Chapter 131: Let them sweat...
Sighing to herself, Sasha flips through the sensory information options, from auditory which deafens her from the intensity, to thermal, which seemed to surprise Judy by how accurate it was...
"Huh, never seen a BD chip that could capture single-digit temperature changes... Where'd you get it, Ori? Might try using it for my own stuff."
"Er, a prototype I found, don't bother looking for it as I found nothing bout it." he states before refocusing on the sim. "Hey Sasha, that runner's body look weird to you?"
"Hm?" Sasha quirks a mental brow and looks closer, finding a temperature disparity under their clothes. "Yeah... Either they had their arm stuffed in ice before following you, or they got a Cybernetic arm."
"Check their head too, can't see their face but they're overclocking their RAM." Judy points out, revealing the Netrunner's head being a good degree hotter than it should be.
"That's probably why they ran, another quick hack and they'd be cooking their brain." Sasha remarks.
"So... We got a newbie Netrunner with a chrome right arm... Not much to go off of." Ori sighs.
"Maybe we missed something...?" Sasha questions, quickly going through the BD a couple times, trying to find any other clues.
Ten minutes of this pass with no luck. They were still just as clueless as earlier...
"Maybe I should go back to the station and wait for another attack? With you there at backup I'll probably not die?"
"Why were you even at the station in the first place?" Judy inquires.
"I was visiting someone in the Med Center, don't worry about it."
"Wait, did we check their shoes?" Sasha suddenly interjects, looking down at the boring-looking footwear.
"What about 'em?" Ori scoffs, "Think we'll find their business card stuck to the bottom?"
"No, wait, she's gotta point..." Judy mutters, leaning closer to the screen, "Hey! These are Markesh Customs! Preem limited edition sneakers, every single set is unique! I tried to get some last month but the line was too long, but by the time it reached halfway they sold out."
"... And?" Ori asks, not seeing how this could help.
"And, there's only one place they sell them! A back alley in Heywood where only 'those-in-the-know' know. You get me?"
"All I'm hearing is 'let's visit the shoe shop and see if we can find someone who matches the description'. That about right?" he asks.
"Sounds like a plan to me. We all done here? Because I'm gonna jack out."
-----------------
"Did you have to come with us...?" Ori asks Judy who was walking beside them through Heywood.
"She just wants to buy some new shoes..." Sasha jokes, but laughs as Judy flushes slightly.
"Really... We're hunting an assassin and you're here shopping?"
"Hey! Those sneakers are actually really good! Besides, they're not open right now anyway, they only open to release batches of shoes once month." Judy retorts somewhat heatedly, as if someone had challenged her honour or something.
Ori shakes his head, "Whatever... This the place?" he asks, leaning over to peek through a dirty alleyway.
Judy casually steps inside, leading the duo through and to a reinforced metal door hidden in a corner, an unlit fluorescent sign with 'Markesh' written placed above it.
"Sooo, do we knock?"
"Dunno... You pay them and they slide your shoes outta that hatch." she points to the small hatch at the bottom of the door.
Sasha smiles to herself, "Maybe we should call Rebecca? She could probably fit through it."
"Heh, no... You underestimate how wide her hips are." Ori remarks, grinning.
"I didn't need to hear that."
"Whatever, let's just get to it." Ori says, knocking on the door with his fist.
*Thud-Thud-Thud!*
...
*Thud-Thud-Thu-*
"WHATCHU WANT!?" a high-pitched voice shouts from behind the door, and Ori couldn't tell what gender it belonged to...
"We're just here to ask some questions... We aren't the cops, or any of the gangs, just some regular civies looking for answers." Ori states.
...
"ASK YOU QUESTION!"
Ori opens his holophone and brings up the screen, holding it up to the door camera, "You remember who you sold these to?" he asks, showing the assassin's kicks.
"NO!"
"Come on! This guy's tryin'a flatline us!" Ori presses.
"NO! YOU LEAVE NOW!"
Ori lets out an annoyed sigh and turns to the others, "Judy, how much do you like this place?"
"Why... Wait, you're not-"
"Gonna break my way inside? Dunno, if it comes to that. I'd rather not give the runner another chance to gimme the 'Insisted Suicide' service.
Judy chews her lip and steps forward, banging on the door again, "Hello! Please hear us out, my friend is currently planning on barging in and personally asking you questions... I like your shoes by the way!" she adds, drawing strange looks from Ori and Sasha.
"WE CALL POLICE!"
"Oh no you don't!" Ori growls, drawing Bore, the sawed-off shotgun Rebecca made for him and points it at the lock.
*BANG!*
*CLANK!*
"Hm, strong door." Ori states as he reloads the weapon, readying another shot.
"WAIT! WE TALK! WE TALK!"
"Bullshit, I'm not waiting around to see if you actually called the cops. We'll talk inside."
*BANG!*
*CLank!*
"PLEASE DON'T! WE BE GOOD!"
...
"The fuck...?" Ori mutters, confused at the stranger's words. He shakes his head though, readying another shot, "Open the door or you'll have to buy another one!"
"WE DO! WE DO!"
*Click!*
The sound of multiple latches coming undone sounds out, and after that the door slowly swings open, revealing the room behind it. And boy, was it a strange sight.
Around the size of two large bedrooms, it had tables attached to the walls with machines presumably to design shoes, all of which seemed incredibly old-fashioned. Sewing machines, physical sketch boards, and other similar things.
Most surprisingly were the occupants... All children or young teenagers, most standing in the corners while an eleven-year-old boy stands in front of the door... Was that who he was talking to? Man, he's a massive asshole...
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