Tangled Currents - Johnny Options

[Mercy]

Tuesday June 12 2075 1800 Barely Here Club Seattle


Why do things always seem to start in a club or bar? Thinking on it, it could be because you spend so much time in a club or bar. At least this time it is in the "Barely Here", which is a funny play on words to describe a gentleman's club. At least most of the girls on the stage tonight looked halfway alluring, especially the one up now. Her name is Ronnie and she is not even fully unclothed yet and has most of the people at the stage rail panting and tossing scrip her way. If you admitted it, you could be on the rail, too, but you have already had your piece of Ronnie. She is an exciting lay, but she seems to want more than just sex, you know, and that is not in the cards just now. Maybe. There is something enticing about the thought of just settling down and leaving this horrid business........

Your thoughts are interrupted by Chip, the owner of the club, as he walks up to your table and tosses you a card. "Some punk in leathers just dropped this off for you. He said you would know where to go. Don't be bringing any trouble here."

He walks off and you look at the note. "Wait for me there. Something interesting is happening. And by interesting I mean dangerous. - Bert"

[Bastard]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1800 hrs - Barely Here Club, Seattle

Here could only mean one place; Tanked. Any other place would have been named.

Johnny downed the rest of his beer, then left Ronnie with a smile and 5 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) on the rail.


Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1825 hrs - Tanked, Seattle

Tanked is a dive bar surrounded by various old metal and brick warehouses in what one would call a shitty part of town. When Johnny used to work for Renraku, this is where he used to have business meetings off the record. You don't want to bring shadowrunners to the office, and Bert had taught him that you certainly didn't want to bring the company with you to the shadows. If it weren't for that practice, instead of being laid off, Johnny may have been laid to rest.

The best thing about a shadowrunner bar is that everyone fit in. Inside the converted brick warehouse were every type of metatype, in every style of dress, with about every degree of armament. In his expensive slacks, button up, sport coat and high gloss shoes, Johnny looked like a model entering the bar, but only drew quick glances. He moved toward the end of the long bar, where he found a relatively clean spot to sit. It still required to be wiped down, which was accomplished using the napkins provided in the bar caddy.

"Always cleaning my bar," the barman interrupted.
"Well, it is always dirty."
"Haven't seen you around lately. What's with the get-up?"
"Court date?"
"Yeah... sure."

At this point Johnny remembered he had always come here dressed down, jeans and a plain t-shirt, to blend in with the majority of runners and local blue collar workers that also frequented the place. He was slipping being out of the business.

"The usual, if you please."
"Eh? Well whiskey? Not in clothes like that, Johnny. You can afford something nicer."

He was surprised Randy remembered his name. Johnny hadn't come for quite some time, possibly a few years. It had been a long time since the Shutdown.

Randy slid a rocks glass that actually looked clean in front of Johnny. It was filled well over halfway with a smokey smelling gold liquid and a single large ice cube. He watched as the bartender returned the bottle to a shelf, second from the top, but he couldn't read the label. He took a drink which burned his throat nicely as he swallowed.

"That'll be 40 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) "
"God damn it."

He ended up ordering a second while he waited for Bert.

[Mercy]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1827 hrs - Tanked, Seattle


You are still looking at the remains of the whiskey in your glass when your eye picks out some movement to your left and the scent of some sort of flower wafts through the air to your nose. A woman sits down at the stool next to you. Still not looking at her, you can see a slim arm reach out and stick a credstick in the slot in front of her. In a voice slightly accented in what you think might be something slavic, she says, "I will have what he is having, please." She turns to look at you and your head turns almost by itself. The woman's upper torso is nothing short of amazing, but it is actually the face that grabs and holds your attention. You have seen lots of beautiful women in your life, but the Elf sitting next to you defines the word. Her smoky green eyes look at you from perfectly modeled features and hold yours for the few days that pass in a couple of seconds. "I hate to drink alone so can I buy you a second one?"

[Bastard]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1827 hrs - Tanked, Seattle

"Third, he corrected with a smile. "And definitely. I am not one for turning down drinks from mysterious women."

[Mercy]

Randy puts a couple of glasses over. "Careful, Johnny, too many of these will having you think every girl in the joint is a goddess of beauty."

The Elven beauty next to you chuckles and takes up her glass to sip at it. "Very nice." She takes her glass and slides from the stool, the movement allowing you to get a better look at how her loose sweatshirt conceals but cannot completely hide the figure beneath it or how her waist-length hair drapes over her shoulders down her front but leaves her ears exposed. "Our mutual acquaintance is waiting in booth thirteen. Bring your drink."

[Bastard]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1836 hrs - Tanked, Seattle

Johnny acknowledges Randy as he stands with a half smile, slight raise of his glass and a nod, then follows the woman, examining her visually for... weapons... yeah, weapons. Bert always knew how to hire good help. Drek. That is when he realized, she was his replacement, Bert's new protege.

He had never paid attention to the bar's table numbers, but Bert did not blend in as well as he thought. He was a hulk of a man, but his character was even larger. Many at Renraku know that the company only survived the backlash of the Arcology Shutdown due to the long hours and PR work by one Robert Bellings.


"That must be Booth 13," Johnny said, as he saw Bert's large figure.

While the man was fat, he was also a naturally large framed man, standing almost as tall as Johnny, but shoulders twice as wide, and he had not lost any weight since the two last met in person.

[Mercy]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1838 hrs - Tanked, Seattle


From behind, it is all too obvious that the woman is not carrying any sort of weapon in her pants................other than what nature has provided. The sweat shirt hangs to just below her waist and the skin tight jeans she must have had painted on emphasize her very shapely butt. A quick glance around shows that you are not the only man here that is giving her an appreciative look or three.

Bert looks up as you stop at the booth and motions for you to sit and join him. He may be as large as he was when you last saw him, but he looks older. He is still drinking vodka and there are two empty glasses upside down on the table in front of him and a third in his hand as you slide into the booth. The Elven woman motions for you to keep sliding and slips in beside you, placing her barely touched glass on the table in front of her. Bert raises his glass and toasts you in Russian before tossing the vodka back and placing the glass with the others. He has always had this odd Russian thing going on with him, but you have never found out why. To your knowledge, he has never been to Russia. Still, it has never been your place to question his drinking habits.

He takes a small cube from a pocket and places it on the table. You recognize it as a small-radius signal jammer and noise generator as he touches a button and a blinking red light turns green. When he is satisfied that the thing is working, he reaches into his jacket and brings out an envelope, tapping it against his hand for a bit then nodding to himself as he slides it across the table to you. "I do not know who to trust with this, Johnny. Certainly no one in my section, perhaps no one in the entire corporation. I just do not know how deep or far this goes, but I am convinced that there is a shadow corporation inside Renraku. It is eating its way through the normal corporate layers and is involved in some fragging deep drek. I love this corporation and have worked hard to make it a place to be proud to work, but this........this is different. Something is wrong. The problem is that I have no proof.....no real proof, and I am not sure how to get it to protect myself or the corporation. That envelope has all the solid stuff I have, including some names that may or may not be involved. That is where you come in, both of you. I pulled some strings with some very old friends, friends that never forget and know the true value of the word, and they sent Elena when I asked for help." He raises a hand before you can speak. "I know that you are a loner, but I think this is bigger than just you and want you to work with her. The envelope also has a stick with a 10K Y deposit for retainer and expenses. There is more when you need additional expense money and a lot more when you figure this out and get me some proof. I have included a very private com code that I want you to use if you need to talk to me. It is set to a delay system so just leave a message and I will get back to you. Questions?"

[Bastard]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1840 hrs - Tanked, Seattle

The fact that Bert called him Johnny and not Carson or Jones was not lost on him. He was being overly cautious. They were known associates, so there should be no need for all the cloak and dagger. Something had Bert scared, and that made Johnny uneasy.

"Za nashu druzhbu," Johnny returned the toast with a raised glass, a response that Bert had taught him.

After the sales pitch, Johnny had a million questions, but didn't know where to start.

"I have many, but I would like to look through this evidence first. One question though: Why me? What can I find at the company that you cannot? You are really my only contact there. Everyone else has moved on to other corporations, the shadows, moved out of Seattle or plain disappeared. You aren't in danger are you? If you run in to trouble, let me know. I can get you out safe, and keep you hidden."

[Mercy]

Bert licks his lips and pours another shot from the bottle on the table. You notice that his hands are shaking a bit and think back to when he practically single-handedly guided Renraku out of the Arcology disaster. The man was not telling you everything. He takes the shot and adds the glass to the row of upside down glasses and reaches for a fourth, but stops with his hand halfway to the bottle. "Fragging aye, I am in danger. And you will be, too, if you take this job. Once you start sniffing around, you could just disappear. Or worse. Your smart move would be to leave the table and not look back, but I know that you are not that smart. You must watch your step and you will have to be careful about who you trust with any of this. I am pretty certain that this is something with huge implications and my nose tells me it is going to be bad for the corporation. I brought in Elena because she is a complete outsider and I know her boss. She can be trusted. And Elena? This man is like a rock. You can trust him or I would not have brought him in. Work together and get me something I can take to the CEO. And if the CEO is part of it, I will just retire to somewhere."


He reaches for the bottle and adds a fifth glass to the row then motions to the envelope. "I would start with Margaret Tunaki. You remember her? She was vice head of the outside sales group when you were still inside. She took a sudden retirement last year and I think it was because she saw something or heard something. I can remember an odd conversation we had at her retirement party. It bothered me then and bothers me more now. She was warning me to watch my back and keep away from Hideo Funaka. At the time I thought it was just because Hideo had a reputation for being ruthless in getting promotions by having the dirty secrets of his superiors exposed so that they would retire or be fired. Now I am not so sure that was all she meant. Margaret still lives in Seattle and she might talk to you. I do remember that she liked you and thought that you would go far."

[Bastard]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1843 hrs - Tanked, Seattle

Johnny listened while Bert talked, and watched while he drank. He normally was a social drinker. This "shadow" company really has him on edge.

"Margaret Tunaki? I think I remember her. And you are sure she will talk to me? And do you got a way I can get in contact with her?"

[Mercy]

Bert shakes his head and reaches for the bottle, but before his hand closes on it, the girl next to you snakes out a hand and grabs it, pulling it to her. Bert gives her a glare and opens his mouth to say something, but thinks better and shrugs his shoulders, turning to you instead. "Frag if I know if she will talk to you. She liked you and thought you had a rough deal, so she might. Her current address and com code are in the packet."

[Bastard]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1844 hrs - Tanked, Seattle

"I will do this for you, Bert. And the money of course, but I wouldn't accept this job if it weren't for you. If you need anything, you know how to contact me. Keep me up to date."

Johnny reassured himself with a long finishing drink from his scotch.

"Let's go to work," he said to Elana.

[Mercy]

Bert nods at you and smiles, looking hopefully at the bottle of vodka that Elena has in front of her. His smile is brief, however, as Elena grabs the bottle as she slides out of the booth and waits for you. She walks with you toward the bar and hands the bottle to the bartender, whispering something to him as she passes a credstick across the bar. Straightening, she turns to walk with you. "You have transportation? I arrived at airport and take cab to get here. Need clothes, need toothbrush, need food, and need place to stay. Can you help?"

[Bastard]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1852 hrs - Tanked, Seattle

"I got a place. It isn't much, but it's home. We can stop at a Walmart on the way home to gather supplies. First though, if you aren't too tired, lets contact Miss Tunaki. Maybe she can join us for dinner."

Johnny gave Bert a quick look before he left the bar. The man was just staring at his empty glasses, all upside down and still empty.

"See you around, Randy," he told the bartender as he led Elana out.

[Mercy]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1854 hrs - Outside Tanked, Seattle


Elena looks at you closely before answering. "Nothing funny unless I say yes. But place to sleep sounds nice. Call this woman and see if she sees us. And sorry, I understand better than I talk. I was sent to help him, so now I help you. We find other corporation inside Renraku. Now must go back inside to use toilet, so make call while I am gone then we can leave." Elena turns to go back inside the bar.

[Bastard]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1853 hrs - Tanked parking lot, Seattle

Johnny climbed into his beat up Americar and placed the call.

"Hello, Miss Margaret Tunaki? It's Carson Jones. As you may know I have been seeking employment since the Shutdown, and I was told that you might be willing to give me a good reference. Is it possible to meet tonight? I apologize for the short notice, but it is urgent. Are you free for dinner?"

[Mercy]

"Carson? How nice to hear from you. It has been a long time. I can certainly give you a reference, but I am afraid it will have to wait until tomorrow. I have already eaten and am going out for a bit. Perhaps 10 AM to morrow morning?"

[Bastard]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1853 hrs - Tanked parking lot, Seattle

"If it must, but if possible, can we meet for a brief minute tonight? You see, I have a job interview that came out of nowhere last second. I can meet you somewhere if that makes it easier."

[Mercy]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1853 hrs - Tanked parking lot, Seattle


"Alright. I am going to be at the Met Museum tonight. You won't get in to see me unless you are wearing a Tux, but ping me when you arrive and I can come out to see you."

There is a knock on your window and you see Elena bending over to look in. "Everything alright? I can get in car?"

[Bastard]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1855 hrs - Tanked parking lot, Seattle

Johnny ignores Elana briefly.

"Alright, looks like tomorrow it is. Have a good evening Miss Tunaki."

"Yeah. Get in. We won't be able to meet with Tunaki until tomorrow morning. Let's go do your shopping."

[Mercy]

Elana climbs into the car and frowns ans she buckles up. "That is sad. Is she busy? I do not need much, so can shop at a local Stuffer Shack. Is one close?"

[Bastard]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1855 hrs - Tanked parking lot, Seattle

"Yeah, but we aren't going to the Stuffer Shack."


Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1923 hrs - Johnny's car, traveling westbound on Yester Way, Seattle

The pyramid fills the entire windshield as Johnny pulls off the interstate and onto Yester Way. While most of the building is dark, the bottom floors, accent lighting and flood lights are illuminated.

"The Arcology."

[Mercy]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1923 - Johnny's car, traveling westbound on Yester Way, Seattle


Elana looks over at you with wide eyes. "Was not this place ruined and infested with rogue AI or something?"

[Bastard]

Tuesday, June 12, 2075 - 1923 - Johnny's car, traveling westbound on Yester Way, Seattle

"Yes. And also the home of a five story mall." he replied, following the signs for mall parking.

[Mercy]

Elana turns to look at you and smiles. "Five floors of shopping? Only need few things."