Humboldt's visor, previously opaque, was now clear as she gently patted me on the back while I desperately tried to clear the taste of vomit out of my mouth with the water bottle Nyx had provided me.

  She retty, early twenties, short cropped blond hair with a streak of bck hanging over one of her ice blue eyes, and a half a dozen piergs in each ear. “Sorry about that, I don’t normally work with other people and my suit is enviroally sealed,” she expined. “I’m Sharron Brookes, aka Humboldt.”

  “It’s not your fault,” I mao choke out before I sucked up o mouthful of water, swished it, and spat it on the floor. Finally clearing the acidic taste.

  Sitting up, inhaling fresh air for the first time in a few minutes, I asked the question that had been burning in my mind. “I’m Evelyn, but everyone calls me Teddy. What’s a Samurai doing down here?” I asked.

  She looked fused, “Like yourself?” she said.

  “I live down here,” I told her. “In my experieno one es down to the uy willingly, uhey don’t have any choice, or are trying to hide something.”

  Her hand stopped. “That’s a pretty pessimistic outlook you have there,” she said quietly.

  “I’m not a pessimist, I’m a realist,” I expined. “Would you be down here if there wasn’t an incursion?”

  She ughed quietly, “You got me there kid. I’ll admit that the uy wasn’t on my list of pces to visit when I came to Calgary, but the Samurai aren’t just going to let the Antithesis run wild down here,” she told me.

  I hmmm’d. I hadn’t expected ao e down here, but I could use all the help I could get. Not that I was going to admit it to someone I just met. Instead I stood up ao chey poor, devastated bot.

  The damage was bad. The facade was torn away, and the needles peed quite deep into its metal skull.

  “Nyx, I'm guessing this guy is a write off. I’m going to need a way to repair or recycle these guys iure,” I whispered to my AI. “I feel a little bad about him dying for me.”

  I’ll fg some catalogs iure.

  “Thanks," I replied quietly.

  Humboldt was watg me patiently from back at the entrance, so I sighed and turo face her. “So what’s the pn?” I asked. “I was going to check the Prect for survivors. I’m not sure what to do after that.”

  “You don’t know any other secure locations?” she replied quietly. “I was hoping you’d have some ideas.” I could see the on her face.

  “Checked the biggest one. People may have taken refuge in the gang strongholds, but I wouldn’t reend cheg them unless you want to get shot,” I told her. “Besides that, a lot of people make bolt holes to hide in, but who knows where those are. It’s ALMOST like no one gave a fuck prior to the Antithesis showing up here today," Humboldt flinched, and I immediately felt a pang of remorse.

  “Sorry, I know it’s not your fault. We’re used to not getting any help down here and I’ve been a little stressed, as you imagine. I didn’t mean to vent on you,” I said before stig my hand out, “I do appreciate the help, let’s get along.”

  A smile bloomed on her face, she took my hand and we shook. “Lets!”

  She took a step back, I could feel the vibration in the floor with every step. “I’d reend you pickup some sort of air filter before we head in,” Humboldt suggested. “We wouldn’t want you to get sick again.” She looked me up and down, “And maybe some new clothes, or armor, while you’re at it?”

  “Listen, my pants only have half a dozen rips in them,” I said. “Grahe hole where the four stabbed me is a little bigger than most, but these clothes are still good.”

  Humboldt looked at me, horrified.

  A little prote wouldn’t hurt. I don’t think your new friend has the same sense of fashion that you do.

  “I’d rather spend my points on more bots,” I replied grumpily, “but if everyone is so offended by my fashion choices.”

  “It’s less about fashion and more about prote, did you just say you were impaled by a model four earlier?” Humboldt asked.

  “I got better!” I replied defensively.

  She signed, “That’s besides the point. You might not be so luext time, a little prote goes a long way,” Humboldt expined.

  We stared at each other for a long moment, her in , me in disi. I turned away first. I didn’t feel guilty that someone was w about me, not at all, I just didn’t want to get into anument.

  “Fine, just gimme some privacy for five to ten minutes,” I ceded, “then we’ll go.”

  She nodded, and I pushed into a nearby room, which turned out to be a closet. Whatever, good enough.

  “Nyx time for an upgrade, assuming I have the points for it,” I said.

  You’re at 956. I think you’re uimating how many Antithesis died on that bridge. The ripper also did a good job after you left, although you received severely reduced points after you left the area. I have a suggestion ing that too.

  “Enlighten me,” I grumbled.

  For a hundred points you could unlock the Css I and and trol Utilities Catalog, then for 50 points more a C&C aug upgrade. It’ll let you keep track of, and trol your bots, eliminating the poiies as long as you remain in trol. Also, your current Augs suck.

  “Rude, but true,” I said with a sigh. “Fine, if it’ll get me more points in the long run it’s worth iing in.”

  Purchased - Css I and and trol Utilities Catalog - 100 points

  Purchased - Css I and and trol Augment upgrade - 50 points

  Points remaining 806

  A small box, no more than two inches square, nded on the ground. Inside air of tiny disks.

  “What the fuck do I do with this?” I asked.

  Pce it at the base of your neck, and near your eye. Just like they say.

  Squinting, I could see that, ihose words were iched into the disks. Humboldt was waiting, so I didn’t argue, this time. As soon as both disks were ected there was a sensation of heat, followed by cold. Then I was hit with the most intense headache I've ever experienced. My vision swam and I had to put my hand up against the wall to prevent myself from falling over. Suddenly it had a ton of windows popped into my vision, like a dispy s inside my head. The top windows were a tactical map along with a series of updates on my bots. After a mihe pain and pressure in my head eased.

  “The hell is all this?” I mumbled, trying to make sense of all this new information p in.

  What most people see with their augs, I still ’t believe yours were text and sound only. Now you’ll be able to access the city’s work for information, and trol your bots iime. I blocked all the spam most people receive, you’re wele.

  “It’s weird,” I pouted.

  You’ll get used to it. Now clothing, anything specific?

  “Nothing bulky,” I said. “I already have problems carrying my gear sometimes.”

  Right… How about the Css I Protective clothing. A reinforced coat, cargo pants and mask. The material will harderuck, enough to protect you from threes or fours, but anything bigger will probably get through.

  “Fine, but I want another hoodie of a simir style, and no full face mask, maybe a bandana or something instead,” I suggested.

  I work with that, it’ll put you back 50 points for the catalog, 50 for the un-bearably cute armored hoodie, 50 for the armored pants, and 100 for the air filtering, armored bandana.

  Purchased Css I protective clothing catalog - 50 points

  Purchased Un-bearably cute armored hoodie - 50 points

  Purchased Armored Cargo pants - 50 points

  Purchased Armored Bandana with air filtering capabilities - 100 points

  Points remaining - 556

  The boxes appeared at the bottom of the closet, stacked due to the ck of space.

  I took out the hoodie first, it was very simir to my current one. Falliween my waist and knees, dark green, this one had a zipper and a deeper hood. Of course it had the same signature bear ears my previous one had.

  “Cute!” I excimed quietly.

  The pants were fairly standard, but with multiple pockets for me to stuff gubbins. The bandana was bck with a cartoon bear mouth, spread wide like it was about to bite something, imprinted on the front.

  I smiled. “Thanks Nyx.”

  Anytime

  I switched up my clothes, leaving my old set shoved in the er, before heading back out to talk to Humboldt again.