righteousness

I flashed some coin at Beatrice and she delivered a perfect little contact for me. Patil is small-time and none too bright, but he's not greedy enough to double cross or runthings afoul. He'll contact Caban soon, drop Beatrice's recommendation, and assign us the specs I've fed him. We'll dash in and steal some equipment from the hospital and sell it to him, and he'll pay with my coin. It would be easier to ask Caban to fetch out what I want, but I don't care. If I had encountered even one stopblock I might have reconsidered. Crime is just too shaking easy.

no small favors

It is disturbingly wasy to craft my own way, a quiet talent hinting that perhaps I was always meant to do this, and ignore the guilt that twinges in my heart. It is uncomfortable, however, to call in a debt I thought I would be able to ignore. Nash Fuentes was glad to get a line from me for the first time in years.
"Business trip to Mars?" he asked, smiling lasciviously.
"No. Listen, I need to call it in." The grin vanished instantly.
"You're in that much trouble?"
"No. I just need it."
"You said you'd never have to call it in."
"I said probably."

If he didn't hate me at our last parting, as I had tried to make him do, he would hate me now. The amount in question is paltry, easily absorbed by his now booming business, but it is more than I have now. Its also more than I technically need to restore my funds, but while I am burning my bridges I may as well make a clean show of it. The look on his face told me how little he appreciated this unexpeced contact and my unwillingness to forgive this small debt. If I collected everything that is owed me in the 'verse I'd have a tidy sum, but its not worth reminding so many people of my existence. Its better to be forgotten, and Nash Fuentes will never ask me to dance again.

under the scanners

Nothing seems terribly important anymore. As long as I make my jumps, run my checks, hold their backs, no one notices anything. I won't let myself get careless, because I need to make it to Chongquing. Our crew can pull it off, and if we pull it right we'll get enough coin so no one will notice I don't care. Ice shoots me strange looks, Em blossoms with cheer, Caban is relaxing again. No one knows. They won't have to.