The three stand close around the table.
"After Jackie and I check in, Lucy, you hack the Konpeki Plaza subnet, open the target suite, and blind the cameras," Rocky says.
He slides a pistol across. "Then Jackie and I handle the targets. Simple. Thoughts?"
Lucy meets his eyes, thinks, and nods. "Rooms on the same floor share a subnet. If I only touch that suite, I won't hit much ICE. It should work."
Jackie picks up the pistol and pushes it back. "Plan's clean. But you missed one thing. Konpeki Plaza bans guns. Even offensive chrome has to come off. Their security is airtight. How do we bring weapons in?"
"Good question," Rocky says. "Their checks are tight. Mine are tighter."
He tosses the pistol from his right hand to his left. The instant his left palm touches it, the gun vanishes.
"Hold up. Since when do you do magic? Where's the piece?" Jackie stares at Rocky's empty hand. Lucy says nothing, but the surprise is clear.
"New trick. Perfect for this job."
Rocky closes his left fist over the tabletop, then opens his palm. Metal clatters. Pistols, a rifle, a shotgun, even a few grenades spill out and stack themselves. Jackie stares.
"The latest space-fold tech module," Rocky says, flexing his left hand. "It opens storage so we can walk through security."
{ Basic Storage Ring Module }
{ A storage ring containing internal space for objects; common across many worlds. Controlled by the user, with owner-recognition, anti-theft, fireproof, and waterproof features. Practical. }
{ Price correction: world correction +200% }
{ Item module: 30,000 euros per cubic meter }
{ Workbench recipe expansion: 600,000 euros }
{ Technology expansion: 900,000 euros }
It is costly because the feature comes from the cultivation side and doesn't mesh with this world, but the function is simple and compact. Rocky bought one cubic meter and didn't wear it as a ring. He embedded it in his left cyberhand and tied it to the prosthetic's nano-nerve link, so he must touch objects to store or retrieve them. It works, and it beats any bag check.
Jackie grins. "Knew you'd cook something up. With this, Konpeki gets easier. I thought we'd end up brawling with security." Guests at Konpeki don't carry weapons unless they're on Yorinobu Arasaka's level. The targets will be unarmed; Rocky's side won't be. You can guess the outcome.
"That's the plan," Rocky says. "If everything stays quiet and no alarm trips, we walk out the main gate. If not, follow my lead."
"No problem," Lucy and Jackie say together.
They break. Lucy forges identities and books the room while Rocky and Jackie prep tomorrow's weapons. Jackie threads a suppressor and hands one pistol to Rocky for safekeeping, keeping the other on him. Soon Lucy finishes.
"Your name is Fabien. Yours is Balsatar. Silver Suite, fortieth floor. It's booked," she reports.
"Alright, I'm Balsatar. Hey, Fabien, how's it sound?" Jackie claps Rocky's shoulder.
"Good. We're set. Balsatar, Lucy, let's call it a day."
They head to the car. Rocky opens the Deluxo's gullwing and waves them in. "I'll run you home. Try my new car; it'll be carrying us tomorrow."
The Deluxo wakes; the dashboard scrolls parametrics. Post-adaptation, it runs on CHOOH2 and talks to the city: remote vehicle link and personal interface included. Rocky drops Lucy off, parks at the clinic, and beckons Jackie inside.
"Jackie, come to my clinic. I'll give you something good."
"What good thing?"
"You'll know in a moment."