IC: Initial Shadow Offering Options

[Sicarius]

Markus Only

[ Spoiler ]

As Markus moves cautiously behind the two security guards as they openly drag the unconcious assassin down the hallway. They wait for the hotel elevator, when it arrives, Markus watches as the elevator drops down to the fifth floor, and then stops. A quick check of a nearby floor list, indicates, "5th Floor- Hotel Operations,Corporate Offices"

[Tashio]

Markus checks the listing for the conference rooms, calling the lift he enters the next one to arrive and heads down to the relevant floor.

[Sicarius]

For All "


Markus Only

[ Spoiler ]

The doors open with a "BING!", and Markus stepped into the elevator. With another "BING" the elevator door shuts, and heads downward, towards the conference room. As the door opens, Markus can see the floor opens up onto a large lobby floor, busy with businessmen and women, perhaps 40 to 50 pressed together. You can see there are 3 conference rooms, one on the left which says "Sunrise Room" one on the right side of the room which says, "Sunset room" and one straight on, which features two side by side, heavy dark walnut colored doors, and the words, "Executive Conference Room." And that's the room where the meeting between Microdeck and this upstart programmer is to take place.

Caitlin and Nadia Only

[ Spoiler ]

OOC: are you two ready to go down to the conference room, or will you discuss amongst yourselves first?"

George Only

[ Spoiler ]

George is relaxing as he watches Hobbes sleep. with a startling buzz, his phone rings. The caller id indicates that its George's fixer.

[Mister Juan]

[ Spoiler ]

Trying to be discreet as possible, the large ork took the few steps that separated him from the bathroom. Leaving the door open behind him, her turned the wrist phone on audio only.

"Hoi" he whispered in his low voice.

[Sicarius]

8:15 am, Seattle Hilton, 15th Floor.

George Only

[ Spoiler ]

Hoi chum, just wanted to give you the heads up mate, the bounty on your boy's head just went through the roof, and someone put the location, Seattle Hilton out on the 'trix. The contract calls for the hit to be done by 1 o'clock, so it looks like if you can make it through the next five hours your good to go."

[Mister Juan]

8:16 am, Seattle Hilton, 15th Floor.

[ Spoiler ]

George froze on the spot. This was bad news... very bad news. The contract was now a public hit, which meant that any two bit fragger with some free time and a need for nuyens could try to take them out. The only good thing was the time limit: if they were able to hold up until 1 o'clock, everything would be fine.

"Where is the hit coming from exactly?"

[Sicarius]

8:15 am, Seattle Hilton, 15th Floor

George Only

[ Spoiler ]

"Somebody with cred chummer, that's all I know. Although word initially got out through some matrix graffiti on a site in your neck of the woods, so I'm guessing the Reality Hackers are involved some how."

[Musashi Forever]

"Let's get down to the conference room," Nadia says to Caitlin.

[Sicarius]

8:20 am, Seattle Hilton, 15th Floor

Nadia, Caitlin, Markus Only

[ Spoiler ]

Within a few a mintues, Caitlin and Nadia make their way down the elevator, its doors opening with a "Bing". The ride down to the conference room seems to take no time at all. Once there, the two 'runners meet up with their newest partner in crime, as the three overlook a lobby packed with perhaps 40 to 50 businesspersons. Three conference rooms are visible, the one at the 'runners 12' o'clock is the "Executive Conference Room" and the one where the meeting between Hobbes and Microdeck will take place.

[Glyph]

8:20 am, Seattle Hilton, 15th Floor

Caitlin makes inconsequential small talk with the others as she scans the lobby, then the conference room, with both her normal and her astral sight. On the physical plane, she is observing security, room dimensions, and fields of fire - also making a mental note of the crowds, and how they might change their enemy's approach. On the astral side, she is looking at how strong the wards are, how they are placed, and what additional magical security seems to be present (watcher spirits, patrol mages - which she has already seen, and so on). She reminds herself that the watcher spirit she saw earlier means that the bad guys are able to get into the hotel - the exterior wards would have kept the pesky thing out, otherwise.

She is also observing her companions, seeing how they handle the surveillance. She will be interested in what they have to say later, when they all compare notes.

[Sicarius]

Caitlin Only

[ Spoiler ]

On the mundane plane, things are pretty basic. the four or so hotel security guards haven't made any effort to disguise their presence. They are primarily staying towards the side of the four walls (one along each wall) and watching inward at the crowd, scanning for any troublemakers. They are clearly communicating with each other, and with some central office, as they routinely raise their cuffs to their lips. All are armed with some kind of pistol beneath their blue sports jacket. Also poorly concealed beneath the ill-fitting suit coats, are extendable batons and a thick armored vest of some kind.

The main room is longer than it is wide, perhaps 40x30x3 (meters). The effect is one which focuses one's view on the thick double doors of the executive conference room at the end of the room. If the shooting were to start, there are plenty of places to take cover in the main hall. Tables and booths have been set up holding catered food. Behind one booth, on the far right hand corner (on Caitlin's right with her back to the elevators) there is a small sign marked "exit", although the door is camoflaged to fit in with the rest of the interior.

As Caitlin's perception changes, so does the rooms appearance, the vibrant light of so many living bodies packed together flooding the room with light, against the backdrop of glowing archaic runes of different colors. Each of the three conference rooms has a seperate, strong ward. Only the central room is unwarded. As Caitlin's gaze moves upward, she sees three watchers swirlling above the crowd. The watchers see Caitlin a short while later, and observe her, before once again floating about the crowd.

[Tashio]

Markus walks to the door of the Executive Conference Room, turning the handle he tries to open the door.

[Musashi Forever]

Nadia follows Markus closely, her hand caressing the handle of the pistol in her bag.

[Sicarius]

The door opens easily. Inside is a large well appointed conference room, featuring a long faux oak table. large, synth-leather chairs are along the table. A quick scan of the room makes it clear that there is no other entrance or exit.

[Glyph]

Entering behind the others, Caitlin thoughtfully observes the site of the meeting as she internally analyzes the data that she has been observing. Finally, she nods.

"All right. We've gotten a good look at their security. Shall we head up now, so we can get with George and go over all of this?"

[Musashi Forever]

"Maybe one of us should stay here," Nadia suggests. "Just because we checked it now doesn't mean someone can't tamper with it."

She pauses for a moment, as she looks around the room. "I don't know anything about this kinda stuff, but should we check the air vents or anything else that connects to this room? What if they try to gas the meeting or something?"

[Sicarius]

There is indeed one central airvent, situated in the center of the room, directly above the conference table. its' covered by a grate, tastefully painted to blend in with the rest of the ceiling. It could probably be reached by climbing up onto the table.

[Glyph]

Caitlin cranes her head to look up at the vent. "It does seem to offer intruders a possible, if unlikely, means of entrance. A small drone, maybe, if it could function through the frequency jamming common at these kind of meetings. I suspect that any attempts to eliminate our client will be less... indescriminate... than gas or explosives, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared for any contingencies." She also examines the grate astrally, hoping that they won't have neglected to put a ward here, as well.

She turns to Markus. "Markus, you seem to have some security experience. What do you think about those possibilities? I have finished analyzing their magical security, so Nadia and I can go report to George if you think you need to stay and keep an eye on the room."

"...and George might not like Markus staying here unsupervised, either," she thinks to herself. "But I see no reason not to trust him - his people want this deal to go through, too. After all, before the meet, I didn't know George or Nadia."

[Tashio]

Markus looks around the room, taking note of any possible entrances. He looks up from where he was standing at Caitlin's comment, "Yes there is a possibility that it could be used by someone wishing to get into the room, if one of you has some microdrones it would definitely be worth having one there, perhaps even as soon as possible incase someone plans on leaving some presents before the party."

"You might want to check the grid out, you're lighter than me I might break the table if I stand on it, be careful though, check it out carefully before you try move it incase something is already there."

Markus returns to searching the room, keeping an eye on Caitlyn incase she needs help.

[Musashi Forever]

"How about a watcher spirit to guard the vent?" Nadia says to Caitlin.

[Glyph]

Caitlin gives a slight headshake. "Spells only, remember?"

She peers up at the grate again. "And that grate is bolted on. I'm not going to mess with it and set off an alarm. We'll just have to remember to keep an eye on it, as well as the door."

Her lips quirk in a slight grin. "No micro-drones, I'm afraid. We're a fairly small and basic security contingent."

[Sicarius]

15th Floor of the Seattle Hilton, Seattle, UCAS , 11:50 am 2065

The recon portion of the party has returned to the hotel room, were they brief their ork colleague of the situation in the conference room. Meanwhile their employer, Phil Hobbes, has dressed, (into black tuxedo pants, and a t-shirt featuring a holographic nuyen symbol beneath the famous 20th century philosopher's comment, "Bitch better have my money.") He slings his deck case over his shoulder, and seems prepared to head down to the conference room.

"You guys ready?"

His bodyguards are indeed ready, and the group moves out into the hallway. everyone is on guard, as they proceed to the elevator well. George pushes the button, and after what seems like forever, the doors glide open without a sound.

[Mister Juan]

When Nadia, Caitlin and Markus came back up in the room, George was already waiting for them. He didn't look particularly tensed up... yet, he didn't look relaxed either. Once the door was closed, the ork spoke up.

"The hit has gone up. The bounty on Hobbes is now through the roof and public knowledge on the net... and the adress for the hotel is attached to it. The whole thing is compromised. Only good thing is there's an expiration date on the hit. After 1300 today, the deal's off."

Shifting his Cobra on his other shoulder, George continued.

"All we have to do is hold our grounds and stay sharp."

As he exited the room to get back to Hobbes' side, the ork threw a last remark.

"If you're tired... now's the time to sleep."

15th Floor of the Seattle Hilton, Seattle, UCAS , 11:50 am 2065

Once morning swung around, George was still up. The dose of long haul he had taken still coursed thru his veins... and probably still would once the job was done. Judith would be pissed off.

The team now gathered, the ork decided to speak his piece.

"Caitlin; you're our ears and eyes in the astral. I want you to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. If we have to deal with elementals or spirits, they should be your primary mark. Of all of us, you're the best one to deal with those. Nadia; you're Hobbes' shadow. If lead starts flying, you get him some cover. You get him out the way ok? I'm rather sure he'll piss himself if thing get thick... so I'm counting on you to keep him safe. Unless we can't, I want you two to sit on the deal along with Hobbes, in the room. I'll stand guard at the door."

He turned to Markus, whom he had ignored all along.

"You... do what ever you want. As far as I'm concerned, your objective isn't the same as ours."

He gave on look around the group.

"If the drek hits the fan, just keep your cool. We are more than capable of dealing with anything. Just suppress what ever comes, move to cover and take out your targets. And watch your backgrounds... we don't want to cap anyone we don't have to."

[Sicarius]

The open elevator doors reveal that no one is inside, which comes as something of a relief. The door slides shut without a sound, as they press the button for the conference floor. Mindless elevator pop music plays softly as the bodyguards and their charge await their descent. The elevator begins to glide down, marking off the 14th floor, and the 13th floor.

Then, halfway between the 13th, and 12th, the elevator comes to a stop, and the music stops.

[Mister Juan]

In a split second, George reacted. His big ork hand went for Hobbes collar, as he grabbed him and pushed him to the ground, in the corner of the elevator. He then stood over and in front of him, literally shielding him with his body.

His left hand pressing down on his client to make sure he wouldn't get up, George right was already holding the Colt Cobra. Safety off, full auto mode, scanning the ceiling. If anyone was up there and made the slightest noise.... he'd get it. After switching his shades to low light, he motioned for whom ever to try to get the doors opened.

If this was a trap, they had to get out of it.