## Chapter 1 — A Whole Week Mai's phone rang at precisely the wrong moment. Not because she was busy. She wasn't, particularly. Not because the call was unexpected. Victor called occasionally, usually when he had something medically interesting to report or wanted to remind Ace that the phrase I'm perfectly fine was not a recognized diagnosis. No, the timing was unfortunate because Kiro happened to be sitting approximately two meters away. And Victor had news. "Morning, Mai." "Victor." Mai accepted the call, settling back against the safehouse kitchen counter. "Everything all right?" "Everything's fine. Better than fine, actually. I've got something I think you'll want to hear about." That caught her attention. Victor was not a man given to enthusiastic announcements. He could describe a remarkable medical breakthrough with the same tone he used to tell someone their stitches were ready to come out. "Go on." "Remember the full-body sculpt procedures I did for Shammy and Kiro?" Across the kitchen table, Kiro stopped moving. Her fingers had been busy with a compact diagnostic interface, coaxing a stubborn collection of signal traces into something resembling a useful pattern. Now they rested motionless above the display. Mai noticed. Of course she noticed. "Yes," she answered carefully. "Well, I've been working on the next generation." Kiro's head came up. Mai closed her eyes for a fraction of a second. Oh, no. "Next generation?" she repeated. "Gen Two. Completely revised stabilization architecture. Better neural adaptation, much cleaner metabolic management, and a substantial improvement in the release cycle." Kiro slowly pushed her chair away from the table. Mai watched her approach. "How substantial?" Mai asked. "Remember what Kiro went through after that extended sculpt?" "Unfortunately." "So do I. That was one of the main reasons I wanted to improve the system. The old generation worked, but the physiological recovery was brutal." Kiro was standing directly beside Mai now. She leaned close enough to hear Victor through the phone. Mai gave her a warning look. Kiro smiled innocently. It was not convincing. "With the new system," Victor continued, "the major neurological and metabolic readjustments are handled much more gradually. The release still requires medical supervision, but the recovery is dramatically better." "Define dramatically." "Approximately twenty-four hours of sleep afterward, assuming everything goes according to plan." Kiro blinked. Once. Twice. Then she looked at Mai with an expression usually reserved for people discovering an undocumented network containing several million perfectly organized secrets. Mai pointed one finger at her. "No." Kiro opened her mouth. "I haven't said anything." Victor paused. "Was that Kiro?" "Unfortunately." "Tell her I said hello." "Victor says hello." "Hi, Victor!" There was a brief silence. Then Victor sighed. "Put me on speaker, Mai." Mai stared at the phone. "Are you certain?" "I know that tone. She's already listening anyway." Mai activated the speaker. "Morning, Kiro." "Hi!" "Before you ask, no, I am not doing anything without a full medical assessment." Kiro's smile became positively radiant. "Of course not." "And informed consent." "Absolutely." "And a proper discussion about duration, sensory adaptation, recovery, and the physical limitations of whatever form you're thinking about." "Naturally." Victor paused. "You haven't even heard the rest yet, have you?" "Nope." "Then why do you sound like you've already made a decision?" Kiro glanced at Mai. Mai folded her arms. "Because she has," Mai said. "I have not!" "Kiro." "Okay, I've made a preliminary decision." Victor made a sound that might have been a chuckle. "Naturally." He continued. "The biggest improvement, apart from recovery, is duration stability. Gen Two doesn't suffer the same progressive instability over extended periods. We've got a proper monitoring system and a much more predictable endpoint." Mai listened attentively. Kiro listened with the intensity of someone waiting for the universe to reveal its most important secret. "How long?" Mai asked. "Maximum continuous duration is seven days." Silence. Kiro turned toward her. Very slowly. Her gray eyes were enormous. Mai looked back. "No." "Mai." "No." "A whole week." "I heard him." "Seven days." "I am familiar with the number." "One hundred and sixty-eight hours." "Your arithmetic is excellent." "Ten thousand and eighty minutes." "Kiro." "Six hundred and four thousand, eight hundred seconds!" Victor cleared his throat. "Technically, yes." Kiro grabbed Mai's forearm. "A WHOLE WEEK!" Mai looked toward the ceiling. Somewhere in the universe, there had to be a higher power responsible for this. And she was going to have words with it. Preferably several thousand. "Kiro," she said, with remarkable patience, "Victor has not even finished explaining the procedure." "I know!" "You don't know what forms the new system supports." Kiro turned immediately toward the phone. "Victor?" "Oh, here we go." "Does it support the German Shepherd sculpt?" Victor didn't answer immediately. Which was almost certainly deliberate. "Yes." Kiro made a noise. It was not quite a squeal. It was not quite a gasp. It belonged to a category of human vocalization rarely documented outside laboratories studying extreme excitement. Mai pinched the bridge of her nose. Victor continued. "Actually, your previous sculpt was one of the reference cases we used when evaluating the improvements. The new version has a much better adaptation profile for that particular body plan." Kiro covered her mouth with both hands. Her eyes shone. Mai could practically see the ideas racing behind them. A whole week. Seven mornings. Seven evenings. An entire stretch of time in which she could experience the world through a completely different set of senses. No ordinary human posture. No aching neck from staring at screens. No tiny interface buttons demanding the precise cooperation of fingers that had spent far too many nights doing things fingers had never been designed to do. And, perhaps most appealing of all, no expectation that she should spend every waking moment chasing another impossible signal. Just movement. Smells. Grass. People she loved. And possibly an unreasonable quantity of attention from Mai. Kiro lowered her hands. "Victor?" "Yes?" "Can I?" There it was. The question Mai had been expecting since the moment Victor mentioned full-body sculpting. And somehow, despite everything, it sounded less impulsive than she'd feared. Because Kiro wasn't asking whether she could become a dog for a laugh. She already knew what the experience felt like. She remembered the previous transformation. The extraordinary new sensations, the confusion of adjusting to a changed body, the moments of pure uncomplicated delight. She also remembered the recovery afterward. That part had been considerably less delightful. Victor seemed to understand. "Possibly," he said. "But we're doing this properly." Kiro nodded enthusiastically. Then realized he couldn't see her. "Yes. Absolutely." "First, I want you at the clinic for a complete evaluation. Then we'll go over the new system in detail. No surprises." "Okay." "And if I find anything that makes me uncomfortable with the procedure, we postpone it." Kiro hesitated for only a moment. "Understood." "Good." Mai's expression softened. There was the Kiro she knew. The curiosity was enormous, but underneath it was someone capable of taking a difficult decision seriously. Victor continued. "There's also the communication question." Kiro tilted her head. "Speech?" "Exactly. Same fundamental choice as before. We can preserve human speech functionality, or we can configure the sculpt around natural canine vocalization. Neither option changes who you are. But they make for very different experiences." Kiro considered that. For once, she didn't answer immediately. Mai watched her. "That's something to think about," she said gently. Kiro nodded. "Yeah." Victor sounded satisfied. "And you can think about it before you come in. I don't need an answer now." "Okay." "One more thing." Kiro straightened. "The sculpt doesn't give you immunity to exhaustion, injury, or common sense. You're still a patient. You'll still need proper nutrition, rest, and monitoring. And no, you cannot spend seven days running through Night City because you've suddenly discovered how fast four legs can move." Kiro looked faintly offended. "I wasn't planning to." Mai raised an eyebrow. Kiro looked away. "Not the entire seven days." Victor laughed. "Thought so." For a few moments the conversation returned to technical matters. Mai asked about duration limits, release timing, physiological monitoring and how Gen Two differed from the older system's release-dependent mechanism. Victor answered carefully, with the practiced precision of someone who understood that a medical procedure did not become trivial merely because it made people happy. Kiro listened. Occasionally she contributed a question of her own. Sometimes those questions were technically excellent. Sometimes they involved the comparative advantages of a dog's hearing. And once, with an almost entirely straight face, she asked whether Victor had considered how the sculpt might affect the temptation to chase thrown objects. Victor was silent. Mai looked at her. Kiro looked back. "What?" "You are asking the man responsible for your medical care whether you might develop an interest in fetching." "It's a legitimate neurological adaptation question." Victor sighed. "Yes, Kiro. And we'll discuss instinctive responses during the evaluation." Kiro smiled. "Excellent." Eventually Victor announced that he needed to get back to his patients. "Call me when you've decided whether you want to schedule the assessment." Mai looked at Kiro. Kiro looked at Mai. The silence lasted less than a second. "Tomorrow?" Kiro suggested. Victor chuckled. "I'll see what I can arrange." The call ended. For a long moment, the kitchen was quiet. Mai placed her phone on the counter. Kiro stood in front of her, hands folded behind her back. The expression on her face was a masterpiece of attempted restraint. Mai regarded her. "Seven days." Kiro nodded. "Seven days." "As a German Shepherd." Another nod. "As a German Shepherd." Mai tilted her head. "And what, precisely, do you intend to do with those seven days?" Kiro opened her mouth. Closed it again. Thought about the question. Then smiled. "Honestly?" "That would be preferable." "I don't want to do anything particularly important." Mai blinked. That was not the answer she'd expected. Kiro looked toward the window. Outside, Watson continued doing what Watson always did: making noise, selling things, breaking things, putting them back together badly, and charging someone for the privilege. "I spend so much time looking for things," Kiro said quietly. "Signals. Patterns. Something hidden under something else. Something that's wrong in a way I can't stop thinking about." Mai's expression changed. Kiro glanced back at her. "And sometimes I just want the world to be... the world." She made a small gesture toward the window. "Something I can smell instead of decode. Somewhere I can run without worrying whether I'm following a signal that's going to eat half my brain." Mai said nothing. Kiro smiled again, more softly this time. "I know it's ridiculous." "No," Mai said. She reached out and took Kiro's hand. "It isn't." Kiro's smile widened. Mai drew her closer. "You deserve a holiday." "Exactly!" "Although I suspect your definition of a holiday will become considerably more complicated once you discover the local population of squirrels." Kiro laughed. "That's entirely possible." Mai slipped an arm around her waist. "And you understand that Reyes is going to have opinions." "Oh, absolutely." "Strong opinions." "Probably." "Several of them involving a leash." Kiro's grin turned positively wicked. "I was rather counting on that." Mai laughed. Of course she was. Of course the woman she loved had already considered every ridiculous possibility and decided most of them sounded wonderful. Mai kissed her forehead. "All right." Kiro froze. "All right?" "We go to Victor. We hear everything he has to say. We make sure you're medically cleared." Kiro waited. "And if he's satisfied, and you're still certain..." Mai didn't get to finish. Kiro wrapped both arms around her. "MAI!" Mai staggered half a step, laughing. "Kiro!" "THANK YOU!" "I haven't approved a procedure. I've approved a consultation!" "BEST CONSULTATION EVER!" Mai held her close. "You're impossible." Kiro buried her face against Mai's shoulder. "Probably." They remained like that for a while. Then Kiro lifted her head. "Mai?" "Yes?" "Do you think Ace would take me for walks?" Mai stared at her. Kiro was perfectly serious. "Possibly." "And Reyes?" "Almost certainly." "And you?" Mai smiled. "Kiro, I have absolutely no intention of letting you spend an entire week as an extremely affectionate German Shepherd without taking advantage of the opportunity." Kiro laughed. "Good." Mai brushed a stray strand of pale hair away from her face. "Although I suspect Ace will have something to say about the amount of attention you'll be getting." "She can borrow me." "Borrow you?" "For walks." Mai considered that. Then slowly, very slowly, her smile changed. "Kiro." "What?" "Have you considered that Shammy might hear about this?" Kiro blinked. Then her eyes widened again. "Oh." Mai nodded. "Oh, indeed." Because Shammy had experienced the Dire Wolf sculpt before. And unlike Kiro, she had discovered something in that extraordinary body that went far beyond novelty. For someone who had spent an existence measured in experiences too vast for ordinary human language, constantly aware of changes in pressure, atmosphere and emotional weather, the silence had been extraordinary. Not loneliness. Not emptiness. Peace. Mai could already imagine her reaction. And Ace's. And Yukari's. And, somewhere along the line, the inevitable realization that their safehouse was about to acquire an alarming quantity of paws. Kiro began to smile. Mai pointed at her. "Don't." Kiro's smile widened. "Kiro." "Mai." "Don't you dare." Kiro was already reaching for her phone. "Shammy is going to LOVE this." Mai sighed. There were moments when loving someone meant supporting their dreams. There were other moments when it meant standing helplessly by as those dreams developed fur, four legs, and a profound interest in being scratched behind the ears. And occasionally, Mai reflected, those moments were exactly the same. She watched Kiro practically bounce out of the kitchen. Then looked down at her own phone. There was a message from Victor. *For the record, Mai, I was only calling to tell you the technology was ready.* Mai stared at it. Then typed a reply. *You knew exactly what you were doing.* His answer arrived almost immediately. *I had my suspicions.* Mai shook her head. Somewhere down the hallway, Kiro's delighted voice rang out. "SHAMMY! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT VICTOR JUST TOLD ME!" Mai closed her eyes. The week hadn't even started. And already she knew. It was going to be magnificent. --- ## Chapter 2 — The Silence She Missed "SHAMMY! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT VICTOR JUST TOLD ME!" Kiro's announcement traveled through the Watson safehouse with remarkable efficiency. It reached Shammy in the bedroom. It reached Yukari, who was enjoying a quiet cup of tea. It reached Brenda, who had been attempting to explain something complicated to Iris and was immediately irritated by the interruption. And it reached Ace. Ace looked up from her coffee. "Oh, this ought to be good." Mai emerged from the kitchen a moment later. "Before anyone asks, I would like it formally recorded that this was Victor's idea." Ace examined her expression. "That bad?" "Define bad." "Explosions? Medical emergencies? Brenda inventing something?" "Hey!" Brenda called from the other room. "Just checking!" Kiro appeared in the hallway with an expression of absolute delight. Shammy followed her. The tall, silver-haired woman looked curious, although Mai could already see that she had noticed something unusual in Kiro's emotional state. Shammy's normal atmospheric awareness made excitement of that magnitude rather difficult to overlook. "Kiro," Shammy said, smiling, "you appear to be experiencing a localized festival." "VICTOR HAS NEW FULL-BODY SCULPTS!" Ace stopped drinking. Her eyes moved slowly toward Mai. "Does he?" Mai gave her a look. "Don't." "I haven't done anything." "Neither had Kiro. That was approximately thirty seconds before she started calculating seven days in seconds." Ace considered this. Then she turned back toward Kiro. "Seven days?" Kiro nodded vigorously. "Seven whole days!" "As what?" Kiro grinned. Ace stared at her. "No." "Yes!" "German Shepherd?" "GERMAN SHEPHERD!" Ace lowered her coffee. There was a brief pause. Then she began to laugh. "Oh, sweetheart. You're going to have the time of your life." Kiro pointed at her triumphantly. "THANK YOU!" Mai sighed. "Please stop encouraging her." "Mai, look at her." "I am looking at her." "Have you ever seen anyone that happy about acquiring paws?" "Unfortunately, yes." Ace blinked. Then both women turned toward Shammy. Shammy had become very still. Not alarmed. Not distressed. Simply thoughtful. "Seven days," she repeated. Kiro nodded. "New stabilization system. Better recovery. No horrible release hangover. Victor wants to examine me first, obviously, but he says it should work." "And he can provide the same body plan?" "Yes!" Shammy looked at Mai. "Does that apply to more than canine forms?" Mai knew that expression. She knew it very well. And she also knew that her morning was about to become substantially more complicated. "Victor said the new technology supports a range of full-body configurations," she answered. "But every patient and every sculpt still needs individual assessment." Shammy nodded. "Of course." Ace looked from Mai to Shammy. Then back again. "Oh." Mai glanced at her. "You've noticed?" "Oh, I've noticed." Kiro looked delighted by this development. "Shammy?" Shammy smiled. "Yes, darling?" "Want to come with me?" For several seconds, Shammy said nothing. Then she looked down at her hands. Long, elegant fingers. Familiar human proportions. A body she had learned to love, and one that had become inseparable from the people who loved her. But she remembered another body. Four powerful legs. A broad chest. Thick fur. An enormous muzzle. And silence. Not the absence of sound. Not the absence of thought or awareness. Something infinitely rarer. The absence of the pressure information that normally accompanied nearly every moment of her existence. No constant reading of the air. No emotional weather pressing against her awareness. No endless background of subtle changes, tensions, movements and the invisible signatures of living beings. Just the world. As other creatures experienced it. She looked at Ace. "I think I would." Ace's expression softened immediately. "Dire Wolf?" Shammy nodded. "Yes." Kiro made another delighted noise. "YES!" Ace rose from her chair and approached Shammy. For all her usual jokes, she understood what that choice meant. She had seen Shammy in the Dire Wolf sculpt before. Seen the extraordinary physical presence of her enormous wolf form. Seen the amusement, affection and occasionally spectacular lack of dignity that came with discovering how pleasant it was to be scratched behind the ears. But more importantly, Ace had seen the peace. Real peace. Something Shammy rarely experienced in quite the same way. Ace took her hand. "Missing the quiet?" Shammy looked down at her. "Very much." There was no sadness in the answer. Only longing. A gentle, uncomplicated longing for something she knew she could have again. Ace squeezed her fingers. "Then let's get you some quiet." Shammy leaned down and kissed her. "Thank you, darling." "Don't thank me yet. We still have to convince Victor to let me bring home a Dire Wolf." "He has done it before." "Yeah, but I've had time to develop new bad habits since then." Mai made a small sound. Ace turned. "What?" "Nothing." "That was an extremely judgmental nothing." "It was an accurate nothing." Kiro laughed. Shammy laughed with her. And from the other room, Yukari finally spoke. "You know, I have been listening to this conversation for several minutes." Everyone turned. Yukari stood in the doorway with her tea. Her expression suggested that she had been enjoying herself enormously. "Have you?" Ace asked. "Yes." "And?" Yukari took a thoughtful sip. "I believe you are all about to discover just how little floor space this household actually possesses." Ace considered that. Then looked at Shammy. Then Kiro. Then the hallway. "Right." Mai folded her arms. "Now you're thinking about logistics." "I'm always thinking about logistics." "Since when?" "Since approximately twelve seconds ago." Yukari smiled. "A promising beginning." --- They reconvened around the kitchen table. Kiro had already started making notes. Mai was not entirely sure whether that reassured her. Shammy sat beside Ace, one hand resting comfortably over hers. Yukari occupied her usual place, listening with the patient amusement of someone who had witnessed many extraordinary things but still found this particular family endlessly entertaining. Iris appeared long enough to refill her coffee. Brenda followed her. "What have I missed?" Brenda asked. "Victor has upgraded his full-body sculpt technology," Mai explained. Brenda's eyes sharpened with immediate professional interest. "Oh?" "And Kiro wants to spend a week as a German Shepherd." Brenda paused. Looked at Kiro. Then smiled. It was not a reassuring smile. "Really?" Kiro returned it. "Really." Brenda opened her mouth. Iris touched her arm. "Darling." "What?" "Perhaps save it." "Save what?" "Whatever you're about to say." Brenda looked offended. "I was going to ask a perfectly reasonable question." Iris raised an eyebrow. Brenda considered that for a moment. Then sighed. "Fine." Ace grinned. "This is going to be a fantastic week." "It certainly promises to be educational," Iris said. She took Brenda's hand. "We'll leave you to the planning." Brenda glanced back at Kiro. That smile returned. Kiro narrowed her eyes with exaggerated suspicion. Neither woman said another word. Not yet. Once they had gone, Mai turned back to the table. "All right. Practical matters." Kiro straightened. "Ready." "Seven days means seven days. You're not simply borrowing a different appearance. You're accepting a completely different body." "I know." "Different balance, different movement, different physical limitations. And there are going to be things you cannot do independently." Kiro nodded. "I remember." Mai studied her. The excitement was still there. But Kiro was listening. Really listening. That mattered. "What about your work?" "I can clear my schedule. Anything that genuinely needs me can be handled beforehand. I don't intend to spend the week trying to operate my normal rig with paws." Ace looked disappointed. "Not even once?" "Ace," Mai warned. "What? I want to see the attempt." Kiro laughed. "I might show you how impossible it is." "Excellent." Mai sighed. "Two of you." "Three," Yukari corrected pleasantly. Mai looked at her. Yukari smiled over her teacup. "I would also enjoy watching." "Wonderful." Shammy squeezed Mai's free hand. "You love us." "Against considerable evidence that this is a sensible arrangement, yes." That earned a laugh from everyone. Then Mai turned toward Shammy. "And your sculpt?" Shammy considered the question. "My physiology remains different from Kiro's. Even with a new generation of equipment, Victor cannot simply apply ordinary release rules to me." "Exactly," Mai said. "The Dire Wolf form will dissolve naturally. As before." "Probably over a week or two, depending on how it settles." Shammy nodded. "And I cannot hurry it." Ace tilted her head. "You sound almost pleased about that." Shammy's answering smile was beautiful. "I am." Ace's expression softened. Of course. For someone who spent so much of her life sensing the invisible complexities around everyone she loved, the prospect of being unable to hurry her return was not necessarily a burden. It was permission. A stretch of time in which she could exist without the usual demands of her perception. Yukari watched her thoughtfully. "You liked it more than you expected last time." Shammy nodded. "Yes." "Even without your normal awareness?" "Especially without it." Yukari set down her cup. "I think I understand." Shammy looked at her. "Do you?" "A little. I change shapes because I enjoy the freedom of choosing them. You are choosing a shape that gives you freedom from something." Shammy was silent for a moment. Then she smiled. "That is a lovely way of putting it." Yukari inclined her head. "Occasionally I manage something useful." Ace snorted. "Occasionally?" "I'm trying to be modest." "Terrible attempt." "I know." --- Kiro's next question came approximately four minutes later. "Do you think Reyes would take me out?" Mai looked up from her notes. "Out?" "For walks." Ace began smiling immediately. "Oh, absolutely." Kiro brightened. "Really?" "Sweetheart, Reyes is going to have opinions about the entire situation, and approximately half of them will involve making sure you don't run into traffic." "That seems reasonable." "The other half will involve teasing you." Kiro considered this. "Also reasonable." Mai reached for her phone. "I suppose we should ask her." She sent a short message. _Victor has developed a new full-body sculpt. Kiro wants a week as a German Shepherd._ The reply arrived quickly. _Of course she does._ Mai smiled. A second message followed. _Is she serious?_ _Very._ A pause. Then: _Tell her I want the medical details before I agree to anything._ Mai showed the message to Kiro. Kiro nodded approvingly. "See? Sensible." Ace leaned over to read. "Reyes being sensible. Truly a historic occasion." Another message arrived. _And tell Ace I can hear her making jokes from here._ Ace stared. Then burst out laughing. "HOW DOES SHE DO THAT?" Mai typed her reply. _She says you're being unfair._ Reyes answered: _Good._ Kiro laughed so hard she had to lean against Mai's shoulder. A moment later, another message appeared. _If Victor clears her, I'll come by. We can work out the practical side._ Kiro's expression turned warm. "That's really nice of her." Mai kissed her temple. "She's looking out for you." "Yeah." Kiro smiled. "She does that." Ace watched them, her own smile gentler now. Reyes was a good woman. Sharp, stubborn, capable of astonishingly dry humor, and entirely unwilling to pretend something was safe merely because everyone involved wanted it to be. Kiro would be in good hands. Or, at least, under competent supervision. Which was probably the best anyone could hope for in this household. --- Later, when the planning had finally slowed and Kiro had disappeared to check her schedule, Ace found Shammy standing by the living-room window. The city beyond the glass was its usual self. Traffic moved through Watson's streets. Distant advertisements painted the buildings in shifting light. Somewhere, someone was playing music loudly enough to annoy several neighboring blocks. Shammy watched it all. Ace approached quietly. "Hey, beautiful." Shammy smiled without turning. "Hello, darling." Ace slipped an arm around her waist. "Thinking?" "A little." "About the sculpt?" "Yes." Ace waited. Shammy rested a hand over hers. "You know what I remember most clearly?" "The walks?" Shammy shook her head. "The first morning." Ace looked up. "When I woke in the Dire Wolf body?" "Yeah." "I remember opening my eyes and simply listening." Ace smiled. "You had rather impressive ears." "They were very useful." "And extremely scratchable." Shammy laughed softly. "Yes. You made that discovery rather quickly." "Professional curiosity." "Of course." They stood together for another moment. Then Shammy continued. "I remember hearing the ordinary things. The sounds of the house. People moving. Someone making coffee." "Probably me." "Probably." Her smile grew. "And I remember realizing that I was not also feeling everything." Ace tightened her arm around her. "No pressure." "No pressure." "No emotional weather." "None." "Just you." Shammy turned toward her. "Yes." Ace reached up, brushing a strand of silver-white hair from her face. "You know you never have to prove anything to us, right?" Shammy's expression softened. "I know." "You don't have to be the one who notices everything." "I know that too." "Good." Shammy bent down and kissed her forehead. "My fierce little darling." Ace grinned. "Your fierce little darling is going to have an enormous wolf to cuddle for a while." "I suspect she will." "And I intend to make full use of the opportunity." Shammy laughed. "I'm counting on it." From the hallway came a familiar voice. "ACE!" Ace closed her eyes. "Oh, here we go." Kiro appeared holding her phone. "Victor confirmed the assessment!" Mai followed her, looking deeply resigned. "Tomorrow morning." Kiro nodded. "Tomorrow morning!" Ace looked toward Shammy. Shammy looked back. And then, with perfect composure, Shammy raised one hand. "Would you kindly ask him whether he can evaluate two patients?" Kiro's expression became positively incandescent. Mai sighed. Ace laughed. And Yukari, somewhere behind them, remarked with serene satisfaction: "Well. I suppose I should find out where we keep the large brushes." --- ## Chapter 3 — Seven Days, Four Legs Victor knew something was wrong approximately three seconds after his first patient walked through the door. Not medically wrong. Not yet. But the kind of wrong that usually involved paperwork, unnecessary enthusiasm, and an eventual phone call from Mai asking whether something technically possible was also a good idea. Kiro arrived first. She came through the clinic entrance wearing comfortable clothes, her pale silver-blond hair tied back in an approximation of order, and a smile that suggested she'd been awake for several hours contemplating the greatest event of her adult life. Mai followed her. Behind Mai came Ace and Shammy. Victor looked at the four women. Then at his appointment schedule. Then back at the four women. "I booked two assessments." "Correct," Mai said. "Why are there four of you?" "Emotional support," Ace answered. Victor regarded her. "For whom?" "Mostly you." He sighed. "Of course." Kiro approached the examination area. "Morning, Victor!" "Morning, Kiro. Sleep well?" "Eventually." Mai made a small sound. Victor looked at her. "Eventually?" "She spent two hours comparing German Shepherd anatomy with her previous sculpt records." Kiro looked offended. "It was useful research." "And another hour compiling a list of things she wants to do during the week." "Also useful." "And then she asked whether I'd considered taking a week off work so we could spend more time together." Victor looked toward Kiro. Kiro smiled. "That was a very reasonable question." Ace leaned against the wall. "I agree." Mai turned toward her. "You're not helping." "Never claimed to be." Victor rubbed his forehead. "Right. Kiro, examination table. Everyone else, find somewhere comfortable and try not to interfere with medicine." Ace raised her hand. "No promises." "Excellent. We're making progress already." --- Kiro submitted to the examination with unusual patience. Victor checked her neurological responses, cardiovascular condition, sensory baseline and the medical records from her previous transformation. He was thorough. Not because he expected to discover anything particularly alarming, but because a week-long full-body transformation was still a major physiological intervention. Kiro answered his questions seriously. How had she recovered from the last sculpt? Had she experienced any lingering sensory disturbances? Any problems with balance after returning to human form? Any unexplained pain? Any changes in her response to neural interfaces? She described the previous recovery in detail, occasionally pausing to make sure her terminology was accurate. Mai listened without interrupting. Ace, for once, remained mostly quiet. Shammy sat beside her, following the discussion with interest. Victor finished examining one of Kiro's reflex responses and entered the result into her record. "Good. Nothing here that rules out Gen Two." Kiro brightened. "But," Victor continued. Her expression became wary. "There it is," Ace murmured. Victor ignored her. "That doesn't mean we're finished. I want you to understand what the new system changes and what it doesn't." Kiro nodded. "Okay." "The stabilization architecture is improved. That means the transformed body can remain physiologically coherent for a longer period without the deterioration we had to watch for in the previous generation." He brought up a display showing several comparative medical profiles. "The old sculpt wasn't designed to keep you in a completely different body for a week. We could extend it, but every additional day increased the burden of bringing you back." Kiro remembered. Rather vividly. The previous release had left her feeling as though someone had rearranged every nerve in her body, then forgotten to provide instructions for putting everything back in the right place. She hadn't enjoyed that part. "Gen Two handles the metabolic and neurological transition differently," Victor continued. "It doesn't eliminate the fact that your body has been extensively remapped. But it makes the return considerably gentler." "Twenty-four hours of sleep?" Kiro asked. "Approximately. That's the expected recovery window, not a promise that you'll wake up exactly twenty-four hours later and immediately go dancing." Kiro glanced at Mai. Mai raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't going to suggest dancing." "Naturally." Victor continued. "You'll still need monitoring. Proper nutrition. Rest. And if anything feels wrong, you tell me immediately. Not after you've spent six hours trying to determine whether it's medically significant." Kiro nodded. "Understood." "Good." He changed the display. "Now. Duration." Kiro leaned forward. Victor looked at her over the top of the screen. "Seven days is the maximum approved continuous period for this configuration." "I know." "Maximum, Kiro. Not a challenge." Ace made an appreciative sound. "Oh, that's a very important distinction in this household." Victor pointed at her without looking. "Especially for you." Ace placed a hand over her heart. "Doctor, I'm wounded." "Not yet. Give it time." Shammy laughed softly. Victor returned his attention to Kiro. "If we proceed, we'll agree on the exact duration before the procedure. The sculpt stays active through that period. You can't simply decide halfway through breakfast that you'd rather be human again." Kiro nodded. "And the release still requires you." "Correct. The new system has a more predictable release process, but it remains a medical procedure. I don't want you treating it as a software setting." "Wouldn't dream of it." Victor gave her a look. Kiro smiled. "Not seriously, anyway." --- The next subject proved unexpectedly complicated. "Communication," Victor said. Kiro straightened. "Right." He brought up the two available configurations. "The neural and vocal structures can be arranged to preserve human speech, or we can configure them around natural canine vocalization." Ace looked interested. Mai looked thoughtful. Shammy smiled faintly. Victor continued. "Both options preserve your intelligence and identity. You're still you. But they offer different experiences." Kiro studied the display. "If I keep human speech, does it change the physical structure?" "It requires specific adaptation around the vocal apparatus. Not something you'd notice visually, but it's part of the configuration." "And natural canine vocalization?" "You bark, growl, whine, and make the other sounds that body is physically designed to make." Ace leaned forward. "Can she howl?" Victor looked at her. "She's asking the important questions," Ace said. "Yes, Ace. She can howl." "Excellent." Mai shook her head. Kiro was still considering the choice. "Last time," she said slowly, "I liked having the normal canine sounds." Victor nodded. "I remember." "It made everything feel more... complete." She glanced at Mai. "But it was inconvenient sometimes." Mai smiled. "Occasionally." "More than occasionally." "Such as when you wanted to explain something complicated and discovered that staring intensely at me was not an effective substitute for a technical diagram?" Kiro laughed. "Exactly." Victor waited. He was perfectly content to let her think. Finally, Kiro looked back at him. "I want the natural canine vocalization." Mai watched her closely. "Certain?" Kiro nodded. "Yes." "Then we'll make sure we have a practical communication system before the procedure." Kiro reached for Mai's hand. "Thank you." Victor entered the decision. "Good. And I expect you to remember that not being able to speak doesn't mean you shouldn't tell someone when something hurts." Kiro nodded. "We'll work out signals." "Exactly." Ace considered the possibilities. "One bark for yes, two for no?" Mai shook her head. "Too easy to misinterpret." "Tail wagging?" "Also ambiguous." "Interpretive dance?" Kiro burst out laughing. Victor looked at Ace. "Please don't make my patient demonstrate interpretive dance on four legs." "You're taking all the fun out of medicine." "That's generally considered one of my professional responsibilities." --- When Kiro's examination was complete, Victor turned toward Shammy. "Your turn." Shammy rose gracefully. Ace immediately moved to follow. Victor watched her. "Let me guess. Emotional support." "Naturally." "Fine. But if you start asking whether Dire Wolves can howl, I'm charging you extra." Ace grinned. "Already know the answer." Victor sighed. "Why am I not surprised?" Shammy sat on the examination table. Victor reviewed her previous sculpt records with the careful attention he always gave her unusual physiology. He did not treat her as an engineering curiosity. He treated her as Shammy. Someone who wanted a particular medical intervention and deserved to understand exactly what it meant. "Same Dire Wolf configuration?" he asked. "Yes." "Same natural dissolution rather than a scheduled release?" "That is how my physiology responds." Victor nodded. "And you understand that Gen Two's improved human recovery profile doesn't automatically apply to you." "Of course." He looked at the records. "Your previous experience was remarkably stable. No signs of the systemic strain we'd expect in an ordinary patient." Shammy smiled. "I am not an ordinary patient." "No," Victor agreed dryly. "I've noticed." Ace raised a finger. "She's extraordinary." "Thank you, darling," Shammy said. "You're welcome." Victor looked between them. "Can we finish the assessment before the declarations of devotion?" "No promises," Ace said. He shook his head and continued. There were questions about the previous sculpt's duration. Questions about movement and sensory changes. Questions about the natural return to her familiar body. And then Victor reached the section that mattered most. "Pressure perception." Shammy's expression grew thoughtful. "Completely absent." "Throughout the previous sculpt?" "Yes." "No partial return? No isolated moments?" "None." Victor considered that. "Any distress from losing it?" Shammy shook her head. "Quite the opposite." He waited. She smiled. "It was peaceful." Victor nodded slowly. "Explain that for me." Shammy looked toward Ace. Ace took her hand. And Shammy explained. Not every detail. Some things were difficult to place into language, particularly when the experience involved an absence rather than a presence. But she described the constant atmospheric information she normally lived with. How it arrived without invitation. How she'd learned to interpret it. How it helped her protect the people she loved. And how extraordinary it had been to spend days without it. Victor listened. When she finished, he nodded. "All right." "All right?" "I understand why you want to do it again." Shammy's smile grew. "And medically?" "Your previous records are reassuring, but I still want to complete today's checks. If everything remains consistent, I see no immediate reason to refuse." Ace squeezed Shammy's hand. Shammy looked genuinely happy. Victor glanced at his notes. "One more question. Human speech?" "Preserved, as before." "Good." Ace smiled. "Oh, thank goodness." Victor looked at her. "Why?" "Have you ever tried arguing with a Dire Wolf who can only growl?" Shammy gave her a look. Ace grinned. "Exactly." --- By the time both examinations were complete, Kiro had consumed two glasses of water, answered approximately forty medical questions, and acquired three additional ideas for her holiday. Victor was beginning to suspect she had an entire hidden list. He wasn't wrong. "Right," he said finally. "Both of you are cleared, subject to the final checks immediately before the procedures." Kiro went completely still. Then she turned toward Mai. Mai smiled. "Yes, sweetheart. You heard him." "Seven days?" "Seven days," Victor confirmed. "Provided the final checks remain normal." Kiro clasped her hands together. She looked as though she might explode from happiness. Ace leaned toward Shammy. "Think she'll survive until tomorrow?" Shammy's eyes twinkled. "Uncertain." Victor looked up. "Tomorrow is actually possible. I've reserved the necessary clinical time." Kiro made another sound. Mai laughed. "Victor, I think you've just broken her." "She's still conscious. That's promising." Kiro leaned across the table. "Tomorrow?" "Tomorrow morning." "And we'll both...?" "Assuming the final checks are satisfactory, yes." Kiro looked at Shammy. Shammy looked back. For a moment neither said anything. Then Kiro reached out and hugged her. Shammy embraced her warmly. It was such a simple gesture. Two women who wanted very different things from the same extraordinary technology. One wanted the sensory wonder of becoming something else. The other wanted the freedom of being, for a little while, less burdened by everything she normally perceived. And both were about to get their wish. --- They left the clinic in unusually good spirits. Mai walked beside Kiro, who was still visibly struggling to contain her excitement. Ace and Shammy followed. The afternoon air was warm, carrying the familiar mixture of traffic fumes, food, hot metal and far too many people trying to sell things nobody needed. Kiro stopped beside the car. "Mai?" "Yes?" "Do you think Reyes will actually come with us tomorrow?" "She said she would." "Right." A pause. "And she didn't sound annoyed?" Mai looked at her. "Kiro." "What?" "She asked for the medical details because she cares about your safety." Kiro smiled. "I know." "She's also quite interested in seeing you as a German Shepherd." "She is?" Mai's smile became distinctly amused. "Yes." Kiro considered that. Then grinned. "Oh, she's going to tease me so much." "Almost certainly." "Good." Mai laughed. "Good?" Kiro leaned against her. "Some people are worth being teased by." Mai slipped an arm around her. "That they are." Behind them, Ace had stopped walking. Shammy noticed immediately. "Darling?" Ace was studying the towering woman beside her. More precisely, she was studying the distance between Shammy's familiar face and the pavement. Shammy raised an eyebrow. "What are you thinking?" Ace's expression was entirely too innocent. "Nothing." "That is unlikely." "I'm just calculating something." "Should I be worried?" "Depends." "On?" "How much fur you intend to grow." Shammy laughed. "A considerable amount." Ace nodded thoughtfully. "Excellent." Shammy looked suspicious. "Ace." "Yes, sweetheart?" "What are you planning?" Ace smiled. "Oh, nothing complicated." Shammy narrowed her eyes. "Ace." "Just wondering how many hours of uninterrupted cuddling I can fit into the next week." Shammy's expression softened. Then she bent down and kissed her. "As many as you like, darling." Ace smiled against her lips. "Careful. I'll hold you to that." "I know." They joined Mai and Kiro at the car. Victor's voice was still fresh in everyone's memory. Seven days. A new generation of technology. Two carefully planned transformations. And, for once, absolutely no urgent mission demanding their attention. Ace opened the car door. "All right, ladies. Home. We've got preparations to make." Kiro slid into her seat. "Like what?" Ace looked at her over the roof. "Well, for starters, I need to find out where we can buy dog brushes big enough for Shammy." Shammy sighed. "Darling." "And a proper leash." "Ace." "And possibly a very large cushion." Mai laughed. Kiro was already smiling again. Ace looked enormously pleased with herself. "Tomorrow," she announced, "this family is getting a lot furrier." Shammy shook her head. But she was smiling too. For the moment, Night City was behaving itself. And that was more than enough. --- ## Chapter 4 — Four Paws and a Little Peace Kiro was awake before her alarm. This was unusual. Not because she disliked mornings. Kiro had no particular objection to mornings as a concept. She simply preferred encountering them from the other side of an extremely productive night. Today was different. Today she was going to become a German Shepherd. For seven whole days. She lay still for approximately twelve seconds, staring at the ceiling and attempting to behave like a reasonable adult. Then she sat up. Grinned. And reached for her phone. Mai's reply arrived before Kiro had finished typing. _Yes, I'm awake._ Kiro smiled. _HOW DID YOU KNOW?_ _Because you've sent me six messages since midnight._ _Seven. This makes seven._ _Go back to sleep._ _CAN'T._ _Then eat breakfast._ Kiro considered that. A second message appeared. _And no, coffee does not count._ Kiro laughed. She loved that woman so much. --- By the time they reached Victor's clinic, Kiro had managed to exhaust approximately half of her available patience. Which was impressive, considering how little she'd possessed to begin with. Reyes was already waiting outside. She stood near the entrance, dressed practically, arms folded, watching the street with the unremarkable vigilance of someone who had survived Night City by never assuming it was finished trying to kill her. She looked up as Mai and Kiro approached. Then she looked at Kiro's expression. "Oh, hell." Kiro grinned. "Morning!" "You're actually doing it." "Yep!" Reyes studied her for another moment. "Seven days?" "Seven days." "German Shepherd?" "German Shepherd." "And you still think this is a good idea?" Kiro nodded enthusiastically. Reyes sighed. "Figures." Then she stepped forward and gave Kiro a brief, warm hug. "Glad you're happy." Kiro hugged her back. "Thanks for coming." "Someone has to make sure you don't decide traffic is a fascinating new sensory experience." Mai smiled. "That was one of my concerns." "See? We're already in agreement." Ace emerged from the car behind them. "Should I be worried?" Reyes looked at her. "Always." "Excellent." Shammy joined them, looking considerably calmer than Kiro. That was hardly surprising. She was not about to discover a new body for the first time. She was returning to one she remembered with extraordinary affection. Ace took her hand. "Ready, sweetheart?" Shammy smiled. "Very." Reyes glanced between the two prospective patients. "So we're really doing both." "We are," Mai confirmed. Reyes looked at Ace. "You're going to have a German Shepherd and a Dire Wolf in the same house." Ace nodded. "Correct." "And you don't see any problems with that?" "Not particularly." Reyes stared at her. Ace grinned. "I've already ordered the brushes." Reyes closed her eyes. "Of course you have." --- Victor took one look at the group and pointed toward the consultation area. "Inside. All of you." Ace raised an eyebrow. "No greeting?" "Good morning, Ace. Please don't interfere with anything expensive." "Much better." Victor returned his attention to the patients. "Kiro. Shammy. Any changes since yesterday?" Both answered in the negative. He checked their medical records, reviewed the agreed configurations and repeated the final safety questions. Kiro sat on the examination table with her hands folded in her lap. She was trying very hard not to bounce. Victor noticed. "You're going to wear a hole in that table." Kiro stopped moving. "Sorry." "Didn't say you had to apologize." He finished reviewing her readings. "All right. Everything's within the expected range." Kiro went very still. Victor looked directly at her. "Last opportunity to reconsider. Once we begin, we're committing to a significant physiological change. It will remain active until the scheduled medical release." Kiro nodded. "I understand." "Seven days. Natural canine vocalization. Full sensory and motor remapping. Same general German Shepherd configuration as before, with the new stabilization system." "Yes." "Any questions?" Kiro opened her mouth. Mai smiled. Victor sighed. "How many?" "Only three." Reyes leaned against the wall. "That's a new record." Kiro ignored her. "First, will the hearing adaptation feel the same?" "Similar, but the transition should be smoother. You'll still need time to adjust." "Second, what about smell?" "Same answer. Much broader sensory input, and probably the most distracting part of your first few hours." Kiro nodded thoughtfully. "And third..." She glanced at Mai. Mai raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" Kiro looked back at Victor. "Can I still wag my tail?" There was a moment of silence. Ace covered her mouth. Reyes looked away. Mai gave Kiro the kind of fond, helpless look usually reserved for a beloved person who had just asked an unbelievably silly question with complete sincerity. Victor stared at his patient. Then shook his head. "Yes, Kiro. You'll have a functioning tail." Kiro beamed. "Excellent." Victor turned toward Mai. "You see what I deal with?" Mai nodded solemnly. "Every day." --- The procedure took hours. There was nothing casual about it. Victor prepared the equipment, completed the final checks and carefully explained each stage before beginning. The technology itself was extraordinary. Its purpose was not to create an illusion or place a decorative shell around a human body. It was to remap living physiology into a stable alternative configuration, preserving continuity of identity while changing the structures through which that identity experienced the world. Victor treated every stage accordingly. Kiro was monitored throughout. Mai stayed as long as Victor permitted, then moved to the observation area with Reyes and Ace. Shammy waited for her own procedure, her hand resting lightly in Ace's. For once, even Ace was quiet. Not worried, exactly. Just respectful of the fact that Kiro was undergoing something real. Reyes watched the monitoring displays. "She did this before?" Mai nodded. "Yes." "Still strange." "It is." Reyes considered that. "She's brave." Mai smiled. "She is." "Or completely insane." "That possibility has also been discussed." Ace laughed quietly. Shammy looked toward the procedure area. "She knows what she wants." Mai nodded. "That's what matters." --- Kiro's first conscious impression was smell. Not one smell. Hundreds. Disinfectant. Clean fabric. Warm electronics. The faint chemical trace of medical adhesive. Something metallic near the examination equipment. Victor. Mai. The familiar presence of Reyes, recognizable in a way that had nothing to do with her face. And Ace. Kiro opened her eyes. The room looked different. Not because its contents had changed. Because she had. Her field of view was lower, wider in some directions, unfamiliar in others. She blinked. Moved her head. And discovered her ears. They turned. Independently. Kiro froze. Then tried again. Her left ear moved. Her right followed. Somewhere nearby, Victor made an approving sound. "Good. Auditory orientation looks normal." Kiro wanted to say something. Something intelligent. Something sophisticated. Something that properly expressed the astonishing wonder of waking in a body with independently mobile ears. What emerged was: "Whuff." Victor glanced toward her. "Well, that answers the vocal-function check." Kiro blinked. Then tried again. "Woof!" It was a proper bark. A magnificent bark. She had done it before, of course. But that didn't make the experience any less delightful. Her tail moved. Kiro felt it. Actually felt it. And then it wagged again. Her excitement surged. The tail responded faster. Victor looked toward the monitoring equipment. "Heart rate's up." Kiro tried to calm herself. The tail kept moving. Victor sighed. "Yes, I can see you're happy." A soft laugh came from her left. Mai. Kiro turned her head. Mai stood beside the examination couch, smiling down at her. "Hello, beautiful." Kiro stared. There she was. Mai. Silver hair. Familiar eyes. That wonderful little smile that always managed to make Kiro feel as though the entire chaotic world had briefly become manageable. Kiro made a delighted sound. Then tried to stand. Victor placed a steadying hand against her shoulder. "Easy." She stopped. "One thing at a time. You have four legs now. Give your nervous system a moment to remember what that means." Kiro settled. Impatiently. But she settled. Victor checked her responses again. "Good. Let's try standing when I say so." Kiro waited. It was possibly the longest ten seconds of her life. "All right." She rose. Four paws met the padded surface. Her balance shifted. For one startling instant, her body understood the movement before her conscious mind had finished considering it. Front legs. Back legs. A spine arranged for a completely different posture. Weight distributed through paws instead of feet. And a tail making a frankly unnecessary contribution to her enthusiasm. She stood perfectly still. Then looked at Mai. "Woof!" Mai laughed. "Yes, sweetheart. I can see." Kiro wagged harder. Reyes stepped closer. "Well, would you look at that." Kiro turned toward her. Reyes inspected her with professional seriousness. Strong legs. Alert ears. A healthy, beautifully proportioned German Shepherd body. A very expressive face. And a tail that was apparently attempting to establish a new record. "Not bad," Reyes said. Kiro barked. "Not bad at all." Kiro leaned forward. Reyes held out a hand. Kiro sniffed it. Then looked up at her. Reyes smiled. "Still you in there?" Kiro gave one deliberate bark. Reyes's expression softened. "Good." --- Walking took practice. Not much. Kiro remembered enough from her previous sculpt that the basic patterns returned quickly, but the new transition was smoother in ways she hadn't expected. Her paws found their places. Her body adjusted. Her gait settled. Victor watched every movement. "Slowly." Kiro walked to the far side of the observation area. Turned. Walked back. Her ears were busy. Her nose was busier. She stopped beside a cabinet. Sniffed. Looked toward Mai. Then sniffed again. Mai folded her arms. "Kiro." The German Shepherd looked innocent. Victor checked the cabinet. "Medical supplies. Nothing interesting." Kiro appeared unconvinced. Reyes snorted. "She's been a dog for twenty minutes and she's already investigating restricted areas." Mai smiled. "Some habits survive every transformation." Ace crouched in front of Kiro. "Hello, gorgeous." Kiro's ears rose. Ace offered her hand. Kiro sniffed it. Then enthusiastically licked her fingers. Ace laughed. "Oh, I like this version." Mai sighed. "You're encouraging her." "She's adorable." "She's a twenty-four-year-old netrunner." "And adorable." Kiro wagged. Ace leaned closer. "Who's the cleverest little signal diver in Night City?" Kiro barked. Victor closed his eyes. "Please don't start." Ace grinned. "Too late." --- The communication test was more serious. Mai placed a compact interface on the floor. It displayed several large, clearly separated symbols. Yes. No. Pain. Tired. Help. Water. And a few others they had agreed on beforehand. Kiro examined the display carefully. Victor pointed toward the first symbol. "Touch yes." Kiro tapped it with her nose. A soft confirmation tone sounded. "Good. Now no." Another tap. "Pain." Kiro selected the correct symbol. "Help." Another correct response. Victor nodded. "Excellent." Mai smiled. "See? No interpretive dance required." Ace looked disappointed. Kiro gave a short bark that sounded suspiciously amused. Reyes crouched beside her. "One more test." Kiro turned. Reyes held up two fingers. "Two barks." Kiro barked twice. "Good." "Now one." One bark. Reyes nodded. "Easy enough for basic communication. Anything complicated, we use the interface." Kiro touched the yes symbol. Reyes smiled. "See? We understand each other." Mai watched them with quiet affection. Reyes had approached the whole thing exactly as Mai had hoped. No treating Kiro as helpless. No pretending the transformation changed who she was. Just practical adjustments, carefully made. Kiro noticed her watching. Her tail wagged. Mai knelt and gently scratched behind one of her ears. Kiro froze. Oh. Oh, that was good. Her eyes closed halfway. Mai smiled. "Interesting." Kiro leaned into her hand. Reyes laughed. "Found the off switch?" "Apparently." Victor looked up from his notes. "That's not an off switch." Ace grinned. "Could've fooled me." --- Shammy's procedure began after Kiro had passed her initial assessments and settled comfortably into observation. Victor reviewed Shammy's configuration one final time. The Dire Wolf body was far larger than Kiro's German Shepherd form. Its physiology was different. Its stability requirements were different. And the patient was very different indeed. Victor knew better than to assume ordinary rules applied to Shammy simply because she happened to look human before the procedure. He checked her responses. Confirmed her wishes. And asked the question that mattered most. "You still understand what happens to your pressure perception?" Shammy nodded. "Completely absent." "And you're comfortable with that?" She smiled. "Very." Victor regarded her for a moment. Then nodded. "All right." Ace kissed her cheek. "See you soon, beautiful." Shammy took her hand. "I'll be considerably furrier." "That's the plan." "And taller, in a different direction." Ace laughed. "Already making jokes?" "Of course." "Good. Wouldn't want you turning into a completely respectable wolf." Shammy leaned down and kissed her. "Not a chance, darling." --- The second transformation took longer than Kiro's. Victor had expected that. Shammy's body was not simply being rearranged according to ordinary human physiology. It was cooperating with the sculpt in its own extraordinary way. Victor monitored the process carefully, making adjustments only when the readings warranted them. There were no dramatic emergencies. No inexplicable alarms. No equipment failures. Just a complicated medical procedure progressing under experienced supervision. Eventually, the monitoring displays settled into the expected pattern. Victor checked them again. Then stepped closer. "Shammy?" A vast pair of eyes opened. Electric blue. Familiar. The head that lifted from the padded examination surface was enormous. Broad muzzle. Powerful jaws. Thick fur. Ears alert. A body whose proportions belonged to something much larger and older-looking than an ordinary wolf. Victor observed her carefully. "How do you feel?" Shammy remained silent. For a moment, Ace felt the smallest flicker of concern. Then the Dire Wolf slowly turned her head. She looked at Victor. At the equipment. At Ace. At Mai. At Kiro, whose own ears were standing straight up. And finally she closed her eyes. Not in distress. Not in exhaustion. In relief. "Oh," Shammy whispered. Her voice was still hers. Warm. Clear. Almost disbelieving. Ace moved closer. "Sweetheart?" Shammy opened her eyes again. "It's gone." Victor watched her. "The pressure perception?" "All of it." She took a long, slow breath. Her immense chest rose and fell. "I can hear the equipment. I can smell the room. I can feel the weight of this body." Another breath. "But nothing else." Ace knelt beside her. Shammy looked down at her. "No pressure," she said softly. Ace smiled. "No pressure." Shammy lowered her great head. Ace wrapped both arms around her muzzle as far as they would reach. For a long moment, neither moved. Then Shammy spoke again. "Oh, darling." Ace kissed the bridge of her nose. "Welcome back." Shammy closed her eyes. And the enormous Dire Wolf smiled. --- Victor insisted on a complete mobility assessment before anyone went home. Shammy accepted this with excellent grace. At first. Then she discovered that the Dire Wolf body was just as comfortable as she remembered. Her paws met the floor with satisfying weight. Her shoulders moved beneath the thick coat. Her spine stretched. Her tail followed the motion. She took several measured steps across the examination area. Stopped. Turned. And regarded Ace from a height that was altogether different from her usual towering human proportions. Ace looked up. Shammy looked down. There was a pause. Then Ace smiled. "Well, hello there." Shammy lowered her head. "Hello, little darling." Ace laughed. "Oh, I missed that." "Did you?" "Very much." Shammy leaned forward and gently pressed her muzzle against Ace's shoulder. Ace wrapped an arm around her neck. Mai watched them, smiling. Kiro approached. The German Shepherd stopped a respectful distance from the Dire Wolf. For several seconds, the two transformed women regarded each other. Kiro's ears rose. Shammy's enormous tail moved slowly. Then Kiro gave a delighted bark. Shammy laughed. "Hello, sweetheart." Kiro stepped closer. Sniffed. Circled once. And sat down beside her. The size difference was spectacular. Reyes looked at them. Then at Victor. "You're telling me these two are medically cleared to go home?" Victor checked his final readings. "Yes." Reyes considered that. "Right." Ace grinned. "Problem?" Reyes looked at the enormous Dire Wolf. Then at the German Shepherd. Then back at Ace. "You're going to need a bigger sofa." --- Getting everyone into the vehicle took slightly more planning than usual. Fortunately, Mai had anticipated that problem. Seats had been rearranged, protective covers laid out and enough room cleared for both transformed women to travel comfortably without being crowded. Kiro climbed into her designated space with practiced caution. Reyes checked that she was settled safely. "Comfortable?" Kiro gave one bark. "Good." Shammy followed, moving with more deliberate care. She was acutely aware of her new body's size and weight. Not through supernatural pressure perception. Simply because she was a very large wolf occupying a finite amount of space. Ace watched her settle. "All right?" "Perfectly." "Enough room?" "Yes, darling." Ace smiled. "Good." Mai performed one final check. Everyone was secure. No paws in the wrong places. No tails caught beneath anything. No German Shepherd attempting to inspect the vehicle's emergency equipment. At least, not anymore. Mai looked at Kiro. Kiro looked back. Her ears rose. Mai shook her head affectionately. "I saw that." Kiro gave a quiet, innocent whuff. Reyes laughed. "She's going to be trouble." Ace settled into her seat. "She was trouble before." "Fair point." Mai started the car. And the most unusual collection of passengers to leave Victor's clinic that afternoon headed toward the Watson safehouse. --- Yukari heard them arrive. She was in the living room with a book when the familiar sound of the vehicle reached the street outside. A few moments later, someone opened the lower entrance. Then came the unmistakable sound of Ace's voice. "Careful. One at a time." A bark. "Kiro, that's not what I meant." Another bark. Reyes laughing. Mai saying something about patience. And finally a familiar voice, now emerging from an enormous lupine throat. "Darling, I believe the stairs are quite capable of surviving us." Yukari put down her book. Smiled. And waited. The first arrival was Kiro. The German Shepherd trotted into the living room, stopped, and looked around with the astonished pleasure of someone discovering that a familiar place could become entirely new. Her nose moved. Her ears swiveled. Her tail wagged. Yukari inclined her head. "Welcome home, Kiro." Kiro barked happily. Then approached and offered her muzzle for inspection. Yukari laughed and scratched behind one ear. "Oh, you are going to enjoy this." Kiro leaned into her hand. A moment later, the doorway filled with wolf. A remarkable amount of wolf. Shammy stepped into the room, taking care not to bump the frame. Yukari looked up at her. For a moment, her expression changed. Not because the form frightened her. It didn't. But because Shammy looked so genuinely peaceful. "Welcome home, darling," Yukari said. Shammy lowered her great head. "Thank you." Yukari reached out and touched her fur. "How does it feel?" Shammy's eyes softened. "Quiet." Yukari smiled. "Then I am very glad." Ace appeared behind her. "Isn't she magnificent?" "She is." "And look at Kiro!" Yukari looked toward the German Shepherd, who was now investigating a familiar chair with the concentration of a professional detective. "Also magnificent." Mai entered carrying Kiro's communication interface. "And I strongly recommend nobody leave food unattended for the next seven days." Kiro looked up. Reyes folded her arms. "That sounded suspiciously specific." Mai gave her a look. "She spent three minutes examining the bag containing our lunch." Kiro barked indignantly. Ace grinned. "Research." Mai sighed. "Of course." --- From the kitchen came the sound of a cupboard closing. Brenda appeared holding a mug. She took one look at Kiro. Then at Shammy. Then at Ace. "Oh, this is going to be entertaining." Iris appeared behind her. Her eyes moved across the room. The German Shepherd. The Dire Wolf. The delighted faces of the people accompanying them. Then back to Brenda. "Darling," Iris said quietly, "before you say anything..." Brenda gave her an offended look. "I haven't said anything." "Precisely." Ace laughed. Kiro sat down neatly. Her ears stood tall. Her tail swept once across the floor. Brenda studied her. Then smiled. It was the kind of smile that usually preceded an extremely regrettable decision. "Well, well." Kiro tilted her head. Brenda took a sip of coffee. "Look who's finally got the appropriate hardware." Mai closed her eyes. "Brenda." "What?" "Please." Brenda smiled sweetly. "I'm merely making an observation." Kiro watched her. Very carefully. Then, with perfect canine composure, she rose and began walking toward the kitchen. Reyes noticed. Her lips twitched. Iris noticed too. She said nothing. Brenda continued drinking her coffee, completely unaware that the universe had already begun arranging the consequences of her behavior. Ace leaned against Shammy's enormous shoulder. "Oh," she murmured. Shammy glanced down. "What?" Ace grinned. "Nothing, sweetheart." Across the room, Kiro stopped directly in front of Brenda. Looked up. And wagged her tail. Brenda smiled. "Well, aren't you adorable?" Kiro leaned closer. --- ## Chapter 5 — The Smartest Dog in Watson Kiro leaned closer. Brenda smiled. "Oh, look at you. Such a good little doggie." Mai, who knew Kiro considerably better than Brenda apparently did, made one final attempt. "Brenda. I really wouldn't." "Wouldn't what?" Kiro's tail wagged. Brenda bent forward slightly. "Who's a clever girl, then?" Kiro stretched her neck. And delivered one magnificent, thoroughly wet lick straight across Brenda's nose. **SLURP.** Silence. Absolute, glorious silence. Brenda froze. Her coffee cup remained suspended halfway to her mouth. Kiro sat down. Her tail swept across the floor. Iris lowered her own cup with exquisite care. "Well," she said. Ace made a noise. A very small noise. The kind of noise produced by someone desperately trying not to laugh and failing on a cellular level. Mai covered her face. Reyes turned toward the wall. Her shoulders began shaking. Brenda slowly wiped her nose. She looked at her fingers. Then at Kiro. Then at the rest of the room. "You." Kiro tilted her head. "You little SHIT." **WOOF!** That finished Ace. She doubled over, laughing so hard she had to grab Shammy's enormous shoulder for support. Shammy watched the scene with majestic composure. For approximately two seconds. Then she began laughing too. "Brenda," Iris said gently, "you did ask whether her intelligence had improved." "I DID NOT ASK TO BE LICKED!" "No, darling. But you did present an interesting experimental hypothesis." Brenda stared at her wife. Iris smiled. "The results appear conclusive." Reyes made a strangled sound. Mai abandoned any attempt at dignity. Kiro sat in the center of the room, looking extraordinarily pleased with herself. Then she glanced toward the compact communication interface Mai had placed on a low table. She rose. Walked over. And touched one of the large symbols with her nose. A pleasant synthetic voice announced: **YES.** Ace collapsed against Shammy's side. "Oh, she's EVIL!" Kiro barked happily. Brenda pointed at her. "I am going to remember this." Kiro touched another symbol. **GOOD.** Iris lost the battle. Her laughter was quieter than Ace's, but somehow even more devastating. Brenda looked around the room. "Why am I the only adult here?" "Because," Shammy answered, lowering her enormous head until her bright blue eyes were level with Brenda's, "you are the only person who attempted to establish intellectual superiority over a German Shepherd." Brenda opened her mouth. Closed it. Then looked toward Victor's medical information packet on the table. "Does that thing come with instructions on how to disable the sarcasm?" Mai wiped her eyes. "Unfortunately, no." Ace finally managed to breathe. "Victor tried. It survived the sculpt." Kiro wagged her tail. And Brenda, faced with an entire room of traitors, did the only sensible thing available. She turned to Iris. "Darling. We're leaving." Iris smiled. "Of course." "Somewhere with civilized people." "Naturally." "And coffee that hasn't been contaminated by canine assault." "An excellent idea." Iris took her hand. As they passed Kiro, however, Iris stopped. She crouched gracefully. "That was an extremely clever response." Kiro's ears rose. Iris scratched her gently behind one ear. "Although perhaps we should reserve further demonstrations for special occasions." Kiro leaned against her hand. Brenda stared. "You're rewarding her?" Iris rose. "Darling, I appreciate good experimental design." And led her thoroughly defeated wife toward the kitchen. From the doorway, Brenda called back: "THIS IS NOT OVER!" Kiro barked once. Ace nearly fell over again. --- It took the household approximately fifteen minutes to recover. Kiro spent most of that time exploring. The safehouse had not changed. The chairs were where they belonged. The rugs were familiar. The kitchen contained the same cupboards, the same appliances, and the same table at which she had spent countless hours discussing things she only half understood with people who understood even less. But everything smelled different. Or rather, everything smelled _more_. The furniture carried traces of the people who used it. The hallway told stories about who had passed through it. The kitchen was a complicated landscape of food, coffee, cleaning products, warm electronics, and an astonishing number of overlapping human presences. Kiro stopped beside Mai's chair. Sniffed. Looked up. Mai smiled. "Finding anything interesting?" Kiro gave a soft whuff. Then put her nose against Mai's knee. Mai's expression warmed. "Hello, sweetheart." She reached down and scratched behind Kiro's ear. The reaction was immediate. Kiro's eyes half-closed. Her head tilted. Her entire body leaned toward the touch. Mai laughed softly. "You really do like that, don't you?" Kiro wagged. Reyes watched from the sofa. "She looks like you've found a hidden maintenance port." Mai glanced at her. "Jealous?" "Of the dog?" "Of the attention." Reyes considered that. Then smiled. "Maybe a little." Kiro opened one eye. Looked at Reyes. Then walked across the room and placed her head on Reyes's knee. Reyes blinked. Ace grinned. "Oh, that's beautiful." Reyes looked down. "Kiro." The German Shepherd wagged. "You are shameless." Another wag. Reyes sighed. And began scratching her ears. Kiro closed her eyes again. Mai folded her arms with enormous satisfaction. "Well. That problem resolved itself." "She's manipulating both of us," Reyes said. "Expertly." Kiro's tail thumped against the floor. Ace watched them for a moment. Then looked toward Shammy. "Sweetheart?" Shammy turned her enormous head. "Yes, darling?" "Come here." Shammy regarded her. "Why?" Ace patted the large cushion they had prepared beside the sofa. "No reason." Shammy's eyes narrowed. "Ace." "Trust me." "That phrase has an unfortunate history." "Only because you keep remembering things." Shammy laughed. Then approached. Moving in her Dire Wolf body was already becoming familiar again. The weight of her paws. The movement of her shoulders. The enormous strength contained in her legs. She was conscious of all of it. But the world around her remained wonderfully ordinary. She could hear Kiro's tail against the floor. She could smell the faint sweetness of Yukari's tea. She could see Ace looking up at her with the expression of a woman contemplating something either affectionate or ridiculous. Usually both. What she could not do was read the invisible atmospheric and emotional information that normally accompanied those sensations. There was no pressure. No background awareness demanding interpretation. Just the room. And the people in it. Shammy settled onto the cushion. Ace immediately sat beside her. "Comfortable?" "Very." "Good." Ace leaned against her immense flank. Shammy looked down. "Is that why you called me over?" "Partly." "What was the other reason?" Ace reached up and scratched gently beneath her jaw. Shammy's eyes closed. There was a pause. Then she made a sound. A very quiet sound. Not quite a sigh. Not quite a growl. Something deep, warm and thoroughly contented. Ace froze. Looked up. Then smiled. "Oh." Shammy opened one eye. "Don't." Ace's smile widened. "I haven't said anything." "You are thinking very loudly." "Can you hear that?" "No." "Then how do you know?" "Because I know you." Ace laughed. Then scratched her again. Shammy's eyes closed. And for a little while, the largest creature in the room was also the happiest. --- Yukari had been observing the entire afternoon with growing amusement. She liked the safehouse like this. Not merely because everyone was laughing. Laughter could be found in many places, and she had heard enough of it across her long existence to know that not all of it came from happiness. This was different. People were comfortable. They were being ridiculous without having to defend themselves. They were allowing affection to appear in forms that would have confused almost anyone outside the household. And two women who had deliberately chosen extraordinary transformations were discovering the pleasure of those choices among people who understood them. Yukari set down her book. Then rose. Kiro noticed immediately. Her ears turned. Yukari smiled. "Curious?" Kiro wagged. "I thought you might be." A moment later, the woman was gone. In her place stood a beautiful fox with russet, cream and gold fur, bright eyes, and nine magnificent tails. Kiro stared. Her ears went straight up. Ace looked over. "Oh, this is going to be interesting." Yukari stretched. The nine tails spread behind her in an elegant fan. "Well?" she asked. Kiro blinked. Then took a step forward. Sniffed. Stopped. Her tail wagged harder. Yukari's eyes glittered. "Yes, darling. It is still me." Kiro gave a delighted bark. Then circled her once. Yukari watched her with obvious amusement. "A remarkably thorough inspection." Kiro sniffed again. Yukari flicked one tail. Kiro followed it with her eyes. Another tail moved. Kiro's ears twitched. A third curled lazily through the air. Kiro crouched. Reyes sat forward. "Oh, no." Mai looked up. "Kiro?" The German Shepherd launched herself after the moving tail. Yukari stepped aside with effortless grace. Kiro sailed past. Turned. And stopped. Yukari regarded her. "Too slow." Kiro barked. Ace burst out laughing. "Yukari, you're cheating!" "I am a fox." "That doesn't make it fair." "Fairness was never mentioned." Kiro lowered herself into a playful bow. Yukari's tails moved. One. Two. Three. Then she darted across the room. Kiro followed. Not recklessly. Not crashing through furniture. But with the unrestrained delight of someone discovering that chasing a nine-tailed fox was considerably more entertaining than most reasonable adult activities. Reyes stood. "Careful around the table!" Kiro changed direction. Yukari slipped beneath the edge of the sofa. Kiro stopped. Sniffed. Looked toward the other side. Yukari's head appeared. "Looking for someone?" **WOOF!** The fox vanished again. Ace was laughing too hard to help. Mai shook her head. "I cannot believe this is my life." Shammy opened one eye. "Darling, you have known all of us for quite some time." "That doesn't make it less astonishing." "True." Kiro emerged from behind the sofa. Yukari trotted after her. Both looked thoroughly pleased. The fox approached Shammy. "Are you joining us?" Shammy considered the invitation. Then looked at Ace. Ace smiled. "Go on." Shammy rose. Slowly. Deliberately. The movement alone made Kiro stop and stare. The Dire Wolf was enormous. Yukari looked up. "Perhaps we should take this outside." Mai immediately agreed. "Yes. Somewhere with considerably fewer breakable objects." Ace stood. "An excellent suggestion." Reyes glanced toward the door. "Already taking them out?" Mai smiled. "Victor wanted a little movement once they were settled, and they've both passed the initial checks. A quiet outing sounds perfect." Kiro barked enthusiastically. Shammy stretched. Yukari's tails swayed. And Ace looked at the three of them. Then toward Mai. Then toward Reyes. "Well." Reyes folded her arms. "What?" Ace grinned. "Walkies." --- Getting ready proved to be an adventure of its own. Kiro accepted her walking harness with considerable dignity. For approximately thirty seconds. Then she discovered that Reyes was adjusting the straps. Her tail began wagging. Reyes looked at her. "Hold still." Kiro held still. Mostly. "That's better." A wag. "You're making this unnecessarily difficult." Another wag. Mai watched with enormous amusement. "She's excited." "I noticed." Kiro looked over her shoulder. Reyes checked the fit. "Comfortable?" Kiro gave one bark. "Good." Mai crouched to make sure nothing rubbed against the sculpted body. Everything was properly fitted. Kiro looked toward the door. Then back at Mai. Then at the door again. Mai laughed. "Yes, sweetheart. We're going." Shammy required something rather more substantial. Not because she needed to be controlled. She was perfectly capable of making her own decisions. But a Dire Wolf walking through Watson attracted attention, and they had already agreed on the practical precautions necessary for a public outing. Ace examined the equipment. Then looked at Shammy. "Comfortable?" Shammy shifted her shoulders. "Yes." "Nothing pinching?" "No." "Nothing too tight?" "Darling." "Just checking." Shammy lowered her head until her muzzle nearly touched Ace's face. "I appreciate your concern." Ace smiled. "Good." "However, if you ask me whether I'm comfortable one more time, I may pick you up by the back of your jacket." Ace considered that. Then grinned. "Promises, promises." Shammy laughed. Mai appeared in the hallway. "Everyone ready?" Kiro barked. Yukari, now back in her human form for the walk, smiled. "Very." Reyes checked the time. "Let's keep it relaxed. First day, remember?" Mai nodded. "Agreed." Ace glanced toward Shammy. "Ready for your first proper walk, beautiful?" Shammy's enormous tail moved. "I have been ready for some time." Ace grinned. "Then let's go." --- Watson was still Watson. That much became obvious within minutes. Cars passed. People argued. Someone shouted about a delivery. Somewhere nearby, machinery made a noise suggesting that preventative maintenance had become an unpopular concept. But to Kiro, the world was astonishing. She walked beside Reyes, stopping occasionally to inspect something that had never previously seemed worthy of attention. A patch of grass. An old tire. A shop doorway. The edge of a concrete planter. Reyes allowed her time. Within reason. "Kiro, we've established that the planter exists." Kiro sniffed it again. "Yes, I'm sure it's fascinating." Another sniff. Mai laughed. "You told her she could explore." "I didn't realize she intended to conduct a full geological survey." Kiro gave an indignant bark. Reyes smiled. "Fine. Finish your research." Ace walked beside Shammy. The Dire Wolf moved with measured confidence, her thick coat shifting over powerful muscles. People noticed. Of course they did. Most gave the enormous wolf a respectful amount of space. Some stared. A few wisely decided they had somewhere else to be. Shammy appeared entirely unconcerned. She was enjoying the movement. The air. The simple physical pleasure of walking on four powerful legs. Ace glanced up at her. "Having fun?" "Immensely." "Good." Shammy looked toward a group of pigeons near the pavement. They scattered at her approach. Ace grinned. "Apparently you've become a major local event." "I do seem to have that effect." "Usually without the fur." Shammy laughed. "True." Ahead of them, Kiro had discovered a particularly interesting smell. Reyes waited patiently. Mai watched with a fond smile. And Yukari walked between them, looking as though she were enjoying every moment. For a while, nobody mentioned work. Nobody discussed the next mission. Nobody wondered what Night City might be preparing for them. There was only a quiet afternoon. Two extraordinary animals. A small group of people who loved them. And the rare luxury of having absolutely nowhere urgent to be. --- They returned to the safehouse pleasantly tired. Kiro drank some water and settled on her cushion. Reyes sat beside her. "Good walk?" Kiro gave one happy bark. "Thought so." Mai joined them. She rested a hand on Kiro's back. The German Shepherd looked up at her. Mai smiled. "Happy?" Kiro moved closer and rested her head against Mai's knee. That was answer enough. Across the room, Shammy had stretched herself out beside the sofa. Ace sat on the floor next to her. Yukari settled nearby. The late afternoon light fell across Shammy's thick coat, turning the pale strands almost silver. Ace ran her fingers through the fur behind one ear. Shammy sighed. A long, contented sigh. Ace smiled. "Still quiet?" Shammy opened her eyes. "Beautifully." "No pressure?" "None." "Not even a little?" "Not even a little." Ace leaned against her. "Good." Shammy lowered her head and rested it beside Ace's shoulder. For a long moment, neither spoke. Then Shammy whispered: "Thank you for understanding." Ace turned. "Always, sweetheart." And kissed her enormous muzzle. From the other side of the room, Reyes looked up. Then at Kiro. Then at Mai. "You know," she said, "I was expecting this to be much more complicated." Mai smiled. "It's only the first day." Reyes considered that. "Fair point." Kiro's tail thumped. Yukari laughed softly. And Shammy closed her eyes again. Outside, Night City continued its usual business. Inside, the safehouse was warm. Peaceful. And, for the first time in its history, occupied by one extremely happy German Shepherd and one enormous Dire Wolf who had no intention of becoming human again any sooner than necessary. ---- ## Chapter 6 — Nothing to Decode Kiro discovered the first disadvantage of being a German Shepherd at approximately seven in the morning. She couldn't reach the coffee machine. This was not an unexpected consequence of having four legs, paws instead of hands, and a dramatically altered relationship with kitchen countertops. She had understood the theoretical limitations. She had even discussed them with Victor. But understanding a problem and confronting it at seven in the morning were entirely different experiences. Kiro stood in the safehouse kitchen. Looked at the coffee machine. Looked down at her paws. Looked back at the coffee machine. Then sighed. A low, deeply offended canine sigh. From the doorway came a familiar voice. "Problem?" Kiro turned. Mai stood there wearing comfortable clothes, her silver hair still slightly disordered from sleep. She looked at the German Shepherd. Then at the coffee machine. Then back at Kiro. "Oh, sweetheart." Kiro gave one sharp bark. Mai began smiling. "You've encountered an interface problem." Another bark. "An unfortunate incompatibility between user and hardware." Kiro's ears flattened. Mai laughed. "Come here." Kiro walked over. Mai crouched and wrapped her arms around the dog's neck. "Good morning, beautiful." Kiro leaned against her. Mai kissed the top of her head. "Sleep well?" One bark. "Comfortable?" Another bark. "Any pain?" Kiro shook her head, then gave two deliberate barks. Mai nodded. "Good." She scratched behind one ear. Kiro's eyes closed immediately. Mai continued for several seconds before finally standing. "Now, about that coffee." Kiro looked up expectantly. "You remember Victor's dietary instructions?" A reluctant bark. "And you remember that coffee isn't on your approved menu?" Kiro stared at her. Mai folded her arms. The German Shepherd looked toward the machine. Then back at Mai. Then toward the machine again. "Kiro." A small whine. Mai covered her mouth. "Oh, that is completely unfair." Kiro's tail wagged. "You cannot weaponize those eyes." Another whine. Mai laughed. "No." Kiro sighed. Defeated. For now. --- Shammy arrived a few minutes later. Or, more accurately, a considerable quantity of pale Dire Wolf entered the kitchen. Ace followed, carrying two mugs. "Morning." Mai looked up. "Morning." Shammy lowered her enormous head. "Good morning, darlings." Kiro barked happily. Shammy smiled at her. "Hello, sweetheart." Ace placed the mugs on the counter. Then looked at Kiro. Then at the coffee machine. Then at Mai's expression. "Oh, what have I missed?" "Kiro has discovered she cannot make herself coffee." Ace regarded the German Shepherd. Kiro looked back. A moment passed. Then Ace nodded sympathetically. "Tragic." Kiro barked. "Absolutely devastating." Another bark. "A fundamental violation of netrunner rights." Mai closed her eyes. "Ace." "What? I'm expressing solidarity." "You're encouraging her." "I'm providing emotional support." Shammy made a deep, amused sound. Ace glanced toward her. "Something funny, sweetheart?" "Only that Kiro has spent approximately twenty-four hours in her new body and already found a technological grievance." Kiro looked distinctly pleased. Ace nodded. "That's our girl." Shammy settled beside the kitchen table. Her enormous body occupied a substantial portion of the available floor. Ace looked down at her. "Comfortable?" "Very." "Good." Ace crouched. Then, without warning, buried both hands in the thick fur around Shammy's neck. Shammy's eyes closed. "Oh." Ace smiled. "Morning maintenance." "Is that what we're calling it?" "Medical necessity." "Naturally." Mai poured herself coffee. "Victor is going to be fascinated by your interpretation of postoperative care." Ace continued scratching. "Preventative medicine." Shammy slowly lowered herself onto her side. "An excellent field of study." Kiro watched. Considered the situation. Then approached Mai and gently pushed her muzzle beneath Mai's hand. Mai looked down. "Oh, I see." Kiro wagged. "Equal treatment?" One bark. Mai laughed. And the kitchen became, for several minutes, a place where absolutely no useful work was accomplished. --- Breakfast required careful coordination. Victor had provided individual nutritional guidance for both transformed women, and Mai had no intention of treating that as optional. Kiro received a substantial meal suited to her temporary canine physiology. Shammy received considerably more. Ace watched the preparations with interest. "How much does she actually need to eat?" Mai consulted the instructions. "A great deal." "That's not a number." "It's an accurate summary." Shammy looked up from her place on the floor. "Darling, I can hear you." Ace smiled. "I know." "And I am perfectly capable of discussing my own dietary requirements." "Of course." "Even if my current appetite is somewhat impressive." Ace glanced toward the meal. "Somewhat?" Shammy gave her a look. Ace grinned. "Love you." "Love you too, darling." Yukari appeared shortly afterward. She had chosen her human form that morning, with her nearly black hair falling loosely over her shoulders. She looked at the two enormous breakfasts. Then at Ace. Then at Mai. "Should I ask whether we're feeding them or preparing for a siege?" "Both," Ace answered. "Efficient." Yukari sat down with her tea. Kiro began eating. Shammy followed. For a few minutes the room was pleasantly quiet. Then Brenda appeared. She stopped in the doorway. Looked at Kiro. Kiro looked up. Their eyes met. Brenda's hand moved instinctively toward her nose. Ace saw it. Of course Ace saw it. Her grin became immediate and dangerous. "Morning, Brenda." "Don't." "I didn't say anything." "You were about to." Ace looked offended. "I would never." Iris appeared behind Brenda. "Good morning, everyone." Kiro wagged her tail. Iris smiled. "Good morning, Kiro." Brenda pointed at the German Shepherd. "She is not licking me again." Kiro paused. Considered this. Then returned to breakfast. Mai laughed quietly. Iris took Brenda's hand. "Darling, I believe she's decided you're not worth interrupting her meal." Brenda looked deeply wounded. "That's somehow worse." Shammy began laughing. Ace joined her. And Kiro, although unable to say anything, looked enormously satisfied. --- By late morning, Reyes had arrived. Ace let her in through the safehouse's secured upper entrance. Reyes stepped inside carrying a small bag. Kiro heard her before anyone announced her arrival. Her ears rose. Her head turned. Then she was on her feet. Reyes had barely finished closing the door before a delighted German Shepherd appeared in front of her. "Well, hello." Kiro's tail wagged furiously. Reyes looked down. "Miss me?" One bark. "Good." She crouched and scratched Kiro's ears. Kiro leaned into the touch. Reyes smiled. "Yeah. Missed you too." Ace watched from the hallway. "She does that to everyone she likes." Reyes glanced up. "Good thing I qualify." "Apparently." Kiro nudged Reyes's hand. Reyes looked down. "Something else?" Kiro sniffed the bag. Reyes laughed. "Oh, you noticed." Mai appeared from the living room. "What's in the bag?" "Something for our girl." Kiro's ears stood straight up. Reyes opened the bag and produced a sturdy rubber ball. Kiro stared. Then looked at Reyes. Then at the ball. Her tail began moving even faster. Ace folded her arms. "Oh, this is excellent." Reyes looked at Mai. "Victor didn't prohibit ordinary play, right?" "No. Appropriate exercise is encouraged. We just need to avoid overdoing it." Reyes nodded. "Good." She held up the ball. Kiro took one step forward. Reyes smiled. "Interested?" Kiro barked. "Thought so." Then Reyes did something entirely unexpected. She placed the ball back in the bag. Kiro froze. Reyes stood. "Outside first." The German Shepherd stared at her. Reyes smiled. "What? You thought I was going to throw it across the living room?" Kiro gave a small, disappointed whine. "Not happening." Ace laughed. "You're cruel." "I'm responsible." "Terrible habit." "Somebody has to be." --- The afternoon brought sunshine. Not the kind that transformed Watson into somewhere beautiful. Nothing was capable of that. But the clouds had broken, the temperature was pleasant, and the city had temporarily decided against attempting to drown everyone in industrial rain. They found a relatively quiet, enclosed green space where Kiro could exercise safely. Reyes checked the surroundings. Mai checked the medical recommendations. Ace checked whether Shammy was interested in joining the game. Shammy regarded the ball. Then Ace. "Darling." "Yes?" "I am a Dire Wolf." "Correct." "An enormous, dignified Dire Wolf." "Also correct." "And you are asking whether I wish to chase a rubber ball." Ace smiled. "Yep." Shammy considered this. Then lowered herself comfortably into the grass. "I think I shall observe." Ace grinned. "Your loss." Kiro had already positioned herself several meters away from Reyes. Her entire body radiated anticipation. Reyes looked at her. "Ready?" Kiro barked. Reyes threw the ball. Kiro launched herself forward. Four paws struck the grass. Her body accelerated. The ball bounced. Kiro adjusted her course. And then she caught it. Cleanly. She stopped. Turned. Looked back at Reyes. And wagged. Reyes grinned. "Nice catch!" Kiro ran back. Placed the ball at Reyes's feet. Then sat. Perfectly. Ace stared. Mai smiled. Reyes looked down. "Well, aren't you professional?" Kiro wagged. Reyes picked up the ball. "Again?" **WOOF!** The second throw went farther. The third required a sharper turn. By the fourth, Kiro had discovered something she had apparently forgotten from her previous sculpt. Running on four legs felt wonderful. Not simply fast. Not simply efficient. Wonderful. Her body understood movement in a different way. The grass brushed against her paws. The air carried a thousand scents. Her ears caught sounds she'd never ordinarily noticed. And for a little while, there was no work. No datalake. No anomalous signal asking to be understood. No hidden pattern demanding that she surrender another night to it. There was only the ball. And the grass. And Reyes laughing when Kiro returned. "Good girl!" Kiro's tail wagged. Mai watched from nearby, smiling. She had seen Kiro happy before. Many times. But there was something particular about this happiness. It needed no explanation. It didn't require understanding a difficult problem or surviving a dangerous one. Kiro had run. Caught a ball. And returned to someone who cared about her. That was enough. --- After a while, Reyes called a break. Kiro objected. Naturally. One bark. "No." Another bark. "Medical instructions." Kiro looked toward Mai. Mai folded her arms. "Don't look at me. She's right." Kiro sighed. Reyes produced water. "Drink." Kiro complied. Then settled in the shade. Reyes sat beside her. "Having fun?" One bark. "Thought so." She began scratching behind Kiro's ears. Kiro closed her eyes. Mai approached. "How is she?" "Happy. Slightly disappointed that I'm not willing to throw the ball indefinitely." Mai smiled. "That sounds familiar." Reyes looked up. "Does she do this as a human?" "With signals instead of balls." Reyes snorted. "Figures." Kiro opened one eye. Mai crouched. "Sweetheart?" Kiro turned. "There's something I want you to know." The German Shepherd became attentive. Mai rested a hand against her neck. "You don't have to accomplish anything this week." Kiro blinked. "No projects. No breakthroughs. No mysteries solved. No one expects you to prove that you've made good use of your time." Kiro watched her. Mai smiled softly. "You wanted a holiday." Kiro's ears moved. "So have one." For a moment, the German Shepherd remained still. Then she leaned forward and rested her muzzle against Mai's shoulder. Mai wrapped her arms around her. Reyes looked away, smiling to herself. There were things Kiro needed that no amount of professional success could provide. This was evidently one of them. --- A little farther away, Ace lay on her back in the grass. Shammy rested beside her. The Dire Wolf had found a patch of shade and settled into it with enormous satisfaction. Ace stared up at the sky. "Hey." Shammy turned her head. "Yes, darling?" "What's it like?" Shammy considered the question. "Being a wolf?" "No. Not knowing." Shammy looked at her. Ace continued. "You can still hear me. See me. Smell whatever's around us." "Yes." "But you can't feel the usual stuff." "No." Ace turned her head. "Doesn't that ever bother you?" Shammy was quiet for a moment. Then she lowered her enormous muzzle beside Ace's shoulder. "Sometimes I notice the absence." Ace waited. "When you spoke just now, there was a tiny part of me that expected to know what you were feeling before you explained." Ace nodded. "And you didn't." "No." "Scary?" Shammy considered that. Then smiled. "No." Ace looked toward her. "Really?" "Really." Shammy's voice grew softer. "I have spent so long knowing things before people tell me. Understanding movements in the atmosphere before they become obvious. Feeling changes that others cannot even perceive." She looked across the grass. Kiro had begun walking slowly beside Reyes. Mai followed them. Yukari sat nearby, watching with an amused expression. "And now," Shammy continued, "if I want to know how someone feels, I have to ask." Ace smiled. "Like the rest of us." "Like the rest of you." "Well, most of us. Yukari cheats." Shammy laughed. "A little." Ace reached up and scratched behind her ear. Shammy's eyes closed. "And?" "And what, darling?" "How's that working out?" Shammy made a contented sound. "Beautifully." Ace smiled. "Good." For several minutes, neither spoke. Then Shammy opened her eyes. "Ace?" "Yeah?" "Are you happy?" Ace turned toward her. The question was simple. Almost ordinary. And that made it extraordinary. Ace reached out and touched her enormous muzzle. "Very." Shammy smiled. "Good." Ace grinned. "See? You didn't need pressure-reading for that." "No." "All you had to do was ask." Shammy lowered her head until her nose touched Ace's cheek. "I think I may become very fond of asking." Ace laughed. "Sweetheart, you can ask me anything." "I know." "And if you ever want to know whether I love you..." Shammy's eyes softened. Ace kissed her muzzle. "...the answer's still yes." Shammy sighed happily. "That one I already knew." --- They returned home in the late afternoon. Kiro was tired in the pleasant, uncomplicated way that came from spending time outdoors. Reyes helped her remove the walking harness. Mai checked that she had plenty of water. Yukari disappeared briefly into her room, then returned in fox form. Nine tails swept elegantly behind her. Kiro raised her head. Yukari approached. "Well?" Kiro wagged. "Enjoy yourself?" One bark. The fox smiled. "Excellent." She settled beside Kiro's cushion. For several moments, they rested quietly. Then Yukari spoke again. "You know, there is something you should consider." Kiro's ears rose. "Tomorrow, perhaps, we could spend some time somewhere away from the busiest streets." Kiro watched her. "Somewhere with more grass, fewer vehicles, and considerably fewer people wondering why a German Shepherd is walking beside a nine-tailed fox." Kiro gave an enthusiastic bark. Yukari laughed. "I thought you'd approve." She curled one tail around her paws. "Although I reserve the right to refuse another chase around the furniture." Kiro lowered her head with exaggerated innocence. Yukari narrowed her golden eyes. "That is not a convincing expression." Kiro wagged. "Not even slightly." Across the room, Brenda watched them. Then looked toward Iris. "I still think she's enjoying this far too much." Iris smiled. "Which one?" Brenda gestured toward Kiro. "The dog." Iris considered the pair. "Darling, I suspect they're both enjoying themselves enormously." Brenda sighed. "Of course." Then she looked toward Shammy, who had settled beside Ace. "And the wolf?" Shammy opened one eye. "Also enjoying herself, Brenda." Brenda raised both hands. "I wasn't going to say anything." Shammy smiled. "A wise decision." Ace began laughing. --- That evening, the safehouse became unusually peaceful. Reyes stayed for dinner. Kiro ate her prescribed meal, then settled comfortably between Mai and Reyes while they talked. Shammy stretched out beside Ace. Yukari remained in fox form, occasionally contributing to the conversation with the calm authority of someone who found modern life endlessly entertaining. Iris and Brenda retired to their own room after a final round of good-natured teasing. No urgent calls arrived. Nobody asked for help with an impossible problem. No one needed rescuing. And when Mai finally put her work interface away, Kiro watched her with obvious satisfaction. Mai noticed. "What?" Kiro wagged. Mai smiled. "Yes, sweetheart. I'm finished for the evening." One bark. "Entirely finished." Another wag. "No, I am not secretly checking another display." Kiro looked at the table. Mai followed her gaze. There was, in fact, a second display. She stared at it. Then at Kiro. "Traitor." Kiro barked happily. Reyes laughed. "She's got you." Mai sighed. "Apparently." She switched the second display off. Then leaned down and kissed Kiro's forehead. "Happy now?" Kiro rested her head against Mai's leg. Her tail moved once. Slowly. Contentedly. And the answer was obvious. --- Much later, after the household had settled for the night, Victor stood alone in his clinic. He had finished checking his final patient. The equipment was clean. The records were updated. He was preparing to close when one of the examination monitors flickered. Victor looked up. The monitor returned to normal. He frowned. "That's new." He checked the power diagnostics. Nothing obvious. The supply voltage was within tolerance. The load was ordinary. The backup system reported no faults. Victor studied the readings for another moment. Then the overhead lights dimmed. Only slightly. For less than a second. But enough. Victor looked toward the ceiling. "Great." He checked the diagnostic panel again. The clinic's battery reserve had lost a small amount of charge. Not much. But the system had not reported drawing from it. Victor stared at the number. Then checked the log. No recorded discharge event. No transfer to backup power. No corresponding load. He rubbed his forehead. "Wonderful." He ran a second diagnostic. The result was the same. Everything appeared to be functioning normally. Except for the energy that was no longer there. Victor saved the report. He wasn't worried yet. Night City had no shortage of bad wiring, unreliable infrastructure and electrical problems that could make a competent technician contemplate early retirement. There would be a conventional explanation. Probably. He switched off the examination lights. Collected his jacket. And left the clinic. Behind him, in the darkened treatment area, a small indicator light glowed green. Then dimmed. Then went out. The battery reserve lost another fraction of its charge. No alarm sounded. No load was recorded. And somewhere beneath Watson, something continued to feed. --- ## Chapter 7 — The Light That Wouldn't Stay On Victor arrived at his clinic at seven forty-three in the morning. At seven forty-six, he knew something was wrong. The first indication was the refrigerator. Not a particularly dramatic piece of equipment. It did its job, maintained a controlled temperature, and normally required very little of Victor's attention. This morning, its internal temperature was three degrees higher than it should have been. Victor frowned. Checked the door seal. Checked the compressor. Checked the power supply. Everything appeared normal. He opened the maintenance log. At three seventeen that morning, the refrigerator had registered a brief interruption in its electrical supply. At three eighteen, the backup circuit had activated. At three nineteen, normal supply had resumed. Nothing especially unusual for Night City. Except that the backup system claimed to have lost nearly twelve percent of its reserve capacity during a single minute of operation. Victor stared at the reading. "That's ridiculous." He checked the battery diagnostics. The cells reported good health. No thermal event. No overload. No abnormal discharge. Just missing energy. Victor rubbed his forehead. "Wonderful." He transferred the temperature-sensitive supplies to an independently powered unit, verified its readings, and made a note to have the original refrigerator examined. Then he turned toward the treatment area. The overhead lights flickered. Once. Twice. Victor stopped. "Don't you start." They steadied. He waited. Nothing. He took another step. The lights dimmed again. Victor looked toward the ceiling. "All right. You and I are going to have a conversation." --- The first patient arrived shortly after eight. He was a delivery driver with a badly strained shoulder, the result of trying to stop a cargo pallet from falling off a loading platform. Victor had seen injuries like it hundreds of times. The examination was straightforward. The man was in pain, but otherwise stable. Victor checked the shoulder, assessed the range of motion, and started explaining the treatment. Halfway through the explanation, the patient yawned. "Sorry, Doc." "Long night?" "Not especially." Another yawn. Victor paused. "How much sleep did you get?" "Seven hours. Maybe eight." "Any medication?" "Nothing." "Alcohol?" "Not since the weekend." Victor nodded. He continued. The patient yawned again. Then rubbed his eyes. "Sorry. Don't know what's wrong with me." Victor studied him. "You feeling dizzy?" "No." "Short of breath?" "No." "Chest pain?" "Nothing like that." "Just tired?" The man nodded. "Really tired." Victor checked his vital signs. Nothing alarming. Heart rate normal. Blood pressure acceptable. Oxygen saturation good. Neurological responses intact. There was no obvious reason for the man's sudden exhaustion. Victor asked him to sit for a few minutes while he completed the examination. The patient agreed. Then, without warning, his eyes closed. Victor looked up. "Hey." The man startled awake. "Sorry." Victor's expression tightened. He finished the immediate assessment, kept the patient under observation, and arranged for further evaluation rather than simply sending him back to work. Something about this bothered him. Not the fatigue itself. People became tired for perfectly ordinary reasons. But the speed. And the absence of anything else. --- By ten fifteen, Victor had seen three patients who complained of unusual exhaustion. The second was recovering from a minor procedure and had been progressing normally. The third had come in for an unrelated checkup. All three described the same sensation. Not sleepiness, exactly. More like the sudden disappearance of their ability to do anything. One woman put it particularly well. "It's like someone turned the brightness down inside me." Victor looked at her. "The brightness?" She nodded. "I know that sounds stupid." "No. Tell me what you mean." She thought for a moment. "I woke up fine. Had breakfast. Came here. And now I feel like I've been awake for two days." Victor studied the readings. Normal. Or close enough that they did not explain what he was seeing. He ran additional checks. Nothing conclusive. Then the examination light above her flickered. The woman looked up. "Is that supposed to happen?" "No." Victor switched it off. The room's overhead lighting dimmed. He looked toward the diagnostic panel. The reserve battery had lost another six percent. His jaw tightened. He moved the patient away from the affected treatment area and continued her assessment using independent equipment. Then he reached for his phone. --- The electrician arrived before eleven. He was experienced, reasonably competent, and sufficiently familiar with Night City's infrastructure to approach every electrical problem with a deep suspicion of the people who had installed the wiring. Victor liked him immediately. They worked through the obvious possibilities. Incoming power. Distribution equipment. Circuit loading. Fault protection. Battery management. Everything that should have explained the problem. Nothing did. The electrician stared at his diagnostic equipment. Then at Victor. "You sure nobody's running something expensive in the back?" Victor folded his arms. "Such as?" "I don't know. Industrial fabricator. Experimental power system. Secret nightclub." "Does it look like I have a secret nightclub?" The electrician considered the clinic. "Night City, Doc. I've seen stranger." Victor sighed. "Fair point." The electrician continued his tests. Eventually, he isolated one of the reserve units from the clinic's normal power distribution. The unit reported a stable charge. They watched. For several seconds, nothing happened. Then the charge indicator dropped. One percent. Another. The electrician leaned closer. "That's not right." Victor said nothing. The charge fell again. The electrician checked his instruments. "No load." Victor nodded. "That's what I've been telling you." "No, I mean there's no load. Nothing connected that should be drawing anything." "Then where's the power going?" The electrician stared at him. "That's a very good question." He repeated the check using a second instrument. The result was the same. The reserve continued losing energy. Very slowly. But unmistakably. The electrician stepped back. "Doc, I've got nothing." Victor looked at the unit. "Bad cells?" "Possible, except the diagnostics don't support it. And you've got the same problem on unrelated equipment." "Faulty monitoring?" "Not with the measurements agreeing." The electrician shook his head. "There's something very wrong here. I can bring in more equipment, but I wouldn't trust these reserves until we figure it out." Victor nodded. "Fair enough." He arranged for the additional inspection. Then began reorganizing the clinic. Any treatment that could safely be postponed was postponed. Patients requiring dependable continuous electrical support were stabilized and transferred to facilities outside the affected area. Others were assessed individually. Victor checked every decision himself. He was not going to gamble with someone's life because a battery manufacturer had promised that its products were reliable. Especially when the batteries were apparently doing something their manufacturer had never imagined. --- At the Watson safehouse, Kiro had discovered that sleeping in a patch of sunlight was one of the finest experiences available to a living creature. She had no intention of wasting the opportunity. The German Shepherd lay on her side near the living-room window, her head resting on her front paws. Sunlight warmed her coat. A distant vehicle passed outside. Somewhere in the kitchen, Mai was preparing lunch. Everything was excellent. Then a shadow fell across her. Kiro opened one eye. Ace stood above her. Holding a brush. Kiro stared. Ace smiled. "Hello, gorgeous." Kiro's ears rose. "Interested?" The German Shepherd considered the proposition. Then rolled onto her other side. Ace laughed. "Well, that's a yes." She knelt and began brushing. Kiro closed her eyes. Oh. That was wonderful. The brush moved gently through her coat. Ace worked slowly, following the direction of the fur and taking care around the more sensitive areas. Kiro stretched. Her tail moved once. Then again. Ace smiled. "Somebody's enjoying herself." Kiro made a low, contented sound. Across the room, Shammy watched with considerable interest. Ace noticed. "Oh?" Shammy raised her enormous head. "What?" "Jealous?" "Certainly not." Ace considered that. "Want a turn?" Shammy looked at the brush. Then at Ace. Then away. "I am perfectly comfortable, darling." Ace grinned. "Didn't say you weren't." Shammy settled her head back onto her paws. A moment passed. Then another. Finally: "Although..." Ace looked up. "Yes, sweetheart?" Shammy's ears moved. "I suppose proper coat maintenance is important." Ace smiled. "Very important." "Particularly with such a substantial amount of fur." "Absolutely." Shammy looked toward her. "Then perhaps, when you've finished with Kiro..." Ace was already laughing. "Of course, beautiful." Shammy lowered her head. "Thank you." Kiro opened one eye. Looked at Shammy. Then at Ace. Her tail wagged. Ace pointed at her. "Don't you start." Kiro gave a suspiciously amused little whuff. --- Mai appeared in the doorway a few minutes later. She stopped. Looked at the German Shepherd stretched blissfully across the floor. Then at Ace. Then at the enormous Dire Wolf waiting nearby with an expression of exaggerated dignity. Mai smiled. "I see you've opened a grooming salon." Ace nodded. "Excellent business. Highly satisfied clientele." "Any complaints?" "One customer has been pretending she's not interested." Shammy opened one eye. "Darling." Ace grinned. "No names." Mai laughed. Then her phone rang. She glanced at the screen. Victor. Her smile softened. "Hello, Victor." "Mai." Something in his voice made her straighten. "What's wrong?" "How are Kiro and Shammy?" Mai looked toward the two transformed women. "Both doing very well. Kiro's currently receiving what appears to be the best brushing of her life." Kiro wagged. "And Shammy?" "Waiting for her turn while pretending she isn't." Shammy sighed. Victor gave a brief chuckle. "Good. I'm glad." Mai's expression changed. "Victor?" "Listen, I need a favor." Ace looked up. Mai activated the speaker. "What kind of favor?" "Something's happening to the clinic's electrical systems." Ace stopped brushing. Kiro opened both eyes. Shammy raised her head. Victor continued. "At first I thought it was an ordinary power problem. Bad supply, faulty reserve equipment, something like that." "And now?" "Now I've got batteries losing charge without a corresponding load, equipment dropping into backup mode for no recorded reason, and three patients who developed sudden, unexplained fatigue while they were here." Mai was silent. Victor rarely sounded worried. Concerned, yes. Annoyed, certainly. But worried? That was unusual. "Are your patients safe?" "Yes. I've postponed anything that can wait and arranged transfers where necessary. Nobody's in immediate danger." "Good." "That's not why I'm calling." Mai waited. Victor sighed. "I'm calling because I can't explain what I'm seeing." Kiro rose. Her ears stood alert. Ace glanced toward her. Mai looked at the phone. "Walk me through the readings." Victor began. Power fluctuations. Battery reserves. No corresponding recorded demand. Repeated discrepancies between expected and measured energy. And the strange fatigue. Mai listened without interrupting. When he finished, she was quiet for several seconds. Then she asked: "Have you checked whether the problem extends beyond the clinic?" "Not properly. The electrician mentioned unusual fluctuations reported nearby, but I haven't verified them." "Send me what you have." "Already preparing it." Mai glanced at Kiro. The German Shepherd was watching her intently. Mai knew that look. Even without the ability to speak, Kiro's expression was unmistakable. The holiday had just encountered something interesting. Mai crouched beside her. "Sweetheart." Kiro's ears moved. "Victor's got a problem." One bark. "And I know what you're thinking." Kiro looked toward her communication interface. Mai smiled faintly. "Yes. You can help." Kiro's tail moved. "But we're going to do it sensibly." Another bark. Ace stood. "Victor, how bad is it?" There was a pause. Then he answered. "I don't know." Ace's smile disappeared. That was worse than any confident answer could have been. "All right," she said. "We're coming." --- Reyes arrived less than half an hour later. She had responded to Mai's message with characteristic brevity. _On my way._ Now she stood in the safehouse living room, looking at the information displayed across Mai's portable interface. Kiro sat beside her. Shammy lay nearby. Ace paced slowly between the table and the window. Yukari listened from an armchair. Reyes studied the readings. "You're telling me the electricity's just disappearing?" Mai shook her head. "That's the symptom. We don't know the cause." "Bad equipment?" "Victor's already checked the obvious possibilities." "Sabotage?" "Possible." Reyes glanced toward Kiro. "And what does our resident signal expert think?" Kiro rose and approached the interface. Mai had expanded the simple nose-operated communication pad with a second, deliberately slow navigation layer. It provided large controls for requesting a view, paging between prepared charts, and comparing selected records. Kiro could point out what she wanted, but a human still had to open unfamiliar files and operate the full interface. It was a practical accommodation, not a substitute for her hands or netrunning equipment. Kiro studied the data. Then touched the symbol requesting a different view. Mai switched it. Kiro examined the graphs. One trace showed the clinic's incoming power. Another displayed measured consumption. A third showed the reserve battery's reported charge. The lines did not behave as they should. Kiro tilted her head. Then touched a symbol. **REPEAT.** Mai replayed the sequence. Kiro watched. Her ears moved. She touched another symbol. **COMPARE.** Mai opened the earlier readings beside the newer ones. Reyes leaned closer. "What are we looking for?" Mai studied Kiro. "Kiro?" The German Shepherd touched one of the traces with her nose. Then another. Then the first again. Mai frowned. "There's a delay." Kiro barked once. Mai brought up a different view. The reserve charge was falling before the clinic registered any unusual demand. "Interesting." Kiro wagged once. Reyes looked between them. "Interesting good or interesting bad?" "Unknown," Mai answered. Ace stopped pacing. "That's a very Mai answer." "It's an accurate answer." "Also very Mai." Yukari smiled faintly. But she wasn't laughing. Her attention had shifted toward the display. "May I ask something?" Mai looked up. "Of course." "Does this resemble anything you've encountered before?" Mai considered it. "Not in this form." "Not even as a failure?" "No." Yukari nodded slowly. That was all. She didn't offer an explanation. Didn't name a supernatural enemy. Didn't announce that she had recognized something ancient and terrible. She simply became more attentive. Ace noticed. "Yukari?" "Yes, darling?" "Something on your mind?" Yukari smiled. "Only that I would prefer to see the clinic before drawing conclusions." Ace nodded. "Fair enough." Shammy rose. The movement caught everyone's attention. She stretched her enormous body, then looked toward Ace. "I'm coming too." Ace approached. "Of course you are." Mai glanced at her. "Shammy, your pressure perception is still completely suppressed." "I know." "And we may be dealing with something unusual." "I know that too, darling." Mai studied her. Shammy lowered her head slightly. "I haven't forgotten how to think simply because I cannot sense the atmosphere." Mai smiled. "No. You certainly haven't." "Besides," Shammy continued, "Victor is our friend." Ace rested a hand against her muzzle. "And friends help friends." "Exactly." Reyes checked her equipment. "Then we'd better get moving." Kiro barked. Once. Firmly. Reyes glanced down. "Yeah, you too." The German Shepherd wagged. "But no heroics until we know what we're dealing with." Kiro gave another bark. Ace looked at Reyes. "Do you actually believe that?" Reyes considered the question. Then sighed. "Not entirely." --- The journey to Victor's clinic was quieter than their previous one. Kiro sat beside Reyes, watching the city pass. Shammy occupied her usual spacious place, her enormous body settled comfortably. Yukari watched the streets. Mai reviewed the incoming data. Ace watched everyone else. Nobody was frightened. Not yet. But the easy rhythm of their holiday had changed. Reyes noticed Kiro looking at the interface beside her. She rested a hand gently against the German Shepherd's shoulder. "Hey." Kiro turned. "You're still on vacation." Kiro's ears tilted. "Doesn't mean you can't help. Just means you don't have to prove anything." Kiro watched her. Reyes smiled. "Understood?" One bark. "Good." She scratched behind Kiro's ear. The German Shepherd leaned into the touch. Ace glanced back. "You're getting dangerously good at that." Reyes looked up. "At what?" "Being adorable." Reyes stared. "Careful." Ace grinned. "Or what?" "Or I'll tell Mai what you said about the grocery budget." Ace froze. Mai looked up. "What grocery budget?" Reyes smiled. Ace pointed at her. "Traitor." Mai narrowed her eyes. "Ace?" Ace sighed. "Nothing important." "That phrase has never once preceded good news." Shammy laughed. Kiro barked. And for a few precious seconds, the familiar warmth returned. Then Mai's interface chimed. Another message from Victor. She opened it. Read the contents. Her expression changed. Ace noticed immediately. "What?" Mai looked up. "Another patient." Reyes straightened. "What happened?" "Sudden fatigue. More severe than the earlier cases." Shammy's ears rose. Mai continued. "Victor has stabilized them and arranged further evaluation." Ace was quiet for a moment. Then she looked through the windshield. "How far?" "Not long." "Good." --- Victor met them at the clinic entrance. He looked tired. Not exhausted. Not visibly ill. But tired in the specific way a competent doctor became tired when his surroundings stopped behaving according to rules he understood. Ace noticed immediately. "Hey, Victor." "Morning, Ace." "You look terrible." "Good to see you too." She smiled. He didn't quite manage one in return. Mai approached. "How are your patients?" "Stable. The ones who needed transferring are out of the area. The latest patient is under observation and responding normally, apart from the exhaustion." "Any explanation?" "No." Victor stepped aside. "Come in. I'll show you." Kiro entered first, beside Reyes. Her nose moved. The clinic smelled familiar. Disinfectant. Medical equipment. Victor. The faint lingering traces of other patients. But there was something else. Not a supernatural signature. Not an invisible force she could somehow detect because of her new body. Just an ordinary physical smell. Warm electrical insulation. Faint. Recent. She paused. Reyes noticed. "What is it?" Kiro looked toward an equipment cabinet. Reyes followed her gaze. Then looked at Victor. "Anything overheated?" Victor frowned. "Not that I know of." Kiro approached the cabinet. Sniffed. Then looked back. Mai studied her. "Kiro?" The German Shepherd touched the communication interface. **CHECK.** Victor opened the cabinet. Inside, one of the power distribution units was warmer than it should have been. Not dangerously hot. But noticeably warm. Victor checked the diagnostic panel. "No overload." Mai leaned closer. "That's odd." Reyes looked at Kiro. "Good catch." Kiro wagged once. Then the lights went out. Not all of them. The emergency strips remained illuminated. But the overhead lights vanished. For a moment, the clinic fell into an unnatural half-darkness. Victor swore. Mai turned toward the power panel. Reyes immediately checked the room and the positions of everyone inside it. Ace moved toward Victor. "Patients?" "Safe. Their equipment is on independent support." Shammy stood quietly beside her. Her ears were alert. Her eyes moved through the room. But she felt no change in the atmosphere. No hidden pressure. No warning from her absent senses. Only the ordinary physical reality of the lights going out. A second later, the overhead lighting returned. Victor looked at the panel. The reserve charge had fallen again. Seven percent. In less than five seconds. Mai stared at the reading. Kiro stood beside her. Reyes looked over her shoulder. "Please tell me that's a faulty display." Mai shook her head. "No." Victor folded his arms. "Now you understand why I called." Ace looked around the clinic. At the restored lights. At the medical equipment. At the patients resting beyond the treatment area. Then she looked at Mai. "All right." Mai met her eyes. Ace's voice had changed. Not dramatically. Just enough. The easy humor was still there, somewhere. But now it had company. The calm, dangerous attention that appeared whenever someone she cared about was at risk. "Find out where it's going." Mai nodded. "We will." And somewhere beneath Watson, in a place where the city's electrical infrastructure had been forgotten by everyone except those who occasionally stole from it, something drew another long, invisible breath. --- ## Chapter 8 — The Missing Difference For the next ten minutes, Victor's clinic behaved perfectly. Which was, in Mai's opinion, almost more irritating than another power failure. The overhead lights remained steady. The medical equipment reported normal operation. The independent emergency systems showed no faults. Even the suspicious distribution unit had returned to an entirely unremarkable temperature. Mai stood before the diagnostic display with her arms folded. "Convenient." Victor glanced up. "For whom?" "Whatever is causing this." "You're assuming there's a cause beyond terrible maintenance." "There's always a cause, Victor." "Yes. Usually an expensive one." Ace leaned against the examination counter. "You're both being very optimistic." Victor looked at her. "How?" "You're assuming there's something left to repair." He gave her a long stare. "Thank you, Ace. That's enormously reassuring." "Anytime." Beside Reyes, Kiro made a short, amused sound. Victor looked down at her. "And don't you start." Kiro wagged. He sighed. "Wonderful. Even my patients are heckling me." --- Mai had three sets of measurements. The clinic's incoming electrical supply. Its internal consumption. And the changing state of its reserve systems. Individually, each set contained anomalies. Together, they made very little sense. "All right," she said. "Let's establish what we actually know." Victor stepped beside her. "Supply is intermittently unstable." "Correct." "Reserve capacity is disappearing faster than any recorded demand explains." "Correct." "And some people inside the affected area are experiencing fatigue without an obvious medical cause." Victor nodded. "Also correct." Reyes studied the display. "Could somebody be stealing power?" Mai considered that. "Ordinary theft should leave some evidence of a load or diversion. We haven't found one." "Doesn't mean there isn't one." "No. It doesn't." Ace looked toward the ceiling. "Could be some very clever bastard." Reyes nodded. "Or somebody who knows where the measuring equipment isn't looking." Kiro's ears rose. She walked toward the low interface Mai had prepared for her and pressed a symbol with her nose. **COMPARE.** Mai changed the display. Kiro studied the readings. Then touched another control. **REPEAT.** The sequence replayed. A sudden drop in battery charge. A momentary irregularity in the supply voltage. Then several seconds later, a brief fluctuation in internal consumption. Kiro watched it twice. Three times. Reyes crouched beside her. "Something bothering you?" Kiro gave one bark. "All right. Show me." She touched the display. **TIME.** Mai brought up the detailed timestamps. Kiro pointed her muzzle toward the first anomaly. Then toward the second. Reyes followed the sequence. "That one comes first." Kiro barked. "And the other follows." Another bark. Mai leaned closer. "The reserve loss precedes the change in measured demand." Reyes frowned. "Shouldn't it be the other way around?" "Normally." Kiro touched the first event again. Mai stared at it. Then slowly smiled. "You're right." Kiro's tail wagged. Ace looked between them. "Somebody care to explain that to the non-electrical members of the household?" Mai turned. "If the clinic suddenly needed more power, we'd expect to see evidence of that demand somewhere in the system. But here, the energy disappears first." Ace considered that. "Before anything asks for it." "Exactly." Victor studied the graph. "Which suggests?" Mai looked back at the screen. "I don't know yet." Ace sighed. "You're really enjoying saying that today." "Not particularly." Kiro touched the comparison control again. Mai examined the second event. Then the third. The same ordering appeared in each. Not perfectly. Not consistently enough to provide a simple mathematical explanation. But the pattern was there. Something was taking energy. And the ordinary electrical consequences were following afterward. Mai sat down. "That's interesting." Reyes glanced toward Ace. "That's the second time she's said that." Ace nodded solemnly. "Very bad sign." --- Victor brought them to the area where his latest patient was resting. He had obtained permission for Mai to hear the patient's account, but he kept the consultation limited. The woman looked exhausted. Not pale in any especially dramatic way. Not visibly injured. Just tired. Deeply, profoundly tired. Victor had already completed the necessary medical evaluation and arranged continued observation. "How are you feeling?" he asked. The woman opened her eyes. "Like I could sleep for a month." "Any improvement?" "A little. Maybe." Victor nodded. "These are some people I trust. They're helping me understand what's happening with the building." She looked toward Mai. Then Ace. Then at the enormous Dire Wolf standing quietly near the doorway. Her eyes widened. "Oh." Ace smiled. "Hi." The woman stared at Shammy. Shammy lowered her head politely. "Good morning." The patient blinked. Then looked at Victor. "Did that wolf just talk?" Victor sighed. "Yes." There was a pause. "Right." The woman closed her eyes. "Okay. Definitely need more sleep." Ace covered her mouth. Shammy gave a soft, amused laugh. Victor looked at them. "Both of you. Behave." "Sorry," Ace said, not sounding particularly sorry. Mai approached the bedside. "Could I ask you something?" The woman nodded. "Did you feel tired before coming here?" She thought about it. "A little." "More than usual?" "Maybe. My apartment building's been having electrical problems. Everyone's complaining about it." Mai straightened. "What kind of problems?" "Lights dimming. Elevators stopping. That sort of thing." "How long?" "Few days." Victor glanced at Mai. She continued gently. "Do you know whether anyone else has been feeling unusually tired?" The woman frowned. "My neighbor mentioned something yesterday. Said she could barely get out of bed." "Was she sick?" "Not that I know of." Mai nodded. "Thank you. That's helpful." The woman looked toward Shammy again. "Can I ask something?" Shammy smiled. "Of course." "Are you real?" Ace made a small sound. Victor closed his eyes. Shammy considered the question with admirable seriousness. "I certainly hope so." The woman smiled faintly. "Good." She settled back against her pillow. "That's nice." Victor checked her condition again before leading the others away. Outside the observation area, Mai stopped. "Victor." "I know." "Her building." "I heard." "Have you noticed anything similar among the other patients?" "One mentioned a brownout at work. I didn't think much of it at the time." "And the delivery driver?" "He works in Watson. I can check whether his route included the affected area, but I'm not going to assume anything from that alone." Mai nodded. "Good." Reyes folded her arms. "So we're not looking at one building." "Not necessarily." Kiro's ears turned toward Mai. Mai looked down at her. "Yes, sweetheart. I think we need a map." --- They moved into the consultation area. Victor brought up the local utility reports he could access. Mai added the clinic's timestamps. Reyes supplied street-level context, identifying which nearby streets shared infrastructure and which had been rebuilt so many times that the original plans were probably fiction. Kiro studied everything from her position beside the low interface. At first, the reports appeared unrelated. A brief outage. A failed reserve unit. An elevator stopping between floors. Several complaints about dimming lights. And a maintenance report from a small commercial property whose electrical system had been inspected twice in three days. Mai sorted them chronologically. Nothing obvious. She grouped them geographically. Still nothing obvious. Kiro touched the map control. Mai enlarged the area surrounding the clinic. The German Shepherd studied it. Then indicated a cluster of reports. Reyes leaned forward. "Here?" Kiro barked. Reyes pointed toward the screen. "Those are all within a few blocks." Mai checked the timestamps. "Yes." Kiro touched another cluster. Then a third. Mai frowned. "Interesting." Ace sighed theatrically. "That's three." Reyes grinned. "Should we start counting?" Mai ignored them. She adjusted the display. The locations formed an irregular pattern. Not a straight line. Not a neat circle. But the reports seemed to become more frequent toward one side of the district. Mai studied them. "There's a geographical concentration." Victor looked over her shoulder. "Could be the local power network." "Absolutely." "Faulty transformer?" "Possibly." Reyes frowned. "But you already had somebody check your supply." "Yes," Victor said. "Then maybe the problem isn't at the clinic." Mai nodded. "That's what I'm beginning to suspect." Kiro wagged once. Ace looked down at her. "You found something?" The German Shepherd barked. Ace crouched and scratched behind her ear. "Good girl." Kiro leaned into the touch. Reyes smiled. "Careful. She's going to expect that after every correct analysis." Ace looked up. "And?" Reyes considered that. Then shrugged. "Fair point." --- Shammy had been unusually quiet. Not because she was bored. And certainly not because she was incapable of understanding the discussion. She simply had nothing to add to the electrical investigation. Her normal pressure-reading abilities remained completely absent. No hidden atmospheric disturbance reached her. No emotional signature suggested where the problem might originate. She could hear the people talking. See the readings. Understand the situation. And that was all. It was strange. Even now. Especially now. Ordinarily, a room full of worried people would have carried layers of information she could perceive without trying. Concern. Tension. Changes in breath and pressure. Subtle shifts in the surrounding air. All of it missing. She watched Ace. Ace was studying Mai's map, her expression focused. Shammy could see that. But she couldn't feel the familiar pressure associated with Ace's concentration. For the briefest moment, she almost missed it. Then she realized something. She could simply ask. "Ace?" Ace turned immediately. "Yeah, sweetheart?" "Are you worried?" Ace looked at her. Then smiled a little. "About Victor? Yeah." Shammy nodded. "Me too." Ace approached and rested a hand against her enormous shoulder. "You okay?" "Perfectly." "Still enjoying the quiet?" Shammy smiled. "Immensely." Ace laughed softly. "Good." Shammy lowered her muzzle. Ace kissed her nose. "Don't worry. We'll figure this out." Shammy looked toward Mai. "I know we will." Across the room, Reyes watched them for a moment. Then looked at Kiro. "How are you doing?" Kiro turned. Reyes crouched. "Seriously. You're still recovering from a major sculpt. Don't let this turn into one of your usual twelve-hour research marathons." Kiro gave a soft, indignant whuff. Reyes raised an eyebrow. "I know you." The German Shepherd looked toward Mai. Mai glanced up. "She's right." Kiro's ears lowered slightly. Ace grinned. "Outnumbered." Kiro looked at her. Then, very deliberately, touched the communication interface. **NO.** Reyes laughed. "Nice try." Kiro wagged. --- Yukari had remained near the edge of the discussion. She understood enough about the electrical reports to follow the general problem, but she was not about to pretend to be an expert in Night City's power infrastructure. She had other kinds of experience. And some of what they were describing troubled her. Not because she recognized a particular entity. She didn't. Not yet. But the combination of disappearing electrical energy and unexplained human exhaustion suggested that the situation might be more complicated than a technical fault. She waited until Mai had finished reviewing the latest reports. "May I ask something?" Mai turned. "Of course." "Have any of these buildings reported people becoming tired?" Victor considered the question. "Not in the utility complaints." "Would they?" He paused. "Probably not." Yukari nodded. "Then perhaps we are looking at two incomplete sets of observations." Mai regarded her. "Electrical failures and medical symptoms." "Yes." Reyes folded her arms. "You're thinking they're connected." "I think we should consider the possibility." Ace looked toward her. "Something supernatural?" Yukari hesitated. "Perhaps." Victor rubbed his forehead. "Please tell me we're not having another one of those weeks." Ace smiled faintly. "Technically, this is a vacation week." Victor stared at her. "That makes it worse." Yukari continued calmly. "I don't want to name something without evidence. There are many phenomena that can interfere with energy, and many more that can harm people. A coincidence is still possible." Mai nodded. "Agreed." "But if the two effects are connected," Yukari said, "then we may be dealing with something that conventional electrical diagnostics will never fully explain." The room fell quiet. Victor looked toward his patients' observation area. Then back at Yukari. "Wonderful." Ace sighed. "There's that optimism again." --- A few minutes later, the clinic lights dimmed. This time, nobody was surprised. Mai immediately marked the event. Kiro moved toward her interface. Reyes checked the room. Victor watched the reserve readings. The voltage dropped. Recovered. Then dropped again. A faint sound emerged from one of the overhead fixtures. Not a hum. Not quite. A thin, uneven vibration. As though something were drawing the last breath from a tired machine. The emergency lighting activated. Victor swore. Mai watched the measurements. The reserve charge began falling. One percent. Two. Three. Kiro touched the timestamp control. Mai recorded the sequence. The charge continued dropping. Victor looked toward the treatment area. His independent medical support systems were still stable. He checked them again anyway. Then the overhead lights returned. The vibration stopped. Everything appeared normal. Except for the missing energy. Mai stared at the display. Reyes stepped closer. "How much?" "Eleven percent." "In how long?" "Approximately eight seconds." Reyes looked at Victor. "That's bad." Victor nodded. "Yes." Kiro touched her interface. **COMPARE.** Mai brought up the earlier events. The timing was different. The amount of energy lost was different. But the ordering remained the same. Energy disappearing first. Electrical consequences afterward. Kiro pointed at the first trace. Then the next. Reyes followed. "Same pattern." Kiro barked. Mai nodded slowly. "Yes." Yukari looked toward the ceiling. Then closed her eyes. For a moment, she listened. Not for electrical signals. Not for anything Shammy could no longer sense. Simply for the faint, uncomfortable impression that the building was part of something larger. When she opened her eyes, she looked troubled. Ace noticed. "What?" Yukari shook her head. "Nothing I can name." "But?" Yukari met her eyes. "I would prefer we didn't stay here any longer than necessary." --- Victor agreed. Not because he was frightened of an unnamed supernatural phenomenon. He had treated enough unusual patients to know that fear was rarely a useful diagnostic tool. But the clinic could no longer be trusted to maintain stable power. That was reason enough. He reviewed the remaining patients. Confirmed the arrangements for those who required observation elsewhere. Secured the equipment. And began shutting down everything that was not medically necessary. Mai helped with the systems. Kiro remained close, watching the displays. Reyes assisted with moving equipment and making sure nobody attempted to carry something awkward while distracted. Ace helped Victor with the final preparations. Shammy waited near the entrance, ready to assist if anything heavy needed moving. Yukari watched quietly. The work took longer than anyone wanted. But it was necessary. And Victor refused to rush it. When the last arrangements had been confirmed, he stood in the treatment area and looked around. The clinic was unusually quiet. Too quiet. He hated it. Not because the building itself mattered more than the people. But because this was where he helped people. Where he treated injuries. Where he repaired damage. Where he gave frightened patients a reason to believe that something could still be done. And now something was forcing him to close parts of it. Something he couldn't even identify. Ace approached. "Hey." Victor looked at her. "What?" "We'll find it." He sighed. "You don't even know what you're looking for." "Nope." "Very reassuring." Ace smiled. "That's what Mai's for." Victor glanced toward the consultation area, where Mai and Kiro were still examining the latest data. "And what are you for?" Ace considered that. Then grinned. "Making sure whatever it is regrets bothering you." Victor stared. Then, despite himself, laughed. "Of course." --- By late afternoon, they had enough information to establish one thing with reasonable confidence. The clinic was not the center of the problem. It was part of a wider affected area. Mai displayed the map one final time. Several clusters of electrical disturbances appeared across the surrounding district. The clinic lay near one edge of the pattern. The more serious reports seemed to concentrate farther away. Toward older infrastructure. Less reliable buildings. Places where repairs were often postponed until something failed completely. Reyes studied the map. "I know some of those streets." Mai looked up. "Anything useful?" "Maybe. There are old service corridors and buildings that aren't used for much anymore. Plenty of places nobody checks unless there's a reason." Kiro touched the map. **ZOOM.** Mai enlarged the relevant area. Kiro studied it intently. Then indicated a point near the edge of the visible reports. Reyes leaned closer. "That's an old distribution area." Mai frowned. "Still active?" "Parts of it. Depends who you ask." Ace looked toward Victor. "Sounds promising." Victor folded his arms. "Sounds expensive." Reyes smiled. "That too." Mai saved the location. "We'll need better information before going anywhere." Kiro barked. "Agreed." Yukari looked at the map. Then at Victor. "May I suggest something?" Victor nodded. "Go ahead." "You have someone nearby who knows a great deal about unusual phenomena." He considered that. Then his expression changed. "Misty." Yukari smiled. "Yes." Ace looked interested. "That's actually a good idea." Victor reached for his phone. "Misty's been helping people around here longer than most of the infrastructure's been standing. If anyone's heard something strange, she might know." Mai nodded. "Let's ask her." Victor called. The connection took only a moment. "Hey, Misty." A warm voice answered. "Victor. Everything all right?" He glanced toward the darkened treatment area. "Not exactly." There was a pause. "What happened?" Victor looked at Mai. Then Yukari. Then the two transformed women waiting nearby. "That's what we're trying to figure out." --- Misty arrived shortly afterward. She looked around the unusually quiet clinic. The dimmed equipment. The partially closed treatment areas. Victor's tired expression. Mai's diagnostic displays. And, finally, the enormous Dire Wolf sitting beside Ace. Misty stopped. "Oh." Shammy smiled. "Hello, Misty." Misty blinked. Then smiled back. "Well. That's new." Ace grinned. "Long story." Misty's eyes moved toward Kiro. The German Shepherd wagged. Misty laughed softly. "I see." Victor approached. "Thanks for coming." "Of course." She looked at him carefully. "You look tired." "Long day." Misty nodded. Then she glanced toward the medical equipment. "Something's wrong here." Victor folded his arms. "That's putting it mildly." Mai approached with the interface. "We've been examining unexplained electrical losses." Misty listened. Victor described the equipment failures. Mai explained the timing anomalies. Reyes mentioned the nearby buildings. And then Victor described the patients. The sudden exhaustion. The absence of obvious medical causes. The strange sensation of having their energy taken away. Misty's expression changed. Not dramatically. But unmistakably. She looked toward the darkened treatment area. Then back at Victor. "Can I see everything you've got?" Mai nodded. "Of course." Misty sat down. The others gathered nearby. For several minutes, she read in silence. Sometimes she paused over a particular detail. Sometimes she returned to an earlier report. Once, she asked Victor to repeat exactly how one patient had described her exhaustion. Victor told her. Misty became very still. Then she looked at the map. At the clusters of electrical disturbances. At the reports of missing energy. And finally at Yukari. The kitsune met her gaze. Neither spoke. Then Misty looked back at Mai. "I think," she said quietly, "we may have been looking at this from the wrong direction." Mai leaned forward. "What do you mean?" Misty looked toward the clinic's powerless equipment. Then toward the place where Victor's patients had been resting. And said: "You're trying to find out where the energy is going." She paused. "What if the more important question is..." Her eyes moved back to the map. "...what's eating it?" --- ## Chapter 9 — The Name of Hunger "...what's eating it?" For several seconds, nobody spoke. Victor looked at Misty. Then at the diagnostic display. Then back at Misty. "You're going to have to explain that." Misty nodded slowly. "I know." She drew the map closer. The electrical failures formed an irregular pattern across Watson. There was no perfect circle, no conveniently obvious center, nothing that looked particularly remarkable until someone began comparing the reports with the unexplained fatigue. Misty touched the clinic's location. "People are losing energy here." Victor folded his arms. "Yes." "And the equipment is losing energy too." "Also yes." She looked up. "What if those aren't two separate problems?" Mai leaned forward. "We've considered that possibility." "But you've been looking for a common technical cause." "Naturally." Misty nodded. "That's the part I think might be misleading you." Ace tilted her head. "You're thinking something supernatural." Misty hesitated. "I'm thinking there's an old description of something that behaves very much like this." Yukari, who had been listening quietly, became more attentive. She didn't interrupt. Misty continued. "I've come across accounts of places where people became exhausted for no obvious reason. Not sick, exactly. Not poisoned. Just... emptied." Victor's expression tightened. "That sounds unpleasantly familiar." "It gets worse." Ace sighed. "Naturally." Misty gave her a small, apologetic smile. "The accounts describe unusual disturbances in the surrounding environment. Older records talk about fires burning poorly, lamps failing, people becoming lethargic around certain locations." Mai glanced at the electrical measurements. "Different technology. Similar symptoms." "Exactly." Kiro rose from her place beside Reyes. Her ears stood alert. She approached the low interface and touched a symbol. **QUESTION.** Mai looked down. "Go ahead, sweetheart." Kiro selected another screen, then indicated the map. Mai understood. "Are you asking whether the older reports described a geographical concentration?" One bark. Misty nodded. "Yes. Usually around a particular place." Kiro's tail moved once. Reyes crouched beside her. "That's what you found in the utility reports." Another bark. Misty looked at Kiro with growing interest. "She's the one who noticed the pattern?" Mai smiled. "She helped identify it." Misty looked down at the German Shepherd. "Very good work." Kiro wagged. Ace grinned. "She's taking her vacation very seriously." Reyes looked at her. "That's not what vacation means." "Apparently nobody told Kiro." Kiro touched the interface. **NO.** Mai laughed. "She disagrees." "Of course she does." Misty watched the exchange with a faint smile. Then she returned her attention to the map. The smile disappeared. "There's one more detail." Victor leaned against the counter. "Go on." "Some accounts mention that the phenomenon becomes stronger when more energy is available." Mai frowned. "That would make sense if something were actively consuming it." "Yes." "And in a modern city..." Misty nodded. "Exactly." She looked around the clinic. At the equipment. The lighting. The medical systems. Everything that required electricity to function. "Imagine something that once fed on small, scattered sources of energy finding itself surrounded by an entire city's power infrastructure." Nobody laughed. Even Ace had stopped smiling. Misty looked toward Yukari. "I think I know what we're dealing with." Yukari met her eyes. "Then tell us." Misty took a breath. "Lloigor." The word settled into the room. Yukari went very still. For the first time since arriving at the clinic, her expression lost every trace of amusement. She looked directly at Misty. "Are you certain?" Misty shook her head. "Not completely. But the descriptions fit." Yukari was silent for several seconds. Then she looked at the electrical readings. At the map. At Victor. And finally back at Misty. "I believe you're right." Ace watched her. "Yukari?" The kitsune looked up. "Yes, darling?" "That's the face you make when you've just heard something particularly unpleasant." Yukari sighed. "I'm afraid it is." Victor rubbed his forehead. "All right. Somebody tell me what a Lloigor is." --- Yukari pulled out a chair. Sat down. And considered how best to answer. "First," she said, "we should be careful about assuming the old accounts are entirely accurate." Misty nodded. "They rarely are." "Exactly. Different cultures have encountered strange things and described them using whatever language they possessed. Sometimes several unrelated phenomena acquire the same name. Sometimes one phenomenon acquires several names." Mai listened carefully. "But you recognize this one." "I recognize the pattern." Yukari looked at Misty. "And the name." Misty folded her hands. "The accounts I found describe something that feeds on energy. Not simply electricity, although electricity seems to make an excellent source." "Yes," Yukari said. "Living things too?" Yukari's expression grew grave. "Especially living things when the opportunity presents itself." Victor straightened. "That's what happened to my patients." "Possibly." "Possibly?" Yukari met his eyes. "Victor, I won't pretend to know the precise nature of every Lloigor manifestation. But the one thing I would take seriously is the possibility that your patients are not experiencing an illness in the conventional sense." She paused. "They may be losing something their bodies require to function." Victor looked toward the empty treatment area. His jaw tightened. "Energy." "Yes." Mai leaned forward. "Biochemical energy?" "Not necessarily in a way your instruments can measure directly." Mai considered that. "Then what are we actually talking about?" Yukari gave her a thoughtful look. "I wish I had a more precise answer." Ace folded her arms. "Well, that's reassuring." Yukari smiled faintly. "I could invent one." "Please don't." "I wasn't planning to." Misty looked at the map. "One of the older descriptions used the word _vitality_. Not blood. Not heat. Something more fundamental." Victor shook his head. "That's not a diagnosis." "No," Misty agreed. "It isn't." "And I can't treat a patient for missing vitality." "I know." Victor looked frustrated. Not with Misty. Not with Yukari. With the fact that the people under his care were being harmed by something he couldn't properly measure. Ace noticed. She approached and rested a hand on his arm. "Hey." Victor looked at her. "We know more now than we did an hour ago." He sighed. "Doesn't feel like much." "It's a start." Victor looked toward Misty. Then Yukari. And finally Mai. "All right. Keep going." --- Mai brought up the map again. "Let's assume Misty's identification is correct." Kiro's ears moved toward her. "We have something capable of drawing electrical energy and affecting human physiology. We also have a concentration of unexplained disturbances extending away from the clinic." Reyes studied the highlighted area. "Meaning it's somewhere out there." "Possibly. We need to distinguish between its location and the area it's affecting." Yukari nodded. "An important distinction." Ace looked toward her. "Why?" "Because an entity feeding through an extended connection doesn't necessarily need to occupy every place from which it draws energy." Mai considered that. "Like a device connected to a network." Yukari smiled. "That may be a useful comparison." Kiro touched her interface. **COMPARE.** Mai glanced down. "The electrical network?" One bark. "Yes, sweetheart. I think you're right." She overlaid the known distribution routes on the incident map. The result was messy. Very messy. Watson's infrastructure had been repaired, rebuilt, extended, abandoned, and occasionally appropriated by people whose relationship with electrical safety was largely theoretical. But the damaged areas overlapped several older distribution routes. Reyes pointed toward one section. "That one." Mai enlarged it. "An old switching station?" "Used to be. Parts of the surrounding buildings still draw power through the area." Victor frowned. "Used to be?" Reyes nodded. "Some of that infrastructure should've been retired years ago." "Should have?" Reyes looked at him. "Victor, it's Watson." "Fair point." Kiro moved closer. Studied the enlarged map. Then indicated the connection between two distribution nodes. Mai checked the data. "Hm." Ace glanced up. "Oh, that's never good." Mai ignored her. "There's traffic through a section of the network that isn't properly represented in the current utility records." Reyes leaned closer. "How much?" "I don't know yet." Kiro touched another symbol. **DETAIL.** Mai opened the available records. The path was poorly documented. Several repairs had been recorded. Two maintenance closures had been scheduled. Neither had a complete completion report. Reyes frowned. "That area hasn't been properly maintained in years." Mai nodded. "And something is still drawing power through it." Misty looked toward Yukari. The kitsune's expression darkened. "That may be worth investigating." --- Victor's phone chimed. He glanced at the notification. Then frowned. Mai noticed. "Something wrong?" "Another report from the receiving clinic." He opened it. Read. Then read it again. Ace stepped closer. "Victor?" He looked up. "The woman we transferred earlier." "Is she all right?" "She's improving." Mai straightened. "How much?" "Not dramatically. But her energy levels are recovering, and she's more alert than she was here." Misty looked toward Yukari. Yukari nodded slowly. "Outside the affected area?" Victor checked the report. "Yes." Mai leaned forward. "That matters." "It does," Victor agreed. He looked at the others. "Actually, it matters quite a lot." Reyes folded her arms. "So getting away from the problem helps." "Apparently." Ace smiled faintly. "Good. Then at least we've got something useful." Misty looked toward the clinic's darkened observation area. "Whatever this thing is, it doesn't seem to be able to drain everyone everywhere." Yukari nodded. "Not through this manifestation." Mai turned toward her. "That's an important qualification." "Yes." Yukari rested her hands on the table. "A Lloigor is not simply an animal occupying a room. We should not assume we're looking for a body we can shoot, a creature we can trap, or even a recognizable physical shape." Ace looked disappointed. "You're taking all the fun out of this." Reyes glanced at her. "You're welcome to shoot a transformer if it'll make you feel better." Ace considered that. "Tempting." Victor pointed at her. "Don't." Ace sighed. "Nobody appreciates art anymore." Kiro gave a short bark that sounded suspiciously amused. --- Misty remained quiet for a few moments. Then she spoke. "There's something else in the accounts." Yukari looked toward her. "What?" "People sometimes began treating the exhaustion as a kind of spiritual experience." Ace raised an eyebrow. "Being exhausted?" Misty nodded. "Yes." Reyes frowned. "That sounds like a terrible religion." "Most of the descriptions are vague," Misty continued. "People saying they felt emptied, purified, released from ordinary concerns." Victor looked unimpressed. "I've got several patients who feel emptied. None of them seem particularly enthusiastic about it." "That's because they're patients," Misty said gently. "They're frightened, and they want to feel better." She paused. "People looking for meaning can interpret the same experience very differently." Yukari watched her carefully. "Do the accounts mention organized worship?" "Sometimes. Not always." Mai made a note. "Then we shouldn't assume there's a cult." "No," Misty agreed. Reyes nodded. "But we shouldn't assume there isn't one either." "Exactly." Ace looked toward the map. "Wonderful. A hungry thing and possibly people who think feeding it is a good idea." Yukari gave her a small smile. "Night City does have a talent for making bad situations worse." "Understatement of the century." --- A soft sound came from the floor. Kiro had settled beside Reyes, her ears still attentive but her posture noticeably more relaxed. Mai looked down. "Sweetheart?" Kiro lifted her head. Mai checked the time. "You've been concentrating for quite a while." Kiro gave a small whuff. "And Victor was very clear about your recovery and activity limits." Kiro's ears lowered. Reyes crouched. "Hey." The German Shepherd turned. "She's right." Kiro looked at Mai. Then Reyes. Then the display. Reyes smiled. "You're allowed to take a break." Kiro gave one reluctant bark. "Good." Reyes scratched behind her ears. The effect was immediate. Kiro's eyes closed halfway. Ace grinned. "Terrifying field operative. Defeated by ear scratches." Reyes looked up. "You have a problem with that?" "Not remotely." Ace glanced toward Shammy. The Dire Wolf had been watching the discussion with quiet interest. "How about you, sweetheart?" Shammy raised her head. "How about me what?" "Need a break?" "I'm perfectly comfortable." Ace smiled. "Still quiet?" Shammy's bright blue eyes softened. "Very." Yukari looked at her. "Does being here bother you at all?" Shammy considered the question. "No." "Even knowing there may be an entity feeding on energy nearby?" "That doesn't make my pressure perception return." Yukari nodded. "I know." Shammy lowered her enormous head. "And I don't intend to pretend otherwise." Ace's smile became warmer. "Good." Shammy glanced toward Mai. "Besides, I can still help with whatever needs doing." Mai nodded. "Of course you can." "And if nothing else, I can prevent Ace from doing something spectacularly unwise." Ace looked offended. "Excuse me." Shammy smiled. "Darling, you know I love you." "That doesn't sound like a denial." "It wasn't." Reyes laughed. Even Victor smiled. For a moment, the clinic felt almost normal again. Then the lights flickered. --- It lasted less than a second. A brief dimming. A faint irregular sound from somewhere in the electrical distribution equipment. Then normal light returned. Everyone went quiet. Victor checked the reserve system. Another fraction of its charge was gone. Mai marked the timestamp. Kiro rose. Reyes watched the room. Misty looked toward the ceiling. And Yukari closed her eyes. She listened for a moment. Then opened them. "We should leave." Victor nodded immediately. "I agree." He had already transferred the vulnerable patients, and he had no reason to keep the others inside an affected building any longer than necessary. Mai began securing the diagnostic files. Kiro stepped back from the interface. Reyes checked the exit. Ace looked toward Victor. "What about you?" "I've got a few things left to finish." Ace folded her arms. "Victor." He looked at her. "I know." "Good." "I'm not staying here to argue with a supernatural electrical problem." "Excellent." Victor shut down another section of equipment. "I'll finish securing the place and leave." Mai nodded. "Call us if anything changes." Victor looked at her. "Believe me, I will." --- Outside, Watson seemed offensively normal. Traffic moved through the streets. People argued about parking. A delivery vehicle blocked half an intersection. Somewhere nearby, a vendor was loudly explaining why his food was better than everyone else's. Ace looked around. "Hard to believe there's something feeding on the neighborhood." Misty stood beside her. "That's usually the frightening part." Ace turned. "What?" "How ordinary everything looks while it's happening." Ace considered that. Then nodded. "Yeah." Misty looked toward the clinic. "I'm glad Victor called you." "So am I." A moment passed. Then Ace smiled. "And I'm glad he called you." Misty returned the smile. "I just hope the name helps." Yukari approached. "It already has." Misty looked toward her. "You really recognize it?" Yukari nodded. "I recognize enough to take this seriously." "Have you encountered one before?" Yukari considered the question. "I have encountered places where something resembling this had fed. I have seen what was left behind." Misty waited. Yukari's expression remained thoughtful. "I would prefer not to see it happen here." Misty nodded. "Then we stop it." Yukari smiled. "Yes." --- Mai and Reyes were standing beside the vehicle when Ace joined them. Kiro sat nearby, alert and watchful. Shammy rested a short distance away, enormous and perfectly content with the simple fact of being outdoors. Mai looked at Ace. "We have a direction." "Not a location?" "Not yet." Reyes nodded toward the map. "But we've got somewhere to start." Ace looked at the highlighted section of Watson's old electrical infrastructure. "That switching station?" "Yes." "How bad?" Reyes considered the question. "Old. Neglected. Probably occupied by people who won't appreciate visitors." Ace smiled. "Sounds charming." Mai folded her arms. "We're not going in blind." "I know." "We need better records." "Agreed." "And a clear picture of the risks." Ace raised both hands. "Mai, sweetheart, I am agreeing with you." Mai narrowed her eyes. "That's usually when I become suspicious." Ace grinned. "Unfair." "Experience." Kiro barked. Mai looked down. "What?" The German Shepherd touched the portable interface. **DETAIL.** Mai opened the map again. Kiro indicated the old switching station. Then one of the more recent maintenance records. Mai frowned. "That one?" One bark. She opened it. The record showed a scheduled inspection. Nothing unusual about that. Except for the completion time. Mai leaned closer. Then brought up another record. And another. Reyes watched. "What is it?" Mai looked toward her. "These maintenance entries were filed after the associated equipment was supposed to have been decommissioned." Reyes frowned. "Meaning somebody's still using it." "Or somebody wants the records to suggest it is still being maintained." Ace studied the display. "Somebody with access?" "Possibly." Kiro touched another symbol. **COMPARE.** Mai did. The same authorization appeared on multiple entries. Not enough to identify the person responsible. Not enough to prove malicious intent. But enough to establish that something had been happening around the old station long after its official usefulness should have ended. Reyes slowly smiled. "Well." Ace looked at her. "What?" Reyes pointed toward the highlighted location. "Looks like our hungry friend might have company." Kiro's ears rose. Shammy stood. And Yukari looked toward the older buildings beyond the street. Somewhere beneath Watson, electricity continued disappearing. People were growing tired. Machines were failing. And now, for the first time, there was reason to suspect that at least one human being had helped arrange the conditions in which it could happen. Ace studied the map. Then looked at Mai. "All right." Mai met her eyes. "All right?" "Let's find out who's been feeding it." --- ## Chapter 10 — Maintenance for the Hungry The first thing Reyes did was tell everyone they were not going to the switching station. Ace looked at her. "Excuse me?" "Not yet." "We've got a location." "We've got a suspicious location. That's different." Mai smiled faintly. "I agree." Ace looked between them. "Oh, wonderful. You've formed an alliance." Reyes folded her arms. "Somebody has to keep you from turning an investigation into an assault." "I am perfectly capable of conducting investigations." "With your swords?" "Sometimes they're persuasive." Reyes gave her a long look. Ace grinned. "Fine. No swords." "For now." "For now," Ace agreed. Kiro sat beside Reyes, ears upright, watching the exchange with considerable interest. Reyes glanced down. "And you." Kiro tilted her head. "You're with me." One delighted bark. "We're going to look around. Quietly. No heroics, no chasing people, and definitely no chasing anything that looks like an interesting signal." Kiro's ears shifted. Mai raised an eyebrow. "That last condition may prove difficult." Reyes nodded. "That's why I mentioned it." Kiro walked over to her communication interface. Touched a symbol. **YES.** Ace smiled. "Look at that. Perfectly obedient." Kiro turned toward her. Paused. Then touched another symbol. **NO.** Reyes laughed. "That's my girl." --- Misty remained with Victor long enough to help him organize what they had learned. She wasn't a physician, and Victor wasn't about to turn her into one. But she could help compare the accounts she'd studied with the experiences his patients had described. There were other reports worth checking. Old stories. Unusual local beliefs. Possibly even references to people who had previously encountered similar phenomena. Misty promised to look through her material. Victor, meanwhile, intended to remain somewhere with dependable electricity until his clinic could safely reopen. Ace approved. "You have somewhere to go?" "Yes, Ace." "Somewhere safe?" "Yes." "Good backup power?" Victor stared at her. "Are you going to inspect the building personally?" "Would you like me to?" "No." "Then stop complaining." Victor closed his eyes. Reyes shook her head. "How does he put up with you?" Ace smiled sweetly. "Professional affection." Victor snorted. "Professional endurance." Shammy laughed. And for a moment, despite everything, the worry surrounding the clinic eased. --- They returned to the safehouse to examine the records properly. Kiro had been enthusiastic about helping at the clinic, but the combination of her new sensory experience, the unfamiliar investigation and several hours of concentration had begun to catch up with her. Mai noticed before anyone else. Not because Kiro complained. She didn't. But her movements had become slower, and she had stopped investigating every interesting smell in the vehicle. Instead, she rested her head on Reyes's thigh. Reyes gently scratched behind one ear. "Tired?" A quiet whuff. "Thought so." She looked toward Mai. "She's done enough for now." Mai nodded. "Agreed." Kiro lifted her head. Looked at them. Then gave a small, protesting bark. Reyes smiled. "No." Another bark. "You can argue with me when you've got hands again." Kiro stared. Then deliberately rested her head on Reyes's thigh once more. Reyes laughed. "Excellent argument." --- At the safehouse, Kiro went straight to her cushion. Mai placed water within easy reach. Reyes sat beside her. Shammy settled nearby, her enormous body occupying a substantial part of the living-room floor. Ace watched the two of them. Then looked at Mai. "You know what this is missing?" Mai didn't look up from the records. "I'm afraid to ask." "An enormous dog bed." "We already have one." "For Shammy." "That's the enormous one." Ace shook her head. "No, that's a large cushion. I'm talking about something truly ridiculous. Something you could park a small vehicle on." Shammy opened one eye. "Darling." Ace looked down. "What?" "I am quite comfortable." "I know, sweetheart." "Then why are you planning to buy me furniture?" "Because I love you." Shammy considered that. Then smiled. "A difficult argument to refute." Mai sighed. "We're not buying another bed." Ace grinned. "Noted." Reyes looked at her. "That means you're going to buy one." "Didn't say that." "Didn't have to." Kiro's tail thumped. Mai looked toward the ceiling. "I live with criminals." Yukari, seated comfortably nearby, smiled. "Yes, darling. But they're affectionate criminals." --- The maintenance records were an ugly collection of half-finished paperwork. Mai spread the relevant information across her displays. Reyes reviewed the locations. Yukari listened. Ace made coffee. Shammy watched the proceedings with the comfortable detachment of someone who had volunteered to help but was not particularly interested in pretending to understand electrical maintenance documentation. Kiro slept. For almost an hour, the investigation proceeded without her. Then Mai found something. "Reyes." The mercenary looked up. "What?" "Come here." Reyes moved beside the display. Mai highlighted three entries. "These are maintenance authorizations for the old distribution site." "Right." "All filed after the station was officially withdrawn from regular service." Reyes frowned. "How long after?" "The first one is relatively recent. The other two follow over several weeks." "What kind of work?" "Inspection. Component replacement. Routine servicing." Reyes studied the entries. "Sounds boring." "It is." Ace looked over. "That's reassuring." Mai continued. "Except that the same authorization appears on several entries that should have been handled by different maintenance teams." Reyes leaned closer. "Could be a supervisor." "Possibly." "Or somebody using the same access credentials." "Also possible." Yukari tilted her head. "Could they simply be falsified?" Mai nodded. "Yes." Ace approached with a mug. "So somebody's pretending to maintain equipment that isn't supposed to be operating." "That's what we need to establish." Reyes tapped the map. "I know the area." Mai looked up. "How well?" "Well enough to know it's not somewhere you wander into accidentally." Ace smiled. "That sounds inviting." "Old service roads. Abandoned commercial buildings. A few workshops still operating around the edges." "People living there?" "Probably." Mai frowned. "Then we need to be careful." Reyes nodded. "Exactly." She studied the map again. "I can take a look tomorrow." Kiro's ears rose. Everyone turned. The German Shepherd had opened one eye. Reyes smiled. "Oh, you're awake." Kiro lifted her head. Then slowly stood. Walked toward the table. And sat beside Reyes. Ace began laughing. "Somebody heard the word _tomorrow_." Reyes scratched Kiro's head. "Yes, you can come." Kiro wagged. "But you're staying with me." One bark. "And if I tell you we're leaving, we leave." Another bark. Mai folded her arms. "That applies to both of you." Reyes looked at her. "Of course." Ace grinned. "Oh, that's adorable." Reyes turned. "What?" "You've got somebody checking your homework." Reyes smiled. "Wouldn't be the first time." --- The following morning, Watson looked particularly unenthusiastic about being awake. A thin haze hung above the streets. Traffic moved slowly around a delivery vehicle that had broken down in an intersection. Several advertisements flickered on buildings whose owners had apparently decided that electrical maintenance was an optional expense. Reyes stood beside her vehicle, checking the day's route. Kiro sat at her feet. The German Shepherd wore a comfortable walking harness. Her communication interface was secured in a portable arrangement they had tested earlier. Mai approached. "Everything ready?" Reyes nodded. "Just a look around." "No entering the station." "Agreed." "No confronting anyone." "Unless somebody makes it necessary." Mai regarded her. Reyes smiled. "Relax. I'm not taking Kiro into a firefight." Kiro gave a small, indignant bark. Reyes looked down. "And you're not making that decision either." Another bark. Mai crouched. "Kiro." The German Shepherd turned. Mai rested a hand against her cheek. "You're there to observe. Nothing more." Kiro nodded as much as her anatomy comfortably allowed. Mai smiled. "Good." She kissed Kiro's forehead. Then looked at Reyes. "Take care of her." Reyes's expression softened. "Always." Ace appeared beside Mai. "Bring back something interesting." Reyes looked at her. "Such as?" "I don't know. An evil cult membership card?" Mai closed her eyes. "Ace." "What? It'd simplify the investigation." Reyes grinned. "I'll see what I can do." --- They parked several streets away from the old distribution site. Reyes knew better than to drive directly toward a suspicious location and then spend ten minutes standing beside her vehicle looking at a map. She checked the surrounding streets. Watched the traffic. Noted the people moving through the area. Then opened the door. Kiro climbed out. Immediately, the world became complicated. Old concrete. Hot metal. Stagnant water. Fuel. Dust. A bakery somewhere several blocks away. And beneath it all, the faint, persistent smell of electrical equipment that had been running warmer than it should. Kiro stopped. Her nose moved. Reyes noticed. "Something?" Kiro sniffed again. Then looked toward the older buildings. Reyes followed her gaze. "All right." They began walking. --- The district was not entirely abandoned. That was the first important observation. Several buildings still housed small businesses. A vehicle-repair shop operated behind a rusting security fence. Two warehouses had clearly been converted into informal storage facilities. Someone had established a food stall near a service road. Life continued here. It was simply a part of Night City that had learned not to expect much attention. Reyes recognized the type. Places like this survived because people made them work. And they became vulnerable because everyone else forgot they existed. Kiro walked beside her, attentive but relaxed. At one intersection, she stopped to inspect a drain. Reyes waited. "Anything useful?" Kiro sniffed. Then moved on. Reyes smiled. "Thought so." They continued. A few minutes later, Kiro stopped again. This time, her posture changed. Not dramatically. But enough for Reyes to notice. The German Shepherd's ears stood upright. Her nose moved slowly. She looked toward a narrow service lane. Reyes followed her gaze. At the end of the lane stood a small electrical enclosure. Its exterior was old. Paint peeling. Warning labels faded. But the padlock looked relatively new. Reyes studied it. Then glanced at Kiro. "See something?" Kiro approached the enclosure without touching it. Sniffed carefully. Then stepped back. Reyes crouched. "Warm?" Kiro touched her communication interface. **YES.** Reyes looked at the enclosure. The metal door carried a faint vibration. Equipment was operating inside. That wasn't impossible. Old distribution systems sometimes remained partially active long after their original purpose had ended. But it was worth noting. Reyes took a discreet image from the public lane and recorded the location. Then she moved on. No need to investigate further. Not yet. --- The next clue came from a woman sitting outside the repair shop. She looked tired. Not merely bored. Not simply worn down by a long workday. Exhausted. She sat on a plastic chair with her hands resting in her lap, watching the street without much interest. Reyes approached casually. "Morning." The woman looked up. "Morning." "You work here?" "My brother does." Reyes nodded toward the shop. "Any idea whether they're hiring?" The woman smiled faintly. "Not unless you like working for almost nothing." "Depends how desperate I am." "Then you might qualify." Reyes smiled. Kiro sat beside her. The woman noticed. "Oh. Beautiful dog." Kiro's ears rose. Reyes glanced down. "She knows." The woman laughed softly. Then yawned. A long, exhausted yawn. Reyes watched her. "Rough night?" The woman's expression changed. "Rough week." "Work?" "Everything." She rubbed her eyes. "Don't know what's wrong with me lately." Reyes kept her tone casual. "Not sleeping?" "Sleeping plenty. Doesn't help." Kiro looked toward her. The woman smiled. "At least somebody looks awake." Reyes scratched Kiro's neck. "She's got energy to spare." The woman sighed. "Lucky her." Reyes considered her next question. "Electrical problems around here?" The woman looked up. "Don't get me started." "That bad?" "Lights keep dimming. Half the street's complaining." "Anybody come to fix it?" "Some maintenance people." Reyes became more attentive. "When?" "Couple of nights ago." "Did they fix anything?" The woman laughed without humor. "Does it look fixed?" "Fair point." She glanced toward the service road. "They went up toward the old station. Haven't seen anybody from the utility company since." Reyes nodded. "Thanks." The woman waved a hand. "Good luck." They walked on. Kiro glanced back once. Reyes noticed. "Yeah," she murmured. "Me too." --- They reached a pedestrian crossing near the old switching station. The main structure stood beyond a fenced service area. A squat industrial building surrounded by neglected concrete, rusting equipment, and sections of fencing that had been repaired more recently than the surrounding infrastructure. Reyes stopped at a perfectly ordinary vantage point. She wasn't going any closer. Not without more information. Kiro sat beside her. The German Shepherd surveyed the area. There were ordinary smells. Old metal. Dust. Oil. Something damp beneath the concrete. And the stronger scent of overheated electrical equipment. But there was something else. Recent human activity. Several people. Not unusual by itself. Someone was clearly using the building. Reyes noticed the same thing through more conventional means. Fresh tire marks. A recently repaired access gate. Foot traffic where there should have been little reason for it. And a small security camera mounted above one of the service doors. She frowned. "Interesting." Kiro looked up. Reyes smiled. "Sorry. Borrowed Mai's vocabulary." Kiro gave a quiet whuff. Reyes examined the area again. No obvious guards. No visible weapons. Nothing that justified treating the site as an immediate threat. But it certainly wasn't abandoned. Then a door opened. A man emerged carrying a small equipment case. He wore work clothes. Nothing especially remarkable. Another person followed him. A woman, perhaps in her thirties, moving slowly. Very slowly. She looked exhausted. The man said something to her. Reyes couldn't hear the words. The woman nodded. Then lowered her head. The man placed a hand on her shoulder. For a moment, the gesture appeared reassuring. Then Reyes noticed something. The woman was smiling. Not happily, exactly. More like someone who had been persuaded that feeling terrible was somehow evidence of doing something right. Kiro watched them. The man opened the gate. The woman walked out. He said something else. She nodded. Then continued down the street. Reyes followed her progress with her eyes. The woman moved like someone struggling through the final hours of an exhausting shift. Except it was barely morning. The man returned inside. The gate closed. Reyes looked down at Kiro. "That didn't look right." Kiro touched her interface. **YES.** Reyes nodded. "Let's go." --- They were halfway back toward the vehicle when Kiro stopped. Her ears turned. Reyes noticed immediately. "What?" The German Shepherd looked behind them. A man stood near the corner of the street. He wasn't especially imposing. Ordinary clothes. Hands in his pockets. Looking toward a storefront. Reyes had seen him earlier. Near the repair shop. He'd been standing beside a parked vehicle. Now he was here. Coincidence? Possibly. Reyes didn't assume otherwise. She simply changed direction. Kiro followed. They turned onto a busier street. Walked past a food stall. Crossed at the next intersection. The man did not follow. Reyes checked once more. Nothing. She relaxed slightly. Kiro looked up. Reyes smiled. "Good catch." One bark. "Could be nothing." Another bark. "But it's worth remembering." Kiro wagged. Reyes scratched behind her ear. "That's why I brought you." --- Back at the vehicle, Reyes sent Mai a brief update. _Site is active. Recent maintenance, occupied service building, possible local fatigue cases. No confrontation._ Mai replied almost immediately. _Good. Come home. We'll review everything._ Reyes smiled. _Already on our way._ Then another message appeared. _And tell Kiro I'm proud of her._ Reyes looked toward the German Shepherd. "Mai says she's proud of you." Kiro's tail began wagging. Reyes laughed. "Yeah. Figured you'd like that." She helped Kiro settle safely into the vehicle. Then paused. "One more thing." Kiro looked up. "You're getting a proper rest when we get back." The German Shepherd sighed. Reyes smiled. "Medical orders." Kiro gave a reluctant bark. "And after that, if we're lucky, we'll still have time for a walk that doesn't involve abandoned electrical equipment." Kiro's ears rose. Reyes grinned. "Now there's the enthusiasm I was looking for." --- At the safehouse, Mai examined the photographs. Ace leaned over her shoulder. Shammy lay nearby. Yukari listened carefully as Reyes described the encounter. Kiro had already settled beside Mai, enjoying a well-earned drink of water. "The site isn't abandoned," Reyes concluded. Mai nodded. "Agreed." "Someone's maintaining it." "Or at least maintaining part of it." "And there are people coming and going who look seriously unwell." Victor's earlier reports were still open on one of Mai's displays. The symptoms sounded unpleasantly familiar. Yukari looked thoughtful. "Did the woman appear frightened?" Reyes considered that. "No." "Confused?" "Not especially." "Then what?" Reyes frowned. "Almost... satisfied." Ace looked up. "Satisfied?" "Like she thought whatever was happening to her was a good thing." Misty's words returned to the room. _People sometimes began treating the exhaustion as a kind of spiritual experience._ Mai looked toward Yukari. The kitsune's expression had become very still. "That is concerning," she said. Ace folded her arms. "How concerning?" Yukari considered the question. "Enough that I would not approach those people carelessly." Reyes nodded. "Wasn't planning to." Kiro touched her communication interface. **QUESTION.** Mai looked down. "Yes, sweetheart?" Kiro indicated one of Reyes's photographs. The small equipment case carried by the man. Mai enlarged the image. Nothing obviously unusual. An ordinary case. A manufacturer's label. A maintenance identification marking. And a small circular symbol near the handle. Mai leaned closer. "What's that?" Reyes frowned. "Didn't notice it at the time." Ace moved beside them. The symbol was simple. Three curved lines converging around an empty center. Not a corporate logo Mai recognized. Not an ordinary electrical safety marking. Yukari approached. Looked at it. Then shook her head. "I don't recognize it." Ace glanced toward her. "Bad sign?" "Not necessarily." Mai saved the image. "We'll ask Misty." Reyes folded her arms. "Meanwhile, I'd like to know who authorized work at that station." Mai nodded. "So would I." Kiro wagged once. Ace looked at the photograph again. The man. The equipment case. The strange symbol. The exhausted woman who had walked away smiling. Then she glanced toward Shammy. The Dire Wolf met her eyes. "What do you think, sweetheart?" Shammy considered the question. "I think someone is doing something there." Ace smiled faintly. "Yeah." "And I think we should find out what it is before they hurt anyone else." Ace reached down and rested her hand against Shammy's enormous muzzle. "Exactly." --- Later that afternoon, Misty called. Mai answered. "Hello, Misty." "I found something." Mai straightened. The others looked up. "What?" "That old symbol you sent me." Mai glanced toward the photograph. "Recognize it?" "Not exactly. But I found a similar design in one of the accounts I mentioned." Yukari stepped closer. Misty continued. "It wasn't presented as a warning." Mai frowned. "What was it?" There was a pause. Then Misty answered. "An invitation." Ace looked up sharply. "To what?" Misty's voice grew quieter. "According to the account, it was used by people who believed that surrendering their strength brought them closer to whatever was taking it." The room fell silent. Reyes looked toward the photograph. Then at Kiro. "Well." Ace folded her arms. "Looks like our hungry friend really does have company." Misty continued. "There's one more thing." Mai leaned closer to the phone. "What?" "The people using the symbol didn't describe themselves as victims." She paused. "They called themselves the fortunate." Yukari closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, her expression was grave. "Then I believe we have found more than an abandoned electrical station." Ace looked at the map. At the cluster of power failures. At Victor's clinic. At the streets surrounding the old distribution site. Then she looked toward Mai. "All right." Mai met her gaze. "What?" Ace's voice was calm. Too calm. "Let's find out exactly how many people think starving their neighbors is a religious experience." And somewhere inside the old switching station, behind a locked service door and a carefully maintained electrical connection, a group of exhausted people knelt before machinery that should not have been operating. They bowed their heads. They welcomed the weakness spreading through their bodies. And they listened to the deep, irregular hum beneath the floor. To them, it was not the sound of something feeding. It was the sound of something answering. --- ## Chapter 11 — The Fortunate The first thing Mai did was ask Misty whether the people calling themselves _the Fortunate_ had ever been described as dangerous. Misty was quiet for a moment. "Not in the way you're probably thinking." Reyes folded her arms. "That's not especially reassuring." "I know." The communication interface stood on the safehouse kitchen table, displaying the photograph Kiro had identified. Three curved lines. An empty center. An emblem so simple it could have been mistaken for a manufacturer's mark. Misty had found a similar symbol in an old collection of accounts concerning unusual spiritual movements. The material wasn't particularly reliable. Some entries were contradictory, others had been copied through several generations of increasingly creative interpretation, and none had anything resembling a proper bibliography. But the pattern was too specific to ignore. "The people using it believed they were giving something away," Misty explained. Mai leaned forward. "Energy?" "Strength. Vitality. Whatever word they had for it." "And they did so willingly?" "At first, according to the account." Ace looked up. "At first?" Misty hesitated. "There's a difference between choosing to give something away and being convinced that you must keep giving it away." Yukari nodded. "An important difference." Reyes studied the photograph. "How does somebody go from being exhausted to thinking exhaustion is a blessing?" Misty sighed. "People can find meaning in almost anything. Especially when they're frightened, lonely, or desperate." "Wonderful," Ace muttered. "That doesn't make them foolish," Misty continued. "And it doesn't make everyone involved malicious." Mai glanced toward the map. "But somebody has been maintaining an electrical installation that should no longer be operating." "Yes." "And people around it are becoming ill." Misty's voice grew firmer. "Which means whoever is organizing this needs to be stopped, whether they understand what they're doing or not." For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Kiro moved toward her interface. She touched a symbol. **QUESTION.** Mai smiled faintly. "Yes, sweetheart?" Kiro indicated the photograph. Then the old maintenance records. Mai frowned. "The symbol and the station?" One bark. "You want to know whether they're connected." Another bark. Reyes looked down at her. "That's what we're trying to establish." Kiro gave her an extraordinarily patient look. Then touched another control. **TIME.** Mai stopped smiling. "Oh." Ace looked between them. "What?" Mai opened the maintenance records beside the photograph. "The dates." Kiro wagged once. Mai enlarged the earliest suspicious entry. Then compared it with the beginning of the electrical disturbances. Her expression sharpened. "Well." Reyes sighed. "She's doing it again." Ace nodded. "That particular _well_ usually costs somebody money." Mai ignored them. "The first questionable maintenance entry predates the first reported disturbances." Reyes moved closer. "How much?" "Not long. But enough." Yukari regarded the screen. "So whatever they were doing began before the energy losses became noticeable." "Apparently." Misty's voice came through the speaker. "That sounds less like a response to the problem and more like preparation." Mai looked at the photograph again. "Yes." Kiro touched the confirmation symbol. **YES.** Ace crouched beside her. "Good catch, gorgeous." Kiro leaned into the scratch behind her ear. Reyes shook her head. "She's going to become absolutely impossible when she gets her hands back." Mai smiled. "Become?" --- The next hour belonged to Mai. And, by extension, to everyone unfortunate enough to be within hearing distance of her technical questions. The maintenance records had not been particularly illuminating at first glance. Several inspections. A component replacement. A scheduled review of equipment that was supposedly no longer needed. But when Mai arranged the records chronologically and compared them with the surviving electrical data, something began to emerge. Not a solution. Not yet. A sequence. "Here," she said. Reyes approached. Mai highlighted a maintenance entry. "According to this, a section of the old station was reconnected for temporary testing." "Is that unusual?" "Not necessarily." She opened another entry. "But the testing period was extended." Reyes nodded. "Still possible." "Then another feeder was brought back into service." "Right." "And a third." Reyes frowned. "How much of that place is actually supposed to be operating?" "According to the current records? Very little." Mai switched to the older diagrams. The difference was striking. What should have been a largely dormant distribution site had gradually acquired several active connections. Not enough to make it a major component of Watson's electrical network. But more than enough to draw power. Ace leaned closer. "Somebody brought the old station back to life." "Part of it," Mai corrected. "Without telling anyone?" "Without documenting the full changes in the records we have." Yukari considered the display. "Can they do that?" Mai looked at her. "Technically? Yes." "Legally?" "That depends on authorization. And at the moment, I'd be surprised if every part of this was authorized." Reyes stared at the diagram. "Who signed off on the work?" Mai opened the relevant record. "A maintenance credential associated with a private contractor." "Can you identify the person?" "Not reliably. The credential appears valid, but I haven't established who was actually using it." Ace sighed. "Someone's been busy." Mai nodded. "Very." Kiro lifted her head from the cushion where Reyes had persuaded her to rest. Her ears turned toward the discussion. Mai noticed. "No." Kiro blinked. "You've already done excellent work." A protesting whuff. "And you're taking a break." Kiro stared at her. Reyes smiled. "She heard you." Kiro looked between them. Then lowered her head again with a sigh worthy of a disappointed ancient philosopher. Ace laughed. "That's the most dramatic thing I've seen all day." Shammy opened one enormous eye. "Darling, you watched Kiro attempt to negotiate for another hour of research by putting her head in Mai's lap." "Exactly. A masterclass." Mai shook her head. "I cannot believe this is my household." Yukari smiled into her tea. "I can." --- Reyes left the table to make a call. Not to a fixer. Not to anyone likely to sell the information onward. Just an old acquaintance who knew the repair shops and informal businesses around the station. The conversation was brief. Several minutes later, she returned. Mai looked up. "Anything?" "Maybe." Reyes sat down. "The station's been getting deliveries." Ace raised an eyebrow. "Electrical equipment?" "Some. Also food and ordinary supplies." "Somebody living there?" "Possibly." Reyes glanced at the photograph. "People have been going in and out at strange hours. Nothing that would necessarily attract attention in Watson, but more activity than an old switching station should have." Mai nodded. "That fits." "There's something else." Everyone looked toward her. Reyes hesitated. "My contact mentioned a few people talking about a kind of private gathering." Yukari became attentive. "What sort of gathering?" "Some kind of spiritual group. Apparently they meet somewhere around the old industrial blocks." Ace folded her arms. "Let me guess. Everybody feels much better afterward?" Reyes shook her head. "Actually, no." Mai frowned. "What do you mean?" "They come out looking exhausted." Silence. Reyes continued. "But some of them insist it's the best thing that's ever happened to them." Yukari slowly lowered her cup. Misty's earlier description returned to Ace with unpleasant clarity. _They called themselves the fortunate._ Ace looked toward the map. "Well. That isn't suspicious at all." --- Victor called shortly afterward. Mai answered immediately. "How are things?" "Better at the receiving clinic." She straightened. "Your patients?" "The ones transferred out of the affected area are continuing to recover." "Good." "Still slower than I'd like, but their condition is improving. No new unexplained deterioration." Mai smiled. "That's encouraging." "Yes." Victor paused. "How's my favorite German Shepherd?" Kiro's head rose. Mai glanced toward her. "Very well. Currently under strict orders not to work." A quiet, deeply offended sound emerged from the cushion. Victor chuckled. "Good. Tell her those orders come from me too." Kiro sighed. Ace grinned. "Even Victor's against you, sweetheart." The German Shepherd turned her head away. Shammy laughed. Victor continued. "And Shammy?" "Also well." "Still enjoying the sculpt?" Shammy raised her head. "Immensely, Victor." "Good. Any discomfort?" "None." "Any return of the pressure perception?" "Not the slightest." "Excellent." Ace reached down and scratched behind Shammy's ear. The Dire Wolf's eyes closed briefly. Victor heard her pleased sigh. There was a pause. "Am I interrupting something?" "Preventative medicine," Ace answered. Victor sighed. "Of course." Mai laughed. "Anything else, Victor?" "Actually, yes. I wanted to know whether you're planning to visit the affected area again." "Not without a proper plan." "Good." His tone became serious. "I've been reviewing the earlier patient records. The fatigue isn't behaving like anything I can explain through ordinary medical mechanisms." Mai listened. "Even after the transfers?" "The recovery is real, but it doesn't tell me what was taken from them in the first place." Yukari looked toward the phone. "Victor, may I ask something?" "Go ahead." "Have you seen any evidence that the effect continues once someone has left the area?" "Not so far. The patients are improving rather than deteriorating." Yukari nodded. "That is useful." "How?" "It suggests this particular manifestation has a limited reach. Its influence may depend on remaining connected to a place." Mai looked at the map. "Or to something within that place." "Possibly," Yukari agreed. Victor was quiet. Then he sighed. "All right. That's something." "It is," Mai said. "Just make sure you don't get yourselves drained trying to prove it." Ace smiled. "We'll behave." Victor said nothing. Mai looked toward the phone. "Victor?" "I'm deciding whether it's worth arguing." Reyes laughed. "Save your strength." "Excellent advice." --- By early evening, the safehouse had begun settling into its usual rhythm. Iris and Brenda returned from their day's work and were informed, in appropriately limited detail, that the group's investigation had discovered a suspicious old electrical station and a possible cult. Brenda listened carefully. Then looked toward Kiro. The German Shepherd lay beside Mai's chair, enjoying a well-earned rest. "So," Brenda said, "our resident netrunner has discovered a cult." Kiro opened one eye. "While being a dog." A small wag. "Remarkable." Mai raised an eyebrow. "Brenda." "What?" "Think carefully." Brenda glanced toward Kiro. Then toward Iris. Iris smiled serenely. "Darling, remember your nose." Brenda stopped. Kiro's ears rose. Ace began laughing. Brenda pointed at the German Shepherd. "Don't even think about it." Kiro looked at her. Then slowly rolled onto her back. Four paws in the air. A magnificent demonstration of complete innocence. Iris covered her mouth. "Oh, that is unfairly adorable." Brenda stared. Kiro wagged. Ace grinned. "She's learning." "She's always been learning," Mai corrected. Shammy laughed from beside the sofa. "And Brenda continues to provide excellent educational material." Brenda looked around the room. "I am surrounded by traitors." Iris kissed her cheek. "Yes, darling. But very affectionate ones." --- Later, after dinner, Reyes found Ace standing beside the living-room window. The city outside had settled into its evening colors. Neon reflected from distant windows. Traffic moved through the streets below. Somewhere beyond the buildings, an old switching station continued consuming more power than anyone could explain. Reyes stood beside her. "Thinking?" Ace glanced up. "Unfortunately." "That's dangerous." "People keep telling me." Reyes smiled faintly. For a moment, they watched the city together. Then Ace spoke. "That woman you saw." "The exhausted one?" "Yeah." "What about her?" Ace folded her arms. "She looked happy?" Reyes considered the question. "Not exactly." "But she wasn't frightened." "No." "Did she look like somebody was forcing her?" "Not obviously." Ace sighed. "That's the part I don't like." Reyes nodded. "Me neither." "If somebody's being held at gunpoint, you know where you stand." "Usually." "But if they're walking into something that hurts them because somebody's convinced them it's a blessing..." Reyes looked toward her. "Then you've got a harder problem." Ace nodded. "Exactly." Reyes was quiet for a moment. Then she rested a hand against Ace's shoulder. "We'll figure out who's running it." Ace looked up. "And what they know." "That too." A small smile crossed Ace's face. "You're getting very good at this." Reyes raised an eyebrow. "At what?" "Being reassuring." "Don't spread that around. It'll ruin my reputation." Ace laughed. Then leaned closer. Reyes met her halfway. The kiss was brief. Warm. Familiar in the particular way of two women who had learned to trust each other without needing to make a performance of it. When they separated, Ace smiled. "Thanks." Reyes brushed her thumb along Ace's cheek. "Anytime." From the floor came a deep, amused voice. "That was rather sweet." Ace looked down. Shammy lay beside the sofa, watching them. Reyes sighed. "How long have you been there?" Shammy considered that. "Long enough." Ace grinned. "Spying on us?" "Darling, I am an enormous Dire Wolf occupying a substantial portion of the living room. Concealment is not one of my current advantages." Reyes laughed. "Fair point." Shammy lowered her head onto her paws. "And for the record, I am very pleased to see you both happy." Ace approached and kissed the top of her enormous muzzle. "Love you, sweetheart." "Love you too, darling." --- At the kitchen table, Mai was reviewing the last set of maintenance records. Kiro had been asleep beside her. Or so Mai thought. When the German Shepherd rose and approached the interface, Mai looked down. "Kiro." One ear tilted. "You're supposed to be resting." A small whuff. Mai regarded her. Then sighed. "All right. What have you found?" Kiro touched the control requesting the maintenance timeline. Mai opened it. The German Shepherd studied the entries. Then selected one. An inspection at the old switching station. Another entry followed. A power-routing test. Then a third. A scheduled review that had never been marked complete. Kiro indicated the timestamps. Mai leaned closer. "What about them?" Kiro touched one. Then another. Then returned to the first. Mai frowned. "You're comparing the timing." One bark. She opened the electrical disturbance reports. Then aligned them with the maintenance records. The first unusual consumption appeared after the earliest documented work. The larger disturbances followed later adjustments. Mai stared. Then brought up another view. A pattern emerged. Every time the station's documented configuration changed, the surrounding energy losses appeared to become more pronounced. Not immediately. Not with perfectly predictable timing. But the sequence was there. Mai straightened. "Oh, sweetheart." Kiro's tail moved. "That is very good." The German Shepherd leaned forward. Mai looked toward the living room. "Ace?" Ace turned. "What?" "Come here." The others gathered around. Mai displayed the timeline. "Look at this." Reyes studied the entries. "Maintenance work." "Yes." "Then electrical failures." "Yes." "And then more maintenance." Mai nodded. "Followed by a wider affected area." Yukari approached. Her expression grew thoughtful. "What does that suggest?" Mai looked toward the old station on the map. "Someone has been changing the way power flows through the site." Ace folded her arms. "To feed Lloigor." "That's one possibility." Reyes studied the timeline. "Looks deliberate." "Very much so." Yukari considered the information. Then she spoke quietly. "That may also explain why the effect has grown stronger." Mai looked at her. "How?" "The entity may have encountered a suitable source of nourishment by chance." She glanced toward the diagram. "But someone appears to have made that source easier to reach." Ace nodded slowly. "Somebody's feeding the thing." Yukari met her eyes. "Possibly without understanding what it is." Reyes shook her head. "Or understanding enough not to care." --- Misty called once more before the evening ended. She had found another fragment of an old account. This one was shorter. Much older. And considerably less concerned with the spiritual enthusiasm of the people involved. "The writer wasn't part of the group," Misty explained. "They were describing what happened afterward." Mai activated the speaker. "What happened?" Misty hesitated. "The people involved believed the entity had chosen them. They interpreted their weakness as proof of devotion." Ace sighed. "We've heard that part." "Yes. But the writer noticed something else." Yukari leaned forward. "What?" "The people who organized the gatherings were less affected than the followers." The room fell silent. Reyes slowly folded her arms. "Well, isn't that convenient." Misty continued. "The account doesn't explain how. It might have been coincidence, or exaggeration. But it describes leaders encouraging others to give more while remaining comparatively healthy themselves." Mai looked at the maintenance timeline. "People controlling access to the phenomenon." "Possibly." Ace's expression hardened. "And letting everybody else pay the price." Yukari nodded. "That would be a familiar human failing." Misty sighed. "Unfortunately." For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Kiro approached her interface. Touched a symbol. **QUESTION.** Mai crouched. "Yes?" Kiro indicated the map. Then the highlighted area around the station. Mai studied her. "Are you wondering how far the effect reaches?" One bark. Reyes leaned closer. "Good question." Mai brought up the distribution routes. "We have evidence of energy loss extending through several connected areas." Kiro touched the station. Then the clinic. Then the station again. Mai frowned. "You're thinking about the connection between them." Another bark. Yukari watched. "Perhaps the feeding does not depend solely on physical distance." Mai looked toward her. "You're thinking the network itself provides the connection." "Perhaps." Victor's clinic appeared at the edge of the highlighted area. An ordinary medical practice, supplied by an ordinary part of Watson's electrical infrastructure. Except that someone had quietly altered the network beyond it. Mai looked at the lines. Then the maintenance records. Then the reports of exhausted patients. And slowly, the shape of the problem became clearer. "Somebody didn't just reactivate the station." Reyes looked at her. "What do you mean?" Mai highlighted the connections. "They created a path for energy to move toward it." Ace studied the display. "And Lloigor is using it." "That would explain a great deal." Yukari's expression grew serious. "It would." Reyes looked at the map. "So we shut the station down." Mai shook her head. "Not yet." Ace sighed. "Here we go." Mai continued. "We don't know what happens if we simply interrupt the power supply. We don't know how much energy the manifestation has accumulated, or whether the connection is supporting something we haven't identified." Yukari nodded slowly. "Exactly." Reyes frowned. "Meaning?" Yukari looked toward the map. "Meaning we must be careful not to turn a feeding problem into a release of everything it has already consumed." Nobody spoke. Kiro's ears rose. Ace looked at Yukari. "How bad could that be?" The kitsune considered the question. Then answered with uncomfortable simplicity. "I would prefer to find out before we cause it." Mai nodded. "Agreed." Reyes folded her arms. "Then we need a proper plan." Ace looked toward the station. At the questionable maintenance records. At the strange symbol carried by one of the workers. At the scattered reports of exhausted people. And at the clinic belonging to a man who had spent his day trying to protect his patients from something nobody could explain. Then she smiled. It was not a particularly cheerful smile. "All right." Mai glanced toward her. "What?" Ace looked up. "Let's make sure our hungry friend doesn't get a second helping." Beside her, Shammy raised her enormous head. Kiro stood beside Reyes, ears alert. Yukari watched the map with ancient, thoughtful eyes. And somewhere beneath Watson, in a room illuminated by dim electrical fixtures, the Fortunate gathered once more. Their leader stood before the humming machinery. He looked well rested. His followers did not. Some could barely remain standing. But they smiled. Because he had told them their weakness meant they were becoming worthy. He raised his hands. The machinery hummed. And the lights dimmed. --- ## Chapter 12 — The Price of Being Fortunate The problem with calling yourself _the Fortunate_, Ace decided, was that eventually somebody was going to ask what, precisely, you were fortunate about. She was looking forward to hearing the answer. Preferably from whoever had decided that slowly draining an entire neighborhood of its energy constituted spiritual enlightenment. Mai was less interested in the theological implications. She was studying the utility records. Again. "You're going to wear a hole in that screen," Ace observed. Mai didn't look up. "It's digital." "Your point?" "That wearing a hole in it would require a rather different class of problem." Ace considered that. "We do seem to be collecting those." "Unfortunately." The safehouse had settled into the comfortable quiet of late evening. Kiro lay stretched across her cushion, resting after the day's investigation. Her ears still turned whenever somebody spoke, but she had finally accepted that even an extremely intelligent German Shepherd required sleep. Reyes sat nearby, one hand resting against Kiro's shoulder. Shammy occupied an impressive stretch of floor beside the sofa. Yukari was reading one of Misty's translated accounts. Nobody had been particularly eager to go to bed. Not with the old switching station still drawing power from Watson. Not with the knowledge that people were kneeling before whatever lived inside it. And certainly not with the possibility that some of those people knew exactly what they were doing. Reyes looked toward Mai. "Anything new?" "Not yet." "You're still checking those authorizations?" "Yes." "Thought you found the pattern." "I found a pattern. I haven't found the person behind it." Ace leaned against the table. "There's a difference?" "An important one." Mai enlarged an authorization record. "The maintenance credentials are associated with a legitimate contractor. That doesn't tell us whether the work was approved properly, whether someone misused the credentials, or whether the contractor even knows what was being done." Reyes nodded. "So we don't go knocking on somebody's door accusing them of feeding an ancient horror." "Not yet." Ace smiled. "You're really taking all the fun out of this investigation." Mai finally looked up. "Darling, you may accuse someone of feeding an ancient horror once we have evidence." "Promise?" "No." Ace laughed. From the floor, Shammy raised her head. "That sounds suspiciously like encouragement." "It was not," Mai replied. Kiro gave a sleepy whuff. Reyes scratched her shoulder. "Don't you start." The German Shepherd settled again. Yukari turned another page. Then stopped. "Oh." Ace looked over. "That's a dangerous sound." Yukari studied the passage. "Not necessarily." "You're all becoming very fond of saying that." Yukari smiled faintly. "This account describes a group whose leaders encouraged their followers to surrender more of themselves whenever the supposed blessing became weaker." Reyes frowned. "Meaning?" "The worse the followers felt, the more they were told to give." Ace's expression hardened. "Convenient system." "Very." Mai looked toward the page. "Does it say what happened to the leaders?" Yukari shook her head. "The account is incomplete." "Of course it is," Ace muttered. Yukari closed the document. "But I think we've been concentrating on the wrong distinction." Mai turned toward her. "Which distinction?" "Whether the followers are willing." Reyes folded her arms. "That's important." "Very important," Yukari agreed. "But willingness doesn't tell us whether they understand what is happening to them." Ace studied her. "And somebody may be making sure they don't." "Exactly." Shammy lowered her enormous muzzle beside Ace's hand. Ace stroked her cheek absently. For once, nobody had a joke ready. --- The next morning, Misty sent them a photograph. It showed a small printed card. White lettering on dark paper. Three curved lines converging around an empty center. Beneath them were five words. **COME HOME TO THE QUIET.** Ace stared at the image. "Well, that's cheerful." Mai enlarged it. "Where did you find this?" Misty's reply arrived a moment later. _A woman brought it into the shop. She asked whether I'd heard of the group._ Mai called her. Misty answered almost immediately. "Morning." "Good morning. What did the woman tell you?" "Not much. Someone gave her the card near one of the older industrial blocks. Apparently the group offers private gatherings for people who feel overwhelmed or exhausted." Ace looked up sharply. "Exhausted?" "Yes." Reyes stepped closer. "They're recruiting people who already feel terrible." Misty was quiet for a moment. "That's how it sounds." Yukari joined the conversation. "Did she attend?" "No. She came to ask me whether it was something worth considering." "What did you tell her?" "That I didn't know enough about the group to recommend it, and that she should be careful about anyone promising spiritual relief in exchange for unquestioning obedience." Ace smiled faintly. "Good answer." "She seemed relieved." Mai looked at the card again. "Any location?" "Nothing printed. The woman said an organizer offered to take her to the next gathering personally." Reyes shook her head. "No address. No public schedule." "Exactly," Misty said. Yukari's expression became thoughtful. "An invitation that requires another person to guide you." Mai nodded. "It controls access." "And controls who knows where the meetings happen," Reyes added. Ace looked toward the old switching station on the map. "Unless you already know." --- Reyes didn't like the idea of returning to the area so soon. Not because she was afraid of it. Because she'd already been there once, and someone might remember her. Kiro had noticed a possible observer during their previous visit. They had no proof he was following them, but Reyes saw no reason to dismiss the possibility. "We change the approach," she said. Mai nodded. "And we don't enter the station." "Correct." Ace looked disappointed. Reyes pointed at her. "Especially you." "I haven't said anything." "Your expression has." Shammy laughed. Ace looked toward her. "Traitor." "Beloved traitor, darling." "Unfortunately." Yukari examined the map. "What do we need to learn?" Mai highlighted the surrounding streets. "Whether the group is actively recruiting, whether the people leaving the station are being harmed, and whether the activity there is expanding." Reyes nodded. "I can handle the first two." Kiro rose from her cushion. Her ears stood upright. Reyes looked down. "Yes, you can come." One delighted bark. "Quietly." Another bark. "No investigating every electrical cabinet in Watson." Kiro paused. Then touched her communication interface. **NO.** Reyes narrowed her eyes. "Was that a refusal?" Kiro wagged. Mai laughed. "I believe she's negotiating." "She's going to lose." Kiro looked toward Mai. Mai smiled sweetly. "Reyes is in charge of the field part, sweetheart." The German Shepherd sighed. Ace grinned. "Democracy has failed." --- This time, Ace and Mai accompanied them but remained several streets away. Yukari stayed with the larger group until they reached the area, then helped Mai review the surrounding layout from a quiet public location. Shammy remained with Ace. There was no reason to bring an enormous Dire Wolf directly past a building they were trying to observe discreetly. Ace explained this to her. Shammy gave her a long look. "Darling, I am aware." "I know." "And I don't mind." "Good." Shammy lowered her head. "Besides, I believe my current appearance would rather undermine a subtle investigation." Ace smiled. "Just a little." Reyes and Kiro continued on foot. The streets were busier than during their previous visit. A repair shop had its doors open. Several delivery vehicles moved through the area. A small queue had formed outside a food stall. Ordinary life. The kind of ordinary life that made the situation feel worse. Reyes looked toward the switching station from across the street. Nothing particularly unusual was happening. Then Kiro stopped. Her ears turned. Reyes followed her gaze. A woman stood near the corner. Reyes recognized her. The exhausted woman who had left the switching station during their earlier visit. She was wearing different clothes now. Carrying a small bag. And moving with even greater difficulty. Reyes watched her take a step. Then another. The woman stopped beside a wall. Placed one hand against it. And slowly lowered her head. Reyes looked down at Kiro. "Stay close." One bark. They approached. --- "Hey." The woman looked up. Reyes kept her voice calm. "You all right?" The woman blinked. "Fine." It was the kind of answer people gave when they were very obviously not fine. Reyes knew the type. She'd given it herself often enough. "You look like you could use a chair." The woman attempted a smile. "Just tired." "Yeah. I can see that." Kiro remained beside Reyes, quiet and attentive. The woman's eyes moved toward her. "Oh." Reyes smiled faintly. "Friendly." "Beautiful dog." "She knows." Kiro wagged once. The woman looked down at her. Then slowly crouched. Or tried to. Her knees gave way before she'd lowered herself very far. Reyes caught her under the arm. "Easy." The woman gasped. Kiro stepped aside, giving Reyes room to help. "Okay," Reyes said. "We're sitting down." She guided the woman to a low bench outside a closed storefront. The woman sank onto it. For several seconds, she simply breathed. Reyes watched her closely. "Need medical help?" The woman shook her head. "No. No, I'm all right." "Doesn't look like it." "I'm just..." She stopped. Looked toward the switching station. Then lowered her eyes. Reyes waited. Eventually, the woman whispered: "I'm not supposed to be tired." Reyes frowned. "What?" The woman swallowed. "I'm supposed to feel lighter." Kiro's ears rose. Reyes remained still. "Who told you that?" The woman didn't answer immediately. Then she looked down at the small bag in her lap. "I thought it would help." Reyes sat beside her. "What would?" "The gatherings." There it was. Reyes kept her expression neutral. "What kind of gatherings?" The woman hesitated. Then, very quietly: "The Fortunate." --- Reyes didn't reach for her phone. Didn't immediately ask about Lloigor. Didn't start listing everything the woman might have gotten herself involved in. She simply listened. The woman spoke slowly. At first she'd attended because someone had promised relief from the constant fatigue she'd been experiencing. She worked long hours. Slept badly. Had too many bills and too little energy. The invitation had sounded harmless. A quiet gathering. Meditation. A chance to let go of the burden of ordinary life. "The first time," she said, "I felt something." Reyes nodded. "What?" "I don't know. Like there was this... warmth." Kiro sat down. The woman's hand rested lightly against the German Shepherd's shoulder. Kiro stayed still. The woman continued. "Everything got quiet. All the things I was worried about stopped mattering for a while." "That sounds nice." "It was." She looked down. "Then I went home." "And?" "I couldn't stay awake." Reyes said nothing. "I thought it was just because I'd finally relaxed. But it kept happening." "Did you tell the people running the gatherings?" The woman nodded. "They said it meant I was making progress." Reyes felt something cold settle in her stomach. "Progress toward what?" The woman shook her head. "I don't even know anymore." A long silence followed. Then she whispered: "They keep saying I need to give more." Reyes looked toward the switching station. "Who does?" "The people who lead the meetings." "Do they look as tired as you?" The woman stared at her. For the first time, real uncertainty appeared in her expression. "No." Reyes waited. "They don't," the woman repeated. Her voice had changed. Not stronger. But more aware. "They're always fine." Kiro looked up at her. The woman began trembling. "Why are they always fine?" Reyes put a steady hand against her shoulder. "I don't know." The woman swallowed. "But I think you need to see a doctor." --- Reyes contacted Mai. Briefly. Quietly. She explained where they were and what had happened. Mai listened. Then said: "Don't bring her back toward the affected area." "Wasn't planning to." "Victor has a safe medical contact outside the affected zone. I'll arrange it." "Good." "Does she want help?" Reyes looked toward the woman. Then asked her directly. The woman hesitated. "Will they know?" "Who?" "The people from the gathering." Reyes considered that. "I can't promise what they might hear. But you can choose where you go, and you don't have to go back there." The woman looked toward Kiro. Kiro met her eyes. There was no supernatural understanding in the German Shepherd's gaze. No secret ability to read the woman's mind. Just the patient attention of a person who happened, for the moment, to have the face of a dog. The woman swallowed. Then nodded. "Okay." Reyes looked toward the phone. "She wants help." Mai's answer was immediate. "Then we'll get her help." --- While they waited for the arranged transport, the woman spoke again. "Can I ask you something?" Reyes nodded. "Sure." "Do you think they're lying?" Reyes considered the question. "I think somebody's hurting people." The woman looked down. "But they say the suffering is necessary." "Necessary for what?" The woman had no answer. Reyes let the silence stand. Then she asked: "Do they ever let people leave when they decide they've had enough?" The woman didn't reply. That was answer enough. After a while, she whispered: "They told me I shouldn't stop coming." Reyes looked at her. "Why?" The woman's hands tightened around her bag. "They said the blessing gets stronger when everyone gives together." "And if you don't?" Her voice became very small. "They said the others would have to give more to make up for it." Reyes closed her eyes for half a second. There it was. Not merely spiritual enthusiasm. Not simply a group of people misunderstanding something dangerous. A system of guilt. Of dependence. Of making exhausted people responsible for everyone else's suffering. Reyes looked toward the switching station again. Then back at the woman. "Listen to me." The woman raised her eyes. "You are not responsible for what happens in that building." "But..." "No." Reyes kept her voice calm. "You can decide whether you want to go there. Nobody gets to make that choice for you." The woman stared at her. For a moment, Reyes thought she might argue. Instead, she began crying. Quietly. With the exhausted helplessness of someone who had been holding herself together long past the point when it was reasonable to expect her to. Kiro moved closer. The woman wrapped one arm around the German Shepherd's neck. Kiro stood still and let her. Reyes rested a hand against the woman's back. And waited. --- They didn't leave until the woman was safely on her way to medical care outside the affected district. Mai had arranged the transfer through Victor's contacts. No unnecessary spectacle. No dramatic rescue. Just practical help for someone who had finally decided she wanted it. When Reyes returned to the safehouse with Kiro, Ace met them in the living room. "How'd it go?" Reyes removed her jacket. "Found someone." Mai looked up. "How is she?" "Exhausted. Frightened. But she's getting help." Yukari listened carefully as Reyes described the conversation. Shammy lay beside Ace, her enormous head resting on her paws. Kiro settled at Mai's feet. For once, nobody made a joke about the German Shepherd's excellent investigative work. Not immediately. The woman's account was too troubling. "They're telling people that suffering means they're getting closer to something," Reyes finished. Misty's earlier research lay open on the table. Mai looked toward it. "And the leaders don't suffer the same effects." "Apparently not." Yukari was silent for a moment. Then she spoke. "That suggests a distinction between where the energy is being taken and where the organizers stand." Mai looked up. "Physically?" "Possibly." Reyes folded her arms. "You think the leaders are keeping themselves outside the worst of it." Yukari nodded. "I suspect they may understand more about the phenomenon than their followers do." Ace's expression hardened. "Enough to know it hurts." "Yes." "And enough to make somebody else take the punishment." Yukari met her eyes. "That seems increasingly likely." --- Mai returned to the electrical map. She had been thinking about the problem while Reyes and Kiro were away. A simple interruption of the station's power supply remained too risky. They knew the manifestation had accumulated energy. They didn't know how it would react if its connection were abruptly severed. Yukari had warned them about precisely that. Now Mai had another question. "Suppose the gathering itself is part of the feeding process." Reyes looked toward her. "People as batteries?" Mai shook her head. "Not literally. We don't know the mechanism." "But?" "But the reported disturbances become more severe around certain periods of activity at the station." Yukari stepped closer. "Show me." Mai arranged the available reports into a timeline. Power disturbances. Maintenance events. The woman's description of attending gatherings. The patterns weren't conclusive. There were too few reliable observations. But one possible relationship was becoming difficult to ignore. "The station seems to draw more energy during gatherings," Mai said. Yukari studied the display. "Then the people inside may be contributing to the effect." Ace folded her arms. "Whether they know it or not." "Yes." Kiro rose. She approached her interface. Mai looked down. "Sweetheart, you've had a long day." Kiro touched the display. **QUESTION.** Mai sighed affectionately. "One question." Kiro indicated the station. Then the surrounding network. Mai frowned. "Are you asking whether the gathering changes the flow?" One bark. She brought up the relevant readings. Kiro studied them. Then touched a control. **TIME.** Mai enlarged the sequence. For several seconds she remained silent. Then she looked at Yukari. "There's an increase in losses shortly after the periods when people appear to be gathering." Yukari nodded slowly. "The manifestation may respond to their presence." Reyes shook her head. "And the leaders know when to bring them in." Ace looked toward the map. "Then we need to stop the next gathering." Mai didn't answer immediately. Because something else had caught her attention. A newer maintenance authorization. Filed that morning. She opened it. Read it. Then sat very still. Reyes noticed. "What?" Mai enlarged the entry. "Someone's scheduled another change to the distribution system." Ace leaned forward. "Another feeder?" "Yes." "Where?" Mai traced the route. The new connection would link a previously inactive section to an operating distribution line. It wasn't a major change by ordinary utility standards. But the line served several buildings outside the station's immediate neighborhood. Including a medical facility. Not Victor's clinic. Another one. Mai felt the shape of the threat before she finished tracing the line. "They're expanding the connection." Yukari looked at the screen. "Toward people who may already be vulnerable." "Yes." Reyes's expression hardened. "When?" Mai checked the timestamp. "Tomorrow evening." Ace looked up. "Then tomorrow evening is too late." --- Victor answered the call on the second ring. Mai explained what they'd found. He listened without interrupting. When she finished, he was quiet for a moment. Then: "You're certain about the medical facility?" "Certain about the electrical route. Not about what the manifestation would do with it." Victor swore softly. "That's enough for me." "We're trying to prevent it." "Good." Yukari leaned closer. "Victor, please make sure the facility is warned about the possibility of unexplained power instability and fatigue." "I can do that without mentioning cosmic energy predators." Ace smiled faintly. "Probably wise." Victor sighed. "Believe me, Ace, I have enough problems explaining the first clinic." Mai continued. "We may need to act sooner than expected." "Then act carefully." "We will." Victor hesitated. Then said something unusual. "Mai?" "Yes?" "Don't let Ace turn this into a personal challenge." Ace looked offended. "Excuse me!" Victor continued as though he hadn't heard her. "And don't let Kiro forget she's still recovering from a major sculpt." Kiro gave an indignant bark. "Yes, I heard that too," Victor said. Reyes laughed. Victor's voice softened. "Just bring everyone home in one piece." Mai smiled. "That's the plan." --- After the call, the group remained around the table. No one was pretending the situation could be ignored until the following week. There were people being harmed. A group deliberately encouraging them to surrender more of their strength. And now evidence of a planned expansion that could expose additional patients to the same danger. Ace looked toward Yukari. "We know what it is." Yukari nodded. "Yes." "We know where it's feeding." "Approximately." "And we know somebody's helping it." "That appears to be the case." Ace spread her hands. "So what's missing?" Yukari studied the map. "A way to separate the manifestation from its source of nourishment without allowing everything it has accumulated to discharge into the surrounding area." Mai nodded. "That is the central problem." Reyes looked toward the old station. "And the people inside." "Also a problem," Ace agreed. Kiro sat beside Reyes, ears upright. Shammy rose slowly from her cushion. Her enormous form filled the space beside Ace. "Then we solve both problems." Everyone looked toward her. Shammy lowered her head. "We find a way to stop the feeding." Her blue eyes moved toward Reyes. "And we make certain the people trying to protect it cannot hurt anyone while that happens." Reyes nodded. "Works for me." Mai looked at the map again. Two problems. One technical and supernatural. One entirely human. Neither could safely be ignored. And the clock was running. --- Later that night, after the others had begun making preparations, Ace found Shammy resting beside the bedroom window. She approached quietly. "Hey, beautiful." Shammy turned her enormous head. "Hello, darling." Ace sat beside her. For a moment they watched the city lights together. Then Ace rested her hand against the thick fur of Shammy's neck. "You okay?" "Yes." "Even with all this?" Shammy considered the question. "I don't like what those people are doing." "Neither do I." "But I am all right." Ace nodded. "Good." Shammy studied her face. Without her usual pressure perception, she could not feel the emotions moving beneath Ace's words. She had to look. Listen. Ask. And Ace, who knew that, gave her time. "Are you worried about tomorrow?" Shammy asked. Ace smiled faintly. "Some." Shammy lowered her muzzle beside Ace's shoulder. "Me too." Ace looked toward her. Then laughed softly. "What?" "Nothing." "Ace." "It's just..." She ran her fingers through the thick fur behind Shammy's ear. "You've got a perfectly good reason to spend this week doing absolutely nothing." Shammy smiled. "And?" "And somehow you're about to help us deal with an ancient energy predator and its collection of exceptionally stupid admirers." Shammy laughed. A deep, warm sound. "Darling, being on holiday does not mean I stop loving my family." Ace leaned against her. "I know." "Nor does it mean I stop being capable of helping." "I know that too." Shammy's enormous tail moved once. "Besides, I suspect you would become unbearable if I let you go without me." Ace gasped. "Unbearable?" "Quite." "I'm delightful." "Frequently." Ace laughed. Then kissed her muzzle. "Love you." Shammy closed her eyes. "Love you too, little darling." Outside, Watson's lights continued burning. Some brightly. Some dimly. Some flickering with an irregularity that nobody had yet managed to explain. And somewhere beneath the older industrial blocks, the machinery of the Fortunate continued its low, unnatural hum. The next gathering had already been announced. The next electrical connection had already been scheduled. The people preparing it believed they were approaching something wonderful. They had no idea that a small group of women, one enormous Dire Wolf, and one very determined German Shepherd were beginning to understand exactly what they had built. --- ## Chapter 13 — The Shape of a Trap Mai had been staring at the same diagram for twenty minutes. Ace knew because she had counted. Not deliberately. At first. But when someone you loved spent twenty uninterrupted minutes examining a single electrical schematic with an expression suggesting that the entire universe had made a fundamental engineering mistake, it became difficult not to notice. Ace approached the kitchen table. "Sweetheart?" Mai didn't look up. "Hm?" "Are you winning?" "Not yet." "Is the diagram winning?" "Currently." Ace considered that. "Should I threaten it?" Mai finally looked at her. There was a pause. Then she smiled. "That would be remarkably unhelpful." "Just offering." "I appreciate the sentiment." Ace leaned closer and kissed her temple. Mai briefly closed her eyes. "Thank you." "Anytime." Then Ace looked at the diagram. It was a complicated collection of electrical routes, old station records, suspected unauthorized connections, and several annotations in Mai's precise handwriting. Ace frowned. "That looks horrible." "It's actually quite elegant." "Really?" "No. I'm trying to remain optimistic." Ace laughed. From the floor beside the table came a low, amused voice. "Darling, you are both impossible." Shammy lay comfortably on her large cushion, her enormous Dire Wolf body stretched along the floor. Ace looked down. "You're one to talk." Shammy raised an eyebrow. Or performed the nearest anatomical equivalent available to a wolf. "I am the picture of dignity." Ace regarded her. Then slowly reached toward one of her ears. Shammy narrowed her eyes. "Ace." "Yes?" "We are discussing a serious problem." "Of course." "Then why are you looking at my ear?" Ace smiled. "Professional curiosity." Shammy sighed. Mai laughed. And somewhere beneath the table, Kiro's tail began thumping against the floor. --- Yukari arrived carrying tea. She glanced at the diagram. Then at Mai. "Still no answer?" "Several possible answers." "None satisfactory?" "Exactly." Yukari set down the tray. "Show me." Mai adjusted the display. "The station has become a feeding point. Someone has restored enough of its old electrical connections to provide a significant supply of energy." Yukari nodded. "And the Lloigor manifestation draws from it." "That's our working model." Mai highlighted the affected area. "The problem is that the energy loss doesn't behave like a normal electrical load. We can identify where the network is being affected, but the mechanism appears to exist partly outside conventional electrical behavior." Yukari smiled faintly. "An inconvenient quality of such things." "Very." Ace leaned against the table. "So we cut off its food." Mai shook her head. "That would be the obvious answer." "Which means it's wrong." "Not necessarily wrong. Potentially dangerous." She enlarged the station. "We know the manifestation has accumulated something. The question is what happens when its connection is suddenly interrupted." Yukari studied the display. "Imagine a creature drinking from a river." Ace raised an eyebrow. "All right." "If you block the river, the creature loses access to its nourishment." "Sounds good." "But suppose the creature has already drawn a considerable quantity into a place that cannot hold it indefinitely." Mai nodded. "Then cutting the supply doesn't tell us what happens to the accumulated energy." "Exactly." Ace considered that. "So we don't just shut the tap." "No," Yukari said. "We also need somewhere for the overflow to go." Kiro's ears rose. The German Shepherd lifted her head from beside Reyes's chair. Reyes noticed. "Something?" Kiro stood. Walked to her interface. And touched a symbol. **QUESTION.** Mai crouched beside her. "Yes, sweetheart?" Kiro indicated the station. Then the power routes. Then a separate section of the diagram representing the old facility's disconnected infrastructure. Mai frowned. "That part?" One bark. She enlarged it. The section had been retired years earlier. Several components had been physically removed. Others remained disconnected. According to the records, it had no active role in Watson's present distribution network. Mai studied it. Then looked at Kiro. "You're thinking about an isolated destination." Kiro wagged once. Reyes leaned closer. "Somewhere to send what comes out?" Mai considered the idea. "Possibly." Ace smiled. "See? Smartest dog in Watson." Kiro's tail wagged harder. Mai continued. "But we can't assume old electrical equipment could contain whatever the manifestation releases." Yukari stepped closer. "No." She studied the inactive section. "But perhaps the physical infrastructure could help us define a boundary." Mai turned. "A boundary?" Yukari nodded. "For something that ordinary equipment cannot hold." --- The room became quiet. Mai looked at Yukari. Yukari looked back. Then, slowly, Mai began to smile. "Oh." Ace sighed. "There it is again." Reyes glanced toward her. "What?" "The expression." "What expression?" "The one Mai makes when she finds a problem she can solve by making another problem somebody else's responsibility." Mai ignored her. "Yukari. Can you contain an energy discharge?" The kitsune considered the question. "That depends on the nature of the energy." "Assume it's connected to the manifestation." "Then the answer becomes more complicated." Mai nodded. "Explain." Yukari pulled out a chair and sat down. "My foxfire can establish containment against certain supernatural phenomena. I've used it for that purpose before." Ace folded her arms. "Quite effectively." Yukari smiled. "Thank you, darling." "But?" Mai prompted. "But containment isn't the same as destruction. Nor is it necessarily permanent." She touched the diagram. "If this entity has been collecting energy through a localized connection, I may be able to help prevent its release from spreading uncontrolled." Mai leaned forward. "Provided we can determine where the release will occur." "Exactly." Reyes considered that. "So Mai tells it where to go, and Yukari makes sure it stays there." Yukari tilted her head. "That is an attractive simplification." Ace smiled. "Which means it's missing something terrible." "Naturally." Yukari looked toward Mai. "The difficult part is ensuring the manifestation actually releases what it has accumulated rather than simply finding another way to feed." Mai's expression sharpened. "Then we need to interrupt every route it can use." "Every route within this local manifestation," Yukari corrected. "Yes." "And we need to do it in an order that doesn't allow the entity to simply shift the burden elsewhere." Mai nodded slowly. Reyes studied the diagram. "That's a lot of conditions." "It is," Mai agreed. Ace looked toward Kiro. "Still glad you volunteered for a week's holiday?" Kiro gave one enthusiastic bark. Ace laughed. "Of course you are." --- They spent the next hour developing the idea. Not a finished plan. Not yet. But the first recognizable shape of one. Mai could identify the electrical connections that had been added to the old station. She could also determine which portions of the surrounding network would need protection from the consequences of interrupting them. What she could not do was predict the behavior of a supernatural entity. That belonged to Yukari. And Yukari, to her credit, refused to pretend certainty where none existed. "A Lloigor manifestation is not a machine," she reminded them. Mai nodded. "I know." "It may respond to the loss of its feeding connection." "How?" "I don't know." Ace raised a hand. "Can we put that on a T-shirt?" Mai looked at her. "What?" "_I Don't Know: The Official Motto of the Lloigor Investigation._" Reyes snorted. Yukari laughed. Even Mai smiled. "Very funny." "Thank you." Shammy raised her head. "Darling, perhaps we should make matching shirts." Ace looked delighted. "Oh, that's brilliant." Mai closed her eyes. "Please don't." Kiro touched her interface. **YES.** Reyes burst out laughing. "That's four votes." Mai looked at the German Shepherd. "You are supposed to be helping me." Kiro wagged. Mai shook her head affectionately. Then returned to the diagram. "All right. Suppose we establish a temporary containment boundary around the local feeding point." Yukari nodded. "Possible in principle." "Suppose we then isolate the unauthorized connections from the legitimate distribution system." "That would restrict its food supply." "And finally, we interrupt the manifestation's immediate connection in a controlled way." Yukari considered the sequence. "It might force the accumulated energy to discharge." Mai looked up. "Into the containment area." "If the boundary holds." Ace folded her arms. "And if it doesn't?" Yukari was silent for a moment. Then she answered. "Then we had better ensure nobody is standing where the energy can reach them." Nobody laughed. --- Reyes eventually pushed away from the table. "All right." Mai looked up. "What?" "We've got a theoretical way to stop the thing." "Possibly." "Fine. A theoretical way." Reyes pointed toward the old station. "But there's another problem." Ace smiled faintly. "The people." "Exactly." Reyes enlarged the photograph of the service entrance. "We don't know how many are inside, whether they're armed, or how far they'll go to protect whatever they think they're worshipping." Mai nodded. "We also don't know whether a gathering will be taking place when we need access." Yukari looked toward the schedule. "The next one is tomorrow evening." Reyes nodded. "Which means we need to move before then, if possible." Ace looked toward the map. "Or during the gathering." Reyes turned. "No." Ace raised her hands. "I was discussing options." "Bad options." "Potentially interesting options." "Still bad." Mai smiled. "Reyes is right. We should avoid putting more people near the feeding point." Ace sighed. "Fine." Reyes continued. "We need a way in, a way out, and a plan for keeping the cultists away from whatever Mai and Yukari are doing." Kiro rose. Her ears stood alert. Reyes looked down at her. "Yes, you can help." One bark. "But you're not charging into a building full of potentially armed fanatics." Kiro looked offended. Reyes folded her arms. "Don't give me that look." The German Shepherd touched her interface. **NO.** Reyes stared. "No?" Kiro indicated the map. Then the service entrance. Then a narrow route along the side of the building. Mai leaned closer. "That route?" One bark. Reyes studied it. "Maintenance access." Kiro wagged. Reyes considered the layout. Then smiled. "Well, that's interesting." Ace looked toward Mai. "She's spreading." Mai laughed. --- The access route Kiro had identified was not especially glamorous. It was an old service passage leading toward a secondary section of the station. The records suggested that the passage remained accessible for routine inspections. Whether it was actually usable was another question. Reyes studied the layout. "If this is still open, it gives us a way to approach without walking through the main entrance." Mai nodded. "And it leads near the disconnected infrastructure." "Which is where you want to establish the containment boundary." "Exactly." Yukari considered the route. "Would there be room for Shammy?" Reyes looked toward the enormous Dire Wolf. Then at the dimensions. "Maybe." Shammy raised her head. "I can remain outside if necessary." Ace turned. "Sweetheart." Shammy smiled. "I know. But I am rather large." Reyes nodded. "She's right. We need to check the space before we commit." Mai looked at the diagram. "Noted." Kiro approached Shammy. The German Shepherd stopped beside her enormous front paws. Then looked up. Shammy lowered her head. "Yes, darling?" Kiro gave a short bark. Shammy smiled. "Thank you." Reyes looked between them. "What was that?" Shammy laughed softly. "An expression of solidarity, I believe." Kiro wagged. Ace grinned. "The canine union is forming." Mai sighed. "Of course it is." --- They eventually called Misty. She listened carefully while Mai explained the proposed containment approach. When Mai finished, Misty was quiet for a moment. "You're trying to separate the thing from the place it's feeding through." "Yes." "And prevent the released energy from reaching the surrounding neighborhood." "Exactly." Misty considered that. "There's something in the old descriptions that might be relevant." Yukari leaned closer. "What?" "Several accounts mention that the phenomenon became strongest around a particular location." Mai nodded. "We've seen that pattern." "But the location wasn't always important by itself." Yukari frowned. "Explain." Misty hesitated. "One account described a place as being _made ready_." The room grew quiet. Ace folded her arms. "Made ready?" "Yes." "By whom?" "The people who gathered there." Yukari's expression sharpened. Misty continued. "I don't know whether the account was literal or symbolic. But it described repeated gatherings, offerings of strength, and a gradual change in the place itself." Mai looked toward the station. "So the cult may have helped establish the feeding point." "That's what I'm wondering." Yukari nodded slowly. "That would explain why the manifestation has become increasingly localized." Reyes frowned. "And why the leaders keep bringing people there." "Yes." Misty continued. "There's another detail." Ace sighed. "Of course there is." "The account says the place became difficult to leave." Reyes straightened. "Physically?" "Not necessarily. The writer described people feeling compelled to return." Yukari looked troubled. "That may reflect psychological manipulation, supernatural influence, or both." Mai nodded. "We shouldn't assume which." "No," Misty agreed. "But it means the people inside may not behave as we expect." Ace looked toward Reyes. Reyes met her eyes. They understood each other immediately. People who believed they were protecting something sacred could be dangerous. People who had been manipulated into that belief could be dangerous too. And both groups still deserved to be treated as human beings. --- After the call, Reyes spent another hour reviewing the physical layout. Mai worked beside her. Kiro remained nearby, contributing through her interface whenever something caught her attention. Shammy watched from her cushion. Yukari made notes about the containment boundary. Ace made another round of coffee. For the humans. Kiro noticed. Stared at the machine. Then sighed. Mai glanced down. "Still disappointed?" A small whuff. Ace laughed. "Seven days without coffee. That's the real horror." Reyes scratched Kiro behind one ear. "You'll survive." Kiro looked unconvinced. Shammy made an amused sound. "Darling, I believe she considers this an unreasonable sacrifice." Ace nodded. "Clearly." Mai smiled. "She chose the sculpt." Kiro touched the interface. **YES.** "She accepted the dietary restrictions." Another reluctant bark. "And she's still enjoying herself." The German Shepherd wagged. Mai crouched and kissed her forehead. "Good." Kiro leaned into her. For a moment, the old electrical station and its dangerous inhabitants seemed very far away. Then Mai's phone chimed. She glanced at the message. Her expression changed. Ace noticed. "What?" Mai read it again. Then looked toward Reyes. "The maintenance schedule has been updated." Reyes straightened. "What changed?" "The new feeder connection." Mai enlarged the notification. "It isn't being activated tomorrow evening anymore." Ace frowned. "When?" Mai looked up. "Tonight." --- Nobody spoke for several seconds. Then Reyes swore. "How much time?" Mai checked the schedule. "Not enough to complete everything we wanted." Ace folded her arms. "Then we move." Mai shook her head. "Not blindly." "Nobody said blindly." Reyes looked toward the map. "They may have accelerated because they know somebody's asking questions." "Or because the original schedule changed for unrelated reasons," Mai said. Yukari nodded. "We don't know." Ace looked toward her. "But we know what happens if the connection goes active." Yukari considered the question. "We know the manifestation may gain access to another source of nourishment." "And more people." "Yes." Ace's expression hardened. "Then waiting isn't an option." Reyes nodded slowly. "Agreed." Mai looked at the diagram. At the proposed containment boundary. At the old service passage. At the active connections they had identified. Then at Kiro. The German Shepherd watched her intently. Mai smiled faintly. "Well, sweetheart." Kiro's ears rose. "Looks like our holiday just became complicated." One bark. Reyes sighed. "Understatement." Shammy stood. Her enormous body rose with quiet, deliberate strength. Ace looked up at her. "Ready, beautiful?" Shammy lowered her great head. "Always, darling." Yukari closed her notes. Then looked at Mai. "We have the beginnings of a solution." Mai nodded. "We do." "Will it work?" Mai considered the question. Then smiled without much humor. "Let's find out." And somewhere beneath Watson, inside the old switching station, a man wearing a maintenance jacket received a message. The new feeder connection had been approved for activation. He looked toward the darkened room beyond the machinery. Toward the gathering people. Toward their exhausted faces. Then he smiled. "Good." Behind him, the equipment hummed. The lights dimmed. And something very old prepared to eat. --- ## Chapter 14 — The Last Quiet Hour "Tonight?" Reyes stared at the updated maintenance schedule. Mai nodded. "Tonight." "How tonight?" Mai checked the timestamp. "Less than two hours." Ace looked at the display. Then at Mai. Then at Reyes. "Well. That's inconvenient." Reyes gave her a flat look. "Inconvenient?" "I'm trying to maintain a positive attitude." "Try harder." Ace smiled. "Love you too." Reyes shook her head and returned her attention to the screen. The new connection was scheduled to bring another section of Watson's electrical infrastructure into the old switching station's operating network. Under ordinary circumstances, that would have been a maintenance decision. Possibly a questionable one. Possibly an expensive one. But nothing especially remarkable. These were not ordinary circumstances. Somewhere inside that station, something was feeding on the surrounding neighborhood. And someone was preparing to give it more. Mai stood. "All right. We need to separate what we know from what we're assuming." Ace looked toward Yukari. "She's doing the serious voice." Yukari smiled faintly. "An excellent sign." "Terrifying, actually." Mai ignored them. "We know the station has been receiving unauthorized or at least improperly documented electrical modifications. We know the losses increase around its activity. We know people attending the gatherings are becoming dangerously exhausted." Reyes nodded. "And we know the leaders aren't suffering nearly as much." "According to the accounts we've received, yes." Shammy raised her enormous head. "Then there are two things we must prevent." Mai looked toward her. "The connection and the gathering?" "Yes." Yukari considered that. "The gathering may already be underway." Nobody spoke for a moment. Then Ace sighed. "Of course it is." Kiro touched her communication interface. **QUESTION.** Mai crouched beside her. "Yes, sweetheart?" Kiro indicated the maintenance schedule. Then the map. Then touched a control requesting the latest available information. Mai checked. "No confirmation of activation yet." Kiro's ears rose. "But we have to assume they're preparing." One bark. Reyes folded her arms. "Then we're running out of time." Mai nodded. "Yes." Ace looked around the table. "All right. Nobody panic." Reyes stared at her. "Who is panicking?" "Nobody. I'm being preventative." "That's new." "Personal growth." Shammy laughed. Despite everything, the sound made the room feel a little less tense. --- Mai enlarged the station's layout. "Here's what I propose." Reyes moved beside her. Yukari followed. Kiro sat at Mai's feet. Ace rested a hand against Shammy's neck. Mai highlighted the old distribution site. "We approach through the secondary service area. No attempt to force our way through the main entrance." Reyes nodded. "Agreed." "The people inside may include exhausted civilians who believe they're participating in something beneficial. We cannot treat everyone in that building as hostile." "Also agreed." Mai looked toward Yukari. "We need to identify the exact location of the feeding connection before attempting to isolate it." Yukari nodded. "And I need to see the manifestation's local anchor before I can establish a reliable containment boundary." Ace folded her arms. "So our first job is finding the right part of the building." "Yes." "And the second?" "Determining whether we can interrupt the new connection safely." Reyes considered the layout. "What about the cultists?" Mai looked at her. "That's your area." Reyes smiled without much humor. "Wonderful." She pointed toward the main access route. "If we're lucky, they'll be busy with their gathering. If we're not, they'll have people watching the service areas." Ace tilted her head. "And if they start shooting?" Reyes met her eyes. "Then we protect ourselves and anyone else caught in the middle." "Works for me." Reyes continued. "But we're not going in there looking for a fight." Ace nodded. "Understood." The fact that she didn't make a joke afterward told Reyes considerably more than the answer itself. --- Kiro approached the map. She studied the access route. Then touched a control. **DETAIL.** Mai enlarged the relevant section. The narrow passage curved around the outer portion of the old facility before reaching a secondary maintenance area. Reyes examined the dimensions. Then looked toward Shammy. The enormous Dire Wolf met her gaze. "Too narrow?" Shammy asked. "Possibly." Shammy nodded. "Then I stay outside." Ace looked up. "Sweetheart..." Shammy lowered her head toward her. "Darling, I am very large." "I've noticed." "And an enormous wolf attempting to squeeze through a narrow service passage would be neither subtle nor particularly useful." Reyes nodded. "She's right." Shammy smiled. "Thank you." Ace sighed. "Fine." Shammy continued. "Besides, if the people inside decide to leave by another route, having someone outside to protect the others may prove useful." Reyes considered that. "Actually, yes." She looked at the map again. "There's an outer service court. Enough room for you to move without getting trapped in a corridor." Shammy's ears rose. "Then that is where I should be." Ace smiled reluctantly. "All right." Reyes turned toward Kiro. "And you stay with me." One bark. "We're working the outer area first. If I decide something isn't safe for you, we stop." Another bark. "No arguments." Kiro looked at her. Then touched the interface. **YES.** Reyes narrowed her eyes. "That was suspiciously easy." Kiro wagged. Mai smiled. "She's learning." Ace grinned. "Or she's planning something." Kiro gave her an offended look. "Both are possible," Shammy observed. --- Yukari had been studying the station's older layout. Now she pointed toward a broad section of disused infrastructure. "This may help." Mai leaned closer. "The isolated equipment area?" "Yes." "What about it?" Yukari considered how to explain. "To contain something that does not behave according to ordinary physical rules, it helps to have a boundary that is already meaningful." Mai nodded slowly. "A distinct area." "Exactly. A place separated from its surroundings, even imperfectly." Reyes looked between them. "Does it matter that the equipment is disconnected?" "Potentially," Yukari said. "But the electrical separation itself is not enough. My contribution would be to establish a supernatural boundary around the local manifestation." Ace frowned. "Foxfire?" Yukari nodded. "Among other things." Mai looked at her. "Can you hold it?" Yukari was quiet for a moment. "I believe I can contain a localized discharge." "Believe?" "I have not encountered this exact manifestation under these exact conditions." Ace sighed. "Fair." Yukari continued. "And I won't promise that nothing dramatic will happen." Reyes glanced toward the diagram. "Define dramatic." Yukari smiled faintly. "That is rather difficult when dealing with something that has been feeding on a city's electrical infrastructure." Ace looked toward Mai. "I vote we don't stand next to it." "An excellent vote," Mai replied. Shammy made an amused sound. "Unanimous, I believe." Kiro barked once. Reyes looked down. "Even the dog agrees." --- They spent another twenty minutes reviewing the approach. Not every possible contingency. That would have taken hours they did not have. But enough to establish responsibilities. Mai would handle the technical coordination. Yukari would investigate and contain the supernatural connection. Ace would remain with them, providing protection and making the final decision to abort if the situation became uncontrollable. Reyes and Kiro would cover the approaches and identify threats. Shammy would remain in the outer service area, where her size and physical strength would be advantages rather than obstacles. No one would attempt to improvise repairs to an active electrical system. No one would assume an exhausted follower was an enemy. And nobody would attempt to destroy the station merely because its occupants had made several catastrophically poor decisions. Ace listened to the final instruction. Then raised one finger. Mai looked at her. "No." "I haven't asked anything." "I know what you were going to ask." Ace looked wounded. "You don't know that." "Darling, you were about to ask whether the station counted as an acceptable target for your katanas." Ace considered that. Then sighed. "Fine. Maybe you do know me." Reyes laughed. --- Before leaving, Mai called Victor. He answered quickly. "Please tell me you've found a way to stop this." "We have a working plan." "That's not the same thing." "No," Mai agreed. "It isn't." Victor sighed. "What's happening?" Mai explained the accelerated maintenance schedule and the likelihood that another portion of the grid would soon be exposed. Victor listened in silence. Then said something that made everyone pause. "The other medical facility has already been warned." Mai straightened. "Good." "They're checking their backup systems and preparing appropriate patient-safety measures. I didn't give them a supernatural explanation." "Probably wise." "I told them we've identified a serious regional electrical anomaly and that they need to be prepared for instability." Mai nodded. "Exactly what they needed to know." Victor continued. "Are you going near the station?" "Yes." There was a long silence. Then: "All of you?" "Everyone involved in the investigation." Victor sighed. "Kiro too?" The German Shepherd's ears rose. Mai looked down. "Yes. But she's working with Reyes and staying out of the main confrontation." Kiro barked. Victor heard her. "Yes, Kiro. I know you're capable." Another bark. "That doesn't make you bulletproof." Kiro lowered her ears slightly. Victor's voice softened. "And Shammy?" "I'm here, Victor," the Dire Wolf answered. "Still feeling all right?" "Perfectly." "Any change in your sensory suppression?" "None." "Good. Don't forget that means you won't get the warnings you'd normally rely on." Shammy nodded. "I understand." Victor paused. Then spoke more quietly. "Bring yourselves back." Mai smiled. "We will." "Preferably without requiring all my remaining medical supplies." Ace leaned toward the phone. "No promises." "Ace." "Love you too, Victor." He sighed. The call ended. Reyes looked toward Ace. "You're going to drive him into early retirement." Ace smiled. "He'd get bored." --- Iris and Brenda were waiting in the living room when the group finished preparing. Neither had been invited along. Neither expected to be. This wasn't their operation, and they had their own work and responsibilities. But both knew enough to recognize the difference between an ordinary outing and a dangerous job. Iris looked toward Mai. "How serious?" Mai considered the question. "Potentially dangerous, but limited in scope. We've identified the location and a likely method of stopping the problem." "And the uncertainty?" "Mostly the behavior of the manifestation and the people protecting it." Iris nodded. "Then be careful." Ace smiled. "We intend to." Brenda looked toward Kiro. The German Shepherd sat beside Reyes, already wearing her comfortable harness. Brenda studied her. For once, she didn't make a joke. Instead, she crouched. "Hey." Kiro's ears rose. Brenda rested one hand against the side of her neck. "You come home, all right?" Kiro blinked. Then gave one deliberate bark. Brenda nodded. "Good." There was a pause. Then Kiro leaned forward and gently touched her nose against Brenda's cheek. No enormous lick this time. Just a small, affectionate gesture. Brenda smiled despite herself. "Yeah. Love you too, you furry menace." Iris watched with quiet amusement. Then approached Shammy. The Dire Wolf lowered her head. Iris rested a hand against her muzzle. "Look after one another." Shammy smiled. "Always." Ace stepped forward. Iris hugged her. Then Mai. Yukari received a warm kiss on the cheek. Reyes got a firm nod and a brief embrace from Brenda. No dramatic farewell. No speeches about sacrifice. Just the familiar, practical affection of people who understood that dangerous work was part of their lives. And that coming home mattered. --- The journey through Watson took less time than anyone expected. Traffic was unusually light along the route. Several intersections had suffered brief electrical disturbances, leaving traffic-control systems operating in reduced modes. Mai watched the reports. "Another fluctuation." Reyes looked toward the windshield. "Near the station?" "Closer than the previous one." Ace frowned. "Getting worse?" "Apparently." Kiro sat upright beside Reyes. Her ears moved constantly. The German Shepherd's new senses made the city unusually vivid. Traffic. Voices. The vibration of the vehicle. The faint smell of hot metal carried through the ventilation. She was still enjoying being a dog. That much was obvious. But the playful excitement of the previous days had given way to deliberate attention. Reyes noticed. She rested a hand against Kiro's shoulder. "Hey." Kiro turned. "You okay?" One bark. "Good." Reyes smiled faintly. "Remember, you don't have to prove anything." Kiro watched her. Then gently pressed her muzzle against Reyes's hand. Reyes scratched behind one ear. "That's my girl." Across the vehicle, Shammy watched the exchange. Her own thoughts were remarkably clear. No pressure information. No atmospheric impressions. No emotional signatures arriving without invitation. Only the people around her. Their voices. Their movements. The ordinary sounds of a vehicle traveling through Night City. She found the absence of her usual perception almost startlingly pleasant. Even now. Especially now. Ace looked toward her. "Sweetheart?" Shammy turned. "Yes?" "Still all right?" Shammy smiled. "Perfectly." Ace rested a hand against her thick fur. "Good." Shammy looked at her. Then asked, simply: "Are you worried?" Ace considered the question. "A little." Shammy nodded. "Me too." Ace smiled. "Look at us. Two ordinary people having an ordinary conversation." Shammy laughed. "One of us is an enormous Dire Wolf." "Details." "And neither of us has ever been particularly ordinary." "More details." Shammy lowered her muzzle and gently touched Ace's shoulder. "Love you, darling." Ace kissed her nose. "Love you too." --- They stopped several streets away from the old station. Reyes studied the surroundings before anyone exited the vehicle. The area was quieter than it had been during the previous reconnaissance. Not deserted. But subdued. Some shopfronts were already dark. A few apartment windows glowed weakly. One of the streetlights flickered twice, steadied, and then dimmed again. Mai checked her interface. "The disturbances are increasing." Yukari looked toward the older buildings. "I can feel something unusual." Ace turned. "Lloigor?" Yukari shook her head. "I won't name it from this distance. But there is a disturbance associated with the area." Shammy listened. She heard a distant electrical hum. The movement of traffic. A dog barking somewhere several streets away. Nothing more. She did not attempt to search for the supernatural disturbance through her missing pressure perception. There was nothing to search with. Reyes looked toward the map. "All right. We stick to the plan." Mai nodded. "No unnecessary risks." Ace smiled. "I feel like people keep looking at me when they say that." Reyes gave her a flat stare. "Imagine that." Kiro made a small amused sound. --- The old switching station looked worse at night. During daylight, it was merely neglected. After dark, it became a collection of hard angles, black windows, rusted structures, and weak industrial lighting that seemed reluctant to illuminate anything beyond the next few meters. The surrounding streets were nearly empty. Reyes led the way along the public approach they'd identified earlier. Kiro remained close beside her. Ace, Mai and Yukari followed. Shammy moved farther to the side where the broader service area allowed her enough room to maneuver. Nobody rushed. Nobody drew a weapon. They were still gathering information. Reyes stopped near the outer service court. Studied the layout. Then looked toward Kiro. The German Shepherd's ears had risen. Her nose moved. Reyes followed her gaze. A service door stood partly open. Light spilled from inside. Voices drifted through the gap. Not enough to make out words. But enough to establish that people were moving within. Reyes looked toward Mai. "Occupied." Mai nodded. "Expected." Then Kiro stopped. She turned her head toward the opposite side of the building. Sniffed. And became very still. Reyes noticed immediately. "What is it?" Kiro looked up. Then toward a narrow passage. Reyes followed her gaze. She could see nothing unusual. But Kiro was clearly indicating something. Mai approached with the portable interface. Kiro touched a symbol. **PEOPLE.** Reyes straightened. "How many?" Kiro looked toward the passage again. She didn't have a reliable way to communicate an exact number from the information available. Instead, she touched another symbol. **MORE.** Reyes nodded. "All right." She turned toward Ace. "We've got activity on the other side." Ace glanced toward the passage. "Guards?" "Maybe. Maybe workers. We don't know." Mai looked toward Yukari. The kitsune nodded. "We should not assume hostility." Reyes agreed. "Exactly." She gestured toward the wider service court. "We hold here until we understand what we're looking at." Shammy moved quietly into position beside the outer wall. Her enormous body was difficult to conceal completely, but the shadows and industrial clutter gave her some cover from casual observation. She settled. Watched. Listened. And waited. --- Inside the station, the gathering had already begun. A dozen exhausted people sat or knelt in a room adjoining the old electrical equipment. Some had come voluntarily. Some had returned because they believed the discomfort they felt was proof that the process was working. Others had been persuaded that failing to attend would burden the remaining followers. Their leader stood before them. He wore ordinary work clothes beneath a dark coat. There was nothing particularly mystical about him. No ceremonial armor. No dramatic mask. No elaborate symbols painted across his face. Only the small emblem of the Fortunate on his jacket. Three curved lines around an empty center. He looked around the room. "My friends." The gathering quieted. "You have come because you understand." Several people nodded. "You understand that weakness is not failure." A woman near the front lowered her head. "You understand that what you give is not lost." The machinery behind him hummed. The lights dimmed slightly. A few people smiled. "Tonight," the leader continued, "we take another step." He gestured toward the equipment. "Tonight, the current grows stronger." A technician standing beside the controls glanced at the monitoring display. The new connection had been prepared. The activation window was approaching. The technician hesitated. "There's something I should mention." The leader turned. "What?" "We've had unusual access reports. Somebody's been looking at the maintenance records." The leader's expression changed. Only slightly. "Utility inspectors?" "Don't know." A pause. Then the leader smiled. "Continue." The technician looked uncertain. "You're sure?" "Of course." He turned back toward the gathering. "The current does not wait for the doubtful." The machinery hummed. A woman in the second row swayed slightly. Nobody noticed. Or, if they noticed, nobody moved to help her. --- Outside, Mai received a new status report. She looked down. Then frowned. Ace noticed immediately. "What?" "The connection's being prepared for activation." Reyes turned. "Now?" "Yes." Yukari looked toward the station. "Then we should move carefully, but quickly." Ace nodded. "Agreed." Reyes checked the approach. "There's a maintenance access beyond the service court. We can reach it without going through the gathering area." Mai studied the layout. "That takes us toward the old isolated section." "Exactly." Yukari considered the route. "And from there, we may be able to see the feeding point." Ace looked toward Shammy. "Sweetheart?" The Dire Wolf raised her head. "Yes, darling?" "Stay with Reyes and Kiro for now." Shammy nodded. "Of course." "If anything goes wrong..." "I will protect them." Ace smiled. "I know." Shammy lowered her muzzle. "And you will come back." Ace kissed her nose. "That's the idea." Reyes watched the exchange. Then looked toward Kiro. "Ready?" One bark. "Stay close." Another bark. Mai checked her equipment one final time. Yukari closed her eyes briefly, concentrating. When she opened them, her golden gaze had become very serious. "Something is waiting inside." Ace looked toward her. "Friendly?" Yukari shook her head. "I don't believe friendship enters into its thinking." Ace sighed. "Wonderful." --- They reached the maintenance access without incident. The passage beyond was dark. Narrow. And filled with the faint, unpleasant smell of old electrical equipment. Reyes checked the immediate surroundings. No one visible. No obvious obstruction. She looked toward Mai. "This should put you near the isolated section." Mai nodded. "Good." Kiro sniffed the air. Then stopped. Her ears rose. Reyes looked down. "What?" The German Shepherd turned toward the far end of the passage. A sound had reached her. A human voice. Then another. Reyes listened. A moment later, she heard them too. "...not supposed to be here." A second voice answered. "Doesn't matter. We were told to check." Footsteps approached. Reyes looked toward the others. "Company." Ace's expression changed. Not dramatically. But the humor vanished. Mai moved back from the passage entrance. Yukari watched the darkness ahead. Reyes crouched beside Kiro. "Stay with me." The German Shepherd gave one quiet bark. Behind them, Shammy rose. Slowly. Her enormous shoulders shifted beneath her thick coat. She could hear the approaching footsteps now. She could smell the people coming. And she knew exactly where her friends were standing. No pressure perception. No supernatural warning. No invisible information. Just the simple, immediate reality of a possible confrontation. For the first time that evening, Reyes rested a hand near her weapon. She didn't draw it. Not yet. The footsteps came closer. A flashlight beam swept across the far wall. Then a man's voice called out. "Who's there?" Nobody answered immediately. Reyes glanced toward Ace. Ace met her eyes. Then stepped forward into the edge of the light. "Evening." The flashlight swung toward her. A man in a maintenance jacket stopped several meters away. Another stood behind him. Both looked startled. The first man's hand moved toward his belt. Ace noticed. So did Reyes. Ace smiled. "Relax." The man stared at her. "You're not authorized to be here." Ace tilted her head. "Funny. We were about to say the same thing." The man's expression hardened. "Leave." Mai stepped forward. "We need to speak to whoever is responsible for the electrical modifications." The man looked toward her. Then toward Reyes. And finally at Kiro. His eyes narrowed. "That's the dog." Reyes went very still. Ace's smile disappeared. Mai looked sharply toward the man. He had recognized Kiro. Not as a transformed woman. Not as a netrunner. As the German Shepherd that had been seen near the station during the earlier reconnaissance. The man reached toward his communication device. "Found them." Behind him, somewhere deeper inside the station, a warning tone sounded. Mai's interface chimed. She looked down. The new feeder connection had just entered its activation sequence, though full energization was still pending. And beyond the walls, something hungry began to stir. --- ## Chapter 15 — Unauthorized Personnel "Found them." The maintenance worker lowered his communication device. For one brief moment, nobody moved. Ace looked at him. Then at the second man. Then at the hand hovering near the first man's belt. "Well," she said pleasantly, "that's an interesting way to welcome visitors." The man didn't smile. "You're coming with us." Reyes shifted slightly. Not enough to appear threatening. Just enough to place herself between Kiro and the two men. "On whose authority?" "Site security." Reyes glanced at the peeling walls, the neglected cables, and the old warning signs that looked as though they hadn't been replaced in twenty years. "Really." The man's expression hardened. "Yes." "Funny. Doesn't look like an active utility site." "It is." "Then perhaps you can explain why its maintenance records don't match the operating configuration." The second worker looked sharply toward the first. Ace noticed. So did Mai. The first man narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?" Mai stepped forward. "People investigating electrical disturbances that have affected medical facilities and residential buildings in this district." For the first time, the man appeared genuinely uncertain. Only for a second. Then his jaw tightened. "You need to leave." Mai's interface chimed again. She glanced down. The feeder activation sequence was advancing. Not yet complete. But close. "Unfortunately," she said, "we can't do that until the activation is stopped." The man's hand moved. Reyes saw it. "Don't." He froze. Reyes hadn't raised her voice. Hadn't drawn a weapon. She simply looked at him. "Whatever you're reaching for, leave it where it is." The second man took a step backward. Ace smiled. "Excellent advice." The first worker looked from Reyes to Ace. Then toward the passage behind them. He seemed to be calculating something. Mai spoke again. "That connection is endangering people. We need access to the equipment and whoever authorized the work." "No." "People are getting sick." "That's not our problem." The words settled into the passage. Ace stopped smiling. "Really?" The man looked at her. Ace took one small step forward. "Because I think that might be exactly your problem." --- Kiro heard the second worker's breathing change. Her new ears caught the faint movement of fabric. The small metallic sound of something shifting beneath his jacket. She turned. The man had been standing slightly behind his companion. Now his hand was moving toward his pocket. Not quickly. Not dramatically. But deliberately. Kiro gave one sharp warning bark. Reyes reacted immediately. "Hands where I can see them." The second man stopped. For a moment, he seemed ready to argue. Then he glanced toward the German Shepherd. Kiro stood perfectly still. Her ears upright. Her attention fixed on him. Reyes looked at the man's pocket. "Whatever you've got, don't touch it." The man slowly raised his empty hand. The first worker swore. "You're making a mistake." Ace tilted her head. "Probably. But not the one you're thinking of." The second man looked toward Mai. Then at the diagnostic interface. "What's happening to the grid?" Mai studied him. "You don't know?" He hesitated. The first worker snapped: "Shut up." That answered several questions. Not all of them. But enough. Mai looked toward the second worker. "The station is drawing energy from surrounding buildings. People are experiencing unexplained exhaustion. Medical equipment has been affected." The man's face changed. "That's not possible." "Unfortunately, it is." "The system's supposed to..." He stopped. The first worker turned on him. "I said shut up!" Ace's expression became very cold. "Let him talk." --- Beyond the maintenance passage, the station's machinery began to hum. The sound wasn't particularly loud. But there was something wrong with its rhythm. A heavy, uneven vibration. As though the building were attempting to breathe through a throat full of dust. Mai looked toward her display. The feeder sequence continued. Reyes noticed. "How much time?" "Not enough." Yukari stepped closer. Her golden eyes had become intensely focused. "Mai." "Yes?" "The manifestation is responding." Ace turned. "To the activation?" "I believe so." The first worker took advantage of the distraction. His hand dropped toward his belt. It was a terrible decision. Reyes moved before he completed the motion. She caught his wrist, twisted it away from his body, and drove him firmly against the wall. A compact handgun struck the floor. The man cried out. Reyes kept him pinned. "That," she said, "was exceptionally stupid." The second worker raised both hands. "Whoa! I'm not doing anything!" Ace moved between him and the fallen weapon. "Good. Keep it that way." The first man struggled. Reyes tightened her hold. "Stop." He stopped. Kiro stood beside Reyes, alert and ready, but made no attempt to attack. She didn't need to. Reyes had the situation under control. Mai glanced toward them. "Everyone all right?" "Fine," Reyes answered. Yukari looked toward the darkened passage. "Then I suggest we continue." --- Reyes recovered the fallen handgun and escorted both workers back to the outer service court, away from the energized equipment. Shammy took charge of watching the two disarmed men while Mai notified emergency responders about the electrical hazard and the civilians still inside. Ace stayed at the court entrance to question the second worker. The second man remained where Reyes had told him to stand. Hands visible. Breathing rapidly. Ace looked at him. "What's your name?" "Anton." "Anton. I'm Ace." He stared at her. She smiled faintly. "Now that we've established introductions, why don't you tell us what this place is doing?" Anton swallowed. "I just maintain the equipment." "What equipment?" "The distribution system." "Which isn't supposed to be operating?" He looked away. Ace waited. Eventually, he said: "They told us it was a private research installation." Mai stepped closer. "Research into what?" "Energy transfer." Reyes glanced toward her. "That's one way to describe it." Anton swallowed again. "We were told the power fluctuations were expected." Mai studied him. "Expected?" "During the tests." "And the medical complaints?" He shook his head. "I didn't know about those." Ace watched his face. She didn't know whether he was telling the truth. But he appeared frightened in a way that suggested the evening was becoming considerably more complicated than he'd expected. "Who hired you?" Anton hesitated. Reyes looked up from where she stood beside the restrained worker. "Think carefully." Anton looked toward the main building. "His name's Calder." Ace nodded. "Calder." "He runs the gatherings." Mai looked toward Yukari. The kitsune's expression remained grave. Anton continued. "He told us the station was helping with a new kind of power conversion." "And you believed him?" Ace asked. "He paid well." Reyes gave a humorless laugh. "There it is." Anton looked miserable. "He had valid access credentials. The equipment was already here. I thought..." His voice faded. Mai didn't let him finish the sentence for her. "What did you think?" Anton looked toward the machinery. "That it was legitimate." The lights flickered. He flinched. Then whispered: "What is that sound?" Yukari answered quietly. "Something your employer should never have invited here." --- Inside the gathering chamber, Calder stood before the assembled Fortunate. The lighting had become noticeably weaker. Several followers swayed where they sat. One woman had lowered herself onto the floor because she could no longer remain upright. The technician at the control station looked worried. "Calder." The leader ignored him. "Tonight, my friends, we approach the threshold." "Calder." The equipment hummed. The technician raised his voice. "The new feeder's drawing more than the projected load." Calder turned. "Then the current is strengthening." "That's not what I said." Several followers looked up. The technician pointed toward the display. "Something's wrong." Calder approached him. "Everything is proceeding as intended." "No. It isn't." The technician's voice was shaking. "We've got losses through circuits that aren't even connected to the new feeder." Calder studied the screen. Then smiled. "Wonderful." The technician stared. "Are you listening to me?" "The Presence is answering." A woman near the front gave a small, weak cry. Nobody moved toward her. The technician looked around the room. At the exhausted people. At their pale faces. At the way several had begun leaning against one another simply to remain seated. Then he turned back to Calder. "We need to stop." Calder's expression changed. For the first time, his pleasant composure cracked. "No." "People are getting sick." "They are being transformed." The technician shook his head. "That's not transformation." Calder stepped closer. "Continue the sequence." The technician hesitated. Calder's voice became very quiet. "Continue." --- Mai had found the first physical discrepancy. The maintenance passage led into a narrow equipment gallery overlooking part of the old station. From there, she could see several of the connections documented in the records. And several that weren't. She studied the arrangement. Then her eyes narrowed. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me." Ace turned. "What?" Mai pointed toward a bank of newer equipment installed among the older distribution units. "Those connections aren't simply supplying the station." Reyes looked over. "What are they doing?" "Routing power through it and back into other sections of the network." Ace frowned. "Why?" "That's what I want to know." Kiro approached carefully. She sniffed the air. Warm insulation. Metal. Dust. And something else. A sharp, increasingly unpleasant electrical smell. She stopped. Then looked toward Mai. One warning bark. Mai glanced down. "You smell something?" Kiro indicated the newer equipment. Mai examined the temperature readings available on her interface. Her expression tightened. "Some of the components are overheating." Reyes looked toward the gallery. "Can we do anything?" "Not safely from here. And I don't want anyone touching this installation until we know what it's doing." Yukari stepped forward. She looked through the gallery toward the deeper machinery. Then closed her eyes. For several seconds, she remained motionless. Ace watched her. "Yukari?" The kitsune opened her eyes. "That is where it is anchored." Mai looked up sharply. "You're certain?" Yukari nodded. "The local manifestation is concentrated beyond those connections." Ace looked toward the chamber. "Can you see it?" "Not as a body." "Then what?" Yukari's expression was troubled. "A distortion. Something occupying the relationship between the energy flowing through this place and the energy being taken from it." Mai considered the description. "That sounds unpleasantly close to our working model." "Unfortunately." Yukari looked toward the equipment. "And it is stronger than I expected." --- Reyes checked the passage behind them. The maintenance passage was clear. The two earlier workers were outside with Shammy, disarmed and away from the live equipment. Neither was in a position to interfere. But voices were approaching from deeper inside the station. More than one. Reyes turned toward Ace. "We've got company." Ace looked at Mai. "How long?" Mai studied her interface. "The feeder is close to activation." "Can you prevent it?" "Not by simply cutting the supply." Yukari nodded. "We need the boundary first." Ace turned toward Reyes. "Then we need time." Reyes smiled grimly. "That I can help with." Kiro stepped beside her. Reyes looked down. "Stay close." One bark. "And no heroics." Kiro gave her an extraordinarily patient look. Reyes sighed. "I know. I keep saying it." The German Shepherd wagged once. Then her ears turned. She heard the approaching voices more clearly now. Three people. Maybe four. Footsteps. A metallic rattle. Something being dragged. Reyes noticed her attention. "How many?" Kiro looked toward the passage. Then gave three short barks. A pause. Another bark. Reyes nodded. "Three or four." Kiro wagged. Ace grinned briefly. "Good girl." Then the first man appeared. He wore a dark jacket with the Fortunate emblem on his chest. He stopped. Looked at Reyes. At Ace. Then at the enormous German Shepherd. His expression twisted. "Intruders!" Reyes raised a hand. "Stop right there." The man didn't. He turned back toward the others. "Get Calder!" Behind him, another figure appeared. This one carried a weapon. Reyes's expression changed instantly. "DOWN!" --- The first shot struck the wall beside the maintenance gallery. Concrete fragments scattered across the floor. Ace moved. Fast. Not recklessly. Not toward the gunfire. She pulled Mai behind the heavy structural support beside the equipment gallery. Yukari slipped into cover with them. Reyes pushed Kiro behind a solid barrier and moved to a protected position where she could watch the passage. Another shot cracked through the corridor. Reyes returned controlled fire toward the armed threat. The shooter ducked back. Ace looked toward Mai. "You all right?" "Yes." "Yukari?" "Fine." Reyes called from the other side of the gallery. "Nobody move into the passage!" Kiro remained beside her. Perfectly still. Ears upright. Watching. Another voice shouted from beyond the corner. "Get out!" Reyes answered. "We're not here for your gathering! Put the weapon down!" A shot struck the overhead structure. Sparks fell. Mai swore. "That equipment is active!" Ace's expression hardened. "Of course it is." Yukari looked toward the deeper chamber. The unnatural hum had become louder. "Mai." Mai turned. "What?" "The manifestation is feeding faster." Mai looked at her interface. The incoming power readings were shifting. Several reserve systems elsewhere in Watson were reporting new losses. The feeder sequence continued despite the shooting. Mai's jaw tightened. "We're running out of time." --- Outside, Shammy heard the gunshots. She was on her feet before the echoes faded. Not because of a supernatural warning. Not because she sensed danger through pressure or emotion. She heard the shots. That was enough. The Dire Wolf moved toward the service court. Then stopped. A side door had opened. Two people emerged. One was a man wearing the Fortunate emblem. The other was a woman who could barely remain standing. The man had one hand around the woman's wrist. He was pulling her toward a parked vehicle. She stumbled. "Please..." He tightened his grip. "Keep moving." Shammy stepped into view. The man froze. For a moment, he appeared unable to comprehend what he was seeing. An enormous Dire Wolf stood several meters away, her pale coat catching the weak industrial lighting. Her bright blue eyes were fixed on him. The woman looked up. Then gasped. Shammy spoke. "Let her go." The man stared. The woman stared. For one extraordinary second, neither seemed capable of moving. Then the man released the woman's wrist. Shammy lowered her head. "Thank you." The woman stumbled backward. Shammy looked toward her. "Are you hurt?" The woman shook her head weakly. "Just... tired." Shammy nodded. "Then sit down, darling. Slowly." The woman obeyed. The man took a step toward the vehicle. Shammy's gaze returned to him. "Don't." He stopped. "I haven't done anything!" Shammy considered that. "Then you have an excellent opportunity to continue doing nothing." The woman gave a startled, exhausted laugh. The man looked toward the open door. Then toward the enormous wolf blocking his escape. He made a decision. A wise one. He raised his hands. --- Inside the station, the shooter tried once more to lean around the corner. Reyes warned him to drop his weapon. He fired instead. She answered from cover, and his weapon clattered onto the concrete. The other two pulled him back into the deeper corridor before he could reach for it again. Only then did the shooting stop. Reyes didn't pursue them blindly. She checked the immediate area. Then looked toward Kiro. "Stay." The German Shepherd remained beside cover. Reyes moved far enough to confirm the threat had withdrawn. Then returned. "All right. We've got a few seconds." Ace stepped out from behind the support. "Everybody okay?" Mai nodded. Yukari nodded. Kiro barked once. Reyes looked toward the passage. "They'll be back." Ace's expression hardened. "Then we make sure we're ready." Mai turned toward Yukari. "Can you establish the boundary from here?" The kitsune studied the equipment. Then shook her head. "Not reliably." "Where do you need to be?" Yukari pointed toward the older isolated section. "There." Mai followed her gaze. "The disconnected gallery." "Yes." Reyes studied the route. "Accessible?" "Looks like it." Ace looked toward the darkened doorway leading into the older section. "Then let's go." --- The disconnected gallery had once served a practical purpose. Engineers had used it to inspect equipment that could be isolated from the main distribution system. Now it was a forgotten collection of concrete platforms, heavy industrial supports, and machinery that had outlived the people who installed it. Dust lay thick across the floor. Old signs warned about hazards that no longer existed. Newer cables passed through openings that clearly hadn't been designed for them. Mai examined the layout. Then nodded. "This could work." Yukari stepped into the center of the gallery. Her expression became still. Very still. Ace watched her. "Sweetheart?" Yukari looked toward the deeper machinery. "I can establish a boundary here." Mai nodded. "Good." "But I need to understand the local anchor before I close it." Mai checked the diagram. "What do you need?" Yukari pointed toward the active equipment beyond the gallery. "That connection." Mai studied it. Then frowned. "It's not simply the new feeder." "No." Mai enlarged the available measurements. The original unauthorized connections. The more recent additions. And a central section of equipment that appeared to have been modified repeatedly. She stared. Then looked toward Kiro. "Sweetheart. Come here." The German Shepherd approached. Mai brought the information down to her accessible display. Kiro studied it. Then indicated one of the connections. Mai nodded. "Yes. That one." Kiro touched another. Then another. Reyes watched. "What are they looking at?" Mai didn't answer immediately. She compared the connections. Then her expression changed. "Oh." Ace sighed. "That's never a small _oh_." Mai turned toward her. "They haven't just brought more power into the station." Reyes frowned. "What else?" "They've arranged the connections so the station remains tied to several external distribution paths." Yukari nodded slowly. "Multiple feeding routes." "Yes." Ace looked toward the machinery. "So cutting one won't stop it." "No." "And cutting them all at once?" Mai looked toward Yukari. Yukari's expression was grave. "That may force the manifestation to release what it has accumulated." Ace considered that. "Which is what we want." "Inside the boundary," Mai corrected. Yukari nodded. "Exactly." Kiro gave one sharp bark. Mai looked down. "What?" The German Shepherd touched the interface. **TIME.** Mai checked the activation status. Her face tightened. "Not much." --- In the gathering chamber, Calder stood before the humming machinery. The technician had stopped arguing. He was staring at the display. The new feeder connection was approaching full activation. The room's lighting had become painfully dim. Several followers lay on the floor. One had lost consciousness. Another was crying quietly. Calder looked at them. And smiled. "The Presence is near." The technician turned. "People are collapsing!" "They are being chosen." "That's not what this is!" Calder's expression hardened. "You doubt the current?" "I doubt you!" The words rang through the chamber. Several followers looked up. Calder stared. For the first time, the room was silent enough to hear the machinery beneath them. Then the technician pointed toward the unconscious woman. "Look at her!" Calder didn't. He looked toward the control display. The feeder sequence approached completion. He raised his hands. "Tonight, we become worthy." The technician took one step away from him. Then another. The machinery hummed. The lights dimmed. And somewhere inside the station, the accumulated energy began moving in a direction that no ordinary electrical system could explain. --- Yukari raised one hand. A pale flame appeared above her palm. Not an ordinary flame. It gave off no smoke. It did not consume the air. It glowed with the soft, unsettling beauty of something that belonged to a very different set of physical rules. Ace stepped closer. "Yukari?" The kitsune looked toward her. "I can begin." Mai checked the layout. "Will the boundary hold?" Yukari considered the question. "Against a localized manifestation, I believe so." Reyes watched the passage. "And if it doesn't?" Yukari smiled faintly. "Then we shall have a very unpleasant evening." Ace sighed. "Wonderful." The foxfire divided. One pale light became three. Then six. Then nine. They moved slowly through the air, settling around the old gallery. Mai watched their positions. The boundaries aligned with the separated physical space. A containment area. Not yet closed. Not yet ready. But taking shape. Kiro stood beside Reyes. Her ears were upright. Her tail was still. The German Shepherd watched the moving lights with undisguised fascination. Reyes looked down. "Beautiful, isn't it?" One quiet bark. "Yeah." Then Kiro's ears turned. She heard something. Not footsteps. Not voices. A rising vibration from deeper within the station. Her body stiffened. Reyes noticed. "What?" Kiro looked toward the machinery. Then gave two urgent barks. Mai checked the readings. The new feeder connection had reached its activation threshold. Her face changed. "Yukari!" The kitsune turned. "The manifestation is moving." Mai looked at Ace. "We need to close the boundary." Yukari raised both hands. The nine foxfires brightened. Their light expanded across the old gallery. For a moment, the entire station seemed to hesitate. The electrical hum dropped. The air became still. Even the distant voices from the gathering chamber faded beneath the deep vibration rising from the machinery. Then something answered. Not with words. Not with a recognizable voice. With an immense, hungry pressure against the containment boundary. Yukari's eyes widened. Ace stepped toward her. "Sweetheart?" The kitsune's expression hardened. "Mai." Mai looked up. "What?" "Your isolation sequence." "Not ready yet." Yukari's voice became very calm. "Then make it ready." Mai looked toward the display. Kiro moved beside her. Reyes checked the passage. Ace's hands settled near her katanas. And beyond the wall, something that had been feeding peacefully beneath Watson for days finally realized that its meal was being interrupted. The foxfire flickered. Yukari smiled without warmth. "Oh, no." Her golden eyes shone. "You don't get to leave." --- ## Chapter 16 — The Last Connection "Oh, no." Yukari's golden eyes shone. "You don't get to leave." The nine foxfires blazed brighter. For a moment, the abandoned equipment gallery became a place of impossible beauty. Pale flames hung between rusting industrial supports, illuminating old concrete and the tangled cables that had been added to the station over decades. Their light cast no ordinary shadows. Instead, the darkness seemed to retreat from them reluctantly, clinging to the machinery beyond the gallery as though it had acquired weight. Mai watched the electrical readings. They were becoming increasingly nonsensical. Incoming power was falling. Reserve capacity was disappearing. Several distribution nodes were reporting fluctuations that should have triggered automatic protection long before reaching their present state. And beneath it all, something was drawing energy without behaving like a conventional load. "Yukari." "Yes?" "How long can you maintain the boundary?" The kitsune considered the question. "I would prefer not to find out." Ace looked at her. "That bad?" "Not yet." Yukari raised her hands slightly. The foxfires shifted. "But it has noticed us." As if responding to her words, the machinery behind the containment boundary gave a deep, uneven groan. A strip of overhead lighting flickered. Then went dark. Reyes looked toward the passage. "We've got company again." Ace turned. "How many?" "At least two. Maybe more." Mai glanced at her display. "We need access to the station's control records. I can't safely isolate the network from these incomplete maintenance diagrams." Reyes nodded. "Then let's find somebody who knows what they did." Ace looked toward the darker passage. A faint smile appeared. "Now that's a plan I understand." --- Calder was beginning to lose his audience. Not through reasoned disagreement. Not through any sudden collective realization that worshipping an invisible energy predator might be a questionable life choice. His followers were simply becoming too weak to listen. A young man near the front had slumped against the wall. Two women were trying to help an older follower remain seated. Another person lay motionless on the floor, breathing but unresponsive. The station technician stared at the medical emergency unfolding around him. "Calder." The leader turned. "What?" "We need to get these people out." Calder's expression hardened. "They must remain." "They're collapsing!" "They are approaching the threshold." The technician looked at him. Really looked at him. Calder was standing straight. His voice was strong. His hands were steady. There was no exhaustion in his face. Nothing resembling the condition of the people who trusted him. "Why aren't you affected?" the technician asked. Calder paused. "What?" "You keep telling them to give more. Why aren't you giving anything?" Several followers looked up. Calder's smile returned. "My role is different." The technician stared. "Of course it is." "I guide them." "Right." "And I must remain strong enough to complete the work." The technician looked toward the unconscious woman. Then back at Calder. "You mean somebody else has to pay for it." Calder's smile disappeared. "Be careful." The technician stepped away from the controls. "No." Calder stared at him. "What did you say?" "I'm done." For a moment, the only sound came from the machinery. Then Calder reached inside his jacket. And drew a handgun. --- Kiro heard the movement before Reyes could see it. Not Calder's. The footsteps approaching from the maintenance passage. Two people moving quickly. One breathing hard. The other carrying something that rattled faintly against metal. The German Shepherd turned toward Reyes. Three short barks. Then she looked toward the passage. Reyes nodded. "Got it." She moved into cover. Ace stepped beside the heavy support separating the gallery from the corridor. Mai remained with Yukari. The foxfires continued burning. The first man appeared around the corner. He carried a compact firearm. The second followed close behind. Reyes spoke before either could raise a weapon. "Stop." They froze. "Hands where I can see them." The first man hesitated. Ace stepped into view. Her expression was calm. Almost pleasant. "That would be a very good idea." The man looked from her to Reyes. Then toward the equipment gallery. His eyes widened at the pale flames moving through the darkness. "What the hell is that?" Ace glanced back. "Oh, that's the part where your evening gets complicated." The second man swore. Then raised his weapon. Reyes moved immediately. Her first shot struck the weapon arm, knocking the man's aim aside. He cried out and dropped the gun. The first man fired blindly toward the gallery. The shot struck concrete. Ace moved forward. Fast. One emerald katana flashed into her hand. She struck the man's weapon with the flat of the blade, knocking it from his grip. Before he could recover, she drove him against the wall. He gasped. Ace held him there. "That," she said quietly, "was stupid." The man stared at the glowing sword. Then at her. His expression changed. "Who are you?" Ace smiled. "Someone having a very bad day." Behind them, Reyes secured the injured shooter's weapon and checked his condition. The wound was painful but not immediately life-threatening. He would require medical treatment. Reyes made sure he wasn't going to reach for another gun. Then looked toward Kiro. "All clear?" The German Shepherd listened. Sniffed. Then gave one bark. Reyes nodded. "Good." Ace released the first man into Reyes's custody. "Now." She looked toward the passage leading deeper into the station. "Where's your boss?" --- Outside, Shammy was keeping an eye on the two disarmed maintenance workers, three exhausted civilians, and two extremely frightened cultists. The civilians were sitting against the outer wall, recovering what little strength they could. One cultist had surrendered immediately. The other had attempted to run. That had lasted approximately four seconds. Shammy had stepped into his path. The man had stopped so abruptly that he nearly fell over. Now he stood beside the first, staring at the enormous Dire Wolf. Shammy regarded him. "Comfortable?" The man blinked. "What?" "Are you comfortable standing there?" He looked confused. "I..." "You may sit down if you prefer." The man stared. Then slowly sat. Shammy nodded. "Excellent." The first cultist looked toward the service door. Gunshots had sounded from inside. "What is happening?" Shammy's expression became serious. "Your group has been doing something very dangerous." The man swallowed. "We were helping." "Helping whom?" "The Presence." Shammy looked at him. "Has it ever thanked you?" He blinked. "What?" "Has it ever spoken to you?" The man hesitated. "We felt it." "That wasn't my question." He looked away. Shammy lowered her enormous head. "Have you ever received anything from it that wasn't another demand for your strength?" The man said nothing. A woman sitting nearby began crying quietly. Shammy turned toward her. "Darling?" The woman looked up. "I thought..." Her voice broke. "I thought I was doing something good." Shammy moved closer. Slowly. Carefully. "You may have believed that." The woman wiped her eyes. "But somebody has been taking advantage of you." The woman's expression crumpled. Shammy lowered herself beside her. Not touching. Just close enough to offer comfort. After a moment, the woman leaned against the Dire Wolf's enormous shoulder. Shammy remained still. Then she spoke quietly. "You're safe here for the moment." The woman closed her eyes. "Thank you." Shammy looked toward the service entrance. More voices echoed inside. Her ears rose. She would have preferred to stay beside the woman. But the others might need her. "Stay together," she told the civilians. "Help is coming." The first response team reached the outer court a moment later. Shammy guided them to the exhausted people and the disarmed men, then waited until a responder explicitly took charge of their care and custody. Only then did she stand. And turn toward the door. --- Mai had finally established contact with the legitimate utility emergency supervisor responsible for the surrounding district. It had taken several calls. A verification process. And a conversation that had become considerably shorter when she explained that unauthorized equipment at a supposedly retired station was endangering medical facilities. Now the supervisor's voice sounded through Mai's interface. "We can isolate the external feeders from here, but you'll need to confirm the station's current configuration." Mai looked toward the modified equipment. "Working on it." "Do not operate any local switching equipment until we've established the state of the network." "Understood." The supervisor hesitated. "What's actually happening down there?" Mai glanced toward Yukari. The kitsune was standing within a ring of pale fire, her attention fixed on something no ordinary instrument could measure. "An extremely unusual energy transfer." "That doesn't tell me much." "I'm aware." The supervisor sighed. "Fine. Keep the line open." Mai turned toward Reyes. "We need the station technician." Reyes nodded. "On it." Kiro approached the interface. She studied the layout. Then indicated a section of the old diagrams. Mai frowned. "The local control room?" One bark. "Yes. That's where the current configuration should be documented." Reyes checked the passage. "Then that's where we go." Ace turned toward Yukari. "Can you manage?" The kitsune smiled faintly. "Darling, I have been dealing with unpleasant things for a very long time." Ace raised an eyebrow. "Not what I asked." Yukari looked at her. For a moment, the ancient woman and the younger one simply regarded each other. Then Yukari's expression softened. "Yes, Ace. I can hold it." Ace nodded. "Good." She kissed Yukari's cheek. "Love you." "Love you too." Then Ace turned toward Reyes. "Let's find that technician." --- They found the gathering chamber in chaos. Several followers were lying on the floor. Others huddled together. The lighting had dimmed until the room was illuminated primarily by emergency strips and the sickly glow of the active equipment. And Calder stood beside the control station. A handgun in his hand. The technician faced him. Very still. Ace stopped at the entrance. "Well." Calder turned. His expression changed. "Who are you?" Ace looked at the gun. Then at the exhausted people around him. Her smile vanished. "Put it down." Calder stared. "You have no authority here." Reyes stepped beside Ace. "Neither do you." Calder pointed the weapon toward them. "Leave." Ace shook her head. "No." "You don't understand what you're interrupting!" "Actually," Mai said from behind them, "we understand considerably more than you seem to." Calder's eyes moved toward her. Then toward Kiro. He recognized the dog immediately. "The intruders." Reyes folded her arms. "Apparently we're famous." Calder's expression twisted. "You came to destroy the work." Ace looked around the chamber. At the people barely able to remain conscious. At the technician standing under the threat of a gun. At the dimming lights. Then back at Calder. "Your work?" He raised his chin. "Yes." Ace spoke very quietly. "Look at them." Calder didn't. "Look at your people." "They have chosen this." "Have they chosen to collapse on the floor?" "They are being transformed." Ace's eyes hardened. "Then why aren't you?" The question struck harder than she'd expected. Calder hesitated. Only briefly. But everyone saw it. The technician looked toward him. So did several followers. Calder tightened his grip on the weapon. "My role is to guide them." Ace nodded slowly. "Of course it is." Then she looked at the technician. "Can you stop the activation?" Calder swung the gun toward him. "Don't answer!" Reyes moved. Her shot struck the metal support beside Calder's hand. He flinched. Ace closed the distance. One sharp movement. A twist of his wrist. The handgun fell. Before he could recover, she drove him to the floor and pinned him there. It was over in seconds. Calder struggled. Ace leaned closer. "Stop." He stopped. She looked toward Reyes. "Got him." Reyes secured the weapon. Then moved to the technician. "Can you help Mai?" The man nodded rapidly. "Yes." "Good." She looked around the chamber. "Everyone who can walk, move toward the exit. Slowly. Help the people beside you." Several followers stared. Reyes raised her voice. "Your gathering is over. We need to get you somewhere safe." A woman near the front began crying. Another looked toward Calder. "But he said..." Ace glanced up. "He said a lot of things." Then she looked toward the woman. "Right now, we need to get you out of here." --- Shammy appeared in the doorway. The first thing the exhausted followers saw was an enormous Dire Wolf filling the entrance. Several gasped. One man attempted to stand. Failed. And collapsed back onto his knees. Shammy looked around the room. Then spoke. "Hello, everyone." Silence. Ace smiled despite herself. "Perfect timing, sweetheart." Shammy looked toward the injured and exhausted people. Her expression softened. "We're going to help you leave." A woman stared at her. "You can talk." "Yes, darling." "Are you..." The woman hesitated. "Are you an angel?" Shammy considered the question. Then smiled. "No." Ace grinned. "Depends who you ask." Shammy gave her a look. "Ace." "What?" "We have people to help." "Right." Together, they began moving the followers toward the exit. Shammy provided support where people could walk. Reyes directed the evacuation. Kiro remained close, identifying the next person needing assistance by nudging Reyes's hand and looking toward them. She didn't rush. Didn't bark unnecessarily. Didn't try to turn herself into a rescue dog with a dozen imaginary qualifications. She simply helped. And it worked. One elderly man hesitated at the doorway. He stared at the enormous wolf. Shammy lowered her head. "Would you like some help?" He swallowed. Then nodded. Shammy moved beside him. "Lean against me, darling." He did. Together, they began the slow journey toward the outer court. --- Calder was still struggling against his restraints when Ace returned to the control area. She crouched beside him. "Tell me something." He glared. "What?" "Did you know?" He said nothing. Ace waited. "Did you know it was hurting them?" Calder's jaw tightened. "They gave willingly." "That's not what I asked." He looked away. Ace's voice remained calm. "Did you know?" A long silence. Then: "The Presence required nourishment." Ace stared at him. "And you decided your followers could provide it." "They were honored!" Ace looked toward the doorway. Through it, she could see Shammy helping an exhausted man toward safety. Reyes directing the evacuation. Kiro standing beside a woman who had become too tired to walk without assistance. Ace turned back to Calder. "No." He looked up. "They were useful to you." For the first time, Calder had no answer. Ace stood. "Stay there." Then she walked away. --- The technician's name was Tomas. He was frightened. Ashamed. And becoming increasingly aware that the work he'd helped perform was considerably more dangerous than anything he'd been told. Mai had little patience for excuses. But she had time for useful information. "How many active connections?" Tomas studied the station's configuration. "Three external feeders. The new one was supposed to become the fourth." Mai nodded. "Did it activate fully?" "Not yet. The sequence stalled when the protective systems started reporting faults." "Good." He stared at her. "Good?" "It means we may still be able to stop it without extending the affected area." Tomas swallowed. "What about the other three?" Mai looked toward Yukari's gallery. "We need to isolate them." "That'll shut down most of this place." "That's the idea." Tomas looked at the monitoring display. Then back at Mai. "There's something else." Mai straightened. "What?" "The central equipment." He pointed toward the modified section of the station. "Calder insisted we keep it connected." "Connected to what?" Tomas hesitated. "I don't know." Mai frowned. "Explain." "The physical wiring is ordinary. At least, it looks ordinary. But there's something in the central assembly that doesn't belong there." Mai glanced toward the display. "What kind of something?" Tomas shook his head. "A metal piece. Old. Calder brought it himself. Said it was the heart of the installation." Mai went very still. Then she looked toward Yukari. "An anchor." The kitsune turned. Her eyes narrowed. "Describe it." Tomas swallowed. "A ring. About this big." He indicated the size with his hands. "Three curved sections around an empty center." Ace looked up. "The symbol." Yukari's expression became grave. "Yes." Mai looked at the central assembly. "So the cult didn't merely build an electrical connection." Yukari nodded. "They gave the manifestation a point through which to hold on." --- The foxfire boundary shuddered. Yukari turned sharply. The pale flames brightened. Something pressed against them. Not physically. Not in any way Ace could describe. The air within the gallery seemed to fold inward for an instant. The old machinery vibrated. A faint blue-white glow appeared between two disconnected pieces of equipment. Mai looked toward her instruments. The readings were rising. "Yukari!" "I know." The kitsune raised both hands. The nine flames moved closer together. Their light formed a continuous boundary around the local manifestation. For several seconds, the strange glow retreated. Then it returned. Stronger. Yukari's expression tightened. "This will not hold indefinitely." Mai nodded. "We're almost ready." "How close?" "External isolation is being coordinated. The gathering area's nearly evacuated." "And the anchor?" Mai looked toward the central assembly. "Still connected." Yukari's eyes moved toward it. "Then that must be the final connection." Ace stepped beside Mai. "What do you need?" Mai pointed toward the equipment. "The utility supervisor can isolate the external feeders. Tomas can confirm the station's internal state. But the anchor isn't part of the normal network." Yukari nodded. "I can sever its supernatural attachment once the electrical supply has been removed." Ace looked toward the central assembly. "And if it doesn't like that?" Yukari smiled faintly. "Then we shall find out how much energy it has accumulated." Ace sighed. "Wonderful." --- The evacuation took several more minutes. Longer than Reyes wanted. But rushing exhausted people through a dark industrial facility was a good way to create additional casualties. She refused to do that. Shammy escorted the last of the followers into the outer court. Kiro followed with Reyes. The German Shepherd had become unusually quiet. Not frightened. Focused. She had heard the strange vibration growing louder. Smelled the increasing electrical heat. And watched people who should have been recovering from a meditation session emerge looking as though they had survived days without sleep. Reyes crouched beside her. "You're doing good." Kiro looked up. One bark. Reyes smiled. "Yeah." She scratched behind one ear. Then checked the courtyard. The civilians were gathered safely away from the building. Medical responders were approaching through the surrounding streets. The restrained cultists remained under observation. No one was being left inside the gathering chamber. Reyes contacted Mai. "Evacuation complete." Mai's answer came immediately. "Good. Move everyone beyond the marked perimeter." "Already doing it." "Reyes?" "Yeah?" "Thank you." Reyes smiled. "Bring everyone out." --- Mai received confirmation from the legitimate utility supervisor. The surrounding feeders could be isolated without taking down the entire district. The necessary protective measures were in place. Tomas confirmed the station's internal configuration. The unauthorized expansion would not proceed. And the legitimate utility operator began the coordinated isolation. One external feeder dropped out of the station's supply. The machinery groaned. The foxfire brightened. Yukari's eyes narrowed. Another feeder disconnected. The low hum changed. Something deep within the building seemed to recoil. Mai watched the readings. "Two." Yukari nodded. The third feeder was isolated. For one brief moment, the station became almost silent. Then the central assembly began glowing. Not brightly. Not yet. A thin, blue-white light appeared around the strange metal ring embedded within the equipment. Ace stared. "That doesn't look promising." Mai checked her display. "The external feeders are isolated." Yukari looked toward the ring. "And the manifestation is still attached." Ace turned toward her. "Can you remove it?" "Yes." Mai looked sharply toward her. "Are you certain?" Yukari's expression was calm. "Of the attachment? Yes." She glanced toward the foxfire boundary. "Of its reaction? No." Ace nodded slowly. "Fair enough." Mai looked toward the exits. "All civilians clear?" Reyes answered over the communication link. "Confirmed. We're outside the perimeter." Mai glanced toward Ace. "Ready?" Ace drew her emerald katanas. The blades caught the pale foxfire and reflected it in impossible shades of green. She positioned herself beside Yukari. "Ready." Mai stepped back toward the protected control position. "Yukari." The kitsune raised both hands. The nine foxfires converged. Their light surrounded the strange metal ring. For a moment, nothing happened. Then a sound emerged from the central assembly. Not a mechanical noise. Not a human voice. Something vast and distant, forced through a space far too small to contain it. Yukari's expression hardened. "No." The foxfire tightened. The blue-white glow intensified. "Your feast is over." Mai watched the readings. The remaining anomalous energy flow fell sharply. Then stopped. For one extraordinary second, the entire station was silent. Ace looked toward Yukari. "Did we..." And then the Lloigor's local manifestation came apart. --- The first arc struck the containment boundary like a miniature lightning bolt. Blue-white. Brilliant. Loud enough to make Ace flinch. Then another. And another. Within a heartbeat, the old gallery became an explosion of electrical light. Arcs raced through the contained space. They snapped between pieces of dead machinery. Leapt across empty air. Split into branching patterns that illuminated every corner of the station. The sound was incredible. A violent, cracking thunder that echoed through the abandoned structure. Ace ducked behind the heavy support. Mai dropped into cover beside her. Yukari remained within the protected position, both hands raised, her foxfire blazing around the discharge. The boundary held. Barely. For several seconds, the entire station seemed to contain a captured thunderstorm. Blue-white light flashed through the windows. Every rusting support became a silhouette. The old concrete walls blazed with reflected brilliance. Outside, Reyes pulled Kiro farther behind protective cover. The German Shepherd crouched beside her, ears flattened against the overwhelming noise. Shammy stood between the evacuated civilians and the station, her enormous body shielding the closest people from flying dust and debris. The courtyard flashed white. Then blue. Then white again. Somebody screamed. Somebody else shouted something that nobody could possibly hear. And the electrical arcs continued. Five seconds. Six. Seven. Then the brightest flash of all. A single, enormous branching discharge filled the containment space. The foxfire flared. Yukari gave a sharp cry of effort. And the light vanished. Silence. Complete silence. The machinery stopped humming. The emergency lights steadied. Dust drifted through the air. Somewhere in the distance, a vehicle alarm began sounding. Ace slowly raised her head. "Everybody?" Mai answered immediately. "Here." Yukari lowered her hands. The foxfire faded into nine small, trembling points of light. Then disappeared. "I'm here." Ace looked toward her. "You okay?" Yukari nodded. "A little tired." Ace approached. "That was..." Yukari smiled faintly. "Rather dramatic?" Ace stared at her. "Sweetheart, that was an entire thunderstorm in a cupboard." Mai began laughing. Not much. Just a small, disbelieving laugh. Yukari looked toward the now-dark central assembly. "The local manifestation has lost its anchor." Mai checked the readings. The anomalous consumption had stopped. The distribution systems remained isolated and under utility control. No new reserve losses appeared. She checked again. Then looked up. "It's gone." Ace turned. "Really?" Mai smiled. "The feeding has stopped." Yukari nodded. "The local manifestation is no longer anchored here." Ace let out a long breath. Then grinned. "Well." Mai looked at her. "What?" "That was fun." Yukari laughed. Mai closed her eyes. "Of course you'd say that." --- Outside, Reyes cautiously rose from behind the protective barrier. The station was quiet. The streetlights beyond the site had steadied. The strange vibration was gone. Kiro stood beside her. Her ears slowly rose. Reyes looked down. "You okay?" One bark. "Good." She scratched behind Kiro's ear. Then turned toward Shammy. And stopped. For a moment, Reyes was completely silent. Kiro followed her gaze. Then stared. The enormous Dire Wolf stood in the middle of the service court. Entirely unharmed. Perfectly dignified. And spectacularly fluffy. Her thick fur had risen in every conceivable direction. Across her shoulders. Along her neck. Down her back. Even the long strands around her enormous tail seemed determined to point away from the rest of her body. She looked less like an ancient supernatural being and more like a very large cloud that had developed an opinion about electricity. Reyes pressed her lips together. Kiro made a tiny sound. A suspiciously strangled little whuff. Shammy turned her head. Slowly. "Don't." Reyes looked away. Her shoulders began shaking. Kiro sat down. Her tail thumped once. Then twice. Shammy narrowed her eyes. "Both of you." Reyes managed: "Wouldn't dream of it." Then Ace appeared from the service entrance. She was brushing dust from her jacket. Mai followed. Yukari came last, looking tired but pleased. Ace took one look at Shammy. And froze. Her mouth opened. Nothing came out. Shammy looked directly at her. Her blue eyes narrowed. And in a voice of absolute, thunderous dignity, she said: **"Not. One. Word."** Ace's lips trembled. She tried. She genuinely tried. For approximately three seconds. Then she doubled over laughing. Reyes lost the battle immediately. Mai covered her face. Yukari began laughing so hard that she had to lean against the wall. Kiro barked. Once. Twice. Then gave a delighted, rolling series of canine sounds that could only be interpreted as laughter. Shammy stood in the center of the courtyard. An enormous, electrified monument to offended dignity. She looked at Ace. Then at Mai. Then at Reyes. Then at Kiro. Finally, she sighed. A long, deeply theatrical sigh. "I am surrounded by children." Ace staggered toward her, still laughing. "Oh, sweetheart..." "Not. A. Word." Ace wrapped her arms around Shammy's enormous neck. "I love you so much." Shammy tried to maintain her expression. Failed. And began laughing too. The sound rolled through the courtyard, deep and warm. Ace buried her face in the absurdly fluffy fur. Mai joined them. Yukari rested a hand against Shammy's shoulder. Reyes approached with Kiro. And for a moment, standing outside an abandoned electrical station that had nearly become a feeding ground for something ancient and terrible, the entire group laughed until their sides hurt. The Lloigor was gone. The civilians were safe. Victor's clinic would have electricity again once the utility crews completed their work. And Shammy had just discovered one extremely unfortunate side effect of having an enormous amount of fur. Ace finally managed to look up. Her eyes were wet with laughter. "Sweetheart?" Shammy regarded her suspiciously. "Yes?" Ace smiled. "You're beautiful." Shammy's expression softened. "Thank you, darling." A pause. Then Ace added: "Very... expansive." Shammy closed her eyes. Reyes began laughing again. And Kiro's tail thumped happily against the ground. --- ## Chapter 17 — Steak and Static The first person to stop laughing was Mai. Not because she had suddenly recovered her dignity. That particular accomplishment would take considerably longer. But because her communication interface chimed. She glanced down. Then straightened. "Good." Ace, still holding on to Shammy's enormous neck, looked up. "What?" "Utility control confirms that the unauthorized feeders remain isolated. Their crews are taking over the station." Reyes nodded. "About time." "And the affected network segments?" "Being inspected before they're returned to normal service." Ace smiled. "So we're done?" Mai looked toward the old switching station. Its windows were dark now. The extraordinary blue-white flashes had vanished. No unnatural vibration rose from beneath the building. Only ordinary industrial silence remained. "With the manifestation?" Mai answered. "Yes." Yukari approached. Her expression had become thoughtful again. "The local attachment is severed. Whatever was feeding through this location no longer has a hold here." Ace looked toward her. "And the Lloigor itself?" Yukari shook her head. "That is a much larger question, darling. We have ended this manifestation, not destroyed an entire category of ancient beings." Ace considered that. "Good enough for tonight." "Very much so." Reyes checked the approaching emergency vehicles. "Then let's finish the handover and get out of here." Kiro barked once. Reyes looked down. "Agreed." Shammy shifted beside Ace. There was a soft rustling sound. Everyone looked toward her. The Dire Wolf's fur was still standing in improbable directions. Ace bit her lip. Shammy's eyes narrowed. "Darling." Ace raised both hands. "Not saying anything." "Excellent." A pause. Then Kiro gave a tiny, suspiciously amused whuff. Shammy turned toward her. "And you, young lady." Kiro looked up with extraordinary innocence. Reyes pressed her lips together. Shammy sighed. "I am never going to hear the end of this." Yukari smiled. "Probably not." "Thank you, Yukari." "You're very welcome, darling." --- The handover took almost an hour. The utility emergency supervisor arrived with a small crew and several people who looked deeply unhappy about discovering unauthorized modifications in a supposedly retired installation. Mai walked them through the electrical evidence. She showed them the altered feeder routes, the suspicious maintenance authorizations, and the central equipment whose normal electrical connections had already been secured. She did not pretend that every measurement could be explained through conventional engineering. She simply provided the information necessary to keep the system safe. The supervisor studied the central assembly. "What's that ring?" Mai looked toward Yukari. The kitsune answered calmly. "An object that does not belong in your electrical network." The supervisor stared. "That's not particularly helpful." "No," Yukari agreed. "But it is accurate." Ace smiled faintly. The ring remained where it was until the utility specialists could document its position and isolate the surrounding equipment. Whatever supernatural attachment it had possessed was gone, but its physical presence was still evidence. The authorities would need to determine who had installed it, who had authorized the electrical modifications, and how much of the damage could be attributed to deliberate human actions. Calder was no longer directing anyone. He sat under guard near the outer court, looking considerably less impressive without his followers and his machinery. Several of those followers were receiving medical attention. Others had already been transported for observation. The people most seriously affected would need time to recover. Some would undoubtedly need help understanding what had happened to them. Misty had agreed to assist with that part where appropriate. Victor was coordinating with medical colleagues. And the utility crews were taking responsibility for the electrical infrastructure. For once, the work was moving into the hands of people who were supposed to do it. Reyes watched the final transfer of responsibility. Then looked toward Ace. "Well?" Ace glanced at the station. "Well what?" "Are you satisfied?" Ace considered that. "Mostly." Reyes raised an eyebrow. "Mostly?" Ace nodded toward the waiting medical vehicles. "Those people still have a rough few days ahead of them." "Yeah." "And Calder's going to have a lot of questions to answer." "Also yeah." Ace looked toward the dark building. "But the thing that was hurting them is gone." Reyes nodded. "That's the important part." Ace smiled. "Then yes." She stretched. "I'm satisfied." --- They were preparing to leave when Victor called. Mai answered. "Hello." "Tell me something good." Mai smiled. "The feeding has stopped." There was a long pause. Then Victor exhaled. "Thank God." "Utility crews are restoring the affected network carefully. No further unexplained losses have appeared." "And the patients?" "Being evaluated. Some were considerably more exhausted than the people you treated earlier." Victor's voice became serious. "Any critical injuries?" "None reported from the discharge. Several followers need medical observation, and there were injuries during the armed resistance. Emergency personnel have taken over." "All of you?" Mai looked around. Ace was helping Reyes secure the last of their equipment. Kiro sat beside the vehicle. Yukari stood nearby. And Shammy... Mai looked at Shammy. Her mouth twitched. Victor noticed the silence. "Mai?" "Everyone is safe." "Good." Another pause. "Why are you laughing?" "I'm not." "Mai." She closed her eyes. "It's a long story." Ace overheard. "Oh, tell him." Shammy turned sharply. "Ace." Victor sighed. "What happened?" Ace leaned toward the phone. "Victor, hypothetically, how much static electricity would it take to make an enormous Dire Wolf look like an exploded pillow?" Silence. Then: "What?" Reyes began laughing again. Mai surrendered. Shammy looked toward the night sky with an expression of profound suffering. Yukari covered her mouth. Victor remained silent for several seconds. Then he said: "Are you telling me Shammy got electrocuted?" The laughter stopped immediately. Shammy moved closer. "No, Victor. I was not injured. The discharge remained contained, and I was outside the danger area." "Any pain?" "None." "Burns?" "No." "Muscle weakness? Dizziness?" "Nothing whatsoever." Victor paused. "Then what happened?" Shammy sighed. "My fur developed an unfortunate relationship with static electricity." Another silence. Then Victor laughed. Not a small laugh. Not a polite chuckle. A genuine, exhausted laugh from a man who had spent the previous day watching his clinic become the center of an impossible medical and electrical emergency. "Oh, that's wonderful." Shammy closed her eyes. "Victor." "I'm sorry." He continued laughing. "I'm genuinely sorry." Ace grinned. "No, you're not." "No," Victor admitted. "I'm not." --- It was during the drive home that Ace had her idea. Not a particularly complicated idea. Not even an especially original one. But it was, in her opinion, brilliant. She looked toward the two transformed women. Kiro was resting beside Reyes, her head comfortably positioned against the mercenary's thigh. Shammy lay on her spacious seat, her coat beginning to settle after its extraordinary adventure. Ace regarded them both. Then smiled. "Right." Mai looked up. "What?" "Celebration." Reyes glanced toward her. "What kind?" "A proper one." Yukari raised an eyebrow. "Should we be worried?" "Absolutely not." Mai sighed. "That's what worries me." Ace ignored her. "Two heroic four-legged ladies. One successful eldritch extermination. Zero major injuries." Shammy lifted her head. "Darling, it was a localized manifestation." Ace waved a hand. "Details." "Important details." "Very important. But not relevant to dinner." Kiro's ears rose. Reyes noticed. "Well, you've got her attention." Ace grinned. "Exactly." Mai studied her. "Ace." "Yes, sweetheart?" "What are you planning?" Ace smiled. "Steak." There was a pause. Kiro's ears went completely upright. Shammy looked interested. Reyes slowly smiled. "Oh, no." Ace's grin widened. "Oh, yes." --- The butcher was still open. A fact that Ace regarded as proof that the universe occasionally rewarded good behavior. Mai regarded it as proof that Night City had a sufficiently unpredictable working population to support late-night meat sales. Both interpretations seemed reasonable. Ace marched into the shop with the determination of a woman undertaking an important mission. Reyes followed. Mai came along because somebody needed to maintain at least a theoretical relationship with common sense. Yukari remained with the two transformed women in the vehicle. The butcher looked up. "Evening." Ace smiled. "Evening." "What can I get you?" "Steaks." The butcher waited. Ace continued. "Good ones." "Certainly." "Quite a few." The butcher smiled. "How many?" Ace considered the question. Then indicated a very substantial portion of the display. The butcher stared. Mai closed her eyes. Reyes began laughing. "All of those?" Ace nodded. "Yes." The butcher looked at her. Then at Mai. Then at Reyes. "Big party?" Ace smiled. "Two very hungry ladies." The butcher examined the quantity again. "Very hungry." "You have no idea." Mai stepped forward. "Actually, we do have a specific nutritional plan." Ace sighed. "Mai." "What?" "You're making the celebration sound like a medical conference." "Because two of the people we're feeding have recently undergone extensive physiological remodeling." The butcher blinked. Then nodded slowly. "Right." Reyes looked toward the ceiling. Ace grinned. "Night City." The butcher considered that. "Fair enough." --- Mai had already checked Victor's nutritional instructions and confirmed the appropriate portions and safe handling for both temporary physiologies. The meat would be served fresh, unseasoned, boneless, and properly handled. The rest of the household could cook their own steaks. Ace regarded this as an entirely acceptable arrangement. What she had not considered was the price. The butcher finished weighing the selection. Entered the final amount. Then turned the display toward her. Ace looked down. For a moment, her expression didn't change. Then she blinked. Reyes watched her. "Problem?" Ace cleared her throat. "Not at all." Mai leaned closer. Looked at the amount. Then slowly turned toward Ace. "Darling." Ace smiled. "Yes?" "That is an extraordinary amount of money for dinner." "An extraordinary dinner." "For two people." "Two very special people." Reyes folded her arms. "You know, I think the Lloigor got off cheaper." Ace pointed at her. "Traitor." Mai looked at the butcher. Then at the mountain of carefully wrapped steaks. Then back at Ace. She sighed. "You're impossible." Ace smiled sweetly. "But lovable." Mai considered that. "Regrettably." Reyes laughed. Ace paid. Without flinching. Much. --- When they returned to the vehicle, Kiro immediately noticed the bags. Her nose began working. Rapidly. Her ears rose. Her eyes widened. She looked at Ace. Then at the bags. Then at Ace again. Ace grinned. "Hello, gorgeous." Kiro gave a hopeful bark. Ace held up one carefully wrapped package. "Guess what?" The German Shepherd's tail began moving. Reyes laughed. "Oh, she's figured it out." Shammy lifted her enormous head. Sniffed. Then looked toward Ace. "Darling." Ace smiled. "Yes, sweetheart?" "Did you buy steaks?" "Possibly." Shammy looked at the quantity. Then stared. "Ace." "What?" "How many?" Ace hesitated. Mai answered from behind her. "Enough to concern the butcher." Reyes began laughing again. Yukari smiled. Shammy stared at Ace. Then at the bags. Then back at Ace. Finally, she sighed. "Oh, you ridiculous, wonderful woman." Ace beamed. "Love you too." --- Iris and Brenda were waiting when the group arrived home. Not anxiously pacing. Not standing beside the door. Simply waiting together in the living room, where they'd been having a quiet evening. Iris opened the secured upper entrance from inside after checking the arrival, and the returning group made its way in. Brenda looked up. "Well?" Mai smiled. "It's over." "Everyone safe?" "Yes." Reyes nodded. "The feeding's stopped. Emergency services and utility crews have taken over." Brenda exhaled. "Good." Iris crossed the room and embraced Mai. Then Ace. Then Yukari. Brenda gave Reyes a firm hug. Kiro approached. Her tail wagged. Brenda looked down. "Well, hello, you." Kiro leaned forward. Brenda immediately raised a hand. "Don't." The German Shepherd stopped. Considered her. Then gently rested her head against Brenda's leg. Brenda's expression softened. "Oh." She scratched behind one ear. "All right. I'll allow that." Kiro wagged. Iris smiled. "Progress." Then Shammy entered the room. Brenda turned. Looked at her. And stopped. There was a pause. A dangerous pause. Shammy narrowed her eyes. "Brenda." Brenda pressed her lips together. Iris looked from her wife to the enormous Dire Wolf. Then slowly covered her mouth. Ace began grinning. Brenda managed: "Static?" Shammy sighed. "Yes." Brenda nodded. "Right." Another pause. Then: "Spectacular." Ace collapsed against the wall. --- Dinner became an event. Not an elaborate formal occasion. Nothing involving decorations, speeches, or a ceremonial celebration of having saved Watson from an ancient energy parasite. Just the entire household gathered together. The kitchen smelled wonderful. The table filled gradually with food. Yukari helped prepare the human portions. Iris made a salad. Brenda claimed responsibility for the side dishes, which immediately caused Ace to ask whether the vegetables were planning to explode. Brenda glared at her. "One harmless coffee incident and nobody ever lets you forget it." Ace smiled. "Several harmless incidents." "Details." Iris looked toward her wife. "Darling, please don't give her ideas." Brenda sighed. "Fine." Meanwhile, Mai prepared the two transformed women's meals according to their individual plans. Kiro waited nearby. Very nearby. Suspiciously nearby. Reyes watched her. "You know she's not going to forget to feed you." Kiro looked up. One bark. "Then why are you supervising?" The German Shepherd looked at the meat. Then at Reyes. Then at the meat. Reyes sighed. "Fair." Shammy, meanwhile, sat with considerably greater dignity. At least outwardly. Her enormous nose occasionally moved toward the kitchen. Ace noticed. "Interested, sweetheart?" Shammy smiled. "I confess the aroma is rather appealing." Ace grinned. "That's an understatement." "Perhaps." "You're practically vibrating." "I am not." Ace looked toward her enormous tail. It was moving. Slowly. But unmistakably. Ace raised an eyebrow. Shammy glanced backward. Then closed her eyes. "Don't." Ace laughed. --- The moment finally arrived. Mai placed Kiro's meal before her. Fresh steak, prepared exactly as Victor's instructions required. Kiro looked at it. Then at Mai. For a moment, she didn't move. Mai smiled. "Go ahead, sweetheart." One delighted bark. Kiro began eating. Reyes watched her. Then smiled. "Yeah. Worth the wait." Across the room, Ace presented Shammy with her own considerably larger portion. Shammy looked at it. Then at Ace. Then at Mai. "Good heavens." Ace beamed. "Surprise." Shammy lowered her head. Sniffed. Then looked up again. "Darling, this is..." Ace touched her muzzle. "Just enjoy it." Shammy's expression softened. "Thank you." Then she began eating. For several minutes, conversation became secondary. Kiro was delighted. Shammy was delighted. Ace watched them with the smug satisfaction of someone whose extraordinarily expensive idea had proved successful. Mai leaned toward her. "Happy?" Ace smiled. "Very." "Good." A pause. Then Mai added: "We are not doing this every night." Ace looked offended. "I hadn't suggested that." Mai raised an eyebrow. Ace considered the mountain of remaining steaks. "Every other night?" Mai sighed. Reyes laughed. --- Later, when the plates had been cleared and the kitchen returned to something resembling order, Reyes reached into her bag. Kiro noticed immediately. Her ears rose. Reyes smiled. "Now." The German Shepherd approached. Reyes produced a grooming brush. Kiro froze. Then her tail began moving. Ace looked over. "Oh, that's adorable." Reyes sat on the floor beside Kiro's cushion. "Come here, gorgeous." Kiro obeyed with remarkable speed. She settled beside Reyes. The mercenary began brushing. Slowly. Carefully. Following the coat. Working through the thicker fur around the shoulders. Kiro's eyes closed. Her head tilted. And a sound emerged from her throat. A deep, contented canine rumble. Reyes smiled. "Like that?" Kiro leaned closer. Reyes laughed softly. "Thought so." Mai sat beside them. She watched Kiro settle into an expression of complete bliss. Then smiled. "You know, she's going to remember every second of this." Reyes glanced up. "Good." Mai's expression softened. "Very good." Kiro shifted closer. Her head came to rest against Reyes's thigh. Reyes continued brushing. For several minutes, the German Shepherd appeared to forget that anything else existed. No signals. No maps. No electrical anomalies. No ancient horrors. Only warm hands. A soft brush. And people who loved her. --- Across the room, Ace was preparing a second brush. Shammy watched with growing suspicion. "Ace." Ace looked up. "Yes, sweetheart?" "What are you doing?" "Nothing." Shammy glanced at the brush. Then back at Ace. "That is demonstrably untrue." Ace smiled. "Thought you might like a little grooming." Shammy considered the proposal. She was an ancient elemental. A being who had seen empires rise and fall. She had confronted creatures older than human history. She had helped contain a manifestation of Lloigor that very evening. She was also, at present, a very large Dire Wolf with an extraordinarily thick coat. And she had noticed what the brush was doing to Kiro. The German Shepherd looked positively transported. Shammy cleared her throat. "Well." Ace waited. "Proper grooming is important." "Very." "Especially after an incident involving static electricity." "Absolutely." Shammy looked toward the brush. Then away. "I suppose it would be reasonable." Ace smiled. "Good." Shammy lowered herself onto her enormous cushion. With immense dignity. Ace knelt beside her. "Ready?" "Certainly." Ace began brushing the fur along Shammy's shoulder. For a moment, nothing happened. Then Shammy's eyes widened. Just slightly. Ace continued. Slow, gentle strokes. Through the thick pale coat. The brush moved smoothly. Shammy's eyes closed. Her head lowered. A long sigh escaped her. Ace smiled. "Nice?" Shammy made a small sound. Not quite a word. Ace paused. "Sweetheart?" Shammy opened one eye. "Please continue." Ace grinned. "Of course." --- The next five minutes were catastrophic for Shammy's dignity. At first, she remained perfectly still. A magnificent Dire Wolf accepting proper coat maintenance with regal composure. Then Ace moved the brush along her neck. Shammy leaned toward it. Slightly. Ace continued. Shammy leaned farther. Her eyes closed. Her ears relaxed. Then Ace brushed the thick fur along her shoulders. Shammy gave a deep, involuntary sigh. Across the room, Brenda looked up. Iris noticed. Reyes continued brushing Kiro. Mai smiled. Ace moved the brush along Shammy's side. And the enormous Dire Wolf slowly, almost imperceptibly, began rolling toward her. Ace paused. "Sweetheart?" Shammy opened one eye. "Yes?" "You're moving." "I am adjusting my position." Ace smiled. "Of course." "For improved access." "Naturally." Shammy settled again. Ace resumed. Another minute passed. Then Shammy shifted. Her enormous front paw moved. Her shoulders relaxed. Her head tipped backward. And she rolled farther onto her side. Ace stopped. Looked at her. Then at Mai. Mai was already smiling. Shammy opened both eyes. "What?" Ace pressed her lips together. "Nothing." Shammy narrowed her eyes. "Darling." Ace grinned. "Would you like me to continue?" There was a pause. Then Shammy answered with enormous dignity. "Yes, please." Ace burst out laughing. --- The brush reached Shammy's chest. That was the end. The Dire Wolf's eyes closed completely. Her head tilted backward. One enormous hind leg stretched. And a sound emerged from her throat that nobody in the room had ever heard her make before. A deep, blissful rumble. Ace froze. Looked up. Then slowly smiled. "Oh." Shammy opened one eye. "Don't." Ace began laughing. "Sweetheart..." "Please." Another stroke. Shammy's leg moved. Slightly. Then again. Reyes looked up. Saw what was happening. And stopped brushing Kiro for approximately half a second. Kiro immediately nudged her hand. Reyes laughed. "Sorry, gorgeous." She resumed. But her eyes remained fixed on Shammy. The enormous Dire Wolf had now rolled almost completely onto her back. Four paws were visible. Her thick pale fur spread across the cushion. Ace stared. Then looked toward Mai. Mai covered her mouth. Yukari began laughing quietly. Iris smiled. Brenda leaned forward. "Oh, this is priceless." Shammy's eyes opened. Her expression changed. She looked down at herself. Then at Ace. Then toward the assembled audience. There was a pause. A very long pause. Finally, Shammy said: "I would like everyone to understand that this is a perfectly normal response to appropriate grooming." Ace made a strangled sound. Reyes doubled over. Mai began laughing openly. Yukari covered her face. Brenda looked delighted. Iris raised her cup. "Of course, darling." Shammy closed her eyes. "Thank you, Iris." Ace leaned forward and kissed her enormous muzzle. "You're beautiful." Shammy sighed. "You're impossible." Ace grinned. "Want me to stop?" Shammy's eyes opened immediately. "No." The room erupted. --- Eventually, the laughter softened. Ace continued brushing. Shammy stopped trying to maintain any particular posture. There was very little point. She lay comfortably on her back, enormous paws relaxed, her thick coat spread across the cushion. Every so often, she gave another contented sigh. Ace worked slowly. Gently. Taking her time. No teasing now. Just affection. Across the room, Reyes continued grooming Kiro. The German Shepherd had become a warm, sleepy collection of fur and happiness. Mai sat beside them, her hand resting against Kiro's shoulder. Yukari settled nearby. Iris and Brenda finished their tea. And the safehouse became quiet. Not unnaturally quiet. Not the frightening stillness of an electrical system being drained by something ancient. Simply peaceful. Shammy noticed the difference. Her pressure perception remained completely absent. There was no invisible emotional atmosphere to interpret. No supernatural information pressing against her awareness. She could hear Ace breathing. Feel the gentle movement of the brush. Smell the familiar people around her. And know, without needing any special power, that she was loved. She turned her enormous head slightly. "Ace?" Ace looked down. "Yes, sweetheart?" "Thank you." Ace smiled. "For the brushing?" "For everything." Ace rested the brush beside her. Then leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Shammy's enormous neck. "Always." Shammy closed her eyes. And held her there as best she could in her temporary form. --- Much later, when Reyes was preparing to leave, Kiro rose from her cushion. She approached. Her tail moved slowly. Reyes crouched. "Hey." Kiro rested her muzzle against Reyes's shoulder. Reyes smiled and wrapped an arm around her neck. "Good work tonight." Kiro gave a quiet whuff. "And tomorrow?" The German Shepherd's ears rose. Reyes laughed. "Tomorrow, we do something that doesn't involve a cult, a power station, or an eldritch parasite." Kiro wagged. "Maybe another walk." A bark. "Maybe a little ball practice." Another bark. Reyes smiled. "And absolutely no more supernatural investigations." Kiro looked at her. Then touched the nearby interface. **YES.** Reyes narrowed her eyes. "I don't trust that answer." Kiro wagged. Mai laughed. "Neither do I." Reyes kissed Kiro gently on the forehead. Then stood. "Goodnight, gorgeous." Kiro watched her leave. Ace let Reyes out through the secured upper door, then returned to the living room. Shammy was still resting on her cushion. Her fur had finally settled into something approaching normality. Ace sat beside her. "Well." Shammy opened one eye. "Yes, darling?" "Not a bad evening." Shammy considered that. "An ancient energy predator defeated." "Yep." "A dangerous gathering stopped." "Yep." "Victor's patients recovering." "Yep." "A truly extraordinary quantity of steak consumed." Ace grinned. "Yep." "And my dignity utterly destroyed by a grooming brush." Ace began laughing. Shammy smiled. Then lowered her enormous head onto Ace's lap. "But," she added softly, "I believe it was worth it." Ace leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Me too." Shammy closed her eyes. For a while, they simply sat together. The city beyond the windows continued glowing. Watson's lights were returning to their ordinary, unreliable brilliance. Somewhere across the district, Victor was undoubtedly preparing a long list of repairs, inspections, and complaints about the state of Night City's infrastructure. And in the safehouse, a German Shepherd slept soundly beside Mai, while an enormous Dire Wolf enjoyed the last traces of a wonderfully peaceful evening. Kiro's scheduled return to human form was approaching, but there was still time to enjoy the last full day of her sculpt. Shammy's own sculpt would fade when it was ready. There was no rush. No need to hurry toward the next transformation. No reason to turn their unusual holiday into anything other than what they had wanted it to be. Ace looked down at Shammy. "Sweetheart?" "Mmm?" "Tomorrow, we're doing absolutely nothing." Shammy smiled without opening her eyes. "That sounds lovely." A pause. Then she added: "Perhaps a little brushing." Ace grinned. "Oh, absolutely." From the other side of the room, Mai began laughing. And Shammy, finally abandoning the last scraps of her dignity, laughed with her. --- ## Chapter 18 — Four Paws, Nine Tails, and No Emergencies The next morning, Ace woke to an extremely peculiar sound. Someone was snoring. That wasn't unusual. The safehouse had its share of sleepers, and some of them had developed impressive talents in the field of making noise while unconscious. But this particular snore was different. Deep. Soft. Almost a rumble. Ace opened one eye. Shammy lay beside the bed. Her enormous Dire Wolf body occupied most of the space between the bed and the wall, her pale coat forming a comfortable landscape of thick fur. Her head rested on her front paws. Her eyes were closed. And she was snoring. Ace smiled. Then reached down. Her fingers found one enormous ear. She scratched gently behind it. The snoring stopped. Shammy sighed. Her eyes remained closed. "Good morning, darling." Ace laughed softly. "Morning, beautiful." "Did you sleep well?" "Very." "Good." Ace continued scratching. Shammy leaned into the touch. There was a long, comfortable silence. Then Ace asked: "Are you going to get up?" "Eventually." "Breakfast?" "Eventually." "Coffee?" Shammy opened one eye. "That is a more persuasive argument." Ace grinned. "Thought so." She leaned over the edge of the bed and kissed the enormous wolf's forehead. Shammy closed her eye again. "Another five minutes." Ace laughed. "You're impossible." "Yes, darling." Then she resumed snoring. --- The kitchen smelled of coffee and freshly baked bread. Mai stood at the counter, preparing breakfast. Kiro sat beside her. Very straight. Very attentive. Very clearly supervising. Mai looked down. "Sweetheart." The German Shepherd's ears rose. "You are not getting any of this." Kiro looked toward the bread. Then back at Mai. "Victor's instructions." A small, disappointed whuff. Mai smiled. "Don't look at me like that." Kiro tilted her head. Mai sighed. "Oh, that's unfair." The German Shepherd's tail moved. Mai crouched. She wrapped her arms around Kiro's neck. "Good morning." Kiro leaned against her. Mai kissed the top of her head. "Did you sleep well?" One bark. "Any discomfort?" Two barks. "Good." Mai scratched behind one ear. Kiro closed her eyes. For a moment, neither moved. Then Mai whispered: "Thank you for yesterday." Kiro opened her eyes. Mai smiled. "You were wonderful." The German Shepherd pressed closer. Mai held her. "I know you wanted this week to be a holiday. I'm sorry it turned into work." Kiro gave a soft whuff. Then touched her nose gently against Mai's cheek. Mai laughed. "I know. You enjoyed helping." One bark. "But today..." She leaned back enough to look Kiro in the eyes. "Today we're going to do something that doesn't involve an ancient energy parasite." Kiro's tail began moving. Mai smiled. "Agreed?" One enthusiastic bark. "Excellent." From the doorway, Ace announced: "Good morning, ladies." Mai looked up. "Morning." Ace surveyed the room. Then Kiro. Then the bread. Then Mai. "Is she negotiating breakfast again?" "Naturally." Ace crouched beside Kiro. "Sweetheart, you've successfully investigated an eldritch phenomenon, assisted with a dangerous operation, and helped rescue several people." Kiro wagged. "Surely you can handle a week without toast." The German Shepherd gave her a deeply offended look. Ace began laughing. "Oh, I love you." --- Reyes arrived shortly after breakfast. Ace let her in through the secured upper door. The mercenary had barely stepped inside before Kiro appeared. Tail wagging. Ears upright. Entire body radiating delight. Reyes smiled. "Well, hello." Kiro barked. "Miss me?" Another bark. Reyes crouched. "Good." She scratched behind Kiro's ears. The German Shepherd leaned into the touch. Ace watched from the hallway. "You know, that's becoming a dangerously effective greeting." Reyes looked up. "Jealous?" Ace considered that. "Maybe." Reyes stood. Then caught Ace by the waist and kissed her. Warmly. Briefly. With the comfortable familiarity of someone who knew exactly how welcome she was. Ace smiled. "Better." Reyes grinned. "Thought so." Kiro barked. Reyes looked down. "Yes, yes. You get attention too." She crouched again. Kiro looked enormously satisfied. Mai appeared in the doorway. "Good morning, Reyes." "Morning." "Ready?" Reyes raised an eyebrow. "For what?" Mai smiled. "A proper day off." Reyes stared. Then looked toward Ace. "She really means it?" Ace nodded solemnly. "No electricity. No cults. No cosmic parasites." Reyes considered that. "Sounds suspicious." "Doesn't it?" Mai folded her arms. "I can hear both of you." "Good," Reyes said. "Just checking." --- Their destination was a quiet stretch of open ground beyond the busiest parts of Watson. It wasn't untouched wilderness. Night City had very little of that nearby. But it offered grass, scattered trees, enough room to move freely, and considerably fewer opportunities for someone to discover an ancient supernatural horror beneath an industrial building. Ace regarded the surroundings with satisfaction. "Perfect." Reyes looked around. "No abandoned substations." Mai smiled. "No suspicious maintenance records." Yukari, standing beside them in her human form, added: "No cultists." Shammy raised her enormous head. "And, one hopes, no electrical discharges." Ace looked at her. There was a pause. A dangerous pause. Shammy narrowed her eyes. "Darling." Ace pressed her lips together. "I didn't say anything." "Excellent." Kiro gave a suspiciously amused bark. Shammy turned toward her. "And you." The German Shepherd wagged. Yukari laughed. "Shall we?" --- It began with a ball. Naturally. Reyes had brought the same sturdy ball Kiro had enjoyed earlier in the week. The German Shepherd noticed it immediately. Her ears rose. Her tail wagged. She looked toward Reyes. Then toward the ball. Then back at Reyes. Reyes smiled. "Ready?" One bark. "All right." She threw. Kiro ran. The grass shifted beneath her paws. The wind moved through her coat. The ball bounced once. Twice. Kiro adjusted her course. Caught it. Turned. And raced back. Reyes grinned. "Beautiful!" Kiro placed the ball at her feet. Then sat. Perfectly. Ace applauded. Mai laughed. Yukari smiled. Shammy watched with quiet amusement. Reyes picked up the ball. "Again?" Kiro barked. And off she went. --- After a few throws, Yukari made a decision. She stepped away from the others. Smiled. Then transformed. Her human shape dissolved smoothly into that of a beautiful fox, russet and gold, with nine magnificent tails. Kiro stopped. The ball fell from her mouth. She stared. Yukari stretched. Her tails spread behind her in an elegant fan. "Hello, darling." Kiro's ears went straight up. Ace began smiling. "Oh, this is going to be good." Yukari flicked one tail. Kiro followed it with her eyes. Another moved. Kiro shifted her weight. Then a third. The German Shepherd lowered herself into a playful bow. Yukari smiled. "Are you challenging me?" Kiro barked. "Very well." The fox darted away. Kiro launched herself after her. Across the grass. Around a tree. Over a small rise. Yukari moved with effortless agility. Kiro followed with determination and considerable enthusiasm. Reyes watched them go. Then folded her arms. "Well." Mai smiled. "That should tire her out." Ace laughed. "Which one?" Reyes considered that. "Good question." --- For several minutes, the chase continued. Yukari darted between trees. Kiro followed. The fox occasionally stopped. Looked back. And waited just long enough for the German Shepherd to approach. Then she moved again. Kiro barked. Yukari laughed. "Too slow!" Kiro accelerated. Yukari changed direction. The German Shepherd followed. Then stopped. Very suddenly. Yukari glanced back. Kiro had lowered herself into the grass. She was watching the fox. Perfectly still. Yukari tilted her head. "Oh?" Kiro waited. The fox approached cautiously. One step. Two. Kiro's ears moved. Yukari smiled. "Planning something?" Kiro sprang forward. Yukari squeaked. Actually squeaked. Then darted sideways. Kiro chased her. Ace doubled over laughing. "SHE GOT YOU!" Yukari's voice carried back across the grass. "Only briefly!" Reyes grinned. "She's learning fox tactics." Mai smiled proudly. "Of course she is." Shammy watched the chase. Her tail moved once. Then again. Ace noticed. "Sweetheart?" Shammy looked down. "Yes, darling?" "Interested?" The Dire Wolf considered the question. "I am enjoying the spectacle." Ace smiled. "Want to join?" Shammy regarded the two smaller animals racing across the field. Then looked toward Ace. "Darling, I am considerably larger than either of them." "Yes." "And faster than I may appear." "Yes." "And if I join, the game may become rather unfair." Ace grinned. "Since when has Yukari cared about fair?" Shammy considered that. Then smiled. "An excellent point." She rose. Stretched. And looked toward the fox and the German Shepherd. "Yukari!" The fox stopped. Turned. "Yes, darling?" Shammy lowered her enormous front half into an unmistakable play bow. Her tail swept through the grass. Yukari stared. Then slowly smiled. "Oh." Kiro turned toward the Dire Wolf. Her ears rose. Shammy's blue eyes glittered. "Run." --- The next ten seconds became legendary. Yukari took off. Kiro followed. And Shammy launched herself after both of them. There was nothing delicate about an enormous Dire Wolf accelerating across open ground. Her paws struck the grass. Her thick pale coat moved over powerful muscles. Her enormous tail streamed behind her. Ace stared. Then began laughing. "GOOD LORD!" Reyes watched with widening eyes. "She's FAST!" Mai grinned. "Very!" Yukari glanced over her shoulder. Saw Shammy closing the distance. And made a startled sound. "Shammy!" "Yes, darling?" "You're cheating!" Shammy laughed. "I am a wolf!" Ace nearly collapsed. "THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID!" The fox darted sideways. Kiro followed. Shammy overshot by several meters. Then turned. Her enormous body shifted with surprising agility. For a moment, all three animals raced in different directions. Then converged. Yukari slipped beneath a low branch. Kiro circled around the tree. Shammy took the longer route. And when the fox emerged, both the German Shepherd and the Dire Wolf were waiting. Yukari stopped. Looked at Kiro. Then at Shammy. There was a long pause. Finally, the fox said: "Conspiracy." Kiro barked triumphantly. Shammy smiled. "Teamwork, darling." --- The resulting celebration involved a considerable quantity of rolling in the grass. Kiro rolled first. Shammy followed. Yukari, apparently deciding that resistance was pointless, joined them. Three animals. One German Shepherd. One enormous Dire Wolf. One ancient nine-tailed fox. All lying in the grass. Completely happy. Ace approached. Stopped. And stared. Reyes stood beside her. Mai joined them. For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Ace said: "Well." Reyes nodded. "Yep." Mai smiled. "I think we've successfully organized a holiday." Shammy raised her head. Her ears were slightly askew. A few strands of grass clung to her fur. She looked magnificent. And ridiculous. Ace smiled. "Comfortable, sweetheart?" Shammy sighed happily. "Immensely." Kiro wagged. Yukari stretched. Then smiled up at them. "Would anyone care to join us?" Ace considered the invitation. Then looked at Mai. Mai looked at Reyes. Reyes shrugged. "Why not?" A moment later, the three women were sitting in the grass beside their transformed companions. Ace leaned against Shammy's enormous flank. Mai scratched Kiro behind one ear. Reyes rested a hand against her shoulder. Yukari curled her nine tails around herself and watched them with delighted golden eyes. For a while, nobody spoke. There was no reason to. --- Later, after everyone had rested and Kiro had received water, Mai found herself sitting slightly apart from the others. Kiro approached. The German Shepherd rested her muzzle against Mai's knee. Mai smiled. "Hello, sweetheart." Kiro wagged. Mai scratched behind one ear. For a moment, they simply sat together. Then Mai looked toward the others. Ace was talking with Reyes. Shammy lay beside them, her enormous head resting comfortably on her paws. Yukari had returned to human form and was examining something she'd found among the grass. Mai smiled. "You know, I've been thinking." Kiro's ears rose. "You only have a little time left in this form." The German Shepherd became still. Mai looked down. "Do you regret any of it?" Kiro considered the question. Then gave two deliberate barks. No. Mai's smile softened. "Good." Kiro rested her head against Mai's knee. Mai continued scratching. "I was worried at first." Kiro looked up. "Not because I thought you couldn't handle it." A pause. "Because I know how much you love being connected to everything. Signals. Networks. Information." Kiro watched her. "And here you are, spending a week with paws." The German Shepherd gave a soft, amused whuff. Mai laughed. "Yes. Very impressive paws." She gently took one of Kiro's front paws in her hand. Looked at it. Then smiled. "You know something?" Kiro tilted her head. "I think this has been good for you." One bark. "Not the cult. Not the Lloigor." Mai shook her head. "The rest of it." Kiro leaned closer. "The walks. The games. The afternoons when you didn't have to solve anything." She looked into the German Shepherd's eyes. "And the simple fact that you could enjoy being somewhere without needing to understand every part of it." Kiro remained quiet. Then gently pressed her forehead against Mai's chest. Mai wrapped her arms around her. "Oh, sweetheart." She held her close. "I love you." Kiro's tail moved slowly. Then she lifted her head and touched her nose against Mai's cheek. Mai laughed softly. "Yes." She kissed the top of Kiro's head. "I know." --- A little farther away, Ace lay beside Shammy. The Dire Wolf had settled comfortably beneath a tree. Her enormous pale coat moved gently in the breeze. Ace rested against her shoulder. "Hey." Shammy turned her head. "Yes, darling?" "Happy?" Shammy considered the question. Then smiled. "Very." Ace looked toward the sky. "Still quiet?" "Beautifully." "No pressure?" "None." Ace nodded. "Good." A moment passed. Then Shammy spoke. "May I ask you something?" Ace looked up. "Always." "Have you enjoyed having me like this?" Ace smiled immediately. "Are you kidding?" Shammy laughed. "That would be a yes." "A very enthusiastic yes." "Good." Ace reached up and scratched behind one enormous ear. Shammy closed her eyes. Then Ace continued: "But that's not why." Shammy opened one eye. "What isn't?" "Why I'm happy." Shammy looked toward her. Ace smiled. "I'm happy because you're happy." For a moment, Shammy said nothing. Then she lowered her enormous muzzle beside Ace's shoulder. "Darling." Ace kissed her nose. "I love you as a woman." Shammy's eyes softened. "I know." "I love you as a wolf." "Apparently." Ace grinned. "And if you ever decide to become something else for a while..." Shammy laughed. "I shall make sure it has fur." Ace burst out laughing. "That would be appreciated." They sat quietly for a moment. Then Shammy asked: "Would you miss this?" Ace considered the question. "A little." Shammy nodded. "Me too." "But you'll still be you." "Yes." "And when you're ready to come back, you'll still have me." Shammy closed her eyes. "Always." --- The last full day of Kiro's sculpt passed without incident. No emergency calls. No new electrical anomalies. No supernatural interruptions. Victor sent a short update confirming that the clinic's electrical systems had passed inspection and that he was resuming normal work cautiously. The transferred patients were continuing to recover. The unauthorized connections had been documented and secured. The investigation into Calder and the people responsible for the station's modifications was proceeding through the appropriate channels. For once, everything that needed handling was being handled. By someone else. Ace considered this an extraordinary achievement. She celebrated by doing absolutely nothing useful. Which, after the previous few days, seemed entirely appropriate. --- That evening, Reyes came by again. She brought no new equipment. No data. No reports. Just herself. Kiro greeted her at the door. Reyes crouched. "Hey, gorgeous." The German Shepherd wagged. Reyes scratched behind her ears. "Last evening?" Kiro gave a quiet bark. "Yeah." She smiled. "Going to miss the paws?" Kiro considered the question. Then touched her communication interface. **YES.** Reyes nodded. "Thought so." A pause. Then she added: "But I suspect Mai's going to be very pleased to have her favorite netrunner back." Kiro looked toward Mai. Mai smiled from the sofa. "Very." Reyes laughed. "And I'll be pleased to have someone who can argue with me using actual words again." Kiro wagged. Ace looked up. "Careful what you wish for." Reyes grinned. "True." --- Later, Victor called to confirm the appointment. Mai answered. "Hello." "Evening. How's Kiro?" "Very well." "And Shammy?" "Also very well." "Good." Victor paused. "Still no complications?" "None." "Excellent." He reviewed the arrangements for the following day. Kiro's Gen2 release was scheduled for the afternoon. The procedure would reverse the temporary physiological remodeling under controlled conditions. Victor would monitor her through the transition. And afterward, she would need approximately twenty-four hours of proper recovery sleep. Not the brutal legacy sculpt-release aftermath they remembered from earlier systems. But still a significant physiological event. Mai listened carefully. "Understood." Victor continued. "Don't schedule anything demanding immediately afterward." "We won't." "Make sure she's comfortable, hydrated when awake, and allowed to rest." "Of course." "And if anything seems wrong, call me." Mai smiled. "Naturally." Victor paused. Then sighed. "And tell Ace that buying an industrial quantity of steak does not count as a replacement for postoperative care." Mai began laughing. From across the room, Ace called: "I HEARD THAT!" Victor chuckled. "Good." --- When the call ended, the household gradually settled for the night. Iris and Brenda retired to their room. Yukari chose her fox form and curled up near the foot of the Triad's bed. Shammy settled onto her enormous cushion beside it. Ace lay beside Mai, watching Kiro make herself comfortable in the living-room sleeping area prepared for her. Reyes had stayed a little longer, but eventually she too needed to go home. Before leaving, she'd crouched beside Kiro one final time. "See you tomorrow." Kiro wagged. "Human again." One bark. Reyes smiled. "Good." She kissed the German Shepherd's forehead. Then whispered: "Thanks for a wonderful week." Kiro leaned against her. For a moment, Reyes simply held her. Then she stood. And left. --- Much later, Mai came out of the bedroom. Kiro was still awake. The German Shepherd lifted her head as Mai approached. Mai smiled. "Can't sleep?" A soft whuff. She sat on the floor beside Kiro's cushion. The dog moved closer. Rested her head in Mai's lap. And sighed. Mai began stroking her fur. Slowly. Gently. For a long time, neither moved. Then Mai whispered: "Tomorrow's going to be a big day." Kiro's ears shifted. "But you've done this before." A quiet bark. "And Victor knows exactly what he's doing." Another bark. Mai smiled. "You'll sleep for a while afterward." Kiro closed her eyes. "And when you wake up..." Mai's voice softened. "...I'll be there." The German Shepherd pressed closer. Mai leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Always, sweetheart." Kiro gave a low, contented sound. Then settled more comfortably against her. For a while, Mai continued stroking the warm fur. There was no need to say anything else. No work to finish. No problem to solve. No urgent signal demanding attention. Only the last quiet night of a remarkable week. And a woman who had chosen, for seven days, to experience the world through four paws, a wet nose, and an entirely different kind of happiness. --- ## Chapter 19 — The Shape of Coming Home Kiro's final morning as a German Shepherd began with a very serious investigation. The subject was a slipper. More precisely, one of Mai's slippers. Kiro had discovered it beside the sofa shortly after waking, and although she knew perfectly well what it was, she had decided that it merited closer examination. The slipper smelled of Mai. That was the important part. It carried familiar traces of the safehouse, yesterday's walk, and the woman who had spent the past week scratching her ears, kissing her forehead, and telling her that she didn't have to accomplish anything to deserve a holiday. Kiro picked it up. Carried it into the living room. And placed it carefully beside her cushion. Then she lay down with her muzzle resting across it. A few minutes later, Mai appeared. She stopped. Looked at Kiro. Then at the slipper. "Kiro." The German Shepherd opened one eye. Mai folded her arms. "Is that mine?" One bark. "May I have it back?" Kiro considered the question. Then gently placed one paw over the slipper. Mai stared. From the kitchen doorway, Ace made a strangled sound. Mai turned. "Don't." Ace covered her mouth. "I haven't said anything." "You were about to." Ace looked toward Kiro. Then at the slipper. Then back at Mai. "Oh, sweetheart." Mai closed her eyes. Ace began laughing. "She's keeping a souvenir!" Kiro's tail thumped. Mai shook her head. "She could have simply asked." Ace grinned. "Using what? Her extensive vocabulary of barks?" Kiro gave one delighted bark. Mai sighed. Then crouched beside her. "Sweetheart." Kiro looked up. "You may keep the slipper until we leave." A wag. "But I will need it back eventually." Another wag. Mai smiled. "Good." She kissed Kiro's forehead. And left her to enjoy the final hours of an unusual and deeply satisfying relationship with footwear. --- Breakfast was unusually quiet. Not sad. Not tense. Just thoughtful. Kiro received her prescribed meal. Shammy ate hers with the substantial appetite her Dire Wolf body required. Ace made coffee. Mai checked Victor's appointment instructions. And Yukari, in human form, watched the German Shepherd with an expression of quiet affection. "Well, darling," she said eventually. "How does it feel?" Kiro looked up. Yukari smiled. "Last day." The German Shepherd considered the question. Then touched her interface. **GOOD.** Yukari nodded. "I'm glad." Kiro looked toward her. Then selected another symbol. **SAD.** The kitchen became quiet. Mai turned. Ace stopped pouring coffee. Yukari's expression softened. "A little of both?" Kiro gave one bark. Yukari approached and crouched beside her. "That is perfectly reasonable." She gently stroked the fur along Kiro's cheek. "You've enjoyed this body." One bark. "And now you're going to miss it." Another bark. Yukari smiled. "I understand." Kiro leaned against her hand. Yukari continued. "But you won't lose the memories." Kiro's ears moved. "Or the things you've discovered about yourself." The German Shepherd watched her. Yukari scratched behind one ear. "And perhaps someday, when you want another holiday, Victor will be willing to discuss it." Kiro's tail began moving. Ace looked toward Mai. "Oh, no." Mai laughed. "What?" "She's already planning the next one." Kiro barked enthusiastically. Shammy raised her enormous head. "Darling, I suspect she's been planning it since the first afternoon." Ace stared at her. Then grinned. "You're probably right." --- Reyes arrived shortly before noon. Ace let her in through the secured upper door. The mercenary stepped inside carrying a small bag. Kiro appeared immediately. Reyes smiled. "Hey, gorgeous." The German Shepherd wagged. Reyes crouched. "Ready for your big day?" One bark. "Good." She scratched behind Kiro's ears. Then produced something from the bag. The rubber ball. Kiro's ears went straight up. Reyes smiled. "Thought you might want one last game." Kiro barked. Mai appeared from the living room. "Nothing strenuous." Reyes nodded. "Of course." Ace leaned against the doorway. "Looks like the medical department has spoken." Mai smiled sweetly. "And the medical department would appreciate being obeyed." Kiro sighed. Reyes laughed. "Come on. A few gentle throws. Then we get you to Victor." --- They went to the quiet courtyard near the safehouse. It wasn't the spacious field where Yukari had spent a happy afternoon being chased by two enthusiastic canines. But it was familiar. And there was enough room for a few easy throws. Reyes stood several meters away. Kiro waited. The ball rested in Reyes's hand. "Ready?" One bark. Reyes threw. Not far. Not hard. Just enough. Kiro ran. Caught it. Turned. And brought it back. Reyes smiled. "Beautiful." Kiro placed the ball at her feet. Then sat. Reyes picked it up. "Again?" One bark. They repeated the game several times. No hurry. No competition. No attempt to make the final morning extraordinary. It already was. Mai watched with a small smile. Ace stood beside her. For a while, neither spoke. Then Ace said: "She's going to miss that." Mai nodded. "Yes." "You okay?" Mai looked toward her. "Of course." Ace raised an eyebrow. Mai smiled. "I'll be happy to have her back." "I know." "But I also know how happy she's been." Ace nodded. "Yeah." They watched Kiro run toward another easy throw. The German Shepherd caught the ball. Turned. And stopped in a patch of sunlight. For a moment, she simply stood there. Ball in her mouth. Tail moving. Ears upright. Entirely content. Mai's expression softened. "She really needed this." Ace slipped an arm around her waist. "Then I'm glad she got it." Mai leaned against her. "Me too." --- The visit ended with Kiro sitting beside Reyes. The ball lay between her paws. Reyes crouched. "Good game?" One bark. "Thought so." She picked up the ball. Kiro watched. Then Reyes placed it gently into the bag. The German Shepherd's ears lowered slightly. Reyes noticed. "Hey." Kiro looked up. "I'm keeping it." A small whuff. "For next time." Kiro's ears rose again. Reyes smiled. "Whenever next time happens." The German Shepherd leaned forward and rested her muzzle against Reyes's shoulder. Reyes wrapped an arm around her neck. For a moment, she simply held her. "Thank you for a very strange week," she whispered. Kiro's tail moved. "And a good one." Another wag. Reyes kissed her forehead. "Come on, gorgeous." She stood. "Let's get you home." --- Victor's clinic looked considerably better than it had during the Lloigor incident. The lights were steady. The reserve systems had been inspected. The affected equipment had either been repaired, replaced, or taken out of service. The treatment area was clean. Organized. And, most importantly, no longer appeared to be losing electricity into an impossible supernatural feeding connection. Victor met them near the entrance. He looked at Kiro. Then smiled. "Well." The German Shepherd wagged. "There's my favorite troublemaker." One bark. Victor crouched. "How are you feeling?" Kiro touched her portable interface. **GOOD.** "Any pain?" **NO.** "Any dizziness?" **NO.** "Any problems eating or sleeping?" Kiro looked toward Mai. Mai smiled. "None." Victor nodded. "Excellent." Then he glanced toward the others. "Ace." "Victor." "Reyes." "Doc." "Mai." "Hello." His eyes moved toward Shammy. The enormous Dire Wolf stood comfortably beside Yukari. Victor folded his arms. "And how's our other patient?" Shammy smiled. "Perfectly well, Victor." "Still no pressure perception?" "None whatsoever." "Good." He studied her thick coat. Then raised an eyebrow. "Static problem resolved?" The room went silent. Shammy closed her eyes. Ace made a noise. A dangerous noise. Victor looked toward her. Then toward Shammy. And smiled. "Oh, I see." Shammy sighed. "Victor." "I'm sorry." "No, you're not." He chuckled. "No." --- The medical assessment took its time. Victor wasn't interested in rushing the release simply because everyone had somewhere else they'd rather be. He checked Kiro's current physiology. Reviewed the Gen2 system's status. Confirmed that the temporary remodeling remained stable. Then verified that the scheduled reversal could proceed normally. Mai stayed close. Reyes sat beside Kiro. Ace and Yukari waited in the adjacent consultation area with Shammy. The process was familiar enough that nobody needed a lengthy explanation. But Victor reviewed the essential details anyway. "All right, Kiro." The German Shepherd looked up. "We're going to reverse the temporary physiological remodeling." One bark. "The transition will be medically controlled. I expect the system to complete the remapping without significant complications." Kiro watched him. "Afterward, you're going to be very tired." Another bark. "Not the horrible crash associated with the older system. That's one of the improvements." Mai nodded. "But still a significant recovery period." "Exactly." Victor looked back at Kiro. "Approximately twenty-four hours of proper sleep. We'll monitor you until you're stable, then you can recover at home." Kiro touched her interface. **YES.** Victor smiled. "Good. And we're starting at the scheduled seven-day mark, not extending the sculpt for convenience." Then his expression became serious. "One final question." Kiro's ears rose. "Do you still want to proceed?" The German Shepherd looked toward Mai. Mai smiled. "Your choice, sweetheart." Kiro looked at Reyes. Reyes rested a hand against her shoulder. "Whatever you want." A moment passed. Then Kiro turned back toward Victor. And pressed the confirmation symbol. **YES.** Victor nodded. "All right." He stood. "Then let's begin." --- The transition took several hours. Victor supervised every stage. The Gen2 system did not simply remove an artificial exterior or reveal a human body concealed beneath the sculpt. Kiro's temporary German Shepherd physiology had been real. Its reversal was equally real. A carefully controlled process of biological remodeling, guided and monitored through Victor's medical equipment. The changes were gradual. Precise. The system moved through its established sequence while Victor checked each stage against the expected results. Mai remained available throughout. Reyes waited nearby. Neither attempted to interrupt. Neither had any reason to. Victor knew what he was doing. And Kiro trusted him. Eventually, the system reached its final phase. The monitors steadied. The remodeling completed. Victor checked the readings. Then checked them again. And finally smiled. "There we are." --- Kiro lay resting on the examination bed. Human again. Her familiar face had returned. Her hands rested comfortably at her sides. Her breathing was steady. She looked profoundly tired. But peaceful. Mai stepped closer. Victor looked up. "Everything went as expected." Mai exhaled. "Good." "Physiological restoration complete. No unexpected complications." Reyes approached the other side of the bed. Kiro's eyes opened slightly. She looked toward Mai. Then toward Reyes. Her lips moved. For a moment, no sound came. Then, very quietly: "Hey." Mai smiled immediately. "Hello, sweetheart." Kiro blinked. Looked down at her hand. Moved her fingers. Slowly. Deliberately. Then smiled. "Oh." Reyes laughed softly. "Miss those?" Kiro looked toward her. "Maybe." Her voice was faint. Still tired. But unmistakably hers. Mai took her hand. "How do you feel?" Kiro considered the question. Then smiled weakly. "Like..." She paused. "...I need a nap." Victor chuckled. "Excellent diagnosis." Reyes leaned closer. "Best one you've made all week." Kiro gave a tired laugh. Mai brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "Happy?" Kiro looked at her. Her expression softened. "Very." Mai kissed her forehead. "Good." Kiro's eyes closed. Then opened again. "Mai?" "Yes?" A pause. "That was..." She searched for the words. Then smiled. "...wonderful." Mai's eyes softened. "I know, sweetheart." Kiro's fingers tightened gently around hers. "Love you." Mai leaned forward. "Love you too." Victor checked the monitor. Then spoke quietly. "All right, ladies. Let her rest." Kiro sighed. Her eyes closed. And this time, she didn't reopen them. --- Victor kept Kiro under observation until he was satisfied that the recovery had begun normally. Her readings remained stable. The post-transition fatigue was expected. No significant pain. No neurological irregularities. No evidence of the severe systemic reaction associated with earlier generations of full-body sculpt release. When the appropriate time came, he cleared her to continue recovering at the safehouse. Mai listened carefully to the instructions. Reyes did too. Victor regarded them both. "She'll sleep a great deal." Mai nodded. "Understood." "Don't wake her unnecessarily. Make sure she's comfortable. Offer fluids and food when she's properly awake." "Of course." "And call if anything changes unexpectedly." Reyes nodded. "Got it." Victor looked toward Ace. "And you." Ace raised an eyebrow. "Me?" "Don't organize a celebration until she's recovered." Ace looked offended. "Victor." He folded his arms. "Ace." There was a pause. Then Ace smiled. "Fine." Victor nodded. "Good." She continued: "But after?" Victor sighed. Reyes began laughing. Mai shook her head. And Shammy, standing nearby, made a deeply amused sound. Victor looked toward the enormous Dire Wolf. "At least somebody understands the importance of rest." Shammy smiled. "Victor, darling, I spent part of last night being brushed until I fell asleep." He stared. Then closed his eyes. "Of course you did." --- The return journey was quiet. Kiro slept. Mai remained beside her. Reyes sat close enough to help if needed. Ace watched the city pass. Yukari leaned against the window. And Shammy rested comfortably in her spacious place. For once, nobody was interested in discussing a mission. Nobody was planning an investigation. Nobody was studying an anomalous signal. There was simply a friend recovering from a successful medical procedure. And several people who loved her very much. --- At the safehouse, Iris and Brenda were waiting. Mai explained that the procedure had gone exactly as planned. Iris smiled. "Good." Brenda looked toward the sleeping Kiro. "She's all right?" "Perfectly stable," Mai answered. "Just very tired." Brenda nodded. "Good." Then she smiled faintly. "I'm going to miss the dog." Ace grinned. "Really?" Brenda folded her arms. "Don't start." "I wasn't going to." "Yes, you were." Ace considered that. Then smiled. "Maybe." Iris took Brenda's hand. "Darling, you can always ask Kiro whether she'd like to lick your nose again." Brenda stared. "Iris." Her wife smiled serenely. "Just a thought." --- They settled Kiro into the room prepared for her recovery. Comfortable bedding. A quiet environment. Easy access to everything she would need when she woke. Mai checked that everything was ready. Reyes helped with the final arrangements. Then they sat beside her. Kiro slept. Her familiar human face was peaceful. One hand rested outside the blanket. Mai took it gently. Reyes sat on the other side. For a long time, nobody spoke. Then Reyes whispered: "She really loved being a dog." Mai smiled. "Yes." "Think she'll do it again?" Mai considered the question. Then laughed softly. "Almost certainly." Reyes smiled. "Yeah." A pause. Then she looked toward Mai. "You okay?" Mai nodded. "Very." She looked at Kiro. "I'm happy she's back." Reyes nodded. "Me too." Then Mai added: "But I think I'll miss the ears." Reyes pressed her lips together. Mai looked up. "What?" Reyes shook her head. "Nothing." "Reyes." She finally smiled. "Those ears were pretty great." Mai laughed softly. "Yes." They looked toward Kiro again. Her breathing remained slow and even. Reyes rested a hand gently against the blanket near her shoulder. "Sleep well, gorgeous." --- The following morning, Kiro was still asleep. Exactly as Victor had predicted. Mai checked on her. Reyes had stayed overnight in the safehouse, taking the second part of the recovery watch so Mai could rest. Neither had needed to do much. Kiro had simply slept. Deeply. Peacefully. Once, she had stirred long enough to accept some water and exchange a few sleepy words. Then she had gone straight back to sleep. By lunchtime, the rest of the household had settled into its ordinary routines. Ace made coffee. Iris reviewed her work. Brenda argued affectionately with a kitchen appliance. Yukari read by the window. And Shammy lay in a patch of sunlight, enjoying the quiet. Her enormous tail moved slowly. Ace looked down. "Comfortable?" "Very." "Still enjoying the wolf?" "Immensely." Ace smiled. "Good." Shammy opened one eye. "And yes, darling." Ace tilted her head. "Yes what?" "I would like another brushing later." Ace burst out laughing. "I hadn't asked!" "You were about to." "How do you know?" Shammy smiled. "Because I know you." Ace knelt and kissed her muzzle. "You're absolutely right." --- Kiro woke properly late that afternoon. Not suddenly. Not dramatically. She opened her eyes. Looked at the ceiling. Then at the familiar room. For several seconds, she simply lay there. Listening. The world sounded different. Quieter in some ways. Less detailed in others. The extraordinary sensitivity of her canine hearing was gone. The countless overlapping scents had faded back into the ordinary background of human experience. She moved one hand. Looked at it. Turned it over. Flexed her fingers. Then smiled. Hands. Actual hands. She lifted both of them. Wiggled her fingers. And laughed. A small, tired laugh. But full of genuine delight. "Well." A familiar voice answered from nearby. "Hello, gorgeous." Kiro turned. Reyes sat in a chair beside the bed. Mai was nearby, reading. Both looked up. Mai's expression softened immediately. "Hello, sweetheart." Kiro smiled. "Hey." Mai approached. "How do you feel?" Kiro considered that. Then stretched carefully. "Tired." Reyes nodded. "Expected." "Hungry." Mai smiled. "Also expected." Kiro looked between them. Then slowly grinned. "And..." She paused. Reyes raised an eyebrow. "And?" Kiro lifted one hand. Looked at her fingers. Then smiled even wider. "I can finally type again." Reyes closed her eyes. Mai began laughing. "Oh, sweetheart." Kiro grinned. "Do you have any idea how much I missed having a keyboard?" Reyes folded her arms. "More than coffee?" Kiro considered that. There was a pause. A very serious pause. Then: "Don't make me choose." Mai laughed. Reyes shook her head. "She's back." --- They didn't let her begin working. Naturally. Victor's instructions were clear. Kiro needed food. Water. Rest. And a little more time before returning to ordinary activities. She accepted this with somewhat greater grace than anyone expected. Mostly because she was still tired. And because Mai had climbed onto the bed beside her. Kiro leaned against her. Mai wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Reyes sat close. For a while, they talked about nothing important. The walk. The ball. The fox. The enormous Dire Wolf who had become the undisputed champion of being brushed. Kiro laughed when Reyes described Shammy's reaction to the electrical discharge. "I missed that part." Reyes grinned. "Trust me. It was spectacular." Kiro smiled. "I heard enough." Mai laughed. "You certainly did." Kiro settled closer. Then her expression became thoughtful. "Can I tell you something?" Mai looked down. "Always." Kiro hesitated. Then smiled. "I thought I'd miss being human more than I did." Reyes nodded. "Yeah?" Kiro looked toward her. "I missed talking." A pause. "And coffee." Mai smiled. "Naturally." "And having hands." Reyes grinned. "Those are useful." "But..." Kiro looked toward the window. "Most of the time, I was just happy." Mai's expression softened. Kiro continued. "I didn't need to be doing anything. I could run. Sleep in the sun. Chase a ball. Get scratched behind the ears." Reyes laughed softly. "Sounds terrible." Kiro smiled. "Absolutely awful." Then she looked toward Mai. "And I could spend an entire afternoon with you without thinking about something I needed to finish." Mai's eyes softened. "Sweetheart." Kiro rested her head against Mai's shoulder. "I think I needed that." Mai kissed her forehead. "I know." Kiro closed her eyes. For a long moment, nobody spoke. Then she whispered: "Thank you." Mai held her closer. "For what?" "For letting me do something ridiculous." Mai laughed softly. "Kiro." "And for loving me while I did it." Mai's expression changed. She leaned forward. Kissed Kiro gently. Then rested her forehead against hers. "Sweetheart, you never need permission to be happy." Kiro smiled. "I know." Mai kissed her again. "Good." Reyes watched them with quiet affection. Then Kiro looked toward her. "And you." Reyes raised an eyebrow. "Me?" Kiro smiled. "The ball." Reyes laughed. "What about it?" Kiro's grin widened. "You kept it?" Reyes nodded. "Of course." Kiro settled back against Mai. "Good." Then, very softly: "Because I might want another week someday." Reyes burst out laughing. Mai covered her face. From the doorway came a deep, amused voice. "I believe Victor should prepare another appointment." Everyone turned. Shammy stood in the doorway. Enormous. Pale. Magnificent. And smiling. Kiro stared. Then laughed. "Oh, Shammy." The Dire Wolf approached. "Welcome back, darling." Kiro reached out. Shammy lowered her head. Kiro wrapped her arms around the enormous muzzle. For a moment, they simply held each other. Then Kiro pulled back. Looked at Shammy's fur. And began smiling. Shammy narrowed her eyes. "Don't." Kiro's grin widened. "I didn't say anything." Shammy sighed. "Apparently I am never escaping this." Kiro laughed. Then leaned forward and kissed the enormous wolf's nose. "Love you." Shammy's expression softened. "Love you too, sweetheart." And just like that, the safehouse had one human netrunner again. One enormous Dire Wolf still enjoying her holiday. And absolutely no intention of becoming a respectable household anytime soon. --- ## Epilogue — The Things We Bring Home Kiro's first proper cup of coffee after returning to human form was an event of considerable personal significance. She held the mug in both hands. Looked at it. Inhaled its aroma. Closed her eyes. And smiled. Across the kitchen table, Reyes watched with undisguised amusement. "You're making that look like a religious experience." Kiro opened one eye. "Don't." Reyes grinned. "I'm just saying." Kiro took a careful sip. For a moment, she said nothing. Then she sighed. A long, deeply satisfied sigh. "Oh, that's beautiful." Mai looked up from her breakfast. "Enjoying yourself?" Kiro opened both eyes. "Mai." "Yes, sweetheart?" "I love you." Mai smiled. "I love you too." Kiro raised the mug slightly. "But right now, coffee is a very close second." Reyes burst out laughing. Ace looked over from the counter. "See? That's the real reason she came back." Kiro considered the accusation. Then nodded. "One of them." Mai laughed. "Only one?" Kiro smiled at her. "Well. I was rather looking forward to being able to kiss you properly again." Mai's expression softened. Reyes raised an eyebrow. "That sounds more promising." Kiro leaned toward Mai. The kiss was warm. Unhurried. And accompanied by the quiet clink of a coffee mug being very carefully placed somewhere safe. When they separated, Mai smiled. "Better?" Kiro considered the question. Then glanced toward her coffee. Then back at Mai. "Much." Ace grinned. "Well, at least she's got her priorities straight." --- Brenda entered the kitchen shortly afterward. She took one look at Kiro. Human again. Sitting comfortably beside Mai. Drinking coffee. And looking entirely too pleased with herself. Brenda folded her arms. "Well." Kiro looked up. "Morning, Brenda." "Morning." A pause. Then Brenda smiled. "Nice to see you've regained the appropriate number of limbs." Kiro looked down at herself. Counted very deliberately. Then nodded. "Seems so." "Good." "Although I do miss the tail." Reyes snorted. Brenda raised an eyebrow. "I can imagine." Kiro took another sip of coffee. Then smiled. "How's your nose?" Silence. Ace froze. Mai covered her mouth. Reyes slowly leaned back in her chair. Brenda stared. "You." Kiro smiled sweetly. "Me?" "You have been waiting to say that." "Only since Victor gave me my voice back." Ace collapsed against the counter. Iris appeared in the doorway. She looked from her wife to Kiro. Then smiled. "Something wrong, darling?" Brenda pointed accusingly. "Your favorite dog is being difficult." Iris considered that. Then walked over and kissed Brenda's cheek. "She's human again, sweetheart." "That is not the point." "Of course not." Iris looked toward Kiro. "Good morning." Kiro smiled. "Morning, Iris." "Welcome back." "Thank you." Iris paused. Then added with exquisite composure: "And thank you for helping Brenda become more comfortable with unexpected affection." The kitchen erupted. Brenda stared at her wife. "Iris!" Iris took her coffee. Smiled. And sat down. The matter, apparently, was closed. --- Shammy watched the entire exchange from her enormous cushion beside the living-room doorway. She was still a Dire Wolf. Still very large. Still wonderfully comfortable in her temporary body. And still enjoying a world that did not press invisible information against her awareness every waking moment. Her pressure-reading abilities remained completely absent. Not weakened. Not intermittent. Simply unavailable. She had become accustomed to that absence. Perhaps more accustomed than she'd expected. For several days now, she had experienced conversations without sensing the emotions beneath them. Walks without feeling the pressure patterns of the surrounding environment. Quiet evenings without the constant background awareness that ordinarily accompanied her existence. She liked it. Very much. But she also knew the sculpt was approaching the end of its natural duration. There was no release appointment. No intervention required from Victor. Her elementaali physiology would allow the temporary form to dissolve on its own, when it was ready. It had already begun. Not abruptly. Not painfully. Just a gradual change in the way the temporary physiology held together. Shammy could feel it in the ordinary physical sense. Her body was preparing to return. She lowered her head onto her paws. Ace noticed. "Sweetheart?" Shammy looked up. "Yes, darling?" "Everything okay?" "Perfectly." Ace approached and knelt beside her. "You're quiet." Shammy smiled. "I am enjoying the morning." Ace scratched behind one enormous ear. Shammy's eyes closed. "Ah." Ace grinned. "Still works." Shammy laughed. "Rather well." Then she opened her eyes. "Ace?" "Yeah?" "I think the sculpt is beginning to fade." Ace stopped scratching. For a moment, she simply looked at her. Then her expression softened. "Already?" Shammy smiled. "It has been quite some time, darling." "I know." "And it was never meant to last indefinitely." "I know that too." Ace rested her hand against the thick pale fur. "Going to miss it?" Shammy considered the question. "Yes." Ace nodded. "Me too." Shammy lowered her enormous muzzle beside Ace's cheek. "But I am also looking forward to coming home." Ace smiled. "Sweetheart, you're already home." Shammy's blue eyes softened. "I know." She touched her nose gently against Ace's cheek. "I meant the other kind." Ace wrapped her arms around the enormous neck. "Then we'll be here." Shammy closed her eyes. "I know, darling." --- The following days were quiet. Not perfectly uneventful. Night City would have considered that an unreasonable demand. But nothing required the family's immediate intervention. The investigation into the Fortunate continued. Calder and the people responsible for the unauthorized modifications faced serious questions about what they had done, what they knew, and how many people had been harmed. Some followers were still recovering. Others had begun talking to medical professionals and counselors outside the affected district. Misty helped where she could. Victor followed the recovery of his patients and compared their progress with the reports from the other facilities. Most encouragingly, nobody was reporting new cases of unexplained energy loss associated with the old station. The electrical anomaly had ended. The consequences of the human decisions surrounding it would take longer to resolve. Ace was satisfied with that distinction. The Lloigor manifestation had been stopped. The people who'd exploited it would have to answer for their choices. And those who'd been misled deserved the chance to rebuild their lives without being treated as accomplices simply because they had believed someone who promised relief. There was no grand celebration. No public recognition. No dramatic announcement that Watson had been saved from an ancient supernatural predator. Just a district returning to its ordinary, imperfect rhythm. And that, Mai observed, was a very good outcome. --- Kiro resumed her usual activities gradually. She checked messages. Reviewed a few projects. Spent some time with her equipment. Then, to everyone's surprise, stopped working before anyone told her to. Mai noticed immediately. She looked up from the sofa. "Finished?" Kiro nodded. "For today." Mai raised an eyebrow. "Really?" "Really." "Nothing else you need to check?" Kiro considered the question. Then smiled. "Nothing that can't wait until tomorrow." Mai stared. Across the room, Ace slowly lowered her mug. "Who are you?" Kiro laughed. "Very funny." Ace looked toward Reyes. "Did Victor bring back the right woman?" Reyes considered Kiro. Then nodded. "Seems right." Ace looked doubtful. "She's voluntarily leaving a project unfinished." Reyes smiled. "Personal growth." Kiro pointed at her. "Don't start." Mai laughed. Then opened her arms. Kiro approached immediately. Settled beside her. And kissed her. Mai smiled against her lips. "I like this." Kiro leaned closer. "Me too." From her cushion, Shammy watched with quiet affection. Then she looked toward Ace. "Darling." Ace turned. "Yes?" "I believe we may have discovered the most significant result of the entire experiment." Ace grinned. "What's that?" "Kiro has learned that the world will continue functioning even if she occasionally stops working." Kiro groaned. Mai burst out laughing. Reyes raised her coffee mug in salute. "A historic achievement." Kiro looked toward Shammy. Then smiled. "Coming from the woman who discovered she can be defeated by a grooming brush." Silence. Ace's eyes widened. Reyes began smiling. Shammy closed her eyes. "Oh, Kiro." "Yes?" "That was entirely unnecessary." Kiro grinned. "Missed being able to say things like that." Ace dissolved into laughter. --- On the next afternoon, Shammy asked to go for one last walk in her Dire Wolf body. Nobody argued. Ace accompanied her. Mai came along. Yukari chose her fox form. Kiro and Reyes joined them. The destination was familiar. The same open ground where the three four-legged companions had spent an afternoon chasing one another through the grass. The weather was pleasant. The sky was clear enough to reveal patches of blue. And the city was far enough away that its noise had become a distant background murmur. Shammy stood at the edge of the grass. Looked across the field. Then smiled. "Lovely." Ace rested a hand against her shoulder. "Want to run?" Shammy considered the question. Then looked toward Yukari. The nine-tailed fox smiled. "One last game?" Shammy laughed. "Perhaps." Kiro folded her arms. "Oh, I'm watching this." Reyes looked toward her. "Not joining?" Kiro raised one hand. "Wrong equipment." Ace grinned. "Tragic." Kiro laughed. "Absolutely." Yukari lowered herself into a playful bow. Shammy regarded her. Then did the same. For a moment, they remained still. An enormous pale Dire Wolf. A beautiful russet-and-gold fox with nine magnificent tails. Two ancient beings who had seen more of the world than most people could possibly imagine. And who were, at present, preparing to race through a field for no reason other than the joy of doing so. Yukari flicked one tail. Shammy's ears rose. "Ready?" Yukari smiled. "Always." Then they ran. --- There was no contest. Not really. Yukari was smaller and more agile. Shammy was larger and remarkably fast. They moved through the grass, around the scattered trees, over the gentle rises and back again. Sometimes Yukari darted ahead. Sometimes Shammy cut across the open ground and reached the next tree first. And sometimes they simply ran beside one another. No tricks. No challenges. No attempts to prove anything. Just movement. Sunlight. Wind. And the uncomplicated pleasure of inhabiting bodies capable of extraordinary things. Ace watched them. Then leaned against Mai. "Beautiful, aren't they?" Mai smiled. "Very." Reyes looked toward Kiro. "Missing the paws?" Kiro considered that. Then nodded. "A little." Reyes smiled. "Thought so." Kiro slipped an arm around Mai's waist. "But I'm happy with the hands." Mai leaned against her. "Good." Kiro looked toward Reyes. "And the coffee." Reyes laughed. "Of course." --- Eventually, Yukari and Shammy returned. The fox was panting happily. The Dire Wolf looked magnificent. And tired. But in the pleasant, satisfied way that followed good exercise. Ace crouched beside Shammy. "Good run?" Shammy nodded. "Wonderful." Yukari settled nearby. Her nine tails spread around her. "You're going to miss that." Shammy smiled. "Yes." Yukari studied her. "Any regrets?" "None." "Good." Shammy looked across the grass. Then toward Ace. "Perhaps the best part was the quiet." Ace smiled. "I know." Shammy turned toward Yukari. "For once, I could simply exist without sensing everything around me." Yukari's golden eyes softened. "That must have been quite a gift." "It was." A pause. Then Shammy continued. "And I think I will appreciate my ordinary senses differently when they return." Yukari nodded. "Perhaps." Shammy smiled. "Not because I needed them less." "No." "But because I needed the rest." Yukari approached. Touched her fox muzzle gently against Shammy's enormous cheek. "Then I am glad you took it." Shammy closed her eyes. "So am I." --- The natural fading of the sculpt became more noticeable the following day. Shammy spent much of it resting. Not because she was ill. Not because the temporary form was failing dangerously. Simply because her body was gradually moving toward the end of its transformation. Victor checked in by phone. He asked the usual questions. Any pain? No. Any unusual weakness? No. Any evidence of instability? No. Was the return proceeding naturally? Yes. Victor was satisfied. "Then leave it alone," he said. Ace smiled. "That's the plan." "And don't try to hurry it." "We won't." "Her physiology knows what it's doing." Shammy spoke from nearby. "Indeed it does, Victor." He chuckled. "Good." Then his tone softened. "Enjoy the rest of your holiday." Shammy smiled. "Thank you, darling." --- That evening, Shammy settled in the Triad's bedroom. Ace sat beside her. Mai joined them. Yukari, in fox form, curled up near the foot of the bed. The safehouse was quiet. Iris and Brenda had retired to their own room. Kiro and Reyes were spending the evening together elsewhere in the house, enjoying the rare opportunity to talk without needing to translate barks into words. Shammy looked toward Ace. Then Mai. Her enormous blue eyes softened. "Well." Ace smiled. "Well?" "I believe this is nearly finished." Mai approached. She rested a hand against Shammy's neck. "How do you feel?" "Very well." "No discomfort?" "None." "Good." Shammy looked toward Ace. "Darling." Ace leaned closer. "Yes?" "Would you mind..." Ace smiled immediately. "The brush?" Shammy laughed. "Yes." Mai began smiling. "One last time?" Shammy considered that. Then nodded. "One last time." Ace retrieved the brush. Settled beside her. And began. Slowly. Gently. The familiar movement through the thick pale coat. Shammy's eyes closed. Her enormous head lowered. And a long, contented sigh escaped her. Mai sat on the other side. She rested a hand against Shammy's shoulder. For a while, nobody spoke. Then Shammy opened one eye. "Mai?" "Yes, sweetheart?" "Would you like to help?" Mai smiled. "Of course." She began stroking the thick fur along Shammy's neck. Shammy sighed again. Ace grinned. "You're going to miss this." Shammy considered the question. Then smiled. "Perhaps." Mai laughed softly. "Only perhaps?" Shammy closed her eyes. "Very much." --- By morning, the transition was well underway. Shammy's temporary Dire Wolf physiology continued its natural dissolution. There was no emergency. No need for Victor to intervene. No attempt to accelerate the process. Ace and Mai simply made sure she was comfortable and had the privacy she wanted. Yukari remained close. She had seen more transformations than most people could imagine, but she respected the simple intimacy of this one. Shammy had chosen an extraordinary experience. She had enjoyed it. And now she was returning. Gradually. Naturally. In her own time. By late afternoon, the change was complete. The enormous Dire Wolf was gone. And Shammy was herself again. Tall. Beautiful. Familiar. Human in appearance, though no less an ancient elementaali than she had been a moment before. She sat comfortably on the edge of the bed. Looked down at her hands. Moved her fingers. Then smiled. "Well." Ace stood beside her. Mai sat nearby. Yukari watched with quiet affection. Shammy raised her head. And stopped. For a moment, she simply remained still. Because something had returned. Not pain. Not a rush of overwhelming sensation. Just the familiar presence of information she had lived with for longer than anyone in the room could comprehend. Pressure. Atmosphere. The subtle movements of the world. The emotional patterns that accompanied the people she loved. All present again. Her ordinary elementaali perception. Shammy closed her eyes. Took a slow breath. Then opened them. Ace watched carefully. "Sweetheart?" Shammy smiled. "I'm all right." "Everything back?" "Yes." Mai leaned forward. "How does it feel?" Shammy considered the question. Then looked toward them. "Familiar." A pause. "And a little strange." Ace smiled. "After all that quiet?" Shammy nodded. "Yes." Yukari approached. "Do you regret losing the silence?" Shammy considered that. Then smiled. "No." Yukari tilted her head. "Not at all?" Shammy shook her head. "I enjoyed it while I had it." She looked toward Ace. Then Mai. "But I am happy to be myself again." Ace crossed the room. Wrapped her arms around Shammy. And held her. Mai joined them. For a long moment, the three women remained together. No elaborate words. No dramatic declarations. Just the familiar warmth of their shared bond. Shammy closed her eyes. And smiled. "Hello, my darlings." Ace kissed her. "Welcome home, beautiful." Mai smiled against her cheek. "We missed you." Shammy laughed softly. "I was here the entire time." Ace grinned. "We know." Then she kissed her again. --- That evening, the safehouse gathered around the dinner table. Shammy was human again. Kiro was human again. Yukari had chosen her usual form. Iris and Brenda were discussing something entirely unrelated to supernatural horrors. Reyes sat beside Ace. Mai was explaining to Kiro why her new work schedule contained several deliberate breaks. Kiro was pretending to object. Badly. Everyone knew she was pleased. The food was good. The company better. And the atmosphere was the kind of comfortable, affectionate chaos that had become the household's natural state. Brenda looked toward Shammy. "So." Shammy smiled. "Yes, Brenda?" "Back to normal?" "Entirely." "No more wolf?" "Not at the moment." Brenda considered that. "Shame." Shammy raised an eyebrow. "Really?" Brenda nodded. "I was beginning to appreciate having someone around who could intimidate delivery people without saying a word." Ace burst out laughing. Iris smiled. "Darling, Shammy has always been capable of that." Brenda considered the point. Then nodded. "True." Kiro looked toward Shammy. "Going to miss the fur?" Shammy sighed. "Somewhat." Ace grinned. "Going to miss the brushing?" Silence. A very dangerous silence. Shammy turned slowly toward her. Ace smiled sweetly. "What?" Shammy regarded her. Then looked toward Mai. Then Yukari. Then Reyes. Finally, she sighed. "Yes." The entire table erupted. Shammy began laughing too. She leaned toward Ace. Kissed her cheek. And whispered: "But I believe you can find other ways to make me feel loved." Ace's expression softened. "Always." --- Much later, when the kitchen had been cleared and the house was beginning to settle, Kiro found Mai standing by the living-room window. She approached quietly. "Hey." Mai turned. "Hello, sweetheart." Kiro slipped her arms around her. Mai smiled. "Something on your mind?" Kiro considered that. Then nodded. "Actually, yes." Mai raised an eyebrow. "Should I be worried?" Kiro laughed. "No." "Good." Kiro looked toward the city. Watson's lights glowed beyond the windows. Ordinary lights. Unreliable lights. But no longer feeding something ancient beneath the streets. "I've been thinking about the week." Mai smiled. "The sculpt?" "All of it." A pause. "The walks. The ball. Reyes. You." Mai leaned closer. Kiro continued. "And the part where we accidentally ended up fighting an eldritch energy parasite." Mai laughed softly. "Accidentally?" "Well, I didn't schedule it." "Fair point." Kiro smiled. Then grew thoughtful. "I think the best thing about the week was that I stopped trying to make everything useful." Mai looked at her. Kiro continued. "Even when I helped with the investigation, I wasn't doing it because I needed to prove anything." She paused. "I just wanted to help." Mai's expression softened. "And the rest of the time?" Kiro smiled. "I wanted to be with you." Mai leaned forward and kissed her. Warmly. Slowly. When they separated, Kiro smiled. "That." Mai laughed softly. "What?" "That's what I wanted." Mai rested her forehead against hers. "Then I think you had a very successful holiday." Kiro nodded. "The best." --- Across the room, Ace sat beside Shammy. The elementaali had settled comfortably against her. Yukari lounged nearby, reading. Reyes approached with two mugs. She handed one to Ace. Then sat beside her. Ace smiled. "Thanks." Reyes nodded. "Anytime." For a while, they watched Kiro and Mai standing together beside the window. Then Ace looked toward Shammy. "Sweetheart?" Shammy turned. "Yes, darling?" "Still glad you did it?" Shammy smiled. "Immensely." "Even with the electric fur?" Shammy closed her eyes. Reyes made a strangled sound. Yukari looked up from her book. Ace grinned. Shammy sighed. "Darling." "Yes?" "One day, you are going to forget that particular incident." Ace considered the proposition. Then slowly shook her head. "Nope." Reyes began laughing. Yukari smiled. Shammy regarded them. Then, very deliberately, she leaned forward and kissed Ace. Long enough to interrupt whatever joke had been forming. When she pulled back, Ace blinked. Then smiled. "Well." Shammy raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" Ace grinned. "That's one way to shut me up." Reyes laughed. Yukari closed her book. "An extremely effective method." Shammy smiled serenely. "I have had considerable practice." --- The evening grew quieter. Eventually, Reyes prepared to leave. Kiro and Mai said their goodnights. Iris and Brenda disappeared into their room. Yukari returned to her fox form and curled up at the foot of the Triad's bed. Ace, Mai and Shammy settled together. The familiar arrangement. The familiar warmth. The familiar sense of belonging that had survived every strange adventure Night City had offered them. For a while, nobody spoke. Then Shammy whispered: "May I tell you something?" Ace turned. "Always." Mai smiled. "Of course." Shammy considered her words. Then spoke quietly. "I have spent a very long time experiencing the world in ways most people cannot." Ace nodded. "And for a little while, I stopped." Mai rested a hand against hers. Shammy smiled. "I thought I would miss those senses more than I did." Ace looked toward her. "But?" "But I discovered something rather lovely." Mai tilted her head. "What?" Shammy looked at them. Her blue eyes softened. "That I don't need to know everything to be happy." Ace smiled. Shammy continued. "I don't need to feel every subtle change in the atmosphere. I don't need to understand every emotion before someone speaks. I don't need to recognize every hidden pattern." She paused. "Sometimes..." Her smile became warmer. "...it's enough to be loved." Mai leaned forward. Kissed her gently. Ace wrapped an arm around both of them. And for a long moment, the three women simply held each other. Then Ace whispered: "Always enough, sweetheart." Shammy closed her eyes. "Yes." She rested her head against them. "Always." --- Outside, Night City continued. Somewhere, a fixer was arranging a job. Somewhere, a corporation was making a decision that would become somebody else's problem. Somewhere, a dangerous secret waited to be discovered. But not here. Not tonight. The safehouse was warm. Its doors were secure. The people inside were loved. Kiro had returned from a week on four paws with a new appreciation for the simplest pleasures. Shammy had returned from her quiet Dire Wolf holiday with something she hadn't realized she needed. Yukari had thoroughly enjoyed chasing both of them through the grass. Reyes had discovered that brushing a German Shepherd could be almost as rewarding as winning a difficult fight. And Brenda... Well. Brenda had learned an important lesson about insulting people who happened to possess very large tongues. Whether that lesson would last was another question entirely. Ace lay beside Mai and Shammy. Closed her eyes. And smiled. For once, there was nothing left to solve. Nothing left to fight. Nothing left to prove. Only home. And the people who made it home. **The End.**