My dreams were unusually vivid. Normally there was nothing but peaceful oblivion when sleep came for me. These dreams were good, too good. They reminded me of my time on BTLs, right down to the subject matter, too.

When I woke up I found a blanket had been placed over me. 

I smiled. “Trix is still looking out for me”

Before tossing off the blanket I checked the datajack near my right ear, nothing. I sighed in relief. It was an irrational fear, but I'd not touched a cal-hot or even a regular simsense chip in the years since Dust and Trix got me out of that hole and I was never going back down that road. 

I traced the edge of my jack. “Still… those dreams were so.” I shook my head. “Better to just not think about it.”

I stood up and stretched before I opened my curtains letting in the dull light of another overcast Seattle morning in. My eyes switched back from low light and as they did my vision filled with color. The view out my window wasn't much, it looked out at a place in the downtown area where people actually lived. It wasn't pretty by the definitions of the folks with money, but I'd take the wrecks filled with life any day over the sterile hell that seemed to dominate the affluent areas. 

I turned my back on the view and left my room to see if the bathroom was available. It was not, in fact there was already a line. 

Trix leaned against a wall next to the door. “Mornin’, Burnout. You're uh, lookin’ real good for someone who was riddled with bullets yesterday.” 

I looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “You know Rigoberto does good work.”

“He does good work, but there's no scars at all.” Her face scrunched up. “Is that artificial skin?” She pressed a finger against my bare chest.

“No? What?” I gave her a look of genuine confusion.

Dust opened the door and our focus switched to her. She stepped out of the bathroom, she had to bow her head or catch her horns on the door frame. She had a towel on over her shoulders and a pair of boxers. 

For a moment she regarded us. “Hey.” 

Silence hung in the air. 

“You look good, Dust.” Trix said and darted into the bathroom.

“I know. Bathroom's free… was free.” She placed a large blue hand on my head and mussed my hair. “Dunno how you're growing it this fast, but it's a good look on you.”

“Euh? You too.”

Dust leaned down to look at me eye to eye. “You sure there isn’t a bullet rattling around your brainpan, Burnout?”

I shook my head.

“I thought I heard something rattling in there, do it again.”  She cupped a hand to her ear. 

The bathroom door slammed open and Trix just about skidded as she took the turn down the stairs. 

Dust blinked. “She late for something?” 

“Probably.” 

She straightened up as best she could and started to walk down the hall. “See you later, Burnout.” She waved back at me.

“Yea, see you soon.” I called back as I entered the bathroom. 

It was surprisingly intact for having just weathered Trix. Toothbrushes not on the floor, hand towel in some facsimile of rehung and the faucet was even off. I took a towel and finished wiping the fog off the mirror. Judging from my reflection Trix and Dust weren’t  just messing with me. I had no scars and my hair was notably longer. Not just no new ones, but none of my old ones. I twisted in the mirror to see my back too, there was just nothing but smooth skin. A thought hit me as I was checking my body. 

My hand went to my arm, where the patch should be. “Where the hell is it?”

I stepped back out into the hall then into my bedroom. I flicked the light on and looked for the patch. Maybe it had fallen off in my sleep. I tore through my bed and even looked through my trash. It wasn’t there. The container of the rest of the patches was, but not the one I’d used. It was mildly distressing, but I shook it off and headed back to go take a shower. I needed to get all the sweat from last night off me. 

I kicked my jeans off and stepped into the shower. I turned the hot water knob and it came out freezing cold. I grit my teeth. When Dust got in first there usually wasn’t much of the hot water left. It wasn’t that she used a ton. It was more our water heater was barely functional drek. Once I was satisfied I had done what I could I stepped out and dried myself off. I would have shaved next, but I must’ve done it or maybe Rigoberto had taken care of that for me when he fixed me up.

It didn’t matter. Today was a day off and more importantly payday. I went back to my room wearing a towel and carrying my pants. I chucked them in the dirty pile and picked up a wrinkled t shirt, some underwear and a pair of jeans from the clean one. They felt a little off when I put them on, but I just chalked that up to the after effects of the Banshee. As I left my room for the day I grabbed my old denim jacket and slung it on. 

When I got downstairs Trix was already on the couch and presumably busy with her friends on whatever game they were currently obsessed with. 

She looked up at me and tossed a credstick at me. “Your cut from the Evo job, looks like Jesse actually got the nuyen out of our employer.” 

“It really all here?” I slotted it into my commlink then whistled at the total. “Thanks, Trix.”

She waved a hand at me without looking up from one of the screens she’d set up on the coffee table. “Don’t thank me yet, Jesse wants to see you specifically. Didn’t tell me why.”

“The usual place, I assume?” 

“Yea, he says to bring some food for his friends.” She returned to her game.

Jesse was our fixer, he was a liaison between us and the various Mr. Johnsons that had jobs they needed done. He was great at his work and he'd even got our money from Shiawase when things went sideways on a run. Jesse was also a shaman, specifically a rat shaman. 

I walked over to the kitchen and checked the fridge. There was drek all save Trix’s energy drinks and several near empty takeout boxes. When I checked them none of them seemed safe, even for Jesse’s friends, so I tossed them in the garbage. I decided to check in with Dust before heading out to meet Jesse.

As I stepped into the garage I waved my free hand. “Yo, Dust! I’m headed out for awhile, anything you want me to pick up?” 

She looked up from a weapon’s catalogue. “Any chance you can find one of these lying around?” Dust turned the catalogue towards me and pointed at a heavy duty vehicle laser.

I raised a brow at her. “Yeah, sure, of course I’ve just got one. Does it have to be the Ares model?” 

“Nah, even a Winter Systems will do, find one and I’ll get it set up on the van.” She waved a hand at me and smiled. “Burnout, just get me some tea from Jing-Sheng, I’m running out.” 

“Sure thing, Dust.” I turned to leave.

She hugged me from behind. “Be safe, okay?”

I tensed for a moment, then relaxed. “I’m going to be fine, I always am.”

She let go. “Yea, I know.” 

I walked to the door to the alley and opened it. “Thanks, Dust.”