Fifty years or so can really change a person, but this was undeniably the real version of the Rogue we met in the Mana Sink. Honestly, she didn't look all that bad, all things considered.

Her steel toned hair still had just a hint of it's former teal. She was wearing a full business suit, though I doubted that was her typical style. Still much of the edge of her merc days was missing. Whether she was suppressing it or she had lost it remained to be seen.

She caught me staring and her grey eyes flashed a warning. Ah, very no nonsense. A got a glimpse of a pistol under her jacket. Still some of that edge there, then. Good to know. That plus the large guy slightly behind her, was a message, even I could follow.

I decided to be civil, for now.

"Sorry about that, I was demonstrating my abilities. What you just witnessed was a side effect. I don't mean to interrupt your clientele, but I need to show off my value to a team." I thought that showing I was willing to bend my neck a little towards her, while not rolling over entirely would be the best play, until I got to know her.

"Oh? Just a side effect? What exactly is your 'ability', Mr.... " She trailed off her face expressionless. Her quick glance at Sasha and Rebecca, gave me nothing.

The ladies for their part, were staring at Rogue like I might have stared at Superman, when I was a kid. They seemed to hang on her every word, as if if was divine wisdom. In other words they were fangirling hard.

"I go by The Medic, right now. Ma'am." Yup, business cards and maybe a placard. Maybe a nametag.

"You heal people." She nodded, "It seems I remember talk from not that long ago, about a man that could perform similar feats." Her eyebrow made it a question, rather than the statement it sounded like.

"I might know a few things about him, if you have time to hear them?" Come on, take the bait. Let's get all of this out of the way, so I can find a crew, and start earning some points. I had people to buy back.

"That certainly sounds more interesting than what I already had planned for the night." She turned to her companion, who was a very serious looking fella who was showing some serious chrome. Even I could make out what she whispered to him.

He nodded and left, going through the doors that led deeper into the back of the building.

"Let's talk in a quieter place, Medic." She smirked and a hint of that rebellious lady peeked out from behind the stoneface. She gestured towards the door the other guy had departed through.

I stared at the door for a second, weighing the pros and cons of going through it.

Well, if she wanted to zero me, she would hardly have to do it in private.

I rose off the stool. I waved to Sasha and Rebecca who were still making googly eyes at Rogue, and barely noticed I had moved.

"Ladies, I hope to see you again, sometime." I didn't expect much of a response, and I didn't get one.

"See you later." Rebecca called before going back to looking at Rogue.

"I'll catch you tomorrow, Medic." Sasha half heartedly promised.

I waved at them and headed to the door.

Rogue followed closely behind me.

"Turn left ahead and take the stairs up to the third floor." Her voice was soft, she didn't want others to hear. Interesting.

I saw no reason to cause trouble now so I followed her continuing instructions until we ended up in a room, with an isolation chamber in it.

I didn't need anyone to tell me the purpose of the darkened glass chamber. Well, probably not glass, maybe a polycarbonate. So bullet resistant, and mostly sound proof.

Her guard was waiting by the door to the chamber. He nodded at me and turned to her, "Everything is ready, I'll watch the door for mice." He seemed more like he'd rather be laughing, over a beer perhaps, than looking out for other folks.

The inside of the chamber was filled with a plush sectional couch and a matching recliner. A faux wood coffee table and a Monitor hanging from the ceiling. There were a few cabinets opposite to the entrance. The view of the outside area was much clearer than the view from outside in.

The Monitor was on and filling the screen was a familiar face.

"Amanda." I was so glad to see her. Even if it was only a picture.

"Ryan? Is that you?" She sounded relived and worried and confused all at once.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

I flinched. I didn't expect a telecall.

I turned to see Rogue entering behind me and closing the door.

"Yes, it's me. What's left of me anyway." I tried to smile at her, but my heart wasn't in it.

"Raynor? Is he with you?" That did get me to smile. I could feel her love for him, in that question.

Rogue being unobtrusive sat on the sectional and seemed to zone out. Her way of saying don't mind me, I guess.

"They still have him, and the others. Ransom, and a warning." I shook my head.

"Fuck. How much? We have a lot from what we manage still." She grimaced, things might not be going well for them.

"Company Points." I said simply.

"Bastards!" She hissed.

Yeah.

"Let's meet up somewhere safe. See what's left and I'll go over what's new." I glanced at Rogue, who didn't seem to take offense.

"Alright, I see they took out your interface. You have an Agent yet?" She was already planning.

"No, no contacts to get a truly secure one. Trying to build relationship here and now."

She nodded, "Okay, lets meet where you started an outpost by Rocky Ridge. Say, in two days?" She looked at something out of frame.

"Sounds good. See you then."

The connection ended.

"Well, that's fascinating. I've never seen Amanda care so much for anyone so obviously not a Nomad." Rogue said quietly, like she didn't want to spook me.

"We have a history, albeit brief."

"I heard you tamed the infamous Longshot and Murdermind. I would have deemed that an impossible task." She seemed to be dancing around something...

"Well, yes but no. They weren't Sally and Megan." I sat on the recliner, so I was facing her but as far away as I could get.

"What do you mean?" Rogue frowned, and started tapping her index figure against her thigh.

"They were agents, Militech. They had been replaced long before I came around." I really didn't want to talk about it, but I figured it was best to play ball. For now.

She was no fool, and could see my reluctance to discuss it. She changed subjects.

"You ability to heal, can you fix anything?" She seemed eager, but was trying to contain her reactions.

"No, not anything. However, if it involves flesh, just about anything. I can't affect cyberware directly, though I can smooth over bad connections between nerves and chrome." I seemingly overshared, while still not fully explaining my magic.

"Would you be willing to heal some of my people?" Ah, here we go. The crux of the matter.

"For the right considerations, I'm not interested in money." I leaned towards her, trying to give an impression of being more interested than I really was.

"What do you want?" Her eyes narrowed. She was calculating things out in her head. I noticed a twitch in her legs, a small quiver of her lips.

"Connections, favors, influence. Friends if possible, solid allies failing that. I'm aware you can make at least some of that happen." I smiled, trying to seem friendlier than I felt.

"I can absolutely help with those." She gave a half nod. There was a feeling she was anticipating something.

"Then we have an accord, you help me, and I help you." I held out my hand. "I assume you would like to be heal yourself."

She hesitated, probably realizing I had seen through her, at least to some extent. She didn't like not being in control. She had seen what had happened to the other women. She was conflicted, she wanted it, and hated what it would mean.

A sentiment I completely agreed with. When two people like us meet, something has to give.

It wasn't going to be me. Not this time.

She slid to the end of the sectional, she made it look graceful.

She took my hand. I nodded, acknowledging her determination.

Not that I was going to make the next part easy on her, quite the contrary.

I rammed my mana into her body.

She shuddered, but otherwise maintained her composure. Good, it's no fun if she just gives in at the beginning.

We are just getting started.

I pulsed my mana in waves, getting a sense of what was wrong with her.

Eesh, what wasn't messed up in her. Not much chrome, which was a surprise. however I was sure most of her organs had been regrown in a vat at some point. They didn't feel quite settled in. she had been through some catastrophic damage at some point. Still, easy enough to get everything synced up and running smoothly.

She jerked as her hips rocked forward once before she locked down her reactions against. She was grimacing as if she was in pain, even though I knew that was far from the case.

I held back a grin, it wouldn't do to gloat. That would show a lack of professionalism.

I cleaned up dozen more old wounds, everything from bullet wounds and lacerations to burns and crush damage, before I got her next reaction.

A long and low moan that she fought all the way. She undulated a few times before she managed to still herself again.

"It's okay, I won't judge you." I said with as even a tone as I could manage.

"I'd judge myself." She hissed.

I nodded and twisted my mana while straightening out her neural connections. She had a lot of scorched nerves. Overuse of skillchips maybe? Running a Sandy too much?

Well, no problem. I stroked the nerves while they grew strong again.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" She thrashed against my grip for several breaths before regaining control. Her teeth clenched and sweat glistening on her face.

My treatments were already having massive side effects. She looked at least a decade younger already. A shame I really didn't like her.

The first breakthrough is always the hardest to achieve. Now it was only a matter of time.

My plan called for varying the strength and speed of my mana coursing deep into her cells. Easing and calming their activities. I forced her muscles to relax, ancient cramps undone as all became new. This was the straw the broke the camel's back, so to speak.

"Noooooo! Please. I can't. I won't." She was bucking and laying back against the couch.

I was now standing over her, "It's okay, just relax. It's almost over."

Now for the finale.

I bore down on her with a fierce will. I pulled all my mana into a ball just below her naval, and vibrated the nerve cluster there. Oh, there were more direct methods to be sure, better places to focus one to really drive her wild. But this was less obvious.

After all, I wanted her to want more, without feeling like I had directly attacked her in a sexual fashion.

She orgasmed hard, and it lasted for a long time. Her screams reverberated off the walls of the compartment.

"Mmmmmmmmmaaaaahhhh! Yesh! Yesh! More... "

I guess she had been pent up.

She wasn't holding back anymore. She writhed against the couch, trying desperately to find more sensation.

I let her go.

I stared down at her disheveled form trying to keep the contempt off my face. I knew it wasn't fair to her, to hold the actions of the Mana Sink version of her over her head. Yet, she had done a lot of the same things. It was hard to forgive or forget that someone had used a nuke in the middle of a city.

I cast Purify on her, no need to let her stew in the mess she had made.