Chapter 15
Peaceful Eve
Kobe Terrace Park
Downtown, Seattle
April 5, 2059
8:03 am
Lenny leaned on the edge of the bridge. He was looking down into the clear water that was flowing effortlessly beneath him. It was so clean and pure. There was not a ounce of pollution in it. A man could fill a cup here and drink it. What he drunk would be cleaner than what he could get out of the tap.
Lenny had not gotten any sleep last night. The only reason he was awake was because of the stim pills that he had been taking. He did not have as much strength back as he would have liked for this meet. Riggs was nearby. The little dwarf was buttoned up in his van and running sensors like he always did. Gideon was with him, but the ork's cyberarm was still out of commission. The pain receptors in the piece of technology had been shutdown along with the rest of the arm. Gid would have to get it fixed when he had the chance. The doctors had put Nightsky back togther enough so that he could be present. The adept just required a bunch of stitches and some sealer over his wounds. He was okay other than being numb from pain killers.
Tart was not at the park. She was still at the DocWagon Clinic on the outskirts of Redmond. Actually, the Clinic was on the outskirts of Seattle, period. Technically it was on tribal land where Lone Star did not have authority. Shard had been admitted the night before. Her condition had stabilized in the early morning hours. She was awake and talking just before Lenny left for downtown.
A lot of fast talking and hard nuyen had to be spent at the clinic. Lenny had managed to convince the doctors and officials of the clinic to see the rest of the crew. Lenny bought a contract for Smiley and offered a nice bribe so he would be admitted. Smiley regained consciousness halfway through the night. Before long he was ranting and making lewd passes at the nurses. The doctor put in a hefty pain killer to knock out Smiley before he became too much of a problem. With the bribes than Lenny had offered, DocWagon got an interning medical student to patch up the rest of the team. Only Nightsky and Gideon needed it.
Riggs and Tart had kept Michelle locked in the Bison during the whole stay. They did not let her out of their sight for a second. Lenny was proud of them and praised their efforts. He admired them more for putting up with Michelle for a whole night more than anything.
Something brushed against Lenny's arm.
Lenny shook his head back to the present and focused on the person who was standing behind him.
"Good morning, Mrs. Johnson."
"Good morning, Lenny-san." She said, now standing next to him. She too was looking at the stream below the bridge. "You do not look well."
Lenny caste her a cold glance, but he did not let it hover there. She looked at him for a second. Her eyes were hidden by dark sunglasses. The rain of the previous night had broken away. Now the sun was bright and warm in the morning sky.
"It's been a long night."
"I see."
"One that's made me a bit more careful, I might add." Lenny afforded a slight grin. "I should warn you a sniper has taken aim at you by now. Please don't try anything rash with the dozen or so men that you have carefully concealed around the park. Any hostile move and not even the fastest wires can save you." Lenny paused, letting it sink in. In truth, there were no snipers. The only reason Lenny said anything was to make Mrs. Johnson think about the possibility. "I tell you this as a warning and a precaution. I have no wish to harm you. My only concern is providing you with the mark and getting my payment. Do we have an understanding?"
Mrs. Johnson hesitated for a moment. "Yes, so long as you understand that I will be most unhappy of any wrong-doing on your part."
"You don't have to worry about my part, Mrs. Johnson." Lenny said. "Credsticks?"
"I have them here." She showed Lenny small packet that held seven credsticks. "Non-labeled certified credsticks in the amount previously specified. As you requested." She eyed him. "The subject?"
Lenny placed his hand against his ear. In doing so he clicked his commlink on. "Mark." He said flatly.
In a few moment the Bison pulled up on the street twenty meters away from the bridge. The side door opened allowing Michelle to step out. She was accompanied by Nightsky on her left. Both of them were dressed like joggers. Only Nightsky had a Manhunter and his Sai underneath his jogging suit.
"Let me check the sticks." Lenny pulled a portable reader off his belt. He held out his hand expecting for Mrs. Johnson hand over the credsticks.
"Allow me to check the subject."
Lenny frowned, but nodded at Nightsky. Nightsky lead Michelle up to the bridge. When they got there, Mrs. Johnson had Michelle give her thumbprint to a scanner. At the same time Lenny ran the credsticks through his reader. Both of their tests were good.
"Everything seems to be in order." Mrs. Johnson commented. She motioned at tall man that had been reading a paper.
The man folded up his paper and tossed it in the trash. He came up to Michelle and took her gently by the arm. He spared only the slightest glance at Nightsky who seemed to be ready for anything. Then he quietly lead Michelle away.
"It's been an interesting experience doing business with you, Lenny-san." Her words seemed forced.
"Ma'am," Lenny said. "It has been most unpleasant experience doing business with you."
Mrs. Johnson frowned at that.
Lenny back away. "This is our last meeting together, Mrs. Johnson. Please do not seek us out in the future. We are no longer available to you." For a moment Lenny looked over her shoulder at the looming presence of the Renraku Acrology.
He turned and left before Mrs. Johnson had a chance to say anything. Nightsky followed close behind. The two shadowrunners got in the Bison and let the door shut soundlessly behind him. The van pulled out into traffic while Mrs. Johnson was still standing on the bridge. A few moments later the Bison blended in with the early morning traffic and disappeared.
That's it for this story. Try going back to the Fiction Index and find something else. Thoughts, rants, comments? Email me and tell what you thought about it.