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[fistandantilus4....]

Nix
Spider's green shirted (today) icon shakes it's head. Sorry omae, that's where I draw the line. And nothing personal, but especially with your crew. I'll run overwatch for your matrix hook up, but a meat meet is a bit more than I'm up for right now. I can do more damage covering your away team's ass from up in the sky than I can from down on the ground anyway.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dingo
It's a beautiful morning. THe sun is shining, the birds are singing, at least on the ViruaWorld display Dingo managed to hack from Shiawase, not displayed all over his living room. Not a bad way to start the day really. As Ding makes his way to the soycaf, a little bird flits by, notifying him that he has a messages waiting.

The first is from Halcyon, brief but to the point.
I've got some work for you early this morning. The message should be shooting your way soon. The Johnson is from back in your neck of the woods, and travel expenses are being paid, to a point. He's setting up for a full VR meet sometime tonight. There's Old Money behind this one chummer. Someone looking for out of towners that aren't going to be too tied up in the local politics. Shoot me a contact when you're done. The connecting Fixer, Trent, is solid.

The second message, much shorter, is the actual communication from the Johnson. The synth voice plays out over the intercomm.
Good Evening Mr. Dingo, I am Mr Johnson. I have an interest in acquiring your services . The request for employment would bring you to Europe, in investigation of a missing person. If you have an interest, please rendezvous with me this evening at 1900, your local time.

[ravensoracle]

Gumshoe- Redmond Firehouse Doss- 0800

Alex awoke feeling refreshed, the burning sensation still lingering in his muscles told him last nights workout was doing its job of keeping his augmented muscles in shape. Twisting and stretching to relieve the welcomed soreness, Alex realizes the reason he had was up. Grabbing his burner commlink, he answers the annoying beep slipping on the glasses so he could see what he was doing but using the comm's keypad and internal speaker to access and listen to the message. After listening to it twice to ensure comprehension Alex then goes through Argus's security procedures to verify the tags. He also adds a request for background and verification on the Johnson, something he knows he'll only get some of the time.

While he waits for verification he begins his morning routine. Checking and clearing the Predator he kept tucked under his pillow, as well as, the shotgun that he slept with under the covers next to his leg. He then began reviewing last nights recordings form his radar sensor stored on his primary comm and running it through his Spotter software to point out any anomalies. Only after he sure that his living space is untouched does he get out of bed and start the next round of security checks, doing physical checks on all entry points and double checking the traps and sensors. After ensuring the security of his domicile, he goes through his checks of all the other systems that the absent CHN would have kept track of: power, water, food and so on.

Since the message said he'd be headed out of country Alex also begins to prep the place for an extended absence and grabbing his gear for the trip. There was no indication when he'd be leaving so Alex wanted to be prepared to leave just after the meet.

[Redjack]

<<@Spider [Nix] I can't say that I blame you. If I were you, I'd be concerned about hanging with me R-L as well. If you could trace out that link for me I'd appreciate it.>>

He looks back to Caliph, "Well, buddy-" He takes a sip before finishing his thought. "Looks like we're starting something like we ended."

<<@Caliph [Nix] If this turns out to be trap, we are gonna have to go back into the NAN and settle this.>>

He held the cup to him lips, drinking slowly, then turning to look out of the window. He breathed deep, looking at the mundanes passing, going to and fro. The question is: Is it better to be ignorant of the world..?

[Mickle5125]

Dingo

Dingo yawns as his alarm goes off. He reaches over and fumbles around on the bedstand before finding his target. Sitting up, he blinks blearily at the illusionary windows before tipping back the bottle of whiskey he grabbed and taking a sip from it.

After the MessengerBird^TM flies by, Dingo half-listens to the messages and yawns again, glancing at the time. 0900. Wonderful. Ten fraggin' hours before the meeting...

He wanders over to the soycaf maker and pours himself a cup. He pads over to his favorite comfy chair before taking a sip of his soycaf and wincing. He reaches over to his side table, grabs a bottle of whiskey, and adds a slug to his soycaf. After another sip, he sighs happily and calls up his To-Do list. Hmm... Did that. Did that. Screwed that up. Shot him. Need to order the parts for the Crimson Sam... need money beforehand, though. Wait... Did that Johnson say what I think he did?

He calls the message back up and listens to it properly this time. Good Evening Mr. Dingo, I am Mr Johnson. I have an interest in acquiring your services . The request for employment would bring you to Europe, in investigation of a missing person. If you have an interest, please rendezvous with me this evening at 1900, your local time.

He grins happily. Europe? That's pretty fraggin' close to home. Better find out who's safe back there... It's been too long. He grabs his comm and fires off a message to an old friend.

<<@Raven [Dingo] Hey Rae! It's been a while, hasn't it? Listen, I'm going to be in Europe for a little bit. Who's safe to know?>>

[fistandantilus4....]

Gumshoe
The tags check out. There is a waiting message to his account, linking the matrix address listed, which turns out to be a temporary SAN constructed on the Helix data haven, used as a one shot chat room. There is a moniker attached to the reservation, that of "Felix". The Argus notation marks him as a fixer out of the U.K.

Caliph/Nix
Spider's icon nods, regretfully but appreciatively. He smiles and passes Nix a triquarter. I did run the traceroute for you though. Tehy didn't bother to spoof it. It trace back to a chat room, temp construct, holodeck style on the Helix servers. Helix is a data haven ran off a satelite, or was last I heard. Who knows after Crash2.0. but the site survived either way. I'll see what I can find out about who set it up for you at least.

Dingo
<<<@Dingo[Raven] Right now it's more a matter of who it isn't safe to know. Pendragon Underground is worked over pretty well right now. The elves in Wales are getting uppity, and rumors say the Duke of Oxford is butting heads with the LPO. The druids are going at it with the other druids, and the fey pretty much hate everyone. HKB is still getting worked over by the dragon in NEOnet, and well, Rhonabwy's gotta talk show. That's life I suppose. The triads are still going strong though.

[Redjack]

"Hmmph.." Nix resigns himself to the situation and accepts the virtual tricorder.
<<@Spider [Nix] Thanks for looking into it for us.>>

He finishes his mocha before continuing his conversation with Caliph. "It appears we have a little time to kill...."

[rob]

Caliph - Coffee shop near Finnegan's
Drum my fingers on the table a little bit. Can't tell if it's nerves or something else, but I'm feeling a bit agitated. Normally I don't mind waiting. Now I almost feel like Nix and I are waiting to draw fire. Have no positive evidence for this - the feeling is nothing but my own nerves.

<<@Nix [Caliph] - Don't like this virtual meeting crap. Not much for me to do to prepare for it, and I since we ain't got info on the job no point in jaw-jacking with friends about it yet. We could always roll out the area for a little, cook up some buffalo burgers, and swap security software. We obviously don't need spider in the flesh for a virtual meet. Want to see if there's anybody hanging 'round that chat room while I pull the car 'round?>>

"Know how to get these steaks down to Steve? Do you know if he even likes real food? So many kids these days just live on soy."

[Redjack]

"Yea. I actually need to swing by and see him. I need to check on the sprinkler system I installed."

<<@Caliph [Nix] Nothing much to do now but wait. I would imagine that moving during the meet would complicate tracking. You restored the autopilot in the repairs, right?>>

[rob]

Caliph - Coffee shop near Finnegan's

Go with the flow. "Sure. Let's blow this joint. Bus stop's down the street." Flick my eyes down the street, give him an idea of where to meet me in a few minutes. Walk out, fire up the truck remotely, have it come meet me. Roll around, drive it by nix's location, pop the door as I roll by him.

As he gets in, smile: "Feel free to complement the new look. I spent 12 quality hours on the brushguard and skid plate on the front alone. She drives great. I ain't worried about tracking on the meet itself - once we get somewhere, we can log into a couple different towers and spoof it. Plus, we'll be logging in from throwaways anyway, so who cares? If anybody wants to track this thing, all they gotta do is look at it. Lead the way down to spider's."

[Redjack]

A quick note to Spider to make sure he's not gonna wig out if I bring Caliph over.
<<@Spider [Nix] Hey, Caliph brought you some steaks. I do need to check the wards at your place. Is it ok to bring him by?>>

Wait for Caliph to head out first, then saunter out and down the street.

Nix doesn't realize that Caliph is there until the door pops open. "Wow... Now that is some make over." Climbs in. "Say. When this job is over, I need to get something with four wheels. I think I could use your touch with that."

[fistandantilus4....]

Spider's reply is hesitant, almost wary. He isn't the type to have house guests much.
.... As long as you vouch for him. But let's keep this short. I've got other things, and well, there's a reson I do most of my work six steps removed. Kevin Bacon knew what was up man.

[Redjack]

<<@Spider [Nix] Caliph is one of the two people left on the planet that I can vouch for. We'll come by, make introductions, drop off these steaks he brought for you have you spoof our coms and we'll be back off for our meet. Cool?>>

Nix provides Caliph a GPS ARO to get them to Spider's neighborhood. He then guides verbally from there to reaching the hacker's doss. During the ride, Nix is unusually chatty; Probably the result of self imposed isolation for most of the last month. The conversation is nothing specific, primarily just driven by the basic need for human interaction.

[rob]

Caliph - rolling down the street, killin' time till the meet

Driving a normal surveillance detection route through town. Still getting used to being able to drive and look at out the windows at the same time. Listening to Nix is not requiring much attention, mostly because I don't know what he's talking about.

"Word. Yep. Nope. Don't know 'bout that. That the street? Yep. No shit, really? Okay. Word." Step out the street, walk out, listen idly as I count the houses down the way and the cars on the road. When we get a little ways down the road, turn sidewise, and move into the complex.

Walk upstairs, smile, and present the giant slabs of hand-hewn buffalo. "What's up! I'm Caliph. Pleasure to finally meet you, after you took a HEAT round for us!"

[fistandantilus4....]

---The Meet----
It used to be a soft click and a rushing sensation that drew the mind into the virtual realms, conciousness going beyond the body and into something, somewhere else. Now'days, it's a smear and a button and off into the virtual realm. Not that it's all that different from the "real" world world these days, with all of the "real world" augmented to look just like the virtual. The lines aren't blurred anymore, they're crossed , with the real world giving way to the "virtual".

One world traded for another, the runners enter the provided matrix keys and find themseles presented witha oe way, one use portal to Employmentville. The presented node has a detailed english parlor motiff, complete with low lighting. dark woods, and furniture usually described with a fat guys name and roman numerals after them.

Two icons are present and waiting in the room. One is basic UMS, a silver adrogonys form standing behind a winbacked chair, resting his hands on the edge. The other icon sits, relaxed in a matching chair, taking a cigar from a opened globe and dipping it into a glass of swirling brown liquor. The icon is a small overly caricatured leperchaun, complete with four leaf clover sticking out of his emerald green cap, his feet making it no where near the floor. The leperchaun tips his glass in salute to the arrivals while UMSMan shifts nervously.

Evenin' mates, Welcome to the Helix-Grande. We'll begin once everryone arrives.

[Redjack]

Nix leans back in the seat of Caliph's ride. His spirit maintains watch over the duo as their consciousness slips into a realm it cannot go. Slipping into the electron stream, the knowledge that his mind is being tricked into the sensation by the computers rather than truly experiencing it cheapens the experience for him.

As he passes near a mirrored building he pauses. Spider had provided him a a small slew of icons to choose from. Today he had chosen that of a slender, silvery dragon scaled to the size of a troll. The imagery was very high quality and Nix was sure that he could feel the entire length of his neck as he stretched it. He sighed, before streaking off, back down the endless electron river.

He floats to the door, opens it and steps through. Once inside, he pauses, tail wisping back an forth, then continues. He eyes the leprechaun with amusement wondering if he, in fact is a dragon.

"Greetings." he says before striding over and taking a seat.

[Mickle5125]

Dingo settles into his comfy chair with a sigh as he begins entering the VR world and trades his arms and hair for wings and feathers. He flaps his jet black wings experimentally before flapping towards the meeting, cawing amusedly at the appropriateness of the setting. He waits for the silver dragon to enter before rapping his beak against the doorframe and waiting another moment. Fluttering over to the mantle, he alights on it and opens his beak. "Nevermore!"

Having said its piece, the Raven turns its head and aims it's pitch black eyes at each of the inhabitants of the room in turn, bobbing it's head in a short but unmistakable nod of greetings.

[rob]

Caliph - Driving a loop between I-5 and I-90

While the other folks are getting into virtual realityville, I'm driving. I just log in to the server while I'm hanging out and put the feeds in through my cybereyes. I guess they're all seeing my 'icon', which is just the Dale Earnhardt VI's NASCAR. I don't bother introducing myself or anything else, I'm just keeping an ear in anyway.

[fistandantilus4....]

The leperchaun throws back a bit more of his drink before he speaks.
The task at hand for you gents is an investigation, looking into the dissapearance of my client's family member. The "Missing" is question is an adult male in his later years, and a part of Society here in the U.K. The work will also take place here, in the Kingdom. You'll have some access to the family estates and to my client. However, the dissapearance is being kept quiet, and needs to stay that way. Even if it hinders your investigation. Discretion is of prime importance.

The UMSMan continues watching from the back, saying and doing nothing.

[Redjack]

His tail whipping back and forth as the fey midget speaks. "Travel. Secrecy. Discretion. These are the tools of our trade. Obviously our being outsiders is a strength towards your desired anonymity. For us it presents challenges with contacts and gray market equipment acquisition, but again... we are experts in this area. Please continue. What is the time frame? How about the expense and compensation package? Equipment?" The dragon raised an eyebrow as he finished speaking, patiently awaiting the additional details.

[fistandantilus4....]

The leperchaun nods as Nix lists off his thoughts and concerns.
I'll be your contact while you're here. Shouldn't be a problem getting together any gear you need, long as you can give some notice for specialized tech or heavy gear.

Travel across the Pond can be handled on our end, or we can get yourselves an allowance if you've got your own ways. Was there any particular thing you had on your mind?

[rob]

Caliph - Splitting his brain between driving a loop between I-5 and I-90 and listening in on the meet.

The picture on my field of vision and the audio feed coming in from my right ear start talking, and I hear Nix start with the good, obvious stuff. I start stuffing notes in my head for research, from the stuff he's revealed about the job, but that will be future Caliph's problem, depending on the conversation.

The real decision at the moment is whether or not to take it, and the risks involved. Call me hypersensitive, but I'm thinking about them risks a bit. And when it comes down to it, risk = money.

So, risks... Send the following to Nix, via PAN-to-PAN: <<@Nix (Caliph) - Questions follow: 1. When do we leave? 2. Time available? 3. Any suspicion of violence? Will we have to expect to be loaded for bear? 4. Will mission success make us any new enemies? 5. How much discretion? I don't expect a read-on to the access list yet, but will we need to be covert once we've located the dude and moved into recovery phase?>>

Hard to figure out what's too much information, too early, but I want to know what I'm going to have to worry about, and have some expectation that the payoff is worth it. When it comes down to it, too little info = risk = money. Maybe the fixer even understands that.

[Mickle5125]

Dingo stays silent and lets the others ask their questions while he compiles his own list and begins analyzing the others' icons.

[ Spoiler ]

matrix perception: Computer (4) + analyze (5) + hotsim(2) = [1,3,3,1,5,6,1,5,4,1,5] = (4)

[fistandantilus4....]

Dingo Perception Test

[ Spoiler ]

The icons here are a decent grade, although none of them appear to be made custom for their operators from what he can tell. They don't convey subtleties like some of the peculiarities of facial expressions or random hand gestures, although their sculpting is still high class.

Anything more would require an Analyze operation.

[Mickle5125]

Nascar and dragon are alllies... Leprechaun is the johnson's negotiator... who's the silent bob? Dingo wonders to himself before deciding to take a closer look at the extra.

[ Spoiler ]

let's go ahead and run an analyze operation on the UMSMan. Is the dicepool same as matrix perception?

[Redjack]

The dragon smiles a dragon-smile. "Let's start by painting a picture. Since we can't tell people what we're really doing.... What did you have in mind for our cover story?"