IC: Grasping Vapors, Know thy self Options

[Shadow]

Grendal says,

"Naturally. If we are going to pursue this course of action, we will need all of the skills you possess. Without you, this is a lost cause. That being said, though, if this disease does turn out to be incurable, is there anyone you wish me to notify? Someone to whom I should give your effects?"

As he waits for the answer, Grendel pulls out his pocket secretary and connects it to a fiber optic line from the datajack at his temple. Sliding the unit across the table, he points the screen at Delacroix, so he can read the text.

If we're going to do this, we need information. We need to know who and what Samantha is and what she is capable of doing. We need to know who her contacts are and what resources she is capable of calling upon. We will need a plan on how to approach, immobilize, and interrogate her. We will need to contact possible buyers for any intelligence that we acquire from that interrogation. Two of the specific agencies I can think of are the Draco Foundation and the Massachussettes Institute of Technology and Thaumaturgy. I'm open to suggestions if you have other ideas. Do you have any information gathering contacts that we can use, a decker or info broker?

[Jr. Woodchuck]

"It would be my mother. You can reach her at this LTG #. She will know my fate if you simply call, I talk to her often, though she doesn't know about the disease or what I do here in Seattle."

Delacroix laughs as he hears Grendel ask the question of what Samantha is, "What? You mean you dont realize whats going on?"

"My friend, I have been infected by HMHVV. Noone knows because the Street Docs that i've gone to dont have the equipment to see it. They know I have some sort of problem with my blood, but nothing more. I am not sure what i'm going to turn into but I believe its your standard Vampire. The Doctor was one so I only assume. Also I think the only reason why its been a slow change is because of the way the disease was transmitted."

"He didn't bite me. When I released the spell his body litterally blew up, and I was covered in blood, with open sores and cuts from casting the spell. Jacques, the gun bunny with me, was unaffected because he wasn't cut."

"I am unsure if any of my contacts can help."

[grendel]

I just wanted to be sure before I drew any conclusions. Since vampirism is essentially an Awakened virus, shouldn't a talismonger or other magical contact be of us in researching its strenghs and weaknesses? In any case, I'm going to get in touch with my fixer and begin the intelligence gathering phase. Has anyone given you a probable lifespan yet? How long do we have before your transformation is complete? Will it be a sudden change or gradual? What is your plan for the endgame?

Grendel's text flows across the screen of the pocket secretary, silent to everyone save the elf seated across from him.

[Jr. Woodchuck]

"I have no knowledge of my lifespan. Again, no doctors are aware of my condition. I have deduced what is happening to me based on the series of events I explained."

"I have no idea when I will fully change, I only know that its been progressively getting worse for a little over a year now. I always thought that when someone gets bit, they change almost instantaneously. Again as I said before though, I have not been bit, so perhaps this has something to do with it."

"I believe the change will be gradual, though I feel that we are close to the end. What use to be a monthly change has now progressed to weeks and now daily. Everyday that passes it feels like my last."

"My contacts aren't really much help. My family has connections but I dont want them to know whats happening to me, and their connections are all in the Tir, which I will assume this is out of their realm of knowledge. I have a Fixer friend named Harry, and a Decker named I/O. I dont know what any of these peopld can do for me though. I think our best bet is to talk to Samantha, even though I distrust her."

[grendel]

All right, how did you want to go about the questioning? We have her LTG number, we can meet just about anywhere to talk. Or did you have something a little more forceful in mind?

At the same time his words scroll across the screen of the pocket secretary, Grendel opens up a call to Zoe.

Zoe, it's me. I need as much information as possible about HMHVV: the virus, its effects, especially on metahumans, and the strengths and weaknesses of the resulting hybrid. Bonus bucks if you get it to me by tomorrow.

[Shadow]

"affirmative," the blondes voice sounds in your head, "I can get right on it and give you a data dump by 0800. Watch your back if your dealing with Vamps."

[Jr. Woodchuck]

"Unless she attempts to hurt me, you, or anyone else for that matter, then we can be forceful."

"As for where we question her, I really think thats going to be up to her."

[grendel]

How about this, then: call her and ask her to meet below the I5/Harbor St exit in South Downtown. You talk to her, I'll listen and cover you from the Bison. From there, I can provide as much firepower as required in case the negotiations go poorly.

[Jr. Woodchuck]

Delacroix smirks, "Your that confident in your machines?"

Delacroix waits for the obvious response.

The mage laughs, "Of course you are, sounds good to me friend."

[grendel]

Grendel doesn't reply, simply retrieving his pocket secretary and cable and standing.

"Call from the road, we need to recon the site and establish a security perimeter."

He overlays his view with a fifty percent mask of network surveillance feed, verifying that nothing has moved into position during their time in the club. After a moment, he clears Delacroix with a nod.

[Jr. Woodchuck]

"Okay, the sooner the better," says the elf as he stands up. Delacroix will pause waiting for Grendel to stand. Once this happens the elf will follow his friend out of the house, ...and their mission begins.

[grendel]

Grendel straps into the Bison, jacking in to the hardwired system. His network interface segments itself out before him. Nosing out into traffic, he relinquishes control of the vehicle to its pilot, feeding the rendezvous coordinates into the onboard GPS. Once certain the Bison has locked in a safe route, he turns his attention to the Condor hovering overhead. Opening up his virtual display to encompass a greater area, he draws a curving route to an overhead surveillance point for the stealthy drone. With his pieces moving into position, the elf unlocks the weapon safeties throughout the Bison. His immediate tasks complete, he waits for Delacroix to provide the next necessary information.

[Shadow]

The large diesel easily pulls into the late night traffic. The computer scans the maps and sorts out the best route to take. Once it has processed an overlay appears with your current location, a pulsing red dot on the target, and a flashing E.T.A.

[Jr. Woodchuck]

When the eta reads zero and the Bison comes to a halt. The mage relax's. His body going limp, but the spirt beginning to explore. Delacroix emerges from his astral body. Leaving the weak, sickly body behind the mages astral signature is powerful and strong, yet noticeably twisted. He is changed, he is different. Delacroix throws up a mask, of a simple Air Elemental, but even his Air Elemental mask is twisted and different. Delacroix looks at himself and imagines this must be what a Toxic Air Elemental would look like.

Knowing all too well that its becoming more and more difficult to hide his condition the elf proceeds with scouting out the meeting area. He will just have to be more careful.

Intended action Delacroix will scout the area using his stealth and astral scouting skills. dont have character sheet on me at work

[Shadow]

Delacroix scouts around the area, finding nothign larger than a rat at the exit. The 15th street exit to the harbor is a little used entrence to the masive Puget Sound. Few vehicles travel this way during the day, none at night. After a few minutes you are sure in your sollitude.

[Jr. Woodchuck]

The mage returns to his body. "We are alone," replies the elf to the question Grendel was thinking.

[grendel]

"You have Samantha's contact number, correct? Let me listen in on the call but you should be the only one who speaks."

[Jr. Woodchuck]

Delacroix dials Samantha's LTG #. "Samantha, hi its Delacroix. I want to appologize for my outburst at the bar earlier. Anyway I have been giving what you said some thought. I would like to meet and discuss, sooner then later. If you have the information to help me out i'm willing to listen. I'm at the harbor, 15th street exit. Can you meet up with me tonight?"

[grendel]

Grendel listens carefully to his friend's call, manipulating the center display screen as well. A skeletonized 3-D image of the area within five hundred meters rotates on the display. He high-lights a corner with an amber circle, scaling down to a hundred meter display. Three dashed lines draw away from the circle, one in green, one in blue, and the last in red. He glances over at Delacroix, trying to ascertain how well the elf is going to hold up during the difficulties they were about to bring down upon themselves.

[Shadow]

The sweet sound of her voice fills the telecom with an almost hypnotic jingle. You remember why you were attracted to her in the first place. She let's out a sigh after she hears your voice, "oh Del, she says, why did you call now?" Her voice pauses for a minute, she sounds, sad?

"I can be there in about an hour," she says, "I am glad you called though, see you soon." And the line goes dead.

[Jr. Woodchuck]

[grendel]

"We'll move ten minutes early. This position on here offers the best cover while maintaining good sightlines on the avenues of approach. Do not look at the drones while you are waiting. When Samantha comes, try and keep her out in the open. Do not get into a vehicle with her, as I won't be able to cover you directly. I will only go live upon your request or as a preemptive strike. Once we are live, anyone who isn't us is a target. If we have to withdraw, I'll try and get to you. If I am unable to, utilize the escape routes shown. Give me an ETA over the radio and I'll meet you at the rendezvous point. Questions?"

[Jr. Woodchuck]

"Nope, your thorough preperation is comforting to me."

[Shadow]

The hour inside the Bison goes by slowly. A palatable tension fills the air between the two elves, not something they can directly put a finger on, but that feeling they get just before a run. The setup feels wrong, no Johnson paying the cred, no steadfast resolution in sight, no way out, and no idea what is going on. The uncertainty settles like a stone in your stomach. The hour does pass though and soon it is ten minutes till....

[Jr. Woodchuck]

Delacroix looks at his pocket secretary and says, "10 minutes till. I hope she's not running late."