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***
The week flew by just really fast... even the one day off I took the team didn't leave much of an impression. So yesterday I got a text from Vic asking me to report to him as a group.
- Hey, Vic.
I walked into his clinic and shook the hand that the reaper extended to me. For myself, I decided that if he had already picked everything up, I would definitely invite him over for kebabs.
- So, there's a couple of experimental implants I'd suggest you get. For starters, it's a combination of subcutaneous armour and optical camouflage. You should realise that combining such technologies produced by different corporations will take some work, and you also have a Sandi....
Vic shook his head.
- ... ...In general, it will be a little worse than the extra class, but it does not need to conduct additional synchronisation.
I nodded.
- Well, Vic, I didn't throw you the list for nothing, I rely on you for chrome selection. You're my ripper, you should know better what works for me and what you'll be more comfortable working with.
- Yeah, I appreciate that. So we're going with the combined model. I just ordered it. The bio-implants are harder to get than the experimental chromium, but I've got some anti-poisoning stuff. So they can also be installed, but the rest, which should increase the life of the organs....
Vic shook his head and looked carefully into my eyes.
- It's so rare that it's only made to order. And before I do that, I'll have to take full scans of you and send the data to the corporation so they can make implants exactly to your specifications.
I frowned a little.
- Vic...
- What?
- ...You're a pro, so let's be honest. How necessary is this?
- Hrm... no, I can certainly buy everything on the black market, they'll be customised, so to speak. I can't say they'll be any worse than individual ones, but some medication will be needed to avoid a long rehabilitation...
- What do you recommend?
- You know... I shouldn't say this, but I know you well enough by now... don't mess with the corporations. Order from the black market, plus the drugs.
- That's what we'll do.
Vic relaxed a little after I said that.
- Next, about your skeleton... are you sure you want it?
- Well...
I gave Vic a serious look.
- ...How about this, you hook up to me now, I'll turn the sandi up to maximum, then I'll make sure it's about ten seconds past real time and then I'll switch off. I'm gonna have a hard time keeping track of time without a timer on the monitor. After that, you tell me if I need to change the skeleton.
- Hmm... well, let's do it...
He nodded and quickly activated his equipment.
- On the count of zero, three, two, one, zero.
And I switched on Sandi, considering I was lying on his riper couch at this point, I didn't feel any tension. I just lay there and watched the timer....
To my senses it just felt like a very long time had passed, but in reality only ten seconds...
I switched off the sandi...
- Fuck... that's what just happened...
- That...
I grinned.
- ...Full power. Opened that feature by accident, just activated the sandi and I got shot at. And I accelerated so fast that the bullet was practically standing still. And I want to be able to use that speed at least partially. But only my bones won't withstand such a thing... and my skin... I'll have to wear a special suit that will take on air resistance....
- Then you don't need optical camouflage...
Vic shook his head.
- Hmm?
- Well, I mean you don't need it combined with subcutaneous armour. It's better to take the extra class armour, and to choose a suit with optical camouflage systems. Because if you put on a dense jumpsuit over the skin with the camouflage system installed....
Vic shook his head.
- In general, a pointless waste of money and time.
- You know best...
- Now, about the bones... well, a titanium skeleton would be the easiest to install. Especially since you don't have any mantis blades, monostrings or other hidden weaponry. But you already said you don't want one... I'll have to do some more searching... Although... I think I've seen an article about one skeleton made of particularly strong and lightweight materials... I'll have to check the tabs, I usually save anything interesting....
- Okay, well, I'm done... what about the girls?
- Well, I've got everything ready for the rauners. I wouldn't recommend doing it all at once, though. Let's take care of the head first, change the deck, expand the memory, speed up the recovery rate, and I've picked you up some good heat sinks. These have become popular with corporates and they've already hit the black market. The idea is that you don't have to dive into a tub of ice, you have to have a special device that plugs into a socket on the back of your head. That's how you get the heat out.
- Hmm... how effective is that?
- Well, I've chosen everything to withstand the deck and all the chrome that comes with it in boost mode. Of course, you won't be able to work like this for 24 hours and you'll still need a bath if you dive into the mains for long periods of time, but you can count on three hours of boost operation.
The Ranershis looked at each other.
- I'll go first...
Judy got up and walked over to the couch where I had made room for her.
- Come on, lie down, let's do your upgrade.....
Forty minutes... that's how long it took Vic to install all of Judy's chrome, then the same amount of time he spent on Lucy and last was Kiwi, on whom he spent over two hours. But the result...
Fuck... I think I'm in love....
- Really?
Kiwi raised an eyebrow and regretfully shifted her gaze from me to her high-tech mask that had previously covered the pile of chrome that replaced her lower face.
- Did I say that out loud?
- Yeah...
Becca grinned and nodded at my question. All I could do was shake my head a little frustrated.
- Well... I have to admit, I can't help but share David's views... you're a big cutie.
- Pfft...I should get a mask...I didn't expect it to be resolved so quickly.....
- Why?!
Becca walked up to Kiwi and looked her in the eye.
- I'm... embarrassed...
Inhale...exhale....
- Okay, Vic did his best, but who's next? I, as I understand it, will not be today, as cutting the subcutaneous armour after it is installed is a perversion. So I have to change the skeleton first, so-- Panam or Becca?
- Well, I've reserved a day for you, so I don't really care. Panam will be more work though, she's got almost no chrome, you'll have to create links between her body and the chrome that will be installed....
- Then?
- I'll start with her... With Becca everything will be much easier, she only needs to change her chrome to a more advanced one, and synchronisation....
Vic dealt with our team till the evening, however, we arrived to him only in the afternoon, so even though it is quite an impressive time, but at the same time not so much, especially if we take into account that he operated on more than one person.
- Vic.
I turned round on the way out of his clinic.
- You did?
- Do you want to join us for a kebab?
- М?
- Real meat, homemade alcohol.
- I don't drink alcohol.
- Well, neither do I, so I can just make non-alcoholic cocktails in triplicate...
- Well...on the whole, I don't mind...but why the generosity?
- It's just that you're a good man... the right man... And you do a lot for my team....
- Well...
Vic shrugged.
- ... you pay me money for it...
- I do.
I nodded my head.
- ...but even so, the work can be done on very different levels. The same dockworker won't even think about combining chrome and patient comfort, he'll just find something more expensive and install it. And then the grass won't grow back....
- Well.
- So I'm inviting a good man who takes his work seriously to have a good time.
- Well, I don't mind. What's in it for me?
- Good company.
I chuckled.
- I'll take care of the cooking, though if you want, you can take something... Panam will pick you up... next Saturday?
- Mm-hmm, I'm free.
- David, shall we invite Misty?
I shrugged.
- I don't mind...she's a nice girl, especially since you two have a good relationship.
- Yeah, she's nice.
I noticed a slight sadness in Vic's eyes and realised that the man was lost in this matter.
- Yeah.
- What?
- No, nothing. I just thought it would be a good chance for you to hang out with her.
- She's not single, and Jackie's my friend.
- I'm not suggesting that you steal her away from a friend. I'm suggesting we hang out.
He looked at me glumly and turned away.
- Anyway okay, Panam will pick you up on Saturday morning.....
- Okay...
The girls and I left Vic's clinic and walked towards the exit through Misty's shop.
- Misty, hi again...
- Yeah...
Misty sounded lost.
- Something wrong?
- Well...I had Jackie over the other day...and I decided to spread the cards to him....
- Is it bad?
She looked up at me and nodded.
- ...mortal danger. He's having a really hard time...he's....
I frowned.
- You told him that?
- Yes, but he just brushed it off... he's all consumed with the task ahead of him right now... and it's that task that carries the mortal danger....
- You want some advice? Two pieces of advice.
- Come on.
She looked at me with hope.
- First, you need a distraction. So on Saturday you're coming to our place for kebabs, Panam will pick up Vic and pick you up too.
- But...
- No, but... can you change anything?
- N-no...
- Then don't worry so much. You warned him... you did everything you could. Although the second piece of advice is to do a little more to what you've already done.
- And what's that?
- Talk to Vee.
- Vee?
- She's a girl too... tell her your concerns, tell her that replacing Jackie's chrome with a more advanced one will make your life more peaceful. Get her to talk to that jerk herself. After all, they're partners...
- Why didn't I think of that?
- Overexcited...
I took a good look at Misty.
- And yeah, don't get worked up... something tells me things will work out the way they should....
Yeah, things will work out the way they're supposed to and Jackie will either die on the mission or he'll get famous and just forget about you. He's not the type to be in a serious relationship with a girl like that. At least that's the impression I got after meeting him.
- Well... would you like me to tell your fortune?
I looked at the girls and we agreed, after which Misty spread out the cards for us.
- Hmm.
- What?
Panam approached the table where Misty had laid out the cards.
- Well... do you want the details or the whole?
- Just the Whole... we are not very good at tarot and won't be able to appreciate your skills in full.
- Well. Then you'll be fine... but... There's a serious choice on the horizon... it will be crucial....
- I see.
I grinned.
- Well, I think we might stop by again, but if anything, I'll see you on Saturday.
- Okay...