If you are new to The Making of Nibs, I would suggest you go back and look at look at the previous chapters.

Chapter 13 — Misty’s

After ten minutes more of driving, both Tina and Sandra turned down an alleyway close to the address Misty had given them. As they approached a courtyard area they saw stood outside the back of one of the blocks were two females in their early-twenty’s. One of the pair was dressed in combat fatigue trousers and a vest top; the other had a pair of cut-offs on and a t-shirt with the logo for Echo Weapons on the front. They both had pistols stuffed down their trousers at the back. As the two bikes slowed and entered the small courtyard behind the building, the two girls smiled. The four friends saw the rest of the group had also just arrived and were putting the various assault weapons away in the various hides.
Surrounding the courtyard were a five 5- or 6-storey buildings, some with fire escapes leading to the court yard, others without. The yard area also had a couple of large dumpsters and lots of bags filled with rubbish. The one light was over the open door, illuminating a small set of stairs that led up to the doorway.
The girl wearing the cut-offs approached the group and asked, “Nibs?”
When the girl approached, Nibs was handing the two M22s to Sandra who removed the magazines and stowed them in the ammunition hide and then placed the two M22s in their hide and locked them in place. Sandra then closed and locked the lid of the hide and dropped the seat back into place.
When the girl had asked the question Nibs looked at her and saw her blonde hair was tied into a high pony tail. She then looked at the other girl and saw she had short brown hair. “Yeah.”
With that answer the girl smiled.
After all the weapons were away and the group had conjugated together she said, “Welcome to the Raiders Den.”
She led the group to the open door and went up the stairs that lay just inside the door. The second woman brought up the rear and made sure the outside door was closed. The stairs were made from concrete and had water stains and small pools of water in the corners and along the edges. On the first half-landing was a small low-wattage bulb that was flickering as if it was about to pop and die. The walls were painted white and in places had either dulled or had flaked off revealing the plaster beneath. As the group followed the girl up the stairs, she glanced at Darla and she could see that Darla had a contented smile as if she was looking forward to seeing someone. She wondered why Darla looked that way and turned and whispered in Sandra’s ear, “Why is Darla looking so contented?”
She saw Sandra glance in Darla’s direction and saw the same face as she had. “No idea.”
When the group reached the third floor they went through the fire escape door, a sign hung from the ceiling, just inside, read ‘Raiders Den, Beware all who enter “PMT IN EFFECT”’. The corridor ran from the fire escape door to the front of the building, at the far end they could see a partially boarded-up window. The door nearest the fire escape was open and the latest release from band ‘The Huntress’ was coming from inside. The other female walked past the group and followed the first woman into the apartment. Just inside the door was a small cloakroom where everyone hung their outdoors jackets and left their shoulder holster rigs.
The inside of the apartment was painted in a light cream colour with a few pictures and a couple of pieces of modern art hanging on the walls. The kitchen was off to one side, and you could hear the coffee percolator on the go, along with the kettle boiling away.
“Welcome all, you found us then?” came a husky woman’s voice from the kitchen. The rest of the room was clean and tidy and had a few good seats and lots of large cushions and bean bags lying about. Both girls went and dropped on to a couple of the chairs. Sitting on a three-seater sofa was another girl and a fourth was lounging on some large cushions. In the middle was a low large table.
As Nibs walked into the room she saw a large glass tank, which was sat on a stand against the outside back wall. Sleeping against the glass was large snake! Its head was looking out over the room. The instant she saw the snake she started to sweat and she started to breathe controlled breaths concentrating on controlling her reaction. ‘This is not the place to reveal my phobia of snakes.’
She saw Sandra look around and she knew she had seen the current state of her, with the beads of sweat and her expression was one of concentration. Sandra’s face went from a happy one to a very concerned one. Nibs noticed Sandra’s face and smiled at her. She then moved into the room proper sat down after looking at the tank.
“Yeah we found the place, thanks,” said Gary.
After she had sat on a bean bag and Sandra had sat behind her. Sandra moved so her mouth was close to her ear and enquired, “What’s up?”
“I have a phobia of snakes, I’ll tell you back at the house,” she replied.
“Coffee, Tea?” asked a fifth girl standing in the kitchen entrance.
Nibs saw Tina look at her and she then asked, “You ok Nibs?”
“Yeah,” she replied quietly so not to let other’s know about it, “I think I must be just coming down off the high, you have had far more experience than I have. That was my first time in live fire combat.”
“True we have,” replied Sandra to her statement and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
Darla looked and semi ran over to the girl in the door to the kitchenette and threw her arms around the girl and gave her a hug. “Misty.” Nibs saw Darla’s face which was a big smile.
“Hey.” Misty had a smile on her face as well. “Darla. What the hell are you doing here?”
“I’m a Gangrel and member of the Bitch Vixens Unit, which happens to be everyone I arrived with.”
Misty just stared at Darla. “Where you a member when me and you were dating?”
“Yes I was, that was the reason why I was sometimes not around for ages at a time.”
“Bloody Hell.” Misty gently shook her head at the information. “You should have told me I would have joined you lot and helped you kick some gang arse. Yeah, drinks, what’s everyone having?”
The drink orders were given and they all found seats, either on the other sofas cushions or the bean bags. After a couple of minutes both Darla and Misty passed out the drinks.
“The kitchen is there. We have coffee, tea, squash, some booze in the fridge. We don’t stand on formalities, if you want a drink, get one and anyone else who wants one too,” said Misty.
“Some introductions are in order I think,” said Paul after sipping his coffee.
“Yeah you’re right,” responded Misty. “I think it’s easier if each of us tells you who we are.”
“Hi, I’m Bee, the units computer and communications expert.” She had short dark brown hair, round face and green eyes. ; she also had a small amount of obvious cyberwear, it lay just beneath the skin and was visible around her eyes and running down the sides of her neck. She wore a pair of cut-off trousers and a Sports bra-cum-top.
“Watch ya. I’m Angelique,” said the blond-haired girl who had met them downstairs. She waved at the group and took another sip of her drink which looked very similar to juice.
The other girl from downstairs said, “Hi I’m Rachel, I’m the team’s weapons expert.”
The last girl, with long silver-white plaited hair that stretched to her knees, she was also dressed like Bee, said, “Hello all, I’m known as Gretz and I’m a jack of all trades.”
Misty was wearing a green stringy top and dark red velvet trousers, and sat down on one of the two available seats.
Gary introduced the friends to all the Raiders and got a massive Hi from all present.
Angelique was sitting opposite Nibs and Sandra, and saw her face was one, asking, are you or are you not? She then said, “It’s nice to see someone brave enough to say fuck off to the world and be who they are and not what society expects.”
“I agree.” Misty looked at her and also smiled and nodded her approval.
“That’s a point, you heard the news, some creature was rampaging through a tower block, earlier, and we saw the setup for some serious operation,” said Sandra.
“Shit, no. Switch the tele on someone,” said Misty as her hand went for the remote on the table and she changed the channel to Digital News.
The tele was put on and soon displayed Digital News, one of the main international news channels. It was covering the exact story from both a copter and ground crews, on the screen was one of the ground reporters who was lucky enough to be inside the perimeter and inside one of the command vehicles. He was reporting on the deployment of four power-armour equipped Echo Tech Inc Security Troops into the target building. He was carrying a shoulder mounted cam and was watching the various screens which were displaying the viewpoint of the four troopers as they entered the building. At that point it was cut back to the anchorman in the studio. “Bill, what’s it like on the streets?”
“Pandemonium at the mo, Security forces are engaging a small well-armed group of fanatics that look as if they where following something related to the creature. It looks like the Security forces are beginning to get the upper hand with the arrival of two Applom Gunships from Echo Special Security.” A loud explosion was heard as a pair of rockets hit one of the enemy strong-points and destroyed it.
Nibs thought ‘What the Fuck? A bit excessive sending in an Applom Gunships.’
The screen went back to show the studio, displayed along the bottom of the screen was a breaking news line which read, ‘A mini mall was involved in a armed robbery and explosion’. The anchorman said, “In a breaking news story from Grand South District. Earlier this evening a mini-mall was involved in a hold up. The robbers destroyed it with when a grenade exploded killing seven including the manager and injuring four. The group responsible have already been arrested by Echo Tech security forces after a local group of civilians made some citizen arrests. No others are being sought in connection, but a group of youths reported as assisting in the citizens’ arrests have been asked to contact the nearest Echo Tech Security base so their part in the incident can be learned and ruled out of further investigations.”
“Oh well, at least we still have some good citizens,” said Bee in response to the story.
“Thank you Bee,” said Sandra.
“What?” Bee looked quizzically at Sandra.
“Thank you for your comment; we are the group who they are talking about.”
“Oh. Ok,” said Gretz. Her eyes opened widely in surprise. “What happened?”
The four girls told Misty’s raiders the events that had transpired that evening.
“I’m impressed.” Misty’s face was one of being impressed with the operation and outcome.
“Down to business before we chill and enjoy ourselves I think,” suggested Bee looked around the room at everyone.
“Before we came here we spent this afternoon trying to work out who would want to either stop Narizzan from delivering the rifle, or to somehow get a copy of it for reverse engineering. We were turning up empty on all fronts,” Nibs said looking directly at Misty.
“That don’t surprise me, if the information we have is correct, Narizzan is owned via three other companies all of which are under the control of The Dark Brotherhood,” replied Misty whilst looking at her.
She looked very concerned at this piece of information, as from the few reports she had read on BlackNet, said that the Dark Brotherhood were a group not to be messed with.
“From what my group have been able to learn, the rifle incorporates some seriously advanced systems that somehow change the bullet into a ball of plasma and accelerates it to speeds in the realm of 1500ft/s.”
“Fecking hell!” Paul looked very concerned at this news.
“Yeah I think so.” Misty looked at where Paul was sitting, she then looked back at the rest of the Vixens. “I don’t know how much you guys know about the target site.”
“A little, Nibs and Sandra went and took a lot of photos of the site.” Gary was smiling whilst he was looking at her.
She noticed this and smiled ‘Thank you’ in reply. She then looked back at Misty. “Yeah,10gigs worth of high quality images and video.”
“Have you got it here?” asked Bee who then stood up and turned towards the door way.
She checked her pockets for the two memory cards. “Yes I have.” She showed the two memory cards.
“That’s useful,” responded Bee as she disappeared out of the door.
“How much do you know about our mission?” asked Angelique who was looking at where Tina and Abs were sitting.
“Not much other than you been employed to destroy a lab or something,” replied Sandra.
“Yes we have, the lab is conducting research into some form of bio-weapon.” Misty also looked at where Tina and Abs were sitting. “The weapon is very advanced and involves some very advanced genetic work.”
After a bit of a pause while drinks were sipped, Misty continued, “From what we have been able to learn about the site the weapon is stored in a vault on the third floor in the head of R&D’s office, and is protected by a couple of enhanced attack dogs.”

*****

For a couple of hours they brain-stormed and looked at the pictures.
“I think it’s time you saw the facilities we have here,” said Misty. “I take it Nibs you know about computers and electronics?”
“Yeah,” she responded.
“Follow me,” said Bee. Both Bee and Misty got up and turned towards the door.
“Nibs ain’t the only one good at electronics and computers,” said Tina.
“Sorry,” said Bee.
“No worries,” responded Tina.
“Angelique, show the others the rest of the apartments on this level.” Misty stood and led Nibs and Tina out of the door.
“Ok Misty,” responded Angelique.
Tina and Nibs followed Misty and Bee into Apartment 3, they entered the main living room. They saw Bee stepping on to a raised pedestal to sit in a laid back chair. Above it was a collection of some advanced looking electronics.
Nibs looked at it and quizzically asked, “Neural feed?”
“Not quite,” replied Bee as she picked up a small fibre optic cable and slipped it into a port just under her right ear.
“Neural induction,” replied Misty. “Very advanced.”
Bee then picked up a strange looking item from a shelf behind where the head rested. She placed it on her head and then moved it around slightly as if settling it.
It looked like a fashion item that one of the new rich would wear. It consisted on three prongs, one running down both sides of the head and over the top in the centre. Suddenly surrounding Bee appeared a holographic representation of a control system.
“The entire chair, the three interlinked dual processor boards over there, and the 4048terra gigs of active storage are connected to a full NetDeck suite along with a few non-released pieces of software from some very good friends of mine,” replied Misty who was standing behind a large desk which had, what looked like to her, a Net Interface Control Centre. On the desk was seven monitors and five extra computers and various other pieces of equipment most of it was off. “You ready yet dear?”
“Yeah now.”
After a couple of seconds of quiet as the software executed the various functions it had to do before a person went active NetRiding. Flashing up the screen were a stream of very fast characters.

Tina who stood with Misty was looking at the screen and as the words, commands and parimeters scrolled up the screen. She was in shock as her eyes were actually reading the words as they flew up the screen, but her brain was working fast enough to actually understand them. She had no idea as to what they meant, but she knew what each one was. After a few seconds she looked away and blinked a few times and then looked at Bee as she was also looking at the list of commands.

Nibs walked so she could see the computers and monitors and saw the screen Misty was looking at was displaying a small room with an open doorway. “Net access opened, integrating digital subprograms, analogue-to-digital conversion of baseline thought processes,” said Misty and she paused for a few and as the screen started to display items again. Misty continued to read from the monitor. “Initializing graphics.” The holographic changed to that of the room and stood in the middle was a figure that walked towards the exit.
Misty turned to where Tina and her were standing watching the various operations and actions. “The head gear Bee is wearing is a neural induction helmet. As Bee thinks about walking she sees herself walking, even though she is sitting in the chair. The fibre optic cable is so the system can monitor Bee’s health and also provide system information directly to the user’s optic nerves.”
“Bloody hell!” Nibs said and turned to face Misty, her face was one of utter shock. “A couple of the Tech Journals I get have said that this type of control was decades away.”
“Not if you know the right people Nibs.” Misty smiled and turned back to look at Bee in the middle of the room.
Bee said from the rig, “What attack programs have I got loaded?”
“Standard Combat Alpha,” replied Misty.
“Load Close Zulo Misty,” requested Bee.
“No problem,” replied Misty and typed a few keys on the keyboard and on the screen was displayed the current actions. When the data files were loaded Misty said, “It’s loaded.”
Then Bee raised her finger, pressed some unseen thing and a menu appeared. She then scrolled down it until she reached the entries for motorbike and one appeared next to her, she climbed on and drove away.
After a few minutes she arrived at the area she wanted to go.
“Nibs, Tina. Do you see the doors on the front of the buildings?” asked Bee.
“Yeah we can, Bee,” Nibs replied.
“They are the entryways to different net hubs, inside the single door are lots of doors, some open, some closed, where the owners of the computers or networks access the net from. The big tower blocks normally indicate Corporate Hubs.”
“Right,” she responded. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tina nod in reply as well.
The scene that was displayed looked like a busy street with cars, people and various items moving around.
“Here we are,” said Bee whilst she was standing in front of a 10-storey building. “Drop off the system clone Misty.”
“Will do Bee,” replied Misty and after a few seconds of very quiet noise, an exact duplicate of Bee appeared; which walked into the building, the screen, Misty was looking at, split in two. On one side was the original, the other - the clone. The clone’s image reduced to a small window in the top left corner. In the main screen Bee climbed back on to her bike again and headed off down the street. Very soon she pulled up outside a tall office block, went down the alleyway and approached a small door in the alleyway, which she opened and walked in through. Misty then said as Bee was entering a room. “Our backdoor into Narrizan Inc.” After entering a small room, she accessed the personnel name files for all the people who worked in the site.
After a few minutes of information flashing up the screen as Bee read the pile of personnel files, Bee left the building. Outside after closing the door she then dropped the menu down and pressed the very top item and the holographic display disappeared and Bee removed the helmet and then pulled the fibre-optic cable from her neck.
“That was a good run, is the clone still running Misty?”
After checking the screens, “Yes it is Bee. It looks like the program worked.”

*****

Sandra and the rest of the group followed Angelique, Rachel and Grezt as they had shown the group the armoury and training facilities they had access to. It was impressive coupled with the fact that they had an active firing range and combat house.
“Anyone want to have a go?” asked Angelique.
“Me!!” both Paul and her said together.
“Grab a couple of weapons and load up on magazines and grenades and follow me, the rest of you go in to the firing range and watch the fun on the monitors.”
“All the targets are cardboard and none of the active weapons are armed,” said Angelique said staring at Grezt.
“I’ll make sure now.” Staring back then she disappeared into the house.
“Ok you two, have you seen the show Echo Tactical?” asked Angelique.
“Yes we have,” answered Paul.
“Treat it like the hostage rescue. Kick door, grenade, and then in and shoot. One high, one low.”
The pair nodded enthusiastically.
“Right then, let’s play.”
Both of them loaded up with a HK10SD each and 9mm high-powered pistol, eight magazines for the HK10, four for the pistol, and 6 flash-bang grenades each. They both put on active goggles and combat helmets. Angelique went behind them both and plugged the camera and communications into the digital transmitter.
“You guys got the pictures and sound?” shouted Angelique.
“Yeah we have,” came back the reply.
“Good, let’s play.”
As both of them walked up to the door and prepared to go in, Paul took one of the flash bangs out and read the fuse length, which read 5 seconds, which was printed on the bottom. He moved to stand to one side, she stood facing the door. He brought the flash bang up and pulled the pin and said, “Three seconds on my mark sis.”
“Done bro.” she responded. He released the safety catch and when Sandra had counted three seconds she brought her boot up and banged the door open she then flattened herself against the opposite wall.
As the door opened he sent the flash bang in and as it was in the air it detonated. The second the flash bang had gone off, the pair span around the frame with him standing and Sandra knelt down. She shot twice, hitting both the armed targets followed up by four more from his HK10. After they had secured that room they went to the next door and reversed the actions. He kicked the door and Sandra sent the flash bang in.
After completing the course they both came out, and they had evil smiles on their faces and were very happy. Waiting outside the door were everyone, and they all had smiles.
“Enjoy that?” asked Angelique.
“Yeah, loved it,” they both said.
“I think you may be back here a lot practising. The house is fully equipped with battle-ready target dummies.”
“That sounds great.”
At that Misty, Nibs, Tina and Bee walked out of the high tech lab, “I think it is a go, so meet back here in a couple of weeks and we will start to plan the raid, I think it could be successful” said Misty.
“Yeah,” responded the group, and all of them traipsed back into the living room of the main apartment, and spent the rest of the evening getting to know the other team and enjoying the company of fellow ghosts.

*****

When the guys had arrived back at Homebase, Darla and the twins unfolded the sofa bed and Gary got cushions out of chairs and set them up as his bed. Nibs grabbed the tablet and took it with her to the bedroom. The others all wandered to their rooms.
After a short while, Abs knocked on Sandra’s door and asked, “You two awake?”
“Yes we are,” Nibs replied, “Come in you two.”
After Abs and Tina quietly walked in, Abs asked her, “How did you know it was the two of us and not just me?”
“I heard you two whispering in the corridor about not waking Paul, Gary, Darla and the twins up.”
“Ok, but how did you hear us through a closed door?” responded Tina.
“I have no idea,” she said, “but both I and Sandra want to tell about some changes in the two of us .”
“And we two want to tell you about some things we’ve been suffering from,” said Abs.
“Ok,” said Sandra. “You first.”
The pair sat on the two easy chairs which they dragged over to the where the pair was sitting.
“Ok,” said Abs. “It started a few months ago, my vision has gotten far superior than it used to be. I can see things clearly at far greater distance; my hearing has also gotten far better. I could hear Paul, Gary and Darla talking during the takedown, and I could hear a couple of security officers talking earlier,” said Abs.
“I’m getting similar things happen to me,” said Tina.
“I overheard the female figure from the first stop talking to that controller, I know what escaped and they where trying to contain,” said Sandra.
“What was it?” asked Abs.
“It’s one of these,” Nibs said and showed everyone what an artist’s impression of a conservator looked like. “It looks like someone had been able to draw one from memory.” She then scrolled the screen and slightly further down was one in what looked like full combat flow.
“Hell. That thing looks nasty,” said Sandra.
“From the write up it is nasty, four arms, tail, mouth, claws, plus skin that’s like natural armour, and it’s supposed to be able to withstand a full burst from a heavy rail gun. This may also be of interest as well, I have the full specs of the assault rifle. It’s far nastier than even Misty said.”
“What Misty described weren’t bloody nice,” said Tina.
“Yeah I know,” she said. “When Misty said it was a plasma weapon, I remember seeing some posts about a weapon that was stolen from the Academy, a secretive research centre that only does research for Street Ghosts and ghost teams. Its weapons and equipment are far superior to what is available on open market.” She paused to accept the Cambar cigarette Sandra had been smoking. “The weapon is a plasma assault rifle, it’s quite capable of cutting through nearly all current body armour and quite likely the armour of Darra Von’s military vehicles. To give you some idea of the technology available to some Street Ghost teams, Black Light coating for armour, armour quite capable of surviving a burst from an MA series weapon.”
“Feck!” exclaimed Tina, Abs and Sandra together.
“And from what you have described to me it sounds like we are all, all four of us, undergoing the adept transformation. The one thing which is strange there’s none of the usual side-effects though, the increased breathing, very fast reactions all the time. It looks as if we have a way of controlling it. I’ve been feeling similar things to all of you, improved hearing and such, how far it will go, I have no idea,” she said, “I studied adepts eight months ago. A couple of people, not ghosts I may add, asked me to look into adepts to see what had already been done in the way of research. I think with the aim of producing a paper or similar into weather or not the Adept Transformation could be cured or if they could stave off the burnout that all adepts seem to suffer from after six to seven years.”
“I know the research you are talking about,” said Tina, “I wrote a general studies essay on adepts and the lives they lead.”
“Not nice is it?” she asked.
“No,” responded Tina.
“I think we keep this a secret from everyone else until we know what is happening to us far better. I’ve emailed Tiamus and have asked if he would meet me, at least to discuss some of these things.”
Tina then said, “Nibs, earlier at Misty’s you weren’t on a come down. I’ve been in enough combats to know that wasn’t a comedown.”
“No it weren’t, I have a phobia of snakes and the one at Misty’s freaked me a bit.”
“Good,” responded Sandra, “I thought it was serious.”
“Depends on how serious you think a phobia is after being bitten by a Spinnayan Ridgehead.”
“You’re kidding,” said Abs as she passed Abs the Cambar cigarette.
“No I’m not, I was out learning how to survive with a couple of friends, one reared up and bit me in the leg. Thankfully the adult with us, Nimbo, had a dose of anti-venom. Then a few weeks later a tree snake falls on me and hisses right in my ear and I freak. Thankfully due to other friends I made on my journeys I’m able to control it when one is in captivity and I can see the case.”
Abs and Tina both left and Sandra and her both lay down to sleep. After a few minutes Sandra was asleep, she got up and took the tablet off standby and connected to the net. She knew that her email would bring a response very quickly from Tiamus. It did, on the screen flashed the messenger window, ‘Hi you, how can I help you?’ was displayed, Nibs typed a return, ‘Voice??’ Tiamus replied, ‘yes’ and switched on the voice system and plugged the microphone and earpiece into the tablet so not to wake Sandra.
“Hi Nibs,” said Tiamus.
“Hi to you too.”
“I still remember the conversations we had when I was researching things for Damien, How much of what we talked about is true?”
“All of it,” said Tiamus. “The rumours about the Academy being a research centre is partly true; it’s a school for the best of the best Street Ghosts. You Nibs have been selected to attend.”
“What I am going to tell you now must not go any further.”
“One problem, Sandra my life partner overheard a lieutenant taking to a controller in a van at an incident earlier this evening; we know Echo Tech Inc was trying to destroy a Conservator.”
The link went quiet; Tiamus said “Feck,” he paused, “How much you planning on telling everyone else?”
“Abs and Tina also know, and they have been suffering from what I think may be the first signs of Adept transformation, except without the normal side effects of increased energy burn.”
“How far do you think it’s progressed?”
“Improved vision, hearing in Abs, Tina, and Sandra, my reaction times are improving, drastically. I’m almost seeing things as they happen, and reacting to it as well.”
“We need to meet, me, you, Sandra, Abs, and Tina. I have some things that you must hear, and I will leave it up to you how much you tell the rest of the group.” Tiamus paused. “I’m not exactly free until the night of Ulleam 17th Auar. I’m currently training for a major street fight with Surabon.”
“Ulleam 17th Auar, that’s my birthday. Where’s the fight going to happen?”
“Club Millana in Bariskin District.”
“I’ll see you then. Chat to you soon Tiamus.”
“It ain’t Tiamus; I use it as a cover when I am ghosting sometimes; my real name and the name I fight under is Richard Chancer. I hope to see you that evening, I’ll let the bouncers know you and your friends will be coming, just go to the main door and say you are guests of Richard Chancer and they will let you through. Chat to you soon Nibs, and be careful.”

Chapter 14 - Explorations

20th Juwar
The morning after the trip to Misty’s, Nibs woke early, mind you, she hadn’t exactly slept either. She had spent most of the evening thinking about things she was told by Richard C, from what research she had done after Sandra had fallen asleep and the chat to Richard. ‘How much of what we discussed during Nick’s time with Raiders was true, Richard said all of it, was Richard preparing her for something back then? Is the fact I’ve been selected to attend the Academy mean the rest of the Vixens are going. I’m not going anywhere with out Sandra.’ She got up and a half-smoked a blunt, sat on the edge of the bedside table. ‘My head is spinning and the head ache’, “Fecking hell, would someone stop the jackhammer” she whispered to no one. When she actually did move she did it purposefully, she wanted to see the area, sightsee, but not the tourist sights. If she was to live here for a while she wanted to know where she lived, and the only way to do that was to hit the pavements and walk, and very soon she would be able to use a bike of some kind, but today she wanted to know where she lived.
She then spent the next thirty minutes getting ready for the day. She put on a pair of nightcamo combat pants, black tight top, her leather jacket, which still had to be embroidered with her symbol, the Black Fairy. She picked up her shoulder holster and made sure her pistol had a full magazine and four spare ones too. She debated whether or not to carry the HK, but decided against it, she opted for her two short staffs, given to her by Jum-Fu when she had left Jarrzar, her short staves and cross were the only two gifts she had kept; all the others she had left behind or given to people who would take care of them. The last two items she grabbed was her PDU, which she took from its charger on her bedside table, and Sandra’s keys, which would mean she could lock up.
Just as she closed the bedroom door she heard Tina wake. She then realised Tina would be moving towards the kitchen very soon. She stepped down the hallway carrying her boots; she would put them on when she had closed the back door. She was also hoping that Tina wouldn’t realise someone was leaving. She closed the backdoor just as the door to Tina and Abs’ room was opened. When she heard the door to the living room close she slid the key in and locked the backdoor. She then put her boots on, turned and walked down the side of the house and up onto the minor road that run in front of the house.
She realised that this exploration was going to be different, as she knew she would probably not be moving again for a long while, but it also would tell her the quick escape routes should things get hairy at times. She took out her PDU, opened the local area map pages, found the house and zoomed out one level; from this level she saw turning left would be an interesting direction to go.
She started a brisk walk across the street towards the main road. As she approached the main road one of the two older youths she had seen yesterday when leaving for Misty’s came out of her front door and called, “Hang on.”
She stopped and waited for her to catch up.
“Hi,” she said when she had caught up, “I’m Amy, you are?”
“Nibola Calton, Nibs to my friends.”
“Hi Nibs,” and after a short pause, “I remember you now, both me and my brother Bill saw you yesterday riding pillion with Sandra.”
“Yeah you did.”
From what she could see the clothes were similar to the ones Nick had worn, non descript and the sheer fact she was carrying a rucksack she looked like she was going to school. “You off to school?”
“Yeah, one of the City-run dumps. I wish Sam, my stepmother, hadn’t disappeared. We lost her income; she was a PA for a Rotork VP, which paid for me to attend the Rotork Academy.”
“Any idea why she left?”
“No, none. Duggie, my dad, does his best but it isn’t enough some weeks. Bill, my older brother, run’s errands for the dealers on the corner over there, so we can get some food on the table some days. I know one of the regulars wants to get in to my knickers.”
“Bad luck on the Sam issue. You got an up-to-date photo I could borrow. I’ll put the picture up on a few missing person galleries I know of.” She looked more closely at her face and read the expression and manner as one of being depressed with things. She did also wonder if the high school she attended wasn’t helping matters.
“Thanks, the Vixens are some of the best and nicest people I know.”
“Thanks. Hey does Bill attend school?”
“Yeah, if he can be bothered to.”
The pair of them started to walk towards the corner; Nibs stopped and looked up and down the main road, “Just thinking where I am going to go.”
”I’m going towards the fuel-station on 827th Avenue.”
“Ok,” she replied and joined Amy as she walked slowly in the direction of the fuel-station. When the pair reached the first secondary road junction on the opposite side, the pair crossed the main road.
“How come I haven’t seen you with the Vixens before yesterday evening?”
“I only joined the Vixens last Frodar.”
“Oh that party they had, both me and Bill had been invited but Bill was out delivering some drugs, and I didn’t feel like socialising.”
As the pair walked down the secondary road the type of building changed from the wood facia single storey buildings like the one the Vixen’ lived in to at least two storey brick built semi-detached, and the odd single one on its own, town houses. Most had underhouse garages a few had an old car or in most cases car wrecks, not much good for much other than spare parts. In some places the small gardens that families tried to cultivate look pretty nice.
“Not to worry. Many more parties to be had.”
She offered Amy the Cambar cigarette she had been smoking, “I had better warn you it’s pure.”
“Hell why not,” Amy said and stopped and sat on a low wall and started to cry. She sat beside her and wrapped her arm around her so to comfort her.
“What’s wrong, Amy?” she said in a soothing tone.
“I hate going to school just ’cause of where I live, right next door to one of the major drug dealers in the area. I get picked on, mostly name-calling and such. Most of the school thinks I am one of his whores, as he owns nearly all of the neighbourhood, only my home and where you are living are free of his clutches, bar Bill. I keep being asked to get a free sample.” The tears were still streaming down her face.
“Tell you what. I’ll pop to the school one lunchtime and we’ll see how the bullies handle someone like me.”
“Would you do that for me?”
“Yeah, I was also the target for bullies at school. That was until I had finished my exams. Pay back is a bitch.”
“You, bullied, no way?”
“Yeah, anyway you have a bus to catch. If you have any academic problems pop over and I’ll see if I and the Vixens can help you. I was a straight-A student in a few of my subjects, History and Chemistry being two.”
“Thanks,” Amy said and the two of them started to walk again. They reached the fuel-station, as the school bus was just pulling up.
“Hey next time they give you shit tell me.”
“I will, thanks again.”
She just smiled and started walking again. She turned down the secondary road that ran beside the fuel-station, then right and walked into a convenience store to buy something to eat.
The store was a square shape inside, with the backdoor in the back left corner; the walls where lined with magazines and papers, pens, and other things a small convenience store normally sold. She walked up to the cold-cabinet and quickly chose a sausage roll. At the counter she paid for it and left the shop. After leaving the shop she continued on her walk and turned left at the next secondary road junction and walked along that road.

*****

About halfway through her intended walk, she turned a corner and found herself in a cul-de-sac, at the end of which was a large building. It looked like a traditional place of worship, it had a small spire sticking from the roof at the front. She had seen a few on her world travels and read about similar places in religious studies and history, but never seen one up close, she heard singing from the open doors.
She thought, ‘That’s beautiful singing,’ and decided to take a look inside. She opened the inner doors quietly, crept in and found a chair at the back, and just listened to the music, singing and the last thirty minutes of the service.
At the end of the service, as she was about to get up and leave, she caught sight of Abbey also sat at the back. Abbey was wearing a pair of baggies and a plain black short-sleeved top, other than that she looked very much like normal, not the Gangrel she portrayed in school. She got up and went through the door where most of the people had gone. She wandered over, peered though and saw the people who had been sat in the main hall chatting over drinks and biscuits. She saw Abbey standing in the corner, chatting with the person who been standing up the front leading the service. She entered the smaller hall, wandered over to Abbey and said, “Boo,” in her ear.
“Oh, hi,” Abbey said startled, after calming down, she continued, “Hi Nibs, didn’t expect to see you here?”
“No I was out walking the area and heard the singing and music and got drawn to listen.”
“Pastor, allow me to introduce Nibs. Nibs, our pastor Dyane Marttan.”
“It’s a pleasure meeting you, Nibs,” said Dyane to her. “But I shall leave you and your friend to chat,” and the pastor nodded at her and walked away.
“You want a drink Nibs?” asked Abbey.
“Yeah, ok,” she responded and followed Abbey to the hatch where the teas where being served. The hall was light and airy with about fifteen people stood and sat chatting away. After getting a coffee, Abbey and her turned and went to where the mily, sugar and biscuits were, sorting out the sweetness and colours of coffee they wanted. Then they both wandered outside via the side door to the hall where Abbey lit a roll-up.
“What are you doing here really, Nibs?” Abbey asked.
“Honestly, I was out walking the neighbourhood and turned into this street to see if it had an alleyway and heard the singing and music.”
“K, I only ask as I think I am the only Gangrel who attends a Chribian-based church. I know Tina and Paul are both Pagano in outlook. I did think that was the outlook for most of the Vixens.” Abbey took a drag and then took a mouthful of coffee.
“Not me. I follow the Ajarn and that area’s faiths more than the western ones, but I am always up for learning more about the world’s faiths.”
“Arh, so you are open to all faiths?”
“Yes in a way. I feel it’s a part of my journey to learn, combine and understand all faiths.”
“Interesting,” Abbey responded as they were joined by another member of the congregation
“Hi Abbey, who’s your friend?”
“Hi Alan, this is Nibs, someone who is walking the route of the explorer.”
“Right,” Alan said and smiled.
“I think I had better get going,” she said and started to walk towards the front of the church.
“Hang on Nibs, can you pass a message to the Vixens from the Himens.”
“Yeah, no worries.”
“The Aces assaulted Himens' homebase yesterday evening, Tymean asked that I contact all Gangrel units and tell them. Tymean maybe petitioning Central over the assault, as it came during the rush-hour and there could have been civilian casualties. Thankfully very little damage was caused and no casualties were reported. It also looked like the Aces were using live ammo from the MGs mounted on their pickups.”
“Tell Tymean that I will let the Vixens know,” she said in response to Abbey’s statement about the Aces.
“Personally I think Tymean needs to declare a War zone on the Aces to finish this feud once and for all,” Abbey said.
“Ok,” she said and turned back toward the front of the church so she could start her walk back home.
She left the church, walked back down the minor road, turned left, then left again at the main road junction and continued up it, looking around at the various places. Most looked run-down but, a few did look cared for. She crossed the road and walked a short distance to a footpath, turned on to it, and walked to a local piece of open land. She headed for a bench seat nearest the route in and sat down so she could relax in the morning sun.
Thoughts kept whizzing through her mind, always coming back to the same few, the ones she had had this morning when she got up. A new one started to come to the fore as well, it was of an old woman in her 70s, and ‘Nick’ was walking through a Bazaar in native section of Baraish, Ne-U-Bar. She was being chased by a couple of people, ‘what did she say to me?’ She tried to re-call the words. Her edetic memory for conversations was excellent but she did need a reference point. ‘Got it,’ she thought. ‘That I was someone very important to the future, and that I had special gifts that would allow me to truly fight the evil that was coming. Why did those two guys ask me what she had said and told me to wait for them to return.’
After sitting and relaxing in the park for about thirty minutes, she got up and continued up the footpath towards the main road, where she crossed it and walked up another minor road; which contained similar housing to the ones on the street where Home base was. At the other end she turned left and walked down the secondary road towards the road where home base was.
After turning the last but one corner before she would be back on home street, she bumped into Andres Cutters, someone she knew from the work she did with the Cameron Raiders.
“Andres. What are you doing here?” she asked
“Do I know you?” replied Andres looking somewhat startled by the person standing in front of him.
“Yes you do, its researcher Nick.”
“Hello Nick??” He looked puzzled at Nibs.
“No, it’s now Nibola Calton or Nibs.”
“Ok, sorry, I’m reconning that building.” He pointed out the office block slightly down the street on the other side of the road.
“What for?” she asked
“A raid. My current team has information that an ex-associate of the team’s leader is trading in illegal goods and services.”
“Like?” she asked as she saw a group of people get out of a mini-bus and walk towards the front door. The door opened after a couple of seconds wait
“Not sure personally, it looks like it may include slaves and illegal cybernetics, possible bionetics as well.”
“Oh, not good.”
“No, not good.”
“I shall leave you to your intelligence gathering,” she said.
“Thanks, chat to you soon Nick, sorry Nibs,”
“That’s better, yeah chat to you soon.”
When she got back, she entered the house via the front door and saw she been out for three hours. “Bloody hell,” she said, “Three hours I only wanted to be out an hour.”
“Where you been then?” asked Tina as she looked up from looking at some web news story on some illegal biotech that was being sold to unsuspecting people.
“Out having a walk exploring the area,” she responded.
She wandered over to where she had left her laptop on charge last night, picked it up and pressed the power button which brought the laptop out of hibernation. She put the laptop down on the breakfast bar.
“I hope you don’t mind I borrow your tablet from your room?”
“No hun, just be careful as it’s the only place I have some project work.”
“Ok, I will be. I’m only looking at news stories from one of the street news services.”
“After last night’s chat, when I woke up I came out here and felt the urge to pick it up and start to look at the wider world, rather than the one the papers fill us with.”
“Which one you looking at, some are better than others?”
Abs wandered in wearing her coveralls and went straight out the front door which she hooked open.

Sandra very soon walked out of the corridor, very much awake and ready for doing something. What, she had no idea yet. “Where’d you go babe?” she asked Nibs when she saw her sitting at the breakfast bar.
“Out exploring hun. I bumped into Abbey at a local Chribian church,” replied Nibs. “She asked me to pass on a message to you guys,” and Nibs then went on to tell Sandra and Tina what Abbey had told her.
“Shit,” she said, “I hope he don’t before the last game of the season, Tymean is a little hot headed at times.”
“What?” asked Abs.
“Hi hun,” responded Tina and quickly filled Abs in on what had been said.

Nibs opened up the browser on the laptop, logged into her email account and checked her emails. She saw that she had three new emails; one from Jum, one from Wong and a spam message. Nibs opened the one from Jum —
It’s been a while. Both me and Wong had thought you had forgotten the two of us.
How’s things, still travelling the world or has your parents stopped????
Both of us are normally online if we ain’t working.
Chat to you very soon both us hope.
Jum.
The email from Wong was similar, but she added I hope you have found a partner?
She looked at the reply addresses for both the emails and saw they had been sent from a BlackNet account which showed that they both had messenger logged in.
“Tina, can I have the tablet please?” she asked.
“Yeah, no problems,” replied Tina, and passed the tablet to her. After passing the laptop back to Tina, she opened the control panel, selected language options, then changed the input system to Jarrzarian. She then sat in front of the fireplace, opened her ghost messenger and started a conference. She then invited both Jum and Wong to the conference room. They both accepted and displayed was, ‘Hi Nibs??’
She inputted, ‘LOL you 2, it’s Nick,’ then after a short pause she continued to scribe, ‘I’ve changed since I left Jarrzar. I no longer go by that name, I go by the name Nibola Calton or Nibs for short.’
‘Nibola Nibs Calton,’ replied Jum. ‘Interesting name, have you gone full-time by some chance?’
‘Yes,’ she sent back. Sandra knelt behind her arm and took a look at the tablet screen.
“Native Jarrzarian?” asked Sandra .
“Yeah hun,” she replied. “At some point I’ll teach you the basics.”
She then sent, ‘How good is your basic?’
Both of them sent back, ‘Not too bad, why?’
‘I have friends here who don’t read Jarrzarian.’
‘Ok,’ was sent back as the reply.
She then put the input system back to basic and sent, ‘That’s better.’
Wong sent, ‘Who’s with you then?’
‘My partner Sandra is currently reading the screen as we chat.’
‘Ah,’ came the reply.
‘She says hi,’ she entered, ‘As do the rest of the Vixens.’
‘Say hi back,’ entered Wong.
‘How are things over there?’ she scribed.
‘Could be better, the corps are hurting a lot of people with price rises.’
‘Very much like here except they ride roughshod over people’s rights as well.’ At this comment Sandra smiled and kissed her on the forehead.
‘I hope someone or a group are going to take the fight to the corps soon,’ sent Jum, ‘As it won’t be long before they all but run the countries of the world.’
Nibs typed the reply, ‘It would cost them too much of their profit margin to actually run the countries for the time being, Naban has been taken over by Rotork Theaban. I think a lot of corporations will see how things pan out with them.’
‘That is true,’ Wong replied.
‘Sod the talk about corps and governments. U planning on visiting us here in Jarrzar soon. I know a few of the people you met at the party wouldn’t mind seeing you again and saying hi,’ sent Jum.
‘At some point I will,’ she replied, ‘I have no idea when though. Is it possible for you to send me the legend of Samr?’
‘Yeah no probs, we’ll email you it tomorrow sometime.’
After another twenty minutes of catching up with Jum and Wong, they both were tired and needed to get some sleep as the last few days had been stressful.
She put the tablet on standby and placed it on the coffee-table. She then headed to get changed into some clothes she could get dirty with oil and grease. After changing she headed outside to join Abs working on her bike.
When she walked out she could see Abs had removed the fuel-tank and had the main drive-chain off the rear wheel. She was about to remove the gearbox cover so she could free the chain, which would allow her to remove the engine proper. She could see the timing chain casing was off from her attack on it on Torbar morning.
“You out here to help Nibs?” asked Abs.
“Yes I am,” she replied.
“Good. Go and get me the hoist from inside the garage.”
“Ok,” she said with a smile, turned and went into the garage. It followed the outside walls of the house. To the right as she walked in was an area marked off by black heavy sheeting, she realised that was the growing area. In the main area hung on the back wall were tool racks, some of the tools were missing, she realised that they were the tools Abs was using. Parked to the left were Sandra’s, Paul’s and Tina’s bikes, Just behind them were large floor-standing metal cupboards, all of them had stout heavy locks, locking the doors closed. She had an idea that they contained the Vixen’s firearms. Located next to a large worktable was the hoist Abs wanted.
She wheeled it out to the driveway and lowered the two slings, making sure that it was not going to roll. She then fixed the slings to the engine block as Abs removed the locking nut of the chain sprocket. Abs worked a screwdriver behind the cog and levered it off, until it dropped away and went clang on the tarmac. Abs unbolted the two bolts from her side and passed the tool to her so she could remove the one bolt on her side and the bolt at the rear of the engine.

Abs went into the garage and took, from a rack hung from the ceiling, a flat trolley, which she placed on the opposite side to Nibs and the hoist. “Lift the engine up a couple of inches so I can swing it out and then lower it to the trolley.”

“Ok,” Nibs replied and operated the winch mechanism which lifted the engine three inches, which allowed Abs the room to pull the engine out, as the engine swung out she released the tension until it sat on the trolley. At this point Abs smiled and removed the slings. As Abs pushed the engine into the workshop, she followed pushing the hoist.
When the hoist was beside the large workbench Abs released the hoist mechanism and placed the webbing under the trolley, she then re-hooked the webbing to the hoist’s hook. “Can you lift the entire thing to the table and make sure the wheels are in the holes.”
“Yeah,” she responded seeing the four holes in the bench top. She operated the hoist, and began to lift the entire thing, engine and trolley. When it was high enough she swung the whole thing around and lowered it so the trolley’s wheels were in the four holes.

Abs went outside and gathered the tools she had used to remove the engine from the frame and placed them on top of a large metal tool box which she wheeled over to the bench and opened the third draw. She removed a clamp tool which she placed on the top of the engine and locked the sprocket that operated the cams in place.

“Why the clamp?” she asked.
“I hope its going save on recalibrating the rocker arms when we put the timing chain back on.”
“Right.”
Beep, beep, beep came from a small box on the wall, then Tina’s voice was heard, “Coffee you two.”
Abs walked over to the intercom, then pressed the green button and said, “Thanks sweet, be right up.”
“Ok hun,” was heard after Abs had released the button. Abs then grabbed a jar of de-greaser and the pair wandered out of the garage and up the stairs to the front door, which was still open from earlier.
Inside Sandra was stood at the breakfast bar chopping vegetables, Paul was sitting at the computer working and Tina was sitting on the sofa looking at the digital pictures Sandra and her had taken the day before. She was also drinking what looked like a cup of coffee. The percolator jug was three quarters full stood invitingly next to the cooker.
“What you doing hun?” she asked Sandra as she kissed Sandra on the right cheek.
“Dinner hun,” replied Sandra.
”What?” she asked expectantly.
“Wait and see,” replied Sandra.
Abs said to her, “You going to wash those hands?”
“Yeah I am,” she replied and walked to the sink. She scooped out some of the de-greaser then washed her hands and dried them on the towel Abs passed her.
Abs and her then went and poured out two coffees. She opened the fridge and took out the mily carton and poured some into her coffee. She then offered the carton to Abs who accepted it and did the same. She then scooped two spoonfuls of sugar into her cup, then stirred the coffee while walking to one of the arm chairs and sat down.
Abs soon joined her by sitting on the sofa. She picked up the digital projector remote and using it switched it on then selected one of the entertainment channels which was showing a repeat of some action series based around some elite corporate security team, who in this episode was hunting a serial rapist and murderer who was rampaging through the corporation’s enclaves.
Paul turned round and said, “Nibs I may have found you your bike.”
“Mm,” she responded, got up and walked over to the computer. She saw on the screen the bike. It was a Carddra 950gSX. “Oh very nice,” she said when she saw the picture, “how much are they selling if for?”
“The email that it came with said nothing, the person who wants it must collect though,” replied Paul.
“Who’s selling it?” asked Abs.
“Tybias Mitten,” replied Paul, “the email says he’s just upgraded and wants it to go to a good home, he remembered how much the Vixens love their bikes and so we have first refusal on it.”
“I’ll take it,” she said.
“I’ll take you Nibs,” said Tina. “I know where Tybias lives. It’s just over the river in Wester Park.”
“Ok. I’ll email him back and tell him,” Paul responded. “When you going to get it?”
“When is good for you Nibs?” asked Tina
“How long is the work on your bike going to take Abs?” she asked.
“A couple more hours, I would guess,” replied Abs.
“This evening then I guess,” responded Paul.
“Yeah I think so,” she said then returned to the arm chair to finish her coffee. When Abs and her had finished their coffees they both washed their cups up and proceeded to return to the garage where Abs loaded her pipe, lit it, then took a couple of drags on it. She then passed it to Nibs along with the lighter. She accepted it and finished it then passed the pipe back to Abs.
“Right then back to work. Can you lift the engine itself up as we’ve got to remove the bottom casing, so I can see how much damage has been done?”
“Ok,” she responded. She turned and unclipped the webbing from the hook, then fed the webbing from under the trolley. She then secured the engine with the webbing and operated the hoist to lift the engine up so Abs could remove the oil drain plug and casing. She did after a bit of working the drain plug, when she had placed a large bowl under the plug to catch and reuse the oil.
“Nibs can I ask you something?”
“Yeah, is it personal?”
“No it’s not personal, that much I do know. You seen to have life experiences the rest of us don’t have. Do you understand what is happening to me, Tina, Sandra and yourself?”
“In answer to that no I don’t. You know yesterday night after you and Tina went back to bed.”
“Yes.”
“I couldn’t sleep, I went and did some reading of a few sites dealing with something called the Conspiracy, some of the things I found out scared the hell out of me. I also had a chat with Richard Chancer, he said he wants to meet the four of us in the near future to talk to us about the things that are happening. He can’t see us before the 17th Auar which just happens to be my birthday, I was kind of thinking about going to a local club that night and watching him fight some guy in a street fight.”
“Sounds like fun, then after the fight having this chat with Richard.”
“Yeah that’s pretty much my idea, what I do know is that Richard wouldn’t say that he needs to talk to us unless it was very serious. I didn’t tell you some of the things that have been happening to me. I am reacting to things much faster than it may seem and I have been for a couple of months now. It normally only happens with I am either very angry or just generally pissed off with things. My skin is tougher than it use to be, I can’t accidentally cut myself at all. Even stroking a knife through a clenched fist doesn’t even mark the skin. I could have done so much more damage to McKrudder. I know I could have killed him with a single blow very easily. From the research I’ve done, it all points to me becoming an Adept at least but the symptoms the rest of you have been suffering from are similar to the ones I first noticed.”
“That is interesting Nibs. So what you are saying you think we all are Adepts?”
“Yeah, that’s pretty much the long and short of it.”
Abs bent down and took a look at the oil coming out of the drain hole. “I have had the same dream a couple of times over the last couple of months,” said Abs.
“Ok, tell me the dream, I may not be able to interrupt it but it can be better to have two people look at it.”
“Ok,” Abs said, “It starts with a group of six youngish people slowly moving down a corridor towards a big set of double doors, then suddenly we are inside a room fighting in close combat using weapons that look as if they are glowing. The biggest difference is that the things we are fighting, they ain’t exactly human. The one I’m fighting is suited in some form of heavy armour and it’s swinging a staff like weapon with a glass case on the end, the case contains a small worm like creature that looks like it is writhing around in agony. I’m blocking most of the strikes and dodging the ones I don’t block.”
“Do you recognize any of the other combatants?”
“Yes I do, initially I saw only Tina and Sandra, but I had the dream again last night and I recognized you in it. The other two people are fuzzy, the room itself is also fuzzy so that don’t help in telling us where we are. What’s strange is that you are fighting a large creature with lots of tentacles and you are moving so fast, that your strikes are just blurs. I also noticed for the first time last night that I seem to be quietly chanting something, I don’t understand the words, but I do know it’s similar to the chants Tina and Paul use when conducting their Pagano ceremonies.”
“Very interesting,” she said, “Can you describe the other creatures?”
“Not really, I’m concentrating on the one I’m fighting, at least one of them is human and is fighting Sandra.”
Abs bent down and looked at the oil plug hole which was now dripping the last of the oil. “Nibs can you pass me a 10mm alum key please.”
“No problem,” she said and walked around to the tool box and found the tool on the top of the box. She then passed it to Abs after tapping her on the shoulder to indicate that she had found the tool.
Abs nodded and took the alum key and started to remove the four nuts that held the crank casing in place. After she had loosened the last one she lowered the casing and laid it on the top of the bowl. She then fished out the timing chain from the casing and saw that at least one of the links had broken and a few others were bent. “Ok, that may explain the engine power loss I’ve felt as well.”
After laying the chain out, Abs saw it weren’t just a couple of links, “Oh well I’m going to need a new timing chain. Which I may ask Tina or you to get when you two go and get your bike later.”
“No problem, does Tina know where to get it from?”
“Yeah, Tybias’,” responded Abs and continued before she could ask; “he’s one of our main bike parts supplier.”
“Arh, ok.”
“If he’s not got one in, he will know where to get one from. Change of subject as all of our bikes have at least two hidden areas where we store our firearms and as I am the Vixens expert when it comes to welding. I was wondering what is your preferred firearm, most of us like the M22, it’s effective at the ranges we operate at and has a high fire rate when in full auto mode.”
“Don’t know, I had never even handled a pistol other than ones supplied with computer games before Frodar night.”
“You’re kidding me. Yet you’re a full Street Ghost,” replied Abs.
“I know. I’m an expert at armed and unarmed combat, coupled with my speed, strength and toughness, means I’m more than capable of handling drug dealers or their friends.”
“Ok,” said Abs. “You handled the M22 pretty well through I must say, you’re a natural with firearms I think.”
“Thanks. I have to thank virtual games for those skills,” she responded, “I liked the HK I used on Frodar and the M22 don’t handle to bad, but I also like the one shot one kill methods of the sniper.”
”Same here, I’m the Vixens long range support on combat missions,” said Abs as she rolled a Cambar cigarette after cleaning the crap off her hands with a few paper towels.
“What sniper rifle do you use?” she asked.
“Zonal Firearms D-1000 with an x200 starlight scope.”
“Nice.”
“That’s a good point you’ve not seen our arsenal have you?”
“No I ain’t,” she responded.
Abs turned around, removed her wallet from her back pocket, then removed what looked like a smart card from it and inserted it into a slot on the top of the middle metal cupboard. She then pressed he thumb to a small scanner that appeared on the left down strip of the same cupboard. Very soon she heard a quiet clunk as the metal looking bolts retraced. Abs then opened all three cupboard doors to reveal the arsenal. Nibs walked around the work bench, she then saw the one weapon she loved to use when playing shoot-em-up games.
“Some one must organise getting you a set of keys and security cards too.”
“I didn’t think this weapon was available to the general public,” she said as she took it from the rack.
“What weapon?” asked Abs, as she poked her head round the corner, “Oh the Echo MA240. Yeah it is if you know the right people. Do you remember the chat on Torbar about gangs, missions, and weapons?”
“Yeah I do,” she responded.
“Meet one of the weapons Paul was talking about when he said he thought some gangs had access to corporate military weapon stores.”
“Arh. I understand now. Do you think anyone is going to mind if I use it?”
“Hell no! Its good some one is going to, Paul has said on a couple of occasions that he wanted to give it to the Gangrels main arsenal.”
She just smiled as she felt the weight of it, operated the action and slid a full side, side magazine home. The click of the magazine locking home was like heaven to her. She had played Bloodfest I, II, and III and rarely swapped weapons when she was able to pick the Echo MA240 up. She looked again in to the lockers and saw a double barrel and breach block just below where the MA240 had been. “What’s this?” she asked as she picked it out.
“That is the one thing people who play Bloodfest don’t know about, the MA240 is a multi weapon. That is the sniper conversion; we picked both the carbine and the sniper conversion kit off a dead body 10months ago when we proved for the forth time that the Aces are an arrogant bunch of fuck twits. I blew the back of the guy, who was using it head off at 400 yards with one of my wad cutters.”
“Oh nice,” she said over a giggle.
“It was nice to see the skull and brains splatter all over the Hunk.”
With that she just burst out laughing and said, “Oh I wish I had seen that.”
“Yeah it was fun as he couldn’t see any opposing forces, his three gang mates just ran before I could get a bead on them.”
“How come?” she asked as Tina walked into the garage carrying her jacket and communication system.
“He thought he could sneak up on out flank that day. I kind of told him it was a bad idea.”
“What us vs. The Aces?” inquired Tina.
“Yes when we got the MA240 multi weapon.”
“Oh that little battle. That one was fun, anyway you ready Nibs to get your bike, Tybias emailed us back and said we can pop over at anytime.”
“Yeah,” she responded.
“Oh can you ask Tybias if he’s got a timing chain for my bike, sweet?”
“Yeah, no worries hun.”
Tina chucked her jacket and communication system to her, after she had put the MA240 away.
“Leave it on the side; I’ll need to look at it to make the compartment anyway. I’ll also make sure you have at least two full magazines and a holder for at least four grenades.”
“Ok, thanks,” Nibs said and left it on the side.
Tina bounced her bike off its double stand and wheeled it out and kick started it.
“What route you planning on taking?” she asked Tina as she climbed on behind her.
“IC12, then CW8, Tybias’ place is in the back streets of Wester Park. He normally has at least five motorbikes and six cars or vans in the yard. He’s one of the best mechanic the Gangrels have access to. He trained Abs.”

*****

Chapter 15 — Wester Park District.

As Tina turned right into the driveway of Tybias’, Nibs saw a line of four cars and two vans, one of the cars was at strange angle as if up high on a jack or supports and two of the cars had their bonnets up. Both of the vans had their backs higher than the fronts.
Tina parked stopped the bike and Nibs climbed off. Tina then joined her in climbing off the bike. She brought the bike up onto it’s main stand and the pair walked up the driveway towards the triple garage at the back of the yard.
As they passed one of the cars with the bonnet up a voice said, “Can I help you ladies?”
“Yeah,” replied Tina, “we’re looking for Tybias?”
“He’s in the garage getting one of the bikes ready to be returned to its customer.”
“Thanks,” said Tina.
The pair continued towards the garages at the rear, when the fence had finished and turned right the yard became apparent, it was quite large with a large van sitting beside the far wall, bikes and bike bits where dotted around what ever clear ground space their was, and at least four men and two women where working on the vehicles or lent up against the work bench in the middle garage, they where all wearing grease covered clothes and overalls. A tall well muscled bloke with dreads walked out wheeling a bike, the pair approached he looked up and smiled, “Hi Tina,” then he paused, “Arh you must be Nibs?”
“Yeah, I am,” she responded.
”I guess you want to look at your new bike then?”
“Yeah,” she said and smiled.
“This way ladies,”
“Can I ask you Tybias?” she asked.
“No, Tybias is my brother, I’m Simon. Tybias is in side tuning a 1300JZX.”
“Ok,” replied Tina and she turned to headed into the garage
Nibs followed Simon to the back to the house located at the front of the yard. Simon parked the bike he was pushing up and turned to walk to a second one located nearby.
“Here it is, your bike,” said Simon. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Yeah. No problem”
“Are you trans or what?”
“I am trans; may I ask what gave it away?”
“Voice, to be honest, but even Tina will tell you most people who met her for the first time think she a woman. Now you ask, your hair is wrong, is not a feminine cut its not badly styled, but its not feminine.”
“Arh, thanks.”

*****

Tina walked up to the bike in the middle of the garage and put both her hands on the seat, looked over and said, “Tybias.”
“Shit, hi,” said Tybias and he looked up, “Hi Tina, how's you and the rest of the Vixens?”
“We are fine thanks, how's you and the Raiders?”
“We are good thanks. What do you think of the bike?”
“Very nice. Before I forget Abs needs a timing chain for her bike.”
Tybias stood and wiped his greasy hands down his overall trousers. He looked over at where Nibs and Simon where standing talking. Tybias was very much like his brother well muscled, the difference was his dreads reached his backside and he had a trimmed goatee. He was wearing a sleeveless t-shirt and the overalls where tied at his waist. “Ben,” he shouted.
“Yeah,” came a reply from under one of the vans and suddenly a youngish looking bloke appeared on a wheeled board. She would have said Ben was no older than 16 if that, “What boss?”
“Go to the stores and get Tina a timing chain for,” Tybias turned to her, “What has Abs got now?”
“Mit-bu 1000RSx,” she replied.
“No problem boss.” Ben disappeared down the stairs to the basement store room.
“What’s your plan for the evening, Tina?”
“Nothing really, why?”
“I want to show you something and ask for some possible help from the Vixens?”
“Ok,” she responded.
The youth reappeared, “Your timing chain, Tina,” said Ben and went to go back to the van he was working on.
“Ben you going to Dark Zone this evening?”
“More than likely. Why?”
“Maybe see you there.”
“Oh, ok,” said Ben and returned to the work he had been doing.
She picked up the timing chain and along with Tybias wandered over to where Nibs and Simon where.
Tybias asked, “Drinks?”
“Yeah,” said Simon.
“This way, ladies,” said Tybias leading them indoors and into the living room, which was small and kind of cosy. It had a couple of beat up sofas and a couple of arm chairs, a Tele was on one wall next to it was a stereo. Tybias when to the mini fridge beside one of the sofas and took out a couple of cans passed one to Tina and the other to Nibs, he then took two more out and passed one to Simon, then all of them sat down.

“Like the bike Nibs?” asked Tybias.
“Yeah, love it,” Nibs responded.
“When you get back tell Abs that it already has the pistol hide and an assault weapon hide for a HK-49 SMG. She’ll probably want to change it for the usual weapon for you guys, the M22. You two got anything planned for the evening?” asked Tybias.
“No, I don’t think so,” she replied looking expectantly at Tina.
“As I said outside, no I don’t think so either. Why?” replied Tina.
“Join us and the local gang at Dark Zone, it’s a local meeting place run by the Back Hearts gang. It’s a small gang trying to help in the neighbourhood, which has one problem at the moment. It’s being threatened by one of the other local gangs, The Snakes. The best description for the Snakes is a bunch of arrogant stuck up corporate types with nothing better to do than cause trouble for the locals.”
“Sounds very similar to the Aces,” said Tina.
“Yeah probably,” replied Simon.
“The Back Hearts asked our gang’s leader Sarah for help if it comes down to a War Zone.”
“Has she agreed?” Nibs asked.
“Not yet, she said she would take the request to the council and I’ve not heard back since. I’ve offered my unit’s support for first dibs of any loot taken. I was wondering if the Vixens would be interested in helping?”
“Don’t know,” said Tina, “we can ask them when we get back.”
“Thanks. Anyway, you are going to come tonight?”
“Yeah, why not,” said Tina.

*****

At 7ish, Tybias, Simon, Nibs and Tina got up and got ready to leave for the short walk to Dark Zone, which was only a few roads away. Tybias led the way out of the house and turned left. At the end of the road he turned left again. After crossing one secondary road he turned right onto a minor road and just down the street on the right hand side was the sign for Dark Zone. Outside were a couple of youths who nodded a hello as the four of them approached the door. Tybias paid for Nibs and Tina’s entry. After depositing jackets and side arms at the cloak room, the inner doors opened to reveal a large room with in places three stepped tiered platforms. Abbak trance was being played on the decks.
Ben from the workshop wandered over and said, “Hi.”
“Hi Ben, who’s here tonight?” Tybias replied.
“The boss is in a meeting. Some local official I think.”
On one wall was a large screen game of Bloodfest Arcade, Nibs lent over to Tina and whispered in her ear, “Two player game, later?” and pointed to Bloodfest Arcade.
“Yeah, what me and you?”
“Yeah.”
“Definitely.” As Tina replied the current player has his last health shot away and the game ended. The high score table appeared and showed the top score was 1.29 million decks, this kid who was sitting near by got up and walked over to the game.
“Shit, what, he isn’t going for record again,” said Ben.
“Looks like it,” said Simon.
“The guy thinks he owns the game and who ever breaks his high score needs to be forced from the top by him beating it,” said Ben.
“Assuming Bloodfest Arcade,” Nibs said as Tybias wandered back with a tray of soft drinks, “is anything like Bloodfest II, I was scoring 2.1, 2.2 million decks nearly all of the time I sat and seriously played.”
“Fuck that’s good,” said Tybias as he retook his seat.
“I think Arcade is based on Bloodfest II,” said Ben as he took a glug from his soft drink.
“Can we smoke here?” asked Tina.
“Yeah you can,” replied Ben.
With this the pair retrieved their tins from their pouches and Nibs loaded her pipe and Tina rolled a Cambar cigarette. They both took a good drag from them.
After a short while of sitting and chatting about various subjects, Nibs realised that she needed the toilet and stood to head for the women’s loos.
As she approached the door to the toilet area, it opened and into the room came a pair of girls, when the lead one had passed she looked back and double took her face. ‘Is that Tracy from Young Trans,’ she thought and continued into the toilet.
As she sat on the toilet she took out her PDU and loaded Young Trans. She tapped the search link and scribed the name Tracy into the search name box and then she scribed Wester Park District into the area box. She then tapped the search button and after a couple of seconds of thinking her PDU displayed Tracy’s profile page, she scrolled to where the people had pictures up. She found the one of Tracy’s face and it was or it was a bloody good doppelganger. She finished on the toilet and proceeded to wash her hands. She then headed back into the main room and saw Tracy and her female partner sitting on the first floor tear with a couple of other young people.
She headed for the table and when she was close enough she walked around and the group and tapped Tracy on the shoulder. She turned and faced her and she said, “Hi, do I know you?”
“You do Tracy,” she replied, she knew she was feeling and looking very happy. “Do you use Young Trans net site?”
“I do, do you?”
“I do, I use to be know as Nicki Calton.”
“Walk me to hell in a hand basket. Welcome to Dark Zone Nicki,” said Tracy. She turned back to the table and said, “Guys meet Nicki from Young Trans.”
“Hi Nicki,” said the male looking member. He was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a blue t-shirt, “I’m Robert one of the three trans men that use the chat room.”
She stood and grabbed herself a seat and said down, beside the only true woman present.
“How come, from what I remember from you profile you were trapped by your mum and dad?” asked Tracy, “and may I say you look very. Mm, Gith.”
“Mum and dad don’t know. I did a bunk last Frodar and got invited to join the Gangrels, specifically the Bitch Vixens unit. I’ve not had chance yet to update things on my profile.”
Tracy then said, “Allow me to introduce my partner, Alli Stevens.” She was wearing a smart suit, the type you would use for an office job. “she also uses the site and thats how we met, and Fiona Tribble.” Who was wearing a shortish skirt, what looked like tights and a V cut sleeved top. “Also a member and regular.”
“I remember chatting with you a few times Fiona,” she said as Tina walked over from where she had been sitting.
“Hi,” said Tina.
“Guy, meet Tina a fellow Gangrel and also a full time crossdresser. Tina, Tracy, Fiona, Robert all Trans people from Young Trans, and Alli Tracy’s partner and also a member.”
“Hey, and hi everyone,” Tina said and took a chair from a nearby table and sat down beside Nibs.
“I guess you no longer go by the name Nicki,” said Robert.
“No I don’t. My new name is Nibola Calton or Nibs for short.”
“Hi Nibs. Other than leaving home, how come?”
“Let me tell you a tale of how a young person, my male half made friends with Sandra Patterson.” She then told the group her and Sandra’s tale from when she moved to Suraban to her change, she included the fact she was also a holder of a Full Street Ghost licence.
After she had finished, Tracy said, “Bloody hell! That is one hell of a story, but it does prove that somewhere someone cares for us at least.”
“The Bitch Vixens, why do I think that name has a history in the Gangrels. Someone said something about the your unit,” said Alli.
Tina then asked, “What unit your self, and why the suit?”
“I work for Telean Xorone Galsen East Suraban Area Office, in the accounts department.” asked Alli, “What unit, I’ve been a member of Blue Hill Sharks for five months. I was introduced three Gatherings ago.”
“Weren’t Silver Handers good,” said Tina.
“Yeah weren’t they, How come your self Tina?” asked Alli.
“My story is very similar to Nibs’ tale except I’ve been living fulltime for the last three years and been on hormones for almost two and a half of that time. All thanks to the Gangrels medical staff.”
As she looked around the room, she saw the door next door to the screen open and a couple of people walk out, a female and a couple of males.
When the three were in the room, Tina called “Sarah,” and waves an invite to her. Sarah saw the wave and nodded that she had seem it and started to walk over to where the group was sitting.
“Hi Tina, Nibs,” said Sarah. “What you doing here?”
“Getting my bike from Tybias’, he’s sat over there,” she said and pointed at where there were sitting.
Sarah looked around and saw Tybias sitting with his brother and Ben. “Right, thanks.” Sarah walked over and grabbed a chair and sat down and started to chat to them.
“Drinks?” she asked everyone
Tybias, Simon, Ben and Sarah all stand up and walk back to where Nibs and Tina were sitting. “May we join you ladies and gent?” asked Sarah to the group.
“Yes,” replied Tracy. “Hang on, I know you. Aren’t you Tybias Mitten from T&S Mechanics?”
“Yes, I am, I’m the T and Simon my brother, here, is the S. Ben here also works for us. Allow me to introduce Sarah Cutherlate, leader of the Gangrel Street Gang, which myself, Simon, Nibs and Tina are all members of.”
“We know, I’m also a member of the Gangrels, but I work for Telean Xorone Galsen.”
“Would some one introduce us, I notice when you came back you headed here rather than back to us Nibs,” said Simon.
“Guys, meet Tracy, Alli, Fiona and Robert, I know all of them from the Young Trans site I’m a member of. I was getting some drinks.”
“To save emailing you when I get back to command, Tybias, the council decided to open the arsenal to Back Heart Gang. We will also be subsidising the four units already employed should the Snakes launch a War Zone.”
“That’s good to hear, any dissenters on the Council?”
“Yeah the normal one,” commented Sarah.
“Oh him,” Tybias said and shakes his head.
“I’ll tell you on the way home Nibs,” whispered Tina in her ear.
“Anyone for drinks?” she asked. When everyone had given their drink orders to her, she got up and headed for the bar along with Tracy.
“How have things been, someone said that you had been into the chat room on Moroth and told everyone that you were full time?”
“Things have been great, how about you?”
“Yeah things aren’t to bad thanks. I had a feeling that the Gangrels had been involved in you going full time when Sophie-Gurl told me Moroth evening.”
“How come you are here,” she said as the pair waited at the bar for one of the bar staff to serve them.
He asked, “Can I help you ladies?”
“Yes,” she said and gave the order to the gent.
“Four weeks ago Alli came in and we started to chat, she was interested in understanding what it meant to be trans. I think the Sharks have at least one. We meet a later that week and we’ve been out on a few dates since.” As the barman moved off to fill the order Tracy asked, “How can you remember that order, I have problems remembering four items most days?”
“I have an eidetic memory for conversations, it don’t matter how it comes across as long as it’s sound I will remember it. I can remember conversations I had five, six years ago.”
“Bloody hell! I can see that being so useful I your line of work.”

*****

After the guy playing Bloodfest Arcade had scored 1.31 million Decks and died, he moved off the game satisfied that no one would be able to beat it for a while Nibs turned to Tina, “Shall we?”
The kid that had been playing lost his last health and the game ended with im scoring 1.37million decks.
“Shall we Tina,” she said as he sat down
“Yes, lets,” replied Tina. They both got up and was joined by Sarah who stood behind them and got ready to press the start button. Tina fed in the two decks needed for a two player game and when they were both ready.
“One practice game as I’ve not played arcade before,” she said.
“Yeah and I think I need one too, it’s been a while since I played arcade,” said Tina.
“Ready you two?” asked Sarah.
“Yeah,” they both responded.
“Then rock and roll.” She pressed the two player start button.

*****

37 minutes later the two of them had scored a whopping 4.98 million decks with neither of them loosing a single piece of health, which for a two player game had drawn quite a crowd.
Nibs said to Tina, “I’m exhausted.”
“So am I,” responded Tina then together they both put weapons down and took a step back as a missile from a gunship on screen exploded killing both of the players which ended the game. The cheer that went up was incredible as the game also registered each player’s total of 2.49 million decks as well.
She looked over at the table where the kid had been sat at, which was now empty.
When the two of them got back to the table, Ben said, “The kid left after you got 3.3 million in a huff.”
Both of then laughed at the news.
“So he’s not seen the scores then?” she said
“I don’t think so,” replied Ben .
“Anyway,” said Tina to the people at the table, “we need to head home, we are both exhausted after that game.”
“No problems,” said Tybias, “you will remember to ask about helping should it be needed?”
“Yes we will,” replied Tina and they both left via the door they came in by, picking up their jackets and pistols on the way. They both walked the short distance to Tybias’ and collected their bikes.
“Run back IC12,” Nibs said as they took the two bikes off the main stands and wheeled them out of the yard, “it should be clear at this time of night.”
“It should be, yeah,” responded Tina.
And the two of them kicked started their bikes and headed home.
When they reached IC12 she just went low against the fuel tank, engaged the auto-gyro and accelerated and was soon pushing 150mph. Tina wasn’t far behind her; it took about twenty minutes to reach Home Base.
The pair pulled into the driveway and saw Sandra was sitting on the veranda not looking very happy at all. After they had parked the bikes and dropped the timing chain beside Abs’ engine. They both headed back to the driveway closing and locking the garage door.
They then ascended the steps to the veranda where Sandra was sat on a garden chair on the veranda smoking a Cambar cigarette. “Where have you been?” she asked both of them in a stern voice.
“Getting my bike hun, why?”
“Time.”
“Yeah, were we supposed to be back for something?”
“Yeah. Dinner.”
“Oh fuck I forgot,” she replied apologetically.
“Oh shit so did I,” responded Tina, “sorry Sandra.”
“Not to worry, it’s in the microwave. Just heat it up. Nice bike hun.”
“Thanks love, you coming in.”
“Yeah,” said Sandra and got up to follow her and Tina in to the house and closed the front door.
The pair heated up the vegetable hotpot Sandra had cooked and joined Paul, Abs and Sandra watching a newly released film.

*****

When the film was finished Nibs turned to Tina and asked, “You said you would tell be about the dissenter on the council?”
“I did, didn’t I,” replied Tina.
“Oh, we talking about Timothy?” asked Paul.
Abs got up and headed for the kitchen to make some drinks.
“Yeah we are,” said Tina.
“Timothy, the one problem we as Gangrels have,” Tina started as she rolled a Cambar cigarette. “He leads about six units of various compositions, all of them very militant and generally will cause problems to most gangs if given half the chance.”
Sandra lent over and took the large house bong and loaded the top and both she and Nibs took two of the four pipes and as she lit the Cambar in the bowl, they both took a draw through it. “I have seen them hire themselves to the highest bibber and then charge double the original fees for ammunition expenditure, and no way did they expend the amount of ammo they said they did. One battle which involved us, the Vixens, and one of the more defensively orientated units, we expended close on double the amount we initially said,” said Sandra, “Timothy’s unit expended almost none, and still asked for the amount we had expended.”
“That isn’t good,” Nibs said.
“No it isn’t,” responded Paul, “but unless they do something that breaks Central’s rules or the Gangrels Standing orders, there isn’t much we can do. Central has investigated a couple of incidents but no one has ever come forward or the proof has disappeared or been destroyed before Central could meet.”
“Which I guess annoys quite a few people?” she enquired.
After hearing the switch being switched on the perculator Abs returned to the seating area and took one of the other pipes and lit the end and took a drag from it.
“Yeah it does, we here are on the north western edge of the area watched over by him and his main unit The Head Counters,” continued Tina. “He has a couple of occasions tried to convert us from Sarah’s leadership, he thinks if he can convert us more units will jump ship and join him. But seeing as he has tried on four occasions to do it and failed every time, he’s given up trying.”
“I think he just hopes we will disappear and allow him to continue to win converts to his cause,” replied Paul.
“Which is a joke if you ask me,” said Sandra. “Some people say he’s not himself and hasn’t been himself for a good couple of years, but no one has any proof of it.”
“How does the Gangrel council work?” Nibs asked.
“How does it work,” said Paul, “Any matter that may have a major implication for the entire Gangrel gang goes before the Council and is debated and then voted on by the board of 11 including the chairperson Sarah, who was the casting vote if one is needed.”
“It can make for some interesting times to say the least. Currently sat on the council is a member from each district which Suraban has 9, Sarah and one representative from Central. Timothy’s area of influence is the south eastern area and it borders the far side of the Free Fire zone.
“We as an A rated unit are exempt from Gangrel district control, we answer directly to the council and not to an area commander.”
Paul stood and headed for the fridge and took out the open bottle of Cabilla and poured himself a drink. After returning it to the fridge he returned to the seats and sat down taking the Cambar cigarette he had been smoking and relit the end taking a drag as he did.
“We’ve been asked on a couple of occasions to advise the council of certain matters concerning policy towards certain matters. And we have a non voting seat on the council which we don’t take up unless we are asked to. Currently all the A rated units are under the nominal command of Gaz, Sarah’s right hand person on the council. He allows us to do as we please as long as we don’t bring the Gangrels into disrepute.”
“That’s interesting. The Gangrels are sounding more and more like the Ghost community. The ghost community uses a similar system of rating teams and people. If a team stays together for at least six months the team gets listed as an active team, Cameron Raiders, is currently a non active unit, but that ain’t to say if they got a mission that brought them all back together the unit status goes to active and then Fixers can contact the team directly rather than going through each team member.”
“What happens if something goes tits up?” asked Abs
“What do you mean when you say go tits up?” she asked.
“Goes horribly wrong and lots of collateral damage is caused.”
“If the unit survives the fuck up, they go before the council of elders, the older members of the ghost community, and they make a judgement, based on all the evidence they can collect from the various sources. Punishment ranges from a simple slap on the wrist and a fine to the de-listing of the team and the members, and that ban can last from 6 months to life.”
“Harsh, ain’t it,” said Sandra.
“Maybe, but the causing of collateral damage to non corporate sites and places may effect the general population, it is looked at very dimly. The Street Ghosts live by a simple credo the civilians who live in the area do not want a corporate strike to spill over onto and into their homes. Most ghosts will move to help a civilian in distress with out thinking, bar the normal ones dealing with the situation. This element marks the true Street Ghost community as different to the various immations you will see out there.”

*****

Around 1ish Tina and Abs said night and wandered off to bed, Paul also disappeared a short while later leaving Sandra and Nibs up watching an adventure film. About 3ish they both headed for bed as she knew she would be helping Abs tomorrow finishing her bike repairs and fitting the hide to her bike.

Chapter 16 — The Retreat

Savraday 22nd Juwur
Nibs and Sandra woke at 08:51BN. Nibs swung her legs out of the bed; took the blunt that lay next to the ashtray on her bedside table and lit it. Sandra just lay propped up on her elbows.
“You know something hun, I’m going to embroider my jacket today, its needs doing,” she said.
“That’s true. What you going to put on it?”
“The Vixens symbol and the Black Fairy which is my personal symbol.”
“The Black Fairy?” asked Sandra as she lent over, retrieving the blunt she had put out last night before the two of them had fallen into a peaceful sleep.
“I have the picture on the tablet, its one of the backgrounds I use.”
After Sandra had lit the blunt she sat up, stretched and said, “You up for some combat practice hun?”
“Yeah definitely,” she said with a smile. She turned and kissed Sandra on the forehead, grabbed her bathrobe, put it on and wandered over to the bathroom to go to the loo and brush her teeth. She was soon joined by Sandra who also sat on the loo and cleaned her teeth. After finishing she asked Sandra, “Coffee hun?”
“Yeah, then get dressed and head into the back garden and have some fun sparring.”
“Ok.”
She walked into the living area and found Tina sat at the breakfast bar sipping a cup of something. “Morning,” said Tina.
“Morning Tina,” she said, “You up for some sparring today?”
“Yeah I think Abs is too. She’s already up and I think she’s downstairs harvesting some of our plants.”
Abs appeared at the front door and as she walked in she said, “Good harvest this cycle.”
“How many plants?” asked Sandra as she walked out of the bedroom zone.
“A good thirty-five plants plus fresh seeds for another three cycles.”
“What is good is I think we may have found the best conditions at last.”
She went about sorting out two coffees; when finished she passed one of the cups of Sandra.
“Thanks hun,” responded Sandra and sat down on one of the stools at the breakfast bar.
Abs said, “Tina you going to join me for some sparring, I’m going to beat you today.”
“Ok hun,” responded Tina. “In your dreams, you’ve not beaten me since I moved in here.”
“My luck has got to change sometime.”
“Not today hun,” responded Tina, she then got up to follow Abs to the back garden.
After finishing their coffees Nibs and Sandra went to their bedroom and got dressed in simple baggy, free-flowing clothes. She grabbed her pair of short staves. ‘I need to see those people again soon,’ she thought. Sandra grabbed her quarter staff and followed her out into the back garden.
The garden was large the width of the house plus six feet for the path to the back door a good 20 feet plus long. At the back was a wooden fence that backed onto a small piece of waste land. From where she was standing she could see the area was also being used as a dumping ground, in places the various large objects had been stacked or moved to form defences and similar positions. Inside the actual garden was a couple of punchbags, a speedball and a few other combat training obstacles.
The pair warmed up and watched Abs and Tina as they sparred together; Tina was using a pair of short staffs similar to hers’. Abs was using a full staff which was about 6ft long. After watching for about five minutes Abs went for a low strike which Tina jumped over, then Tina counter-attacked by feinting with the right staff and catching Abs on the side of the head with the left one.
Abs said, “You bitch.”
“I keep telling you when fighting two weapons you need to seriously rethink letting the enemy get close.”
She nodded her head in agreement; as both Tina and Abs left the ring Sandra and her stepped up.
Sandra asked, “Are you ready Nibs?”
“The question shouldn’t be, am I ready, it should be are you ready to face me. I may have only shadow-sparred more often than not, but I know these staffs,” she responded. “Now defend yourself.” She stabbed the left staff at Sandra’s head and swung the right at her lower abdomen.
Sandra jumped back and said, “FEck, your fast.”
“I know,” she responded as she returned to a ready-stance.
It took about twenty-five seconds to land the first hit on Sandra, she used both staffs to take her knees out by tripping rather than hitting there.
During the short fight Sandra noticed a few openings and what surprised her was Nibs used her body as weapons as well. “Enough,” said Sandra, “feck, you are good.”
“No I ain’t,” she replied. “I caught you by surprise.”
“That you did, plus the fact you don’t seem to worry about taking hits. You left yourself open on a few occasions.”
“I may have looked as if I was open, but I was ready to receive your counter-attacks.”
“I agree you are good Nibs,” said Abs. “Our resisdent experts in street fighting are Paul and Gary, and I think you could beat them easily.”
“Doubt it, I’ve shadow sparred a lot, this is the first time people are fighting back,” she said
“I seriously think if you would be able to beat them both,” said Abs.
“And from what I saw I have a lot to learn about these,” Tina said and indicated she meant her short staves.
“Me and you Abs?” asked Sandra.
“Yeah, ok,” responded Abs.
“Show me what you know Tina,” Nibs said.
For the next couple of hours the four of the practised and sparred together.

*****

About 11:15BN all four felt exhausted from the workout.
“That was one of the toughest workouts I’ve had,” said Abs. “But I’ve learnt a massive amount about how to deal with people with two weapons.”
“It may be an idea if we think about making these a slightly more regular occurrence than once in a while,” said Sandra.
“Yeah I agree,” said Tina.
Sandra knocked on the bathroom door which was closed. “Paul you in there?” she asked.
“Yeah I am,” responded Paul.
“Hurry up. There’re four sweaty girls out here needing a shower.”
“Ok, I’ll be finished in a couple of minutes,” came his reply.

*****

Nibs walked into the living-room after putting her short staffs away. She headed for the fridge, got out some cold filtered water, poured herself a glass and drunk it quickly. When she had returned to wait for the bathroom.
Paul walked out of the bathroom in his black bathrobe and headed for his room to get dressed.
A burst of Silver Hand played from Paul’s mobile on the fireplace. She wandered over to see who’s calling and shouts. “Paul, Darla’s ringing you.”
“You answer it Nibs, I’m currently indisposed at the mo.”
“Ok,” she answered, picked up the phone and flicked it open, then said, “Hi Darla, its Nibs, Paul is currently indisposed at the mo. How can I help?”
“Hi Nibs, I’m inviting all the Vixens to my place in the Low Back Forest from today ‘til we head for the festival.”
“Ok,” she replied and asked, “Where in the Low Back forest, it’s kind of big?”
“Yeah I know, I’m sending you the location co-ordinates now via text.”
Beep, Beep went Paul’s phone as it received a text, “Ok it’s arrived.”
“Good, how long before you guys leave, so I can tell Gary when to meet you lot?” asked Darla.
“45 minutes to an hour, we need to shower and get some clothes together for the trip,” she replied.
“Ok, I’ll say an hour and a half then to Gary. Meet him at the truck stop on IC5 before it leaves the city?”
“Ok, see you soon,” she said and closed Paul’s phone.
“Guys, Darla’s invited us to her place in the Low Back Mountains until the festival.”
“Do you know if she invited Misty’s group?” asked Paul.
“She didn’t say,” she replied; then she walked to the computer to check the location Darla had sent in the text. She pulled up the Map software, typed in the co-ordinates and the map software displayed a largish house at the end of a road, the name displayed alongside was Graham Cottage. It looked as if it was located on a cliff edge looking south, ‘Nice place,’ she thought as Abs and Tina finished in the shower.
“Our turn Nibs,” called Sandra.
“Ok hun, coming,” she called back and walked towards the bathroom.

*****

Thirty minutes later everyone was in the living room, they all had rucksacks, which contained a couple of changes of clothes for the break at Darla’s.
Tina asked, “We coming back on Sumbar or Moroth?”
“Don’t know,” Nibs said. “Darla didn’t say.”
“I hope Sumbar as I know we will need to get ready for the festival with camping gear.”
“I think Savraday then would be better,” said Paul.

*****

Two days previously, Darla had received an envelope in the post from her parent’s lawyer. The letter had said he wanted to meet Darla, and gave a Motel just off IC5 Junction18 in a small town called Forest Scope. It had also said he would only be there for a week from the date printed on the letter and that was two days previous.
“Angel, Damieel we are going on a road trip to the Low Back forest, we leave in half an hour.”
“Yes Mistress,” they both called back from the bathroom.

*****

Darla’s bike and the two trikes, belonging to Angel and Damieel, pulled into the Motel car park and she located the room indicated on the return address. She knocked on the door and the door was opened by a gentleman in his mid-thirties.
“Darla Graham?”
“Yes that is me,” she answered.
“Then please come in.”
The twins and her walked into the room, “Allow me to introduce Angel and Damieel, my partners in all things,” she said as the gentleman looked Angel and Damieel up and down.
“No problem,” he said, “I am Simon Grayson of Grayson Lawyers Ltd, I represent your father and mother and have done so since 2041, and I am currently the probate officer of your father and mother’s last will and testimony.”
Four years ago you know your mum and dad undertook a ghost operation against Grinlinn Manufacturing and never returned.
“Yes I remember them leaving.” She moved to sit on the bed and was joined by Angel and Damieel. Angel sat and looked over her right shoulder. Damieel was kneeing behind her looking directly at Simon over her left shoulder.
“As was the norm they contacted me before the operation and normally they contacted me again after the operation to inform me of their safe return. Neither of them has contacted me since that day four years ago. The last will and testimony stated that should they and I mean either or both not contact my firm via some method within four years then the last will and testimony should be read. The document countersigned by three other lawyers all who worked for my firm at the time. The will states that the entire estate which in today’s monetary terms is worth 56.2 million decks and includes the apartment you currently reside in, a large house located in the Low Back Forest and a further house located in the Chimilla Highlands goes to their only true daughter Darla to do with as she sees fit.”
She said sounding very shocked and surprised, “The entire estate, valued at 56.2 million decks plus three houses are mine to do with as I see fit.”
“Yes I also have a sealed letter for you. This was sealed in my presence by both your father and mother,” and he handed her the letter. She took it and just looked at it in disbelief.
“I shall give you some space and time Miss Graham. I shall be in the bar opposite if you wish to see the house in the Low Back forest.”
She shook her head slightly and said, “Thanks.”
After the door is closed and she listened to his steps as they crossed the gravelled surface. She broke the seal on the envelope, taking out a letter which was wrapped around a key and a swipe card, both of which dropped out and fell to the floor.
After picking up the swipe card and key, she read the handwritten letter.

Dear Darla,
If you are reading this letter then it means that both I and your mother haven’t returned from an operation.
The lawyer we instructed to carry out our wishes has served not only us but many Street Ghosts over the years and he is the one responsible for making sure you always had the apartment to live in.
The next few paragraphs were about the mission they had been employed to conduct.
The house in the Low Back Forest is mine and your mum’s retreat from every day stresses. It is also the location for an Academy Battle Store, as both myself and your mum where trained at the Academy to become elite Street ghosts and Conspiracy Operatives. Most of your inheritance is money gathered and earnt during those days. The store assuming it has not been plundered by the Academy trained people on operation is also yours and your friend’s to use as the entire group sees fit.
The store itself has equipment that is six to seven years out of date by current Academy standards, but is probably still twenty to twenty five years ahead of technology enjoyed by the world’s military forces and probably twenty years ahead of most corporation’s equipment. It’s yours and your friend’s as is the money and shares. Simon has power of attorney over them at the moment and has been instructed that they are never to be used as collateral against things. Both your mum and I advise you to leave the status quo as is concerning them.
Enjoy the houses and the secrets they contain.
Yours Thomas and Clare.
PS. The coordinates for the house are -782.574,4554.328 I would inform Simon that you are going and ask him to return to the Suraban.

After she had finished reading the letter she put it back into the envelope and re-sealed it. She placed it in the inside pocket of her leather jacket. Then after composing herself she stood up and walked out with the twins in tow. “You two wait here, I’ll be back shortly.”
She crossed the road to the bar, and opened the door. The inside was a dark bar she knew places like Forest Scope would have. The main tap room was 50feet long by at least 30feet wide. Behind the bar were three staff serving 30 odd customers. Most looked like trappers and people hardened by work in the foot hill forests and mountains. Simon was sat on a bar stool drinking what looked like a coffee. She walked towards him at the bar. “Thanks for the information about my inheritance. I’m heading to the house now, but I would like to go alone and spend some time alone with my thoughts and memories.”
“No problem Ms. Graham, can I assume that you wish me to remain as your lawyer and maintain the power of attorney over the shares and other incomes.”
“Yes thanks, I shall leave the status quo as is as you have served my family well over the years. I may have some more people who may be interested in your legal services.”
“Why thank you Ms. Graham and I look forward to meeting you and your friends in the near future.”
Darla turned and had two drunken men block her exit.
“Hey babe, you want some cock?” the left hand bloke said.
Simon turned to face them and she said, “Leave it Simon, I’ve dealt with twats like this before.” She then turned back and looked at the guy who had spoken, “I would knacker you before we got started,” and she then flicked her jacket open to reveal the presence of a Y7 pistol and before his partner could move she grabbed his crotch and squeezed, “My advice to you is it sit down and forget about me unless you have a death wish,” Darla said in a no nonsense voice and she then pushed both of them out of the way and departed the bar to return to the bike and the twins, who had already started their trikes.
Within forty minutes of leaving the motel car-park, the twins and her where on the road that led to the house. After traveling about 50 miles the three of them arrived at a large, single storey house situated over looking a beautiful view point on the edge of a cliff. They parked the bikes in front of the steps to the front veranda, which was large enough to have a garden table and chairs on. Darla took the swipe card that had dropped from the letter out and inserted into the card reader and then pressed her thumb to the small scanner located next to the card reader. After a couple of seconds the door clicked and opened.
The inside of the house was large with an open plan kitchen located on the left hand side of the large living room. To the right was a wall with two doors one up some steps the other on the same level as the living room. All the furniture was covered by dust sheets and the air conditioning was set to maintain the humidity at a level that wouldn’t degrade the furniture.
“You two uncover the furniture and sort out the living room whilst I explore the rest of the house,” she said, and turned towards the lower of the two doors. She tired the door and found it locked. She looked at the door and found just beneath the handle a long hole, very similar to the lock on the bathroom door at the apartment. She took the key out and inserted it in the hole under the handle and turned it. She heard the lock go clunk as it retracted, she then tried the handle and the door opened towards her. In front of her was a passageway which lit up as sensors detected her presence in the doorway. Darla started down the passage way and after fifty feet of it going on a down grade it opened up into a massive room which like the corridor lit up when sensors detected the presence of her. The room was filled with shelves upon shelves of firearms, equipment, armour, tools, and electronic devices. She whispered, “Thank you mum and dad, I love you both lots and lots,” and a tear trickled down her cheek.
She snapped back out of those thoughts and said to herself, “Vixens here, when?”

*****

Nibs and the others closed the front door of the Home Base, walked down the steps and went to collect their bikes.
“Helmets everyone,” said Paul.
“Good point,” Tina said, “We do need to wear them when we leave a city on an IC.”
“You know I haven’t got one,” Nibs said.
“Oops, good point and we haven’t got a spare,” said Tina.
“Then I suggest we go and buy one then,” suggested Sandra.
“Now that’s an idea,” she said as she wheeled her bike out and sat on it waiting for everyone else to be ready.
When Abs had locked the garage doors and set the alarm, everyone started their bike engines and pulled up the driveway and onto the main street. Nibs thought, ‘I need to upgrade that.’

*****

After spending about twenty minutes browsing the various head protections Sam’s Super Bikes had on show, Nibs selected a plain black full-face helmet with a darkened visor. She tried it on and found it fitted exactly. After paying for it she joined everyone outside; they headed for the truck stop where they had said they would meet Gary.
After picking up IC5 from the start they sped along it until Junction 10 where the main IC5 city truck-stop was located. As normal it was quiet, most of the people using it either slept in the cabs or was inside the Inns enjoying their hospitality. In the second, of the four truck-stops, Tina spotted Gary’s bike and signalled the rest of the group and pulled in beside it. When everyone had arrived they all walked into the truck-stop and saw Gary tucking into a large breakfast. As they walked in, he lifted his head and waved them over. Sandra and Paul headed for the counter and ordered some food while the rest headed over to the table.
The inside of the truck-stop had fifteen tables next to long windows that over-looked the car park. The counter ran down half of the back wall, with a door at each end. The door closest opened and a waitress appeared carrying a tray of plates, heading for one of the tables where a couple of men sat. One of the pair was large and had a beer belly, the other more lean and mean, wearing leather trousers and had a full-face helmet on the table next to him. The waitresses were wearing white blouses with name badges over the left breast and black knee-length skirts and black shoes. Tied around their waists was a red-and-white checked apron with a pocket in the front. Nibs, Tina and Abs approached the table and Gary slid along towards the window. Both Tina and Abs slid in beside him, Nibs sat opposite Gary, and was soon joined by Sandra and Paul joined them, "Food shall be with us soon," Sandra said as she sat down.
Very soon, a waiter approached the table with a tray full of cups, a couple of jugs and a small bowl. He set the cups, jugs and small bowl down and then went back to the counter, picked up the coffee and teapots and placed those down as well. Paul and Tina both said "Thanks."
"Any drinks sir?" the waiter asks Gary.
"No thanks," replied Gary, "I'll drink what’s on the table, but thanks for asking."
"You’re welcome sir."
The door to the car park opened and in walked a couple of men, both of medium build. They walked over to a table in the corner; the waiter that had served the drinks headed over towards them. After about five minutes the door to the kitchen opened, two waitresses walked out and approached the table, each was carrying a large tray piled high with steaming food. The first waitress placed the plates down and the second placed three large plates in the middle of the table; the plates in the middle contained bacon rashers, eggs, sausages, hash browns, toast, and various other fried food stuffs. The first waitress returned with two large bowls containing baked beans and tomatoes.
When the last of the baked beans was finished by Tina, Nibs got up and wandered to the toliets, at the far end of the counter. Coming out of the door was a woman dressed in leather biker trousers, who went straight outside to one of the bikes, which she climbed on and sped away. When Nibs had returned from the loos the rest of the group were just preparing to depart. Sandra and her walked to the counter, paid for the food and drinks, the total bill was 25 Decks, ‘Very good value for the size of the meal,’ she thought
Outside the sun was high in the sky and felt quite warm, but a light breeze was also blowing from the north-east. Gary, Paul, Tina and Abs waited for the pair to pay for the food; when they came out the group walked towards where the bikes were parked. Everyone checked the chokers and earpieces were still in place, climbed onto their bikes, and each one rammed the kick-starts down and let the engines idle.
Gary suggested, “It may be a good idea to stop for fuel and work out the route to Darla’s,”
“Good idea,” Paul responded. She led the way out of the truck-stop, towards the fuel-station located next to the line of toll booths. The station had fifteen fuel pumps, three dedicated to refuelling trucks and road-train tractor units and twelve to refuelling other vehicles. As five pumps were not being used, each bike pulled up beside each one, completely filled their tanks with high performance. After filling, the five moved out of the way of the pumps to let four other users in, while Gary took the fifth pump and filled his tank as well.

Sandra, who had gone into the shop, stood at the counter waiting for Gary to finish so she could pay of the fuel. After paying for it she came outside and walked to where the bikes were parked. The group were having a discussion over which route was best.
As she walked back Nibs said, “That is true, I don’t mind cross-country work, but I don’t speak for everyone, it isn’t fun for most people, plus I think it will be very hard on the bikes they’re not setup for cross country work.”
“What are the options for the journey?” she asked.
“Driving to Junction-18 and then heading north via Forest Scope to Darla’s, or coming off at Junction-15 and heading north and then east via a town of Little Middleton,” replied Paul.
“We don’t know the area, I vote for easy Junction-18,” she said.
“Ok then, Junction-18 it is then,” said Tina, “I just want to see Nibs go cross-country.”
“If that’s the only reason then I can show you when we get there on a push-bike rather than a motorbike. It’s a lot more fun, plus it would give me an excuse to get one, I had one at home, but kind of forgot to bring it,” responded Nibs as she walked towards her bike. Everyone picked up their helmets and put them on, as the Surra Country law indicated all people riding bikes must wear a helmet when on the IC outside the city perimeter or else health and vehicle insurance is invalidated.

All the bikes started and moved off in the direction of the tollbooths, where each rider had to pay a Deck to get onto IC5. The booths themselves were one long line of about twenty situated on the entry-ramp slipway and the IC itself, the bikes pulled up to one of the booths and Nibs said, “Six bikes.”
“Six Decks,” came the reply from the operator over loudspeakers. She dropped six deck coins into the hopper and the gate lifted to allow the bikes through. After leaving the controlled area of the tollbooths, all six worked their way through the bikes’ gears and accelerated down the slipway and onto the fast-moving traffic of the IC5, all the bikes were pushing 120mph quite quickly.
As they drove along the IC she was being her ever observant self, noticed that as they passed over IC10, that even through the landscape of crops stayed the same it became considerably more militant the further they travelled from the city. As they passed Junction-16, which had a small town located just to the south of the IC, she saw at least two patrol cars on the bridge and the officers carrying heavy firepower.
About an hour later the bike saw the signs for Junction-18 and a warning of no turning for 165miles. All the bikes indicated and took up the inside lane that would lead them up the off-ramp, towards the junction that would put them on the main road that ran near Darla’s.
The group drove into the small town of Forest Scope, a tourist trap for those wishing to explore the mountains.
“Stop here for some light refreshments,” suggested Tina over the comm. system.
“Yeah, that would be an idea,” replied Sandra, “I do feel in need of a drink and a smoke, if nothing else.”
The group headed up the main road that ran through the centre of the town and found a couple of local diners and a fast food place, owned by Kannock.
“Which one?” she asked.
She had an idea which one would be chosen, everyone agreed not Kannock.
Tina, as she had the lead, indicated left, crossed the road and parked up in front of the diner near the north side. The outside of the diner was very much a modern looking purpose-built building. It was opposite one of the bigger motels. Everyone followed Tina and parked up outside the diner, climbed off, left their helmets on the seats of the bikes and walked inside.
The group walked into the diner, which had a homely feel to it as the inside was lined with wood panelling; with tables along the side wall and a couple along the front window. Each table was covered with a blue-and-red checked tablecloth and had a salt and pepper shaker on each table in front of a menu. The group walked up to the counter which stretched along the left wall to the very back of the diner, where two doors where, one to the toilets, the other to the kitchen area. Behind the counter was a largish male wearing a light blue T-shirt, black trousers and a black apron. “How I may I be of help?” he asked.
Abs responded first, “Do you have any orange juice?”
“We do.”
“A glass of orange juice please. How much,” Abs asked.
“One deck,” the man responded.
Abs took her wallet out, took out a 5-Deck note and passed it to him; he stuffed it into the pocket of his apron, dug out 4-Decks change and passed it to Abs.
Paul spoke next, "A ham sandwich and a mug of coffee please?"
"Ok, can I take the rest of your orders?" he asked.
She spoke next asking for, “Can I have a chicken sandwich and a Chai Latte please.”
Gary was the next to speak, “A bowl of tomato soup and a fresh baguette please.”
Sandra spoke next and asked for the same as Nibs, except her drink was a coffee.
Tina spoke last and asked for a salad sandwich and an Earl Grey tea.
“Thank you, please take a seat and your orders will be with you shortly.” responded the man, who walked out to the kitchen area. Very soon a middle-aged woman appeared at the door and quickly looked around, saw no one new and disappeared into the kitchen. About ten minutes later the woman appeared carrying a large tray to the table and placed the tray down and speaks, “Chai Latte?” as Nibs indicated that it was hers, she passed it to Nibs. “Coffee?” both Paul and Sandra indicated that was their drinks and passed them to them, "Earl Grey?" Tina indicated that she ordered that and accepted it as the women passed it to her. “Your sandwiches and soup will be with you shortly.”
Paul responded, “Thanks.”
A couple of minutes later, the man returned carrying a tray laden with plates, sandwiches and a bowl of soup. He, like the woman, set it down and passed the plates and bowl to each person, asking Abs, “Do you wish to order some food ma'am?”
“No thanks, I’m quite all right, thank you,” responded Abs.
The door to the street open and two men walked in, each wearing a light blue short-sleeved shirt and black trousers, both wearing police gunbelts with a 9mm automatic and other assorted police equipment.
The man looked up and says, "Ah Sheriff, Deputy. How may I be of help to you?”
“Brian.” the older man said in response, “Food and drink for myself and Thomas.”
“No problems.”
The two men took a table in front of the window and, after the man finished handing out the food, he went over to the men and took their orders, then disappeared into the kitchen.
The group tucked into the food and silently finished the food, she listened to the Sheriff and Deputy as they are chatting about the general happenings in the town and local area.
When the guys had finished eating, a young woman stood behind the counter; smiling at the group as Gary walked up and paid the bill; then he followed the group outside, clipped the helmet to the bike, as when they had left the IC the law about wearing helmets no longer applied. They all mounted and started the engines and departed heading north.
“Not too far now is it?” Sandra asked over the comm. system.
“No it isn’t,” she replied after checking her PDU which was clipped on to the handlebars, “The turn-off is five-to-six miles ahead and off to the right.”
After travelling six miles Abs saw a sign pointing to the right indicating that the dirt road would lead people to Timber campsite, signposted as being 40 miles away. All six bikes slowed, turned right and started up the 19-odd miles until they turned and headed east up to Darla’s country retreat.

*****

Up at the house Darla, Angel and Damieel were stood in the kitchen. Both Angel and Damieel were dressed in combat fatigue trousers and a green tight vest top. Both carried Academy MZ65Ks on shoulder straps and had two extra magazines on the opposite side of their bodies.
The kitchen was a large square area surrounded on two sides by open-top counters; the only way into the kitchen, from the rest of the house, was from a set of stairs on the south-east side closest to the front door. Along the north-west wall was a large fireplace where a nurance was slowly turning on a spit. The kitchen was made from the local forest. Even the fire beneath the pig was local dead wood. A door on the north west wall lead to a small out house which housed the wood supply for the fire places.
"Shall one of us go to the main road mistress?" asks Angel.
"Yes,” she replied and continued after looking at the clock, “Angel if you leave now you should meet them on the dirt road, but go right to the junction with the main road.”

As Angel left the kitchen she headed for the front door, as she passed the coat tree she grabbed her leather jacket and slid it on over the SMG. When she had exited the house she heard the bird song and chirp, chirp of woodland life. Her trike was in the garage, which also doubled as the main workshop. She sat on the seat and hit the electric start and selected reverse and slowly pulled out of the garage and headed down the track that led from the track that went to Timber campsite.
As she drove at about 25 to 30mph down the uneven road she got a strange sensation, the hair on the back of her neck stood and she felt very euphoric, as if she had just smoked a compete blunt at once. As she drove she felt the sensation die away as she got further and further from, what she could only defined as the source.
As she turned down the track towards the main road, she saw the rest of the guys heading up the track towards her. She turned her motor-trike around and waited for then to get to her and she joined the group as they waved and passed her. She directed the group up the dirt track heading for the house after about twelve miles the ground started to rise and the track went up, the track followed the cliff edge for most of the route to Darla’s.

*****

At the house Darla and Damieel heard the approach of the bikes and wandered towards the front door to welcome the guests. Damieel and her stood on the veranda at the top of eight steps up, it also had a swing seat on it now.
The guys pulled up and parked, climbed off and then started up the eight steps to the veranda and onwards into the house.
“Welcome to my parents and now my country retreat, everyone,” she said as they got to the veranda. “Please hang your coats on the coat poles and make yourselves at home, normal Vixen rules apply.”
Everyone traipsed in side and deposited their bags near the two coat poles that were located near the front door. The layout of the living room had been slightly changed from when the twins and her had arrived a couple of days before. The sofas and arm chairs had been moved around slightly so to face the large window that ran the entire length of the south side of the house. The view was one of looking out over the tall Willabba pines and other tall forest trees.

Nibs said to Sandra, “What a beautiful view.”
Sandra replied, “Yeah your not kidding are you.”
"Damieel go and put the kettle on," said Darla after everyone was inside
"Yes mistress," responded Damieel and she disappeared into the kitchen.
Darla pointed to the door up the stairs and said, "That leads to the bed rooms. And down there," and she points to the other door, "thats the cellar door." Off to the left was another set of steps which led to an open plan kitchen, where Damieel was preparing some drinks. Just beyond the window was a large veranda with a wooden garden table and chairs. Surrounding the veranda was a waist high railing. All the internal walls of the house was very much like the external, made from wood painted with a light varnish. Everyone moved into the seating area and sat down, then they all took out their tins and either rolled a blunt or loaded a pipe. Then everyone smoked them and relaxed after the long drive.
“Nice place you have here Darla,” said Gary, after Damieel had passed out the drinks.
"Thank you Gary,” replied Darla, “I thought relax tonight and have fun tomorrow and the next few days. Then decide what to do after that."
"Don't the Forest Rangers mind this being here?" asked Sandra as she was sat beside her partner looking out over the forest.
"No, my mum and dad where both worked for the Surra Forest Rangers before they passed away. Its one of the perks of the job, the rangers get to build their own homes in the forest they work in. So therefore mum and dad built this place. It was passed to me in their wills."
"Very nice."
The rest of the evening was spent chilling enjoying the company of everyone. About 10ish both Nibs and Sandra excused them selves and went to bed. Let’s just say they didn't sleep much that night. As their room overlooked the cliff and it was a clear night.

*****