It was a chore to keep up with Gil, but she was thankful the droid didn’t try to carry her again.  Jo found herself walking closer to it as they passed the enforcers.  They seemed to be everywhere now, parting crowds as they jogged through the streets, their radios chirping curt communications as they worked to track their fugitive.  Gil put its hat on her head, which dropped just over her round eyes and concealed her features.  She lifted at the brim gingerly, peering at their backs as they passed without so much as a glance.<br/><br/>With the streets teeming of enforcers, she kept a hurried pace with Gil, feeling the urgency now to hide.  It didn't seem they knew her name, but that wouldn't stop them, given enough time and resources.  She pulled the hat down again.  As the pair approached Discount Tech, however, she slowed and entered after the android with a tangible hesitation.  What if this was a trap?  What if it was all a setup to corner her and collect her bounty? Her eyes fell on the shopkeeper as he rounded on the droid and fussed over its condition.  Her eyes closely followed his movements, crossing her arms slowly.<br/><br/>A snarky comment may have followed his quip on her hair colour, but she wasn't in the mood.  He spoke with a certain ease, like he... wanted something from her.  Her lips formed the word 'job' while he set about opening a passage in the back of his shop.  Somehow, this didn't surprise her.  Considering what<span style="font-style: italic">other</span>manner of surprises she already found there.  Admittedly she was curious about his proposal, but not before she got some answers.  This man was running a little shop which tried to be a junk lot, in the midst of high-end competition.  Nobody did that- unless they didn't<span style="font-style: italic">want</span>attention.  Couple that with the fact that he had a concealed room behind the desk, and that gave you one shady dealer.<br/><br/>Now, Jo was used to doing business with such shady dealers.  It was the signature trade of a scrapper to deal in odds and ends of questionable legality.  How else would she be familiar with supposedly outdated technology?  Some idiot thinks its a throwaway, then the scrappers find them, and find a use for them.  Sometimes the uses were not all well-meaning, but it gave them a reputation as crafty tinkerers.  She had her doubts however that he was just any dirty scrapper.<br/><br/>Once through the portal, Joey’s dropped her backpack and glanced about.  It was his, no doubt there.  The plentiful and close-quartered décor gave it away.  She took the hat off of her head and pushed it into the android's chest.  When the man entered after, her hip jutted out ever so slightly and she pinched her brows together in her distinct look of impatient scrutiny.  There were a few things she wanted to say, one among them being, "Thanks for sending your bulletproof android to cover my arse," but she saved it, because she wasn't certain where to begin.  She wondered if it was his doing at Gavin's.<span style="font-style: italic">Somebody</span>sold them out.  The smugglers would be livid when they found out.<br/><br/>"Just who are you?"<br/><br/>One did not offer asylum lightly.  Hiding a wanted fugitive was a one-way trip to a deep-holding cell.  She had doubts the invitation was for tea, either.  He wanted her for something, and it was easily something big with the risk he was taking in keeping her here.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">-x-</span><br/><br/>“Cecilia- I mean- erm- Mar!  Wait!”<br/><br/>The junior detective felt like he'd run a marathon to catch up with her.  The woman was like an angry dragon, he'd observed.  It didn't seem like much could or would stop her determined march, but he reckoned the best he could do was try to keep up.  He was thankful now for the physical training courses he was drilled in every day.  Turns out they were needed for more than just chasing down quick-footed criminals.<br/><br/>Breathing laboured, he slowed to a fast walk as he fell into step next to her.  She was almost as tall as he was, though she made it seem effortless to out-pace him.  He swallowed hard and tried to control the sound of his exhausted lungs.<br/><br/>“Where are you going?  There are enforcers all over the west district, with no reports of the C-7,” he said,  reading off of his digital clipboard.  He knew better than to question a dangerous hunter such as herself, but he couldn't remember the last time being intimidated got him anywhere except the corner of the Homecoming dancefloor.  Besides, he sort of admired her work.  She was good at what she did, and he was more than a little curious what her secret was- if she didn't brush him away like a fly first.