Chapter 160

“I guess it’s okay.” I mumbled, Ichi had led me outside, into his little backyard. It had actually been a surprise that Ichi lived out in Arroyo, because I had always thought he had rented near the rest of us, but apparently this was his Grandmother’s home.

 

It even had a little garage outback, with dirt cutting through the grass leading through a side gate.

 

He quickly opened it up, and showed his van.

 

His van that still had my Minotaur in it.

 

“Umm… So do you need it for something?”

“Not the Minotaur itself. I’m going to grab the control program, and see what it’s made of.” I explained as I hefted myself up into the van, noticing the control crown and plopping it on my head.

 

“Oh, great. So is that new chrome?” He asked suddenly and I threw him a smile as I showed off my neck.

 

“Sure is! New Neural Link, and Sandy.”

“Whoa. Sandevistan? What’d you get?”

“Just a Dynalar. I was going to wait on chipping one until I had the perfect one, but… Jun reminded me I should be looking at the short term as much as the long term.”

“That’s preem Motoko. What’s it like?”

“I don’t know!” I laughed at the reveal. “I’m not allowed to turn it on yet, docs orders. Install is still fresh.”

 

“Oh, tell me about it once you use it.”

 

“Why? Thinking about one yourself?”

“Speedware is useful for drivers.” He answered in turn before humming. “Do you need me? I got work.”

“Just give me one minute, and I’ll get out of here.” I looked at Ichi who looked relieved. “The SCSM job?” I asked for clarification as I worked.

“Yeah, I kinda like it, I guess. It’s simple enough, lets me drive around and I don’t get shot at. At least not yet.”

“That sounds nice. Make sure you bring your gun though. You never know when you’ll need to shoot back.”

“Obviously.” He agreed and seemed to relax. Ichi had been kinda high strung this morning. I wonder if he just didn’t process well in the mornings? Needed a cup of coffee or something first?

 

While I was talking to him, I was plugged into the control crown for the Minotaur, pulling the data, downloading all of it, into a set of shards I had plugged into my new chip slots.

 

I was downloading into multiple shards at once a barrage of data flowing into me much faster than my old system could have done. The new neural link was definitely an upgrade even at a base level from what I used to own. It was very very cool.

 

“Okay all done. Before I leave, what security do you have for the garage?”

“Uh… A lock?” He answered and I nodded, reaching into my back pouches and pulling out a TachiCama.

 

“Here, let’s set it up somewhere it can see your garage, just remember to charge the battery once a week. Set a reminder or something okay?” I offered as I started examining the back porch on his home to find a place to hook it in.

 

“Uh. Sure. I can do that… Thanks Motoko.”

“No problem.” I muttered as I found a good hidden place in the rafters where it could see the garage while being mostly hidden. Once its cute little feet were clamped on I turned to Ichi who was still sort of nervously moving from foot to foot.

 

Okay fine.

 

I reached out and flicked his forehead suddenly.

 

“Ow! Motoko!”

“That’s for totally stealing my cool Minotaur, that I totally wanted to use myself. Also-” I interrupted myself, walked over and slapped him on the back. “Good job finding something you can do to be extra useful.” There. That should solve the problem with his nervousness. Seriously it was like he expected me to attack him for stealing my Minotaur or something.

 

“Alright I’m out! Have fun at work!” I called out, waving an arm over my head as I headed out.

“Uhh.”

 

—–

 

I was back home looking over the program for juicy bits when I got a message from Hiromi. Checking it I nodded.

 

Payday. Enough of the equipment from the gig had been sold off, Hiromi sent out the first quarter… Wait no, there were six of us. The first sixth of the payday.

It was pretty juicy and I nodded pleased before refocusing on my program. I was still using my chrome as little as possible so I was just looking over the programming as I displayed it on my laptop.

 

But suddenly I had a call come in.

 

*Ringing.*

 

Rebecca? Preem! I quickly accepted before the second ring.

 

*Hey choom.*

*What the fuck?*

 

*Uh… I don’t know?* I asked in turn and had a moment of quiet before Rebecca responded again.

 

*I just got the pay from your choom for the gig. What the fuck?* She repeated almost breathlessly.

*Oh! Now I get it! Relax,that’s not the full payment! Hiromi hasn’t sold off everything yet, but she sold enough of the loot to give us part of it.*

*Yeah I know! I read her message, but what the fuck! That’s more eddies than I’ve ever earned before from a gig! By a lot! So what the fuck!?*

 

*That’s just a sixth of what we earned from selling the loot. Why? I don-*

*A sixth… This is a sixth!?*

*Uh yeah? We split the eddies evenly between everyone I told you that remember?*

 

*I thought you meant it was a split of the percentage!*

The line went quiet for a while and I was almost wondering if she had hung up when a quiet voice that I was pretty sure I wasn’t supposed to catch spoke.

 

*These kids are fucking nuts.* Then she spoke up clearly again. *Okay seriously, is this like a first time bonus or something? How do you do anything?*

*No? We always just split the eddies evenly. I thought it was a good idea. That way everyone knows the more we make the more they make. I mean the gigs we do, everyone has some danger, so it’s hazard pay.*

 

*Hazard pay… That’s hilarious choom.* She said and then actually broke into cackles. *Okay okay, seriously though. How do you pay for anything!? Ripper costs? Tech prep. Ammo?*

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*Well Ammo we just buy for ourselves? Ripper costs haven’t really come up, but we have a great ripper in Vik and he takes care of us… Tech I just buy that myself. It’s one of the things I take care of in the team.*

 

*Bribes for information? I mean, I want to ask about a bunch of other stuff too, but hell you guys seriously just split the fucking loot… That’s fucking crazy.*

*Um… I usually do the information myself, so it’s free other than time.*

 

*Netrunner… That’s right. Fuck.. Wait. Sasha never does that for us! That bitch!* Rebecca cursed a bit and I actually laughed at her foul language. *Fuck you’re weird. Fucking hell. Alright fine. When is the next gig? Eddies like this are pretty nova.*

*No idea. One of the downsides to the way we operate, we have to hunt our targets ourselves. I mean, sure I could probably talk to Wakako… Maybe Rogue too? I’m not sure what the Rogue situation is yet, she said she might offer me gigs, but we haven’t talked since… Anyway! We find our targets and clear them out. So it can be a little bit. One of the reasons the pay is so good.*

* No Fixer pay? Well fuck… But a good fuck. Even if it’s not all the time, a payday like that ain’t something I regret. Damn choom. Just damn.*

 

*We still need to get your armor sorted out as well.* I reminded her, and she went quiet again.

 

*You really are a good kid huh? Heart of gold and all that.*

*No I’m not! I’m a badass merc that kills people for money!*

*And worries about her allies acting like a mother hen! It’s cute as shit. You’re a funny one Motoko… Hey listen, change of topic a bit. You doing anything right now?*

*No! What’s up? Want to hang out choom?*

*Something like that. I got a call from my brother. I’ve been kept away from their safehouse until now, but things are cooling off, and my bro wants me to bring some shit. So you want to come see Sasha? I know you were worried about her.*

*Yeah! Yeah I really do! Is that… Is that okay? Will Maine even allow that?*

*I’ll message him, it’ll be fine. I vouch for you. Not like you are going to tell Biotechnica where she’s hiding out. Meet up at my place? A ride would save some time.*

I paused for a second before cracking into a smile.

*Is the main reason you are asking me to come with, because you don’t want to haul whatever your brother asked you to bring on the N-Cart?*

 

*I don’t know what you are talking about.* She said airly.

 

Yep, that was 100% it.

 

I laughed at her making sure it went over the agent. *Sure choom, send me the address?*

*Already done.*

 

I nodded, it was indeed. And I rose up and stretched. Time to check on Sasha.

 

—–