Game Face [2075: Game World], Persistent World [SR5] IC Sub-Thread Options

[Aria]

Game Face
[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]

Silk stepped out onto the elaborate balcony on the glittering spire just south of Lake Union. She breathed in the fresh northern wind that washed away the sticky heat of the streets far below, idly watching the ripples in the infinity pool below her. She had asked Aria to find her somewhere nice to meet her new team and the whimsical hacker had booked her into this luxurious penthouse suite that had probably housed visiting dignitaries from both Tirs and other nameless powers. Silk briefly hoped that the runners knew enough to dress the part or they wouldn’t make it past the officious staff on the front desk.

As the sun dipped behind the far mountains it cast a red gleam across the face of the huge Aztechnology pyramid to the east and Silk was filled with an uneasy premonition of things to come. The webs that Aria and her band of conspirators had wrapped Silk up in weren’t binding her tightly yet but given how much her life had changed in the last few years she wouldn’t be surprised if their subtle tugs had already altered her path in unforeseen ways.

Finding the body of her mother had plunged Silk back into the shadows five years ago and her quest for answers was still unfulfilled. Following her mother’s footsteps, she had abandoned the life of a good little student with career prospects in the intelligence industry or some corp sec team, and become a runner in a bid to find the truth. Now though, instead of running the shadows herself, she had inherited a readymade fixer network from Argent. Instead of dancing to someone else’s tune she now, at least, manipulated the tempo for herself. Her gift for reading the Patterns in events had allowed her to carve a successful little empire and she was known as a purveyor of quality information and disinformation. She saw much more of the picture now than she had ever done as an infiltrator, enough to be quietly afraid of the hints she had gleaned of Aria’s plans.

She was tantalisingly close to finding the truth about her mother, perhaps this new runner team would be the ones to bring her the last pieces of the puzzle that would allow her to finally act.

She turned back inside, smoothing the cocktail dress across her hips and analysing the AR feeds from the security feed to provide a three dimensional mirror of herself. The disguise subtly masked her true features, making her appear more Hispanic than she was. The AR visor concealed her eyes which otherwise would be an unmistakably recognisable feature. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust the runners but she hadn’t survived this long without a measure of caution.

They had performed well in the last three milk runs that she had set up for them but VR meets could only tell her so much about them and it was time to meet in the flesh. She could have chosen somewhere like Penumbra as her mother would have once done but she preferred to control the terrain and this place was expensively anonymous and secure.

Silk didn’t like the trappings of power that required ever present security guards and so had come alone, relying on the security presence in the hotel and her own skills to protect her. Gossamer was an exception, riding in the matrix to watch over and warn of any threats.

And here was the first of the runners… it was game time.

[Moirdryd]

[ Thursday July 18th, 2075; One block away from the Hotel, Alley off Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle ]

Clad in attire suitable for the streets, not cheap but no where near the price tags of the glitterazzi flowing in and out of the up-class establishment, Tide leaned against the railing of a fire escape. The building it was attached to was some tech store or other, possibly a branch of NewYou. He hadn't stopped to check. The dull amber lenses of his cliche'd wrap arounds flowed with data and AR overlays, pop ups and all manner of cyberspace visual noise. With a few blinked commands and a tap on his commlink he ditched the majority of what was presented in the HUD.

His stance was relaxed and casual, just as if he came out and stood in this very spot every night, and that was the secret of it. Hiding in plain sight none of the people passing on the busy street a few short meters away payed him even a cursory glance as he leaned there studying the hotel. Although inwardly he cursed. The security was tight, tighter in fact because of the Tir delegations and trying to blend in that crowd would require a tailor and nuyen both beyond his immediate means. He could appreciate the fixer's choice of venue for those same reasons, but it made life harder. Of course it also meant that by inviting them here to meet this Silk was both big time herself and possibly extending that invitation to himself and the others.

The others... It'd been a couple of weeks and he shuddered at the thought of Dog coming here. Preston and Hatter would look a little out of place perhaps, but not so much that it would show and Violet, well, she could handle herself. He smiled a little as he pictured the human woman, she was dangerous in a whole list of ways. They all were.

He rose from the casual lean he had been in for the last hour or so and dropped lightly over the side of the fire escape framework, hitting the ground with barely a sound or displacement of the detritus that had been shoved 'out of sight and mind' of the main streets. Tugging on his armoured coat to let the shallow breeze cut through some of the stifling heat and humidity he stepped out to join the ebb and flow of metahumanity towards the fancy sleek and glittering hotel building.

[AlDaRoN]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]

Preston got off his bike and looked at the hotel entrance and heaved a sigh of resignation. He felt uncomfortable, his rental suit felt tight around his neck and the armor vest made him feel unprotected. He had tried to keep it as casual as possible (looking like a corp wageslave would be a stain to his honor) without calling too much attention to himself. But the worst feeling came from the lack of his two heavy pistols, he felt too light without their weigth in his sides, at least he still had the much more concealable Fichettis in his person.

As he stepped inside the lobby he saw how wrong he was when he thought that he could blend in with this people, but he couldn't turn away now so he pressed on toward the elevators trying to look like he belonged. He had hoped to see Violet somewhere around. She would surely make things easier for him, but she was nowhere to be found, non of the others where either and that was probably for the best. By themselves maybe each of them could pass unnoticed, together they would be an instant security alert in a place like this.

As he walked the impressive length of the lobby, he started checking the security, marking them in his HUD as he went along. He did it mostly out of habit, usually the knife in the back came after the run, not before. Silk had proven herself so far as a reliable fixer, but she had a more remote style. He was curious to see what had made her changed her ways.

The elevator ride seemed to take forever despite it's high speed. "She sure picked an expensive suite, if I go much higher I'll need and oxygen tank to help me breathe.". He felt the deceleration in his gut and he tense himself as the doors opened. He half expected a couple of guards, but there was no one. The hallway was empty. He reached the door of the suite and knocked. He didn't want to be the first one to get there, but he was always the first. Punctuality was a curse.

[Moirdryd]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]

Tide moved with an unhurried pace, letting the flow of bodies carry him, even here the streets were full. He stepped out of the press as he neared the hotel, the crowds thinning in the immediate area, giving way to private cars and luxury taxis alike. There was plenty of corporate cut ballistic cloth walking around out here and his tinted glasses looked less out of place than he'd thought. Security was tight but overlapping with hotel and personal security teams both occupying the outer foyer as well as a KE presence on the streets backing up their own private contracts. With the comings and goings it was far more likely that the idividual person, floor or suite would be better guarded than this mix mash that he passed through up the steps to the main doors.

He took the time to cue up Passion Sinclaire's latest revamp of the Sapphire franchise in his AR display and shifted his sword to a far more obvious and awkward position. He would have to make enquires at the desk to get up to the rooms being used by Silk. He fixed a smile on his face as he stepped through the doors feigning a level of distraction from the sim flick playing inside his glasses. He was sure that was Preston getting into that elevator, the man had a thing for timing, as he made his way to the reception/security desk. He got the room number and checked his sword for safe keeping making mention of 'memorabilia' and making small talk with the other Tir elves nearby as he was cleared for the room level as well has having a good froth about the new Sinclair flick. The display hopefully efficient enough to divert attention away from his attire as a fanboy dressing up (or down) as part of his obsession.

With his presence cleared he ramped the volume up a bit on his flick output and headed for the elevator bank, being asked to turn it down by a few folks and the secguard at the elevators. The request he complies with. The elevator doors close and the people who had noticed him at all soon forget about the 'Runner movie fanboy elf who'd just wandered by looking 'authentically shabby'.

[Trigger]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]
Hatter

This is the kind of place I would have stayed while on vacation before... Hatter's thoughts started to get away from him as he pulled his shiny gold and black Hyundai Shin Hyung into a parking structure across the street from the uptown hotel. His little street racer was more of an urban car than this district often had on its streets, but he had seen at least a few others being driven around by corporate brats to not feel like he was drawing undue attention to himself. He paid the ridiculous parking fees while hiding his grimace 25 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) an hour?! and pulled into one of the corner spots while bringing up the local bus schedule in a small window in his eyes. He had done a few jobs for Silk before, trusted her more than your run of the mill, working from a dive bar Fixer, but his paranoia was well earned and he wasn't taking any chances.

He adjusted the off the rack Neo-Tribal suit that he picked up the occasion as he got out his car, chosen to help his unspiked long black mohawk not stand out like a troll at a Humanis meeting. His datajack gleamed a polished chrome at his exposed temple, and his cybereyes scanned the parking lot through flat, gold irises. He thought he looked like a sell out, a wild U of W graduate on his way to his first big corporate interview, although he doubted a student would have a heavy Ares Predator slung in a concealed holster under his coat like he did, or a thoroughly field tested armor vest underneath that. Combine those and his cyberdeck in its custom pouch in the crook of his back (and connected to his second gleaming datajack, positioned right between Lumbar 1 & 2), and he felt as prepared as he could be for such a meeting.

His entrance into the lobby is as unremarkable as he could hope for, his own paranoia giving him the right air of nervous energy that the rest of his attire conveys. Just a kid, stepping into the adult world, trying to fit in. It wasn't too long ago that he wouldn't have had to try to give this impression, but a lot can happen in a few short years. He can see Tide wading through the crowd by the elevator and he can tell from across the lobby that the adept has his trid playing way too loud for such an establishment and cracks a smile at the elf's ability to blend in by standing out. He crosses to the small in-lobby coffee shop and waits in the five minute queue to order a soy vanilla latte before heading over to the lobby desk to ask about the room number for Miss Silk and his interview. It would have done no good for either his or Tide's cover stories to have come straight here before heading up, when Tide had obviously just been here for the same room. Hatter thanks the concierge with a clumsy bow, nearly spilling his latte, and walks towards the elevators with a nervous smile. Now, onto business

[phlapjack77]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]
Dog

dig place, dis. i couldn't reckon me kla whun i got wivvin range hof da hotel. da air wuz stumpa wiv da scents hof da rich an' powerful. hit wuz so overpowerin i had to turn me cybersnout down to it's lowest settin. i knew fo sho dat i wasn't gwaan in da front door - if da cameras an' security guards didn't stop me, da cyba scanners surely iz gona. i needed to chek da bak door, somewhere less guarded an' used by da staff. lookin around, i decided to sneak through da alleys surroundin da place to chek wot I could chek.

da suddink thump ahead hof me startled me sumfink mingin, an' i quickly dove into da surroundin garbage hof da overflowin dumpsta. evun wiv da riot hof stinks all around me, i could pik tide's scent hout hof da lineup anywhere. wus e doin in da house? i watched from me camouflaged posishun as tide sauntered into da hotel's main entrance. e wuz dressed fit snazzy, probably didn't as any aggro gettin' past da security. I wuz on me own in da house. heavy to nah dere iz gona be friendly faces inside though. is coz i is narsty?

whun da westside siiiide wuz clear i climbed hout hof da dumpsta an' circled around to da bak hof da hotel just in bells to chek da massiv bag (laundar, by da stench hof it) bein carried hout by da small drone. boostin me reflexes fe da moment, i wuz able to slip through da closin door an' into da bak room, findin meself inside da loud noisy bowels hof da hotel's laundry yard. from in da house, all i had to do wuz chek me way to da chav flat accordin to da invite i'd bin sent da day before...

[ Spoiler ]

Fancy place, this. I couldn't believe my nose when I got within range of the hotel. The air was thick with the scents of the rich and powerful. It was so overpowering I had to turn my cybersnout down to it's lowest setting. I knew for sure that I wasn't going in the front door - if the cameras and security guards didn't stop me, the cyber scanners surely would. I needed to find a back door, somewhere less guarded and used by the staff. Looking around, I decided to sneak through the alleys surrounding the place to see what I could find.

A sudden thump ahead of me startled me something awful, and I quickly dove into the surrounding garbage of the overflowing dumpster. Even with the riot of smells all around me, I could pick Tide's scent out of a lineup anywhere. What's he doing here? I watched from my camouflaged position as Tide sauntered into the hotel's main entrance. He was dressed pretty snazzy, probably didn't have any trouble getting past the security. I was on my own here. Good to know there would be friendly faces inside though.

When the coast was clear I climbed out of the dumpster and circled around to the back of the hotel just in time to see a large bag (laundry, by the smell of it) being carried out by a small drone. Boosting my reflexes for a moment, I was able to slip through the closing door and into a back room, finding myself inside the loud noisy bowels of the hotel's laundry center. From here, all I had to do was find my way to the penthouse according to the invite I'd been sent the day before...

[Thanee]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]
Violet

While it wasn't the street anymore, Violet's lifestyle still wasn't the kind where she could afford a lot of fancy clothes. So she put on the best she had, a matching set of blouse, pants and a very short jacket, knowing that the place they were invited to would require attention to one's attire. She fumbled around with the electrochromics for a good while before she decided to go with something classic. White was a color that looked pretty good on her in general. So innocent, hardly fitting, but it never hurt when others thought that way. The high heels and low cut make her dress look a lot less innocent, of course, but it was a perfect mix between the two extremes. It would also help turning the attention away from the fact, that her clothes, while clean and still fairly new, simply didn't cost nearly as much as expected from a typical visitor. Happy with the result, she heads out to get a cab that would bring her into the vincinty, walking the last bit towards the hotel in the Mercer street as if she owned that place.

Walking into the lobby, she takes a look around to assess the situation. Then she purposefully strides towards the elevator, as instructed. Having no weapons or other restricted items on her definitely helps getting past security unmolested, a seductive wink and a knowing smile doing the rest. They probably think that she must be an escort on her way to visiting a client. To be fair, that's pretty much exactly like she looks there with her slender curves and her slightly-below-the-threshold attire.

As she arrives at the top floor, Violet is quite impressed by the look of the penthouse suite. It takes a few moments, before she actually steps forward to get in.

Wow! If this is a sign for what we are going to earn for this run, I am all in already.

"Good evening!"

[phlapjack77]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]
Dog

da quik chek hof da clothes room showed dat dere wuz da hiddun laundry chute dat connected all da floors, sumfink dere as da convenience fe da hotel peeps to dump da laundry in an' as hit end up in da house. meant dey used real meat peeps in da house, not just dem machines. i fe real didn't iz gona dig to be seun, i iz shizzle i'd as security jumpin on me da second one hof da maids screamed whun she seun me. maybe evun af shoot da couple peeps, an' dat iz gona ruin da meet i iz shizzle. soz i glammed to take da quiet way, an' crawled up da laundry chute til i is figured I wuz on da flats level.

when i iz crawled hout an' slumped down on da floor, i begun gettin' traces hof me teammates in da air - yep, dis wuz da place. hof course tide wuz already in da house, i'd noticed i is earlia. an' dere wuz violet, all rosy an' bright wiv dat hiddun trace hof prickles in da air. hatter's sweaty nast scanned mucho about how e wuz feelin, but thun again, yous couldn't blame da geeza - bein paranoid iz meanin yous lived longa in da shadows. yea', dis wuz da floor a'ight.

one lingerin trace in da air stopped me flat cold - i ganted me head slightly to get da betta whiff. not fo realz necessary wiv da cybersnout, but batty habits die ard. dis scent, hit wuz some kind hof oily nast, well faint but must've bin strong enuff to linga dis long...or da main geeza had recently passed through in da house. now where i seen dis before? takin anotha long breath, i realized i wuz standin in da middle hof da hallway frozun dig da statue, opun fe any batty wageslave to spitz by an' sound dey alarum. i dank to push dis last mystery to da bak hof me mind an' followed da togethersome trails to da dig door i knowz must be da place fe da meets.

an i crashed on da door wiv me meat hand, da brain rang out. preston! only e iz gona as dat much, dat type hof oil - burna oil to be precise, da geeza fe real took real carin hof those tings. an' seein i is acshun, dey fo realz priced da worths. so da whole massive wuz in da house thun. dis iz gona be well wizzer forizzle...

[ Spoiler ]

A quick search of the laundry room showed that there was a hidden laundry chute that connected all the floors, something there as a convenience for the hotel staff to dump the laundry in and have it end up here. Meant they used real people here on the staff, not just drones. I definitely didn't want to be seen, I'm sure I'd have security jumping on me the second one of the maids screamed when she saw me. Maybe even have to shoot a couple people, and that would ruin the meet I'm sure. So I decided to take the quiet way, and crawled up the laundry chute until I figured I was on the penthouse level.

As I crawled out and slumped down on the floor, I started getting traces of my teammates in the air - yep, this was the place. Of course Tide was already here, I'd noticed him earlier. And there was Violet, all rosy and bright with that hidden trace of thorns in the air. Hatter's usual sweaty musk spoke volumes about how he was feeling, but then again, you couldn't blame the guy - being paranoid usually meant you lived longer in the shadows. Yeah, this was the floor alright.

One lingering trace in the air gave me pause though - I lifted my head slightly to get a better whiff. Not strictly necessary with the cybersnout, but old habits die hard. This scent, it was some kind of oily residue, very faint but must've been strong enough to linger this long...or the person had recently passed through here. Now where had I encountered this before? Taking another long breath, I realized I was standing in the middle of the hallway frozen like a statue, open for any old wageslave to come by and sound an alarm. I decided to push this last mystery to the back of my mind and followed the intermingling trails to the fancy door I knew must be the place for the meets.

As I knocked on the door with my meat hand, the memory surfaced. Preston! Only he would have that much, that type of oil - gun oil to be precise, the guy really took care of those things. And seeing him in action, I had to admit it seemed well worth the effort. So the whole gang was here then. This would be very interesting indeed...

[Archmike]

Game Face
[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]
Mr Smith

Feeling very much at home Mr Smith got out of the taxi, smoothed down his long coat, pulled his goggles down and examined the AR about the place. Not bad, not bad at all. If the Johnson had rooms in this place he might actually be a decent player. Lifting his goggles again he took a long look at the Astral. Since there didn't seem to be anything about to try and suck he soul out through his eyes he strode purposefully towards the door. Putting a hand to his pocket he felt the reassuring shape of a deck of cards. No guns huh? Like that should matter to a proper player. Guessing who ever this Johnson is knows that as well. We'll see.

Security looked at him the way he was used to. Just another wage slave Elf. Immaculate suit, no guns, run of the mill comlink, no spells up. Everything nice and above board. He was half surprised they didn't fall asleep.

The lift opened on the penthouse and he had to catch himself before he let out a slow whistle. Looks like i was right about this guy. Big player. Wonder if his wallet matches the facade

Looking around he seems to be the last to arrive, sloppy Smith, sloppy lets hope they weren't that far ahead of you.

Smiling his best winning smile
"Evening ladies and gentlemen. Hope I haven't kept you all waiting. "

[Trigger]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]
Hatter

Hatter's hand subconsciously moves towards his jacket as the new elf strides into the room, announcing his entrance with all of the grandeur of Aztechnology press release. He catches himself before actually laying his hand of the worn grip of his Predator and turns the move into an adjustment of his coat lapel instead Real smooth drek head. Hatter gives the new guy a once over before turning his attention back to the rest of the room, having his cybereyes capture a quick picture of the elf. With a mental command, he brings up another window in his eyes and starts a quick search function across the many databases on the 'Trix, trying to find what information he can on this new guy and especially checking to see if he has any connection to NeoNet.

[Moirdryd]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]

A small grin plays across Tide's lips, both a the new guy's entrance and at Hatter's reaction, although he couldn't blame the decker, everyone was just a little edgy and in the shadows that was a survival trait. He remained leaning against the wall, his eyes sharp behind the amber lenses with the AR feeds now dialled down to nothing and just letting the enhancements to the lenses do their work.

His arms were folded lightly across his chest as he ignored the urging in the back of his mind to keep in motion. Shark hated stillness while Tide kind of liked it. It reminded him of the submersive feeling he had experienced in the deep dreams that had led the spirit to him, or him to it. His fingers flexed in mere reflex and his muscles alternately bunched and released in loosening exercise without any real concious thought to the action. He couldn't keep completely still for long after all.

[Aria]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]

You step out one by one into a palatial glass lobby with real flowering jasmine vines filling the air with an intoxicating scent. Through the double doors large enough that a troll wouldn’t have to duck you can see that the suite is in fact on two levels and you are on a mezzanine overlooking a plush living area. For those of you sensitive to such things you feel the tingle that tells you that you have passed through a powerful ward entering the space.

A glass wall dominates the aspect in front of you spanning both stories and provides a glorious view of an infinity pool and beyond that the majestic wooded slopes leading down to Lake Union and a dusky sky with a hint of starlight. Vast sliding doors are open allowing the sultry heat of the summer evening to waft into the room, any offensive odours of the street masked by your height from the ground and very careful climate engineering.

Walking up a sweeping staircase towards you is a young Hispanic woman, younger than you’d been expecting, in her late twenties perhaps. The figure hugging midnight blue dress shows off her lithe form to perfection. She’s tall with a confident step without appearing arrogant or overbearing.

“Welcome, please come in, I’m Silk…”

***

Silk assessed the runners as they entered. They were a disparate bunch as runners often were. Forced together out of necessity rather than any other bond they never the less had proved themselves. She hoped that the newcomers wouldn’t spoil any delicate rapport that was beginning to form despite themselves. It would be a large group for a typical runner team but it was possible that they wouldn’t all be interested in her job offer. If they were then she had the funds to cover the additional fees and this was important. They were also magic heavy but that shouldn’t be a particular issue where she intended to send them, after that it would be a matter of determining who worked best with who and possibly teaming them with other independent runners to form teams that worked well together and compensated for each other’s weaknesses.

“Can I offer you a drink? Please come down to the lower level and we can make ourselves comfortable…”

[Archmike]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]

...or girl. Making assumptions again Smith. You know what assume did...
Quickly sizing up the lady in front of he takes off his coat and drapes it over one arm revealing an immaculately tailored suit. Moving to the front of the group he walks down the steps towards Silk still wth a smile on his face.

“I'm certain you can offer much more than a drink Miss...Silk was it? However for now I, and I'm certain my new acquaintances here, would very much appreciate a glass of whatever is on offer.

Pulling up short in front of Silk he offers the lady his arm my god this is risky. If she doesn't at least acknowledge the arm I'm going to look rather a fool

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mr Smith and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance" Still smiling.

[ElFenrir]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]


Orion stopped his bike, getting off at the appropriate hotel. While he did not own anything particularly fancy, he swapped to something more presentable than his preferred dress; a pair of jeans, boots, and a simple tight black sleeveless shirt; the July heat was otherwise annoying him.

He sniffed the air in the hotel as he walked toward the elevator, occasionally getting some looks from the people, though he looked like he was keeping to himself. It was his habit to sniff his surroundings, as that could tell one a lot more than just sight, though he was always a type to stay acutely aware of what was going on around him.

A little out of place, but I heard from Tide that there would maybe be some useful work here. Maybe this one will fatten the credstick a bit. Fraggin' animals are hiding in the summer heat more often, not that I blame 'em, and I'm gettin' a bit sick of burgers in a bucket. Would give a lot for a fresh, rare steak again...


He stopped himself from drooling at the thought, but felt fairly calm stepping into the elevator, his mind racing between wishing to go for a swim about now and wondering what the night would have in store.

At least the meet's at night. Bloody hell, I hate those daytime meets.

--

As the tall man arrived in the room, he nodded briefly to the others there, taking a spot by the wall, brushing back his hair. He watched the woman come down the stairs, wondering just what sort of work was in store.

[Aria]

Silk smiled archly at the presumptuous Mr Smith, recognising the one-upmanship games he was playing with the other runners. She briefly toyed with putting him in his place but then decided that she would let this one play out. Placing her fingers lightly on his wrist she felt the fractional slowing of his heartbeat as she accepted his offer…so, confident, but not too confident. The weave of his suit was as expensive as it looked…

The fragrant one must be Dog, the massive arm was unmistakable. Thankfully Gossamer had been able to smooth his entry otherwise his presence anywhere near this prestigious hotel would have brought the Knights running with guns out and leaving questions for later. Silk didn’t entirely trust the animalistic muscle but he was undeniably skilled in dealing damage and he had a natural instinct for stealth which made up for his unpredictability.

She didn’t yet know much about the decker Hatter, but that should be as expected for one who plied his trade on the digital seas. She had found rumours of NeoNet connections and hoped that wouldn’t prove a complication for the upcoming job.

Tide was the first of the followers of Shark, both predatory but in different ways. The tall elf had a hint of a Tir Taingire accent although it probably wouldn’t be detected by any but the most observant. Orion was as tall as the elf despite being human, his parchment white skin and red eyes marking him as a true albino. A lethal pair…

Preston is the honourable warrior amongst them, hopefully his level head will enforce some discipline on the team, that remained to be seen. Having seen some footage of him in action Silk made a mental note to introduce him to Requiem at some point, they could teach each other some things.

Finally there was Violet and Silk wasn’t sure what to make of her. She was undeniably skilled at getting what she wanted and clearly had the kind of mojo that would be needed for this task.

“I asked you here so that we could meet face to face just this once. I prefer the anonymity of matrix meets but equally I want you all to know who you are dealing with and I wanted the chance to meet you all in person too. There are a couple of newcomers here and I’ll allow you to introduce yourselves to each other in a moment for now make yourselves comfortable and we can discuss business in a while..."

[ElFenrir]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]
Orion

Orion stood up taller, abandoning his usual comfortable slouch for a slightly more commanding presence. He moved toward where the rest of the group was, as he sniffed the air several times; he noticed in particular an...interesting smell coming off of the ganger-looking fellow with the large arm. Something that reminded him of a cross of a bar on a Friday night and the Stuffer Shack on a Saturday morning after the hangover brigade stumbled in looking for greasy food and soycaf.

It was an interesting mix along with the rest of the high-class of the place.

Not wanting to seem too out of place with his usual sensing of everything around him, he nodded first to Tide, before turning to the folks he was unfamiliar with to deliver a small bow before standing up straight again.

"Orion. Hopefully you'll find my skills...useful for the work ahead."

His lips pulled back into a small smile.

[Lobo0705]

With the ARO superimposed on her vision flashing to tell her she was late, Natasha stepped from the cab with a few choice curses in Russian. She quickly dismissed the reminder, called up a schematic of the building, shot a quick virtual payment to the cabbie, and set a quick pace across to the lobby of the motel.

So unprofessional, that мудак cancelling on me at the last moment. When this run is over we will have to have a little discussion. Hopefully Silk will not mind a latecomer.

Sweeping in through the front doors, she tries to ignore the subtle stares a very attractive women receives. Ordinarily, she would have entertained one or two of them, looking to see if there were any information she could pick up. It was amazing how easily men talked to a friendly smile from woman, especially about things they should keep their mouth shut about.

As she reached the elevator, she straightened her skirt and jacket. Highly tailored, the Actioneer Line was a perfect blend of style and armor - fashionable enough to fit into a corporate setting, yet armored enough to stop most small arms.
Stepping into the elevator, she quickly hit the Penthouse button and began her normal routine - switching through all her vision modes, cranking her hearing augmentation through the various frequencies, fiddling with the small compartment in her finger where she kept her mono-whip. It was a bit obsessive compulsive, but it was a routine, and routine calmed her.

By the time the elevator reached the top floor, Natasha stepped out looking like she had not a care in the world. She entered the penthouse, noting the runners glance up at her as she entered.

"Silk, my мой дорогой дру - I apologize profusely for my tardiness. Thank you for keeping a spot open for me."

Natasha walks to the bar and begins to pour herself a glass of vodka. She looks over each of the others, letting her glance linger perhaps a second longer over the elf in the expensive suit, and quickly moving on past the ugly one with the oversize mechanical arm. Settling into a chair, and she crosses her legs, tosses back the vodka, and says

"Please continue..."

[Trigger]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]
Hatter

First one and then another and now another after that! Hatter's demeanor nearly visibly sours as each newcomer enters the penthouse, each face he is unfamiliar with, each a potential knife in the back from his former company life. He captures the image of each with his cybereyes as they enter, filing their likenesses away for when he has more time dig into the backgrounds of each. He glances around the gathered runners, wondering what kind of job could require so many hands. Silk could obviously afford the numbers, but he was still curious as to what was to come.

Hatter smiles at the gracious host as she offers refreshments to them all and then narrows his eyes in consternation at gall of the latecomer elf in the expensive suit. I know who I should be keeping my eyes on. Following the others down into the living area of the two story penthouse, Hatter grabs an expensive beer from the wet bar, taking a small sip from it as he sits for the meeting. There was Violet, Preston, Tide, and the muscle bound Dog, all of whom he is familiar with, and then there was Mr. Smith ( Who is this guy, a Johnson wannabe?), Orion the albino who seemed to know Tide, and the new redheaded Russian beauty; if things went south, at least it seemed numbers would be in his favor. With a mental nudge, he composes a quick message and pings it out to the runners he is familiar with.

@Violet, Preston, Tide, & Dog:

[ Spoiler ]

<< You know any of these new faces? Also, why does Silk need so many runners...>>

[Moirdryd]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]

He made his way down following Silk as she led. He flashed a grin at Orion.

"Glad you could make it Omae" he glances around "Although it seems this job has drawn quite the crowd."

His hand flexes again as he walks and the text scrolls across his vision shunted to him from Hatter. He sub-vocalizes a response, the text springing up in his view before he blinks 'SEND' and shooting the transmission back to the decker and the rest of the team he's familiar with.

@ Violet, Hatter, Dog, Preston

[ Spoiler ]

<<Orion is with me Hatter we have a working relationship that should be tight enough even for you. The girl with the Russian accent? No idea. Neither do I know this Mr Smith who's got the fixer on his arm. Silk's done right by us so far, but keep it frosty, ney?>>

His gaze roams across the wide windows and the other doors in the very fancy suit. This was well hell of a job offer or a setup. Knowing the way the world worked probably both somewhere down the line. He ran a hand through his short cut dark hair focusing slightly on the tremors in the air, the reflections and distortions in the glass. Anything that would give away any form of ambush or unannounced visitors. So far nothing.

[AlDaRoN]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]

The parade of new faces threw Preston off balance, his muscles tensed for a second when each one opened the door. But he recovered quickly, Silk seemed to be expecting them so he would give them the benefit of the doubt. He joined the others downstairs and approached each of the newcomers offering his hand with a sincere smile while looking at them straight in the eyes. "Preston, nice to meet you."
He always did that when he met people and it always surprised him how little they liked it, it wasn't like he could read their minds!

The new elf had style but he didn't understand that kind of characters and he would rather avoid them. The big albino on the other hand moved just like Tide, it wasn't any wonder that they knew each other. And although she still looked, and felt, like she could get what she wanted, it's a pity that the russian woman bought those cybereyes, her real ones were probably better.

The deckers question is answered as quickly as it cames with the subvocal mic.

@Violet, Hatter, Dog & Tide

[ Spoiler ]

<<"I don't know any of this people.">>

He moved to the bar and grabed a drink. He was never much of a drinker, but not every day you have free access to expensive booze.

[ElFenrir]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]


Orion chuckled, folding his arms across his chest as he walked next to the elven adept.


"The fact it was in a much higher-end meeting type place made it sound pretty interesting. Maybe a little variety from the usual drek I work from the backrooms of seedy bars."


He proceeded to keep a watch out; his heightened senses trying to pick up anything that may seem awry in the place. The fine spirits smelled wonderfully, but Orion passed for now; he was one to indulge more after a job, and not before. His preference was more for a cup of coffee beforehand, which he wouldn't mind digging up once he got out of here. He wasn't sure what to make of the team yet, but he wasn't one to jump to conclusions too soon, and if Tide-whom he knew was a perceptive fellow himself-worked with them, he figured they were good. He had worked 'large team' jobs in the past, but they were more split up into several smaller groups to spread out to different areas. Time will tell what this one will have in store.

[Archmike]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]


Phew! Well so far so good. He turns to watch the reactions of the rest of the crew in both real and astral realms. ....so a twitchy decker, several awakened types and chromed-up bruiser, nice mix. He looks back at the decker and notes the narrowed eyes. Oh dear, we'll have to do something about that Raising his hand to his head as if scratching an itch on a sideburn he delicately reaches out to Hatter's mind

@Hatter

[ Spoiler ]

It's all for the Johnson chummer, chill your beans (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Noticing Peterson doing the rounds he takes the offered hand returning the smile and the eye contact with a firm handshake and a nod.

"Nice to meet you Mr Peterson, by now you all should have gathered I prefer to go by Mr Smith, would you mind doing me the favour of introducing the rest of our merry band?"

[Aria]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]

Silk deftly steers the conversation away from the current job for the next half hour or so, long enough that you can see some of you are starting to get impatient. She singles you out one by one and gently pulls you aside, asking a few questions…nothing too intrusive but you feel that she is taking the measure of you all.

Eventually she gestures for you to come together again

“No doubt you are all wondering why I’ve brought you together here this evening? I have a job in mind which will require a delicate touch. Something that is personal to me rather than instigated by an outside Johnson…”

With a gesture an ARO springs into life in the centre of the room. It indicates a satellite image of a small building tucked away in the north of Seattle along with blue prints and other tactical data.

“This is a NeoNet data farm in Snohomish…” she goes quiet for moment and then the floating ARO is replaced by the building announcement system

<<Ladies and Gentlemen. This is the Building Management System. A category three fire has been detected in the building, please follow the AROs and make your way to your nearest evacuation point>>

Subtle direction arrows spring up before you and lead towards the discrete fire exit off this floor.

“Gossamer?” Silk queries aloud and a melodious voice replaces that of the gentle alarm system

<<There does appear to be a fire but the cameras are not functioning and I suspect the building grid is under attack. It might be coincidence but it might also be that they have found you…>>

“I don’t believe in this sort of coincidence!” She turns back to you all “I am sorry to cut this short but it seems our party might be interrupted shortly. Are any of you armed? I can provide some weapons if required. I am keen to find out what is going on, can I consider you all on retainer until this is resolved?”

[Lobo0705]

As Silk pulled each of the team aside, Natasha stayed mostly apart. She began to take the measure of each of the others. Clearly from their body language several of the team knew one another - at the very least by rep, if not personally. It was uncomfortable to be one of the few outsiders.

Orion seems friendly enough, and Mr. Smith is also obviously the odd man out - will have to see how to approach them.

The conversation with Silk was pleasant - almost entirely small talk - but Natasha was anxious to find out what she had gotten herself into.

As the BMS blared its warning, she pulled up the schematic of the room - looking for any other entry points besides the way she came in.

"Silk, there are perhaps some visitors you were not expecting, yes? Since you were so generous as to allow me to come late to the party, the least I can do is to be available to help now that I'm here. I did not bring a gun to the meeting - a pistol would not be unappreciated."

As she is speaking, she begins unspooling a monofilament whip from her left index finger.

"Quickly my dear - we may not have much time."

[ElFenrir]

[Thursday July 18th, 2075; The Cirolletisha Hotel, Mercer Street, Elven District, Seattle]

He didn't much mind the discussion. It was good to feel out the people you were potentially employing, after all.

When the alarm blared, he sniffed the air, trying to pinpoint perhaps how bad the smoke was, and how close it was to them. Drek. Already something happens. Shark doesn't much like fire.

At the mention of coming armed, Orion smiled, cracking his knuckles. "Shark has armed me."

His smile takes a slightly predatory air as he flicks his legs, one at a time. Big, nasty looking blades spring from the sides of his huge, heavily reinforced combat boots, positioned in such a way that he could easily kick out a jugular or two. "And I've got some extra teeth of my own." I do wish I had my other teeth with me, but my natural ones will serve me just fine.