IC: Down in the Puyallups with Team #3, Kilroy's latest venture, this time its corporate Options

[Redjack]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:30; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

The cruiser passes Spades without so much as a second glance. As he closes in on Jake's van, he notices a pair of youth sitting on a porch watching him pass. The houses in the area are in bad shape, obviously years since significant maintenance was performed.

Jazz quickly identifies the gangers as the Darkside Five by their black satin sash on their arm with five silver solid circles clearly displayed. The leader reaches the van and raps his knuckles on the window when it is not open at his arrival. He appears impatient.

[SoyKaf Adict]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:30; Puyallup City, Puyallup District
Spades

Spades took a moment to reflect on his past.

Everything about his early beginning fed his desire to get to the top of his game; he had taken some of the largest steps in his life back then.
He could have easily gotten stuck in the downward spiral of the times and been like these guys.
Watching cars go by was not something he was interested in entertaining as a hobby until well into his hundreds.
He kept his eyes peeled as he took one more turn towards his destination.
He wondered what he would have been like as a ganger back in the day when he was growing up.
He snapped out of his day-dreaming at some point when he realized a mission was at stake.

[kvasac]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:30; Puyallup City, Puyallup District


<<@Jazz[Jake]:Any word from our employer? could they be working for him?>>

[Thanee]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:30; Bathroom of the Stuffer Shack, Puyallup City, Puyallup District
Jazz

< [Jazz] I seriously doubt that. >

[Redjack]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:15; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

The impatient ganger pulls out a large caliber automatic and places the barrel against the window. Jake quickly does the math of the velocity + mass vs the structural integrity rating of the glass and figures the bullet will not only shatter the glass but also the window on the opposite side and through several walls of the house across the street.

The ganger cocks his head and curls his left lip into a snarl while raising his left hand. Jake interprets the body language as: Which will it be?

In the back seat, Anon sits quietly watching the scene unfold. The not so subtle smell of flatulence fills the air as his stomach rumbles during the escalating situation.

-----

Spades turns a corner and sees a commotion two and a half blocks down the street. He makes out about a dozen go-gangers and Jake's van. There appears to be someone standing beside the drivers door pointing a gun at Jake. Frying pan and fire come to mind about now.

Their hacker remote and no serious muscle with a dozen gangers, this seems like a no win situation. The gun already being drawn did not sit well either as that meant they were already in a bad mood. He'd conned his way out of some pretty rough situations, like the night he picked up that hot blonde elf Lacy. They were walking towards the door when her neanderthal ex-boyfriend was walking in. The right hook came out of no where and took Spades off his feet. As Spades slowly got back up, smiling, the neanderthal paused. Thirty-seconds about how a black eye would go much better toward convincing his older brother to kill the bruiser and a little crazy talk and Spades was headed out the door. No girl, but neither the ape nor his buddies touches Spades again that night. In the long run, that was a win.

[SoyKaf Adict]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:25; Puyallup City, Puyallup District
Spades

He had a few moments for quick thinking before he would be coming up on the scene. When was life not a struggle to survive, even if he wasn't too interested to place himself in the middle of a dozen gangers that for all he knew lost a fight with a rival gang, and were looking to take out their anger on someone. He made a conscious mental activation of his tailored pheromones; he didn't know if it would work, but the 'ware couldn't hurt his chances. This could just be a simple matter of them taking whatever they wanted from the van, after all, it was in their "turf." He didn't know enough about gangs, but it would definitely help once he got the full view of the metahumans involved in the gang, it could help his stance greatly. Maybe he could just barter for passage.

It was almost show time.

Spades wasn't sure how his clothing would help his case, but his trimmed goatee was a sign of cleanliness, and therefore, nowhere belonging in the Pullayups. He tapped his commlink, scaling his vision enhancement up to its maximum rating. Maybe Jazz could help him with some sniffing.

<@Jazz[Spades] I'm not sure if our partner thought to ask what gang they were, but I'm going to need a quick data sift for gang territory and notoriety, etc... for his new friends. I need something I can work with so I can get them to back down without creating a grudge. I'm coming up on the scene, and I can almost see one of their jackets now-->

[kvasac]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:29:00; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

Not having much of a choice, Jake lowers the window glass. Slightly.
"Yes?"

[Redjack]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:30; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

From her hacking throne in the woman's room at the Quikee Shack, Jazz is able pull a number of blog entries about the Darkside Five, legitimate news entries are simply non-existent as for most gangs in the Barrens.

As Jake rolls down the window, the ganger cocks his head sideways as the window lowers just enough to facilitate verbal communication. He leans in to the glass, holding the barrel of the weapon against the glass and directed at Jake. "Are you stupid or just looking to die, Effey? Get your ass out here!"

The words no more out of his mouth than he turns his head with a look of disbelief as Spade's care slowly rolls onto the scene. The dozen other gangers watch Spade's arrival, but not seeing any threatening moves, they watch the car approach with sending any lead towards him.

[kvasac]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:30; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

"But...but..There are germs out there..." Jake's face goes deathly pale and then slightly greenish from nausea.

[Thanee]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:35; Bathroom of the Stuffer Shack, Puyallup City, Puyallup District
Jazz

< [Jazz] Here's what I could gather in the short time... Good luck! Darkside Five: Moderate size gang who hold sway over approximately 35 city blocks. Estimated gang membership somewhere in the 50-100 range. They are currently in turf battles with both the Silent Dragons and the Blood Baths. There was a shoot out two nights ago with the latter. Blog entries also betray that the leader was wounded pretty badly in an assassination attempt last week. >

[Redjack]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:36; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

The ganger turns his attention back to Jake. He takes a breath, smirks, moves the gun to the left and squeezes the trigger one time. The thunderous boom that follows tells everyone the gun is real and firing live ammunition. The explosion of glass causes Jake to duck for cover.

<<@Team [Anon] Dren, it just hit the fan....>>

[SoyKaf Adict]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:36; Puyallup City, Puyallup District
Spades

Spades parked his Sedan in the fully open area just a few feet away from Anon's van. Before leaving the safety of his car, he processed the information Jazz had given him.

<@Jazz [Spades] Much appreciated, now I have some real ammo-->

The single gunshot caught him by surprise but it hadn't been pointed at him directly, whether it was through lack of reflex tests or his spatial awareness the group's Face exited his car as gracefully as possible dispite his body's pleading for his immediate withdrawl, polarizing his AR glasses for dramatic effect to show his unphased bravado towards the very deadly threat. He made no immediate hostile actions he thought would make them cross with him, but he left the car door open for cover and quick access to his Ingram if need be. He only had to look tough.

Spades clasped his hands in front of him, and leaned against the car, looking directly at the ganger "boss" next to Anon with an amicable smile plastered on his face. He did not feel happy, nor did Spades feel at ease here, but appearances were key.

This is just about the dumbest thing I've done in a long time... But then again, sounds like this gang needs friends, and chances are we are going to be coming to the Pullayups a lot, maybe there's a friendly angle I can work here. Hopefully, without a gunshot wound to further my journey to St. Pete's.

[kvasac]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:37; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

The explosion of shattered glass seems to have awoken something in Jake's memory. A body pushed through the window by an dark assailant. Fall that seems to have never ended. Shards of glass stuck in fragile flesh. Winds buffeting the body as it falls. The pain. The fear. The pain.
And then it all explodes!
Yaaargh!
Still in relative cover bellow the line of the window, Jake makes a sudden jerk of the steering wheel to the right (or left, depending on which side the biker is), engines roaring, running over the ganger and the bike and probably anyone that is nearby at the same time his battle active drones exploding from the van, shredding any hostile with fire from their weapons.

[Thanee]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:38; Bathroom of the Stuffer Shack, Puyallup City, Puyallup District
Jazz

< [Jazz] Ok, I'm gonna jack out now and come over to where you are. Route planner says approx. 5 minutes, so I should be there in 3. >

As she heads out of the Stuffer Shack, about 6 minutes after she entered, Jazz immediately moves to her bike and moments later she is on the road.

While keeping an eye out for traffic patrols, she tries to get to the others as fast as she can.

[Redjack]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:39; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

Jake's reaction to the gunshot was completely unexpected by the ganger. As Jake simultaneously accelerates and cranks the wheel to the left, into the ganger, he is knocked backwards but manages to awkwardly stay on his feet. The van lurches forward, accelerating, smashing into the leaders bike. Much to Jake's chagrin, he has simply accelerated out of the frying pan and into the fire.

For Spades, the scene is surreal. The thought initially seems like a good one, but in execution seems much closer to suicide. Very soon, many, many stray bullet will probably be headed his way.

[SoyKaf Adict]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:39; Puyallup City, Puyallup District
Spades

Oh shit, no time to look professional now...

He was so very glad he'd left his door open, Spades wastes no time launching himself into the driver's seat, keeping his head down as he searched for his keys.

<@Jake [Spades] Thanks for the warning there, friend...>

[Redjack]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:42; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

As the hybrid system immediately comes online with only Spades pressing of the "on" button due to the proximity of his fob (wireless key), Spades is able to breath a sigh of relief. The car then begins accelerating in reverse and careening away from the van accelerating in the opposite direction. His head ducked down, Spades only the video feeds provide him details on the results of the sounds of gunfire. Lots of gunfire.

As the van accelerates into gaggle of motorcycles, the gangers overcome their initial surprise and ready their weapons. The quick launch drone racks launch the roto-drone and both dobermans into the fray. In the back of the van, Anon lays down trying to avoid gunfire himself. He begins to murmur then thrashes with a scream like he's been shot.

A second later, the dobermans enter the fight while the roto-drone is still hurling into the air. The first doberman starts with a spray of suppressive fire while the second zeros in on the leader who is running towards the van, shooting.

While one doberman continues laying down fire, the second uses its target lock to send a burst into the lead ganger.

[Redjack]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:45; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

Both vehicles racing away from the scene, the gunfight continues. As the second drone concentrates on the advancing gangers, the first doberman continue with suppressive fire. The leader goes down under the hail of bullets, but several of the gangers are spurred to action as the cell leader continues his assault. Four of them come off the ground and return fire at the drone, the first ganger dropped before even getting a shot off. The incoming fire on the drone proves more than it can handle. It falls over, sensors off-line, weapon silent.

Both vehicles begin to slide around the corner as the remaining doberman begins suppressive fire and the guns of the roto-drone come online.

[SoyKaf Adict]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:33:01; Puyallup City, Puyallup District
Spades

<@TEAM [Spades] Whoaa! What the hell! Who pissed in who's Soyflakes this morning? Jake give me a Hail Mary, you owe me that. And are you just going to leave those drones there?>

Spades' adrenaline had his blood pounding in his ears as he piloted his car around the bend from the safety (and relative discomfort) of his current position. Worst... Day... Ever.

[Redjack]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:48; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

At this point, the combat is coming in via video feeds from the drones. Jake's van has cleared the corner, Spade's car whipped around the other corner. The doberman continues a full retreat following Spade's, laying down suppressive fire. The roto-drone over head covers the retreat of the doberman, also laying down suppressive fire.

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:28:51; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

The doberman is at full speed, running through a nearby yard while the roto-drone empties is clip in suppressive fire. Both drones clear line of sight from the scene.

[Thanee]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:30:57; Puyallup City, Puyallup District
Jazz

< [Jazz] I'm almost there. How are things going? Where do we go now? Do we even know yet, where to deliver the package? I'm gonna send K a message asking for a destination... >

< @Kilroy [Jazz] Hey! After some ups and downs, we got it now. Where should it be delivered? >

[kvasac]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:30:57; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

< @Jazz[Jake]: You do that. I'm relaying my location to you via this feed. Just lock on to it and once we get a location from Killroy I'm heading to delivery point.>

[Redjack]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:40; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

Half a dozen blocks and twelve minutes later, the team is finally back together again - minus Rex. Jake's van is a little worse for wear and he's now down a drone, but lessons learned and the four are still alive.

<<@Team [Kilroy] The pickup was a little messy. The Johnson is terminating the contract with this package, but the pay is still coming in. You need to put the package in a locker at the Tacoma Center YMCA at 1144 Market Street. I also have a meeting that is a little short notice: 19:00 today. Interested in listening to the sales pitch?>>

[kvasac]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:40; Puyallup City, Puyallup District

<<@Team [Jake] I am heading to the pickup location. You guys let me know what the next gig is all about.>>

[Thanee]

Tuesday March 18, 2070; 13:40:30; Puyallup City, Puyallup District
Jazz

< @Kilroy [Jazz] Yeah, sorry about that. They were very well prepared this time. We should have taken better precautions. Package will be delivered there, no problem. As for the meeting, I can make it, yep. The sales pitch is always interesting to listen to. >