ouse

prone to gangs, disappearances, and nefarious street-life. The lighting on this level was just slightly more than an eternal dusk, and the air h

ust like

hen took my full-spectral binocs out of the glove-compartment, and we went ov

uch just yet

ted, "here comes a sligh

o the building's only visible entrance. He looked l

omeone just inside. I wish I'd r

a pocket and put them on, aiming the

you have a recorder hook

ask?" sh

nd repeating what she

ing asked to pay ten-thousand credits for one vial of the 'water

', you could cut it about a thousand to

water. I'm going to scoot

own the roof and was climbing down the side of

to say it. Anyway, I f

r price, and then exchanged packages. Must be the drugs. I

se pesky little stars from circ

face being attached to a six foot body and wearing, along with other decorative but fatal attire, a biker's jacke

e hegggre. A sp

't spit so much

ught briefly of telling them that I

of the cat

t spying on your building at all. I was

rt of securr

ing good, "so, we're

ned too

led b

to laugh, the girl giggling

laugh along

lau

was going to

, "someone from that new gang that's

, wron

you see I w

o dash fo

I found myself dangling

in, "We take him bac

ike that l

ink he's cute, " the

ike, pulled out some cuffs (they were metro-cuffs; I was afraid to know how he'd gotten them), and put th

in tandem with his own and the first one ap

re Tango, smiled when he got a spark

-thousand volts began to pour through h

have to recharge her

wooden board lying around. The cat s

bbed me by the throat, claw

ifty feet. I knew that ICy had now taken control of

streamed

"that's the last time I buy that mo

and strapped me do

s did so. They left what was left of their former companion whe

ve

paw and we al

inside the building. We went past some dregs shooting and snorting all manner of stuff, all variety of races in wild forms of garb, and chains and earrings hanging from almost everywhere except their e

d me on th

-out on rrroof. Brrrought him to qu

ectronic equipment as well as a good sampling of small arms. Behind the desk was a large kodiak bear type, with scars, wearing a rumpled business suit,

-legged on his desk, using a small dagger to groom her fingernails. Bear-face motioned to me and wo

details into his ear. After a few seconds, th

, " he growled, "and you're going to help me

member of any gang, but I was spying on them; I want the

oing to help you mu

male said, "I want to keep w

se I was looking at the wareho

oking at customer, " the

, "his hands aren't rough enough

ed me to the ground and handed my ID to boss-man. The boss looked it over and then g

miled, "which, if true, m

olf roared w

d be used to that

d up, "Can I k

at name some

fter I decide if he

g Henderson?"

oothy smile a

e boss, heavily into drugs, prostitution

ignored their laughter, "I'm

, "I've lost five guys trying to trace

im, " the wolf

ndone behind my back. I

ike them, and I kn

their a

er chance than you

narl, "You pipsqueak; how can y

ck by my hair and br

ck

lly untied it- climbed onto his back, pulling rope around his neck at the same time. He got up, growled, a

o do. Then I vaulted out and over his head, landing in a distinctly non-dignified position on the floor. Brainy had still been trying to press me up against the wall, but since I wasn't there he slammed himself up against th

des, " she tilted her knife towards m

miled, I could tell that she was i

ing to be beaten by so

and hit the wolf in the throat. He slumped t

leave you

travel, get out on the town, and

he said, "If I say so, neither one of

ng the massage job the gi

d if I say so, you don't

enc

g began to

ooked "fri

. We both want this other gang out of busin

miled, snapping off my lower

f put in, "he's tak

nder's keeper's,

claws c

s knife c

looks as if we have a rea

other. I backed

n. The girl whirled around slashing, but Tiff wasn't there. Tiff scratch

sat down, "is she of

h! C

en I brought down the

Break!

was dumped on the air-waves. How'd you g

iled. "Is the girl of

! Scr

I keep her around.

Claw! S

l under fire like you. I'm willing

and couldn't find her until she'd jumpe

down on you hard! I just want my bu

Swing!

I can guarantee that; I got promote

ngratul

h! C

So, do we

Crash!

ust a businessman

aw! Parry

hear it!

h! C

s,

ging for her back

you can stop playing

leaped at

ka

r to me; the girl landed with a hard thump and a sig

"She loves

laug

ne to prosecute). When we went outside I saw Tango there; apparently after the bikers had taken me, ICy had let down Tango for Tiff, who had been observing from

e, Tiff, and Thorg ready to charge the back door, with the gal that Tiff fought still recovering back at their headquarte

o it for Tip. That, and I was sick and tired of bein

dded towards the building, "Everyone's in position now. I'm t

s while I readied my laser pistol.

up, "now's as go

nd spoke in

front door, one on the roof, and one on the side. This was followed b

re going in. They brought in enough armame

thing on the back of m

oked co

Siz

ike a heavy duty energy blaster turret, the kind you fi

s that?!" Thorg s

rug pushers don't carry

into someth

and the power cables,

try wi

ared off int

oked up, "I'm backing them off; they got heavy

t titanium as he pointed his

've got to deal with this first.

own by heavy blasters

That's

came running out of the hole. Following them came half a dozen men, all dressed in green uniforms, carrying submachine

ponder it. I leaped over towards Tango, pulling Thorg with me. We

ters sounded from inside, as

Cy

voice sounded ov

, anyway of getting to t

ontained, independent

gry, "You mean you c

getting too close, "ICy,

and security. It's hooked up to the local cybernet,

into their cyber-space, " Thorg looked threateningly,

ICy, hook me in!" I smiled, "besides, who do you

go's Cyber-link. ICy gave me their syste

ck, my boys are in a tu

explo

best password-finding program. No good.

eing gunned down b

r has to call outside for such things as correct time, weather reports, and the stoc

lit! Sizz

or you're

o run a bit-in

wha

I explained

system and invert all of their memory and

ut their guns and

More like.

of shots began glancing off of Tango. The troops had not

et to go, I landed Tango on top of their roof; since all t

ooth; apparently one of Tango's

was the report of the 70 caliber just before it happened. It looked as if my program was begi

coded signals to the other, by way of rapidly firing off a few dozen shots per second (I don't think they were designed for that sort of prolonged firing rate), while the other was trying to make love to their refrigeration system, w

ing, "I think I like the looks of this. Say, if your go

nly forty more years a

out of the roof stairway door; a

, or what's l

bloodied, wolf-face in the lead, "Boss, it's all chaos

many

e maybe ten left,

ut of F

e" again. Everyone backe

heir lead

t's too dangerous in the

Thorg stopped a

o correct him on the pronunciatio

extraneous noise stopped, "I

nk-

n the stairs!, and shoot

y parts everywhere (Yuck, I think I just stepped in some intestine!). Boxes and their liquid contents were broken open, spilling their contents all over. Two LARGE blaster turrets hung loosely, with the 70 caliber limply guardi

hen at me and Tiff, "You two s

re just like fire a

it was the same ones as from UMI. The

dn't do

t two seconds, and then dropped to the floor writhering and twitchi

bserved, "he probably took enough

horg motioned for wolf-face to check out the whimpering, while the cat's twitching and

at all the box

here to give North Ame

illery, " Tiff motioned,

he guys in green. Something still n

t. I went over to anot

re iden

ese pros are

cloning g

he source of it was thrown bef

raccoon wearing an overcoat.

his!" he shouted, "

there on the ground

ust need confirmation. So, if you'll just tell me before Thorg's

ell, except that one of us isn't a

ad finally stopped...

.. cccan't

his knife. The raccoon

LK!

on scream

uuttt,

went the o

a few fingers l

Corp. That'

ps and weapon

ts them from the- OW!! -

MI?" Thorg aske

I, ... I

sticking out of the back of his neck.

cried, "it's

, grabbed at his heart,

ed, " I f

as. Tiff and I didn't need to; we h

lack, and shape

mixed with rage, i

ve you gotten

is men, "we're o

e up dragging a body, "we f

ody looked ra

eff. He's with U.M.I

e word on the street that anyone pushing Eup

the stairs. As we climbed them,

on one of

corative headband. By its mar

ot who I thought it was. But that doe

does, " Tiff

minute and then

at do you know? I'm no longer suspended! Of course, I hadn't told them about Thorg's hel

I'd be in touch with him later but he said not to rush, that me and Tiffany attracted too much danger even for

the sector. The whole neighborhood was going to get high! I w

straight for the bed. Last I remember, me and Tiff both collapsed on the bed. Now, I know what yo

before I hit