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

[Jack VII]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:20 AM August 3rd, 2075

Jack raised an eyebrow and sent a message to Grease.

<<@Grease [JustJack] No worries, hombre. If you go too far, the Streetline Special has ammo capacity enough to knock you out and still cover this pendejo>>

Standing to the side of their captive, the ork lazily waved his pistol in Grease's direction before returning to a steady aimed position targeting Lynx.

[Chrome Head]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:20 AM August 3rd, 2075

Amy was not paying much attention to the words spoken, trying to refocus her concentration. The first failure was not going to stop her from trying again, but she was starting to lose confidence. Her body language betrayed her state of mind to those who knew her. As determined as she was, she looked exhausted and impatient.

Trying again and again, using up reagents along the way, the shaman finally managed to get into the mind of Lynx, and implant a suggestion into his mind. "Cooperate. Answer questions truthfully."

Knowing that this would soon take effect, she smiled to herself behind the enemy shadowrunner's back.

[Jack VII]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:20 AM August 3rd, 2075

From under the visor of his helmet, Jack focused his attention on Lynx's restraints. Similar to a wolf gnawing its leg off to get out of a spring jaw trap, he had heard of people injuring themselves to slip out of handcuffs. Blood wasn't a great lubricant but, mixed with sweat, was better than nothing. As Grease started his interrogation, Jack sent a quick message.

<<@Team [JustJack] See if you can find out what happened to Mary Jane Kelly. Johnson may be able to do something with that. If nothing else, add something else to the rap sheet>>

[Chrome Head]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:20 AM August 3rd, 2075

Amy couldn't see if Lynx was sweating, but it was pretty obvious that he wasn't going to say anything. My spell's about to kick in, let's see if that'll change things for the better.

Grease was about to continue toying with Lynx, and Amy thought he should maybe hurry a little bit, to make the best of the window she had gotten for him. From behind Lynx, she grasped her link and texted the team.

<<@Team [Amy] Grease, I just casted on Lynx. It should help make him more talkative. Do you worst, it's only for a short time.>>

Thank the gods for auto-complete.

[DrZaius]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:21 AM August 3rd, 2075

Looking back at Lynx, Grease pushes down his fake mustache, still in costume from the snatch-n-grab. "You don't wanna talk about your boss, that's fine. What do you know about Crimson Fire? I get the sense it isn't just a normal street drug. And believe me, I'd know."

[Lobo0705]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:22 AM August 3rd, 2075

Lynx laughs derisively, looking over at Jack. "You trust this guy? Never trust an addict, its only a matter of time before they sell you out." Leaning back in the chair he says, "Crimson Fire? Sure, I've heard of it. Its all over the Warrens. I assume from the look of this place we are there. Just walk a few blocks in any direction, you are bound to find some pathetic piece of street trash using it."

Amy has to fight hard to resist the urge to strangle the smug elf in his chair, and even Jack, usually the calm one of the group, feels a desire to put a round into him just to make him suffer.

[DrZaius]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:22 AM August 3rd, 2075

This guy is tough- gotta keep him off balance, on his toes.

"Are you a Broncos fan?"

[Lobo0705]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:22 AM August 3rd, 2075

Lynx arches an eyebrow at the question, and then scoffs. "Hell no."

[DrZaius]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:22 AM August 3rd, 2075

Grease grins. Anything to keep Lynx from feeling comfortable.

"Well, let's get back to that. Your little team is starting to thin out a bit; but I imagine you can always find new friends to run with you. Provided you're able to work again." Looking up at Jack, Grease asks, "Miguel- what's the street value on that arm he's got there? It looks top shelf."

[Jack VII]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:22 AM August 3rd, 2075

Jack rapped on Lynx's arm with the barrel of his Streetline Special, as if testing for durability. "Really depends what all he's got in there. I know a guy who would probably give us veinte grande for it, assuming it's got a few extra bells and whistles. Probably give us more, but he's looking for the other arm..."

The ork wasn't exactly sure what Grease had planned but had now worked with him long enough to believe the effort was probably worth it.

[DrZaius]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:22 AM August 3rd, 2075

"Practically speaking, it'd be a lot easier to take this chrome with you dead or unconscious." Examining his fingernails, he looks back up.

"While you're awake though, I don't see any reason we can't keep chatting. One neat trick was how you convinced the people at the diner into forgetting who was there- how'd you manage that?"

[Lobo0705]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:22 AM August 3rd, 2075

Amy comes across and sits on the bed, pulling out her survival knife and picking at her nails with it. "I don't know why you even bother with this. Let's just sell him for parts and be done with it. Actually, I wouldn't mind spending some alone time with him first..."

Grease looks at Lynx as if to say, "Would you rather talk to me or to her?"

Lynx speaks reluctantly, but gives away no more than he needs to. "That's Falcon's job. Easy enough to disguise someone's appearance with magic if you know what you are doing."

[DrZaius]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:22 AM August 3rd, 2075

Grease nods. "Yeah, we figured. That databomb you left behind on the video footage was pretty serious business too- was that your Rigger's doing?"

[Lobo0705]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:22 AM August 3rd, 2075

Lynx snorts, "You are embarrassing yourself. Come on, you know Data Bombs aren't in a rigger's wheelhouse."

You can see Lynx thinking about something else, and he seems to be getting pissed.

[DrZaius]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:22 AM August 3rd, 2075

Grease smiles slowly. "Oh that's right- it was probably the Decker you roll with. Where is he tonight anyways?" He gives Lynx a conspiratorial wink. "Rescue party, maybe?"

[Lobo0705]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:22 AM August 3rd, 2075

With an inarticulate cry of rage, Lynx comes straight off the bed, launching himself directly at Grease, his teeth bared as if to rip out the elf's throat. Grease fell back instinctively, his hands protecting his face, while Amy got off a quick spell, the magical energies striking the assassin. However, incensed as he was at Grease's taunting, he was able to shrug the effects off. What he was not able to shrug off, however, was the left cross from Jack's meaty hand.

The ork had been waiting for something like this, and before Lynx had taken more than a step he was knocked to the ground, striking his head on the floor with a thump. Overkill came into the room a second later, looking at the unconscious elf on the floor, and then to his teammates. Jack coughed behind his hand and said, "He, uh, fell." Amy shrugged as if to say she didn't see anything.

Grease immediately pointed at Jack and said, "Don't look at me, it was his fault!" Overkill sighed and shook his head, walking back into the living room to keep an eye on Falcon and Gutter.

Grease grinned sheepishly at Jack, and then looked down at Lynx's unconscious form. "Well, this is going to make it more difficult for him to answer our questions..."

[Jack VII]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:22 AM August 3rd, 2075

Shaking his left hand a bit, Jack replied, "It's nice to see that you have that kind of effect on other people... Well, nothing to be done about it now. Hopefully the rigger will wake up while this one is out and we can see if he's willing to spill. Hmm... what if we could convince him that we killed everyone else and he's the last one left holding the bag? If he has proof of his innocence or of the others guilt, I bet he'd be willing to share it."

[Lobo0705]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:45 AM August 3rd, 2075

Half an hour had passed since Jack had laid out Lynx, and the team had mostly been cooling their heels. Jack had dragged Lynx back into the living room with Falcon, and then made one more trip to the bedroom with Gutter's unconscious form. Next time, we need a wheelbarrow.

Grease had set up surveillance drones in both rooms, and Overkill kept his SCK trained on Falcon's body, ready to pump him full of stick and shock the instant he showed any signs of consciousness.

Finally, the team could hear groaning from the bedroom, as the dwarf stirred on the bed, his voice hoarse, he croaked out, "Water.... do you have any water?"

[DrZaius]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:45 AM August 3rd, 2075

Hearing the dwarf stir, Grease moves quickly into the bedroom to tend to him.

Cradling Gutter's head in his arm, he lifts him up as gently as a baby and gives him a sip of water from a cup.

"There you go buddy- it's alright now, it's almost over."

[Lobo0705]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:45 AM August 3rd, 2075

Gulping greedily at the cup, the dwarf drains it in seconds and then coughs, over and over, his body almost convulsing. After a few seconds, the coughing subsides, and he breathes a little easier.

"Thank you." He seems to truly be aware of his surroundings for the first time, noticing he is handcuffed, and looks around at the team. "Where am I?"

[DrZaius]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:45 AM August 3rd, 2075

Nodding, Grease answers him, speaking slowly and clearly. "The safehouse got hit. Falcon is dead; Lynx is hanging on by a thread. We were able to intercept them before they took you too far. What's the last thing you remember?"

[Lobo0705]

[b]2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:45 AM August 3rd, 2075

"Dead!?" The dwarf tries to sit up and winces, laying back down again. You can see the bruising on his throat, the markings from his fingers clearly visible against his pale skin. "I remember falling asleep and then I woke up, and I couldn't breathe."

Looking around again in a panic, he again asks, "Where am I? Who are you?"

[DrZaius]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:45 AM August 3rd, 2075

"That's right, dead." Grease maintains eye contact with him, his voice soothing, with a slight tone of inquiry. "As I said, the safehouse was hit. We've moved you to a new, safer location in the meantime. Somehow, the opposition got wind of where you were staying. We need to figure out how that happened- who the leak was." Grease pauses, eyeing him closely. "So, step by step, tell me what you remember before you fell asleep. Any slight detail may be important."

[Lobo0705]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:45 AM August 3rd, 2075

The dwarf was still obviously dazed and confused, and he tried to spread his hands in the universal, 'I don't know' gesture, but the restraints held his wrists tightly together.

"Why are my hands tied? Are you from Biogene?"

[DrZaius]

2525 South Dunkirk Street, Aurora Warrens, 4:45 AM August 3rd, 2075

Bingo.

"You inhaled a lethal dose of a nasty new gas we weren't familiar with. Your hearty dwarven constitution was the only thing that saved you. Falcon wasn't so lucky. We restrained you to make sure you didn't break your back having a seizure while you were unconscious." Nodding at Jack, Grease gestures to the restraints. "They aren't necessary now. Tell us what you remember."