IC: Plata o Plomo - Reloaded, One Month later Options

[Fuchs]

02-Apr-2071, 21:15:12, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

Nuke doesn't take too long to find two hidden nodes - one associated with the "driver" and the other with the "cab". Intercepting the traffic and decrypting it, he starts to catch the following coming from the driver: "...pect. It's a van, and I see drones. That might be the kidnappers scooping the area out for another victim. No sign of the 'Star, which fits as well. Gearhead, try to hack into that van."

[DWC]

02-Apr-2071, 21:15:29, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

Not Lone Star and not the kidnappers. Who the hell are you? They’ll probably be in our communications as fast as I got into theirs. Time to see who else is watching us.

Nuke routes the audio to the others, then connects to the agent patrolling his security nexus, turning off the psychotropic option in the Blackout program. No reason to do any permanent damage.

After that, he starts digging deeper into the haze of wireless data, and waits, curious to see what else the cab driver’s team will do.

[DireRadiant]

02-Apr-2071, 21:12:20, Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

The strain made her left shoulder and right hip ache maddeningly in alternating unnatural waves. It was bothersome but she controlled the reflex to stretch out her joints. After a few hours of rest the ache would leave. For now it didn't really do anything except remind her there was a price to pay for disturbing the kami. In deferential mode she addressed the kami in japanese, "Honorable one, I ask that you reveal to me what in this place is concealed from me because I am blind to the spirit world."

Snow Flower hadn't thought it much of a problem but the last job and this one, and future ones no doubt requiring it, her blindness to the spirit world was going to have to be overcome more easily. So far she had not yet been able to meet the price for a kami to train her the rituals or bestow the power upon herself, but she was getting closer and closer to giving in.

[Fuchs]

02-Apr-2071, 21:12:30, Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

The spirit took on a slightly haughty air, responding to the defrential treatment even as it is bound to Snow Flower's will. Its voice has a slightly foreign, and part alien accent, yet fits in perfectly into the street. "There is another spirit watching us. An elemental spirit. Fire. There are wards on the house behind me (the hotel). They shook recently, but still hold. Many strings met here, and got entangled, and some may need to be cut to unravel the knot."

[DireRadiant]

02-Apr-2071, 21:13:10, Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

Snow Flower bowed in thanks, "You bless me with your knowledge Honorable One." She waited while the kami faded into the background, and then proceeded to walk around the block observing the area to get a sense of the place.

21:15:30

The different pattern of vibration on her commlink alerted her, and she listened to the repeat of the message. Guiltily she then ran back through the past few minutes of conversation in summary form and reviewed it.

Knowing her commlink would repeat it to the others, or so she understood, she spoke to herself, "I shall take a taxi neh?" and she changed her course and strode directly towards the indicated cab and driver.

[Red-ROM]

02-Apr-2071, 21:14:42, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

TARNATION! Jasper, you sloppy old coot!-

Jasper's trigger finger was itching. But it sounded like Nuke wanted these guys alive. plus he knew this guy wasn't alone. He hit the alert on his comm's firewall through the Datajack. and made his way around the corner to the hotel. He sends a command to Shelly to turn around and wait up the street.

<<Just say go, and I'll let the dogs out Nuke, If cabbies a look out, you think his buddies are inside?>>

[DWC]

02-Apr-2071, 21:15:49, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

Nuke takes a moment to querry the Predator holstered under his sweatshirt. After confirming the round in the chamber, and the full magazine of Stick'n'Shock rounds, he returns his attention to Snowflower crossing the street.

<<Curious to see how the driver reacts to Snowflower. Not sure if they connected her to you yet. Looking for his backup now.>>

[Fuchs]

02-Apr-2071, 21:15:39, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

Nuke's sniffer cotinues to feed him the conversation the "cabbie" is having, with this "Gearhead's" answer: "I am on it, Reaper. Give me a few seconds to find the hidden nodes there. And be careful - anyone that can make the 'Star drop a kidnapping investigation can make a gillette disappear as well."
Then a new voice cuts in: "Fred reports that some spirit was summoned outside the hotel."
The cabbie almost panics, and visibly jolts in the meat as well: "Frag! Limey, tell your pet to waste the spirit! I can't handle one of those alone."
"Fred says the spirit is gone."
Good work, Limey!
That wasn't me.

Then a video feed is added to the communication stream - showing the view of the hotels outside through its security cameras. Gearhead must be doing this. The two drones are tagged as "threats", but no one else is - yet.

[ Spoiler ]

Everyone who did not yet roll a stealth check like Nuke, roll one.

[DWC]

[ Spoiler ]

Nuke's "Please don't see me" roll.
Infiltration+Agility 12d6.hits(5)=2

[Red-ROM]

[ Spoiler ]

default intuition 3 - 1= 1 hit

[Fuchs]

02-Apr-2071, 21:16:15, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

On the video feed, all runners visible outside the hotel are getting tagged as "suspects", as well as a young man in a suit getting a hot dog from the foodstall nearby. The cabbie gets even more nervous "Frag! Doll, get out of the lobby - there are too many of them. And one is coming right at me!" The man stares at Snow Flower, who is walking up to him. He's likely to keep the rest of the runners in his field of vision thanks to AR feeds as well.

Nuke's sniffer also catches Gearhead's comment "That's a tough firewall... I may get compromised, if I am going in hot."

[DWC]

02-Apr-2071, 21:16:22, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

As the tension builds, Nuke shuffles software around, tweaking the agent’s loadout and his own, then goes looking for the other hacker to stick his nose out.

[ Spoiler ]

Agent program load
Analyze 6
Armor 6
Blackout 6 (Targeting)
Stealth, Ergonomic 6
Track 6

Nuke program load (all programs are limited to R5 by his commlink’s System, capped by the commlink’s Response)
Analyze 6
Armor 6
Attack 6
Stealth, Ergonomic 6
His 4th non-penalized slot goes to the cluster of his cyberware and sidearm
His 5th non-penalized slot goes to the subscription to the nexus.

The Decrypt and Sniffer routines are offloaded to the nexus.

Agent matrix perception looking for the other hacker’s persona as it tries to access Jasper’s van 12d6.hits(5)=4

Nuke matrix perception looking for the other hacker’s persona as it tries to access Jasper’s van. 9d6.hits(5)=3

[DireRadiant]

02-Apr-2071, 21:16:22, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

The man was certainly paying attention to her. She smiled. "I will go with you in this taxi?"

It appeared there might be something other then the memory of psychic puppy licks in her mind from the kami she'd sent to Jake The Oni. The vast majority of his response was a wall of scatological nomenclature and terms she'd actually had to ask Charlene to reference for her. Apparently the kami had disgorged some ephemeral puppy goop onto one of his passengers. It couldn't do anything permanent, but the psychic trauma was considerable. And it ruined Jake The Oni's chances to pursue the potential relationship between the driver and his fare. However, buried in the wealth of material for study there had been some information on Slick Jim's drivers past that might prove itself useful in the upcoming conversation.

"You are a cab driver neh?" Snow Flower prompted as she positioned herself be the rear passenger door in anticipation of entry into the vehicle.

[ Spoiler ]

Judge Intentions Int 2 + Cha 5 + Kinesics 3 + Cool Resolve 2(Opposed social test) + First Impression 2 = 14 (14d6.hits(5)=3)

[Red-ROM]

02-Apr-2071, 21:16:25, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

Jasper watches Snowflower out of the corner of his eye as he walks toward "Charlene". Time fer subtlety is comin to a close. Jasper drops "Harry" from the roster, deciding to use the pistol manually if needed. He then brings "Rosie" on line, slaving her to his comm. He knows that talking is out the window if he launches a roto drone with an LMG, but he wants to be ready. One twitch, and all hells breakin loose.

[Fuchs]

02-Apr-2071, 21:17:00, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

The man seems confused for a few seconds, staring at Snow Flower, his hand on his hip as if stuck to the belt. "Oh... ah... yes, but... I am on a break. Please call another taxi." He seems still ready to start shooting, but not about to right now.

The tap on the other team's commnet continues "What is she saying? What is she saying?" "I am inside, I am inside"

Nuke gets the alert from the system - someone unauthorized passed through the firewall into Jasper's van. The agent locates the intruder, but Nuke doesn't see him just now.

Stray bites her lower lip, looking around for anything they might have missed, ready to draw on the cab driver. All that technomumbojumbo goes over her head.

The man at the foodstand is taking a bite out of his hotdog, then blinks, and stares at Snow Flower. Swallowing, and pasting a smile on his face, he takes a few more big bites, then throws the hot dog away and walks toward the woman who seems to have some trouble with the cab driver.

[Red-ROM]

02-Apr-2071, 21:17:03, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

<<Shits hittin the proverbial fan folks!>>

Jasper sends bud to secure the lobby, and launches Rosie to neutralize the cameras in the area, as he moves to takae cover. Sweat is rolling out from under his ball cap. the only thing that rattles the old guy is someone compromising his system. If they're in there I might as well give em a lot to do.

[DWC]

02-Apr-2071, 21:17:00, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

Nuke responds to the alert by swapping his Attack program for Exploit, and begins hunting for the intruder in earnest. Well aware that communications are probably already compromised, he sets about network sterilization before breaking comm silence.

The agent responds to the foreign hacker's presence with all the compassion and patience one would expect from top of the line intrusion countermeasure software carrying top of the line black IC.

Its’ NERF sniper rifle thumps softly, sending a bright orange foam dart of code at the offending icon as the system begins attempting to force him out.

[ Spoiler ]

Agent Initiative
Agent(6)+Response(3) 9d6.hits(5)=4
Initiative 13/3 passes

Nuke’s AR Initiative
Reaction(6)+Intuition(4) 10d6.hits(5)=7
Initiative 17/2 passes

Nuke’s next matrix perception test, using analyze running on the nexus
Computer(4)+Analyze(6) 10d6.hits(5)=5

Agent Surprise Test
Agent(6)+Response(3)+Ambush(6) 15d6.hits(5)=4

Agent’s opening attack
Agent(6)+Blackout(6)+Targeting(2) 14d6.hits(5)=3 Base DV of 6S

Black IC Connection jamming attempt, assuming it hits
Blackout(6)+Response(3) 9d6.hits(5)=2

Node connection termination attempt
System(6)+Firewall(6)+Active Alert(4) 16d6.hits(5)=4

Node opposing the incoming hacker’s Reality Filter (if he’s running one)
System(6)+Response(3) 9d6.hits(5)=4

[Fuchs]

02-Apr-2071, 21:17:05, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

The hotdog suit approaches Snow Flower and the cabbie, smiling widely "Miss? Do you need help?" The cabbie moves a bit back, looking even more nervous and tense.

So far no one seems to have noticed the rotodrone.

In the matrix, the other team notices when the cameras start to blank out. "Gearhead, what's going on?" Gearhead, of course, has currently other problems - mainly the giant nerf dart that nailed him to the ground. Nuke spots him this time - his icon is a cybernetic skull made of gears, currently a bit disturbed by the nerf piece messing him up. Straining with the effort, his icon fraying at the edges already, the hacker manages to log out, the icon fading from view, the nerf dart dropping to the ground, then vanishing.

The doberman sneaks into the hotel lobby, where the clerk at the reception desk is talking with a beautiful young woman, but right then gets distracted by something on his AR display.

[DireRadiant]

02-Apr-2071, 21:17:10, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

In rapid fire japanese Snow Flower complained, "I need to meet my husband at an important function at the Muramoto Towers, but this cab driver refuses." haltingly she continues in north american english, "Muramoto Towers? Is important. Is cab, neh?"

She reflected briefly that she really wasn't pretending to be anxious.

[ Spoiler ]

Judge Intention hot dog man cha 5 + int 2 + Kinesics 3 + cool resolve 2 + first impression 2 = 14 (14d6.hits(5)=4)
cha 5 + con 3 + kinesics 3 + cool resolve 2 + first impression 2 = 15 convince them I'm an innocent foreign japanese that's wants to get into this cab with this cab driver.... (15d6.hits(5)=6)

[DWC]

02-Apr-2071, 21:17:10, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

Watching the hacker grit his way through disconnecting from the nexus, Nuke can’t help but smirk. The freshly ejected intruder most likely has no idea how much worse things could have been.

<<Intruder's out. Looking around to see if he broke anything before I got him.>>

Before the digital dust has settled, Nuke is hard at work digging through the system logs for any indication that the hacker did anything in the nexus other than get spotted, get attacked, and disconnect.

[ Spoiler ]

Matrix Perception searching the nexus for anything Gearhead might have done while he had access, using Analyze running on the nexus rather than his local copy.
Computer(4)+Analyze(6) 10d6.hits(5)=5

The agent resumes its’ vigil.

[Red-ROM]

02-Apr-2071, 21:17:13, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

Jasper was suprised to hear the intruder was down already. He watched the scene by the cab unfolding and the scene inside through Bud's sensors.

<<Bud is stormin the lobby! I count 1 + a desk clerk>>
He made a move for the van as the doberman sprayed the front desk with stick and shock rouds.

[ Spoiler ]

Ingram smartgun x w/ sound suppressor
Long Wide Burst @ closest target (woman) pilot3 + trageting3 = 3 hits(-5 for defense)
(2nd IP if nothing changes) Long wide burst @ desk clerk pilot3 + targeting 3= 1 hit (-5 for defense)

[Fuchs]

02-Apr-2071, 21:17:15, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

The man smiles, though it doesn't look like he understood the japanese words. "The man is on a break, miss. You should call another cab." He doesn't seem to suspect Snow Flower to be anything other than what she appears, but the way he keeps his eyes on the cabbie and how tense he is indicates that he suspects the cabbie is no real cabbie. Snow Flower also notices that he keeps his right hand free, and closer to his chest than would be natural.

Inside Chelsea's "Bud" sprays both the woman and the clerk with suppressed SMG fire. Both get hit, and scream with pain as the Stick'n'Shocks discharge their electricity into them, causing them to spasm on the ground - not knocked out, but not going anywhere for a few seconds. Two guests that were just entering the lobby from the elevator area scream at the sight and start to panic.

To Nuke it doesn't look like "Gearhead" did anything else than enter and get fried - logs show nothing either, and he should not have had time to tamper with them. The other hacker gets called on the commnet "Gearhead? What did you find? Gearh..", but interrupted by a "scream" from "Doll" "AHHHH... I am hit!"

Stray shifts her weight, and shifts her attention from the cabbie to the hotel entrance and back.

[DWC]

02-Apr-2071, 21:17:22, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

Satisfied that no damage was done, Nuke returns his focus to the crisis brewing on the sidewalk. From the tone of the message from the lobby, it sounds like Gearhead’s dumpshock might have finished what the agent’s blackout started.

<<No sign of any damage done. Looking into who these clowns really are.>>

[ Spoiler ]

Matrix perception test on the cab driver’s hidden node, run from the nexus
Computer(4)+Analyze(6) 10d6.hits(5)=7
Looking for the following items:
Whether his commlink is slaved to something else
System rating of either his commlink or its’ master
Firewall rating of either his commlink or its’ master
His (possibly spoofed) AccessID

[Fuchs]

02-Apr-2071, 21:17:20, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

As soon as he hears the scream over the commnet, the "cabbie" springs into action, his hand darting behind his back, starting to pull out a pistol while the door of his "cab" opens automatically, revealing what looks like a folded blanket thrown over something the size of baseball bat. At the same time "Mr. Hotdog" is drawing on the cabbie himself - pulling out a Ruger Thunderbolt, for those who know guns - and he shouts "Lone Star! Freeze!" while trying to push Snow Flower out of the expected line of fire with his left hand.

The commnet you're tapped into lights up with a stream of profanity coming from Limey, which apruptly is cut off.

Snow Flower hears some profanity coming from the cab, with an english accent.

[Fuchs]

02-Apr-2071, 21:17:22, Outside Chelsea's, Downtown, Seattle

Nuke is scanning for the hiddn node - a bit easier, since he alrteady has tapped into the network - and discovers that the "cabbie" has his commlink run through the vehicle's node.

[ Spoiler ]

Whether his commlink is slaved to something else: Subscribed to the vehicle node.
System rating of either his commlink or its’ master: 5 for the vehicle node.
Firewall rating of either his commlink or its’ master: 5 for the vehicle node.
His (possibly spoofed) AccessID: Found.