2072: Game World, IC thread for 2072: Recruitment always open! Options

[Suicidal Street ...]

[January 5th, 2072; Summeroaks Apartments 29C, Renton]

Seti shook his head at The Doctor. "We don't even know where they've taken to ground right now. Unless we're all willing to put in the legwork it'll take to search all the dives in the greater Seattle area--which could take weeks--we won't even know where to hit. We'll get one, maybe two, tops." He pulled up a map of Seattle on the AR screen. "What's more, if they're in different districts, it could take an hour or more to get from one to the next. By the time we arrive at number three, they may have missed their check-ins, and the others will scatter. In order to coordinate attacks, we would, A) have to know where they are, B) have to take them on one-on-one, and C) need them all to be vulnerable within the same time-frame. One-on-one means no flanking, no crossfire, no backup."

He paused a moment, to let that sink in. "Rhodes, I know you can handle yourself against a bunch of yakuza...but what about a full street sammy, chromed by a corp itself to participate in the ShadowWars? Doctor, could you take on a Corp-trained combat mage, full to the brim with foci? Dahlia, what're you going to do if the hacker turns your drones against you?" Seti shook his head. "What we really need to do is work as a team on this. You guys are right, that having all of them together is a bad idea, but we need to hit them all of us together, and we need to be able to hit them one right after another. Ideas?"

[TheDoctor]

[January 5th, 2072; Summeroaks Apartments 29C, Renton]

"Point taken," the Doctor conceded, "Let's take a different tack. One of them is bound to make a mistake or already made one. Which one of them is the least intelligent? That's who we target first. If we work on that one, it gets us closer to the others. If they're in regular contact, we can hack that one's comlink. Use him to flush out the others."

[Abschalten]

Silk
[16:18 January 1st, 2072; Common Ground, Downtown Seattle]
Upon hearing news that a third party was entering into the equation, He-Who-Sees-Within looked for the briefest of instants a bit crestfallen. Though at the mention of getting something to eat afterwards, he immediately perked up and said, "Why yes, I think that would be terrific."

As he sat and placed the coffees down on the table in front of them, He-Who-Sees-Within asked casually, "So this hacker... what do you know about him?" He did a most admirable job of masking his jealousy, apparently busying himself with stirring some sugar into his own cup and keeping his eyes averted.

[Atomic Communist]

[16:30 January 1st, 2072; Common Ground, Downtown Seattle]

Red stopped her bike outside of the cafe. Well, this is a first. Don't think I've met for a job at a coffee shop before.. She parked in between two larger vehicles and waved her hand at the parking meter, her payment info automatically entering in. Stepping through the door of the place, she looked around, trying to spot her would be associates. She wore an old black band t-shirt, someone from the mid 50's, and baggy black jeans, with plenty of holes in them. Her long, red dreads were pulled back in a ponytail and a pair of rose sunglasses covered her eyes. A red eyebrow raised above them as she took in the decor.

[Grimm]

[January 5th, 2072; Summeroaks Apartments 29C, Renton]

Scar leaned forward in his chair and drummed his fingertips on his knees as he thought. "We find the fucker that has a hard time keeping hidden. Get someone with some Matrix skills to monitor his transmissions. See what time they check in with each other, like if it's 2 P.M. every day that'll make it much easier for us. I don't think we'd need too much specialization for that, would we? Going in one-on-one would be probably be suicide against veteran runners. And while I'm sure the Johnson doesn't give a shit either way, I'd prefer to not walk into a death trap."

The troll scratched at his legs as he contemplated the situation at hand.

[Grimm]

Akecheta and Copperhead
[07:33 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

With all the subtlety and grace of a bull elephant, Akecheta rushed towards the front of the warehouse to attempt to gain access. The thought of a rear entrance in the form of a fire exit seemed likely if this was a legitimate establishment; but due to the nature of his contract that was highly unlikely. It seemed more likely the rear door would be welded shut or even bricked over to prevent unauthorized access. He poked his head around the corner and noted a garage door that was closed next to a normal steel security door. Both appeared to be shut tight and likely locked.

From within the building they caught the shrill death-cry of someone. The chattering of submachine gun fire could still be heard echoing inside as the security guards attempted to quell the rampaging spirit.

OOC: It’s been a few days so I’m just going to continue to push the game until Akecheta gets back or otherwise.

[Combat Mage]

[07:33 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

Akecheta just took a quick glance at the two locked doors before he pulled out something that seemed like a large pistol with an oversized clip out of a holster. With a smile on his face he switched out the MGL-6 miniature grenade launcher's magazine for one containing high-explosive mini-grenades and gave Copperhead a handsign to stay back a bit.

"Your friend isn't near the garage door right? I'm gonna blow this thing open unless you got a better idea."




OOC: Sorry somehow I didn't realize it was on me to post.

[Aria]

[16:19 January 1st, 2072; Common Ground, Downtown Seattle]

Silk smiled at his obvious interest, “Well, he’s a she as far as I can tell, and we’ve never met. A friend of mine suggested she had a solid rep and was looking for work…”

She allowed the small talk to continue, nudging He to reveal a bit more than his rapsheet, whilst she accessed the matrix and began the handshake protocols to dig up an old Balefire stash. She had a feeling that, although they were originally supposed to have been for a rainy day, she would be needing some capital in order to keep these two on side.

Several minutes later Silk looked up at a newcomer entering the coffee shop.

“I could be wrong but I think this is her now…”

<<Red, we’re at the back of the coffee shop. It’s an eclectic crowd in here but I’m guessing you’ve just walked in…>>

[Atomic Communist]

[16:19 January 1st, 2072; Common Ground, Downtown Seattle]

<<Yeah, I'm here.>>

Red heads to the back of the coffee shop and lays her eyes on Silk and He-Who-Sees-Within and nods to the two of them. "Silk, I presume?" She raises a maroon eyebrow at the two before going ahead and taking a seat next to Silk. "A pleasure to meet you. And your friend here." She adds, with a glance to him. "So what sorts of fun brings us together on this fine, Seattle day?"

The red head pops a green mint into her mouth, its spearmint smell emitting from her strongly.

[Notsoevildm]

[07:33 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

Copperhead's eyes go wide at the sight of the grenade launcher. Compared to her ancient Defiance shotgun, the Beast seems a bit too well-equiped to be a random ganger. He's a real shadowrunner, she realises as she backs away to the corner of the building.

"No. He's way in da back. Only da truck and a few guards were near da door."

She grips the shotgun tightly, her mouth dry and heart pounding as she readies herself to follow him in.

[Combat Mage]

[07:33 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

Right. The truck. Wouldn't be too smart to blow up my target. But the blast will be weakened considerably by the door if it even makes it inside and shouldn't damage a truck much.

The Beast pointed the MGL-6 at the garage door, reticles locking on in his contact lenses. He pulled the weapon's trigger twice in quick succession and with a sharp hissing sound two small objects were fired towards the obstacle.

Adrenaline was flooding through his veins and making his whole body quiver with anticipation as he waited for the impact.

[Grimm]

Akecheta and Copperhead
[07:34 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

The Beast’s inner beast came out to play as his adrenaline continued to surge him higher. It would have been easily seen in the troll’s eyes and smile had they not been obscured by the helmet he wore. He raised the MGL and loosed two HE grenades towards the door. The first impacted the door solidly and ripped a sharp, concussive shockwave through the air as it went off. The door and part of the wall was shredded in place. The second grenade landed a bit off target, sailing through the door and detonating on just the other side. This caused the door to blow completely out of the door jamb and dropped it flat onto the ground.

Akecheta could see the tell-tale signs of what appeared to be the hamburgered remains of some unfortunate soul caught on the other side of the door when the second blast went off. This brought a small laugh out of him.

The pair of trolls advanced on the hole that once used to be the door of the warehouse. Copperhead leaned partway over and took a glimpse inside before slipping in and behind a series of crates to the right. Akecheta walked in and took partial cover behind a crate that was on the left.

A GMC Bulldog armored van sat facing the garage door just off to the pair’s left. Deeper into the warehouse they could both see flashes of light and hear the report of submachine guns. Copperhead looked up at the catwalks in time to watch the spirit spin sharply in mid-air and swat a guard over the railing with its tail. A shrill cry preceded a dull thud as the guard’s meat-body made contact with the duracrete floor. Her prior surveillance had told her the prisoners would be towards the middle of the warehouse on the left of their current position.

[Notsoevildm]

[07:34 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

Copperhad tried not to look at the hamburgered remains of what she prayed was one of the guards. She swallowed hard as her stomach twisted, willing herself to keep her breakfast down.

Taking cover behind a series of crates to the right, she gestured with her gun towards where she has seen the prisoners. The flashes of light and report of submachine guns worried her. She hoped they were shooting at the spirit floating above her.

Mighty spirit, she called out with her mind. Are there any more auras still above us?

[Combat Mage]

[07:34 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

Akecheta chuckled and gave a thumps-up to Copperhead when he saw the guard falling from the catwalk. "Your spirit thing is pretty effective!", he said with glee in his voice. "Let's go and get your boyfriend and the other hostages!"

He put the MGL-6 back in it's holster and took up the Praetor again. Then he jumped out of his makeshift cover and started running towards the middle of the warehouse where their targets were supposed to be. All the action and fun seemed to be there too which was a definite plus in the eyes of The Beast.

No thinking! Just killing!

[AStarshipforAnts]

[January 5th, 2072; Summeroaks Apartments 29C, Renton]

Dahlia shrugged. "Let's do that, then. We'll find the loud one first and use him to find the others. I'll do what I can with his comlink when we get a hold of it. But, I promise nothing. I was planning on making some gas grenades filled with allergens specific to each target to incapacitate them when the time came to snatch them up. So, that may take me some time," she tapped her index finger against her chin, already stating out time blocks for this project, by the look of it. "We could start looking for the first target as soon as tonight. We should still keep our eyes open for some matrix suppor--"

At that moment, the livingroom door swung inward, revealing a dusky-skinned human boy of about twelve years old. Aside from the unruly mop of black hair, half of which hung in his face and covered most of his eyes, the family resemblance between him and Dahlia was obvious. An old-fashioned skateboard festooned with AR stickers hung under one arm, and emototoy and Bust-a-Move under the other arm. Dahlia adopted an expression of surprise for perhaps a second or two.

"Asim, you're home from the arcade early," she commented. Asim shrugged, making a bee-line for the kitchen and refrigerator.

"Someone hacked some of the games and they kicked everyone out early--oh, wiz, there's food in here," the boy muttered, words muddled as he practically ducked into the refrigerator and shoved aside the bee venom. He re-emerged with a soda and sandwich in hand only moments later, chewing as he made a slow circuit of the living room--peering at the gathered miscreants through a sloppy mop of hair.

"Are you guys here for a study?" the boy asked.

[Suicidal Street ...]

[January 5th, 2072; Summeroaks Apartments 29C, Renton]

Seti struggled to swallow during the awkward pause. "Er, yes, Asim, but it's supposed to be one of those anonymous ones. That's why we waited until you were gone. um...So, if you could, like, go into your room, and turn the music up real loud, and forget you ever saw any of these gentlemen, that would make my job a heck'f'a lot easier...."

Asim took another slow glance around the room, finishing his sandwich. "Yeah, alright." He returned to the refrigerator, grabbed the last sandwich and another unopened drink, and moved into his room.

Seti waited until the door was closed. "So, anyway, Dahlia, I like the idea of specially tailored gasses, I think--" Loud music started blaring from Asim's room, some new noise that the kids liked these days. We're going to have to find a new meeting location, or Asim's going to catch wise.

"I think," he said again, speaking over the music, "that if we can give them some flu, or something, that'll knock them out with fever in a couple days, and which they'll pass on easily to each other, that would be best. The rest of us can be on pickup duty."

[Grimm]

Akecheta and Copperhead
[07:34 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

‘Above, one more of these vermin, Shaman. Most of the auras came for me when I ripped the throat out of the first.’ The spirit responded into Copperhead’s mind on astral winds. She held her gun at the ready as she attempted to move stealthily up to where Cutter and the other prisoners were. Akecheta made no such designs for a stealthy entry or retreat, loud and proud is how he fought his battles. That was evident by the way he charged up towards the middle of the warehouse.

Off to the left he could see a series of pipes that likely served water service to the building. An orc, an elf, and two Japanese humans were badly bloodied and chained to the pipes with manacles. Standing opposite of the hostage is a pair of guards in what looks to be Corp security team uniforms. Not the professionals, but the hourly monkeys that end up guarding crap warehouses in the middle of Redmond such as this one.

The Beast's grin grew wider. Copperhead was startled by movement off to her right as she caught sight of another guard jogging towards the prisoners with what looked to be a much heavier weapon than an SMG; though she wasn’t sure what exactly it was.

OOC: Alright. I’m going to give you guys a surprise round since the guards are thoroughly distracted by the spirit and the one guard sent to watch the door is now hamburger. Akecheta has a visual on two guards near the hostages. Copperhead has visual on one guard moving through a row in the crates. So for the sake of efficiency, your next post please give me the following.

1. Your surprise round actions and rolls.
2. An initiative roll.
3. Your actions for the coming round. (Since there won’t be any real adaptation to current circumstances by the enemy.)

[Grimm]

Akecheta and Copperhead
[07:34 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

The pair of trolls were certainly an unusual combination to find breaching a warehouse in the depths of Redmond. The Snake War Spirit that was wreaking havoc from above was reveling in the combat, Copperhead could feel it through her soul. Movement to her right caught her eye as she saw a security team member moving up towards the prisoners.

She braced herself and fired the shotgun. The slug impacted the Corpsec just below the jaw and took half of his face off. The guard hit the ground unconscious and bleeding profusely.

The Beast was focused on the task at hand as he sought to lose himself in bloodlust. The pair of Corpsec guards stood no chance as he unloaded both SMG’s into their backs. Both appeared to still be alive, choking on blood and attempting to crawl away from the Beast. That was all that remained of the troll at the moment, Akecheta slipped away mentally as he rushed past the hostages and ended the two Corpsec guards with a short burst of SMG rounds to the back of each head.

A cry for help caught his attention from above, though there did not appear to be any more gunfire echoing through the warehouse.

[Notsoevildm]

[07:34 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

Copperhead's blood was singing with the spirit's feral joy. Her face twisted into a snarling grin as she directed it to attack the remaining aura above. Then she spotted a movement to her right and saw a security team member moving up towards the prisoners. Her thoughts turned back to Cutter and she raised the gun and held it as he had shown her. As she aimed down the iron sights, she heard the ripple of automatic fire as the Beast opened up with his SMG. She squeezed the trigger and saw the man jerk back, half his face missing.

She moved quickly forward, gun still ready. The guard was gurgling his dying breaths and she stood rooted to the spot, eyes wide with the horror of what she had done as his aura faded and his breath rattled to a halt. She had just killed a man.

Some secrets come with a price, hissed a voice in her head.

Slinging the shotgun over her shoulder, she goes down on one knee next to the guard. She runs her hand over his eyes to close them, carefully avoiding his ruined jaw, then quickly pats him down and picks up the big gun. Only then does she look up again and moves towards where the prisoners should be.

[Grimm]

Copperhead
[07:35 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

Copperhead froze in surprise momentarily from the gory effect the shotgun had on the hapless Corpsec guard. The whisper of Snake and the bloodlust of the warrior-spirit that coursed through the astral to her quickly snapped her out of it. She avoided contact and looking directly at the shotgun wound as she patted down the now dead guard laying before her. A brief burst of cold passed through her, causing her to shiver heavily as it chilled her core.

The pockets of the guard revealed two things of interest. The first was a physical key that looked like a manacle key, the second was a commlink. The brand-name of Transys was emblazoned on the side but she did not see a model type or number attached to it.

She procured the heavy machinegun the guard was carrying and made her back towards the prisoners. Cutter flashed a weary smile at her though it appeared he was heavily exhausted. It was difficult to tell from the angle, but it seemed as though he might have lost an eye from this particular excursion.

Her slip into the astral would normally have been comforting but being this close to the dark circle brought her nothing but a feeling of misery and dread. It appeared to be almost like a void in the astral, sucking gently at the life aura of the prisoners that were chained above it. She could feel part of herself being drawn toward it on the astral coupled with only a few emotions; sorrow, anger, and misery.

One other point of interest caught her attention. Around the aura of the Beast was a lingering spirit that seemed to stay with him as he moved. The spirit did not appear to be very strong but she could definitely sense its presence.

Akecheta
The Beast was focused on the task at hand, bringing as much pain and hurt as he was able to before the job ended. The grin beneath his helmet still pulled at the corners of his mouth as he strode past the bullet-riddled corpses of the Corpsec guards he had neutralized further into the warehouse. Another shrill cry pierced the air coupled with a gut-wrenching sounds of ripping and bones breaking.

Akecheta spotted a ladder that would grant him easy access to the third floor where the rigger room and catwalks snaked across the upper portions of the warehouse. The climb would leave him heavily exposed from all directions as it was simply open air. He could not see the source of the cry for help from above but he did see a few dangling limbs from the bodies of the Corpsec guards that the spirit had mauled into submission.

[TheDoctor]

[January 5th, 2072; Summeroaks Apartments 29C, Renton]

The Doctor added, "And there is any way to obtain the astral signature of the mage, I'd appreciate it. It would provide an additional lead for us. Or if there is a material link on hand, we could try to look for him that way."

[Notsoevildm]

[07:35 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

Pocketing the commlink and key, Copperhead quickly moves over to the prisoners. The feeling of misery from the dark circle chills her to the bone and she releases her perception of the astral. Unsettled, she beseeches Snake to protect her and her kin from dark magics, even as she focuses her own will to defend herself and her friends from magical attacks.

Only then does she step into the circle. She takes a moment to kiss Cutter, even though he is bloodied and beaten. Then she quickly unshackles her boyfriend and the other prisoners, stuffing the manacles into her pockets. She helps Cutter to his feet and, with a broad grin, hands him the big machine gun.

She leads the prisoners out of the dark circle, glad to be away from it's draining aura. As she moves back towards the entrance, she unslings the shotgun again and looks up and around to see if she can catch a glimpse of her spirit or the Beast.

"Sssst, Beast" she hisses. "Where are you, chummer?"

[Combat Mage]

[07:35 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

As the rush of combat slowly faded the red veil before his eyes thinned and The Beast could think with a semblance of clarity again. Not that he wanted to. The cry for help still could be heard from above and Akecheta decided to check it out. He didn't really care about whoever was in need of assistence up there, after all his targets seemed to be among the hostages so it couldn't be one of them. But his curiousity was peaked and maybe there were some more guards to kill up on the catwalks.

"Sssst, Beast" the snake lady hissed. "Where are you, chummer?"

He walked over to her and the hostages.

"Right here. I heard someone calling for help up on the catwalks. I'm gonna check it out quickly."

He looked at the two japanese men that Copperhead had freed.

"You two! Get in the van and wait for me! I'll be there in a few minutes and then we'll leave." He paused for a moment. "If you leave without me I will find you and rip your hearts out of your chests." he then added in a neutral tone of voice.

Then he turned around and sprinted towards the ladder. He didn't even think about the danger of his exposed position as he started to climb it. So what if he could die? What was the point of surviving the day if there was no one to come home to anymore?

[Grimm]

Copperhead
[07:36 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

The Snake-shaman stood before the circle, attempting to fight off the chills and discomfort of it. She felt coils wrap around her as though something was wrapping her from the legs up. The head of Snake loomed over her right shoulder, looking down at the spot and then at her.

‘Do you not know what it is?’ The spirit hissed at her in her mind. Snake turned again to look at the void-spot then back to her. ‘When extraordinary things occur, they can stain the Astral. The pain, the suffering, the misery the meta-humans bring on each other; it all causes ripples that turn into waves. Negative energy beckons to negative energy. So the torturer putting these metas here is normal. It would feed the void, not that it needs sustenance. It was here long before these four were hauled here, and will be here long after. It is a stain.’

She let her perception of the Astral slip away as she moved up to free the prisoners. Cutter weakly returned her kiss and forced himself to his feet. He gladly accepted the HMG and grinned at her.

“Thanks babe, you always know what to get me.” Cutter looked down at the elf that was bounded next to him, still unconscious. The orc kicked the elf‘s legs “WAKE UP MOTHER FUCKER! We‘re getting the hell out of here.”

The elf’s eyes snapped open, “GAH NOT THE CUTTING TOR…” He looked around fearful for a moment but noticed the orc was loose. “Oh we’re out of here? Fuck yes. I can’t feel my fucking left side man.”

“Cry me a Ghost-damn river. If your ass knew how to be quiet we wouldn’t be in this predicament. Thankfully, at least one person I know is competent. Thanks beautiful.” Cutter slipped up next to Copperhead and hugged her with one arm. In the other he used the HMG as a make-shift crutch, probably filling the tip of the barrel with crap.

The two humans looked completely out of place with the metas. Though they appeared to show no fear or great distress other than being extremely injured from whatever interrogation they had suffered. Cutter looked over at Beast as he commented casually about tearing the two’s hearts out if they left him.

He grinned at Copperhead and jerked his thumb at the Beast as he walked away, “I like that guy.” Cutter helped the elf to his feet and the pair of them walked over to the van. They both slid up into the back, he offered a hand out to help one of the Japanese men and Copperhead in (if she so chose). The other man limped to the front of the truck and climbed into the cab.

Akecheta
After instilling fear into the hearts of the two Japanese men, the troll made his way back to the ladder. He was confident there wasn’t anything that was going to ambush him on the lower level but he wasn’t so sure about the third level. That and the sound of the bolts and ladder straining under his weight did not fill him with confidence that he would even make it to the top. Thankfully, the ladder held.

Coming to the top of the catwalk, Akecheta was a bit taken aback at the area ahead of him. He had been witness to plenty of carnage in his day, but most of it was the result of machines or weapons. The Snake warrior-spirit that Copperhead had unleashed on these hapless sons of bitches had gone through them like a blender. One guard was simply missing large chunks of his body. Another looked as though his body from his waist to his neck had been crushed by a giant constrictor. There was the one that had fallen from the catwalk. And the riggers room looked much the same. A corpse sat in a chair in front of a command console, the head only attached by the spinal cord with the rest of the meat missing. Laying in a corner of the room was a badly bleeding Japanese man who was still alive. He has large bites is missing chunks of flesh from his legs and arms.

The security room appears to be equipped well enough to guard the premises but that is about it. There looks to be a rack of a few SMG’s on the wall including some more uniforms and ammunition.

OOC: Long post. Copperhead, the answers to your questions based on your rolls should be addressed by Snake in this post. If they aren’t, nudge me and I’ll fill in whatever blanks should have been filled in. Beyond what you got, you won’t be able to find out exactly what happened without some research/stuff that isn’t just checks while standing here.

Akecheta; going to need a Perception check from you. It’s visual if that matters for any of your cyber-ware or modifiers or anything.

[Combat Mage]

[07:36 AM, January 2nd, 2072; An Unmarked Warehouse; Redmond]

Walking through the ravaged corpses littering the catwalks, even the The Beast couldn't surpress a slight feeling of uneasiness. But it was not nearly strong enough to distract him from the task at hand, which was finding out where the noise came from and then get the hell out of there and collect the payment.

He took quick look into the rigger's room, noticing the bleeding man in the corner. Crap he's japanese! Which means I have to care about him, he's worth 500 Nuyen after all...

Then a thought popped up in his mind that stopped him in his tracks for a second. Wait, didn't Mr. O say that only two guards were captured? There were already two japanese guys downstairs. If it was a mistake and there were three drivers (but why would there be?), why was this guy not with the other hostages? Maybe he's a rat that was working with the guards here... Anyway I better get him to Mr. O, he'll know what's up. If this guy even survives 'till then...

With a sigh the troll went over to the severely injured man and heaved the guy on his shoulder. "Let's go motherfucker! Time to get out of here."

Turning around he made his way towards the ladder, intent on getting back to the van as fast as possible.