Although we seem to cover most other eventualities fairly proficiently, one skill we lack in our team is that of a decker. 'Wraith does what he can, but without a datajack he is by necessity limited in the places he can go and the information he can get.

That is where our longtime associate T. C. Pip comes in. A tiny Asian woman who takes great pains to stay out of the line of fire (she's even more frightening with a gun in her hand than I am), T. C. is an invaluable resource for us when we need to get information that someone doesn't necessarily want us to get.

I don't even remember when we met her anymore; I think Harry set up a meet when we needed a decker many years ago. All I remember is that the meet had to be close to the El station because T. C. doesn't own a car. Nothing has changed since. One would think that with all the money we pay her for her decking services, she could afford to buy one, but apparently that isn't a priority with her. We've never even seen where she lives. I think she's a bit afraid that since trouble tends to follow us, she shouldn't give it any chances to follow her as well.

This is, of course, how deckers stay alive to become old deckers.