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October 15, 2045.
Dear Anastasius Foch,
Allow me to begin again. Spydr was in the Corp's office by the name of Adam when he shot himself. While the security was arriving, Spydr took the time to call Mike. During the discussion Mike explained Adam being dead was a bad thing and he had not planned on it. This bothered Spydr a little, but not as much as the team of Solo's stacking up outside the door about to enter. She snuck off narrowly avoiding their gaze, and took an elevator down to the first level. There she shot someone again and used their clothes to make her way out. The door was within sight when she noticed a invisible marking spray was visible on the people leaving. This spray was absent from her person, which forced her to use a different plan.
While plotting off in a corner shop on the ground floor of the archology, a Solo approached her. The towering black man said he worked with Mike and had arranged for Spydr's escape. In an interrogation room he sprayed her with the marking dye, and with this she was able to make her way out with no more trouble than the guards looking at the incredible shape of her posterior.
During her sneak, Spydr underwent a waking halucination. The visions are not really important, but the realization of what they were was. What had only been vague feelings and migranes, were now a full fledged experience with feeling, sight, and sound. As Spydr was making this realization, she was also looking at the file in her posession. It contained a number of paper documents, as well as two, two inch gig floptical discs. One labeled, in a handwriting, said 'Rosa Nadine'; the other had a printed label that said 'Victoria Evansworth (762)'. When she got back to her pad, she popped in her disc, and started reading the files. The papers in the file all had information relating to her: medical, tests, and such; as well as a questionaire form, filled out in her handwriting, that she could not remember taking.
A pretty standard form, except for the last two questions. They asked if 1.) Did the signor believe that the United States should be returned to a Super-Power Status, and 2.) did the signor believe in aliens. I have attached digital copies of the form, as well as the disc, which I will now describe.
Spydr then examined her disc. As it started up, it showed a strange icon then asked for a password. Spydr typed in the number next to her name. The screen passed and went into a video of a Japanese man and an Arabic woman standing over her on a gurney, with no hair. She was also displayed on graphics on a computer they were viewing. Following this she would take a long look at her recent past, the files were only dated one month ago. I will get to that in a minute.
I found none of this out at the time, and only afterwards did Spydr inform me of these events, but I have included them here for completness.
Inserting Rosa's disc, to check for authenticity, she watched just long enough to see Mike's face say, "Thankyou all. Good Performance. Clint, your payment..." where she promptly stopped it.
But back to her research. She called her bar, The Web, where Johny America, her lead bartender answered. She inquired with him about her attendance recently, and he told her she had taken six days vacation last month because her mother died. This did not jive with Spydr, her mother had died years ago. All around she was becoming worried about the procedures she had seemingly undergone. Instead of pondering it longer, she went into her bedroom to get some much needed sleep.
In the morning she would rejoin Shark at the Compound, where he would become very frustrated with her impulsiveness at completing the mission alone. He only bitched for a few minutes, as he did not see the sense in crying over spilt milk. He then promptly shut up when she handed him the disc labeled 'Rosa Nadine', but did aske if she wanted to watch it with him. She agreed and they learned that Rosa was born to Olivia Grace Reiley and Robert Franklin, February 17, 2020 in Winchester NY. Both are deceased as of February 16, 2034. Their second child was a boy by the name of Richard who also perished in the fire that killed them. Rosa went on to live in a corporate orphanage after her parent's deaths. She entered college with the intent to make the world a better place, and studied medicine since she was good at mathmatics and the sciences. She graduated and went to work for Mars Corp, the Swedish-German arms conglomerate.
Right after viewing the file, the recieved word that Mo had located Mike in the continental United States and was continuing to search for him. Since it was just about noon, Shark was still sore from his cybernetics that were implanted that morning while Spydr was escaping from the 3M archology unbeknowst to him. He then bid Spydr aediu and went into Star City for threads to the gala' that night. Getting a tux and other things in under a day would daunt most, espically the less fashion minded like Shark, but he knows what he likes and had over half a million nuyen to get it with.
Sharkman's first goal was to get a gas-burning old suburban, HMMWV, or MAUG; and with Bear's assistance he would have it by thursday next week. Second on his list was to stash four backpacks of gear at various bolt-holes he kept around the city. These contained guns, gear, food, and survival equipment he thought he might need. Third was the tuxedo, and when I saw him later in it I knew he had potential. He chose a conservative, yet athletically cut black tux with a jade green open collar dress shirt. It had neither a cumberbun or vest, but buttoned twice. The fit, as well as the buttons allowed him to show off his good figure and still not give away the fact he was wearing a monocrys vest and sidearm. Neither did it hinder his draw. Sharkman also accessorized well; he got shark tooth cuff-links, a sharksking belt, polished black wing-tip shoes, socks, and a silver flask, all for the bargin basement price of thirty-five hundred nuyen, including tip. Maurice said his tailors would have it ready to be picked up at 1615 hours. Fourth was some jewelry, which he would give to Zona. He bought a large ruby in a heavy platinum setting, but it neither looked gaudy or oversized because of the large, finely crafted, segmented chain that it hung from. The gem was engraved with a laser to have the words 'For Eternity' so that they were only visible under a magnifying glass. Fifth on his list was a two thoussand nuyen restocking of my liquor cabinet with all the expensive Vodka, Whiskey, Brandy, Carribean Licquer, and Saphire Bombay he could purchase. Last was to pick up the tux, and head over to Spydr's where he had scheduled to grab a ride with her back to The Compound.
When he saw Spydr there was little he could do to control himself. His tounge was dragging on the ground as he walked in and asked if he could use the bathroom. Spydr was dressed in a dress that displayed her pleasingly mamalian form. It was constructed out of a black, sheer, semi-translucent material, over a skin tight black undergarment that covered all the necessary parts. The dress went up to her neck, and with the exception of the slit up rear of the dress to allow walking, it went down to her ankles. The designer knew well that the imagination was far more powerful an attractor than showing off acres of sking, and Spydr's curves gave most plenty to imagine. Finally, the dress had long sleeves that hang down to points from the wrist in a vampiric motif, and a waist chain that hung precipitously around her hips. Spydr wore no makeup and had her hair long. Finally, the matching black high heel shoes gave her an extra few inches of height.
Before Shark could to mop up the drool, they left and went straight to the Compound. Shark thanked Spydr for the ride and deposited the liquor at the wet bar on his way up the stairs. He came straight to my chambers and knocked on the door. I shouted for him to enter as I was in the midst of shaving. He entered and was immeadietly met by Zona, who had been sitting out in the study, which adjoined the bathroom.
Shark's mouth would be dry from all the slack-jawed drooling that was going on, because Zona was also dressed such that few men could avoid giving her appraising looks, even if I do say so myself. I asked Shark into the bathroom and explained two things to him. One, Zona could not remember what happened this morning, because she had past issues that were starging to come out. Two, she was in treatment now, so do not bring them up to her.
I excused myself, as I had finished shaving, offering Shark the use of the facilities, and left him to appraise her beauty alone. Zona's dress was one she had bought for such an occasion, and Shark was very glad to see it. Spaghetti straps held up a light dress of deep burgendy material. It was a smooth synthetic or even real silk, and the main point of the design was that the cut gave the illusion of a halter top, by having material hang from the occupants natural racks. The dress had a high cut, but definetly did not hide much above the chest, and had a low back. Zona wore a light amount of makeup, the only that really showed was the red lip-stick that accented both her hair color and the dress. Her heels were not to high, but she definetly stood eye to eye with Shark, and perhaps an inch or two taller when one considered her hair. The long pink hair that Shark loves, was styled to be up, with a pair of curled locks hanging seductivly over the left of her face.
As they embraced, he asked her how she was doing to which she replied ok. He then began to undress for his shower; he knew he needed to hurry, we were scheduled to leave in thrity minutes. But as Zona looked over his new cyber-ware, the gills, and the incision made to install damage resistance units being the most obvious, he withdrew a long black case from his flesh-pocket and presented it to her. She opened it slowly, and saw the jewelry within. An exclamation of admiration escaped her in the form of an "agh!" Shark reached down and took it from the case to put it on her. They embraced for several long seconds before deciding to return to reality.
Shark then did something he does not usually do with Zona in the room. He showered without her, and thus avoided having sex for one of the few times in his life.
Both came downstairs once Shark had dressed and joined everyone in the main lobby as Bear went to retrieve the Rolls 2000 Trans-Continental which is my pride and joy. I am sure Kid Stealth took measure he felt would be necessary such as heavy weapons in the trunk, and Shark carried his always available bag with various weapons of death, but other than that it was a light trip out. Shark also packed personal sidearms, including a stunner. Kid Stealth brought two. Normally that would make it impossible to enter the Archology, but I and every other power broker had means to avoid being unguarded.
Pulling up to the red carpet, we alighted and Bear took the car around back to park. Shark got out first to check the crowd, followed by Kid, then Zona, and last Spydr and I. Then Shark headed up to the door first with Zona on his arm, and then I with Spydr on mine. Kid walked rear-guard. During our entrance a man they recognized from The HOL was watching with looks of pure hate, as well as the Universal Military type. Neither of these two observations made any of us happy. But once inside I left notes with the guards not to grant them entry.
Inside the archology, we were given a ride on an elevator that was reconfigured for the express purpose of taking guests up to the one hundredth floor. The ride was short and soon we were in a crowd of people. The whole floor had been cleared out for the event, and all that remained of support were four one hundred foot diameter posts. These supported the twenty foot ceiling and the remainder of he archology above. They also housed service elevators for food, drink, entertainment, and guards.
3M deserves a lot of credit for their archology. at exactly twice the height of the largest of the Pyramids of Giza. Thus containing four times the volume of the last wonder of the world. This left the one-hundredth floor over four football fields (the American kind) on a side. Each pillar was central to each quadrant when these were drawn normally. 3M also aligned it perfectly with the North Star. Between the north-south pairs of pillars were huge buffets, as opulant as anything at the Las Vegas archologies, and almost as varied. They included open bars and eight ethnic foods. Between the northern pair of pillars was a small area clear of tables, and a large orchestration, but an incomplete one; the acoustics of the room just could not support a full one. Lastly, in between the southern pair was a huge ballroom floor, that was being used for mingling.
It was into this maelstrom that we sailed. I made friendly and unfriendly conversation as I saw fit and everyone enjoyed themselves. Shark made contact with an old friend from his Ares days and Zona tagged along for fun, listening to one of their "Baseball Stories." Spydr meanwhile had one of her fainting eppisodes brought on by the procedure, but I managed to catch her before she hit the floor (and quite gracefully I might add.) Few would have thought it more than a slightly tipsy gal falling into her date's arms.
Things are drawing out, so I shall attempt to bring a measure of closure.
Shark went on to see his old friend Jiovonazo. They conversed for a time before Zona's unconfortability at being around Mr. Jiovanazo's high priced whore in leather was too much, and Shark excused them.
Mo also made a surprise appearance and ended up sneaking up behind Spydr in the crowd as she went to the bar. As she turned around with refreshments in hand, Mo was right there, in full oggle mode. She asked what he was doing there. He answered, "Because Bear said you were HOT!" He was not disappointed.
After that, Shark's old friend informed him that "The Old Man" would be on hand. That is one Jamie "The Fox" Kerensky, the leader of the 45th Dragoons, Commander of Special Operations. So Shark naturally headed over towards the main elevator pillar to run elbows with his old commander, or Kommander as they say in the Dragoons. The Dragoons are an interseting, but I will go into them at a later time.
Proceeding "The Fox" was a pair of Solos, one of whom Shark remembered by name. It was Big Jannie DuPrei, the huge Belgian that favored shoulder launched munitions. DuPrei had even gotten himself a pair of visored cyber-eyes like Shark had. They met and greeted warmly, sharing a quick story about old times before the elevator door started to open.
Sincerely,
Richard Raven
Also, V3-HP-D0-13-SW-VL
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