Riley if she'd given you half a chance. Same shit, man."
"Kitty's meaner than Riley," Psyc countered. "I mean, she's badass, and she's cool as fuck to drink with, but I'd be scared to fall in bed with her."
"So worth it," Murder promised. "I mean, if you're into being tied up, choked out, and spanked."
Psyc laughed. "I'm stealing your girl. Yep, can definitely see the appeal." Then he sighed. "Ok, but seriously. What's the deal with KoG? Or Cyn. Or whatever's got Riley messaging me too."
"Oh, tell her I'm talking to you."
"You tell her," Psyc scoffed. "She's in the other room and I'm across the country!"
"And my boy's probably asleep in the nursery beside me, so no. Not yelling. Just text her that we're talking?" Murder huffed. "Don't be a fucking pussy. It's Riley."
"Sent," Psyc told him. "And you still haven't told me about KoG."
"They sent Rhaven a message," he finally said, aware that Psyc wasn't going to let him out of this. "They said what they were going to do to her, and Riley said that's what they did before they took Dez."
"The fuck?" Psyc asked.
"Yeah," Murder agreed. "Look, she's safe. Cyn's with her, and Riley says she can't get better protection. I'm not sure what you can do to help with this, but Ruin's currently going through old history. Riley's being Riley. Logan's working on some contract for Zara. A job with Deviant, it sounds like. Fuckers are poaching our girls. But anyway, the focus has shifted to Deviant, and it sounds like shit's all over their forums."
Psyc was quiet for a little too long, but in the background, Murder could hear a keyboard clicking loudly. Then, "Fuck, man..." Psyc groaned. "Yeah, there are moderated posts all over this shit. Eternal Combat forums are just a mess. The trans hate is real."
"How the fuck do we counter that?" Murder asked.
Psyc grunted in frustration. "Think it would help if I said I went there?"
"No," Murder said. "I think that would make Rhaven a slut, or something worse. Leave her sex life - and yours - out of this. I think the best thing is to send her a message and ask how you can help. Tell her you know Cyn is busy with Ruin, and see if there's something you can stick your nose into."
"Man, I don't know shit about hacking," Psyc told him. "I game. That's pretty much it. I know hardware, and I know how to research an opponent, but I'm not gonna be much use if it comes to breaking into anything."
"Just ask her," Murder told him. "Who knows, maybe she'll say you can't help. Maybe she'll tell you she misses you. And while you're at it, tell her PD wants to know if she's happy there. Let her know the outfit's worried about her."
"Oh, the whole outfit?" Psyc asked.
"Me, you... Yeah, I think you can call us PD and get away with it. Besides, I know you're stalking her, bro."
"Did you see the dress she wore on the news?" Psyc asked. "Of course I'm fucking stalking her. Ever since Denver, she's been looking hot. And she was pretty smokin' before. Never mind that she's almost six feet tall. Do you know how long her legs are?"
"Didn't have them wrapped around me, bro," Murder teased. "That's all you."
"Weren't wrapped around me," Psyc assured him. "Wouldn't mind, but it was more of a bending her over kinda situation."
"That is seriously TMI," Murder told him. "But I gotta know, the dick didn't freak you out?"
"Nope," Psyc said. "Crazy as shit, but nah. It's... Let's just go with no. And if you breathe a word of this, I'll deny it all. Just friends. I passed out on her couch, man. Well, Braden's. I was drunk, and not a damned thing happened."
"I know," Murder assured him. "I also know that these ladies aren't the only ones who sometimes need an ear. I'm rooting for you, Psyc. Don't get me wrong, I like Braden, but you're a bro and he's just a cool dev."
"And Rhaven?" Psyc asked.
"She's both," Murder decided. "So text her and ask how you can help. Make sure she knows that you're still thinking about her. And if Braden has a problem with it, let him know that you're just checking up on the gamer girls because it sounds like shit's hitting the fan."
"I like that," Psyc said. "Just gotta work up the balls to do it. And so you know, I'm logging in. Gotta blow a few heads