Chapter 112

Chapter 112

The day had come and gone. Then the night. Jun hadnt come home, and the sun was rising. I had taken a break after an hour of playing music, and gone out. Spending a couple grand on some additional security for the apartment. Then Installing it all. Of course it was just off the shelf junk.

It wouldnt really stop anyone.

But I was currently programming out a bit of a trick. The thing with door locks is that they are never really going to stop someone. Instead I was going to keep the entire thing looking off the shelf, while inside the programming would have a bit of a trick.

Sure you can break into the apartment if you really want.

But I would know.

And knowing is half the way to avoid a trap, or a surprise raid.

I was still working on the code. Making the security system send an alarm if it was hacked wasnt hard. But letting it work without alerting the netrunner breaking in was.

So I was fiddling with a few design options to sneak the alert through.

It was progressing pretty well with Inspired Programmer keeping me full of inspiration.

*Ringing* I blinked at the noise checking the agent view.

*Malcolm! Whats up?*

*Motoko I need help! Fuck! Cocksuckers shot me!* Malcolm gasped into the line as soon as I chirped my greeting.

Instantly I was moving, rushing for my room to grab my guns.

*Where are you? Tell me everything.*

*Fuck. Shit Im bleeding bad. Okay okay. Ill send you my ping. I'm on a train right now.. II lost them, they stopped chasing me when I got on the rail. Fuck. Oh god. I was buying a car! They were trying to jump me. Steal the money and those fucks! It was supposed to be my car! They fucking killed me over this shit!* His voice broke down into a quiet moan.

*Okay Im on my way. Im pinging everyone as well, in case someone is closer. Were on our way Malcolm, just dont pass out okay. Stay awake.* I demanded as I scooped up my boots as I ran into the hall and raced to the elevator. I hit the button requesting it and then again and again.

Too slow.

I turned and rushed for the stairs. I slammed into the door and fought my boots onto my feet. Then as I slipped into the stairwell I leapt.

I landed on the railing two stories down, then I leapt down again.

Again and again. I leapt past some people hanging out in the stairwell. Kids adults. Whatever. It wasnt a concern.

*Im still with you Malcolm, talk to me buddy.*nôvel binz was the first platform to present this chapter.

*Fuck it hurts. Never been shot before! Those assholes!* He whined and cried into the line, but I would rather him do that, then have it go silent. The last jump I dropped three stories to land in a crouch on the garage level. Startling some of the Tyger Claw kids that were smoking and hanging out under the stairs.

I slammed into the door and rushed for my Quadra. The door opened at a glance as I leapt inside from the passenger side.

Sliding into the driver seat, I gunned it backwards. My eyes instantly connected to the cameras on the Quadra to roar out of my space.

I didnt bother to spin around. Tires screeching through the garage I slipped my Quadra into a reverse drift to make the entrance ramp and continued roaring backwards until I hit the top of the ramp absolutely maxing out the engine as it leapt into the air. I hit the ground and Spun, finally facing forward already in the street and ignoring the honks of people that I had nearly crashed into.

My Quadra roared. All 1000 horsepower roared as my foot hit the pedal all the way down.

*Im on my way!* I said again into the phone as for the first time I really truly ignored traffic laws.

I raced the streets. Swerved through traffic, and ignored lights. The sidewalk was perfectly good for getting around traffic as well to my current estimation.

I had no care about anything because one of my chooms was in trouble.

Malcolm was my friend.

I wasnt ready to lose a friend to this city.

*Talk to me Malcolm. Tell me about these assholes.*

*... Fuck. They They were selling a Rayfield Motoko. It was a second gen Caliburn. Yellow silver. The best The best paintjob. It was so beautiful. And cheap It was only 70k. I wanted it so bad. I decided I thought fuck it. Its my dream car, you know? I I have a poster of it above my bed. Dreamed about that car since Forever. If I had it that means I made it you know?*

*Yeah Malcolm, and you will. Believe me. Just keep breathing choom. Im almost there.* And I was. Malcolm was still in Westbrook. Just farther south. Near Charter Hill. He had sent me an active GPS ping, and it wasnt moving. *Did you get off the rail?*

*Yeah Yeah they kicked me off. Bleeding too much I guess Fuckers.* He mumbled.

Fuck.

*Hey Malcolm, listen to me. You keep your damn eyes open, and keep breathing! You hear me?*

*Yeah I gotta listen to you right? Boss? Heh. Who would have thought Id be working for your gonk ass. Fuck. Its been great though* He trailed off.

*Yeah its awesome, and your brain is amazing at noticing things! Couldnt have done the yacht heist without you yeah? You were the one to figure out the Scavs. So stay alive Malcolm, thats an order from your boss!* I gasped out desperately as I made a stupidly dangerous turn.

*Yeah*

I skidded to a halt as Traffic was blocking me again and the sidewalk was full. I honked and revved into the sidewalk anyways. People scurried out of the way as I drove as slow as I could bear around the cars stopped at a light until I hit the road and revved to skid onto the cross street into the active traffic. Swiftly forcing a position and then accelerating.

Just gotta hope NCPD were busy right now

At least I was getting responses from everyone. Vik had responded to my frantic text message and he was on his way with med supplies to keep someone alive. I just had to get Malcolm to him.

I was there. The sidewalk was a perfectly good parking spot as I nearly drove onto the escalators running up to the platform.

Driver side door opened, and I was off like a shot, Racing up the escalator until there were people in the way and then I jumped onto the railings and just raced up that.

Then I was on the platform, and it wasnt hard to see Malcolm.. A pool of blood with bloody footprints leading to him slumped up against a sign and a small space in the crowd, but no one was trying to help.

Assholes.

I leapt. Landing beside him in a single movement.

Hey Malcolm. Calvary is here. Cmon. Take this. I offered him a MaxDoc, while I grabbed an Airhypo and jammed it into his chest.

FuuuuUUK!. He cursed his breath suddenly much fuller as the Airhypo oxygenated his blood.

Well as much as it could anyways.

He was pissed. Which is why I didnt want him to come. Even at my angriest, I still had Cold Blood keeping my mind clear. Keeping myself clear to make decisions like shooting gonks rather than talking to them.

Ichi-

Dont Motoko. Im coming. Or Ill go alone. They shot my choom over a fucking car sale. Malcolm wasnt even fucking with them, but they just- Fuck that.

Im coming too. Hiromi said as she walked up the stairs behind Ichi, patting him on the shoulder once as she walked right past us both. What do you both need an invitation? She asked as she turned and gave one of her superior looks at the two of us.

If it wasnt such a serious moment between us, I would have leapt on her, pinned her to the ground and Mess with her hair or something. I dont know.

Alright, fine. We all go! But, I call the shots. I demand looking at the two of my chooms with firm looks.

Im fine with that. Hiromi said and a moment later Ichi nodded.

Good. First thing first. Go get suited up. These fucks have guns and obviously arent afraid to use it. So go get ready. I ordered much to both of their irritations, but in the end they listened. Hiromi jumped onto her Kusanagi, and Ichi in his van.

I went home myself to grab my own Section 9 equipment.

I was going to make a point against these assholes.

--

Suited up and ready we all met up near the location Malcolm had given us. Stay close together guys, and keep your eyes open.. I demanded making sure they both understood before we walked down the block towards where Malcolms little meetup was supposed to happen.

I had my techgogs down blocking my eyes and face, as I wandered through the crowds of Night city people.

We were in Charter hill, just on the other side of the canal cutting off Charter Hill and Arroyo.

I followed the location GPS through a back alley, Through a small alley filled with old homeless tents, and then into a small inner court area for the apartments around me. The place had old shop spaces all closed down and shuttered along the edges. Each of the shutters now covered in years of gang tags.

Hiromi and Ichi both stayed close together, weapons ready and waiting.

But while there were some people here, it didnt look like our people.

Not that we were sure what they looked like.

Dammit Malcolm. You walked into a deal with no backup, no information on whose these fuckers were!

I let it go as I searched around, trying to find a clue, or just someone I thought could answer some questions when I noticed it.

A puddle of blood. With a trail leading through to the street beyond.

I stepped low and touched it with a chrome finger.

This was where Malcolm got shot. I could actually see the rail line he must have run to from here. Straight through the gap he had escaped through. And the trail of blood.

This is the right place alright. I muttered as I looked around scanning the area, eyes flashing checking everything I could.

Hiromi. I called out and pointed.

A homeless man was in the courtyard. A little shack of cardboard and old benches in a corner.

She nodded and Ichi followed. She would ask questions, and maybe get some answers. She was better at that. While I was better at this.

The Courtyard didnt have cameras. Any that might have originally been set up were long gone, ripped out of their mounts for whatever purpose their thief wanted. But that didnt mean shit to me.

This was still Night City. There were only so many places one could move unnoticed to avoid all cameras.

I circled the building. Marking a map with every camera pointed in the direction I needed. If the people who had shot Malcolm had come, or gone into this set of apartments I would find them.

I met back up with Hiromi and Ichi Hiromi looking a little irritated, but her face shifted as she saw me return.

Some moderate good news. She offered with a shrug. The old man saw the shooting. I had to pay him a chunk of eddies to get the information, but he blabbed quickly enough. Apparently he hadnt seen the guys before. They arent from these apartments, probably came here to make sure they couldnt be tracked after stealing Malcolms eddies Wait, did they actually get the eddies from Malcolm?

I blinked.

Ichi blinked.

Ill call him and ask. Keep filling Motoko in. Ichi said and we all nodded.

Right. So, they arent from around here, but I was able to get what direction they left in. No idea what vehicle they might have, but at least we have a location for where they went.

Which way? I asked and Hiromi pointed me towards another alleyway on the opposite side from where we had walked in from.

So they are going north That alley. Theres some cameras at a few restaurants across the street. Well be able to ID them. I assured my chooms and despite Ichis eyes glowing yellow he nodded along having been listening in even as he made the call.

Alright. Lets go take a look as well before we head out. I want to get some eyes on the area. I told them and Hiromi and Ichi followed as we walked through the alley. This one didnt have a tent city in it, but it was filled with doors and ways into the buildings around them.

Not good. Hopefully the homeless man was right, and they werent native to the area. I would really hate to have to try and track some gonks through this rat warren of hallways and back entrances.

I leapt to the side as a pipe rumbled and something foul smelling and just as disgusting looking poured out of it into the alley.

Grooooss! Hiromi whined, and all I could do was nod along.

Yeah. Watch your feet.I mumbled already knowing I would be washing my boots off before ever stepping into the apartment.

We wandered down the alley until finally reaching the street. It was bright and active. No signs of the rundown practically abandoned courtyard we just passed through.

So what are we looking for? Ichi asked and I shrugged my eyes scanning the street. I had already walked past this exact spot before, but now I was double checking. Sending out pings to any electronic devices I could see to find what they were connected to.

And slowly I got an idea of how everything was put together.

Of course I was still wearing my techgogs I realized which explained why Hiromi and Ichi were both wondering what the hell I was doing.

Sorry. Im scanning everything. I want to see what open systems there are in the area, as well maybe something more hidden.

Gotcha! How can we help? Hiromi asked and I just reached out to pull her into a side hug to quiet her for a moment. I was tracking down a stray connection connected to the net from the cafe across the street but I ended up sighing.

Just some punk piggybacking on the cafe's TV connection.

Nothing stands out. Unless we want to try and ask all the people on the street if they remember seeing our perps. I think its time to head to the net.