Nothing's Free in the Free Zone (IC), Adventure 1: Broken Star Options

[Chrome Head]

Amy, on the road, Aurora Warrens, 11:00 PM, July 29th, 2075

"Good for you, Tony. Most of us down here have trouble getting out. Especially up and out. There's not much to say about me, chummer. Grew up around these parts and now I've got a few more nuyen than I used to. Just trying to keep making a few more without getting into trouble, you know." She smiles, though her mouth is covered. "First time hopping on a Mile High taxi, too, and I like it so far. I'll need you to wait for me for a while where you drop me, if that's okay, so I'll let you choose a safe spot."

[Lobo0705]

Amy, on the road, Aurora Warrens, 11:05 PM, July 29th, 2075

"Mile High is pretty good to work for too. Decent pay, and usually no one messes with you." He pauses as they pass a butcher's shop, with three old men sitting outside it. Tony slows down, and rolls down the window, waving to the men, calling out a greeting in Italian. They continue on and the neighborhood starts to deteriorate.

Tony's smile is gone, replaced by a look of concentration. "Usually - here is one of the exceptions. Hold on - as long as we don't stop we should be fine." He begins to accelerate, and from the back seat Amy can see he is forced to negotiate a slalom course of cars and primitive-looking barricades. Looking out her window, she can see several shapes moving amongst the burned out buildings along the road.

[DrZaius]

UCAS Hub, Inside Club QXT, 10:34 PM, July 29th, 2075

<<@JustJack [Grease] Anything else you want to ask him? I think we're on a timeline here.>>

Jack gives Grease a subtle shake of the head, and Grease nods. "Thank you Mr. Candle; you've been very helpful. I will be sure to let my employer know about your cooperation. Of course, my employer values his privacy. I presume you will forget all about our conversation, won't you?" Paul nods furiously, and Grease smiles. "Excellent. I knew you would be smart about this. If you'll excuse us, I think we will take you up on that free drink at the bar."

with a raise of the eyebrows Grease dismisses Candle, who is more than happy to oblige and scurry away at high speed. Adjusting his sleeves under his jacket, Grease nods to Jack and starts walking casually over to the bar to find Lisa.

[Lobo0705]

UCAS Hub, Inside Club QXT, 10:34 PM, July 29th, 2075

Paul walks out the door as two men, both human, both sporting the same buzzcut hairstyles and mirror shades walk into the room. The strobe bounce off of their bronze shields on their chests, and several patients sort of try to fade into the background at their approach. The men walk into the room and start moving from person to person, conducting quick interviews and SIN checks.

[Jack VII]

UCAS Hub, Inside Club QXT, 10:35 PM, July 29th, 2075

As Paul walked away, Jack and Grease stood up from the booth and walked toward the bar. Jack tapped in a quick message using his AR keyboard.

<<@Grease [JustJack] If Lisa doesn't pan out, we can hit up Paul to pass a message to this Argent guy that we're looking for him on our way out>>

Sending the message, Jack focused himself on their surroundings, letting Grease handle Lisa. The ork noted the arrival of LoneStar with a disappointed glance.

[Chrome Head]

Amy, on the road, Aurora Warrens, 11:05 PM, July 29th, 2075

As they passed through a particularly unwelcoming neighborhood, Amy wondered if this was where ghouls were said to live, also wondering what those things really were. If half of the things people said about them were true, they were truly terrifying and bloodthirsty creatures. Feeling insecure, she checked the astral to see if the great owl was following along.

[Lobo0705]

Amy, on the road, Aurora Warrens, 11:05 PM, July 29th, 2075

Amy shifts her perception to include the Astral plane, and the landscape is tinged with a red hue. Amy has a brief sensation of nausea, and her vision blurs before snapping back into focus. The shapes lope along trying to shadow the car, but Tony is slowly pulling away from them. The owl spirit is there, flying above and behind them, its feather's bristling from the psychic residue. What shocks Amy the most is when one of the creatures looks back at her and clearly can see her Astral form, and lets up a high pitched ululating cry.

The creatures begin to move faster, and Tony responds accordingly, avoiding each obstacle with a skill that can only be found among riggers, making sure they stay well in front of the pack. It is risky, because at this speed, a collision could be fatal, but he soon shoots past the last obstacle, and the creatures seem unwilling to follow him outside their territory.

As they continue down the road, his breathing beginning to slow, he adjusts the mirror with a mental command and says, "Well, that will get your heart going - are you okay back there?"

[Chrome Head]

Amy, on the road, Aurora Warrens, 11:05 PM, July 29th, 2075

Amy's heart is pounding. She remained alert the whole time, and ready to act at a moment's notice. This is crazy.. I can't believe we might have to pass through here again on the return trip.

"I'm.. I'm all right, thanks to you. Can we avoid this area on our way back?"

[DrZaius]

UCAS Hub, Inside Club QXT, 10:35 PM, July 29th, 2075

Walking up to the bar, Grease finds Lisa and waits for her to come by. When she approaches he does his best to seem non-threatening and calm, laying on what charm he has remaining for the evening."I'd like a drink, and some information. Paul suggested you would be accommodating with both." Grease waves his AR display to deposit 100 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) in Lisa's tip pool for the night. "There was a good Samaritan here the other night, name of Argent. I'm looking to speak with him and hear his story about the shooting. Do you know how to contact him?"

[Lobo0705]

Amy, on the road, Aurora Warrens, 11:05 PM, July 29th, 2075

"We can, but that means going all the way around the Warrens and coming back in - otherwise we have to go through Vory territory, and it isn't worth my life traveling through there. The Ghouls are nasty, but they don't have the firepower the Russians do." He sighs. "I don't mind going the long way, but the car is going to register the extra miles, which is going to cost you more money. Probably at least another 40 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) "

He starts to slow down, and says, "While you think on that, we are getting close to your port of call - any place in particular I can drop you off? The Los Mags aren't beefing with the Chavez right now, so I'm okay with anywhere."

[Lobo0705]

UCAS Hub, Inside Club QXT, 10:35 PM, July 29th, 2075

The bartender brightens visibly at the tip - grabbing a bottle from the top shelf and pouring Grease a shot. "How can I help, darlin'?" Her accent is hard to place exactly, sounds like Kentucky or Tennessee. When Grease asks about Argent, she hedges. "I've got his contact number, you don't mean him no harm, do you? He's got a rough exterior, but he's a good man deep down. I ask not only to protect him, but you too - you seem like a nice enough feller and I'd hate to see him muss your hair much."

[DrZaius]

UCAS Hub, Inside Club QXT, 10:35 PM, July 29th, 2075

Grease nods solemnly. "Yes, I heard he's quite capable. I can assure you I mean him no harm; I am working for the family of the slain officer, and any eye witnesses such as himself would be invaluable to my investigation. If Mr. Candle is correct, he may have seen the killers himself which would aid us immensely in tracking them down." Grease downs the shot slowly, savoring it and appreciating the top shelf liquor. As Lisa turns to pour someone else a drink, Grease sneaks a peek at his AR display for his Fly-Spy, seeing where the Lone Star Officers are in their sweep. "Besides, if my story is straight it doesn't sound like he was too fond of them; having taken a few shots at them of his own."

[Lobo0705]

UCAS Hub, Inside Club QXT, 10:35 PM, July 29th, 2075

She waves her fingers and the digits appear as an ARO for Grease to file away in his commlink. The Fly-Spy's window shows the officers starting to move toward the bar, but the crowd on the dance floor is slowing them down.

"Y'all git now - you may be helping out that poor officer's family, but I can tell you don't want to talk to the cops right now. Don't worry, I'll cover for ya. Come back again soon, y'hear?" She moves over to another customer at the bar, and says something in his ear. He smiles, picks up his beer and staggers toward the two officers. Jack and Grease take the hint nodding to Lisa on the way out as they skirt around the dance floor. The "drunken man" trips and falls at the feet of the officers, holding on to them as they help him to his feet, allowing Grease and Jack to walk out the front door.

[Chrome Head]

Amy, on the road, Aurora Warrens, 11:05 PM, July 29th, 2075

"I'll pay extra to go around if it's safer. And I really need you to wait for me, so I'll pay you double for all the time of your wait. It'll be part of your tip for excellent driving, Tony," says Amy. "You can go ahead and park on 2nd Avenue. I don't know how long it'll be till I come back. Here's what I owe you so far." She adds a generous tip to the amount before heading off on foot towards Sable Blvd.

[Always Overkill]

UCAS Hub, Outside Club QXT, 10:35 PM, July 29th, 2075

Drave stood down the street around a corner and casually watched Lone Star entering QXT from the view provided to him by his Fliegegeheimagent flying outside the club. "Zu spat," he said to himself with a grin. But even as he grinned, Drave was frustrated with himself. Frustrated that he had put his crew into that tight of a spot on what should have been an easy data-grab. He had not expected to find such advanced encryption in the Host of a nightclub; but even with that in mind, Drave knew he could have done better. He should have done better, it wasn't just his ass he had to keep safe. Screwing up like that again could land them all in hot water if he was in a serious Host.

As he further considered his missteps in the Matrix that night, he realized the show was over at the club and called his Fliegegeheimagent back to him. "Danke" he whispered to the little drone as it flew into one of his pockets. He then continued walking down the street toward Union Station. Once there, he casually waited to meet Jack and Grease after their business was through.

[DrZaius]

UCAS Hub, Outside Club QXT, 10:35 PM, July 29th, 2075

Shuffling through the club at a hurried but casual looking pace, Grease and Jack slip out without having to test their fake SINs against Lonestar's heightened security measures.

Have to remember the security response in an area like this is pretty snappy; interesting that murder remained unsolved..

As he's exiting the building Grease makes sure to send commands to his drones, who eventually follow him out and meet up with him on the street, where he collects and stores them back in his jacket.

Grease sends a quick message to Jack and Overkill as he's walking towards the shuttle.

<<@Team [Grease]: Let's regroup once we're back in the UCAS zone. I think we have a lot to talk about. Overkill; I think we should see if there's anything available on the Matrix about this Argent; I want to know as much as possible about him before we meet him.>>

[Jack VII]

UCAS Hub, Outside Club QXT, 10:38 PM, July 29th, 2075

Grease and Jack walked through the front door of QXTs and out into the street. Jack gave Paul a measured stare while Grease said something to the bouncer that the ork couldn't quite hear. High-fiving the ork bouncer as he walked past the parked Lone Star cruiser at the curb, Jack turned back to Grease and said, "I want to swing by that alley where the ambush was set and see if Lone Star missed any evidence before we head back to Union Station."

Walking across the street, Jack pulled up the camera footage and triangulated the most likely alley based on Argent's positioning when he returned fire. Standing at the end of the most likely alley, he took time to carefully scan for any potential danger.

[Lobo0705]

UCAS Hub, Outside Club QXT, 10:38 PM, July 29th, 2075

Jack looks down the alley, searching for hints of movement. He can see a rat or two scuttling between dumpsters, but apart from that it looks clear.

Grease and Jack cross the street, dodging the traffic, and enter the alley. Judging from the angle from the spot where Mitchell was shot, Jack determines that the shot can't have come from more than 20 feet down the alley - any further and the building would have blocked the shooter.

[Jack VII]

UCAS Hub, Outside Club QXT, 10:40 PM, July 29th, 2075

Jack looked over to Grease and said, "Keep an eye out for the Star for me. If they look at you funny, just head out and shoot me a message." Entering the alley, the ork began by examining the walls for signs of return fire or bloodspatter from return fire finding its mark. He then turned his attention to the ground, looking for spent shell casings or dropped gear that Lone Star may have overlooked. He didn't have high hopes considering even the Hub had its fair share of destitute squatters who would likely have picked over the area already. Still, he had to make the attempt.

[Lobo0705]

Amy, Sable Road, Aurora Warrens, 11:05 PM, July 29th, 2075


Amy leaves the Americar, and hears the door locks click behind her. Tony waves at her and smiles reassuringly as he rolls his window up.

She walks two blocks, the moon high in the sky giving her elven eyes more than enough light to see the area around her. With the heat of the season, and no climate control inside the apartment blocks and houses, the streets are busy.

Corner boys put up AROs advertising their product. "WMD here! 10 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) a hit, get your WMD here!"

Addicts move like zombies, shuffling from corner to corner while cars slowly drive down the street, stopping at one boy to pay, and another to pick up the product.

Each group is visibly armed, mostly pistols but the occasional shotgun. is present as well.

Watching over them all are a group of Los Mags, four of them sitting on a stoop, their tattoos clearly marking them.

[Always Overkill]

UCAS Hub, Union Station, 10:35 PM, July 29th, 2075


Drave received the message from Grease while he was already outside of the waiting area before the check-ins to board the shuttles having a few puffs of a fancy e-cig he smokes, and he responded.

<<@Team: "Already preparing to depart for the Zone, Meine Freunde. I will meet you over there. And be sure I will learn all that I can about this Argent. I am sure he had a great view of the assailants with those bleeding edge cybereyes of his; they look like they cost more than my own. Stay safe.">>

Perhaps this time I can do it without having the authorities alerted to my presence...


<<@Amy: "I am heading back to the Warrens. If you have time perhaps we can meet and swap horror stories. The rest of the crew is following shortly after me, I will explain later; part of one of those horror stories I mentioned.">>

Upon finishing the message he went through to the final check-ins and boarded the next shuttle leaving the Hub for the UCAS Zone.

[Lobo0705]

UCAS Hub, Outside Club QXT, 10:40 PM, July 29th, 2075

Jack begins his search of the alley, starting with a dumpster about 15 feet back. The dumpster shows the normal wear and tear, except for 2 bullet holes and a third shiny mark on the side. Turning around, and trying to follow what would be the path of the bullet, he finds it buried in the wall further down the alleyway.

Returning to the dumpster, it is hard to find any usable evidence, everything has been moved and picked clean by the various scavengers, human and animal, over the last two days.

Lying prone, cringing a little as he puts his ear to the ground, he looks behind the dumpster, and spots something shiny wedged in a crack in the wall. Standing up, his muscles bunching under his shirt, he slowly manages to push the dumpster away from the wall, and bends down, picking the object up with a discarded pen - a spent shell casing.

[Jack VII]

UCAS Hub, Alley across from Club QXT, 10:45 PM, July 29th, 2075

Jack snagged a discarded strip of plastic and wrapped the shell casing, trying his best to preserve the evidence in the event there were usable prints on the shell casing. Slipping it into his pocket, he headed back to the entrance to the alley and met up with Grease. "Looks like Argent fired a burst from the street that hit the dumpster, one of the rounds ricocheted into the wall. From the hit team, I didn't find much, other than this discarded shell casing. Maybe Ramirez can pull a print off of it."

Looking back at the activity at QXTs, Jack continued, "Let's head back to Union Station. I don't think there is much else for us to do here."

[DrZaius]

UCAS Hub, Alley across from Club QXTs, 10:45 PM, July 29th, 2075

Grease nods quickly. "Yeah; and if that show "CSI: Caracas" is at all accurate, he can probably match the gun to the casing if we end up finding it. I'd say finding the gun with a bad guy that matches a shell casing with the murder is pretty conclusive. Now we just have to find the shooter whose gun that matches, if he hasn't tossed it."

<<@Team [Grease] Jack and I are heading back to the Warrens. See you there soon.>>

[Chrome Head]

Amy, Sable Road, Aurora Warrens, 11:10 PM, July 29th, 2075

Amy walks up the road as though she belongs there. Actually, she does belong there. This is a scene that she's been a part of all her life, just not in this particular neighborhood with this particular gang in charge. She takes a good look with her astral sight for things that would be out of the ordinary, trying to identify any magic-users and spells, as well as noticing any spirit that might be going about.