Time can feel like a flat circle, its like the progression of a song it moves in different tones and sounds but eventually somewhere down the line it comes back around to repeating itself all over again and again.

That was how it felt for Rich in this moment as he was staring at this enchanted mystery box .

Can't hack it, can't pry it open, can't shoot a hole in it.

This damn thing was more durable then any romantic relationship Johnny Silverhhand ever had.

But that doesn't really say much...

Damn if anybody knew he listened to the Morro rock station they would report him to Royce and Royce would be so offended that he might just come and put the bullet in Rich himself.

But for the most part he had closed shop for the whole day and had been fucking around with the box.

There was no opening point, there was no puzzle or cheap trick that could open it, there was no secret code or way to input a neural cable to hack it.

It was simply a box and not figuring this out was fucking with him.

It made him feel stupid.

"Just open up and hand over the goods you stupid box bastard" spoke Rich in his mind as he had ran into a wall with this unsuccessful attempt.

This box doesn't make sense.

And he was reaching his limits with just how much he can keep this up before he just said fuck it and threw it in the harbor.

But before that he was still going to keep trying.

It was his reward for almost killing himself last night and he really wanted to know what was inside.

It's got to be something worth while if someone went to such a heavy extent to keep it sealed.

Rich continued in this train of thought steeping himself further into it's clutches.

Until his holo went off.

He was getting a call from Rita again.

So he picked up without a second thought.

"Talk to me"

"I need help"

"Elaborate"

"Mox, 3 of the girls in bad condition"

"Let me guess, none have insurance, I'll be there, keep them awake and get me a spot so I can work on them"

"Done"

"On the way"

As Rita hung up

Rich moved quick getting 3 of each body part he had as well as tools.

As well as enough Anethesia, he couldn't bring the auto carver with him so this would have to be full hand work.

He would need a bit of a kick me up to keep steady as long as needed.

He was also going to bring the box with him because he was a sore loser and hopefully he would get a mental light bulb while working, all his best ideas came when he was carving into people.

Once he got everything he need and packed it all in the Galena he speed off down to Lizzies.

Hopefully he'll make it in time.

When he arrived he saw that Rita had been waiting for him at the door.

"Grab some stuff for me"

"Got it"

"Where's the spot"

"It's down in the storage room"

"I'll trust you to lead the way"

And Rita did as she quickly moved to the storage area that lead into another room where they're were 3 chairs set up.

And from there Rich did what he did best as he set up his tools and layed the box somewhere just to have it near by.

As once everything was where he needed and all his tools were set up.

He ran a scan on all 3 victims and activated his form of X-ray lens scanner which wasn't an easy modification to come by which if he was going to have to do all of it by hand he was going to need it.

As he then injected himself with a mixture of Amphetamines this particular being a mix of 3 in 1 drug called addexanse.

And then injected his patients with Anethesia.

Then he got to work immediately first thing he needed to do was remove the bullets from the body parts that could be saved and then clean them out and patch them.

Second thing he needed to do was then to remove the body parts that couldn't be saved and then quickly carve for the replacement parts that way they fit like a glove.

And then actually attach and connect the parts necessary.

Next was to run a scan on they're Neural Links and and see the state of they're skeletal systems and Implants to see if they're Implants weren't taking advantage of them driving them to Cyberpsychosis.

He really didn't want to die helping 3 girls that went on a rampage it would make him as a Ripper look bad.

Years of bitching at modern Rippers would grind to a holt as he would just be deemed as another guy that talked shit and couldn't back it up.

To keep up and work on all 3 of them at once he had to use his own Cybernetics to keep them all steady and and alive while working because another problem arose.

They were all big bleeders which meant they were more natural then Cybernetic, surprisingly.

Damn it, now he had to fix this up.

It had been a long bloody 4 hours, working on the 3 Mox girls.

Long story short, they're alive, well, and will probably be more effective in combat in the future.

The issue is he did have to replace some major organs but to a Ripper Doc that was in tune of Rich's normal day to day.

It was no biggie.

But he was overloading a bit from the effects of everything that happened in Santo Domingo to now everything that was happening right now.

He was doing too much and probably shouldn't have done this.

So now he was catching his own rest on the chair provided.

He rested his legs and leaned back taking in the comfort of the chair he was in.

He shut off the majority of his Cybernetics only giving power to his Visual Optics.

For what he saw next made him regret his decision to do that.

As the leader of the mox entered the room, the women that shoved a rifle in his faced and threatened to kill him.

But she did nothing but stare at the girls.

He didn't say anything.

Susie was too busy looking after her own, as expected, he could understand, but at the same time he couldn't relate, Royce would have probably laughed and allowed his own to bleed out or finish them off himself for shits and giggles.

Fucking cunt.

"How much?"

"How much they lost and had to be replaced or are we talking price for services, parts, fuel, and to be called up so suddenly"

She looked at him with disdain waiting for an absurd amount to be spoken to her face.

"I won't take more then 4k, because Rita asked me"

"That's crazy cheap, for 3 peoples that needed immediate work and for the replacement parts"

"Let's just say Maelstrom ain't in a bad spot to give out parts as if they're pocket lint at the moment"

"Sounds like a tough spot if higher ups in Maelstrom were to find out"

"If Royce wanted me dead, I would be dead regardless of my actions"

"So you taking off now that your not needed"

"No, I want to follow up with the girls immediately, explain to them of what to expect now with so much Chrome in them"

"I could pass along the message"

"I rather do it myself"

"I don't want you here longer then need be"

"Then deal with it because the information they tell me and I tell them is more for they're sakes then yours"

Rich and Susie stared at each other, both refusing to relent as the fire from before had returned and this time Susie didn't have a rifle to shove in his face.

But Rich had slowly put power in his Cybernetics so if he wanted he could be done with her in a moment with a Quickhack.

Oh, how the tables have turned.

"Fine, but as soon as your done, your gone"

And right when Susie said that and began moving to leave.

Rita walked in.

"Talk to me after your done with him"

Rita simply waved Susie off as she then went to check on the girls.

"How much"

"Alot, it's honestly a miracle that they were able to hold on long enough for me to get here, set up, and get to work"

"Details"

"You don't want to know"

"Please"

Damn it all, he tried to hide it for her own good but...

Rich couldn't deny her when she cared so much.

"Immune System, Nervous System, Hands, Arms, Circulatory System, were all unsalvagable all 3 of them should be dead"

"They must have been standing behind something because they're legs are in perfect condition"

He stopped talking as he watched Rita go over each girl.

Petting they're hair, looking over they're now Cybernetic bodies, and holding them by hand or arm.

It showed Rich that Rita cares for these girls.

In this poorly lit room, with blood staining the floors, with ripped and cut off body parts in cases, in such a horrible setting.

There was someone that cared for human life.

And he found it magnificent as he watched her.

He didn't want to ruin the moment as he watched Rita close her eyes and stayed with them.

For it seemed both he and her were waiting for the girls to wake up.

He laid his Cybernetics to rest.

As he joined them all in they're session of rest.

When he awoke he was refreshed and and more at ease as he turned to look and saw that all 3 girls were awake and waiting as Rita was no longer in the room.

"I wouldn't have mind if you woke me, it would have gotten you all out of here faster and back to work" spoke Rich as he now faced all 3 girls.

One girl with short red and black hair that coverd her eyes.

Another Girl with pink and purple long wavy hair.

The last girl with big fuzzy black hair.

"Rita told us to let you sleep a bit, said that you deserved it" spoke the girl with big black fuzzy hair.

"Damn Rita always getting into others business"

"Let's get to business, I'm going to run a couple Scans and Diagnostics.

So, feel free to move around a bit so I can see if everything is functioning properly, let me know of any discomfort"

As he watched as the girls stood and walked around the room a bit.

Doing stretches and some basic movements.

"I was for sure we were dead back there" spoke the girl with the black and red hair.

"Your telling me, didn't even get a chance to see who did the hit" spoke the girl with black fuzzy hair.

"I'm just happy we're all still here" spoke the girl with pink and purple hair as she reached and put her arms around the heads of her friends.

At least that's what he thought what normal friends would do.

He and dumb dumb when they were younger would just shoot at each other to see who had the faster more accurate hand.

Till this day Dumb Dumb is still a better shooter then he was.

"How's it looking Doc" spoke one of the girls.

Damn he was reminiscing again.

"Your all good, there are 3 AirHypo's on the table behind you take 2 puffs today, 2 later, and keep at it for the next few weeks.

Your bodies are not used to holding as much Chrome as it does now, it's going to feel unnatural and you may catch yourself slipping time to time for a while.

You now have chance to detract Cyberpsychosis but I don't expect you 3 to get more Chrome then this, or at least I would advise not too" spoke Rich as each girl nodded grabbed they're AirHypo.

And before leaving they each told him.

"Thank You For Everything"

It was refreshing to be thanked for working on others but honestly he preferd to be treated naturally the way he was used to being treated.

Like as part of a group, not as not part of a group if that made sense.

Maelstrom is where he felt at home yet there was so much he couldn't allow his home to find out about him.

As he began packing his stuff but before he could do anything somebody walked back into the room and sat on the bloody chair.

It was Rita.

"No" was all he had to say.

"Why"

"Because I don't trust you to not abuse the tech and go over your limit"

"I'm the reason those girls ended up in such critical condition"

"Explain" spoke Rich as he joined his hands and laid his head on them listening.

"Not like that, I would never hurt those girls, never mind a fellow mox"

Rich didn't know what she was going to say so he would at least give her the chance, if it's stupid he's walking out"

"I saw the car that shot them up but when I went to shoot it was already too late and they were already down on the ground"

"I couldn't do anything for them, yet I could have made sure that never happened to them"

Rich listened to her spill her heart to him, her regrets and doubts filled his brain.

He thought of Marcus and many other Maelstrom members that got upgrades to either get payback or to make sure that no more of they're friends got flatlined.

Damn it all, he hated his bleeding hearts.

This damn conscious in the back of his head telling him to help her the same way he helped them.

This was the Duality of Being a Ripper Doc.

As he looked towards Rita and nodded.

He would give her the strength to protect those she cared for.

To Be Continued.