The week went by really fast... even the one day off I gave the team didn't leave much of an impression. And then yesterday I got a text from Vic asking me to report to him as a group.
"Hey, Vic..."
I entered his clinic and shook the hand that the reaper extended to me. For myself, I decided that if he had already picked up everything, I would definitely invite him to the kebabs.
"Okay, there are a couple of experimental implants I'd suggest you get. For starters, it's a combination of subcutaneous armor and optical camouflage. You have to realize, combining such technologies from different corporations is a lot of work, and you've got a Sandi..."
Vic shook his head.
"...Overall it will be a little worse than the extra class in terms of exhaust, but it doesn't need that extra synchronization."
I nodded.
"Well, Vic, I didn't throw you the list for nothing, I rely on you for chrome selection. You are my ripper, you should understand better what will suit me and what you will be more comfortable working with."
"Uh-huh. I appreciate that. So, uh, 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 be installed too, but the rest of the stuff that's supposed to extend the life of the organs...
Vic shook his head and looked closely into my eyes.
"It's so rare, it's only custom-made. And before I make it, 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 slightly.
"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 made, so to speak, to average parameters. I can't say that they will be directly worse than the individual ones, but some medication will be needed to avoid a long rehabilitation..."
"What's your advice?"
"You know, uh. I'm not supposed to say this, but I know you well enough... don't mess with the corporations. Go black market, plus the drugs."
"Let's do it."
Vic relaxed a little after I said that.
"Next, about your skeleton... are you sure you want it?"
"Well..."
I looked at Vic seriously.
"...How about this, you hook up to me, I'll turn the sandi up to maximum, then I'll make sure ten seconds have passed in real time and then I'll disconnect. I'm gonna have a hard time keeping track of time without a timer on the monitor. And then you can tell me if I need to change the skeleton."
"Uh, uh. let's put it this way."
He nodded and quickly activated his equipment.
"On the count of zero. three, two, one, zero."
So I turned on Sandi, considering I was lying on his riper's couch at this point, I didn't feel any tension. Just lay there watching the timer...
It just felt like a lot of time had passed, but in reality it was only ten seconds...
I turned off the sandi...
"Fuck. what just happened."
"This is..."
I grinned.
"...full power. Discovered this ability 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. Except my bones can't take that. and my skin. I'm gonna have to wear a special suit that takes up air resistance."
"Then you don't need optical camouflage..."
Vic shook his head.
"Hmm?"
"Well, I mean, you don't need to combine it with subcutaneous armor. It's better to take the extra class armor, and the suit with optical camouflage systems. Because if you put on a tight jumpsuit over your skin with a camouflage system installed..."
Vic shook his head.
"All in all a pointless waste of money and time."
"You know best..."
"So, uh, 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 weapons. But you've already said that's the one you don't want... I'll have to do some more searching here... Although. I think I saw an article about a skeleton made of extremely strong and lightweight materials... I'll have to check the tabs, I usually save everything interesting..."
"Okay, well, I'm done... what about the girls?"
"Well, I'm all set for runners. I wouldn't recommend doing it all at once, though. Let's deal with the head first, change the deck, expand the memory, speed up the recovery speed, and I also picked you some good heat sinks. These have become popular with corparts and they've already hit the black market. The point is, you don't have to dive into a tub of ice, you have to have a special device that connects to a socket on the back of your head. Due to this the heat is dissipated."
"Hmmm... how effective?"
"Well, I have selected everything so that it can withstand the work of the deck and all the attached chrome in boost mode. Of course, you won't be able to work like this for 24 hours and you will still need a bath if you dive into the network for a long time, but you can count on three hours of boost operation."
The Ranershis glanced over at each other.
"Me first..."
Judy stood up and walked over to the couch from which I stood giving way to 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, who took him over two hours. But the result...
Fuck...I think I'm in love...
"Seriously?"
Kiwi raised an eyebrow and shifted her gaze regretfully from me to her high-tech mask, which had previously covered the pile of chrome that replaced her lower face.
"Did I say that out loud?"
"Uh-huh...
Becca grinned and nodded at my question. All I could do was shake my head a little sadly.
"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 would you do that?!"
Becca walked over to Kiwi and looked into her eyes carefully.
"I... I'm embarrassed."
Inhale... exhale.
"Okay, Vic did his best, but who's next? I, as I understand it, will not be today, because cutting the subcutaneous armor after its installation is a perversion. So I have to change the skeleton first, so-- Panam or Becca?
"Well, uh. I've reserved a day for you, so I don't care. Panam will be more work though, she has almost no chrome, we'll have to create links between her body and the chrome that will be installed..."
"Then?"
"That's where I'll start... Everything will be much easier with Becca, she only needs to change the chrome to a more advanced one, and synchronization..."
Vic dealt with our team until 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 around on the way out of his clinic.
"Uh-huh?
"Do you want to join us for a barbecue?"
"М?"
"Natural meats, homemade alcohol..."
"I don't drink alcohol ..."
"Well, so do I, so I might just make non-alcoholic cocktails in triplicate...
"Well, uh. on the whole, I don't mind. but why the generosity?"
"You're just a good man. You're a good man. And you do a lot for my team."
"Well..."
Vic shrugged.
"...You pay me money for this..."
"Crying..."
I nodded my head.
"...but even so, the job can be done on completely different levels. The same doc-borg will not even think about combining chrome and patient comfort, he will just find something more expensive and install it. And then the grass won't grow...
"Well..."
"So I'm inviting a good speller who takes his job seriously to have a good time."
"Well. I don't mind... what's in it for me?"
"Good company."
I grinned.
"I'll take care of the cooking, though if you want, you can take something... Is Panam picking you up. next Saturday?"
"Uh-huh. I'm free.
"David, should we invite Misty?"
I shrugged.
"I don't mind. she's a nice girl, especially if you have a good relationship with her."
"Yeah, she's good..."
I noticed a slight sadness in Vic's gaze and realized that in this matter the man was lost.
"Mm..."
"What?"
"No, nothing. I just thought it would be a good chance for you to talk to her..."
"She's not free. and Jackie's my friend."
"I'm not suggesting you steal her away from a friend... I'm suggesting we talk."
He looked at me glumly and turned away.
"Anyway, Panam will pick you up Saturday morning..."
"Okay..."
The girls and I left Vic's clinic and headed for the exit through Misty's store.
"Misty, hi again..."
"Uh-huh...
Misty's voice was lost.
"Is something wrong?"
"Well. I had Jackie the other day. and I decided to play my cards right back at him."
"Is it bad?"
She looked up at me and nodded.
"...mortal danger. He's going through a very difficult time. he's, uh."
I frowned.
"Did you tell him that?"
"Yeah, but he just brushed it off. he's preoccupied with the task at hand. and it's a mission that poses a mortal threat."
"You want some advice? Two even..."
"Come on..."
She looked at me hopefully.
"First you need a distraction. So on Saturday you're coming to our place for shish kebabs, Panam will pick up Vic, and he'll pick you up too."
"But..."
"No, but, uh. can you make a difference?"
"N-no...
"Well, then don't get so worked up about it. 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 V."
"With 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 douche bag herself. After all, they're partners..."
"That's, uh. why didn't I think of that?"
"Overexcited..."
I looked at Misty carefully.
"And yes, 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 a 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.
"Okay, uh. would you like me to tell your fortune?"
I looked over to the girls and we agreed, after which Misty spread out the cards for us.
"Hmmm..."
"What?"
Panam approached the table on which Misty had laid out the cards.
"Well, uh. do you want the details or the big picture?"
"Can we just go with the Whole... we're not very good at tarot and can't fully appreciate your skills."
"Well. Then you'll be fine. but, uh, there's a big choice on the horizon. that will be decisive."
"Id."
I grinned.
"Well, I think we might still stop by, but if anything, we'll meet up on Saturday."
"Okay..."