Shadowrun

by Russell Zimmerman

  “No! Not hired.”

  Takeshi puts a hand on Ben’s arm and glances at Simone. Ben doesn’t look at her, but he stiffens. “This is a breach of operational security, and I won’t have it.”

  SIMaeon shakes his head back and forth. “I didn’t hire him. We’re buds. I told him what I saw. I gave him data. But nothing that was in the DocWagon network. It’s always on the borders that we see breaches.”

  Takeshi repeats, “You asked him to do you a favor and look into an anomaly outside the DocWagon node.” SIMaeon nods. “And that’s why you’re certain that DocWagon 19 is being targeted?”

  “Because Miyuzaki was looking into something for and about DocWagon 19. And then he was attacked.”

  Ben slowly picks up and resettles his chair. He sits and shakes his head. “I’m going to have to investigate this. To make sure that…what you say is true.”

  “It is! It’s like you chatting with someone on IM and commenting, ‘Oh, hey, I thought I saw a weird article about Evo buying DocWagon stock.’ and your friend saying, ‘Really? Lemme see. That doesn’t sound right.’ That’s it. That’s all it was.” SIMaeon lets go of the chair and raises empty hands to Ben. “I swear.”

  Again, Takeshi and Ben have a conversation in a glance. Finally Ben nods. “All right. I’m pretty sure everything’s on the up and up. But I have to cover all bases. Send me… No. Send Polly everything you sent Miyuzaki, and I mean everything. She’ll lead the investigation and get back to me.”

  Ben stands again and gestures for Takeshi to come with him. The two men walk a few paces away.

  SIMaeon moves next to Simone, watching his bosses speak. “I think I’m in for it.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “The boss doesn’t like it when I skirt the line.” SIMaeon crosses his arms and hugs his slender frame. He looks very young.

  “Which one?”

  “The big boss. I mean, Takeshi doesn’t like it much, either. But at least he understands it.”

  Simone looks from the men to SIMaeon. She puts an understanding hand on his shoulder. “Sounds like you’ve been in trouble before.”

  “Boy howdy.”

  “Do tell.”

  SIMaeon half-smiles. “I wish I could. But the records are sealed. Let’s just say that I used to be a black hat, and now I’m a white one. Mostly thanks to Takeshi. I’d walk through hell for that man.”

  Simone looks back at Takeshi and Ben. “You’re loyal.”

  “We’re all loyal. He’s worth it. He works us hard, but he also works hard for us, and he’s loyal to us and to DocWagon. You might say we all saved each other.”

  “There’s a story there.” Simone watches Ben leave and Takeshi approach.

  “How much trouble am I in?”

  “Enough.” Takeshi tilts his head. “Is there anything else I should know?”

  SIMaeon shakes his head. “You could see he was hot- simmed.”

  Takeshi nods.

  “You have interesting friends.” Simone tilts her head, mimicking Takashi, as she looks at SIMaeon. “You know that’s illegal.”

  “Yes. Which is why I’m cold-simmed.”

  “Hey!” Odder’s voice rings out from across the garage. “Are we gonna stand around lollygagging, or are we going back on patrol?”

  Hey Jude calls out, “Says the one we’re all waiting on…” Odder grins and walks over to the ambulance. “Petty, insignificant details.”

  “Let’s go.” Takeshi’s command spurs them all into movement and the gull-wing door of the Citymaster swings open as the scene fades to black.

  Simone’s bruised but smiling face reappeared, and an image of SIMaeon’s human avatar face floated nearby. “For those of you interested, Mr. Novakowski followed through on his investigation of SIMaeon’s actions during that night, and found that they were well within security parameters for DocWagon. SIMaeon’s employee record with DocWagon remains clear to this day.

  “As an interesting side note, while SIMaeon’s juvenile court records are sealed, I was able to discover that part of his rehabilitation from ‘black hat’ to ‘white hat’ included serving time as a member of DocWagon’s IT department. It was during this time that he met Takeshi and turned his life around to become the productive member of society he is today. It makes me proud to know SIMaeon and to call him my friend.”

  Simone nodded at the camera, and SIMaeon’s youthful face is replaced with an image of Odder’s beautiful, elven features. “We come to the last member of DocWagon 19, Harah ‘Odder’ Vonvara. A member of Tír Tairngire’s nobility, Odder gave up wealth and a life of luxury for something more meaningful.

  “Blessed with the rare magical talent, Odder decided at a young age that she needed to see the world, and to see it as she had not seen it before. As you will find out, Odder has a dark past. One that won’t leave her alone. She was once known as an illegal rebel of society—a shadowrunner. This isn’t something she willingly admitted, but when the past comes knocking, sometimes it’s hard to turn your back. The rest of the evening proved this to all involved. We’ll talk more about that during my special live studio interview later in the show.”

  Simone gestured to her bruised and scratched face. “We come to the part of this special edition of Stories with Hart wherein not only do I assist the DocWagon team, I become part of the story…and discover what’s really going on with the cyber attacks on DocWagon 19.”

  Her face grew melancholy, almost haggard. “Unfortunately, because of what happened, it is my sad duty to let you know that not all of the DocWagon team survived that night.” Her face brightened again. “But first, a word from our sponsors.”

  An image of Chrome Holly in a slinky short silver dress lounging on a chair in the dark appears. She gives the camera bedroom eyes and blows it a kiss. Chrome Holly’s voiceover starts up as the screen goes black.

  “Do you want to know what happened my first time? What about my first time in AR?”

  Chrome Holly reappears, looking scandalized, and then smiles brightly. “What about what I did just last night? I’m sure you want to know about that, don’t you?” She tilts her head to the side and gives a long sigh.

  The screen goes black as Chrome Holly whispers, “Do you want to tell me what to do? What to say? What to talk about?”

  As she reappears, it’s clear she’s on a stage and now she’s talking to an appreciative audience. “This is After Hours with Chrome Holly, where you get to tell me what story I’ll tell tonight. You give me the details, and we’ll see where they appear in the story. A story just for you.” Chrome Holly glances at the camera. “Live. At the Gates Casino. Three nights a week.”

  The screen goes black as the words FOR ADULTS ONLY appears and Chrome Holly’s voice whispers, “Let me tell you a story…”

  A man’s voice speaks quickly and professionally as a still image of Chrome Holly’s face with bedroom eyes appears. “Tickets available on the Gates Casino website and at the door. No one under eighteen allowed.”

  “Welcome back to Stories with Hart: DocWagon Edition. I’ve been riding along with DocWagon 19, a High-Threat Response team. Already, we’d assisted three DocWagon clients—Chrome Holly, Daisuke Nagano, and Miyuzaki—and we’re about to head to our last, and most lethal call of the evening. A Super-Platinum VIP client known only as Portex comes under attack, and DocWagon 19 must save him. Portex is no stranger to some of the members of the team.” Simone nodded knowingly to the camera as a blurred image of what looks to be a redheaded elven man floats at her side.

  “However, as he has requested that his real name and all identifying features be masked, we will only refer to him as Portex, and his image will be blurred. Stories with Hart respects all those who wish not to be identified, even if they become part of the story we are telling.”

  Simone tilted her head. “For those who cry ‘transparency,’ we respectfully remind one and all that Portex has a right to his privacy, and those who attempt to pierce it will be met with legal repercu
ssions.”

  The blurred image of Portex disappeared, and Simone’s smile returned. “And now for the most exciting and most dangerous part of the evening.”

  Simone’s image disappears. Inside the DocWagon Citymaster, she watches SIMaeon, Takeshi, and Odder. Hey Jude is sitting upfront with Gunther. SIMaeon’s fireball form floats around the interior of the Citymaster.

  “What’s the most interesting rescue you’ve been on?” Simone glances around the vehicle as the team members look at one another.

  Odder finally speaks. “I’m not sure you’d call it interesting. But it might be what you’re looking for. You guys remember the BAM rescue?”

  Takeshi’s answer is to cover his face with a hand. Hey Jude barks a laugh while SIMaeon flickers in and out of existence. Even SIMaeon’s physical body smiles.

  Simone watches everyone’s reaction. “The Bellevue Art Museum?”

  Odder nods, chuckling. “Yeah, we had a call to the museum. A Gold client. We were the only ones nearby. She’d been shot by someone at the museum. We go screaming in there and see a troll with a gun standing over this girl on the ground. She’s our client and he’s not backing off. So we do our thing.”

  “You shot him?”

  Odder nods. “I hit him with a stunning spell. I mean, we were in Bellevue. The troll’s dressed nice. The girl is too, for that matter. But…” She laughs so hard she can’t speak.

  “The troll’s a Platinum client!” Hey Jude finishes for her. Takeshi smiles. “And SIMaeon goes off on his ‘Incoming…

  Platinum client…stunned…’, and we all realize we just attacked one of our own clients.”

  “Because they hindered your rescue of another client.”

  “Yes!” Odder is still laughing. “We had to separate the two of them. Turns out she was a thief, and he was the owner of the piece she stole.”

  Simone chuckles. “Did you get in trouble?”

  Takeshi shakes his head. “No. Line of duty. It happens sometimes that we have clients on opposite sides of a fight.”

  “What do you do then?”

  He shrugs. “It depends on their contract and who is shooting at whom. If no one attacks us, we do our thing and leave. Even if we have enemies in the same ambulance. If someone attacks…. Well, then it gets messy.”

  “Are there ever any legal—”

  SIMaeon cuts her off, his voice urgent. “Takeshi—if the pattern holds, we’re about to get a call.”

  Takeshi’s body shifts from its relaxed posture into readiness. “Explain.”

  “There’s an explosion at the Overlake Golf Club. Knight Errant is being mobilized. Every time something like that’s happened tonight, I’ve gotten the Matrix jog, and then we’ve gotten a new rescue.” SIMaeon pauses. “There it is. Super-platinum…oh, hell. It’s Portex.”

  Odder’s head snaps up, her expression shifting from happy to pain to neutral in the blink of an eye.

  Takeshi’s jaw tightens. “Where?”

  “He’s at Gaeatronics, South Medina. And now I’m getting reports of activity on the Mountain. Gunfire. Alarms. Small explosion.”

  Everyone holds on as Gunther swings the Citymaster around at high speed.

  “Where are 21 and 33?” Takeshi’s voice remains calm.

  “One’s at Overlake Golf Club and the other’s in Vasa Park, dealing with multiple clients shot at a party that seems to have included a murder-suicide.”

  “We’re the closest.” Takeshi nods and glances at Gunther. “Time to the Gaeatronics site?”

  “Six minutes.”

  Takeshi grimaces, then looks at Odder. “Status of the client?”

  “Shattered leg—tibia. Rapid heartbeat.” Odder’s voice is calm and professional. “Stable for the moment.”

  “Permission to access?” When SIMaeon doesn’t immediately answer, Takeshi repeats himself. “SIMaeon, permission to access?”

  “Working on it. The Salish-Shidhe are working through their chain of command.”

  Takeshi and Odder exchange an entire conversation in a glance and a nod. He seems to be telling her it will be all right.

  “Pardon, what happens if Gaeatronics doesn’t give per- mission?” Simone looks from Odder to Takeshi.

  Odder is the one that answers. “With a Super-Platinum, we go in anyway, and we expect resistance from whomever is attacking the client and Gaeatronics’ security force.”

  “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Takeshi takes several slow breaths. “It won’t come to that. Portex is an important man.”

  Simone focuses on Odder. “How do you know Portex? Is that his real name?”

  The mage looks distinctly uncomfortable as she monitors the client’s vitals. She does not look at Simone. “No. It’s not. But…” she shakes her head, “I’m not going to say his name on camera. Sorry.”

  “Portex is an acceptable moniker. How do you know him?”

  Gunther speaks up through the vehicle speakers. “We all know him. He’s a friend.”

  Odder smiles briefly at this. “Everyone knows him through me. He and I ran together a long time ago.”

  “You mean after you left your family in the Tír?” Odder nods. “But before you joined DocWagon six years ago?” Odder nods again.

  “Time to Gaeatronics?” Takeshi’s voice is a little harder than it usually is, drawing Simone’s focus to him. When he sees he has her attention, his voice calms. “Perhaps we should have this discussion after our client is safe and sound. Right now, everyone needs to prepare for the rescue.” This last bit is spoken as an order.

  Simone looks around the interior of the vehicle, and everyone studiously does not look at her. Odder switches between looking at the client’s vital statistics and sorting through her talismans. Hey Jude noisily checks and loads her weapons. SIMaeon is frozen in the air. Takeshi continues watching her.

  “Were you comfortable with the Light Fire, Miss Hart?”

  “Yes.”

  Takeshi reaches back and retrieves the pistol, offering it to her. “Be prepared. You won’t be leaving the truck, but it doesn’t hurt to have someone who can lay down cover fire if necessary.”

  “Thank you.”

  He turns his attention to SIMaeon. “Status?”

  “Knight Errant’s engaged in some sort of firefight at the Club. It’s pulled most of their people up there. The ones heading our way have a hell of a traffic snarl to get through.” He pauses. “And Gaeatronics has just given their permission for us to come on corporate land.”

  Odder sighs in relief. Takeshi nods, relaxing. “Good. See if they’ll give us intel on what we’ll be facing.”

  “Uh. Wait a sec—” SIMaeon’s voice bursts with static, and then his avatar disappears.

  “SIMaeon?” Takeshi looks around the ambulance, then at the teen’s twitching body, and waits for the count of ten. “Dammit.” His voice is calm. “Gunther, get intel on what we’re facing. Time to arrival?”

  “On it. And three minutes.”

  Simone gazes at SIMaeon’s physical form, but directs her question to Takeshi. “Is SIMaeon all right?”

  “We won’t know until we get him back.” Takeshi looks at Odder. “Client?”

  “Same as before, with additional blood loss. Still stable.” Odder’s voice is strained and she looks pale, even for her.

  Takeshi reaches out a hand. “He’s tough. You know that.”

  Odder nods. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.” She glances at Simone. “Yes, I care about him. Yes, we know each other. Yes, I’ll tell you about it afterward.”

  Takeshi nods. “But right now, we’re on the clock.”

  Odder nods. “Excuse me for a minute. Need to get my head in the game.” She turns her back to everyone in the vehicle and begins focusing her arcane will as the scene fades to black.

  Simone reappeared with an image of the Gaeatronics logo next to her. “Gaeatronics. Headquartered in Olympia, Washington, and owned by the Salish Amerindian tribe, it is known for its eco-friendl
y power generation. With everything from a fusion reactor to geothermal power to wind power to solar energy, Gaeatronics doesn’t quite have a monopoly on providing power to the Pacific Northwest, but it’s close.”

  The Gaeatronics logo is replaced with the image of a large hill with several buildings poking out of it. The building rooftops are covered in soil and foliage, giving it the appearance of natural terrain. “The company’s Seattle headquarters is located in the Medina area of Bellevue, and is affectionately known as ‘the Mountain’ or ‘Gaeatronics Mountain’ because of its beautiful, camouflaged buildings and eco-friendly corporate campus. Most of the campus is underground, using the earth’s natural ambient temperature to keep it warm in winter and cool in summer.”

  Simone glanced down at her hands as if marshaling her thoughts, then looked back up at the camera. “By the time we reached the site, SIMaeon was back online—he had been hurt and stunned by another cyber attack—but had resumed communications with Gaeatronics. We’ll get to that right after this word from our sponsors.”

  The screen flashes with images of people dancing to thumping music under a state-of-the-art laser light show as a voiceover says, “Powerline. Bellevue’s premiere nightclub catering to those who like it on the wild side. Powerline. Upstairs is a heart-racing, pulse-pounding, sweat-pouring dance floor filled with only the most gorgeous dancers Bellevue has to offer.”

  The screen continues to flash with images of people dancing, but now the images are intermixed with fetish wear dancers. “And for those who like it even wilder, we’ve got you covered, too. Powerline features playrooms for those who like to play down and dirty. All players and dancers welcome at Powerline. Where you can get your dance and your power on.”

  As the screen goes dark, the voiceover takes on a profession tone and speaks quickly. “Powerline is a twenty-one and up club only. All dungeon players must sign a consent form. No looky-loos. You come, you dance, you play. Powerline is a sex-positive club for adults only. Please drink, dance, and play responsibly.”