IC: Shadows of Conflict, Sins of the Past Options

[BishopMcQ]

Friday May 5, 2073

Wheeling himself out the kitchen door to the yard, Jaron Falcone surveyed the horses huddled together in the arena. The sky threatened rain and the animals felt the storm coming. Drones rolled out of the barn. They were industrial drones that had been repurposed for mucking stalls. So many things in his life had been given a new purpose.

Walking out of the barn behind the drones, Hafiz pulled a rope behind him. He connected it up to the arena. The horses snorted and backed away from the middle-easterner. The damage to his nervous system caused his left arm to twitch erratically and it always spooked the horses. Hafiz ignored them, and pulled another rope to have a funnel to guide the horses into the barn. He signaled the gate to open and the creatures bolted to the safety of their home. The doors closed behind them.

There was work to be done, and not enough time to be sentimental. Falcone pushed his chair along the covered walkway to his office. It was a separate structure, with a completely separate matrix connection and utility feeds. He lifted himself out of his chair to transfer to his desk.

The team had proven themselves on a few simple jobs. They got the work done, didn't pry into private matters, and showed just enough compassion to be human but not a liability. Time for another job, this time with a slightly wider scope.

Team

Shortly before eight AM, your commlink chimes with the sound of an incoming message.

<<@Anonymous [Falcone] There's a new job on the horizon that meets your groups skill set. If interested, meet with me at the Top Side 5pm.>>

[Redjack]

Friday, May 5th, 2073@08:01 PST - Azzo's Apartment, Lynn Street Lakefront Condominiums, Lake Union, Downtown District, Seattle Metroplex

The damn comlink had been chirping from across the room for an eternity... or at least a minute. Azzo'd already thrown both boots and someone lying next to him began to nudge him and a soft female voice, not fully conscious was saying something about turning it off.

Get up Marine. The little voice in his head is demanding compliance; echos of D.I. "Hurricane" Mary yelling into the barracks at 04:30. His response is much slower to the echos than they ever were to the real thing. Finally, his muscles respond to the weak, but growing commands from his brain to move. Sitting up, several things are apparent. First, he drank way too much last night. Second, the naked girl next to him either has some obvious self esteem issues or is a gold digger or drank more than I did or some strong combination of all three; a fairly attractive ginger elven woman.

His legs carry him across the room to the dresser. His comlink is next to a half-full bottle of bourbon whiskey; the real stuff. Sure cure for the hair of the dog The code on the comlink stops his arm from reaching for the bottle however. The code means there's a message waiting from Falcone. He unlocks the comlink and scans the message. 5pm. Got the day to kill. Looking over at the red head still trying to steal a little more sleep. A smile and a plan comes together.

He heads to the bathroom for mouthwash, shower and to piss. Not in that order.

By the time he'd finished his shower, his companion for late night aerobics had already headed out on the walk the shame. Alcohol and self-esteem; my favorite combination. He placed the nanopaste trodes on his temples before dressing, then accesses the CHN and directs the kitchen drone to fix eggs and bacon for breakfast. He dresses as the smells of real food begin to spread throughout the condo. At the table, toast and a cafe-mocha complement his breakfast. Accessing his bank account, he momentarily frowns. Taking a bite of yoke covered egg returns a smile to his face.

Breakfast completed and the drone cleaning up, he retrieves his bug-out bag and case from the ceiling space in the bathroom. An hour after he awoke, he puts the pack in a large athletic duffel bag, scoops up the case and heads out the door.

<<@Team [Whisper] Meet up for lunch?>>

The bag and case go into the trunk of the late model sedan. Leased and attached to the same fake SIN as condo lease, Azzo keeps those separate from both his real identity and the SIN he uses when running. He never meets the team with the sedan and never uses it for work.

His destination this morning is Gold's Gym. A workout, perhaps a little light sparring. Something to burn the nervous energy before the meet.

[Saytr]

Friday, May 5th, 2073@08:01 Mel's apartment outside of touristville.

Mel was mid swig with his coffee while listening to his Orc neighbors going at it again for the second time this morning, I guess she was seeing a local ganger while he was at work over in touristville. Amusing as it was he was glad they didn't have any kids to scream and add to the noise. When his com chirps he sees its work again, falcone had provided some nice jobs but he was still slumming it until he could afford a decent apartment and kick his habit, as helpful as sandy was she wasn't about to stay with a dead beat alcoholic with no money for much longer he needed to get clean than maybe get legal again. Work was work and when you find it you take it. Seeing the meet not till the afternoon he sis and continues to listen to the fight. After another few minutes he decides to go work out outside on the roof he got some weights and a few benches to make a shabby gym no fees no worries just had to keep his gear close by in case some drek came calling. Figured he could work out for a few hours than start his trek towards the city, a few soy bars and a hour later when his com chirps he uses his HUD to reply<@whisper[mel]"sure, Collins pub 5th ave and olive way say 1pm?">

[Redjack]

Friday, May 5th, 2073@09:27 PST - Gold's Gym, Lake Union, Downtown District, Seattle Metroplex

<<@Mel [Whisper] Thirteen hundred. Check.>>

<<@Miko [Whisper] Can you pick me up at the Gold's Gym in Lake Union later this morning? Then we can meet Mel, perhaps some of the others at Collins Pub for lunch.>>

[Fenris]

Friday, May 5th, 2073@08:00 PST - Small apartment near Puyallup

The soft chirping in his head pulls him away from the screamsheets that littered his field of view in AR. A thought centers the message, and a slight nod accompanies the affirmative response he sent, a rueful shake of his head accompanying the thought about the money he stilled owed Falcone.

He's not a bad man to work for, but I'd rather have the option of saying no without worrying about the interest..

Message sent, he spoons another mouthful of the oatmeal-and-strawberry flavored soy into his mouth, following it with a slight grimace. The new recipe he'd downloaded had promised more realistic flavor, even on older machines, but it was still a far cry from the real thing. It seemed to firm his resolve, however, and he drew the collection of tabloids and real newsfeeds into his view again, making notes to correlate events and details, annotating the stories to maintain and continue building the general web of knowledge that would be useful to someone in his trade, someone that needed to talk to people. He was still new enough to Seattle that he couldn't filter very well, and it took him two or three times as long to collate the kind of information he was used to getting back home. Well, one had to start somewhere, and steady work helped while he got acquainted enough.

When the message came in from Whisper, he gave a small smile and sent a much warmer response than the brief affirmation he'd sent to their employer.

"I'd be delighted, of course. When and where?"

An hour or so before lunch was scheduled, he was shrugging into the tight-fitting vest and the nearly skin-tight form fitting armor, brushing the dark hair back and out of his face as he settled the pieces around his body, checking the fit in the mirror to ensure nothing was visible beneath the fairly expensive suit and the long coat. The knives were tucked away, with the batons a little more obvious. They shouldn't really earn him more than the occasional glance, though. A few minutes walk put him far enough away from the apartment to avoid easy location, and the cab he called didn't bat an eye at the cetified credstick he offered for payment. He wasn't exactly in an area of town that would be surprised by that sort of precaution.

[Buddha72]

Friday May 5th, 2073 - 1:30 pm

"Alright hold it right there while we set the biometric data. Try not to move too much so the system can get a clean capture. With this model we will be able to create a fully interactive avatar that will have the small imperfections that people have. That asymmetry that we look for and register on an unconscious level - one eye lower than the other or a nose that's just a little too short for the face."

Kimi tries to keep the smirk from her face as the technician tells her how her less than perfect face will be more appealing to visitors to interact with at the various AR nodes being set up to ease tour goers through the various sites on the island. She is dressed in a sleek and stylish business suit of a blazer and full length skirt in warm earth tones and natural fabrics. Her voice is dry and flat as she responds.

"That's comforting. I thought I was plain looking but apparently I'm just out of proportion and abnormal like everyone else."

He looks up and the red hot blush spreads over his features as he locks eyes with her. The small interface he holds in his hand beeps and chimes grabbing his attention again. He looks quickly down and a series of AROs spin out around him as he begins to manipulate them. His voice is shaky but sticks to his script for the recording.

"Sorry. Can you go over the intro speech PR sent over to you yesterday? Use whatever version is the most recent since they mentioned several rewrites happened since the project was approved."

She smiles and pauses a moment before speaking out loud. Her voice is friendly and welcoming, the rhythm is easy and flowing.

"Welcome to Council Island. If this is not your first visit please select the appropriate icon and I will download the current events happening today and any advisories in effect. If this is your first visit then allow me to show you an overview of the area and highlight a few points of interest that you should make sure to see before your departure. As you can see....."

She stops as the technician holds up this hand indicating she should stop. He nods as he looks over several read outs hovering around him as the sensory data is taken in and broken down.

"Perfect! That should be more than enough for the emulator to extrapolate your tones and facial expressions. Thank you Ms. Numees. I'll let you know if I need any more captures or data sets."

She nods and waves as she exits the room and makes her way back to her suite taking a moment to admire the lobby of the hotel as she leaves the make shift media lab set up in the conference room. She nods and smiles at the various employees she knows as she strides confidently to the main bank of elevators. She holds the door for an older couple and tucks herself in the corner out of the their way. She excuses herself as she exits on her floor.and makes her way to her suite of rooms.

As she opens the door she hears the high pitched whine of a household drone as it darts past her on an erratic course and slams into a small table knocking over the tasteful lamp on it to the floor. She winces at the sound and slowly closes her eyes as she enters and shuts the door behind her. The drone ricochets off the small side table and dives under the couch. The hiss and growl follows as a sleek furry shape exits up and over the back of the couch, launching itself over the coffee table onto a chair.

Why do you antagonize them? It only makes it that much harder for me to live here and I have to replace or repair anything that gets wrecked in the process.

She feels the glee and contempt flow back through the link to her as the drone whirls out again and slams into the chair causing the cat to jump towards her bedroom and bolts out of sight. She breathes out the tension and frustration while easing the walls inside her mind and connects with flows of resonance all around her. The message from Falcone is received along with the team message. She opens a small window in her mind and composes a reply.

<<@Team[Kimi]: Sorry everyone got the notification late so I obviously won't be there but I will see you at the meet. >>

With the message sent, she closes the link as she walks through the doorway into her bedroom to see the drone trying to knock over her dresser in vain where Nuttah is perched looking down at it. She opens the closet and grabs an overnight bag ready and prepared for these occasions. She walks back towards the main room and tosses the bag towards her front door. While accessing her commlink and calling for a car to meet her in front in 15 minutes, she opens a small can of cat food and empty it into a small dish on the counter.

Food is here as usual and I may not be back tonight so keep that in mind while you torment the sprites or the AI.

Again her only answer is a wave of sadistic joy and recognition from the bedroom as she leaves the suite. She retraces her steps back to the lobby and meets the luxury car that awaits her. The valet opens the door as she approaches and she adds a tip electronically to his account for the service. She sees the knowing smile as he gets sight of her overnight bag in her hands. The pleasant fiction she has spread of an artist lover living across the bridge and somewhere in the Ork Underground seems have taken root. She smiles happily and slides into the back seat sending the address to the driver via her commlink.

The ride is short and uneventful as she crosses the bridge. She watches the lush greenery of the island give way to the sleek urban landscape of the city. The large open views diminish to slices of sky and splashes of green between tall buildings. They arrive at the drop off spot and she exits the car in front of a nice local eatery. She adds another tip, this time to the driver's account as she waves goodbye. She pops inside the business long enough to pick up her to-go order, enough for a robust meal for two young lovers in throes of courtship and makes her way beneath the streets. She weaves her way through the crowds of pedestrians as she shifts to hidden mode as she makes her way to the small rented storage unit. Ducking into an entrance and makes her way to her unit. She reaches out for it with her mind and opens the door allowing her to slide inside in one easy motion.

The interior lights up with her entrance showing a motorcycle, a rolling rack of clothes, small table with a single chair, a footlocker and a full length mirror propped against a wall. She quickly removes the suit she is wearing and begins to put on her working gear. Looking in the mirror to make sure she is satisfied with the final look of her clothing. She wears her hair loose and removes the contacts from her eyes, the vibrant green is now electric without the lenses to subdue the pigments in her eyes. She reaches out to the subtle nano tattoos she wears and directs them to flow into a new configuration on her body. She looks it over one more time before moving to her bike and grabbing the take out bag. She rolls the bike out the garage style door and pushes it towards the street, pausing to gently hand the food to a homeless orc. She brings her fake ID online while deactivating her SIN and places it in passive mode. She hops on and makes her way into the flow of traffic.

She had just enough time to swing by and see Rikik before going to the meet. He should be able to tell her how to get to the place too if she was lucky. She keeps her speed moderate and does her best to blend into the flow of commuter traffic.

[Saytr]

Collins pub 5th ave and olive down town Seattle 1230
Mel:pan=Mick Dooley com=active

Mel takes a seat at the pub being th first to arrive gets a table that will seat everyone. Ordering a sandwich and fighting the urge to order a beer he knows there isn't time to indulge and do the job righ so fighting to drive the wagon a little longer he orders a ice tea. His collapsable baton in his pocket and vest under his leather jacket and denim jeans and blue helmet his muscle hidden beneath his clothes he looked the part of a legit business man just enjoying a bike ride no gang marking and no bulges that would indicate a hidden pistol.

[Thanee]

Friday, May 5th, 2073 09:30 - Miko's Penthouse, Downtown, Seattle

Miko spends a lot of time on the rooftop over her penthouse. It's such a pleasant and calming place. The small garden that has been arranged there is very tidy and well-cultivated. Walkways seperate the areas, where herbs and vegetables grow. Small trees offer protection against the sun, if it ever shines in Seattle, which is a rare occurance these days. A shield of glass on top keeps off the rain. Normally you might think, that rain is exactly what the plants need, but not the acid rain in Seattle. Instead, the irrigation is done via a system of small pipes, but Miko also takes care of it herself when she is here, making sure that every plant is getting enough water. Sometimes, she gets herself a helping hand by summoning a spirit that takes the form of an old japanese gardener. The garden not only gives her the luxury of real food, it is also a place where she connects to the spirit world. A small shrine has been built into one corner of the garden behind a red Torii, which symbolises the gateway to the place of worshipping the Kami. Miko goes here to meditate and to gain insight.

<< @Azzo [Miko] Ohayou gozaimasu, Azzo-san. I can certainly do that. At what time will you be ready? >>

[ Spoiler ]

Good morning, Azzo.

[Redjack]

==> Friday, May 5th, 2073@09:31 PST - Gold's Gym, Lake Union, Downtown District, Seattle Metroplex
==> Comlink Mode = Passive; SIN = Ricky Samborno

<< @Miko [Azzo] Ohayou gozaimasu, Miko-san. How about 11am? See you then!>>

Given the time of day, the clientele at the gym were an eclectic mix of mostly soccer moms, young adults still sponsored by their parents or who worked evening jobs and the odd retiree. After a run and a circuit through several machines, he makes his way to the boxing ring. He recognized an athletic young man named Mick, or Mitch or perhaps Mike; He really didn't care about a name. The kid is quick and tough. Azzo had sparred him before. The kid's skill is moderate at best, but was augmented either with ware or mana or perhaps drugs. That too didn't matter to Azzo. What did matter was that the kid was one of the better fighters here, at least at the moment.

A hot shower felt good, washing away the hard earned sweat. He almost felt guilty about laying out Mitch, but he'd landed a lucky shot that amped Azzo up. In the end, no permanent damage, but he'd revealed a little more of his potential to the guy than he generally liked to. He dismissed thoughts of permanently erasing the display for two reasons: First, he wasn't operating that deep. Second, he'd have to take out everyone who was in the room as well the the security video. Perhaps only the second reason...

==> Friday, May 5th, 2073@11:00 PST - Miko's Car, Edge of Gold's Gym Parking Lot, Lake Union, Downtown District, Seattle Metroplex
==> Comlink Mode = Active; SIN = Michael Roberts

He placed his working pack and case in Miko's trunk, then locked his sedan before climbing to the passenger seat.
Konnichiwa. Genki? {Hello. How are you?}

Two hours till meeting the team 15 to 30 minutes travel plus parking time to the pub.
"We have time to make a quick trip into the Underground. Give me a chance to hear some more native Or'zet. So ka?"
As they are leaving the parking lot, he activates the spoof chip and changes the SIN loaded on his comlink.

[Thanee]

Friday, May 5th, 2073 11:00 - Gold's Gym Parking Lot, Lake Union, Downtown District, Seattle Metroplex

Miko slowly rolls onto the parking lot in her heavily armored SUV. Its combat capability is obfuscated by its red color dotted with stylized white cherry blossoms, however.

"Watashi wa genki desu. Arigato!"

[ Spoiler ]

I'm fine. Thank you!

"Get in, please!"

The inside of the Rover is high class. The black leather seats are very comfortable.

As usual, Miko does not wear anything even remotely japanese. She is a big fan of western fashion and therefore dresses that way pretty much always. Right now, she has chosen a very casual look with jeans and a red hooded sweat jacket over a simple white tee.

[BishopMcQ]

Team

Lunch is fairly uneventful with Miko pushing away the attention of a smiling troll in an executive cut suit. After lingering over drinks, the team parts ways to complete errands before the meet.

The Top Side
Friday May 5, 2073 1700

The restaurant is decorated with a nautical theme, with fishing nets, lobster traps, and floats, as you walk in. It is fairly quiet, dead for a Friday night in the eyes of those used to Downtown. Three sisters are alternating between the hostess and server roles at the four tables with people.

"Thank you Mr. Ciarnello, but that is far too generous..."

The youngest sister, a full-figured blonde in her early twenties, clears the nearest table of several plates...and her thigh of an exploring hand. The sister leading you to Falcone's waiting table, pointedly looks in the other direction as she passes the entire exchange. You see an AR display hovering above an open menu in the fixer's hands.

"Excellent timing. I ordered a pitcher of iced tea and water for everyone. Please sit down."

Once the hostess leaves, a hum fills the air as white noise begins to pump out of Falcone's wheelchair.

"I have a client who is looking to acquire new talent for a project. She has particular needs though and is hoping for some help with the headhunting, including the recruitment pitch. There is a 25,000 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) finders fee for the perfect candidate to accept the position. Are you interested?"

[Thanee]

Friday, May 5th, 2073 17:00 - The Top Side, Seattle

Miko is dressed in stylish business attire, short jacket, knee-length skirt and blouse, accentuating her slim waist, and complemented with a pair of red pumps.

She waits for the white noise generator to kick in, before she bows towards their host as a gesture of courtesy. "Good evening, Falcone-san."

Then she takes a place at the table.

As the talk quickly switches to biz, Miko just nods at the offer, leaving the negotiations to Charles.

[Redjack]

==> Friday, May 5th, 2073@17:00 PST - The Top Side, Snohomish District, Seattle Metroplex
==> Comlink Mode = Passive; SIN = Ricky Samborno

Lunch was quieter than Azzo had expected, but he had little to say either; once the run was laid out, there would be plenty to say... or so he thinks before hand.

His form fit comfortably hidden under his relax-fit jeans, loose fitting shirt and his old, but field-polished boots, Azzo is a contrast to the business look Miko presents. He waits for the Miko & Kimi to greet Falcone before extending his hand for a firm, but not crushing, handshake. "Evening."

He then takes a seat, pours himself a tea, silently offering to pour for his team mates as well. I sure need the nuyen towards the bills, but the only kind of head hunting I know is the one where its served on a silver platter. This will either be a milk-run or the hardest job yet.

[Buddha72]

Friday May 5th, 2073 - The Top Side, Seattle

Kimi, while not quite dressed properly, still seemed very at ease with her surroundings. She smiled at the staff she met and easily fell in step with the rest of the team. A little too urban and inner city for this particular place, she took it in stride or just didn't seem to care all that much. She smiles openly at seeing Falcone and clasps his forearm like he was a fellow tribesman rather than a fixer and gives it a firm shake before sliding into a seat. As she speaks she nods to the other team members seated at the table.

"Nice as always to see you."

She raises an eyebrow at the offer and looks to see what Charles will do next. The steps to this dance fascinated her each time she witnessed it. Would he start off aggressive or would be seem polite but uninterested? Would Falcone see thought the ruse or play out his own stratagem? They would enact a struggle no less real or meaningful than the hunts Mato sent her on but with no one the wiser at the next table over. It was a magic all their own and she respected it deeply.

[Saytr]

Friday May 5th, 2073 - The Top Side, Seattle
Mel

Mel was still full from the bite they grabbed earlier. Looking forward to getting back into work, however this was a particular request. none the less he held his xrink in his hand nodding in agreement to accept the upfront conditions , the others would to the talking for payout, he had not acquired the silver tongue.

[BishopMcQ]

The Top Side
Friday May 5, 2073 1710

Falcone smiles at the transition to negotiations. It was always a strong suggestion that the job was accepted on the broad strokes, if payment was the sticking point.

Across the room, the waitress has extricated herself from her groping customer. While Charles and Miko negotiate, the rest of the team can see the man's gaze has settled on the ephemeral woman. His fingers tap idly along his commlink.

[Thanee]

Friday, May 5th, 2073 17:10 - The Top Side, Seattle

Miko watches Falcone and waits for a moment to help Charles in the negotiations, but it quickly becomes clear, that the frenchman had other plans in mind.

He catches her on the wrong foot, when he tosses the ball over to Miko to run the negotiations, and for a short moment, her concentration wavers, but luckily she can recover her nerves and make some use of her mesmerizing charisma.

"Yes, we are interested. Please, continue and let us know the details of this assignment."

[Redjack]

==> Friday, May 5th, 2073@17:00 PST - The Top Side, Snohomish District, Seattle Metroplex
==> Comlink Mode = Passive; SIN = Ricky Samborno

Azzo's job in the negotiations is to watch everything else except the negotiations. While the young women draw his attention, his professional streak is fighting to keep everything else in perspective. Falcone's distraction with them as well as the customer's liberties are drawing too big a percentage of his focus. His military training raises a hair, causing him to take a second look at his surroundings.

[BishopMcQ]

Azzo

With a quick glance around the room, it is clear that people at all four tables are watching Miko. Some are trying to be subtle with their pointing and gesturing for others to look. The man, Mr. Ciarnello, is the only one who is unabashedly staring. You watch as his elevator stare works up and down her body. Both men at the table with him have the slight bulges of armored vests beneath their shirts.

[Saytr]

Friday, May 5th, 2073@17:00 PST - The Top Side, Snohomish District, Seattle Metroplex
Mel

mel's old cop behavior takes over noticing everything else going on between the mr. falcone and and charles he notices miko getting a lot of attention and the stares from other tables. the gropping fool with two others will more than likely make a bad desicion, until he makes it though he has to act as though nothing has happened. seeing Azzo's itch start to take effect he leans over to azzo while still in his chair. "relax, she is a beautiful creature to be sure. she is bound to get attention where ever we go, the other tables are acting normal the only one who might be dissapointed before we leave here is the idiot who was fondonling the help as we leave. right no we have a job to do so lets get the details of it and than if dummy makes a move education will be in order."

[Buddha72]

Kimi watches the exchange between Azzo and Mel with a half smile. She leans forward to join the conversation.

"Before you swell with testosterone you might want to check if she needs the help in the first place and even if she does, check who you are going to give an education to. This might be a place where powerful and connected men do business, for example, and you could be hitting a man who knows disreputable types like criminals. Criminals who do unsavory things for just a handful of nuyen, like say shooting people who hit their employers."

She leans back and keeps the smile on her face trying to keep things looking normal and casual to observers, of which thanks to Miko, there would always be many.

[Fenris]

He'd taken his seat and chatted amicably with both Falcone and the group until the real business of the meet started, asking after Hafiz and a few other more legitimate, public ventures Jarone was involved in.

His standard smile widens slightly as he waits patiently through the pause for the obvious shift in the person heading up the negotiations, letting Miko take the lead with Falcone. Assuming no one had mis-read the man's preferences, Miko would likely always be the better negotiator would those that could be interested in her, even if they weren't actually interested in doing anything.

The benefit of distraction, if not outright arousal, I assume, he muses, his trust in his team member's competence allowing him to let the environment fall away as he focused on the conversation, adding the occasional comment about perceived difficulty or danger where he could to help build Miko's for the request for a higher payment or some additional recompense.

[Redjack]

==> Friday, May 5th, 2073@17:05 PST - The Top Side, Snohomish District, Seattle Metroplex
==> Comlink Mode = Passive; SIN = Ricky Samborno

Azzo does not allow his focus on the surroundings to waver as the side conversation ensues; he elects to remain silent and allow Kimi to talk to Mel while he continues his role watching the suroundings.

[BishopMcQ]

The Top Side
Friday May 5, 2073 1730

Negotiation points go back and forth across the table. Falcone agrees to increase the fee to 30,000 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) and can say that the job has a two week window with multiple candidates to choose from. Those are all the details he is able to part with until he has a firm acceptance of the contract.

Ciarnello and his two compatriots head out of the restaurant. Several minutes later, the throaty roar of an oversized engine rumbles through the restaurant and the windows tremble slightly. The waitress that was being fondled is nowhere in sight, but her sisters continue to work and balance the few other tables with customers.

Miko

An ARO pops into your view a few seconds after the three men leave.

<<@Keiko [C] When you finish dinner, meet me at the Bawdy Lass for a round on me.>>

[Fenris]

<<@Team [Charles] - Seems like a reasonable offer, though I'd like to add a rider for potentially increasing the price if we find a candidate that the client is willing to pay more to extract from a more complicated situation. Anyone need anything else before we agree?>>