“Hi Chloe,” Zoe greeted her friend and co-worker the next morning.

“Morning,” Cee said in greeting. “You look like you didn’t sleep well.”

“I didn’t,” Zoe replied.

She was wearing jeans, her ankle boots, a green t-shirt, and her jean jacket. Zoe also wasn’t wearing any makeup and had her hair up in her usual low ponytail. Zoe had bags under her eyes as well. She hadn’t slept after Sonya helped her.

“Have some coffee. It’ll perk you up,” Cee suggested gesturing to the office breakroom.

“No thanks,” Zoe replied shaking her head. She could hear Rita and Lionel in the breakroom and wasn’t ready to confront them yet. “Where are the others?”

“Taking their time getting here,” Chloe answered.

“That’s normal,” Zoe mused cracking a smile.

“Zoe, come here,” Henri called out from his office. Zoe questioningly looked to Chloe, who just shrugged and shook her head.

“Coming,” Zoe called out and walked into Henri’s office. “What’s up?”

“I don’t have anything for you today,” the Frenchman said. “Lionel and Rita wanted a few extra runs, and since they have seniority, they get priority over you.”

“Really?” Zoe asked.

“Afraid so,” Henri replied.

“You could have just called or messaged me, so I didn’t have to drive over here,” Zoe complained. She heard laughter come from the outer office.

“I had been hoping to have found you a run or two, but I couldn’t,” Henri shrugged. “Sometimes, that’s the nature of the beast.”

“Ok,” Zoe sighed. “Let me know if you find something.”

“Will do,” Henri replied as Zoe walked out of his office.

“It’s just not your day. You’ve been infected and now no jobs,” Lionel said to Zoe as she walked to the front counter where he, Rita, and Chloe were. Rita snickered and Cee frowned.

“See you later Chloe,” Zoe said ignoring Lionel and Rita while heading toward the door.

“Henri doesn’t have any runs for you?” Cee asked. Zoe shook her head in the negative. She walked toward her finance’s office and said, “Wait. I’ll speak with him.”

“Won’t do any good,” Rita stage whispered. Lionel grinned.

“Why?” Zoe asked the pair.

“Why what?” Lionel retorted.

“Why infect me with Plague,” Zoe replied.

“Because you needed to learn a lesson,” the older man said.

“And the runs?”

“We wanted more,” Rita answered giving Zoe a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “As Lionel said, you need to learn a lesson.”

“What lesson is that?” Zoe asked.

“That you’re not as smart, good, or as liked as you think,” Lionel replied. “That not everyone that seems friendly is in fact friendly.”

“You’re nothing but a small-town girl that has gotten in way over her head,” Rita added. “Perhaps you should run back home to the Purity Church.”

“Oops. Zoe got implants and can’t do that anymore. She’s damaged goods,” Lionel laughed. He turned to Zoe making a show of ogling her. “You would do well as a Dame though.”

“Hey!” Rita exclaimed elbowing Lionel. “Don’t you even think about it.”

“It’s true,” the man replied. Rita elbowed him again. “Oof! It’s too late for not having those thoughts.”

“But you might be right about her not being pure. Maybe being a Dame is the correct career choice for little Zoe,” Rita said making an up and down gesture with her index finger.

Zoe started to tear up. Her GT4’s alarm started going off and she rushed out to check on her motorcycle as the older couple laughed. Zoe didn’t see anyone and frowned. She deactivated the security system. Lionel followed her out.

“You do have a nice ass,” Lionel said as he spraypainted a MR message saying she needed do a better job of protecting her bike.

Zoe flipped him off. Lionel laughed and walked back into the building. She had the GT4 run a diagnostic and used her ICE to scan the bike. Zoe found a virus that would have disabled the GT4 and another one that would have informed the GT4’s system that the micro reactor was overheating and needed replacing.

Zoe mounted her bike and started it up after starting another scan. She wanted to cry as she didn’t understand what issue the older couple had with her. She put on her helmet.

“Hey Zoe. How’s it going?” Newt asked.

“Not good,” Zoe answered shaking her head barely holding the tears back.

“What’s wrong?” Vee asked.

“I don’t want to get into it,” Zoe replied. “I’m going home.”

*

“What’s her problem?” TK asked as he and Terr joined the two female couriers as Zoe rode off.

“Don’t know,” Newt answered.

“Zoe looked really upset though,” Vee added.

“Let’s go in and ask the others,” Terr suggested. They went in and the big orc asked the older couriers what was going on. Lionel and Rita informed the others what they had done. TK laughed. Terr frowned at him.

“What?” TK asked. “That was funny.”

“No, it’s not,” Newt replied.

“Come on. Zoe needed to be put in her place,” Rita said. “You all saw how she was forcing her way into things and our group.”

Lionel nodded in agreement and TK shrugged.

“She was trying to work hard so she could repay her debt,” Vee quietly said.

“TK, you feel that way too?” Newt asked.

“Yeah…somewhat,” the beastkin answered.

“But you were always so nice to Zoe,” Vee objected.

“I’m a Tom. I just wanted to get her into the sack,” TK said.

“You take that cat shit way too far,” Terr growled. “Zoe’s a sweet girl.”

“Easy big guy. I’m just joking,” TK backpedaled.

“Knock it off,” Henri said as he and Chloe walked into the front office to join the others. “Here are your assignments.”