Katsina and Sam come back from their interrogation.Katsina goes to Doc's medical lab and takes a a box of empty blood packs. "Snacks for the road," she says with no additional explanation. She walks off and comes back with them later, filled.
The precious metals are entrusted to the men on the snowmobiles, just in case the border agents search the RV and become suspicious about Ace and Katsina hauling around several kilograms of gold, silver, and osmium.
The two teams split, with Chino pointing to a rendezvous point on the other side of the border. Ace and Katsina leave with the RV while the others take off on the snowmobiles.
Chino leads Blue Team deep into the mountains. Before long they are at rough, uneven ground where the FRFZ fence has difficulty staying level. Chino activates his qi focus and switches on his astral sight. "Ya gotta be on the lookout for spirits. Spirits and Ghostwalker are snug as a bug in a rug. That said, since Harlequin decided to twist Ghostwalker's titties the spirits ain't around as much anymore."
Sure enough, there are no patroling spirits, nor drones. There's a large outcropping of rock that leads straight up to the fence, practically serving as a ramp up to the top. "All ya gotta do is jump!" Chino says, taking off at a sprint and leaping over the fence with grace and ease. He stays airborne for an impossibly long time, suspended in midair by his magic, before finally hitting the snowpack on the other side and tumbling into a roll. He jumps up, launching a puff of powdery snow around him like an angel. "Haha, that was great!"
Sam chucks the bags over the fence and Ohanzee uses Levitate on those who aren't as keen on jumping, even though the snow is soft and inviting on the other side.
"Ditch the snowmobiles here," Chino says. "We're less than a klick to the road where Katace - like Katsina plus Ace, right? - are gonna pick us up." With that, he plows off into the snow, his bioware muscles easily pushing the large snowdrifts aside.
Sam doesn't have any problems with the deep snow, but Ohanzee and Doc - not so physically blessed - struggle to keep up. There's a pause when Chino comes to a sheer rock face that blocks the way. "No problemo!" Chino says, running up the wall as easily as if it had stairs. Again, Ohanzee has to levitate those who can't wall run. Reaching the top, the find the forest road that Chino had identified earlier and sit down to wait.
Ace and Katsina - Katace - don't have much trouble at the border. "Here," Katsina says as they're getting closer. "I just bought us ¥45,000 of preferred shares of the Pueblo Corporate Council. Preferred stock can be purchased by anyone, but doesn't have voting rights like residential shares do. But owners of preferred stock have the ability to enter and live in Council territory, similar to an entry visa. That will give us some cover for why we were here, and you wouldn't believe their ROI figures! I don't know how they can sustain this level of growth but the returns are amazing! I'll show you the financials in the morning."
It's late when they pull up to the border. At this hour its mostly truckers, both metahuman and drone. Katsina makes sure she's looks like what her fake SIN says.
"SINs," the rotund human border guard says with a yawn. Katsina and Ace provide their fake SINs as Katsina looks around for astral security.
"Says here you're registered Awakened?" the guard asks.
"Yes, sir."
"What's in the trailer?" he asks.
"Medical supplies," Ace says, reasoning that they're not restricted. "Relief for the recent terrorist attacks," he adds with smooth sincerity. "We even have some donor blood."
The guard nods. "We need it. Says you're with Ares and youuuuuu are with Saeder-Krupp?" He cocks an eyebrow.
"That's correct, sir."
"Strange days upon us," the guard says, shaking his head. “Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.”
"You have no idea how right you are."
"All is fair in love and war." The man waves the couple through, the domesticity of the RV erasing any suspicions he might have over corporate rivals traveling together.
Ace and Katsina pick up Blue Team shortly after passing the border. Blue Team shivers, the trek through the snow having induced them to sweat and the sweat having started to freeze against their skin. They pile into the RV eagerly and warm their hands over the heat vents.
"I'm going to Fun City and that's that," Chino says, crossing his arms with a pout after Doc's invitation to be his driver. He can't be persuaded that it's a bad idea, even though Fun City is back in the PCC with all the SecForce troopers looking for you.
"But Chino, there's a Fun City in the CAS too!" Doc points out, pulling up the relevant AROs and tossing them to Chino. "In Florida!"
"OH YEAH!" Chino says, brightening immediately. "Woo hoo!"
"Sam and I need to be careful," Katsina says. "Both the UCAS and the CAS have active bounties on the Infected. Salish-Shidhe and CalFree are both much more tolerant of the Infected. If you're going east, maybe we'll go west."
"Meet back here in three months?" Ohanzee proposes. "SoyKan parking lot, at sunset?" Everyone agrees.
"This is it then?" Chino asks, as the farewells conclude. "You won't forget about me will you?" he asks Ace.
"How could I forget about you?" Ace asks. "You're the only ork I know." He smiles, and they shake until Chino pulls him into a hug. Ace is strong but not Chino-strong and finds himself pressed again the ork, cheek to cheek. He finally breaks free, safe from the ork's affections except for the few extra nanites that have spread Chino into his ear, ready to work with a blank slate.
