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Back at the station the pair of rookies received
a bit of a chewing out over the downed citizens but they backed each other
up and nothing further was said. The sergeant reassigned them to the upper
combat zone where their particular skills would be of more use. They were
to investigate a drug-related series of murders in which traces of Blissful
Blossum were found on each of the mutilated corpses. The partners were to
do this while patrolling their new beat.
It was not long until a young kid approached them near the Grand Mall saying
he was lost. Miles groaned but Millburger decided to find his mother in the
Mall where he last saw her. O'Hanlan brightened considerably when he realised
the Mall had data terms where he could check out the cred cards he had recovered.
They split up to achieve their relative tasks but a cop's life is seldom
dull in Night City. Officer O'Hanlan was approaching a data term when he
spotted a disturbance at the top of a series of escalators, people were running
and screaming, then automatic gunfire rang out. Miles alerted Matt as he
hauled out his pistol and took aim. his shot took the gunman in the head
but did not put him down, it did however attract his attention causing him
to approach O'Hanlan firing bursts from the FN-RAL as he came. Miles dived
behind the data term not a moment to soon as heavy 7.62mm shells ripped into
the tiles and the data term.
"Stay here Jimmy" called Millburger as he ran off to support his partner.
Jimmy stood and debated then followed, uncle Millburger was cool and he wanted
to see what was going on.
"It's no good hiding you goddam pinko subversive" grated the grizzled veteran
as he walked slowly towards O'Hanlan's position using suppressive fire in
between reloads when Miles would spring up and cap off a round before ducking
back. Miles's shells seemed to have little effect on the cyber psycho as
he laughed the flesh wounds off. This mall area was now empty except for
8 corpses and 3 wounded shoppers sprawled around and the duo slowly closing
with each other.
"Millburger, now might be a good time to turn up and berate me for excessive
use of force" quipped Miles
"I'm on my way, try to talk him down O'Hanlan"
"You have got to be kidding"
"Ok, use your sleep gas rounds" panted Millburger
By the time his partner had arrived, O'Hanlan had suffered several serious
wounds and the data term was ready for the scrap heap. Shell casings from
the old FN-FAL assault rifle were scattered all over the tiled hall and the
blackened scorch marks of a frag grenade marred the floor to the immediate
left of the data term.
"The sleep gas seems to have slowed him up some" called Miles weakly from
his position behind the data term.
Millburger tried to talk the psycho down but after a moments confusion he
opened up on the clothes store that Matt was using as light cover. Millburger
hit the deck and fired several gas shells at the cyberpsycho, O'Hanlan used
the diversion to pop up and empty his remaining shells at the guy too. The
war vet staggered and with a staccato burst into the floor he collapsed into
a heap.
Jimmy came running across the hall "That was great" he yelled. Only to suffer
a berating from Matt for not doing as he was told. O'Hanlan was mightily
pissed at being shot up again and hobbled over to the downed vet to 'search'
for ID, he swiftly pocketed several cred cards but the kid spotted him and
asked in that irritating voice "Isn't that stealing mister?"
"No it's not kid, we need it for evidence" grimaced Miles.
Millburger gave him a sideways look, then shaking his head he went back to
Jimmy.
It was a further 5 minutes before the meat wagon, med team and associated
NCPD turned up in force to clean up. The perp was cuffed and ready to go
and everything was going swimmingly until 'Speed' the Aussie paramedic walked
towards them.
"Bonza to see you again boys. You two are going to keep me in business I
can see"
"Just skip the pleasantries and stitch me up Speed" groaned O'Hanlan
"Hey no probs, I got me a new boy fresh in today. You don't mind if I let
him have a go do ya?"
"You have got to be ki..." Miles started to say as Speed injected him
"Great, over here Kevin he's all yours"
"Should he be all rigid like that?" queried the spotty youth.
"Yeah that's the pain relief I just gave him, may a've over did it a bit,
no probs though away you go"
20 minutes later after the lesson regarding the correct use of a dermal stapler,
Speed jumped back in the med van with Kev and the cops.
"Sorry about that me old mate, but we all gotta learn." joked Speed happily
O'Hanlan merely stared considering that it was fortunate feeling had yet
to return to his limbs.
The days rest in hospital did O'Hanlan a world of good and while he was enjoying
his rest life went on. Millburger was assigned Officer Mark Turner as a temporary
partner for the next shift which started after he dropped off Jimmy at the
halfway house for youths while they searched for his mother who he had seen
on camera leaving the Mall with a greasy looking toerag; ID as yet unascertained.
The shift went well until a massive explosion shook the ground and chunks
of masonry began crashing down into the road and sidewalk. After recovering
Matt looked up to see that what looked like an AV had crashed into the Tres
Chic church top French restaurant built atop an old cathedral.
His attention was drawn to the large RTA that had happened nearby as a result
of the masonry. The two cops worked fast to drag people from burning vehicles
while summoning back up from emergency services. To make things worse an
unseen sniper began firing at a parked van for no apparent reason but this
stopped after a while and there was nothing Millbuger could do but report
it. More dead, more casualties, yeah it was just another day on the streets.
The evening came and Matt crashed out at home were he fell asleep almost
immediately.
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