Leon met Luke at the appointed time, and even after seeing Luke's holopix beforehand, he wasn't prepared for actually seeing this kid in person.

Luke had a head that seemed slightly oversized for the rest of his body, skin stretched a bit taut over his face giving him a bit of a weird skeletal look, oversized ears, and from the neck down he had the physique of a stereotypical 98 pound weakling from every highschool drama on trideo. Leon felt like bullying him on general principles, and he wasn't even a bully. Supposedly Luke was going into the final year of high school, but Leon would've pegged him as much younger (and also adopted, since he didn't resemble either of his parents).

Luke was really amped up for the outing and was very much out of his shell. He was excited to meet a real life shadowrunner, just like his trid dramas, who could protect him from the bullies. Leon got peppered repeatedly with questions like "Can I hold your gun?", "How many men have you killed?", "Have you ever gone in the wilderness and fought a hellhound?" and "No, seriously, can I hold your gun?". It was kind of bewildering for Leon to deal with such a high-energy client, but then this was probably one of the few things the kid had to look forward to in months. Plus it was the start of summer vacation, always a good time for a student.

Eventually, Leon got Luke to a trid-arcade, and Leon even got in on a few of the games, while watching for any sign of trouble. Leon actually had some fun playing Street Fighter IX, especially now that they added the legacy characters back in, like that Dan guy with the pink martial arts outfit, who had Leon in stitches. Luke got laughed at for his looks by a few snot-nosed punks running around the arcade, but one glare from Leon's cold light-blue cybereyes convinced them to do something else, something considerably less dangerous. There was no sign of any of the bullies Luke described, even though this arcade was supposedly a regular hangout of theirs.

After a couple hours of fun times and invincible uppercuts, Luke and Leon hit up a local restaurant known as Del Rosario's for some Aztlan-style cuisine. It was always nice to eat real food instead of nutri-soy, and it was especially nice for Leon because Luke was paying.

Luke sighed wistfully.

"I wish I could be a shadowrunner......"

Leon rolled his eyes.

"I wouldn't recommend it. The insurance policies are terrible, and the life expectancy's worse."

"But you get to shoot all the bad guys!"

"Honestly kid, on a lot of runs you don't even really use your gun. It's the threat of having one that's enough for some punks. On runs like today's, or just bringing some package from uptown to downtown, I never even pull out a gun, let alone shoot it."

"......But those are milk runs. My parents said you were the best runner in town, why would you do milk runs, instead of decking into the Matrix, or blowing up a building, or raiding a go-gang hideout to shut down their drug operation?"

Leon laughed. "I take whatever I can get. Shadowrunning isn't all about big stuff. Even if you live in a busy place like Seattle, sometimes it's good to take low-stress stuff now and then, or slum it in the Barrens to avoid the cops. Besides, it's Regina, a backwater place like this doesn't always have big action. If I didn't take a job today, I'd probably have to wait a couple more days to get anything good. Life in the shadows isn't all it's cracked up to be kid. Sure theres big scores and big moments, but the trid shows just build some stuff up for effect. A lot of it is waiting around for some action and working out."

Luke thought about this while nibbling his fajita, before coming back with another question.

"What made you become a shadowrunner? Was it vengeance? Was it nuyen? Was it fame?"

"You could say it was vengeance......I lost my father when I was around your age. I went to the shadows to try and figure out who killed him. Eventually I sorta lost sight of that goal and became a shadowrunner to pay the bills, but I still look for clues occasionally...... Someday......"

Leon trailed off, and even a nosy kid like Luke knew not to pry further. Luke wished this was a trid show, and that he could go to the season finale episode to see Leon get a clean headshot on his father's killer, and then say some badass line while walking away from an explosion or something. It'd be so COOL.

The duo finished their meal, and Luke covered the cheque. They headed outside for the short walk home, when suddenly Luke's energetic, go-getter attitude faded, as he saw three people he really, really didn't want to see leaning against a building up ahead.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Oh no......"

"What's up?" Leon said, but as he saw three boys up ahead point at them and walk over, he thought he knew the problem. It was probably the bullies Luke had been tormented by. Leon was lightly equipped for this run to avoid standing out, but still had two concealed Model 101T light pistols in false pockets of his hoodie. Leon quickly freed one of them and moved it to his front pocket, making sure the movement was visible to the people up ahead.

"Heeeeeeeeey! Luke! My buddy! I need to borrow some more money from you. Pay up man!"

Leon could hear Luke hyper-ventilating and freaking out behind him. It looked like this bully REALLY did a number on him mentally. Just the bully's voice and appearance could cause a breakdown for him, just the threat that something would happen if he didn't do what he was told.

But Leon was secretly pleased. He wanted action today, and while two of these three looked like they'd turn tail at the first sign of trouble, the lead bully was tall, about 6'3 or 6'4, and strong looking. He looked tough, but Leon thought the big guy might be a little too used to people backing down to him, and might not be that much under all that muscle.

Leon would give him a chance to walk away and see what would happen first, though. Best to be professional about it.

"The Bank of Luke Sunspear is not open for business today, check in later, we're going home."

The bully gave Leon a brief glance of contempt.

"No one asked you, pinkskin."

"And yet I'm answering. Back off, he's going home, you can get your money later."

The bully looked back at Leon, incredulous that someone was telling him what to do.

"I can't wait til tomorrow, and you can't make me wait, little man. Who the frag are you anyways?"

"I'm Luke's bodyguard."

The bullies started howling with laughter.

"Oh, you're his bodyguard, ah? A little twig like you? No problem though, you don't need to worry about me, I'm Luke's best friend, right Luke?"

The bully went towards a cowering Luke, and Leon got between the two of them and shoved the bully back with one arm, before drawing and clicking the trigger back on his 101T pistol.

"Leave my client alone. I'm giving you a chance to walk away, I suggest you take it."

The bully had a flash of fear cross his eyes when he saw the gun, and his friends alongside him wanted to run. However, the bigger bully's bravado and rage returned to him quickly. How could a little punk bodyguard back him down, with such a little gun?

"You little drek-head! You think you're so tough now that you have a gun? Do you know who I am?"

"I don't know who you are, but I'm pretty sure you're no friend of my client, or he wouldn't be scared out of his wits by you. I'm giving you a chance to walk away. I SUGGEST YOU TAKE IT."

"I'm Patrick Raven, you little pissant, and don't you forget it, ah! I've got an uncle named Gilbert Raven, and he'll kill you if you mess with me! He's the best shadowrunner in the Council!"

Leon raised his eyebrows and whistled, but could barely contain his chuckling. Gilbert Raven was indeed a shadowrunner, mostly working Calgary. He talked a big game, but had never been seen backing it up. Supposedly he'd killed a few people down in the Salish-Shidhe Council, but a query through online shadowboards revealed that Gilbert was a low-end guy doing mostly milk runs there. One day he did a hit, shooting the son of a Ranger in the back, then bailed to the Algonkian-Manitou Council immediately, being lucky to escape with his life. Leon was not aware of a single relevant thing he did up in Calgary since, and none of Calgary's elite runners thought he was worth much.

Patrick gave Leon a rotten-toothed smile. "Yeah, you know him don't you. You know not to mess with a shadowrunner like him. He's killed many men, and he's the best there is. And I'm part of a powerful gro-"

"Your uncle's not the best shadowrunner."

Luke had piped up from the back. He still looked scared, but he had a little more colour in his face, and a little bit of courage back in his voice.

"......What did you say Luke?"

"Gilbert Raven isn't the best shadowrunner...... Leon Eagles is! He knows the shadows. He's even been to Seattle! He can kill you right now! And he can kill your uncle too, if he ever shows up!"

Patrick was furious at this.

"YOU LITTLE FRAG-FACE! YOU DON'T DISRESPECT ME! AND YOU DON'T DISRESPECT MY UNCLE! THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU WITHOUT THIS LITTLE DREK-HEAD BODYGUARD, I'LL KILL YOU!"

Leon raised his gun and walked towards Patrick. One of Patrick's friends cut and run right then, while the other one raised his hands and quaked in fear.

"Leave my client alone, or you'll get a bullet."

"OH YEAH, REAL TOUGH GUY WITH A GUN DOWN THERE! YOU CAN'T WATCH HIM FOREVER!"

Patrick was so mad spittle was flying from his mouth, but after taking a look at a dead-serious Leon, he started to laugh like a hyena.

"I bet if you put down that gun, you wouldn't be much! Look how short you are! You're like Luke in 20 years, if he ever became a pinkskin! And who the hell are you anyways!? Leon Eagles? If that name is so important, how come I've never heard of it!?"

Leon knew at this point that Patrick wasn't going to back down. Sure, they could walk away and Patrick wouldn't follow, but Patrick would come back when Leon wasn't around to protect Luke. Patrick needed his sense of invincibility shattered. He needed it made clear: He could not mess with Luke again.

"If you haven't heard of me, then we should get to know each other. Luke? You wanted to hold my gun earlier?"

Leon gave his gun to Luke.

"Let's see just what I am without a gun. Walk about a half block down to an alley, and we'll tell each other who we are. With our fists. Lead the way, tough guy."

Patrick laughed. This bodyguard was so stupid! He gave his best toy to that idiot Luke, and now he was wanting a fistfight? Patrick had never lost one before. This would be easier than......well......extorting Luke for lunch money. Which he would be doing after he kicked this bodyguard's ass.

Or so he thought.