Chapter Two
by LordCoake

"A bottle of our strongest for the lady." The bartender set the bottle and a glass down in front of the attractive brunette wearing a black trench coat. "Thanks." Pouring herself a glass, Corinna glanced at the other patrons gathered at "The Hanger." The place wreaked of alcohol and sweat, the air thick with smoke. The stools were not built for comfort, but if you had enough ale in you, you wouldn't notice. Still it was a nice place to make a few deals, earn some money, and get into a brawl or two. Corinna sipped her drink. It tasted like orc piss. Never tasted orc piss before, but if they're as nasty on the inside as they are on the out.......

"Don't see many of you're kind around here lately," the bartender said. Corinna looked at the bartender. She wasn't here to socialize, but she wondered if she might be insulted at what he said. "My kind?"

"Yeah. Juicer's. With the uprising and all, most try to keep a low profile. What's your story?"

Corinna had heard of the uprising. Make a deal with the CS in exchange for "eternal life," or something like that. Make a deal with the devil? Been there..... done that, she thought. She sold her soul to a bio-comp and drug harness. Still, she had also heard there was a lot to gain from the spoils of that war. "I'm not here to tell stories. I'm looking for transportation."

Corinna felt naked here without most of her weapons. She left the most overt of them at the front gate with the guard who got his nose busted for coppin' a feel. Had it comin'. Good thing the other guards had a laugh, otherwise she'd be sitting in a cell right now. Playing it cool, she decided to wear her Triax trench coat armor while on the urban trek.

"Well, maybe I can help you." The bartender's right cyber-eye scanned the barroom..

"I highly doubt it. I'm looking to get off this continent." Or this planet......

She thought she was cut loose from her former employee, but it appears he'd taken an interest in her again. She went through process as a deal with Jacko, a big time dealer in the JAofL. It cost him 350g's. She had almost paid it back, almost, but he isn't the patient type. Before arriving at this shocking town, she got into it with one of Jacko's lackeys. A hyperion who thought he could outrun a plasma burst. Poor fucker was nothing but a ten foot grease spot now. All she wanted was to get away from here and find a new line of work, maybe make a few million.

"Well then, I think I can help you. See the two young men sitting at that table by the wall?" The bartender gestured toward the far wall. Corinna saw them. Two men, one holding an object in his hand and talking to the other. "What about 'em?"

"I hear one's a gate-opener, the other's a time wizard or somethin' like that. Scary shit if you ask me. Still, I'm sure one of them's got contacts."

Corinna looked at them again. They weren't dressed to impress, in fact they blended in quite well here. Not at all what she thought a pair of wizards might look like. The one held an object in his hand, a large red gem of some sort. It was beautiful. Might get that million with that......." Thanks. I'll check it out."

Leaving her drink at the bar, Corinna slowly rose from her stool and made her way across the floor.