IC: SRM04-02 Extraction, Artifact Rush, Part 1 Options

[Slacker]

The dwarf pails even more at Silas' words. "What are you talking about? I did my job. Nobody has any reason to KILL me! I... I.... I don't know anything. I'm just a hacker. I can't help you get out of here." From the way the dwarf is shaking, Silas has to admit to himself that this guy looks pretty useless. Even as a hacker he couldn't cover his tracks well enough to prevent Needle from catching him.

[Mach_Ten]

"I suggests you stays here and starts drinkin' .. I can highly recommends Redhead Bitches ... dats da drinks not da wimmins ... but actually !"
Silas pauses to consider the mixture of liquids and bitches then continues
"Yup, probablies both is good, you shoulds get very very drunk chummer, mights be your last chance"

Turning to Mr. White and Gardner "He's screwed ... what's OUR plan ?"

[Dak]

Mr. White does the math in his head. Tunrda Wolf reported a suspicious vehicle behind the club. If one assumes that its here on their account, then its safe to assume that there's a similar vehicle in front of the club. Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that they're not watching. He glances at the dwarf again.

He frowned at the uselessness of his phone call to Lin Yao in the deafening nightclub. He glanced as his nearby companions to be sure that they were with him, and then looked for a men's room near the front of the place. Speaking loudly, hoping he could be made out over the noise, he said into the comlink, "It seems that we should chat..." A bathroom should be a touch less noisy...

[Dak]

Spotting a door marked with the men's room sign, he heads that way, motioning his colleagues to follow. Once inside, he surveys the room for a moment, checking out anyone at the sinks, and glancing at the stalls to see how many people they're sharing the space with. He'd hoped to get lucky and catch the bathroom empty, and have Gardner man the door. Luck was fickle sometimes.

In the relative quiet of the bathroom, he listened to the comlink...

[Slacker]

With a club as popular as the Alabaster Maiden, it's no surprise that the mensroom isn't empty. A couple of guys are pissing away their soybeers at the urinal while the sounds of another man being sick is coming from the closest of three stalls. As Mr. White puts his ear back to the phone, one of the urinals automatically flushes as the ork that had been using it heads for the door without washing his hands.

"...kind of asshat are you anyway? Are you just trying to annoy me with that wyrm-forsaken racket?" asks the Chinese accent voice on the other line. It seems Lin Yao doesn't much appreciate being called where he can't even be heard or hear who's calling him.

[Dak]

Mr. White shook his head. How any of these people were negotiators and front-men was beyond him. Lin Yao seemingly had the social grace of a slug.

"Mr. Lin, I'm Harvey White. We've corresponded briefly, earlier this very evening. We had a brief run in with some of your eyes and ears, and it seemed a good opportunity to take a more direct approach. Is there some business that we might have in common?" White kept his eyes on the other occupants of the bathroom. It wouldn't do to go from the frying pan into the fire.

[Slacker]

"Oh the gweilo decides to speak finally." The other man at a urinal steps away causing it to flush as he heads to the sink. "Nao can. You calling me from a bathroom stall now. Why you try insult me so much? I made offer. You not want it. No more business for you."

[Dak]

"Very well, Mr. Lin. I assumed that since you were making an effort to monitor us, that you had some interest in business. Since you do not, stop snooping on us."

[Dak]

If there is no further response from Lin, Mr. White hangs up and will put a note through to the rest of the group stationed outside.

<< @Team: Suspicious vehicle out back. Anything strange out front? Looking to make our exit. >>

[Slacker]

"Oh isn't somebody quite full of themselves. I don't know what got up your si pi yan. And I don't care. I don't know what you talk about. But if you have a problem with me or something I did then you're welcome to come talk to me face to face," says Lin Yao letting some menace leak into his voice as he gets control of his anger.

[ChromeZephyr]

Friday night, Outside the Alabaster Maiden
CMT Clip: Hidden | SIN: Sergei Zharov

"Black truck, parked and shut off but no one has exited, between me and the building. Could be nothing, could be an ambush."

[Dak]

"Good luck to you, Mr. Lin." he says, ending the call.

<< @Team: Possible to pull the van right up to the front? This has a bad smell to it. >>

[Slacker]

From the Matrix, Needle responds: <<The hackers commlink is crashed and I'm back in control of the van. I can move to position in front of the club whenever you're ready.>>

[Dak]

<< @Team: Well we're not getting any younger in here. >>

Turning to the team, he says "Shall we?"

[Mach_Ten]

"It beens a pleasure meeting yous guys, specially you Tiny, i is ready!"

[Slacker]

Not leaving the digital landscape of the Matrix, Needle moved her awareness to the van's motion control systems. Starting it up she sends out a quick message to the team <<Heading to the front door now. Be ready for a quick exit.>>

As she eases the clown van out of the parking space towards the front entrance, TundraWolf is primed and ready for action. Glaring at the Toyota Gopher his gut is telling him is a threat, his finger is itching on the trigger. As the van moves between the building and the suspicious truck, he clearly sees the glowing ember of a lit cigarette in the mouth of the driver. All else in the interior is dark, though the ember brightens for a second as the driver sucks down the tobacco smoke. The man's eyes are illuminated for that brief moment. Those eyes are staring right back. TundraWolf's enhanced reflexes want to jerk into action, but he keeps them under control for the moment. The truck's occupants don't seem to be doing anything yet. Just watching them.

Inside the club, Silas notices the flush of desire on the beautiful blonde's cheeks though he doesn't let her curves distract him. There is too much of an air of threat to this place now. He just wants out. Sex will have to wait for another time when he's not about to get killed. The others continued to move towards the door forcing him to hurry away lest he get left behind.

Eyes scanning the interior of the club for any possible threat, Mr. White notices Simon Andrews with twins flanking him at his booth in the back. Simon takes a moment to look away from the male twin while rubbing the leg of the female to glance over at Mr. White. His eyes lose the flirty look it had moments ago looking at the twins, and all he can do is shake his head at the shadowrunners. Then the moment is gone and he turns back to the twins his smile instantly returning.

Gardner has his hands full making sure Parker Acson stays with the group. It's amazing how little tolerance the research has for alcohol. He keeps trying to stumble away to catch this or that pretty girl's attention. The giant gently keeps him on track though, heading towards the exit. Gardner considers summoning up another spirit, but he knows doing that in a crowded club like this, especially one know for connections to the mystical side of Seattle, would likely cause too much of a scene.

Amazingly, they group is completely unmolested on their way to the door. No threats coming in from the back of the building. No sudden explosions. Nothing. It's almost a let down as Needle squeals to a halt just outside the front doors. People waiting to get in and the bouncers are certainly giving the clown van some weird looks, but nobody appears to be a threat. TundraWolf slides the vans door wide open to let everybody in. Gardner gets Acson in first, followed closely by Mr. White. For a moment, Silas looks back over the club. Is it really going to be this easy? he asks himself. He catches sight for the stupid dwarf now sitting at the bar with a drink. Silas is about to spare the unlikely bastard a silent wish for luck, when he realizes the guy isn't shaking any more. Jwuigg is looking right at Silas and smiling. Before Silas can puzzle out what that is about, the calls from his teams returns his attention to the van. Leaving the dwarf behind, he jumps into the van.

TundraWolf slides the door closed behind him and Needle guns the engine to leave the parking lot.

[ChromeZephyr]

Friday night, leaving the Alabaster Maiden
CMT Clip: Hidden | SIN: Sergei Zharov

Tundra Wolf glanced at the rear view mirror as the van accelerated away from the third meeting of the night, but other than a sedan full of drunken college kids lurching unsteadily onto the road behind them, no vehicle seemed to be following them. No truck, no Citymaster...and no motorcycle.

"Needle, are you receiving anything from Eclipse's comms?"

[Slacker]

Needle quickly checks the commlink signal she had registered as belonging to Eclipse....nothing. She tried dialing his LTG number and only got voicemail. <<No reply from Eclipse at all. Presumed captured or dead.>>

[Dak]

Mr. White grimaced and turned a cold stare at Acson. "Let's keep moving."

[ChromeZephyr]

Friday night, leaving the Alabaster Maiden
CMT Clip: Hidden | SIN: Sergei Zharov

"Ебать." Tundra Wolf drummed his cybernetic fingers on his knee. "The sooner this little подонки is someone else's problem, the better."

Another glass to turn over.

[Dak]

Mr. White's fingers move rapidly over the screen of his comlink, conferring with his colleagues privately from Acson.

<< @Team: Moreau then? Kobe Terrace Park. I'll send him a note and let him know that we'd like to meet and make the transfer. >>

He waits for confirmation from his associates before sending a note to Moreau.

<< @Moreau: Previously discussed hand off at Kobe Terrace Park. Available for immediate transfer? >>

Mr. White furrowed his brow for a moment. It was bothersome to have the feeling that all of his communications were being monitored. He shrugged his shoulders slightly. Not much that he could do about it.

[ChromeZephyr]

Friday night, in the Clown Van^™
CMT Clip: Hidden | SIN: Sergei Zharov

Tundra Wolf kept an eye on Ascon to make sure he wasn't trying to lean over and read what the team was conversing about via commlink rather than voice discussion, then typed in a response of his own.

@Team [Tundra Wolf] << Da, Moreau. Let's get this done, before I shoot him and sell his corpse to the ghouls. Silas and I should be dropped off a mile or so short, so as to scout for ambush and plan defense for when the strike teams arrive. When, not if, too much has gone poorly on this 'run for it not to happen. >>

[Slacker]

The interior of the van was tense with unspent adrenaline. That exit from the club had been far, far too easy hadn't it. In between scanning traffic behind them for any possible tails, the runners quickly exchange messages to figure out what to do next. Glancing over at Parker Acson to make sure he isn't privy to their plans, somebody thinks to rip the headband off his head and toss it out the window before the club was even out of sight....just in case.

It's quickly decided that TundraWolf and Silas will get dropped off a block from Kobe park to do a little scouting, while Mr. White tries to contact Moreau. Dropping the two off, Needle pulls away from the curb to circle the neighborhoods near the Park deciding they didn't want to be a sitting target.

This part of downtown was a lot quieter than the busy club/bar area the team had recently come from. Quiet apartment buildings loomed over the streets with limited foot traffic outdoors. Overhead the occasional whirr of a security drones fans could be heard as well a some air traffic. TundraWolf and Silas found the park even more quiet. Not too many people frequenting such a dark place at night. The footpath through its wooded section did have some lighting, but it was quickly shadowed by the looming trees. Just as they were thinking about how terrible a place this was to have a late night meet, they could hear a screeching of tires in the distance that would soon be following by a crash of impact.

Back at the clown van, those still inside knew exactly the cause of the screeching tires as a pair of headlights filled the front windshield with brilliant light. Needle reacted quickly to the oncoming truck, but not quickly enough as the truck slammed into the right front bumper of the van. Instantly the van became shakier. It was heading for a crash into a parked car, but Needle somehow managed to get it back under control as she looked through the vans sensors to see the truck coming to a controlled stop behind them facing back towards the van.

[Mach_Ten]

The screech or tormented metal and the tinkle of shattered glass on Tarmac makes Silas' head spring up and forward away from searching the shadows for ambushers and security details.

"Drek, TundraWolf, we gots trouble!" the subtle understatement is not lost on his companion and they unconsciously quicken their pace,
heading toward the commotion "Wuz dat our guys ? .... don' ansa dat ... tha way dis nights goin' I knows it's dem"
He grits his teeth and begins the long loping gait that will get him to where he needs in time but with expending as little energy as possible,

quietly drawing the vibro-blade from it's sheath and fine tuning the camouflage coating on his armour that is already running, it shifts pattern to that of fleeting shadows and light as they sprint past the odd lonely lamplight in the park.

Verbally activating the comm-link he sends a brief communication to the remainder of the team
<< @team[Silas] : Whitey ? what the Drek ? is you guys 'dere?" >>

[Dak]

Mr. White swore as the other vehicle crashed into them. His seat belt kept him from being thrown forward in the van. His comlink beeped as Needle deftly avoid slamming into another car. "Shit." Mr. White repeated. This had gone from bad to worse.