About 23:40, Docklands, NMK, Sunday the 25th of April, 2055.

About 23:40, Docklands, NMK, Sunday the 25th of April, 2055.

Predictably, Roland opens fire. One of the Sisters' cries out, drops her gun and clutches her arm. Crash shoots the one carrying the case in the leg and she drops the both the case and her gun. It's obvious that we're not gonna get to talk to them now, so I finish things off by shooting the third Sister in the leg.

We grab the case on the way out and make a surprising discovery when we get to the kerbside; the car is missing. Bit of a setback to say the least. Still we've got to get out of here. We know the Razor Boys are fairly close by, so we head for their HQ.

When we get there, there is a bit of a party happening. Sykes finally takes a look at the case, which shows signs of having been forced open. It's full of cash. About 20K by Sykes' reckoning. For some reason he decides to mention to one of the gang that we're running from the Sisters. Word quickly spreads amongst the gang, closely followed by a hushed quiet.

Ice soon comes over and doesn't hesitate to tell us to leave as we're no longer welcome with the Sisters after us. Sykes manages to find out from him the there are about 50 Sisters and convinces Ice to let us out a back way.

We find ourselves in an alley and when we reach the end, we can see we're only about a block away from Nanotech Industries. Sykes rings Rico to say we've got the case back. But it quickly becomes clear from the conversation that its original contents are missing. Two words from the conversation stand out and instil me with a new sense of just how much trouble we're in: Crystal Lace.

Crystal Lace. The latest designer drug. I've only ever heard about it from whispers on the street. Someone knows someone, who knows someone, who had some and it was a great trip. I'm sure you've heard similar sorts of rumours. You can never be sure how much truth there is in rumours like that, but if you hear enough...

And now it seems they were true. If that case was full of Crystal Lace, it must have been worth an absolute fortune. I don't think it can be coincidence either that the case had 20K in it when we got it back. That's how much we were to be paid for delivering it. I wonder if the Sisters made the drop and got paid the money we were due. But then what about this supposed Dragon character?

While I've been wondering, Sykes' phone conversation has changed. Something is different. When he finishes the conversation, he explains that we're not dealing with Rico any more, he's gone. We've got a new employer who wants the case and it's original contents at the delivery point by 6. So now we've got to find the drugs.

Crash goes up to one of the nearby 'homeless' and asks where he can score. The guy's out of his head on something already, so he obviously knows where to get something. Apparently the Jamaicans are unhappy about someone else pushing some new drugs on their turf. If this Crystal Lace is the new drugs, then we obviously can't go to them. The only other option, according to Crash's new friend, is to speak to Ace, the barman at the Shooting Gallery. Great!

As Sykes' was the one least involved with the shooting it's decided that he should go and try to talk to Ace, while we wait round the corner of the next block, in case any Sisters are still about. We watch as he goes in. All quiet so far.

A few minutes later, the doorman comes out and heads off down the street. I decide to follow him, in case his leaving is anything to do with Sykes. After a short while he turns down a dark, barely lit alley. I stop across the street from the alley's entrance. A quick look shows me that there are cameras monitoring the alley itself.

I move along the street a short distance and sit down in a shady doorway, from where I can keep watch. I don't have to wait too long for the doorman to come shambling back out. He turns and heads back towards the Shooting Gallery, hopefully completely unaware he's being tailed...