C.R.D chapter 3

Davy adjusted his glasses and got out of his chair. “Where in my memory banks does the time go?” Wish chuckled as they hugged.

“You never change though I see.” Wish stated after getting hair ruffled, and watching Zen and Davy do their special handshake.

“All I need is my locker.” Davy joked. “Then I’d be living just the ghost I’m named after.” 

“Ain’t Father Triben’s stuff in one?” Zen questioned. “Everything pointed to…” Zen went quiet. He could tell even through Davy’s sunglasses that he crossed some sort of line.

“We need it, Davy.” Wish stated more confidently. “Part of it at least. The part about a ‘lost star’ more specifically.”
 
“I know which part you need.” Davy motioned them into the somewhat small, yet messy house. The once proud looking banner now as dusty as the rest of the house, and symbol seemed to functioning as a dart board these days. Davy didn’t mention it as he handed Wish the journal

Wish combed through the pages until she found one with a folded corner. Zen waited patiently for a couple of minutes, while Wish read through some pages. Slower than usual. Her face betraying a look of sadness, and shock. Finally the open book just dropped to the ground with a thud. Davy pick it up. “I’ll save it for a while, but if you don’t want me to burn it later I’ll need to know.”
“Th...Those readings can’t be right…” Wish stated clearly in shock. “I’ve been connecting for over 20 years!”

“No one understood what you did that Wish.” Davy stated sympathetically. “But apparently it didn’t sit well with a lot of them. All I know is Ruribind occasional appearances make a lot of sense now.”
Zen stared at Wish. “I… I shouldn’t be connecting.” She began. “My whole system is running counter to any possible connections to the Augment.” She pound on the table. “Something Ruribind was more than happy to make his guinea pig.”

“The notes mentioned something about the tree you use to like.” Davy stated. “A lot of us, cybers have moved on or abandon the church since in plugged to that fancy tower in the upper crust.”
“How they’d even afford that?” Zen questioned. “I thought they only took the virtual stuff?”

“They use to.” Davy stated throwing an already pack bag over his shoulder. “You two coming with then?”

Yet again left with more questions than answers, it’s to hard an offer to refuse. So They followed Davy to an all too familiar building. Wish stood by Davy’s side and looked a bit teary eyed. There was nothing but silence as both looked over of the once beautiful and powerful looking building. A place both once called home now overgrown and decrypted without so much as a care. There was a unified sigh, and both walked forward. Wish plugged her mind into an old, clearly outdated, cyber-lock. Not even bothering to enter a code, and going straight for the override. Davy kicking the doors free the moment Wish took the lock. Zen just smoke some scrapyard. Orphans like those two rarely said anything about it, but you could always tell. It was  something in how they moved. How they work together without so much as a second thought on a plan they never spoke of. Cities like the one Zen grow up worked the same way. An underbelly hosting a valley of open secrets, and small group of people who know exactly how they worked when no one else did. In any case, Zen wasn’t without a past he didn’t care to talk about. It became the unspoken rule of their partnership, and one both seemed to find beneficial. So the pasted stay behind them, where they wanted it. And Zen put what he left of the scrapyard he had on him away before walking up the stairs. He didn’t know much about this tree, but it shouldn’t have taken this long. “Wish?!” Zen ran up to Davy.
“She just sort of...collapsed…” Davy stated. “Went in crazy deep, so it’d be dangerous to wake her.

“Quite the predicament.” Both turned after hearing a familiar voice. “Too dangerous to move to her, and yet too dangerous for her to stay here.” Doctor Ruribind stated. “May I run some test perhaps?”

“You-you.” Zen paused before raising his gun. “Who are you?!”

“Always a drama session with you.” Ruribind stated back. “Though I suppose the fool here is the man who thought he could leave his own body without any consequences.”

“You’re body isn’t in… proper condition.” Zen stated. “So how are you….?”

“Ah.” Ruribind stated. “Forgive an old man and his work, would you? Truefully I forgot about...certain side effects.” He approached Wish. “So much violence for something so simple…”

“You gonna explain yourself?” Davy stated. “These two seemed pretty sure you-” A large trampling came from behind them.

“I'm afraid we haven’t the time.” Doctor Ruribind stated. “But I will be glad to answer what I can, once everyone is safe.” not seeing many other options Davy and Zen followed the Ruribind’s instructions to safety.