Salted Wounds [IC], a Deep Black Sea game Options

[Volker]

bnc puts her patch in Anna's hand and meets her eyes. Then She she stands, determined despite the violent shakes that run through her body. Two trails of tairs and red eyes show that she couldn't fight back all the tears in the end. Just when Wraith came to get them, bnc signals him to wait and joins the group on how own behalf.

"I guess you deserve some answers after what you saw. Also, it's vital for you to get a grasp on the situation and an understanding about how much I can be trusted. So here's the truth. Bean Si is my sister and the one person I hold closest in my life. And I'm the reason the things you just heard happened."
Her voice sounds hollow yet determination grows with every word.
"You got any questions, ask them now. I'll answer to anything, but I might not be in the mood to discuss personal matters once this meeting is over. Also, I'd appreciate if someone had some painkillers with him. Is there a medkit or so?"

[ Spoiler ]

Anna's basically trying to get bnc back on her feet. As for bnc, I think guilt is dominant, but unless you Assense her, I guess what you see is tears, a hollow gaze and her regaining her composure.

[Luckace]

As Wraith doesn't seem to be as eager for questions as his coworkers, he looks for the necessary medical supplies inside the van while the others ask their questions.

[Thanee]

Nova wanted to reach for her medkit, when Wraith went off to find one in the car, already. So she just shrugged and turned to bnc instead.

"Good to see you holding up. Must be hard. Just one question out of curiosity. I noticed the names you go by are pretty similar phonetically... Bean Si and bee'n cee. I guess it makes sense, if you are sisters. You chose them together?"

"Other than that, the one thing that is important right now is how we can find her. Do you have any idea, where she could be hiding?"

[Gilga]

Anna followed bnc, her demeanor is pleasant and friendly, if a bit more serious than she was during the ride. She makes a small 'hi' toward Nova, and then to mr. Nacl, - trying to gauge if he was done talking.

[Jack_Spade]

Eliza replied to Wraith's question: "Sure, I'll have my hands full with overwatch anyway now that I have to split my attention between you and the boss."

The boss for his part kept a pokerface at bnc's reaction, but turned to Anna instead: "Mrs. Black, I assume you are going to stay with your friend. I'm indeed offering you both compensation for this work like the others. 10000€ now and 10000 after you complete the job of finding Kerstin.

As to the question of the name: It was the one Kerstin took for herself about two years ago when we started to work with each other. I think she appreciated the double meaning that the name carries.
Hiding places that I don't know of are likely connected to her time before I met her, so it is a good thing we have Wraith and her sister with us. That will give us an edge against the opposition.

Right. I'll leave you to it. I have to attend a meeting with a biotech specialist in Zurich. Eliza can reach me if necessary. The van is stocked with enough food and amenities to be a reliable mobile HQ, otherwise there is a small farm building outside Innsbruck if you need a place to lay even lower.

I'll return there in about three days."

[Gilga]

Anna felt paranoid as to what happens after they found her - and if her loyalty won't change at that moment. What if Bean Si does not want to be 'rescued' what if Mr. Nacl is just another one wishing her harmed? She was not sure that joining that group was the right thing to do, but the Jhonson just assumed that they'd join and did not even wait for them to say they would.
looking for Kerstain on their own also could make sense in some scenarios. It made sense to join - if they trusted the man... but if he was yet another one looking to exploit Kerstain then they'll be in conflict with some professional runners... and the Shark has already geeked a mage - she did not want to be near him once bnc decides to go sideways...

She texted bnc >> How much can we trust that man with the best interest of your sister?
Also, can James bring my work bag - and some clothes? I am a big fan of guns and clean underwear...

She said "Well if you have some ideas for locations... I can go scout them very quickly. I am very good at spotting things in the astral. I am likely to know if someone is laying low in one of the hideouts... and Kerstain is awakened now, so I may at least rule out the mundane. "

[Thanee]

"Since it looks like we are going for a ride, I would also like to fetch a few things from my flat before we leave for austria. Who knows, might come in handy," Nova mentioned, as it seemed like they would make a little tour in the van next. "That would give us some long-range firepower and I also have a top-notch medkit lying there, which was a bit too cumbersome to carry with me to this meeting. And just in case it becomes relevant, I am quite skilled, when it comes to treating wounds."

[Gilga]

Anna said "That is good to know, and I think we may need firepower.
With pride in her voice she said " bnc is miraculous with the medic kit as well and then added "I specialize in health magic - but no other medical skills."

[SquirrelDude]

Sharkboy shrugged. "All my drek is already in the van. I travel a lot so I travel pretty light. It a shame I'll have paid down for that hotel room and not use. It was so close to the subway, too."

[Luckace]

Wraith returned from the van and tossed bnc some painkillers.
"Before you leave, Herr Nacl: You mentioned that the Harvesters and the Crusaders were getting in each other's way. How far did this go, have they actually been killing each other, or did you just mean hiding leads and the sort?"

[Volker]

"I wan't aware of that new nickname. I thought they just mistook her for me."
bnc seems distant, yet controlled.

<@Anna <1sec>>

"Yah, we, too, should fetch some stuff. Also, I need new guns as I left mine at the museum. Is there any reason not to return to my flat? They seem not to have found out where I live yet. I was quite fond of Tom.", she adds with a sad expression.

[Jack_Spade]

Wraith returned from the van and tossed bnc some painkillers.
"Before you leave, Herr Nacl: You mentioned that the Harvesters and the Crusaders were getting in each other's way. How far did this go, have they actually been killing each other, or did you just mean hiding leads and the sort?"

Nacl nodded again at Wraith: "No, not killing as such. But the Crusaders had found a girl looking a bit like their target and were about to stone her to death when the Harvesters appeared and tried to snatch her away from them. In the confusion the girl was able to slip away. The Harvesters injured a few Chipheads before having to retreat from reinforcements. Not that the Harvesters did it out of compassion - they simply don't want the valuables inside Kerstin to get damaged - meaning her spine and eyes.

As for returning and fetching stuff: "There should be no problem as long as neither bnc nor Sharkboy are the ones to walk on the streets. The van uses spoofed ID and has adaptable number plates. Send a drone with your credentials to pick up the gun from the museum - a normal post drone should suffice.

I really have to be going now. Eliza can help you with everything else."

With that he left.

[Volker]

bnc happily catches the painkillers and pops one without any fluid. "Danke"

"All right, that's not a problem."
bnc, still pale and shivering, changes the color of her hair to a light ginger and shapes it curly with a mental command. The color of her hoody becomes emerald, with a big white comic cat face and a "AniKat" font on it. The jeans, too, get a brighter color, especially on the knees. The face is still the same, yet it should be less easy to recognize her even when seen. She steps into the car and takes a seat, then passes out.

Online, she commands the drone to send the car outside of town where we can pick up the stuff on our way to Munich without drawing any unwanted attention. The drone itself returns to the flat once the cab is moving and packs all of Anna's stuff, ready to be picked up.

<@Anna<james packs ur stuff we can pick it up there ill stay in the car my stuff is already on the way>>

[Thanee]

"One thing I was thinking... maybe we could create some false leads for them? Keeping them busy chasing ghosts, ideally somewhere a good distance away from where we will be."

[Jack_Spade]

Eliza repied: "That is a good idea, but be aware that the Crusaders have quite a lot of manpower, and they recruit locally. The Harvesters on the other hand would have to stretch their ressources. So it is a valid tactic."

bnc found that she had received three MARKs for the van and was now able to see the specifications for the car. Beside the high quality amenities, the car had been discreetly armored up to the possible maximum - in addition to a separate passenger protection. The motor and the steering had been upgraded as well and the touch sensors on the outside increased the handling further. Though whoever rigged this thing would have to contend with more biofeedback as well.
There were no weapons build in, but for discreet gunports made it possible to return fire from the inside if necessary.

[Gilga]

Anna texted bnc >> Thanks doll... Following the advice, she sent a mail drone to pick up her taser.
She stepped into the car and would be very happy to reunite with her equipment... She asked, "Or perhaps we can try to lure Bean Si to come to us?"

[Luckace]

Wraith is visibly surprised by bnc altering her appeareance just like that. "Now that certainly comes in handy", he approves with a surprised grin. "Since when can you do that?"
He gets inside the van and keeps the bike on autopilot for now.

Towards Anna: "I don't think luring her to us will work, Nacl said she became totally paranoid. And if even her partner can't lure her out of hiding, I think her suddenly mystically-reappearing sister will look even more like bait."

[Thanee]

"Ok, another question. As I do not have any means of transportation at the moment, I would need some way to get to my flat and back or to another meeting point. I can take a cab, of course, if we do not want to use the van to drive through munich for some reason? Unless anyone has a better idea..."

[Jack_Spade]

Eliza replied: "The van is not compromised as far as I can make out - it's a common model and make and the registration is freshly changed. The team can use it freely to move around."

[Gilga]

Anna replied "Yes, sadly there is no concrete lead, so I think it is really not a problem to spend some time getting the equipment ready."

[SquirrelDude]

"This van is going to smell like a locker room, but without the showers and with even more unwashed garments.

"I hope you're all ready for that."

[Luckace]

"Hm. Tecnically, Nova, we could split up: I got a bike, autopilot parked it some 100 metres away from here. You could use that, while Anna and bnc get her stuff with the van, then we meet up again. If your toys are foldable to fit in the compartment, that would save us the time of driving through Munich two times - and time is still running, after all."

With a wink, he continues: "I trust you're smart enough not to steal a mage's beloved bike."

[Thanee]

Nova turns to Wraith and nods.

"Thank you for the kind offer. That would work. And, of course, I am gonna get her back in one piece. I will leave my case here, then. With the bike, I will need around an hour."

The blonde runner puts her aluminium attaché into any available storage in the van and heads off to grab the rest of her stuff.

* * * * *

When she comes back, she has a trekking backpack with her containing a black carrying case made of hard plastic a little larger than her attaché, a smaller dark green case with a red cross on it, and some spare clothes, sneakers, hygiene bag and what else you need for a little road trip.

[Jack_Spade]

The fetch quests were absolved without a hitch. Since the incident happened inside corporate territory, no consequences are seen in the public.

About an hour later, the team was back together on a small, backyard parking lot.

[Volker]

"That might work, maybe even for the Crusaders. Soon as I got some time - I expect that'll be soon - I'll start infiltrating the forums. Even if they have tremendous manpower the community as such might get frustrated if they feel they can't trust each other hints and that they chase after one false lead after the other. Yeah, I'll have to spend some time in the forums. Also knowing your enemy is always good."

To Anna she texts: <@Anna<id be a very ugly doll dont call me that>>

bnc gives Wraith a smile. "Roughly since I'm 17 or so. I just never had a reason to show you. The fewer people know, the better. Let's go!"

Shortly after, they meet up with yet another team member. James, who brought all of bnc's stuff with a cab, is a handsome man in his mid-twenties. His tan face is decorated by some subtle tattoes, his jaw is broad and firm. Other than that, he's quite insignificant: roughly 1,75 tall, average build, short dark hair.

"Hoi, omae. Here is the equipment you requested."

bnc responds with a smile. "Thanks. James, these are Wraith, Sharkboy and Nova. Team, this is James. Be nice. He always is."

[ Spoiler ]

Three hits on a perception roll show that it is indeed a humanoid drone as you players might already have concluded from my previous posts. If you roll less than 3 hits, however, you'll see the handsome man he/it appears to be.