Dialogue: Lucretia My Reflection

V

Antique, junky variety. Wonder if it even works.

V

1AHuh...

V

1AHuh...

V

3AAh, c'mon. Answer.

Johnny

3AI'll have a double cheeseburg while you're at it.

V

4AUh, anyone there?

4BReed…? Listen, got no time to play games.

3AHello...?

3AFossil's prolly busted.

Johnny

3AOr you flubbed the number.

V

3AThe fuck do we do now?

Reed

3AWho is this?

V

5ACall me V.

5BA friend.

5CDoe'n't matter who I am. Matters who sent me.

Reed

3AAndrew Jackson. Basketball court.

3ADaytime, note it.

Johnny

3ANot exactly loquacious, our man of mystery…

V

3ACould just prefer text. Damn sure I do.

V

1AHuh...

Huh...

Johnny

Capitán Caliente. Guy clearly went down with this place.

Stash house, by the looks of it.

Capitán Caliente. Guy clearly went down with this place.

Stash house, by the looks of it.

Protester

We know she's in there! Set her free! Or we will!

Guard

Give me a reason, you Washington whores!

You playin' rough? Come on, then!

Protester

WHERE IS MYERS?! WHERE IS MYERS?!

Hansen, you fucking shitstain!

Protester

Dogtown will PAY!

Guard

Move the fuck back! Now!

Wanna eat lead, fuckers?! Huh?!

Protester Vset USA

U-S-A! U-S-A!

Protester Vset terrorists

Terrorists!

Protester Vset powerful

Powerful and united!

Protester Vset damn u all

Damn you all!

Ronald

Ain't nothin' without your health! Check out Ronald's preem stims!

I'll be damned! A real, live customer! Heh. What can I getcha?

V

7ALet's see whatcha got.

Ronald

7APreemest shit you ever seen!

V

7BHow's biz? Eddies flowin'?

Ronald

7BNah, choom, delta crash got everyone skezzin'.

7BHalf a Dogtown's chasin' Rosalind Myers like bitches in heat. Shit's fake news.

7BBut tomorrow's another day. Peeps know Ronald's shop always got what they need!

V

7CHey, Capitán Caliente – closed?

Ronald

7CShut 'n boarded. Owner talked shit about Kurt. Mad disrespect. Had no choice – hanged hisself out back.

7CEy, you a fresh face, so listen up – here in Dtown, ya watch whatcha say. Talk shit to the wrong choom – blam, ya dead.

V

8BAnyone inside right now?

Ronald

8BDon't know, don't care. Buy somethin' or get off my ass.

V

7CMan of biz y'are, so let's cut a deal. I slip ya a few eds, you tell me how to slip inside.

Ronald

7CYou payin' for trouble, but OK. Don't ever bail on eddies, huh? Hah…

7CThe new – ahem – "owners" are drainin' power from down the road.

7CCheck the cables on the wall – sure to connect somewhere. Tinker 'round, reset the power, betcha security trinkets just might go dark.

V

7CSounds promising.

7DLook like a choom who's been around Dtown.

Ronald

7DAround? Sheeit, gurl, this is my home turf! Who d'ya think I am?

7DHmph! You talkin' to the "Pacifica Typhoon," choom! Ay-kay-ay "The DT Prodigy"!... Yeeeah, OK, that one ain't my fave.

7DWhen they was pumpin' me wit boosters, could blast a hundred meters in six-point-oh! Yeah, ya heard right!

7DNow I ain't do hardly a hundred a DAY no more. But what'm sayin' is – hell yeah, I been around!

V

9BDtown's districts – whaddaya know?

Ronald

9BHah! Which ones, baby girl?

9BGolden Pacific be in the north of Dtown. Got this hill there, Luxor Heights. Name makes a promise and delivers – preem views, ten outta ten.

9BLongshore Stacks is the west side. Place got history, feel me? South is Terra Cognita – ya best stay the fuck clear o' there.

V

10AOK, Longshore Stacks – whaddaya know?

Ronald

10AMmm, everythin' there's pre-Unity-War-shit, get me…? Start seein' containers, means ya found the place.

10AThem containers – used to hold bricks 'n' beams for buildin' the 'hood. Shit got klepped, obvi, but them big-ass boxes? Ain't gone nowhere.

10ANow, we Dtowners, we resourceful. Some clever chooms grabbed 'em and behold – preem livin' space. In highrises, no less! Ain't no shit go to waste here, y'know?

V

10AOK, Longshore Stacks – whaddaya know?

Ronald

10ALike whatcha see, huh? Big fan myself. Place got a real history, y'know?

10AEverythin' ya see here, every lil' piece of fuckin' scrap metal 'n' shit is pre-war, choom.

10AThem containers – used to hold bricks 'n' beams for buildin' the 'hood. Shit got klepped, obvi, but them big-ass boxes? Ain't gone nowhere.

10ANow, we Dtowners, we resourceful. Some clever chooms grabbed 'em and behold – preem livin' space. In highrises, no less! Ain't no shit go to waste here, y'know?

V

10BLuxor Heights – know anything about 'em?

Ronald

10BEy, best not snoop 'round there. Them Voodoo Boys been doin' voodoo shit since they made it their crib.

10BNow, they hop 'tween two beds – scavs' 'n' Hansen's. 'Fore ya visit, it's good to know who they be fuckin' 'round with at the time. Askin' for trouble otherwise.

V

10CGolden Pacific. Grandiose name, am I right?

Ronald

10CSheeit, choom, suits promised eddies rainin' down from every window, peeps shittin' solid gold!

10CProved true 'nuff fo' my man Hansen. He the only one makin' fat stacks in that place, huh.

10CGolden Pacific's a BARGHEST breedin' ground. Got their biz, logistics, fun times – all in one helluva dangerous place if you's not one of them dawgs.

V

10DGotta say, first time I'm in the 'hood. Sooo, Terra – got any, uh, travel tips?

Ronald

10DAs I says, steer the fuck clear o' Terra Cognita.

10DHmph. The place was a fuckin' quant's paradise years back – talkin' space flight, chrome o' the future, all sortsa tech. Shit'd fry your skullsponge.

10DNow, nothin' but dirt 'n dust 'n' scavs. Rat-ass motherfuckers runnin' the place.

10DYa go to Terra Cognita – you a corpse incognita… Hahah! Geddit? Incognita…

V

10ESince we're already talkin'…

Ronald

10EYeah, yeah, w-whacha thinkin'?

V

9CGot some pretty unique places 'round here...

Ronald

9CThis 'hood just exudin' clever, now, ain't it? Hahah!

V

11ABeen wantin' to ask, Ronnie… What's up with all the pics on that tree?

Ronald

11ATha'ss whatcha call tradition, choom.

11ASee any badges 'round here? Mm-mm. So your chooms go missin', yeah? Whatcha gon' do? Call Hansen? Nah, best go on you own hunt.

11ASo you don't call no BARGHEST dogs when someone near 'n' dear go missin'. Ya pin a pic to that tree. Attach you's detes, sit tight 'n' pray fo' contact.

11APeeps ever find their chooms? Well, sometimes. Maybe. Not really. Not 'bout that. 'S 'bout hope, feel me?

11AHang a pic and ya feel like ya done somethin'. Better than sittin' on your ass, yeah?

V

11BBeen to the stadium. Quite a sight.

Ronald

11BUh-huh. Had big plans to set up shop there, y'know? But wooo, the competition whooped my typhoon ass.

11BY'know, Nighthawks was roostin' there while Hansen was still shittin' his diapers. How's it go…? Good times make bad chooms, then bad chooms fuck shit up?

11BBottom line – 's all 'bout the eddies. Who got the most scratch? Hansen! Stadium ain't his main biz, oh no. But I ain't gonna say no more on that, hah!

V

11CCame through this kinda… expo hall? Some curious mockups of all kinds of buildings there.

Ronald

11CHo-ho! You got guts, girl! Liked whatcha saw? Them suits musta been trippin BALLS comin' up with them district plans, hahaha!

11CHeheh! Then WHAM! Reality kicked in. Gonks prolly woke up face-down in the streets, thinkin' "where'd it all go wrong?!"

11CExpo ain't no place for civvies. Ya got pre-war goods 'n' shit there… Best stay clear, 'specially since peeps been hearin' blasts 'n explosions. No thank you.

V

11DEven got a pyramid. Hard to miss, that one.

Ronald

11DPretty preem, hmm? Fixers think so fo' sure. Biz talks get drowned out by wild party hubbub and tracks that're fire. Privacy guaranteed, hmm?

11DBottom's open to all the riff-raff. Upper levels, though? Shit's for VIPs. Big playas, big biz, feel me? Maybe gonna visit myself, hahahahahaaa!

11DBangin' tunes, dense lines o' snow-white, and the biz is IN, choom! Tha'ss how ya get in them major leagues!

V

11EBig skyscraper – know anything about it?

Ronald

11ESuits called it the Black Sapphire way back when. Folks call it the "hotel" or "tower" these days. Place's gilded, I hear. Pretty much outta reach for us mortals.

11EApple o' Hansen's eye, his golden egg. He wanna make chooms witchu, he gon' invite you there.

11EHear the view from the top's mothafuckin' nova. Might be a lil' crazy, but... I ain't cray-cray enough to find out fo' myself.

V

9DSince I got you, was gonna ask…

Ronald

9DHit me, choom. Day's slower 'n' a molasses flood.

V

9DThanks, real helpful. Seem to really know your way around.

Ronald

9DWell, shit! In my line o' work, it's all about the gossip. The juicier, the better. Could send some real spicy ones your way, if you's so inclined!

V

9DKnow what? Fuck it, why not. Be nice to know what the street's sayin'.

Ronald

9DYeeeah, startin' to get me now, hah! Gotta get a leg up whatevah way you can in good old Dtown! Stay in touch, choom.

V

9DEh, thanks, think I got it from here. Later, Ronnie.

Ronald

9DOK, OK… Well, good luck to ya, sister.

V

7D"Typhoon Ronnie," huh? You serious?

Ronald

7DScan the old screamers if you a doubter! Ol' Ronnie was a LEGEND... i-in the makin'.

V

7DHm... How'd your risin' star suddenly flop?

Ronald

7DWell… there's this chick, Fiona. Had this, uhm, center for gifted youth 'n' shit. Future sports stars. All good, right?

7DWe talkin' a roof overhead, real food, trainin', boosters 'n' chrome. And heaps of chrome, choom.

7DShit was all rainbows 'n' roses till ya stumbled. And choom, I fuckin' wiped out. Landed in the Dtown street with mean-ass migraines 'n' insomnia. An' I was lucky, too.

V

7EGot some questions 'bout D-town, actually…

Ronald

7ESure thing, toss 'em up.

'Ey yo, I love a good loiter… but you gonna buy some shit or not?

You blockin' my light, choom.

If you ain't a payin' customer, you a leavin' customer.

I'll be damned! A real, live customer! Heh. What can I getcha?

Whaddaya need, angel?

Whaddaya need, angel?

Man, fuck the corps – shop local! Shop with Ronald! Ronnie! The Ronster!

Get your fresh-klepped shards here!

Best prices in Dogtown! Certified resale!

Voice

The customer you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message.

Johnny

Hello? Yeah, nineteen ninety-seven here – we'd like our phone back.

Voice

The customer you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message.

The customer you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message.

The customer you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message.

V

We were saying…?

V

1ABest seats in the house.

V

2AV on the court, baby. Check this out!

Johnny

2AAaaah! And the crowd goes wild… for a fuckin' refund.

V

2BSee if I still got the ol' moves…

Johnny

2BNice! Might not get your ass handed to ya after all.

1AGonna be a game to remember.

V

1AJohnny Silverhand... basketball fan? That's new.

Johnny

1AYou know what I mean.

1ANother game's starting. One where your head's the fuckin' ball.

V

3AThought the same thing. Somethin' nasty's brewin'...

Johnny

3AFuckin' storm's what's brewin' Don't let the sunshine fool ya.

V

3BHow do ya mean?

Johnny

1AYou're up against seasoned players, whereas you… just stumbled onto the court.

1AThese're trained sociopaths. Pretend to be your friends while they fuckin' ain't.

1ASo go out and play. Just don't get played.

V

4AJust come out and say it – you don't trust Myers.

Johnny

4AKnow her type is all.

V

4APoliticians?

Johnny

4AWorse. Armed Forces.

4ASayin' "no" to high-ranking cunts 's like puttin' your mouth over the barrel of their gun. Gets shitty fast if you try to run.

4ATake it from a deserter.

V

4BSure you're not overreacting?

Johnny

4BWhatever. Ain't me goin' off to war.

V

4BWar? C'mon, that's a stretch.

Johnny

4BMaybe not the kind of war you're imaginin', but it's war all right.

4BFIA, NUSA, Arasaka – same shit, different packaging. Hope you're hungry, soldier, 'cause you're about to chow down.

4BTake it from a deserter.

V

5AThe dauntless Johnny Silverhand, scourge of megacorps...

Johnny

5AHere we go…

V

5AVanquisher of hypocrisy, bolted from the army? Give this man his fucking encore!

Johnny

5AGonk who enlisted was Robert John Linder. Got roped in with easy cash, promise of fame, glory.

5ALinder snuffed it. Was a different kid who crawled home from the front.

V

5AJohnny, I... I didn't mean to--

Johnny

5A'S OK. Was a long time ago.

5AOne thing I did learn, caked in blood and mud…

5AYou even listenin'?

V

6AWhat was that?

Johnny

6AAfter every carrot comes the stick. Allow me to illustrate.

6AEvery grunt gets a rifle, flak jacket and a bunch of promises. Comes a time you're outta ammo, Kevlar's® tattered cardboard and what's left of the promises…?

V

6AFuck-all, I'm guessin'.

Johnny

6AExactly. And that's when they reach for the stick they call "values."

6AGettin' shelled in your dugout, chooms're takin' refreshing phosphorous showers, and some officer's rantin' 'bout loyalty and duty.

6AThe moment you stop shittin' carrots and they wave the values stick – fuckin' run, rabbit. Run.

V

7ASounds like you got some shit to work through.

7AGotta face your demons sometime, Johnny.

Johnny

7ADidn't actually have a problem with 'em - till now.

7APoliticians, military 'runners, intelligence operatives... and Colonel Hansen for dessert.

7AAll the rotten fish in one fuckin' barrel, this Dogtown.

V

7BGot the warning. I'll keep one foot out the door.

Johnny

7BToo late. Swore an oath to the New fuckin' United fuckin' States of America.

7BIf you faked it, it makes you a pushover.

7BIf you meant it, it makes you a tool.

V

7CThink you're forgetting somethin' – I never took that oath.

Johnny

7CAnd rightly fuckin' so. 'S bad enough we're on their payroll.

V

7CI'll keep one foot out the door, OK?

Johnny

7CGonna hold you to that.

6AGet what I'm tryin' to tell you?

V

6BNow, Johnny? Really feel a need to get this off your chest?

Johnny

6BGet comfy. Gonna twist your ears, lay some wisdom on ya.

6BAfter every carrot comes the stick. Allow me to illustrate.

6BEvery grunt gets a rifle, flak jacket and a bunch of promises. Comes a time you're outta ammo, Kevlar's® tattered cardboard and what's left of the promises…?

V

6BFuck-all, I'm guessin'.

Johnny

6BExactly. And that's when they reach for the stick they call "values."

6BGettin' shelled in your dugout, chooms're takin' refreshing phosphorous showers, and some officer's rantin' 'bout loyalty and duty.

6BThe moment you stop shittin' carrots and they wave the values stick – fuckin' run, rabbit. Run.

V

6CUh, no offense, but... could we just chill a sec? Watch the game some, enjoy just that?

Johnny

6CWhy not? How 'bout a hotdog and a cold beer while we're at it? Pretend we don't got a worry in the world.

V

6CThat would be so nice…

Johnny

6CWell, when you put it like that... fine…

6CSavor it while it lasts...

V

5BNever told me about that.

Johnny

5BNothin' to be proud of.

5BTore out that chapter, crumpled it, swallowed it. Our sitch hairballed it back up.

V

5CTrustin' a deserter… kinda contradictory, don'tcha think?

Johnny

5CIf you're gonna book outta the army, ya gotta be honest, admit you made a mistake.

5CAnd that, dare I say it, takes fuckin' guts.

V

5CDesertion as bravery... now that's Johnnyspeak if I ever heard it.

Johnny

5CMaybe a little. Sue me.

V

5DRemember you sayin' you deserted. There more to the story?

Johnny

5DAh, just another life lesson you could fuckin' use.

V

5EUh, no offense, but... could we just chill a sec? Watch the game some, enjoy just that?

Johnny

5EWhy not? How 'bout a hotdog and a cold beer while we're at it? Pretend we don't got a worry in the world.

V

5EThat would be so nice…

Johnny

5EWell, when you put it like that... fine…

5ESavor it while it lasts...

Reed

1ADon't turn around. Eyes on the court.

V

1AEhh...

Reed

1AHands. What you holdin'?

V

8AJohnny...? Who the hell's breathin' down my neck?

Johnny

8AHow the fuck should I know? Only see what you see.

Reed

8AI see you holdin' something. Show me.

V

9AGot this token. Mean anything to you?

Reed

9AIt does. But I need to make sure.

Johnny

9AKeeps his cards close, this one.

Reed

9AWho sent you?

V

10ARosalind--

Reed

10AI don't know any Rosalind.

10AAnd neither do you.

Johnny

10AGot a pro spy here, V…

Reed

10AIs she safe?

V

11ALast time I saw 'er she was. Can only hope that's still the case.

Reed

11ARight...

Johnny

11ARight...

V

11BHard to say, the longer we sit here.

Johnny

11BThat's it, dribble around 'im.

Reed

10AI asked you a question. Is she safe?

10AWere you followed? Did you even bother to check?

V

12ADoubt I was tailed.

Reed

12ASo you didn't check.

12AI see you still got a ways to go. We'll work with what we got.

V

12BDunno. Wasn't lookin' for a tail.

Reed

12BWell, you get one point for being candid.

12BAttagirl.

V

12CTake me for a fuckin' gonk? An amateur?

Reed

12CYou sure fooled me.

12CBut fine, that'll have to do.

10ABlack Thorton Merrimac. In the street, three minutes, front seat.

V

13AThat it? Interrogation over?

Johnny

13AAlready? Was startin' to have fun…

V

13AReed...?

Johnny

13ASlippery motherfucker…

V

13BWe better leave separately… Don't want anyone to get suspicious. You first.

Johnny

13BDon’t wanna be caught holdin' hands?

V

13BReed...?

Johnny

13BSlippery motherfucker…

V

14AI think we really hit it off.

Johnny

14ASure, bet he's got candy in that van. Ready to find out?

V

14BWhat a fuckin' wacko.

Johnny

14BLike him already. Let's scoot.

V

10ABlack Thorton.

V

15AHey, y'see the guy I was talkin' to millisec ago?

Bb Crowd Male

15ABig guy? Coat lookin' like he's plannin' on flashin' some kids, hah!

Bb Crowd Female

15AHey, shut it or get lost.

V

10BA mutual friend.

Reed

10BWe don't have mutual friends.

V

10BFriend survived an accident. Ya might've heard.

Reed

10BI might've.

Johnny

10BZone defense, that. Keep pushin'.

V

10CDon't know you, don't work for you, so you can fuck off with the interrogation bullshit.

Reed

10CInterrogation? We're just talkin'…

Johnny

10CKeep it cool, V.

Reed

10CLet me ask you again – who sent you?

V

10DNo, fuck this. Ain't talkin' this way.

Reed

10DWrong move.

10DNope, nuh-uh.

10DDon't do that, just don't.

10DLet me ask you again – who sent you?

9AI see you holdin' something. Show me.

V

9BAfter you.

Reed

9BNope, nuh-uh.

9BDon't do that, just don't.

V

9CLike to know who I'm talkin' to.

Reed

9COld line, there, choom.

9CYou know who I am. Now hands, show me.

1ANope, nuh-uh.

1ADon't do that, just don't.

1ASo then…

1ANot a talker, huh? Too bad – 'cause I need answers.

Johnny

1ALook out!

V

1AUgh…!

Bb Crowd Male

1AYo, what the shit?!

Reed

1AFriend here passed out. Too much excitement.

1AAh, so you'd rather do the hard way.

Johnny

1AWhat, don't believe me?

1AMetaphor gettin' through or not?

1AHey, tryin' to tell you somethin' important.

Bb Crowd Female

1AM-mm, not today, choom. Dogtown's locked down tight.

Bb Crowd Male

1ALast chance 'fore I hand it off. 'Sides, there's way-wide gaps in security…

Bb Crowd Female

1AYeah, no, I ain't dyin' today. Thanks but no thanks. Now leave me the fuck alone.

Bb Crowd Female

1AA piece of the plane smashed into our kitchen, you believe that?

Bb Crowd Male

1AWhaaat? Everybody OK?

Bb Crowd Female

1ABetter. My input loves it. He always said we could use another window.

V

1ABest seats in the house.

Johnny

Pretty sure the choom said daytime… Only thing we're meetin' here's a stray bullet, V.

Bb Crowd Male

Dunno, man. The fuck Hansen got against a plane? Had a bad day 'n' wham, shoot that shit down?

Bb Crowd Male

Never know with that mofo. 'Member them badges he strung up the last time he was pissed?

Bb Crowd Male

Who? Oh, them plainclothes pigs? Good call, if you askin' me.

Bb Crowd Male

Right, so musta had a reason to shoot down the prez, too. Meanin', if he did.

V

16ASo whaddya think crawled up Hansen's ass? Offiin' the Prez's no joke.

Bb Crowd Male

16ANah, it's no joke, choom. It's justice for the past. Like you'd know anythin' about it.

16AWeren't here, were ya? Seven years ago? When the bitch started droppin' bombs? No? Fuck you.

Bb Crowd Male

Vance's elbow has a hitch. Dude needs an upgrade.

Bb Crowd Male

Think it'll hitch today?

Bb Crowd Male

Oh, not a doubt in my mind it'll hitch.

V

17AFirst time in the area. It always so… calm around here?

Bb Crowd Male

17ACalm... ? Heheh… Hmph. Guess you chose the right day, holmes. Peeps're usually packin' iron, ready to jump.

17ABut watch yourself after dark, yeah? New faces attract attention. The bad kind, feel me?

Bb Crowd Female

Gonna take Jayden for the next gig.

Bb Crowd Male

Why him? He a weak-ass pussy.

Bb Crowd Female

Yeah, but he's kinda hot… but no, thing is, he got some nova supplements off Ronald.

Bb Crowd Male

Ronnie?! Shit, say goodbye to that pretty face.

Bb Group Female1

With the right gams installed, man, a three-point dunk ain't even hard.

Game needs some damn rule changes.

Bb Group Male2

Where were you when it crashed?

Bb Group Female2

On the Net. Traffic blew up like crazy, almost made my ice bath boil.

Bb Group Male2

What's the word? Was it really the NUSA?

Bb Group Female2

Pfff... I don't know. It was chaos on there, choomba.

Bb Group Male2

Yeah, yeah... as crazy as it is out here…

Reed

Heh. Your silence says it all.

Johnny

Gonna be a game to remember.

V

Johnny Silverhand... basketball fan? That's new.

Johnny

You know what I mean.

Nother game's starting. One where your head's the fuckin' ball.

Reed

One thing eludes me – what drove you to get entangled in this mess?

V

1AGuess I'm… still tryna wrap my head around it.

Reed

1AYeah, I feel ya. I get tasked with correcting someone else's mistakes, I do my own wrappin'.

V

1BSongbird hired me. Know her?

Reed

1BSo Mi…

V

1BSomethin' up?

Reed

1BWe used to work together.

1BI thought I'd heard the last about her, but... the girl's a magnet for trouble.

V

1CHonestly? It's just another gig.

Reed

1CNot on the strange side?

V

1CYou'd be surprised. Not unusual in my line of biz.

Reed

Right. It's time we paid our friend in distress a visit.

Address, please.

V

2AAbandoned building on Kress Street. Eighth floor.

Reed

2ADamn straight, I don't like it.

2AYou left her alone… in Dogtown?

Reed

2AFollow close behind!

2AUh-oh…

2AArgh, fuck! They beat us here!

V

2AFucking preem…

Reed

2AFollow close behind!

2ALet's go.

2AHey. In the car, now.

Reed

4AThey followed you.

4AWhich means they may already have found Myers.

V

5AMighta tagged me off a metro camfeed. Did our damndest to stay off the streets.

Reed

5AIf so, good idea, poor execution.

V

5BNo idea how they tracked me.

Reed

5BHardly matters now.

4AHere's hoping we're not too late.

2ANo tail – so that was a fuckin' lie?

2ADammit! Hansen's goons!

2AWe have company.

2AGet yourself primed.

2AWhy you callin' me on my day off?

2ALast I heard, you're the manager… Ask Bob, he owes me a favor anyway.

2AYeah well, tough nuts. You'll have to manage without me.

2ABoss man. I work the door at a club – selection, y'know - bouncin'…

V

2AHuh. That your lie-low gig – a bouncer?

Reed

2AIt pays the bills and nets me a little disposable.

2ASleeper agents aren't entitled to government pay. Not even under the table.

2AHeh, this is not how I imagined spending my day off.

V

2ASavin' the President... Great action-BD shit right there, amirite?

Reed

2AYeah, sure, I guess so.

2ADoes Myers still smoke?

V

7AHad a ciggie on a balcony this mornin'. Why you ask?

7BSnitches get stitches, man.

Reed

7BSo that would be a yes. Not good…

2AHmmph… When things start to spiral outta control, she's likely to light up.

2AIt's high time we help her out.

V

2AFIA special agent… bouncin' away time at a club?

Reed

2AThe job attracts ex-cops and commandos, too. I know a few…

2AThey're a tough bunch. Troubled. Easy to blend in with over beers.

V

2ACan think of one thing we have in common – both got potential we're wastin'.

Reed

2ABein' on Arasaka's payroll is realizing one's potential?

V

2AGot a grudge? 'Saka step on your toes that hard?

Reed

2AYeah. They tried to off me, botched it, end of story. You tell me.

V

2AThat makes two things in common. Though somethin' tells me we won't stop at that.

Reed

2AHold up, I need to take this.

V

8AWas I s'posed to drag her along while cruisin' around?

Reed

8AHm. Actually…

V

8ALook, place seemed plenty safe to me.

Reed

8ASafe? A derelict building in Dogtown? Just listen to how that sounds.

V

8BMyers can take care of herself. Not a damsel in distress. Saw her… take charge.

Reed

8BYeah. Me too. It's not her first rodeo.

8BSurvived a few assassination attempts. Real tough… but still…

8BShe is the President.

V

2BJust FYI... Not so sure you're gonna like it.

Reed

2BTry me.

Address, please.

V

Uuugh…

Reed

You're awake. Good.

Got aspirin here. Should help.

V

10AYou gonked outta your mind?! You know who sent me, know we're on the same side?!

Reed

10AI scanned your profile. Paints an interesting picture.

10AThat would be you introduced. As for me – my name is Reed.

V

11AIsn't that better? No need for mystery, no need to complicate things.

Reed

11AI don't think there is either.

V

11BSleeper agent got a wake-up call? Hell-o, good morning.

Reed

11BHm. Good or not – remains to be seen.

V

11CSolomon Reed. Sleeper agent, seven years under a rock in NC. Undiagnosed paranoic.

Reed

11CHah. Me to a T.

10AIntroductions aside, let's get down to business.

10AA certain aircraft went down in Dogtown. We both know who was on board.

10ASo… is she safe?

V

12ASeemed safe enough this mornin'. Hopin' it's still the case.

Reed

12ASo do I. We'll know soon.

V

12BLess so the longer we dawdle.

Reed

12BI agree completely.

10AFreelance merc. You were born in NC, Heywood. To make things more interesting… FIA agent, you received your commission last night.

10ANomad, Bakker clan, no longer extant. Now a freelance merc. To make things more interestin'… FIA agent, you received your commission last night.

10AArasaka counterintelligence. Terminated for undisclosed reasons. Now – a freelance merc, working for the FIA as of last night.

10AYou failed to cooperate… old habits kicked in.

V

13AUgh... Yeah, thanks.

Reed

13ADon't mention it.

V

13BUgh… time to play good cop?

Reed

13BYou'd rather have the other guy?

You failed to cooperate… old habits kicked in.

Reed

14ABefore we go…

14AApologies for the precautions.

14AI only ever risk so much. Sometimes it's just safer to shove the barrel of a Malorian between a choom's ribs, even if he is on your side.

14AIt's nothing personal. No hard feelings, I hope.

V

15AOdd introduction, but nice meetin' ya too, Reed.

Reed

15ANot a phrase I often hear in this trade.

V

15BNo, no hard feelings.

15B'S all good. Had to make sure. I'da done the same.

Reed

15BIs that so?

V

15CSecurity measures, precautions... Thought the token woulda done the job.

Reed

15CIt could be fake, simply counterfeit.

15CCounterfeitin' a person is a lot harder.

14AYou're not in the biz, V, our biz.

V

16AActually, I am though... just since yesterday.

Reed

16AI was about to say your first times out are the hardest, but... I'm not gonna lie…

V

16BOh, what gave me away?

Reed

16BYou got into a stranger's car.

16BYou're lucky I am who I claim to be…

V

16CNever introduced myself.

Reed

16CIndeed. You did not.

V

16CScan me? NCPD databases wouldn't give you anything.

Reed

16CMhm. And only the NCPD tags people of interest, collects data…

14AI combed FIA data for info about you. Interesting profile.

14AFreelance merc. You were born in NC, Heywood. To make things more interesting… FIA agent, you received your commission last night.

14ANomad, Bakker clan, no longer extant. Now a freelance merc. To make things more interestin'… FIA agent, you received your commission last night.

14AArasaka counterintelligence. Terminated for undisclosed reasons. Now – a freelance merc, working for the FIA as of last night.

Won't go anywhere without a destination.

I scanned your profile. Paints an interesting picture.

It's not poison. I promise.

Consider it a gesture of good will.

V? How is she?

I combed FIA data for info about you. Interesting profile.

V

Actually, I am though... just since yesterday.

Reed

I was about to say your first times out are the hardest, but... I'm not gonna lie…

Let's go.