Previously...
Maggie slipped into the passenger seat and winced in pain. “Did they tag you?” Max asked as he started to accelerate the car.
“No. I'm feeling pain from doing all those acrobatics on the way down.”
Max nodded. That meant that they had shifted into a version with different bio-physical parameters. Luckily it had happened after Mags had made her escape from the building or otherwise, athletic or not, she wouldn't have survived the fall. “Do you need any first aid?”
Maggie shook her head. “Let's do an orientation.” It was their standard ritual for trying to identify what version they were in.
“Yes please,” Goner said from the back seat. Maggie spun around, startled, and Max made a yelping noise.
“How long have you been here?” Max shouted.
Goner explained that in his version, he and Max had been driving down a long country road, on the way to meet a farmer who was advertising some firearms for sale. They had found the ad online at a public library. Next they had hot-wired a car, scoped out some corner drug dealers and rolled them for their cash. It was nasty, but the last shift had left them without cell phones, money, or weapons. The geography had changed enough that none of their storage caches were available. And none of the standard contact protocols were in effect; the Professor wasn't answering, Pretty George wasn't answering, the other Dragons weren't answering. There was no subway system. They couldn't find a local version of the Diner or the Bookstore. Max had tried a few of his rituals, his trances, but hadn't gotten any clear directions. Goner had reminded himself that it wasn't all that different than being stranded behind enemy lines in a war zone; you did what you had to.
“So I was grabbing a nap and woke up when I heard Max talking to someone just now.” Goner leaned forward and offered his hand. “They call me Goner, ma'am. And who might you be?”
“I'm Maggie. Nice to meet you.” She smirked. “Again.”
20140711
Defrag: Only Death Can Save You Now/Cube Hype
Previously...
And previously...
The troll roared, Max felt dizzy.
“And what do you think the troll symbolizes?” Madison asked him.
Max ducked a swipe from a massive fist.
“You don't think the running-out-of-ammo is the more revealing metaphor, Susan?” another voice asked.
Max tried to roll inside the creature's reach but he ended up just laying down. He was exhausted.
“I told you, my name is Madison Hall. Dr. Longfellow does not work at this facility.”
“Max,” the other voice said. “You have to get up.”
The troll raised its fist again.
“I really don't want to.”
The troll smashed him.
The room on the other side of the glass was empty suddenly.
“Damn,” Madison said. “He's disappeared again. This is never going to work.”
“He's probably just going to finish off the troll. He'll be back,” the voice said.
Madison sighed. “Okay... Let's boot up the Angst program in the meantime and see if we can't decode some more of the cheerleader symbolism.”
And previously...
The troll roared, Max felt dizzy.
“And what do you think the troll symbolizes?” Madison asked him.
Max ducked a swipe from a massive fist.
“You don't think the running-out-of-ammo is the more revealing metaphor, Susan?” another voice asked.
Max tried to roll inside the creature's reach but he ended up just laying down. He was exhausted.
“I told you, my name is Madison Hall. Dr. Longfellow does not work at this facility.”
“Max,” the other voice said. “You have to get up.”
The troll raised its fist again.
“I really don't want to.”
The troll smashed him.
The room on the other side of the glass was empty suddenly.
“Damn,” Madison said. “He's disappeared again. This is never going to work.”
“He's probably just going to finish off the troll. He'll be back,” the voice said.
Madison sighed. “Okay... Let's boot up the Angst program in the meantime and see if we can't decode some more of the cheerleader symbolism.”
20140710
Defrag: At the Billboard of Broken Dreams
Previously...
FRANK
(takes a sip, then his attention is caught by the billboard)
Guys...
MAGS
Silence is a nice soundtrack, Frankie.
MAX closes his eyes.
FRANK
This image... It changed.
MAGS springs to her feet, katana in her hand, quickly kissing MAX on the top of his head, turning and raising her blade as the strange beings emerge from the billboard. MAX flicks his cigarette and snatches up his pistols, leaping off the platform and turning in the air to fire back at the invaders.
FRANK
(drops his beer and draws a pistol from his jacket)
It was nice while it lasted.
MAGS being swarmed, her katana slashing. MAX falling backwards, firing, his cigarette falling beside him. The beer can dropping through the air, FRANK sighting on the head of the bizarre alien beast.
FRANK
(takes a sip, then his attention is caught by the billboard)
Guys...
MAGS
Silence is a nice soundtrack, Frankie.
MAX closes his eyes.
FRANK
This image... It changed.
MAGS springs to her feet, katana in her hand, quickly kissing MAX on the top of his head, turning and raising her blade as the strange beings emerge from the billboard. MAX flicks his cigarette and snatches up his pistols, leaping off the platform and turning in the air to fire back at the invaders.
FRANK
(drops his beer and draws a pistol from his jacket)
It was nice while it lasted.
MAGS being swarmed, her katana slashing. MAX falling backwards, firing, his cigarette falling beside him. The beer can dropping through the air, FRANK sighting on the head of the bizarre alien beast.
Defrag: Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
Previously...
Suddenly the light of the Godhammer flickered out.
“Shit,” Max said.
“Max, what's going on?” Suki asked, her voice uncharacteristically nervous. It reminded him just how young she was.
A hundred calculations bloomed and decayed in Max's mind, there was a silvery, fluid feeling in his stomach. He knew that meant that his chakras were fluctuating. What was negating her weapon? Was it related to Mode's warehouse? What would reassure her? Should they abort the raid against Mode? Would Goner actually relax more without the weird weapon working? Would Suki be safe without the gun? The mission objectives were changing.
Everything is going to change, Cube, but not enough to keep you safe.
“Okay guys, Ariadne Protocol. Tell him how you found the Godhammer, Suki. I'm going in by myself, stealthy like.”
No one knew how Suki found the gun; it was one of the dozens of lost or forgotten truths that they all lived with. The story she chose to tell, however, would keep her and Goner linked, bound up in the tale and the telling, like a spell, in case there was some kind of shift, and hopefully they wouldn't be separated. And Max would use any synchronicities about weapons to follow like breadcrumbs leading him back to her (the last time they had used a version of the Godhammer story Max had reunited with Suki at the Excalibur Cafe).
First things first, though. Put a stop to Angus Mode's latest transaction in corrupt psychic weapons systems.
Suddenly the light of the Godhammer flickered out.
“Shit,” Max said.
“Max, what's going on?” Suki asked, her voice uncharacteristically nervous. It reminded him just how young she was.
A hundred calculations bloomed and decayed in Max's mind, there was a silvery, fluid feeling in his stomach. He knew that meant that his chakras were fluctuating. What was negating her weapon? Was it related to Mode's warehouse? What would reassure her? Should they abort the raid against Mode? Would Goner actually relax more without the weird weapon working? Would Suki be safe without the gun? The mission objectives were changing.
Everything is going to change, Cube, but not enough to keep you safe.
“Okay guys, Ariadne Protocol. Tell him how you found the Godhammer, Suki. I'm going in by myself, stealthy like.”
No one knew how Suki found the gun; it was one of the dozens of lost or forgotten truths that they all lived with. The story she chose to tell, however, would keep her and Goner linked, bound up in the tale and the telling, like a spell, in case there was some kind of shift, and hopefully they wouldn't be separated. And Max would use any synchronicities about weapons to follow like breadcrumbs leading him back to her (the last time they had used a version of the Godhammer story Max had reunited with Suki at the Excalibur Cafe).
First things first, though. Put a stop to Angus Mode's latest transaction in corrupt psychic weapons systems.
20140709
Defrag: Relax, Don't Do It
Previously...
Her cell rang. Lorde ringtone, Baby be the class clown, I'll be the beauty queen in tears.
“Hello? Oh, hiya... Not too bad, how about you?... Actually, well... To be honest, maybe not so good... No, I know, I'm not judging it... I think I was just having an episode... Yeah, fighting demons, it felt like hours but I'm pretty sure I just got home about twenty minutes ago... And the cat, he was here... Yeah, the talking cat... Jesus, I'm shaking now... I'm pretty sure it's over, unless I'm hallucinating this phone call... haha... No, I'm glad you called... No, I'm going to keep going, if this is what it's like for Max then I want to know... Holy, I just had major deja vu!... Ok, listen, I'm going to have a shower... Yeah, I'm safe... I will... Or you call me back if you don't hear from me by ten... Great, thanks again... Bye.”
Maggie looked down to see if there was a cat at her feet...
Her cell rang. Lorde ringtone, Baby be the class clown, I'll be the beauty queen in tears.
“Hello? Oh, hiya... Not too bad, how about you?... Actually, well... To be honest, maybe not so good... No, I know, I'm not judging it... I think I was just having an episode... Yeah, fighting demons, it felt like hours but I'm pretty sure I just got home about twenty minutes ago... And the cat, he was here... Yeah, the talking cat... Jesus, I'm shaking now... I'm pretty sure it's over, unless I'm hallucinating this phone call... haha... No, I'm glad you called... No, I'm going to keep going, if this is what it's like for Max then I want to know... Holy, I just had major deja vu!... Ok, listen, I'm going to have a shower... Yeah, I'm safe... I will... Or you call me back if you don't hear from me by ten... Great, thanks again... Bye.”
Maggie looked down to see if there was a cat at her feet...
Defrag: Nexus Force
Previously...
They stuffed their pockets with batteries and headed out. It was matter of walking and listening; they let Aqua carry the stereo. Their path zig-zagged as the faint voice appeared and disappeared in the static, like a shadow in a blizzard. Goner and Max had reconned most of the town in the two days since they had arrived here in the motel by the highway, so they kept up a good pace. By evening they had passed beyond the city limits, tracking the flickering signal along a country road. Enough moonlight that they didn't need to break out the flashlights yet.
Max had been in a gunfight, took a bullet, came to in the shower of the motel room (with a new scar on his abdomen). Goner had been sleeping in a hotel with Frank and Max before waking up in the new room (he was worried about Frank). Aqua had stepped through the subway doors into the room (seconds after Akimoto, but where was he?); these kind of sudden shifts were pretty common on the subway so Aqua had taken it in stride. Dexter had been reluctantly practicing a meditation exercise with Callan; he hadn't recognized Goner or Aqua and was pretty sure that he was in some form of deep trance, his body still in half-lotus on the floor of Callan's apartment.
It was morning before the signal cleared up enough that they could make out the voice. It was repeating a recorded warning about a radiation leak, insisting that everyone turn back.
“Doesn't explain why there's no people,” Aqua said.
“Unless they-” Goner started.
“There'd be corpses,” Dexter interjected. He looked at Max and sighed; Dex had seen a lot of strange things in his days but things always got that much weirder when Cube showed up. “Alright, let's keep going.” He shook his head.
Max grinned.
They stuffed their pockets with batteries and headed out. It was matter of walking and listening; they let Aqua carry the stereo. Their path zig-zagged as the faint voice appeared and disappeared in the static, like a shadow in a blizzard. Goner and Max had reconned most of the town in the two days since they had arrived here in the motel by the highway, so they kept up a good pace. By evening they had passed beyond the city limits, tracking the flickering signal along a country road. Enough moonlight that they didn't need to break out the flashlights yet.
Max had been in a gunfight, took a bullet, came to in the shower of the motel room (with a new scar on his abdomen). Goner had been sleeping in a hotel with Frank and Max before waking up in the new room (he was worried about Frank). Aqua had stepped through the subway doors into the room (seconds after Akimoto, but where was he?); these kind of sudden shifts were pretty common on the subway so Aqua had taken it in stride. Dexter had been reluctantly practicing a meditation exercise with Callan; he hadn't recognized Goner or Aqua and was pretty sure that he was in some form of deep trance, his body still in half-lotus on the floor of Callan's apartment.
It was morning before the signal cleared up enough that they could make out the voice. It was repeating a recorded warning about a radiation leak, insisting that everyone turn back.
“Doesn't explain why there's no people,” Aqua said.
“Unless they-” Goner started.
“There'd be corpses,” Dexter interjected. He looked at Max and sighed; Dex had seen a lot of strange things in his days but things always got that much weirder when Cube showed up. “Alright, let's keep going.” He shook his head.
Max grinned.
20140708
Defrag: The Awakening Moment
Previously...
He decided on the direct approach and exited the motel room with both pistols raised, marching steadily towards the car. A coffee truck was parked at the corner and the driver shouted at the sight of an armed man in the street, as the sedan doors opened and three more armed men appeared, wearing the latest datacore clubwear, sleek and shiny like their computer-modded SMGs.
And then a kid on a skateboard suddenly skidded to a stop between Max and the triggermen. Everything paused and the kid shouted, “Sufrir mi furia justiciera!” Suddenly the gunmen collapsed, shaking, blood running from their eyes and ears.
“Morning Darius,” Max said, holstering Joy and Pain. “That's new.”
Darius smiled. “I was getting tired of Latin, so I started learning Spanish.”
“Cool. Any idea who?” He gestured at the defeated mooks.
“The Manticore Crew. One of the new Legend gangs. They hired a freelance sorceress, which is probably how they tracked you down. But I had a vision during my morning prayer, tipping me off.”
Max nodded. “Well then, coffee's on me.”
He decided on the direct approach and exited the motel room with both pistols raised, marching steadily towards the car. A coffee truck was parked at the corner and the driver shouted at the sight of an armed man in the street, as the sedan doors opened and three more armed men appeared, wearing the latest datacore clubwear, sleek and shiny like their computer-modded SMGs.
And then a kid on a skateboard suddenly skidded to a stop between Max and the triggermen. Everything paused and the kid shouted, “Sufrir mi furia justiciera!” Suddenly the gunmen collapsed, shaking, blood running from their eyes and ears.
“Morning Darius,” Max said, holstering Joy and Pain. “That's new.”
Darius smiled. “I was getting tired of Latin, so I started learning Spanish.”
“Cool. Any idea who?” He gestured at the defeated mooks.
“The Manticore Crew. One of the new Legend gangs. They hired a freelance sorceress, which is probably how they tracked you down. But I had a vision during my morning prayer, tipping me off.”
Max nodded. “Well then, coffee's on me.”
Defrag: Black Magick
Previously...
A few minutes passed. Nothing changed in the city. Someone was on the balcony of the apartment to the left, one storey up. It looked like they were talking on a cell phone.
Something made a shattering sound from the kitchen. Max dashed inside to the bedside table, scrambling for his gun. There was no gun.
Why would you own a gun?
Max ran into the kitchen. It was empty.
Why would there be someone here?
Max sighed. He sat down on the couch, flipped open the laptop. Typed.
Your love is a pareidolia.
There was a loud sound outside, a huge sound. Max dashed back onto the balcony. He was starting to feel dizzy. There were explosions in the city. The figure on the other balcony was pointing into the sky, shouting something.
Max watched the explosions getting closer, screams and sirens rising like a choir.
A few minutes passed. Nothing changed in the city. Someone was on the balcony of the apartment to the left, one storey up. It looked like they were talking on a cell phone.
Something made a shattering sound from the kitchen. Max dashed inside to the bedside table, scrambling for his gun. There was no gun.
Why would you own a gun?
Max ran into the kitchen. It was empty.
Why would there be someone here?
Max sighed. He sat down on the couch, flipped open the laptop. Typed.
Your love is a pareidolia.
There was a loud sound outside, a huge sound. Max dashed back onto the balcony. He was starting to feel dizzy. There were explosions in the city. The figure on the other balcony was pointing into the sky, shouting something.
Max watched the explosions getting closer, screams and sirens rising like a choir.
20140707
Defrag: Just Like Me, Maybe...
Previously...
Angst raised the gun and squeezed the trigger. It was easier this time, more of the bullets went where she wanted them to. Maggie stood beside her, her foot braced against Angst's, like an anchor, all of her bullets going exactly where she wanted them to.
Heads exploded, arms tore off, chests exploded. But they kept coming and kept getting closer.
“Come on, Angst!” Maggie shouted. “Gimmie a K! I said give me a K!”
Bullets and gore, flashing and stinking in the dark.
“K!” she shouted.
By the time Mags got her through K, I, L, L, T, H, and E the horde had stopped. Angst was crying and shaking, but she was reloading. “Now... Now you give me a why...”
Maggie smirked but her eyes were soft. “This one is pretty simple. Those things were bad and they needed to be stopped. It won't always be this clear or straightforward.” She placed a hand on the younger woman's shoulder. “Or this violent.”
Angst sniffed and nodded.
Angst raised the gun and squeezed the trigger. It was easier this time, more of the bullets went where she wanted them to. Maggie stood beside her, her foot braced against Angst's, like an anchor, all of her bullets going exactly where she wanted them to.
Heads exploded, arms tore off, chests exploded. But they kept coming and kept getting closer.
“Come on, Angst!” Maggie shouted. “Gimmie a K! I said give me a K!”
Bullets and gore, flashing and stinking in the dark.
“K!” she shouted.
By the time Mags got her through K, I, L, L, T, H, and E the horde had stopped. Angst was crying and shaking, but she was reloading. “Now... Now you give me a why...”
Maggie smirked but her eyes were soft. “This one is pretty simple. Those things were bad and they needed to be stopped. It won't always be this clear or straightforward.” She placed a hand on the younger woman's shoulder. “Or this violent.”
Angst sniffed and nodded.
Defrag: Hunters Stance
Previously...
We decide to hit the pub instead. Settled in at Rob Roy's, I order us four pints. Maggie corrects me; only three please. The beer is good, the atmosphere is cozy, and we feel good about the win.
Something's troubling me, though. By the time we part and I start walking home my mood has darkened. I'm distracted and don't notice how strange it is that I have an apartment in the very town we came to today for the mission.
As I enter the Brownstone and head up the stairs to apartment 23, I realize what's bugging me. It's Max. The way he handles himself, the way he confronted the demon, the way he went to work on the zombies, guns blazing. I'll never be like Max. No matter how many missions they let me tag along on, I'll just never really be like him.
I'm too nervous, I'm not in good enough shape. I always doubt what I'm saying. I don't know enough, I'm not that cool under pressure.
I turn on the TV, start cooking up a can of noodles. I feel edgy, unsettled. I almost feel mad at Max. Like he's a cocky show-off, like he thinks he's so much better. Truth is he wouldn't even be that special without Maggie and Angst. I know that I'm being pathetic, and that just makes me feel worse.
There's a movie on the TV I've seen before but I can't remember the name or the plot.
A knock at the door. As I open it I realize I'm in a motel room. The smell of noodles is coming from a bag of take-out on the bed.
It's Angst and Maggie. Angst says, "The police scanner picked up chatter - sounds like there's still something weird back at the cemetery."
Mags smiles. "Gear up, Max. We must have missed one."
We decide to hit the pub instead. Settled in at Rob Roy's, I order us four pints. Maggie corrects me; only three please. The beer is good, the atmosphere is cozy, and we feel good about the win.
Something's troubling me, though. By the time we part and I start walking home my mood has darkened. I'm distracted and don't notice how strange it is that I have an apartment in the very town we came to today for the mission.
As I enter the Brownstone and head up the stairs to apartment 23, I realize what's bugging me. It's Max. The way he handles himself, the way he confronted the demon, the way he went to work on the zombies, guns blazing. I'll never be like Max. No matter how many missions they let me tag along on, I'll just never really be like him.
I'm too nervous, I'm not in good enough shape. I always doubt what I'm saying. I don't know enough, I'm not that cool under pressure.
I turn on the TV, start cooking up a can of noodles. I feel edgy, unsettled. I almost feel mad at Max. Like he's a cocky show-off, like he thinks he's so much better. Truth is he wouldn't even be that special without Maggie and Angst. I know that I'm being pathetic, and that just makes me feel worse.
There's a movie on the TV I've seen before but I can't remember the name or the plot.
A knock at the door. As I open it I realize I'm in a motel room. The smell of noodles is coming from a bag of take-out on the bed.
It's Angst and Maggie. Angst says, "The police scanner picked up chatter - sounds like there's still something weird back at the cemetery."
Mags smiles. "Gear up, Max. We must have missed one."
20140706
v.Cyber Max
Max was an old friend of Pretty's and when Plureality managed to steal the Omega during the chaos of the MacroCorps War, Pretty bought it from them and convinced his pal to have it implanted. Depending on the Contract, Max selects from 'Simon' – a tactics and espionage expert, 'Marshal' – a hacker with an internal database of rare Meshes nicknamed the Spellbook, and 'Mick' – a brash and sometimes violent investigator. There are likely other polysonae versions in the Cortex that Max has yet to unlock.
The one time that Max tried Plex after the Omega was implanted he disappeared, literally vanished, for three days. He claims that he remembers nothing that occurred during his absence.
v.Cyber Tatterdemalion
v.Cyber Trump
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