A Tale of Two Cities

L"This is why you're dense. It happened. Therefore, it must be a repressed memory."

*Lilith glares at her.*
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{And can you confirm ze name of ze attacker?}

"Aamon Avici."

Zell just sat there, running a hand through her hair, "I can't believe it..." She said, still shocked. "Would there be anyway to access the memory, maybe there is something else I don't know... also, if that is the second time I painted that, who has the original?"

T"No. Only Aamon Avici knows how to do that, & he went missing after Senthose died."
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{Very well. You ar dizmizzed, for now.}

"Understood. Where should I return the Megadeus?"

*Kanrei Tsuki returns its knives to the compartments they came from then picks up its rifle and stands up.

Zell let out a sigh, Has everything I painted just been a replica? Some memory... Zell shook her head, "So, there is no way then... I guess I just keep painting then."

*The phone rings, so Lilith gets up to answer it.*

L"Hello?"

T"Well, in the meantime, I'll continue investigating the Megadeus."

L"Yes, I see. Thank you."

T"There might be an explanation in its memory circuits, somewhere."

*She hangs up & turns around.*

L"Aamon is back. They say he may have been Senthose's accomplice. They told us we should 'watch our backs,' but I do not believe that our necks bend that far."
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{We've completed construction on a hangar under your home. All you have to do is return to ze street next to your dwelling.}

"Understood."

*Kanrei Tsuki begins to head to the street next to Hitomi's apartment building.*

"It is a figure of spee-- Never mind." Zell said. "If Aamon is back then there is a chance-- No, that would be a bad idea, Aamon is a bad man." Zell said. "Please, let me know what you find Thiera; let me know why the Megadues seems to have a memory of things I painted, or will paint, or forgot I painted, I'm not sure. It seems odd that a weapon like that would have a knowledge of me like that." Zell continued, Then again, that guy was supposed to have eyes like me, maybe there is more things going on here than I am fully aware of... or maybe it is just a coincidence, I don't know anymore. She thought, putting her head in her hands again and letting out a sigh.

~A Few Days Later~

*Zell wakes up to find Lilith standing around in the middle of her room, staring at a wall.*
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*Topaz wakes up to find a note stuck to her refrigerator. It looks like it's made of newspaper and magazine clippings of individual letters pasted to a sheet of paper.*

We have your brother. We want $1000. Meet us at the dam with the money. Come alone.

The Greatest Villain,
Beck
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*Luna finds a similar note to the one above, only it's about her father.*
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*The girl from the post office walks into the library & up to the desk. She stares at Hitomi blankly for a few seconds, with no more reaction than a raised eyebrow.*

<What kind of dillapidated, pathetic excuse for a library would hire an illiterate like you?>

Zell lets out a small yawn, then sees Lilith in her room. "Good morning to you Lilith, what a pleasant surprise to see you here." She rubbed her eyes a bit and sat up. "So, to what do I owe this surprise?"

*She widens her eyes in shock.*

[What?! I don't have 1000$!]

*After thinking for a while she takes out her cell phone and calls Thiera Psyche.*

*Hitomi ignores her and continues reading.*

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*Vega sits about channel surfing.*

[I should look for a job. Unless this giant robot stuff actually pays and I just don't know it.]

*She takes the book out of her hands & tosses it aside.*

<I-will-slow-it-down-for-you. I-say, apish-moron, I-am-here-to-procure-some-light-reading.>
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L"Thiera said I should stay in here in case Aamon or Seebach came back. She also told me not to stare at you the whole time."
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T"Hello?"

*Hitomi retrieves another book from the cart and opens it.*

"Employees reserve the right to refuse service in the event a library patron is acting in a hostile manner. This includes verbal harassment. Either change your tone or get out."

Topaz: <Someone has my brother and I need your... help... to pay the ransom.>

"Ah, thank you for watching over me." She said, fighting back another yawn. "And I'm fine with you looking at me, in fact I prefer it; it makes me feel pretty uninteresting if you'd rather stare at a wall than cast me a glance." With that Zell got out of bed and rummaged in her dresser for a clean pair of underclothes and a towel. "Thank you again Lilith. If you'll please excuse me, I have to freshen up." She said heading towards the door.

L"I should probably get ready, too."

*She smoothes out some of her hair that was sticking up.*

L"Done."
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T"What you need is a negotiator. You should try calling Roger Smith. He's the city's best, & sometimes he takes jobs not from Paradigm. I have his number, if you want it."
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*She tosses that book away, too.*

<Do not order me around, you evolutionary throwback.>

"Then get out."

*She stands up and begins to push the cart to go put the signed in books back on the shelves.*

Topaz: <I do.>

*She recites the number.*

T"There you are. Now, if Roger tells you you need to come up with more money, tell him to call me."
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*She stops the cart with her foot.*

<Listen, you slack-jawed babboon, I'm through playing nice. Present me with the provisions I require, or be fired for incompetence.>

Topaz: <Okay.>

*She hangs up and calls Roger.*

*Hitomi glares at her then pulls the cart back.*

"I'm on break."

*Returning the cart to where it previously was she fucks off.*

*She walks out a few minutes later with about 5 books, each almost a foot thick. She seems to be struggling with the weight.*

<Don't even bother going back in.>

*Hitomi's supervisor comes out.*

<I'm sorry. I tried to talk her out of it, but she just kept saying she didn't understand why I wanted to keep you. And she works for Paradigm, so I had no choice. (Forgive me...please?)>
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<Hello?>

Topaz: <Thiera told me to call you. Someone has my brother and they want a ransom.>