Chapter Five:
Rolling out of bed, I stretch my arm's in a yawn, peering over to Maine who's face is serious. I stand up and grab a bottle of body wash and shampoo, before turning back to Maine.
"I'm shower, so do with that as you will." I say heading to the bathroom, my boxers nearly dropping off.
"Er, um I'll be outside in the car don't take to long." Maine sounds off as he leaves the hotel room, desperately trying to fix the door he broke with his humongous cyberware arms. To no avail it just slide back with the loud creak.
In the bathroom I throw my boxer into the washing machine, then step into the shower and let the warm questionable water was over me. I make sure to clean my bits and pieces with the body wash. Once down I dry off and slip into a new set of boxers and black socks. Unfortunately I don't have much of clothes so it's the same bleached stain blue jeans and moth bitten shirt with a faded image from years or wear and tear.
Standing in front the mirror, I look over my olive color skin and amber colored eyes. My black faux-hawk hair style. I sigh over the lack of cybernetics, never really had the more to deck myself out, I often wish to splurge money on chroming myself with helpful modifications to my body.
Leaving the room, I rush down the stairs reaching the lobby when,"Mr. Ashwell I say what your buddy did to the door. You're paying for it or not you're out on the streets." Shouted the I guess you say manager of the motel.
"Later Mr. kred, promise."
"Damn Gonk!" I hear him hiss as I exit the motel to find a car idling at the entrance, I easily known that was Maine's car, his big frame was obviously showing from the window. I sit in the passenger seat.
"Today is a test, I wanna see what you're capable of."
"Yeah of course." I reply.
Watson: Northside.
Maine parks us in a dark alleyway and we both exit the car, I follow him as toward Mega-Building 11.
"Here, consider this a gift." Maine says handing me a Tsunami Nue pistol. I place it underneath the back of my shirt tucked in my edges of my pants.
"Maine, it's nice." I graciously thank him.
"Well, you better damn use it. Can't have another heart to heart about self preservation, like I had to with David."
"No worries about me, I can handle a gun." I say with confidence.
"Should of seen him take on them Kang Tao Ops." Mottly brags aloud. I let out a small sigh of embarrassment.
"Half of that was you buddy," I confess.
"Either way we've arrived." Standing in front of building, Maine calls me over the Holo, linking us up with Kiwi.
Maine: Alright I'll head up the back, Ryan you take the front entrance.
Kiwi: Target's on the top floor, I've disabled the camera's but from there you're on your own, Ryan.
Ryan: Who am I looking for?
Maine: You'll know when you see them, whatever you do don't flatline em. Wait to I get there.
I step inside to see a bunch of people strung out or just taking up space with nothing to do. I head for the elevator and ride it. Half way up the elevator stops in-between floors.
Ryan: Kiwi what's going on?
Kiwi: I don't know..."
Kiwi: Wait there another Net-Runner with there own subnet that I can't hack from here. Allowing the camera's to be turn off alerted the Runner. They honey-potted me.
Maine: I'm coming to help you.
Kiwi: You can't, that Runner is isolating Ryan. He's going to have to find and take out the Runner if he hopes to get to the target.
Ryan: Understood.
Kiwi: There-
Called Ended-
"Shit we're on our own aren't we. So much for the test." Mottly says to me.
"They must be good. Who ever this Net Runner."
Suddenly the elevator goes up a few more floors and stops and the door opens. The elevator readers states this floor maintenance. Its open design invites danger and that's what I found.
Mercenaries and whole mess of them patrolling. The things is they aren't cheap laborers and often don't come as a package deal. So having them on the patrol means they're under the same employ as the Net Runner.
Reaching for my pistol I ready myself for combat.
Crouching I get behind one of the Mercs who have their back turned. I grab his head and snap his neck, I lower him to the floor and relieve him of his machete and the one grenade in his holster. Sneaking onwards I look into a room and see a Mercs relaxing. Deciding quickly I silently unpin the grenade and roll it across the room of the unexpecting few. I quickly back away and take cover behind a pillar when a loud. Bang! Rings off.
They definitely know someone's here now, but hopefully I manage to dwindle down their numbers after letting of the grenade. I peek around the corner of the door and make a quick exit. I run for as long as I can until I feel something hot hit my back, and a warm surge in my hair as the bullet passes by. Turning my head I see a cluster of Mercs running towards me, when one gets closer I kick his rifle out of his hands and kick him in the face, knocking him unconscious and slamming his head on the ground.
I make a run for the doorway and shoot at a few of the Mercs that chase me, as I reach the doorway I see another Merc moving into cover, he runs out at me and I begin firing as well. This really is my chance! The Merc takes a shot at me and I quickly sprint towards him and break his aim. He lets loose a quick load of bullets which barely hit me and I manage to dodge them.
I charge tackling him, taking him down to ground, automatically kicking his rifle away.
"Runner, where's the Runner?" I threaten him with the gun to his temple questioning her.
"That way." He points.
"Thanks." I shoot him in-between the eyes. I get up and wipe the blood off my face and head for the massive room that has server's and computers all lined up and there she sat.
A tall dark skin woman with short hair in a Runner chair, she's in a nylon black Net Runner suit attached to setup. I slowly began walking over to her.
Suddenly she breaks from her trance and stands up with her arms held up high.
"This isn't worth my life, I'm leaving." She says.
"Who says you're walking out of here alive?"
"Well without me, unlocking the elevator you'll be stuck here to rot as you slowly die from hunger. There's no way off this floor without my help. And there no way you're Net Runner can help you without being linked to this subnet. Soo..."
"Fine, but I am going to the top floor and finishing my job, I advise you unlock the elevator and call off the jammer.
"Done and done."
"Alright, now get yourself gone."
"I will and thanks. If you ever need a extra Runner, look me up. I go by T-Bug."
"I'll keep that in mind T-Bug." I say before heading back to the elevator.