Chapter 177

The security on the hotel wasn’t impressive. Pressing myself against the rear door as the camera swiveled above me, I took a few seconds to breach the security pad, I knew the design, and I knew how to get through without problems.

 

They all had a factory default admin code from the producers.

 

I entered it and it popped the door open without even needing to breach it.

 

Sliding inside, I ducked down and hurried down the hall, the large window that had a staff break room didn’t even see me as I moved right past.

 

The security room was three doors down, and I made it without seeing anyone.

 

Security here was tougher, whoever had set up the secure room knew what they were doing.

 

Unfortunately, the security guy was probably from ten or more years ago and long since fired.

 

The security panel was top of the line about that long ago. I hit the button on the bottom of the panel, flipped it open, licked my fingers and pressed against two of the wire ports.

 

A zip went through my arm, and the door popped open.

 

Security, security never changes.

 

Flipping the panel closed again, I slipped inside, and pushed the sliding door closed. Then as the room was empty I walked over to the rolly chair and slipped inside.

 

*I’m in the security room. Giving you all credentials now. Go ahead and move towards the elevator.* I spoke into the call that all of us were in.

 

I did a few checks to find out if there was a netrunner connected to the system, but after nothing pinged me back I relaxed, mostly.

 

Time to get to work. Entering in elevator credentials was super easy, something done hundreds of times a week.

 

I easily added the group in, and then started accessing the rest of the system. Locking down any NCPD alerts that would be sent out was almost childs play. It was literally on a toggle. I guess the hotel owner wanted to be able to ensure that sometimes his residents weren’t able to call for help through the hotel security.

 

Moving on I accessed the camera system, and hooked in.

 

I was the eye in the sky, looking through the camera system on the top floor. The animals were still wandering around, most of them were doing a pretty good job on keeping watch, but at least half were fucking around. One was working out, pumping a dumbbell, another was making a sandwich.

 

It worked for me. Made it easier.

 

*Pinging all enemy locations now. Please let me know if there are any optical glitches.* I spoke into the call and then sent a ping through. The golden lights were a bit weird from my perspective, considering I was so many floors below, but it would look fine for the team.

 

*Wait, each of these lines is an Animal?* Mira asked, suddenly sounding eager.

*Or the target, he is on the security channel with the Animals as well.*

 

*Huh.*

 

*Never worked with a runner before Mira?* Sam asked over the line and I heard her scoff in return.

 

Then it went silent, as I watched through the cameras as they accessed the elevator.

 

*Straight run to floor 19, best access point looks like room 196. It’s empty at the moment, door is unlocked.* I mentioned, as I prepped their path forward. Then I had nothing else to do but focus on the top floor.

 

Switching between the different cameras I checked where all of the Animals were located as best I could.

 

Unfortunately there weren’t a lot of cameras to access up there.

 

Instead I started getting things ready.

 

Weapon Glitch uploaded and sent, letting it bounce around the animals up there. Preparing for the eventual gun fight.

 

Then I waited. I lost the team on cameras, so I just followed them with what I knew of their route.

 

Waiting wasn’t fun, but it was what I had to do. I was the woman in the chair this time. It was an interesting experience, but I didn’t much like it.

 

The sound of a gunshot coming through the camera meant it was time.

 

I dropped the Short Circuit into the group, and watched multiple Animals fall over.

 

Waiting, I saw Hakase for a moment, his Katana shining as it cut through an Animal like butter.

 

Then it was basically over. I watched on the elevator camera as they dragged an unconscious man into the elevator, and then they were down. The Animals were injured, dead, or still being shocked prone.

 

I quickly cleared footage, deleting the entire days recordings, and left a small apology message for the netrunner they would bring in to find out what happened.

 

Then I disconnected from the system and walked back out the way I came. Hitting the alley, I jogged down a bit and slid into my Quadra.

 

*I’m out.* I confirmed into the line, and started driving. The meeting place after was the Afterlife.

 

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

—–

 

I got there first, which wasn’t a shock. They had to drop off the package for Rogue to pick up. Waiting for only ten minutes was no big deal when finally Bishop and his crew came sauntering down the steps. Swagger on full blast.

 

“Gig complete!” He called out as he walked past the bar, and grabbed a bottle of Brosef that the bartender passed him, then another couple for each member in his gig.

 

Then Bishop walked over and stood on top of a table bottle in the air.

 

I was kinda curious about what was going on as he raised the bottle up, his team mimicking him.

 

“To another gig! To survival for another day! For another blaze of glory!”

 

“To another!” His team repeated at the end, and I watched on a little discomforted.

 

Edgerunners.

 

But I was alone. The other edgerunners around us raised glasses, or clapped a few times at his announcement, a few even wolf whistled.

 

This was the culture that I missed out on, that I never really understood. To these men and women, it wasn’t a celebration of their life, but that the gig didn’t have the blaze big enough to end them.

 

That they could go on to bigger things.

 

That was what I picked up from them, and this group I had just met that I barely knew… I felt so completely apart from them it was almost enough to make me nauseous.

 

“And there is our newest assistant! Infiltrator!” Bishop called out, and the team looked at me as I spun slowly around on the bar stool, a soda in my hand. “You do good work.” Bishop decided, finally stepping down from the table and walking over with his team.

 

“Thanks.” I offered back, sipping my drink again.

 

“I’ll be straight with you. You handled everything perfectly, no complaints from me. I ran it past the group, and we wouldn’t mind running another gig or two with you. See how you fit, if you’d like to join more full time.”

 

I blinked at the offer, glanced over at the faces of the other members, I only saw a smattering of respect.