The Death of Dragons, Can you hang with the big boys? Options

[BGMFH]

You wake up one morning, roll out of bed scratch at your arm as you climb into the shower. The message light is blinking on your telecom, but a comfortable shower seems more endearing at the moment.

An idle Tuesday, it seems, is all that awaits you. No work, no corp goons breathing down your neck, no barghests at your heels.

Shower over, the telecom beeps again. "Incoming Message," the feminine voice croons, as you resolve once again to change the voice chip on the damn thing. A man's voice slides into her place, clear, uninflected and without accent, obviously fake. "Sorry to hear about the decker, seems somebody tipped them you were coming. Drek Happens."

The next message is from a friendlier voice. Hanz's thick accent blazes past the femine announcer, "It had to be Drake's team...third time in six months that a big job has gone south, no one else could have pulled it off. He has got to go down. With him gone, we'll be the top slice in the 'plex chummer... You in?"

[Leowulf]

Biomage calls Hanz. When Hanz picks up, he says, "I'm in. If getting rid of Drake is what it takes to get information and the pay for a job, then he's going down hard. I don't take shit from people who want to ruin my rep. When and where?"

[Shockwave_IIc]

Listening the the message as she goes about picking up her stuff for Uni, She looks at the huge bed and the form she share it with last night.
"Taking another team on? Doesn't sound like the worlds smartess idea, but he's been doing these streets long enough to make a better call on this then me."
She goes to the com, and press's the button that says mark as unread. Checking the time, she grabs her keys and heads out to her Toyota.

Sliding into the soft leather seats, she starts up the engine, a low rumble the only thing might give away the power hidden under the bonnet. Tapping the the controls for the stereo, she changes the music so that sounds of old Opera fills the car (she didn't like the "sixth age" Opera) She then checks for traffic, then silds of towards the U-dub.

[TheOneRonin]

Evan frowns at the telecom. "Drake is a troublemaker and he needs to be dealt with. But if we aren't careful, this could seriously end up backfiring on us all."

Evan thinks briefly about the close call on that last run...and about what almost happened to Issy.

"FRAG! You have GOT to stop thinking about her like that. It's just going to get you killed," Evan says to himself.

He walks downstairs to the garage where he keeps his bike and his tools. Working on his bike always helps him think.

After getting his tools together, he taps the call button on his telecom and says "Hanz." It dials the number and Hanz picks up.

"So chummer, what did you have in mind?"

[BGMFH]

"Evan, Hanz thinks he has line on where Drake going to be tomorrow night... we need team together to discuss plans..."

[TheOneRonin]

"I'm down. Gimme the clock & drop <time and place>."

[Shadow]

Raven smiles a cold, ruthless smile at the trid. So, he calls to gloat, confirming her original suspicions. They were set up. Raven slaps the reply button, "I'm in," is all she says before hanging up. She figured one of the other would be calling her soon, for now she needed to clean her riffle. Her shoulder still ached from where the troll had slapped her, the pain had kept her from working out, or taking care of her equipment like she normally did after each run. But she couldn't wait anymore. She opened a drawer in the kitchen and downed two whit pills labeled 'Oxy-codone'. It didn't take long for the pain killers to kick in. It took only an hour to completely break down her riffle and pistol to their individual components, and thoroughly clean each piece. A light coat of oil later and they were good to go. She sat silently, planning her personal revenge for the demise of their decker while waiting for the inevitable call.

[Shockwave_IIc]

Sitting there with her Pocket sec standing on end, waiting for it to dome kind of merry jig towards one of the table edges. Her mind wondering from the lecture she had earlier to the call this morning to a mental reply of the attack by the stun baton.

Bolting upright as her heart rate soared, almost knocking over the bottle of water standing on the table. Shouldering her bag, she stands taking the Psec and water with her, She goes and finds herself a quite corner and sends a message to Evans public number.

"Hey sorry i didn't want to wake you. Did you listen to the message this morning? Do you think it's worth a discussion with the others?"

[TheOneRonin]

The telecom beeps with an incoming call. Evan peers up over his tool bench and sees that it's Issy.

"Chill Hanz. Gotta slot and run. Drop the 411 on me later."

He hits the anwser button and hears Issy's voice. With an inaudible sigh, he replies, "Null persp, I'm up. Yeah, I got the VM. We can't roll that jack solo. You know we'll need the whole pit crew. And hey, how's your 2-stroke...still running fine?" <racing slang...asking her how she is feeling>

[BGMFH]

Hanz drops a message into your Mailboxes.

"Be at my place, Tonight, 8pm. Bring toys and gear. We be hunting dinner."

[Shadow]

Excellent, Raven thought. Time to get some justice. It had been only a few days since the run and the memory of it was a bitter pill in her stomach. The thought that it had been intentional turned that pill into a raging inferno. In her 4 years in the shadows she had never setup another runner. Sure she had competed with them, but competition was a way of life. She had always tried to treat other runners with a professional courtesy. Now that was gone. All that was left was a bitter anger that gnawed at her. She wasn't sure but she felt that this was somehow directed at her, that the attack and the ambush was designed to get her. Maybe it was her time in the shadows, or the fact that she was an athlete of Olympic quality, but something about her drove Drake mad, she was sure.

She loaded her gear up in an over sized duffle. Her Walther was broken down and stored in it's hard case and then gently placed in the duffle. She followed with her armored trench, ski mask and her backup pistol wrapped in a leather holster. Lastly went the Carson scope. It was already in it's moisture/shock proof case.

Checking the display in her eye told her it was nearly time to go. She threw on her secure jacket and placed two mags of EXEX in the right pocket. At the same time she made sure her Colt was secure in her shoulder rig.

The Saab handled well in the light evening traffic. She had rejoiced last year after the United Oil run. Not only had she made enough to pay off all her student loans, but she had also had enough left over to by the Saab Dynamit. Riding the Rapier was fun, but Seattle was a wet city, and with the trunk space she didn't look conspicuous when she had to drive her own vehicle.

[BGMFH]

20:01 PST
Hanz's Garage and Oil Changes

The warehouse is as dirty as ever, both car parts and refuse littered about most of the floor. The areas around the lifts though, are impeccably clean.

Hanz is on a ladder when you come in, it looks like the Swedish Dwarf is fixing that fixed wing drone with the minigun that got shot up over the Ares compound two weeks ago.

His accent is almost unnoticeable from under its wing, "Wait in the lounge with everyone else till all are here, I be in in five, so ka?"

Ten minutes later, Hanz finally enters the dilapidated lounge area and plops down upon one of the couches.

"Ok, so Drake is gonna be at the Vortex tonight. Hanz knows the door troll, so you can maybe take small arms inside, if done right... Hanz will be outside if you need me... Who is in for Hanz little plan?"

[Shadow]

Raven parks her car outside the warehouse. She nervously fretted with the steering wheel for a few heartbeats before heading inside. Even with the comforting weight of the Colt Manhunter on her side, she was still nervous. She liked Hanz, even respected him a little, but she wasn't so sure he wouldn't sell her out given the right amount of money. She smiled and nodded to him, and then went to the room. I must be the first one here, was her thought as she pulled out her manhunter. Holding it in her right hand she grasped the grip on the slide between her thumb and forefinger. She pulled the slide all the way back and gave the chamber a quick visual inspection. Then she let it slap forward charging the weapon for action. Using a mental impulse she disengaged the safety and then slid the weapon back into it's holster underneath her left shoulder.

...Hanz finally enters the dilapidated lounge area...

"I'm in," is her stoic response from the corner to the left of the door.

[Shockwave_IIc]

Pulling in behind Ravens Saab, close enough so that at the wrong angle it looks like she might of touched it, she lets the engine idle down and begins to calm herself to last of Tu E Il Tuo Mare before getting out. Scanning the roof tops and surounding area, before heading to the warehouse, still looking around to see if anything gives her a "bad feeling".

Walking into the lounge just as Raven pulls the slide back on her Colt, cause's thought of giving the girl a welcome hug sink through the floor All bussiness as normal, girl needs to lighten up a little. A night out with Miranda should do it. Sitting down close to Raven Issy quickly deduce's that Raven is as serious as she looks, not that it suprised her in anyway. Looking around at the rest of the team as they enter Issy gets the distincted feeling that Someone will be getting hurt tonight.....

[Leowulf]

Biomage suits up in his combat gear, grabbing all of his normal armored clothing and strapping on his Colt TZ-110 underneath his Professional. His sustaining armlet and power medallion are easily covered by the coat. He shoves his electronic gear (pocket flashlight, nav-dat gps, ultrasound detector, & transciever), wire clippers, and optics into the usual pockets and straps on his mic while making sure to connect it to his radio. He straps his PC onto his meat wrist and drops the medkit into his pocket. The cellphone goes into one ear, the earpiece for his radio into another. Since Biomage had the forsight to buy open air earbuds for both, they don't interfere with his hearing one bit. The atropine in his injectors is still fresh, according to the dates on the box, so he doesn't worry about changing it. He grabs his credstick on rolls on to the warehouse.

His Honda Accord remotely starts up quietly in his driveway with the push of a button on the keyring transmitter. As Biomage leaves his house, he sets the security system, locks the door, and remotely unlocks his car to get in and drive off. The gate of his driveway automatically opens as it senses his vehicle driving down the way and over a pressure sensor in the concrete. It swings open as Biomage wheels the car around and out onto the street, only to close moments later as Biomage's car is no longer sensed at the end of the driveway.

-------------------------

Biomage parks next to Issy's car and goes inside. He nods at Hanz and goes into the lounge to wait. He nods at the other members of the team as he enters the lounge, but doesn't verbally greet them. His expression is plain and serious, and it seems to say, 'Let's get down to business'.

--------------------------

Biomage shoots an evil and gleaming smile at Hanz and says, "When do we leave?"

[Shadow]

Raven stands in the corner and gives each of the team a curt nod as they walk in.

...Who is in for Hanz little plan...


"I'm in, small arms only right? Ok so everyone pack EX-EX if you got it."

[TheOneRonin]

After spending the rest of the day working on his bike, Evan gears up for the meet at Hanz's. He loads his trusty Mateba in his shoulder rig, slides the SPAS-22 into the shotgun holster on his Aurora, then packs his Ingram + ammo as well as the rest of his operational gear into the sideboxes on his bike. He then puts on his RockGardN CYA jumpsuit, then slides his RockGardN FLACKJACKET racing body armor on over that. Grabbing his helmet, Evan mounts his bike and speeds off to Hanz's.

He pulls up, noticing everyone is already there. Drek! Late again. One day I'll be on time.

He nods to Raven as he walks in, then aims a longing stare at Issy.

"Brakes locked and engine redlined chummers. What's the course<plan>?"

[Shockwave_IIc]

Smelling the Soap off of Evan before he walks in Issy looks up as he start his look Still wants me, Well stop acting like a big brother and you just get to keep me next time she thinks as he takes the couch opposite, (Issy choicing her seat so that Evan couldn't sit next to her).

After hearing out the plan Issy speaks up with a slight grin on her face.

"I find suprising how often bouncers end up throwing the wrong person out after some kind of argument in the club. I'll go in, take a look around see who's there and who's with him, might be able to catch if he's knows about/ on to us, I'll take Miranda for company, So as i can hide in plain sight so to speak, What you think?" Takes a look at Evan "I've got my body kit with me, i can change upstairs if Hanz is ok with it"

[ Spoiler ]

Miranda you know to be a fairly large and very fit ork who is Issy best friend, with a sense of humour lower then the ork underground (Miranda is a Fitness instructer)

[Shadow]

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea... Issy," Raven says the Ork's name uncomfortably. "You aren't exactly easy to miss and we don't want to tip him off before the setup. No we should all go in together, and act together. If we get split up or caught alone, he'll eat us alive."

[Shockwave_IIc]

"Well that was why i thought that i should go in with just Miranda, if the rest of you arn't there, and me and Miranda are there alone and play the night out, what would there be to suspect? If more then one of us goes, then he is gonna think something is up immedatley, No? all i got to do is comfirm that Drake is there and how many people he is with."

[Shadow]

"This isn't a party Issy, nor is it for fun. That fragger geeked a friend of ours, I don't want to mess with him, I want him flatlined. If Hanze, "she nods to the rigger, "says he will be there, he will be there. Let's just go in, get him and get out. The quicker the better, it will give his people less time to respond."

[Leowulf]

Biomage says evily, "Agreed. We hit him hard and fast so that they don't have enough time to react. We kill anyone that gets in our way, and then we roll."

He looks around the room for reactions and then continues, "If we all walk in together, ventilate him and anyone that tries to stop us, and then leave, it should go down fine."

[BGMFH]

Hanz looks around at the group.

"So ve are agreed?"

Unless someone raises a complaint, Hanz brings around two limousines, and prepares to take everyone to the Vortex.

____________________________________________________

The Vortex is located Downtown, a black walled building with offices upstairs. The club has its own entrance, with a Minotaur working as the final arbiter of who is cool enough to enter. As your group approaches, he opens the velvet rope and ushers you in. He otherwise ignores the group however, and returns to staring down a young elf girl who is becoming hysterical that he won't let her in.

A winding ramp leads up to the second floor, where the bar itself occupies the second and third floors of the building. Those who have been here before will know that the ramps and stairways which lead upstairs are moved every night before opening, and never repeat a pattern twice. A large bar fills the east wall, with a mixed crowd patronizing it. Drake is not in sight.

The main floor is approximately 20m long, and 15m wide. The upstairs is a patchwork quilt of small platforms and the occassional catwalk. There are three large orks lounging near the bar in "Security" T-shirts. The ambience is.. bewildering to say the least as the decor is litterally random, posters, art, and items stuck randomly to the all as the music constantly shifts every song, covering every genre of music from NeoClassical to Thrash, but all contemporary, and all popular.

[Shadow]

Parting the swirl of chaos with sheer will Raven walks through the club. Her mind filters out the scantly clad men and women high on alcohol and narcotics. Her eyes cooly scan the crowd looking for the one face she knows to be there. Her finers do not so much as even twitch to the beat. A distant part of her mind reals in disgust as the crowd throws there lives away night after night in a never ending party. A smaller part, thoguh larger than she herself would admit, longs for the life without responsibility, or sacrifice, or determination. It is quickly shut out.

She circles the floor looking for drake, her mind keenly aware of the heavy caliber pistol under her left arm. A tall man with wavy blond hair and vauge looks approaches her. He has had to much to drink and to much succes with the ladies.

"Yo girl you so fine, come with me I will take you on a ride, wooo!" Expecting success for some reason the man lets his hand slide down her back, looking for a feel. Raven's left hand forms a rigid edge and she slams it into the mans throat, just below his chin. "No touching the merchandise." She says as she steps back from the rapidly collapsing man. She let's the crowd engulf her before continuing her search.

[Leowulf]

Biomage follows Raven's lead and starts looking around as well. Determinedly, he walks across the floor of the club, searching the faces around him with an unfriendly glare as he does so. He clenches his fists tightly in anticipation of finding Drake.

Where is he?...