IC: Back into the Barrens, Val & Hardwire Options

[Sengir]

He remembers Athena's broken body, brutalized by her torturers and also very definitely dead. But he also just saw the same owl, and calling random strangers seemed to have been her modus operandi

All right, Xander, let's talk on the way. Hardwire, by the way

[Saytr]

Val sets hardwire up in the van after securing him inside he offers hi hand to the stranger. "Just call me Val." Waiting for the new chummer to take his hand Val wanted to look at his face a moment to see if meeting this person would jar any memories loose, if the new guy was a enemy old acquaintance something but well they needed a way out of there and if this was a trap they would just have to escape it. Val was starting to get used to it.

[PraetorGradivus]

Padrig looks at Val and noticing the Eastern European look hesitates just a second before extending his hand towards him.

He thinks to himself, Paddy boy, let's hope this isn't a mistake. Al I need is for this Comrade to be Vory and I just fragging told them I was out to get Yuri. What's done is done. Let's see how it goes.Ma would say the cailleach-oidhche gheal wouldn't lead me astray. Hope your right Ma for Paddy's sake.

"This van's been driving on autopilot so far. Paddy don't know if this here van is gonna continue to drive itself and if it does where its gonna go."

[Saytr]

Val shakes padrigs hand " yuri is dead?"........a few moments pass and the alarm from the door brings him back to the moment at hand and catching padrigs last few words. " anywhere but here, I know a pawn shop a ways from here, we can trust it." Val hoped lucky hadn't pawned all their stuff yet three weeks with no word and lucky might think him dead. Regardless Val wanted out of hospital clothes and in some real gear and time to clear his new found clout. With time escaping him without knowing Val hoped there would not be a next time but if yuri is truly dead all he was fighting for.......what was he fighting for the old man from his dreams mention. Oh god had he forgot about them, what were their names? Val sitting in the van looks out away from the others tears sliding down his face thinking of the past that he so dearly missed if only he could remember it all..... yuri got off to easy.

[Sengir]

Hardwire dismisses the sprite with an expression of gratitude and programs the van on a course towards the I-5. OK, we're moving, now what about Yuri? We blew up a fraggin building? As Padrig opens his mouth to answer, he remembers something probably more pressing "Oh, and did you find any of our gear?"

[PraetorGradivus]

"Back of the van there's a bag and I stuffed a pistol and Ares Alpha under it. Now mind you, Paddy saw the building blow up but he didn't actually see Yuri's body. Still, he probably bought it all things considered.

Paddy, best not ask too many questions just yet and not mention our one man crusade against the Vors. Comrade there might be connected and this just be a clan versus clan hit.

[Redjack]

Friday, April 17th@22:18; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

The trio make their introductions and try to sort out not only the current scene, but also the scene from three weeks ago. Val places Hardwire into the van, then he and Padrig both climb into the van. As Hardwire programs the destination, Padrig takes a look at the street samurai as he enters the van. He suddenly realizes he recognizes the elf from surveillance video: Valery "The Scalpel" Strobokov, one of Yury's lieutenants. There were rumors he was killed several days before the explosion.

[Saytr]

Val moves to the back of the van assessing the gear and reclaiming his personal almost as if missing these items definitely ed who he was and what he did, without them in the hospital he felt like helpless and scared. With his items back he didn't look like quite the victim much more the opposite a aggressor without a doubt. If would not be caught off guard again he would be sure. Checking his accounts for email and establishing a link to the net he starts to back his movements and what little I formation he had. Staying silent all the whole as paddy drove. Sending only a message to hardwire. Val@hardwire"doublecheck everything he has said so far, he keeps mentioning a bird or some such u less you know what he means.ill double check our gear.

[Sengir]

<<@Val[Hardwire] Well that's the thing: I got woken up by the same matrix owl. Remember who else used those owls? Can't make that drek up>>

But still, there is a lot to check, not just regarding this Padrig. Did they blow up a building? Did the Vory? And where did the explosion even come from, we were not carrying any explosives? Hardwire finds second-guessing oneself to be a bizarre experience, so he tries to focus his mind on a row of matrix searches instead of wandering off into random thoughts.

[PraetorGradivus]

Oh. My. Lord. It was a coup. And now I'm sitting with a Vor right behind me and he has an assault rifle. What have you gotten yourself into Paddy.Hopefully, Comrade Hospital Gown doesn't decide to do something stupid.

"So, umm, where we going after the pawn shop and what's the plan when we get there? Not that Paddy has anywhere to be or anything to do. Just wondering, ya know?"

[Saytr]

Val noticed the nervous question realizing he didn't exactly give off a warm fuzzy aura explains as quickly andplainly as he can. "we will go to lucky pawn to make sure our gear is still there if Athena has been avenged and her murderer brought to justice, who vas yuri than we can rest easy and I'll take on killing more vory alone. I yuru is not dead which may be the case since you guys are seeing bird which was her calling card we have us a hunting party, yes." at the thought of the last statment of yuri not being dead val could strangle someone. "now do you know why the place exploded? Is anyone even looking into it? Hardwire did you get a capture on those two? Maybe see if you could do a check and see who they work for known alias etc."

[Sengir]

"Right now I'm busy with the last couple of weeks, future comes after that" Hardwire mumbles.

[Saytr]

Val nods in agreement first and foremost they need to learn what happened to them before they could figure what direction they needed to go next. For now he hoped stamp hadn't sold everything he was holding.

[Redjack]

Friday, April 17th@22:22; Headed towards the I-5, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Val suddenly *realizes*, as he thinks about the area, that the hospital is actually a Vory controlled hospital where organs are harvested for the organ market. Is three weeks enough time to have your kidneys harvested and not to have it hurt? What are the effects of having your kidneys harvested?

Meanwhile, Hardwire's neurons are flying all across the matrix trying to play catch up for three weeks of downtime.
<<@Hardwire [Tyr] Paddy? Sorry chummer. Never heard of him. Say, where you been? Been weeks since I heard from you. I got a couple of jobs lined up for you. Come by and see me when you have time.>>
<<@Hardwire [Mr Fix-It] Online. Systems at 87%. Operational. What are your orders?>>
A search of public records regarding the warehouse fire yields the following details.

Overnight, a gas leak in a local warehouse belonging to Pier 1.0 Import Company caused an explosion that resulted in several deaths. Tacoma CSI is on site and several bodies have been located. The coroners office has stated that the bodies were badly burned in the explosion and subsequent fire.

Follow up to that warehouse explosion. Bodies there in have been identified as local businessman Yury Fenenko, a vice president with Pier 1.0 Import Company, Demetri Putin, a security officer with Pier 1.0, a former Lone Star Officer named Eddie Valiant, and two unidentified bodies.

As Hardwire continues to connect the dots from then until now, he notes that he is currently on page 196 in Werner Dorthup's Guide to Renraku Matrix Protocols of 2071; he has flagged seven potential holes already.
While to crew *napped*, the world continued on. Several large events and several closer to home:
- March 30: After a gunfight that leaves one officer and eight Ancients dead, Seattle Police Special Operations Unit confiscates 45.8 tons of leäl from a house in Tarislar, Puyallup Barrens.
- April 7: A fire fight in Touristville, Redmond left three civilians dead when members of the Lords of War street gang engaged in a street fight with unidentified, heavily armed individuals.
- April 11: Heightened security patrols in the Tacoma docks resulted in the arrest of three men linked to organized crime.
- April 15: A 15 year old UCAS citizen was arrested on charges of hacking today. He was found in a reprogrammed auto-cab loaded with snack foods and the like taken from various vending machines around the Downtown area. Preliminary tests identified him as one of those technomancers. He is currently in the custody SPD Juvenile Division.

Paddy takes a moment to look over his new companions as they settle in for the ride. There are a few surprises.

[Sengir]

Friday, April 17th@22:22; Headed towards the I-5, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Hardwire tags the items about the Lords and the juvenile joyrider for further search and then turns his attention back to the meatworld to deliver the news. "Scan this" he announces and flings the bulletins towards Val and Xander. "Yuri might really be dead if you believe the coroner. Any idea who these other two might be, Val"

With half an eye he opens a trideo channel to his drone, anxious to see if he still has a home.

[Saytr]

Friday, April 17th@22:22; Headed towards the I-5, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Val looks over hardwire information and quickly after realizing the hospital was vory controlled was even more confused why he wasn't dead yet. He double checks himself. If he were missing his kidneys he would have symptoms by now wouldn't he. " not to alarm you hardwire but that hospital is vory controlled also, specially in kidney trafficking as on of their hot points. " Val quickly doubles checks himself again for any scar or surgical procedures and checks his bio meter to ensure he wasn't harvested.

looking at the information Val didn't have any reason to mistrust the information how ever who is to say one they didn't have extra bodies laying g around. " we have to be sure yuri is taken care of and of so. We should get in contact with our doctor friend and see about payment" after all credits would get Val more answers than questions alone.

[Sengir]

"Wait, what? You dumped us off at a Vory chop shop?!" Hardwire turns towards Xander

[PraetorGradivus]

"First of all the sign on the door says hospital, not chop shop...how was I to know. Second, it's where the owl told me to drop you off. It also happens to be where the owl evidently wanted me to pick you up. That's as much as I know."

Paddy me boy, this could turn ugly real quick. Hopefully he's slowed down a bit from his wounds if worse comes to worse.

[Sengir]

Isn't that place run by the RCC? Not sure what the Vory could want here...and at any rate, my kidneys are still here

"Well, maybe she though it hiding us right under their noses was the best option" Hardwire says in a more conciliatory tone. "Anyway, did this look like a gas explosion to you? And while we are at it, why are you after Yuri and his stuff, did you know Athena?"

[Redjack]

Friday, April 17th@22:24; Entering the I-5, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Hardwire's home, amazingly, is unchanged. Three weeks away and no robbery, no B&E, only that a swarm of ants on that doughnut he left on the table. The half-eaten McHough's burger? Looks the same as the day he left.

Val anxiously checks his biomonitor.... Healthy. OMG they took my... oh, wait. Healthy.

Xander thinks about the explosion... What does a gas explosion look like?

[PraetorGradivus]

Friday, April 17th@22:24; Entering the I-5, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

"Maybe if I'd done my civic duty and done a tour of duty, I would know the difference between one explosion and the next. But reall, all I know it was a big fraggin boom."

Padrig thinks about it for a sec: Well Paddy, you already told them you were out to get Yuri. In for a pinch in for a pound.

"It's like this: Yuri and his crew were responsible for the death of someone Paddy holds dear. So a little payback was in order. However, fate seems to have intervened. As to Athena, the only two Paddy knows is the one from mythology class and this Hermetic Mage that thinks his mentor spirit is THE Athena from mythology class."

[Sengir]

Nope, Athena was an acquaintance of us who liked to communicate with those strange owls. Yuri and his friends traced her to get to Val, and it was not pretty...so we have quite some interest in bringing down Yuri, and I'd like to know if he's really dead or just used the occasion to go into hiding.

And before you ask, I don't remember us planning to blow up the place...certainly wouldn't be my style

[Saytr]

Val agrees with hardwire with a hmmm as he is checks shelf and is satisfied everything Is where it should be. Thinking to himself though why did the place go up. Did one of the thugs with yuri have explosives or the cop mentioned in the explosion maybe was under cover as well, how were they gping to uncover it all and ensure the deed had been done. If the owl was still around something g must be amiss. In the mean time they needed a place to lay low and figure out their next move. Stump would have their gear and mmaybe know a place safe enough to use.

[PraetorGradivus]

"Well then, I guess you and Paddy have common cause. If Yuri isn't dead, it needs to be rectified. And if a few more of his boys go under, Paddy won't shed a tear."

[Sengir]

Not that I'll shed any tears over them, but I'll be just as happy when he ends up tied in front of a precinct.


Anyway, how do we find out if that body really was Yuri? The coroner's report is from the 1st, I doubt his body is still on ice

Maybe I should think about that for a while on my couch he thinks, with immense gratitude to still have a home and couch.