[Al, Thursday August 22nd, 2075; 8:31PM, Fireballs 'r' Us, Seattle]

Al hit the ground with a hard thud, the impact vibrating through the nose he'd had broken a few days earlier, and a tree root connecting in just the wrong way with his left shin. Automatic fire chewed up the foliage that had been his hide, raining bits of leaf and twig down on him, reminding him there was no time to nurse a few sore spots. "Thrice-damned son of a BITCH."

He scrambled up against the trunk of the tree, looking around for some sign of the shooters and trying to get as much living wood as possible between them and him.

Lany Argyle, August 22, 2075, 8:32 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle


Hearing the Doctor's response, Lany stepped out with her Raiden drawn, "It would be very wise," she added to the doctor's advice to his patients, "Those people outside aren't nearly as cuddly as my friend here. Leave your links with the good doctor, and lock the door."

Nikki, August 22, 2075, 8:33 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle

Not seeing any signs that the guard escaped, Nikki decides to not take any chances for a later retreat.

Advancing to each exit of the building, Nikki lobbies a single grenade into each potential departure point, expecting no survivors afterwards.

Nikki finishes her circuit around the building...Hey Team--Building has been filled with grenades...I don't expect anything to come out of it now...where do you need me?

Nikki feels her stress fading away now that she's "cleaned house"...

[Thursday August 22nd, 2075; Unknown matrix node, Seattle]

Silk watched the various feeds from the runners as things rapidly descended towards minor chaos. Al was taking fire from above, an aerial drone she suspected from the trajectory, and while he was pinned the skimmer discs that the Rovers had released where homing in on the exterior team members. She had a sneaking suspicion that they were flying a bit heavy for their model and she suspected they might be armed with a nasty surprise if the runners let them close...

Inside the facility the runners had two patients and a doctor at gunpoint whilst another group had emerged behind them in response to the alarms. There didn't seem to be a direct threat to the runners but it wouldn't be long before there was unless she could persuade security that her runners were on their side...

<@Team [Silk]: I have just received some intel that it is a NeoNet facility that you are inside. Given that the place isn't already swarming with HTR teams I suspect they want its existence kept off the books. I have a draft contract for deniable assets to protect the facility from incursion. I guess that would be you lot! I'm changing your mission briefing now to 'defend' and we'll sort out the ramifications later. So for Gods' sake please don't shoot any of the staff. I'm sending you a verification code...>

Except it may be too late...from behind the six newcomers a group of three individuals have entered the mezzanine from another area, some twenty meters from Jan and Lany. Two were in the light grey uniforms of the staff but armed and clearly armoured, the third was a different case entirely. A tall human, dressed in a dark grey flaring coat that hung like armour, he moved with an impossible grace that spoke of wires or a fellow adept...and Silk recognised him...!

Nikki, August 22, 2075, 8:35 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle

Tink's panties...we have to DEFEND this place now...

Everyone, I'm heading inside now...tell me where you need me...

Running towards the main building, avoid interactions with people and ammo...Why did I take this job again...that vacation is looking even better than before...

[Al, Thursday August 22nd, 2075; 8:35PM, under far too small a tree, Seattle]

Scurrying from one side of the splintering tree to another, Al was working desperately to stay out of harm's way as his assailant kept shifting position. He just barely had the spare attention to track on Silk's message.

The automatic fire was zeroing in on him, and he dearly wanted to sprint the ten yards to the relative shelter of the kid's Bulldog. But the banditos didn't seem to have the rigger's position yet, and he'd be damned if he was going to give up his buddy.

When he heard the classy one say she was heading inside, his first thought was to ask her to come take care of whoever was shooting at him. But then he thought of Peaches inside, and how she'd now need more back-up in there than ever. So he keyed his mic and said, "Go for it, Mother baby. We got 'em on the ropes out here. With ya in a jiff."

Next he had to figure out how he was going to get in there himself.

Lany Argyle, August 22, 2075, 8:35 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle

Lany could scarcely believe her ears as she heard Silk's message changing their objective to defend the facility. She saw the other group on the mezzanine approaching and knew they didn't have much time before things could get irreparably out of hand. She casually raised her Raiden to her shoulder, and approached the doctor, while indicating to Jan that there were more staff on the way.

"You look like a reasonable guy, Doc," Lany began, her voice ringing with confidence. "I am going to give it to you straight. As you can obviously tell, your super secret research facility is under attack. And you can also obviously tell that we aren't the ones who set the alarms off. We are here because in situations like this, your boss doesn't have the option of calling in Knight Errant or Lone Star, the facility's cover would be blown. He needs to bring in outside contractors to do the job off the books. That's where we come in. We are on contract to defend this facility from incursion and maintain its secrecy. Those are our people outside softening up the Assault Team that is trying to blow through the front of the Therapy Building. Its our job to get you and your people organized and in position to defend against their attack. That's why we need to get to the muster points. Sorry for my friend's cautiousness," She added apologetically, gesturing to Jan, "but we had no idea how you would react to a group of well-armed outsiders appearing in your midst. If you need, we have verification codes that your superiors could check out. In any case, lets get ready to move."

Waiting for the doctor's reply, Lany took a few steps away and sent her team an update, not bothering to hide that she was likely using some sort of comm device.

<<@Outside Team [Pandora]: Sounds like you did a right good job up there chummers, but I think its time to get in and prepare this place for defense. Get to the CIC and follow our route down as soon as you can.>>

<<@Inside Team [Pandora]: Hold tight up there, we may still have the opportunity to complete both our objectives. I will let you know shortly if this works.>>

[Thursday August 22nd, 2075; 8:35PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle]

<<@Lany [LeFey]: Acknowledged. If you don't mind, I'd rather you kept my being around a secret until it becomes "need to know" information.>> Under contract or not, she couldn't see the the facility staff being too happy with her having the run of their host. Or rather, hosts. In all honesty, it was probably for the best that she had created a veil to hide herself and the sprite.

Underneath the shroud, LeFey continued working. The three magic circles were identical to the ones she had used to break into the current host. Weaving them, however, took just a bit more concentration this time. Holding her palm up to the complex sigil, she whispered a command in the tongue of the digital beings.

Nikki, August 22, 2075, 8:36 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle

Guys...Anyone...I've got a drone on me...Help!....

Running towards the main building, but staying as much under cover as possible to evade the damn drone.

I really want a vacation...then I want to buy some of my own drones...this is crazy...

Nikki decides to ready herself just in case. If she find a good spot to stop and shoot at the drone herself, she will do so gladly.

[Ali, August 22, 2075, 8:35PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle]

“Crap.” Was all that escaped the young woman’s mouth in just above a whisper as everything was escalating and changing at the speed of light. Manipulating the feeds coming in to her vision, she dropped the feed LeFey had just piped to her of the hallway and enlarging that of the exterior and the drone feed from the secret basement below.

Spotting the incoming trio on the feed approaching Jan and Lany from the rear while they were both engaged with the Doctor who stood before them and not liking the way the one in the long coat moved, she fought back the overwhelming urge to punch the ductwork she was concealed in.

<<@Jan, Lany [Nyx]: On your six, three coming up on you both. Primary concern, tall human in the overcoat. Wired or magical. I’m on the move coming in from behind.>>

With that message sent over the microtranceivers, Ali cemented her next move. She left the rest of the inside team under their cover of obfuscation up in the venting system. She knew Bolo would keep an eye out for LeFey and so Ali started to shimmy her way through the vents silently, trying to find another shaft leading down into the basement on the opposite side of Jan and Lany, and especially behind the trio who were rapidly closing in on the pair's position.

[Al, Thursday August 22nd, 2075; 8:35PM, under far too small a tree, Seattle]

A high-velocity round whisked by Al's face close enough to take a few whiskers, while dozens more sent a spray of wood chips flying in every direction. A sharp chunk of tree hit him just below the left eye, and he immediately felt liquid wamth trickling down from the cut. He hadn't taken fire like this since those pirates with the mini had hit their tramper off Gibraltar. Only this time, there was no ocean to dive into.

No matter where he went, the barrage sent him scurrying to a safer angle again. He kept craning his neck, peeking around whatever side seemed safest, trying for a view of the drone - he at least figured it had to be on the wing - but got bupkus. Nothing in sight. Could they turn those things invisible?

Then the firing stopped, and he rolled out from behind the tree, rifle at his shoulder, only to see one of those damned skimmer contraptions. Was it spotting him? No, dammit, it was coming straight for him, and then he could see it was flying with a payload. Squeezed the trigger once and dropped the thing earthward, a satisfying display of sparks trailing in its wake.

And then the damned whatever-it-was started tearing up the air all around him again.

Mentally summoning all his voodoo powers, Al formed an impenetrable bullet shield about himself. Just to be safe, though, he also stayed behind the tree. Chat time: "Hey kid, can't eyeball who's shootin' at me. Be a pal an' kill 'er fer ol' Al, or leastways find an' croak the damned driver. An' heads up one an' all - them blasted tin frisbees ain't jist eyes inna sky, they's packin' some sorta nasty an' they's right full o' hostile intenshuns."

Nowhere to go for the moment, he finally got a chance to light up a Lucky. Blowing smoke through his nose and listening to the tree be killed, he realized his plan to make so much noise the bad guys would take off was not going to work, considering the way they'd gone all Fourth of July (God bless America) right back at him. Or, come to think of it, was all that noise coming from the kid and the posh chick? Shrug.

Oh well, if the cops weren't coming, at least his truck would be safe.

Jan
August 22, 2075, 8:35 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle

His instinct was to shoot them, and you should always trust your instincts. But the blarting chirping up in his earpiece gave him pause. 3 men were approaching in staff uniforms, but to his eyes clearly not all normal staff. Lany was a trusting lass. That'd get her killed soon he was sure, if he didn't look out for her.

He stepped into the group of 6 'whites' and drew up his rifle. If they shot him here, he'd know they weren't staff. They wouldn't risk shooting their own. Covering the 3 men he spoke to Lany. "Go on then chick, talk to them. I got your ass"

[Thursday August 22nd, 2075; Unknown matrix node, Seattle]

Silk watched as things got ready to spiral further out of control...Jan stepped into the startled patients and raised his weapon threateningly towards Fischer and the staff members with him...

"Aria, that's Fischer, he's a Stillwater Cleric...what the hell is he doing in the basement of a NeoNet research facility?! Summer...?" but the young techno seemed to have gone off into one of her fugue states, her persona icon frozen and unresponsive. It was Aria who replied

"When Stillwater broke up the majority stuck together as you know, but I guess a few went to look for new patrons. It would seem your Fischer found eTher, or more likely she found him. This place would seem to be somewhere that might appeal to one of his faith."

"This web that you've woven is likely to strangle us all!"

"Please don't get cross" and Aria smiled winsomely up at Silk "Fischer trained you yes?"

"Yes, and if Jan doesn't put down his weapon this could get very messy very fast...or messier at least. Have KE responded yet? I can't believe there aren't twenty plus panicked citizens calling them right now..."

"It would seem not. Summer said Winter was here, perhaps he has quashed the calls?"

"That would take some serious tech wizardry wouldn't it?"

"I could do it" and Aria grinned mischievously "even with these new protocols there are still ways to circumvent the system"

"If Winter is as dangerous as you we are all in trouble!"

"You say the nicest things"

"Enough, we need to stop the situation inside from escalating"

<@Team [Silk]: Fischer [ID ARO attached] is not a foe, do not engage! We need to talk to these people, find out what is going on and help them deal with the invaders on the surface>

The outside view was no less worrying, Overdrives rotadrones had popped up like the small gunships they were and peppered the air around the skimmer drones with fire. The discs with their assumed payload began to drop out of the sky whilst the Steel Lynx jockeyed for a clean shot on the remaining Rover. That wasn't sitting still either though and had abandoned its stationary position for the dubious protection of movement within the confined parking lot. Silk suspected it was a delaying tactic to allow the aerial drone time to hone it's aim and her guess was vindicated when an ARO popped up from the Lynx indicating that it was subject to active sensor targeting. It's accuracy had sucked firing at Al (for which he was no doubt grateful given the waft of cigarette smoke coming up from his position) but a lock on the Lynx spelt trouble. Nikki had downed the skimmer hunting her and seemed to have a clean run to the main building if she could avoid the attention of whoever was in the Rover.

Silk had another jolt of surprise as LeFey breached the new host and she saw the relay of the host's iconography. It was a representation of the Stillwater tower as Silk had never seen it, before it had been all but destroyed in '72. Well this might explain Fischer's presence here to some degree. Maybe more of the inhabitants had hailed from the Transhumanist enclave.

<@LeFey [Silk]: I see you've breached the host. Can you do a personnel search against the attached file [File Attached]? It's a list of people I... used to know...>

Lany Argyle
August 22, 2075, 8:35 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle

Lany casually brought her Raiden level with the oncoming staff members and took a position aside Jan while she sorted out the all the comm chatter she had just received.

<<@Nyx[Pandora]: We see them, get into position but do not engage. I'll see if I can't get this sorted without a firefight.>>

She had better get it sorted; Lany knew that with all this firepower being brought to bare in such an enclosed space, this hallway would be full of a lot of dead people very quickly if she didn't. She stared down the man she had just learned to be Fischer as he approached. Mustering all her confidence, she took the opportunity to speak first. "So, you must be Fischer." Seeing a look of acknowledgement from the man, Lany continued, keeping her weapon trained on his center-mass as she spoke, "So tell me, Fischer, are you the bloke whose supposed to be in charge down here? We need to speak with the Boss."

[Al, Thursday August 22nd, 2075; 8:36PM, Sound Mental Health, Seattle]

Al was just settling into his break when whoever was shooting at him shifted fire to somewhere over where he was pretty sure the kid's Lynx was positioned. With the young rigger's flyers taking out skimmers, and the Rover he'd killed still popping off secondaries, it was pretty noisy out here, but now he was pretty sure the sky-gun was silent as well as invisible. Well, that was the kid's problem now, and if he piloted his drones as well as he'd handled Al's Gaz the other night, he'd be just fine.

Now it was time to get in there. Bunch of damned SWAT-ninjas had gone in a few seconds ago, and it was only a matter of time before they crossed paths with Peaches. And if they messed with her, they'd get a taste of what he'd done to their guy in the Rover.

Setting his Lucky between his teeth and hefting the Remington, he broke into a dead run straight at the fence. They'd cut about nine-in-ten links earlier on, and weakened the remaining ones. Without slowing he jumped an instant before impact, twisting to hit with his shoulder, and the fence section gave way, his body falling with a painful thud on top of it.

He hauled himself up and headed southwest for the therapy building, staying under the trees as best he could and wishing for a little mud to douse his heat signature with. Half expecting to be Swiss-cheesed at any moment, he prayed his bullet shield would hold as he raced south around the back of the structure, reaching into a cargo pocket and topping his magazine with armor-piercings as he went.

"ScreenLegend motorvatin' south. Mother, look for me at the south end o' the therapy shack." And that was about all he could say, already winded at the halfway point. Finally, he huffed and puffed his way to where he'd wanted to get, and peeked around the corner to see how the Battle of the Parking Lot was going.

Nikki, August 22, 2075, 8:38 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle

Catching up with "that hot-vid star" near the entrance to make their way into the CIC, Nikki looks Al over...

Have you taken any damage "stud"?....Let's reload now...Would you like to take the lead?

Nikki reloads her alpha and crusader with regular ammo, and puts some smoke grenades into the launcher.

Looking at Al...Ready?...Let's go...

@all--we are heading inside now...

[Al, Thursday August 22nd, 2075; 8:36PM, Sound Mental Health, Seattle]

Stud? Al would have chuckled if he weren't so busy trying to catch his breath. Sucking the last bit of life out of his filterless Lucky between coughs, he congratulated himself for his irresistability to women, even posh specimens like this here purebred filly. All he could see was her face - mocha with a hint of cream - lit on one side by the flames of the burning Rover. The blaze behind her was replicated on the surface of her skintight sneaksuit, making her look like she was on fire, but he knew anyone looking at her from the parking area would see only the image of the dark wall she was standing next to. She wasn't real big, but she reloaded the grenade launcher on her Alpha like she was checking her face in a compact.

"Damage?" he rasped, happy to dispense with the transceiver. "Honey, life is damage. But ol' Al's still a'standin'." His nose was bleeding again, and the cut below his eye was flowing freely, as were several other small cuts on his face from running through the brush in the dark. The red rivulets found their way down to bits of grime and mud and clotted there. His tousled hair was festooned with bits of twig and leaf that had rained down on him during the barrage.

Throwing the spent butt to the ground, he slung his rifle across his back and unlimbered his Defiance, pumping a slug into the chamber. He watched the circling Rover as the girl told the team they were going in, and when the vehicle was at its furthest point from them, its sightlines partly blocked by the big planter in the center of the lot, he broke cover and made for the housing complex doors he'd watched the inside team disappear into earlier that evening. Once through the doors, he keyed his mic and said, "Echo Mother's last. I count one Rover an' one drone against you, three flyers an' the Lynx, kid, so yer on yer own. Show 'em who wears the pants. Movie Star out."

Then he led the way into the building, where they had no trouble finding the vent cover that Jan had pried off its frame.

August 22, 2075, 8:35 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle



"I am Cleric Fischer, yes. I am not 'the Boss' but the Director will certainly be willing to meet his erstwhile defenders. I regret however that I cannot allow you to hurt anyone here, or even threaten them any longer. Please lower your weapons as a gesture of faith...here, I will do the same. Perhaps then we can discuss the verification codes you mentioned...?"

The pistols are holstered although his two companions remain with their sub machine guns trained in your general direction, awaiting your next move...

Jan
August 22, 2075, 8:36 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle


Jan snarled. Allow me? Allow me?! I'd love to see you try and stop me! He took great umbrage at anyone thinking to tell him what he could and couldn't do, lauding some sort of faux authority over him just because he was now 'on their side'. He was a mercenary. He'd been looking out for himself for years, and not by letting anyone that paid him command him around like a bitch.

"I won't shoot you." He stared straight at Fischer. "We'll leave it at that for now. If you think I'm lowering my weapon when there's an assault team on their way in here then you're more a fool than you look. You handle your 'flock' and I'll do what I get paid for."

Lany Argyle
August 22, 2075, 8:36 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle

Feeling that it was unlikely that this Cleric would have his men fire on her and Jan in the crowded hallway, Lany lowered the barrel of the bleeding edge assault rifle she had pointed at Fischer, knowing full well her cybernetically enhanced reflexes could pull it back up in time if she needed it, "Well that's a relief, the bosses were hoping we wouldn't have to chip any of the paint in here." Lany said with a smile, "Forgive my comrade here, he just gets edgy when half our crew is under fire." She gave Jan a wry look, indicating that he could at least lower his weapon. "Now then, we are on something of a time crunch here, so lets get right to it." She pulled up the verification codes and flashed her commlink, "These are the codes for the "Director", but before we waste time strolling to whatever desk he is planted behind; tell me Cleric, what do you know?"

[August 22, 2075, 8:36 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle]

Accepting the proffered ARO with a grim smile, Fischer addresses Jan

"I have no time for empty posturing. You are in my house now. Understand that I am the law. These people..." and he gestured towards the six confused and frightened white clad individuals "will proceed past you and down the stairs to their muster stations. If you attempt to hinder them I will have no problem with killing you and dealing with the aftermath. The codes have been verified but do not mistake that for meaning I am about to trust you. Your unorthodox entry..." with a nod towards the ducts above you "seemed to be in advance of the assault team coming via the main entrance. Given that they must have insider assistance the codes may also be faked. Only the fact that they have eTher's unique identifier suggests that they are accurate. As to what I know, we were alerted to a breach three minutes ago. A second one happened in the last minute, and given the loss of video in the therapy building and entrance, they are using camera burners, and have an uncanny knowledge of the fixed locations. We are deploying drones into the area to provide backup visuals...

[Al, Thursday August 22nd, 2075; 8:36PM, Freaky Cult Hideout, Seattle]

Al glanced down the hall at the flames visible through the glass doors, then down at the opening to the vent. Then up at his companion, idly wondering how such a pretty young girl with a decent head on her shoulders ended up in a lose-lose line of work like this. Hell, he reckoned the same question applied to half their little group, and this chica here wasn't even the youngest. He only had time to worry about one of them, though, and she was somewhere at the bottom of this vent.

He shrugged on the inside and flashed a big grin on the outside. "Out o' the fryin' pan, an' all that…" Poked his head into the aperture. Piece of cake - it was twice as wide as the arkoblock conduits he used to service, and the sides weren't straining against the weight of a hundred meters of salt water. He slung his shotgun and stepped in without hesitation.

Once in, he braced his Docs and scar-ruined hands against the sides and dropped downward in a controlled slide, figuring the girl would follow if she wanted. It was only a moment before he saw three shadowy forms wedged in below him, and he shifted over into the matching intake duct, figuring it would come out in roughly the same area. Before losing sight of them, though, he whispered, "Nyx?" and the frog pointed at another passage. Damn girl. Hopefully she'd resurface in at least the general vicinity of where he did.

As he crept furtively toward the vent cover that marked his destination, he could hear voices. The real young one and the Afrikaaner merc. Seemed they and whoever they were tallking to hadn't quite decided whether or not to croak each other, so he settled in a meter back from the opening to listen.

[Ali, August 22, 2075, 8:37PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle]

Ali had made her way quickly and quietly through the long run of venting that ran parallel alongside the mezzanine and that would take her behind the trio that included Fischer and in view of her teammates. She scaled the downward portion of her path with not only ease, but grace in near silence. The bulk of any noise she made was from when she had to pop the grating covering the air return from the inside.

She could hear the voices in the center of the facility carry down the hallways, Fischer’s terse tones, Jan’s attempt to control the malice in his voice and Lany’s attempt to keep everyone breathing bless her soul. Ali wedged herself out of the venting and onto the floor, using the wall for cover as she carefully took stock in her current position, her surroundings and placed her hand inside the top of her coveralls and retrieved her Browning from her shoulder rig. Grateful for a few extra moments to move now that there was at least tense peace amongst the five primary figures she slipped from around her corner into the line of sight for Jan and Lany for an instant and lifted a finger to her lips with a slight smile from behind it.

<<@Team [Nyx]: On the floor, behind Fischer and his team. Waiting for the next move to be played.>>

This was like a game of chess, only more violent and definitely more lethal.

[Al, Thursday August 22nd, 2075; 8:37PM, Freaky Cult Hideout, Seattle]

Al smiled and shook his head appreciatively at Peaches' message.

Well, whichever way the conversation down there went, if she was down there then that was where he needed to be. He kicked the cover out and heard a squeal. Then he tumbled out after it to see that it had landed on the head of one of a gaggle of test subjects or whatever they were.

Oblivious to the commotion he'd caused, he took in the Mexican standoff now in front of him, slid his back down the wall until his ass settled onto the floor, and lit up a cigarette. "Y'all don' mind me none. Go on ahead an carry on about yer negotiatin'. Jist like ol' Al ain't even here."

Jan
[August 22, 2075, 8:37 PM, Sound Mental Health Facility, Kilarney Way, Bellevue, Seattle]

"You ain't no law to me so don't tune me otherwise" Jan spoke back, sniggering under his breath at Fischers claim of 'not having time for posturing' while doing his best to sound important. "Keep the laaitie's heads down and stop actin' a doffie you may live through this without getting them all klapped." The angrier he got, the more Afrikaner he sounded. He didn't care none whether they understood him or not.

Weapon still shouldered, he lowered the barrel as he turned to Lany. "No time for this kak, chick. I'm gonna see if I can head off the assault team. Maybe find a choke point somewhere. You with me?" At that he vaulted over the railings of the mezzanine down onto the floor below, weapon drawn up and heading towards where the breach should be, a string of Afrikaner slurs trailing in the air behind him.