On my way to the first stop of my investigation I questioned if I was in denial of what little time I had left. Even if this was a waste of that time it's something to do and spotting an armadillo spec is like spotting Morgan Blackhand in a UFO. Rita didn't give me much about this brain dance. Somebody swiped it from her car stash. The shard was the only thing in there. Had to be a bum. Most thieves would've left it. When I asked her to describe it she said, "It's a scroll with me on it." Wow! How informative. When I pressed on she said ,"It's raw. That's all you need to know." Jig Jig street, here I come.
This is the place where pride and decency come to die. You'd be surprised how many dark corners you can find on one city block. So desperate for a John or a Jane you can actually see a pair of lips floating over every joy toy's head, but I'm not here for them. I know just who talk to. "You're back!" said the man with the trenchcoat and shades. "I guess you took a liking to the death's head." "Not this time" I said, "I'm looking for just good ol' porn." I held up a picture of Rita and asked if he'd seen anything with her on it. "If you want porn just go to Lizzy's." He said. "I don't sell it unless somebody's getting zeroed or doing things I wish I could unsee so if she's not dead or completely traumatized then no I haven't seen her." Damn. Had a good feeling about that one.
I talked to every pimp, pusher and joy toy that could walk straight. Came up with nothing. I even talked to Wakako. I 'THINK' she laughed at me. Seems like I'm throwing scop noodles at the wall to see what sticks. Truth is I'm just prolonging the inevitable. The last stone I have to flip has me questioning what is more disturbing, the thought that sends chills up my forearms or how that's even possible when they're made of chrome. I have to talk to Fingers.
The sleazeball sitting on the stoop by the entrance was about one syllable into charging me an entrance fee when he recognized my face and fucked off with the quickness. The knot in my stomach grew tighter with every step of those decrepit stairs. I never thought I could actually 'ascend' to hell. Last time I was here with Judy I should've broke his jaw but epic grade fortified ankles are expensive and hard to find. I muscled my way through the four joy toys that were waiting to get torn apart and then I ripped open the door to his lab. "I got questions, Fingers." I wasted no time. The sooner I leave the better.
"I remember you." His tacky little mustache curled upwards. "You come alone this time or did you have the decency to leash your little lap dog to the front steps." The smooth saxophones that have been playing in my mind turned to screeching violins. CRASH! I threw him against his fridge knocking it over and out poured a various assortment of his inventory. Blood and chrome. The site alone would've made Adam Smasher's "Mr. Stud" grow two sizes that day. "Unlicensed BDs! What do you know?!"
About 10 minutes later I was reunited with the stench of Jig Jig Street. Despite the ass whooping I delivered I got nothing out of Fingers, at least nothing I wasn't already aware of. If I had to hear him utter the words "that's all I know" one more time…. He should be counting his blessings that Sir John Phallustiff is non-lethal. I even recall the relic malfunctioning. I guess a certain Rockerboy was cheering me on. Oh well. Fuck it. Hover legs are overrated anyway.
I hit Rita on the holo to give her a status report. "V! You find my scroll?" Something in the background caught my ear. "Are you listening to US Cracks?" A femme fatale like her never struck me as a J-Pop fan. "Huh?" She responded with a shake in her voice. "No! The,fuckin radio's broken. What's the detes on my shit?" "Look Rita." I said "I'm gonna need more specifics about this BD. You got any idea how many black market scrolls are floating around? If you can give me any detes I'd at least know where to start." I could feel the heat coming out of the holo. " Look V. If you find the scroll, you get the spec. If you can't then you fuckin can't. I gotta go." Ugh! I need a drink.