\+/ Tales From Night City \+/ Chapter 33 - Rat and Mouse
The heavy weighted thumps of Zaunya's boots can be heard one after the other as she paces back and forth in front of the window of the apartment. The cigarette smoke casually makes it's way out of the open window into the Night City air. Her shadow plays peek a boo with the curtains as she struggles to maintain her patience.
With her arms crossed tightly, she hears various voices echo in her mind... starting with her mom's: "Remember... whatever they want... whatever they ask... the answer is yes. Ok?"
She then hears Brian's voice: "tch... as capable as you are... You're lost".
She then hears Audrey's voice: "This isn't just your fight anymore."
Zaunya runs her fingers through her long black hair still pacing back and forth. She then hears Nicholas' voice: "What did they do to you huh..? What did they take."
As the tension builds within her she grits her teeth and hits her own head several times with the palm of her hand.
She hears Nicholas' voice again: "BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DO!...THEY ONLY! TAKE!"
As Zaunya's tension reaches it's peak she hears the front door to the apartment abruptly slide open. She snap draws her jet black Nue and points it directly at Brian as he enters. Brian stops in his tracks after entering and stares directly at Zaunya pointing the iron at him. He lowers his eyebrows and tilts his head up slightly at her without saying anything. Zaunya lowers her Nue while closing her eyes and breaking eye contact with him. He picks up on her energy before speaking.
"Any gig you do in this city... involves action... I've found that intentionally doing no action is often the most challenging part of any one of em."
Zaunya looks up at the ceiling and takes a deep breath. The tension release causes her to drop her Nue onto the carpeted floor with a heavy weighted thud.
"Waiting... is a skill in itself;... to be learned and mastered." Brian says as he slowly approaches her. He gets right in front of her as they both look at each other. He reaches down and picks up her jet-black Nue before looking her deep in her eyes and pausing.
"...Waiting ends today." He says as he places her Nue back into her hand. Zaunya looks up at Brian as the two share a brief silence.
Brian and Zaunya are next seen in the Galena G240 parked strategically scoping out El Coyote Cojo and the surrounding neighborhood. The streets are busy and in full swing as Night citizens go about their day. We pick up on the pair of them toward the end of a conversation.
"Talked to Mama Welles. Gave her the description you had... Was right on the money. Apparently the rat is overstaying his welcome and shes at the end of her rope with him n' his 'goons'. I guess makin' too much of a racket... deterring patrons and-"
"hahaha geez; 'rat'..? You really are a streetpunk aren't you? How's that 'climb to the top' working out for you huh? The chase to become a legend."
"Legend's a title they give to sorry gonks who bit off more than they could chew... Only way to it is in a hole in the ground... You often end up there before you ever even get close." You see a quick flash of Graves' corpse in Brian's arms in the R.E.O facility.
"Ha.. yup. A street punk through and through."
"Is that right." Brian says leading while glancing out the driver side window.
"Mercs don't question. They simply do what they're told to do for eds... incorporating as little discretion as they can along the way. Not you though huh. You're a whole different... kind of something aren't you."
"Interested in pickin' my brain? Probably flow better over a drink instead of a stakeout." Brian says giggling.
"I disagree." Zaunya says giggling as Brian checks the time.
"Mama Welles gave me a time window that she usually sees them at."
"So what's the move?"
"They'll be there." Brian points at the Coyote bar.
"We'll be there." Brian points at an apartment complex across the street from the bar.
"Mama Welles did us one better... big mouth gave up his room number a few nights back. Apparently had the nerve to invite her over to his place. Ha... guy really is fuckin gonked." Brian says as the pair of them suddenly see the corpo amongst the crowded streets. They see him with several mixed bag huscle... sticking out like neon thumbs in the wrong district as they make their way into the Coyote.
"THERE HE IS!" Zaunya says to Brian as she quickly puts her black leather facemask on and opens the passenger door to start to get out. Brian quickly grabs her forearm making a skin slapping noise.
"The less your masked face is out in public the better. Stay here."
"WHAT?"
"Think they're the only ones that stick out around here...? Petrochem is scanning the entire fuckin' city right now.. any significant moves involving corpos are gonna get sharper eyes... All it takes is the wrong set of eyes on you and we're done."
"Brian." Zaunya says in a tone of disbelief looking at him in the eyes. Brian begins to instinctually say something but quickly catches and stops himself. The look in his eyes imply a subtle level of fear as he breaks eye contact with her. Brian lets go of her forearm and slowly pulls his hand away.
"Lets go." He says opening the driverside door as the pair hop out of the car.