Chapter 135

Chapter 135

Turbos was definitely having a party. As I pulled in, the rumble of my Quadra earning me a spot as a few of the wandering crowd moved out of the way so I could slip into a parking spot. I took a moment to stop and just breathe.

I was so not ready to run into my favorite character right now.

No Motoko, you fucking gonk, she wasnt a character. She was a person, and wouldnt like me geeking the fuck out over her.

I opened my eyes and stepped out, Cool and Cold Blood working in tandem to keep me calm as I stepped towards where I had seen Sasha.

Where I saw Maine, Dorio, Pilar, and best girl Rebecca.

She was so tiny!

Eeeee!

I shook it off and kept calm, adding a bit of Sexy Motoko walk to my movement, so I would look a little less young as I approached the group.

I took them all in as I approached. Maine noticed me, but was basically ignoring me, focusing on Dorio in his lap, and the beer in his massive hand.

Pilar was currently drinking as well, and trying to flirt with a girl beside him. He was doing okay honestly, from the looks the girl was shooting at him. A mix of interest and exasperation.

Sasha wasnt at the table. No, she was up and dancing to the music of the radio playing nearby. I did struggle to keep my eyes off her, because holy shit that girl was flexible.

Of course as I approached Maines little table of important people I was stopped.

By the smallest of the group.

Rebecca had been fucking around with a group of random gonks to the side, from the way she had been jerking her pistol she was telling them about what had happened on the gig, but as I walked over she caught site of me and stomped over.

Hey! Whore you!? She demanded stomping right up to me, and then looking up.

Which I thought was fucking adorable.

She was so smol!

Protect the loli!

Hi! Im Motoko! Nice to meet you! I offered, throwing out a hand towards the girl, and I could feel my face shift into a happy smile.

Aaaaah! She was so cute!

Her strange colored eyes narrowed but she surprisingly reached out and accepted my handshake.

Rebecca. I dont recognize you.

Im Chooms Friends?... I know Sasha! She invited me, Im a programmer so I have a new hack to try and sell her. I explained not sure what to call my current relationship with the catgirl.

Huh. Netrunning stuff huh? Thats preem and stuff. Not really my thing. She replied looking up at me for a moment and then sort of snorting out a laugh. So why do all netrunners wear leotards?

Comfy. I explained without missing a beat, and that earned me an actually surprised look before Rebecca burst into cackles.

You got me! Cmon then, Sasha! Your choom is here!

The Catgirl perked up from her very Flexible dance moves as she looked over and saw me, and then she Well pranced is the best word I could think of over to me.

My little Kohai! She called out rushing over and throwing me into an overly affectionate hug. See Dorio! I have a Kohai now!

I see. The large woman replied flatly as she rolled her eyes at Sashas exuberance. Nice to meet you. She replied casually and mostly just ignored me, as she turned back to trying to find Maines tonsils.

So Toko! Show me your new hack! Sasha demands as she grabs a seat and sort of looks up at me eagerly, and I relaxed a bit.

It was hard to be tense around Sasha she was just so Out there.

I popped a shard with the copy of my Short Circuit and offered it up.

Let me know what you think. I promise itll impress. I said feeling pretty proud.

I had pulled that program together in just a few days, while rushing around doing other things, but it was important.

It might just save this woman's life.

Hmmm. She drawled out after inserting the shard.

Dont mind her, shes always like this. Rebecca said on my right as we listened to Sasha just keep making questioning noises long after she should have stopped.

This is interesting. I see what you based it off, and I can see the additional functionality. Are you sure its a good idea to spread it out? Sasha suddenly mentioned cutting into the noises she had been making.

The battery discharge already has a limiter built in that's part of the hardware, not software. So its not really hackable. Instead of having everything try to discharge at once, making it last longer actually improves the hack. I said sitting up and feeling eager. Depending on the target, and how much chrome they have, you could keep someone crippled for a good while.

She nodded her head as her eyes finally lost the glow as she explored the shard.

I dont think I need it. She answered suddenly and I felt my confidence pop like a soap bubble.

Wha! You do! Gonk! Its preem code!

Its a good Short Circuit sure, but I dont go for nonlethal stuff much.

Its a cheap control hack! It even auto spreads! Thats my personal hack jumping trick there you know! I squawked, offended at her disinterest.

Its cute, sure, but I go for stuff a bit bigger you know? She said actually having the audacity to first put her hands close by, and then spreading them farther apart. Lewd!

Oh god you're one of those. Probably burn your entire RAM on every hack too, don't you? I mocked, earning a startled look from the woman at my sudden attack.

Then Dorio started snickering.

Becca cackled, not bothering to hide it like her choom, even Maine was chuckling.N0v3lTr0ve served as the original host for this chapter's release on N0v3l--B1n.

Sasha actually flushed a little red as everyone was cackling at her. Pilar looked up from the girl he had been flirting with only then seeming to notice I was here. But tits and ass distracted him a moment after.

Wha! Thats not what I do!

Didnt you say, if the program doesnt overheat your deck its babyware? Rebecca cut in, suddenly and Sasha reached out to shut up best girl.

I felt smug as I had been right.

Sasha despite being a skilled Netrunner was one of those.

Here. I demanded, pushing the shard into her hand that she was trying to shut Rebecca up. Its a compact, low RAM, high performance hack. Im sorry youve been stuck with grossly over-coded scop so far.

I have not! I have normal hacks too!

Hey Dorio, have you ever seen Whiskers use anything but her giga hacks? Rebecca asked, and I made sure to note the cute nickname!

Whiskers! Super cute!

Sasha instantly whipped over to her choom and glared, and Dorio looked like she was considering not answering, but her shoulders were still shifting a little as she restrained her giggles.

Never.

Uuuugh. I groaned as I realized how long this was going to take.

--

We split up while working. Just to make sure nothing slipped past us. Ichi and Hiromi both parked at either end of the street, and were keeping an eye out for our car. Malcolm and I working together were walking down one side of the road, stopping at every apartment complex, business location, and back alley we could find connected to the road that someone might stash a car.

Unfortunately, the amount of nooks and crannies in any city block only seemed to grow exponentially.

This is another back alley garage area. I grumbled, as we walked through an alley that had old roller doors attached to every building. Any one of them big enough to hide a car.

Nah its none of these. Look, no ones opened any of these doors in years. Malcolm pointed out to me walking up to one and showing me just how rusted the entire thing was.

No one was getting that open without a lot of effort, and noticeable markings.

That still doesnt narrow this down. I hummed, trying to be positive, even if I was doing a job I didnt really want. There was no murder here Wakako!

Maybe I shouldnt have done investigative work with Section 9. Any gonk with a Unity can flatline someone, but it takes a whole other set of skills to be able to track someone down.

Of course Wakako would make use of that skill, and so would others.

Something up? Malcolm asked, as he noticed my worsening mood. Although I definitely wasnt just pouting at nothing okay! I dont pout!

I just wanted a more exciting gig I guess? I want to fight some ninjas, or something. I did that once. That one borg was like a ninja.

I dont think he counts Motoko, he was just a netrunner.

Netrunning is like magic, so Im putting it in the counts column. I informed him with a smile that earned me a scoff from Malcolm.

Hey! A voice called out pulling our attention away from the rusted out door we were looking at, towards the big guy that was looking at the two of us, with a hand reaching towards the unity on his hip. You little, shits better not be thinking of breaking in!

Nope! I called out, hands raised up a bit. We were just noticing that no one had used this one in a while.

Bullshit. Clear off before I flatline you brats.

Sure sure. I agreed, mostly because the guy was obviously just trying to keep a couple of teenagers from breaking into his stuff. Cmon Malcolm. I called as we moved past the guy.

Hey old man. You see a couple gonk fucks driving around here in a suped up Quadra-R. Looks like this. Malcolm surprised me by saying, as his eyes shifted blue as he sent what must be a picture of the Quadra. Or maybe the gonks themselves?

The man went silent for a minute, glaring, but eventually he answered in the most obvious way possible. I didnt see anything.

Listen old man, we arent here to steal scop, can you tell us where they went?

I dont know anything. The Claws know I dont narc.

Malcolm shook his head, actually smiling. Perfect, because these particular gonks pissed off the Queen of Japantown. Wakako is looking for them. So this is all square.

The older man sort of worked his jaw, considering the question before he nodded real slow. I never saw them before in my life. He verbally said but a moment later his eyes flashed and Malcolm nodded smiling.

Of course not. A respectable upstanding man like yourself wouldnt ever bother with scop like this. You have yourself a nice day sir. Malcolm offered, sounding every inch the respectable kid just trying to help out.

Of course I knew Malcolm, and that was not what he was.

A moment later the man walked away and Malcolm huddled closer. He gave me the deets. Cmon. He whispered to me, and he pulled me along back onto the street.

Malcolm?

Apparently that guy is pissed that these guys have been fucking around, he caught them breaking into shit multiple times, but he doesnt exactly want them to know he ratted on them. He explained to me quickly as we hurried back to the street.

A few seconds later he sent me the message as well, and I looked towards the building just across the street.

Found them.

Now to find the car.

Lets go. Malcolm hurried me on and rushed across the street. I couldnt help but chuckle at how eager he sounded, but I couldnt deny that this was definitely his win.

I crossed after him dodging a few cars and we walked into the complex. The lobby was covered in trash and stunk like someone pissed in a corner. But Malcolm didnt slow. To my surprise he was like a bloodhound. Hurrying through he found the elevator and turned to me.

I laughed at the begging look as I walked over, and my eyes flashed as I started hacking. I barely needed to do anything. The ICE on the hardware was ancient, and didnt even slow my Breach. The elevator came up and we walked in, and then a moment later Malcolm pushed the pad to send us down to the basement.

You think its here? He asked, and I shrugged.

I hope so. It would certainly make this a lot easier. Wakako will be happy.

What about the gonks that stole it?

We hunt them down and flatline them? I questioned back, wasnt it obvious?

They are Tyger Claws. Sure that's a good idea?

They stole from Wakako. If they wanted to survive, that is a quick way to do the opposite. I shrugged. If there is trouble we deal with it. But this is an official gig.

Yeah Right. Official. He muttered as the elevator opened to a truly dark parking garage, most of the lights flickering or out. Malcolm hesitated, but I could see just fine. So I stepped out leading the way. Looking for a particular Quadra-R.

Gotta get better optics. Malcolm mumbled from behind me, but I shrugged.

Chip in at your own pace choom. I called out behind me as I walked down the dark path, head darting this way and that.

Cmon tell me its here. I mumbled to myself, as I hurried around the garage space. Finally I ended up catching back up with Malcolm and shook my head. Nothing.

Hmm. He mumbled though looking around despite the darkness making it hard. Motoko, scan around a bit? These buildings sometimes have private garages along the walls.

I blinked, I hadnt even considered that. My eyes flashed, into a scan mode, something that was completely natural at this point. I barely had to think about it before my Kiroshi responded to my needs. There!

Along one of the walls, was a small rolling door. Just big enough for a car to drive in. And there! Another one.

Looks like there were two to three of them on each wall of the garage.

We didnt even need to speak. Both of us rushed for the first one, and after a few moments, I managed to breach into the door's security and it unlocked, rolling up into the ceiling.

The space inside had a vehicle, but not the one we were looking for.

Fuck. Malcolm cursed, but I just smiled, and signaled for the door to shut, and ran to the next one. Malcolm following after just a moment his own excitement returning with the reminder there were more doors.

Mystery doors! What is behind door number two? I thought as I poked the door, the same security as the first door gave way instantly and it rolled up.

Just some junk.

We rushed to the next after closing the second and as it rolled up, I couldnt help but whoop and leap onto Malcolm to pull him into a hug.

There it was.

The Quadra-R I had literally already stolen today.

Cmon! I hurried over without hesitation. I already had the thing breached from before. I already had a key. The door popped open before I even touched it, and I slipped inside, Malcolm joining me a moment later.

Lets call Ichi and Hiromi and get this taken care of Then we can talk to Wakako about what she wants done. I told Malcolm, even if I would happily just kill the gonks, if my choom was worried about it, then there was no harm in asking.