"That's as much as you're getting," the company man said. "Take it and be grateful you're getting anything at all."

Lothan stood, pocketing the credstick. "Always a pleasure," he said with considerable sarcasm. "I hope your losses weren't too considerable," he said to Green Lucifer in the same tone. Then he turned imperiously on his heel and walked out of the room, the door closing behind him.

"Arrogant troglodyte." Green Lucifer stared at Brickman. "I can't believe you paid him anything for that debacle."

"Unfortunately, he's right," Brickman said. "With his reputation and visibility in Seattle, it's worth staying on his good side-for now. Just how bad were the losses?"

The gang leader dismissed the question with a wave of his hand. "Insignificant," he said. "They were expendable or else I wouldn't have sent them in the first place. I'd intended Orion to lead them. I hadn't expected his betrayal so soon, and especially not over some human girl." He leaned back in his chair as if it was his office and he was the one giving Brickman an audience, rather than the other way around.

"And what about our arrangement?" he asked the company man.

"It will take time to acquire additional weapons," Brickman mused, and the gang leader waved him off once more.

"The weapons are unimportant," he said. "I have other resources for acquiring what we need to deal with the Spikes, if they actually become a threat. I'm talking about our long-term goals."

"Those plans continue to move forward. I'll see to it you have the opportunity to expand your power base here in Seattle," Brickman said. "You'll get your chance at Tir Tairngire when the time comes."

"Good," Green Lucifer said, steepling his fingers. "Then this is just a minor setback. Orion is no longer a part of the Ancients, and I've gotten rid of a few other potential troublemakers, as planned, but there's still a great deal to be done. Ah, well," he said, dropping his hands to his knees, "patience is also a virtue." Then he gave Brickman a tight-lipped smile. "There will be other opportunities, after all."

Brickman nodded. "I'm glad we understand one another. I'll be in touch."

The gang leader stood and gave Brickman a slight nod of his head before turning and leaving the room. Once the door closed, Brickman leaned back in his chair and sighed.

"Well, that went well," came a voice from the shadows.

Brickman didn't react or even turn around at first, his fingers tracing idle patterns on the smooth desktop.

"Spare me the sarcasm, Midnight," he said to the empty air. "I've had about all I can take for one day."

A slim form in skintight synthleather stepped from the shadows near the windows of Brickman's office, sliding the window closed behind her. She was tall, like most elves, her outfit hugging the curves and tight muscles of her lithe body. Her dark hair was pulled back, braided and coiled at the nape of her neck to keep it out of the way, emphasizing her pointed ears, her gracefully upswept brows and her large eyes. She had the cheekbones and lips of a classical statue, and her expression was just as hard and cold.

"How long were you listening?" Brickman asked.

"Long enough," she said. "What a waste. Having those weapons 'stolen' by the Ancients, then having Knight Errant move in to foil the theft would have been a nice double play. You escalate gang violence in the metroplex and make Lone Star look incompetent in the bargain. Then Knight Errant can step in to 'investigate' the other losses Ares has suffered and come down hard on the gangs, looking like the heroes."

"It's not a total loss," Brickman replied. "The theft will still create some negative PR for Lone Star. It'll need to be managed carefully, or else shadowrunners will start to think Ares is an easy target, and we can't have that. I suspect a few object lessons will need to be handed out to make it clear we're not to be trifled with. There's a fair amount of cleaning up I need done."

"I don't do windows, Brickman," she said, shaking her head, "or loose ends."

"I didn't call you here for that," he said. "I have something else in mind. Lothan is working with someone new, a girl he had with him at our meet. Green Lucifer said she was the one who convinced Orion to challenge him, and I'm certain she was involved in grabbing the weapons." He opened a drawer, pulled out a printout and tossed it on the desk.

"I want to know whatever there is to know about her. When I play a game, I like to know all the pieces on the board."

Midnight looked down at the picture, obviously taken covertly at the meeting between Brickman and the shadowrunners. She glanced over the features of the human girl looking into the camera. The youthful face framed in blond hair, the expression of bravado and inexperience combined were familiar, but her eyes were drawn immediately to the amulet the girl wore at her throat. Midnight picked up the photo and looked at it carefully, not daring to believe her eyes. But there it was, right there in front of her.

Swallowing her excitement, Midnight lowered the photo and gave Brickman a sly smile.

"I'll get you everything there is to know about her," she said. "It will be my pleasure."