Thursday evening, 29 September 2072

@Vixen from Col. Mustard
<<Hoy Little Dumpling! Got some potential work for you up your way. Sounds like some bushwhacking and investigation for a team of four. Go to the Randy Beaver in New Liskeard, tomorrow at 20:00. Light arms only. Ask at the bar for Félix.>>

@JD from Twist
<<Job meet: 30 SEP 2072, 18:00. New Liskeard bar -- Randy Beaver -- weapons restrictions: sidearms only. Contact Félix. Three more potentials. Acknowledge.>>

@Old Wolf from The Frog
'Ey dere, Ol' man! 'Ow come you never answer da fone, eh? Got some work for you up by New Liskeard. Check out da Randy Beaver on Friday at 8 o'clock. Hask for Félix. Big man in dem parts, so be cool, eh. Nuttin' heavier dan pistol or knife in dat place.

@Longshot from Laurel
<<Hoy, sweetie. Got some good news for you! Guy by the name of Félix, a big shot in the New Liskeard area (smuggling, fixer, hands in everything) is looking for some talent to solve a problem up north. I recommended you. If you want a job, go to the Randy Beaver in New Liskeard at 20:00 tomorrow and ask for Félix at the bar. Go easy on the hardware.>>

8:04 PM, Thursday 29th of September, 2072

It was just after twilight when Elyas unlocked the door of his ranch house, stomping mud off his boots as he walked into the kitchen and tossed three rabbits on the table, each completely intact without a drop of blood spilled or bone broken, but dead as they could be. Walking across to the stove, Elyas turned on the propane and started preheating it before turning back to his catch for the day. Reaching for his long knife, an old standard issue marine ka-bar, Elyas finally noticed the vibrating hunk of technology that he left on the counter before going tracking today. A light flickered on the commlink's screen, a blinking envelope which Elyas angrily tapped to play as he grabbed the first rabbit and started the relaxing process of skinning and gutting it.

Listening to The Frog's French accent, Elyas chuckled to himself, imaging the troll's large jowls moving as his voice rang out of the commlink's tiny speakers.

'e must be joking about dat one. Me, wit' a firea'm? Ze nerve.

Elyas laughs to himself a little more before tossing the first skinned and gutted rabbit to the side and picking up the next, finally deciding to himself what to send back to the big green lummox.

"'Ey, commlink, start reco'din' message for Ze Frog:"
Ol' man ma' ass. I could still beat yo' green ass any day o' ze week, ne. Best you rememba dat too. I will be dere, don't you worry. Danks fo' ze call, an' keep in touch.

Sending the message off to The Frog, Elyas sighs and laughs to himself, imaging the troll shaking even more when he gets the message in his box. Tossing the second rabbit onto the clean pile, Elyas picks up the third, wanting to finish the preparations for dinner so he could start his preparations for tomorrow.

Thursday Evening, 29 Sept., Valerie place

Valerie stepped out of the shower back into the AR world and notice her commlink softly buzzing. She picks up her sunglasses and reviews the message from her fixer. She subscribes the 'link AR to the house AR and walks to the mirror to run a brush through her hair, whilst composing a reply.

<<I'll be picking up this job. Anything about this Felix or who they are representing I should know about?>>

Only fair to ask as the good Colonel may have some extra tid bit to toss her way about their J. Every little bit help when having an heart to heart about jobs and the money they elicit. While waiting for a response she'll lay out an outfit for the meet and greet. Nothing to expensive looking as she only wants to convey competency and not I'm going to a party. Yet she wasn't going to go in looking like a peasant either. That just offends all her sensibilities.

Her next wardrobe piece us the Colt L36 she tosses next to the outfit. She settles on the bed and checks the pistol out, disassembling it and wiping an oil cloth over it once more. Everything look good. She sets the outfit aside and lays back on the bed to wait for Col. Mustard response to her question. She ques up the entertainment center for something light to play and listens to classical music.

She also checks the listings of the Street Brawl teams for this year and how some of them are looking. Valerie was hoping for one to really break out this year; good chance to place a few bets there.

Thursday Evening, 29 Sept, JD's Cabin


Ace and Jack were ripping apart the remains of the carcass from the deer JD had butchered yesterday, when the comm buzzed indicating a message. JD read the message and smiled to himself. Twist was always short, sweet and to the point. JD liked that, always straight to business. JD watched as Queen crept in around the two larger males and grabbed one of the tastier morsels for herself.

JD typed a return message using the keypad on the commlink.

"Message Acknowledged. I still have some funds from last job, so I am sending you a small shopping list. Let me know the arrangements for delivery.

JD closed the gate to the kennel and went back to his cabin, he'd have some work to so to get ready for the meeting tomorrow. He needed to get the place ready for him to be gone for several days. He spent the rest of the evening prepping the cabin then checking and loading his equipment in the truck.

Thursday Evening, 19 September 2072, Longshot's cabin

Several slabs of meat hang in front of the fire, set far enough away to cook slowly, allowing it to make the long journey into becoming dried meat. Under where the meats hang are small dishes, each with a pool of blood in them. Longshot herself lies curled up on the deep and comfortable rug in front of the fire. She seemed to have been sleeping, but she opens her eyes quickly at the sound of her commlink informing her that she has a message.

She yawns and takes a minute or two to give several long stretches, just as a cat that she so resembles would. Finally she punches the keys on her commlink to review the message. She smiles at the prospect of something to do. She hadn't had work in a while, and was getting rather bored, and when bored she tended to dwell on the past.

"Garder le feu chaud pendant que j'y suis allé, et tourner la viande quand il sera prêt." she says into her commlink, knowing the command will be relayed to her CHN when it comes on. Out here in the middle of nowhere, power isn't easy to come by, so she usually leaves it off to save on trips to a nearby town to get fuel. She pulls up a map of the area on her commlink, picking out where she is going, and figuring out the best route there. It would take about three hours she reasoned, and so without much further ado, she returns to her nap. It was funny she thought, that she didn't really need sleep, and yet spent most of her time doing nothing else.

Friday morning, 20 September 2072, Longshot's cabin

After a restful night with far more sleep than she needed, Longshot wakes up sometime around mid morning. After several minutes of stretching she gets up, adjusting the meat by the fire, examining them with a critical eye. She pulls up a weather report on her commlink, making sure there won't be any sort of storm today, though watching the skies gives her what is likely to be an almost equally accurate deduction.

Though still early, she decides to begin preparing for tonight. She retrieves her weapons, her rifle having already been close at hand, just in case anyone ever tried to get into her cabin, and lays them out on a table. She takes time to check that all the parts are properly lubricated as they should be for this cold environment. She takes some time as well to check that her knives are properly sharp and clean.

Skipping breakfast she goes strait to lunch, retrieving a small slab of meat from her meat locker like basement. She places it in a metal holding grill and throws it in the fire to cook, the smell slowly filling the cabin. When it is close to ready she mixes up some instant milk before pulling out the steak and enjoying her lunch.

As afternoon begins to get underway she packs her gear in her backpack, and then dresses as she always does when venturing from her home, so that every bit of her body is covered, from head to toe, not wanting to let anyone know what she really looks like, that always ends poorly....

Eventually she leaves her home, her rifle being concealed in the specially designed compartment in her bike so as to be close at hand but not obvious to others. With that she begins to make her way towards the meeting location. She'll be there several hours early, but that might give her time to scope out the place, or get fuel from somewhere nearby, it's always good to have extra.

20 Sept 2072
Friday Afternoon 1940
New Liskeard - Randy Beaver.

Vixen spent most of the day getting weather reports and traffic for her trip down from Round Lake to New Liskeard. It wasn't the first time down there into the city, she even had a few acquaintances there. So this would be nothing new for her in meeting a Mr. J there in the city to conduct a little business. From what Col. Mustard already indicated it looks like she was going out in the great wilderness for a set of outdoor activities. Which suited Vixen just fine.

She dresses for the fall evening weather and leaves for New Liskeard. About forty minutes later she pulls into the parking lot of the Randy Beaver. Before getting out of her vehicle she discreetly checks her pistol and opens her PAN to active under the SIN Celion West. With everything set, Vixen emerges and enters the bar checking out the scene. When Vixen is comfortable she heads for the bar and orders synthahol. She'll nurse this and another, checking out the other customers and making small talk. Her goal is to wait till the last twenty minutes before the meet before asking about the man name Felix.

Thursday Evening 29 SEP 2072

@JD from Twist
<Acknowledged. Working on it.>

Thursday Evening 29 SEP 2072

@Valerie from Col. Mustard
<Félix Monague. Longtime resident of the area. Farmer, trapper, unconfirmed smuggler. (Read, yeah, damn straight he does it, but nothing has been proven by the authorities.) Deep contacts in the community. Nearly everybody owes him a favor or money, or both. Loyalty high among the locals. No problem getting elected if he wanted to waste his time that way. Hires locally whenever he can. Rep is he has done some hairy things, and deals straight with his hires.>

Friday Evening 19:20 New Liskeard: The Randy Beaver

Vixen walks into the main bar and the smell of cigarettes and stale beer brings back memories. This could be Georgia except for the race of most of the customers. A smattering of men and a couple of women are dotted around the room, at tables, playing pool, at the bar itself. Vixen's entry draws some attention. One man seems very appreciative until his companion lays her hand on his arm and says something with a glare.

Another couple of men straighten up from their beers as she passes near. Oh yeah, 6 weeks in the bush, and she is the first woman to get within three meters of them. A twig falls from the beard of one of them.

"Hello, darling. What can I get for ya?" asks the bartender as she takes a stool. He brings her the order and jokes, "Watch out for Joe and Henry. They been away from ladies a while, and you draw better than a good steak right now."

The bartender serves a couple of other customers, and cleans some glasses. He seems to know most of what is going on in the room. He glances at the clock and at a door at the back of the room. Then his eyes seem to track something as it approaches Vixen. What is that look in his eyes?

"Hi there, gorgeous. Ain't seen you around here before. You new in town?" Vixen turns towards the voice. A young Algonkian, she guesses by the pouch hanging around his neck. Dark, flashing eyes; smooth, strong physique. He sits down beside her as if asked, and smiles a very delightful invitation to converse.

Friday Evening 19:20 New Liskeard

Longshot had plenty of time to refill her ride as well as buy a couple cans of fuel to bring back to her cabin. She shopped around some of the local stores, not buying much, but drawing plenty of looks thanks to being so over dressed for the weather. For the last twenty minutes or so she's been staking out the bar, keeping well away from it, and simply watching the types that came and went.

It's still early for the meet, and bars tend to make her uncomfortable, so she decides to continue her stakeout of sorts, being careful not to look like she is actually overly interested in the bar. To help with the illusion and to give herself something extra to do, she pulls up a cheap AR game to play that isn't overly distracting. She'll give it another 30 minutes before she goes in herself.

Friday Evening 1745, New Liskeard, Randy Beaver

JD let the dogs out of the cab of his truck, walked around to the back of the truck and lowered the tailgate.

"Up in the bed you three. And stay put."

He spent a couple of minutes checking the exterior bar out while he smoked a cigarette next to his truck. It doesn't take long the bar is just like any other in the area as far as he's concerned. Never really cared for them himself. He wasn't a drinker and didn't really go out of his way lookin' for a fight so what's the point.

JD ground the butt of the under boot heel and made his way into the bar. He only carried his knife on him but he wasn't expecting any trouble here that'd require any gun. The locals in these small towns didn't really care for out of towners that started throwin' lead. He still had his rifles in te truck if he really needed them. And nobody was gettin' close to the truck with dogs in the back.

He walked in and went straight to the bar. Once he got the bartenders attention, he said low enough so only the bartender could hear,

Lookin' for Felix, got some business with him."

Friday Evening 19:20 New Liskeard: The Randy Beaver

Vixen gives the voyeurs a polite smile but dose not look them in the eye. She did not want to give the impression that she was being anything else other than polite. Shooting a few locales whose only crime was being away from civilization would be a hard hit on the resume.



"Don't worry. I don't think they want anything that bites back." She gives the two a wink and goes about taking care of her drink.



Vixen had to give this man credit. He was a smooth operator, though she did not expect a pick-up artist be living in the great out doors. She wonders what the look was that the bartender was betraying before the young man came up to sit next to her.

"Moi? Why yes I am. I've been around these parts for a couple of weeks now." Vixen speaks with her natural southern drawl. No need to convince him anymore that she's way and away from being a native.

"I'm Celion, and it appears you seem to be from around here."

While she converses with the young man she gives him the once other. After all he was quite the fit male in the room, also to see what else he could be carrying on his person that could be a personal threat to Vixens person.

Friday Evening 1745, New Liskeard, Randy Beaver

[OOC: Just to bring JD into the same time continuum and correct my error. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) ]

The bartender smiled at JD. "I like a man who shows up early for work. I got a job for a short-order cook if things don't work out with Félix at 8 o'clock. Care for something to eat? You got time."

Friday Evening, 19:25

Longshot sees the typical small town goings on around the bar and up the street in both directions. A minor entertainment comes when two young men check out a truck near the bar, startle, and run away as three dogs in the back of the truck raise holy terror at their approach.

Friday Evening 19:30 inside the Randy Beaver

"Celion from the sunny south. No wonder it's been warmer around here the last few days. You must have brought the heat with you." The bartender rolls his eyes and shakes his head, wandering off to clean some more dishes. The corny lines would bring Vixen to do the same, but that smile buys a lot of forgiveness.

"Yeah, born and bred here. My dad there," he nods to the bartender, "owns this place. I work here, and do some hunting and fishing farther north. Sometimes I take a party of southerners on expeditions into the 'wild country'. My name is Marc."

Though he clearly looks the part of a hunting/fishing guide by his dress and his fitness, there is a smooth, easy manner about him that seems out of place in this rough establishment. One would have expected this guy to be in an Armanté, sipping a martini in an Atlanta club. What is he doing here?

As far as Vixen can tell, Marc is unarmed.

Friday Evening 17:46 inside the Randy Beaver



"No thanks I prefer to work outdoors. I'll take a venison sandwich and real steak fries if you got some real food back there. I'm not a drinker so I'll just take water.

Taking a look around, JD motions with his head to a table against the wall out of the way.


I'll move over there. Stay out of your way.

Friday Evening 19:31 inside the Randy Beaver

JD sits back after his meal and watches mister thinks-he-smooth hit on lady at the bar. Something tellin' him she's not interested.

Friday Evening 19:31, New Liskeard, Randy Beaver

While Vixen is considering how to answer Marc, she catches a glimpse out of the corner of her eye of a man sitting by the back wall, watching her. Empty dishes on his table indicate a sizable meal, but no alcohol. Every other occupied table has alcohol of some sort.

Friday Evening 1932, New Liskeard, Randy Beaver

She wonders about the other man at the table and his interests. Could be just a passing interest in her or the conversation she was having. Time will tell which is the case as it seem she was a rather hot commodity tonight. Oh, her elvish ego was stoked.

"Well Marc, it is a pleasure to meet you." She said, sipping her drink. "I've seen a lot of hunters in my time and you don't seem to fit the gruff and tough template I've seen in some."

Vixen smiles a little to herself as she tries to prod Marc ego to talk about himself.

Friday Evening 1940, New Liskeard, The Randy Beaver

It may have taken him a couple hours to get there, but the Old Wolf was still here with time to spare before the meet. He is dressed in a pair of old, patched blue jeans, a long sleeved, used to be white, thermal shirt, an old pair of hiking boots, and a long, brown, tribal style long coat, reinforced for warmth with a couple patches of animal pelts rough sewn onto the outside. He appears unarmed with the exception of his head high wooden staff, decorated with small carvings, and a long, old military ka-bar knife at his belt. There is an intricate, seemingly iron, chain necklace around his neck, and he has a pair of old looking goggles sitting on his forehead, a wire trailing off the back of them down into his coat.

As he enters the bar he grumbles something under his breath about the drive and scrapes his feet on whatever mat the place has at the door. He crosses the length of the bar, not really visibly paying attention to anyone in the room, making a bit of noise as he uses his staff as a walking staff and it makes a nice thud with every step he takes. Settling into a seat at the bar, Old Wolf gestures for the barkeep,

"'Ey, get moi whateva yo' got on tap. An' alzo, do you happen to know if Felix iz here?"

Friday Evening 19:33 New Liskeard - Randy Beaver

Marc cocks his head as he looks at Vixen, and clearly he is sizing her up and deciding how to answer. His father, the bartender, calls over before he can reply, "Marc. It's time to get the back room ready."

Marc drops his head a bit, and replies to Vixen, "Ah, well, some hunters use brute force, others use cunning. Then there are those who get distracted by things back in the den. Excuse me, please. I hope we can talk later." He gets up and walks to the back of the barroom, near the fellow who was hungry but not thirsty, unlocks a door, and disappears through it.

19:40

A fur-coated older man enters the bar and inquires of the bartender about Félix. "Soon." the bartender replies. "You'll know."

19:45

Marc leaves the back room and goes down a corridor, carrying some papers under one arm.

19:48 Outside the Randy Beaver

A Rover 2072 roll up to the front of the bar. Three human men step out of the vehicle, first two in what Longshot recognizes as armor jackets, who look around. At least one clearly notices Longshot. Then one dressed in an exceptional leather longcoat emerges, and they enter the bar.

19:49 Randy Beaver

Three men enter the bar, first one in an expensive, long leather coat, then two who move and act as muscle for the first. The locals immediately notice, and there is a general welcoming, waving, and shaking of hands as they move through the bar to the back. Several times the name "Félix" is heard, directed towards the leader. He and one of the heavies enter the room and close the door. The other heavy stays by the door, watching the room.

The bartender catches Old Wolf's eye, and nods. Same for JD. He also checks out Vixen, though more in a questioning mode than an affirming demeanour.

Friday Evening, New Liskeard - Randy Beaver

19:33

Vixen responds to his remarks with a coy smile and nod, "I hope so too, Marc. Take care..."

She goes back to her drink finishing it off before ordering a second, a ginger ale, and waiting for her meeting with Felix. Something about Marc strikes her fancy. Hopefully she'll get the oppritunity to learn more about him.

19:49

The rambunctious entrance of the man name Felix shifts her attention from her thoughts to the man entering the bar. Judging how the locals were reacting and greeting him that only could be the man she was here to meet. Taking a look to the other who eaten but never took a drink notice that he was still there. Vixen the bartender giving a questioning look about Felix. She simply inclines her head that she too was here to see Felix. She waits another five minutes before finishing off her last drink and slides the glass over to the tender when he's not busy.

She gets up and makes her way towards the door and the bodyguard tending it.

"Hello, Ah'm one of the party here ta see your boss."

19:50 Randy Beaver

The man at the door looks at Vixen as if he is seeing something else at the same time, not distracted but more like multitasking. He nods and bids her, "Go on in."

Vixen nods her head and opens the door. Caususally looking around as she enters the room where her new employerer was meeting with and the rest of the team. No sign of the others though, not yet anyone. Probably good she was the first one in.

Nothing who was there, Felix and his bodyguard, Vixen goes into her business mode.

"Good evenin' sir. Ah' hope your da one ah'm meeting tonight." No names, not yet. Not till she knew for sure it was safe to do so. Always good to becareful when meeting new clients.

After watching the woman from the bar enter the backroom JD smirks and thinks to himself.

Gets more interesting by the second.

He then gets up, pays his bill with a decent tip to the bartender and makes his way back. As he makes his way to the back room, he nods to the guard at the door.

Looks like it's time to go to work.