Twitch and Menniker arrived at their favorite deli, where a news story was covering the "cold-blooded murder" of a large gang and a small squadron of police.
"Police are investigating the fourth in a string of what they call 'The Gangland Massacres.' The bodies seem to have had all of their money and valuables stolen, and autopsies show that, as with the other slaughters, they were either shot to death or dismembered. Traces of cyanide have been found laced among the bodies, and investigators are trying to decide whether this is a murder weapon or a kind of signature of this new killer." the TV reporter read off of the teleprompter.
"It-is-both." Twitch responded.
"You boys causin' more havoc again?" asked Bridget, their waitress and friend, with a heavy Irish accent.
"Just enough to raise a few nuyen. We got a pretty good haul today, and Twitch says he found some valuable artwork." said Menniker over his coffee.
"Artwork, Twitch? Did the robbers steal it beforehand or somethin'?" Bridget asked.
"Um…they-had-it-with-them-at-least." Twitch replied.
The three held conversation and traded a few good-natured insults, and then the runners paid and left. As they drove to their hideout, there was an odd noise from the back of the RV.
"What is that?" asked Menniker.
"I-haven't-the-foggiest-chap." Twitch said, making a failed attempt at sarcasm. A scream startled them both.
"Where am I? What's going on? Who are you? Why am I naked?" screamed a new voice from the back. Menniker slowly turned his head toward Twitch.
"I hate you, you know that?"
Twitch simply stood up and went to the back. The girl from the shootout had finally woken up. As Twitch had said, she was a work of art. She had smooth, tannish skin and red hair tied up in a bunch of ponytails that hung shoulder-length from her head. She had brown, exotic eyes. She was currently wrapped in the sheet she had been previously bundled in, and looked like something Da Vinci would have painted.
"Settle-down-I-brought-you-coffee." Twitch said, and tried to smile with his monstrous metal mandibles. The girl screamed louder.