Atlanta 2070, Hot time in the old town tonight Options

[Redjack]

"Nah, No thanks." Tank mumbles as he keeps his head down and gets the team out of the neighborhood.

Once clear of the neighborhood, Book says to System, "I thinks its time we switched to the alternate ride."

[ludomastro]

System nods. That computes. He maneuvers the van back to the parking garage where Tank's van is located. The trio plus the dead weight are quickly loaded into the van and System sends the wayward van on its way. Looks like we need to move on to the next phase. Besides, I'm hungry.

1317 hours

[Redjack]

The three now together in the rental van, Book turns to the to them. "Let's swing by and get some grub. We also need to make a little detour to relieve some street drug dealer of his stash and finally a new vehicle to deliver Junior to Daddy's little shindig. Preference would be to visit the street drug dealer before dropping this van."

Once clear of the neighborhood, Book releases the masking spell on Tank but leaves the spirit in place obscuring the others. He then proceeds to astrally scrubbing his signature from everything.

[ludomastro]

System Error pipes up, Anyone in particular? Any particular kind of drug?

A muffled yell comes from the back of the van. Junior begins thrashing around as he comes to. The bindings stay fast.

[Redjack]

Book looks back at Junior in the mage mask. For a moment he feels a pang of sympathy for the kid, the effects of the mask must be maddening... But not as maddening as the hell he will find himself in when this is over.

Book turns back to System, "Nah. No one in particular. Someone out of the way. We need a quick hit for a small amount. Something to get him smashed out of his gourd. Too bad his bike got toasted, but that helps to tie him to the scene."

Book pauses a moment, "Actually, that will be good for us. Builds a little evidence. Back to the drug. We may not be able to get too choosy. Let's see what we can find."

[ludomastro]

System pulls the van into an eastwardly direction. There's an abandoned park not far from here that has been turned into a squatters camp. Ten to one, we can find some chemicals there.

Fifteen minutes and three slow circles later, an large caucasion ork with thick facial hair steps into the street and waits for the van to pull up to him.

1332 hours

[Redjack]

As the van enters the park, Book weaves mana around Tank yet again. The spirit still obscuring the trio in the back, Book leans back and lets the face do his thing.

[ Spoiler ]

Physical Mask F3: [5,4,3,3,4,6,4,3,1,5] = 3 hits
Resist DV2 Drain: Buy two hits

As they roll up towards the ork, Tank the ork rolls down the window as they roll up. "What you got to send a brother to another planet?" He is surprised by the deep growl of his voice, altered by the magic.

<<@Tank [Book] If his price is reasonable, just buy it. No sense causing a scene here and complicating things.>>

[ludomastro]

The ork responds, My reputation must be getting out there cause you ain't part of this 'hood. Glancing in the back of the van and seeing nothing the ork scans his comm for a minute. I'll give you fifty 'yen for that high end link you got back there. Either way, I'll send you on a ride on ThE ROcket. It is out of this world.

Tank can hear the pronunciation of the drug as it rolls off the salesman's lips.

Since you new around here, your first hit is only 10 'yen. You grok?

[Redjack]

Tank-Ork smiles. He was beginning to enjoy playing different roles. "Nah. Got another use for that. I'll take five hits. Gonna have a little party." He draws out the word party, preparing to slot the yen. He wondered what the dealer would do if he saw the doberman currently hidden.

[ludomastro]

Here ya go my man. The ork slides two prepackaged shots over to Tank and confirms payment before forking over the other three shots. He melts back into the camp. The shots feel cold to the touch.

<<@Team [System] I completely forgot about Junior's comm. I feel like an idiot. There. Fixed. Where to now?>>

[Redjack]

Tank pockets the drugs and drives off.

Book replies to System, "That's ok. Junior is not able to use it in his condition." He runs things though his mind about being tracked with coms and the like, but simply had little knowledge or experience in the technical world. The closest paradigm he could equate to is astral signatures, but he trusted that the hacker was managing that aspect of the run as he was scrubbing his astral signature.

Tank on the other hand has a considerable grasp of the technical world.
<<@System [Tank] If its been on, then its left traces, though that could work in with Book's plans well enough. With us running in stealth we should be clear of leaving a trail, but you should probably re-spoof our coms to be sure. My van will be slaved to my com so that should take care of that. You gonna wipe the logs at the garage to insure that my license wasn't recorded?>>

The adept makes a detour to a McHughs drive-through to feed the hungry crew, still masked with them still concealed.

Once at Tank's van, the crew migrate under cover of spirit. Tank takes the handi-vac from his van to clean out any hair from the van, while Book scrubs the astral of any traces of his spells or spirit. Since they were all wearing gloves, wiping for finger prints are not required.

[ludomastro]

<<@Tank [System] Your license, registration and van's existence were erased shortly after you arrived at the garage. As far as comms, mine is currently shopping in downtime buying the new Mellow Mushroom album. The cameras may not see me but the record will show I was there in person. I have been wiping our digital trail since we started. Anything else?>>

-----

As Tank pulls into the McHughs lot, System pipes up, <<@Tank [System] Get me two double doubles, fries, a coke with extra ice and a chocolate shake.>> Seemingly sensing the look he adds, <<What? I'm hungry.>>

-----

Once they reach the garage System virtually inhales the first double double. The rest of the food is eaten at something resembling a metahuman pace.
<<@Team [System] Ok, sorry I spaced on Junior's comm. I was so worried about our trail that I forgot about his. I wiped five normal and three hidden RFID tags from the drugs. Incidentally, I used my coke to keep the drugs on ice as they need to be cold. I assume crashing Daddy's party is next but is there anything else.>>

The two of you suddenly notice that all of his food is gone.

Time 1441

[Redjack]

<<@System [Tank] I think you have it covered. Between you on the 'trix and him with the mojo, I'm almost feeling inadequate.. Then you guys send my off on the bike that gets blown up and I really gotta wonder how I drew the short straw.>>

<<@Book [System] Genetics.>>

Tank glares a moment without replying. His concern was whether or not the shaman was joking.
-----------
What Tank fails to match in volume, he instead matches in speed. True to his military training, he also inhales his food. Book on the other hand eats the mass-produced, fast-food at a much slower pace wondering if the sustenance is worth the torture of actually tasting it.

After they transfer their cargo back to the van, Book considers simply sending Junior off in that van. He realizes that while it would be the simplest choice, it would create a data trail between Junior and Tank's fake ID. At this point, Tank's ID was already compromised after the check point anyway.

<<@Team [Tank] Guess its safe to send the van back on its merry way where it came from.>>

<<@Team [Book] We will need to locate a cab to transfer Junior to. An automated one... and a location to give Junior a cocktail and transfer him over where System can blot out our passage.>>

Tank eases them out to the street, then turns to System. "Where to?"

[ludomastro]

System wrinkles his brow for a moment before answering. <<@Team [System] Best place I can imagine to do that would be an abandoned garage about eight blocks west of here. I'll put up the location on AR. It is close enough to the cab routes that I should be able to snag one without anyone noticing. Far enough away though that it won't attract any help either. One thing though, it's in an area that claimed by both La Pandilla and Los Samurai.>> Grinning at Tank he adds, <<@Team [System] You may get your chance to shine after all.>>

-----

The trio plus one slide through the streets without any problems. It would appear that the explosion still has everyone on their toes. They arrive at the garage as a cab begins to pull up. No sooner does it stop than three gangers wearing La Pandilla colors step out of the garage. One is holding a light pistol, another a bat, and the third a machete.

[Redjack]

Tank nods and drives to the location specified by System. Book relaxes for the ride over.
--------
Arriving at the garage, both are surprised to see the gangers strolling up. Book looks out the windows, "Are these guys serious?" He knew better than to underestimate even the most insignificant looking opponent. Every dog has its day.

Tank simply activates the doberman in the back of his vehicle, draws his pistol and decides the way he's gonna play it. He pops the back hatch of the cruiser. It provided two things. First, it drew attention from his door and allowed him to then open his door and step out. Second, it allowed the doberman to join the fray. He stepped out, weapon in hand, concealed along the right side of his body.

Book watched out the mirror as the gangers approached. He figured it was gonna get nasty and quick.

[ludomastro]

You're not Los Samurai. says the big guy with the bat.

I say shoot first and ask questions later, adds the one with the pistol.

Shut up! Both of you. Turning to Tank the ork holding the machette asks, What the hell are you doing here?

[Redjack]

Tank smiled as the gangers exchanged pleasantries with each other. He did not fail to use the time to his benefit though. He ordered the drone to acquire targets, though not yet engage. Gun, bat, machete.

[ Spoiler ]

Active Targeting, BBB.162
[1,4,1,3,5,3] = 1 hit (Gun)
[6,3,5,1,6,1] = 3 hits (Bat)
[2,1,5,4,5,3] = 2 hits (machete)

As the obvious leader of the crew turns back to the adept/rigger, he continues a confident smile. "Gentlemen. My apologies for encroaching upon your turf." The doberman's head rises up for its compacted position so as to gain LOS on the targets entering the garage. Its SMG, clearly visible.

"Over here." Tank says as he waves a friendly wave, drawing their attention back on him from the movement of the drone. "If you will step back out and come back in three minutes, it will be as if we were never here." He knew that if it got messy, it was gonna get real messy, real quick. He figured Book to dropping the leader and the drone already had the gunner as its primary target. That left him with Mr. Machete. Just to be sure, he painted the target as his in AR.

[ludomastro]

The leader holds firm while the other two back up. And if I don't want to do that? I suppose we throw down, right here. Or I could invite some of my friends to come for the party. From the garage come about ten more gangers. Now. Suppose you tell me what's in it for me to look the other way?

Perception Checks

[Redjack]

"I'm gonna make your week." Tank replies.

<<@Tank [Book] What are you up to?>>

<<@Book [Tank] I'm running with it.>>

The face leans into his cruiser relaxing a little. "We can start shooting, you die. Some of them die. Your buddies swarm in. Perhaps we make it out. Perhaps we die also. Or.... You let me finish my business. I tell you right now the Star is all over Los Samurai, but not near what they will be in an hour or two if I finish." Tank maintains eye contact with the leader. "Then tomorrow I'll by the first round to celebrate both our good fortunes."

Inside the cruiser, Book starts to sweat. He's not used to Tank improvising. The more he thinks about it, the more he has to pee.

[ Spoiler ]

Tank Perception: [1,5,3,3,6,4,2,2,6,5,4,1,3] = 4 hits
Book Perception: [3,4,4,3,1,5,1,4,5,6,6,2,5,6] = 6 hits

Tank Etiquette: [2,5,1,2,5,3,2,5] = 3 hits

[ludomastro]

The leader hold up a closed fist. Pretty boy. You're telling me that you are responsible for making the news? He looks Tank over for several minutes. Alright. You go ahead and buy me and the crew a round now and we'll clear out for ten minutes. Soka?

[ Spoiler ]

Both see that the gangers are surprised by the decision but not willing to test their leader. When he asks for upfront money they smile and relax a little.

[Redjack]

Tank slides his pistol into the back of his pants and pulls out a credstick. He pulls it down to 150 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) and walks up to the leader and hands it to him, his smile still in place. "Have two. But tomorrow, when Los Samurai is hurting, I'll be back...... and it'll be your turn to buy."

He then places his hands on his hips, standing square. "You have a bar you prefer?"

Book resists the urge to pass out as the face presses it. That boy is either gonna come out on top or become a corpse. He did have to admit though, if this did work out, his opinion of the face would move up a notch.

[ludomastro]

The leader smiles and shows off his grin with missing teeth. He takes the credstick. Don't worry about the bar, we've got a line on some o' the good stuff. You know, 'it just fell of the truck'. Turning to his crew he yells, Let's go! Give the nice pretty-boy his ten minutes to get his freak on. The whole crew laughs and heads out with their leader.

-----

The garage is empty - provided you can call a garage with two or three dozen partitions empty. They see various stashes of crates - none with labels and none with RFID tags according to System. After navigating the turns Tank finds himself in a more or less open space without many lights and no working cameras.

[Redjack]

Book's jaw drops as Tank is left standing there and the gangers head off. He shakes his head to clear the cobwebs and then smacks himself to insure that he is awake.

Tank watches the gangers stroll out of the garage and it finally hits him, Did they just invite me to get high?

The garage empty, except for the team and Junior, they set to work. Junior is moved over to the cab and given a very liberal dose of the party medicine. Book and Tank pull their masks down over their faces and give Junior several minutes for the drug to take effect before removing the mage mask and zip ties. Book places the statue in Junior's lap and his com in his pocket. He then whispers, "Remember. This is for your Dad." Book then signals System to send the cab on towards the ceremony.

The duo then scramble across the garage to the cruiser. Time to follow at a distance and hope this stays simple. Book has System keep Junior's com locked down. He also asks the hacker to mute his voice to that of Junior's father and connect him to Junior's com. During the drive, he works on Junior. "You're late". "Where's my statue?" "Are we making money now?" "Don't fail me. Insure we get our cut of the drugs."

[ludomastro]

Mumbling more to himself than anything else, the twitchy, somewhat hyperactive Junior says, Ya got it, dad. .... on my way .... friends, cab. His eyes are wide open. My pores ... alive .... this. is. awesome!.

-----

The cab winds its way through the city without any problem. GridGuide™ kicks in after about 15 blocks and keeps the cab headed toward its destination. System is able to keep their van on track as well.

[Redjack]

Book continues to feel pangs of regret over using the boy as a dupe to get at his father. He tries to convince himself that the whole family deserves it, but it never fully takes. As they begin coming within blocks of the ceremony he turns to System. "Time to make sure everyone knows about the family's crooked dealings. We have video of Junior trying to extort the gangers? We need to send that to some of the local press who are on hand, then tip them off about his arrival in the cab. With any luck, he'll still be blabbering but if nothing else they will have some video and there will be a news broadcast of him with the statue. Daddy has lots of explaining to do." He thinks a moment. "Perhaps we should send a copy of the security video with Junior in the club taking the statue to the Yakuza." Then as an afterthought, "You're sending all this in a way so as to thwart back tracking to us, right?"