Damien walked alongside Kat as she led him through the commercial square that she’d brought him to. The colorless buildings that surrounded them appeared to be shops of various kinds, and each one played advertisements through their window displays, creating a sea of commercials that couldn’t be ignored.

Despite the extreme bombardment of intrusive ads, this was the most normal region Damien had seen in his short time in Neopolis. For one, the square looked like it had actually been taken care of and maintained. The streets around the commercial area were uncharacteristically clean, and all the buildings stood wholly intact. On top of this, virtually everyone that roamed the square wore business attire, maintaining a professional image even though cyberware littered their bodies.

The presence of these higher-class individuals, combined with the ads which seemed to be targeted at a wealthier demographic, gave the square an impression of a thriving luxury market. Something he hadn’t expected to see in Neopolis, given his previous experiences. All of this made him feel like they were about to meet with someone important.

“This Marcus guy that we’re meeting up with,” Damien said. “Is he some kind of corporate hotshot?”

Kat spit out a laugh. “Yeah, right. He’s as far from corporate as they come. We’re just making a quick stop so I can splurge a little after our haul.”

She led him to a small shop at the far end of the square. This building was one of the few that didn’t have ads glaring from the windows. Instead, a modest display pulsed small lights on and off, creating an image of a red heart. Kat opened the door and signaled him in. “After you.”

Damien stepped inside, only to be greeted with a large display showcasing a wide variety of erotic adult toys. He immediately froze once he realized what kind of shop he’d entered. To his right, a large, slob of a man sat behind a counter, his arm elbow-deep in a bag of potato chips.

“Welcome to May’s Love Shop.” The man said, his voice and face competing to see which was more disinterested. “The go to place for when you need to take your pleasure into your own hands. Looking for anything in particular?”

Damien felt his face flush with embarrassment. What am I supposed to say to that? He turned back to face Kat, hoping she’d answer the question for him.

Kat snickered as she closed the door behind her. “He’s with me, Claude. We came to see something in the backroom. Is May in?”

Claude stuffed a handful of potato chips in his mouth and pointed his thumb to the back of the shop.

“This way.” Kat said as she brushed past Damien. “Try not to blow your load while we’re here. You’ll embarrass me.”

Damien heard Claude puff out a chuckle as he followed behind her. He tried his best not to ogle at the products on display, but he found it increasingly difficult. Some of the Authentic Models--as they were labeled— looked incredibly real. So real, in fact, that they filled him with an uncomfortable eeriness.

What the hell are we doing here? Damien thought to himself. She did say she was gonna splurge on something, but what could she be splurging on in a place like this? He paused and let his mind wander for a moment. Actually… I kinda like this where this is going…

They entered through a door at the far end of the shop and went down a flight of stairs into a dingy basement hallway. Disappointment began to take the place of anticipation as he started to piece together what was going on. This looked like the kind of sketchy place where illicit activities took place. Specifically, unlicensed retail transactions.

Reaching the end of the hallway, they arrived at a small room headed by a set of long, glass display cases. A woman sporting a pink mohawk stood on the other side, her hands busy fiddling with a disassembled gun. Her face lit up when she saw the pair enter. “Ah, Kat. Long time no see.”

“Too long.” Kat said. “How’s business been, May?”

“Ehh,” May said with a shrug, “you know how it goes. Those pussies in the NPD keep intercepting our shipments but we manage to get by. You still interested in those Eagles you mentioned earlier?”

“Sure am. Let me get the recoil upgrades while I’m at it.”

May raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like someone got paid. I’ll need a few minute to program them. Hold tight.” She slipped past the curtain behind her into another room.

Damien turned his attention to the wares on showcase. A wide variety of weapons were enclosed within the glass display, including swords, bats, guns, and even a flamethrower. Out of all these items, one in particular stood out to him: a collection of ninja stars. He performed a scan, and a small overlay appeared beside them.

Kimura Basic Shuriken (x16)

Damage: 10

Condition: Excellent

Cost: 4,000 funds

Kat snooped in over his shoulder. “Those shuriken caught your eye, eh? Guess you’re really a samurai at heart.”

Damien nodded as he admired the shiny metallic glint of the stars.

Kat’s a pirate, and since I’m working with her, that technically make me one too. I’ve got a katana, which also means that I’m a samurai. If I get these shuriken, could I call myself a ninja? That would make me a Samurai Ninja Pirate. He giggled internally. Now that’s a title…

He examined all the other goods one by one, until he spotted a full set of armor in the far corner of the room. The gear had the style of feudal samurai armor, but it featured slick, futuristic armor plating. He scanned the equipment.

Mercurial Shroud [Samurai Armor]

Stats: +8 Durability, +40% Thermal Resistance

Condition: Excellent

Cost: 35,000 funds

Not only do they look and sound cool, they have bonus effects too!

Damien turned away from the armor in disappointment. It was painful knowing that he couldn’t afford it yet.

“So, Kat.” Damien said. “I’ve been meaning to ask your something. This whole thing with the Skulls and TrillTech, how exactly are they related?”

“That’s a good question.” Kat said as she leaned against the counter. “TrillTech are a company that specialize in Biorobotics. They’re a reputable corporation, so they have no business mingling with low level street gangs. But lately, there have been rumors circulating that they’ve been performing illegal experiments on people.”

“That includes me, right?”

“To be honest with you, I never believed the rumors.” She crossed her arms as she spoke. “But after finding you, it all started to add up. It seems like they’re using the Skulls to facilitate these illegal experiments. After all, if a street gang is willing to collect and house their test subjects, they can keep a clean image in the public eye.”

“That makes sense… But why the Skulls?”

Kat shrugged. “Can’t say. They’re a relatively new gang, but they’ve exploded in numbers and influence at an unnatural rate. Everyone knows they must be taking part in unconventional activities. Even other gangs are suspicious of them.”

To Damien, it was starting to sound like a mystery to be solved. I bet this whole thing between Skulls and TrillTech will be a key quest line…

The curtain shuffled and May appeared, brandishing a silver pistol in hand. “Let me know how this fits.”

Kat took the gun and pointed it at the wall, taking aim through its sight. “Beautiful. Fits like a glove.”

“Great,” May said, “I’ll quickly do the other one.” She disappeared through the curtain once again.

Damien stared at the gun, triggering a scan and revealing just how powerful the weapon was.

Thomson Eagle 12

Damage: 45

Condition: Excellent

He let out a disappointed sigh. “I really gotta get me some funds.”

“I’m sure you’ll start making money in no time.” Kat said. “This job with Marcus should net us a pretty penny.”

“How much?”

“Not sure, but he sounded excited. And knowing Marcus, it takes a decent chunk of cash to get him this enthusiastic about a job. It’ll probably be enough to pay off your debt.”

Finally…

For Damien, those were some much needed words. He hated the idea of being indebted to anyone, and he’d started wonder just how long it would take to get them off his back. Not that he disliked Kat and Roger by any means. In fact, he was starting to enjoy their company quite a bit.

Roger had a calming, fatherly presence; the kind of person who would quietly support you no matter what. Kat, on the other hand, was the total opposite; feisty and rough around the edges. Despite this, she had a likable charm beneath that combative spirit. Both were people he’d want to work with in the future.

“Well,” Damien said, “whatever this job is, I’m ready to do it.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure." Kat said, a devilish smirk growing on her face. "Marcus has a bad habit of biting off more than he can chew. Trust me, this job won’t be anything like our first encounter with the Skulls.”