiarly old-world gesture; no one curtsied anymore. Her tone modulated to be as pleasant and non-threatening as possible, she told the newcomer, “Good evening, ma’am. A well-wisher come to congratulate my lady love on her performance and her success this evening? I can leave you two alone if I am to be underfoot.”
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Robyn
Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Ballroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown SeattleRobyn smiles as her young friend approaches and puts a hand on Calista’s as she rises. “Nonsense, Calista, dear. I am sure that she is here to talk to you. I am also thinking that you are far more interesting than good old Aunt Robyn. Besides, the two of us have chatted already this evening. Let me make the introductions.”
Robyn nods first to Calista. “My love, this is my very good friend, Lace. Lace, I am sure that you heard the formal introduction a few minutes ago, but this is my really very good friend, the Lady Anguish de la Courcel. I do hope that the two of you will be friends.”
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[Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Ballroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle]
Lace smiled at Lady Anguish de la Courcel with genuine warmth, filing away the name Calista for future reference, and returned her curtsey with uncanny accuracy. With a glint of mischief she said “You’re right Aunty Robyn, she is far more interesting. It is not often we get to meet a newcomer, and one with such presence, we are all burning with curiosity. I don’t want to intrude but it would be remiss of me to let this opportunity to speak to you pass me by. From your accent you do not hail from the UCAS, Europe?” With a shrewd look she said quietly enough to exclude others nearby “Below perhaps?” and she sketched the briefest of salutations that might be seen at the Courts, indicating at least a familiarity with that strange other world (although that may just be association with Robyn…)
“I hope that we can indeed be friends”
#12
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Calista’s eyes widened fractionally at the familiar greeting between the two women, and then again at the salutation.
Well.
Drek.
This was looking bad, very bad. Her life was about to bite her job thoroughly in the ass, or vice versa, and she didn’t really see any way to forestall the coming collision. She wouldn’t just walk on the job. That wouldn’t be fair to the friends who’d come to help see it through, or to the woman who had helped her put a life together over the past half-year. Foxglove was her best friend, and she wouldn’t abandon her, not even for this. She loved Robyn, and didn’t want to complicate her life further, but while Robyn might be angry, the Johnson might be lethally upset. There was a chance to salvage things if they snatched Lace. There would not be if they let the job go.
But this still sucked hellhound shaft.
Calista replied with an inclined head and neck, more a subtle bow than a nod, and her hands moved automatically through the complicated salute of Valerian House. “A pleasure, lady Lace.” She said softly. “You have placed me correctly, though I have spent enough time in other places that my accent is something of a mish-mash of sounds, these days.” Her smile was wide and apparently genuine, and her golden eyes were bright as she looked Lace up and down, striking a balance between obviously checking her out, and showing that she was trying to make it not obvious, and failing.
After a few seconds, Calista told Lace, “It would be my very great pleasure to speak with you further, miss Lace. However, if you wish to ask pointed questions about my origins or my nefarious activities,” her eyes twinkled, “then perhaps we should retire to a more private locale, or at least a more private room?”
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Robyn
Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Ballroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown SeattleRobyn’s sensors have picked out the subtle hand motion Lace makes as well as in Calista’s slight change in demeanor. She purses her lips momentarily then smiles. “I think that is a great idea. Lace, why don’t you take my friend on a tour of the building and find a suitable place to talk. I have one more contractural set to do on the stage before I can leave, so I might as well get it over with.”
She puts a hand on her lover’s shoulder. “Anguish, dear, I will finish shortly and go to my dressing room to change. Look for me back out here after your chat with Lace.”
She leans in and moves her hand to Cali’s face as she kisses her.
The kiss is clearly not platonic.
As she breaks the kiss, she whispers to Calista. “By some of the gasps, that ought to give the two of you something to talk about. Love you.”
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[Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Ballroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle]
Lace nodded “I’m not sure how much I can show you tonight, but if you wanted to come back tomorrow I can get us backstage. Upstairs is mostly offices but the boardroom has a good view over Seattle and there are some comfy seats in there, it’ll be empty at this time of night if you wanted to go for a wonder up there? I’m afraid Eric will want to come along, he’s slightly over protective, but I can ask him to wait outside so he won’t be disturbed by any tales of your nefarious activities” and she grinned at Calista…
#13
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Robyn
Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Ballroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown SeattleRobyn’s senses and sensors watch her friends move away before she turns and heads back towards the small stage. The crowd open for her to pass, although she does hear whispered comments about what has just happened. At the stage, she sits and takes up her cello.
As she prepares to play her last set, she notices the approach of her friend, Lady Marisart, and the PAC’s Assistant Director so she decides to wait to see what they want. She senses anger from the man, while her friend seems more amused. Robyn nods at the Assistant Director, who frowns back, not really caring if the cellist can see the frown. “And what was that all about, Miss Lysander?”
Robyn chuckles and gives the man an innocent look. “Whatever do you mean?”
He splutters as he waves his arms at the audience. “What do I mean? I mean all that…..that…….that display with that woman, of course.”
Robyn laughs. “That was me welcoming a lover I have not seen in some time. Why? What is the problem with that?”
The man’s face turns an interesting shade of purple as he gasps for air. “Why? How can you ask that. I guess I don’t know how things are done in England, but over here, we keep that sort of display for the bedrooms. That was just so very unprofessional.”
As the man turns and stomps off, Tanya reaches out a hand to put it on Robyn’s shoulder. “The man is a pompous ass, my dear. Pay him little mind.”
Robyn giggles as she nods. “As little as possible, if any at all, yes. Thank you.”
Tanya grins. “I assure you that I have done far worse in public places and it has only enhanced my reputation. You are doing well. I will let you alone to do your set.”
Robyn picks up her bow as her friend walks away and soon the sounds of her cello fill the ballroom.
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Calista courtesied again and gave a little, bell-like peal of laughter. “It is no matter, milady.” she said, smiling just a touch. “I did not come entirely unaccompanied either, and I am certain my companion will feel the same way about you as yours does about me. Perhaps they can keep each other company, no?”
Calista’s mind raced. The conference room was good. Skylights were there, rappells were there. They could get the hell out of dodge in less than sixty seconds. The conversation with Robyn was going to just be fucking delightful, but that was a bridge to burn when they got to it. They weren’t going to simply hand Ms. Smart over to the corp without talking to her in a less socially-loaded situation anyway. Plenty of time to figure out cutouts and workarounds then. In the meantime, however, they were going to need to deal with the companion, and figure out the best way to take Elizabeth down quietly. The latter they could play by ear, but the former was going to be up to the hitters in the team. Which, admittedly, was everyone. Who stayed outside would probably depend on the others. Calista would cheerfully bow to their operational expertise.
To Lace, Calista waved a hand at the door and said, “An’ it please thee, I would follow your lovely self, for I fear that this is my first visit to the Opera House. Have you any requests of me for our merry little dalliance?” Her cadence was stilted, slightly formal, and her accent rose just slightly more to prominence. It was, in short, how one would expect a vampire to talk, and Calista wondered if Lace knew enough about her to see that she was playing to the stereotype. She very much doubted Lace was completely in the dark about her identity, especially if she knew Robyn socially.
To the team, she sent +Lace and I are headed for the conference room. She’s got a bodyguard, and she knows I have one. Now would be the time for me to pick up a tail to wait outside- and be ready to disable her escort. Ryoko, you might want to get ready to squelch commlinks and the like in the area. If anyone else wants to be in the room, they better have a shit-hot cloaking system. Lace here is sharp as hell, so for danger’s sake it might actually be better for me to go in there alone.+
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+Understood.+ Foxglove moved from her position, making her way through the crowd toward Calista and flipping the switch in her head from “Shadowrunner” to “Bodyguard” in order to match the possible assumptions that went along with the Banshee’s words. +Colibri, I want you on the roof and ready to extract the target from the skylight we had set up. You have the speed, so make it quick. No telling how fast Cal will have to move in there.+
+Roger, Roger!+ Suddenly, there was a zig-zagging, red and black blur going through the crowd, causing gasps and exclamations of surprise from a few of the patrons. And then she was gone.
+I don’t like the idea of her being alone in there.+ Ryoko caught Fox’s eye through the throng of people with a brief frown of uncertainty. +We do not know what all this ‘Lace’ is capable of.+
+Calista can handle herself. Trust me on this.+ Foxglove gave the decker a nod in what she hoped was reassurance, +I will need you in the Matrix tapping into their security. Any alarms or cameras that might be a problem need to be shut down or blocked off during the extraction itself. I will stand outside the door with Ms. Lace’s “friend” to make sure he stays outside the door with me.+
#37-18
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[Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Upstairs, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle]
Lace and Calista wended their way through the crowds and on into the lesser travelled parts of the Opera House, Lace having snatched a couple of champagne flutes from a waiter on their way. The talk was light and inconsequential but as soon as they were out of the crowds Lace became disarmingly open about her associations with one of Seattle’s premier infobrokers. She was careful not to reveal anything too outrageous, this wasn’t the naive prattle of a young girl with too much wine in her, but a calculated risk that Calista was more than just an exotic foreigner with a lust for blind cellists…
Riptide, or Eric as he was introduced, followed them at a slight distance, nodding briefly to Foxglove when she joined the party but otherwise saying very little as he watched his young charge with calm professionalism. A very slight deformation in the hang of his tux suggested that he, like Foxglove, had avoided the requirements to give up any weapons at the door…
[Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Back of House, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle]
Bale watched both the technological feed from Riptide and via his own spells as Lace made her way away from the party with not one but now two unknowns. This whole thing stank to high heaven and once he’d established their likely destination he had roved ahead and his fears where confirmed…
>There’s a figure on the roof over the boardroom, just as she suspected it’s a set up! I’ll neutralise them with a spirit once the rest of you are in position. Move in now
[Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Outside the Boardroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle]
Riptide and Foxglove where unceremoniously left outside the boardroom with a mock stern warning from Lace to keep their noses out. It was mere moments later that another wrinkle presented itself… another young girl, this one even younger than Lace, came weaving towards the two bodyguards. She was dressed in a beautiful Zoé Moonsilver gown that sparkled with its own inner illuminance giving her a radiant appearance, her shoes clasped in one hand as she padded barefoot towards them. Eric, rather unwarranted for a drunk party goer, drew a small pistol from inside his jacket…although he kept it low by his side rather than doing anything overly threatening with it
“Can we help you miss? You seem to be lost?”
#14
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Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Rooftop, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle
Colibri made her ascent quickly but warily, watching for anyone else that might be stationed on the roof. Hoity toity thing like this, she wouldn’t be surprised in the least to find a sniper or two up there. Not seeing anything overt, however, she soon found her way to the designated skylight and crouched next to it. +I’m in position.+ She sent to the team, her eyes scanning the roof and space around her to make certain she stayed alone up there.
Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Nook Between Ballroom and Boardroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle
After Calista, Lace, and the two bodyguards disappeared from the ballroom, Ryoko allowed a slight lead time before she headed in the same direction. She, however, stopped part way to the room, ending up somewhere in between in a nook in some hallway that happened to have a few seats set aside. She sat down, allowing herself to lounge a bit and rested her forehead on her fingertips as if she had a headache. What she was really doing was some AR hacking work, using the deck in her head to continue to keep an eye on the camera feeds in one corner of her HUD while the rest of the viewing space was used to search out the necessary parts of the security system she would have to deactivate.
Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Outside the Boardroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle
Foxglove had returned the nod and silently noted the hang of the man’s jacket. The Nocturna, herself, had actually arrived as a guest, not a bodyguard, and so hadn’t had the luxury of carrying her pistols.
But he didn’t need to know that. Not yet, anyway.
When they got to the door, Fox made sure to stand on the opposite side of the doorway from Eric, slipping into Parade Rest as she waited, a stance that would have at least hinted at her previous military experience but not given away exactly what she had been.
She raised a brow when the girl padded up to them, sparing a glance at the gun that materialized from Eric’s jacket and taking note as to what make, model, and caliber it was before focusing on the tiny one again. Fox, however, didn’t move or speak, simply allowing her usual “neutral” expression to do its work for her in hopefully warding or scaring off anyone getting too nosy. All the while, she kept on her guard, both for the girl, the guard, and her surroundings. This girl could just be a drunk party-goer, or she could be a distraction, or, of course, there was always the possibility that she was also a threat. Magical or technical talent and power didn’t always present itself as obvious, and she wasn’t about to write off any possibilities.
#38-19
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[Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Rooftop, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle]
Colibri peered down through the skylight watching Lace and Calista below her, just waiting on the go ahead to act…except something wasn’t quite right, looking around her did little to ease the tension, that nagging little prickle that good runners developed to warn themselves when all was not well… and then she felt the chill, over and above the December air, and saw the two pairs of glowing eyes and the vague blurring of the Seattle cityscape seen through the air spirits that had materialised on either side of her…
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[Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Inside the Boardroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle]
Lace and Calista had been chatting when suddenly Lace froze, looking around like a startled fawn in the wake of an oncoming car
“Something’s wrong…” was all she said, although she did draw some sort of rod out of her purse. It was perhaps fifteen centimetres long and made of some sort of pale resin laced with a silvery material that ran across the surface like veins. Although it didn’t appear to be magical to Calista’s othersight she knew a focus when she saw one…
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[Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Nook between Ballroom and Boardroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle]
Ryoko was disturbed from her matrix cruising by one of the staff. He was a tall pale man, blonde hair and a neatly trimmed goatee under smokey eyes. Slightly incongruously he was carry a metal briefcase
“Excuse me miss, I am afraid guests are not permitted in this area tonight, please could you return to the ballroom?”
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[Evening, Saturday December 25, 2077; Outside the Boardroom, Seattle Opera House, 800 North Taylor Avenue, Downtown Seattle]
Foxglove noted that Eric’s weapon was a European model, a ceramic Glock 51 machine pistol, this one with a snub nosed sound suppressor on it, hardly the typical weapon of a bodyguard. The woman/girl approaching them seemed oblivious to their presence, sloshing champagne out of the flute she was carrying so carelessly…but the intense glance from under dark lashes was impossible to mistake…she was about as truly drunk as Foxglove was and now she was bloody close!
#15
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Calista glanced at the focus, then back up at Lace’s face. How to play this? She could probably drop the young woman in her tracks, but that didn’t seem like good business. It would be much better for everyone involved, and a great deal less lethal to Lace’s undoubtedly-responding team, if the girl were to walk out of here under her own power. If she wouldn’t, then so be it, but it seemed prudent to at least give Lace the option before Colibri, Fox, and Ryoko summarily murdered her entire bodyguard detail.
They would, too. Cheerfully.
Calista raised her hands, palms outward toward Lace, a universal gesture of nonthreatening “wait” and told Lace, “I’m sure. By now, I assume your bodyguard detail has realized that you’re an extraction target for a hostile team of shadowrunners.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “They are, of course, correct. I’m afraid I’ve been hired to bring you in alive. However,” she tilted her head, “that stipulation covers you and you alone. I’m sure your detail is frighteningly competent, the best that money could buy. I’m also sure that they’re your friends and allies. Mine is equally skilled, and particularly so in violence, harm, and murder. Finally,” Calista smiled, baring her fangs, “If you know Robyn, then you know who I am, what I can do, and where I learned to do it. If we fight, and we will if you don’t ask your team to stand down, I can beat you to death’s door and then make you just like me. Are you certain you want to risk that, risk compromising your position in society, with Silk, at school, and with your friends by becoming one of the Infected?”
Calista let the silence stretch into a pregnant pause, then said, “I want to talk, really. I think we may be able to come to an arrangement that doesn’t involve any bloodshed. But if your team moves, or you wait too long, I can guarantee that your friend outside, at least, is going to be sliced into cutlets so thin you’ll be able to see through them if you hold them up to the light, and any matrix support is going to be eating jello in a mental hospital for the rest of his life.”
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