Lion in the Grass, Short Shadowrun Story Options

[Anythingforenoug...]

I have Edited the Story to make it more clear who is speaking, and when. I would greatly like to hear what anyone who gives this a look-see has to say, so, please leave a comment if you have anything to say at all.

Thanks, AFE :nuyen:

Lion in the Grass
By Anythingforenoughnuyen


KCI# 224A2343H21
Subject Name: Carrizo, Anthony Leoluca
AKA Tony Scars, AKA Tony the Lion.
Known Criminal Alias: Lion/The Lion/Mr. Lion.
SIN: N/R [DoB c.2035]

File Summery: Son of known LCN member Santiago Carrizo [KCI# 134C36785J21] (dec. Jan 18 2042). Brother of current LCN member Carmine Carrizo [KCI# 224A2375E36]. Several other distant relatives also listed in the KCI [see appendix 2]

Injured by a bomb planted in the family car Jan 18, 2042; treated at a local non-registered medical clinic [see registry of underground assets associated with LCN Operations LCN Operations Index# 23434R61A]. Lost both hearing and sight. Both replaced with cybernetics at the time of the accident at an unknown facility. Sever scaring of face, neck, shoulders, and chest, since treated at a cosmetic medical facility, but still visible under close examination (strong light and magnifying glass). Known distinguishing marks include: Right Inner Forearm, a large Western style Heraldic lion, in red and gold. Left Inner Forearm, a large Asian style mythological lion in red and gold. Left Upper Chest, covering a former bullet hole (medically treated, but, again, still visible under strong light with a magnifying glass) directly adjacent to his heart reads in cursive script [black ink]: “Better Luck Next Time”.

THIS INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE MAGICALLY ACTIVE

Analysis of field intelligence has resulted in the classification of this individual as an ADEPT with the sub-classification of initiate (High Grade).

THIS classification places THE INDIVIDUAL IN THE CATEGORY OF: dangerous INDIVIDUAL/SPECIAL APPREHENSION PROCEDURE.

Intelligence categorizes the organizing principle for his magical abilities as eclectic. Analysis has tentatively characterized the basic foundation to be Tai Chi, with various striking, throwing and locking techniques from a verity of marital arts added to his movement. This individual has also exhibited super-(meta)Human abilities in the categories of firearms, athletic prowess, stealth, and perception.

The subject is considered to be an independent contractor [“Shadowrunner”], without any known committed affiliation to any organization. Due to his family background he is considered to have several well founded connections to the LCN. Intelligence has also raised the possibility of connections of an unknown kind to the local Triad Organization.

Suspected Criminal Activities Include:

* * * * * * *

Detective Robertson, a Lone Star officer on the rise, was well into his stake out of the House of Green Grass with his rather older colleague, Detective Gray, when he said, "So, that’s all the Known Criminal Index Has on our guy?"

"Yep."

"Well, he’s been having dinner with Benny Wong and Grandfather Wu for over three fucking hours now, so I think we can safely confirm the Triad connection speculation."

"Yep."

"Any idea what they are talking about?"

"Nope."

"God damn, I wish I could hear what the fuck they are talking about. Are you sure you set the fucking bug right?"

"Yep."

"Can’t hear a god damn fucking thing. You got any more than one syllable answers in lurking around in there you want to let out?"

"Nope."

"Sure as shit would love to hear what the fuck they’re talking about in there. If you can’t hear what the fuck the bad guys are talking about there’s not much point in a stake out. Nothing’s going down but words we can’t fucking here. I wonder if their setting up an alliance between the Mob and the Triad in there? Maybe getting ready to take a run at the Yaks? He’d be the perfect middle man-totally trustworthy, but totally deniable. Man if we could bust that open, make some conspiracy arrests, prevent a mob war-shit, I’d be running a division in two years. You’d be my number two of course. Shit, we’ll be legends. We would even be able to afford to eat in a place like the House of Green Grass, not just sit outside watching crooks go in and out all night while we gobble down another cup of crappy soycaf and ponder which flavor would be best with tonight’s krillcakes."

* * * * * * *

Benny Wong, a Triad Captain and prodigy of Grandfather Wu, a Triad Wizard of a rather fearsome reputation, sat across from a man known on the street as The Lion, and rather more boldly than he would have had he not been sitting next to a wizard of great power and personally seen that the man across the table from him had been very carefully checked for weapons, said, "Let me repeat, not because I’m stupid, but simply because I find this very hard to believe-at least from someone with your, and I am trying to be polite here so please do not take offence, from someone with your reputation for rather more active crimes. You are, after all, asking Grandfather and me to put up a lot of our families’ money. So the merchandise is not actually stolen at all? You just buy it from retailers."

"Yeah, off-sized garments that they can’t sell in stores."

"But then you take these garments to the back of the shop."

"It’s a laundry service that my brother has a piece of under the table-in exchange for his cut he makes sure that a lot of local restaurants, hotels, shit like that use their service. And there’s no connection between the two spaces-where the SINers do the laundry and where the trucks come and go is not connected with the other space, so no one can wonder in by accident. But it’s one building, so the space has no address of its own, making it hard to find if you don’t know where you’re looking. It’s got its own entrance, in the ally, right next to the stuffer shack but around the back, so that people can park or walk in and it’s not suspicious, but where it can’t be seen from the street, it’s perfect. I even got a kid from the Shack to give me a big pallet of Stuffer Shack bags so the people can walk back to their cars or the tube or however the fuck they got there, and it don’t look weird from any angle you can see."

"Ah, very tidy. So the people come, because you have put the word out that the clothes in the shop are stolen merchandise. And they think that they are getting a great deal because the clothes are hot. But in reality you just put a small mark up on the clothes, and as you don’t need to pay to rent the space or utilities or any of that unpleasantness, and you obviously do not need to apply for a business license or pay taxes, you make quite a tidy sum."

"Actually, I am hoping , we can make quite a tidy sum."

"But, what I am wondering is, if this is such a great deal, why did you not take it to your brother and his Family? Will they not be just a slight bit upset to bring us in on what is already their turf?"

"Well, there is a small matter that complicates things."

"Isn’t there always. Please continue."

"First, are you sure that this is totally secure."

"Yes, absolutely. We have taken every precaution. The door behind you is locked and sound-proofed. You would need a sizable quantity of explosives to get through that door. The fish tanks that make up the walls around us have more than merely decorative qualities. The glass is coated with a special layer of material that blocks out all radio signals, we are totally cut off from AR here unless we choose to establish a connection. The ceiling, floor, and door are similarly protected. And of course, with Grandfather sitting here there is no threat of astral intrusion upon our fine meal. Although, I must admit that both he and I are impressed that he has been unable to penetrate your masking and read your aura-we are thus forced to rely upon my own rather prodigious, although totally mundane, skills at handling business to determine rather you are being truthful with us.
Also, and I am particularly proud of this bit of innovation, the bubbles in the fish tank not only help to keep our little fish happy, but totally scramble any laser microphones that might be pointed our way, such as the one planted in here earlier today by the two undercover officers sitting across the street."

"The what?"

"Yes, two officers, but there is no reason to be alarmed. You have been too long the independent contractor-in your line of business it might be natural for you to consider strolling out there and taking them out. But if I am correct, and I can think of no other reason why you would request this meeting, you are ready to transition out of that sort of work into a more stable line of business. If you are going to be involved in running a criminal enterprise you must learn to accept a certain amount of surveillance, it comes with the territory. There will be no interception of our conversation, and no record of it to fall into the wrong hands later. So let us move on to the complication that you discussed, and then see if we can find our way to a business arrangement or if we have been wasting our time."

"All right. My brother is the complication. See, he wants to set up a little BTL distribution operation on the side, using the laundry trucks. He’s got a supplier and dealers who work out of several of the stops already lined up. But his family keeps a tight rain on that sort of thing, all kinds of oversight, and they take out a big cut-so it’s not really worth it to take it to them. So I am going to “officially” buy him and them out of the laundry business. And he can run his deal on the side. But that is not the sort of thing to run without back up, so if you move in on the “hot” garment side, and take a small cut of the BTL’s as well, then we can count on outsiders not making a move on the operation, or suffering the inevitable punishment if they should be so stupid."

"Ah, now I see. Complications indeed. But nothing, I think, that we can not work past. I will need to consult with an associate of mine, David Chang. Although you have not met him, I am sure that you have heard his name. He handles BTL operations for our family, and all such business must, unfortunately, go through him."

"When can we set that up?"

"Now, he is here in the restaurant. He is a man wanted by law enforcement as well as having many enemies on the street, so he takes somewhat more than the standard precautions as far as keeping his location secret is concerned. But I am sure that he will want to hear this. He is, in fact, although I wish I were important enough to rate this on my own, why this restraint is so heavily guarded, as is all of our places where he regularly frequents. Grandfather, if you would be so kind as to summon Mr. Chang at his convenience? Although Grandfather lost his ability to speak some years ago, it is amazing the security and speed of communications his mastery of the arcane allows, Mr. Chang should be here directly."

* * * * * * *

"You set up that mike right? I don’t understand. That’s top of the shelf department gear. We should be able to hear everything in there little business booth in the back. I’m tempted to file a complaint with tech services. I won’t though. That Mac that runs the shop over there is one mean son of a bitch-not that I’m afraid to call him on something if I’m right. But they would probably just blame this shit on you. Even though it is totally not your fault, you set that shit up right, I’m sure. But you don’t need that kind of shit from him, do you?"

"Nope."

"That’s what I thought you’d say. Shit, how many hours tell they leave, I got a wife and kids you know, you’d think the gangsters would be a bit more considerate of the working cops who got to watch their fat asses all fucking night. Don’t worry about Mac, I won’t do anything to fuck over you career. Although, if you would talk more, maybe you’d be a bit further along. I mean, you got what, 10, 12 years on me-and you’re out here pulling this shit with me. Don’t get me wrong, I love the company. But, man, you must have pissed someone off-though it’s hard for me to imagine what you could have said in only one syllable that got you out here on this shit duty."

* * * * * * *

The door opened, and David Chang entered. Under Grandfather’s anchored disguise, he looked like a blond Elvin teenager with spiky hair in a white apron taking a break from dish duty-not the fat Chinese man in his mid fifties that the police and a fair number of hired guns on the street were looking for. Lion stood up, turned around, and bowed deeply to Chang. After that things began moving very quickly. Lion’s foot lashed out over the table behind him, and struck Grandfather Wu in the chest, just over his heart, crushing his ribs into the organ and sending Grandfather Wu’s rapidly dying body into the floor-to-ceiling fish tank that made up the wall behind him. One of Wu’s guardian spirits briefly manifest as Wu’s now lifeless corpse shattered the fish tank behind him, the newly freed fire spirit exploding in a cloud of steam as it headed home to its native plane. As his foot went out behind him, Lion’s hands went out ahead of him, grabbing Chang’s head. Lion pulled Chang’s head down and forward, as Chang came off balance Grandfather Wu died and Chang went from skater dish jockey to fat fugitive in Lion’s grasp. As Lion dragged Chang down in the cloud of steam Benny Wong finally got his ass moving, and using all of his skill as a top Triad Negotiator began firing blindly into the hissing clouds of white vapor all around him. Wong’s pistol, equipped with a silencer instead of a recoil compensator because he liked to think of himself as more of an assassin type than a body guard bucked around wildly in his weak grasp as his bursts went more or less randomly into the steam. Then he stepped on a robotic fish from the tank, shorting it out, and giving him a strong enough shock to send him to the ground in one direction, his pistol flying in another. Lion slipped a custom made BTL chip from a compartment in his shoe, and slapped it into place in the back of Chang’s head, ending the fat man’s struggling in the sopping wet floor. Lion’s foot lashed out and caught Wong in the side of the head, caving it in completely, bouncing it off a table leg for good measure. Lion stood up and led the now docile David Chang out of the private room. Walking behind David Chang for protection and with the now deceased Benny Wong’s pistol in his hand, Lion walked out of the restraint, a fair number of dead Triad soldiers in his wake.

* * * * * * *

A shadow came over the window, followed by a fist, breaking glass, and a young Detective named Robertson unconscious head came to rest on the steering wheel of his department issued car. A second, older, Detective, who's name was not Grey but who was using that for the time being none the less, drew his pistol, but saw nothing out of the broken drive’s side window. Then, bullet proof glass behind him shattered, and a great big gun was in the window-long silencer pressed against the side of his head.

"I am assuming that you have my money.", the Lion said, using his calm voice so as to prevent the situation from becoming uncomfortable.

"Yep."

"It was my understanding that the meeting would occur between Benny Wong and me. Can you imagine my surprise when that old bastard was there as well?"

"Yep."

"You at all sorry about that?"

"Nope."

"Fair enough. Hand over the cash. You want me to deposit his fat ass in the back for you?"

"Yep."

"Don’t wake up wet-behind-the-balls until I am well gone. You owe me a favor now, you understand. I took a big risk with Wu tonight; the Triad will not be pleased. By my not walking out on the contract, you incurred extra expense. I am not going to squeeze you for money, but you owe me one, and I am going to collect, sooner rather than later, you understand?"

"Yep."

* * * * * * *

The Incense Master was much older than his recently deceased underling Grandfather Wu, none the less; he retained the ability to speak, and to speak well. He was quite pleased with himself, even though he was handing over a great deal of money. He was not a man concerned with such mundane things as cash, not when he had access to so much of it.

The Incense Master was, like many men of great power and age, given to coming to his points in a rather round about fashion, but the Lion listened quietly as he spoke despite wishing their business could be concluded as quickly as possible. "So, my oh so ambitious, but not so loyal family members, the late but not to at any time soon to be lamented Grandfather Wu, and his lap dog Benny Wong are no more. And David Chang has been handed over to the police-fitting punishment for doing business outside of the proper hierarchy. A little bunk time with the Trolls will set him straight. I suppose I shall have to arrange for his escape from prison soon, he is after all too valuable an asset to let go to waist, but I think I shall take my time in deciding on the matter. As long as we are on that subject, is there any chance that you would be available for that sort of job, once my charitable nature rises like a dragon and it moves to set him free. At your usual fee’s, of course."

"I will be out of town for the next six months; will that be outside of your time frame?"

"No, I should think not."

"Then feel free to call upon the Lion at your convenience."

* * * * * * *

"Jenny Trenton, MTCN, tell us Detective Robertson, how did you capture the notorious David Chang?"

"Gladly Mrs. Trenton. My partner and I were on a routine surveillance operation when we observed Mr. Chang wondering down the street erratically. As you know from the press release, and I think we can all appreciate the irony in this, he was essentially done in by one of his own BTL’s, lost in the craziness of a jacked up Neil the Ork Barbarian adventure cooked up in one of his own labs. It’s something we see on the streets all the time, pushers brought down by their own products. Anyway, we saw Mr. Chang wondering erratically and identified ourselves as officers. At that point I did not know who he was; I was honestly more concerned for his safety than ours. At that point he charged us, screaming away. I managed to get a shot off with my NarcoJet, before he socked me good, and I blanked out for a second. But my shot put him down right after that and my partner for the night, this good man here, was able to secure him. We were both totally shocked when we learned the identity of our suspect of course-but that just goes to show that the most routine stake out can be as important as the most elaborate law enforcement operation, if the officers remain vigilant."

"Anything to add Detective Gray?"

"Nope."

FIN
AFE :nuyen:

[Lagomorph]

I like it! I got a little confused when you broke to 3rd person, then went to the Insense master speaking. Some quotes there or something would work wonders. And a few typos, but I really liked the rap sheet intro.

[Lindt]

Good content, but it needs better information into whom is speaking when.

[Wounded Ronin]

I don't think it was good, stylistically, to start with the character's dossier. It dosen't draw me into the story. I don't care about the character yet since I haven't read about this character doing anything and I had to force myself to read the dossier.

It's kind of like extras on a DVD. You'll watch the extras to learn more about the details of the movie AFTER you care about the movie. However, you would not want to watch the extras if you never have seen the movie before. If a DVD tried to force you to watch the "making of" documentary before you even saw the film you'd probably get bored and digusted.

As a GM, honestly, it's the same thing. I'm more interested in what the characters *do* in the game. That's the most fun thing for me to watch. However, I honestly do *NOT* want to sit there at the table and listen to someone go on for ten minutes about their character background which is all in their head and may or may not really have any impact on how entertaining this character becomes when interacting with characters controlled by other people.

Put the dossier at the end, please!