Tangled Currents - DES, Stormy Waters subthread Options

[DireRadiant]

Thursday, 21 November, 19:59; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex #40

DES asked, "What are our strengths? Rocky and the young one fight close. What of you others? I am rescuing one child for the Warrior Woman, that one I can arrange to carry to safety with Drop Bear, the others we can leave to the authorities, who will be happy to return them to their homes, if their parents are informed."

DES was getting very strained, he hadn't been around so many people all at once for years. It was a lot of work.

[Jack_Spade]

Thursday, 21 November, 19:59; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex #57

"Good question: I can handle any equipment and any weapon that has autosoft support, I am a reasonable good demolition man and medic. I'm flexible as to what role you need me in.

But still: Where would you prefer to fight: Cemetery or warehouse?"

[JDragon]

Thursday, 21 November, 2075, 19:59; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex

Being able to redirect the Korean's sounded good to Rocky, but he still wasn't sure about this John guy. He still sat and quietly listened as they bounced ideas back and forth, adding a couple thoughts on things he had experience with.

"Using one of their trucks is a good idea, but we need to have a truck we can move the children to close by incase they have a way to track it. We could possibly even keep the original truck moving with a surprise waiting for whoever chases it down, wasting even more of their time and resources while the children are moved further away."

Rocky stops to think for a moment and then directs a question at D-Pop, "So is the goal here just to rescue this one load of kids or make a serious dent in the trafficking operation?"

[Jack_Spade]

Thursday, 21 November, 19:59; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex #58

"I don't know about you, but I plan to put some serious dents into the skulls of those Koreans. If you guys are up for it we could even do a quick raid on their main office. For short term transport their own trucks should suffice. Long term I have no idea. My car only seats two + a Valkyrie Module.

But still: Where would you prefer to fight: Cemetery or warehouse?"

[JDragon]

Thursday, 21 November, 2075, 20:00; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex

Realizing D-Pop was dealing with something else, Rocky considers the question of which location he preferred. Neither sounded like fun, but figured he should get the process started. "Warehouse."

[DireRadiant]

Thursday, 21 November, 20:01; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex #41

DES almost sighed out loud, but he contained himself. This was no simple thing they were about to do. Not the ambush, that would violent and bloody, but learning to work with others. Something he avoided. He'd always avoided it. DES decided to speak.

"I care not which location. There would be advantages to the warehouse in that what happens inside it would be concealed from those outside. To survive this it would be good for our identities to be undiscovered. This might be easier using the warehouse."

"As for the children, while we will strive to save all, or I will, I believe if we can notify all their families and as many interested officials as possible they will be returned to their families. The more eyes that are upon the children after we free them, the less likely the forces which hide them now can keep them hidden."

"The Warrior Woman and the Witches are interested in one child in particular, an Audric. I think we only need to make plans to find and keep that one. The others we can make safe by revealing their presence far and wide."

"Given what we know, I may know someone who can give me information as to who most of these children are, and a means to release that information widely when needed to the right places. We may be able to leave the children in the Warehouse to be picked up. Safely."

DES stopped. He hadn't spoken so much at once in years. Red Eye Jill always knew what he was going to say. Gwendolyn was a companionable silent companion, though after the bullets flew she would chatter for a while reliving the moments so close to death. Silk just answered his questions and left instructions for how to grind the latest xp, And Bouncy Bobbi... just bounced. Brianna just talked shop most of the time, and Glen was best to ignore what he was talking about, or even worse singing. And Mr Kim was just short polite phrases as much as possible.

[Jack_Spade]

Thursday, 21 November, 20:01; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex #59

"Thanks Rocky, clear words at last.
And yeah, Mr. Pilot, that sounds like a plan - dispose all opposition and then send out an alert for the police.

I'll compose a report then."


<<Greetings, my surveillance has been successful: You ran afoul of a bunch of witches - Wiccan or Druid I can not say - who plan to target one of your operations. I was able to bug one of their shrines. Bad matrix connection out there, you find the files attached. The gist of it was that they are ready to move on a cemetery that they believe you'll be using as a place for clandestine transactions. They plan to summon a great form plant spirit for this occasion and have it together with a bunch of tree spirits booby trap the place. They are also very confident that they can conceal all this from astral surveillance. No information about the when, sorry.

I consider my debt to be paid by this service. No more freebies.>>

"Alright, the deed is done. Time to set up shop near the target - my message could spur them to prepone their plans, so we should be in place asap."

[Raiderj]

"Agreed. Im a decent sniper but I will need to check the place out before I make a nest. Im ready to go now." Vexboy said getting up.

[mister__joshua]

Jan
Thursday, 21 November, 20:01; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex

Jan was thinking, only half listening to the others. "I think the point was to make it look like their isn't a move on them, just an incidental problem. One site is a cemetery, why don't we book an interment? Or an exhumation, if it's disused. Say we need to move a body...." he trailed off before picking up the thought again ...of course, if we want them to use the cemetery then we can arrange for renovations at the warehouse. Maybe we buy it..."

He changed topic, as if he'd only just heard the discussion taking place. "We don't need transport. We aren't getting kids out. We're getting kid out. Singular. Audric is the target, that's who I've agreed to retrieve. I'll carry him if I have to."

He turned to John, realizing he'd not been introduced. "Jan. Primary abilities include poor morals and not taking shit from people."

[Jack_Spade]

Thursday, 21 November, 20:01; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex #60

"Hello Jan, that's... remarkable unspecific - unless you want to tell me that you are an incompetent thief.

But you are a bit late about those sentiments. Especially since the Koreans already know that someone is targeting them. Better if they send their heavy magic users over to the cemetery to deal with the imaginary trap.

So chop, chop - I've got one seat free in my car if someone needs a ride."

[Raiderj]

"I'll take that ride. Id rather not be on a motorcycle if shit hits the fan in a road shootout." Vincent says.

[Jack_Spade]

Thursday, 21 November, 20:01; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex #61

"Alright, hop in. It's the small private off-road ambulance down the street. Don't forget your kit and armor. And just so you know: There will be no pee-pee breaks during observation, so better go now and bring a jar or two."

John's voice had taken on a slight mischievous vibe that he was quite proud of to have gotten it right.

[JDragon]

Thursday, 21 November, 2075, 20:02; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex

Rocky was really hoping he would be able to grab a couple hours sleep before getting things started but it wasn't looking like that was going to happen.

"Any of ya got room for me?"

[Jack_Spade]

Thursday, 21 November, 20:02; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex #62

"If you don't mind a health check up, you could lay down in my Valkyrie Module."
John shrugged: "Better now than later, I'd say."

[Raiderj]

"I got my gear." Vexboy said. Holding a sack. "Ready to go when you are." He walked to D-pop and Bronwyn. "Please take care of my bike. It took forever to pay it off."

[Jack_Spade]

Thursday, 21 November, 20:02; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex #63

"Alright then, all aboard and full steam ahead."
Jack led the two runner to his Morgan. He had found the time to clean the worst of the mud of its sides, but it still looked more at home at a wilderness rally than the city. When all passengers had been placed inside, he drove at a sedate speed towards the
Warehouse and took his time to find a good parking spot where they could observe the entrances.
"Ok, how do you want to play this: Should we scout inside or do you want to wait out here until something happens?"

[Raiderj]

"Scout ahead. Id rather know the battlefield now then be surprised later." Vexboy said.

[Jack_Spade]

Thursday, 21 November, 20:02; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex #64

"Ha, I hoped that you'd say that. Ok, stealth mode it is. Do you want to pick the lock, or should I?"

[mister__joshua]

Jan sat in the corner, hand on hit temple. "Those dates must give us something. Can we cross-check them against the shipping logs, border patrol points, against major events, against the Korean fokking calendar?!" He was frustrated that they still lacked so much information.

"Can we still tap into CCTV? If we can get a mile radius around the warehouse that could give us time to respond. There can't be many trucks like that around. "

[Raiderj]

"Best you do it." Vincent said. "Don't have any gear for it."

[adamu]

Thursday, 21 November, 2001; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex

D-Pop had returned from her errand and answered Jan's question: "You bring up an interesting question we asked ourselves. The fact that, as I explained to the others, we believe the Fates have detemined that no one outside this little circle can take a direct hand in this effort, combined with the fact that no one to whom we've been directed is a matrix jockey was a cause of some consternation. We recognize that your team as constituted is weak in that area. True, many of you have useful contacts in that world, but for the reasons explained it is imperative you not use them. However, it recently became clear - possibly - why the Fates led us to no one with that expertise. It seems that our opposition has gone to some lengths to maintain an extraordinary level of matrix overwatch superiority for this meet. So much so that any attempt on our part to enter that arena would have been extremely hazardous."

She sat down on the sofa and crossed her legs, the leather of her thigh-high boots creaking. Bronwyn carried on: "We recognize this is a problem, and we're working now on neutralizing their matrix capabilities indirectly. Once that is done, we will let you know and allow you to bring in your own matrix resources if you think it will be helpful, provided you strictly compartmentalize the information. Sorry, don't yet have a timeline on when that particular side job will be done."

D-Pop picked up the ball again: "All that is not to say that you can't research all the things you mentioned yourself, provided you limit yourself to safe, public sorts of searches and are careful not to generate any suspicious patterns. Also, nothing to stop you setting up physical taps on CCTV cams, provided you keep the feeds to non-WIFI communications."

[adamu]

Thursday, 21 November, 2032; Costco Drive & Andover Park East, Tukwila, Seattle, Seattle Metroplex

A quick thirty-minute drive up I-5 had brought the scout team the vicinity of where they hoped the Yakuza/Seoulpa meet would be funnelled. Across the freeway to their west the thundering roar of suborbital take-offs and landings was almost non-stop. The autumn evening was full dark by now, though there were streetlamps aplenty alight here in this maze of warehouses, specialty wholesalers, and logistics centers. The streets were thus well lit, though more lights, as always, equalled more shadows as well.

Rent-a-cops crept throught the streets with some frequency, though they didn't look like the types to get out of their car without a good reason. The smart money was that they cared only about the integrity of the buildings, happy to leave any other disturbances to the Knight-Errant contractors - something they had as yet seen no sign of.

From Andover Park East, their maps told them that only a large lawn should be blocking their view of the site, though in actuality there was a screen of trees at the east end of the grassy area. They dismounted and crossed the grass on foot, sticking close to the shadows in along the north wall of some sort of mattress outlet. At a glance, the place was just as D-Pop had described it - a couple of burned out buildings, and even a few scorched hulks of cars no one had bothered clearing from the site. It was unlit, and they saw a distant bobbing light come into view as an old security guard meandered around the place, safe in the knowledge he was protecting nothing anyone wanted to steal.

Waiting for him to move off along the north side of the larger building, they crossed the street and moved along the south side just far enough to confirm that the space between the two old auto service buildings was ample for a couple of tractor-trailers to enter and exit. Looking for good overwatch positions, the large logistics centers directly to the north and south were choices that would be obvious to anyone. Both buildings were clearly in use. There were no windows near ground level, but plenty near the roofline, and there were lights within. Activity seemed limited, though. Still, the place to the south had an open loading dock facing directly on to the target site, and there were men with forklifts apparently laying out cargo for a pickup. The loading dock for the north building, on the other hand, was far up on the east face, without much view of the target site. That dock also was open for business, though like the first, it seemed to be operating a light night crew, and there were few cars in the employee parking.

Both buildings had a number of pedestian entrances, and the distant glow of LEDs was testament to active maglocks.

[Jack_Spade]

Thursday, 21 November, 2032; Costco Drive & Andover Park East, Tukwila, Seattle, Seattle Metroplex #65

"Hm, if I'm honest, neither do I - at least not for maglocks. I've got an autopicker and a electronics toolbox. If I make a mistake this could sound an alert real fast.
But before we do that: How good are you at freestyle climbing? Those facades look like they offer plenty of footholds. If you aren't so hot on that front, I can go up and let a rope down for you. You do have a rope in your bag, don't you?"

John had begun to accessorize: A helmet, forearm guards and a ballistic mask were added, followed by a sleak backpack containing his folded rifle.

"Or if you have trouble with that, you can wait in the car and give me updates on the rest of the environment, warn me if anything moves - that kind of stuff."

[Raiderj]

"Ah. Now we get to one of my trained specialities.I have a full set of gecko tape gear and I am quite agile and trained to use it well... Plus... I have a foci power thay literally sticks me to objects for up to ten minutes. Slow and steady I activate it and deactivate it a few limbs at a time I can climb literally any surface." Vincent said with a smile.

[Jack_Spade]

Thursday, 21 November, 2032; Costco Drive & Andover Park East, Tukwila, Seattle, Seattle Metroplex #66

Excellent. Than let's get ourselves up their, so we can see what's going on.

With a barely audible 'schning' sound John extended his climbing claws. "Last one up is a rotting meat bag."