DNA/DOA (Cont.)
The runners find Mohan as soon as they emerge from the Aztechnology research park and they are escorted back to the Wilhem Park enclave. They discover a hero's welcome waiting for them as the ork children are reunited with their families. There is much rejoicing until Bronston comes face to face with Owens. After giving her a long, hard look, he calmly says, "Give me a reason why I shouldn't have you shot right now." Owens is shocked. "Why do you say that Alan? I thought we were friends... says Owens, taking a step back. "Do you remember the gene sequence for the metavirus Carol?" Bronston asks, "I can still name them off for you if you like. How could you work for them when you knew what they'd use it for?"
Now then runners are edgy. Things get really tense for a moment as Owens tries to stammer a response. "But..." she stutters, "But, I didn't have a choice!! I objected until they pressured me! They even locked me up after I refused to continue the research after the Beta Section went down!Ask them!" she says, pointing to the runners. "Can you verify this?" Bronston asks. The runners nod their heads in agreement, telling them of their findings. However, Bronston doesn't seem to impressed. "Well, I won't kill you," Bronston says, "But, I demand that you stay here with us to aid in the education of the children here." Owens tries to stammer another retort out, but stops, seeing that there is no other way the grudge between the two will ever be settled. "Well," Bronston says to the runners, "I have good news for you. We got your friend back, Klyde. She speaks very highly of you." At that point, Silver is brought to the group, and Klyde removes the tracking device from his pocket and grinds it under the heel of his boots, destroying it. "What about Mr. Johnson?" one of the runners asks. "Mr. Walker is will still meet you at this address," Bronston says, handing the runners a crumpled piece of paper. The runners begin to think about how good the money will be when they leave with Mohan for topside.
The smog never smelled so good, the runners think, as they emerge from out of the sewers a block away from their meeting at the safe house. Mohan tells the group that he'll take Silver to where she needs to go and then he disappears. They enter into the safe house and they see the man who initially approached them with the offer sitting on a couch with a drink in his hands. He still shakes as the runners enter the safe house. The next thing the runners know, they are surrounded by 20k soldiers, all armed with sub machineguns. A well decorated man, obviously the leader of the thugs speaks calmly to the runners. "So good to see you Klyde, why did you destroy the device? We had to get Mr. Holmes here to find your present location. He's been a valuable asset through all of this. No matter, you will have to give us the stolen goods. This all could have been avoided if you hadn't fragged with us. Now give us the goods and maybe you'll die quickly." The metahumans in the party look at each other thinking that maybe the breeders stand a chance against the racist hoodlums. Once again, corporate security shows up again to break up the fight. The runners hit the deck, once again letting the policlubbers do their dirty work for them. The windows are quickly shot out and lead flies everywhere.
The runners go for the back door and a few policlubbers make the mistake of trying to stop them. They are dispatched easily and the runners escape out into a back alley to the sound of sirens. Police sirens. Before they can get to the end of the alley, a Knight Errant patrol car blocks it off. Just a second before they open fire, Mr. Johnson steps out of the car flagging them to come quickly. They dive into the car and speed off, leaving the firefight behind them. Klyde immediately asks Mr. Johnson in the most aggressive and obvious way where their money is. He gives each runner a certified credstick containing 40,000 nuyen each. Mr. Johnson returns with another query, "where are my goods?" The runners are more than happy to part with the stuff, and they tell Mr. Johnson about Holmes involvement. Now Mr. J. is really slotted off. He starts swearing about how he'll kill the fragger when he finds him.
Mr. J drops the runners off at their flop, and they hastily call in a favor from Artur Vogel to get them the hell out of Seattle. They know that Aztechnology will come looking for them and they'll have to get out as fast as they can.
EPILOGUE
The day after the run, Aztechnology is brought up on charges of holding Military Maneuvers within the bounds of the city of Seattle by Lone Star Securities. It is the start of what will be a long and lengthy lawsuit that at looks like it will cost Aztechnology billions of dollars. Although Aztechnology doesn't know who screwed them over now, you can fragging well bet that they'll be looking into it... Within that day, a freak storm arrives on the coast that night, just as the runners are about to get in their car to get to go to SEA/TAC airport. The weather forces them to delay their departure, not knowing that fate has something far more special planned for them. The winds and rain blow hard enough to shatter bulletproof plasti-glass windows of highrises and to knock down weakly structured buildings. And soon, the runners will know what's really going on in the shadows...
To be continued in Harlequin's Back!
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Email: t.dredd@mailexcite.com
