Encounter

"Excuse me?"

"What're you even drinking?" Ori questions, pointing at Rebecca's bright pink cocktail.

"They call it the 'Night City Prolapse'."

"Excuse me!?"

"That sounds absolutely disgusting..." Ori says, making a face. Of course they'd serve something called that in this place.

"Hey, don't knock it 'til you try it." she says, pushing her straw towards him.

"I'm hoping you mean the drink..." he jokes, sipping it.

"Excuse me!!?"

He smacks his lips a couple times, "Strawberry?"

"Strawberry schnapps with cream and a dash of wine... Or so they said."

"Still, that na-"

"EXCUSE ME!!??!" the man standing beside their table shouts, finally losing his patience at being ignored.

The duo just turn to look at him, sending wary glances his way. "Yeah? We're not deaf you know!" Rebecca questions, causing a vein to throb on the man's forehead.

"Then, since you clearly have ears. I am sad to say you both have to leave. Immediately." the colourfully dressed man says.

"What!? Why!?" Rebecca exclaims, pretty tipsy from the night of revelry.

The man glances around surreptitiously, "Because, we've had some people asking for you both. Judging by their equipment, I would rather not have another death in my establishment."

Ori scowls at that, but Rebecca twists her expression and smiles at the man, "Aw, you care if we die? Am I your favourite customer...?"

"No." the man deadpans, "Now please leave."

"Alright, but first, could you point out our 'friends'?" Ori asks, the nanites quickly helping him sober up at the approaching threat.

"They have made their way to the second floor, I will not point them out in order to preserve the current state of the building. Please, leave..."

"Fine! But only because I like you... Guy." Rebecca relents, finishing her drink and standing, stumbling slightly before grabbing Ori to keep herself upright.

"Thank you. If you do manage to return, I will waive your current tab as an apology... If you wouldn't mind, please exit through the back door..." the man states.

Ori and Rebecca follow the guy to the door, stepping out into the now dark, raining back alley. Rebecca rested her weight on his shoulder as he inconspicuously grips the revolver hidden in a holster.

"Any idea who's looking for us?" he asks his companion.

Rebecca shrugs, "Nope. Probably some bozo looking for revenge, wouldn't be a first."

"Happen to you before?"

"Yeeeah... Some guy hired me to stalk and protect his girl, turned out she was getting some dick on the side. Told the guy and he didn't believe me, refused to pay and everything so I told his bitch what he had me do."

"And?" Ori asks as they walk through the alleyway.

"She dumped his ass, guy came crying to me threatening to break my legs if I didn't take what I said back, as if that would fix it!" she laughs to herself.

"Did he... Survive..?"

"Probably? I only capped his knees."

"With Guts?"

"With Guts."

"Shiiit..." Ori mutters, kind of feeling sorry for the legless guy somewhere out there.

He calls his car to automatically drive to their location as they step onto the street, only to pause when he spots a group of four people walking down the road towards them. They weren't regular folks obviously, each had a weapon already unholstered, and bits of armour here and there.

"Hey, SUSAN." he loudly names Rebecca, attempting to push her in the opposite direction, "Let's go see if that PACIFICIST club is still open!"

"The fuck is Susan...? You cheating on me?" Rebecca groans, pursing her lips as he glares at her, "Oh, you were trying-, my bad..."

"HEY! STOP BOTH OF YOU!" a woman steps ahead of the mercenary group, rifle in hand.

"Er, sorry! We don't want to buy anything!" Ori says with an awkward laugh.

"OI! SHE SAID STOP!-"

*BANG!*

A bullet kicks up dust next to Ori's foot, causing him to cease his movement. "YOU REALLY JUST SHOOT AT MY MAN!? YOU TRYIN'A DIE!?" Rebecca angrily shouts, attempting to reach for her own hidden pistol, but Ori stops her, not wanting to start a gunfight like this.

They were at the disadvantage. They didn't have their favoured weapons, he didn't have his grappling hook armguard, and Rebecca was pretty drunk as it is...

"Alright, what do you want?" Ori questions as the group stop a good distance away. The lampost above them flickers, and rain continues to fall...

"We're asking the questions here, boy." the woman states.

"How about an exchange then? You ask one, I ask one?"

"Are you deaf or some-"

"No, this is fine. I'll go first though." the woman says, lowering her rifle slightly. "What are your names?"

"Michael, Michael Afton. And she's Anja Gaul." Ori offers.

"This ain't gonna work if you wanna bullshit us, Zombie." she growls.

"Why ask if you already know me?" he retorts.

"So you admit it, you are 'Zombie'?" one of the woman's men questions.

He shrugs, "Sure. My questions now-"

"Sorry, but we've learned all we need." the woman grins maliciously as she raises her rifle, the others mimicking her.

*Bangbangbangbang!*

Rebecca opens fire before everyone however, pushing Ori away and throwing herself to the side as she does so. Some bullets ricochet off of one of the larger man's Cybernetic arms, but the rest pepper some non-vital areas.

Ori uses the momentum Rebecca had granted him, rolling as he draws Six's revolver.

*BANG!*

He aims at the woman, but one of her men pushes her behind him, taking a .50 cal bullet the chest which forces him to the ground, not only from the force but also because his heart had essentially exploded.

"FUCKERS! LIGHT EM UP!!" the woman roared, opening fire on Ori.

*Dagadagadagadaga!*

He grimaces as he blocks his face, bullets penetrating the skin on his arm, stomach, and chest. The nanites turn his pain receptors off, allowing him to fire back with optimal accuracy. Unfortunately, one of her other men also joins in.