Behind the Crown [IC], Behind the crown are shadows Options

[Foxx]

"""Interested parties,""" Heather said. """Folks that don't want Mitsuhama to gain an advantage.""" Sounded cold and liked the people she works for did not care about Chuck other than as pawns on the table. """Lucky for everyone they hire to play the game, the person that gives a damn.""" See, it was not all about the money, sometimes some people in the shadows do care. She paused long enough to eyeball the person sticking their head out the door. She hurried her gait to get back to the car and get out of the area before someone or something happen along to screw up this first peaceful extraction. """Just give me a couple of days, maybe you can go back to the union and find some work. Maybe you can use this to pursue other job opportunities."""

She paused at the steps again, looking around the parking lot to see if anyone new had arrived.

[Koekepan]

Chuck hustles along with Heather. He sort of nods along with what she says, and doesn't seem to be displaying too much situational awareness. Well, be fair; he was just woken up.

The parking lot doesn't show any big signs of new arrivals except one harried-looking woman, perhaps in her late twenties, with what looks like a heavy basket full of disposable clothing. In the long run, it's more expensive than regular clothing that you then launder, but saves time. The algorithms that price this sort of thing have fine-tuned exactly how much exhausted low earners will spend to save the effort of shoving things into laundry devices. One more way to siphon off that extra nuyen.

---OOC: give me a check for scanning the area---

[Koekepan]

Heather's keen ears pick up a familiar buzzing - faint, but this isn't rush hour and there aren't trains passing by.

She glances up a little, past the brim of her hat, and sees a flying drone approaching. It's a surveillance type, and as it draws nearer she hears the sound disappear. It was hustling over here, but has now gone into loitering mode, practically inaudible. It's not easy to see any markings on it. Maybe it's just news media.

[pbangarth]

Connor pays his tab and heads to the back. He finds the men's room empty. Good. Into a stall just to be safe. He considers for a moment the look shown on the trideo. Same hair, eyes, and clothes he has on under the armored coat. Must have used footage from work this morning. He removes the coat so it won't be affected by the Makeover.

OK. Different hair color is easy, make it a dusty blond. Eyes will have to stay the same, but the clothes can be done as well, make them outdoors casual. Might as well clean the pie and coffee out of his teeth. He concentrates.

[ Spoiler ]

Makeover spell F3: target 8 (daytime, dammit)

Sorcery 5 + Spell Pool 7 = 12 dice :2 successes

Drain resistance target 4(M) (damn daylight) : WIL 12 = 12 dice: 5 successes
no Drain

Coat comes on after it all. People out in the restaurant may notice some difference. Connor connects with the spirit and asks for a disturbance away from the bathroom and the front door to attract the attention of all present. He waits, and once the fun starts, he heads outside. Time to wait for the stranger, looking like "Mr. Smith". He hums an old tune "Underneath the lamplight ..."

[Koekepan]

When Connor shows up, a frustrated server is trying to change the trid channel away from a raucously ultraviolent show of some sort. Connor doesn't stick around long enough to pick out the details, but does see a leggy elven chick's skirt flip up when she fires off incredibly flashy magic.

If only it really worked that way. But what the hell, it's a distraction.

[pbangarth]

Leaving the diner seemed like a good idea. But standing outside doesn't. Too many long-range eyes... or astral senses. Connor looks around to see what other establishments nearby could afford a safer place to wait for the stranger.

[Koekepan]

It depends upon what suits his taste. There are a few options.

Across the street, he can see a nanotat place, a cybersurgery, a barber and a bar. The bar is closed, but the others are open. The barber mostly seems to serve the opposite sex, but there are chairs, so if he can fake waiting for some lady who's in there getting her fibres rearranged, he might sit tight for an hour with no questions asked.

This side of the street has a machine shop that seems to mostly serve the maritime industries, a hotel that almost certainly rents rooms by the half hour, a drone repair shop and a security system installer. He could go windowshopping for a while, and not raise any eyebrows.

[pbangarth]

Connor checks out the front of the drone repair shop. It might be a place Carlos can use. After some rubbernecking there, he messages the stranger that he will be in front of the cybersurgery. He wanders by the nanotat shop and then to the cybersurgery.

+++I wonder if this kind of thing could be enhanced with a bit of magic. Lemme see what I can learn from the displays.+++

[Koekepan]

Nanotats are not an easy thing to address with magic. It might be possible. Connor would have to look into the materials science behind it...

On a more prosaic note, the open air fills Connor's nostrils with the smell of Puget Sound, and the industries around it. A blend of decaying seaweed, heavy oil and ozone, combined with the rumble of traffic and the distance horn of a ship.

[Foxx]

A drone, in this area, what a coinkydink. Drones were both a wonderful thing and a pain in the ass in her line of work. She did not believe in coincidence, so it would be a safe bet to exercise her paranoia and suspect that the Corp sent something to scout Chuck. What to do about the drone that'll probably follow them where they may go and send illicit details back to their operator?

She stopped to turn away from where the drone watched them slipping her hands through her coat to draw the Colt. She indicated to Chuck to halt while she quickly screwed on the silencer, changed magazines. She made it look like she was telling himself something. "Just hold still for a second." When she turns back again, she aims the pistol at the drone dropping the SmartLink's red dot right on it before pulling the trigger quickly to put the thing out of commission.

If she did it right, she'd hurry a little faster to ride to get out of there before someone followed up. If the little bugger survived, she finishes it off with a few more shots. "Okay, lets go now."

[ Spoiler ]

Shooting Drone with Colt L36; Shooting 4: 4#1d6 1 5 4 3

Shooting Drone with Colt L36; Shooting 4; second shot: 3#1d6 5 5 3

Stealth roll to be discreet: 5#1d6 6 4 3 1 2

Stealth roll to be discreet; d6: 1d6 2

[Koekepan]

Chuck, still half-asleep, doesn't seem to really notice what she's doing. He's too busy getting into the ride, so by the time she gets into position to sling lead, he's out of sight of her silenced bang-bang anyway.

The lead goes up, and while it's probably not moving much faster than a stooping falcon by the time it hits, it still has the sectional density to penetrate the miraculously light skin of a surveillance drone and wreck things inside. She sees the drone's shape fold, and bits fly off, and then it tumbles from the sky to plough into ... the roof of a Stuffer Shack. Well, it won't be surveilling much from there.

In the mean time, her 'link blips with a message from Carlos, that she can peruse at her leisure. When she gets to it, it reads:

<<<Ready to roll. We're on the news, it's manhunt time. You got a rendezvous we can hit, or do we just hunker down and wait?>>>

On another axis, Cindy's online account is inviting Heather to a memorial site that was automatically created - MatrixWake - where she can gather with all Cindy's greatest friends and mourn and remember her, for a nominal fee.

[Foxx]

"""Are you fragging kidding me?""" heather exclaims out loud at the news of the search. She flips over to the locale news, searching for any more information. Next, she programs for the next destination as she listens to the newsreel about four desperate felons kidnapping a poor innocent. """Ah screw that news, you rice grinding polecats.""" She texts back a quick message:

<<<Oh my way, lay low till I get there.>>> She gives a brief description of the vehicle. Once that is done, she punches the dash. Mitsuhama really must like to have a complete set of employees if they were willing to go low and ruin their reputation like that. That's what was going to happen to; all the legit contacts would dry up and leave them with no one to go but the underground.

"""Sorry Chuck, looks like Mitsuhama wants to play dirty on this gig."""

[Koekepan]

Chuck takes a little while to get up to speed, but when his brain assimilates the information, Heather discovers that she has opened the floodgates. Chuck rants about capitalists, and global exploitation, and the rights of the people, and union busting. He lays out a semi-literate analysis (Heather's pretty sure he doesn't understand some of the words he's using) that reaches from South Tacoma towards the central area, and could probably have continued all the way to Seattle. It reminds Heather of nothing so much as getting the platoon marxist started about the proletariat's subversion by elitist ideologies - about as coherent, and just as long-winded.

The good news is that Heather pulls up in the target zone without other interruptions, given the relatively light traffic at this time of day. Carlos slips out from an alcove in the side of a building, and walks quickly over to her vehicle. He had a bandana over his face, and a hood up against the drizzle, but exposed his face enough that she could make a positive ID based on her images of him before attempting to get into the vehicle. He has a messenger bag slung across his body, and looks like a hundred other guys jandering around Tacoma on any given day.

[pbangarth]

The smells from the nearby Sound get Connor thinking about the work he was doing at Biozu. The cleanup of a body of water like the Sound would be a phenomenal boon to the local environment, but a monumental task. In principle the biological modifications done at Biozu could be applied on a much larger scale. It would take a lot of money, expertise and personnel. Like what a corporation like Mitsuhama can command.

Hmmmph. Where would be the profit? Would government be willing to pay enough to convince a corp to do the work? Not likely, unless the will existed to bring the populace around.

How might that be effected? There's something to ponder.

[Foxx]

Hather confirms it is Carlos she is picking up and not some bounty hunter or Mitsuhama collector getting into the car with them. """Howdy, welcome aboard.""" She checks the surroundings before pulling off to go make the next pick up. """Any comlinks tied too your identity might as well switch 'em off. Where is the other guy that was with you?""" She already knows the answer, seeing as they're going to get him now, but its part of the testing phase to make sure she's getting the assets she was tasked to get. Plus, gauge his mood. Chuck was rightly pissed off about the situation after his little tangent on the driver over. """You two might know each other. Say hi and lay low. You probably know about the bounty put on your head concerning the dire kidnapping you were apparently part of rescently."""

[Koekepan]

Chuck apparently does recognise Carlos. Not a surprise, really, that a couple of slots on the technical end would know each other. They exchange nods, while Carlos answers Heather:

"""Heya. I already did the security stuff. If you mean Connor, he shouldn't be far. We just split up to take care of biz. Oh, and speaking of the news, I saw it, and I knew Connor but I didn't know that other lady, what's-her-face. Do you know anything about her?"""

While Carlos gets in and shuts the door, Heather can see a short figure with a bag of some kind standing casually looking at the display of some kind of surgical office, a couple of blocks down. The placement's correct, anyway.

[pbangarth]

A vehicle approaching makes Connor nervous. +++The unknown, or Mitsuhama, or neither?+++ The question reminds Connor that he looks different now, and even Carlos may not twig right away that it is he.

Connor sends a quick description of his new appearance to the unknown caller. What the hell. The Powerball spell is nearby.

[Foxx]

heather texts back that she is indeed the ride he's looking for and advice to act normal, like its a carpool of friends going out for a good ride. Not a carpool of wanted criminals being hunted by a p.o.'d mega. As Conner gets in, she answers Carlos question, """ I know she's going to be a pain in the ass to acquire. If I miss my guess she might be trying to go it alone, so either she's well connected on the street or she's being kinda' dumb.""" Seeing as there shouldn't be any secrets she goes into the details about Cindy to see if anyone has a better grip on the freaky, elusive, target.

[Koekepan]

Chuck gives a short, slightly leering chuckle. """Yeah, a chummer hooked up with her one time. Says it was the freakiest ride in the park, but wouldn't say more. Didn't hook up with her again, neither."""

He scratches an armpit and thinks, then adds: """Uh, wait, he did say not to drink the soykaf. Not sure what he meant by that. Drugs? I dunno."""

Carlos reaches into his bag and pulls out a cheap, nasty little 'link that's still in its wrapper. Obviously, a burner. He yanks off the wrapper, and boots the thing up. """Checking for more reports. I know people who could guess why Big Hama's going this far."""

[pbangarth]

Connor thinks a moment about what Chuck said. +++Yeah, there's a lot about that woman that hides behind her attitude. I tried to get past the shell, but failed. There's a saying about what it's like with a ... crazy woman. And she knows a thing or two about chemistry, so ... yeah about the soykaf. I'd like to see Cindy with the dial turned down below 11. A force to recon with, I think. +++

In the spirit of his new vulnerable situation, Connor takes a moment to open up to the astral to take a look at the stranger's aura. Maybe lying through her teeth?

[ Spoiler ]

Assensing (4) with INT 4 = 4 dice : 2 hits
Complementary test Aura reading 3 (4) : 1 hit no extra info

2 hits

[Koekepan]

Heather deposits her carload of testosterone at a location that she describes as a safehouse. Externally, it looks like an older, run-down, lower-edge-of-middle-class building. It's semi-detached, which is to say that it shares walls with units on either side. The most interesting part, in privacy terms, is that she drove into an old garage before letting anybody out of the vehicle.

A quick tour of the place made clear the major amenities, and deficits. There is no matrix link in here. If you want one, step outside or at least feed an aerial outside because there's an EM block layer. It's three bed, two bath, of dimensions cramped enough that it's a good thing nobody here's an ork. The electricity works, and the water is potable. The kitchen works, and the fridge and cupboards are stocked with enough food to hold out for many weeks, if not months. Hope you like soy.

Heather points out that the linen closets are stocked and there's a basement that includes the laundry machines and a small, thinly equipped workshop that's good enough to maintain guns and do minor carpentry or electronics. Then she says she has to go, but before leaving suggests that you all make yourselves comfortable, and that Connor might see what he can figure out.

Oh, and there is a home node, stocked with a ridiculously huge selection of games and other entertainments - but absolutely no external contact capability whatsoever. Chuck eyes it with barely-concealed lust, although the chance to doss down for a while wins for now.

[pbangarth]

Connor examines the lodgings. He's lived in worse ... well, when slumming, anyway. """I have to get some sleep, or I will be a basket case.""" He wonders whether the reference is lost on present company.

"""But first I'll summon a small spirit to overwatch the building in case we are found out. And to wake me just before sunset."""

[ Spoiler ]

Summon F2 spirit 4dice, Target 4: 1 hit

Resist Drain 4 + 1=5 dice, Target 4(L): 2 hits no drain

"""Well, the day is wearing on and I'm wearing out. I'll ask the hearth spirit to warn me if anyone other than us present tries to enter the building. I'll have to use my personal assistant to wake me at sunset. G'night.""" After directing the spirit, he heads to a bed and crashes.

[Koekepan]

Connor sleeps like a baby. An oversized, muscular baby with a glandular problem.

When he wakes up, he discovers a few things. The first is that Chuck and Carlos are settled down with the available games, and apparently playing some sort of racing game. Whether it's cooperative or competitive is anybody's guess.

The second is that Heather has returned, with a comatose but apparently living Cindy, who is now plugged into the autodoc unit which is running some or other diagnostic or other thing. Heather is muttering creatively about games played by kids, and she doesn't seem to be referring to Connor or Carlos.

Well, there's water for the shower, there's cheap bulk food in the cupboards, and there's a laundry facility in the basement. Not bad for a basic safehouse.

[pbangarth]

Connor enters the room where the others are. A quick scan shows the unknown saviour is the only one not ... occupied in some way or other. Just as well. He has questions. He addresses Heather, who is an unknown to him in more ways than one.

""" So, thanks for the digs and the rescue. I have to ask, though, who are you and why are you helping us?"""

[Koekepan]

Heather walks over to the sink to wash her hands. """I'm an independent security consultant. I was contracted to help by a third party. What their reasoning is, wasn't in the briefing packet but I guess they don't want Mitsuhama having it all their own way? I mean, I have no way of knowing but usually when it's something like this, it's someone in competition trying to keep key personnel out of each other's hands, or otherwise upset their applecarts. Of course, Sleeping Beauty here might have been a bigger ball of trouble in Mitsuhama's hands.""" Heather nods her head at the autodoc where Cindy lies attached. Lights blink and monitors display various vital statistics.

Cindy is pretty much how Connor remembers her, except for the unconsciousness part. Rail-thin, pale as a cloud and dressed for success in a club somewhere; the corporate ladder, less so.

Heather adds: """I think she tried to pull a Juliet. Lucky for her, I'm no Romeo."""