What's your Vice?, IC Thread Options

[Belvidere]

"Good. As you may have heard, a war is brewing among the streets of Seattle. Recently two capos of Ciarniello Family have been kidnapped. Don Vince Ciarnello believes that it was the Yakuza, whom he's been butting heads with for the last few years. His blood vendetta has got the Yakuza on edge, ready to open fire at any white in a suit."

Her voice got quiet as she leaned in closer to the table, trying to avoid any mundane eavesdroppers. Last thing she needed was someone ratting them out before this all got started. She glanced back and forth around the bar; satisfied that none of the patrons were paying any attention, she continued.

"But now for what you probably don't know. In the last three days both the Triads and the Vory has begun to mobilize people and resources. Bringing in new people, weapons, the works. Now if this turns into a full scale syndicate war, nobody will be able to stop it. But we're not looking to stop it, that would be a waste of possible assets. We want to exploit it, turn the war to advantage of us in the shadows and reign in the profits."

[Combat Mage]

Fury listened to Fiona's explanations. When she stops he gives her an inquiring look, wondering what exactly she expected from the group.

And who exactly is this 'us' she's talking about.

[Traul]

Hickory whistled. Playing 4 main syndicates at the same time? That was big! The exposition had left only one player strangely aside: the Koreans. Could they be the ones pulling the strings? Or a new face, maybe? Fiona could also have made her own employer part of the setting to fool her audience; she was a Johnson after all. Hickory could not help being thrilled, only worrying he might have to get his hands a bit more dirty than usual. The pay should not be bad either, which never hurt.

"That is a huge picture you are portraying, madam. How do we get to fit in?"

[Thanee]

"I have to agree. This sounds like dangerous times are coming. I would also agree, that we need to know more, now that you have piqued our interest."

Siren didn't yet know what to make of it. She could certainly see the opportunities, Fiona was talking about. But the players in this game of syndicate war, which truly wasn't a game at all, were dangerous people. It was never good to get them on your bad side, much less several of them.

[Belvidere]

Seeing their interests piqued a smile spread across her face a bit wider and her arms crossed her chest, in more of a proud gesture than protective. The hanging light above the bar table swung a little on a creaky chain and it seemed that the bar was silent, save the sound of the door opening. Two middle age men dressed in suits stepped in and grabbed a table on the other side of the bar ordering from the waitress and talking casually. Fiona's gaze darted to the door and followed the men until they were seated, but she relaxed a moment later. After a few seconds of tense silence she spoke...

"I'm quite glad to hear you are still interested. Please do not be put off when I say that you must be a little crazy to still want to be involved. But that is exactly what I need. With the oncoming chaos there will be many opportunities to use the fire as cover for operations. I posses contacts within all of the conflicting organizations, which at first seemed like a headache. But I came to realize with the right people on my side, we could turn this to our advantage. IF you agree, I will act as your agent to the syndicates. They will be in need of tasks that would be 'shameful' or 'dishonorable' for their own men to do. That's where you all come in. I'll get the jobs from my contacts, and you execute them. Simple as that."

As she explained the basics of the relationship, she watched each of their eyes carefully. She needed to know something about each of them and she knew they weren't going to say them, they were going to have some kind of a physical reaction, and that's what she was looking for. She leaned back against the seat, her arms still folded as her emerald eyes watched them, waiting.

[Traul]

"So you will be in charge of negociating our pay? I have to warn you: I don't work cheap."

Seeing Fiona worrying about the newcomers, Hickory scanned them too.

"And have you already found some work to do, or do we go back home for now and wait for your call?"

[DrZaius]

Big Train leans forward and speaks for the first time of the meeting.

"That all sounds well and good. Playing the various syndicates off of each other, netting a decent profit in the meantime. The problem is, what assurances can you give us of our safety if you get pinched? I'm worried you aren't as clever as you make out to be. And if you aren't, we're the ones who are going to suffer for it. Don't get me wrong; I'm still interested. But I need to know how this is going to work. While you may be comfortable keeping us in the dark, I'd like to know a little bit more what your grand scheme is, in case things go completely to hell."

He leans back, nervously pulling down the sleeves of his jacket.

"Frankly, working for one syndicate against another one would feel safer. Then, you'd know who to look out for. What you're proposing is that we make enemies in each of the biggest crime families in the city, at the same time. I need cred badly, so I hope your scheme has big profits to go with all the risk."

[Martin_DeVries_I...]

Once Fiona starts outlining what "the work" would entail, Clef's eyes go wide, but he quickly tries to cover it up. Everyone else seems nonchalant; clearly they're professionals at this, and he'd better appear to be the same. He's only half-listening to the things said, though; his suspicions were right: Fiona was offering shadow work. He was being hired for a shadowrun. Just like on the trid!

He reached up, nervously scratching his nose and tugging at his septum ring, softly. It sounded like she was talking about some sort of war between crime organizations. And if he decided to be part of this, he was going to be right in the middle... he couldn't believe he was here, or how well everyone else seemed to be taking it.

Clef closed his eyes for a moment, trying to steel himself. Well... let's see what she says about the money...

[Combat Mage]

Playing all sides in a syndicate war. The woman was right, crazy was the word for it. What little was left of his common sense screamed at him to walk away. But Fury was here to make himself a name in the shadows as much as for the big money. Here was a chance for both. And people had told him he was crazy all his life anyway.

"That's a high stakes game you're proposing. I hope the reward will match the risk. If it does, I could be convinced. Aren't we all a little crazy after all." He smiled when speaking the last words.

Then he leaned forward in his chair, his body tense, focusing his deep blue eyes on Fiona.
"But as my big orkish friend here mentioned, this needs to be a thought out operation. I'm willing to take risks, even high risks for the right pay, but suicide is not my style."

After speaking his mind Fury relaxed again, slumping back in his chair.

[Chance359]

Big D fights the urge to let his ganger bravado out of its little box.

Given that we're about to set out to hurt the feelings and profits of organizations that have long memories and hold very deep grudges, I agree that we'll need solid planning and a large cut of the pie.

After letting his words hang for a few minutes, he remarks, "What do you have in mind?" with a big toothy grin.

[Thanee]

Siren echoes what the others have already said.

"Indeed. Suicide isn't very high on my list of things I want to try, actually it's not on the list at all. Risks are fine, we wouldn't be here, if we weren't aware of that, as long as the rewards make up for it."

[Belvidere]

She watched them with a careful eye and nodded in response to each of their replies. That was exactly what she needed, they were capable and more importantly, smart. She leaned back, into the posture of confidence that most Johnson's had when they were laying out the details for a job. He poise was relaxed but business and she couldn't help but smile.

"Oh I assure you the pay shall be worth the benefits. The families and organizations pay those they believe their own can't handle very well. But what the real trick shall be, is that none of my connections will be knowing that my loyalty and by extensions, yours lies with no single person. The last thing any I want is to be sucked into any one syndicate, hence us playing the field. I have a job lined up as of right now. Still interested?"

[DrZaius]

Big Train shrugs. "Sure, why not? I'm not doing anything else this week." He lets out a big toothy grin and looks at the other people at the table, seeing who he'll end up working with.

[Traul]

Listening to the others' defiance felt like looking at a distorting mirror. Hickory knew they were right to sense danger ahead, yet somehow he could not feel it himself. This was not mere confidence or even recklessness either: he had never been a risk craver. Fiona's next quetion diverted him from grimmer thoughts. He managed to smile while answering:

"Came here for a job. Looks like I have found it."

[Thanee]

Siren nods her acknowledgement.

"It's time to get down to the facts."

[Combat Mage]

Fury just keeps looking at Fiona, waiting for her to get to the important part.

[Martin_DeVries_I...]

Trying to play it cool, Clef nods his head in assent with the others. "Sure. Let's hear the details, miss."

[Belvidere]

"Four days ago, someone robbed The Octagon. The Octagon isn't happy about it and even though they've caught the original thief they haven't gotten back what was stolen. He sold it to Jason Newhart, a council representative for Tacoma. He's been known for a rather zealous crusade against the organized crime here in Tacoma. The specs for the job are vague, but they want their property back and any copies destroyed. It should be a large black tome, with silver flashing. There isn't a set time limit, but they want it back before he gets a chance to release it's contents."

She finished talking and leaned back against the booth with a confident smile and a curious look in her eyes as she watched them.

[Martin_DeVries_I...]

Clef sat back in his chair, as though taking in the others and their reactions; but really he was shifting his attention, away from the meat in front of him to touch the electric world that existed in the ether. He reached out, past all of the static drifting by--phone calls and spambots mostly--and called out in his mind, Finder.
Within moments a form pulled itself from the Resonance. As long as his pinky finger, it was a small worm, bright green and white light stitched together. The worm coalesced from the table they sat at, and crawled forward until it was perched upon Clef's hand. It buzzed slightly--a request for more information.
A public datanet search, Clef told it. A criminal group in Tacoma called "The Octagon," and a Tacoma councilman named Jason Newhart. Find what you can and bring it to me. The worm buzzed again in acceptance, coiled itself like a striking snake, and leapt from his hand to join the datastream. Clef focused again on meatspace, hoping it would return soon, and wondering what the others would have to say about this.

[Traul]

"How much are they paying us for that? This is not mere burglary they are asking for: we will probably have to rough him up a bit to make sure he gives away all the copies. And what the heck are they still using paper for?"

[Combat Mage]

"A black tome with silver? Sounds like some magic book thing. Is this councilman a spellslinger?"

Fury didn't like magic. People told him he was magical himself, but that was different. He just was faster and more precise than normal. He didn't throw fireballs or read minds like those mojo types.

"Also, what is the pay? After all we're going up against a well-connected politician."

[Thanee]

"Interesting. Not exactly easy, but if it was, there would be no need for people like us. It sounds like a good first to see how well we can work together and to test our integrity. As for roughing him up... I might have some different methods to offer, that might even be a bit more... let's call it... convincing. But I suppose we will discuss that later. Anyways, I'm in, as long as the payment is sufficiently convincing as well," Siren explains with a wink.

[Belvidere]

"Seven thousand each. Plus if you may come into any expenses to accomplish your mission, I may be able to get a percentage of that back for you as well."

She watched them as she spoke, trying to feel how much they were looking to get before they said anything. He smile still held where you could make out one small dimple along the left side of her lips, reminiscent of her youth, though it had faded significantly in the last decade.

[Traul]

7000? That was sure enough to pay the rent and keep some aside. Taking on a city official would not come without risk, though. They would have to be real shadows this time. And Fiona had carefully dodged the second question.

"How about the book? If there is magic involved, I, and I believe everyone else around this table, would rather know beforehand."

[Thanee]

Siren thought about negotiating, but this woman was a pro in negotiation, that much was clear. Her feminine charms wouldn't help much, either, most likely. And the payment offered seemed fair enough. She decided to agree to the payment with just a subtle hint of discontent. You never should make it too easy for them.

"Not bad for a start."