At the same restaurant she met with Valentin Medlock, Cipher now sits across from Monica Del Rey.  Monica at least, eats the lobster salad that sits in front of her.  Devours it.

“I prefer to keep things in house, as it were,” MDR says.  “Once you’re in the bubble, so to speak, it makes it that much easier to …trust.” The bandage wrapped around her left wrist sparkles, bedazzled with some sort of gem dust or something else ridiculous.   Her solo body guard watches the skateboarders go by on a bench just below the table at the Bayside Bistro.

Monica doesn’t wait for Cipher to answer.  In fact, she waits until Sam gets a forkful of whatever sea food dish she prefers most of the way to her mouth and then drops the reason for the meeting right in Sam’s lap.

“My boss is missing.” The exec draws the word out with evident distaste and lack of respect. “Normally this would be delightful.  Right now it is an impediment to career advancement and self fulfillment.”

Working over the forkful of seafood salad gives Sam a few seconds to think.

Who is MDR? What's her relationship with Black Jasper? How did she get drawn into Night City's latest paroxysm of cult drama? And could this particular development be somehow related to any of the above?

Cipher can't resist a good mystery.

"Who's your boss?" she asks.

-

Monica keeps chewing.  Maybe she looks thoughtful for a second.

Sam’s agent pings with a virtual business card:

Avery Bynum
Senior Director of Product Development
CloudKill Advertising

She’s just showing off the implanted agent now.

“Avery is quite the character.  Cruel.  Self-absorbed.  Out for her own power hungry games.  I’ve heard whispers that she climbed the corporate ladder over literal bodies that she put in the ground.  Herself.” Monica’s tone is somewhere between distaste and admiration.  The exec dabs at the corner of her mouth with a napkin and takes a sip of sparkling water before continuing.  “She found it quite amusing to watch us deal with the Listener issue.  Withheld support.  Made it very clear that any loss of corporate resources in pursuit of what she saw as a snipe hunt would be laid directly at my feet.  With glee.  Too bad for Avery we handed Kannerack over, complete with research.”

MDR folds her napkin carefully and places it on the table before meeting Sam’s eyes directly. “I realize that this little speech would normally make me suspect number one in her disappearance but I have two things going in my favor.  One,” a carefully manicured hand is held up for inspection.  Callouses stand out on top of what must be reinforced knuckles.  “I would relish the opportunity to beat the ever loving shit out of her for my own satisfaction and my hands are not bruised to pieces.  Two, without having Avery to have to hold to account, management has made it clear that my own promotion is delayed.  To think.  The horror of it.” She deadpans the last, clearly not looking for sympathy.

“She was last seen leaving our office the night before our little coordinated party on the cultists.  Never returned.  I would be ever so pleased if you could find her. Ever so.”

"That's what I do," Cipher responds, removing a sliver of clear plastic from her jacket pocket, sliding it across the table. The chip in the card contains her contact info, payment schedule, and offshore bank routing number.

"First off, I take it that I'm going to be working for you, not your employer- which begs the question: why isn't your company trying to find her?"

Or maybe, Del Rey just wants to find her first.

"Basic economics, classic office politics. With her out of the office, I'm essentially doing her job, but without the fancy title, and the extra 0 at the end of the salary that comes along with it. Win-win for them."

Cipher nods. Makes perfect sense. Doesn't even produce a jiggle on the bullshit meter.

"Ok. Second, given the timing of her disappearance, do you think it's in any way related to the Listener op because, if it is, we're going to need a little help."

Del Rey shrugs, answers "That's what I'm paying you to find out. If there is a connection, I have Black Jasper's on speed dial."

"Lastly, on a more practical note, I'm assuming Miss Bynum doesn't rely on public transportation. Does she have an aerodyne, car, a driver I could talk to?"

-

“Driver,” Monica answers. “I can put you in touch.  Avery preferred ground transport whenever possible.  Not enough show to the copters.  Not enough rubbing the face of the world into her wealth.” She says this eating a piece of endangered blue fin tuna.  Nice touch.

Sam’s agent pings again, this time with the name of the driver: Grady Dunn.

“Grady is decent people.  I tried to poach him for my team a few times. He’s also on admin leave for losing his principle.” She leaves unsaid that Avery gave him the slip.

MDR chews thoughtfully again.  “I am curious, Cipher.  How does one end up in the line of work that you pursue?”

"I appreciate a good mystery," Sam says through a wry smile. "NCPD Homicide, on the other hand, does not."

"I'll start with Mr. Dunn, have my netrunner see if Miss. Bynum's made any digital footprints since her disappearance. He's very discrete. If you think of anything else that might help, give me a ring."

-

“I will of course keep you in any loop necessary.” Monica stands, smoothes her corporate dress.  “Thank you Ms. Fletcher.  Happy hunting.”