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(Setting) Weiss Residential Apartments
| > After picking up Graham, June drove toward the gate on his hoverbike. If all was well Graham would, hopefully, be comfortably sitting in the passenger car.
" 'N 'ere we are...M'figurein' you want a room t'yerself, yeah?"
> The muscular looking Lilim turned to look back curiously while the gates opened for them.
| "U-uhh... yeah sure..."
>Graham feeling quite awkward looked down at his cat... Which was huddled in the corner of little carrier he kept him in...
| >June watched the guy for a moment and shrugged his shoulders. Then he throttled the hoverbike forward. They took a right and stopped to park in front of a yellow marked area in front of a complex "WL-RA-0016". The large lilim turned off the bike and had its park stands bolt downward to hold the machine up.
"Need 'elp with yer luggage?"
| "Y-yeah sure..."
>He picks up a case and hands it to him as he takes his cat kennel.
"So your the boomer's guard right...?"
>He tries to make small talk mostly out of boredom.
| "Aye...M'Miss Aethia's. One of 'em 'nyway."
> He'd say casually while moving to take the case and standing to full height. He towered. Afterward he walked Graham up the stairs to the nearest vacancy. This was a floor up from the bottom and on the fifth door.
"How do yeh know Aethia if'n yeh don't mind me askin'? She was mighteh quick t'help yeh."
| "Oh! Heheh... I bought her some rare video game during the holidays... And she just offered help for anything... I dunno guess that game means alot to her..."
>He shrugs his shoulders.
| "Oooh...'At was you? HEH! Ain't no surprise. Tha' woman's crazy 'bout old shit. Videogames ain't no exception. She was playin' that bleedin' thing so much durin' the holidays I'd wondered if she forgot she 'ad a business t'manage. Turns out she'd made time though. Crazy girl."
> June laughed loudly as he opened the door for Graham and showed him inside. It wasn't too humble but it wasn't rediculously lavish either. Somewhere down the middle...a very nice even chic studio apartment.
| "Huh... That explains it... Thank you June for everything..."
>He puts his hands on his hips and looks around... He quick sits on the bed and pops off his shoes.
| "Eh ain't no problem."
> June said while flicking a transparent business card to a nearby coffee table.
"If shit 'appens lemme know, a'right? I'll come runnin'. Yeh can also hit th'alarm under th'coffee table. That'll get th'guards outside t'come lookin' 'n set yer 'ouse defenses on too. Just uh..Make sure yeh use th'print scanner 'fore you use it."
| "Gotcha..."
>He says pulling out a cigarette.
"Oh! Shit is Aethia around? I'd like to have a talk with her..."
>He says unlocking the kennel door letting the cat out.
| > June paused just as he was about to walk out the door.
"Well...nah. Not 'n site. But I can talker t'comein' if yeh want. Prolleh...Kind 'o depends if she's busy or not. Prolly get 'er on the holo at least."
| "Oh... Okay... Thank you again June!"
>He sighs and lays down on his bed closing his eyes...
| > June nodded and stepped outside while drawing a cellphone from his back pocket.
"Yeh...Can yeh send me t'Aethia? Thanks..."
> Sometime later, long after June had left a light rapping on the door followed. Then a familiar voice spoke up. If Graham peaked through the old style peakhole in the door he'd see Aethia on the other end dressed in a white and really warm looking winter jacket, a red shirt, and straight jeans with white fuzzy boots that came up to her knees.
| "Hello? Graham?"
| "Yeah hold on..."
>He quickly unlocks the door and opens it.
"Hiya... How you doing hun?"
>He says sitting on his bed. And pulling out his bass to practice.
| "Oh! I'm well."
> Aethia replied brightly while walking in and looking around. She noticed his bass and instantly seemed to show interest. She moved to close the door behind her and just kind of remained standing by the door.
"Is that one your first bass?"
| "Y-yeah... Christmas 2055... Its a Fender Dimension bass with 5 strings, maple neck and 3 color sunburst! Its quite old... From 2023 or something like that... My dad found it at a pawn shop!"
| > Aethia of course completely all ears. Hearing this she moved closer to have a look, careful to take in all of its details. She smiled.
"Wooow! It's beautiful. So you learned to play on this bass? Can you play something for me?"
>She'd ask curiously. She remained standing but still leaned forward out of interest to watch how the strings moved. She really did have a love for old things.
"What a lucky find!"
| "Yeah sure!"
>He happily plays a fucky tune! His left hand moves faster and faster! His other hand is slapping and popping the strings! He begins to tap the fret board making quite the sound!
"Well... Thats just something small... I came up with a few other riff that i really like!"
>He says gleefully.
| >Aethia stood straight and listened, clearly pleased with the bass' sound. She laughed and clapped when he finished. Clearly impressed she found herself unable to quit grinning.
"Wow! That was way better than I was expecting! You're really good! How long have you been playing?"
| "Few years now... I learned bass then guitar but I always loved bass more...The sexy deep tone and funky riffs always have a deep place in my heart and I always get happy when I hear a bass line!"
| > Aethia nodded in agreement and looked around.
"May I sit?"
> She'd ask sheepishly. Perhaps to him it was odd for her to ask but...as far as she was concerned this place was his until he was done with it.
| "Yeah sure go ahead..."
>He says placing his guitar on the side of the bed gently while his cat jumps on his lap.
| Aethia sat down after drawing up a chair and looked at the cat when it jumped on his lap. She still admired the bass for a moment and giggled.
"So who is this? They're cyoot! Do they handle strangers very well?"
>Tentatively she moved to pet the cat.
"I recall June saying you had something to talk to me about. Is everything okay? Does the room suit you?"
| "Umm yes I need uhh well help..."
>He blushes as he looks down at the cat petting it gently causing it to purr.
| > Aethia tilted her head and relaxed in her seat.
"Sure! What do you need?"
| "Well I can't seem to find my girlfriend... She uhh said that she got hurt in the riots and she was in a workshop... I just thought since you well have staff... I just thought we could look for her y'know? I'm scared for her... S-Shes just a defenseless nerd a-and I dunno if this workshop person can harm her or not!
>He almost looks like hes at tears... weird considering his past and his tough demeanor...
| > Aethia tilts her head thoughtfully.
"Hm. What's her name? If I have a name that'll help."
>Aethia did appear willing to help but there was a cautious air about her. She ran a thumb against her bottom lip in thought and stared ahead as if trying to recall something.
| "Jules... I dunno how many people are named that in gc..."
>He seems somewhat nervous...Blushing aswell...
| > Aethia smiled and moved to place a supportive hand on his shoulder.
"No problem. If you provide enough information I'll be able to find her one way or another...Actually there's a detective about that I may consider to put to work. I also intend to keep an eye out for her during the Safe Zone effort if she's around. Do you remember where she was last said to be seen?"
| "I-I last saw her in my apartment but shes talked to me on like December 29th over danger /u/..."
>He swallowed nervously...
| > Aethia nodded thoughtfully.
"Okay. Then I'll have someone on it soon. Assuming she hasn't made any special effort to hide herself...I'll see if I can make something happen. I'll do my best to help you find her, Graham."
> She said this warmly and moved to stand before leaning over to try and pet his kitty-cat.
"Relax for now and I'll keep you updated okay?"
| "O-Okay thanks alot Aethia... I owe you okay? For all of this..."
>He sighs as he lays down on his bed.
| >Aethia smiled and nodded.
"Don't worry about it right now. Just relax and be ready to search soon. We're going to gather information and search the town for her."
| > Aethia stood and moved to leave unless she was stopped.
"Rest well."
| >That was the last thing Graham heard before he fell asleep... This night was like any other... No dream and just black until he woke up...He felt the urge again but this time stronger than before... He tried to hold it back as he stood up and looked and the morning skyline while pulling out a cigarette and...Grabbing his butterfly knife he kept on him at almost all times...
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| > A medium sized strip in the company residential apartments had a gated area where White Lightning Fiber employees were granted a place to stay if they had none. Beyond this gate there was a small hill the road climbed up an a large parking lot surrounded by three medium sized complexes. The guards in front of the gate were two automated defense AI turrets with intranet connectivity and Four men in black suits very well armed.