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I waited for the train, thoughts racing as I tried to come up with a way to get her to accept that I know things—things that could change her life. The train doors hissed open. I stepped in, eyes scanning the crowd, staying alert for any potential pickpockets.
That's when I saw her.
Short, neon green hair, porcelain-white skin, and mismatched yellow and pink eyes. My brain supplied her name instantly: Rebecca.
I walked up to her, confident, and said, "What's up? My name's Dante."
I held out my hand. She looked confused at first, then smirked when her eyes landed on my face.
In that scratchy, unmistakable voice from the anime, she said, "I'm Rebecca. What's a cutie like you walkin' up to lil' ol' me for?"
"I thought you looked nova. The eyes are sick," I said.
She giggled. "Really?"
"Yeah."
"So what do you normally do, Rebecca?"
"I'm backup for an edgerunner crew."
"Sick."
We flirted and bantered for a while. I sent her my holo info and turned to leave.
"I'll see you later."
As I walked away, she pinched my butt and purred, "Later, cutie."
Grinning, I stepped off the train at my stop, taking a left, a right, then ducking into a side path. Ahead was the diner where Gloria had agreed to meet me.
I pulled my hoodie up and found a spot in the back corner. When the waiter came over, I asked, "What doesn't taste fake here?" He gave me a knowing nod and I ordered a water and the pizza the waiter recommended.
I sent her a quick message:
"I'm here. Back corner. Black hoodie."
The pizza arrived, steam rising off it. I grabbed a slice and took in the smell—surprisingly close to a real pizza, the kind from back home.
Just as I went to take a bite, Gloria stormed in. Her glare could cut metal. She sat across from me, tense. I slid the pizza her way.
"Take a slice."
We ate in silence for a moment. Then I broke it.
"So... I have some information. And some advice."
She glared, then made a go on gesture with her hand, still chewing.
"First off—I know you have an experimental Sandevistan in your possession you have quite the sticky fingers"
She froze mid-swallow, then gave me a death stare. "How do you know that?"
"If you weren't worried about me leaking the fact you've been stealing implants from your dead patients, you wouldn't have shown up."
Her eyes burned hot now. She gritted her teeth and snarled, "I'll kill you if I don't like where this conversation goes."
She pulled a pistol from her coat and laid it on the table, aimed at me.
"Calm down," I said, leaning back, stretching my legs. I grabbed another slice of pizza. "Really, Gloria. If I wanted to rat you out, I wouldn't have shown my face."
She cooled off slightly, muttering under her breath as she grabbed another slice.
"So…" I said casually, "does David need a new BD program for school soon?"
She stiffened. "Yeah… what does that matter?"
I grinned, took a bite, chewed, then said, "Well, he'll say he doesn't. He'll use a bugged one from that back-alley ripper doc friend of his."
Gloria's face shifted, caught somewhere between surprise and suspicion.
"You'll apologize," I continued, "pay for the damages, and take him home. But on the way, you two will get caught in crossfire between the Animals and Sixth Street."
I looked her in the eye.
"You die. David ends up with your Sandevistan and falls in with Maine's edgerunner crew."
She stared at me, blinking. Her hand hovered near the gun again. "How do you know this?"
"I get visions. When they're vivid like this? They always come true."
She stayed quiet, expression unreadable, then asked slowly, "So… I die. David gets the implant. Joins Maine's crew as an edgerunner?"
I nodded, finishing my slice.
"I know it sounds crazy," I said, "but trust me. You want to buy him the new BD. Let him take the tram. Don't bring him home that day."
She looked down, chewing slowly, skeptical—but thinking. Then she asked:
"Anything else you know about?"
"Besides the tragic story of your son... and one other person, no. I do have some basic info on different gangs, though."
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