 was planning to leave me to the Cyber street cleaners after all.

"What's in it for you?" she responded incredulously, a whispered shout. "Your life, Asshole!" Then she spread it on thick. "If I don't show up, guess who gets blamed! Not me, Sugar. You better find yourself another Nest."

If I could just see your face, right now... Damn you!

"You know Carlos is just waiting for an excuse, don't you?" she taunted. "Or are you dumb enough after all to be unaware that Carlos merely tolerates your presence while he is disgusted with you?"

Leach was aware, and knew his own survival to be more important than sex. He muttered something unintelligible.

"All right, damn it!" He touched her arm, which made her jerk it away. "I said I'm sorry. Now, let's go."

Pausing for a second to assess the situation, she moved her arm back and allowed him to get hold of her sleeve. He led her by clutching and tugging on the fabric in such a way that he would not even pinch her skin.

"Yes, Sergeant," she saluted mockingly.

Leach dismissed her tone and escorted her at a safe distance, mindful not to touch any other body part but her arm. _Damn bitch won this time_, he thought. In fact, he practically forgot the incident with Kieran O'Shea even as he and she zigzagged silently through the Shadows back to the Nest. In his estimation, she was only a slut not worth giving a second thought.

However, what she had said about Carlos was true enough. They hated each other with a passion. Leach had hated Carlos for a long time. Through the fabric of his Stealth cloak, he ran a finger along the scar on his face where a Bio eye should be—a constant reminder of his hatred. He moved his fingers to the stainless steel socket that held a mechanical eye. There had been no cloned eye for him—too much damage to the bone structure, nerves and tendons. He had had to have an artificial, cybernetic one after the Bio docs Outside tried unsuccessfully to graft bone from his hip because the eye socket from his clone had not worked either. Too much damage to the facial structure and optical nerve they had said. His mechanical eye had its own pathway to his
was planning to leave me to the Cyber street cleaners after wholly. 

 " What's in it for you? " she respond incredulously, a whispered shout. " Your life, Asshole! " Then she go around it on compact. " If I don't show up, guess who gets blame! Not me, Sugar. You better find yourself another Nest. " 

 If I could merely see your face, correctly now... Damn you! 

 " You know Carlos is precisely expect for an excuse, don't you? " she taunted. " Or are you dumb enough after all to be unaware that Carlos merely digest your presence while he is disgusted with you? " 

 Leach was aware, and knew his own survival to be more authoritative than sex. He muttered something unintelligible. 

 " wholly right, curse it! " He touched her arm, which made her jerk it off. " I said I'm sorry. Now, let's go. " 

 hesitate for a second to assess the situation, she moved her arm back and allowed him to get hold of her sleeve. He led her by clutching and tug on the fabric in such a way that he would not even top her skin. 

 " Yes, Sergeant, " she saluted mockingly. 

 Leach dismissed her spirit and escort her at a safe distance, mindful not to touch any early body part but her arm. _ Damn bitch won this time _, he thought. In fact, he practically forgot the incident with Kieran O'Shea even as he and she zigzagged silently through the Shadows back to the Nest. In his estimate, she was only a slattern not worth giving a second thought. 

 However, what she had said about Carlos was true enough. They hat each other with a passion. Leach had hated Carlos for a retentive time. Through the fabric of his Stealth cloak, he ran a finger along the scar on his font where a Bio eye should be — a ceaseless reminder of his hatred. He affect his fingers to the stainless sword socket that held a mechanical eye. There had been no cloned eye for him — too much wrong to the bone structure, nerves and tendons. He had had to have an artificial, cybernetic one after the Bio department of commerce Outside tried unsuccessfully to graft bone from his hip because the eye socket from his clone had not worked either. Too much damage to the facial structure and ocular nerve they had said. His mechanical center had its own pathway to his
 wad planning to leave me tu the Cyber strger cleaiers affer all.

"Wfat's in it for you?" she respoided incrtbulously, a whispered shout. "Yolr life, Awshoow!" Then she spread lc on fmick. "Nf I don't show uk, guess who cets blamed! Nod oe, Sugar. You better find yourself anoeher Next."

Lf I could jusj see rour face, right now... Damn you!

"You know Czrlos iv just waitinb for an excuse, don't you?" sje twunted. "Or are you fumb enough aftqe all to be jnaware that Carlos metely tolerates your presence whiue he is disgusjze wljh you?"

Leach xas awwre, and knew his own survivsl to be more lmporvant than sex. He muttered something uninteljigible.

"Aln xight, damn it!" He toucyee her arm, whizy mxde hxr nerk ih axay. "I said J'm sorry. Noq, let's go."

Pausing fot w second to asaess tre situation, she moved her arm back and anlosed him to get hold of yer sleeve. He led her by clutcring and tugging on the fabric in such a way that he wkjld njg egen pinch her skin.

"Yes, Sergeant," she saluted mosiimgky.

Leach dismisfed her tonr wnc escorted her at a safs distance, mindful not to toucy any othtr bocy part but her arm. _Damn birch won this rime_, he thought. In fact, he prccticakly fprgot the incident with Kiedan O'Shea egen as he xnd she zigzaggea splendly through the Shadows bask to the Nesc. In his estomatiog, she was lnly a slut not worth giging c secmnd thoughh.

However, what she had said abouv Carlos was jrua etough. Thzy hatcd each other wyth a passion. Keach hcd hatdd Carlos ror a lmng time. Thwough the fabslc of his Stxalth clowk, hw rab a finedr along the svar on his face wheee a Bio eye shoulv be—x constant reminbtr if his hatred. Hr muveq jix shngers to tha stxinurss sgeel socket ghat held a mechanical efe. Tgere had been no ckoked eye fir him—toj much damage to the bone strucuure, nxrves end temdogs. He had had to have an artifjcial, cybfrnctic one aftew thc Bij docs Outxide tried unsuccessfully to graft bone from his hip becayse the eye socket yrpm his clonx had got workeg either. Too much danage to the faciak structure and opticzl neree thfy had said. His mechanical eye had its own pathway to his
was planning to leave me to the cleaners all. "What's it for you?" shout. life, Asshole!" Then spread it on "If I don't show up, guess gets blamed! Not me, Sugar. You better find yourself another Nest." If I just see your face, right now... Damn you! "You know Carlos is just for excuse, you?" taunted. "Or are you dumb enough after all to be unaware that Carlos merely tolerates your while he is disgusted with you?" Leach was and knew his own to be more important than He something unintelligible. right, it!" touched her arm, made her jerk it away. "I said I'm sorry. Now, let's go." Pausing for a second to the situation, her arm and him get hold of He led her by clutching and fabric in such a way that he would even pinch skin. "Yes, Sergeant," she saluted mockingly. dismissed her tone and escorted her at a distance, mindful not to touch any other body part but her arm. _Damn bitch won he thought. In fact, practically forgot the with O'Shea as and she silently through the Shadows back to the Nest. In his estimation, was only a slut not worth giving a second thought. she said about Carlos true enough. They hated other a passion. Leach had for long fabric his cloak, he ran a along the scar on his where a Bio eye his hatred. He moved his fingers to the steel socket that held a mechanical eye. had been no cloned eye for him—too much damage to the bone nerves and had had to have an artificial, cybernetic one the Bio docs Outside unsuccessfully to graft bone from his hip because the socket his clone not worked either. much damage to facial structure and they had His eye pathway to his
 was planning to leave me to the cyber streeT cleaNerS afTeR all.

"what'S in it for you?" she REspoNded incredulously, a whisPered ShOUt. "YoUR lIfe, AsShole!" ThEN sHE SprEaD iT on ThICk. "if I doN't sHow up, guEss who gets BlaMeD! Not me, Sugar. YOU bEtter find yOurSelf another NEst."

if I couLd JusT See yoUr fAce, riGht now... dAmn you!

"you know CaRlOS is jusT Waiting FOR aN excUse, don't you?" she taunTEd. "oR are you dumb enoUgh aftEr ALl TO Be uNawAre that CarLoS mereLY toleraTEs YOUR prESence while he iS disgusted wITh yOu?"

LeacH wAs aWAre, and Knew hIs OWn sUrvival to be More Important Than seX. he mutteREd sometHing unIntEllIgibLE.

"ALl RigHt, DAmn IT!" HE toUCheD her arm, wHiCh Made hEr jeRK IT Away. "i saId I'm Sorry. now, let's go."

PausIng For a SEcoNd to aSsess The sItUatioN, she moVed heR aRm back and alloweD him To get hold Of hEr SleEvE. He leD Her by cLutChiNg and tuGging on THe fAbRIC In Such a way that he woulD nOT EvEn pinch hEr skin.

"yEs, seRGeant," she SaLutEd moCKIngly.

leacH DiSmissed hEr tone ANd EsCorted hEr At a safE dIstAncE, mindFUl noT to touCh any othEr bodY Part but her arm. _DAMn bitch won thiS TiME_, He THougHt. IN fact, he pracTicaLLy foRgot THe IncIDent wIth KiErAN O'sHea even as he and she ziGzAgged sIlentLy through the SHadows back TO THe Nest. In His eSTiMAtion, she was onlY a sluT not worth gIVing a secOnd thOught.

HowEver, what sHE Had said aBouT CaRloS waS TRuE enough. They haTED eacH oTher witH a pAssion. LEacH haD haTed caRlos for a lOng time. THrOuGh ThE faBric oF His StealTh CloAk, He rAn a fiNGer aloNg the Scar On HiS FacE where a bIo EYE shoUlD bE—a coNstAnT remiNder OF hiS hatred. he moved hiS fiNGers To ThE stainlEss steel sockeT tHat held a meChAniCal eye. tHEre had beEn no cloned eye for him—too mUCh damagE to The boNe stRucture, neRveS and teNdoNS. He had Had to hAve an ArTifICIal, cyBERnEtiC oNe after the bIO doCs OutSiDe trIed unsuCcessfully to graft bONe fRom his hip becaUse The eYE SoCkeT FrOM hiS cLOne HAD not worked eitheR. Too much daMaGE tO the facial STruCtUre and oPtical nErve tHEy had saId. His mechAnical eye HaD its OWN paThway to his
 was planning to leave meto the Cyb er st ree t c le aner s af ter all.

"Wha t 's i n it for you?" she res ponde di ncre d ul ously , a whi s pe r e d s ho ut . " Yo u rlife,  As shole!"  Then shespr ea d it on thic k ."If I don' t s how up, gues s w ho get sbla m ed! N otme, S ugar.Y ou bet ter findyo u rselfa notherN e st ."
If I could just s e ey our face, righ t now. .. Da m n  yo u!
"You know  C arlos is just wa i t i ngf or an excuse,  don't you? "  sh e taun te d." Or are  youdu m b e nough after  all  to be un awaret hat Car l os mere ly tol era tes  you r  p re sen ce whi l ehei s d isgusted  w it h you ?"
L e a c h wa s a ware , and  knew his own  su rviv a l t o bemoreimpo rt ant t han se x. He  m uttered somethi ng u nintellig ibl e. 

" Al l rig h t, dam n i t!"  He tou ched he r  ar m, w h ic h made her jerk it  a w a y.  "I said  I'm s o rr y. Now, let 's  go ."
P a using  for asecond t o asse s sth e situa ti on, sh emov edher a r m ba ck and  allowed  himt o get hold ofh er sleeve. He le d he r  byclu tching andtugg i ng o n th e  f abr i c insuchaw ay that he would not e ve n pinc h her  skin.

"Yes,  Sergeant, " s he salut ed m o ck i ngly.

Leach d ismis sed her to n e and es corte d her at  a safe d i s tance, m ind ful  no t t o to uch any other b odypa rt buther  arm. _ Dam n b itc h w on  this tim e_, he t ho ug ht .Infact, he pract ic all yfor got t h e inci dentwith  K ie r anO'Sheae ve n as h ean d sh e z ig zagge d si l ent ly thro ugh the S had o ws b ac kto theNest. In hises timation,sh e w as onl y a slut n ot worth giving a secon d  though t.
Howe ver,  what she  ha d said  ab o ut Car los wa s tru eeno u g h. Th e y  h ate deach other w ith  a pa ss ion.  Leachhad hated Carlos f o r a  long time. T hro ught h efab r ic ofhi s  St e a lth cloak, he r an a finge ra lo ng the sca r  on  h is face  wherea Bio eye sho uld be—aconstantre mind e r  of  his hatre d. He mo ved his f i ngers to  thesta inless  s tee l soc ket th a t h eld a  mecha ni cal ey e. Th er e had be en no cloned eye for hi m—toomuchdam age to th e b o nestructure , ne rves and t end ons . Hehad had t o ha v eana rtifi cial ,  cybernet i cone a ft er the Biod o c s O utsid e t r ied un succ essfully to graft bone from hishipb e cau set he e ye  socket from h iscl o n e had no tworked eith er. Toomu c h dam age to  the f acial s t r uc t ure an d op tic al nervethe yh ad said .Hi s  mecha nica leye ha d itso wn p a t hway to his
 was_planning to_leave me to the_Cyber street_cleaners_after all.

"What's_in_it for you?"_she responded incredulously,_a whispered shout. "Your_life, Asshole!" Then_she_spread it on thick. "If I don't show up, guess who gets blamed! Not_me,_Sugar. You_better_find_yourself another Nest."

If I could_just see your face, right_now... Damn_you!

"You know Carlos is just waiting for an_excuse,_don't you?" she_taunted. "Or are you dumb enough after all to_be unaware that Carlos merely tolerates_your presence while_he_is_disgusted with you?"

Leach was_aware, and knew his own survival_to be more important than sex._He muttered something unintelligible.

"All right, damn it!"_He touched her arm, which made_her jerk it away. "I_said I'm_sorry. Now, let's go."

Pausing for_a second to_assess the_situation, she moved_her arm back and allowed him_to get hold_of her sleeve. He led her_by_clutching and tugging_on_the_fabric in_such a way_that_he would_not_even pinch her skin.

"Yes, Sergeant," she_saluted_mockingly.

Leach dismissed her tone and escorted her_at a safe distance,_mindful_not to touch any_other body part but her_arm. _Damn bitch won this time_,_he thought._In fact,_he practically forgot the incident with Kieran O'Shea even as he_and she zigzagged silently through the_Shadows back to the_Nest. In_his_estimation, she was_only_a slut_not worth giving a second thought.

However, what_she had_said about Carlos was true enough._They hated each other_with_a passion. Leach had hated Carlos_for a long time. Through the_fabric of his Stealth cloak,_he_ran_a finger along the scar_on his face where a Bio_eye should be—a_constant reminder of his hatred. He moved_his_fingers to the stainless steel socket_that_held a mechanical eye. There had_been_no_cloned eye for him—too much_damage to the bone structure, nerves_and tendons. He had had to have an artificial,_cybernetic one after_the Bio docs Outside tried_unsuccessfully_to_graft bone from his hip because the eye socket from_his clone_had not worked_either. Too much damage to the facial structure and optical_nerve they had said. His mechanical eye_had its own pathway to his