Atlanta 2070, Hot time in the old town tonight Options

[Redjack]

Book sits on the roof of the building across the street moving his gaze across the various auras and forms he sees with his astral eye. He sees the snake egging him on, then the coyote. For now, his gaze stops at the coyote. There he studies the aura.
---
Seeing the mark, Tank withdraws his drone. Time to check all the entrances & exits. After a wide swath around the building, he withdraws across the street to watch for the youth.

[ludomastro]

Book is able to determine that the wolf is a beast spirit guarding the warded area in the building.

-----

Tank pulls the drone back to the perimeter of the lot watching the exits and entrances. However, all is quiet for several minutes from the outside.

[Redjack]

The magical protects confirm for Book that the meat packing plant is more that just that. He returns to his body and provides the additional details to Tank who in turn provides the good news about their mark. As they talk, Tank's drone sits across the street, watching the parking lot of Dick's.

"How we gonna do this?" Tank asks.

"It's gotta be something that takes down Daddy... Something that implicates him...."

"A nice string of burglaries?" Tank asks.

"No. He'll deflect, redirect... Come up with reasonable doubt. Needs to be a much stricter jury... A jury of his peers.." Book says with a big smile. "A jury who give few second chances and usually require a harsh penalty."

"Aztlan?"

Book smiles even wider, glad that this time he is the one in the know. "The Family."

"Oh yea. How you... I mean we. How are we gonna pull this off?"

Book's face returns to a calm, calculating demeanor. "Still working out the details. Step one requires that we figure out the kid's schedule. I think we need a rental. We've already used your ride too much for my comfort." He turns to the hacker, jostling him to consciousness. "We need another vehicle. Rental or fleet, small van or mid-sized wagon or hatchback will work. Have it back in twenty-four hours at which time we'll need a replacement like same. How long till you can have it? "

[ludomastro]

Huh, wah? System Error struggles to wake up and reaches for another soda. Ok, I'm awake, what do we need? Once he waits for Book to repeat himself, he replies OK, how about an auto-taxi for now. That will only take about half an hour. I'll work out the rest of the details later. System Error then slips back into what appears to be sleep - or at least it would if his eyes would quit twitching.

------

After twenty minutes the cowboy comes out of Dick's with a smile on his face. He jumps in his truck and starts the engine. Carlos pops out of the front of the store with a dolly and two boxes of what is labeled meat. He loads it into the back of the cowboy's truck before heading back inside. The cowboy pulls away.

-----

A few minutes later, the cab pulls up and opens the doors.

[Redjack]

Dalton chills, maintaining his surveillance. Book on the other hand shakes his head at the hacker's humor. He makes a quick astral check around the van to check for anyone having taken interest in them.
-----
Dalton records Carlos at work. Never know when that will come in handy.
-----
When the cab actually pulls up, Book's humor is lost on it for the moment. This is not gonna work for a stake out and we've no idea how long until Carlos take his leave. "I think its time we changed our location. We've been here over half an hour..."

"Now is one of those times I wish I had a second fly-spy... Guess that's gonna have to be one of my next purchases.." says Tank.

Book concentrates a moment then casts physical mask upon himself. For the moment, he wants to look like a hardened man in his late 50's. His clothes the drab, nondescript clothes of a laborer. Once his transformation is complete, he exits the van and climbs into the cab. His destination a slow drive around the neighborhood. Time to find a new parking spot for the van.

[ludomastro]

Book is quickly able to find a good spot to the east of the lot. There is a parking lot for a small strip mall with a Stuffer Shack and a McHughes.

An older hatchback pulls up beside Book with no driver behind the wheel. The image of a car with a cheshire-cat-like smile in place of a grill appears in Books AR view. Will this do a little better than the cab?

-----

A Lone Star cruiser pulls up to Dick's

[Redjack]

The parking lot of a McHughes perfect place to hide out in the open. Book smiles and replies to the hacker, "Actually yes. Though the cab will be perfect for following the mark... Who may be leaving in moments. And a second vehicle will aid in alternating tails. Why don't you load into it System?"

Plenty of tail vehicles, the team need now just wait for the mark to head out.

[ludomastro]

System Error smiles and in his far-off voice replies, Done.

-----

An older, uniformed officer gets out of the cruiser and heads toward the door. A few minutes later, Carlos comes outside with a small box and places it in the passenger side of the cruiser. He gives the officer a hug and then he heads for a motorcycle in the parking lot.

[Redjack]

And that smile brings a smile to Book's face. He connects his PAN to the now wide open interface of the cab and heads out. Time to follow junior.

[ludomastro]

The trio is able to follow Carlos easily enough. They end up switching tails about five times over the course of two hours. His route takes them to a dry cleaners, for a bite to eat in a dive that doesn't seem sanitary for devil rats and to a gated community. He stops long enough to punch in the entry code and head inside. Tank's drone follows him to a house near the wall. A few minutes later he is on the move again with an older Jackrabbit. It seems out of place in this neighborhood. He has a girl in t he car with him. She doesn't appear to be any older than 16. They stop at a club named Bliss; however, the club is closed at this time of day.

They each get out and head for the back.

[Redjack]

Tank stops his ride a little over a block away from the club and sends his fly-spy on its newest mission. How in the world did people do surveillance fifty years ago?
--------
Book passes the club in the cab and directs the cab a block over where Tank parks his cruiser. The shaman then exits the cab, climbs into the van and promptly steps out of the shell of his mortal body and speeds back toward the back of the pub.

[ludomastro]

Tank spots several cameras on his way around the building. The pair is hunched down in the alley behind the club. Carlos appears to be pulling watch ... poorly. The unnamed girl is hunched over her comm. A devil rat passes over her foot and she jerks backwards. There is something familiar about her.

-----

Book is quickly able to locate the area in question. There is a weak ward around a room at the back of the club. THe two auras he spots are neither healthy nor free of cyberware; however, both are mundane.

[Redjack]

Book makes his sweep and returns to Dalton's vehicle. "Low grade ward on the club... Everyone seems to think they're gonna get spied on astrally..."

Tank looks over as the shaman sits up and begins talking. "Several cameras and Carlos acts like he's on watch.. What the hell is he watching for? He just strolled up.." Tank lands the fly-spy on a ledge and zooms in on the girl, hoping he didn't see her earlier today and the Fire Cracker.
<<@Team [Tank] Any idea what she's doing on her com System?>>

[ludomastro]

A bored, computerized voice comes back over the comm, She is trying to hack the cameras on the inside and edit the ones on the outside ... badly.

-----

Tank notices that the girl with Carlos was in the Cube when he and Book found companionship for the evening. She wasn't with either one.

[Redjack]

When System Error replies with the details Book just shakes his head.
<<@Team [Book] This kid is a bad, bad boy.... And he's gonna help us here. Ok. System - Can you help her along? Make her think she's hacked it and make sure no alarms go off? We also need to find out whose bar this is. Quick.>>

Tank looks over at the shaman. "This is a little off the cuff for you.."

Book replies, "Yea. But this just might work."

It is the face's turn to be cautious. "We haven't finished the leg work. We need more details. We need to set a trap and then spring it."

Book smirks, "Listen. This just might work. Let's find out who owns the bar. We need to get Daddy tied up in it, but not the grieving father. We help the kid along and try to put the pieces together as we go. If it starts to unravel we dump any evidence and come back at a different angle."

Dalton frowns. "You're the one always pushing to make sure we have a well laid out plan. I hope your gut is good on this one."

[ludomastro]

System Error replies, Working on it.

-----

A few minutes later the girls smiles and Tank is able to see her mouth, Yes, we got it.

The two of them make for the back door in a hurry.

-----

System pipes up again, this time in a light, female voice with an elven accent. A Mr. Dwayne Dumont owns Bliss. Shall I give him a call?

[Redjack]

<<@Team [Book] Not yet. We need to know who Mr. Dwayne Dumont is first. Go ahead and scratch all the video footage in the alley except one camera. Time it to her attack, edit the logs if needed... and we should have a copy of the external video as well. Start piping over internal video as well. We need to see what those two are up to.>>

<<@Team [Tank] So the plan is watch them, get some video and figure out who Dumont is. Then make a decision whether to hold this in our pocket or alert Dumont now?>>

<<@Team [Book] Right. Who ever Dumont pays protection to might put the kid on a slab, then the Captain becomes a crime crusader grieving father instead of a tied-up, humiliated, crook.>>

<<@Team [Tank] Ok. Game on.>>

[ludomastro]

It takes him a bit but System comes back with, Whoever Mr. Dumont is, he is serious about his privacy. I was only able to locate a few publicity shots of him when Bliss opened. Ten to one says they are an imposter anyway. Anyone this paranoid about security wouldn't come out in the open. Ok, let me take a look at the logs and footage.

-----

The duo pops out of the building and heads for their car.

-----

A few seconds later, System adds, Done. What's our next move?

[Redjack]

<<@Team [Book] Do you have their vehicle's PAN ID so we can follow at a distance? We'll figure out their next stop and try to put together a plan.>>

As Tank pulls the vehicle out onto the street to continue to the next leg of the day, Book looks over the footage to try and ascertain what the duo did.

[ludomastro]

Oh, they're being tracked by something better than an ID code. System does not elaborate.

-----

Upon reviewing the footage, it isn't obvious what they were after; however, they do show the girl aparently hacking into the system in the back of the office. Carlos swipes a carved, green statue that appears to be made out of jade that was sitting on the desk.

[Redjack]

Dalton looks over smugly at his shaman partner, "Ok. What now?"

The cat at mouse wasn't nearly as frustrating as Tank's annoying, continually expecting Book to have all the answers. Snake however was amused. Book could feel his mentor's presence, wrapping around him like a blanket. Snake loves the secrets. Loves finding them. Loves using them as much as keeping them. He breaths deeply, taking a moment to remain calm. "We continue to watch. Do you expect this run to be over in a day?"

Placed on the defensive Dalton meekly replies, "No..." He then smiles, turning on his charm via humor. "A day and half perhaps?"

Book shakes his head. Humor was just what he needed. "We need to find out who Dumont is. "
<<@Team [Book] Here is what I am thinking. Follow Carlos and find out more about Dumont. We still don't know enough about Carlos to move yet. Hell, we obviously don't even need to invent evidence. We do need to stage it properly for the proper effect.... and I haven't quite figured that out. We need to tie the father to the crime if possible.... Oh hell... I think I have it. Let's follow junior and see what he does.>>

[ludomastro]

System Error - in his own voice - says, I'll see what I can come up with on Dumont. Hang on, it looks like our two birds are exiting the car in a local parking garage. I'll have to see if I can keep them in view.

-----

A few minutes later, he adds in, Got 'em. Headed into the basement. Looks like they have a buyer for whatever she stole. Not very subtle these two. Which one do you want me to track? The car is now moving toward the parking garage.

[Redjack]

To have my cake or eat it? Book weighs the options of either strategy.
<<@Team [Book] System - You have some sort of trace on boy wonder and his car? I want to follow that statue for now. I have a small plan that may require it. We may complete this run tonight after all....>>

Tank looks over at the shaman. And he acts like I'm crazy.

Book then turns to the adept. "I need a your fly following them. The statue is now a matter of some importance."

With that, Tank's fly-spy wisps out and off towards young Carlos and the statue.

[ludomastro]

System answers, I have a friend looking after the car. He won't stay forever though. I'll make a modification to his ID so that we can find his car later. I'll keep the cameras on Carlos and the girl. They appear to be headed inside the building. The buyer must be headed for his car.

-----

The fly-spy buzzes off to find it's quarry. It is met with automatic doors and a lot of closed windows.

-----

I think that they are just getting a bite to eat. Looks like there is a McHughes in the food court of that building. Wait .... looks like a new buyer is coming over. Here, I'm putting this on AR window feed. Book is treated to an AR window showing the two of them sitting down and eating a couple of soyburgers with soy shakes. There is a ark walking over to them. He smiles and takes a seat next to them. The statue comes out and he shakes his head pointing down. Carlos drops the statue into a bag at the ork's feet. He looks up as if examining something only he can see and then shakes his head. He passes the statue back to them. He grabs a few fries and then heads off. The two continue to eat. What do you suppose that was about?

[Redjack]

Tank recalls the little drone. "So much for that idea. Any more?"

Book looks over at his wise ass partner. "Yea. First one is to have a pretty mean air spirit toss you out on your head."

"Ok.. Ok. No need to resort to violence." Tank sets the returning fly-spy down at the ready.

The duo wait and watch as a second buyer comes and goes the duo still with the statue. Book remarks, "Either their price is way too either or that thing is really a worthless P-O-S."

Tank leans his seat back. "Wake me if anything interesting happens."