Chapter Seventeen
"If we do not find anything very pleasant, at least we shall find something new."
-- Voltaire (1694-1778)
Seattle Hilton
Downtown, Seattle
April 20, 2059
7:25 am
There was a knock at the door. Mr. Wesson ignored it at first. He handed the last of his ties to his assistant, Claudia. She put the tie into his bag and carefully closed it.
"Come in." Mr. Wesson spoke. He turned his back to pick up his watch. It was a gold Rolex. A very expensive item that was handed down from his father.
The door opened behind him. Mr. Wesson could tell who it was without looking. The sound of Italian shoes touching marble floor was unmistakable.
"Ah, Mr. Frost." Wesson put the watch on his wrist. He glanced at its face to see the time. "You a little late. I trust that you have the situation well in hand."
Wesson turned around to face a man that did not appear himself. Frost's eyes had the look of exhaustion. His hair, always perfectly groomed, was in loose shambles. The suit that Gabriel wore was wrinkled in places. The left sleeve was rolled up, revealing a bandage on his arm. One of Gabriel's expensive shoes was even untied.
"What the devil happened to you?" Wesson questioned. He motioned to Claudia whom took her cue. She slipped out the door and locked it behind her.
"Those shadowrunners. That's what happened to me." Wesson gave a slight cough. "They were waiting for us."
Mr. Wesson frowned. "Tell me that you at least got the girl."
Gabriel lowered his head. "No."
"Well what the devil do I pay you for?" Mr. Wesson screamed. "I want to know exactly what happened. Tell me everything."
"The truth is, sir, that they were waiting for us. I was carrying out your orders. You said not to pay the shadowrunners. So I gave them a false credstick. When they turned over the girl I was going to get rid of them." Gabriel shook his head. "Things did not go according to plan. I did not have time to get my men into place. When we arrived, they were already there. They had a verification reader they used the scan the credstick. When they found out it was fake, it all broke loose. In the confusion Abigail ran off with the runners."
"I can't believe this." Mr. Wesson raved. "Is my entire security staff made up of idiots."
"Sir." Gabriel said. "Three of my men are dead. Five others are seriously injuried."
Mr. Wesson cursed. That was more money out of his pocket. His campaign was already costing a fortune. If things continued the way they were, Wesson would be broke by June.
James pulled out a chair.
"You are telling me that not only have you failed to get Abigail, but you have lost the lives of several of my security staff as well?"
Gabriel started to say something, but Mr. Wesson cut him off.
"I don't want to hear it." He held his hand up. "I'm leaving for Washington in a few hours. I don't care about Abigail anymore. Get rid of her and anyone else, but you do it yourself. Get it done. I don't want to hear another word of this affair."
"Yes sir."
Boise Safehouse
Auburn, Seattle
8:00 am
"What about this, bossman?" Riggs asked, holding up a the small microwave that once occupied a place on the kitchen counter.
"I said everything, Riggs." Lenny replied.
Riggs shrugged. "If you say so, bossman." He tucked the microwave under his arm and tromped downstairs.
"I can't believe we're cutting and running." Nightsky said as he passed by Lenny. Nightsky was carrying a duffel bag in his arms as well as a small telecom unit that was previously located in the upstairs lounge.
"It's not safe here." Lenny reminded as he shoved a fresh clip into his pistol. He had told the group to pack up everything. Lenny did not know what Gabriel would do after the meet went sour. At the very least he would seek the shadowrunners out. Lenny wanted to make sure that he was no where around when Gabriel came looking. To ensure the safety of the team Lenny decided to move the group to another location.
Abby watched as the bustle of activity continued. Various pieces of gear and equipment were taken out of the house and stored in the back of a Bison in the basement garage. There seemed to be a sense of urgency about the whole operation. Abigail did not know exactly what went wrong. All she remembers is being lead away by the assistant. Then gunfire broke out and the man with the odd smile took her away. She knew that things had not gone according to plan. She was a little afraid what would happen to her. The shadowrunners had been kind enough to remove the restraints and take her out of that locked room. Now she sat on at the kitchen table while a man with pitch black cybereyes stuffed bullets into a clip.
"What's going to happen to me?" She asked questionably.
Lenny stopped thumbing the rounds and looked at her. At first he did not know what to say. He watched her in silence.
"You can't keep me here." She protested.
"You don't leave." Lenny replied, turning his attention back to his clip.
"I say we turn her loose. Don't know why you wanted to bring her back to begin with." Gideon grumbled from the doorway. "She's no good to us anymore. Gabriel won't pay to have her back. He cut us loose, we won't see any of the money he owes us. All we got is the fifteen percent from him."
Abigail stood.
"Sit down." Lenny ordered. Abigail did as she was told. All of the defiance she had before had leaked away.
Gideon frowned. "What good is she? She's not worth anything to us."
Abigail and Lenny exchanged glances.
"She stays." Lenny said.
"Why should we divert our resources on protecting the fluff?" Gideon asked, vulgarly referring to Abigail.
"Why can't I just go home?" Abigail wondered. She was almost pleading.
Lenny put the clip into his coat. "How long to you think you will last out there, Abby? Gabriel hired us to find you. If we can do it, so can he. You can bet he'll be looking."
"So I'm staying with you people for my own good?" Abigail wondered, shaking her head. "Sorry, but I think I'm safer on my own."
Gideon nodded in agreement. He did not want anything to do with the responsibility of watching the girl. She was just dead weight to him.
"On your own is where you might be, but Gabriel will find you. You saw first hand the kind of men he has. They will shoot you on sight."
That quieted her down a little. She curled her lip and stared at the table top. Unsure of what to do.
"To answer your question, Gideon. Why should we keep her?" Lenny said. "For all we know Gabriel is probably looking for us. Specially after we took Abigail with us this morning and we know he still wants her."
"So we got the fluff as a bargaining chip?" Gideon motioned towards Abigail. "We can still get something out of him."
Abigail stood up. "You can't be talking about giving me back to him? I won't go! I'll run away before I let you take me to him! You think I am afraid of you? I'll get away from you just as I got away from Gabriel."
Gideon put a metal hand on her shoulder and pushed her down. "You'll stay." He warned. His thoughts had changed a the idea of making a profit out of this run.
Lenny shook his head.
Gideon caught he motion. "What, Lenny?"
"We're not going to deal with Gabriel, Gideon. For one, he has proven that he cannot be trusted. If was as simple as handing Abigail over, it would have gone down this morning. Gabriel didn't see it that way. Besides, turning Abigail over to him won't keep him off of our backs." Lenny said. "Our negotiations with Gabriel are at a close."
Gideon tilted his head. "You think he can't be trusted. I agree with that, but I don't agree with keeping this girl around. She's inviting trouble."
"Maybe." Lenny replied. "But Gabriel still wants her in a major way." He glared at Abigail. "I wonder why that is?"
Abigail was about to say something, but stopped herself.
Lenny pulled up a chair next to her. "Abigail, why does Gabriel want you so bad. Tell me the whole story."
"Why should I tell you?" Abigail protested. The grip that Gideon had on her shoulder tightened. It made her flinch.
"I want to know why he's after you. I might be able to use it to everyone's advantage. There may be a way for all of us to come out of this." Lenny explained. He motioned for the ork to let his grip loosen. "Now, tell me the whole story. Start from the beginning.""You know James Wesson?" Abigail wondered.
"Yes." Lenny nodded. "Mr. Frost's employer and congressional candidate."
"Well, I was seeing him." Abigail admitted. "He paid for a few nights company. It was nothing that I hadn't done before. He paid real good, too. I realized who he was about two weeks after we started seeing each other. Things were okay for a while. Then he started getting more obscene and rough. One night he beat me for laughing at him. I got tired of it. I told him that I didn't want to see him anymore." She sighed. "That did not help. Gabriel came by my place and picked me up. Threw me in the car is more like it. Wesson just wouldn't leave me alone. I decided to do whatever I could to get away from him. So I went to Kray's house and borrowed his camcorder. I taped a visit from Wesson. I made a copy of the tape and sent it to him the next day. I told him to leave me alone or I would send it to a reporter." Abigail shook her head. "He didn't listen. He sent Gabriel to come after me. I got away from him." She looked into Lenny's empty eyes. "But not from you people."
Lenny put a hand to his chin. "You made a tape?"
Abigail nodded.
Gideon and Lenny exchanged glances. Lenny smiled. "Well, there might be a way out of this yet."
Abigail lifted her head. "You mean it?"
"Yes, but I'm not sure how. Not yet, anyway. We can try to do what you planned on doing in the first place." Lenny explained.
"What are you going to do?" Abigail wondered.
"Take the tape to a reporter. Once it becomes public knowledge Wesson won't dare touch you. It will take this thing out of the shadows and into the spotlight."
"You really think he'll leave me alone."
Lenny grinned. "If this gets out I'm sure he will. He'll have too much trouble trying to save his campaign from going down the drekker."
"One little problem." Gideon grumbled. "We don't have the tape."
Lenny looked at Abigail. "Where's the tape?"
Abigail didn't say anything. For one she did not know if she could trust the shadowrunners or not. If she gave them the tape, the runners might cut her out of the loop. They might take the tape and sell it to Gabriel. Abby would be left with nothing.
"Abigail, without the tape we have nothing." Lenny said.
"It's someplace safe." Abigail said. Gideon sighed heavily. "I'll get it when it's time."
"When's time?" Gideon asked.
"When you have a reporter to give it to." Abigail replied.
Lenny did not like that. It would be better if the tape was with him. That way he knew it was safe to proceed. Yet he had to honor Abigail's wish. That was the least he owed her. "Okay, Abigail. We'll get someone lined up." Lenny said. "But first thing's first. We've got to move."
"Just what reporter are we going to get for this drek?" Gideon gripped.
Lenny thumbed a cigarette out of the pack. "Don't worry. I have just the person in mind."
Network 223 Headquarters
Bellevue, Seattle
12:00 pm
"Katie, Mr. Richards wants the story in by four. Otherwise it is not going to make the evening report. He wants to review it before it is aired."
"Don't worry, I'll have it waiting for him." Katie Florence sighed.
She pushed the door office door open. It wasn't much, but it was hers. She smirked at herself. Katie Florence, news reporter and voice of Seattle nighttime was confined to a tiny office that didn't even have a window. What a joke. Katie covered just about all of the political arena of Seattle. Though it was mostly fluff. A toping headline for her was the mayor's visit to the Galleria or a Senator hugging baby. That was the big news of her night.
Katie sat at her desk, lazily spinning in the chair. She faced a blank wall. The wall she often imagined her window would be. A window to look out on Seattle. Just like the big wigs had. Katie sighed again. The only thing her window offered was a never ending view of blue wallpaper that held mystery stains on its surface.
"Katie, there's a call for you." A passing newsboy said. "Line three."
Katie sighed again. She couldn't believe how much her life was getting in a rut. A few keys on her telecom answered the call. There was no video feed. A fact that was painfully obvious by the words "No Video" blinking on the telecom screen.
"Katie Florence, news reporter at large." She said into the telecom. "How may I help you?"
"Well, I'm not sure how you would be able to help me." The person behind the call had a tone of confidence. The voice was warm and calm. Like thick molasses on a summer's day. "But I might be able to help you."
"Yeah, I'm sure, chummer." Katie pulled a pair of nail clippers from her desk drawer. She started shaping her fingernails. "I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name?"
"My name is Lenny. I saw you on the news a few nights ago."
"Really? On the news?" Katie smiled. "I imagine that is where I belong. I am a reporter after all." She said in a high and mighty fashion.
"Yes, you are. A reporter who also does an occasional column for Seattle Weekly. I've read some of your work. I also watched your interview with candidate James Wesson."
"Well, it's nice to have an loyal fan."
"A fan?" The voice said. "Perhaps I am not that loyal." He chuckled. "But I am willing to offer something that would make the story of the month."
"Oh, really?" Katie sounded unconcerned. At the same time the idea of grabbing the spotlight appealed to her more than anything. The opportunity for her to step on her competition within the station very tempting.
"Indeed. Something that will have an interesting effect on one person's political campaign. I can offer you an exclusive interview and concrete proof of shady event in the life of one of our beloved public officials."
Katie sat up in her seat, but she tried not to show her excitement in her voice. This was her ticket to the big time. If it was as good as this Lenny was claiming it to be. "Tell me more."
"I don't think so, Katie. After all, information doesn't come free."
"I don't think so either." Katie frowned. "You want me to pay for this information. Well I'm not falling for some little scam. You can just forget it."
"I didn't say it was sight unseen. I am more than willing to give you a taste of what I have to offer."
"Then send it to me and I'll see if we can work together."
"Not a chance, Katie. This is too sensitive to be sent over the open lines. You know the Aurora Village?"
"Yes."
"I will be there tomorrow. Meet me on the benches in front of the American Lane store at noon. I will bring a sample, you be prepared to barter for it." The line cut off without another word.
Katie didn't know what to say. A golden goose had just landed in her lap. She was frantic. This person might have the information that would make or break her career. Unfortunately this man also wanted money for his information. That was something that she would have to work with. She couldn't afford much. Trying to get money from her boss would be a foolish endeavor. He would hand the story off to someone else.
No, she couldn't tell her boss. Not yet, anyway. Katie would have to think of some other way to get what she needed.
Nightsky's Doss
Tacoma, Seattle
12:15 pm
Lenny folded up his phone. "Well, Abigail, we have arranged for a reporter to take your story. We need you to tell us where the tape is."
Abigail looked at Lenny. "What about the money? You wanted money for the tape and my story. Do I get any of it?"
Gideon shook his head. "What use you got for it? This job has been a major hose up since our Johnson tried to geek us. We've received less than a thousand 'yen for the gig. That's less than fifteen percent of what we're entitled. It barely covers expenses."
Lenny held back a sigh. Gideon had his concern with the bottom line. It was true that this run was costing the team more money that it was making. Expenses for information and equipment had run over a thousand nuyen mark in some cases.
"Abigail, if things go public like they should, you'll be able to make enough money off talk shows to last the rest of your life." Lenny said. "But you won't be able to make a penny of it if you don't tell us where the tape is. Without that tape it's your word against the world. That tape provides the proof to make this thing stick."
Gideon grunted. "No tape no deal." He said simply.
"Okay." Abigail lowered her head. "The tape is in the 69 Coffin Motel. In Loveland. Coffin twenty-four."
Gideon nodded. "Good. Let's go pick the little piece of drek up."
Lenny nodded, exchanging glances with Gideon. The ork looked at him for a moment. Like he did not understand what Lenny meant. Lenny rolled his eyes and stood, flicking lint off his jacket. "Gideon." Lenny motioned. "Can I have a word with you."
Gideon snorted, eyeing Abigail. "Yeah."
Quietly Lenny lead Gideon into an adjacent room. This room was cluttered with various pieces of equipment. The problem with Nightsky's place was that it was much smaller than the safehouse in Boise. This was only a temporary measure. Soon Lenny would arrange for a better place to stay.
"What is it, Lenny?" Gideon asked once he was out of earshot of Abigail. Smiley was in the main room with Abigail. Tart was busy redressing the samurai's wounds.
"You wanted the money for turning Abigail and the tape over." Lenny said bluntly.
Gideon nodded. "Course I did. This job has been a hose. So far we would've been better off to have never taken it."
"So your putting a price tag on what we got?"
"Drekking right I am. I'm not walking away empty handed." The ork pointed towards the main room. "You ask any of the others and half of them will tell you the same thing. The reason we took this job was for the money."
Lenny doubted some of what Gideon said. It was true that the money was needed. Money was part of the reason why the group ran the shadows in the first place. However, it was not the only reason. Each of the group had a separate reason for running in the shadows. Obviously there were safer professions to choose from. Lenny could have stayed in the life as a BTL dealer, but the Yakuza saw it otherwise. Revenge had forced Lenny into the shadows. It had kept him here too. Gideon's story was different. Lenny knew this. Gideon was a mercenary. Gideon did it because it was what he was good at. Simply put, it was a profession to him. It was different with everyone.
"I didn't do this for the money, Gid." Lenny said.
Gideon crossed his arms.
"I did it for that girl in there. She reminds me a lot of someone that I use to know. I agreed to take the job from Gabriel because I thought it was the right thing. Not for the money or the fame in it. I thought we were taking this girl back to where she belongs. Away from this kind of life."
"She should get used to it." Gideon grunted. "The world is full of this kind of life."
"She's a human being, Gid. Scared and alone." Lenny scorned. "Take a look at her." Lenny pointed towards Abigail. She was sitting at a small table. Her back to Lenny and Gideon.
Gideon gave an unconcerned glance. It looked like he did not care.
"You can't tell me that she deserves this. She's not box of jewels that you can sell."
"She can make her weight in nuyen right now. That's more than we got."
Lenny shook his head. "Gid, for once, forget about the money. We can get better runs that pay a hell of a lot more than this."
Gideon looked away. "Speak for yourself, Lenny. I didn't take this gig for charity. I need the nuyen. It wasn't much, I know. Big, fat, hairy deal. Nuyen is nuyen."
"Not this time." Lenny shook his head.
Gideon reached out with his metal arm and grabbed Lenny by the shoulder. The hard metal dug into Lenny's shoulder with Gideon realizing it. Lenny gave the ork a harsh look.
"You're not giving this girl away for free, Lenny."
Lenny jerked Gideon's hand off. "You just worry about getting the tape. I'll take care of the meet and a place to stay for the night."
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