I checked my internal clock as Dr. Payne began walking away. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's get this show on the road." It showed 0400. Then with a mental switch I turned on my recorder implant because I wasn't trusting word one that came out of his face. What he'd just said about Zona dumping me and Raven to go back to these robots sounded ludicrous and it immeadietly occured to me he could have done it.
"Where am I, what time is it, and how long since the shooting at the party?" I started out.
"The one hundred second floor of the GenTech Archology. It is approximately four a.m. which is about four hours after the disturbance at the party you were attending. I will answer your other questions momentarily if that is what you want, but I think it would be better if you changed into something more appropriate and we met in a more comfortable setting." He gestured to his tall, blond, reavashing assistant who helped me out of the tank and into the shower. Once I was done washing up she led me downstairs to a expansive, vaulted ceiling room. It was decorated as a reading room, with plush chairs, a reading table, and a fireplace.
Walking across the huge entryway with paneled wood floors, her stilleto heals clicked rythmicaly. Her body was attractive, but I had other things to set my mind to so I ignored her. Zona's reasons, her plan, and how she set this all up flooded my brain.
Once we finally entered the room she motioned for me to sit, which I did. The chair was angled off about thirty degrees from directly facing Dr. Payne in his chair. A power play no doubt. "Let me ask the big one first," I began. "Tell me, if you will, what reasons Zona gave you for doing this."
"Ms. Riley said it was something she had to do."
His short answer pissed me off. It would get worse as the interview continued. "Ok. Did she tell you to tell me?"
"No."
"Then why are you telling me?" It didn't seem like corporate CEOs are the sharing type.
"She also did not tell me not to tell you."
"Fair enough. Would also tell me everything Zona told you?"
"Well, paraphrased," he said after a short pause, "She came to me and asked three favors. They involved allowing my security to allow the robots in, keeping you alive, and keeping Dr. Raven out of the affair." His manicured and genteel nature were already getting to me. "In payment," he paused which was his third habit I hated. "Well, I will be repaid for my efforts."
"What was her plan and its goal?"
"I believe her plan was to go through the motions of being abducted, then work from the inside. Her goal? Evidence would point to her wishing to re-educate the machines."
"What evidence?" I asked, but got a mute reply. Great. "How did she set it up or know about the enemy at the party?"
"I asked her the same thing," Dr. Payne said, "and she mentioned being contacted by an," long pause, "old friend."
That got me thinking but I moved on. "What did Zona say about me?"
"Well, Ms. Riley spoke quite fondly of you, in fact, the only reason why she came to me in the first place was to keep you alive. She knew you would strive to protect her, and although she had taken steps to prevent it, she knew you would die doing so."
"Well then, can I have the recordings of the meeting or copies of it?" I figured what the hell, all he can do is say no.
"No." Which he did.
"Did she communicate with them?"
"If she did so, it was not in my presence."
If there is one thing I hate it's when people don't answer my question. "That wasn't my question, but thankyou. Did she mention that she had contact with them?"
"I believe it was with her friend."
"Thanks. Did she ever say who that friend was or give them a name."
"I do not have the name in front of me, perhaps I can get someone to find it for you."
There's an open ended promise if I ever heard on. Sharkey no count on it to comey true. "Did you ever communicate with them?"
"No."
"What about Lamas and others hurt at the party?"
"Mr. Jiovonazo lost his arm, four of my security guards perished, and three other patrons were injured. Mr. Lamas had several broken ribs as well as internal trauma, but he refused our help and left. The rest I believe left during the chaos."
"Back to Zona. When did she come ta you with this plan?"
"About," pause, "Hmm... October fourteenth, at 9:08pm."
"How did she get me cloned?" He just smiled and offered no answer. After a minute I gave up and asked, "What was your next part of the deal?" Again he continued to smile that insufferable smile. Another minute later I continued, "Was this all? Those three parts?" But he just kept smiling. "What actions will you take in the future by her request?"
Finally he spoke. "We have fulfilled our end of the bargain."
"Zona kept Raven out of the loop?"
"Yes, Mr. Riley requested it."
"Why?"
"Her ability to protect you was in question. Her ability to protect him was zero."
"Do you think that was a good decision?"
He paused to think about it for a second. "At the time I did," he finally said.
"What do you think Raven will do?" This oughta be good.
Again he paused to think, about what I can't say. "I am not sure," he started. "It has only recently become clear to me his relationship with his daughter. It will take time to work out a profile."
Not much creeps me out; undead mushrooms, brain sucking anomolies, and ganger oh my. But that did. This guy must be some sort of clynical psychopath to talk about Raven like that. Then I asked another question just because I could, "What did you set up to keep him occupied?" All I got was a smile damnit.
"I mean no disrespect or to call into question you status as a philanthropist, buy why are you helping her?" He just smiled that smile for a few seconds.
"As I said I would be repaid." Then he kept smiling. Straight through my next two questions.
"What did she offer you?" -- "What deal did Zona make with you?" That he wouldn't answer told me about as much as if he had.
Then he decided to play along again when I asked, "How is this a good business decision for GenTech?"
"It was a risky decision, but the reward may still outweigh the cost." Great, fucking double-talk.
"Let's mosey onto the topic of the machines. What did she tell you about the enemy?"
"Ms. Riley told me there would be between five and seven robots very similar to Mr. Kazure which Mr. Jiovanazo and Ms. Kenna informed me about. She told me they were not there to kill anyone, but if they chose they most likely could kill everyone without much trouble."
That was pretty rosey considering I just about took one down. "Who is the enemy?"
"Unfortunately the identity of the manufacturers is still a mystery. We have tried, but without results."
Now that made things bleaker. "Are they an enemy of GenTech?" That would just get me a cryptic answer.
"GenTech has many enemies, but I do not believe so."
"What do you know about her captors?"
"Very little unfortunately," he said while trailing off.
Now I would start asking more questions to nail him in. "Are they the people Raven 'saved' her from six months ago?"
"They may be associates perhaps, but not the same."
"What did they want with her then?"
He paused for a moment and looked at my visor. He had been the whole time which made me glad I had the dern thing. "I believe they were bringing her home."
"Who is she running from?"
"Running?" he asked like it were a rhetorical question. Ass. I let it slide.
Pissed off, but not beaten I moved on. "Is it Mars Inc. or Tangerio Corp?"
"While connected in design, I do not believe Mars capable of creating those robots."
"Then is it the people that send to Zodiac?"
"If she were running from anyone it would not be them, for it was her choice to go to them."
All of that confused me terribly, but I continued anyways as he wouldn't elighten me doubtless. Back to the questions. "Explain to me why she thought this was her best option?"
"She mentioned that the capturers had to think she was going against her will. But for as to why she chose GenTech, I believe that has to do with you." Ewww. Another open ended daisy delight!
Pardon the sarcasm, but my mood was souring. "What feeling did you get from her?"
"Feeling?"
"Yeah. She's a woman. The being ruled by emotion. She didn't share her plan with you, so what feelings did you pick up on?" I was pushing him a little, but the least he could do was tell me to leave. I chanced it cuz he wasn't telling me squat.
"She seemed to be suffering from 'Hostage Dependency' or 'Stockholm Syndrome'."
"Where is the Zodiac now?"
"Our most current information shows they are in a geosynchronous orbit satellite somewhere over the Russian Republic."
"Is GenTech going to take action against them for fucking up your party?"
"No."
"Are you?" He just smiled.
"What does Spydr know about the plan?"
"Ms. Evansworth has not approached me with prior knowledge. But she is downstairs now with Mr. Jiovanazzo."
"Did Zona tell her about it?"
"Ms. Riley did not see fit to tell me everyone she spoke with our about."
Again he didn't answer my question and passed off a lame comment. "Come-on... Kenna didn't take a peek?" To which he just smiled.
"What are you going to do next?"
He must have gotten tired of smiling because he paused for a moment, "Business as usual."
"What is Jio's part of the plan?"
He paused again. "Not at the beginning, his reaction had to be genuine." That made no sense, but I kept going.
I asked for something next that seemed pretty important as I thought about it. "Would you return to me all the genetic material, body tissue, records of such material, digital or otherwise, of my person or my DNA that you have to me?" I didn't expect all of it, just a token amount as a smoke screen. Time would be the final judge.
Then he smiled that annoying smile. "If that is what you wish," he said while maintaining the smile.
I was almost out of questions, so I wrapped up with Zona's past. "What do you know about Zona's past?"
"I know a little, but perhaps you should discuss this with Dr. Raven"
If I wanted to discuss it with Dr. Raven why did I ask you??? "Okay. What is going to happen to her or what is she going to do on the boat?"
"She mentioned returning to her earlier occupation of Robotics Designer."
"What is her destination after the boat docks?"
"All she said was somewhere in Europe."
"So basically Zona came to you, asked for three things, and you agreed without asking for any of the details or learning more of her intents or who she was even up against?" It was a rhetorical question, but it let him know I didn't trust him. "Then that was my last question. Thank you for the audience. Is there anything else?" He shook his head. "Then I will take my leave. Would it be possible for your assistant to take me to Victoria's room when I leave here?" I asked as he picked up the book he had been reading as I came in.
"Certainly." He didn't look up but the tall blonde came back in and I followed her out. I made the vow to myself that when I get Zona back, I'm gonna fuck up whatever Dr. Payne's plan was.
I walked out of there, following the sensually swaying hips of Dr. Payne's assistant. I was pissed off and let down. I was leaving knowing less than I came in with. I didn't trust this Payne worth a lick and now had to go talk with Raven. When I thought about Zona, I was beginning to feel maybe Payne was right, but that didn't help. Why would she trust him to help more than she would me and Raven. As we walked down the hallway to the elevator, it just didn't add up in my head.
I didn't want to feel hurt by Zona, but it was a distinct possibility. It wouldn't stop me from going after her, in fact it gave me one more reason. More than one reason you ask? Why yes, gentle reader, more than one reason. Now I see you getting excited, what are they you ask? Well, Fuck You. I'll explain later.
As we left the elevator I kept getting more pissed off. People would proverbially swing for this. I also had the nagging suspicion I felt the 'Screw-You' ghost off somewhere behind me. The 'Screw-You' ghost, you ask? Yes, that faggot dick that tries to put on the white sheet with two holes in it and say he's a ghost, when really he's just trying to screw you in the ass. I knew he was back there, and right now was waving my hand to keep him away, but before long I'd have to turn around and shoot him. That damn 'Screw-You' ghost.
Then the walk was over and I would have something much better to look at; Spydr. His assistant opened the door and I walked in.
Spydr was looking good as always and brightened as I walked in.
She walked up as I walked in and we exchanged a hug. "It's good to know you really are alive."
"At least I think I am. This cloning shit is freaky, and I can't say I like it." We chatted on for a bit pleasantly. I gave my condolences to Jio, but I knew he'd get another. Some time later a delivery boy showed up with a package for me, intel photos from Jio, a cassette of Floptical discs, and a receipt for the genetic material down at the dock. I told Jio I'd get back to him about the help Dr. Payne said he would give, and then Spydr and I left.
They left a body bag, a bunch of sample containers, and some goo all on a pallet. There was no truck to go with, but Spydr quickly got one and we made our way out of there.
At some point during the drive, or maybe when I was looking over my own corpse, Spydr said something to the effect of, 'My aren't we in a good mood considering all these events.' I didn't answer but was pissed at Spydr. Fuck her for questioning my grief mechanisms. Me being pissed off was becoming a common occurance. Maybe I should watch that. Nah.
Back at the Row House, after a stop at the Clinic where I transfered the material to my Suburban, we got in and I set all the Genetic material down in the garage. I explained everything to Spydr about the conversation with Dr. Payne, I let her listen to the tape, and then we watched the disc Zona left me.
It was about oh-seven-hundred when we called it a night and Spydr went back to her pad. Everyone around the Row House was pretty indifferent to me being back. Most didn't know I had been dead, but spiritis were low cuz Zona was gone. My spirits were alternating between a feral rage and a St. Louis blues guitarist. I'd gone running, traded email with Jio, gotten intel briefs from him. In going over them I'd learned a bit about the ship, at least as much as GenTech wanted me to see. I'd begun planning for a raid on the ship, and even drafted up two 'Wanted' posters for help, when my phone rang. It was Kid. "The Boss is in town. Meet at Jack-O's Lantern. 1930." Click. He still hadn't learned social graces.
I asked FNG if he wanted to go along, he could at least watch the car. So we piled in the Suburban and headed over there.
At least Jack-O's Lantern hadn't changed. The thick smog like smoke, the awful drug-sweat-blood-hops smell, the lound pounding music, and the chaos of bodies and voices. The waitresses looked like walking corpses with their faces paited gray and the sink in their cheeks accented. If I were a necrophile, they'd look hot. The twisted bumpers, the barbies hanging from the barbed wire, and the old christmas tree lights and tinsle from a party long forgot. It all reminded me of home. As we came in out of the rain, I immeadietly noticed Raven being guarded over by Kid on the far side. Despite the huge crowd, Kid and Raven had cleared out a five table 'no-mans-land' that they were occupying.
I made my way there and schooched into the booth across from Raven. He had a drink he hadn't touched and Kid was staring at me like he were gonna kill me if Raven looked at me wrong. Well Fuck him. Let him try. I'd beaten tougher people than Kid Stealth.
"What happened?" he asked. Simple enough.
"We attended the party. Six and two-half aledged robot operators were in attendance also. The executed a plan, which left me dead despite confronting them, and with Zona gone. They penetrated and escaped the GenTech Archology untouched allegedly at the behest of Zona, according to Dr. Payne."
"So you let my daughter be taken?" was the second one. Ewww. Nice.
It's rare I feel contempt for Raven, but I did then. I wanted to say, Fuck you pal. If she's so goddamn important why'd you let her start that assanine clinic? or If she's so f-ing important why'd you aske me to go to this when there was no way I'd get a gun? or You think I could protect her from a Company of Arasaka Shocktroopers, 'Brownshirts', if they'd trapsed in there for her? Well you're a fool. But I said none of it. I kept my rock hard composure. He was pissed and lashing out. "No I didn't let her be taken. I ended up dead. You know damn well everyone has a better. They were mine that day. They, or Zona if you believe Payne, stacked the deck in their favor."
"So a twenty-six year old girl outsmarted you?"
"She also outsmarted you," I said. He didn't look happy, but Fuck him. "Do you trust Dr. Payne?" I asked.
"Yes," he said, "But not to keep my or my families or friends best intrest at heart."
"So you trust him in as much as you can predict him?" Raven nodded. "What haven't you told me about Zona's past?" I continued.
"I haven't told you anything," he started out. If he was gonna pull a double talk answer with me I was walking out. "Which is everything." He went on in long excruciating detail about her past. Evidently she was some sort of child prodige with regard to computers and robots. She had Mo beat at age nine, was publishing articles and papers at age twelve, and recited poetry at a Japanese Embassy Ball at age thirteen. Somehow that last one didn't seem to compare to the previous two, but that's just the practical side of me. Her family had been killed at age fourteen, with the exception of one brother, which left her in the care of a corporate orphanage. I'll get back to her past in a minute. This is where it gets crazy.
Raven as we know was or is one of those Black Ops whatevers. So is or was Payne. Now I didn't catch it at the time, but Spydr pointed out to me what I'm about to tell you. So Raven is her fater, but I said her family was killed. Well Raven had to fake his own death, and kill his wife. Zona and her brother were allowed to live, and went to said orphanage. You in the back, what are you excited about now? Why did he do that? I'm getting to it. Well he did it because these Black Ops are part of The Company and families are taboo. So he was ordered to kill them. Who ordered him? His commanding officer?? Well calm down back there. It was Dr. William F. Payne, the current CEO of GenTech.
Back to her past. She accelerated through high school and college graduate work. Eventually she was hired by Mars Inc. where she made the titanic war machines and robot tanks that debuted in the Second Corporate war. During that time she contracted out to various companies. One, that wanted her services without having to pay extracted her from Mars. Raven had looked into her time at Mars, and even some people that should have known her didn't remember her. It was like their minds had been erased of her presence. Creepy.
He also filled me in on what I didn't know about the incedent six months ago. The mystery employer that took her from Mars ceased needing her after some time. He had gone to rescue her because of nagging guilt over having killed his family years before. It was this decision to scrap her out that led me to Mobile, Redneckopolis. The mystery employer was selling her off to a research project in Arabia. It was from this fate we rescued her. But now, this mystery employer wanted her back - or she wanted back in. This was what had precipitated the fuck up at the archology.
Lastly he gave me a stack of faxes that coroborated the GenTech intel on the ship, which improved my mood in some small way. I'd asked a few specific questions, but after a long pause, a pair of snide remarks, a waitress finally crossed 'no-mans-land' to bring me a Henry Weinhards Red. The tab also included Raven's drink - how petty. But I didn't say anything. Fuck it.
So with all the background filled in, I pressed on. I had one more question I wanted to ask. "How far are you willing to go to get Zona?" Everything hinged on this answer.
He thought for a second before he finally spoke. "I regret there are some things more important than family. I will continue to help, but I cannot put all my resources towards it."
I grit my teeth and turned my head as he spoke. It was what I was afraid of when I asked. He was putting the nameless humanity of the Burbs before his daughter and wasn't going after her 100%. It almost made me sick. I took a long time deceiding my answer. I wanted to snap at him, or shout profanities. But we were in a crowded bar, so I remained civil. "Thankyou for this information. It will be the last thing I ask you for until I bring her back." I looked him in the eye and stood up to leave. I noticed a little something in his eye I couldn't fully place, but I think it was gratitude or thanks. I'm not sure. So I shouldered my way through the mass of bodies and payed my tab. All in all, I congratulated myself for my handling of the situation. FNG fell in behind and we made like a baby.
Back outside we were assaulted again by the low level acid rain that had been the weather for the last six days. Sometimes I was it to just snow cuz I hate the wet. But I also hate the cold, so I just take it. We headed through the light pre-bar-rush street crowd to the Suburban. Behind it I noticed one of Bear's trucks with four guys in it. We'd crossed half the sidewalk when Bear saw us and got out. He must have wanted to talk about something so I stopped and waited. Looking around nothing else looked out of place. Next I took the time to ID the people in the truck with him as he hobbled over; it was Lak, Mo, and Boomerang my California surf puke.
Bear came to a stop infront of me. "Where to now boss?" he asked.
"Well if you're coming with me, you better have a talk with Raven first." My tone wasn't unfriendly, but it let him know I was in a bad mood.
"We did. We're with you."
Well fuck me running! What could I say. My heart was warmed. I almost felt proud. Despite being gauled by Raven's irrationality and attitude, this made the day seem like a Tahitian Treat. "Good. First we move out. Then we relocate. Then we plan. Lets go." I then walked over to the truck and shared my plan with the other three. Mo got right on finding some old slum warehouse that was looking for a tenant.
Some time later that evening, right about the time the Web closes, I ducked in. Ogre was his usual talkative self, but he allowed me to enter even though I was packing. During last call, I had a talk with Spydr and let her know my new standing. I didn't notice any reaction from her, but I'm sure she picked up on the 'New-care-free' Shark. We talked for some time about the events of the previous day and a half as well as my plan for getting Zona back and fucking up her 'mystery employers.'
Over the next twelve days I was a busy bee. The Mechanic and I did a good deal of business outfitting my merry mob of marauders for mayhem. I also got incontact with two guys in England I know: Apache and the British Bulldog. Apache was a Kiwi (New Zealander) sniper. Bulldog was a Welsh SAS operator. Both are operators with good reps I'd worked with before, I hired them on for one month to track down these mystery fuckers, and they were now busy on scouting out locations in England. Back on the ranch, FNG, Boomerang and I had done some local recruiting. I hired Langrotti, the Silician Mafia knife man; Alphabet, the eastern european sex maniac; Hillings, the fitness machine; and
But as the week wore on, I thought more and more about Spydr. What she meant to me, and what it would mean to leave her. She might be in some kind of trouble here in MSP, she was just recently with Arasaka, had had trouble in the past with Aztechnology, and there was the COINe thing. So leaving her, when we had been friends this long, seemed like desertion deep in the subcockles of my heart. I also thought about what my mission would be. I'd be treading the line between light and dark on my mission of terror to destory the mystery employer. I'd have to do bad things and no doubt people would die and lives (not to mention hardware) destroyed. That wasn't the hard part, nor was looking myself in the face in the mirror. Looking my friends in the face who had higher moral standards than myself was. Spydr (and Zona maybe) was that friend.
So getting her to go along with to keep me honest was my objective as I rode the Ell over to her place. It been thirteen days since the party and our plane was leaving just before dawn for England. All the guys were ready. All our gear was ready. I was ready, except for Spydr. I'd try that little voice trick she uses on me. Maybe it'd work on her. Maybe I'd just beg. More likely that would work.
I knocked on the door in the pouring rain. She opened the door and smiled that precious smile that always reduced my inards to ballistic gelatin. "Hey Shark, come in out of the rain."
"Thanks," I said as I stepped in and removed my jacket. "I came over to talk."
"I figured." She walked back into the apartment, towards the dining room. "What about?"
I bet she knew. "About England. Ever thought about going?"
"Yeah," she said taking a seat.
"Well, I'm headed over there to get Zona." I taken a seat kitty corner to her and leaned on the table. Suddenly I was exhausted. Hopefully not to tired to beg. "Would you come with?"
"I've been thinking about that. I'd have to tie up loose ends here, and then I'm not sure if I'd be able to help out."
"Oh, you would," I said with a shit eating grin. "Nothing would make me happier than to have you along. I really value your help and would feel good knowing you're keeping me honest."
"Well, I've been thinking about that. I don't know the things about self defense and shooting that you'll be doing over there."
Begin Operation BEG. "There is nothing I won't teach you. How to protect yourself is first on the list. But you won't be a solo and whatever we end up doing over there, I wouldn't think of suggesting you do things that a solo would. That would be plain irresponsible."
A broad smile crossed her face. It forced me to smile, her mood was contagious. "Then I'll go," she said. Inside I was jumping for joy; outside I just smiled my sharkey grin. "But I'll have to meet you over there in a few days, I've still gotta tie up those loose ends."
"No problem. When you get to liverpool, look for the Firey Flaggon. It's across the street from the old Downtown Royal Ordanance Inc. recruiting office. Hurst should be behind the bar, he'll have a message for you." I stood up to go, the flight was only a few hours away.
"Well I'll see you then," she said as we stepped togther for a short embrace. It was the kind you don't want to end.
"Damn right," I said. But when it did, I realized I hadn't hugged anyone in a week. Which was odd, cuz Zona wasn't around and the least we did was hug.
