"Here ya go sis, happy birthday. So now you are what, 36 years old?" Drider smirks as he hands her a large wrapped present.

"Fragger, if you don’t change my birth records back to my real age soon, you wont live to see your own birthday." Black Widow snaps as she grabs at the offered gift. Her face then slowly turns to a smile. A smile that could melt the heart of Dunklezahn. "Thanks little brother, you shouldn’t have." she says as she begins to pull the wrapping off the gift. This reveals what appears to be a medium sized bird cage with a small bird house inside, a few feathers line the bottom of the cage. "Feathers… a bird? You got me a fraggin bird? Are you slottin BTLs?"

"No BW, the feathers are just what’s left after your pet had lunch." As if a signal has been given, a blue velvet covered leg pokes out from the birdhouse. Then another, and soon six more. An electric blue form of a magically awakened bird eating tarantula then steps forth.

"OOHH! I LOVE IT!" she exclaims, and deftly opens the door to the cage and inserts her non-cybered hand to pet the creature.

"DON’T!" Drider yells, "it is deadly poisonous!’

However, the tarantula lies still and even seems to enjoy the petting it gets from the woman. Within moments, the spider queen has the tarantula cuddled in her arms and is petting it ever so lovingly.

"Oh Drider, this is the best gift imaginable!" she says as she gives him a peck on the cheek.

The party is then interrupted by the entrance of Sidewinder. The tarantula rears back on its hind legs and twirls its front legs menacingly.

"Black Widow, I need to talk to you now." he says sternly.

Five minutes later the two are in the command room of the Scorpion Securities office.

"I need to know what you intend to do about the situation in Bangkok. You sent the submarine on route to the city, why?"

"We needed to get Ravage out, and I wanted a back up plan." she says controlling her anger.

"Ravage can handle himself. I told him to leave and take a trip to Japan." He pauses. "That trip was a silly errand of course, but I didn’t want him raising any hell before he left, and I figured a new mission was what he needed."

"He has a new mission." she says as her eyes fade to red. "We are retaking Bangkok."

"Unacceptable." He replies. "That place is lost to us, and is not worth the retaking."

"You have no idea the repercussions of that loss. We lost half the team, all our morale, and I am surprised we are still in business here, considering."

"I know the numbers, Captain, but it is not a rational decision to retake the city. It was just a base of operations, and while we were there we had allies in the government as well as the people. That situation has changed, and I won’t have my soldiers die just to remedy it."

"You don’t know what we’re up against out there. I have fought bugs, and they need to be exterminated. They multiply and spread like a disease. It will only be a matter of time before they are here or in any other large city." She states.

"I doubt it. They are in the Bangkok slums now because there was no one else there besides us to kick them out." He replies.

"You think so huh? Remember that Universal Brotherhood trid news flash that made headlines a while back? I was in on it. And the bugs were already here."

"But they are gone now, proving my point." He says with a smirk.

"And they will be back, proving mine." She says as her eyes fade to solid black. Black Widow then tilts her head forward and stares at Sidewinder. "This spider will finish them off in Bangkok. That was _my_ web, and it will be again. Don’t try to stand in my way." she says with a fanged snarl.

"Do what _you_ want spider, but you are not taking the troops on an official mission to fulfill your personal needs."

"FINE! THEN IT WILL BE R&R FOR WHOMEVER WANTS TO GO WITH ME!" she screams. "I am sure I will have plenty of volunteers. They want BLOOD and REVENGE and to kill those who hurt them. Something you with your profit margin and cost-benefits analysis will NEVER comprehend. YOU COPY WHAT I’M SAYING? If this team doesn’t have self respect it has NOTHING!" she yells at the top of her lungs. Then taking a deep breath states, "And we are taking any supplies the men can carry. Plenty of the larger artillery is still in OUR Bangkok. I don’t need you at all. You are either with me or against me." she then stares deep into Sidewinders eyes.

Sidewinder smells a hint of ozone in the air. A scent he is familiar with as magic is being gathered around a wizard or shaman. He decides it is better to defuse the situation, and says calmly.

"Fine. You can ask for volunteers, but this mission is not being backed by Scorpion Securities International. It is all off record. Something you are doing on your own, and at your own expense. I wrote off all the equipment left in Bangkok as lost, so use it as you will. I hope it is enough to sustain you. I trust you will not lead the men to their deaths."

Black Widow then nods her head in agreement, turns around and leaves the room without another word.

"Drider, call the troops to order. Some of us are going to Bangkok." she says to her brother.

The word speeds through the troops like wildfire. The team is going to retake the city that had cost so many of the troops their lives. Several of the new recruits are unsure as to whether this is a good idea, but the ones who had seen their friends die in action were ready for revenge.

"Black Widow will lead us to victory." Rakasha the leopard shaman assassin says forcefully.

"Then why did she lose last time?" says one of the new recruits.

"We were ambushed by former allies, you fool. There was no reason for them to attack at that point because we as we were on our way out of the country, at the command of Colonel Scorpion himself, when we were hit."

"Still I haven’t seen Black Widow do anything but give angry orders as long as I have been here."

"The ones who have served under her would die for her." Rakasha says.

"That’s what I am worried about," the recruit replies.

"If you are worried about dying in this biz, then it is time to get out." a large hulking figure says. "It has been a long time since I tasted blood and I am ready." Minas the Minotaur says. He then grabs his large double headed battle ax and swings it over his head in a large arc. "It is time to make war."

A large greenish troll then saunters into the room. His long black hair held back by a shell clip. His hands and feet are webbed and gill slits on the side of his neck reveal him to be a former underwater combatant in one of the worlds many navies. Specifically, the Na Kiu, the Hawaiian covert forces

"It’s about time I can get outta dis drek hole, dig? I gotta see me ocean soon or I dry up like a prune." He says in his thick Hawaiian pigeon accent.

"Frag that," another new recruit replies. "I’m not gonna die for some spider bitch."

"I know what I see, eh bra? You shake inna you boots now eh?" Scrag the SeaTroll replies. "Me, I’m ready make hoa paio (to kill the enemy). The great green troll then walks to his locker and begins packing his equipment bag with timers and other demolition instruments as well as a large spear gun.

"I am with you my brothers in blood. I am ready for the upcoming combat as well." a large human calling himself Berserker states. "I want to revenge those fallen in battle."

"HEE, HEE, HEE" laughs Six-Shooter as he pulls forth his six revolvers from *** placed around his body. This near cyber zombie had converted his body into a nightmare gunslinger by adding four additional cybernetic arms underneath the two nature had given him. Despite being a genius at cybernetics, the death of his wife had put him over the edge, and he had instead recreated himself to bring terror to those who destroyed his better half.

"I guess Six-Shooter is in." Drider says as he walks into the room. "Anyone else care to let me know their status on this mission? As you know this is not official, but you will be given combat pay."

"I'm in as well, Drider." the sultry red head known as Flame says. "My torch is packed and ready to burn." she says as she holds up a large backpack containing flammable plasma.

Black Widow then leaves the Scorpion Securities building and goes to the Cartier store in the local metroplex frequented by the wealthier clientele of Denver. She is dressed to kill in an all black Italian dress suit, and carries the same attitude into the store. A sales rep instantly greets her at the entrance.

"How may I be of service, Madam?"

"Yes, I am here to return a piece of jewelry for Tamatsu Sakura." she then hands the package to the salesman. "he is unhappy with the workmanship and wishes to commission another piece instead."

"You mean _the_ Tamatsu Sakura of MCT North America?"

"Why don’t you shout his name you insolent fool." She replies.

"My greatest apologies Madam. It is just that we do not generally accept exchanges on custom made jewelry."

"You will this time. He is not currently accepting trinkets from this artisan. He is contemplating another piece from another. In any case he expects no difficulties on this matter."

"Yes, yes. I can understand. But you will not mind if we check it with him personally. We wish to make our customers happy."

"Oyabun Sakura is a busy man, and I am his personal assistant. I can handle all transactions for him."

"Of course, but we must make sure this is still property in his possession."

"Are you implying that I stole this trash?" Black Widow says as she knocks the gem encrusted necklace from the salesman’s hand. It falls to the floor. "Give me the vidphone, I will have Sakura talk to you personally!"

The salesman then believing her threat to be a ruse, calls her bluff. "As you wish Madam. I will connect you to the number we have listed on our computer’s receipt for the jewelry in question." he says smugly.

Black Widow then nods her head, sending a signal to her friend outside.

"Fine!" she states.

A nondescript figure dressed in "ATT Bell" overalls standing at a nearby tele-comunications grid then connects a set of wiring in the back panel of the equipment. Reading a green light on a sensor package, he then takes off his hat and holds it by his side. (Robo’s character’s name) affirms to Black Widow that his electronic hack has been successful.

An aged Japanese man with stern face then peers into the the vidphone.

"Yes? What is the matter?" he asks sternly.

The sales rep then shows a smug look on his face as he recognizes the face of the man known as Tamatsu Sakura.

"Oyabun Sakura, a women here is claiming to be your personal assistant and wishes to exchange the jewelry you commissioned. Is this as you wished?"

"Of course, why has she been detained in this matter? I am unhappy with that artist, and will not own a piece of his work. Do you understand? Did she not explain this to you?" he asks with a hint of anger. "She will be fired for her incompetence!" he shouts.

The sales rep then with a pained face then replies,

"Uh no sir, she explained this to me perfectly, but I"

"BUT WHAT?!? IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THIS AS I HAVE ASKED?"

"Uh no sir, but"

"BUT WHAT?" he screams. "WHY DO YOU WASTE MY TIME WITH THIS? I HAVE WORK TO DO, NOT WASTE TIME WITH YOU. I COULD HAVE BOUGHT ANOTHER PIECE EXACTLY LIKE THAT FOR THE TIME I HAVE SPENT ON THIS CALL! FORGET IT, YOU WILL REFUND HER ALL THE MONEY FOR IT NOW. I WILL WASTE NO MORE TIME ON THIS!" he screams, then, " Miss Tanaka, please take care of this. If there are any more problems you will inform me at home tonight, understood?"

"Hai!" the woman known as Black Widow replies. The vidphone is then disconnected. "Has Oyabun Sakura now made himself clear on this matter?" she asks, now her turn to be smug.

"Yes, Madam. Perfectly, I will get you a cashier’s check for him right away!"

"Make it a cred-stick, I have other errands to run for the the Sama."

"As you wish…" he says as he whimpers off towards the back of the room.

"115,000 Nuyen! Not too bad for the old codger. Perhaps he is interested in me…" Black Widow says to (Robo’s character’s name). "Wiz job connecting into their phone system. That patchwork of video on Sakura worked quite nicely, don’t you think?"

"Like clockwork." (Robo’s character’s name) replies.

"I got one more friend to see. Then we go to Bangkok." she says with a smile.

"So now I see dees blood dolls banging on ma door, and I’m thinking to myself I’m gonna have ta kill these ladies ifn they don’t keep it down. When suddenly they attack me and the decision is made for me. I can see dey got skin color like ghouls and they are nothing close to livin. So I gun em down quick and they fall like flies. But they don stay down. No, no, no. They get back and start attacking your friend Gunslinger. I wriggle free of them and jump inside the bar and shut the steel grating and lock them out." Gunslinger says as he demonstrates a quick dodge to the left. "and I’m feeling pretty good about myself at around this time cause I’ll just sneak out the back underground exit. But that’s when these two bloodsuckers friends of theirs ridin BMW Blitzen motorcycles come tearing down the road at me. Deh got dees molotav cocktails in their hands and they hurl em at the front of the building and it catches fire!" he shakes his head. "Drek! I think to maself, I’ve HAD IT! No one is burning down my TT bar and not staying dead! So I run around out the back and I grab my lovely knife you made for me.

"The 18 inch Bowie replica?" Black Widow asks.

"Yeah, dat’s the one." He says with a smile, "and burst out the back entrance. Run around the side of the building and lean around and shoot one of dem motorcyclists directly in the forehead. He goes a flying off the back, and his bike drops to the ground. ‘One down, three to go! I says.’ But instantly the two blood dolls are on me, tearing at me like wild animals. Kinda like you a few years ago, if ya know what I mean..." Gunslinger says with a wink. "Anyhow, they moved so fast I could not believe it! I give one of them an uppercut with the hilt of my gun and the other a side hook with the other. I then begin pumpin lead into em, make a gatlin gun drool. But it ain’t doin much good.

"Of course not GS, you know it is near worthless to try and take em down like that!" Black Widow says incredulously.

"Of course cher, but ol habits die hard. It does knock em back far enough to give me some breathin room. I then hear a screamin coming from the front door and one of the biker vamps, the one with the forehead hole, is attacking Lilith Caine—a dancer working at the bar--who has just come out the front. One of the bloodvamps runs over there as well.

"Lilith Caine? Oh yeah, she’s that succubus body conversion you had over there right?" Black Widow asks.

"Yeah, one and the same. So I am left with one bloodvamp, and a biker bloodsucker from hell baring down on me on his wheels! The biker is comin on hard at me, and I got one shot left. But I made it count, I shot the fraggers gas tank, an’ he went BOOM!" Gunslinger throws his hands in the air acting out the explosion. "Sends that fragger, sky high in fireball and fraggin foreign bike parts. When he comes back to earth he is nothing but charcoal! I scream ‘Ya want some too bloodbitch?!’ to the other vamp, but that jus makes her mad. And she is on me in a flash. She knocks the guns outta my hands like they were nothing.

Meanwhile that Lilith is being a tiger. I see a flash o light and she torches the other female vamp. She channeled some mojo from who knows where. She didn’t even know she was gifted! Not that I’d expect her to, she is a little on the airy side if ya know what I mean. But she torches one good! And it runs screamin towards the bar. It gets inside and drops, and another fire is going!" he takes a breath of air and continues his story.

Anyhow, the one that is on me screams, ‘This is for Sunny!’ and goes for my throat! You know Sunny, that vamp I hired that started this whole mess in the first place. Anyhow, ‘For Sunny!’ she screams, and she grabs my head and tilts it like a ragdoll. I just get lucky then, and I put my hands up defensively to stop the creature from chompin. I grab _her_ by the throat and that’s when I remember my number three!"

"Number three??" Black Widow asks.

"Yeah, number three. My third pistol I wear. It is on a wrist strap on my forearm. Just tilt my hand back and it’ll pop straight into the hand. It is there, right in reach, and I fire. BLAM! and I blow the vamps neck clean in half. The frag passes out through the neck and blows out the spine, and the thing just goes limp in my hands. It turns out you take out the spine, and they die! Couldn’t believe ma luck, BW. It thought I was vamp chow!" He then smiles and grabs her hand. "but I couldn’t leave you behind now could I?" he says with a wink.

"O please Gunslinger, you were probably thinking about the succubus conversion…" she says with a smile.

"Ha! You know me too well. Well to sum it up, the biker vamp left, just takes off, screaming ‘I’ll be back!’ or some such nonsense. I put out the fire at the bar, and that’s when I decide it is time to get outta the TT bar scene for a while. It just ain’t worth it with this hit squad of vamps coming after me for them to know where ta find me. So I calls up Razorback. You know the big troll bartender I got inside the bar, and I offer the larger Colonel TT bar in the downtown area as his to manage, with me as silent partner, at least for a while. Once he makes enough profit at the place he gets a loan and pays me for it. The other bar, where this fight took place, has gained quite a reputation as a death bar, and so all sorts of freaks frequent the place. Money is very good every time something like this happens, so I sells it off while the money is thick.

You should see the lunatic that bought the place. Calls himself ‘Cadaver,’ and he’s got all his skin replaced with the clear synthetic stuff so you can see all his muscle tissue. Absolutely horrifying. Frag, he doesn’t even repair the burn marks outside, or clean up the charred marks of the vamps that burned that day. Says it adds the place ‘character.’ And soon, all sorts of ghoul gangs and blood dolls, doomers and Halloweeners are frequenting the place." Gunslinger then pauses in his story. "To think all I wanted was a place for runners to hang out, and to start up a little information network with the dancers. You would be surprised what a runner will tell a dancer…" He pauses. "So that is it. I figured I’d lay low awhile. That is of course till you called me a few days ago…"

"Sounds like you got yourself into a bit of a bind Gunslinger. I got just the thing for you…"

"Don’t try to sweet talk me Cher, I know you too well for that." He says with a smile.

"All right GS, I’ll just come out and say it. I need your help."

The Gunslinger stares deep into her eyes.

"Uh oh, that bad huh?" he says.

"Yes. The bugs are back and I need your experience."

"Bugs? Not again. Where?" he asks with his head down low. "Black Widow, they nearly killed us last time. Why go against them now?"

"Because no one else will. They have infiltrated the government of Bangkok, and if they aren’t stopped they will spread throughout the Pac Rim. We have to stop them."

"I dunno BW, I think you should just call Ares Macrotech an’ tell them exterminators are needed."

"GS, the people there are being carted away and being converted. At least when it was happening here it was mostly voluntary…" A pained look then comes over the face of the gunslinger. Black Widow sees this and consuls her friend. "Look, I know what happened to you out there in the jungles of Asia; and the last thing you want is too see more villagers in dire straits, but it is exactly what you need." She pauses and looks him directly in the eyes. "Gunslinger, this can be your redemption…"

"I can never have redemption for what I did, woman." He says as he hangs his head down low.

"Gunslinger, you did what you had to do to survive. We all have. We _all_ have regrets. I took out two panzers full of good soldiers when they tried to capture me. They were just doing their job, and I took them out for standing in my way."

"Yes, Sasha, but those were soldiers. They knew they faced death on a daily basis. I took out a group of villagers…"

"Yes, villagers manufacturing China White, which takes the lives of thousands of people every year… I think they knew what they were involved in as well."

"They were just doin what they had ta ta survive…"

"As were you chummer, as were you. The point is that you will never let it go until you can repay the blood. I’m offering you a chance to do just that."

"Ya know, I was a different person when I committed that crime."

"Then that person needs to pay the blood, before you can go on…"

Gunslinger then looks deeply into the eyes of Black Widow. He thinks it over for several minutes time. Finally, he says.

"Yes, Hunter will repay the blood."

When she returns to the Scorpion Securities building she sees a line of soldiers near the front holding packed bags of equipment.

"Team present and accounted for, sir!" says Jax as he stands at attention. "Sir, the troops have spoken it over, and all here are ready to serve under your command."

Black Widow looks over the troops with pride, most of the best soldiers were here.

"Are you all perfectly clear this is a voluntary mission, and not part of your normal duties as Scorpion Corpsmen?" she asks.

"YES SIR!" they respond in unison.

"Good, then let’s get this war underway. Let’s kick some bug ass!" She says with pride. She then turns to Jax quietly and says. "Jax, we’ll be packing our supplies on the cargo jet and get an airlift to international waters near Bangkok. Take this cred stick…and this one as well, and pay all soldiers double their combat pay. Also purchase any minor supplies from the depot that the men need. I don’t think Sidewinder will mind if the men get ammo issued with their weapons…" she says with a wry smile.

"But captain, one of these is from your personal cred savings account?!"

"I know, I prefer to think of it as an investment." She winks. "We leave at 0600 tomorrow."

"Yes Captain."

---K.K.---

"Wait! Wait! Please don't throw me back in the brig! I've just spent forever entangled with that twisted old husk on the ground there. At least let me..."

"Shut your mouth boy. I'll have none of that. You'll learn your manners

if you want to live beyond this moment. I speak and you obey. That is the only thing that you need to remember if you value your miserable hide. Jax do as I said," hissed Black Widow. With that she spun out of the room leaving a dazed and confused halfling in the care of what he believed to be a wizard.

Percy stared at the human. He was a curious one, dressed so oddly. But of course the drow that had just left the room was dressed equally as oddly. The items in the room were strange and must be of a magical nature. The human that the drow had called Jax was holding this strange looking wand, it almost looked like a hand-held crossbow combined with a wand. He was pointing it menacingly at Percy while he spoke.

"You heard the lady, move thy ass now boy. You may know some fanciful tales but they won't help you where you are headed."

Percy quickly took in his surroundings, then proceeded out the doorway as directed. They quickly passed down a hall, the light obviously coming from magical sources. 'They must be powerful wizards here,' thought Percy. 'They have so many spells going at once, so many things with blinking lights. Everyone passing loaded down with long and short wands...Voices speaking from permanent looking locations...Destroying that powerful wizard that I was with for so long without him even fighting back...I think that I might be in a bit of a tight place.'

"In here," pointed Jax. A simple door stood open awaiting them. Percy almost couldn't contain his laughter as the door was slammed shut locking him in. He knew that he would be out in moments. He scanned the barren cell looking for tools and the best way to escape. "Get away from the door, now," barked a voice. As the door opened Percy heard a loud buzzing sound. Someone came in and left a tray of what must be food. 'Ah, my escape tools...' Percy thanked the man delivering the food and was barked at in response. 'Friendly bunch' he thought. His hunger overcame him, and Percy managed to choke down some foul tasting excuse for food. His imagination helped as he thought of hunting a rabbit or bird or anything. After this he made short work of picking the lock on the door. But it wouldn't open. 'Must be a wizard lock,' he thought. Tracing the door frame Percy found a pair of colored roots entering the door. In attempting to remove the hinges he severed the roots. Sparks flew everywhere. Percy stood back then tried the door. It opened.

Down the hall he crept, hiding in the few shadows that he could find. He knew that he had to disappear quickly, or suffer the humiliation of capture by wimpy wizards.

---JD---

Seeing many large trunks being moved out of the building, Percy sees his chance.

"I gotta get out of this stronghold, before this drow has me killed!" he mumbles. He then empties a box labeled "Big Kahuna’s Stick." Pulling out what appears to be a large flat board similar to a boat, Percy quickly slides it under a tarp in the room and climbs into the box. "I’ll be free soon enough!" he says.

---K.K.---

==============Other bits…

That sounds nasty Drider, I hope you can maintain control of the MOFO. I'd hate to see that sucker in the corp's mainframe. You know I have a nice carrier prog that might be able to get that thing deep in the power grid once we hit the mainframe. It’s a nice little roach that emits no unusual scanning info, but secretly it can hold much data. I would just have to make sure It fit. What are the parameters of my prog? Hell I don’t know I just create it and it works, sort of like my decking, I get a feeling and go for it. Oh come on don’t give me that look, don’t you trust me?

Puk lets a huge grin appear on his face that really shows off just how young this prodigy is.

------------------------------------

As his kingdom of darkness spread, Vlad was beginning to infringe upon the functions of the matrix. The world was getting uneasy with the strange happenings in the matrix around Denver. Some were beginning to take notice of messengers disappearing. The ones sent to investigate spoke of a strange vampiric being that came and went with the breeze, attacking them and taking enough energy to forke them back off of the matrix. The rumors spread. The common man wanted something done about this new menace. Yet no one seemed to have the answers.