Wakey Wakey

"Hmph, 'bout time for you to get up, kid." Maine's voice brings Ori too, blinking awake as he sits up on the dirt couch he'd been laying on.

"Ugh..." he grumbles tiredly, idly touching his lips from the lingering taste of blood, though he was sure this was just a mental aftereffect from the earlier blood bath.

He wasn't somewhere familiar, but at least Maine's presence meant it was safe enough. A dark workshop with boarded-up windows and frayed furniture scattered around the place, not to mention a Netrunner set up with an ice bath behind some nearby curtains.

Ori rubs his head, still feeling a slight headache that'd lasted ever since he took that blow to the head... Maybe his 'fractured skull' was more than just that, brain damage was harder to heal than bone after all.

His arm snaps up as Maine tosses him something, and he inwardly grimaces as the hot pocket bursts in his hand, covering it in sauce hotter than whatever volcanos spat out...

"Doc told us you'd be hungry when you woke, don't blame yeah after seeing that shit hole." Maine remarks, leaning back on the couch with a cigar in his mouth.

"Doc...-Bats? They all okay? They get out?" Ori quickly asks, "What about Sasha?"

"They're all alive, scuffed your ride a bit but peachy. The Doc, your preggo sis and her squinty-eyed input." Maine says while puffing the cigar.

"Ah... Good." Ori mutters dropping back into the couch and stuffing the hot pocket into his mouth. Yeah, he'd need to reload on carbs if he was going to be fighting anytime soon... If he took any more damage he'd be looking like a skeleton.

"Have to say though, you did good. You sure you don't wanna join up? There's always room in the crew." he grins toothily.

"In case you forgot, I've got my own crew to look after..." he trails off, "'Becca's not happy with me, is she...?"

"Ha! As a famous man once said, you dun' fucked up!... Eh, you might be alright though, if you'd died who knows what she woulda done." he shrugs.

"Yeah... Great."

"Chin up! Not everyone lives through an ambush like that," he tilts his head, "Not everyone woulda' been stupid enough to deliver themselves too, but either way, good work." Maine points a metal finger at him, "Your friend says she found somethin' about the guys who put a bounty on ya'."

"She did...?" Ori perks up, "Where are they at anyway?"

"Outside, you slept the day away so they're having drinks with the guys." he gestures at the door on the far side of the room. "You need help walkin'?"

Ori shakes his head, almost stumbling to his knees as he gets to his feet. He hobbles to the door and opens it, finding Sasha and Rebecca sitting around a burning barrel with the rest of Maine's crew. Apparently, they'd taken him back to their hideout below the underpass, where he'd dropped Rebecca off earlier.

Maine steps past him and flicks his burnt-out cigar into the dirt, "Kid's up, go to town on 'em." he announces, causing Rebecca and Sasha to perk up, spotting him at the door.

Ori sends Maine an aggrieved glare and attempts to shuffle back inside... Only for Rebecca to grab his ear with the strength of a mountain. "Oh, you ain't runnin' til' I had a piece of you!" she turns to Maine's crew, "Order some food on me!" she says as she drags Ori inside, Sasha shutting the door behind them.

"Twenty bucks says they're gonna fuck, all three of 'em." Dorio remarks.

"Loser bet. Either way that kid's fucked." Maine chuckles, intentionally ignoring the outraged Pilar.

-------------------------

After getting a 'talking to' by Rebecca which involved her shoving as many disgusting protein bars into his mouth as possible, the three of them were left silently sitting in the building. Rebecca had sat in Ori's lap with folded arms like an immovable object, refusing to move no matter what... He knew she hadn't finished berating him, but she was probably waiting until they were alone...

Ori sighs, wrapping his arms around Rebecca's waist and hugging her, hoping that would placate her for now... "How'd you manage after you escaped?" he questions Sasha.

"I drew the Netrunner out and fought her. She was overconfident and I took advantage of it. Did Maine tell you what I found?" she inquires.

Ori shrugs, the movement causing Rebecca to pinch his leg, "Something about the guys who put the hit on us?"

Sasha nods, "Well, I found everything in the Netrunner's head. Do you know who's in charge of Biotechnica?"

"Dunno, I'm assuming that means it was Biotechnica then?"

"The new Regional Manager, Dr Joanne Koch. She replaced Roger Daffords after our stunt in the Corpo Plaza."

"No idea who that is... How much was the bounty anyway?" he asks.

"Seventy thousand Eddies for your head, and forty for me."

"Eh? What about me?" Rebecca voices, "I was there too!"

Sasha nods, "They don't care about actually dealing with us, only those that publically harmed their interests. They wanted Ori, as head of the crew, and me, the Netrunner who broadcasted their secrets. You and Six, if he were still alive, are just collateral to them..."

"Well, that's bullshit." Rebecca angrily huffs, falling back into Ori.

Sasha shakes her head, "What should we do about Koch?"

"What do you think we should do? She's a Corpo bigwig that'll be protected by thousands of guards. Is it dumb of me to think she'll have forgotten about us already?" Ori asks.

"No... She'll keep sending people, more now that the mercs failed. I don't know if what I've read is true but, people say she's... Well, evil..." Sasha admits, blushing slightly at how childish it sounded.

"Evil...?" Rebecca wonders humorously.

"Like, mad scientist evil." Sasha amends.

"So we've got a mad scientist after us with unlimited funds... And you think she won't stop until both of us are dead." Ori exasperatedly sighs, "The assassins were chromed up enough as it is, any more and we'll be facing Smasher..."

"We'll manage." Sasha assures, "We know who we're up against now, we can plan ahead... Also, speaking of the chrome, I sold the assassin's salvageable Cyberware to Susie Q."

"The Mox... Guess we'll be seeing more hookers with blades and big ass arm-mounted guns." Ori mutters.

"Not hookers, Joytoys, get it right." Rebecca retorts.