IC: Oriental Opportunities, Avoiding death in Hong Kong Options

[sabs]

Fractal
[19 February 2072, 13:57 PM Home, Hong Kong]
PAN = Passive | Fake SIN(4) = Richard Wei | Hong Kong Citizen

"Aiya!" Fractal just shakes his head, "A good woman would not ride a motorcycle" He just tut-tuts. "Though I wouldn't mind a ride." He says more under his breath, as he falls in walking next to Ting-Ting. "You are the very picture of punctuality and beauty."

[Thanee]

19 February 2072, 2:00 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
Ting-Ting | PAN = Passive | SIN = Xiao Ling

"I havn't said, I'm a good girl," Ting-Ting replies.

[sabs]

19 February 2072, 2:00 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
PAN = Passive | Fake SIN(3) = Johnny Cash | Wuxing Corporate Citizen

"Then when this job is done, we'll have to go celebrate." Even through his disguise, Fractal pours on the charm. "You get anywhere with the files I gave you yesterday?" Fiddling with his commlinks, Fractal disables his personal commlink and activates his work one, switching SiN's in the process.

[Thanee]

19 February 2072, 2:00 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
Ting-Ting | PAN = Passive | SIN = Xiao Ling

"Don't you think you are a little old for that?" Ting-Ting says, grinning.

"And what would the Ancestors say?"

Then, in a somewhat more serious tone. "The files, alright, I think I sent you all I could find there. Didn't see anything else."

[phlapjack77]

19 February 2072, 2:01 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
PAN = Passive | SIN = Liu Zi Ang
DragonFly 2 autosofts: Adaptability, Clearsight, Covert Ops

Ayi had been doing well, maybe a little worse for wear for the celebrating the New Year festival. Dante made sure she had food enough for the next day or three. He had asked her his usual questions, about anything interesting being talked about on the street, but she hadn't had much for him. Just a few small meaningless street rumors, some possible new drug on the market, a new Arena Combat player maybe moving to Hong Kong...not much of interest to Dante.

Arriving at the Monkey Shrine, Dante spotted Ting-Ting talking to an old man. Not wishing to disturb them and respecting the elder's privacy, Dante got Ting-Ting's attention with a nod of his head and then stayed a respectful distance away, waiting for the two of them to finish their conversation.

[sabs]

19 February 2072, 2:00 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
PAN = Passive | Fake SIN(3) = Johnny Cash | Wuxing Corporate Citizen

"I hope to never be so old I cannot go out and celebrate with a girl who fills out that riding gear the way you do." He titters like an old man. "I haven't gone back in and checked to see if all my backdoors got discovered. I'll do that tomorrow."

Fractal notices Dante's oh so subtle nod, and waves him over. "You! Gwai Lo! You come here.. You think you good enough for beautiful Chinese girl?" He shakes his walking stick at poor Dante.

[phlapjack77]

19 February 2072, 2:01 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
PAN = Passive | SIN = Liu Zi Ang
DragonFly 2 autosofts: Adaptability, Clearsight, Covert Ops

"Shi Fu, please don't let me interrupt your conversation. I can speak with my friend when you have finished."

Something about the old man was familiar to Dante. He eyed the elder thoughtfully...there was something there, something he couldn't quite put his finger on, but for the moment, nothing stood out in his mind.

[Thanee]

19 February 2072, 2:01 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
Ting-Ting | PAN = Passive | SIN = Xiao Ling

Ting-Ting smiles. "So, as I see, you approve, too. As for the celebration, I absolutely love celebrations, but let's make sure that we actually have something to celebrate first."

"And speaking of punctuality, where are Dr Yang, Max, and Hope?"

Ting-Ting looks around to see if they have arrived by now.

[Mickle5125]

[19 February 2072, 2:02 PM, Best KTV, Mong Kok, Hong Kong]
PAN = Passive | Fake SIN(4) = Zhao Shang | no-name street performer

A surprisingly timely snore alerts them all to Max's presence in the branches of a nearby tree. A few of the locals look up to see him, then shake their heads in amusement. It seems it's not a wholely uncommon sight around here. Several children scamper over with handfuls of nuts and start chucking them at the sleeping Monkey mage. A particularly good shot bounces off Max's forehead, and he awakens with a start. "I was communing with Monkey! Honest!" Max realizes that the kids were the ones who woke him up again and starts chucking nuts back at them, which makes them scatter with a laugh.

[Seth]

[19 February 2072 7:50 AM Dr Yang's Apartment, Hong Kong]
PAN = Passive | SIN = Dr Yang


Dr Yang lfinishes his discussion with Dao "Perhaps we should consult the I Ching." Preparing his Yarrow sticks, focusing his mind on the question at hand:

Mountains standing close together:
The image of Keeping Still.
Thus the superior man
Does not permit his thoughts
To go beyond his situation.

"As ever the I Ching is a valuable advisor. This reading is unusually clear, and we should deal with the situation as we find it. If we can avoid Mr Chang we will. The sticks will fall as they will, and we will deal with Mr Chang as the events prescribe."

Dr Yang continues to converse with Dao for a while then closes with a bow and "Please convey my thanks to Shen Li"

<<Team: I have just met with a contact, who is advising me about Mr Chang. I gather from the discussion that while he is better connected then we thought, but other than that our plan of avoiding him should work.>>

[Seth]

[19 February 2072 2:02 PM 2:01 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong]
PAN = Passive | SIN = Dr Yang

Dr Yang admires the shrine to Sun Wukong.

"Xiao, Zhao, Dante. I am pleased to see you here, are we expecting any others?"

[Mickle5125]

[19 February 2072, 2:02 PM, Best KTV, Mong Kok, Hong Kong]
PAN = Passive | Fake SIN(4) = Zhao Shang | no-name street performer

Max shrugs after he scrambles out of the tree. "They'll show if they show. Maybe Monkey's playing a trick on them and has lead them astray!"

[Edana]

19 February 2072, 8:07 AM, Dr Yang's Apartment, Hong Kong
With the business at hand out of the way, Dao chats amiably for a while about the weather, prospects for the new year and other small pleasantries. Eventually the two part ways, "Thank you for seeing to my cough. I feel much better already. I will give your response to Shen Li. May fortune smile upon you and your endeavors."

19 February 2072, 8:56 AM, Dante's Place, Hong Kong
<<@Dante: Sun Jiang is expected at the residence at 4:30 PM. You'll be checked for weapons, all of the utensils and food will be on site. Don't try anything fancy with these credentials, they won't hold up to close scrutiny, but they're good enough for the assistant cook they're expecting. Dress conservatively, it's a nice place. [ID Attached] -JJ>>

19 February 2072, 2:02 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
As the group begins to gather for their arranged meeting at the shrine to further discussions, Ting-Ting and Fractal note that a young man, dressed like a tourist in light jacket, t-shirt and jeans, shows up shortly after Dante, and seems to be paying more attention to him than to performing the typical routines of other shrine-goers.

[sabs]

19 February 2072, 2:00 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
PAN = Passive | Fake SIN(3) = Johnny Cash | Wuxing Corporate Citizen

In Cantonese, "Dr Yang, always honored am I to meet a Dr of your great Reputation. May the Heavenly Fathers smile down upon you and your family." He gives Ting-Ting his best lecherous old man look. "Do you think you could cook me up one of those Rhinoceros Horn powders I hear so much about." He elbows Dr Yang conspiratorially.

<<Dante, I think you brought a friend. Someone's following you.>> Wanting to get more information, Fractal grabs a picture of said young man, and while he's doing some data searching for a bit of facial recognition, he focuses on finding said young man's commlink.

[Thanee]

19 February 2072, 2:02 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
Ting-Ting | PAN = Passive | SIN = Xiao Ling

"It was nice to meet you, but I think it's time. Have a nice day."

Seeing, that their meeting here might have been compromised, Ting-Ting walks off to the other side of the room to start go about her shrine-visiting routines after giving her good-bye to the old chinese she was chatting with. Thanks to her DNI she can quite inconspicuously send text messages to her team-mates, which she promptly does.

< [Ting-Ting] Seen him, too? So, what do we do about him? Oh, and I think we need to find a new location. >

[phlapjack77]

19 February 2072, 2:02 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
PAN = Passive | SIN = Liu Zi Ang
DragonFly 2 autosofts: Adaptability, Clearsight, Covert Ops
iBall: Weapon Watcher, Visual Spotter

The Cantonese is what triggered Dante's memory. His eyes flashed slightly as he glanced at the old man again, then he nodded to the group respectfully and continued on in to the shrine.

<<[Dante]: Ok, I'm going to pay my respects here, then I'll walk back outside and try to lead my new friend down an alley. Can someone follow? Also, "old man", can you encrypt this communication channel?>>

Dante made his way to the shrine's interior. Buying a stick of incense, he made what he thought were the proper motions and prostrated himself the same number of times he noticed from everyone else's actions. He was careful not to look around or look suspicious in any way - just another citizen paying respects to the gods. After a short time, he got up and walked to the exit. Leaving the shrine area, he looked for an alleyway, and finding one, ducked in.

The holster in his right cyberarm whirred and shifted noiselessly, disgorging a evil-looking pistol into his right hand as he strolled casually down the way, noting possible areas of concealment and protection. At the same time, Dante's left cyberarm also whirred and surfaces slid past one another, revealing a dull metal sphere that rolled out of the concealed storage area and into his hand. With a quick flick of his wrist, the ball was dropped onto the ground near the wall, where it proceeded to defy gravity and roll up the vertical surface, the metallic skin somehow finding purchase and also blending in perfectly with the wall's texture and coloring. An AR feed sprang to life in Dante's field of vision, giving him a view behind him of the alleyway.

[Thanee]

19 February 2072, 2:02 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
Ting-Ting | PAN = Passive | SIN = Xiao Ling

< [Ting-Ting] Ok. >

Ting-Ting continues on her walk through the shrine, taking a casual look towards the exit every now and then, so she can see when the man leaves. She concentrates for a moment to fuel her agility with magic before following the person in some distance to not rise any suspicion.

[Seth]

[19 February 2072 2:02 PM 2:01 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong]
PAN = Passive | SIN = Dr Yang

Carrying on the facard "Rhino Horn my friend, you are behind the times. I can offer you a nice line in Oxytocin enhancers. This is the real stuff. Trust me I'm a Doctor "

Quicksilver monkey I call you, follow that man, tell me where he goes Musing on how appropriate a place it was for summoning such watcher spirits, Dr Yang sets a small watcher to follow the man.

<<Team: I've set a watcher following the man. I can call it off if you wish. >>

[sabs]

19 February 2072, 2:00 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
PAN = Passive | Fake SIN(3) = Johnny Cash | Wuxing Corporate Citizen

"Really? Oxytocin enhancers.. Those work? You perceive I am a traditionalist." Fractal watches Ting-Ting go, "Well, I shall take you up on that. Should I run across that beauty again." Looking nothing more than a sad sad old man, Fractal makes his excuses and parts company with the others.

Activating his Whiskey Noir skillsoft, Fractal sets about following the follower.

[Mickle5125]

[19 February 2072, 2:03 PM, Best KTV, Mong Kok, Hong Kong]
PAN = Passive | Fake SIN(4) = Zhao Shang | no-name street performer

Max waves to the others and proceeds into the shrine, taking the time to wink flirtatiously at a pretty girl as he goes.

<<@team [Max] Do you need magical support for this pursuit, shall I follow at a more leisurely pace so that I can save the day if you walk into an ambush, or shall I see if I can talk my way into getting a private meditation room for our conversation?>>

[Thanee]

19 February 2072, 2:03 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
Ting-Ting | PAN = Passive | SIN = Xiao Ling

< [Ting-Ting] I vote for keeping yourself ready, in case something happens. I'm sure the room can wait a few more minutes. >

[phlapjack77]

19 February 2072, 2:03 PM, random alley near the Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
PAN = Passive | SIN = Liu Zi Ang
DragonFly 2 autosofts: Adaptability, Clearsight, Covert Ops
iBall: Weapon Watcher, Visual Spotter

His communication node in his AR imagelink began glowing softly red, indicating the team channel was strongly encrypted. Feeling a little more secure now, Dante mentally commanded his commlink to begin transmitting the video feed of the alley from the iBall to the team.

<<[Dante]: Alley view coming up. Let's get this taken care of. I've got a message that I have the cooking job at 4:30 PM to make an appearance at.>>

Trying to find an innocuous yet tactical spot to stop, Dante turned in the alley and pretended to unzip his pants to relieve himself against the wall, all the while keeping an eye on the video feed.

[Seth]

[19 February 2072 2:02 PM 2:01 PM,different random alley near the Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong]
PAN = Passive | SIN =DrYang

<<Team: I'm following as well. Just keep giving me directions so that I am not in line of sight of the target. Changing SIN: this could get exciting>>

Dr Yang casts a spell to change his clothes, another to deflect enemy attacks, summons forth a small spirit of air and turns off his commlink. He moves around the corner into a crowd before turning it back on again.

PAN = Passive | SIN=Michael Chang
<<Team: OK its Dr Yang again. >>

[Edana]

19 February 2072, 2:02 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
With the arrival of Dante's 'friend', Fractal starts trying to track down a bit of information on him, but all that comes back quickly is a short social blurb about the man's career as a dockworker for Evo, and his apparent love of alcohol. Figuring that there might be more to be gained by perusing the man's 'link, Fractal quickly sets up a connection while following and logs in as a user. The iconography is utterly boring and utilitarian, with it becoming quickly apparent that there's an encrypted message channel open, as well as a currently recording video and audio feed.

In the meantime, the rest of the group splits up some, with a watcher spirit and Ting-Ting following the man, while Dante attempts to bait the erstwhile Mr. Stein into following him through a nearby alleyway. While he begins following Dante away from the shrine, he seems to become aware that something isn't quite right, as he glances over his shoulder more often, and he continues walking past the place where Dante turned without so much as a glance down the alley.

[sabs]

19 February 2072, 2:02 PM, Monkey Shrine, Hong Kong
PAN = Passive | Fake SIN(3) = Johnny Cash | Wuxing Corporate Citizen

Fractal sits down at a bench, leaning against the walking stick he's been using. "All this excitement.." He wipes his brow with a kerchief and settles down, chin against chest.

<<[Fractal] He's recording everything he ears and sees. Do Not Engage.>>