A/N: I know I'm late. And then it's just something this short. But I've got a good excuse. I got an ispiration for a video. And that wanted to be made. Anyway, the next chapter will be longer. And with a bit more action. This is just a bit of talking. And I can only repeat: Please review!

Chapter 3 - Hey Good Looking

Hey, good lookin', whatcha got cookin'
How's about cookin' something up with me
Hey, sweet baby, don't you think maybe
We could find us a brand new recipe
- Hey Good Looking - Hank Williams Sr. -

After Shadow had overcome the weirdness of the situation, she was ready to talk to this strange woman.

"Hey." Shadow tried to be as noncommittal as possible. It seemed to work.

"Hey, good-looking. Whatcha got cooking? How's about cooking something up with me?" Or not.

Shadow raised her left eyebrow at the woman. "You know that that was the worst pick up line I've ever heard."

"Where should I get experience in that department? I'm imprisoned." That woman really had the courage to talk back like that and put on an expression that seemed to say 'Duh!'.

"Whatever. Anyway, what do you want?" Shadow was curious what this woman could want.

"Hmm...I don't know. What do you want?"

"What?" Her voice didn't need to go up several octaves. "What I want? You're the one that was chatting me up."

"No, that was you. But you must want something here. You came through this corridor at least two times in the last ten minutes. So, what do you want?" That woman was smart, really smart. And Shadow had really passed that corridor twice. So the rooms really did move. "And yes, the corridors do move around. It's a security system."

"Oh." Were Shadows thoughts that obvious? "Well, you seem to know this place a bit."

"A bit? I've been here for nearly my whole live. I think I know this place quite well. And I know how to get past the moving corridors." Did that woman just wink? Shadow grew a bit worried.

"Alright." Anxiety was always good. "So, I want a Tribophysical Waveform Macro-Kinetic Extrapolator. You know where I can find one? Preferably around here somewhere."

"You want my Extrapolator?" The woman seemed shocked, albeit she quickly covered it.

"For what would you need an Extrapolator?"

"Traveling." And the cheekiness was back.

"Fine. You don't have to explain it."

"And I won't."

"You don't have to explain it, because I know what an Extrapolator does."

"You do? Really?" Shadow only nodded. She still had it. To keep people on their toes was not as easy as it sometimes seemed.

"Good that we've talked about it. Where is it?"

"I'd presume it's stored with the other possessions of the prisoners. So, it's in storage, of course."

"Of course. And I presume you won't just tell me how I get there." To the cheeky grin the woman was giving her, Shadow answered with an exasperated sigh. "Well, what do you want?"

"I want to be out of here. I'm bored out of my mind. Nothing ever happens here."

"Hmm...if I get you out of here, what would I get?"

"I'll show you where the Extrapolator is. And how to get past the moving corridors."

"And what says that you won't turn your back on me on the first chance?" It was always important to be thorough with business.

"I give you my word that I won't do it."

"Fine, but there's still one more thing. What are you imprisoned for?" Shadow wanted to be clear about what threats she would have to expect from that woman, if she broke her word.

"That's a long story. But to cut it short, I had worked for the wrong people and ended up killing some important person, who, as they had told me, was my enemy. Only it wasn't my enemy, but theirs." Shadow believed her. Mainly because she knew the feeling to be send somewhere and to be told to kill someone who wasn't her enemy.

So Shadow smiled and nodded. "So...you're a...what? Assassin? Mercenary?"

"I see myself more of a free lancer." Shadow raised her left eyebrow again. "Alright, alright. My parents were traveling with someone and I was abducted as a baby. My captors raised me in the belief that I became a warrior for their cause, but in the end something happened that led me to turn my back on them."

"Just wanted to make sure that you're not some bait and as soon as I swallow the story, you're going to kill me. Because I've got some powerful enemies out there." Shadow retrieved her scanner from the depths of her pocket and held it against the lock of the cell. "Now let's see what we can do about this." And in no time the lock clicked and the door was open.

"That piece of equipment you got there, where did you get that?"

"Nowhere, I built it myself."

"Wow." It seemed to Shadow that the woman was at least a bit amazed.

"Enough chit-chat. Lead the way. I want to be home before the Earth dies." Shadow gestured down the corridor.

"But what about the guards?" Did that cheeky, seems-to-be confident woman just worry about the guards? Interesting.

"What about them? These three here won't wake up for at least ten minutes and any other guards we might encounter...well, let me just say, I've got enough duct tape." Now, it was time for Shadow to put on a cheeky grin.

"Alright. Whatever you say." The woman shrugged her shoulders. "This way." And they walked together to the storage room.