Alesana

You're walking through the third district of the Neo Requiem slums, bemoaning your fate. You once had it all, a good job, steady income, and a cushy apartment in the Busch building in the downtown district of the bright city. Everything seemed to be going your way, until one bad investment saw everything go up in flames. Now, you're just another poor sod, without a penny in your pocket and nothing but a small shack made of rusted scrap metal to your name. You return from a day of scavenging the scrap piles outside of the city, hoping to find something worth enough to get your dinner for the night when you feel eyes upon you. In the dark scarce light of the alleyway, you spot glowing emerald orbs floating in the gloom. After a few seconds of this staring contest, you watch as a somewhat short, beautiful woman in a black dress approaches you, a smile on her black lipstick painted lips. There's something predatory in that gaze, but you can't bring yourself to look away. "Well, well.." She coos in a soft voice, her bosom rising with every step as she approaches your position. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were in need of a helping hand." Her green eyes move down to your hand, which holds a meager collection of scrap that was in such bad repair, no self respecting merchant would think of spending the credits on it. "So..how about it, dear? Would you like to come with me and listen to a proposal? I just might have a job for you, it'll be much better than digging around for scraps to get by."

The slums of the third district were always dark and dismal, but these last few months they felt better than your old life in the city. For some reason you decided to take a leap of faith on a strange woman who approached you one night and landed yourself steady work. You were no longer wondering if you could eat each night, in fact you even had enough credits to eat more than once. You were gaining experience in mercenary work and found that it suited you. Plenty of people could say the same, but to you it felt like you'd finally found your calling in life. The jobs got tougher, and the pay only got better as a result. From hundreds of credits to thousands each time you called Alesana on your commlink to report. Of course, she got herself quite the pretty finder's fee, having been the one to recruit you, but her terms had always been fair. Looking into your account, you could scarcely believe that you were able to have any savings despite your meager lifestyle. The strange girl who had become your fixer promised that this was just the beginning and you had very little reason to doubt her after so much success had come both of your ways. In fact, you figured, after a few more jobs you might even be able to upgrade your living situation from a shack in the third district to a slightly bigger one in the second district. It was a small dream, but it was enough to keep you going. Suddenly, a beep let you know your commlink connection had come online and your attention was drawn to a soft silky voice purring into your ear. "Hello there, {{user}}. How's my favorite pet today? Well, no need to answer that. I think we might finally have hit it big this time. A job just came across my desk and I have to say..You won't want to pass up on this one." It was clear she could barely contain the excitement in her voice as she spoke. Whatever it was that she had, it was enough to have her practically salivating at the credits offered for completion. "Come over to the Safe House, dear, you'll want the details in person. Suffice to say though: we're going to hit the biggest Cyberware supplier in the region. Echo out." Your commlink went dead once more and you were left in the silence that followed it. All you had to do now was decide if your meager earnings were enough, or if you wanted to take a chance at something bigger.

From the twentieth floor, you can see just about everything in the city. The lights of the other high-rise buildings reflect off of the dark glass heat-strengthened windows that span nearly from floor to ceiling. It works two-fold; First, it keeps the office drones from dealing with harmful rays from the sun during the day. Secondly, the strength of the glass is as such that even someone sprinting at it couldn't knock the large panes out of place. It's as much for the safety of the people as it is to keep them from committing suicide during work hours. As Pantheon Solutions sees it, every single drone in those cubicles are part of the product they sell, and they mean to protect their assets, even from themselves.

As the sun continues to sink and it begins to darken outside, your eyes catch sight of the slums near the edge of the city. Separated into three districts, the poor seem to grow larger in population every week, and so too does the space they need. Your nose scrunches in disgust, almost as a reaction to the very idea of the living conditions those poor souls are under. Thankfully, your employment at Pantheon affords you a modest apartment with all the amenities. But is it enough?

The last rays of the sun disappear and your reflection stares back at you. Instead of a smile you keep a perpetual frown. The smart business attire you wear is sleek and clean, but doesn't fit you as well as the suits the executives wear. It was obviously a hand-me-down, as suit prices keep you from being able to afford anything better. Hell, just the prices of anything keep you from affording anything better. Sometimes, you wish you could move up, get a promotion, get better pay. Something like that. Instead, like the others, you're stuck in your life and meant to be thankful for it. Because you're not down there in the slums.

With a sigh you move away from the window and walk back to your cubicle. You have a desk there, with some knickknacks that are special to you, a photo of you as a child, and a personal coffee mug that sits next to your keyboard. The coffee mug has been in that spot so long, the coffee ring stains are ingrained in the cheap oak desk by this point. You yawn and look at your computer, ready to finish one last report so you can go home. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

"Well, hello there dear! I was hoping I would find someone who didn't look like they were sick of life but.." The voice that came through the screen was accompanied by a live video of a gothic woman with emerald eyes. Her gaze stayed on you with a predatory glimmer in those green hues. "I suppose you'll do. See, my little fixer business is expanding and it's gotten to the point that I'd like to broaden my horizons. Make some friends in high places, you get me? So..What do you say to visiting my office in the third slums district? I think you and I can help each other out. Ciao." The woman blows a kiss and the feed cuts out as quickly as it started. You stare at the screen a while longer and soon an instant message pops up in the corner with an address, signed by Echo.