When the call came in from Jackie that he might have found a gig for the crew, Becca was all smiles. Everyone had been taking little gigs and bounties here and there while they waited for something bigger to come along. While they were a way to make ends meet, she'd freely admit that she missed the camaraderie of working with the others to take care of whatever job they had been given.

Currently, she was sitting in Lizzie's Bar with the rest of the crew, waiting for Maine and Jackie to finish up meeting with Regina Jones, an up and coming fixer. They had taken over one of the larger booths, having a couple drinks while just shooting the shit. It was nice, and seemed like old times before the incident at the mall. Falco and Pilar were discussing chrome. Kiwi was talking, scratch that - arguing with one of the Braindance techies at the counter. Lucy and David were playing on Lucy's agent, while Dorio was laughing as she watched how competitive the two were being over a simple game.

"Fu~uck!" was proclaimed with playful spite, "you win again!" David's head hit the table, making Dorio snort. "How are you so good at this?"

"Practice." The pastel-haired netrunner answered, making him groan. "That's all it takes, right Becca?"

"Yeah. Can't tell you how many times I lost to Pilar before I got my first win." The green-haired girl threw her arm around David's shoulder. "Don't worry kid, you'll get there."

" I'm not a kid anymore." He argued, making the crew laugh. "I turned eighteen four hours ago..."

"Maine said it best to me a couple days ago." Pilar cleared his throat, and dropped his voice into the worst impersonation of Maine Becca had ever heard. "You're younger than me, that qualifies you for 'kid' status."

"Pilar that was terrible." Falco shook his head, trying not to laugh.

"Just be thankful Maine wasn't here to hear that." Dorio sassed.

"To hear what, babe?" Maine asked, approaching the table with Jackie close behind.

"My brother's terrible impression of you." Becca grinned as Pilar started whining about betrayal. She half expected to see her brother end up in a trash can, but Maine just shrugged it off. "Woah, someone's in a good mood. Good news boys?"

"Yeah, Regina's agreed to give us a gig." Jackie replied, standing at the head of the table as Maine took a seat beside Dorio. "It's a small-time gig, but paying enough to give each of us a decent cut, plus whatever extra we find. Might even be able to do it today if we're careful."

"So what's the gig?" Kiwi, having noticed their arrival came over to the table.

"To destroy a drug lab." Maine answered, "in particular, a glitter lab-"

"Skip the detes, you had me at destroy Glitter." Becca cooed, batting her eyes at Maine before Dorio bonked her on the head with her fist. "Ow, bitch." She rubber her head, glaring at Dorio who was polishing her knuckles against her chest.

"The lab's been traced to a building on Rovinj street." Jackie sent everyone a map. "Regina wants us to go in and destroy the place. She doesn't care how – blow it up, spike their tech with a computer virus, whatever."

"Why don't we do both? Really fuck the place over?" Pilar grinned, fingers tapping on the table in excitement. "And that way, they can't recover their shit as easily if they want to try again."

"I like the way you think bro!" Becca gave her brother a thumbs up.

"Not a bad idea." Jackie nodded, "but word on the street is that the area is crawling with Tyger Claws. Might not be as easy as go in, fuck shit up, and get out."

"My thought was we split into groups. Some of us go in to deal with the lab, the others stay outside to guard and be on stand-by if things go tits up while were in there." Maine answered, eyes appraising the crew.

"Oo! Oo! Let me go in and mess with their tech!" Pilar clasped his hands before him, hitting Maine with a begging pout. "I developed a new piece of malware that I'm dying to do a field test of. The local test went good but-"

"That why all my save data in 'Smash Runner' was corrupt!?" Becca glared at her brother, who retreated into his jacket as he muttered it was a necessary sacrifice and argued that he lost his data too.

"That was my thought. Figure myself, Jackie, and Dorio can go in and handle the destruction with Pilar as tech support to fry the computers." Maine started, "the rest of you can be our eyes on the outside."

"Dorio, can we switch? I want to bust some druggie skulls." Becca hit Dorio with her best puppy eyes.

"I'd have no issue with that." Dorio shrugged, and Becca did a fist pump. "But might I suggest adding David to the in team as well? If something goes wrong, he can use his Sande to get out and get help faster than the rest of you could."

"You're gonna make me work on my birthday?"

"Sobrino, you're an adult now." Jackie smiled, "and that means doing things you don't want to do. Like paying taxes, working holidays, and so on. But, tell you what. How about we do this gig, then to celebrate we all go over to the Cojo. Throw you a proper fiesta, Valentinos style."

"Alright, I'm in." He looked at Lucy, "hope you didn't have anything planned."

"Well..." Lucy leaned in close, whispering something in David's ear. By the way David's face heated up, Becca and everyone else was able to put together the clues.

"Luce, stop embarrassing the poor guy." Kiwi huffed, but there was a smile in her eyes. "Back to the gig. If you're taking Pilar on the inside, Lucy and me can stay on the outside. Hop on the local networks and keep track of the surrounding area and keep down any cybersecurity they might have."

"Sure, I'm fine with that." Lucy nodded, "let me see if there's anything nearby on the map that we can use."

"Dorio, you'll keep watch out for us, right?" The older netrunner asked, making the other blond nod.

"It's a near-perfect cover too." Falco indicated the three of them. "Three girls out on the town?"

"Oh please, I'm not exactly the 'girls night out' type." Dorio gestured to herself. "Becca fits the description better. I mean, we all saw the still she sent us of her in that dress."

"None of that." Maine placed a finger on Dorio's lips. "You're just as beautiful as they are."

"Hmm, you know," Jackie started. "Maybe Becca should also stay with them then. Really play up the girls night out angle."

"Yeah! You've got that Amazon beauty vibe Dory." The green-haired girl agreed with a smile, but once her ears registered what Jackie said, it fell away. "And oh no. I fucking hate glitter freaks and drugs. I wanna blow shit up!"

"Thought you wanted to break a few skulls?" David teased, making her pout.

"A girl can do both." She fixed the team with a hard glare as they continued planning. Her efforts proved futile however when it was decided in a vote of seven to two (thanks Dorio for being the only one on her side) that the girls would be on the outside, and the boys would go in to take care of the actual destruction.

"Look on the bright side sis." Pilar placed a hand on her back, using his 'brotherly comfort' tone. "Us guys only get to beat up whoever's inside. Meanwhile you might get a near endless stream of dumbfucks trying to stop us to play with."

Becca had to admit, that did sound like the better deal...Not to mention, she could also shake down a few of the fuckwits on the outside to find more drug labs to blow up. Cheered by the thought, Rebecca agreed and the group made final tweaks to their plan before heading out.

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At the start of the gig, Falco was willing to admit he felt a little nervous. It had been awhile since he actually helped with a gig beyond being the getaway driver or providing cover fire. But yet, here he was, standing inside the building where the drug lab had been traced to. And keeping watch for anyone else coming in while the rest of the boys were in the next room, wrecking the lab.

Thanks to Lucy and Kiwi, they knew there was six guys inside before they had even stepped in. The six of them had been quickly dispatched, and their bodies arranged in such a way that, once they blew the place up. Would make it look more like an accident than a deliberate destruction.

"See anything?" David called, the boy having been stationed as the guard for the door inside the lab.

"Nope. All's quiet out here." He replied, then over comms. ["Anything on your end girls?"]

["One or two Tygers tried to make their way over, but Kiwi intercepted them. They treated her to a drink, but she got the last laugh and fried their circuits."] Dorio replied. He glanced out one of the windows, seeing the four of them standing on the opposite side of the street, looking like they were debating where to go next. ["And there's been a few others who have tried to pick us up. Becca's been handling those for us."]

["Ha! Whose winning on that front?"] Pilar asked.

["Shouldn't you be focusing on your upload?"] Becca replied. ["But if you're asking whose received the most propositions? Its Dorio. Seems the crowd around here likes their women on the...buffer side."]

["I am, but these things take time."]

["Heh, see that Dory? Told you yer beautiful."] Maine chimed in. ["Just make sure they keep their hands off ya."]

From his vantage point, Falco saw Dorio look away with a smile on her face. The other three girls surrounding her in support as they started to move away and into a nearby shop.

["Oi, focus hombre."] Jackie's voice brought everyone's heads back into the mission, chatter over the radio dropping back to the occasional update.

["Ha! Upload's done! All files deleted and remaining data corrupted."] Pilar laughed, ["like to see them get everything back up and running with these bricks."]

["We're almost done on our end. Just got to break a few more pipes and set the bomb to blow these canisters."]

["Good, because I don't think we're gonna be able to keep Becca from killing someone much longer."] Lucy sighed, ["apparently the latest group to come along has a thing for short-stacks."]

Falco chuckled at that, taking a moment to adjust the bandanna he had tied around his face. The rest of the crew had laughed at his actions, but he didn't care. They were taking down a drug lab for Pete's sake. A place that was no doubt filled with assorted chemicals that, even with his syn-lungs and detoxifiyer, shouldn't be breathed in anymore than necessary.

"Oh shit! Look-"

Before he heard anymore, a loud explosion sounded from the other room and a cloud of smoke obscured the door. Briefly, he saw David in the frame of the door, but another explosion occurred and sent a cloud of smoke his way. ["Shit! Guys, can you hear me? Girls? We've got a problem!"]

Raising his forearm to his mouth, he started backing out of the building, trying not to breathe in anymore of the smoke than he already had. Only once he was outside did he take a gulp of air, the sudden rush causing him to stumble as a coughing fit overtook him.

"Falco! What happened?" Becca's voice reached his ears first, but it was Kiwi's hands that helped him stay up.

"Don't, know." He coughed again. "Just, heard yellin'. Then, boom!"

"Fuck, the others are still in there." Dorio cursed, "Lucy, can you ping them?"

"Been trying..." Falco noticed Lucy's eyes glowing. "Shit, Pilar really did fry everything..."

"Saw one stumble, near the door." He answered, "think it, was David."

"Got a read...a smart bulb of all things." Lucy grunted, "they're all in the first room."

"We gotta get them out of there." Dorio zipped up her jacket all the way, flipping up the collar so it covered her nose and mouth.

"Right." Falco coughed again, tightening his mask with the intention of assisting Dorio.

"Falco, you sure you're good?" Lucy asked, the worry in her voice clear.

"Already been exposed to whatever that was." The dark-haired man gestured towards the building. "No need for anyone else to be exposed more than necessary."

"Then why's Dorio goin' in?"

"Someone's got to carry Maine and Jackie's asses." Covered by the jacket, Dorio's voice sounded muffled. "Not to mention, I can hold my breath for a good three minutes." She gave a thumbs up, "let's go."

Falco nodded, moving as close to the entrance as he dared before taking a deep breath and running back in. Some of the smoke had cleared, and he was able to see the outline of David and Pilar slumped on the ground about halfway to the exit. He heard Dorio run past him, seeing her indicate she'd get the other two as he started dragging the smaller guys out.

["Got 'em!"]

Dorio's message came through right as he stepped out the door, the other girls rushing over to meet him. Lucy relieved him of David while Becca dragged her brother away. Kiwi offered a hand to help him, but he shook his head as he stumbled over to where Becca and Lucy had gathered.

"Give Dorio a hand." He tried to wave at the door, but his arm felt heavy. Kiwi still understood, and Falco watched as Dorio stepped out. She had Jackie slung over her shoulders in a fireman's carry, while carefully pulling Maine along behind her. Kiwi took over pulling Maine, leaving Dorio free to set Jackie down.

"You good Dorio?" Kiwi asked, "didn't breathe in the air too much?"

Dorio's reply was to unzip and take off her jacket before taking a breath and breathing normally. "Yeah, told you I can hold my breath for awhile." She knelt down then, looking a dazed Maine over before looking at the others. "Damage report? Maine's got some minor cuts and bruises."

"Same goes for Jackie and Pilar. David's got one good gash on his arm but nothing too bad." Lucy replied, moving a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. "You sure you're good Falco?"

"Little fatigued and my lungs hurt..." He blinked, eyes momentarily losing focus as if he had rubbed them to hard. "Don't think I, I-uh, got it as bad as them."

The dark-haired driver scratched at his throat, mouth moving slightly. Had his tongue always sat so heavy in his mouth?

"Ah shit, we've got company." His eyes followed Becca's hand as she pointed towards a group of people starting to move towards them and the smoking building. By the color and style of their clothes, it wasn't hard to figure out that their actions had called in more Tygers.

"Come on, let's get away from here." Dorio picked up Jackie, once again dragging Maine behind her. Falco made to assist, but felt himself sway as he stood.

"Shit, might have gotten hit with more of the stuff than I thought." He muttered.

"Don't worry, I've got you cowboy." Once again, he felt Kiwi at his side and didn't fight as she wrapped an arm around his waist, throwing his own over her shoulder. Moving as a group, they went a block or two over before settling in a alley. She guided him to a bench, before addressing the crew.

"So what now?" Falco questioned, eyes going from the girls to his hands. "Why are my hands different colors?"

"Well, something tells me the boys are going to be feeling the effects of the drugs, if they're not already." That was Kiwi. "We're going to need to get them someplace safe while they ride it out. And find someplace to lay low for a little bit until things clear."

"We're not too far from Viktor's place." Lucy supplied. "Or maybe take them to the MedCenter."

"We'd be lucky if we could afford detox for one of them." The blond netrunner shook her head. "Actual medical places are out."

"Yeah, and Vik's place isn't exactly set up for this many patients at once...And there's too many sharp objects for these idiots to be around." Becca looked at her brother, who was grinning like mad at whatever he was seeing. "Yeah, he's trippin'. And our place, even the new place V got us, is too small. Same goes for Maine's apartment."

"My place too." Kiwi tapped a foot on the ground, "and while larger. I don't think Gloria's place is a good idea – wait, has anyone called her about David? Anyhow, Elevator plus druggies with chrome equals bad time."

"I'll call her, but by that logic our place is out too." Lucy sighed. "Wait. I've got Misty's number too. I'll call her about Jackie and see if she has a place we could use."

"At the very least, can tell 'em what happened." Falco drawled, not caring that his southern accent was really bleeding through. "Another set of hands wouldn't hurt."

"I should probably call Nadia too...Don't think it would hurt to have a nurse on hand." Becca replied. "Wait Falco, what about your place?"

"My place?" He blinked, head tilting to the side. For some reason, the driver knew he had a home, but..."Where do I live again?"

"Shit, looks like the drugs are finally getting to him." Kiwi sighed, "and none of us know where you live."

Despite the current situation, he laughed. The part of his brain that was still untouched by the fumes tried to argue against his laughter. But the rest of him couldn't seem to find a reason to care.

"Hey, just got off the holo with Nadia." Becca's voice brought him out of his laughter. "I gave her the detes, and she said she's going to get some medical supplies to help. And that she wants us to call her back the minute we figure out where we're goin'."

"Gloria's probably going to be playing phone tag with Nadia then. She had the same idea once I told her what happened." Lucy glanced over at David and Jackie. "Going to give Misty a call now...She'll probably want to meet with us too."

"Then we better find some place soon or..." Kiwi's head snapped to look at Dorio. "Wait, Dorio? Don't you have a place separate from Maine's?"

Falco saw the muscular blond tense at that, her head looking to the side. "I do, but the problem is we've got to go to Pacifica. But if you all don't mind that, my place is big enough for all of us – Nadia, Gloria, and Misty included. Ground floor, good security, and minimum stairs."

"Then let's head to Pacifica." Becca crossed her arms. "Least the VDB and the Animals will keep each other occupied. Send me the address, and I'll give it to Nadia and Gloria."

"I'm still on the holo with Misty, what's the address?"

"Send it to me too." Falco cleared his throat, seeming to have found his voice again. "I'll even drive." He slapped his knee and tried to stand, but for some reason, his legs didn't want to cooperate. He would have fallen off the bench and onto the ground, if Kiwi hadn't caught him.

"No you won't." The netrunner replied, helping him back to the bench. Feeling oddly relaxed as he sat back down, Falco just agreed as the girls started planning out how best to get everyone to their destination.

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As far as Pilar was concerned, everything was going great. His latest creation had worked her magic, destroying the glitter lab's software, then that gonk tossed a grenade and making the world seem so much more...Colorful. Much more, inviting and alive. He felt a pair of hands on his arm and looked down, seeing a mint-green humanoid creature leading him down a shining white path. After a short walk, the creature helped him to lean against a glowing tree as it went to talk with some others of its kind. He couldn't understand their words, but the unicorn sitting on a log across from him seemed to. At least, that's how Pilar interpreted the occasional bob of its head.

"Come on bro, we're going for a ride."

"Whose bro? I'm Pilar." He answered, even as the green creature took his hand. "What's your name?"

"Are you serious?"

"Nice to meet you Ahe-yu Sirius." It replied, leading him over to what might have been a giant cloud, or maybe a big bumble bee if its yellow and black coloration was any indication. Ahe-yu just shook their head and made him sit on the cloud, securing him in place with what appeared to be a candy rope of sorts. "Alright, food!" He cheered and took a bite, frowning at the bitter flavor, terrible texture, and odd toughness.

"Eugh, licorice." He tried to rip a piece off with his fingers and failed. "Not even good licorice."

Ahe-yu said something, but he didn't understand – watching as they wandered off to assist someone else. Pilar tried to move off the bee cloud, but the candy rope held him in place. Realizing he could still move his head, he started to really take in his surroundings. Structures made of light stood tall against the sky, some surrounded by what looked to be colorful balloons at the bottoms. Looking at the ground, what once seemed to be a shining white road turned out to be a reflecting prism showing all the colors of the rainbow.

He looked back down the path they came, seeing various creatures walking around, sometimes even seeing them float by on clouds. Idly, he wondered if his current seat could move and pressed down. It wasn't as soft as he expected, but it was ridiculously comfortable. Pilar made an attempt to lay down, but the licorice rope encircling him prevented it. His cry of disappointment at that was cut off however as the cloud started to move.

"Woo hoo!" The techie threw his hands in the air, enjoying the sensation of movement. He turned his head to the side, seeing the once still structures and rocks starting to blur as his cloud buzzed along. A laugh escaped him as the cloud came to a stop, and seeing some creatures on a nearby cloud, he waved at them. They waved back, one of them even shooting a confetti cannon at his cloud that sent it speeding off.

"Pilar, keep your arms down!" The voice came from the green creature, who he now noticed was sitting behind him.

"Fine." He set his hands in his lap, once again staring out at the sights. It was hypnotic, watching the way everything shifted and blended together in the most beautiful light show he had ever seen. While Pilar didn't know what they were flying towards, the cloud did. "Where're we goin'?

"Dorio's place." Ahe-yu replied.

"Dorito Palace?" He smiled, it had been awhile since he had tortilla chips. A laugh and a groan came from somewhere nearby, but he couldn't locate its origin. Instead, he went back to watching the world fly by. Not to long after that, the cloud started to slow down granting him a view of an impressive palace of light.

"Come on Pilar, let's go." He heard a loud clicking sound as Ahe-yu removed the rope from around him and lead him towards the palace. Looking to the side, he noticed the unicorn from before being escorted by a pink robot. A few others were being escorted in a similar fashion, all being ushered through the door by a large marshmallow with a golden crown. Seeing several creatures left outside, Pilar felt almost blessed to be a part of the group being escorted into the palace. For a brief moment, everything was dark, but then another door opened and Pilar found himself in a brightly lit room.

"Alright Dorio, where do you want everyone?" The robot asked the marshmallow, moving the unicorn out of the way to sit at a table made of soft looking cookie. Dorito, the marshmallow started giving instructions, but Pilar wasn't listening. Since starting to move on his own (well, with help from Ahe-yu) he had become aware of something moving in his pants. Looking over his shoulder, he could see something poking out the back of his pants.

"Woah! I have a tail!" It wasn't a very long tail, but it was his. He started trying to grab it, but was stopped by Ahe-yu grabbing his hands.

"Put that thing away or so help me." The green creature instructed, grabbing his pants and hiding his tail from view. A moment later and they were pulling him towards another door and gently pulling him into the room behind it. It was magnificent – constructed entirely of white and yellow squares that were smooth and cool to the touch.

"Colored ice?" He looked down, noticing that parts of the ivory floor had been covered by a carpet of rose petals in spots, including one that rested before a throne that looked to be made of a similar material to the walls. "Woah, a throne!" Pilar cheered and took a seat on the throne. It was a lot more comfortable than he expected, and he smiled. "Oh, what's that?"

He hopped off the throne and moved to the side, seeing a white basin hidden by a curtain. Stepping inside, he found his attention focused on a flower growing out of the yellow walls.

"Uh, Dorio? Pilar found the shower..."

"Shit,hang on." The marshmallow appeared in the throne room, one arm reaching into the basin to tap at a few symbols on the wall below the flower. "There, the child locks are on. Wait, why did you shove him in my bathroom?"

"But I'm not a child." He frowned, poking at the symbols.

"Because I read that some people get hard under the effects of Glitter, and given that he was already trying to play with his 'tail'...I don't want to see how he's gonna deal with that!"

"But I'm not hard...I'm soft." Interest in the symbols was lost in favor of sitting down in the basin while poking at himself. He laughed at how his body gave way under his touch.

"We'll check on him in a few minutes." The marshmallow again, "come on. Help me with the others."

Pilar looked up, seeing Ahe-yu and the marshmallow take their leave. He watched the door close, intrigued by its movement before he was once again distracted by the feeling of his tail between his legs.

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In all honesty, having the crew return to Pacifica was at the bottom of the list of hang-ups Dorio had about bringing everyone to her apartment. No, in reality is was because it was a luxury two-bedroom, one bathroom deal on the outskirts of Pacifica near the NCART station. Because it had an actual kitchen separated from the dining room by a half-wall that also doubled as a breakfast bar. Because her dining room easily seated six comfortably. Oh, and she couldn't forget that her living room was spacious enough to allow her to have a matching couch and armchair. End tables and a coffee table, while still leaving enough room for her to have set up a weight bench and other equipment. It helped that the TV was mounted to the wall, easily seen from all points in the living room, and from parts of the dining room.

And that wasn't including the fact that she had renovated the place herself to have higher security than it originally did. And that her rent was near zero as her parents owned the building following some debt-dodging debacle between the original owners and the contracting company her parents worked for (and now owned since her grandfather had passed away). Technically, she was an employee of the company (and entitled to all the benefits), but beyond serving as the superintendent for the non-existent tenants of her apartment building. And being some muscle to collect unpaid dues, didn't actually have to work for them.

But if any of the crew, including Maine, knew any of that? She'd be subjected to more questions than she already was willing to answer. The questions hadn't started right away, everyone too busy tending to the guys to question it. She had put Maine in his favorite spot on her couch, the man's mouth shifting into a smile as she did.

"You alright, big guy?" She asked, unsure if she'd get a response. A string of mumbling left Maine's mouth, but she didn't understand any of it, choosing to just nod. Meanwhile, David had been lightly hopping around until Lucy lead him to the armchair and made him sit. With a noise of delight, David decided the carpet was a better seat slid off the chair and onto the floor like it wasn't even there. Trepidation at locking Pilar in the bathroom had faded once she put the child locks on the shower (and bidet controls. Thank God he hadn't noticed the three seashells when he sat on the 'throne').

Falco meanwhile had gone nearly catatonic, the man sitting at the table with his hands interlocked before him like a buddist monk at prayer. His head would occasionally move in response to something he'd hear, but otherwise, he was motionless. Jackie seemed in a similar state to Falco, and Kiwi had just gotten him to sit down on the couch when Lucy got a message.

"Hey, Misty says she's here but is asking for an...escort?" Lucy said, raising David to a sitting position. "Says she's a bit unnerved by the guys hanging around outside."

"I've got this. I've got drinks in the fridge and snacks in the cabinet above the stove if you're thirsty or hungry. Help yourselves." Dorio excused herself, stepping out of her apartment in time to see Misty stepping out of her car, an insulated first aid box in her hand. "Hey Misty, glad you found the place okay."

"Yeah, just hope no one else does." She lowered her voice, staying close as Dorio let her in. "Word got out about the stunt you guys pulled. Tygers are going crazy all over Watson trying to find who destroyed the lab." Misty stepped into the apartment, speaking a little louder now that they were safe inside. "Vik called me shortly after I left. Apparently a couple of Tygers stopped by his shop. Demanding that if anyone is brought in even showing a hint of a Glitter overdose that they should be handed over to them immediately."

"Shit. They've probably got guys going to all the clinics in the area...Maybe even making that same threat outside of Watson." Kiwi shook her head, "you weren't followed, were you?"

"I don't know. I did see one or two cars behind me that looked to have Tyger markings but..." She shrugged. "Sorry, I was more concerned about getting here to check on Jackie and the others." Misty moved over to where Jackie was sitting and began to look him over, shaking her head as she opened the box to reveal two vials and a small box of disposable syringes.

"What's that?" Dorio asked, watching as Misty prepared two syringes, one from each bottle. Taking Jackie's arm, Misty proceeded to give him both injections, before disposing of the used needles in a separate pocket within the case.

"Naloxone and diazepam." She answered, "I relayed what Lucy told me over the phone to Vik, and he advised giving a dose of each to the boys. Naloxone is meant for opioid overdoses, and diazepam for psychedelic suppression. If they're OD'ing on the stuff, it should help lessen the symptoms until we can get them some proper treatment."

"And if they're not?" Lucy asked, eyes going between David and Jackie.

"Diazepam might help them relax, and naloxone won't harm them in any way." Misty looked back at Jackie, seeing him shaking slightly and looking ready to fall over. "Dorio, you got somewhere he can lay down?"

"My guest bedroom." She moved to Jackie's side and lifted him easily, nodding towards the small hallway that lead to the bathroom. "Second door on the left." Dorio let Misty pass and open the door, revealing a mid-sized room with a full-size bed and dresser with a small TV mounted to the wall across from the bed. She was thankful that she kept the bed made at all times, and helped get Jackie settled on it. "Is he going to be alright?"

"We'll see." Misty moved one of the pillows to rest under Jackie's head, making sure he was comfortable before looking back at Dorio. "Come on, let's give the others their medicine. Vik looked up their files and sent me the proper dosage amounts."

"Good to know, although I'm a little surprised that he didn't come here himself." She held the door open as Misty stepped out, opting to leave it ajar so they could hear if something was off.

"He wanted to, but reasoned it would be better if he stayed behind." The woman moved back to the case and started preparing David's dose. "I think it kind of worked out for the better. The Tygers probably would have been even more suspicious if a Watson ripper went 'missing' right after something like this happened."

"Maybe." Dorio watched as she gave David both injections. "Do you want help with that?"

"Actually, that would be great." Misty moved back to the case and started preparing another dose. "If you could give this to Maine while I get Falco? And where's Pilar?"

"Bathroom." Becca's voice came from the hall, the girl frowning as she moved towards them. "Say Dorio, do you have any towels? Pilar was looking kind of sweaty."

"In the linen closet. The door next to the bathroom." Dorio answered, giving Maine his injections. "Can you bring me one too?" She ran a hand over Maine's brow, feeling the clamminess of his skin. The green-haired girl nodded, grabbing a handful of towels from the cabinet and bringing them over. "Kiwi, you mind taking care of Maine so I can give Pilar his medicine and so Misty can check on Jackie?"

The netrunner shook her head, accepting a towel as Dorio took the final two syringes from Misty and moved back towards the bathroom. Becca was waiting for her, a bath towel in hand.

"Advanced warning. Pilar hates needles." She offered, holding the door open so Dorio could enter. "He's got no trouble with other injectors, but for some reason can't stand syringes like that."

"Don't worry, I've got an idea. Can I see that towel?" Becca handed it over, and Dorio stepped into the bathroom. Pilar was still sitting in the tub, but his pants were half off, and his eyes were staring blankly at his lap. "Hey Pilar, just need to see your face a moment." She carefully took his chin in her hand and tilted his head up to look at her. "Want you to feel how soft this is."

Using the corner of the towel, Dorio gently wiped the sweat off his face before draping the towel over his lap.

"Blanket." Pilar muttered happily, folding himself in half in favor of nuzzling the towel. It would have been adorable, if not for the sheer dazed expression on the techie's face. Seeing him distracted, Dorio quickly gave him the first shot. He let out a tiny whine as she administered the second, but soon returned to quietly snuggling the towel. Seeing that he'd be alright for now, Dorio returned to the living room to check on the others. Maine was still on the couch, staring blankly at the window. Lucy was sitting in the armchair, one of her legs draped over David's chest to hold him in a sitting position against the chair. Kiwi had joined Falco at the kitchen table, and had taken up the earlier offer of grabbing a drink.

Only Becca was still looking about the apartment, an odd expression on her face.

"Gave Pilar his meds, he seems fine...Just tired and dazed." Dorio moved to the fridge, grabbing herself a bottle of water. "So sit down and relax, we're not going anywhere for awhile." She gestured to the couch, opting to lean over the back instead of sitting down herself. "Not much else we can do until Nadia and Gloria get here anyways."

"Thanks Dorio." She saw some of the worry leave Becca's eyes, but the green-haired girl still didn't sit. "But that only answered one of my questions."

"And the others?" Dorio had a feeling she knew what was coming, but was willing to put up with it. If only to distract herself and the others from their current situation.

"Guarantee Lucy and Kiwi have the same one, so I'm just gonna say it." Becca took a deep breath, and gestured to the apartment. "What the hell is all this?"

"My apartment." She sassed, trying to delay the inevitable.

"Well, I know that, but I mean...This?" Becca gestured to the furniture. The pictures. Everything. "This is..."

"Oddly domestic." Lucy answered, eyes going from David to her. "No offense, but this isn't what I pictured when you said we were going to your place."

"Really?" Dorio crossed her arms, seeing the others nod. "What did you picture?"

"A wall full of weapons." The girl offered. "And maybe a full home gym instead of actual furniture?"

"And while the posters are what I'd expect. The, I assume, family photos are a surprise." Becca pointed to the closest one; a candid picture of her and her father laughing at something the other had said. Given how much the crew referred to her as the Team Mom, the admission made Dorio frown. Was it really that much of a shock that she had a good relationship with her parents? Wait...Knowing what she did about the rest of the crew, Dorio could understand. "Not saying that's a bad thing, just a surprise."

"Not to mention this level of security." Kiwi pointed to the security panel. "I mean, yeah – you're on the outskirts of Pacifica, practically bordering Dogtown so I can understand it. But the window shutters, electronic locks in addition to regular ones? Oh, and if I'm correct, you also have E.M.P. shielding on this place?" Dorio nodded. "Who set this all up?"

"I did." She answered, seeing the expressions of the other three morph to ones of disbelief. "What? I have hobbies outside of taking care of this gonk, taking care of the rest of you, and lifting weights." Dorio gestured to Maine, the crew, and the weight bench and dumbbells in the corner. "Not to mention, just because my parents are suits, as you like to call them doesn't mean they don't care about me." She picked up another picture, one of her and her parents on vacation. "Is that really so hard to believe?"

"Yes." The three answered as one.

"Well, as you can see, I do." She set the still down.

"Personally, I think its nice." Misty emerged from the bedroom, apparently having heard the end of the conversation. "They say the home is an extension of yourself, and this place captures you perfectly. A rough and tumble exterior hiding a soft and caring interior." That made Dorio take a step back. She had heard the stories about Misty's ability to 'read' people, but to actually hear it in person? The solo opened her mouth to say more, but a loud buzzing sound interrupted her. The noise made the others jump, but she just shrugged it off. "That's the door buzzer. Can't get inside unless I let you in or you've got a key."

Moving to the security panel, Dorio tapped it a few times, bringing up a camera feed that showed a woman in Trauma-esk armor. Recognizing her as Gloria's nurse, and Pilar's girlfriend, she tapped another button. "Hang on Nadia, I'll buzz you in."

Another buzz sounded along with a loud click, indicating the door had been unlocked. A moment later and Nadia stepped through, a backpack of medical supplies on her back and cases in her arms.

"Can you keep that unlocked? Gloria's gathering some more supplies and will be along in a moment." Nadia asked, looking around the room.

"Inside door yes, outside? No." The muscle-woman looked at the feed, now seeing Gloria standing at the door. "Is that everything Gloria?"

She saw the woman nod, tapping a button to again unlock the door and allow her access. Only once Gloria was inside her apartment did she reactivate the locks. It was Dorio's hope that with medical personnel now on hand that the subject of her apartment would drop. That they would switch to talking about the boys and their current state of being. Motherly instincts seemed to prevent Gloria from focusing on anything more than her child, who was now sitting up against the armchair Lucy occupied. Nadia meanwhile was standing in place, eyes roving around the apartment.

"Pilar's in the bathroom, and Jackie's in my guest bedroom." She offered, hoping that Nadia was trying to figure out where the other two were. Or the best way to set up the boys so they could be treated for whatever potential problems the exposure would bring. That hope was shattered where, after Nadia nodded, she asked the one question Dorio hoped she'd never have to answer in front of the crew.

"Damn, you secretly rich or something?"

"No." Dorio's shoulders slumped. "Just because someone has nice things doesn't mean they're rich." She moved to the couch, finally taking a seat beside Maine who was miming eating a burger. "And shouldn't we be focusing on the boys instead of my apartment? I mean, it looks like this one's already got the munchies."

"You're right. Let me see." Nadia conceded, and Dorio breathed a sigh of relief as the two nurses switched to asking about what had happened.

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It was hard for him to remember how he got there but nevertheless, Maine found himself inside a roadside diner that was advertising an all you can eat burger deal. The blond hostess that seated him had been kind, setting him up in a spacious booth instead of sitting him at the counter.

"You alright, big guy?" She asked, voice warm.

"Yeah, just hungry. Can I get in on that all I can eat burger deal?" He asked, seeing her nod before she moved away to put in his order. With nothing better to do while he waited, Maine looked around. He appreciated the warm and bright colors of the place, and how friendly the staff was as they went around checking in with the other patrons. People were constantly moving in and out of the diner, but there never seemed to be a wait. His eyes fell on a man who was just getting up from the counter, and Maine started slightly as he recognized the face.

A gangoon from a solo gig he had taken shortly before their last one. The man would have been just another faceless gonk if it hadn't been for the unique third-eye piercing he possessed.

"Wait..." Maine raised a hand, stopping the man's exit. "Didn't I kill you?"

"You got a lucky shot, asshole." The gangoon flipped him off before stepping out the door and into the light.

"It was just biz!" He called, shaking his head as he cradled it in his hands. Maine didn't quite know how to feel about that reaction. If you lived or worked in Night City, you knew you could be killed at any time – it was just more likely in some places and jobs than others. "Wait..."

He looked down at his hands, half expecting to see his original 'ganic ones instead of his current cybernetics. His downward glance also brought notice that a server had brought over his food without him realizing; platters loaded with burger patties, buns, and all his favorite toppings were on the table. Logistics on his current state could wait, those burgers smelled too damn good to be ignored.

Using the provided tongs, Maine was quick to assemble a double cheeseburger with all the fixings and took a bite.

It was heavenly. The meat had been seasoned and seared to perfection. The cheese was creamy and the condiments worked in harmony with everything. He polished off the first one, and not long after, a second one.

"Shit, I'm thirsty..." He muttered, noticing then that there was a particular bottle of soda on the table. The dark brown coloration of the soda and bright orange label made him smile. He opened up the bottle and took a long drink. The taste instantly familiar; bitter and sweet, like a root beer fucked a piece of black licorice and this was their bastard child.

"Fuck, can't believe this place has Moxie of all drinks." He was from New England. From Maine. You would either love the stuff (he did) or hate it, but either way – just trying it was a rite of passage.

"Food wise, this place has everything." The familiar voice came from across the table, and Maine looked up.

Gangoons were an eddy a dozen, and it might have been sheer coincidence that the goon from before looked like someone Maine had iced (a two-way street if the gonk's recognition of him was any indication). But the girl before him? He would never forget her. Never mistake someone else for her; those bright blue and pink eyes, the short black hair (dyed from its original light brown), and that damn smile.

"S-Sasha?" He blinked, suddenly fearful. Maine knew she had died. He had been the one to find her on top of that crushed Chevillon. She had been smiling of all things, pleased with whatever she had done before biting it. "Thought you were dead?"

"I am." The girl answered, still smiling as if that would put him at ease. It didn't, and he felt even more on edge as a fully loaded milkshake appearing in her hands. "But I like stopping here at Limbo's at least once a week for a meal. The shakes are especially preem. A hundred percent organic cow's milk – not that plant or nut or 'dairy' based stuff other joints serve. Same goes for the food." Sasha picked up a plate and helped herself to some of Maine's food, but the quantity didn't seem to decrease. "But mostly I'll come here to people watch."

"Limbo's?" Maine wanted to laugh as much as he wanted to cry. He could almost appreciate the dark humor of the higher powers that sent him to a bastardization of his favorite diner. "Fuck, does that mean I'm dead?"

"Not yet." Sasha answered, smiling gently. "You're just dealing with the side effects of overdosing on unprocessed glitter."

"H-how did you..."

"Told you, I come here to people watch." She gestured to the window and Maine followed her hand. Instead of the Badlands or a view of the city, he saw Dorio's apartment. The view switched again, now showing the interior where the girls were fussing about. He saw Lucy tending to David, who seemed enamored with the living room floor. Saw Kiwi adjusting Falco at the table so he didn't fall over while Dorio worked to get Jackie on the couch. The only person he couldn't see was himself. "Check in on you guys from time to time."

The view switched to one of Pilar and Becca, the two in the bathroom. Maine couldn't help but laugh as Dorio rushed in a moment later and disable the shower controls. Sasha took a bite of her own burger, watching as Misty showed up and started doctoring the crew. He turned away from the scene, settling his nerves with another bite of food and a drink.

"It's a lot to take in, isn't it? Wrestling with your own mortality?" Sasha offered after a moment, reaching across the table to rest a hand on his arm. Even with his new skinn, her touch didn't feel warm or cold. Actually, he simultaneously felt something and nothing at all from her touch.

"Yeah...Been, doin' that a lot these last few weeks." He looked back out the window, noticing Nadia and Gloria had joined the 'party'. "When I became an Edgerunner...Always thought I'd go out in a blaze of glory after one big gig, become a legend. Not end up biting it because of a simple drug bust."

"For the last time, you're still alive." Sasha flicked his arm, pulling her hand back in favor of holding her milkshake again. "Both your body and spirit are putting up a hell of a fight against the Glitter."

"And I'm gonna keep fighting." He looked back out the window, noticing Dorio working in her bedroom to prepare it for something. "Can't leave Dorio...Or the crew, not yet." Maine looked back as his arms, once again feeling a pang of guilt. "I can't let their memory die with me. Not yet."

"I know." Sasha started rubbing his arm, offering him a napkin. He accepted it and dried his eyes as the girl continued. "It's not easy, letting go." Her hand left his arm, resting instead on the window. Looking out, Maine noticed the view was back to Dorio's apartment. In particular that it was focused on Becca. "But sometimes, you need to let go of the past to move forward."

"She still hasn't gotten over you, you know." Maine took a bite and swallowed, "none of us have, really."

"I can tell." The black-haired girl smiled, looking content. "It's nice, not to be forgotten. So many others out there have been." Sasha gestured towards the door to the diner, where a Civil War veteran walked in as a Roman Legionnaire walked out. Maine shook his head, and he was thankful that Sasha understood what he hadn't asked. "Yeah, some of us have been here longer than others."

"And neither one of them are bothered by...this?" He gestured to the lights, video screens, and general decor of the diner.

"Supposedly everyone sees this place how they're most comfortable. I asked one of the older guys here what he sees, describes it as a banquet hall of marble. Another guy describe it as – remember that nineteen-forties diner Falco took us to? Yeah, that. Meanwhile, I see Turbo's but more surreal."

"Heh yeah, me too." Maine smiled at that. Of the original crew, Sasha had been the most appreciative of his choice in 'party spots'. Hearing a small chime, he noticed the door to Limbo's open again and tried to look out. All that met his vision was a square of light when the door was opened. And the glass was too tinted to see clearly when the door was closed. "Say, what's out there?"

"Would you believe a whole battlefield? It's like Valhalla except we have guns and its more realistic. We'll go out, fight each other to hold territory. Die. Respawn and repeat the process. When we get bored, some of us will go to the various diners to grab a bite to eat. Or visit friends, or fuck or...just sit around and talk."

"Sounds like a good time."

"It is." Sasha took a long drink of her milkshake, "do you want to see it?"

"Might as well." Maine finished off his burger, "not much else I can do right now it seems." He took a drink of his soda, eyes looking around for a server or register. Maine hadn't ever skipped out on paying for a meal (even in places with poor service – he'd just pay whatever was owned rounded up to the nearest eddy) and he wasn't about to break that streak now. "Uh, do I pay up front or with the server?"

"You don't." The girl giggled, taking another drink. "Food and drinks are free. The guys who run these places take great joy in cooking, and have access to the finest ingredients in unlimited amounts. But come on, I want to show you the battlefield!"

Sasha set her shake down and stood up, grabbing for Maine's hand to lead him towards the door. Still smiling, she opened it up, and Maine raised a hand to his eyes to block the brightness. Oddly enough, he still couldn't see but trusted her and offerend no protest as she tried to pull him into the brightness.

Keyword: Tried.

Maine felt as if he had punched a brick wall, his arm stopped by some unseen force while Sasha moved freely. He tried to step through on his own power, but again was blocked from leaving the diner. The blond man held in a laugh as he heard Sasha cuss as she tried to pull him out again before returning inside the diner.

"He's not dead yet, honey." The voice came from one of the servers, "only the dead can leave through the main entrance."

"Oh yeah, you're not dead." Briefly, Sasha's mouth twitched into a pout. "But that's a good thing. The crew needs you now more than ever. And I suppose you'll see this place eventually."

"Yeah. Although now you've got me wondering something else."

"What's that?"

"If I'm not dead, then how do I get out of here?" Maine looked around, trying to see another exit.

"That's...a good question." Sasha looked to the server who had spoken originally. The woman just shrugged, seeming not to know the answer either.

"We've gotten a few like you before, but they either die and leave through the main door, or survive and just...Disappear."

"Great. So what do I do in the meantime?"

"Have a seat, order something else. Watch the people or watch TV...We've got over five thousand channels from all around the world." The server offered, moving to tend to another customer. Shrugging, Maine moved to another booth, this one with a TV on the wall instead of a window. He sat down and ordered a beer with the server who had answered his questions. Finding the remote, he turned on the TV, surprised to see it advertising that one of his favorite movies was coming on next.

Maine looked then to Sasha, who kept looking between him and door. "You're welcome to leave if you want, know you've probably got some stuff to take care of around here."

"Nah. I can join the fight at any time. But getting to spend some time with one of my favorite chooms who hasn't crossed over yet? That's a rare luxury that can't be replicated without both parties being dead." Once more, the girl slid into the spot across from him, ordering a simple soda and bowl of popcorn. Their drinks and food arrived right as the movie started, and Maine decided that if he was going to be stuck at Limbo's for awhile, he might as well enjoy it.

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When Becca sent her directions to an apartment in Pacifica, Nadia wasn't quite sure how she felt about that. Given what she knew, she expected the 'apartment' to be some dilapidated one-room deal that was only marginally cleaner on the inside than the outside. Finding a large, well-kept domestic apartment was something she hadn't expected, but was incredibly thankful for. It meant that she wouldn't have to worry as much about the conditions as she treated the boys for their potential overdoses.

After the initial shock had worn off, she began her examination – starting with the three in the main area. Dorio had gotten Misty from the bedroom, who told the two nurses what she had seen and about the medicines she had issued.

"That's probably why they're not as agitated as they'd otherwise be." Nadia offered, carefully examining Falco while Gloria was looking over David. She couldn't blame the woman for being concerned about her son. After all, she had her own concerns about her boyfriend, but decided he could wait until last (just so she could spend a little extra time with him). "No reaction to light. Dry mucosa. Temperature's running a little high, sweating..." She muttered, making notes on her data pad in between checks. "Have any of them shown any signs of having difficulty breathing?"

"Not that I noticed, unless rapid short breaths count?" Dorio placed a hand on Maine's back. "Poor guy was wheezing the whole ride over here, but I never saw his face change color or anything that might indicate a problem."

The brunette looked to the other girls, who nodded in agreement. "Okay, and did any of them say anything after you pulled them out? Had any complaints or comments about their faculties?"

"Only Falco was conscious when we pulled them out. And he complained that his lungs hurt." Kiwi offered, "don't know if he's got 'ganic or synthetic however."

"Even with syn-lungs, exposure to unprocessed Glitter's gonna sting." Nadia's eyes narrowed as she looked at the netrunner's cybernetics. "Even with all your filters, you would be feeling some effect. You'd probably end up like Falco, just maybe a bit more coherent." Her attention shifted to Gloria, who was gently applying some petroleum jelly to David's chapped lips. "About the only ones who wouldn't be affected by it are the FBCs like Gloria, and even then there's no guarantee that her body's processing of it wouldn't fuck with her brain. After all, your sense of taste and smell are normal, right Gloria?"

"Yeah. My nose is just as strong now as when it was 'ganic." She sniffed the air, letting out a pleased hum. "Do I smell cherries?"

"It's the air freshener I've got plugged in over there." Dorio replied, looking at the outlet mounted device. "I can unplug it if you want?"

"No, leave it in." Nadia moved from Falco's side in favor of checking Maine. "We don't want to make any sudden sensory changes to the room that could startle, upset, or frighten the boys."

"How would turning off an air freshener do any of those things?" Becca asked, eyes going from Nadia to the wall and back.

"I'll need to check in on Jackie and Pilar to confirm, but right now the boys are in a state of delirium as their bodies fight against the toxins from the raw drugs. Because of that, even if their own view of it is warped, altering the reality around them unannounced could cause them to freak out. So use soft voices and gentle hands if you need to touch or move them or anything around them. Reason being that, if they do freak out, that could cause their hearts and lungs to go further into overdrive and, quite possibly, make them legitimately die of fright."

"That's possible?"

"Well, in reality its because of a heart attack or respiratory failure but..." The brunette nurse left it at that. "Gloria, think you can finish up here while I check the other two?"

Gloria nodded as Misty took Nadia to the bedroom where Jackie was being housed. He was laying on his back, head supported by a pillow as he stared blankly up at the ceiling.

"Hey Jackie, I'm back. Brought a friend along who wants to check you over, alright?" Misty kept her voice soft as she took a seat on the edge of the bed near his feet. Jackie didn't flinch, the puff of air leaving his lungs more coincidence than actual response. "He's been like this since I brought him in here. No reaction to light, sound, anything really."

Nadia shined a flashing in Jackie's eyes, pupils not even reacting a tiny bit. "Same as the others then. Probably more a side effect of the unprocessed glitter than from the diazepam. That shit's on par with Datura for how much someone needs to be 'tripping', if you can call it that, versus how much is needed to kill them."

"Thought the symptoms looked familiar." That made Nadia raise an eyebrow, but Misty was quick to clarify. "A lot of people claim 'vision quests' and other similar things are just the by-product of hallucinogenic drugs. I've read a few papers about how Datura was used in rituals, and how people interpreted the side effects."

Nadia just nodded, she wasn't about to bring out her opinions on new age healing and mysticism when there were people who needed her help. "Now, have you given him or any of them anything else aside from the initial doses of diazepam or naloxone?"

"No, unless you count managing to get Jackie to take a single sip of water." She gestured to the bottle on the bedside table.

"I don't." She finished up her examination of Jackie and made a few notes. "I'm going to check on Pilar, then hold a meeting in the living room. Can you let everyone else know the current plan?"

Misty nodded and moved to do as asked while Nadia stepped across to the bathroom. She opened the door and despite the situation let out a tiny laugh at what she saw. Pilar was sitting cross-legged in the tub, hugging a towel to himself while nuzzling his face against it with a smile. "Hey sweetheart, you mind if I see that a moment?"

"Ye..." Her boyfriend's head tipped up to look at her, a dopey smile on his face.

"Thank you." She gently took the towel away, placing a hand against his cheek instead. "Sorry I'm not as soft as the towel." He still nuzzled into her touch, offering no resistance as she adjusted her stethoscope and listened to his heart and lungs. Pilar's heart was beating like he had run a marathon, even though he had been sitting still for the last hour or so. His lungs also seemed to be working overtime if his rasping breaths were anything to go on. With a careful hand, Nadia gently examined Pilar's monovision eyeware, shining a light slowly across the front. He didn't flinch or react, even when she gently tapped it. "Poor guy. You're really out of it, aren't you?"

She let her hand move back to his cheek, and he let out a dazed hum, once more snuggling into her hand.

"Look, I've got to check in on the others. I'll come back, alright?" Nadia removed her hand, once again picking up the towel. "For now, here's your towel back."

The brunette placed the towel in his hand, and after muttering something that sounded like 'blankie' returned to holding it. Sighing, Nadia spent a moment longer watching him, getting her thoughts in order before returning to the living room. Dorio was still on the couch next to Maine, with Misty now sitting beside her. Lucy was still in the arm chair, while Becca sat on the floor near Gloria. Kiwi was standing, looking annoyed and concerned in equal measures.

"So what's the verdict?" The blond netrunner asked.

"They're borderline OD'ing on that stuff. Everything I've seen confirms it." Nadia moved to the cases she and Gloria had brought in and opened one. "The good news is that they'll live. But that's provided we can keep them hooked up to the IVs I have here." She held up one of the bags. "The bad news is that, in the coming hours, as their bodies process the toxins, they'll be feeling the full effects of it. We're going to need to monitor them around the clock, making sure they don't hurt themselves. Pull out the IVs, and so on."

"Don't have a lot of options, do we?" Kiwi blinked, looking around the room.

"Not really. The first twelve hours are going to be the most crucial, when they're at the highest risk. The next twenty-four are going to suck, and we're gonna have to hope nobody shits themselves." Nadia saw Dorio flinch at that, while Becca just raised an eyebrow.

"That actually happens?"

"More often than I'd like to admit." She looked at Gloria, who nodded in confirmation.

"One of the main symptoms is reduced bowel control." The red-head explained, telling them there was a not insignificant chance of the boys having little to no control over their bowels as they came down. "Hate to say it, but Dorio, if you've got any old tarps or sheets you don't care about...Might want to bring those out. Also, we're going to need to get the boys out of their clothes and wash them. Whatever they're wearing is contaminated and should not be handled anymore than necessary."

"We've already been touching them." Lucy looked at her own hands, frowning.

"Wash them, and then put on some disposable gloves. I've got a couple boxes in that bag there."

"Don't have to ask me twice." Dorio was already moving over to the linen closet while the other girls formed a line at the kitchen sink. "Good thing I've got a washer and dryer in house...Might need to make a run to get more detergent."

"When you said 'wash them', did you mean the clothing or the boys?"

"Both." Gloria answered the question. "There's seven of us and five of them. Once we get the apartment organized, figure the five of you can take care of the cleaning while myself and Nadia get the IVs in."

"What do you mean organized? And here," Dorio set down a pile of worn but still good sheets and towels. "They're clean, but a bit threadbare in spots. Don't care if they get destroyed."

"We've got to set up a sort of triage." Nadia picked up one of the sheets, judging it adequate for their current needs. "Ideally, I'd like to 'isolate' the boys from each other while maintaining the functionality of the kitchen and bathroom. Where's your washer and dryer?"

"Over here." The woman moved into her kitchen and gestured to a small cut-out room. A washer and dryer sat side by side, with a single shelf positioned above them holding a large bottle of detergent and a few miscellaneous items. "Damnit, should probably take a shower, change and wash my clothes too."

"You barely wear anything to begin with." Becca quipped, "Wait. Dorio went in to get the guys out, why isn't she affected?"

"Told you, I held my breath and didn't breathe until I was out of the way."

"Should probably give you a quick check as well then..." The brunette left no room for arguing and did a quick exam of Dorio. "Yeah, you're good. Not sure what was in the mix, but preliminary observation says breathing in the aerosolized stuff is the only way to feel the effect of it."

"My health aside, Nadia – you seem to have a plan to get us through this. Just say what needs to be done, and we'll do our best to help."

"Alright, here's what I propose we do..." Nadia clapped her hands together and started directing everyone. Jackie would remain in the guest bedroom, with Misty acting as his primary caretaker. Dorio was fine with Maine being put in her room, provided she would be the one to keep an eye on him.

"Just don't want strangers in my bedroom more than needed, you know?" Dorio offered, helping her move Maine onto her bed.

"You just don't want us to see your 'toys'." Becca argued, holding the door open. "Don't think I didn't see you stuffing that giant teddy bear in the closet a moment ago.

"You leave Djungelbjörn out of this." Fortunately for Becca, Dorio was too preoccupied with getting Maine settled to argue further. Nadia took the short-stack with her as she went to check on how Gloria was fairing with Falco. She had moved him from the table to a comforter than had been folded and thrown on the floor with Kiwi keeping vigil over him. In the living room, the tables had been shoved against the wall and the couch rotated to cut the room in half. David remained where he had been laying, and it fell on Lucy to keep an eye on him. Lastly, with Becca's help the two carried Pilar out of the bathroom and made him comfortable on the opposite side of David.

Over the next few minutes, the scene in the apartment was interesting. The girls were undressing the guys and giving them sponge baths, talking to them in soothing tones. Before dressing them in the crude togas Gloria had fastened out of some of the sheets. Their dirty clothes had been handed off to Dorio, who threw them into the wash with her own before excusing herself to take a shower. Once the boys were clean and dressed, Nadia and Gloria took to putting in the IVs.

She had just finished Maine and Jackie's and was returning to the living room where Gloria was taking care of the other three when she heard it. A pathetic cry of no that she realized was coming from Pilar's mouth.

"Calm down Pilar." Becca gently cooed, trying to get her brother to remain still long enough for Gloria to insert the IV. "It's medicine, it will make you feel better."

"No...bad snake!" He pulled the towel over himself and poorly hid. "Go away Ahe-yu!"

It hurt her to see him so freaked out after he had been so calm in the bathroom. "Becca, step away. Gloria, move to the side but stay close enough to give me the IVs when I ask."

Becca frowned, but did as she was told, allowing Nadia to take her place.

"Hey sweetheart, it's me again. Remember?" She reached for the towel, carefully peering underneath as she set it aside. "Why are you hiding under your blankie?" Nadia ignored the snort to come from somewhere to the side. "You scared?"

"Ye..." Pilar nodded, blindly leaning forward towards her. "Snake tried'a bite me."

"This snake?" Nadia motioned for Gloria to show him the IV needles, making him flinch. "Shh, shh. I've got you..." She wrapped her arms around him, and he snuggled into her chest. "And don't worry. That's a friendly snake. She was just trying to give your arm a love bite...Like this." Nadia raised his arm and gently nipped it, soothing it with a kiss. "Only she won't let go until she's satisfied you've had enough love."

"Won't hurt?" He blindly stared at Gloria's hands and she shook her head.

"No, it won't. I'll even hold you for awhile while you get used to her being there, alright?"

"Okay angel." Nadia felt the faintest flush come to her cheeks, wondering if that's how Pilar was currently perceiving her. She didn't dwell on it too long, instead holding his arm out for Gloria to access. He let out a little whimper as Gloria affixed the IVs to his arm, but didn't fight. "Huh? Nice snake."

Pilar's other hand moved to pet the IVs, but Nadia stopped him. "Sorry sweetheart, but you can't pet the snake. Here, why don't you hold your blankie? Better yet." She draped it over him, "why don't we cuddle for a little while underneath it?"

"I like this." Pilar smiled, free hand gently stroking the towel. Happily resigning herself to her fate, Nadia gave him a gentle kiss on his forehead and agreed.

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David wasn't quite sure what was going on. One minute, he was working with the crew on a gig and the next? He's secured by a belt in a rocket's seat and traveling incredibly fast past a world of blue and gray. Which then turned into a view of gray and black until finally culminating in a clear view of the night sky. After a short while, the rocket came to a stop and he was helped out of his seat by a crew mate who lead him towards a large dome.

With a hiss and a click, a door opened, revealing a futuristic assortment of buildings and equipment. He looked up, seeing an expanse of stars overhead, and in the distance – the Earth. With a gasp, he realized he was on the moon. Not just in a simulation or braindance, but on the actual moon.

"Woah! This is amazing." He raised his arms and jumped, feeling light. David wasn't about to question how he could breathe without a suit. Chalking it up to some fancy machinery that was recycling the oxygen in the massive dome covering the area he was in. "Best birthday ever!"

He hopped around a few more times, laughing as he took a seat on the edge of a crater. The lunar sand was smooth underneath him, and he felt so relaxed that he found himself slipping off the rim and sliding down into the soft sand below. It cradled him nicely, and he felt compelled to 'make a snow angel' like he'd seen kids do in old holiday movies in the snow.

The light coming through the dome messed with his vision, and he was vaguely aware of someone standing near him. They were wearing a space suit, but whatever words they were saying was lost behind their helmet. Even so, David didn't resist as the space man took his arm and attached some sort of machinery or wires to it before taking their leave.

"Nova! Lunar cyberware." He didn't care what it did, only that it looked preem. Here, on the moon, everything seemed more awesome. David let out another sigh and flopped back onto the lunar sands, eyes staring out at the Earth. He could appreciate the quiet, broken only by the passing of a lunar worker or some piece of equipment they used to keep the place running.

He closed his eyes and smiled. Feeling lighter and freer than he had in a long while – he understood Lucy's fascination with the big, gray rock.

"And what are you smiling about, David?" David heard Lucy's voice, the sound making him sit up. He looked around, trying to find her. A moment later, he realized her voice was only in his head. He must have called her on accident when he was rolling around.

"I'm on the moon." He announced proudly, hearing her let out a tiny noise of surprise. "Where are you?"

"Dorio's place." She replied, and David nodded. For a quick second, he felt jealous that Lucy got to see Dorio's place when he hadn't. Just as quick however, he realized something horrible.

He was on the moon.

She wasn't.

The joy he felt at the situation faded, and for the first time in years – David wanted to cry. He wasn't the best with his emotions; but even he knew he fucked up.

"I left you behind..." He whined, trying to raise himself to a sitting position. Someone must have turned on the artificial gravity or something as it took him a minute to sit up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

David kept muttering his apologies, even as he heard Lucy talking with someone else over the holo. After a moment, he heard her clearly.

"Shh, it's alright puppy." Her shushing put him at ease, and he leaned back, feeling the crater wall brushing against his back. "I forgive you."

"But I went to the moon without you." He whined, not willing to believe she was forgiving him for this. "I took your dream trip."

He expected her to yell at him. To dump his pathetic dream stealing ass right then and there. It was the least he deserved for being so selfish...for taking her dream for his own pleasure. But his enigmatic girlfriend was full of surprises, and clearly more forgiving than he could ever hope to be.

"Shh, shh. Again, it's okay. I don't mind..." Lucy shushed him once again, sounding...worried? David didn't know how to to describe her tone. She didn't sound angry, or depressed or disappointing at him being on the moon and her back on Earth. Indeed, she seemed more concerned for him in that moment.

He glanced around, trying to commit everything to memory to tell her about it when he got back. Scratch that, he wasn't just going to tell her. He was going to show her. He froze, mind coming up with a plan.

The moment he got back to Earth, he was going to call up V and call in the eighteen years of backlogged birthday gifts in favor of being able to book the finest and longest trip for two as soon as possible. Then once the arrangement was made, was going to tell Lucy to pack her stuff for a trip. Pick her up, and haul her back to the spaceport with him and surprise her with the tickets.

He was going to take her to the moon. Let her see everything for herself the way he was. He swore it, and wanted to make sure she knew. With more conviction than he had ever felt, he made his intentions known to her.

"Promise you, the moon."

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After the events of the last few hours, Lucy was feeling drained. After watching Gloria and Nadia (and Misty to an extent) work on the boys, she had even more respect for medical personnel. She was on watch for David, with Gloria looking after Falco as Kiwi had been sent out to get some more cleaning products and other essentials they would need in abundance. Both her and Becca had volunteered to go as well, but Dorio felt it would be best if only one of them went out. Kiwi was the logical choice as she was 'chromed enough to be ignored by the Animals, and tech-savvy enough to have the respect of the VooDoo Boys'.

"And if you really run into trouble with the VDBs, mention my name and tell them to tell Placide he owes me a rematch." Dorio had added after making sure Kiwi knew which detergent to buy for her washer. Lucy would have laughed if her mind wasn't so preoccupied with concern for her friends. When she had first joined the crew, she kept Kiwi's advice to 'never trust anyone in Night City' in mind, and kept everyone at arm's length. Over time however, she found herself lowering the walls she had put up around herself to let the crew in.

Kiwi turned into the distant but caring aunt, while Pilar quickly became the annoying brother she never knew she wanted. Falco became the uncle she could talk with for hours, while Becca was that one family member you knew but didn't know how they were related to you. And despite their rough exteriors, Dorio and Maine somehow became the closest thing to a mother and father Lucy had in years.

And then there was David...

It was disheartening to see the crew looking tired and worn out by the latest event. And while Nadia said the boys were fighting for their lives...Lucy wasn't so sure about that. They weren't thrashing about, sweating buckets or crying out with inarticulate sounds like she had seen in the movies. No, instead they were resting as comfortably as the IVs attached to their arms would allow.

Falco was reclining against the rolled up comforter and pillow Gloria had placed behind him after he kept raising himself to a sitting position. Aside from the occasional flinch and twitching of his eyes, the man was motionless. The relaxed expression on his face something that would seem more at home on a monk that achieved zen than a man OD'ing on glitter.

She looked to Pilar, who appeared to be sleeping. The towel that he had been holding was draped over his shoulders, and he was cuddled up to Nadia's chest armor. Nadia had to remove it after she really needed to use the bathroom, but couldn't get Pilar to release his grip on her. Fortunately, it seemed Nadia appeared as some sort of armored Valkyrie to Pilar's drug-addled mind, and he hadn't freaked out when she removed it. The only indication that something was wrong with him was the sheer amount of sweat coming off him. It looked like he had run a marathon, then decided to take a nap.

On her own trip to the bathroom, she had gotten a view inside the bedrooms. Both couples seeming to be eerie parallels of each other. Jackie was sitting on the bed beside Misty, the two of them staring blankly at the TV. She almost would have believed Jackie to be fine, if it wasn't for the occasional twitching of his hands. Or the tears coming from his eyes. Ever patient, Misty was always quick to comfort him or wipe his tears. Maine meanwhile was reclined on Dorio's bed, looking out the window at something only he could see. Dorio was sitting beside him, wiping his brow occasionally and offering silent support.

She returned to the living room, noticing that Kiwi had returned with the items she had been sent out to get, along with a bag full of take-out containers that she was arranging on the kitchen counter.

"Didn't know what everyone might have wanted or liked, so I just got an assortment of appetizers." The netrunner opened one of the containers, revealing some krab rangoon. "Help yourselves, I'm going to go tell Misty and Dorio."

Lucy ignored the food, the sight of the rangoon causing a lump to form in her throat. That was David's favorite thing to order whenever they got Chinese. She returned to sitting in the arm chair and looked down at David. She could almost believe David was just sleeping. That his occasional gasping breath to escape him was an odd snore, and that the occasional spasm was just him trying to get comfortable.

"Lucy, mija – have something to eat." Gloria placed a hand on her shoulder, "know we said that we need to monitor the boys, but that doesn't mean sit there and stare at them."

"Thanks Gloria, but I'm not all that hungry." She turned away from David long enough to meet Gloria's eyes. "I'll get something a little later, if that's alright."

There was an understanding in Gloria's smile as she nodded and went to prepare her own plate. She knew the red-head was just as concerned about David as she was, probably even more so. Only difference was that Gloria had years of experience on this front on her side, and knew how to manage it. She heard a tiny noise akin to a laugh come from David and looked down.

He was smiling. An expression of pure joy on his face similar to the one he had been wearing when they shared their first braindance. Worried as she was, the sight made her smile and she hopped off the chair in favor of moving to his side.

"And what are you smiling about, David?" She asked, curious if he even understood what she said.

"M'on d'moon." He replied, head moving around. "W're yu?"

Despite not being able to form full sentences, and sounding scratchier than normal, Lucy was able to understand the question. "Dorio's place."

At her answer, his expression fell and his face contorted in what might have been pain. David's mouth moved, and she strained to understand what he was trying to say.

"Left oo behi'd..." David tried to sit up, but years of motherhood and medical experiences alerted Gloria to a problem and she was quick to swoop in and make sure he didn't disturb the IVs. She let him sit up as the tears started to flow and he continued to mutter what sounded like apologies.

"Shit. Did I scare him or something?" She looked to Gloria, silently asking for advice.

"David's brain is addled. My guess is he was dreaming and, hearing your voice manipulated the dream somehow." Gloria offered, drying David's tears with a tissue.

"So, how do I fix this?" Lucy ran a hand through her hair, feeling guilty for something she had no control over.

"Try accepting his apology, and comfort him." The mother offered, taking a moment to check her son's IVs. "Might not help but it probably won't hurt."

"Shh, it's alright puppy." She placed a hand on his back and started rubbing circles on it. "I forgive you."

Once again, David muttered something that sounded like 'the moon' and 'trip'. Was he dreaming about the BD she took him on? Did he dream he broke it or something? Did it really matter?

"Shh, shh. Again, it's okay. I don't mind..." Lucy kissed his temple, once again reassuring him against the unknown cause of his breakdown. She wasn't sure if it was her words or actions, but after a few more minutes of her comforting, David went still. Lucy thought he had fallen asleep, but David surprised her with one coherent thought.

"Promise you, the moon."

Addled brain or not, Lucy couldn't help but smile at how determined David sounded.

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Having lived there all his life, there were few places in Night City that Jackie didn't know. Sure, he'd admit he knew some places better than others – He could go anywhere in Heywood with his eyes closed, and most of the surrounding areas with his eyes open. Okay, maybe he'd get a little lost in Santo, and didn't know much of Pacifica but...He could get home if he could just find the NCART station.

So why was he having such a hard time finding his way around right now?

Jackie had been wandering aimlessly around the city, just trying to find something. Anything, that looked familiar that he could use as a landmark to pinpoint where he was. He looked up at the sky, noting that there was less light pollution here compared to other parts of the city. Too bad he never learned how to navigate by starlight, least he'd know which was was north.

"Still feeling lost Jackie?"

"Huh?" The voice was familiar, but Jackie couldn't see who had spoken. The only other creature around was a cat, who was looking at him from its perch on a nearby rock. Noticing him looking at it, the cat hopped off the rock and started to walk away. Ignoring it, Jackie started moving in the opposite direction, only to be stopped by the cat running in front of him. "What is it kitty?"

The cat let out a tiny meow, and brushed against Jackie's legs. He leaned down to pet the animal, but it shied away from his touch and started walking away from him. "Cats..." Jackie was about to turn away, but the cat meowed again and looked back at him expectantly. "What? Do you want food? Water?" The cat took a few more steps, stopping once again to look back at him. "Or do you want me to follow you?"

Once more, the cat meowed and started walking. Still not sure where he was, he decided to follow the cat. Logic decreed that where there were cats, there were probably people. People who could give him directions and help him get home. "Alright, lead the way gatito."

He fell into step behind the cat, who mewed happily once it realized Jackie was walking with it. Slowly, Jackie began to notice what he'd call an unnatural level of greenery around. "Got to be somewhere in North Oak. Nowhere else in Night City is this green without paint." The Latino man laughed at his own stupid joke, raising his arms as if before an audience. He looked at the cat, who just continued to walk. "What? Nothing?"

That little revelation encouraged him to keep moving, steps more sure now that he knew he was in Westbrook. It would be easy enough to follow the main road either into Charter Hill or Japantown and hop the NCART back to The Glen and crash in his garage for the night. Calling someone was also an option, but given the lateness of the hour, Jackie didn't want to disturb his friends.

Not to mention, walking felt right. The gentle coolness of the air, and the stillness around him. He couldn't even see or hear any cars. Only the lights of the grand estates to dot the landscape, and the occasional streetlamp breaking up the landscape as he walked. Quiet as they were, Gatito was good company and proved to be a competent guide as soon, Jackie found himself standing before the Silver Pixel Cloud – the old drive-in movie theater.

It wasn't as run down as he expected of a business closed for at least six years; matter of fact, it didn't look run down at all beyond some basic fading of the paint on the walls surrounding the lot. He moved towards the ticket counter, noticing that everything was still working as Gatito jumped on the counter and walked across the control panel for the door. With a slight whoosh, the garage door slid up and Gatito let out a breathy meow as they walked into the drive-in's lot.

"Eh, okay?" Jackie stepped inside, seeing a scattering of trash and an abandoned car in the lot. He watched as Gatito ran up the steps to the projector booth, idly wondering if that's where the cat was making its home. Before he could follow the cat up the stairs, he heard a click and noticed that the projector had come to life and was now projecting an image on the movie screen. It was of some sort of symbol, one of the arcana he'd seen in Misty's shop, Jackie recognized it and knew its meaning to be 'The World'.

He tried to ignore how the glowing marking was giving him the willies.

"Uh, hello?" He called out, trying to see if there was anyone else around besides him and the cat. Only the echo of his voice met his ears, as the lights in the lot dimmed. The screen now flickering as the movie started. Intrigued, he took a seat on the hood of the abandoned car and decided to watch whatever movie he was trespassing on. He was vaguely aware of Gatito joining him, but ignored the cat in favor of the screen.

The movie opened with a man with two faces; a fallen angel who loved and lost. One who chose a blaze of glory and rose to the stars. They paid the cost while gliding among it all, having been betrayed by a man with diamond eyes.

It was a style that was a little too artistic for Jackie's tastes, but somehow, he couldn't bring himself to look away as the scene changed. This one showed a titan from an age that should have been forgotten with all his bloodstained glory. That same titan was now shown broken and dismantled, before being executed on his knees as he had done to so many others before.

Jackie shook his head, wondering just what he was seeing as the film continued to play what seemed to be clips of multiple movies in a sequence he didn't quite understand.

He saw a tyrant coated in vile valor standing before his stolen palace, looking down on his subjects before being slaughtered by a rebel from outside his hollow walls. It seemed a fitting end for a man who stood upon those he deemed lesser to die upon the steps of his palace.

What followed was the image of a blind man bound into a wheelchair. Sitting before a dark-painted wall, or maybe a hallway bathed in pitch darkness. The latter option seeming more likely as a red striped phantom emerged from the void and proceeded to burn the man alive.

A group of cultists were shown after, moving in a group and looking rather impressive compared to those they passed. But Jackie could see that beneath the trinkets they wore, that it was all stage-craft designed to make them seem like something more than they could ever be. As they were standing before a shrine, they were struck down by a Goddess behind a veil.

The next scene was underwhelming in Jackie's opinion, but shocking in it's own way. He watched a bald man get beaten to death by an avatar of fury. Such a one sided battle took place between beams of steel before the battered man was left to die alone in a temple dedicated to rape.

Jackie shuddered, and looked away. Noticing out of the corner of his eye that the screen was blank, but illuminated in such a way that it seemed more like the film had been paused at a scene wipe as opposed to having ended. Odd of a film as it was, Jackie had to admit he was appreciative of the fact that whomever was controlling the movie had been kind enough to wait until he was paying attention again.

"Uh, thanks?" He called, this time looking up at the projection booth. Briefly, he saw Gatito's shadow pass in front of the projector as the movie started to roll once more.

This time, he saw a doll whose hair changed colors every time it changed hands. Each pair to handle the doll was rougher than the last, and Jackie noticed it becoming more and more damaged until it landed in a final set of hands. This final set handled her with care, but that didn't stop the doll from ending up in a trash can.

"Poor thing." Jackie muttered, even as the view shifted to a landfill. He wondered if they were still following the doll, only for the camera to center on some fat bastard being shot in the face. With a loud thump, the bastard hit the ground and was left to rot among the garbage that his killer felt he belonged with.

With a flash, the scene changed to a dark and rainy night and Jackie was surprised to now see himself on the screen. He was in the back of a car, face gaunt and eyes hollow. With great strain, he placed his hand on V's neck. The action saving his brother's life, even as his own faded.

"Mierda..." Jackie touched his neck, feeling for a pulse. Feeling the faint sensation beneath his fingers, he looked back at the screen in time to see a fly trying to be a spider. The little insect sitting on a web as it watched and waited for its prey, only for it to be struck down by a bolt of electricity from somewhere on high.

Shaking his head, the screen then showed an elegant palace where an Emperor was talking with his son. The son embraced his father, the older man falling limp in his child's arm. To some, it was probably a touching scene paralleling a son being held by his father for the first time. For Jackie, it was a painful reminder of his own father's bullshit – maybe he'd change his tune if he ever had a kid, but for now? Pass.

The screen changed to black then, and Jackie took a moment to stretch, thinking that the show was over. Instead, he heard the click of the projector again and a new image showed. This time, it was a broken child surrounded by a skeleton of metal fighting against a titan similar to the one in the prior scene. Though he was taken down, there was beatific smile on his face as the titan delivered the final blow.

After that, he saw a Valkyrie fighting against a foe nearly thrice her size. She had fought like mad, and showed an impressive level of strength and lack of fear. Going as far as to be bellowing her defiance in the face of her death as the final blow was dealt to her.

Even though the two 'heroes' – least that's how Jackie perceived the two, were taken down. He had nodded at the action, it was his hope that the next clip would be the same, but instead it was a nature documentary; this one about birds. Jackie had no idea of the species, just that it was a game bird and that they were following a female of the species. Hearing a call, the female lead some of the flock off course and into the path of some hunters. Realizing her mistake, the bird tried to change paths and lead the flock away – but it was too late. The very hunter who had sounded the call that it answered shot her, and she died alone. The perfect death for a traitor.

The next scene showed a viking warrior standing before a funeral pyre. On the pyre, Jackie could see a woman's body in similar clothes. The living warrior said some type of prayer and praise for the woman resting upon it, before setting the wood ablaze. It must have been treated with something, as the fire quickly spread and engulfed him in its flames.

"Not a good way to go." Jackie shook his head even as the flames on the screen vanished, replaced with a battlefield. The deceased warrior was alive and well, her movements quick and calculated. Seeing something headed towards her fellow warrior, she ran in front of him and took the blow. It proved fatal, and Jackie felt his eyes growing wet knowing that her defending of the one she cared about was in vain.

The next scene was of a king's courtyard, where a jester was preforming for a gathered group of guests. He was running from person to person, making jokes and comments. Eventually, he came to an old man who didn't take too kindly to his capering. Before anyone knew what happened, the Jester was murdered by the man, now revealed to be an assassin in disguise.

Another flash, and Jackie was treated to the sight of a woman walking peacefully along a street. That peace didn't last, as a mob soon descended on her and cut her down – a sacrifice offered up to the city of sin she died before. Jackie shook his head, feeling he was missing something, but didn't know what. He didn't have all that long to think about it as another scene came up.

The last scene.

This one showed a rotting old man on an operating table, the only thing that could be called organic in a room full of machinery. The only sound the steady beeping of a heart monitor. Jackie watched as the machines worked on installing implants, slowly rendering flesh and bone to metal. It would have been a marvel of medical advancement, if it wasn't for the fact that the old man was starting to look less human and more...uncanny. A loud thumping sound made him jump, and he nearly screamed as he watched as a mass of needles was shoved into the man's head, two of them going straight into his eyes. After a moment, he noticed the tubes attached to the crown were filling up with a blue essence. This essence was passed through the tubes and into a set of machines that changed it from blue to black.

The beeping in the background grew louder and faster, and Jackie flinched as he watched the now black essence was injected back into the body. He couldn't help the shudder that escaped him as the head-ware was removed, and the body started to twist and warp into something more disturbing than it already was. Slowly, Jackie saw it transform from man to monster, then into a horror beyond proper comprehension. The sight was enough to make Jackie want to look away, to run from the drive-in, but the sound of a long continuous beep stopped him. The sound of someone flatlining. Before Jackie could find out if the creature lived or died, the screen went white and the lights around the drive-in slowly turned back up to full strength – signaling the end of the film.

Much as that was a signal to leave, Jackie found himself overcome with various emotions and unable to move. None of what he had seen made much sense (even his own death), but it all still resonated with him. Was there an opposite to deja vu? If there was, that's how Jackie was feeling about everything he had seen.

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When Misty got the call from Lucy that Jackie had been in an accident, she wasted no time in telling Vik the details, before loading up with medicine to go help her man and his friends. She was thankful that no one had been seriously injured, but still concerned when she saw the states the guys were in.

True as it was that Jackie looked ready to pass out when she arrived, Misty had a couple more selfish reasons she wanted some privacy. The first? Less eyes to see her grief should the worse come to past. Good as she was helping others with their emotions, Misty would admit she didn't have the best grip of her own.

The second? She wanted a chance to observe what effect the drugs would have on Jackie. What she told Nadia about psychedelic drugs being used in rituals was true, but Misty had never seen anything like that herself.

She could tell Jackie was addled, his head occasionally moving as he looked around. Trying to figure out where he was, as if he was lost. That movement had ceased once she lead him down the short hallway to the guest bedroom Dorio said she could use. Instead, the man became fixated on the TV almost instantly once she had gotten him settled on the bed and hooked up to the IVs with Nadia's help.

"There, all set." She commented, taking a seat beside him as he muttered something. Leaning forward, Misty noticed his eyes fluttering, reacting in the way they usually did when he was intrigued by whatever they were watching. While the TV might have appeared blank to her, it was obvious that Jackie was seeing something.

"Jackie, what do you see?" Misty asked, curious if she'd get a response. Much to her surprise, Jackie muttered something about a man with multiple faces. "Describe him to me?"

As he muttered, Misty reached into her pocket and pulled out a small pen and notebook and began to write down some of the things he was saying.

"And did the gentle hands throw away the doll or-"

"Mierda..." Jackie exclaimed, a hand flying to his neck. Misty moved with him, making sure he didn't disturb the IVs as he rubbed at his neural sockets.

"Jackie? You good?" Keeping her voice soft and calm, Misty saw him let out a heavy sigh at the question. His hand fell away from his neck, and he seemed to return to the relaxed state. "What did you see?"

He mumbled something about saving V in a car. For a moment, Misty though he might have been remembering the escape from Pacifica. But that didn't seem to match up with the other things he had mentioned. Racking her brain, she compared what she was seeing against her knowledge. The unfocused eyes. The mutterings. The disassociation. Yes, they were all classic signs of a drug trip, but at the same time...

"You're on a spirit quest..." She whispered, voice so soft she barely heard herself. Keeping that revelation in mind, Misty did her best to quietly observe as Jackie continued to experience his vision.

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It had been a little over a day and a half since the boys had been exposed to the unprocessed Glitter, and while she didn't show it as much as the others Kiwi was glad they had pulled through. It had been touch and go, everyone working in shifts to make sure IVs stayed filled and hooked up. That anyone who freaked out had a set of arms to be comforted by. They would still need to be on the IVs for another day, just to make sure they stayed hydrated (as Nadia wasn't a hundred percent sure what their stomachs might be able to handle just yet) – but, they'd live.

The netrunner supposed she got off easy with Falco having been her main charge; having gotten the least exposure, he had been the first to regain some level of consciousness. Sure, she had to help him to the bathroom, and help him wash up afterwards. But at least he was coherent enough to understand what and why she was doing what she was. They had returned to the main area, each taking a seat at the counter as they watched the others.

Kiwi looked over at Lucy, whose face indicated that her ass had gone numb from the sheer amount of time she spent sitting on the floor with David using her as a pillow. The poor girl only got a break when Gloria would move in, using 'mom power' (in reality, 'mom guilt' but Kiwi wasn't going to argue) to replace Lucy for a time. Even when David came out of it, he continued to cling to her, seeming afraid that he would lose her.

"Shh, I'm not going anywhere...however, I would like to stand up and stretch my legs? And I bet you would too." Lucy hooked her arms underneath David's and raised them both up so they were standing. She let them stay like that a moment, before moving him to sit on the armchair while she remained standing. "There that's better."

David just grunted his agreement, hands moving to hold Lucy's own. Kiwi had to admit it was cute to watch, but that peace was shattered as she heard Becca let out a startled cry as her brother came to life.

Pilar finally came back to reality with a cry that had made everyone jump. He snapped up from the floor so fast that his mohawk briefly returned to its full, ridiculous glory as he stumbled. Fortunately for Becca, Nadia was close by when it happened, and she had been able to catch him. Something about her touch made Pilar settle down almost instantly, even as he muttered something about him and Becca being late for school. It was amusing, seeing the thankful but envious expression on Becca's face at his reaction to Nadia holding him.

"It's Saturday, no school today." The nurse assured him as Becca moved over to the couple. "Not to mention, you both graduated."

"Yeah." Becca played along, placing a hand on her brother's back. Her touch made him shift his posture so that he was embracing both of them. "Still, nice that you're back with the land of the living."

"Shit, was I really asleep that long?" He looked between the two, cheeks taking on a hint of color as they both nodded. "Probably explains why I feel like my bladder's gonna burst." Pilar's head looked around, seeming confused. "Wait, where am I? Fuck, figure that out later! Bathroom?"

"Over here." Nadia grabbed him and dragged him towards the bathroom, and shoved him in. There was no missing the looks of discomfort on everyone's faces as they heard the techie groan in relief. Once he was finished, Nadia helped him back to the living room, setting him up on the couch while Becca grabbed a blanket for him. He accepted it gratefully and wrapped himself up in it.

"What? Pilar likes to cocoon himself when he's not feeling well." The green-haired girl explained, taking a seat beside her brother. He let out a pleased hum and pulled the blanket closer, earlier question forgotten.

"Just means more laundry." Dorio had appeared in the main room in time to see his display, looking annoyed as she threw the soiled set of bed sheets she was carrying into the washer with a heavy sigh. "Not that it matters... I am so hiring a cleaning service when all this bullshit is done." She grabbed one of the buckets they had been using for giving the boys baths and filling it with warm, soapy water. With her other hand, she struggled to grab a bottle of spray bleach, and some towels.

"Dorio, it's not their fault." Gloria moved to help her, and Dorio nodded.

"I know, I'm just venting more than anything." She handed the bucket over as Gloria asked how Maine was doing. "And he's awake, but utterly embarrassed at the moment."

Given the evidence, it wasn't too hard for Kiwi to figure out what probably happened. She watched as Gloria joined Dorio in returning to the bedroom, hearing Maine groan at the sight of another set of hands. After a few minutes, the two girls returned to the kitchen and took care of the now soiled towels and bucket while a still red-faced Maine stumbled out in a pair of boxers and over to his preferred spot on the couch.

"Promise I'll make it up to you Dory. Take you out shopping for a new mattress, new sheets and anything else you want. And then to dinner at whatever restaurant you pick without complaint." It was both endearing and sad to see the big guy acting so submissive. "I just... don't stay mad at me?"

Kiwi saw Dorio shrink slightly at that, but there was a tiny smile on her lips as she moved into the living room and took a seat on the arm of the couch beside him. By the way her hand came to rest on his shoulder, the netrunner could tell everything was, almost forgiven. She opened her mouth to ask a question, but a cry from down the hallway stopped her.

"Será mejor que no hayas tocado a mi gatito de reserva estratégica!" The words were accompanied by the sound of someone jumping, and Gloria and Nadia rushing to assist Misty with whatever had just occurred with Jackie. An odd mix of Spanish and English came from down the hall, that culminated in the two nurses returning to the main room while Misty stayed behind a little longer to help Jackie settle back down. After a few more minutes, Misty walked out with her arm linked through Jackie's.

"Still don't know what it was all about..." He mumbled, looking confused as Misty moved him to take the last spot on the couch. "But thanks for being there."

"It's alright Jackie, we'll figure it out." Misty reassured him as Nadia motioned for everyone to move in to hold a small meeting.

"Figure out what?"

"What Jackie saw while drugged." She replied, refusing to elaborate. With everyone gathered in the living room, Nadia and Gloria used that to their advantage to give them all check-ups, employing the same tactics they had when they were still under the effects of the unprocessed glitter. Other than being tired, none of them seemed worse for wear, but Nadia still insisted on them being monitored.

The group spent the next hour in the living room, talking quietly between each other. Falco, Pilar, David and Maine had no recollection of their experience with Glitter, while Jackie admitted he only remembered hearing Misty from time to time, and a cat.

"Well, I don't have a cat so unless there was a random stray outside." She shrugged, eyes going to Nadia and Gloria who were running a couple simple tests on blood samples they had taken from the boys. Kiwi had to give the ex-Trauma nurse credit for having so much gear at her disposal. "What's the verdict?"

"They're all doing better, but the drugs may not be full out of their systems." The brunette explained, "so it is possible they might experience a small relapse. But the good news is, they'll live."

"And the bad news?" Kiwi asked, having a feeling there was more as Nadia checked something on her data pad.

"I've been in communication with Doctor Vektor about your conditions, and while there's no medical bad news...According to him the Tygers are still pissed at the loss of their drug lab. Not only that, but it seems one of the gonks you guys iced on the inside was the son of a high ranking Tyger...and he wants retribution." She shook her head. "Problem is, they've been looking for suspects, and it seems they know the involvement of the guys, but not you girls."

"But how?" Lucy shook her head, "everything was fried. We made sure that the cameras were dead before they even went inside."

"Apparently, one of the Tygers who was called in as back up before the place went up managed to see the four of you in the lab. He didn't get the best of descriptions, and what he has fits a good percentage of the population but the chance is still there."

"Shit, that must have been the fucker who threw that damn grenade." Maine scratched at his head, trying to kickstart his brain.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't know, Some gonk threw a grenade in right as Jackie and me triggered the time bomb we rigged up to destroy the pressure tanks. Must've been an incendiary as whatever was in those tanks went up in an instant."

"And you're just telling us this now!?" Dorio looked ready to snap, but Gloria placed a hand on the muscle-woman's shoulder and held her back. "Fuck, how did no one see them?"

"Came around the back." David answered, "saw 'em for just a second before everything went up in smoke."

"So what do we do now?" Becca looked at the gathered crew.

"Well, us girls can probably leave to take care of business...But the boys might need to lay low a couple days. One to take some of the heat off, and two to make sure they're fully recovered." Nadia turned a sympathetic look to Dorio. "Do you mind having your house guests a little longer?"

"Don't have much of a choice do I?" Dorio sighed. "Doubt the Tygers are going to risk pissing off the VDB just to find some gonks. All I ask is for a little help in continuing to look after these guys...and maybe cleaning this place up?"

The girls were quick to agree, while Maine once again promised to make it up to Dorio. The other boys meanwhile looked simultaneously annoyed at being stuck, but amused that they were stuck in Dorio's place.

"Now I just need to see Falco's place and my choom's places bingo card will be complete." Pilar turned his attention to the driver. "How 'bout it?"

"How 'bout, no." The mustached man replied, just as enthusiastic as Pilar had asked.

Kiwi was thankful for her cybernetic mouth, as it let her hide her laughter easier than the others. For a moment, everything seemed back to normal, but Nadia was quick to burst the bubble with a reminder that they still needed to rest and take it easy. Conversation switched then to Nadia, Gloria, and Dorio discussing how best to house the boys for the next couple days. Final decision had Maine and Jackie in the bedrooms, while David got the arm chair. Pilar and Falco would share the couch, which Dorio revealed had reclining seats on the ends. The three of them got the boys settled in their spots, all but Falco falling asleep shortly afterwards. Misty excused herself to check on her shop, promising to return later with some incense and other items to help freshen the place back up.

Kiwi meanwhile got Regina's information off Maine and took care of making the call to confirm the gig was completed.

["Don't worry about the delay in calling. Client's just happy that no one but the Tygers were killed when the lab went up. Good job, I'll wire the eddies over. Pleasure doin' business with you guys."]

The call had ended, and not to long after Kiwi got a notification that four-thousand eddies had been deposited into her account. By the smiles on everyone's faces, she could tell that Maine had set it up so everyone got paid as well.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I might go out for a few. Just to stretch my legs a bit." Lucy answered, and Becca agreed with the sentiment. "Nadia, is there anything you want us to get while we're out to help make their recovery easier?"

"Plenty, I'll send you a list."

"In that case, can you get me a couple things too?" Dorio asked, poking around in her fridge. "I'll have Maine reimburse you."

"Mind if I tag along as well? Probably easier to carry everything if we've got wheels." She held up the control key to the Edgerunner. "You don't mind, do you Falco?"

"Go right, ahead." The driver shook his head, speaking through a yawn. With a content hum, he buried his face into the pillowed backrest and started snoring.

"Heh, that's cute...Click."

"Kiwi? Did you just take a still of Falco?" Dorio asked, eyes narrowing.

"Not just of Falco." The netrunner looked over her shoulder, meeting her gaze. "Got a couple stills of all the boys during their trips."

"You're kidding me." The other blond crossed her arms, "you better not have been sneaking into my bedroom to get that shit."

"I didn't sneak. Only peeked in when I would go to the bathroom, and that brief moment when I took over for you so you could get some rest and get something to eat." She replied, figuring the truth might appease her host.

"Becca, think I understand why you hate her now."

"Told ya!" Kiwi looked over at the green-haired girl who quickly went from a smug smile to pouting. "Wait, please tell me you don't have anything of my brother in the bathroom?"

"Maybe." She shook her head, almost sorry about that. "Don't blow your top shorty. Only a few of him trying to pull his tail off once he was in the main room. Seriously, how did he get it to wag like that?"

"Delete it!" Becca demanded, "nobody needs to see that!"

"Aw come on, it's perfect blackmail for the next time he embarrasses you or me." The netrunner argued, "not to mention. Perfect material to perv him."

Kiwi had no idea if Dorio's place was soundproof, but if anyone walking by heard the inarticulate screech that left Becca's mouth they would have assumed someone was slaughtering cats and not just teasing a short-stack.

"Come on, Don't you want to think about your brother giving me his unwrapped throbbing cock?" Kiwi was taking way too much delight in watching Becca squirm and fume. "Oh the fun I can have fantasizing about him pounding me into the mattress an-"

"Ahem!' The angry couch came from somewhere behind her, and Kiwi turned to see Nadia glaring at her with unbridled fury. "I'm right fucking here."

"Sorry. Would it make you feel better if I sent you the stills too?" Much as Nadia tried to maintain her expression, Kiwi saw the flicker of amusement pass through her eyes and the tiny nod of the brunette's head. Giving a wink, Kiwi sent a file her way.

"Nadia? Know you can have the real deal, but delete that." Becca begged, but Nadia shook her head. "Oh come on, isn't that in violation of the Hippo laws or whatever the fuck doctors follow?"

"Do I want to know what you have on Maine and the others?" Dorio asked, seeming a little calmer now.

"Nothing too bad. Just Maine eating air burgers, and Jackie petting a pillow like it was a living thing." She looked directly at Gloria and Lucy, "and more than a few of David making snow angels on the carpet."

"Okay, now I don't feel as bad about taking stills of him." The red-head admitted, "send them to me?"

"Me too." Lucy asked, mouth twitching as she tried to suppress a smile.

Kiwi sighed and sent off what she had of David to Lucy and Gloria. And sent what she had of Maine to Dorio to avoid the woman's wrath. She was thankful that Misty had already left, and that Becca had no interest in any reminders of her brother's trip. It meant that she could still keep some of the stills as blackmail to use against the crew if they annoyed her. Not that she couldn't do the same with the stuff she sent to the others, but was it really blackmail if more than the parties involved knew about it?

"Alright, well if we're all done violating patient privacy rights. Think you girls should get a move on. This way we've got more room to work on cleaning up a bit." Nadia took charge, and everyone agreed. Dorio escorted the three of them from the apartment.

"Thanks again, and not gonna lie. You gave those up easier than I thought you would." Dorio commented as they stood at the entrance to her building.

"To be fair, that was just the stills." She admitted, hearing the collective hum come from her companions. "What? I've also got vids of them."

In hindsight, Kiwi should have waited until she was back at her place to reveal that information, but the sounds to come from her crew were worth the bullshit of the last couple days.

Kiwi had to admit that sometimes life was shit, and that sometimes it was the joy of embarrassing your chooms with blackmail.