Tangled Currents - DES, Stormy Waters subthread Options

[adamu]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex

And what Rocky saw coming next was a wave of half a dozen more bikers bearing down on him, spiked balls swinging on chains, axe blades reflecting neon.

Skidding to a stop at a corner on the other side of the building, John saw a few more bikers around the truck, some looking alert, others still clearly disoriented from his initial blitz, most starting to cough. Beyond them and across the street, he saw Rave - previously coquettish - now arguing and gesticulating heatedly with the K-E men.

Inside the container, Jan felt an unnatural movement in the air that set off alarm bells, but then heard DES in his earpiece: <<I have sent a fellow hunter to guard your errand.>> Directing his attention deeper into the gloom, he saw children secured by plastic restraints - limbs protected by padded cuffs so as not to damage the merchandise - to the siding on right and left. There were maybe twenty of them, and he quickly identified the one whose photo he'd been shown.

They all looked docile, almost catatonic.

[Jack_Spade]

Friday, 22 November, 1950; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex #112

John saw the remaining guards around the truck. Using more teargas was out of the question now that the container was open - it didn't do to damage the merchandise.
Instead, he singled out one of the more alert ones, took aim and sent a single bullet towards his brain pan.

[adamu]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex

Having easily dodged the ganger's charge, ears ringing from the near-passage of their roaring hogs, Rocky clearly saw them all arrayed at the periphery of his smoke screen, now drawing guns.

Meanwhile, busily freeing dazed children, Jan nearly fell as the floor beneath his feet lurched.

Even as John put a bullet through the head of one of the last alert guards, he was surprised and dismayed to see the supposedly disabled tractor-trailer lunge forward, surging directly towards him...

[Jack_Spade]

Friday, 22 November, 1950; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex #112

'Well shit. Non standard model, must have a back up engine. Damn, paranoid, redundancy packing smugglers. Seems like we'll have to do it the hard way.'

John pressed the rifle to his body and extended his climbing claws, ready for the truck to head at him.

Automatically a little countdown from his laser range finder displayed the time until impact. At the last possible moment, John activated his hydraulic jump jacks, catapulting himself upwards and with the extended climbing claws, made from hardened titanium steel right through the large armored truck wind screen.
"Here's Johnny"

[adamu]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex

Atop the hood of the accelerating tractor, John tore open the windscreen to reveal the muzzle flash of a waiting Savalette Guardian in his face...

[Jack_Spade]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, aboard a speeding truck, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex #113

John tried to dodge, but couldn't really without falling off the truck. Bullets struck his face and ripped off part of the synthetic face. The internal diagnostics showed that the bullets had narrowly missed the central sensor unit and even narrower the communications array.

John tried to say something funny, but his voice processor had troubles of it's own.

So instead, John just raised his weapon, aimed and returned the troll's favor at point blank with a full salvo from his rifle.

[adamu]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex

John watched in bullet time as his armor-piercing rounds punched through the troll passenger's armor, mini-geysers of blood blossoming like roses across his massive abdomen.

Beside the troll, a young woman strapped into five-point restraints appeared to be sleeping peacefully. There was no change in her expression as the massive truck swerved suddenly into a brick wall, instantly jigged the other way, and then broke hard.

[Jack_Spade]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, aboard a speeding truck, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex #114

John's extended claws dug furrows into the trucks hood as he fought to keep his balance.

[mister__joshua]

Jan
Friday, 22 November, 1950; back of truck just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex

"...16...18...20" 20 kids. Pathetic looking plastic restraints held them to the sides of the container, but it looked like they were drugged too. The mini welder was already hot and a couple of dabs freed the first 2 children. He'd planned to go round, herd them all out the back and use that to cover his escape but then something happened that threw a spanner into the workings of his plan... the truck started to move. <<@Jack: I thought you'd disabled this?>> he managed over the subvocal while he struggled to retain his balance; his elven instincts kicking in and keeping him upright. Plan A wasn't going to work.

He'd identified Audric as soon as he entered the truck. Now getting him out was the only objective. Jan fought against the movements of the swerving truck while managing to free Audric without injuring him. He'd removed the restraints from the wall but left them on the kid in case he tried to run anywhere, as unlikely as that was in his groggy state.

He took a glance back at the other kids as he flung Audric up onto his shoulder. "Shame" he muttered as he headed for the doors...

[Raiderj]

Vexboy out of fucking nowhere jumped onto the top of the trailer. He was pissed and bleeding and LOVING IT! His adrenline was in overdrive. The Korean snipers and their backup did a number on him(not to mention shooting his commlink) but was in his element. The Dragonslayer was whooping and cackling in excitment. "HELL YES KID! THIS IS WHAT ITS ABOUT! FUCK THE MUNDANE!" Vexboy used his gecko tape and moved over to the back doors of the truck.

[JDragon]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex

Rocky could still hear the metal of the bikes skidding across the pavement as he continued on for the truck and smoke, and then changed his mind as bikers started coming out of the smoke and heading his direction. "Frag!"

He knew he wouldn't be able to take all of them down in a stand up fight so it was up to him to even up the odds. Reaching in to his coats pockets he pulled out the two smoke grenades he had picked up earlier in the afternoon. Using his teeth to pull the pins he tossed them to the ground, dropping one in front of him and one behind. The smoke quickly filled the street blurring out much of his surroundings, but the heat of the bikes and their riders was easy to pick out as they continued their charge.

As Rocky suspected most the bikers were not up for charging blindly in to the smoke, though two of them felt lucky. Watching them charge Rocky focused on not getting run over or clipped by the barbwire wrapped baseball bat one was swinging and some kind of sword from the other guy. Thanks to all the hours in the ring and the streets Rocky avoided the blows with relative ease and let them fly by him.

Knowing the two that had charged through were not a concern for a few seconds Rocky turned to focus on the ones that hadn't charged through and was not happy with what they he was seeing. The others were coming to a stop outside the smoke and seemed to be opting for the ranged solution to the smoke. Not wanting to give them time to open up Ricky moved forward, picking out a guy with a mean looking room-sweeper for his strike.

Rocky came out of the swirling smoke and landed a heavy left to the side of the guy's head, his head spinning and teeth flying before he hit the ground. Just as quickly Rocky slipped back in to the smoke seeking its cover before the rest opened up.

[adamu]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex

Rocky was braced for the gangers' initial salvo, but it didn't come, at least not right away. Their figures around the periphery of the smoke seemed a bit directionless, with some spasming movements, and two outright fell off their bikes.

Meanwhile, leaning over the tail of the trailer and careful not to get his head chopped off by the swinging rear doors, Vexboy was just in time to see Jan emerge from the darkness through a pile of boxes, a kid over his shoulder.

[Raiderj]

Vexboy speaks up. "They shot my commlink! I got waylaid! Listen! I think I can climb down and burst the fuel tank! Tell the others to get ready to crowd the kids!" Vexboy had a broken goggle and a blood on his cheek but was ok(from just his head.)

[Jack_Spade]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, aboard a speeding truck, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex #115

John registered the call from Jan and had a split second to reply <<Bastard has a second engine - obviously.>>

Just as the truck stopped demolishing the wall to its right, John readied himself to enter the cab through the destroyed windshield.

[mister__joshua]

Jan
Friday, 22 November, 1950; falling from back of truck just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex

Jan glanced up at Vexboy. "Don't worry about it kid, we're rolling." He cradled Audric's head in the nook of his shoulder to brace for the impact, and as the truck next kicked he jumped out of the back. Well, dropped would be more fitting. Dropped and rolled, the speed the truck had gathered carrying him skidding along the tarmac. His landing was sharp, though, and Jan was able to spring straight back into a run. Using his shoulders as cover for the lad he moved directly away from any possible incoming fire. Maybe they hadn't noticed him. It couldn't be that clean could it?

<<@All: I'm clear with the target>> <<@John: Do what you have to. Anything else is collateral>>

[Raiderj]

"Hey! But..." Vexboy sighed. "Well lets think... I better go help the other guy." Vexboy said. "Wait... What if I screw up the plan!?" For all his confidence he did NOT want to fuck up. He decided to change his plan to go over to John.

[adamu]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex

Rocky burst from the alley mouth to see that he'd gauged the truck's movement correctly - it was coming up the street toward him at a good clip, black smoke spewing from the engine compartment, John on the hood but going through the windshield.

The truck still careening wildly, John started through the the jagged-edged hole in the supposedly shatterproof windshield.

And then the blood-drenched troll erupted into movement, pink foam spraying from his lips as he bellowed like a bull, massive fist swinging for John's head.

[Raiderj]

Vexboy stood up and carefully walked towards the truck. When he needed to take a rest he activated the powers from his Foci and stuck his feet to the trailer. "Here is where things get interesting. Do you dare to shoot..." The Dragonslayer said before Vexboy sighed. "I am not going to shoot! I need to get closer..." Vexboy sighed.

[Jack_Spade]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, aboard a speeding truck, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex #116

Some of the blood must have gotten into the eyes of the troll as John dodged the wild swing with ease.
"Haaaaaa...vvveeen't I I I I kill ll ll ll ed you bebeforfor?"
'Damnit, the voice modulator is on the fritz. No more cool one-liners'
John had to be content to attack the resurrected troll in silence or give an impromptu HAL performance. With the full power of his servos he raked his claws at the troll's throat, which due to the five-point harness was the most inviting target.

[adamu]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, aboard a speeding truck, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex

The troll's movement was indeed limited, but he easily swatted John's claw hand aside with a force that threatened to pull the limb from its joint. Meanwhile, the truck peeled hard to the left and stuttered through a series of quick brakes. Now halfway through the windscreen, John was saved from being thrown to the road as the jagged edges of the glass caught him. Mercifully, the shards that would have shredded ballistic armor and would have done the same to human flesh had only cosmetic effect on his exterior.

Vexboy, however, was not in so stable a position. As he struggled to stay on the back of the container, the troll swung at John's head again with a blood-curdling roar of fury almost distracting John from a telltale hum coming from the giant's fist.

[Jack_Spade]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, aboard a speeding truck, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex #117

The fight was brutal and without mercy. The troll had the superior strength and reach but was hampered by his harness and the fact that he was fighting mad. John had his speed an agility and up until now neither he nor his opponent had been able to land a deciding blow.
'This is getting ridiculous, I've got to end this before we leave the city.'
Once more he struck at the vulnerable throat of the troll, while the brocken glass around him peeled away the synthetic skin.

[adamu]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, aboard a speeding truck, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex

This time John found his way past the troll's defenses and his claw struck true, biting through skin and flesh and even catching for a moment on his opponent's reinforced spinal cord before pulling free, dragging great clumps of flesh with it in a veritable flood of crimson.

Almost as if on cue, a disembodied voice rang out from the cab's audio system: <<I've got the guidance system locked on that chemical tanker ahead. Let me bail and I'll leave you the manuals. Anything else, and there'll be nothing you can do to stop this beast.>>

[Jack_Spade]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, aboard a speeding truck, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex #118

"I I I'll mmmake you you even a a betttter offererer: L L Let me unununload the kidddds and you you can keeeeep the truck ananand go youryour wayay."
John retracted the claws on his hands to emphasize the offer.
"Iiiittts a a a nice truck. Wououould be a a a shame to to damage it unnnnnnecesssssarrrrrrrilylylyly."

[adamu]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex

The truck groaned to a stop with an awful sound and the engine died in a thick cloud of black smoke.

The woman unplugged and said, "Never get clear in this. All yours." And she let herself out.

Rave's voice came over the team's network: <<I'm coming after you with the cops to secure the kids. They'll want all of them, so make sure you secure the one kid. And there'll be problems for anyone they catch with the kids. So grab the target and beat feet. I'll meet you later after I take credit for rescuing all these children."

[Jack_Spade]

Friday, 22 November, 19:50; near service area just inside the 164 border crossing, Auburn, Seattle Metroplex #119

<<Roger. Truck has stopped. Added a marker for you. There's a dead troll inside. I'll have to visit a car wash.
Meet you all back at the safe house.>>
John hastily put his rifle back into his bag and moved away from the truck as the rigger had done. Only then did he notice Vexboy:
"Weeeeellllll, hehehello there. Dododo you nnnnneed a a a ride?"