IC New Beginnings DAWN Options

[Mercy]

Snow smiles at Lil' Homie and tries to stay out of the way as Con does his thing with the boy and the clerk at the counter. While waiting for the guy to come back with the beer, she spots a hoodie on a rack behind the counter. When the clerk returns, Snow asks him if the hoodie is for sale and the man shrugs and gives her a price. After a minute of back and forth, she hands over a sum and takes the hoodie. Snow gives Con a smile of thanks and takes one of the beers when he offers it, using the counter to pop the cap in a practiced move that leaves no doubt that she has done it before.

She sips at the warm beer as they climb the stairs back to their floor and again stands aside as Con talks to the man in the hallway.

[farothel]

Sammy also thanks O'Connor when he hands her back her pistol.
"We don't all have to carry AK's or something similar," she said, "for those in the know it would be fairly easy to spot that some of us have no skill whatsoever in handling those by the way we carry them. And not everybody I've seen here today was even armed."

She looked around in the room.
"I'll set a ward here tomorrow," she said, "it would keep at least astral visitors out. And speaking of astral visitors. Jane, do you have any idea how Samriel's aura looks like? I might be able to send a number of watchers around to search. They can't go everywhere, but they're easy to summon."

[Thvor]

Sam also didn't feel the need for heavier firepower. After Con left, he turned to Sammy and Clementine. "Ok, a human male accompanied by two attractive orc women will tend to draw attention no matter how we play this out. I'm thinking researchers from one of the corps, looking for special artifacts, perhaps very similar to the one "Mr. Lockwood" has disappeared with. Of course, we'd need a few more details on that--" he paused, letting Jane know where he expected the details to come from, then continued, "--but if we let it be known that we have money and/or power that we're willing to share with whoever leads us where we want to go, things should work pretty smoothly. Thoughts?"

[farothel]

"I would be careful with the money thing," Sammy said, "from what I've seen here they might just decide to rob us instead of help us. I'm also not very comfortable with splitting up, but I guess if we want to cover ground we have to."

[Thvor]

Sam chuckled. "We don't need to actually have cash on hand. A corp shill would have some money to grease wheels, but any real payout would be on delivery. And besides--when have either of us let not having something be an obstacle? Reality's all about perception, right?"

[farothel]

"True," Sammy said, "well, in any case, that's for tomorrow. For now I'm going to try and send a couple of messages and then get some sleep."
She sent a message to James Dermot, her talismonger, asking if he had a formula for a spell to clean water. Even with the water purification tablets, she thought she could use it but she wasn't going to trust local sources.
Another message went out to her brother, reasuring him she was fine and asking about how he was doing, including school.

[Thvor]

As the group split up, Sam decided to head to bed; he wasn't sure how many personalities he'd have to create the next day, and wanted to be well-rested for it.

[Necrogigas]

Once done with his conversation with Peaceful, O'Connor handed another beer to Lil' Homie out of the open pack, "Only one more. We need you sharp for tomorrow." He also handed one of the unopened six packs to the kid, "Hand those out to the others, I'll be in in a bit." He handed Snow another beer and took the last one out of the pack for himself. He held up the last six pack and motioned towards the stairwell that led up to the roof, wordlessly inviting Snow to join him.

[Mercy]

Snow takes the offered beer and follows Con to the roof, waiting silently to see what the man has to say.

[Necrogigas]

O'Connor looked up at the sky and sighed as he sipped his beer. He was silent for several moments. He finally turned and looked at Snow, "Why that play? We didn't need those pirates respect or approval. Killing their raiding team and capturing those kids showed well enough we weren't to be fragged with."

[Mercy]

Snow nods, trying to put her thoughts into words. "You are correct in saying it proved we were not to be fragged with, but in my opinion, it did not give them any reason to help us and I felt that we did need their respect and approval. Sure, we maybe could have bribed them and they might have helped us, but the cost would have been greater and they might not have been as willing or as helpful. You earned the respect of the man through your actions, putting you on near equal terms with him. What you did directly led to him lowering his price and not troubling the rest of us during the journey, not to mention getting us here in the first place. You could have even worked a better deal for yourself and the others by giving me to them for the voyage. That you did not shows a depth of character, though, and I appreciate that, even though I would have gone willingly to them had you desired me to."

"I am sorry that I did not discuss this with you before doing it, but there was little or no time to do so. I will try to not blindside you with something like that again, although I will tell you up front now that I would be a willing participant if you feel the need to repeat the episode. I have been trained to be that sort of woman, Con, and would put myself on the line like that as often as needed to help the team to accomplish our mission. Consider me an asset, one possibly as potent as your gun at times. Use me if you need to."

[Necrogigas]

It took a moment for O'Connor to articulate his response,
"It's Jane's money we're spending. Even if it wasn't, the trade isn't equal. You keep saying to think of you as an asset. I can't do that. It's not who I am, or at least, it's not who I want to be. You're not just a bargaining chip that I'll use casually. You're my teammate. Hell you're the only one on the team that I actually like."

He chugged the rest of his beer in a few gulps. Heavy conversations like this were something he avoided, but felt compelled to explain himself to Snow, "Don't make that play again, I can't keep being Captain Slappy. I'm a piece of drek and I've earned my place in Hell. Even so, I have a code. I hurt people for three main reasons; for revenge, in self-defense, or its the job. I'm a creature of violence and rage. It'd be all to easy for me to not just kill my enemies, but make them suffer and beg to die. What I did to Bacchus in LA brushed right up against the line. If he had meat legs instead of chrome, I wouldn't have done it. It still shows how close I always am to falling into sadism. I may be monstrous, but I don't want to be completely soulless, not like that pirate scumbag Thabo or that sadistic fragger Vadik."

O'Connor had put alot of venom into his voice at the mention of Vadik. His eyes went wide when he realized that he'd let that name slip. He turned away from Snow and busied himself by opening another beer. His body language showed he was retreating within himself, and fast.

[Mercy]

Snow takes a chance and puts a hand on Con's shoulder. "OK, I won't make that move again without talking to you about it first." After a pause, she adds, "You seem troubled. I am a very good listener if you want to say anything. I can also keep a confidence."

[Necrogigas]

O'Connor gave a heavy sigh and downed half his beer before answering, "I didn't like hitting you, but I was able to without hesitation. It makes me wonder if my code is just bulldrek. I came up with it to keep myself from becoming like Vadik, my mom's pimp. Guy's a real piece of work. He beats his girls and their kids all the time just to make them beg for mercy. I kill for vengence and profit, but I don't draw it out. Quick and clean. Vadik hurts people for fun. I can do it without hesitation, how long until I do it because I like it too?"

[Mercy]

Con has not removed her hand from his shoulder so Snow lets it linger there. "Some men are born sadistic and cruel and like it. That you do not, means a lot, Con. You can control it, if you want to. It sounds to me that you and this Vadik are not anything alike. You hit me because you had to but you did not enjoy it. I took it because I had to but I did not enjoy it. We both did the right thing for the right reasons. I think that because you have a conscience, you will not fall become what Vadik is. Believe me, I have seen lots of Vadiks in my tine as a joygirl and you are not one. You are a violent man when you need to be, and can be somewhat rude to others, even your own teammates, but I wonder how much of that is a defense mechanism. I am not a shrink, but I have a ton of experience in reading people to determine what they like in bed and I think that you use your words to try to keep people at bay.....to not allow yourself to get close to anyone. You are perhaps afraid of two things, hurting someone you care about and getting so close that your judgement may be clouded. I could be wrong, of course, but I think that you are mistaken about me and the others. You can let yourself get close and still be you."

[Necrogigas]

O'Connor looked up into the sky contemplatively, "Maybe." He moved to sit on the edge of the roof. He finished off his current beer and cracked another one, "Help me finish these off."

[Mercy]

Snow smiles as she accepts the offered beer. "Thanks. I prefer a good vodka, but this will do in a pinch." She walks up to sit on the ledge next to Con, shoulders almost touching. She maintains a comfortable silence for a bit, waiting to see if he would say anything else.

[Necrogigas]

O'Connor gave a soft chuckle, "A Russian that prefers vodka, such an originalist." Other than the friendly jest, O'Connor drank in silence.

[Mercy]

Snow chuckles. "I was trained to be an originalist in my sexual techniques so as to find out what pleases the clients, my drinking habits are all my own."

[Crossbow]

When the lot of you decide it is a good time to brave the heat and crowds of Lagos it ends up being a 10am local. The humidity is thick enough to chew, even in the courtyard of the hotel.

Lil Homie, after asking some rather bright questions to O’Conner, has decided that he needs to take him to the Dúdú Dúdú Ôjà in Agege, instead of the local market, for the modifications the runner is looking to do, saying the local markets will not have armorers on hand.

Jane is expecting the other group to start hitting places with more foreigners and try to get a lead on Samriel. Transportation in Lagos is available by okada (a narrow, modified motorcycle taxi), by cab, or by danfo (a privately operated bus that transports workers for a few naira each). There are more street kids outside the hotel ready to serve as guides .

[Mercy]

The drinking party on the roof had broken shortly after the third beer and Snow had accompanied Con back to the room, where she undressed for bed, stripping down to only her panties before slipping a too-large t-shirt over her torso, apparently unconcerned if any of her teammates were looking at her. In the morning, she got up and used the toilet down the corridor before returning to the room to get dressed. The tee was already fairly soaked by the time she took it off and rummaged through her bag for something to wear. Kneeling on the floor, she selected something light, knowing that it would be sticking to her almost as soon as she put it on. She chewed on her lower lip for a few seconds then decides to go for comfort and striped out of her panties, before slipping her trousers on.

Standing, she slips her shoulder rig on and checks her pistol before putting it in the holster. Looking at Jane and Con, she signals that she is ready when they are. "We eating on the go or here before we leave?"

[Necrogigas]

Once returning to the room, O'Connor stripped naked and hung his clothes up on one of the privacy partitions before going to bed. With the unsanitary conditions of the city, plus the humidity, he was regretting not bringing a change of clothes. Jane had said one duffle bag, and his had been nearly ripping at the seams with all his weapons and ammo. Nothing to be done about it now. He made a mental note to have Lil' Homie take him to a market once he had a bit of free time.

In the morning, once the humidity was in full force, O'Connor was glad he'd switched out from an armored leather jacket to an armored vest/form fitting half bodysuit combo. He'd be passing out from heat stroke with the jacket in no time.

With room security assured after "tipping" Peaceful, O'Connor left Mira and Unrelenting Torrent behind. He held one of the AKs, ready to use, and held out the other between Jane, Snow and Lil' Homie to carry, not certain who would be the most comfortable and/or effective with the weapon.

[farothel]

Sammy was sort of used to the heat, as LA could be quite hot at times as well. The humidity was something else though, but she was sure she would get used to it at one point.
After getting dressed she looked at the others.
"I don't think we can eat here, so we have to do it on the fly," she said, "I think it's best to be careful what you eat. So, who goes where? I wouldn't mind checking out Victoria Island."

[Mercy]

Snow nods as she pulls her hair back into a ponytail and puts a hair-tie in place. "Frag, it is hot and sticky already. I think we are on the way to a marketplace first. Perhaps this guy is known in the area? If not we can branch out from there. You three can try to get to the Island, but all of my research says that could be tough unless you have an invite, but maybe Sam can fast-talk them into getting you one." Once ready, she picks up a strap sack she has put some medical supplies in and looks at Con and Jane. She shakes her head at Con's offer of the AK and holds out her hand for it. "I can use that, but not as well as my pistol, but I can carry it unless Jane wants it? You two ready to get going?"

[farothel]

"There has to be a way to get on that island," Sammy said, "I simply can't believe that in this city there are no ways to get there. But maybe we can better wait a couple of days and have a look around before we move there. I guess it's down to going to certain hotspots and use the picture and some bribes to get people to talk. Maybe the place where all those hackers go... Festac wasn't it, can yield useful info."