Under the overpass, shaded us from barely any light. Three men stood around the Militech truck, all armed with heavy guns. I sat in the Quadra, quietly observing from a far distance. A women with feathered, blonde hair, stood confidently next to the vehicle. She wore a black blouse, a bullet proof vest over top of her blouse, and a skirt that went past her knees, that hugged her curves. All three of her bodyguards wore crisp and clean suits. 

I knew I had to made the money to visit Arosaka, if there was a fee to remove this virus, then the mission on what Dex spoke about was my only option.

 She must be Meredrith. I rolled up next to her Militech truck. 

I got out of the vehicle and approached her, I kept a fair distance between her and I. 

"Meredrith Stout. Take it you were the one that called?" Meredrith questioned firmly.

She held out her gloved hand with a half smile tugging from her lips. 

I reached out to shake her hand. Instead I felt my head collide against the pavement. My vision fogged and I felt a wave of pressure on the side of my head. Meredrith laughed at her bodyguard's actions.

"Thought you could blackmail me, bitch?! Set conditions?! Got any more for me?!" Meredrith screamed in an outrage. I quickly rolled and tried to get up and attack Meredrith for her actions. Instead I was shoved against her Militech truck. 

The bodyguard held my hands behind my back, he whipped out plastic, zip-tie handcuffs. I nailed a hard jab with my elbow against the bodyguard's gut. He stumbled and I twisted around and reached for my gun. The bodyguard kicked the side of my knee and grabbed my hands, nearly making me stumble over. I pulled my knee up and nailed him right in the nuts. The other bodyguard jumped in when the one I hit yelled.

A slick punch was landed against my jaw, making me see black and blue for a moment. My face was pressed against the cold hood of her truck. I thrashed around, trying to prevent my hands from being zip-tied. This seemed like a kidnapping situation!

"Get the fuck off of me!" I yelled. I whipped the back of my head against his face, then I leaned forward and brought up my legs and kicked him as hard as I could in the gut. The man's back hit the ground from the impact. I rolled off of the hood and used the vehicle as support to get up. Out of nowhere, I felt a cold iron pressed against my temple.

"We gonna play this game? Or are you going to be a good girl?" Meredrith purred.

"Good isn't something you'd entitle me to-" I choked.

"Shut your trap! Now, are you here alone?" She questioned with a firm grim against my arm. She pulled me up and handed me to the dark skinned bodyguard that's nose was bleeding.

"What's it to you?" I growled. 

A bitter laugh came from Meredrith, "You really think calling me and screwing around with me is alright?" she questioned with an amused expression. Her bodyguard added a bit more pressure to my head with his gun. My jaw locked, as the pain started to skyrocket.

"Now, answer my questions. Honestly. Forthrightly. Are you here alone?" she questioned, calmly.

"Yep, just lil' ol' me." I answered with a grunt. The second bodyguard forcefully pulled out a man out of from the vehicle. He had bruised and swollen face. His suit was ripped up and his slicked, black hair was messed up. He pointed a gun against the man's head. What did he have to do with this?

The African American bodyguard scanned me with his Militech, red eyes.

"It's the truth, she isn't lying." The bodyguard piped up to Meredrith.

Meredrith crossed her arms and stared at me, then her gaze shifted over to the man they dragged out of the vehicle. She was trying to determine what we had in common, if there was a connection or not.

"Do a sweep on the area." she ordered. A drone folded out from the back of the vehicle and took off to the skies.

"Now listen close. Is this piece of shit, Anthony Gilcrist, is he your contact? Is he the intel, that leaked information on the convoy?" She tested, pointing at the man that was hurt.

"That guy?" I looked over to him.

"Nah, never seen him before." I added, telling the truth.

"Checks out." The bodyguard that held onto me commented, revealing that I was truely alone.

"Listen, I know where the transport is. I can help you. Just want a favour in return, I meant no harm, just got scared." I replied, simply.

"Hm, you don't look like the type to show fear." she took note.

"I told you! I fucking told you! I'm not the mole! Jeezuz Crisp!" Anthony yelled.

"Shut him up!" Meredrith yelled at the bodyguard.

The bodyguard that held Antony hostage opened the passengers door, "Unhand me! Before I-" The bodyguard cut Antony off with a rough shove. Meredrith started to pace, back and forth. She sighed, "Her you can let go. The feral is calm, I wanna hear what she has to say." Meredrith suggested, taking my word that she wanted to hear all the information I had about the gang.

The bodyguard took out his blade and cut the ties. I rubbed my wrists that had a red imprint from the pressure of the plastic. The blue haired bodyguard stepped to the side and stood next to Meredrith. His gun pointed directly at me, and his finger on the trigger. 

I held up my hands in defence.

"Couldn't be chill from the start?" I questioned, with a chuckle.

"Shut the fuck up. Tell me what you want?" Meredrith questioned with an impatient voice.

I stayed quiet with a smirk. I stayed silent for three whole minutes. Meredrith raised her eyebrow and had a pretty blank expression.

"Speak!" she yelled. I knew the silence was driving her up the wall.

"You told me to shut the fuck up. So I did, can't do both."

Meredrith inhaled deeply, almost as I was holing the red cape. She was diffidently a Taurus.

"Alright smart ass, tell me what you know?" Meredrith growled. She was embarrassing herself in front of her bodyguards.

"I need a bot- flathead model. Guys who ripped you off have it. Promise me the bot, I'll point the finger." I offered in a persuasive voice.

"You have a plan how to deal with 'em?" Meredrith questioned confidently, crossing her arms.

"Could take 'em by force, but...they're expecting payment, so I could go down that route as well." I recalled, laying out the two possible plans.

"Hmm... Fine the latter. But on one condition, you pay with our money." I was confused why she offered up that. She marched over to her truck, hopped in, and searched the console for something. In decent time she came back and held out a large cyber-ware chip.

The bodyguard lowered his gun, and Meredrith handed me her cred-chip. I'm guessing this wasn't her personal one, but her company's.

She waved it around.

"Sounds solid enough, I'm in." I said with hesitation and I snatched it.

"All you have to worry about is purchasing it with this chip and we'll come get you, if there's an issue. Some good ol' payback's gonna be nice. Try to fuck around with me in anyway, and I'll be seeing you very soon, Ronin Silverjynx." She taunted me, she got into the backseat and shut the door.

My jaw dropped, how how did she know my name, even when I was a private caller?

"Y-your making a mistake! Meredrith is good as dead! And she'll take you down with her!" Anthony screamed in worry, as they drove off.