Shop for some clothes

Wrapping your arm around Leila’s hip you walk towards the nearest gate to the walled city. She is shaking a bit, but for a rich girl who just a few minutes ago had bullets flying around her and watched several people getting killed she is taking it well.

“First we get you some clothes and then we find a place to lay low for a bit and figure out how to get you home.”

She nods managing a weak smile, trying to ignore she is walking barefoot on the wet concrete dressed in nothing but a stolen leather jacket.

After a while she speaks. “Thanks for saving my life. Guess I was lucky that the girl I hooked up with wasn’t an ordinary party girl. Maybe I should hire you as my bodyguard.” She grins at you.

You laugh. “Better not, I know how to defend myself, but there are a lot of people out there, who are better trained than me with the right cybernetics for the job.”

She smiles and kisses your cheek. “Still you got me out. Not many would have risked their life for someone they just met.” Her fingers graze your side and you wince in pain. “I am sorry.” She whispers.

“It’s not that bad. I should let a doc take a look at that. Nothing is broken but the rib might be fractured. I am not bulletproof. The polymer mesh under my skin spread the impact energy and so offers some protection. It stops slow moving ammunition like that shotgun and offers a bit of protection against faster bullets, but is next to useless against high velocity bullets or bladed weapons.”

You reach one of the gates. The wall is about 8 or 9 feet tall and consists of red brick. The gate is formed like two Asian dragons, their heads meeting in the upper part of the gate. Frequently changing bright neon lights illuminate the scales of the dragon and through the gate lies the Walled City, one of Chi Town Red Light Districts, with its gambling pallor’s, brothels, strip clubs and bars. At first the district looks like it was taken out of an historical Chinese movie, but the neon signs, bright lights, holographic ads quickly destroy that image.

Hooking into the local net you get a map of the district and look for a store selling clothes. On your was there you are greeted by several hookers both male and female, some visitors mistaking you and Leila for hookers and several figures trying you to visit their clubs.

The sign over the door offers the customer the all-inclusive package of clothing, tattoos, piercings and styling. The clothes on display in the window show that hookers seem to be the main clients.

Leila stops looking at the window. “You are not serious?”

You nod and smile. “I very much am. The alternative would be running around naked and besides you won’t stand out in these clothes.”

She hesitates and your gently tug her arm. “Come on, it’s not like you don’t like showing off your body.” Reluctantly Leila follows you inside.

The store is small and narrow, but surprisingly deep. Shelves with clothes line the wall, vitrines with piercings and tattoo designs stand in the middle of the store, separating it into two narrow corridors. Curtains open into changing booths. There are two clerks in the store at the moment.

Behind the counter stands a beautiful Asian female of maybe 5’2’’ in height. Her hair is so short, she is almost bald. Her eye makeup is dark and heavily done, so are her lips. Her nose has a single ring going through it and each of her ears have nearly a dozen rings in it. Her arms are covered in black tribal tattoos. Her clothes consist of black vinyl pants with several zippers and a narrow strip of the same fabric wrapped around her perky b cups.Several chip sockets are implanted in her neck along her spine.

The other is a dwarf restocking the clothes. He is a tad shorter than the girl with shortish pink hair and a thin mustachio. His flamboyant shirt is golden yellow and nearly completely unbuttoned showing of his well-muscled body and chest hair. His legs are covered by tight dark green pants. As you enter he looks up, his eyes are golden orbs, flashes you a smile and a wink and goes back to work.

The Asian girl behind the counter looks up smiling at you. "What can we help you with today ladies?"