## Chapter One — Shore Leave Means Shore Leave At five forty-three in the afternoon, Brenda Boom confiscated a datapad from a commissioned officer. This was not, under most circumstances, a survival-positive decision. Lieutenant Iris Rourke looked at her empty hands. Then at Brenda. Then at the datapad now held behind Brenda’s back. “Give that back.” “No.” “Brenda.” “No.” Iris stood in the middle of the Safehouse kitchen wearing black jeans, low boots, and a dark blue shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway up her forearms. No uniform. No rank insignia. No Aureate II crest. No ship under her feet. And yet somehow she had still managed to look like she was five seconds away from conducting an inspection. Brenda narrowed her eyes. “This is exactly the problem.” “What is?” “You’re on vacation.” “I am on shore leave.” “Long shore leave.” “The distinction remains.” “Your ship is currently missing enough interior panels to qualify as modern art.” Iris’s mouth tightened. “That is an aggressively inaccurate description of a controlled interior refit.” “See?” Brenda pointed at her with the datapad. “That.” Iris stared. “What?” “You made drydock sexy.” “I did not.” “You said controlled interior refit in that voice.” “What voice?” From the couch, Ace looked up from one of her katanas. “The lieutenant voice.” Iris turned. Ace sat sideways in the corner of the couch, one knee tucked under her, the emerald-frequency blade across her lap while she ran a cloth slowly along its edge. At one hundred forty-five centimeters, she managed to occupy less physical space than anyone else in the room while somehow making the couch appear structurally hers. Mai sat at the table nearby, looking through something on a small screen. She did not look up. “She has a lieutenant voice.” Iris stared at both of them. “I do not.” Shammy sat on the floor near the window, carefully adjusting the strap on one boot. “You do.” Iris turned again. Shammy looked up. Her expression was completely sincere. That made it worse. Brenda grinned. “Three to one.” “That is not how facts work.” Ace went back to polishing her katana. “Sounds like something someone losing three to one would say.” Iris inhaled. Slowly. Brenda watched her. Then held the datapad a little farther behind her back. Iris noticed. “You understand I can simply take it from you.” “You could.” “You are standing approximately sixty centimeters away.” “Yes.” “You have nowhere to go.” Brenda considered the kitchen around her. Then looked toward the hallway. Then toward the living room. Then at Ace. “Ace.” “No.” “I haven’t asked yet.” “You’re going to ask me to physically obstruct your girlfriend.” “Fiancée.” Ace paused. Looked at Iris. Then at Brenda. “Still no.” Brenda looked betrayed. “You’re supposed to support bad decisions.” “I support entertaining bad decisions.” Mai finally looked up. “That distinction has prevented remarkably little damage.” “Still a distinction.” Iris held out her hand. “Brenda.” Brenda looked at the datapad. The screen still displayed Aureate II drydock status. Nothing urgent. Nothing even especially interesting. Compartment finish schedules. Electrical inspection completion percentages. A revised contractor access window for Deck Seven. Information that could have survived until tomorrow. Or next week. Or, realistically, until Iris remembered she was twenty-two years old and did not personally have to supervise whether a contractor installed decorative wall panels correctly. Brenda looked back at her. “No ship tonight.” Iris’s expression changed. Not much. Enough. “I am aware.” “Are you?” “Yes.” “Because you were reading a contractor variance report while putting on eyeliner.” Ace stopped polishing. Mai looked up again. Shammy smiled. Iris closed her eyes. “That was one time.” “It was six minutes ago.” “That does not contradict me.” Brenda made a helpless gesture with the datapad. “This is what I live with.” “You live at the Safehouse.” “You know what I mean.” “I usually do.” Brenda’s grin softened. Only slightly. “Tonight you’re not Lieutenant Rourke.” Iris opened her eyes. Brenda continued before she could answer. “You’re Iris.” A beat. “Twenty-two.” Another. “On vacation.” “Shore leave.” “Oh my god.” Mai’s mouth moved. Tiny. Ace saw it. “You smiled.” “I did not.” “You absolutely did.” Mai returned her attention to the screen. “I was reacting to structural inevitability.” “That is smiling with paperwork.” Iris looked toward Mai. “You see what I deal with.” Mai considered Brenda. Then Ace. Then Iris. “Yes.” Brenda pointed at Mai. “Traitor.” “I did not specify which one of you I meant.” “That is worse.” Shammy finished fastening her boot. “The ship will still exist tomorrow.” Iris looked toward her. Shammy added, “Probably.” Ace pointed the polishing cloth at her. “Do not add probably to ships.” “Why?” “Superstition.” “You accused a folding chair of hostile intent last week.” “It knew what it did.” Iris laughed. It escaped before she could stop it. Brenda froze. Then slowly turned toward Ace. Ace looked back. Both of them looked at Iris. Iris noticed. “No.” Brenda pointed. “That.” “No.” “You laughed.” “I laugh.” “Not while losing custody of a datapad.” “I am taking it back.” Brenda immediately moved around the kitchen island. Iris followed. Not fast. Not seriously. Which was the entire victory. Brenda retreated another step. “Vacation.” “Datapad.” “No.” “Brenda.” “Catch me.” Iris stopped. The room stopped with her. Ace lowered the cloth. Mai finally set her screen down. Shammy tilted her head. Brenda realized what she had said. Slowly. Her grin widened. Iris looked at her fiancée. “You are making very poor choices.” “Apparently that’s tonight’s theme.” Iris moved. Brenda yelped and ran. She made it around one side of the kitchen island before Iris caught the back of her shirt. Brenda twisted, laughing, tried to keep the datapad out of reach, failed because Iris was considerably better at controlled physical movement than Brenda wanted to admit, and ended up pinned lightly against the edge of the counter with Iris reaching around her. “Give.” “No.” “Give.” “I’m protecting you from yourself.” “You are stealing ship property.” “It’s your personal datapad.” “With ship data.” “Vacation data.” “That is not a category.” “It is now.” Iris caught Brenda’s wrist. Brenda changed hands. Iris stared at her. Brenda stared back. Ace watched with growing interest. “This is better than television.” Mai folded her hands. “Low standard.” “You watched three hours of Kiro explaining why a reality show’s voting system was mathematically dishonest.” “It was mathematically dishonest.” “That does not improve your position.” Brenda attempted another transfer. Iris caught the datapad. Brenda caught Iris. The contest ended abruptly with both of them pressed close together, Iris holding the datapad behind Brenda’s back and Brenda’s arms around Iris’s waist. Neither moved. Ace waited. Mai waited. Shammy looked toward the window with exquisite politeness. Brenda looked up at Iris. “Hi.” Iris’s mouth twitched. “Hello.” “You caught me.” “Yes.” “Terrifying officer competence.” “You started this.” “You enjoyed it.” “I recovered government property.” “Personal property.” “Do you want me to arrest you?” Brenda’s eyes brightened. Mai stood up immediately. “No.” The entire room broke. Ace nearly dropped the polishing cloth. Shammy covered her mouth. Brenda folded against Iris laughing. Iris went bright red. Mai looked toward the ceiling with the expression of someone asking the universe why it kept providing material. “I meant,” she said carefully, “that we are leaving soon.” Ace wiped at one eye. “Sure.” “That was clearly what I meant.” “Absolutely.” Brenda managed to straighten. “Lieutenant.” Iris covered her face with one hand. “Do not.” “Officer.” “Brenda.” “Ma’am.” Iris pointed toward the hallway. “Go finish getting ready.” Brenda saluted. Badly. “With pleasure, Lieutenant.” She escaped before Iris could retaliate. The hallway swallowed her laughter. For several seconds, nobody said anything. Then Ace looked at Iris. “Twenty-two.” Iris lowered her hand. “I dislike all of you.” Shammy smiled. “No.” Iris sighed. “No.” That answer carried no irritation at all. Good. --- By six fifteen, the Safehouse had reached the stage of group preparation where nobody knew whether they were early or late because everyone had defined readiness differently. Ace was ready. Of course. Black jeans. Dark sleeveless top. Light jacket. Short black hair still carrying its faint violet sheen wherever the apartment lights caught it. No cover identity. No blonde. No blue contacts. No performance layer. Just Ace. Mai had taken longer despite claiming she had not. Ace noticed. Ace always noticed. Mai came out of the bedroom in fitted dark trousers, boots, and a deep wine-colored top that managed to look effortless despite almost certainly having required decisions. Ace looked her over. Mai saw. “What?” “Nothing.” “You are staring.” “Observing.” “That distinction belongs to me.” “I stole it.” Mai looked down at herself once. “Problem?” Ace smiled. “Nope.” Mai looked suspicious. Correctly. Before she could pursue it, the Safehouse buzzer sounded. Ace checked the display. “Kiro.” Mai’s posture changed by half a degree. Ace saw that too. “Oh.” Mai looked at her. “What?” “Nothing.” “You said oh.” “Did I?” “Yes.” Ace headed for the door. “Must be atmospheric.” Shammy, now standing near the kitchen, looked mildly offended. “That was not me.” “See? Mystery.” Mai followed Ace with her eyes. “I will remember this.” Ace opened the door. “I’m counting on it.” Kiro entered carrying a jacket over one shoulder and exactly zero visible concern for Mai’s future ability to concentrate. Her natural pale silver-blonde hair carried its usual faded synthetic dyes and signal-tone streaks; tonight she was herself, dressed for a bar rather than a job. Dark trousers, good boots, fitted top, signal tattoos visible enough to catch the light when she moved. She looked past Ace. Saw Mai. Stopped. Not long. Long enough. Ace stepped aside. “Please continue.” Kiro looked at her. “Continue what?” “The thing where both of you pretend that didn’t happen.” Mai folded her arms. “Nothing happened.” Kiro nodded. “Exactly.” Ace looked between them. “Excellent teamwork.” Kiro moved past her. “I’ve been here eleven seconds.” “You’re behind schedule.” “On what?” “Embarrassing Mai.” Kiro glanced toward Mai. “I can accelerate.” Mai’s eyes narrowed. Kiro smiled. There. History. Not performance. Ace filed it away. “What are you drinking tonight?” she asked. Kiro shrugged. “Beer first.” “No sake?” Kiro stopped removing her jacket. Looked at Ace. Then at Mai. Then toward the kitchen, as if a bottle might already be hiding somewhere. “Absolutely fucking not.” Brenda emerged from the hallway at exactly the right moment. “Coward.” Kiro pointed at her. “I have learned from experience.” “So have I.” “No, you have collected experiences. Learning remains under review.” Brenda gasped. Iris appeared behind her. “She has a point.” “Fiancée betrayal.” “Evidence-based fiancée betrayal.” Kiro looked between them. “You two look suspiciously functional.” Brenda hooked one arm through Iris’s. “Temporary condition.” Iris looked at her. Brenda smiled innocently. Nobody believed it. The buzzer sounded again. This time Reyes. Then Marco and Lena arrived within three minutes of each other despite insisting they had not coordinated. By six twenty-seven, the Safehouse held nine people and the unmistakable pressure of an evening that had not decided what it wanted to become yet. Reyes leaned against the kitchen counter, because chairs remained conceptually optional to her. She looked around. “No weapons briefing.” “No,” Ace said. “No route plan.” “No.” “No target.” “No.” “No Rogue waiting with a job?” Ace frowned. “Hopefully not.” Reyes nodded slowly. “This feels unsafe.” Marco set a small bag of something edible on the table. “I brought emergency snacks.” Lena looked at the bag. “You bought fried dough.” “Emergency fried dough.” “That is not a category.” “It is in several cultures.” Kiro reached for one. Lena slapped her hand away without looking. “We’re going to a bar.” “I’m preventing waste.” “You are creating evidence.” Kiro withdrew her hand. “Hostile household.” Mai appeared beside her. “You entered voluntarily.” “That is how traps work.” Mai’s mouth twitched. Kiro saw. Ace saw Kiro see. Ace looked at Reyes. Reyes had seen everything. Their eyes met. No words. Later. Definitely later. Brenda bounced once on the balls of her feet. “So.” Everybody looked at her. She spread her arms. “Afterlife.” Iris looked toward the clock. “Before Brenda explodes from anticipation.” “I do not explode.” Eight people stared at her. Brenda frowned. “That joke is getting old.” “No,” Marco said. “It’s aging beautifully.” “Traitor.” “Historian.” Lena picked up her jacket. “We should leave before anyone discovers a reason not to.” That silenced the room for exactly half a second. Because it was true. Usually there was always a reason. A call. A job. A message. A problem someone else could not solve. A person missing. A system breaking. A piece of Night City demanding attention with teeth. Tonight there was nothing. No one had died. No one was being hunted. Nobody needed extraction. Aureate II was sitting safely in drydock. Rogue had not called. The Safehouse was intact. The city could survive without them until morning. Probably. Ace looked around the room. Mai beside Kiro. Shammy near the door, silver-white hair already catching faint static from the building systems. Reyes pretending she had not checked the hallway twice. Marco holding the snack bag. Lena holding Marco’s jacket because he had forgotten he was not wearing it. Brenda practically vibrating. Iris smiling at her despite everything. Nine people. No objective. Ace picked up her jacket. “Okay.” Mai looked at her. “Okay?” Ace opened the door. “Before the universe notices.” Reyes laughed. “There she is.” They filed into the hallway. Marco reached the elevator first and pressed the call button. Nothing happened. He pressed it again. Lena looked at him. “It does not become faster.” “Morale.” The elevator arrived. They crowded inside. Ace ended up between Mai and Reyes. Shammy stood behind them because vertical space belonged disproportionately to her. Kiro squeezed in beside Mai. Brenda and Iris took the back corner. Marco attempted to protect the emergency fried dough from Lena’s judgment. Failed. The doors closed. For one brief moment, nobody spoke. Ace looked at the reflected group in the elevator doors. Nine people dressed for nothing more dangerous than an evening out. It looked wrong. Then Kiro caught Mai looking at her reflection. Raised one eyebrow. Mai raised hers back. Reyes saw Ace noticing. Brenda whispered something into Iris’s ear that made Iris bite back a smile. Marco stole one piece of fried dough. Lena caught him. Shammy’s hair lifted gently with the elevator’s acceleration. It stopped looking wrong. Ace smiled. The elevator descended toward Night City. No briefing. No contract. No plan. Which, in hindsight, should probably have worried them more. --- ## Chapter Two — Something Must Be Wrong Night City looked different when nobody was trying to kill them. Ace noticed that somewhere between the Safehouse and Afterlife. She did not say it. Partly because it sounded too profound for a Friday evening. Mostly because Reyes would never let her survive it. They had split between two vehicles mostly because nine adults fitting into one without creating either a traffic violation or a social experiment had been deemed unnecessary. Ace rode with Mai, Kiro, and Reyes. That had turned the drive into a bad idea. Not because anyone did anything. Because Kiro had chosen the rear seat beside Mai. Reyes had taken the front. Ace had somehow ended up behind Reyes despite being approximately the easiest person in Night City to fit anywhere. Three minutes into the drive, Reyes looked into the mirror. Ace was already looking back. “What?” “Nothing.” “You’ve had that face since we left.” “This is my face.” “No. Your normal face looks homicidal.” Mai, without turning around, said, “That was affectionate.” Reyes glanced toward her. “I know.” Ace pointed between the seats. “See? She understands me.” Kiro leaned slightly toward Mai. “That concerns me more than it should.” Mai looked at her. “You voluntarily socialize with us.” “Repeatedly.” “That weakens your position.” Kiro considered. “Counterpoint: you’re pretty.” Mai went completely still. Ace made a tiny sound. Reyes heard it. “Oh, no.” Mai looked at Kiro. Kiro looked straight ahead with remarkable concentration. Ace leaned forward between the seats. “Was that your entire counterargument?” “Yes.” “Strong.” “Thank you.” Mai exhaled through her nose. “You understand that changing the subject through flattery does not invalidate the argument.” “No.” Kiro finally looked at her. “It invalidates my need to win it.” Mai stared. Kiro smiled. Reyes drummed one hand against the steering wheel. “This is why I don’t argue with netrunners.” Ace settled back. “You argue with everyone.” “Yes. But netrunners start using alternative victory conditions.” “That is not unique to netrunners,” Mai said. Ace smiled. Reyes saw it in the mirror. “Don’t.” “I didn’t say anything.” “You stored something.” “I store lots of things.” “That sounded threatening.” “It was.” Mai looked toward the window. Night City moved around them in wet neon. The rain had stopped perhaps an hour earlier, leaving streets glossy enough to double every sign, every brake light, every advertisement that insisted life could be improved if only the viewer bought the correct implant, drink, weapon, memory, subscription, body, identity, or legally dubious pharmaceutical. Traffic crawled. Nobody complained. That alone felt unusual. Normally delay meant something. A rendezvous time. A target window. A closing route. A client waiting. A person bleeding somewhere. Tonight delay meant they would reach Afterlife five minutes later. Nothing more. Kiro seemed to arrive at the same realization. “This is weird.” Reyes glanced at her. “What?” “We’re not late.” “We could be.” “No, I mean there’s nothing to be late for.” Ace looked out the side window. “Bar closes eventually.” Reyes laughed. “Afterlife?” “Good point.” Mai watched a pair of motorcycles cut illegally between lanes. “It does feel structurally incomplete.” Ace turned slowly. “You need a hobby.” “I have hobbies.” “Spreadsheets aren’t hobbies.” “They can be.” Kiro touched Mai’s knee lightly. “I’m going to help you.” Mai looked down at the hand. Then at Kiro. “That sounded ominous.” “It was meant to.” Ace leaned forward again. “I approve.” Mai looked at her. “You have not heard the plan.” “Doesn’t matter.” Reyes sighed. “We’ve been outside the house twelve minutes.” “Excellent progress.” --- Marco and Lena arrived first. This surprised nobody except Marco, who seemed personally delighted by his own punctuality. He stood near the Afterlife entrance with his hands in his jacket pockets and a grin that suggested he had discovered some loophole in the universe. Lena stood beside him. She looked significantly less surprised. Brenda and Iris arrived thirty seconds later. Brenda got out before the vehicle had fully settled. Iris followed at a more conventional speed. “You’re early,” Brenda accused Marco. Marco spread his arms. “I contain multitudes.” “You contain fried dough.” “Currently less than before.” Lena looked at him. Marco lowered his arms. “I made a tactical decision.” “You ate four in the car.” “Morale.” Iris adjusted her jacket. “That word has been abused repeatedly tonight.” Brenda hooked her arm through hers. “You’re on vacation. You’re legally required to tolerate lower vocabulary standards.” “There is no such law.” “Night City.” “That still does not make it law.” “You’re very attractive when you’re wrong.” Iris looked at her. Brenda smiled. Lena quietly turned away. Marco did not. “Strong opening.” Iris went slightly pink. Brenda looked unbearably pleased. Then Reyes’s vehicle rolled in. Ace saw the parking lot before they stopped. Not tactically. Mostly. Habit still existed. Afterlife ahead. Cars scattered under old industrial lighting. Delamain’s facility nearby, polished enough to look almost aggressively civilized compared with its surroundings. And across the lot, the short-stay hotel. The hourly one. Ace’s gaze rested there for perhaps a second. No reason. Just another piece of Night City geography. A neon vacancy sign flickered. Reyes pulled into a space. “Why are you smiling?” Ace looked at her. “I’m not.” “You absolutely are.” “No evidence.” Reyes killed the engine. “I’m sitting six feet away.” “Circumstantial.” Mai opened her door. “Ace.” “What?” Mai gave her a look. Ace felt unfairly observed. Kiro climbed out behind her. “What did she do?” “Nothing yet.” Ace pointed. “Important word.” Reyes got out. “Terrifying word.” Shammy arrived last. Not dramatically. She stepped from the other vehicle and somehow made everyone else look temporarily smaller. Silver-white hair caught the parking-lot light. Her clothing was simple by Night City standards: dark fitted trousers, boots, a soft charcoal top beneath a short jacket. Nothing theatrical. Nothing designed to announce what she was. She did not need help. A passing merc looked at her. Looked again. Then noticed Ace. Then Mai. Then the rest of the group. The merc’s expression changed into the universal Night City calculation of: **That seems expensive to interfere with.** He continued walking. Reyes watched him go. “Smart man.” Ace looked up at her. “You think everyone looking at us is planning violence?” “No.” “Good.” “Some are planning bad flirting.” Ace considered. “Also violence.” “In Night City?” “Fair.” Brenda came toward them almost bouncing. “Everybody here?” Lena counted automatically. Ace noticed. Lena noticed Ace noticing. “I like knowing who I arrived with.” “Reasonable.” “And who I’m leaving with.” Ace smiled. “More reasonable.” Marco looked at the group. “Nine.” Kiro pointed toward the entrance. “Then why are we standing outside?” Reyes looked around. “Maybe because some of us are processing the deeply disturbing concept of free time.” “That sounds like a you problem.” “It is.” Mai stepped beside Kiro. “Lead.” Kiro blinked. “What?” “You wanted inside.” “Yes.” “Lead.” Kiro stared at Mai for a second. Something changed behind her eyes. Not signal. Not analysis. Just delight. “Oh.” Ace caught it. Reyes caught Ace catching it. Ace mouthed: **Later.** Reyes nodded solemnly. Kiro headed toward the entrance. Mai followed. The rest came after. --- Afterlife was not quiet. It was never quiet. But early evening had a different pressure from midnight. The old industrial bones of the place still showed through every attempt to make it comfortable: concrete, metal, repurposed architecture, heavy walls that seemed designed to contain either corpses or mercenary egos depending on the decade. Music moved through the room at a volume that allowed conversation without ever permitting anyone to forget they were in a bar. The first shift of night mercs was already present. Some finishing meetings. Some starting evenings. Some doing both. The booths near the edges held people speaking too quietly. The central tables carried louder groups. At the bar, Claire moved with the steady efficiency of someone who could distinguish a problem from ordinary Night City stupidity before either one became expensive. She was drying a glass when Kiro entered. Claire looked up. Saw Kiro. Normal. Then Mai. Less normal. Then Ace. Then Shammy. Then Reyes. Then Brenda and Iris. Then Marco and Lena. Claire stopped drying the glass. Just briefly. Her eyes moved across the entire group once. Then toward Rogue’s booth. Then back. Ace saw it. Of course she did. “Hi.” Claire looked at her. “Ace.” The glass remained in her hand. Claire looked at Mai. “Mai.” Mai nodded. “Claire.” Shammy received a small nod. Reyes another. Then Claire looked at Brenda. Brenda smiled brightly. Claire’s eyes narrowed. “What happened?” Brenda looked offended. “Nothing.” Claire looked at Ace. Ace raised both hands. “Not me.” “That wasn’t reassuring.” “It should be.” “It wasn’t.” Marco leaned slightly toward Lena. “I like her.” “You like everyone who distrusts Ace.” “Large demographic.” Ace pointed at him. “I heard that.” “Good.” Claire set the glass down. Her eyes moved across them again. Nine. One table’s worth of people who, collectively, were usually associated with either paying well, surviving badly, causing complicated rumors, or making Rogue’s evening significantly less boring. No visible blood. No tactical clothing beyond what Night City considered normal. No weapons in hands. No nervous scanning except Reyes, who did that while eating breakfast. No obvious job tension. Nobody looked like they had just come from anything. Claire looked toward Mai. “Rogue expecting you?” “No.” “A client?” “No.” “Meeting?” “No.” Claire’s eyes went to Iris. “Ship problem?” Iris smiled. “No.” Brenda squeezed her arm. “Vacation.” Iris looked at her. “Shore leave.” Claire considered that distinction for approximately half a second. Then looked back at Ace. “Problem?” Ace spread her hands. “We wanted drinks.” Claire stared. Silence. A nearby merc glanced over. Kiro leaned toward Mai. “This is going better than expected.” Mai replied quietly, “I am not certain that is true.” Claire finally spoke. “You.” She pointed at Ace. “Mai.” Another point. “Shammy.” Third. “Reyes.” Fourth. Her attention moved across everyone else. “And all of them.” “Yes.” “Came to Afterlife.” “Yes.” “For drinks.” Ace thought. “And food.” Claire looked at the ceiling. Not dramatically. Just long enough to communicate that the universe had filed paperwork incorrectly. “Something must be wrong.” Reyes laughed. Ace pointed at Claire. “That’s exactly what she said outside.” “I said it feels unsafe.” “Same family.” Claire picked up another glass. “You getting a booth?” Ace looked at the group. Kiro had already spotted a table large enough for them near one side of the main floor. Not hidden. Not central either. Close enough to the bar that Claire would regret agreeing to serve them personally before long. Close enough to the dance floor that Mai’s eyes flicked there once. Kiro noticed. Ace noticed both. The dance floor itself was barely being used. Two people near one edge. A pair of mercs moving with more enthusiasm than skill. A woman standing with a drink watching someone else dance. Mostly empty. Afterlife was a merc bar that happened to contain a dance floor rather than a nightclub built around one. Kiro looked at it. Then Mai. Then away. Too quickly. Ace nearly smiled. “Table,” Mai said. Claire nodded. “Good.” She looked at Ace. “Less infrastructure damage.” “I resent the implication.” Claire’s expression did not move. Ace reconsidered. “Okay, historically fair.” --- Rogue saw them before they reached the table. Ace knew because Rogue always saw things. But she did not wave them over. Did not summon them. Did not give the tiny head movement that meant business. She looked. Her attention passed over the group. Stopped briefly on Iris. Then Brenda. Then Kiro. Then the entire collection of them trying to arrange nine adults around one table without creating a territorial dispute. Rogue’s mouth moved slightly. Not quite a smile. Then she returned her attention to the person sitting opposite her. That was all. Ace appreciated it. No work. No acknowledgment beyond what the room already knew. Tonight Rogue was not their fixer. She was Rogue in Afterlife, occupying the booth that made half the room measure itself without being asked. Hopefully. --- The seating arrangement collapsed. Mai sat first. Kiro took the chair beside her without asking. Reyes took the one opposite Ace. Ace noticed. Reyes noticed Ace noticing. Neither commented. Shammy sat where legroom existed. This eliminated approximately forty percent of the available options. Marco and Lena settled together but not in a way that closed them off from the table. Brenda dropped into a seat beside Iris. Then changed her mind and dragged the chair closer. Iris looked at the movement. “Was that necessary?” “No.” “Then why?” Brenda leaned against her shoulder. “Vacation.” Iris closed her eyes. Ace pointed. “That word is going to kill you.” Brenda looked delighted. “I’ve survived worse.” Reyes stretched one leg beneath the table. “Dangerous sentence.” “Why?” “Because Night City hears those.” Marco nodded. “Never challenge the narrator.” Mai looked at him. “There is no narrator.” Ace turned toward her. Mai saw the look. “No.” “You walked into that.” “I did not.” “You absolutely did.” Kiro leaned her elbows on the table. “I feel like tonight needs rules.” Reyes looked at her. “For sitting?” “Generally.” “That sounds dangerously like planning.” Mai looked offended on instinct. Kiro touched her arm. “Not your kind.” Mai looked at the hand. Then at Kiro. Kiro withdrew it. Slowly. Ace watched. Reyes watched. Lena watched. Marco was watching Brenda steal a napkin from Iris for no discernible reason. Shammy looked toward the dance floor. The music had shifted. Not enough to matter yet. But her fingers moved once against the edge of the table. Rhythm. Kiro noticed. “You dance?” Shammy looked at her. “Yes.” Kiro looked genuinely interested. Ace interrupted. “Don’t.” Kiro turned. “Don’t what?” “Collect dancers.” “I’m not collecting dancers.” Mai looked at Ace. “She is allowed to dance with other people.” “I know.” Kiro leaned toward Ace. “She thinks I’m forming a dance cult.” Reyes nodded. “Could happen.” Brenda leaned across the table. “I’d join.” Iris caught the back of her shirt before she leaned into someone’s glass. “No.” Brenda looked over her shoulder. “Oppression.” “Gravity.” “I had it.” “You absolutely did not.” Marco looked at Lena. “Twenty-two.” Lena nodded. “Twenty-one.” Iris stared at them. Brenda started laughing. Ace looked between Brenda and Iris. “This is already better than staying home.” Mai rested one hand on the table. “We have been here approximately four minutes.” “Excellent trajectory.” --- Claire arrived with menus nobody really needed. She handed them out anyway. “Drinks.” Ace answered first. “Whiskey.” Mai ordered something cleaner and slower. Shammy chose a cocktail after asking Claire what she recommended that was not excessively sweet. Reyes ordered beer. Kiro raised one finger. “Beer.” Claire waited. Kiro looked suspiciously at the others. “Just beer.” Ace smiled. “No sake?” Kiro’s head snapped toward her. “I would like to remain conscious past eleven.” Claire looked at her. Then at Ace. Then at Kiro again. “Story?” “No,” Kiro said. Reyes answered simultaneously. “Yes.” Kiro pointed at her. “Betrayal.” Reyes smiled. “Survival information.” Claire continued around the table. Brenda ordered something bright enough that Iris looked at it when Claire repeated the name. Iris chose a drink that sounded considerably more restrained. Brenda leaned closer. “You know you don’t have duty tomorrow.” “Yes.” “You can have something fun.” “I like this.” “That sounded defensive.” “It was explanatory.” Claire looked between them. “Want me to make hers stronger?” Brenda’s eyes lit. Iris looked at Claire. “No.” Claire nodded. “Worth asking.” Marco ordered beer. Lena ordered wine. Claire gathered the menus. Then stopped. Looked at the entire table again. “Food?” “Yes,” Mai said immediately. Reyes looked at her. “You answered for nine people.” “I know these people.” Marco raised a hand. “I support food.” Lena lowered his hand. “You always support food.” “Because food supports me.” Brenda pointed. “Wisdom.” Ace looked at Claire. “Bring enough that nobody starts making strategic decisions on an empty stomach.” Claire stared at her. “Strategic decisions.” “Normal phrase.” “At this table?” Ace thought about it. “Fair.” Claire walked away. Kiro watched her go. Then looked around Afterlife. “So.” Reyes took one slow breath. “No.” Kiro blinked. “I didn’t say anything.” “You were about to.” “About the bar.” “You had idea posture.” Ace leaned forward. “There’s an idea posture?” Reyes looked at her. “You have murder posture.” “True.” “Mai has spreadsheet posture.” Mai’s expression chilled. Kiro looked delighted. “She does.” Mai turned toward her. “You have signal-diving posture.” Kiro paused. “Okay, that’s fair.” Brenda raised her hand. “What’s mine?” Eight people answered at once. “NO.” Brenda sat back. “Rude.” Iris kissed her temple. “Accurate.” Brenda forgave everyone. --- The first drinks arrived with the food twenty minutes later. Enough time for the table to settle. Enough time for Afterlife to register them as a fact rather than an event. Enough time for curiosity to begin moving through the room. Ace noticed the looks. Not because she cared. Because noticing was what she did. A pair of mercs near the bar recognized Reyes. Someone farther back recognized Brenda and whispered something to their table. One person looked at Shammy for a long time, then reconsidered whatever question had been forming. Three separate people looked at Ace, looked toward Rogue’s booth, then looked back. Mai caught one of them. The man found his drink fascinating. Kiro was halfway through explaining to Marco why an old Net architecture standard was “basically archaeological vandalism with cables” when Claire placed her beer in front of her. Kiro stopped. Looked at the bottle. Lifted it. “To nobody dying.” Reyes raised hers. “Low bar.” “Achievable goal.” Ace lifted her whiskey. “Bold assumption.” Mai raised her glass. “Do not antagonize causality.” Shammy lifted hers. “Warm evening.” Marco smiled. “That one.” Lena touched her glass lightly against his. Brenda raised her bright drink. “To Iris being on vacation.” Iris sighed. “Shore leave.” Nine glasses met somewhere above the middle of the table. Not neatly. Ace’s glass struck Reyes’s harder than intended. Marco almost hit Kiro’s bottle. Brenda reached too far and nearly dipped her sleeve into one of the food plates. Iris caught it. Shammy somehow reached everyone without spilling anything despite having the longest distance to travel. Mai’s glass touched Kiro’s last. Just briefly. Kiro looked at her. Mai looked back. Then the glasses separated. The first drinks began. For several minutes nothing happened. Which was good. They ate. Talked. Marco told a story about a Pacifica vendor who had tried to convince him that a refrigerator needed “spiritual calibration.” Shammy asked whether it had. Marco paused. “No.” Shammy looked disappointed. Reyes started laughing. Brenda stole food from Iris’s plate despite having identical food on her own. Iris moved her plate closer rather than stopping her. Ace saw it. Stored it. Mai and Kiro fell into a side conversation about the music. Not technical. Not really. Kiro identified something about the percussion pattern. Mai disagreed. Kiro insisted. Mai listened. Then admitted Kiro was right. Kiro looked genuinely shocked. Ace pointed. “Someone record the timestamp.” Mai turned. “Do not.” “You admitted error.” “I revised an assessment.” “Same species.” Kiro raised her bottle. “I’ll testify.” Mai looked at her. “You are supposed to be on my side.” Kiro smiled. “I am.” Mai held the look. And something warm passed between them too quietly for the rest of the table to weaponize. Almost. Reyes looked at Ace. Ace looked at Reyes. Reyes whispered: “Later.” Ace nodded. Definitely later. At the bar, Claire watched the table for perhaps two seconds. Then glanced toward Rogue. Rogue did not look up. Claire returned to work. The dance floor remained mostly empty. The hotel sign across the parking lot kept flickering where nobody inside could see it. The first beers went down. The first drinks dropped below half. People settled deeper into chairs. Jackets came off. The collective posture of nine people changed from **arrived** to **staying**. Kiro finished a story. Took a drink. Set the bottle down. Then looked around the table. Ace saw the expression first. Not because Kiro was trying to hide it. Because Ace had spent years learning the exact moment when someone she cared about had made a decision that was going to create work for everyone else. Reyes saw Ace’s face. Followed her gaze. Mai noticed Reyes noticing Ace. Shammy looked at Kiro. Brenda was still eating and missed the first three seconds entirely. Kiro leaned back in her chair. A smile started. Small. Dangerous. Reyes slowly lowered her beer. “Oh, fuck.” Kiro looked at her. “What?” “That face.” “What face?” Ace sat forward. “I like the face.” Mai closed her eyes. “No.” Kiro had not said anything yet. Mai opened them again. Looked directly at her. “Whatever you are about to suggest—” Kiro’s smile widened. Brenda finally looked up. “What?” Iris looked from Kiro to everyone else. “What did I miss?” Marco reached for another piece of food. Lena took her wineglass. Shammy watched Kiro with quiet interest. Kiro placed both hands around her beer. Looked at all eight of them. And said: “By the way…” Reyes groaned. Ace grinned. Mai went very still. Kiro’s eyes brightened. “…I’ve got a really fucking bad idea.” --- ## Chapter Three — Night City Rules For two seconds, nobody spoke. Not because Kiro’s announcement had shocked them. Because everyone at the table was calculating how bad the idea could become. Reyes reached the answer first. “No.” Kiro looked at her. “You don’t even know what it is.” “I know you.” “That seems prejudicial.” “It’s evidence-based.” Ace rested both forearms on the table. “I’m listening.” Mai looked at her. “Of course you are.” Ace smiled. “You say that like it’s criticism.” “It is diagnostic.” Brenda leaned forward so quickly Iris caught her drink before it tipped. “What’s the idea?” Iris set the rescued glass farther from Brenda. “That movement alone suggests we should not encourage this.” Marco raised one hand. “I would like it noted that I am neutral until the proposal has been formally presented.” Lena looked at him. “You’re smiling.” “I contain procedural enthusiasm.” “You contain terrible judgment.” “Also true.” Shammy watched Kiro. Quiet. Interested. Which Kiro noticed. Kiro leaned back slightly, beer still between both hands. “Truth or Dare.” Silence again. This time different. Reyes stared at her. Ace’s smile widened. Brenda made a noise somewhere between delight and impending structural failure. Marco slowly lowered his hand. Lena closed her eyes. Mai looked at Kiro. Not offended. Not surprised. Just evaluating. Iris glanced around the table. Then back at Kiro. “That was your really fucking bad idea?” Kiro nodded. “Yes.” Iris considered. “That is disappointingly conventional.” Ace turned toward her. “Oh, no.” Iris looked at Ace. “What?” “You just challenged her.” “I did not.” Kiro’s eyebrows rose. “She absolutely did.” Mai exhaled. “We have been here less than an hour.” “Exactly,” Kiro said. “Plenty of time.” Reyes pointed her beer at her. “That sentence is going to be evidence later.” Kiro lifted her bottle toward her. “Then drink responsibly.” Reyes stared. “You don’t get to say that.” “I’m drinking beer.” “That does not make you responsible.” “It makes me conscious.” Brenda pointed at Kiro. “Important distinction.” Mai looked around the table. “Before this degenerates—” Ace coughed. Mai stopped. Ace looked innocent. Mai continued. “Before this degenerates further, there should be rules.” Kiro looked delighted. “I knew you’d come around.” “I have not come around.” “You said rules.” “That is not consent.” Ace nodded solemnly. “Mai likes paperwork before disaster.” Mai looked at her. “There will be no paperwork.” Reyes leaned back. “Now I’m interested.” Shammy tilted her head. “What rules?” Kiro looked around. “Simple ones.” Lena took a slow sip of wine. “That phrase has never preceded anything simple.” Marco nodded. “Historically accurate.” Kiro held up one finger. “First: nobody has to do anything they don’t want to do.” Iris nodded once. “Obviously.” “Second: no using random people in the bar as props. If somebody else gets involved, they get to choose too.” Mai’s expression eased slightly. “Good.” “Third…” Kiro paused. Ace leaned closer. “Yes?” Kiro looked directly at her. “No murdering anyone because they give you a stupid dare.” Ace frowned. “That feels targeted.” “It is.” Reyes nodded. “Keep that one.” Ace looked betrayed. “You too?” “I enjoy being alive.” “You’ve given me terrible ideas before.” “And yet here I am.” Mai lifted one hand. “Fourth. No deliberately creating interpersonal conflict for entertainment.” Kiro considered. “Define conflict.” Mai stared at her. Kiro held up both hands. “Kidding.” Reyes looked at Ace. “She wasn’t.” “Nope.” Brenda tapped one finger against the table. “What about truth questions?” Kiro’s grin returned. “Those should hurt.” Iris looked at her. “Emotionally?” “Socially.” “That was not better.” Ace nodded slowly. “I like this version.” Mai pointed at her without looking. “Of course you do.” Marco looked toward Lena. “You worried?” “No.” “Why not?” “You talk too much.” Marco opened his mouth. Then closed it. Lena smiled into her wine. Ace pointed immediately. “That’s one.” Lena looked at her. “One what?” “Reason I’m voting yes.” “You have no vote.” “I have enthusiasm.” Mai leaned back. “That may be worse.” Shammy looked at Kiro. “What happens if someone refuses a dare?” Kiro thought. “Truth.” Brenda’s eyes brightened. “One truth?” Reyes looked at her. “You’re negotiating upward.” Brenda shrugged. “I respect systems.” Mai’s gaze moved toward her. Brenda corrected herself. “Informal systems.” “Better.” Kiro considered again. “One truth.” Ace looked disappointed. “Coward.” “Fine. Two truths if the dare was reasonable.” Iris blinked. “Reasonable according to whom?” The entire table looked at Kiro. Kiro looked offended. “I have standards.” Reyes laughed so hard she had to put her beer down. “Sure.” Kiro pointed at her. “You are becoming first target.” “Good.” That shut Kiro up for half a second. Reyes smiled. Dangerously. Ace noticed. Stored. Mai rubbed one thumb slowly along the side of her glass. “Another rule.” Everyone looked at her. Mai’s tone remained calm. “If something happens because two people genuinely want it to happen, the game does not get to claim ownership.” Kiro’s expression changed. Less comedy. More attention. Mai continued. “A dare can create an opening. It cannot manufacture interest.” Iris nodded. “Yes.” Shammy did too. Ace looked around the table. “Meaning if somebody here meets someone interesting…” Reyes finished for her. “…they don’t need to pretend it was the dare.” Ace smiled. “Exactly.” Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. Something warm passed between them. Not permission. Not negotiation. Recognition. Marco noticed. Lena noticed Marco noticing. Nobody weaponized it. Yet. Kiro tapped her bottle against the table once. “Okay. That’s actually a good rule.” Mai looked at her. “I know.” Ace made a tiny choking sound. Kiro stared. Mai realized what she had said. Reyes covered her mouth. Brenda lost. Laughter broke across the table. Mai closed her eyes. “I walked into that.” “Yes,” Kiro said. Mai opened them again. Kiro was still smiling. Mai’s expression softened despite herself. “Yes.” That one quiet admission made Kiro look far too pleased. Ace saw everything. Again. Reyes leaned toward her. “Later.” Ace whispered back. “Oh, absolutely.” Shammy watched them. “You are conspiring.” Both women turned toward her. “No.” Shammy smiled. “Poorly.” --- At the bar, Claire began preparing the second round. She had served enough groups to know the exact moment an evening crossed from drinking into purpose. The Triad’s table had crossed it. She did not yet know into what. That was usually where problems began. Kiro had finished her first beer. Reyes was close. Marco had made responsible progress. Ace’s whiskey was nearly gone. Brenda had consumed approximately half of something colored like a traffic violation. Iris was drinking considerably slower. Mai even slower than that. Shammy appeared to be enjoying hers rather than trying to defeat it. Lena had barely touched the wine compared with Marco’s pace. Claire reached for the usual bottles. “Not those.” The voice came quietly from her left. Claire did not jump. That would have been embarrassing. She turned her head. Rogue had arrived beside the service end of the bar without bringing any visible reason with her. Claire looked at the bottles. Then at Rogue. “What?” Rogue nodded once toward the beer. “Not synth.” Claire paused. “Since when?” “Since now.” “For the whole bar?” Rogue looked at her. Claire followed the look automatically toward the table. Nine people. Kiro currently arguing with Reyes. Ace visibly enjoying the argument. Mai pretending not to. Brenda attempting to insert herself into it. Iris stopping Brenda from stealing another piece of food. Marco laughing. Lena watching everything. Shammy sitting quietly in the center of all of it like weather waiting to happen. Claire looked back at Rogue. “Their table.” “Real beer.” Claire stared. “You’re serious.” Rogue’s expression barely changed. “That surprises you?” “No.” Claire reached instead for a refrigerated section farther beneath the bar. Actual beer. Organic. Expensive. Not impossibly rare, but rare enough that most Afterlife regulars drank it only when celebrating something important, impressing someone expensive, or making the kind of financial decision alcohol usually helped them forget. Claire pulled out four. Then paused. “Four?” Rogue looked toward the table again. “Kiro. Reyes. Marco.” Claire thought. “Ace?” “Ask her.” Claire nodded. Then stopped. “You’re doing this on purpose.” Rogue looked at her. Claire knew that look. Not denial. Not admission. Worse. Interest. “You want them to notice.” Rogue’s gaze moved briefly across the room. Mercs. Fixers. Solos. Runners. People who knew prices. People who knew status. People who knew exactly what genuine organic anything cost in Night City. Then back toward the Triad’s table. “I want to see who notices first.” Claire stared at her. “You’re bored.” “No.” “That was almost convincing.” Rogue’s mouth moved. A fraction. Then she stepped away. Claire looked down at the four real beers. Then toward the table. Then after Rogue. “This place needs adults.” Nobody heard her. Probably for the best. --- Back at the table, Kiro was explaining escalation. Poorly. “So we don’t start stupid.” Reyes looked at her. “That’s already failed.” “I mean stupid stupid.” Ace leaned forward. “Technical term?” “Yes.” Mai shook her head. Kiro continued. “First few rounds: truth questions. Embarrassing stuff. Light dares.” Brenda raised her hand. “How light?” Kiro looked at her. “Why are you asking like you have a procurement budget?” “I like planning.” Mai made a quiet sound. Brenda corrected instantly. “I like anticipation.” “Better.” Reyes looked across at Kiro. “Define light.” Kiro shrugged. “Dance with somebody. Sit in somebody’s lap. Kiss someone. Lapdance.” Marco nearly inhaled his drink. Lena looked at him. “Breathe.” “I’m fine.” “You made a noise.” “My throat made a tactical error.” Ace smiled. “Keep going.” Kiro looked at her. “Of course.” Iris folded her arms on the table. “And escalation?” Kiro’s grin returned. “Natural.” That word sat there. Nobody objected. Shammy looked toward the dance floor again. The music had changed. Bass heavier now. More movement. Still mostly empty. Kiro caught the look this time. “You’re doing that again.” Shammy turned. “What?” “Looking at the floor.” Shammy glanced back. “I like the song.” Kiro looked toward Mai. Ace’s attention sharpened instantly. Mai knew. “What?” Kiro gestured toward the dance floor. “Later.” Mai’s eyes followed. Then back. “Perhaps.” Kiro leaned back. “Safe answer.” Mai looked at her for approximately one second. “Later.” Different tone. Kiro went very still. Ace bit the inside of her cheek. Reyes saw. This was getting ridiculous. They had barely started. --- Claire arrived carrying the second round. Nobody paid enough attention at first. She set Mai’s drink down. Shammy’s. Iris’s. Lena’s. Brenda’s new brightly colored mistake. Then the beers. One in front of Kiro. One for Reyes. One for Marco. Claire looked at Ace. “Beer?” Ace looked at her empty whiskey glass. “Yeah. Why not.” Claire placed the fourth bottle down. Ace reached for it automatically. Stopped. Looked at the label. Reyes had already taken a drink. Kiro twisted hers once in her fingers. Marco picked his up. Nothing happened. For approximately six seconds. Then Kiro looked at the bottle again. Her eyebrows changed. Very slightly. She read the label. Then read it again. Reyes noticed. “What?” Kiro held the bottle closer. “This isn’t synth.” Marco stopped drinking. Ace looked down. Reyes looked at hers. Lena leaned toward Marco’s bottle. Iris looked at Claire. Claire’s face was neutral. Too neutral. Mai looked at Ace. Ace looked toward the bar. Rogue was back at her booth. Apparently occupied. Ace narrowed her eyes. “Oh, you absolute bitch.” Claire’s expression remained calm. “I don’t know what you mean.” Reyes followed Ace’s gaze. Then looked back at the beer. Then at Claire. “She did this.” Claire picked up the empty glasses. “I serve what I’m told.” Kiro turned the bottle slowly. “This is real.” Marco read the label. “Holy shit.” Brenda leaned across the table. “Let me see.” Iris caught her sleeve. “Your drink is directly in the path.” Brenda rerouted. Marco handed the bottle over. Brenda read it. Then looked toward Rogue’s booth. “Why?” Ace smiled slowly. “Because she’s an asshole.” Mai looked at her. “That is probably not the entire explanation.” “No.” Ace looked around. And there it was. The first glance. A merc at the next table. Not at them. At Reyes’s bottle. His eyes stopped. He looked again. Then at Kiro’s. Then Marco’s. Then Ace’s. His expression changed. He leaned toward the woman beside him. Said something. She looked over. Not at the people. At the table. Ace’s smile widened. “Oh.” Reyes saw it. “What?” Ace nodded slightly toward the neighboring table. Reyes followed. Saw them looking. Then glanced toward the bar. Then at the beer again. “Oh, fuck her.” Kiro laughed. “She’s trolling the room.” Mai looked around. More eyes. Subtle. Not staring. Night City people were good at not staring. They were even better at pretending they were not assessing status. Organic beer had meaning. Not enormous meaning. But enough. Enough to ask: Why that table? Why four bottles? Why tonight? What was being celebrated? Was Rogue paying? Was the Triad paying? Was someone trying to impress them? Was this connected to a job? Was something about to happen? The questions moved faster than information. Exactly as Rogue knew they would. Marco looked almost impressed. “She weaponized beer.” Ace lifted hers. “She runs the room. She can weaponize furniture if she wants.” Shammy looked toward Rogue’s booth. “She is amused.” Ace stared at her. “You can tell?” Shammy nodded. “Yes.” Reyes drank. “Good beer.” Kiro did the same. Paused. “Oh, fuck.” Marco tried his. His entire expression changed. Lena watched. “That good?” Marco looked personally betrayed. “I understand capitalism now.” Lena laughed. Mai took her own drink. “Do not encourage the market.” “Too late.” Ace tried hers. Cold. Real grain. Actual complexity. Not the chemical approximation Night City had trained itself to accept. She looked at Rogue again. Rogue did not look back. Which was almost worse. Ace raised the bottle toward the booth anyway. A tiny salute. Rogue continued speaking to someone. Ace knew she had seen it. --- At the bar, a merc leaned toward Claire. “What’re they drinking?” Claire kept polishing a glass. “Beer.” The merc stared. “I can see that.” “Then why ask?” “Is that Old North?” Claire looked toward the table. Then back. “Yes.” The merc blinked. “Real?” “Yes.” “How much?” Claire named the price. The merc recoiled. “Each?” Claire looked at him. “No, we sell four for the price of one because Rogue recently discovered charity.” The merc grunted. “Fuck.” “Correct.” He looked toward the Triad’s table. “What are they celebrating?” Claire picked up another glass. “No idea.” “They on a job?” “No.” “Rogue buying?” Claire smiled very slightly. “Ask Rogue.” The merc looked toward the booth. Then reconsidered his life choices. “Never mind.” “Smart.” He left. Claire looked across the room. At least three more people had noticed. Rogue was not bored. Apparently. --- At the table, Brenda finally noticed the attention. Not individual looks. The pattern. She knew audiences. Better than almost anyone. Her posture changed. Not into TAB. Not fully. Just recognition. “We have an audience.” Iris looked around. “Yes.” Brenda’s eyes moved through the room. “No. We had people looking earlier.” She pointed subtly with one finger against the table. “Now they’re watching.” Ace nodded. “Beer.” Brenda stared at her. “Beer.” “Organic beer.” Brenda looked at the bottles. Then around Afterlife again. Her grin started. Mai noticed. “No.” Brenda looked at her. “What?” “That expression.” Brenda looked offended. “I have no expression.” Ace laughed. “You absolutely have an expression.” Kiro tapped the table. “Focus.” Reyes looked at her. “You want this group to focus?” “For one minute.” “That’s ambitious.” Kiro took another drink. Real beer. Good enough that she briefly looked offended at every synth beer she had ever consumed. Then she placed the bottle down. “Okay.” The table slowly settled. Outside their little circle, Afterlife was already paying more attention than it had ten minutes earlier. Rogue had made sure of that. Kiro had no idea. Not yet. She looked around. “Truth first.” Reyes leaned back. “Fine.” Kiro’s eyes moved around the table. Stopped. On Mai. Mai looked at her. Ace immediately whispered: “Oh, this is going to be good.” Mai turned. “You are not involved.” “I am spiritually involved.” Reyes covered her mouth with one hand. Kiro ignored them. Mostly. “Mai.” “Yes.” “Truth.” Mai nodded. Kiro’s smile became less broad. More precise. Dangerous in a completely different way. “When we first met…” Ace went still. Reyes leaned forward. Marco looked interested. Brenda stopped moving entirely. Even Iris turned toward Mai. Kiro continued. “…what was the first thing you actually thought about me?” Mai stared at her. A beat. Then another. Kiro’s smile faltered slightly. Not fear. Anticipation. The entire table waited. Around them, Afterlife continued talking. Music played. Glasses moved. Somebody laughed at the bar. Another merc glanced toward the organic beer. Nobody outside the table knew that the real explosion had just started. Mai looked at Kiro. And answered. “Trouble.” Silence. Kiro blinked. Ace smiled slowly. Reyes made a sound. Kiro recovered. “That’s it?” Mai took a drink. “No.” The table leaned in almost as one organism. Mai’s eyes remained on Kiro. “I thought you were trouble.” A pause. “And I wanted to know what kind.” Kiro stopped breathing. Ace slapped one hand over her mouth. Reyes folded forward onto the table. Brenda squealed. Marco said something in Spanish nobody understood because he was laughing too hard. Lena covered her face. Iris looked between Mai and Kiro with open delight. Shammy smiled. Kiro stared at Mai. Mai calmly took another drink. Ace finally recovered enough to speak. “Oh, you’re fucked.” Mai turned toward her. “Ace.” “No. No, you don’t get to ‘Ace’ me after that.” Reyes lifted her head. “Jesus Christ.” Kiro still had not moved. Mai looked back at her. Kiro finally found language. “You…” Mai waited. “You thought I was trouble.” “Yes.” “And you wanted to know what kind.” “Yes.” Kiro leaned back. Looked at the ceiling. Then at Mai again. “Okay.” Ace pointed. “She broke the netrunner.” “I am not broken.” Reyes wiped at one eye. “Your face disagrees.” Kiro picked up her beer. “Fine.” She drank. Longer than necessary. Mai watched her. A little too closely. Ace saw that too. The ammunition pile was growing at an alarming rate. And they had completed exactly one truth. Kiro put the bottle down. Looked around the table. Her eyes settled on Reyes. Reyes smiled. “No.” Kiro smiled back. “Oh, absolutely.” Outside their circle, another merc noticed the organic beer. Inside it, the first round of mutually assured destruction had officially begun. --- ## Chapter Four — Ammunition Acquisition Reyes saw Kiro look at her. And smiled. That was the first mistake. Not because Reyes was afraid. Because Kiro recognized immediately that she was not. “Oh,” Kiro said. Reyes took another drink. “What?” “You want this.” “I want you to try.” Ace turned slowly toward Reyes. “Dangerous wording.” Reyes did not look at her. “Stay out of it.” “No.” “Didn’t think so.” Mai sat back slightly, still carrying the kind of composure that would have been far more convincing if Kiro had stopped glancing at her every twenty seconds. Kiro noticed Ace noticing that. Which meant Ace noticed Kiro noticing. Reyes saw the entire exchange. “Oh, Jesus Christ.” Brenda looked around. “What?” “Nothing.” “That is never true at this table.” Iris took a measured sip from her drink. “You have been playing for less than ten minutes.” Marco nodded. “And already developed secondary information markets.” Lena looked at him. “That phrase should not make sense here.” “It does, though.” Unfortunately, it did. Kiro tapped two fingers against her beer bottle. “Reyes.” “Yes.” “Truth.” Reyes spread her hands. “Go.” Kiro thought for perhaps three seconds. That alone made Ace suspicious. Kiro usually asked questions at the speed she thought of them. Thinking first meant intent. “When you first met Ace…” Reyes closed her eyes. Ace sat straighter. “Oh, this is excellent.” “Shut up.” “No.” Kiro continued. “…what was the first thing you thought?” Ace pointed across the table. “Answer carefully.” Reyes opened her eyes. “Or what?” “I have several years of counterintelligence.” “So do I.” “Mine is shorter.” Reyes stared at her. Ace smiled. “More concentrated.” Marco inhaled slowly through his nose. Lena touched his arm. “Don’t.” “I wasn’t going to say anything.” “You absolutely were.” Reyes looked at Kiro. Then Ace. Then back. “The first thing?” “Yes.” Reyes took her time. Not because she needed to remember. Because she was enjoying Ace waiting. Finally: “That she was tiny.” Ace’s expression flattened. The table erupted. Brenda almost dropped her drink. Marco slapped the table once. Kiro folded sideways toward Mai. Even Shammy laughed. Ace remained perfectly still. Reyes raised one finger. “I’m not finished.” “You should be.” “No.” “You have a survival instinct.” “Intermittent.” Ace narrowed her eyes. Reyes continued. “I thought she was tiny.” A pause. “And looked like she’d stab me for noticing.” Ace’s mouth twitched despite herself. Kiro pointed. “There.” Ace turned. “What?” “You liked that.” “I did not.” “You did.” Mai looked at Ace. “She did.” Ace looked betrayed. “Whose side are you on?” Mai lifted her glass. “Truth.” Reyes smiled. “Thank you.” Ace pointed at her. “Do not get comfortable.” “Oh, I’m extremely comfortable.” Brenda leaned forward. “What was the second thing?” Ace turned toward her. “This is not your question.” “I’m curious.” Reyes looked at Brenda. “The second thing was that she had very nice eyes.” Ace stopped. Just briefly. Too briefly for a stranger. Not remotely briefly enough for anyone at the table. Reyes saw. Mai saw. Shammy saw. Kiro made a tiny delighted sound. Brenda slapped both hands over her mouth. Marco stared at the ceiling. Lena smiled into her wine. Iris looked at Ace with open amusement. Ace looked around. “You’re all terrible.” Reyes lifted her beer. “And yet you keep coming back.” Ace’s expression softened. Only for a second. “Yeah.” That landed differently. Small. Warm. Then Ace pointed at Reyes. “Still killing you later.” “See? Romance.” Ace threw a napkin at her. Reyes caught it. --- The neighboring table had now stopped pretending not to watch. Not constantly. But enough. The real beer had started it. The laughter helped. The fact that the legendary Triad were sitting in Afterlife playing some kind of drinking game with a group of equally recognizable associates made ignoring them increasingly difficult. A man at the bar asked Claire another question. Claire answered without looking toward the table. “No.” The man frowned. “I didn’t ask yet.” “You were going to ask if they were celebrating something.” He paused. “…are they?” “No.” “Then why the beer?” Claire put down a glass. “Because they’re drinking it.” He stared. “That’s not an answer.” “It is grammatically.” He looked toward Rogue’s booth. Claire followed his eyes. “Do not.” “What?” “You’re thinking about asking her.” The merc reconsidered. “Wasn’t.” “Good.” Claire went back to work. Across the room, Rogue remained uninterested. Which meant she was probably seeing everything. --- Back at the table, Reyes took control of the game without being given it. “Mai answered.” She pointed at Kiro. “You asked.” Then at herself. “I answered.” Then toward Ace. “You suffered.” Ace raised one finger. “Temporarily.” Reyes smiled. “So my turn.” Kiro leaned back. “Fine.” Reyes looked around. Her gaze passed Mai. Too obvious. Ace. Too easy. Brenda. Tempting. Then stopped on Marco. Marco noticed. “No.” “You don’t even know what I’m asking.” “I know your face.” Kiro pointed immediately. “That’s what she said to me.” “Shared expertise.” Reyes leaned forward. “Marco.” Marco sighed. “Truth.” Reyes blinked. “I didn’t offer a choice yet.” “I’m preempting whatever expression is on your face.” Ace leaned toward Lena. “He’s smarter than he looks.” Marco pointed at her. “I heard that.” “You were supposed to.” Reyes thought. Then smiled slowly. Marco saw it. Regretted everything. “Which person at this table surprised you the most when you actually got to know them?” The laughter stopped. Not completely. But the question landed with more weight than the previous ones. Marco looked around. His eyes moved from face to face. Ace. Mai. Shammy. Reyes. Kiro. Brenda. Iris. Lena. Then back. “You.” Reyes blinked. Ace turned toward her immediately. Reyes frowned. “Me?” Marco nodded. “Yes.” “Why?” Reyes looked almost suspicious of the answer. Marco shrugged slightly. “When I first met you, I thought you were all edges.” Reyes opened her mouth. Marco raised a hand. “Not finished.” She closed it. “For someone who looks like she expects every door to hide trouble…” Marco’s voice stayed easy. “…you’re surprisingly good at knowing when somebody needs company and when they need space.” Reyes went still. Ace watched her. Not smiling now. Marco continued. “You don’t make a big deal about it.” He shrugged. “So. You.” A quiet second passed. Reyes looked down at her beer. Then at Marco. “That was disgustingly sincere.” Marco smiled. “Occupational hazard.” Lena touched his shoulder. “Good answer.” Reyes nodded once. “Yeah.” Then she looked at Marco again. “Still hate you.” “Affection received.” Ace leaned toward Reyes. “You’re blushing.” Reyes turned. “I will throw you into traffic.” Ace smiled. “Confirmed.” “There is no traffic in here.” “I’ll improvise.” Shammy looked toward the parking lot direction. “There is traffic outside.” Reyes pointed at her. “Do not help.” Shammy smiled. --- Brenda watched the exchange with the expression of someone discovering a new recreational substance. Iris noticed. “You are enjoying this too much.” Brenda turned. “Are you not?” “I did not say that.” Brenda’s grin widened. “Lieutenant.” Iris’s eyes narrowed. “Do not.” Kiro pointed across the table. “Truth.” Brenda looked at her. “Me?” “No. Iris.” Iris paused. Brenda straightened. “Oh.” Kiro smiled. “Oh?” Brenda sat back. “Nothing.” “Interesting.” Iris looked at Brenda. “Apparently I have become collateral.” “No, you’ve become content.” Iris stared. Brenda reconsidered. “Participant.” “Better.” Kiro tapped one fingernail lightly against the table. “Iris. Truth or dare?” Iris did not hesitate. “Truth.” Brenda looked disappointed. Iris saw. “You are not choosing for me.” “I know.” “Your face disagrees.” “My face is supportive.” “Your face is plotting.” Ace pointed at Brenda. “That’s a real thing.” Brenda looked at her. “You’re helping her?” “No. I’m validating science.” Kiro thought. Then looked at Iris. “What’s something you’ve wanted to do since shore leave started but haven’t actually done yet?” Iris went quiet. Brenda’s expression changed. The joke faded slightly. Not because the question was heavy. Because she suddenly wanted the answer. Iris looked down at her drink. Then toward the room. At the mercs. At the old concrete. At the dance floor. At Rogue’s booth. At the collection of people around her. “I don’t know.” Kiro tilted her head. “That’s allowed.” “No.” Iris shook her head. “I mean…” She stopped. Thought again. “I’ve had free time before.” Brenda watched her. “But it was always scheduled.” Mai understood. “Structured leave.” Iris nodded. “Even when I was off-duty, there was usually something planned. Somewhere I was supposed to be. Somebody I was visiting. Some reason.” Ace leaned back. “And now?” Iris looked around again. “Now I have enough time that I keep waiting for someone to tell me what I should be doing with it.” Brenda went very still. Iris noticed. Smiled a little. “And nobody does.” Reyes lifted her beer. “That sounds dangerous.” Iris smiled more. “It is.” Kiro leaned forward. “So?” Iris looked at the dance floor. Then at Brenda. Then back to Kiro. “I think I want to do something stupid.” Brenda grabbed Iris’s arm before anyone else recovered. “YES.” Iris laughed. “I did not specify what.” “Doesn’t matter.” “It absolutely matters.” Ace raised her bottle. “To poor decisions.” Mai looked at her. “That is not what she said.” “It was implied.” “No.” Reyes raised hers too. “Close enough.” Shammy lifted her glass. “Something unnecessary.” Iris looked at her. Shammy smiled. “Those can be good.” Iris returned the smile. “Yes.” Brenda rested her head briefly against Iris’s shoulder. “Very good answer.” Iris looked down at her. “I suspect I will regret giving you that information.” “Almost certainly.” --- The first dare went to Brenda. Naturally. She chose it herself. “Dare.” Iris turned toward her. “Immediately?” Brenda spread her hands. “If we’re doing this, we’re doing this.” Ace nodded. “Correct attitude.” Mai looked at her. “You are not encouraging the responsible part.” “There is no responsible part.” “That is the concern.” Kiro considered Brenda. “Okay.” Brenda waited. “Go over to the bar.” Brenda blinked. “That’s it?” “No.” “There it is.” “Order something for someone at this table without asking what they want.” Brenda stared. Then looked offended. “That’s easy.” Kiro smiled. “And Claire gets to decide whether your choice is good enough.” Brenda’s confidence faltered. Ace laughed. “Oh, that’s evil.” Claire, unaware she had just been conscripted into anything, continued working. Iris looked at Brenda. “You can still choose truth.” Brenda stood. “Never.” Reyes leaned back. “Pride.” “Commitment.” “Same problem.” Brenda pointed at her. “You’re next.” “Probably.” Brenda walked toward the bar. Halfway there she turned. “Who am I ordering for?” Kiro looked around. Then smiled. “Mai.” Mai froze. Brenda’s face lit up. “Oh, excellent.” Mai looked at Kiro. “You did that deliberately.” “Yes.” “Why?” “Science.” Ace nearly choked on her beer. Mai turned toward her. “Do not.” Ace held up both hands. “Didn’t say anything.” Brenda reached the bar. Claire saw her coming. Her expression changed. “No.” Brenda stopped. “What?” “I don’t know what you want.” “Then why no?” “Experience.” Brenda leaned onto the bar. “I need a drink.” Claire looked at the one still sitting half-finished at the table behind her. “You have one.” “For Mai.” Claire looked toward Mai. Then back at Brenda. “Mai can order her own drinks.” “Dare.” Claire closed her eyes. Once. Briefly. “Of course.” Brenda smiled. “You get veto power.” Claire looked at her. “On what?” “My choice.” “That is not reassuring.” Brenda lowered her voice. “I need something that looks respectable, tastes excellent, and is significantly less innocent than Mai expects.” Claire stared at her. Then glanced toward the table. Mai was watching. Kiro was trying not to laugh. Ace was not trying. Claire looked back. “You’re all going to be a problem tonight.” Brenda smiled. “We’ve been told.” Claire reached for a bottle. Then another. Brenda watched. “What is it?” “You don’t get to know.” “That’s unfair.” “You gave me veto power.” “Yes.” “I’m using executive authority.” Brenda looked delighted. “You’re learning.” Claire set the finished drink down. Dark. Elegant. Deceptively simple. Brenda lifted it carefully. “What’s in it?” Claire looked at her. “Consequences.” Brenda carried it back. --- Mai accepted the glass with the suspicion of someone receiving an unidentified device. “What is this?” Brenda sat down. “Claire won’t tell me.” Mai looked toward the bar. Claire deliberately turned away. Kiro leaned closer. “Try it.” Mai looked at her. “You are invested in this.” “Yes.” “Why?” Kiro smiled. “Trouble.” The word came back. Mai heard it. So did Ace. So did Reyes. Mai’s mouth moved despite herself. She took a sip. Paused. Kiro watched her face. Brenda watched too. Ace was almost vibrating. Mai swallowed. “Well?” Brenda asked. Mai took another sip. “That is annoyingly good.” Kiro grinned. Brenda raised both arms. “Victory.” Claire saw from the bar. Shook her head. --- The game accelerated. Not dramatically. Naturally. A truth for Lena: Who at the table was hardest to read when she first met them? Shammy. Why? “Because I kept waiting for her silence to mean something uncomfortable.” Shammy tilted her head. “And?” Lena smiled. “It usually just meant you were listening.” Shammy thought about that. “Yes.” Ace stored that too. A truth for Ace: Who at the table could most easily talk her out of a terrible decision? Ace answered without hesitation. “Mai.” Then looked at Shammy. “Usually.” Then at Reyes. “Occasionally.” Reyes lifted her beer. “Progress.” Mai looked at Ace. Ace looked away first. A dare for Marco: Get someone outside the table to laugh without telling them he was doing a dare. Marco stood. Walked to the bar. Said something to a merc waiting there. The merc stared. Then laughed loud enough that Marco returned wearing the expression of someone who had completed a military objective. “What did you say?” Lena asked. Marco sat down. “Classified.” The merc at the bar called over: “He told me Rogue charges extra if you cry during negotiations!” Rogue looked up from her booth. Marco stopped smiling. The table went silent. Rogue stared at him. Marco raised both hands. Rogue’s expression remained unreadable. Then she returned to her conversation. Marco exhaled. Ace whispered: “Legend.” Lena shook her head. “Idiot.” “Both.” --- Then came the first lapdance. Not because anyone had planned it. Because Reyes made the mistake of giving Kiro a dare. “You’ve been talking about dancing for twenty minutes.” Kiro leaned back. “That’s not a dare.” “I’m getting there.” Reyes looked toward the table. Then at Kiro. “Give someone here a lapdance.” Brenda slammed one hand on the table. “Yes.” Iris stared at her. Brenda pointed toward the dare. “Culturally significant.” Ace looked at Kiro. Kiro looked around. Not embarrassed. Thinking. Marco looked at Lena. “I volunteer to not volunteer.” Lena nodded. “Wise.” Reyes crossed her arms. “Well?” Kiro looked at Mai. Of course she did. Mai stared back. Kiro’s smile changed. The entire table felt it. Ace slowly leaned toward Reyes. “You idiot.” Reyes whispered back. “I know.” Mai set down Claire’s drink. “Apparently I have become a recurring target.” Kiro lifted one eyebrow. “You can say no.” Mai looked at her. “I know.” That was all. Kiro stood. The table shifted. Not physically. Attention. Kiro walked around behind Mai’s chair. Brenda’s eyes widened. Iris put one hand over Brenda’s. Not restraint. Possibly structural support. Reyes looked delighted with herself. Ace knew this would become useful forever. Kiro rested one hand lightly on Mai’s shoulder. Waited. Mai looked up. Something passed between them. Then Mai leaned back slightly. Invitation. Kiro smiled. The dare began. It was not elaborate. That made it worse. Kiro understood rhythm too well to turn it into comedy. A slow shift of weight. A turn. One knee brushing Mai’s. Hands careful. Close enough that Mai’s composure became something she had to actively maintain rather than merely possess. The whole table went quiet. Brenda lasted approximately eight seconds. “Oh my god.” Iris whispered: “Shh.” “You shh.” “I am.” “Exactly.” Kiro moved with the music rather than against it. Mai’s eyes tracked her. Steady. Then less steady. Ace noticed the exact moment Mai stopped treating it like a dare. So did Reyes. Shammy’s smile deepened. Marco had become intensely interested in his beer. Lena watched him instead. Kiro leaned closer. Said something too quiet for anyone else to hear. Mai’s mouth curved. Not much. Enough. Then Kiro stepped away. Cleanly. No flourish. No joke. Just returned to her seat. Mai remained exactly where she was. Ace waited. Three seconds. Four. Then: “Trouble?” Mai closed her eyes. Kiro dropped her forehead onto the table laughing. Reyes nearly fell sideways. Brenda made no recognizable human sound. Even Iris folded against her. Marco gave up pretending dignity existed. Lena covered her mouth. Shammy laughed openly. Mai opened her eyes. Looked directly at Ace. Ace pointed at Reyes. “Her dare.” Reyes stopped laughing. “Coward.” Mai took another sip of Claire’s drink. Slowly. Then looked at Kiro. Kiro was still smiling. Mai’s voice was calm. “Later.” Kiro stopped laughing. Silence. Ace stared. Reyes stared. Brenda’s jaw dropped. Mai picked up her glass again. Kiro looked at her. “Later?” Mai drank. “Yes.” The table went nuclear. At the bar, Claire turned toward the sound. Saw Kiro staring at Mai. Saw Ace bent over laughing. Saw Reyes pounding one fist against the table. Saw Brenda clinging to Iris. Saw Marco visibly losing a fight with oxygen. Saw Lena laughing into one hand. Saw Shammy smiling at all of them. Claire looked toward Rogue. Rogue was watching now. Not openly. But watching. Claire sighed. “Atomic fire.” A merc sitting nearby heard her. “What?” Claire picked up an empty glass. “Nothing.” --- Ten minutes later, Mai stood. Kiro looked up. “What?” Mai finished the last of Claire’s drink. Set the glass down. Then nodded toward the dance floor. Kiro blinked. Ace stopped mid-sentence. Reyes turned. Brenda saw everyone else reacting and followed their gaze. The dance floor still held only a handful of people. Mai looked at Kiro. “You wanted to dance.” Kiro stared. Mai waited. The expression on Kiro’s face changed from surprise to delight so quickly it was almost physical. She stood. “Yes.” Mai turned toward the floor. Kiro followed. Ace watched them go. Reyes leaned toward her. “You think they remember we’re here?” Ace smiled. “No.” Shammy looked toward the dance floor. The music changed. Bass rolled through the room. Kiro stepped onto the floor first. Mai followed. For the first few seconds, nobody else in Afterlife noticed. Then Kiro moved. Mai answered. And one by one, people began to look. --- ## Chapter Five — Mai and Kiro Wake the Floor Mai stood. Kiro looked up at her. For the first time since announcing that she had a really fucking bad idea, Kiro seemed genuinely unsure what was about to happen. Mai held out one hand. “You wanted to dance.” The uncertainty vanished. Kiro’s smile arrived all at once. “Oh, fuck yes.” Reyes leaned back in her chair. “There we go.” Ace looked at her. “How long?” Reyes considered. “Depends.” “On?” “How quickly they forget we exist.” Brenda was already adjusting her chair. Iris looked at her. “You can see perfectly well from there.” “Not the point.” “What is the point?” “I want to see the rest of the room.” Iris followed her gaze. Ah. That made more sense. Because nobody at their table needed to find out whether Mai and Kiro could dance. They knew. Ace knew. Reyes knew. Shammy knew. Brenda and Iris knew. This was not discovery. This was waiting for everyone else to catch up. Kiro took Mai’s hand. Mai pulled her lightly to her feet. Kiro took one last drink of beer. Real beer. Because Rogue had decided tonight required better fuel. Then she pointed the bottle at Reyes. “No fucking commentary.” Reyes looked offended. “I would never.” Ace laughed. Kiro looked at her. “You’re worse.” “Correct.” Mai took Kiro gently by the wrist. “Come on.” Kiro surrendered. “Yes, ma’am.” Mai stopped. Ace’s eyes widened. Reyes covered her mouth. Brenda made a small strangled noise. Kiro’s grin became unbearable. Mai looked at her for a long second. Then continued walking. Kiro turned backward just long enough to look at the table. Absolute triumph. Reyes raised her beer. “Dead woman walking.” Kiro blew her a kiss. Then turned and followed Mai onto the floor. --- Afterlife had a dance floor. Technically. That distinction mattered. It existed. It had lighting. It had speakers positioned correctly around it. It had enough open space that people could actually move without colliding with tables, mercenaries or somebody’s poorly secured weapon. People even used it. Sometimes. Usually late. Usually after enough alcohol had reduced the collective dignity of the room below operational levels. Tonight it was occupied by three people. One pair moving lazily near the edge. One woman dancing by herself with the relaxed indifference of somebody who had stopped caring whether anyone joined her. The music was good. Nobody could reasonably blame the music. Afterlife preferred watching danger to dancing with it. Kiro stepped onto the floor. And changed. Not dramatically. That was what made it noticeable. The restless edge in her body disappeared. The constant little movements she carried while sitting—fingers tapping, shoulders shifting, eyes darting between conversations—resolved into rhythm. There was a complicated percussion line running underneath the main beat. Most people in the room would never consciously notice it. Kiro did. Her first step landed against it. The next one pulled away. A shoulder turned. Her hips followed half a beat later. Then everything connected. Mai stopped just outside her reach. Watched. Kiro caught her looking. Raised an eyebrow. Mai’s expression remained composed. Kiro smiled. Challenge accepted. Mai entered. Where Kiro found empty spaces in rhythm and filled them, Mai built structure. Every movement had a destination. No wasted motion. No unnecessary flourish. A change of weight led naturally into the next. A turn finished exactly where it needed to. Precision without stiffness. Control without caution. Kiro circled once. Mai let her. Kiro changed direction. Mai anticipated it. Kiro’s smile sharpened. At the table, Reyes pointed with two fingers. “There.” Brenda nodded. “She noticed.” Iris smiled. “She always notices.” Ace took another drink. “She’ll try to catch Mai out now.” Shammy’s mouth curved. “Yes.” On the floor, Kiro broke the obvious beat completely. Not randomly. She had heard something underneath it. A second rhythm. Smaller. Faster. She moved to that instead. Mai watched one beat. Two. Then joined her. Kiro laughed. Actually laughed. Mai smiled. Reyes leaned toward Ace. “Ten eddies says she changes again.” “No bet.” “Convenient.” “She obviously will.” Kiro changed again. Reyes pointed. “See?” Ace stared at her. “That is not how betting works.” “It is when I win.” --- Nobody around them reacted at first. Mai and Kiro were not performing. They were not trying to take over the room. They were not looking outward to see who was watching. They were barely looking anywhere except at each other. The first few minutes belonged entirely to them. Kiro moved closer. Mai moved away. Not retreating. Inviting pursuit. Kiro followed. Mai stopped before Kiro reached her. Kiro nearly ran into the trap. Caught herself. Mai’s smile appeared. Small. Satisfied. Kiro stared. “You bitch.” The music swallowed most of it. Mai heard anyway. Her eyebrows rose. Kiro pointed at her. “You did that on purpose.” Mai answered with the next movement. Kiro laughed again. Then tried something faster. Mai matched her. They came close. Separated. Crossed. Kiro’s hand brushed Mai’s. Mai caught it. One beat. Released. Kiro turned. Came back. This time Mai’s hand found her waist for barely long enough to redirect her momentum. Kiro moved through it without hesitation. No pause. No surprise. Neither had to check whether the other would be where she expected. Different rooms. Different music. Different nights. Same language. At the table, nobody commented on the technique. They had seen it. Instead Ace looked around the room. That was where the new thing was happening. A merc at the bar had stopped mid-sentence. Not completely. His mouth was still moving. His attention was not with whoever he was talking to anymore. Two women at a nearby table had turned their chairs slightly. One of the dancers already on the floor had stopped pretending not to watch. Brenda saw it too. “There.” Iris followed her gaze. The first woman whispered something to the second. Both looked again. Iris smiled. “Oh.” Reyes leaned back. “Yep.” Kiro had no idea. Mai had even less. Perfect. --- The song changed. Neither left. That was when the room started paying attention. The new track came in heavier. More bass. Less space. Kiro heard it first. Mai saw the change in her face. Kiro stepped closer. Not playful this time. Something slower. Grounded. Mai adjusted instantly. Kiro’s hand came up. Mai met it. Palm to palm. They stayed that way for several beats. Not holding. Reading. Pressure. Release. Direction. Kiro moved. Mai moved with her. Then against her. Their hands separated. Kiro’s body turned. Mai passed behind her. They reversed positions. Nothing about it was choreographed. It looked choreographed because both of them were paying such absurdly close attention. Kiro improvised. Mai understood. Mai created a shape. Kiro broke it without destroying it. Again. Again. A conversation with no need for words. At one point Kiro moved in hard enough that almost anyone else would have stepped back. Mai did not. She rotated. Kiro passed beside her. Mai’s fingers trailed briefly over Kiro’s forearm. Kiro stopped for half a beat. Mai knew exactly what she had done. Kiro looked at her. Mai’s expression was innocent. Kiro’s jaw dropped. The table saw. Ace laughed. Reyes slapped the tabletop. “Oh, that was dirty.” Brenda looked delighted. “What?” “Mai distracted her.” “I saw that.” “No, you saw the hand.” Brenda looked at Reyes. “What did I miss?” Reyes pointed. “Kiro lost the beat.” Brenda snapped her gaze back toward the floor. “She did?” “One.” Iris looked at Reyes. “You counted?” Reyes smiled. “Immediately available.” Ace nearly choked on her beer. Mai was far enough away not to hear. Which was fortunate. Kiro recovered. With vengeance. She moved back into Mai’s space. Closer than before. Mai allowed it. For several seconds the competition softened into something else. Not a show. Not foreplay for an audience. Just familiarity. Warmth. Their bodies moving at the same speed. Kiro smiled. Mai answered. And somewhere near the bar, somebody said: “Holy shit.” Ace heard it. So did Reyes. They looked at each other. Neither needed to say anything. There it was. Afterlife had arrived. --- The solo dancer who had been there before Mai and Kiro entered was the first outsider to approach. She did it properly. No interruption. No grabbing. No attempt to force herself into the center. She moved closer. Good dancer. That became obvious within a few beats. Athletic build. Dark hair shaved close on one side. A narrow chrome line beginning near her temple and vanishing behind one ear. She understood spacing. Kiro noticed her first. Of course. One glance. Then another. The woman caught it. Smiled. Kiro smiled back. Mai saw. Nothing changed negatively. No tension. No claim. Just information. Kiro shifted the shape of her movement. Opened space. The woman understood the invitation. Stepped into it. At the table, Ace smiled. Reyes looked at her. “She’s good.” “Yep.” Brenda leaned forward. Iris did not bother objecting this time. The woman started with Kiro. Smart choice. Kiro tested her within a few beats. A small rhythm change. The woman caught it. Kiro’s eyebrows rose. Another. Caught again. Kiro laughed. The woman grinned. Mai stayed just outside them. Watching. Waiting. Kiro turned toward her. There was a question in it. Mai answered by stepping closer. Three. The geometry changed. The stranger adapted. Good. Very good. For a while Kiro became the bridge. She threw movement toward the stranger. The stranger returned it. Mai shaped the exchange. Then the woman tried Mai directly. One sharp shift. Mai caught it. Returned something cleaner. The woman’s eyebrows rose. Again. Mai answered. Kiro watched both of them with obvious delight. Then inserted herself back into the exchange before either could settle. The stranger laughed. “This your thing?” Kiro heard enough. “What?” “You two.” Kiro looked at Mai. Mai looked at Kiro. Kiro grinned. “Dancing?” The stranger laughed harder. “Sure.” Mai almost smiled. Kiro caught it. “Oh, don’t encourage her.” The woman looked at Mai. “She always like this?” Mai answered calmly: “Yes.” Kiro stopped dancing for half a beat. “Excuse me?” Mai smiled. The woman laughed. Kiro pointed between them. “This alliance is temporary.” Mai raised an eyebrow. “Alliance?” “Against me.” The stranger looked at Mai. “Is she always paranoid?” “Yes.” Kiro threw both hands up. “Fuck both of you.” Mai’s expression did not change. The woman nearly lost her rhythm laughing. Kiro realized what she had just said. Mai realized Kiro realized. The stranger realized both of them realized. Her smile became dangerous. Kiro looked toward the ceiling. “Oh, fantastic.” At the table, Reyes had read enough lips to understand approximately what had happened. She collapsed sideways against Ace. Ace was laughing too hard to help. Brenda looked between them. “What?” Reyes tried. Failed. Tried again. “Kiro told them both—” Mai looked toward the table. Reyes stopped. Straightened. Drank. Ace became fascinated by her beer. Brenda looked suspicious. Iris shook her head. “Cowards.” --- The stranger stayed. Not too long. That helped. There was real chemistry on the floor, but nobody tried to force it into a destination. The woman was good enough that Mai stopped moderating herself. Kiro noticed that too. And became delighted all over again. The next passage was faster. The stranger initiated. Mai responded. Kiro complicated it. For several beats all three moved independently. Then together. Separated. Reconnected. No one led for long. Nobody needed to. The woman stepped close to Mai. Mai pivoted. Kiro passed between them. The woman followed Kiro. Mai caught the new line. The floor around them began expanding. Not physically. Socially. Two people who had been standing near the edge finally joined. Then another pair. Then somebody pulled a reluctant friend out of a chair. The original pair on the floor moved closer rather than leaving. People were no longer merely watching Mai and Kiro. They were moving because Mai and Kiro had made movement seem natural. That was the difference. They had not created an audience. They had made joining look ordinary. Ace saw it happen. Her smile softened. “That’s new.” Reyes looked around. “Yep.” Brenda followed the growing floor. “Holy shit.” Iris laughed. “You knew they could do this.” “I knew _they_ could do this.” Brenda pointed toward the room. “I didn’t know _Afterlife_ could.” That got everyone. Even Shammy laughed. Marco looked toward the floor. Then toward the room around it. “That’s fair.” Lena smiled. “It looks different.” It did. Afterlife still looked like Afterlife. Same mercs. Same concrete. Same neon. Same history hanging in the air. But the room had loosened. Shoulders down. People laughing louder. More bodies moving. A table near the wall had abandoned a conversation entirely because two of them were dancing now. Someone at the bar was nodding along to the beat while pretending not to. The real organic beer at the Triad’s table had already given people something to talk about. Now this. Kiro’s bad idea was spreading without her even touching it. --- The stranger finally stepped away during the next transition. Breathing harder. Smiling. Kiro stopped with her. Mai did too. The woman pointed at Kiro. “You’re trouble.” Kiro grinned. “That’s what Mai thought.” Mai turned her head. Kiro immediately realized she had exposed herself. The stranger looked at Mai. “Really?” Mai said nothing. Kiro stepped backward. “Nope.” The woman smiled. “Now I want the story.” “You don’t.” Mai answered: “She asked what I thought when we first met.” Kiro stared at her. “Traitor.” The stranger laughed. “What did you think?” Mai looked at Kiro. The answer had already been given at the table. No reason to invent another. “Trouble.” Kiro put one hand over her heart. “Still hurts.” Mai’s eyes warmed. “No, it does not.” “No.” Kiro smiled. “It really doesn’t.” For a moment the stranger looked between them. Understood something. Not everything. Enough. “That tracks.” Kiro pointed. “See?” Mai looked at her. “What?” “Independent verification.” Somewhere behind them, Reyes shouted: “THAT’S MY LINE.” Kiro spun toward the table. Reyes raised her beer. Mai closed her eyes. The stranger laughed so hard she had to bend forward. Kiro shouted back: “YOU DON’T OWN WORDS.” “TWENTY EDDIES SAYS I DO.” “THAT DOESN’T EVEN MAKE SENSE.” “NEITHER DO YOU.” Kiro started toward the table. Mai caught her wrist. Kiro stopped. Looked down at Mai’s hand. Then up. Mai said: “No.” Kiro considered. “Fine.” Reyes waved cheerfully. Kiro gave her both middle fingers. The stranger wiped at one eye. “I like your friends.” Mai sighed. “So does Kiro.” Kiro looked at her. Mai’s mouth curved. Kiro stared. Then smiled. “Yeah.” --- The woman introduced herself only before leaving. “Nadia.” Kiro repeated it. Mai nodded. No dramatic exchange of contacts. No promise. No narrative hook forced into existence. Nadia looked toward the table. Then back at Kiro and Mai. “I’m staying around.” Kiro smiled. “Good.” Mai nodded. “Enjoy your evening.” Nadia laughed. “You really talk like that all the time?” Kiro answered instantly. “Yes.” Mai looked at her. Kiro smiled sweetly. Nadia walked back toward her friends. Kiro watched her go. Mai watched Kiro watch her go. Kiro felt it. Turned. “What?” Mai said nothing. Kiro narrowed her eyes. “Do not.” Mai’s eyebrows rose. “You are doing the thing.” “What thing?” “The silent thing.” Mai’s expression remained composed. Kiro pointed toward Nadia. “Yes, I thought she was attractive.” Mai nodded. “I know.” “And?” “And what?” Kiro stared at her. Mai waited. Kiro finally laughed. “You are impossible.” Mai smiled. “You like me.” No performance layer. Just Mai. Dry. Precise. Warm underneath. Kiro stopped. Only for a moment. Then stepped closer. “Yes.” Mai held her gaze. Kiro smiled. “That wasn’t a difficult question.” “I did not ask one.” “Exactly.” Mai laughed. Kiro’s face brightened. There it was again. That private reward she seemed to get every time she pulled an unguarded laugh out of Mai. Kiro looked toward the speakers. New track beginning. Then at Mai. “One more?” At their table, Reyes heard enough to know what was coming. She looked at Ace. Ace looked back. Reyes raised one finger. “One more.” Ace laughed. “Sure.” Mai looked around the floor. It was not empty anymore. Not remotely. People moved around them now. Pairs. Individuals. Small groups. Nadia dancing again near her friends. Somebody laughing loudly when they missed a turn. One merc who looked as though he had not danced since the Fourth Corporate War moving with surprising grace. Afterlife had decided, somehow, that dancing was acceptable tonight. Mai looked back at Kiro. “One more.” Kiro grinned. Then immediately attacked the new beat. Mai followed. --- One song became two. Reyes stopped pretending to predict when they would return. Brenda stopped adjusting her chair because there was no longer a single clear sightline through the crowd. Iris rested against her. Content. Shammy watched the room more than the dancers now. Ace did too. That was where the real effect lived. Mai and Kiro were being Mai and Kiro. The rest of Afterlife had changed around them. Whispers about the organic beer had already made the table conspicuous. Now people who had never spoken to any of them were pointing toward the dance floor. Not fearfully. Not reverently. Curiously. A few had clearly recognized Mai. Some Kiro. Others did not know either. It did not matter. The legend was not the interesting thing for once. The women were. Reyes watched Kiro spin away from Mai, fail entirely to surprise her, and laugh when Mai was already waiting exactly where she needed to be. Reyes smiled. “She still tries.” Ace followed her gaze. “Wouldn’t be Kiro otherwise.” “And Mai still lets her think one day it’ll work.” Mai caught Kiro again. Kiro stared at her. Mai smiled. Reyes raised her beer. “Beautiful.” Brenda laughed. Iris looked toward them. “You sound proud.” Reyes did not even think about denying it. “Yeah.” Ace looked at her. Then toward Mai and Kiro. “Me too.” No joke followed. None needed to. The moment held. Warm. Easy. Then Kiro tried to reverse direction too quickly, nearly collided with someone, recovered spectacularly, and immediately pretended it had been intentional. Reyes slapped the table. “BULLSHIT.” Kiro heard that. Turned. Pointed at Reyes. Reyes pointed back. Mai was laughing. Ace lost it. Brenda folded against Iris. Marco and Lena joined in. Even Shammy’s composure cracked. And around Mai and Kiro, the dance floor kept moving. What had been almost empty less than an hour earlier was alive now. Not because anyone ordered it. Not because Kiro dared them. Not because the Triad had decided to demonstrate anything. Two women had walked onto the floor because they wanted to dance. They had forgotten everybody else. And everybody else had noticed. By the time Mai and Kiro finally started making their way back toward the table, Afterlife was still dancing without them. Kiro looked over her shoulder. Saw it. Stopped. Mai almost walked into her. “What?” Kiro pointed. Mai looked. For the first time that evening, Kiro seemed genuinely surprised. “They stayed.” Mai watched the floor. “Yes.” Kiro looked at her. “We did that?” Mai thought about it. Then shook her head. “No.” Kiro frowned. Mai nodded toward the dancers. “They did.” Kiro looked again. A slow smile appeared. “Okay.” Mai touched her arm. “Come on.” Kiro followed. As they approached the table, Reyes raised her beer. “Welcome back.” Kiro looked suspicious. “How long?” Reyes smiled. “I stopped counting.” Kiro blinked. Then looked at Ace. Ace nodded solemnly. “She did.” Kiro pulled out her chair. “Oh, fuck.” Brenda grinned. “What?” “That means it was long.” Iris laughed. Mai sat. Ace looked at her. Mai looked back. Ace smiled. “Afterlife knows now.” Mai glanced toward the still-active floor. Then toward Kiro. Kiro was already reaching for her beer. Mai’s mouth curved. “Yes.” Reyes raised her bottle. “To education.” Kiro clinked hers against it. “Fuck you.” Reyes smiled. “Welcome home.” And somewhere behind them, another pair stepped onto the dance floor. ## Chapter Six — Claire Measures the Damage Claire noticed the dance floor first. Not because Mai and Kiro were still on it. They were not. They had returned to the table, reclaimed their drinks, and slipped almost immediately back into whatever argument Reyes had been waiting to continue. The floor was still full. That was the problem. Claire stood behind the bar with a clean glass in one hand and watched a place that usually treated dancing as suspicious behavior continue without the women who had started it. A pair near the center moved badly and happily. Three mercs had formed something that was either a dance circle or the opening stages of a workplace accident. Nadia—the dark-haired woman who had joined Mai and Kiro earlier—was back with her friends. Someone Claire had seen in Afterlife twice a week for the last three years was dancing. Claire stared. He noticed. Stopped. Looked toward the bar. Claire raised one eyebrow. The man immediately resumed dancing. Smart. A regular at the bar followed her gaze. “What?” Claire put the glass away. “Nothing.” “You’ve been staring at the floor for ten seconds.” “No, I haven’t.” “Twelve now.” Claire looked at him. He took a drink. “Right.” She turned back to work. The music continued. So did the dancing. That should not have been noteworthy. It was. --- The second thing Claire noticed was the beer. That had started earlier. Rogue had given the instruction quietly. No synth for the Triad’s table. Real organic beer. Claire had obeyed because when Rogue made a request that specific, Claire generally assumed one of two things: Rogue knew exactly what she was doing. Or Rogue wanted to see what everybody else would do. Usually both. Kiro had noticed the first bottle immediately. Reyes had noticed half a second later. Marco had looked at his label twice. Ace had taken hers with the expression of someone who had just discovered an unexpected upgrade. The rest of the room had taken longer. Not much longer. Afterlife mercs noticed status. They noticed weapons. They noticed who got booths. Who got meetings. Who got greeted by name. Who got ignored by Rogue. Who Claire comped. Who Claire did not. And they definitely noticed when four people at one table received genuine organic beer while everyone else drank synth. Nobody had asked directly at first. That would have been too obvious. Instead they watched. Whispered. Checked labels. One man actually ordered the same brand. Claire gave him synth. He looked at the bottle. Then toward Kiro’s. Then back. “This isn’t the same.” “Yes, it is.” “No, theirs says—” Claire looked at him. He stopped. Took the synth. “Thanks.” “Welcome.” He moved away. Claire saw Rogue watching from her booth. Barely. A glance. Nothing more. Claire dried another glass. So that was the game. Fine. --- The third thing Claire noticed was the table itself. Nine people had arrived. That alone would have been enough to draw attention. Large groups were not rare. That group was. Ace. Mai. Shammy. Kiro. Reyes. Brenda. Iris Rourke. Marco. Lena. No fixer meeting. No gig. No obvious operational purpose. No whispering over maps. No one checking exits every thirty seconds. No weapons discussion. No quiet conference with Rogue. They were eating. Drinking. Laughing. Playing Truth or Dare. Claire had initially assumed she had misheard. Then Kiro had repeated it. Louder. Claire had accepted reality. Reluctantly. Now the table had become a gravitational problem. People did not crowd it. Nobody in Afterlife was stupid enough to behave like they were at a street festival. But chairs had shifted. Conversations near them had gotten slower. Several people were clearly listening while pretending not to. Every burst of laughter pulled eyes. Every dare created speculation. Every stranger who approached one of them became temporary public interest. And the table itself appeared completely unaware of how much room it had started occupying socially. Or, worse: Aware and unconcerned. Claire was not sure which. --- She carried a tray over. Water. Food. Replacement drinks. Kiro looked up first. “My favorite person.” Claire set down the beer. “No.” “You brought me another real one.” “That does not make us friends.” “It makes us something.” “Customer and bartender.” Kiro considered. “Intimate.” Mai put one hand over her face. Reyes laughed. Claire looked at Kiro. “Drink water.” Kiro looked offended. “I am.” Claire looked at the untouched water beside her. Kiro followed her gaze. Then picked it up. Drank. Maintained eye contact the entire time. Claire nodded. “Good girl.” Kiro nearly inhaled the water. Reyes folded against the table. Ace stared at Claire. Claire turned toward her. “What?” Ace smiled. “Nothing.” “No.” “I said nothing.” “That is usually when you’re most dangerous.” Ace raised her beer. “Respect.” Claire moved on. Marco got another beer. Synth. He looked at the bottle. Then at Kiro’s real one. Then at Claire. “Wait.” Claire stopped. Marco pointed. “Mine was real before.” “Yes.” “And now it isn’t.” “Yes.” “Why?” Claire looked toward Rogue’s booth. Marco followed. Rogue was speaking to someone. Not looking at them. Marco looked back. Claire shrugged. “Science.” Lena burst out laughing. Marco stared. “That explained absolutely nothing.” “Correct.” Claire set his drink down. Reyes looked at hers. Real. She grinned. “Still chosen.” Marco pointed at her. “You.” Reyes took a drink. “Jealousy is ugly.” “This is corruption.” “Even better.” Claire walked away before the argument expanded. Behind her, Brenda said: “Can I have a real beer?” Iris answered: “You’re drinking wine.” “I can evolve.” Claire kept walking. --- At the bar, a young merc leaned toward her. Not young by actual age. Young by Afterlife standards. Still new enough to think asking Claire questions might produce useful answers. “What are they doing?” Claire kept wiping the counter. “Drinking.” “No.” Claire looked at him. He pointed subtly toward the table. “That.” “Truth or Dare.” The merc stared. Claire waited. “You’re serious.” “Yes.” “Why?” Claire considered the question. Then looked at Kiro. Kiro was arguing with Reyes again. Mai sat beside her with the expression of someone who knew exactly how this would end and had chosen not to interfere. Ace and Brenda were laughing. Shammy listened. Marco and Lena were sharing fries. Iris had one hand resting against Brenda’s shoulder. No job. No pressure. No reason except fun. Claire looked back at the merc. “Apparently they wanted to.” He frowned. “That simple?” “Yes.” The merc looked toward the table again. Claire could see the idea offending him. Not morally. Structurally. Legends were supposed to do legendary things. Meet fixers. Kill impossible people. Start wars. End wars. Walk into Afterlife with blood on their clothes and stories behind their eyes. They were not supposed to play Truth or Dare and argue about beer. Claire understood the confusion. She did not sympathize. The merc looked back at her. “Can anyone join?” Claire stopped wiping. “No.” He raised both hands. “I was asking.” “You were thinking.” “That’s legal.” “Sometimes.” He smiled nervously. Claire nodded toward the room. “Do your own.” The merc blinked. “Our own?” “Yes.” “Truth or Dare?” Claire regretted the suggestion instantly. He looked toward his table. Three friends were watching. One raised an eyebrow. The merc grinned. “Oh.” Claire pointed at him. “No murders.” “I wasn’t going to—” “No property damage.” “Okay.” “No dragging strangers into it.” He stared. “You’ve thought about this.” Claire looked toward Kiro. “No.” Then walked away. --- The fourth thing Claire noticed was that Rogue had not left. Rogue frequently remained in Afterlife without appearing involved in anything. It was part of how she worked. She could sit at her booth, speak to three people in an hour, and still somehow know what had happened at every relevant table. Tonight she had completed whatever business Claire knew about. She should have had no reason to keep checking the room. Yet she did. Not constantly. That would have been obvious. Rogue was not obvious. Every few minutes her attention shifted. Dance floor. Triad table. Bar. Someone ordering beer. Another table whispering. Then back to whatever conversation she was actually having. Claire put another glass away. Rogue had started this. Not the whole night. Kiro had done that. But the beer? Absolutely Rogue. Claire knew enough to see the pattern now. Real beer at one legendary table. Other mercs notice. Questions begin. Attention concentrates. Then Mai and Kiro wake the floor. Then Truth or Dare becomes visible. Rogue had taken a room that was already going to be interesting and turned up the social contrast. Just a little. Claire caught her eye. Rogue looked back. Claire glanced pointedly toward the four organic bottles. Then toward the room. Rogue’s expression did not change. Claire waited. Rogue took a drink. That was all. Claire shook her head. “Bitch.” A customer at the bar looked up. “What?” “Not you.” “Good.” --- At the table, Kiro had just chosen Iris. Claire did not hear the opening. She only heard Iris say: “No.” Every nearby conversation paused by approximately five percent. Kiro stared. “You haven’t even heard it yet.” “I saw your face.” “My face is innocent.” Eight people laughed. Kiro looked betrayed. “Why does nobody support me?” Reyes raised one finger. “I support the part where this goes wrong.” Ace nodded. “Same.” Brenda leaned into Iris. “I support you.” Iris smiled. “Thank you.” Brenda continued: “But I also want to hear the dare.” Iris turned slowly. Brenda kissed her cheek. “Love you.” “Deflection.” “Yes.” Kiro slapped the table. “Okay. Dare.” Iris looked at her. “I haven’t chosen.” “You pre-rejected.” “That is not how the rules work.” Mai quietly said: “She is correct.” Kiro looked at her. “Whose side are you on?” Mai took a drink. “Good systems.” Reyes made a delighted noise. Claire smiled despite herself. There were worse things to watch while working. --- Another customer sat down. Older merc. Regular. He looked at Claire. Then toward the table. Then the floor. Then back. “What happened?” Claire poured his usual. “You arrived late.” “I can see that.” She set down the drink. He nodded toward the dancing. “That was them?” “Mai and Kiro.” He looked. “They still out there?” “No.” He scanned. Found them at the table. Then looked back at the floor. His eyebrows rose. “Huh.” Claire knew exactly what he meant. “They stayed.” “Apparently.” He drank. Then pointed toward Kiro’s bottle. “That real?” “Yes.” “Can I get one?” “No.” “Why?” Claire looked at him. He laughed. “Fine.” Then his attention shifted. Not to Kiro. Not Mai. Shammy. Claire noticed. The older merc noticed that Claire noticed. He immediately looked away. Claire said nothing. Interesting. Not him. But something had changed. People were looking at the table differently now. Less like an institution. More like people. That could create problems. It could also create something better. Claire had seen both. --- The first outsider approached Reyes. Not aggressively. A woman in a red jacket stopped beside the table while returning from the bar. Reyes looked up. The woman said something Claire could not hear. Reyes smiled. Answered. The woman laughed. Stayed another minute. Then left. No scene. No confrontation. No dramatic payoff. Just contact. Ten minutes later a man stopped near Marco and complimented something about his jacket. Marco answered. Lena joined. The man laughed. Moved on. Then Nadia came back by Mai and Kiro. Stopped. Said something. Kiro immediately grinned. Mai smiled. Nadia stayed several minutes. Again: Nothing exploded. Claire noticed the room learning. They could be approached. Carefully. Normally. No ceremonial behavior required. That realization traveled faster than any specific rumor. Claire did not know whether that was good. But it was definitely happening. --- Ace came to the bar for water. Claire saw her coming. “You’re voluntarily hydrating.” Ace stopped. “Yes.” Claire stared. “What?” “I’m impressed.” “Fuck you.” Claire put down a glass. Ace took it. Then looked toward the floor. “Still going.” “Yes.” Ace smiled. “Kiro is going to take credit.” “She already has.” Ace laughed. Claire looked toward the table. “Your game is spreading.” Ace paused. “What?” Claire nodded to the far side of the room. Ace followed. Four mercs sat around a small table. One was pointing at another. The second shook his head. The third was laughing. The fourth appeared to be thinking far too seriously. Ace smiled. “No.” “Yes.” “Already?” “You people have been here for hours.” Ace looked at her. “Not that many.” “Feels like days.” Ace drank water. Then watched the other table. One of the mercs stood. Walked toward a stranger. Said something. The stranger laughed. The entire table reacted. Ace turned back toward Claire. “Oh, this is bad.” Claire nodded. “Your exact words.” “I didn’t start it.” “Kiro did.” Ace looked toward Kiro. Kiro was happily drinking beer. Completely unaware. Ace smiled. “She’s going to be unbearable.” “More.” “Good point.” Claire looked at Ace. “You staying until close?” Ace glanced back at the table. Mai. Shammy. Kiro. Reyes. Brenda. Iris. Marco. Lena. Her smile softened. “Probably.” Claire nodded. Then noticed something over Ace’s shoulder. A man standing near the far section of the bar. Large. Very large. Not looking at Ace. Looking toward the table. Specifically toward Shammy. Claire looked at him. Then Shammy. Shammy had already noticed. Their eyes met across the room. Nothing else happened. Yet. Claire’s eyebrows moved. Ace saw. “What?” Claire looked at her. “Nothing.” Ace turned. Claire caught her shoulder. “No.” Ace looked back. “What?” “Don’t.” Ace narrowed her eyes. “You saw something.” Claire released her. “I see everything.” “That’s not an answer.” “Go sit down.” Ace looked around anyway. Too late. The man had turned back toward his drink. Ace saw nothing obvious. She stared at Claire. Claire stared back. Ace pointed. “I’ll find out.” “I know.” Ace took her water. Walked back. Claire watched her go. Then looked toward the large solo again. He glanced at Shammy. Shammy glanced back. Claire exhaled through her nose. Of course. --- The fifth thing Claire noticed was that she had stopped counting problems. Normally Afterlife problems were easy to classify. Too drunk. Too armed. Too angry. Bad debt. Bad history. Bad contract. Bad judgment. Tonight had different categories. The dance floor was too active. One table had beer everyone else wanted. Truth or Dare was spreading. Mercs were approaching people they usually treated like tactical mythology. Rogue was clearly entertained, which was rarely reassuring. Kiro remained awake, enthusiastic and completely sober enough to keep making decisions. That last one worried Claire most. She brought another tray over. Kiro saw her. “Claire.” “No.” “I haven’t asked anything.” “You’re about to.” Kiro frowned. “Can I—” “No.” “You don’t know the question.” “Correct.” Reyes laughed. Kiro looked around the table. “Hostile environment.” Claire set down water. “For you, yes.” Brenda lifted her glass. “I love her.” Claire looked at Brenda. “Drink.” Brenda obeyed. Iris smiled. Claire pointed at her. “You too.” Iris took a drink. Claire looked around the table. Nine adults. Fed. Hydrated. Happy. No visible crisis. She hated how suspicious that felt. Then she looked toward the dance floor. Still alive. Another table had begun its own game. A merc at the bar was quietly trying to identify which beer was organic. Nadia was laughing with Kiro. The huge solo was still occasionally looking at Shammy. Rogue had not moved. Claire slowly shook her head. Reyes noticed. “What?” Claire looked at her. “You all came here because you had nothing to do.” Reyes smiled. “Correct.” Claire looked around the room. “That was a mistake.” Ace raised her glass. “Whose?” Claire looked toward Rogue. Then Kiro. Then the dance floor. Then back at Ace. “Everyone’s.” Kiro lifted her beer. “To everyone.” Several people at the table joined. Claire did not. But she was smiling when she walked away. And from the far side of the room came a sudden roar of laughter as another table discovered that Truth or Dare sounded much safer before the first question was asked. --- ## Chapter Seven — Shammy and the Big Solo Ace found out before Claire expected her to. Claire had specifically chosen not to tell her. That should have worked. It might have worked with almost anyone else. Unfortunately, Ace had spent years surviving rooms by noticing where attention went. And Shammy was terrible camouflage when Ace already knew to look. Not generally. Generally, Shammy could sit in silence and make half a room forget she had noticed everything. Tonight was different. Ace returned from the bar with her water. Sat. Took one drink. Listened to Reyes and Kiro argue about whether Kiro could retroactively claim responsibility for the second Truth or Dare game forming across the room. Then Ace looked at Shammy. Shammy was listening. Apparently. Her face was calm. Posture easy. One hand rested beside her drink. Nothing unusual. Ace looked away. When she checked again, Shammy’s eyes moved. Across the room. Briefly. Returned. Ace followed. Missed it. Nothing. She waited. Reyes said: “You cannot claim cultural ownership of a drinking game.” Kiro pointed at the other table. “They copied mine.” “You copied humanity.” “I improved it.” “You added swearing.” “Exactly.” Ace kept listening. Shammy looked again. This time Ace caught the direction. Far side of the bar. A man stood alone now. Very large. Not merely tall. Broad. Heavy through the chest and shoulders without looking artificially inflated. Long dark coat open over a charcoal shirt. No obvious gang colors. No corpo polish. A few visible implants at one temple and along the left side of his neck, practical rather than decorative. Older than most of the mercs clustered around the room. Mid-forties, perhaps. Maybe fifty. Night City made exact guesses stupid. He held a beer. And he was looking at Shammy. Ace slowly put down her water. Reyes noticed. “What?” Ace did not answer. She looked at Shammy. Then back at the man. Shammy met his eyes. Stayed there. One second. Two. The man gave a small nod. Shammy returned it. Then both looked away. Ace’s eyebrows rose. Reyes followed her gaze. Found the solo. Then Shammy. Then Ace. “Oh.” Ace whispered: “Claire saw him.” “How do you know?” “She told me not to look.” Reyes stared. “That is practically a map.” “Exactly.” Kiro noticed them whispering. “What?” “Nothing,” Ace and Reyes said together. Kiro narrowed her eyes. “You have never said that honestly in your lives.” Mai looked at Ace. Ace looked back. Mai followed the line almost instantly. Found the solo. Then Shammy. Her expression changed. Barely. Kiro saw that. “Oh, fuck all of you.” Brenda looked up. “What now?” Kiro pointed around the table. “They’re doing silent committee.” Iris looked at Mai. Mai gave her nothing. Iris looked at Ace. Ace drank water. Then Reyes. Reyes smiled. Iris sighed. “Shammy?” Every head turned. Shammy looked at Iris. “Yes?” Ace closed her eyes. Reyes covered her mouth. Kiro looked around the room. Shammy’s gaze moved to Ace. Ace opened one eye. Shammy’s expression said: Really? Ace whispered: “I didn’t say anything.” “No.” Shammy took a drink. “You rarely need to.” Brenda looked between them. Then toward the room. “Oh.” She found him. Stopped. Looked back at Shammy. Then at the man again. Then Shammy. Her mouth opened. Iris touched her arm. “Careful.” Brenda closed it. Good choice. For perhaps seven seconds. Then: “He’s substantial.” Ace folded over. Reyes made a sound somewhere between choking and prayer. Kiro slapped the table. Mai closed her eyes. Iris rested her forehead against Brenda’s shoulder. Shammy looked at Brenda. Brenda smiled apologetically. “Objectively.” Shammy’s mouth curved. “Yes.” Silence. Ace slowly straightened. “What?” Shammy looked at her. “He is.” Reyes put down her beer. Very carefully. Ace stared. “Did you just agree?” “Yes.” Brenda was already collapsing. Kiro looked delighted. Mai’s composure was beginning to fail. Ace pointed toward the solo without looking away from Shammy. “You have noticed his size.” Shammy considered. “That would be difficult not to notice.” Reyes bent forward over the table. “Holy shit.” Shammy took another drink. Perfectly calm. Ace looked at Mai. Mai looked back. Both understood. This was going to be a long night. --- The solo did not approach. Not yet. He looked toward Shammy occasionally. Shammy looked back occasionally. Nothing more. No swagger. No circling the table. No friends pushing him forward. He stayed at the bar. Talked to Claire once. Drank. Watched the room. Ace tried to stop watching him. Failed. Then tried to stop watching Shammy watching him. Failed worse. Shammy finally turned. “Ace.” “Yes?” “Enjoy your evening.” “I am.” “Elsewhere.” Ace looked offended. “I am sitting in my chair.” “Your attention is not.” Reyes laughed. Ace pointed at her. “Yours isn’t either.” Reyes shrugged. “I have no shame.” “True.” Shammy looked at Kiro. Kiro looked away. Then Brenda. Brenda became fascinated by Iris. Then Mai. Mai raised one eyebrow. Shammy sighed. “You are all twelve.” Marco looked up from his conversation with Lena. “I’m not involved.” Lena smiled. “Yet.” Marco looked at her. “Why would you say that?” “Because tonight hates witnesses.” Fair. --- Kiro eventually resumed the game. That was probably healthier. “Marco.” Marco looked at her. “No.” “You don’t know the question.” “I’ve learned.” “Truth or dare?” Marco looked at Lena. Lena smiled. “You’re on your own.” “Traitor.” “Always.” Marco sighed. “Truth.” Kiro thought. Then looked around the table. “Who here would survive longest if dropped naked into the Badlands with nothing but a knife?” Reyes pointed at Ace. Ace pointed at Reyes. Brenda pointed at Mai. Iris pointed at Shammy. Marco looked around. Shammy said: “Panam.” Everyone paused. Kiro stared. “She’s not here.” “You did not specify present company.” Reyes slapped the table. “She got you.” Kiro looked betrayed. “This game is structurally hostile to me.” Mai took a drink. “Good systems.” Kiro pointed. “You are never allowed to say that again.” Mai smiled. Shammy’s attention shifted. Just once. Toward the bar. Ace caught it. Said nothing. For once. Because there was a difference between teasing and interfering. Ace knew it. So did the others. The joking remained at the table. The choice belonged to Shammy. That line was effortless among them. It always had been. --- At the bar, Grant had noticed that the little woman with the violet eyes had identified him. He did not know Ace personally. Everybody in Afterlife knew enough. He also knew when somebody’s friends had noticed interest. That part was universal. One by one, the others at her table had found him too. Subtle as an artillery barrage. He almost laughed. Shammy, at least, looked resigned rather than embarrassed. That made him like her more. He had seen her before. Not close. Afterlife. Once near the bar. Once entering with Ace and Mai. Another time during a meeting he had wisely stayed nowhere near. Tonight was the first time he had seen her relaxed. That was what caught him. Not the reputation. Not the height. Not even the face, though that certainly helped. Relaxed. Listening. Laughing occasionally. No operational mask. No scanning posture. Just a woman out with friends. Grant took another drink. Claire stopped in front of him. “You’re staring.” He looked at her. “So are you.” “I work here.” “That somehow exempts you?” “Yes.” Grant smiled. Claire checked Shammy once before returning her attention to Grant. “You know who she is.” “Yes.” “Good.” “That a warning?” “No.” Claire picked up an empty glass. “Information.” Grant studied her. “Difference?” “Warnings cost more.” He laughed. Claire’s mouth twitched. Grant looked toward Shammy again. She was talking now. Something quiet. Ace responded. The entire table laughed. Shammy smiled. Grant looked back at Claire. “She always that calm?” Claire gave him a flat look. “You’re asking the wrong person.” “Who’s the right person?” Claire nodded toward the table. “All eight of them.” Grant took in the eight-person jury and returned his attention to Claire. “I’d rather walk into traffic.” “Smart.” He drank. Claire began to turn away. Grant said: “Beer.” She stopped. “What kind?” He glanced toward the real bottles at the table. Claire looked at him. “No.” Grant smiled. “I was going to say another synth.” Claire let him sit with that for a second. “Good answer.” --- When Claire brought Grant another bottle, Ace saw it. Kiro saw Ace see it. “Are we monitoring beer now?” Ace looked at her. “Yes.” “Why?” “Because Claire is doing something.” Claire reached their table at exactly that moment. “No, I’m not.” Ace stared. “You were across the room.” “You’re loud.” “Bullshit.” Claire put down a bowl of fries. “Eat.” Ace pointed toward Grant. “You talked to him.” Claire glanced toward him and immediately returned to Ace. “I talk to customers.” “What did he say?” Claire stared. Ace stared back. Reyes leaned forward. Kiro did too. Brenda joined. Iris tried not to. Mai watched Claire. Shammy remained very still. Claire looked at all of them. Her eyes touched Shammy once before returning to the table. “He ordered beer.” Ace waited. Claire waited. Reyes whispered: “And?” “And I gave him beer.” Kiro looked betrayed. “You’re useless.” Claire nodded. “Occupational hazard.” She walked away. Ace looked at Shammy. Shammy looked at Ace. Ace raised both hands. “I learned nothing.” “Good.” “You sound disappointed.” “No.” “Your face—” Shammy pointed one finger. Ace stopped. Reyes leaned toward her. “Survival instinct.” Ace nodded. “Temporary.” --- The next approach came from Nadia. She stopped beside Kiro and Mai on her way back from the bar. “Still alive?” Kiro looked at her. “Barely.” Nadia glanced toward Reyes. “What happened?” “Friends.” Nadia nodded. “Deadly.” Reyes raised her beer. “Correct.” Nadia stayed. Talked. Mai joined. Kiro relaxed into the conversation immediately. The table split into smaller currents. Marco and Lena arguing about music. Brenda explaining something to Iris with both hands. Reyes joining Ace in watching the other Truth or Dare table accidentally escalate. Mai, Kiro and Nadia laughing. And Shammy— Shammy got up. Ace stopped speaking. Reyes followed her gaze. Shammy picked up her empty glass. “Drink.” That was all. She walked toward the bar. Ace turned to Reyes. Reyes turned to Ace. Kiro saw both. “What?” Ace whispered: “Nothing.” Kiro followed their eyes. Saw Shammy. Saw Grant. “Oh.” Mai touched Kiro’s arm. Kiro stopped. Looked at her. Mai shook her head once. Kiro nodded. Then turned back toward Nadia. No interference. No running commentary. Not while it was happening. --- Shammy reached the bar. Claire saw her. Looked at the empty glass. “Another?” “Yes.” Claire took it. Grant stood perhaps three meters away. Shammy knew. She did not look immediately. That would have felt ridiculous. Instead she watched Claire pour. Accepted the drink. Then turned. Grant was already looking. He smiled. Not large. Warm. Shammy smiled back. This time neither looked away. Grant lifted his bottle slightly. Shammy did the same. A small toast across the gap. Claire looked between them. Then walked away. Coward. Shammy almost laughed. Grant took one step closer. Stopped. Enough distance. “Shammy?” She looked at him. “You know my name.” “I do.” “That usually means one of two things.” Grant’s eyebrows rose. “Should I be worried about either?” “Depends.” “On?” “Why you know it.” He smiled. “Work.” Shammy waited. “Not yours,” he added. “Good clarification.” “Thought it might help.” “It did.” He took another step closer. Still enough room. “Grant.” Shammy repeated it. “Grant.” His smile changed. Very slightly. She noticed. Interesting. “Solo?” she asked. “Mostly.” “Mostly?” “Sometimes people pay enough to make teamwork tolerable.” Shammy laughed. Grant looked pleased. “What?” “Nothing.” “That sounded like something.” “My friends have infected the room.” He glanced toward the table. Eight people were suddenly extremely busy. Ace talking to Reyes. Brenda looking at Iris. Kiro talking far too enthusiastically to Nadia. Mai drinking. Marco and Lena arguing about fries. Grant looked back. “They’re subtle.” “No.” “That must be exhausting.” “Sometimes.” She smiled. “Mostly it is funny.” Grant nodded toward the dance floor. “Your friends did that?” “Mai and Kiro?” “Yes.” “They danced.” “That wasn’t my question.” Shammy looked toward the floor. Still active. Shammy turned back to Grant. “No. The room did the rest.” Grant smiled. “Good answer.” “True answer.” “Even better.” There was a pause. Not awkward. Shammy noticed that too. Grant did not fill silence merely because it existed. That was rare. Most people who approached the Triad felt compelled to prove something. Competence. Confidence. Humor. Sex appeal. Indifference. Anything. Grant drank his beer. Shammy liked that. More than she expected. He looked toward her glass. “What are you drinking?” She told him. He considered. “Good?” “Yes.” “Strong?” “Enough.” “Specific.” “You asked a simple question.” Grant laughed. Again. That laugh. Shammy liked that too. Dangerous accumulation. --- At the table, Ace was visibly suffering. Reyes watched her. “You can look.” “I know.” “You’re trying not to.” “I’m respecting privacy.” Reyes looked toward the bar. Shammy laughed. Grant smiled. Reyes looked back at Ace. “Respectfully, this is incredible.” Ace pointed. “Exactly.” Brenda whispered: “He made her laugh.” Iris looked at her. “People make Shammy laugh.” “Strangers?” Iris thought. “Less often.” Brenda nodded emphatically. “Exactly.” Mai looked toward the bar. One glance. Then away. Ace caught it. “What?” Mai shrugged. “He waits.” Reyes looked. “What?” Mai nodded subtly toward Grant. “He gives her space.” Ace watched. Grant had angled himself toward Shammy. Interested. Clearly. But he was not crowding her. Not leaning over her unnecessarily. Not using his size. Shammy chose every reduction in distance. Ace’s expression softened. “Yeah.” Reyes saw that too. “Good.” Nothing filthy followed. Not then. Because that mattered more. --- Grant asked: “Dance?” Shammy looked toward the floor. Then at him. “You dance?” “Occasionally.” “That sounds unconvincing.” “I’m large. Expectations are low.” Shammy laughed. “You noticed.” “Hard not to.” She looked at him. The echo of her earlier answer to Ace nearly made her smile. Grant saw it. “What?” “Nothing.” “Your face says otherwise.” “Apparently everyone has learned face analysis tonight.” Grant smiled. “Should I be afraid?” “Probably.” He nodded toward the floor. “One song.” Shammy considered. No hurry. No table. No dare. Just him asking. She looked at Grant. “Yes.” His smile widened. “Good.” He stepped aside. Not reaching for her. Letting her choose the direction. Shammy noticed that too. Some of the tension she had not realized she was still carrying left her shoulders. They walked toward the floor. At the table, eight people simultaneously failed at not noticing. Grant saw them. Stopped beside Shammy. “Are they going to grade me?” Shammy looked toward the table. Ace looked away. Reyes drank. Brenda smiled too brightly. Iris covered Brenda’s hand. Kiro pretended Nadia had just said the most fascinating thing in Night City. Mai did not pretend anything. Shammy looked back at Grant. “Yes.” He laughed. “Excellent.” “Still want to dance?” “More now.” That answer surprised her. Pleasantly. “Come on.” --- Grant could dance. Not brilliantly. Not like Mai and Kiro. But well enough that Shammy stopped compensating for him. His size changed the visual language. Everything looked bigger. Longer. More deliberate. But his movements were controlled. He knew exactly where his weight was. Exactly where his shoulders were. Exactly how much space he occupied. No accidental intimidation. No careless contact. He started with distance. Shammy decided whether it narrowed. It did. Slowly. The music was less aggressive than before. A heavy pulse under something almost melodic. Grant kept his movements simple. Shammy answered. He smiled. She smiled back. For the first minute they did not touch. Then Shammy placed one hand against his forearm. Grant looked at it. Then at her. Waited. She moved closer. Only then did his hand settle lightly at her side. The difference in scale became ridiculous. Shammy noticed. So did he. Grant said: “This okay?” “Yes.” Immediate. Certain. His hand stayed. They moved. Shammy found that she liked the stability of him. Not restraint. Not control over her. Mass. Presence. A body that did not need to chase the music because the music seemed to move around it. Grant adjusted to her. She adjusted to him. A few beats. Then more. He turned her. Carefully. She came back. Closer this time. Grant looked down at her. Shammy looked up. Something changed. Small. Real. At the table, Ace stopped smiling. Not because she disliked it. The opposite. She recognized the moment. Reyes did too. “Oh.” Ace nodded. “Yeah.” Brenda looked between them. “What?” Mai answered quietly: “She likes him.” Brenda looked toward Shammy. Grant said something. Shammy laughed. Then placed her hand higher against his shoulder. Brenda smiled. “Oh.” Iris leaned against her. “No commentary.” Brenda looked at her. “I wasn’t going to.” Reyes looked over. “You absolutely were.” “Yes.” --- One song became two. Nobody at the table made a joke about that. Not yet. The opportunity would survive. The moment mattered more. Grant and Shammy stayed on the floor. Talking occasionally between movements. Laughing. Learning. No urgency. No predetermined destination. Just two adults who had noticed each other and found the noticing worth continuing. Claire passed the table with a tray. Ace looked at her. Claire checked Shammy, found the same warm ease, and returned to Ace. Ace’s expression gave her away. Claire said: “Don’t.” “I’m behaving.” “You’re glowing.” Ace looked offended. “I do not glow.” Reyes pointed at her. “You glow when social disasters become successful.” Claire looked at Reyes. “That sentence explains too much about all of you.” She moved on. Ace watched Shammy again. Grant leaned down to hear something she said. Shammy repeated it near his ear. Grant laughed. Straightened. Shammy was smiling. Not the polite smile. Not the amused one. The warm one. Ace exhaled. “Okay.” Mai looked at her. “What?” Ace shook her head. “Nothing.” Mai knew. Of course. --- Near the end of the second song, Grant said: “Can I ask you something?” Shammy looked up. “You just did.” He stopped. Then laughed. “That was terrible.” “Yes.” “Still worked.” “Unfortunately.” Grant smiled. Then became slightly more serious. “Would you like to get a drink with me after this?” Shammy looked toward the bar. “We are already drinking.” “Fair.” He adjusted. “Would you like to sit somewhere quieter and talk?” Better. Shammy considered. Then: “Yes.” Grant’s face changed. Not victory. Relief. That was interesting too. “Good.” The song ended. He removed his hand first. Shammy noticed. They walked off the floor together. Not toward her table. Toward a quieter section near the bar. Ace saw. Reyes saw. Everyone saw. Nobody called Shammy back. Nobody needed to. Kiro looked at Mai. Mai looked at Kiro. Brenda smiled. Iris squeezed her hand. Marco and Lena exchanged a glance. Ace raised her beer toward Shammy’s retreating back. Not enough for Shammy to see. Just for herself. Reyes caught it. “To good decisions?” Ace looked at her. “Too early.” Reyes smiled. “Fair.” They clinked bottles anyway. Across the room, Shammy sat down opposite Grant. He said something. She answered. Then both laughed. And for the first time that night, Shammy stopped checking what the rest of the table was doing. Ace noticed that most of all. She smiled. Then turned back to Kiro. “Okay.” Kiro looked suspicious. “What?” Ace pointed at the center of the table. “Your turn.” Kiro blinked. “For what?” Ace smiled. “Truth or dare.” Kiro stared. Then grinned. “Oh, fuck.” The night moved on. --- ## Chapter Eight — Ace Notices Someone New Kiro stared at Ace. Then slowly placed both hands flat on the table. “You waited until Shammy left.” Ace smiled. “Yes.” “That is cowardice.” “That is opportunity.” Reyes raised her beer. “Same thing with better timing.” Kiro looked around for support. Mai was already smiling. Brenda looked interested. Iris had the expression of someone who knew supporting Kiro would create immediate consequences. Marco and Lena had settled in to watch. Nobody helped. Kiro sighed. “Fine.” Ace leaned forward. “Truth or dare?” “Truth.” Reyes made a disappointed noise. Kiro pointed at her. “I know what your dares look like now.” “My dares are educational.” “You tried to make me flirt with Claire.” “You already flirt with Claire.” “I am friendly.” Claire shouted from the bar: “No, you’re not.” Reyes covered her mouth. Ace did not bother. Kiro turned. “You weren’t even here.” Claire kept walking. “I hear things.” Ace slapped the table once. “Okay. Truth.” Kiro looked suspicious. Ace considered. Then: “What is the stupidest thing you almost did tonight before deciding you wanted to stay awake?” Kiro stared. Mai immediately covered her mouth. Reyes laughed. “Oh, that’s evil.” Kiro pointed accusingly at Ace. “You know.” “Yes.” “You all know.” Brenda leaned forward. “We know one.” Kiro looked at her. “One?” Brenda grinned. Kiro looked suddenly worried. Iris smiled into her wine. Ace waited. Kiro sighed. “Sake.” Everyone nodded. “Obviously,” Reyes said. Kiro glared. “But that was not the stupidest thing.” Silence. Mai turned toward her. “Kiro.” Kiro looked at Mai. “What?” “What was the stupidest thing?” Kiro’s eyes moved around the table. “I object to follow-up questions.” Ace smiled. “You chose Truth.” “That rule is bullshit.” “You invented it.” “That does not make it good.” Mai folded her arms. Kiro looked at her. Then sighed. “I briefly considered asking Claire whether Rogue’s booth has a private subnet.” Nobody spoke. Kiro took a drink. Marco blinked. Reyes slowly put down her beer. Brenda whispered: “Oh my God.” Mai closed her eyes. Ace stared. “You considered hacking Rogue’s booth.” “I considered _asking_.” “Why?” Kiro’s expression became painfully sincere. “Because I wanted to know.” Ace pointed at Mai. “You keep her.” Mai looked at Kiro. “I am trying.” Kiro smiled. Claire passed close enough to hear the last sentence. She stopped. Looked at Kiro. “Do not ask.” Kiro raised both hands. “I didn’t.” “You were going to.” “I made a good decision.” Claire looked toward the ceiling. Then toward Rogue. Then back. “For once.” Kiro looked proud. Claire moved on. Reyes leaned toward Mai. “You should reward that.” Kiro turned. “Yes.” Mai looked at Reyes. Then Kiro. “No.” Kiro sighed. “Hostile.” --- The table settled again. Not quiet. Never quiet. But into the comfortable rhythm that had carried them through most of the evening. Truth. Dare. Food. Water. Beer. Laughter. People drifting past. The newly awakened dance floor continuing to exist as if Afterlife had always been like this. And somewhere beyond the center of the room, Shammy was still talking to Grant. Ace checked once. Only once. Shammy sat opposite him, turned partly sideways in her chair. Relaxed. Grant said something. Shammy smiled. Good. Ace looked away. That thread belonged to Shammy now. No need to monitor it. At least not every thirty seconds. Reyes saw her look away. “Growth.” Ace turned. “What?” “You resisted.” “I have restraint.” Reyes laughed so loudly the table beside them noticed. Ace kicked her lightly under the table. Reyes only laughed harder. --- It was perhaps ten minutes later when Ace noticed the man. Not because he approached. He did not. Not because he stared. That might have made her dismiss him. Not because anyone pointed him out. Nobody did. Ace noticed him because someone near the bar got out of his way. Not fearfully. Automatically. A tiny shift. The kind people made around someone who carried themselves with enough certainty that the room adjusted before thinking about it. Ace’s eyes followed the movement. Found him. Older. That registered first. Actually older. Not artificially preserved into some ageless Night City approximation. There was grey at his temples. Fine lines around his eyes. Another beside his mouth. Evidence. Ace liked evidence. Dark hair otherwise. No dramatic chrome visible. No glowing optics. No sculpted corpo perfection. A black shirt under a charcoal jacket. Good shoulders. Not absurd. Just broad enough. Tall enough that Ace had to imagine looking distinctly upward. That thought stayed longer than expected. She took another drink. The man was speaking to Claire. Not flirting. Not posturing. Just talking. Claire answered. He listened. That registered too. A lot of people waited for Claire to stop speaking. He actually listened. Then Claire said something that made him laugh. Ace watched. Low laugh. Easy. No performance. Interesting. She looked away. --- Reyes caught the second look. Not the first. Ace would later consider that an acceptable margin of failure. They were halfway through Brenda explaining why a dare involving Iris and the dance floor absolutely did not count as attempted sabotage when Ace glanced toward the bar again. Reyes followed. Found nothing obvious. Looked back at Ace. Ace noticed. “What?” Reyes took a drink. “Nothing.” “You looked.” “I have eyes.” Ace narrowed hers. “That line is mine.” “Was.” Brenda kept talking. “And furthermore—” Iris touched her wrist. “Brenda.” “Yes?” “You are arguing a case nobody brought.” Brenda paused. “Oh.” Marco nodded. “Strong case, though.” “Thank you.” Lena looked at him. “You have no idea what she was arguing.” “No.” “Good.” Ace looked toward the bar again. The man had moved. Still there. Now leaning one forearm against the counter while someone else spoke beside him. He looked comfortable. That was the word. Not relaxed exactly. Relaxation could be carelessness. He was aware of the room. Ace could tell. He just did not appear to believe awareness required tension. That interested her more than the shoulders. Maybe. The shoulders were doing solid work. Reyes followed the third look. This time she found him. Her expression did not change. That was how Ace knew she had. Ace looked at her. Reyes looked back. One corner of her mouth moved. Ace whispered: “No.” Reyes whispered: “I didn’t say anything.” “You were about to.” “No.” “Bullshit.” Reyes took another drink. Ace waited. Reyes remained silent. It became intolerable. “What?” Reyes looked at her. “You tell me.” “Nothing.” “Sure.” Ace pointed at her bottle. “Drink.” Reyes smiled. “Bossy.” “Alive.” “Mostly.” --- Mai noticed because Reyes kept not saying anything. That was unusual enough. She looked at Reyes. Then Ace. Then the direction Ace had been avoiding for the last twenty seconds. The man at the bar. Mai found him quickly. Looked. Then looked at Ace. Ace saw. “No.” Mai raised an eyebrow. “You too.” “I didn’t speak.” “You looked.” Mai’s mouth curved. Kiro caught the exchange. Her head moved between them. “What?” “Nothing,” Ace said. Kiro stared. Then turned toward Mai. Mai took a drink. Kiro’s eyes narrowed. “Something.” Reyes looked down at the table to hide her smile. Kiro saw that. “Oh, fuck all three of you.” Brenda stopped mid-sentence. “What did I miss?” “Secret council.” “There is no secret council,” Mai said. Ace nodded. “Correct.” Reyes shrugged. “There kind of is.” Ace turned. “Traitor.” Kiro looked around the room. Ace caught her arm. “No.” Kiro froze. “What?” “Do not swivel your head around like a fucking turret.” “I was looking for Claire.” Claire was behind her. “No, you weren’t.” Kiro jumped. Reyes almost fell out of her chair. Claire continued past without stopping. Kiro pressed one hand to her chest. “She’s evil.” Mai looked toward Claire. “No.” Kiro stared at her. Mai took another drink. Ace smiled. “Good systems.” Kiro pointed. “I hate this table.” Brenda leaned against Iris. “No, you don’t.” Kiro sighed. “No.” Then smiled. “I really fucking don’t.” --- Ace looked again. Fourth time. Maybe fifth. She had lost track. Annoying. The man was alone now. Not entirely. People occupied the bar around him. But whoever he had been speaking with had stepped away. He held a short glass in one hand. Not beer. Something amber. He turned slightly. And caught Ace looking. There it was. Recognition. Immediate. His eyes moved over her once. Not crudely. Not with the blank surprise some people still managed when confronted with Ace’s 145 centimeters in person. No visible calculation about whether the small woman at the table was _that_ Ace. He knew. That much was obvious. But the recognition passed. What remained was something else. Interest. Simple. Adult. Unhurried. Ace did not look away. Neither did he. A few seconds. Long enough. Then he lifted his glass. Barely. Not a toast. Acknowledgment. Ace felt her mouth curve. She lifted her beer the same fraction. His smile appeared. Small. Warm. Then Claire said something to him and he turned back toward the bar. Ace looked down at her beer. Reyes whispered: “Oh.” Ace closed her eyes. “No.” Mai was already smiling. Kiro stared between them. “What?” Reyes leaned toward her. “Nothing.” Kiro slammed one palm onto the table. “I SWEAR TO GOD.” Several nearby mercs looked over. Claire pointed from the bar. “Indoor voice.” Kiro stared at her. “This is Afterlife.” “Exactly.” Kiro lowered her voice. “What?” Reyes glanced at Ace. Ace glared. Reyes smiled. “Someone caught her looking.” Kiro’s face transformed. “No.” Ace pointed at her. “Do not turn around.” Kiro immediately went unnaturally rigid. “I wasn’t going to.” “You absolutely were.” Brenda looked delighted. “Who?” Iris took her wine. “Brenda.” “What?” “You are now part of the problem.” “I was always part of the problem.” Iris considered. “Fair.” Marco looked toward Ace. Then at Lena. “I’m staying out of this.” Lena smiled. “Good instinct.” Reyes looked at Ace. “He smiled.” Ace took a drink. “Yes.” The table went quiet for half a beat. Ace realized what she had done. Reyes’ eyebrows rose. Kiro’s eyes widened. Brenda made a tiny sound. Mai looked entirely too pleased. Ace stared at all of them. “What?” Kiro pointed. “You answered.” “Yes.” “You admitted it.” “I have no reason not to.” Reyes leaned back. “Oh, this is better.” Ace kicked her under the table. Reyes grunted. “Still worth it.” --- Nobody turned around. That surprised Ace. Kiro clearly wanted to. Brenda clearly wanted to. Reyes had already seen enough. Mai had seen more than enough. But nobody made the situation into a spectacle. The teasing stayed with Ace. The stranger stayed his own person. No one pulled him into the game. No one dared Ace to approach him. No one shouted across the room. Ace noticed the restraint. She appreciated it. Even if she would rather swallow a knife than say so right now. Kiro leaned closer. Quietly: “Your type?” Ace looked at her. “That is a stupid question.” Kiro grinned. “So yes.” “I didn’t say that.” Reyes said: “You didn’t have to.” Ace looked toward Mai. “Help.” Mai considered. “No.” “Bitch.” “Yes.” Brenda laughed. Iris leaned against her. Marco said: “I thought Truth or Dare was supposed to be the dangerous part.” Lena looked around the table. “You’ve met them.” “Good point.” --- Another round of the game began. Lena chose dare. Reyes gave her something involving getting a genuine compliment from a stranger without telling them it was a dare. Lena stared at her. “That is weirdly wholesome.” Reyes shrugged. “I contain multitudes.” Ace snorted. “Most of them filthy.” “Still multitudes.” Lena stood. Marco watched her go. Brenda immediately tried to ask whether he had any predictions. Marco refused. Kiro argued that predictions should count as side betting. Iris objected to adding financial incentives. Reyes offered to run the book. Mai vetoed the entire concept. For three or four minutes the table became occupied by its own stupidity. Ace laughed. Joined. Forgot the man. Almost. Then movement near the bar caught her peripheral vision. He was leaving. Not Afterlife. Just the bar. Walking toward one of the quieter side areas. Ace watched. He moved well. Not combat-display well. No exaggerated awareness. Just comfortable in his body. Older body. Strong. Experienced. The thought arrived without permission: _Interesting._ He stopped to let two people pass. One of them knew him. Brief clasp of hands. A few words. The other person laughed. Then he continued. Ace’s eyes stayed on him until he disappeared behind a cluster of standing mercs. She looked back at the table. Mai was watching her. Ace sighed. “Don’t.” Mai’s expression softened. “I wasn’t going to.” “That might be worse.” “Why?” “Because now you look understanding.” Mai smiled. Ace glared. Then smiled too. “Fuck you.” Mai reached beneath the table. Touched Ace’s knee briefly. Warm. Familiar. Home. Ace covered Mai’s fingers with her own for a moment. Nothing complicated in it. Nothing needed. Mai released her. Ace looked toward the side of the room again. The man had not reappeared. Her curiosity remained. That was new enough to be worth noticing. --- Reyes waited another minute before leaning closer. “So.” Ace looked at her. “No.” “You don’t even know what I was going to say.” “Yes, I do.” “What?” “You were going to ask whether I’m going over there.” Reyes smiled. “I was going to ask if you wanted fries.” Ace stared. Reyes held the expression for almost three seconds. Then broke. “Okay, yes.” Ace grabbed a fry. Reyes laughed. Kiro looked at Ace. “Are you?” Ace ate. “Am I what?” “Going over there.” Ace looked toward the side area. No sign of him. Then shrugged. “Maybe.” Kiro’s eyebrows rose. Brenda looked over. Reyes stopped laughing. Mai watched quietly. Ace noticed all of them noticing. “What?” Kiro smiled. “You don’t usually say maybe.” Ace considered that. Annoyingly accurate. Usually she knew. Yes. No. Now. Later. Worth it. Not worth it. Ace liked decisions. Decisions moved things. Maybe was an unfinished object. She looked toward where the man had disappeared. Then back at Kiro. “I haven’t decided.” Kiro’s smile changed. Less teasing. More recognition. “Oh.” Ace pointed a fry at her. “Do not make that face.” “What face?” “The one where you found a signal.” Kiro looked offended. “I do not have a signal face.” Everyone at the table: “Yes, you do.” Kiro stared around. “Hostile fucking environment.” --- Lena returned with a woman in a blue jacket laughing behind her. The stranger waved once toward the table, then continued toward the bar. Lena sat. Reyes immediately asked: “Well?” Lena picked up her wine. “She liked my boots.” Marco looked down at Lena’s boots. “I like your boots.” “You’re not a stranger.” “I can leave and come back.” “No.” “Worth trying.” The table moved on. Another laugh. Another dare. Another drink. Across the room, the other Truth or Dare game had escalated into someone standing on a chair while their friends shouted contradictory instructions. Claire pointed. The person sat down immediately. Kiro looked impressed. “She has range.” Ace smiled. Then saw the older man again. He had returned to the bar. His eyes found the table. Not Ace immediately. The whole table first. Mai. Kiro. Reyes. Brenda and Iris. Marco and Lena. One empty chair where Shammy had been. Then Ace. There. He smiled again. This time Ace smiled first. Reyes saw. Said nothing. Mai saw. Said nothing. Kiro, miracle of miracles, did not notice. Ace held the stranger’s gaze. Not long. Long enough. Then looked back at her friends. Reyes finally leaned in. Very quietly: “Interested?” Ace took a drink. Considered lying. There was no point. “Yes.” Reyes’ grin appeared. Ace immediately added: “And if you turn this into a dare, I will break your legs.” Reyes raised both hands. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” Ace looked at her. “Bullshit.” “Complete bullshit.” Mai laughed. Ace looked toward the older man once more. He was no longer watching. Good. Better. Because for the first time tonight, Ace was not thinking about what the game might make her do. She was thinking about what she might choose on her own. And that was considerably more interesting. --- ## Chapter Nine — Everybody Is Fair Game Ace did not go to the bar. Not yet. That became increasingly funny to everyone who knew her. She sat with one ankle hooked behind the leg of her chair, real beer in one hand, participating in the game exactly as before. Except every few minutes her eyes went elsewhere. Far end of the bar. Older man. Still there. Still occasionally looking back. Reyes noticed every single time. She had learned enough from the first kick under the table not to comment on every single one. That did not mean her face behaved. Ace caught the latest smile. “Keep doing that.” Reyes looked innocent. “What?” “That.” “I’m drinking.” “You’re gloating.” “Internally.” “No, you’re not.” Kiro leaned around Mai. “What is she gloating about?” Ace pointed at Reyes. “Nothing.” Reyes nodded. “Nothing.” Kiro stared at both of them. Then at Mai. Mai took a drink. Kiro’s eyes narrowed. “You know.” Mai looked at her. “Yes.” “Tell me.” “No.” “Why?” Mai glanced at Ace. “Because I enjoy being alive.” Ace smiled. “See? Good judgment.” Kiro sat back. “This table has become institutionally corrupt.” Marco looked up. “Become?” Lena laughed. Brenda lifted her glass. “I thought corruption was part of the charm.” Iris looked at her. “You have spent too much time here.” “I have spent exactly enough time here.” “Those are not mutually exclusive.” Brenda considered. “Also fair.” Across the room, Shammy remained in the quieter section with Grant. Still talking. Still smiling occasionally. Still showing no sign that she intended to rejoin the table anytime soon. Nobody disturbed her. That thread had become its own evening. And now the rest of Afterlife seemed to have reached a conclusion of its own. The nine people at the table— Eight, temporarily— were approachable. Not universally. Not stupidly. Not without reading the room. But approachable. That changed things. --- Reyes was first. Naturally. A woman stopped beside the table while returning from the bar. Tall. Maybe late thirties. Dark skin. Short curls. Burgundy leather jacket over a black top. Chrome visible along one forearm, old enough to have scratches in the finish. She carried herself like someone who had been in enough bad rooms to stop performing confidence in good ones. Reyes looked up. The woman looked down. “You always talk that much?” The table went silent. Reyes’ smile appeared slowly. “Depends.” “On?” “Whether people deserve the premium service.” Kiro immediately covered her mouth. The stranger looked at Reyes. Then smiled. “Do I?” Reyes leaned back. “You opened strong.” “Not an answer.” “Neither was yours.” “Good.” Reyes’ eyebrows rose. Ace took a careful drink. Mai saw that. So did Kiro. Brenda looked delighted. The woman nodded toward the empty edge of a nearby chair. “Mind?” Reyes looked around the table. Then back. “Your funeral.” The woman pulled the chair closer but did not insert herself fully into the group. Good instinct. “Dara.” “Reyes.” “I know.” Reyes’ smile sharpened. “Dangerous sentence.” Dara shrugged. “I’m still sitting.” “That could change.” “Promising.” Kiro made a tiny noise. Reyes did not turn. “Kiro.” “I said nothing.” “You made punctuation.” Ace nearly lost her beer. Dara laughed. Reyes looked back at her. “You’re enjoying this.” “Very much.” “Why?” Dara’s eyes moved briefly over Reyes. Not subtle. Not crude either. Then returned to her face. “Because I was going to ask whether you were always this direct.” Reyes waited. “And?” “Apparently I underestimated you.” For once, Reyes had no immediate comeback. Only for a second. Maybe less. But the table saw it. Ace’s eyes widened. Kiro’s hand hit Mai’s arm. Brenda grabbed Iris. Marco looked at Lena. Lena was already smiling. Reyes recovered. “Careful.” Dara leaned slightly closer. “Why?” Reyes’ grin returned. “There you are.” Dara laughed. The two of them settled into conversation. No dare required. No introduction ceremony. No one at the table pulling strings. Just interest meeting something equally direct. Ace watched for a moment. Then Reyes looked over. Ace raised both hands. Reyes mouthed: **Fuck off.** Ace smiled sweetly. Reyes turned back to Dara. Dara had seen the exchange. “Close friends?” Reyes sighed. “Unfortunately.” From three seats away, Kiro shouted: “THAT ONE IS MINE.” Claire pointed from the bar. Kiro lowered her voice. “Still mine.” Dara looked at Reyes. “Long night?” Reyes took a drink. “You have no idea.” Dara smiled. “I’m beginning to.” --- Kiro got Nadia. Again. This time Nadia did not come to dance. She appeared beside Kiro with a fresh drink, leaned one hand against the back of the empty chair Shammy had left, and looked between Kiro and Mai. “Am I interrupting?” Kiro answered immediately: “No.” Mai answered at the same time: “Possibly.” Kiro turned. Mai’s mouth curved. Nadia laughed. “Good. Consistent.” Kiro looked at her. “You came back.” “You noticed.” “Yes.” Nadia nodded toward the floor. “You’re not dancing.” “I was told hydration is apparently important.” Mai pushed the water glass toward her. Kiro looked at it. Then Nadia. Then Mai. “This is oppression.” Nadia lifted her drink. “Do what she says.” Kiro stared. Mai looked at Nadia. “Thank you.” Kiro pointed between them. “Absolutely not. You two are not allowed to become allies.” Nadia smiled. “Too late.” Kiro drank the water. Reyes caught that from several seats away. Even while talking to Dara. She pointed. “Good girl.” Kiro nearly threw the glass. Mai caught her wrist. Again. Dara watched. Then looked at Reyes. “This happens often?” Reyes took a drink. “Constantly.” Nadia waited until Kiro had finished half the water. Then: “You said maybe earlier.” Kiro stopped. Mai looked at Nadia. Kiro slowly put down the glass. “About?” Nadia smiled. “Later.” Ah. Brenda’s eyes brightened. Iris touched her knee under the table. Brenda looked at her. Iris gave her a look. Brenda remained silent. Barely. Kiro leaned back. Her grin appeared. “Did I?” “You did.” “I might have meant later dancing.” “You might have.” “And you came over to clarify?” “Yes.” Direct. Kiro liked that. Everyone who knew her could see it instantly. She leaned one elbow against the table. “What did you hope I meant?” Nadia took a drink. Then looked straight at her. “That you were curious.” Kiro stopped smiling. Not negatively. Just recalibrating. Mai saw it. Ace saw it. Reyes missed it because Dara had said something interesting enough to steal her attention. Nadia continued: “You’re good on the floor.” Kiro smiled again. “Thank you.” “You’re also very good at pretending you aren’t checking whether people can keep up with you.” Kiro stared. Mai’s eyebrows rose. Nadia saw. “Am I wrong?” Mai answered before Kiro could. “No.” Kiro turned. “Whose fucking side are you on?” Mai looked at Nadia. Then Kiro. “The accurate one.” Ace laughed. Kiro pointed at Mai. “This will be remembered.” Mai nodded. “I assumed.” Nadia leaned a little closer. “Anyway.” Kiro looked back. Nadia’s smile was smaller now. More deliberate. “I can keep up.” Kiro’s expression changed. Oh. Not challenge exactly. Invitation. Possibility. Something beyond one good dance. Kiro’s eyes moved briefly toward Mai. Mai met them. No question in her face. No warning. No permission. Just warmth. Kiro smiled. Then looked back at Nadia. “Maybe you can.” Nadia raised her glass. “There she is.” --- Mai’s came more quietly. Of course it did. No one would have gotten far with her by arriving like artillery. Kiro and Nadia had moved several steps away from the table because Nadia wanted to show her something on the dance floor. Dara and Reyes were still talking. Ace was pretending not to look toward the older man. That left Mai briefly alone on one side of the table. A woman approached. Early forties, perhaps. Elegant without corpo stiffness. Black hair cut to her jaw. Dark green dress beneath an open fitted jacket. No visible weapon. Which in Afterlife usually meant either stupidity or very good concealment. She stopped at a respectful distance. “Mai?” Mai looked up. “Yes.” “Can I ask you something?” “You already did.” Ace turned. Reyes heard it from the other side of the table and covered her mouth. The woman blinked. Then smiled. “Fair.” Mai gestured toward the empty chair beside her. The woman sat. “Sloane.” “Mai.” “I know.” Mai waited. Sloane understood immediately. “No biography.” “Good.” “No Arasaka questions.” “Better.” “No questions about Ace’s swords.” Ace turned fully. “Hey.” Sloane looked at her. “I’ve heard enough bad opening lines tonight.” Ace considered. “Okay, I like her.” Mai looked at Ace. Ace raised both hands. “Leaving.” She did not leave. She merely rotated back toward Brenda. Mai returned her attention to Sloane. “What did you want to ask?” Sloane looked toward the dance floor. Kiro was there with Nadia again. Not fully dancing yet. Talking close enough to hear each other over the music. Then back to Mai. “You really don’t mind?” Mai understood. Her expression remained calm. “No.” Sloane nodded. No follow-up about rules. No invasive curiosity. That earned something. “Good.” Mai studied her. “Why?” “Because I was trying to work out whether I imagined you watching me earlier.” Mai paused. Sloane’s smile was almost invisible. Ace’s head started to turn again. Mai said: “Do not.” Ace froze. “I wasn’t doing anything.” “You were about to.” “I am being persecuted.” Brenda whispered: “Shh.” Ace stared at her. Brenda looked delighted. Mai looked back at Sloane. “When?” “During the second song.” Mai searched memory. Then found it. Sloane had been near the edge of the dance floor. Watching. Not Nadia. Her. Mai nodded once. “I remember.” “Good.” Sloane crossed one leg over the other. “Then I didn’t imagine it.” “No.” That answer landed. Sloane’s eyes warmed. “So.” Mai waited. “You were interested.” Mai could have evaded. She did not. “Yes.” Ace stopped breathing for theatrical reasons. Marco looked at her. “Are you all right?” Ace put one finger to her lips. Marco sighed. Lena leaned against him. “This is better than television.” Mai heard that. Ignored it. Sloane smiled. “Good.” Mai’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You say that often.” “Only when things go well.” “And are they?” Sloane looked at her. “Yes.” Mai smiled. Tiny. There. Sloane saw it. So did Ace. Ace looked at Brenda. Brenda looked at Ace. Both immediately looked away before Mai could catch them. Too late. Mai sighed. Sloane followed her gaze. “Your friends are terrible.” “Yes.” “We can hear you,” Ace said. Mai did not look away from Sloane. “I know.” --- Ace’s older man remained a different problem. He was still not approaching. This had evolved from attractive into personally offensive. Ace did not want to be chased. But after the fourth or fifth shared look, she had begun to suspect he was enjoying the same game she was. Waiting. Seeing which one moved first. Ace respected it. That did not mean she liked losing. Reyes returned to the table just long enough to retrieve her beer. Dara had gone to speak to one of her friends. Reyes looked toward the bar. Then Ace. “You’re still sitting.” Ace stared. “You were gone fifteen minutes and that’s your opening?” “Yes.” “How was Dara?” Reyes smiled. “Interesting.” Ace grinned. “How interesting?” Reyes took the beer. “Later.” “Oh, fuck you.” “Maybe.” Ace stared. Reyes walked away before Ace could hit her. Brenda nearly fell out of her chair. Iris caught her. Again. Ace pointed after Reyes. “She planned that.” Mai, still talking with Sloane: “Obviously.” Sloane looked toward Reyes. “Friend of yours?” Mai considered. “Deeply.” Ace smiled. Good answer. --- Marco and Lena did not acquire outsiders. They acquired popcorn. Metaphorically. Marco returned from the bar with food and looked around. Reyes talking to Dara. Kiro and Nadia at the edge of the dance floor. Mai speaking with Sloane. Ace pretending an older man did not exist. Shammy still gone with Grant. Brenda and Iris openly enjoying everything. Marco sat. “What happened?” Lena took a fry. “About six things.” “How long was I gone?” “Four minutes.” Marco looked around again. “Of course.” Brenda leaned toward him. “Reyes got somebody who can answer back.” Marco found Dara. “Oh.” “Kiro has Nadia.” He found them. “Oh.” “Mai has Sloane.” Marco looked. “Okay.” Brenda smiled. “And Ace has been staring at an older man for approximately—” Ace pointed at her. “Finish that sentence.” Brenda stopped. Marco found the man anyway. Looked. Then looked at Ace. Ace narrowed her eyes. Marco immediately took a fry. “Not involved.” “Excellent.” Lena smiled. “You learn quickly.” “Survival.” Iris looked around the room. “This was supposed to be Truth or Dare.” Kiro shouted from near the floor: “IT STILL IS.” Claire shouted: “NO IT ISN’T.” Kiro turned toward the bar. “TRAITOR.” Claire continued serving someone. Iris laughed. Brenda rested against her. “This is better.” “Yes.” No hesitation. Iris looked toward Reyes. Then Kiro. Then Mai. Then Ace. Then the distant corner where Shammy was still with Grant. Much better. --- Dara returned. She did not sit this time. She stopped beside Reyes. Said something quietly. Reyes’ eyebrows rose. Dara smiled. Reyes glanced toward the table. Specifically toward Ace. Ace immediately knew. She sat straighter. Reyes looked back at Dara. Said something. Dara laughed. Then walked toward the bar. Reyes returned. Ace waited. Reyes sat. Ace waited. Reyes drank. Ace waited. Kiro had come back too. She saw the stalemate forming. “What?” Reyes looked at her. “Nothing.” Ace leaned forward. “What did she say?” “Who?” “Dara.” Reyes smiled. “Private conversation.” Ace stared. Brenda whispered: “She deserves that.” Ace turned. Brenda immediately hid against Iris. Kiro looked at Reyes. “Was it filthy?” Mai: “Kiro.” “What?” Reyes smiled. “Potentially.” Kiro slapped the table. Ace laughed. Mai looked at Reyes. “Did you enjoy talking to her?” Reyes’ expression softened. “Yeah.” Simple. Then the grin returned. “Very.” Ace nodded. There. Good. No need to pull harder. Not yet. --- Nadia made her position clearer before leaving the table again. She leaned down beside Kiro. Close enough that Kiro had to tilt her head. Said something quietly. Kiro’s eyes widened. Not much. Enough. Nadia straightened. Smiled. Walked back toward her friends. Kiro remained still. Ace saw. Mai saw. Reyes saw. Brenda saw everyone else seeing. “What?” Kiro picked up her beer. Nothing happened. She put it down again. Reyes leaned forward. “Oh, this is fucking priceless.” Kiro looked at her. “Shut up.” “What did she say?” “Nothing.” Ace laughed. “Apparently everybody has private conversations now.” Kiro looked at Mai. Mai was watching her. Not teasing. Interested. Kiro smiled. Then shook her head. “She is…” A pause. Reyes waited. Brenda waited. Ace waited. Kiro finished: “…less conservative than I expected.” Absolute silence. Then Ace dropped her forehead onto the table. Reyes folded in half. Brenda made a sound and vanished against Iris. Marco closed his eyes. Lena laughed openly. Mai looked at Kiro. “How much less?” Kiro looked at her. That shut the rest of the table up again. Different silence. Kiro smiled. “Quite a bit.” Mai’s mouth curved. “Interesting.” Reyes looked between them. “Oh, fuck.” Kiro pointed. “You shut up too.” “My mouth was closed.” “You made punctuation.” Dara, passing behind Reyes on her way back, heard that. She laughed. Reyes turned. “See what I deal with?” Dara leaned close enough to answer near her ear. Reyes’ expression changed. Only slightly. Ace saw. Kiro saw. Mai definitely saw. Dara straightened and walked on. Reyes looked at her beer. Ace smiled. “Punctuation?” Reyes gave her the finger. --- Sloane left Mai with less visible damage. Which made Ace suspicious. She stood. Touched two fingers lightly against the tabletop beside Mai. “Later?” Mai looked up. “Yes.” Sloane smiled. Then walked toward the bar. Ace waited until she was safely away. Then: “Well?” Mai picked up her drink. “No.” “You answered yes.” “Yes.” “To later.” “Yes.” Ace leaned closer. “What does later mean?” Mai looked at her. “Later.” Reyes slapped the table. “YES.” Ace turned. “You stay out of this.” Reyes looked delighted. Mai took a drink. Ace stared at her. Mai stared back. Ace finally smiled. “Fine.” Mai’s expression softened. “Thank you.” Ace touched her knee under the table. “Still going to be unbearable afterward.” “I know.” “Good.” --- Then the older man at the bar moved. Ace noticed before anyone else. He finished his drink. Set down the glass. Spoke briefly to Claire. Claire looked toward Ace. That bitch. Ace immediately knew something had happened. Claire looked back at the man. Said something. He laughed. Then— instead of approaching— he moved toward two other men farther down the bar. Older too. Similar age. One grey-haired and lean. The other broad, dark-skinned, with a neatly trimmed beard. They greeted him with the easy familiarity of people who had known one another for years. Ace watched. Interesting. The older man said something. One of his friends followed his gaze. Toward Ace. Ace caught him. He smiled. Not at her exactly. At the situation. Then looked away. Ace stopped. Reyes saw that. “What?” Ace did not answer. The third man glanced too. Brief. Assessing. Then back to their conversation. No whispering. No laughter at her expense. No obvious performance. Three older men. Comfortable. Relaxed. The first man looked toward Ace again. Their eyes met. His smile appeared. Ace felt her curiosity change shape. Not yet understanding why. Only that it had. Mai followed Ace’s gaze. Saw the three men. Then looked at Ace. Ace caught her. “Don’t.” Mai raised one eyebrow. “I hadn’t started.” “You were about to.” “No.” Ace looked again. Three. Interesting. Very interesting. Kiro noticed the direction now. She started to turn. Ace caught her shoulder. “No turret.” Kiro froze. “Again?” “Yes.” “What am I not looking at?” “Nothing.” Reyes followed the exchange. Then finally found the three older men. She looked at Ace. Then them. Then Ace. Her eyebrows rose. Ace pointed. “Not one fucking word.” Reyes pressed her lips together. Hard. Brenda saw. “What?” Reyes shook her head. Brenda looked at Ace. Ace shook her head harder. Brenda turned toward Iris. Iris caught both sides of Brenda’s face. “No.” Brenda looked tragic. Marco took another fry. “Excellent decision.” Lena nodded. “Professional.” Across the room, the older man lifted one hand. Not waving. Just two fingers against his glassless palm. Acknowledgment. Ace smiled back. This time one of his friends saw. Said something to him. The older man laughed. Ace watched. Then smiled wider. Reyes leaned close. Very quietly: “Now you’re interested.” Ace kept looking across the room. “I was already interested.” “No.” Reyes watched the three men. Then Ace. “Now you’re curious.” Ace turned. Reyes grinned. Got you. Ace stared at her. Then looked back toward the men. Three old friends. One of them had caught her attention. The other two had now noticed that fact. And instead of making the situation awkward, all three seemed almost offensively comfortable with it. Ace felt the familiar little pull behind her ribs. A closed door. Something behind it. Unknown. Her favorite kind. Mai’s voice came quietly from beside her. “You’re going to ask.” Ace looked at her. Not a question. Mai knew her far too well. Ace smiled. “Eventually.” Reyes made a strangled noise. Kiro looked around. “What?” Ace stood. Everyone stopped. She looked toward the bar. Then at Kiro. Kiro slowly raised both hands. “I wasn’t going to dare you.” Ace smiled. “Good.” “This one yours?” Ace looked back at the older man. He had already noticed her standing. His attention settled on her. Calm. Warm. Waiting. Ace’s smile changed. “Yes.” She took one step. Then stopped. Looked around the table. Reyes smiling. Mai warm and unsurprised. Kiro practically vibrating. Brenda attempting not to explode. Iris amused. Marco and Lena sensibly minding their own business. And Shammy’s chair still empty while, somewhere across the room, she continued an entirely different conversation with an entirely different man. Ace pointed at all of them. “Behave.” Reyes laughed. “You’ve met us.” “Pretend.” Brenda raised her hand. “No promises.” Ace shook her head. Then started toward the bar. Behind her, Kiro whispered: “Atomic fire.” Reyes whispered back: “You started it.” Kiro looked around Afterlife. Reyes and Dara. Mai and Sloane. Nadia’s extremely interesting definition of _later_. Shammy and Grant. Ace walking toward an older man whose two older friends had just become unexpectedly relevant. Kiro smiled. “Yeah.” No regret whatsoever. “Apparently I fucking did.” --- ## Chapter Ten — Badger and Gridlock Ace had made it six steps. That was all. Six steps from the table toward Julian. Enough that he had clearly understood she was coming. Enough that one of the other older men beside him had noticed. Enough that Reyes had almost certainly begun composing ammunition for later. Then somebody near the entrance called: “Ace?” She stopped. Closed her eyes. Of course. Not because she disliked being recognized. Because the timing was offensive. Ace turned. Badger stood just inside Afterlife. Off duty. At least visually. No tactical gear. Dark jeans. Heavy boots. A worn jacket open over a simple shirt. Broad shoulders relaxed for once instead of carrying whatever professional disaster Theta-24 had most recently found for him. And beside him— Ace blinked. Tall woman. Athletic. Dark hair pulled back loosely. Practical clothes that still somehow looked good enough for a Friday night. The posture was the giveaway before the accent ever arrived. Military history. Operational awareness. Someone who had spent a significant portion of her adult life expecting large machinery to do exactly what she told it. Ace looked at Badger. Then the woman. Then Badger again. Badger saw the expression. “No.” Ace smiled. “I hadn’t even started.” “You were about to.” Behind Ace, Reyes shouted: “HE KNOWS HER.” Badger looked toward the table. His expression changed. “Oh, fuck.” Gridlock followed his gaze. Eight people at one table. One empty chair. Real beer. Truth or Dare debris. Mai sitting beside Kiro. Reyes visibly delighted. Brenda half leaning across Iris. Marco and Lena looking suspiciously normal in comparison. And somewhere farther away Shammy still sitting with a man large enough to alter local geography. Gridlock looked back at Badger. “This them?” Badger sighed. “Yes.” Ace crossed her arms. “This them?” Gridlock smiled. “Australian grammar.” “Ah.” Badger pointed between them. “Absolutely not.” Gridlock looked at him. “What?” “You’re both doing the thing.” “What thing?” “The thing where two dangerous women decide I’m funny.” Ace smiled. “You are funny.” “I hate this place.” Claire shouted from behind the bar: “No, you don’t.” Badger looked toward her. “I’ve been here twelve seconds.” Claire shrugged. “Long enough.” Gridlock laughed. Good laugh. Badger looked at her. “You’re encouraging them.” “You brought me here.” “I made a mistake.” Ace nodded. “Apparently tonight’s theme.” --- Badger looked beyond Ace. His eyes found the table again. Then the dance floor. He stopped. Actually stopped. “What happened?” Ace looked around. “What?” Badger pointed. “People are dancing.” “Yes.” “In Afterlife.” “Yes.” “Voluntarily.” “Yes.” Gridlock looked toward the floor. Several groups were moving now. Nadia among them. A pair near the center laughing through a mistake. Someone at the edge showing a friend a step. No one behaving as though this required explanation anymore. Gridlock looked impressed. “Not bad.” Badger stared at Ace. “You did this?” “No.” “Kiro.” Kiro shouted from the table: “ALLEGEDLY.” Claire: “INDOOR VOICE.” Kiro lowered her hands. Badger closed his eyes. “Of course.” Gridlock looked delighted. “What did she do?” Ace pointed toward the table. “Truth or Dare.” Gridlock blinked. Then slowly smiled. Badger saw. “No.” She looked at him. “I didn’t say anything.” “You smiled.” “That’s legal.” “Not that smile.” Ace looked between them. “Oh, I like her.” Badger pointed at Ace. “You stay out of this.” “Impossible.” --- By the time they reached the table, Kiro was grinning like somebody had delivered fresh ammunition. Badger looked at her. “No.” Kiro spread her hands. “What?” “I’m not playing.” “I haven’t invited you.” “You were about to.” Kiro looked at Gridlock. “Your boyfriend is paranoid.” Gridlock nodded. “Occupational.” Badger stared. “You’re supposed to be on my side.” “I am.” “That sounded suspiciously like hers.” Gridlock leaned closer and kissed his cheek. “There.” Badger looked at Ace. “See what I deal with?” Ace nodded solemnly. “Tragic.” Reyes looked Gridlock over. Not sexually. Professionally first. It was obvious. Gridlock noticed. “What?” Reyes smiled. “You carry yourself like somebody who has opinions about armored vehicles.” Gridlock’s eyebrows rose. Badger groaned. “No.” Reyes pointed. “I knew it.” Gridlock laughed. “I’ve got several.” Kiro leaned forward. “Wrong answer.” “Why?” “Reyes has opinions about armored vehicles too.” Gridlock looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. A beat. Then both smiled. Badger looked around. “Can we leave?” “No,” Ace said. “You’re not in charge.” “No.” Ace pointed toward Claire. “She is.” Badger looked at Claire. Claire did not look back. He sighed. “Two beers.” Gridlock looked at him. “Two?” “We have somewhere else to be.” “Do we?” “Yes.” She smiled. Badger narrowed his eyes. “Don’t.” Ace slapped the table. “Oh, she’s good.” --- Claire arrived before anyone could order. Two bottles. Synth. Badger looked down. Then toward Kiro’s bottle. Real beer. Then Reyes’. Real. Then Ace’s empty spot at the table. Real label still beside the water glass. Badger slowly looked at Claire. “Why do they have organic?” Claire looked at him. “They do.” “Yes.” “And we don’t.” “Correct.” Gridlock picked up her bottle. Read the label. Then looked at Kiro’s. “That is definitely real.” Kiro held it protectively. “Mine.” Gridlock looked at Claire. “How much?” “No.” Badger laughed. “You’ve got eddies.” Claire looked at him. “No.” Gridlock stared. Ace leaned toward her. “Rogue.” Gridlock glanced toward the booth. Rogue sat there speaking quietly with someone. Not looking at them. Gridlock looked back. “Why?” Ace raised her water. “Science.” Gridlock paused. Then nodded. “Sure.” Badger looked at her. “You accepted that quickly.” “I’ve worked with stranger command structures.” Reyes laughed. Kiro lifted her beer. “To science.” Marco raised his synth. “To discrimination.” Claire walked away. --- Badger took one drink. Then looked around the table properly. Mai. Kiro. Reyes. Brenda. Iris. Marco. Lena. Ace. Empty chair. He frowned. “Where’s Shammy?” Everything stopped. Not dramatically. Just enough. Ace looked toward the quieter section of the bar. Badger followed. Found Grant. Then found Shammy. His eyebrows climbed. Gridlock followed his gaze. She found them too. Shammy was leaning slightly toward Grant. Grant was listening. Close enough to hear without forcing her to raise her voice. Shammy smiled at something he said. Gridlock nodded. “Good for her.” Ace pointed. “THANK YOU.” Badger looked at Ace. “For what?” “Nothing.” Reyes was already laughing. Brenda covered her mouth. Iris rested her forehead against Brenda’s temple. Badger looked back at Grant. Then Shammy. Then Grant again. “…right.” Gridlock watched another few seconds. “Big bloke.” Brenda disappeared. Literally folded forward until her forehead touched Iris’s shoulder. Ace slapped both palms over her face. Reyes started shaking with silent laughter. Gridlock looked around. “What?” Badger took a long drink. “Do not ask.” “I wasn’t.” “You were going to.” “I was going to say he looks nice.” Ace lowered her hands. “He has a nice smile.” Gridlock looked at her. “You’ve interviewed him?” “No.” Reyes managed: “Shammy said it.” Gridlock’s eyebrows rose. “Oh.” Badger looked between them. “Why is that significant?” Eight people looked at him. Badger paused. Then: “I don’t want to know.” Mai smiled. “Good.” --- Gridlock looked at Kiro. “You started Truth or Dare?” Kiro raised her bottle. “With vision.” “With beer?” “With restraint.” Reyes laughed. Badger looked at the real beer. “Apparently expensive restraint.” Gridlock leaned against the table. “What kind of dares?” Kiro’s eyes brightened. Badger immediately said: “No.” Gridlock looked at him. “I asked.” “You’ll get ideas.” “I already have ideas.” Ace looked at Badger. “Oh, you’re fucked.” Badger stared. Reyes hit the table. Kiro nearly fell sideways. Gridlock smiled sweetly. “Possibly.” Badger looked toward the ceiling. “Why did I bring you here?” “You said I should meet your friends.” “I said people I know.” Ace put one hand over her heart. “Cruel.” Badger pointed at her. “You are currently trying to abandon this conversation for an older man at the bar.” Silence. Ace slowly lowered her hand. Gridlock’s eyes moved toward the bar. Ace caught her chin lightly before she completed the turn. “No turret.” Kiro shouted: “THAT’S MY RULE NOW.” Ace looked at her. “It became necessary.” Gridlock looked at Ace. “Older man?” Badger smiled. Finally. His turn. Ace narrowed her eyes. Badger took a drink. “Very older.” “Fuck you.” “How much older?” “Badger.” Gridlock’s grin widened. Ace pointed at her too. “Do not encourage him.” Reyes raised one hand. “I can provide independent verification.” Ace turned. “You want to die?” Reyes lowered her hand. “Later.” Gridlock laughed. Then managed to look toward the bar without moving her entire head. Ace noticed. “Better.” “Training.” She found Julian. Then the two men near him. Her eyebrows rose. Ace saw. “No commentary.” Gridlock looked back. “I didn’t say anything.” “Your face did.” Reyes whispered: “Everybody has face analysis.” Kiro slapped the table. “SEE?” --- Badger followed Gridlock’s gaze. Found Julian. Then the others. Then looked at Ace. Something changed. Not amusement exactly. Recognition. Ace caught it. “You know him?” Badger looked at Julian again. “Know of.” Ace straightened. “How?” Badger took another drink. “Retrieval work.” That got her. Immediately. “What kind?” “The expensive kind.” Reyes saw Ace lock in. “Oh, no.” Badger continued: “Old school. Independent. Clean reputation.” Ace looked toward Julian again. “Clean how?” Badger shrugged. “Does what he says. Doesn’t manufacture collateral to make himself look necessary. Doesn’t sell clients twice.” Gridlock nodded. “High praise.” “In this city?” “Extremely.” Ace looked at Badger. “And the other two?” Badger followed her gaze. His expression changed again. “Martin and Cal.” Ace stared. “You know all three?” “Know of all three.” Reyes smiled. Ace ignored her. Badger continued: “They’ve worked together on and off forever.” “How long?” “Decades.” Ace looked back at the bar. Julian was laughing at something Martin said. Cal shook his head. Comfort. Again. There it was. Gridlock looked from them to Ace. Then smiled slightly. Ace caught that too. “What?” “Nothing.” Ace stared. Gridlock took a drink. “Okay.” “What?” “You’re curious.” Reyes made a triumphant sound. Ace pointed without looking at her. “I will murder you second.” “Who’s first?” “Undecided.” Badger smiled. “Oh, this is worth stopping for.” Ace turned. “You were leaving.” “In a minute.” “Go now.” “No.” Gridlock leaned into him. “See? Friends.” Badger sighed. --- Marco had watched the entire exchange. Now he looked at Lena. “Do we know what is happening?” Lena took another fry. “Ace likes an older man.” “I gathered.” “There are apparently three of them.” “I gathered.” “Badger knows their work reputation.” “Yes.” Marco thought. “So we’re all waiting to see what Ace does.” Lena smiled. “Essentially.” Marco nodded. “Good.” Brenda looked at him. “That’s it?” “What?” “You don’t have commentary?” Marco looked toward Ace. Ace was still glaring at Badger. “No.” “Why?” Marco took a drink. “Because she’ll do whatever she decides anyway.” Ace pointed at him. “Finally, intelligence.” Marco nodded. “Also I value my life.” Lena kissed his cheek. “Extremely intelligent.” --- Gridlock and Reyes managed seven minutes before armored vehicles appeared. Not literally. Conversation. Gridlock mentioned something about axle load. Reyes immediately responded. Kiro joined because machines. Brenda joined because engineering. Iris listened because shore leave did not forbid enjoying other people being technical. Badger looked at Ace. “This was supposed to be two beers.” Ace watched the four women arguing about whether some hypothetical vehicle design was criminal, merely stupid, or both. “You’re on one.” Badger looked at his bottle. “Fuck.” Ace smiled. “You came to the wrong table.” “No kidding.” Gridlock pointed at Reyes. “That’s only true if you assume urban load distribution.” Reyes leaned forward. “Night City is urban load distribution.” Brenda pointed between them. “Both wrong.” Kiro stared. “Oh, that’s brave.” Badger looked toward Ace. “I’m leaving her.” Ace nodded. “Here?” “No.” “Knew it.” Gridlock heard. “You love me.” Badger answered immediately: “Yes.” No hesitation. Gridlock smiled. “Then stop whining.” Badger drank. Ace looked at him. “That was disgustingly functional.” Marco raised his bottle. “Welcome.” Lena laughed. --- Their second beer lasted longer. Mostly because conversation kept branching. Gridlock wanted to know why Kiro refused sake. Kiro explained. Gridlock stared. “So it just switches you off?” “Yes.” “How much?” Kiro considered. Mai answered: “Enough.” Kiro looked at her. Mai looked back. Kiro sighed. “Fair.” Badger looked toward Rogue. Then at the real beer. “Still science?” Ace nodded. “Apparently.” Gridlock looked toward the other Truth or Dare table. Someone there was currently being forced to sing badly. “Your infection?” Kiro looked proud. “We prefer influence.” Claire passed. “Disease.” Kiro stared. Claire kept walking. Badger laughed. Then his eyes went to Shammy again. Grant had moved closer. Not dramatically. Conversation had shortened the distance. Shammy did not appear bothered. Far from it. Badger smiled. Ace noticed. “What?” “Nothing.” “No.” Badger looked at her. “She looks happy.” Ace glanced over. Shammy did. Very. Ace’s smile softened. “Yeah.” Gridlock followed. “So leave her alone.” Ace looked offended. “We are.” Eight people around the table immediately found different things to look at. Gridlock laughed. “Sure.” --- Eventually Badger finished the second beer. Put the bottle down. Stood. “Now.” Gridlock looked disappointed. “Already?” “You said a couple beers.” “You counted?” “I know you.” Gridlock smiled. “Fair.” She stood. Reyes looked at her. “Next time, bring diagrams.” Gridlock laughed. “Next time, bring a vehicle.” Kiro pointed. “YES.” Badger looked between them. “No.” Brenda raised one finger. “I have a garage.” Iris stared. Brenda smiled innocently. “In theory.” Badger put one hand over his face. Gridlock looked delighted. “This is why I like them.” “You met them forty minutes ago.” “Enough.” Ace stood just enough to hug Badger briefly. He returned it. Then she looked at Gridlock. Gridlock opened her arms. “Do Australians hug?” “No. We headbutt.” Ace smiled. “Excellent.” They hugged. Gridlock stepped back. Looked toward Julian. Then at Ace. “Good luck.” Ace narrowed her eyes. “With what?” Gridlock smiled. “Whatever you decide.” Better. Ace nodded. “Thanks.” Badger saw the exchange. Then looked at Julian. Then Ace. “Be nice.” Ace stared. “To him?” Badger grinned. “Exactly.” She slapped his arm. He laughed. --- Gridlock took his hand. “Come on.” Badger looked toward the table. “If anyone asks, I was never here.” Reyes nodded. “We’ll tell everyone.” “Of course.” Kiro waved. “Next time you’re playing.” “No.” Gridlock looked at him. “Maybe.” Badger pointed at her. “No.” They started toward the exit. Claire called after them: “Night.” Gridlock waved. Badger raised one hand. Then they disappeared through the door. Ace watched them go. Smiling. Small cameo. Good people. No disaster. Almost suspicious. Then Reyes cleared her throat. Ace turned. Reyes nodded toward the bar. Julian was still there. So were Martin and Cal. Ace looked at him. Julian looked back. He had waited. Not theatrically. Not literally standing still for forty minutes. He had talked with his friends. Ordered another drink. Watched the room. But he was still there. And when Ace’s attention returned, his did too. Reyes leaned closer. “Your interruption is gone.” Ace smiled. “Yes.” Kiro looked between them. “Truth or—” Ace did not even turn. “No.” Kiro laughed. “Had to try.” Mai touched Ace’s hand. Ace looked at her. Mai’s smile was warm. “Go.” Ace squeezed her fingers. Then stood. Again. This time nobody called her name. Nobody arrived through the door. Nobody tried to start an engineering argument. Ace pointed at the entire table. “If anyone interrupts me now, I start stabbing.” Reyes lifted her beer. “Romantic.” Ace smiled. Then turned toward the bar. Julian saw her coming. Martin noticed. Cal noticed. The three men exchanged one brief glance. So quick most people would have missed it. Ace did not. Her curiosity sharpened. Interesting. Very fucking interesting. She kept walking. And this time nothing stopped her. --- ## Chapter Eleven — The Older Gentleman Julian watched Ace cross the room. He did not wave. Did not straighten theatrically. Did not give Martin or Cal the kind of look men sometimes exchanged when they wanted everyone nearby to know exactly what they thought was about to happen. He turned enough to face her. Ace noticed all of that. Of course she did. She also noticed Martin glance toward her once, then return to whatever Cal had been saying. No performance. Again. She was beginning to like these men on principle. That seemed dangerous. Ace reached the bar. Stopped in front of Julian. Looked up. And up. Julian smiled. “Made it.” Ace narrowed her eyes. “You saw that?” “The interruption?” “Which one?” His smile widened. “Fair.” Ace rested one elbow against the bar. “You waited.” “I drank.” “That wasn’t my question.” “You didn’t ask one.” Ace stared. Then laughed. “Okay.” Julian lifted his glass. “Point?” “Half.” “Harsh.” “You’re old enough to survive disappointment.” Martin coughed into his drink. Cal looked away. Ace’s eyes immediately moved toward them. Julian sighed. “Please ignore them.” Martin looked offended. “I didn’t say anything.” “That is becoming a theme tonight.” Ace’s eyes brightened. “It is.” Cal raised his glass. “We’re excellent at silence.” Julian looked at him. “No, you’re excellent at looking like you’re thinking something.” Cal considered. “Also true.” Ace looked between the three. Comfort. Same thing again. Twenty years of it, if Badger was right. Maybe more. She liked the rhythm. Not because she wanted to become part of it. Because she wanted to understand it. Julian saw her looking. “You’re doing analysis.” Ace returned her attention to him. “Always.” “Should I be worried?” “Yes.” “Good.” Ace blinked. That was not the answer she expected. Julian took a drink. She smiled slowly. “Why good?” “Means you’re paying attention.” Ace stared at him for a second. Then looked toward Claire. “Can I have what he’s having?” Claire, three meters away, answered without turning: “No.” Ace frowned. “I wasn’t asking you.” “Yes, you were.” “I was asking the universe.” “The universe says water.” Julian laughed. Ace pointed at him. “Don’t encourage her.” “I’m beginning to think she doesn’t need encouragement.” Claire appeared. Put down water. Then looked at Julian. “Another?” He glanced at his glass. “Yes.” Claire looked at Martin and Cal. Both raised theirs. “Same.” She looked at Ace. “Water.” Ace stared. Claire stared back. Ace drank water. Claire nodded. “Good.” Then left. Julian watched Ace lower the glass. “You obey her.” “No.” “You just did.” “I made an independent decision that happened to align with hers.” Martin muttered: “Sure.” Ace turned. Martin smiled. Ace tipped one finger toward him. “You I definitely like.” Julian sighed. “Wonderful.” --- He asked her nothing about the Triad. That lasted longer than Ace expected. Instead: “How long have you known Badger?” Ace looked toward the entrance where Badger and Gridlock had disappeared. “Long enough.” “That sounds classified.” “It isn’t.” “What does it sound like when it is?” Ace’s grin sharpened. “You won’t hear it.” Julian nodded. “Good answer.” “Badger said you do retrieval.” Julian’s expression shifted. Small. Not alarm. Recognition. “So he knows who I am.” “He knows of you.” “Better.” “Why?” “Less paperwork.” Ace laughed. “You hate paperwork?” “I hate pretending paperwork is work.” “Now I really like you.” Julian smiled. “Dangerous.” “People keep saying that.” “They’re probably right.” Ace leaned against the bar. “What kind of retrieval?” “People. Equipment. Information. Occasionally combinations.” “Corporate?” “Sometimes.” “Government?” “Sometimes.” “Criminal?” Julian raised an eyebrow. Ace let the answer hang between them. “Sometimes.” He laughed. “Exactly.” “How dirty?” That got a different look. Not offended. Assessing. “Depends what you mean by dirty.” Ace met his eyes. “Do you manufacture problems so people have to hire you to fix them?” “No.” “Sell recovered material twice?” “No.” “Lose people because getting them home costs more than finishing the contract?” “No.” Immediate. All three. Ace noticed Martin and Cal had gone quieter. Not defensive. Listening. Julian continued: “I’ve left equipment.” “People?” “No.” “Ever?” A beat. Julian’s eyes did not leave hers. “Not by choice.” There. Reality. Ace nodded. “Good.” Julian studied her. “You interview everyone this way?” “Only people I’m thinking about sleeping with.” Silence. Martin inhaled at exactly the wrong moment. Cal closed his eyes. Julian stared at Ace. She enjoyed the brief loss of his composure. “There.” Julian slowly put his glass down. “You enjoy that.” “Immensely.” “Making people lose the beat.” “Sometimes.” He recovered. Well. Very well. “What have you decided?” Ace tilted her head. “About sleeping with you?” “Yes.” “Nothing yet.” “Then that was cruel.” “Curiosity requires experiments.” Julian laughed. Martin looked at Cal. Cal shook his head. Ace caught them. “What?” Martin lifted both hands. “Still silent.” “You’re terrible at it.” “Twenty-three years and apparently no improvement.” Ace’s attention snapped back. “Twenty-three?” Julian glanced at him. Martin smiled. “Badger gave her the outline.” “Of course he did.” Ace looked between them. “Twenty-three years together.” Cal nodded. “More or less.” “Working?” Julian answered. “Sometimes.” “Drinking?” Martin: “Frequently.” “Getting each other into trouble?” Cal: “Constantly.” That earned him a warmer look. “Better.” Julian looked at her. “You collect information fast.” “I collect useful information fast.” “And this is useful?” Ace looked at all three of them. Then back at Julian. “Yes.” No joke. Julian heard the difference. His smile faded into something quieter. Interested. --- Behind Ace, the table continued existing at maximum social instability. She knew without looking. Reyes laughed loudly enough to identify. Kiro followed with something louder. Mai said one sentence Ace could not hear but knew from the resulting noise had been devastating. Brenda was laughing. Iris too. Marco said something. Lena answered. Good. Ace did not turn. That surprised her. Normally part of her attention remained with them automatically. Not because she needed to monitor them. Habit. Love expressed as awareness. Tonight Mai was there. Reyes. Kiro. Brenda and Iris. Marco and Lena. Shammy was somewhere else having her own excellent evening. Nobody needed Ace’s surveillance. That left room. Julian occupied it. Also dangerous. --- He was older close up than she had guessed. Early fifties, probably. The lines around his eyes were real. A faint white scar ran beneath the left side of his jaw. Another disappeared beneath one cuff. His hands had old damage. Knuckles slightly uneven. Two fingers on the right hand showing the almost imperceptible stiffness of injuries repaired well but not perfectly. Ace looked. Julian noticed. “Hands?” “Yes.” “Old.” “I can see that.” “Knife.” “Which one?” He smiled. “Both.” Ace laughed. “What happened?” “First one was mine.” “And the second?” “Also mine.” Ace stared. Martin started laughing. Julian closed his eyes. Ace looked at Martin. “Story.” Julian said: “No.” Martin ignored him. “He tried to catch a falling knife.” Ace stared at Julian. Julian looked resigned. “You were young?” “Thirty-seven.” Ace slapped the bar. Cal finally laughed. Ace stared at Julian. “Thirty-seven.” “It was a very good knife.” “That is the worst defense I’ve ever heard.” “It survived.” Ace looked at his hand. “Did you?” “Mostly.” Martin raised his glass. “Taxonomically.” Ace laughed harder. Julian looked at both friends. “This is why I usually meet women alone.” That landed. Ace’s laughter stopped a fraction. There. Martin and Cal caught it too. Julian realized what he had said. Interesting. Ace leaned closer. “Usually?” Julian looked at her. “Yes.” “Not tonight.” “No.” “Why?” His eyes stayed on hers. “Because tonight isn’t arranged around meeting anyone.” Ace glanced at Martin. Cal. Back. “So what is it arranged around?” Julian smiled. “Us.” Simple. Ace waited. He continued: “We haven’t all been in Night City at the same time for months.” “Reunion?” “Something like that.” Martin raised his drink. “Survival anniversary.” Ace looked at him. “Whose?” “All of ours.” That changed the tone. Not dark. Not dramatically. But enough. Cal added: “Job twenty-three years ago.” Julian nodded. “Bad one.” “First time together?” “Yes.” Ace understood. Not exactly. Enough. A job. Three men. Survived something together. Kept finding reasons not to stop knowing one another afterward. Twenty-three years. Ace looked at them differently. “Okay.” Julian watched her. “What?” “Now I understand the comfort.” Martin looked amused. “The comfort?” “You three move like old family.” Silence. Cal’s expression softened. Julian looked at Ace for a long moment. Then nodded. “That’s probably accurate.” The ease made sense now, and Ace relaxed another fraction. She knew what it looked like when people had spent years choosing one another after the original reason was gone. --- Julian received another drink. Claire put it down. Then looked at Ace. Ace was still holding water. Claire nodded approvingly. Ace gave her the finger. Claire smiled and walked away. Julian looked at Ace’s hand. “Charming.” “She loves me.” “Does she?” “No.” Claire shouted: “Correct.” Ace turned. “How do you keep hearing this?” “Skill.” Cal laughed. Julian took a drink. Ace looked at him. “Your turn.” “For?” “Question.” “I didn’t know we were taking turns.” “We are now.” “Rules?” “No.” “Convenient.” Ace watched him think instead of filling the pause. Then: “What caught your attention?” Ace blinked. Good question. She could have said shoulders. True. Age. Also true. Face. Definitely. Instead: “You didn’t stare.” Julian looked surprised. Martin and Cal both looked at him. Ace continued: “You recognized me.” “Yes.” “And then you went back to your conversation.” “Yes.” “No second look.” “I looked later.” “Later.” She pointed at him. “That.” Julian considered. “You’re used to being watched.” “Yes.” “Because of who you are.” “Yes.” “And you preferred being noticed because you’re attractive.” Ace did not bother pretending otherwise. “Much.” Julian’s smile returned. “Good.” Ace narrowed her eyes. “You like saying that.” “Only when things go well.” Somewhere behind her Mai sneezed. Ace looked toward the table instinctively. Reyes was laughing at something. Mai looked fine. Ace turned back. Julian was smiling. “What?” “Nothing.” “That is illegal tonight.” “You checked.” Ace understood. “Yes.” “Habit?” Ace considered. “More than habit.” Julian nodded. No further question. No invasive probing. Ace relaxed another fraction. --- Ace’s eyes moved toward Martin. Then Cal. Julian noticed. “You have questions.” “Several.” “Ask.” Ace looked at Martin. “Trauma medicine?” Martin blinked. “Badger again?” “He said combat medicine.” “Used to.” “Now?” Martin smiled. “Whatever pays and doesn’t bore me.” Ace looked at Cal. “Security and extraction.” Cal nodded. “You did your homework fast.” “I had forty minutes of interruption.” Julian smiled. “You were coming over before they arrived.” Ace looked at him. “Yes.” “And after forty minutes you still did.” “Yes.” “That seems promising.” Ace leaned closer. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.” “I’m old.” “Your point?” “I conserve energy.” Martin snorted. Ace laughed. “Bullshit.” “Occasionally.” There was heat under it now. Clear. No one pretending otherwise. Ace liked that even more. --- Across the room, Reyes noticed Ace had not returned. She checked the bar. Found her. Ace had positioned herself close enough to Julian that the conversation was clearly no longer casual reconnaissance. Reyes smiled. Dara noticed. “You’re watching your friend.” Reyes looked back at her. “Ace?” “Small. Black hair.” Reyes laughed. “Very helpful description.” Dara looked toward Ace. Then at Julian. “Older.” Reyes raised her eyebrows. “Apparently tonight everyone has eyes.” Dara smiled. “Her type?” Reyes looked again. Ace laughed at something Julian said. Martin and Cal were there too. Reyes’ smile deepened. “One of them, definitely.” “One?” Reyes looked at Dara. Dara followed her gaze. Three men. Then back. Reyes took a drink. “I have absolutely no idea.” That was true. For now. --- At the bar, Martin’s agent pulsed. He checked it. Then looked at Cal. “We should probably go.” Ace’s attention sharpened. Julian looked toward them. “Already?” “Reservation.” Ace looked at Martin. “What reservation?” Martin looked at Julian. Julian closed his eyes. Cal laughed quietly. Ace saw all of it. “Oh?” Julian looked at her. “Dinner ended hours ago.” “That’s not an answer.” “No.” “Hotel?” This time none of them answered immediately. Ace enjoyed that more than an instant answer would have allowed. Martin looked at Cal. Cal drank. Julian sighed. “Yes.” Ace’s eyebrows rose. “You’re staying across the lot?” Julian looked surprised. “You know it?” Ace glanced toward the entrance. “Hard to miss when half the evening has involved jokes about it.” Martin smiled. “Convenient place.” Ace looked at Julian. “For sleeping?” A tiny pause. Very tiny. Ace caught it. Julian caught her catching it. Cal looked down at his drink. Martin suddenly found the bar extremely interesting. Ace caught the evasion immediately. “Oh.” Julian laughed softly. “What?” “Nothing.” “Apparently that is illegal tonight.” Ace leaned closer. “What kind of reunion is this?” Julian looked at her. “An enjoyable one.” “Evasive.” “Careful.” “Why?” “Because you’re asking questions you may get answers to.” Ace’s pulse shifted. There. Finally. She smiled. “I wouldn’t ask otherwise.” Julian studied her for several seconds. Then glanced toward Martin and Cal. The look was brief. Old communication. Cal’s expression remained easy. Martin shrugged once. Not decision for Ace. Not decision for Julian. Just: _Your conversation._ Julian looked back at her. “We’re not particularly conventional.” Ace’s smile disappeared. Not negatively. Attention. Full attention. “How unconventional?” Julian smiled. “There’s that curiosity.” “Yes.” “You always this direct?” “Usually more.” “That sounds dangerous.” “It isn’t.” “No?” Ace stepped closer. “It’s efficient.” Julian laughed. Then lowered his voice. “So is honesty.” “Try it.” A beat. Then: “The three of us have known each other long enough that very few things about our private lives are particularly private from each other.” Ace waited. That could mean several things. Julian saw her thinking. “Not only stories.” Ah. Ace’s eyes moved to Martin. Then Cal. Neither looked embarrassed. Neither looked predatory. Just older men having drinks with a woman who had asked a direct question and received a direct answer. Ace looked back at Julian. “All three.” “Sometimes.” “With women.” “Sometimes.” Ace’s eyebrows rose. “Sometimes?” Julian smiled. “You asked how unconventional.” Ace laughed. “Fair.” Then her eyes sharpened again. “And tonight?” Julian did not answer immediately. Not coy. Checking. The difference mattered. “Tonight was supposed to be us spending time together.” “Supposed to?” “Then you walked over.” Ace leaned back a fraction. “Technically I walked over before I knew any of this.” “Yes.” “Good.” Julian’s eyebrows rose. “Good?” “I’d hate to think I only found you interesting because you came with bonus content.” Martin turned away so quickly it was almost violent. Cal covered his mouth. Julian stared. Ace grinned. “What?” “You really are direct.” “You complained when I wasn’t.” “I did no such thing.” “Your face did.” Julian laughed. --- Ace looked at the three again. Different now. Not objects. Not numbers. Possibility. That was much more interesting. Julian had caught her first. Still did. Strongly. But the information had changed the shape of the evening. She had expected perhaps a drink. Conversation. Maybe hotel. Maybe sex. One man. Good night. Fun. Familiar structure. This was not familiar. Julian saw the change in her face. “Too much?” Ace looked at him. “No.” “Not interested?” “No.” He paused. Ace caught the loophole. “You asked two questions.” “Apparently.” “The second answer is also no.” Julian stopped. Martin looked at Cal. Cal’s eyebrows rose. Julian looked down at Ace. “So you’re interested.” “Yes.” “In me.” “Yes.” He waited. Ace let him. Then: “And I’m curious.” Julian breathed out a laugh. “There it is.” “About all three of you.” Silence. Not shocked. Not offended. Just the moment becoming real. Martin looked at Ace directly now. Cal too. Ace met both. No retreat. No coyness. Martin smiled first. “Julian does know how to pick conversations.” Julian looked at him. “I didn’t pick anything.” Ace pointed at herself. “I did.” Cal nodded. “Accurate.” Ace liked him more immediately. --- Julian lowered his voice. “This isn’t something we spring on people.” “Good.” “And we don’t assume interest because somebody likes one of us.” “Better.” “And nobody owes anyone anything because they walk through a hotel door.” Ace’s expression softened. “Best.” Julian nodded. “So.” Ace waited. “You asked what kind of reunion.” “Yes.” “We usually make room for whatever the evening becomes.” Ace’s attention sharpened. “That’s beautifully vague.” “Deliberately.” “Still evasive.” “Experienced.” Ace looked at Martin. “Is he always like this?” Martin answered: “Worse when he’s interested.” Ace’s eyes snapped back to Julian. Julian looked betrayed. Cal laughed. Ace’s smile became wicked. “Oh.” Julian sighed. “Twenty-three years.” “Useful.” “Occasionally.” Ace looked at him. Then Martin. Then Cal. Three older men. Experienced. Comfortable with each other. Comfortable enough to say what they did without selling it. No pressure. No stupid macho competition. No assumption that Ace being curious meant Ace was already committed. Something genuinely new. For her. That was rare. Very rare. Her heart rate had shifted. Not fear. Not uncertainty. Anticipation. Ace liked anticipation. Reyes had been right. Bitch. --- Martin checked the time again. “Reservation.” Cal glanced at his agent. “Yeah.” Julian nodded. Martin looked at Ace. “Good meeting you.” Ace raised an eyebrow. “That sounds suspiciously final.” Martin smiled. “Only for the next ten minutes.” Cal laughed. Then both men headed toward the exit. Ace watched them go. No pressure. No waiting around to see whether she followed. Just two old friends going to the room they had already booked. Julian stayed. Ace looked up at him. “You were going with them.” “Yes.” “And now?” “I am still going.” He smiled. “Just not yet.” Ace laughed. “Fuck you.” She stepped closer. “What room?” Julian stopped. “That sounds suspiciously like a decision.” “It sounds like a question.” “What happened to efficiency?” Ace moved almost chest to chest with him, though his chest remained significantly above her preferred conversation altitude. “I’m deciding efficiently.” Julian looked down at her. “Hotel across the lot. Suite on the fourth floor.” “Why a suite?” “Martin and Cal are old.” Ace stared. “You are the same age.” “Exactly.” “And?” “Good chairs.” Ace burst out laughing. “They really booked a suite for chairs.” “They will insist that was not the only reason.” “Will they be convincing?” “No.” Ace wiped one eye. “Excellent.” Julian’s expression became more serious. “If you come over and decide you only want me, then that’s what happens.” Ace’s smile softened. “And if I decide I only wanted the conversation?” “Then we have drinks and you leave.” “And if I change my mind halfway through anything?” “Then whatever you’re changing your mind about stops.” Easy. Not ceremonial. Established. Ace looked toward the exit Martin and Cal had already used. Then back at Julian. Something settled. The answer no longer felt theoretical. “Oh.” Julian waited. Ace made the decision without looking back at the table. “Now I’m definitely curious.” His eyes warmed. “Dangerous woman.” “You have no idea.” --- Ace glanced toward the table. Mai saw immediately. Their eyes met. Ace did not need help. Mai knew that. Still, the look mattered. Ace’s expression said: _This got interesting._ Mai looked toward Julian. Then back at Ace. Understanding arrived. Interest. A decision forming. Nothing more visible from thirty meters away. Mai’s eyebrows rose. Ace answered with pure innocence. Mai stared. Ace’s smile widened. Reyes saw the exchange. Turned toward Mai. “What?” Mai shook her head. Reyes followed Mai’s previous gaze. Julian. Ace standing close to him. Reyes’ mouth opened. Ace saw from across the room. Raised one finger. Reyes closed it. For approximately one second. Then leaned into Kiro and said something. Kiro’s head started to rotate. Mai caught her. “No turret.” Kiro froze. Ace laughed. Julian looked toward the table. “What?” “My friends are catching up.” Reyes was staring deliberately into her beer. Kiro looked as though she might explode. Mai was watching Ace with unmistakable amusement. Brenda knew something was happening but had not yet been given the briefing. Julian looked back. “Should I worry?” Ace smiled. “Probably.” Julian laughed. Ace shook her head. “Oh, fuck. I really do like you.” --- Ace returned to the table first. Alone. That immediately caused confusion. Kiro looked behind her. Then back. Reyes looked delighted. Mai waited. Ace sat. Took her water. Drank. Brenda leaned forward. “Well?” Ace looked at her. “Well what?” Brenda stared. “You crossed half of Afterlife.” “For water.” Claire shouted: “Liar.” Ace turned. “Stay out of this.” “Never.” Reyes leaned closer. “So?” Ace looked at Mai. Mai’s mouth was already twitching. Ace looked at Kiro. Kiro was visibly vibrating. Then Brenda. Iris. Marco. Lena. “No dare.” Kiro raised both hands. “Understood.” “No joke?” Reyes looked offended. “Impossible.” “Fine. Limited joke.” Reyes nodded solemnly. “Negotiated.” Ace drank water again. Then said: “I’m going across the lot.” Brenda’s eyes widened. Kiro grinned. Reyes smiled. Mai nodded once. No surprise. Then Kiro looked toward the bar. Julian. Back to Ace. Her grin widened. “Wait.” Ace pointed. “No.” Kiro stared. “With him?” Brenda made a sound. Reyes smiled. Marco suddenly found Lena extraordinarily interesting. Lena covered her mouth. Iris looked at Ace. Then Julian. Then Ace again. Mai looked delighted. Ace smiled. “Yes.” Reyes leaned forward. “About fucking time.” Ace gave her the finger. Ace stood. Kiro looked ready to climb onto the table. Mai caught her hand. “Kiro.” “I’m sitting.” “Barely.” Ace put on her jacket. Reyes looked toward Julian again. Then Ace. “Holy shit.” Ace collected her jacket. “Don’t wait up.” Reyes pointed. “Shammy hasn’t even left yet and you’re stealing her line.” Ace paused. Then laughed. “Fair.” She looked toward Shammy. Still with Grant. Very much occupied. Then at Mai. Mai stood. Ace expected a kiss. Got one. Warm. Brief. Mai drew back. “Have fun.” Ace squeezed Mai’s hand once. “I intend to.” Reyes made a strangled noise. Ace looked at her. “What?” “Nothing.” “You’re getting weak.” “I’m preserving ammunition.” “Smart.” Mai touched Ace’s cheek. No warning. No concern. Just affection. Ace leaned into it for a second. Then stepped away. Kiro raised her beer. “To curiosity.” Ace looked at her. That was good. She raised two fingers. “To bad ideas.” Kiro grinned. “Mine are contagious.” “Yes.” Ace started toward the bar. Then turned. Pointed at Reyes. “And no counting.” Reyes looked innocent. “Counting what?” Ace stared. Reyes broke immediately. “Okay, that one’s fair.” --- Julian was waiting near the entrance. Jacket on. No triumphant expression. No signal toward the table. He looked down at Ace. “Decision?” Ace walked past him toward the door. “You coming?” Julian stood still for half a second. Then smiled. “Apparently.” He caught up. The two of them stepped outside. Night City hit them with neon, distant engines, warm night air and the glow of the hotel sign across the parking lot. Delamain sat nearby like an expensive witness with excellent discretion. Ace looked at the hotel. Then Julian. One older gentleman beside her. Two more already upstairs. One very interesting open door. She smiled. Julian noticed. “Second thoughts?” Ace looked up at him. “Yes.” He stopped. No disappointment. No pressure. Just attention. Ace let the silence hang for one beat. Then two. Her smile became wicked. “I should have walked over sooner.” Julian closed his eyes. Ace started across the parking lot. “Come on, gentleman.” Julian followed. “Singular?” Ace glanced back. “For the parking lot.” “And upstairs?” Ace kept walking. “That depends entirely on performance.” Julian laughed. Across the parking lot, Ace reached the hotel entrance. Turned. Waited. Julian approached. And the expression on her face made one thing perfectly clear. Curiosity had won. --- ## Chapter Twelve — Across the Parking Lot: Ace The hotel lobby was nicer than Ace expected. That annoyed her. She had been prepared for sticky flooring, indifferent staff, flickering light and the universal Night City smell of disinfectant fighting a war it had lost years ago. Instead: Clean stone. Soft lighting. Quiet ventilation. A receptionist who looked up exactly once, registered Julian and one very small black-haired woman walking in together, and immediately decided that whatever question might theoretically exist was none of his fucking business. Ace appreciated professionalism. Julian crossed the lobby beside her. Not ahead. Not leading. Beside. The elevator opened. Ace stepped inside. Julian followed. Doors closed. Silence. Not awkward. Different. The public room was gone. Afterlife gone. No Reyes watching. No Kiro vibrating with unanswered questions. No Brenda trying not to explode. No Mai reading Ace with irritating accuracy from thirty meters away. No Claire pretending she had not noticed everything. Just Ace and Julian in a lift going to a hotel suite where two of his oldest friends were already waiting. The table knew only that Ace had left with Julian. Ace knew more. That changed the air. Ace felt it. Julian did too. His eyes met hers. “You still good?” Ace answered by moving closer before she spoke. “Yes.” Julian nodded once. That was it. No speech. No ritual. Ace liked that. The elevator started upward. Ace looked at the floor indicator. Then at Julian. “Fourth?” “Yes.” “Good chairs?” Julian sighed. “They will never let that go now.” Ace laughed. Some of the tension broke. Not all. She did not want all. --- Julian opened the suite door. Martin and Cal were already inside. Still arguing about whether the hotel’s coffee qualified as a crime against agriculture. “It comes out of a machine,” Martin said. “All coffee comes out of a machine eventually.” “That is philosophically offensive.” Cal looked toward the door. Saw Ace. Then Julian. His eyebrows rose. Ace’s grin turned openly wicked. “Miss me?” Martin looked at Julian. Julian closed the door. “Approximately ten minutes.” “Long ten minutes,” Cal said. Ace stepped inside. Now there were four. Exactly as she had chosen. --- The suite had excellent chairs. Ace walked in and stared. Martin spread one hand. “See?” “You rented a suite for chairs.” “We’re old.” “You keep saying that like fifty is geological.” Cal closed the door. “You’re not the one whose knees remember every staircase.” Ace looked at Julian. “Do yours?” “Only the stupid staircases.” “Meaning?” “All staircases.” Martin nodded. “Wisdom.” Ace laughed. Then the door lock engaged. A tiny sound. Nothing dramatic. But there it was. Private. She looked around. Large sitting room. Window facing Night City. One bedroom visible through an open interior doorway. Another door farther down the short hall. Drinks on a counter. Jackets over chairs. Evidence that three men had actually been using the suite rather than preparing some ridiculous seduction stage. Good. Cal took off his jacket. Hung it properly. Martin went directly to the small refrigerator. “Water?” Ace looked at him. “Yes.” Julian smiled. “What?” “Claire trained you well.” Ace gave him the finger. Martin handed her a bottle. She drank. Nobody rushed her. That became noticeable after thirty seconds. Then a minute. Julian took off his jacket. Martin opened his collar. Cal sat on the arm of one of the supposedly legendary chairs. Ace remained near the center of the room. Three men. Waiting. Not passively. Giving her space to decide what happened next. She looked at Julian. “So.” He smiled. “So.” “I came upstairs.” “Yes.” “You remain very slow.” “You complained about that earlier.” “I observed it.” “Difference?” “I’m always right.” Cal muttered: “Dangerous philosophy.” Ace looked at him. “I heard that.” “Good.” She smiled. Then returned to Julian. “You said honesty was efficient.” “I did.” “Use it.” Julian’s expression changed. Heat again. Controlled. “What do you want?” Ace considered. There were easy answers. Him. All three. Something new. Sex. She wanted all of those. But the question deserved precision. Ace stepped closer. “First?” Julian waited. “You.” His breathing changed. Small. Real. Ace’s curiosity stayed exactly where it was. “And then?” She looked at Martin. Cal. Both met her eyes. No one pretending they had not heard. Ace continued: “I want to find out.” Julian nodded. “Good.” Ace narrowed her eyes. “There’s that word again.” “Still accurate.” She stepped into him. Close. Very. His hands remained at his sides. Ace looked up. “Now you’re being annoyingly polite.” Julian’s mouth curved. “You haven’t asked me not to be.” Ace put both hands against his shirt. “I’m asking.” That was enough. --- Julian kissed her carefully for approximately three seconds. Ace tolerated it for two. Then caught the front of his shirt and pulled him down harder. Julian laughed against her mouth. That only encouraged her. The second kiss lost the caution. Not control. Caution. Better. Ace rose onto her toes. Julian’s hands found her waist. Paused. She pressed closer. Yes. His grip tightened. Ace felt the immediate contrast she had anticipated since Afterlife. Size. Not merely height. Mass. Warmth. The complete physical difference between them. She liked it. A lot. Julian drew back only enough to look at her. Ace was breathing harder. “So?” he asked. Ace stared. “You stopped to ask me that?” “Yes.” She kissed him again. Answer delivered. Behind them, Martin said: “I’m getting another drink.” Cal answered: “Coward.” “Strategist.” Ace broke the kiss laughing. Julian looked toward them. “You can both leave.” “No,” Ace said. All three men looked at her. Ace remained against Julian. She liked the sudden silence. Very much. “I didn’t come upstairs to make them disappear.” Martin slowly put down the glass he had just picked up. Cal’s eyebrows rose. Julian looked at Ace. “Sure?” Ace turned her head enough to look at Martin. Then Cal. “Yes.” No hesitation. Julian watched her face. Found whatever he needed there. Then kissed her again. This time Ace felt the room change behind them. Not anyone pouncing. Not a switch being thrown. Just possibility becoming immediate. Martin moved closer first. Slowly enough that Ace could track every step. He stopped beside her. Ace looked at him while Julian’s hand remained at her waist. Martin held out one hand. Not touching. Invitation. Ace took it without hesitation. He drew her gently out of Julian’s arms. Ace let him. Interesting. Very. Martin looked down at her. “You’re certain?” “Yes.” “About?” Ace’s smile became wicked. “Stop making me do your paperwork.” Martin laughed. Then kissed her. Different. Of course. That was immediately part of the appeal. Julian had been controlled warmth until Ace demanded more. Martin kissed like somebody who had already worked out that Ace had no interest in being treated as fragile. Direct. Confident. Still listening. Ace answered just as directly. A hand settled against his chest. His came to her back. She moved closer. Behind him, Julian watched without anything resembling jealousy. Cal too. Ace noticed. Even now. Part of her attention always noticed. She liked what she saw. --- Her jacket went first. Ace removed it herself. Tossed it toward a chair. Martin caught it before it hit the floor. Ace stared. He hung it over the chair back. “You’re kidding.” “Good jacket.” Ace looked at Julian. “He does this during sex?” Martin turned. “We are not having sex.” Ace looked at him. “Yet.” Cal laughed. Martin stopped. Ace smiled sweetly. “Point.” Julian shook his head. “She’s going to destroy us.” Ace looked at him. “Optimistic.” She returned to Martin. This time he was laughing when she kissed him. Better. His fingers found the lower edge of her top. Stopped there. Ace felt the question. She answered by lifting her arms. Martin drew it upward. Slowly. Ace helped. The fabric came free. He set it beside her jacket with the same absurd care. Ace stared. “I am going to ruin your system.” “Please don’t throw the boots.” “No promises.” Julian stepped close behind her. Ace felt him before he touched. Then his hands settled lightly at her hips. Ace leaned back against him. Martin watched her face. No one mistook the important reaction for their own. Ace closed her eyes for half a second. This was new. Not the physical pieces individually. The arrangement. The attention moving without competition. One man’s hands at her waist. Another in front of her. A third still waiting rather than trying to seize a turn. No one performing masculinity at the others. No territorial stupidity. Just three old friends comfortable sharing space, attention and desire. Ace opened her eyes. Cal was watching. She smiled at him. “You’re very patient.” “I’m enjoying the view.” Direct. Finally. Ace laughed. “There you are.” Cal stood. Came closer. Ace looked from him to Martin. Then Julian behind her. Her heart beat faster. Curiosity had officially stopped being theoretical. Exactly where Ace wanted it. --- Cal kissed differently again. Slower than Martin. More deliberate than Julian had become. One hand against the side of Ace’s face. Enough strength in it to be unmistakable. Enough restraint that she could move away whenever she wanted. Ace did not. She moved into him instead. Julian’s hands remained at her hips. Martin’s fingers brushed along her arm. Ace’s composure began to loosen around the edges. Not disappear. She was Ace. She noticed everything. Which somehow made the experience more intense rather than less. Every difference. Every hand. Every pause. Every time one of them checked her face before continuing. Every time she answered by moving closer. Her boots came off. This time she handed them directly to Martin. “Happy?” “Deeply.” “You’re weird.” “Twenty-three years.” “That explains nothing.” “Correct.” Cal laughed against her hair. Ace’s breath hitched with the laugh she gave him back. Then Julian’s fingers found a fastening at her waist. Stopped. Ace looked over her shoulder. His eyes met hers. She nodded. He opened it. Slowly. Ace turned toward him. Helped. Another layer joined the others. No coy scramble beneath blankets. No abrupt disappearance of the moment just because clothing was coming away. Ace wanted the progression. Wanted to feel the choice becoming more real with every step. Julian touched her. Martin did. Cal did. Never all demanding at once. Sometimes overlapping. Sometimes one stepping back while another stepped forward. Ace began to understand the rhythm they had built across years. Not practiced choreography. Nobody seemed to wonder whether the others would read the moment correctly. They did. And now they were learning her. Ace liked being the unknown variable. She liked it far too much. --- Eventually Martin looked toward the open bedroom. Then back at Ace. No words. Ace followed his glance. Large bed. Of course. She looked at Julian. Then Cal. Then Martin. Three men. Still time to change anything. Still easy to say enough. Ace smiled. “Good chairs.” Martin stared. Then laughed. Ace walked toward the bedroom. Three steps. Stopped in the doorway. Looked back. “Well?” Julian closed his eyes. Cal shook his head. Martin said: “I think that means us.” Ace’s eyes moved over him once. “Fast learner.” They followed. --- Later, Ace would remember the beginning with irritating clarity. Julian laughing when she pulled him down by the shirt again. Martin discovering that the small woman he had been teasing about boots could put him flat on his back with almost insulting ease when he got cocky. Cal’s expression when Ace stopped waiting for patience to become initiative and drew him close herself. Then the joking changed. Not gone. Reduced. All three men read the same thing in her face at once: this had stopped being hypothetical. Ace made the next choice unmistakable. Sex began without anyone announcing a turn. Julian was closest when Ace pulled him back to her. The first decisive movement erased the last polite distance between curiosity and action; Ace’s breath caught, then steadied, and her hands tightened against him while Martin and Cal stayed close enough to remain part of the same moment rather than an audience waiting in line. “Still good?” Julian asked. Ace opened her eyes. “Very.” That answer carried them forward. Martin kissed her while the rhythm settled. Cal’s hand stayed warm against her side. Julian did not claim the center merely because he had reached it first. The three men moved around Ace with the same practiced awareness she had noticed downstairs, and Ace answered by changing the shape whenever she wanted something different. Sometimes she pulled Martin closer without letting Julian go. Sometimes Cal drew a laugh out of her at exactly the wrong moment and turned it into a broken breath. Sometimes one man stepped back because Ace had reached for another, then returned when she reached again. Nobody reset. Nobody handed her off. Nobody asked her to distribute attention evenly. The rhythm belonged to the room, not a queue. Ace’s first climax arrived in the middle of that overlap. She felt it building early enough to recognize it and late enough that pretending otherwise would have been ridiculous. Julian held her steady. Martin’s forehead touched hers. Cal kept one hand linked with hers while the tension finally broke through her in a sharp gasp she did not try to hide. For several seconds Ace could do nothing except breathe and feel three different points of contact remain exactly where she wanted them. No one treated her release like a finish line. Martin kissed her once, slow and warm. Cal murmured, “Still curious?” Ace laughed breathlessly. “Fuck you.” His smile widened. “Promising.” She pulled him in. The answer became physical before the joke had finished landing. What followed stopped dividing cleanly into Julian, Martin and Cal. Ace had expected three separate experiences sharing a room. Instead the men’s old trust kept collapsing the boundaries between them: one holding her while another kissed her, one laughing when another lost composure, all three reading the same changes in Ace without turning those changes into ownership. Julian’s control broke during one of those overlaps, his breath rough against Ace’s shoulder while Martin kept her close and Cal’s hand stayed in hers. Ace felt the release move through him and smiled because he had finally lost the careful rhythm he had carried all evening. “There,” she whispered. Julian laughed once, helplessly. Ace liked that far too much. Martin did not remain composed much longer. He tried to answer some piece of Ace’s running commentary and failed halfway through the sentence, tension catching through his whole body while Ace held his gaze and Julian, still recovering, laughed against her hair. Cal lasted longest only because patience had apparently become a personality flaw. Ace noticed. Of course she did. She reached for him while the others were still settling. His restraint finally gave way inside the same shared motion, not after a ceremonial handoff. The sound he made was quieter than Ace expected and much more satisfying for it. She stayed close until the tension left him instead of immediately turning the moment into another joke. For perhaps half a minute the room became only breathing. Ace between them. Hands still resting where they had landed. Nobody hurrying to prove the night could continue. Nobody asking whether it should. Then Ace opened one eye. Martin saw it. “No.” Ace smiled. “I didn’t say anything.” “That is becoming a dangerous sentence.” Cal laughed. Julian looked at Ace. Ace looked back. The curiosity was still there. So the night continued. Not as rounds assigned to people. As choices. Again. Again. Again. Sometimes Ace set the pace. Sometimes one of the men did until she changed it. Her clothing finished disappearing somewhere inside the progression rather than at a convenient cut. Their shirts stopped surviving Martin’s doomed attempt at order. The bedroom filled with breath, laughter, half-finished sentences and direct questions that always received direct answers. Ace had expected novelty. She had not expected how much she would enjoy the absence of competition. Nobody hurried because somebody else had already received more attention. Nobody treated her like a prize being passed around. Nobody expected her to distribute herself evenly. And when pleasure built through her again, then later again, nobody converted it into a score. Each crest belonged to whatever shape the four of them had made at that moment. The experience became bigger than the simple idea she had carried across the parking lot. Not because there were three men. Because all three knew how to share a moment without turning the woman inside it into territory. Ace had not known she wanted that. Now she did. Very much. At some point she lost count of time. That annoyed her less than expected. At some later point, counting anything else stopped feeling useful too. That annoyed her not at all. --- Much later, Ace lay on her back and stared at the ceiling. For perhaps ten seconds nobody said anything. She was trying to remember how breathing worked. Julian lay beside her. Martin was sitting at the edge of the bed with his head lowered. Cal had somehow reached the chair. One of the good ones. Of course. Ace turned her head toward him. “You made it.” Cal opened one eye. “Chair.” Ace laughed. Bad idea. Her entire body objected. The laugh collapsed into a groan. Julian looked over. “You okay?” Ace closed her eyes. “Yes.” A beat. “Fuck.” Martin started laughing. Ace pointed weakly toward him without opening her eyes. “Do not.” “That was positive fuck?” Ace considered. “Extremely.” Julian smiled. Good. She opened her eyes again. Looked around. Three older men. All visibly exhausted. That pleased her more than it should have. Martin saw the answer before she said anything. “What?” “Nothing.” “That smile isn’t nothing.” Ace looked at Julian. Then Martin. Cal. “You survived.” Cal answered from the chair: “Barely.” Ace’s smile widened. “Good.” Julian laughed. Ace looked offended. “What?” “You’ve started saying it.” “Fuck.” Martin leaned back. “Contagious.” Ace stretched. Immediately regretted part of the decision. Stopped. Julian noticed. “So much for tiny and indestructible.” Ace turned her head slowly. “You want to test the indestructible part?” “No.” “Smart.” Martin looked at the clock. Then stared. “We have been here a while.” Ace glanced toward it. Her eyes widened. “Oh.” Cal checked. “That explains several things.” Ace looked at him. “Such as?” “My legs.” Ace laughed again. Less painfully this time. --- She expected awkwardness afterward. Not because she felt any. Because new groups sometimes did. People suddenly rediscovered clothing and social conventions and wondered whether the confidence of an hour earlier had been borrowed. None of that happened. Julian got water. Handed Ace the first bottle. Martin recovered enough to begin rescuing clothing from the floor. Cal remained loyal to the chair. Ace sat up. Slowly. Very slowly. Julian saw. Said nothing. Ace swung her legs over the side of the bed. Stopped. Waited. Martin looked at her. Ace glared preemptively. “Not one word.” His hands rose. “I said nothing.” “You thought posture.” “I have no idea what that means.” “Good.” She stood. Her legs worked. Technically. Ace remained still for a second while several parts of her body submitted formal complaints. Cal smiled. Ace pointed at him. “Especially you.” “Still silent.” Ace took two careful steps. Julian’s eyebrows moved. Ace turned. “No.” “I didn’t say anything.” “Everybody is suddenly very fucking good at that.” She reached the sitting room. Found one of her boots. Then the other. Her top was folded. Ace stared. “Martin.” “Yes?” “You folded my clothes.” “Yes.” “During all that.” “Not during.” Ace looked at him. Martin looked back. She decided she did not want the timeline. “Fine.” She dressed. Not quickly. Her body had opinions about quick movements now. Julian leaned against the wall and watched her with entirely too much amusement. Ace caught him. “What?” “You look satisfied.” Ace zipped one boot. “Dangerous answer.” “It wasn’t a question.” She straightened. Looked at him. “Yes.” Julian’s smile softened. “Good.” Ace walked over. Put both hands against his chest. Kissed him. Not heated this time. Warm. Long enough. Then Martin. Then Cal, who finally abandoned the chair for the occasion. No confusion. No promise of forever. No weird claim on what came next. Just gratitude for an excellent decision shared among adults who had known what they were choosing. Ace stepped back. “Twenty-three years.” Martin looked at her. “What?” “I get it.” Cal smiled. Julian understood first. “The comfort.” “Yes.” A beat. Ace added: “Still weird.” Martin nodded. “Fair.” --- At the door, Julian asked: “You heading back?” Ace looked at him. “To Afterlife?” “Yes.” She smiled. “Absolutely.” All three men stopped. Martin laughed first. “You’re going back like that?” Ace looked down at herself. Clothes back in place. Mostly. Hair— She touched it. Oh. Hair was fucked. She tried smoothing it. Julian started laughing. “Fuck you.” “It isn’t working.” “I noticed.” Cal leaned against the wall. “Your friends are going to know.” Ace looked at him. “Yes.” “You sound happy about that.” Ace thought about Reyes. Kiro. Brenda. Mai. Then smiled. “They usually are.” Julian covered his face. Martin laughed. Cal pointed. “There it is.” Ace opened the door. Then paused. Looked back at all three. “Gentlemen.” Martin raised an eyebrow. “Still?” Ace considered. Long. Deliberately. Then smiled. “Debatable.” Julian laughed. Ace stepped into the hall. --- The elevator ride down was educational. Ace leaned against the wall. Not because she needed to. Obviously. She appreciated structural support. The mirrored surface opposite her showed the damage clearly. Black hair thoroughly disordered. Cheeks still warm. Collar not sitting exactly where it had earlier. The unmistakable loose exhaustion of a woman whose curiosity had been rewarded far beyond the original proposal. Ace looked at herself. Smiled. “Oh, Reyes is going to be unbearable.” The elevator continued downward. Ace thought about that. Then her smile widened. Reyes had no idea. That helped. --- The receptionist looked up when Ace crossed the lobby alone. Professionalism failed for approximately half a second. His eyes went from her hair— to her extremely careful first few steps— to her face. Ace saw the realization. He immediately returned to his terminal. Excellent recovery. Ace stopped. He looked up again. Ace stretched carefully and looked entirely too satisfied. “Good evening.” The receptionist swallowed. “Good evening.” She continued. Outside, Night City air hit her face. Ace inhaled. The Delamain remained parked nearby. Still an expensive witness. She looked across the parking lot. Afterlife. Music faint through the structure. Neon. Her friends inside. Truth or Dare almost certainly still metastasizing. Shammy probably still with Grant. Kiro still awake because no sake. Reyes— Ace stopped. A thought occurred. Reyes. Close enough later. Observant enough. And Ace had returned carrying considerably more evidence than merely ruined hair and a satisfied expression. Ace’s grin became positively evil. “Oh.” She started across the parking lot. Carefully. Not slowly. Carefully. Important distinction. Halfway across, her agent pulsed. **REYES:** alive? Ace looked at it. Typed: **ACE:** yes Three dots immediately. **REYES:** that good? Ace smiled. Typed: **ACE:** eventually Nothing. Five seconds. Then: **REYES:** what the FUCK does that mean Ace laughed. Regretted laughing. Kept walking. She did not answer. Let Reyes suffer. Afterlife’s door waited ahead. Ace reached it. Stopped. Adjusted her collar. Tried her hair once more. Hopeless. Looked down at herself. Clothes good enough. Posture— She straightened. Her body objected. Ace ignored it. Then smiled. There was absolutely no chance this would fool anyone who knew her. Perfect. She opened the door. Warm sound spilled out. Laughter. Music. Her people. Ace stepped back into Afterlife thoroughly exhausted, deeply satisfied, and carrying enough visible evidence to turn Reyes into a weapon of mass destruction. She had left beside Julian. What came back was their collective bad decision. And Ace had loved every fucking minute of it. --- ## Chapter Thirteen — Return Fire Ace made it four steps inside Afterlife before Reyes saw her. Four. That was insulting. Ace had expected six. Maybe seven if the lighting helped. Reyes had been talking to Dara near the table, one hand around her beer, shoulders relaxed, expression easy. Then her eyes moved toward the entrance. Stopped. Her mouth opened. Ace stopped walking. There it was. The moment. Reyes looked at Ace’s hair. Then her collar. Then the way she was standing. Then, very slowly, lower. Ace watched the analysis happen. Reyes’ eyebrows rose. Higher. Higher. Ace let Reyes see exactly how pleased she was. Reyes put down her beer. “Oh, fuck.” Kiro turned immediately. “What?” Then she saw Ace. Silence. Mai followed. Brenda. Iris. Marco. Lena. One by one. Nobody spoke. Ace stood beneath Afterlife’s lights, black hair completely beyond repair, cheeks still carrying warmth, clothes technically correct but no longer convincing anyone that they had spent the evening in peaceful alignment with her body. And posture— Well. Ace had discovered on the walk back that there were several different definitions of walking normally. She was currently using the one that required the least negotiation. Kiro’s eyes became enormous. Brenda covered her mouth. Lena looked down at the table. Marco did the same. Iris stared at Ace for one second, then looked toward Mai. Mai— Mai’s expression warmed. Not shocked. Not worried. Not even especially surprised. Just warm. Knowing. And very amused. Ace looked at her. Mai’s smile grew. “Hi.” Ace laughed. Regretted it. Put one hand briefly against her side. Reyes saw. Of course she did. “Oh my fucking God.” Ace pointed. “Careful.” Reyes stared. “You’re threatening me while walking like that?” Kiro folded forward onto the table. Brenda disappeared against Iris. Marco whispered: “I’m staying out of this.” Lena nodded. “Excellent.” Ace started toward them again. Carefully. Reyes watched every step. Ace arrived at the table. Looked at her chair. Paused. That was enough. Reyes lost it. Completely. She bent over, one hand on the table, laughing hard enough that Dara had to catch her beer before she knocked it over. Ace looked at the chair. Then Reyes. Then the chair again. “Do you want to die?” Reyes tried to speak. Failed. Ace lowered herself. Slowly. Very slowly. Halfway down she stopped. Closed her eyes. Brenda made one tiny squeak. Ace opened them. “Brenda.” Brenda buried her face in Iris’s shoulder. “I didn’t say anything.” “You made punctuation.” Kiro slapped the table. “YES.” Ace finally sat. Carefully. Exceptionally carefully. Reyes straightened enough to look at her. Tears in her eyes. “Holy shit.” Ace leaned back. As much as the chair permitted. “Worth it.” That silenced Reyes. Not long. But enough. Kiro lifted her head. Brenda reappeared. Mai’s eyebrows rose. Ace answered with shameless certainty. “Very.” Reyes stared. Then slowly looked toward the entrance. Toward the hotel glow beyond it. Then back at Ace. “You crossed the lot with one man.” Ace took a drink of Mai’s water. “Correct.” “And came back looking like that.” Ace set the glass down. “Also correct.” Kiro lifted her head. “That is not enough information.” Ace settled deeper into her chair with maddening care. “It is all you’re getting.” Dara, who possessed none of the necessary context but enough intelligence to reconstruct the broad outline, slowly looked from Ace— to Reyes— to the entrance— to the hotel glow visible outside when the door opened— and back. “Oh.” Ace smiled at her. “Exactly.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. Not satisfied. Not even close. Good. Claire looked over from the bar. Saw Ace. Stopped. Ace watched the recognition travel across her face. Claire looked toward the hotel. Then back at Ace. Closed her eyes. Shook her head. Continued working. Smart woman. --- Mai moved closer. No interrogation. She touched Ace’s hair first. Tried to smooth one side. Failed. Ace watched her. “Hopeless.” “Yes.” “Bad?” Mai considered. Then smiled. “Comprehensive.” Reyes made a strangled noise. Ace looked at her. “You are on borrowed time.” Mai touched Ace’s cheek. “You had fun.” Not a question. Ace leaned into her hand. “Yes.” “Good.” Ace’s smile softened. “Really good.” Mai kissed her forehead. Warm. Home. Then drew back. Looked at Ace’s hair again. And finally laughed. Ace stared. “You too?” Mai nodded. “I’m sorry.” “No, you’re not.” “No.” She kissed Ace again. This time Ace caught her wrist and pulled her down enough for a proper kiss. Brief. Affectionate. Mai smiled against her mouth. Then froze. Not dramatically. Just a tiny pause. Ace felt it. Mai drew back. Looked at her. Ace’s eyebrows rose. Mai’s expression changed into something dangerously amused. Reyes saw. “What?” Mai looked at Reyes. Then Ace. Ace realized. “Oh, no.” Reyes leaned forward. “What?” Mai sat back. “Nothing.” Ace pointed at her. “You fucking traitor.” Reyes’ eyes widened. “What did she—” Ace grabbed Mai’s water again. Mai’s smile became infuriatingly serene. Kiro looked between them. “Wait.” Brenda surfaced. “What?” Mai said nothing. That was fatal. Reyes stood. Ace looked up. “No.” Reyes grinned. “Oh, yes.” “Sit down.” “Why?” “Because I know your face.” Reyes stepped around the table. Ace narrowed her eyes. Dara watched with fascination. Reyes stopped beside Ace. “Hi.” Ace stared. “Go away.” “No.” “You are enjoying this far too much.” “Correct.” Reyes leaned down. Ace caught the front of her jacket. “Careful.” Reyes smiled. “Always.” “Liar.” “Mostly.” Then, because Reyes was Reyes, she gave Ace a quick affectionate kiss. Nothing theatrical. Nothing intended for anyone else. Just familiar closeness. And stopped. Exactly as Mai had. Ace closed her eyes. Reyes stayed completely still. One second. Two. Then slowly drew back. Her expression— Oh. Ace opened one eye. Reyes looked at her. Then toward the hotel. Then back. Ace caught the new focus in Reyes’ eyes. “Problem?” Reyes’ eyebrows climbed. “…Three?” Ace’s smile widened. “Eventually.” Kiro made a sound that should not have come from a human being. Brenda hit the table and vanished again. Mai turned away because she was laughing too hard to remain useful. Dara stared at Reyes. Reyes remained frozen. Ace looked entirely too pleased with herself. Finally Reyes whispered: “You absolute menace.” Ace leaned back. Carefully. “Yes.” Reyes looked at Mai. “You knew.” Mai nodded. “Before you?” “Yes.” Reyes put one hand over her heart. “Betrayal.” Mai smiled. “Skill issue.” That finished Kiro. She slid almost completely out of her chair. Ace stared at Mai. Reyes stared at Mai. Brenda surfaced just long enough to shout: “MAI!” Mai looked around. “What?” Ace started laughing. Immediately regretted it again. “Fuck.” Reyes pointed. “Evidence.” “Shut up.” --- Claire arrived with water. A lot of water. She put one in front of Ace. Ace looked at it. Then Claire. Claire looked at Ace’s hair. Then her chair posture. Then Reyes, who was still visibly recovering from whatever private revelation had just destroyed her. Claire said: “No.” Ace lifted one eyebrow. “No what?” “I’m not asking.” “Good.” Claire set down food. Kiro looked at her. “You don’t want to know?” Claire looked toward the hotel. Then at Ace. “No.” Ace took the water. Claire nodded. Then added: “Hotel okay?” Ace blinked. Everyone stopped. Claire nodded toward the parking lot. “Facilities.” Ace stared. Then laughed. “Good chairs.” Martin’s voice existed in her head. Kiro frowned. “Chairs?” Reyes grabbed the table. Brenda’s engineer brain arrived half a second later. “Load-bearing?” Iris turned toward her. “Brenda.” Ace considered the question with insulting seriousness. “Extensively tested.” Mai covered her face. Claire looked at all of them. “I hate this shift.” Then walked away. --- Dara sat beside Reyes. “Do I want context?” Reyes looked at her. “No.” Ace answered at the same time: “Yes.” Reyes pointed. “No.” Dara looked between them. Then at Ace. “Three?” Ace’s grin answered before the word did. Reyes closed her eyes. Dara’s eyebrows rose. “Okay.” Reyes looked at her. “That’s all you’ve got?” Dara shrugged. “She seems happy.” Ace lifted her water. “Very.” Dara nodded. “Good night, then.” Reyes stared. Ace looked at Dara. Then Reyes. “I like her.” Dara smiled. Reyes looked offended. “You are not recruiting my conversation partner.” “I said I liked her.” “Dangerous first step.” Kiro finally managed to sit upright. “This table has no moral authority left.” Iris looked at her. “It had moral authority?” Kiro thought. “No.” “Then nothing changed.” Brenda kissed Iris’s cheek. “I love shore-leave Iris.” Iris smiled. “I’m beginning to like her too.” --- Ace ate. That helped. So did water. What did not help was the entire table refusing to stop looking at her every time she adjusted position. Ace reached for fries. Reyes watched. Ace stopped. “What?” “Nothing.” Ace shifted her hips slightly. Reyes’ mouth twitched. “Reyes.” “I said nothing.” “You’re thinking.” “Always.” Ace took a fry. Kiro watched Ace bring it to her mouth. Ace stared. Kiro looked away. “Sorry.” “You’re all going to die.” Marco raised one hand. “I have done nothing.” Ace looked at him. True. Marco had in fact behaved impeccably. Lena too. Ace pointed at both. “You survive.” Marco nodded. “Excellent.” Lena smiled. “High praise.” Brenda looked hopeful. Ace stared. Brenda lowered her hand. “Fair.” --- Shammy returned to the table twenty minutes later. Alone. For the moment. Ace saw her coming. Shammy saw Ace. Stopped. Her eyes went over Ace once. Hair. Posture. Chair. Expression. Then the smallest smile appeared. Ace narrowed her eyes. “No.” Shammy reached the table. Sat. Normally. Ace hated her instantly. Shammy picked up her drink. “Enjoyable conversation?” Reyes folded over again. Ace stared at Shammy. “You have no idea.” Shammy looked toward the hotel. Then at Ace. A beat. “I suspect I do.” Kiro slapped both hands over her mouth. Ace pointed. “Grant.” Shammy raised an eyebrow. “What about him?” “Nice smile?” Shammy took a drink. “Yes.” Ace grinned. “Still?” Shammy’s eyes warmed. “Yes.” Reyes looked between them. “Oh, now this is getting good.” Shammy glanced toward the quieter section. Grant was still there. Talking to Claire now. Waiting. Not hovering. Ace noticed. So did Mai. Shammy looked back at them. Brenda leaned forward. “Going back?” Shammy considered her. “Yes.” Ace’s expression softened. No joke. Not yet. Shammy caught that. Her expression softened. Then she looked at Ace. “You?” Ace looked down at herself. Then at Shammy. “I think I’m done crossing parking lots for a while.” Reyes made a strangled sound. Ace pointed without looking. “Not one word.” “Impossible.” --- The game resumed. Somehow. Ace declined the first dare directed at her. Not because it was difficult. Because standing up sounded unnecessarily ambitious. Kiro respected this for approximately four seconds. Then: “Truth?” Ace looked at her. “Fine.” Kiro thought. Everyone waited. Then her grin appeared. Ace knew immediately. “No numbers.” Kiro looked offended. “I hadn’t asked yet.” “No.” “Fine.” Kiro recalibrated. “What was the biggest surprise?” That was good. Ace thought. Julian. Martin. Cal. The ease between them. The lack of competition. The way twenty-three years of trust created room instead of pressure. Ace’s smile softened. “That they weren’t competing.” The table quieted. Kiro’s grin disappeared. Mai listened. Ace continued: “They weren’t trying to outdo each other.” She took a drink. “They just… knew how to be there.” Shammy nodded slowly. Marco understood. Lena too. Mai’s eyes warmed. Kiro smiled. “Good surprise?” Ace looked at her. “One of the best.” There. The joke could survive the truth. It always did. Reyes raised her beer. “To old gentlemen.” Ace looked at her. “Experienced gentlemen.” Brenda collapsed. Kiro slapped the table. Mai laughed. Shammy smiled into her drink. Reyes raised the bottle higher. “Correction accepted.” Ace clinked her water against it. “Education.” Reyes looked at her. “Comprehensive education?” Ace raised her water in salute. “Advanced course.” That destroyed them again. --- Afterlife kept moving. The dance floor stayed alive. The other Truth or Dare game had become two. Claire had stopped pretending she could contain it. Rogue remained in her booth. Nadia returned to Kiro eventually and whispered something that made Kiro visibly reconsider several life choices. Sloane caught Mai’s eye from the bar. Dara remained near Reyes. Grant eventually returned to Shammy. The night had not peaked. Ace realized that with some horror. And delight. She leaned toward Mai. “Time?” Mai checked. Then told her. Ace stared. “That’s all?” “Yes.” “Fuck.” Mai smiled. “Tired?” Ace looked at Reyes. Reyes immediately grinned. Ace looked back at Mai. “Physically?” “Yes.” “Destroyed.” Reyes made another noise. Ace ignored her. Mai’s smile softened. “And otherwise?” Ace looked around the table. Her people. The floor. The chaos. Shammy talking quietly to Grant again. Kiro alive and awake and increasingly proud of the disaster she had started. Brenda glowing beside Iris. Marco and Lena comfortable in the middle of everything. Reyes impossible. Mai beside her. Ace leaned into her. “Not even close.” Mai kissed her temple. “Good.” Ace leaned against her. Carefully. Reyes saw. Opened her mouth. Ace lifted one finger without looking. Reyes closed it. For once. Across the room, Rogue looked toward their table. Her eyes paused on Ace. Then the hotel beyond the entrance. Then back. Ace caught her. Rogue lifted her glass once. Barely. Ace stared. Then laughed. “Bitch.” Mai followed her gaze. Saw Rogue. “What?” Ace shook her head. “Nothing.” Mai’s mouth twitched. “Apparently illegal tonight.” Ace looked at her. Then slowly grinned. “Oh, fuck you.” Mai kissed her again. And the night rolled on. --- ## Chapter Fourteen — Shammy and the Big Solo Deepen Grant returned to the table without actually returning to the table. That distinction mattered. He came close enough to stop beside Shammy’s chair. Far enough that nobody could reasonably accuse him of inserting himself into the other eight people’s evening. He had another beer. Synth. Ace noticed. Of course. She looked at Grant’s bottle. Then at Kiro’s real one. Then toward Rogue. Rogue did not acknowledge the comparison. Ace narrowed her eyes. Shammy saw. “Ace.” Ace looked innocent. “What?” “Leave the beer alone.” “I didn’t say anything.” “You were about to.” Reyes leaned toward Dara. “This happens constantly.” Dara nodded. “I’m learning.” Grant looked at Shammy. “Am I interrupting?” Shammy glanced around. Kiro was talking quietly with Nadia again. Reyes had Dara beside her. Mai had caught Sloane’s eye across the room twice in the last five minutes. Ace was leaning carefully against Mai and pretending not to be physically exhausted. Brenda and Iris were sharing food. Marco and Lena had achieved the rare state of being the least chaotic people at the table. Shammy looked back at Grant. “No.” He smiled. “Good.” Ace saw the smile. She immediately looked at Brenda. Brenda saw her. Both looked at Shammy. Shammy stared. Ace looked away. Brenda did too. Grant caught enough of the exchange to understand that something had happened. “What?” Shammy took a drink. “They like your smile.” Ace folded forward. Reyes slapped the table. Brenda vanished against Iris. Grant looked at Shammy. Then at the table. Then back. “You told them that?” Shammy remained perfectly calm. “Yes.” Grant laughed. That made Ace worse. Shammy looked at her. “You started this.” Ace managed: “I didn’t expect you to admit it to him.” “Why?” Ace stared. “Because normal people protect me from consequences.” Shammy smiled. “No.” Grant looked between them. “You’re close.” Ace straightened. “Very.” Shammy nodded. “Yes.” Simple. No explanation needed. Grant seemed to understand that too. --- He pulled over a chair. Not beside Shammy. Near enough to talk comfortably. Far enough that Shammy could decide whether the distance stayed. She noticed. Again. And turned a little more fully toward him. Shammy turned slightly toward Grant. “How long have you been in Night City?” “On and off?” “Yes.” “About eighteen years.” “That’s a long time to survive bad decisions.” Grant smiled. “Some were excellent.” “Such as?” He looked at her. “This evening is developing potential.” Shammy stopped. Not long. Ace saw. Reyes saw Ace see. Ace immediately put one finger against her lips. Reyes’ eyes widened. Progress. Grant had not said it with swagger. That helped. No assumption. Just possibility. Shammy smiled. “Developing?” “Trying not to get ahead of myself.” “Good.” “Apparently I’m learning.” Shammy looked toward Ace. Ace gave her a tiny thumbs-up. Shammy’s expression went flat. Ace lowered it. Grant laughed. --- “What kind of solo work?” Shammy asked. “Security. Extraction. Escort.” “People or cargo?” “Yes.” She smiled. “Useful answer.” “Occasionally.” “Corporate?” “When the money is good and the paperwork is tolerable.” “Gang?” “When the money is good and the paperwork doesn’t exist.” Shammy laughed. Grant took a drink. “Badlands too.” “That explains the coat.” Grant looked down at himself. “This?” “Yes.” “What does my coat explain?” “That you spend too much time outside Night City.” Grant stared. Then laughed. “How?” “Practical lining. Reinforced shoulders. Not fashionable enough to be corpo. Too expensive to be disposable.” Grant looked at the coat. Then at Shammy. “You got all that from the coat?” “No.” “What else?” “Boots.” He looked down. Shammy smiled. “Those were easier.” Grant shook his head. “You and Ace do this?” “Notice things?” “Yes.” Shammy looked toward Ace. Ace was currently stealing something from Mai’s plate. Mai caught her wrist. Ace smiled. Mai let her take it anyway. Shammy’s expression warmed. “All of us do.” Grant followed her gaze. “Different ways.” “Yes.” He looked at Shammy. “What’s yours?” She met his eyes. “People.” Grant held the look. “Should I be worried?” “No.” A beat. “Not yet.” Grant laughed so suddenly Claire looked over. Ace pressed both hands over her mouth. Reyes whispered: “Oh, she likes him.” Dara looked at her. “You’re only figuring that out now?” Reyes stared. Then smiled. “I like you too.” Dara took a drink. “Good.” Reyes stopped. Ace saw. Started laughing. Reyes pointed. “No.” Ace leaned against Mai. “Consequences.” --- Grant asked Shammy: “Truth or Dare?” The table went silent. Kiro turned. Then grinned. Grant noticed. “What?” Shammy looked at him. “You have made a mistake.” “Have I?” “Yes.” Kiro leaned across the table. “Do it.” Mai caught the back of her jacket. Kiro remained leaning. Grant looked at Shammy. “Is this dangerous?” “Yes.” He considered. Then smiled. “Truth or Dare?” Shammy looked at him. “Truth.” Kiro made a disappointed noise. Grant ignored her. “What made you come out tonight?” Shammy paused. That was not the question anyone expected. Ace stopped smiling. Mai looked over. Shammy considered. Then looked at the table. “My family.” Grant followed her gaze. Nobody joked. Not immediately. Shammy continued: “We have enough evenings where we are together because something needs doing.” Ace’s expression softened. “So tonight mattered because nothing did.” “Yes.” Grant nodded. “Good reason.” Shammy looked at him. “Your turn.” He raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t agree to reciprocal rules.” “You introduced the game.” Grant smiled. “Fair.” “Truth or dare?” “Truth.” Kiro groaned. “Cowards everywhere.” Claire shouted from the bar: “Drink your water.” Kiro immediately drank. Shammy smiled. Then asked Grant: “Why are you alone?” That changed him. Small. Not wounded. Thoughtful. “I’m not, generally.” Shammy waited. “Friends around.” He nodded vaguely toward the room. “People I work with.” “But tonight.” Grant looked at his bottle. Then her. “Had plans.” “What happened?” “They cancelled.” “Both?” “Three.” Shammy’s eyebrows rose. “Bad luck.” “Initially.” There it was. Shammy smiled. “Developing potential?” Grant lifted his bottle. “Exactly.” They clinked glass. --- Ace watched. Quietly this time. Mai noticed. “You approve.” Ace looked at her. “He’s good.” Mai nodded. “Yes.” “Doesn’t push.” “No.” “Doesn’t get weird about us.” “No.” Ace leaned carefully closer. “He makes her laugh.” Mai smiled. “You noticed.” Ace stared. “Everyone noticed.” Mai kissed the top of her head. Ace looked back toward Shammy. Grant had leaned closer to hear her. Shammy did not move away. Ace smiled. No joke. Not yet. --- The game continued around them. Not Grant’s game. Kiro’s. Unfortunately. Kiro turned toward Marco. “Truth or dare?” Marco looked at Lena. Lena smiled. “You’re doomed.” Marco sighed. “Truth.” Kiro frowned. “Everyone is picking truth.” Reyes raised one hand. “Because we have learned.” Kiro ignored her. “Fine. Marco. Who at this table is the worst influence?” Marco answered instantly: “Ace.” Ace looked offended. “What?” Marco pointed at her. “You went to a hotel with three older men because you got curious.” Ace stared. “That is not influence. That is initiative.” Reyes barked a laugh. “That may be the most Ace sentence you’ve said all night.” Grant looked at Shammy. Shammy calmly said: “She has a point.” Ace slapped the table. “THANK YOU.” Marco looked at Shammy. “You’re supposed to be neutral.” “I am not.” Lena laughed. Marco nodded. “Fair.” Grant looked toward Ace. Then toward the hotel. Then back at Shammy. “Three?” Shammy took a drink. “Yes.” Ace pointed at Grant. “No follow-up questions.” Grant raised both hands. “Understood.” Reyes whispered to Dara: “She says that because I got the follow-up.” Ace turned. “I heard that.” Reyes smiled. “Good.” Shammy looked at Ace. Then at Reyes. Then toward Mai. Something in their expressions gave her more information than she technically wanted. Her eyebrows rose. Ace immediately said: “No.” Shammy’s mouth curved. “I asked nothing.” Ace stared. “Everybody is a fucking comedian tonight.” Grant smiled. “Apparently.” --- Twenty minutes later, Shammy and Grant moved away from the table again. Not far. A small standing area near one of Afterlife’s structural columns where the music was slightly less violent. Ace watched them go. Reyes watched Ace. Ace caught her. “What?” “You’re doing mom surveillance.” Ace stared. “Mom?” Reyes immediately regretted the word. Mai looked at her. Kiro looked at her. Brenda looked up. Iris covered her mouth. Reyes raised both hands. “Wrong word.” Ace smiled. Dangerously. “Very.” “Protective surveillance.” “Better.” “Friend surveillance.” “Keep improving.” Dara leaned toward Reyes. “You’re digging.” “I know.” Ace looked toward Shammy again. Grant and Shammy had stopped facing the table completely. Good. Ace turned back. “I’m done.” Reyes smiled. “Growth.” Ace threw a fry at her. --- Grant leaned one shoulder against the column. Shammy stood opposite him. “Your friends are terrifying.” “They like you.” “That somehow makes it worse.” “Yes.” He smiled. “Dara seems to be holding her own.” Shammy glanced toward Reyes. Dara had said something that left Reyes visibly recalibrating. Shammy smiled. “Yes.” “And Nadia?” “Kiro likes her.” “Mai doesn’t mind?” Shammy looked back at Grant. “No.” He waited. Shammy recognized the question behind the question. “You’re trying to understand.” “Yes.” “Ask.” Grant considered. “Relationships?” “Several.” “Simple?” Shammy laughed. “No.” “Stable?” “Yes.” “Jealous?” “Sometimes people feel things.” Grant nodded. “But?” “We talk.” “That easy?” “No.” She smiled. “That effective.” Grant considered that. Then looked toward Ace and Mai. Ace was leaning against Mai now, visibly tired but happy. Mai had one arm around her. Reyes was beside them, arguing with Kiro. Brenda and Iris close. Marco and Lena comfortable. Grant looked back. “I think I understand.” Shammy raised an eyebrow. “That quickly?” “No.” He smiled. “I understand enough not to pretend I understand everything.” Better answer. Again. Shammy looked at him for a long moment. “Good.” Grant’s mouth curved. “You like that word too.” “Apparently contagious.” --- He reached for her hand. Slowly. Stopped before touching. Shammy looked down. Then placed her fingers into his. Grant closed his hand. Large enough that hers almost disappeared inside it. She looked at that. Then him. Grant smiled. “Substantial?” Shammy froze. One second. Then laughed. Hard. Actually hard. Grant looked pleased with himself. “You heard.” “My hearing works.” “You weren’t at the table.” “Your friends aren’t quiet.” Shammy shook her head. “You’ve been waiting to use that.” “Approximately an hour.” “Terrible.” “Worth it.” Shammy laughed again. Then stepped closer. Grant’s expression changed. The joke disappeared. Heat remained. He lifted their joined hands slightly. “Dance again?” Shammy considered. Then shook her head. “No.” Grant waited. Shammy moved closer. “Not yet.” His eyebrows rose. “Okay.” She looked toward a quieter corridor leading toward one of Afterlife’s side seating areas. “Walk.” Grant smiled. “Lead.” --- They found a booth with no legend attached to it. Rare enough. Small. Dark. Away from the main table without leaving Afterlife. Grant slid in first. Shammy sat opposite. Then, after a moment, shifted to the same side. Grant noticed. Said nothing. Shammy settled a little more comfortably beside him. They talked. Longer now. The kind of conversation that would have bored the rest of the table because nothing exploded. Grant had grown up outside Reno. His father repaired agricultural machinery. His mother had run a clinic. He had come to Night City originally because he was twenty-six and stupid enough to think dangerous work meant interesting work. Shammy understood that. Perhaps too well. He had stayed because somewhere along the way dangerous work had become something he was good at. Then because people depended on him. Then because leaving felt more difficult than staying. “Very Night City,” Shammy said. “Unfortunately.” “No.” Grant looked at her. “Not unfortunately?” “You survived.” He considered. “Mostly.” She smiled. “Taxonomically?” Grant stared. Then laughed. “You were listening to them.” “Everybody was.” He shook his head. “You people are strange.” “Yes.” “Comfortably.” Shammy looked back toward the distant table. “Yes.” --- “What about you?” Grant asked. Shammy looked at him. “What about me?” “Where did you come from?” She smiled. “Complicated.” “Work?” “Complicated.” “Family?” Shammy looked toward the table again. “Less complicated now.” Grant followed. Ace happened to look over at that moment. Saw them. Grant with one arm along the back of the booth. Shammy beside him. Close. Ace smiled. Then deliberately turned away. Shammy noticed. Her expression softened. “Found them?” Grant asked. Shammy nodded. “Of course.” Somewhere across the room Reyes suddenly shouted: “HEY!” Shammy laughed. Grant looked confused. “Long story.” “We’ve got the rest of tonight.” Shammy looked at him. That landed. No hurry. No need to force the evening toward its next step before either of them wanted it. She liked that. --- The next kiss was Shammy’s decision. Grant had been saying something about a failed extraction in Nevada. Not bragging. Actually making fun of himself. Something involving a drainage ditch, a stolen utility vehicle and the catastrophic misjudgment of believing a map produced by a client. Shammy was laughing. Grant smiled. The conversation stopped. Their eyes held. The warmth changed. Grant did not move first. Shammy did. She leaned in. Placed one hand lightly against his jaw. Kissed him. Grant answered. Warm. Controlled. No surprise converted into urgency. His hand settled at her waist. Shammy moved closer. The kiss deepened. Briefly. Then she drew back. Grant looked at her. “Good?” Shammy smiled. “Yes.” “Good.” She laughed softly. “Contagious.” Grant smiled. Then Shammy kissed him again. Longer. Grant’s hand stayed at her waist without pulling her closer. He did not need to. Shammy closed the distance herself, fingers sliding to the edge of his collar as the kiss deepened and his breathing changed against her. She liked that he still did not hurry. When Shammy finally drew back, she did not step away. Grant’s thumb moved once against her side. “Better?” he asked. Shammy smiled. “Much.” --- At the table, nobody saw the first kiss. That was probably for the best. Brenda saw the second. She froze. Iris noticed. Followed her gaze. Then smiled. Brenda inhaled. Iris immediately put one finger over Brenda’s lips. Brenda looked at her. Iris whispered: “Let her have it.” Brenda nodded. Ace noticed both of them. Looked toward Shammy. Saw Grant and Shammy separate. Understood. Her whole expression softened. Reyes followed. Saw. Then looked at Ace. Ace shook her head. No barrage. Reyes nodded. Later. Plenty of later. Kiro caught that exchange. Started turning. Mai put one hand on either side of Kiro’s face and pointed her straight ahead. Kiro blinked. “What?” Mai smiled. “Nothing.” Kiro narrowed her eyes. “You’re all doing secret council again.” “Yes,” Reyes said. Kiro stared. “Thank you for finally admitting it.” --- Shammy and Grant eventually returned to conversation. Closer now. Grant’s hand rested beside hers. Their fingers touched occasionally. Neither pretended it was accidental. “Can I ask something dangerous?” Grant said. Shammy smiled. “You’ve survived several.” “Are you going home with them?” Shammy understood exactly what he was asking. No euphemism needed. “Not yet.” Grant accepted that without trying to turn it into more. “And tonight?” Shammy looked toward the main entrance. Beyond it, somewhere across the parking lot, the hotel glowed. Then back to Grant. “Tonight is not over.” His eyes held hers. “No.” “Good.” Grant smiled. There was that word again. Shammy leaned back against the booth. Relaxed. Very. And for the first time she allowed herself to think past the next drink. Past the next conversation. Past another dance. Toward the rest of the night. Not a decision yet. A possibility. She liked that possibility. Enough that Grant could probably see it. He did not push. That may have been what made it grow. --- By the time they returned toward the main table, another hour had slipped by. Grant stopped before they reached it. “I’m getting a drink.” Shammy nodded. Then surprised him by catching his hand before he turned. Grant looked back. Shammy stepped close. Kissed him once. Quick. Certain. Then released him. “Come back.” Grant smiled. “I will.” He walked toward the bar. Shammy returned to her chair. Eight faces waited. Shammy sat. Calmly. Ace looked at her. Shammy looked back. Ace smiled. “Satisfying conversation?” Shammy’s eyes narrowed slightly. Ace held up both hands. “Conversation.” Shammy took her drink. “Yes.” Reyes leaned forward. “Multiple conversations?” Ace turned. “Reyes.” “What?” Shammy smiled. Very slowly. “Perhaps.” Reyes stopped. Ace looked at Shammy. Then Reyes. Then Shammy again. Kiro pressed both hands over her face. Brenda collapsed against Iris. Mai started laughing. Reyes pointed at Shammy. “You’re learning.” Shammy took a drink. “No.” She looked toward Grant at the bar. Her smile softened. “I’m having fun.” That silenced them. Warmly. Ace reached over. Touched Shammy’s hand. “Good.” Shammy squeezed her fingers once. Then released. Grant looked back from the bar. Found her. Shammy smiled. And somewhere inside Ace’s exhausted, thoroughly satisfied brain, a prediction formed. Shammy was not going home with them tonight. Ace did not say it. Not yet. But judging by the look on Mai’s face— she had reached the same conclusion. --- ## Chapter Fifteen — Reyes Gets Caught Reyes knew she was in trouble when Dara stopped laughing. Not because the conversation had gone badly. Quite the opposite. They had been standing near the edge of the bar for almost fifteen minutes, talking about nothing important and therefore considerably more honestly than most people ever managed in Afterlife. Jobs. Bad clients. Good whiskey. The strange habit Night City had of turning every supposedly simple errand into an insurance dispute. Dara had a dry sense of humor. Reyes liked dry. It gave her something to attack. More importantly, Dara attacked back. Not loudly. Not theatrically. She waited for Reyes to finish, found the exact weak point in whatever she had said, and pushed one finger into it. Efficient. Annoying. Excellent. Reyes had spent most of the conversation smiling. Then Dara stopped. Looked at her. Actually looked. And Reyes felt the shift. There it was. Not banter. Interest. Clean. Direct. Reyes recognized it because she used the same look herself. Usually from the safer side. Dara leaned one shoulder against the bar. “You do this a lot?” Reyes lifted her beer. “Drink?” “Deflect.” Reyes paused. Only slightly. Dara saw. Of course she did. Reyes smiled. “Direct question.” “I was told you like those.” “By who?” Dara looked toward the table. Ace was leaning carefully against Mai. Kiro and Nadia were talking again. Brenda was eating something Iris had clearly ordered her to eat. Marco and Lena were sharing a plate. Shammy had returned to the table but kept glancing toward Grant at the bar. Dara looked back. “Observation.” Reyes laughed softly. “Dangerous hobby.” “So I hear.” She held Reyes’ gaze. “Answer?” Reyes considered. Could have dodged. Could have made it filthy. Could have turned it into another joke. Instead: “Sometimes.” Dara nodded. No victory. No smugness. That irritated Reyes almost more. “Why?” Reyes stared. “You ask a lot of questions.” “You answer a lot of them.” “Apparently.” Dara smiled. There. Warm. “Maybe I like your answers.” Reyes took a drink. Needed the second. Not because she was nervous. Obviously. Because the beer was there. Dara watched her. Reyes lowered the bottle. “What?” “Nothing.” “That’s illegal tonight.” Dara’s smile widened. “You people really have infected the room.” “Blame Kiro.” “Already did.” --- At the table, Ace noticed the change almost immediately. Reyes had gone still. Not frozen. Focused. Ace knew that posture. Usually it meant somebody had just said something worth remembering. She looked at Dara. Dara was close. Not touching. Reyes had not moved away. Interesting. Ace leaned toward Mai. “She got her.” Mai followed her gaze. “Maybe.” “No.” Brenda immediately caught the change in Reyes. “She got her,” Ace said. Kiro heard. “Who got who?” Ace looked at her. “Nothing.” Kiro stared. “Again?” Mai took a drink. Kiro pointed between them. “Secret council.” Brenda looked over. “Reyes?” Ace only had to say the name. Brenda immediately found her. “Oh.” Iris looked. Then quickly looked back at Brenda. “What?” Brenda whispered: “She’s quiet.” Iris considered. “That is unusual.” Ace nodded solemnly. “Historic.” From across the room, Reyes somehow sensed slander. She turned. Saw six people looking. Ace immediately drank. Mai looked away. Brenda smiled. Kiro waved. Reyes slowly raised one middle finger. Dara followed the gesture. Then laughed. “Friends?” Reyes turned back. “Disease.” “Affectionately?” Reyes closed her eyes. Dara grinned. Reyes pointed at her. “You’ve been listening too much.” “Maybe.” “Stop saying maybe.” “Why?” “Because Ace started doing it tonight and apparently it’s contagious.” Dara looked toward Ace. Ace was still carefully pretending to sit normally. “Is she okay?” Reyes looked. Then laughed. “Ecstatic.” Dara’s eyebrows rose. Reyes took another drink. “Long story.” “I’ve got time.” That landed. Again. Reyes looked at her. Dara knew it had. Good. --- “What do you want?” Reyes asked. Dara did not pretend not to understand. “You.” Reyes stared. Dara continued: “For however long tonight makes sense.” No promise. No ownership. No weird future claim. Reyes liked that. Far too much. She leaned a little closer. “You always this straightforward?” “When it saves time.” “Good.” Dara smiled. “You like that word?” “Apparently everyone does tonight.” “Then good.” Reyes laughed. Then Dara reached for her. Not suddenly. Two fingers against the sleeve of Reyes’ jacket. Stopped there. Reyes looked down. Then back at her. Dara waited. Reyes closed the distance herself. That answered enough. Dara’s hand moved to her waist. Reyes’ smile went sharp. “Careful.” “Why?” “You keep answering correctly.” Dara leaned closer. “That a problem?” Reyes looked at her mouth. Then her eyes. “No.” She kissed her. --- Ace saw. Immediately. Of course. She slapped one hand against Mai’s knee. Mai looked. Found Reyes and Dara. Then looked back at Ace. Ace’s grin was incandescent. Mai sighed. “No.” Ace whispered: “She’s kissing her.” “Yes.” “Reyes.” “Yes.” “Kissing someone who made her shut up.” Mai smiled. “That is impressive.” Kiro had already noticed. She grabbed Brenda’s arm. Brenda looked. Then both silently collapsed. Iris stared. “Leave her alone.” Nobody spoke. Reyes ended the kiss. Looked directly toward the table. Saw all of them. Ace gave her a tiny wave. Reyes’ eyes narrowed. Then Dara said something. Reyes turned back. Dara kissed her again. Ace put both hands over her mouth. Mai laughed. --- The second kiss was different. Longer. Reyes had no intention of performing for anyone. That was obvious. She forgot the table existed after perhaps five seconds. Dara’s hand remained at her waist. Reyes caught the front of Dara’s jacket. Pulled her closer. Dara responded without hesitation. Good. Reyes liked that too. When they separated, Dara was smiling. “So.” Reyes breathed out. “So?” “Still direct enough?” Reyes stared. Then laughed. “Fuck you.” Dara’s eyebrows rose. Reyes stopped. Oh. Dara smiled. Slowly. “Was that rhetorical?” There it was. The table could not hear. Reyes could still feel the social explosion from thirty meters away. She looked at Dara. Dara looked back. Absolutely serious. Reyes’ mouth opened. Nothing came out. Dara smiled wider. “Thought so.” Reyes finally found language. “You planned that.” “No.” “Bullshit.” “I hoped.” Reyes stared. Then laughed again. “You are dangerous.” “Apparently that’s attractive tonight.” “Very.” --- They moved away from the bar. Not toward the hotel. Not yet. Toward the dance floor. Dara nodded. “One song.” Reyes looked at her. “You dance?” “Well enough.” “Dangerous answer.” “You’ve said that already.” “Still true.” They stepped onto the floor. Kiro immediately saw. “Oh, fuck.” Mai looked. Reyes and Dara. Kiro grinned. “She got her.” Ace pointed at Kiro. “THANK YOU.” Mai shook her head. Brenda watched. “She looks different.” Iris smiled. “Reyes?” “Yes.” “How?” Brenda thought. “Less… weaponized.” Ace looked over. That was surprisingly accurate. Reyes normally moved like everything might become a contest if necessary. With Dara, she did not. She was still Reyes. Still sharp. Still confident. But she was letting someone else set a rhythm occasionally. That was new enough. Dara stepped closer. Reyes followed. No performance. No challenge to Mai and Kiro. Different entirely. Less technical. More physical. Warm. Reyes said something. Dara laughed. Then Dara turned her. Reyes came back grinning. Kiro pointed. “She likes being handled.” Mai looked at her. “Kiro.” “What?” Ace whispered: “She absolutely does.” Brenda folded forward. Iris covered her face. Mai looked at Ace. “You are not helping.” Ace lifted her beer in acknowledgment. “Never claimed to.” --- One song became two. Not forty minutes. Reyes still had standards. When they returned toward the bar, Dara leaned close and said something near Reyes’ ear. Reyes stopped walking. Dara continued. Reyes looked at her. Then toward the table. Dara smiled. Reyes looked back. “Seriously?” Dara nodded. Reyes’ expression changed. Not alarm. Calculation. Then interest. Ace saw it. “Oh.” Mai looked. “What?” “She offered something.” “How do you know?” “Reyes’ left eyebrow.” Mai stared at Ace. “That is absurd.” Reyes’ left eyebrow moved again. Mai paused. Ace smiled triumphantly. “See?” Mai shook her head. “Terrible.” --- Reyes returned to the table alone. That caused immediate attention. Dara stayed at the bar. Reyes sat. Picked up her beer. Kiro leaned forward. “Well?” Reyes drank. Ace let her eyes do the warning. “Careful.” Reyes looked at her. “You have no authority left.” Ace glanced down at herself. Then at Reyes. “Fair.” Brenda grinned. “What did she say?” Reyes looked around. “No.” Kiro looked betrayed. “You demand information from everyone.” “Yes.” “That is hypocrisy.” “Yes.” “You’re admitting it?” “Yes.” Ace slapped the table. “She’s compromised.” Reyes pointed. “You.” Ace spread her hands. “Me.” Mai leaned back. “What does Dara want?” Reyes looked at her. Mai waited. Reyes sighed. “You’re all insufferable.” Kiro leaned in. “Correct.” Reyes took another drink. Then: “She wants me to leave with her later.” Silence. Brenda’s eyebrows rose. Kiro grinned before Ace could say a word. Mai nodded. “Do you want to?” Reyes looked toward Dara. Dara was talking to Claire. No staring. No pressure. Just waiting for whatever Reyes chose. Reyes smiled. “Maybe.” Ace slapped both hands against the table. “NO.” Kiro shouted: “SHE SAID MAYBE.” Brenda laughed. Iris shook her head. Marco finally joined in. “Historic.” Lena nodded. “Definitely.” Reyes stared around. “What the fuck?” Ace pointed at her. “That’s three maybes in one night.” “From me?” “No. Collective.” Kiro looked proud. “We’re evolving.” Claire shouted: “BACKWARDS.” --- Dara returned several minutes later. Reyes had not decided. That was fine. Dara stopped beside her. “Drink?” Reyes looked at the beer. Then Dara. “Sure.” They moved toward the bar again. Ace watched. This time Reyes caught her. “You get one.” Ace blinked. “One what?” “One question later.” Ace’s grin appeared. “Only one?” “Yes.” “Can I trade?” “No.” “Can Kiro—” “No.” Kiro looked offended. “I wasn’t involved.” Reyes stared. Kiro smiled. “Yet.” Dara laughed. Reyes looked at her. “See?” “I like them.” “Everyone says that until hour six.” Ace raised her hand. “We’re at hour—” Mai covered Ace’s mouth. Ace stared. Mai removed her hand. “Leave them alone.” Ace leaned back obediently enough to make the obedience suspicious. “Yes, ma’am.” Kiro slapped the table. Reyes pointed from across the room. “SEE? THAT.” Mai closed her eyes. --- The game rolled on without Reyes for a while. Kiro selected Iris. Iris chose truth. Brenda objected because she wanted dare. Iris informed Brenda that Brenda could choose dare on her own turn. Brenda declared this bureaucracy. Marco sided with Iris. Lena sided with chaos. Ace ate. Shammy spoke quietly with Grant again. Everything remained ridiculous. Then Reyes returned. Again. This time she sat closer to Ace. Ace looked at her. Reyes looked back. “You get one.” Ace used it immediately. “Did you say yes?” Reyes stopped. One question. Used. Damn. She looked toward Dara. Then back. “Not yet.” Ace nodded. No teasing. That answer mattered. Reyes noticed. “That’s it?” Ace shrugged. “You’ll know.” Reyes stared. Then smiled. “Bitch.” “Yes.” Mai heard. Smiled. --- Dara came back one last time before heading toward her friends. She leaned down beside Reyes. Not hiding anything. “I’m staying.” Reyes looked up. “Here?” “For a while.” “And later?” Dara smiled. “Your call.” Reyes nodded. “Good.” Dara touched Reyes’ shoulder. Then walked away. Reyes watched. Ace watched Reyes watching. Reyes felt it. Turned. Ace smiled. “What?” “Nothing.” Reyes narrowed her eyes. Ace lifted both hands. “Apparently illegal tonight.” Reyes laughed. “Fuck you.” Ace did not even pause. “Not tonight.” Reyes stared. Then both started laughing. --- An hour later, Reyes still had not left. That surprised exactly nobody who knew her. She was interested. Very. But she liked the night too. Liked the table. Liked watching Kiro slowly become increasingly proud of the disaster. Liked seeing Iris loosen more with every hour. Liked the fact Shammy had acquired an entire private evening of her own. Liked that Ace had come back from across the parking lot looking physically demolished and emotionally radiant. Liked Mai’s calm amusement. Liked Marco and Lena’s steady presence. Dara remained nearby. No pressure. That helped. Reyes looked at her occasionally. Dara looked back. The answer could wait. And somehow that made Reyes want to give it more. --- Kiro finally leaned toward her. Quietly. “So.” Reyes looked. Kiro nodded toward Dara. “You going?” Reyes considered. Then: “Probably.” Kiro smiled. “Good.” Reyes stared. “No joke?” Kiro shrugged. “Why?” That shut Reyes up again. Kiro grinned. “There.” Reyes pointed. “You did that on purpose.” “Yes.” Reyes laughed. Then looked toward Dara. Probably. Not yet. Later. Maybe. All words Reyes normally hated because they refused to commit. Tonight they felt different. Open. Not uncertain. Just unfinished. And for once Reyes did not need to finish the sentence immediately. Across the table, Ace noticed. Smiled. Reyes caught her. “What?” Ace shook her head. “Nothing.” Reyes smiled back. Warm. “Good.” Then Dara looked over. Reyes met her eyes. And this time, when Dara raised one eyebrow in silent question— Reyes smiled. And nodded. --- ## Chapter Sixteen — Iris Rourke Is Twenty-Two Iris knew the table had become dangerous when Kiro stopped arguing. Not permanently. That would have required medical intervention. Just for a moment. Kiro sat with both hands around her water glass, watching Iris with an expression of deep concentration. Iris looked back. “No.” Kiro blinked. “I haven’t said anything.” “Your face has.” Ace, still arranged carefully against Mai’s side, raised one finger. “Everybody has face analysis.” Reyes pointed at her. “You started that.” “I refined it.” “You weaponized it.” “Good systems.” Kiro groaned. Mai smiled into her drink. Brenda looked between Kiro and Iris. Then brightened. “Oh.” Iris turned. “No.” Brenda stared. “I didn’t say anything either.” “You made the same face.” “What face?” “The one where you think my evening is about to become entertaining for you.” Brenda considered. “That is unfair.” “Is it inaccurate?” Brenda smiled. “No.” Iris sighed. Across the table, Marco took another fry. Lena leaned against him. “She’s doomed.” Marco nodded. “Completely.” Iris looked at both. “You two were supposed to be the reasonable ones.” Marco swallowed. “We’ve stopped accepting that assignment.” “Smart,” Reyes said. Kiro put down her water. “Iris.” “No.” “Truth or dare?” “No.” Kiro stared. “That is not an option.” “It is now.” “You can’t rewrite the game.” Mai quietly said: “She has rank.” Kiro turned. “This is shore leave.” Iris looked at Mai. Mai’s mouth curved. Damn her. Kiro pointed triumphantly. “Exactly.” Brenda leaned closer. “You did say you wanted to do something stupid and unnecessary.” Iris closed her eyes. There it was. Earlier. Her own answer. Of course they remembered. Every one of them. Iris opened her eyes again. Brenda was smiling, but not pushing. Kiro was trying to look innocent and failing. Ace watched with interest. Reyes with undisguised anticipation. Mai with that calm expression that meant she had already decided to let the disaster develop naturally. Shammy had returned from Grant long enough to witness this part and looked far too serene. Iris exhaled. “Dare.” The table erupted. Kiro threw both arms into the air. Reyes slapped the table. Brenda kissed Iris’s cheek. Ace shouted: “Lieutenant down!” Iris pointed at her. “Do not make me regret this.” Ace looked down at the way she was sitting. “I think regret is temporarily out of my jurisdiction.” Reyes folded forward laughing. Iris stared at Ace. Then Mai. Mai shook her head. “Do not look at me.” “You encourage this.” Ace looked at Mai. Mai froze. Reyes looked between them. Kiro’s eyes widened. Ace’s smile became unbearable. Mai pointed at her. “Not always.” Reyes laughed. “Often enough.” Marco took another fry. “I’m staying out of it.” Lena laughed. Iris rubbed both hands over her face. “Dare. Now. Before I remember I have dignity.” Kiro’s grin returned. “Okay.” That was somehow worse. --- Kiro thought. And kept thinking. Iris became suspicious. “You had something prepared.” “I had several things prepared.” “No hotel.” Kiro looked wounded. “I wasn’t going to say hotel.” Ace whispered: “Growth.” Kiro pointed at her. “You are the last person allowed to comment on hotels.” Ace smiled. “Advanced course.” Brenda collapsed against Iris. Iris caught her automatically. “Breathe.” “I’m trying.” Reyes wiped one eye. Kiro ignored all of them. Then looked back at Iris. “Your truth earlier.” Iris waited. “You said you wanted to do something stupid and unnecessary.” “Yes.” “So that’s the dare.” Iris frowned. “That isn’t a dare.” Kiro continued: “Do something tonight that serves absolutely no useful purpose.” Silence. Iris stared. Brenda slowly straightened. Ace’s expression changed. Less comedy. More interest. Mai nodded once. That was actually— Good. Dangerous precisely because it was not prescriptive. No stunt selected for Iris. No outsider forced into anything. No sexual instruction. No choreography. Nothing chosen for her. Just a blank space she could fill herself. Do something useless. Iris had spent most of her adult life becoming useful. Useful to a crew. Useful to passengers. Useful to her captain. Useful in emergencies. Useful when plans changed. Useful when someone panicked. Useful when three things needed fixing and nobody had enough hands. Even shore leave tended to become structured. Arrival time. Departure time. Messages. Transport. Things to finish before returning aboard. Brenda had noticed that almost immediately. Of course. Brenda touched Iris’s hand. “You don’t have to—” Iris turned. Brenda stopped. Not because Iris was angry. Because something had shifted. Iris smiled. “I know.” Brenda looked at her. Then smiled back. “Okay.” Kiro leaned forward. “So?” Iris looked around Afterlife. Dance floor. Bar. Truth or Dare spreading across other tables. Nadia laughing near Kiro. Dara talking with friends but glancing toward Reyes every so often. Sloane somewhere near the bar. Grant waiting patiently for Shammy to return. Rogue watching the room like a scientist who had accidentally discovered alcohol. Claire maintaining civilization by force. Then Iris looked at Brenda. Found the answer. She stood. Brenda looked up. “What?” Iris held out her hand. Brenda stared at it. Then Iris. “You want to dance?” “No.” Brenda blinked. The table went silent. Iris smiled. “I want to do something unnecessary.” She took Brenda’s hand. “Come with me.” --- Brenda went willingly. Obviously. She looked over her shoulder at the table as Iris led her away. Ace mouthed: **What?** Brenda mouthed back: **NO IDEA.** Reyes looked delighted. Kiro looked proud enough to require intervention. Mai caught her expression. “No.” “What?” “You did not do this.” “I created conditions.” Ace pointed. “Rogue language.” Kiro looked toward Rogue’s booth. Rogue happened to glance over. Kiro raised her beer. Rogue did nothing. Kiro turned back. “She respects me.” Claire passed. “No.” Kiro sighed. --- Iris did not take Brenda to the dance floor. She took her to the bar. Claire saw them coming. “Problem?” “No.” Claire looked at Iris. Then Brenda. “That’s suspicious.” Iris leaned one elbow against the counter. “What is the most unnecessarily expensive drink you can make that does not involve organic beer?” Claire stopped. Brenda’s mouth opened. Claire stared at Iris. “Seriously?” “Yes.” “Why?” Iris smiled. “Dare.” Claire looked toward Kiro. Kiro waved. Claire’s face hardened. “No.” Iris laughed. “No, the dare is mine.” Claire looked back. “What exactly?” “Do something useless.” Claire considered. Then a slow smile appeared. “Oh.” Brenda stared. “Oh no.” Claire looked at her. “What’s your budget?” Iris gave a number. Brenda turned so quickly her chair would have fallen over if she had one. “Iris.” Iris looked at her. “What?” “That is not a drink budget.” “It is tonight.” “That is a maintenance-part budget.” “Not tonight.” Brenda looked almost physically distressed. “You can’t spend that on alcohol.” Iris’s eyebrows rose. “Why?” “Because it’s inefficient.” There. Iris smiled. Brenda realized. “Oh, fuck you.” Claire laughed. Iris leaned closer. “Exactly.” Brenda stared. Then started laughing. Hard. “Okay.” She put both hands on the bar. “Do it.” Claire looked between them. “This may be the first time I have seen Brenda Boom demand financial irresponsibility.” Brenda pointed at Iris. “Her fault.” Iris smiled. “Entirely.” Claire nodded. “Excellent.” --- Claire disappeared into the back section of the bar. Not literally. But close. She returned with bottles neither Iris nor Brenda recognized. That got Ace out of her chair. Almost. She started to stand. Stopped halfway. Her body reminded her about the hotel. Ace slowly sat again. Reyes saw. “Need assistance?” Ace gave her the finger. Mai rested one hand against Ace’s shoulder. “I can see from here.” Ace looked toward the bar. “What is Claire doing?” Marco leaned slightly. “Apparently chemistry.” Brenda heard. Shouted: “EXPENSIVE CHEMISTRY.” Claire pointed at her without looking up. “Quiet.” Brenda lowered her voice. “Expensive chemistry.” Iris laughed. Claire worked. Small glass. Another. Something smoked briefly. Not fire. Probably. Brenda leaned closer. Claire pushed her forehead gently backward with one finger. “No.” “I was observing.” “You were engineering.” “That is observing with intent.” Iris caught Brenda around the waist and pulled her back. Brenda leaned into her. “Oppression.” Iris kissed her temple. “Survive.” Claire finished. Two drinks. Small. Beautiful. Ridiculous. Absolutely no practical reason for either to exist. She placed them down. Brenda stared. Iris stared. “How much?” Claire told her. Iris winced. Actually winced. Brenda saw. Her grin became enormous. “Oh, this is hurting you.” “Yes.” “Good.” Iris looked at her. “Supportive.” “Deeply.” Iris paid. The transaction completed. She stared at the number. Then locked her agent. Brenda touched her arm. “Lieutenant Rourke?” Iris looked at her. Brenda smiled. “Any operational justification?” Iris picked up one glass. “None.” Brenda picked up the other. “Safety benefit?” “None.” “Return on investment?” “Almost certainly negative.” Brenda looked delighted. “I’m so proud of you.” Iris laughed. Then they drank. --- It was excellent. That was annoying. Iris closed her eyes. Brenda made a sound beside her. Claire leaned against the bar. “Well?” Iris opened her eyes. “That is offensively good.” Claire nodded. “Money helps.” Brenda looked into the empty glass. “Can I take this apart?” Claire stared. “The glass?” “The concept.” “No.” “Hypothetically—” “No.” Iris put one arm around Brenda. “Leave the drink alone.” Brenda looked at her. “You just paid enough for it to qualify as equipment.” “Exactly why you are not dismantling anything.” Brenda smiled. “There she is.” Iris paused. Then laughed. Fair. --- They returned to the table. Kiro leaned forward. “Well?” Iris sat. Brenda sat beside her. Iris looked at Kiro. “Completed.” Kiro frowned. “What did you do?” Brenda answered: “She spent an obscene amount of money on two tiny drinks.” Silence. Reyes blinked. Ace looked disappointed. “That’s it?” Iris turned. “Yes.” Ace stared. Then realized. “Oh.” Mai smiled. Marco understood next. Lena too. Kiro took longer. Brenda looked around. “You people don’t understand.” Iris leaned back. Brenda pointed at her. “This woman researches shore transport before leaving the ship.” Iris opened her mouth. Brenda continued: “She checks walking distance.” “Brenda.” “She has backup plans for restaurants.” “In Night City.” “She compared three possible routes here.” “Traffic.” “She has an emergency charger in her purse.” Iris stared. Everyone looked at her bag. Iris folded her arms. “Preparedness is not a character flaw.” Ace smiled. “No.” Brenda put one hand dramatically against her chest. “But she just spent enough money to replace a pressure transducer on a drink because Kiro told her to do something useless.” Kiro’s face transformed. “Oh.” Reyes nodded. “There it is.” Mai smiled. “That is actually fairly reckless for Iris.” Iris stared at her. “Thank you?” “Compliment.” Marco raised his beer. “To wasted money.” Iris groaned. Lena raised her wine. “To negative return on investment.” Brenda lifted her glass. Empty. “To my fiancée committing financial misconduct.” Iris turned. “That is not what misconduct means.” Brenda kissed her. Quick. “I know.” Iris looked at the table. Then smiled. Worth it. Entirely. --- Kiro was not satisfied. Of course. “That was round one.” Iris looked at her. “No.” “You said dare.” “I completed the dare.” “You did one useless thing.” “That was the singular.” Kiro looked toward Mai. “Arbitration.” Mai thought. Then nodded. “Iris is correct.” Kiro stared. “Again?” “Good systems.” Kiro slumped. Iris smiled. Victory. Then Reyes said: “Shame.” Iris turned. Reyes leaned back. “I was hoping she’d make you do something actually stupid.” Iris raised one eyebrow. Brenda whispered: “Don’t.” Reyes saw. Smiled. “Oh?” Iris looked at Brenda. Brenda immediately shook her head. “I kept it internal.” “You warned her.” “Yes.” “Why?” Brenda smiled weakly. “Because I’ve become emotionally attached to everyone surviving.” Ace raised her water. “Character growth.” Reyes looked at Iris. “What?” Iris waited. Reyes smiled. “Nothing.” Iris knew better. “Say it.” Reyes’ grin sharpened. “Lieutenant Rourke requesting permission to remain boring.” Silence. Brenda closed her eyes. “Reyes.” Iris looked at Reyes. Reyes looked back. Challenge. Not malicious. Not serious. Exactly the kind of stupid social missile that made Reyes Reyes. Iris should have ignored it. Probably. She was twenty-two. That fact had been mentioned several times tonight. Mostly because everyone around her kept behaving as if rank had accidentally made her forty. Iris rested both hands on the table. “Boring.” Reyes smiled. “Sometimes.” “Interesting.” Ace looked between them. “Oh, no.” Mai’s mouth curved. Kiro sat upright. Brenda looked at Iris. Not worried. Curious. Iris stood. Again. Reyes’ smile faded slightly. “What?” Iris walked around the table. Stopped beside her. Reyes looked up. Iris held out her hand. Reyes stared at it. The entire table stopped breathing. Iris smiled. “Dance.” Reyes blinked. “With me?” “Yes.” “Why?” Iris tilted her head. “Do you need an operational justification?” Ace folded over. Kiro slapped the table. Brenda covered both hands over her mouth. Reyes stared. Then laughed. “Okay.” She took Iris’s hand. --- The floor had remained active. Still ridiculous. Still one of the strangest things Afterlife had collectively decided to normalize tonight. Iris led Reyes onto it. Not because Iris believed she could outdance her. She could not. Not because this had become some sexual challenge. It had not. Because Reyes had called her boring. And Iris had spent years learning how to answer challenges efficiently. Reyes started carefully. That lasted perhaps eight seconds. Iris saw it. “You’re compensating.” Reyes looked offended. “For what?” “Me.” “No.” “You are.” “I’m being polite.” “Stop.” Reyes smiled. There. “Sure?” “Yes.” Reyes stopped compensating. The rhythm changed immediately. Iris was not bad. That surprised Reyes. Not extraordinary. Not Mai. Not Kiro. But disciplined bodies learned quickly. Balance mattered at sea. Weight transfer mattered. Reading movement mattered. Iris had spent years walking decks that moved beneath her. Reyes discovered that when she tried to change direction quickly. Iris followed. Not elegantly. Successfully. Reyes’ eyebrows rose. Iris smiled. “What?” “Ship legs.” “Exactly.” Reyes laughed. Then pushed harder. Iris kept up. Mostly. Missed one beat. Laughed. Caught the next. No embarrassment. No officer composure. Just twenty-two. Young. Warm. Having fun. Brenda watched from the table. Quietly. Ace noticed. “You okay?” Brenda looked at her. Ace immediately regretted the phrasing. Not because Brenda was upset. Because Brenda looked absurdly happy. “Yeah.” She watched Iris turn under Reyes’ arm. “Look at her.” Ace did. Iris was laughing. Not the contained laugh she sometimes used when duty remained nearby. Full. Head back briefly. Reyes grinning because she had achieved something. Brenda’s eyes warmed. “She spends so much time being Lieutenant Rourke.” Ace leaned carefully against Mai. “Tonight she doesn’t have to.” Brenda nodded. “Yeah.” Then Iris nearly stepped on Reyes’ foot. Reyes jumped. Brenda shouted: “SINK HER!” Iris turned. “BRENDA!” Brenda raised both hands. “Shore leave!” Iris laughed so hard she lost the next beat entirely. Reyes caught her. “Got you.” Iris looked at her. “Temporary.” “Sure.” --- One song. Exactly one. Iris refused the second. Reyes looked disappointed. “Safe.” Iris took her hand. Dragged her back toward the table. “No.” “Rank abuse.” “Shore leave.” “That’s not how rank abuse works.” “Good.” Reyes laughed. When they reached the table, Brenda stood. Iris stopped. Brenda looked at her. No joke. Just: “Hi.” Iris smiled. “Hi.” Brenda kissed her. Not quick this time. Not a joke. Not performative. She put both hands lightly against Iris’s face and kissed her long enough that the table began collectively finding other things to look at. Ace stared at the ceiling. Mai looked at Ace. Ace whispered: “Very interesting ceiling.” Mai nodded. “Exceptional.” Kiro looked at Nadia. Nadia laughed. Marco took another fry. Lena stole it. Reyes returned to Dara. Shammy looked toward Grant. Nobody needed to make the kiss theirs. Iris answered Brenda. One hand at her waist. The other against the back of her neck. Warm. Certain. When they separated, Brenda was smiling. “So.” Iris looked at her. “So?” “Stupid and unnecessary?” Iris thought about the drinks. The money. Dancing with Reyes because she had been challenged. Brenda’s face. Her own pulse. The fact she had not checked the time in almost an hour. “Yes.” Brenda kissed the corner of her mouth. “Good.” Iris smiled. Then something occurred to her. She reached into her bag. Brenda stared. “No.” Iris froze. “What?” Brenda pointed. “If that is your agent, I will throw it into the dance floor.” The entire table went silent. Iris slowly withdrew her hand. Empty. Ace stared. Reyes turned from Dara. Kiro’s mouth fell open. Brenda realized she had just threatened a lieutenant’s electronics. Iris looked at her. Long. Brenda swallowed. “I stand by it.” Iris smiled. Then laughed. “Okay.” Brenda blinked. “Okay?” “Okay.” Iris moved the bag to the opposite side of her chair. Out of reach. “Not checking.” Brenda’s expression softened. “Really?” “Really.” She leaned closer. “I’m off duty.” Brenda kissed her cheek. “There she is.” --- Later, a young merc approached Iris. He recognized her. “Lieutenant Rourke?” Iris turned. Almost automatically: “Yes?” The officer response was halfway into her spine before she stopped it. The merc saw the correction happen. He hesitated. “Sorry.” Iris looked at him. Then at Brenda. Then at the table. Then smiled. “Tonight it’s Iris.” The merc blinked. “Oh.” Brenda’s face lit up. Ace smiled. Mai did too. The merc recovered. “Iris.” “Better.” He asked only whether she had really danced with Reyes. Iris looked toward Reyes. Reyes lifted her beer. “Allegedly.” Iris smiled. “Yes.” The merc nodded. “Cool.” Then left. Nothing more. No work. No rank. No ship. Iris watched him go. Brenda touched her hand. “You okay?” Iris looked at her. “Yes.” A beat. “Very.” --- Kiro eventually leaned over. “Best dare?” Iris stared. “Do not become smug.” “That wasn’t an answer.” Iris considered. Then looked at Brenda. At Reyes. At the absurdly expensive empty glass Claire had allowed Brenda to bring back as evidence. At her closed bag. At the clock she had deliberately not checked. “Yes.” Kiro smiled. No triumph. Just satisfaction. “Good.” Iris narrowed her eyes. “You planned that.” “No.” “You knew.” Kiro shrugged. “You said you wanted something stupid.” Iris looked around. The entire evening had become stupid. Beautifully. Afterlife dancing. Truth or Dare spreading. Ace returning from a hotel physically demolished and delighted. Reyes interested enough in Dara to say maybe. Mai with Sloane somewhere in the room. Kiro and Nadia maintaining whatever dangerous conversation they had begun. Shammy increasingly unlikely to go home with the rest of them. Brenda beside her. Iris smiled. “Thank you.” Kiro stopped. That caught her harder than any insult. “What?” “You heard me.” Kiro stared. Then smiled. “You’re welcome.” Reyes looked toward Ace. Ace looked toward Reyes. Both nodded solemnly. Kiro caught them. “What?” Reyes lifted her beer. “Character development.” Kiro threw a napkin at her. --- Brenda eventually rested her head against Iris’s shoulder. Iris put one arm around her. No officer posture. No schedule. No reason to move. The music continued. Afterlife continued being something it usually was not. Iris looked toward the dance floor. Then the bar. Then her friends. Her bag remained untouched. For the first time in longer than she wanted to admit, she did not know exactly what time it was. The ship did not need her. Her crew did not need her. Captain Rourke did not need her. Nobody was waiting for an order. Nothing required coordination. Nothing required a decision. Brenda’s hand found hers. Iris intertwined their fingers. Twenty-two. Not Lieutenant. Not tonight. Just Iris. And absolutely nothing useful was happening. She smiled. Perfect. --- ## Chapter Seventeen — Brenda Stops Performing Brenda’s turn came almost by accident. Which was appropriate. Kiro had been distracted by Nadia. Reyes was still running on the quiet internal satisfaction of having finally given Dara an answer. Ace had reached the stage of post-hotel recovery where food, water and leaning against Mai had restored approximately sixty percent of her ability to threaten people. Shammy had gone back to Grant again. Marco and Lena were talking quietly. Iris had not checked her agent. That last part remained remarkable enough that Brenda kept noticing. The bag sat beside Iris’s chair. Closed. Untouched. Lieutenant Rourke had not looked at it in— Brenda did not know how long. Because Brenda had also stopped checking the time. That realization made her smile. Then Kiro turned. “Brenda.” Brenda looked suspicious. “No.” Kiro stared. “Why does everyone do that?” “Pattern recognition.” “I haven’t said anything.” “You said my name.” “That’s usually how conversations work.” “Not with you.” Ace raised her water. “Evidence-based.” Kiro looked around. “You’ve all become impossible.” Reyes smiled. “Leadership.” Kiro pointed at Brenda. “Truth or dare?” Brenda looked at Iris. Iris looked back. No warning. No guidance. No tiny officer eyebrow suggesting the structurally safer option. Just: Your choice. Brenda smiled. “Truth.” Kiro groaned. “Oh, come on.” “You’re the reason everyone learned caution.” “I hate success.” Mai took a drink. “Apparently.” Kiro looked at Brenda. Thought. Then smiled. Not the dangerous smile. Something smaller. “What do you want right now?” Brenda blinked. The table quieted. Not because the question sounded dangerous. Because it was so simple. Brenda immediately reached for comedy. “What do I want right now?” “Yes.” “Specificity would help. Food? Engineering? Geopolitics? There are categories.” Kiro shook her head. “No categories.” Brenda smiled. “Bad system.” “Answer.” “I would like Rogue to explain the beer.” Rogue did not look over. Kiro stared. “Real answer.” “That was real.” “Not the first thing that came into your head.” Brenda opened her mouth. Stopped. Iris let the silence stand. Usually Brenda could rely on Iris to wait through the jokes. One. Two. Maybe three. Until Brenda finally reached whatever she had been avoiding. Tonight Iris did not even need the eyebrow. Brenda knew. She looked down at her glass. “What do I want right now?” Kiro nodded. Brenda thought. Then looked at Iris. And immediately knew. “Oh.” Ace’s expression softened. Reyes saw it. So did Mai. Brenda sighed. “Fuck.” Iris smiled. “What?” Brenda looked at her. “You.” Several people at the table became extraordinarily interested in not reacting. Kiro pressed her lips together. Reyes looked down. Ace drank water. Marco studied a fry. Lena smiled at nothing. Iris’ eyebrows rose. “Me?” Brenda immediately started retreating into language. “Not in the broadly existential relationship sense. Obviously you, generally, but specifically I mean—” Iris waited. Brenda stopped. There. Again. No room to hide inside the machinery. She exhaled. “I want you.” Iris’ expression warmed. Brenda continued before courage could become a production. “And I don’t want eight people staring at me while I say it.” Ace looked away. Reyes too. Kiro covered her eyes with both hands. Marco turned his chair slightly. Lena followed. Mai stared at the opposite wall. Iris laughed. Brenda looked around. “No, now you’re making it weird.” Ace, still looking away: “We’re respecting privacy.” “At the same table?” “Best available infrastructure.” Brenda laughed. Damn it. Iris held out her hand. “Come on.” Brenda looked at it. “Where?” Iris smiled. “Somewhere with fewer idiots.” Reyes called: “We heard that.” Iris did not look at her. “That was intentional.” Brenda took her hand. --- They did not go to the hotel. That never crossed Brenda’s mind. They did not go to the dance floor either. Too public. Too much energy. Too easy for Brenda to turn it into something everyone could watch. Instead Iris found one of the side booths farther around the room. Not hidden. Private enough. Afterlife had several spaces like that. Places where people could talk without actually leaving the building. Brenda slid in first. Iris sat beside her. Same side. Brenda noticed. Smiled. “Hi.” Iris looked at her. “Hi.” For several seconds neither did anything else. Brenda became acutely aware of how rare that was. Silence usually demanded repair. A joke. A story. A technical observation. Something. Anything. Attention had to keep moving or it might disappear. That was old instinct. Old Brenda. TAB instinct. If the room stopped reacting, produce a larger signal. Iris sat beside her. Close. Warm shoulder touching hers. Still there. Brenda looked down at their hands. “I’m bad at this.” “At what?” Brenda gestured vaguely. “This.” Iris looked around the booth. “Sitting?” Brenda smiled. “Fuck you.” Iris’ mouth curved. “That can be discussed later.” Brenda stared. Then slapped both hands over her face. “Oh my God.” Iris laughed. Brenda lowered them. “You’ve been spending too much time with Reyes.” “Possibly.” “That’s dangerous.” “Apparently.” Brenda leaned into her. The joke had helped. But it had not replaced the truth. Good. Iris touched Brenda’s knee. “What did you mean?” Brenda knew exactly which part. She looked at Iris. “I just wanted you.” “I’m here.” “I know.” “That’s not usually a problem.” Brenda smiled. Then it faded. “Sometimes I forget.” Iris did not ask what she meant. Brenda continued. “If people are looking, I know what to do.” Iris listened. “I can make them laugh.” “Yes.” “I can make them watch.” “Yes.” “I can make almost anything into a bit.” “Yes.” Brenda looked down. “And then everybody knows Brenda Boom is still interesting.” There. The ugly little truth. Not dramatic. Not new. Still annoying to say. Iris moved closer. “You are.” Brenda smiled reflexively. “Objectively, yes.” “Brenda.” The smile collapsed. Iris touched her face. “You are interesting when you’re sitting quietly.” “That sounds medically unlikely.” Iris waited. Brenda sighed. “There it is.” “What?” “The eyebrow without the eyebrow.” “I’m talented.” “Terrifying.” Iris smiled. Brenda looked at her. Then said it badly. Exactly as she usually did. “I like that you stay when I’m boring.” Iris’ eyes softened. “You’re rarely boring.” “Not helping.” “I know.” Brenda breathed out. “I like that I don’t have to keep the signal alive with you.” Better. Iris’ thumb moved slowly along Brenda’s cheek. “You don’t.” “I know.” “Do you?” Brenda considered. Then nodded. “More than I used to.” Iris leaned in. Kissed her. Soft. No one to react. No table detonating. No audience. No one watching. No city pressing in. Brenda closed her eyes. And kissed her back. --- At the table, Ace lasted perhaps thirty seconds before looking. Mai caught her. Ace froze. Mai raised one eyebrow. Ace whispered: “I’m checking whether they’re okay.” Mai looked toward the booth. Brenda and Iris were sitting close. Talking. Fine. Mai looked back. “They’re okay.” Ace nodded. “Good.” Reyes leaned closer. “What?” “Nothing.” “Booth?” Ace glared. Reyes smiled. “I have face analysis.” Kiro turned. Mai caught her shoulder. “No turret.” Kiro groaned. “I hate that rule.” “You created the need.” “Still oppressive.” Marco looked toward the booth once. Then at Lena. “Leave them?” Lena nodded. “Yes.” Simple. Everyone did. For once. --- Brenda kissed Iris again. This time she started it. No dare. No joke. No applause waiting afterward. She put one hand behind Iris’s neck and moved closer. Iris answered immediately. The kiss deepened. Warmth first. Then intention. Brenda felt the familiar impulse to laugh when something became intense enough to expose her. She did not. That was harder than the kissing. Iris’ hand settled at her waist. Brenda moved closer again. The booth was narrow enough that there was not much room left between them anyway. Good. She liked that. Iris drew back slightly. Brenda followed before realizing she had. Iris smiled. “What?” “Nothing.” “That is illegal tonight.” Brenda stared. Then laughed. “Goddammit.” Iris kissed her again. Brenda’s fingers found the collar of Iris’s shirt. Not pulling. Holding. Grounding. Iris’ hand moved slowly along her back. Brenda relaxed against her. No one needed Brenda Boom Presents. No one needed TAB. No one needed a show. Just Iris. Brenda liked being wanted without having to make herself impossible first. That remained frightening. Tonight it was also very good. --- A group passed near the booth. One man glanced in. Then stopped. Recognition. Brenda saw it instantly. His eyes widened. “Holy shit. You’re—” There it was. The switch. Automatic. Brenda straightened. Smile arriving. Public brightness. “Depends entirely on whether this conversation ends with—” She stopped. Iris had not moved. Had not interrupted. Had not looked annoyed. She watched Brenda. The man waited. Brenda felt the old engine trying to start. Give him something. Make recognition useful. Turn it into energy. She looked at Iris. Then back at the merc. “Yes.” He smiled. “TAB.” Brenda’s smile became smaller. “No.” The merc blinked. Brenda surprised herself. “Brenda.” A beat. “Just Brenda tonight.” The man stared. Then nodded. “Okay.” No offense. No disappointment. Just adjustment. “Brenda.” She smiled. Better. He pointed toward the main room. “Your pressure-regulator patch saved our water loop six months ago.” That changed everything. Brenda lit up. “For real?” “Yeah.” “What model?” The merc named it. Brenda immediately started asking questions. Iris laughed. Brenda turned. “What?” “Nothing.” “You’re doing the face.” “No.” The merc smiled. “I can come back later.” Brenda looked at him. Then Iris. Then back. “Actually?” The man waited. Brenda smiled. “Tell me next time. I really want to know whether the bypass held under cycling.” “Sure.” “Seriously.” “I believe you.” “Good.” He left. Brenda watched him go. Then looked at Iris. “I just deferred engineering.” “Yes.” “Oh my God.” Iris looked solemn. “Should I call someone?” “This may be terminal.” Iris kissed her forehead. “I’m proud of you.” Brenda’s joking stopped. There. Those words still hit somewhere embarrassingly direct. “For not talking about valves?” “For choosing what you wanted.” Brenda looked at her. Then smiled. Quietly. “Yeah.” --- Back at the table, Nadia had returned to Kiro. Sloane had returned to Mai. Dara sat beside Reyes again. Shammy and Grant remained somewhere beyond them. The room had effectively become several simultaneous evenings sharing one table as a home base. Ace noticed that. She smiled. This was what Kiro had actually done. Not created a game. Made yes, no, later and not tonight all feel ordinary. People kept leaving the table. Coming back. Finding someone. Finding themselves. Finding an expensive drink. Finding three older gentlemen. Ace looked down at her water. Reyes saw. “What?” Ace smiled. “Nothing.” Reyes looked suspicious. “Emotional nothing?” “Maybe.” Reyes stared. Ace grinned. “Got you.” “Fuck you.” “Not tonight.” Reyes laughed. --- Brenda and Iris stayed away longer than Brenda intended. That was also new. Usually she measured absence by what she might be missing. Now she forgot. They talked. Not about Aureate II. Not about TAB. Not about Safehouse rules. Not about dangerous projects. Not even about the ridiculous night unfolding outside the booth for most of it. Small things. A restaurant Iris wanted to try. A jacket Brenda had nearly bought and then decided was too expensive. The fact Brenda had stolen one of Iris’s socks during the last overnight and had not returned it. “That was you?” Brenda looked offended. “You thought the ship ate it?” “I thought laundry lost it.” “Your first instinct was industrial failure.” “Apparently I know you too well.” Brenda laughed. “I sleep in it sometimes.” Iris stared. “My sock.” “Yes.” “Why?” Brenda’s smile faded slightly. “Smells like you.” Iris said nothing. Brenda immediately panicked. “Not in a weird—” Iris kissed her. That solved the sentence. Brenda melted. Entirely. When Iris finally drew back, Brenda blinked. “Oh.” Iris smiled. “Keep the sock.” Brenda stared. “Romance.” “Apparently.” “I might frame it.” “Then I take it back.” “No.” Iris laughed. Brenda moved closer again. Their foreheads touched. “I miss you when you’re aboard.” Iris’ eyes softened. There. No joke after it. Brenda waited for the instinct. It came. She ignored it. Iris kissed her gently. “I miss you too.” Brenda breathed. Easy. That was all. No audience. No explosion. Still real. --- Eventually Brenda looked toward the room. “Think they’re wondering?” Iris smiled. “They are absolutely wondering.” “Should we give them something?” There. Performance instinct again. Not evil. Not forbidden. Just familiar. Iris looked at her. Brenda heard herself. Then laughed. “No.” “No?” “No.” She settled back against Iris. “Let them wonder.” Iris kissed the top of her head. “Good.” Brenda smiled. That word again. --- When they finally returned, the table tried. To its credit. It tried. Nobody said anything when Brenda and Iris approached. Ace looked at her water. Reyes looked at Dara. Kiro became intensely interested in Nadia’s sleeve. Mai looked serenely forward. Marco and Lena were talking and therefore innocent. Shammy’s chair was empty again. Brenda stopped beside the table. Looked at all of them. “You are terrible actors.” Ace looked up. “We’re respecting privacy.” “Again?” “Yes.” Reyes nodded. “Growth.” Brenda sat. Iris beside her. Kiro lasted three seconds. “Well?” Mai caught her wrist. Kiro stared. “What?” Mai shook her head. Kiro sighed. “Fine.” Brenda smiled. Then something remarkable happened. She did not tell them. No description. No exaggerated version. No joke about what had happened in the booth. Nothing. Reyes noticed. Ace noticed. Mai noticed. Iris definitely noticed. Brenda picked up her drink. Took a sip. Ace leaned slightly closer. “Good?” Brenda looked at her. That was all Ace asked. No details. Brenda smiled. “Very.” Ace nodded. “Good.” And left it. Brenda looked down at her drink. Then at Iris. Iris squeezed her knee beneath the table. The feeling in Brenda’s chest was strange. Not absence. Not invisibility. The opposite. Everyone knew something had mattered. Nobody required her to turn it into content. That might have been the most intimate thing that happened all night. --- Then Reyes ruined everything. Naturally. She leaned toward Brenda. “Just for the record.” Brenda looked suspicious. “What?” Reyes smiled. “You came back walking normally.” Ace made an outraged sound. Kiro dropped her face into both hands. Mai laughed. Iris stared at Reyes. Brenda’s mouth fell open. Reyes raised her beer. “Comparative observation.” Ace pointed. “You bitch.” Reyes smiled. “Evidence-based.” Brenda looked at Ace. Then remembered. Ace’s exceptionally careful chair technique. The hotel. Three gentlemen. Reyes’ personal confirmation. Brenda’s face transformed. “Oh.” Ace pointed at her immediately. “No.” Brenda tried. Failed. She folded over the table laughing. Iris caught her. Ace looked betrayed. “You had a whole emotional breakthrough and this is what you do with it?” Brenda surfaced. Tears in her eyes. “I can contain multitudes.” Reyes slapped the table. “YES.” Mai covered her face. Kiro shouted: “FILTHY SYSTEMS.” Reyes lifted her beer toward Brenda. “See? Emotional growth. Immediately weaponized.” Brenda wiped at her eyes. “Efficiently.” --- The laughter faded. Brenda remained close to Iris. Different now. Not dramatically. No transformation. Still Brenda. Fast. Bright. Dangerously curious. Still capable of turning an innocent engineering question into a forty-minute technical ambush. Still likely to create disasters with Kiro if left unsupervised after midnight. But for one small part of the evening, Brenda had wanted something that nobody else could validate. And she had taken it. Not stolen attention. Not created spectacle. Not proved herself interesting. Just chosen Iris. Chosen quiet. Chosen to be Brenda when someone called her TAB. Chosen to leave a good engineering conversation unfinished because she wanted to go back to the woman beside her. Nobody applauded. Nobody needed to. Brenda leaned against Iris. Iris kissed her hair. Brenda smiled. Then whispered: “This still counts as completing Truth, right?” Iris sighed. “There she is.” Brenda grinned. “Technically—” Iris kissed her. Brenda stopped talking. Across the table, Ace slowly raised her water toward Iris. Respect. Iris returned the gesture. Reyes looked between them. “Holy shit.” Kiro leaned closer. “What?” Reyes smiled. “Someone found Brenda’s off switch.” Brenda separated from Iris just enough to point. “Temporary.” Iris kissed her again. Brenda’s finger lowered. Reyes nodded solemnly. “Repeatable.” And Brenda laughed with them. Not because she needed the room to keep looking. Because she knew they would still be there when it stopped. --- ## Chapter Eighteen — Marco and Lena Marco had made a tactical mistake. He had looked comfortable. At this table, that was practically an invitation. Kiro noticed first. Naturally. She had just finished whatever quiet exchange Nadia had dropped into her ear, recovered enough to drink water voluntarily, and was now scanning the table for fresh structural weaknesses. Her eyes found Marco. Marco saw it happen. “No.” Kiro smiled. “You haven’t heard anything.” “I know that smile.” Ace, still leaning carefully against Mai, raised one finger. “Face analysis.” Marco looked at her. “I blame you.” “Fair.” Lena smiled beside him. Marco turned. “You’re supposed to support me.” “I do.” “That sounded ominous.” “It was.” Kiro pointed at Marco. “Truth or dare?” Marco looked around. Reyes was with Dara again. Brenda had returned from her booth with Iris looking distinctly softer and distinctly unwilling to explain anything. Shammy’s chair was empty once more. Mai looked amused. Ace looked dangerous despite clearly still negotiating with several muscle groups. Lena looked delighted. No allies. “Truth.” Kiro groaned. “Boring.” “Alive.” “Fine.” She thought. Then: “What’s the one thing Lena can do that immediately makes you lose an argument?” Lena turned toward Marco. Slowly. Marco stared at Kiro. “That question is rigged.” “Yes.” “It assumes I lose arguments.” Lena laughed. Marco looked at her. “You’re not helping.” “You haven’t answered.” Reyes called from several seats away: “ANSWER THE QUESTION.” Marco looked toward her. “You’re busy.” “Multitasking.” Dara smiled into her drink. Marco sighed. Then looked at Lena. She raised an eyebrow. There. He pointed. “That.” The table stopped. Lena blinked. “What?” “That eyebrow.” Ace laughed. Mai looked at Lena. Lena raised it again. Marco pointed harder. “Exactly.” Kiro slapped the table. Brenda looked delighted. Iris smiled. Lena stared at Marco. “My eyebrow.” “Yes.” “That makes you lose arguments.” “No.” Marco reconsidered. “It makes me realize the argument has reached the phase where continuing it will lower my quality of life.” Ace folded forward carefully, laughing. Reyes raised her beer. “Professional survival instinct.” Lena crossed her arms. “Interesting.” Marco looked at Kiro. “See?” Kiro grinned. “That’s not losing?” “No.” Lena said: “Yes.” Marco closed his eyes. Ace and Reyes broke first; Kiro followed half a beat later. --- Lena waited for the laughter to fade. Then turned toward Kiro. “My turn.” Kiro’s grin disappeared. “What?” “You asked him.” “That doesn’t automatically—” Mai said quietly: “Reciprocity.” Kiro stared at her. “You are becoming a problem.” Mai smiled. Lena leaned forward. “Kiro.” “No.” “Truth or dare?” Kiro looked betrayed. “This is my game.” “Exactly.” Reyes slapped the table. “Hostile takeover.” Kiro looked at Lena. Then at Marco. Then back. “Dare.” Marco’s eyes widened. “Oh, that was stupid.” Kiro pointed. “Quiet.” Lena smiled. Not sweetly. Ace noticed. “Oh.” Marco saw Ace’s face. “What?” Ace shook her head. “Nothing.” “That’s worse.” Lena thought for perhaps three seconds. Then: “Sit in Marco’s chair.” Kiro blinked. “What?” Marco blinked too. Lena continued: “And Marco sits in yours.” Silence. Kiro narrowed her eyes. “That’s the dare?” “Yes.” “This is terrible.” “Do it.” Kiro looked suspiciously around the table. Then stood. Marco stood too. They changed seats. Kiro settled beside Lena. Marco found himself beside Mai. Lena nodded. “Good.” Kiro stared. “Now what?” “Nothing.” “You said dare.” “You completed it.” Kiro looked betrayed. Marco smiled. Ace saw. “Oh, she got you.” Kiro looked around. “How?” Lena picked up her wine. “You spend the entire night changing everyone else’s position.” Kiro waited. Lena smiled. “I wanted to see what happened if somebody moved yours.” The table erupted. Kiro stared at Lena. Then began laughing too. “Okay.” She raised her water. “That was good.” Lena clinked wine against it. “Thank you.” Marco leaned toward Mai. “Can I stay here?” Mai looked at him. “No.” “Worth asking.” --- The seat change lasted longer than expected. Mostly because it became useful. Marco found himself between Mai and Brenda. Kiro ended up beside Lena with Reyes diagonally opposite. Within two minutes all previous conversational geometry collapsed. Exactly Lena’s point. Kiro and Lena started talking. Really talking. Not Lena answering a question. Not Kiro throwing chaos at her. Lena asking things back. Marco watched. Smiled. Ace saw. “You like that.” Marco looked at her. “What?” “Lena stealing Kiro.” Kiro heard. “You cannot own people.” Ace nodded. “Correct.” Marco looked at Lena. “No.” He smiled. “I like seeing her have fun.” Simple. Lena heard. Her expression softened. Then she immediately ruined it. “Keep talking like that and I’ll let you keep your side of the bed tonight.” Marco stared. Reyes slapped the table. Ace made an impressed sound. Brenda nearly choked. Marco looked at Lena. “You said _my_ side.” Lena smiled. “Did I?” “Yes.” “You sure?” Marco stopped. Kiro stared between them. “Oh, this is old combat.” Marco pointed at Lena. “She steals blankets.” Lena looked offended. “I redistribute resources.” “From me.” “According to need.” “You are five centimeters from the thermostat.” “Strategic positioning.” Marco looked around the table. “Do you see what I live with?” Ace raised her water. “101 percent.” Marco nodded. “Minimum.” Lena smiled. “Correct answer.” --- Reyes returned fully to the table just in time to make things worse. Dara remained nearby, talking to one of her friends. Reyes sat. Looked at the rearranged seating. “What happened?” Lena answered: “Urban planning.” Kiro pointed. “She displaced me.” Reyes looked at Lena. Then Kiro. “Good.” Kiro stared. “You’re supposed to support chaos.” “I support competent chaos.” Lena raised her wine. Reyes clinked her beer against it. Marco looked at Ace. “I’ve lost control.” Ace smiled. “You never had it.” “Good point.” --- Then Lena turned to Marco. “Truth or dare?” Marco stared. “We already did me.” “No. Kiro did you.” “That sentence sounded terrible.” Reyes leaned forward. “Continue.” Marco pointed at her. “No.” Lena smiled. “Truth or dare?” Marco considered. Then: “Dare.” Lena’s eyebrows rose. The entire table reacted. Ace: “Oh.” Kiro: “YES.” Reyes: “Finally.” Brenda: “This feels unsafe.” Iris: “It probably is.” Marco looked around. “I regret all of you.” Lena thought. Longer this time. Marco watched her. That was a mistake. The smile appeared. He knew it. “No.” Lena laughed. “You chose dare.” “What is it?” She leaned closer. “Make me blush.” Silence. Marco blinked. Kiro’s mouth fell open. Reyes slapped both hands onto the table. Ace straightened too fast. Her body objected. She winced. Mai caught her. “Careful.” Ace stared at Lena. “You gave him _that_?” Lena smiled. “He knows me.” Marco looked at Lena. Then at the table. “No.” Lena raised an eyebrow. There it was. Marco sighed. “Fine.” He moved his chair back beside her. Kiro immediately surrendered the seat. No argument. “This requires optimal geometry.” Marco sat. Lena looked at him. Waiting. Marco rested one arm along the back of her chair. Nothing. Lena smiled. “You need a plan?” “No.” “Concerned?” “No.” “Losing?” Marco leaned close. Said something into her ear. Quietly. Nobody else heard. Lena froze. Completely. Her eyes widened. Then her face— red. Immediate. Beautiful. Reyes screamed. Kiro hit the table. Brenda vanished against Iris. Ace pointed at Marco. “WHAT DID YOU SAY?” Marco sat back. Calm. Lena stared at him. Marco smiled. “Dare completed.” Lena’s cheeks were still burning. Reyes leaned over the table. “NO. DISCLOSURE.” Marco shook his head. “Private.” Kiro looked betrayed. “This is Truth or Dare.” “Dare completed.” Ace looked at Lena. “Tell us.” Lena stared. “No.” That made it worse. Brenda surfaced. “Oh my God.” Iris laughed. Reyes pointed between Marco and Lena. “You two have been sitting there acting normal for six fucking hours.” Marco nodded. “Yes.” Lena finally recovered enough to speak. “Operational camouflage.” Ace slapped the table. “LIARS.” Marco looked offended. “We never claimed innocence.” Reyes put one hand over her heart. “I feel betrayed.” Dara returned beside her. “What happened?” Reyes pointed. “Those two are secretly filthy.” Dara looked at Marco and Lena. Then at Reyes. “Secretly?” Reyes stopped. Dara smiled. Ace collapsed laughing. --- Lena leaned toward Marco. “You cheated.” “How?” “You used prior knowledge.” Marco stared. “That’s literally the point.” “Unfair advantage.” “Years of—” He stopped. Everyone looked. Marco caught himself. Lena’s eyebrows rose. Ace leaned forward. “How many?” Marco pointed. “No.” Kiro grinned. Reyes whispered: “Ammunition.” Lena saved him. “Long enough.” Marco looked at her. “Thank you.” “Temporary.” He smiled. There it was again. The ease. Not bland. Not background. Two people who knew where every social pressure point lived and had chosen not to press most of them. Tonight they could tease harder because neither of them had anything to defend from the other. Because the table would laugh and then stop. Because none of it threatened anything. Reyes looked between them. “Okay.” Marco looked suspicious. “What?” “I officially withdraw every accusation that you two are boring.” Lena smiled. “Accepted.” Marco nodded. “Documented.” Kiro pointed. “Good systems.” Mai looked at her. Kiro stopped. “Oh, fuck.” The table erupted again. --- A stranger approached Lena later. A woman. Maybe mid-thirties. Short blonde hair. Black tank under an old armored vest. She stopped beside Lena. “Sorry.” Lena looked up. “Yes?” The woman smiled. “I overheard the dare.” Marco looked away. The stranger continued: “Whatever he said worked.” Lena laughed. “Yes.” “He available for consulting?” Marco looked back. “No.” Lena’s eyebrows rose. Marco froze. The woman laughed. Lena looked at Marco. “Possessive?” Marco shook his head. “Professional boundaries.” Ace pointed. “Diplomat.” Marco sighed. The stranger smiled at Lena. “I’m Tessa.” “Lena.” “I know.” “Apparently dangerous opening tonight.” Tessa glanced toward Reyes. “I’ve been listening.” Reyes raised her beer. “Education.” Tessa looked back at Lena. “Anyway. You looked like you were having fun.” “I am.” “Good.” No agenda. No forced flirt. Just someone seeing her. Tessa nodded toward the floor. “Dance?” Lena paused. Marco did not. He looked at her. Smile. Go. Lena saw. She smiled. Then stood. “One song.” Tessa held out one hand. “One song.” Lena took it. They walked toward the floor. Marco watched them. Kiro watched Marco. Ace watched Kiro watching Marco. This was getting recursive. Kiro finally said: “You okay?” Marco looked at her. “Yes.” No hesitation. “She’s dancing.” “I can see that.” “You don’t—” Marco smiled. “Kiro.” She stopped. Marco nodded toward Lena. “She chose.” Kiro’s expression softened. “Yeah.” “Then good.” Ace leaned toward Mai. “101.” Mai smiled. “Percent.” --- Lena danced with Tessa. Good enough. Different from Reyes. Different from Marco. Not loaded with obligation. One song. Exactly as promised. Marco did not stare possessively. He watched because Lena was smiling. When Tessa spun her badly and both women laughed, Marco laughed too. When Lena corrected the next attempt, he raised his glass. Lena saw. Blew him a kiss. Marco caught it theatrically. Pressed it to his chest. Reyes gagged. Brenda threw a napkin at her. “Let them be cute.” Reyes pointed toward Ace. “After what she did tonight?” Ace looked offended. “What does my hotel have to do with romance?” Kiro immediately: “Three gentlemen.” Ace pointed. “Not you.” Mai laughed. --- Lena returned alone. Tessa stayed on the floor. No hook. No promise. Just a good dance. Marco shifted his chair enough to make room. Lena sat. He handed her water. She took it. “Thanks.” “Good?” “Very.” Marco smiled. “Good.” Reyes stared. “What?” Marco looked at her. “What?” “You people keep doing that.” “Doing what?” “Being normal after interesting things.” Lena smiled. “That is normal.” Reyes looked around. Dara. Nadia. Sloane. Grant. Ace’s catastrophic hotel experiment. Then back at Marco and Lena. “Your definition of normal is fucked.” Marco raised his beer. “Night City.” Fair. --- Kiro eventually reclaimed her original chair. But not before Lena stopped her. “Kiro.” Kiro looked suspicious. “Yes?” Lena held out her hand. Kiro took it automatically. Lena squeezed once. “Good idea.” Kiro blinked. The words landed harder than expected. “My really fucking bad idea?” “Yes.” Lena looked around. The floor. The table. Everyone moving in and out of each other’s evening without ever losing the center. “No job.” “No mission.” “No reason.” Kiro smiled. “Exactly.” Lena released her hand. “Good idea.” Kiro looked briefly embarrassed. Which was rare enough that Ace immediately noticed. Ace smiled. Kiro pointed. “Don’t.” Ace raised both hands. “I was going to say nothing.” “Bullshit.” “Complete.” --- Later, Marco caught Lena watching him. “What?” She smiled. “Nothing.” “Illegal.” Lena leaned closer. “Want to know what I was thinking?” Marco considered the state of the table. Reyes within hearing range. Kiro alert. Ace malicious. Brenda dangerous. Mai observant. Iris fully off duty. “Absolutely not.” Lena laughed. “Correct.” “Yes.” She leaned close anyway. Whispered something. Marco froze. His eyes widened. Then his ears turned red. Lena sat back. Perfectly serene. Reyes saw. “Oh, FUCK OFF.” Lena took a drink. Marco stared at her. “You planned that.” “Yes.” “You said the dare was over.” “It was.” “This was revenge.” “Correct.” Ace slapped the table. “101 PERCENT.” Marco covered his face. Lena smiled. Reyes pointed at her. “You.” Lena looked over. “Yes?” “Where have you been all night?” Lena took another drink. “Right here.” And that, Reyes realized, was exactly the problem. They had all mistaken calm for absence. Lena had never been background. Marco had never been furniture. They had not needed to be loud to occupy their place in the room. Tonight, finally, the table had given them enough ammunition to prove it. Marco lowered his hands. Looked at Lena. Still red. Still smiling. “I love you.” Lena’s expression softened immediately. “I know.” Then: “Still not getting your side of the bed.” Marco sighed. The table detonated one more time. --- ## Chapter Nineteen — Mai Is Not Getting Away With This Mai had made one mistake. She had remained too composed. That was always dangerous around people who loved her. Especially after midnight. Especially in Afterlife. Especially after Kiro had spent half the evening destabilizing the social structure of the room and Reyes had begun treating visible composure as a personal challenge. Mai sat with Ace still leaned carefully against her side. One arm rested behind Ace. Her drink sat untouched for the moment. Kiro was talking to Nadia again. Reyes had Dara. Brenda and Iris had returned from their quieter booth softer than before and absolutely unwilling to explain why. Marco and Lena had just demonstrated that calm couples were capable of social warfare too. Shammy remained somewhere with Grant. And Sloane— Mai glanced toward the bar. Still there. Sloane saw. Smiled. Mai looked away. Ace felt the movement beside her. Very slightly. Ace noticed and wisely kept her mouth shut. Mai did not look down. “No.” Ace’s smile widened. “I didn’t even open my mouth.” “You inhaled differently.” Reyes heard. Her head turned. “Oh?” Mai closed her eyes. Kiro stopped talking to Nadia. Brenda looked up. Ace lifted both hands. “I did nothing.” Reyes followed Mai’s previous line of sight. Found Sloane. Then turned back. “There.” Mai looked at her. “What?” “You looked.” “Yes.” Reyes stared. That had been too easy. “You admit it?” “Yes.” Kiro leaned toward Mai. “How many times?” Mai looked at her. “Do you keep statistics on everything?” Kiro pointed toward Ace. “She does.” Ace looked offended. “I keep useful statistics.” Reyes looked down at Ace’s posture. “Apparently.” Ace pointed at her without moving. “Die.” Mai covered her mouth. Too late. Reyes saw. “Oh, she laughed.” Mai looked away. Ace leaned more comfortably into her. “Careful.” “Why?” “They smell weakness.” Reyes raised her beer. “We absolutely do.” --- Sloane approached without being summoned. She did not hurry. That suited Mai. The woman stopped beside the table. Looked at Mai. Then Ace. Ace greeted her with exaggerated innocence. “Hi.” Sloane smiled back. “Hi.” Mai looked between them. Ace immediately said: “I’m leaving.” She did not stand. Mai looked at her. Ace looked down at her own legs. “Metaphorically.” Reyes collapsed. Sloane laughed. Mai stared at Ace. “You are impossible.” Ace accepted the diagnosis. “Yes.” Sloane rested one hand lightly against the back of an empty chair. “Still later?” Mai looked up. “Yes.” Kiro made a tiny noise. Mai turned. Kiro had both hands over her mouth. Reyes pointed at Kiro. “She made punctuation.” Kiro nodded. Mai looked back at Sloane. “Sit.” Sloane did. Not beside Mai. Across from her. Again, no crowding. No assumption. Ace noticed that immediately. So did Mai. Sloane looked at the drink in front of Mai. “You barely touched that.” Mai looked down. “I have been distracted.” Ace whispered: “By?” Mai put one hand over Ace’s face. Ace laughed against her palm. Sloane smiled. “I think I know.” Mai removed her hand. Ace looked delighted. Reyes looked ready to explode. Kiro had abandoned Nadia long enough to watch openly. Mai looked around the table. “Do none of you have lives?” Marco raised one hand. “Yes.” Lena raised hers. “Currently enjoying yours.” Marco nodded. “Also true.” --- Sloane looked toward the dance floor. “Another dance?” Mai followed her gaze. Then looked at Kiro. Kiro saw. No tension. No question. Just recognition. Kiro gave Mai the smallest approving nod. “Go.” Mai’s expression softened. Sloane noticed. Mai stood. Ace looked at her. “Don’t break anything.” Mai stared. Ace pointed toward herself. “Perspective.” Reyes slapped the table. Mai leaned down. Kissed Ace’s forehead. Then whispered something only Ace heard. Ace’s eyes widened. Mai straightened. Walked away with Sloane. Reyes stared at Ace. “What did she say?” Ace smiled slowly. “Private.” Reyes looked betrayed. “You hypocrite.” Ace settled back into the chair. “Growth.” --- Mai and Sloane did not enter the center of the floor. Not immediately. They started near the edge. The music had changed again. Less aggressive than earlier. Still heavy. Still Afterlife. Sloane moved first. Competent. Very. Not Kiro. Different. Smooth. Controlled. Mai noticed almost immediately. Sloane noticed Mai noticing. “Problem?” “No.” “Good.” Mai’s mouth curved. “There is that word again.” “Everybody keeps stealing it.” “Apparently.” They moved. Sloane was not trying to prove she could match Mai. That made the dance better. She had her own rhythm. Longer movements. Less improvisational than Kiro. More deliberate. Mai adapted. Sloane did too. They found something between them. Not explosive. Not competitive. Something warmer. Mai let the structure soften. Sloane stepped closer. Mai allowed it. One hand met. Released. Then again. Mai looked at her. Sloane smiled. “You were watching me earlier.” “Yes.” “Why?” Mai considered. Then answered honestly. “You looked comfortable.” Sloane’s eyebrows rose. “That’s it?” “No.” Mai’s gaze moved over her. Then back. Sloane laughed. “Better.” Mai’s mouth curved. --- At the table, Kiro watched. Ace watched Kiro. Reyes watched both. This was rapidly becoming stupid. Kiro noticed. “What?” Ace tipped her head toward the obvious. “You’re watching Mai.” “Yes.” “Jealous?” Kiro stared. Then laughed. “No.” Ace nodded. “Good.” Kiro looked back toward the floor. “She likes Sloane.” “Yes.” “How much?” Ace considered. “Enough.” Reyes leaned in. “That is not an answer.” Ace looked at her. “You have Dara.” “So?” “You’re outsourcing curiosity.” “Yes.” Ace nodded. “Efficient.” Kiro approved instantly. “Good systems.” Mai, twenty meters away, somehow seemed to know she had been invoked. Kiro lowered her voice. “Okay. Maybe not.” --- Sloane moved closer again. This time Mai initiated the contact. Hand at Sloane’s waist. Nothing dramatic. Sloane’s hand settled lightly against Mai’s shoulder. They moved together for several beats. Then Sloane said: “You’re different out here.” Mai looked at her. “Different from?” “The table.” “How?” Sloane smiled. “Less defended.” Mai’s expression changed. Not closed. Focused. Sloane caught it. “Too much?” “No.” Mai continued moving. “Accurate.” Sloane nodded. No probing. No request for explanation. That helped. Mai looked at her again. “What about you?” “What about me?” “You approached someone you recognized.” “Yes.” “Why?” Sloane smiled. “I thought you were attractive.” Mai waited. Sloane continued: “And then I watched you dance.” “With Kiro.” “Yes.” “What changed?” Sloane’s eyes warmed. “I stopped wondering whether you were interesting.” Mai almost laughed. “Dangerous answer.” “So I hear.” They stayed close. --- The song ended. Neither stepped away. Sloane looked toward the quieter side of the room. “Drink?” Mai nodded. “Yes.” They left the floor. Not toward the main table. Toward a side section. Ace saw. Reyes saw. Kiro saw. Nobody shouted. Progress. Brenda looked toward Iris. “Are we growing up?” Iris considered. “No.” “Good.” --- Sloane ordered wine. Mai water first. Claire noticed. Said nothing. Then gave Mai something stronger. Mai looked at the glass. Claire looked back. “Water first.” Mai took the water. Claire nodded. “See? Someone listens.” From across the room Kiro shouted: “I LISTEN.” Claire did not turn. “No.” Sloane laughed. Mai closed her eyes. “Welcome.” “To?” “My evening.” Sloane smiled. “I like it.” “You haven’t seen the worst parts.” “I’ve seen Ace come back from the hotel.” Mai looked at her. Sloane raised one hand. “Everyone saw.” Fair. Mai took a drink. Sloane leaned against the bar. “Was she okay?” Mai’s expression softened. “Yes.” “Happy?” “Very.” Sloane nodded. Again. No judgment. No invasive question. Another good answer. Mai looked at her. “You notice things.” Sloane smiled. “So do you.” --- They talked. Not for five minutes. Longer. Enough for the table to resume itself without Mai. Ace did not need supervising. Obviously. Reyes and Dara disappeared briefly toward the dance floor again. Kiro and Nadia sat close. Brenda and Iris kept stealing each other’s food. Marco and Lena had returned to their quieter rhythm. Grant crossed the room at one point with two drinks. Shammy followed a minute later. The room kept branching. Mai and Sloane stayed at the bar. Sloane worked logistics. Not corpo. Independent event and secure-transport coordination. Enough operational overlap that Mai understood the mindset immediately. Planning. People. Failure points. Contingencies. But Sloane spoke about it differently. Less tactical. More social. “What breaks first?” Mai asked. “People.” “Always?” “Usually.” “Equipment is easier.” “Equipment admits when it fails.” Mai laughed. Sloane smiled. “There.” “What?” “You do that less than I expected.” “Laugh?” “Yes.” Mai raised an eyebrow. “Based on what?” “Reputation.” Mai sighed. “There it is.” Sloane shook her head. “Not the scary one.” “What other kind is there?” “The one where everyone says you’re the responsible one.” Mai stared. Sloane smiled. “I’m beginning to think that is slander.” Mai laughed again. --- At the table, Ace saw. She looked at Kiro. Kiro had seen too. Ace leaned closer. “She’s good.” Kiro did not bother hiding her approval. “Yes.” Reyes returned. “What?” Ace pointed subtly. “Sloane.” Reyes looked. Mai laughing. Sloane close. Reyes nodded. “Oh, she’s definitely good.” Kiro leaned back. “Mai doesn’t laugh that much with strangers.” Ace looked at her. “No.” Kiro let the answer settle, then nodded. “Good.” There it was again. No jealousy. No insecurity. Just genuine pleasure. Reyes looked between Ace and Kiro. “You two are disturbingly healthy about this.” Ace glanced toward Nadia. “You’re one to talk.” Reyes looked toward Dara. Dara caught her eye. Smiled. Reyes smiled back. “Fair.” --- Sloane eventually asked: “Truth or dare?” Mai stared. “No.” Sloane laughed. “Why?” “I know where that game came from.” “So do I.” “Kiro.” “Apparently.” Mai looked toward the table. Kiro was now explaining something with both hands to Nadia. Dangerous. Mai looked back. “Truth.” Sloane smiled. “Careful.” Mai raised one eyebrow. Sloane laughed. “Sorry.” “No, you aren’t.” “No.” Mai waited. Sloane thought. Then: “What do you want from me tonight?” Direct. Mai appreciated that. She looked at Sloane. Long enough that Sloane stopped smiling. Not worried. Waiting. Mai answered: “Something I have not decided yet.” Sloane’s eyes warmed. “That’s honest.” “Yes.” “Good.” Mai almost laughed. Then Sloane leaned closer. “What do you know you want?” Mai looked at her mouth. Then her eyes. “This.” She kissed her. Sloane answered without surprise, one hand settling lightly at Mai’s waist. Mai’s first instinct was still precision—measured pressure, controlled distance, exactly enough. Sloane did not challenge it. She stayed there, warm and patient, until Mai chose to close the remaining space herself. Mai’s hand came to the side of Sloane’s neck. The kiss deepened. Not hurried. Not tentative either. Sloane’s fingers tightened once at her waist, and Mai felt her own composure loosen just enough to make the decision feel physical instead of analytical. When they separated, neither moved far. --- At the table, Kiro stopped mid-sentence. Nadia followed her gaze. Mai and Sloane. Kissing. Nadia looked at Kiro. Kiro smiled. Warm. “Oh.” Ace saw. Reyes saw Ace seeing. Nobody said anything. Brenda noticed next. Then Iris. Marco and Lena eventually. The table did not detonate. Not immediately. Nobody stole the moment from Mai. The kiss deepened. Sloane’s hand came lightly to Mai’s waist. Mai moved closer. No audience in either of their minds. The bar disappeared. The room softened. When they separated, Sloane smiled. “Okay.” Mai looked at her. “Okay?” “That answers part of the question.” Mai’s mouth curved. “Part.” Sloane’s eyebrows rose. Interesting. --- They returned to the table together. Not holding hands. Not performing anything. Sloane stopped beside Mai’s chair. Ace looked at both. Then at Mai. Mai sat. Sloane remained standing. “Later?” Mai looked up. “Yes.” Reyes closed her eyes. Kiro covered her mouth. Ace looked entirely too pleased with herself. Sloane nodded. Then left. The table waited. Mai took a drink. Nobody spoke. Five seconds. Six. Mai looked around. “What?” Ace smiled. “Nothing.” Mai stared. Reyes stared at the ceiling. Kiro bit her knuckles. Brenda looked into Iris’s shoulder. Marco was suspiciously interested in food. Lena smiled. Mai looked at Ace. “You are all terrible.” Ace nodded. “Yes.” Reyes cracked first. “So.” Mai looked at her. “No.” “You don’t know what I was going to ask.” “Yes.” “Fair.” Kiro leaned forward. “How later?” Mai looked at her. “Kiro.” “What?” “Do you want the same question?” Kiro stopped. Nadia had just returned to the table behind her. Reyes started laughing. Kiro immediately picked up her water. “Excellent weather tonight.” Ace folded against Mai. “Deflection.” Mai looked down at Ace. Their expressions answered each other before either spoke. There. Warm. Easy. --- Ace eventually whispered: “You like her.” Mai looked at Sloane across the room. “Yes.” “Enough to leave?” Mai thought. “Possibly.” Ace’s eyebrows rose. “Possibly.” “Yes.” Ace pounced on the wording. “That’s basically maybe.” Mai looked at her. Ace pointed. “You’re infected.” Mai sighed. “Apparently.” Ace’s smile softened. “Good.” Mai looked at her. “You okay?” Ace stared. Then laughed quietly. “Yes.” “Really?” Ace took Mai’s hand. Placed it against her chest. “Yes.” Mai felt the heartbeat. Warm. Steady. Ace continued: “I like seeing you interested.” Mai’s expression softened. “I know.” “And Sloane’s hot.” Mai closed her eyes. Ace grinned. “There.” Mai looked down. “You ruined it.” “No.” “Almost.” Ace kissed the back of her hand. Mai’s fingers closed briefly around hers. --- Reyes waited until Ace had finished. Then: “Question.” Mai stared. Reyes raised one hand. “Actual question.” Mai waited. Reyes nodded toward Sloane. “Did she surprise you?” Mai looked over. Sloane was talking to Claire. Comfortable. Self-contained. Not waiting theatrically. “Yes.” “How?” Mai thought. Then answered. “She doesn’t need anything from me.” The table quieted. Reyes nodded. That made sense. Mai continued: “She’s interested.” A beat. “But she doesn’t need me to be interesting for her.” Ace looked up. Kiro’s expression softened. Mai saw both. “Does that make sense?” Ace nodded. “Yes.” Kiro too. “Very.” Reyes raised her beer. “Good surprise.” Mai nodded once. “Yes.” Then Ace whispered: “You’re still not escaping the banter later.” Mai looked at her. “I assumed.” Reyes grinned. “Correct.” --- Sloane returned after perhaps twenty minutes. No hurry. She stopped beside Mai. Looked at the table. Then at Mai. “I’m leaving in a while.” Mai nodded. Sloane continued: “You’re welcome to come.” No pressure. There it was. Mai looked at Ace. Ace saw the question before Mai had to shape it. Ace smiled before Mai could ask anything. “Go if you want.” Mai held her gaze. Kiro watched quietly. Reyes too. No jokes. Mai looked back at Sloane. “Where?” “My apartment.” Not hotel. Different. Mai’s eyebrows rose. Sloane smiled. “Too domestic?” “No.” “Good.” Mai thought. Then: “I’ll decide.” Sloane nodded. “Perfect.” She touched two fingers lightly against Mai’s shoulder. Then left. Kiro waited until she was out of hearing range. Then leaned across the table. “Apartment.” Mai looked at her. “Yes.” Reyes looked disappointed by the lack of immediate catastrophe. “Very civilized.” Ace leaned carefully against Mai. “Good chairs?” Mai closed her eyes. Reyes bent over her beer. “Look at her. One hotel and now she’s reviewing furniture for everybody.” Kiro slapped the table. Brenda disappeared against Iris. Marco covered his face. Lena laughed. Mai looked down at Ace. Ace was radiant. “You deserved that,” Ace said. “Why?” “Balance.” Mai stared. Then laughed. Again. Kiro pointed. “Sloane broke her.” Mai looked at Kiro. “No.” Ace raised one finger. “Helped.” Mai sighed. --- The night continued. Sloane remained in the room. Mai remained at the table. For now. No one pushed. No countdown. No decision demanded before either of them made it. That was enough. Mai looked around. Ace warm against her side. Kiro glancing toward Nadia. Reyes toward Dara. Brenda and Iris intertwined. Marco and Lena quietly dangerous. Shammy and Grant somewhere beyond them. And Sloane, across the room, not waiting— available. Reyes caught the ease in Mai’s face. “Problem?” Mai looked at her. “No.” “Good.” Mai raised her drink. “Very.” And that, more than anything, made Reyes grin. Mai was not getting away with this. Not tonight. --- ## Chapter Twenty — The Big Solo Gets His Answer Shammy knew before Grant asked. That was almost disappointing. Not because she wanted uncertainty. Because Grant had been patient enough all evening that she had begun to enjoy watching him refuse to rush anything. They had danced. Talked. Separated. Returned. Kissed. Separated again. Talked longer. He had met enough of the table to understand what sort of social disaster Shammy had attached herself to. Shammy had learned enough about him to know that the calm was not an act. And now they stood near the bar again, side by side rather than facing each other. Grant had finished his beer. Shammy had not. Neither appeared in a hurry. Across the room, Ace was leaning carefully against Mai. Still visibly paying the physical price for curiosity. Reyes had Dara. Kiro had Nadia. Mai had Sloane somewhere in the room and a decision she had not yet made. Brenda and Iris had achieved some private breakthrough neither intended to explain. Marco and Lena had spent years concealing how dangerous they were when sufficiently encouraged. Afterlife itself had surrendered hours ago. Grant looked toward the table. Then at Shammy. “You’re thinking.” “Yes.” “About?” “Several things.” He smiled. “Specific.” “You asked a broad question.” “Fair.” Shammy took a drink. Grant waited. That was part of the answer. He always waited. Not passively. Not timidly. He seemed to understand that silence did not need rescuing. Shammy liked that more every time. Finally Grant said: “I was going to ask whether you wanted to get out of here.” Shammy looked at him. “There.” “What?” “You asked.” He smiled. “And you answered.” From across the room Reyes suddenly shouted: “ABOUT FUCKING TIME.” Grant looked toward the table. Shammy laughed. “Long story.” “I’m beginning to believe all your stories are long.” “Most.” Grant looked back at her. Then became serious again. “No pressure.” “I know.” “If you want another drink, we have another drink.” “Yes.” “If you want me to fuck off, I can also do that.” Shammy smiled. “You’re not very good at sales.” “I wasn’t aware this was a sale.” “Good answer.” Grant’s mouth curved. “There it is.” --- Shammy looked toward the entrance. Beyond it: Parking lot. Delamain. Hotel. The same hotel Ace had crossed earlier with one older man and two increasingly relevant additions. Shammy smiled at the memory. Ace coming back had been— Educational. Not because Shammy needed the details. The details had been written all over her. Hair. Movement. Expression. The extremely careful negotiation with a chair. And the complete absence of regret. Shammy looked back at Grant. Different situation. Different person. Different reason. Good. She did not want Ace’s night. She wanted hers. That distinction made the answer easy. “Yes.” Grant paused. “Yeah?” Shammy smiled. “Yes.” His expression changed. Not triumph. Not relief exactly. Something warmer. “Good.” Shammy laughed softly. “You really do like that word.” “Apparently.” He reached for her hand. Stopped. Shammy placed hers into it. Grant closed his fingers. “Hotel?” “Yes.” “Across the lot?” “Yes.” Shammy looked toward him. “You planned this.” “I booked a room before I met you.” “Optimistic.” “Lazy.” She raised an eyebrow. “My apartment is forty minutes away.” “Better answer.” Grant smiled. --- Ace noticed them holding hands. Of course. She stopped whatever Reyes had been saying. Looked toward Shammy. Then Grant. Then their joined hands. Her expression changed instantly. Mai saw. Followed. “Oh.” Kiro heard. “What?” Ace looked at her. “Nothing.” Kiro stared. “That word has committed crimes tonight.” Reyes followed Ace’s gaze. Found Shammy. Then Grant. Then the entrance. Her grin appeared. “Oh.” Brenda looked. Iris looked. Marco and Lena eventually caught up. Nobody said anything. For once. Shammy saw all of them noticing. Of course. She looked at Grant. “Come with me.” “To the table?” “Yes.” “Should I be afraid?” Shammy considered. “Moderately.” Grant laughed. “Good.” --- They approached together. The table attempted dignity. It failed immediately. Ace smiled too brightly. Reyes looked down at her beer. Kiro sat unnaturally still. Brenda’s hand had somehow disappeared beneath Iris’s. Mai looked perfectly calm, which meant she was enjoying herself. Marco and Lena were the only ones who looked remotely human. Shammy stopped beside her chair. Did not sit. Ace saw that first. Her smile shifted. Ah. Grant remained beside Shammy. Not touching now. No need. Shammy picked up her jacket. Reyes looked toward Ace. Ace looked back. Kiro whispered: “Oh.” Shammy put on the jacket. Brenda’s eyes widened. Iris squeezed her hand. Mai smiled. Shammy looked around the table. Her people. Every one of them. Warm. Ridiculous. Waiting without trying to stop her. Then she said, in exactly the same tone she might have used to announce that she was going to pick up groceries: “Back in the morning. Do not wait up.” Silence. Absolute. Perfect. Grant looked at her. Then at the table. Then back. He had no idea what she had just done. Ace’s mouth opened. Nothing came out. Reyes put one hand over her face. Kiro physically folded against Mai. Brenda made a tiny sound and disappeared into Iris. Marco looked down. Lena covered her mouth. Mai’s composure broke first. She laughed. Ace turned toward her. “You’re laughing?” Mai nodded. “Yes.” Shammy smiled. Ace found language. Finally. “Morning.” “Yes.” “Not later.” “No.” “Morning.” Shammy looked at her. “Yes, Ace.” Reyes whispered: “She clarified.” Ace pointed at her. “Not helping.” Grant began to understand. His eyebrows rose. Shammy looked at him. “What?” “Nothing.” “That is apparently illegal tonight.” Reyes bent over her beer. Ace covered her eyes. Brenda made a sound into Iris’s shoulder that Iris chose not to translate. --- Kiro surfaced. Barely. “Shammy.” Shammy looked at her. “Yes?” Kiro started a question. Stopped. Thought better of it. Raised both hands. “Have fun.” Shammy smiled. “I intend to.” Ace slapped both palms over her face. Brenda collapsed again. Reyes leaned against Dara, laughing. Mai looked at Shammy. Warm. “See you in the morning.” “Yes.” No warning. No coded question. No security interrogation. They knew Grant enough. More importantly, they trusted Shammy. That was enough. Ace lowered her hands. Looked at Grant. Grant looked back. Ace pointed at him. He waited. Ace considered several possible lines. Most were filthy. All were tempting. Then she smiled. “Good night.” Grant understood the gift. “Good night.” Shammy’s eyes warmed. Ace looked at her. “Have a very satisfying evening.” Shammy’s mouth curved. “Thank you.” Reyes made a strangled sound. Ace turned. “What?” “You’re planting ammunition for tomorrow.” Ace smiled. “Investment.” Brenda looked toward Shammy. Then Grant. Then back. Her expression became dangerous. Ace saw. Their eyes met. Oh. Tomorrow morning. Yes. Shammy saw both of them communicate. Her eyes narrowed. “What?” Ace and Brenda answered together: “Nothing.” Shammy sighed. Grant looked at her. “Should I ask?” “No.” “Good.” --- They said good night. No ceremony. No drawn-out farewell. Shammy touched Mai’s shoulder. Mai squeezed her hand. Ace got a brief kiss against her hair. Reyes received a look that promised retaliation if she tried anything too early. Kiro hugged Shammy. Brenda did too. Iris smiled. Marco and Lena both told Grant good night. Then Shammy turned. Grant beside her. They walked toward the exit. Ace watched. Not because she was worried. Because this was rare. Shammy leaving first. Shammy leaving with someone new. Shammy having made the decision so completely that there was nothing tentative left in her posture. Grant opened the door. Shammy walked through. He followed. The door closed. Her chair remained empty. --- For five seconds nobody spoke. Then Kiro whispered: “Substantial.” Mai put both hands over her face. Reyes collapsed. Brenda made an unidentifiable noise. Ace pointed at Kiro. “That was Brenda’s.” Brenda lifted one hand from Iris’s shoulder. “Shared cultural property now.” Iris laughed. Ace looked toward the door again. Then slowly smiled. Reyes saw. “What?” Ace shook her head. “No.” “What?” Ace looked at Brenda. Brenda looked back. Both smiled. Reyes followed the exchange. “Oh, no.” Mai looked between them. “What?” Reyes pointed. “They’re planning tomorrow.” Mai’s eyebrows rose. Ace looked offended. “We are not.” Brenda nodded. “Absolutely not.” Reyes stared. “You both look evil.” Ace leaned carefully against Mai. “Shammy is almost impossible to catch.” Brenda’s grin widened. “Almost.” Mai closed her eyes. “You are monsters.” Ace smiled. “Yes.” Brenda smiled. “Affectionately.” --- Outside, Shammy and Grant crossed the parking lot. The city was cooler now. Not cold. Just enough to make Afterlife’s heat noticeable once it was gone. Grant walked beside her. No rush. The hotel sign glowed ahead. Delamain waited nearby, immaculate and judgment-free. Shammy noticed it. “Expensive witness.” Grant looked. “What?” “Nothing.” He smiled. “Illegal.” She laughed. They crossed the remaining distance. At the hotel entrance Grant stopped. Shammy looked at him. “Problem?” “No.” He held her hand. “Last chance to change the plan.” Shammy looked at the door. Then Grant. Then stepped closer. “No.” He smiled. “Good.” Shammy kissed him. Certain. Grant’s hand came to her waist. Shammy kept one hand against his jaw and kissed him again before he could say anything, longer this time, the last of Afterlife’s noise reduced to bass leaking across the parking lot behind them. When she drew back, she stayed close enough to feel him breathe. No uncertainty left. Then she opened the hotel door herself. “Come on.” Grant followed. --- The room was simple. Large bed. One chair. A narrow table beneath the window. No seduction architecture waiting for them. Grant had told the truth: he had booked somewhere convenient before he knew Shammy existed. That made Shammy like the room more. He closed the door. Then stopped. Not because he had changed his mind. Because the hallway had disappeared and whatever happened next belonged entirely to them. Shammy took off her jacket. Grant watched. She caught him. “You are staring.” “Yes.” “Good.” His laugh arrived immediately. Shammy stepped closer. The second kiss started with less distance than the first and ended with none. Grant’s hands settled at her waist. Shammy’s moved beneath his coat and pushed it from his shoulders. Clothing began coming away without haste. His coat. Her boots. His shirt. The carefully simple layers Shammy had worn to Afterlife. Each piece made the intention less theoretical. Grant paused once with his hands at the next fastening. Shammy looked at him. “Yes.” He continued. No performance. No embarrassment. By the time they reached the bed, enough clothing had disappeared that neither could pretend this was still only an extension of dancing. Grant sat first. Shammy remained standing between his knees for one breath. At her full height the geometry shifted again. She smiled. He understood the invitation and drew her closer. Sex began with Shammy choosing the final distance herself. The first movement pulled a sharp breath from her. She stayed there, eyes closed for half a second, feeling the reality of his size and weight settle into something her body could answer rather than merely anticipate. Grant waited. Shammy opened her eyes. “Do not stop.” He smiled. “Good answer.” The rhythm built slowly. That surprised her. Not because Grant lacked confidence. Because he had enough of it not to rush. Shammy learned his movement the same way she had learned him on the dance floor: pressure, response, adjustment, more. Grant learned her faster once she stopped trying to remain quiet. One rough breath became another. Her hands tightened against him. The room’s air shifted with her without becoming spectacle, curtain moving faintly though the climate system had not changed. Grant noticed. Shammy laughed against his shoulder. “Do not analyze it.” “I wasn’t.” “Good.” The laugh broke when the next rise of pleasure reached her. This time Shammy did not redirect it into composure. She let the rhythm carry her. Grant stayed with her. The first orgasm moved through Shammy in visible waves—breath catching, body tightening, hands holding him hard enough to make the answer unmistakable. He kept her close through the release and through the quieter tremors after it, no immediate movement away, no assumption that climax meant the moment had ended. Shammy rested her forehead against his. For several seconds both simply breathed. Then Grant smiled. “What?” Shammy’s eyes opened. “You look pleased.” “I am.” “Good.” She kissed him. The next progression was less cautious. They had already learned enough. Shammy changed the pace when she wanted it changed. Grant followed. When she pulled him closer he stopped holding the last of himself back, and his own climax broke through with a low sound against her shoulder, tension locking through him before slowly releasing. Shammy held him through it. No joke. No victory. Just warmth. When his breathing steadied, he looked at her. “You okay?” “Yes.” “Enough?” Shammy considered. Then smiled. “No.” Grant laughed. That was the real beginning of the rest of the night. They did not spend it proving endurance. They spent it discovering that both of them still wanted more after the first certainty had settled. Later Shammy climaxed again with Grant’s hand linked tightly with hers. Later still, another rise caught her hard enough that she laughed afterward from the sheer unfairness of it. Grant lost composure more than once too. Between those peaks came water, quiet conversation, a ridiculous disagreement about whether the hotel chair was actually comfortable, and long stretches of shared stillness in which neither needed to fill the room. No count. No scoreboard. No need. By the time the city outside began shifting toward morning, Shammy knew two things with complete confidence. Grant had been worth approaching. And Ace was going to be unbearable. She smiled into the pillow. Grant looked over. “What?” “Tomorrow.” He waited. Shammy’s smile deepened. “My friends.” Grant closed his eyes. “Oh.” “Yes.” “That bad?” “Worse.” He laughed. Shammy moved closer and rested against him. For a while neither said anything. The room settled around them. Then Shammy closed her eyes. Morning could deal with Ace. --- Back in Afterlife, Ace looked at the empty chair. Then at the clock. Then at Brenda. Brenda saw. “Oh, we are absolutely awake tomorrow.” Mai stared. “You are currently barely awake now.” Ace looked offended. “I am thriving.” Reyes looked at the way Ace was sitting. “No.” Ace pointed. “You especially shut up.” Kiro raised her beer. “To Shammy.” That stopped them. Ace looked toward the door. Smiled. Raised her water. Mai did the same. Reyes. Brenda. Iris. Marco. Lena. One by one. “To Shammy,” Ace said. Kiro grinned. “And terrible decisions.” Mai looked at her. Kiro corrected: “Excellent terrible decisions.” Ace smiled. “Better.” They drank. Shammy’s chair remained empty. And for the first time all night, everyone at the table knew with complete certainty that she would not be coming back through Afterlife’s door before sunrise. Which meant Ace and Brenda had several hours to prepare. Unfortunately for Shammy. Fortunately for everyone else. --- ## Chapter Twenty-One — It Spreads Kiro noticed the third table first. Not the second. The second had been obvious. Four mercs near the far wall had started their own version of Truth or Dare more than an hour earlier. Badly. With insufficient rules. Claire had already intervened twice. Once because somebody stood on a chair. Once because somebody believed _dare_ meant _throw something expensive_. That table had learned. Mostly. The third table was different. Kiro saw one woman point across the room. A man beside her shook his head. Another person laughed. Someone else leaned in. Then the man stood. Walked toward the bar. Stopped beside a stranger. Spoke. The stranger laughed. The entire table reacted. Kiro slowly lowered her beer. “Oh.” Mai followed her gaze. Ace did too. Reyes had returned from another conversation with Dara and was sitting half-sideways in her chair. Brenda and Iris were sharing fries. Marco and Lena were discussing something quiet. Shammy’s chair remained empty. Kiro pointed. “They’re playing.” Reyes looked. “Yep.” “No.” “Yes.” “They weren’t before.” “They are now.” Kiro checked the first copycat table, then the next. Then the second. Then back. “There are three.” Claire passed behind her carrying empty glasses. “Four.” Kiro spun. “What?” Claire kept walking. Kiro stood. Mai caught her sleeve. “Sit.” “But—” “Sit.” Kiro sat. “Four?” Claire looked over one shoulder. “Five if you count the idiots near the entrance.” Kiro’s mouth fell open. Ace started laughing. Reyes leaned back. “Oh, this is beautiful.” Kiro stared around the room. “No.” Mai did not even try to hide her amusement. “Yes.” “I did not authorize this.” Reyes raised her beer. “Cultural ownership revoked.” Kiro pointed at her. “They’re doing it wrong.” Claire stopped at the bar. Without looking over: “They’re doing it differently.” Kiro recoiled as if Claire had described a corrupted protocol. “That’s worse.” --- It was. Kiro discovered that within ten minutes. Their version had rules. Not many. But enough. No forcing outsiders into anything. No deliberately creating interpersonal damage. No stupid violence. No treating refusal like failure. No pretending genuine interest was only part of a dare. The copied versions had inherited approximately half of that. And invented several things nobody at Kiro’s table had ever said. A merc from one of the side tables stopped beside Kiro. “Question.” Kiro looked up. “Yes?” “Hotel rule.” The entire table stopped. Ace turned. Reyes’ eyebrows rose. Kiro blinked. “What hotel rule?” The merc frowned. “The one where if somebody chooses hotel, they have to come back and report.” Ace folded forward laughing. Kiro looked personally offended by the invention. “There is no hotel rule.” The merc looked toward Ace. Ace was visibly still suffering the physical aftermath of precisely one hotel visit. He looked back at Kiro. “You sure?” “Yes.” Reyes covered her mouth. The merc pointed vaguely toward Shammy’s empty chair. “What about her?” Kiro’s expression changed. “No.” “What?” “She left because she wanted to.” “Right.” “No game rule.” The merc considered. Then nodded. “Okay.” He started away. Kiro called: “And nobody has to report anything.” The merc raised one hand without turning. “Got it.” Reyes waited until he was gone. Then: “Report.” Ace pointed. “No.” Brenda collapsed. --- The worst version belonged to a table of six near the dance floor. Kiro realized something was wrong when one of them raised both hands and shouted: “TRIAD RULES!” Ace froze. Mai froze. Reyes froze. Kiro went pale. Claire stopped moving. Every head at Kiro’s table turned. The six mercs cheered. Kiro stood. “No.” Mai did not stop her this time. Kiro marched across the room. Ace watched. “This should go well.” Reyes nodded. “Definitely.” Kiro reached the table. “What the fuck are Triad Rules?” The nearest merc looked delighted. “You know.” “No.” “Your version.” “We don’t have Triad Rules.” He looked confused. Another merc leaned over. “The rule where everyone at the table is fair game.” Kiro’s amusement vanished. “No.” “But—” “No.” A woman beside him said: “Someone said nobody gets jealous.” Kiro put both hands flat on their table. Several people stopped smiling. “Okay.” Not angry. Firm. “Listen.” They did. “Our table has relationships that work the way our relationships work.” The mercs waited. “That is not a fucking game mechanic.” A few nodded. “If someone at your table wants something, they ask.” Kiro pointed around. “If somebody doesn’t want it, answer’s no. Nobody owes anybody anything because somebody yelled Truth or Dare.” The woman nodded. “Okay.” “And stop calling it Triad Rules.” The first merc looked disappointed. “What do we call it?” Kiro blinked at him. “Truth or Dare.” A beat. “Oh.” “Yes.” Kiro straightened. Then: “And whoever invented the witness rule is an idiot.” Someone at the next table shouted: “THAT WAS DENNY.” A man near the bar yelled: “FUCK YOU.” The answer drew a fresh burst of laughter from three tables at once. Kiro walked back. Reyes was grinning. “What?” “Triad Rules.” Kiro dropped into her chair. “Never say that again.” Ace looked delighted by the possibility. “It’ll be on a shirt by Tuesday.” Kiro looked sick. --- Rogue had watched the entire exchange. She had not intervened. Of course. On her next pass, Claire paused beside the booth. “You planned this?” “The beer,” Rogue said. Claire glanced toward the copycat tables. “Only the beer?” Rogue took a drink. Claire moved on. That was answer enough. --- The rumors evolved faster than the game. By one in the morning, the game had acquired rules nobody at the original table recognized. There was supposedly a points system. Rogue allegedly approved every dare. The organic beer had become a reward for winning, bravery, fame, sex, or completing an unspecified number of rounds depending on who was telling the story. Kiro heard three versions in less than ten minutes. “We have no points,” she said. Reyes looked toward Ace. Ace pointed at her before she could speak. “No.” Reyes smiled. Kiro dropped her forehead onto the table. --- By two, someone had started referring to the hotel as **the penalty box**. Ace heard that. Sat upright too quickly. Regretted it. Then shouted: “ABSOLUTELY NOT.” Half the nearest table looked over. Ace lowered her voice. “Absolutely not.” The merc who had said it looked confused. “What?” Ace gestured toward the parking lot. “That is not a penalty.” Reyes stopped breathing. Mai covered her face. Kiro fell against the table. Brenda vanished into Iris. The merc stared. Ace realized what she had just said. Then smiled. “Actually, keep that part.” Reyes wheezed: “Advanced course.” Ace gave her the finger. --- The hotel itself became a landmark. Not because more people necessarily went there. Some did. Most did not. But everyone now knew it existed. Across the parking lot. Beside Delamain. Close enough to make poor decisions logistically efficient. Far enough that leaving Afterlife still felt like a decision. People started using it in conversation. “Across the lot?” “No, not across the lot.” “Maybe later.” “Hotel dare?” “No such thing.” “Kiro said—” “Kiro said nothing.” Kiro heard her own name from three different directions within one minute. She stared. Mai leaned closer. “You are famous.” “I was already known.” “Different kind.” Kiro looked horrified. “Worse kind.” Reyes raised her beer. “Legacy.” --- Then came the ownership rumor. Kiro did not know who started it. Ace claimed innocence. Reyes claimed she had only repeated it once. Brenda claimed she had merely asked a hypothetical question. Marco refused comment. Lena smiled in a way that suggested knowledge without accountability. Somebody eventually said: “Rogue owns the hotel.” Claire heard. Stopped. Looked toward Rogue. Rogue looked at her. Claire slowly shook her head. “No.” The merc leaned in. “No?” Claire paused. Then: “I didn’t say anything.” Ace slapped the table. Kiro pointed at Claire. “You are making it worse.” Claire continued wiping the bar. “Occupational hazard.” Within fifteen minutes, half the room believed Rogue definitely owned the hotel. The other half believed she owned only one floor. One man insisted she owned the parking lot. Nobody asked Rogue. That was the smartest decision anyone made all night. --- The dance floor remained active. That mattered almost as much as the game. People who had started dancing because Mai and Kiro made it look possible were still there hours later. New groups joined. Old ones left. The floor no longer belonged to anyone. Exactly as Mai had said earlier. They did it themselves. Kiro watched. Then watched another table play. Then another. Then a woman she had never met point at someone she clearly liked and ask: “Truth or dare?” The man smiled. “Truth.” Kiro listened to the answer from the other table. Her expression softened. Mai saw. “What?” Kiro shook her head. “Nothing.” “Illegal.” Kiro glanced around the room again, this time without horror. “They’re having fun.” “Yes.” “Because of my bad idea.” Mai considered. “Partly.” Kiro looked at her. “Partly?” “The beer helped.” Kiro looked toward Rogue. Rogue happened to be watching the room. Kiro nodded slowly. “Atomic fire.” Mai touched her glass to Kiro’s. “Apparently.” --- Reyes returned from Dara again. Sat. Looked around. “What did I miss?” Ace pointed vaguely at the room. “Civilization collapsed.” Reyes scanned. Five Truth or Dare tables. Dance floor. Mercs discussing hotel geography. Somebody arguing about whether organic beer required seven completed dares. A woman asking Claire whether Rogue owned Delamain too. Claire staring into the middle distance. Reyes looked back. “Nice.” Kiro glared. “This is your fault too.” “How?” “You encouraged me.” “When?” “Frequently.” “That’s friendship.” Kiro thought. Then sighed. “Fuck.” --- Brenda noticed the next evolution. “They’re changing questions.” Iris looked. “What?” Brenda pointed subtly toward a nearby table. A woman there had just asked something. The answer made the entire group laugh. No dare. No stunt. Just a truth. Then another person answered something more quietly. Their friends leaned in. Listened. Brenda smiled. “That’s ours.” Kiro looked. The question was different. Impossible to hear. But the rhythm was familiar. Chaos first. Then warmth. The same thing had happened at their table. Iris squeezed Brenda’s hand. “Maybe that part should spread.” Brenda nodded. “Yeah.” --- Claire brought water to the original table. No one had ordered it. She put one in front of each person. Eight bottles. The empty ninth space remained empty. Ace looked at Shammy’s chair. Then Claire. “Thanks.” Claire nodded. Kiro looked up. “How bad?” Claire stared. “What?” “The room.” Claire looked around. Then back. “On a scale?” “Yes.” Claire considered. “Tuesday.” Kiro frowned. “What does that mean?” “I expect to still be hearing about it Tuesday.” Reyes smiled. “Only Tuesday?” Claire looked at her. “Month.” Ace raised her water. “Better.” Claire pointed at all of them. “Do not be proud.” Everyone drank. Claire sighed. --- A cheer erupted near the entrance. Kiro turned. Someone had completed a dare. Whatever it was. Harmless. Stupid. Their table laughed. The neighboring table laughed. Then someone at the bar laughed without even knowing why. Afterlife felt different now. Not transformed permanently. Maybe not. But tonight? Absolutely. A room built around reputation had become temporarily willing to be ridiculous. Mercs who usually spoke in contract values and survival odds were asking each other embarrassing questions. People danced. People flirted badly. Some flirted well. Some said no. Some said yes. Nobody died. Remarkable. Kiro looked at Mai. Mai had one arm around Ace. Ace looked exhausted but happy. Reyes had Dara somewhere nearby. Brenda and Iris were close. Marco and Lena relaxed. Shammy’s chair empty because Shammy had made her own choice and would be back in the morning. Kiro finally let herself enjoy the whole picture. “Okay.” Mai looked at her. “What?” “I might have done something.” Reyes leaned over. “Might?” Kiro looked around. Then smiled wider. “Fine.” She lifted her beer. “I did something.” Ace raised her water. “What?” Kiro watched another table erupt in laughter. Then the dance floor. Then the bar still functioning despite everything. Then Rogue quietly observing from her booth. Kiro grinned. “I have no fucking idea.” Reyes laughed. “Accurate.” They clinked drinks. And somewhere near the far wall, someone shouted: “TRUTH OR DARE?” Five different tables answered at once. Kiro slowly put her face into both hands. Mai rubbed her back. “Your legacy.” Kiro’s voice came through her fingers. “I hate all of you.” Ace lifted her water. “Affectionately?” Kiro lifted one hand. Middle finger. Reyes raised her beer. “Also cultural property.” And Afterlife kept burning. --- ## Chapter Twenty-Two — Geography The hotel across the parking lot became important by accident. Not important in itself. Nobody at the original table had recommended it. Nobody had declared it part of the game. Kiro definitely had not written it into any rules. Ace had crossed the parking lot. Later, Shammy had done the same. That should have been the end of it. Afterlife disagreed. By two-thirty in the morning, people had started giving directions relative to it. “Near the hotel side.” “Parking-lot side.” “Across-the-lot exit.” “Delamain corner.” Claire heard all of them. She hated every one. A merc standing at the bar pointed toward the entrance. “You know if the hotel bar’s still open?” Claire looked at him. “How would I know?” “You work here.” “Here.” He considered. “Fair.” Then: “Someone said Rogue owns it.” Claire closed her eyes. “No.” The merc brightened. “So she doesn’t?” Claire opened them. “I said no to the question.” “What question?” Claire stared. The merc slowly backed away. “Right.” --- At the original table, Kiro kept trying to count the copycat games. Every time she reached a number, Reyes found another one. Eventually Mai touched Kiro’s arm. “You wanted people to have fun.” “Yes.” “They are.” Kiro looked around the room. “That is not the problem.” Reyes raised her beer. “Legacy.” Kiro glared at her. --- The parking lot had become part of the entertainment. Not because people were standing outside watching the hotel. That would have crossed several lines even Afterlife understood. But every time the entrance opened, somebody looked. Natural. Movement attracted attention. Especially tonight. A pair left together. Someone at a table whispered: “Across the lot?” The pair heard. One of them turned. “No.” The table immediately looked away. The pair laughed and continued toward a waiting vehicle. Ten minutes later another person left alone. Someone else said: “Hotel?” Reyes glanced through the entrance. “No. His bike’s outside.” The departing merc raised one hand without turning. “THANK YOU.” Reyes raised her beer back. --- Delamain became part of the geography too. Its immaculate cars waited beside the hotel, reflecting every arrival and departure with professional indifference. Ace watched one through the entrance. “Expensive witness.” Reyes stared at her. “It is a car.” “Professional discretion.” Marco nodded. “Actually fair.” Brenda inhaled like she was about to ask an engineering question. Iris touched her wrist. “No.” Brenda smiled. “Temporary.” --- The first person to return from the hotel who was not Ace became an accidental event. A woman came through Afterlife’s entrance around three. Hair mildly disordered. Jacket over one arm. Perfectly happy expression. She was not part of the original table. She was from one of the copycat games. Her friends saw her. Cheered. The woman stopped. Stared. Then raised both middle fingers. The room laughed. Kiro put her face into her hands. “No.” Reyes grinned. “Yes.” “They’re doing return fire.” Ace looked delighted. “See? Tradition.” “It has existed for twenty seconds.” “All traditions start somewhere.” Mai sighed. The woman returned to her own table. One friend asked loudly: “REPORT?” Kiro stood. “No!” Half the room laughed. The woman looked toward Kiro. Then at her own friend. “No report.” She sat. Kiro remained standing. “THANK YOU.” Claire pointed. “Indoor voice.” Kiro sat. “This place is structurally hostile.” --- The original hotel rumor mutated again. Now people claimed the suite Ace had used was special. Nobody knew how that started. Ace heard two mercs discussing it near the table. “One of the big suites.” “Triad suite.” Ace turned. “No.” Both men froze. Ace stared. “There is no Triad suite.” One of them swallowed. “Sorry.” “The chairs were good.” Silence. Mai covered her face. Reyes dropped her head onto the table. The mercs stared. Ace realized. “Fuck.” Kiro looked at her. “You cannot correct rumors by adding details.” “I was clarifying.” “You are gasoline.” Ace leaned against Mai. “Apparently.” The mercs left. Reyes lifted her head. “Good chairs.” Ace pointed. “Not one word.” “Advanced furniture.” Brenda collapsed again. --- Rogue’s supposed ownership expanded with every retelling. First the hotel. Then one floor. Then the parking lot. By three in the morning, one merc was insisting she owned Delamain too. Nobody asked Rogue. That was the smartest decision anyone made all night. --- Kiro watched the rumor network with horrified fascination. Mai watched Kiro. “You like this.” “No.” “You do.” “I hate misinformation.” “Yes.” “And bad rule propagation.” “Yes.” “And people attributing things to me I never said.” “Yes.” Mai smiled. Kiro stared. “Stop.” “You are smiling.” Kiro touched her face. Damn. She was. “A little.” Reyes leaned in. “A lot.” Kiro looked around Afterlife. People laughing. Moving. Coming and going. Games splitting into smaller conversations. A few couples leaving. Most people staying. The hotel now socially adjacent without being part of the building. Kiro smiled wider. “Okay.” Mai raised an eyebrow. “What?” “It’s funny.” Reyes raised her beer. “There she is.” --- Someone eventually drew a map. That was Brenda’s fault. Mostly. A merc near them complained that nobody knew which exit people meant when they said _hotel side_. Brenda immediately took a napkin. Drew Afterlife. Parking lot. Hotel. Delamain. Main road. Iris watched. “You’re making a tactical map.” “No.” “You drew approach lines.” “Pedestrian paths.” “You marked cover.” Brenda stopped. Looked down. There were indeed small marks. “Oh.” Ace leaned over. “Nice.” Iris looked at her. “Do not encourage her.” Brenda added the main entrance. Then labeled the hotel. Reyes reached over and wrote: **BAD DECISIONS** Kiro grabbed the pen. Crossed it out. Wrote: **NOT PART OF GAME** Ace took the pen. Added: **GOOD CHAIRS** Mai put her forehead against the table. Marco looked at Lena. “We should leave.” Lena smiled. “No.” “Fair.” Brenda held up the napkin. It was terrible. And immediately useful. A nearby merc saw it. “Can I copy that?” Kiro stared. “No.” Brenda handed it over. “Yes.” Kiro looked betrayed. “Brenda.” “What? It’s infrastructure.” The merc took a photo. Within ten minutes, two other tables had copies. Kiro closed her eyes. --- Claire eventually got hold of one. She stared at the napkin. Afterlife. Hotel. Delamain. Road. **NOT PART OF GAME.** **GOOD CHAIRS.** **BAD DECISIONS** still visible beneath Kiro’s cross-out. Claire looked toward the original table. Ace raised her water. Brenda waved. Kiro pointed at Brenda. Reyes smiled. Claire folded the napkin. Put it under the bar. Ace blinked. “You’re keeping it?” Claire looked at her. “Evidence.” Kiro groaned. --- Near three-thirty, someone came in from outside and shouted: “Hotel’s full.” The room paused. The man shrugged at the attention. “Thought people should know.” Kiro stared. Reyes smiled. Ace looked toward the parking lot. Then the room. Brenda whispered: “Oh my God.” Marco covered his face. Lena laughed. Kiro pointed toward the man. “Did you book a room?” “No.” “Then how do you know?” “My friend tried.” Kiro lowered her hand. “That is not useful information.” “It was to him.” Reyes laughed. Within five minutes the rumor had become: The hotel had sold out because of Truth or Dare. Nobody knew whether that was true. It probably was not. That did not matter anymore. --- Rogue heard that one too. Her gaze moved once toward the entrance. Then the room. Then Kiro. Kiro happened to be looking back. Their eyes met. Kiro slowly raised her beer. Rogue looked at the bottle. Then took a drink. No denial. --- The funniest part was that the original table had almost stopped caring about the hotel. Ace had already returned. Shammy was gone for the night. Nobody else had crossed the lot yet. Reyes might leave with Dara later. Mai might leave with Sloane. Kiro and Nadia remained undefined. But the hotel itself was no longer the point. It was there. A convenient nearby answer to one possible kind of decision. Nothing more. Afterlife had done the rest. Given it meaning. Then jokes. Then rumors. Then geography. Ace looked toward the window. “You know what’s going to happen.” Mai looked down at her. “What?” “People are going to call it that.” “What?” Ace pointed vaguely outside. “The hotel.” Reyes leaned in. “Afterlife Annex?” Kiro looked horrified. “No.” Brenda: “Truth Motel.” “No.” Marco: “Parking Lot Four.” Kiro looked at him. “That is boring.” Marco smiled. “You wanted accuracy.” Lena leaned closer. “The Chairs.” Ace slapped the table. “YES.” Kiro looked at all of them. “You’re monsters.” Reyes raised her beer. “Affectionately.” --- Then someone at another table shouted: “TO THE CHAIRS!” Ace froze. Lena’s eyes widened. Marco stared at her. Reyes dropped out of her chair laughing. Kiro turned toward the room. “Who heard that?” Nobody admitted anything. Mai was laughing. Brenda was gone. Iris had both hands over her face. Ace looked at Lena. “You did this.” Lena pointed at Marco. “He said parking lot.” “That is not causation.” Kiro looked toward Claire. Claire was leaning against the bar. Laughing. Actually laughing. Kiro pointed. “YOU.” Claire shook her head. “No.” “You spread it.” “No.” Rogue looked over. Even her mouth had moved. Barely. Kiro stared. “Atomic fire.” Mai touched her shoulder. “Yes.” Kiro looked around the room one more time. The hotel across the parking lot was no longer a hotel. For tonight it had become: A rumor. A punchline. A navigation point. A destination. A symbol of whatever terrible decision someone had made after asking the wrong question at the right table. And absolutely none of it had been planned. Kiro smiled. Then sighed. “I am never suggesting anything again.” Every person at the table answered: “Bullshit.” Kiro looked around. Considered. Then raised her beer. “Fair.” --- ## Chapter Twenty-Three — Kiro’s Responsibility Kiro realized the scale of the problem at 3:47 in the morning. Not because of the hotel. The hotel had become irreparable hours ago. Not because of the napkin map. That was already circulating beyond any reasonable possibility of retrieval. Not even because someone near the entrance had just referred to the place across the lot as **The Chairs** with complete confidence. No. Kiro realized the scale of the problem when a merc she had never seen before walked past their table, raised his drink and said: “Good idea.” Kiro stared after him. The man kept walking. She slowly turned toward Mai. “What?” Mai nodded toward the departing merc. “You heard him.” “I don’t know him.” “No.” “He knows.” “Yes.” Kiro looked around Afterlife. One Truth or Dare game near the floor. Another near the entrance. Two smaller ones around side tables. One group had abandoned the formal game entirely and was asking each other increasingly inappropriate questions. The dance floor was still active. Not packed. But alive. The hotel had acquired a nickname. Claire had confiscated at least one napkin map as evidence. Rogue had started the organic-beer anomaly. Somehow nobody had been stabbed. Kiro looked back at Mai. “Oh, fuck.” Reyes leaned over. “There it is.” Kiro pointed at her. “No.” “Yes.” “This is bigger than me.” Ace, still leaning against Mai with the exhausted satisfaction of someone whose body had formally submitted several complaints, raised her water. “Congratulations.” “For what?” “Scalability.” Kiro looked betrayed by the terminology. Brenda lost it. Marco covered his face. Lena laughed. Mai looked down at Ace. “That was terrible.” Ace shrugged carefully. “I’m tired.” Reyes nodded. “Hotel damage.” Ace gave her the finger without lifting her head. --- Kiro stood. Mai caught her wrist. “Where are you going?” “I need to see.” “You can see from here.” “No.” Kiro pointed around the room. “I need scale.” Reyes caught the systems-language immediately. “Netrunner.” “Yes.” “Social network.” Kiro stopped. Then looked offended. “Do not.” Ace lifted her head just enough to grin. “Oh, that’s good.” “It isn’t.” “Social penetration test.” Kiro stared at her. Ace froze. The table went silent. Reyes turned toward Ace. Brenda’s mouth opened. Mai covered Ace’s face with one hand. Ace started laughing against it. Immediately regretted the physical consequences. “Fuck.” Kiro pointed. “This is what happens when you let her back from the hotel.” Reyes leaned over the table. “Social penetration test.” Ace reached blindly for something to throw. Mai held her wrist. “No.” “Traitor.” “Yes.” --- Kiro eventually escaped. Not far. A slow circuit of Afterlife. The first two copycat tables were irritatingly functional. One dare ended with a stranger receiving a sincere compliment and nothing more. At another, a refused dare was accepted immediately and the game moved on. Kiro hated how pleased that made her. The third table ruined everything. Two people were arguing over whether a question was technically two questions. One of them saw her. “Kiro.” “Oh, fuck.” The whole table turned. “Settle this.” Kiro looked toward the original table. Mai was watching from across the room, smiling and offering absolutely no rescue. Kiro listened. “Two questions.” Half the table cheered. The other half groaned. “But I am not the referee.” The loser stared at her. “You literally just refereed.” Kiro closed her eyes. “Fuck.” She walked back. --- When Kiro returned to the table, Reyes lifted her water. “Commissioner.” “No.” “You refereed.” “I made one ruling.” Mai looked at her. “That is one more than zero.” Kiro put both hands over her face. Reyes enjoyed this far too much. “Governance suits you.” “Fuck you.” “Affectionately.” --- Rogue watched Kiro return toward the original table. Then called her name. Quietly. That was worse than shouting. Kiro stopped. Everyone at the table noticed. Ace straightened slightly. Mai’s attention sharpened. Reyes grinned. Kiro looked toward Rogue’s booth. Rogue lifted two fingers. Come here. Kiro stared at Mai. Mai pointed toward Rogue with her chin. “Go.” “If I die—” “You won’t.” “You sound very sure.” Ace raised her water. “She started the beer.” Kiro looked toward Rogue again. “Oh.” Reyes leaned forward. “Atomic fire summit.” Kiro gave her the finger and walked toward Rogue. --- Rogue did not invite her to sit. Kiro stopped beside the booth. Rogue looked toward the floor. Then the games. Then the original table. Finally, at Kiro. “You changed the room.” Kiro blinked. “No.” Rogue looked at her. “The beer helped.” Kiro caught the admission immediately. There. Admission. Almost. “You did that deliberately.” Rogue said nothing. Kiro pointed. “The organic beer.” Still nothing. “You wanted people looking at us.” Rogue took another drink. Kiro’s eyes widened. “You absolute bitch.” Rogue’s mouth moved. Barely. “Worked.” Kiro started laughing. She could not help it. “You poured gasoline on my bad idea.” “I changed one variable.” Kiro gave her a long, disbelieving look. “That is such fixer bullshit.” “It worked.” Kiro laughed. “Fair.” Kiro looked around the room. “Did you expect this?” Rogue followed her gaze. Someone near the floor was laughing so hard they had slid halfway out of a chair. A copycat game at the far wall had stopped entirely because the whole table was listening to one person answer a truth. Two people were dancing near the edge of the floor. Claire had confiscated a pen from somebody trying to modify the napkin map. Rogue looked back. “No.” Kiro’s satisfaction was immediate. “Good.” Rogue’s eyebrow moved. Kiro raised both hands. “Sorry.” A beat. “Not sorry.” Rogue took a drink. “Obviously.” --- Rogue looked back toward the room. Dismissed. Kiro understood. She walked back toward the table still grinning. Reyes leaned forward. “What did Rogue want?” Kiro sat. Looked at her beer. Then at Rogue. Then the room. “She admitted it.” Ace’s eyebrows rose. “The beer?” “Yes.” Brenda leaned forward. “Science.” Kiro pointed. “Exactly.” Marco looked toward Rogue. “What was the hypothesis?” Kiro thought. “People notice status markers.” Lena smiled. “And the result?” Kiro looked around Afterlife. “Catastrophic.” Ace raised her water. “Peer reviewed.” Mai laughed. --- Nadia returned. She had been gone perhaps twenty minutes. Long enough to talk with friends. Long enough that Kiro had almost stopped tracking her position. Almost. Nadia stopped beside Kiro. “You look traumatized.” “I have become governance.” Nadia stared. “What?” Reyes answered: “She refereed a rules dispute.” Nadia’s face lit up. “Oh.” Kiro pointed. “No.” Nadia sat beside her. “Commissioner.” Kiro dropped her forehead onto the table. “I hate all of you.” Nadia touched her shoulder. “Affectionately?” Kiro lifted one hand. Middle finger. Nadia laughed. Then leaned closer. “You’re still awake.” Kiro slowly raised her head. “Yes.” “No sake.” “No sake.” “Good.” Kiro looked around at three people already listening. “Why does everyone know?” Nadia smiled. “Because you announced it repeatedly.” “Operational necessity.” “Sure.” --- For a few minutes they watched the room together. Nadia had not been part of the beginning. Not at the table. Not inside the original game. She had joined through the dance floor. Then through Kiro. That gave her a different view. “You did do this,” she said. Kiro sighed. “No.” “Partly.” Mai, from the other side: “Exactly.” Kiro looked betrayed. Nadia smiled. “You gave people an excuse.” “To become idiots?” “To stop pretending they weren’t.” Kiro stopped. That was annoyingly good. Nadia nodded toward a nearby table. “You know that woman?” “No.” “She told her friends she hates her current contract.” Kiro waited. “Would she have said it otherwise?” “I don’t know.” “Neither do I.” Nadia looked toward the dance floor. “Those two have been sitting across from each other all night.” A man and woman were dancing now. Badly. Happy. Nadia smiled. “Maybe they would have danced anyway.” “Maybe.” “Maybe not.” Kiro stared at her. “Everybody is using that word.” Nadia smiled. “Maybe it’s useful.” Kiro groaned. --- Reyes returned from another brief Dara disappearance. Ace looked at her. Reyes immediately said: “No.” Ace had not asked. “Interesting.” “Fuck you.” “Later?” Reyes’ answer came with a glance toward Dara. “Probably.” Ace nodded. Good. Kiro looked between them. “Where is Dara?” “Friends.” “And later?” Reyes raised one eyebrow. Kiro held up both hands. “None of my business.” Reyes gave her an approving nod. “Growth.” Kiro looked around the room. “I am apparently responsible for everyone’s growth now.” Mai touched her shoulder. “No.” “Good.” “You are responsible for the bad idea.” Kiro winced. “That sounds worse.” Mai took a drink. “It is more accurate.” --- The clock crossed four. Nobody at the original table noticed immediately. Claire did. She looked at it. Then at them. Still eight chairs occupied or claimed. One empty for Shammy. Ace visibly exhausted but refusing surrender. Mai calm. Kiro still bright-eyed. Reyes drinking water now without being told. Brenda half curled against Iris. Iris entirely off-duty. Marco and Lena relaxed. Claire shook her head. Then brought food. A lot. Kiro looked up. “We didn’t order.” “No.” Claire put it down. “Eat.” Kiro looked at the plates. Then Claire. “Is this intervention?” “Yes.” Ace reached immediately. Claire pointed. “Slow.” Ace stared. “I am not a child.” “No.” Claire looked at the way she was sitting. “Worse.” Reyes folded over laughing. Ace threw a napkin. Missed. Reyes laughed harder. --- Food changed the table. The room too. Energy softened. A few copycat games ended naturally. Not because people were bored. Because they had reached the point where nobody needed the formal structure anymore. Groups talked. Some danced. Some ate. Some left. The loudest part of the night began to settle into something warmer. Kiro watched. Her smile faded into something quieter. Mai noticed. “Tired?” “No.” “Liar.” “Not sleepy.” That was true. “No sake.” Mai smiled. “No sake.” Kiro looked around. “Just…” She searched. “Holy shit.” Ace looked up from food. “What?” Kiro gestured. “All this from one stupid sentence.” Reyes leaned in. “Which one?” Kiro looked at her. Reyes waited. Kiro realized. Then laughed. “By the way, I’ve got a really fucking bad idea.” Ace raised her water. “Accurate.” Brenda smiled. “One of your best.” Kiro looked at her. “Really?” Brenda nodded. “Really.” Iris too. Marco raised his beer. Lena raised her wine. Reyes lifted water. Mai looked at Kiro. Then raised her glass. Ace followed. Kiro stared at all of them. “Oh, fuck off.” Reyes pounced. “Emotional.” “I am not.” “You are.” “Fuck you.” “Affectionately?” Kiro laughed. “Yes.” --- Nadia watched. Then leaned close. Quiet enough that the table could not hear. “You know what I like?” Kiro looked at her. “What?” “You keep pretending chaos is the point.” Kiro raised an eyebrow. “It isn’t?” “No.” Nadia nodded toward the table. “You wanted them to have a night.” Kiro stopped. Nadia smiled. “Looks like they did.” Kiro looked. Ace leaning into Mai. Reyes smiling at something Dara had sent to her agent. Brenda whispering to Iris. Marco and Lena sharing food. Shammy’s empty chair. Not empty in a bad way. Empty because Shammy was somewhere else making her own excellent choice. Kiro breathed out. “Yeah.” Nadia touched her hand. Kiro looked down. Then laced their fingers. No joke. For once. --- Kiro eventually leaned back. Looked toward the ceiling. Then said: “I take full responsibility.” Every person at the table froze. Mai turned. Ace stared. Reyes put down her water. Brenda looked up. Marco stopped chewing. Lena smiled. Iris raised an eyebrow. Kiro looked around. “What?” Reyes whispered: “Say it again.” “No.” Ace pointed. “You just accepted responsibility voluntarily.” Kiro realized. “Oh, fuck.” Brenda slapped the table. Marco laughed. Mai leaned against Kiro’s shoulder. “Historic.” Kiro put both hands over her face. Nadia laughed beside her. Reyes raised her glass. “To Commissioner Kiro.” “No.” Ace: “Architect.” “No.” Brenda: “Social engineer.” “NO.” Marco: “Cultural founder.” Kiro looked horrified. Lena smiled. “Bad-idea specialist.” Kiro stopped. Considered. Then lowered her hands. “That one.” Reyes laughed. Kiro raised her beer. “Bad-idea specialist.” Everyone joined. Mai clinked her glass against Kiro’s. “Accurate.” Kiro sat a little straighter. Proud now. Completely. “Yes.” Around them, Afterlife continued cooling from atomic fire into four-in-the-morning warmth. People still talked. Still laughed. Still occasionally shouted Truth or Dare across a table. The dance floor still moved. The hotel across the lot remained The Chairs to at least three people who would absolutely refuse to admit who taught them the name. And Kiro was still awake. Entirely because she had not touched sake. She looked at Mai. “Imagine if I’d had sake.” Mai considered the room. Then Kiro. “You would have missed everything.” Kiro looked around one more time. Smiled. “Fuck that.” Mai laughed. Kiro took another drink of beer. “No sake.” This time seven voices answered: “No sake.” Kiro raised her bottle. “Good.” And somewhere across the room Claire closed her eyes. Because that word belonged to everyone now. --- ## Chapter Twenty-Four — Four in the Morning Is Honest Four in the morning changed Afterlife. Not suddenly. No switch. No announcement. The room ran out of reasons to keep shouting. The dance floor was still alive, but slower now. Smaller. People moved because they wanted to move, not because somebody was watching. Three of the copycat Truth or Dare games had dissolved into ordinary conversations. One remained near the entrance. Another had become something structurally unrecognizable but peaceful. The table nearest the dance floor had given up entirely and ordered food. Claire approved. Kiro’s original table had done the same. There were fries. Something fried that nobody had successfully identified. Water everywhere. One remaining beer in front of Marco. Kiro’s bottle empty. Reyes had switched to water. Ace had consumed enough food to regain the dangerous portion of her personality, although every time she forgot herself and shifted too quickly, her body reminded her that three experienced older men had collectively won an argument with several muscle groups. Mai noticed every time. So did Reyes. Ace had threatened Reyes with death so often that the threat had lost operational value. Brenda sat partly against Iris. Iris still had not checked her agent. Marco and Lena had reclaimed their original seats. Shammy’s chair remained empty. Not missing. Just absent. Different. Across the room, Dara was with friends. Nadia sat at the bar. Sloane had returned to a quieter table near the wall. All three remained possibilities rather than obligations. That felt right. Kiro ate a fry. Then looked around. Nobody was playing. She frowned. Reyes saw. “Don’t.” Kiro looked at her. “What?” “You’re thinking about restarting it.” “I wasn’t.” “You absolutely were.” Kiro pointed toward the room. “The game is dying.” Mai took a drink. “It is four in the morning.” “That is not a reason.” Marco looked at her. “It is one of the better reasons.” Kiro stared. Then looked at Ace. Ace shrugged carefully. “I’m with Marco.” Kiro looked betrayed. “You?” “My endurance has recently been tested.” Reyes made a noise. Ace pointed immediately. “Do not.” Reyes pressed both lips together. Heroic effort. Brenda watched. Then whispered to Iris: “She’s vibrating.” Iris nodded. “Let her.” --- Kiro looked at the table again. Eight people. One empty chair. The remains of food. Too many glasses. Everyone physically closer than they had been when they arrived. Not intentionally. Chairs had moved. People had leaned. Space had collapsed. The kind of geometry that happened when nobody expected to leave soon. Kiro took it in, visibly pleased. “One last round.” Seven immediate groans. Kiro looked personally betrayed. “Oh, fuck all of you.” Mai took another fry. “You asked.” “Not for commentary.” Ace lifted her water. “One last round.” Reyes sighed dramatically. “Fine.” Brenda sat upright. Iris looked at her. “You were almost asleep.” “I was resting my eyes.” “You were drooling on me.” Brenda froze. Everyone looked. Iris smiled. Brenda pointed. “Relationship privilege. Classified.” Reyes leaned forward. “Visible evidence.” Brenda immediately wiped Iris’s shoulder. There was nothing there. Iris started laughing. Brenda stared. “You lied.” “Yes.” “Oh, you’re getting dangerous.” “Shore leave.” Ace raised her water. “To shore leave.” They drank. --- Kiro looked around. “Truths only.” Reyes’ eyebrows rose. “You?” “Yes.” “No dares?” “One at the end.” Ace narrowed her eyes. “Planned?” “No.” “Dangerous.” Kiro’s eyes lit. “Good.” Mai groaned. “Now you’re doing it deliberately.” “Cultural property.” Reyes raised her water. “Correct.” Kiro looked pleased with herself. Then pointed at Marco. “Best surprise tonight.” Marco stared. “That’s the question?” “For everyone.” Lena smiled. “That is suspiciously reasonable.” “I can be reasonable.” Seven people looked at her. Kiro sighed. “Fuck you.” --- Marco thought. Then looked toward the dance floor. “Lena.” Lena blinked. “What?” He smiled. “Not because you surprised me.” Reyes leaned forward. Marco continued before she could fire. “Because everyone else finally noticed.” Lena stopped. Marco nodded toward the table. “You’ve been here all night.” Simple. Lena’s expression softened. Then she touched his arm. “Good answer.” Kiro nodded. “Actually good.” Marco looked relieved. “Excellent.” Reyes pointed. “You still have to tell us what you whispered to her.” “No.” “Worth trying.” --- Lena went next. She thought longer. Then looked at Brenda. Brenda immediately became suspicious. “What?” “You.” Brenda blinked. “Me?” Lena nodded. “Coming back from that booth and not telling us anything.” Brenda stared. Iris smiled. Lena continued: “I expected a story.” Brenda looked down at her drink. “So did I.” That landed quietly. Lena smiled. “I liked that there wasn’t one.” Brenda looked at Iris. Then back. “Yeah.” Ace left the answer alone. Nobody added anything. Brenda immediately became uncomfortable with the sincerity. “So anyway, Ace got demolished by three pensioners.” Ace’s mouth fell open. Reyes fell against Dara’s empty chair laughing. Mai covered her face. Marco shouted: “BRENDA.” Brenda looked horrified with herself. “NOT PENSIONERS.” Ace pointed. “You have three seconds.” Brenda corrected frantically: “Experienced mature professionals.” Reyes disappeared under the table. Kiro was crying. Iris put both hands over Brenda’s mouth. Ace stared. Then slowly smiled. “Better.” Brenda kissed Iris’s palm. Iris removed her hands. Brenda whispered: “Saved.” Ace shook her head. “Temporary.” --- Iris answered next. “The dance.” Reyes looked up. “With me?” “Yes.” Reyes blinked. That had clearly not been the answer she expected. Iris smiled. “I thought I would hate being challenged into it.” “And?” “I didn’t.” Reyes grinned. “I knew it.” Iris pointed. “Do not ruin this.” Reyes pressed her lips together again. Iris continued: “And the drink.” Brenda laughed. “The financial trauma.” “Yes.” Iris looked toward her closed bag. “Apparently irresponsibility can be enjoyable in controlled doses.” Brenda leaned against her. “I can build a curriculum.” “No.” “Introductory recklessness.” “No.” “Applied poor judgment.” “Brenda.” “Elective?” Iris kissed her. Brenda stopped. Reyes nodded. “Still repeatable.” --- Brenda took her turn without waiting. “My surprise was Iris.” Iris looked at her. Brenda grinned. “Not generally.” “Thank you.” “I mean tonight.” She touched Iris’s hand. “I knew you could relax.” Iris raised an eyebrow. Brenda reconsidered. “In theory.” The table laughed. Brenda continued: “I didn’t know you could stop checking whether you’re allowed to.” Iris went still. Not hurt. Just caught. Brenda smiled. “That’s my surprise.” Iris intertwined their fingers. “Good one.” Brenda beamed. Then looked at Kiro. “Do I get points?” Kiro looked offended by the persistence of the concept. “No points.” “Still?” “Still.” “Broken game.” --- Reyes was next. She already knew. “Dara.” Everyone reacted. Reyes pointed around the table. “Shut up.” Nobody had spoken. Ace let Reyes have the admission without commentary. Reyes looked toward Dara across the room. Dara caught the look. Raised her glass. Reyes did the same. Then turned back. “I expected someone interesting.” Ace raised an eyebrow. “Confident.” “Yes.” Reyes continued: “I did not expect someone who could make me enjoy not knowing exactly what happens next.” That quieted them. Kiro’s expression softened; Mai’s did too. Ace looked at Reyes. Warm. Reyes caught it. “Do not.” Ace shook her head. “Nothing.” “Emotional face.” Ace pointed. “Face analysis.” Reyes laughed. Then looked toward Dara again. Dara was still there. Still waiting for nothing. Good. --- Mai’s answer came quickly. “Sloane.” Ace’s eyebrows rose. Mai looked down at her. “No commentary.” Ace zipped imaginary lips. Mai continued: “I expected confidence.” She looked toward Sloane. “I didn’t expect ease.” Kiro nodded. Mai glanced at her. “You too.” Kiro blinked. “What?” Mai squeezed Kiro’s hand. “You surprised me.” “How?” “You let the night go.” Kiro absorbed that, then looked around Afterlife. “I spent half of it trying to enforce rules.” “Yes.” “And did a governance inspection.” “Yes.” “Rogue called me commissioner.” “Claire did.” “Same trauma.” Mai laughed. Then touched Kiro’s hand. “You still let it become something you didn’t plan.” Kiro looked down at their hands. Mai released. “That was good.” Kiro accepted the praise with suspicious difficulty. “Okay.” Reyes whispered: “Emotional.” Kiro threw a fry at her. --- Ace’s turn. Everybody looked. Ace stared back. “No.” Kiro leaned in. “You agreed.” “I’m thinking.” Reyes leaned forward. “Three gentlemen.” Ace looked at her. “Too obvious.” Reyes stopped. Kiro slapped the table. Mai hid a laugh in her drink while Ace thought. The obvious answer was Julian. Martin. Cal. Not because the experience had been bad. Quite the opposite. Her body was still providing detailed testimony. But surprise— Ace looked around. Then toward Shammy’s empty chair. Her smile changed. “Shammy.” That got them. Mai looked toward the empty chair too. Brenda smiled. Ace continued: “I knew she liked Grant.” Reyes nodded. “Everyone knew.” Ace lifted both hands. “I said eventually once.” Reyes pointed. “No.” Ace grinned. Then softened again. “I didn’t expect her to leave first.” Mai nodded. Neither had she. Ace looked toward the door. “And I definitely didn’t expect that line.” Kiro repeated in Shammy’s perfectly calm cadence: “Back in the morning. Do not wait up.” Brenda collapsed. Reyes slapped the table. Mai laughed. Ace pointed. “Exactly.” Iris smiled. “Efficient.” “Brutal,” Ace corrected. Marco nodded. “Very Shammy.” Ace raised her water toward the empty chair. “Best surprise.” They joined. Quietly. --- Then everyone looked at Kiro. Kiro stopped eating. “What?” Mai nodded toward her. “Your turn.” “I asked the question.” “You’re included.” Kiro looked around. Then at Nadia. Nadia was at the bar talking to Claire now. Claire said something. Nadia laughed. Kiro glanced toward her. “Nadia.” Reyes immediately grinned. Kiro cut her off with one finger. “No.” “Nothing.” “Your face.” “Face analysis.” Kiro sighed. Then: “But not only Nadia.” She looked around Afterlife. Her room now. Not literally. Absolutely not. She had learned enough about rumors tonight. “The floor.” Mai’s expression warmed. Kiro continued: “I knew we could wake it up.” She looked at Mai. Mai nodded. That part they both knew. “I didn’t know it would stay awake.” Ace heard the real answer underneath it. There. Afterlife’s discovery. Not theirs. Kiro looked at the remaining games. The food. The conversations. Claire. Rogue. The entrance. The hotel beyond it. “The whole place, I guess.” Reyes raised her water. “Scalability.” Kiro looked at Ace. Ace smiled innocently. Kiro groaned. --- The last question came from Lena. Not Kiro. “Something you would do again.” Kiro looked interested. “That’s better.” “Thank you.” Marco looked at Lena. “Dangerous.” She smiled. “Possibly.” Nobody made it formal. They answered. Marco: “Come here without a job.” Lena: “Same.” Brenda: “Leave my agent alone longer.” Iris looked at her. Brenda froze. “What?” Iris smiled. “That was unexpectedly responsible.” “Don’t tell anyone.” Iris: “Spend money badly.” Brenda beamed. Reyes looked toward Dara. “Say yes slower.” That made Ace smile. Mai looked toward Sloane. “Dance with strangers.” Kiro looked at Nadia. “Suggest fucking terrible ideas.” Everyone groaned. Kiro laughed. Ace went last. She considered. Then smiled. “Older men.” Mai put her forehead against Ace’s hair. Kiro choked on water. Brenda looked at Ace’s careful posture and immediately lost the fight with her own expression. Reyes shouted: “MEN. PLURAL.” Ace raised both hands. “I answered honestly.” Kiro was helpless. Brenda was gone. Marco had one hand over his eyes. Lena was laughing against his shoulder. Iris shook her head. Ace leaned back carefully. Immediately winced. Reyes saw. Ace pointed. “Worth it.” That made it worse. --- It took several minutes to recover. Claire brought more water. Looked at them. “Still playing?” Kiro nodded. “Final dare.” Claire closed her eyes. “Of course.” She left before becoming involved. Kiro looked around the table. “Okay.” Ace lifted one finger. “No.” Kiro blinked. “What?” “My turn.” “You don’t get to steal the final dare.” Ace smiled. “Truth or dare?” Kiro froze. Mai’s expression changed. Reyes sat upright. Brenda stared. Kiro narrowed her eyes. “This is a coup.” “Yes.” “You planned this.” “No.” “That’s worse.” Ace waited. Kiro looked around. Then sighed. “Dare.” Ace’s smile became very small. Not dangerous. Warm. Kiro immediately distrusted it more. Ace pointed at the chair. “For the rest of the night, sit down.” Kiro blinked. “I am sitting.” “No inspections.” Kiro’s suspicion deepened. “No rule corrections.” Her mouth opened. “No refereeing.” Kiro looked offended. “No checking what other tables are doing.” “Kiro,” Mai whispered, smiling. Ace continued: “No trying to figure out whether Afterlife is doing your game correctly.” Kiro finally understood the trap. “This is sadistic.” Reyes nodded. “Extremely.” Ace leaned carefully back against Mai. “Your final dare is to stop managing the thing you started.” Kiro looked around. The room. Claire. Copycat tables. The dance floor. Napkin maps. The Chairs. Rogue. All the things she could still inspect. Correct. Improve. She looked at Ace. “And do what?” Ace’s voice lost the joke. “Be here.” That stopped her. Ace did not explain it. She did not need to. Kiro looked at Mai. Mai answered with a small nod. Then Reyes. Brenda. Iris. Marco. Lena. Ace. Shammy’s empty chair. Kiro exhaled. “Fuck.” Ace’s eyebrows rose. “Accept?” Kiro looked toward the room one final time. Then deliberately turned her chair slightly inward. Toward the table. “Yes.” Ace lifted her water. “Dare accepted.” --- It lasted forty-three seconds. A merc from another table approached. “Kiro?” Kiro closed her eyes. Ace grinned. The merc stopped. “Quick rules question.” Kiro’s entire body tensed. Reyes started shaking with silent laughter. Mai took Kiro’s hand. The merc waited. Kiro looked at him. Then at Ace. Ace waited. Kiro breathed in. Out. Then said: “Ask Claire.” Claire shouted from the bar: “NO.” The merc looked between them. “Okay.” He walked away. Kiro folded forward. “This is impossible.” Ace laughed. “You passed.” “Barely.” “Still counts.” --- After that, something changed. For Kiro, mostly. She stopped scanning. Actually stopped. Nadia came back eventually. Sat beside her. Kiro did not ask what was happening elsewhere. Nadia noticed. “Everything okay?” Kiro leaned against her. “I’m under a dare.” “What kind?” “Cruel.” Ace raised her water. Nadia looked at Kiro. “What do you have to do?” “Nothing.” Nadia laughed. Kiro gave her a wounded look. “Exactly.” Nadia leaned against her shoulder. Kiro let her. No management. No inspection. No systems. Just the warmth of another person beside her. The table around her. Four in the morning becoming five. --- Dara came over. Stopped beside Reyes. No question. Reyes looked up. Dara smiled. “Still yes?” Reyes looked at her. Then around the table. Then back. “Yes.” Dara’s expression warmed. “My place?” Reyes held her gaze. “Yeah.” “When?” Reyes checked the room. Not the clock. “The last round’s over.” Kiro looked offended. “That was the last round?” Ace nodded. “Final dare.” Kiro looked genuinely wounded. “I didn’t get closure.” Mai squeezed her hand. “You are literally under a dare preventing closure.” Kiro looked from Mai to Ace and found no mercy. “That is evil.” “Yes.” Reyes stood. That changed the table. Not dramatically. Just enough. Dara waited. Reyes looked at Ace. Ace smiled. No joke. “Have fun.” Dara held out her hand. Reyes looked at it, smiled, and took it. Reyes looked at Mai. Then Kiro. Brenda. Iris. Marco. Lena. “See you idiots later.” Kiro narrowed her eyes. “Morning?” Reyes looked at Dara. Dara smiled. Reyes looked back. “Eventually.” Ace shouted: “FUCK YOU.” Reyes was already laughing. She leaned down. Kissed Ace’s hair. “Worth it.” Ace tried to grab her. Reyes escaped. Then she and Dara walked toward the side exit. The table watched. Reyes did not look toward the hotel. Dara opened the side door. Different night. Different destination. They disappeared through it. Reyes’ chair joined Shammy’s. Empty. For a good reason. --- Mai watched the door close. Then looked toward Sloane. Sloane was already looking at her. No pressure. Mai appreciated that. Sloane raised her glass. A question without demanding an answer. Ace felt Mai’s attention move. Looked up. “Go?” Mai looked down. Ace waited. Mai thought. Then smiled. “No.” Ace’s eyebrows rose. “Sure?” “Yes.” “Because of me?” Mai touched Ace’s cheek. “No.” That answer pleased Ace more. Mai looked toward Sloane again. Then stood. “Back.” Ace nodded. Mai crossed the room. Sloane smiled as she approached. They spoke quietly. Not long. Sloane looked briefly toward the table. Then back at Mai. Mai touched her arm. Sloane leaned in. They kissed. Slow. Warm. Certain. Then separated. Sloane smiled. Mai said something. Sloane laughed. Then their agents touched briefly. Contact exchange. Not a farewell to possibility. Just a decision about tonight. Sloane left a few minutes later. Alone. Mai returned. Ace looked at her. “Good?” Mai sat. “Yes.” “Regret?” “No.” Ace leaned against her again. “Good.” Mai kissed her hair. “Very.” --- Kiro watched. Then looked at Nadia. Nadia raised an eyebrow. “What?” Kiro looked back toward Nadia. “Nothing.” “Illegal.” “Apparently.” Nadia leaned closer. “You leaving?” Kiro thought. “No.” Nadia nodded. “Okay.” No disappointment. Kiro liked that. “Are you?” “Soon.” Kiro nodded. Nadia laughed. Then kissed her. Not tentative. Not a question they had not already answered throughout the night. Kiro caught the front of Nadia’s jacket. Held her there. The kiss lasted. When it ended, Brenda’s eyes were enormous. Kiro looked at her. “Don’t.” Brenda pressed both lips together. Iris whispered: “You made punctuation.” Brenda nodded violently. Kiro laughed. Nadia smiled. Then remained beside her. No hotel. No departure. No necessity to make the evening symmetrical. Exactly right. --- Five o’clock arrived without announcement. Outside, the darkness had begun losing. Not sunrise yet. But Night City’s artificial light no longer owned everything beyond the entrance. Claire saw it first. Then Rogue. Then Mai. Ace followed Mai’s gaze. Toward the door. The faintest shift in the sky. Ace noticed it in Mai’s eyes first. “Oh.” Kiro looked. Brenda did too. Iris. Marco. Lena. Seven of the original nine at the table now. Shammy gone with Grant. Reyes gone with Dara. Sloane gone home. Nadia still beside Kiro. The original nine had become geography of their own. People leaving. People returning later. People remaining connected whether or not their chair was occupied. Exactly what 107.2 had promised. Kiro looked around. “So.” Mai leaned back. “So?” “Morning.” “Almost.” Ace took another drink of water. “Coffee.” Claire heard from the bar. “No.” Ace stared. Claire looked at the paling doorway. Then at the wreckage of the room. Then back. A long pause. “Not yet.” Ace wrapped both hands around the mug. There it was. Not yet. But close. Very close. The night had finally run out of escalation. Now it only had to survive the dawn. --- ## Chapter Twenty-Five — Claire Makes Coffee At 5:21 in the morning, Claire surrendered. Ace knew because a mug appeared in front of her. Real coffee. Hot. Black. Beautiful. Ace stared at it. Then at Claire. Claire put another in front of Mai. Then Kiro. Brenda. Iris. Marco. Lena. Nadia received one too. Seven original chairs occupied. One guest. Two original chairs empty. Shammy. Reyes. Ace looked at the mug again. “You said no.” Claire kept distributing coffee. “I changed my mind.” Kiro wrapped both hands around hers. “You’re a goddess.” “No.” “Saint?” “No.” “Critical infrastructure?” Claire paused. Considered. “Acceptable.” Brenda nodded. “Correct classification.” Iris looked at her. “No engineering.” “Coffee is infrastructure.” “At five in the morning?” “Especially at five in the morning.” Claire pointed at Brenda. “That one can stay.” Brenda looked absurdly pleased. --- The coffee changed everything. Again. Not energy exactly. Nobody was recovering the night. That possibility had passed several hours ago. But caffeine gave exhaustion definition. Ace took one careful sip. Closed her eyes. “Oh.” Mai watched Ace’s face. “That good?” Ace opened one eye. “Better than chairs.” The table went silent. Kiro froze with her mug halfway up. Nadia looked between everyone. Brenda’s shoulders started shaking. Marco looked down. Lena put one hand over her mouth. Mai slowly closed her eyes. Ace realized what she had said. “Coffee.” Nobody spoke. “I meant the coffee.” Kiro folded forward. Ace lifted one accusatory finger. “Fuck all of you.” Nadia finally asked: “Chairs?” Kiro lifted her head. “No.” Reyes would have explained. Thankfully Reyes was gone. Ace smiled into her coffee. Small mercy. --- Outside, the sky had become unmistakably lighter. Night City resisted dawn. Neon fought it. Advertisements ignored it. Windows remained black mirrors. Streetlights continued pretending they mattered. But the horizon had changed. Blue-grey now. Thin. Cold. Real. Nadia looked toward the entrance. “That’s depressing.” Kiro followed her gaze. “Morning?” “Yes.” “Why?” “Means tonight worked.” Kiro frowned. “That sounds positive.” “It was.” Nadia smiled. Kiro caught up. “Oh.” Mai watched them. Ace watched Mai watching them. Then Ace stopped herself. Enough recursive surveillance. She drank coffee. --- The last copycat Truth or Dare table ended quietly. No cheer. No final dare. A woman stood, hugged one of her friends, collected her jacket and left. The others followed a few minutes later. Another group had already gone. The dance floor was down to four people. Then two. Then none. The music kept playing anyway. Afterlife looked almost surprised by the empty floor. Kiro noticed. She smiled. Not disappointed. This time she obeyed Ace’s final dare. No inspection. No attempt to restart anything. She watched the room settle. Nadia leaned closer. “You’re doing nothing.” Kiro looked offended. “I am drinking coffee.” “Sorry.” “Important distinction.” Nadia kissed her cheek. Kiro stopped. Then smiled. “Okay.” --- Marco checked the time. That alone made everyone look at him. He noticed. “What?” Lena smiled. “You’re the first.” “To what?” “Check.” Marco looked around. Seven exhausted faces. Ace visibly wrecked. Kiro still awake. Brenda almost horizontal against Iris. Nadia now leaning against Kiro. “Right.” He put the agent away. “What time?” Ace asked. Marco smiled. “You don’t want to know.” “I absolutely do.” “Five twenty-seven.” Ace stared. “That’s it?” Mai laughed. “You said that hours ago.” “Night City is broken.” Brenda mumbled against Iris: “Temporal infrastructure failure.” Iris stroked her hair. “Sleep.” “No.” “You’re barely conscious.” “Still participating.” Kiro raised her coffee. “Respect.” --- Claire returned. Ace looked at her. “Refill?” Claire stared. Ace held the mug protectively. “Worth asking.” Claire looked around their table. Then toward the rest of Afterlife. The place had survived. More surprisingly, it had survived without needing much repair. No shattered furniture. No blood on the floor. No security response. No bodies. No legendary merc deciding that a dare justified a firefight. A miracle. Claire looked back. “Ten minutes.” Kiro frowned. “What happens in ten minutes?” “Refill.” Ace smiled. “Critical infrastructure.” Claire walked away. --- Rogue finally moved. That got everyone’s attention. Not because she announced anything. Because Rogue had spent most of the night remaining exactly where Rogue wanted to remain. Observing. Drinking. Occasionally changing one variable and letting everyone else suffer the consequences. Now she stood. Straightened her jacket. Finished whatever remained in her glass. Claire saw her rise. So did Kiro. Ace noticed Kiro straighten and looked over. Mai nudged her before the observation chain could become commentary. Rogue crossed the room. Not toward the exit. Toward their table. Kiro sat straighter. Nadia noticed. “Should I be worried?” Kiro whispered: “Yes.” Rogue stopped at the end of the table. Looked at the empty chairs first. Shammy. Reyes. Then the occupied ones. Her eyes paused briefly on Ace. Ace met the look without shame. Rogue looked toward the hotel across the parking lot, then returned to Ace. Ace managed to look more innocent. Rogue did not dignify that. She looked at Kiro. “Bad idea.” Kiro blinked. Then smiled. “Really fucking bad idea.” Rogue nodded once. Kiro glanced toward the emptied organic bottles. Then back. “Worth it?” Rogue followed the glance. “Beer was enough.” Then she turned and walked away. Kiro watched her go. Nadia leaned against her. “What was that?” “Recognition.” Mai considered. “Yes.” Kiro accepted the tiny admission like a medal. “Good.” --- Rogue stopped before reaching the stairs. Turned. Everyone at the table instinctively went quiet. Rogue looked at Claire. Then at Kiro. One last line. “Don’t name the hotel.” Ace looked down. Kiro’s eyes widened. Brenda pressed both hands against her mouth. Lena turned toward Marco. Marco froze. Claire slowly looked toward the folded napkin beneath the bar. Rogue disappeared upstairs. Silence. Absolute. Then Nadia asked: “What did you name the hotel?” Kiro whispered: “No.” Ace stared into her coffee. Brenda made a dangerous noise. Nadia looked at Mai. Mai betrayed everyone without hesitation. “The Chairs.” Nadia stopped. Then laughed. Kiro put both hands over her face. “You traitor.” Mai took a drink. “Truth.” Behind the bar, Claire visibly decided not to participate. --- At 5:40, Nadia stood. Kiro looked up. “You leaving?” “Yes.” That word landed differently after the night. Kiro nodded. Nadia put on her jacket. No disappointment. No sudden escalation needed because sunrise had arrived. Kiro stood too. Their chairs scraped. Nadia smiled. “I had fun.” Kiro looked around. “Somehow.” “I meant with you.” Kiro stopped. “Oh.” Nadia smiled. “There.” “Fuck you.” “Possibly another night.” Kiro stared. Nadia’s eyebrows rose. Kiro laughed. “Okay.” They stepped a little away from the table. No audience required. Kiro took Nadia’s hands. “You have my contact.” “Yes.” “You’re actually going to use it?” Nadia smiled. “Maybe.” Kiro groaned. “Everybody is infected.” Nadia kissed her. Warm. Unhurried. Kiro answered. No dare. No reason. No need to make the night produce a larger conclusion than the one already there. When they separated, Nadia touched Kiro’s cheek. “Sleep eventually.” Kiro nodded. “No sake.” Nadia laughed. “No sake.” Then left. Kiro watched her walk through the entrance. The early sky beyond her. And stayed where she was until the door closed. She returned to the table. Ace’s expression was already waiting. Kiro cut her off. “Nothing.” Ace raised both hands. “I was going to say good.” Kiro stopped. Then sat. “Okay.” Mai touched her shoulder. “Good?” Kiro looked at the door. Then smiled. “Very.” --- The room emptied faster after that. Morning had psychological force. People who could happily spend six hours insisting the night was young suddenly remembered beds. Vehicles. Breakfast. Poor decisions awaiting daylight. One merc approached Claire on the way out. “Great night.” Claire nodded. “Thanks.” He pointed toward the hotel. “Chairs was full, though.” Claire froze. The merc left before she could answer. Ace put her face into Mai’s shoulder. Kiro whispered: “No.” Marco laughed. Lena looked innocent. Nobody believed her anymore. --- At 5:53, Claire refilled the coffee. Ace nearly proposed marriage. She did not. Mostly because Mai was right there and would have laughed at her. Brenda woke enough to consume half a mug. Iris took it away after Brenda almost missed the table putting it down. “Hey.” “You’re asleep.” “I’m drinking coffee.” “You’re holding nothing.” Brenda looked at her hand. Empty. “Oh.” Iris kissed her hair. “Exactly.” Brenda accepted defeat. --- Marco looked toward the entrance. “Breakfast?” Ace looked at the food remnants. “That was breakfast.” Marco frowned. “No.” Kiro pointed at something unidentifiable on a plate. “What time category is that?” Lena answered: “Regret.” Fair. Mai looked down at Ace. “Home?” Ace thought. Her body answered before she did. A deep ache everywhere she had been successfully ignoring while sitting still. “Yes.” Reyes would be insufferable if she were here. Ace was suddenly grateful she was not. Then Ace remembered Shammy. Morning. Safehouse. A smile slowly appeared. Mai saw. “Oh, no.” Ace looked innocent. “What?” “You remembered.” “Remembered what?” “Shammy.” Brenda’s eyes opened. Fully. Iris felt the change. “No.” Brenda sat upright. “Shammy.” Mai looked between Ace and Brenda. “No.” Ace and Brenda exchanged the same dangerous look. Marco looked at Lena. “We should leave before this develops.” Lena considered. “No.” Marco sighed. “Of course.” Iris pointed at Brenda. “You are going to sleep.” Brenda looked offended. “Eventually.” Ace slapped the table. Kiro shouted: “INFECTED.” Claire pointed. Everyone lowered their voices. --- They paid. Or tried to. Claire handed the total over. Marco looked. Then Kiro. Then the total again. “That’s less than I expected.” Kiro leaned over. “Where’s—” Claire gave her a look. Kiro stopped. Organic beer. Rogue. No charge? Partial charge? Nobody knew. Kiro looked toward Rogue’s now-empty booth. Claire said: “Pay your tab.” Kiro obeyed for once. “Yes, ma’am.” Ace looked at Claire. “Hotel included?” Mai grabbed Ace’s arm. Claire stared. Ace raised both hands. “Joke.” Claire pointed toward the door. “Go home.” --- They did. Eventually. Jackets appeared. Possessions recovered. Brenda checked beneath the table twice for things nobody had lost. Iris finally picked up her bag. Did not check the agent. Brenda noticed. Smiled. Marco helped Lena with her coat. Kiro stood in the middle of everything for several seconds as if expecting one final system failure. None came. Ace looked at Shammy’s empty chair. Then Reyes’. “They’re going to miss cleanup.” Mai glanced at the two empty chairs. “They’ll survive.” “Unfair.” “You had a hotel break.” Ace stared. “That was not a break.” Kiro made a sound. Ace pointed. “Not you either.” --- Claire stood behind the bar as they approached the exit. Kiro stopped. Looked back. The room behind them was almost ordinary again. Almost. Scattered glasses. Moved chairs. Evidence of too many people having too much fun. The dance floor empty. Claire working. The folded napkin map still hidden beneath the bar. Kiro smiled. “Sorry.” Claire stared. “For what?” Kiro gestured around. Claire looked. Then shrugged. “I’ve had worse.” “Really?” “Yes.” Kiro considered. “Better?” Claire looked toward the entrance. The hotel beyond. Then back. A smile appeared. “Different.” Kiro accepted that. “Good.” Claire pointed. “Get out.” --- They stepped outside. Morning hit them all at once. Cold air. Grey-blue sky. Night City’s towers beginning to catch the first pale light. The parking lot looked smaller now. Ordinary. Delamain still stood there. Immaculate. Silent. Ace looked toward it. Then toward the hotel. The Chairs. Mai caught her gaze. “Do not.” Ace kept her mouth closed with visible effort. “I behaved.” “Your face.” “Face analysis.” Kiro groaned behind them. --- The hotel entrance opened. Everyone turned. Not Shammy. A completely unrelated couple emerged. They saw seven people standing outside Afterlife looking toward them. Stopped. The woman raised an eyebrow. Ace looked away. Kiro stared at the ground. Marco turned toward Lena. Brenda became fascinated by the sky. The couple walked off. Mai whispered: “We’ve become the problem.” Ace looked back at Afterlife. “Hours ago.” --- No Shammy. Fine. She had said morning. Morning had only just arrived. No Reyes either. Also fine. Reyes had made her decision. The remaining seven stood together in the parking lot for a moment without moving. Nobody wanted to say the night was over. Because that would make it true. Kiro looked back at Afterlife. Then at them. “Really fucking bad idea.” Ace bumped Kiro lightly with her shoulder. “One of your best.” Mai nodded. Brenda raised a tired hand. Iris caught it. Marco smiled. Lena slipped an arm through his. Kiro looked toward the sunrise. “Next time—” Six voices answered immediately: “NO.” Kiro laughed. Hard. Then they started toward their rides. --- Claire watched through the entrance until they were gone. Then returned to the bar. She found the napkin map. Unfolded it. Looked at the labels. **NOT PART OF GAME.** **BAD DECISIONS.** **GOOD CHAIRS.** She stared for several seconds. Then pulled out a marker. Crossed out all three. Underneath, she wrote one word. **NO.** She folded the napkin again. Put it back beneath the bar. And started cleaning. Behind her, somewhere upstairs, Rogue’s voice carried just far enough: “Keep it.” Claire stopped. Looked toward the ceiling. Then at the folded map. “You’re part of the problem.” No answer. Claire smiled. Morning had finally reached Afterlife. --- ## Chapter Twenty-Six — Tea Nobody planned to go to the Safehouse together. It happened. Again. Marco had suggested breakfast. Ace had suggested home. Brenda had suggested that breakfast could exist at home. Kiro had suggested that she was still completely awake. Everyone had told Kiro to shut up. Ten minutes later they were all moving in the same direction. No mission. No extraction plan. No reason beyond the fact that nobody quite wanted to split the night apart yet. Seven people left Afterlife together. Mai. Ace. Kiro. Brenda. Iris. Marco. Lena. Two were still somewhere else. Shammy. Reyes. The ride back had none of the evening’s beginning energy. Nobody filled the silence because the silence did not need filling. Brenda fell asleep against Iris before the first major intersection. Iris lasted approximately four minutes longer. Marco and Lena sat close together in companionable exhaustion. Kiro stared out the window. Still awake. Mai had one arm around Ace. Ace was technically awake. Technically. Her head rested against Mai’s shoulder. Her eyes remained mostly closed. Every large road seam produced a tiny expression of betrayal. Mai noticed every time. At the third one: “Still worth it?” Ace opened one eye. “Yes.” Kiro laughed from across the vehicle. Ace pointed without lifting her head. “Don’t.” “Not a word.” “Your face.” Kiro leaned back, pleased. “Face analysis.” Ace closed her eye again. “Fuck this night.” Mai kissed her hair. “You loved this night.” “Yes.” A beat. “Fuck this morning.” That, nobody challenged. --- The Safehouse accepted them without judgment. Which was more than Afterlife had managed. The door opened. People came in. Shoes were abandoned. Jackets landed wherever exhausted adults decided jackets belonged when civilization had temporarily ended. Marco immediately headed toward the kitchen. Lena followed. Brenda wandered three steps into the main room, stopped and looked around as though she had forgotten why rooms existed. Iris caught her gently by the shoulders. “Sit.” Brenda looked at her. “Where?” Iris pointed at the sofa. Brenda stared at it. “Oh.” She sat. Then fell sideways. Iris caught her head before it hit the armrest. “Sleep.” “No.” Brenda’s eyes closed. “I’m socially active.” “You’re unconscious.” “Multitasking.” Iris smiled. Then sat beside her. Brenda immediately curled toward her. Argument over. --- Kiro walked into the kitchen. Marco looked at her. “No.” Kiro stopped. “What?” “No sake.” Kiro stared. “At six in the morning?” Marco pointed. “Preventative.” Kiro looked offended. “I wasn’t going to drink sake.” Lena opened a cabinet. “Historical evidence suggests repetition helps.” Kiro crossed her arms. “I have learned.” Ace entered behind her. Very carefully. “Write down the date.” Kiro turned. “You walked like a ninety-year-old from the car.” Ace stopped. Mai stopped behind her. Marco stopped. Lena looked down. Kiro realized. “Oh, fuck.” Ace’s expression turned predatory. Not warmly. “Kiro.” “Yes?” “Run.” Kiro looked at Ace’s current mobility. Then grinned. “No.” Marco started laughing. Ace pointed at him. “You’re losing survival status.” Marco tried to compose himself. “Sorry.” “Liar.” “Yes.” --- Breakfast became whatever they could assemble without ambition. Eggs. Toast. Something Marco found in the refrigerator that passed inspection. Coffee. Tea. Water. A frightening amount of water. Nobody attempted culinary greatness. They had already achieved enough greatness for one night. Ace took a chair. Stopped. Everyone nearby went silent. Ace looked at them. Then the chair. Then at them again. “Not one fucking word.” Kiro turned around. Marco focused on eggs. Lena found a fascinating cupboard. Mai bit the inside of her cheek. Ace lowered herself. Slowly. Controlled. Mostly successfully. She reached the seat. Exhaled. Silence continued. Ace looked around. “Good.” Kiro’s shoulders shook. Ace lifted the nearest throwable object by way of proof. “I can still throw things.” Kiro nodded. “Understood.” --- By six-thirty, the Safehouse had fallen into the strange state that existed between party and sleep. Nobody committed to either. Marco and Lena took the far end of the main room. Kiro had found a floor cushion and remained upright. Brenda slept against Iris. Iris had one hand in Brenda’s hair and her own eyes closed. Mai sat beside Ace. Ace had acquired coffee. The first mug had restored her vocabulary. The second restored malicious intent. That worried Mai. “You’re smiling.” Ace looked innocent. “I’m happy.” “No.” “I am.” “That is not the smile.” Ace took a sip. “What smile?” “The Shammy smile.” Kiro’s eyes opened. “Oh.” Mai looked at her. “You were asleep.” “No.” “You were.” “Micro-rest.” Ace smiled wider. Kiro sat upright. “Shammy.” Mai sighed. There it was. Brenda’s eyes opened. Nobody had said her name loudly. That did not matter. “What about Shammy?” Iris looked down. “You were asleep.” “Shammy.” Iris sighed. Ace looked at Brenda. Brenda looked at Ace. Recognition. Shared purpose. Mai watched it happen. “No.” Ace and Brenda both turned. “What?” “That.” “What?” “The thing you just did without speaking.” Brenda looked offended. “We communicated.” “Yes.” “Healthy relationship behavior.” “You are not in a relationship with Ace.” Brenda thought. “Healthy found-family behavior?” Ace raised her coffee. “Accepted.” Mai closed her eyes. --- The door system announced someone. Everyone looked. Ace straightened. Brenda sat up. Kiro stood. Marco looked toward the entry. Lena smiled. Iris opened her eyes fully. Mai watched Ace. Ace’s entire face had become weaponized. The door opened. Reyes came in. Ace’s disappointment was immediate. Reyes saw it. “Wow.” Ace sat back. “Hi.” Reyes stopped. “You thought I was Shammy.” “No.” “You absolutely thought I was Shammy.” Brenda leaned back against Iris. “We did.” Reyes pointed at her. “Thank you.” Then she walked farther inside. Ace studied her. Reyes’ hair was slightly disordered. Jacket open. Expression— Extremely satisfied. Not destroyed. Not even particularly tired. But satisfied. Reyes saw exactly when Ace’s malicious interest came back online. “No.” “You haven’t heard the question.” “I know you.” Ace lifted her coffee. “Worth it?” Reyes stopped. Thought. Then smiled. “Yes.” Ace nodded. “Good.” That was it. Reyes stared. “You only get one question?” “Currently.” Reyes looked suspicious. Kiro raised one hand. “She has another target.” Reyes understood. “Oh.” She looked around. “Shammy not back?” “No.” Reyes’ grin appeared. Mai pointed at her. “No.” “What?” “You’re joining them.” Reyes looked at Ace. Then Brenda. Both already smiling. Reyes considered. Then took off her jacket. “Yes.” Mai sighed. --- Reyes got coffee. Marco put food in front of her. She ate with the efficient focus of someone who had discovered that sunrise punished alcohol retroactively. Kiro shifted over. Reyes sat beside her. “Dara?” Kiro asked. Reyes looked at her. “Good.” Kiro nodded with exaggerated approval. “Good.” No more. Reyes ate. Then looked at Ace. Ace had not stopped occasionally checking the door. “Are you seriously waiting?” “No.” “Yes.” Ace took a drink. “Shammy said morning.” Reyes looked toward the windows. “Technically morning.” “Exactly.” Brenda, now fully awake for reasons nobody respected: “She could come back any time.” Iris looked at her. “You were unable to identify a sofa twenty minutes ago.” Brenda smiled. “Motivation.” --- Seven o’clock. No Shammy. Nobody left. That was the incriminating part. Marco could have gone home with Lena. Kiro could have returned to Japantown. Iris could have taken Brenda to bed. Reyes had literally just returned from her own night elsewhere. Nobody left. Nobody admitted why. At 7:12, Lena finally said: “We are all waiting for her.” Silence. Marco looked down. Kiro scratched her cheek. Reyes drank coffee. Ace stared straight ahead. Brenda looked at Iris. Iris smiled. Mai said: “Yes.” Ace looked at her. “Traitor.” Mai shrugged. “Truth.” Kiro pointed. “Game ended.” Reyes groaned. “Do not restart it.” “I wasn’t.” “Your face.” Kiro sighed. --- At 7:19 the door announced someone again. Nobody moved. Too obvious. Ace continued drinking coffee. Brenda studied a blank wall. Reyes looked toward the kitchen. Kiro folded her arms. Marco and Lena both stared at their breakfast plates. Iris smiled because she was the only person willing to admit what was happening. Mai looked toward the entry normally. The door opened. Shammy walked in. And the Safehouse stopped. Completely. No one said anything. Not because Shammy looked injured. She did not. Not because anything seemed wrong. Quite the opposite. Shammy looked— Ace lowered her mug. Oh. Oh, wow. Shammy’s hair was a disaster. Not the mild disorder of somebody who had slept badly. Not the casual mess of a long night. Completely, unmistakably disheveled. Sections flattened. Others pushed in directions they normally had no relationship with. She had clearly tried to fix it with her fingers at some point. That effort had failed. Her clothes were properly on. Mostly properly arranged. But the whole impression carried the unmistakable aftermath of somebody who had left the Safehouse yesterday in complete control of her appearance and had returned having lost several negotiations with reality. Then she took another step. Reyes’ eyebrows rose. Brenda’s mouth opened. Kiro stopped breathing. Shammy was walking carefully. Very carefully. Not dramatically. That made it worse. Controlled. Measured. The gait of someone whose body had opinions about the previous several hours and intended to submit those opinions in writing. Ace stared. Mai looked at Ace. Too late. Ace’s eyes had lit. Shammy saw all eight of them. Stopped. Looked around the room. Then: “Good morning.” Eight people forgot to answer. Shammy raised an eyebrow. “Is something wrong?” Reyes looked at Ace. Ace looked at Brenda. Brenda looked at Reyes. The three of them nearly achieved telepathy. Shammy sighed. “No.” She started toward the kitchen. Carefully. Ace found her voice. “Shammy.” Shammy stopped. “Yes?” Ace looked her over again. Hair. Clothes. Movement. The almost preternaturally calm expression. “Looks like you got thoroughly fucked.” Marco stopped breathing. Lena covered her mouth. Kiro made a tiny choking noise. Iris looked down. Brenda’s eyes became enormous. Reyes whispered: “Straight artillery.” Mai did not bother hiding her amusement. Shammy considered Ace. Then answered without the slightest embarrassment. “Yes. And I loved every second of it.” The room failed a second time. Worse. Ace’s eyebrows rose. Brenda folded forward. Reyes slapped one hand over her mouth. Kiro stared at Shammy as though she had just announced a hostile takeover of Arasaka. Shammy continued toward the kitchen. Ace turned in her chair. “Wait.” Shammy stopped again. Looked back. Ace’s grin was becoming dangerous. “Satisfying night?” Shammy smiled. Small. Deeply pleased. “Yes.” Ace waited. Shammy knew exactly what Ace was waiting for. She added: “Multiple times.” Reyes made a sound. Kiro covered her face. Brenda whispered: “Oh my God.” Shammy turned toward the kitchen again. Ace could not let it go. Obviously. “How many?” Shammy stopped. The room stopped with her. Shammy looked over her shoulder. “How many what?” Ace stared. Shammy’s expression remained perfectly neutral. Ace narrowed her eyes. “You know exactly what.” Shammy waited. Ace surrendered to directness. “Orgasms.” Marco stared at the table. Lena’s shoulders shook. Iris closed her eyes. Brenda looked like Christmas had arrived. Reyes leaned forward. Kiro’s hands lowered from her face. Everyone waited. Shammy thought. Actually thought. That was the moment it became dangerous. One second. Two. Then she looked at Ace with perfect calm. “Enough that counting would have been a stupid use of the evening.” Nothing happened. For perhaps three full seconds. The sentence existed. The room did not. Reyes forgot to breathe. Brenda’s mouth stayed open. Kiro looked as if arithmetic had personally betrayed her. Mai stared. Iris, Marco and Lena were no better. Ace narrowed her eyes. “That is not a number.” “No.” Shammy smiled. “You asked the wrong question.” The room failed again. Worse. Shammy nodded once to herself. Then continued into the kitchen. --- Reyes was first to regain biological function. “After—” Her voice broke. She cleared her throat. “After ten?” No answer. Shammy opened a cabinet. Brenda turned toward Ace. Ace turned toward Brenda. Kiro whispered: “She lost count.” Marco looked at Kiro. “Yes.” “After ten.” “Yes.” Lena put both hands over her face. Reyes stood. “No.” Mai looked at her. “Sit.” Reyes ignored her. “NO.” From the kitchen, Shammy said calmly: “Would anyone else like tea?” The room stopped again. Ace stared toward the kitchen. “What?” “Tea.” Shammy filled the kettle. Brenda looked almost offended. “You cannot say that and then make tea.” Shammy looked toward her. “Why?” Brenda opened her mouth. No answer existed. Shammy turned on the kettle. --- Kiro stood. Walked two steps toward the kitchen. Stopped. “You mean ten total?” Mai put her face into one hand. Shammy looked at Kiro. “I mean I stopped keeping track after the tenth.” Kiro’s mouth opened and stayed there. “That is somehow worse.” Shammy smiled. “I enjoyed myself.” Reyes pointed at her. “You returned looking like you survived atmospheric entry.” Shammy looked down at herself. Then touched her hair. Her fingers met a particularly rebellious section. She considered it. “Yes.” Reyes stared. Shammy gave up on the hair. The kettle began heating. --- Ace tried to stand. Mai caught her wrist. “Why?” “I need closer range.” “No.” “Mai.” “You can interrogate from there.” “This requires precision.” Reyes looked at the way Ace got halfway up, froze and carefully sat again. Then looked toward Shammy. Then Ace. A slow grin appeared. “Oh.” Ace saw. “No.” Reyes pointed between them. “Look at the two of you.” Ace stared. Shammy opened a tea tin. Reyes continued: “One of you can barely sit.” Ace’s finger came up immediately. “Die.” “The other can barely walk.” Shammy looked over. “I can walk perfectly well.” Everyone watched her take three careful steps to retrieve a mug. Reyes stared. Shammy stared back. Reyes raised both hands. “Withdrawn.” Shammy returned to the counter. Carefully. Brenda fell against Iris laughing. --- Mai watched Shammy. Past the jokes. Past the hair. Past the obvious physical exhaustion. Shammy looked happy. Not performatively triumphant. Not trying to prove that the night had been outrageous. Relaxed. Satisfied. Completely comfortable with the decision she had made. Mai’s voice softened. “You really had a good night.” Shammy looked at her. And the expression softened. “Yes.” No joke. “Yes, I did.” Mai nodded. “Good.” Shammy smiled. “Very.” Ace looked between them. Then toward Shammy. Her own grin softened too. “Grant okay?” “Yes.” “Good.” “He is probably asleep.” Reyes stared. “Probably?” Shammy put tea into the mug. “Yes.” Kiro made a strangled sound. Shammy looked at her. “What?” Kiro shook her head violently. “Nothing.” --- The kettle clicked. Shammy poured water. The sound was absurdly domestic. That made the entire situation worse. Steam rose. Shammy waited. Tea steeping. Eight people watched. She looked up. “Why are you all staring at me?” Brenda found language first. “You broke arithmetic.” Shammy blinked. “No.” “Yes.” “I simply stopped using it.” Reyes put one hand on the counter. “That is not better.” Shammy smiled. “I didn’t intend it to be.” Ace slapped the table. “There.” Brenda slapped Iris lightly on the arm. “THERE.” Iris laughed. “What?” “She knows what she’s doing.” Shammy lifted the tea bag. Let it drain. “Of course I do.” Reyes stared. “Oh, fuck you.” Shammy looked at her. “Satisfying evening?” Reyes froze. The entire room turned. Ace’s face lit. Reyes pointed at Shammy. “No.” Shammy took her tea. “I asked one question.” Reyes stared. Then laughed. “Yes.” Shammy nodded. “Good.” And walked past her. Carefully. Reyes watched. Then looked at Ace. “She just counter-batteried me.” Ace raised her coffee. “Professional.” --- Shammy approached the main room. Looked at the available chairs. Paused. That pause killed what remained of everyone. Brenda covered her mouth. Kiro looked at the ceiling. Reyes turned away. Marco suddenly became fascinated by the kitchen wall. Lena bit her lip. Ace stared openly. Shammy looked at them. Then the sofa. Then one padded armchair. She chose the armchair. Smart. She turned. Lowered herself. Slowly. Controlled. Halfway— Stopped. Closed her eyes. Just for a beat. Ace inhaled. Mai put one hand over Ace’s mouth. Ace stared at her. Shammy completed the descent. Settled. Exhaled. Opened her eyes. Mai removed her hand. Ace immediately said: “Eleven?” Shammy stared at her. Marco bent over. Lena buried her face against him. Kiro dropped to the floor cushion. Brenda was physically unable to remain upright. Iris held her. Reyes hit the wall with one hand. Mai laughed into Ace’s shoulder. Shammy remained in the chair. Tea in both hands. Perfectly calm. She waited. Eventually the noise faded enough for Shammy to be heard again. “I said I lost count.” Ace grinned. “Could be eleven.” “Yes.” “Twelve.” “Yes.” “Fifteen?” Shammy took a sip. “I don’t know.” Ace stared. Shammy took another. The room died again. --- Brenda resurfaced from Iris. “Wait.” Shammy looked at her. Brenda’s face was full of terrible curiosity. Iris immediately said: “No.” Brenda turned. “I have a scientifically relevant question.” “No.” “Statistical.” “No.” “Human endurance—” “Brenda.” Brenda looked toward Shammy. Shammy smiled. “You may ask.” Iris closed her eyes. Brenda brightened. “Was ten—” Ace leaned forward. Mai grabbed her. Reyes leaned forward too. Kiro stopped pretending she wasn’t listening. Marco looked at Lena. Lena smiled. Brenda continued: “—before or after sleeping?” Even Iris turned to stare at Brenda. Brenda realized. “Not mechanics. Timeline.” Shammy considered. Then: “Before.” Ace’s coffee nearly left her hand. Reyes physically walked away. Kiro put her forehead against the floor cushion. Marco muttered something nobody heard. Lena had tears in her eyes. Iris stared into the middle distance. Brenda looked stunned. Shammy drank tea. --- Ace finally managed: “Grant.” Shammy looked at her. Ace shook her head. “Respect.” Shammy laughed. There. Not the small controlled smile. A genuine laugh. Warm. Tired. She settled carefully deeper into the chair and immediately reconsidered the movement. Reyes saw. Pointed. “Evidence.” Shammy looked at her. “Yes.” Reyes stopped. No defense. No embarrassment. Just yes. Reyes slowly sat down. “Okay.” Ace conceded with her coffee. “She wins.” Kiro lifted her face from the cushion. “What?” Ace pointed at Shammy. “She wins the night.” Shammy raised an eyebrow. “There was no competition.” Ace looked at her. “Exactly.” Mai lifted her mug toward Shammy. “Still wins.” --- Shammy drank more tea. Around her, the Safehouse slowly recovered from the numerical catastrophe. Marco returned to breakfast. Lena sat beside him. Kiro reclaimed the cushion. Reyes got more coffee. Brenda whispered something to Iris and received an immediate no. Ace remained beside Mai. Nobody went to bed. Not yet. Shammy watched them. Then looked at the empty breakfast plate. “Is there food?” Marco turned. “Yes.” “Good.” He stood. Shammy started to stand too. Eight voices shouted: “NO.” Shammy froze. Looked around. Ace caught the movement immediately. “Sit.” Shammy stared. “You are giving me orders?” “Yes.” Reyes nodded. “Collective ruling.” Kiro raised one hand. “Unanimous.” Brenda: “Medical logistics.” Iris looked at her. “No medical claims.” “Domestic logistics.” Marco laughed. “I’ll bring it.” Shammy considered. Then settled back. Carefully. “Fine.” Ace looked absurdly pleased. “Character growth.” Shammy looked at her. “You are sitting exactly the same way.” Ace’s smile vanished. Reyes screamed. Kiro fell over again. Brenda disappeared. Mai put both hands over her face. Marco had to lean against the counter. Lena laughed helplessly. Ace stared at Shammy. Shammy took a sip of tea. Perfectly serene. Then smiled. Small. Deadly. Ace slowly raised her coffee. “Respect.” Shammy raised her tea. Their mugs touched. --- Morning light had reached the Safehouse windows. Real daylight now. No longer the thin promise outside Afterlife. The night was over. Technically. Nobody believed that mattered anymore. Nine people were together again. Reyes returned. Shammy returned. Nobody lost. Nobody damaged anything that mattered. Some people had found strangers. Some had chosen not to leave with them. Some had danced. Some had talked. Some had discovered irresponsible drinks. Some had discovered responsible older gentlemen. Some had discovered that counting eventually became optional. Ace looked at Shammy. Shammy caught her watching. Ace raised her coffee. “One last question.” Mai sighed. Shammy took a sip. “Go ahead.” Ace thought. Then: “Any regrets?” Shammy did not hesitate. “None.” Brenda’s eyes widened. Reyes smiled. Kiro whispered: “Holy shit.” Ace’s smile sharpened. “Not even about losing count?” Shammy took another sip of tea. “Especially not.” Reyes hit the sofa with one hand. Brenda disappeared against Iris. Kiro whispered something deeply unprintable into her coffee. Shammy smiled into her tea. And somewhere inside Afterlife, miles away, Claire probably felt a disturbance in the universe. --- ## Epilogue — According to Afterlife Three weeks later, the story had already become wrong. Not slightly wrong. Not the normal Night City process where two details changed and somebody added a better punchline. Structurally wrong. Claire learned this when a merc she knew reasonably well sat at the bar, ordered a beer, and asked: “So is it true the whole thing started because Rogue dared Kiro to take over Afterlife?” Claire stopped pouring. “No.” The merc nodded. “Thought that sounded exaggerated.” Claire continued pouring. Then he added: “Was it Ace, then?” Claire looked at him. “What?” “Who dared Kiro.” “No one dared Kiro.” “Oh.” Claire put the beer down. “Kiro had a bad idea.” The merc smiled. “So that part’s true.” Claire immediately regretted answering. “What part?” He took his beer. “That it was her idea.” Claire stared. “Yes.” “Cool.” He walked away. Within forty-eight hours, the accepted version became: **Kiro started it.** Which was technically true. Unfortunately. --- By the end of the first month, there were at least six recognized versions of the story. Version One claimed nine mercs had entered Afterlife and declared that nobody could leave until everyone had completed one truth and one dare. False. Version Two claimed the game had begun because Claire refused to serve someone a proper drink. Deeply false. Version Three claimed Rogue had replaced the table’s drinks with organic alcohol specifically because she wanted to see what would happen. Disturbingly close. Version Four claimed Ace had crossed the parking lot with one older gentleman and returned several hours later with three. Physically impossible. Version Five claimed she had gone over with three and returned without any of them because they were too exhausted to walk. Ace loved that version. Version Six claimed there had been five men. Reyes loved that one more. --- “Five?” Ace asked when Reyes told her. They were at the Safehouse. Breakfast. Normal morning. Several weeks later. Shammy drank tea. Mai was reading something. Kiro had made the mistake of stopping by. Reyes nodded. “Five.” Ace looked offended. “That’s irresponsible reporting.” Kiro stared at her. “That is your objection?” “Yes.” Mai did not look up. “How many are you officially acknowledging?” Ace smiled. “Eventually.” Reyes threw a cushion at her. --- The hotel became the most unstable part of the legend. Nobody could agree on its name. **The Chairs** remained popular among people who had actually been there that night. Nobody admitted knowing where it came from. A second group called it **Afterlife Annex**. A third called it **Rogue’s Rooms**. That version caused problems. At least twice, people reportedly walked into the hotel and asked whether Rogue had a standing rate. The staff had no idea what they were talking about. By the third month they did. Not because the rumor was true. Because enough people had asked. The hotel eventually developed a quiet policy: If someone mentioned Afterlife, nobody corrected them. If someone mentioned Rogue, nobody answered. If someone asked about chairs, staff confirmed that all suites contained them. This did not help. --- The napkin map survived. Claire had kept it. She denied this. The denial meant nothing because somebody eventually photographed it. Nobody knew who. The image appeared on merc boards. Low-resolution. Bad angle. The original markings barely readable. **NOT PART OF GAME.** **BAD DECISIONS.** **GOOD CHAIRS.** And Claire’s later addition: **NO.** Nobody understood what the **NO** referred to. That became its own argument. One theory said it meant the hotel was off-limits. Another said Rogue had written it. Another said Claire had rejected a dare. Another said somebody had proposed bringing weapons across the parking lot. That last version became elaborate enough to include a nonexistent Militech squad. Kiro saw the thread once. Read four messages. Closed it. Then reopened it. Read three more. Mai took the agent away. “Final dare.” Kiro stared. “That was months ago.” “Still valid.” Kiro thought. “Fuck.” Then let her keep the agent. --- The phrase **Triad Rules** proved harder to kill. Kiro tried. Repeatedly. For approximately two months. Every correction made it worse. “No such thing,” she told one merc. The next week someone said: “First rule of Triad Rules: there are no Triad Rules.” Kiro nearly committed murder. Mai physically removed her from the conversation. Ace laughed for twenty minutes. Eventually Kiro stopped correcting anyone. This was interpreted as confirmation. --- Reyes contributed deliberately. No one could prove it. Everyone knew. If someone asked how many people had actually crossed to the hotel that night, Reyes answered: “Depends which direction.” If someone asked whether Ace really had been involved with three older men: Reyes answered: “Eventually.” If someone asked what that meant: Reyes drank. If someone asked whether Shammy had gone too: Reyes smiled. “Different story.” That answer alone added at least four fictional people to Shammy’s night. Shammy found out. Looked at Reyes. Reyes immediately said: “I never gave them a number.” Shammy took a sip of tea. “That is technically true.” Reyes relaxed. Shammy continued: “I’m still going to hurt you.” Reyes stopped relaxing. --- The actual number stayed inside the Safehouse. Mostly. Ten became a word. Not publicly. Privately. Ace weaponized it first. Of course. If Shammy looked especially pleased about anything: “Ten?” Shammy ignored her. If Shammy made tea after coming home late: Brenda sometimes silently held up both hands. Ten fingers. Shammy would look at her. Brenda would immediately lower them. Eventually Iris joined. Only once. Shammy stared at her. Iris said: “Shore leave.” Shammy laughed. That was the only reason she survived. --- Marco and Lena suffered the least public damage. Mostly because nobody believed the more accurate stories about them. Someone claimed Lena had made Marco blush with a single sentence. Possible. Someone claimed Marco had done the same first. Also possible. Someone claimed they had spent most of the evening quietly watching everyone else self-destruct. Extremely possible. Whenever asked, Marco said: “We had drinks.” Lena said: “It was nice.” Nobody believed them. Both found this convenient. --- Iris returned to Aureate II eventually. The first week back aboard, someone on the crew showed her a copy of the Afterlife napkin map. Iris stared. The crew member asked: “Lieutenant?” “Yes?” “Is this real?” Iris looked at the image. **GOOD CHAIRS.** She closed her eyes. Then handed the agent back. “No comment.” That became confirmation too. Captain Henry Rourke heard the story several days later. Not the real story. A version in which his daughter had supposedly won a dance competition against a famous solo. He stared at Iris. Iris stared back. “No.” Henry nodded. “Good.” He never asked another question. Iris loved him very much. --- After six months, Afterlife regulars had begun separating people into two groups: Those who claimed they had been there. And those who actually had. The first group told better stories. The second group laughed at the wrong details. Claire could usually identify them immediately. Someone would say: “That’s the night Rogue bought drinks for the whole bar.” The real witnesses laughed. Someone would say: “That’s the night the Triad rented out the hotel.” The real witnesses groaned. Someone would say: “Kiro invented Truth or Dare.” The real witnesses shouted: “No.” Someone would say: “Claire joined the game.” Claire threw them out. --- One year later, a young merc asked about the photograph behind the bar. Not the napkin. Claire had never displayed that. Obviously. The photograph was ordinary. Afterlife. Crowded. Taken from somewhere near the entrance. Nobody at the original table had known it existed until much later. The image caught part of the room. The active dance floor. Several tables. Kiro standing in the middle of some argument. Reyes laughing. Brenda almost folded against Iris. Marco and Lena side by side. Mai looking toward Ace. Ace seated carefully. Shammy’s chair empty. Rogue visible in the background. Watching. The young merc pointed. “That the Truth or Dare night?” Claire kept cleaning a glass. “Yeah.” “I heard Rogue shut it down.” “No.” The merc frowned. “She didn’t?” “No.” “I heard she refused to participate.” Claire stopped. There. One detail. One simple thing she could correct. She should not. She knew that. Claire looked toward Rogue’s booth. Occupied tonight by someone else. Then back at the merc. “That’s wrong.” The merc leaned closer. “What?” Claire sighed. “Rogue participated.” Silence. The young merc’s eyes widened. Claire immediately understood the mistake. “No.” “But you just—” “Not like that.” “How?” Claire stared. The merc waited. Two other people nearby had started listening. Then four. Claire looked around. Too late. She put down the glass. “Beer.” Nobody spoke. Claire continued: “She changed the beer.” The merc frowned. “To what?” “Real beer.” “Why?” Claire looked at him. There was no safe answer. She chose the shortest. “To see what happened.” Silence. Then: “So Rogue started it.” Claire closed her eyes. “No.” Another merc leaned over. “But she participated.” Claire opened them. “Yes.” “So Rogue and Kiro planned it.” “No.” “Did Claire know?” Someone else asked. “No.” “Was Ace already going to the hotel?” “NO.” “Did Rogue own the hotel then?” “NO.” “Does she own it now?” Claire stared. The entire section of the bar had gone quiet. Somebody whispered: “The Chairs.” Claire pointed toward the door. “Out.” Nobody moved. Claire pointed harder. “OUT.” They scattered laughing. --- Rogue appeared ten minutes later. Claire saw her. Put both hands on the bar. “No.” Rogue stopped. “What?” Claire stared. “You.” Rogue raised an eyebrow. “I corrected one thing.” Rogue waited. Claire continued: “I told them you participated.” Rogue’s expression did not change. “Accurate.” “I explained the beer.” “Also accurate.” “Now they think you and Kiro planned the entire night.” Rogue looked toward the room. Several mercs immediately stopped looking at her. Then: “Did you correct them?” Claire stared. “Yes.” Rogue nodded. “Then what’s the problem?” Claire’s mouth opened. Closed. Rogue walked toward her booth. Claire called: “You enjoy this.” Rogue did not turn. A hand lifted. Barely. Maybe acknowledgment. Maybe dismissal. Impossible to tell. Claire stared after her. Then started laughing. --- Years later, nobody could agree on the year. That was when Claire knew the story had become permanent. The numbers changed. Nine people became twelve. Twelve became twenty. Some versions included legendary mercs who had not even been in Night City that week. Badger and Gridlock’s twenty-minute visit grew into an entire night. One version had Gridlock winning the game. Badger heard that and refused to correct anyone. Someone eventually claimed Adam Smasher had been dared to dance. That story died because even Afterlife had standards. The hotel remained The Chairs. Not officially. Officially it had another perfectly respectable name. Nobody in Afterlife used it. The hotel staff eventually stopped resisting. A bartender there once allegedly answered a call with: “The Ch—” Stopped. Corrected. The story spread within hours. --- The original nine never settled anything. That was deliberate. If asked: Ace smiled. Mai said: “Some of it happened.” Shammy said: “Most of that is wrong.” Kiro said: “I had one bad idea.” Reyes said: “Best fucking idea she ever had.” Brenda said: “I can neither confirm nor deny the structural integrity of the chairs.” Iris said: “No comment.” Marco said: “We had drinks.” Lena said: “It was nice.” And if someone made the mistake of asking all nine together— nobody gave the same answer. Not once. --- One evening, much later, they returned to Afterlife. All nine. No mission. Again. Claire saw them enter. Stopped. Looked at Kiro. Kiro raised both hands. “No.” Claire narrowed her eyes. “No what?” “No ideas.” Ace looked at Mai. Reyes looked at Brenda. Brenda looked at Shammy. Shammy looked at her tea. Marco and Lena smiled. Iris sighed. Claire stared at Kiro. “You promise?” Kiro put one hand over her heart. “Absolutely.” Claire looked toward Rogue. Rogue was already watching. Then back at Kiro. “Good.” They reached the table. Their table now, according to some versions. Not according to Claire. Kiro sat. Ace beside Mai. Shammy settled comfortably. Reyes leaned back. Brenda and Iris close. Marco and Lena together. Nine. Exactly where they had begun. Claire brought the first drinks. Set them down. Kiro looked at hers. Beer. She looked at Claire. Claire stared back. Kiro smiled. Then, very carefully, said: “By the way—” Nine people shouted: “NO.” Claire slammed both hands onto the bar. Rogue laughed. Actually laughed. Once. Short. Unmistakable. The entire room went silent. Everyone turned. Rogue looked around. Her expression returned to normal. Too late. Ace’s eyes widened. Reyes pointed. Kiro stared. Brenda’s mouth fell open. Claire closed her eyes. Somewhere near the entrance, a young merc whispered: “Holy shit.” And just like that— the story got another version.