Atlanta 2070, Hot time in the old town tonight Options

[ludomastro]

As Tank sprays the area with stick-n-shock the air around the red head flares up in bright colors. The effect is not unlike that of a prism. While she doesn't take a hit on the first barrage, the ricochet destroys some of the equipment in the panic room. The second nails her but in the process of twisting and turning to avoid the hit, she gets her arm trapped in the closing door of the panic room. It stalls out with a shower of sparks from the control panel.

[ludomastro]

The red-headed mage screams, "Protect me!" and the 'cop' spirit drops between her and the trio. She begins to calm herself for something.

[Redjack]

(( Pass #1 ))
As the mage drops, Tank feels the mage's spell wrapping around his body... struggling to take control of his limbs. As he momentarily struggles against the force, he feels his own strength supplemented. The gun still leveled at her, he empties the clip with another pair of bursts. He is immediately dissatisfied with the results. As the ammo count reaches zero, he ejects the clip via his smartgun link.

[ludomastro]

Red takes the full brunt of Tank's volley. The cop spirit materializes in front of the now unconscious mage's body but takes no action toward the team

-----

There is a moment of calm with the spirit eying both Tank and Book. The sirens and red lights that had faded to the background while the adrenaline was pumping now come back to prominence.

<<@Team [System] Shit. Damn, damn, damn! One of the alerts got through my web. We have to go soon or this place is going to be crawling with security.>>

[Redjack]

Tank & Book both look in amazement as Red slips into unconsciousness. The klaxons bring their attention back to the present. Both move to the device, leaving the spirit to the mage.

<<@Team [Tank] Let's get this thing outa here.>>

The dual look for any connections to the device and if they find none, look for a way for the pair of them to carry it across the ward. Book gives it the astral once over as well.

[ludomastro]

The duo quickly finds that the device is wired into the pedestal it sits on. There are half a dozen connections that need to be broken; all are of the plug variety. Despite the size of the device, it is relatively light.

-----

Book's glance at the astral is very revealing: he determines that there are multiple foci inside the device enclosure.

-----

System's gaze has turned icy and he appears to be grinding his teeth. He doesn't look good.

[Redjack]

Book switches his attention astrally to the hacker. He takes a moment and studies the hacker's aura looking to see if he is either under attack astrally or under some sort of duress from his matrix activities. At this point he is considering stunning the hacker in order to save him.

Tank looks for some way to disconnect the cables from the device.

[ludomastro]

Tank is quickly able to determine that the wires can be removed by holding a release, twisting a collar or other such manipulation. In a few seconds he has the wires disconnected.

-----

Book is able to see that System is still in good shape, just stressed to his limits. There is no question that he will be exhausted by the end of this ordeal.

[Redjack]

After disconnecting the connected wires and finding the device to be light, Tank picks it up while Book moves to System's side. As the shaman grabs the hacker's arm he says, "Time to go."

Once in the hallway and through the ward, Book takes the device while Tank swaps to a fresh clip of ammo and takes point. He begins to lead the team cautiously, but quickly, towards the escape shaft.

[ludomastro]

The trio hears the sound of multiple feet and dogs running toward their location.

[Redjack]

In that instant sweat glands activate, ass-holes pucker and silent prayers echo to their maker.....

[ludomastro]

As the sounds come around the corner there is a look of non-comprehension shared by the ork and troll. Frick, Frack and two dobermans skid to a halt and stare at the seemingly empty hallway with a floating device. The dogs turn to run but begin to whine as some force holds them in place. The troll begins to back away from the scene with a look of sheer terror on his face. The ork stands his ground and shouts, "Put it down and nobody has to get hurt."

[Redjack]

Tank is holding the device, wondering just what the hell he is doing with the device in his hands when he should instead be holding a gun and having System carry the damn thing. Deciding that he probably needs to change tactics, he sets the device down and reaches around for the grip of his carbine.

Book has no such preoccupation or concerns. He blasts the ork.

[ludomastro]

The ork falls back to one knee as if struck by a physical object. "Get 'em!" he roars but to no avail. Both the troll and the dogs begin running in the other direction.

[Redjack]

Tank whips the carbine around, settings in his aim and squeezes off a long wide burst. No other reply required.

[ludomastro]

The ork drops to the ground as the retreating forces break into a full sprint away from the scene.

The hallway falls into an eerie silence.

[Redjack]

Book snatches up the device as Tank begins moving forward, his carbine tucked into shoulder. As the adept moves, the barrel of the weapon tracks his field of vision. While the crew keeps sight on the mundane, Book changes his vision back and forth between the astral and mundane.

[ludomastro]

The trio is quickly able to move up one level using stairs after System hacks through them. "They are trying to put the facility on lockdown. We have to move!" A few seconds later, he skids to a stop. "Wait a minute! I can use that. I'm about to lockdown the mage's quarter. Give me a minute." As System begins - whatever it is that he does in the matrix, the team can hear the baying of more dogs inbound to their location. Shortly four dogs come around the corner - German Shepards. Very large German Shepards with no apparent hesitancy and a very apparent hunger. The only saving grace is that the tile floor is slick and the dogs slide more than run around the corner.

[Redjack]

The snapping sound reverberating down the hallway as the dogs turn the corner is Book's ass-cheeks snapping together in an attempt to keep from soiling himself. Tank meanwhile wastes no time releasing a pair of bursts at the lead two dogs. Snapping out of his momentary daze by the brp of Tank's carbine, Book forks his stun-bolt at the trailing two dogs. The shock, horror and potential for soiling his drawers nearly ruins his spell, causing the shaman to reach down and muster it up with every thing he has pull this spell off. As the spell finally goes off, forking at the two, he feels the drain on his body and knows that he is at end of his luck despite the fact that they are far from out of the fire.

[ludomastro]

Tank's first volley catches the lead dog in the throat and tears into the skin. The dog drops in a heap of twitching muscle. The second is spared only by the body of the first knocking it out of the way. It spends its time trying to jump back on its feet and sliding around on tile. The stun-bolt forked from Book into the remaining two dogs. Despite the massive amount of power slamming into their auras, the dogs keep coming.

They attempt to circle around the trio and both lunge at the same time. One for Book and one for System.

[ludomastro]

It turns out that the lunge for Book was a feint. The dog tears into System's arm and takes him down to the floor. As that happens red alarms go off in the mage's quarters. A calm, detached female voice comes over the speakers. "Please remain calm. This are is now under lockdown and emergency evacuation. Please proceed to the emergency exits. Please remain calm. This are is now under lockdown and emergency evacuation. Please proceed to the emergency exits."

Hallway and floor lighting show how to reach the exit. In the distance, from where the dogs came, there is the sound of doors slamming shut.

[Redjack]

Book's meat is slow, anchored to the world and without augmentation. Tank on the other hand has the mana in his very blood and continues to move and shoot. His reflexes kicked up he again takes aim and continues his assault. His first shot going for the dog on System, the second on the one attacking Book. Hell of a way to go, taken down by the dogs.

[ludomastro]

As Tank moves forward he catches one of the attacking dogs in the hindquarters causing it to run into a wall before dropping, breathing shallowly. The other simply falls over after making a weak attempt to lick a wound open by the close proximity of the shot.

The last dog rights himself and prepares for the next pass.

[Redjack]

Beneath the mask of the chameleon suit, Tank allows a small smile as his military training kicks augmented by his magically enhanced reflexes. He moves from target to target, closest to farthest. With one dog remaining and ammo running low, he concentrates a single short burst on the dog, holding a second burst to momentarily evaluate the dog's condition.

Book does not hesitate. Seeing the burst of electric darts hit the dog, he pulls the force of the spell, but still blasts the dog.

[ludomastro]

The dog's eyes cross before Book's spell connects. It goes down with a whimper.

System is finall able to right himself and lights up the team's AR pointing the duo toward a secure door that pops open as he approaches. There is well maintained a ladder inside. Other than the coating of dust, they is little to indicate that much time has past.