Gabriela followed Soma into the Lower City. They took a tram not far from her apartment before she transferred to a mag train. The extent of her injuries were becoming clearer as the adrenaline that had filled her veins began to wane.

Her side hurt with every breath, as well as her ankle. She had to fight not to limp when she boarded the train.

Everywhere she looked she saw pictures of herself. Murder wasn’t a rarity in New Madrid. Hundreds of murders and violent crime were reported every year, most of them unnoticed by the denizens of the city. But the murder of a top corporate executive, by the hands of a gen perfect security officer was something new, something exciting.

Every screen on the train flashed her face, or a repeated loop from the news agency, detailing the ghastly crime she was accused of, and every eye was glued to the screens, or vid papers. Every passenger lapping up what little new news they could while completely oblivious to the fugitive standing amongst them.

Soma’s disguise had worked so far. The authorities were looking for a gen perfect with no augmentations, not an Either punk with a face tattoo.

The question of why and how she was accused of murder burned away in her mind, not to mention Geraldo’s accusation of her breaking into the Taurus mainframe. She wanted to ask Soma, but feared her one-way conversation would be overheard, and her clever disguise would be foiled.

The only person in her compartment that wasn't glued to the vids was a rambling preacher of the Church of The Augmented. Most of his flesh was replaced with bright chrome, or iodized metal.

“Flesh is imperfect, and weak,” he called out to no one. “Prone to fail you, just like anything else in this world.

“It is through grace that augmentation came to be,” he stressed. “It is destiny that we shed our weakness for the strength of metal and carbon. A paradise awaits us in the Either.”

He looked over and for a brief moment his augmented eyes locked on hers. Gabriela cursed and looked away.

“You, sister!” He pointed at her and moved towards her, pushing passengers aside as he made his way towards her. “Dose it not bother you that you will grow old and die? That your flesh will wither away day by day?”

“I try not to think about it.” Gabriela looked away and mumbled.

“Do you not think of your barren womb, and know that whatever life you fill with it will be twisted and deformed?”

“Piss off,” she hissed and turned away. Gabriela wanted to lash out at the preacher. She wanted to force his words down his throat with her fist.

He moved closer to her. She could smell the rankness of his feted breath, as well as the stench of lubricants needed to keep his body in motion. “Damnation is all that awaits you.”

Gabriela refused to be cawed by this man. She held his leveled gaze, and her lips parted to speak, but before the words could come the man jerked back before he turned his gaze to another passenger and moved on.

“That could have gone bad.” Soma appeared next to her.

“You could have helped.” Gabriela turned around to face him.

“He is heavily augmented, and the counter intrusion functions would have been difficult to overcome in enough time to have done any good. It would have just made him aware of my presence, which would have only added to the situation.”

“I thought you were a mancer.”

“Even mancers have their limits.” He admitted solemnly.

“Where are we going?” Gabriela turned back to the train window. The clean streets and buildings of the Upper City had been replaced by trash and graffitied walls.

“The Lower City.”

“I can see that,” Gabriela scoffed. “Where in the Lower City?”

“A safehouse I have prepared for you.”

“I need a clinic.” Gabriela clutched her side and grunted. The pain was becoming unbearable.

“It’s too risky to go to a clinic.” Soma’s image twitched and faded from view before he reappeared in front of her. “I’ll have someone meet us at the safe house, someone we can trust. They will get you patched up.”

Trust? Gabriela almost laughed out loud at the word. She had no idea who she could trust, or if she could trust anyone. There was something about Soma that even caused a seed of doubt expand in her mind. She knew nothing about him, or their mysterious benefactor. And he had been insistent during her encounter with Geraldo that she not listen to anything he had to say. Soma was hiding something, she knew it.

The Train stopped at Junction Station. The passengers all filed off the train, their faces grim as they returned to the bleakness of their lives in the Lower City.

Gabriela followed Soma as he vanished and reappeared, a ghostly apparition that jumped through space, leading her deeper into the unknown.

She had to walk to the safehouse. Every step was a grueling ordeal, every breath a challenge. Gabriela had to stop several times to catch her breath. She used the walls of the gritty buildings to hold herself up. The denizens that passed by spared her no mind. She was just another addicted, or roughed up whore to them, just another daily aspect of life in the Lower City.

“How much further?” She huffed.

“We are almost there,” Soma whispered as he appeared beside her.

Gabriela nodded and took a deep shaky breath before she took another painful limp down the sidewalk.

“Here.” Soma hovered around her and pointed down a dark alley. “It’s down here.”

He led her to a rusted door. A single light buzzed above it, creating a pool of light in the oppressive darkness of the alley. “Should I knock?”

Soma blinked out of existence before he could answer her question.

“Soma?” Gabriela called out into the alley. Only the clattering of bottles and the yowl of cat answered her. Her heart began to race as she slowly moved back to the door. Its cold metal pressing against her back.

Gabriela yelp and stumbled away when the door shuttered, the locking mechanism disengaged, and the door slowly opened.

“Come in.” A digitized voice said from within the door way.

Slowly, she followed the voice inside.

“Please close the door behind you,” The voice asked. Gabriela did as she was asked. Pushing the heavy door closed before she pulled on a leaver, which slid the deadbolts in place.

Gabreial turned around and blinked as lights clicked on around her, illuminating the safe house. It was a small studio, which was sparsely furnished. Only a small table with two chairs, and a mattress pushed into the corner.

A small girl stood against the wall; a permanent grin painted across the mask she wore.

“Maru?” Her name had eluded her at first, but the mask and grin pulled it from the recesses of her memory, as well as the name of her brother; Soma.

“Not quite.” Maru’s voice crackled.

A sense of unease built up as Gabriela crossed the threshold hold between them.

“What do you mean?”

“This is Maru, but it is me, Soma, speaking through her.”

Gabriela reached up with shaky hands and unlatched the mask that obscured the young girls face. Gabriela gasped and stepped back. What was left of Maru’s face was unrecognizable. Her lower jaw was gone, a feeding tube permanently attached to her face. Her only eye staired out unblinking.

“What the fuck?” Gabriela gasped and took a step back, holding a hand to her face to stifle her disgust.

“Maru is a surrogate,” Soma explained. “Her upper brain function stopped long ago. Her parents tried everything to keep her alive. In the end they succeeded, but it drove them to ruin. I found them and relieved them of the debt of keeping her alive.”

“She’s a child,” Gabriela whispered and took another step back before she raised her voice. “A child, you fucking monster!”

“She was a child.” The Maru-thing stepped forward. “That child died long ago. There is nothing left inside of her. Nothing but me.”

“No, this is sick.” Gabriela shook her head.

The Maru-thing chuckled. “It is amazing how little you change, Gabriela.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” She spat back.

“Nothing that can’t wait for an explanation.”

“You were there?” Gabriela demanded. Her hands shook and it took all her efforts not to clench her teeth. “You were there the day at the chop doc?”

The Maru-thing nodded.

“You were following me?”

“No, not entirely. I was looking for something. It just happened you were looking for the same thing, but you just didn’t know it.”

Gabriel’s mind raced as she recalled the sketchy events of that day.

“I was there the moment you arrived in the Lower City.”

“When Sally called Geraldo, telling me where to find Nora?”

“That was me.” The Maru-thing threw its arm out and made a deep bow. “I have been with you every step of the way.”

“Why?”

“I told you,” The Maru-thing said as it righted itself. “We were looking for the same thing.”

“The chop doc?”

The surrogate nodded.

“What did you want with a chop doc?”

“That was more than just a ‘chop doc’. It was a mancer that goes by the name Enigma. I have been looking for them for a long time. It was just chance that you happened to come along, but in the end it proved fruitful. Enigma’s skill far surpasses my own. Without you I would have never been able to meet them.”

“You used me?”

“No, inadvertently. I would like think we used each other. I helped you find what you were looking for, and you helped me.”

“Why couldn’t have just done it yourself? You knew where Nora was, she would have led you to the apothecary.” Gabriela pointed out.

The Maru-thing let out a sigh and kicked its foot sheepishly. “I could never approach Enigma in the Ether, they would never allow it, and to do so would have flatlined me, and this body is too unfit to do it physically.”

The pieces of the puzzle surrounding the event of the day slowly began to slid into place. “This mancer, Enigma, are they the benefactor that sent you to help me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The Maru-thing ignored the question. “The medical aid I promised you is here.”

Gabriela jumped at the sound of someone beating on the door. The Maru thing moved passed her and opened the door. A blonde woman stepped inside. Her blue eyes darted around nervously. She seemed to be wound up as tight as the braid she kept her hair in. Only the small wrinkles at the corner of her eyes betrayed her age.

“Is this her?” She asked as she moved deeper inside the safe house, dropping a large bag she caried on her shoulder to the ground.

“Yes.”

“Her damn picture is all over the news. Plastered on every billboard in the city.”

“Then I hope you keep her animity.”

“I could go to jail for this, lose my license, my family, my livelihood.”

“All those things will happen if you don’t tend to her, and worse if you mention this to anyone.” The Maru stressed.

The woman cursed and turned to her bag. She rummaged around for a moment, placing medical gear on the floor. When she had what she needed she motioned for Gabriela to sit.

Gabriela winced as she did what she was told.

“Take off your shirt.” The woman ordered.

Gabriela gave an uneasy look at Soma’s surrogate.

“I promise you I have seen it all before, and sexuality means nothing to me. You don’t need to be bashful.”

“I’d still prefer privacy.” She grumbled.

“Fine.” The Maru-thing parked itself into a corner and slumped forward. Returning to the brain dead child it was without Soma’s influence.

The woman pushed at the deep purple bruise that had spread across Gabriela’s abdomen, causing her to whimper and gasp.

The woman returned to her bag and produced an out injector.

“This is a nanite injection,” She explained. “I don’t have an X-ray or catscan to see what’s going on inside you,” The woman explained.

“No.” Gabriela shook her head. “No fucking way.” She had heard the horror stories of what a net breaker could do to someone if they were to hack into nanites. It was the reason nanites were rarely used, if at all for medical purposes. Only limited nanites were safe, ones like in the tattoo she had injected into her face. Their function couldn’t be changed or overridden.

“I promise you that they will be rendered innate after the exam is concluded.” The woman held up the injector.

“Find another way.” Gabriela stood up shakely and moved away from the woman.

“You could have internal bleeding. Your ribs are broken and could be threatening your internal organs. If we leave you untreated you could be dead before the morning. The only other solution is to take you to a clinic, but given your situation I doubt that would be a good idea.”

Gabriela slumped back into the chair. “Fine,” She whispered.

“If you don’t believe me then have Soma deactivate them himself.”

Gabriela nodded. She fully intended to.

The out injector clicked and hissed as it bit into Gabriela’s skin. “It’s going to take a few moments for the nanites to report back the extent of the damage.” The woman sat a terminal in her lap and flipped up the screen.”

“Who are you?” Gabriela asked as they waited.

“A doctor.”

“Do you have a name?”

The Doctor glanced up from the screen. “I think the less you know, the better. Your ribs are fractured, but not broken. There is some internal bruising, but nothing to be concerned about. It also looks like your ankle is broken. How did you get here?”

“I walked.”

“Figures. You didn’t do your foot any favors by doing that. Are you gen perfect?”

Gabriela nodded.

“Any genetic enhancements?”

“My immune system is enhanced.”

“That’s what I thought.” The Doctor tisked and shook her head. “I will need to try and reset your foot. Its already started to heal.” She rummaged into her bag, retriving an out-injector ampule. She ejected the spent ampule, it tumbled to the ground and shattered, the glass shard left forgotten on the soiled floor.

“This is morphine.” The Doctor leaned forward and pressed the autoinjector into flesh of her upper arm. There was a sharp pain, followed by a burning sensation that spread across her body, which was quickly replaced by a weighty sensation that bordered on bliss.

The Doctor helped Gabriela with her boot and took her foot in her hands. They were cold, which made Gabriela lazily wonder if cold hands were a prerequisite for doctors. The thought fled her mind the moment it had entered and was replaced by agonizing pain as the doctor set the bones back.

Gabriela gasped and cried out, her hands instinctively reaching to pry the Doctors hands away from her swollen foot.

“Don’t,” the Doctor warned. “Don’t touch it.” She sat Gabriela’s foot down gently before she leaned forward to administer another dose of the pain killer.

“You can’t trust Soma.” The Doctor whispered. She was so close that Gabriela could feel her soft lips brushing against her ear.

Gabriela tensed and looked over at Maru. The little girl was crumpled to the ground, her feet sprawled out in front of her, her head lifelessly tilted to the side, like a discarded doll tossed into a corner and forgotten.

Gabriela looked dully back and the Doctor, her lips parting to ask her what she knew about Soma, but the Doctor spoke before she could get the words out.

“I am going to give you some medicine that will help the bone heal faster. It’s not going to be pleasant.” She warned. “But I will leave you with enough morphine to get through the worst of it. I deactivated the nanites, you can have Soma verify if you want.

“Who is he?”

“I’m done!” The Doctor called out and started to pack her equipment away, ignoring her question.

The Maru-thing stirred to life, pulling itself to its feet.

“Is she okay?” It asked as it limped over to them.

Gabriela hastily put her shirt back on.

“She will live. She needs to be off her foot for at least three days. There is pain medication for her. Make sure she eats if she can.”

“Thank you,” Gabriela whispered and leaned back.

“Here.” The Doctor rummaged through her bag before she placed a set of electric sheers on the table. Gabriela looked up inquisitively. “They are looking for a woman with purple hair, and I am guessing they will be monitoring any sales of hair dye. Shave your head.”

Gabriela nodded and pulled the sheers over to her.

“We are done now.” The Doctor turned back to the Maru-thing. “I don’t owe you anything anymore.”

“Our arrangement will last as long as I see fit.” The electronic voice crackled. “I keep your secret in return for services.”

“Which I rendered.” The Doctor protested. For the first time Gabriela saw not a doctor, cool and collected, but a desperate woman.”I have done everthing you have asked me to do.”

“And our arangment remains unchanged; you do as I ask and your secrets are kept safe.”

A tear escaped the womans eye, slipping down her cheak, leaving a streak in her make up. She looked back at Gabrielia before she grabbed her bag.

“Good luck.” She said to her before she left, slaming the heavy door behind her.