Translations are in parenthesis.
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Zillah flashed her razorblade smile into the mirror and looked herself over. "Yeah this will do OK. Guess it's time to work."
She walked out of the room, glancing out the windows at the warm sunny day and the gently swaying palms as she crossed the living room and made her way down the stairs to the front door. "I'm going out for a while guys! See you later," she called to my roommates. She went out, locking the door behind her, and turned to hail a cab on the chilly, busy New York street.
'Well I guess I'd better try and get a fix on the exact location of this place. Can't storm a castle if you don't know where it is. Then I'll need to figure out what kind of help I'm gonna need & where to find it. This being New York should make it easier to locate freelancers. It'll be tougher getting equipment since I don't really have contacts here though,' she thought as one finally took notice and pulled to the curb.
'First things first though.' She opened the door and said "Closest computer shop please," as she settled into the back seat. "A real one too, not someone scamming n00bs who don't know any better."
"Oh I got just the place for you then," replied the cabbie.
"Yeah I'll just bet. If your boys are good there might be a good tip in it for you. Referral fee you know? I don't like being jerked around, but I reward good work. Savvy?" She tipped her sunglasses down just a bit as she said this, making sure he caught a glimpse of her eyes in his mirror. The man did a double-take but she had already pushed them back up on her nose. "Y-y-yes ma'am… They're a real shop. I s-s-swear."
They pulled up outside a small shop with dark windows and a single small sign that said Negative Zero Custom Computers and Repairs a couple minutes later. "This looks about right. Cocky enough name, discrete enough appearance. You only know what you're looking at if you know your stuff." Turning to the cabbie she said, "Good work. " He relaxed slightly. "What's your name?" He stiffened again, "M-Marlo."
"Well Marlo, how'd you like to work for me some more today? I pay good and I'm generally easy to get on with. I could really use someone who knows the ins and outs of the city. What do you say?"
I could tell he didn't want to be around Zillah anymore than he had to, but at the same time the idea of getting sure money for the day battled for dominance in his mind. I could see him trying to reason his way out from under his fear and perhaps see how it could be to his benefit, to be the driver of this strange, disquieting woman for the day. Trying to reason with Fate is a losing battle. "Ok. Sure."
Zillah passed him a fifty. "Good. Wait here. No matter what happens, you be here when I come out." She grinned at him quickly. He gulped and looked at the money, then nodded to her as she walked into the shop.
The place was small. A few display boxes set up on a table to the left to show off their work, various parts on the shelves and right hand wall. The display case held processors, small components, and select portable devices. A curtain divided the workshop in back from the retail space in front. The acrid scent of solder hung in the air. "j0! n 3 f00s w3rkn h3r3? (Yo! Anyone workin' here?)"
"w47 j00 w4n7 n00b? (What can I help you with?)"
"i n33d l33t g34r5 f3r j0b i'm w3rkn. -i 73nsi0n 7yp3. -rdc0r3. (I need some items for an important job.)"
"Well you talk the talk, so I'm guessing you're not going to be attending board meetings and doing drinks with VPs. What's your angle?"
"My angle is my damn business, but what I need is something small, robust, rugged, functional across multiple platforms, and with the longest battery life possible. And I need it yesterday. What have you got for me?"
The young man with the shock of bleach blonde hair looked her up and down with a careful eye, then proceeded to show her a number of different items that were almost right, but not quite. After the 10th one Zillah sighed deeply. "No, this isn't right. I don't want this pro-sumer crap. Where do you hide all the real cyberpunk Chromebook stuff? I'm not worried about the money if that's why you're holding out on me."
He looked at her again, this time more closely, clearly impressed by her reference. "Ah, well, you know if you'd just let me know what you're into, I might have something that fits the bill. A little piece as it were."
"Damn kids," she muttered. "This has nothing to do with cashing in. I may be a lot of things, but I am NOT a damn thief! No this is about a rescue, so you can forget all about a big payday, ok? And if you really know what's good for you, you'll quit fucking around with me before I get really pissed and make sure a city inspector with some new equipment comes around here and Ooops! We didn't know it gave off EMPs! Now hop to it kid!"
Fifteen minutes later she walked out with a small shopping bag full of techie dreams come true. The kid was most helpful in putting it all together, once he got started, and especially when Zillah dropped the money on his workbench. Cash always seemed to help people feel more enthusiastic about her projects.
"Ok Marlo, time to get some information and coffee. Anyplace that serves good stuff and has wireless please," she said as she got into the cab.
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Technical note: EMP – Electromagnetic Pulse. Erases hard drives and wrecks electronics of every kind.
