This was one of those days when Spike Speeder had to live up to his namesake or end up on a slab in an underground organ market. He was matching the Wormwood thugs in pace, maybe even gaining a small lead over them. But in an age of abundant firearms, being a few meters ahead of people trying to kill you was nothing but proof of determination when a meatwagon swung by to pick up your corpse. That was the way of the Sprawl, after all.

Another bullet swooped past Spike's skull, causing him to run a little bit harder. Unfortunately for him, that didn't mean he was running too much faster. He was cursing his body in his rush, although he was really cursing the parts that were meat rather than metal. Part of him realized that it was his fault, never bothering to upgrade his body with cyberware. Then again, corporate solos always did have all the best luck in acquiring bodies. Except Spike's. That was one body he'd never let them have.

"Fraggin' hitmen!" he screeched as he dashed into one of the Sprawl's many dirty alleyways. The Wormwood Corp thugs were still on his trail, but Spike was a pro, he could handle it. His head jerked upwards as he ran, the sound of pigeon wings flapping in the wake of the attempted assassination. And what he saw seemed to be his salvation; an old metal fire escape, leftover from the days before building regulations were sent into oblivion at the behest of corporate money.

"You're crazy Spike!" the first goon shouted at the netrunner, apparently in regards to Spike's screech. Although Spike didn't think too hard about it, he got that a lot. Probably just jealousy; not everyone could be as hot as Spike, and some could be downright envious of that.

"Spike, you're as good as dead!" the second goon barked behind the netrunner. Spike only eyed the fire escape in front of him. He picked up his pace that last bit more he could push himself before reaching his absolute limit. Damned meat parts. If only he had the money to buy those Chiba cybernetics down at the ripper clinic. Still, Spike had to try.

He raised his arms as his feet left the ground.

While Spike Speeder was scrambling on to the roof of a run down tenement, Calvin found himself desperately scrambling up a dirty metal ladder left on the side of the school. He figured that this would mean as much trouble as he was in after the now nearly mythical noodle incident. He whimpered slightly as he glanced down beneath him. Everyone whispered that Calvin was nuts, but even he had the good sense to realize that he could well break his neck trying this stunt.

Fortunately for Calvin, the creaking ladder encrusted with assorted forms of filth proved to be his salvation, and soon enough he was stranded on the roof of the school's gym. The bullies he code named Larry and Curly scrambled up the ladder behind him, but Calvin reacted quickly and tipped the ladder off of the building side. Larry and Curly glared at Calvin and yelled at him as they realized that they had fallen into the scrawny kid's trap. Calvin only smiled happily and gave them a little wave.

Spike Speeder, years in the future from Calvin's plight, would have been proud.