Chapter 12: Megabuilding H4
[Sasha: Rhys, you up?]
[Sasha: Found a place for you.]
[Sasha: Why no reply? (cat_wielding_scissors_smiley.face)]
Rhys opened the message, glanced at the time—ten in the morning—then looked up from his agent to the figure standing in the open doorway of the shipping container. His expression was a mixture of tired and confused.
"How did you and your messages get here at the same time?"
The lingering hangover and lack of sleep left his head feeling fuzzy. He yawned as he spoke to the girl in front of him.
Sasha was in a new outfit today, different from her netrunner suit or what she'd worn at Lizzie's. She'd traded the black bodysuit for a more casual, almost domestic look. She wore a blue denim jacket covered in graffiti art over a t-shirt emblazoned with the Dangerous Girls logo. Below, she had on a simple pair of long pants and stylish, pink-heeled shoes, with a small pink backpack slung over her shoulder.
The outfit softened her professional edge. The cute clothes paired with her naturally cute features made her look like a high school student. Anyone who didn't know better would be completely fooled by her appearance. She was a master at using these elements to mask her formidable skills.
"I texted while I was on my bike. My place isn't far from here." She touched the cat-ear charm on her head and gave Rhys a faint smile. "I spent the morning scanning the net. Found the apartment you're looking for, right here in Arroyo. It's not far. And since I live nearby, I figured I'd come over and take you to see it."
Rhys nodded. The crew had all gone their separate ways around four in the morning. They didn't actually live in the shipping container. The first night, Maine and Dorio had stayed because it was Rhys's first time with them, and it didn't feel right to just dump him in a metal box alone after a night of high-speed chases and heavy drinking. But last night changed things. The Biotechnica gig, despite knowing each other for less than two days, had clearly forged a bond between them.
Even Rhys had to admit that his perspective had shifted. He'd gone from being a detached observer of Maine's crew to gradually feeling like he was a part of it. What street kid wouldn't want a boss who was bold, generous with pay, and actually looked out for his people?
"What about Maine and the others? Are they still sleeping?" Rhys asked.
"Probably? How should I know, I haven't called them," Sasha said, perching on the edge of the sofa. She opened her pink backpack and pulled out a bottle of water and two protein bars. "Here, I brought you breakfast."
She handed them over. "Even if they are up, they wouldn't be coming here. Maine and Pilar have to go meet the fixer today to get our payout. Besides, didn't Dorio mention it last night? The crew's looking to expand. We need a new netrunner and a driver."
"Are good netrunners that easy to find?" Even as a newcomer to the edgerunner scene, Rhys knew that competent netrunners were a rare commodity in Night City. Even a gang like the Mox only had two or three on call, and Susan had to basically "rent" them.
Rhys took the water and protein bars, his optics scanning the packaging. It was a legit brand, produced by a known C-list corp. You couldn't be too careful with protein bars. The off-brand ones were a lottery; you never knew what they put in them. Best case scenario, you got some "standard" protein filler. Worst case, it was human remains, sawdust, and sand. Of course, even the legit ones used processed synthetic worms and insects. The thought was disgusting, but Rhys had gotten used to it.
He tore open a bar and took a bite. It was salty and sweet, but the texture was like chewing on a dense, flavorless paste. After finishing the first one, he took a swig of water to wash down the dry, chalky feeling.
"Of course they're not easy to find," Sasha said. "Any netrunner with real skill usually runs solo, taking gigs one at a time. This biz is always short on good deckheads. Most of them are just faking it." She paused. "But Rebecca and Pilar can handle it. The two of them know a lot of people on the street."
"There's one more. Eat it all," Sasha said, looking at him.
Rhys blinked, then obediently unwrapped the second bar and started eating. A strange feeling settled in his stomach. Last night, he could chalk up their sudden closeness to the life-or-death situation and the alcohol. But today?
Oh, right, he remembered. We're fellow geeks.
With two protein bars in his stomach, the gnawing hunger subsided. He stood up, stretched, and looked at Sasha. "So, are we going to see the apartment now?"
"Go there? We don't need to. I've already got the prices. There are four options. Put this on, see which one you like, and then we'll go lock it down."
As she spoke, she pulled a braindance rig from her bag. It was pink, with cat ears.
"No way, you have one of these too?" Rhys said, surprised. It was a sleek, beautiful piece of tech, a far cry from the gray, utilitarian rigs he was used to. This one had intricate patterns on the frame, and the earpieces were shaped like stylized cat ears.
"Twenty-three thousand and seventy eddies," Sasha said, holding up the device, her face beaming with pride. "The official Dangerous Girls collaboration model from last year." Before, she'd never had anyone to share these treasures with. Now, she did.
She walked over to Rhys. "Sit down. I'll help you put it on."
Rhys, who had just stood up, rubbed his hands together and obediently sat back down on the sofa. Sasha moved behind him, her fingertips brushing his temples as she gently pushed his hair aside and secured the BD rig on his head.
She pressed a button, then sat down next to him. She didn't so much sit as she plopped down, her side bumping into his. The contact and the cool temperature of her body sent a jolt through him. She was much cooler to the touch than when he'd carried her over his shoulder, and she had a faint, sweet scent.
"It supports multiple users," she explained as she initiated the connection. "The secondary experience is a little degraded, but it's good enough."
She uploaded the data, and Rhys's vision flared white.
The next moment, he was standing in a dark room.
Sasha's voice came from behind him. "Open the blinds."
Sunlight flooded the apartment. Rhys walked to the window and looked down. The view and the lighting were decent, but the scenery was ruined by another megabuilding looming just a short distance away, blocking the vista. Santo Domingo was a far cry from the polished chrome of the City Center or the vibrant chaos of Watson.
"Megabuilding H4. With utilities, maintenance, security fees, and all that, it comes out to 2200 eddies a month," Sasha explained from beside him. "Of course, if you factor in device usage fees, it's probably closer to 2500. Besides paying Night Corp, you'll have to pay a dozen other corps just to have the basics."
"The interiors of all four units are pretty much the same. Besides the location, don't expect much else. Unless you buy a place and renovate it yourself, they're all the standard, unified Night Corp style."
"Simple, small, but functional," she concluded, standing next to him in the virtual space.
Rhys nodded. He'd already noticed. The layout was identical to an apartment he'd been to in Japantown on a job once.
"So... this one?" Plagued by indecisiveness, Rhys immediately tried to hand the choice over to Sasha.
"No rush. There are still three more. The interiors are mostly the same, but the lighting and layout are still important."
"Let's check out the others," she said.
"Okay."